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Abstract In an effort to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), this study investigates the potential of mentha-loaded albumin nanoparticles (MLAN) as a novel antimicrobial agent. MLAN was synthesized by a desolvation method in which the mentha extract was encapsulated in albumin nanoparticles to increase stability and reduce toxicity. Characterization of the nanoparticles by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed their spherical morphology, a size range of 100–200 nm and uniform distribution. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) and loading capacity (LC%) of MLAN were determined to be 80% and 72.73%, respectively, indicating a high effectiveness of the encapsulation process. Evaluation of cytotoxicity using the MTT assay revealed that MLAN exhibited significantly higher biocompatibility compared to aqueous Mentha extract and maintained cell viability at 85.1 ± 3.5% at the highest concentration tested (250 µg/mL). Antimicrobial evaluations against MRSA showed that MLAN had larger zones of inhibition and lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values (0.39 mg/mL and 0.78 mg/mL, respectively) compared to the aqueous extract (MIC: 0.78 mg/mL, MBC: 1.56 mg/mL). In addition, real-time PCR showed that MLAN significantly downregulated the expression of key virulence genes (icaA, icaD and ebps) in MRSA, indicating a potential reduction in bacterial virulence. These results suggest that MLAN could be a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics with improved antimicrobial efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. The study underlines the potential of combining plant extracts with nanotechnology for the development of new therapeutic approaches against antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as MRSA. Further in vivo studies are warranted to validate the clinical applicability of MLAN.

Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease in human history and it is expected to surpass other causes of liver disease mortality by 2030. Therefore, finding an alternative way to diagnose steatosis in the early stage when imaging modalities are not available is crucial. This study decided to validate the optimal cut-off points and the sensitivity and specificity of the Fatty Liver Index (FLI) based on the Iranian population compared to ultrasonography. Methods The data of 367 individuals, 108 males and 259 females over 35, were analyzed. Hepatic steatosis was identified by ultrasound. FLI was determined from waist circumference, gamma-glutamyl transferase, triglyceride, and body mass index data. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the best FLI index cut point for diagnosing nonalcoholic fatty liver. The sensitivity and specificity indices were calculated for the determined cut point. Results The AUC of the FLI index in diagnosing NAFLD in the total population was 0.733 (95% CI: 0.68–0.77, specificity = 0.6705, sensitivity = 0.7320) with the optimal COP of 40.6. There was a statistically significant association between non-alcoholic liver disease and FLI-based ultrasound (p

Abstract Background Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is characterized by the co-occurrence of various metabolic risk factors, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study investigates the potential of hematological indices, specifically the neutrophil to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHR) and lymphocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (LHR), as predictors of MetS in a population from southern Iran. Methods Utilizing baseline data from the Bandare-Kong Non-Communicable Diseases (BKNCD) Cohort, part of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN), A total of 2,684 participants aged 35–70 years were analyzed. Participants were evaluated using the Iranian National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria to diagnose MetS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to assess the predictive validity of NHR and LHR across different demographic categories. Results The mean LHR and NHR values were significantly higher in individuals diagnosed with MetS (P

Objective: This study emphasized the importance of providing equal access to rescue and emergency services for all individuals involved in road accidents, regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic status.Methods: This study involved gathering data on the number of Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) stations in 31 provinces of Iran. It entailed calculating the Gini coefficient and creating the Lorenz curve to assess the station distribution. To present road traffic injuries (RTIs) mortality, Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), and prevalence in Iran from 1990 to 2019, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 estimates were utilized.Results: The findings revealed that Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, Fars, and Khuzestan provinces were equipped with the most stations; whereas, Ilam, Semnan, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad had the fewest. The Gini coefficient for the distribution of RCS and EMS stations was found to be 0.23 and 0.38, respectively. Additionally, the study examined the prevalence, DALYs, and mortalities caused by road injuries across the 31 provinces and presented the findings in the form of a geographical representation.Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure the equitable allocation of RCS and emergency services, with a particular emphasis on road accidents and disaster management scenarios.

