Effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions among adults: an overview of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: This overview of reviews aims to identify evidence on the benefits (i.e. tobacco use abstinence and reduction in smoking frequency) and harms (i.e. possible adverse events/outcomes) of smoking cessation interventions among adults aged 18 years and older. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the CADTH Health Technology Assessment Database and several other websites for grey literature. Searches were conducted on November 12, 2018, updated on September 24, 2020, with publication years 2008 to 2020. Two reviewers independently performed title-abstract and full-text screening considering pre-determined inclusion criteria. Data extraction and quality assessments were initially completed by two reviewers independently (i.e. 73% of included studies (n = 22)) using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews-2 (AMSTAR 2), and the remainder done by one reviewer and verified by another due to resources and feasibility. The application of Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was performed by one independent reviewer and verified by another. RESULTS: A total of 22 Cochrane systematic reviews evaluating the impact of smoking cessation interventions on outcomes such as tobacco use abstinence, reduction in smoking frequency, quality of life and possible adverse events were included. Pharmaceutical (i.e. varenicline, cytisine, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion) and behavioural interventions (i.e. physician advice, non-tailored print-based self-help materials, stage-based individual counselling, etc.) showed to have increased smoking cessation; whereas, data for mobile phone-based interventions including text messaging, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, continuous auricular stimulation, laser therapy, electrostimulation, acupressure, St John's wort, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), interactive voice response systems and other combination treatments were unclear. Considering harms related to smoking cessation interventions, small/mild harms (i.e. increased palpitations, chest pain, nausea, insomnia, headache) were observed following NRT, varenicline and cytisine use. There were no data on harms related to behavioural therapies (i.e. individual or group counselling self-help materials, internet interventions), combination therapies or other therapies (i.e. laser therapy, electrostimulation, acupressure, St John's wort, SAMe). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that pharmacological and behavioural interventions may help the general smoking population quit smoking with observed small/mild harms following NRT or varenicline. Consequently, evidence regarding ideal intervention strategies and the long-term impact of these interventions for preventing smoking was unclear. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018099691.

Recent advances in removal of inorganic anions from water by chitosan-based composites: A comprehensive review.

Chitosan is a modified natural carbohydrate polymer that has been found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans (e.g., lobsters, shrimps, krill, barnacles, crayfish, etc.), mollusks (octopus, oysters, squids, snails), algae (diatoms, brown algae, green algae), insects (silkworms, beetles, scorpions), and the cell walls of fungi (such as Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Phycomycetes; for example, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum). However, it is mostly acquired from marine crustaceans such as shrimp shells. Chitosan-based composites often present superior chemical, physical, and mechanical properties compared to single chitosan by incorporating the benefits of both counterparts in the nanocomposites. The tunable surface chemistry, abundant surface-active sites, facilitation synthesize and functionalization, good recyclability, and economic viability make the chitosan-based materials potential adsorbents for effective and fast removal of a broad range of inorganic anions. This article reviews the different types of inorganic anions and their effects on the environment and human health. The development of the chitosan-based composites synthesis, the various parameters like initial concentration, pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature, the mechanism of adsorption, and regeneration of adsorbents are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects and technical challenges are emphasized to improve the performance of chitosan-based composites in actual applications on a pilot or industrial scale.

Efficacy of sustained knowledge translation (KT) interventions in chronic disease management in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of complex interventions.

BACKGROUND: Chronic disease management (CDM) through sustained knowledge translation (KT) interventions ensures long-term, high-quality care. We assessed implementation of KT interventions for supporting CDM and their efficacy when sustained in older adults. METHODS: Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis engaging 17 knowledge users using integrated KT. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including adults (> 65 years old) with chronic disease(s), their caregivers, health and/or policy-decision makers receiving a KT intervention to carry out a CDM intervention for at least 12 months (versus other KT interventions or usual care). INFORMATION SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from each database's inception to March 2020. OUTCOME MEASURES: Sustainability, fidelity, adherence of KT interventions for CDM practice, quality of life (QOL) and quality of care (QOC). Data extraction, risk of bias (ROB) assessment: We screened, abstracted and appraised articles (Effective Practice and Organisation of Care ROB tool) independently and in duplicate. DATA SYNTHESIS: We performed both random-effects and fixed-effect meta-analyses and estimated mean differences (MDs) for continuous and odds ratios (ORs) for dichotomous data. RESULTS: We included 158 RCTs (973,074 participants [961,745 patients, 5540 caregivers, 5789 providers]) and 39 companion reports comprising 329 KT interventions, involving patients (43.2%), healthcare providers (20.7%) or both (10.9%). We identified 16 studies described as assessing sustainability in 8.1% interventions, 67 studies as assessing adherence in 35.6% interventions and 20 studies as assessing fidelity in 8.7% of the interventions. Most meta-analyses suggested that KT interventions improved QOL, but imprecisely (36 item Short-Form mental [SF-36 mental]: MD 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] [- 1.25, 3.47], 14 RCTs, 5876 participants, I2 = 96%; European QOL-5 dimensions: MD 0.01, 95% CI [- 0.01, 0.02], 15 RCTs, 6628 participants, I2 = 25%; St George's Respiratory Questionnaire: MD - 2.12, 95% CI [- 3.72, - 0.51] 44 12 RCTs, 2893 participants, I2 = 44%). KT interventions improved QOC (OR 1.55, 95% CI [1.29, 1.85], 12 RCTS, 5271 participants, I2 = 21%). CONCLUSIONS: KT intervention sustainability was infrequently defined and assessed. Sustained KT interventions have the potential to improve QOL and QOC in older adults with CDM. However, their overall efficacy remains uncertain and it varies by effect modifiers, including intervention type, chronic disease number, comorbidities, and participant age. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018084810.

CdS nanocrystallites sensitized ZnO nanosheets for visible light induced sonophotocatalytic/photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: From experimental results to a generalized model based on machine learning methods.

CdS/ZnO nanosheets heterostructures ((x)CdS/ZNs) with different mole ratios of Cd/Zn ((x) = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) were synthesized by the impregnation-calcination method. PXRD patterns showed that the (100) diffraction of ZNs was the most significant in the (x)CdS/ZNs heterostructures, and it confirmed that CdS nanoparticles (in cubic phase) occupied the (101) and (002) crystal facets of ZNs with hexagonal wurtzite crystal phase. UV-Vis DRS results indicated that CdS nanoparticles decreased the band gap energy of ZNs (2.80-2.11 eV) and extended the photoactivity of ZNs to the visible light region. The vibrations of ZNs were not observed clearly in the Raman spectra of (x)CdS/ZNs due to the extensive coverage of CdS nanoparticles shielding the deeper-laying ZNs from Raman response. The photocurrent of (0.4) CdS/ZNs photoelectrode reached 33 µA, about 82 times higher than that for ZNs (0.4 µA, 0.1 V vs Ag/AgCl). The formation of an n-n junction at the (0.4) CdS/ZNs reduced the recombination of electron-hole pairs and increased the degradation performance of the as-prepared (0.4) CdS/ZNs heterostructure. The highest percentage removal of tetracycline (TC) in the sonophotocatalytic/photocatalytic processes was obtained by (0.4) CdS/ZNs under visible light. The quenching tests showed that O2•-, h+, and OH• were the main active species in the degradation process. The degradation percentage decreased negligibly in the sonophotocatalytic (84%-79%) compared to the photocatalytic (90%-72%) process after four re-using runs due to the presence of ultrasonic waves. For the estimation of degradation behavior, two machine learning methods were applied. The comparison between the ANN and GBRT models evidenced that both models had high prediction accuracy and could be used for predicting and fitting the experimental data of the %removal of TC. The excellent sonophotocatalytic/photocatalytic performance and stability of the fabricated (x)CdS/ZNs catalysts made them promising candidates for wastewater purification.

