Distal Femoral Epiphyses Ossification Center Diameter and Third Trimester Gestational Age in Iranian Population

Objective: The epiphyses ossification centers appear late in gestation, when traditional biometric measurements are the least accurate, and they can be useful in determining third trimester’s gestational age. To evaluate fetal distal femoral epiphysis (DFE) size in various ages of gestation and establish a reference chart for Iranian population. Materials & Methods: DFE diameter was measured in 1300 normal singleton pregnancies, between 28 and 40 weeks. Mean diameter in each week of gestation was evaluated. Results: The DFE is not visualized in 28 weeks’ gestation. It appeared in a small proportion of the fetuses (5%) as early as the 29th week. DFE was detectable by ultrasonography increased dramatically to 56% at 33 weeks’ reaching 94% at 36 weeks and 100% at 37 weeks gestation. Conclusion: Ultrasonographic visualization of the distal femoral epiphyses ossification center is a useful marker of fetal third trimester’s gestational age

Formulation of a New Generation of Liposomes from Bacterial and Archeal Lipids

Purpose: To evaluate the application of bacterial liposomes and archaeosomes as a novel drug delivery system for in vitro cytoplasmic delivery of molecules into cancer cells.Methods: Bacterial membrane lipids were extracted using chloroform and methanol. Bacterial liposomes and archaeosomes of E. coli, Acidianus brierleyi and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius were prepared using film method and their trailing in cancer cells (HT-29) was evaluated by carboxyfluorescein (CF). Their morphological characteristics were assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM).Results: At 37 °C, the liposomes and archaeosomes interacted with cell membranes predominantly by fusion and endocytosis. The AFM images showed uniform and dispersed distribution of the liposomes.Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that bacterial liposomes and archaeosomes may be useful as drug delivery carriers for the treatment of cancer.Keywords: Liposome, Archaeosome, E. coli, Acidianus brierleyi, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Cancer, HT-29 cell, Atomic force microscopy, Film metho

IN VITRO SCREENING OF ANTI-CANDIDA ACTIVITY OF SAPONINS EXTRACTED FROM GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA AND QUILLAJA SAPONARIA

Objective: In recent years, the incidences of opportunistic fungal pathogens have increased and development of fungal resistance to antifungal drugs is a global concern. Therefore, it is important to identify new antifungal agents. Saponins are secondary metabolites that are found in various plant species and show antifungal activity. The aim of the study was to evaluate antifungal activity of saponin extracted from the Glycyrrhiza glabra against Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida tropicalic and Candida glabrata). Antifungal activity Quillaja saponaria total saponin (QST) was also evaluated. Methods: The roots of the plant were dried, powdered and def-fatted with petroleum ether in a soxhlet apparatus. The air dried powder was successively extracted with methanol, n-butanol and diethyl ether. The antifungal activity of the saponins was carried out using well diffusion method and also the value of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) was calculated. Clotrimazole was used as positive controls to determine the sensitivity of the species. Results: According to the results, C. albicans, and C. tropicalic were sensitive to the saponins of G. glabra, and Q. saponaria, while saponin isolated from G. glabra just could inhibited the growth of C. glabrata. Conclusion: In vitro studies have demonstrated that saponins extracted from G. glabra, and Q. saponaria can serve as potential candidates for the development of new antifungal agents.     Key words: Saponin, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Quillaja saponaria, Anti-Candida activit

The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in patients with breast cancer in Southeast Iran in 2019: a cross-sectional study

Introduction. Today, breast cancer patients suffer from various psychological symptoms that impose irreversible effects on their quality of life. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in patients with breast cancer. Material and methods. This descriptive study was performed on 190 women with breast cancer from January 1, 2019 to July 30, 2019. Data collection was carried out using a convenience sampling method. The Standard Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress. Results. The mean age of the patients was 46.3 years. Results showed the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress to be 28.4%, 43.2%, and 14.7%, respectively. Conclusion. The results indicate that it is vital to measure the level of depression and anxiety in women withbreast cancer, which are two common mental disorders in breast cancer

A systematic review and meta-analysis of pregnancy and COVID-19: Signs and symptoms, laboratory tests, and perinatal outcomes

