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Background: As increase of cytokines (like IL-1 , IL-6 , IL-8 and TNF- ) in platelet concentrates (PCs) during storage are involved in Febrile Non Hemolytic Transfusion Reactions (FNHTRs) after Platelet transfusion, the aim of this study was the survey of these cytokines level in PCs produced in Tehran Blood Center. Materials and Methods: This study proposed to determine if WBC reduction in PCs by pre-storage leuckodepletion filters reduced the levels of these cytokines during storage uo 3 days. Each of the PCs (n = 54) was prepared from single random donor (RD) by Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP), then were divided in four groups: 1- unfiltered non-irradiated RD-PCs (n= 13) 2- unfiltered and -irradiated RD-PCs (n=16) 3 - filtered non-irradiated RD-PCs (n=14) 4-filtered and -irradiated RD-PCs (n = 11). Cytokines levels in PCs supernatants were measured by ELISA kits according manufacture‘s instructions. Results: Our results showed : IL-8 was increased in unfiltered non-irradiated and IL-18 in -irradiated RD-PCs but not in the filtered RD-PCs in day 3 . Compared to unfiltered PCs in filtered units, pre-storage filtration prevented a rise in the IL-8 and TNF-  in day 3 of storage .The concentration of IL-1 was lower than the minimal detectable concentration by the kits used for this purpose. IL-6 was detected only in 7 units of all filtered PCs in day 3. Conclusion: These data indicate that pre-storage leuko-reduction of PCs can prevent accumulation of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-  during storage.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) is a major mediator of inflammatory responses and also plays a role in Febrile non-hemolytic reactions (FNHRs) after platelet concentrates (PCs) injection. It is thought contaminating WBCs are the source of these cytokine so inactivating or decreasing of these WBCs will be effective to decline of the cytokines. Due to difference results between different methods for TNF measurement, in this study we compared Immunoassay and Bioassay methods to determine TNF- in supernatants of PCs. Materials and Methods: TNF- was measured by ELISA (Immunoassay) and by the L929 cytotoxicity Bioassay in supernatant of random donor PCs (RD-PC) prepared by platelet rich plasma (PRP). These platelet concentrates were divided in 4 groups: 1-unfiltered , non-irradiated RD-PCs (N=13) 2-unfiltered and -irradiated RD-PCs (N=16) 3-filtered , non-irradiated RD-PCs (N=14) 4-filtered and -irradiated RD-PCs (N=11) Results: Our results showed: •TNF-  was increased (by ELISA) in unfiltered non-irradiated units during storage but not in -irradiated and filtered RD-PCs in day 3. Compared to unfiltered PCs in filtered units, pre-storage filtration and irradiation prevented a rise in the TNF-  in day 3 of storage. •There was no correlation between ELISA and the cytotoxicity L929 bioassay . Conclusion: It has been previously reported that different quantitative results can be obtained when TNF alpha is measured in biological fluids by Bioassay and Immunoassay. This is thought to be related to the presence of antigenic forms of TNF alpha that cannot be detected by bioassay, such as complexes with soluble receptors (sTNF-R) or TNF alpha monomers.

Dental amalgam is one of the oldest restorative materials, used in dentistry, which has undergone a lot of quality changes since its advent. Copper is one of the major elements in dental amalgam. Dental amalgam is classified as low and high cooper group based on the percentage of this element. Cinaluy is an Iranian product, a product of Shahid Faghihi's factory and its particles are spherical with high copper and it does not contain any zinc and gama II phase. The goal of this study was to identify the type and percentage of its ingredients and to analyze this dental amalgam by muclear reactor. The products of the factory, at two different times, were compared with each other and also with the percentages presented by the factory, regarding their ingredients. They were also compared with two standardized amalgams called: Sybralloy and Tytin. Three typical Cinalux amalgam capsules, produced on different dates, were selected. The contents of capsules were enveloped in plastic bags and then sealed and placed in a miniature reactor to undergo nuclear radiation for 10 days. After this period, the elements in amalgam became activated and converted into radioisotopes of the same elements, and began to radiate. Then gama spectrometer system accumulated these radiations and transferred them to Span software. This software, aided by reference standards, shows the intensity and the wave length of the received radiation, and consequently identifies the type and percentage of the elements in amalgam. The results demonstrated that the Cinalux amalgam samples, regarding the type and percentage of their elements, were identical and also met the factory standards. The differences were not significant. There was also no significant difference between Cinalux amalgam and the standardized amalgam Sybralloy, regarding the percentage of their elements, but comparing this amalgam with the standardized amalgam Tytin, a significant difference was not observed.

