First Report of HPV Genotyping and Distribution in People Living with and Without HIV from Iran and the Middle East.

Aims: In people living with human immune deficiency (PLHIV), the rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, mixed types, and high-risk (HR) strains increase, while the virus clearance is prevented. Here, we report HPV genotyping in PLHIVs from Iran and the Middle East region for the first time.

Methods: HPV genotyping in referring individuals from different provinces to our laboratory was evaluated over 2023-2024.

Klotho protein: A key modulator of aging and COVID-19 severity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn significant attention to factors affecting disease severity, especially in older adults. This study explores the relationship between Klotho, an anti-aging protein, and COVID-19 severity. Conducted at Tehran's Firouzgar Hospital, this case-control study involved 279 participants, assessing serum levels of Klotho, inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin 6 (IL-6)), and Vitamin D.

Development and characterization of silicone-based tissue phantoms for pulse oximeter performance testing.

Significance: Pulse oximeter measurements are commonly relied upon for managing patient care and thus often require human testing before they can be legally marketed. Recent clinical studies have also identified disparities in their measurement of blood oxygen saturation by race or skin pigmentation.

Aim: The development of a reliable bench-top performance test method based on tissue-simulating phantoms has the potential to facilitate pre-market assessment and the development of more accurate and equitable devices.

Association between lifetime endogenous estrogen exposure and body composition metrics in postmenopausal women: findings from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.

Background: The role of endogenous estrogen exposure (EEE) in shaping body composition and its implications for cardiometabolic health remain understudied despite its potential significance. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between EEE and body composition indices among postmenopausal women.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), including 960 women aged over 40 years.

Investigation of the Apoptotic and Antimetastatic Effects of Nano-Niosomes Containing the Plant Extract Anabasis setifera on HeLa: In Vitro Cervical Cancer Study.

The present study focuses on the preparation of niosomes containing an extract of Anabasis setifera and evaluates their efficacy in inhibiting the growth and proliferation of HeLa cells. Thin-layer hydration technique was used to prepare niosomes/extract nanoparticles (NPs). The physicochemical properties of the synthesized NPs were confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential analysis, and FTIR.

A new multi-epitope DNA vaccine against Helicobacter Pylori infection in a BALB/c mouse model.

Background: () is a pathogen that may invade the human stomach. This bacterial strain is now causing widespread concern and considerable health issues worldwide. In contrast to antibiotic treatment, which may lead to drug resistance, vaccination therapy is emerging as a possible immunotherapy option for .

The Effects of Thymoquinone Loaded in Alginate Scaffold on Bone Regeneration in Rabbit Mandible Defect.

Background: Thymoquinone (TQ) has some beneficial roles in bone repair. Local administration of the drugs by loading them into a scaffold leads to releasing higher concentrations of a drug in the appropriate position. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the local administration of TQ loaded in an alginate scaffold on bone regeneration in rabbit mandibular defect.

Secapin: a promising antimicrobial peptide against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Introduction: , renowned for its exceptional multidrug resistance and its role as a prevalent nosocomial pathogen, poses a formidable challenge to conventional antibiotic therapies. The primary objective of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of Secapin, an antimicrobial peptide, against multidrug-resistant (MDR) . Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying Secapin's antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were elucidated.

New insights into potential biomarkers and their roles in biological processes associated with hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis by hepatic RNA-seq-based transcriptome profiling.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of mortality due to liver cirrhosis globally. Despite the advances in recent therapeutic strategies, there is yet a high burden of HCV-related cirrhosis worldwide concerning low coverage of newly developed antiviral therapies, insufficient validity of the current diagnostic methods for cirrhosis, and incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis in this stage of liver disease. Hence we aimed to clarify the molecular events in HCV-related cirrhosis and identify a liver-specific gene signature to potentially improve diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.

Assessing seropositivity of MMR antibodies in individuals aged 2-22: evaluating routine vaccination effectiveness after the 2003 mass campaign-a study from Iran's National Measles Laboratory.

Background And Purpose: The seroprevalence of antibodies against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) was evaluated 17 years following a mass vaccination campaign in individuals aged 2 to 22 years who had received routine immunization but were not eligible for an extended immunization program.

Methods: Samples were acquired from Iran's National Measles Laboratory (NML), with individuals showing positive IgM results excluded. Out of the samples collected in 2020, a random selection of 290 serum samples was chosen, representing individuals between the ages of 2 and 22 years from diverse regions in the country.

Association between anti-mullerian hormone and metabolic syndrome: insights from a prospective community-based study.

Background: Limited studies have investigated the relationship between Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), yielding inconclusive results. This study aimed to examine the relationship between AMH levels and MetS and its components in women from a general population.

