The blockade of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) protects against PTZ-induced seizure.

Treatment of epilepsy remains a major problem as some epileptic patients do not respond to the current therapeutics. Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) belongs to the TRP channels and has diverse physiological functions in the body. Considering its physiological properties, we aimed to evaluate its role in two experimental models of epilepsy, including pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced acute seizure and PTZ-evoked kindling. Furthermore, the TRPA1 protein levels were assessed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum after seizure induction. Three groups of Wistar rats received acute intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, 85 mg/kg). The groups received intraventricular injections of vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide, Tween 80, and sterile 0.9% saline), valproate (30 µg/rat), or HC030031 (TRPA1 antagonist, 14 µg/rat) before PTZ injection. In the PTZ-induced kindling model, PTZ was administrated 35 mg/kg every other day for 24 days. PTZ gradually provoked seizure-related behaviors. After experiments, the TRPA1 levels in the brain were assessed using western blot. The results showed that HC030031 reduced the median of seizure scores and S5 duration while increasing S2 and S5 latencies in acute and kindling models. The anticonvulsant effect of HC030031 was comparable with valproate as a standard anticonvulsant drug. Furthermore, induction of seizure, either acute or kindling, enhanced TRPA1 levels in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum that were prevented by HC030031 or valproate administration. The results of this study showed that HC030031 as a TRPA1 receptor antagonist promoted a significant anticonvulsant effect comparable with valproate. Both drugs prevented TRPA1 upregulation during seizures. These findings imply that TRPA1 is a potential target in treating epilepsy.

The state of clinical education and factors affecting effective clinical education: the point of view of nursing and midwifery students.

BACKGROUND: Clinical education is the basis of education in medical sciences. Clinical education, as the essence of education in nursing and midwifery, promotes social health, improves health care, and reduces mortality. Considering the position of nursing and midwifery, investigating the views of students in this field can be an effective step in improving clinical education. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the status of clinical education and the factors affecting effective clinical education from the point of view of nursing and midwifery students. METHODS: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted among nursing and midwifery students at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2022-2023. Using available sampling, 242 students were included in the study. Students were included in the study if they completed at least one unit of in-person internship. Refusing to continue the study for any reason and having a practical nurse certificate were the criteria for exclusion from the study. The data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire, a questionnaire to assess the status of clinical education, and a questionnaire on factors affecting effective clinical education. The data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics and SPSS 20 software. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants in this study was 21.66 ± 2.25. A total of 180 (74.4%) of the participants were women, and the rest were men. The results showed that the general condition of clinical education is at an average level (103.16 ± 19.21). It was also found that the clinical education status of midwifery students was better than that of nursing students, and this difference was significant (p = 0.003). Among the fields of clinical education, the highest score belonging to the field of objectives and planning was reported on the average level (34.39 ± 6.66). Among the factors affecting effective clinical education, the highest score was given to the field of personal characteristics of the student (33.97 ± 5.99). The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the grades of the general state of clinical education with the academic semester (p = 0.001) and interest in the field of study (p < 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of the present study, clinical education is at an average level. Among the factors affecting effective clinical training, the field of personal characteristics of the student is more effective in clinical training. Providing educational facilities according to the number of students, using modern teaching methods, and determining and communicating the duties of professors and students can help to improve clinical education.

Development of Polymer-Encapsulated, Amine-Functionalized Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles as MRI Contrast Agents.

The need for stable and well-defined magnetic nanoparticles is constantly increasing in biomedical applications; however, their preparation remains challenging. We used two different solvothermal methods (12 h reflux and a 4 min microwave, MW) to synthesize amine-functionalized zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4-NH2) superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The morphological features of the two ferrite samples were the same, but the average particle size was slightly larger in the case of MW activation: 47 ± 14 nm (Refl.) vs. 63 ± 20 nm (MW). Phase identification measurements confirmed the exclusive presence of zinc ferrite with virtually the same magnetic properties. The Refl. samples had a zeta potential of -23.8 ± 4.4 mV, in contrast to the +7.6 ± 6.8 mV measured for the MW sample. To overcome stability problems in the colloidal phase, the ferrite nanoparticles were embedded in polyvinylpyrrolidone and could be easily redispersed in water. Two PVP-coated zinc ferrite samples were administered (1 mg/mL ZnFe2O4) in X BalbC mice and were compared as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After determining the r1/r2 ratio, the samples were compared to other commercially available contrast agents. Consistent with other SPION nanoparticles, our sample exhibits a concentrated presence in the hepatic region of the animals, with comparable biodistribution and pharmacokinetics suspected. Moreover, a small dose of 1.3 mg/body weight kg was found to be sufficient for effective imaging. It should also be noted that no toxic side effects were observed, making ZnFe2O4-NH2 advantageous for pharmaceutical formulations.

