THE ROLE OF THE CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR ASSAYS IN PROSTATE CANCER DETECTION

To assess the correlation between the clinical and molecular assays in identify early and robust prostate cancer detection. Early detection, management of cancer and decision about the disease are important for beneficial treatment of prostate cancer. We used a computerized search of the Medline/ PubMed databases with the key words prostate cancer, biomarker, and early detection. Clinical management of cancer is facilitated by a conventional test such as prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal exam for application in clinical practice. Although these tests have significantly reduced the mortality with prostate cancer, but have some drawbacks and false positive rate. Fortunately, there are strong correlations between the clinical and molecular assays in identifying early and robust cancer detection, because molecular assays are less invasive and reliable. The use of genetic markers has the potential to providing useful prognostic or predictive information into clinically useful diagnostic tests to improve clinical decision-making and enhance therapeutic success. Different clinical and molecular assays are for detecting prostate cancer and use the biomarkers as potential tumor markers could be a useful predictor in the screening and monitoring to avoid over treatment prostate cancer

Applying Parse’s Human Becoming Theory for Caring of an Elderly with Spontaneous Pneumothorax Following the COVID-19: A Case Study

Introduction: The elderly are one of the main groups at risk of contracting COVID-19. Using Parse’s human becoming in practice can lead to important changes in a person’s health. This study aimed to apply this theory in caring of an elderly patient with spontaneous pneumothorax following COVID-19. Methods: This research was a case study which was conducted in 2023 in Guilan (Iran). This study was conducted based on the three principles of Parse’s theory (meaning, rhythmicity, and transcendence) using Purposive sampling. Nursing interventions were performed based on the PRISM model (presence, respect, information, services, and movement). The data analysis was done based on the qualitative analysis-synthesis process of Parse’s research methodology (2011). Results: Findings based on the first principle of Parse’s theory showed that the meaning of COVID-19 changed from "lethal" to "curable disease". In the second principle, the paradoxes of "disbelief/shock-active participation for recovery", "despair-hope", and "ignorance- searching for knowledge" were identified. According to the third principle, the patient and her daughter had learned how to take the path of transcendence and deal with disease conflicts and create the necessary change in dealing with paradoxes. Conclusion: The results showed that Parse’s theory could be used to improve health status and deal with paradoxes in elderly patients suffering from spontaneous pneumothorax. It is suggested that this theory will be used in future studies in the care of other patients

Investigating the Effect of Management Entrenchment on Speed of Cash Holding Adjustment in Companies Listed in Tehran Stock Exchange

In this study, the effect of management entrenchments on the speed of cash holding adjustment in Iran has been investigated. After designing the management entrenchment evaluation indicators, the transaction information was collected from the Stock Exchange in the five-year period of 2011-2015. The statistical sample consists of 155 companies selected by systematic deletion method. In this research, linear regression and correlation have been used to investigate the hypotheses of the research. Also Eviews software was used to analyse the data and test the hypotheses of the research. What can be summarized in the overall conclusion of the research hypothesis test is that the indicators of management entrenchments including deviation from target cash, deviation from target cash in companies with high financial leverage, deviation from target cash in companies with high free cash flows, deviation from target cash interacting the company size and deviation from target cash interacting the firm performance have a significant effect on the speed of cash holdings adjustmen

The POLG Polyglutamine Tract Variants in Iranian Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

How to Cite This Article: Khatami M, Heidari MM, Mansouri R, Mousavi F. The POLG Polyglutamine Tract Variants in Iranian Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Iran J Child Neurol. 2015 Winter; 9(1):37-41.AbstractObjectiveMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is a common disease of the central nervous system. The interaction between inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes typically results in irregular neurological disturbances followed by progressive disability.Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. The DNA polymerase-gamma (POLG) gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of enzyme responsible for directing mtDNA replication, contains a poly glutamine tract (poly-Q) in the N-terminal, encoded by a CAG sequence in exon 2.Materials & MethodsWe analyzed the POLG trinucleotide repeats in 40 Iranian patients with MS (27 females and 13 males with an age range of 18–55); and 47 healthy age, gender, and ethnic matched controls were chosen by PCR-SSCP analysis. ResultsOur results indicated that the most common allele in patients had 10 consecutive CAG repeats (10Q). Other alleles of 11and 12 trinucleotide repeats were detected.We did not find any difference between the CAG repeat length distribution in controls and MS patients.ConclusionNo correlation was observed in the POLG gene CAG repeat with pathogenesis of MS, but it looks that other point mutations in POLG gene may have an important role in the disease’s pathogenesis and produced more significant results.ReferencesBaranzini SE. Revealing the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis: are we there yet? Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2011 Jun; 21(3):317-24.Hoffjan S, Akkad DA. The genetics of multiple sclerosis: an update 2010. Mol Cell Probes. 2010 Oct; 24(5):237-43.Disanto G, Berlanga AJ, Handel AE, Para AE, Burrell AM, Fries A, et al. Heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis: scratching the surface of a complex disease. Autoimmune Dis. 2010; 2011:932351.International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics C, Wellcome Trust Case Control C, Sawcer S, Hellenthal G, Pirinen M, Spencer CC, et al. Genetic risk and a primary role for cell-mediated immune mechanisms in multiple sclerosis. Nature. 2011 Aug 11; 476(7359):214-9.Mao P, Reddy PH. Is multiple sclerosis a mitochondrial disease? Biochimica et biophysica acta. 2010 Jan; 1802(1):66-79.Inarrea P, Alarcia R, Alava MA, Capablo JL, Casanova A, Iniguez C, et al. Mitochondrial complex enzyme activities and cytochrome C expression changes in multiple sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol. 2014 Feb; 49(1):1-9.Schaller A, Hahn D, Jackson CB, Kern I, Chardot C, Belli DC, et al. Molecular and biochemical characterization of a novel mutation in POLG associated with Alpers syndrome. BMC Neurology. 2011; 11(1):4.Milone M, Brunetti-Pierri N, Tang LY, Kumar N, Mezei MM, Josephs K, et al. Sensory ataxic neuropathy with ophthalmoparesis caused by POLG mutations. Neuromuscul Disord. 2008 Aug; 18(8):626-32.Azrak S, Ayyasamy V, Zirpoli G, Ambrosone C, Bandera EV, Bovbjerg DH, et al. CAG repeat variants in the POLG1 gene encoding mtDNA polymerase-gamma and risk of breast cancer in African-American women. PLoS One. 2012; 7(1):e29548.Eerola J, Luoma PT, Peuralinna T, Scholz S, Paisan-Ruiz C, Suomalainen A, et al. POLG1 polyglutamine tract variants associated with Parkinson’s disease. Neurosci Lett. 2010 Jun 14; 477(1):1-5.Rovio A, Abel J, Ahola A, Andres A, Bertranpetit J, Blancher A, et al. A prevalent POLG CAG microsatellite length allele in humans and African great apes. Mammalian genome. 2004; 15(6):492-502.Spelbrink JN, Toivonen JM, Hakkaart GA, Kurkela JM, Cooper HM, Lehtinen SK, et al. In vivo functional analysis of the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase POLG expressed in cultured human cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2000; 275(32):24818-28.Williams AJ, Paulson HL. Polyglutamine neurodegeneration: protein misfolding revisited. Trends in neurosciences. 2008; 31(10):521-8.Luoma P, Eerola J, Ahola S, Hakonen A, Hellström O, Kivistö K, et al. Mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma variants in idiopathic sporadic Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2007; 69(11):1152-9.Heidari MM, Houshmand M, Hosseinkhani S, Nafissi S, Scheiber-Mojdehkar B, Khatami M. Association between trinucleotide CAG repeats of the DNA polymerase gene (POLG) with age of onset of Iranian Friedreich’s ataxia patients. Neurol Sci. 2008 Dec; 29(6):489-93.Heidari MM, Khatami M, Talebi AR. The POLG Gene Polymorphism in Iranian Varicocele-Associated Infertility Patients. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2012 Mar; 15(2):739-44.Jensen M, Leffers H, Petersen JH, Nyboe Andersen A, Jorgensen N, Carlsen E, et al. Frequent polymorphism of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma gene (POLG) in patients with normal spermiograms and unexplained subfertility. Hum Reprod. 2004 Jan; 19(1):65-70.Taanman JW, Schapira AH. Analysis of the trinucleotide CAG repeat from the DNA polymerase gamma gene (POLG) in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Neurosci Lett. 2005 Mar 7; 376(1):56-9.Wong LJ, Naviaux RK, Brunetti-Pierri N, Zhang Q, Schmitt ES, Truong C, et al. Molecular and clinical genetics of mitochondrial diseases due to POLG mutations. Hum Mutat. 2008 Sep; 29(9):E150-72.Kumleh HH, Riazi GH, Houshmand M, Sanati MH, Gharagozli K, Shafa M. Complex I deficiency in Persian multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2006 4/15/; 243(1–2):65-9.Ebers GC, Sadovnick AD, Dyment DA, Yee IML, Willer CJ, Risch N. Parent-of-origin effect in multiple sclerosis: observations in half-siblings. The Lancet. 2004; 363(9423):1773-4.Harding A, Sweeney M, Miller D, Mumford C, Kellar-Wood H, Menard D, et al. Occurrence of a multiple sclerosis-like illness in women who have a Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy mitochondrial DNA mutation. Brain: a journal of neurology.1992; 115(4):979-89.Ahari SE, Houshmand M, Panahi MS, Kasraie S, Moin M, Bahar MA. Investigation on mitochondrial tRNA (Leu/Lys), NDI and ATPase 6/8 in Iranian multiple sclerosis patients. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2007 Sep; 27(6):695-700.Mahad DJ, Ziabreva I, Campbell G, Lax N, White K, Hanson PS, et al. Mitochondrial changes within axons in multiple sclerosis. Brain: a journal of neurology. 2009 May; 132(Pt 5):1161-74

DNA Binding and Antitumor Activity of α-Diimineplatinum(II) and Palladium(II) Dithiocarbamate Complexes

The two water-soluble designed platinum(II) complex, [Pt(Oct-dtc)(bpy)]NO3 (Oct-dtc = Octyldithiocarbamate and bpy = 2,2′ -bipyridine) and palladium(II) complex, [Pd(Oct-dtc)(bpy)]NO3, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductivity measurements, IR, 1H NMR, and electronic spectra studies. Studies of antitumor activity of these complexes against human cell tumor lines (K562) have been carried out. They show Ic50 values lower than that of cisplatin. The complexes have been investigated for their interaction with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) by utilizing the electronic absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectra, and ethidium bromide displacement and gel filtration techniques. Both of these water-soluble complexes bound cooperatively and intercalatively to the CT-DNA at very low concentrations. Several binding and thermodynamic parameters are also described

Combination of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan scaffolds increased cytokine genes on wound healing of infected rats with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Background: The present study aims to determine the effect of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan in the expression of cytokine genes on wound healing of infected rats with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methods: In this study, all male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group M1: 0.1 mL sterile saline 0.9% solution was added to the wounds with no infection. Group M2: the wounds were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and only treated with 0.1 mL the sterile saline 0.9% solution. Group M3: animals with infected wounds were treated with zinc nanoparticle. Group M4: animals with infected wounds were treated with chitosan. Group M5: animals with infected wounds were treated with 0.1 mL solution of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan. Skin biopsy samples were removed for the histological studies and quantitative assessment of IL-6, VEGF, TNF and TGF genes using real-time PCR in each groups.Results: Quantitative histological and neovascularization studies showed that there was significant difference between rats in groupM5 compared to other groups. The infected groupM5 exhibited a significant increase in the expression levels of VEGF: 8.02, TNF: 5.34, TGF: 7.98, and decrease of IL-6:-3.34 folds as compared to the other groups on the 21st day (P<0.05). Also, on the same day was seen the minimum surface area of wound in group 5. The surface area between each study group and other groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion: Our studies also show that the type of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan scaffolds have more effects than other types of compounds in wound healing.Keywords: Nanozinc; chitosan; wound; meticillin-resistant infection; Inflammatory cytokine 

The effectiveness of compassion focused therapy on distress tolerance, difficulty in emotion regulation and anxiety sensitivity in patients with cardiovascular disease

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common, chronic and debilitating diseases. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of compassion focused therapy on distress tolerance, difficulty in emotion regulation and anxiety sensitivity in patients with cardiovascular disease. Methods: It was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test and a control group. The statistical population included all cardiovascular patients in Mashhad city in 2019-2020. The sample consisted of 30 cardiovascular patients referred to Valiasr clinic that were selected by available sampling method and placed in experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent compassion focused therapy for 8 sessions of 2 hours and, at the end, both groups received post-test. The measurement tools were distress tolerance scale, difficulties in emotion regulation scale and anxiety sensitivity scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the variables of distress tolerance, difficulty in emotion regulation and anxiety sensitivity (P&lt;0.05); In other words, compassion focused therapy has been effective on distress tolerance, difficulty in emotion regulation and anxiety sensitivity in patients with cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: Based on the results, this therapeutic approach can be used to increase distress tolerance and reduce difficulty in emotion regulation and anxiety sensitivity in cardiovascular patients

Coronary Care Unit Nurses’ Experiences of Care Management Self-Efficacy: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Recognizing various aspects of the self-efficacy concept in specialized medical units such as intensive care units (ICUs) and coronary care units (CCUs) has the potential to help nurses improve their quality of care. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative content analysis study in 2018 in hospitals of the Guilan Province, northern Iran, to help explain nurses’ perceptions of self-efficacy in care management within CCU wards. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses from CCUs. Using Graneheim and Lundman’s (2004) analytical techniques, we extracted three main themes and nine sub-themes from the data: decline in self-efficacy (e.g., time constraint, high work pressure, emotional stresses, and loss of motivation); care development (e.g., experience-based care, knowledge-based care, and personal capability); and organizational challenges (e.g., weak management and unavailable physician). Our findings suggest that decreases in nurse self-efficacy (and resulting weak care management) could be prevented by establishing clear plans and enrolling nurses into appropriate training courses. The constant development of knowledge and experience alongside supportive supervisors and physicians are also effective in improving nurses’ self-efficacy