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Background: The effect of Dexamethasone on Post-Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH) after spinal anesthesia has not been well elucidated. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of prophylactic intravenous dexamethasone on the incidence and severity of PDPH in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. The subjects were randomly divided into a placebo (n=140) and a dexamethasone (n=140) group. During the surgery, the control group participants were injected 2cc of distilled water, and the dexamethasone group participants were injected 2cc (8mg) of dexamethasone as an infusion in the veins. The incidences of PDPH on the first, third and seventh postoperative days were studied. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: A total of 280 patients with a mean age of 32.7 ± 11.0 years were studied. The incidence of PDPH on the first day of post-operative period was lower in the dexamethasone group than the control group (21 vs. 34, Pvs. 26, P0.05). Conclusion: Although the frequency of PDPH was less in patients receiving dexamethasone, the incidence increased days after the operation and reached the level of the placebo group. We do not recommend prophylactic intravenous dexamethasone for the prevention of PDPH.

Background: Unhealthy eating habits are an important cause of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). One of the most effective methods to prevent these diseases is the use of health education interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of educational intervention performed by Women Health Volunteers (WHV) on knowledge, attitude, and modification of dietary habits among women in Kerman. Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study performed on 400 women in Kerman. Participants were selected using multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected immediately before and 6 weeks after the intervention by a questionnaire, including demographic information and questions related to knowledge, attitude, and dietary habits. Data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon-test in SPSS 24. Results: The average age of women was 41.91±12.87 years. Before the intervention, a positive and significant correlation was observed between knowledge and dietary habit (r=0.249) (p Conclusion: Education provided by WHV was effective in promoting knowledge, and attitude, and in modifying the dietary habits of women. Therefore, the use of local human resources can help improve public health.

The decline in Urmia Lake basin’s water resources has resulted in a severe drought of the lake. The drought of this hyper-saline lake has put lives of 6.4 million inhabitants at risk. This study was conducted to assess the technical and economic employability of a payment for ecosystem services (PES) method as a policy tool to improve water resources management of Siminehroud river basin which is the most important tributary of Urmia Lake basin. For this purpose, the target areas were identified after the development of a land-use map for the basin. Then, by recruiting the integrated interview method and distributing 398 questionnaires, the required data were collected to assess the employability of the proposed PES method. Among various PES schemes, two methods including a) payment for shifting irrigation methods and b) payment to change cropping patterns in the frame of “Willingness to Accept” (WTA) were proposed to farmers. The results suggest that farmers highly welcomed both proposed methods. The benefit–cost ratio (BCR) for the change in irrigation system was 3.98, whereas the changes for the cropping pattern were 0.8 (for rapeseed), 0.72 (for soybean), and 1.09 (for safflower). As a result, shifting irrigation methods and changing cultivation patterns to safflower are both economically justifiable. WOS:000585101100001 Q2

Background & Aims of the Study: Since beta-thalassemia is the most commonly inherited disease in Iran, its preventive and controlling programs are considered vitally important in the healthcare system. This study was conducted to investigate the incidence rate and epidemiology of major beta-thalassemia (MBT) over the last twenty years in Kerman, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study, as a kind of health system research, carried was out on all patients with beta-thalassemia (born from March 1998 to March 2018) registered in Kerman Health Center. The data, extracted from the national records of genetic diseases, were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16) using Fisherchr('39')s exact test. Results: Based on the results of the present study, the incidence rate of MBT was calculated at 0.99 cases per 10,000 live births. According to this result, 29 subjects with MBT were born from 1998 to 2018. The most important cause of thalassemia was determined as non-identification of thalassemia minor in carrier couples and their lack of awareness about their complication (62%). The other cause was the non-cooperation of screened carrier couples in attending prenatal diagnosis (20.7%). It was revealed that in 23 MBT cases, the parents were relatives (79.3%). The diagnosis of 62% of patients had been made before they turned one year. Conclusion: It is recommended that the following measures been adopted to avoid MBT incidence: strengthening the care team, cooperating with gynecologists in identifying pregnant women suspected of having thalassemia minor in the first weeks of pregnancy and referring them to genetic counseling centers for condition determination, educating families and changing carrier couples attitudes toward abortion, monitoring and improving screening laboratories, and implementing public education programs for specific groups.

