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Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effect of vitamin D and/or synbiotics on the response to treatment, cytokines profile and hormonal biomarkers in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. A total of 76 patients were recruited and completed the course of the intervention between 2019 and 2021 in Kerman, Iran. breast cancer patients were randomly enrolled in this study. Patients divided into four groups to receive one of the following regimens: placebo, vitamin D, synbiotics and a combination of vitamin D and synbiotics. clinicopathologic parameters, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers and hormonal levels were measured at the baseline and four months after intervention. The study results found no clear link between the interventions and achieving pathological complete response (pCR), and a similar trend was observed in Ki-67 index examination. After neoadjuvant therapy, TNF-α concentrations decreased, with vitamin D supplementation moderating this decline. Vitamin D supplemented groups showed a significant increase in serum IL-6 levels. While IL-10 levels decreased in the placebo group, all intervention groups were protected from this decline. Moreover, there was a notable increase in the anti-inflammatory index, particularly in the group receiving both vitamin D and synbiotic supplementation, suggesting potential synergistic anti-inflammatory effects from their combined administration. The outcomes suggest a potential anti-inflammatory function of this combination. Consequently, more extensive studies with prolonged follow-up periods and substantial sample sizes are warranted to thoroughly evaluate their potential benefits for breast cancer patients.

BackgroundFamily caregivers play a crucial role in supporting patients with incurable diseases, but often experience significant stress and anxiety. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological interventions on family caregivers, with a focus on reducing the burden of care, improving mental health and quality of life, and promoting family communication.MethodThis study conducted a brief overview of quantitative and qualitative research on assessing the impact of psychological interventions on family caregivers. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PUBMED, SCOPUS, EMBASE, SCIENCE DIRECT and WEB OF SCIENCE to identify relevant papers, resulting in 20 articles being included. The included studies focused on evaluating the outcomes of psychological interventions on family caregivers.ResultUltimately, 20 relevant articles were retrieved from a pool of 500 articles, focusing on the evaluation of the primary outcomes of psychological interventions on family caregivers. The review of 20 articles revealed that interventions such as expressive writing and reminiscence therapy had a positive and significant impact on reducing the burden of care and fostering a positive care environment. Additionally, these interventions were found to be effective in improving self-esteem, family communication, and overall wellbeing.ConclusionThe study emphasizes the need for further research to confirm the benefits of these interventions and their role in promoting family resilience. These findings highlight the potential of psychological interventions in alleviating the challenges faced by family caregivers of patients with incurable diseases.

Abstract The study aims to investigate the impact of various drying techniques on the quality of sulfated polysaccharides (SP) extracted from Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) skin. Three drying methods, namely microwave drying (M‐KPP), freeze‐drying (F‐KPP), and hot air drying (HA‐KPP), are examined. The chemical and monosaccharide compositions of SP are significantly affected by the drying methods. The extraction yields for M‐KPP, F‐KPP, and HA‐KPP are 3.30%, 3.11%, and 2.50%, respectively (P

Abstract Background This study explored the impact of predicted miRNAs on DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and the PODXL gene in Nalm6 cells, revealing the significance of these miRNAs in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Methods A comprehensive approach was adopted, integrating bioinformatic analyses encompassing protein structure prediction, molecular docking, dynamics, and ADMET profiling, in conjunction with evaluations of gene and miRNA expression patterns. This methodology was employed to elucidate the therapeutic potential of catechin compounds in modulating the activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and the PODXL gene. Results The findings from our investigation indicate that catechins possess the capability to inhibit DNMT enzymes. This inhibitory effect is associated with the upregulation of microRNAs miR-200c and miR-548 and a concurrent downregulation of PODXL gene expression. These molecular interactions culminate in an augmented apoptotic response within ALL (Nalm6) cells. Conclusion The study posits that catechins may represent a viable therapeutic avenue for inducing apoptosis in ALL cells. This is achieved through the modulation of epigenetic mechanisms and alterations in gene expression profiles, highlighting the potential of catechins as agents for cancer therapy.

Introduction: Anthropocentrism is one of the central causes of the environmental crisis which is rooted in consumerism, and consumerism in energy leads to more demand for natural resources. By criticizing anthropocentrism, environmental philosophy has qusstioned the dominant Western culture's conception of nature and has challenged this mainstream by criticizing instrumental rationality and emphasizing the intrinsic value of nature. Consumption is a key component to achieve sustainable development, and saving energy is one of the ways to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment and climate change management. The rapid increase in energy consumption for socio-economic activities is the main source of the continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming and climate change effects. From the environmental psychology perspective, dealing with climate change is considered a fundamental challenge that requires a deep understanding of the psychological processes involved in environmentally friendly behaviors and lifestyles in general, and energy consumption in particular. The evidence shows that technical interventions alone cannot have an effect in reducing energy consumption and consumers' behavior must be changed.Materials and Methods: The main purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between environmental ethics and energy saving behavior of agricultural students. To achieve this goal, the survey method was used. The statistical population of the research was M.Sc. and Ph.D. agricultural students at Tehran University, which 126 of them were selected using simple random sampling method and Krejcie and Morgan table. The questionnaire was a data gathering tool that was designed in three sections: students' demographic characteristics, energy saving behavior and environmental ethics. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts in this field. Also, its validity was obtained using convergent and differential validity, and its reliability was obtained by calculating Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability.Results: The findings of the research showed that the students prioritized ecocentrism, theocentrism and anthropocentrism in the first to third priority, respectively. Based on the results of structural equation modeling, only ecocentrism environmental ethics was effective in energy saving behavior and the research model was able to explain 38% of students' energy saving behavior changes. Discussion: Unlimited exploitation of natural resources to provide energy and wasting energy resources are clear examples of paying attention to human needs, without considering the capacity and potential of nature. With regard to eco-centric ethics, the discourse of intrinsic value should become the dominant discourse in energy policies, and without acknowledging the intrinsic value and rights of nature, the intrinsic value of nature is continuously ignored, and a shif from anthropocentric developmentalism to ecocentric approach should be prioritized in order to fill the gap between anthropocentrism and ecocentrism. The fact that students focus on anthropocentric or ecocentric views affects their understanding of the environment and its protection and their attitude towards the environment. Eco-centric education for students is one of the important priorities in this field. An education that makes students aware of the intrinsic value of nature. This process increases the critique of dominant values such as excessive energy consumption and highlights the negative effects of development. The key point in teaching environmental sustainability is educational approaches focused on the development of critical and reflective thinking. In these trainings, empathy with life on the planet, listening to the earth and action to protect the biosphere should be encouraged.

