Showing papers by "Yunes Panahi published in 2020"

Real-state of autophagy signaling pathway in neurodegenerative disease; focus on multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: The occurrence of neurodegenerative disease is increasingly raised. From physiopathological aspect, the emergence of auto-reactive antibodies against the nervous system antigens contributes to de-myelination in Multiple sclerosis (MS). These features cause the nervous system dysfunction. The follow-up of molecular alterations could give us a real-state vision about intracellular status during pathological circumstances. In this review, we focus on the autophagic response during MS progression and further understand the relationship between autophagy and MS and its modulatory effect on the MS evolution. The authors reviewed studies published on the autophagy status in neurodegenerative disease and on the autophagy modulation in MS prognosis, diagnosis, and possible therapies. The inevitable role of autophagy was shown in the early-stage progression of MS. Due to critical role of autophagy in different stage of cell activity in nervous system, the distinct role of autophagy should not be neglected in the development, pathogenesis, and treatment of MS.

The clinical value of two combination regimens in the Management of Patients Suffering from Covid-19 pneumonia: a single centered, retrospective, observational study.

Abstract: There is no identified pharmacological therapy for COVID-19 patients, where potential therapeutic strategies are underway to determine effective therapy under such unprecedented pandemic Therefore, combination therapies may have the potential of alleviating the patient’s outcome This study aimed at comparing the efficacy of two different combination regimens in improving outcomes of patients infected by novel coronavirus (COVID-19) This is a single centered, retrospective, observational study of 60 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 positive inpatients (≥18 years old) at two wards of the Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran Patient’s data including clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded According to the drug regimen, the patients were divided into two groups; group I who received regimen I consisting azithromycin, prednisolone, naproxen, and lopinavir/ritonavir and group II who received regimen II including meropenem, levofloxacin, vancomycin, hydroxychloroquine, and oseltamivir The oxygen saturation (SpO2) and temperature were positively changed in patients receiving regimen I compared to regimen II (P = 0013 and P = 0012, respectively) The serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) changed positively in group I (P < 0001) Although there was a significant difference in platelets between both groups (7544 vs 5162, P < 0001), their change did not clinically differ between two groups The findings indicated a significant difference of the average length of stay in hospitals (ALOS) between two groups, where the patients under regimen I showed a shorter ALOS (697 vs 993, P = 0001) This study revealed the beneficial effect of the short-term use of low-dose prednisolone in combination with azithromycin, naproxen and lopinavir/ritonavir (regimen I), in decreasing ALOS compared to regimen II Since there is still lack of evidence for safety of this regimen, further investigation in our ongoing follow-up to deal with COVID-19 pneumonia is underway

Comparing the Therapeutic Effects of Aloe vera and Olive Oil Combination Cream versus Topical Betamethasone for Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Double-blind Clinical Trial.

Abstract: Objectives Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent and chronic, pruritic inflammatory skin condition that can influence all age groups. AD is associated with a poor health-related quality of life. This randomized clinical trial was performed to compare the effectiveness of Olivederma (combination of aloe vera and virgin olive oil) or betamethasone regarding disease severity, quality of life, serum IgE and eosinophil count. Methods Thirty-six AD patients were randomly allocated to topical Olivederma or betamethasone, and were followed for 6 weeks. Results Total SCORAD severity scores showed significant decrease in both groups, while it was more prominent in Olivederma group (64.5% improvement in Olivederma vs. 13.5% improvement in Betamethasone, p-value < 0.001). Quality of life (DLQI questionnaire) of AD patients was significantly improved after 6 weeks treatment with Betamethasone (22.3%, p < 0.001) and Olivederma (60.7%, p-value < 0.001). Olivederma group showed a significantly lower DLQI score in comparison with Betamethasone treated patients after 6 weeks of therapy (p < 0.001). Improvements in eosinophil count and serum IgE was observed. Conclusion In summary, this study shows that Olivederma is superior to topical Betamethasone after 6 weeks of therapy with regard to disease severity, quality of life and eosinophil count.

