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Association of body mass index and physical activity with fatigue, depression, and anxiety among Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis
No full textIntroduction: Depression, fatigue, and anxiety are three common clinical comorbidities of multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the role of physical activity (PA) level and body mass index (BMI) as modifiable lifestyle factors in these three comorbidities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the MS specialist clinic of Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Demographic and clinical data were collected. BMI was categorized in accordance with the WHO’s standard classification. Physical activity (PA) level and sitting time per day were obtained using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Fatigue, anxiety, and depression scores were measured using the Persian version of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck’s Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) questionnaires, respectively. The correlation between the metabolic equivalent of tasks (MET), BMI, and daily sitting hours with depression, anxiety, and fatigue were checked using the linear regression test. The normal BMI group was considered a reference, and the difference in quantitative variables between the reference and the other groups was assessed using an independent sample t-test. Physical activity was classified with tertiles, and the difference in depression, anxiety, and fatigue between the PA groups was evaluated by a one-way ANOVA test. Results: In total, 85 MS patients were recruited for the study. The mean ± SD age of the participants was 39.07 ± 8.84 years, and 72.9% (n: 62) of them were female. The fatigue score was directly correlated with BMI (P: 0.03; r: 0.23) and sitting hours per day (P: 0.01; r: 0.26) and indirectly correlated with PA level (P 0.05). Higher anxiety scores were correlated with BMI (P: 0.01; r: 0.27) and lower PA (P: 0.01; r: −0.26). The correlation between anxiety and sitting hours per day was not significant (p > 0.05). Patients in the type I obesity group had significantly higher depression scores than the normal weight group (23.67 ± 2.30 vs. 14.05 ± 9.12; P: 0.001). Fatigue (32.61 ± 14.18 vs. 52.40 ± 12.42; P
The Effect of Monovalent Influenza Vaccine on the Risk of Hospitalization and All-Cause Mortality According to the Results of Randomized Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground: In recent years, various studies have been conducted to investigate the role of the influenza vaccine in reducing the risk of hospitalization and mortality; however, the results of these studies are clearly contradictory. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the effect of monovalent flu vaccines on the risk of hospitalization and all-cause mortality. Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) studies published in databases (Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Google Scholar) from 1980 to Dec 2022. All analyzes were performed by Stata15 statistical software and the significance level in this study was considered 0.05. Results: In the initial search, 375 articles were retrieved which, considering the study criteria, finally 8 RCT were included in the meta-analysis of the effects of monovalent Flu vaccine on the risk of hospitalization, and 10 RCT on the risk of all-cause mortality. Based on the results of meta-analysis, the overall Odds Ratio (OR) of hospitalization is equal to 0.71 (95 CI: 0.56-0.90; P <0.001) and the overall OR of all-cause mortality is equal to 0.82 (95 CI: 0.68-0.98; P=0.033). There was no publication bias in the study of the effect of monovalent flu vaccine on the risk of hospitalization and all-cause mortality Conclusion: Getting the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of hospitalization by 29 and the risk of overall death by 18. Therefore, it may be promising to receive this vaccine as a preventive intervention for deaths and hos-pitalizations
Subacute thyroiditis following COVID-19: A systematic review
No full textBackground: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a self-limiting thyroid inflammatory disease occurring specifically after upper respiratory tract infections. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease leading to multi-organ involvements, we aimed to systematically review the literature regarding SAT secondary to COVID-19. Methods: We searched Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science, ProQuest, and LitCovid databases using the terms “subacute thyroiditis” and “COVID-19” and their synonyms from inception to November 3, 2022. We included the original articles of the patients with SAT secondary to COVID-19. Studies reporting SAT secondary to COVID-19 vaccination or SAT symptoms’ manifestation before the COVID-19 infection were not included. Results: Totally, 820 articles were retained. Having removed the duplicates, 250 articles remained, out of which 43 articles (40 case reports and three case series) with a total of 100 patients, were eventually selected. The patients aged 18–85 years (Mean: 42.70, SD: 11.85) and 68 (68%) were women. The time from the onset of COVID-19 to the onset of SAT symptoms varied from zero to 168 days (Mean: 28.31, SD: 36.92). The most common symptoms of SAT were neck pain in 69 patients (69%), fever in 54 (54%), fatigue and weakness in 34 (34%), and persistent palpitations in 31 (31%). The most common ultrasonographic findings were hypoechoic regions in 73 (79%), enlarged thyroid in 46 (50%), and changes in thyroid vascularity in 14 (15%). Thirty-one patients (31%) were hospitalized, and 68 (68%) were treated as outpatients. Corticosteroids were the preferred treatment in both the inpatient and outpatient settings (25 inpatients (81%) and 44 outpatients (65%)). Other preferred treatments were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nine inpatients (29%) and 17 outpatients (25%)) and beta-blockers (four inpatients (13%) and seven outpatients (10%)). After a mean duration of 61.59 days (SD: 67.07), 21 patients (23%) developed hypothyroidism and thus, levothyroxine-based treatment was used in six of these patients and the rest of these patients did not receive levothyroxine. Conclusion: SAT secondary to COVID-19 seems to manifest almost similarly to the conventional SAT. However, except for the case reports and case series, lack of studies has limited the quality of the data at hand
