Microchips and their significance in isolation of circulating tumor cells and monitoring of cancers

In micro-fluid systems, fluids are injected into extremely narrow polymer channels in small amounts such as micro-, nano-, or pico-liter scales. These channels themselves are embedded on tiny chips. Various specialized structures in the chips including pumps, valves, and channels allow the chips to accept different types of fluids to be entered the channel and along with flowing through the channels, exert their effects in the framework of different reactions. The chips are generally crystal, silicon, or elastomer in texture. These highly organized structures are equipped with discharging channels through which products as well as wastes of the reactions are secreted out. A particular advantage regarding the use of fluids in micro-scales over macro-scales lies in the fact that these fluids are much better processed in the chips when they applied as micro-scales. When the laboratory is miniaturized as a microchip and solutions are injected on a micro-scale, this combination makes a specialized construction referred to as "lab-on-chip". Taken together, micro-fluids are among the novel technologies which further than declining the costs; enhancing the test repeatability, sensitivity, accuracy, and speed; are emerged as widespread technology in laboratory diagnosis. They can be utilized for monitoring a wide spectrum of biological disorders including different types of cancers. When these microchips are used for cancer monitoring, circulatory tumor cells play a fundamental role

Short view of leukemia diagnosis and treatment in Iran

Background: Early diagnosis and treatment of leukemia patients remains a fundamental aim in clinical oncology, especially in developing country. Present study highlights the basic requirements of these patients in Iran. Better understanding of these issues may lead to improve the healthcare standards toward leukemia diagnosis and treatment. Methods: This descriptive study included 101 specialists in hematology-oncology and pathology serving in oncology centers. The participants were then asked to fill out a standard questionnaire on the issues around diagnosis and treatment of blood malignancies. Results: According to specialists, unfair distribution of facilities across the country, delayed diagnosis of disease, absence of psychological support for patients, and insufficient financial support were the main reasons of inappropriate diagnosis and treatment in leukemia patients. Conclusions: Our results show that making an amendment to health policies by preparing well-equipped medical centers in all provinces, improving the morale of patients through consultation during the process of treatment, and above all, subsiding leukemia patients' financial problems will promote the health standard regarding the leukemia diagnosis and treatment in Iran. © 2015, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). All rights reserved

Detection of ISPa1328 and ISPpu21, Two Novel Insertion Sequences in the OprD Porin and bla_IMP-1 Gene Among Metallo-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated From Burn Patients

Background: Carbapenemes are a good choice for treatment of infections caused by multidrug resistant Pseudomonads aeruginosa. The emergence of carbapenem resistance has become a major problem in treatment of this organism especially among immunocompromised patients including burn patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate carbapenem-resistance mechanisms among burn patients in Tehran, Iran, during 2014 - 2015. Methods: The antibiotic resistance phenotypic test was accomplished by the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. The phenotypic investigation of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) producers was evaluated by the combined disk diffusion test (CDDT) method. The prevalence of MBL genes, including blaIMP-1 and blaVIM-1 was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing methods. Amplification of oprD was performed by PCR and the results of sequencing were aligned with wild-type P. aeruginosa strain PAO1. Results: A total of 100 P. aeruginosa were investigated, of which, 95 were resistance to imipenem. Out Of 95 imipenem resistant isolates,, 81 (85.2%) were MBL producers. Among all isolates, 13 strains carried the blaIMP-1 gene, whereas all of the strains were negative for the blaVIM-1 gene. Amplification of OprD porin was performed for all 100 P. aeruginosa strains. Two insertion sequences (ISs) including ISPpu21 and ISPa1328 were detected in PCR products of OprD gene, that were larger than expected. Conclusions: The prevalence of β-lactamase-producing isolates and their isolation from life-threatening infections in burn patients is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Also, we have identified two novel IS elements, ISPa1328 and ISPpu21, in P. aeruginosa isolates from hospitals in Tehran, Iran. In most of the isolates, insertional inactivation of oprD by ISPa1328 and ISPpu21 were associated with carbapenem resistance

Effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotic on the production and N-acetylglucosamine scale of methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm

The ability of Staphylococcus spp. to produce biofilm is one of the virulence factors that facilitate the adhesion and colonization on a different surface. In this study, the effects of sub minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) of some antibiotics were evaluated on induction of the biofilm producing ability and free N-acetylglucoseamine scale in 29 isolates of methicillin resistance staphylococcus aureus. To this end, the antibiogram and biofilm producing functions of the studied isolates were assessed by Kirby-Bauer and tissue culture plate method, respectively. Vancomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and clindamycin were used in antibiogram. The free N-acetylglucoseamine scale in the inducted biofilm after treatment with antibiotic was evaluated by TLC method. Based on the attained results, all the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and were capable of producing biofilm in weak (40%), moderate (56.6%) and strong (3.33%) levels. Also, biofilm production was induced in 36.66% of isolates (11/30) from moderate to strong level by sub-MIC vancomycin. An invisible change in free N-acetyl glucoseamine scale was demonstrated in the exopolysaccharide (EPS) structure of the studied isolates biofilm.By comparing of results and literature reviews, free N-acetyl glucoseamine scale in all studied strains was lower than 5µg in before and after inducted biofilm or maybe is not exist. Certainly, for studied of structural N-acetyl glucoseamine scale, using more exact methods of extraction and measurement are need

Air pollution and cardiovascular death in Tehran, Iran

TPS 681: Short-term health effects of air pollutants 1, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: There is evidence that shows exposure to air pollution can be related to cardiovascular deaths. This study aimed to estimate the effect of ambient air pollutants on cardiovascular deaths in Tehran, Iran; which is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Methods: In this ecological study, air pollutant data was inquired from the air quality control units of municipalities and the Tehran Province Environmental Protection Agency. Meteorological data was enquired from the meteorological organization, and death data was inquired from the Tehran’s cemetery registration (Behesht-e-Zahra). Generalized Additive Models (GAM) were used for data analysis and Incidence Rate Ratios with different lags were calculated for up to 30 days. Results: During 2005 until 2014, 215373 cardiovascular deaths happen in Tehran in which 122911 (57.07%) were male. NO2 and PM10 were associated with total cardiovascular deaths. The strongest relationship between NO2 and respiratory death was seen after 4 day lags (RR= 1.00106, 95% CI: 1.00073-1.00140), and for PM10 was seen on the same day (lag 0) (RR= 1.00053, 95% CI: 1.00030-1.00076). Conclusion: The result of this study showed that PM10, and NO2 are probably responsible for part of the cardiovascular deaths that happen daily in Tehran. There should be more efforts to control air pollution in Tehran.Full Tex

Subduction controls the distribution and fragmentation of Earth’s tectonic plates

International audienceThe theory of plate tectonics describes how the surface of the Earth is split into an organized jigsaw of seven large plates 1 of similar sizes and a population of smaller plates, whose areas follow a fractal distribution 2,3. The reconstruction of global tectonics during the past 200 My 4 suggests that this layout is probably a long-term feature of our planet, but the forces governing it are unknown. Previous studies 3,5,6 , primarily based on statistical properties of plate distributions, were unable to resolve how the size of plates is determined by lithosphere properties and/or underlying mantle convection. Here, we demonstrate that the plate layout of the Earth is produced by a dynamic feedback between mantle convection and the strength of the lithosphere. Using 3D spherical models of mantle convection with plate-like behaviour that match the plate size-frequency distribution observed for Earth, we show that subduction geometry drives the tectonic fragmentation that generates plates. The spacing between slabs controls the layout of large plates, and the stresses caused by the bending of trenches, break plates into smaller fragments. Our results explain why the fast evolution in small back-arc plates 7,8 reflects the dramatic changes in plate motions during times of major reorganizations. Our study opens the way to use convection simulations with plate-like behaviour to unravel how global tectonics and mantle convection are dynamically connected

