Readability of patient education material in stroke: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Stroke education materials are crucial for the recovery of stroke patients, but their effectiveness depends on their readability. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends patient education materials be written at a sixth-grade level. Studies show existing paper and online materials exceed patients' reading levels and undermine their health literacy. Low health literacy among stroke patients is associated with worse health outcomes and decreased efficacy of stroke rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

We reviewed the readability of paper (i.e brochures, factsheets, posters) and online (i.e American Stroke Association, Google, Yahoo!) stroke patient education materials, reading level of stroke patients, accessibility of online health information, patients' perceptions on gaps in stroke information, and provided recommendations for improving readability.

METHOD

A PRISMA-guided systematic literature review was conducted using PUBMED, Google Scholar, and EbscoHost databases and "stroke", "readability of stroke patient education", and "stroke readability" search terms to discover English-language articles. A total of 12 articles were reviewed.

RESULTS

SMOG scores for paper and online material ranged from 11.0 - 12.0 grade level and 7.8 - 13.95 grade level respectively. Reading level of stroke patients ranged from 3rd grade to 9th grade level or above. Accessibility of online stroke information was high. Structured patient interviews illustrated gaps in patient education materials and difficulty with comprehension.

CONCLUSION

Paper and online patient education materials exceed the reading level of stroke patients and the AMA recommended 6th grade level. Due to limitations in readability, stroke patients are not being adequately educated about their condition.

Magnets and children: a dangerous combination

BACKGROUND

Accidental ingestion of foreign bodies is a common problem in children. Fortunately, the gastrointestinal tract is quite resilient to foreign bodies. On the other hand, the ingestion of magnets can result in enormous morbidity. Because of their natural tendency to firmly adhere they can cause intestinal obstruction, pressure necrosis, fistula formation or perforation. With this case report, we aim to raise awareness of the risks that these magnets pose to children.

METHODS

We describe a case of intestinal perforation caused by the separate ingestion of multiple magnets from a children's toy (buckyballs, Neodymium spheres) by a two-year-old boy. A search in the Pubmed database showed some publications and varied management guidelines.

RESULTS

The boy was treated with an exploratory laparoscopy converted to a mini-laparotomy. We removed the four magnets through separate enterotomies. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. The boy was discharged on a postoperative day five and had no complications at three months follow-ups.

CONCLUSION

Accidental ingestion of multiple magnets is rare but can create a life-threatening situation in children. If the magnets are still in the stomach, endoscopic retrieval is needed. If they are beyond the stomach, in asymptomatic cases close clinical and radiographic vigilance is mandatory. When symptomatic we advise urgent removal. If treated on time, the surgical outcome is good and fast recovery is expected.

Asymptomatic Bone Marrow Edema in Weight-bearing Bones in Athletes and Military Trainees: A Systematic Literature Review

Asymptomatic bone marrow edema (aBME) is a non-specific radiographic finding often found in athletes. Although aBME may represent the body's physiological response to training load, the etiology, MRI characteristics, and natural history of aBME remain unknown. To better characterize aBME in the lower extremities of military trainees and athletes. A systematic literature review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines was performed to identify primary research articles reporting on aBME in the lower extremities of athletes and military trainees. We identified 347 unique articles and after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were included for qualitative synthesis. There were a total of 444 patients with an average age of 28.4±9.6 included. The most commonly used MRI sequences were proton-density with fat-saturation and T1-weighted imaging. The pattern of BME was inconsistently described, with various classification schemas used. The changes in aBME during longitudinal follow-up were dynamic and demonstrated both radiographic progression and regression. aBME is a highly prevalent and radiographically dynamic entity observed in high-level athletes and military trainees. Although follow-up was limited in the included studies, aBME may represent a natural, non-pathologic, reaction in response to specific biomechanical stressors.

Effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) supplementation on testicular histology, semen characteristic, blood plasma parameters and reproductive performance in aged broiler breeder roosters

Higher long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids contents in roosters' sperm plasma membrane along with age-related decrease in antioxidant defense make the spermatozoa very susceptible to lipid peroxidation. Ginger root contains abundant amounts of gingerol, shogaols, gingerdiol and other active compounds, which known as antioxidant compounds to enhance semen quality. The goal of the study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of ginger root on semen quality, blood chemistry, immune response, testicular histology and reproductive performance of Ross-308 breeder roosters from 47 to 60 weeks of age. The feeding of ginger root resulted in an increase in parameters related to sperm forward motility and seminal total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and following there was a tendency to increase and decrease in seminal superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde concentration, respectively; however, sperm concentration was not affected. There was an increase and tendency to increase in blood total protein and TAC in the supplemented group respectively. The roosters fed ginger supplemented diet had a higher spermiation index; and following there was tendency to increase seminal tubes spermatozoids number (p = 0.056) and repopulation index (p = 0.058). Despite the improved seminal antioxidant status and a tendency to lower embryonic mortality in the ginger-received group, the fertility and hatchability rate of roosters were statistically insignificant. Supplementations of ginger root in ageing rooster's diet had a beneficial effect on sperm motility, seminal antioxidant status and testicular spermiation index.

Is Social Deprivation Associated With Usage, Adverse Events, and Patient-reported Outcome Measures in Total Joint Arthroplasty? A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

To capture various social determinants of health, recent analyses have used comprehensive measures of socioeconomic disadvantage such as deprivation and vulnerability indices. Given that studies evaluating the effects of social deprivation on total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have yielded mixed results, a systematic review of this relationship might help answer questions about usage, complications, and results after surgery among patients in different socioeconomic groups and help guide targeted approaches to ensure health equity.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We asked: How is social deprivation associated with TJA (1) usage, (2) adverse events including discharge deposition and length of stay, and (3) patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)?

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the PubMed, EBSCO host, Medline, and Google Scholar electronic databases was conducted to identify all studies that evaluated social deprivation and TJA between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2022. Studies were included if they evaluated comprehensive measures of socioeconomic deprivation rather than individual social determinants of health. Nineteen articles were included in our final analysis with a total of 757,522 patients. In addition to characteristics of included studies (such as patient population, procedure evaluated, and utilized social deprivation metric), we recorded TJA usage, adverse events, and PROM values as reported by each article. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of included studies using the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies (MINORS) tool. The mean ± SD MINORS score was 13 ± 1 of 16, with higher scores representing better study quality. All the articles included are noncomparative studies. Given the heterogeneity of the included studies, a meta-analysis was not performed and results were instead presented descriptively.

RESULTS

Although there were inconsistencies among the included articles, higher levels of social deprivation were associated with lower TJA usage even after controlling for various confounding variables. Similarly, there was agreement among studies regarding higher proportion of nonhome discharge for patients with more social deprivation. Although there was limited agreement across studies regarding whether patients with more social deprivation had differences in their baseline and postoperative PROMs scores, patients with more social deprivation had lower improvements from baseline for most of the included articles.

CONCLUSION

These findings encourage continued efforts focusing on appropriate patient education regarding expectations related to functional improvement and the postoperative recovery process, as well as resources available for further information and social support. We suggest linking patient data to deprivation measures such as the Area Deprivation Index to help encourage shared decision-making strategies that focus on health literacy and common barriers related to access. Given the potential influence social deprivation may have on the outcome and utilization of TJA, hospitals should identify methods to determine patients who are more socially deprived and provide targeted interventions to help patients overcome any social deprivation they are facing. We encourage physicians to maintain close communication with patients whose circumstances include more severe levels of social deprivation to ensure they have access to the appropriate resources. Additionally, as multiple social deprivation metrics are being used in research, future studies should identify a consistent metric to ensure all patients that are socially deprived are reliably identified to receive appropriate treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, therapeutic study.

Size-dependent molecular interaction of nontraditional 2D antibiotics withStaphylococcus aureus

The application of nanomaterials for their antibacterial properties is the subject of many studies due to antibiotic resistance of pathogen bacteria and the necessity of omitting them from food and water resources. Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the most popular candidates for antibacterial application. However, the optimum condition for such an effect is not yet clear for practical purposes. To shed light on how GO and bacteria interaction depends on size, a wide range of GO flake sizes from hundreds of µm²going down to nano-scale as low as 10 N m²was produced. In anin-vitrosystematic study to inhibitStaphylococcus aureusgrowth, the correlation between GO flake size, thickness, functional group density, and antibacterial activity was investigated. The GO suspension with the average size of 0.05 µm², in the order of the size of the bacteria itself, had the best bacteriostatic effect onS. aureuswith the minimum inhibitory concentration value of 8 μg ml^-1, well within the acceptable range for practical use. The bacteriostatic effect was measured to be a 76.2% reduction of the colony count over 2 h of incubation and the mechanism of action was the wrapping and isolation of cells from the growth environment. Furthermore,in-vivoanimal studies revealed that 16 μg ml^-1of the optimum GO has efficient antibacterial performance against the methicillin-resistant strains of the bacteria with an enhanced wound healing rate and tensiometrial parameters which is important for realized targets.

Towards Machine Vision for Insect Welfare Monitoring and Behavioural Insights

Machine vision has demonstrated its usefulness in the livestock industry in terms of improving welfare in such areas as lameness detection and body condition scoring in dairy cattle. In this article, we present some promising results of applying state of the art object detection and classification techniques to insects, specifically Black Soldier Fly (BSF) and the domestic cricket, with the view of enabling automated processing for insect farming. We also present the low-cost “Insecto” Internet of Things (IoT) device, which provides environmental condition monitoring for temperature, humidity, CO₂, air pressure, and volatile organic compound levels together with high resolution image capture. We show that we are able to accurately count and measure size of BSF larvae and also classify the sex of domestic crickets by detecting the presence of the ovipositor. These early results point to future work for enabling automation in the selection of desirable phenotypes for subsequent generations and for providing early alerts should environmental conditions deviate from desired values.

Modulation of Negative Effects of Physiological Stress on Frozen-Thawed Semen with Nutrition of Organic Selenium in Ross 308 Rooster

Current experiment was carried out in factorial 2×2 arrangement to study the effects of stress (with or without dexamethasone administration) and addition of dietary selenium (with or without selenium supplementation in the diet) in male broiler breeder on the quality of frozen-thawed sperm under oxidative stress induced by dexamethasone. A total of 24 broiler breeder roosters with the age of 28 weeks were used based on a completely randomized design with four therapeutic approaches (factorial 2×2) and six birds in each approach. The experimental treatments were: 1) basal diet without selenium supplementation and injection of saline (CON), 2) basal diet with dexamethasone injection (4 mg/kg BW, three times every other day for one week), (DEX), 3) without dexamethasone injection and supplementation with 0.3 mg/kg selenium (Sel-Plex), and 4) dexamethasone injection and basal diet supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg of diet selenium (Sel-Plex+Dex). Sperm samples were collected from roosters. Motility, progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability, malondialdehyde concentration and antioxidant parameters were evaluated in fresh and frozen-thawed semen. In spite of non-significant interaction effects, factorial analysis indicated the significant effect of every factor on different experimental parameters in fresh and frozen-thawed semen (P<0.05); The results revealed that total and progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity and viability were lower in DEX group when compared with other treatments (P<0.05). On the other hand, malondialdehyde concentration was higher in DEX group in comparison with Con, Sel-Plex and Sel-Plex+DEX groups (P<0.05). Moreover, total antioxidant capacity, level of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were lower in DEX group as compared with other treatments (P<0.05). Our findings indicated that administration of selenium in dexamethasone-receiving roosters (Sel-Plex+DEX) improved the parameters of fresh and frozen-thawed sperm; but the best results were observed in Sel-Plex treatment. Therefore, selenium supplementation in the diet of roosters without dexamethasone injection improved total motility, progressive motility, membrane integrity, viability, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase pre- and post-freezing. It can be concluded, selenium in organic forms in stressed and non-stressed rooster's diet might improve all motility and antioxidant parameters in fresh and frozen-thawed sperm.

