Repository of Research and Investigative Information Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
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Predictive performance of machine learning models for kidney complications following coronary interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) are common complications following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angiography (CAG), presenting significant clinical challenges. Machine learning (ML) models offer promise for improving patient outcomes through early detection and intervention strategies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search following PRISMA guidelines was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase from inception to June 11, 2024. Study characteristics, ML models, performance metrics (AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision), and risk-of-bias assessment using the PROBAST tool were extracted. Statistical analysis used a random-effects model to pool AUC values, with heterogeneity assessed via the I2 statistic. Results: From 431 initial studies, 14 met the inclusion criteria. Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models showed the highest pooled AUCs of 0.87 (95 CI: 0.82–0.92) and 0.85 (95 CI: 0.80–0.90), respectively, with low heterogeneity (I2 90). Multilayer perceptron (MLP) and XGBoost models had moderate pooled AUCs of 0.79 (95 CI: 0.74–0.84) with high heterogeneity. RF showed strong accuracy (0.83, 95 CI: 0.70–0.96), while SVM had balanced sensitivity (0.69, 95 CI: 0.63–0.75) and specificity (0.73, 95 CI: 0.60–0.86). Age, serum creatinine, left ventricular ejection fraction, and hemoglobin consistently influenced model efficacy. Conclusions: GBM and SVM models, with robust AUCs and low heterogeneity, are effective in predicting AKI and CIN post-PCI/CAG. RF, MLP, and XGBoost, despite competitive AUCs, showed considerable heterogeneity, emphasizing the need for further validation. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2024
Ultra Processed Food Addiction among People: A Mini-Review of the Evidence
No full textBackground: According to the availability of various types of processed food products worldwide, the demand for their consumption has increased. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) containing high amounts of sodium, hydrogenated oils, and refined carbohydrates are triggers for activating the same neural pathways and act like drug abuse. On the other hand, changing the food environment is a key factor in obesity prevalence and its related outcomes. It may be attributed to addiction to foods that has also been called “eating dependence” which emphasizes the behavior, not the food itself. Food addiction is important for a better understanding of psychiatric and medical problems such as eating disorders, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Methods: In this mini-review, we will examine food addiction and the appropriate strategies for its management. Conclusion: Because food addiction has negative health consequences, strategies for reducing the accessibility of UPFs should be warranted. Also, high fiber intake and consumption of probiotic products should be considered. Further interventional studies are needed to manage this problem. © (2025), (Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences). All rights reserved
Assessing the Impact of Radiation Therapy-Induced Voice Problems on Quality of Life in Non-Laryngeal Head and Neck Cancer Patients
No full textBackground: One of the side effects of radiation therapy for non-laryngeal head and neck cancers is laryngeal damage, leading to vocal disorders. Considering the impact of voice on the patient's quality of life, the long-term follow-up after treatment using a voice handicap index questionnaire is the aim of this study. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study included 30 patients with non-laryngeal head and neck cancers and 30 normal individuals. Specialized examinations have confirmed damage in the larynx. The VHI Questionnaire subgroup scores were assessed at 6 and 24 months post-treatment, along with the voice quality of patients and a control group at 24 months post-treatment. Pearson's correlation coefficient test was used to assess the relationship between each sub-group of the questionnaire at the two mentioned time points. Findings: The patients' examination results revealed a significant decrease in the total questionnaire scores from 19.8 at 6 months to 11.37 at 24 months post-treatment (P < 0.05). The study found no significant difference between the patient and control groups after 24 months (P < 0.05). The questionnaire sub-group scores showed a negative correlation, indicating a trend of decreasing scores at the final follow-up. Conclusion: This study showed that after the treatment, the radiation damage decreased over time and improved the patient's quality of life. © 2025 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved
The Relationship between the Expression of CD44 Protein in Meningioma and Cell Proliferation Index (ki67)
No full textBackground: CD44 is overexpressed in many tumors and promotes tumor formation through interactions with the tumor microenvironment. This study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of CD44 and Ki-67 in different histologic types of meningioma and correlate their expression results with their clinicopathological variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 tissue blocks of patients with meningioma in the Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan from 2018-2020. Immunohistochemical staining using CD44 and Ki-67 was done separately on each slide. All slides were examined using an Olympus light microscope with 20X and 40X lenses. The positive controls used for CD44 and Ki-67 were, respectively, tonsil tissue and a case of invasive ductal carcinoma with a high Ki-67 proliferation index. Findings: There was no significant relation between age, sex, and disease recurrence with the expression of CD44. The proliferative activity of Ki-67 in grade I with a mean of 0.46 ± 1.25 was significantly lower than in grade II, III with a mean of 20.49 ± 17.13. Other variables, such as age, sex, and recurrence of meningioma, had no significant relationship with proliferative activity of Ki-67. The relationship between CD44 immunohistochemical expression and proliferative index of Ki-67 was direct and significant. Conclusion: CD44 is a marker of aggressiveness in meningiomas as it was significantly highly expressed in grade II and III meningiomas and was positively correlated with a higher Ki-67 proliferation index. Moreover, Ki-67 proliferation activity was significantly correlated with higher meningioma grades and brain invasion. © 2025 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved
Effect of Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Pain Severity and Life Quality in Women Receiving Treatment for Breast Cancer
No full textIntroduction: Mindfulness-based interventions are considered to be one of the cognitive-behavioral treatments, the inclusion of which in diseases such as breast cancer can probably lead to a reduction in pain intensity and an increase in the quality of life in sufferers. Consequently, this research focuses on evaluating the influence of online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on pain severity and quality of life in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This research is a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted on 54 women diagnosed with breast cancer who visited Seyed Al Shohada Hospital in Isfahan, Iran, in 2023. Participants were selected based on specific inclusion criteria and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (27 participants) or a control group (27 participants) using block randomization. The test group received virtual educational programs in eight sessions of 90 minutes (once a week) in lectures and a question-and-answer manner. The first and last meeting was conducted online on the platform of the Skyroom system and other meetings were conducted offline through the formation of a group on the Eitaa social network in the form of video submission. It is noteworthy that the control group did not receive training. Pain intensity and quality of life were measured in both groups before and after the educational intervention. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS (version 20) software, employing chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and paired t-tests. Data analysis was performed at a significance level of less than 5. Findings: Both groups were comparable in terms of all demographic characteristics. After the intervention, there was a statistically significant decrease in the average pain severity score within the experimental group compared to their baseline measurements and relative to the control group (P<0.001); the effect size for pain intensity was equal to 1.41. Additionally, there was a statistically significant improvement in the quality of life scores for the experimental group post-intervention compared to both their pre-intervention scores and those of the control group (P<0.001); the effect size for the quality of life variable was equal to 1.95. Conclusion: The implementation of online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy significantly reduces pain severity while enhancing the quality of life for women with breast cancer; therefore, it is advisable to incorporate this method alongside other medical treatments through suitable programs. © 2025 Ebrahimi Dinani et al
Perceived Sexual Health Needs of Older Women: A Systematic Review
No full textBackground:Maintaining and promoting sexual health in older women requires paying attention to and meeting their sexual health-related needs. This study aimed to determine older women's perceived sexual health needs through a systematic review.Materials and Methods:In this systematic review, studies conducted from the beginning of 2000 to August 28, 2022, were searched in Databases, Scopus, Web of Science, SID, Pub Med, and Google Scholar as a research engine. To access all English articles, keywords such as sexual health, sexual performance, sexual intercourse, sexual, need, demand, and women and their possible combinations were used using "AND" and "OR" operators. This research was implemented based on the criteria of the PRISMA checklist. The articles were evaluated using the STROBE and COREQ checklists. The thematic synthesis method was used to synthesize the data.Results:The sexual health needs of older women were categorized into four groups: restoration of violated sexual rights, elimination of age discrimination (ageism), promotion of sexual health literacy, and providing sexual health services.Conclusions:The sexual needs of older women have been neglected due to prevailing social structures of many countries, stigma, gender discrimination, and lack of sexual health literacy. In addition to the need for social and emotional support to adapt to the conditions of old age, these women need to achieve sexual rights, improve sexual health literacy, and receive health services
Disafynol: A polyacetylene dimer from Centaurea schmidii enhancing breast cancer cell apoptosis via oxidative and ER stress pathways
No full textPhytochemical analysis of the aerial parts of Centaurea schmidii Wagenitz (Asteraceae) led to the isolation of disafynol, a novel polyacetylene, for the first time. This study investigated its anti-cancer effects and the mechanisms underlying these effects in MDA-MB-231 (estrogen receptor-negative) and MCF-7 (estrogen receptor-positive) breast cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic effects of disafynol were evaluated using various concentrations to measure cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caspases-12/6 activity, and protein aggregation. Expression of apoptotic markers and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related genes was analyzed by western blot and reverse transcription-PCR analyses, respectively. Disafynol exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with greater potency in MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50: 10.6 mu M) compared to MCF-7 cells (IC50: 30 mu M), indicating hormone receptor-independent manner of cell growth inhibition. Treating cells with disafynol caused significant apoptosis, marked by enhanced ROS production and reduced MMP. Meanwhile, disafynol induced Bcl-2 downregulation, Bax upregulation, and caspase-12/6 activities in both breast cancer cells. Additionally, disafynol triggered ER stress, as evidenced by protein aggregation and upregulation of genes related to ER stress, including BIP, ATF4, CHOP, and XBP-1. Overall, disafynol demonstrates significant pro-apoptotic effects on breast cancer cells by inducing oxidative stress and activating the ER stress pathway. Its hormone receptor-independent cytotoxicity suggests potential therapeutic applications for treating breast cancers, including triple-negative subtypes
