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Social Support, Happiness, and Self-Rated Health among Older Adults: A Population-Based Study
No full textAbstract: Successful aging is affected by multiple factors, including social support and mental health. In this investigation, the aim was to assess the association between Social support, happiness, and self-rated health among older adults. In this cross-sectional analytical descriptive study, 240 older adults were included using the multistage sampling method in Kerman, Iran. Data collection tools included: sociodemographic questionnaire, happiness self-rated health questionnaire, the Received Social Support Scale, and Perceived Social Support. The mean age of the elderly in the study was 66.74 ± 8.69 years. Regarding happiness status, less than half of them reported an acceptable happiness level. The mean perceived social support value was 42.3, and the highest mean belonged to friend support. The means of received and perceived social support were significantly different based on gender, number of children, marital status, education, health, and happiness. It is necessary to heed older people�s social needs and communication networks, as these may have a direct impact on their health and happiness status. © 2021, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd
Effects of ethanol and nicotine co-administration on follicular atresia and placental histo-morphology in the first-generation mice pups during intrauterine development and lactation periods
No full textThis study is evaluating the effects of ethanol and nicotine exposure during pregnancy and lactation on placenta histology and follicular atresia in the first-generation (f1) mice pups. The experimental groups were 5 groups of NMRI pregnant mice, including: control, vehicle (received normal saline) ethanol (3 g/kg/day, 20 v/v intraperitoneally), nicotine (1 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously), and ethanol plus nicotine which received both. Pregnant animals in each group were then divided into two groups, one group for examining the placenta that was treated for 18 days and the other group for the ovary of one-day-old (PND1) and fifty-six-day-old (PND56) female offspring who were treated for 42 days (during intrauterine development and lactation). After the autopsy procedure, histopathological and morphometrical observations were done. Data revealed that the exposed mice had a significant change in the placenta morphometry and histology as well as a marked increase in the number of ovarian TUNEL positive cells on postnatal days 1 and 56. Therefore, maternal exposure to alcohol and nicotine during developmental and lactation periods could lead to changes in the placenta properties as well as an increase in the apoptotic ovarian follicles in f1 mice pups. © 202
Interaction of a Vanadyl Schiff Base Complex with DNA and BSA: A Combination of Experimental and Computational Studies
No full textBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cancer is the primary cause of death in the world. Vanadium (IV) is a metal ion complex which has been proposed as a suitable candidate for cancer treatment. In this study, the interaction of the oxido-vanadium (IV) complex VOL(bipy) with salmon sperm DNA and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was investigated through experimental and computational approaches. With the results of this experimental study, the mechanism and parameters related to the interaction of VOL(bipy) with DNA and BSA were determined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The kinetic interaction of DNA and BSA with VOL(bipy) was determined using absorption titration and fluorescence quenching, respectively. Moreover, the possible interactions were calculated by molecular docking prediction using the available software. RESULTS: The binding constant (Kb) of the complex-DNA interaction was calculated to be 2.34�104 M-1, indicating a relatively strong interaction between the complex and DNA. It was found that the V(IV) complex interacted with DNA through the groove binding mode followed by partial intercalation into the DNA helix. The Kb values obtained for VOL(bipy)-BSA interaction were in the range of 1.07�103-5.82�104 M-1. The V(IV) complex was found to prefer the domain I binding pocket of BSA with the �Gb value of -7.52 kcal/mol. CONCLUSION: Both experimental and computational analyses confirmed the interaction of the vanadium complex with DNA and BSA. The moderate affinity of VOL(bipy) for BSA indicates that this protein is a good candidate for transferring the complex. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at [email protected]
Adiponectin: Structure, physiological functions, role in diseases, and effects of nutrition
No full textAdiponectin (a protein consisting of 244 amino acids and characterized by a molecular weight of 28 kDa) is a cytokine that is secreted from adipose tissues (adipokine). Available evidence suggests that adiponectin is involved in a variety of physiological functions, molecular and cellular events, including lipid metabolism, energy regulation, immune response and inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. It has a protective effect on neurons and neural stem cells. Adiponectin levels have been reported to be negatively correlated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and shown to be affected (i.e., significantly increased) by proper healthy nutrition. The present review comprehensively overviews the role of adiponectin in a range of diseases, showing that it can be used as a biomarker for diagnosing these disorders as well as a target for monitoring the effectiveness of preventive and treatment interventions. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Chlorpyrifos remediation in agriculture runoff with homogeneous solar photo-Fenton reaction at near neutral pH: Phytotoxicity assessment
No full textThis study represents the first application of Fe-citrate-based photo-Fenton chemistry for the degradation of chlorpyrifos (CPF) spiked into agricultural runoff, and its phytotoxicity assessment. The effects of the initial CPF concentration, time and ratio of Fe-citrate/H2O2 on CPF removal during the photo-Fenton reaction were investigated and modeled with analysis of variance using R software by the response-surface methodology package. According to the stationary point in original units, the optimal condition for 70.00 CPF removal was as follows: CPF = 2.5 mg L-1 (0.0), time = 48.0 min (0.585) and Fe-citrate/H2O2 = 0.075 (0.539). Beside running the system at near-neutral pH, another strength of this study is related to the treatment of agricultural runoff contaminated with CPF with a raceway pond reactor, which has the advantages of simplicity of the facilities and procedures, as well as the possibility of using sunlight more efficiently in the field of applications. Finally, untreated and treated agriculture runoffs were used as irrigation to determine their phytotoxic effects on seed germination of cress (Lepidium sativum). Solar photo-Fenton treatment greatly reduced phytotoxicity of agriculture runoff and showed the highest germination percentage (70) compared to both raw agricultural runoff (60) and untreated CPF-spiked runoff (35). © IWA Publishing 2021 Water Science & Technolog
Spatial distribution and correlations among elements in smaller than 75 μm street dust: ecological and probabilistic health risk assessment
No full textThis study aimed to investigate spatial distribution, correlations among elements and ecological and probabilistic health risk assessment in smaller than 75 μm street dust in Kerman city, Iran. Street dust samples were collected from 35 different points. Elements were detected by ICP-AES. Pollution degree was characterized through Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) and Potential Ecological Risk (PER). The health risk was assessed using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The mean values of elements were in the order of Al > Mn > Zn > Cu > V > Pb > Cr > Ni > Li > As > Co > Mo > Sb > Cd > Ag. The results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) showed that Al, As, Co, Li, Mn and V were possibly derived from natural sources (local soil), while traffic and mining activities were proposed as the main source of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb and Zn. The order of EF and CF mean values decreased as follows: Mn > Ag > Cu > Zn > Pb > Sb > Mo > Li > Co > V > Cd > As > Cr > Ni. In addition, 73 of Cu and 35 of Zn, Ag and Mn had significant enrichment in the street dust samples. Also, Ag and Mn were categorized in the significant and very significant pollution category. In terms of the PER index, all samples could be classified at low-risk category. Ingestion of street dust was the significant route for exposure of residents of Kerman to the elements studied. No significant ecological hazards and health risks were observed from street dust in the study area in the period of the study. The improvement in the fuels quality and development of green spaces can be suggested to control natural and anthropogenic street dust pollution sources in the Kerman city. © 2020, Springer Nature B.V
Estimation of the population attributable fraction of road-related injuries due to speeding and passing in Iran
No full textOBJECTIVES: Speeding and passing are considered to be the main human factors resulting in road traffic injuries (RTIs). This study aimed to estimate the population attributeable fraction (PAF) of speeding and passing in RTIs in rural Iran during 2012. METHODS: The contribution of speeding and passing to RTI-related morbidity and mortality was estimated using the PAF method. The prevalence of speeding and passing was obtained from the national traffic police data registry. A logistic regression model was used to measure the association between the above risk factors and RTIs. RESULTS: Speeding accounted for 20.96 and 16.61 of rural road-related deaths and injuries, respectively. The corresponding values for passing were 13.50 and 13.44, respectively. Jointly, the PAF of these factors was 31.63 for road-related deaths and 27.81 for injuries. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the importance of controlling speeding and passing as a high-priority aspect of public-health approaches to RTIs in Iran. It is recommended that laws restricting speeding and passing be enforced more strictly. © 2016, Korean Society of Epidemiolog
Exposure to ambient air pollution and prevalence of asthma in adults
No full textAir pollution is defined as the risk factors for asthma. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exposure to ambient air pollution and prevalence of asthma in adults. This cross-sectional study was done between November 2015 and February 2016. The asthma prevalence was surveyed in 3172 adults between 20 and 44 years old in Tehran, Iran. Face to face interview and standardized questionnaire (European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS)) were used for data gathering. Concentrations of air pollutants in the whole city of Tehran were obtained from Tehran Air Quality Control Company (AQCC). Air pollution exposure assessed by the spatial analysis based on GIS method. The effect of ambient air pollution on the asthma symptoms was assessed with the crude and adjusted logistic regression. Results were reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95 confidence interval (CI). Results showed that the asthma prevalence in adults in Tehran was 11.73, higher than the average prevalence of asthma in the whole country equal to the 8.9. The prevalence of asthma in males (6.43, n=204) was significantly higher than females (5.26, n=167), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.29). A significant positive association was observed between the asthma prevalence and the concentration of CO (OR 1.64; 1.26 to 1.85) and PM10 (1.04; 1.01 to 1.08) (P <0.05). Finally, we concluded that exposure to some air pollutants can affect the asthma prevalence in adults. Therefore, control of air pollution is recommended to reduce the asthma in Tehran metropolis. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V
Vitamin D status and disability among patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textAssociation between the serum vitamin D level and disability of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been investigated during several researches. However, these studies reported different results. The current study aims to estimate the correlation between the concentrations of 25 (OH) vitamin D and the level of disability among MS patients. Using Mesh and non-Mesh terms related to MS, disability level and vitamin D, different data banks were searched. Required information was extracted from the selected eligible primary articles. Stata version 11 software was applied for combining the primary correlation coefficients using random effect model. The effect of MS type and patients� age was assessed using meta-regression models. Sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the role of each primary study in the pooled estimate. Egger test was applied to find any publication bias. Of 14 eligible studies, the total correlation coefficient (95 confidence interval) between 25 (OH) vitamin D level and disability in both sexes as well as among female was estimated as of -0.29 (-0.40, -0.17) and -0.35 (-0.46, -0.24) respectively. Two articles carried out among male did not report significant results. Our meta-analysis showed a significant negative correlation between 25 (OH) vitamin D level and disability of MS patients so that the disability reduces with increasing the 25 (OH) vitamin D level. © 2021 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Using Comet Assay for Genotoxic Evaluation of Zataria multiflora Boiss., An Iranian Endemic Plant
No full textBackground: Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Avishan-e Shirazi), as an Iranian endemic plant, belongs to the Lamiaceae family and may be used as a food preservative. This study aimed to detect potential genotoxic effects of Z. multiflora extract. Methods: Hydro-alcoholic extract of Z. multiflora was prepared. Human B lymphocytes were treated with 1 extract within 3 and 24 h. Sterile Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and cisplatin were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. DNA damage profiles were examined using comet assay (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis). Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software v. 21. Results: No statistically significant (p=0.071) DNA damage was observed in B lymphocytes treated with either Z. multiflora extract or PBS after 3 and 24 h. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p=0.0001) between DNA damage in B lymphocytes that treated with cisplatin and Z. multiflora after 3 and 24 h. Conclusion: The comet assay used in the current study showed that Z. multiflora had no genotoxic effect. © 2021, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License