The use of phages for the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles and their biological applications: A review.

Nowadays, the use of biological methods of synthesis of nanoparticles as substitutes for methods that use high energy and consumption of expensive and dangerous materials is of interest to researchers all over the world. Biological methods of synthesising metal nanoparticles are very important because they are easy, affordable, safe, environmentally friendly and able to control the size and shape of nanoparticles. One of the methods that is of interest today is the use of bacteriophages as the most abundant organisms in nature in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Nanomaterials biosynthesized from phages have shown various clinical applications, including antimicrobial activities, biomedical sensors, drug and gene delivery systems, cancer treatment and tissue regeneration. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to investigate the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles with phages and their biomedical applications.

The effect of an educational program on illness uncertainty in mothers of children with type 1 diabetes: a quasi-experimental study.

The mother is traditionally the primary caregiver for the child, and uncertainty is a major source of psychological distress for parents of sick children. As a result, the current study sought to investigate the impact of an educational program on illness uncertainty in mothers of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design, involving 40 mothers of children with IDDM. After visiting the research site and recruiting eligible mothers, the researcher used the purposive sampling method to randomly assign them to one of two intervention and control groups. Taking into account their needs and conditions, mothers were scheduled for at least three sessions, with a 30-minute interval every other day. The data analysis revealed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of child age and gender, mother age and education level, number of children, and duration of diabetes. There was a significant difference in the total score of uncertainty, total score of ambiguity, lack of clarity, lack of information, unpredictability, and their dimensions between mothers of diabetic children before and after the intervention (P=0.02). Based on the findings, it is recommended that the educational needs of children and their mothers be assessed upon admission and that educational content be prepared and taught accordingly, thereby helping to reduce illness uncertainty in mothers.

Synthesized arsenic nanoparticles and their high potential in biomedical applications: A review.

Arsenic with the scientific name AS is an element that exists everywhere. It is the fourth among the abundant elements in water, the twelfth in the human body, and the twentieth in the earth's crust. This element exists in sulfide, carbonate, and elemental forms. Different names of arsenic are known as white arsenic (As2O3), yellow arsenic (As2S3), and red arsenic (As4S4). Nowadays, due to its unique properties, arsenic has received much attention from researchers for use in the synthesis of arsenic nanoparticles. According to various studies, arsenic nanoparticles are synthesized by various methods, including biological, physical, and chemical, and it has been shown that the synthetic method used is very important because it has a significant effect on their shape, size, and biological function. Arsenic nanoparticles are among the nanoparticles that have attracted the attention of researchers due to their particle potential as well as their anticancer, antitumor, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial applications. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate arsenic nanoparticles biosynthesized by different physical, biological, and chemical methods and their biomedical applications.

Biosynthesis of ZnO, Bi2O3 and ZnO-Bi2O3 bimetallic nanoparticles and their cytotoxic and antibacterial effects.

This work introduces an easy method for producing Bi2O3, ZnO, ZnO-Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) by Biebersteinia Multifida extract. Our products have been characterized through the outcomes which recorded with using powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD), Raman, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques. The finding of SEM presented porous structure and spherical morphology for Bi2O3 and ZnO NPs, respectively. While FE-SEM image of bimetallic nanoparticles showed both porous and spherical morphologies for them; so that spherical particles of ZnO have sat on the porous structure of Bi2O3 NPs. According to the PXRD results, the crystallite sizes of Bi2O3, ZnO and ZnO-Bi2O3 NPs have been obtained 57.69, 21.93, and 43.42 nm, respectively. Antibacterial performance of NPs has been studied on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, to distinguish the minimum microbial inhibitory concentration (MIC). Antimicrobial outcomes have showed a better effect for ZnO-Bi2O3 NPs. Besides, wondering about the cytotoxic action against cancer cell lines, the MTT results have verified the intense cytotoxic function versus breast cancer cells (MCF-7). According to these observations, obtained products can prosper medical and biological applications.

Engineered phage enzymes against drug-resistant pathogens: a review on advances and applications.

