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Electrospun nanofibrous alginate sulfate scaffolds promote mesenchymal stem cells differentiation to chondrocytes
No full textCartilage tissue engineering is one of the interesting approaches used for repairing cartilage injuries. This study reports the fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol/alginate sulfate (PVA/ALG-S) nanofibrous mats as a functional support for chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). The PVA/ALG-S nanofibers were obtained through electrospinning of PVA solutions containing 10, 20, and 30 wt of ALG-S. The appearance of a band at 833 cm-1 assigned to the symmetrical COS vibration associated to a COSO3 group confirmed the presence of ALG-S in nanofibrous mat. The SEM images illustrated the bead-free and smooth morphology of PVA/ALG-S nanofibers with a mean diameter of 185 ± 0.06 nm. The MTT assay of the hBM-MSCs seeded on scaffolds indicated the appropriate cytocompatibility of nanofibrous PVA/ALG-S scaffolds. Furthermore, the appropriate attachment and spreading of the hBM-MSCs based on SEM images, and their differentiation to the chondrocyte-like cells accompanied by a decrease in cell growth on MTT analysis and more color absorption in alician blue staining indicated the effective role of alginate sulfate on cell differentiation. Finally, the expression of Type II collagen by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry analyses revealed the chondrogenic differentiation of hBM-MSCs on alginate sulfate nanofibers. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LL
A smart wearable device for monitoring and self-management of diabetic foot: A proof of concept study
No full textBackground and Objective: Diabetic foot is one of the important complications of diabetes, which is occurred due to the destructive parameters in different anatomical sites of feet. Management and monitoring of these parameters are very important to decrease or prevent foot ulcers. We aimed to develop a smart wearable device to monitor these parameters to prevent diabetic foot. Methods: Following literature review and expert panel discussions, we considered pressure, temperature and humidity to develop the system. During these sessions, we also developed the system architecture and determined the required technologies. We also developed a mobile application. Finally, all sensors were evaluated for accurate monitoring of pressure, temperature and humidity. A standard protocol was used to evaluate each of these sensors. To this end, five people (four with diabetes and one healthy person) participated. They did a series of movements including walking, sitting, and standing. We considered the pressure measured by Pedar system as the gold standard. Furthermore, we changed the environment temperature and humidity during several experiments and considered the environment temperature and humidity as gold standard. We compared the measured values by sensors with these gold standards. Results: The evaluation indicated the accurate performance of pressure, humidity and temperature sensors. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the system to provide alarms based on the pressure measured using Pedar were 100, 50, 92.5, 91.8, and 100 , respectively. The performance of temperature sensors in smart shoes was confirmed by slight differences compared to thermometers. Relatively equal values of humidity measured by two sensors on the left and right feet and the increased difference with the environment humidity showed the exact humidity measured using these sensors. Conclusion: This smart shoes monitors pressure, humidity, and temperature of patients� feet and sends this data to their smart phone by the Bluetooth module. Furthermore, it controls these parameters; as each of these parameters exceeds the defined threshold, alerts are given to patients for self-management. © 2020 Elsevier B.V
Anorgasmia in Iranian Culture: The Queen�s Passivity
No full textThe studies conducted on the prevalence of the lifelong form of anorgasmia in Iran indicate clear differences in its prevalence in women in Iranian culture compared to western culture. The authors have attributed such differences to the differences in assessment tools, sample size, and poor study methods, as well as cultural barriers to the use of questionnaires, and the effects of culture on sexual disorders. In this article this issue has been formulated from a cultural concept of passivity. In Iranian culture, passivity is regarded as one of the dominant roles of women in sex, which can be called �The Queen�s Passivity�. Indeed, this special kind of passivity before men has certain privileges for the woman as a queen. This is �passivity resulting in authority�, which is an important feature of this culture and all evidence suggests that passivity and anorgasmia accompany each other in this culture and the profound meaning of its suffering should be somewhat sought in the �man king-queen�s passivity� relationship, which has denied many Iranian women the experience of pleasure of orgasm for thousands of years. This hypothesis has been explained by making reference to important cultural and religious resources in Iranian culture in this article and it has been argued that if anorgasmia can be better explained culturally, then this problem should not be considered a psychiatric disorder. This point is not taken into account in DSM5 diagnostic criteria for anorgasmia and the lack of attention to this issue can be one of the reasons for the greater report of anorgasmia in Iran. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
