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The "Mohazell" herbal formula in combination with a calorie-restricted diet can improve systemic inflammation in obesity: A randomized double-blind, clinical trial
Get PDFInflammation is one of the primary mechanisms involved in the development of metabolic complications. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of "Mohazell", a traditional herbal formula consisting of Origanum vulgare, Carumcarvi, Trachyspermum copticum and Ruta Graveolen in combination with a calorie-restricted diet on biomarkers of systemic inflammation in obese adults. In this double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 68 volunteer obese (Body mass index: 30-35 kg/m2) subjects aged 25-50 years were recruited. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, an intervention group (n=34) and a placebo group (n=34). Each group received either: (1) a low-calorie diet with 3 g/day of 'Mohazell' or (2) a low-calorie diet with 3 g/day placebo for 8 weeks. Patients weight was measured, their BMI was calculated and biochemical parameters such as high Sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-6 were measured at baseline and after the intervention. No side effects were reported with the 'Mohazell' supplementation. 'Mohazell' decreased serum levels of TNF-α (p=0.001) and hs-CRP (p=0.04) in the treatment group. Also, IL-6 decreased insignificantly in both groups (p=0.78). Additionally, significant reductions were observed for weight, BMI, Energy and macronutrients (p<0.05). There were statistically significant differences for weight (0.023), BMI (0.046) and TNF-α (0.001) in between group analysis. The 'Mohazell' supplementation combined with a calorie-restricted diet may modulate systemic inflammatory biomarkers in obese adults. However, more studies are needed to clarify the efficacy of 'Mohazell' as an adjunct therapy to improve inflammatory parameters in obese subjects. © Mattioli 1885
Policy analysis of Iranian pharmaceutical sector; A qualitative study
Get PDFIntroduction: Improving public health through providing affordable and accessible pharmaceuticals is among the concerns of governments worldwide. This study aimed to analyze Iran�s pharmaceutical sector policies in order to identify the challenges and suggest some strategic solutions to overcome such challenges. Methods: Top managers (15), middle managers (10), and operational managers (5) working in the Food and Drug Administration of Iranian Ministry of Health along with community pharmacists (5) participated in a qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed via MAXQDA 10 software. Results: Policies for national pharmaceutical sector were divided into four groups of �research & development�, �import & export�, �pharmaceutical procurement�, and �pharmaceutical supply and distribution�. Then, the challenges faced by each sector were extracted. Considering the challenges, some policy options were recommended for growth and development of national pharmaceutical sector. Conclusion: Iran�s pharmaceutical sector has managerial and administrative differences compared with overseas pharmaceutical sectors. These differences are the main reasons for the current status of Iran�s pharmaceutical sector and have put Iran behind foreign pharmaceutical sectors. Iran�s pharmaceutical sector has endured many critical periods during recent decades and has gained great experience during these stages. Therefore, it is believed that Iran�s pharmaceutical sector, with its experience and potential, is capable of producing world-level medicines. © 2019 Ebadi Fardazar et al
MicroRNAs and exosomes: Small molecules with big actions in multiple myeloma pathogenesis
No full textMultiple myeloma (MM), an incurable hematologic malignancy of plasma cells increasing in the bone marrow (BM), has a complex microenvironment made to support proliferation, survival, and drug resistance of tumor cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNAs regulating genes expression at posttranscriptional level, have been indicated to be functionally deregulated or abnormally expressed in MM cells. Moreover, by means of miRNAs, tumor microenvironment also modulates the function of MM cells. Consistently, it has been demonstrated that miRNA levels regulation impairs their interaction with the microenvironment of BM as well as create considerable antitumor feature even capable of overcoming the protective BM milieu. Communication between cancer stromal cells and cancer cells is a key factor in tumor progression. Finding out this interaction is important to develop effective approaches that reverse bone diseases. Exosomes, nano-vehicles having crucial roles in cell-to-cell communication, through targeting their cargos (i.e., miRNAs, mRNAs, DNAs, and proteins), are implicated in MM pathogenesis. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog
Enrichment of cancer stem-like cells by the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition using lentiviral vector carrying E-cadherin shRNA in HT29 cell line
