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Abstract Automated blood vessel segmentation is critical for biomedical image analysis, as vessel morphology changes are associated with numerous pathologies. Still, precise segmentation is difficult due to the complexity of vascular structures, anatomical variations across patients, the scarcity of annotated public datasets, and the quality of images. Our goal is to provide a foundation on the topic and identify a robust baseline model for application to vascular segmentation using a new imaging modality, Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT). We begin with an extensive review of current machine-learning approaches for vascular segmentation across various organs. Our work introduces a meticulously curated training dataset, verified by double annotators, consisting of vascular data from three kidneys imaged using HiP-CT as part of the Human Organ Atlas Project. HiP-CT pioneered at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in 2020, revolutionizes 3D organ imaging by offering a resolution of around 20 μm/voxel and enabling highly detailed localised zooms up to 1–2 μm/voxel without physical sectioning. We leverage the nnU-Net framework to evaluate model performance on this high-resolution dataset, using both known and novel samples, and implementing metrics tailored for vascular structures. Our comprehensive review and empirical analysis on HiP-CT data sets a new standard for evaluating machine learning models in high-resolution organ imaging. Our three experiments yielded Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) scores of 0.9523, 0.9410, and 0.8585, respectively. Nevertheless, DSC primarily assesses voxel-to-voxel concordance, overlooking several crucial characteristics of the vessels and should not be the sole metric for deciding the performance of vascular segmentation. Our results show that while segmentations yielded reasonably high scores-such as centerline DSC ranging from 0.82 to 0.88, certain errors persisted. Specifically, large vessels that collapsed due to the lack of hydrostatic pressure (HiP-CT is an ex vivo technique) were segmented poorly. Moreover, decreased connectivity in finer vessels and higher segmentation errors at vessel boundaries were observed. Such errors, particularly in significant vessels, obstruct the understanding of the structures by interrupting vascular tree connectivity. Our study establishes the benchmark across various evaluation metrics, for vascular segmentation of HiP-CT imaging data, an imaging technology that has the potential to substantively shift our understanding of human vascular networks.

Abstract Treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotic resistance is complicated. For this reason, new therapeutic methods are needed to control bacterial infections. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new antibiotics from medicinal plants that can destroy drug-resistant bacteria. Essential oils (EO) of some medicinal plants have antimicrobial effects and can be used as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections and food industries. The aim of this study was to determine the EO composition and antimicrobial effects of EO and polyphenols profile of Salvia Sahendica roots for the first time. Chemical compounds and antibacterial activity of EOs against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus as gram-positive and Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as gram- negative bacteria were evaluated using microtiter broth dilution method. Studied organs of S. sahendica showed significant diversity in terms of type and percentage of essential oil and polyphenol compounds. Overall, 44, 46, 42, and 45 compounds were identified in the essential oil of leaves, flowers, stems, and roots of this plant, which constituted 99.6, 99.3, 98.2, and 99.4% of total oil composition, respectively. The current study collectively demonstrated inhibitory effects ranged from strong (S. aureus) to low inhibition (P. aeruginosa). According to the HPLC result, the amounts of coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid compounds in the root are higher than in other plant parts, which indicate that the root can be a suitable source for the production of these valuable polyphenol compounds. Due to the results, it is possible to hope for the application of EO from S. sahendica as natural antibacterial in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Background and purpose: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, recurrent, and autoimmune disease of the digestive system with intra- and extra-intestinal manifestations. IBD is divided into Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The prevalence exceeds 3 million people per year and is reported more frequently in industrialized countries than in developing ones. IBD is a lifelong disease that affects the quality of life of sufferers and also increases the risk of colon cancer due to chronic inflammation. Today, the diagnosis and follow-up of this disease is based on history, imaging of the gastrointestinal tract, and pathology findings, which is expensive and has the risk of damage to the gastrointestinal tract, for this reason, the use of new methods has attracted the attention of researchers. Saliva is easy to use, cheap, has no risk of infection, and is always available. The changes of some parameters in the serum and saliva of IBD patients have been investigated, but no study has been done on aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Studies have shown that AST and ALT can be used as a marker for cell damage and inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the salivary and serum changes of these two markers in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 1402 in the gastroenterology clinic of Imam Reza Hospital in Tehran. 30 people with IBD with a definitive diagnosis by pathology as the patient group and 30 healthy people who visited the hospital for an annual checkup participated in the study as the control group. First, the patients were asked to wash their mouths and swallow the remaining liquid, and without actively moving the mouth and tongue, pour the secreted saliva into the sterile falcon tube. Then, by a skilled person, 5 ml of venous blood was taken from the cubital area of the patient and put into the clot tube. Immediately after collection, the samples were centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 5 minutes. Blood serum and non-stimulating saliva supernatant were transferred into a microtube and stored in a freezer at -70 degrees Celsius. Enzyme activity was measured using the photometric method according to the manufacturer's instructions (Pars Azmon-Shiraz) and the data was analyzed by t-test with SPSS version 22 software. Results: 30 patients with IBD (17 men and 13 women) with an average age of 37.7±2.3 years and 30 healthy subjects (16 men and 14 women) with an average age of 32.5±2.2 years were included in the study. (P

