The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between spiritual health and aging perception with depression in older adults in Bushehr city, 2019. The present cross-sectional study designed ...based on the STROBE statement on 430 elderly people. Systematic multi-stage sampling was performed with the informed consent of participants. The mean age of participants was 66.83 ± 7.91 years. The mean scores of spiritual health, physical health and aging perception were obtained 96.75 ± 10.02, 43.07 ± 4.86 and 58.65 ± 6.69, respectively. The results of the interaction between the variables of spiritual health and perception of aging on depression showed a significant relationship between these variables and depression. The results showed that spiritual health and perception of aging have a significant effect on depression. In other words, older adults who were more aware of their aging process and had higher spiritual health reported less depression.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Background
Olfactory dysfunction has been suggested as a diagnostic and discriminative biomarker in some neurodegenerative disorders. However, there are few studies regarding the olfactory status in ...rare diseases including neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) disorders
.
Methods
Genetically-confirmed NBIA patients were enrolled. Neurological and cognitive examinations were conducted according to the Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration-Disease Rating Scale (PKAN-DRS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) questionnaire, respectively. Olfaction was assessed in three domains of odor threshold (OT), odor discrimination (OD), odor identification (OI), and total sum (TDI) score by the Sniffin’ Sticks test. The olfactory scores were compared to a control group and a normative data set.
Results
Thirty-seven patients, including 22 PKAN, 6 Kufor Rakeb syndrome, 4 Mitochondrial membrane Protein-Associated Neurodegeneration (MPAN), 5 cases of other 4 subtypes, and 37 controls were enrolled. The mean PKAN-DRS score was 51.83±24.93. Sixteen patients (55.2%) had normal cognition based on MMSE. NBIA patients had significantly lower olfactory scores compared to the controls in TDI and all three subtests, and 60% of them were hyposmic according to the normative data. Including only the cognitively-normal patients, still, OI and TDI scores were significantly lower compared to the controls. The phospholipase A2-Associated Neurodegeneration (PLAN) and MPAN patients had a significantly lower OI score compared to the cognitively-matched PKAN patients.
Conclusion
Olfactory impairment as a common finding in various subtypes of NBIA disorder can potentially be considered a discriminative biomarker. Better OI in PKAN compared to PLAN and MPAN patients may be related to the different underlying pathologies.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The current study aimed to investigate if there is a difference in the use of intratympanic steroid therapy (IST), compared to systemic steroid treatment (SST), as an initial treatment for patients ...with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) by a meta-analysis design performed on the mean pure-tone average (PTA) improvement and the complete recovery rate.
A systematic literature review was performed on randomized controlled trials published from 1990 to August 2020 in some databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library/CENTRAL, Ovid, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and clinical trials.gov. The primary outcomes of interest were pure-tone average improvement and complete recovery rates.
Six eligible studies with 496 patients (250 patients in the IST group and 246 subjects in the SST group) were included in this study. The pooled standardized mean difference of the PTAs was estimated as 0.07 (95% CI = −0.10 to 0.25; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.668), and the pooled odds ratio of complete recovery rate was obtained as 1.00 (95% CI = 0.66 to 0.151; I2 = 31.6, P = 0.199). Moreover, the pooled standardized mean difference of pure-tone average for the intratympanic steroid treatment group compared to the patients with oral steroid treatment was 0.07 (95% CI = −0.12 to 0.26; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.526).
The current study demonstrated that the effect of intratympanic injection of corticosteroid, as a first-line treatment, is not statistically different from the systemic route in improving the hearing outcomes among patients with SSNHL.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background and aims
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by language impairment, and challenges with social interaction, communication, and repetitive ...behaviors. Although genetics are a primary cause of ASD, the exact genes and molecular mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis are not completely clear. The FOXP2 gene encodes a transcription factor that is known for its major role in language development and severe speech problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of FOXP2 in ASD etiology, executive functions, and brain activities.
