Relationship between pregnancy outcomes and maternal vitamin D and calcium intake: A cross-sectional study.

Poor maternal vitamin D status affects fetal and infant skeletal growth. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between newborn outcomes and maternal calcium and vitamin D intakes. Four hundred and forty-nine pregnant women, healthy at the point of delivery, and their newborns were enrolled in the study, which was performed in three university hospitals in Tehran in March 2004. Maternal anthropometric data and energy, protein, calcium and vitamin D intakes were collected, and newborn outcomes (weight, length, head circumference and 1-min Apgar score) were determined. Almost two-thirds of the mothers (64.3%) took no supplements during pregnancy. Only one-third of the mothers (33.8%) had adequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D (from supplements and foods) compared with the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Mean length at birth and 1-min Apgar score were higher in newborns whose mothers had adequate calcium and vitamin D intake than in newborns whose mothers had inadequate intake (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). Significant correlations were found between adequate maternal calcium and vitamin D intake and both appropriate birth weight and 1-min Apgar score of newborns and weight gain of mothers during pregnancy. Informing mothers of the critical importance of consuming adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D seems necessary.     

The quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones skeleton: A key intermediate in drug synthesis

Quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione is a major class of N-fused heterocyclic with a wide range of biological functions, including anti-HIV, anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, antimutagenic, anticoccidial, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antimalarial, antioxidant, antileukemic, and antileishmanial activities, and other activities, has attracted high attention in organic and medicinal chemistry. As a consequence, all chemists and pharmaceutical chemists should be familiar with the various procedures for producing quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the many manufacturing methods for various biological compounds based on the quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione and 2,4-dichloroquinazoline cores.     

Expression analysis of mTOR-associated lncRNAs in multiple sclerosis

Metabolic Brain Disease - mTOR has been shown to be involved in the regulation of immune responses and differentiation of immune cells. This protein is a candidate molecule for unraveling the...     

Association of Lysyl oxidase (LOX) Polymorphisms with the Risk of Keratoconus in an Iranian Population

Background: Keratoconus is a connective tissue-related eye disease with unknown etiology that causes the loss of visual acuity. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an amine oxidase that catalyzes the covalent cross-link of collagens and elastin in the extracellular environment, thus determining the mechanical properties of connective tissue. The current study aimed to investigate the possible associations between two LOX polymorphisms, rs1800449 and rs2288393, and susceptibility to keratoconus.

Methods: A total of 262 Iranian subjects including 112 patients with keratoconus and 150 healthy individuals as controls were recruited. Genotyping for the LOX variants was performed using allele-specific PCR.

Results: A significant difference was found between two groups regarding allelic and genotyping distribution of LOX polymorphism at position rs1800449 G>A. The frequency of AA and GA?+?AA genotypes were increased in patients compared to controls (17% versus 8% and 62.5% versus 50%, respectively), showing a statistically significant difference (OR?=?2.827, 95% CI: 1.251–6.391, p?=?0.012). The A allele was associated with an increased risk for keratoconus, with the frequency of 39.9% and 29% in patients and controls, respectively (OR?=?1.614, 95% CI: 1.119–2.326, p?=?0.011). Furthermore, the haplotype analysis revealed that the rs1800449G/rs2288393C is a protective factor against keratoconus (OR?=?0.425, 95% CI?=?0.296–0.609, p?=?0.001). Conversely, the +473A/rs2288393C (OR?=?3.703, 95% CI?=?2.230–6.149, p?=?0.001) and +473G/rs2288393G (OR?=?15.48, 95% CI?=?3.805–63.03, p?=?0.001) haplotypes were identified as risk factors for keratoconus.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that the LOX rs1800449 genotypes (AA and GA?+?AA) and allele (A) appears to confer risk for susceptibility to keratoconus.