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Abstract Although the IELTS speaking test assesses English verbal-communication competence accurately and reliably, its traditional, retroactive scoring framework stops short of providing detailed diagnostic information about individual test-takers’ specific domains of proficiency or deficiency. This study employed a cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) framework, grounded in cognitive psychology and diagnostic, formative feedback theories, to identify the specific cognitive (sub)skills and attributes required to successfully perform on the IELTS speaking test and examine the test-takers’ perceptions regarding the CDA and IELTS-speaking-assessment interface. The purpose was to integrate CDA and feedback literacy into the IELTS assessment. Adopting a cognitive/psychometric perspective, we conceptualized language proficiency as encompassing separate cognitive subskills that can be systematically measured and diagnosed. To this end, we analyzed speaking data from 500 pre-IELTS candidates and conducted 20 expert interviews. The thematic analysis employed through the MAXQDA software helped identify five specific subskills related to the IELTS speaking test. Using a similar thematic analysis procedure, we extracted five perceptive themes regarding an integrated IELTS-CDA framework from the interview data of 151 participants. The results have important implications for the practicality and efficacy of employing CDA to improve IELTS speaking interpretation and feedback.

Abstract Despite the scientific relevance of circular RNAs (circRNAs), the study of these RNAs in non-model organisms, especially in sheep, is still in its infancy. On the other hand, while some studies have focused on sheep circRNA identification in a limited number of tissues, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis that profile circRNA expression patterns across the tissues not yet investigated. In this study, 61 public RNA sequencing datasets from 12 different tissues were uniformly analyzed to identify circRNAs, profile their expression and investigate their various characteristics. We reported for the first time a circRNA expression landscape with functional annotation in sheep tissues not yet investigated including hippocampus, BonMarrowMacrophage, left-ventricle, thymus, ileum, reticulum and 23-day-embryo. A stringent computational pipeline was employed and 8919 exon-derived circRNAs with high confidence were identified, including 88 novel circRNAs. Tissue-specificity analysis revealed that 3059 circRNAs were tissue-specific, which were also more specific to the tissues than linear RNAs. The highest number of tissue-specific circRNAs was found in kidney, hippocampus and thymus, respectively. Co-expression analysis revealed that expression of circRNAs may not be affected by their host genes. While most of the host genes produced more than one isoform, only one isoform had dominant expression across the tissues. The host genes of the tissue-specific circRNAs were significantly enriched in biological/pathways terms linked to the important functions of their corresponding tissues, suggesting potential roles of circRNAs in modulating physiological activity of those tissues. Interestingly, functional terms related to the regulation and various signaling pathways were significantly enriched in all tissues, suggesting some common regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs to modulate the physiological functions of tissues. Finding of the present study provide a valuable resource for depicting the complexity of circRNAs expression across tissues of sheep, which can be useful for the field of sheep genomic and veterinary research.

Background: Treatment response in High-grade Glioma (HGG) patients changes based on their genetic and biological characteristics. MiRNAs, as important regulators of drug and radiation resistance, and the Apparent Diffusion Coefficients (ADC) value of tumor can be used as a prognostic predictor for glioma.Objective: This study aimed to identify some of the pre-treatment individual patient features for predicting the treatment response in HGG patients.Material and Methods: In this prospective study, 18 HGG patients, who were candidated for chemo-radiation treatment, participated after informed consent of the patients. The investigated features were the expression level of miR-222 and miR-205 in plasma, the ADC value of tumor, Body Mass Index (BMI), and age. Treatment response was assessed, and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used to obtain a model to predict the treatment response. Mann-Whitney U test was also applied to select the variables with a significant relationship with patients’ treatment response.Results: The LASSO coefficients for miR-205, miR-222, tumor’s mean ADC value, BMI, and age were 3.611, -1.683, 2.468, -0.184, and -0.024, respectively. Mann-Whitney U test results showed miR-205 and tumor’s mean ADC significantly related to treatment response (P-value˂0.05). Conclusion: The miR-205 expression level of the patient in plasma and tumor’s mean ADC value has the potential for prognostic predictors in HGG.

Abstract Background Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting 6–10% of women worldwide. Sexual dysfunction has been reported in a significant percentage of these patients. Thus, the present study will be conducted to design, implement, and determine the effectiveness of an interventional program to improve the sexual function of women with endometriosis. Materials and methods This mixed-methods study will be carried out in three phases with a sequential exploratory approach. In the first phase (qualitative study) participants will be selected by purposive sampling in Isfahan, Iran. The data will be collected through in-depth interviews and field notes and analyzed using conventional content analysis. The interventional program will be designed in the second phase based on the results of the qualitative study and literature review and using the Delphi method and panel of experts. The interventional program will be implemented at the individual level in the third phase to investigate its effect on improving women’s sexual function. This phase includes quasi-experimental research, in which the pre- and post-intervention data will be collected from the intervention and control groups using the FSFI questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Ultimately, a suitable interventional program will be presented by combining the data obtained in the qualitative and quantitative phases of the research. Conclusion Conducting the present study, along with the design and implementation of an appropriate, native, and culturally sensitive interventional program, can contribute to improving the sexual function of women with endometriosis and enhancing the quality of sexual relations between couples.

