Repository of Research and Investigative Information Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
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Residential environment, human behavior and socio-economic status in transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in central Iran
No full textCutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne disease occurred through the bite of sandflies. Due to impact of environmental factors on the disease, this study aimed to assess the association between socio-economic status (SES), domestic, peri-domestic, and human behavior factors and the transmission of CL in Isfahan province in central Iran. This case-control study was conducted from March 2021 till March 2022 on 322 participants. Cases and controls were selected among CL patients and people with no history of leishmaniasis respectively by cluster random sampling method in a ratio of 1:1. A semi-structured questionnaire was completed for each patient and control. Multiple logistic regression models and odds ratio (OR) estimator were used to assess the relationships. In final model after adjusting for potential confounders the variables "moderate social and economic status", "individuals who rest outside at night in summer", "the presence of animals near the residence" and also the variables related to distance of homes to gathering places of insects remained significant. Adults and individuals who use preventive measures such as insecticides, insect repellent pen and sleeping the mosquito net significantly decrease the risk of disease. Our findings showed that human behavior and peri-domestic factors have most effects on transmission of leishmaniasis
Hypertension in Relation to Circulating Magnesium Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
No full textContext: There was no consistency regarding the findings of preceding studies on the association between magnesium levels and hypertension. Objective: The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was to investigate the relationship between circulating magnesium concentration and hypertension. Data Sources: To obtain epidemiological studies that investigated the association between circulating magnesium and hypertension, Web of Science (ISI), MEDLINE (PubMed), and Scopus databases as well as Google Scholar were searched up to February 2024, with no time or language restriction. Data Extraction: Observational studies examined the relationship between hypertension and circulating magnesium levels were included and related data were extracted. Data Analysis: In total, 3 cohort studies (with 15 730 subjects) and 19 cross-sectional studies (with 42 702 subjects) were included. The combination of 25 effect sizes from 22 studies showed an inverse relationship between circulating magnesium concentration and hypertension (OR = 0.65; 95 CI: 0.56-0.76) by comparing highest versus lowest levels of circulating magnesium concentration. We note, however, that there was a significant heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 81.1; P < .001). A linear dose-response analysis of 21 eligible studies revealed that each 0.5 mg/dL increase in circulating magnesium concentration was linked to 7 decreased odds of hypertension (OR = 0.93; 95 CI: 0.91-0.95). A nonlinear U-shaped association was also found between circulating magnesium concentration and hypertension (P-nonlinearity = .01): Circulating magnesium levels of between 1.6 and 3.5 mg/dL were associated with a significantly decreased risk of hypertension. Conclusion: Circulating magnesium concentration was inversely associated with odds of hypertension in a dose-response manner. Considering the high observed level of heterogeneity, it is necessary to conduct further population-based prospective studies to confirm this finding. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration No. 42024519446
A long-period assessment of climate change impact on river water quality in the central region of Iran
No full textConsidering the detrimental impact of climate change on water quality, regional studies can prove invaluable in reducing financial losses and enhancing the efficacy of local water management strategies, thereby mitigating the potential adverse consequences of climate change. This study developed a new approach to investigate this issue by analyzing climate and water quality parameters in the Zayandeh-Rud River watershed over 14 years. Data were collected from relevant organizations in Iran. A correlation analysis was conducted to identify the impact of climate change on water quality. Moreover, ordinary kriging, and inverse distance weighting methods were employed for the spatial distribution of parameters. Furthermore, the spatial autocorrelation outcomes about water quality were validated. Hot spot analysis and Anselin Local Moran's I indices were subsequently employed to effectively delineate clusters with high and low concentration of water quality parameters. The number of freezing days, annual average, minimum, and maximum temperatures, exhibited an upward trend. However, some water quality parameters (EC, TDS, HCO3-, CO32-, SO42-, Cl-, Mg2+, and Na+) decreased during the study period. Furthermore, examination of clusters and anomalies revealed that this region is positioned within low-high outlier pattern. Most of the examined water quality parameters demonstrated a clustering of elevated values with a statistical confidence level of 99 within the eastern region of the research area. This study will facilitate the understanding of the impacts of climate change on water quality and the identification of appropriate adaptation measures for the ecosystem management of the Zayandeh-Rud river watershed in Iran
Egg intake in relation to metabolic health status, serum brain derived neurotrophic factor, and adropin levels in Iranian adults