No full textA better understanding of cancer stem cells (CSCs) may facilitate the prevention and treatment of cancers. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process activated during invasion and metastasis of tumors. EMT induction in normal and tumor cells makes them more resistant to chemotherapy. E-cadherin is a membrane protein and plays a role in tumor invasion, metastasis, and prognosis. Downregulation of E-cadherin is a hallmark of EMT. Here, we created a model of cancer stem-like cells enrichment via EMT induction using E-cadherin downregulation in HT29 cell line using a lentiviral vector carrying shRNA. We aimed to evaluate cancer and anti-CSC chemotherapeutics screening. The markers of EMT and CSCs were assessed and compared with control cells using flow cytometry, real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry, western blot, migration assay, invasion assay, and colony formation assay. The transduced cells showed a mesenchymal morphology. High levels of EMT-related proteins were also expressed. These results confirmed that the transduced cells underwent EMT. In addition, we observed an increased population of E-cadherin-downregulated HT29 cell line among the cells expressing colon CSC markers (CD133+ and CD44+) after EMT induction. E-cadherin-downregulated cells were morphologically like mesenchymal cells, and the number of CD133+- and CD44+-cells (CSC-like cells) increased. These cells can be used as stable models to study cancer cells and screening of antitumor therapeutics. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
The effects of catechin on endothelial function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
No full textThe findings of trials investigating the effect of catechin on endothelial function are controversial. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to summarize the existing evidence and determine the effects of catechin supplementation on endothelial function. Two authors independently searched electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception until March 2019, in order to find relevant RCTs. The quality of selected RCTs was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. Cochrane�s Q test and I-square (I2) statistic were used to determine the heterogeneity of included trials. Data were pooled using a random-effects model and weighted mean difference (WMD) was considered as the overall effect size. A total of 16 studies with 22 effect sizes were included in this meta-analysis. A significant increase in flow mediated dilation (FMD) in 10 studies was found after catechin supplementation including 13 effect sizes (WMD: 1.53; 95 CI: 0.93, 2.14). The pooled analysis of 7 effect sizes from 4 studies showed a significant reduction in pulse wave velocity (PWV) after catechin supplementation (WMD: �0.32; 95 CI: �0.44, �0.20) and combining 5 effect sizes from 3 studies in augmentation index (AI) (WMD: �3.57; 95 CI: �6.40, �0.74). Catechin supplementation significantly increased FMD, and significantly reduced PWV and AI, but did not affect other markers of endothelial function. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Correction: The effects of melatonin supplementation on blood pressure in patients with metabolic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (Journal of Human Hypertension, (2019), 33, 3, (202-209), 10.1038/s41371-019-0166-2)
No full textIn the original Review Article, it was discovered that there were methodological issues that invalidated the reported results of the meta-analyses performed in the study, as well as a number of references and citations not being entered correctly. In addition, concerns were raised regarding the present paper and the results and conclusion, namely in regards to the effect sizes used in the present study. In light of these errors the authors re-assessed and re-ran the whole analyses and the below corrections now apply:. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited
Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived with Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years for 29 Cancer Groups, 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study
Get PDFImportance: Cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are now widely recognized as a threat to global development. The latest United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs reaffirmed this observation and also highlighted the slow progress in meeting the 2011 Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and the third Sustainable Development Goal. Lack of situational analyses, priority setting, and budgeting have been identified as major obstacles in achieving these goals. All of these have in common that they require information on the local cancer epidemiology. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is uniquely poised to provide these crucial data. Objective: To describe cancer burden for 29 cancer groups in 195 countries from 1990 through 2017 to provide data needed for cancer control planning. Evidence Review: We used the GBD study estimation methods to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Results are presented at the national level as well as by Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and total fertility rate. We also analyzed the influence of the epidemiological vs the demographic transition on cancer incidence. Findings: In 2017, there were 24.5 million incident cancer cases worldwide (16.8 million without nonmelanoma skin cancer NMSC) and 9.6 million cancer deaths. The majority of cancer DALYs came from years of life lost (97%), and only 3% came from years lived with disability. The odds of developing cancer were the lowest in the low SDI quintile (1 in 7) and the highest in the high SDI quintile (1 in 2) for both sexes. In 2017, the most common incident cancers in men were NMSC (4.3 million incident cases); tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer (1.5 million incident cases); and prostate cancer (1.3 million incident cases). The most common causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for men were TBL cancer (1.3 million deaths and 28.4 million