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Advances in human stem cell technologies enable induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to be explored as potent candidates for treating various diseases, such as malignancies, autoimmunity, immunodeficiencies, and allergic reactions. iPSCs with infinite self-renewal ability can be derived from different types of somatic cells without the ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cells. To date, numerous cell types, including various immune cell subsets [CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, gamma delta T (γδ T) cells, regulatory T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, and neutrophils] have successfully been generated from iPSCs paving the way for effective adoptive cell transfer therapy, drug development, and disease modeling. Herein, we review various iPSC-derived immune cells and their possible application in immunotherapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is well-known that TH1 and Treg cells exert anti- and pro-tumorigenic activity, respectively. Thus, TH1 cell suppression together with Treg cell hyperactivation contribute to tumor development. Glycyrrhiza glabra (G. glabra) has various immunomodulatory and anti-tumorigenic properties., Objective: To explore the impacts of G. glabra extract on different parameters related to TH1 and Treg cells using a breast cancer (BC) model., Methods: Four groups of Balb/C mice bearing 4T1 cell-induced BC were treated intraperitoneally with either saline or G. glabra extract at dosages of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg (G. glabra-50, G. glabra-100, and G. glabra-150, respectively). After sacrificing animals on day 26, the frequency of splenic TH1 and Treg cells, the levels of serum IFN-γ, TGF-β, and IL-12, and intra-tumoral expressions of granzyme-B, T-bet, and FOXP3 were assessed., Results: Compared to untreated tumor control (UTC) group, treatment with G. glabra-50, G. glabra-100, or G. glabra-150 increased the survival rate, percentage of TH1 cells, and T-bet expression. Conversely, they reduced the percentage of Treg cells, and serum TGF-β levels. In comparison to the UTC group, treatment with G. glabra-50 and G. glabra-150 increased the serum IL-12 levels. Treatment with G. glabra-100 and G. glabra-150 boosted granzyme-B expression. Treatment with G. glabra-150 elevated IFN-γ levels, while treatment with G. glabra-50 decreased the FOXP3 expression. IL-12 levels were higher in mice treated with G. glabra-150 compared to those treated with G. glabra-100., Conclusion: Treatment of mice with BC using G. glabra extract improved survival rate, reduced tumor growth, and modulated T cell-mediated immune responses.

Background: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) is a prevalent condition that affects 90% of individuals experiencing low back pain. Core stabilization exercises (CSE) stand out as the most commonly employed therapeutic approach for managing NSCLBP. Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty regarding the superior effectiveness between isometric (ISOM) and isotonic (ISOT) types of CSE in the treatment of NSCLBP., Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of ISOM and ISOT exercises concerning pain and disability in patients with NSCLBP. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of both ISOM and ISOT in comparison to no intervention concerning these variables in these patients., Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial that involved 41 men and women experiencing NSCLBP. Participants were randomly allocated to three groups: ISOM CSE (n = 13), ISOT CSE (n = 14), and a waitlist control (n = 14). The exercise training was administered for 40 - 60 minutes three times a week over a period of up to 8 weeks. Pain (assessed using the Visual Analog Scale or VAS) and disability (evaluated through the Oswestry Disability Index or ODI) variables were measured before and after the interventions., Results: Based on the results, there was no significant difference between the 2 exercise groups (ISOM and ISOT) regarding pain and disability. However, the ISOM group demonstrated numerically better results than the ISOT group. Both the ISOM and ISOT groups exhibited a significant decrease in pain levels, with the VAS score decreasing from 5.5 to 2.7 for ISOM and from 5.8 to 3.7 for ISOT, as compared to the control group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Additionally, the average disability showed a significant improvement in both the ISOM (ODI score from 17 to 11) and ISOT (ODI score from 15.4 to 11) groups compared to the control group (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Both ISOM and ISOT methods are effective in alleviating pain and disability in patients with NSCLBP. However, there is no significant difference in the benefits between them. Numerically, ISOM exercises were found to be superior. Further studies are needed to obtain a more accurate answer regarding their superiority., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024, Khaledi and Gheitasi.)