Andrej Jenča,1,* David K Mills,2,* Hadis Ghasemi,3,* Elham Saberian,4,* Andrej Jenča,1 Amir Mohammad Karimi Forood,5 Adriána Petrášová,1 Janka Jenčová,1 Zeinab Jabbari Velisdeh,2 Hadi Zare-Zardini,6 Meysam Ebrahimifar7 1Klinika of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery Akadémia Košice Bacikova, UPJS LF, Kosice, Slovakia; 2Molecular Science and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 71272, USA; 3Department of Chemistry, College of Art and Science, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA; 4Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Klinika and Akadémia Košice Bacikova, Kosice, Slovakia; 5Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; 6Department of Biomedical Engineering, Meybod University, Meybod, Iran; 7Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza Branch, Shahreza*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hadi Zare-Zardini; Meysam Ebrahimifar, Email hzare@meybod.ac.ir; ebrahimifar67@gmail.comAbstract: Natural products have proven to be promising anti-cancer agents due to their diverse chemical structures and bioactivity. This review examines their central role in cancer treatment, focusing on their mechanisms of action and therapeutic benefits. Medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and polyphenols, which exhibit various anticancer properties. These compounds induce apoptosis, inhibit cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, interfere with microtubule formation, act on topoisomerase targets, inhibit angiogenesis, modulate key signaling pathways, improve the tumor microenvironment, reverse drug resistance and activate immune cells. Herbal anti-cancer drugs offer therapeutic advantages, particularly selective toxicity against cancer cells, reducing the adverse side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy. Recent studies and clinical trials highlight the benefits of herbal medicines in alleviating side effects, improving tolerance to chemotherapy and the occurrence of synergistic effects with conventional treatments. For example, the herbal medicine SH003 was found to be safe and potentially effective in the treatment of solid cancers, while Fucoidan showed anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial for patients with advanced cancer. The current research landscape on herbal anticancer agents is extensive. Numerous studies and clinical trials are investigating their efficacy, safety and mechanisms of action in various cancers such as lung, prostate, breast and hepatocellular carcinoma. Promising developments include the polypharmacological approach, combination therapies, immunomodulation and the improvement of quality of life. However, there are still challenges in the development and use of natural products as anti-cancer drugs, such as the need for further research into their mechanisms of action, possible drug interactions and optimal dosage. Standardizing herbal extracts, improving bioavailability and delivery, and overcoming regulatory and acceptance hurdles are critical issues that need to be addressed. Nonetheless, the promising anticancer effects and therapeutic benefits of natural products warrant further investigation and development. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to advance herbal cancer therapy and integrate these agents into mainstream cancer treatment.Keywords: herbal, anti-cancer, chemotherapy, cancer therapy, drug resistance

Background: Insulin-secreting tumors are the most common hormone-producing neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. Only 10 percent of overall cases of insulinoma have malignant variants, which have a poor prognosis. Cases Report: The present study reports an unusual case of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor associated with hypoglycemia and liver metastasis as the initial presentation followed a rapidly progressive clinical course. A few cases of malignant insulinoma were reported with favorable responses in the literature. This research presents a patient with resistant malignant insulinoma who could not undergo an operation and received treatment with somatostatin analogs (S.S.A.), Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), and other supportive care that was inappropriate. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and extensive treatment are auspicious for improving the prognosis of malignant insulinoma, and proper treatment with medications would increase the quality of life of patients. Nevertheless, unfortunately, late patient referrals, socioeconomic conditions, and being infected with Covid-19 disease resulted in death.

Objective DNA methylation, as an epigenetic alteration, plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis and venous thrombosis. E-cadherin, a tumor suppressor gene and adhesion molecule, has a crucial function in platelet aggregation and hemostasis. P16, a cell cycle regulator, is involved in venous thrombosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the DNA methylation patterns and expression levels of the E-cadherin and P16 genes in venous thromboembolism (VTE). Method Peripheral blood samples were collected from 32 patients, including those with deep vein thrombosis (DVT, n = 15), pulmonary embolism (PE, n = 8), DVT with PE (n = 4), intestinal thrombosis (IT, n = 3), and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST, n = 2), as well as from 10 healthy individuals. The DNA methylation patterns and gene expression levels of E-cadherin and P16 were analyzed using methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and Real-Time PCR, respectively. Results The promoter of the CDH1 gene was partially methylated in 84.4% of thrombotic patients and unmethylated in 15.6% ( P = 0.183). A significantly higher expression level of CDH1 was observed in the patients compared to the controls ( P = 0.001). The P16 gene promoter were unmethylated in all control and patient specimens. Compared to normal subjects, the expression level of the P16 was significantly increased in patients ( P = 0.000). Conclusion Our results indicated that DNA methylation is not the main gene expression regulatory mechanism for E-cadherin and P16 genes in thrombosis. Higher transcription levels of CDH1 and P16 in thrombotic patients may show their crucial roles in the pathogenesis of VTE.

