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In the present work, we introduce quasi-nonexpansive mappings with respect to orbits on the Banach space. Then we show that a Banach space A has weak normal structure if and only if A has the weak fixed point property for quasi-nonexpansive mappings with respect to orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Donohue syndrome (DS) is an extremely rare and usually fatal inherited disease resulted from mutations in the INSR (Insulin Receptor) gene and delineated by severe insulin resistance with fasting hypoglycemia, postprandial hyperglycemia, and facial dysmorphism. Optimal treatment of these cases is unclear and most DS cases die during the first two years of life. Herein, we introduce a case of leprechaunism due to the rarity of this syndrome (one case in every four million birth) revealed by clinical and laboratory findings. CASE REPORT: We present a 4-day old boy with an abnormal facial appearance, low birth weight who was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) due to poor feeding and jaundice. The patient had coarse facies, hypertrichosis, abdominal distention, genitomegaly, and acanthosis nigricans. Laboratory examinations revealed fasting hypoglycemia, postprandial hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia. The diagnosis of Donohue Syndrome was characterized by the combination of dysmorphic features and biochemical results. Supportive care such as normalizing blood glucose and continuous feeding was initiated. He was discharged with good condition several days later but was admitted again at 6 months of age due to sepsis and then died. CONCLUSION: According to the present case report, close monitoring of blood glucose as well as caring to prevent infection and sepsis is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a mild solution to a class of semilinear fractional differential equation in an infinite Banach space with Caputo derivative order 0 < α ≤ 1. Furthermore, we establish the stability conditions and then prove that the considered initial value problem is exponentially stabilizable when the stabilizer acts linearly on the control system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a mild solution to the system of ψ- Hilfer neutral fractional evolution equations with infinite delay H𝔻0αβ;ψ [x(t) − h(t, xt)] = A x(t) + f (t, x(t), xt), t ∈ [0, b], b > 0 and x(t) = ϕ(t), t ∈ (−∞, 0]. We first obtain the Volterra integral equivalent equation and propose the mild solution of the system. Then, we prove the existence and uniqueness of solution by using the Banach contraction mapping principle and the Leray-Schauder alternative theorem.

Background & Objectives: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is one of the most prevalent bacterial infection in children. Awareness of the antibiotic resistance of common bacteria causing UTI in each area has a large impact on infection improvement. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antibiotic resistance of bacteria causing UTI in two to 15 years old children referring to Fasa Vali-e-Asr hospital during 2012 and 2014. Materials & Methods: This cross sectional - descriptive study was done on 283 children with UTI that had positive urine culture. After identification of strains, the antibiotic sensitivity definition test, using antibiogram disk diffusion method, was done. Results: In this study, the most frequent isolates were Escherichia coli 64.3%, Klebsiella 14.5%, and staphylococci 6.4%. The highest sensitivity rate was to Ciprofloxacin and Nitrofurantoin and the highest resistance was to Co-trimoxazole and Cefalotin. Conclusion: Regarding the results, it is recommended to use Ciprofloxacin and Nitrofurantoin for outpatient treatment of UTI. Selecting proper antibiotics for UTI treatment should be on the basis of the local prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urinary tract infections are among the most common infections in human beings. The inappropriate prescription of antibiotics for treating these infections increases resistance of pathogens to them. The purpose of the present study is to determine the frequency and antibiotic resistance pattern of gramnegative bacilli in adult patients with urinary tract infection admitted to Vali Asr Hospital of Fasa Clinical Laboratory in 2012-13. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 1108 adult outpatients with a positive urine culture admitted to Vali Asr Hospital of Fasa Clinical Laboratory. Urine samples were cultured on blood agar and MacConkey's agar media. The bacteria grown on the plates were then identified by conventional biochemical methods. The disc diffusion antibiotic sensitivity test was then conducted according to CLSI standards. Results: In 92.12% of the cases, urinary tract infection was caused by gram-negative bacilli. The isolated bacteria showed the highest resistance to the antibiotics cotrimoxazole (54.7%), cephalothin (55.6%), cefixime (45%) and nalidixic acid (43.6%). The bacteria showed the highest sensitivity to the antibiotics ciprofloxacin (74%), gentamicin (56%), nitrofurantoin (64.9%) and ceftriaxone (58.2%) . Conclusion: The present study showed that gram-negative bacilli, particularly Escherichia coli, are the most common bacteria causing urinary tract infections and the majority of strains were resistant to the antibiotics commonly used in treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced multi-functional epoxy coating with physical barrier/shielding against corrosive species, self-repairing-capability/active anti-corrosive behavior, abrasion resistance, and thermomechanical durability was established in this study. For this purpose, zinc/l-cysteine (ZC) inbuilt pH-sensitive covalent organic framework (COF) decorated two dimensional (2D) layered amino-functionalized (Si) oxidized hexagonal boron nitride (ZC-COF-Si-Oh-BN) container was prepared. Different analyses such as FT-IR, XRD, BET, XPS, TGA, TEM, and FE-SEM were utilized to evaluate the synthesized containers and pristine materials. To figure out the function of entry of the ZC-COF-Si-Oh-BN container into the epoxy coating (EC/ZC-COF-Si-Oh-BN), the EIS, salt spray (SS), cathodic disbondement (CD), pull-off adhesion, Taber abrasion, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) tests were employed. The results revealed that the introduction of the ZC-COF-Si-Oh-BN container into the neat epoxy polyamide coating (EC) improved the physical barrier protection with a value of log |Z| 10mHz equal to 10.22 even after too long soaking time of 112 days in the saline solution (3.5 wt% of sodium chloride), and recovery-capability/active anti-corrosive behavior with 20.6 % healing degree after 7 h of soaking time. The abrasion weight loss for the EC and EC/ZC-COF-Si-Oh-BN coatings after 2000 abrasion cycles was about 4.8, and 4.1 mg, respectively, with 14.5 % improvement in abrasion resistance., 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 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The transition to renewable energies and electric vehicles has triggered an unprecedented demand for metals. Sustainable development of these technologies relies on effectively managing the lifecycle of critical raw materials, including their responsible sourcing, efficient use, and recycling. Metal recycling from electronic waste (e-waste) is of paramount importance owing to ore-exceeding amounts of critical elements and high toxicity of heavy metals and organic pollutants in e-waste to the natural ecosystem and human body. Heterotrophic microbes secrete numerous metal-binding biomolecules such as organic acids, amino acids, cyanide, siderophores, peptides, and biosurfactants which can be utilized for eco-friendly and profitable metal recycling. In this review paper, we presented a critical review of heterotrophic organisms in biomining, and current barriers hampering the industrial application of organic acid bioleaching and biocyanide leaching. We also discussed how these challenges can be surmounted with simple methods (e.g., culture media optimization, separation of microbial growth and metal extraction process) and state-of-the-art biological approaches (e.g., artificial microbial community, synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, advanced fermentation strategies, and biofilm engineering). Lastly, we showcased emerging technologies (e.g., artificially synthesized peptides, siderophores, and biosurfactants) derived from heterotrophs with the potential for inexpensive, low-impact, selective and advanced metal recovery from bioleaching solutions., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The skin covers the surface of the body and acts as the first defense barrier against environmental damage. Exposure of the skin to environmental physical and chemical factors such as mechanical injuries, UV rays, air pollution, chemicals, etc. Leads to numerous damages to skin cells such as fibroblasts, keratinocytes, melanocytes, etc. The harmful effects of environmental factors on skin cells could lead to various skin diseases, chronic wounds, wrinkles, and skin aging. Hair is an essential part of the body, serving multiple functions such as regulating body temperature and protecting against external factors like dust (through eyelashes and eyebrows). It also reflects an individual's personality. Therefore, the need for new treatment methods for skin diseases and lesions and at the same time preserving the youth, freshness, and beauty of the skin has been highly noticed by experts. Exosomes are nanovesicles derived from cells that contain various biological compounds such as lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. They are secreted by a variety of mammalian cells and even different plants. Exosomes are of great interest as a new therapeutic approach due to their stability, ability to be transported throughout the body, paracrine and endocrine effects, as well as the ability to carry various compounds and drugs to target cells., Aim: In this review, we have discussed the characteristics of exosomes, their cellular sources, and their therapeutic effects on wrinkles, skin aging, and rejuvenation and hair regrowth., Competing Interests: None., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine.)

