Quercetin protects liver injury induced by bile duct ligation via attenuation of Rac1 and NADPH oxidase1 expression in rats

BACKGROUND:Bile duct ligation (BDL) and subsequent cholestasis are correlated with oxidative stress,hepatocellular injury and fibrosis.Quercetin is a flavonoid with antifibrotic,and hepatoprotective properties.However,the molecular mechanism underlying quercetin-mediated hepatoprotection is not fully understood.The current study was to evaluate mechanisms of hepatoprotective effect of quercetin in BDL rat model.METHODS:We divided male Wistar rats into 4 groups (n=8 for each):sham,sham+quercetin (30 mg/kg per day),BDL,and BDL+quercetin (30 mg/kg per day).Four weeks later,the rats were sacrificed,the blood was collected for liver enzyme measurements and liver for the measurement of Racl,Racl-GTP and NOX1 mRNA and protein levels by quantitative PCR and Western blotting,respectively.RESULTS:Quercetin significantly alleviated liver injury in BDL rats as evidenced by histology and reduced liver enzymes.Furthermore,the mRNA and protein expression of Racl,Racl-GTP and NOX1 were significantly increased in BDL rats compared with those in the sham group (P＜0.05);quercetin treatment reversed these variables back toward normal (P＜0.05).Another interesting finding was that the antioxidant markers e.g.superoxide dismutase and catalase were elevated in quercetin-treated BDL rats compared to BDL rats (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Quercetin demonstrated hepatoprotective activity against BDL-induced liver injury through increasing antioxidant capacity of the liver tissue,while preventing the production of Racl,Racl-GTP and NOX1 proteins.     

Sunflower oil versus no oil moderate pressure massage leads to greater increases in weight in preterm neonates who are low birth weight

Background

Growth velocity is one of the most important problems in low birth weight (LBW) neonates.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of body massage with and without sunflower oil on the growth of LBW preterm neonates in Iran.

Study design

A single-blinded randomized clinical trial

Subjects

This study examined neonates admitted to NICU with gestational age of 33–37 weeks and birth weight of 1500–1999 g, without birth asphyxia and medically stable

Outcome measures

Neonates were randomly assigned to two groups to receive moderate pressure massage alone or the same massage with sunflower oil by their mothers, three times a day for 14 consecutive days. The primary variables were increases in mean of growth parameters (weight, height and head circumference) that were evaluated 14 days after intervention, at ages 1 and 2 months. Secondary variables were clinical side effects.

Results

Fifty-four neonates including 25 girls and 29 boys with mean gestational age of 35.3 ± 1.26 weeks were evaluated. Means of gestational age, birth weight and length of NICU stay were not different in both groups. In the oil massage group, mean weight at ages 1 month (mean ± SD: 2339 ± 135 vs. 2201 ± 93 g, P = 0.04) and 2 months (mean ± SD: 3301 ± 237 vs. 3005 ± 305 g, P = 0.005) was significantly greater than that of the body massage group. No adverse events were seen in the two groups.

Conclusion

Sunflower oil massage might be used as an effective and safe intervention for weight gain in LBW preterm neonates.     

How Do Women at Risk of HIV/AIDS in Iran Perceive Gender Norms and Gendered Power Relations in the Context of Safe Sex Negotiations?

Sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS among women is growing in the Middle East region. Despite the fact that there are numerous gender-related sociocultural factors influencing HIV/AIDS protective behaviors, little gender-specificity is carried out in HIV prevention in Iran. In order to close this gap, we aimed to provide preliminary work that explored the perceptions that women at risk of HIV had about gender norms and gendered power and their ability to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Twenty-five semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with women at risk of HIV/AIDS, aged 21–49 years, at Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers or Drop in Centers in Tehran, Iran. Results showed that perceived gender norms were essential barriers of protective behavior through sexual socialization, male control over condom use and sexual decision-making, male pleasure predominating in sexual encounters and sexual double standards, and economic dependencies. In the conclusions, we consider how HIV/AIDS preventive programs can be structured to be gender-sensitive and empowering in Iran.     

Risk of cancer in patients with medically diagnosed hay fever or allergic rhinitis

Data on allergic conditions as risk or protective factors for cancer are controversial probably because most studies have used self‐reported data on mixed groups of allergies in a case–control setting. We define cancer risks in medically diagnosed hay fever/allergic rhinitis patients in a nationwide cohort study. A total of 138,723 hay fever/allergic rhinitis patients were identified from three Swedish health care databases and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for subsequent cancers identified from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Overall cancer risk was not changed (SIR 1.03). For individual cancers, the highest SIR was observed for nasal cancer (SIR 2.63), followed by testicular (1.46) and endocrine tumors (1.42), and kidney (1.31), prostate (1.18) and breast (1.11) cancers. The results were consistent in the three sources of data and all SIRs were above unity, albeit mainly not statistically significant. The SIRs for nervous system tumors were above unity and of borderline significance. SIRs were decreased for esophageal (0.50), liver (0.62) and lung (0.78) cancers, and the three sources of data agreed in the direction of the effect. The increased risks for testicular, renal, prostate and endocrine cancers may be explained by immunological mechanisms. Excess risk for these cancer accounts for a significant population attributable fraction. Nervous system cancers showed a borderline increase and none of the histological types were significantly decreased, providing strong evidence against the published case–control studies, which have reported protective effects. The reasons for the reduced risks for esophageal, liver and lung cancer remain to be explained.     

Metastatic sites and survival in lung cancer

Objectives

Population-based data on metastatic sites and survival in site-specific metastases are lacking for lung cancer and for any cancer because most cancer registries do not record metastases. This study uses a novel population-based approach to identify metastases from both death certificates and national inpatient data to describe metastatic pathways in lung cancer patients.

Materials and methods

17,431 deceased lung cancer patients diagnosed 2002–2010 were identified from the nationwide Swedish Cancer Registry, which is based on compulsory reports. The influence of age at diagnosis, sex, and histological subtype on metastatic spread was investigated. Survival in metastatic lung cancer was assessed by histology and metastatic site.

Results

The most frequent metastatic sites were the nervous system, bone, liver, respiratory system, and adrenal gland. Liver (35%) and nervous system (47%) metastases were common in patients with metastases from small cell lung cancer, and bone (39%) and respiratory system (22%) metastases in adenocarcinoma. Women (43% vs. 35%) and younger patients had more metastases to the nervous system. Median survival after diagnosis was 13 months for non-metastatic and five months for metastatic lung cancer. In this novel data, liver metastases conferred the worst prognosis (three months), especially for large cell histology. Bone metastases also featured poor survival, whereas survival in respiratory and nervous system metastases was better.

Conclusion

Metastatic sites and survival in metastatic lung cancer is influenced by sex, histological subtype, and age at diagnosis. Liver and bone metastases signal poor survival, compared with nervous system metastases.     

C-reactive protein and seizures in focal epilepsy: a video-electroencephalographic study

Purpose: C‐reactive protein (CRP) has been studied extensively in many noninflammatory neurologic conditions, but there has been little study of CRP in the context of seizures or epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to examine CRP concentrations in patients with refractory focal epilepsy who were undergoing video‐electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring compared with healthy controls, and CRP change during 24 h after a seizure. Methods: CRP levels were measured in serum at the onset of video‐EEG recording (CRP‐0h) and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after index seizure (the first verified localized‐onset seizure) in 31 patients during inpatient video‐EEG monitoring by using high sensitivity measurement of CRP concentration. The patients were categorized into two groups: temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE; n = 15) and extratemporal lobe epilepsy (XLE; n = 16). Eighty healthy volunteers served as controls. Key Findings: CRP‐0h concentration was significantly higher in patients with refractory focal epilepsy than in controls (3.5 vs. 0.7 mg/ml, p < 0.001). All five patients with elevated CRP‐0h (>mean + 2 standard deviations in controls) had TLE (vs. none in XLE; p = 0.018). Index seizure type was associated with CRP increase from baseline to maximum level after index seizure (p = 0.005). The most important predictor of increase in CRP level was secondarily generalized tonic–clonic seizure (SGTCS; p = 0.030). Significance: The higher baseline levels in patients with epilepsy compared with healthy controls demonstrates that CRP concentrations are also affected in refractory epilepsy. Our data suggest that SGTCS stimulates CRP production. These results emphasize the association between inflammation and refractory epilepsy.     

Comparing GnRH agonist long protocol and gnrh antagonist protocol in outcome the first cycle of ART

Purpose  

This prospective study evaluated the efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol in comparison with the GnRH agonist protocol in the first cycle of assisted reproductive technique (ART).