Preconditioning of bull semen with sub-lethal oxidative stress before cryopreservation: Possible mechanism of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2

Preconditioning of sperm using sub-lethal oxidative stress before cryopreservation is an innovative approach that can improve sperm cryo-survival. Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are critical in reducing ROS level during stress conditions. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether mild sub-lethal stress induced by low concentrations of nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide has a protective effect on quality parameters of post-thaw bull semen through modulations of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) expression. Semen samples were collected from 6 mature Holstein bulls, then mixed and divided into 8 aliquots: fresh, frozen control and frozen groups treated with NO: 0.1 (NO-0.1), 1(NO-1), 10 μM (NO-10), and H₂O₂: 0.1(H₂O₂-0.1), 1(H₂O₂-1) and 10μM (H₂O₂-10). A significantly higher percentage of total motility, progressive motility and viability was observed in NO-1 and H₂O₂-10 compared to the other frozen groups (P < 0.05). Sperm exposed to 1 μM NO and 10μM H₂O₂ showed significantly increased percentages of mitochondria activity and membrane integrity (P < 0.05). Moreover, the lowest percentage of apoptotic percentage was observed in the NO-1 and H₂O₂-10 in comparison to the other frozen groups. In addition, the expression level of UCP2 was higher in the NO-1 and H₂O₂-10 compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that stress preconditioning of bull sperm before cryopreservation can increase UCP2 expression of sperm, that can play a protective role against cryoinjury after thawing.

Prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma genitalium in men with non-gonococcal urethritis

The study in Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran, investigated the prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma species in men with non-gonococcal urethritis. Urethral swab samples were collected from 125 cases and 125 healthy men as a control group. The samples were then investigated by culture methods. The rates of detected bacteria in case and control groups were 19.2% and 7.2% for U. urealyticum, 7.2% and 0.8% for M. genitalium, and 2.4% and 1.6% for M. hominis respectively. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between case and control groups in the prevalence of U. urealyticum and M. genitalium but not M. hominis. It is concluded that in men, U. urealyticum and M. genitalium may have an etiologic role in non-gonococcal urethritis

Effects of supplemental fat sources and forage feeding levels on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and nitrogen utilization in dairy calves

Knowledge regarding the potential interactions between supplemental fat source and fiber level in starter diet of dairy calves is lacking. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of supplemental saturated fat [palm fat (PLF) containing 86% palmitic acid (C16:0)] vs. unsaturated fat [soybean oil (SBO) containing 51% linoleic acid (C18:2)] and forage level on feed intake, growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and metabolic traits in dairy calves. Forty newborn Holstein female calves (BW = 39.7 ± 1.8 kg) were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups (each consisting of 10 animals) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of fat source [soybean oil vs. palm fat; 3% of starter based on DM basis] and alfalfa hay level (0 vs. 15%, on DM basis): SBO or PLF with (AH) or without (NAH) alfalfa hay. Calves had ad libitum access to water and starters throughout the study and a constant amount of milk was offered among experimental calves during the pre-weaning period. All calves were weaned on day 63 of age and remained in the study until day 73 of age. The results showed that the lowest and the highest starter intake and average daily gain during pre-weaning period was observed when calves received SBO-AH and PLF-AH, respectively. Accordingly, the lowest wither and hip heights at weaning time (day 63) and final wither height (day 73) were observed in SBO-AH group across treatments. Calves received PLF-AH had the highest weaning and final BW compared to other groups. Feed efficiency tended to be higher in PLF groups compared with SBO calves. Calves fed SBO-AH had the lowest digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fiber and also total short chain fatty acid concentrations in rumen compared with other groups. The SBO calves had lower urinary allantoin, urinary purine derivatives, and microbial protein synthesis than PLF calves; however, urinary nitrogen increased with SBO supplementation. In summary, the supplementation of SBO rich in C18:2 and AH during the pre-weaning period resulted in negative responses on growth performance, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation profile. Therefore, the inclusion SBO rich in C18:2 along with forage in the starter is not recommendable for young dairy calves.

Evaluation of Heating and Irradiation Methods for Production of Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Tuberculin skin test, also known as the tuberculin or purified protein derivative (PPD) test, is an extensively applied diagnostic test for the detection of primary infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The production of PPD is accompanied by some difficulties that require a series of modifications in the production and purification processes. The present study aimed to determine the facilitation level of the manufacturing process by modifying evaluation methods for the production of PPD tuberculin. Mtb strains were cultured in Lowenstein-Jensen media, and the cultured strains were inoculated into the Dorset-Henley liquid medium by the biphasic medium of potato-Dorset-Henley. After incubation, flasks containing cultured strain were selected for bacterial inactivation, and the optimal gamma radiation dose(s) was determined. Tuberculoproteins were precipitated by ammonium sulfate (AS) and Trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Protein concentration was determined using the Bradford and Kjeldahl protein assay methods. Finally, the lymphocyte transformation test and potency test were performed. Based on the results, the Dorset-Henley liquid medium is suitable for the massive growth of the bacterium. The transferal of Mtb from solid to liquid medium was directly carried out without intermediate culture. It was found that during tuberculoprotein production, heating at 100&amp;deg;C for 3 h would be safe for killing mycobacterium. Furthermore, the simultaneous use of heating and gamma irradiation (8 kGgy) killed all of the mycobacteria, while doses of 1, 1.5, and 7 kGy decreased a significant number of bacterial cells. The results also indicated that the concentration of tuberculoprotein extracted by TCA precipitation method was higher than that obtained by AS precipitation. The tuberculoproteins which were produced by these two methods in the lymphocyte transformation test were not significantly different in terms of potency (P&amp;gt;0.05). Moreover, due to the high volume of produced protein, the protein measurement was more efficiently carried out by the Kjeldahl method, compared to the Bradford method. Finally, the results of the present study demonstrated that in addition to the novel approach of gamma irradiation, optimum methods are efficient and applicable in the production of PPD tuberculin.

The effects of the fiber source and xylanase supplementation on production, egg quality, digestibility, and intestinal morphology in the aged laying hen

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the fiber source (wheat bran [WB] or sugar beet pulp [SBP]) and xylanase supplementation on production, egg quality, ileal digestibility, intestinal morphology, and gastrointestinal pH in aged laying hens. A total of 540 laying hens (Lohman LSL Lite; 70 wk of lay) were randomized into 10 treatments (6 replicate cages of 9 birds) consisting of a corn soy control supplemented with 0, 3, or 6% WB or SBP with or without xylanase (100 mg of xylanase preparation per kg) for a period of 9 wk in a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement. Hens fed with the diets containing either of the levels of SBP or 6% WB had lower hen-day production, and addition of the enzyme improved hen-day production (P < 0.05), but it could not compensate for the lost production due to the higher levels of either of the fiber sources. Supplementation of 6% SBP to the control diet decreased egg mass (P < 0.05). All fiber-supplemented diets significantly decreased ADFI, which was restored on enzyme addition, with the exception of 3% WB diet. Treatments had no effects on egg weight, feed conversion ratio, egg quality, and serum and carcass traits, except for ileum weight, which was greater in hens fed with the 6% SBP diet (P < 0.05). Adding 3% SBP increased ileal DM digestibility (P < 0.05). Addition of 3% WB improved jejunal villus height, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, and villus surface area (P < 0.05). Villus surface area, DM, organic matter, and protein digestibility increased as a result of enzyme supplementation (P < 0.05). Cecal pH was reduced on feeding diets containing 3% WB, containing 3% SBP, and with enzyme supplementation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, addition of 3% WB in a corn soy control diet has the potential to improve small intestine morphology in older hens without adverse effects on performance, especially if accompanied by the use of an enzyme, which simultaneously improved morphological traits and nutrient digestibility.

