Current Research of the Renin-Angiotensin System Effect on Stem Cell Therapy

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a chief regulator of the cardiovascular system and body fluid homeostasis. Stem/progenitor cell therapy has pointed towards a novel tool for medical and therapeutic intervention. In addition to the physiological and pathological role of the RAS and its pharmacological inhibitors, the proliferation, differentiation in stem cells is mediated through various cell-signalling pathways. This book chapter reviews the new role of RAS components, distinct from other common roles by considering its regulating impact on the several signalling pathways involved in different body tissues, as well as in stem cell therapy

The Effect of Sexual Health Education Program on Women Sexual Function in Iran

Background: Sexual dysfunction is the most common disorder in women. According to the WHO, sexual education programs are considered as a need. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effect of educational program on sexual function in women with sexual dysfunction. Methods: This randomized trial, was conducted in 2013 on 90 married women by convenient sampling in Qazvin, central Iran. The demographic, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires were completed during structured interviews. After completing the sample size, subjects were divided randomly into two groups by using the table of random numbers (educational and control groups), then respectively received an educational intervention in the four sessions with one week interval and routine program offered by the center and following-up was done with refilling questionnaires 8 weeks after intervention. Results: Sexual function improved after sex educational programs in all dimensions (sexual desire (P=0.006), sexual exciting (P=0.006), vaginal moisture (P=0.002), sexual satisfaction (P=0.011), and total score of sexual function (P=0.001). Conclusions: Considering the importance role of sexual function in family strength, health, and development, it can be claimed that educational sex programs can help practitioners to improve sexual function of married women with sexual dysfunction

Study of Kinetic coefficients of a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) for municipal wastewater treatment

Background & Aims of the Study: In order to design membrane bioreactors (MBR) properly, it is essential to comprehend the behavior of microorganisms in such wastewater treatment processes. Materials & Methods: In this study, a lab-scale MBR process was operated to determine the biokinetic coefficients of the MBR system under different MLSS concentrations of 6800, 7000, 7400, and 7800 mg/l and organic loading rates of 0.5 kg COD/m3/day. Results: The results of this study showed that the yield of microorganisms (Y), the endogenous decay coefficient (kd), the maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and the saturation constant (Ks) were in the range of 0.67 g VSS/g COD, 0.56 d−1, 1.86 d−1 and 6.65 mg COD/l, respectively. Conclusions: The kinetic coefficients in this study can be used to improve the operation and design the MBR system in full scale

Numerical solution of two-dimensional fuzzy Fredholm integral equations of the second kind using triangular functions

The main purpose of this paper is to approximate the solution of linear two-dimensional fuzzy Fredholm integral equations of the second kind (2D-FFIE-2). We use fuzzy two-dimensional triangular functions (2D-TFs) to reduce the 2D–FFIE–2 to a system of linear Fredholm integral equations of the second kind with three variables in crisp. More over, we prove the convergence of the method. Finally we illustrate this method with some numerical examples to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the technique

Effect of hydroethanolic extract of Nigella sativa L. on skin wound healing process in diabetic male rats

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroethanolic Nigella sativa L. extract on skin wound healing in diabetic male rats. Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 49 male Wistar rats weighing 220–250 g divided into 7 groups of 7 each: control (nondiabetic untreated), sham (nondiabetic eucerin-treated), nondiabetic phenytoin (1%)-treated, diabetic untreated, and three diabetic groups treated independently with phenytoin 1%, hydroethanolic N. sativa extracts 20% or 40%. Diabetes was induced with 60 mg/kg streptozosin in one administration. After anesthesia, 2 × 1 cm2 wounds were made on the rats' backs and each group was administered with its own respective treatment until the wounds were healed completely. Tissue specimens were prepared for histological examinations. The areas of the wounds were measured every 3 days. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. Results: The mean duration of wound healing was 27 and 24 days for diabetic untreated and diabetic phenytoin-treated groups, respectively. Wounds were healed completely in nondiabetic untreated, sham, and nondiabetic phenytoin-treated groups on days 23, 24, and 21, respectively. The shortest duration of wound healing was seen in diabetic N. sativa extract (40%)-treated group (15 days) followed by diabetic N. sativa (20%)-treated group (18 days). These two groups were found to have the lowest mean wound area during the study with a significant difference from mean wound area in the controls (P < 0.05). Conclusions: N. sativa extract significantly promoted wound healing in diabetic rats in comparison with control groups. Although the beneficial mechanism of the promotion of wound healing was not specifically studied, it is believed that the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of N. sativa would contribute to this enhanced wound healing

Effect of Hydroethanolic Extract of Nigella sativa L. on Skin Wound Healing Process in Diabetic Male Rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroethanolic Nigella sativa L. extract on skin wound healing in diabetic male rats. METHODS: This experimental study was conducted on 49 male Wistar rats weighing 220-250 g divided into 7 groups of 7 each: control (nondiabetic untreated), sham (nondiabetic eucerin-treated), nondiabetic phenytoin (1%)-treated, diabetic untreated, and three diabetic groups treated independently with phenytoin 1%, hydroethanolic N. sativa extracts 20% or 40%. Diabetes was induced with 60 mg/kg streptozosin in one administration. After anesthesia, 2 × 1 cm2 wounds were made on the rats' backs and each group was administered with its own respective treatment until the wounds were healed completely. Tissue specimens were prepared for histological examinations. The areas of the wounds were measured every 3 days. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. RESULTS: The mean duration of wound healing was 27 and 24 days for diabetic untreated and diabetic phenytoin-treated groups, respectively. Wounds were healed completely in nondiabetic untreated, sham, and nondiabetic phenytoin-treated groups on days 23, 24, and 21, respectively. The shortest duration of wound healing was seen in diabetic N. sativa extract (40%)-treated group (15 days) followed by diabetic N. sativa (20%)-treated group (18 days). These two groups were found to have the lowest mean wound area during the study with a significant difference from mean wound area in the controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: N. sativa extract significantly promoted wound healing in diabetic rats in comparison with control groups. Although the beneficial mechanism of the promotion of wound healing was not specifically studied, it is believed that the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of N. sativa would contribute to this enhanced wound healing. KEYWORDS: Diabetes; Nigella sativa L.; rat; skin woun

Effect of Hydroethanolic Extract of Nigella sativa L. on Skin Wound Healing Process in Diabetic Male Rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroethanolic Nigella sativa L. extract on skin wound healing in diabetic male rats. METHODS: This experimental study was conducted on 49 male Wistar rats weighing 220-250 g divided into 7 groups of 7 each: control (nondiabetic untreated), sham (nondiabetic eucerin-treated), nondiabetic phenytoin (1%)-treated, diabetic untreated, and three diabetic groups treated independently with phenytoin 1%, hydroethanolic N. sativa extracts 20% or 40%. Diabetes was induced with 60 mg/kg streptozosin in one administration. After anesthesia, 2 × 1 cm2 wounds were made on the rats' backs and each group was administered with its own respective treatment until the wounds were healed completely. Tissue specimens were prepared for histological examinations. The areas of the wounds were measured every 3 days. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. RESULTS: The mean duration of wound healing was 27 and 24 days for diabetic untreated and diabetic phenytoin-treated groups, respectively. Wounds were healed completely in nondiabetic untreated, sham, and nondiabetic phenytoin-treated groups on days 23, 24, and 21, respectively. The shortest duration of wound healing was seen in diabetic N. sativa extract (40%)-treated group (15 days) followed by diabetic N. sativa (20%)-treated group (18 days). These two groups were found to have the lowest mean wound area during the study with a significant difference from mean wound area in the controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: N. sativa extract significantly promoted wound healing in diabetic rats in comparison with control groups. Although the beneficial mechanism of the promotion of wound healing was not specifically studied, it is believed that the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of N. sativa would contribute to this enhanced wound healing. KEYWORDS: Diabetes; Nigella sativa L.; rat; skin woun

Effect of Rosa damascena Essential Oil Loaded in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers on the Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 in Comparison with Cisplatin

Purpose: As Rosa damascena essential oils (RDEOs) have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and insecticidal activity, they could therefore be useful in the treatment of breast cancer. In the current study, an attempt was made to incorporate RDEO in a lipid-based drug delivery system, namely, nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) to boost its anticancer effect compared to cisplatin. Methods: Gas chromatography (GC) identified the chemical compositions of RDEO. RDEO-NLCs were prepared using the probe ultrasonication method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential by dynamic light scattering. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulations and their loading capacity were also determined, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to evaluate the morphology of the optimal formulation (quoted as RDEO-NLC2). The anticancer effect of RDEO-NLC2 on MDA-MB-231 cells and apoptosis were assessed using MTT and in vitro cellular assays respectively. Results: TEM result revealed a distinct spherical shape for RDEO-NLC2, with an average particle size of 78.39 ± 1.5 nm obtained by Zetasizer. The results also showed that the obtained particles had a negative surface charge (− 31.0 mV) with a polydispersity index of 0.28 ± 0.01. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin showed more cytotoxicity than RDEO-NLC2 against cancer cells. Cellular data demonstrated that RDEO-NLC2 like cisplatin can decline the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells through apoptosis compared to cells treated with the placebo and free RDEO. Conclusion: RDEO-NLC2 has the ability to stimulate apoptosis in the human BC cell line MDA-MN-231; hence, it can be beneficial in the treatment of patients suffering from breast cancer.</p

The Effectiveness of Encouragement Training in Academic Anxiety and Sense of Belonging to School in Students

Encouragement is an important concept of Adlerian psychology and refers to the expression of confirmation through language or other symbolic illustration to instill courage in a person within the context of addressing a challenging situation or recognizing a potential. Receiving encouragement would enhance social connectedness, academic performance, motivation and self-efficacy in students. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of encouragement training on academic anxiety and school connectedness in female high school students. The study was a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design. Statistical population included all female students of the 10th grade of high school in Baharestan Education District 1 (Iran) in 2022. Participants were 30 female students were selected by accessible sampling and randomly assigned to in experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). Participants responded to Beatty and Brew student sense of connectedness with school scale (2005) and Abolghasemi et al.'s academic anxiety scale (1996). The experimental group received eight one-hour sessions of self-encouragement training and the control group did not receive any training. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance. The results indicated that encouragement training decreased academic anxiety and increased students' school connectedness (p<.01). Therefore, providing this training is considered useful strategy for improving the motivational and social outcomes in students