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Background: Pediculosis is an infestation of lice affecting mostly children and spreads by direct contact with the hair of someone infected. Although topical application of a pediculicide such as permethrin shampoo is the most common cure for head lice, the addition of alternative treatments is necessary due to permethrin resistance and some safety concerns, including irritation, burning sensation, tingling, and breathing problems. Recent studies have indicated that ozone, which is an allotropic form of oxygen, may have anti-pediculosis effects. Objective: This study focused on the evaluation of an ozonated olive oil topical lotion for the treatment of pediculosis and the comparison of its effects with permethrin shampoo. Methods: 121 patients with proven head pediculosis were divided into two groups. They were treated with either topical ozonated olive oil lotion or permethrin shampoo for one week. Results: It was shown that the ozonation process enormously improved the physico-chemical properties of olive oil. Specifically, acid and peroxide values increased 60 fold and 200 fold, respectively, while there was a sharp decline for the iodine index (81.8±1.28 to 0 g iodine per 100 g). Additionally, all patients who received the ozonated olive oil lotion were entirely cured after one week of treatment, while those who were treated with permethrin, required to receive more. Statistical analysis of the data also proved this claim. Conclusion: The prepared lotion has shown significant effects in controlling head lice. Thus, it can be prescribed as an effective anti-pediculosis medicine which is biocompatible and has high potential. Clinical Trial Registration: IRCT registration number of IRCT2017100936672N1 (2017-11-14) https://en.irct.ir/trial/27343.

Background: Dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis are considered the most common oral and dental health problems in different parts of the world. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity, plaque index, and gingival index determination of herbal toothpaste compared with standard toothpaste. Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial on 60 participants of 18 - 28 years and a minimum of 24 healthy teeth at Birjand Dental School that were randomly divided into two groups, herbal and standard toothpaste (n = 30 each group); only participants were blind. All subjects brushed their teeth for 3 minutes 2 times a day for seven months. The plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) for each participant also, saliva samples were taken from the subjects for Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp., colony count at the onset of the study, and 3, 5, and 7 months after toothpaste usage. Results: This study was conducted on 60 patients in two study groups. No significant statistical difference was observed between age and gender in the two studied groups. Our study showed that the mean number of S. mutans in the two groups was not significantly different (P > 0.05), but the mean number of Lactobacillus spp. in the group of herbal toothpaste at three months (P = 0.02) and seven months (P = 0.002) was significantly less than standard toothpaste. Also, the mean PI and the GI indices in the herbal toothpaste group after use for five months (P = 0.02) (P = 0.03) and seven months (P < 0.001) (P = 0.03), respectively, were significantly lower than standard toothpaste. Conclusions: Throughout the 7-month trial, herbal toothpaste showed higher antimicrobial activity against Lactobacillus spp. than standard toothpaste, effectively reducing dental plaque and gingivitis. Furthermore, no undesirable reactions to toothpaste were reported during the trial. Therefore, it was concluded that possibly novel herbal toothpaste could be an alternative for controlling dental plaque and gingivitis. Further studies are needed.

A new binary mixture containing mometasone furoate (MF) and calcipotriol (CP) is suggested to manage psoriasis; since the combined stability profile of these drugs is poorly understood.Herein MF, CP, and their mixtures were subjected to various stress conditions. Also, stability-indicating HPLC was developed and validated according to ICH guidelines with Box-Behnken design. The degradation products (DPs) were predictedThe major degradants for MF in alkaline conditions were DP1, DP2, and DP3, while in thermal and UV conditions, only DP1 was generated. CP gave one degradant in all conditions. No new impurity was observed in the MF and CP mixtures. The results of spectrophotometry showed good linearity in the range of 4-50 and 2-20 µg/ml, while linearity for HPLC was in the range of 4-50 and 0.5-2.5 µg/ml for MF and CP, respectively. Recovery was 99.61-100.38% for UV and 100.4% for HPLC methods of MF and 100.6-101.4% for UV and 99.5% for HPLC methods of CP.The developed methods can be used as simple, accurate, precise, and rapid techniques for routine quality control of MF and CP mixtures.

Background: The pain caused by the injection of local anesthetic has been reported as one of the main complaints of dental patients. Topical anesthetics are widely used drugs in dentistry, mainly to control pain associated with the needle penetration in the administration of local anesthesia. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate (5%,7.5% and 10%) concentrations of lidocaine/prilocaine agent, compared to the common 10% lidocaine hydrochloride spray in the oral cavity. Materials and Methods: This was a split-mouth double-blind, randomized clinical trial pilot study. We randomized 15 patients, ages 35 to 64 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II with severe chronic periodontitis who were referred to the dental clinic for surgery, to receive 4 topical anesthetics (5%, 7.5%, and 10%) lidocaine prilocaine emulsion and 10% lidocaine hydrochloride topical anesthetic agent before local infiltration. Primary outcomes were assessing drug safety and pain level that measured by assessment of visual analog scale (VAS) scores of pain during LA injection in the first premolar and second molar in each maxillary quadrant in 15 patients corresponding to the posterior superior alveolar nerve (PSA) and secondary outcome was the relationship between age and gender regarding pain perception, and a total of 60 regions were analyzed. Results: Results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between lidocaine hydrochloride and (5%,7.5% and 10%) lidocaine prilocaine in terms of pain reduction when the 4 different compounds were compared. According to Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and Friedman test, the age and gender of the patients had an insignificant correlation with the anesthetic effects of the four studied solutions. Conclusion: Based on these results, age and gender have insignificant effects on the pain scores and it can be said that the four solutions do not have significant differences regarding their anesthetic effects; also, we did not find any adverse reactions by using 7.5% and 10% lidocaine/prilocaine agent.

The effects of Zataria multiflora on clinical symptoms, pulmonary function tests, oxidative stress, and C-reactive protein levels in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were evaluated. Forty-five patients were allocated to 3 groups: placebo group and 2 groups that received 3 and 6 mg/kg/day Z. multiflora extract (Z3 and Z6) for 2 months. Clinical symptoms, pulmonary function tests, oxidative stress, and serum C-reactive protein levels were evaluated pretreatment (step 0) and 1 (step I) and 2 (step II) months after treatment. Clinical symptoms including breathlessness and chest wheeze in Z3- and Z6-treated groups and sputum production only in the Z6-treated group were significantly improved 1 and 2 months after treatment compared with baseline values (P

Forced degradation studies have been used to simplify analytical methodology development and achieve a deeper knowledge about the inherent stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and drug products. This provides insight into degradation species and pathways. Identification of impurities in pharmaceutical products is closely related to the selection of the most appropriate analytical methods like HPLC-UV, LC-MS/MS, LC-NMR, GC-MS, and capillary electrophoresis. Herein, recent trends in analytical perspectives during 2018-April 14, 2021, are discussed based on forced and impurity degradation profiling of pharmaceuticals. Literature review showed that several methods have been used for experimental design and analysis conditions such as matrix type, column type, mobile phase, elution modes, detection wavelengths, and therapeutic category. Thus, since these factors influence the separation and identification of the impurities and degradation products, we attempted to perform a statistical analysis for the developed methods according to the abovementioned factors.

Background: In recent years, several trials investigated the role of anti-inflammatory agents in reducing cardiovascular events. Trehalose is a natural disaccharide able to reduce inflammation by enhancing macrophage autophagic activity. This action has been demonstrated to attenuate atherosclerotic plaque development in various pro-atherogenic animal models. However, at present, no data about the efficacy of this compound in human subjects have been published. Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind trial involving 15 patients with history of myocardial infarction and evidence of systemic inflammation (defined as C-reactive protein > 2 mg/L). The patients were randomly assigned, in 2:1 ratio, to receive either intravenous trehalose (15 g once weekly) or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy end-point was the change in arterial wall inflammation, assessed by quantifying 18F-FDG PET/CT uptake in carotid arteries and ascending aorta. Results: The MDS TBR change of the index vessel at 3-month follow-up was not significant in treatment and placebo groups. Furthermore, we could not demonstrate any significant difference between the trehalose group and control group in changes of cIMT from baseline to 3 months in the overall population. No significant changes in echocardiographic measurement were noted after trehalose treatment. Except for the change in urea level in placebo group (31.00 ± 6.59 vs. 25.60 ± 6.402 P = 0.038) no other changes were detected after treatment. Also, there was a significant difference between changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) trehalose and placebo groups. Conclusion: This was the first study that specifically assessed the effects of intravenous trehalose on atherogenesis in human subjects. Trehalose treatment was characterized by an optimal safety profile, but no significant reduction in arterial wall inflammation could be observed. This might be a consequence of the small sample size of this trial. Larger studies are needed to better assess the efficacy of this compound in this clinical context.

A novel method for measuring the output impedance of current sources in an EIT system is implemented and tested. The paper shows that the proposed method can be used at the time of operation while the load is attached to the EIT system. the results also show that performance of the system improves when the shunt impedance values from the proposed technique are used to set the adaptive sources as opposed to the shunt impedance values acquired through open circuit measurements.

Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Z. multiflora) is a valuable medicinal plant that has been used in Iranian traditional and folk medicine as an antiseptic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-spasmodic and analgesic herbal medicine. This plant has been also used to relieve cough in common cold and respiratory tract disorders. The previous studies reported the pharmacological effects of Z. multiflora such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties in respiratory disorders in animal models and clinical studies.The effects of Z. multiflora extract on inflammatory cytokines, pulmonary function tests (PFT), and respiratory symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients were investigated.COPD patients (41 cases) were divided to three groups including placebo group (P) and groups received 3 and 6 mg/kg/day Z. multiflora extract (Z3 and Z6) for two months. Inflammatory cytokines, PFT values, and respiratory symptoms were assessed before treatment (stage 0), one (stage I) and two (stage II) months after treatment.Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-8 were significantly decreased after two months treatment compared to baseline values in Z3 and Z6 groups. The PFT values including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were significantly increased during two months treatment with Z3 and Z6. The peak expiratory flow (PEF) was also significantly increased after one-month treatment with Z6. The respiratory symptoms including cough, chest tightness, modified medical research council (mMRC) dyspnea scale were significantly improved after one and two treatments with both doses of Z. multiflora compared to baseline values.The results suggest the potential therapeutic effect of Z. multiflora in COPD patients through reduction of inflammatory cytokines, increasing PFT values and improvement of respiratory symptoms.

Two validated, rapid and precise methods based on HPTLC and RP-HPLC with UV detection for quantitative determination of spinosin in edible extracts of Ziziphus jujuba fruit, is described. The HPTLC...

Background: There is no pharmacological intervention on the treatment of hypoxemia and respiratory distress in COVID-19 patients. Objective: The objective of the study was to study the effect of the reduced form of methylene blue (MB) on the improvement of oxygen saturation (SpO2) and respiratory rate (RR). Methods: In an academic medical center, 80 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 were randomly assigned to receive either oral MB along with standard of care (SOC) (MB group, n = 40) or SOC only (SOC group, n=40). The primary outcomes were SpO2 and RR on the 3rd and 5th days. The secondary outcomes were hospital stay and mortality within 28 days. Results: In the MB group, a significant improvement in SpO2 and RR was observed on the 3rd day (for both, p < 0.0001) and also the 5th day (for both, p < 0.0001). In the SOC group, there was no significant improvement in SpO2 (p = 0.24) and RR (p = 0.20) on the 3rd day, although there was a significant improvement of SpO2 (p = 0.002) and RR (p = 0.01) on the 5th day. In the MB group in comparison to the SOC group, the rate ratio of increased SpO2 was 13.5 and 2.1 times on the 3rd and 5th days, respectively. In the MB group compared with the SOC group, the rate ratio of RR improvement was 10.1 and 3.7 times on the 3rd and 5th days, respectively. The hospital stay was significantly shortened in the MB group (p = 0.004), and the mortality was 12.5% and 22.5% in the MB and SOC groups, respectively. Conclusions: The addition of MB to the treatment protocols significantly improved SpO2 and respiratory distress in COVID-19 patients, which resulted in decreased hospital stay and mortality. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04370288.

Ozone has been fascinated by researchers as an outstanding disinfectant due to its oxidizing properties. It can react with unsaturated substrates chemically, which results in active ozonized compounds. In literature, ozonized olive oil was characterized by different factors such as peroxide value (PV), a significant feature to define the quality of oils. It has been proven previously that even minor changes in the reaction conditions can effect on the PV. In this study, peroxide content was evaluated in extra virgin olive oil and its ozonized form under various conditions including variable temperatures, sample amounts and reaction times. The results indicated that although iodometric method is an official technique for determining the PV of oils, but also dependent to the amount, temperature and time for ozonized olive oil.

A novel method for measuring the shunt impedance of current sources in Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems is introduced. In an EIT system, electrical currents with theoretical sum of zero, are applied to the body and any mismatch between the currents results in current going through an extra grounded electrode. Since the N - 1 current patterns applied in an N-electrode EIT system are orthogonal to each other, by introducing an additional linearly- independent current pattern, a system of linear equations can be established from which the unknown shunt impedances can be calculated. The framework of the proposed scheme is introduced and its effectiveness is validated through both simulation and practical implementation. The experimental results show that by measuring the shunt impedances with the proposed method and using those values to adjust the current sources, the current passing through the grounded electrode is significantly reduced.

Carvacrol effects on inflammatory mediators, lung pathology and tracheal responsiveness were indicated in animal models of pulmonary diseases.To evaluate carvacrol effects on respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFT), oxidative stress markers and cytokine levels in asthmatic patients.This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind, clinical trial.Thirty-three moderate asthmatic patients were divided to the two groups of: placebo group (n = 16) and carvacrol group (1.2 mg/kg/day, n = 17). Prepared capsules were taken for two months along, 3 times/day along with routine medications. Respiratory symptoms, PFT, and oxidative stress markers were evaluated before the treatment (step 0), and one (step I) and two months (step II) after the beginning of the treatment. However, cytokine levels in serum and supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and their gene expression were evaluated in step 0 and II.In carvacrol-treated group, respiratory symptoms significantly decreased after one- and two-month treatment with carvacrol compared to pre-treatment values (p0.05 to p0.001). Compared to step 0, PFT values were significantly increased in step I and II, in treated group with carvacrol (p0.05 to p0.001). Most oxidative stress markers were improved following carvacrol treatment (p0.05 to p0.001). Treatment with carvacrol for two-month also significantly improved cytokine levels in serum and supernatant of PBMC, compared to step 0 (p0.05 to p0.001). However, no significant changes were observed in the above-noted parameters in the placebo group.Due to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect, carvacrol could be suggested as a therapeutic agent for asthma.

Nasal polyposis (NP) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Honey has several anti-microbial, anti-oxidants, healing, and anti-inflammatory properties which may reduce the need for steroids in this situation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to show the effect of standardized honey on mucosal healing of the nose and paranasal sinuses after polypectomy.In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 28 patients with nasal polyposis underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Besides common post-op medications, normal saline (as a placebo) and diluted processed honey were used separately in the two nostrils of each patient. Two endoscopic follow-ups using the Philppot-Javer (P-J) scoring system were performed to assess the healing and recurrence of polyps on either side. The secondary outcome measure was the patients' satisfaction rate.The patients' mean age was 38.03±11.9 years. 15(57.7%) had a positive prick test and also 15(57.7%) had dense eosinophilic infiltration in their surgical specimens. In the first and second follow-up sessions, total P-J scores showed better results for honey in comparison to the normal saline side but that results were not significantly different (P=0.93, P=0.07); whereas it is fair to say that in the second follow-up, the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses demonstrated a greater difference compared to the other sites based on their averages but there were not significantly meaningful (P=0.05, P=0.06). The total score also showed better results for honey in comparison to the normal saline side but was statistically insignificant (P=0.07).Diluted honey seems to have certain positive effects in reducing post-operative edema and the recurrence of nasal polyps in at least the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses; although this positive effect did not result in significant changes. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Z. multiflora effect on clinical symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFT), oxidative stress and cytokine levels in asthmatic patients were evaluated.36 asthmatic patients were divided to; placebo group (P), two groups treated with Z. multiflora extract (5 and 10 mg/kg/day, as Z5 and Z10, respectively), (n = 12 in each group). Medications were administered three times a day for two months and several parameters were evaluated before treatment (step 0), one (step 1) and two months (step 2) after treatment.Clinical symptoms and PFTs were significantly improved in Z5 and Z10 groups in steps 1 and 2 compared to step 0 (p 0.05 to p 0.001). Improvement of oxidative stress, cytokines levels and their gene expression after treatment with both doses of extract were observed in step 2 compared to step 0 (p 0.05 to p 0.001).These results indicated therapeutic value of Z. multiflora for the management of asthma.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss (Z. multiflora) were reported in previous studies which is using in traditional and modern medicine. This plant is traditional used as an anti-tussive agent and for the management of respiratory disorders.The preventive effect of the extract of leaves and stems of Z. multiflora on respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests, hematological indices, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the serum and supernatant of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and gene expression of IL-10 in these cells in asthmatic patients was studied.36 asthmatic patients in three groups (randomly divided) of placebo group (P), two groups treated with 5 and 10 mg/kg/day doses of Z. multiflora (Z5 and Z10) for two months completed the study. Drugs were administered double-blindly and different variables were assessed before and after (one and two months) starting treatment including respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFT), hematological indices, hs-CRP, serum and supernatant levels as well as gene expression of IL-10.Two months treatment with Z5 and Z10 led to significant reduction of respiratory symptoms (p 0.05 to p 0.001). Pulmonary function test values in treated groups were also significantly increased two months after starting treatment (p 0.05 to p 0.001). Total WBC, monocytes and eosinophils were also decreased in treated groups with the extract at the end of study period (p 0.05 to p 0.01). Hemoglobin and hematocrit in Z10 treated group (p 0.05 and p 0.01, respectively) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in both treated groups (p 0.05 to p 0.01) were significantly reduced. In addition, the level of hs-CRP in both treated groups was significantly reduced after two months (p 0.05 to p 0.01). IL-10 concentration in Z10 treated group in supernatant of PBMC was also significantly enhanced (p 0.01). All comparisons were made compared to the baseline (beginning of the treatment) values.Z. multiflora improved respiratory symptoms and increased pulmonary function tests in asthmatic patients. In addition, the plant was effective in decrement of inflammatory cells and hs-CRP as well as enhanced IL-10. Therefore, the plant showed possible preventive therapeutic effect on asthma.

