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Background: It has been proposed that dose reduction via co-administration of other agents might ameliorate respiratory depression associated with ketofol. Aims: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of adding lidocaine, fentanyl, or dexmedetomidine on the required dose and cardiorespiratory variables in dogs undergoing total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with ketofol. Methods: In phase I, twelve dogs (six per each treatment) were induced and maintained with two out of four anesthetic regimens of (1) ketofol (4 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg/min, respectively; KET), (2) ketofol and lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg and 0.25 mg/kg/min, respectively; KLD), (3) ketofol and fentanyl (5 µg/kg and 0.1 µg/kg/min, respectively; KFN), and (4) ketofol and dexmedetomidine (2 µg/kg and 2 mg/kg/h, respectively; KDX) with at least one-week interval. The minimum infusion rate (MIR) of ketofol was determined. In phase II, the other twelve dogs were given the same anesthetic regimens for 60 min with the determined infusion rate of ketofol, and cardiorespiratory variables were recorded. Results: Mean MIR of ketofol for KET, KLD, KFN, and KDX were 0.35, 0.23, 0.15, and 0.08 mg/kg/min, respectively. In phase II, the times of recovery events were shorter in KFN and KDX than KET and KLD. The heart rate was significantly higher than baseline in KET and KLD, which was also significantly lower than KFN and KDX at several time points. In all treatments, respiratory depression was detected. Conclusion: Despite the decrease in the dose of ketofol, none of the added drugs attenuated respiratory depression caused by this agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nervous injuries are common in humans. One of the most advanced treatment methods is neural tissue engineering. This research aims to utilize nerve-like cells (NLCs) derived from endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSCs) on a polyacrylonitrile/chitosan (PAN/CS) scaffold, along with berberine, for the reconstruction of a rat sciatic nerve injury model. In this experimental study, EnMSCs were obtained through enzymatic digestion and identified using flow cytometry and their differentiation into adipocyte and osteoblast. PAN nanofiber scaffolds were produced through electrospinning, and EnMSCs were neurally differentiated on these scaffolds for grafting into an animal model. The expression of Nestin, Map-2, Tuj-1, and NF genes in NLCs was confirmed through RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Twenty-five adult male rats were used in this study, divided into 5 groups: (1) Scaffold/Cells/Berberine, (2) Scaffold/Cells, (3) Scaffold, (4) Berberine, and (5) Control. The animals were maintained for 8 weeks, and their sciatic nerve function (SFI) was assessed. Additionally, histological examinations were performed using hematoxylin/eosin, luxol fast blue staining, and immunohistochemistry. According to the results, extraction, identification, and differentiation of EnMSCs and fabrication of PAN conduit and its transplantation were successfully performed. The best behavioral performance and histology were observed in the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group. The SFI test results were -24.08 for the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group and -39.27 for the control group. The nerve diameter in these two groups was 591 µm and 80 µm, respectively, and the percentage of new nerve formation was 18.5% in the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group and 0.2% in the control group. The immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that the intensity of the green color was higher in the groups with cells compared to the groups without cells. Furthermore, in the luxol staining results, all groups showed a significant improvement compared to the control group. In the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group, fibers, and axons appeared denser, more organized, and displayed a higher intensity of blue staining. According to the results of this study, EnMSCs demonstrated efficient differentiation into NLCs. With the assistance of PAN/CS scaffolds and simultaneous administration of berberine, EnMSCs have the potential for nerve regeneration and recovery from sciatic nerve injury in the rat animal model., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics Approval: The animal experiment was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Shahid Chamran University (Approval No. EE/1401.2.24.118719/scu.ac.ir). Consent to Participate: Written informed consent was obtained for all human patient’s samples. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Mitochondria are known to be involved in mediating the calorigenic effects of thyroid hormones. With an abundance of these hormones, alterations in energy metabolism and cellular respiration take place, leading to the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Vitamin D has recently gained attention due to its involvement in the regulation of mitochondrial function, demonstrating promising potential in preserving the integrity and functionality of the mitochondrial network. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of Vitamin D on cardiac hypertrophy induced by hyperthyroidism, with a focus on the contributions of mitophagy and apoptosis as possible underlying molecular mechanisms., Methods and Results: The rats were divided into three groups: control; hyperthyroid; hyperthyroid + Vitamin D. Hyperthyroidism was induced by Levothyroxine administration for four weeks. Serum thyroid hormones levels, myocardial damage markers, cardiac hypertrophy indices, and histological examination were assessed. The assessment of Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the expression of the related genes were conducted using heart tissue samples. Vitamin D pretreatment exhibited a significant improvement in the hyperthyroidism-induced decline in markers indicative of myocardial damage, oxidative stress, and indices of cardiac hypertrophy. Vitamin D pretreatment also improved the downregulation observed in myocardial expression levels of genes involved in the regulation of mitophagy and apoptosis, including PTEN putative kinase 1 (PINK1), Mitofusin-2 (MFN2), Dynamin-related Protein 1 (DRP1), and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), induced by hyperthyroidism., Conclusions: These results suggest that supplementation with Vitamin D could be advantageous in preventing the progression of cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial damage., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This study aimed to treat dental injuries by utilizing one of the most advanced tissue engineering techniques. In this study, an in vitro model was employed to investigate the proliferation and odontogenic differentiation of canine endometrial stem cells (C-EnSCs). Furthermore, the dentin regeneration potential of odontoblast like-cells (OD) derived from C-EnSCs was assessed in rats. The C-EnSCs were isolated by the enzymatic method and identified by flow cytometry. The C-EnSCs were encapsulated in fibrin gel associated with signaling factors to create the proper conditions for cell growth and differentiation. Then, the OD cells were associated with bone morphologic protein-2 (BMP-2) to promote dentin formation in vivo. The animal model used to evaluate the regenerative effect of cells and biomaterials included the preparation of the left maxillary first molar of rats for direct pulp capping operation. Animals were divided into four groups: group 1, a control group without any treatment, group 2, which received fibrin, group 3, which received fibrin with ODs (fibrin/ODs), and group 4, which received fibrin with ODs and BMP-2 (fibrin/ODs/BMP-2). The morphological observations showed the differentiation of C-EnSCs into adipose, bone, neural cells, and ODs. Furthermore, the histomorphometric data of the treated teeth showed how fibrin gel and BMP2 at a concentration of 100 ng/mL provided an optimal microenvironment for regenerating dentin tissue in rats, which was increased significantly with the presence of OD cells within eight weeks. Our study showed that using OD cells derived from C-EnSCs encapsulated in fibrin gel associated with BMP2 can potentially be an appropriate candidate for direct pulp-capping and dentin regeneration.