Controlled-release hydromorphone and risk of infection in adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests that people who inject drugs (PWID) may be at an increased risk of developing infective endocarditis (IE), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from hydromorphone controlled-release formulation. The hypothesized mechanism is related to insolubility of the drug, which promotes reuse, leading to contamination of injecting equipment. However, this relationship has not been confirmed. We aimed to conduct a systematic review including adult PWID exposed to controlled-release hydromorphone and the risk of acquiring IE, HCV, and HIV. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Evidence Based Medicine reviews from inception until September 2021. Following pilot testing, two reviewers conducted all screening of citations and full-text articles, as well as abstracted data, and appraised risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and Effective Practice and Organization of Care tool. Equity issues were examined using the PROGRESS-PLUS framework. Discrepancies were resolved consistently by a third reviewer. Meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneity across the studies. RESULTS: After screening 3,231 citations from electronic databases, 722 citations from unpublished sources/reference scanning, and 626 full-text articles, five studies were included. Five were cohort studies, and one was a case-control study. The risk of bias varied across the studies. Two studies reported on gender, as well as other PROGRESS-PLUS criteria (race, housing, and employment). Three studies focused specifically on the controlled-release formulation of hydromorphone, whereas two studies focused on all formulations of hydromorphone. One retrospective cohort study found an association between controlled-release hydromorphone and IE, whereas a case-control study found no evidence of an association. One retrospective cohort study found an association between the number of hydromorphone controlled-release prescriptions and prevalence of HCV. None of the studies specifically reported on associations with HIV. DISCUSSION: Very few studies have examined the risk of IE, HCV, and HIV infection after exposure to controlled-release hydromorphone. Very low-quality and scant evidence suggests uncertainty around the risks of blood-borne infections, such as HCV and IE to PWID using this medication.

Preparation of superhydrophobic, green, and eco-friendly modified polylactic acid foams for separation oil from water.

Developing a facile and green strategy to fabricate polymer foams with super hydrophobicity and eco-friendliness for large-scale oil-water separation remains a challenge. In this study, biocompatible polylactic acid polymer foam modified by nanochitosan and stearic acid was used to remove petroleum and organic contaminants in water. All three materials used to prepare and modify this foam are green and inexpensive. F4d foam (prepared by solvent displacement method) and F8d foam (prepared by freeze dryer) can selectively remove oil pollutants in water with a contact angle of 164.01° and 168.51°, respectively. The maximum absorption capacity of oil pollutants by F4d and F8d are related to chloroform with values of 32.7 g/g and 48.51 g/g, respectively. Also, the minimum absorption capacity is related to n-hexane with values of 24.83 g/g and 32.06 g/g. The absorption percentage range of F4d and F8d foams after 15 cycles of absorption-desorption for chloroform is 82.56 % and 87.81 %, respectively, and for n-hexane, is 77.28 % and 85.99 %, respectively. During the continuous water-oil pumping test, the efficiency of foam can be maintained for >15 h, which shows promising hope for large-scale oil pollution cleaning.

Global evidence of gender equity in academic health research: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: To chart the global literature on gender equity in academic health research. DESIGN: Scoping review. PARTICIPANTS: Quantitative studies were eligible if they examined gender equity within academic institutions including health researchers. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes related to equity across gender and other social identities in academia: (1) faculty workforce: representation of all genders in university/faculty departments, academic rank or position and salary; (2) service: teaching obligations and administrative/non-teaching activities; (3) recruitment and hiring data: number of applicants by gender, interviews and new hires for various rank; (4) promotion: opportunities for promotion and time to progress through academic ranks; (5) academic leadership: type of leadership positions, opportunities for leadership promotion or training, opportunities to supervise/mentor and support for leadership bids; (6) scholarly output or productivity: number/type of publications and presentations, position of authorship, number/value of grants or awards and intellectual property ownership; (7) contextual factors of universities; (8) infrastructure; (9) knowledge and technology translation activities; (10) availability of maternity/paternity/parental/family leave; (11) collaboration activities/opportunities for collaboration; (12) qualitative considerations: perceptions around promotion, finances and support. RESULTS: Literature search yielded 94 798 citations; 4753 full-text articles were screened, and 562 studies were included. Most studies originated from North America (462/562, 82.2%). Few studies (27/562, 4.8%) reported race and fewer reported sex/gender (which were used interchangeably in most studies) other than male/female (11/562, 2.0%). Only one study provided data on religion. No other PROGRESS-PLUS variables were reported. A total of 2996 outcomes were reported, with most studies examining academic output (371/562, 66.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Reviewed literature suggest a lack in analytic approaches that consider genders beyond the binary categories of man and woman, additional social identities (race, religion, social capital and disability) and an intersectionality lens examining the interconnection of multiple social identities in understanding discrimination and disadvantage. All of these are necessary to tailor strategies that promote gender equity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/8wk7e/.

Turmeric for Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Population-Based Evidence.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent disorder of the gut interaction characterized by abdominal discomfort and pain associated with altered bowel habits in the absence of structural abnormalities. In spite of IBS' high prevalence and disease burden across the globe, no explanations have been given as to its underlying pathophysiology. As for the treatment of IBS, there is no specific medication, and the most beneficial treatment is usually supportive therapy. Recent animal and human studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of curcumin or turmeric in the treatment of IBS. Methods: We systematically reviewed all available evidence supporting curcumin and turmeric's therapeutic potential in relieving IBS symptoms in the present study. For this purpose, a database search was performed using curcumin, turmeric, and IBS and all their equivalents as of the search terms in Web of Science, Pub-Med, Scopus, Ovid, Embase, and Google Scholar from1990 up to Feb 2021. The investigation was then limited to clinical trials, and then nine articles were collected for data analysis. Results: The findings of the included literature showed that curcumin and turmeric alone or in combination with other medications could improve the severity of IBS as well as the quality of life among people who suffer from IBS symptoms. Conclusion: Overall, medications containing curcumin and turmeric extract due to these compounds' anti-inflammatory effects may improve IBS symptoms, particularly abdominal pain and life quality.

Hyperuricaemia and its association with other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases: A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are very common in the general population, and several factors play a role in their development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hyperuricaemia and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1008 people over the 15-year-old general population in Kerman, Iran. The blood samples of all patients were analysed for the uric acid serum level, and they completed a checklist including physical activity, previous history of hypertension and diabetes, smoking and opium. RESULTS: A number of 1008 cases of people were entered into the study. According to the results of this study, 254 patients had uric acid levels above the 75th percentile (6 mg/dl in males, and 5 mg/dl in females). No significant difference was observed between gender (p = .249) and age groups (p = .125) of people with and without hyperuricaemia. The prevalence of overweight/obesity (p < .001), hypertension (p = .004) and low physical activity (p = .033) was significantly higher in patients with hyperuricaemia. The duration of hypertension was significantly higher in hyperuricaemic individuals (p = .022). Overweight/obesity (OR = 2.67; 95% CI = 1.87-3.82) and hypertension (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.02-1.93) were two significant independent factors that contributed to the increased risk of hyperuricaemia in the subjects. CONCLUSION: The uric acid serum level is higher in people with hypertension and overweight/obesity. Hyperuricaemia increases the risk of cardiovascular events, which can be prevented by determining the appropriate strategy for the early diagnosis and treatment of this metabolic disorder.

Comparative-effectiveness research of COVID-19 treatment: a rapid scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated growing research on treatment options. We aim to provide an overview of the characteristics of studies evaluating COVID-19 treatment. DESIGN: Rapid scoping review DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase and biorxiv/medrxiv from inception to 15 May 2021. SETTING: Hospital and community care. PARTICIPANTS: COVID-19 patients of all ages. INTERVENTIONS: COVID-19 treatment. RESULTS: The literature search identified 616 relevant primary studies of which 188 were randomised controlled trials and 299 relevant evidence syntheses. The studies and evidence syntheses were conducted in 51 and 39 countries, respectively.Most studies enrolled patients admitted to acute care hospitals (84%), included on average 169 participants, with an average age of 60 years, study duration of 28 days, number of effect outcomes of four and number of harm outcomes of one. The most common primary outcome was death (32%).The included studies evaluated 214 treatment options. The most common treatments were tocilizumab (11%), hydroxychloroquine (9%) and convalescent plasma (7%). The most common therapeutic categories were non-steroidal immunosuppressants (18%), steroids (15%) and antivirals (14%). The most common therapeutic categories involving multiple drugs were antimalarials/antibiotics (16%), steroids/non-steroidal immunosuppressants (9%) and antimalarials/antivirals/antivirals (7%). The most common treatments evaluated in systematic reviews were hydroxychloroquine (11%), remdesivir (8%), tocilizumab (7%) and steroids (7%).The evaluated treatment was in favour 50% and 36% of the evaluations, according to the conclusion of the authors of primary studies and evidence syntheses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This rapid scoping review characterised a growing body of comparative-effectiveness primary studies and evidence syntheses. The results suggest future studies should focus on children, elderly ≥65 years of age, patients with mild symptoms, outpatient treatment, multimechanism therapies, harms and active comparators. The results also suggest that future living evidence synthesis and network meta-analysis would provide additional information for decision-makers on managing COVID-19.

Prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of obsessive-compulsive disorder in Iranian children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disease that causes personal distress or social dysfunction, especially in childhood. The present study aimed to provide the prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of OCD among children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional national project conducted on 29,858 children and adolescents using the multi-stage cluster random sampling in Iran. There were both genders in each cluster and three age groups (6-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) within each cluster. The tools used in this research included a demographic questionnaire and K-SADS-PL. To analyze the data, logistic regression and cross-tab tests were used. RESULTS: According to the results, the prevalence of OCD in children and adolescents was 3.1 in boys and 3.8 in girls. Also, gender, age, place of residence, and history of psychiatric hospitalization of parents could predict OCD. OCD had comorbidity with behavioral disorders (OR = 0.60, 95%CI: 0.39-0.92), elimination disorders (OR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.30-0.83), mood disorders (OR = 2.92, 95%CI: 1.43-5.94), and smoking and alcohol disorders (OR = 4.33, 95%CI: 1.28-14.63). CONCLUSION: In the development of the obsessive-compulsive disorder, other disorders and symptoms also environmental factors can play a role and are important. Based on our findings, given the prevalence rate of OCD was higher in the age groups of 10-14 and 15-18 years, are one of the most important stages of development for the prevention and treatment of mental disorders, especially OCD, clinical specialists can design appropriate clinical trials or modify existing interventions based on the results of such research.

Effect of prevalent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) food contaminant on the MCF7, LNCap and MDA-MB-231 cell lines viability and PON1 gene expression level: proposed model of binding.

