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Background and purpose: Some chemotherapeutic drugs are associated with an increased risk of cardiotoxicity in patients. Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is a phenolic acid with valuable cardiovascular, chemo-preventive, and anticancer activities. Recent studies have shown the cardioprotective effects of PCA in several pathological conditions. This investigation aimed to assess the possible protective effects of PCA on cardiomyocytes against toxicities caused by anti-neoplastic agents, doxorubicin (DOX), and arsenic trioxide (ATO). Experimental approach: H9C2 cells were exposed to DOX (1 μM) or ATO (35 μM) after 24 h pretreatment with PCA (1-100 μM). MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tests were used to define cell viability or cytotoxicity. Total oxidant and antioxidant capacities were evaluated by measuring hydroperoxides and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) levels. Expression of the TLR4 gene was also quantitatively estimated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Findings/Results: PCA showed a proliferative effect on cardiomyocytes and significantly enhanced cell viability and reduced cytotoxicity of DOX and ATO during MTT and LDH assays. Pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with PCA significantly decreased hydroperoxide levels and elevated FRAP value. Moreover, PCA meaningfully decreased TLR4 expression in DOX-and ATO-treated cardiomyocytes. Conclusions and implications: In conclusion, antioxidant and cytoprotective activities were found for PCA versus toxicities caused by DOX and ATO in cardiomyocytes. However, further in vivo investigations are recommended to assess its clinical value for the prevention and treatment of cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents.

Background: Pain catastrophizing in patients with rheumatoid arthritis exacerbates negative pain‐related outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and pain intensity. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the severity of pain catastrophizing and the factors contributing to it among these patients. The present study aimed to assess the severity of pain catastrophizing and its association with cognitive flexibility and self‐efficacy in a sample of Iranian patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted on 220 rheumatoid patients referred to a rheumatology clinic affiliated with Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. The instruments used to collect data included a demographic form, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, and the Arthritis Self‐Efficacy Scale. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24. Results: The mean age of the participants was 53.25 ± 12.41 years, and the mean duration of their disease was 6.63 ± 3.39 years. The majority of participants, specifically 61.8%, reported high levels of pain catastrophizing. An inverse and significant correlation was found between pain catastrophizing and cognitive flexibility (p < 0.001). Likewise, pain catastrophizing exhibited an inverse and significant correlation with self‐efficacy and all its dimensions (p < 0.001). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that the final significant predictors of pain catastrophizing were cognitive flexibility (β = −0.34, p < 0.001) and self‐efficacy (β = −0.53, p < 0.001). These predictors were found to significantly explain 51% of the variance in catastrophizing. Conclusions: Through psychosocial interventions aimed at enhancing pain self‐efficacy and cognitive flexibility, healthcare providers can hope to reduce pain catastrophizing and its adverse effects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which is associated with nonspecific respiratory syndromes, varying from mild symptoms of upper airway to required mechanical ventilation hypoxemia. A unique feature of this disease is COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC) that linked with disease severity and hospital mortality. These patients have a profound hypercoagulable state and in patients with severe type arterial and venous thrombotic events are frequent. Abnormal coagulation parameters such as activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were observed in patients with COVID-19. Regarding the above finding it could be considered as a reason to avoid anticoagulation at the both doses of therapeutic and prophylactic. A prolonged aPTT may indicate a coagulation factor deficiency or inhibitor of coagulation, which can be specific (antibody to factor VIII) or nonspecific (lupus anticoagulant, LA). LA can affect laboratory tests of blood coagulation, but is not usually associated with bleeding; however, it can be associated with thrombotic risk as a part of the antiphospholipid syndrome. In a phospholipid concentration-dependent manner LA recognizes a type of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) that prolong clotting tests. In patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) LA is considered as one of the laboratory criteria representing a significant risk factor of both thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity. Similarities between some of the pathophysiological features of COVID-19 and APS has been focused in several reports particularly in the most severe form, catastrophic APS. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of LA on the incidence of thrombophilia in patients with COVID-19, as well as its impact on the inflammation and finally the mortality final rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural extension is a type of non-formal education and plays a key role in transferring knowledge to farmers. However, the knowledge diffusion and application rate produced by the farmers in different agricultural sectors are facing problems. Therefore, in this research, it was aimed to design a promotion model for agricultural knowledge dissemination in Galugah County of Mazandaran province. In order to reach this model, the inductive strategy, qualitative approach (based on systematic data collection) and grounded theory were used. Data collection was done through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 researchers, experts, agricultural extension agents, and innovator farmers (facilitators) in Galugah County of Mazandaran province. The data were analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding using ATLAS.ti 7.5 software. The obtained model showed following issues as the main components influencing the agricultural knowledge in Galugah County: 1. Causal conditions (production of appropriate knowledge and availability of produced knowledge). 2. Strategies (support of the government and private sectors, policies of the country's agricultural sector, rural youth, and farming system.3. Intervening conditions (factors preventing/facilitating the application of knowledge). 4. Contextual conditions (infrastructure, some personal, economic, and social characteristics of the users) and 5. Consequences (agricultural development, and county comprehensive development). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) has increased in recent years as a result of increasing the incidence of hematologic malignancies (HMs). IFIs, as the opportunistic diseases, are the most important concern in these patients with a high mortality rate. These infections are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in HM patients and an important factor in increasing the costs of patients' management because of the prolonged hospitalization and the inevitable need to use antifungal agents. Due to the changes in the pattern of organisms causing IFIs, unavailability of effective and safe antifungal drugs, and high rate of drug resistance as well as lack of fast and accurate diagnostic methods, these infections have become a serious and life-threatening problem necessitating effective prevention and treatment strategies using suitable antifungal agents, especially in high-risk patients. The aim of the present study was to review the pathogens causing various types of IFIs, diagnostic methods, and novel prophylactic and therapeutic antifungal regimens in HM patients according to the new published studies and clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, knowledge-based economies have become a strategic and important issue in the economies of various societies and fields, including agriculture. Since agriculture is crucial for a country's food security, it is essential for this sector to adopt a knowledge-based approach. Technological and knowledge-based companies, particularly those in agriculture, serve as key institutions that transform knowledge into goods and services. However, these companies in Iran face numerous challenges that hinder their growth and development. Therefore, this research aims to identify the challenges faced by agricultural knowledge-based and technological companies, fairs, and startups in Mazandaran province. Methods: To identify these challenges, an inductive strategy, qualitative data, and thematic analysis were employed. Data collection was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 founders or managers of agricultural technology and knowledge-based companies located in the Mazandaran Science and Technology Park, as well as incubators associated with Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Statistical samples were selected using the snowball method, continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. The ATLAS.ti 7.5 software was utilized for data analysis, and a peer review method was used to validate the thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed 151 fundamental themes identified through ATLAS.ti 7.5. The main themes in this study included challenges involved in generating ideas and formulating comprehensive business plans, challenges related to establishing a company in an incubator or science and technology park, R&D and sample product production challenges, marketing and product introduction challenges, sales and market stabilization challenges, developing new market challenges, and market survival and competition challenges. Conclusion: It is suggested that the policies and regulations supporting knowledge-based companies be carefully examined and analyzed to ensure they are better aligned with the needs of these technological and innovative ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By producing of healthy and organic agricultural products could be help the sustainability of the ecosystem and the health of society, but this bitter truth should be also accepted that organic and healthy farmers has been confronted with many obstacles for this production. Therefore, identifying the production of healthy and organic agricultural products deterrent barriers and its facilitating factors from farmers' perspective is very important. The current qualitative research was conducted using the content analysis method to achieve this purpose. In this study, in order to collect data, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 farmers in the area of healthy and organic production, and statistical samples were selected in a purposeful way and continued until the theoretical saturation point was reached. Instrument data collection were semi-structured and in-depth interviews with farmers who had the experience of organic agricultural or were a healthy product producer (n=11). Then Data collected were analyzed using MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2020 software. These Data were organized in three stages of open coding, categorization and abstraction. To evaluate the validity and reliability of this qualitative study, four criteria of Credibility, Transferability, Dependability and Confirm ability were used. The results showed that 55 percent of farmers with a healthy production certificate were men and 45 percent were women. Regarding the current situation of production in the province, 25 initial codes were identified in four main categories. The results of the analysis of interviews with farmers regarding deterrents showed that 57 initial codes identified in seven categories: economic and market, government-supportive, attitude-cultural, natural, productive and technical, research and development and education, legal and individual-professional were summarized. Also, 16 initial output codes related to promotional factors were extracted. According to the results of the research, it is suggested that the direction of the government's agricultural policies should be directed towards the environmental and social goals of producing healthy and organic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is still a great challenge. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the colistin/levofloxacin regimen compared to the usual colistin/meropenem regimen in the treatment of patients with VAP caused by CRAB. Experimental approach: The patients with VAP were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 26) and control (n = 29) groups. The first group received IV colistin 4.5 MIU every 12 h + levofloxacin 750 mg IV daily, and the second group received IV colistin with the same dose + meropenem 1 g IV every 8 h for 10 days. The clinical (complete response, partial response, or treatment failure) and microbiological responses at the end of the intervention were recorded and compared between the two groups. Findings/Results: The complete response rate was higher (n = 7; 35%) and the failure rate was lower (n = 4; 20%) in the experimental group than in the control group (n = 2; 8%, and n = 11; 44%, respectively), but the differences were not statistically significant. Even though the microbiological response rate was higher in the experimental group (n = 14; 70%) than in the control group (n = 12; 48%), the difference was not statistically significant. The mortality rate was 6 (23.10%) and 4 patients (13.8%) in the experimental and control groups, respectively (P = 0.490). Conclusion and implication: The levofloxacin/colistin combination can be considered an alternative regimen to meropenem/colistin in the treatment of VAP caused by CRAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]