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During 2014 and 2015, four species of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), belonging to a single genus Scolytus Geoffroy, 1762, were collected from elm trees in East Azarbaijan province, northwestern Iran. They were Scolytus pygmaeus (Fabricius, 1787), Scolytus ensifer Eichhoff, 1881, Scolytus ecksteini Butovitsch, 1929, and Scolytus kirschii fasciatus Reitter, 1890. All of them represent new records for East Azarbaijan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Overweight and underweight are health threatening factors. The first step in combat with over and under weight is obtaining data about their prevalence and risk factors. We aimed to complete local and national science about prevalence of over and underweight and their related risk factors. Materials & Methods: This descriptive - analytical study conducted on a representative sample of boys who studied in guidance schools in Makoo. We randomly selected 650 students. Demographic data was obtained by a check list, food intake evaluated by validated food frequency questionnaire and physical activity was assessed by validated physical activity questionnaire (PAQ-C). Weight and height were measured by standard protocols and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Data was analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS. Results: The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity was 12.1%, 10.8% and 8% respectively. This study showed an indirect correlation between physical activity and BMI, and direct correlation between parent educational level and BMI, and between times spent in sedentary activities (TV viewing and working with computer) and BMI. Obese students consumed more calories, but the difference between underweight, overweight and obese students in consumption of calories and macronutrients was not significant. Conclusion: This study showed high prevalence of underweight and overweight in boys who studied in guidance schools of Makoo. It seems that increasing of physical activity, reducing times spent in TV viewing and working with computer, and enhancing nutritional information of graduated parents are very important in control of overweight and obesity in boy adolescents of Makoo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: nowadays, comprehensive developmental assessment of infants is highly considered. But, some assessments, especially those which use more manipulations on high risk infants, can cause more stress on them. So sometimes it is necessary to use one group of developmental assessments to predict another developmental aspect. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between scores of behavioral scale and motor performance. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study that was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric clinic of Shahid Akbarabadi hospital, Tehran, 50 under 2 months low birth weight infants after met inclusion criteria were selected via convenence sampling method. The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was used for assessing motor performance and behavioral performance respectively. The TIMP consist of elicited and observational parts. NBAS was consisted of habituation, social interaction, motor system, state organization, state regulation, autonomic system, smile, supplementary items, and reflex items. Results: There was not any significant relationship between habituation part of NBAS and TIMP and also between autonomous system part of NBAS and observational part of TIMP (P<0.05). Association between other variables was statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Some items of behavioral assessment can be used to predict the motor performance in low birth weight infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a common procedure to correct refractive errors. However, postoperative pain is one of the most common drawbacks of PRK. Evidence shows that individual`s personality traits could impact postoperative perceived pain. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the severity of postoperative pain and personality traits after PRK., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 300 patients who attended to Mahdieh Surgical Clinic (Hamadan, Iran) and underwent PRK. Persian version of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was applied to assess personality traits, and postoperative pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) score., Results: The mean age of patients was 31.8 ±5.51 years, and most (68%) were female. The most common personality trait was neuroticism, and the mean refractive errors of the right and left eyes of the patients were 1.2±2.67 and 1.3±2.75, respectively. Regarding the VAS score, patients with neuroticism traits perceived the most severe postoperative pain (VAS=6±2.2). Also, the Pearson correlation test indicated a positive correlation between perceived pain and neuroticism personality traits (r=0.059, P˂0.001). In contrast, a significant negative correlation was observed between extraversion and conscientiousness with pain perception (r= -0.737 and r= -0.307, respectively)., Conclusion: Our findings showed a positive and significant correlation between three personality traits and pain perception in these patients. Postoperative pain perception in patients undergoing PRK depends on the personality traits of these patients. Groups with less personality stability feel more pain than groups with stable personalities., Competing Interests: The authors of the study declare there were no conflicts of interest., (Copyright© 2024, Galen Medical Journal.)

