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Spermatogenesis is a complex process that occurs in adult spermatozoa following the proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonia cells. The testicles, as the site of the spermatogenesis process, should be placed outside the body cavity at a temperature of 2 to 8°C below the body temperature to yield the best performance (Hess & De Franca, 2008). On the other hand, spermatogenesis is an extremely temperature-dependent process such that the increased testicular temperature may disrupt this process, damage the DNA of germ cells and increase cell death (Wang et al., 1997). In recent years, many studies have reported adverse and deleterious effects of scrotum heat stress on sperm parameters and the spermatogenesis process in various species, including humans, mice, rats, sheep, pigs and cows. The findings also suggest that thermal shock affects the quality of

Background The introduction of the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique for total arch replacement (TAR) has revolutionized the field of aortovascular surgery. However, although FET yields excellent results, the risk of certain complications requiring secondary intervention remains present, negating its one‐step hybrid advantage over conventional techniques. This systematic review and meta‐analysis sought to evaluate controversies regarding the incidence of FET‐related complications, with a focus on aortic remodeling, distal stent‐graft induced new entry (dSINE) and endoleak, in patients with type A aortic dissection (TAAD) and/or thoracic aortic aneurysm. Materials and Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases including EMBASE, Scopus, and PubMed/MEDLINE to identify evidence on TAR with FET in patients with TAAD and/or aneurysm. Studies published up until January 2022 were included, and after applying exclusion criteria, a total of 43 studies were extracted. Results A total of 5068 patients who underwent FET procedure were included. The pooled estimates of dSINE and endoleak were 2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01–0.06, I2 = 78%) and 3% (95% CI 0.01–0.11, I2 = 89%), respectively. The pooled rate of secondary thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) post‐FET was 7% (95% CI 0.05–0.12, I2 = 89%) while the pooled rate of false lumen thrombosis at the level of stent‐graft was 91% (95% CI 0.75–0.97, I2 = 92%). After subgroup analysis, heterogeneity for distal stent‐graft induced new entry (dSINE) and endoleak resolved among European patients, where Thoraflex Hybrid (THP) and E‐Vita stent‐grafts were used (both I2 = 0%). In addition, heterogeneity for secondary TEVAR after FET resolved among Asians receiving Cronus (I2 = 15.1%) and Frozenix stent‐grafts (I2 = 1%). Conclusion Our results showed that the FET procedure in patients with TAAD and/or aneurysm is associated with excellent results, with a particularly low incidence of dSINE and endoleak as well as highly favorable aortic remodeling. However the type of stent‐graft and the study location were sources of heterogeneity, emphasizing the need for multicenter studies directly comparing FET grafts. Finally, THP can be considered the primary FET device choice due to its superior results.

Cancer is one of the most critical human challenges which endangers many people’s lives every year with enormous direct and indirect costs worldwide. Unfortunately, despite many advanced treatments used in cancer clinics today, the treatments are deficiently encumbered with many side effects often encountered by clinicians while deploying general methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or a combination thereof. Due to their low clinical efficacy, numerous side effects, higher economic costs, and relatively poor acceptance by patients, researchers are striving to find better alternatives for treating this life-threatening complication. As a result, Metal nanoparticles (Metal NPs) have been developed for nearly 2 decades due to their important therapeutic properties. Nanoparticles are quite close in size to biological molecules and can easily penetrate into the cell, so one of the goals of nanotechnology is to mount molecules and drugs on nanoparticles and transfer them to the cell. These NPs are effective as multifunctional nanoplatforms for cancer treatment. They have an advantage over routine drugs in delivering anticancer drugs to a specific location. However, targeting cancer sites while performing anti-cancer treatment can be effective in improving the disease and reducing its complications. Among these, the usage of these nanoparticles (NPs) in photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy are notable. Herein, this review is aimed at investigating the effect and appliances of Metal NPs in the modulation tumor microenvironment which bodes well for the utilization of vast and emerging nanomaterial resources.