The impact of the evaluations made by Mini-CEX on the clinical competency of nursing students.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical competency is defined as one's capabilities in terms of knowledge, attitude and practice, and is a necessity for nursing practice. Evaluation is the inseparable part of the education process, without which the quality of education could not be measured. Considering the characteristics of clinical education and its impact on the clinical competency of students, as well as the importance of making precise evaluations of them using scientific, modern and efficient approaches, this study aims to investigate the impact of the evaluation made using Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise on the clinical competency of the nursing students of the School of Nursing and Midwifery Shahid Behesti University. METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental study with a control group conducted on students who were taking courses "Nursing care for a sick child". The students were classified into the intervention and control groups using complete enumeration. The evaluations were made using Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise in the intervention group and the portfolio approach in the control group. The skills regarding patient (mother-child) education, IV therapy and medication were evaluated by checklists. FINDINGS: The results showed that the mean score of clinical competency in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group. CONCLUSION: Considering the improvement of clinical competency in the intervention group, it is recommended to use Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise for the evaluation of students.

Predictors of Perceived Family Sense of Coherence in Parents of Children with Cancer.

Objectives: Despite improvement in childhood cancer survival in recent decades, it is still an extremely challenging health condition for parents. The impacts of childhood cancer on the family as a whole are recently interested by researchers. Family coherence is one of these concepts and health-care providers need to understand the perception of parents of family coherence. This study aimed to assess the correlation between perceived family sense of coherence (SOC) in parents of children with cancer; with socio-demographic, psycho-emotional and family-related variables. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study recruited 125 parents of children with cancer attending hospitals in Tehran in 2020, selected by convenience sampling method. The correlation between family SOC and demographic variables, chronic sorrow, coping behaviours, family functioning and social support was investigated using regression analysis. Results: The mean score perceived sense of family coherence in parents of children with cancer was higher in fathers (Beta = 0.17, P = 0.02), urban residents (beta = -0.2, P = 0.01) and homeowners (beta = -0.27, P = 0.001). The sense of family coherence had positive correlations with income grade (beta = 0.27, P = 0.006), coping behaviours (beta = 1.28, P = 0.002), social support (beta = 0.67, P = 0.001), negative correlations with the disturbance in family problem-solving (beta = -0.28, P = 0.006) and chronic sorrow (beta=-0.39, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The present study expanded the concept of family SOC in nursing knowledge and attracted the attention of the providers of family-centred care to the parents of children with cancer and their concerns, which directly and indirectly affect the entire family's health.

Association of VLA4, 5, 6 and PSGL1 expression levels with engraftment in autologous HPSC transplantation in multiple myeloma patients.

The most promising therapy for leukemia is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Engraftment of HPSCs mainly depends on some factors such as adhesion molecules, including VLAs. This study tried to delineate the relationship between HPSCs engraftment and expression level of PSGL1 and VLA4, 5, and 6 genes in candidate MM patients for autologous bone marrow transplantation. Firstly, the CD 34+ HPSCs were collected from multiple myeloma (MM) patients after five days of G-CSF therapy through apheresis processes. Then, the patients were categorized into two groups of good and bad prognosis depending on engraftment time (Less or more than 18 days). Followingly, the expression of PSGL1 and VLA4, VLA5, and VLA6 genes were assessed by the qRT-PCR technique in each patient. Finally, the correlation between the genes and engraftment time was investigated to determine the prognostic role of each gene on HPSCs transplantation. Our findings demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between VLA4 (P=< 0.0001) and 5 (P = 0.005) levels and HPSCs engraftment time. As the higher levels of VLA4 and 5, the shorter time HPSCs engraftment occurs. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between VLA6 (P = 0.2) and PSGL1 (P = 0.3) genes levels and engraftment time. So that, the patients with a good prognosis had a higher level of VLA4 and VLA5, but no relation was found between VLA6 and PSGL1. It is concluded that VLA4 and VLA5 expression could be considered a significant prognostic factor for HPSC transplantation.

