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Multifaceted Role of Vitamin D in Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of Genetic and Pathway-Based Mechanisms
No full textBackground: Despite advancements in breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment, it continues to be a serious health concern among women due to its high incidence rate. Thus, prevention strategies in BC are essential. Some nutrients such as vitamin D may play a preventive role against BC through different genes which have a vital role in several pathways. These pathways include autophagy, tumorigenesis, apoptosis, immunity, and genome stability. This study aimed to review the role of vitamin D in BC via the network of vitamin D-regulated pathways. Methods: This systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched using a combination of MeSH terms and keywords related to molecular and cellular mechanisms of the effects of vitamin D on breast cancer. A total of 200 articles were initially found, from which 14 relevant studies were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Experimental studies have shown possible anti-carcinogenic effects of vitamin D-related genes due to their participation in regulating autophagy, tumorigenesis, apoptosis, immunity, and genome stability in normal and malignant breast cells. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency has the potential to create a supportive environment that promotes proangiogenic processes, tumor cell dissemination, metastasis, and establishment at secondary sites. Conclusion: Vitamin D may have systematic roles against BC in humans through various interactions with different genes, which have roles in different and important pathways as underlying mechanisms in the pathophysiology of BC. More broadly, research is also needed to determine the exact protective effect of vitamin D on BC risk
Comments on “Body surface area is a predictor of 90-day all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury”
No full textThe effects of Fasciola hepatica recombinant proteins (peroxiredoxin and cathepsin L1) on Crohn's disease experimental model
No full textThe immunomodulatory potential of the excretory-secretory (E/S) proteins of the helminths has been shown in previous investigations. This study evaluated the effects of the recombinants and excretory-secretory proteins of the Fasciola hepatica on induced colitis in Balb/c mice. The F. hepatica Recombinant proteins, Cathepsin L1 and Peroxiredoxin, and E/S proteins were intraperitoneally injected into the three mice groups as the case groups, while the control groups received PBS. Colitis was induced in mice by intraluminal administration of the 2, 4, 6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid solution (TNBS). After 8 h, the case groups received the second dosage of the treatments, and it was repeated 24 h later. The immunological, pathological, and macroscopic changes were evaluated 3 days after colitis induction. The macroscopic evaluation revealed significantly lower inflammatory scores in the mice treated with recombinant Peroxiredoxin (rPRX) and recombinant Cathepsin L1 (rCL1). Despite the macroscopic observation, the pathological finding was insignificant between the groups. IFN-γ secretion was significantly lower in splenocytes of the groups that received rPRX, rCL1, and E/S than the controls. IL-10 showed significantly higher levels in groups treated with rPRX and rCL1 than controls, whereas the level of IL-4 was not statistically significant. Excretory-secretory proteins of the F. hepatica showed immunomodulatory potency and the main effects observed in this study were through the reduction of inflammatory cytokine and inflammation manifestation as well as induction of anti-inflammatory cytokines
The global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among firefighters: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textThis systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to explore the global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among firefighters. A systematical search was performed in three international academic databases (Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science). Overall, 31 articles were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of total MSDs in firefighters was identified as 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] [33, 50]). The prevalence of MSDs in neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, upper extremity and lower extremity was 9% (95% CI [7, 10]), 11% (95% CI [8, 15]), 8% (95% CI [5, 12]), 31% (95% CI [27, 34]), 13% (95% CI [9, 17]) and 16% (95% CI [14, 18]), respectively. No statistically significant relationship was observed between prevalence of MSDs and year of study, mean age, size of sample, duration of prevalence, region or income level. Demographic, occupational and medical condition factors were identified that can create these disorders among firefighters
Administration of N-acetylcysteine for contrast-induced acute kidney injury; an updated mini-review
No full textContrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a potential complication of medical imaging procedures that use contrast media. It is important to identify and manage risk factors for contrast-induced nephropathy and to monitor patients for signs of renal damage after contrast administration. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can prevent CI-AKI through multiple mechanisms of action, including reducing oxidative stress, improving renal hemodynamics, reducing inf lammation, reducing apoptosis and fibrosis, reducing oxidative stress-induced DNA damage, reducing tubular cell injury, and reducing renal tubular cell apoptosis. However, the exact mechanisms of action may vary based on the specific study or context. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms of NAC in preventing CI-AKI
Validity of ten analytical heat stress indices in predicting the physiological parameters of people under various occupational and meteorological conditions
No full textUntil now, only a few comprehensive studies have validated analytical heat stress indices in different conditions. The present study aims to investigate the validity of these indicators in predicting the physiological parameters of workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 194 male employees working in warm environments. First, demographic information was collected. After participants rested for 30 min, their heart rate and tympanic temperature were measured. The subjects then performed their routine tasks. At the end of 90 min, their heart rate and tympanic temperature were again measured. Additionally, their metabolism rate and clothing thermal insulation were estimated. Environmental parameters were also measured at 30-, 60-, and 90-min time points. Additional information required to compute the indices was recorded. Then, the values of each of the indices were computed. Finally, the validity of the indices was assessed under different conditions. The results indicated that the highest regression coefficients with tympanic temperature were assigned to modified physiologically equivalent temperature (mPET) (0.7515), predicted heat strain (PHS) (0.7201), and predicted mean vote (PMV) (0.7082), index, respectively. Also, the greatest regression coefficients with heart rate belonged to mPET (0.7773), PMV (0.7624), and PHS (0.6479) index, respectively. Based on the results, the highest diagnostic accuracies of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for tympanic temperature were related to indices of mPET, PHS, and PMV with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.945, 0.931, and 0.930, respectively. Of the studied indices, it was observed that mPET, PHS, PMV, and PPD showed more validity compared to others
