Association of Digit Ratio With Depression and Hopelessness in Females

Introduction: Depression is regarded as the main cause of individual’s incapacity. One of the component of depression is hopelessness. This study was planned to examine if the digit ratio associates with depression and hopelessness status in the Iranian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study sample included 358 women aged between 20 to 32 years old. The palm side of both hands of individuals was photographed and then the length of index and ring fingers was measured by ImageJ. The Beck’s depression inventory II and Beck’s hopelessness scale (BHS) were used to measure the levels of depression and hopelessness respectively. ANOVA and Student’s t test was applied to compare the study groups in respect to the continuous data. Results: The results showed that the means of 2D:4D ratio of neither right nor left hands were significantly different between the depression study groups. The same insignificant results were derived with hopelessness status too. However, reanalyzing the data, while combination of depression and hopelessness was considered, showed a significantly lower digit ratio of the right hand in the women whit neither depression nor hopelessness (group 1) compared to the women with moderate/severe depression while holding a degree of hopelessness (group 2) (ratio mean for group 1: 0.978 ± 0.003 and for group 2: 0.992 ± 0.005; t = -2.417, P = 0.017). Conclusion: Our data suggested that the 2D:4D ratio of the right hand in the women associates with the severity of depression when accompanied by hopelessness.

The Effects of Silibinin on SORT1 Gene Expression and A2780s Ovarian Cancer Cell Line Viability

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest genital cancers among females and mainly originates from epithelial cells. The cancer generally remains asymptomatic until metastasis. Silibinin, a derivative of Silybum marianum, is a flavonoid with anticancer effects against many tumor cells. The sortilin1 (SORT1) gene has been shown to be overexpressed in ovarian tumors. Here, we investigated the effects of silibinin on SORT1 gene expression and the viability of ovarian A2780s cancer cell line.Methods: The A2780s ovarian cancer cell line was treated with silibinin at the concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 μM for 24 hours, and IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) was determined. Then the viability percentage of the cells treated with 100 μM silibinin was determined at 24, 48, and 72 hours. After 24 and 48 hours exposure to 100 μM silibinin, RNA was extracted, followed by cDNA synthesis and SORT1 gene expression analysis using glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as the reference gene by real-time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results: Silibinin in a dose- and time-dependent manner reduced the viability of ovarian cancer cells (P < 0.05), accompanied by a reduction in SORT1 gene expression.Conclusion: The present study showed that silibinin had toxic effects against the A2780s ovarian cancer cell line, suggesting this compound as a potential anticancer agent.

Effect of Hibiscus Sabdariffa Extract on Growth of Fusarium graminearum and the Expression of TRI4 and FG08079 Genes of the Fungus

Introduction: Fusarium graminearum produces trichothecenes, such as deoxynivalenol and secondary metabolite butenolide, which cause profound health problems in humans. In this research, the effect of acetone extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa is evaluated on growth of F. graminearum and expression of TRI4 and FG08079 genes, which are involved in deoxynivalenol and butenolide biosynthetic pathways, respectively. Methods: Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. The expression of TRI4 and FG08079 genes were evaluated by teal-time PCR technique.Results: The MIC and MFC for acetone extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa against F. graminearum were 200 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL, respectively. Expression of TRI4 and FG08079 genes were significantly decreased by the acetone extract of red tea. Conclusion: The results showed that acetone extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa has inhibitory and fungicidal effects on F. graminearum and is effective in reducing the expression of TRI4 and FG08079 genes, which play important roles in deoxynivalenol and butenolide production.

"P Value" or "Number Needed to Treat": Which One Is Better for Evaluating Clinical Treatments’ Benefits?

Statistical significance does not necessarily mean clinical significance. A P value less than 0.05 does not guarantee the clinical effectiveness of a treatment. To assess the clinical valuable of a treatment, the effect size must be calculated. The number needed to treat (NNT) is an example of an effect size measure that can be very helpful in determining the clinical significance of a treatment. Therefore, it is recommended for all researchers and physicians to look beyond the P value and calculate the NNT for assessing the clinical significance of therapeutic measures and agents.