High frequency of BRAF V600E mutation in Iranian population ameloblastomas

Background

Ameloblastoma is a common locally invasive but slow-growing neoplasm of the jaws with an odontogenic origin. Association between BRAF V600E mutation and clinicopathologic features and behavior of ameloblastoma remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate BRAF V600E gene mutation and expression of its related proteins with clinicopathologic parameters in conventional ameloblastoma.

Material and Methods

50 Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry was done using rabbit monoclonal BRAF V600E mutation-specific antibody VE1. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used for evaluating of BRAF V600E mutation.

Results

Expression of BRAF V600E antibody was Positive in 42 out of 50 cases (84%). 46 (92%) out of 50 specimens showed BRAF V600E mutation. There were 13 cases of recurrence (26%). 3 out of 4 cases with negative mutations did not show recurrence.

Conclusions

We report the highest frequency (92%) of BRAF V600E mutation in ameloblastomas in the Iranian population. Although there was not a significant association between BRAF V600E‑positive immunoexpression and recurrence and clinicopathologic parameters, its high frequency could emphasize its role as a therapeutic marker in the future.

Key words:Conventional ameloblastoma, BRAF V600E, recurrence.

Investigation into passing behavior at passing zones to validate and extend the use of driving simulators in two-lane roads safety analysis

A passing maneuver allows drivers to maintain their desired speed on two-lane highways. However, it entails a high risk of collision with vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. Investigating drivers' behavior while performing passing maneuvers could provide helpful information on the factors that influence this process. Driving simulators have become important tools for driving behavior research studies as they are safe, facilitate the controlled use of experimental variables, and generate detailed output data. It remains to be seen whether simulator results can be considered representative of real-life driving conditions. With respect to passing maneuvers, no study has made a comprehensive and direct comparison between drivers' passing behavior in the field and driver behavior observed in a simulated environment. In this validation study, a fixed-base interactive simulator was used to collect data from fifty-four participants (eighteen Iranians and thirty-six Italians) involved in several traffic scenarios on a two-lane rural highway segment (obtained by varying the speed of opposing vehicles, lead vehicles and headways in the opposite direction). A 3D model and its environmental characteristics were realized from the real segment which had previously been surveyed with drones to collect videos and derive data on real passing maneuvers. The results for the two-sided K-S test revealed no statistically significant difference in the accepted gap, effective accepted gap, perception reaction time, and time to collision variables between the field and the simulator at the 95 % confidence level. However, when conducting a one-sided K-S test, some statistical directional differences were found in the cases of the accepted gap and perception reaction time variables, which exhibited lower values in the field compared to the simulator again at the 95 % confidence level. Although the passing duration was statistically higher in the simulator than in the field, the shape of the two distributions was not statistically different. Analysis showed that differences in the passing duration are due to the lower passing vehicle speed and lower speed difference with the simulator than in the field, which are caused by truncating headways in the subject direction in the simulator. The cultural background of participants did not result in any discernible difference in passing behavior. The results would support a more extensive use of driving simulators in future passing behavior studies.

Comparative Analysis of Gait Speed Estimation Using Wideband and Narrowband Radars, Thermal Camera, and Motion Tracking Suit Technologies

Research has shown that cognitive and physical functioning of older adults can be reflected in indicators such as walking speed. While changes in cognition, mobility, or health cause changes in gait speed, often gradual variations in walking speed go undetected until severe problems arise. Discrete clinical assessments during clinical consultations often fail to detect changes in day-to-day walking speeds and do not reflect walking speeds in everyday environments, where most of the mobility issues happen. In this paper, we compare four walking speed measurement technologies to a GAITRite mat (gold standard): (1) an ultra wideband radar (covering the band from 3.3 GHz to 10 GHz), (2) a narrow band 24-GHz radar (with a bandwidth of 250 MHz), (3) a perception Neuron Motion Tracking suit, and (4) a thermal camera. Data were collected in parallel using all sensors at the same time for 10 healthy adults for normal and slow walking paces. A comparison of the sensors indicates better performance at lower gait speeds, with offsets (when compared to GAITRite) between 0.1 and 20% for the ultra wideband radar, 1.9 and 17% for the narrowband radar, 0.1 and 38% for the thermal camera, and 1.7 and 38% for the suit. This paper supports the potential of unobtrusive radar-based sensors and thermal camera technologies for ambient autonomous gait speed monitoring for contextual, privacy-preserving monitoring of participants in the community.

Epidemiology and outcome analysis of 3030 burn patients with an ICD-10 approach

The present study aims to document the epidemiologic features and outcomes of burn injuries in Southeastern Iran based on International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) guidelines. This retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at Khatam-Al-Anbiya Hospital. Patient demographics, including burn injury data and outcome data were collected from medical records and analyzed through descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software. A total of 3,030 burn patients were included in this study. A total of 55% of the subjects were males. The largest age group included patients aged 15-44 (61%). The majority of burns were caused by flame (70.5%), and most of them were third-degree burns (73%). Mean affected total body surface area (TBSA) was 43.98%±30.75% in all subjects and 80.85%±21.41% in the deceased individuals. Most of the burns were accidental (66.2%), and 37% of them occurred in winter. Mean hospital stay was 4.49±4.67 days (within the range of 1-113 days). A quarter of all patients admitted to the hospital died (24.9%). The number of admitted patients, mean length of stay (LOS), and the mortality rate showed a decreasing trend from 2007 to 2016. In contrast, the total mortality rate was high. The significant predictors of mortality included being female, flame burns, longer LOS, a larger TBSA, burns of higher degrees, as well as burn complications. The documentation of burn data, based on ICD-10 directives, standardizes findings from burn injury analyses and leads to the comparability of data at different national and international levels.

Modelling and optimizing of calcium and non-phytate phosphorus requirements of male broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age using response surface methodology

The skeleton is the main site of P and Ca deposition; therefore, accurate estimation of Ca and P requirements is necessary to maintaining health and optimum performance of broiler chickens. A response surface methodology (RSM) using a central composite design (CCD) was used for evaluating and optimizing of Ca and non-phytate P (NPP) requirements of broiler chickens for optimal performance, ileal nutrient digestibility and bone mineralization from 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 750 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly distributed into 50 cages including 9 treatments, each replicated 5 times (except central treatment with 10 replicates) and 15 birds in each cage by CCD. The dietary Ca levels of 4.3, 5.6, 8.6, 11.7 and 13.0 g/kg and NPP of 2.5, 2.9, 4.0, 5.0 and 5.4 g/kg were used for nine treatments of CCD. The results indicated that the linear and quadratic effects of NPP, quadratic effects of Ca and Ca × NPP were significant for average weight gain (AWG, P < 0.05), average feed intake (AFI, P < 0.05), feed conversion ratio (FCR, P < 0.05) and Ca and P apparent ileal digestibility (AID, P < 0.05); however, the linear effect of Ca was significant only for FCR (P < 0.05). On the other hand, tibia and toe ash were affected by NPP (linear and quadratic, P < 0.01) and Ca (quadratic, P < 0.01). The second-order polynomial regression model was significant for AWG (R2 = 0.93, P < 0.001), AFI (R2 = 0.88, P < 0.001), FCR (R2 = 0.78, P < 0.001), AID of Ca (R2 = 0.78, P < 0.001) and P (R2 = 0.88, P < 0.001), tibia ash (R2 = 0.86, P < 0.001) and toe ash (R2 = 0.85, P < 0.001). The multi-objective optimization indicated that broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age need 7.03 and 4.47 g/kg of Ca and NPP, respectively, to achieve optimal AWG, FCR, tibia and toe ash. However, the dietary Ca and NPP levels can be reduced to 6.57 and 3.95 g/kg with a slight negative impact on performance and bone mineralization, respectively. In conclusion, the findings indicate that using multi-objective optimization model such as RSM provides more information regarding optimum Ca and NPP requirements of broiler chickens, considering the complex interaction between these two minerals. While the NPP levels are in line with current recommended requirements, Ca levels are considerably lower and suggest that current recommended Ca requirements may be in excess of the needs of the broiler.

Serogroups, and drug resistance of nontyphoidal Salmonella in symptomatic patients with community-acquired diarrhea and chicken meat samples in Tehran

BACKGROUND

Salmonella is considered as a main cause of community-acquired diarrhea in humans, however, sources of the multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains and their link with the disease are not well known.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the frequency, serogroup diversity, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Salmonella strains in poultry meat and stool samples of patients with community acquired diarrhea in Tehran.

METHODS

We compared the frequency of non-typhoidal Salmonella serogroups, the similarities of their resistance patterns to 10 antimicrobial compounds, the prevalence of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and ampicillinase C (AmpC) genetic determinants, and class 1 and 2 integrons in 100 chicken meat and 400 stool samples of symptomatic patients in Tehran during June 2018 to March 2019.

RESULTS

Salmonella was isolated from 75% and 5.5% of the chicken meats and human stool samples, respectively. The chicken meat isolates mainly belonged to serogroup C (88%, 66/75), while the human stool isolates were mainly related to serogroup D (59.1%, 13/22). The MDR phenotype and the most common rates of resistance to antibiotics, including tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TS) and azithromycin, were detected in 4.5% and 45.3%, 59% and 13.6%, 43% and 9.1%, 42% and 9.1% of the human stool and chicken meat samples, respectively. Carriage of bla _CTX, bla _SHV, and bla _PER genes in the meat isolate with ESBL resistance phenotype and bla _ACC, bla _FOX, and bla _CMY-2 among the 7 meat strains with AmpC resistance phenotype was not confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). High prevalence of class 1 and 2 integrons was characterized and showed a correlation with resistance to TS and chloramphenicol.

CONCLUSION

These findings showed a lack of association between chicken meats and human isolates due to discrepancy between the characterized serogroups and resistance phenotypes.

Effect of a high dose of exogenous phytase and supplementary myo-inositol on mineral solubility of broiler digesta and diets subjected to in vitro digestion assay

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of microbial phytase and myo-inositol supplementation in low non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) diets on pH and the solubility of minerals in an in vitro digestion procedure (IVDP) and to compare this with digesta from birds fed different diets (grower diets) compared to the in vitro test (starter diets). A total of 660 1-day-old broilers were randomly allotted into 11 dietary treatments and fed a corn-soybean-meal-based diet with recommended nPP (positive control; PC), an nPP-deficient diet (negative control; NC), NC diets supplemented with phytase (500; 1,000; 2,000; 3,000; 4,000; 5,000; and 6,000 FTU/kg), an NC diet plus 0.15% myo-inositol, and an NC diet with reduced Ca level (Ca: nPP ratio same as PC) from 1 to 23 D of age. The pH and Ca solubility of the NC diet was increased compared with the PC when subjected to IVDP (P < 0.05). P solubility in the gizzard and jejunal digesta was reduced in the NC compared with the PC diet and this was also reflected in the IVDP. Phytase addition to the NC diets linearly increased (P < 0.05) the pH value and Ca and P solubilities in both digesta and diets subjected to IVDP. Higher doses of microbial phytase increased (P < 0.05) Zn and Fe solubilities in both digesta and IVDP. Myo-inositol supplementation of the NC diet had no effect on mineral solubility, but decreased (P < 0.05) the pH of the IVDP. Lowering the Ca content of the NC diet decreased (P < 0.05) the pH of the in vitro digested diets and Ca solubility in both broiler digesta and IVDP and also increased (P < 0.05) P solubility in both the jejunal digesta and IVDP. Correlations were noted between the solubility of P in the in vitro assay and that in the gizzard and jejunal digesta, and also with bird performance, confirms the usefulness of in vitro assay.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Microbial Decontamination, Crude Nutrient Content, and Mineral Nutrient Composition of Laboratory Animal Diets

Laboratory animal models are an important part of test design. Certain conditions such as microbial contamination in diets of these models could affect the results of experiments. One of the most important routes that predispose to contamination is generated through feeding of laboratory animals. This study aimed to show the effect of gamma irradiation in reducing bacteria concentrations, crude nutrient content, and concentrations of some minerals and trace elements in laboratory animal diets. Large-sized pellets with 10&amp;ndash;15 mm diameter (commonly used for rats and hamsters) and small-sized pellets with 3&amp;ndash;5 mm diameter (used for rabbits and guinea pigs) along with skimmed milk powder (SMP) as a food additive were exposed to gamma irradiation with different doses ranging from 3 to 30 kGy. The total microbial contamination and any possible changes in some mineral nutrient composition and the crude nutrient content were determined pre- and post-irradiation. Our data revealed that 25 kGy in pelleted diets and 18 kGy in SKM had superior effects in the reduction of bacterial contamination with little change in crude nutrient content and minerals and trace elements in nutrient requirements of laboratory animals. According to the results, gamma irradiation had minimal effects on crude nutrient content and the concentrations of some minerals and trace elements of laboratory animal diets, and it also eliminated bacterial and fungal contamination load. By using gamma irradiation, this method could yield a favorable outcome in controlling microbial contamination of animal diets.

Experimental Investigation of Thermal Conductivity and Viscosity of SiO₂/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Nanofluids

In this study, the thermal conductivity and viscosity of SiO₂/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) hybrid nanofluids are investigated. The volume fraction of the nanofluids varied in the range of 0.5% to 2%, while the SiO₂ to MWCNTs volume proportion is either 95-5 or 90-10. The nanofluids are synthesized using a wet chemical method and a two-step technique is used to disperse nanoparticles in glycerol (base fluid). The thermal conductivities and viscosities of the nanofluids are measured using a modified transient hot-wire method and falling ball viscometer, respectively. The colloidal stability of the dispersion was investigated visually. Effective application of an ultrasonic disruptor and a suitable surfactant (gum arabic) enhance the dispersion behavior. When the effects of temperature and volume fraction on the thermal conductivity and viscosity of SiO₂/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) hybrid nanofluids are studied, the results showed that the thermal conductivity of nanofluids increased with an increase in the volume fraction and temperature. Further, their viscosities increased with an increase in the volume fraction but decreased when the temperature increased. The thermal conductivity and viscosity of the hybrid nanofluids increased by 16.7% and 105.4%, respectively, at a volume fraction of 2% and volume proportion of 90-10. The experimental results are compared with those predicted by classical theoretical models. Two correlations for thermal conductivity and viscosity of hybrid nanofluids are proposed on the basis of the experimental results.

Erratum: Exploring spiral defect chaos in generalized Swift-Hohenberg models with mean flow [Phys. Rev. E 84, 046215 (2011)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.046215.

The effects of calcium source and concentration on performance, bone mineralisation and serum traits in male broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age

In total, 840 1-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were used to evaluate the effects of seven dietary calcium (Ca) concentrations (4.0, 5.5, 7.0, 8.5, 10.0, 11.5 and 13.0 g/kg, at a fixed concentration of 4.0 g/kg of non-phytate phosphorus) and two calcium sources (oyster shell and limestone) on broiler chicken Ca requirements for optimal growth rate and bone mineralisation from 1 to 21 days of age. All chickens were randomly distributed into 14 treatment groups (seven treatments of each Ca source), each being replicated four times, with 15 birds per each replicate. Results indicated that Ca source and Ca source × Ca concentration interaction had no significant (P &gt; 0.05) effects on birds average feed intake, but increasing Ca concentration to &gt;8.5 g/kg significantly deteriorated average feed intake. Average weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly influenced by Ca source × Ca concentration interaction, whereby high concentrations of Ca from oyster shell resulted in a poorer performance for both criteria than did those from limestone. Serum Ca, P and total protein were not affected by Ca source. However, increasing Ca concentrations had adverse effects on serum P concentration (P &lt; 0.05). Toe ash, tibia ash and phosphorus concentrations at 21 days were not influenced by Ca source, but were depressed as dietary Ca concentration increased (P &lt; 0.05). A broken-line regression analysis indicated that the Ca requirements to optimise average weight gain and tibia ash when limestone was used as a Ca source were 5.54 and 6.58 g/kg of diet respectively, and 5.80 and 6.43 g/kg of diet respectively, when oyster shell was used. In conclusion, the results indicated that Ca concentration, more than Ca source, has a significant influence on broiler chicken performance and bone mineralisation, all of which deteriorate when the dietary Ca concentration exceeds 8.5 g/kg at the constant available-phosphorus concentration of 4.0 g/kg.

An ethical framework for evaluation of public health plans: a systematic process for legitimate and fair decision-making

OBJECTIVES

Given the increasing threats of communicable and non-communicable diseases, it is necessary for policy-makers and public health (PH) professionals to address ethical issues in health policies and plans. This study aimed to develop a practical framework for the ethical evaluation of PH programs.

STUDY DESIGN

A multidisciplinary team developed an ethical framework to evaluate PH plans from 2015 to 2017.

METHODS

In this study, the multi-method approach was used. First, a list of moral norms in PH policy and practice was drafted and completed in two interactive sessions. Then, the Delphi method was used for consensus about the structural components to be adopted in the framework. After developing the framework, its efficiency was assessed by evaluating Iran's Fourth Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control.

RESULTS

The framework was developed in the following three sections: (i) determination of the general moral norms in PH practice and policy; (ii) five steps of evaluation; and (iii) a procedural evaluation step to ensure fair decision-making. The ratio of the ethical points of the PH plan increased by 46% after implementation of the framework, and the frequency of ethical points increased significantly after applying the framework (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The application of the framework for the ethical evaluation of various PH programs ensures a comprehensive and scientific-deliberative decision-making process, while also contributing to the development of the framework.

Health concerns of veterans with high-level lower extremity amputations

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to identify health concerns of veterans with high-level lower extremity amputations.

