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Background: Exposure to ionizing radiation induces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to oxidative stress in the involved tissues. The oxidative stress may be minimized by using natural antioxidant products, such as Zingiber officinale. This study aimed to investigate the protective and antioxidant effects of ginger extract on the inhibition of oxidative stress in the serum and liver tissue of rats after exposure to X-ray irradiation. Methods: Thirty-six Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups. Groups 1 and 2 received normal saline and dimethyl sulfoxide, respectively; group 3 was placed in a turned-off X-ray device; group 4 was treated with ginger extract (100 mg/kg); groups 5 and 6 received X-radiation (4 Gy) and X-radiation + ginger extract, respectively. All treatments were orally administered once daily for four weeks. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in the serum and liver tissues of the animals. Results: X-ray radiation significantly increased the levels of MDA and TOS and decreased TAC in the serum and liver tissues of irradiated rats compared to those of the control group. Ginger pre-treatment prior to X-ray significantly decreased the MDA and TOS levels and increased the TAC levels in the serum and liver samples of the rats compared to the rats irradiated with X-ray alone. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ginger acted as a protector against X-ray radiation by suppressing oxidative stress in the rats' liver and serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Determining the sex is the first and most important step in determining biological and anthropological characteristics and is an essential element in starting a medical research work. In cases where we are dealing with unidentified skeletons of individuals, to determine gender and characteristics such as age, height, and identity, forensic medicine has intervened and plays a significant role in determining the mentioned characteristics. Materials: This study was performed on 61 three-dimensional CT scan images of the sternum, which included 38 males (62%) and 23 females (38%)..Methods: All soft tissues fats and bones except the sternum have been removed. According to the following explanations, 9 parameters of sternal bone were measured using an electronic caliper, and then the data was statistically analyzed. To evaluate the difference between the means, statistical tests were performed on the obtained metric data and significant parameters were examined according to the following study. Results: The findings in this study showed that the length of the mesosternum has the highest correlation with the total length of the sternum (R = .951**), followed by the size of the sternum surface strongly correlated with the length of the sternum. (R =.892**). Conclusion: According to the present study, we can determine the sex through the sternum bone and also determine the length of the sternum by various parameters taken in the sternum bone by other parameters. In other words, we can determine the sex through the sternum bone when we have no bone except the sternum in forensic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The article explores the potential risk of secondary cancer (SC) due to radiation therapy (RT) and highlights the necessity for new modeling techniques to mitigate this risk. Methods: By employing machine learning (ML) models, specifically decision trees, in the research process, a practical framework is established for forecasting the occurrence of SC using patient data. Results & Discussion: This framework aids in categorizing patients into high‐risk or low‐risk groups, thereby enabling personalized treatment plans and interventions. The paper also underscores the many factors that contribute to the likelihood of SC, such as radiation dosage, patient age, and genetic predisposition, while emphasizing the limitations of current models in encompassing all relevant parameters. These limitations arise from the non‐linear dependencies between variables and the failure to consider factors such as genetics, hormones, lifestyle, radiation from secondary particles, and imaging dosage. To instruct and assess ML models for predicting the occurrence of SC based on patient data, the paper utilizes a dataset consisting of instances and attributes. Conclusion: The practical implications of this research lie in enhancing our understanding and prediction of SC following RT, facilitating personalized treatment approaches, and establishing a framework for leveraging patient data within the realm of ML models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gender is the most vital segment of the biological characteristics which can be evaluated from the skeleton because of the marked sexual dimorphism of bone segments. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of gender on the scapula measure for healthy sedentary subjects. The parameters used in the present study were different from the previous research. Hence, the current work was designed to measure gender differences of the scapula in the Iranian population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of gender on the scapula measure for healthy sedentary subjects. The design of this research has been done with the coordination and activity of all authors to examine the effect of gender in scapula characters. Material and Methods: This study was performed on scapula computed tomography in 68 patients. These characters in this bone: acromion glenoid distance, length of the acromion, width of acromion, acromion coracoid distance, length of scapula, width of scapula, length of coracoid (LC), length of glenoid (LG), and width of glenoid. With the help of the SPSS software, the logistical regression equation was derived from the stepwise method. By multiplying the value of each dimension with its corresponding coefficient (β coefficient) and adding the products