MicroRNA-127 and MicroRNA-132 Expression in Patients with Methamphetamine Abuse in East Azerbaijan, Iran: A Case-Control Study

Background: Addiction is a personal and social problem worldwide, and has physical and psychological effects on consumers’ health. Recently, miRNAs have been described as noninvasive biomarkers. Currently, methamphetamine abuse (MA) is mainly diagnosed by chromatography. This study aimed to investigate the expression and diagnostic value of miR-127 and miR-132 in blood samples of patients with MA and non-user healthy controls. Methods: A total of 60 patients with MA (case group) and 60 non-user healthy individuals (control group) were selected from Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran. Peripheral blood was obtained and total RNA was extracted. Then, cDNA synthesis was performed and miR-127 and miR-132 expression was evaluated using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Findings: The results of this study demonstrated that miR-127 was significantly lower (0.042-fold change) in patients with MA than in the control group (P<0.05). However, miR-132 was significantly higher (7.1-fold change) in patients with MA than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: In general, expression of miR-127 and miR-132 may alter in patients with MA. Further studies are needed to identify underlying molecular mechanisms in patients with MA

Dynamical Friction in a Gas: The Subsonic Case

We study the force of dynamical friction acting on a gravitating point mass that travels through an extended, isothermal gas. This force is well established in the hypersonic limit, but remains less understood in the subsonic regime. Using perturbation theory, we analyze the changes in gas velocity and density far from the mass. We show analytically that the steady-state friction force is Mdot*V, where Mdot is the mass accretion rate onto an object moving at speed V. It follows that the speed of an object experiencing no other forces declines as the inverse square of its mass. Using a modified version of the classic Bondi-Hoyle interpolation formula for Mdot as a function of V, we derive an analytic expression for the friction force. This expression also holds when mass accretion is thwarted, e.g. by a wind, as long as the wind-cloud interaction is sufficiently confined spatially. Our result should find application in a number of astrophysical settings, such as the motion of galaxies through intracluster gas.Comment: To appear in MNRAS, 26 pages, 7 figures, single column v2 - Small changes to reflect published version, fixed y-axis scaling on Figure

The effects of curcumin and a modified curcumin formulation on serum Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objective: Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesteryl ester from HDL-C to LDL-C and VLDL-C. The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the effect of curcumin and its modified formulation on serum CETP concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups of 40 subjects receiving either unmodified curcumin or its phospholipid complex or placebo. Lipid profile and plasma CETP were measured at the start and sixweeksafter initiation of the treatment.The normality of data distribution was assessed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Wilcoxon test was used for comparing the data before and after the intervention. The percent changes of CETP and biochemical factors among the three groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Serum CETP levels were not significantly altered among patients receiving curcumin. Conclusion: Curcumin and its complex had no significant effect on serum CETP concentrations

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: We estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined. FINDINGS: Globally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer. INTERPRETATION: As the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

Determining and ranking components for assessing the success achieved by inter-organizational networks

This research aims to determine and rank factors for assessing the success achieved by inter-organizational networks. After reviewing the theoretical foundations and research background, the factors for measuring the success achieved by inter-organizational networks, including 3 main factors and 38 sub-factors were determined. In the second stage, the validity of factors was investigated by a survey of experts involved in the field of information technology and software and hardware. The results show that factors used in this study are fully approved by the experts of the subject. The results also suggest that IT managers and network engineers need 3 main organizational, network and institutional factors to evaluate the success of inter-organizational networks. Data were tested using Friedman test, one-sample T-test, Smirnov-Kolmogorov and Spearman tests, and Cronbach’s alpha was calculated. The results of Friedman’s test indicated that from experts’ point of view, network factor is the most important one, and organizational and institutional factors were respectively ranked second and third. Regarding each factor, the rank of each sub-factor was determined; hence, in network index, sub-index of teamwork and collaboration has the highest rank. In organizational and institutional indices, the highest ranks respectively relate to sub-indices of software infrastructure and organizing. To implement inter-organizational networks, and evaluate the success achieved by these networks, paying attention to such factors is considered crucial

Single electron transfer in He

The four body Born distorted wave (BDW-4B) approximation with correct boundary condition is used for single electron transfer in He+-He+ collision. The post and prior total cross sections are obtained in the energy range 10–1000 keV/amu and the post-prior discrepancy is estimated. The sensitivity of the results with respect to the choice of the final helium-like ground state wave function is evaluated through two different wave functions. The importance of the dynamic electron correlations is tested as a function of impact energy. Additional experimental data at higher impact energies is needed for a better assessment of the validity of the present theory

Naczyniakowłókniak w obrębie wyrostka zębodołowego szczęki: opis rzadkiego przypadku

Naczyniakowłókniak tkanek miękkich jest nowotworem łagodnym, najczęściej występującym w okolicy nosogardła młodych mężczyzn. Pierwotna lokalizacja poza jamą nosogardła bez zajęcia tej struktury zdarza się rzadko i występuje częściej u pacjentów w starszym wieku. Naczyniakowłókniaki zlokalizowane poza jamą nosogardła różnią się od włókniaków młodzieńczych. Według danych zebranych z obszernego piśmiennictwa, lokalizacja naczyniakowłókniaka w jamie ustnej jest niezwykle rzadka. Natomiast naczyniakowłókniak poza jamą nosogardła, w tym przypadku wywodzący się z wyrostka zębodołowego szczęki, nie został dotąd opisany. Opisywany przez nas przypadek jest pierwsz

Soft tissue angiofibroma on the ridge of the maxilla: a rare case report

Soft tissue angiofibroma is a benign vascular neoplasm that occurs predominantly in the nasopharynx area of adolescent males. Primary extranasopharyngeal location without involvement of the nasopharynx is unusual and tends to occur at a later age. Extra nasopharyngeal angiofibromas are clinically different from juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas. According to a vast literature search, presenting angiofibroma in the oral cavity is extremely rare. Extranasopharyngeal angiofibroma arising from the ridge of the maxilla in the oral cavity has not been reported up to now and this case is probably the first to be reported

Medication errors among nurses in teaching hospitals in the west of Iran: what we need to know about prevalence, types, and barriers to reporting

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the prevalence and types of medication errors (MEs), as well as barriers to reporting MEs, among nurses working in 7 teaching hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016. METHODS A convenience sampling method was used to select the study participants (n=500 nurses). A self-constructed questionnaire was employed to collect information on participants’ socio-demographic characteristics (10 items), their perceptions about the main causes of MEs (31 items), and barriers to reporting MEs to nurse managers (11 items). Data were collected from September 1 to November 30, 2016. Negative binomial regression was used to identify the main predictors of the frequency of MEs among nurses. RESULTS The prevalence of MEs was 17.0% (95% confidence interval, 13.7 to 20.3%). The most common types of MEs were administering medications at the wrong time (24.0%), dosage errors (16.8%), and administering medications to the wrong patient (13.8%). A heavy workload and the type of shift work were considered to be the main causes of MEs by nursing staff. Our findings showed that 45.0% of nurses did not report MEs. A heavy workload due to a high number of patients was the most important reason for not reporting MEs (mean score, 3.57±1.03) among nurses. Being male, having a second unrelated job, and fixed shift work significantly increased MEs among nurses (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study documented a high prevalence of MEs among nurses in the west of Iran. A heavy workload was considered to be the most important barrier to reporting MEs among nurses. Thus, appropriate strategies (e.g., reducing the nursing staff workload) should be developed to address MEs and improve patient safety in hospital settings in Iran