The psychometric properties of the of the Persian version of the Screen for adult anxiety related disorders (SCAARED) in patients with anxiety disorders.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Screen for adult anxiety related disorders (SCAARED) in Tehran. METHOD: The present study was a descriptive-survey method and a cross-sectional method. The present research population consists of patients referring to hospitals and psychiatric clinics in Tehran, as well as male and female students in Tehran. The sample of the present study included 300 participants (150 patients with a diagnosis of anxiety disorders and 150 non-clinical samples), who were selected by random sampling method. Inclusion criteria included age 18 to 50, minimum diploma, lack of mental retardation, and lack of acute physical illnesses such as cancer or severe pain. The participants, after completing the demographic questionnaire and conducting a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders-Clinical Version (SCID-5-CV), completed the SCAARED and the Personal Wellbeing Index-Adults (PWI-A). Finally, face and content validity and construct validity, test-retest reliability, Cronbach's alpha, and factor analysis were used. RESULTS: The results of the present study confirmed the face validity and content of the present scale. A review of Cronbach's standardized alpha showed that SCAARED has a reliability of 0.966, and therefore, the Persian version of these questionnaires is a reliable tool. Also, the results showed a correlation between the two implementations of the questionnaire; in addition to the strong correlation at the level (p < .01) between the factors of the questionnaire and the factors with the total score, there was a strong correlation between the first and second implementation in four factors and the overall score. Therefore, it can be concluded that the SCAARED has good test-retest reliability. Also, there is a positive correlation between the factors and the overall score of the SCAARED with anxiety disorders based on Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (p < .01), which indicates the favorable convergent validity of the SCAARED questionnaire. There is a negative correlation between the factors and the overall score of the SCAARED with the PWI-A at the level (p < .01), which indicates the favorable divergent validity of the SCAARED, and the results of exploratory factor analysis of the questionnaire were confirmed. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the SCAARED is a tool with appropriate validity and reliability.

In vitro activities of 8 antifungal agents against geophilic dermatophyte isolates.

BACKGROUND: Members of the Nannizzia gypsea complex are globally the most common geophilic dermatophytes which cause infection in animals and human. Although the susceptibility patterns of anthropophilic or zoophilic dermatophyte species to antifungal agents are well documented, the effectiveness of such drugs against geophilic species have rarely been explored. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of common and new antifungals against a set of environmental and clinical geophilic dermatophyte isolates. METHODS: 108 soil and clinical geophilic isolates from two genera Nannizzia (N. fulva n = 59; N. gypsea n = 43) and Arthroderma (A. quadrifidum n = 4; A. gertleri n = 1; A. tuberculatum n = 1) were included in the study. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility patterns of eight common and new antifungals against the isolates were determined according to broth microdilution method and by CLSI M38-A3 (3rd edition) protocol. RESULTS: MIC values across all isolates from five species ranged as: luliconazole: 0.0002-0.002 µg/ml, terbinafine: 0.008-0.125 µg/ml, efinaconazole: 0.008-0.125 µg/ml, ciclopirox olamine: 0.03-0.5 µg/ml, itraconazole: 0.125-1 µg/ml, amorolfine hydrochloride: 0.125-4 µg/ml, griseofulvin: 0.25-2 µg/ml and tavaborole: 1-8 µg/ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: Luliconazole, terbinafine and efinaconazole exhibited the highest in vitro efficacy, regardless of the dermatophyte species. Further surveillance studies are recommended to confirm the implication of such in vitro data for the clinical recovery rate of dermatophytosis with geophilic species following antifungal therapy.

The quantitative myasthenia gravis score: comparison with clinical, electrophysiological, and laboratory markers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMGS) accurately represents disease severity in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: One hundred thirty-five patients with MG from 2 previous randomized studies were included. QMGS correlation with the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) score, quality of life scale, acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChRAbs), and electrophysiological parameters was studied. RESULTS: The QMGS showed a good correlation with the MGFA scale (r² = 0.54, P < 0.0001), jitter (rs = 0.40, P < 0.0001), and 15-item quality of life scale (rs = 0.41, P = 0.007) and was less well correlated with the 60-item myasthenia gravis-specific quality of life survey and other electrophysiological markers. No correlation was demonstrated with AchRAb titers, but AchRAb-positive patients had higher QMGS (14.2 ± 4.5) than AchRAb-negative patients (12.0 ± 3.7, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the QMGS is a valid marker for disease severity as shown by the MGFA scale, quality of life scale, and jitter, supporting the use of the QMGS as a primary outcome measure in clinical trials of MG.

The Effect of Flutamide on Ovulation Induction in PCOS Patients.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder that affects various body organs and requires comprehensive long term evaluation and management. The aim of this study was to evaluate effect of Flutamide on ovulation induction in PCOS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study applied triple blind method, a simple convenience sampling method, to induce ovulations of the ninety six PCOS patients. Patients were divided into two groups; group A included 53 subjects (received Flutamide + Clomiphene Citrate) and group B included 43 subjects (received placebo + Clomiphene Citrate). Ultrasound was carried to determine the size of follicles and growth rate of them during follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Also, progesterone levels were measured on days 19 and 21 of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: In this study, ninety six PCOS patients, in two treatment and control groups, were evaluated regarding to body mass index (BMI), cycle irregularity, age and number of dominant follicles, duration of stimulation, endocrine profile and score of hirsutism. The obtained results revealed no significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: Flutamide does not affect ovulation improvement in PCOS patients undergoing induction (Registration Number: IRCT 201105081141N10).

