is one of the most common pathogens of humans and animals, where it frequently colonizes skin and mucosal membranes. It is of major clinical importance as a nosocomial pathogen and causative agent of a wide array of diseases. Multidrug-resistant strains have become increasingly prevalent and represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. For this reason, novel strategies to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens are urgently needed. Bacteriophage-derived enzymes, so-called endolysins, and other peptidoglycan hydrolases with the ability to disrupt cell walls represent possible alternatives to conventional antibiotics. These lytic enzymes confer a high degree of host specificity and could potentially replace or be utilized in combination with antibiotics, with the aim to specifically treat infections caused by Gram-positive drug-resistant bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant . LysK is one of the best-characterized endolysins with activity against multiple staphylococcal species. Various approaches to further enhance the antibacterial efficacy and applicability of endolysins have been demonstrated. These approaches include the construction of recombinant endolysin derivatives and the development of novel delivery strategies for various applications, such as the production of endolysins in lactic acid bacteria and their conjugation to nanoparticles. These novel strategies are a major focus of this review.

Cancers of the female reproductive system include ovarian, uterine, vaginal, cervical and vulvar cancers, which are termed gynecologic cancer. The emergence of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are believed to play a crucial role in several different biological processes, has made the regulation of gene expression more complex. Although the function of lncRNAs is still rather elusive, their broad involvement in the initiation and progression of various cancers is clear. They are also involved in the pathogenesis of cancers of the female reproductive system. LncRNAs play a critical physiological role in apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, migration and cell proliferation in these cancers. Different expression profiles of lncRNAs have been observed in various types of tumors compared with normal tissues and between malignant and benign tumors. These differential expression patterns may lead to the promotion or suppression of cancer development and tumorigenesis. In the current review, we present the lncRNAs that show a differential expression between cancerous and normal tissues in ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers, and highlight the associations between lncRNAs and some of the molecular pathways involved in these cancers.

BackgroundThis study was carried out to determine the effects of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids co- supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes (GDM) patients.MethodsThis randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 120 GDM women. Participants were randomly divided into four groups to receive: 1) 1000 mg omega-3 fatty acids containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) twice a day + vitamin D placebo (n = 30); 2) 50,000 IU vitamin D every 2 weeks + omega-3 fatty acids placebo (n = 30); 3) 50,000 IU vitamin D every 2 weeks + 1000 mg omega-3 fatty acids twice a day (n = 30) and 4) vitamin D placebo + omega-3 fatty acids placebo (n = 30) for 6 weeks.ResultsSubjects who received vitamin D plus omega-3 fatty acids supplements compared with vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and placebo had significantly decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (−2.0 ± 3.3 vs. -0.8 ± 4.4, −1.3 ± 2.4 and +0.9 ± 2.7 mg/L, respectively, P = 0.008), malondialdehyde (−0.5 ± 0.5 vs. −0.2 ± 0.5, −0.3 ± 0.9 and +0.5 ± 1.4 μmol/L, respectively, P < 0.001), and increased total antioxidant capacity (+92.1 ± 70.1 vs. +55.1 ± 123.6, +88.4 ± 95.2 and +1.0 ± 90.8 mmol/L, respectively, P = 0.001) and glutathione (+95.7 ± 86.7 vs. +23.0 ± 62.3, +30.0 ± 66.5 and −7.8 ± 126.5 μmol/L, respectively, P = 0.001). In addition, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids co-supplementation, compared with vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and placebo, resulted in lower incidences of newborns’ hyperbilirubinemiain (P = 0.037) and newborns’ hospitalization (P = 0.037).ConclusionOverall, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids co-supplementation for 6 weeks among GDM women had beneficial effects on some biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and pregnancy outcomes.

Introduction:Hopefulness is one of the most significant predictors of adaptation in hemodialysis patients, and plays a vital role in the recovery process. In contrast to hopefulness, depression is a frequent psychological reaction of the hemodialysis treatment with many negative consequences. The current research was designed to examine the effect of cognitive-existential treatment on the level of hopefulness and depression in hemodialysis patients.Materials & Methods:This quasi-experimental research included 22 female patients suffering from chronic kidney failure disease undergoing hemodialysis treatment for at least 3 months. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control conditions. The experimental group received a combination of treatment including some elements of “existentialism” philosophy and a “cognitive” approach designed for the Iranian population. The treatment protocol lasted for 12 sessions of 90 minutes twice per week prior to the entry of the patient to the dialysis session. Miller’s hope scale and BDI-II-21 were employed to collect the data. Statistical analysis was performed on the data using analysis of covariance by SPSS: 16 software.Results:The result of the analysis indicated that there was a significant improvement in hopefulness level and decrease in depression of the patients in the experiment condition (P<0.01).Conclusion:The result of analysis showed that cognitive-existential treatment resulted in the increase of hopefulness and decrease level of depression in the hemodialysis patients suffering from chronic kidney failure.

Introduction:Febrile seizure is among the most common convulsion disorders in children, which strikes 2% to 5% of children between 3 to 60 months of age. Some studies have reported that iron deficiency could be a risk factor for febrile seizure. The present study was conducted to compare the rate of iron deficiency anemia in febrile children with and without seizure.Materials and Methods:This case-control study evaluated 200 children aged 6-60 month in two 100 person groups (febrile seizure and febrile without convulsion) in Kashan. The CBC diff, serum iron and TIBC were done for all of participants. Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia based on mentioned tests.Results:No significant differences were found in two groups regarding to the age, gender, and the disease causing the fever. The presence of iron deficiency anemia was 45% in the convulsion group and 22% in the group with fever without convulsion. The Chi Square test indicated a significant difference between two groups.Conclusions:The findings suggest that a considerable percentage of children having febrile seizure suffer from iron-deficiency anemia and low serum iron. This means the low serum iron and presence of anemia can serve as a reinforcing factor for the febrile seizure in children.