Jorjani Biomedicine Journal
Year:2022 | Volume:10 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

Background and Objective: Young adults, especially the students of medical fields, as the health ambassadors of every community, play a vital role in health maintenance and improvement of society. Promoting the lifestyle behaviors of this group leads to the better health status of other society members. This study was set to assess the Health-Promoting Lifestyle (HPL) of medical students in Mashhad, Iran. Material and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 120 medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2018-2019. The data were collected by the self-reported Persian version of HPL profile II which has been validated in former studies. SPSS package (version 20) was used to analyze data, and two independent samples t-test to compare data sampling was done in two stages, including random selection of the classroom and the clinical ward, and then random selection of students in each. Results: 50. 2% of all participants were male in gender and 77. 5% were single. The overall score of HPL profile II among all the participants was moderate. According to the scores of Health-promoting Lifestyle Behaviors (HPLB), stress management scored the highest (29. 62±, 4. 45), spiritual growth, and physical activity was at the lowest levels (10. 84±, 2. 07 and 16. 55±, 4. 97, respectively). Two dimensions of HPLB showed a significant difference based on the gender of the participants (better physical activity in men (p-value= 0. 04) and self-responsibility for health in women (p-value=0. 05)). There was not a statistical difference between HPL subscales by the participants` marital status. Conclusion: The HPL profile II total score is moderate, but not desirable,therefore, admitting appropriate programs for lifestyle improvement, especially in the field of mental development, physical activities, and nutrition, regarding student gender, is recommended. Our findings can attribute the health policymakers to developing health programs among the students and adding related courses to the educational curriculum.

One of the major challenges in the field of tissue engineering is the production of scaffolding in nano-scale. The study of structural-functional connections in pathological and normal tissues with biologically active alternatives or engineered materials has been developed. Extracellular Matrix (ECM) is a suitable environment consisting of gelatin, elastin and collagen types I, II and III, etc., which are provided to cells for wound healing, embryonic development, cell growth and organogenesis, and. They also play a role in transmitting structural integrity and overall strength to tissues. In tissues, ECM manufacturers are structurally 50 to 500 nm in diameter,nanotechnology must be used to create scaffolds or ECM analogues. Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of ECM-engineered analogues in various ways. To date, three self-assembly, phase separation and electrospinning techniques have been developed to activate nanofiber scaffolds. With these advances and the construction of a "biomimetic" environment, engineered tissue or scaffolding is now possible for a variety of tissues. This study will discuss the three existing methods for creating Tissue engineering scaffolds that are able to mimic new tissue, as well as the discovery of materials for use in scaffolding.

Background and Objective: Aging is the major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases as aging increases plasma levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and endothelial dysfunction. Physical exercise and spirulina improve the endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation that accompanies aging. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Aerobic Exercise (AT), with blue-algae Spirulina Supplementation (SP) on the indicators of endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance in overweight adult men. Material and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 40 overweight adult men (age 57. 50±, 4. 84 years, Body mass index: BMI 26. 90±, 2. 85 kg/m2) were selected from Bandar-e-Anzali and randomly allocated into five groups,including Control-Normal (CN), Overweight (OW), Overweight-Aerobic Training (OWAT), Overweight-Spirulina (OWSP) and Overweight-Aerobic Training-Spirulina (OWATSP). Training groups participated in an aerobic exercise program for eight weeks, five sessions per week (with an intensity of 65 to 85% of peak heart rate, 40 minutes). The OWSP and OWATSP groups were provided with two 500 mg SP tablets daily in the morning and evening. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test and ANCOVA at a significance level of P <0. 05. Results: The levels of endothelin-1(ET-1), Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), Selectin-E, and HOMA-IR index in the OW group were higher than CN (P≤, 0. 05). AT and SP significantly reduced ET-1, ICAM-1, Selectin-E, and HOMA-IR (P≤, 0. 05). In the OWATSP group, the levels of ET-1, ICAM-1, Selectin-E, and HOMA-IR were significantly lower than OW and OWSP (P≤, 0. 05). NO levels significantly decreased in OWATSP and OWAT (P≤, 0. 05). Conclusion: Aerobic training and spirulina supplementation could improve the endothelial function in overweight adult men, by altering the levels of ET-1, ICAM-1, Selectin-E, and NO. However, the simultaneous effect of AT with SP on these indices was better. Improved endothelial function was associated with an improvement in insulin resistance index.