Abstract In this paper, the PO method with the array theory are used to formulate the RCS of a grounded multi-height dielectric surface which can be employed in the design and optimization of a metasurface consisting of dielectric tiles with different heights and permittivities. The proposed closed form relations can be used instead of full wave simulation to design an optimized dielectric grounded metasurface, properly. Finally, three different RCS reducer metasurfaces are designed and optimized with three different dielectric tiles by using the proposed analytical relations. The results prove that the proposed ground dielectric metasurface achieve more than 10 dB RCS reduction at 4.4–16.3 GHz (114.9%) frequency range. This result proves the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed analytical method which can be used in the RCS reducer metasurfaces design.

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Even though early detection and diagnosis of this disease can reduce mortality considerably, several studies have shown that more than 92% of women are unaware of the risk factors for breast cancer and of breast cancer screening tests. The simultaneous promotion of screening and provision of education can increase community health and reduce medical costs, and students can play a leading role in informing and educating people in society. Aim The present study aims to examine the level of knowledge and attitude of female students in senior high schools in Fasa regarding breast cancer screening. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the random sampling method was applied to survey 350 female high school students, only 311 of whom completed the study. Questionnaires were completed in girls' high schools, and the data was analyzed by SPSS Software, Version 25. Results The results revealed that more than 87% of students were unaware or had incorrect information regarding breast cancer screening. The link between the type of breast cancer information sources and students' general knowledge was significant. Most students were aware of the risk of breast cancer, but they were uninformed of its symptoms, risk factors, and prevention strategies, and students with a family history of breast cancer had a higher score in terms of mammography knowledge than students with no family history of breast cancer, although this difference was not significant (mean ± standard deviation = 0.94 ± 0.90 vs. 0.67 ± 0.81, p = 0.19). Conclusion The level of awareness and attitude of Fasa high school girls regarding breast cancer and screening methods is not acceptable. Therefore, it is recommended that educational programs be implemented to increase the awareness of students in schools, so that the number of screenings increases with the institutionalization of this information. Likewise, by transferring information through students to their families, the level of awareness in the whole society will hopefully increase as well.

This study investigated the efficacy of grape residue in reducing water contamination. Our findings revealed significant reductions in nitrate leaching upon the application of grape residues. Smaller residue particle sizes recorded greater reductions in nitrate leaching compared to larger ones. Utilizing grape waste branches for biochar production offers a sustainable solution, improving water retention, organic matter content, and reducing nutrient leaching. Biochar not only enhances nutrient retention but also promotes microbial activity and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, benefiting soil health and crop productivity. It also helps combat drought and salinity stress. Overall, grape biochar shows potential in mitigating nitrate pollution, enhancing soil quality, and promoting agricultural sustainability. It is important to consider the optimal biochar application rate and particle size to maximize its effectiveness in reducing nitrate leaching while minimizing any potential negative impacts on crop yield. Further research is required to optimize biochar application rates, particle sizes, and long-term effects in diverse agricultural systems. Implementing biochar as a soil amendment holds promise in improving soil health, water quality, and overall sustainability.

Background: Glioma is one of the most drug and radiation-resistant tumors. Gliomas suffer from inter- and intratumor heterogeneity which makes the outcome of similar treatment protocols vary from patient to patient. This article is aimed to overview the potential imaging markers for individual diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response prediction in malignant glioma. Furthermore, the correlation between imaging findings and biological and clinical information of glioma patients is reviewed. Materials and Methods: The search strategy in this study is to select related studies from scientific websites such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science published until 2022. It comprised a combination of keywords such as Biomarkers, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Imaging techniques, and malignant glioma, according to Medical Subject Headings. Results: Some imaging parameters that are effective in glioma management include: ADC, FA, Ktrans, regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), ve, Cho/NAA and lactate/lipid ratios, intratumoral uptake of 18F-FET (for diagnostic application), RD, ADC, ve, vp, Ktrans, CBFT1, rCBV, tumor blood flow, Cho/NAA, lactate/lipid, MI/Cho, uptakes of 18F-FET, 11C-MET, and 18F-FLT (for prognostic and predictive application). Cerebral blood volume and Ktrans are related to molecular markers such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Preoperative ADCmin value of GBM tumors is associated with O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status. 2-hydroxyglutarate metabolite and dynamic 18F-FDOPA positron emission tomography uptake are related to isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations. Conclusion: Parameters including ADC, RD, FA, rCBV, Ktrans, vp, and uptake of 18F-FET are useful for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response prediction in glioma. A significant correlation between molecular markers such as VEGF, MGMT, and IDH mutations with some diffusion and perfusion imaging parameters has been identified.