Methods: This prospective study recruited 769 women.

Endogenous estrogen exposure and hypertension risk; a population-based cohort study with about two decades of follow-up.

Content: The impact of endogenous estrogen exposure (EEE) on hypertension (HTN) incidence has not been investigated yet.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate HTN incidence in women with different endogenous estrogen durations.

Methods: Information was gathered from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) to conduct current research.

Tissue mimicking materials and finger phantom design for pulse oximetry.

Pulse oximetry represents a ubiquitous clinical application of optics in modern medicine. Recent studies have raised concerns regarding the potential impact of confounders, such as variable skin pigmentation and perfusion, on blood oxygen saturation measurement accuracy in pulse oximeters. Tissue-mimicking phantom testing offers a low-cost, well-controlled solution for characterizing device performance and studying potential error sources, which may thus reduce the need for costly in vivo trials.

Clinical Evaluation of the ECG Noise Extraction Tool as a Component of ECG Analysis Algorithms Evaluation.

Objective: The aim of this work is to demonstrate the performance of the ECG noise extraction tool (ECGNExT) which provides estimates of ECG noise that are not significantly different from the inherent noise in an ECG generated by motion artifacts and other sources. In addition, this paper elaborates on use of ECGNExT in an algorithm evaluation context comparing two QRS detection algorithms.

Methods: 140 simultaneous pairs of clean ECGs and ECGs corrupted with motion-induced noise from 29 participants under five different and separate motion conditions were collected and analyzed.

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Diabetes in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Context: The co-occurrence of hormonal changes during menopause and the risk of cardio-metabolic disorders has been well studied.

Objective: We explored the association of circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with diabetes (DM) among postmenopausal women.

Method: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Epistemonikos, and Cochrane Library up to September 2023.

Insights into the trypanothione system in antimony-resistant and sensitive Leishmania tropica clinical isolates.

Pentavalent antimonials are the mainstay treatment against different clinical forms of leishmaniasis. The emergence of resistant isolates in endemic areas has led to treatment failure. Unraveling the underlying resistance mechanism would assist in improving the treatment strategies against resistant isolates.

The expression analysis of human endogenous retrovirus-K Env, Np9, and Rec transcripts in cervical cancer.

While infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types is necessary for cervical cancer (CC) development, it is not enough, and other risk factors are required. Several studies have reported the activation of HERV-K in different cancers; however, the investigation of HERV-K expression levels in CC is scarce. In this study, it was hypothesized that activation of HERV-K could play an essential role in CC development.

The impact of premature ovarian insufficiency on sexual function; which domain is mostly disrupted?

This study aimed to compare the sexual function (SF) and its domains between women with idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and healthy control. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 63 married women with idiopathic POI, referred to the reproductive endocrinology research center (Tehran, Iran), and 784 married women with regular menstrual cycles who visited for routine annual gynecological exams in 2021-2022. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire was used to assess the SF of participants.

To what extent the weight changes impact the risk of hypertension among menopausal women: insights from Tehran lipid and glucose study.

Background & Aim: The association between weight change and incident hypertension (HTN) in menopausal women has not been well characterized. This study aimed to determine whether weight changes after menopausal years make a difference in incidents of hypertension.

Materials & Methods: This population-based study was performed using data collected from Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study cohort (1999-2018).

SARS-CoV-2 Related Viral Respiratory Co-Infections: A Narrative Review.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the new coronavirus originating from Wuhan, China, responsible for the illness known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Early experience and the recent literature have shown that co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with another respiratory virus might occur. Similar symptoms of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and COVID-19 represent a challenge for diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy and may modify COVID-19 outcomes.

Designing ultra-stable linseed oil-in-water Mickering emulsions using whey protein isolate cold-set microgels containing marjoram aqueous extract: Effect of pH and extract on rheological, physical, and chemical properties.

In this study, whey protein isolate (WPI) cold-set microgels containing marjoram () aqueous extract (MAE) were prepared at different pHs (4.0, 5.0, and 6.

Exploring the role of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase and associations with inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients: A case-control study.

Tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WRS) is a critical enzyme involved in protein synthesis, responsible for charging tRNA with the essential amino acid tryptophan. Recent studies have highlighted its novel role in stimulating innate immunity against bacterial and viral infections. However, the significance of WRS in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains elusive.

Looking for biomarkers in interferon response pathway to predict response to oncolytic HSV-1 in breast cancer: An ex vivo study.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. Administration of oncolytic viruses is one of the novel promising cancer therapy approaches. Replication of these viruses is usually limited to cancer cells that have interferon (IFN) signaling defects.