DALYs), liver cancer (572000 deaths and 15.2 million DALYs), and stomach cancer (542000 deaths and 12.2 million DALYs). For women in 2017, the most common incident cancers were NMSC (3.3 million incident cases), breast cancer (1.9 million incident cases), and colorectal cancer (819000 incident cases). The leading causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for women were breast cancer (601000 deaths and 17.4 million DALYs), TBL cancer (596000 deaths and 12.6 million DALYs), and colorectal cancer (414000 deaths and 8.3 million DALYs). Conclusions and Relevance: The national epidemiological profiles of cancer burden in the GBD study show large heterogeneities, which are a reflection of different exposures to risk factors, economic settings, lifestyles, and access to care and screening. The GBD study can be used by policy makers and other stakeholders to develop and improve national and local cancer control in order to achieve the global targets and improve equity in cancer care. © 2019 Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration. JAMA Oncol
Study of virulence genes and related with biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples of Iranian patients; A systematic review
No full textBiofilms are complex microbial communities containing microcolonies surrounded in a self-generated extracellular polysaccharide matrix. Biofilm cells show high resistance to environmental pressures such as antimicrobial agents than their planktonic form. This study aimed to evaluate virulence genes and related to biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples of Iranian patients by a systematic review. The keywords of biofilm formation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, prevalence, virulence genes, and Iran with the help of Boolean operators (�AND� or �OR�) were used alone or individually or in combinations to conduct search process. The record search was done in the Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. The search was limited to the articles published in English and Persian from 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2019. The cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence of virulence genes related to biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa recovered from clinical samples of Iranian patients were included. STROBE checklist was used for assessment of study quality. In total, 14 studies were included in the present systematic review. The frequency of virulence genes varied from 38.6�100. The most virulence genes were reported exoA, ppyR, and algD with frequency 100, followed by algU, exoY, and pslA with the prevalence of 98, 95, and 89.5, respectively. Findings of the present systematic review showed that clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa had high virulence genes and the ability to form a biofilm. Also, most studies showed a significant correlation between biofilm formation and present virulence genes. © 2019 Elsevier Inc
Evaluation Of Atherosclerosis Severity Based On Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness Changes: A New Diagnostic Criterion
Get PDFThis study aimed to identify instant intima-media thickness changes (�IMT) in the common carotid artery (CCA) during cardiac cycle in order to assess atherosclerosis progression. Using a computerized semi-automated method, instant IMT changes were extracted in the two walls of the left CCA (240 consecutive patients) using B-mode ultrasound images. We found that CCA �IMT increased from 8 ± 4 of IMTmax in the controls to 15 ± 6 of IMTmax in the severe stenosis group. According to the multiple ordinal regression analysis, �IMT was associated with the severity of carotid artery stenosis (odds ratio OR, 4.95; p < 0.001), independent of sex (OR, 1.11; p = 0.04), age (OR, 1.14; p < 0.001), body mass index; OR, 1.13; p = 0.036), hypertension (OR, 2.04; p < 0.001), diabetes (OR, 1.38; p = 0.045) and hyperlipidemia (OR, 1.54; p = 0.002). We concluded that increment of CCA �IMT during the cardiac cycle was strongly and independently associated with severity of carotid artery stenosis or atherosclerosis progression. © 2019 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biolog
Simple synthesis and characterization of Li0.5Fe2.5O4, LiMg0.5Fe2O4 and LiNi0.5Fe2O4, and investigation of their photocatalytic and anticancer properties on hela cells line
No full textIn the present work, the anticancer, photocatalytic and magnetic qualities of nanocrystalline nickel or magnesium-doped nanoparticles of lithium-ferrite samples, formed through sol�gel auto-combustion process were investigated. The products were studied by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) technique, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet�visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and vibrating sample magnetometery (VSM). XRD results showed that the nano-photocatalytic samples lithium ferrite (Li0.5Fe2.5O4), lithium-magnesium ferrite (LiMg0.5Fe2O4) and lithium-nickel ferrite (LiNi0.5Fe2O4) are nano-photocatalytic samples, which are in good crystalline form. The LiMg0.5Fe2O4 nano-photocatalyst showed the highest photocatalytic performance for removal of methyl orange (MO) and removed 99.9 of pollutant within 25 min under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Magnetic characterization revealed that the Mr and Ms of LiNi0.5Fe2O4 nano-photocatalyst decreases with doping Ni or Mg. Finally, in vitro cytotoxic effect of synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated on Hela cell line. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature