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In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have garnered increasing attention for their potential implications in cancer pathogenesis, functioning either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Notably, angiosarcoma, along with various other cardiovascular tumors such as lipomas, rhabdomyomas, hemangiomas, and myxomas, has shown variations in the expression of specific miRNA subtypes. A substantial body of evidence underscores the pivotal involvement of miRNAs in the genesis of angiosarcoma and certain cardiovascular tumors. This review aims to delve into the current literature on miRNAs and their prospective applications in cardiovascular malignancies, with a specific focus on angiosarcoma. It comprehensively covers diagnostic methods, prognostic evaluations, and potential treatments while providing a recapitulation of angiosarcoma's risk factors and molecular pathogenesis, with an emphasis on the role of miRNAs. These insights can serve as the groundwork for designing randomized control trials, ultimately facilitating the translation of these findings into clinical applications. Moving forward, it is imperative for studies to thoroughly scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of miRNAs compared to current diagnostic and prognostic approaches in angiosarcoma and other cardiovascular tumors. Closing these knowledge gaps will be crucial for harnessing the full potential of miRNAs in the realm of angiosarcoma and cardiovascular tumor research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence to suggest that restoration of major/rare biominerals by supplementation can produce osteogenic and anti-resorptive effects in humans. LithoLexal® is a natural extract harvested from a marine alga, Lithothamnion sp., with a porous microstructure and multimolecular composition rich in calcium (32% w/w) and magnesium (2.2% w/w) together with ~72 trace bioelements. In vitro, LithoLexal® demonstrated cellular-level osteogenic efficacy through enhancing the maturation and activity of pre-osteoblasts. This extract also expressed the ability to suppress osteoclastogenesis by downregulating the pro-resorptive cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β and the master regulator of inflammation NF-κB. Parathyroid hormone inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion is another bioactivity of LithoLexal® Bone reported with both short- and long-term administration at a longer duration and higher magnitude than what calcium carbonate could induce. Due to these bioactivities that affect pathogenetic factors of osteoporosis, LithoLexal® Bone is referred to as a disease-modifying adjunctive therapy (DMAT). In postmenopausal animal models, LithoLexal® monotherapy preserved bone mineral density, microarchitecture, and biomechanical properties, while calcium carbonate failed to produce significant outcomes. The pro-resorptive effect of a high-fat diet was also efficiently counteracted in vivo by supplementary LithoLexal®. A large clinical trial on postmenopausal women verified the mitigating effects of LithoLexal® Bone on bone resorption and turnover rate. The characteristic composition of LithoLexal® together with its lattice microstructure are suggested to underlie its in vivo bioactivities. In conclusion, adjunctive therapy with LithoLexal® Bone is an attractive option for clinical prevention and treatment of osteopenia/osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Early childhood caries is a significant health issue. It is important to understand how the parents’ psychological status affects children’s orodental health. Therefore, the present study evaluated the relationship between parents’ stress and early childhood caries. Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, 132 children referring to private and public dental clinics in Shahrekord, in the west of Iran, in 2020 were included randomly. The parents’ stress levels were determined using a child-rearing stress questionnaire. The children were assigned to two groups: with caries (n=88) and without caries (n=44). The data were analyzed with SPSS using the chi-squared test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The mean stress scores of the parents with children with and without caries were 130.06±21.84 and 136.52±17.92, respectively, with no significant difference. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding gender, the fathers’ educational levels, and the parents’ occupations. However, there were significant differences between the two groups in mothers’ educational levels and age (P=0.01, P=0.002, and P<0.001, respectively). Children without early childhood caries had younger mothers with higher educational levels. Conclusion: Although the parents of children without early childhood caries exhibited higher levels of child-rearing stress, the difference was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression and anxiety during pregnancy have a negative impact on prenatal health and reduces mother's child care capability. Up to 20% of the pregnant women experience mood disorders.Objective: The aim of this study was evaluating the relationship between serum anti-TPO antibody levels and mood disorders in pregnant euthyroid women.Materials and methods: Serum anti-TPO antibody levels were measured in the first trimester of gestation in euthyroid pregnant women. Then, the women were divided into two groups of positive and negative anti-TPO antibody. Depression and anxiety were evaluated by Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) during the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy (all women had three assessments during pregnancy).Results: Thirty women with high serum anti-TPO antibody levels (case group) and 32 women with normal serum anti-TPO antibody levels (control group) were compared. Mean anti-TPO levels were 105.63 ± 54.17 and 5.57 ± 1.80 IU/mL in case and control groups, respectively (p = .000). The baseline characteristics and initial HAM-A and HAM-D scores were not significantly different in the two groups except for anti-TPO. Pair t-test showed that the level of anxiety and depression has increased significantly during pregnancy in both groups. Comparison of anxiety and depression level in both groups showed that in anti-TPO antibody positive group, anxiety, and depression levels were significantly higher than the anti-TPO antibody negative group.Conclusion: Depression and anxiety of euthyroid pregnant women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy have a significant correlation with serum anti-TPO antibody levels of the first trimester of pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of administration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] on serum antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels in infertile women. The study was performed as a non-randomized clinical trial on 30 infertile women who had low serum level of both 25(OH) D and anti-mullerian hormone. Vitamin D was prescribed 50,000 IU weekly for up to three months for all eligible participants. Serum levels of both 25(OH) D and AMH have increased significantly after treatment with 25(OH) D. There was a significant correlation between serum levels of 25(OH) D after treatment with AMH (p = .029, OR = 2.9, CI 95% = 2.7-5.5). Mean AMH level after treatment was higher in women with sufficient 25(OH) D, than women with insufficient 25(OH) D (1.048 ± 0.644 vs. 0.513 ± 0.284 ng/ml), which shows a significant difference (p = .043). Also, after treatment, in women with mean AMH level of >0.7 ng/ml (19 women), mean level of 25(OH) D was higher than in women with mean AMH level of <0.7 ng/ml (11 women) (59.332 ± 21.751 vs. 38.881 ± 17.281 ng/ml, p = .013). This means that higher levels of 25(OH) D are accompanied with higher levels of AMH. In conclusions with administration and increasing the amount of vitamin D serum levels, the serum levels of AMH have increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an attempt to investigate validity and reliability of the Persian version of Death Depression Scale among male and female nurses at Jundishapur University of Medical Science and 2 private hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran, who were selected by a convenience sampling method after obtaining informed consent. They completed the Death Depression Scale—Revised (DDS-R), Death Anxiety Scale, Death Obsession Scale, as well as Short-Form of Beck Depression Questionnaire (BDI-13). The results of exploratory factor analysis on DDS-R identified 3 factors. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.93 for the entire measure (19 items), with alphas ranging from .80 to .94 for the individual factors. Indices of concurrent validity for this scale with Death Anxiety, Death Obsession Scales, and BDI-13 were all significant (p < 0.001). Given the validity and reliability of the DDS-R, this scale can be used in clinical settings and research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ethyl 2-oxo-1-cyclopentanecarboxylate undergoes a reaction with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of triphenyphosphine to produce stable phosphorus ylides in good yields. These ylides undergo intramolecular Wittig reaction in boiling toluene to produce cyclobutene derivatives, which undergo ring-opening reactions to produce dialkyl (Z)- 2-[2-(ethoxycarbonyl)-1-cyclopentenyl]-2-butenedioates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have garnered increasing attention for their potential implications in cancer pathogenesis, functioning either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Notably, angiosarcoma, along with various other cardiovascular tumors such as lipomas, rhabdomyomas, hemangiomas, and myxomas, has shown variations in the expression of specific miRNA subtypes. A substantial body of evidence underscores the pivotal involvement of miRNAs in the genesis of angiosarcoma and certain cardiovascular tumors. This review aims to delve into the current literature on miRNAs and their prospective applications in cardiovascular malignancies, with a specific focus on angiosarcoma. It comprehensively covers diagnostic methods, prognostic evaluations, and potential treatments while providing a recapitulation of angiosarcoma's risk factors and molecular pathogenesis, with an emphasis on the role of miRNAs. These insights can serve as the groundwork for designing randomized control trials, ultimately facilitating the translation of these findings into clinical applications. Moving forward, it is imperative for studies to thoroughly scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of miRNAs compared to current diagnostic and prognostic approaches in angiosarcoma and other cardiovascular tumors. Closing these knowledge gaps will be crucial for harnessing the full potential of miRNAs in the realm of angiosarcoma and cardiovascular tumor research., Competing Interests: Author AM was employed by Kimia Andisheh Teb Medical and Molecular Research Laboratory Co. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Modarresi Chahardehi, Afrooghe, Emtiazi, Rafiei, Rezaei, Dahmardeh, Farz, Naderi, Arefnezhad and Motedayyen.)

There is limited evidence that ginger ( shēng jiāng) powder consumption can relieve pain and inflammation because of its special phytochemical properties. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of ginger powder supplementation on some inflammatory markers in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial with a follow-up period of 3 months that was conducted on 120 outpatients with moderately painful knee osteoarthritis. Patients were randomly divided up into two groups: ginger group (GG) or placebo group (PG). Both groups received two identical capsules on a daily basis for 3 months. Each ginger capsule contained 500 mg of ginger powder; the placebo capsules had 500 mg of starch in them. Serum samples were collected prior to and after the intervention and were stored at -70 °C until the end of the study. Serum concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and hs-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of inflammatory markers (i.e., NO and hs-CRP) prior to the intervention. However, after 3 months of supplementation, serum concentration of NO and hs-CRP decreased in the GG. After 12 weeks, the concentration of these markers declined more in the GG than in the PG. Ginger powder supplementation at a dose of 1 g/d can reduce inflammatory markers in patients with knee osteoarthritis, and it thus can be recommended as a suitable supplement for these patients.