Fibrosis refers to excessive build‐up of scar tissue and extracellular matrix components in different organs. In recent years, it has been revealed that different cytokines and chemokines, especially Transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) is involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. It has been shown that TGF‐β is upregulated in fibrotic tissues, and contributes to fibrosis by mediating pathways that are related to matrix preservation and fibroblasts differentiation. There is no doubt that antioxidants protect against different inflammatory conditions by reversing the effects of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur‐based reactive elements. Oxidative stress has a direct impact on chronic inflammation, and as results, prolonged inflammation ultimately results in fibrosis. Different types of antioxidants, in the forms of vitamins, natural compounds or synthetic ones, have been proven to be beneficial in the protection against fibrotic conditions both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we reviewed the role of different compounds with antioxidant activity in induction or inhibition of TGF‐β/SMAD signalling pathway, with regard to different fibrotic conditions such as gastro‐intestinal fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, skin fibrosis, renal fibrosis and also some rare cases of fibrosis, both in animal models and cell lines.

Background: A period of starvation after colorectal anastomosis to permit for resolution of the clinical evidence of ileus has been an unchallenged surgical dogma until recent years. We intended to determine the safety and feasibility of an unconventional postoperative oral intake protocol in patients experiencing colorectal anastomosis. Materials and Methods: Between 2013 and 2015, sixty consecutive patients underwent colorectal anastomosis and they were randomized into two groups. The early feeding group began fluids on the first postoperative day while the regular feeding group was managed in the traditional way - nothing by mouth until the complete resolution of ileus. Results: The majority of patients (93%) tolerated the early feeding. The times to first passage of flatus (2.66 ± 0.71 days vs. 3.9 ± 0.071 days) and stool (3.9 ± 0.92 days vs. 5.4 ± 0.77 days) were significantly quicker in early feeding group. Hospital stay was also significantly shorter in the early feeding group (4 ± 0.64 days vs. 6.1 ± 0.84 days). Anastomosis leakage and abscess formation were not seen in early feeding group. The patient's satisfaction (visual analog scale) in the early feeding group was higher than delayed feeding group (8.56 ± 1.16 vs. 7.06 ± 1.59, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Early oral feeding after colorectal surgeries is safe and tolerated by the majority of patients.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a particular regional concern because of endemicity in Afghanistan and many neighboring countries. The prevalence of CCHF has been increasing in this region. These concerns are compounded because there is no vaccine or therapeutic for CCHF and Afghanistan lacks adequate public health infrastructure in preventing, detecting, and containing cases. This investigation aimed to study the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory features of CCHF in Afghanistan that might be useful in prevention and case detection, particularly in a limited resource setting. A descriptive and analytic retrospective study of epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory features of confirmed patients (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-positive for CCHF) who were admitted to referral infectious center of Afghanistan from March 2017, to December 2018, was carried out. There were 51 ELISA-confirmed CCHF patients, comprised of 14 females and 37 males. The mean age was 30 years of age, and there were 11 deaths. The case fatality rate (CFR) was 21.6% and was not significant between sexes (p = 0.8). Most cases were recorded from June to September, which is the period containing Eid-al-Adha. With regard to occupation, 13.7% and 11.8% of subjects were butchers and shepherds, respectively. The leading clinical manifestations were fever, hemorrhage, and myalgia. The mean time between onset of symptoms and admission to the hospital was 4.9 days in recovered cases and 4.7 days for expired cases. The prevalence of CCHF is increasing in Afghanistan. The majority of cases visited the hospital during the late phase of infection. This delay can negatively affect the efficacy of treatment and lead to severe health outcomes. Our findings reveal that impaired Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hemorrhagic manifestations (including epistaxis), and impaired consciousness were factors associated with a higher mortality rate. These biomarkers may provide a clue to possible early effective interventions and increasing the chance of survival of the patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide due to its aggressive nature and drug resistance, which limit traditional treatment effectiveness. Recent studies highlight the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance, with miRNA-155 emerging as a key player in CRC. miRNA-155 exerts dual effects, inducing drug resistance while serving as a potential therapeutic target. It regulates a wide array of mRNA transcripts associated with apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and DNA repair, impacting various cellular pathways. Overexpression of miRNA-155 is linked to resistance against multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, promoting tumor cell survival, proliferation, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process by repressing tumor suppressors and activating oncogenes. Additionally, miRNA-155 holds promise as a diagnostic and prognostic marker due to its association with CRC patient survival rates. However, its regulatory mechanisms across CRC subtypes remain unclear. This study provides insights into miRNA-155's role in CRC, focusing on its involvement in therapeutic resistance and potential as a therapeutic target. We also explore its significance as a prognostic biomarker and emphasize its therapeutic applications based on evidence from human, in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies.