Challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on women's HIV harm reduction centers: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to nations worldwide, affecting various sectors of society. Women's HIV harm reduction centers, which provide critical services, have also been affected by these difficulties. This study aimed to examine the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on the services offered by women's HIV harm reduction centers from the perspective of clients. METHODS: A convergent mixed-method design was utilized to gain in-depth insights into the challenges of COVID-19 on the services provided by women's HIV harm reduction centers, counseling centers, and night shelters that cater to women at risk, such as drug users, sex workers, and the homeless population, in three provinces (Tehran, Khuzestan, and Kermanshah) in Iran. The study was conducted from January to May 2023. The quantitative aspect of the study employed a cross-sectional method with a sample size of 430 individuals. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to assess a range of services. The qualitative part of the study involved traditional content analysis and included 32 individual interviews. The integration of qualitative and quantitative results was performed during the interpretation phase to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of COVID-19 on women's HIV harm reduction centers. RESULTS: In the quantitative phase, the mean age of women was 39.0 ± 10.2 years. 165 women reported a history of COVID-19, which accounts for 38.4% of the total. More than half of them (n = 102, 61.8%) recovering at home. The majority of women (n = 365, 84.9%) mentioned receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 diagnostic tests were conducted for 74.2% (n = 319) of women. Women expressed higher satisfaction with the services (HIV prevention services, and accommodation services) before the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the satisfaction during the pandemic. The qualitative analysis identified emerging challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic in two categories: personal challenges and mismanagement of services, comprising nineteen subcategories. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlight the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the services provided by women's HIV harm reduction centers, in contrast to the pre-pandemic period. To mitigate these negative effects, it is crucial to implement preventive measures and practical solutions. This may involve addressing the personal and management challenges of the centers.

Association Between Striae and Pelvic Organ Prolapse in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The high prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and related complications shows the necessity of early identification of risk factors. It is considered that striae and POP share a similar physiopathology. However, the link between the two is still inconclusive and requires further investigation. We conducted this study to evaluate the association between striae and POP. METHODS: Databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to find relevant literature from inception up to May 2023. Full-text articles published in English or other languages and observational studies were included. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 14.2. The random effects model was performed and heterogeneity was ≥ 50%. Statistical tools such as the Chi-squared test and the I2 index were used to calculate the level of heterogeneity among studies. Additionally, we utilized Funnel plots and Egger tests to assess the presence of publication bias. RESULTS: Seven studies were selected for meta-analysis, yielding a total of 605 patients and 660 control subjects, to assess the link between striae and POP. The overall pooled odds ratio (OR) was 2.08 (95% confidence interval 1.04-4.19, I2 = 80.40%). Our analysis revealed a strong relationship between POP and striae (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study recommends that stretch marks may be used as a helpful indicator of the risk for POP. Evaluation of striae as a risk factor and screening tool for detecting women at risk for the development of POP should be addressed in future well-designed studies. However, there is a need for high-quality studies in this field owing to the low quality of evidence.

Potato-on-rod like of Z-scheme plasmon Ag2CrO4-Ag2Mo2O7 heterojunction nanophotocatalyst with high stability and accelerated photo-degradation evolution of organic contaminants.