Although social isolation could be easily implemented during COVID-19, it affects the elderly and increases their loneliness. Our experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unpleasant, changes in the style of social communication in the elderly and their using of new technologies indicate resilience and adaptation in the face of crises in the elderly, which is a valuable lesson learned from the circumstances.

Various investigation has shown the magnitude role of adenosine receptors in cancer development. The A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 G-protein-coupled cell surface Adenosine Receptors (ARs) are found to be upregulated in many types of cancers. The adenosine receptor function has been affected by specific ligands such as agonists and/or antagonists regulated cancer (Neoplasms) cells proliferation via signaling pathways. Adenosine not only is an important intermediate metabolite but also acts as the essential ligand of adenosine receptors in physiological and pathological conditions. Furthermore, many studies have shown that adenosine receptors expression has increased in many types of cancer. In this review, we first describe adenosine's role in physiological condition and in cancer development. We further, discuss the type of adenosine receptors, distribution, expression, and their roles in cancer.

Background and objectives: Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is a common disease of the nonkeratinized oral mucosa characterized by painful ulcerations and inflammation, causing difficulty in eating, swallowing, and speaking. Symptomatic treatment is considered for this disease due to the ambiguity of the exact etiology. The beneficial therapeutic effects of Persica and Propolis mouthwashes led us to the objective of studying therapeutic potentials of these herbal mouthwashes. Material and Methods: The present double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 40 patients with minor aphthous ulcers and no systemic disease, who were divided into two groups of 20 via random allocation (systematic random sampling). Each group received 15 drops of propolis or persica mouthwashes three times a day for 10 days. Pain intensity was recorded by measuring the score of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the diameter of minor aphthous lesions (in mm) at three periods of before treatment, and on the second and sixth days after treatment. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. Results: There was no significant difference between pain intensity and ulcer size before treatment and on the second day of treatment. The pain intensity on day 6 was significantly lower in Persica group (P=0. 045) but no difference was observed in the mean ulcer size on day 6 between the two groups (P=0. 104). The rate of pain relief (P=0. 031) and reduction of ulcer size (P=0. 046) were significantly higher in Persica group. Conclusion: Propolis and Persica mouthwashes both reduce pain intensity and ulcer size in minor aphthous ulcers, and Persica showed a stronger potential to achieve these goals compared to propolis.

Vitamin A is fat-soluble compounds of retinoid derivate, consisting of retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. Vitamin A also affects cell growth and differentiation, playing a critical role in the normal formation and function of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. According to the role of vitamin A in enhancing immune function, it is known as an anti-inflammatory agent. Also, vitamin A supplementation by reducing morbidity and mortality in different infectious diseases, such as measles, diarrheal disease, measles-related pneumonia, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and malaria considered as a crucial factor against infection. So vitamin A deficiency can be life-threatening, because of impairing the response to infection and significant risk of development of severe respiratory infections in infants and young children. In this paper, we have discussed the effects of vitamin A in modulating immune responses in viral infections and the direct effects of this vitamin on viral replication by comparing its role during different types of viral infections.

Background and Objective: Since December 2019, the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 has led to a major public health issue worldwide. With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, a series of ethically challenging issues arose that put pressure on healthcare systems around the world. This narrative review aims to comprehensively review the literature focusing on ethical challenges and coping strategies about issues related to the healthcare system and social issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: This narrative review was conducted via international databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus using keywords extracted from medical subject headings such as "COVID-19", "2019-nCoV disease", "2019 novel coronavirus infection", "Ethics", "Bioethical Issues", "Morals", "Coping Skills", "Coping Skill", "Coping Strategies", and "Coping Strategy" from December 2019 to January 2022. Results: In general, ethical issues during the COVID-19 pandemic can be divided into two categories: 1) issues related to the healthcare system and 2) social issues. Issues related to the healthcare system can be divided into two categories: 1) lack of resources, equipment and facilities, and manpower, and 2) problems in patient care such as triage and informed consent. Social issues can be divided into four categories: 1) community engagement, 2) crisis management capacity in remote rural communities, 3) discrimination and health equity, and 4) vaccination. Coping with ethical challenges in crises such as COVID-19 requires changing health empowerment policies and strategies based on evidence-based research. On the other hand, overcome on these challenges requires interdisciplinary collaboration and fast efficient decisions. Conclusion: Overall, the present study introduced ethical challenges and coping strategies during the COVID 19 pandemic. The experience gained from this pandemic can be considered by managers and policymakers of health care systems for coping with ethical challenges.