Advanced biomedical research最新文献

Background: Both-bone forearm fractures are common in children and often treated with closed reduction and casting, though redisplacement remains a concern. This study investigates whether initial fracture angulation and cast index can reliably predict redisplacement and post-treatment angulation outcomes.

Materials and methods: A total of 53 skeletally immature patients with closed both-bone forearm fractures were included. Baseline radiographs assessed fracture location, angulation, displacement, and apex direction. Correlation and regression analyses evaluated the relationship between initial angulation, cast index, and angulation at follow-up. A binary logistic regression model assessed the predictive value of cast index and initial angulation for early redisplacement. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to determine the optimal angulation threshold for predicting redisplacement.

Results: At 6 weeks, the mean residual angulation was 6.63° (standard deviation = 4.92). Redisplacement occurred in 5 patients (10%) within the first 2 weeks. No significant differences were observed in outcomes based on sex, fracture location, or apex type. Cast index correlated strongly with 6-week angulation (r = 0.619), while initial angulation strongly correlated with 2-week angulation (r = 0.623) and moderately with 6-week angulation (r = 0.478). Initial angulation significantly predicted early redisplacement (P < 0.05). ROC analysis showed an AUC of 0.920 (P = 0.02), with an angulation threshold of 23° yielding 100% sensitivity and 80% specificity.

Conclusions: Initial fracture angulation is a stronger predictor of early redisplacement than cast index. Angulations exceeding 23° significantly increase the risk of redisplacement. Further studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are warranted.

Background: Considering that colorectal cancer is one of the most common neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract and this disease has the significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. This study aimed to determine the QoL and its associated factors in these patients.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer registered in the cancer registration system of Isfahan province in 2015. For this purpose, demographic characteristics and two QoL questionnaires QOL-C29 and QOL-C30 were completed and assessed.

Results: The mean QoL score in the patients was 54.61 ± 16.1, and life quality was satisfactory in 46 (11.5%) patients, moderate in 153 (38.3%), and poor in 201 (50.2%) individuals. The mean QoL scores in the functional and symptoms dimensions were 47.65 ± 17.6 and 44.89 ± 13.53, respectively. The QoL score did not differ significantly by gender (P > 0.05), but there were significant differences between age groups, ostomy, type of treatment, and disease stage (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the QoL of patients with colorectal cancer is not desirable. Factors such as age, history of surgery, bearing a colostomy sac, and disease stage can affect the QoL, physical and psychological conditions of these patients. Therefore, considering supportive care for these patients to improve their individual and social QoL is of particular importance.

Head and neck cancers are among the most common cancers in the world. The main treatments for these cancers are radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which will cause many side effects, the most important of that is called mucositis. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of licorice on oral mucositis. The research question was designed according to the Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) framework, and data were obtained from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Springer, Web of Science, Cochrane Science Direct, and ProQuest databases. The search strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria, validation of selected studies, extraction of the results of each study, impartial interpretation of results, summarizing, discussion, and conclusion of the results were also determined. In the initial search based on the search line and limitations, 143 articles were obtained, 85 of which were excluded because they were irrelevant and their full text was not available. The, 42 articles were excluded because they did not have enough information and were duplicates or reviews. Finally, 16 articles remained, from which nine articles examined the effect of licorice on mucositis. Licorice and its compounds are effective in reducing the duration and severity of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced pain and inflammation. Further, its topical or systemic application can alter its efficacy.

Background: Breast carcinoma (BC) ranks as one of the most prevalent illnesses among women, and a variety of factors, including inherited and environmental factors, can impact its start and progression. In this study, we tried to analyze the expression patterns of mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs and find novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of BC during a systems biology approach.

Materials and methods: Microarray analysis was performed to find novel potential BC biomarkers. Using miRWalk, lncRRIsearch, STRING, and Cytoscape, noncoding and protein interaction analysis was utilized and visualized. Pathway enrichment and gene ontology analyses were performed to find accurate biological mechanisms of selected RNAs. qRT-PCR was established on 50 tumor samples compared to 50 control samples for validation of bioinformatics analyses and understanding of the diagnosis capability of selected RNAs.

Results: IGF1 expression level had a significant reduction in BC based on microarray and qRT-PCR experiments. LINC00963 and LNC01089 also have significant decreases in expression levels based on GEPIA2 and qRT-PCR. LNC01089 and LINC00963 could represent suitable BC diagnostics (depending on receiver operating characteristic analysis) and prognosis (clinicopathological analysis) biomarkers. The two mentioned lncRNAs have direct interaction with IGF1 mRNA. miR-1244-5p as a potential upregulated oncogene of BC suppresses the expression level of LNC01089, LINC00963, and IGF1.

Conclusion: LINC00963 and LNC01089 could regulate the FOXO signaling pathway through direct interaction with IGF1 mRNA. miR-1244-5p might also have a critical role in FOXO regulation through suppression of IGF1 and two mentioned lncRNAs.

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT), a new imaging technique, is cost-effective, portable, and radiation-free, which makes it a suitable tool for bedside diagnosis. This review aims to provide recent development in EIT application in detection of various types of cancer. EIT calculates the internal electrical conductivity distribution of an organ by measuring its surface impedance. Electrodes are placed on the surface of the target tissue, and small alternating currents are injected and then related voltages are observed and analyzed. The electrical permittivity and conductivity are reconstructed by measuring the electrode voltages. The electrical characteristic of biological tissues is remarkably dependent on their structures. Some malignancies have different properties and can be distinguished using EIT. These differences are attributed to changes in cellular water content, membrane properties, destruction of tight junctions with cell membranes, and changes in the orientation of malignant cells. However, EIT can distinguish between human tumors and healthy cells in different types of organs.

Background: Lateral epicondylitis, a chronic painful condition within the lateral epicondyle, is one of the most prevalent arm pathologies. To date, various therapeutic strategies have been applied to manage the condition; however, they might be accompanied by adverse effects or temporary responses. TECAR therapy, a diathermy technique, has yielded promising outcomes in numerous musculoskeletal pathologies. The current study aims to investigate the impact of TECAR therapy on lateral epicondylitis.

Materials and methods: The current double-blinded randomized clinical trial has been conducted on 46 patients with lateral epicondylitis who were allocated into two groups of controls (treatment with 15 mg meloxicam and cock-up brace for the period of 2 weeks) and intervention who received similar treatment as well as five sessions of TECAR therapy (every other day in a week). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) were applied to evaluate treatment response.

Results: Both interventions led to significantly improved VAS (P < 0.001) and DASH (P < 0.001) scores, while the comparison of the groups revealed statistically significant improvement in the DASH score of the intervention groups (P < 0.05), but VAS scores did not differ (P > 0.05) by both the end of the intervention and one-month follow-up assessments.

Conclusion: Based on the findings of the current study, TECAR therapy is an effective modality for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis considering its remarkable influence on both pain relief and functional rehabilitation. Further studies are recommended.

Background: Usually, manual cardioplegic solutions with low magnesium and lidocaine, and corporate solutions with high magnesium and procaine, are the only common solutions used to induce cardiac arrest during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This study compares the clinical outcomes of these two solutions.

Materials and methods: This randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted on 70 patients undergoing CABG at Chamran Hospital in Isfahan. In the first group, a manual cardioplegic solution was used. In the second group, a corporate cardioplegic solution (Blood; Shahid Ghazi Company) was used. Subsequently, inflammatory factors, complications, and outcomes were evaluated in the two groups.

Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of arrhythmia after declamping, the total inotropic support required within 24 h post-surgery, changes in electrolytes, or markers of myocardial injury (P > 0.05). However, the time to return to heart rhythm in the manual cardioplegic solution group, with a mean of 146.06 ± 118.39 s, was significantly longer than that in the corporate cardioplegic solution group, with a mean of 90.60 ± 59.72 s (P = 0.016).

Conclusion: This study found no difference in patient outcomes between the corporate cardioplegic solution (high magnesium/procaine) and the manual solution (lower magnesium/lidocaine). Therefore, the manual solution can be used in some cases, as its lower magnesium level avoids hypermagnesemia and does not cause cardiac muscle weakness during mechanical activities.

Background: Pulp inflammation is one of the primary side effects of dental caries. MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5) and RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene I) are two intracellular receptors that activate inflammatory transcription factors via recognition of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate expression levels of MDA5 and RIG-I in inflamed versus healthy pulps.

Materials and methods: mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-I were assessed in 50 inflamed versus 50 healthy pulps. Total RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed and expression levels of MDA5 and RIG-I were evaluated using real-time PCR.

Results: The results revealed that the mRNA levels of MDA5, but not RIG-I were significantly different in inflamed compared with healthy pulps. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in RIG-I expression taken from inflamed or healthy pulps of men and women. On the other hand, MDA5 expression was significantly upregulated in men, compared to women with pulpitis.

Conclusions: The results suggest that MDA5 participates in the inflammation of pulps following caries. In addition, it may be hypothesized that MDA5 expression can be sex-dependent in the inflamed pulps.

Background: Extra-articular distal humerus fractures (EDHFs) are common in both younger and older adults, presenting clinical challenges related to fracture complexity and patient comorbidities. This study compares the triceps-splitting and paratricipital surgical approaches to determine which method optimizes clinical outcomes over a 6-month follow-up period.

Materials and methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 patients with radiographically confirmed EDHF were assigned to undergo either the triceps-splitting or paratricipital approach. Each patient was assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively for surgical site infection, nerve injury, pain (using a 10-point visual analog scale), and range of motion (using a universal goniometer). Data were analyzed via Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, and hospital stay, did not differ significantly between groups. At 6 months, patients who underwent the paratricipital approach reported significantly lower pain levels and demonstrated fewer limitations in extension compared to the Triceps-Splitting group. While infection and nerve injury rates were low and similar in both cohorts, the paratricipital approach showed a lower necessity for reoperation and reduced postoperative complications.

Conclusions: Both the triceps-splitting and paratricipital approaches effectively manage EDHF. However, the paratricipital technique may confer advantages in terms of pain reduction, triceps function preservation, and lower reoperation rates. Surgeons should consider individual patient factors and fracture characteristics when selecting the optimal surgical approach.

Background: Breast cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers, remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Dysregulation of autophagy and apoptosis regulators is closely associated with cancer progression. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a critical role in tumorigenesis by regulating these processes. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of Morin and aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) on viability, apoptosis, and autophagy in MCF-7 cells.

Materials and methods: MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of Morin and AICAR for 24, 48, and 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay to determine the effective Morin dose. Protein levels of UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), AMPK, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and LC3B/LC3A were analyzed by Western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured, and mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated using rhodamine 123 fluorescence.

Results: The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) MTT assay revealed that Morin (*P < 0.01), AICAR (*P < 0.01), and their combination (##P < 0.001) significantly reduced MCF-7 cell viability. Morin treatment markedly increased p-AMPK and p-ULK1 expression (*P < 0.05-***P < 0.001, #P < 0.05-##P < 0.01), and upregulated LC3B/LC3A (*P < 0.01-**P < 0.001, #P < 0.05), while p-mTOR expression was significantly downregulated (*P < 0.05-**P < 0.01, #P < 0.05). ROS generation in mitochondria increased markedly (*P < 0.01-**P < 0.001, #P < 0.01). Furthermore, Morin significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (**P < 0.001-***P < 0.0001, #P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Morin, reduced MCF-7 cell survival and proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, increased ROS production, and diminished mitochondrial membrane potential, confirming its potential anticancer role.