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BACKGROUND: Trauma is one of the causes of death and part of the cause of disability in the active population in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate trauma and consequences in emergency patients of Kowsar Hospital, Sanandaj, Iran, in 2018-2019. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the files of 245 patients who referred to the emergency department (ED) of Kowsar Hospital from April 2018 to March 2019 with the diagnosis of trauma equal to the prepared checklist were examined and the required information was extracted and analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: 74.3% were men and 25.7% were women. The average age was 26.49 ± 11.43 years. 58% of trauma mechanisms was related to accidents, 40% to falls, and 2% was due to conflicts. 51% of patients were hospitalized in the emergency room and 5.7% in the intensive care unit (ICU). 41.6% were discharged and 1.6% died as a result of trauma. There was a significant relationship between the scene of the accident, transfer to the hospital from the scene of the accident, and the location of the lesion with the outcome of trauma in the studied patients (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that accidents and falls were the main reasons for patients to visit the emergency trauma department. There was a significant relationship between the anatomical location of the injury and the trauma's outcome. Most of the patients were admitted to the emergency room. The outcomes were trauma, hospitalization, discharge with personal consent, and death.

A frequently emphasized strategy to reduce the burden of heat in cities across the world is the implementation of street trees. Here, we examine the effects of deciduous and coniferous tree deployment on meteorological variables and pedestrian thermal comfort through analysis of the new dynamic thermal comfort (dPET) index, using the latest version of the computational fluid dynamics model ENVI-met. We performed on site observational measurements of air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (Rh), wind speed (Ws), and mean radiant temperature (MRT) at five different locations on the hottest day of summer 2023, in a post-industrial urban landscape located in Tehran, Iran. Observations were used to evaluate ENVI-met simulation performance and served as a baseline against which sensitivity experiments—based on a minimum (35%) and maximum (75%) intervention scenario for deciduous and coniferous trees—were compared against. Our analysis indicates that 35% and 75% deployment reduced Ta by 1.2 °C and 4.2 °C, respectively, for deciduous tree species, compared to a 0.9 °C and 3.1 °C reduction for coniferous species, during the hottest day of summer 2023. The maximum deployment scenario decreased MRT by approximately 60 °C and 43 °C for deciduous and coniferous tree deployment, respectively. The maximum tree deployment scenario decreased dPET by nearly 16 °C and 14 °C for deciduous and coniferous trees, respectively, during the time of day that diurnal heating is maximized. Our findings highlight micrometeorological and personalized thermal comfort effects associated with variable tree species type and extent through examination of a pedestrian’s ambulatory experience across diverse urban microclimates in a region of the world that is particularly understudied.

Abstract EN is a hamartomatous proliferation of keratinocytes. The most common dermoscopic feature of EN is large brown circles in the absence of pigment network which is similar in different histopathological variants including epidermolytic hyperkeratotic.

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis ( CL) in Iran is mainly caused by Leishmania major ( L. major) and L. tropica. Arginase mediated L-arginine metabolism is an important issue in Leishmania parasite propagation. Arginase activity in human CL due to L. major and L. tropica have not been studied up to now. Objectives We aimed to compare the clinical and laboratory aspects of acute and chronic CL, focussing on arginase activity. Methods In this case-control study, 30 patients with acute CL (duration ≤ 1 year), 13 patients with chronic CL (duration ≥ 2 year) and 11 healthy controls were recruited. Arginase activity was measured in skin biopsies of lesions, peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells ( PMNs), peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMCs) and plasma by standard methods. Results The median of arginase activity in the acute lesions was higher than in chronic samples and significantly higher than in healthy controls ( P = 0.008). PMNs of both acute and chronic patients showed higher levels of arginase activity as compared to the levels in PBMCs and plasma. The median of arginase activity in the PMNs of patients with chronic CL was higher than that of patients with acute CL and significantly higher than that of the healthy controls ( P = 0.010). Conclusion The level of arginase activity in lesions of patients with acute and chronic CL was higher than the skin of healthy controls. The highest level of arginase activity was observed in PMNs from patients with chronic CL. This suggests that the high level of arginase activity in PMNs of patients with chronic CL may contribute to the chronicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Prior research supports the notion that parents have the ability to influence their children's decisions regarding sexual behavior. Yet parent-based approaches to curbing teen pregnancy and STDs have been relatively unexplored. The Parents Speak Up National Campaign (PSUNC) is a multimedia campaign that attempts to fill this void by targeting parents of teens to encourage parent-child communication about waiting to have sex. The campaign follows a theoretical framework that identifies cognitions that are targeted in campaign messages and theorized to influence parent-child communication. While a previous experimental study showed PSUNC messages to be effective in increasing parent-child communication, it did not address how these effects manifest through the PSUNC theoretical framework. The current study examines the PSUNC theoretical framework by 1) estimating the impact of PSUNC on specific cognitions identified in the theoretical framework and 2) examining whether those cognitions are indeed associated with parent-child communication Methods Our study consists of a randomized efficacy trial of PSUNC messages under controlled conditions. A sample of 1,969 parents was randomly assigned to treatment (PSUNC exposure) and control (no exposure) conditions. Parents were surveyed at baseline, 4 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months post-baseline. Linear regression procedures were used in our analyses. Outcome variables included self-efficacy to communicate with child, long-term outcome expectations that communication would be successful, and norms on appropriate age for sexual initiation. We first estimated multivariable models to test whether these cognitive variables predict parent-child communication longitudinally. Longitudinal change in each cognitive variable was then estimated as a function of treatment condition, controlling for baseline individual characteristics. Results Norms related to appropriate age for sexual initiation and outcome expectations that communication would be successful were predictive of parent-child communication among both mothers and fathers. Treatment condition mothers exhibited larger changes than control mothers in both of these cognitive variables. Fathers exhibited no exposure effects. Conclusions Results suggest that within a controlled setting, the "wait until older norm" and long-term outcome expectations were appropriate cognitions to target and the PSUNC media materials were successful in impacting them, particularly among mothers. This study highlights the importance of theoretical frameworks for parent-focused campaigns that identify appropriate behavioral precursors that are both predictive of a campaign's distal behavioral outcome and sensitive to campaign messages.

This study introduces a novel approach to 4D printing of biocompatible Poly lactic acid (PLA)/poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) blends using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The goal is to optimize PMMA content, nozzle temperature, raster angle, and printing speed to enhance shape memory properties and mechanical strength. The materials, PLA and PMMA, are melt-blended and 4D printed using a pellet-based 3D printer. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) assess the thermal behavior and compatibility of the blends. The ANN model demonstrates superior prediction accuracy and generalization capability compared to the RSM model. Experimental results show a shape recovery ratio of 100% and an ultimate tensile strength of 65.2 MPa, significantly higher than pure PLA. A bio-screw, 4D printed with optimized parameters, demonstrates excellent mechanical properties and shape memory behavior, suitable for biomedical applications such as orthopaedics and dental implants. This research presents an innovative method for 4D printing PLA/PMMA blends, highlighting their potential in creating advanced, high-performance biocompatible materials for medical use., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a peptide precursor of calcitonin, considered as an infection marker in many settings. Recently, a few studies reported its rise in some inflammatory processes such as still's disease, anaphylactic shock and Kawasaki disease. To investigate the serum level of PCT in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and examine the relationship between serum level of PCT and the severity of disease. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 patients with PV, visited at a tertiary care hospital from August 2021 to May 2023. After recording the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients, PCT level as well as CRP and ESR levels were measured and analyzed. The median ESR, CRP and procalcitonin serum level for the patients was 6.40 mm/hr, 11.00 mg/dL and 0.025 ng/ml, respectively. Considering the mean serum PCT level of normal population which is reported as < 0.1 ng/ml, its level among our patients was in a normal range. A significant and positive correlation was observed between procalcitonin and ESR, as well as CRP. In opposite to PCT, CRP and ESR levels showed a significant and positive correlation with disease severity (P values: 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively). Our findings suggest that PCT might not be