Background: Social support is essential for individuals to cope with difficult circumstances. Older adults with disabilities face significant challenges in engaging with everyday activities. The current study examines the mediating role of perceived stress in the association between perceived social support and disability among Iranian community-dwelling older adults., Methods: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, 300 older adults were selected using cluster sampling from January to June 2022. The data were collected using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2), and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14). The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus., Results: The mean age of older adults was 68.71 ± 6.13 years, ranging from 60 to 85 years old. The results of this study revealed a significant relationship between perceived social support and disability (β=-0.20, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001) and perceived stress and disability (β = 0.50, SE = 0.05, p < 0.001). The results also confirmed the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between perceived social support and disability (β=-0.17, SE = 0.03, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The results indicated that increasing social support could reduce disability by decreasing perceived stress. These results have important implications for policymakers and healthcare professionals in promoting healthy aging., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the prevalent type of malignancy among women. Multiple risk factors, including genetic changes, biological age, dense breast tissue, and obesity are associated with BC. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway has a pivotal role in regulating biological functions such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and survival. It has become evident that the MAPK pathway is associated with tumorigenesis and may promote breast cancer development. The MAPK/RAS/RAF cascade is closely associated with breast cancer. RAS signaling can enhance BC cell growth and progression. B-Raf is an important kinase and a potent RAF isoform involved in breast tumor initiation and differentiation. Depending on the reasons for cancer, there are different strategies for treatment of women with BC. Till now, several FDA-approved treatments have been investigated that inhibit the MAPK pathway and reduce metastatic progression in breast cancer. The most common breast cancer drugs that regulate or inhibit the MAPK pathway may include Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs), Sorafenib, Vemurafenib, PLX8394, Dabrafenib, Ulixertinib, Simvastatin, Alisertib, and Teriflunomide. In this review, we will discuss the roles of the MAPK/RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in BC and summarize the FDA-approved prescription drugs that target the MAPK signaling pathway in women with BC.

Context: Ferulago angulata Boiss. (Apiaceae), a perennial aromatic herb, grows wild in Iran. The aerial parts of F. angulata are used as a flavouring in foods, especially dairy foods by indigenous people in western and southwestern Iran., Objective: This study investigates variation in chemical compositions, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the essential oils from F. angulata collected from natural habitats in the alpine regions of southwestern Iran., Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) of the essential oils were evaluated against four bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium). Antioxidant activity of the oils was determined by DPPH assay., Results: The essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS, which 49 volatile components were identified. There were significant differences between the various populations for oil yield and some main compounds. The major constituents of the essential oils from F. angulata were α-pinene, and cis-β-ocimene. The MICs of the essential oils were within concentration ranges from 62 to 250 μg/mL and the respective MBCs were 125 to > 500 μg/mL. Generally, the oils from F. angulata indicated weak to moderate inhibitory activities against bacteria, especially against Listeria monocytogenes. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained from the oil of the Kallar population (IC 50 value   =   488 μg/mL) and BHT as positive control (IC 50  value =   321 μg/mL)., Discussion and Conclusion: The essential oil of F. angulata could be serving as a potential source of α-pinene and cis-β-ocimene for use in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Background: Suicide is a growing public health problem all over the world. Understanding the prevalence of suicide and its correlates is of great importance in planning programs to reduce the risk in different societies., Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the epidemiology of suicide and its associated risk factors in Sistan and Balouchestan Province, southeast of Iran., Patients and Methods: We investigated a total of 369 suicide cases admitted to the emergency department of Zahedan Khatam- Al- Anbia hospital between March 2010 and February 2012. Data was collected from the hospital information system (HIS) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to identify the factors associated with suicidal behaviors., Results: A greater proportion of the study subjects (65%) were female. They were more likely to be young (43.5% in the age group of 16 to 25 years) and illiterate or have a primary school education (20.9% and 48.8%, respectively). Housewives and self-employed individuals and those with a low or medium income dominated the suicide cases. The most common method of suicide was burning (53.4%) followed by drug ingestion (23.8%). One third of the suicide cases occurred during spring. The case fatality rate was 49.6% and it was significantly associated with low income, summer time suicides, burning as a method of suicide., Conclusions: This study highlights the burden of suicide and itspotential socio-demographic risk factors in Sistan and Blouchestan Province. This information has an implication for planning the preventive measures, policy making and future research.

Background: Self-immolation is a high risk behavior and a way of life termination. Self-immolation, as the most painful of all forms of suicide, is not a common form of suicide in European countries. However, it is highly prevalent in developing countries particularly in Asia and Africa., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the rate and leading factors of self-immolation and gender, geographical distribution, and social norms of affected patients referred to Khatamolanbia Hospital of Zahedan from March 2010 to May 2012., Materials and Methods: This descriptive and objective-based study was cross-sectional and retrospective with 750 burn patients; 315 of them had attempted self-immolation and most of them died. The data collection tool was a two partite questionnaire consisting of 17 questions (8 questions about personal details and 9 questions about self-immolation factors)., Results: 350 self-immolations resulting in death were reported in this study; these subjects were 16-25 years old, 67.25% female, 63.55% elementary school education, 74.20% married, 69.10% housewife, 61.05% resident of Saravan, 93.35% oil burns, 72.30% middle and low social class, 90.20% burn over 68%, 20% psychiatric illness history and being treated with antidepressants, 73.25% verbal and physical violence before burning, and 100% of the burnings took place inside a house and usually during the afternoon., Conclusions: Due to the high rate of self-immolations in this area, solutions for improvement of life quality and social norms should be reviewed and implemented.