Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies in the world with a high mortality rate, making screening and early detection of the condition essential. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a significant role in the initiation and advancement of numerous malignancies, including CRC, by taking part in the control of gene and protein expression that affects apoptosis, cell proliferation, and immunological responses. In this study, through bioinformatics methods, we investigated this non-coding group in CRC and the normal group in both early and advanced stages of the disease. Materials and Methods: In order to identify the lncRNAs that could have a tumor-suppressing role in CRC, RNA sequencing data from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) were analyzed. Then, the Pearson correlation test was applied between the expression level of candidate lncRNAs and all genes expressed for identifying potential pathway. Genes with the highest correlation were selected and subjected to gene enrichment analysis. Also, the roles of identified lncRNAs were evaluated in terms of biomarkers. Results: The results of the expression analysis for the TCGA data showed that the expression of the IRF1-AS1, LINC01871, TRG-AS1, and USP30-AS decreased during the progression (stages III and IV compared with stages I and II) of CRC. The enrichment results of all the genes in the co-expression network related to IRF1-AS1, LINC01871, TRG-AS1, and USP30-AS showed that these lncRNAs could play a role in immune response, inflammation, and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling and apoptosis pathways. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that the aforesaid lncRNAs were significantly lower in CRC samples compared with normal samples based on TCGA data, Also, the expression of some of them may serve as an appropriate biomarker. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that IRF1-AS1, LINC01871, TRG-AS1, and USP30-AS decreased during the progression of CRC and could play a tumor-suppressing role.

Hypothesis: We investigated the effect of thermally-reduced graphene (TRG) nanosheets on electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, electromagnetic interference shielding performance, rheological behavior and thermal stability of polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PP/PET) blend. Methods: For this purpose, 50/50 PP/PET blends were prepared through melt compounding in presence of different volume fractions of TRG. The direct current (DC) conductivity, the AC electrical conductivity and EMI shielding effectiveness of composites were measured. The morphology of blends was examined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Findings: The morphology of the samples was co-continuous, and preferential localization of the nanoparticles led to a double percolated structure. This structure enhanced electrical conductivity of the samples considerably. The rheological analysis indicated that a percolated network was formed at low volume fractions of TRG. At 0. 1 vol% loading, the conductivity of the composites satisfies the antistatic criterion (10-6 S/m) for thin films. At 2 vol% of graphene, a high electrical conductivity of 0. 16 S/m was achieved which was considered sufficient for electronic device applications. The dielectric constant and the electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of the blends significantly increased with TRG addition. By incorporating 2 vol% of TRG, the dielectric constant increased from 4 (for neat sample) to 9×107 at 10 Hz and the EMI SE increased from 1 dB (for neat sample) to 42 dB at 10 GHz, satisfying the target value for commercial applications. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that addition of TRG effectively enhanced the thermal stability of the samples. Incorporation of TRG not only increased the initial decomposition temperatures but also decreased the rate of decomposition. The enhanced thermal stability of the composites was attributed to the high aspect ratio of TRGs, which served as a barrier and prevented the emission of gaseous molecules during thermal degradation.

Background: The gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is right heart catheterization (RHC). The use of noninvasive echocardiographic methods to assess the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) has been debated, and the role of echocardiography has been proposed to be more of estimating the probability of PAH rather than assessing the pressure. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of the use of pulmonary regurgitant (PR) and tricuspid regurgitant (TR) velocities in estimating PAH by comparison with RHC in patients with right ventricular dysfunction. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center from 2015 through 2016. We selected patients with right ventricular dysfunction who were candidates for RHC. Echocardiography was performed within 24 hours before catheterization. PAH was estimated by using PR and TR velocities. The correlation between echocardiography and catheterization-derived PAH was tested by using the Pearson correlation test. Results: There was significant accordance between the 2 tools in terms of the measurement of the systolic PAP (r =0. 860, P <0. 001), the diastolic PAP (r =0. 793, P <0. 001), and the mean PAP (r =0. 739, P <0. 001) in the diagnosis of PAH (Κ =0. 964, P <0. 001). Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the measurement of the TR velocity had a moderate value in predicting PAH (the area under the curve =0. 622). The best cutoff value for the TR velocity in predicting PAH was 3. 27, yielding a sensitivity of 72. 1% and a specificity of 50. 0%. Conclusions: Echocardiography-derived measurements were in good correlation with RHC in the assessment of PAH in our patients with right ventricular dysfunction.

Mathematical algorithms offer a useful method for quantitative analysis of compounds in multi-component mixtures to overcome the overlapping problems occurred in UV spectrophotometry. The aim of this study is to develop a method for simultaneous determination of bioactive compounds in herbal dosage forms produced from fenugreek extract. A UV-spectrophotometric method based on mathematical algorithm was used to simultaneous determination of trigonelline (TRG), diosgenin (DI), and nicotinic acid (NA). The maximum absorbance (λ max) was determined to be 232. 65 nm, 296. 23 nm, and 262. 60 nm for TRG, DI, and NA, respectively. The calibration curves showed good linearity for all analytes in the concentration range of 1– 20 μ g/mL (R2=0. 9995, 0. 9997, 0. 9994 for TRG, DI and NA, respectively). The Intra-and inter-day precisions were in the range of 1. 1-10. 7% and 1. 2-8. 2%, respectively. The accuracy of the method was 96. 0% for TRG, 92. 9% for DI, and 104. 2% for NA. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were found to be 0. 91 and 3. 06 μ g/mL for TRG, 0. 99, and 3. 30 μ g/mL for DI and 0. 33 and 1. 10 μ g/mL for NA. The validated method was applied for determination of the analytes in the tablet, capsule and thin film dosage forms prepared from the fenugreek seed extract. The mean recovery percentages of the analytes were in the range of 90. 0-97. 4%, 85. 6-105. 4%, and 90. 0-99. 0% for tablet, capsule, and film dosage forms, respectively. Generally, the validated method could be a good candidate for routine spectrophotometric determination of the analytes without any necessity for pre-analysis extraction.

Introduction: The aim was to investigate the link between tinnitus and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TRG), low-density (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the central anatolian Turkish population. Materials and Methods: The retrospective and case-control study included a total of 91 patients with subjective tinnitus and a control group of age-and sex-matched 65 healthy volunteers. A detailed otolaryngologic examination followed by pure tone audiometry, serum lipid values, and magnetic resonance imaging of the temporal bone was performed. The clinical characteristics of tinnitus were registered for all patients. The serum levels of TC, TRG, LDL and HDL were compared between the two groups. Results: Mean TC level was 200. 57± 41. 06 mg/dL in the patient group and 179. 0± 39. 03 mg/dL in the control group (P=0. 001). Mean TRG level was 177. 76± 86. 94 mg/dL in the patient group and 124. 43± 61. 44 mg/dL in the control group (P=0. 000). Mean LDL level was 115. 88± 32. 56 mg/dL in the patient group and 101. 31± 34. 42 mg/dL in the control group (P=0. 008). Mean HDL level was 50. 25± 13. 60 mg/dL in the patient group and 53. 46± 12. 66 mg/dL in the control group (P=0. 137). Among all the serum lipids, TC, TRG and LDL established a significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The results indicated that TC, TRG and LDL levels were significantly higher in tinnitus group and this increase implicates the potential role of hyperlipidemia associated with altered lipid metabolism in the etiology of tinnitus. We suggest that serum lipid levels could be useful and conducive in the diagnosis and prognosis of tinnitus.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third common cancer world wide and the forth in Iran. Neoadjuvant chemo radiotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. In this study we evaluate the efficacy a cox-2 inhibitor on pathologic response, sphincter preservation and acute toxicity during neoadjuvant chemo radiation.Methods: Thirty-six patients that have adenocarcinoma of rectum was enrolled (up to 15cm of anal verge). The patients were undergone Endometrial Ultrasound (EUS), abdomino-pelvic and chestCT for staging. Then received neoadjuvant concurrent chemo radiation (xeloda825 mg/m2 bid in combination with celecoxib 100 mg qid and 50-50.4 Gy/25-28 f). Surgery was done 4-8 weeks after chemo radiation. During the chemo radiation the patients was observed for the probable complication one year.Tumor regression grade was reported.Results: From 36 surgery patients, Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) was done in 30 patients. Pathologic complete response was seen in eight of 30 patients (26.7%). Tumor regression grade was calculated in three and five grade system: in three grade system 17 patients had grade 1 (60.7%), eight patients had grade 2 (28.6%) and three patients had grade 3 (10.7%). In five grade system of tumor regression eight patients had grade 1 (28.6%), nine patients had grade 2 (32.1%), eight patients grade 3 (28.6%), three patients had grade 4 (10.7%). T down staging was 43.3%. N down staging was 30.8%. No patient had skin reaction or cardio-vascular complication.Conclusion: Based on our study results, Celecoxib in combination with neoadjuvant chemo radiation is safe and is associated with low complications. This combination can promote pathologic complete response, TRG and T and N down staging in Rectal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Changes in the heart during pregnancy, especially changes in the left side of the heart, have been evaluated in various studies. However, alterations in the right ventricle have not been well studied. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the changes in echocardiographic indices of the right ventricle in the second trimester of pregnancy. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 30 pregnant women, as case group, in their second trimester who were referred to the perinatology clinic of Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, were examined by trans-thoracic echocardiography From April 4, 2023, to April 10, 2024. The results of the control group were compared with 30 age-matched non-pregnant and healthy women, as the control group. Exclusion criteria included multiple gestation, maternal age > 40, underlying cardiovascular disease, and significant obstetric or fetal complications. Hemodynamics and demographic data including age, height, weight, and body mass index were recorded and compared. Also, the anatomical and functional indices of the right ventricle were evaluated and compared. Results: 60 participants were enrolled in this study. The two investigated groups were similar in terms of age, but the weight, height, and BMI were significantly different in the two groups,Such that weight and body mass index were significantly higher in pregnant women and height in non-pregnant women (p<0. 05). Comparison of echocardiographic indices showed that tricuspid regurgitation gradient (TRG) and fractional area change (FAC) were significantly different in the two groups (in pregnant women, TRG index was higher and FAC index was lower (p<0. 05)). Right atrium area, RV length, base of RV, mid of RV, and Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion showed no significant differences between case and control group. Conclusion: FAC and TRG indices were significantly different between pregnant women and the control group. Paying attention to the changes in the normal values of these variables in pregnant women can be useful in improving the diagnosis of disorders and preventing the occurrence of cardiac events during pregnancy.