ImportanceBell palsy (BP) has been reported as an adverse event following the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, but neither a causative relationship nor a higher prevalence than in the general population has been established.ObjectiveTo compare the incidence of BP in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients vs unvaccinated individuals or placebo recipients.Data SourcesA systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from the inception of the COVID-19 report (December 2019) to August 15, 2022.Study SelectionArticles reporting BP incidence with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were included.Data Extraction and SynthesisThis study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline and was conducted with the random- and fixed-effect models using the Mantel-Haenszel method. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe outcomes of interest were to compare BP incidence among (1) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients, (2) nonrecipients in the placebo or unvaccinated cohorts, (3) different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and (4) SARS-CoV-2–infected vs SARS-CoV-2–vaccinated individuals.ResultsFifty studies were included, of which 17 entered the quantitative synthesis. Pooling 4 phase 3 randomized clinical trials showed significantly higher BP in recipients of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (77 525 vaccine recipients vs 66 682 placebo recipients; odds ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% CI, 1.10-8.18; I2 = 0%). There was, however, no significant increase in BP after administration of the messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in pooling 8 observational studies (13 518 026 doses vs 13 510 701 unvaccinated; OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.42-1.16; I2 = 94%). No significant difference was found in BP among 22 978 880 first-dose recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine compared with 22 978 880 first-dose recipients of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.82-1.15; I2 = 0%). Bell palsy was significantly more common after SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 2 822 072) than after SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations (n = 37 912 410) (relative risk, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.57-6.62; I2 = 95%).Conclusions and RelevanceThis systematic review and meta-analysis suggests a higher incidence of BP among SARS-CoV-2–vaccinated vs placebo groups. The occurrence of BP did not differ significantly between recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech vs Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 infection posed a significantly greater risk for BP than SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Background. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) dates back to December 2019 in China. Iran has been among the most prone countries to the virus. The aim of this study was to report demographics, clinical data, and their association with death and CFR. Methods. This observational cohort study was performed from 20th March 2020 to 18th March 2021 in three tertiary educational hospitals in Tehran, Iran. All patients were admitted based on the WHO, CDC, and Iran’s National Guidelines. Their information was recorded in their medical files. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess demographics, clinical profile, outcomes of disease, and finding the predictors of death due to COVID-19. Results. Of all 5318 participants, the median age was 60.0 years, and 57.2% of patients were male. The most significant comorbidities were hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Cough, dyspnea, and fever were the most dominant symptoms. Results showed that ICU admission, elderly age, decreased consciousness, low BMI, HTN, IHD, CVA, dialysis, intubation, Alzheimer disease, blood injection, injection of platelets or FFP, and high number of comorbidities were associated with a higher risk of death related to COVID-19. The trend of CFR was increasing (WPC: 1.86) during weeks 25 to 51. Conclusions. Accurate detection of predictors of poor outcomes helps healthcare providers in stratifying patients, based on their risk factors and healthcare requirements to improve their survival chance.

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) were synthesized via the facile sol-gel method. The synthesized NiO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) techniques. The effect of particle size was analyzed on structural alterations, electrochemical behaviors, and cytotoxic effect of synthesized NiO NPs. According to TEM results, the particle sizes of synthesized NiO NPs were 8.2, 15.4, and 21.7 nm at 300, 400, and 500°C, respectively. Electrochemical behaviors of synthesized NiO NPs were assessed through the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The results showed that the magnitude of the current density was decreased in treated samples exposed to higher temperature values. The cytotoxic activity of synthesized nanoparticles was investigated against human liver cancer cell (Hep-G2), breast cancer cell (MCF-7), and colon cancer cell (HT-29) lines using the MTT assay. The results demonstrated that synthesized NiO NPs had higher cytotoxicity at 300˚C than at 400 and 500˚C, because of their small particle size. Thus, synthesized NiO NPs exhibit acceptable cytotoxic effects against Hep-G2, MCF-7, and HT-29 cancer cell lines so that they could be a good choice for cancer treatment.

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