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Active Tumor-Targeting by Smart Nanocarriers: A Potential Promising Approach to Overcome the Hurdles of Conventional Cancer Treatments
Get PDFCancer is one of the most momentous and intricate life-threatening health problems which despite routine and combination treatments are still accompanied by high mortality worldwide (Gorgich et al., 2017). Because tumor cells have rapid and uncontrolled proliferation compare to normal cells, they need more nutrients, which in turn for supplying it begins to alter normal cellular signaling pathways and extensive angiogenesis in the specific tumor microenvironment (TME). During tumorigenesis, tumor cells undergo intra/extracellular specific biological changes as a result of increased metabolic requirements. These changes lead to overexpression of cell surface receptors, increased membrane channels and transporters (Heidari et al., 2017; Ancey et al., 2018). Based on these facts, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies can be designed for tumor-cells targeting. © 2021. All Rights Reserved
Trend and epidemiological patterns of animal bites in Golestan province (Northern Iran) between 2017 and 2020
Get PDFBackground Rabies is one of the oldest zoonosis viral diseases, which still remains as one of the most important threats to public health in the 21st century. Methods This cross-sectional study examined epidemiologic features of all 33,996 cases of persons bitten by animals and referred to the rabies prophylaxis centers in Golestan province between March 2017 and March 2020. Factors included demographic information of the victim (age, gender, and occupation), type of invasive animals (dog, cat, and other types), time of bite (year, month, and hour), place of residence (urban or rural), and injury and treatment statuses. We also obtained national and provincial animal bite incidence data for all of Iran and for Golestan province for the longer interval 2013-2020 to examine broader time trends. We used SPSS version 19, QGIS version 3.1, and Excel 2013 to generate frequency distributions and descriptive statistics. Results The incidence rates of animal bites in Golestan province and Iran as a whole both increased smoothly. The latest incidence rate of animal bites in Golestan was 652 per 100,000 people, almost three times the overall national figure for 2020. Most cases of animal bites (67.6) occurred in rural areas, and 36 of the victims aged under 19 years old. Dog and cat bites accounted for the great majority of cases (89 and 8, respectively). The highest rate of animal bites was reported in the spring (30.8). The lower limb was the most commonly bitten area in these individuals (64.6). Of note, 87 of the cases received incomplete prophylactic post-exposure treatment, and 18 received immunoglobulin. Conclusion The increasing rates of animal bites in the study area as well as the higher rate compared to the national average indicates the need for further review of animal bite control programs. © 2021 Bay et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
A systematic literature review of observational studies of the bilateral association between diabetes and migraine
No full textBackground and aim: To conduct a systematic literature review and synthesize data from all epidemiological studies investigating the association between diabetes and migraine in adults. Method and material: Electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus in addition to Google Scholar search engine were systematically searched up to Jun 2020 to identify studies reporting the diabetes-migraine association. Results: A total of 15 studies were selected which were published from 2012 to 2019. Five out of 15 studies assessed the presence of migraine in diabetic subjects, while nine studies assessed the presence of diabetes in migraine subjects. The cohort study reported a hazard ratio for diabetes of 1.06 (95 confidence interval (CI): 0.91�1.24) for women with migraine with aura, 1.01 (95 CI: 0.89�1.16) for women without aura, and 1.13 (95 CI: 0.98�1.3) for women with a migraine history, compared with women with no history of migraine. Due to the high degree of heterogeneity, and the lack of statistical estimates of the association in several of the reviewed studies, meta-analysis of the available data was not possible. Conclusion: This study is the first review to examine the association between diabetes and migraine. Further longitudinal studies are required to clarify the migraine-diabetes association. There is also a clear need for more studies with larger sample sizes and similar methodologies in order to provide necessary information to conduct a meta-analysis. © 2021 Diabetes Indi
Magnetic Hyperthermia as an adjuvant cancer therapy in combination with radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for recurrent/progressive glioblastoma: a systematic review