Background: Obesity is a global health crisis with profound implications on various body systems, contributing to a series of comorbidities. Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (MBS) has emerged as an effective treatment option for severe obesity, with significant weight reduction and potential systemic physiological alterations. Objectives: This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the long-term effects of MBS on a wide array of body systems, including the heart, liver, kidneys, reproductive system, skin, lungs, digestive tract, pancreas, and blood, as well as related cancers of these organs. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in academic databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus) for observational studies and reviews published between July 2000 and December 2023, investigating the association between MBS and the subsequent function of different organ systems. High-quality studies were prioritized to ensure reliable evidence synthesis. Results: MBS has demonstrated favorable outcomes in reducing cardiovascular disease risk, improving cardiac function, and alleviating heart failure symptoms. It has also been associated with improved respiratory function, remission of obstructive sleep apnea, and reduced cancer incidence and mortality. Additionally, MBS has shown benefits in managing gastrointestinal disorders, enhancing glycemic control, and promoting pancreatic beta-cell regeneration in type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, some methods of MBS are associated with a higher risk of cholelithiasis, GERD, and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Conclusion: MBS has far-reaching systemic effects beyond weight loss, offering potential long-term benefits for various organ systems and comorbidities associated with obesity. For many patients with severe obesity, the potential benefits of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) can outweigh the associated risks. However, careful evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional is crucial to determine candidacy and ensure a successful outcome. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the long-term impacts and tailor personalized treatment approaches.

Background and aimMalnutrition among intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with a higher risk of mortality and prolonged hospitalization. However, the influence of malnutrition on severe outcomes of ICU patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. By evaluating the effect of malnutrition on the outcomes of COVID-19 in the ICU in older adult patients, this study will contribute to new knowledge of assessing the nutritional status and recovery of these patients.MethodsIn the current single center prospective study, 310 critically ill COVID-19 patients with an age range of ≥65 years were recruited. Data on demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, comorbidities, medications, and types of mechanical ventilation were collected in the first 24 h of ICU admission. Malnutrition was defined based on the two-step approach of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) scale at baseline. During the 45 days after the baseline, we collected data on delirium incidence, mortality, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement, length of ICU and hospital admission, and re-hospitalization.ResultsIn this study, the prevalence of malnutrition was 63.4% among critically ill COVID-19 patients. During the 45-day follow-up, 190 (61.3%) COVID-19 deaths were recorded among the baseline 310 patients. After controlling for potential confounders, malnutrition was associated with an increased risk of delirium so malnourished COVID-19 patients had a significantly 35% higher risk of delirium than those without malnutrition (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01–1.83). Such a significant association was not for COVID-19 mortality and IMV requirement. In addition, malnutrition was associated with a significantly 84% greater odds of prolonged ICU admission (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.09–3.10). No significant association was seen between malnutrition and re-hospitalization and also prolonged hospital admission.ConclusionMalnutrition was associated with an increased risk of delirium and prolonged ICU admission among critically ill older adult COVID-19 patients. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malnutrition could be a key component in improving outcomes in these patients.

For green hydrogen energy systems driven by renewables, despite the complexities in design and operations, uncertainties related to availability of infrastructures or seasonality of resources are significant as well as the uncertainties in technical side such as adoption of technologies for energy generation, conversion, and storage. Such uncertainties put the economy and sustainability of these systems under shadows. Consequently, it has been attempted to balance and offset the impacts of uncertainties by means of providing the side products such as hydrogen. An enviro-economic optimization considering reliability, availability, and maintenance of a biomass-gasification-driven combined heating, hydrogen, and electricity system is considered in this study. The emission penalty cost as well as the electricity and hydrogen generation revenues are also pinpointed as part of the objective function which is the total cost. Such costs incorporate capital cost for purchase and installation of all modules, primary fuel (High Heat Value Woods) purchase, and transportation costs. Probabilistic approach using Weibull function is used for modeling reliability for the whole system. The most optimal values for total cost, hydrogen and electrical modules incomes, rated capacities, utilization times, reliability and maintainability indicators such as mean time to failure and maintenance intervals for modules are derived and compared. The sensitivity to performance parameters and sizing characteristics of those three modules are also investigated. The results support this notion that if there are opportunities to sell hydrogen, it is advantageous to integrate hydrogen module to the heating and power co-generation. The results show that minimum cost is obtained by devoting less rated capacities and utilization times to electricity modules in favor of increasing the hydrogen module utilization times and flow rates.

BackgroundCancer is a significant public health issue, causing various challenges for individuals affected by it. As cancer progresses, patients often become dependent on others for support. Family caregivers and members play a crucial role in the recovery and rehabilitation of these patients. However, caregivers themselves face numerous challenges throughout the course of their family member’s illness. Exploring the experiences of family caregivers can inform long-term planning and supportive interventions to address their caregiving difficulties. This study reviews previous literature on caregiving outcomes.MethodThis study presents a narrative review of qualitative studies, analyzing a total of 23 articles. The results were extracted and organized into subcategories. After revision by the research team, main categories were identified. These categories encompass both positive and negative outcomes of caregiving.ResultsThe findings of this review demonstrate that caring for a family member with cancer has significant implications for caregivers. These implications include: (A) Positive outcomes of caregiving (such as achieving self-management and balance, promoting kinship intimacy, finding meaning and purpose, and experiencing spiritual growth) and (B) Negative outcomes of caregiving (including care-related physical exhaustion, disruption of personal life plans, psycho-emotional consequences, and socio-economic burden).ConclusionThe results of this study highlight the challenges faced by family caregivers and emphasize the importance of addressing their needs within the healthcare system. By providing support and attention to their well-being, caregivers can enhance their resilience and adaptability in managing caregiving difficulties.

As a kind of self-excited large amplitude vibration, galloping is detrimental to engineering structures. Therefore, how to effectively suppress it has been a crucial issue for both industry and academia. In this Letter, a passive method based on integrating rectangular prismatic bluff bodies with different surface protrusions is proposed to mitigate galloping-induced vibrations. Both wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations prove the validity of this method. Moreover, computational fluid dynamics simulations are also performed to investigate the underlying aerodynamic phenomena. Results reveal that the maximum amplitude and energy suppression ratios can reach 100%, especially for wind speeds higher than 3 m/s. As opposed to previous methods that delay galloping vibrations to higher wind speeds, this technique can directly change the vibration type from conjoint vortex-induced vibration (VIV)-galloping to VIV, which fundamentally eliminates galloping oscillations. Therefore, this method is promising in suppressing galloping vibrations.

Abstract Family caregivers of dying cancer patients may suffer from grief experiences and bereavement complications. Previous studies have proposed some psycho-emotional interventions for the management of these complications. However, little attention has been given to family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing. This study was conducted to examine the effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing, combined and alone, on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of dying cancer patients. This was a randomized controlled trial, in which 200 family caregivers of dying cancer patients were randomly assigned to four intervention groups: family-based dignity intervention (n = 50), expressive writing intervention (n = 50), combined family-based single dignity intervention and expressive writing (n = 50), and control group (n = 50). In three times (baseline, 1 week, and 2 weeks after the interventions), anticipatory grief was assessed by a 13-item anticipatory grief scale (AGS). Finally, we found a significant reducing effect of family-based dignity intervention on AGS (-8.12 ± 1.53 vs. -1.57 ± 1.52, P = 0.01) and its subscales including behavioral (-5.92 ± 0.97 vs. -2.17 ± 0.96, P = 0.04) and emotional (-2.38 ± 0.78 vs. 0.68 ± 0.77, P = 0.03) subscales compared to the control group. However, no significant effect was seen for expressive writing intervention and combined interventions of expressive writing and family-based dignity intervention. In conclusion, family-based dignity intervention may be a safe intervention for relieving anticipatory grief among family caregivers of dying cancer patients. Additional clinical trials are needed to confirm our findings. Registration number: IRCT20210111050010N1. Trial registration date:2021–02-06.

Abstract Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative process of the optic nerve that is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and early diagnosis of the disease could greatly affect patients’ prognoses. The pathophysiology of glaucoma is complicated by a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors. Deciphering the early diagnostic biomarkers in glaucoma could attenuate the disease's global burden and help us understand the exact mechanisms involved in glaucoma. The microRNAs are members of a larger family of non-coding RNAs that play an essential role in the epigenetic basis of glaucoma. A systematic study and meta-analysis of diagnostic microRNAs in glaucoma, jointly with network analysis of target genes, were carried out on published papers assessing differentially expressed microRNAs in human subjects. In total, 321 articles were found, and, after screening, six studies were eligible for further analysis. 52 differentially expressed microRNAs were found, of which 28 and 24 were up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively. Only 12 microRNAs were qualified for meta-analysis, with overall sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 74%, respectively. Then, using network analysis, it became apparent that the VEGF-A, AKT1, CXCL12, and HRAS genes were the most important targets for the microRNAs. Perturbations in WNT signaling, protein transport, and extracellular matrix organization pathways were discovered to be important in the etiology of glaucoma using the community detection approach. This study tries to uncover the promising microRNAs and their target genes that govern the epigenetics of glaucoma.

Water consumption grew twice as fast as the global population last century, and an increasing number of regions around the world are facing or will face, water scarcity. Access to water has been recognized as a major threat to world peace in the present century, and ethical issues related to water have been given high priority. Using a systematic review method, this paper examines the three fundamental perspectives of deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics in environmental philosophy and their implications for water management and policy-making. Each of the three perspectives has led to the emergence of different ethical approaches to water, but what is clear is that in all three perspectives anthropocentric view has prevailed and moral considerations about non-humans have received less attention. In addition, ethical approaches to water face weaknesses, and water management requires an integrated and holistic approach that integrates humans and aquatic ecosystems and avoids unilateralism.

Currently, many countries, including Iran, are facing extremely high levels of water stress and annually more than 80% of the water available to users is supplied from groundwater resources. Water resources are declining fast, and the picture is alarming in many places around the world. Water resources are part of the common heritage and one of the most basic common natural resources of mankind. Common or public resources are resources for which exclusion of users is difficult to achieve and for which joint use reduces the availability of benefits derived from the resource for others, resulting in condition that produces a competition in the use of resources and the degradation or even destruction of resources. In this article, by using the method of documentary research, the effective factors in the development of cooperative behavior for water conservation using social dilemma theory are described and strategies such as education, moral commitment, communication, punishment and reward and social sanctions for sustainable exploitation of this resource are discussed.