useful as a biomarker of inflammatory milieu or prognostic factor in patients with PV without any infection., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The major lactiferous ducts of the human breast branch out and end at terminal ductal lobular units (TDLUs). Despite their functional and clinical importance, the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of TDLUs has remained undetermined. Our quantitative and volumetric imaging of healthy human breast tissue demonstrates that highly branched TDLUs, which exhibit increased proliferation, are uncommon in the resting tissue regardless of donor age, parity, or hormonal contraception. Overall, TDLUs have a consistent shape and branch parameters, and they contain a main subtree that dominates in bifurcation events and exhibits a more duct-like keratin expression pattern. Simulation of TDLU branching morphogenesis in three dimensions suggests that evolutionarily conserved mechanisms regulate mammary gland branching in humans and mice despite their anatomical differences. In all, our data provide structural insight into 3D anatomy and branching of the human breast and exemplify the power of volumetric imaging in gaining a deeper understanding of breast biology., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

T7 RNA polymerase has enabled orthogonal control of gene expression and recombinant protein production across diverse prokaryotic host chassis organisms for decades. However, the absence of 5' methyl guanosine caps on T7 RNAP derived transcripts has severely limited its utility and widespread adoption in eukaryotic systems. To address this shortcoming, we evolved a fusion enzyme combining T7 RNAP with the single subunit capping enzyme from African swine fever virus using Saccharomyces cerevisiae . We isolated highly active variants of this fusion enzyme, which exhibited roughly two orders of magnitude higher protein expression compared to the wild-type enzyme. We demonstrate the programmable control of gene expression using T7 RNAP-based genetic circuits in yeast and validate enhanced performance of these engineered variants in mammalian cells. This study presents a robust, orthogonal gene regulatory system applicable across diverse eukaryotic hosts, enhancing the versatility and efficiency of synthetic biology applications., Competing Interests: Competing Interests SK, EG, RS, JG and ADE are inventors on provisional patents related to this work US patent application - 63/334,406 and 63/409,553

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Background: Human protothecosis is an uncommon infection caused by Prototheca spp that rarely infects humans., Aim: Description of a rare disease and a review of its articles., Materials and Methods: We reported a 24-year-old man who presented with red-brown papules and plaques on the trunk's lateral side. We reviewed the literature about disseminated protothecosis and reported our experience with a patient with protothecosis between 2021 and 2023., Results: Overall, 54 cases of disseminated protothecosis were evaluated, 39 were due to P. wickerhamii, 12 were due to P. zopfii (22.2%), and three were due to Prototheca spp. We found that males were more affected (37 cases, 68.5%) than females (16 cases, 29.6%). The mean age of patients was 39.53 ± 22.48 years. However, disseminated protothecosis can affect people of any age (1-80 years). In contrast to P. wickerhamii, which causes blood, skin, brain, and gastrointestinal tract infections, P. zopfii was mainly found in the blood (7/22) and did not have a significant difference in the mortality rate (P = 0.11)., Discussion: Disseminated protothecosis is a rare disease in immunocompromised patients but is generally rarer in immunocompetent hosts. Several underlying disorders include immunocompromised patients, prolonged application of steroids, diabetes mellitus, malignancies, organ transplantation, AIDS, and surgeries. Amphotericin B has been the most effective agent for protothecosis and is reserved for visceral and disseminated infections. Regarding localized cutaneous types, excision or surgical debridement is used., Conclusion: Mulberry's appearance and appropriate cultural environments are helpful in diagnosing it., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Endometriosis is associated with a wide variety of signs and symptoms and can lead to infertility, embryo death, and even miscarriage. Although the exact pathogenesis and etiology of endometriosis is still unclear, it has been shown that it has a chronic inflammatory nature and angiogenesis is also involved in it., Objective: This review aims to explore the role of inflammation and angiogenesis in endometriosis and suggest a potential treatment targeting these pathways., Findings: Among the pro-inflammatory cytokines, studies have shown solid roles for interleukin 1β (IL-β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of this condition. Other than inflammation, angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing capillaries, is also involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Among angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are more essential in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Interestingly, it has been shown that inflammation and angiogenesis share some similar pathways with each other that could be potentially targeted for treatment of diseases caused by these two processes. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive member of cannabinoids which has well-known and notable anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. This agent has been shown to decrease IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, VEGF, TGFβ, and MMPs in different animal models of diseases., Conclusion: It seems that CBD could be a possible treatment for endometriosis due to its anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic activity, however, further studies are needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Skin neoplasms, particularly basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), are prevalent forms of skin malignancies. To enhance accurate diagnosis, non-invasive techniques including high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) are crucial. HFUS offers deeper penetration compared to reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), and optical coherence tomography (OCT), making it valuable for examining skin structures. The aim of this study was to investigate and diagnose localized manifestation of BCC and SCC with HFUS and compare it with pathology results in patients referred to Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran., Method and Materials: This study included patients diagnosed with BCC and SCC, with clinical and pathological confirmation, attending the oncology clinic of Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2022 to 2023. Exclusion criteria comprised metastatic and recurrent cases, patients who underwent treatment or surgery, and tumors located in anatomically challenging areas. HFUS with a 20 MHz probe and Doppler ultrasound were employed to examine the skin. Tumors were subsequently excised, fixed in formalin, and sent for pathological assessment. Ultrasound findings were compared with pathology results., Results: The study assessed 40 patients, with half diagnosed with SCC and the other half with BCC. The majority of SCC patients were male (80%), while BCC patients were relatively evenly divided between males (65%) and females (35%). The mean age was 59.15 ± 11.9 years for SCC and 63.4 ± 8.9 years for BCC. Cheeks (20%) and lips (35%) were the most common sampling sites for BCC and SCC, respectively. The correlation coefficients for tumor size and depth between ultrasound and pathology were 0.981 and 0.912, respectively, indicating a high level of agreement between the two methods., Conclusion: In BCC patients, there was complete agreement between sonographic loco-regional extension and pathology findings. However, some discordance (30%) was observed in SCC cases. The study demonstrated a strong correlation between ultrasound and pathology in accurately detecting the depth and extent of the tumor. However, due to the inclusion of only patients with positive pathology, it is not appropriate to evaluate the diagnostic test values and compare them with pathology results. Therefore, it is highly recommended to carry out additional studies with larger sample sizes to further validate these findings., (© 2024 The Author(s). Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Global concerns due to the negative impacts of untreatable wounds, as well as the growing population of these patients, emphasize the critical need for advancements in the wound healing materials and techniques. Nanotechnology offers encouraging avenues for improving wound healing process. In this context, nanoparticles (NPs) and certain natural materials, including chitosan (CS) and aloe vera (AV), have demonstrated the potential to promote healing effects. The objective of this investigation is to assess the effect of novel fabricated nanocomposite gel containing CS, AV, and zinc oxide NPs (ZnO NPs) on the wound healing process. The ZnO NPs were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Then, CS/AV gel with different ratios was prepared and loaded with ZnO NPs. The obtained formulations were characterized in vitro based on an antimicrobial study, and the best formulations were used for the animal study to assess their wound healing effects in 21 days. The ZnO NPs were produced with an average 33 nm particle size and exhibited rod shape morphology. Prepared gels were homogenous with good spreadability, and CS/AV/ZnO NPs formulations showed higher antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The wound healing findings showed significant wound area reduction in the CS/AV/ZnO NPs group compared to negative control at day 21. Histopathological assessment revealed the advantageous impact of this formulation across various stages of the wound healing process, including collagen deposition (CS/AV/ZnO NPs (2 : 1), 76.6 ± 3.3 compared to negative control, 46.2 ± 3.7) and epitheliogenesis (CS/AV/ZnO NPs (2 : 1), 3 ± 0.9 compared to negative control, 0.8 ± 0.8). CS/AV gel-loaded ZnO NPs showed significant effectiveness in wound healing and would be suggested as a promising formulation in the wound healing process. Further assessments are warranted to ensure the robustness of our findings., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest, and we clarify any conflict between corresponding authors and co-authors., (Copyright © 2024 Hasanain Adel Alawadi et al.)

Cadmium (Cd) is a malleable element with odorless, tasteless characteristics that occurs naturally in the earth's crust, underground water, and soil. The most common reasons for the anthropological release of Cd to the environment include industrial metal mining, smelting, battery manufacturing, fertilizer production, and cigarette smoking. Cadmium-containing products may enter the environment as soluble salts, vapor, or particle forms that accumulate in food, soil, water, and air. Several epidemiological studies have highlighted the association between Cd exposure and adverse health outcomes, especially renal toxicity, and the impact of Cd exposure on the development and progression of carcinogenesis. Also highlighted is the evidence for early-life and even maternal exposure to Cd leading to devastating health outcomes, especially the risk of cancer development in adulthood. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how Cd mediates carcinogenic transformation, including epigenetic alteration, DNA methylation, histone posttranslational modification, dysregulated non-coding RNA, DNA damage in the form of DNA mutation, strand breaks, and chromosomal abnormalities with double-strand break representing the most common DNA form of damage. Cd induces an indirect genotoxic effect by reducing p53's DNA binding activity, eventually impairing DNA repair, inducing downregulation in the expression of DNA repair genes, which might result in carcinogenic transformation, enhancing lipid peroxidation or evasion of antioxidant interference such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione. Moreover, Cd mediates apoptosis evasion, autophagy activation, and survival mechanisms. In this review, we decipher the role of Cd mediating carcinogenic transformation in different models and highlight the interaction between various mechanisms. We also discuss diagnostic markers, therapeutic interventions, and future perspectives., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Infertility affects about 15% of couples during reproductive age and male factor infertility accounts for half of these cases. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of leptin, KISS1, leptin receptor, and HOTAIR genes in blood and semen samples of individuals diagnosed with oligospermia in comparison to healthy controls., Methods: In the current investigation, we studied 36 semen and 30 blood samples from fertile oligospermic men as well as the same number of healthy controls. RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted to assess the gene expression levels. Statistical analysis was performed using Graph Pad Prism software. The results were reported as mean±SEM and any P< 0.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: A significant increase in the expression of the leptin gene in infertile males, particularly in semen samples (P< 0.001) was found when compared to the healthy controls. On the other hand, significant decrease in the expression of the KISS1 (P< 0.0001) and HOTAIR (P< 0.001) genes, particularly in semen samples were found when compared to the controls. As it was shown, the expression of leptin receptor had no significant effects on male infertility. Additionally, there may be a potential correlation between the expression of HOTAIR and the leptin and KISS1 genes, with a negative correlation observed between HOTAIR and leptin , and a positive correlation between HOTAIR and KISS1 in both blood and semen samples. However, further investigations are necessary to establish the statistical significance of these correlations., Conclusions: According to the results, leptin , KISS1 , and HOTAIR genes seem to be affected in oligospermia, however, further studies with higher sample sizes are necessary., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Inflammation of the posterior segment of the eye is a severe condition and hard to cure as delivery of drugs to the inflammation site is inefficient. Currently, the primary treatment approach is ocular surgery or invasive ocular injections. Herein, we designed and developed a topically self nano-emulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDs) to deliver triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) to the posterior segment of the eye. A screening based on TCA solubility was conducted on each excipient followed by preparation of various formulations using different ratios of the selected excipients. Vesicles of optimized SNEDDs had less than 100 nm size and spherical morphology. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed self-emulsified vesicles have relatively high safety on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line. Furthermore, efficient cellular uptake of coumarin 6-loaded SNEDDs in RPE using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was confirmed. In addition, an in-vivo study using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining revealed that 14 days of topical treatment of albino rabbit eyes with TCA-loaded SNEDDs was safe and no sign of tissue destruction and inflammation was detected in different parts of the eye sections including cornea, sclera, retina, and optic nerve. Also, the CLSM images from topically treated eyes with coumarin 6 (a hydrophobic, fluorescent drug model) loaded SNEDDs, showed that the optimized SNEDDs could properly penetrate toward the posterior segments of the eye especially the retina, posterior parts of the choroid, and sclera. Considering the outstanding results obtained by ocular tissue penetration and low toxicity, prepared SNEDDs, have the potential to be used as a topical administration for treating posterior segment disorders of the eye through an utterly non-invasive route and TCA-loaded SNEDDs could be an alternative for TCA intravitreal and intra conjunctival injections., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: We designed graph abs by the help of biorender.com., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still a global health issue with no certain treatment option. So far, various treatments have been suggested among which one can mention isotretinoin. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of this medication as a side treatment for COVID-19. This open-label controlled clinical trial with the approval ID of IRCT20190624043993N3 was conducted in Farabi Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 52 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were enrolled. The control group only received standard of care (SOC) treatment while the intervention arm received 40 mg per day of isotretinoin along with the SOC. The patients were followed until discharge. The results showed no death among the groups. The hospitalization duration in the intervention and SOC groups were 5.1 ± 2.29 and 5.1 ± 3.44 days, respectively with no statistical difference (P = 0.98). Moreover, the SpO 2 , pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure also showed no statistical difference neither at admission nor upon discharge (P > 0.05). The laboratory investigations showed that white blood cells, absolute lymphocyte count, hemoglobin value, and platelet count did not differ between the groups at admission or upon discharge (P > 0.05). According to the results, it seems that isotretinoin didn't act as a potent side therapy in patients with COVID-19. However, due to the small sample size, we suggest further investigations., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Worldwide, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) incidence is rising. The literature debates the human papillomavirus (HPV)'s role in cutaneous SCC development. We examined HPV histopathology in SCC samples in this study. Retrospective study at tertiary referral skin center in 2020. Histopathological features of HPV, including koilocytosis, hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, hypergranulosis, parakeratosis, solar elastosis, papillomatosis, and tumor grade, were examined in SCC specimens. Two dermatopathologists independently reevaluated all samples. We examined 331 SCC cases (male:female ratio = 3.9:1). The mean age was 68.1, with 15.1 standard deviation. Lesions were most common on the face (40.5%), scalp (22.7%), and extremities (20.8%). Koilocytes were found in 50 (15.1%) lesions. Nail (38.1%, p=0.007), oral cavity (36.8%, p=0.014), and genitalia (60.0%, p=0.026) lesions had higher koilocytosis rates. SCCs were found in 6.6% of specimens, but in situ tumors had the highest koilocytosis (64.7%), significantly higher than other grades (p<0.001). SCC pathology often shows HPV and specific koilocyte histopathology. Well-differentiated SCC has a stronger association with nail, oral, and genital lesions., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024, the Author(s).)

Backgrounds: Omega-3 supplements are endorsed for heart failure (HF) patients to reduce hospitalizations and mortality, offering anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective benefits., Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in various databases until November 2022. Eligible studies included clinical trials on patients with HF. Data extraction covered study details, omega-3 specifics, outcomes, and limitations. The JADAD scale was used to assess the risk of bias in randomized controlled trials., Results: The review process involved 572 records from database searches, resulting in 19 studies after eliminating duplicates and screening. These studies assessed the impact of omega-3 on various clinical outcomes, such as mortality, hospitalization, cardiac function, and quality of life. Studied duration varied from weeks to years. Omega-3 supplementation demonstrated potential benefits such as improved heart function, reduced inflammation, and decreased risk of cardiovascular events., Conclusion: Omega-3 supplementation could benefit heart disease treatment, potentially reducing therapy duration and improving outcomes. Starting omega-3 supplementation for HF patients seems favorable., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript-1 (MALAT-1) is a long intergenic non-coding RNA (lncRNA) located on chr11q13. It is overexpressed in several cancers and controls gene expression through chromatin modification, transcriptional regulation, and post-transcriptional regulation. Importantly, MALAT-1 stimulates cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis and serves a vital role in driving the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), subsequently acquiring cancer stem cell-like properties and developing drug resistance. MALAT-1 modulates EMT by interacting with various intracellular signaling pathways, notably the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. It also behaves like a sponge for microRNAs, preventing their interaction with target genes and promoting EMT. In addition, we have used bioinformatics online tools to highlight the disparities in the expression of MALAT-1 between normal and cancer samples using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Furthermore, the intricate interplay of MALAT-1 with several essential targets of cancer progression and metastasis renders it a good candidate for therapeutic interventions. Several innovative approaches have been exploited to target MALAT-1, such as short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), and natural products. This review emphasizes the interplay between MALAT-1 and EMT in modulating cancer metastasis, stemness, and chemoresistance in different cancers.

Pandemic countermeasures require the rapid design of antigens for vaccines, profiling patient antibody responses, assessing antigen structure-function landscapes, and the surveillance of emerging viral lineages. Cell surface display of a viral antigen or its subdomains can facilitate these goals by coupling the phenotypes of protein variants to their DNA sequence. Screening surface-displayed proteins via flow cytometry also eliminates time-consuming protein purification steps. Prior approaches have primarily relied on yeast as a display chassis. However, yeast often cannot express large viral glycoproteins, requiring their truncation into subdomains. Here, we describe a method to design and express antigens on the surface of mammalian HEK293T cells. We discuss three use cases, including screening of stabilizing mutations, deep mutational scanning, and epitope mapping. The mammalian antigen display platform described herein will accelerate ongoing and future pandemic countermeasures., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Over the past 50 years, researchers from the mammary gland field have launched a collection of distinctive 3D cell culture systems to study multiple aspects of mammary gland physiology and disease. As our knowledge about the mammary gland evolves, more sophisticated 3D cell culture systems are required to answer more and more complex questions. Nowadays, morphologically complex mammary organoids can be generated in distinct 3D settings, along with reproduction of multiple aspects of the gland microenvironment. Yet, each 3D culture protocol comes with its advantages and limitations, where some culture systems are best suited to study stemness potential, whereas others are tailored towards the study of mammary gland morphogenesis. Therefore, prior to starting a 3D mammary culture experiment, it is important to consider and select the ideal culture model to address the biological question of interest. The number and technical requirements of novel 3D cell culture methods vastly increased over the past decades, making it currently challenging and time consuming to identify the best experimental testing. In this chapter, we provide a summary of the most promising murine and human 3D organoid models that are currently used in mammary gland biology research. For each model, we will provide a brief description of the protocol and an overview of the expected morphological outcome, the advantages of the model, and the potential pitfalls, to guide the reader to the best model of choice for specific applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 into more easily transmissible and infectious variants has provided unprecedented insight into mutations enabling immune escape. Understanding how these mutations affect the dynamics of antibody-antigen interactions is crucial to the development of broadly protective antibodies and vaccines. Here we report the characterization of a potent neutralizing antibody (N3-1) identified from a COVID-19 patient during the first disease wave. Cryogenic electron microscopy revealed a quaternary binding mode that enables direct interactions with all three receptor-binding domains of the spike protein trimer, resulting in extraordinary avidity and potent neutralization of all major variants of concern until the emergence of Omicron. Structure-based rational design of N3-1 mutants improved binding to all Omicron variants but only partially restored neutralization of the conformationally distinct Omicron BA.1. This study provides new insights into immune evasion through changes in spike protein dynamics and highlights considerations for future conformationally biased multivalent vaccine designs., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Lichen planopilaris (LPP) is an inflammatory disease that results in destruction of the hair follicle and replaces it with patchy permanent scarring alopecia; after stabilizing by treatment, reactivation is common and may be insidious. During remission, various methods are available for realizing that the disease is activated or not, but neither of them is practical for patients., Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the paper sign test for reactivated LPP by physician and patient., Patients and Methods: In a prospective study, during 2 years, 83 treated LPP patients have been divided into two groups of 41 and 42. Group 1 instructed for paper sign test which is to comb their hair over a white paper sheet to catch any fallen hairs, then turn the paper upside down, if all collected hair on paper completely separated, test is considered negative, if even one hair hangs onto the paper, the test is considered positive. Group 2 trained for clinical symptoms (hair shedding, scaling, itching, pain, tenderness, and burning)., Results: From the first group, 13 patients had positive paper sign, and from the second group, 35 patients had clinical symptoms; after clinical examination and biopsy, 13 from Group 1 and 17 from Group 2 were confirmed to have reactivated disease. Patients in the first group who had been trained for paper sign test became aware of relapse sooner and came earlier for the evaluation of disease., Conclusion: Paper sign test is a reliable, noninvasive, and practical test for early detection of reactivated LPP by patients during remission period., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 International Journal of Trichology.)

Convolutional neural networks are a class of deep neural networks used for different clinical purposes, including improving the detection rate of colorectal lesions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the performance of convolutional neural network-based models in the detection or classification of colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer. A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and other related databases. The performance measures of the convolutional neural network models in the detection of colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer were calculated in the 2 scenarios of the best and worst accuracy. Stata and R software were used for conducting the meta-analysis. From 3368 searched records, 24 primary studies were included. The sensitivity and specificity of convolutional neural network models in predicting colorectal polyps in worst and best scenarios ranged from 84.7% to 91.6% and from 86.0% to 93.8%, respectively. These values in predicting colorectal cancer varied between 93.2% and 94.1% and between 94.6% and 97.7%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios varied between 6.2 and 14.5 and 0.09 and 0.17 in these scenarios, respectively, in predicting colorectal polyps, and 17.1-41.2 and 0.07-0.06 in predicting colorectal polyps. The diagnostic odds ratio and accuracy measures of convolutional neural network models in predicting colorectal polyps in worst and best scenarios ranged between 36% and 162% and between 80.5% and 88.6%, respectively. These values in predicting colorectal cancer in the worst and the best scenarios varied between 239.63% and 677.47% and between 88.2% and 96.4%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic varied between 0.92 and 0.97 in the worst and the best scenarios in colorectal polyps, respectively, and between 0.98 and 0.99 in colorectal polyps prediction. Convolutional neural network-based models showed an acceptable accuracy in detecting colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer.

