Investigation the Relationship among Mobile Value-added Services Quality, Customer Satisfaction and the Continuance Intention: Case Study, Hamrah Avval Operator

Understanding the antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction in the mobile communications market is important. This study explores the effects of service quality, trust and perceived value on customer satisfaction, which, in turn, affects continuance intention of mobile services. Service quality and customer satisfaction were measured by multiple dimensions. A research model was developed based on this multidimensional approach and was empirically examined with data collected from about one 237 users of mobile value-added services in Tehran university. Results show that all two dimensions of service quality (interaction quality and outcome quality) and perceived value have significant and positive effects on customer satisfaction while only one dimension of service quality (environment quality) and trust have no effect on customer satisfaction

Macrophage-Mediated Inflammation in Skin Wound Healing

Published: 21 September 2022Macrophages are key immune cells that respond to infections, and modulate pathophysiological conditions such as wound healing. By possessing phagocytic activities and through the secretion of cytokines and growth factors, macrophages are pivotal orchestrators of inflammation, fibrosis, and wound repair. Macrophages orchestrate the process of wound healing through the transitioning from predominantly pro-inflammatory (M1-like phenotypes), which present early post-injury, to anti-inflammatory (M2-like phenotypes), which appear later to modulate skin repair and wound closure. In this review, different cellular and molecular aspects of macrophage-mediated skin wound healing are discussed, alongside important aspects such as macrophage subtypes, metabolism, plasticity, and epigenetics. We also highlight previous studies demonstrating interactions between macrophages and these factors for optimal wound healing. Understanding and harnessing the activity and capability of macrophages may help to advance new approaches for improving healing of the skin.Alireza Hassanshahi, Mohammad Moradzad, Saman Ghalamkari, Moosa Fadaei, Allison J. Cowin and Mohammadhossein Hassanshah

A Comparison Between Full-COLD PCR/HRM and PCR Sequencing for Detection of Mutations in Exon 9 of PIK3CA in Breast Cancer Patients

One of the most common somatic mutations in breast cancer is found in PIK3CA with a prevalence rate of 18�45. Different variants of this gene are considered as resistance markers for treatment with HER2-targeted medicines. Conventional molecular methods such as Sanger sequencing are not able to detect mutations with low abundance in a mixture of wild-type DNA, especially in the early stages of cancer development. In this study, two methods of co-amplification at lower denaturation temperature PCR (COLD-PCR) and high-resolution melting (HRM) were combined for detection of mutations in exon 9 of PIK3CA; DNA, therefore, was extracted from MCF-7 and BT-474 as mutant and wild-type cell lines respectively. Thereafter, serial dilutions of extracted DNA were used to determine sensitivity of full-COLD PCR/HRM in comparison with conventional PCR sequencing as the gold standard method. Cell line experiments resulted in almost 30 fold increase in sensitivity by use of full-COLD PCR/HRM. In addition, 40 patients with primary breast cancer were investigated with the mentioned methods. As a result of this part of study, four mutations were detected by conventional PCR sequencing including E542K and E545K mutations in three and one samples respectively. Whereas, full-COLD PCR/HRM was able to detect one E542K mutation more than gold standard method which caused the percentage of sensitivity to get improved by 2.5 (10 to 12.5). Our results clearly demonstrated that full-COLD PCR/HRM could detect lower levels of mutations in wild-type background as a sensitive method with simple and cost-effective procedure; therefore, it can prospectively be used in screening of patients with early-stage breast cancers. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