The shocking increase of resistant dye pollutants in the environment and their harmful effects has become a potential threat to the ecosystem. In the current work, the novel and highly efficient potato-on-rod-like Z-scheme plasmon Ag2CrO4-Ag2Mo2O7 heterojunction nano-photocatalyst was synthesized by precipitation method to photodegrade different organic dyes under artificial sunlight. The required analysises were carried out to characterize nanophotocatalysts. FESEM and TEM results showed the placement way of potato-like Ag2CrO4 between/on rod-like Ag2Mo2O7 which was leading to suitable structure and surface morphology. Besides, the morphology observations released the meso-/macroporous potato-on-rod like architecture self-assembled by nanoparticles. DRS analysis also confirmed two band gap energies of 2.55 and 1.72 eV in Ag2CrO4-Ag2Mo2O7 (3:1) resulting from forming a heterojunction structure and the plasmon Ag. Ag2CrO4-Ag2Mo2O7 (3:1) nanophotocatalyst exhibited the most remarkable activity in the photodegradation of 10 mg/L 2-naphthol orange (97.8%), 10 mg/L rhodamine B (99.7%), 10 mg/L crystal violet (98.9%), and 10 mg/L methyl orange (56.1%) with a catalyst dosage of 0.1 gr for about 90 min. The appropriate energy band gap, the formation of the heterostructure, the presence of meso (0.0038 cm3/g) and macro (0.0044 cm3/g) holes, and pore diameter at about 17.2 nm based on BET-BJH analysis that facilitated the penetration of pollutant molecules, increased pollutant adsorption and demonstrated stunning capability of efficient light harvesting, the reason was electron-hole pairs recombination rate reduction. Moreover, the fabricated samples showed tremendous catalyst constancy and reusability even after the fourth run. Results have shown the remarkable photocatalytic activity under visible light and provide an environment-friendly and green strategy to overcome the challenges of organic pollutants present in aqueous solutions.

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential of Resolvins in Cancer - Current Status and Perspectives.

Resolvins are specialized pro-resolving mediators derived from omega-3 fatty acids that can suppress several cancer-related molecular pathways, including important activation of transcription parameters in the tumor cells and their microenvironment, inflammatory cell infiltration, cytokines as well as chemokines. Recently, an association between resolvins and an important anti-inflammatory process in apoptotic tumor cell clearance (efferocytosis) was shown. The inflammation status or the oncogene activation increases the risk of cancer development via triggering the transcriptional agents, including nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells by generating the pro-inflammatory lipid molecules and infiltrating the tumor cells along with the high level of pro-inflammatory signaling. These events can cause an inflammatory microenvironment. Resolvins might decrease the leukocyte influx into the inflamed tissues. It is widely accepted that resolvins prohibit the development of debris-triggered cancer via increasing the clearance of debris, especially by macrophage phagocytosis in tumors without any side effects. Resolvins D2, D1, and E1 might suppress tumor-growing inflammation by activation of macrophages clearance of cell debris in the tumor. Resolvin D5 can assist patients with pain during treatment. However, the effects of resolvins as anti-inflammatory mediators in cancers are not completely explained. Thus, based on the most recent studies, we tried to summarize the most recent knowledge on resolvins in cancers.

UV-shielding properties of a cost-effective hybrid PMMA-based thin film coatings using TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles: a comprehensive evaluation.

This study aimed to assess the UV-shielding features of the PMMA-based thin film coatings with the addition of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles as nanofillers considering different contents. Furthermore, the effect of TiO2/ZnO nanohybrids at different ratios and concentrations was examined. The XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDX analyses characterized the prepared films' functional groups, structure, and morphology. Meanwhile, the coatings' optical properties and UV-protecting capability were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The UV-Vis spectroscopic study revealed that as the concentration of nanoparticles increased in the hybrid-coated PMMA, the absorption in the UVA region increased. Overall, it can be concluded that the optimal coatings for PMMA were 0.1 wt% TiO2, 0.1 wt% ZnO, and 0.025:0.025 wt% TiO2: ZnO nanohybrid. Considering the acquired FT-IR of PMMA with different content of nanoparticles before and after exposure to the UV irradiation, for some films, it was confirmed that the polymer-based thin films degraded after 720 h, with either decreasing or increasing intensity of the degraded polymer, peak shifting, and band broadening. Notably, the FTIR results were in good agreement with UV-Vis outcomes. In addition, XRD diffraction peaks demonstrated that the pure PMMA matrix and PMMA coating films did not show any characteristic peaks indicating the presence of nanoparticles. All diffraction patterns were similar with and without any nanoparticles. Therefore, it depicted the amorphous nature of polymer thin film.

Metal-organic frameworks-based biosensor for microRNA detection in prostate cancer cell lines.

In this research, a novel dye-labeled probe (FAM-Probe) based on a nano metal-organic framework (NMOF) functionalized with folate (NMOF-FA) was prepared and applied as a fluorescent sensing platform for the recognition of intracellular microRNA (miRNA-21) in DU145, PC3, and LNCaP cancer cells. The NMOF-FA can be easily assembled with a dye-labeled miR-21 probe (FAM-Probe21), causing an efficient fluorescence quenching of fluorescence of FAM fluorophore. The probe can be specifically catch up by cancerous cells through targeting their folate receptor by folic acid on the FAM-Probe21-NMOF-FA complex. Upon the interaction of the FAM-Probe21-NMOF-FA with complementary miRNA (miR-21), the fluorescence intensity can be recovered, providing a specific system to detect miRNAs in prostate cancer cells. We used the proposed probe for cell-specific intracellular miRNA-21 sensing, following the alteration expression level of miRNA-21 inside living cells. Thus, the FAM-Probe21-NMOF-FA complex can be used as a new miRNA sensing method in biomedicine studies.

Phyto-Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles Using Typha azerbaijanensis Aerial Part and Root Extracts.

Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were phyto-synthesized using Typha azerbaijanensis aerial part and root extracts, and their biological activities were investigated. Methods: This study was conducted in the Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran in 2019. In this experimental study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were phyto-synthesized and the physicochemical properties of AgNPs were determined using UV-Vis (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Antibacterial and anticancer activity of synthesized AgNPs was determined using microdilution assay, and MTT 3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) methods, respectively. The apoptotic effects of AgNPs were investigated using Real-Time PCR and flow cytometry techniques. Results: Morphological analysis of the synthesized AgNPs confirmed the spherical shape of AgNPs with an average size of 10.67 to 16.69 nm. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of phytochemicals from T. azerbayenensis extract at the AgNP surface. Antibacterial experiments showed that phyto-fabricated AgNPs had significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. The AgNPs were significantly cytotoxic against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) through induction of apoptosis. Conclusion: The phyto-synthesized AgNPs had biological activities could be useful in pharmaceutical applications.

Organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides may induce brain cancer through oxidative stress.

In this study, oxidative stress was investigated as the possible mechanism of action of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in primary brain tumors (PBT). The levels of seven OCP residues and enzymatic antioxidant biomarkers including erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) along with non-enzymatic oxidative biomarkers including malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured in blood samples of 73 patients with PBT and 104 healthy controls. A significant association was found between farming activities and PBT (55% of patients were engaged in farming activities while 45% had no farming experience). The mean levels of ß-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4 DDE, 4,4 DDE, 4,4 DDT, MDA, PC, NO, SOD, CAT, and GPx were significantly higher in PBT patients, whereas the levels of TAC, PON-1, and AChE were significantly lower in these patients. Regression analysis showed that PBT was correlated with ß-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4 DDE, 4,4 DDE, and 4,4 DDT. Based on these results, it can be concluded that OCPs and OPPs may play a role in PBT development through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promoting oxidative stress.

A Novel miRNA Located in the HER2 Gene Shows an Inhibitory Effect on Wnt Signaling and Cell Cycle Progression.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is involved in the development of the majority of cancers. Therefore, it can be a potential target for cancer therapy. It was hypothesized that some of the broad effects of HER2 could be mediated by miRNAs that are probably embedded inside this gene. Here, we predicted and then empirically substantiated the processing and expression of a novel miRNA named HER2-miR1, located in the HER2 gene; transfection of a DNA fragment corresponding to HER2-miR1 precursor sequence (preHER2-miR1) resulted in ~4000-fold elevation of HER2-miR1 mature form in HEK293t cells. Also, the detection of HER2-miR1 in 5637, NT2, and HeLa cell lines confirmed its endogenous production. Following the HER2-miR1 overexpression, TOP/FOP flash assay and RT-qPCR results showed that Wnt signaling pathway was downregulated. Consistently, flow cytometry results revealed that overexpression of HER2-miR1 in Wnt+ cell lines (SW480 and HCT116) was ended in G1 arrest, unlike in Wnt- cells (HEK293t). Taking everything into account, our results report the discovery of a novel miRNA that is located within the HER2 gene sequence and has a repressive impact on the Wnt signaling pathway.

The cross-talk between soluble "Find me" and "Keep out" signals as an initial step in regulating efferocytosis.

The rapid clearance of apoptotic cells (ACs), known as efferocytosis, prompts the inhibition of inflammatory responses and autoimmunity and maintains homeostatic cell turnover by controlling the release of intracellular contents. The fast clearance of ACs requires professional and nonprofessional phagocytic cells that can accurately and promptly recognize ACs and migrate towards them. Cells undergoing apoptosis alarm their presence by releasing special soluble chemotactic factors, such as lactoferrin, that act as "Find me," "Keep out," or "Stay away" signals to recruit phagocytic cells, such as macrophages or prevent granulocyte migration. Efferocytosis effectively serves to prevent damage-associated molecular pattern release and secondary necrosis and inhibit inflammation/autoimmunity at the very first step. Since less attention has been given to the cross-talk and balance of "Find me" and "Keep out" signals released from ACs in efferocytosis, we set out to investigate the current knowledge of the roles of "Find me" and "Keep out" signals in the efferocytosis process.

Recent Advances in Solid Tumor CAR-T Cell Therapy: Driving Tumor Cells From Hero to Zero?

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-Ts) are known as revolutionary living drugs that have turned the tables of conventional cancer treatments in certain hematologic malignancies such as B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) by achieving US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval based on their successful clinical outcomes. However, this type of therapy has not seen the light of victory in the fight against solid tumors because of various restricting caveats including heterogeneous tumor antigen expression and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TME) that negatively affect the tumor-site accessibility, infiltration, stimulation, activation, and persistence of CAR-Ts. In this review, we explore strategic twists including boosting vaccines and designing implementations that can support CAR-T expansion, proliferation, and tumoricidal capacity. We also step further by underscoring novel strategies for triggering endogenous antitumor responses and overcoming the limitation of poor CAR-T tumor-tissue infiltration and the lack of definitive tumor-specific antigens. Ultimately, we highlight how these approaches can address the mentioned arduous hurdles.

OCC-1D regulates Wnt signaling pathway: potential role of long noncoding RNA in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is observed in most colorectal cancers (CRC). OCC-1D is a splice variant of OCC-1 gene which is considered as a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) due to lacking the translational initiation codon of the gene. Here, we sought supporting evidence for the effects of OCC-1D on the Wnt pathway and cell cycle progression in CRC. METHODS AND RESULTS: TOP/FOPflash assay and qRT-PCR indicated that expression alterations of OCC-1D could change Wnt signaling activity in colon cancer cells. Consistently, immunocytochemistry results showed the effect of OCC-1D overexpression on nuclear localization of ß-catenin proteins in SW480 cells. Flow cytometry, wound healing and MTT assay confirmed the cell cycle stimulatory effects of OCC-1D in CRC-originated cell lines (SW480 and HCT116). qRT-PCR revealed a positive correlation between the expression level of OCC-1D and its neighboring gene, APPL2. Two distinct tests, downregulation of APPL2 mRNA by using shRNA and Wnt signaling inhibition by using small molecule, along with OCC-1D overexpression confirmed that OCC-1D lncRNA exerts its effect on Wnt signaling pathway through expression modulation of APPL2 gene. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, we suggested the putative regulatory effects of OCC-1D lncRNA on cell cycle progression and Wnt signaling activation through enhancing the APPL2 gene transcription.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and traumatic brain injury: A novel insight into targeted therapy.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most concerning health issues in which the normal brain function may be disrupted as a result of a blow, bump, or jolt to the head. Loss of consciousness, amnesia, focal neurological defects, alteration in mental state, and destructive diseases of the nervous system such as cognitive impairment, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the early loss of striatal dopaminergic neurons. TBI is a major risk factor for Parkinson's disease. Existing therapeutic approaches have not been often effective, indicating the necessity of discovering more efficient therapeutic targets. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway responds to different environmental cues to modulate a large number of cellular processes such as cell proliferation, survival, protein synthesis, autophagy, and cell metabolism. Moreover, mTOR has been reported to affect the regeneration of the injured nerves throughout the central nervous system (CNS). In this context, recent evaluations have revealed that mTOR inhibitors could be potential targets to defeat a group of neurological disorders, and thus, a number of clinical trials are investigating their efficacy in treating dementia, autism, epilepsy, stroke, and brain injury, as irritating neurological defects. The current review describes the interplay between mTOR signaling and major CNS-related disorders (esp. neurodegenerative diseases), as well as the mTOR signaling-TBI relationship. It also aims to discuss the promising therapeutic capacities of mTOR inhibitors during the TBI.

Comparison of Face-to-Face Education and Multimedia Software Education on Adjustment of Patients With Intestinal Ostomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of face-to-face versus multimedia education on the adjustment of patients to an intestinal ostomy. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. SUBJECT AND SETTING: The sample comprised 135 patients with new ostomies randomly assigned to 3 groups (control, face-to-face, and multimedia education). Data were collected from November 2018 to May 2019; the study setting was Rasul-e Akram and Imam Khomeini Hospitals, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: The control group received no additional ostomy education. The face-to-face education group was educated individually in the hospital environment during four 3-hour sessions delivered over 4 consecutive days. The multimedia group viewed a multimedia educational program using a laptop. Data were collected at baseline and 3 months after the intervention. Data collection forms comprised a demographic questionnaire and the Ostomy Adjustment Inventory-23 (OAI-23). RESULTS: Before the intervention, the mean OAI-23 adjustment score did not significantly differ among the 3 groups (P = .752). Three months after the intervention, the mean score of adjustment score in the multimedia software group was significantly higher than those of the face-to-face and control groups (P = .000). In addition, the mean score of adjustment of the face-to-face education group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that multimedia education was associated with higher levels of adjustment when compared to face-to-face teaching.

The effect of complementary medicine on maternal health promotion: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: During the immediate post delivery period, women are particularly susceptible to distension of the bladder. Complementary and alternative medicine is becoming an established intervention modality within the contemporary health care system. However, very little is known about the impact of foot reflexology on the urinary system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the most popular type of complementary therapy (the foot reflexology) on first voiding time following elective cesarean section without urinary catheter. METHODS: This experimental study was performed on 61 pregnant women in Pastor Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, who met the inclusion criteria. Accordingly, participants were randomly allotted to either treatment or control groups. The intervention group received a single 20-min foot re?exology session at 2-3 h after the surgery. The time taken for first void was recorded by research assistant that blinded to the allocation of groups. The findings were recorded and analyzed with the SPSS software by using of Chi-square, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Fisher exact methods P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Using General Linear Model (GLM) for controlling of confounding variables, the results of t-test showed significant differences between two groups in terms of first voiding time (P = 0.001) following surgery. CONCLUSION: It seems that the use of foot reflexology as a nursing care plan to prevent urinary retention after cesarean section without urinary catheter does shorten first voiding time and increase maternal satisfaction.

MicroRNA­331 inhibits isoproterenol­induced expression of profibrotic genes in cardiac myofibroblasts via the TGFß/smad3 signaling pathway.