Abstract At the forefront of biopharmaceutical industry, the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology offers a flexible and scalable platform to address the urgent need for world-wide immunization in pandemic situations. This strategic powerful platform has recently been used to immunize millions of people proving both of safety and highest level of clinical efficacy against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here we provide preclinical report of COReNAPCIN®; a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection. COReNAPCIN® is a nucleoside modified mRNA-based vaccine formulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for encoding the full-length prefusion stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein on the cell surface. Vaccination of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice and rhesus macaque with COReNAPCIN® induced strong humoral responses with high titers of virus-binding and neutralizing antibodies. Upon vaccination, a robust SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular immunity was also observed in both mice and non-human primate models. Additionally, vaccination protected rhesus macaques from symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathological damage to the lung upon challenging the animals with high viral loads of up to 2 × 108 live viral particles. Overall, our data provide supporting evidence for COReNAPCIN® as a potent vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection for clinical studies.

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is believed to be a non-invasive treatment for coronary artery disease and angina. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of EECP in refractory angina patients through a systematic reviews and meta-analysis. We conducted a comprehensive search of the literature published on PubMed, Cochrane library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Trip Database and Google Scholar databases using appropriate keywords and specific strategy with no time limit. Having selected and screened the studies based on the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluating their quality based on the Cochrane checklist. For the meta-analysis,the Mantel-Haenszel method or the generic Inverse Variance was used. Analyses were done with Review Manager 5.2 software. A number of 299 studies were initially reviewed and finally, seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Also, thirteen outcomes were analyzed and the results of meta-analysis in twelve outcomes including (Systolic Blood Pressure (7 studies), Diastolic Blood Pressure (7 studies), Pulse Pressure (4 studies), Mean Arterial Pressures (4 studies), Heart Rate (6 studies), Angina episodes (7 studies), Walking distance (2 studies),Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification (6 studies), Flow-Mediated Dilation (3 studies), Daily Nitrate Usage (4 studies), Exercise Treadmill Test-Time (2 studies), ST-segment depression (2 studies)demonstrated a significant clinical advantage in the EECP treatment effectiveness in patients with angina. No significant difference was observed regarding EECP usefulness (P = 0.18) in the outcome of brachial artery diameter (2 studies). Based on the meta-analysis, the results indicate the safety and effectiveness of EECP in patients with angina pectoris and indicate the usefulness of this treatment in these patients. In general, the authors believe that the general conclusion in this regard requires some studies with a large sample size and a control group assignment.

Abstract A severe complication associated with diabetes is diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Most patients with DFU require amputation. Although treatment of non‐healing diabetic ulcers is challenging, the use of novel therapies can be effective. In this report, we present the case of a woman with type 2 diabetes with DFU‐related osteomyelitis, who was treated with a combination therapy of trichloroacetic acid, calcium alginate and foam dressings, human autologous fibroblast injection, and a fibroblast cell‐seeded collagen scaffold. The results showed the positive effects of combination therapy on DFU. In the initial treatment, the wound area was measured to be 14 × 7 cm2, with a depth of 4 cm. After 6 months, the wound was measured to be 1.5 cm2, showing a 90% reduction of the wound area. Overall, this combination therapy was highly effective in the treatment of DFU‐related osteomyelitis, and could markedly prevent amputation among DFU patients.

Johne's disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a major concern in dairy industry. Since, the pathogenesis of the disease is not clearly known, it is necessary to develop an approach to discover molecular mechanisms behind this disease with high confidence. Biological studies often suffer from issues with reproducibility. Lack of a method to find stable modules in co-expression networks from different datasets related to Johne's disease motivated us to present a computational pipeline to identify non-preserved consensus modules. Two RNA-Seq datasets related to MAP infection were analyzed, and consensus modules were detected and were subjected to the preservation analysis. The non-preserved consensus modules in both datasets were determined as they are modules whose connectivity and density are affected by the disease. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and TF genes in the non-preserved consensus modules were identified to construct integrated networks of lncRNA-mRNA-TF. These networks were confirmed by protein-protein interactions (PPIs) networks. Also, the overlapped hub genes between two datasets were considered hub genes of the consensus modules. Out of 66 consensus modules, 21 modules were non-preserved consensus modules, which were common in both datasets and 619 hub genes were members of these modules. Moreover, 34 lncRNA and 152 TF genes were identified in 12 and 19 non-preserved consensus modules, respectively. The predicted PPIs in 17 non-preserved consensus modules were significant, and 283 hub genes were commonly identified in both co-expression and PPIs networks. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that eight out of 21 modules were significantly enriched for biological processes associated with Johne's disease including “inflammatory response,” “interleukin-1-mediated signaling pathway”, “type I interferon signaling pathway,” “cytokine-mediated signaling pathway,” “regulation of interferon-beta production,” and “response to interferon-gamma.” Moreover, some genes (hub mRNA, TF, and lncRNA) were introduced as potential candidates for Johne's disease pathogenesis such as TLR2, NFKB1, IRF1, ATF3, TREM1, CDH26, HMGB1, STAT1, ISG15, CASP3. This study expanded our knowledge of molecular mechanisms involved in Johne's disease, and the presented pipeline enabled us to achieve more valid results.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and the fifth deadliest cancer among women in Iran. Educational interventions based on the proper behavior promoting models can lead to early diagnosis of cervical cancer.This study aimed to investigate the effects of educational intervention on performing Pap smear tests based on the Theory of Planned Behavior among women living in Fasa, Iran. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 700 participants. Thereafter, the educational intervention based on the results of cross-sectional study was conducted in a workshop form for 50 women as the intervention group and 50 women as the control group. Afterward, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software and then analyzed via logistic regressions analysis, paired t test, independent t test, chi-square test, and McNemar test. Result According to the results, 45.7% of the patients had a history of performing a Pap smear test, and 20.7% of them regularly performed this test. The knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were the predictors of intention and behavior of Pap smear test among the women (P

In this work, zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized via the green and easy sol-gel method. Then, they have been characterized by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible Diffuse Reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) analysis. The XRD result showed that ZnO nanoparticles have a hexagonal phase structure with an average crystallite size of 18 nm. The TEM results revealed the nanoparticles size of about 25-35 nm with spherical morphology. The Tauc theory was used to calculate the optical band gap which was found to be 3.03 eV. BET analysis displayed that the specific surface area of the ZnO NPs was 15.87 m2/g. The impact of various parameters such as catalyst dosage, dye concentration, visible light irradiation and time were evaluated in dye degradation. The ZnO NPs shown high photocatalytic performance for degradation of malachite green dye at room temperature in aqueous solution so that 92% of malachite green (MG) was degraded in 90 min.

In this work, α-Fe2O3 (hematite) nanoparticles were synthesized using Arabic gum (AG) as a biotemplate source by the sol-gel method. This method has many advantages such as low-cost, nontoxicity, simple work-up, high efficiency, compounds uniformity, and high efficiency. The α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of XRD analysis revealed the formation of the rhombohedral phase of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 19 nm. The TEM image illustrated the α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with average particle size of 45-50 nm. The application of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles as a photocatalyst was investigated for the degradation of the Congo red dye. The effects of photocatalyst dosage, initial dye concentration and visible light irradiation on dye degradation were assessed. The results demonstrated that the catalyst could degrade90% of the Congo red dye in 90 min. The α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibited slight decrease in photocatalytic degradation of Congo red dye after four recycles.