BACKGROUND: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of synthetic organic chlorine compounds known as an organic pollutant in food sources, which play important roles in malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate the direct effects of prevalent PCBs in food in hormone-responsive and non-responsive cell lines. METHODS: In the current study, MCF-7, LNCap, and MDA-MB231 cell lines were treated with serial concentrations (0.001-100 µM) of PCBs for 48 h and cell viability assessment was performed using MTT assay. The best concentration then applied and the expression level of PON1 was evaluated using real-time PCR. Besides, molecular docking was performed to determine the binding mechanism and predicted binding energies of PBCs compounds to the AhR receptor. RESULTS: Unlike MCF-7 and LNCap cells, the viability of MDA-MB231 cells did not significantly change by different concentrations of PCBs. Meanwhile, quantitative gene expression analysis showed that the PON1 was significantly more expressed in MCF-7 and LNCap lines treated with PCB28 and PCB101. However, the expression level of this gene in other groups and also MDA-MB231cells did not demonstrate any significantly change. Also, the results of molecular docking showed that PBCs had steric interaction with AhR receptor. CONCLUSIONS: Current results showed that despite of hormone non-responsive cells the PCBs have a significant positive effect on hormone-responsive cell. Therefore, and regarding to the existence of PCBs contamination in food there should be serious concern about their impact on the prevalence of different malignancies which certainly should result in a standard limit for this material. This study aimed to investigate the direct effects of prevalent PCBs in food in hormone-responsive and non-responsive cell lines. Cell lines were treated with serial concentrations of PCBs and cell viability assessment was performed using MTT assay. The expression level of PON1 was evaluated using real-time PCR. Molecular docking was performed to determine the binding mechanism and predicted binding energies of PBCs compounds to the AhR receptor. PCBs contamination in food there should be serious concern about their impact on the prevalence of different malignancies which certainly should result in a standard limit for this material.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Ultra-Long-Acting, Long-Acting, Intermediate-Acting, and Biosimilar Insulins for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: a Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Increasing availability of competing biosimilar alternatives makes it challenging to make treatment decisions. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of ultra-long-/long-/intermediate-acting insulin products and biosimilar insulin compared to human/animal insulin in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and grey literature were searched from inception to March 27, 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental studies, and cohort studies of adults with T1DM receiving ultra-long-/long-/intermediate-acting insulin, compared to each other, as well as biosimilar insulin compared to human/animal insulin were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened studies, abstracted data, and appraised risk-of-bias. Pairwise meta-analyses and network meta-analyses (NMA) were conducted. Summary effect measures were mean differences (MD) and odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: We included 65 unique studies examining 14,200 patients with T1DM. Both ultra-long-acting and long-acting insulin were superior to intermediate-acting insulin in reducing A1c, FPG, weight gain, and the incidence of major, serious, or nocturnal hypoglycemia. For fasting blood glucose, long-acting once a day (od) was superior to long-acting twice a day (bid) (MD - 0.44, 95% CI: - 0.81 to - 0.06) and ultra-long-acting od was superior to long-acting bid (MD - 0.73, 95% CI - 1.36 to - 0.11). For weight change, long-acting od was inferior to long-acting bid (MD 0.58, 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.10) and long-acting bid was superior to long-action biosimilar od (MD - 0.90, 95% CI: - 1.67 to - 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Our results can be used to tailor insulin treatment according to the desired results of patients and clinicians and inform strategies to establish a competitive clinical market, address systemic barriers, expand the pool of potential suppliers, and favor insulin price reduction. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42017077051.

Evaluation of chromium accumulation and resulting histopathological changes in Libyan jirds (Mammals, Rodentia), affected by effluent from Ghazghan leather industrial town, Iran.

The leather industry is one of the major producers of wastewater, releasing large amounts of various chemicals into the environment. Chromium (Cr) is the most commonly used agent in the tanning industry. Accumulation in the animal body can adversely affect the functioning of animal tissues. The current study investigated the toxic effects of Cr on lung, kidney, liver, and testicular tissues in Libyan jirds (Meriones libycus) inhabiting the area surrounding Ghazghan leather industrial town, Mashhad, Iran. Average Cr concentrations were found to be significantly higher in samples from contaminated areas than controls (p < 0.05). The highest accumulation of Cr was found in lung tissue, while the liver tissue showed the lowest. The results also showed that sex and age had no significant effect on Cr accumulation in any tissue at either sampling area (p < 0.05). Histological analyses showed that Cr accumulation had caused changes in tissue samples from Libyan jirds from the contaminated area. Hyperemia was observed in all tissues. In kidney tissue, necrosis and degeneration of the epithelial cells of the tubules were seen as well, and in one case, we also observed hemorrhage. In liver tissue, necrosis, degeneration, and inflammation were observed, along with one case, of fibrosis. In lung tissue, we observed emphysema, hemorrhage, and inflammation. Testicular tissue also showed a considerable lesion. Given the proximity of specimens' habitat to an area of importance, i.e., the industrial town, and the species' dependence on its habitat for nutrition, Libyan jirds are particularly useful for monitoring. Thus, they can be used to monitor the level of contamination in future studies.

Prevalence, comorbidity and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents.

Childhood anxiety may lead to serious health consequences in later life. The present study provides the prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. This was a cross-sectional national project that was implemented on 28,698 children and adolescents in Iran. Participants entered the study by multistage cluster sampling with an equal number of each gender and three age groups (6-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) within each cluster. The tools used in this research were the demographic questionnaire and K-SADS-PL. To analyze the data logistic regression and chi-square tests were used in SPSS (ver. 16). The prevalence of anxiety disorder in children and adolescents was 13.2 in boys and 15.1 in girls. Furthermore, gender, age, place of residence and history of psychiatric hospitalization of parents could predict anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders had comorbidity with behavioral disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, substance abuse disorders, and elimination disorders. According to our findings in this study, anxiety disorders affect the performance, health and life of children and adolescents, identifying the childhood anxiety, as well as finding diseases that are associated with anxiety disorders, can help in the prevention of the disorder.

Drug induced pancreatitis: A systematic review of case reports to determine potential drug associations.

OBJECTIVE: A current assessment of case reports of possible drug-induced pancreatitis is needed. We systematically reviewed the case report literature to identify drugs with potential associations with acute pancreatitis and the burden of evidence supporting these associations. METHODS: A protocol was developed a priori (PROSPERO CRD42017060473). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and additional sources to identify cases of drug-induced pancreatitis that met accepted diagnostic criteria of acute pancreatitis. Cases caused by multiple drugs or combination therapy were excluded. Established systematic review methods were used for screening and data extraction. A classification system for associated drugs was developed a priori based upon the number of cases, re-challenge, exclusion of non-drug causes of acute pancreatitis, and consistency of latency. RESULTS: Seven-hundred and thirteen cases of potential drug-induced pancreatitis were identified, implicating 213 unique drugs. The evidence base was poor: exclusion of non-drug causes of acute pancreatitis was incomplete or poorly reported in all cases, 47% had at least one underlying condition predisposing to acute pancreatitis, and causality assessment was not conducted in 81%. Forty-five drugs (21%) were classified as having the highest level of evidence regarding their association with acute pancreatitis; causality was deemed to be probable or definite for 19 of these drugs (42%). Fifty-seven drugs (27%) had the lowest level of evidence regarding an association with acute pancreatitis, being implicated in single case reports, without exclusion of other causes of acute pancreatitis. DISCUSSION: Much of the case report evidence upon which drug-induced pancreatitis associations are based is tenuous. A greater emphasis on exclusion of all non-drug causes of acute pancreatitis and on quality reporting would improve the evidence base. It should be recognized that reviews of case reports, are valuable scoping tools but have limited strength to establish drug-induced pancreatitis associations. REGISTRATION: CRD42017060473.

Aerobic exercise and eugenol supplementation ameliorated liver injury induced by chlorpyrifos via modulation acetylcholinesterase activation and antioxidant defense.

The primary metabolize of chlorpyrifos (CPF) is in the liver tissue, which it can cause oxidative damage and apoptosis in liver cells. The use of exercise with antioxidant supplements could have a protective effects in the liver tissue especially by improve mitochondria function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of aerobic exercise and eugenol (Eu) supplementation on destructive effects of CPF in liver tissue. Sixty-four adult male albino rats were randomly divided into eight groups (eight rats in each group). Four experimental groups received intraperitoneal injection of either 3.0 mg/kg body weight CPF in dimethyl sulfoxide for six consecutive weeks. Aerobic exercise was performed 5 days per week over 4 weeks for exercise groups. Finally, the animals were sacrificed for the histomorphometric analysis and biochemical measurement in the liver tissue. The result of this study show that consumption of CPF alone, caused collagen deposition, increased apoptosis, tumor necrosis factor α, malondialdehyde, and decreased catalase, superoxide dismutase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) compared to control and exercise groups (healthy groups) in liver tissue (P ˂ .05). Prescription of exercises and Eu supplements in CPF consumer groups, neutralized this destructive effects of CPF. However, concomitant administration of Eu with exercise had better effects on liver tissue (P ˂ .05). It seems that consumption of Eu with aerobic exercise have a protective role in tissue destruction, inflammatory damage by improving antioxidant defense and modulating AChE activity in hepatocytes.

Photocatalytic treatment of tetracycline antibiotic wastewater by silver/TiO2 nanosheets/reduced graphene oxide and artificial neural network modeling.

