Although repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in treatment of stroke in humans has been explored over the past decade the data remain controversial in terms of optimal stimulation parameters and the mechanisms of rTMS long-term effects. This study aimed to explore the potential of different rTMS protocols to induce changes in gene expression in rat cortices after acute ischemic-reperfusion brain injury. The stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with subsequent reperfusion. Changes in the expression of 96 genes were examined using low-density expression arrays after MCAO alone and after MCAO combined with 1Hz, 5Hz, continuous (cTBS) and intermittent (iTBS) theta-burst rTMS. rTMS over the lesioned hemisphere was given for two weeks (with a 2-day pause) in a single daily session and a total of 2400 pulses. MCAO alone induced significant upregulation in the expression of 44 genes and downregulation in 10. Two weeks of iTBS induced significant increase in the expression of 52 genes. There were no downregulated genes. 1Hz and 5Hz had no significant effects on gene expression, while cTBS effects were negligible. Upregulated genes included those involved in angiogenesis, inflammation, injury response and cellular repair, structural remodeling, neuroprotection, neurotransmission and neuronal plasticity. The results show that long-term rTMS in acute ischemic-reperfusion brain injury induces complex changes in gene expression that span multiple pathways, which generally promote the recovery. They also demonstrate that induced changes primarily depend on the rTMS frequency (1Hz and 5Hz vs. iTBS) and pattern (cTBS vs. iTBS). The results further underlines the premise that one of the benefits of rTMS application in stroke may be to prime the brain, enhancing its potential to cope with the injury and to rewire. This could further augment its potential to favorably respond to rehabilitation, and to restore some of the loss functions.

Stabilizers are important component in manufactured products such as yoghurt. The addition of stabilizers improves body, texture, appearance, mouth feel and prevents technical defects such as synersis in yoghurts. In this study starch was extracted from plant sources (sweet potato, taro) with and without use of chemicals. Yoghurt was enriched with different levels of extracted starch. Yoghurt samples were analyzed for physicochemical and functional attributes such as pH, acidity, synersis, water holding capacity, viscosity, total solids and sensory profile. Use of chemically extracted starches at the level of 0.3-0.4% (Sweet potato) and 0.2-0.3% (Taro)   in yoghurt manufacturing showed better  results  in  terms  of  lowering synersis, increasing water holding capacity, viscosity and overall acceptability as compared to the yoghurt containing stabilizer i.e. gelatin 0.5% w/w. Use of starches did not significantly affect the sensory attributes. Yoghurt that contains sweet potato and taro starch at 0.5% gave excellent results for water holding capacity, viscosity and for all sensory attributes as compared to gelatin

Context: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a new public health crisis, posing a great threat to the people all around the world. We aimed to review the articles on COVID-19 in pediatric population to help physicians and other healthcare workers understand the importance of detecting silent disease carriers in this age group and stop further transmission to other healthy individuals and manage symptomatic patients based on the latest recommendations. Methods: We searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Medline and reviewed 70 articles from December 2019 to mid-July 2020. Relevant articles about COVID-19 in children were included. Results: According to the latest reports, 1% - 5% of infected patients were under 19 years old. Death in this age group was rare but it can occur in children with severe disease. The overall course of disease -mainly pulmonary involvement- of the infected children tend to be milder than adults. This may be related to both host factors and exposure. The lab tests and computed tomography (CT) scan findings are nonspecific and milder compared to those in older ages. The cornerstone of COVID-19 management in pediatric group is supportive care. Of note, there is not any approved specific drug for treatment of children affected by COVID-19. Conclusions: COVID-19 disease characteristics in children are not yet fully established, which poses a significant problem for pediatric medical specialists. It should be considered that most children are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Critical cases, although uncommon, can occur especially in children with underlying diseases.

Background: Hospital-acquired infection is one of the main concerns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), leading to increased mortality, hospital stay, and costs. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of hospital-acquired infection in NICUs. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted in the NICU of Ali Asghar Children Hospital for one year. All admitted newborns were sampled on a simple basis. The criteria for the diagnosis of hospital-acquired infection were based on the definitions of the CDC and the NNIS system. Risk factors such as days of fully catheters usage, nurse-to-patient ratio, history of surgery, prematurity, and mechanical ventilation were considered as variables. The data collection tools consisted of a patient information questionnaire, the monthly report of the hospital infection control committee based on the NNIS system, a daily schedule of all risk factors for each infant, and the monthly nurse-to-patient ratio in the NICU. The STATA software was used for data analysis. Results: In our study, 654 newborns were enrolled. The rate of hospital-acquired infections was 13.5%. Moreover, 80.7% of the cases exhibited sepsis (72.7% diagnosed based on clinical findings and 8% based on positive blood culture). Statistical analysis showed 9% pneumonia cases, 8% surgical site infection cases, and 2.3% urinary tract infection cases. The average time to the occurrence of hospital-acquired infection was 13.5 days after admission. All risk factors were significantly higher in the infected group than in the control group (P = 0.0001). Furthermore, surgical interventions were significantly more in the infected group than in the non-infected group (34.1% vs. 6.7%, respectively, P = 0.0001). The prevalence rates in different weight ranges (less than 1000 g, 1001 to 1500 g, 1501 to 2500, and above 2501 g) were 2.6%, 6.9%, 21.4%, and 69.1%, respectively, in the infected group, which were significantly different from those of the non-infected group (P = 0.0001). The most common etiologic microorganism was Acinetobacter baumannii. Conclusions: Factors such as surgery, the presence of a central venous catheter, and the increased length of hospital stay significantly increased the hospital-acquired infections. Reducing invasive procedures, maintenance of full catheters, and providing optimal nursing care can help control hospital-acquired infections.

A pilot study was done to assess whether synbiotics supplementation could optimize anthropometric indices in Iranian obese children. Participants included 46 overweight or obese children 7 to 13 years of age. The treatment group had a restricted diet, physical activity plan, and a synbiotics capsule per day for 12 weeks. The placebo group received a similar diet, activity plan, and placebo capsules. Body fat and z scores for body mass index showed significant reductions in both groups; however, waist circumference decreased significantly only in the synbiotics group. Between-group comparisons showed no significant differences in any variable. Our findings showed that synbiotics can improve the benefits of lifestyle modifications by decreasing waist circumference in overweight or obese children.