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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become one of the most serious diseases worldwide. The contagiousness of the virus and its unexpectedly rapid spread in different communities have raised many concerns. Objectives: This study investigated the association of clinical findings and hospital stay length of COVID-19 patients with diabetes and hypertension history in Garmsar Hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed COVID-19 patients admitted to Motamedi Hospital, Garmsar, Iran. Data were recorded in Minitab V17 software and analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were also computed for quantitative and qualitative variables, respectively. Results: The mean age was significantly higher in the group with underlying diseases than in the control group. The proportion of CRP-positive cases was higher in the hypertensive group than in the diabetes + hypertensive group, but it was not statistically significant. The rate of shortness of breath, length of hospital stay, and mortality were lower in the control group than in the group with underlying diseases, but this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Although the incidence of respiratory distress, the length of hospital stay, and the mortality rate were lower in the control group than in the group with diabetes + hypertension, there was no significant association between these conditions and the risk of death and the length of hospital stay due to COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease with diverse pathomechanisms, presents challenges in developing personalized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of exosomes, small extracellular vesicles, in asthma pathophysiology and explores their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic tools. Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify recent studies investigating the involvement of exosomes in asthma. The retrieved articles were analyzed to extract relevant information on the role of exosomes in maintaining lung microenvironment homeostasis, regulating inflammatory responses, and their diagnostic and therapeutic potential for asthma. Results: Exosomes secreted by various cell types, have emerged as crucial mediators of intercellular communication in healthy and diseased conditions. Evidence suggest that exosomes play a significant role in maintaining lung microenvironment homeostasis and contribute to asthma pathogenesis by regulating inflammatory responses. Differential exosomal content between healthy individuals and asthmatics holds promise for the development of novel asthma biomarkers. Furthermore, exosomes secreted by immune and nonimmune cells, as well as those detected in biofluids, demonstrate potential in promoting or regulating immune responses, making them attractive candidates for designing new treatment strategies for inflammatory conditions such as asthma. Conclusion: Exosomes, with their ability to modulate immune responses and deliver therapeutic cargo, offer potential as targeted therapeutic tools in asthma management. Further research and clinical trials are required to fully understand the mechanisms underlying exosome‐mediated effects and translate these findings into effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for asthma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (E. angustifolia L.) whole fruit ethanolic extract was investigated on common pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans). The phytochemical composition of E. angustifolia was screened by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extract were determined using the broth dilution technique. According to the results, 13 major compounds such as flavonoid, aldehyde, alcoholic and fatty acids were identified by GC/MS. In addition, the extract could inhibit the growth of all examined pathogenic strains. The MIC was 3.75 to 1.87 mg ml-1 while maximum activity was found against Staphylococcus aureus. Besides, the MBC was ranging from 7.5 to 3.75 mg ml-1. Since E. angustifolia whole fruit ethanolic extract contains phytochemical compounds and has antimicrobial potential it can be recommended as a natural active agent for application in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the biological activities of whole herb extract of a medicinal plant named Smirnovia Iranica were investigated. The extraction was performed using Supercritical CO2 and phytochemical compounds, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer effect were determined in the extract. Based on the results, high TPC concentration (120.36 mg GAE/100 g FW) and TFC (17.41 mg quercetin/100g FW) were obtained in the extract. Besides, the extract showed significant antioxidant activity (IC50=53.97 µg mL-1). Moreover, the extract showed a notable inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli (MIC=15.63 mg mL-1) and Salmonella enterica (MIC=31.25 mg mL-1). On the other hand, this extract showed the cytotoxic effect on glioblastoma cancer cell lines in the MTT assay. This is the first, yet comprehensive, scientific report about the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of the extract of Smirnovia Iranica whole herb. According to current results, the Smirnovia Iranica extract has excellent antioxidant properties for application as bioactive components for various objects such as as food supplements. The experiment confirmed the efficacy of the extracts as natural antimicrobials and suggested the possibility of employing them in drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by the test organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alumina-titanium (Al2O3-Ti) composites with enhanced mechanical and corrosion properties have been recently developed for potential applications in orthopaedics and hard tissue replacements. However, before any clinical use, their interactions with biological environment must be examined. Methods: The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess the biocompatibility of three Al2O3-Ti composites having 25, 50, and 75 volume percentages of titanium. These materials were made by spark plasma sintering (SPS), and MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured onto the sample discs to evaluate the cell viability, proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and adhesion. Furthermore, the apatite formation ability and wettability of the composites were analysed. Pure Ti (100Ti) and monolithic Al2O3 (0Ti) were also fabricated by SPS and biological characteristics of the composites were compared with them. Results: The results showed that cell viability to 75Ti (95.0%), 50Ti (87.3%), and 25Ti (63.9%) was superior when compared with 100Ti (42.7%). Pure Al2O3 also caused very high cell viability (89.9%). Furthermore, high cell proliferation was seen at early stage for 50Ti, while the cells exposed to 75Ti proliferated more at late stages. Cell differentiation was approximately equal between different groups, and increased by time. Matrix mineralization was higher on the composite surfaces rather than on 0Ti and 100Ti. Moreover, the cells adhered differently to the surfaces of different biomaterials where more spindle-shaped configuration was found on 100Ti, slightly enlarged cells with dendritic shape and early pseudopodia were observed on 75Ti, and more enlarged cells with long dendritic extensions were found on 0Ti, 25Ti, and 50Ti. The results of EDS analysis showed that both Ca and P deposited on the surfaces of all materials, after 20 days of immersion in SBF. Conclusion: Our in-vitro findings demonstrated that the 75Ti, 50Ti, and 25Ti composites have high potential to be used as load-bearing orthopedic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaeagnus. angustifolia L. (EA) is a natural plant food with therapeutic and medicinal properties for treating various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Since herbal agents are origins of bioactive compounds, they can be applied in complementary treatment protocols. In this study, EA whole fruit extract's cytotoxic effects were investigated on both animal and human glioblastoma cancer cell lines. The extract of whole fruit of EA was obtained by maceration in ethanol. The phytochemical compounds were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The MTT and LDH assays were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity effect of the extract and the determination of cell death. Wound-healing assay and colony formation analysis were employed for migration and proliferation evaluation. Based on HPLC analysis, the main flavonoid components of the extract were included rutin and apigenin. The results demonstrated that EA extract at the dose of 125 to 2000 µg/ml and 61.5 to 2000 µg/ml inhibited C6 and U87 cells' viability and induced significant cell cytotoxicity at both 48 and 72 h incubation times. Besides, EA extract significantly inhibited cell migration and colony formation at 250 to 1000 µg/ml concentration. Overall, the results showed that EA extract could inhibit several stages in glioblastoma carcinogenesis in vitro. Therefore, it can be suggested as an anticancer in the clinical treatment approaches of glioblastoma cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that Spirulina may have great therapeutic benefits due to its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the chemopreventive properties of the Spirulina microalgae (Spi) on the regression and survival of tumor, histopathological features of glioblastoma, and detection of the molecular mechanism of Spi. Tumor viability versus Spi was determined using the MTT assay. In vivo antitumor activity of Spi was studied using the glioblastoma model. After tumor induction, the animals were euthanized, and their brains were removed. Histological evaluation was performed for tumor size and manifestation. The mechanisms of the anticancer effects of Spi were investigated by evaluating the microRNAs and their targets. The results demonstrated that Spi inhibited C6 and U87 cell proliferation and induced cell death. Histopathologic results showed that the administration of Spi could delay the development of tumors and prolonged the survival of tumor‐bearing animals. Furthermore, Spi significantly upregulated miR‐34a and miR‐125b that have a key role in the progression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This is the first in vivo report on the chemo‐preventive effect of Spi against glioblastoma, suggesting its potential use in the chemoprevention of this cancer and the antiglioma molecular mechanism of Spi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alumina-titanium (Al2O3-Ti) biocomposites have been recently developed with improved mechanical properties for use in heavily loaded orthopedic sites. Their biological performance, however, has not been investigated yet. Methods: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vivo biological interaction of Al2O3-Ti. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) was used to fabricate Al2O3-Ti composites with 25 vol.%, 50 vol.%, and 75 vol.% Ti content. Pure alumina and titanium were also fabricated by the same procedure for comparison. The fabricated composite disks were cut into small bars and implanted into medullary canals of rat femurs. The histological analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation were carried out to determine the bone formation ability of these materials and to evaluate the bone-implant interfaces. Results: The histological observation showed the formation of osteoblast, osteocytes with lacuna, bone with lamellar structures, and blood vessels indicating that the healing and remodeling of the bone, and vasculature reconstruction occurred after 4 and 8 weeks of implantation. However, superior bone formation and maturation were obtained after 8 weeks. SEM images also showed stronger interfaces at week 8. There were differences between the composites in percentages of bone area (TB%) and the number of osteocytes. The 50Ti composite showed higher TB% at week 4, while 25Ti and 75Ti represented higher TB% at week 8. All the composites showed a higher number of osteocytes compared to 100Ti, particularly 75Ti. Conclusions: The fabricated composites have the potential to be used in load-bearing orthopedic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]