Educational Transition Amid COVID-19 Outbreak in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Medical Education

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in numerous alterations in today’s world. These include the temporary closure of educational institutions as part of recommended measures by the World Health Organization (WHO) to mitigate its spread, thus causing over one million students to stay at home globally. Generally, education has witnessed a transition from traditional face-to-face learning to virtual and online learning. This unexpected shift has presented a series of challenges especially within the African region where before now the educational sector is known to be deficient in funding and infrastructure. The cardinal position of medical education in providing healthcare workers can be enhanced and advanced by subduing these challenges and maximizing the available opportunities for its immediate and future needs. The aim of this paper is to highlight the steps Africa needs to take to improve medical education and invent methods for quality teaching and learning in medical education.

Evaluation of Oxidative Changes in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rats with Hypothyroidism Induced by Propylthiouracil

Introduction: More than 186 million people suffer to infertility worldwide. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of chronic anovulation and infertility. PCOS is known as an endocrine disorder in women of marriageable age and is associated with metabolic disorders and dysfunction of the reproductive system. There is also a clear link between fertility and hypothyroidism, which is often associated with ovulation disorders. In recent years, an increasing zest has been witnessed in conducting more research into PCOS and hypothyroidism. So, recognizing the relationship between these two diseases can help for a better understanding of infertility.Methods: In line with such calls for more research, the present study is aimed at investigating the levels of oxidants and antioxidants in the blood of rats with PCOS induced by estradiol valerate (2 mg/kg of body weight) for 60 days and then received oral propylthiouracil in different doses (1,2 and 4 mg/kg of body weight) to induce hypothyroidism. Results: Results showed an increase in catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) in PCOS rats. The results also indicated a significant increase in NO (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in SOD and CAT (P < 0.05) after hypothyroidism in rats with PCOS. That is, as the severity of the disease increased, these indicators also showed significant alterations. Conclusion: Hence, hypothyroidism following PCOS exacerbates oxidant and antioxidant imbalances in the body, which can eventually result in tissue damage.

Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Medical Staff, South-West of Iran

Introduction: Serological assay has critical role in defining immunity based on seroprevalence. Identifying the extend of seropositivity would determine the truly infected cases. Method: We conducted serologic testing for SARS-COV-2 antibodies in 492 health care workers (HCWs) before vaccination program in Shiraz, Iran (30 April 2020). Results: Based on job position, cases were divided into two categories: frontline staff (169, 34.34%) and non-front-line staff (323, 65.65%). Of all cases 40.65 were female and the rest of them were male. Mean age was estimated 47.97 ± 109.20 and 38.98 ± 8.76 in high risk and low risk population respectively (P = 0.1). In total 367 (74.59%) subjects reported to suffered at least one of the COVID-19 symptoms. More than half of cases (73.57) had history of COVID-19 disease within six months before this survey. No relation was seen between blood type and immunoglobulin positivity. Seropositivity prevalence in low risk and high-risk populations were estimated 8.0 (95% CI: 1.0-16.8) and 5.2(95% CI: 1.2-9.8) respectively. The immunoglobulin test for SARS-COV-2 revealed that 64 (64/492, 13%) and 37 (37/492, 7.52%) subjects had IgG and IgM antibodies against the virus. 14 (14/169, 8.28%) individuals who had IgM were frontline health workers, this is while 23 (14/323, 7.12%) were non front lineConclusion: The findings of this study imply that seropositivity was lower in non-frontline health care staff. Furthermore, there was no association between blood type and seropositivity. Therefore, the knowledge of antibody status may help into overcome fears in clinical staff, and also more attention is need for interpreting the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to make a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19, since the time of expose and time of test is an important point which should be considered in the issue.

Effect of Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on the Physiological Parameters and Gum Production of the Saravan Landrace of Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.)

Introduction: The plant species Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. (Fabaceae) is a source of guar gum that has a variety of applications in the pharmaceutical industry because of its therapeutic properties. Other parts of the plant are also used as food and fodder. This study was conducted to evaluate some physiological changes and gum production of guar in response to foliar spraying with synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs).Methods: ZnO-NPs were synthesized using guar gum by the co-precipitation method. The properties of the ZnO-NPs were investigated using various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nanoparticles were sprayed on the leaves of the Saravan landrace of guar to study their effects on the physiological properties of the plant. The experiments were performed in a completely randomized design with three replications.Results: Treatment of plants with ZnO-NPs resulted in an improvement of some physiological properties. After exposure to 500 mg/L of ZnO-NPs, the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, gum, and soluble protein were increased by 47.88%, 78.43%, 54.37T, 29.41%, 55.08%, and 52.12%, respectively. Additionally, the amount of Zn and insoluble sugars showed the highest increase, by 3.96 and 4.31 times, respectively. In contrast, soluble sugars content as well as the activity of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) reduced 0.69-, 2.23-, 1.60-, and 3.91-fold, respectively.Conclusion: ZnO-NPs improved the physiological properties of guar at different concentrations, with the best effects obtained at the maximum concentration of 500 mg/L. The results of this study suggest that the ZnO-NPs synthesized by the biocompatible process are appropriate candidates to prepare guar gum to be used in pharmaceutical and therapeutic-based approaches.

PCSK9 Gene Polymorphisms Associated With the Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Iranian Patients

Introduction: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key regulatory protein in lipid metabolism and a candidate gene in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and significance of PCSK9 rs505151 and rs11591147 variants with myocardial infarction (MI) risk in the Iranian population. Patients and Methods: The frequency of the PCSK9 rs505151 and rs11591147 variants were compared between 600 cases of MI and 600 healthy age- and sex-matched individuals. Tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (T-ARMS PCR) was used for rs505151, and amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain (ARMS-PCR) was utilized to detect the rs11591147 polymorphism. Finally, SPSS and SHEsis software were applied for data analysis. Results: Carriers of the GG genotype of rs505151 polymorphism (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.05–2.35, P = 0.02; age-adjusted; OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.03–2.32, P = 0.03) and at least one G-allele including GG+AG vs. AA (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.04–2.28, P = 0.03; age-adjusted; OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.01–2.24, P = 0.04) have an increased risk of MI. No association between PCSK9 rs505151 alleles and MI risk was observed. The ratio of individuals with the rs11591147GT variant was higher in healthy individuals vs. patients with MI (48.6% vs. 41.7%), indicating a reduced risk of developing MI (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.59–0.95; P = 0.01; age-adjusted; OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58–0.95; P = 0.01). The carriers of at least one T allele (TT+GT vs. GG) (OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.62–0.98; P = 0.03; age-adjusted; OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.62–0.98; P = 0.03) showed a significant reduction in MI risk. The allelic frequencies at this polymorphic site did not differ between MI patients and healthy counterparts. No association was found between the haplotypes constructed from the alleles of these two polymorphisms. Conclusion: Our study provides the first evidence that PCSK9 gene polymorphisms may serve as independent prognostic markers for MI patients in Iran.

A Review on Polymeric Wound Dress for the Treatment of Burns and Diabetic Wounds

Today, various commercial dressings have been developed and introduced to the market. The diversity makes it difficult for the nurse to choose the right type. Although the most important reason to use a wound dress is to protect the wound from infection and prevent infection, but in fact, the main purpose of using these materials is to speed up the wound healing process. Traumatic injuries result in an epithelial wound that disrupts the continuity of the skin surface. These differences reveal as abrasions, punctures, and injuries. Wounds are divided into two types; the skin is either cut or ruptured, including deep wounds and bruises, or surface wounds. Expedited wound healing has been considered since the archaic era of human civilization, with the earliest reported case from the Ancient Egyptians. Wound lesions in mummified humans were observed to be cover with animal skin, with signs of (primary/secondary) wound healing present. A "new wound dressing" is an advanced wound dress used in wound management as biocompatible and biodegradable biomaterials that heal wounds and burns. In the past, it was believed that dry wounds had expedited healing and wet wounds have been found to promote using re-epithelization and result in reduced scar formation. Wounds can be treated using various types of natural polymers and materials. Also, techniques like electrospinning and freeze-drying techniques can be used for the fabrication of standard wound dress. These wounds are associated with bandages, inflammation, bleeding, pain, and pus. In this work, we consider various types of wounds and techniques to treat the wound. Susceptibility to these areas, due to special symptoms for each of them. Products like hydrogels, hydrocolloids, films, sponges, and nano-fiber polymeric materials are used to promote healing. In this review, we examine the ideal products for the treatment of wounds in diabetic patients.