Effect of omega-3 and ascorbic acid on inflammation markers in depressed shift workers in Shahid Tondgoyan Oil Refinery,Iran: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

The present study aimed to assess the effect of supplementation of omega-3 and/or vitamin C on serum interleukin-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration and depression scores among shift workers in Shahid Tondgoyan oil refinery. The study design was randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial. Totally 136 shift workers with a depression score ≥10 in 21-item Beck Depression Rating Scale were randomly assigned to receive omega-3 (180 mg eicosapentaenoate acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid) or/and vitamin C 250 mg or placebo twice daily (with the same taste and shape as omega-3 and vitamin C) for 60 days in four groups. Depression score, interleukin-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured at baseline and after 60 days. This study showed that supplementation of omega-3 plus vitamin C is associated with a decrease in depression score (p<0.05). Supplementation of omega-3 without vitamin C, is associated with a reduction in depression score (p<0.0001) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration (p<0.01). Therefore omega-3 supplementation showed a better effect on reducing depression score and high sensitivity C-reactive protein, but supplementation of vitamin C along with omega-3 did not have significant effect on change in C-reactive protein level compared to omega-3 alone. (Registration number: IRCT201202189056N1)     

The evaluation of prepared microgroove pattern by femtosecond laser on alumina-zirconia nano-composite for endosseous dental implant application

Ceramic dental materials, especially alumina (20 %vol)-yttrium stabilized tetragonal zirconia poly crystal (A-Y-TZP20), have been considered as alternatives to metals for endosseous dental implant application. For increasing the bone-to-implant contact as well as the speed of bone formation, a new surface modification can be effective. The aim of this study was to design microgroove patterns by femtosecond laser on A-Y-TZP20 nano-composite disks for endosseous dental implant application. The phase composition and the morphology of the A-Y-TZP20 nano-composite samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. Statistical analysis was submitted to Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Student’s t test for independent variables, with a 5 % significance level. EDAX analysis revealed a significant decrease in the relative content of contaminants like carbon (p?<?0.05) in laser surface-treated group as compared to non surface-treated group. X-ray diffraction did not show any change in the crystalline structure induced by laser processing. It was concluded that the femtosecond laser is a clean and safe method for surface modification of A-Y-TZP20.     

Comparison of portal vein doppler indices and hepatic vein doppler waveform in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with healthy control

Background

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with the doppler waveform pattern of hepatic veins and portal vein doppler indices.

Objectives

This assay may be useful in evaluating the natural course of NAFLD and monitor treatment efficacy on follow-up.

Patients and Methods

This case control study was performed in 31 patients with NAFLD and 31 normal healthy adults who served as the control group. The patients presented with elevated liver enzymes levels (ALT/AST) and hyperechogenic livers in the B-mode ultrasonography examination. Eleven patients had a liver biopsy. After an 8-hour fast,B-mode and duplex doppler ultrasonography were performed, and the waveform patterns of the right hepatic vein, portal vein diameter, grade of fatty liver, portal vein pulsatility index (VPI), and mean flow velocity (MFV) were measured.

Results

VPI and MFV values were 0.42 ± 0.92 and 17.27 ± 5.34 cm/second, respectively, in the control group and 0.25 ± 0.50 and 12.82 ± 4.32 cm/second in patients with NAFLD (P< 0.01). The frequency of abnormal hepatic vein doppler waveform patterns (biphasic or monophasic) was significantly higher in patients with NAFLD (55.2%) versus control subjects (3.2%) (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between the degree of fat infiltration and VPI (P = 0.714), MFV (P = 0.911), or hepatic vein waveform pattern (P = 0.197). We found no correlation between liver enzyme levels and MFV or VPI. However, the rate of abnormal hepatic vein was higher in patients with enzyme levels that exceeded twice the normal value (P = 0.05).

Conclusions

Patients with NAFLD have a high rate of abnormal hepatic vein doppler waveform patterns, and decreased VPI and MFV are suggestive of reduced vascular compliance in the liver. Elevated liver enzymes levels do not influence VPI or MFV, but patients with abnormal enzymes have higher rates of abnormal hepatic vein doppler waveform patterns.     

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B seroprevalence and associated risk factors in hemodialysis patients in Guilan province, north of Iran: HCV and HBV seroprevalence in hemodialysis patients

Background

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are especially problematic in patients with end-stage renal disease who are undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of HCV and HBV infection in HD population in Guilan, north of Iran.

Patients and Methods

In a cross-sectional study, from May to September 2009, in 11 different hemodialysis units in Guilan province, North of Iran, clinical data such as age, gender, duration of dialysis, HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody of 514 HD patients were recorded. Patients with positive antibodies against HCV were tested for HCV RNA.

Results

From 514 patients, 286 (55.64%) were male. 61 (11.9%) patients were anti-HCV-positive and 31 (50.8%) were HCV PCR-positive. There was significant relationship between HCV Ab-positivity with gender and HD duration (p < 0.05). There was significant difference between the mean HD duration in anti-HCV-positive and anti-HCV-negative patients (p < 0.05). Also, significant relationship was found between HCV RNA-positivity with gender and HD duration (p < 0.05). Seven (1.4%) patients were positive for HBsAg. Two (0.38 %) were found positive for both HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody.

Conclusions

There is low a prevalence of HCV and HBV in HD patients in our region. The rate can be decreased by HBV vaccination of end-stage renal disease patients before setting chronic HD, antiviral treatment and isolation of infected individuals.     

Sodium butyrate improves memory function in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model when administered at an advanced stage of disease progression

Dysregulation of histone acetylation has been implicated in the onset of age-associated memory impairment and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Elevation of histone acetylation via administration of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors is currently being pursued as a novel therapeutic avenue to treat memory impairment linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that severe amyloid pathology correlates with a pronounced dysregulation of histone acetylation in the forebrain of APPPS1-21 mice. Importantly, prolonged treatment with the pan-HDAC inhibitor sodium butyrate improved associative memory in APPPS1-21 mice even when administered at a very advanced stage of pathology. The recovery of memory function correlated with elevated hippocampal histone acetylation and increased expression of genes implicated in associative learning. These data advance our understanding of the potential applicability of HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of AD and suggest that HDAC inhibitors may have beneficial effects even when administered long after the onset of disease-associated symptoms.     

Significance of serum and urine neuraminidase activity and serum and urine level of sialic acid in diabetic nephropathy

Background  

Prospective studies have reported associations among various markers of inflammation and the incidence of diabetes, and it has been proposed that inflammation has a causal role in the development of diabetes. The objective of this study was to investigate the significance of serum and urine neuraminidase activity (NA) and serum and urine sialic acid (SA) level in patients with Diabetic nephropathy.     

HDAC1 regulates fear extinction in mice

Histone acetylation has been implicated with the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders and targeting histone deacetylases (HDACs) using HDAC inhibitors was shown to be neuroprotective and to initiate neuroregenerative processes. However, little is known about the role of individual HDAC proteins during the pathogenesis of brain diseases. HDAC1 was found to be upregulated in patients suffering from neuropsychiatric diseases. Here, we show that virus-mediated overexpression of neuronal HDAC1 in the adult mouse hippocampus specifically affects the extinction of contextual fear memories, while other cognitive abilities were unaffected. In subsequent experiments we show that under physiological conditions, hippocampal HDAC1 is required for extinction learning via a mechanism that involves H3K9 deacetylation and subsequent trimethylation of target genes. In conclusion, our data show that hippocampal HDAC1 has a specific role in memory function.