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Background and Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the changes in macular superficial and deep capillary plexus (SCP and DCP) density, Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) area, and visual acuity in patients with diabetic macular edema after anti-VEGF therapy. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study utilized before and after treatment design. In total, 30 eyes of 30 patients with diabetic macular edema were investigated in this study. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) images were taken at baseline (before injections) and at visits after injections (30 days after injections). The patients were treated with intravitreal injection of Avastin (Bevacizumab) with a dose of 2.5 mg per month. Macular vessel density of the SCP and DCP, as well as FAZ area were measured in each OCTA. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured at baseline visit and at last visit (30 days after the third injection). Results: The mean age of patients was 57.33 years. Vessel density in SCP, DCP, and FAZ area were found to be significantly different before and after one, two, or three intravitreal injections (P0.05). Moreover, BCVA was not significantly different before and after intravitreal injections (P>0.05). Conclusion: In this study, macular vessel density and FAZ area statistically changed following the intravitreal injections of Bevacizumab; however, they were unchanged among three injections. In addition, the BCVA remained unchanged before and after treatment. Anti-VEGF effect on macular perfusion may cause a direct change in the micro vascular flow.

The man-made farm dam surrounding the Kashaf-Rud Protected Area has created artificial wetlands, providing an ideal habitat for various bird species. One such species is the Blackwinged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), which has made the dam its breeding ground. A total of 42 nests of black-winged Stilts were investigated during the study period from early May onwards in the Kashaf-Rud Protected Area. Our study revealed that nests were built on small patches near the water's edge without aquatic plant incorporation. The mean distance between nests was 3.97±3.281 m, with a mean distance from nests to water of 2.76±1.866 m. We found differences in the mean of clutch size and nest depth compared to previous research in Guilan province of Iran and southern part of Spain highlighting the influence of environmental conditions on nesting attributes within the species. Our results underscore the significance of wetlands in northeastern Iran as favorable habitats for a variety of waterbird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following cancer, cells in a particular tissue can no longer respond to the factors involved in controlling cell survival, differentiation, proliferation, and death. In recent years, it has been indicated that alterations in the gut microbiota components, intestinal epithelium, and host immune system are associated with cancer incidence. Also, it has been demonstrated that the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) generated by gut microbiota are vitally crucial in cell homeostasis as they contribute to the modulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs), resulting effected cell attachment, immune cell immigration, cytokine production, chemotaxis, and the programmed cell death. Therefore, the manipulation of SCFA levels in the intestinal tract by alterations in the microbiota structure can be potentially taken into consideration for cancer treatment/prevention. In the current study, we will explain the most recent findings on the detrimental or protective roles of SFCA (particularly butyrate, propionate, and acetate) in several cancers, including bladder, colon, breast, stomach, liver, lung, pancreas, and prostate cancers.

A Third-Person-Based or Third-Personal Judgment-Dependent account of mental content implies that, as an a priori matter, facts about a subject's mental content are precisely captured by the judgments of a second-person or an interpreter. Alex Byrne, Bill Child, and others have discussed attributing such a view to Donald Davidson. This account significantly departs from a First-Person-Based or First-Personal Judgment-Dependent account, such as Crispin Wright's, according to which, as an a priori matter, facts about intentional content are constituted by the judgments of the subject herself, formed under certain optimal or cognitively ideal conditions. I will argue for two claims: (1) Attributing a Third-Personal Judgment-Dependent account to Davidson is unjustified; Davidson's view is much closer to a non-reductionist First-Personal Judgment-Dependent account. (2) Third-Personal accounts rest on a misconstrual of the role of an interpreter in the First-Personal accounts; the notion of an interpreter still plays an essential role in the latter ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy is an inevitable choice for cancer treatment that is applied as combinatorial therapy along with surgery and chemotherapy. Nevertheless, radiotherapy at high doses kills normal and tumor cells at the same time. In addition, some tumor cells are resistant to radiotherapy. Recently, many researchers have focused on high‐Z nanomaterials as radiosensitizers for radiotherapy. Among them, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have shown remarkable potential due to their promising physical, chemical, and biological properties. Although few clinical trial studies have been performed on drug delivery and photosensitization with lasers, GNPs have not yet received Food and Drug Administration approval for use in radiotherapy. The sensitization effects of GNPs are dependent on their concentration in cells and x‐ray energy deposition during radiotherapy. Notably, some limitations related to the properties of the GNPs, including their size, shape, surface charge, and ligands, and the radiation source energy should be resolved. At the first, this review focuses on some of the challenges of using GNPs as radiosensitizers and some biases among in vitro/in vivo, Monte Carlo, and clinical studies. Then, we discuss the challenges in the clinical translation of GNPs as radiosensitizers for radiotherapy and proposes feasible solutions. And finally, we suggest that certain areas be considered in future research. This article is categorized under:Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > NA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blackburn and Searle have argued that Quine's thesis of the indeterminacy of translation results in a denial of the sort of first-person authority that we commonly concede we have over our mental and semantical content. For, the indeterminacy thesis implies that there is no determinate meaning to know at all. And, according to Quine, the indeterminacy holds at home too. For Blackburn, Quine must constrain the domain of indeterminacy to the case of translation only. Searle believes that Quine has no other choice but to give up on his behaviorism. Hylton, however, has attempted to defend Quine against these objections, by arguing that Quine's naturalistic claim that speaking a language is nothing but possessing certain dispositions to act in specific ways would enable him to accommodate first-person authority. I will argue that the objections from Blackburn and Searle, as well as Hylton's solution, are all problematic when seen from within Quine's philosophy. I will introduce a sort of Strawsonian-Wittgensteinian conception of first-person authority and offer that it would be more than compatible with Quine's naturalistic philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of adding molasses on the physicochemical and silage fermentation characteristics, and in vitro ruminal fermentation parameters of fresh and ensiled lime pulps. This research was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with four treatments including fresh lime pulp without additives (FLP), fresh lime pulp mixed with molasses; (FLPM), fresh lime pulp silage (LPS), and fresh lime pulp silage mixed with molasses (LPMS). Three replications were performed in each treatment Digestibility and gas production were determined using rumen liquid taken from two male Ghezel sheep. The results revealed that the application of molasses had no significant impact on the amount of dry matter. However, a marked distinction (P<0.05) was observed between the treatments regarding neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ash, pH, and water holding capacity (WHC). The potential of gas production for FLPM was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of other treatments. The addition of molasses to fresh lime pulp enhanced (P<0.05) the digestibility of dry matter in the rumen and total digestive tract. However, the presence of molasses in lime pulp silage reduced (P<0.05) the digestibility of dry matter in the rumen and total digestive tract. The results of this study suggested that the use of molasses would enhance fermentation and digestion by altering the composition of pectin in fresh lime pulp. While the lime pulp can be ensiled without molasses, the addition of molasses boosts the nutritive value and digestibility of silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]