Background: In recent years, numerous studies have addressed the role of other factors, especially the immune system, on developing diabetic retinopathy. Given the role of interferons in regulating immune system activities, the present study was conducted to investigate serum levels of interferon-gamma in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Materials and Methods: The present research was conducted on 42 patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in the case group and 41 patients with only type 2 diabetes in the control group. The two groups were matched in terms of age and gender. In the previous three months, the participants had not developed severe bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, not undergone ocular and non-ocular surgeries and not taken immunosuppressants. After measuring the patients’ systolic and diastolic blood pressures, their urine and blood samples were collected for the laboratory analysis of CBC, LDL, HDL, TG, total cholesterol, proteinuria, FBS, HbA1c, ESR, CRP, BUN, Creatinine and interferon gamma. The data collected were statistically analyzed in SPSS-18. Results: Out of 83 patients aged 41-78 years with type 2 diabetes, 42 patients were assigned to the case group and 41 to the control group. The mean of age of the case group was 59.69±6.866 years and that of the controls 58.71±7.410. Based on statistical methods, the two groups were matched in terms of age and gender. Although serum levels of interferon gamma were higher in the case group compared to in the controls, the difference was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). No significant differences were also observed between the two groups in terms of WBC, LDL, total cholesterol, FBS, CRP, Creatinine, HDL and diastolic blood pressure (P>0.05). According to the logistic regression model, the risk of developing retinopathy was approximately 8 times higher in the insulin users compared to in those using oral medicines. Conclusion: The statistical analysis and regression model did not suggest significant relationships between serum levels of interferon gamma and diabetic retinopathy. The two groups were significantly different in terms of insulin consumption. Further studies are recommended to be conducted to find the role of immunological factors in developing diabetic retinopathy.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) like zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), is a widespread infectious disease with high mortality and morbidity. Various medications are used for treating the disease, but several side effects and drug resistance have been reported. Herbal medicines are unlimited sources for discovering new medications to treat infectious diseases. We aimed to determine the leishmanicidal activity of three species of Iranian Artemisia herbal plant extracts in in-vitro. Methods: In-vitro anti-leishmanial activity of ethanolic extracts on both promastigotes and amastigotes was determined by using MTT method. IC50, CC50, EC50 and SI were calculated. The study was done in 2019-2020 in Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Results: All of the three Artemisia species significantly reduced the number of parasite promastigotes. Among them, A. persica had the highest leishmanicidal activity against parasite promastigotes. Cytotoxicity assay elucidated that the Artemisia had no toxicity to the host cells, and killed the L. major amastigotes very efficiently. By increasing the dose of extracts, the parasite number in both phases (promastigotes and amastigotes) was reduced significantly. Conclusion: These results indicated satisfactory anti-leishmanial activity of Artemisia extracts against ZCL in-vitro. Accordingly, Artemisia ethanolic extracts might be considered as a strong, effective and safe herbal compound for clearing the L. major with less toxicity to the host macrophages cells. Hence, it may be recognized as an excellent herbal therapy for treating the ZCL.

Johne’s disease is a chronic infection of ruminants that burdens dairy herds with a significant economic loss. The pathogenesis of the disease has not been revealed clearly due to its complex nature. In order to achieve deeper biological insights into molecular mechanisms involved in MAP infection resulting in Johne’s disease, a system biology approach was used. As far as is known, this is the first study that considers lncRNAs, TFs, and mRNAs, simultaneously, to construct an integrated gene regulatory network involved in MAP infection. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and functional enrichment analysis were conducted to explore coexpression modules from which nonpreserved modules had altered connectivity patterns. After identification of hub and hub-hub genes as well as TFs and lncRNAs in the nonpreserved modules, integrated networks of lncRNA-mRNA-TF were constructed, and cis and trans targets of lncRNAs were identified. Both cis and trans targets of lncRNAs were found in eight nonpreserved modules. Twenty-one of 47 nonpreserved modules showed significant biological processes related to the immune system and MAP infection. Some of the MAP infection’s related pathways in the most important nonpreserved modules comprise “positive regulation of cytokine-mediated signaling pathway,” “negative regulation of leukocyte migration,” “T-cell differentiation,” “neutrophil activation,” and “defense response.” Furthermore, several genes were identified in these modules, including SLC11A1, MAPK8IP1, HMGCR, IFNGR1, CMPK2, CORO1A, IRF1, LDLR, BOLA-DMB, and BOLA-DMA, which are potentially associated with MAP pathogenesis. This study not only enhanced our knowledge of molecular mechanisms behind MAP infection but also highlighted several promising hub and hub-hub genes involved in macrophage-pathogen interaction.

BACKGROUND:Neglected parasitic diseases (NTDs) like cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) have caused high mortality and morbidity rate in developing countries. This disease is considered as one of the six major tropical diseases, and has a great importance in HIV infected individuals as an opportunistic infection in those areas that both infections are endemic. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the Urtica dioica L (U. dioica) aqueous extract as an anti-leishmanial herbal drug in-vitro and in-vivo, and in addition to that, evaluated two vital immune system cytokines including gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) plus nitric oxide (NO) and arginase activity against Leishmania major (L. major) infected mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In-vitro anti-leishmanial activity of U. dioica aqueous extract was determined using MTT method and also Parasite Rescue Transformation Assay. Also, the footpad lesion size and parasite load in BALB/c mice infected with L. major were quantified for in-vivo assessment. Furthermore, for evaluating the immune responses, the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, NO and arginase were measured in the BALB/c mice. These results indicated that U. dioica extract significantly reduced the L. major promastigotes viability. According to the in-vitro cytotoxicity assay of the extract on Leishmania parasites (CC50) and infected macrophages (EC50), the extract had no toxicity to the macrophages, however it efficiently killed the L. major amastigotes. In addition, the lesion size, parasite load, IL-4, and ARG were decreased in the treated infected mice, however IFN-γ and NO were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:This study established satisfactory results in Leishmania parasite clearing both in-vivo and in-vitro. Therefore, U. dioica extract can be considered as an effective and harmless herbal compound for killing the parasite without toxicity to the host macrophages. Furthermore, it also can treat the CL by switching the mouse immune response towards a cell-mediated response (Th1); hence, it may be identified as a perfect therapeutic herbal drug for CL treatment.

Background: Nowadays, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have received much attention because of their enormous potentials in many fields such as magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH). The goal of hyperthermia is to increase the temperature of malignant cells to destroy them without any lethal effect on normal tissues. To investigate the effectiveness of cancer therapy by magnetic fluid hyperthermia, Fe0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles (FNPs) were used to undergo external magnetic field (f=515 kHz, H=100 G) in mice bearing implanted tumor. Methods: FNPs were synthesized via precipitation and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer, and Fourier transform infrared. For in vivo study, the mice bearing implanted tumor were divided into four groups (two mice per group), namely, control group, AMF group, MNPs group, and MNPs&AMF group. After 24 hours, the mice were sacrificed and each tumor specimen was prepared for histological analyses. The necrotic surface area was estimated by using graticule (Olympus, Japan) on tumor slides. Results: The mean diameter of FNPs was estimated around 9 nm by TEM image and M versus H curve indicates that this particle is among superparamagnetic materials. According to histological analyses, no significant difference in necrosis extent was observed among the four groups. Conclusion: FNPs are biocompatible and have a good size for biomedical applications. However, for MFH approach, larger diameters especially in the range of ferromagnetic particles due to hysteresis loss can induce efficient heat in the target region.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of M2000, a novel non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with immunosuppressive property and without gastro-nephrotoxicitic effects on matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and (MMP)-9 in phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-differentiated THP-1 cells. Gene expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 are inhibited respectively by the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 and (TIMP)-1 and are induced by extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (CD147/EMMPRIN). In this study, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine gene expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. Flow cytometry and zymography were applied to determine cellular surface expression of CD147 and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively. Our results showed that treatment of THP-1 cells with high concentration (25 µg/mL) of M2000 significantly decreased the cellular surface expression of CD147 (p

Proliferation of Leishmania (L.) parasites depends on polyamine availability, which can be generated by the L-arginine catabolism and the enzymatic activity of arginase (ARG) of the parasites and of the mammalian hosts. In the present study, we characterized and compared the arginase (arg) genes from pathogenic L. major and L. tropica and from non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. We quantified the level of the ARG activity in promastigotes and macrophages infected with pathogenic L. major and L. tropica and non-pathogenic L. tarentolae amastigotes. The ARG's amino acid sequences of the pathogenic and non-pathogenic Leishmania demonstrated virtually 98.6% and 88% identities with the reference L. major Friedlin ARG. Higher ARG activity was observed in all pathogenic promastigotes as compared to non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. In vitro infection of human macrophage cell line (THP1) with pathogenic and non-pathogenic Leishmania spp. resulted in increased ARG activities in the infected macrophages. The ARG activities present in vivo were assessed in susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major, L. tropica and L. tarentolae. We demonstrated that during the development of the infection, ARG is induced in both strains of mice infected with pathogenic Leishmania. However, in L. major infected BALB/c mice, the induction of ARG and parasite load increased simultaneously according to the time course of infection, whereas in C57BL/6 mice, the enzyme is upregulated solely during the period of footpad swelling. In L. tropica infected mice, the footpads' swellings were slow to develop and demonstrated minimal cutaneous pathology and ARG activity. In contrast, ARG activity was undetectable in mice inoculated with the non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. Our data suggest that infection by Leishmania parasites can increase ARG activity of the host and provides essential polyamines for parasite salvage and its replication. Moreover, the ARG of Leishmania is vital for parasite proliferation and required for infection in mice. ARG activity can be used as one of the main marker of the disease severity.

Objective(s): Short tandem repeat (STR) loci are the most informative DNA genetic markers for attempting to individualize biological material for application in paternity and forensic cases. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected and the total genomic DNA was extracted. The DNA samples were used for genotyping VWA and TPOX STR loci using PCR and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results: This report presents allele frequency data and parameters of biological or legal interest, such as heterozygosity value, polymorphic information content (PIC), genetic diversity index (GD) and population parameter (θ) in Arab and non-Arab population of Khuzestan province (Iran) for the loci VWA and TPOX. Blood samples (N= 392 for VWA and N=308 for TPOX) were collected from individuals unrelated throughout Khuzestan province. The loci were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and silver staining. Chi-square test showed that neither STR loci were in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Conclusion: The examined STR loci in this study have proven a relatively high genetic variation in the Iranian population. The data could be used for construction of a forensic genetic database for the Iranian population.

The purpose of this study was to see the role of English language proficiency level and sex on Iranian students’ beliefs about language learning. This study also investigated the usefulness of the BALLI questionnaire (Horwits, 1988), which checks learners’ beliefs, for the context of Iranian English language learners through conducting an interview. A total of 171 Iranian learners from safir institute took a TOEFL test(2003) and filled out BALLI questionnaire. Based on their TOEFL scores, they were divided into two levels of high and low language proficiency and each group was divided into two groups of males and females. Thirty-two participants including all groups were randomly selected for the interview. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a significant difference in the learners’ beliefs about language learning at different language proficiency levels, but there was no significant difference in this regard between males and females. Also, the study did not prove any interaction between the two factors of sex and language proficiency level. The difference in the results of the interview and the questionnaire in three questions reveal that the questionnaire, though useful, is better to be used along with other measuring instruments.

An efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinones and -thiones using MCM-41 as the catalyst from an aldehyde, β-keto ester, and urea or thiourea under solvent-free conditions is described.

Sodium selenate efficiently catalyzes the three-component Biginelli reaction of an aldehyde, a,β-keto ester and urea or thiourea under solvent-free conditions to afford the corresponding 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones or –thiones in excellent yields.

"nObjective: The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the combination of paid employment promotes or challenges the quality of life of married employed and unemployed women in Iran. "nMethod: The samples consisted of 250 married employed women (175 professionals and 75 non-professionals) and 250 married unemployed. Stratified convenience sampling technique was used for the selection of the sample. One demographic sheet and the Persian version of World Health Organization -Quality of Life (IRQOL) were chosen for collection of data. SPSS was used for analyzing data. "nResults: professional employed and unemployed women differed significantly on quality of life, physical health, and psychological health. Professional employed and unemployed women did not differ significantly on two of the subscales of quality of life, social relationship and environment. Professional employed women were found to be significantly higher on quality of life, physical health, psychological health, social relationship, and environment than non-professional women. Non-professional employed women were found to be significantly lower on quality of life, social relationship, and environment than unemployed women. Non- professional employed women did not differ significantly on physical health and psychological health than unemployed women. "nConclusions: The present study clearly evinces that employment status per se is not important. In other words, employment for women does not always ensure good quality of life. Status and level of works is important factor for creation the positive consequences of work in women.

Today, use of nanotechnology for cancer therapy is an active field of research. Early detection, accurate diagnosis, and individual treatment are the aims which cause nanotechnology as an attractive area for research. Among metallic nanomaterials, gold nanostructures have unique properties which make them remarkable candidates for biomedical approaches. Surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) effect of gold nanostructures leads to a maximum absorption in a particular electromagnetic wavelength. This wavelength changes with shape and size of the particles, so optical properties of gold nanostructures are adjustable. In this review, we will summarize the application of gold nanostructures in treatment of cancer especially as the agent in Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) and photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Intervascular stents provide clinical benefits in preventing occlusive coronary artery disease after angioplasty, but intimal hyperplasia and restenosis after stent implantation remains an unresolved problem. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the main component of medial layer of arteries, play an important role in neointimal hyperplasia. After arterial injury, quiescent, contractile VSMCs undergo a change in phenotype; they proliferate and migrate from the media to the intima. It has been shown that the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a key role in tissue formation, homeostasis and repair. The adhesion, proliferation, and migration of VSMCs are strongly influenced by interaction with ECM components including proteoglycans, glycoproteins such as fibronectin, collagen, elastic fibers (laminae). This interaction is further diversified under the influence of multiple transmembrane receptors and matrix proteinases. Hence, the coordinated regulation of VSMC function by these matrix components is an essential process for controlling the development and remodeling of the vascular system. Here the role of ECM in VSMC phenotypic modulation and neointimal hyperplasia will be reviewed.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting 6–10% of women worldwide. Sexual dysfunction has been reported in a significant percentage of these patients. Thus, the present study will be conducted to design, implement, and determine the effectiveness of an interventional program to improve the sexual function of women with endometriosis. Materials and methods: This mixed-methods study will be carried out in three phases with a sequential exploratory approach. In the first phase (qualitative study) participants will be selected by purposive sampling in Isfahan, Iran. The data will be collected through in-depth interviews and field notes and analyzed using conventional content analysis. The interventional program will be designed in the second phase based on the results of the qualitative study and literature review and using the Delphi method and panel of experts. The interventional program will be implemented at the individual level in the third phase to investigate its effect on improving women's sexual function. This phase includes quasi-experimental research, in which the pre- and post-intervention data will be collected from the intervention and control groups using the FSFI questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Ultimately, a suitable interventional program will be presented by combining the data obtained in the qualitative and quantitative phases of the research. Conclusion: Conducting the present study, along with the design and implementation of an appropriate, native, and culturally sensitive interventional program, can contribute to improving the sexual function of women with endometriosis and enhancing the quality of sexual relations between couples. Plain English summary: Endometriosis is a chronic disease in women of reproductive age. The negative impact of endometriosis on intimate relationships and sexual function has been reported in a significant number of women with this disease. The results of this study offer a rich source of information for the required interventions to promote the sexual and reproductive health of women with endometriosis. This study is a sequential exploratory (qualitative–quantitative) mixed methods design that consists of three consecutive phases. In this study, following a qualitative approach, the researchers will explain the experiences of women with endometriosis of sexual function and the appropriate strategies to improve the sexual function of these women. In the second phase, the researcher will design an appropriate interventional program for to improving the sexual function of women with endometriosis by using the results of the qualitative phase and literature reviews. The purposed interventional program is designed using the Delphi method and panel of experts and will be finalized for execution. In the third stage, the effectiveness of interventional program on the sexual function of women with endometriosis will be investigated in a quasi-experimental study. Therefore, it is expected that conducting a mixed method study by presenting an interventional culturally sensitive program can contribute to improving the sexual function of women with endometriosis and enhancing the quality of sexual relations between couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Viruses are a major cause of mortality and socio-economic downfall despite the plethora of biopharmaceuticals designed for their eradication. Conventional antiviral therapies are often ineffective. Live-attenuated vaccines can pose a safety risk due to the possibility of pathogen reversion, whereas inactivated viral vaccines and subunit vaccines do not generate robust and sustained immune responses. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of strategies that combine nanotechnology concepts with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of viral infectious diseases. The present review provides a comprehensive introduction to the different strains of viruses involved in respiratory diseases and presents an overview of recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of viral infections based on nanotechnology concepts and applications. Discussions in diagnostic/therapeutic nanotechnology-based approaches will be focused on H1N1 influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza virus type 3 infections, as well as COVID-19 infections caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus Delta variant and new emerging Omicron variant. Graphical Abstract

The aim of this paper was to investigate the antibacterial potential of Kelussia odoratissima Mozff extract against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Karafs-eKoohi with the scientific name of Kelussia odoratissima is an Iranian endemic edible plant in the middle region of Iran with enormous use as food, spice and medicinal herb. The antibacterial effect of the extracts was investigated using pour plate and disk diffusion methods. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC( and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were also studied using the dilution method. Repeated measure ANOVA was used for data analysis. The results showed that in disk diffusion method all concentrations of ethanolic extract had inhibitory effect against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC( of Kelussia odoratissima leaves of aqueous and ethanolic extracts for Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were 16 and 8 mg/ml, and for Enterobacter aerogenes were 32 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of Kelussia odoratissima leaves of aqueous and ethanolic extracts for Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were 32 and 16 mg/ml, and for Enterobacter aerogenes were 64 and 32mg/ml, respectively. The results showed that the extract of Kelussia odoratissima had a satisfactory antimicrobial activity and the ethanolic extract of Kelussia odoratissima leaves had greater inhibitory effects on the strains studied compared to aqueous extract in vitro. A significant correlation was also observed between zone of inhibition and concentration of extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is a serious health problem that leads to an increased per capita consumption of medications, drug resistance, lack of optimal treatment, drug poisoning, and other unwanted complications. This study was conducted to compare self-medication in pregnant and nonpregnant women presenting to Shahid Akbar Abadi Teaching Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: To conduct this cross-sectional study, 210 pregnant women and 210 nonpregnant women aged 15–45 years presenting to Shahid Akbar Abadi Teaching Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were selected through random sampling. Data were collected through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. The Chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 34.8% in the pregnant and 77.1% in the nonpregnant women. The age group in which the most frequent instances of self-medication were observed (53.4%) was the 21–30 age group in the pregnant women and the 31–40 age group (44.4%) in the nonpregnant women, suggesting a statistically significant intergroup difference in terms of age (P = 0.0001). Medicinal plants were the most common medications used by the pregnant women (19.6%) and synthetic medications were the most common used by the nonpregnant women (38.1%). The reasons for using medications without a prescription included believing in the illness being mild (22.8%), not having health insurance (9%), easy access in the pregnant women, a previous history of the illness, and easy access in the nonpregnant women. Conclusions: As medicinal plants are the most common medications used by pregnant women and since assessing the risk of herbal substances is difficult, pregnant women should be advised against the arbitrary use of these substances.