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This study aims to identify factors of employer brand in Sugarcane Industries in Khuzestan province and proposing its model via thematic analysis. In this regard, the present study has been conducted through qualitative approach via Braun & Clarke's thematic analysis. It is applicable from objective aspect. For data collection, 18 experts including professors, senior managers and faculty professors were being interviewed using semi-structured interview through purposive sampling. Then, the information extracted from the texts and interviews were classified and analyzed using thematic analysis. Reliability was examined and confirmed by means of two methods, i.e. inter-coder agreement procedure and test-retest reliability. To calculate degree of agreement, Cohen's kappa coefficient in SPSS software was employed that was obtained equal to 0.75 and showed acceptable reliability. Also, to ensure validity of the research, the findings were confirmed by three academic experts besides the use of sensitivity strategy of the researcher in the research process. The results revealed classification of one global theme including employer brand, six organized themes including economic, functional, social, developmental, psychological and political factors, and 18 basic themes. It can be stated that employer brand is a key success factor in the current world. Sugarcane Industries in Khuzestan province has enhanced its employer brand through eliminating the existing challenges and implementing the suggested strategies and has become an ideal employer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignancy with aggressive tumors of immature lymphocytes. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain 3 (TIM-3) is a Type I transmembrane glycoprotein which is involved in cell proliferation. The objective of this research is to determine the TIM-3 expression in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) of 80 samples of normal and ALL patients. Materials and Methods: The amount of mRNA and protein of TIM-3 measured in the BM and PB the mononuclear layer of samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results: Our findings indicated that relative mRNA expression of TIM-3 in PB and BM of the mononuclear layer of ALL patients was 1.7 and 5 times higher than normals, respectively. We also reported that the protein level of TIM-3 in mononuclear cells of ALL patients was 3.2-fold in BM and two-fold in PB more than normals. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study shows that TIM-3 increases in ALL patients, thus the expression of TIM-3 in tumor cells may be considered as a potential predictive factor in ALL patients, which needs to be explored in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The in vitro treatment of tumor cells with platelet (Plt) causes inhibition of tumor cell growth, although mechanism of this effect is not clear yet. Induction of apoptosis has been proposed as a mechanism of Plt effects on tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of Plts and Plt-derived components in the induction of apoptosis in the blood mononuclear cells of patients with leukemia. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from whole blood of five patients with childhood B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) and encountered with Plts, Plt-derived microparticles (Plt-MPs) as well as purified soluble CD40L (sCD40L). After 48 hours of co-culture, the anti-cancer activity of the aforementioned factors was surveyed using examination of apoptosis markers of the cells including active caspase-3 and CD95 using ELISA and flow cytometer techniques, respectively. Additionally, staining of the cells with 7-Aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) was evaluated by flow cytometer technique. Trypan blue exclusion test and WST-1 method were also used to compare the death/survival status of the cells. Results: Levels of CD95 and caspase-3 were significantly increased in the all treated groups (P<0.05). On the other hand, trypan blue, 7-AAD and WST-1 methods showed significantly lower number of the live cells in the treated groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study can show the ability of Plts, Plt-MPs and sCD40L for the induction of apoptosis in PBMCs of pre-B-ALL patients. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the different effects of platelets on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous cytogenetic disorder in which clonal plasma cells proliferate in the bone marrow (BM) and cause bone destruction. The BM microenvironment plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of this disease, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the key players. Herein, we propose to investigate the expressions of hsa-MIR-204, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) as factors involved in osteogenesis, adipogenesis, and MSC survival in BM-MSCs from MM patients and normal individuals. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we isolated MSCs from BM aspirates of MM patients and healthy donors. Total RNA were extracted before and after co-culture with L363 myeloma cells. Gene expressions of RUNX2, PPARγ, BCL2, and hsa-MIR-204 were assessed by quantitive real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: Higher levels of RUNX2, PPARγ, and hsa-MIR-204 expressions existed in MMMSCs compared to normally derived (ND)-MSCs. BCL2 expression decreased in MMMSCs. We observed different results in the co-culture model. Conclusion: In general, the MM-MSCs gene expression profile differed compared to NDMSCs. Upregulation of RUNX2, PPARγ, and hsa-MIR-204 in MM-MSCs compared to NDMSCs would result in formation of bone defects. Downregulation of BCL2 would lead to MM-MSC cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]