This study aimed to determine the impact of human endometrial stem cells (EnSCs) and titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) on dental pulp repair and regeneration in an animal model through dentine development and tissue regeneration. The EnSCs were put on a three-dimensional (3D) chitosan scaffold containing TiO 2 NPs after obtaining and purifying the collagenase enzyme. Pulps were exposed on the maxillary left first molar of all rats followed by direct pulp capping with the experimental scaffolds, as follows. Groups were: 1, control group without any treatment; 2, chitosan group (CS); 3, chitosan group with stem cells (CS/SCs); 4, chitosan group with stem cells and TiO 2 NPs (CS/EnSCs/TiO 2 ). Glass ionomer was used as a sealant in all groups. The teeth were extracted and histologically evaluated after 8 weeks. The quality and amount of dentine in the CS/EnSCs/TiO 2 group were higher than in the other groups. The combination of EnSCs with TiO 2 NPs and 3D chitosan scaffolds had a synergistic effect on each other, evidencing increased speed and quality of dentine formation. Using EnSCs with TiO 2 NPs on a 3D chitosan scaffold can be a suitable combination for direct pulp capping and dentine regeneration in a rat molar tooth model., (Copyright © 2022 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the genetic etiology of congenital cataract (CC) manifesting an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance in four Iranian families. Affected individuals and their normal first-degree relatives in each family were included in the present study. The genomic DNA of the blood samples was extracted from all participants, and one affected member belonging to each family was subjected to Whole Exome Sequencing (WES). Using bidirectional Sanger sequencing, the identified variants were validated by co-segregation analysis. Two different mutations were detected in the FYCO1 gene encoding FYVE and coiled-coil domain-containing protein. A previously reported missense mutation, c.265C>T (p.Arg89Cys), was found in one Iranian family for the first time, and a combination of two variants in a single codon, c.[265C>T;267C>A] (p.Arg89X), was identified in the three other families. On the other hand, accompanying the c.265C>T mutation, the presence of the c.267C>A polymorphism leads to a premature stop codon. In-Silico Analysis of FYCO1 protein demonstrated that RUN domain will be interrupted so that the large part of functional protein will be eliminated due to this novel variant. FYCO1 has been proved to be involved in human lens development and transparency. Its mutations, therefore, result in CC. Herein, we reported the first autosomal recessive CC patients with c.265C>T (p.Arg89Cys) or c.[265C>T;267C>A] variant in Iranian population for the FYCO1 gene. FYCO1 mutations could be tracked for preventive objectives or even be targeted as therapeutic candidates via treatment approaches in the future.

The Objective of the present study was to evaluate paravertebral brachial plexus block in sheep. A group of 13 healthy sheep with 20.10 ± 2.20 kg weight and five months of age were used. In phase I, in five sheep, an insulated needle attached to a nerve stimulator was directed to the location of C6, C7, C8 and T1 nerves and a 1.50 mL of a solution containing 1:1 methylene blue 1.00% and lidocaine 1.00% was injected at each site. Then, the cervical and thoracic areas were dissected and assessed in the cadavers. In phase II, cervical paravertebral block with 2.00% lidocaine and subsequent assessments were done in eight live sheep. Cadaveric evaluations revealed dye spread in C6 to T1 nerves: 61.75 ± 5.50, 72.75 ± 9.18, 40.75 ± 2.99 and 18.75 ± 3.30 mm, respectively. In three sheep, dye distribution in the anterior mediastinum was observed. In phase II, the onsets of anesthesia were determined within 10 and 15 min for sensory and motor blocks, respectively. Anesthesia at axillary, musculocutaneous, radial and ulnar skin sites and motor block lasted for 67.50 ± 15.80, 63.70 ± 16.00, 55.00 ± 21.70, 56.70 ± 19.70 and 76.40 ± 24.30 min, respectively. In three sheep, no anesthesia was observed for radial and ulnar skin sites. In conclusion, paravertebral brachial plexus block in sheep provided an acceptable block for the upper parts of the elbow joint, however, it was not effective and reliable for more distal structures., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.