In medicine, the application of nanotechnology is related to the use of nanoscale materials to improve and develop new diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Due to the unique physicochemical and optical characteristics of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs), such as high biocompatibility, surface properties, and relative stability, they have been widely investigated for medical purposes, particularly as a theranostic agent in cancer diagnosis and treatment. This review concentrates on current progress in the applications of TiO2 nanostructures in cancer diagnosis and treatment domains. Studies have shown that TiO2 NPs can be promising in various medical imaging techniques. In the field of cancer treatment, researchers have evaluated the ability of TiO2 NPs in up-to-date therapeutic approaches, including drug delivery, sonodynamic, photodynamic, photothermal, and ionizing radiation therapies. In the current review, we focus on the ability of TiO2 NPS as a radiation sensitizer to improve the efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, according to the studies that have been conducted on controlling and optimizing the factors involved in the TiO2 NP radiosensitization, the mechanism of TiO2 NPs in producing the radiosensitivity effect has been discussed.

[1]Introduction: Bioactive compounds are substances found in small amounts in food. In addition to their influence on human development, these compounds also play a crucial role in reducing diseases in human. Polysaccharides are a group of bioactive compounds that come from a variety of sources. Polysaccharides are macromolecules that are usually composed of more than ten monosaccharides. The constituent monosaccharides are arranged linearly or branched together through glycoside bonds, depending on the length of the chain and the number of constituent monosaccharides. They also have different molecular weight. Polysaccharides, like other essential macromolecules such as proteins and poly-nucleotides in the body, are essential for the flaxseed body's daily activities and play an influential role in cell-cell communication, cell adhesion, and the identification of molecules in the immune system. A group of polysaccharides derived from marine sources are sulfated polysaccharides. These polysaccharides are a broad branch of the resulting polysaccharides. In industrial quantities, sulfated polysaccharides are produced from pig skin and pig bone, and there are some restrictions on the use of these products in some countries. The limitations on the use of these products made from pig waste are the risks of transmitting influenza, as well as the prohibition of pork in some Islāmic countries. In this regard, by-products from seafood processing, which account for about 20 to 50 percent of the initial weight of raw material, are one of the sources that researchers are considering to extract these compounds. Material and Method: After preparation of the by-product, it was covered with ice in a ratio of 1 to 3 and transferred to the laboratory of Tarbiat Modares University. The sample was then washed and then ground. Finally, it was packed in plastic bags and kept in the freezer at -18 ° C until the day of experiment. Then, the enzymatic hydrolysis method and precipitation by ethanol were used to get sulfated polysaccharides. Chemical analyses were performed to determine carbohydrates, sulfates, proteins, and uronic acid content. The FTIR spectrum of extracted sulfate polysaccharide was determined using an FTIR spectrophotometer in the range of 400-4000 cm-1. Evaluation of antioxidant properties of obtained sulfate polysaccharide was assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ABTS free radical scavenging activity, and ferrozine tests. Emulsifying and foaming properties were also evaluated as functional properties. Results and Discussion: In the present study, sulfated polysaccharide was extracted from Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) skin by pepsin enzyme and its FTIR spectrum, carbohydrate, sulfate, uronic acid and protein were analyzed. The results of the chemical analysis of the extracted polysaccharide showed that the extraction efficiency was 3.23± 0.02%, as well as the percentage of carbohydrate and protein of the obtained polysaccharide was 57.03± 2 2.56, 7.78± 0.43% respectively. Also, the amount of sulfate and uronic acid were 6.54± 0.77 and 3.86± 0.43, respectively. The results of infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of a broad peak in the range between 3350 and 3450 cm-1 for the –OH group and the S=O sulfate flexural band in the range of 1245 cm-1. An increasing and significant trend was observed in different concentrations used for the DPPH test (p

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[1]Introduction: Nowadays, pH indicator has engrossed wide attention because of its eligibility to monitoring shelf life. Intelligent packaging is authoritative of detecting, sensing, tracing, recording and communicating properties to provide information is communicated directly through color changes. In the meantime, natural anthocyanins are non-toxic, water- soluble and safe dye that are indicator to pH change. Anthocyanins are a large group of natural dyes. Some natural anthocyanin, such as anthocyanin extracted from mulberry, black bean, blueberry and violet basil (Ocimum basilicum) are used to spoilage monitoring. In present study, an intelligent pH-indicator film based on Arabic gum- Carboxymethyl cellulose incorporated with Violet basil (Ocimum basilicum. L) Anthocyanin was prepared and its properties including structural, physical, mechanical, thermal, antioxidant activity and color sensitivity to changing pH and ammonia gas were evaluated. Materials and methods: For this purpose, at first anthocyanin of Violet basil was extracted and its color reactions were investigated. In next step, the extracted anthocyanin was added to Arabic gum- Carboxymethyl cellulose at different concentrations (40, 60 and 80 mg/100 g film formation solution) and their properties were evaluated. Results and discussion: The results of FTIR and XRD tests showed that the extracted anthocyanin was successfully dissolved in the composite film. Addition of anthocyanin to film matrix led to increasing the WVP and antioxidant activity and decreasing the water contact angle, elongation at break (EB) and thermal properties. The tensile strength value of the prepared films increased from 19 to 23.64 MPa with increasing anthocyanin content from 0 to 60 mg/100 g film solution; but, it decreased with further increase of the anthocyanin content. Exposing the indicator films to ammonia gas and different pHs led to changing the color changes from red to yellow. These color variations of films were consistent with the color changes of the anthocyanin solution. This result indicates that the films prepared sensitive to pH change, and observed different color in films as the solution is changed from acidic to alkaline because causes its structural changes. The structure of anthocyanin is yellow salt ions in acidic solutions, is converted to quinoidal in weak alkaline solutions, and becomes unstructured in high pH solutions.In this study, pH indicator films were prepared based of Carboxymethyl cellulose and Arabic gum containing violet basil anthocyanin. The developed films are non-toxic and biodegradable and provide visible color response. Based on these results can be concluded that the indicator film prepared in present study could be used as intelligent food packaging for visual evolution of freshness/spoilage in food products

The effect of ultrasound pretreatment on extraction efficiency of sulfate polysaccharides (SPs) using alcalase from different by-products of Skipjack tuna including head, bone and skin was evaluated. Structural, functional, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the recovered SPs using the ultrasound-enzyme and enzymatic method were also investigated. Ultrasound pretreatment significantly increased the extraction yield of SPs from all the three by-products compared with the conventional enzymatic method. All extracted SPs showed high antioxidant potential in terms of ABTS, DPPH and ferrous chelating activities where the ultrasound treatment enhanced antioxidant activities of the SPs. The SPs exerted strong inhibiting activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The ultrasound treatment remarkably increased antibacterial activity of the SPs against L. monocytogenes but its effect on other bacteria was dependent on the source of the SPs. Altogether, the results suggest that ultrasound pretreatment during enzymatic extraction of SPs from tuna by-products can be a promising approach to improve extraction yield but also bioactivity of the extracted polysaccharides.

Abstract The ethanol‐induced precipitation after enzymatic hydrolysis commonly used for sulfated polysaccharide extraction from marine resources wastes a large amount of proteins. Here, possible extraction of fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) from the ethanol residue of sulfated polysaccharide precipitation from head, bone, and skin of skipjack tuna is investigated. Antioxidant, antibacterial, angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities and functional properties of the recovered FPHs are also evaluated. A degree of hydrolysis of 40.93, 38.13, and 37.23 is achieved for FPH from head, bone, and skin, respectively. FPH from the head presents the highest antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity as well as foam/emulsion capacity among all the FPHs. The FPHs are all able to inhibit three Gram‐positive bacteria and three Gram‐negative bacteria to varying degrees and have a water solubility >65%. Altogether, the results demonstrate great potential for recovery of bioactive/functional peptides from the residue of sulfated polysaccharide extraction process enabling efficient biorefining of aquatic resources.

BackgroundFamilies of individuals hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) with severe illnesses, such as COVID-19, are experiencing a range of physical and emotional stressors. Identifying the challenges faced by family members and providing support to loved ones battling life-threatening diseases can lead to improved treatment and care for the said family members in a healthcare setting.AimThe current study was conducted to explore and understand the experiences of family caregivers caring for their loved ones battling COVID-19 in an ICU.MethodsThis descriptive qualitative study was conducted from January 2021 to February 2022, based on the experiences of 12 family caregivers of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the ICU. Data collection was conducted through purposeful sampling using semi-structured interviews. MAXQDA10 software was used for data management, and conventional content analysis was used for qualitative data analysis.ResultsThe present study conducted interviews with caregivers to understand their experiences while caring for a loved one in an ICU. Three main themes emerged from the analysis of these interviews: hardship of care trajectory, pre-loss mourning, and contributing factors in resolving family health crises. The first theme, the hardship of care trajectories, encompasses categories such as immersion in the unknown, lack of care facilities, negligence in care, neglect of families by healthcare providers, self-ignorance, and perceived stigma. The second these was pre-loss mourning that included some categories such as emotional and psychological turmoil, witnessing the exhaustion of loved ones, separation suffering, the fearing of loss, anticipatory grief, blame related to the disease causative agents, and perceived helplessness and despair. The third theme was contributing factors in resolving family health crises that included categories of the critical role of family caregivers in health engagement, the role of healthcare professionals in health engagement, and the role of interpersonal factors in health engagement. A total of 80 subcategories were also obtained based on the experiences of the family caregivers.ConclusionThis study's findings indicate that families can play an important role in resolving their loved ones' health problems in life-threatening situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, healthcare providers must recognize and prioritize family-based care and trust the families' ability to effectively manage health crises. Healthcare providers should also be attentive to the needs of both the patient and their family members.

IntroductionCystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus is a disease of worldwide public health and economic importance. The determinants and underlying cellular mechanisms of CE development and fate in intermediate hosts are largely unknown. Hormones and cytokines such as insulin and BMP-4 are the key players in the development, differentiation, and apoptosis. In this study, we evaluated the long term natural history of E. granulosus microcysts in an vitro setting and the molecular and morphological changes induced by the growth factors, insulin and BMP4 during the development of metacestode stage of E. granulosus.MethodsE. granulosus protoscoleces were cultivated and the parasite development was followed in the long term mono-phasic culture for 105 days and the morphometric, molecular and immunohistochemical changes were evaluated, including the microcysts number and size, microcysts development and deformation rates as well as the markers of calcification (Alizarin Red staining) and apoptosis (BAX, BCL2, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and TNF-α expression) in the microcysts. Also the biological, histological and molecular consequences of insulin and BMP-4 treatment on the parasite development were evaluated.ResultsInsulin and BMP-4 treatment of microcysts resulted in significant increase in microcyst formation, increased size, reduced apoptosis and deformation of the microcysts. Alizarin red staining of the microcysts treated with the insulin and BMP-4 confirmed that calcium deposition is significantly lower than the untreated microcysts. Also Alizarin Red staining and Immunohistochemistry of the microcysts indicates that calcium accumulation in deformed microcysts is higher than the normal ones on day 105. The microcysts began to wrinkle and the germinal layer was partially detached from the laminated layer on day 84.ConclusionResults of the present study suggest that the degenerative changes in hydatid cysts can be slowed down by insulin and BMP-4, indicating that cellular factors and host hormones could contribute to the longevity of hydatid cysts. Significant evidences are provided suggesting that the microcysts cultivated in vitro can undergo calcification and apoptotic processes similar to what have been observed in the natural hydatid infection in the intermediate hosts.

Abstract Background Family caregivers of dying cancer patients are affected by grief experiences and bereavement complications. Several approaches such as psycho-emotional care and an increase in spirituality have been suggested to diminish these complications. However, the knowledge about the effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of dying cancer patients is limited. This is a study protocol describing a hospital-based mixed-methods study on the effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of dying cancer patients. Methods This mixed-methods study will be done in an embedded explanatory design with two quantitative and qualitative phases. In the first phase (quantitative), a randomized clinical trial will be done, in which 200 family caregivers of dying cancer patients will be randomly assigned to one of the four groups: family-based single dignity intervention (group 1), expressive writing intervention (group 2), combined family-based single dignity intervention and expressive writing (group 3), and control (group 4). At baseline, 1 week and 2 weeks after the interventions, anticipatory grief will be assessed by a 13-item anticipatory grief scale. After the quantitative phase, the qualitative phase will be conducted through the conventional content analysis approach of Granheim and Lundman, in which an individual semi-structured interview will be taken from participants in the first phase to collect data on their experiences on interventions. Finally, data from the quantitative and qualitative phases will be analyzed and discussed. Discussion Family caregivers of dying cancer patients usually experience depression, anxiety, and psychological distress due to isolation and inadequate social support. Psychological interventions such as dignity and expressive writing interventions may help caregivers to obtain a better understanding of themselves and to increase their abilities to cope with caregiving difficulties. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive study confirming the effects of mentioned interventions on family caregivers of dying cancer patients. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( www.irct.ir ) identifier: IRCT20210111050010N1. Date of trial registration: Feb 6, 2021. This is the first version of this protocol.

Many species of non-sporulating bacteria including Escherichia coli can enter into a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under stress conditions. In this study, the change in thermal resistance of E. coli O157:H7 after entering into the VBNC state in salted silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, was investigated. E. coli O157:H7 was inoculated on the fish control group (TF) and on those fish with 30% NaCl (TF + 30% NaCl) at room temperature. Culturability of bacteria was determined using routine culture and colony counting on Sorbitol MacConkey agar. When bacteria were non-cultivable, the RT-PCR of 16S rRNA gene (including direct extraction and purification of RNA, DNase I treatment for removing DNA contamination, cDNA synthesis and electrophoresis of PCR products of cDNA) was used to detect VBNC E. coli O157:H7. Also, cultivable and VBNC E. coli O157:H7 were individually heat-treated at 55, 62 and 70 °C for 5 min. The samples were cooled and after 24 h, the thermal resistance of bacteria was determined through viability detection using RT-PCR of 16S rRNA gene. The culturability of bacteria was kept in fish treatment but they were non-cultivable in fish under 30% NaCl after 5 days. The positive expression of 16S rRNA in all studied treatments indicated the entering of E. coli O157:H7 into the VBNC state in fish treatment under 30% NaCl. Moreover, the RT-PCR of 16S rRNA gene showed that only VBNC forms of E. coli O157:H7 showed viability at 62 °C for 5 min which indicated the increased resistant of VBNC bacteria to the thermal inactivation. The ability of E. coli O157:H7 to enter into VBNC state in salted fish and also the increase of its thermal resistance suggest that VBNC E. coli O157: H7 can be considered as critical threat to public health and food safety.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of available studies regarding the effects of the traditional herb Rosa damascena (as topical application and oral intake) on the severity of acute pain in adults. Methods: A systematic search was performed on the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scientific Information Database, and Magiran from inception to 20 March 2021. We included parallel-group and cross-over randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of any products containing R damascena in oral and topical administration forms to placebo, non-treatment, or conventional treatment. Two researchers independently performed the document screening and selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. A random-effect model was used to pool the data. Results: From a total of 11 studies that met the inclusion criteria, four studies administered R damascena through topical application and seven by oral intake. Nine studies recruited only females. Ten studies had parallel-group design, while one adopted cross-over design. The oral intake of Rdamascena reduced pain severity non-significantly (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.55, 95% CI: -1.27–0.17; p =0.132). However, the topical application of this treatment had no pain-alleviating effect (SMD = 0.10, 95% CI: -0.75–0.96; p =0.814). One study reported mild allergic rhinitis as an adverse effect of the treatment. Risk of bias assessment revealed that three of the eleven studies had good methodological quality, six had fair quality, and two were of poor quality.Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that the oral intake of R damascena may have a non-significant alleviating effect on acute pain severity in adults. However, its topical application has not shown pain-alleviating effect. More robust randomized controlled trials are needed for accurate estimation of the effects of oral and topical use of R damascena on the severity of different types of acute pain in adults.

The effect of ultrasound treatment (300 W; 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 min) on the extractability of acid soluble collagen from yellowfin tuna skin and its structural, physicochemical and functional properties were investigated. Ultrasound treatments significantly increased collagen extraction yield from the tuna skin up to 2.7 times, compared to the conventional extraction with acetic acid. The level of proline, hydroxyproline and thermal stability of collagens increased by applying ultrasound while their native triple-stranded helical structure was well-preserved, as revealed by X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy. However, ultrasound treatment reduced the particle size of the collagens which increased their pH and salt induced solubility. The water holding capacity and the emulsifying properties of ultrasound treated collagens were also higher than those produced with the conventional method. Altogether, the results suggested that ultrasonication can be a promising assistant technology for improving native collagen extraction efficiency from tuna skin and its functionality but its duration should be carefully optimized.

Background and objectivesThe study of brain functional connectivity alterations in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been the subject of considerable investigation, but the biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. Here, we aim to investigate the brain alterations in patients with ADHD and Typical Development (TD) children and accurately classify ADHD children from TD controls using the graph-theoretical measures obtained from resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI).Materials and methodsWe investigated the performances of rs-fMRI data for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls. Fifty six drug-naive ADHD children (average age 11.86 ± 2.21 years; 49 male) and 56 age matched TD controls (average age 11.51 ± 1.77 years, 44 male) were included in this study. The graph measures extracted from rs-fMRI functional connectivity were used as features. Extracted network-based features were fed to the RFE feature selection algorithm to select the most discriminating subset of features. We trained and tested Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Gradient Boosting (GB) using Peking center data from ADHD-200 database to classify ADHD and TD children using discriminative features. In addition to the machine learning approach, the statistical analysis was conducted on graph measures to discover the differences in the brain network of patients with ADHD.ResultsAn accuracy of 78.2% was achieved for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls employing the optimal features and the GB classifier. We also performed a hub node analysis and found that the number of hubs in TD controls and ADHD children were 8 and 5, respectively, indicating that children with ADHD have disturbance of critical communication regions in their brain network. The findings of this study provide insight into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ADHD.ConclusionPattern recognition and graph measures of the brain networks, based on the rs-fMRI data, can efficiently assist in the classification of ADHD children from TD controls.

In recent decades, the drastic ecological changes of Hamoon international wetlands placed them on the Montreal blacklist. Therefore, this study aimed to predict and validate the changes of birds and fishes indicators for the future of these wetlands. KSIM is the used method (Kane Simulation Technique to measure the impact of different variables ranged from +3 (severe and positive effect) to -3 (severe and negative effect); is evaluated by environmental experts. Due to the limitations of this method in multivariate analysis (because of the numbers and abundance of variables), the affecting factors on indicators have been grouped into four categories of economic, social, wildlife management and water resources management. To obtain probabilities of variables and predict the value of indicators in 2034, the mode of experts' ideas was used and future trends were simulated. Model validation was performed by field surveying in two consecutive years. The results of the KSIM simulation estimated that the bird and fish indicators will continue to decrease during the period 2004-2034; from 0.77 to 0.28 and 0.60 to 0.22, respectively. Based on the validation results, the validity of the model is acceptable, which can be confidently used based on the results obtained from the experts' ideas in the cross-effects matrix. This study showed that the KSIM method can properly investigates the interactions between system components and therefore is able to predict future conditions. Economic and social problems lead to the decline of fishes and birds indicators; and deterioration of the situation put relatively more pressure on resources. The downward trend in wildlife management and water resources is also a serious warning that must be considered in decision-making processes.

Genetics play a prominent role in the development and progression of malignant neoplasms. Identification of the relevant genes is a high-dimensional data processing problem. Pyramid gravitational search algorithm (PGSA), a hybrid method in which the number of genes is cyclically reduced is proposed to conquer the curse of dimensionality. PGSA consists of two elements, a filter and a wrapper method (inspired by the gravitational search algorithm) which iterates through cycles. The genes selected in each cycle are passed on to the subsequent cycles to further reduce the dimension. PGSA tries to maximize the classification accuracy using the most informative genes while reducing the number of genes. Results are reported on a multi-class microarray gene expression dataset for breast cancer. Several feature selection algorithms have been implemented to have a fair comparison. The PGSA ranked first in terms of accuracy (84.5%) with 73 genes. To check if the selected genes are meaningful in terms of patient’s survival and response to therapy, protein-protein interaction network analysis has been applied on the genes. An interesting pattern was emerged when examining the genetic network. HSP90AA1, PTK2 and SRC genes were amongst the top-rated bottleneck genes, and DNA damage, cell adhesion and migration pathways are highly enriched in the network.

Background and Aims: Many bacteria including Escherichia coli may enter into a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under unfavorable stresses, which are unable to be detected by culture-based methods. In this study, the use of Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) for detection of VBNC state of E. coli O157:H7 was investigated. Materials and Methods: Escherichia. coli O157:H7 was inoculated in distilled water and 30 percent salt water at room temperature. The cultivability of bacteria was determined using routine culture and colony counting on MacConkey agar. The RT-PCR of 16S rRNA gene involved direct extraction and purification of RNA, DNase I treatment for removing DNA contamination, cDNA synthesis and electrophoresis of PCR products of cDNA was used to detect viable E. coli O157:H7 under studied treatments and was compared with the results of RT-PCR of 16S rRNA gene of heat- killed bacteria. Results: The cultivability of bacteria was maintained during the study period in distilled water; however, the use of 30percent NaCl caused the bacteria to be non-cultivable on day 4. The RT-PCR of 16S rRNA showed the positive expression of this gene in cultivable and non-cultivable bacteria during the study period, whereas heat-killed bacteria were negative for this gene, which indicated the efficacy of RT-PCR of 16S rRNA in differentiation of alive from dead bacteria. Conclusions: Escherichia coli O157:H7 entered into the VBNC under 30 percent NaCl which can be associated with serious human health problems. RT-PCR can be used to detect bacteria in the VBNC state.

Search for new antiviral medications has surged in the past two years due to the COVID-19 crisis. Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is among one of the most important TLR proteins of innate immunity that is responsible for broad antiviral response and immune system control. TLR7 agonists, as both vaccine adjuvants and immune response modulators, are among the top drug candidates for not only our contemporary viral pandemic but also other diseases. The agonists of TLR7 have been utilized as vaccine adjuvants and antiviral agents. In this study, we hybridized a statistical learning-based QSAR model with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to extract new antiviral drugs by drug repurposing of the DrugBank database. First, we manually curated a dataset consisting of TLR7 agonists. The molecular descriptors of these compounds were extracted, and feature engineering was done to restrict the number of features to 45. We applied a statistically inspired modification of the partial least squares (SIMPLS) method to build our QSAR model. In the next stage, the DrugBank database was virtually screened structurally using molecular docking, and the top compounds for the guanosine binding site of TLR were identified. The result of molecular docking was again screened by the ligand-based approach of QSAR to eliminate compounds that do not display strong EC50 values by the previously trained model. We then subjected the final results to molecular dynamics simulation and compared our compounds with imiquimod (an FDA-approved TLR7 agonist) and compound 1 (the most active compound against TLR7 in vitro, EC50 = 0.2 nM). Our results evidently demonstrate that cephalosporins and nucleotide analogues (especially acyclic nucleotide analogues such as adefovir and cidofovir) are computationally potent agonists of TLR7. We finally reviewed some publications about cephalosporins that, just like pieces of a puzzle, completed our conclusion.

