Studies in Medical Sciences
Year:2023 | Volume:33 | Issue:10|Papers Count:6

Background & Aims: The overall goal of utilizing nanotubes in drug delivery is to treat a disease effectively with minimum side effects and control the drug release rate. With common methods of taking the medication, such as orally and intravenously, the drug is distributed throughout the body, and the whole body is affected by the drug, and adverse side effects occur. With the development of new methods of drug delivery, maximum effectiveness can be achieved without harming other tissues. In this research, considering the importance of Levodopa as the first line of treatment for Parkinson's disease, the interaction of this drug on boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) as a carrier and the possibility of forming a stable complex between them was investigated. Materials & Methods: In the present thermodynamic study, the adsorption of Levodopa on boron nitride nanotubes was investigated using density functional theory (DFT). B3LYP/6-31G(d) method and basis set was used to optimize the structure of nanoboron nitride and Levodopa drug. The interaction energy was calculated in order to determine the stability of drug adsorption on boron nitride nanotubes. Results: The amount of absorpted energy and enthalpy change were negative and so the absorption process was exothermic and thermodynamically favorable. The results of Natural Bonding Orbital (NBO) theory calculations showed that Levodopa has the role of electron donor and boronitride nanotube has the role of electron acceptor, which has changed the stability energy of the bonds in the nanotube. The same effect was also proved by molecular electrostatic potential. Analysis of the results obtained from the atom-in-molecule theory (AIM) revealed the partial covalent nature of the levodopananotube complex. Conclusion: The results of the study of adsorption energy, thermodynamic functions, structural parameters, AIM parameters, and NBO analysis showed that the drug absorption process was favorable and considering the possibility of forming a stable complex, bornitride nanotubes are expected to be suitable carriers for delivering Levodopa to target cells.

Background & Aim: People with diabetes are potentially threatened by other factors such as negative emotions, nervous system defects, and sensitivity to anxiety, which affects whether or not they are affected by diabetes-related wounds. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of brainbehavioral system on diabetic female patients exposed to psychological vulnerability with the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance. Materials & Methods: This research was applied in terms of purpose, and structural in terms of methods. The statistical population consisted of all women with diabetes in the specialized diabetes clinic of Karaj city, Iran in the first half of 2011, which 390 people were selected by purposive sampling method. To collect data, the questionnaires of Carver and White's behavioral brain systems, mental health questionnaire (SCL-25), Taylor and Cox's anxiety sensitivity, Watson, Clark and Telgen's positive and negative emotions, and Simmons and Gaher's distress tolerance were used. Regression equation tests were used to analyze the data. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18 and Amos 23 softwares. Results: The results showed that the variables of behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance have direct and significant effects on psychological vulnerability. Also, the indirect path of the effect of the brain-behavioral system through the mediation of anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance on psychological vulnerability was confirmed. In general, the research model was confirmed and the research variables had the ability to predict 69% of the psychological vulnerability variable. Conclusion: Considering the role of the behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions, and distress tolerance on mental vulnerability, it is necessary for therapists to develop programs to reduce the mental damage of the behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions, and distress tolerance in order to reduce psychological damage in these patients by changing these variables.

Background & Aim: Cancer is one of the serious health problems of today's societies, and extensive efforts are being made to deal with it. Nevertheless, in many cases, cancer cells can finally deal with the provided treatment solutions and even sometimes, with the emergence of resistance to chemotherapy, they can benefit from the treatments used for faster tumor growth. Currently, there are several specific CDK4/6 inhibitors such as Palbociclib, Ribociclib, Abemaciclib, and these specific inhibitors significantly reduce tumorigenesis, growth, and tumor invasion. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of Abemaciclib drug on the growth rate and ROS production in two cancer cell lines, A549 and AGS. Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, AGS (gastric cancer) and 549A (lung cancer) cell lines were cultured. Cell viability was measured by MTT test and oxygen free radical production rate by ROS test to check the sensitivity of Abemaciclib drug in doses of 1, 2. 5, 5, 10, 20 μ, M in specified cell lines. The data was analyzed with Graph Pad Prism v.: 8 software and P<0. 05 was considered as a significant level. Results: The findings of this study show that Abemaciclib can be used as a therapeutic agent in these two cancers, because with the increase in drug concentration, the growth of the target cancer cells decreased. Discussion: The results obtained from this study showed that Abemaciclib significantly reduced cell survival and proliferation in (549A) and (AGS) cell lines compared to the control at doses of 10 and 20 μ, M. More laboratory and animal studies are needed to investigate the exact molecular and clinical processes of Abemaciclib.

Background & Aims: The prevalence of chronic ankle joint pains among different sports disciplines causes changes in plantar pressure parameters, which is a scale to show the risk factor of more injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of the rehabilitation protocol of proprioceptive exercises and ultrasound waves on the amount of plantar pressure distribution in young male athletes Materials & Methods: This experimental research was conducted on 20 active young men with chronic ankle pain. After the initial screening and identification of qualified futsal players from East Azarbaijan province league, the athletes were divided into two experimental (n=10) and control (n=10) groups using the VAS form. The changes in the indices of the center of pressure in the static state and the pressure percentage of the sole of the foot in the dynamic state were determined using a force scanner before and after three weeks of therapeutic interventions from the subjects. For statistical analysis, after using the Shapiro-Wilk test to normalize the data, dependent t-tests and independent t-tests were used at a significance level of 0. 05%. Results: The results of statistical tests showed that the applied protocol had an effect It has a significant effect on the distribution of plantar pressure in active young male athletes with chronic ankle pain (P<0. 05). Conclusion: Considering the positive effect of proprioceptive exercises along with ultrasound waves in distribution of plantar pressure after applying the announced protocol, its inclusion in the rehabilitation programs of young men with chronic ankle pain is recommended.

Background & Aim: Low back pain refers to a pain felt in the lumbar and sacrum regions of the spine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of movement pattern exercises on plantar pressure variables in people with chronic low back pain during walking. Materials & Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design along with a control group. The study subjects, who were selected from the clients of the health and wellness center of Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran, were randomly divided into 10 people with chronic back pain (experimental group) and 10 people with back pain (control group). The subjects of the experimental group performed movement pattern exercises for 6 weeks, but the control group did not perform any exercises during this period of 6 weeks. Plantar pressure values were recorded during pre-test and post-test by foot scan device (sampling rate: 300 Hz). Two-way analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis of data. All analysis was done at significant level of 0. 05 with SPSS 22 software. Results: Results showed that the peak of the vertical component at the heel contact (p = 0. 009) and the vertical loading rate (p = 0. 013) in the experimental group during post-test was lower compared to the pre-test. Pairwise comparison showed that the peak force in the second metatarsal bone in the experimental group was lower in the post-test compared to the pre-test (p=0. 018).

Background & Aims: Numerous studies have reported conflicting results regarding the relationship between obsessive beliefs and cognitive variables. also obsessive beliefs are important factors in turning disturbing thoughts into obsessive thoughts. In this regard, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of fear of self in the relationship between insecure attachment styles and obsessive beliefs among students. Materials & Methods: The method of the present study was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of this research included all undergraduate students of Tehran Universities from August to October 2022. In this regards, 320 people were selected by cluster sampling and answered the questionnaires. After removing outlier data, 312 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The research tools included Obsessive Beliefs (OBG) questionnaire, Fear of Self (FSQ) questionnaire, and Experience in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire. Finally, the data was analysed by Pearson correlation method and structural equations using SPSS version 24 and AMOS version 22 software. Results: The goodness of fit index for the research model were significant and desirable and the model had a good fit. The results showed that the correlation coefficient of the total score of obsessive beliefs with fear of self and the total score of insecure attachment styles were 0. 42 and 0. 54, respectively, and there was a significant difference between them at P<0. 01. Furthermore, the indirect effect and the total effect of insecure attachment styles to obsessive beliefs was 0. 24 and 0. 33, respectively, and there was a significant difference between them (p<0. 01). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that insecure attachment styles and fear of self have important and influential roles on obsessive beliefs. The present study also identified relationships that may have important implications for the prevention and treatment of unacceptable thoughts in OCD patients as well as non-clinical people.