A Review on Garlic as a Supplement for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Mechanistic Insight into its Direct and Indirect Effects
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most complicated neurodegenerative diseases causing dementia in human beings. Aside from that, the incidence of AD is increasing and its treatment is very complicated. There are several known hypotheses regarding the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, including the amyloid beta hypothesis, tau hypothesis, inflammation hypothesis, and cholinergic hypothesis, which are investigated in different researches to completely elucidate the pathology of AD. Besides, some new mechanisms, such as im-mune, endocrine, and vagus pathways, as well as bacteria metabolite secretions, are being explained as other causes to be somehow related to AD pathogenesis. There is still no definite treatment for Alzheimer’s disease that can completely cure and eradicate AD. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a traditional herb used as a spice in different cultures, and due to the organosulfur compounds, like allicin, it possesses highly anti-oxidant properties; the benefits of garlic in cardiovascular diseases, like hypertension and atherosclerosis, have been examined and re-viewed, although its beneficiary effects in neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD, are not completely unders-tood. In this review, we discuss the effects of garlic based on its components, such as allicin and S-allyl cys-teine, on Alzheimer’s disease and the mechanisms of garlic components that can be beneficiary for AD pa-tients, including its effects on amyloid beta, oxidative stress, tau protein, gene expression, and cholinesterase en-zymes. Based on the literature review, garlic has been revealed to have beneficiary effects on Alzheimer’s dis-ease, especially in animal studies; however, more studies should be done on humans to find the exact mechanisms of garlic’s effects on AD patients
Sonodynamic therapy of the breast cancer cells (4T1) using gold nanoclusters-loaded ultrasound-activated nanodroplets
No full textSonodynamic therapy (SDT) has been developed as a new approach to non-invasive cancer treatment. Nanoparticles (NPs) as sonosensitizers can enhance the efficiency of this method. In this study, bovine serum albumin-functionalized gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) were loaded in synthesized perfluorohexane nanodroplets (PFH NDs) stabilized by an alginate shell. The characterization results showed that AuNCs/PFH NDs had an appropriate size, good ζ-potential, and excellent stability for biological applications. Loading AuNCs as a sonosensitizer in ultrasound-activated NDs can enhance ultrasound therapy efficiency. The rough surface of AuNCs enhances the probability of cavitation by ultrasound waves which induces biological effects. Ultrasound (US) imaging confirmed this strategy. According to US images, the AuNCs-loaded and unloaded NDs showed good echogenicity. However, the presence of gold nanoclusters in NDs structure significantly increased their echogenicity. The in vitro studies were performed on 4T1 breast cancer and L929 normal cells. The MTT assay indicated that the high biocompatibility of NDs. The results of cellular internalization of NDs by 4T1 cells showed that ultrasound can facilitate cellular uptake of AuNCs/PFH NDs approximately 2.6-fold more than non-sonicated samples. The results of SDT investigation using MTT, colony, and apoptosis assays showed that the therapeutic effect of ultrasound on cancer cells was enhanced in the presence of AuNCs-loaded NDs. In conclusion, AuNCs/PFH NDs with excellent properties can be used as a theranostic agent for ultrasound-guided and -activated sonodynamic therapy
Relationship between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: The present study aims to review the existing scientific literature on the role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) to perform a meta-analysis on the available data. Methods: The electronic repositories Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus were systematically explored starting from their establishment up until June 9, 2022. Results: Fifteen articles were included in the meta‐analysis after multiple screening according to the PRISMA guidelines. The combined findings indicated that individuals with DPN had higher levels of NLR in comparison to those without DPN (SMD = 0.61; CI 95% = 0.40–0.81, p < 0.001). In the subgroup assessment based on ethnicity, it was observed that diabetic patients with DPN exhibited increased NLR levels in contrast to those without DPN in studies conducted in India (SMD = 1.30; CI 95% = 0.37–2.24, p = 0.006) and East Asia (SMD = 0.53; CI 95% = 0.34–0.73, p < 0.001) but not in studies conducted in Turkey (SMD = 0.30; CI 95% = − 0.06–0.67, p = 0.104) and Egypt (SMD = 0.34; CI 95% = -0.14–0.82, p = 0.165). The pooled sensitivity of NLR was 0.67 (95% CI = 0.49–0.81), and the pooled specificity was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.56–0.81). The pooled positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of NLR were 2.30 (95% CI = 1.71–3.09), 0.45 (95%CI = 0.30–0.67), and 5.06 (95% CI = 3.16–8.12), respectively. Conclusion: NLR serves as a distinct marker of inflammation, and its rise in cases of DPN suggests an immune system imbalance playing a role in the development of the disease
