Unraveling the impact of interval length between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery on perioperative and postoperative complications in rectal cancer patients

European Surgery - The optimal timing for surgery following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in rectal cancer patients and its impact on perioperative and postoperative complications remain...     

The effects of black seed supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized,double‐blind,placebo‐controlled clinical trial

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly related to cardiovascular disorders risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of black seed (Nigella sativa) supplementation on cardiovascular disorders risk factors in patients with NAFLD. This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients with NAFLD. Participants were assigned to receive a lifestyle modification plus 2 g/day of either N. sativa or placebo for 12 weeks. Compared with the placebo, N. sativa supplementation led to significant reductions in serum glucose (?7.95 vs. ?1.22; p = .041), serum insulin (?3.87 vs. ?1.07; p = .027), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (?1.02 vs. ?0.28; p = .021), and a significant increase in quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (0.03 vs. 0.006; p = .002). All of these changes were remained significant after adjusting for known confounding variables; however, there was no significant difference in lipid profile changes between the two groups (p = .05). N. sativa supplementation significantly decreased hepatic steatosis percentage compared with the placebo after adjustment for confounding variables (p = .005). In conclusion, our results indicate that daily intake of 2‐g N. sativa plus lifestyle modification is superior to lifestyle modification alone in amelioration of insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD.     

Comparison of clinical characteristics of opium-induced and independent major depressive disorder

Psychiatric disorders and among them depression are common in substance dependent patients. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics of those that appear to have substance-induced depression and those that have independent major depression. One-hundred eighty-four independent and 187 opium-induced (OID) depressed male patients that met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder were randomly selected. Standard demographic data, including age, marital, employment and education status, were collected. The primary measure of depressive signs and symptoms was Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-21). The two groups were compared with each other for the HAMD total and subscales scores. The two groups were matched regarding age, educational level and marital status. Opium-induced depressed patients were more severely depressed and motor retarded and also they had more social and occupational problems. Gastrointestinal, sexual and somatic complaints were more common among them too. MDD patients had better insight than the other group. The results demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate between substance-induced and independent depression. Such differentiation might be important for establishing prognosis and optimal treatment.     

Interferon-γ Induces Apoptosis and Augments the Expression of Fas and Fas Ligand by Microglia in Vitro

Activation of microglia by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) has been implicated in a number of central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory disease processes. Because IFN-γ has also been shown to play a role in programmed cell death, we investigated its cytotoxicity and its effect on the Fas apoptotic pathway in microglia. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the IFN-γ-mediated apoptotic response and Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in two well-characterized murine microglia cell lines (BV-2 and N9). Nuclear fragmentation, suggestive of apoptosis, was noted within 24 h of incubation of microglia with IFN-γ (10 U/ml). After a 72-h incubation, almost every BV-2 and N9 microglia, but not GL261 glioma cells, underwent cell death and detached from the culture plates. This cytotoxicity occurred even at low IFN-γ concentrations (1 U/ml) and was inhibited by BAF, a pan-caspase inhibitor. Incubation of BV-2 and N9 microglia, but not GL261 glioma cells, with IFN-γ also potentiated the expression of Fas and FasL in a similar dose–response and time-course manner, as seen for the apoptotic response. Whereas Fas expression increased by 100% in both microglia cells, FasL upregulation was more pronounced and increased by as much as 200% in the N9 cells. These findings suggest that in addition to its role as a microglia activator, IFN-γ may also induce apoptosis of microglia, possibly through simultaneous upregulation of Fas and FasL. Interferon-γ modulation of the Fas pathway and apoptosis in microglia may be important in the pathogenesis of inflammatory CNS disease processes.     

Investigating the effect of aqueous extract of Chicorium intybus L. leaves on offspring sex ratio in rat

A traditional belief in Iranian culture indicates that parental consumption of chicory leaves (Chicorium intybus L.) affects the gender of newborns. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of chicory on offspring sex ratio in rat. All rats in experimental groups 1 and 2 were i.p. injected with either 1.0 or 0.7 g/kg body weight (LD₅₀ = 2.244 g/kg) of an aqueous extract of chicory leaves for 30 days at 72 h intervals. The control rats were injected with distilled water in the same manner. After the 8th injection, blood pH, and Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ serum levels, were measured in all groups. On day 30, all the rats were mated within and between groups. The results revealed that in comparison with the control group, there were significant increases (p < 0.01) in Na⁺ and K⁺ levels, as well as the sex ratio of male to female offspring (10.23%) in experimental group 1. Therefore, it can be concluded that the administration of chicory leaf extract has a significant effect on the sex ratio of the rat offspring. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coronary heart disease,heart failure,and the risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Cardiovascular risk factors are closely linked with dementia risk, but whether heart disease predisposes to dementia is uncertain.

Vitamin D levels do not predict the stage of hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of pooled data

AIM To investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and fibrosis stage in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).METHODS Two individual reviewers identified relevant studies using the Pub Med, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were as follows:(1) Studies that evaluated adults with NAFLD and serum or plasma 25(OH)D levels; and(2) assessed fibrosis stage using liver biopsy. A rigorous analysis yielded six articles as having sufficient data to employ in evaluating the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. To meta-analyze vitamin D levels in F0-F2 vs F3-F4 fibrosis, a random-effects meta-analysis fit using restricted maximum likelihood was applied. To examine trends across each stage of fibrosis with respect to vitamin D levels, a meta-regression was performed. P 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS A total of 937 subjects from six studies were included in the final analysis to evaluate the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. First, the investigators performed a meta-analysis to compare serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD with stage F0-F2 compared to F3-F4, which did not show significance [meta-estimate of the pooled mean difference =-0.86, P = 0.08(-4.17, 2.46)]. A metaregression evaluation of serum vitamin 25(OH)D levels across the individual stages(F0-F4) of fibrosis did not show an association for the six included studies.CONCLUSION Low vitamin D status is not associated with higher stages of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.     

Predicting Carpal Bone Kinematics Using an Expanded Digital Database of Wrist Carpal Bone Anatomy and Kinematics

The wrist can be considered a 2 degrees‐of‐freedom joint with all movements reflecting the combination of flexion–extension and radial–ulnar deviation. Wrist motions are accomplished by the kinematic reduction of the 42 degrees‐of‐freedom of the individual carpal bones. While previous studies have demonstrated the minimal motion of the scaphoid and lunate as the wrist moves along the dart‐thrower's path or small relative motion between hamate‐capitate‐trapezoid, an understanding of the kinematics of the complete carpus across all wrist motions remains lacking. To address this, we assembled an open‐source database of in vivo carpal motions and developed mathematical models of the carpal kinematics as a function of wrist motion. Quadratic surfaces were trained for each of the 42‐carpal bone degrees‐of‐freedom and the goodness of fits were evaluated. Using the models, paths of wrist motion that generated minimal carpal rotations or translations were determined. Model predictions were best for flexion–extension, radial–ulnar deviation, and volar–dorsal translations for all carpal bones with R ² > 0.8, while the estimates were least effective for supination‐pronation with R ² < 0.6. The wrist path of motion's analysis indicated that the distal row of carpal bones moves rigidly together (<3° motion), along the anatomical axis of wrist motion, while the bones in the proximal row undergo minimal motion when the wrist moves in a path oblique to the main axes. The open‐source dataset along with its graphical user interface and mathematical models should facilitate clinical visualization and enable new studies of carpal kinematics and function. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2661–2670, 2019