METHODS

Through a cross-sectional study, general practitioners, an orthopedic specialist, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiotherapist and prosthetists examined 100 veterans using a short-form health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-36) that assessed their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and life satisfaction (SWLS) after hip disarticulation or hemi-pelvectomy amputations. The assessment tool was designed to gather statistically useful information about their health needs.

RESULTS

The means of the Physical Component Summary (PCS), Mental Component Summary (MCS), SWLS, ADL and IADL were 48.58 ± 29.6, 33.33 ± 22.0, 19.30 ± 7.7, 48.10 ± 10.5 and 5.08 ± 1.8, respectively. Somatization, depression, and anxiety were the most prevalent disorders; among the veterans who were visited by psychiatrists, 11.6% had a history of hospitalization in a psychiatry section, and 53.2% had a psychiatric visit. Regardless of their injury in battle, 34% of veterans were hospitalized. Hearing problems were common, and about four-fifths of the participants suffered from at least one orthopedic condition. Neuroma (49%) was the most common stump-related complication during orthopedic evaluations, though the prevalence of phantom pain was 81% during the pain assessment. A total of 87% of the participants had a history of wearing a prosthesis, but only 29% wore a prosthesis at the time of the present study. The Canadian-type of prosthesis was uncomfortable and not useful (27%) and excessively heavy (10%) according to the amputees.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding veterans' characteristics and special needs are important to make sure that enough facilities and services are afforded to them. These findings emphasize the importance of paying close attention to different dimensions of health in veterans and can help health providers identify health needs and make regular assessments.

Long-term symptoms and function after war-related lower limb amputation: A national cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to document long-term symptoms and functional results following war-related knee disarticulation, trans-femoral amputation, and hip disarticulation.

METHODS

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in a 7-day recreational camp in Iran. One thousand patients with unilateral hip disarticulation, trans-femoral amputation and knee disarticulation due to war-related injuries were invited to undergo a thorough physical examination. Among the invited persons, 58.7% (587 subjects) responded to our invitations. A complete examination related to phantom pain, phantom sensation, stump pain, back pain, and sound limb joints pain with a self-constructed questionnaire was performed. In addition, Amputee Mobility Predictor (AMP) instrument with a prosthesis was completed to assess the function of patients.

RESULTS

The mean duration of time since amputation was 22 years. The most common symptoms reported by participants were phantom sensation (82%), back pain (69%), and phantom pain (63%). In addition, total scores of AMP with a prosthesis in persons with knee disarticulation and trans-femoral amputations were 20.8 and 28, respectively. The knee disarticulation was associated with higher scores of AMP with a prosthesis compared to transfemoral amputation (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that patients with lower limb amputation suffer from significant clinical and functional problems. The findings may be useful to adopt new strategies in planning rehabilitation programs to improve quality of life and health status of patients with war-related lower limb amputation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Therapeutic study.

Combination Effects of Organic and Inorganic Chromium on Production Performance, Reproductive Response, Immune Status, and Maternal Antibody Transmission in Breeder Quails Under Heat Stress

This experiment was carried out to investigate the combination effects of organic and inorganic chromium (Cr) on egg production, egg quality, reproductive response, and immune status of breeder quails and their offspring under heat stress. A total of 140 7-week-old Japanese breeder quails (120 females and 20 males) according to a completely randomized design were used in four treatment groups (five replicate and seven birds per each) lasted for 8 weeks. Quails exposed to 35 °C for 8 h/day for induction of cyclic heat stress treatments consisted of diets supplemented with (1) 1 mg CrCl₃ per kilogram of diet as control (CNT); (2) 1 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet as organic Cr (OCr); (3) 0.5 mg CrCl₃ plus 0.5 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet (ISO); (4) 1 mg CrCl₃ plus 0.5 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet (On-top). Productive performance and egg quality parameters were determined weekly. Fertility, hatchability, and embryonic mortality were measured at the end of experiment. Humoral immunity was assessed by primary and secondary antibody titer in sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Newcastle disease (ND) tests. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed by the cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) test to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) at days 20 and 45 of age. White blood cell count and immunoglobulin Y (IgY) content in serum and yolk of breeders and in serum and yolk residues of offspring were also measured. Results showed that maximum egg production, egg shell thickness, and Haugh unit were observed in birds fed ISO and On-top diets (P ≤ 0.05). The highest (P ≤ 0.05) antibody levels in ND test were observed in birds fed with OCr, ISO, and On-top diets. The highest cellular response (P ≤ 0.05) was in 12 h after primary PHA injection and 12 and 24 h after secondary PHA injection in birds fed with On-top diets. The highest count of heterophil and (H/L) were gained in breeder quails fed with CNT diet, and the lowest of them were reached with On-top diet (P ≤ 0.05). Results showed that the highest IgY level in serum of breeder and their offspring and that of yolk suck and egg yolk were observed in birds fed with On-top diet (P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that extra supplemental organic Cr in combination with CrCl₃ could lead to higher egg production, egg quality, and immune status of breeder quails and their offspring.

Health-related quality of life and the ability to perform activities of daily living: a cross-sectional study on 1079 war veterans with ankle-foot disorders

BACKGROUND

The ankle-foot injuries are among the war-related injuries that cause many serious secondary problems for a lifetime. This nationwide study aimed to assess health-related quality of life and the ability to perform activities of daily living in veterans with ankle-foot injuries due to the Iran-Iraq war.

METHODS

A total of 1079 veterans with ankle-foot injuries were enrolled in a cross-sectional study from 2014 to 2016. Demographic characteristics, including age, gender, marital status, disability percent, educational level, employment and additional injuries, were collected. The ability to perform daily activities was assessed using the Barthel activities of daily living (ADL) and Lawton instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) Indexes. Physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) data were measured via the SF-36 subscales. The data were compared with those of bilateral lower limb amputees (BLLAs) and of the general Iranian population. Statistical analyses, including Pearson's correlation coefficient, one-sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA), were performed using SPSS16.0. A multiple linear regression model was used to determine the contribution of independent variables to the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS).

RESULTS

The highest and lowest scores were observed for mental health (48.93 ± 20.69) and bodily pain (28.16 ± 21.74), respectively. The mean scores of veterans with ankle-foot injuries on the SF-36 were significantly lower on all eight measures than those of the general Iranian male population and of the bilateral lower limb amputees (P < 0.001). The mean scores of ADLs and IADLs were 83.9 ± 16.3 and 5.3 ± 2.0, respectively. The higher dependency in ADLs (P < 0.001) and IADLs (P < 0.001), the higher disability rate (P < 0.001) and additional injury (P < 0.001) were significant determinants of the PCS. ADL (P < 0.001) and IADL (P < 0.001) limitations, additional injury (P < 0.001), history of hospitalization in the year preceding the study (P = 0.007) and employment (P = 0.001) were reported as determinants of the MCS.

