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Cancer, a disease threatening human life, is caused by the disturbance of the normal cell cycle, which results in the spontaneous growth of normal and malignant cells, the lack of differentiation between the two, and consequently malignant growths. Nowadays, various synthetic agents are applied for cancer therapy; nevertheless, reports have confirmed that these chemical agents are associated with various adverse complications. This experimental study was designed to assess the antitumor activities of zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) green synthesized by the Astragalus maximus (A. maximus) extract against Ehrlich solid tumors (EST) in mice. To induce the EST model, 0.2 ml of cell suspension was intramuscularly injected into the right thigh of the mice. Five days post-injection, the mice were assigned to five groups (eight mice each): EST mice treated with normal saline, EST mice orally treated with ZnNPs 10 mg/kg/day, EST mice orally treated with ZnNPs 25 mg/kg/day, and EST mice orally treated with ZnNPs 50 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Afterward, the volume of the tumor, tumor growth inhibition, body weight, tumor markers, oxidant/antioxidant markers, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha level were assessed in the tested mice. The results showed that after the treatment of EST mice with cyclophosphamide and ZnNPs at 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg, the volume of the tumor, and the serum amount of tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen) were significantly reduced (P<0.001). It was found that ZnNPs at 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg markedly declined oxidative markers and increased the level of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase), compared to the control group, which received normal saline (P<0.001). To conclude, this study reported the unveiling of the anti-tumor activity of ZnNPs green synthesized by the A. maximus extract, mainly at a dose of 50 mg/kg against EST in mice. However, further supplementary studies are required to clarify all the anti-tumor aspects of these nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Geometric transformations have played a crucial role throughout history in various aspects of human life. Symmetry is one of the important concepts in school mathematics. Students' academic performance is intricately connected to the knowledge and skills of their educators. Recognizing the importance of prospective teachers (PTs) as future educators, in the initial stage, the aim of this research is to assess and analyze the levels of geometric thinking among prospective elementary teachers (PETs) utilizing Van Hiele's theory. Subsequently, the research seeks to delve into the thinking process and gaze patterns of prospective mathematics education teachers (PMETs) using the cognitive science method of eye tracking. Materials and Methods: This study focuses on investigating and evaluating the thinking of geometric transformations and problem-solving skills among prospective teachers (PTs). The research method employed a combined survey method, encompassing two distinct tests conducted on two groups of PTs. The accessible statistical sample includes 50 participating PETs and 21 participating PEMTs from Iran. The PETs of Farhangian University of Isfahan were divided into two groups: 42 students who had not learned the concept of geometric transformations in their undergraduate program (NPGT), and 8 students who had learned this concept in their undergraduate program (PGT). To assess the level of geometric thinking among participants, a self-made geometric test based on Van Hiele's theory was utilized. The test reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which yielded a value of 0.68. Additionally, the validity of the test has been confirmed by some professors. In evaluating geometric thinking, a cognitive science method was performed. This method involved designing a psychophysical experiment and recording eye movements of the PMETs. The psychophysical experiment part was conducted in the computer laboratory of Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, and was performed by Eyelink device and MATLAB software on student teachers of mathematics education of this university. Findings: The results of the research show that students recognize the shape with symmetry as a symmetrical shape, but they perform poorly in determining the type of symmetry of symmetrical shapes, especially when a shape has rotational symmetry or oblique axial symmetry or a combination of several types of symmetry. In the first stage, the evaluation of PETs responses showed that 34% of them were in the first level and 18% in the second level of Van Hiele. The cognitive findings revealed that PMETs demonstrated superior performance in recognizing symmetries characterized by a single type of symmetry, in contrast to shapes involving combinations of various symmetries. Examining the recorded eye-tracking images of the students revealed a difference in gaze patterns between the groups that gave correct and incorrect answers. In