In recent decades, the expansion of multi and extensively drug-resistant (MDR and XDR) bacteria has reached an alarming rate, causing serious health concerns. Infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria have been associated with morbidity and mortality, making tackling bacterial resistance an urgent and unmet challenge that needs to be addressed properly. Endolysins are phage-encoded enzymes that can specifically degrade the bacterial cell wall and lead to bacterial death. There is remarkable evidence that corroborates the unique ability of endolysins to rapidly digest the peptidoglycan particular bonds externally without the assistance of phage. Thus, their modulation in therapeutic approaches has opened new options for therapeutic applications in the fight against bacterial infections in the human and veterinary sectors, as well as within the agricultural and biotechnology areas. The use of genetically engineered phage enzymes (EPE) promises to generate endolysin variants with unique properties for prophylactic and therapeutic applications. These approaches have gained momentum to accelerate basic as well as translational phage research and the potential development of therapeutics in the near future. This review will focus on the novel knowledge into EPE and demonstrate that EPE has far better performance than natural endolysins and phages in dealing with antibiotic-resistant infections. Therefore, it provides essential information for clinical trials involving EPE.

The therapeutic effect of engineered phage, derived protein and enzymes against superbug bacteria.

Defending against antibiotic-resistant infections is similar to fighting a war with limited ammunition. As the new century unfolded, antibiotic resistance became a significant concern. In spite of the fact that phage treatment has been used as an effective means of fighting infections for more than a century, researchers have had to overcome many challenges of superbug bacteria by manipulating phages and producing engineered enzymes. New enzymes and phages with enhanced properties have a significant impact on the ability to fight antibiotic-resistant infections, which is considered a window of hope for the future. This review, therefore, illustrates not only the challenges caused by antibiotic resistance and superbug bacteria but also the engineered enzymes and phages that are being developed to solve these issues. Our study found that engineered phages, phage proteins, and enzymes can be effective in treating superbug bacteria and destroying the biofilm caused by them. Combining these engineered compounds with other antimicrobial substances can increase their effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, engineered phages, proteins, and enzymes can be used as a substitute for antibiotics or in combination with antibiotics to treat patients with superbug infections in the future.

Perturbations in Microbiota Composition as a Novel Mediator in Neuropsychiatric, Neurological and Mental Disorders: Preventive and Therapeutic Complementary Therapies to Balance the Change.

Although microbiology and neurology are separate disciplines, they are linked to some infectious and neurological diseases. Today, microbiome is considered as one of the biomarkers of health by many researchers. This has led to the association of microbiome changes with many neurological diseases. The natural microbiota has many beneficial properties. If disrupted and altered, it can lead to irreversible complications and many neurological diseases. Therefore, according to previous studies, some preventive and therapeutic complementary therapies can prevent or restore microbiome dysbiosis and inflammation in the nervous system. With our current perception of the microbiological basis for different neurological disorders, both aspects of drug treatment and control of perturbations of the microbiome should be considered, and targeting them simultaneously will likely help to attain favorable results.

A review on immunoglobulin Y (IgY) conjugated with metal nanoparticles and biomedical uses.

Today, the use of nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention in biomedical investigations and applications. Antibody-nanoparticle conjugates have proven to be useful tools for raising accuracy and sensitivity in in vitro diagnostics. IgY antibodies have benefits over different antibodies in terms of minimizing animal harm, reducing reactivity with mammalian factors, and cost-effective extraction. Metal nanoparticles are widely used for various medical and biological applications and are potential candidates for identifying pathogens and treating them, which can be mostly related to their special properties, including their shape and size. Avian IgY antibodies conjugated with nanoparticles have been widely used for the detection of parasitic, viral, and bacterial infections as well as allergens and toxicological and pharmaceutical molecules. This review aimed to investigate avian antibodies conjugated with metal nanoparticles and their biological applications.

Plant-mediated synthesis of silver-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity against bacteria cause tooth decay.