In this study, gold nanoparticles were loaded into poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin nanofibrous matrices to fabricate a potential wound dressing. The mats were produced by electrospinning of PCL/gelatin solution supplemented with synthesized gold nanoparticles (200, 400 and 800 ppm). Prepared scaffolds were investigated regarding their chemical properties, morphology, mechanical properties, surface wettability, water-uptake capacity, water vapor permeability, porosity, blood compatibility, microbial penetration test and cellular response. In addition to in vivo study, a full-thickness excisional wound in a rat model was used to evaluate the healing effect of prepared scaffolds. Results showed appropriate mechanical properties and porosity of prepared scaffolds. With L929 cells, the PCL/gelatin scaffold containing 400 ppm gold nanoparticles demonstrated the greatest cell growth. In vivo results validated the favorable wound-healing benefits of the scaffold incorporating gold nanoparticles, which triggered wound healing compared to sterile gauze. Our results showed the capability of nanofibrous matrices containing gold nanoparticles for successful wound treatment., (© 2023 The Wound Healing Society.)

Background: Mental illness is one of the most common problems in human societies and the continuation of care and post-discharge follow-up. This study was conducted to define a post-discharge follow-up framework for Farabi Hospital in Isfahan., Material and Methods: This was a multistage study, including, interviews literature review, and focus group discussions. Participants included 18 purposefully selected nurses, physicians, and managers, directly involved in the discharge process of Farabi Hospital in Isfahan. The interviews were semi-structured. Data were organized using MAXQDA 10 software. The initial framework was set through the extraction of semantic main and secondary codes. The framework was finalized through three several focus group discussion sessions., Results: Results included of 17 sub-categories and seven main categories as "education," organizational arrangement," "team-building," "patient and family participation and trust," "engaging some supportive institutions of community," "process management" and "information management.", Conclusions: To implement a post-discharge follow-up system for psychiatric patients in Farabi Hospital of Isfahan must be concentrated to patient and family education, team building, organizational arrangements, participation, and trust of patients and family, while engaging community health centers and notice to information and management and process management., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Nitroaromatic explosives are the most common explosives, and their detection is important to public security, human health, and environmental protection. In particular, the detection of solid explosives through directly revealing the presence of their vapors in air would be desirable for compact and portable devices. In this study, amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes were used to produce resistive sensors to detect nitroaromatic explosives by interaction with their vapors. Devices formed by carbon nanotube networks working at room temperature revealed trinitrotoluene, one of the most common nitroaromatic explosives, and di-nitrotoluene-saturated vapors, with reaction and recovery times of a few and tens of seconds, respectively. This type of resistive device is particularly simple and may be easily combined with low-power electronics for preparing portable devices.

Background: Worldwide, AIDS is an acute problem. Health Belief Model (HBM) is a model for prevention and control of diseases. This study examined the predictors of preventive behaviors of HIV/AIDS based on HBM constructs in participants., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 200 women who were referred to vulnerable women's centers across Tabriz city between November and December 2018. Participants were selected by census sampling. Inclusion criteria were having a health record, multiple sexual partners, reading and writing skills, and willingness to participate in the study. To collect data, questionnaires of sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, self-efficacy for negotiating safe sex, perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and behavioral prevention (BP) were used. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 19 through Pearson's correlation coefficient, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analyses. The significant level was set at α = 0.05., Results: Pearson's correlation test showed a statistically significant correlation between BP and perceived sensitivity ( r = 0.25), perceived benefits ( r = 0.32), self-efficacy ( r = 0.33), and HIV knowledge ( r = 0.25) constructs ( P < 0.001). According to the multiple linear regression, perceived sensitivity ( P = 0.020), perceived benefits ( P = 0.036), and some of the sociodemographic characteristics were found to be predictors of preventive behaviors that explained in total 50% of variance of BP ( P < 0.05 and R 2 = 0.504)., Conclusion: It seems that the HBM is useful to predict HIV preventive behaviors among this vulnerable group. Training programs should be aimed on improving the health belief of HIV preventive behaviors., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Objective: Nowadays, the evaluation of all aspects of infant development is important. However, in practice, some of these assessments, especially those requiring more manipulation on high-risk infants, may impose additional stress on them. Therefore, sometimes it is essential to utilize the results of a developmental assessment for the prediction of some other aspects of development. This study evaluated the relationship between the scores of the behavioral tests and the motor function test., Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study and was undertaken in the Neonatal Intensive Care Center and Clinic of Shahid Akbar Abadi Hospital, Tehran, Iran. A group of 50 infants with low birth weights was selected based on the easy non-contingency method and the inclusion criteria, and served as the participants. In order to assess the motor function and the behavioral performance, the motor function test (a test of infant motor performance (TIMP)) and the neonatal behavioral assessment scale (neonatal behavioral assessment scale (NBAS)) were used respectively. TIMP has both stimulation and observation sections. The items include habituation, social interaction, motor system, state organization, state regulation, autonomic system, smile, supplementary items, and the reflex., Results: No significant association was found between the items of the habituation of behavioral testing and the observation of the movement test. There was no statistically significant relationship between the habituation and stimulation sections as well as between the system autonomous of the behavioral test and the observation section of the motor test (P>0.05). The relationship between other variables was statistically significant (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The scores of some behavioral performance items could be a good predictor of the scores of the motor function items for low birth weight infants in the neonatal period.

Background & Aim: Colon polyps are important lesions and a concern because of the potential for colorectal cancer. Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in Iranian population. The distribution of polyps in the colon may affect the efficacy of a screening modality. The aim of this study was to determine clinical & pathology characteristics of colorectal polyps in Iranian population., Material & Methods: In this study is cross sectional survey that 856 polypectomies were done in 716 patients. Anatomical distribution, size and histopathology of polyps were described in 2004 - 2008 in the educational hospital of Taleghani in Tehran., Results: polyps were observed in 437 males and 279 females and gastroenterologists did colonoscopic polypectomy. 3.12 percent of polyps were located in the rectum, 19.6 percent in sigmoid, 24.4 percent in descending colon, 13.9 percent in transverse colon, 29.6 percent were in cecum and ascending colon. 77 (9%) polyps were non-neoplastic and 779 (91%) were neoplastic. Adenomas were present in 727 (85%) cases, of these 411 (56% of adenomas) were left-sided and 316 (44% of adenomas) were right-sided. Carcinoma was observed in 52 cases, of these 18 (34.5%) were left sided and 34 (65.5% of carcinomas) were right sided. Of them 354 were advance polyp (> 1 cm, villous type, high grade dysplasia). 87 (34%) of Advance polyps were in under 50 year patients and 149 (58.6%) were right sided., Conclusion: This study has shown that a significant number of adenomas and carcinomas lie proximal to the splenic flexure. Thus, in the absence of left-sided lesions, it is expected that examination of the colon limited to the splenic flexure would miss 44% of such lesions. The increasing right-sided prevalence of these lesions with age suggests that evaluation of the proximal bowel is particularly important in older people. In addition there were higher stages of dysplasia and malignancy in larger polyps.

The stereochemistry of the hydrogen transfer to NAD catalyzed by ribitol dehydrogenase (ribitol:NAD 2-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.56) from Klebsiella pneumoniae and D-mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-mannitol-1-phosphate:NAD 2-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.17) from Escherichia coli was investigated. [4-3H]NAD was enzymatically reduced with nonlabelled ribitol in the presence of ribitol dehydrogenase and with nonlabelled D-mannitol 1-phosphate and D-mannitol 1-phosphate dehydrogenase, respectively. In both cases the [4-3H]-NADH produced was isolated and the chirality at the C-4 position determined. It was found that after the transfer of hydride, the label was in both reactions exclusively confined to the (4R) position of the newly formed [4-3H]NADH. In order to explain these results, the hydrogen transferred from the nonlabelled substrates to [4-3H]NAD must have entered the (4S) position of the nicotinamide ring. These data indicate for both investigated inducible dehydrogenases a classification as B or (S) type enzymes. Ribitol also can be dehydrogenated by the constitutive A-type L-iditol dehydrogenase (L-iditol:NAD 5-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.14) from sheep liver. When L-iditol dehydrogenase utilizes ribitol as hydrogen donor, the same A-type classification for this oxidoreductase, as expected, holds true. For the first time, opposite chirality of hydrogen transfer to NAD in one organic reaction--ribitol + NAD = D-ribu + NADH + H--is observed when two different dehydrogenases, the inducible ribitol dehydrogenase from K. pneumoniae and the constitutive L-iditol dehydrogenase from sheep liver, are used as enzymes. This result contradicts the previous generalization that the chirality of hydrogen transfer to the coenzyme for the same reaction is independent of the source of the catalyzing enzyme.

The preparation of (R) and (S) [2(-3)H]lactate as well as (S) [2(-3)H] glutamate via the coupled exchange reaction catalyzed by NAD linked dehydrogenases and NADH: lipoamide oxidoreductase (diaphorase) is described. The specific radioactivity of the hydrogen ions of the 3HOH/H2O can be obtained in the substrates (100% exchange) if equilibrium isotope effects are disregarded. By the exchange procedure substrates with higher specific radioactivity are obtained from positionally [3H]labeled racemic mixtures prepared by chemical reductions with [3H]labeled hydrides. The tritium content of one of the enantiomeres is "washed out" into water. As examples are presented the preparation of (R) [2-3H] (S) [2-H]malate as well as the corresponding carnitine, glutamate and (R) and (S) lactate.

Chirality, Hydrogen Transfer, myo-Inositol Dehydrogenase. The chirality of the hydrogen transfer to NAD catalyzed by myo-inositol dehydrogenase (myo-Inositol: NAD 2-oxydoreductase, EC 1.1.1.18) from Klebsiella pneumoniae (formerly classified taxonomically as Aerobacter aerogenes or Kleb siella aerogenes) was investigated. [4-3H] NAD was enzymatically reduced to [4-3H] NADH with non-labeled myoinositol and myo-inositol dehydrogenase. The stereochemistry of the prochiral center at C4 of the NADH produced was determined. It was found that the label was exclusively located at the (4S) position of the produced NADH. Since the hydrogen transferred from non-labeled myo-inositol to [4-3H] NAD must have entered the opposite of (R) position, myo-inositol dehydrogenase from K. pneumoniae should be classified as an (R) or A-type enzyme with respect to the stereochemistry of the hydrogen transfer to NAD.

The stereochemistry of the hydrogen transfer to NAD catalyzed by D-galactose dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.48) from P. fluorescens was investigated. The label at C-1 of D-[1--3H] galactose was enzymatically transferred to NAD and the resulting [4--3H]NADH was isolated and its stereochemistry at C-4 investigated. It was found that the label was exclusively located at the 4(S) position in NADH which calls for classification as a B-enzyme. This result was confirmed by an alternate approach in which [4--3H]NAD was reduced by D-galactose as catalyzed by D-galactose dehydrogenase. The sterochemistry at C-4 of the nicotinamide ring would then have to opposite to that in the first experiment. As expected, the label was now exclusively located in the 4(R) position, again confirming the B-calssification of the enzyme.

An isotope effect of the dehydrogenation of (R) Carnitine [(R) 3-hydroxy-4-trimethylaminobutyric acid hydrochloride] catalyzed by (R) carnitine dehydrogenase [(R) carnitine: NAD oxidoreductase E.C. 1.1.1.108] from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was measured at different temperatures. It was found that k1H/k3H does not vary greatly with changes of temperature. The value of 3 for k1H/k3H measured at small initial conversions strongly indicated that the rate limiting step of the oxidation of (R) carnitine is the cleavage of the C-H bond at C3.

The chirality of the hydrogen transfer from (3R) hydroxybutyrate to NAD catalyzed by (3R)hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.30, D-3-hydroxybutyrate : NAD oxidoreductase) from Pseudomonas lemoignei was investigated. [4(-3)H] NAD was enzymatically reduced to (4R) [4(-3)H]NADH with (3RS) hydroxybutyrate. This observation was confirmed since NAD could be reduced to (4S) [4(-3)H] NADH with (3RS) [3(-3)H] hydroxybutyrate and (3R) hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. From these experiments it can be concluded that (3R) hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from P. lemoignei should be classified as an B or (S) type dehydrogenase.

The stereochemistry of the hydrogen transfer to NAD catalyzed by (S)alanine dehydrogenase [ (S)alanine: NAD oxidoreductase (EC 1.4.1.1) ] from B. subtilis was investigated. The label at C-2 of (S) [2,3--3H] alanine was enzymatically transferred to NAD, and the [4--3H]NADH produced isolated and the stereochemistry at C-4 investigated. It was found that the label was exclusively located at the (R) position which indicates that (S)alanine dehydrogenase is an A-type enzyme. This result was confirmed in an alternate way by reducing enzymatically [4--3H]NAD with non labeled (S)alanine and (S)alanine dehydrogenase and investigating the stereochemistry of the ]4--3H]NADH produced. As expected, the label was now exclusively located at the (S) position. This proves that (S)alanine dehydrogenase isolated from B. subtilis should be classified as an A-enzyme with regard to the stereochemistry of the hydrogen transfer to NAD.