The effects of probiotic supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation,oxidative stress and pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and pregnancy outcomes among subjects with gestational diabetes (GDM).

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was done among 60 subjects with GDM who were not on oral hypoglycemic agents. Patients were randomly allocated to intake either probiotic capsule containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum (2?×?10⁹ CFU/g each) (n?=?30) or placebo (n?=?30) for six?weeks.

Results: Compared with the placebo, probiotic supplementation resulted in significant decreases in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (?5.3?±?6.7 vs.?+0.03?±?9.0?mg/dL, p?=?.01), serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (?2.2?±?2.7 vs.?+0.5?±?2.4?μg/mL, p?p?=?.03) and MDA/TAC ratio (?0.0003?±?0.0008 vs.?+0.0009?±?0.002, p?=?.004), and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (+65.4?±?103.3 vs. ?37.2?±?143.7?mmol/L, p?=?.002). Probiotic supplementation did not affect pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusions: Overall, probiotic supplementation among women with GDM for six?weeks had beneficial effects on FPG, serum hs-CRP, plasma TAC, MDA and oxidative stress index, but did not affect pregnancy outcomes.     

Biodegradable-Polymer Biolimus-Eluting Stents versus Durable-Polymer Everolimus-Eluting Stents at One-Year Follow-Up: A Registry-Based Cohort Study

We compared outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention patients who received biodegradable-polymer biolimus-eluting stents with those who received durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents.At Tehran Heart Center, we performed a retrospective analysis of the data from January 2007 through December 2011 on 3,270 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with the biodegradable-polymer biolimus-eluting stent or the durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent. We excluded patients with histories of coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention, acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, or the implantation of 2 different stent types. Patients were monitored for 12 months. The primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiac event, defined as a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target-vessel and target-lesion revascularization.Durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents were implanted in 2,648 (81%) and biodegradable-polymer biolimus-eluting stents in 622 (19%) of the study population. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups (2.7% vs 2.7%; P=0.984) in the incidence of major adverse cardiac events. The cumulative adjusted probability of major adverse cardiac events in the biodegradable-polymer biolimus-eluting stent group did not differ from that of such events in the durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent group (hazard ratio=0.768; 95% confidence interval, 0.421–1.44; P=0.388).We conclude that in our patients the biodegradable-polymer biolimus-eluting stent was as effective and safe, during the 12-month follow-up period, as was the durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent.     

Molecular Characterization of δ-Thalassemia in Iran

δ-Thalassemia (δ-thal) (OMIM #142000) resulting from mutations on the HBD gene usually has no clinical consequences. However, it may cause the misdiagnosis of β-thalassemia (β-thal) carriers by lowering the Hb A₂ level to the normal range. Therefore, a study for δ-thal should be considered as a step in the detection of at-risk couple in our region. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mutations of the HBD gene in β-thal carriers with normal Hb A₂ levels, and also in normal individuals with Hb A₂ of less than 2.0%. Four β-thal carriers with normal Hb A₂ and 39 individuals with Hb A₂ of less than 2.0% were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted by the salting out method and the HBD gene was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing. Hb A₂-Yialousa (HBD: c.82?G?>?T) was the most common variant found in the HBD gene, but the following mutations were also found: Hb A₂-NYU (HBD: c.39?T?>?A), Hb A₂-Coburg (HBD: c.350?G?>?A), Hb A₂-Etolia (HBD: c.257?T?>?C), Hb A₂-Fitzroy (HBD: c.428?C?>?A) and the δ-IVS-I-5 (G?>?T) (HBD: c.92?+?5?G?>?T). One case was a compound heterozygote for δ-IVS-I-5/Hb A₂-Fitzroy. The results of this single center study suggest that the mutations in the HBD gene in the Iranian population are heterogeneous and should be considered in genetic counseling of families.     

A comparative study of low 5-minute Apgar scores (<8) in newborns of wanted versus unwanted pregnancies in southern Tehran,Iran (2006–2007)

Objective. To compare 5-minute Apgar scores in newborns of wanted versus unwanted pregnancies.

Methods. This longitudinal cohort study included 1800 pregnant women attending urban and rural health centres in southern Tehran for routine prenatal care. The subjects were divided into two equal groups as wanted and unwanted pregnancies and were followed up through their prenatal care to their delivery. Low Apgar was defined as a score of < 8. Various conditions thought to increase the risk of low Apgar were assessed by logistic regression.

Results. We found a prevalence of 0.4% (4 cases) for low 5′ Apgar in wanted pregnancies and 1.7% (15 cases) in unwanted pregnancies. The difference between the two groups was significant (P value = 0.01). In logistic regression analysis, unwanted pregnancy status had a strong independent relationship with low Apgar, increasing the risk by 3-fold. The attributable risk in unwanted pregnancies was 0.54 (CI_0.95 = 0.13–0.81).

Conclusions. In addition to the well-established maternal complications of unwanted pregnancy (e.g. emotional stress, illegal abortions, etc) it becomes clear that such pregnancies endanger the infant's health too. It is possible that many pregnant women, especially those with unwanted pregnancies, are not attending health centres for prenatal care. Further studies with active case finding are recommended to confirm these findings.     

Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from children with adenoid hypertrophy: emergence of new spa types t7685 and t7692

Objective

Adenoids have been associated with the pathogenesis of acute, recurrent and chronic infectious diseases of the upper respiratory system and their hypertrophy is one of the most common causes of upper airway obstruction affecting children. In this study, the characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients who had undergone adenoidectomy were investigated via spa typing method.

Methods

A total of 113 children with adenoid hypertrophy who underwent adenoidectomy during September 2009 to November 2010, were included in the study. The isolates were identified to the species level as S. aureus using standard biochemical methods, following which the amplification and sequencing of the spa gene X region were carried out.

Results

S. aureus was found in the adenoid tissue of 26 (23%) patients. Out of the 26 S. aureus isolates, 5 (19%), 3 (11.5%) and 3 (11.5%) were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin and oxacillin respectively. All the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, rifampin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, mupirocin and quinupristin-dalfopristin and were typed using spa typing method. All the isolates were found to include 21 spa types, including two previously unreported types (t7685 and t7692). The most prevalent spa types were t7685 (11.5%), t230 (8%), t325 (8%) and t1149 (8%).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the prevalence rate of S. aureus in the adenoid tissue of the children assessed was 23%. An interesting point to note was the dominance of the spa type t7685 that has not been previously reported by other studies.     

Effects of different periods of renal ischemia on liver as a remote organ

AIM： To assess the hepatic changes after induction of different periods of renal ischemia. METHODS： Rats were subjected to either sham operation or ischemia （30, 45 and 60 min） followed by 60 min reperfusion. Liver and renal functional indices were measured. Hepatic glutathione （GSH） and ferric reducing antioxidant power levels and the concentration of interleukin （IL）-10 and tumor necrosis factor （TNF-α） were evaluated. Portions of liver and kidney tissues were fixed for histological evaluation. RESULTS： Forty-five minutes renal ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion caused significant changes in liver structure and a significant reduction in renal function. These rats showed a significant decrease in liver GSH, as well as a significant increase in TNF-α and IL-10 concentrations. These results demonstrated that renal ischemia caused changes in liver histology, function, oxidative stress and inflammatory status, which led to a reduction in hepatic antioxidant capacity. With 30 min ischemia, the magnitude of these changes was less than those with 45 or 60 min ischemia. CONCLUSION： A minimum of 45 min ischemia is needed to study the effects of renal injury on the liver as a remote organ.     

HPV circulating tumor DNA to monitor the efficacy of anti‐PD‐1 therapy in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal: A case report

Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA) is a rare HPV‐associated cancer with limited sensitivity to standard chemotherapy. In a phase 2 study, nivolumab, an anti PD‐1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, demonstrated significant efficacy as single‐agent therapy in metastatic SCCA patients. Nevertheless, imaging assessment by standard RECIST criteria of the efficacy of immune therapy can be difficult in some patients due to tumor immune cell infiltration, and biomarkers of treatment efficacy are needed. We have previously developed a quantitative droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) technique to detect HPV circulating tumor DNA (HPV ctDNA), with excellent sensitivity and specificity. Here, we report, for the first time, the kinetics of HPV ctDNA during therapy in a patient with metastatic SCCA, who obtained sustained partial response to single‐agent nivolumab. We observed an early and very significant decrease of HPV ctDNA during therapy from the baseline level of 3713 copies/ml plasma to 564 copies/ml plasma at 4 weeks, and 156 copies/ml at 6 weeks, followed by a plateau. This observation provides proof‐of‐concept that HPV ctDNA can be used as a noninvasive early dynamic biomarker to monitor the efficacy of new immunotherapy agents.     

Solid State Joining of a Cold Rolled Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass to a Wrought Aluminum Alloy by Power Ultrasonics

Ultrasonic metal welding (UMW) enables joining in the solid state at relative low temperatures with short cycle times. This technique is of particular interest for joining metallic glasses to each other or to other materials, because crystallization of the amorphous structure can be prevented due to the low thermal loading and the rapidity of the process. In this work, UMW is applied to join one 1 mm thick sheet of a commercial wrought aluminum alloy (AA5754) and one 0.4 mm thick strip of a commercial Zr-based bulk metallic glass (AMZ4). The introduced heat of the welding process is detected with thermocouples and thermal imaging. To investigate the strength of the joint and the influence on the microstructure, mechanical tensile tests are carried out in combination with scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that ultrasonic metal welding is a suitable technique to join amorphous bulk metallic glasses to crystalline aluminum alloys. The metallic glass component retains its amorphous structure in the joint, and the joint strength is higher than the strength of the Al sheet. These findings will help to develop future applications of BMG-based multi-material components, including medical tools.