فصلنامه علوم پزشکی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی
سال سی و دوم شماره 3 (پیاپی 109، پاییز 1401)

Childhood is the most important stage of development of every human being. One of the most common childhood disorders is oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), so the aim of this study was to review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of psychological therapies (including improving parenting styles, life skills training and Social, play and story therapy) on this disorder.

This meta-analysis was carried out on articles published from 2005 to 2020 in the databases of SID, Magiran, Noormags and the Comprehensive Portal of Humanities. Search on scientific databases was done with keywords related to the research topic and 74 scientific research articles with clinical trials were extracted. After removing duplicates and reviewing the quality of articles according to the Consort checklist by three psychologists and statisticians, 5 articles had necessary conditions to participate in meta -analysis. By using Random model, articles meta-analyzed at a significance level of 0.05 using 5.4 Review Manager Software.

Results of meta-analysis and comparing the mean difference of the scores of ODD between the intervention and control groups showed significant higher reduction of symptoms in the intervention group compared to control group in all studies. The mean difference of standardized score for all studies was 2.88 (2.36-3.40; P <0.001) that indicated the effect of psychological interventions.

This study showed that psychological therapies (including improving parenting styles, life and social skills training, play and story therapy) are effective in reducing the symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder. Therefore, psychological therapies is useful to treat ODD

The COVID-19 was first reported in 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly in China and other countries. The virus was followed by a wide range of bacterial and opportunistic fungal diseases, including fungal infections such as mucormycosis.

In this narrative review study, scientific databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar and Springer were searched with the keywords, including Mucormycosis and COVID-19 in the time period between 2020 February and July 2021. 27 articles were retrieved, in which 18 articles were used in the study and 9 were excluded.

So far, many people with the coronavirus have been infected by black fungus in the world. Most affected people had the history of diabetes mellitus and also receiving high dose corticosteroids.

Recently, with the outbreak of a new wave of the deadly Covid 19 virus in India, there have been many cases of mucormycosis. Mucocycosis is fatal in about 30% of cases.

Interferon (IFN) are small proteins that belong to the cytokine family and may interfere with viral infections and some cancers. There are many studies focused on the PEGylated interferon’s bioactivity. In this study, we used solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to produce new drug formulations, with the aim of reducing costs, increasing effectiveness, and also reducing side effects, and the biological effects of the formulation and comparing the obtained results with the interferon alpha-2b and PEGylated interferon alpha-2b.

In this study, we evaluateed the toxicity and bioactivity of three formulations: interferon alpha-2b, PEGylated interferon alpha-2b, and encapsulated interferon alpha-2b with solid lipid nanoparticles using the MTT method and cytopathic inhibition assay (CPE), respectively.

The toxic effects of interferon encapsulated solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN-INF) was comparable with interferon and PEGylated interferon. In addition, empty solid lipid nanoparticles had no toxic effects on cells. The SLN-IFN showed higher bioactivity than the other samples tested (interferon alpha-2b, PEGylated interferon alpha-2b) and maintained its bioactivity over time.

The results of this study indicate that interferon alpha-2b conjugated with solid lipid nanoparticles is a capable formulation with sufficient bioactivity and acceptable toxicity as compared to PEGylated interferon and can be applied in clinical trials in future studies.

Recently, the mucosa has attracted attention due to its large arteries and high permeability for drug delivery. Due to the anti-inflammatory effect of parsley and easy access to this plant in Iran and the fact that the adhesive mucosa film is a new method with high performance and efficiency of drug transfer, this study was done to evaluate the effect of this plant on the pharyngitis by preparing an oral adhesive mucus film from parsley plant extract and then evaluating its pharmacological properties.

Fast release films of parsley were made using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulosopropinyl alcohol polymers and the use of glycerin as plasticizer and casting method. Finally, the films are analyzed in terms of thickness, uniformity, amount of drug released and disintegration time with SPSS20 software.

No bubbles, cracks, creases or wrinkles were seen in any of the films made of HPMC and PVA polymers. The difference in thickness measured in all films was less than 5%, and the thickness of the films was the same. Therefore, the drug introduced into the formulations has been spread evenly everywhere. No trace of the film remained in the mouth and the patients had good compliance.

Due to the rapid dissolution of the film, rapid release of the drug, ease of use and the appropriate effects of parsley in preventing inflammation, this formulation can be used for the elderly, children and those who have difficulty swallowing. Another advantage of this method is that it can reduce the metabolism of the drug in the first hepatic passage. As a result, this formulation is a good option for treating symptoms of pharyngitis.

The aim of this study was to develop a stable skin emulsifier from mupirocin.

This study was performed in the Department of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Pharmaceutical Sciences from November 2016 to September 2015. Initially, preformulation studies were performed on mupirocin powder and a standard diagram was drawn. Next, the bases of the drug-free emulsifiers were made, their stability was investigated and the superior formulation was selected. The next step was the formulation of the emulsion containing the drug. Further studies such as determining the amount of active ingredient, releasing the drug in vitro and determining the aura of stunting were performed.

Emulsifier containing 940 carbomer, 5% liquid paraffin, 0.4% tween 20 and 1.1% spin 20 were selected as the top formulation. The results of stability, dispersibility and other tests were appropriate. The amount of active ingredient in the formulations was between 90 and 110%. Within 8 hours, the drug was released at approximately 85%. Rheologically, the formulation followed non-Newtonian behavior. It also showed the behavior of plastics and thixotropes. Observing the growth inhibition zone around drug-containing formulations indicateed that mupirocin was released from the emulsion base and prevented the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

A stable emulsion formulation can be prepared from mupirocin. It is suggested that accelerated stability studies and periodic and scale-up formulations be carried out for industrial production.

In recent years, advances in nanotechnology presents opportunities to overcome limitations in targeted drug delivery. Nano drug carriers have the ability to change the pharmacokinetics of drugs and can improve efficacy and reduce side effects. The objective of the present work is to study the interaction of Hydralazine with functionalized carbon nanotubes by performing density functional theory calculations.

The behavior of hydralazine molecule adsorbed onto functionalized SWCNT was examined. The calculations were performed by Gaussian 09 software, using B3LYP density functional theory at the 6-31G* level.

The optimized structures were used to calculate the adsorption energy, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), graphs of density of states, reactivity indexes, parameters of atoms in molecules, thermodynamic properties and molecular electrostatic potential were discussed.

Analysis of thermodynamic functions and adsorption energy showed that the complex formed is stable. Furthermore, based on the results of bonding characteristic analysis, it was observed a hydrogen bond formed between hydralazine and functionalized CNT and this type of functionalized carbon nanotube was expected to be suitable nanocarier for delivery of hydralazine to target cells.

Nicotine alters the expression of various genes in the heart. PINK-1(PTEN-induced kinase1) is the major regulator of cellular mitophagy. Moreover, Parkin is a protein that plays a key role in the process of ubiquitination. Also, PGC-1ὰ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) is the main regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis. On the other hand, exercise has many positive physiological effects on patients suffering from heart failure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of short endurance training on the expression of parkin, PINK1 and PGC- 1ὰ genes in the heart of nicotine-sensitive rats.

in this study, male Wistar rats weighing approximately 180 to 200 gr were used. The animals received nicotine at dose of 0.21 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Real time PCR technique was used to evaluate the expression of genes.

The results showed that nicotine decreased the expression of PGC-1ὰ gene (p<0.05) and had no effect on other genes (p>0.05). Short-term endurance training slightly increased the expression of all genes that was not statistically significant.

It seems that short-term exercise can reduce the pro–apoptotic and stimulant effects of oxidative stress induced by nicotine. In addition, long-term exercise may potentially induce a significant positive effect on mitophagy-related genes.

Prenatal intoxication with trimethyletin (TMT) induces widespread neuronal death in the central nervous system by inducing oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effect of gallic acid (GA) on the neuronal density of the entorhinal cortex, hippocampal pyramidal cells and oxidative stress parameters in the fetal forebrain following TMT intoxication.

25 pregnant Wistar female rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including control, TMT+Saline, TMT+GA100, TMT+GA200 and TMT+GA400. To induce TMT intoxication, TMT (9 mg/kg body weight) was injected intraperitoneally into pregnant rats on embryonic day (ED) 14. From the ED12 to ED18, the treatment groups received orally GA at different doses. After fetal cesarean section on the ED21, neuronal density assessment of the entorhinal cortex, CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus and forebrain level of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was performed by ELISA.

The results showed a significant increase in the activity of CAT and SOD enzymes and a significant decrease in MDA in the forebrain of GA-receiving groups compared to the TMT + Saline group. In addition, increased neuronal density was observed in the entorhinal cortex and CA1/CA3 regions of the hippocampus in the GA treated rats compared to the TMT + Saline group.