In this research, silver-doped zinc oxide (SdZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized in an environmental-friendly manner. The synthesized NPs were identified by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, the antimicrobial activity of synthesized ZnO and SdZnO NPs was performed. It was observed that by doping silver, the size of ZnO NPs was changed. By adding silver to ZnO NPs, the antimicrobial effect of ZnO NPs was improved. Antibacterial test against gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus mutants showed that SdZnO NPs with a low density of silver had higher antibacterial activity than ZnO NPs; Therefore, SdZnO NPs can be used as a new antibacterial agent in medical applications. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Silver-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared using an eco-friendly synthesis method and their antimicrobial activity against bacteria causing tooth decay was studied.

Lived Experiences of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients About Death and Dying: A Descriptive Phenomenology.

Thinking about death is one of the most common problems of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of critically ill patients with COVID-19 about death and dying. This is a descriptive phenomenology approach. Participants in this study had 12 participants who were purposefully selected. The data collection method was semi-structured through interviews. Data were analyzed based on Colaizzi's approach. Data analysis generated two main themes, including personal, and non-personal; challenge thinking about death, and eight sub-themes. Thinking about the death of critically ill COVID-19 patients is a significant challenge that affects the patient's health and prolongs the treatment process. Therefore, it should be careful in the patient's treatment and care program.

Hypertension and Pre-Hypertension in Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A Meta-Analysis of Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control.

Hypertension (HTN) is one of the most important public health challenges, especially in developing countries. Despite individual studies, information on the exact prevalence of prehypertension (pre-HTN) and HTN in the Middle East and North Africa is lacking. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate prevalence of pre-HTN and HTN, awareness, treatment, and control in the Middle East and North Africa region. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched from inception to April 30, 2021. Keywords included hypertension, pre-hypertension, awareness, treatment, and control. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Hoy scale. A random-effects model was evaluated based on overall HTN. The heterogeneity of the preliminary studies was evaluated using the I2 test. A total of 147 studies involving 1,312,244 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Based on the results of the random-effects method (95% CI), the prevalence of pre-HTN and HTN were 30.6% (95% CI: 25.2, 36.0%; I2 = 99.9%), and 26.2% (95% CI: 24.6, 27.9%; I2 = 99.8%), respectively. The prevalence of HTN awareness was 51.3% (95% CI: 47.7, 54.8; I2 = 99.0%). The prevalence of HTN treatment was 47.0% (95% CI: 34.8, 59.2; I2 = 99.9%). The prevalence of HTN control among treated patients was 43.1% (95% CI: 38.3, 47.9; I2 = 99.3%). Considering the high prevalence of HTN, very low awareness, and poor HTN control in the region, more attention should be paid to preventive programs for HTN reduction.

Living Experiences with Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Assessing and providing interventions to improve the comfort status of the patients' needs to be a priority of nursing practice and further research. We did this study to explore the living experiences with maintenance HD among these patients. This qualitative study was conducted using a conventional content analysis approach on 12 HD patients from February 10, 2019 to July 30, 2019. The data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using Grenham and Landman approach. The main theme was "dialysis therapies with dual face." Three main categories were included: "Dual mood by dialysis," "Dual feelings with dialysis, " and "Relying on the family and health care workers." The results showed that patients' dependence on HD was accompanied by both good and bad moods and created dual emotions both positive and negative. Influenced by these feelings, these patients had shown a variety of reactions such as trying to adjust to life on HD, relying on supports and beliefs. In this study, a dual face was seen in HD in the eyes of these patients. Therefore, "dual face HD therapy" was identified as the essence of the experiences of HD patients. Health-care providers should try to eliminate the bad and unpleasant face of HD.

Green synthesis of bimetallic ZnO-CuO nanoparticles and their cytotoxicity properties.