The effect of low dose human chorionic gonadotropin on follicular response and oocyte maturation in PCOS patients undergoing IVF cycles: a randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of two regimens of low dose human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on follicular response and oocyte maturation in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Ninety women with PCOS who underwent assisted reproduction were eligible for this controlled, prospective, randomized study. Our trial was performed at Royan Institute Reproductive Research Center over a 24-month period. Ovarian stimulation in all groups was initiated with recombinant FSH, 150 IU daily. The dose and duration of FSH treatment were adjusted by monitoring follicular development with ultrasound and estradiol levels. Patients were randomized using a block randomization technique which assigned them to three groups: group A (control group) continued r-FSH until oocyte retrieval. In group B, r-FSH was reduced to 75 IU once the lead follicle reached 14 mm in mean diameter and low dose hCG (100 IU/day) was initiated. In group C, r-FSH was discontinued and low dose hCG (200 IU/day) was begun when the lead follicle reached 14 mm in mean diameter. The main outcome measure was follicular response and oocyte maturation. RESULTS: As compared to the FSH only group, groups which were given low dose hCG had lower gonadotropin consumption and fewer immature oocytes than the control group. No women in the low dose hCG groups developed severe ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome. Fertilization, implantation and pregnancy rates were similar in the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of FSH and low dose hCG improved oocyte maturity and preserved outcomes with improved safety and lowered cost.

Cytotoxic activity of some marine brown algae against cancer cell lines.

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of total extract of MeOH (70%) and partition fractions of hexan, chloroform (CHCL3), ethylacetate (EtOAc) and MeOH-H2O of brown algae species (Sargassum swartzii, Cystoseira myrica, Colpomenia sinuosa) found in the Persian Gulf against in different cell lines including HT-29, Caco-2, T47D, MDA-MB468 and NIH 3T3 cell lines by MTT and AnnexinV-PI assay. The hexan fraction of S. swartzii and C. myrica showed selective cytotoxicity against proliferation of Caco-2 cells (IC50 < 100 µg/ml) T47D cell line (IC50<100 µg/ml), respectively. S. swartzii and C. myrica were also observed for increasing apoptosis in Caco-2 and T47D cells. Total extract and fractions of C. sinuosa did not show any significant cytotoxicity against the studied cell lines. MDA-MB468 cells were more sensitive to C. myrica than was T47D (IC50 99.9 ± 8.11 vs. 56.50' ± 0.88). This reflects an estrogen receptor independent mechanism for cytotoxicity of the extract. The IC50 of the hexan fraction of C. myrica on T47D parent cells was lower than it was on T47D-TR cells (IC50 99.9 ± 8.11 vs. 143.15 ± 7.80). This finding suggests a role for the MDR-1 in the development of possible future tolerance to the extract.

Cytotoxic activity of some marine brown algae against cancer cell lines

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of total extract of MeOH (70 percent) and partition fractions of hexan, chloroform (CHCL3), ethylacetate (EtOAc) and MeOH-H2O of brown algae species (Sargassum swartzii, Cystoseira myrica, Colpomenia sinuosa) found in the Persian Gulf against in different cell lines including HT-29, Caco-2, T47D, MDA-MB468 and NIH 3T3 cell lines by MTT and AnnexinV-PI assay. The hexan fraction of S. swartzii and C. myrica showed selective cytotoxicity against proliferation of Caco-2 cells (IC50<100 μg/ml) T47D cell line (IC50<100 μg/ml), respectively. S. swartzii and C. myrica were also observed for increasing apoptosis in Caco-2 and T47D cells. Total extract and fractions of C. sinuosa did not show any significant cytotoxicity against the studied cell lines. MDA-MB468 cells were more sensitive to C. myrica than was T47D (IC50 99.9±8.11 vs. 56.50‘± 0.88). This reflects an estrogen receptor independent mechanism for cytotoxicity of the extract. The IC50 of the hexan fraction of C. myrica on T47D parent cells was lower than it was on T47D-TR cells (IC50 99.9±8.11 vs. 143.15 ± 7.80). This finding suggests a role for the MDR-1 in the development of possible future tolerance to the extract.

Allosteric signaling in the biotin repressor occurs via local folding coupled to global dampening of protein dynamics.

The biotin repressor is an allosterically regulated, site-specific DNA-binding protein. Binding of the small ligand bio-5'-AMP activates repressor dimerization, which is a prerequisite to DNA binding. Multiple disorder-to-order transitions, some of which are known to be important for the functional allosteric response, occur in the vicinity of the ligand-binding site concomitant with effector binding to the repressor monomer. In this work, the extent to which these local changes are coupled to additional changes in the structure/dynamics of the repressor was investigated using hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry. Measurements were performed on the apo-protein and on complexes of the protein bound to four different effectors that elicit a range of thermodynamic responses in the repressor. Global exchange measurements indicate that binding of any effector to the intact protein is accompanied by protection from exchange. Mass spectrometric analysis of pepsin-cleavage products generated from the exchanged complexes reveals that the protection is distributed throughout the protein. Furthermore, the magnitude of the level of protection in each peptide from hydrogen/deuterium exchange correlates with the magnitude of the functional allosteric response elicited by a ligand. These results indicate that local structural changes in the binding site that occur concomitant with effector binding nucleate global dampening of dynamics. Moreover, the magnitude of dampening of repressor dynamics tracks with the magnitude of the functional response to effector binding.