CONCLUSION

The results strongly suggest that veterans with ankle-foot injuries suffer from critically poor health-related quality of life. The main predicting factors of HRQOL were the disability to perform ADLs/IADLs, suffering two or more injuries, a history of hospitalization in the year preceding the study and unemployment.

Overview of ribosomal and non-ribosomal antimicrobial peptides produced by Gram positive bacteria

The increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance bacterial infection and decreasing effectiveness of conventional antibiotics to treatment have caused serious problems worldwide. The demand for new generationantibiotics to combat microbial pathogens is imperative. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with different sources from prokaryotic to complex eukaryotic organisms, with variable length, amino acid composition and secondary structure, have been consideredduring the past decades.  The advantages of large number of AMPs are related to broad spectrum and morphogenetic activities, low resistance rate among microorganismswithout side effect on human cells, rapid killing of bacteria via membrane damage and intracellular targets,and their critical roles in anti-inflammatory. Ribosomal synthesized peptides of Gram positive bacteria with various post translational modificationsrepresent extended types of antimicrobial peptide with different structural and functional diversity. These types of peptides have been considered as new therapeutic agents for pharmaceutical development .In addition, non- ribosomal synthesized peptides are a wide range of peptides , an extremely extensive range of biological activities and pharmacological properties that are not synthesized by ribosomes,  show interesting biological properties ranging from antibiotic to bio surfactants. This review focused on genetics, mechanism of action and modifications, resistance mode of Gram positive bacteria to AMPs and the biotechnological application of ribosomally and non-ribosomally synthesized peptides derived from Gram positive bacteria.

Low-intensity endurance exercise plus nandrolone decanoate modulates cardiac adiponectin and its receptors

Vast adverse effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) on athletes' cardiovascular systems have been reported. However, there is still a lack of adequate information regarding the pathways and mechanisms involved. We tested the hypothesis that adiponectin and its receptors in the heart may be affected by long-term use of AASs alongside exercising. Male Wistar rats were randomized into the control (CTL), exercise (EX), nandrolone (Nan), arachis (Arach) group which treated with arachis as vehicle, trained vehicle (EX+Arach) and trained nandrolone (EX+Nan) groups that were treated for 8 weeks. One day after the end of the protocol, animals were sacrificed and their hearts were frozen. TNF-α and adiponectin proteins of hearts were evaluated quantitatively by ELISA kits, and Western blot analysis was used for measuring adiponectin receptor protein expression. TNF-α protein increased significantly in the EX+Nan group (P<.05 vs CTL group). The AdipoR1 protein was significantly higher in the presence of nandrolone alongside exercise (P<.05 vs Nan and EX+Arach groups, P<.01 vs CTL and Arach groups). In addition, AdipoR2 protein enhanced in the EX+Nan group when compared with the other groups (P<.05 vs EX and EX+Arach groups, P<.01 vs CTL, Arach and Nan groups). Chronic nandrolone plus mild endurance exercise may be associated with imbalance in pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines and may induce a positive modulatory effect on cardiac adiporeceptors in rat. Further studies are required before these findings can be generalized to humans.

Molecular analysis of the bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine strain currently being used in Iran

BACKGROUND

In developing countries, tuberculosis (TB) infection control remains a challenge. The bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is the only effective vaccine available for TB control. Iran uses a local BCG vaccine strain with an unknown substrain.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the molecular characteristics of the current BCG strain being used in Iran using comparative genomics of the evolutionarily late strains, including BCG vaccines Pasteur, BCG-Danish, BCG-Glaxo, BCG-Prague, BCG-Frappier, BCG-Connaught and BCG-Moreau.

METHODS

A total of 67 different vials of BCG vaccine were cultured. DNA was extracted using the modified cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) method, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine four target genomic regions of difference (RD) 1, RD8, RD16 and SenX3-RegX3, and to see whether RD2 and RD14 were present.

RESULTS

Our results showed that all studied batches were Mycobacterium bovis; molecular analysis revealed that the Iranian vaccine strains possess RD8, RD16 and SenX3-RegX3 regions but not RD1, RD2 and RD14. All of the vaccine batches analysed were compatible with BCG-Pasteur 1173p2, the original strain.

CONCLUSION

All of the BCG strains studied were recognised as the BCG-Pasteur 1173p2 strain. No genetic diversity among stocks and ready-for-use vaccine vials were detected.

Effects of using eucalyptus (Eucalyptusglobulus L.) leaf powder and its essential oil on growth performance and immune response of broiler chickens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of eucalyptus leaf powder (ELP) and eucalyptus essential oil (EEO) on growth performance and immune response of broiler chickens. A total of 160 broiler chicks were assigned randomly into five dietary treatments from 7-42 days of age. Dietary treatments included: a control diet, control diets plus 1,000 or 3,000 mg/kg of ELP, and control diets plus 250 or 500 mg/kg of EEO. Dietary inclusion of ELP decreased body weight gain (BWG) during 7-28 days of age. Broilers fed diet containing 3,000 mg/kg of ELP had lower feed intake (FI) during 7-28 days compared to the other treatments. Broilers fed ELP or EEO had greater primary antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) compared to the control, but differences in secondary antibody response were not significant. In conclusion, dietary EEO has the potential to enhance immune response of broiler chickens.

Human colon cancer HT-29 cell death responses to doxorubicin and Morus Alba leaves flavonoid extract

The mechanistic basis for the biological properties of Morus alba flavonoid extract (MFE) and chemotherapy drug of doxorubicin on human colon cancer HT-29 cell line death are unknown. The effect of doxorubicin and flavonoid extract on colon cancer HT-29 cell line death and identification of APC gene expression and PARP concentration of HT-29 cell line were investigated. The results showed that flavonoid extract and doxorubicin induce a dose dependent cell death in HT-29 cell line. MFE and doxorubicin exert a cytotoxic effect on human colon cancer HT-29 cell line by probably promoting or induction of apoptosis.