No full textThere is conflicting information about the association between egg intake and metabolic health status and no previous information on this association was found in Middle Eastern populations. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between egg consumption and metabolic health status in Iranian adults, focusing on the potential involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and adropin. This cross-sectional study was done on a sample of 527 individuals (45.7 female) aged between 20 and 65 years. Participants were selected using a multistage cluster random-sampling method. Dietary intakes of participants were evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Blood samples were collected while the individuals were fasting to assess biochemical markers. Metabolic health status of individuals was assessed based on the criteria established by Wildman. Collecting data on covariates was done using pre-tested procedures. Multivariable-adjusted model revealed a statistically significant association between egg consumption and a decreased odds of metabolically unhealthy (MU) status (ORT3 vs. T1 = 0.47; 95CI 0.24-0.92). Also, each tertile increase in egg consumption was significantly associated with decreased odds of MU status (OR = 0.68; 95CI 0.49-0.96). This association was especially significant among males rather than females. Elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were substantially reduced among individuals with the highest consumption of egg compared to the lowest intake. Additionally, there was a slight inverse association between egg consumption and high blood pressure. There were no relationships between egg intake and having low BDNF, and adropin levels. Increased consumption of egg was associated with a decreased chance of being metabolically unhealthy in Iranian adults, especially in male participants
Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells; mechanisms, functional significance, and targeting in cancer therapy
No full textTumor-infiltrating myeloid cells (TIMs), which encompass tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor-associated dendritic cells (TADCs), are of great importance in tumor microenvironment (TME) and are integral to both pro- and anti-tumor immunity. Nevertheless, the phenotypic heterogeneity and functional plasticity of TIMs have posed challenges in fully understanding their complexity roles within the TME. Emerging evidence suggested that the presence of TIMs is frequently linked to prevention of cancer treatment and improvement of patient outcomes and survival. Given their pivotal function in the TME, TIMs have recently been recognized as critical targets for therapeutic approaches aimed at augmenting immunostimulatory myeloid cell populations while depleting or modifying those that are immunosuppressive. This review will explore the important properties of TIMs related to immunity, angiogenesis, and metastasis. We will also document the latest therapeutic strategies targeting TIMs in preclinical and clinical settings. Our objective is to illustrate the potential of TIMs as immunological targets that may improve the outcomes of existing cancer treatments
Dietary intake of tomato and lycopene, blood levels of lycopene, and risk of total and specific cancers in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
No full textBackground: The association between tomato/lycopene intake and blood levels of lycopene with the risk of specific cancers were assessed in previous meta-analyses; however, no study evaluated the risk of overall cancer incidence/mortality. Therefore, the present systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis aimed to summarize available findings from prospective studies to examine the association between tomato/lycopene intake and lycopene levels with the risk of total and specific cancers and cancer-related mortality. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was done using Scopus, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar until July 2023. Results: In total, 121 prospective studies were included in the systematic review and 119 in the meta-analysis. During the follow-up period of 2-32 years, a total of 108,574 cancer cases and 10,375 deaths occurred. High intakes and high levels of lycopene compared to low amounts were, respectively, associated with 5 (Pooled RR: 0.95, 95 CI: 0.92-0.98, I-2 = 26.4, p = 0.002) and 11 (Pooled RR: 0.89, 95 CI: 0.84-0.95, I-2 = 15.0, p < 0.001) reduction in overall cancer risk. Also, each 10 mu g/dL increase in blood levels of lycopene was associated with a 5 lower risk of overall cancer. Moreover, we found a linear inverse association between dietary lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk (Pooled RR 0.99, 95 CI 0.97-1.00, I-2 = 0, p = 0.045). Regarding cancer mortality, negative relationships were found with total tomato intake (Pooled RR: 0.89, 95 CI: 0.85-0.93, I-2 = 65.7, p < 0.001), lycopene intake (Pooled RR: 0.84, 95 CI: 0.81-0.86, I-2 = 86.5, p < 0.001) and lycopene levels (Pooled RR 0.76, 95 CI: 0.60-0.98, I-2 = 70.9, p = 0.031). Also, an inverse association was observed between blood lycopene levels and lung cancer mortality (Pooled RR: 0.65, 95 CI: 0.45-0.94, I-2 = 0, p = 0.022). Conclusion: Our findings show that dietary intake and blood levels of lycopene are associated with a lower risk of cancer and death due to cancer
Combining Subtractive Genomics with Computer-Aided Drug Discovery Techniques to Effectively Target S. sputigena in Periodontitis