Erosion, both surficial and internal, presents risks to performance and stability of earth dams, dikes, and water barriers. The consequences and severity of erosion incidents are amenable to soil erodibility. This study investigates the efficiency of additives/stabilizers in modifying soil erosion characteristics. Erosion parameters, namely coefficient of soil erosion, critical shear stress, and erosion rate index, for five very fine, highly erodible clay/silt soils treated with additives, that is sodium bentonite, calcium bentonite, hydrated lime, silica fume and a Nano clay, are determined via the Hole Erosion Test (HET). Also, alterations in plasticity index and compaction properties for treated soils are examined. Experimental findings suggest that hydrated lime, which delivers an ample amount of Ca2+, reduces erodibility mainly be increasing critical shear stress, while calcium bentonite which encompasses structural Ca cations, enhances erosion resistance by decreasing the coefficient of soil erosion. Besides, sodium bentonite does not improve the erosion resistance. From a practical viewpoint soil treatment with hydrated lime and calcium bentonite lowers the likelihood of concentrated leak erosion initiation and decelerates the progression of piping.

Driving is a daily requirement and an indispensable activity for many people. However, still little is known about how driving is supported by the brain. We used electroencephalography to study the...

Introduction: Operations on the tympanic membrane of the middle ear, myringoplasty, and tympanoplasty are now widely accepted, and attempts are underway all over the world to standardize the surgical techniques. This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes of endoscopic and microscopic cartilage myringoplasty in patients suffering from chronic otitis media (COM). Materials and Methods: This clinical trial study compared 130 patients with COM who underwent transcanal endoscopic myringoplasty by repairing perforation using auricular concha cartilage under general anesthesia (n=75) and conventional repairing method by postauricular incision and tympanomeatal flap elevation under microscopic surgery (n=55). Results: According to the results, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of hearing gain 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery (P=0.063); however, higher hearing gain scores were observed in the endoscopic group. Moreover, lower recovery time and post-operative pain were reported in patients who underwent the endoscopic approach, compared to those who treated with the conventional repairing method (P

Background: Length of stay is a significant indicator of care effectiveness and hospital performance. Owing to the limited number of healthcare centers and facilities, it is important to optimize length of stay and associated factors.Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate factors associated with neonatal length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using parametric and semiparametric models and compare model fitness according to Akaike information criterion (AIC) between 2016 and 2018.Methods: This retrospective cohort study reviewed 600 medical records of infants admitted to the NICU of Bandar Abbas Hospital. Samples were identified using census sampling. Factors associated with NICU length of stay were investigated based on semiparametric Cox model and 4 parametric models including Weibull, exponential, log-logistic, and log-normal to determine the best fitted model. The data analysis was conducted using R software. The significance level was set at 0.05.Results: The study findings suggest that breastfeeding, phototherapy, acute renal failure, presence of mechanical ventilation, and availability of central venous catheter were commonly identified as factors associated with NICU length of stay in all 5 models (P

Objective (s): Measles is a severe acute respiratory viral infection. The single-stranded RNA morbillivirus from the Paramixoviridea family is easily transmitted among humans through coughing or sneezing droplets. Methods: This was a case-control study that was carried out among people living in cities under coverage of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran in 2014-2015. Seventy-five patients with confirmed measles (case group) and 150 healthy individuals (control group) were selected for the study. The case group included entered into the study through census method. The control group was randomly selected by simple random sampling from the people who had the inclusion criteria. To control the confounding factors, each case was matched with two persons from the control group for age and gender. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, a significant relationship between measles and, not receiving the vaccine (OR=14.35, CI 95%=7.03-29.27), the history of contact with the definite cases of measles (OR=1.9, CI 95%=1.09-3.43), non-native residents (OR=5.46, CI 95%=1.88-15.78), motherchr('39')s age of older than 30 years at birth (OR=2.8, CI 95%=1.23-6.38) were identified. Conclusion: Based on the findings independent risk factors for developing measles disease were not having measles vaccine, non-native people, history of contact with definite cases of measles and, motherchr('39')s age at birth.

Background and Aim: Dexamethasone affects testis hemostasis through reduction of testosterone level . In one study dexamethasone induced spermatogenesis defects through epithelial vacuolizations and sloughing of germ cell layer. Material and Methods: Forty NMRI mice were randomly divided into four groups. Control and dexamethasone groups received normal saline and dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) respectively for 7 days. Dexamethasone and Nigella sativa(NS) (5 mg/kg) were given to the third group and the fourth group(Nigella sativa group) received 5 mg/kg Nigella sativa for 7 days. Epididymal sperm parameters were used for evaluation of the effects of dexamethasone and Nigella sativa on testis. Results: Epididymal sperm parameters) count,motility and abnormal sperm) showed significant alterations in dexamethasone group (p

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe and evaluate the results of a new technique in endolymphatic sac decompression surgery. Methods Forty-three patients with intractable unilateral Meniere's disease were selected. Endolymphatic sac was identified after simple mastoidectomy, and its lateral layer was incised, using a sickle knife. Outer layer of the sac was turned around and placed under the anterior bony border. Results Mean duration of the follow-up was 24 months. Mean tinnitus handicap index, pure tone average (PTA) on thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, mean speech reception threshold, mean speech discrimination score, hearing stage, and mean vertigo score before and after surgery were evaluated. Conclusion The new marsupialization technique with anterior bony border is a safe and effective way to improve tinnitus, vertigo, and ear fullness among these patients. According to PTA and hearing stage, this surgery can control progressive hearing loss. Level of evidence 3.

Background and Aim: In this experimental study, nicotine has been recognized to result in oxidative stress by inducing the generation of reactive oxygen species. The current research was designed to investigate the protective effect of rosmarinic acid, a radical scavenger and antioxidant, on Pro oxidant anti-oxidant balance of serum in nicotine treated mice. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six mature male NMRI mice were divided into 6groups: (two controls, two nicotine-treated [0.5 mg/kg], and two nicotine plus rosmarinic acid [10 mg/kg]) were used in this study and treated for 15 and 30days respectively. The standard protocol was used to measure pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance, superoxide dismutase, and serum Catalase. Results: As compared to control group (90±3.03315 HK), the 15-day results, in nicotine-treated group (100±5.17687 HK) there was a significant increase in the serum PAB ratio. Similarly, for samples of the day 30, there was a significant increase in the serum PAB ratio of nicotine-treated group (106±3.52136 HK) versus control group (87±1.32916 HK) (P≤0.05). SOD of 15(1.21±1.12) and 30 days (1.89±0.26) treated groups, showed significant decreased versus control groups (2.90±0.09), (2.82±0.08) respectively (P≤0.05). Catalase of 15(12.13±2.30) and 30 days (11.57±1.42) treated groups, showed significant decreased versus control groups (25.12±2.21), (24.1±1.29) respectively (P≤0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that rosmarinic acid improves the level of antioxidant enzymes and modifies pro-oxidant-antioxidant imbalance

Bubble point pressure is of great significance in reservoir engineering calculations affecting the success of reservoir simulation. For determining this valuable parameter, experimental tests are the most reliable techniques; however, these measurements are costly and time-consuming. So, it is crucial to propose an empirical model for estimating bubble point pressure. The existing correlations mainly have large errors and develop based on restricted database from a specific geographical location. As a result, development of an all-inclusive correlation is essential. In current article, gene expression programming (GEP) was used to create a generalized model for bubble point pressure estimation. To do this, an all-inclusive source of data was utilized for training and testing the model from the petroleum industry. Several statistical approaches including both illustration tools and diverse error functions were utilized to show the supremacy of the developed GEP model. Consequently, the recommended model is the most accurate as compared to the similar correlations in literature with the average absolute relative error (AARE = 11.41%) and determination coefficient (R 2 = 0.96). Furthermore, the solution gas-oil ratio shows to be the most influencing variable on determining bubble point pressure according to sensitivity analysis. The results of contour map analysis demonstrate that most portions of the experimental region are predicted via the GEP equation with fewer errors as compared to two well-known literature correlations. Finally, the proposed GEP model can be of high prominence for accurate bubble point pressure estimation. Cited as : Rostami, A., Daneshi, A., Miri, R. Proposing a rigorous empirical model for estimating the bubble point pressure in heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2020, 4(2): 126-134, doi: 10.26804/ager.2020.02.02

