Repository of Research and Investigative Information Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
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Investigating the effect of rAzurin loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles enwrapped with chitosan-folic acid on breast tumor regression in BALB/C mice
No full textThis study aimed to examine how mesoporous silica nanoparticles-chitosan-folic acid impacted the release of recombinant Azurin within the tumor environment. The goal was to trigger apoptosis and stimulate immune responses against both transformed and normal cells in BALB/c mice. The study found that the use of rAzu-MSNs-CS-FA, a specific formulation containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles-chitosan-folic acid, resulted in pH-responsive behavior and slower release of rAzurin compared to other groups. This formulation inhibited MCF7 cells at higher concentrations, induced apoptosis in cells, and caused DNA degradation. It also increased the uptake efficiency of rAzurin and stimulated the secretion of TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, and IL-4 while inhibiting the secretion of IL-6. Furthermore, it regulated the expression of specific genes (upregulating tlr3 and downregulating tlr2, 4, and 9). In animal studies with BALB/c mice, the rAzu-MSNs-CS-FA formulation led to tumor regression and decreased tumor volume over 21 days. Overall, this formulation showed promising results in inducing cytotoxic effects against cancer cells, promoting apoptosis, and eliciting appropriate immune responses, suggesting its potential as a valuable therapy for breast cancer
Exploring the Gut Microbiota as a Promising Target for Breast Cancer Treatment
No full textBreast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and highly prevalent malignancy affecting women globally. Breast cancer treatments have been demonstrated to elicit significant and long-lasting effects on various aspects of a patient's life, including physical, emotional, social, and financial, highlighting the need for comprehensive cancer care. Recent research suggests that the composition and activity of the gut microbiota may play a crucial role in anticancer responses. Various compositional features of the gut microbial population have been found to influence both the clinical and biological aspects of breast cancer. Notably, the dominance of specific microbial populations in the human intestine may significantly impact the effectiveness of cancer treatment strategies. Therefore, the manipulation of the microbiota to improve the anticancer effects of conventional tumor treatments represents a promising strategy for enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapy. Emerging evidence indicates that alterations in the gut microbiota composition and activity have the potential to impact breast cancer risk and treatment outcomes. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive investigation of various databases and published articles to explore the impact of gut microbial composition on both the molecular and clinical aspects of breast cancer. We also discuss the implications of our findings for future research directions and clinical strategies
The role of bariatric surgery in hypertension control: a systematic review and meta-analysis with extended benefits on metabolic factors
No full textBackgroundBy 2025, global obesity rates are projected to reach 16 in men and 21 in women, imposing a significant public health burden. Obesity is a major contributor to hypertension (HTN), exacerbating cardiovascular risks. This review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments versus bariatric surgery in managing hypertension among obese individuals.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to May 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing bariatric surgery (e.g., Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), Sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), Duodenal-jejunal bypass liner/Biliopancreatic diversion (DJBL/BPD)) with non-surgical interventions (e.g., lifestyle modifications, medications) in hypertensive obese patients were included. Primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included changes in fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, and lipid profiles. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity and publication bias assessed.ResultsFrom 7,187 records, 29 studies involving 2,548 patients met the inclusion criteria. Bariatric surgery resulted in greater reductions in systolic (MD: -4.506 mmHg; 95 CI: -6.999 to -2.013) and diastolic (MD: -3.040 mmHg; 95 CI: -4.765 to -1.314) blood pressure compared to non-surgical interventions. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass had the most significant impact. Bariatric surgery also led to substantial reductions in FBS (MD: -30.444 mg/dl; 95 CI: -41.288 to -19.601), HbA1c (MD: -1.108; 95 CI: -1.414 to -0.802), and triglycerides (MD: -39.746 mg/dl; 95 CI: -54.458 to -25.034), and increased HDL levels (MD: 7.387 mg/dl; 95 CI: 5.056 to 9.719). The quality of evidence was high for most outcomes, supporting these findings.ConclusionBariatric surgery is superior to non-surgical treatments in managing obesity-related hypertension and metabolic disorders. Reductions in blood pressure, glycemic indexes, and lipid profiles highlight bariatric surgery's critical role in improving cardiovascular health and metabolic outcomes in obese hypertensive patients