BACKGROUND Sulfur mustard is an alkylating agent which cause to short and long term incapacitations on various organs including lung. There is no definite treatment for lung disorders induced by SM exposure. In the present study, the preventive effect of Zataria multiflora (Z. multiflora) on hematological parameters, oxidant/antioxidant markers and pulmonary function tests (PFT) in veterans, 27-30 years after exposed to SM were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty seven veterans allocated to three groups included: placebo group (P) and two groups treated with 5 and 10 mg/kg/day of Z. multiflora (Zat 5 and Zat 10). Drugs were prescribed in a double-blind manner for two months. Total and different WBC, hematological indices, oxidant/antioxidant markers and PFT values included; force vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were assessed at the beginning (step 0), one and two month (step I and II, respectively) after starting treatment. RESULTS Total and different white blood cell in Zat 5 and 10 mg/kg treated groups in Step I and II were significantly decreased compared to Step 0 (p

This study was carried out to evaluate the binding interaction of gefitinib (GEF) with human serum albumin (HSA) and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) using fluorescence, UV-Visible, zeta potential measurements and molecular docking methods in order to understand its pharmacokinetic mechanism. By increasing the temperature, a steady decrease in Stern-Volmer quenching constants was observed for HSA binding properties; this indicates a static type of fluorescence quenching. Negative values were calculated for Gibbs free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) changes, indicating that the reaction is spontaneous and enthalpy-driven. Probe competitive experimental results showed that GEF contains the same binding site as warfarin and are consistent with modeling results. The zeta potential of the HSA increased with increasing GEF, which represents the presence of electrostatic interactions in the system. DNA binding properties were investigated in the presence of three probes. The experimental results showed that by increasing GEF to DNA-AO (acridine-orange) and DNA-MB (methylene-blue) system, the fluorescence intensity and absorbance spectra had no considerable change. Furthermore, with the addition of GEF to DNA, the zeta potential decreased gradually, indicating that the hydrophobic interaction between the GEF and the bases of DNA is the major factor. Thus, GEF can bind to DNA via a groove binding mode. It was also found that GEF entered into the minor groove in the A-T rich region of DNA fragment and bind via van der-Waals forces and three H-bond with double strands of DNA. This is in good agreement with experimental results.

Numerous adverse effects of antidepressants as well as the attitudes of breastfeeding mothers, who prefer to consume herbal medicine rather than chemical drugs, encouraged us to assess the effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on mothers suffering from mild-to-moderate postpartum depressive disorder.A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 60 new mothers who had a maximum score of 29 on the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). They were randomly assigned to the saffron (15 mg/Bid) or placebo group. The primary outcome was a change in the BDI-II scores 8 weeks after treatment compared to the baseline. The response and remission rates were considered to be secondary outcome measures.Saffron had a more significant impact on the BDI-II scores than the placebo. The mean BDI-II scores decreased from 20.3 ± 5.7 to 8.4 ± 3.7 for the saffron group (p .0001) and from 19.8 ± 3.2 to 15.1 ± 5.4 for the placebo group (p .01). In the final assessment, 96% of the saffron group were in remission compared to 43% of the placebo group (p .01). The complete response rates were 6% for the placebo group and 66% for the saffron group.When administered to treat minor PPD in breastfeeding mothers, saffron had a more significant impact on the BDI-II than the placebo.

This study presents results of ozonation of some different aromatic rings of medicines in aqueous solution. The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of ozone on ring cleavage of drug molecules with an aromatic structure. In this regard, phenobarbital, naphazoline, doxycycline, isoniazid and salbutamol were chosen for exposure to ozone gas overnight. It is proved that ozone can attack the OH groups, opening the aromatic ring to form unsaturated acids, aldehydes and linear alkyl/cycloalkyl groups which then appear as stable products. It is suggested that the first step in these reactions includes penetration of ozone at the C-H bond with the formation of a quinone and a subsequent attack of the aromatic ring T-bond system by the ozone with the formation of ozonides. With this process, ozonation can produce simple, biodegradable and less carcinogenic compounds from complex aromatic ones. Key words: Ozone, aromatic compound, oxidation, toxicity.

Medical Cyber Physical Systems (MCPSs) prescribe a platform in which patient health information is acquired by the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, pre-processed locally, and processed via advanced machine intelligence algorithms in the cloud. The emergence of MCPSs holds the promise to revolutionize remote patient healthcare monitoring, accelerate the development of new drugs or treatments, and improve the quality-of-life for patients who are suffering from various medical conditions among other various applications. The amount of raw medical data gathered through the IoT sensors in an MCPS provides a rich platform that artificial intelligence algorithms can use to provide decision support for either medical experts or patients. In this paper, we provide an overview of MCPSs and the data flow through these systems. This includes how raw physiological signals are converted into features and are used by machine intelligence algorithms, the types of algorithms available for the healthcare domain, how the data and the decision support output are presented to the end user, and how all of these steps are completed in a secure fashion to preserve the privacy of the users.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatment is based on pentavalant antimony (sbv) drugs which are accompanied by many side effects and are facing ever-increasing resistance. Topical treatment of CL is an attractive alternative avoiding toxicities of parenteral therapy while being administered through a simple painless route. The liposomal formulations of different drugs have recently been increasingly used in the treatment of several types of leishmaniasis. The efficacy of a topical liposomal azithromycin formulation was compared with intralesional meglumine antimoniate (glucantime) in the treatment of CL. Sixty-six patients with 97 lesions who met our inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups. One group was administered with the topical liposomal form of azithromycin twice daily. The other group was treated by weekly intralesional injections of glucantime with a volume of 0.5-2 cm3 into each lesion till complete blanching of the lesion occurred. Clinical evaluations were performed weekly during the treatment course (8 weeks) by a single dermatologist for both groups. Per-protocol analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.764 (0.714-0.821). Serious drug side effects were not observed in either group. Topical liposomal azithromycin has the same efficacy as intralesional glucantime in the treatment of CL.