The food industry by-product causes a negative environmental impact and reduces resource efficiency and productivity. Although these by-products have been used only for animal feed purposes in the past, there is an emerging trend to use them in human food as well. Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is a proper example of such industrial by-products; it constitutes about 85 % of the total by-products generated in the brewing industry. With high amounts of fiber and protein, BSG can serve as a formulation ingredient in human nutrition. Accordingly, many studies have tried to investigate the possibility of using it in different food products. Overall, BSG is a promising source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic properties. Enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and extraction conditions can be optimized to enhance the functional attributes of BSG for food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical applications. This review elaborated on the possibility of using BSG within bakery, pasta, and cereal-based formulations and its effect on such products' quality and nutritional characteristics. In addition, the functional ingredients of BSG and their biological properties are briefly reviewed. The research results suggest that incorporating BSG into various bakery products can enhance their nutritional value, but the optimal level of addition varies depending on the specific product. Careful optimization is required to balance an improved nutritional profile and acceptable technological and sensory qualities. However, the challenge facing the high-scale utilization of BSG ingredients is the variability of raw material composition. Therefore, more study is needed to develop innovative technologies for integrated and comprehensive valorization of BSG.

Tissue repair represents a critical concern within the domain of dentistry. On a daily basis, countless individuals seek dental clinic services due to inadequate dental care. Many of the treatments that patients receive have unfavorable side effects. The employment of innovative methodologies, including gene therapy, tissue engineering, and stem cell (SCs) applications for regenerative purposes, has garnered significant interest over the past years. In recent times, artificial intelligence, particularly neural networks, has emerged as a topic of considerable attention among many medical professionals. Artificial intelligence possesses the capability to analyze data patterns through learning algorithms. Research opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of health sciences have been made possible by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Though its uses are not restricted to these situations, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve and accelerate many aspects of regenerative medicine research and development, especially when working with complicated patterns. This review article is to investigate how artificial intelligence might be used to enhance regenerative processes in dentistry by using scaffolds and stem cells, in light of the continuous advances in artificial intelligence in the fields of medicine and tissue regeneration. It highlights the difficulties that still exist in this developing sector and explores the possible uses of AI with a particular emphasis on dentistry practices.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), naturally occurring components of innate immunity, are emerging as a promising new class of anticancer agents. This review explores the potential of AMPs as a novel class of anticancer agents. AMPs, naturally occurring peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, exhibit several characteristics that make them attractive candidates for cancer therapy, including selectivity for cancer cells, broad-spectrum activity, and immunomodulatory effects. Analysis of a dataset of AMPs with anticancer activity reveals that their effectiveness is influenced by various structural properties, including net charge, length, Boman index, and hydrophobicity. These properties contribute to their ability to target and disrupt cancer cell membranes, interfere with intracellular processes, and modulate the immune response. The review highlights the promising potential of AMPs as a new frontier in cancer treatment, offering hope for more effective and less toxic therapies. AMPs demonstrate promising potential in cancer therapy through multiple mechanisms, including direct cytotoxicity, immune response modulation, and targeting of the tumor microenvironment, as evidenced by extensive preclinical studies in animal models showing tumor regression, metastasis inhibition, and improved survival rates. AMPs show significant potential as cancer therapeutics through their direct cytotoxicity, immune response modulation, and tumor microenvironment targeting, with promising results from preclinical studies and early-phase clinical trials. Future research should focus on optimizing AMP properties, developing novel delivery strategies, and exploring synergistic combination therapies to fully realize their potential as effective cancer treatments, while addressing challenges related to stability, delivery, and potential toxicity.