Differential expression and pathological implications of Linc01089 and Linc01578 in acute myeloid leukemia
No full textBackground: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer that has an outlook emphasizing the importance of finding treatment targets. This research delves into the differences in expression of different types of coding RNAs in AML, specifically focusing on Linc01089 and Linc01578. Methods: We carried out an analysis using AML datasets to pinpoint non-coding RNAs showing significant expression differences. Subsequently, we used PCR (qPCR) on samples from AML patients and healthy individuals to validate our discoveries. Furthermore, we used weighted gene co-navigation analysis (WGCNA) to investigate the pathways and key genes associated with these non-coding RNAs. Results: Our analysis revealed a decrease in the levels of Linc01089 and Linc01578 in AML samples compared to those from individuals. The qPCR validation supported these findings by showing expression levels in AML patients. Because of WGCNA, we found pathways related to disease, such as mismatch repair, cell cycle regulation, and p53 signaling, that these coding RNAs might affect. Additionally, we figured out 20 genes closely linked to Linc01089 and Linc01578. We established a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to gain a deeper understanding of their roles in AML. Conclusions: While proposing their involvement in cancer-causing pathways, our study emphasizes the reduction of Linc01089 and Linc01578 in AML cases. This discovery lays the groundwork for exploration into how these lncRNAs could serve as targets for interventions in AML
Triglyceride glucose-waist circumference as a predictor of mortality and subtypes of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackgroundThe significant burden of cardiovascular diseases underscores the necessity for identifying novel predictive markers that can forecast both cardiovascular diseases and mortality. In recent years, TyG-obesity-related parameters have gained special attention in this regard. This study aimed to assess the association between TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC) and cardiovascular diseases and mortality.MethodsA comprehensive search was performed in databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from their inception until October 6, 2024. The key outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery diseases, peripheral artery diseases, and heart failure. The pooled risk ratio (RR) with corresponding 95 confidence intervals (CI) was calculated. Meta-analysis was carried out using StataMP 14.0.ResultsA total of 17 studies were included in the analysis. The number of participants ranged between 2,224 and 95,342. The meta-analysis revealed that TyG-WC is significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery diseases, and peripheral artery diseases. However, only one study addressed the relationship between TyG-WC and heart failure with a positive correlation.ConclusionThis study indicates that TyG-WC could serve as a promising predictor of cardiovascular diseases, along with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Given its accessibility, TyG-WC may be a practical tool for screening purposes
Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of self-assembling biocompatible heparin-based targeting polymeric micelles for delivery of doxorubicin to leukemic cells
No full textBackground and purpose:Biodegradable polymeric micelles have emerged as one of the most promising platforms for targeted drug delivery. In the present study, a polymeric micelle composed of folic acid (FA), heparin (HEP), dexamethasone (DEX), and (FA-PEG-HEP-CA-TOC) was developed for the delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) to leukemic cells.Experimental approach:FA-HEP-DEX was synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR. DOX-loaded micelles were prepared using a dialysis method. The impact of various processing variables, including polymer-to-drug ratio, dialysis temperature, and solvent type, on the physicochemical properties of the micelles were evaluated. In vitro, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the micelles in folate receptor-positive (K562) and negative (HepG2) cells were evaluated.Findings/Results:The 1H-NMR results confirmed the successful synthesis of FA-HEP-DEX. DOX-loaded micelles exhibited an average particle size of 117 to 181 nm with a high drug entrapment efficiency (36 to 71). DOX-loaded micelles also showed sustained drug-release behavior. DOX-loaded FA-HEP-DEX micelles exhibited higher cellular uptake and in vitrocytotoxicity than free DOX and DOX-loaded HEP-DEX micelles in K562 cells.Conclusions and implications:DOX was well incorporated into the micelles with high entrapment efficiency due to high solubility of DOX in DEX as the hydrophobic component of the micelle structure. The higher cellular uptake and cell toxicity of targeted micelles correspond to the presence of FA on the micelle surface, which promotes cell internalization of the micelles viaspecific receptor-mediated endocytosis. Our results indicated the potential of DOX-loaded heparin-based micelles with desirable antitumor activity as a targeted drug delivery system in cancer therapy