Uveitis among people with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textPeople with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) encounter numerous ocular complications, including uveitis. MS-related uveitis is linked to diverse complications, encompassing cataracts, cystoid macular edema, band keratopathy, glaucoma, retinal detachment, retinoschisis, vitreous hemorrhage, and occlusive vasculitis. The relationship between uveitis and MS is firmly established, but various prevalence rates have been reported. Hence, we aimed to determine the overall prevalence of uveitis and its different types among pwMS. The systematic search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science to identify studies published between January 1, 1990, and November 11, 2023. The meta-analysis was performed using R software version 4.3.3 with a random-effect model to calculate the pooled prevalence with a 95 confidence interval (CI) of uveitis among pwMS. From a total of 2520 studies reviewed, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 54,402 pwMS. Of whom, 72 were female, and the mean (standard deviation) age was 43.5 (12.1) years. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of uveitis among pwMS was 1.1 (95 CI: 0.6-1.7 , I-2=95 , p-heterogeneity<0.01). Moreover, among various uveitis types, intermediate uveitis exhibited the highest prevalence of 0.6 (95 CI: 0.2-1.0 , I-2 = 87 , p-heterogeneity < 0.01) in pwMS. We determined that the prevalence of uveitis among pwMS is 1.1 . Among different uveitis types, intermediate uveitis stands out as the most prevalent in pwMS. Diagnosing uveitis in pwMS within clinics by specialists is imperative
Alginate-based nanocomposite incorporating chitosan nanoparticles: A dual-drug delivery system for infection control and wound regeneration
No full textIn this study, a hydrogel-based nanocomposite was fabricated as a novel wound dressing and drug delivery system. Initially, insulin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNP-INS) were produced using the ionic gelation technique. Subsequently, the CSNP-INS were introduced into ciprofloxacin-loaded sodium alginate (SA-Cip) hydrogel at two different concentrations (0.5 and 1 w/v), followed by crosslinking with CaCl2 after freezedrying to enhance its physical and biological properties. The CSNP-INS nanoparticles had an average size of 173.6 f 1.76 nm and effectively encapsulated 70 of the INS. Physicochemical characterization revealed that SA-Cip/1CSNP-INS has significant swelling (2996 f 31.55 ) and high hydrophilicity (16.94 f 0.99 degrees), along with slow degradation due to the electrostatic interaction between CSNP and SA hydrogel (80 weight loss after 14 days). Moreover, the mechanical properties were enhanced due to the higher concentration of CSNP (83 f 1.9 kPa), with a Young's modulus of 83 f 1.9 kPa. The release profile of INS after incorporation of CSNP-INS into the hydrogel was slower and more sustained. On the other hand, Cip showed a burst release (100 within 6 h). In vitro assays of the fabricated hydrogels on fibroblastic cells demonstrated high cell viability, enhanced cell migration, and complete in-vitro wound closure (100 within 24 h). Further analysis of the inflammatory response of hydrogels revealed a significant impact on modulating inflammation markers including a decrease in TNF-alpha and an increase in TGF-beta. Cip and INS facilitate different wound-healing stages, ensuring efficient and accelerated wound healing. This study underscores the potential of the developed hydrogel as groundbreaking wound dressing, offering enhanced wound healing capabilities through an innovative mechanism of controlled and sustained drug release
Enhancing thyroid nodule classification: A comprehensive analysis of feature selection in thermography
No full textEarly detection of thyroid malignancies is crucial, yet traditional diagnostic methods are often costly and carry inherent risks. Thermography presents a non-invasive alternative, but existing studies frequently lack comprehensive methodological frameworks for broader applications. In the realm of machine learning and classification, feature selection is pivotal for enhancing model performance by reducing overfitting, shortening training times, minimizing dimensionality, improving interpretability, and focusing on the most relevant features. This study aims to identify the most informative features and evaluate the efficacy of various feature selection techniques-both unsupervised and supervised (filter, wrapper, and embedded)-in improving the classification accuracy of thyroid nodules using thermography images. Multiple machine learning models, including Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, Decision Tree, AdaBoost, and XGBoost, were assessed as classifiers utilizing group k-fold cross-validation. Among the feature selection methods, LASSO (supervised embedding-based feature selection) showed the best performance, achieving 86 accuracy with an AUC of 0.91 for the random forest model and 86 accuracy with an AUC of 0.92 for the XGBoost model. This research underscores the critical role of feature selection in the classification of thyroid nodules using thermography, providing valuable insights for advancing non-invasive diagnostic methodologies in thyroid assessment
Antibacterial and thermosensitive chitosan-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymer hydrogel containing tannic acid: An injectable therapy for bleeding control