The most important challenges in photodynamic therapy (PDT) are related to the limited penetration of light and the low uptake of photosensitizers. In radiotherapy, they are correlated to radiation damage of normal tissues. Therefore, a targeted radio and photosensitizer can reduce the limitations of the mentioned methods. In this study, photosensitizing and radio-sensitizing effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA)-conjugated GNPs were investigated.First, cell toxicities of 5ALA, GNPs and a conjugate were assessed on Mel-Rm cell line. Then, the radio sensitizing effect of every agent was studied. Different experiments were designed in four separate groups, each group containing six subgroups receiving different radiation doses by using a superficial X-ray tube. Furthermore, the photosensitizing efficacy of the agents was evaluated after cells were irradiated by a He-Ne laser at four light doses in separate groups.With regards to radio sensitivity assessments, there was no significant difference between different irradiation doses. The investigation on photosensitivity of 5ALA and a conjugate showed significant differences between the control (without illumination) and groups that received PDT in the presence of 5ALA and conjugate, wherein EDThe conjugate does not cause any enhancement of radiation efficiency on MeL-Rm cell line. With regards to PDT, we found that the conjugate induced cell death at twice the rate when compared with 5ALA alone. Therefore, the conjugate can be an appropriate delivery agent for 5ALA and may also enhance the destruction of tumor cells. Finally, comparing the two types of treatment shows that PDT is a more efficient treatment for this cell line.

Objective Carvacrol is one of the main pharmacologically active components of Thymus vulgaris essential oil, which has shown several therapeutic effects. Because of liquid nature of the carvacrol, the formulation of the drug is challenging. Liquisolid technique is a method for converting a liquid drug into a solid system. The aim of this study is to combine the liquisolid approach and extrusion-spheronization technique to produce pellets with desirable physico-mechanical, stability and release properties. Methods Three different methods were used for preparation of liquisolid matrix of carvacrol using PVP K30, stearic acid and Aerosil. The matrices were utilized for preparation of pellets by extrusion-spheronization method. The pellets were characterized for size (sieve analysis), shape factors (image analysis), mechanical strength, chemical interactions (FTIR), thermal behavior (DSC), carvacrol content, release rate (dissolution test) and stability. Results The results showed that by using suitable composition of liquisolid matrix and granulation fluid, pellets with desirable size and shape and mechanical properties could be produced. PVP-based pellets had higher mechanical strength, slower release rate and improved content and stability compared to stearic acid or Aerosil-based pellets. The carvacrol ratio has considerable effect on release properties of the pellets. Conclusion Overall results revealed the feasibility of preparing desirable pellets containing carvacrol with acceptable content, stability and release properties, which can be administered as hard gelatin capsules. PVP-based pellets were the most appropriate formulation according to evaluation tests.

Objective EIT systems, particularly those that use a parallel, multiple source architecture, require current sources with very high output impedance. To meet this requirement, sources often use complex analog circuits and require manual or electronically-controlled adjustments. The goal is to implement a current source with simple, adjustment-free analog electronics with high effective output impedance even with significant stray impedance at its output. Approach The excitation provided to the voltage-to-current converter is adjusted to accommodate the current lost in the finite output and stray impedances. The adaptive algorithm uses the measured voltage and the previously-measured output and stray impedance to determine the needed current adjustment. Main results The structure of the source is presented along with an implementation, and experimental results that show the effectiveness of the approach for frequencies up to 1 MHz. The measured output impedance with and without the adaptive compensation are presented as well as measurements of resistive and complex loads. Significance The new current source has low analog complexity, operates over a wide range of frequencies, and can compensate for a significant stray shunt impedance. It can be used to implement improved parallel or serial EIT systems.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a new manner of killing cancer cells based on the cytotoxic interactions of ultrasound with sonosensitizing agents. It is shown that gold nanoparticles (GNPs) increase the efficiency of cavitation activity of ultrasound. In this study the influence of a single and/or two frequencies of ultrasound waves to generate hydroxyl radicals (·OH) was assessed in the presence of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and/or GNPs. Ultrasound cavitation activity was determined by recording fluorescence signals from chemical terephthalic acid (TA) dosimeters with or without PpIX and/or GNPs at the frequencies of 0.8 and 2.4 MHz individually and aggregately. To study hydroxyl radicals, experiments were performed with and without hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol, histidine, and sodium azide. Cavitation activity was amplified by increasing ultrasound intensity and exposure time. The cavitation activity induced by dual ultrasound frequency was remarkably higher than the summation of effects produced by individual frequencies. All three scavengers reduced the fluorescence signal level. The effect of GNPs on intensifying cavitation activity at higher frequency was greater than that of lower frequency. PpIX showed a more effective sonosensitizing property at the lower frequency. Also, estimated synergism at dual frequency irradiation was improved in the presence of GNPs. We found that GNPs increased hydroxyl radical production at 2.4 MHz and that PpIX increased hydroxyl radical production at 0.8 MHz. Dual frequency exposure was more effective than single frequency exposure. PpIX at low frequency and gold nanoparticles at high frequency both enhance sonodynamic treatment efficacy.

This study was designed to assess safety and tolerability of carvacrol in healthy individuals. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups receiving 1 and 2 mg/kg/day carvacrol. Before and after carvacrol administration, routine blood and urine laboratory tests and spirometry were performed for all participants. The results showed that one-month treatment with carvacrol did not significantly affect the measured variables. In the group receiving 1 mg/kg/day carvacrol, calcium, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), mean cell volume (MCV), hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (HCT) levels were significantly reduced but creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) was significantly increased, after treatment compared to baseline values (

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is the most common cause of iatrogenic acute kidney injury. It is happened more commonly in patients with underlying kidney diseases. It is appeared that the oxidative stress is the main mechanism of contrast nephropathy. Curcumin is suggested as an herbal antioxidant agent, so we decided to assess the effect of curcumin in preventing of this complication in patients with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD) who need coronary angiography.We conducted double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 60 moderate to severe CKD patients who underwent coronary angiography or angioplasty. Adjusted dose of Iodixanol was used as contrast agent in all of them. Curcumin or placebo administered orally, 1.5 g daily from 2 days before procedure to 3 days after it. CIN was defined by an increased serum creatinine level≥0.3mg/dl or an increase to ≥1.5 times of the baseline within 48 hours after procedure. Urinary NGAL test was also done the next day after angiography.CIN occurred in 12(20%) of patients, 5(16.7%) in Curcumin group and 7(23.3%) in placebo group (odds ratio [OR], 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18 to 2.36; P0.51). Serum Creatinine was increased after72 hours of intervention from 1.65±0.26 mg/dl to 1.79±0.33 mg/dl in Curcumin group and from 1.61±0.23 mg/dl to 1.86±0.35 in placebo group. There is no significant difference between the mean increase in serum creatinine concentration in the placebo group and Curcumin group (difference of 0.006 mg/dL; 95% CI, - 0.06 to 0.08; P0.85). Urinary NGAL test was significantly higher in patients with AKI (p=0.000), but there weren't differences in its level in two groups (p=0.761) Conclusion: It is appeared prophylactic oral Curcumin hasn't protective effects on CIN in high risk patients who have undergone coronary procedure.

Leishmaniasis is an emerging and uncontrolled disease. The use of routine drugs has been limited due to proven side effects and drug resistance. Interestingly, novel approaches such as nanotechnology have been applied as a therapeutic modality. Silver nanoparticles have shown antileishmanial effects but because of their nonspecific and toxic effects on normal cells, their use has been limited. On the other hand, it has been demonstrated that electric pulses induce electropores on cell membranes resulting in higher entrance of certain molecules into cells. There is a hypothesis proposing that use of electroporation and silver nanoparticles simultaneously can induce greater accumulation of particles in infected cells, besides higher toxicity. In this study, after applying electric pulses with different concentrations of silver nanoparticles (SNPs), cell survival rate was determined by standard viability assays. On the basis of these data, 2 μg/ml of SNPs and 700 V/cm with 100 μs duration of electroporation were selected as the non-lethal condition. Promastigotes and infected macrophage cells received both treatments and the survival percentage and Infection Index were calculated. In parasites and cells receiving both treatments, higher toxicity was observed in comparison to each treatment given individually, showing a synergic effect on promastigotes. Therefore, application of electric pulses could overcome limitations in using the antileishmanial properties of silver nanoparticles.

This chapter examines how Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) can be used in deep learning. Deep learning is an emerging machine intelligence algorithm based on artificial neural networks (ANNs). ANNs were proposed to be computational models of neurological systems; they were designed to "learn" performing a certain task by mimicking the way a brain learns. ANNs are formed by multiple layers of "neurons" connected to each other, which create a network that takes input data, processes the data in each layer, and creates an output in the final layer. Activation functions in a neuron are implemented to introduce non-linearity to the network. The ANNs, in which the connections between their neurons do not make a cycle, are called Feed-Forward Neural Networks. cuDNN is a library that provides support for implementing deep networks on GPUs. Although using a GPU instead of a CPU already provides significant speedup for training a network, using cuDNN improves that speedup further.

The objective of the present research is to study the interaction of separate and simultaneous of alprazolam (ALP) and fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLX) with human serum albumin (HSA) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) using different kinds of spectroscopic, cyclic voltammetry and molecular modeling techniques. The absorbance spectra of protein, drugs and protein-drug showed complex formation between the drugs and HSA. Fluorescence analysis demonstrated that ALP and FLX could quench the fluorescence spectrum of HSA and demonstrated the conformational change of HSA in the presence of both drugs. Also, fluorescence quenching mechanism of HSA-drug complexes both separately and simultaneously was suggested as static quenching. The analysis of UV absorption data and the fluorescence quenching of HSA in the binary and ternary systems showed that FLX decreased the binding affinity between ALP and HSA. On the contrary, ALP increased the binding affinity of FLX and HSA. The results of synchronous fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra indicated that the binding of drugs to HSA would modify the microenvironment around the Trp and Tyr residues and the conformation of HSA. The distances between Trp residue and the binding sites of the drugs were estimated according to the Förster theory, and it was demonstrated that non-radiative energy transfer from HSA to the drugs occurred with a high probability. Moreover, according to CV measurements, the decrease of peak current in the cyclic voltammogram of the both drugs in the presence of HSA revealed that they interacted with albumin and binding constants were calculated for binary systems which were in agreement with the binding constants obtained from UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The prediction of the best binding sites of ALP and FLX in binary and ternary systems in molecular modeling approach was done using of Gibbs free energy.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of several mouthwashes containing nanoparticles on discoloration of dental enamel, and compare the results with that of 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX). Material and Methods: Sixty intact premolars were randomly assigned to six groups. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the color of the teeth (T1) according to the CIELAB system. The specimens in groups 1 to 4 were then immersed in colloidal solutions containing nanoTiO2 (Group 1), nanoZnO (Group 2), nanoAg (Group 3) and nanoCuO (Group 4). In groups 5 and 6, a 0.2% CHX mouthwash and distilled water were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. After 24 hours of immersion, color determination was repeated (T2). The third color assessment was accomplished after brushing (T3). The L, a, and b values were recorded and the color change (∆E) between different stages was calculated. Results: ANOVA revealed significant between-group differences in the color change between T1 and T2 stages, as well as between T1 and T3 time points ( p

Objective(s): Low penetration depth of light is the main defect of photodynamic therapy (PDT), which could be improved by sonodynamic therapy (SDT). In this study, a combination of PDT and SDT known as sonophotodynamic therapy (SPDT) was investigated using two reverse arrangements in CT26 tumor model. Materials and Methods: The liposomal zinc phthalocyanine was synthesized and characterized. It was then administered to CT26 tumor models as a sensitizer. The animal models were subjected to PDT, SDT, and the combined treatment in different groups. The doubling time for the survival of tumors and animals was considered as a measure to evaluate treatments efficacy. Results: In all treatment groups there was a significant decline in tumor volume 15 days after treatment compared to the main control group, but the optimum response was observed in the group receiving a combined treatment with the priority of PDT. 120 days after treatment, in the groups treated by PDT and SDT, the tumor shrank by 20%, while in the group receiving SPDT with PDT priority, 80% of tumors was recovered. No case of complete tumor progression was observed in SPDT group with SDT priority.This could be due to the pores created in cell membranes during ultrasound irradiation of the tumor, which removed the sensitizer molecules from the cells and reduced PDT efficacy in SPDT group with SDT priority. Conclusion: It seems that SPDT with PDT priority offers a more efficient alternative than each of PDT, SDT individually or SPDT with the reverse arrangement.