In this study, a simple and green strategy was reported to prepare bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) by the combination of zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (CuO) using Sambucus nigra L. extract. The physicochemical properties of these NPs such as crystal structure, size, and morphology were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results suggested that these NPs contained polygonal ZnO NPs with hexagonal phase and spherical CuO NPs with monoclinic phase. The anticancer activity of the prepared bimetallic NPs was evaluated against lung and human melanoma cell lines based on MTT assay. As a result, the bimetallic ZnO/CuO NPs exhibited high toxicity on melanoma cancer cells while their toxicity on lung cancer cells was low.

Ketoacidosis as a primary manifestation of COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most important metabolic emergency in children. Children mimic many syndromes with a combination of nonspecific symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many syndromes are triggered by changes in children's body conditions. Reporting specific cases can improve the diagnosis process. The present study reports an 18-month-old paediatric case of COVID-19 who presented ketoacidosis (DKA) symptoms. CASE PRESENTATION: The case is an 18-month-old child with fever and diarrhoea from 3 days before, who did not respond to outpatient treatment. On the day of the visit, he suffered from deep and abdominal breathing and decreased level of consciousness and sugar levels at admission of 420 mg/dl. He was then admitted with the initial diagnosis of DKA and had a positive PCR test result for COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the non-specific symptoms of COVID-19, general practitioners and paediatricians are recommended that special attention be paid to these symptoms, especially those that are similar to life-threatening syndromes. They also should not easily ignore these symptoms and follow up patients and their recovery status and, if patients do not recover, consider the risk of COVID-19 given the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurses Experiences in the Burn Unit: A Qualitative Research.

BACKGROUND: Nurses form the largest group of burn care treatment team. They have valuable experiences regarding the care of burned patients that needs to be explored. Therefore, the present study was aimed to explain the experiences of nurses who work in the burn unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in the burn units of Zabol and Zahedan Hospitals in 2018. Accordingly, the data were collected through a semi-structured deep interview with 16 nurses. Purposeful sampling method was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The data analysis ultimately led to the development of 4 themes and 16 sub-themes. The extracted themes included burden of burn unit, toil of burn unit as a deal with God, need for continuing the education program, and work-life imbalance. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses in burn unit experience many challenges that can affect their job and life, which require special attention of the authorities, their families, and other colleagues. For better patient care, there is a need for up-to-date facilities and training. The hospital managers should pay more attention to the nursing staff of the burn units through increasing staff number, changing the working units, and offering financial and motivational vacations.

Experiences of Spouses of Women with Breast Cancer: A Content Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In addition to the affected person, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer also severely affects her husband. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the needs of husbands of women with breast cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explain the experiences of spouses of women with breast cancer. METHOD: The present study was a qualitative study with conventional content analysis approach. Purposive sampling was carried out by selecting 6 spouses of women with breast cancer. Data were collected through semi-structured interview. The recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was used to reduce and name the data, obtain analytical codes, and finally recognize the theme. RESULTS: Data analysis resulted in the extraction of 4 categories of couples' mental challenges, multifaceted romantic meditation, multifaceted traumas caused by the disease, dual energies (inductions) of relatives, and 12 subcategories. CONCLUSION: In spite of suffering from all the challenges and traumas, husbands of women with breast cancer have not left their wives alone and have done their best to improve their lives; so, we can raise ""Scarifying your life to save your wife's life"" as an extract from the experience of spouses of women with breast cancer. Knowing and understanding this point by clinical staffs and policy makers can provide pave the way for planning to provide comprehensive support to these men.

Lived Experiences of Iranian Cancer Patients After Survival: A Phenomenological Research.

BACKGROUND: There are significant issues in the treatment of cancer patients. Despite these issues, there is still room to explore unique lived experiences after survival. AIM: This study aimed to explore the experiences of cancer survivors after chemotherapy. METHOD: A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted in Zabol, Iran. A purposeful sample of 15 cancer survivors was selected to gather data using semistructured interviews. Colaizzi's method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Four themes were extracted from the interviews. These were altered body image, mood swings, uncertain and dark future, and choosing a solitary lifestyle. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients experience various physical, psychological, and social changes including stress, anger, nervousness, despair, worthlessness, depression, social isolation, and even the wish to die after chemotherapy.