Functional and Structural Improvement of Engineered Cardiac Microtissue Using Aligned Microfilaments Scaffold.

To enhance therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases, the development of more reliable in vitro preclinical systems is imperative. These models, crucial for disease modeling and drug testing, must accurately replicate the 3D architecture of native heart tissue. In this study, we engineered a scaffold with aligned poly(lactic--glycolic acid) (PLGA) microfilaments to induce cellular alignment in the engineered cardiac microtissue (ECMT).

Comparison of Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of Thyroid Cancer Surgery in the Pandemic Era.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges for oncology centers and cancer patients, necessitating the implementation of various preventive and restrictive protocols and postponing elective surgeries. We aimed to assess and compare tumor characteristics, including the size, metastasis, and duration of hospitalizations between the periods before and during COVID-19 in patients with thyroid cancer.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed at The Institute of Cancer, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, with 143 patients observed 2 years before the pandemic and 92 during March 2020 and March 2022.

Expandable hESC-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells generate functional cardiac lineage cells for microtissue construction.

Background: Cardiovascular progenitor cells (CPCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are considered valuable cell sources for investigating cardiovascular physiology in vitro. Meeting the diverse needs of this application requires the large-scale production of CPCs in an in vitro environment. This study aimed to use an effective culture system utilizing signaling factors for the large-scale expansion of hESC-derived CPCs with the potential to differentiate into functional cardiac lineage cells.

Temporal characteristics and health effects related to NO, O, and SO in an urban area of Iran.

This study reports on temporal variations of NO, O, and SO pollutants and their related health effects in urban air of Khorramabad, Iran using AirQ 2.2.3 software.

Inpatient healthcare utilization among people with disabilities in Iran: determinants and inequality patterns.

Background: People with disabilities (PWD) have different health service needs and different factors affect the utilization of these services. Therefore, the aim of this present study was to identify determinants of inpatient healthcare utilization among PWDs in Iran.

Methods: This research was a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study.

Breast Cancer Survivors and COVID-19: Prevalence and Risk of Severe Disease in a Screening Study.

Background: Determining the risk of severe course coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its related factors in survivors of common cancers such as breast cancer is important. This study has been designed to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in breast cancer survivors and also estimate the risk of severe disease in this population.

Methods: Out of 6134 patients in the Shiraz Breast Cancer Registry (SBCR), A total of 292 patients who elapsed less than a year from their breast cancer diagnosis were excluded.

Cytomodulatory characteristics of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) against cypermethrin on skin fibroblast cells (HFF-1).

The hematopoietic factor granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been identified via its capacity to promote bone marrow progenitors' development and differentiation into granulocytes and macrophages. Extensive pre-clinical research has established its promise as a critical therapeutic target in an assortment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Despite the broad literature on GM-CSF as hematopoietic of stem cells, the cyto/geno protective aspects remain unknown.

Novel chitosan/γ-alumina/carbon quantum dot hydrogel nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery.

Curcumin (CUR) is among the most natural and effective antitumor drugs for cancer treatment. These drugs have low solubility and short half-lives that reduce their effectiveness in drug release systems. Herein, a hydrogel nanocarrier containing chitosan (CS), alumina (γ-AlO), and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) was prepared by the water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double nanoemulsion method.

The Influence of Relational Benefits on Behavioral Intention and the Moderating Role of Habit: A Study in a Personal Service Business.

The intention to repurchase is a key component in relationship marketing. However, minimal attention has been paid to how customers' habitual behavior moderates the relationship between customers' evaluation of benefits received from a service provider and the intention to revisit, specifically in a personal service business where customer-service provider interactions likely constitute the core of a sustainable relationship. To address this gap, the current study proposes and tests a comprehensive model to advance the theory of relationship marketing (RM) and additionally contributes to social exchange theory (SET), as well as the theory of repurchase decision making (TRD), in the business service context.

Anticancer activity of thymoquinone against breast cancer cells: Mechanisms of action and delivery approaches.

The rising incidence of breast cancer has been a significant source of concern in the medical community. Regarding the adverse effects and consequences of current treatments, cancers' health, and socio-economical aspects have become more complicated, leaving research aimed at improved or new treatments on top priority. Medicinal herbs contain multitarget compounds that can control cancer development and advancement.

Determination of the Effectiveness of Epinephrine Spray on the Papillae in Preventing Pancreatitis after Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography.

Background: As the most common complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is acute pancreatitis, researchers have paid due attention to minimize this complication using various drugs, one of which is epinephrine. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of epinephrine spray on the papilla in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP).

Materials And Methods: The present double-blind clinical trial was performed on 164 patients undergoing ERCP.

Prognostic value of increased postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen in patients with early intestinal anastomosis leakage who underwent right hemicolectomy surgery.

<b> Introduction:</b> Anastomotic leak after colorectal surgery is a serious complication that causes significant postoperative morbidity and mortality. </br></br> <b>Aim:</b> This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of increased postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in early intestinal anastomosis leakage in patients who underwent right hemicolectomy surgery.</br></br> <b>Material and methods:</b> In this prospective study, 535 patients who underwent right colon cancer surgery with stapled anastomosis were enrolled.