2D Qubit Placement of Quantum Circuits using LONGPATH

In order to achieve speedup over conventional classical computing for finding solution of computationally hard problems, quantum computing was introduced. Quantum algorithms can be simulated in a pseudo quantum environment, but implementation involves realization of quantum circuits through physical synthesis of quantum gates. This requires decomposition of complex quantum gates into a cascade of simple one qubit and two qubit gates. The methodological framework for physical synthesis imposes a constraint regarding placement of operands (qubits) and operators. If physical qubits can be placed on a grid, where each node of the grid represents a qubit then quantum gates can only be operated on adjacent qubits, otherwise SWAP gates must be inserted to convert non-Linear Nearest Neighbor architecture to Linear Nearest Neighbor architecture. Insertion of SWAP gates should be made optimal to reduce cumulative cost of physical implementation. A schedule layout generation is required for placement and routing apriori to actual implementation. In this paper, two algorithms are proposed to optimize the number of SWAP gates in any arbitrary quantum circuit. The first algorithm is intended to start with generation of an interaction graph followed by finding the longest path starting from the node with maximum degree. The second algorithm optimizes the number of SWAP gates between any pair of non-neighbouring qubits. Our proposed approach has a significant reduction in number of SWAP gates in 1D and 2D NTC architecture.Comment: Advanced Computing and Systems for Security, SpringerLink, Volume 1

Developing Culturally-tailored Diabetes Friendly and Heart Healthy Recipes for South Asians: Sensory Evaluation and Implications for Dietary Interventions

South Asians have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than manyother racial or ethnic groups. Dietary patterns are a key, modifiable risk factor, and cultural influences strongly shape food choices and lifestyle decisions. Effective, long-term behavior change requires culturally meaningful interventions. This study aimed to develop culturally tailored recipes that comply with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. Recipes were selected from the published South Asian Carbohydrate Counting Tool, created by the researcher, and modified to enhance nutrient composition. Adjustments included ingredient substitutions, reduction or elimination of fat, salt, and sugar, and additions to increase fiber content. Changes were introduced gradually, with each version analyzed using FoodLabelMaker software. Fourteen modified recipes were prepared and tested in a lab kitchen. Twelve participants evaluated them based on taste, texture, mouthfeel, flavor, color, odor, portion size, and overall acceptability using a f ive-point Likert scale with a score of 1 as unacceptable and 5 as excellent. Descriptive statistics were generated, and Spearman correlation coefficients assessed the relationship between overall liking and participants’ intention to adopt recommended dietary behaviors. Results indicated that 10 of the 14 recipes met sensory acceptability criteria (score 3.0 or more) and overall liking was significantly correlated with intentions to improve diet quality. These findings suggest that consumer acceptance evaluations could enhance interventions aimed at improving diet quality. By increasing acceptance of healthier recipes, such interventions may be more effective in promoting long-term dietary improvements among the South Asian community

The Effect of Silymarin on the Expression of Urotensin–II and Urotensin–II Receptor Genes in the Liver Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that the increase in urotensin – II is associated with diabetes disorders. Considering that using herbal medicines for the treatment of diseases leads to fewer complications compared to most chemical drugs, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of silymarin on glucose, and insulin levels and the expression of urotensin – II (U–II) and urotensin – II receptor (U–II R) genes in the liver tissue of type 2 diabetic male rats. METHODS: In this experimental study, 36 male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6): 1. Control group; 2 and 3. Control groups treated with 60 and 120 mg / kg / day silymarin; 4. Type 2 diabetic group which received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 60 mg / kg streptozotocin and 120 mg / kg nicotinamide; 5 and 6. Diabetic rats treated with 60 and 120 mg/kg/day silymarin. After 60 days of treatment, serum and liver tissue samples were collected. Glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR index and liver enzymes were evaluated by spectrophotometry and ELISA methods, while gene expression in liver tissue was analyzed by Real-time PCR method. FINDINGS: Insulin levels increased significantly in diabetic groups treated with silymarin (60 and 120 mg/kg) (9.6±1.11 and 9.8±0.96, respectively) in comparison with the diabetic control group (7.10±1.06) (p<0.05). Moreover, glucose level, HOMA-IR, liver enzymes, U–II and U – II R expression in diabetic group treated with silymarin significantly decreased compared to diabetic control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that administration of silymarin improves liver function in diabetic rats