The Relationship Between Janus Kinase Pathways and MicroRNAs

Janus Kinase (JAK) family is a group of four signaling enzymes composing of four distinct domains and involved in the intracellular pathways of cytokine downstream signaling. There are two kinase domains at C-terminal of protein, one of which is regulatory and the other has the main functionality in phosphorylation of target proteins. JAKs involve in the critical physiological processes, including immune response, growth, and differentiation. Mutations or malfunction of JAKs gene can result in pathological conditions like immuno-inflammatory diseases and malignancies. Targeting of JAK enzymes has been considered as effective therapeutic approaches in immuno-inflammatory disorders and different types of hematopoietic cancers or solid tumors. Rather than cytokines that are the natural modulators and the small chemical inhibitors developed as the therapeutic modulators of JAK enzymes, miRNAs can exert regulatory activity on JAKs. miRNAs are valuable biomarkers and regulatory elements of different pathophysiological conditions, particularly cancers. The relationships between JAK enzymes and miRNA are bi-directional, as the JAKs activity through JAK-STAT pathway as well as some other non-STAT pathways, control the expressions of various genes. These connections help scientists to design and develop novel therapeutic agents and predict the prognosis of disease following therapeutic regimens, based on these two critical components of cell biology. HIGHLIGHTS•Janus kinase family consists of four signaling enzymes involved in cytokine signaling pathways.•Modifications of JAK enzymes resulted in various pathological conditions.•JAK2 modification is reported in several types of cancers.•JAK modulators have been approved by FDA for treatment of several immunological and neoplastic disorders

A LARGE-SCALE INVESTIGATION OF AD-TO-AD SPILLOVER EFFECTS IN TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Television advertising remains a crucial component of many companies' marketing strategies, as it offers a powerful platform to reach a broad audience and promote brand awareness. However, the effectiveness of television advertisements can be influenced by various factors. Content, ad characteristics, and airing characteristics play a vital role in marketing strategies, serving as powerful tools to engage and influence target audiences. In an era of information overload and short attention spans, compelling and valuable strategies have become essential for capturing and retaining viewer’s interest. Airing characteristics like the order in which different brands' ads are displayed during commercial breaks. This phenomenon, known as the "spillover effect," suggests that the presence of certain brands' advertisements may impact the viewership or interruption rates of subsequent ads, potentially leading to significant consequences for advertisers and television networks.This dissertation investigates how the sequence of ads affects audience engagement, specifically focusing on the interruption rate of the following ad that could be influenced by the lead-in ad, while controlling for other factors. This phenomenon is referred to as the "spillover effect" of the lead-in ad. The study aims to examine how the content of the juxtaposed ads impacts viewer engagement of the following ad, considering the potential consequences for advertisers and television networks. Essay 1 examines the spillover effect of event-related advertising, such as political ads during election seasons, tax preparation ads during filing seasons, or promotional campaigns for highly anticipated movie releases, on subsequent brand advertising. The significance of these events can fluctuate over time, potentially altering the spillover effect on brand ads throughout the event cycle. It's crucial to analyze how event-related ads influence viewer engagement and receptivity to brand advertising. The saturation of media with event-specific messaging risks causing information overload, diminishing attention spans for brand ads. For instance, the high frequency of political ads during elections may lead viewers to tune out subsequent brand messaging. Moreover, the messaging strategies employed in event-related advertising can spillover to impact viewer responses to brand ads. Political campaigns often utilize emotionally charged appeals, controversial claims, and negative attacks to capture voters' attention. Similarly, tax preparation ads may play on anxiety or urgency around filing deadlines. Such tactics could positively or negatively influence how viewers perceive and respond to subsequent brand ads, affecting their effectiveness. Understanding these dynamics of how event-related ad frequency and messaging strategies spillover to impact brand advertising is vital for companies. It allows them to adjust their marketing approaches proactively during these periods, ensuring their brand messaging remains impactful and resonates with the target audience amid the cluttered media landscape. Essay 2 investigates the broader understanding of consumer behavior and advertising effectiveness, shedding light on the complex interplay between brand perceptions, ad sequencing, and viewer engagement. Our analysis, encompassing TV ads from 100 brands across diverse product categories, reveals a distinct shift in viewers' behavior towards subsequent ads, with different brands exhibiting varying degrees of spillover effects. The study represents heterogeneity in the spillover effects across different brand campaigns. Interestingly, as viewer engagement with a specific brand ad decreases, subsequent brand ads tend to experience a more positive spillover effect. By quantifying these spillover effects, this study offers a data-driven approach to informed decision-making in the realm of television advertising. Advertisers and media platforms can leverage these insights to maximize the return on their marketing investments. The study provides a deeper understanding of how ad sequencing, brand perceptions, and viewer engagement interact, enabling more strategic ad placement and campaign planning. Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of considering spillover effects when evaluating advertising effectiveness. Brand ads cannot be viewed in isolation, as their impact is influenced by preceding ads and the overall media environment. This study equips advertisers with a comprehensive framework to account for these spillover dynamics, leading to more accurate assessments of ad performance and better optimization of advertising strategies.2026-05-2

Assessment the satisfaction level of faculty members from virtual teaching during corona crisis in Rafsanjan School of Medicine

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the experiences and the satisfaction level of the academic members is an important parameter in planning for virtual education during COVID-19 pandemic. The present study was designed to evaluate the satisfaction level of faculty members of Rafsanjan School of Medicine regarding virtual education in COVID-19 crisis in two stages between 2019 and 2022. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted on the faculty members of Rafsanjan Medical School. The satisfaction level with virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic was determined using a researcher-made questionnaire with appropriate validity and reliability. For analysing of quantitative variables, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, independent t tests and one-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were used. RESULTS: Data showed that only 15.2% of the faculty members had a previous experience of virtual teaching prior to the pandemic and 30.3% had a history of passing the empowerment course on virtual education before the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, 68.2% passed the empowerment course on virtual education at the same time as the COVID-19 epidemic spread. The overall satisfaction with virtual education in the first and second stages of the study was 49.05 and 49.22 out of 100, respectively. The satisfaction of NAVID learning management system was 66.66 percent among faculty members. The level of satisfaction in non-clinical members was significantly more than clinical members. CONCLUSION: The overall satisfaction of faculty members with virtual education was at an average or medium level. From the point of view of the faculty members, some aspects of virtual education need to be improved. Therefore, it seems necessary to improve the infrastructure and empower the faculty members to enhance the quality of virtual education

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Equisetum arvense L. on acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Abstract Equisetum arvense L. (EAL) has a long history in traditional medicine for its ability to address various digestive and inflammatory conditions. Here, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the EAL hydroalcoholic extract (HAEA) compared with the standard medications in a rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC) caused by acetic acid. Eighty-one male Sprague Dawley rats were acquired and randomly allocated into nine equal groups: healthy control group, negative control groups (receiving normal saline and carboxymethyl cellulose gel base), positive control groups (receiving asacol rectally and mesalazine orally), and test groups treated with different amounts of HAEA. At the end of the experiment (7 days), colonic injury was evaluated by macroscopic, biochemical, and stereological assessments. The effectiveness of HAEA on colonic tissue was proved by significantly decreasing the malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentrations as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and increasing the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in comparison to negative control groups. Particularly, the HAEA gel 10% rectal enema was significantly effective in decreasing MDA and IL-1β, as well as increasing GPx and SOD activities in comparison to positive control groups (P < 0.05). According to the stereological evaluations, HAEA 600 mg/kg orally and gel 10% rectal enema-treated groups, as well as the positive control groups, had significantly higher epithelium, submucosa, and muscularis mucosa volume density in comparison to the negative control groups (P < 0.001). This study showed promising therapeutic effects in all HAEA-treated groups, particularly HAEA gel 10% rectal enema in the induced UC rat model compared to conventional treatments. Both in vivo and in vitro findings indicate that EAL has the potential to be used as an additive therapeutic strategy in UC patients

Effect of Methanolic Extract of Corn Silk on Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

Background: Cisplatin is a cytotoxic agent in cancer therapy. Nephrotoxicity is considered as a side effect of cisplatin usage. Using rate models, we studied the possible protective impact of corn-silk (CS) extract against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.Materials and Methods: Thirty-five experimental rats were divided into five groups (n=7 per each group) as follow: C1: Control received distilled water only; C2: received one dose of cisplatin, and CS: received 300 mg/kg/day of CS. Both CS1 and CS2 received 200 and 300 mg/kg/day of the CS extract orally, individually, for eight consecutive days. CS1 and CS2 received a single dose of cisplatin on the first day only. The specific biochemical markers and histopathological alterations were evaluated.Result: According to our results, cisplatin administration could have induced severe degeneration in all parts of the nephron tubules and liver. Pre-treatment with CS exhibited a significant decrease in the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as compared to the values obtained after treatment with cisplatin alone (P&lt;0.01). Moreover, the CS extract with 200 mg dose showed significant (P&lt;0.01) protection against the cisplatin-induced elevation of blood urea nitrogen. Further, the serum levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were higher in the cisplatin-treated groups, when compared to the control group (P&lt;0.05). Furthermore, the hepatic function was also improved in cisplatin-treated animals, which were pre-treated with CS.Conclusion: CS has the potential to attenuate nephrotoxicity and lipid peroxidation induced by cisplatin in rats.[GMJ.2018;7:e1258]</jats:p