Capability of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology in the production of complex parts with high flexibility has led to the growing interest in their application as an alternative for conventional manufacturing processes. Despite the outstanding benefits of the AM process, due to their poor surface quality, the precision parts produced by this method generally need to be machined, ground, or polished. This paper addresses the machinability of AM Ti6Al4V titanium alloy parts in the micro-milling process with a specific focus on cutting forces, specific cutting energy, burr formation, and surface quality. Additive parts were produced by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technique and were compared with the extruded Ti6Al4V parts in the micro-milling process. No significant difference could be observed in the cutting forces of both materials at chip thicknesses between 7.4 and 37.3 μm, despite the higher hardness of the EBM Ti6Al4V compared to the extruded Ti6Al4V. However, micro-milling of the EBM parts produced finer surfaces. Cutting forces and specific cutting energies of EBM parts were less than those of extruded parts at minimal chip thicknesses (lower than 7.4 μm). Continuous wavy-type burrs were formed in micro-milling of the EBM Ti6Al4V and were larger than those of extruded Ti6Al4V.

In this paper, we propose a measure of weighted cumulative residual inaccuracy between survival function of the first-order statistic and parent survival function $\bar{F}$. We also consider weighted cumulative inaccuracy measure between distribution of the last- order statistic and parent distribution $F$. For these concepts, we obtain some reliability properties and characterization results such as relationships with other functions, bounds, stochastic ordering and effect of linear transformation. Dynamic versions of these weighted measures are considered.

In this research, the interaction between electroencephalogram (EEG) and, a cardiac parameter, photoplethysmogram (PPG), using connectivity measures to emphasize the importance of autonomic nervous system over the central nervous system during a deception is investigated. In this survey, connectivity analysis was applied, since it can provide information flow of brain regions; moreover, lying and truth appear to be cohered with the flow of information in the brain. Initially, a new wavelet-based approach for EEG/PPG effective connectivity fusion was introduced; then, it was validated for 41 subjects. For each subject, after extracting specific wavelet component of EEG and PPG signals, an effective connectivity network was generated by a generalized partial direct coherence and a direct directed transfer function. The results showed that grand average connectivity patterns were different in some regions for guilty and innocent subjects. The classification results demonstrated that lying could be discriminated from truth with the average accuracy of 84.14% by the leave-one-subject-out method. The present results contribute new information about coupling between EEG and PPG signals.

Micro-grooves have various applications in different industries. Circular laser grooving is a new method for manufacturing micro-grooves on the circumference of cylindrical parts. In this process, the selection of appropriate parameters to reach experimentally the desired groove aspect ratio along with minimum dross formation requires tremendous efforts. Here, the role of a decision-making technique, similarly machine learning is highlighted to evaluate the significance of process inputs and provide the appropriate model for prediction concerning the input parameters. The experiments were conducted with the various inputs such as workpiece rotational speed, laser beam position, duty cycle, power and frequency. The outputs are the groove geometry in terms of width and depth of the circular groove as well as the groove quality considering the dross formation. Then, Random Forest (RF) technique was utilized to derive the most influential inputs on the outputs. The RF analysis revealed that the rotational speed, laser position and duty cycle are the most decisive process parameters in the groove geometry and groove quality. Also, the enhancement of the assist gas pressure does not improve the process outputs according to the results of RF analysis.