addition, this difference is also evident among images with different symmetries (reflection, central, rotational). Conclusions: The current research confirms the weakness of students in identifying the type of symmetry in symmetrical shapes. It also emphasizes the need to pay more attention to the training of PTs during their academic years. To address this, it is suggested to revise the curriculum concerning geometric transformations in the university courses for PTs training, additionally, the utilization of software such as Augmented Reality (AR) and GeoGebra can contribute to enhancing cognitive and visual abilities of PTs in comprehending the concept of symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let E be an elliptic curve over Q with the given Weierstrass equation y² = x³ + ax + b. If D is a squarefree integer, then let E(D) denote the D-quadratic twist of E that is given by E(D) : y² = x³ + aD²x + bD³. Let E(D)(ℚ) be the group of Q-rational points of E(D). It is conjectured by J. Silverman that there are infinitely many primes p for which E(p)(ℚ) has positive rank, and there are infinitely many primes q for which E(ℚ)(ℚ) has rank 0. In this paper, assuming the parity conjecture, we show that for infinitely many primes p, the elliptic curve E(p)n: y² = x³ - np²x has odd rank and for infinitely many primes p, E(p)n (ℚ) has even rank, where n is a positive integer that can be written as biquadrates sums in two different ways, i.e., n = u4 + v4 = r4 + s4, where u; v; r; s are positive integers such that gcd(u; v) = gcd(r; s) = 1. More precisely, we prove that: if n can be written in two different ways as biquartic sums and p is prime, then under the assumption of the parity conjecture E(p) n (ℚ) has odd rank (and so a positive rank) as long as n is odd and p ≡ 5; 7 (mod 8) or n is even and p ≡ 1 (mod 4). In the end, we also compute the ranks of some specific values of n and p explicitly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nowadays, there is an increase of meat and animal carcass consumption worldwide. Due to the economic value of meat, the likelihood of using unauthorized tissue is possible in meat products. Based on these observations, the aim of the present study was to apply morphological method for detection of unauthorized tissues in processed meat products. Methods: In this study, a total of 20 samples of different types of processed meat products including Kabab Loghme (n=5), sausage (n=5), handmade hamburger (n=5) and Kabab Koobideh (n=5) were randomly collected from restaurants and supermarkets in Iran. The samples were divided into three parts and then, one piece was taken from each part for the histological study. The tissues were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin and were dehydrated and embedded in paraffin and routinely processed for light microscopy. The paraffin-embedded blocks were cut into 6 μm sections and stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for histological study. Results: The skeletal muscle tissues were visible clearly in all samples. A wide range of unauthorized tissues have been detected including connective tissue (n=20), gizzard (n=2), adipose tissue (n=7), soya (n=11), cartilage (n=5) and ovary (n=1). Conclusion: The present study showed the use of unauthorized tissues in Iranian processed meat products which were detectable by histological method. Therefore, histological technique may be a simple and economic tool for evaluation of the meat adulteration and to improve hygiene and meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Initial methods which used human tissues as reconstruction materials caused different problems including rejection, limited shapes and infection. In 1970s, PHDPE (Medpor®) was introduced by its exclusive advantageous including no donor site morbidity, easily shaped and the minimal foreign body reaction. Hereby, we report our experience of using Medpor® in facial reconstruction especially in frontal reconstruction and orbital rim with a large sample size. Methods This study was a prospective cohort study. Surgical techniques included using Medpor® in reconstruction of lamina papiracea (LP) (15 patients), frontal bone (15 patients), orbital rim (18 patients) and open rhinoplasty (8 patients). All interventions on LP were performed by endoscopic procedures. All frontal operations were carried out by bicoronal incision. In orbital defects, we used subciliary incision. Results From all 56 patients, 1 case had primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of maxillary sinus. In that case, reconstruction of inferior orbital rim was not successful and extrusion was occurred after radiotherapy. In rhinoplasty and other experiences no extrusion or infection were detected within the next 1 to 3 years of follow up. There were not any palpable and visible irregularities under the skin in our experiences. Conclusions In this study the patients did not experience any complications during the follow up periods and the satisfaction was remarkable. Gathering these data gives rise to future review studies which can provide more organized evidences for replacing classic reconstructive methods by the presented material.

Abstract Background Although Helicobacter Pylori (HP) was detected in some cases of chronic laryngitis, the results were not confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). By this time, it has not been found in laryngeal lesions by in house PCR, the most sensitive method for detecting the genome tracks. Regarding the previous results and also few numbers of studies about the presence of HP in benign laryngeal lesions, specifically by PCR, we aimed to investigate the presence of HP in benign laryngeal lesions by in-house PCR. Methods The samples were taken from 55 patients with benign laryngeal lesions and frozen in −20°C. One milliliter (ml) of lysis buffer was added to 100 mg (mg) of each sample and the tube was placed in 56°C overnight. Then DNA extraction was carried out. Results To find HP DNA, in-house PCR was performed that revealed 5 positive results among 55 patients with benign laryngeal lesions. Of them, 3 were polyp, 1 was nodule and 1 was papilloma. Conclusion Although the number of positive results was not a lot in this study, it was in contrast with previous studies which could not find any HP tracks in benign laryngeal lesions by other methods. More studies about the prevalence of HP in benign laryngeal lesions improve judging about the effect of this infection on benign laryngeal lesions.

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Genetic variations in immune-related genes in free-run and free-range chicken flocks," by F. Izadi and colleagues.

2-Bromo-1-(3,3-dinitroazetidin-1-yl)ethan-1-one (RRx-001) is a hypoxic cell chemotherapeutics with already demonstrated synergism in combined chemo-radiation therapy. The interaction of the compound with secondary low-energy electrons formed in large amounts during the physico-chemical phase of the irradiation may lead to these synergistic effects. The present study focuses on the first step of RRx-001 interaction with low-energy electrons in which a transient anion is formed and fragmented. Combination of two experiments allows us to disentangle the decay of the RRx-001 anion on different timescales. Sole presence of the electron initiates rapid dissociation of NO 2 and HNO 2 neutrals while NO 2 - and Br - anions are produced both directly and via intermediate complexes. Based on our quantum chemical calculations, we propose that bidirectional state switching between π*(NO 2 ) and σ*(C-Br) states explains the experimental spectra. The fast dynamics monitored will impact the condensed phase chemistry of the anion as well., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Nephrotoxicity is one of the most common complications of vancomycin use in clinical practice. Silymarin has potential to be a renoprotective agent for nephrotoxic drugs due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. The aim of this clinical study is evaluating the potential effects of silymarin on preventing vancomycin nephrotoxicity. A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted on patients with the indication of systemic vancomycin for at least 7 days. Patients were screened daily and those who met the inclusion criteria were selected and randomly assigned into either silymarin or placebo groups. Accordingly, 140 mg silymarin tablet (Livergol®) or placebo was given orally three times daily. Silymarin or placebo were provided in conjunction with vancomycin for at least 7 days. If vancomycin therapy was extended beyond 7 days, the administration of silymarin or placebo was continued until the end of vancomycin treatment. Malondialdehyde, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity were measured in the serum on days 0 and 7. A trough level of vancomycin was assessed 30 min before the fifth dose of vancomycin. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was monitored in each patient daily during the course of vancomycin treatment. The causality assessment of all identified cases of vancomycin associated AKI was performed by the Naranjo scale. The primary endpoint was vancomycin nephrotoxicity. It was defined based on the KDIGO 2012 criteria for AKI as either an increase of 0.3 units or more in serum creatinine level during 48 h or 50% (1.5-fold) or more during 7 days compared to baseline values. During the study period, 34 patients in the silymarin group and 32 patients in the placebo group completed the clinical trial. Demographic, baseline clinical, and laboratory characteristics were comparable between placebo and silymarin groups. The number of patients with AKI on days 5, 6, 7, 11,12, 13, and 14 in the placebo group was significantly higher than that in the silymarin group (p-value < 0.05). The incidence of acute tubular injury on the day  5 and 7 of vancomycin treatment was significantly lower in the silymarin group (p-value = 0.005 and p-value = 0.032, respectively). Antioxidant indexes including serum total antioxidant capacity and glutathione significantly increased in the silymarin group (p-value < 0.001 for both indexes). In contrast, serum malondialdehyde as an end product of lipid peroxidation pathway significantly decreased in the silymarin group during 7 days (p-value < 0.001). The results of the present pilot, clinical trial suggested that silymarin co-administration may prevent vancomycin nephrotoxicity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest gynaecological cancer with high mortality rates driven by the common development of resistance to chemotherapy. EOC frequently invades the omentum, an adipocyte-rich organ of the peritoneum and omental adipocytes have been implicated in promoting disease progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. The signalling mechanisms underpinning EOC omentum tropism have yet to be elucidated., Methods: Three-dimensional co-culture models were used to explore adipocyte-EOC interactions. The impact of adipocytes on EOC proliferation, response to therapy and invasive capacity was assessed. Primary adipocytes and omental tissue were isolated from patients with ovarian malignancies and benign ovarian neoplasms. Exosomes were isolated from omentum tissue conditioned media and the effect of omentum-derived exosomes on EOC evaluated. Exosomal microRNA (miRNA) sequencing was used to identify miRNAs abundant in omental exosomes and EOC cells were transfected with highly abundant miRNAs miR-21, let-7b, miR-16 and miR-92a., Results: We demonstrate the capacity of adipocytes to induce an invasive phenotype in EOC populations through driving epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Exosomes secreted by omental tissue of ovarian cancer patients, as well as patients without malignancies, induced proliferation, upregulated EMT markers and reduced response to paclitaxel therapy in EOC cell lines and HGSOC patient samples. Analysis of the omentum-derived exosomes from cancer patients revealed highly abundant miRNAs that included miR-21, let-7b, miR-16 and miR-92a that promoted cancer cell proliferation and protection from chemotherapy when transfected in ovarian cancer cells., Conclusions: These observations highlight the capacity of omental adipocytes to generate a pro-tumorigenic and chemoprotective microenvironment in ovarian cancer and other adipose-related malignancies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plasmon-driven chemical conversion is gaining burgeoning interest in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, we study the reactivity of N-methyl-4-sulfanylbenzamide (NMSB) at nanocavities of gold and silver nanoparticle aggregates under plasmonic excitation to gain understanding of the respective reaction mechanism. NMSB is a secondary amide, which is a frequent binding motive found in peptides and a common coupling product of organic molecules and biomolecules. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is used as a two-in-one in-situ spectroscopic tool to initiate the molecular transformation process and simultaneously monitor and analyze the reaction products. Supported by dissociative electron attachment (DEA) studies with the gas phase molecule, a hot electron-mediated conversion of NMSB to p-mercaptobenzamide and p-mercaptobenzonitrile is proposed at the plasmonic nanocavities. The reaction rate showed negligible dependence on the external temperature, ruling out the dominant role of heat in the chemical transformation at the plasmonic interface. This is reflected in the absence of a superlinear relationship between the reaction rate constant and the laser power density, and DEA and SERS studies indicate a hot-electron mediated pathway. We conclude that the overall reaction rate is limited by the availability of energetic hot electrons to the NMSB molecule., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

8-Thiomethyladenine (ASCH 3 ), a potentially radiosensitizing modified nucleobase, has been synthesized in a reaction between 8-thioadenine and methyl iodide. Despite favorable dissociative electron attachment (DEA) characteristics, the radiolysis of an aqueous solution of ASCH 3 with a dose of X-ray amounting to as much as 300 Gy leads to no effects. Nevertheless, crossed electron-molecule beam experiments in the gas phase on ASCH 3 confirm the theoretical findings regarding the stability of its radical anion, namely, the most abundant reaction channel is related to the dissociation of the S-CH 3 bond in the respective anion. Furthermore, electron-induced degradation of ASCH 3 has been observed in aprotic acetonitrile, which is strong evidence for the involvement of proton transfer (PT) in stabilizing the radical anion in an aqueous solution. These findings demonstrate that PT in water can be the main player in deciding the radiosensitizing properties of modified nucleobases/nucleosides.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is one the most prevalent types of cancer. Despite current chemotherapy's success, patients with GI cancer continue to have a dismal outcome. The onset and progression of cancer are caused by alterations and the abnormal expression of several families of genes, like tumor-suppressor genes, oncogenes, and chemotherapy-resistant genes. The final purpose of tumor therapy is to inhibit cellular development by modifying mutations and editing the irregular expression of genes It has been reported that CDH1, TP53, KRAS, ARID1A, PTEN, and HLA-B are the commonly mutated genes in GI cancer. Gene editing has become one potential approach for cases with advanced or recurrent CRC, who are nonresponsive to conventional treatments and a variety of driver mutations along with progression cause GI progression. CRISPR/Cas9 technique is a reliable tool to edit the genome and understand the functions of mutations driving GI cancer development. CRISPR/Cas9 can be applied to genome therapy for GI cancers, particularly with reference to molecular-targeted medicines and suppressors. Moreover, it can be used as a therapeutic approach by knocking in/out multiple genes. The use of CRISPR/ Cas9 gene editing method for GI cancer therapy has therefore resulted in some improvements. There are several research works on the role of CRISPR/Cas9 in cancer treatment that are summarized in the following separate sections. Here, the use of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in GI and the use of CRISPR/Cas9 is discussed in terms of Targeting Chemotherapy Resistance-related Genes like; KRAS, TP53, PTEN, and ARID1A., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the laryngeal palpatory scale (LPS) to ascertain possible correlation with neck surface electromyography (sEMG)., Methods: Two otolaryngologists and one certified speech-language pathologist assessed 21 participants (seven women and 14 men; with a mean age of 42.8 years; ranged: 21 to 70 years) with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) diagnosed with the current version of the LPS rating system. Consequently, relationships between LPS and objective measures of sEMG were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r)., Results: The results show that there was a low to moderate between correlations, (statistically positive and significant in 10 correlations among the examined items/states)., Conclusions: In conclusion, low-moderate positive correlations between sEMG and LPS ratings were found with particular strength for LPS ratings of tightness and ratings made during dynamic tasks. Further investigations can provide useful evidence for researchers and clinicians to document treatment outcomes by using LPS and sEMG in patients with MTD and leading to the more standardized care and improved information about patient progress., (Copyright © 2021 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We obtain the exact ground-state energy of the quasi-one-dimensional restricted ±J Ising spin glass in a uniform magnetic field using the transfer matrix method. Magnetic field dependence allows us to derive the magnetization as a function of concentration and magnetic field. It turns out that, in the limit of zero field, the magnetization tends to a nonzero value with a singular dependence on the magnetic field. We derive the explicit form of the singularity in thermodynamic quantities such as energy E≃E&#95;{0}+m&#95;{0}h+E&#95;{1}e^{-h&#95;{0}/h}, which is an essential singularity known as Griffiths singularity. We confirm our analytical results using the numerical approach based on iterative equations for energy.

Introduction: Considering the importance of delirium disorder in burn patients and its complications, the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of delirium and its related factors in burn patients., Methods: A comprehensive, systematic search was performed in different international electronic databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, as well as Persian electronic databases such as Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database (SID) using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as "Prevalence", "Delirium", and "Burns" from the earliest to the 17th of July, 2023., Results: In total, 2,710 burn patients participated in ten original studies. Among the participants, 64.6% were male. In the ten studies, the reported pooled prevalence of delirium among burn patients was 20.5% (95% CI: 10.9% to 35.0%; I 2 =96.889%; P<0.001). Also, factors such as total body surface area, duration of hospitalization, mortality, days on ventilator, alcoholism, benzodiazepine dose, methadone dose, age, male gender, ICU days, operation days, wound care under anesthesia, and opioid dose had a significant correlation with the prevalence of delirium in burn patients., Conclusion: Health managers and policymakers can reduce the prevalence of delirium in burn patients by eliminating or reducing factors associated with it., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Pain experienced during the insertion of a catheter into the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) are prevalent issues among Hemodialysis (HD) patients. The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate the findings from randomized clinical trial (RCT) studies examining the impact of aromatherapy with lavender on the pain associated with AVF catheter insertion and RLS in HD patients., Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar search engine from inception to August 1, 2022, using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings, such as "Aromatherapy", "Lavender", "Arteriovenous fistula", "Pain", "Restless legs syndrome", and "Hemodialysis"., Results: Finally, eleven articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that aromatherapy reduced the average pain of catheter insertion in AVF compared to the control group (Standard Mean Difference: -1.60, 95% Confidence Interval: -2.32 to -0.87, Z=4.32, I 2 :90.3%, P<0.001). Also, aromatherapy massage reduced the average severity of RLS compared to the control group, which was statistically significant (Weighted Mean Difference: -13.21, 95% Confidence Interval: -17.50 to -8.91, Z=6.03, I 2 :93.0%, P<0.001). Also, the subgroup analysis showed that lavender in the intervention group significantly decreased the pain intensity compared to the "no intervention" group (P<0.001), yet it was not significant compared to the placebo group (P=0.12)., Conclusion: In summary, the findings indicate a notable reduction in catheter insertion pain in AVF and relief from RLS among HD patients through the use of lavender essential oil. As a result, future research is encouraged to include a comparison of lavender's effects with those of a placebo group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Introduction: In the absence of timely treatment, the risk of rupture in patients with ectopic pregnancy (EP) increases, which is associated with extensive bleeding, complicated surgery, and maternal death. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of rupture and its related factors among EP cases., Methods: A comprehensive, systematic search was conducted in electronic databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Persian electronic databases such as Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as "Ectopic pregnancies", "Extrauterine pregnancies", and "Ruptured ectopic pregnancy" from the earliest to the 13th of December 2022. The CMA program, version 3, was utilized for analysis. The overall effect size was calculated using the sample size and the frequency of rupture in each of the studies. Heterogeneity was measured using the I 2 statistics., Results: A total of 5,269 women with EP participated in 17 studies. The pooled prevalence of rupture was 56.4% (95%CI: 44.9% to 67.2%; I 2 =98.09%; P<0.001). Factors such as number of parties, amount of β-hCG, age, history of ectopic pregnancy, cornual and isthmic pregnancies, gestational age, number of gravidities, history of tubal ligation, tubal diameters, periods of infertility, history of infertility, pregnancy by ovulation induction, extensive hemoperitoneum, ampullar and isthmic pregnancies, ampullar pregnancies, preoperative heart rate (HR), triage, triage shock index (SI), abdominal pain, single marital status, preoperative hemoglobin levels, preoperative hematocrit levels, history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and use of contraceptives were associated with the prevalence of rupture in EP cases., Conclusion: Based on the findings, 56.4% of EP cases experienced rupture and various factors influence its prevalence. As a result, health managers and policymakers can address and mitigate modifiable factors contributing to rupture in EP cases by implementing regular consultations and screenings., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: To investigate the association between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and haematologic factors in a cohort of Iranian adults., Method: For a total population of 9,704 aged 35 to 65, a prospective study was designed. Haematologic factors and demographic characteristics (such as gender, age, and smoking status) were completed for all participants. The association between haematologic factors and CVDs was assessed through logistic regression (LR) analysis, decision tree (DT), and bootstrap forest (BF)., Results: Almost all of the included factors were significantly associated with CVD ( p <.001). Among the included factors, were: age, white blood cell (WBC), and platelet distribution width (PDW) had the strongest correlation with the development of CVD. For unit OR interpretation, WBC has been represented as the most remarkable risk factor for CVD (OR: 1.22 (CI 95% (1.18, 1.27))). Also, age is associated with an increase in the odds of CVD + occurrence (OR: 1.12 (CI 95% (1.11, 1.13))). Moreover, males are times more likely to develop CVD than females (OR: 1.39 (CI 95% (1.22, 1.58))). In DT model, age is the best classifier factor in CVD development, followed by WBC and PDW. Furthermore, based on the BF algorithm, the most crucial factors correlated with CVD are age, WBC, PDW, sex, and smoking status., Conclusion: The obtained result from LR, DT, and BF models confirmed that age, WBC, and PDW are the most crucial factors for the development of CVD.

In the search for effective radiosensitizers for tumor cells, halogenated uracils have attracted more attention due to their large cross section for dissociation upon the attachment of low-energy electrons. In this study, we investigated dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to 5-iodo-4-thio-2'-deoxyuridine, a potential radiosensitizer using a crossed electron-molecule beam experiment coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry. The experimental results were supported by calculations on the threshold energies of formed anions and transition state calculations. We show that low-energy electrons with kinetic energies near 0 eV may effectively decompose the molecule upon DEA. The by far most abundant anion observed corresponds to the iodine anion (I - ). Due to the associated bond cleavage, a radical site is formed at the C5 position, which may initiate strand break formation if the molecule is incorporated into a DNA strand. Our results reflect the conclusion from previous radiolysis studies with the title compound, suggesting its potential as a radiosensitizer.