Background: Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is pivotal in addressing male hypogonadism, yet uncertainties persist regarding its optimal use and long-term ramifications. This study aims to explore the knowledge map of TRT., Methods: In this bibliometric study, we searched Scopus for relevant keywords from the beginning to 2023. Our inclusion criteria were original articles and reviews and our exclusion criteria were non-English and non-related articles and document types other than original articles and reviews. Excel, VOS viewer, and Science of Science (Sci2) software were used for data synthesis., Results: From 6712 retrieved articles, 5325 articles were included for analysis. The most productivity belonged to the USA (n=2,570 documents), the United Kingdom (n=476), and Italy (n=339). "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" (n=168) had the highest participation in publishing. Also, "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" and the "Journal of Sexual Medicine" exhibited significant bibliographic coupling with other journals in the TRT field. The research topics of interest were mainly related to hypogonadism, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction. Bursting analysis of the title and abstract revealed the TRT research prior to the year 2000 was mainly focused on castration, gonadectomy, growth, and aplastic anemia, while the focus of recent research moved towards libido, cardiovascular events, HIV, geriatric issues, diabetes, bipolar disorder, cancer, transmasculine, and transgender individuals., Conclusion: This study highlights the growing trend of TRT research over time, with most focus on hypogonadism, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction. Insights gleaned from this analysis inform research priorities and resource allocation, facilitating enhanced patient care in androgen deficiency management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: The current advances in radiotherapy (RT) have improved the outcome of breast cancer (BC) patients. Despite its therapeutic benefits, the iatrogenic toxicities of RT and its impact on BC survivors are still debated, and further evaluations should be considered. This study aims to assess the rate of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism among BC patients who were exposed to therapeutic radiation., Methods: Seventy females undergoing RT for BC were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Laboratory assessment of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), and free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels was obtained to evaluate thyroid function. The parathyroid function was evaluated by measuring serum levels of Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) at baseline, six and 12 months after RT., Results: The mean age of patients was 54.3±6.4 years. We found no cases of hypothyroidism before radiotherapy. However, nine patients developed hypothyroidism in the six months after radiotherapy (one clinical and eight subclinical, 13% in total), and six patients were identified with hypothyroidism in the 12 months after radiotherapy (one clinical and five subclinical, 8.7% in total). Significant relationships were observed in the hypothyroidism rate at both six months (p = 0.003) and 12 months (p = 0.028) after RT compared with the baseline. There was no case of hypoparathyroidism before and after RT., Conclusion: In summary, we found that thyroid and parathyroid dysfunction after RT are relatively common findings among women with BC. It is a treatable source of morbidity in patients undergoing RT. Therefore, routine thyroid function monitoring should be recommended to improve the quality of life in BC survivors., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None., (© 2024 Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO).)

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that is distinguished for its correlation to myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). As well, HTLV-1 has been documented to have links with other inflammatory diseases, such as uveitis and dermatitis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global distribution of HTLV-1 infection is estimated to extend between 5 and 10 million individuals. Recent efforts in HTLV-1 vaccine development primarily involve selecting viral components, such as antigens, from structural and non-structural proteins. These components are chosen to trigger a vigorous immune response from cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), helper T lymphocytes (HTLs), and B cells. Investigation into developing a vaccine against HTLV-1 is ongoing, and current surveys have explored several approaches, including viral vector vaccines, DNA vaccines, protein and peptide vaccines, dendritic cell-based vaccines, mRNA vaccines, and other platforms. Despite these investigations have shown promising results, challenges like the necessity for long-term protective immunity, addressing viral diversity, and managing potential side effects remain. It is critical to keep track of the progress made in HTLV-1 vaccination research to comprehend the development status and its possible impacts. The evolving nature of vaccine development underscores the importance of staying informed about advancements as we strive to combat HTLV-1-associated diseases through effective vaccination strategies. In this review, our goal is to provide an overview of the current status of HTLV-1 vaccination efforts, emphasizing the progress, challenges, and potential future directions in this vital area of research., 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 Author(s).)

Tau cleavage has been shown to have a significant effect on protein aggregation. Tau truncation results in the formation of aggregation-prone fragments leading to toxic aggregates and also causes the formation of harmful fragments that do not aggregate. Thus, targeting proteolysis of tau would be beneficial for the development of therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. In this study, amino-terminal quantification and ThT fluorimetry were respectively used to analyze the kinetics of tau fragmentation and fibril formation. SDS-PAGE analysis of tau protein incubated with a disulfide-reducing agent demonstrated that the cysteines of tau have a crucial role in the fibrillation and autoproteolysis. However, the structures converted to amyloid fibrils were different with conformations that led to autoproteolysis. The quantification of the amino terminal indicated that the double-disulfide parallel structures formed in the presence of heparin did not have protease activity. The survey of possible tau disulfide-mediated dimer configurations suggested that the non-register single disulfide bound conformations were involved in the tau autoproteolysis process. Moreover, the inhibition of autoproteolysis resulted in the increment of aggregation rate; hence it seems that the tau auto-cleavage is the cellular defense mechanism against protein fibrillation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no competing interests associated with the manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To investigate the effect of increasing duration of family members' presence on sleep status in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to the cardiac care unit., Design: Randomized controlled trial., Methods: Ninety patients with ACS randomly assigned into two groups. No intervention was performed in control group. In the intervention group, the time of family members presence was changed from 1 h per day to 2 h per day from the second to the fourth day. Then, ST Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire was completed by the patients every day during the study., Results: The patients in the intervention group had statistically significantly better sleep status during the course of intervention compared to the control group., Patient or Public Contribution: The increasing duration of family members' presence can improve the sleep quality and quantity of ACS patients., (© 2024 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Discovering new bacterial signaling pathways offers unique antibiotic strategies. Here, through an unbiased resistance screen of 3,884 gene knockout strains, we uncovered a previously unknown non-lytic bactericidal mechanism that sequentially couples three transporters and downstream transcription to lethally suppress respiration of the highly virulent P. aeruginosa strain PA14 - one of three species on the WHO's 'Priority 1: Critical' list. By targeting outer membrane YaiW, cationic lacritin peptide 'N-104' translocates into the periplasm where it ligates outer loops 4 and 2 of the inner membrane transporters FeoB and PotH, respectively, to suppress both ferrous iron and polyamine uptake. This broadly shuts down transcription of many biofilm-associated genes, including ferrous iron-dependent TauD and ExbB1. The mechanism is innate to the surface of the eye and is enhanced by synergistic coupling with thrombin peptide GKY20. This is the first example of an inhibitor of multiple bacterial transporters., Competing Interests: DECLARATION OF INTERESTS GWL is cofounder and CSO of TearSolutions, Inc; and cofounder and CTO of IsletRegen, LLC. Other authors declare no competing interests.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious public health problem worldwide. Drug-resistant TB is considered a major and growing global threat. Despite the great variety of described mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) resistance genes, the mechanisms of drug resistance are still controversial. Recently, a report on the role of efflux pump genes in drug resistance added to this complexity. Therefore, a thorough understanding of efflux pump genes in drug-resistant TB clinical isolates is needed., Methodology: We performed molecular analysis of the efflux pump gene (Rv1258c) in 33 drug-resistant and 20 drug-sensitive clinical MTB isolates by sequencing the amplicons' targets in both the forward and reverse directions., Results: A novel mutation of the Rv1258c gene was identified at G442A (Ala148Thr) in rifampicin mono-resistant clinical strain, as compared to the H37Rv reference strain. In addition, a cytosine nucleotide insertion was found between the positions 580 and 581 (denominated Tap580) in two drug-sensitive strains at identical gene positions., Conclusions: These results indicated the possibility of mutation in the efflux pump genes and the important role of Tap efflux pump genes in drug-resistant MTB isolates. However, further research is required to determine the direct association of these mutations with resistant MTB., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2024 ShimaSadat Farzaneh, Fatemeh Norouzi, Hossein Fazeli, Mahshid Salehi, Marzieh Safari, Bahram Nasr Esfahani.)

Literature reviews reveal a significant deficiency in conceptual comprehension concerning centrifugation, a crucial step in both medical and research protocols. The arbitrary fluctuations in centrifugal forces present a potential threat to the reproducibility of results. To address this, we propose concise guidelines that integrate key factors such as temperature, osmolarity, fluid volume, and viscosity. These guidelines aim to enhance comprehension of optimal sedimentation conditions for cell suspensions. Additionally, we introduce a standardized protocol for determining the optimal RCF and centrifugation time. The goal is to maximize sedimentation efficiency while minimizing cell damage, contributing to a universally applicable and reproducible method in centrifugation practices., 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.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Thyroid cancer is considered as one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. Some pesticides can play a role as a potentially important risk factor in thyroid cancer by affecting thyroid morphology and thyroid hormone homeostasis. The aim of present study was to systematically review the available epidemiological evidence for human exposure to pesticides and thyroid cancer. Articles were searched in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science by suitable keywords from January 2000 to May 2021. Standard techniques for systematic reviews were followed in the current study and results reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, finally seven studies including four cohort studies and three case-control studies were reviewed. Organochlorines (OCPs) in more cases, Organophosphates (OPs) and Carbamates insecticides, herbicides and fungicides were the studied pesticides. Inconsistent results were reported in the surveyed articles on the OCPs. Two articles on the Carbamates (Carbaryl and Mancozeb) showed consistently an inverse association between exposure and thyroid cancer. Increased risk of thyroid cancer due to the exposure to the Malathion was reported in one article on the OPs. Due to the limited current knowledge about the effect of pesticides on thyroid cancer in humans, human health policies must be implemented to control individual's exposure to chemicals through using of botanical pesticides in agricultural. Also, more studies must be done to fill this gap of knowledge., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Abnormal angiogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of various diseases. The medicinal usage of Agrostemma githago L. seed (A. githago herein) has been stated in traditional medicine. This study aims to investigate the anti-angiogenic potential of aqueous extract of A. githago. In order to test the effect of A. githago extract, its impact on HUVECs, T98G, and HGF2PI2 cells was assessed by looking at cellular viability, changes in the distribution of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, induction of oxidative stress, and apoptosis. In addition, the release of VEGF, ANG2, and MMP2/9 factors, along with the expressions of the critical Notch signaling pathway players and VEGF receptors (VEGFR), was measured. Furthermore, a γ-secretase inhibitor (LY411575) was applied to