A Case-Control Study of Comparison of Plasma Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Inhaled Opium Addicts and Clinically Healthy Persons

cancer invasion and lymphatic metastasis. Smoking has been reported to increase the metalloproteinase level, but the role of opium consumption in metalloproteinase level has not yet been examined. The current research intended to examine the impacts of opium consumption on the serum levels of metalloproteinase.Methods: This case-control research was conducted in Kerman (in the southeast of Iran), after getting medical approve by the ethics committee. Case group of 33 non-smokers with no active inflammatory diseases who had the experience of inhaled opium and its derivatives were compared with a control group of 40 non-smokers with no active inflammatory disease and no experience of inhaled opium and its derivatives. Student’s t-test, mean, and chi-square test were employed to determine the correlation between the variables.Findings: No statistically meaningful variation was detected in plasma metalloproteinase concentration between the case and control groups (P = 0.160). Also, there was no significant relation between the plasma metalloproteinase concentration and urinary morphine in case groups (P = 0.410), but a statistically significant correlation was found between gender and metalloproteinase in both the case and control groups (P = 0.003)

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Treatment on Depression and Optimism among Women with Breast Cancer during Chemotherapy

Background: A breast cancer diagnosis can be a disturbing and stressful time for women. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment depression and optimism during chemotherapy among women with breast cancer. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental one with a group of pre-test, post-test, and controls. In this study, 26 women with breast cancer detection were identified from the referring patients to the Imam Hossein Hospital's oncology and radiotherapy division in Tehran, 2019-2020.  Using the method of convenience sampling, the experimental (n=13) and control groups (n=13) were randomly allocated. The study group regularly engaged in mindfulness sessions for 8 weeks (each session lasting 90-120 minutes). In the BDI-II Beck Depression Inventory-II and happiness questionnaires, customers/clients in both the experimental and control groups completed.  Data were analyzed by using a univariate covariance test in SPSS 23 software. Results: According to the findings, there was a significant difference in depression and optimism among breast cancer patients, (Pvalue<0.05). Also, the mean overall depression score for women with breast cancer in the therapy session was considerably lower than the pre-test score, although optimism was significantly higher than the pre-test score (Pvalue<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study support the use of MBSR to minimize symptom burden in women with breast cancer. As a result, the effectiveness of MBSR in reducing depression symptoms and improving confidence has been approved. Keywords:  Mindfulness, Depression, Optimism, Women with breast cancer, Chemotherap

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Treatment on Depression and Optimism among Women with Breast Cancer during Chemotherapy

Background: A breast cancer diagnosis can be a disturbing and stressful time for women. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment depression and optimism during chemotherapy among women with breast cancer. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental one with a group of pre-test, post-test, and controls. In this study, 26 women with breast cancer detection were identified from the referring patients to the Imam Hossein Hospital's oncology and radiotherapy division in Tehran, 2019-2020.  Using the method of convenience sampling, the experimental (n=13) and control groups (n=13) were randomly allocated. The study group regularly engaged in mindfulness sessions for 8 weeks (each session lasting 90-120 minutes). In the BDI-II Beck Depression Inventory-II and happiness questionnaires, customers/clients in both the experimental and control groups completed.  Data were analyzed by using a univariate covariance test in SPSS 23 software. Results: According to the findings, there was a significant difference in depression and optimism among breast cancer patients, (Pvalue<0.05). Also, the mean overall depression score for women with breast cancer in the therapy session was considerably lower than the pre-test score, although optimism was significantly higher than the pre-test score (Pvalue<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study support the use of MBSR to minimize symptom burden in women with breast cancer. As a result, the effectiveness of MBSR in reducing depression symptoms and improving confidence has been approved. Keywords:  Mindfulness, Depression, Optimism, Women with breast cancer, Chemotherap

Predictors of Thyroid Gland Invasion in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can invade the thyroid gland leading to unnecessary thyroidectomies with subsequent hypothyroidism and hyperparathyroidism. Thus, clinicopathological variables should be defined in order to predict thyroid gland invasion preoperatively.   Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 1,465 patients with laryngeal SCC referred to our center between March 2009 and January 2016. Among these patients, 60 individuals underwent total laryngectomy and either thyroid lobectomy and isthmectomy or total thyroidectomy.   Results: Thyroid gland invasion was observed in 20% of samples. The following variables were associated with thyroid gland invasion: transglottic spread of the tumor (odds ratio [OR]: 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–5.81, P=0.004), thyroid cartilage involvement (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 0.94–2.50, P=0.02), and anterior commissure involvement (OR: 5.75, 95% CI: 0.86–38.42, P=0.01). In addition, the largest dimension of the tumor was significantly associated with thyroid gland involvement (r=0.36, 95% CI 0.05–0.67, P=0.004). Multivariate linear regression analysis confirmed these findings.   Conclusion: The rate of thyroidectomies performed in cases of laryngeal SCC is much higher than the actual rate of thyroid gland invasion. Thus, preoperative evaluation to find transglottic spread of the tumor, thyroid cartilage, and anterior commissure involvement should be considered