Surface integrity is one of the most significant quality aspects of micro-grinding of difficult-to-cut materials. On the other hand, specific grinding energy is a fundamental parameter for describing the micro-grinding process. This paper addresses the surface integrity of the micro-ground surface of a titanium alloy under different cutting speeds and feed-rate-to-depth-of-cut (vw/ae) ratios at the same chip thickness. Three different cutting speeds and vw/ae ratios have been chosen and the residual stress of the workpiece, as well as the specific micro-grinding energy, have been investigated. The results showed that almost the same minimum specific grinding energy was obtained at tested cutting speed and vw/aeratio. The results of the XRD analysis showed that contrary to the specific micro-grinding energy, the residual stresses of the ground surface changed by varying the cutting speed and vw/ae ratio. Higher cutting speeds resulted in lower compressive residual stress, and higher vw/ae ratios resulted in higher compressive stresses. This can be attributed to higher temperatures in the chip-formation process compared to the plastic deformation in micro-grinding at higher cutting speeds and lower vw/ae ratios which was proved via SEM micrographs.

Introduction: Based on the previous data, among the general population aged between 30 and 60 years, snoring is observed in 44% and 28% of males and females, respectively. Therefore, it is important to treat snoring to reduce the disruption of the bed partner's sleep and the patients’ own problems. This study aimed to present a minimally invasive procedure which is easy to perform with less tissue damage. Materials and Methods: This study included 13 patients suffering from primary snoring with soft palate length of 2.5cm or more. All of the patients were examined and their partners were asked to fill-out the relevant questionnaires at baselines, 90 days, 6 months and 1 year after the surgery in order to assess snoring. A crescent strip of oral mucosa along with the underlying muscle were removed under general anesthesia followed by the insertion of a piece of oval-shaped titanium mesh. Moreover, two subjective methods were employed to assess the snoring of all patients. Results: 11 patients were male, and the mean age and the mean body mass index of the patients were 48.69 years and 28.34 kg/m2, respectively. The scores obtained from the Visual Analog Scale for snoring loudness before surgery reduced from 7.63 to 3.54, which was statistically significant (P

Background: In recent years, the need for new methods of water treatment on an industrial scale in order to compensate the shortage of water resources has become imperative. Among different methods, the use of adsorption in order to remove aqueous contaminates, including synthetic dyes, has been so effective. Methods: In this research, removal of malachite green from aqueous solution by concrete modified with rubber powder has been studied. In order to achieve the maximum efficiency of malachite green removal, the impact of different parameters such as initial concentration of malachite green, pH, adsorbent dosage and contact time was studied using batch experimental method. Results: According to the results, optimum conditions of MG removal were pH of 9, initial concentration of 30 ppm, rubber powder dosage of 35% of sand weight, and contact time of 90 min. Results of compressive strength test have shown that compressive strength of concrete with 35 wt.% of rubber powder reduced 84.13% compared to simple concrete. The removal percentage of MG is 98.33% when the surface of concrete is covered by rubber powder. Experimental data corresponded with pseudo-first order equation with R2= 0.93, Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms with R2= 0.85 and 0.84, respectively. Real waste sample was used to confirm the application of concrete in ordinary conditions of wastewater basin in accordance with optimum conditions of kinetics wastewater. Elimination rate of MG happened in an optimum condition with real samples taken from industrial factory. Conclusion: Concrete modified with rubber powder has potentials for removal of MG dye from wastewater. Covering the concrete surface with rubber powder can be an innovative and useful solution for increasing the rate of elimination of pollutants and contaminants, cost reduction and accelerating the absorption process. Actually, it could be considered as one solution for managing waste rubber.

Background One of the leading health indicators during the COVID-19 crisis is health literacy and health-promoting behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic in the southern part of Iran in 2020. Methods This descriptive-analytical study encompassed 465 women hospitalized and treated in none teaching hospitals affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools were the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results The mean scores of the participants’ "health literacy" and "health-promoting behaviors" were 64.41 ± 11.31 and 112.23 ± 16.09, respectively, indicating the poor level of health literacy and the average level of health-promoting behaviors. Moreover, there was a significant direct correlation between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors (P P P P P = 0.002), and decision making and behavior (P = 0.003) were detected as the predictors of health-promoting behaviors. Further, statistically significant relationships were noticed between the mean score of health literacy with age (r = − 0.327, P = 0.007), level of education (F = 3.119, P = 0.002), and place of residence (t = 2.416, P = 0.004) and between health-promoting behaviors with level of education (F = 3.341, P = 0.001) and marital status (F = 2.868, P = 0.02). Conclusion According to the findings, health policymakers should adopt national measures for educational planning to promote health literacy and support health-promoting behaviors to encourage women to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The article's abstract is not available.