together along with the appropriate constant, the sex of a specimen can be determined. For the regression equation incorporating all for scapular dimensions, the logistic regression score (Y) is calculated as follows: Y = (-0.003 × Width of scapula (WS)) + (0.006 × LC) + (-0.14 × height of glenoid [HG]) + 2.098. Results: This study shows the scapular bone characteristic comparison between the two sexes, which statistically significant difference in the width of the bone scapula (P = 0.02) and the coracoid length (P = 0.04) and LG (P = 0.01). In males, significant positive correlation was found between Height of scapula (HS), and height of glenoid (HG) (0.884) and in females, significant positive correlation was maximum the relationship between the HS and LC (0.904**). Discussion and Conclusion: Due to the small number of our samples, it would be better to study more widely so that other differences such as the length of the scapula and the glenoid width can be achieved, and more confidently, that these two attributes do not play a role in determining the sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current cancer treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Despite these treatments, a main issue in cancer treatment is early detection. microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as markers to diagnose and treat cancers. This study investigated the effect of radiotherapy on miR-374 expression, and APC and GSK-3β, two of its target genes, in the WNT pathway, in peripheral blood samples from radiotherapy-treated colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from 25 patients before and after radiotherapy. RNA was extracted from the blood and cDNA synthesized. miR-374, APC, and GSK-3β expression was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the amplicons were sequenced. Finally, the data were statistically evaluated. Results: Quantitative RT-PCR revealed significant down-regulation of miR-374 (0.63-fold) and upregulation of APC (1.12-fold) and GSK-3β (1.22-fold) in CRC patients after five weeks of radiotherapy. Sequencing of PCR-produced amplicons confirmed the conservation of mature and precursor sequences encoding miR-374. miR-374 expression changed with time after radiotherapy treatment and related tumor grading. Increased age and tumor grade positively correlated with decreased miR-374 expression. Conclusions: miR-374 expression, and that of its two target genes, APC and GSK-3β, changed after radiotherapy. These genes can likely be used as diagnostic radiotherapy markers in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver doped zinc sulphide nanoparticles were synthesised by a microwave-assisted polyol method. Characterisation of nanoparticles was performed using XRD, FESEM-EDXand UV-visible spectroscopy to investigate chemical structure, crystalline phase, particle size and surface morphology. Antibacterial properties of synthesised nanoparticles were investigated by determining their MIC and MBC values and kinetic of bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 6538) and Escherichia coli(ATCC 25922). Characterisation of the synthesised nanoparticles showed formation of single phase of hexagonal wurtzite ZnS structure with Ag+ substitution at 1.6% Zn/Ag molar ratio. MIC values were determined as 250 and 500 µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively and time kill profiles showed efficient and rapid bactericidal activity of the synthesised Ag-doped ZnS nanoparticles. Results of this study suggest a synthesis strategy for Ag-doped ZnS nanoparticles with potent and broad spectrum antibacterial properties that can widen the range of applications of these nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Electromagnetic waves that are of higher energy than visible light transmit information between mobile phones and antennas BTS (Base Transceivers Station). The increasing use of mobile phones due to the proliferation of antennas is a matter of concern. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between distance from the BTS antennas and the quality of sleep and life of nearby residents. Material and Methods: For the assessment of the quality of sleep, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality standard questionnaire (PSQI) was used. On the other hand, the 12-item Short -Form Health Survey (SF-12) was used to assess the quality of life. This questionnaire contains two parameters: Mental Health Composite Scores (MCS) and Physical Health Composite Scores (PCS). Results: The analysis of the data obtained from 810 people indicated that the most sleep disturbance and the minimum average MCS score (p<0.05) were detected in the residents who were living within 50-100 meters from the antenna. Moreover, it was found that the average PCS score was lower among those residing within 100-200 meters from the antenna, as compared to other residents. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that exposure to electromagnetic waves can affect sleep quality, as well as the mental and physical life qualities of the residents depending on the distance from BTS. Antennas implant must be set in patterns that have the lowest intensity in terms of beam convergences for all residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WNT-pathway is involved in several cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Many cell signaling components and pathways are controlled by microRNAs. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of hsa-miR-374, and its two target genes of the Wnt-pathway in CRC clinical samples. Methods: In this study, we predicted the miRNAs targeting key genes of WNT-pathway using bioinformatics algorithms. The expression levels of hsa-miR-374, APC and GSK-3ß on 48 pairs of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) CRC tumors and marginal-tumors were evaluated using real time-PCR. Additionally, the hsa-miR-374a-5p precursor sequence was amplified by whole-blood DNA as a template. This amplicon was cloned into pEGFP-c1 expression vector and transfected into SW742 cells. Aside from this, MTT assay was performed to evaluate the effect of miR-374 on cell viability. Results: The bioinformatics analysis indicated that hsa-miR-374 binds to the regulatory region the key components of WNT-pathway, including APC and GSK-3ß considering the recognition elements and mirSVR scores. Our results revealed significant down-regulation of GSK-3ß (0.94 times, p= 0.0098) and APC (0.96 times, p= 0.03) and up-regulation of miR-374 (1.22 times, p= 0.0071) on tumor samples compared with their normal pairs. Meanwhile, the results of the over-expression of miR-374 showed down-regulation of APC and GSK-3ß. MTT-assay also indicated that the miR-374 increased cell survival. Conclusions: The results of our study indicated a concomitant change in the expression of miR-374 and its two related target genes, in clinical samples of CRC. Hsa-miR-374 might be as a helpful biomarker or therapeutic target in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Whole Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT) is one of the methods used alone or in combination with other treatments for adults with multiple brain metastases. In WBRT receiving dose by organs at risk (OARs) as well as hippocampus is inevitable. Sparing of OARs such as cochleaes, parotid glands, orbits, lenses, ear canals, scalp can cause to reduction of toxicities for patients treated with WBRT.it is evident that radiation damage to hippocampus can cause to neurocognitive deficits, so it is recommended that the hippocampus in WBRT be considered as an OAR. The aim of this study is comparison dosimetrically between 3Dconformal, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in good coverage of planning target volume (PTV) and sparing of organs at risk (OARs) and hippocampus. Methods: Ten patients previously treated with 3Dconformal WBRT with Elektra Versa_HD linac by using parallel opposed lateral beams were retrospectively re - planned using IMRT (seven beams) and VMAT (two arcs) techniques with OARs and hippocampal sparing. Prescription dose was 30Gy in 10 fractions for all patients. For each technique Dose-volume histogram (DVH), conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) of PTV, hippocampus D100% and mean and maximum dose and other OARs were calculated and compared. Results: As expected the hippocampus is not spared in 3d_ conformal radiotherapy. According to the RTOG 0933 protocol the constraints were used for hippocampi sparing in IMRT and VMAT plans including mean and maximum dose and the dose to hippocampi of 100% of the volume (D100% 9Gy). The mean dose of the hippocampus was 14.3 ± 0.4 Gy and 15.6 ± 0.6 Gy in VMAT and IMRT respectively. The maximum hippocampus dose was 15.2 ± 0.5 Gy and 17.1 ± 0.4 Gy in VMAT and IMRT respectively. The D100% of the hippocampus was 8.45 ± 0.3 Gy and 8.81 ± 0.4 Gy in VMAT and IMRT respectively. Conclusions: VMAT resulted in the lowest maximum, mean and D100% values for the hippocampus and in overal showed the best PTV coverage and sparing of OARs in WBRT. Hippocamus sparing with VMAT can cause reduction in cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The negative health effects of electromagnetic radiation and psychological dependence are among the major consequences of widespread cell phone use in the general population, especially among adolescents. In this study, the relationship between cell phone use and sleep quality parameters was evaluated. Materials and Methods The study sample consisted of 820 students (305 males and 515 females), recruited from Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. The participants completed Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Cellphone Overuse Scale (COS); the validity of these questionnaires had been previously confirmed in the Iranian population. Information on demographic characteristics and variables associated with cell phone exposure, such as the frequency and duration of phone calls and number of messages was collected in a separate questionnaire. Results Data analysis showed that cell phone overuse was significantly correlated with sleep quality and its components. Moreover, the results indicated that the global PSQI score and some sleep components were significantly correlated with several variables related to cell phone use. Based on the findings, the mean PSQI score was significantly different among heavy and light cell phone users (P<0.01). Moreover, among heavy cell phone users, females had a higher global PSQI score, compared to males (P<0.01). Conclusion According to the literature and the present study, services provided by modern cell phones, along with the extensive use of these devices, could be considered as potential threats to public health, especially adolescents' sleep quality. In order to reach a definitive conclusion, further systematic and laboratory studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective:In radiation therapy,depending on the depth and type of the tumor, photon or electron irradiation is often applied to treat malignant tumors. Normal tissues are inevitably damaged, due to dose absorption. Since the electron beam is deviated by the magnetic field, it could be applied to detour the dose deposition from normal tissues to tumor mass. Subjects and Methods: 15MeV electron beam, produced with Varian clinac 2100C/D, was used in this research. Relative dosimetry process was done by use of 3D water phantom and CC13 cylindrical chamber. This process was accomplished with and without magnetic field. Results: After use of magnetic field the surface dose was increased. In addition the dose in buildup region had incremented.the depth of maximum dose in presence of magnetic field had a shift rather than without magnetic field. The penumbra had increment in some directions and decrease in some other directions. Conclusion: By applying the magnetic field one can produce a region with increased and adjacent to a lower dose. It seems that arrangement of this region over normal and tumoral region can lead to increase in the efficiency of radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Magnetic fields are capable of altering the trajectory of electron beams andcan be used in radiation therapy.Theaim of this study was to produce regions with dose enhancement and reduction in the medium. Materials and Methods The NdFeB permanent magnets were arranged on the electron applicator in several configurations. Then, after the passage of the electron beams (9 and 15 MeV Varian 2100C/D) through the non-uniform magnetic field, the Percentage Depth Dose(PDDs) on central axis and dose profiles in three depths for each energy were measured in a 3D water phantom. Results For all magnet arrangements and for two different energies, the surface dose increment and shift in depth of maximum dose (dmax) were observed. In addition, the pattern of dose distribution in buildup region was changed. Measurement of dose profile showed dose localization and spreading in some other regions. Conclusion The results of this study confirms that using magnetic field can alter the dose deposition patterns and as a result can produce dose enhancement as well as dose reduction in the medium using high-energy electron beams. These effects provide dose distribution with arbitrary shapes for use in radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: For dose measurement in Megavoltage (MV) photon beams with ion chambers, the effect of volume occupied by the air cavity is not negligible. Therefore, the result of measurement should be corrected with a displacement perturbation correction factor (Pdis) or using an effective point of measurement (EPOM). The aim of this study is to calculate the EPOM for cylindrical ion chamber and to evaluate the fixed EPOM that was recommended by standard dosimetry protocols. Materials and Methods: Percent depth doses (PDDs) for 6 MV and 18 MV were measured with two types of chambers for different depths and field sizes. The EPOM was calculated using results obtained from measurement data for two types of chambers, comparison of the readings, and using dosimetry, mathematical, and statistical consideration. For displacement correction factor Δr =0, Δr= 0.6r and different, Δrthe minimum standard deviations ratio (SDRs) were calculated at several depths and field sizes. Results: Maximum level of SDRs was about 0.38% and 0.49% (when assuming variable Δr) for 6 MV and 18 MV, respectively (which was less than 0.5% and acceptable). This quantity was greater than one (for assuming Δr= 0.6r) and greater than 2 when there was no shift (&#916r=0). Conclusion: The results show that the recommended shift for cylindrical ion chamber in dosimetry protocols (upstream of 0.6r) is not correct and using a fixed value for the EPOM at all photon beam energies, depths, and field sizes is not suitable for accurate dosimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Addressing the rising cancer rates through timely diagnosis and treatment is crucial. Additionally, cancer survivors need to understand the potential risk of developing secondary cancer (SC), which can be influenced by several factors including treatment modalities, lifestyle choices, and habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption. This study aims to establish a novel relationship using linear regression models between dose and the risk of SC, comparing different prediction methods for lung, colon, and breast cancer., Methods: Machine learning (ML) models have demonstrated their usefulness in forecasting the likelihood of SC risks based on effective doses in the organ. Linear regression analysis is a widely utilized technique for examining the relationship between predictor variables and continuous responses, particularly in scenarios with limited sample sizes. This study employs linear regression models to analyze the relationship between effective dose and the risk of SC, comparing different prediction methods across lung, colon, and breast cancer., Result: The results indicate that the risk of SC increases with the effective dose in the organ. The linear regression model provides coefficients that mirror the radiation sensitivity of the specific organ, demonstrating the model's effectiveness in predicting SC risk based on dose., Conclusion: The study highlights the significance of using linear regression models to predict the risk of SC based on effective doses in the organ. The findings underscore the importance of considering the radiation sensitivity of specific organs in SC risk prediction, which can aid in better understanding and managing the long-term health of cancer survivors.

Background: The aim of this study was to design an algorithm for the calculation of monitor unit (MU) in a short time and high precision for different radiotherapy (RT) fields., Materials and Methods: The algorithm for calculating MU for the stated patients was designed in MATLAB software. To investigate the efficiency of this algorithm, 11 regular chest fields with the sizes of 7 cm × 7 cm up to 17 cm × 17 cm were considered, and the obtained MUs were compared with MUs of 13 patients which were calculated with a "hand calculation" which is used in some RT centers for the aforementioned fields., Results: The maximum percentage of calculation errors of regular fields at the depths of 4 and 10 cm were 1 and 0.8, respectively. The maximum and minimum percentage of calculation errors in irregular fields was 3 and 0.9, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum and minimum errors were 8.8 and 0.14, respectively. In addition, relative percentages of the MUs for irregular fields of chest and supraclavicular were 1.63 and 1.01, respectively., Conclusion: Calculation of MUs is suggested to be performed with the novel proposed algorithm, due to reduce the treatment time, and also provide high accuracy and precision compared to hand calculation., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.