No full textDeveloping advanced wound dressings improves tissue repair and reduces recovery times. This study introduces a thermo-sensitive hydrogel composed of Chitosan-g-poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) and Tannic acid (CS-PNIPAmTA), synthesized and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal analysis to confirm successful copolymerization and tannic acid integration. Swelling tests indicated a high capacity for blood absorption, supporting its potential for wound exudate management. Antibacterial testing confirmed the hydrogel's efficacy, with more substantial antibacterial effects observed at higher tannic acid concentrations. Cytotoxicity assessments demonstrated over 90 cell viability, indicating biocompatibility and fibroblast proliferation. Hemostasis tests in a rat tail injury model showed reduced blood loss and coagulation time, attributed to tannic acid's catalytic effect on the coagulation cascade. In vivo, wound healing assays in a rat model revealed accelerated wound closure compared to controls. These findings suggest that the CS-PNIPAm-TA hydrogel is promising for promoting hemostasis, ensuring biocompatibility, and accelerating wound healing, positioning it as a strong candidate for clinical applications in advanced wound care
The role of dietary inflammation in the risk of osteoporosis in Iranian postmenopausal women: a case-control study
No full textChronic inflammation is known to play a critical role in the development of various diseases, such as osteoporosis. The inflammatory potential of a diet can be evaluated using a well-established scale known as the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the DII score and the odds of osteoporosis in Iranian women. The study conducted was a case-control study involving 131 postmenopausal healthy women, as well as 131 women with osteoporosis and osteopenia aged 45-65. Osteoporosis was diagnosed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, which measures bone mineral density (BMD) in the femoral neck bone and lumbar spine. To assess the DII score, a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was applied. In comparison to the first tertile of DII score, higher and significant odds of osteoporosis/osteopenia were seen in the last tertile (fully adjusted model (body mass index, age, income, education, physical activity, calcium and vitamin D supplements): odds ratio (OR) = 2.43, 95 confidence interval (CI): 1.19-4.95, Ptrend = 0.023). Also, individuals in the highest DII tertile had higher odds of abnormalities in femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD (fully adjusted model: OR = 2.85, 95 CI: 1.37-5.89, Ptrend = 0.007 and OR = 2.59, 95 CI: 1.29-5.19, Ptrend = 0.009, respectively). Based on our findings, it appears that there may be a connection between following pro-inflammatory diets and the odds of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
Machine learning radiomics for H3K27M mutation prediction in gliomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textPurpose Noninvasive prediction and identification of the H3K27M mutation play an important role in optimizing therapeutic strategies and improving outcomes in gliomas. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the performance of machine learning (ML)-based models in predicting H3K27M mutation in gliomas. Methods Literature records were retrieved on September 16th, 2024, in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Records were screened according to the eligibility criteria, and the data from the included studies were extracted. The meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were conducted using R software. Results A total of 15 studies were included in our study. Our meta-analysis demonstrated a pooled AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.87 (95 CI: 0.77-0.97), 92 (95 CI: 83-96), and 89 (95 CI: 86-91)), respectively. The subgroup meta-analysis revealed that despite the higher sensitivity of the deep learning (DL) models, the sensitivity is not superior to ML (P = 0.6). In contrast, the ML-based pooled specificity was significantly higher (P < 0.01). The meta-analysis revealed a 78.1 (95 CI: 33.3 - 183.5). The SROC curve indicated an AUC of 0.921, and the estimated sensitivity is 0.898 concurrent with the false positive rate of 0.126, which indicates high sensitivity with a low false positive rate. Conclusion Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that ML-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics models are associated with promising diagnostic performance in predicting H3K27M mutation in gliomas
RNA Therapies in Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome: Advancing Disease Management
No full textCardio-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome involves metabolic, kidney, and cardiovascular dysfunction, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged groups. Its staging (0-4) highlights the importance of early intervention. While current management targets hypertension, heart failure, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, RNA-based therapies offer innovative solutions by addressing molecular mechanisms of CKM Syndrome. Emerging RNA treatments, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), show promise in slowing disease progression across CKM stages. For example, ASOs and siRNAs targeting ApoC-III and ANGPTL3 reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, while siRNAs improve blood pressure control by targeting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Obesity treatments leveraging miRNAs and circRNAs tackle a key CKM risk factor. In heart failure and diabetes, RNA-based therapies improve cardiac function and glucose control, while early kidney disease trials show potential for RNAi in acute injury. Further research is essential to refine these therapies and ensure equitable access