Pro-renin Receptor (PRR) as a Target to Reduce Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Post Liver Transplantation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the main causes of chronic liver disorders following liver transplantation. The prorenin receptor (PRR) plays a role in glucose and lipid metabolism, and the hepatic dysregulation of PRR is associated with the upregulation of several molecular pathways, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) that promotes hepatic lipogenesis and leads to lipid accumulation in hepatocytes by upregulation of lipogenic genes. PRR inhibition leads to a reduction in the hepatic expression of sortilin-1 and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) levels and down-regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and reduces fatty acids synthesis in hepatocytes.

Retrospective chart review of venous thromboembolism incidence and management in rural patients undergoing varicose vein treatment.

Purpose: Determine the rate of incidence, risk factors, and management for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) for varicose veins.

Methods: All charts of patients undergoing venous ablation from 2016 to 2023 were reviewed at a rural vein treatment clinic. The incidence of VTE was noted and a chart review was completed to identify risk factors for VTE, EHIT score, EFIT score, and management.

Socio-cultural erosion and the mental health crisis in Iranian youth: Root causes, challenges, and culturally aligned interventions.

This review, in light of the Socio-Cultural Erosion Theory, addresses the alarming deterioration in mental health among Iranian youth. According to this theory, rapid socio-cultural changes, economic instability, and pervasive influences of digital media create a drift between traditional values and modern expectations that are detrimental to mental health. The major risk factors identified in order of significance were, in descending order, economic hardship, academic stress, cultural pressures, and digital exposure.

The relationship of macular vessel density and foveal avascular zone with pulse wave velocity and central blood pressure in healthy adults: Persian cohort study.

Background: To evaluate the correlation of macular vessel density (VD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters measured on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) with systemic arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse wave analysis, arterial age, and central blood pressure (CBP) measurements in healthy subjects.

Methods: In a comparative, cross-sectional, observational study, healthy adults who participated in the PERSIAN Cohort study at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were included in this study. The study involved using a spectral domain OCTA device to obtain 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 mm scans of the macular superficial capillary plexus (SCP) VD, deep capillary plexus (DCP) VD, and FAZ vascular analysis.

Modulation of the endocannabinoid system by (S)-ketamine in an animal model of depression.

Ketamine (KET) is recognized as rapid-acting antidepressant, but its mechanisms of action remain elusive. Considering the role of endocannabinoids (eCB) in stress and depression, we investigated if S-KET antidepressant effects involve the regulation of the eCB system using an established rat model of depression based on selective breeding: the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) and their controls, the Flinders Resistant Line (FRL). S-KET (15 mg/kg) effects were assessed in rats exposed to the open field and forced swimming test (FST), followed by analysis of the eCB signaling in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region involved in depression neurobiology.

Translating ophthalmic medical jargon with artificial intelligence: a comparative comprehension study.

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of OpenAI's ChatGPT-4.0 large language model (LLM) in translating technical ophthalmology terminology into more comprehensible language for allied health care professionals and compare it with other LLMs.

Design: Observational cross-sectional study.

Predictive utility of artificial intelligence on schizophrenia treatment outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Identifying optimal treatment approaches for schizophrenia is challenging due to varying symptomatology and treatment responses. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows promise in predicting outcomes, prompting this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate various AI models' predictive utilities in schizophrenia treatment. A systematic search was conducted, and the risk of bias was evaluated.

NF-kappa B signaling pathway is associated with metformin resistance in type 2 diabetes patients.

Introduction: Metformin is an essential medicine that is most widely prescribed frontline for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metformin upgraded glycemic control in T2D patients without hypoglycemic effects in patients. This assessment aims to understand molecular mechanism mechanisms in non-responder patients to metformin.

Multimodal imaging findings of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome in COVID-19 patients.

Purpose: To describe the multimodal imaging findings of a rare case of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) associated with COVID-19.

Methods: A case report was analyzed and described alongside COVID-19 associated MEWDS cases identified in the current literature.

Results: A healthy 20-year-old man was evaluated after a three-day history of blurry vision occurring two months after COVID-19 infection.

A novel personalized homogenous finite element model to predict the pull-out strength of cancellous bone screws.

Background: Orthopedic surgeries often involve the insertion of bone screws for various fixation systems. The risk of postoperative screw loosening is usually assessed through experimental or finite element (FE) evaluations of the screw pull-out strength. FE simulations are based on either personalized complex but accurate heterogeneous modeling or non-personalized simple but relatively less accurate homogeneous modeling.

Effect of a back-support exoskeleton on internal forces and lumbar spine stability during low load lifting task.

This study assessed the effect of a small-torque generating passive back-support exoskeleton during a low demanding occupational task, namely a repetitive lifting/lowering of an empty crate between the knee and shoulder heights. A comprehensive set of outcomes was considered, ranging from the measured trunk muscle activation and trunk movement to the estimated muscle group forces/coordination, spine loading and spine stability, using a dynamic subject-specific EMG-assisted musculoskeletal model. The exoskeleton decreased back muscle activation and corresponding muscle forces in the lowering phase and reduced spinal loading at larger trunk flexion angles (decreased peak compression and shear forces by ∼ 15%).

Molecular Mechanism Analysis of Intensive Light-Induced Retinal Damages.

The retina is a light-sensitive tissue, and intensive light exposure leads to light-induced retinal damage. It is pointed out that photoreceptor damage is responsible for the decrease in retina function. The aim of this study was to detect the main genes and biological terms which are involved in retinal response to intensive light exposure.

Investigating the link between coronary artery calcification and atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Both coronary artery calcification (CAC) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with common risk factors, such as age, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Investigating their association may provide insights into shared pathophysiological mechanisms and overlapping risk profiles.

Methods: A systematically search was performed covering various data bases including PubMed, Scopus, ISI, and Google Scholar from January 2000 until December 2023 for English-published articles.

Effect of pedicle screw misplacement on the pull-out strength using personalized finite element modeling.

Intraoperative misplacement of vertebral pedicle screws is prevalent. While a pedicle screw misplacement of up to 4 mm is often considered safe by clinical standards, this may reduce the pull-out strength thereby increasing the risk of postoperative screw loosening. This study aimed to compare the pull-out strength of ideally-placed and misplaced pedicle screws via personalized finite element (FE) modeling simulations.

Exploring the potential link between ΔFosB and -acetylcysteine in craving/relapse dynamics: can -acetylcysteine stand out as a possible treatment candidate?

From a neuroscientific point of view, one of the unique archetypes of substance use disorders is its road to relapse, in which the reward system plays a crucial role. Studies on the neurobiology of substance use disorders have highlighted the central role of a protein belonging to the Fos family of transcription factors, ΔFosB. Relying on the roles ΔFosB plays in the pathophysiology of substance use disorders, we endeavour to present some evidence demonstrating that -acetylcysteine, a low-cost and well-tolerated over-the-counter medicine, may influence the downstream pathway of ΔFosB, thereby serving as a treatment strategy to mitigate the risk of relapse in cases of substance use.

Multimodal Imaging of Unilateral Benign Yellow Dot Maculopathy.

To describe the multimodal imaging findings associated with benign yellow dot maculopathy. A case report was analyzed. A healthy 42-year-old White man was evaluated after several weeks of photopsias and an inferior retinal tear in the right eye.

Stage analysis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via network analysis.

Aim: This study aimed to introduce a biomarker panel to detect pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in the early stage, and also differentiate of stages from each other.

Background: PDAC is a lethal cancer with poor prognosis and overall survival.

Methods: Gene expression profiles of PDAC patients were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

Characterizing graphene oxide waste stream and assessing its impact on anaerobic co-digestion with municipal sludge.

This study evaluated anaerobic co-digestion as a promising strategy for managing organic-contaminated waste streams generated from nanomaterial synthesis. The novel approach enabled precise quantification of organic content, efficient biomethane recovery, and a sustainable redirection of ethanol-contaminated graphene oxide (GO) dispersions. The proposed method achieved high accuracy (93-97%) in detecting organic content in ethanol-contaminated GO dispersions, significantly outperforming the conventional total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) method, which only reached 75-77% accuracy.