Characterization and analysis of electrical crosstalk in a linear array of CMOS image sensors.

In this paper, the influences of the depth and width of the oxide trench isolation between pixels, pixel epitaxial layer thickness for different impurity doping concentrations, and light exposure time on electrical crosstalk are characterized in an array of pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor pixels. The simulation results show that with a proper and simultaneous selection of epitaxial layer doping concentration and epitaxial layer thickness, the electrical crosstalk at long wavelengths can be reduced above 66%. The use of oxide trench isolation depth less than pixel p-well depth leads to an increase in electrical crosstalk of more than 12%.

Real-time simulation of viscoelastic tissue behavior with physics-guided deep learning.

Finite element methods (FEM) are popular approaches for simulation of soft tissues with elastic or viscoelastic behavior. However, their usage in real-time applications, such as in virtual reality surgical training, is limited by computational cost. In this application scenario, which typically involves transportable simulators, the computing hardware severely constrains the size or the level of details of the simulated scene.

Subcutaneous Tissue Response to Adseal and Sure-Seal Root Sealers in Rats: a Histopathological Study.

One of the essential phases of root canal treatment is root canal obturation. Solid or semi-solid materials are the most common obturating materials (paste or softened form). Sealer is a biomaterial that enables the sealing process to be carried.

The significance of thymoquinone administration on liver toxicity of diazinon and cholinesterase activity; a recommendation for prophylaxis among individuals at risk.

Background: Diazinon (DZN), a widely used chemical herbicide for controlling agricultural pests, is an important organophosphorus pesticide and an environmental pollutant which induces toxic effects on living organisms during long-term exposure. Thymoquinone (TQ) is a phytochemical bioactive compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to evaluate the protective effects of TQ against DZN-induced hepatotoxicity through alleviating oxidative stress and enhancing cholinesterase (ChE) enzyme activity.

Comparison of volatile/inhalational and IV anesthesia in long-term survival of patients with breast cancer: a retrospective study.

Objective: Breast cancer is a worldwide health concern, and surgical removal has remained the preferred therapeutic option in most patients. Furthermore, the current study was designed to investigate the disease-free survival and overall survival in breast cancer patients, who receive either propofol or isoflurane during operation.

Method: This retrospective study was conducted on 994 patients (IV group, n = 530; volatile/inhalational group, n = 464) who underwent breast cancer operation from January 2006 to December 2016 at Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran.

Inter sphincter rectal resection with and without Malone ante grade continence enema in cases with low rectal cancer: A randomized, prospective, single-blind, clinical trial.

Background: Fecal incontinence is the main morbidity of inter-sphincteric resection (ISR) in ultra-low rectal cancer. Malone Ante grade Continence Enema (MACE) has been proposed for these patients. We aimed to compare the quality of life outcomes in cases with ultra-low rectal cancer who had undergone ISR±MACE.

Curing Kinetics Modeling of Epoxy Modified by Fully Vulcanized Elastomer Nanoparticles Using Rheometry Method.

In this study, the curing kinetics of epoxy nanocomposites containing ultra-fine full-vulcanized acrylonitrile butadiene rubber nanoparticles (UFNBRP) at different concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt.

Quercetin ameliorates Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway.

This study aimed to evaluate the possible protective effects of quercetin, a natural flavonoid, against nephrotoxicity induced by Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in kidney tissue of rats and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell line. The HEK-293 cells were treated with different concentrations of quercetin 24 h before treatment with monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP). Male rats were treated with 200-mg/kg DEHP, 200-mg/kg DEHP plus quercetin (50 and 100 mg/kg), and 200-mg/kg DEHP plus vitamin E (20 mg/kg) for 45 days by gavage.

Phytochemical identification, acute and subchronic oral toxicity assessments of hydroalcoholic extract of in BALB/c mice: A toxicological and mechanistic study.

(L.) DC, commonly known as Rhaponticum repens, is a popular traditional phytomedicine. The current study was conducted to evaluate the acute and subchronic toxicity of the hydroalcoholic extract of this herb with regard to its terpenoid contents in a BALB/c mice model and to investigate the toxicity of this medicinal herb.

The Minocycline Ameliorated the Synaptic Plasticity Impairment in Vascular Dementia.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) leads to vascular dementia with progressive hippocampal damage and cognitive impairments. In the present , we compared early and late Minocycline (MINO) treatment on cognitive function, long and short-term synaptic-plasticity following CCH. We used bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion model (2VO) for induction of hypoperfusion.

The prevalence of urinary tract infections in type 2 diabetic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Urinary tract infection is the most common infection in type 2 diabetic patients. Various studies have reported different outbreaks of urinary tract infections in type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of urinary tract infections in type 2 diabetic patients during a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to develop interventions to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections in type 2 diabetic patients.

Intraoperative radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer.

Background And Objective: We report our experiences with Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) among breast cancer (BC) patients in our region.

Methods: All patients who received radical IORT from April 2014 on to March 2020 were included in the study. Patient selection criteria included: Age equal or older than 45 years old; All cases of invasive carcinomas (in cases of lobular carcinomas only with MRI and confirmation); Patients who were 45-50 years old with a tumor size of 0-2 cm, 50-55 years old with a tumor size of < 2.