Purpose: In dendritic cells (DCs), leptin as an immune-regulating hormone, increases the IL-12 generation whereas it reduces the IL-10 production, thus contributing to TH1 cell differentiation. Using a murine model of breast cancer (BC), we evaluated the impacts of the Leptin and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated DC vaccine on various T-cell-related immunological markers., Materials and Methods: Tumors were established in mice by subcutaneously injecting 7 × 10 5 4T1 cells into the right flank. Mice received the DC vaccines pretreated with Leptin, LPS, and both Leptin/LPS, on days 12 and 19 following tumor induction. The animals were sacrificed on day 26 and after that the frequency of the splenic cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and TH1 cells; interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin 12 (IL-12) and tumor growth factor beta (TGF-β) generation by tumor lysate-stimulated spleen cells, and the mRNA expression of T-bet, FOXP3 and Granzyme B in the tumors were measured with flow cytometry, ELISA and real-time PCR methods, respectively., Results: Leptin/LPS-treated mDC group was more efficient in blunting tumor growth ( p  = .0002), increasing survival rate ( p  = .001), and preventing metastasis in comparison with the untreated tumor-bearing mice (UT-control). In comparison to the UT-control group, treatment with Leptin/LPS-treated mDC also significantly increased the splenic frequencies of CTLs ( p  < .001) and TH1 cells ( p  < .01); promoted the production of IFN-γ ( p  < .0001) and IL-12 ( p  < .001) by splenocytes; enhanced the T-bet ( p  < .05) and Granzyme B ( p  < .001) expression, whereas decreased the TGF-β and FOXP3 expression ( p  < .05)., Conclusion: Compared to the Leptin-treated mDC and LPS-treated mDC vaccines, the Leptin/LPS-treated mDC vaccine was more effective in inhibiting BC development and boosting immune responses against tumor.

Objectives: The available evidence on the efficiency of well-known Schroth's exercises (SE) for correcting adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is limited, especially in combination with the asymmetric spinal stabilization exercises (ASSE) method. Therefore, we hypothesized that, first, there is no difference in the efficiency of the combined exercises (SE+ASSE) and SE alone in improving Cobb angle, angle of trunk rotation (ATR), and quality of life (QoL) in AIS. Second, there is no difference in the efficiency of SE and no intervention on corresponding variables in treating AIS., Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) consisted of 40 patients with mild AIS (10-18-year-old boys) divided into three groups: SE (n=15), SE+ASSE (n=15), and a waitlist control group (n=10). For 12 weeks (three days a week), both experimental groups performed SE, the combined group additionally received ASSE, and the control group received no intervention. The assessment included Cobb angle (photogrammetry), ATR (Adam's test), and QoL (Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire)., Results: It was found that Cobb angle, ATR, and QoL improved significantly in the combined SE+ASSE group (Cobb=16.45° to 9.01°; ATR=4.93° to 1.33°) compared to the SE group (P<.001). In addition, the SE group showed significant amelioration in the mentioned variables (Cobb=15.09° to 9.77°; ATR=4.23° to 2.17°) compared to the control group (P<.001), whereas the control group remained almost unchanged., Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, the combination of SE and ASSE provided more benefits than SE alone, and the SE results were efficient compared to the no-intervention group regarding the correction of scoliosis and related problems. However, patients with moderate to severe scoliosis should also be investigated in longer treatment periods in future., Competing Interests: None

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is one of the most prevalent spinal abnormalities, appearing far into puberty. Schroth's exercises (SE) and core-stabilization exercises (CE) have become very prominent among the specialized and general methods to scoliosis treatment. However, their effects are still unclear and there is insufficient evidence of superiority between them. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of these methods on Cobb angles (CA) in AIS., Methods: A systematic review was performed on SE and CE papers. The databases included PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Google Scholar from January 2005 to June 2022. The physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale assessed the quality and provided internal validity and the statistical information of the papers., Results: After screening 410 papers, nine papers (SE=5, CE=3 and SE vs. CE=1), with 339 participants, were admitted for review (PEDro=6). Among them, three (SE=moderate evidence) and two papers (CE=limited evidence) reported clinically significant reductions in CA>5°, alone or compared to control or other exercise methods, while only one paper (very limited evidence) showed the relative superiority of SE (-7.16°) compared to CE (-3.27°). However, three papers did not show clinically significant results (CA<5°)., Conclusion: Moderate and limited evidence suggests that both SE and CE can effectively improve CA, respectively. There is very limited evidence to suggest that SE is more effective than CE in treating AIS. Thus, the definitive answers to the questions, especially concerning the superiority between these two methods, remained unclear. Further high-quality