The CAR macrophage cells, a novel generation of chimeric antigen-based approach against solid tumors.

Today, adoptive cell therapy has many successes in cancer therapy, and this subject is brilliant in using chimeric antigen receptor T cells. The CAR T cell therapy, with its FDA-approved drugs, could treat several types of hematological malignancies and thus be very attractive for treating solid cancer. Unfortunately, the CAR T cell cannot be very functional in solid cancers due to its unique features. This treatment method has several harmful adverse effects that limit their applications, so novel treatments must use new cells like NK cells, NKT cells, and macrophage cells. Among these cells, the CAR macrophage cells, due to their brilliant innate features, are more attractive for solid tumor therapy and seem to be a better candidate for the prior treatment methods. The CAR macrophage cells have vital roles in the tumor microenvironment and, with their direct effect, can eliminate tumor cells efficiently. In addition, the CAR macrophage cells, due to being a part of the innate immune system, attended the tumor sites. With the high infiltration, their therapy modulations are more effective. This review investigates the last achievements in CAR-macrophage cells and the future of this immunotherapy treatment method.

Purposes of internet use among Iranian university students: exploring its relationship with social networking site (SNS) addiction.

BACKGROUND: Higher education students are heavy users of the internet for a wide variety of reasons, including Social Networking Sites (SNSs). This study investigated various purposes of internet use among undergraduate university students, and how different categories of such activities are related to SNS addiction. METHODS: The sample set from 420 SNS users (280 females), a survey questionnaire was used to collect the information, including demographic information, purposes for internet usage (social, entertainment, academic, and economic purposes), and SNS addiction. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and a path diagram to estimate the regression coefficients were used to examine the data. RESULTS: Findings revealed that the most common purposes for using the internet were online social networking and information seeking, followed by listening to music or watching movies, learning, relaxing, using email for educational needs, and reading socio-political news. In the comparison between categories of purposes for internet usage, the most prevalent group of purposes were academic and informative, recreational, social, and economic categories respectively. Moreover, the most significant influences belonged to the social group [positively], the academic and informative group (negatively), and the recreational group (positively) on SNS addiction respectively. The economic group of purposes did not have a significant influence on SNS addiction. CONCLUSION: This study has important implications for education and health providers, particularly in universities; we recommend that they try to improve students' mental health and academic performance by providing opportunities for them to improve their IT literacy and skills.

Negative interpretation of ambiguous bodily symptoms among illness-anxious individuals: Exploring the role of developmental and maintenance constructs.

Background: Cognitive factors play an essential role in the development and maintenance of anxiety problems. Among individuals with illness anxiety problems, their interpretation of bodily symptoms is a crucial factor in the determination of their ability to regulate their emotions. The catastrophic interpretation of ambiguous bodily symptoms and changes, known as interpretation bias, in line with the failure to reappraise the symptoms in safer ways, is supposed to increase the levels of anxiety in illness-anxious individuals. Methods: This study aimed to address the statistical limitations of the direct (self-report) measure of interpretation bias, using an indirect (online interpretation bias task) measure for assessing biased interpretations of bodily symptoms. In addition, we examined the contribution of self-report anxiety sensitivity (AS), intolerance of uncertainty (IU), interpretation bias, and reappraisal to illness anxiety problems in a subclinical population and compared it with controls with low levels of illness anxiety. Findings: Illness-anxious individuals made more negative interpretations of ambiguous, potentially health-threatening information. They used less reappraisal to regulate their emotion. Among the measures, the physical subscale of AS and the reaction time to the safe resolution of ambiguous information were the best factors that could contribute to the differentiation between the illness-anxious individuals and non-anxious individuals. Conclusion: Our findings provided further support for the biased processing of information related to physical symptoms among individuals with illness anxiety. AS-physical and safe resolutions for ambiguous situations could differentiate the illness-anxious and the control groups better than other factors. These findings suggest that a change of interpretation of ambiguous bodily symptoms among individuals suffering from chronic conditions can be a possible intervention to target anxiety and improve patients' lives.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Internet Addiction Test-Social Networking Sites Version: Dimensionality Assessment of Social Networking Site Addiction.

BACKGROUND: By evaluating the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Internet Addiction Test-Social Networking Sites version (IAT-SNS) in a sample of Iranian university students, this study investigated the dimensionality of SNS addiction for the first time. METHODS: A total of 620 SNS users (414 women) participated in the study. The study questionnaire comprised demographic information, SNS usage patterns, the IAT-SNS, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). FINDINGS: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified the 3-factor structure of the IAT-SNS, namely 'Lack of Control', 'Emotional and Relational Conflict', and 'Preference for online relationships' that explained 54% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the current model. Problematic users on average exhibited higher scores on the whole IAT-SNS and each of the 3 factors as compared to non-problematic users. The IAT-SNS and its factors showed good internal consistency, and strong convergent and concurrent validity. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the IAT-SNS is valid and reliable, and is applicable for measuring the 3 dimensions of SNS addiction among students.

Further Support for the Psychometric Properties of the Farsi Version of Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire.

Alexithymia is defined as the lack of words to describe emotions and is associated with different psychopathologies. Various tools have been developed for measuring alexithymia; each has its limitations. A new questionnaire, Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ), was developed to simultaneously assess positive and negative dimensions. Validation of such a tool in different cultures allows cross-cultural health psychology studies and facilitates knowledge transfer in the field. We aimed to examine the psychometric features of the PAQ in the Farsi-speaking population in Iran. Four-hundred-twenty-nine university students were asked to complete the PAQ, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and emotion regulation questionnaire (ERQ). Concurrent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability and factor structure were investigated. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a five-factor model identical to the original questionnaire. The questionnaire indicated good internal consistency (0.82 < α < 0.94). Test-retest reliability was acceptable for all subscales. The correlations between PAQ and its subscales with BDI-II, BAI, and TAS, and expression suppression subscale of ERQ were strong for concurrent validity. Concerning the discriminant validity, PAQ and its subscales were not correlated with reappraisal subscales of ERQ. The present findings suggest that the Farsi version of PAQ has strong psychometric properties and is appropriate for use in the Farsi-speaking population.

The Relationship Between Ruminating the Catastrophic Consequences of Bodily Changes and Positive Reappraisal and Practical Problem-Solving Strategies in Individuals With Illness Anxiety Disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive emotion regulation is suggested to contribute to Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD). Reappraisal and suppression are essential ER strategies with controversial data about their roles in IAD. Relevant studies are mostly limited to exploring these two strategies in individuals without such disorder. Therefore, we aimed to study the role of emotion regulation in the psychopathology of IAD by evaluating other ER strategies in illness-anxious individuals. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between IAD and emotion regulation by targeting the role of interpretation bias for health-related information. METHODS: The study participants were 60 university students. They underwent a semi-structured clinical interview to assess the presence or absence of IAD symptoms (n=30/group). They completed a battery of questionnaires measuring IAD, emotion regulation, and interpretation bias. RESULTS: The illness-anxious group applied significantly less reappraisal and refocus on planning and more rumination, catastrophizing, and acceptance strategies, compared to the controls. Besides, interpretation bias was positively correlated with rumination and catastrophizing; while its association with reappraisal and planning was negative. CONCLUSION: Both functional (e.g. reappraisal & planning) and dysfunctional strategies (e.g. rumination & catastrophizing) contributed to the psychopathology of IAD. The biased interpretation of bodily information could make individuals prone to ruminate about the catastrophic consequences of bodily changes; such conditions interrupt fostering more positive reappraisal or practical problem-solving strategies.

Effect of safranal, a constituent of saffron, on olanzapine (an atypical antipsychotic) induced metabolic disorders in rat.

OBJECTIVES: Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, causes weight gain and metabolic disorders in humans. Safranal, one of the active components of Crocus sativus (saffron), has been shown to have anti-obesity, lipid and blood pressure lowering and anti-diabetes effects. In this investigation, the effect of safranal on metabolic disorders induced by olanzapine was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty-two female Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups of 6 animals. The two groups were selected as controls, which received olanzapine and safranal solvents, respectively. The third group treated by olanzapine 5 mg/kg. Groups 4, 5 and 6 treated by olanzapine 5 mg/kg plus safranal (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and the last group received safranal 10 mg/kg. The injections were performed intraperitoneally for 14 days and on the 15th day the rats were killed and their serum were collected to measure metabolic factors including glucose, insulin, triglyceride, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Leptin level in plasma was also measured. Mean systolic blood pressure was measured using tail cuff method at the end of study. The rats were weighed every other day and amount of food consumed was measured daily. RESULTS: Olanzapine significantly elevated body weight, food intake, fasting blood glucose, TG, leptin, and mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP). It also significantly decreased HDL cholesterol blood level. Safranal significantly improved all these complications at three doses. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, safranal is thought to be used as an effective combination in controlling metabolic complications caused by olanzapine.

Efficacy of Compound Therapy by Ginseng and Ciprofloxacin on Bacterial Prostatitis.

OBJECTIVE: Genitourinary tract infections play a significant role in male infertility. Infections of reproductive sex glands, such as the prostate, impair function and indirectly affect male fertility. The general aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on prostatitis in male rats treated with ciprofloxacin (CIPX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we randomly divided 72 two male Wistar rats into 9 groups. The groups were treated as follows for 10 days: i. Control (no medication), ii. Sham [(normal saline injection into the vas deferens and oral administration of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)], iii. Ginseng, iv. CPIX, v. CIPX+ginseng, vi. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) (UPEC), vii. UPEC+ginseng, viii. UPEC+CIPX, and ix. UPEC+ginseng+CIPX. The rats were killed 14 days after the last injection and the prostate glands were removed. After sample preparation, routine histology was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method was used to determine the presence of apoptotic cells. RESULTS: The severity score for acinar changes and inflammatory cell infiltration in the UPEC+CIPX group did not significantly different from the UPEC group. However this score significantly decreased in the UPEC+CIPX+ginseng group compared to the UPEC group. Apoptotic index of all ginseng treated groups significantly decreased compared to the UPEC and CPIX groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that ginseng might be an effective adjunct in CIPX treatment of prostatitis. The combined use ginseng and CIPX was more effective than ginseng or CIPX alone.