Molecular characterization and antimicrobial resistance of potentially human-pathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from riding horses.

BACKGROUND: Transmission of antimicrobial resistant and virulent Escherichia coli (E. coli) from animal to human has been considered as a public health concern. This study aimed to determine the phylogenetic background and prevalence of diarrheagenic E. coli and antimicrobial resistance in healthy riding-horses in Iran. In this research, the genes related to six main pathotypes of E. coli were screened. Also, genotypic and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance against commonly used antibiotics were studied, then phylo-grouping was performed on all the isolates. RESULTS: Out of 65 analyzed isolates, 29.23 % (n = 19) were determined as STEC and 6.15 % (n = 4) as potential EPEC. The most prevalent antimicrobial resistance phenotypes were against amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (46.2 %) and ceftriaxone (38.5 %). blaTEM was the most detected resistance gene (98.4 %) among the isolates and 26.15 % of the E. coli isolates were determined as multi-drug resistant (MDR). Three phylo-types including B1 (76.92 %), A (13.85 %) and D (3.08 %) were detected among the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the close interaction of horses and humans, these findings would place emphasis on the pathogenic and zoonotic potential of the equine strains and may help to design antimicrobial resistance stewardship programs to control the dissemination of virulent and multi-drug resistant E. coli strains in the community.

Accurate Heart Rate and Respiration Rate Detection Based on a Higher-Order Harmonics Peak Selection Method Using Radar Non-Contact Sensors.

Vital signs such as heart rate and respiration rate are among the most important physiological signals for health monitoring and medical applications. Impulse radio (IR) ultra-wideband (UWB) radar becomes one of the essential sensors in non-contact vital signs detection. The heart pulse wave is easily corrupted by noise and respiration activity since the heartbeat signal has less power compared with the breathing signal and its harmonics. In this paper, a signal processing technique for a UWB radar system was developed to detect the heart rate and respiration rate. There are four main stages of signal processing: (1) clutter removal to reduce the static random noise from the environment; (2) independent component analysis (ICA) to do dimension reduction and remove noise; (3) using low-pass and high-pass filters to eliminate the out of band noise; (4) modified covariance method for spectrum estimation. Furthermore, higher harmonics of heart rate were used to estimate heart rate and minimize respiration interference. The experiments in this article contain different scenarios including bed angle, body position, as well as interference from the visitor near the bed and away from the bed. The results were compared with the ECG sensor and respiration belt. The average mean absolute error (MAE) of heart rate results is 1.32 for the proposed algorithm.

Efficacy of melatonin in alleviating disorders arising from repeated exposure to sevoflurane in males and females of the Wistar rats during preadolescence.

Pediatricians use sevoflurane due to its fast action and short recovery time. However, studies have shown that repeated exposure to anesthesia can affect learning and memory. Melatonin, an indole-type neuroendocrine hormone, has significant anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Melatonin's impact on cognitive behavior in sevoflurane-anesthetized males and females of the Wistar rats during preadolescence was examined in this research. The cognitive function was evaluated by shuttle box and morris water maze tests, while interleukin-10, Catalase (CAT), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated using ELISA kits. The expression levels of the apoptosis-linked proteins, Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3, were determined using the western blotting technique. The learning and memory latencies of the rats were more significant in the sevoflurane groups than in the control group; however, the latencies were significantly shorter in the sevoflurane and melatonin groups than in the control group. The levels of MDA, TNF-α, Bax, and caspase-3 were significantly higher in the sevoflurane groups than in the control group. We also found that the levels of CAT and Bcl-2 were significantly reduced in the sevoflurane groups compared to the control group. Increasing levels of CAT, Bcl-2, and decreasing levels of MDA, TNF-α, Bax, and caspase-3 in response to melatonin indicate a possible contribution to the recovery from the sevoflurane impairment. Melatonin shows neuroprotective effects in male and female rats with sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment. This suggests melatonin could be a valuable treatment for learning and memory deficits resulting from repeated exposure to sevoflurane, possibly by controlling apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Evaluating the factors affecting clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 unvaccinated patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a lower-middle-income country.

Background: COVID-19, the most destructive pandemic of this century, caused the highest mortality rate among ICU patients. The evaluation of these patients is insufficient in lower-middle-income countries with limited resources during pandemics. As a result, our primary goal was to examine the characteristics of patients at baseline as well as their survival outcomes, and propose mortality predictors for identifying and managing the most vulnerable patients more effectively and quickly. Methods: A prospective analysis of COVID-19 ICU-admitted patients was conducted in our healthcare centre in Iran, from 1 April until 20 May 2020. Ninety-three patients were included in the study, and all were unvaccinated. A multi-variate logistic regression was conducted to evaluate mortality-associated factors. Results: There were 53 non-survivors among our ICU-admitted patients. The mean duration from symptoms' onset to hospitalization was 6.92 ± 4.27 days, and from hospitalization to ICU admission was 2.52 ± 3.61 days. The average hospital stay for patients was 13.23 ± 10.43 days, with 8.84 ± 7.53 days in the ICU. Non-survivors were significantly older, had significantly lower haemoglobin levels and higher creatine phosphokinase levels compared to survivors. They had marginally lower SpO2 levels at admission, higher vasopressor administrations, and were intubated more significantly during their ICU stay. The use of immunosuppressive drugs was also significantly higher in non-survivors. Logistic regression revealed that a one-point increase in APACHE II score at ICU admission increased mortality by 6%, and the presence of underlying diseases increased mortality by 4.27 times. Conclusion: The authors presented clinical mortality prediction factors for critically ill patients infected with COVID-19. Additional studies are necessary to identify more generalized mortality indicators for these patients in lower-middle-income countries.

Quetiapine-induced chest wall edema with the swellings of face and extremities in a young hospitalized patient: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: Quetiapine can lead to the face, extremity and particularly chest wall edema in hospitalized patients in the supine position. Abstract: Quetiapine (QTP) is known as an atypical antipsychotic agent with some adverse effects, such as edema. However, along this line, peripheral edema is not a life-threatening episode, but it is an important side effect affecting medical compliance. Therefore, QTP-induced chest wall edema with the swellings of the face and the extremities is very rare. This report is about a young man who was admitted in the intensive care unit with multiple trauma (MT). On account of his delirious state, QTP was started at 25 mg and then increased to 75 mg, three times a day. The patient developed swelling of the face, the upper and lower limbs, and the chest wall. After stopping the QTP use, his edema went down. Although there is still speculation about the possible mechanisms of antipsychotic-induced edema, some studies have pointed to the relationship between dopaminergic antagonism and peripheral edema. Therefore, it is very important to pay close attention to this side effect.

Acute pancreatitis following COVID-19 vaccine: A case report and brief literature review.

Vaccination is the most effective way to overcome COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. However, Covid-19 vaccines may cause potential adverse effects. We reported a 28-year-old healthy woman who was referred to the emergency department with a chief complaint of severe abdominal pain, nausea and hemoptysis. She has received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Sinopharm BIBP). Similar this time, three days after the injection of the second dose of the Sinopharm BIBP COVID-19 vaccine, abdominal and flank pain appeared, for which she has referred to the emergency department. After necessary tests and pancreatitis was confirmed, we started fluid therapy, plasmapheresis, gemfibrozil and insulin for patient management. The COVID-19 vaccines may lead to acute pancreatitis. The mechanism of pancreatitis caused by COVID-19 vaccines is unclear. Acute pancreatitis can develop after COVID-19 vaccination. This process can even happen a few months later. Therefore, to better diagnosis and prevention of long-term complications, it is necessary to measuring the lipase or amylase in patients that received COVID-19 vaccine if abdominal pain was occurred.

Nurses' experience of integrating evidence-based changes into their practice: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experiences of neonatal and NICU nurses on participating in evidence-based changes in their neonatal pain management practice. DESIGN: It is a qualitative conventional content analysis. METHODS: A purposive sample with nurses working in neonatal and NICUs was used. The data were collected through 11 semi-structured in-depth individual interviews, five focused group discussions, and observations and analyzed using the conventional content analysis method based on the Elo and Kyngäs model. The COREQ checklist was used for writing the report. RESULTS: Analysis of gathered data led to the emergence of four themes, including 'being in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere', 'a journey from resistance to adherence', 'achieving multi-dimensional improvements', and 'facing obstructive challenges'.

Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes of the Iranian medical faculty toward plagiarism.

