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Late-onset multiple sclerosis in Iran: A report on demographic and disease characteristics
No full textBackground: Today, it is estimated that around 5% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are in the late-onset category (age at disease onset ≥ 50). Diagnosis and treatment in this group could be challenging. Here, we report the latest update on the characteristics of Iranian patients with late-onset MS (LOMS). Methods: This cross-sectional study used the information provided by the nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI). The registrars from 14 provinces entered data of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of MS by neurologists. Patients with disease onset at or later than 50 years of age were considered LOMS. Results: Of 20,036 records, the late-onset category included 321 patients (1.6%). The age-standardized LOMS prevalence was around 75 per 100,000 people. 215 patients (67%) were female. Median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was 3 (interquartile range: 1.5–5). The majority of the cases (56%) suffered from relapsing-remitting (RR) course while 20% were diagnosed with primary progressive (PP) MS. Significantly higher proportion of male sex, PPMS, and higher EDSS were seen in the late-onset group compared with early-onset and adult-onset cases (p-value < 0.05). Seventy-five (23%) patients did not receive any disease-modifying treatment. Discussion: The more prominent degenerative pathology of LOMS may be the underlying mechanism of the observed differences in comparison to non-LOMS. Conclusion: There are substantial differences and knowledge gaps regarding LOMS which could be the subject of further research
Evaluation of the negative effects of opium tincture on memory and hippocampal neurons in the presence of chicory extract
No full textBackground: Due to the high prevalence of addiction in society and the need to its attention, various methods are used for addiction withdrawal. The side effects of some methods restrict their use and increase the risk of recurrence. One of the Iranian useful methods is consumption of opium tincture (OT) that may cause brain structure and memory defects. Hence, this study aimed the effects of different doses of OT on memory and hippocampal neurons with the use of an antioxidant such as various concentrations chicory. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 70 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups and the effect of various doses of chicory extract and OT were assessed on memory by the passive avoidance test. The neurons and astrocyte cells numbers in dentate gyrus were investigated, using histological examination. Results: In passive avoidance test, the total time in dark compartment was significantly more in groups with 100 and 75 μl OT compared with control and normal saline groups (P 0.05). Moreover, initial latency time was significantly shorter in groups with 75 and 100 μl of OT compared with control and normal saline groups (P < 0.05). However, the presence 250 mg/kg of chicory increases granular layer thickness of dentate gyrus and number of neurons. Conclusion: The use of 250 mg/kg of chicory extract may be promising strategy for inducing neurogenesis and this dose could prevent neural damage
Investigating the Mineral Ingredients of Dust Fall in Agricultural Areas in Poldokhtar, Iran (2019-2020)
No full textBackground and Aim: Dust storms have negative effects on public health, social economy and environment and, thus, lead to many damages in human resources, health sector and agriculture. Iran is one of the areas affected by particulate matter, with serious damages annually. For these reasons particulate matter increases should receive particular attention in Iran.
Materials and Methods: This research was conducted on solid/mineral section of dust fall in Poldokhtar, Lorestan Province, Iran. Sampling of the particles was done in nine spots in three stages during three months to measue heavy metals, cations and anions. Analysis of the samples for cations and anions was done using the Ic Metrohm system and that for heavy metals using the Icp OES-arcoss system.
Results: Sampling of dust fall was done in February, March and April 2019. Data analysis showed the most highly concentrated cation and anion were SO4 and F, respectively, while the concentrations of Fe and Al were the highest among heavy metals.
Conclusion: The highest amounts of dust fall were found to occur in February 2019, followed by that in March 2019, and the lowest occurring in April 2019. Due to the fact that compounds/elements with both natural and unnatural origins were found in this study, it can be concluded that the origins of the compounds/elements observed could be both natural and unnatural.
Keywords: Cation, Anion, Heavy Metal
AMP‐activated protein kinase is a key regulator of obesity‐associated factors
No full textAn imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure leads to obesity. Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of several metabolic diseases including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. So, controlling obesity could be effective in the improvement of obesity-related diseases. Various factors are involved in obesity, such as AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK), silent information regulators, inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress parameters, gastrointestinal hormones, adipokines, angiopoietin-like proteins, and microRNAs. These factors play an important role in obesity by controlling fat metabolism, energy homeostasis, food intake, and insulin sensitivity. AMPK is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine protein kinase known as a fuel-sensing enzyme. The central role of AMPK in obesity makes it an attractive molecule to target obesity and related metabolic diseases. In this review, the critical role of AMPK in obesity and the interplay between AMPK and obesity-associated factors were elaborated
The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in drinking water from Shiraz, Iran: a health risk assessment of samples
No full textThe existence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water bodies has posed a menace to human health. Thus, water resources should be protected from PTEs, and their effect on the exposed population should be investigated. In the present investigation, the concentrations of PTEs such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and iron(Fe) in the drinking water of Shiraz, Iran, were determined for the first time. In addition, hazard quotient, hazard index, cancer risk, and sensitivity analysis were applied to estimate the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic impacts of Pb, Hg, Mn, and Fe on exposed children and adults through ingestion. The mean concentrations (mu g/L) of Pb, Hg, Mn, and Fe were 0.36, 0.32, 2.28, and 8.72, respectively, in winter and 0.50, 0.20, 0.55, and 10.36, respectively, in summer. The results displayed that Fe concentration was more than the other PTEs. PTE concentrations were lower than the standard values of the Environment Protection Agency and World Health Organization. Values of the degree of contamination and heavy metal pollution index for lead, mercury, manganese, and iron were significantly low (< 1) and excellent (< 50), respectively. Based on the Spearman rank correlation analysis, positive and negative relationships were observed in the present study. The observations of the health risk assessment demonstrated that mercury, lead, iron, and manganese had an acceptable level of noncarcinogenic harmful health risk in exposed children and adults (hazard quotients < 1 and hazard index < 1). The carcinogenic risk of lead was low (< E - 06), which can be neglected. Monte Carlo simulation showed that water intake rate and mercury concentration were the most critical parameters in the hazard index for children and adults. Lead concentration was also the most crucial factor in the cancer risk analysis. The results of the present study proved that the drinking water of Shiraz is safe and healthy and can be confidently consumed by people
The Association Between the Gut Microbiome and COVID-19 Severity: The Potential Role of TMAO Produced by the Gut Microbiome
No full textContext: The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts on public health, resulting in nearly 1 million deaths. Emerging evidence suggests an association between certain metabolites produced by gut microbiota and potential alterations in the severity of infection. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a waste metabolite generated by gut microbes from dietary choline and betaine. Evidence Acquisition: Several investigations have indicated an association between serum TMAO concentrations and the development of inflammation and thrombosis. Trimethylamine N-oxide, produced by the gut microbiome in a state of dysbiosis, upregulates various molecular mechanisms, such as the nuclear factor kappa (NF-kB) molecular pathway, and promotes the expression of scavenger receptors (SRs) on the surfaces of macrophages, leading to foam cell formation and inflammation. High levels of TMAO have been shown to induce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) while reducing the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10). Additionally, gut-derived TMAO enhances platelet aggregation and adhesion to collagen, increasing the risk of thrombosis. Conclusions: Understanding the association between gut microbiome compositions such as gut TMAO and their effects on SARS-CoV-19 infection progression helps to control disease severity. In this review, we presented a hypothesis that the gut TMAO has the potential to increase COVID-19 disease severity
Chitosan decorated cobalt zinc ferrite nanoferrofluid composites for potential cancer hyperthermia therapy: anti-cancer activity, genotoxicity, and immunotoxicity evaluation
No full textCancer, as the leading cause of death worldwide, has been constantly increasing in mortality every year. Among several therapeutics, nanoscale compounds showed promising results in overcoming cancer diseases. There are numerous types of research on the paramagnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide, which cause apoptosis and cancer cell death. In this study, cobalt/zinc/ferrite nanoferrofluid composites (~ 39 nm) were synthesized and decorated with chitosan to enhance the cell entry for potential applications in cancer therapy. The neat and chitosan-adorned cobalt zinc ferrite nanoferrofluid composites (~ 94 nm) displayed superparamagnetic properties. The nanocomposite exhibited anti-cancer activity against WEHI164 cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The chitosan-coated nanocomposite was found to induce oxidative stress in WEHI164 cancer cells, as indicated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, DNA damage was indicated in WEHI164 cancer cells after exposure to chitosan-coated nanocomposites. Chitosan-coated nanocomposites promoted dendritic cell maturation by inducing the release of interleukin-6 proinflammatory cytokines. According to the results and ancillary studies, superparamagnetic nanoparticles coated with chitosan can be considered an effective and promising treatment for the destruction of cancer cells. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] Summary: Chitosan decorated cobalt zinc ferrite nanoferrofluid composites was fabricated for potential cancer hyperthermia therapy with high biocompatibility
Nano-immunotherapy: overcoming delivery challenge of immune checkpoint therapy
No full textImmune checkpoint (ICP) molecules expressed on tumor cells can suppress immune responses against tumors. ICP therapy promotes anti-tumor immune responses by targeting inhibitory and stimulatory pathways of immune cells like T cells and dendritic cells (DC). The investigation into the combination therapies through novel immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been limited due to immune-related adverse events (irAEs), low response rate, and lack of optimal strategy for combinatorial cancer immunotherapy (IMT). Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as powerful tools to promote multidisciplinary cooperation. The feasibility and efficacy of targeted delivery of ICIs using NPs overcome the primary barrier, improve therapeutic efficacy, and provide a rationale for more clinical investigations. Likewise, NPs can conjugate or encapsulate ICIs, including antibodies, RNAs, and small molecule inhibitors. Therefore, combining the drug delivery system (DDS) with ICP therapy could provide a profitable immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. This article reviews the significant NPs with controlled DDS using current data from clinical and pre-clinical trials on mono- and combination IMT to overcome ICP therapeutic limitations
Global variation in diabetes diagnosis and prevalence based on fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c
No full textFasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but these measurements can identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening, had elevated FPG, HbA1c or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardized proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed and detected in survey screening ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the age-standardized proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29–39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c was more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global shortfall in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance
Quercetin as a possible complementary therapy in multiple sclerosis: Anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and remyelination potential properties
No full textMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) which causes various symptoms such as fatigue, dyscoordination weakness and visual weakness. The intricacy of the immune system and obscure etiology are the main reasons for the lack of a definite treatment for MS. Oxidative stress is one of the most important key factors in MS pathogenesis. It can enhance inflammation, neurodegeneration and autoimmune-mediated processes, which can lead to excessive demyelination and axonal disruption. Recently, promising effects of Quercetin as a non-pharmacological anti-oxidant therapy have been reported in preclinical studies of MS disease. In this review, we provide a compendium of preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated the effects of Quercetin on MS disease to evaluate its potential utility as a complementary therapy in MS. Quercetin treatment in MS disease not only protects the CNS against oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, but it also declines the demyelination process and promotes remyelination potential. The present study clarifies the reported knowledge on the beneficial effects of Quercetin against MS, with future implication as a neuroprotective complementary therapy