Methods
In the present study, we recruited 450 children with ASD and 490 neurotypical control children. Three domains of executive functions (working memory, response inhibition, and vigilance) were assessed. In addition, five-minute eyes closed electroencephalography was obtained from some of the children with ASD and neurotypical children. DNA sequence and expression level of FOXP2 in blood samples of children with ASD and the control group were evaluated by using sequencing and Real-time PCR, respectively.
Results
The results showed no mutations but a significant down expression of FOXP2 genes in children with ASD vs. neurotypical children. Several cognitive and executive function deficiencies were detected in children with ASD. Low alpha and gamma bands in the frontal lobe and high theta bands in the occipital lobe were revealed in children with ASD. We also found several correlations between FOXP2 expression levels and clinical assessments.
Conclusions
Our finding revealed the down expression of FOXP2, which could be considered as a biomarker for ASD as well as cognitive and executive dysfunction. Based on brain mapping data, FOXP2 may be related to the theta wave abnormality of children with ASD. FOXP2 may be considered a target of novel treatment to improve memory and executive functions.
Implications
Our findings highlight the role of FOXP2 mRNA level in ASD etiology, executive functions, and brain wave frequencies.
Dementia poses a significant societal and health challenge in the 21st century, with many hospitalized patients experiencing dementia without a documented diagnosis.
To evaluate the prevalence of ...dementia and its associated risk factors among older patients admitted to hospitals.
The study included older patients (≥ 60 years) admitted to medical departments of a general hospital in three major Iranian cities. Researchers utilized the Activities of Daily Living-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL-IADL) scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the Mini-Cog test, the 4 A's test (4AT), and the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS). Among the 420 recruited older inpatients, 228 (54.3%) were female.
The mean age of participants was 71.39 years (standard deviation ±7.95), with 30.7% diagnosed with major neurocognitive disorder (dementia). The likelihood of dementia exhibited statistically significant correlations with gender, age, number of children, and occupation.
Screening older individuals for cognitive impairment upon hospital admission holds the potential to prevent adverse outcomes and enhance the quality of treatment for patients concurrently dealing with dementia.
The effect of neuroprotective placental protein composition (NPPC) on the suppression of tinnitus and the restoration of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) characteristics was explored in ...tinnitus-induced rats. The animals were placed into two groups: (1) the study group, rats received sodium salicylate (SS) at the dose of 200 mg/kg twice a day for two weeks, and then 0.4 mg of the NPPC per day, between the 14th and 28th days, (2) the placebo group, rats received saline for two weeks, and then the NPPC alone between the 14th and 28th days. The gap pre-pulse inhibition of the acoustic startle (GPIAS), the pre-pulse inhibition (PPI), and the ABR assessments were performed on animals in both groups three times (baseline, day 14, and 28). The GPIAS value declined after 14 consecutive days of the SS injection, while NPPC treatment augmented the GPIAS score in the study group on the 28th day. The PPI outcomes revealed no significant changes, indicating hearing preservation after the SS and NPPC administrations. Moreover, some changes in ABR characteristics were observed following SS injection, including (1) higher ABR thresholds, (2) lowered waves I and II amplitudes at the frequencies of 6, 12, and 24 kHz and wave III at the 12 kHz, (3) elevated amplitude ratios, and (4) prolongation in brainstem transmission time (BTT). All the mentioned variables returned to their normal values after applying the NPPC. The NPPC use could exert positive therapeutic effects on the tinnitus-induced rats and improve their ABR parameters.