Get PDFIntroduction: Hyperthermia therapy (HT) is a recognized treatment modality, that can sensitize tumors to the effects of radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy by heating up tumor cells to 40�45 °C. The advantages of noninvasive inductive magnetic hyperthermia (MH) over RT or chemotherapy in the treatment of recurrent/progressive glioma have been confirmed by several clinical trials. Thus, here we have conducted a systematic review to provide a concise, albeit brief, account of the currently available literature regarding this topic. Methods: Five databases, PubMed/Medline, Embace, Ovid, WOS, and Scopus, were investigated to identify clinical studies comparing overall survival (OS) following RT/chemotherapy versus RT/chemotherapy + MH. Results: Eleven articles were selected for this systematic review, including reports on 227 glioma patients who met the study inclusion criteria. The papers included in this review comprised nine pilot clinical trials, one non-randomized clinical trial, and one retrospective investigation. As the clinical trials suggested, MH improved OS in primary glioblastoma (GBM), however, in the case of recurrent glioblastoma, no significant change in OS was reported. All 11 studies ascertained that no major side effects were observed during MH therapy. Conclusion: Our systematic review indicates that MH therapy as an adjuvant for RT could result in improved survival, compared to the therapeutic outcomes achieved with RT alone in GBM, especially by intratumoral injection of magnetic nanoparticles. However, heterogeneity in the methodology of the most well-known studies, and differences in the study design may significantly limit the extent to which conclusions can be drawn. Thus, further investigations are required to shed more light on the efficacy of MH therapy as an adjuvant treatment modality in GBM. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
Potential biomarkers for testicular germ cell tumour: Risk assessment, diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring of recurrence
No full textTesticular germ cell tumour (TGCT) is considered a relatively rare malignancy usually occurring in young men between 15 and 35 years of age, and both genetic and environmental factors contribute to its development. The majority of patients are diagnosed in an early-stage of TGCTs with an elevated 5-year survival rate after therapy. However, approximately 25 of patients show an incomplete response to chemotherapy or tumours relapse. The current therapies are accompanied by several adverse effects, including infertility. Aside from classical serum biomarker, many studies reported novel biomarkers for TGCTs, but without proper validation. Cancer cells share many similarities with embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and since ESC genes are not transcribed in most adult tissues, they could be considered ideal candidate targets for cancer-specific diagnosis and treatment. Added to this, several microRNAs (miRNA) including miRNA-371-3p can be further investigated as a molecular biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring of TGCTs. In this review, we will illustrate the findings of recent investigations in novel TGCTs biomarkers applicable for risk assessment, screening, diagnosis, prognosis, prediction and monitoring of the relapse. © 2021 Wiley-VCH Gmb
Characteristics of gaseous and particulate air pollutants at four different urban hotspots in Tehran, Iran
No full textThis study reports a characterization of outdoor gaseous and particulate pollutants and their associated health effects in four different urban hotspots in Tehran, Iran during winter and summer. Buses, taxis, and cars are prominent sources of toxic pollutants in Tehran. There is a significant level of exposure to emissions from diesel buses in bus terminals, especially with boarding, disembarking, and waiting. Mean concentrations (μg/m3) in summer and winter, respectively, ranged from 10 to 20.67 and 17�21 for PM1, 52.50�79.19 and 58.33�85.33 for PM2.5, 64.50�102 and 78.83�125.83 for PM7, 130.17�204.67 and 157�231.67 for PM10, 261�409.50 and 305.83�458.83 for TSP, and 372.50�418.33 vs. 351.27�373.47 for CO2 (ppm). Particulate concentrations were higher in winter, especially the first three days of the week, assisted in part by the shallower mixing layer height as compared to summer. Mean hazard quotient (HQ) values for both PM2.5 and PM10 in both seasons for bus terminals in three scenarios ranged between 0.81 and 4.96, which exceeded reference levels (1 < HQ). The results of this study have implications for public health, especially in dense traffic areas. © 2021 Elsevier Lt
Spiropyran-based photoswitchable acrylic nanofibers: A stimuli-responsive substrate for light controlled C6 glioma cells attachment/detachment
No full textReversible and remote cell manipulation with high spatiotemporal precision is now a highly attractive subject in various biological applications such as tissue engineering and cell-matrix interaction. Herein, photoresponsive poly(methyl methacrylate-co-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate-co-spiropyran ethyl acrylate) terpolymer (MHSP) was prepared using emulsion polymerization and the corresponding nanofibers (MHSP@NF) and film (MHSP@F) were prepared using electrospinning and drop-casting techniques, respectively. Structure of MHSP@NF with cylindrical cross-section and uniform diameter size of 169 nm were characterized by 1H-NMR and SEM analyses. Time-dependent UV�vis spectra of the prepared acrylic nanofibers and films demonstrated maximum forward photoisomerization after 3- and 8-min UV irradiation at 365 nm together with a 96° and 5° decrement in their surface water contact angles, respectively. High photoresponsivity of the nanofibers was attributed to their extensive surface area which exposes more spiropyran groups to UV light. MHSP@F and MHSP@NF with chemically-attached spiropyran groups demonstrated significant biocompatibility with negligible toxicity toward C6 glioma cancer cells up to 5 days. However, MH/SP@NF with doped SPOH exhibited a sudden decrease in cell viability relating to the migration and leakage of SPOH molecules. Photoreversible cell adhesion results showed a dramatic and switchable C6 cells attachment/detachment upon alternating UV and visible lights irradiations for MHSP@NF sample, while this was not observed for the similar film. These indicate potentiality of MHSP@NF as a promising substrate for dynamic switching of biomolecules and cell sheet engineering. © 2021 Elsevier B.V
Cigarette Smoking Behavior a Gateway to Opium Use Disorder: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis
No full textGateway hypothesis presumes that using a psychotropic drug can increase the probability of using another drug. The study was to assess whether cigarette smoking is a gateway drug for subsequent opium use. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was applied to test and estimate the size of causal effect of cigarette smoking on opium use. The CHRNA3 rs1051730 polymorphism was used as an instrumental variable. A population-based case control study in the setting of Fasa Cohort Study was carried out using 477 cases and 531 controls based on their opium use status at the baseline of cohort study. The logistic two stage estimator method was applied. The Number of cigarettes smoked per day was associated with opium use (OR 1.17, 95 CI 1.15�1.19). In the MR analysis, rs1051730 T alleles were associated with increased risk of opium use among ever smokers (OR 5.73, 95 CI 1.72�19.07) however there found no evidence of association among never smokers. In instrumental variable analysis, showed that on average smoking every 1 more cigarette per day increases the odds of opium use by 1.17 (OR 1.17, 95CI:1.14�1.19). The MR analysis found a positive finding on the relationship between cigarette smoking and opium use which supports the gateway hypothesis. It adds new information to the gateway theory regarding the relation of cigarette smoking and drug use, and increases our understanding of the importance of tobacco control for prevention of opium addiction. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature
Z-scan method to measure the nonlinear optical behavior of cells for evaluating the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy and hyperthermia treatments
No full textThe effects of new treatments must be investigated in vitro before using clinically or in vivo. The aim of this study was to introduce the Z-scan technique as a fast, accurate, inexpensive, and safe in vitro method to distinguish the cytotoxic effects of various treatments. C6 and OLN-93 cell lines were prepared and treated with Temozolomide (TMZ), radiofrequency hyperthermia (HT), and chemo-hyperthermia (HT+TMZ). The cytotoxic effects of different treatments on both cell lines were evaluated using colony formation assay and Z-scan method. The results of colony assay showed that the surviving fraction (SF) of C6 cells treated with TMZ, HT, and HT + TMZ were significantly decreased compared to the control group. Whereas, hyperthermia treatment had no significant effect on the SF of OLN-93 cells. The results of Z-scan technique indicated that the control group of C6 cells had the negative nonlinear refractive index (n2). Whereas, the C6 cells treated with HT, TMZ, and HT + TMZ had the positive n2 index. The sign of n2 index in the control and HT groups of OLN-93 cells was positive but treatment of cells with TMZ and HT + TMZ changed the sign of it. Moreover, with increasing the cytotoxic effects of different treatments, the SF value of both cell lines decreased and the magnitude of n2 index increased. The results of Z-scan technique were completely in line with the results of colony assay. Therefore, Z-scan method could distinguish the cytotoxic effects of various treatments by examining the nonlinear optical properties of the samples. © 2020, Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature
Cytotoxic effect of iris germanica l. Rhizomes extract on human melanoma cell line
Get PDFBackground: Melanoma is the leading cause of 80 of skin cancer worldwide due to its high proliferation rate, metastatic nature, and limited effective therapies. Given the rapid increase in its incidence compared to other skin cancers, new therapeutic agents are needed to control the disease. Scientists are interested in medicinal plants due to their anticancer properties. The rhizomes of the Iris germanica L., known as �Irsa�, is one of the herbs used in traditional Persian medicine for the treatment of various skin cancers. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the cytotoxic effects of Iris germanica on A375 melanoma and AGO-1522 normal human fibroblast cell lines for the first time. Methods: The ethanolic extract was prepared by the maceration method. Cell viability and cytotoxic activities were assessed through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometric assay, using annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Results: IC50 values were estimated for the A375 melanoma and the AGO-1522 normal cell lines. We revealed that the IC50 for the A375 melanoma was 0.0438 mg/mL and for the AGO-1522 normal cell line was 0.8494 mg/mL after 48 hours of treatment. Further-more, flow cytometry analysis illustrated that 0.125 mg/mL of the Iris germanica extract could lead to 55.24 apoptosis of the A375 melanoma cell line. The same concentration of the Iris germanica extracts only lead to 8.76 apoptosis in the AGO-1522 cell line. Conclusions: Iris germanica extract has considerable cytotoxic effects on the human melanoma cell line. Further studies are re-quired to demonstrate the therapeutic effects of Iris germanica on melanoma cancer. © 2021, Author(s)