Saliva is a watery substance which serves many important roles, including lubrication and binding, initiating digestion and oral hygiene in all species. Xerostomia is a medical term for dry mouth sensation, which causes some oral problems like dental caries and halitosis. Different factors can influence salivary secretion including salivary gland infections, salivary stones and other medical disorders. The aim of this study was to develop an alternative formulation for artificial saliva originating from Aloe vera gel and evaluating it from a biophysical point of view. In this study, the minerals and antimicrobial substances of human saliva were substituted by the beneficial components found in Aloe vera gel and then, the rheological behavior of the formulation, such as viscosity, surface tension, pH, and mechanical properties of substitute salivary fluids were analyzed in order to determine the efficacy of this product. A new protocol was presented for the standardization of a type of artificial saliva which showed desired biophysical behavior which more closely resembled human saliva. However, more clinical studies are needed to present this product as a mouth or throat lubricant to reduce the complaints of patients suffering from abnormalities.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Ca(OH)2 with or without a silver nanoparticle suspension to eliminate Enterococcus faecalis from root canals. A total of 66 extracted human single-rooted teeth contaminated with E. faecalis were treated with 10% Ca(OH)2 alone, Ca(OH)2 with nanosilver or sterile water (as a negative control). Samples were obtained with paper points and Gates-Glidden burs at 1 and 7 days after root canal preparation and the number of colony-forming units (CFU) was determined. The number of CFUs observed after dressing with Ca(OH)2 + nanosilver was significantly less than the number observed with Ca(OH)2 alone after 1 or 7 days (P 0.05). Higher antimicrobial efficacy was observed in the Ca(OH)2 group after 7 days than 1 day (P

Background: This study investigated the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) combined with 1.5 hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPP-ACPF) on color and microhardness of enamel. Material and Methods: Seventy-five bovine incisors were immersed in a tea solution for 7.5 days. The specimens were randomly divided into five groups according to the whitening agent applied: 1) 94 NaHCO3, 2) a blend of 94 NaHCO3 and CPP-ACPF, 3) a blend of 94 NaHCO3 and 1.5 H2O2, 4) a blend of 94 NaHCO3, 1.5 H2O2 and CPP-ACPF, 5) control. The whitening procedure was performed for 10 times over 10 days. At each day, the buccal surfaces were covered with whitening agents for 5 minutes and then brushed for 30 seconds. After the 10 days, the teeth were again immersed in a tea solution for 10 minutes. Color assessment was performed at baseline (T1), after the first staining process (T2), after the whitening procedure (T3), and after the second staining process (T4). Finally, the specimens were subjected to microhardness test. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the color change between T2 and T3 stages among the study groups (p

Context • Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most common infection of the vulvovagina, which manifests with itching, a burning sensation, and leucorrhea. Some infections have been reported to be tolerant to conventional treatments, especially in immunosuppressed patients. New studies have suggested that ozone, which is the allotropic form of oxygen, may have antifungal effects. Objective • The study intended to compare the effects of ozononated olive oil and clotrimazole in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Design • Patients were randomly assigned either to an ozone group or to a clotrimazole group in a randomized, controlled trial. Setting • The study took place in the Department of Gynecology of the School of Medicine at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Mashhad, Iran. Participants • Participants were 100 female patients who had been referred to the women's gynecology clinic at the Omolbanin and Ghaem Hospitals and who had confirmed vulvovaginal candidiasis. Intervention • Patients in the ozone group were treated with ozonated olive oil or those in the clotrimazole group were treated with clotrimazole for 7 d. Outcome Measures • Patients were evaluated through an interview and a paraclinical examination at baseline and postintervention. The study measured changes in itching, burning, and leucorrhea using a questionnaire that patients completed at the end of the study and determined the presence of an infection with vaginal candidiasis through a culture both before acceptance into the study and after the treatments, if accepted. Results • Ozone and clotrimazole both reduced symptoms significantly and led to a negative culture for vaginal candidiasis (P.05). No significant differences existed between the 2 groups in their effects on the symptom of itching and leucorrhea and on the results of the culture (P.05). However, clotrimazole decreased the burning sensation significantly more than did ozone (P.05). Conclusions • Considering the potential efficacy of ozonated olive oil in the improvement of the clinical and paraclinical aspects of treatment of patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis, the research team suggests that the treatment can be an effective topical treatment for those patients.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatment is based on pentavalant antimony (sbv) drugs which are accompanied by many side effects and are facing ever-increasing resistance. Topical treatment of CL is an attractive alternative avoiding toxicities of parenteral therapy while being administered through a simple painless route. The liposomal formulations of different drugs have recently been increasingly used in the treatment of several types of leishmaniasis. The efficacy of a topical liposomal azithromycin formulation was compared with intralesional meglumine antimoniate (glucantime) in the treatment of CL. Sixty-six patients with 97 lesions who met our inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups. One group was administered with the topical liposomal form of azithromycin twice daily. The other group was treated by weekly intralesional injections of glucantime with a volume of 0.5-2 cm3 into each lesion till complete blanching of the lesion occurred. Clinical evaluations were performed weekly during the treatment course (8 weeks) by a single dermatologist for both groups. Per-protocol analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.764 (0.714-0.821). Serious drug side effects were not observed in either group. Topical liposomal azithromycin has the same efficacy as intralesional glucantime in the treatment of CL.

In this paper, we studied the relation between the micronutrient and gestational diabetes. Therefore, we measured micronutrient concentration including Ni, Al, Cr, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Se in serum of women with gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of gestational age (study group) who had inclusion criteria and comparison with micronutrient levels in normal pregnant women with same gestational age (control group). Results showed that there was no significant difference between the serum micronutrient level (Ni, Al, Cr, Mg, Zn, Cu, Se) in study and control groups except serum level of iron which in serum of gestational diabetic women was lower than normal pregnant women and difference was significant.