A rare case of small bowel obstruction

Internal hernias account for approximately 5 percent of cases of small bowel obstruction (SBO) with more than 50% mortality rate. Transomental hernia is very rare, accounting to 1-4% of all internal hernias. So it is a very unusual cause of SBO. We reported a 69 year-old man who presented with SBO signs and symptoms. Early diagnosis and exploration revealed a segment of congested small bowel loop herniated through a defect over the greater omentum. This case is presented for its rarity and its importance in causes of SBO, especially in patients without history of abdominal surgery or traum

Sodium hydrogen sulfide may not protect the kidney against ischemia/reperfusion damage in male and female rats

Background and purpose: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is a pathologic phenomenon that caused to increase risk of mortality. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) on renal IR injury in male and female rats. Experimental approach: Fifty-eight male and female rats were randomized into 4 groups of control, sham, IR, and IR + NaHS. The IR was performed by 45 min of ischemia by vessel clamping followed by 24 h reperfusion. The NaHS (100 µmol/kg) treatment was applied 10 min prior to IR. Finally, after 24 h of reperfusion, the measurements were performed. Findings/Results: The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, tissue level of malondialdehyde, and kidney tissue damage score (KTDS) were increased by IR. Urine volume, creatinine, and urea clearances decreased by IR. NaHS administration improved some parameters in males but exacerbated KTDS and serum markers related to renal function. Conclusions and implications: Our data demonstrated that NaHS didn’t protect female rats against renal IR injury. In males, it has null effects or just a few protective effects via antioxidant activity

Antileishmanial activity of Urtica dioica extract against zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND:Neglected parasitic diseases (NTDs) like cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) have caused high mortality and morbidity rate in developing countries. This disease is considered as one of the six major tropical diseases, and has a great importance in HIV infected individuals as an opportunistic infection in those areas that both infections are endemic. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the Urtica dioica L (U. dioica) aqueous extract as an anti-leishmanial herbal drug in-vitro and in-vivo, and in addition to that, evaluated two vital immune system cytokines including gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) plus nitric oxide (NO) and arginase activity against Leishmania major (L. major) infected mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In-vitro anti-leishmanial activity of U. dioica aqueous extract was determined using MTT method and also Parasite Rescue Transformation Assay. Also, the footpad lesion size and parasite load in BALB/c mice infected with L. major were quantified for in-vivo assessment. Furthermore, for evaluating the immune responses, the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, NO and arginase were measured in the BALB/c mice. These results indicated that U. dioica extract significantly reduced the L. major promastigotes viability. According to the in-vitro cytotoxicity assay of the extract on Leishmania parasites (CC50) and infected macrophages (EC50), the extract had no toxicity to the macrophages, however it efficiently killed the L. major amastigotes. In addition, the lesion size, parasite load, IL-4, and ARG were decreased in the treated infected mice, however IFN-γ and NO were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:This study established satisfactory results in Leishmania parasite clearing both in-vivo and in-vitro. Therefore, U. dioica extract can be considered as an effective and harmless herbal compound for killing the parasite without toxicity to the host macrophages. Furthermore, it also can treat the CL by switching the mouse immune response towards a cell-mediated response (Th1); hence, it may be identified as a perfect therapeutic herbal drug for CL treatment

TGF-β and WNT signaling pathways in cardiac fibrosis: non-coding RNAs come into focus

Abstract:Cardiac fibrosis describes the inappropriate proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), leading to accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the cardiac muscle, which is found in many pathophysiological heart conditions. A range of molecular components and cellular pathways, have been implicated in its pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on the TGF-β and WNT signaling pathways, and their mutual interaction, which have emerged as important factors involved in cardiac pathophysiology. The molecular and cellular processes involved in the initiation and progression of cardiac fibrosis are summarized. We focus on TGF-β and WNT signaling in cardiac fibrosis, ECM production, and myofibroblast transformation. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are one of the main players in the regulation of multiple pathways and cellular processes. MicroRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular long non-coding RNAs can all interact with the TGF-β/WNT signaling axis to affect cardiac fibrosis. A better understanding of these processes may lead to new approaches for diagnosis and treatment of many cardiac conditions