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Context: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Pulmonary manifestations have been identified as the common symptom, and patients present a wide range of hematologic changes depending on the flow of the diseases. The interpretation and treatment of hematological complications in COVID-19 patients are very challenging. There are limited guidelines thus far due to the novelty of the disease. Evidence Acquisition: This review summarizes the hematological findings (platelet and coagulation/fibrinolytic) in COVID-19 patients and discusses possible mechanisms for their changes. Results: The results showed that the common findings were thrombocytopenia, elevated D-dimer levels, and prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) in severe patients. Conclusions: Attention to hematological changes may be helpful biomarkers in diagnosing and determining patients needing intensive care, as well as monitoring the treatment process and treatment effects on COVID-19 patients.

In spite of the great progress in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment, a large number of patients still suffer from chemotherapy drug toxicity. As a routine medication for ALL treatment, cytarabine (Ara-C) has many side effects on the patients. Astaxanthin (ASX), on the other hand, is a carotenoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.The present study investigated the effects of ASX in combination with Ara-C on cell proliferation, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest in NALM-6 cell line.NALM6 cells were treated with different concentrations of ASX, Ara-C, and their co-treatment. Cytotoxic effects were evaluated using MTT assay. After treating the cells with the IC50 dose of ASX, Ara-C and their co-treatment, we studied apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and expression of apoptotic, anti-apoptotic, and inflammatory genes.MTT assay demonstrated that co-treatment of cytarabine and ASX had greater cytotoxicity effects compared with the IC50 dose of Ara-C alone. After 48 h of treatment of NALM-6 cells with the combination dose, expression levels of apoptotic genes (P53, caspase-8, 3), the anti-apoptotic gene (Bcl-xL) and inflammatory genes (IL-6, TNF-α) changed significantly compared to the untreated group (p 0.05).Co-treatment of ASX and Ara-C has synergism effects on apoptosis pathways, cell proliferation inhibition, and decreased inflammation.

Orbitofacial anthropometrics have become an important tool used in reconstructive surgery. The authors attempt to evaluate the relation between orbital lateral canthal distance and the cephalometric characteristic of mandible in Iranian population.In a cross-sectional study, anthropometric parameters of face in 200 subjects (100 males and 100 females) with mean age of 34.39 ± 18.83 were evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomography imaging.In this study, there was not a significant difference in the age of sex groups (P = 0.183). Also, there was no significant difference in the left and right mandible angle in different sex groups (P = 0.25, P = 0.124, respectively). There were significant differences in the anterior mandible distance, inferior mandible angle distance (P = 0.0001) and lateral cantus distance of sex groups (P = 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between lateral contuse distance and left mandible angle (r = 0.226, P = 0.001), right mandible angle (r = 0.283, P = 0.00), mandible angle (r = -0.266, P = 0.00), anterior mandible angle distance (r = 0.655, P = 0.00), and inferior mandible angle distance (r = 0.582, P = 0.00).Here, we conclude that orbital lateral canthal distance can predict the cephalometric characteristic of mandible in Iranian population.

Spermatogonial cells (SCs) are key cells for spermatogenesis. These cells are affected by paracrine signals originated from nearby somatic cells, among them Leydig cells have receptors for osteocalcin, a hormone known for exerting positive roles in the promotion of spermatogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate roles for osteocalcin on SCs proliferative and differentiation features after coculture with Leydig cells. SCs and Leydig cells were isolated from neonate NMRI offspring mice and adult NMRI mice, respectively. SCs population were then enriched in a differential attachment technique and assessed for morphological features and identity. Then, SCs were cocultured with Leydig cells and incubated with osteocalcin for 4 weeks. Evaluation of proliferation and differentiation-related factors were surveyed using immunocytochemistry (ICC), Western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, the rate of testosterone release to the culture media was measured at the end of 4th week. Morphological and flow cytometry results showed that the SCs were the population of cells able to form colonies and to express ID4, α6-, and β1-integrin markers, respectively. Leydig cells were also able to express Gprc6α as a specific marker for the cells. Incubation of SCs/Leydig coculture with osteocalcin has resulted in an increase in the rate of expressions for differentiation-related markers. Levels of testosterone in the culture media of SCs/Leydig was positively influenced by osteocalcin. It could be concluded that osteocalcin acts as a positive inducer of SCs in coculture with Leydig cells probably through stimulation of testosterone release from Leydig cells and associated signaling.

Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) production is induced by diabetes. Microglial cells are activated by RAGE and produce inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and oxidative stress markers. Persistent production of TNF-α can provide a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of concomitant use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) with iron supplements on microglial cell activation and inflammatory conditions in the hippocampus of type 2 diabetic rats.Diabetic and normal Wistar rats were divided into six groups. Oxidative stress markers (total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)), mRNA expression and protein levels of RAGE and TNF-α were evaluated in the hippocampus of the controls and supplemented with ferrous sulfate and ω-3 PUFAs alone and together rats. Also, the entry of microglia cells into the hippocampus was evaluated by immunohistochemistry technique.Levels of the microglial activation (2.4 fold, p 0.0001), MDA (84%, p 0.0001) and oxidative stress index (OSI) (11%, p = 0.0094), mRNA expression and protein contents of RAGE (1.83 fold and 82% respectively) and TNF-α (2.25 fold and 86% respectively) were strongly influenced by negative effect of iron compared to the group receiving only ω-3 PUFAs which was dramatically improved by vitamin E.These observations indicated that the co-supplementation of ferrous sulfate with ω-3 PUFAs decreases the anti-inflammatory ability of ω-3 PUFAs in the hippocampus of diabetic rats via RAGE/TNF-α-induced oxidative stress pathway up-regulation.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the proliferation and maintenance rate of cultivated human limbal stem cells (hLSCs)-enriched after treating with post-thaw human amniotic membranes (HAMs) fortified by platelet lysate (PL). To prepare PL, three volunteers were selected and platelet rich plasma (PRP) were isolated from their peripheral blood. Thrombin solution was added afterwards at a 1:5 ratio and the produced PL was used to fortify HAMs after a freeze-thaw cycle. hLSCs obtained from corneo-scleral rings of donated cadaveric corneas and cultured on the post-thaw fortified HAMs as the test group. Cell viability as well as genotypic and phenotypic variations in hLSCs-enriched were compared between the test group and the hLSCs cultivated on post-thaw HAMs without PL (as the control group). Cell Viability assessment demonstrated a significant increase of the hLSCs-enriched viability in the test group on days 1 and 3 and a borderline increase after 1 week in comparison to the control group. Tp63 gene expression decreased remarkably on day 7. NGFR gene expression, however, showed a notable increase on days 1, 3, and 7. There was not a significant difference between the hLSCs-enriched in the test and control groups after 1 week, concerning ΔNp63 protein expression. Our findings strongly indicate that applying PL to fortify HAMs after thawing could potentiate hLSCs-enriched proliferation and differentiation to corneal epithelial precursor cells. In this respect, PL-fortified post-thaw HAMs may potentially improve ocular surface wound healing and re-epithelialization.

Purpose Non-coding RNAs play a critical role in gene regulation in cancer cells. Reduced expression of microRNA-192 has been detected in many cancers. Here, we investigated the role of miR-192 in Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and Thymidylate Synthase (TYMS) expression level and in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line. Basic procedures 20 patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were studied for the level of (micro RNA-192) miR-192, DHFR and TYMS expression level by qRT-PCR. NALM-6 cells were transduced using recombinant lentiviruses for overexpression of miR-192 and its backbone, then the relative changes in DHFR and TYMS genes expression were studied by qRT-PCR. DHFR Protein level changes were analyzed by Western blotting. Main findings ALL patients with relapse, experience lower levels of miR-192 and higher levels of DHFR and TYMS in comparison with treated patients. Overexpression of miR-192 in NALM-6 cells resulted in decreased expression of DHFR and TYMS. Moreover, the protein level of DHFR was decreased after overexpression of miR-192. Principal conclusions These results suggest the tumor suppression effects of miR-192 and its correlation with decreased DHFR and TYMS level in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells for the first time.