This study is among the few investigations that assesses knowledge and attitudes of faculty members of medical sciences universities regarding plagiarism. This investigation focused on the relationship between personal factors and knowledge and attitudes toward plagiarism among Iranian faculty members of medical sciences affiliated with the Ministry of Health. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 247 participants using demographic questionnaires that collected data on attitudes toward plagiarism and knowledge of plagiarism. The questionnaires were uploaded on Porsline. The subjects were provided with the purpose of the study, informed consent, and the link to the questionnaire through WhatsApp. The mean scores of knowledge variables and different domains of attitude were calculated, and then, the obtained averages were compared in terms of age, gender, and participation in ethics workshop using univariate tests. Finally, the MANCOVA was used considering five dimensions of the questionnaire to assess attitude, as multiple response variables, and independent variables, including gender and participation in the ethics workshop and control of knowledge and age. The mean age of the subjects in this study was 38.9 ± 8.4. 79.4% of the participants were women. Overall, 79.8% of people participated in ethics workshops, of whom 78% were women, and 86.5% were men. The mean score of knowledge in men and women was 1.35 ± 0.19 and 1.56. ± 0.24, respectively, which was higher in women than men (PV <0.001). The mean score of total attitudes was 3.19 ± 0.46. There was a high level of knowledge of plagiarism and positive attitudes toward plagiarism avoidance or prevention among participants in this study, which may spread to students, and help to promote integrity in the educational and clinical environment in Iran.

Effect of melatonin on stress-induced hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in critically-ill patients: A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia is a common finding which is associated with increased mortality and morbidity among critically ill patients. There is currently no evidence that melatonin could improve stress induced hyperglycemia (SIH). In this study, we evaluated the effect of melatonin on blood sugar and insulin resistance (IR) in critically-ill patients. METHODS: 104 critically-ill patients with SIH divided into two groups, receiving melatonin (6 mg BD for 3 days) or placebo. Changes of blood sugar, IR indices including homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance and homeostasis model assessment adiponectin (HOMA-AD) ratios, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) were evaluated on the 4th day of melatonin prescription. On the 7Th day of study, changes of ventilator dependency and delirium were considered. Mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) stay were also compared between groups. RESULTS: On day 4, patients in the melatonin group had significantly lower blood glucose and HMOA-IR level compared with the placebo group (P=0.04 and P=0.03, respectively) whereas HOMA-AD level did not differ significantly from placebo group (p>0.2). Also, we did not observe any significant difference in GCS level at this time between groups (p>0.2). On day 7, melatonin could not improve ventilator dependency and delirium significantly (p>0.2) and also could not reduce mortality and ICU stay in comparison with placebo (p>0.2, P=0.2, respectively). CONCLUSION: Melatonin supplementation showed positive effect on blood sugar and somehow insulin resistance whereas it could not improve ICU complications.

Melatonin as adjunctive therapy in patients admitted to the Covid-19.

Objective: Coronavirus has disrupted the natural order of the world since September 2019 with no specific medication. The beneficial effects of melatonin on sepsis and viral influenza were demonstrated previously, but its effects on covid-19, especially COVID -19 ICU, is unclear. Therefore, our aim was to determine the effects of melatonin in COVID-19 ICU patients. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in which the records of patients admitted to COVID -19 ICU of (XXX) during March to June 2020 were reviewed. According to inclusion criteria, patients who received 15 mg of melatonin daily were called MRG and the rest were called NMRG. Results: Thirty-one patients were included and analyzed, of which twelve patients were in MRG. Demographic and clinical characteristics, and laboratory data were similar between two groups at ICU admission. Melatonin had no significant effect on ICU duration, CRP and ESR, also the trend of changes was in favor of melatonin. Nevertheless, melatonin significantly reduced the NLR (OR = -9.81, p = 0.003), and also declined mortality marginally (p = 0.09). Melatonin was well tolerated with no major adverse effects, moreover the thrombocytopenia occurrence was significantly lower in MRG (p = 0.005). In MRG, survival increased and mortality risk decreased, although the difference between groups wasn't significant (p = 0.37), which might be related to the small sample-size. Conclusion: Our study showed that melatonin is unlikely to reduce mortality among COVID19 patients and with no significant effect on disease-specific biochemical parameters.

Comparison of Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training and Aerobic Training on Respiratory Volumes in Female Students.