Designing a Multi-epitope Vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 Variant based on an Immunoinformatics Approach
No full textBackground: SARS-CoV-2 is a life-threatening virus in the world. Scientific evidence indicates that this pathogen will emerge again in the future. Although the current vaccines have a pivotal role in the control of this pathogen, the emergence of new variants has a negative impact on their effectiveness. Objectives: Therefore, it is urgent to consider the protective and safe vaccine against all subcoronavirus species and variants based on the conserved region of the virus. Multi-epitope peptide vaccine (MEV), comprised of immune-dominant epitopes, is designed by immunoinformatic tools and it is a promising strategy against infectious diseases. Methods: Spike glycoprotein and nucleocapsid proteins from all coronavirus species and variants were aligned and the conserved region was selected. Antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity of epitopes were checked by a proper server. To robust the immunity of the multi-epitope vaccine, cholera toxin b (CTB) and three HTL epitopes of tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFrC) were linked at the N-terminal and C-terminal of the construct, respectively. Selected epitopes with MHC molecules and the designed vaccines with Toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) were docked and analyzed. The immunological and physicochemical properties of the designed vaccine were evaluated. The immune responses to the designed vaccine were simulated. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations were performed to study the stability and interaction of the MEV-TLRs complexes during simulation time by NAMD (Nanoscale molecular dynamic) software. Finally, the codon of the designed vaccine was optimized according to Saccharo-myces boulardii. Results: The conserved regions of spike glycoprotein and nucleocapsid protein were gathered. Then, safe and antigenic epitopes were selected. The population coverage of the designed vaccine was 74.83%. The instability index indicated that the designed multi-epitope was stable (38.61). The binding affinity of the designed vaccine to TLR2 and TLR4 was-11.4 and-11.1, respectively. The designed vaccine could induce humoral and cellular immunity. Conclusion: In silico analysis showed that the designed vaccine is a protective multi-epitope vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants
Efficacy of a Vaginal Cream from Cymbopogon citratus Oil in Patients with Endometrioma: a Single-Arm Clinical Trial
No full textBackground and objective: Endometriosis is a common and complex gynecological condition. ( Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (lemongrass) has been mentioned in Iranian traditional medicine references for uterus disorders. This study aimed to assess the effects of a lemongrass oil vaginal cream on pain levels, mass size, and overall health profiles in endometriosis patients. Methods: In this single- arm, before-and-after clinical trial, participants with endometrial cysts larger than 2 cm and experiencing dysmenorrhea were treated with lemongrass oil vaginal cream for two months. Their pain and health status were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Endometriosis Health Profile Questionnaire (EHP-30) before and after the treatment. Transvaginal ultrasounds were also performed to measure the size of the cysts before and after the intervention. Results: The intervention led to a significant reduction in pain scores (p<0.001). Additionally, 8 out of 11 domains of the EHP30 questionnaire showed significant improvement. The average size of endometriomas decreased from 39.9 mm to 31.3 mm (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study indicated that lemongrass oil vaginal cream could alleviate pain in endometriosis patients, enhance their overall health and reduce the size of endometrioma. However, rigorous clinical trials with randomized designs and control groups are necessary to validate these results
Machine Learning Approaches for Integrating Clinical and Radiographic Data in the Early Detection of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
No full textOsteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a severe bone condition characterized by the progressive destruction of the jawbone, often associated with the long-term use of antiresorptive medications such as bisphosphonates. Early detection of ONJ remains a significant clinical challenge due to the subtle onset of symptoms and limitations in current diagnostic methods, which rely on clinical assessment and radiographic imaging. Conventional techniques, such as panoramic X-rays, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), often fail to detect early-stage ONJ, delaying diagnosis until more advanced stages. Machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool for improving the early detection and diagnosis of ONJ by integrating clinical and radiographic data. ML algorithms, including supervised learning methods like random forests, support vector machines, and deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks, are particularly suited for analyzing complex datasets and identifying patterns that are undetectable by traditional methods. These models can enhance the sensitivity and specificity of ONJ detection, potentially leading to earlier interventions and improved patient outcomes. This paper reviews the current state of ML applications in ONJ detection, emphasizing the integration of clinical and radiographic data. It discusses various ML approaches, their potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, and the challenges involved in data integration. Also, this review highlights future directions of ML as a diagnostic tool that has the potential to revolutionize ONJ detection, offering a path toward earlier, more accurate diagnosis and better patient care. GMJ.2024;13:e3623] DOI: 10.31661/gmj.v13i.362
Psychosocial challenges of married women who have experienced domestic violence: a qualitative study
No full textAim: Domestic violence (DV) is a global public problem that is seen at all levels of society. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of married women of the psychosocial challenges of DV. Subject and methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 women who had been subjected to violence by their spouses. The interviews were transcribed. Initially, semantic resemblances and differences were reviewed and subcategories were defined. After repeated review, the related subcategories were placed in one category. Results: Women with a history of DV experienced psychosocial challenges in the form of psychological concerns and socio-cultural challenges. Psychological concerns included fear, anxiety, and attempts to end life. Socio-cultural challenges also included ending relationships with others, lack of social support, and DV as a cultural taboo. Conclusion: The results of our study acknowledge that DV against women occurred in the context of psychological and social challenges, which can threaten women’s mental and social healt