Performance of Holstein calves fed whole milk with or without kefir

A growing body of evidence suggests health-promoting effects of kefir consumption on different nonruminant species, leading to the speculation that kefir may act as a probiotic and benefit calf performance and health. Our objectives were to determine effects of feeding kefir on performance and health of calves in the first 70 d of life. Thirty 3-d-old female Holstein calves (body weight = 38.2 ± 3.1 kg) were blocked by initial body weight and assigned randomly to 1 of 3 treatments (1 calf per pen; 10 pens per treatment). Kefir was added to whole milk (vol/vol) at 0:1 (control; KF0), 1:3 (KF1), or 1:1 (KF2) and fed twice per day (0800 and 1600 h) from d 3 through 45 and then once per day until weaning, which occurred on d 50. Pre- and postweaning intake of starter, daily body weight gain, and gain-to-feed ratio exhibited no difference among treatments. Adding kefir to whole milk fed directly to calves had no effect on concentration of blood metabolites collected on d 20, 40, and 70. Body length on d 50 (weaning) and 70 was greater in kefir-fed calves. Kefir intake improved fecal scores and reduced days with diarrhea during the first 2 wk of life. Apparent digestibility of organic matter, ether extract, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber remained unaffected by treatment. Overall, it appears that directly feeding kefir to calves during the preweaning period did not improve the performance of calves under the conditions of the current study; however, its consumption marginally improved body length and fecal consistency in the first weeks of life, which is an important concern in intensive calf-rearing systems. Feeding kefir to neonatal calves may be a viable approach to improve the health of calves in commercial calf-rearing operations, although to validate its health-promoting effects additional research is needed to investigate its effects under different calf-rearing conditions

A Comparison Between Full-COLD PCR/HRM and PCR Sequencing for Detection of Mutations in Exon 9 of PIK3CA in Breast Cancer Patients

One of the most common somatic mutations in breast cancer is found in PIK3CA with a prevalence rate of 18�45. Different variants of this gene are considered as resistance markers for treatment with HER2-targeted medicines. Conventional molecular methods such as Sanger sequencing are not able to detect mutations with low abundance in a mixture of wild-type DNA, especially in the early stages of cancer development. In this study, two methods of co-amplification at lower denaturation temperature PCR (COLD-PCR) and high-resolution melting (HRM) were combined for detection of mutations in exon 9 of PIK3CA; DNA, therefore, was extracted from MCF-7 and BT-474 as mutant and wild-type cell lines respectively. Thereafter, serial dilutions of extracted DNA were used to determine sensitivity of full-COLD PCR/HRM in comparison with conventional PCR sequencing as the gold standard method. Cell line experiments resulted in almost 30 fold increase in sensitivity by use of full-COLD PCR/HRM. In addition, 40 patients with primary breast cancer were investigated with the mentioned methods. As a result of this part of study, four mutations were detected by conventional PCR sequencing including E542K and E545K mutations in three and one samples respectively. Whereas, full-COLD PCR/HRM was able to detect one E542K mutation more than gold standard method which caused the percentage of sensitivity to get improved by 2.5 (10 to 12.5). Our results clearly demonstrated that full-COLD PCR/HRM could detect lower levels of mutations in wild-type background as a sensitive method with simple and cost-effective procedure; therefore, it can prospectively be used in screening of patients with early-stage breast cancers. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

Adipose-derived stem cells for wound healing

Wound healing is a complex but a fine-tuned biological process in which human skin has the ability to regenerate itself following damage. However, in particular conditions such as deep burn or diabetes the process of wound healing is compromised. Despite investigations on the potency of a wide variety of stem cells for wound healing, adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) seem to possess the least limitations for clinical applications, and literature showed that ASCs can improve the process of wound healing very likely by promoting angiogenesis and/or vascularisation, modulating immune response, and inducing epithelialization in the wound. In the present review, advantages and disadvantages of various stem cells which can be used for promoting wound healing are discussed. In addition, potential mechanisms of action by which ASCs may accelerate wound healing are summarised. Finally, clinical studies applying ASCs for wound healing and the associated limitations are reviewed.Alireza Hassanshahi, Mohammadhossein Hassanshahi, Samira Khabbazi, Zahra Hosseini‐Khah, Yaser Peymanfar, Saman Ghalamkari, Yu‐Wen Su, Cory J. Xia