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Obesity, a risk factor for de novo chronic kidney disease (CKD), confers survival advantages in advanced CKD. This so-called obesity paradox is the archetype of the reverse epidemiology of cardiovascular risks, in addition to the lipid, blood pressure, adiponectin, homocysteine, and uric acid paradoxes. These paradoxical phenomena are in sharp contradistinction to the known epidemiology of cardiovascular risks in the general population. In addition to advanced CKD, the obesity paradox has also been observed in heart failure, chronic obstructive lung disease, liver cirrhosis, and metastatic cancer, as well as in the elderly. These are populations in whom protein-energy wasting and inflammation are strong predictors of early death. Both larger muscle mass and higher body fat provide longevity in these patients, whereas thinner body habitus and weight loss are associated with higher mortality. Muscle mass appears to be superior to body fat in conferring an even greater survival. The obesity paradox may be the result of a time discrepancy between competing risk factors, i.e., overnutrition as the long-term killer versus undernutrition as the short-term killer. Hemodynamic stability of obesity, lipoprotein defense against circulating endotoxins, protective cytokine profiles, toxin sequestration of fat mass, and antioxidation of muscle may play important roles. Despite claims that obesity paradox is a statistical fallacy and a result of residual confounding, the consistency of data and other causality clues suggest a high biologic plausibility. Examining the causes and consequences of the obesity paradox may help discover important pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to improved outcomes in patients with CKD.

Background: Glioma tumor is the most common primary brain tumor and extent of resection of this tumor plays a significant role in the survival rate of the patients. Intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) has become a convenient technique in brain tumor surgery due to its non-invasiveness, affordability, and real-time imaging capabilities, making it appealing to neurosurgeons, and assists neurosurgeons in identifying the tumor's location and adjacent structures during surgery. Materials & Method: This study was done prospectively, in Rasul Akram and Shahada-ye-Haftam Tir hospitals, Tehran, Iran, and evaluated IOUS's use in 20 patients with brain glioma between 2019 and 2022. Simple random sampling was used to select patients. The resection was performed using IOUS, and the extent of resection was assessed through imaging. We used SonoSite convex ultrasound probe with bandwidth of 10-3 MHz and scan depth of 3 to 18 cm. Results: The study found that with ultrasound guidance, the average mass resection rate was 89.3%. The use of ultrasound during surgery improved the resection rate compared to previous studies. Motor complications observed in 15% of patients after surgery included paralysis and verbal deficits, while the rate of meningitis was low. The average length of hospitalization for patients was 10 days, and the average intraoperative bleeding was 344 cubic centimeters. Conclusion: Ultrasound can be a valuable tool in resection of brain glioma as it provides real-time imaging and assists in tumor resection, and detect adjacent structures. However, it should be used in conjunction with other monitoring modalities. Further studies are necessary to explore the full potential and limitations of IOUS in neurosurgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hossein Zare,1,2 Sepideh Ahmadi,3,4 Amir Ghasemi,5 Mohammad Ghanbari,6 Navid Rabiee,7 Mojtaba Bagherzadeh,7 Mahdi Karimi,8– 11 Thomas J Webster,12 Michael R Hamblin,13 Ebrahim Mostafavi12,14,15 1Advances Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine Research Group (ANNRG), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Biomaterials Group, Materials Science and Engineering Department, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran; 3Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Engineering, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; 6School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; 7Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; 8Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 9Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 10Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 11Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, MA, Iran; 12Applied Biotechnology Research Centre, Tehran Medical Science, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, MA, Iran; 13Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa; 14Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford, CA, USA; 15Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USACorrespondence: Ebrahim MostafaviStanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Biomedical Innovation Building, 240 Pasteur Dr, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USAEmail ebimsv@stanford.eduMichael R HamblinLaser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, 2028, South AfricaEmail hamblin.lab@gmail.comAbstract: The unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (such as their high surface to volume ratios, enhanced conductivity and strength, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, optical properties, etc.) have led to their consideration to serve as novel drug and gene delivery carriers. CNTs are effectively taken up by many different cell types through several mechanisms. CNTs have acted as carriers of anticancer molecules (including docetaxel (DTX), doxorubicin (DOX), methotrexate (MTX), paclitaxel (PTX), and gemcitabine (GEM)), anti-inflammatory drugs, osteogenic dexamethasone (DEX) steroids, etc. In addition, the unique optical properties of CNTs have led to their use in a number of platforms for improved photo-therapy. Further, the easy surface functionalization of CNTs has prompted their use to deliver different genes, such as plasmid DNA (PDNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) as gene delivery vectors for various diseases such as cancers. However, despite all of these promises, the most important continuous concerns raised by scientists reside in CNT nanotoxicology and the environmental effects of CNTs, mostly because of their non-biodegradable state. Despite a lack of widespread FDA approval, CNTs have been studied for decades and plenty of in vivo and in vitro reports have been published, which are reviewed here. Lastly, this review covers the future research necessary for the field of CNT medicine to grow even further.Keywords: drug delivery, gene delivery, carbon nanotube, precision medicine

Navid Rabiee,1 Sepideh Ahmadi,2,3 Zeynab Arab,1 Mojtaba Bagherzadeh,1 Moein Safarkhani,1 Behzad Nasseri,4,5 Mohammad Rabiee,6 Mohammadreza Tahriri,7 Thomas J Webster,8 Lobat Tayebi7 1Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; 2Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Chemical Engineering Department and Bioengineering Division, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara 06800, Turkey; 5Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry Department, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey; 6Biomaterial Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; 7Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA; 8Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USACorrespondence: Thomas J Webster; Mohammadreza Tahriri Email th.webster@neu.edu; Mohammadreza.tahriri@marquette.eduAbstract: With the passage of time and more advanced societies, there is a greater emergence and incidence of disease and necessity for improved treatments. In this respect, nowadays, aptamers, with their better efficiency at diagnosing and treating diseases than antibodies, are at the center of attention. Here, in this review, we first investigate aptamer function in various fields (such as the detection and remedy of pathogens, modification of nanoparticles, antibiotic delivery and gene delivery). Then, we present aptamer-conjugated nanocomplexes as the main and efficient factor in gene delivery. Finally, we focus on the targeted co-delivery of genes and drugs by nanocomplexes, as a new exciting approach for cancer treatment in the decades ahead to meet our growing societal needs.Keywords: aptamer, polyethyleneimine, hybrid nanocomplexes, antibiotic, targeting, gene delivery systems

Saeed Mohammadi Nasr,1 Navid Rabiee,2 Sakineh Hajebi,3,4 Sepideh Ahmadi,5 Yousef Fatahi,6– 8 Masoumehossadat Hosseini,9,10 Mojtaba Bagherzadeh,2 Amir Mohammad Ghadiri,2 Mohammad Rabiee,11 Vahid Jajarmi,12,13 Thomas J Webster14 1Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran; 2Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; 3Faculty of Polymer Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran; 4Institute of Polymeric Materials, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran; 5Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 6Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 7Nanotechnology Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 8Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; 9Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Petroleum Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran; 10Soroush Mana Pharmed, Pharmaceutical Holding, Golrang Industrial Group, Tehran, Iran; 11Biomaterial Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; 12Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 13Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 14Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United StatesCorrespondence: Thomas J Webster Email th.webster@neu.eduAbstract: Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of heart failure and death in the world, and the transplantation of the heart is an effective and viable choice for treatment despite presenting many disadvantages (most notably, transplant heart availability). To overcome this problem, cardiac tissue engineering is considered a promising approach by using implantable artificial blood vessels, injectable gels, and cardiac patches (to name a few) made from biodegradable polymers. Biodegradable polymers are classified into two main categories: natural and synthetic polymers. Natural biodegradable polymers have some distinct advantages such as biodegradability, abundant availability, and renewability but have some significant drawbacks such as rapid degradation, insufficient electrical conductivity, immunological reaction, and poor mechanical properties for cardiac tissue engineering. Synthetic biodegradable polymers have some advantages such as strong mechanical properties, controlled structure, great processing flexibility, and usually no immunological concerns; however, they have some drawbacks such as a lack of cell attachment and possible low biocompatibility. Some applications have combined the best of both and exciting new natural/synthetic composites have been utilized. Recently, the use of nanostructured polymers and polymer nanocomposites has revolutionized the field of cardiac tissue engineering due to their enhanced mechanical, electrical, and surface properties promoting tissue growth. In this review, recent research on the use of biodegradable natural/synthetic nanocomposite polymers in cardiac tissue engineering is presented with forward looking thoughts provided for what is needed for the field to mature.Keywords: biodegradable polymer, tissue engineering, cardiac cell, composite, natural, synthetic