Abstract This research focuses on modeling CO2 absorption into alkanolamine solvents using multilayer perceptron (MLP), radial basis function network (RBF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), networks, and response surface methodology (RSM). The parameters, including solvent density, mass fraction, temperature, liquid phase equilibrium constant, CO2 loading, and partial pressure of CO2, were used as input factors in the models. In addition, the value of CO2 mass flux was considered as output in the models. Trainlm, trainbr, and trainscg algorithms trained the networks. The results showed that the best number of neurons for MLP with one layer is 16; with two layers, 5 neurons in the first layer and 12 neurons in the second layer; and with three layers, 9 neurons in the first layer, 5 neurons in the second layer, and 1 neuron in the third layer. The best spread in RBF was found to be 2.202 for optimal network performance. Furthermore, statistical data analysis revealed that the trainlm function performs best. The coefficients of determination for RSM, MLP, RBF, and SVM for optimized structures are obtained at 0.9802, 0.9996, 0.9940, and 0.8946, respectively. The results demonstrate that MLP and RBF networks can model CO2 absorption using the trainlm, trainbr, and trainscg algorithms.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical 1% medroxyprogesterone in corneal epithelial healing after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Methods: In this placebo-controlled double-masked randomized contralateral eye study, 66 eyes of 33 patients with myopia and myopia-astigmatism were assigned into two groups to receive either 1% topical medroxyprogesterone (intervention) or artificial tear (placebo) at the end of PRK surgery. The patients were followed up daily for 5 days until epithelial healing was achieved. The time taken for epithelial healing was the main outcome measure. Findings: The mean age of the subjects was 32.97 ± 7.6 years and 46 individuals were female (69.7%). All baseline refractive characteristics were comparable between the groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of epithelial defect size on Day 1 (P: 0.67). Both groups exhibited a consistent pattern of decreasing epithelial defect size from Day 1 to Day 5, with the control group having slightly worse initial values. There were no significant differences between the groups in the following days. Both groups showed substantial reductions in the epithelial defect size, but the intervention group showed a more prominent decrease on Day 2. The intervention did not show a significant statistical difference compared to the control group, and both groups ended up with a similar outcome. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the topical 1% medroxyprogesterone does not significantly affect the healing of corneal epithelium after PRK.

Abstract Introduction Depression and anxiety are pervasive mental health disorders with substantial global burdens. Probiotics, live microorganisms known for their health benefits, have emerged as a potential therapeutic intervention for these conditions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the strain-specific effects of probiotics on relieving depressive and anxiety symptoms while elucidating underlying mechanisms. Methods EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL and PubMed/Medline were systematically queried to identify studies released until May 15, 2024. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that employed standardized assessment tools for depression and anxiety namely Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), or Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were included. Results 12 RCTs involving 707 participants were included. Seven RCTs utilizing the BDI questionnaire demonstrated a significant decrease in depressive symptoms favoring probiotics containing strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium breve, and Bifidobacterium longum (MD: -2.69, CI95%: -4.22/-1.16, p value: 0.00). Conversely, RCTs using HAMD showed a non-significant reduction in depressive symptoms (MD: -1.40, CI95%: -3.29/0.48, p value: 0.14). RCTs employing DASS and MADRS scales also showed no significant differences. Conclusion This meta-analysis offers valuable insights into the strain-specific effects of probiotics containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species on depressive and anxiety symptoms. While our findings suggest a significant reduction in depressive symptoms based on the BDI scale favoring probiotics, the lack of significant effects observed on the HAMD, DASS, and MADRS scales underscores the complexity inherent in these conditions. It is imperative to acknowledge the mixed results across different measurement scales, indicating the need for cautious interpretation. Therefore, we advocate for a nuanced understanding of probiotics’ impacts on various dimensions of mood, emphasizing the necessity for further research.