No full textThis study aimed to provide an inclusive in silico investigation for the identification of novel drug targets that can be exploited to develop drug candidates for treating oral infections caused by S. sputigena. By coupling subtractive genomics with an in silico drug discovery approach, we identified dTDP-4-dehydrorhamnose 3,5-epimerase (UniProt ID: C9LUR0), UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (UniProt ID: C9LRH1), and imidazole glycerol phosphate synthase (UniProt ID: C9LTU7) as three unique proteins crucial for the S. sputigena life cycle with no substantial similarity to human proteins. These potential drug targets served as the starting point for screening bioactive phytochemicals (1090 compounds) from the Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry and Therapeutics (IMPPAT) database. Among the screened natural products, cubebin (IMPHY001912) showed a higher affinity for two of the three selected targets, as evidenced by molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies. Given its favorable drug-like profile and possible multitargeting behavior, cubebin could be further exploited as an antibacterial agent for treating S. sputigena-mediated oral infections. It is worth nothing that cubebin could be the active ingredient of appropriate formulations such as mouthwash and/or toothpaste to treat S. sputigena-induced periodontitis, with the advantage of limiting the adverse effects that could affect the use of current drugs
Evaluation of miR-146a as a potential biomarker for diagnosis of cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer
No full textBackground: Cardiotoxicity from chemotherapy may result in cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Clinicians can use the evaluation of cardiotoxicity-specific biomarkers, such as microRNA, as a tool for the early detection of cardiotoxicity. The study's objective was to assess miR-146a levels as a potential biomarker for the detection of cardiotoxicity brought on by chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, the levels of miR-146a were assessed in the blood of 37 breast cancer patients receiving anthracyclines without cardiotoxicity and 33 breast cancer patients experiencing cardiotoxicity brought on by chemotherapy after chemotherapy. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >= 50 was used to define heart failure by echocardiography. Results:MiR-146a did not show any significant difference in expression between these two study groups (P = 0.48, t-test). The expression level of miR-146a was not significantly associated with LVEF, age, and body mass index (P > 0.05), according to Pearson correlation. Conclusion:MiR-146a may be a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for cardiotoxicity brought on by chemotherapy, even though there was no discernible difference in the expression level of miR-146a between the control group and the breast cancer patients who were experiencing this side effect of chemotherapy. Therefore, miR-146a expression needs to be examined in a sizable cohort of breast cancer patients who are experiencing cardiotoxicity brought on by chemotherapy
Decreased expression of hsa-miR-142-3p and hsa-miR-155-5p in common variable immunodeficiency and involvement of their target genes and biological pathways
No full textCommon variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common symptomatic and heterogeneous type of inborn errors of immunity (IEI). However, the pathogenesis process of this disease is often unknown. Epigenetic modifications may be involved in unresolved patients. MiR-142 and miR-155 were identified as immune system modulators and dysregulated in auto- immune and inflammatory diseases. We assessed hsa-miR-142-3p and hsa-miR-155-5p expression in a selected cohort of unresolved CVID cases and identified experimentally validated targets of these miRNAs. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network from the common targets of two miRNAs and determined the hub genes. The hub genes' expression was investigated in GEO datasets. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis were done for target genes. Hsa-miR-142-3p and hsa-miR-155-5p expression were significantly reduced in CVID patients. Evaluation of the PPI network demonstrated some hub genes in which pathogenic mutations have been reported in IEI, and other hub genes directly contribute to immune responses and the pathophysiology of IEI. Expression analysis of hub genes showed that they were significantly dysregulated in validating the CVID cohort. The pathway enrichment analysis indicated the involvement of the FOXO-mediated signaling pathway, TGF beta receptor complex, and VEGFR2-mediated vascular permeability. Considering the dysregulation of hsa-miR-142-3p and hsa-miR-155-5p in CVID and the known role of their target genes in the immune system, their involvement in the pathogenesis of CVID can be suggested. (c) 2025 Codon Publications. Published by Codon Publications
The long-term and post-prandial effects of berry consumption on endothelial dysfunction in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
No full textThis systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the long-term and post-prandial effects of berry consumption on endothelial dysfunction (ED) in adults. To identify relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs), a systematic search was run and studies that examined the effects of berries consumption on ED markers were included. A total of 45 RCTs were included, focusing on markers such as flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) and total peripheral resistance (TPR). The meta-analysis revealed that long-term berry consumption significantly increased FMD and decreased PWV. However, no significant effects were found for AIx, RHI or TPR. In post-prandial studies, berry consumption also improved FMD, but had no significant impact on PWV, AIx or RHI. Overall, berries were found to benefit endothelial function, particularly in improving FMD, though the effects on other cardiovascular markers were less consistent. Factors like trial design and berry type influenced outcomes