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A state-of-the-art review on the MicroRNAs roles in hematopoietic stem cell aging and longevity
No full textAging is a biological process determined through time-related cellular and functional impairments, leading to a decreased standard of living for the organism. Recently, there has been an unprecedented advance in the aging investigation, especially the detection that the rate of senescence is at least somewhat regulated via evolutionarily preserved genetic pathways and biological processes. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain blood generation over the whole lifetime of an organism. The senescence process influences many of the natural features of HSC, leading to a decline in their capabilities, independently of their microenvironment. New studies show that HSCs are sensitive to age-dependent stress and gradually lose their self-renewal and regeneration potential with senescence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally inhibit translation or stimulate target mRNA cleavage of target transcripts via the sequence-particular connection. MiRNAs control various biological pathways and processes, such as senescence. Several miRNAs are differentially expressed in senescence, producing concern about their use as moderators of the senescence process. MiRNAs play an important role in the control of HSCs and can also modulate processes associated with tissue senescence in specific cell types. In this review, we display the contribution of age-dependent alterations, including DNA damage, epigenetic landscape, metabolism, and extrinsic factors, which affect HSCs function during aging. In addition, we investigate the particular miRNAs regulating HSCs senescence and age-associated diseases
Handle transmitted vibration of electrical demolition hammers: Frequency and magnitude investigation in field measurements from different bits
No full textUsing a demolition hammer among the power tools is one of the most challenging job tasks for the operators of these tools, which exposes users to high levels of hand-transmitted vibrations. The focus of this study was for finding the vibration levels transmitted to the handles, the frequency content transmitted by the tool, and the effect of using insert bits with different tip shapes and lengths using conventional demolition hammers under controlled operating conditions on typical concrete slabs in the field. Three demolition hammers (weighing between 14 and 27 kg) with two handles installed were subjected to simultaneous measurements based on ISO 5349 as the field measurement technique. The findings demonstrated that even while the vertical axis dominated, several samples also produced equivalent x-axis results. The impact energy of the tools employed and the transmitted vibration to the tool handles are not significantly correlated with each other. All mean values were higher in the slabs with a thickness of 15 than those with 10 cm. The mean values of the total results for the two forms of flat and point tip inserted bits were 16.85 and 15.86 m/s(2), respectively, and in the samples with the same operating factors, this difference was more than 3 m/s(2) (p < .03). The a( wrms ) (frequency-weighted root mean square acceleration) produced at tools using 60 cm bits were more than those with a length of 40 cm, both for the average of the total results and the average of the results of each hammer. The difference between the average bit length groups over samples with the same factors reached 4.65 m/s(2) (p = .02). Frequency analysis for the flat and point insert bits with 60 cm length in the concrete slabs with a thickness of 15 cm showed that the dominant frequencies detected at lower frequencies for point bits. This difference is almost two frequency parts of 1/3 octave band
Barriers and facilitators of using health information technologies by women: a scoping review
No full textBACKGROUND AND AIM: Health information technologies play a vital role in addressing diverse health needs among women, offering a wide array of services tailored to their specific requirements. Despite the potential benefits, the widespread utilization of these technologies by women faces numerous barriers and challenges. These barriers can cause women to either reduce their usage of health technologies or refrain from using them altogether. Therefore, this review was done with the aim of identifying and classifying barriers and facilitators. METHODS: Some databases, including PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus were searched using related keywords. Then, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the articles were evaluated and selected. Finally, the barriers and facilitators were identified and classified. RESULTS: Out of 14,399 articles, finally 35 articles were included in the review. In general, 375 barriers (232 items) and facilitators (143 items) were extracted from the studies. After merging similar items, 121 barriers (51 items) and facilitators (70 items) identified were organized into five main themes (management, technological, legal and regulatory, personal, and data and information management). The most important barriers were "privacy, confidentiality, and security concerns" (n = 24), "deficiencies and limitations of infrastructure, software, hardware, and network" (n = 19), "sociocultural challenges" (n = 15), and "poor economic status" (n = 15). Moreover, the most important facilitators were "increasing awareness, skills and continuous education of women" (n = 17, in personal theme), "providing training services" (n = 14, in management theme), "simple, usable, and user-friendly design of technologies" (n = 14, in technological theme), and "providing financial or non-financial incentives (motivation) for women" (n = 14, in personal theme). CONCLUSION: This review showed that in order to use technologies, women face many barriers, either specific to women (such as gender inequality) or general (such as lack of technical skills). To overcome these barriers, policymakers, managers of organizations and medical centers, and designers of health systems can consider the facilitators identified in this review
