Protective Role of Curcumin against N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-Induced Toxicity in Rats

The present investigation was aimed at studying the possible role of curcumin against N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced toxicity in albino rats. Administration of NDEA to rats at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml in drinking water ad libitum for 21 days produced toxicity in them, which was evident from histopathological changes in the rat livers, and increased levels of blood serum enzyme markers, i.e. aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase. In addition, the levels of oxidative stress markers like lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl (PCC), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity were elevated and the total glutathione (GSH) content was reduced in the livers. The administration of curcumin to rats at concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg/ml in drinking water along with 0.1 mg/ml of NDEA for 21 days effectively suppressed NDEA-induced toxicity and also resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the levels of blood serum enzyme markers (AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH). Moreover, LPO, PCC, and GST activity were reduced and the GSH level was increased upon the administration of curcumin along with NDEA. The results obtained for the comet assay in rat hepatocytes and blood lymphocytes showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in the mean tail length. The micronucleus assay performed on rat hepatocytes also showed a dose-dependent reduction in the frequency of micronucleated cells along with curcumin administration. These results suggest that curcumin has a protective role against NDEA-induced toxicity in albino rats.     

Effect of obstructive sleep apnoea on retinal microvascular function: a randomised controlled trial

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - Retinal microvascular endothelial dysfunction is thought to be of importance in the development of ocular vascular diseases....     

Tobacco consumption,opium use,alcohol drinking and the risk of esophageal cancer in North Khorasan,Iran

Background: There are some unique epidemiological characteristics of esophageal cancer in Iran. The objective of this study was finding the association between tobacco, substance and alcohol using with the risk of esophageal cancer in North Khorasan, Iran.

Methods: This Case-Control study was carried out on 96 patients with esophageal cancer and 187 controls. Controls were matched to cases by age and sex. Data were collected through structured interview. Data were analyzed by using chi-square test, T-test and logistic regression, in Stata software version 12.

Results: Our findings show Hookah smoking [OR = 6.1(CI_95%:1.2–13.1)] and opium consumption [OR = 2.1(CI_95%:1.2–3.5)] were associated with esophageal cancer. Cigarette and pipe smoking, age of onset of smoking, duration of smoking, number of smoking per day, leaving history of smoking, years of leaving smoking, drug withdrawal, number of times of drug withdrawal, a history of drug relapse, alcohol consumption and alcohol dose–response were not related to esophageal cancer.

Conclusion: According to our results, hookah smoking and opium consumption enhance the risk of esophageal cancer in North Khorasan of Iran. We suggest appropriate planning to prevent the esophageal cancer in this district.     

医科大学医学生健康教育培训需求度和满意度现状分析

目的 了解医学生学习《健康教育》课程的满意度、需求度现状及差异，为《健康教育》课程优化提供参考。方法 以某医科大学在校临床医学生为研究对象，分析医学生对课程内容的需求度和满意度及二者差异。课程内容包括服药依从性、戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、中医康复技术、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育、运动康复指导及健康促进理论。采用频数和构成比指标进行统计描述，采用卡方检验进行健康教育课程学习情况与专业/ 学制之间、相关课程内容学习的需求度与学制的差异，相关课程内容学习需求度与满意度的关联比较采用秩和检验。以P ＜ 0.05 为差异具有统计学意义。结果 戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、中医康复技术、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育及健康促进理论八项的学习需求度在长学制医学生与五年制医学生中的总体分布位置不同（U ＝ 2.4、2.2、2.5、2.3、2.4、2.4、2.3、2.0，P 均＜ 0.05）；服药依从性、戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育及运动康复指导八项的满意度与需求度之间的总体位置分布不同（U ＝ 6.2、5.2、7.2、9.2、5.9、6.1、2.1、3.2，P 均＜ 0.05）；不同学制的医学生对于慢性病人、老年人、孕产妇、传染病人、高危人群和职业暴露人群的健康教育重点关注人群侧重有所不同，其差异具有统计学意义（χ2 ＝ 8.9、14.2、9.9、6.9、23.9、17.8，P 均＜ 0.05）；在教学方式上，不同学制的医学生对于教师课堂讲授和小组讨论的偏好上的差异具有统计学意义（χ2=6.3、9.5，P 均＜ 0.05）。结论 当前健康教育课程的教学内容和结构未能完全满足不同学制、年级医学生的学习需求，需要对课程教学内容、教学方式和开设时间进行进一步的优化设计。