Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender of the Compulsive Online Shopping Scale (COSS) among Iranians.

The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Compulsive Online Shopping Scale (COSS) in an Iranian population. The total sample of 802 participants (257 females; Mean age = 22.27, SD = 2.83) were selected via convenience sampling from Tehran, Iran. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the 7-factor structure of the COSS as proposed in the original study. The measurement invariance found in this study suggests that the COSS provides sufficiently unbiased use among males and females. The current findings also support the concurrent validity of the Persian COSS, which exhibited positive and significant associations with loneliness, impulsivity, obsession, internalized symptoms, and Internet use. Furthermore, results confirm the convergent validity of the Persian COSS and showcased acceptable internal consistency for all factors, and the total score. The findings of the present study indicate that compulsive online shopping could be assessed adequately in Iranian samples using the COSS. [Abstract copyright: Crown Copyright © 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Curcumin inhibits NF-kB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in cervical cancer cells

Curcumin is a natural non-toxic phenol which is isolated from Curcumin longa L. Mounting evidence has revealed the anticancer properties of curcumin in various tumors, but the underlying molecular mechanisms of this suppression in cervical cancer is still remained unclear. Here we assessed the antitumor effects of curcumin compared with 5-Fluorouracil in Hella cells in spheroids models and monolayer cell cultures. The anti-proliferative effects of curcumin and 5-Fluorouracil were as examined in spheroid and monolayer models. The expression levels of Wnt/β-catenin and NF-kB pathways as well as the influence of the cell cycle were evaluated. Curcumin inhibited cell growth in Hella cells through the regulation of NF-kB and Wnt pathways. Also, cells developed a G2/M cell cycle arrest followed by sub-G1 apoptosis with 5-Fluorouracil and curcumin. It was also shown that curcumin either considerably affects the Wnt/β-catenin and NF-kB pathways. We showed that curcumin inhibits invasion and proliferation of cervical cancer cells via impairment of NF-kB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, proposing further studies on the potential impacts of this compound on cancer therapy. © 2019 Elsevier Gmb

The acute effect of inhaled NaCl 5%, per CF TRUST protocol, on spirometry indices in patients over six years with cystic fibrosis

Background: Our aim was to investigate the acute effect of inhaled NaCl 5% on spirometry indices in patients aged over six years with cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods: 44 children over 6 years of age with CF took part in this study. Spirometry indices were measured. After receiving two puffs of salbutamol spray, the children were administered with 5 ml NaCl 5% by a medical compressed air system using a nebulizer kit and immediately a spirometric test was taken again. Spirometry results were recorded and the data were analyzed by SPSS v.18. Results: The percentages of the annual decline of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were 10.12±31.28, 7.26±17.10, and 13.8±21.7 in children aged 6 - 8 years, 9 - 12 years, and over 13 years, respectively. There were significant differences in FVC, FEV1/FVC, MEF50, MEF75, MMEF25/27 before and after hypertonic NaCl 5% inhalation (P < 0.05). A significant decline in FEV1 was observed only in 2% of the children. Conclusions: Patients with CF exhibited a suitable response to acute inhalation of hypertonic NaCl 5%. © 2018, Archives of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

CRISPR-Cas System: A Promising Diagnostic Tool for Covid-19

More than a year has passed since the beginning of the 2019 novel coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) pandemic which has created massive problems globally affecting all aspects of people's life. Due to the emergence of new strains of the SARS-CoV-2, pandemic risk still remains, despite the start of vaccination. Therefore, rapid diagnostic tests are essential to control infection, improve clinical care and stop the spread of the disease. Recently CRISPR-based diagnostic tools have facilitated rapid diagnostic. Here, we review the diagnostic applications of CRISPR-Cas system in COVID-19. © 2022, Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology. All rights reserved

Psychological predictors of the co-occurrence of problematic gaming, gambling, and social media use among adolescents

