Application of non-thermal plasma for decontamination of thyme and paprika

The decontamination importance of spices as a widely used product in the world and the limitations of conventional decontamination methods conduct to find new and safe ways for microbial reduction of spices. Recently, cold plasma technology has been considered as a technique for disinfection in the food industry. In this study, microbial destruction of thyme and paprika through non-thermal plasma was investigated. The implemented method to create atmospheric cold plasma was dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Plasma was applied to spices for 5 minutes. The results showed that by applying non-thermal plasma to thyme, total bacterial counts were reduced to 1.18 log cycle, but molds and yeasts were not changed. For paprika, considerable effects were not observed. It seems that cold plasma as an inexpensive, water-free and non-thermal method has the potential to reduce the bacterial contamination of thyme but further research is required to improve its effect. It is also possible to use DBD plasma treatment in combination with other technologies

Design and synthesis of novel 1,2,4-triazole derivatives as soluble epoxide hydrolases inhibitors

Introduction: Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors have been shown to effectively increase the levels of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids and reduce the levels of dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids, which may be translated to therapeutic potentials for hypertension, diabetes, stroke, dyslipidemia, pain, immunological disorders, eye diseases, neurological diseases and other indications. Since most sEH inhibitors have poor pharmacokinetic properties, development of novel inhibitors is a great deal of attention. Methods and Results: Based on the structure activity relationship of soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors and docking studies, some novel compounds with amide moiety and triazole ring as a first and second pharmacophore respectively were designed. These structures were synthesized through 4 step reaction with proper yields. Initially, 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride was reacted with hydrazine hydrate and then in the presence of benzonitrile and catalytic amounts of copper iodide, 1,2,4-triazole was closed. Final products were obtained by reduction of nitro group and reaction with various benzoyl chlorides. Docking studies on the designed sEH inhibitors confirm that the amide groups of the analogues fit properly in the active site of sEH and have a suitable distance from the amino acids of Tyr466 and Asp335 for effective hydrogen bonding. These novel compounds were synthesized in appropriate yield and their structure was approved by instrumental methods including IR, Mass, HNMR and CNMR spectroscopies. Conclusions: In conclusion, some novel amide-based soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme inhibitors with a 1,2,4-tri azole as a novel secondary pharmacophore were designed, synthesized and structurally approved by IR, NMR and Mass spectra

Pituitary macroadenoma resulting from primary hypothyroidism: A16-year-old girl

Background: Primary hypothyroidism is a common medical condition. It can lead to pituitary adenoma which is usually asymptomatic, but it can also lead to symptomatic macroadenomas which are hard to diagnose due to different clinical presentations. Case presentation: A 16-year-old girl presented for endocrinology consultation prior to neurosurgical operation. She had galactorrhea which was accompanied by vertigo & low grade blurred vision without a headache and was diagnosed with pituitary macroadenoma and was planned for a surgery. She had TSH level of more than 100 mU/L, free thyroxine of 1.9 pmol/L. Her thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody level was 13.3 IU/mL, insulin growth factor-1 392 µ/l and serum prolactin level 42 ng/ml. During physical exam and with the laboratory findings, we suspected for a primary hypothyroidism as the leading cause of pituitary macroadenoma. As the result, we cancel the surgery and start levothyroxine therapy 100µg daily for her. In the follow-up it revealed that our diagnosis was correct and she went into remission with pituitary gland shrinking and decreasing TSH and prolactin levels. Conclusion: It is important to understand the different presentation of primary hypothyroidism to decrease the unnecessary risk of maltreatment in patients

The Immediate Pain-Relieving Effects of Non-Thermal CO2 Laser Therapy on Genital Ulcers of Behcet’s Disease: A Case Report

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology. Oral and genital aphthous ulcers are considered as the hallmarks of BD. The genital ulcers of BD may be extremely painful and often refractory to multiple treatments. In addition, they exert a negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. Some investigations have demonstrated the significant and immediate pain-relieving effects of NTCLT (non-thermal CO2 laser therapy) on some oral lesions with no visible adverse effects. In this paper, we report a case of BD whose painful genital ulcers were irradiated with NTCLT and the patient’s pain caused by the ulcers relieved immediately and significantly with no visible complications

What is the best laboratory method for diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Virus in genital infections?

