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Academic scientists who develop entrepreneurial capabilities can make strategic, path dependent decisions that enable university spin-offs to rapidly respond to global crises.

The effect of the osmotic (Ψs) and matric (Ψm) potential on the sclerotial germination and mycelial growth of Macrophomina phaseolina was examined at room temperature. Sclerotial germination was determined in 0.1% water agar and mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and potato dextrose broth (PDB) amended with sodium chloride and polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000). Treatments consisted of 6 levels of osmotic and matric potentials (0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9, -1.2, and -1.5 MPa) arranged in a factorial manner in a completely randomized design. Decreasing the matric and the osmotic potentials to -1.2 and -0.6 MPa, respectively, increased sclerotial germination and mycelial growth, but any further decrease caused both sclerotial germination and mycelial growth to decline again. It was concluded that the matric potential was more important as a factor than the osmotic potential in promoting the vegetative growth of M. phaseolina.

Self-healing, the ability to repair defects without external assistance, is one of the most magnificent characteristics of natural tissues. Achieving similar characteristics in biomaterials substituting natural tissues is highly desirable. As ceramic bone cements are designed to substitute bone tissues, the knowledge of their self-healing processes and characteristics is of vital importance for the advancement of bioceramics in orthopedic applications. In this work we have studied self-healing mechanisms of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber toughened Tri-Calcium Silicate (C3S) cements, with and without calcium phosphate additions. The C3S-PVA samples were partially fractured in three-point-bending, and then soaked in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) for 7 days at 37°C. The variations in the morphology and width of the healed cracks were tracked by optical and electron microscopy. Chemical composition and phase analysis were determined using EDX, XRD and FTIR. The energy absorbed before the failure of C3S-PVA samples, determined through the area under load-displacement curves, was nearly two orders of magnitudes higher than the pure C3S samples. Most of the cracks in the previously fractured C3S-PVA samples soaked in SBF were visually eliminated in 7 days, also resulting in partial restoration of their load-carrying capacity. Based on the EDX, XRD and FTIR results, a healing mechanism was proposed, including preferential precipitation of calcium phosphates and calcium carbonate phases within the cracks. The same healing treatment was applied to the new composite cement, wherein the C3S matrix included 10wt% of Mono Calcium Phosphate (MCP) for improved cement biocompatibility and bioactivity. The toughness of C3S-10MCP-PVA samples was also almost two orders of magnitudes higher than the pure C3S-10MCP. C3S10MCP-PVA samples had higher damage tolerance (deflection at maximum load) than C3S-PVA samples. Self-healing studies of the C3S-10MCP-PVA showed better restoration of the load-carrying capacity than C3S-PVA. Such evidence emphasizes the effective role of calcium phosphate in the healing process of the toughened bioceramic cements. While such successful SBF-induced healing does not guarantee similar mechanisms operating in vivo, this pioneering research opens up avenues for further improvements of the cementitious ceramic composites in medical applications, as well as in broader engineering applications, e.g. in construction industry.

Introduction This study evaluates the cost‐effectiveness of Apixaban and Rivaroxaban, compared to Warfarin, for stroke prevention in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation in Iran. Method A Markov model with a 30‐year time horizon was employed to simulate and assess different treatment strategies' cost‐effectiveness. The study population comprised Iranian adults with NVAF, identified through specialist consultations, hospital visits, and archival record reviews. Direct medical costs, direct nonmedical, and indirect costs were included. Quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) were assessed using an EQ‐5D questionnaire. This study utilized a cost‐effectiveness threshold of$11 134 per QALY. Results Apixaban demonstrated superior cost‐effectiveness compared to Rivaroxaban and Warfarin. Over 30 years, total costs were lower in the Apixaban and Rivaroxaban groups compared to the Warfarin group ($ 126.18 and$109.99 vs. $ 150.49). However, Apixaban showed higher total QALYs gained compared to others (0.134 vs. 0.133 and 0.116). The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio for comparing Apixaban to Warfarin was calculated at −1332.83 cost per QALY, below the threshold of $11 134, indicating Apixaban's cost‐effectiveness. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings, with ICER consistently remaining below the threshold. Over 5 years (2024−2028) of Apixaban usage, the incremental cost starts at USD 70 250 296 in the first year and gradually rises to USD 71 770 662 in the fifth year. DSA and PSA were assessed to prove the robustness of the results. Conclusion This study shows that Apixaban is a cost‐effective option for stroke prevention in non‐valvular atrial fibrillation patients in Iran compared to Warfarin. Apixaban is cost‐effective and significantly reduces thromboembolic events compared to Warfarin and other direct oral anticoagulants in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation.

In the present study, preparation of [ 188 Re]Re-Tricine-HYNIC-Tyr 3 -octreotide, stability in human serum, internalization, cell viability analysis, and in vivo tissue biodistribution in rats bearing C6 glioma tumor were investigated. Radiolabeled peptide exhibited a molar activity of 8.60 ± 0.76 GBq/µmol, with over 90% (n = 3) of radiochemical yield. The findings indicated significant internalization of radiolabeled peptide into glioma cells and the ability to reduce cancerous cell viability in MTT analysis. High tumor-to-muscle ratios were observed at various time points following injection. The results suggest that the radiolabeled peptide could be considered for treating tumors expressing somatostatin receptors.

In the present study, preparation of [.sup.188Re]Re-Tricine-HYNIC-Tyr.sup.3-octreotide, stability in human serum, internalization, cell viability analysis, and in vivo tissue biodistribution in rats bearing C6 glioma tumor were investigated. Radiolabeled peptide exhibited a molar activity of 8.60 ± 0.76 GBq/µmol, with over 90% (n = 3) of radiochemical yield. The findings indicated significant internalization of radiolabeled peptide into glioma cells and the ability to reduce cancerous cell viability in MTT analysis. High tumor-to-muscle ratios were observed at various time points following injection. The results suggest that the radiolabeled peptide could be considered for treating tumors expressing somatostatin receptors.

Chemokine receptor belongs to G-protein-coupled cell-surface receptors. CXCR4 as a chemokine receptor is over-expressed in many type of solid tumors and metastasis in which breast tumor is one of them. A CXCR4 targeted peptide was prepared and labeled with 99mTc. Subsequently, receptor binding internalization, in vivo tumor uptake and biodistribution were assessed. The receptor binding internalization rate was evaluated using 4T1 breast tumor cells. BALB/c female mice bearing 4T1 tumors were employed for investigation of radioconjugate biodistribution. Radioconjugate was obtained with labeling yield of > 95%. The highest achieved specific activity was 123 MBq/nmol. The in vitro cell uptake test resulted specific internalization into 4T1 cells (average of 1.90 ± 0.12% of total add at 2 h). Animal biodistribution data showed tumor uptake of 1.18 ± 0.11% ID/g after 30 min post injection. Our findings demonstrated that the labeled peptide can be a suitable candidate for breast tumors imaging.

The economic development, livelihood and drinking water of millions of people in the central plateau of Iran depend on the Qarah-Chay River, but due to a lack of inappropriate monitoring, it has been exposed to destruction and pollution. Consequently, an assessment of the river’s water quality is of utmost importance for both the management of human health and the maintenance of a safe environment, which can be achieved by determining the best locations for pollution monitoring stations along rivers. In this study, artificial neural networks (ANNs) has been used to optimize the locations for Qarah-Chay River monitoring stations in Markazi province, Iran. The data are collected based on the Iranian Water Quality Index (IRWQI), the US National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI). The database is given to a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network along with a geographic information system (GIS). The output of this study identified six pollution monitoring stations on the river, which are mainly downstream due to the accumulation of land uses and the concentration of pollution. The gradient of the MLP network training courses model from the proposed monitoring stations is 0.062299. In addition, the performance evaluation criteria of the proposed MLP model for F1-score, recall, precision and accuracy were 0.85, 0.84, 0.88 and 0.88, respectively. The results obtained help managers to properly monitor the river’s water resources with accuracy, efficiency and lower cost; furthermore, the findings were able to provide scientific references for river water quality monitoring and river ecosystem protection.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a herbal remedy with wide range of pharmaceutic properties. Although the beneficial effect of purslane on the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) has been shown, there is an inconsistency among the results of previous studies. Therefore, this study is aimed at conducting a systematic review and meta‐analysis on the effect of purslane on glycemic profile and oxidative stress markers. A systematic search was performed in the Scopus, Web of science, PubMed and the Cochrane Library to find articles related to the effect of the purslane on Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin resistance, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR) up to September 2022. Among the 611 initial studies that were identified from searching electronic databases, 16 Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) involving 1122 participants (557 cases and 565 controls) were included for data analysis. The results of random‐effects modeling demonstrated that purslane consumption significantly reduced FBS (p < .001), MDA (p < .001) and increased TAC (p < .001). However, purslane consumption did not affect HbA1c (p < .109), fasting insulin (p = .298) and HOMA‐IR (p = .382). Meta‐analyses were performed using both the random‐ and fixed‐effects model where appropriate, and I2 index was used to evaluate the heterogeneity. This meta‐analysis study suggests that purslane has beneficial effects on oxidative stress markers and glycemic parameter. Therefore, it may be a promising adjuvant therapy in T2DM because of its benefits and negligible adverse effects. This meta‐analysis study suggests that purslane has beneficial effects on oxidative stress markers and glycemic parameter. Therefore, it may be a promising adjuvant therapy in T2DM because of its benefits and negligible adverse effects.

Earlier investigations into the impact of purslane, Portulaca oleracea , on lipid profile and C‐reactive protein (CRP) produced contradictory findings. The effect of purslane consumption on lipid profiles and CRP was assessed in this comprehensive review and meta‐analysis. We conducted a thorough literature search in online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane library, and ISI Web of Science to find relevant randomized controlled trials up to June 2023. By incorporating 14 effect sizes from 13 RCTs, we were able to show that purslane consumption significantly decreases serum triglyceride (TG) (WMD: −16.72, 95% CI: −22.49, −10.96 mg/dL, p  < .001), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: −9.97, 95% CI: −19.86, −0.07 mg/dL, p  = .048), and CRP (WMD: −1.22, 95% CI: −1.63, −0.80 mg/L, p  < .001) levels in patients compared to the control group. In addition, purslane consumption significantly increases high‐density lipoprotein (HDL‐C) (WMD: 4.09, 95% CI: 1.77, 6.41 mg/dL, p  = .001) levels. However, purslane consumption did not affect low‐density lipoprotein (LDL‐C) levels. According to a suggested optimal dosage, purslane consumption is considered to be safe up to 30 g/day. Purslane consumption can significantly improve cardiovascular health by improving lipid profile and inflammation status.