In this work, we focused on facile preparation of ternary nanocomposites containing TiO2 nanosheets, reduced graphene oxide, and different quantities of silver for photocatalytic treatment of tetracycline (TC) antibiotic wastewater. Plasmonic silver nanoparticles were deposited on TiO2 nanosheets/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite via a photodeposition method (TGA(x) samples). The as-obtained samples were identified by variety of techniques such as XRD, UV-Vis DRS, FESEM/EDX, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy. The photocatalytic degradation experiments of TC (in concentration of 30 mg/L) were carried out by synthesized nanocomposites, and the degradation efficiency of TGA (0.076) (the optimal sample) was evaluated as 52.56% after 3 hr of irradiation under visible light. The obtained results showed that in TGA(x) samples, the reduced graphene oxide acts as a bridge for transferring photoinduced electrons from plasmonic silver nanoparticles to TiO2 nanosheetes. A three-layered artificial neural network model with four input variables (irradiation time, catalyst dosage, initial concentration of TC, and silver nitrate content) and one output variable (% degradation) was optimized with 11 hidden neurons. The relative importance of the independent variables was calculated using Garson formula and the initial concentration of TC was found as the most influencing parameter (relative importance of 31%) on the treatment efficiency. PRACTITIONER POINTS: TiO2 nanosheets synthesized on the reduced graphene oxide by hydrothermal method. Plasmonic silver nanoparticles deposited on TNs/rGO by photodeposition method The photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) was modeled by artificial neural network.

Methods for the early detection of drug-induced pancreatitis: a systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: We systematically reviewed the literature to identify evidence-informed recommendations regarding the detection of drug-induced pancreatitis (DIP) and, secondarily, to describe clinical processes for the diagnosis of DIP. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE, including Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Embase Classic+Embase, the Cochrane Library. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included clinical practice guidelines, systematic reviews, narrative reviews and observational studies with a focus of establishing incidence, prevalence or diagnostic approaches for DIP. Clinical trials that diagnosed DIP as an outcome were also included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers screened citations and performed data extraction. A narrative synthesis of the evidence was prepared. RESULTS: Fifty-nine studies were included. Early published evidence suggested serial pancreatic ultrasound could detect subclinical pancreatitis; however, subsequent studies demonstrated no utility of serial ultrasound or serial monitoring of pancreatic enzymes in the early detection of DIP. Two small studies conducted in patients with a high baseline risk of acute pancreatitis concluded serial monitoring of pancreatic enzymes may be useful to guide early discontinuation of medications with known associations with pancreatitis. Early discontinuation of medication was not advised for lower-risk patients because some medications cause transient elevations of pancreatic enzymes that do not progress to acute pancreatitis. Eight of 52 studies (15%) reporting a clinical diagnostic process for DIP reported using currently accepted criteria for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. A variety of methods were used to assess drug-related causality. CONCLUSIONS: There is minimal evidence to support the use of serial monitoring by ultrasound or pancreatic enzymes to detect cases of DIP. Serial monitoring may be useful to guide early discontinuation of DIP-associated drugs in high-risk patients, but not in lower-risk patients. Greater uptake of standardised diagnostic and causality criteria for DIP is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017060473.

Evaluation of the accuracy of Demirjian's method for estimating chronological age from dental age in Shiraz, Iran: Using geometric morphometrics method.

Knowing the growth and developmental stages of a child or an adolescent allows for a comparison between their developmental and chronological age. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of dental age estimation by Demirjian's method and to examine the applicability of Demirjian's method to Iranian children and adolescents. To do so, we investigated the relationship between chronological and dental age in a total of 158 children (81 female and 77 male) from Shiraz. The present study, for the first time, employs geometric morphometrics, a relatively new technique, to offer an accurate quantitative assessment of Demirjian's method. The correlation coefficient between chronological and dental age showed a significant relationship between dental age and chronological age. The average of the chronological age difference between girls and boys at the time of reaching the same stages of dental development was 0.77 years, which meant girls reached each stage of dental development 9 months earlier than their male peers. According to the results of this study, although the use of Demirjian's method in estimating the age of children in the city of Shiraz has acceptable accuracy, more precise studies are recommended to calibrate the method and develop a table adjusted to reflect development in the Iranian population.