Advances of three-dimensional (3D) culture systems for in vitro spermatogenesis
No full textThe loss of germ cells and spermatogenic failure in non-obstructive azoospermia are believed to be the main causes of male infertility. Laboratory studies have used in vitro testicular models and different 3-dimensional (3D) culture systems for preservation, proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in recent decades. The establishment of testis-like structures would facilitate the study of drug and toxicity screening, pathological mechanisms and in vitro differentiation of SSCs which resulted in possible treatment of male infertility. The different culture systems using cellular aggregation with self-assembling capability, the use of different natural and synthetic biomaterials and various methods for scaffold fabrication provided a suitable 3D niche for testicular cells development. Recently, 3D culture models have noticeably used in research for their architectural and functional similarities to native microenvironment. In this review article, we briefly investigated the recent 3D culture systems that provided a suitable platform for male fertility preservation through organ culture of testis fragments, proliferation and differentiation of SSCs
Neuro-mucormycosis: Lessons from COVID-19-associated cases
No full textBackground: Scarce data are available on the neurological presentations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis (CAM) and COVID-19-unrelated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). This study aimed to compare the neurological presentations and their associated outcomes in patients with CAM and COVID-19-unrelated ROCM. Methods: In December 2021, a case-control analysis was conducted on the CAM (case group) and COVID-19-unrelated ROCM (control group) referrals of one center in Isfahan, Iran. Confirmed CAM patients from January 2020 to December 2021 constituted the case group, and patients with COVID-19-unrelated ROCM from 2016-2019 constituted the control group. Their data were then analyzed using proper (non) parametric tests and generalized linear models (GLM), therein P-value below 0.05 was considered as the criterion of statistical significance, and the SPSS software was used. Results: After retrieving data on 177 patients with mucormycosis, 78 patients with CAM were included as the case group and 72 patients with COVID-19-unrelated ROCM were included as the control group. Neurological presentations suggestive of second, third, and eighth cranial nerve involvement were more prevalent in the CAM group (all with P < 0.05). The mortality rate in the CAM group was 1.9 times that of the controls (P = 0.01), being explained by higher extent of corticosteroid administration among them. Higher age and presentation with gait ataxia, ptosis, and mydriasis were considered to be predictive of poor prognosis in patients with CAM (all with P < 0.05)
Targeting host calcium channels and viroporins: a promising strategy for SARS-CoV-2 therapy
No full textDespite passing the pandemic phase of the COVID-19, researchers are still investigating various drugs. Previous evidence suggests that blocking the calcium channels may be a suitable treatment option. Ca2+ is required to enhance the fusion process of SARS-CoV-2. Also, some important inflammatory factors during SARS-CoV-2 infection are dependent on Ca2+ level. On the other hand, viroporins have emerged as attractive targets for antiviral therapy due to their essential role in viral replication and pathogenesis. By inhibiting the host calcium channels and viroporins, it is possible to limit the spread of infection. Therefore, calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and drugs targeting viroporins can be considered an effective option in the fight against SARS-CoV-2
Effect of Alhagi maurorum Hydroalcoholic Extract on Preventing Secondary Hydatid Cysts in BALB/c Mice
No full textBackground: Surgery is the main treatment for hydatid cyst disease, during which the spillage of live protoscoleces is a major cause of hydatidosis recurrence. Scolicidal agents are used to prevent this problem. However, they may have some unpleasant side effects. Objectives: This study assessed the scolicidal effects of Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract on developing secondary cysts in BALB/c mice infected with Echinococcus granulosus parasites. Methods: BALB/c mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscoleces. One month after the infection, the mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (7 per group). Group 1 (control group) was orally administered PBS daily. Group 2 was orally administered albendazole daily (150 mg/kg). Group 3 was orally administered Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract daily (500 mg/kg). Group 4 was orally administered Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract daily (250 mg/kg). After 6 weeks of treatment, the weight (g), size (mm), number, and fertility of hydatid cysts were measured after the euthanasia and necropsy of all mice. Results: The weight (g), size (mm), and the number of cysts was significantly lower in the groups receiving 500 mg/kg Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract, 250 mg/kg Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract, and 150 mg/kg albendazole than in the control group (P 0.05). Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in the parasitological parameters between the three groups: Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract 500 mg/kg, Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract 250 mg/kg, and albendazole 150 mg/kg (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings demonstrated the effect of Alhagi maurorum hydroalcoholic extract against protoscoleces in BALB/c mice. However, cellular and molecular research should be carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the various effects of this extract on hydatid cysts