How the combination of alginate and chitosan can fabricate a hydrogel with favorable properties for wound healing.

Wound management has always been a significant concern, particularly for men, and the search for effective wound dressings has led to the emergence of hydrogels as a promising solution. In recent years, hydrogels, with their unique properties, have gained considerable importance in wound management. Among the various types of hydrogels, those incorporating chitosan and alginate, two distinct chemical materials, have shown potential in accelerating wound healing. This review aims to discuss the desirable characteristics of an effective wound dressing, explore the alginate/chitosan-based hydrogels developed by different researchers, and analyze their effects on wound healing through in vitro and in vivo assessments. In vitro tests encompass a wide range of evaluations, including swelling capacity, degradation rate, porosity, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, moisture vapor transmission rate, release studies, mechanical properties, microscopic observation, antibacterial properties, compatibility assessment, cell adhesion investigation, blood clotting capability, cell migration analysis, water contact angle determination, and structural stability. Furthermore, in vivo assessments encompass the examination of wound closure rate, modulation of gene expression, as well as histopathological and immunohistochemical studies.

Simultaneous Coating of Electrospun Nanofibers with Bioactive Molecules for Stem Cell Osteogenesis In Vitro.

OBJECTIVE: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely recognized as a promising cell type for therapeutic applications due to their ability to secrete and regenerate bioactive molecules. For effective bone healing, it is crucial to select a scaffold that can support, induce, and restore biological function. Evaluating the scaffold should involve assessing MSC survival, proliferation, and differentiation. The principal aim of this investigation was to formulate composite nanofibrous scaffolds apt for applications in bone tissue engineering. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated using Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) polymer. The PLLA fibers' surface was modified by integrating collagen and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that the collagen- and nanohydroxyapatite-modified electrospun PLLA scaffold positively influenced the attachment, growth, and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. CONCLUSION: Coating the nanofiber scaffold with collagen and nanoparticle HA significantly enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs on electrospun PLLA scaffolds.

Hydrogel-mediated delivery of platelet-derived exosomes: Innovations in tissue engineering.

In this scholarly review, we conduct a thorough examination of the significant role played by platelet-derived exosomes (Plt-Exos) and hydrogels in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Our detailed investigation highlights the central involvement of Plt-Exos in various physiological and pathological processes, underscoring their potential contributions to diverse areas such as wound healing, neural rejuvenation, and cancer progression. Despite the promising therapeutic aspects, the notable variability in the isolation and characterization of pEVs underscores the need for a more rigorous and standardized methodology. Shifting our focus to hydrogels, they have emerged as promising biomaterials relevant to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Their unique characteristics, especially their chemical and physical adaptability, along with the modifiability of their biochemical properties, make hydrogels a captivating subject. These exceptional features open avenues for numerous tissue engineering applications, facilitating the delivery of essential growth factors, cytokines, and microRNAs. This analysis explores the innovative integration of Plt-Exos with hydrogels, presenting a novel paradigm in tissue engineering. Through the incorporation of Plt-Exos into hydrogels, there exists an opportunity to enhance tissue regeneration endeavors by combining the bioactive features of Plt-Exos with the restorative capabilities of hydrogel frameworks. In conclusion, the cooperative interaction between platelet-derived exosomes and hydrogels indicates a promising path in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, the successful execution of this approach requires a deep understanding of molecular dynamics, coupled with a dedication to refining isolation techniques.

Academic resilience, moral perfectionism, and self-compassion among undergraduate nursing students: A cross-sectional, multi-center study.

BACKGROUND: Academic resilience has been identified as a coping method for nursing students' educational and practice challenges. Despite the importance of academic resilience, knowledge on how to enhance academic resilience is under-researched. To suggest suitable approaches, relationships between academic resilience and other constructs need to be appraised. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate predictors of academic resilience, examining its relationships with other essential constructs: self-compassion and moral perfectionism, in undergraduate nursing students in Iran. DESIGN: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 250 undergraduate nursing students at three universities in Iran participated in this study by completing self-report measures. METHODS: Data collection tools were Nursing Student Academic Resilience Inventory, Moral Perfectionism scale, and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation of academic resilience were 57.57 ± 23.69; moral perfectionism 50.24 ± 9.97, and self-compassion 37.19 ± 5.02. Self-compassion had significantly related to moral perfectionism (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). Academic resilience had no statistically significant relationship with moral perfectionism (r = -0.05, p = 0.41) and self-compassion (r = -0.06, p = 0.35), but significantly affect age (r = 0.14, p = 0.03), Grade point average (r = 0.18, p < 0.001) and university of study (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). The grade point average and the university of the study predicted 33 % of the changes in academic resilience, and the greatest impact was related to the university (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Adopting appropriate educational strategies and supporting the students will help improve nursing students' academic resilience and performance. Promoting self-compassion will lead to the development of nursing students' moral perfectionism.

The role of Spirulina platensis on the proliferation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Background and Objectives: Spirulina platensis micro-algae have some effects on cellular procedures. The proliferative potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) will be decreased after repetitive passage. Materials and Methods: The stromal cells were isolated, and then proven by differentiating to adipogenesis and osteoblastic lineage. The cell markers such as CD90 and CD105 were detected by flowcytometry. MSCs were treated with extract of S. platensis in logarithmic concentrations. MTT and ATP assays were done to determine cell proliferation capacity. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the extract were evaluated. Results: The results obtained from differentiation confirm cells' potential for osteoblastic and adipoblastic differentiation. Detection of CD90 and CD105 markers over 70% proved that the majority of cells are MSCs. Statistical analyzes revealed a significant increase in MSCs proliferation in the concentration of 0.9 µl/ml S. platensis. DPPH assay demonstrated that the extract could scavenge free radicals up to 57%. Additionally, the extract showed the inhibition zone up to 11 mm against a different strain of bacteria by agar well diffusion assay. Conclusion: Secreting nutritional elements, S. platensis extract can be used as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and growth agent for enhancing the proliferation of MSCs. Furthermore, the optimum concentration for cell treatment with S. platensis's extract was investigated.

First Cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Iran, 2020: Case Series Report.

In Jan 2020, the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China spread increasingly to other countries worldwide which WHO declared it as a public health emergency of international concern. Iran was included in the affected countries. Throat swab specimens were collected and tested by using real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) kit targeting the E region for screening and RNA dependent RNA polymerase for confirmation. Conventional RT-PCR was conducted for the N region and the PCR products were sequenced by Sanger sequencing. The first seven cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections were identified in Qom, Iran. This report describes the clinical and epidemiological features of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 confirmed in Iran. Future research should focus on finding the routes of transmission for this virus, including the possibility of transmission from foreign tourists to identify the possible origin of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Iran.

The Effect of Bifidobacterium Bifidum Supernatant and Cell Mass on the Proliferation Potential of Rat Bone Marrow-Derived Stromal Cells.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used to treat various diseases, however, their proliferative potential reduces after a number of passages. It has been shown that some probiotics such as Bifidobacterium Bifidum (B. bifidum) affect the proliferation of various cell lineages. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of B. bifidum on the proliferation of rat bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSCs) and to develop a method for compensating their proliferation reduction after some passages. METHODS: The present experimental study was conducted at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, in 2017. The stromal cells were isolated from rBMSCs and their mesenchymal properties were confirmed by osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation media and staining. B. bifidum was cultured and the B. bifidum supernatant (BS) and bacterial cell mass (BCM) were extracted. The rBMSCs were treated with different concentrations of BS and BCM. The MTT assay was performed to measure the number of viable cells in the culture. Cell proliferation was analyzed using the paired-sample t test. RESULTS: Cell proliferation increased as the concentration of bacteria was increased logarithmically (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.9, 3, 9, 30 µL/mL). In comparison with BS, cells treated with BCM showed increased cell proliferation at lower concentrations. This effect was caused by removing the "de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe" (MRS) broth medium from the BCM culture. The optimal concentration of bacteria with the most significant effect on rBMSCs proliferation was determined. CONCLUSION: A significant increase in the proliferation of stromal cells was observed; confirming the stimulatory potential of probiotics (B. bifidum) on various cells. The use of products containing probiotic bacteria can increase the proliferation potential of BMSCs.

Fluid Balance Has Effects on the Length of Hospital Stay After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: A vast range of factors cause adverse outcomes after coronary surgery. The goal of this study was to figure out if there was a relation between large volumes of fluid balance in patients who underwent coronary surgery and common complications after CABG. METHODS: 130 candidates for on-pump CABG were enrolled in our study at Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center in 2016. After calculating balance volume for each patient, they were divided into 3 groups; Group (1): fluid balance < 2000 mL, Group (2): fluid balance 2000-3000 mL, Group (3): fluid balance > 3000 mL. Some of the post-surgery complications were studied in these 3 groups. Since in similar studies, fluid overload has been investigated based on the patient's weight gain after surgery or only on the basis of the patient's fluid intake, we designed a study based on an accurate fluid balance measurement, which included the subtraction of the patient's outputs and losses from their intakes. RESULTS: Logistic Regression showed that fluid balance > 3000ml was the predictor of long mechanical ventilation [ (Odds Ratio (95% CI) = 4.6 (1.9 - 11.5), P < .05], more than 3 days of ICU stay [(Odds Ratio (95% CI) = 3.2 (1.09 - 9.6), P < .05], and longer hospital stay [Odds Ratio (95% CI) = 5.2 (1.9 - 14.08), P < .05]. There was no significant relation between AKI and fluid balance. CONCLUSION: Administration of large fluid volumes in CABG patients would lead to fluid accumulation and independently associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, longer ICU stays and extended hospital stays.

Enterolactone Reduces Telomerase Activity and The Level of Its Catalytic Subunit in Breast Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVE: There is a positive correlation between higher serum phytoestrogen concentrations and lower risk of breast cancer. The activation of telomerase is crucial for the growth of cancer cells; therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of enterolactone (ENL) and enterodiol (END) on this enzyme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we performed the viability assay to determine the effects of different concentrations of ENL and END on cell viability, and the effective concentrations of these two compounds on cell growth. We used western blot analysis to evaluate human telomerase reverse transcriptase catalytic subunit (hTERT) expression and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-ELISA based on the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay for telomerase activity. RESULTS: Both ENL and END, at 100 µM concentrations, significantly (P<0.05) reduced cell viability. However, only the 100 µM concentration of ENL significantly (P<0.05) decreased hTERT protein levels and telomerase activity. Lower concentrations of ENL did not have any significant effects on telomerase activity and hTERT protein levels. CONCLUSION: High concentration of ENL decreased the viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and inhibited the expression and activity of telomerase in these cells. Although END could reduce breast cancer cell viability, it did not have any effect on telomerase expression and activity.

Urinary Tract Infection with Candida glabrata in a Patient with Spinal Cord Injury.

Candida glabrata was thought to be a primarily non-pathogenic organism. However, with the ever-increasing population of immunocompromised individuals, it is considered to be an opportunistic pathogen. Patients with spinal cord injuries often using a long-term urinary catheter and are high risk for Urinary Tract Infections. This case report describes a patient with spinal cord injury (thoracic region) with a pure culture of Candida glabrata in a urine sample.