studies must be conducted in the future., (Copyright© 2024 Khaledi et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: The menopause stage in women reduces estrogen levels and bone indicators. This study compared the effects of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) and low-intensity resistance training (LIRT) on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), T-score, and Z-score in postmenopausal women with osteopenia., Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted among 45 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 60, who were randomly assigned into 3 parallel groups (n = 15 in each). The exercise program was performed by the interventional groups-the HIRT and LIRT groups-at 4 different intensities, 3 times a week for 24 weeks: 8 repetitions at 80% of 1 repetition maximum and 16 repetitions at 40% of 1 repetition maximum. The evaluated areas (BMD, BMC, T-score, and Z-score) included the lumbar spine (LS) and the femur neck (FN) using a DEXA machine. One-way analysis of covariance and Bonferroni's post hoc tests were used for data analysis., Results: The results indicated significant differences in BMD, BMC, T-scores, and Z-scores between the means of the LS and the FN in all groups. In addition, significant differences were revealed in the BMC of the LS, the BMD, T-scores ( P < 0.001), Z-scores ( P = 0.001), and in the BMC of the FN ( P < 0.001), the BMD (P = 0.001), T-scores, and Z-scores ( P < 0.001), respectively. In addition, the HIRT group's bone indices were considerably greater than those of the LIRT group ( P < 0.00). Nonetheless, LIRT was significantly greater than that of the control group ( P > 0.00)., Conclusion: According to the current findings, HIRT seems to be the most effective training program compared with LIRT for bone indicators improvement in the femur neck and the lumbar spine among postmenopausal women with osteopenia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Although most attention has been paid to the effectiveness of corrective exercises and bracing to improve thoracic hyperkyphosis, no study, to the best of our knowledge, has compared the effects of exercises plus bracing to bracing alone., Objective: To compare the effect of corrective exercises and bracing and bracing alone on the Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis., Design: A parallel-group, blinded, randomized, controlled trial., Participants: The participants included 180 adolescents with thoracic hyperkyphosis who were randomized into corrective exercises plus bracing (N = 60), only bracing (N = 60), and a waitlist control group (N = 60)., Intervention: Intervention groups received their programs for 24 weeks, whereas the control group was placed on a waitlist for 6 months before receiving a delayed intervention., Main Outcome Measurements: The primary outcome was change from baseline to 6 months in Cobb angle measured from standing lateral spine radiographs., Results: Significant differences were observed in the Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis between all groups at the posttest (p <.001). In post hoc analyses, we found significant differences between the corrective exercise plus bracing group (15.5° decline) and the bracing only group (8.8° decline), p <.001; both groups had bigger improvements than the control group, which increased by 1.2° (p <.001)., Conclusion: The combination of corrective exercises and bracing demonstrated better overall outcomes in Cobb angle compared to only bracing, as well as waitlist control in adolescents with thoracic hyperkyphosis., (© 2022 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)

Purpose: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a product of cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway of arachidonic acid, exerts inhibitory impacts on dendritic cell (DC) activity to repress anti-tumor immune responses. Therefore, targeting COX during DC vaccine generation may enhance DC-mediated antitumor responses. We aimed to investigate the impacts of DC vaccine treated with celecoxib (CXB), a selective COX2 inhibitor, on some T cell-related parameters., Materials and Methods: Breast cancer (BC) was induced in BALB/c mice, and then they received DC vaccine treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS-mDCs), LPS with a 5 ​μM dose of CXB (LPS/CXB5-mDCs) and LPS with a 10 ​μM dose of CXB (LPS/CXB10-mDCs). The frequency of splenic Th1 and Treg cells and amounts of IFN-γ, IL-12 and TGF-β production by splenocytes, as well as, the expression of Granzyme-B, T-bet and FOXP3 in tumors were determined using flow cytometry, ELISA, and real-time PCR, respectively., Results: Compared with untreated tumor group (T-control), treatment with LPS/CXB5-mDCs and LPS/CXB10-mDCs decreased tumor growth (P ​= ​0.009 and P ​< ​0.0001), escalated survival rate (P ​= ​0.002), increased the frequency of splenic Th1 cells (P ​= ​0.0872, and P ​= ​0.0155), increased the IFN-γ (P ​= ​0.0003 and P ​= ​0.0061) and IL-12 (P ​= ​0.001 and P ​= ​0.0009) production by splenocytes, upregulated T-bet (P ​= ​0.062 and P ​< ​0.0001) and Granzyme-B (P ​= ​0.0448 and P ​= ​0.4485), whereas decreased the number of Treg cells (P ​= ​0.0014, and P ​= ​0.0219), reduced the amounts of TGF-β production by splenocytes (P ​= ​0.0535 and P ​= ​0.0169), and reduced the expression of FOXP3 (P ​= ​0.0006 and P ​= ​0.0057) in comparison with T-control group., Conclusions: Our findings show that LPS/CXB-treated DC vaccine potently modulated antitumor immune responses in a mouse