Journal of Trends in Medical Sciences
Volume:3 Issue: 2, Spring 2023

Cancer is a neoplastic disease that continues to be a global challenge, with a reported prevalence increasing annually. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in various epithelial tumors such as breast and colon cancer, and for this reason, it is used for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Because of the high mortality rate associated with cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients need replaced strategies for therapy. Ginger has biological effects, including antioxidant and anticancer activities.

This study aims to evaluate ginger extract’s effect on the expression of EGFR in MDA-mb231 and HT-29 cell lines.

Fresh ginger rhizomes were purchased from a local food market, washed, grated, and then ginger extract was prepared using ethanol. MDA-mb231 and HT-29 cell lines were treated with different concentrations of ginger (5, 10, and 20 gr/mL) extract in RPMI-1640 plus 10 % FCS for 18 h. The gene expression of EGFR was measured by real-time PCR.

The level of EGFR expression in MDA-mb231 and HT-29 cell lines after treatment with different concentrations of ginger extract was not changed significantly (P > 0.05).

The current data indicate that the ginger extract does not have a significant dose-dependent effect, in the concentration range of 5 to 20gr/mL, on the expression of EGFR in these cancer cell lines. It is suggested to repeat the experiments with higher concentrations of ginger and in a time-dependent manner.

Schizophrenia is a type of neuropsychiatric disorder that is defined by hallucinations, disturbed thinking, and cognitive impairment. However, the pathogenesis and cause of schizophrenia remain elusive. Previous research demonstrated that schizophrenic patients have irregular circadian rhythms. Circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) is a key component of the circadian clock system and is involved in a wide range of mammals’ physiological, metabolic, and behavioral processes. A change in the CLOCK gene may be linked to both common mental and circadian disorders.

This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between rs1801260 and rs6811520 polymorphisms in the CLOCK gene, as the principal regulator of the circadian rhythm, with susceptibility to schizophrenia in the Iranian population.

DNA samples were obtained from the venous blood of 103 people with schizophrenia and 100 unrelated healthy people in Dezful, southwest Iran. The high-resolution melting (HRM) method was used for genotyping the CLOCK gene SNPs, including rs1801260 and rs6811520. The PCR and DNA sequencing confirmed the HRM results.

We found a correlation between schizophrenia and the CLOCK SNP rs6811520. In addition, our findings demonstrated that the SNP rs1801260 did not contribute to schizophrenia.

The findings of this study demonstrate that changes in the CLOCK gene may contribute to schizophrenia.

Lean management is based on eliminating any waste of resources, increasing productivity, and creating sustainable value. Improving the quality of health services is achieved by knowing the system’s performance and using appropriate managerial methods and tools.

The purpose of this research was to provide solutions for the proper implementation of lean management in the emergency department of the hospital.

The current research employed a qualitative methodology. In order to provide operational solutions, the existing literature was first reviewed. Then, a sample population was selected from the research community, including experts in the field of health, management, and statistics. Fifteen subjects were interviewed purposefully. In order to obtain the information desired, interviews and focus groups were held, and NVIVO10 software was used to code and store all interview documents.

In this study, by reviewing the available literature and conducting interviews with experts, the steps and activities, tools, techniques, and facilities that should be considered for guiding and developing the lean management project in the emergency department were identified and organized. In the next step, based on the Deming cycle, a model was designed to implement lean management in the emergency department. In this 6-step model, the necessary activities for the establishment of a lean management system in the emergency department, as well as the techniques related to each step, were presented along with the enablers needed for the successful implementation of the project.

Many hospital inefficiencies can be attributed to the waste of resources and facilities. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce and eliminate waste sources by applying practical solutions and formulating executive instructions for these solutions. Applying the recommendations of the lean management system can cut waste in different fields in hospitals, just like in manufacturers. Using the lean management approach can reduce waste in different dimensions, such as inventory, waiting, processes, and services.

Hemophilia is a congenital bleeding disorder with X-linked inheritance that is associated with a deficiency of coagulation factor 8 (hemophilia A) or 9 (hemophilia B). The protective effect of hemophilia is challenging in the prevention of atherothrombotic heart diseases due to the lack of coagulation factors.

The present study aims to investigate congenital and acquired heart diseases and atherosclerosis risk factors in hemophilia patients.

In the present cross-sectional descriptive study, electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography were performed and evaluated on 50 hemophilia patients in Dezful, southwest Iran. Fasting blood sugar, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL), systemic blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) were also calculated. The data were analyzed in SPSS software version 21. The results showed 86% with hemophilia A, 12% with hemophilia B, and one patient (2%) with post-pregnancy hemophilia (mean age = 28.12 ± 14.12 years; age range = 6 - 76 years).

The most common congenital heart disease was mitral valve prolapse (MVP) with or without mitral regurgitation, consisting of 5 patients (10%); the mostcommonacquired cardiac disorder was diastolic dysfunction grade I, consisting of 5 patients (10 %), and2 patients (4%) alsohadsystolicpulmonary artery hypertension (pulmonary artery systolic pressuremorethan 35mmHg). Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), atrial septal defect (ASD), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were observed in one patient each. Ischemic heart disease was observed only in a 76-year-old patient. Examination of the electrocardiogram had no abnormal findings in the rest, except for two patients with HCM and ASD who had ventricular hypertrophy. The most common risk factor was obesity (16%), followed by hypertension (10%) and dyslipidemia (10%), and only 1 (2%) diabetic patient was identified. Patients with risk factors often had more than one risk factor, were over 30 years old, and had a severe form of hemophilia A.

In the examination of echocardiography-ECG and risk factors in hemophilia patients, there was no significant abnormality report, while acquired heart diseases and risk factors proportional to age are evident from 30 years of age onwards.

The utilization of natural plants as potent sources for curing chronic diseases has increased researchers’ attention toward herbal and nutraceutical treatments. Silymarin, a flavonolignan, is derived from the natural plant milk thistle, Silybum marianum. It is utilized in both clinical and experimental settings to protect against a variety of diseases. Silymarin has only a modest influence on the pharmacokinetics of numerous medicines in vivo. The pharmacokinetics of silymarin indicate that it is readily absorbed and metabolized in phases I and II. Its conjugation can be found in phase II, and it is ultimately eliminated in urine and bile. The main active ingredients, silibinin and silymarin, are protective against cancer in a wide range of tissues. Additionally, it exhibited anti-angiogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metastatic effects. Several types of research have proven the chemopreventive effects of silymarin in both in vivo and in vitro models of tumor development. It could be used as an addition to existing treatments for cancer survivors. This review includes the chemistry of silymarin, mechanistic studies on the potential biological targets of silymarin/silibinin for chemoprevention, several putative molecular pathways, and human clinical trials.