Background & Aims: Blistering disorders are acute or chronic autoimmune diseases affecting the skin and the mucous membranes. In mouth or any non-specific lesions like lichen planus, chronic herpesvirus infection, etc., differential diagnosis needs confirmation by biopsies, direct- and indirect- immunofluorescence. This case study is about Gingival Bullae as a rare sign of Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid (MMP), that is a blistering disease. Case Presentation: A 55-year-old woman without any past medical or family history was referred to the Oral Medicine Department of Semnan University of Medical Sciences by an internist with complaints of oral bullae and burning sensation. Intraoral examinations showed gingival erythema and bullae. The histopathology result after biopsy reported that this Gingival Bullae is related to MMP. An oral corticosteroid was administered and no recurrence was observed at 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: Dentists could be the first healthcare professionals to identify this rare mucocutaneous lesion, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment. This, in turn, determines the prognosis and course of the disease. Multidisciplinary cooperation is recommended.

Objective: Trauma-related injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in the active population, withdevastating economic, health, and social consequences for nations. TThis study aimed to assess the economicburden of injuries in Iran.Methods: In this study, the economic impact of trauma in Iran in 2019 was estimated using a prevalence-basedapproach. The prevalence was estimated based on available statistics in Iran and the GBD website. Directmedical expenditures were calculated using a top-down approach. The cost of lost production due to injuriesand premature death was also estimated using the DALY value. Microsoft Excel 2019 and Stata softwareversion 13.0 were used for the analysis.Results: In Iran, approximately 16,500,000 individuals were estimated to have sustained injuries in a singleyear. The average direct medical expenses for each trauma patient were around $226. Fractures contributedto 39% of the financial impact of trauma. The overall economic burden of trauma in Iran was calculatedto be $10,214,403,423. Approximately 66% of this economic burden was attributed to lost productivity andpremature death resulting from trauma, while direct medical costs made up 34%.Conclusion: The economic burden of trauma in Iran is expected to significantly rise in the future. It maybe necessary to enhance awareness of injury-related mortality and disability, improve therapies, and expandevidence-based interventions to reduce the economic impact of injuries.

Objective: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely recognized as a promising cell type for therapeutic applicationsdue to their ability to secrete and regenerate bioactive molecules. For effective bone healing, it is crucial to select ascaffold that can support, induce, and restore biological function. Evaluating the scaffold should involve assessing MSCsurvival, proliferation, and differentiation. The principal aim of this investigation was to formulate composite nanofibrousscaffolds apt for applications in bone tissue engineering.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated using Poly-L-lactic acid(PLLA) polymer. The PLLA fibers’ surface was modified by integrating collagen and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles.Results: The findings demonstrated that the collagen- and nanohydroxyapatite-modified electrospun PLLA scaffoldpositively influenced the attachment, growth, and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.Conclusion: Coating the nanofiber scaffold with collagen and nanoparticle HA significantly enhanced the osteogenicdifferentiation of MSCs on electrospun PLLA scaffolds.

Overview: This review aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, and students interested in oral cancer, providing them with up-to-date information and insights into the current state of knowledge and practice in the field. Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is a type of cancer that affects the mouth, tongue, lips, or throat. It is a common form of cancer worldwide, and its incidence is increasing annually. Oral cancer can be life-threatening if not detected early and treated promptly. Methods: We searched the PubMed database, Web of Science (WOS), Google Scholar, Scopus, and selected studies by predefined eligibility criteria. This review aims to provide an overview of oral cancer, including its causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and prevention strategies. Result: Oral cancer is a preventable disease, and ongoing research is providing valuable insights into its risk factors and development. With this increasing knowledge, healthcare professionals have the opportunity to improve clinical outcomes by developing better early detection and treatment strategies. By staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in biomedical sciences and dentistry, they can make a significant impact on patient outcomes and save lives. Conclusion: summarizing the key points discussed in the review and highlighting the significance of continued research and awareness efforts to combat this complex and aggressive disease.