  Genital infection caused by Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most common health problems, worldwide. Several methods such as cell culture, serological and molecular methods have been used to detect this virus. Currently, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real time-PCR) technique is widely used due to its high sensitivity and specificity. Besides, Real time-PCR can be employed in the follow-up of therapeutic effects in HSV-infected person who is being treated with antiretroviral drugs. We conducted a review on traditional and current diagnostic methods with a focus on their limitations in the diagnosis of HSV infection

Normal Values of Nerve Conduction Studies in Children Aged 7 Days to 14 Years Referred to Electrodiagnosis Clinic of Iranian Children’s Medical Center

Background: The normal values of nerve conduction studies (NCS) are different in children compared to adults. Moreover, racial and geographical factors can affect these values. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the normal NCS values in children of different ages. Methods: The present cross-sectional study included children referred to the Electrodiagnosis Clinic of the Children’s Medical Center in Iran, who had normal NCS results based on the references and had no exclusion criteria. The patients were divided into 8 age groups (7 days to one month, 1 - 3 months, 3 - 6 months, 6 - 12 months, 1 - 2 years, 2 - 4 years, 4 - 6 years, and 6 - 14 years), and the NCS was performed using a Nihon Kohden electromyogram. The NCS values in the normal range were included in the analysis. Results: The normal ranges of amplitude and conduction velocity of 4 motor nerves (median, ulnar, deep peroneal, and tibial) and 2 sensory nerves (median and medial plantar), as well as the F-wave latency values of 2 nerves (ulnar and tibial), were established as the reference values for the pediatric patients. Conclusions: The NCS parameters of Iranian children were slightly different from the normal references reported by studies in other countries. Moreover, the SNAP and CMAP amplitudes and motor conduction velocity of these children usually reached the normal values of the adult population earlie

Global burden of peripheral artery disease and its risk factors, 1990–2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

peripheral artery disease were modelled using the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 database. Prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and mortality estimates of peripheral artery disease were extracted from GBD 2019. Total DALYs and age-standardised DALY rate of peripheral artery disease attributed to modifiable risk factors were also assessed. Findings In 2019, the number of people aged 40 years and older with peripheral artery disease was 113 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 99·2–128·4), with a global prevalence of 1·52% (95% UI 1·33–1·72), of which 42·6% was in countries with low to middle Socio-demographic Index (SDI). The global prevalence of peripheral artery disease was higher in older people, (14·91% [12·41–17·87] in those aged 80–84 years), and was generally higher in females than in males. Globally, the total number of DALYs attributable to modifiable risk factors in 2019 accounted for 69·4% (64·2–74·3) of total peripheral artery disease DALYs. The prevalence of peripheral artery disease was highest in countries with high SDI and lowest in countries with low SDI, whereas DALY and mortality rates showed U-shaped curves, with the highest burden in the high and low SDI quintiles. Interpretation The total number of people with peripheral artery disease has increased globally from 1990 to 2019. Despite the lower prevalence of peripheral artery disease in males and low-income countries, these groups showed similar DALY rates to females and higher-income countries, highlighting disproportionate burden in these groups. Modifiable risk factors were responsible for around 70% of the global peripheral artery disease burden. Public measures could mitigate the burden of peripheral artery disease by modifying risk factors

The Study of the Place of Stories and History in the Quran

Holy Quran is full of stories and historical accounts of past nations and prophets for the purpose of transferring knowledge and guidance of human being. However, the Quran does not directly mention the history and historiography, and even the Quran is not based on historiography. The main research questions are: 1. What is the link between the Quran and the history? 2. What is the purpose of the use of stories and historical accounts in the Quran? The research aims to reveal the relationship between the Quran as a sacred source and history as a branch of the humanities. It is hypothesized that the stories are used for the purpose of teaching and following God’s messengers. As a result, it makes the Quran different from the historical text and nation's historical accounts. The findings of the current research indicated that accentuating the Quranic figures for modeling in order to train people, calling to choose the rational attitude, attending to the quality of historical events, and inviting the audience to dispel myths by utilizing Quranic words like "Naba", "Ghesas" and "Ebrat" have led to the choice of realism are among some of the characteristics of the Quranic historical narratives. The story telling and Narrative Features of Quranic stories due to the revelation and the truth of these propositions and the presence of real people within the stories make the Quran vastly superior to the other sacred books and historical books as well, and also make it a parahistorical text