Human amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium reduces inflammatory factors and fibrosis in ovalbumin-induced asthma in mice
No full textNew Findings: What is the central question of this study? Is mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium capable of improving the pathological alterations of ovalbumin-induced asthma in mice? What is the main finding and its importance? Our study indicated that human amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium is capable of modulating inflammation, fibrosis, oxidative stress and the pathological consequences of ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma in mice. Abstract: Paracrine factors secreted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties, and the conditioned medium (CM) of these cells might have functional capabilities. We examined the effects of human amniotic membrane MSC-CM (hAM-MSC-CM) on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma. Forty male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into the following four groups: control; OVA (sensitized and challenged with OVA); OVA+CM (sensitized and challenged with OVA and treated with hAM-MSC-CM); and OVA+Placebo (sensitized and challenged with OVA and treated with placebo). Forty-eight hours after the last challenge, serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were collected and used for evaluation of inflammatory factors and cells, respectively. Lung tissue sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin or Masson's Trichrome to evaluate pathological changes, and oxidative stress was assessed in fresh lung tissues. Treatment with hAM-MSC-CM significantly hindered histopathological changes and fibrosis and reduced the total cell count and the percentage of eosinophils and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Furthermore, it reduced serum levels of immunoglobulin E, interleukin-4, transforming growth factor-β and lung malondialdehyde. It also increased serum levels of interferon-γ and interleukin-10, in addition to the enzymatic activity of glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase in lung tissue in comparison to the OVA and OVA+Placebo groups. This study showed that administration of hAM-MSC-CM can improve pathological conditions, such as inflammation, fibrosis and oxidative stress, in OVA-induced allergic asthma. © 2020 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2020 The Physiological Societ
Bone characteristics and metabolic phenotypes of obesity in an Iranian Elderly population: Bushehr Elderly Health Program (BEHP)
No full textIntroduction: Obesity and osteoporosis are health problems with high impact on the morbidity and mortality rate. While the association between BMI and bone density is known, the combined effects of obesity and metabolic components on bone health have not yet been revealed. The objectives of this study were to determine the association between bone health and different phenotypes of obesity in an elderly population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the data collected in the Bushehr Elderly Health Program (BEHP). The participants were classified in four groups based on the metabolic phenotypes of obesity (metabolic healthy obese (MHO), metabolic non-healthy non-obese (MNHNO), metabolic non-healthy obese (MNHO), and metabolic healthy non-obese (MHNO)). The association between osteoporosis and TBS and the metabolic phenotypes of obesity were assessed using multiple variable logistic regression models. Results: Totally, 2378 people (1227 women) were considered for analyses. The prevalence of MHNO, MHO, MNHNO, and MNHO were 902 (39.9), 138 (6.1), 758 (33.5), and 464 (20.5), respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression models, those with MHO (OR 0.22; 95 CI 0.12�0.36), MNHNO (OR 0.52; 95 CI 0.4�0.66), and MNHO phenotypes (OR 0.22; 95 CI 0.16�0.3) had a significantly lower risk of osteoporosis. Likewise, those having MHO (OR 2.38; 95 CI 1.51�3.76), MNHNO (OR 1.49; 95 CI 1.11�2), and MNHO (OR 2.50; 95 CI 1.82�3.42) phenotypes were found to had higher risk of low bone quality as confirmed by TBS. Conclusions: The obese subjects have lower bone quality, regardless of their obesity phenotype. © 2021, International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation
Efficacy and safety of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in advanced radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and metastatic medullary thyroid cancer: a systematic review
Full text linkBackground: It has been shown that a subgroup of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) would progress to advanced stages of thyroid cancer. Therefore, the present study was done to systematically review available evidence in order to investigate efficacy and safety of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in the patients with advanced radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR-DTC) and metastatic MTC. Methods: For this purpose, relevant studies investigated safety and efficacy of PRRT in the patients with advanced RR-DTC and metastatic MTC were identified by searching Medline (Pubmed, Ovid, and Ebsco), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases (from database inception to March 24, 2021). The review was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Searching was done independently by two investigators. Two researchers independently extracted the data and any disagreement was adjudicated by consensus. Quality of the studies was assessed using the tool of case reports/series in systematic reviews. Results: Among 2284 related papers, 41 papers met the inclusion criteria. A total of 157 patients with RR-DTC were treated with PPRT. Biochemical and objective responses (partial and complete) were observed in 25.3 and 10.5 of patients, respectively. Among 220 patients with metastatic MTC, biochemical and objective responses were observed in 37.2 and 10.6 of the patients, respectively. Forty-six deaths were reported in 95 patients with advanced RR-DTC. In addition, 63 deaths were observed in 144 patients with metastatic MTC. Major side effects were reported in 124 patients treated with 90Y -based agent. In the patients treated with 177Lu-DOTA-TATE and 111In-Octreotide, mild and transient hematologic or renal complications were reported. Conclusion: Findings of the study revealed that in the absence of the established treatment for the patients with RR-DTC and metastatic MTC, PRRT could be effective with few adverse events. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019125245. © 2021, The Author(s)
Effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Rosa damascena on hippocampal long-term potentiation in rats fed high-fat diet
Full text linkHigh-fat diets (HFDs) and obesity can cause serious health problems, such as neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairments. Consumption of HFD is associated with reduction in hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Rosa damascena (R. damascena) is traditionally used as a dietary supplement for many disorders. This study was carried out to determine the beneficial effect of hydroalcoholic extract of R. damascena on in vivo hippocampal synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation, LTP) in the perforant pathway (PP)�dentate gyrus (DG) pathway in rats fed with an HFD. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Control, R. damascena extract (1 g/kg bw daily for 30 days), HFD (for 90 days) and HFD + extract. The population spike (PS) amplitude and slope of excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSP) were measured in DG area in response to stimulation applied to the PP. Serum oxidative stress biomarkers total thiol group (TTG) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. The results showed the HFD impaired LTP induction in the PP-DG synapses. This conclusion is supported by decreased EPSP slope and PS amplitude of LTP. R. damascena supplementation in HFD animals enhanced EPSP slope and PS amplitude of LTP in the granular cell of DG. Consumption of HFD decreased TTG and SOD. R. damascena extract consumption in the HFD animals enhanced TTG and SOD. These data indicate that R. damascena dietary supplementation can ameliorate HFD-induced alteration of synaptic plasticity, probably through its significant antioxidant effects and activate signalling pathways, which are critical in controlling synaptic plasticity. © 2021, The Author(s)
Antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and biofilm-associated genes among Stenotrophomonas maltophilia clinical isolates
Full text linkObjective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, biofilm production, and the presence of biofilm genes among the S. maltophilia clinical isolates. A total of 85 clinical isolates of S. maltophilia were collected from patients referred to several hospitals. Susceptibility to antibiotics was investigated by disc diffusion method according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). By the crystal violet staining method, the capability of biofilm formation was examined. The genes associated with biofilm production were investigated by the PCR-sequencing techniques. Results: All isolates were resistant to doripenem, imipenem, and meropenem. Minocycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and levofloxacin exhibited the highest susceptibility of 100, 97.65, and 95.29, respectively. The results of crystal violet staining assay showed that all isolates (100) form biofilm. Moreover, 24 (28.23), 32 (37.65), and 29 (34.12) of isolates were categorized as weak, moderate, and strong biofilm producers, respectively. Biofilm genes including rpfF, spgM and rmlA had an overall prevalence of 89.41 (76/85), 100 (85/85) and 84.71 (72/85), respectively. Rational prescribing of antibiotics and implementation of infection control protocols are necessary to prevent further infection and development of antimicrobial resistance. Combination strategies based on the appropriate antibiotics along with anti-biofilm agents can also be selected to eliminate biofilm-associated infections. © 2021, The Author(s)
Effect of glutamine supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors and inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Full text linkBackground: Evidence exists that glutamine plays multiple roles in glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and anti-inflammatory effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials aimed to assess the effect of glutamine supplementation on cardio-metabolic risk factors and inflammatory markers. Methods: The processes of systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed according to the PRISMA checklist. PubMed, Web of Sciences, Cochrane library, and Scopus databases were search for relevant studies without time or language restrictions up to December 30, 2020. All randomized clinical trials which assessed the effect of glutamine supplementation on �glycemic indices�, �level of triglyceride, �and �inflammatory markers� were included in the study. The effect of glutamine supplementation on cardio-metabolic risk factors and inflammatory markers was assessed using a standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95 confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity between among studies was assessed using Cochran Q-statistic and I-square. Random/fixed-effects meta-analysis method was used to estimate the pooled SMD. The risk of bias for the included trials was evaluated using the Cochrane quality assessment tool. Results: In total, 12 studies that assessed the effect of glutamine supplementation on cardio-metabolic risk factors were included in the study. Meta-analysis showed that glutamine supplementation significantly decreased significantly serum levels of FPG SMD: � 0.73, 95% CI � 1.35, � 0.11, I2: 84.1% and CRP SMD: � 0.58, 95% CI � 0.1, � 0.17, I2: 0%. The effect of glutamine supplementation on other cardiometabolic risk factors was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings showed that glutamine supplementation might have a positive effect on FPG and CRP; both of which are crucial as cardio-metabolic risk factors. However, supplementation had no significant effect on other cardio-metabolic risk factors. © 2021, The Author(s)
Co-authorship network analysis of Iranian researchers on osteoporosis
No full textSummary: Our purpose was to investigate the co-authorship network of Iranian researchers in the field of osteoporosis. We used 1328 documents retrieved from databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science in the analysis. The network had 183 authors in 13 clusters, low cohesion, and slow information flow between its members. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the pattern and characteristics of cooperation between Iranian researchers in the field of osteoporosis through the co-authorship social network analysis. Methods: All papers on osteoporosis with at least one Iranian author were retrieved from medical databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 2009 to 2019. After the removal of duplicates, the title and abstract of the papers were reviewed by two independent reviewers, and screening was performed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were entered into the BibExecl software, and the different spelling forms in the author names were manually merged. The authors� co-occurrence matrix was then developed and entered into the UCINET software and the cohesion indexes (density, diameter, and average distance) and centrality indexes (degree, betweenness, closeness, and eigenvector) for the co-authorship network were estimated. The institutions and countries of the authors of the entered papers were also used in the network analysis and their socio-graphs were drawn. Results: We used 1328 documents in the analysis. The co-authorship network was constructed only for authors with at least 5 papers. The network had 183 nodes (authors) in 13 clusters. Its density was 0.063 and its number of components was 2. The large component encompassed 95.6 and the small component 4.4 of authors. The average distance in the main component of the network was 3 and its diameter was 6. Larijani B was ranked first in the network in terms of degree, betweenness, closeness, and eigenvector centrality. In terms of the contribution of organizations in osteoporosis publications, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (with 35.5 of papers published in WoS database), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (14.7), and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (9.3) retained in the first to third place, respectively. In papers published on the WoS, most Iranian authors have collaborated with authors from the USA, Belgium, Canada, and the UK respectively. Conclusion: The co-authorship network had low cohesion with slow information flow between its members. The collaboration with young researchers by the network�s active, efficient, and broker authors will lead to the maintenance and development of the network. © 2021, International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation