Neda Rahimian

Clinical education occurs formally during educational rounds across various departments and through discussions in small groups within clinical settings. The experience of studying in the general medicine program, culminating in the internship stage, is often regarded as a pivotal transitional phase from being a student to becoming a physician. This study seeks to comprehend the lived experiences of medical interns regarding the impact of the national curriculum on the skills required in the hospital. This research is a qualitative study conducted using a phenomenological approach. Participants included 15 medical interns who had completed at least 6 months of internship training in a hospital. Data were collected through unstructured in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed according to the descriptive phenomenological approach of seven steps, Content analysis of Colaizzi. The medical interns participating in this study included 7 females and 8 males. Five individuals had completed 6 months of their internship, 4 had completed 12 months, and 6 were in the final month of their internship. After analyzing the data from 15 interviews, 120 initial codes were extracted, which reached 95 main codes after removing duplicate codes, re-reviewing, and reducing codes, and merging similar codes. Finally, the data analysis led to the extraction of three sub-categories: 'The impact of medical role model professors', 'Characteristics of Learners', and 'Web-Based Education'. The subcategories led to the development of the main category 'Self-Cultivation'. Medical internship students experience a wide variety of encounters with the curriculum. Therefore, more attention should be paid to all dimensions of individual factors, curriculum, the role of clinical teachers, and modern technologies to be integrated and considered holistically.

Background and Objectives: Patients with COVID-19 have spirometry parameters linked to various biological markers, including CRP, NLR, MPV, RDW, and APACHE II score. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of inflammatory scoring tools with spirometry indices in a three-month follow-up of COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: Spirometry records of 369 COVID-19 cases with complications were analyzed at baseline and three months after discharge. Generalized linear models and logistic regression analysis were performed to compare the variables using SPSS version 25 software. Results: The baseline NLR was 3.20 (95% CI: 2.96, 3.43); PCT was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.27); and MPV was 7.23 (95% CI: 7.10, 7.35). We found that the effects of NLR, CRP, and APACHE II score on the respiratory indices FEV1 and FEV1/ FVC three months after discharge had an inverse relationship. Patients with asthma had significantly lower FEV1 and FEV1/ FVC values, and the level of FVC did not have any significant difference between people with asthma and COPD patients. Conclusion: CRP, NLR, and APACHE II score are among the main factors that are directly related to respiratory indices and they are considered to be appropriate indicators of prognosis for these conditions in COVID-19 patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a primary contributor to cancer-related mortality, largely due to its high metastatic potential. Although traditional treatments like surgery and chemotherapy have advanced, therapeutic resistance and relapse remain major challenges. Recent research has revealed that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play pivotal roles in CRC progression, particularly by driving angiogenesis. Several classes of ncRNAs, including lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs, are key regulators of angiogenesis in CRC. For example, miRNAs such as miR-148a and miR-181a influence the VEGF and HIF-1α signaling pathways, which are critical for endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Certain lncRNAs, such as HNF1A-AS1 and UCA1, interact with miRNAs to modulate these pathways. CircRNAs (e.g., circ_0001821 and circ-ERBIN) often function as “miRNA sponges,” sequestering angiogenesis-inhibiting miRNAs to promote tumor vascularization. Furthermore, exosomes act as intercellular communication vesicles that transport ncRNAs (miRNAs, circRNAs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME). This process enables cancer cells to remodel their environment and facilitate metastatic dissemination. Specifically, exosomal ncRNAs, such as circ_0000467 and circ_0081069, can regulate angiogenesis-related pathways. This review integrates current findings on the complex interactions between miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and exosomal ncRNAs in CRC angiogenesis. Understanding these molecular regulators highlights their potential as novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, which may lead to new targeted treatments that improve CRC patient outcomes by controlling angiogenesis and metastatic spread.

MicroRNAs, also known as miRNAs, have a substantial part in regulating different essential cellular functions through post-transcriptional mechanisms. When they are not properly regulated, they can cause development and growth of numerous human illnesses, such as cancer. The MiR-221/222 family of genes is commonly disrupted in various forms of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Gastrointestinal cancers are the most commonly occurring cancerous growths across the world, with a significant number of cases and fatalities. Despite many improvements in the care of gastrointestinal cancer, such as the use of chemotherapy and immunotherapy protocols, a considerable proportion of individuals still exhibit a subpar reaction to treatment, leading to unsatisfactory rates of survival. IFinding new therapeutic targets is essential to improving treatment results for people with GI cancer. An increasing amount of recent research indicates that miR-221/222 is highly engaged in the growth of GI cancer. This article thoroughly examines the abnormal levels of miR-221/222 in diverse GI cancers like colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Additionally, it summarises the latest knowledge regarding the functions and target genes of miR-221/222, and its mechanism of action in GI cancers. This information may pave the way for the advancement of innovative treatment strategies for these patients.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recently discovered type of endogenous RNA molecules that are formed through the back-splicing process of exons in precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs), resulting in a unique covalently closed circular structure. CircRNAs are just beginning to be acknowledged for their roles as microRNA sponges and protein scaffolds, their ability to regulate transcription and splicing, and their occasional use as templates for polypeptide synthesis. However, the exploration of their functions is still in its early stages. circRNAs have essential functions in a wide range of different cellular functions. The abnormal presence of circRNAs in tumors contributes to continuous cell proliferation and growth, enhances invasion capabilities, and evades the process of cell aging and death. This indicates the possibility of using them as markers and targets for treatment in a clinical setting. This article provides a thorough examination of current advancements in the study of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer, focusing particularly on their molecular mechanisms and potential impact in a clinical setting.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently ranked as the third most common type of cancer, contributing significantly to mortality and morbidity worldwide. Epigenetic and genetic changes occurred during CRC progression resulted in the cell proliferation, cancer progression, angiogenesis, and invasion. Angiogenesis is one of the crucial steps during cancer progression required for the delivery of essential nutrients to cancer cells and removes metabolic waste. During angiogenesis, different molecules are secreted from tumoral cells to trigger vascular formation including epidermal growth factor and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The production and regulation of the secretion of these molecules are modulated by different subcellular pathways such as NF-κB. NF-κB is involved in regulation of different homeostatic pathways including apoptosis, cell proliferation, inflammation, differentiation, tumor migration, and angiogenesis. Investigation of different aspects of this pathway and its role in angiogenesis could provide a comprehensive overview about the underlying mechanisms and could be used for development of further therapeutic targets. In this review of literature, we comprehensively reviewed the current understanding and potential of NF-κB-related angiogenesis in CRC. Moreover, we explored the treatments that are based on the NF-κB pathway.

Despite the waning of traditional treatments for glioma due to possible long-term issues, the healing possibilities of substances derived from nature have been reignited in the scientific community. These natural substances, commonly found in fruits and vegetables, are considered potential alternatives to pharmaceuticals, as they have been shown in prior research to impact pathways surrounding cancer progression, metastases, invasion, and resistance. This review will explore the supposed molecular mechanisms of different natural components, such as berberine, curcumin, coffee, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quercetin, tanshinone, silymarin, coumarin, and lycopene, concerning glioma treatment. While the benefits of a balanced diet containing these compounds are widely recognized, there is considerable scope for investigating the efficacy of these natural products in treating glioma.