Parametric study and process modeling for metronidazole removal by rhombic dodecahedron ZIF-67 crystals
No full textMetronidazole (MNZ) is an extensively used antibiotic against bacterial infections for humans and farm animals. Prevention of antibiotics discharge is essential to prevent adverse environmental and health impacts. A member of metal-organic frameworks, zeolite imidazole framework-67 with cobalt sulfate precursor (ZIF-67-SO(4)) and exceptional physio-chemical properties was prepared via room temperature precipitation to adsorb MNZ. The study framework was designed by Box-Behnken Design to evaluate the effect of pH, ZIF-67-SO(4) dose, and contact time on adsorption efficiency. The polynomial model fitted the adsorption system indicated the optimal condition for 97 MNZ removal occurs at pH = 7, adsorbent dosage = 1 g/L, and mixing time = 60 min. The model also revealed that the removal increased with contact time and decreased at strong pH. Equilibrium and kinetic study also indicated the adsorption of MNZ followed the intra-particle diffusion model and the Langmuir isotherm model with a qmax = 63.03 mg/g. The insignificant loss in removal efficacy in use-reuse adsorption cycles reflected the practical viability of ZIF-67-SO(4)
Detection of different variants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (genome) on inanimate surfaces in high-touch public environmental surfaces
No full textSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease started in late 2019 and still continues as a global pandemic, spreading among people around the world. There is limited knowledge about the role of contaminated environmental surfaces, especially high-touch public surfaces, in the transmission of the disease. The objective of the present investigation was detection of different variants (Delta, UK, and Omicron) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (genome) on inanimate surfaces in high-touch public environmental surfaces in different seasons. Automated teller machines of banks (ATM), point-of-sale (POS) machine, gas station pump nozzles, and escalator handrails of malls were selected as high-touch environmental surfaces in public places. Overall, 75 samples were collected from these places and examined for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (genome), and 21 samples (28) were positive. Although the role of fomite transmission of COVID-19 is understood, more studies should be conducted to determine the virus survival rate as well as the required efforts to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 such as frequent cleaning and the use of efficient disinfectants on environmental surfaces, especially high-touch public places. In conclusion, the results address the importance of touching contaminated inanimate objects as well as transmission through environmental surfaces, and they could be used to establish an effective protocol to prevent indirect environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2, slow down the spread of the virus, and reduce the risk of infection
In silico analysis of sporozoite surface antigen 1 of Theileria annulata (TaSPAG1) for multi-epitope vaccine design against theileriosis
No full textTropical theileriosis is a protozoan infection caused by Theileria annulata, which significantly affects cattle worldwide. This study was aimed to analyze the TaSPAG1 protein and design a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate. Online tools were employed for the prediction of Physico-chemical properties, antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, transmembrane domains and signal peptide, posttranslational modification (PTM) sites, secondary and tertiary structures as well as intrinsically disordered regions, followed by identification and screening of potential linear and conformational B-cell epitopes and those peptides having affinity to bind bovine major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules. Next, a multi-epitope vaccine construct was designed and analyzed. This 907-residue protein was hydrophilic (GRAVY: -0.399) and acidic (pI: 5.04) in nature, with high thermotolerance (aliphatic: 71.27). Also, 5 linear and 12 conformational B-cell epitopes along with 8 CTL epitopes were predicted for TaSPAG1. The 355-residue vaccine candidate had a MW of about 35 kDa and it was antigenic, non-allergenic, soluble and stable, which was successfully interacted with cattle MHC-I molecule and finally cloned into the pET28a(+) vector. Further wet studies are required to assess the vaccine efficacy in cattle. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00153-5
Investigation of Correlation between Coronavirus Anxiety, Academic Motivation and Attitude towards the Field Education in Medical Students
No full textINTRODUCTION: Coronavirus pandemic has created a wide range of psychological complications. Students of medical sciences, like health personnel, are at a high risk of infection with coronavirus. The present study is an attempt to examine the correlation between anxiety caused by coronavirus and attitude and motivation toward the field of study in medical sciences students at Ilam University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This correlational study was done on 373 students in different fields of medical sciences at Ilam University of Medical Sciences from April to September 2020. The participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data gathering was done using Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), and Educational Attitude Standard Questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed online by the participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and Pearson's correlation test, independent t-test and analysis of variance at a significance level of (P<0.05). RESULTS: Based on the Pearson correlation coefficient, the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and educational motivation (P=0.001) and attitude (P=0.03) was inverse and significant. There was a significant statistical difference in the average score of anxiety caused by coronavirus in students of different fields. The highest mean anxiety score was in the operating room students and the lowest anxiety score was in the laboratory science field (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus pandemic has created anxiety and lowered educational motivation and attitude in students of different fields of medical sciences
HIF-1α gene/protein and oxidative stress in patients with colorectal cancer: A pilot study
No full textBackground: Several risk factors such as may enhance the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). These include hypoxia and oxidative stress. We investigated serum pro-oxidant antioxidant balance (PAB) and HIF-1α Gene/protein levels in CRC patients over 3 months. Method: Fifty newly diagnosed cases of CRC and 50 healthy individuals were recruited. Tumor sections and marginal healthy tissue, for use as control tissue, were obtained on the day of surgery and HIF-1α mRNA gene expression was determined using Real-Time PCR. Blood from each patient was collected to measure serum PAB using a colorimetric assay, and serum HIF-1α protein concentrations were measured using ELISA method in the patient group before, 24 h after surgery, at the time of discharge, one month, and three months after surgery. The control group samples were obtained on the day of a routine check-up. Results: The expression of the HIF-1α gene in the tumor tissue was 7.31 times greater than in healthy tissue margins (p 0.05). Conclusion: HIF-1α gene expression was significantly higher in tumor tissue than normal marginal tissue and serum HIF-1α protein and PAB levels in patients with CRC were higher preoperatively than the control subjects, and decreased over the 3 months of follow-up. © 202
Global Estimate of Clarithromycin Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Helicobacter pylori: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground: A high resistance rate to clarithromycin usually leads to failure to eradicate Helicobacter pylori. The aim of the present study was to review recent data on H. pylori resistance towards clarithromycin in clinical studies worldwide. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Embase were used for a systematic review from 1 January 2011 to 13 April 2021 to retrieve the clinical trial studies. Data were analyzed according to publication year, age, geo-graphic area, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Statistical analysis was done by STATA version 14.0 (College Station, Texas). Results: From a total of 4,304 articles, 89 articles related to clinical studies were selected for analysis. The overall H. pylori clarithromycin resistance rate was 34.95. Based on continents, the highest and lowest pooled estimate of the bacterial resistance rates were observed in Asia (35.97) and North America (7.02), respectively. The highest and the lowest pooled estimate of H. pylori resistance rate to clarithromycin based on country were ob-tained in Australia (93.4) and USA (7), respectively. Conclusions: H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin in most parts of the world is more than 15, so it is recom-mended that each country, after estimating the rate of resistance to clarithromycin, determine the treatment/erad-ication pattern for H. pylori infection. © 2023 Verlag Klinisches Labor GmbH. All rights reserved
Correction to: Radiation exposure to family members of patients treated with radioactive iodine (131I): a systematic review and meta-analysis (Clinical and Translational Imaging, (2023), 10.1007/s40336-023-00561-9)
No full textIn this article the affiliation details for Ronak Taher Ali were incorrectly given. It should have been as below. 4. Department of Pharmacology & Medical Physics, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan Region Government, Erbil, Iraq 5. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Applied Science, Tishk International University, Kurdistan Region Government, Erbil, Iraq The original article has been corrected. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging