Spatio-temporal analysis of colorectal cancer using a geographic information system in the Iranian military community during the period 2007-2016.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers among Iranian people. The study of spatio-temporal distribution of disease has an important role in the design of disease prevention programmes. The purpose of the current study was to describe the spatio-temporal distribution of CRC in the Iranian military community as a sample of the Iranian population. METHODS: In the current ecological study, all registered cancer cases in the Iranian military community during the period 2007-2016 were considered. To identify hotspots, Getis-Ord Gi statistics were used. All analyses were performed using ArcGIS 10.5 and Excel 2010. RESULTS: The highest incidences of CRC in 2007-2008, 2009-2010 and 2011-2012 were recorded in Kermanshah province. The highest incidences of CRC in 2013-2014 were seen in Kermanshah, Ghilan, Tehran and North Khorasan. In 2007-2008 and 2009-2010, hotspots were detected in West Azarbayjan. In 2011-2012, hotspots were detected in Zanjan and Qazvin. In 2013-2014, a hotspot was detected in Qazvin. Finally, West Azerbaijan was the hotspot for CRC in 2015-2016. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of CRC in men was higher than in women. Also it appeared that North and North West Iran were risk areas for this disease, and so these areas should be considered in the design of disease prevention programme for this cancer type. Additionally, the determination of individual risk factors in the aforementioned geographical areas can play an important role in the prevention of this type of cancer.

The positive effects of habit reversal treatment of scratching in children with atopic dermatitis: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Scratching and itch are common clinical signs of atopic dermatitis (AD). Studies of adult patients have shown that a decrease in scratching behaviour results in regression of inflammation and improved healing of the skin. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether a modified habit reversal (HR) treatment protocol could be used for the treatment of scratching in children to improve skin status. METHODS: The study is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial of 39 patients who started with registration a week before randomization into one of two groups (intervention or control). The participants in the intervention group received a habit-breaking therapy of their scratching behaviour (i.e. HR) in addition to a potent steroid (mometasone furoate), whereas the patients in the control group received the steroid alone. The patients were assessed by an independent dermatologist after the first week of registration (baseline assessment) and then after 3 and 8 weeks of treatment. The primary efficacy variable was a change in objective Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD). RESULTS: At the end of the 3-week treatment period, the change in mean objective SCORAD was significantly (P = 0·027) higher in the intervention group (-31·9 ± 9·5) than in the control group (-23·8 ± 10·1). After the 8-week follow-up, the change in mean objective SCORAD was significantly (P = 0·0038) higher in the intervention group (-31·7 ± 10·4) than in the control group (-19·7 ± 9·4). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of scratching with the HR method in combination with a potent steroid was found to improve skin status significantly after 3 and 11 weeks.

Molecular imaging and cancer gene therapy.

Gene therapy is known as one of the most advanced approaches for therapeutic prospects ranging from tackling genetic diseases to combating cancer. In this approach, different viral and nonviral vector systems such as retrovirus, lentivirus, plasmid and transposon have been designed and employed. These vector systems are designed to target different therapeutic genes in various tissues and cells such as tumor cells. Therefore, detection of the vectors containing therapeutic genes and monitoring of response to the treatment are the main issues that are commonly faced by researchers. Imaging techniques have been critical in guiding physicians in the more accurate and precise diagnosis and monitoring of cancer patients in different phases of malignancies. Imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are non-invasive and powerful tools for monitoring of the distribution of transgene expression over time and assessing patients who have received therapeutic genes. Here, we discuss most recent advances in cancer gene therapy and molecular approaches as well as imaging techniques that are utilized to detect cancer gene therapeutics and to monitor the patients' response to these therapies worldwide, particularly in Iranian Academic Medical Centers and Hospitals.Cancer Gene Therapy advance online publication, 18 November 2016; doi:10.1038/cgt.2016.62.

The evaluation of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil effect on biogenic amines formation and microbiological profile in Gouda cheese.

UNLABELLED: The effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Z. multiflora) essential oils (EO) on biogenic amines (BAs) production and microbial counts in Gouda cheese has been investigated. Zataria multiflora was added to milk in different concentrations (0·05, 0·1, 0·2 and 0·4% (v/v)). The BAs (tyramine and histamine) were measured by RP-HPLC, following extraction from the cheese. Various microbiological analyses (aerobic mesophilic bacteria, enterococci, mesophilic lactobacilli, Enterobacteriaceae, lactococci and yeasts) were performed during ripening using the viable plate count method on specific culture media. The overall acceptability of cheeses was investigated by seven panellists. All the samples containing different concentrations of EO were acceptable to the panellists. Also, Gouda cheeses with 0·2% Z. multiflora EO showed the highest acceptability among all the samples. At the end of maturation period, 0·1, 0·2 and 0·4% Z. multiflora EO reduced tyramine and histamine significantly to 5%, 22% and 44% for tyramine and 14%, 29% and 46% for histamine, respectively, when compared to the control group. The increase of Z. multiflora EO concentrations led to further decrease in BAs content and microbial counts. The maximum microbiological reduction was observed in yeasts, and minimum microbiological reduction was seen in Enterobacteriaceae counts. Zataria multiflora EO could be used for reduction of BAs and also as a flavouring agent in Gouda cheese and could contribute to consumers' health. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of biogenic amines in cheese has a serious impact on public health. Besides, there is growing concern about the use of chemical preservatives and the food industry is looking for new natural preservation methods. Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil is well known for its antimicrobial effects, and we attempted to reduce biogenic amines formation in Gouda cheese using Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil as a natural additive. Furthermore, the desirable organoleptic qualities such as flavour, odour, texture and colour were achieved by adding Z. multiflora Boiss. to cheese.

Tinidazole removal from aqueous solution by sonolysis in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.

Aqueous solutions of the tinidazole (TNZ) have been treated by applying the combination of ultrasound irradiation and H2O2. Based on the results, the maximum removal efficiency of 75% was achieved under the optimum operating conditions (pH 3, 120 kHz frequency, 333 mM/L of H2O2 and 150 min of operating time) while, under the same conditions the minimum removal efficiency was found to be 8.5 by ultrasound radiation in the absence of H2O2. The results also revealed that the degradation of TNZ was enhanced with decreasing both TNZ initial concentrations and pH. Furthermore, TNZ removal efficiency in the case of actual wastewater was less than of synthetic wastewater (75% and 68% of synthetic and actual, respectively). According to the chromatographic analyses, no harmful intermediate compounds were observed. The chemical oxygen demand analysis (65% reduction) confirmed our findings.

Using ultraviolet irradiation for removal of malathion pesticide in water.

BACKGROUND: Organophosphorus pesticides are one of the most consumable poisons. Such poisons can enter water sources by different routes. Since consuming some drinking water containing an amount of poison higher than the standard level, causes undesirable effects on human health. This research aimed to study the effectiveness of eliminating malathion from water by ultraviolet irradiation (UV) mercury lamp with a medium pressure. METHODS: In this experimental- applied study, variants of initial pHs and initial concentrations and exposure times were investigated. Initial concentrations of malathion were 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/l. The samples were then exposed to UV irradiation interruptedly the time periods of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes. The UV lamp used in the reactor was medium pressure (irradiation intensity= 200 W/m(2)). The amounts of malathion were determined before and after the irradiation by HPLC instrument. Moreover, the results obtained from the study were analyzed using SPSS software and ANOVA and t-test statistical trials. RESULTS: The minimum reduction occurs at 10 min (46%) and the maximum reduction in 60 min (87.25%) (P< 0.05). In addition, the effectiveness of irradiation process decreases with increasing the poison concentration (P< 0.001). However, the efficiency of the process increases with pH increase. CONCLUSION: The results show the most effectiveness were achieved at 60 min and 0.5 mg/l and pH= 9. Therefore, the application of UV reactors could be considered as an appropriate method.

TSGA10 - A target for autoantibodies in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare monogenic autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. High-titre autoantibodies are a characteristic feature of APS1 and are often associated with particular disease manifestations. Pituitary deficits are reported in approximately 7% of APS1 patients, with immunoreactivity to pituitary tissue frequently described. Using APS1 patient serum to immunoscreen a pituitary cDNA expression library, testis specific, 10 (TSGA10) was isolated. Immunoreactivity against TSGA10 was detected in 5/99 (5.05%) patients with APS1, but also in 5/135 (3.70%) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 1/188 (0.53%) healthy controls. TSGA10 autoantibodies were not detected in the serum from patients with any other autoimmune disease. Autoantibodies against TSGA10 were detectable from a young age in 4/5 positive APS1 patients with autoantibody titres remaining relatively constant over time. Furthermore, real-time PCR confirmed TSGA10 mRNA to be most abundantly expressed in the testis and also showed moderate and low expression levels throughout the entire body. TSGA10 should be considered as an autoantigen in a subset of APS1 patients and also in a minority of SLE patients. No recognizable clinical phenotype could be found to correlate with positive autoantibody reactivity.

Optical detection of phenolic compounds based on the surface plasmon resonance band of Au nanoparticles.

An indirect colorimetric method is presented for detection of trace amounts of hydroquinone (1), catechol (2) and pyrogallol (3). The reduction of AuCl4(-) to Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) by these phenolic compounds in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) produced very intense surface plasmon resonance peak of Au-NPs. The plasmon absorbance of Au-NPs allows the quantitative colorimetric detection of the phenolic compounds. The calibration curves derived from the changes in absorbance at lambda = 568 nm were linear with concentration of hydroquinone, catechol and pyrogallol in the range of 7.0 x 10(-7) to 1.0 x 10(-4)M, 6.0 x 10(-6) to 2.0 x 10(-4)M and 6.0 x 10(-7) to 1.0 x 10(-4)M, respectively. The detection limits were 5.3 x 10(-7), 2.5 x 10(-6) and 3.2 x 10(-7)M for the hydroquinone, catechol and pyrogallol, respectively. The method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of phenolic compounds in water samples and pharmaceutical formulations.

Optimization of the MB49 mouse bladder cancer model for adenoviral gene therapy.

Bladder cancer is regarded as a promising candidate for innovative therapies in the field of immune and gene therapy. In this paper, we present the subcutaneous, metastatic and a novel orthotopic model of murine MB49 bladder cancer in C57BL/6 mice. We further show the potential of using adenoviral vectors together with different transduction enhancers to augment in vivo gene delivery. Finally, we present candidate genes for tumour detection, therapy or targeting. The MB49 tumour grew rapidly in mice. The subcutaneous model allowed for tumour detection within a week and the possibility to monitor growth rate on a day-by-day basis. Injection of MB49 cells intravenously into the tail vein gave rise to lung metastases within 16 days, while instillation of tumour cells into pretreated bladders led to a survival time of 20-40 days. Adenoviral vectors can be used as a vehicle for gene transfer to the bladder. By far, the most potent transduction enhancer was Clorpactin, also known as oxychlorosene. Last, we show that MB49 cells express tumour-associated antigens like bladder cancer-4, prostate stem cell antigen and six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate. Given the possibility for efficient genetic modification of the bladder and the presence of known tumour antigens, the MB49 models can be used in innovative ways to explore immunogene therapy.

Exactly solvable models through the empty-interval method.

The most general one dimensional reaction-diffusion model with nearest-neighbor interactions that can be solved exactly through empty-interval method has been introduced. Assuming translationally invariant initial conditions, the probability that n consecutive sites are empty, E(n), has been exactly obtained. Here, however, we do not consider reactions changing two empty neighboring sites. In the thermodynamic limit, the large-time behavior of the system has also been investigated. Releasing translationally invariance, the evolution equation for the probability that n consecutive sites, starting from the site k, are empty, E(k,n), is obtained. In the thermodynamic limit, the large time behavior of the system is also considered. Finally, the continuum limit of the model is considered and the empty-interval probability function is obtained.

Class of integrable diffusion-reaction processes

We consider a process in which there are two types of particles, A and B, on an infinite one-dimensional lattice. The particles hop to their adjacent sites, like the totally asymmetric exclusion process (ASEP), and have also the following interactions: A+B-->B+B and B+A-->B+B, which all occur with equal rate. We study this process by imposing four boundary conditions on the ASEP master equation. It is shown that this model is integrable, in the sense that its N-particle S matrix is factorized into a product of two-particle S matrices and, more importantly, the two-particle S matrix satisfies the quantum Yang-Baxter equation. Using the coordinate Bethe-ansatz, the N-particle wave functions and the two-particle conditional probabilities are found exactly. Further, by imposing four reasonable physical conditions on two-species diffusion-reaction processes (where the most important ones are the equality of the reaction rates and the conservation of the number of particles in each reaction), we show that among the 4096 types of interactions which have these properties and can be modeled by a master equation and an appropriate set of boundary conditions, there are only 28 independent interactions which are integrable. We find all these interactions and also their corresponding wave functions. Some of these may be new solutions of the quantum Yang-Baxter equation.