Background: Sedentary lifestyle can cause the deterioration of respiratory indices. The interventions, such as physical activity programs, might prevent such deterioration. This study aimed to compare the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and aerobic training on the respiratory volumes in female students. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 30 healthy inactive volunteer female students (age: 26.3±4.30 years; height: 1.63±8.36 m; body mass index: 20-28 kg/m2) were divided randomly into two HIIT and aerobic training groups. The aerobic training consisted of three sessions of 50-60 minutes of exercise with an intensity of 70-85% of the maximum heart rate per week for 4 weeks. Additionally, the HIIT program included six repetitions of 4 minutes with an intensity of 90-95% of maximum heart rate for 4 weeks on a treadmill. Spirometry tests were performed to determine lung function before and after the training protocols. The data were analyzed by the independent and dependent t-tests at p < 0.05. Results: The results showed that aerobic training significantly improved the forced expiratory volume in one second (P=0.045), forced expiratory flow (FEF) within 25-75% (P=0.002), and peak expiratory flow (P=0.003); however, HIIT did not have a significant effect on these indicators. There was no significant difference between the two types of training in any of the indicators except for FEF within 25-75%. Conclusion: According to the study results, aerobic training might be more effective in the improvement of pulmonary parameters than intense training.

Inhibition of Interleukin-1 in the Treatment of Selected Cardiovascular Complications.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and macrophages. It is an important regulator of a complex humoral and cellular inflammatory response. IL-1ß is known to be implicated in the development of chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. We aimed to review the effects of IL-1ß antagonists in various cardiovascular disorders and to discuss their effectiveness in such diseases. METHODS: Major biomedical databases, including PubMed and Scopus, were searched for clinical studies regarding the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) using IL-1ß antagonists. RESULTS: The drugs currently used in clinical trials are anakinra, the monoclonal antibodies canakinumab and gevokizumab, and the soluble decoy receptor rilonacept. There are clinical trials and case reports of patients with CVD in which anakinra administration, at the standard dose, has caused rapid clinical improvement and recovery in a few months. Our comprehensive search revealed that IL-1ß antagonists have beneficial effects in the treatment of various cardiovascular disorders such as myocarditis, pericarditis, heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and Kawasaki disease. CONCLUSION: The present review article shows that IL-1ß has a major role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disorders, its antagonists have beneficial effects in these conditions, and their use should be considered in future studies.

Chest-based Real-Time Pulse and Respiration Monitoring Based on Bio-Impedance.

Pulse wave and respiration are two important vital signals in diagnosing and treating diseases. In this paper, we investigated a Bio-impedance (BImp) based respiration and pulse wave monitoring system. The BImp signal is successfully extracted from a wearable device placed on the shoulder. Using the rate calculation algorithm, heart rate (HR), and respiration rate (RR) values are extracted accurately. The data is collected during different steps of breathing including slow, fast, deep, hold, and normal from 10 volunteers. The accuracy of HR results is compared to that of extracted from PPG with considering ECG based HR as reference. The extracted RR values are investigated against TCo2 sensor's output. The estimation of both RR and HR extracted from the BImp signal has higher accuracy compared to the other methods.

Evaluating the Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Hemodynamic Status of Patients with Septic Shock Admitted to Intensive Care Unit: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Septic shock, known as the most severe complication of sepsis, is a serious medical condition that can lead to death. Clinical symptoms of sepsis include changes in body temperature in the form of hypothermia or hyperthermia, tachypnea or hyperventilation, tachycardia, leukocytosis or leukopenia, and variations in blood pressure, as well as altered state of consciousness. One of the main problems in septic shock is poor response along with reduced vascular reactivity to vasopressors used to increase blood pressure. Therefore, low vascular response associated with reduced sensitivity or lower number of alpha-1 agonist receptors can result in shock and death. In addition to being the state-of-the-art treatment including volume load and vasopressor, use of alpha-2 agonists e.g. dexmedetomidine (DXM) in septic shock can reduce vasopressors needed to restore adequate blood pressure. They can further moderate massive release of endogenous catecholamine. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of DXM on outcomes of patients with septic shock, especially their needs for vasopressors and impacts on their hemodynamic status. This single-blind randomized controlled trial was performed on a total number of 66 patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Imam Khomeini Teaching Hospital in the city of Sari, in northern Iran. To this end, DXM (0.6 µg/kg/h) and normal saline (6 mL/kg/h) were infused for 12 h in the study and control groups, respectively. The results revealed that DXM could increase mean arterial pressure (MAP) (P = 0.021), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = 0.002), and reduced heart rate (P < 0.001) but diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P =0.32) and norepinephrine dose requirement didn't change statistically in septic shock patients (P = 0.12).