Background: Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are of functional non coding RNAs which have been shown to be involved in several important pathways in cancer development and progression. Among them is Hox transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) whose overexpression has been detected in several cancer types. In addition, its functional polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with breast cancer risk in certain populations. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of three HOTAIR polymorphisms (rs12826786, rs1899663 and rs4759314) and their haplotypes on breast cancer risk in a sample of Iranian population. Methods: This study is a case-control study which consisted of 122 unrelated breast cancer patients from Hamadan University hospital and 200 normal females who were referred to a routine health survey in 2015. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples of all participants using the standard salting out method. Tetra-primer ARMS-PCR method was used for analyses of rs12826786, rs1899663, and rs4759314 genotypes. Comparison of genotype and allele frequency between the breast cancer patients and the control group was performed using Pearson chi-square test considering odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for calculation of the relative risk. Haplotype frequencies for HOTAIR were calculated using SNPStats online program. Results: No significant difference has been found in allele and genotype frequencies of polymorphisms between case and control groups. Furthermore, no specific HOTAIR haplotype was shown to be associated with breast cancer risk in the analyzed population. Conclusions: These polymorphisms do not seem to be associated with breast cancer risk in this population. However, further research is needed to evaluate the results of the present study in larger patient samples.

Background: Confirmed evidences on superiority of subcuticular suturing compared to interrupted suturing method, in terms of postoperative complications such as wound infection, size of scar, or abscess formation is few. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare absorbable subcuticular suturing supported with Steri-Strips™ to interrupted nonabsorbable suturing method after appendectomy. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, seventy patients with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis at Besat hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran in the year 2016 were enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned into two groups. In the case group (n = 35), the wound suturing was done using subcuticular suturing supported by Steri-Strips™ and in the control group (n = 35), suturing was performed using interrupted mattress suture. All patients were visited at postoperative day one, seven, thirty and ninety. Results: The width of the scar and the mean of severity of pain score at postoperative day seven in the case group were significantly

Magnetic and conducting polyaniline (PAn)/Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared in the aqueous solution by using sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBSNa) as a surfactant. The chemical structure and surface morphology of PAn/Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The conductivity of the composites was measured as a function of the Fe 3O4 content of the reaction solution. The magnetic properties of the resulting composites showed superparamagnetic behavior, such as saturated magnetization ( Ms = 1.8 emu g- 1), remnant magnetization ( Mr = 0), and coercive force ( Hc = 0). The nanometer size (about 14 nm) Fe3O4 in the composites causes of the superparamagnetic behavior of the product.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate, sesame oil, honey, and silver nanoparticles in preventing postoperative surgical adhesion formation. An experimental study 1 AbstractPurpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate, sesame oil, honey, and silver nanoparticles in preventing of postoperative surgical adhesion formation. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five groups with eight rats in each group including control, hyaluronate, sesame, honey and silver groups. After two weeks the animals underwent laparotomy and were evaluated by two different blinded surgeons for severity of adhesions based on the two different classification scoring systems including Nair classification and cumulative adhesion scoring scale. Results:The scores of severity of adhesions in the hyaluronate and sesame groups were significantly lower than the control group based on the Nair classification (both P-values = 0.02), however based on the cumulative adhesion scoring scale just the score of severity of adhesions in the hyaluronate group was significantly lower than the control group (P-value = 0.02). In the hyaluronate group the severity of adhesions was decreased by 48% based on the cumulative adhesion scoring scale. Conclusions: Sodium hyaluronate and sesame oil may have a significant effect in preventing postoperative surgical adhesion formation.

Nanocomposites of polyaniline (PAn) containing nanometer-size Fe 2 O 3 and CoO were synthesized by a chemical method using sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBSNa) as a surfactant. Characteristics of the products such as morphology, particle size, and conductivity were studied. The results indicated that these properties were dependent on the surfactant and the type and content of metallic oxide used. When the concentration of Fe 2 O 3 and CoO increased from 1 to 5 g/L in the PAn-DBSNa/Fe 2 O 3 and PAn-DBSNa/CoO composites, the conductivity decreased from 1.3 3 10 24 to 5.1 3 10 25 and from 1.4 3 10 24 to 5.1 3 10 25 S/cm, respectively, while the particle size increased from 92 to 103 and from 104 to 117 nm, respectively.