Methods: In this systematic review, we systematically searched the international databases including PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus for scientifically related papers which have been published up until January 2018. For a more refined search, we used the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and Emtree. In terms of search protocol, no restrictions were placed on time and language. Two independent reviewers conducted the data refining processes. Validated form (PRISMA) was used to conduct quality assessment and data extraction.
Results: Eight cross sectional studies have been included in this review. Two of the studies were conducted in Asia and the remaining six studies were largely based in the United States and Canada. Food insecurity was associated with low levels of vitamin and mineral intakes such as vitamins E, A, B, and D and also zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Most studies also reported insufficient energy, and micro and macronutrients intake among elderly people.
Conclusions: The findings of this review evidence a considerable amount of food insecurity and nutrient deficiency, including vitamins E, C, D, B 2, and B 12 and zinc, phosphorus, and calcium among elderly population. These findings could be used as reliable evidence by policy makers and future complementary analyses.
Methods: Databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Magiran, SID, IranDoc, and IranMedex were evaluated systematically using the terms "HHI," "psychometric," "validity," "reliability," and related terms (with the use of OR and AND operators) and no restrictions on the year of publication. A total of 13 eligible studies were found published between 1992 and 2018 in the USA, Portugal, Switzerland, Iran, Germany, Petersburg, Japan, the Netherlands, Lima, Peru, and Norway. The methodology used in the available studies included principal component analysis (n = 6), maximum likelihood estimation (n = 5), and principal axis factoring (n = 1). One study did not point the methodology.
Results: Four studies reported the total extracted variances to be less than 50%, six studies reported variance between 50% and 60%, and three papers reported variance that exceeded 60%. Of the papers that examined the factor structure of the HHI, two studies reported a one-factor solution, seven reported two factors, and four reported a three-factor solution. Although the HHI is the most widely translated and psychometrically tested tool in languages other than English, psychometric variations in factor solutions remain inconsistent.
Conclusion: Findings highlight the need for future research that appraises the validity of the HHI in different countries, and how the measure relates to other scales that evaluate hope.
AIM OF THE STUDY: This review is an attempt to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of Polyalthia species by giving critical appraisal and establishing evidences of their traditional uses. Moreover this review will highlight the lead compounds for future drug development that can serve as a potential anti-inflammatory drug with comparative efficacy and minimum side effects.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive literature review, focusing the anti-inflammatory potential of Polyalthia species was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Ovid, Scopus and ProQuest, as well as the locally available books, journals and relevant documents. The reference lists of retrieved papers were also searched for additional studies.
RESULTS: The Polyalthia species have shown significant anti-inflammatory activity through various mechanism of action. The most significant anti-inflammatory mechanism includes the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), prostaglandins (PGs), pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The data suggests that hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide and 16-oxocleroda-3,13-dien-15-oic acid, quercetin, rutin, spinasterol, α-spinasterol, goniothalamin and (-)-5-hydroxygoniothalamin are the most potent anti-inflammatory compounds from Polyalthia species with comparable IC50 with positive controls.
CONCLUSIONS: Numerous pharmacological studies have supported the use of Polyalthia species against pain, rheumatic fever, haemorrhages and inflammation in traditional medicine. Flavonoids, diterpenoids, sterols and styrylpyrones from genus Polyalthia are the most significant class of compounds with potent anti-inflammatory activity. Secondary metabolites from these classes should be brought into further research to fill the gaps of knowledge in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, bioavailability, and toxicity in order to convert the pre-clinical results into clinical data for further investigation.
METHODS: Articles detailing potential applications of CRISPR/Cas9 in neurodegenerative settings were retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar with the keywords "CRISPR," "gene editing," and "neurodegenerative diseases." Relevant information was collected and critically reviewed.
RESULTS: The utility of CRISPR/Cas9 coupled with viral transduction ranges from the disruption of amyloid precursor protein (APP) production at a genomic level in Alzheimer's disease (AD) to the deletion of varying exon portions of the Dmd gene in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) which would increase dystrophin expression. This usage of CRISPR/Cas9 also extends to experimentally ameliorate the neurodegenerative effects caused by viral infections.
CONCLUSION: The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool is a powerful arsenal in the field of gene therapy and molecular medicine; hence, more research should be called to focus on the ample potential this tool has to offer in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
METHODS: Search for related literature on salted fish,
smoking and alcohol consumption were performed via Science Direct, PubMed databases and Google Scholar. Articles
included in this study were from 2009 to 2017, with specific focus on salted fish, smoking and alcohol consumption
as risk factors of NPC. This study excluded all articles published prior to 2009 and articles involving other cancers.
Data were extracted independently by two different researchers and harmonized. Meta-analysis was conducted on the
obtained data, by using R package Meta to create funnel and forest plots.
RESULTS: The meta-analysis revealed that
salted fish, smoking and alcohol consumption were significantly associated to NPC risk with random effect model score
showing OR of 1.41 at 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.13-1.75 (P<0.01), OR of 1.89 at 95 % CI of 1.49 - 2.38, and
OR: 1.42 at 95 % CI of 1.23 - 1.65 respectively. Our results also revealed significant association of salted meat, salted
vegetables, house type, wood dust exposure associated with NPC risk with p values less than 0.05.
CONCLUSION: This
study proposes that salted fish intake, smoking and alcohol consumption might be linked to NPC risk in Asians. Further
studies are necessary to ascertain the molecular mechanisms and clarify if the associated path that could function as
therapeutic target.
METHODS: The present meta-analysis was conducted between January 2000-August 2019. Articles related to the subject matter were obtained by searching Scopus, Sciencedirect, SID, magiran, Barakat Knowledge Network System, Medline (PubMed), and Google Scholar databases. The heterogeneity of the studies was evaluated using I2 index and the data were analyzed in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.
RESULTS: In a study of 3948 individuals aged 50-90 years, the overall prevalence of severe depression in Iranian older adult was 8.2% (95% CI, 4.14-6.3%) based on meta-analysis. Also, in order to investigate the effects of potential factors (sample size and year of study) on the heterogeneity of severe depression in Iranian older adult, meta-regression was used. It was reported that the prevalence of severe depression in Iranian older adult decreased with increasing sample size and increasing years of the study, which is significantly different (P
OBJECTIVE: To summarize current evidence from systematic reviews that has evaluated pharyngeal airway changes after mandibular setback with or without concomitant upper jaw osteotomies.
METHODOLOGY: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched with no restriction of language or date. Systematic reviews studying changes in pharyngeal airway dimensions and respiratory parameters after mandibular setback with or without concomitant upper jaw osteotomies have been identified, screened for eligibility, included and analyzed in this study.
RESULTS: Six systematic reviews have been included. While isolated mandibular setback osteotomies result in reduced oropharyngeal airway dimensions, the reduction is lesser in cases with concomitant upper jaw osteotomies. Only scarce evidence exists currently to what happens to naso- and hypo-pharyngeal airways. There is no evidence for post-surgical OSA, even though some studies reported reduced respiratory parameters after single-jaw mandibular setback with or without concomitant upper jaw osteotomies.
CONCLUSION: Although mandibular setback osteotomies reduce pharyngeal airway dimensions, evidence confirming post-surgical OSA was not found. Nevertheless, potential post-surgical OSA should be taken into serious consideration during the treatment planning of particular orthognathic cases. As moderate evidence exists that double-jaw surgeries lead to less compromised post-surgical pharyngeal airways, they should be considered as the method of choice especially in cases with severe dentoskeletal Class III deformity.
STUDY REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42016046484).