Introduction: Few studies have evaluated the histopathological characteristics of clinical rosacea subtypes in detail., Objectives: To assess rosacea histopathological features in correspondence to clinical subgroups., Methods: The histopathological findings of 204 rosacea patients were analyzed retrospectively and were compared among clinical subtypes., Results: Thirt-Two Percent of patients were male and 68% were female. Seventy-three patients had erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) and 110 had papulopustular rosacea (PPR), 12 were ETR + PPR, 4 ocular, 2 phymatous, and 3 had Morbihan's edema. Perivascular and perifollicular lymphohistiocytic infiltration, perifollicular exocytosis, follicular spongiosis, and ectatic vessels were almost found in all subtypes. Solar elastosis was higher in ETR. Spongiosis, exocytosis of inflammatory cells into epidermis, acanthosis, and granulomatous reaction were higher in PPR. Inflammatory cells exocytosis was more in PPR and phymatous. Demodex folliculorum was identified in 27% of ETR, 33.6% of PPR, 50% of phymatous, one ocular patient, and none of Morbihan edema. Demodex brevis were found in 5% of ETR, 3% of PPR, and 50% of phymatous. Demodex brevis not folliculorum was more in phymatous. Spongiosis was the most common finding in ocular rosacea., Conclusions: Spongiosis, exocytosis of inflammatory cells, and granulomatous reactions were more in PPR. Solar elastosis was more in ETR. Histopathological findings were compatible with clinical subgroups.

Background: Some studies emphasise the relationship between the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and pemphigus. Although the possible role of HSV in the pathogenesis of pemphigus and the severity of the disease is obscure, we aimed to evaluate the presence of herpes simplex viruses (HSV 1/2) in the oral lesions of patients with pemphigus vulgaris and also assess its association with disease severity and types of lesions., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on collected data in the form of collecting paraffin blocks, slides, and relevant pathology reports and referring to patients' medical records. A questionnaire containing details on the degree of skin, scalp, and mucosal involvement (Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI)) was fulfiled. The immunoassay result was also collected to check the anti-desmoglein 3 and 1 antibodies (using ELISA technique)., Results: In this study, 52 patients of pemphigus vulgaris with oral lesions (case) and 52 patients with oral lesions not related to the disease (control) were evaluated. HSV1 was detected in 13.5% of oral pemphigus lesions and 1.9% of the control group ( p  = 0.0598). There were no positive cases of HSV2 in either group. There was no significant association between the positivity of HSV1 and the site of lesions ( p  = 1.00) or disease severity ( p  = 0.28). However, we found a strong correlation between the PDAI disease severity score with the titre of the AntiDsg3 antibody ( r  = 0.487, p  = 0.001) and AntiDsg1 antibody ( r  = 0.309, p  = 0.026)., Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant prevalence of HSV1 in oral pemphigus lesions, and acyclovir therapy may play a significant role in managing these patients. However, HSV's role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris cannot be clearly determined., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Skin Health and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)

Introduction: The two less-known subtypes of lichen planus (LP) are lichen planus actinicus (LPA) and lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP), with the highest prevalence in the Middle East., Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological profile of these patients., Methods: Three hundred and seven cases including 184 LPA and 123 LPP patients were recruited from the registered pathology reports of Razi Skin Hospital of Tehran from April 2016 to March 2021. The clinical features and pathological reports were extracted and analyzed., Results: Among 307 patients, 117 (63.9%) in the LPA group and 88 (71.5%) in the LPP group were women. Duration of disease ranged from 1 month to 20 years and 1 month to 12 years in the LPA and LPP groups, respectively. Face (159 patients), limbs (68), and neck (23) were the most frequent sites of involvement in LPA patients, whereas face (60 patients), limbs (47), and trunk (42) were more commonly involved in the LPP patients. Pruritus and oral mucosal lesions were found with similar frequency in both groups. Pathological evaluation showed vacuolar degeneration of basal layer (100%), lymphocytes infiltration (97.3%), and melanin incontinence (58.2%) as the most frequent findings in LPA and vacuolar degeneration of basal layer (100%), lymphocytes infiltration (100%), and melanin incontinence (52/8%) as the most frequent findings in LPP cases., Conclusions: LPA and LPP were both more prevalent among women. Face was the most common site of involvement in both LPA and LPP. Vacuolar degeneration, lymphocyte infiltration, melanin incontinence, and hyperkeratosis were more common histological findings in this study.