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•The behavioral test scores indicate tinnitus reduction following NPPC-treated rats.•Significant improvement in the ABR thresholds and an enhancement of the amplitude of waves I and II occurred after NPPC administration.•Prolongation of the BTT was observed after SS injection, which significantly decreased following NPPC-treated rats.•Improving the ABR's characteristics in NPPC-treated rats indicates the impact of neuromodulation in the recovery of auditory deafferentation.•The application of NPPC could improve tinnitus and exerts positive therapeutic effects on ABR characteristic.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Klebsiella pneumoniae
is a hospital-acquired pathogen that leads to various infections. There is a great interest in developing an efficient
Klebsiella
vaccine and epitope-based vaccines may provide ...a hopeful choice. Outer membrane proteins (Omps) of gram-negative bacteria play an essential role in bacterial pathogenicity; therefore, they are ideal candidates for vaccine development against these pathogens. This study proposed an in silico approach by assembling consensus and high ranked epitopes of OmpW, OmpA, OmpF, OmpC and OmpX of
K. pneumoniae
and other virulence Enterobacteriaceae to induce multi-epitopic responses against these pathogens. Two vaccine constructs of discontinuous (conformational) B cell and linear CD4
+
T cell epitopes of the Omps were designed. The three-dimensional structure of the B cell construct was successfully modeled and validated. Discontinuous B cell epitopes predictions of the B cell construct showed that the predicted epitopes are admissibly in common with total inserted discontinuous epitopes result in stimulation an efficient humoral immune response. In order to improve the immunogenicity, the size of the constructs was increased by multiplication of the epitopes and incorporation of sequence tags. Both constructs were found to be soluble, non-allergen and free of much posttranslational modification that could be effective on immunogenicity.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Background. This clinical trial evaluated the effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation along with scaling and root planing (SRP) on periodontal and gingival indices in controlled diabetic patients. ...Methods. Forty-two diabetic patients (controlled type), referred to the Department of Periodontics with chronic periodontitis and eligible for the study, were included in the study. Patients suffering from chronic periodontitis with a probing pocket depth of ≥5 mm in different quadrants of the oral cavity with radiographic evidence of bone loss were included in the present randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The subjects were instructed to take one capsule of coenzyme Q10 or a placebo every day for 30 days following SRP. Clinical parameters, i.e., plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), clinical attachment level (CAL), and probing pocket depth (PPD), were recorded at baseline and four weeks after treatment by two masked and calibrated examiners. The study results were reported as (mean ± standard deviations) and frequencies (percentages). Results. One month after the intervention, PPD, CAL, BOP, and PI indices in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group. One month after the intervention, the GI was similar in both groups. A significant decrease was observed in the GI in both groups after the intervention. Conclusion. The results of the present study showed that Q10 orally with scaling and root planing in patients with controlled diabetes with chronic periodontitis might accelerate the treatment process and significantly reduce the pocket depth.
The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 (coronavirus disease 2019; previously 2019‐nCoV), epicenter in Hubei Province (Wuhan), People’s Republic of China, has spread too many other ...countries. The transmission of the corona virus occurs when people are in the incubation stage and do not have any symptoms. Therefore, the role of environmental factors such as temperature and wind speed becomes very important. The study of Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) indicates that there is a significant relationship between temperature and virus transmission and three important factors, namely temperature, humidity and wind speed, cause SARS transmission. Daily data on the incidence and mortality of Covid-19 disease were collected from World Health Organization (WHO) website and World Meter website (WMW) for several major cities in Iran and the world. Data were collected from February 2020 to September 2021. Meteorological data including temperature, air pressure, wind speed, dew point and air quality index (AQI) index are extracted from the website of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Statistical analysis carried out for significance relationships. The correlation coefficient between the number of infected people in one day and the environmental variables in the countries was different from each other. The relationship between AQI and number of infected was significant in all cities. In Canberra, Madrid and Paris, a significant inverse relationship was observed between the number of infected people in one day and wind speed. There is a significant positive relationship between the number of infected people in a day and the dew point in the cities of Canberra, Wellington and Washington. The relationship between the number of infected people in one day and Pressure was significantly reversed in Madrid and Washington, but positive in Canberra, Brasilia, Paris and Wuhan. There was significant relationship between Dew point and prevalence. Wind speed showed a significant relationship in USA, Madrid and Paris. AQI was strongly associated with the prevalence of covid19. The purpose of this study is to investigate some environmental factors in the transmission of the corona virus.
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CEKLJ, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