Abstract In this study, a spatiotemporal disaggregated simulation model was developed based on water–food–energy (WFE) nexus approach to assess water and food supply security considering ecosystem provisioning services. The main components of the developed model in this study (SD-WFE model) are population, water, agriculture, and energy modules. The model, which was developed using system dynamics (SD) approach, was utilized to simulate effectiveness of sectoral municipal, industrial, and agricultural water and energy consumption management and environmental protection policies in improving ecosystem provisioning services during a 20-year period. Through sensitivity analysis utilizing the Monte Carlo model, the study addresses the formulation of sustainable water resource policies across four main categories: water demand management, water supply management, food resource management, and energy resource demand management. Additionally, it explores the integration of policies within an optimal framework. The simulation of proposed solutions revealed that a combination of water demand management and food resource management yielded the most promising outcome. Specifically, the recommended solution entails enhancing water irrigation efficiency by 18% through the expansion of pressurized irrigation network coverage, adjusting cropping patterns by 14%, reducing agricultural product losses by 8% via improved food supply management, minimizing food demand by 9% due to reduced food consumption losses, and achieving an annual 10% increase in crop performance. These selected policies form the foundation for sustainable water resource management strategies.

Abstract Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a rare malignancy affecting the lymphatic system. Our study examined the incidence rates of adult HL based on sex, race/ethnicity, age, and histological subgroups in the United States (US) from 2000 to 2020. Data for this study were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 22 database. HL patients were identified utilizing the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology version 3 and categorized as classical HL, lymphocyte-rich/mixed cell/lymphocyte depleted, nodular sclerosis, classical HL, not otherwise specified, and nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL. The study reported average annual percent change (AAPC). All estimates were presented as counts and age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) per 100,000 individuals. Between 2000 and 2019, a total of 70,924 cases of HL were reported in the US. Classical HL was the predominant subtype (94.27%), and most incident cases were among non-Hispanic Whites (66.92%) and those aged 20–29 years (24.86%). The ASIR per 100,000 population was 3.83 for men and 2.92 for women. Both sexes showed declines in the AAPCs between 2000 and 2019 (− 0.64% [− 0.99, − 0.28] and − 0.40% [− 0.77, − 0.03] for men and women, respectively). There was a significant decrease in ASIRs after COVID-19 among both sexes (percent change: − 7.49% [− 11.58, − 3.40]). Throughout all age groups, men had a higher incidence rate compared to women, except for those aged 20–29 years. Although the overall HL incidence rate was lowered in the study period from 2000 to 2019, a dramatic decrease in ASIRs of HL patients following COVID-19 pandemic was observed.

BackgroundAnimal and human studies have demonstrated that the saffron and the active components of saffron, including crocin, crocetin, and safranal, possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. In this meta-analysis, the preclinical evidence and potential mechanism of saffron were explored in an animal model of ovalbumin-induced asthma.MethodsStudies related to saffron and its constituents in an animal model of ovalbumin-induced asthma from the beginning to March 2024 were searched from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the 15-item CAMARADES checklist. Data analysis was performed using STATA software version 17.ResultsThirteen studies with 536 animals (268 animals in the intervention group and 268 animals in the ovalbumin-induced group) were analyzed. The meta-analysis findings demonstrated that saffron and its constituents played a significant role in reducing total WBC, eosinophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts. Moreover, saffron showed a significant decrease in the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IgE, histamine, endothelin, nitric oxide, and nitrite. Moreover, saffron was found to elevate EC50 thresholds and lower maximum response rates in experimental animals. The analysis revealed a significant identification of modulation in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers and miRNAs pathways.ConclusionSaffron and its components may impact ovalbumin-induced asthma model in animals through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory pathways, as well as improving pulmonary function and modulating ER stress markers and miRNAs pathways. As a result, saffron should be considered for further clinical trials in individuals suffering from asthma.

Abstract Background Complementary medicine is an interesting field for extracting bioactive compounds from various plant and animal sources. The hepatoprotective effect of the methanolic extract of a species of sea cucumber called Holothuria leucospilota in an animal model of liver cancer caused by dimethyl nitrosamine (DMN) was studied. Methods Wistar female rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 12): control (intact), positive control (received 1% DMN [10 mg/kg/week, intraperitoneally] for 12 weeks), and three treatment groups (received 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day H. leucospilota extract orally for 12 weeks along with intraperitoneal administration of 1% DMN [10 mg/kg/week]). In all groups, ultrasound was performed on the liver every week to check its density. Blood sampling and liver isolation were performed on three occasions, at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, to check liver enzymes and the histopathological condition of the liver tissue (every week, four animals from each group were randomly selected). Results Liver density changes were evident from the eighth week onward in the positive control group. Histopathological results indicated pathologic changes in the positive control group after 4 weeks. The increase in liver enzymes in the positive control group was significantly different from that in the treatment and control groups. Conclusions We demonstrated the hepatoprotective effect of H. leucospilota on DMN‐induced liver damage in rats using biochemical and histological parameters and ultrasonography. More additional research (in silico or in vitro) is needed to find the exact mechanism and the main biological compound in H. leucospilota.