Background: The sea cucumber potentials for stem cell proliferation induction and their mechanisms of bioactive compounds in its extract have been studied. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were exposed to aqueous extract of Holothuria parva body wall. Methods: Using GC-MS analysis on aqueous extract of H. parva, proliferative molecules were detected. The extract concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL and 10 and 20 ng/mL of human epidermal growth factor (EGF) as positive controls were used. MTT proliferation, cell count, viability, and cell cycle assays were performed. Using Western blot analysis, effects of aqueous extract of H. parva and EGF on cell proliferation markers were detected. Computational modeling done to detect effective proliferative compounds in aqueous extract of H. parva. Results: MTT assay showed that the 10, 20, and 40 µg/mL aqueous extract of H. parva had proliferative effects on hUC-MSCs. Count of the cells treated with the 20 µg/mL of the extract was increased faster and higher than the control group (P0.05). Expression of the cyclin D1, cyclin D3, cyclin E, HIF-1α, and TERT were increased comparing with the control group. Moreover, expression of the p21 and PCNA decreased after treating hUC-MSCs with the extract. However, the CDC-2/cdk-1 and ERK1/2 had almost the same expression as the control group. The expression of the cdk-4 and cdk-6 was decreased after treatment with the extract. Between the detected compounds, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)-benzene showed better affinity to cdk-4 and p21 than tetradecanoic acid. Conclusions: The H. parva aqueous extract showed proliferative potential on the hUC-MSCs.

Purpose Osteoarthritis (OA) as a progressive destructive disease of articular cartilage is the most common joint disease characterized by reduction of joint cartilage thickness, demolition of cartilage surface and new bone formation. To overcome these problems, the purpose of the current research was to evaluate and compare the in vivo effects of synovial membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell (SMMSCs), platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and conditioned medium (secretome) on collagenase II-induced rat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) remedy. Methods For the first step, SMMSCs were isolated and characterized. Also, secretome was collected from SMMSCs culture. Furthermore, PRP was collect from the rat heart venous blood. Second, two injection of collagenase II with an interval of 3 days was performed in the knee intra-articular space to induce osteoarthritis. Two weeks later, animals were randomly divided into 6 groups. Control group without treatment, positive group: taken an intra-articular sodium hyaluronate injection (0.1 ml), treatment groups taken an intra-articular injection of; treatment 1: SMMSCs (5 × 106), treatment 2: SMMSCs (5 × 106)/secretome (50 µl), treatment 3: SMMSCs (5 × 106)/PRP (50 µl), and treatment 4: SMMSCs (5 × 106)/ secretome (50 µl)/ PRP (50 µl). Three months later, rats were killed and the following assessments were executed: radiography, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Results Our findings represented that a combination of the SMMSCs/secretome/PRP had a considerable effect on glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and collagen II contents, articular cartilage preservation, compared with other groups. In addition, combination of the SMMSCs with PRP and secretome showed the lowest expression of mmp3, while SOX9 had the highest expression in comparison with other groups. Also, SMMSCs-injected groups demonstrated better results compared with positive and control groups. Conclusions Injecting a combination of the SMMSCs/secretome/PRP resulted in better efficacy in terms of joint space width, articular cartilage surface continuity and integrity, sub-chondral bone and ECM constituents such as collagen II. Indeed, transplantation of this combination could be considered as a preliminary therapy for clinical trial study in the future.

