Sharif Digital Repository

Despite all fundamental divergences, the similarities formed between some interpretations of the later-Wittgenstein’s philosophy of religion and the tradition of Islamic Mysticism (Sufism), can yet be philosophically recognized. These basic analogies are as follows: 1) The inextricability of belief and practice and the priority of practice over knowledge 2) The characterization of the core religious beliefs as the primal ground of man’s perception and understanding, in contrast to the view that considers fundamental religious beliefs as theoretical conclusions derived from purely rational courses of reflection 3) A new practice-laden narrative of religious realism. Given that, one can even... 

The new generations of bioenhancement technologies and traditional Virtue Theory both try to make a meaningful connection between the improvement of human states and characteristics on one hand, and attainment to the good life, on the other. Considering the main elements of virtuousness in Farabi’s thought—namely rational inquiry and deliberative insights, alongside volitional discipline within various social contexts, one can conclude that although the trajectories of enhancement technologies—be they in the field of genetic engineering, neurostimulation technologies, or pharmacology—do not in themselves satisfy the constitutive determinants of virtuousness, they function as having both... 

The new generations of bioenhancement technologies and traditional Virtue Theory both try to make a meaningful connection between the improvement of human states and characteristics on one hand, and attainment to the good life, on the other. Considering the main elements of virtuousness in Farabi’s thought—namely rational inquiry and deliberative insights, alongside volitional discipline within various social contexts, one can conclude that although the trajectories of enhancement technologies—be they in the field of genetic engineering, neurostimulation technologies, or pharmacology—do not in themselves satisfy the constitutive determinants of virtuousness, they function as having both... 

This study aimed to develop a drug carrier based on amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (AAS-MSNPs) for a poorly water-soluble drug, curcumin (CUR), and to study its effects on α-synuclein (α-Syn) fibrillation and cytotoxicity. Here, we show that AAS-MSNPs possess high values of loading efficiency and capacity (33.5% and 0.45 mg drug/mg MSNPs, respectively) for CUR. It is also revealed that α-Syn species interact strongly with the CUR-loaded AAS-MSNPs, leading to a significant inhibition of the fibrillation process. Furthermore, these samples reduce the toxic effects of CUR. However, drug-loaded AAS-MSNPs do not affect the cytotoxic properties of the formed fibrils... 

The aggregation of an amyloid protein, α-synuclein (α-Syn), has been suggested as a potential cause of Parkinson's and several other neurodegenerative diseases. To explore the possibility of using nanoparticle-based therapeutic agents for the treatment of such diseases, we investigated the influence of surface chemistry and concentration of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) on the fibrillation of recombinant human α-Syn protein in the present work. Bare MSNPs as well as MSNPs of different surface functionalities, including 3-(2-aminoethyl amino) propyltrimethoxysilane (AAS), succinic anhydride (carboxyl), and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were prepared and characterized by electron... 

Despite the promise of hydrogel-based stem cell therapies in orthopedics, a significant need still exists for the development of injectable microenvironments capable of utilizing the regenerative potential of donor cells. Indeed, the quest for biomaterials that can direct stem cells into bone without the need of external factors has been the "Holy Grail" in orthopedic stem cell therapy for decades. To address this challenge, we have utilized a combinatorial approach to screen over 63 nanoengineered hydrogels made from alginate, hyaluronic acid, and two-dimensional nanoclays. Out of these combinations, we have identified a biomaterial that can promote osteogenesis in the absence of...