The aim of the present study was to explore which psychosocial predictors are associated with different co-occurrence patterns of three different behavioral addictions (i.e., problematic gaming, problematic social media use, and problematic gambling) among adolescents. A total of 2390 Iranian adolescents – 835 males and 1555 females aged between 13 and 18 years (M = 16.01 years, SD = 1.38) – participated in a cross-sectional online survey. Latent profile analysis produced four latent classes: a ‘non-problematic behavior’ class (N = 1766; 73.89% [Class 1]), a ‘problematic gambling’ class (N = 183; 7.66% [Class 2]), a ‘problematic social media use with gaming disorder’ class (N = 407; 17.03% [Class 3]), and a ‘disordered gambling with problematic social media use’ class (N = 34; 1.42% [Class 4]). Adolescent problem gamblers (Class 2) reported higher social support and lower self-esteem; adolescents with co-occurring problems for social media use and gaming (Class 3) had higher internalizing symptoms, higher sensation seeking and higher social anxiety; and adolescents with co-occurring problems of disordered gambling with problematic social media use (Class 4) had higher internalizing symptoms, lower social support and lower self-esteem. The ‘non-problematic behavior’ class (Class 1) had the lowest levels of internalizing psychopathological symptoms, loneliness, and social anxiety symptoms. Different psychological risk factors in the co-occurrence of problematic gambling, problematic social media use, and problematic gaming among adolescents were found that could help to identify adolescents who are vulnerable to more than one addictive behavior. More specialized prevention as well as treatment programs should be developed for these different types of addictive behavior

Metacognitions as a predictor of problematic social media use and internet gaming disorder: development and psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Social Media Use Scale (MSMUS)

The aim of the present study was to investigate social media use metacognitions through the development of a new scale, the Metacognitions about Social Media Use Scale (MSMUS). In addition, the study included measures of problematic social media use (PSMU), gaming metacognitions, and gaming disorder (GD) to test concurrent validity. A total of 2390 Iranian adolescents (835 males and 1555 females) aged between 13 and 18 years (M = 16.01 years, SD = 1.38) participated in a cross-sectional online survey. The results of the exploratory factor analysis (n = 1195) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 1195) suggested that the MSMUS (i) can optimally assess metacognitions concerning social media, and (ii) has a two-factor structure ("negative metacognitions about social media" and "positive metacognitions about social media"). The scale was found to be measurement invariant among males and females, and among individuals with and without risk for PSMU. Social media metacognitions presented significant and predominantly (i) moderate correlations with PSMU symptom severity, and (ii) weak correlations with GD symptom severity. Furthermore, positive and negative social media meta-cognitions had significant and positive predictive effects on the presence of risk for PSMU with and without a risk for GD-even over the effects of age, gender, and gaming metacognitions. This finding may indicate that met-acognitions are possibly a transdiagnostic variable which might be helpful in developmentally assessing addic-tive behaviors, especially negative metacognitions which might be a risk factor for co-occurring addictive behaviors

Curcumin delivery mediated by bio-based nanoparticles: A review

Todays, nano-pharmaceutics is emerging as an important field of science to develop and improve efficacy of different drugs. Although nutraceuticals are currently being utilized in the prevention and treatment of various chronic diseases such as cancers, a number of them have displayed issues associated with their solubility, bioavailability, and bio-degradability. In the present review, we focus on curcumin, an important and widely used polyphenol, with diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-viral, etc. Notwithstanding, it also exhibits poor solubility and bioavailability that may compromise its clinical application to a great extent. Therefore, the manipulation and encapsulation of curcumin into a nanocarrier formulation can overcome these major drawbacks and potentially may lead to a far superior therapeutic efficacy. Among different types of nanocarriers, biological and biopolymer carriers have attracted a significant attention due to their pleiotropic features. Thus, in the present review, the potential protective and therapeutic applications of curcumin, as well as different types of bio-nanocarriers, which can be used to deliver curcumin effectively to the different target sites will be discussed. © 2020 by the authors

Autophagy modulators: Mechanistic aspects and drug delivery systems

10.3390/biom9100530Biomolecules91053