Designing a logistic network for hospital waste management: a benders decomposition algorithm

Abstract: Healthcare wastes are produced from all medical and therapeutic activities in hospitals and healthcare centres. Around 15-20% of these wastes are classified as infectious wastes that could be hazardous. Therefore, an effective approach is required for handling costs and environmental issues. In this paper, a bi-objective Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model is presented for logistics of infectious and non-infectious wastes. The proposed bi-objective model aims to minimize network costs and the risk of exposure to contamination. In this respect, a multi-stage network consisting of hospitals, recycling centres, treatment centres, disposal centres, mainly covering the location-routing problem, is considered. To deal with computational complexity of the proposed model, a Benders Decomposition Algorithm (BDA) has been employed. The researchers were faced with two important questions: (1) whether the proposed model can be applied to real-world scenarios or not, and (2) how efficient is the proposed algorithm in solving standard test problems and real-world cases. To answer these questions, the outputs of the BDA have been compared with the optimal solutions provided by the CPLEX software. The results imply that the BDA has been able to achieve optimal solutions in less computation times. Moreover, the proposed model and algorithm have been applied to a real-world study in Alborz Province of Iran. The outputs demonstrate that the proposed model and algorithm can yield applicable solutions for the case study which have been approved by experts. The proposed model can be extended by considering compatibility of wastes in storage.

A time to revisit the two oldest prandial anti-diabetes agents: acarbose and repaglinide.

Abstract: Compared with newer prandial anti-diabetes agents, repaglinide and acarbose are unique in being globally available in generic versions, being oral, and being the cheapest of all. The aim of this study was to compare their efficacy when used alone or in combination. In a randomized, double-blind, prospective study, 358 recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients, who on a combined therapy with metformin and insulin glargine had a fasting plasma glucose (FGP) of 10 mmol/L, were assigned to three groups of additional treatment with either repaglinide, acarbose, or repaglinide-plus-acarbose for 4 months. With intention-to-treat analysis, 63% of repaglinide group, 45.4 percent of acarbose group, and 75.7% of repaglinide-plus-acarbose group reached the primary endpoint of 2hPPG < 10 mmol/L while maintaining FPG < 7.2 mmol/L. Treatment adherence rate was 75.6% with repaglinide, 61.4% with acarbose, and 81.3% with repaglinide-plus-acarbose (p = 0.001). Among the groups, weight was significantly lower in acarbose group (p < 0.05). Twenty-one percent of repaglinide patients, 4.9% of acarbose subjects, and 10.3% of repaglinide-plus-acarbose cases reported at least one episode of hypoglycemia (p < 0.005). HbA1C and basal insulin requirement were significantly lower in repaglinide group (p = 0.004, p = 0.0002). Triglycerides were lowest in acarbose group (p = 0.005). Both acarbose and repaglinide were vastly effective in lowering postprandial hyperglycemia of recently diagnosed T2D. When combined, they were even more efficacious and the disease had a better outcome. Compared with newer peers, these two are particularly useful where and when cost consideration in diabetes treatment is a prime concern.

Nanotechnology and COVID-19: Potential Application for Treatment Sona Talaei, Hassan Mellatyar, Shiva Mohammadi, Yunes Panahi, Parisa Kianpour, Abolfazl Akbarzadeh, Nosratollah Zarghami

Abstract: The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) emerged in China at the end of 2019 and then spread worldwide, particularly to Italy, Spain, the USA, and Iran. Currently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a main public health issue. As of April 21, 2020, more than two million confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 170,000 deaths have been reported in 210 countries by WHO. The 2019-nCoV can be spread by direct contact or droplets between humans and shows great potential for a pandemic. At present, there is no particular antiviral therapy for 2019-nCoV-infected persons. However, a wide range of therapeutic agents are being examined. The capabilities inherent to nanotechnology hold a large guarantee in presenting innovative approaches in the field of COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis, and cure. We in this article discuss how nanotechnology can improve the treatment of persons infected with the COVID-19 virus.