determine whether Notch inhibition restores A. githago effects. As a further characterization, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of A. githago were estimated, and five triterpene saponin compounds were identified using LC-ESI-MS. In response to A. githago extract, a reduction in total cell viability, along with the induction of ROS and apoptosis, was detected. Exposure to the A. githago extract could modulate the release of VEGF and ANG2 from T98G and HUVECs, respectively. In addition, A. githago reduced the release of MMP2/9. Furthermore, Notch1, DLL4, and HEY2 transcripts and protein expressions were up-regulated, while VEGFR2 was down-regulated in treated HUVEC cells. Treatment with the A. githago extract resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of AKT phosphorylation. Inhibition of Notch signaling retrieved the viability loss, reduced intracellular ROS, and alleviated the impaired tube formation in A. githago-treated HUVECs. Overall, these data underscore the anti-angiogenic potential of A. githago via inducing apoptosis, modifying the expression levels of VEGF/VEGFR2, and impacting the release of MMP2/9 and ANG2, effects that are most probably modulated through the Notch/VEGF signaling axis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Inherited cardiomyopathies are a prevalent cause of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Both hypertrophic (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are genetically heterogeneous and typically present with an autosomal dominant mode of transmission. Whole exome sequencing and autozygosity mapping was carried out in eight un-related probands from consanguineous Middle Eastern families presenting with HCM/DCM followed by bioinformatic and co-segregation analysis to predict the potential pathogenicity of candidate variants. We identified homozygous missense variants in TNNI3K , DSP , and RBCK1 linked with a dilated phenotype, in NRAP linked with a mixed phenotype of dilated/hypertrophic, and in KLHL24 linked with a mixed phenotype of dilated/hypertrophic and non-compaction features. Co-segregation analysis in family members confirmed autosomal recessive inheritance presenting in early childhood/early adulthood. Our findings add to the mutational spectrum of recessive cardiomyopathies, supporting inclusion of KLHL24 , NRAP and RBCK1 as disease-causing genes. We also provide evidence for novel (recessive) modes of inheritance of a well-established gene TNNI3K and expand our knowledge of the clinical heterogeneity of cardiomyopathies. A greater understanding of the genetic causes of recessive cardiomyopathies has major implications for diagnosis and screening, particularly in underrepresented populations, such as those of the Middle East.

Electrospun nanofibrous constructs based on nanoparticles and biopolymers have recently been used in tissue engineering because of their similarity to the extracellular matrix in nature. In this study, electrospun chitosan-carbon quantum dot-titanium dioxide-graphene oxide (CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO) nanofibrous mats were synthesized for use as wound dressings by the electrospinning method. To increase the biodegradation rate and water resistance, the fabricated nanofibrous mats were cross-linked. SEM images showed a uniform and coherent structure of CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO nanocomposites and CS-CQD-TiO 2 -GO electrospun nanofibers mats. FTIR analysis, XRD pattern, SEM mapping, and EDS spectrum demonstrate the accuracy of the synthesis as well as the elemental and chemical structure of the nanofibrous mat. The water contact angle indicated that the nanofibrous mat had a hydrophilic property, which is essential for controlling wound exudates. The tensile strength and elongation tests showed that the nanofibrous mat has suitable mechanical properties for wound dressing, including significant flexibility and strength. Interestingly, antimicrobial testing illustrated that the fabricated nanofibrous mat had antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Appropriate cell viability and cytocompatibility of treated mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells with the nanofibrous mat were determined using an MTT assay. The animal study results confirmed the proper potential of the nanofibrous mat in wound dressing applications.

The cornea and covering tear film are together the 'objective lens' of the eye through which 80% of light is refracted. Despite exposure to a physically harsh and at times infectious or toxic environment, transparency essential for sight is in most cases maintained. Such resiliency makes the avascular cornea a superb model for the exploration of autophagy in the regulation of homeostasis with relevancy to all organs. Nonetheless, missense mutations and inflammation respectively clog or apparently overwhelm autophagic flux to create dystrophies much like in neurodegenerative diseases or further exacerbate inflammation. Here there is opportunity to generate novel topical therapies towards the restoration of homeostasis with potential broad application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None for KLD-T, MSG, JR, FN. GWL is cofounder and CSO of TearSolutions, Inc. that has provided an unrestricted gift to UVA's Department of Cell Biology for use by GWL's lab. GWL is also an inventor on several issued and pending patents owned by UVA., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global threat due to the emergence and spread of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Isoniazid (INH) is the main antibiotic used for prevention and treatment of TB. Evidence shows that accumulated mutations can produce INH resistant (INHR) strains, resulting in the progression of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. Since point mutations in katG gene, inhA gene, and oxyR-ahpC region correlated with the INH resistance, in this study, we aimed to identify mutations in these three genes in INHR and MDR clinical isolates of MTB by Sanger DNA sequencing analysis. Thirty-three out of 438 isolates were resistant, including 66.7% INHR and 30.3% MDR isolates. In the katG gene, 68.2% INHR isolates had non-synonymous point mutations, mainly R463L (63.6%), and non-synonymous point mutation KatG L587P was seen in one of the MDR isolate. A novel silent substitution L649L was identified in the inhA gene of the MDR isolates. The oxyR-ahpC intergenic region g-88a common mutations (63.6%) in INHR and two distinct novel mutations were found at positions -76 and -77 of the oxyR-ahpC intergenic region. The coexistence of katG non-codon 315 with oxyR-ahpC intergenic region mutations was highly frequent in INHR 59.1% and MDR isolates 70%. Since mutations of all three genes 95.5% lead to the detection of INHR, they might be useful for molecular detection. Our results indicated the continuous evolution and region-specific prevalence of INH resistance. Overall, identification of new mutations in INH resistance can improve the available strategies for diagnosis and control of TB.

Background: Uropathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the well-kown uropathogens that have the main rule in biofilm formation. Increased prevalence of ESBL enzyme is one of the therapeutic problems. However, the aims of this study were to characterize the ability of biofilm formation and ESBL-producing isolates produced by urinary tract infection's K. pneumoniae to identify the prevalence of this type of infection in the studied area. Methods: Between the 500 nonrepetitive clinical isolates, 128 isolates were detected as K. pneumoniae . Biofilm production of these isolates was showed by Merrit and Christensen method. The standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The phenotype ESBL was confirmed by double disc synergy test (DDST). Genotypic identification of ESBLs did by molecular detection. The statistical analysis was done using software IBM SPSS Statistics (SPSS Inc) and chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results: The result of microtiter plate was observed and it was found that 86 (67.2%) isolates had weak biofilm, 24 (18.8%) moderate biofilm, and 18 (14.1%) strong biofilm. Also, 57 (44.5%) out of 128 isolates were diagnosed as MDR. The highest frequency of resistance was identified for cefotaxime 60 (46.9%) and tetracycline 60 (46.9%), and the lowest rate was for amikacin 16 (12.5%). The results of DDST showed 55 of 128 (43%) produced ESBL enzymes. PCR detection in ESBL-producing isolates showed contained bla TEM 33 of 55(63.1%), and bla VEB 13 of 55 (23% ). Also, 1 of 55 (2%) had both bla TEM and bla VEB . Also, 5 of 13 (38.4%) isolates that had the bla VEB gene were also MDR and had weak biofilm (8/13; 61.5%), intermediate biofilm (3/13; 23%), and strong biofilm (2/13; 15.4%). Conclusion: To decrease treatment complications and mortality rate of drug-resistant bacterial infections, rapid detection of β-lactamases genes and evaluation of these properties and infection management programs can help to prevent the transmission of drug resistant-strains., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared, (© 2021 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Objective: Recently, sildenafil as a drug effective in relaxing smooth muscles can be used as an adjunct to delay the onset of uterine contractions and therefore the occurrence of preterm labor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nifedipine combination with sildenafil on preterm delivery compared with nifedipine alone. Materials and methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial was performed on pregnant women with a gestational age of 26-34 weeks with singleton pregnancy and symptoms of preterm delivery. The mothers were randomly assigned into two groups receiving nifedipine plus sildenafil or those receiving nifedipine alone. The time of delivery, maternal and neonatal complications were compared between the two groups. Results: Mothers who received the combination therapy experienced significantly lower preterm delivery within 72 hours of intervention compared to nifedipine alone (4.5% versus 27.3%, p = 0.002). The rate of delivery during the first 7 days after discharge was 7.6% and 31.8% in nifedipine plus sildenafil and nifedipine alone, respectively (P = 0.001). The prevalence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) as well as mean birth weight was higher in the nifedipine group alone. Treatment protocol with nifedipine and sildenafil compared with nifedipine alone was associated with a significant increase in preterm delivery delay (beta =-5.819, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The use of sildenafil in addition to nifedipine causes more delay in delivery in cases of preterm labor, followed by lower risk for RDS, reduces neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and preserves neonatal birth weight., (Copyright © 2021 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

One of the most prevalent diseases worldwide without a fully-known mechanism is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as significant regulatory molecules. These RNAs have been claimed by bioinformatic research that is involved in biologic processes, including cell cycle, transcription factor regulation, fatty acids metabolism, and-so-forth. There is a body of evidence that lncRNAs have a pivotal role in triglyceride, cholesterol, and lipoprotein metabolism. Moreover, lncRNAs by up- or down-regulation of the downstream molecules in fatty acid metabolism may determine the fatty acid deposition in the liver. Therefore, lncRNAs have attracted considerable interest in NAFLD pathology and research. In this review, we provide all of the lncRNAs and their possible mechanisms which have been introduced up to now. It is hoped that this study would provide deep insight into the role of lncRNAs in NAFLD to recognize the better molecular targets for therapy.

Lack of temperature sensation of myoelectric prosthetic hand limits the daily activities of amputees. To this end, a non-invasive temperature sensation method is proposed to train amputees to sense temperature with psychophysical sensory substitution. In this study, 22 healthy participants took part besides 5 amputee participants. The duration time of the study was 31 days with five test steps according to the Leitner technique. An adjustable temperature mug and a Peltier were used to change the temperature of the water/phantom digits to induce temperature to participants. Also, to isolate the surroundings and show colors, a Virtual Reality (VR) glass was employed. The statistical results conducted are based on the response of participants with questionnaire method. Using Chi-square tests, it is concluded that participants answer the experiment significantly correctly using the Leitner technique ( P value < 0.05). Also, by applying the "Repeated Measures ANOVA", it is noticed that the time of numbness felt by participants had significant ( P value < 0.001) difference. Participants could remember lowest and highest temperatures significantly better than other temperatures ( P value < 0.001); furthermore, the well-trained amputee participant practically using the prosthesis with 72.58% could identify object's temperature with only once time experimenting the color temperature., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© Jilin University 2021.)

In this work, a microwave-enhanced air-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction method combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been developed for morphine and oxymorphone assessment in EBC samples. For this purpose, choline chloride-menthol-phenylacetic acid deep eutectic solvent (as an extraction solvent), butyl chloroformate (as a derivatization agent), and picoline (as a catalyst) are used. After performing predetermined extraction cycles in the microextraction method, the obtained cloudy solution is exposed to microwave irradiations to enhance extraction and derivatization efficiencies. The method provided low limits of detection (morphine 2.1 and oxymorphone 1.5 ng mL -1 ) and quantification (morphine 7.2 and oxymorphone 5.2 ng mL -1 ) in the EBC samples. The method had proper repeatability, accuracy, and stability expressed as relative standard deviations less than 5.1, 9, and 9%, respectively. The developed method was successfully used to determine morphine and oxymorphone concentrations in the EBC samples of addict patients., 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 © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Renin-angiotensin system as an important regulator of renal function has also a major role in inflammation. In the present study, the effects of captopril on renal dysfunction, renal cytokine levels, and renal tissue oxidative damage were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model in rats. Treatment of five groups of the rats was carried out as follows: (1) saline as a control, (2) LPS 1 mg/kg, and (3-5) 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg captopril 30 min, respectively, before LPS. The treatments were given for 12 days. Finally, the animals were deeply anesthetized, the blood samples were obtained, and the renal tissues were removed and kept for biochemical measurements. Administration of LPS increased serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine (P < 0.001). Pretreatment with all doses of captopril decreased these parameters (P < 0.001). LPS also increased interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide metabolites in the renal tissues (P<0.05 - P < 0.001), which was prevented by captopril (P < 0.05 - P < 0.001). The total thiol concentration and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the kidney of the LPS group were lower than the control (P < 0.001), while they were enhanced when the animals were cotreated by captopril (P <0.01 - P < 0.001). The results of the present study showed that captopril improved renal function and attenuated tissue oxidative stress in LPS-induced inflammation model in rats.

Burn patients with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections commonly suffer from high morbidity and mortality, which present a major challenge to healthcare systems throughout the world. Outer membrane protein F (OprF), as a main outer membrane porin, is required for full virulence expression of P. aeruginosa . The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of egg yolk-specific antibody (IgY) raised against recombinant OprF (r-OprF) protein in a murine burn model of infection. The hens were immunized with r-OprF, and anti-r-OprF IgY was purified using salt precipitation. Groups of mice were injected with different regimens of anti-OprF IgY or control IgY (C-IgY). Infections were caused by subcutaneous injection of P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 at the burn site. Mice were monitored for mortality for 5 days. The functional activity of anti-OprF IgY was determined by in vitro invasion assays. Immunotherapy with anti-OprF IgY resulted in a significant improvement in the survival of mice infected by P. aeruginosa from 25% to 87.5% compared with the C-IgY and PBS. The anti-OprF IgY decreased the invasion of P. aeruginosa PAO1 into the A549. Passive immunization with anti-OprF IgY led to an efficacious protection against P. aeruginosa burn infection in the burn model., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Fatemeh Norouzi et al.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Oxidative stress during inflammation can increase inflammation and damage tissue. Nigella sativa L. (NS) showed many pharmacological properties including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities., Aim of the Study: In this study, the preventive effect of NS on lung inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rats was investigated., Materials and Methods: Male rats were assigned to: Control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.), LPS + NS (100, 200, 400 mg/kg, i.p.), (10 per group). Saline (1 ml/kg) was intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injected instead of LPS in the rats of the control group. LPS dissolved in saline and injected i.p. daily for 14 days. Treatment with NS extracts started two days before LPS administration and treatment continued during LPS administration. White blood cells (WBC), total and differential as well as oxidative stress index in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) and serum, TGF-β1, IFN-γ, PGE 2 , and IL-4 levels in the BALF and lung histopathology were examined., Results: LPS administration increased total WBC, eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, and monocytes counts as well as oxidative stress markers in the BALF and serum as well as TGF-β1, IFN-γ, PGE 2 , IL-4 levels in the BALF and pathological changes of the lung tissue. All of these effects were reduced by NS extract treatment dose-dependently., Conclusion: These results suggested the protective effects of NS extract on lung inflammation and oxidative stress as well as its effect on lung pathology induced by LPS dose-dependently., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A hybrid magnetic material γFe 2 O 3 @Sh@cu 2 O was easily prepared from Shilajit (Sh) decorated Fe 3 O 4 and copper acetate. The prepared magnetic hybrid material was fully characterized using different analysis, including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). All these analysis revealed that during coating of Fe 3 O 4 @Sh using copper salt (II), synchronized redox sorption of Cu II to Cu I occurs at the same time as the oxidation of Fe 3 O 4 to γFe 2 O 3 . This magnetic catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity for regioselective synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles via one pot three-component click reaction of sodium azide, terminal alkynes and benzyl halides in the absence of any reducing agent. High yields, short reaction time, high turnover number and frequency (TON = 3.5 * 10 5 and TOF = 1.0 * 10 6  h -1 respectively), easy separation, and efficient recycling of the catalyst are the strengths of the present method., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Background: Evidence suggests hypovitaminosis D is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its extent and related risk factors. However, some investigations have produced contrary results. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of premature coronary artery involvement., Methods: This randomized prospective, case-control study was conducted in Babol from April 2013 to June 2017. We collected the demographic data and measured serum 25-OH-D levels of 294 patients (age≤50 years) diagnosed with CAD with coronary angiography as case group as well as 438 age and sex-matched controls. CAD severity was assessed using the Gensini score. Statistical analyses were used to assess the associations and p<0.05 was considered as significant., Results: The mean serum level of 25-OH-D was 13.12±11.13 and 18.28±8.34 in case and control groups, respectively (P=0.036). In the case group, mean serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower among hypertensives (P=0.018), those with a family history of CVD (P=0.016) and those who used aspirin (P=0.036). The mean Gensini score of patients in the case group was 45.02±23.62 and was higher among men (P=0.022). There was a weak significant correlation between the serum vitamin D levels and the Gensini score (P=0.001 & R=-0.543). The mean Gensini score was not significantly different between patients with deficient (47.02±22.78), insufficient (26.0±21.72) and sufficient (39.0±43.84) vitamin D levels (P>0.05)., Conclusion: The results showed that the lower levels of vitamin D is associated with increased risk and extent of coronary artery involvement as well as some of the risk factors of CAD, including male gender, hypertension and positive family history for CVD., Competing Interests: None

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common nosocomial pathogen in burn patients, and rapidly acquires antibiotic resistance; thus, developing an effective therapeutic approach is the most promising strategy for combating infection. Type III secretion system (T3SS) translocates bacterial toxins into the cytosol of the targeted eukaryotic cells, which plays important roles in the virulence of P. aeruginosa infections in both acute pneumonia and burn wound models. The PcrV protein, a T3SS translocating protein, is required for T3SS function and is a well-validated target in animal models of immunoprophylactic strategies targeting P. aeruginosa. In the present study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) raised against recombinant PcrV (r-PcrV) in both acute pneumonia and burn wound models. R-PcrV protein was generated by expressing the pcrV gene (cloned in pET-28a vector) in E. coli BL-21. Anti-PcrV IgY was obtained by immunization of hen. Anti-PcrV IgY induced greater protection in P. aeruginosamurine acute pneumonia and burn wound models than control IgY (C-IgY) and PBS groups. Anti-PcrV IgY improved opsonophagocytic killing and inhibition of bacterial invasion of host cells. Taken together, our data provide evidence that anti-PcrV IgY can be a promising therapeutic candidate for combating P. aeruginosa infections., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A library of metallo-bipyridine UiO-type metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been successfully synthesized by postmetallation of a wide range of metal complexes into bidentate bipyridine moieties. Then, a systematic investigation is devoted to a catalytic evaluation of the resultant MOFs containing a binary Lewis acid function for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The result indicated that the metal-grafted MOFs exhibit improvement in terms of CO 2 uptake capacity and catalytic activity in comparison with their nonmetallated counterparts. The comprehensive investigation provides a valuable insight into the synergetic effects of MOF functionalities including metal node, grafted metal, and its counterion in the cycloaddition reaction. Furthermore, the metal coordination modulation due to its benefits such as being a solvent-free process, nearly full conversion to cyclic carbonates, high selectivity and high CO 2 uptake, applying atmospheric CO 2 pressure, and excellent stability and easy recyclability of the catalyst demonstrates them as promising candidates for practical utilization of CO 2 conversion into value-added chemicals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society.)