BC model., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2023 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: While positive short-term effects from corrective exercise on neck-shoulder pain (NSP) are evident, maintenance effects after cessation of the exercise remain unknown., Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the lasting effects of corrective exercise in NSP and workability after a year of detraining., Methods: A cohort study with 1-year follow-up was carried out in two previous training groups (n = 24) using a self-reported paper-based questionnaire, which was completed three times (baseline, 8-week exercise, and 1-year detraining). The subjects (mean±SD age: 39.0±6.4, 38.1±8.0) responded to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for NSP as the primary outcome. A single validated item from the Workability Index determined workability as the secondary outcome. Between and within-group differences of the two groups were investigated using non-parametric tests, including 12 subjects in each group., Results: The results indicated that 8-week exercise improvements in NSP and mental and physical workability were largely maintained after one year of detraining. The lasting effects of NSP and physical and mental workability were statistically identified in 8-week and 1-year follow-ups. Nevertheless, it is noticeably warranted to adhere to the exercise program., Conclusion: The current study indicates that a brief 8-week exercise period once per year is sufficient to reduce pain and improve workability among workers. This knowledge can make exercise interventions more feasible and cost-effective for companies aiming to improve employee health.

Objectives: Sport is one of the best ways to prevent osteoporosis; however, not all sports have the same impact on bones, for instance, swimming (SW) may have no effect or be harmful. Elite athletes are the best choice to detect the effects of any sport. Thus, this study was conducted firstly to compare the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of elite athletes in volleyball (VB), basketball (BB), and long-distance running (LR) together, and secondly to compare those corresponding values in SW athletes with those of non-athletes (NA)., Methods: The subjects (n=58) of this cross-sectional study included elite male athletes (members of Iran's national teams, with a minimum of 12-15 hours of training per week) and NA (control; C) who were divided into BB, VB, LR, SW (n=12 for each), and C (n=10) groups. The DEXA scan measured the amount of BMD and BMC values in the lumbar spine (LS; L2-L4) and proximal femur (PF; neck, trochanter, and Ward's triangle) areas., Results: In the LS areas, LR had significantly higher BMD than the BB, VB, SW, and C groups (P<0.001), while for BMC, both LR and VB were significantly superior to other groups (P<0.001). Moreover, the BMD and BMC of the PF areas of VB and BB were significantly higher than those of the LR, SW, and C groups (P<0.001). Finally, in all areas, SW showed significantly higher BMD and BMC, compared to the C group (except for trochanter and femur neck BMC) (P<0.05)., Conclusion: LR athletes showed the most bone acquisition in the LS areas and VB players in the PF areas, while BB players ranked third in osteoporosis prevention in the mentioned regions. Unexpectedly, SW athletes also had better BMD and BMC than NA; therefore, after weight-bearing sports, this type of sport can be effective in bone acquisition., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest in this study.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of online-supervised versus workplace corrective exercises on neck-shoulder pain (NSP), sick leave, posture, workability, and muscular activity among office workers with the upper crossed syndrome (UCS)., Methods: We performed a parallel-group randomized control trial at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, assigning 36 office workers to online-supervised, workplace, and control groups (mean (SD) age 38.91 ± 3.87, 38.58 ± 7.34, 37.00 ± 8.12). Inclusion criteria were alignment alteration (forward head (≥ 45°), rounding shoulder (≥ 52°), rounding back (≥ 42°), and pain intensity ≥ 3 in neck and shoulder. The two intervention groups performed 8-week exercise program, while the control group continued usual activities. Primary (NSP and sick leave) and secondary outcomes [postural angles, workability, and muscular activity were measured by VAS, outcome evaluation questionnaire (OEQ), photogrammetry, workability index, and EMG, respectively, at the baseline and an 8-week follow-up]., Results: ANCOVA results revealed improvements for the online-supervised group versus control for NSP (P = 0.007), postural angles (P = 0.000, P = 0.001, P = 0.005), workability (P = 0.048, P = 0.042), and upper trapezius activation (P = 0.024, P = 0.016), respectively. Using paired t tests, both intervention groups improved from baseline to follow-up for NSP (P = 0.000, P = 0.002), forward head posture (P = 0.000, P = 0.000), round shoulders (P = 0.001, P = 0.031), and round back (P = 0.034, P = 0.008), respectively. Related parameters of workability (P = 0.041, P = 0.038), upper trapezius (P = 0.005, P = 0.005, P = 0.022), and serratus anterior (P = 0.020, P = 0.015) changed only in the online-supervised group., Conclusion: Online-supervised corrective exercise seems to improve a range of parameters related to work performance. These findings are highly applicable in light of the ongoing COVID pandemic; many workers have to work from home., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objective: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) including upper crossed syndrome (UCS) are considered as the leading cause of work-related issues worldwide among office workers. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of workplace-based versus online-supervised home-based corrective exercises among office workers with UCS., Methods and Design: To this end, 45 subjects within the age range of 30-45 years are randomly assigned to three groups in the present parallel-group, randomized control trial using a pretest-posttest design. These groups include the subjects who receive online-supervised exercise and workplace exercise containing three sessions of intervention for 8 weeks and the control group receives no intervention while performing routine activities. The primary outcome variables are neck-shoulder pain (NSP) and consequent sick leave due to NSP, followed by alignment, workability, and the surface electromyography of upper, middle, and lower trapezius (UT, MT, and LT), sternocleidomastoid (SCM), and serratus anterior (SA) as the secondary variables., Discussion: The present study seeks to assess the effect of workplace versus online-supervised corrective exercise interventions among 45 office workers suffering from UCS. It is expected to improve and reduce the related symptoms including postural malalignment and imbalance muscles after 8 weeks of corrective exercises. If effective, the findings may lead to adherence and work performance among the office workers, and individuals subjected to UCS can use the benefits of an online-supervised intervention. In addition, the findings may be useful in different workplaces as the evidence for employers to benefit from the reduction in the related costs and side effects of work-related neck/shoulder disorders including work disability, productivity loss, time expense, social insurance, work absenteeism, and treatment costs. Finally, clinicians and corrective exercise therapists can consider it as a clinical based-evidence intervention for their further actions., Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20200729048249N1. Registered on 5 October 2020 ( https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/49992/view )., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: Pilates training has several well-known benefits for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, its effect on functional balance is unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of pilates exercises on the functional balance of male patients with MS., Method: In the present parallel group randomized controlled trial, 30 men with MS were recruited from a local corrective exercise clinic in Tehran, Iran, and randomized into Pilates training group (N = 15), and control group (N = 15). At baseline, the age range was 25-40 years, and disability score index was 3-5., Intervention: The intervention group received Pilates exercises including the extension of the thoracic spine, abdominal strengthening, core stabilizing exercises, upper and lower limb, and posture exercises for 12 weeks., Outcomes: Functional balance assessments including Berg's Balance Scale (BBS) test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and Functional Reach Test (FRT) were measured at the baseline and after 12 weeks., Results: At a 12-week follow-up, a significant between-group difference was observed in favor of the Pilates training group for the functional balance scores (P < 0.05), while no adverse or harmful events were reported in any group., Conclusion: Pilates training increases the functional balance of MS patients, and decreases known risk factors for falls among the patients in this group, which may have the potential to reduce therapeutic costs and can be considered as a complementary therapeutic approach for physical therapists and corrective exercise experts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The "11+ Kids" injury-prevention program has been shown to reduce injuries and related costs in youth football players less than 14 y of age. A major argument to convince coaches to use this exercise-based injury-prevention program is a potential performance enhancement of the players. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of the "11+ Kids" program on isokinetic strength., Methods: Two teams were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group replaced their warm-up by the "11+ Kids" and the control group warmed up as usual. Two days before and after the 10-wk intervention, isokinetic strength of the hip adductors and abductors, knee flexors and extensors, and ankle invertors and evertors was tested., Results: Thirty-one players (mean age 11.5 [0.8] y) completed the study. The intervention group showed large improvements in all isokinetic strength measures (P < .001 for all measures; Cohen d = 0.8-1.4), whereas the control group only showed negligible to medium positive effects (P values ranging from .006 to .718; Cohen d = -0.1 to 0.7). The intervention was beneficial compared with the control group regarding isokinetic strength of the hip adductors (P < .001), knee flexors (P = .002), and ankle evertors (P < .001) and invertors (P = .005)., Conclusions: Given the relatively short intervention period of 10 wk, the observed improvements relate to a practically meaningful effect of the intervention. The gain in strength may improve players' performance and may contribute to a reduction of injury risk in the long-term application.