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations including signs and symptoms, laboratory results, and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Scholarly databases such as PubMed via LitCovid hub, Embase, Scopus, Web of sciences, and Google scholar were searched on April 7, 2020. Meta-analysis was performed via comprehensive meta-analysis software using the Mantel-Haenszel method. The event rate with 95% CI was calculated for each variable. Results: Ten studies were selected. The pooled prevalence for fever, post-partum fever, cough, myalgia, fatigue, dyspnea, sore throat, and diarrhea were 66.8%, 37.1%, 35%, 24.6 %, 14.9%, 14.6%, 11.5%, and 7.6%, respectively. Laboratory test results were 49.8% for lymphopenia, 47.7% for leukocytosis, 83.7% for elevated neutrophil ratio, 57% for elevated C-reactive protein, and 71.4% for decreased lymphocyte ratio. The rate of cesarean section for delivery in all cases was 84%. Of the newborns of the corona positive mothers, only one had a positive test result. Also, there was only one death due to a decreased lymphocyte ratio. Conclusion: Fever was the most common sign and symptom in pregnant women with COVID-19. Among the laboratory tests, the highest amount was related to elevated neutrophil ratio. It seems that due to the differences between pregnant women and the general population, special measures should be considered to treat these patients. Key words: COVID-19, Pregnancy, Diagnosis, Signs and symptoms, Meta-analysis

A comparative study of the execution process of municipal budget in Iran and France

In municipalities, one of the stages of the budgeting process is budget execution. Although the budget is prepared correctly on the basis of information and experiences and by using new measured methods, the need for proper implementation of the budget will be the other important part of budgeting activities. The Law of Iran and France have acknowledged the implementation of the budget by the municipality. Proper implementation of budget requires processes that makes it possible to collect accurate and legal revenue and also is included on correct and legal pay of costs. Studies show, in the two systems, the process of implementation of the budget is determined according to ability, experience and respect for the rights of citizens, and in this regard there are significant differences in the two systems. Given the shortcomings that exist in the laws and regulations, drafting procedures and methods of implementation of the budget -in particular deficiencies in the collection of revenues seen in Iran -is one of the requirements in organizing the transparency and legality of the budget execution process in the municipalities of Iran, in which the practices governing the legal system of the French municipalities could be used

Political Supervision on the Power and Its Practice through the People in the Legal System of Iran

Although  in  the  political  and  legal  discourse  the  term  of  political supervision is used repeatedly, there is little discussion available about the  analysis  of  the  meaning  of  this  concept  and  the  quality  of practicing  it  through  the  governmental  institutes  and  also  by  the people in the political systems. This article emphasizes the position and role of the people in applying this supervision mode in order to control the power, and it tries to provide a clear definition for the political supervision and its features, so that it is clarified that in the current society of Iran, considering the vastness of the society, it is not possible to use the people’s direct supervision for the realization of a favorable control  system.  Instead,  it  is  inevitable  to  appeal  to  modern mechanisms in accordance with the requirements of the current time and also it is necessary to reform the existing mechanisms

Application of Virtual Reality in Hospitals: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Due to the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) technology in the healthcare field, the present study was conducted to systematically investigate the use of VR in hospitals. Method: To access related articles, the keywords "Virtual Reality" and "Hospital" and their synonyms were searched in databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar without a time limit until August 15, 2022. The original articles that were published in English and dealt with "the application of virtual reality in the hospital" were included in the study, and their characteristics were analyzed. Results: Eleven articles were included in the present study, in which various applications for VR in the hospital environment have been reported. The most common uses of VR in hospitals are as follows: managing behavioral symptoms, creating relaxation and inducing positive emotions in patients, providing treatment and physical, mental, and emotional rehabilitation in patients, providing training for care providers in different hospital departments, virtual presence at home for hospitalized children and teenagers; VR can also work as a supplement to the procedure for the children's lives and an adaptive substitute for experiences in the real environment for the medical residents.. Conclusion: Considering the positive impact of using VR in hospitals, using this technology as an auxiliary tool to improve education, treatment, and prevention in the healthcare system is suggested