Several pharmacological effects were described for Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seed and it has been used traditionally to treat various diseases. In this review article, the updated and comprehensive anti-oxidant effects of N. sativa and its main constituent, thymoquinone (TQ), on various disorders are described. The relevant articles were retrieved through PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus up to December 31, 2023. Various extracts and essential oils of N. sativa showed anti-oxidant effects on cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal and liver, neurologic, respiratory, and urogenital diseases by decreasing and increasing various oxidant and anti-oxidant marketers, respectively. The main constituent of the plant, TQ, also showed similar anti-oxidant effects as the plant itself. The anti-oxidant effects of different extracts and essential oils of N. sativa were demonstrated in various studies which were perhaps due to the main constituent of the plant, TQ. The findings of this review article suggest the possible therapeutic effect of N. sativa and TQ in oxidative stress disorders.

Abstract The cardiac conduction system (CCS) is a network of specialized cardiomyocytes that coordinates electrical impulse generation and propagation for synchronized heart contractions. Although the components of the CCS, including the sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node, His bundle, bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers, were anatomically discovered more than 100 years ago, their molecular constituents and regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate the transcriptomic landscape of the postnatal mouse CCS at a single-cell resolution with spatial information. Integration of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics uncover region-specific markers and zonation patterns of expression. Network inference shows heterogeneous gene regulatory networks across the CCS. Notably, region-specific gene regulation is recapitulated in vitro using neonatal mouse atrial and ventricular myocytes overexpressing CCS-specific transcription factors, Tbx3 and/or Irx3. This finding is supported by ATAC-seq of different CCS regions, Tbx3 ChIP-seq, and Irx motifs. Overall, this study provides comprehensive molecular profiles of the postnatal CCS and elucidates gene regulatory mechanisms contributing to its heterogeneity.

Abstract Purpose Child marriage remains a significant socio-cultural phenomenon with profound implications for the quality of marital relationships, particularly among young women. This study investigates the association between child marriage and the quality of marriage among young married women in Iran. Methods This study employed a population-based cross-sectional research design. A total of 70 young women, aged 18–20 years, who had married before reaching 18 years of age, were selected from four primary health care (PHC) centers in Papi District, Lorestan Province, Iran, employing a systematic random sampling approach. Subjects were categorized into women experiencing relationship distress and those without such distress using the Quality of Marriage Index (QMI). Concurrently, their level of sexual satisfaction was assessed utilizing the Hudson’s Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). Furthermore, Social Support was evaluated using the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ). Results The mean age (SD) of women was 18.9 (0.7) years, and their mean age (SD) of marriage was 15.2 (2.1) years. Women experiencing distress showed significant differences in age of menarche (P = 0.006), education levels (P = 0.039), spouses’ education (P = 0.025), spouses’ occupations (P = 0.004), household income satisfaction (P = 0.041), and household structure (P = 0.045). Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed significant and positive correlations between sexual self-efficacy and social support with marital quality (r = 0.73, p

Abstract Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the prehospital rapid emergency medicine score (pREMS) for predicting the outcomes of hospitalized patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who died, were discharged, were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), or were admitted to the operating room (OR) within 72 h. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on a sample of 513 TBI patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) of Besat Hospital in 2023. Only patients of both sexes aged 18 years or older who were not pregnant and had adequate documentation of vital signs were included in the analysis. Patients who died during transport and patients who were transferred from other hospitals were excluded. The predictive power of the pREMS for each outcome was assessed by calculating the sensitivity and specificity curves and by analyzing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results The mean pREMS scores for hospital discharge, death, ICU admission and OR admission were 11.97 ± 3.84, 6.32 ± 3.15, 8.24 ± 5.17 and 9.88 ± 2.02, respectively. pREMS accurately predicted hospital discharge and death (AOR = 1.62, P

Abstract There are two major forms of solar energy that are typically utilized: photovoltaic and concentrated applications. The application of fractal glass texture to photovoltaic solar panels is a cutting-edge technique in the field of solar panels that generate electricity from exposure to light. When it comes to studying the environmental implications of a product during its development and commercialization, the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach is an excellent technique that can be utilized. The purpose of this study is to offer a thorough understanding of the product’s effects on the environment by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria, including environmental, economic, and other evaluations. Through the utilization of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and the SimaPro software, this paper presents a comparative analysis of conventional solar panels and fractal glass texture panels. During the course of this research, 18 midpoint indicators and three endpoint indices were investigated. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been carried out on the fractal property of the panel in order to evaluate the impact that it has on environmental impacts and damages. For the purpose of this study, three distinct levels of fractal coating were applied to the panel surface: one percent, three percent, and five percent. As a result of the data, it was determined that the “Photovoltaic cell single-Si wafer” and the “Transport, freight, sea, transoceanic tanker” had the most significant impact on the midpoint and endpoint indices for both panels, respectively. Furthermore, there is a direct association between the rise in fractal coating on panels and the reduction in environmental repercussions, approximately. This correlation exists because of several factors.