Prenatal TMT intoxication induced oxidative stress in the fetal forebrain, causing damage to the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of rat fetal brain. On the other hand, GA prevented and improved neuronal damage in these areas of the fetal brain.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and the cause of death of a large number of patients and requires investigating the causes of the disease and adopting targeted therapies. Considering the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic significance of genetic markers, in the present study BRAF-V600E gene mutation was evaluated in tissue samples of colorectal cancer patients in Iran.

In this study, 43 paraffin samples of colonic tissue were collected from patients with colorectal cancer and 5 tumor margin samples were collected as control. DNA was extracted after determining the percentage of tumor cells. BRAF-V600E mutation was evaluated using specific primers for mutant and normal alleles by Allele-specific PCR and also sequencing was done on samples with mutations.

Mean age of the patients was 53.5 years (minimum 20 and maximum 81 years) and BRAF-V600E mutation was detected in 4 samples (9.3%). Sequencing was performed on samples in which the BRAF-V600E mutation was detected. Comparison of PCR results with sequencing also showed 100% agreement. In 69.77% of the samples, the tumor percentage was equal to or more than 50% and in 30.23% of the samples, the tumor percentage was less than 50%.

Considering the diagnostic value of BRAF-V600E gene mutation in the development of treatment methods in patients with colorectal cancer, it seems that the evaluation of this mutation is a positive point in accelerating the recovery process and determining the prognosis and can be a suitable therapeutic target for patients with this mutation.

Integrative transdiagnostic and dialectical behavioral therapy seem to affect the hope and pain perception of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of integrated transdiagnostic therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy on hope and pain perception of cancer patients in Isfahan.

The method of this study was quasi-experimental with a control group. The statistical population of the study was all cancer patients in Isfahan in 1400. Of statistical population, 63 patients were selected by available sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups were trained with specialized protocols. Data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test. 

Compared to the control group, integrated transdiagnostic and dialectical behavioral therapy resulted in improved hope and pain perception of cancer patients in the post-test (P<0.001), and these results also showed a lasting effect in the follow-up phase. The effect of integrated transdiagnostic and dialectical behavioral therapy on hope and pain perception of patients with cancer was not different in post-test and follow-up stages.

Integrative transdiagnostic and dialectical behavioral therapy are likely to improve hope and pain perception in cancer patients.

Controlling the pulmonary involvement, as one of the most common extra-articular consequences in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), can improve the life quality and survival rate of patients. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between disease-related inflammatory factors and the severity and type of lung involvement in patients, which is a practical step toward early detection and treatment of RA-related pulmonary problems.

During 2016-2021, 310 RA patients with pulmonary involvement-related symptoms were studied at Booali Hospital in Tehran. During four separate visits, patients' demographic information and inflammatory factors such as anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), and anti-cyclic citrulline antibodies (Anti-CCP) were assessed. High-resolution CT scans and chest radiographs were performed on all patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS21 software. P<0.05 was considered as the significance level.

Patients with and without pulmonary involvement had a mean age of 54±13 and 49±13 years, respectively. 35 patients (45.4%) had interstitial lung disease, 21 patients (27.2%) had pulmonary nodules, 3 patients (4%) had atelectasis, 11 patients (14.3%) had bronchitis, and 7 patients (9.1 %) had pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. Correlation between anti-CCP and RF inflammatory factors and the prevalence and type of pulmonary involvement was significant (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the ANA index and demographic data among RA patients with pulmonary involvement.

Inflammatory factors including anti-CCP and RF may help predict the severity and pulmonary complications prognosis in RA patients.

Childhood poisoning is a global problem and one of the causes of child mortality. Among the causes of poisoning in children and adults in Iran, opioids are one of the most important factors and among them, methadone is the most common. The aim of this study was to compare the education of prevention of children's poisoning with methadone using two methods of lectures and group discussion on the awareness of mothers treated with methadone who referred to addiction treatment centers in Birjand City in 2020.

The present study was an interventional study with and before and after design performed on 90 mothers treated with methadone. Sampling was done by cluster random sampling in three groups of lecture, group discussion and control. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and mothers' knowledge questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software version 21.

In the lecture group education, the mean knowledge of mothers before education was 5.97 and after education was 10.57. Also, the mean knowledge of mothers in group discussion before and after education was 6.30 and 13.47, respectively.

Group discussion training improved the awareness of methadone-treated mothers more than lecturing.