The binding of ciprofloxacin to human serum albumin (HSA) in the presence and absence of silver nanoparticles of three sizes was investigated for the first time. For this purpose fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, UV-vis spectroscopy, and ζ potential techniques were employed under physiological conditions. The titration results indicated that ciprofloxacin quenched the fluorescence intensity of HSA through a static mechanism, but in the presence of Ag nanoparticles of sizes I and II there were two different kinds of interaction behavior. Results of circular dichroism indicated that the secondary structure of HSA was modified with increasing ciprofloxacin concentration. A comparison between resonance light scattering of binary and ternary systems allowed us to estimate the effect of silver nanoparticles on the initial formation and aggregation of ciprofloxacin with HSA. The ζ-potential results suggested induced conformational changes on HSA, thus confirming the experimental and theoretical results.

Previous studies on animals have revealed that garlic (Allium sativum) is effective in reducing blood and tissue lead concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate therapeutic effects of garlic and compare it with d-penicillamine in patients with chronic lead poisoning. After coordination and obtaining informed consent, clinical examinations and blood lead concentration (BLC) of 117 workers at a car battery industry were investigated. BLC was determined by heated graphite atomization technique of an atomic absorption spectrometer. The workers were randomly assigned into two groups of garlic (1200 μg allicin, three times daily) and d-penicillamine (250 mg, three times daily) and treated for 4 weeks. BLC was determined again 10 days post-treatment. Clinical signs and symptoms of lead poisoning were also investigated and compared with the initial findings. Clinical improvement was significant in a number of clinical manifestations including irritability (p = 0.031), headache (p = 0.028), decreased deep tendon reflex (p = 0.019) and mean systolic blood pressure (0.021) after treatment with garlic, but not d-penicillamine. BLCs were reduced significantly (p = 0.002 and p = 0.025) from 426.32 ± 185.128 to 347.34 ± 121.056 μg/L and from 417.47 ± 192.54 to 315.76 ± 140.00 μg/L in the garlic and d-penicillamine groups, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.892) between the two groups. The frequency of side effects was significantly (p = 0.023) higher in d-penicillamine than in the garlic group. Thus, garlic seems safer clinically and as effective as d-penicillamine. Therefore, garlic can be recommended for the treatment of mild-to-moderate lead poisoning.

This study aimed to evaluate the combination effect of gefitinib (GEF) and regorafenib (REG) against HCT116, CT26 and SW948 colorectal cancer cell lines. Results showed synergistic effects on HCT116 and CT26 cells, while the additive effect was observed on SW948 cells. Combination of GEF and REG induced sub-G1 peak as the apoptotic population on HCT116 cells, through flow cytometry histogram. Downregulation of AKT1 and TGFB2 and upregulation of CASP3 were observed in the combination of GEF and REG in HCT116 cells, using quantitative real-time PCR analysis. HSA binding properties exhibit that the first drug increased binding affinity between the second drug and HSA; as a result, HSA could transport both drugs. Thus, we hope this study creates a promising strategy to treat colorectal cancer.

Aim The aim of this study was to compare the neutralizing effect of antioxidant agents on the microleakage of dental restorations in nonvital teeth after bleaching with carbamide peroxide. Also assessed was the correlation of the microleakage data between an electrochemical and a staining technique. Methods and Materials Following root canal therapy, 40 sound and similar human maxillary central incisors were randomly divided into four groups of 10 specimens each (n=10). The groups were subjected to one of four treatments: Group 1, bleaching with 10 percent carbamide peroxide for periods of eight hours per day for one week without an antioxidant agent; Group 2, bleaching with 10 percent carbamide peroxide plus 10 percent sodium ascorbate gel; Group 3, bleaching with 10 percent carbamide peroxide plus 10 percent sodium ascorbate gel combined with a surfactant; and Group 4, no bleaching treatment (control group). In all groups, the access cavities were restored using the Single Bond Plus Adhesive system and Z100 resin-based composite. After 1,000 thermal cycles, the teeth were dried and three layers of nail varnish were applied over the entire surface area to within 1.0 mm of the restoration. A PVC-covered copper wire, with 3.0 mm of exposed bare wire, was inserted apically 5.0 mm into the canal, which was obturated with gutta-percha and sealed with sticky wax and varnish at the apex. Leakage was continuously monitored for 40 days using a conductimetric method. The teeth were immersed in 0.5 percent basic fuchsine for 24 hours, followed by sectioning for microscopic examination at 16x magnification. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and the Newman-Keuls multiple comparison, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and Spearman's rho tests (p Results Based on the electrochemical results, cavities subjected to 10 percent sodium ascorbate gel combined with a surfactant displayed the least amount of microleakage while teeth that were bleached but not treated with an antioxidant exhibited significantly greater microleakage (p=0.007). These findings also were corroborated by the results of the staining experiments that showed a strong correlation between the electrochemical and staining findings (p=0.006) for the groups. Conclusion After nonvital bleaching and the application of the antioxidant 10 percent sodium ascorbate, the addition of the surfactant 0.2 percent Tween 80 to the conventional antioxidant formulation significantly reduced microleakage. Clinical Significance The addition of a surfactant to the antioxidant formulation significantly reduced microleakage when it was applied after bleaching. Citation Moosavi H, Moghaddas MJ, Ghoddusi J, Rajabi O. Effect of Two Antioxidants on the Microleakage of Resin-Based Composite Restorations after Nonvital Bleaching. J Contemp Dent Pract [Internet]. 2010 December; 11(6):033- 040. Available from: http://www.thejcdp.com/ journal/view/volume11-issue6-moosavi

In this study, the effect of Crocus sativus (saffron) was studied on male erectile dysfunction (ED). Twenty male patients with ED were followed for ten days in which each morning they took a tablet containing 200mg of saffron. Patients underwent the nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test and the international index of erectile function questionnaire (IIEF-15) at the start of the treatment and at the end of the ten days. After the ten days of taking saffron there was a statistically significant improvement in tip rigidity and tip tumescence as well as base rigidity and base tumescence. ILEF-15 total scores were significantly higher in patients after saffron treatment (before treatment 22.15+/-1.44; after treatment 39.20+/-1.90, p