Using a variety of solar power plants is one of the solutions governments use to respond to energy and sustainable development needs. While Iran has a strong potential for using solar energy, the application of solar energy, especially through PV technology, has been limited due to the country’s richness of fossil fuels and their low prices. Therefore, it is important to adopt effective strategies and policies to promote the development and application of this technology. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting the use of photovoltaic technology in Iran. To this end, 142 factors were first identified through a comprehensive review of the literature. Then, all of these factors were prioritized and categorized by “semi-structured interview” with 15 energy policy experts. The “content analysis” of the experts’ opinions showed that only 59 of these factors were considered important at the sectorial level for Iran. Based on the same content analysis, a conceptual framework for the application of decentralized photovoltaic power plants in Iran was developed. The framework shows that 10 generic categories of factors should be considered by policy-makers at the solar energy sector to promote PV technology application in Iran. They include policy factors, institutional factors, finance and budgeting factors, system economy factors, macroeconomic factors, socio-cultural factors, human resource factors, factors influencing capabilities of industries, technological and related infrastructural factors, geographical, climatic and environmental factors, and foreign political factors. It is also emphasized that all these categories should be considered at three levels: industry (electricity industry) level, national level, and international level. Thus, renewable energy policy-makers in Iran should take into account all means that influence these factors in order to improve the conditions for decentralized photovoltaic technology application.

Introduction and aims: The aim of radiotherapy is delivering lethal dose of radiation to tumor cells while adjacent healthy tissues would have the least amount of irradiation. One way to increase the dose in the tumor cells is using high atomic number nanoparticles as radiation sensitizers in these cells. Materials and Methods: Dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles at different concentrations (10, 40 and 80 µg/ml) were incubated with HeLa cell line of cervical cancer for 24 hours and then the cells irradiated with different doses (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy) of 6 MeV electron and 6 MV photon beams. Survival fraction of the cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Results: The survival fraction in the groups receiving radiation in the absence and presence of iron oxide nanoparticles showed significant differences (p

Background: Pay attention to the psychological aspects of diabetic patients is important and can be very useful in the process of treatment of them. Training is essential in these patients Peer education in facilitating and improving health and Create a Learning Atmosphere has many effects. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of peer education on diabetes quality of life. Methods: In this randomized control trial study, 70 diabetic patients who were in Firoozgar hospital in Tehran were recruited using the convenience sampling method. The patients were assigned randomly into two control and intervention groups. Patients in the intervention group were trained by peers during the two sessions, but the patients in the control group received only routine education. Data were collected by demographic and diabetes quality of life questionnaire. Patient’s qualities of life were measured before the education and 2 months after the intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data by SPSS. Results: Mean diabetes quality of life in both groups had no statistically significant before peer education (P:0.3). Mean of quality of life score in diabetic patients in intervention group was significantly different from control group at two months after the intervention. (P

Background: Recently, iron oxide nanoparticles have attracted attention in various diagnosis and treatment fields. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of various concentrations and incubation times of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (DIONPs) on HeLa and MCF-7 cancerous cell lines. Methods: This in-vitro study was conducted at Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran in 2016. The dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (DIONPs) uptake and cytotoxicity at different concentrations (10, 40 and 80 µg/ml) and different incubation times (6, 12 and 24 h) were assessed on HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines. The viability of the cells was measured by MTT assay. Results: DIONPs entered into the HeLa and MCF-7 cells. After 6, 12 and 24 h incubation times and in all concentrations, the viability of HeLa cells was more than 94%. For MCF-7 cell line, increasing incubation time from 6 to 24 h at a concentration of 10 μg/ml decreased the cells viability from 98% to 95%. When the cells were exposed to concentrations of 40 and 80 μg/ml of the nanoparticles, significant reductions in the cells viability was observed from 98% to 91.6% and from 95% to 88%, respectively. Conclusion: DIONPs cytotoxicity increased by increasing the incubation time from 6 to 24 h and also increased with increasing the nanoparticles concentration from 0 to 80 μg/ml. In general, DIONPs did not cause considerable toxicity in both cell lines especially at lower concentrations. Therefore, these nanoparticles are good candidates for use in biomedical and cancer research studies.

Background and aims: With a widespread regard to the human error issue and recognize the importance of human as an active processor of information The necessity for an effective framework to analyze different mental processes interact with the system to carry out job duties will be obvious. So the aim of this study was to analyze human errors by SHERPA and human information processing model. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study in 2014 carried out in the control room of the petrochemical industry. Subjects included 62 employees in four post shift supervisor control, head control, board man and outside operator in 4 sites which were working 8-hour shifts. To analyze the errors, SHERPA technique was used, then to classify human information processing Wickens model and to identify the factors those affecting the performance Kirwan classifier was used. In addition to gathering data observation, interview and documentation study methods were used. Results: with Analysis of SHERPA worksheet, 246 human errors were identified. Most errors (143) related to the understanding of human information processing. Both work instructions and training and experience, collectively became the most important factors affecting the processing of data in data processing. Conclusion: The results of this study, with identification of possible errors in data processing and find those factors that affect on them, distinguish the system weaknesses.