Introduction: The application of doxorubicin (DOX) in cancer therapy has been limited due to its drug resistance and poor internalization. Graphene oxide (GO) nanostructures have the capacity for DOX delivery while promoting its cytotoxicity in cancer. Areas covered: The favorable characteristics of GO nanocomposites, preparation method, and application in cancer therapy are described. Then, DOX resistance in cancer is discussed. The GO-mediated photothermal therapy and DOX delivery for cancer suppression are described. Preparation of stimuli-responsive GO nanocomposites, surface functionalization, hybrid nanoparticles, and theranostic applications are emphasized in DOX chemotherapy. Expert opinion: Graphene oxide nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy maximizes the anti-cancer activity of DOX against cancer cells. Apart from DOX delivery, GO nanomaterials are capable of loading anti-cancer agents and genetic tools to minimize drug resistance and enhance the cytolytic impact of DOX in cancer eradication. To enhance DOX accumulation in cancer cells, stimuli-responsive (redox-, light-, enzyme- and pH-sensitive) GO nanoparticles have been developed for DOX delivery. Further development of targeted delivery of DOX-loaded GO nanomaterials against cancer cells may be achieved by surface modification of polymers such as polyethylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, and chitosan. Doxorubicin-loaded GO nanoparticles have demonstrated theranostic potential for simultaneous diagnosis and therapy. Hybridization of GO with other nanocarriers such as silica and gold nanoparticles further broadens their potential anti-cancer therapy applications. 35152815

In recent years, remote sensing technology has enabled researchers to fill the existing statistics and research gaps on evapotranspiration in different land use classes. Thus, a remotely sensed-based approach was employed to investigate how evapotranspiration rates changed in different land use/cover classes across the Lake Urmia Basin from 2016 to 2020. This was accomplished by applying the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) and the maximum likelihood algorithm. Results showed that from 2016 to 2020, grassland, savanna, and wetland decreased by 1%, 0.58%, and 1%, respectively, whereas an increase of 0.4%, 0.4%, 2.5%, and 1.2% occurred in cropland, urban, shrubland, and water bodies, respectively. Based on the model’s results, over 98, 63, 90, 93, and 91% of the studied area, respectively, experienced a value of evapotranspiration between 0–6, 3–8, 0–4, 0–4, and 0–6 mm from 2016 to 2020. It was also found that these values are more closely related to water bodies and wetlands, followed by cropland, urban areas, savanna, non-vegetated, grassland, and shrubland. A strong correlation with R2 > 70% was observed between the SEBS and the ground-measured values, while this value is lower than 50% for the MODIS Global Evapotranspiration Project (MOD16A2). The findings suggest that evapotranspiration and land use/cover can be extracted on a large-scale using SEBS and satellite images; thus, their maps can be presented in an accurate manner.

Nowadays, major attention is being paid to curing different types of cancers and is focused on natural resources, including oceans and marine environments. Jellyfish are marine animals with the ability to utilize their venom in order to both feed and defend. Prior studies have displayed the anticancer capabilities of various jellyfish. Hence, we examined the anticancer features of the venom of Cassiopea andromeda and Catostylus mosaicus in an in vitro situation against the human pulmonary adenocarcinoma (A549) cancer cell line. The MTT assay demonstrated that both mentioned venoms have anti-tumoral ability in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis proved that both venoms can increase some pro-apoptotic factors and reduce some anti-apoptotic molecules that lead to the inducing of apoptosis in A549 cells. GC/MS analysis demonstrated some compounds with biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic showed the best position of each biologically active component on the different death receptors, which are involved in the process of apoptosis in A549 cells. Ultimately, this study has proven that both venoms of C. andromeda and C. mosaicus have the capability to suppress A549 cells in an in vitro condition and they might be utilized in order to design and develop brand new anticancer agents in the near future.

Recently, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and its particle-reinforced composites have found a special place in various industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, anti-allergic properties, high resistance to buckling, and other superior properties. These materials have widely been used in the aerospace and medical industries and are commonly finished in the final step through the grinding process. In this work, the single grain scratch test was performed to fundamentally study the grinding process and material removal mechanism of PEEK and its particle-reinforced composites. In this method, the material removal is realized by a single grit penetrating the workpiece. It was found that the amount of flowed or piled-up (side flow) materials around the scratch in the pure polymer is higher than the other two composites. Pure polymer with 2.5 J/mm3 and glass fiber-reinforced composite with 1.1 J/mm3 resulted in the highest and lowest specific energies, respectively. The specific energy of all three materials is reduced significantly by increasing the grit penetration depth, showing the significant role of the size effect in grinding these materials. The main reasons for the different results are the high heat transfer coefficient and higher strength of CFRP composite compared to PEEK and PEEK GF 30.