Cardiac fibrosis in the failing heart is modulated by activated myofibroblasts, and is a pathology marked by their deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. The TGFß signaling pathway is important in stimulating fibrosis and therefore seems an attractive new target for anti-fibrotic therapy. The relationship between ncRNAs and TGFß signaling pathway has been extensively studied. Here, we have provided several lines of evidence to prove that the fibrosis process could be regulated by miR-331 through targeting TGFß signaling. First, bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase assay validated a direct interaction between the miR-331 and TGFß-R1 3'UTR sequence which results in the downregulation of TGFß signaling pathway. Second, miR-331 expression was inversely related to the expression of a number of genes which are involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) production and deposition processes, both in the in vivo and in vitro fibrosis models. Third, in cultured mouse and human cardiac myofibroblasts (CMyoFbs) under ISO treatment, overexpression of miR-331 decreased the expression level of fibrosis-related genes. Consistently, western blot analysis confirmed that miR-331 overexpression ended in both Smad3 and Col1A1 protein level reduction in mouse cardiac myofibroblasts. Finally, flow cytometry analysis, cyclin D1 and D2 gene expression analysis, and wound-healing assay confirmed the inhibitory effect of miR-331 against cell proliferation and migration in ISO-treated cardiac myofibroblasts. Taken together, accumulative results showed that miR-331 reduced the level of fibrosis-related proteins in cardiac myofibroblasts culture via regulating TGFß signaling pathway.

Circular RNAs as potential theranostics in the cardiac fibrosis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of single-stranded RNA molecules that normally do not encode proteins. circRNAs are involved in many physiological processes as well as the pathogenesis of diseases. Cardiac fibrosis is increasingly recognized as a pathological force in advanced heart diseases. A growing number of studies have reported that the occurrence and development of cardiac fibrosis is closely associated with the regulation of circRNAs. This review summarizes the current understanding of circRNA biogenesis and function and will highlight the recent updates regarding the involvement of circRNAs in cardiac fibrosis, and their potential as emerging biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Comparison between Golnar product and placebo in heavy menstrual bleeding: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Golnar product is a poly herbal formulation advised by Persian medicine to control heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of this product with placebo in patients with HMB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 100 women with HMB were randomly assigned into two groups. The patients in the Golnar group (n=50) took Golnar capsules 500 mg three times a day for the first 7 days of menstrual cycle for three cycles. The placebo group (n=50), took placebo capsules in the same manner. The duration and volume of bleeding (using Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart: PBAC), quality of life (using Menorrhagia Questionnaire: MQ), and hemoglobin level (Hb) were measured 3 months after initiation of the intervention. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients (43 in the Golnar and 39 in the placebo groups) completed the 3-month intervention period. In the Golnar group, PBAC score decreased from 201.62 (144.11) to 109.44 (69.57) (p<0.001) and MQ score improved significantly from 0.58 (0.27) to 0.39 (0.31) (p<0.001), while changes in placebo group were not significant. Hb increased in the Golnar group from 12.78±0.98 to 12.97±0.95 mg/dl (p=0.048) and decreased in the placebo group from 12.94±1.08 to 12.44±1.01mg/dl (p<0.001). No significant adverse effects were found in the Golnar group. CONCLUSION: The Golnar product can be considered an effective intervention for patients with HMB. Assessment of side-effects is suggested to be performed in a larger sample. In addition, a comparison between the Golnar product and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could be valuable.

TGF-ß and WNT signaling pathways in cardiac fibrosis: non-coding RNAs come into focus.

Cardiac fibrosis describes the inappropriate proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), leading to accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the cardiac muscle, which is found in many pathophysiological heart conditions. A range of molecular components and cellular pathways, have been implicated in its pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on the TGF-ß and WNT signaling pathways, and their mutual interaction, which have emerged as important factors involved in cardiac pathophysiology. The molecular and cellular processes involved in the initiation and progression of cardiac fibrosis are summarized. We focus on TGF-ß and WNT signaling in cardiac fibrosis, ECM production, and myofibroblast transformation. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are one of the main players in the regulation of multiple pathways and cellular processes. MicroRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular long non-coding RNAs can all interact with the TGF-ß/WNT signaling axis to affect cardiac fibrosis. A better understanding of these processes may lead to new approaches for diagnosis and treatment of many cardiac conditions. Video Abstract.