Risk factors for Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) Failure in Glaucoma Patients

Background: To investigate the Risk factors for AGV ( Ahmed glaucoma valve) failure. Material and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records of patients with varying causes of glaucoma who had undergone AGV implantation. The primary measure of success was the cumulative achievement of an intraocular pressure (IOP) between 5 and 21 mmHg, with a 20 % reduction from baseline, with or without medication to lower IOP. The secondary measures of success were the IOP levels and the number of medications used for glaucoma treatment. Results: The study enrolled a total of 120 participants, with an average age of 48.9 ± 19.6 years and an average follow-up period of 4.5 ± 1.4 years. The mean survival duration was 5.3 ± 0.5 years in patients with high pressure (HP), which was significantly shorter than the 6.4 ± 0.2 years in those without HP. The likelihood of surgical failure increased with higher baseline IOP, with an odds ratio of 1.07 (95 % confidence interval: 1.02-1.12). In a logistic regression model, neovascular glaucoma was the only factor significantly associated with the occurrence of HP, with an odds ratio of 3.14 (95 % confidence interval: 1.2-8.1). Conclusion :Neovascular glaucoma and a Higher Baseline IOP are risk factors for AGV failure

Pneumosinus Dilatans Causing Field of Vision Deviation: A Case Report

Pneumosinus dilatans (PSD) is a rare condition which may cause visual impairment. Here we present the case of a 15-year-old boy with PSD. The vision was 10/10 and the intraocular pressure was in normal range for both eyes. Other eye examinations were normal except for a slight discoloration of the optic nerve. Optical coherence tomography showed a decrease in the thickness of the nerve fiber layer and the patient's primary field of vision had a mean deviation of -3.44 and -6.39 in the right and left eyes.&nbsp

Comparison of total antioxidant capacity of saliva in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic pregnant women

Pregnancy is considered a stressful event, results in higher levels of oxidative stress and considerable changes in physiological and metabolic functions such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Due to the cumulative effect of antioxidants and considering the controversies in this area, this study was undertaken to investigate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of saliva in pregnant women whit gestational diabetes in comparison to non-diabetic pregnant women. In this cross-sectional study (2015-16), a total of 31 women with a diagnosis of GDM and 59 non-diabetic pregnant women were included in the diabetic and control groups, respectively. Salivary samples were collected by spitting method. When all samples were collected, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured with the use of a commercial kit following the manufacturer?s instructions. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney test using SPSS 18. Average TAC level in the saliva of women with gestational diabetes was 0.10 ± 0.14, with 0.04 ± 0.11 in non-diabetic pregnant women. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney test showed that this difference was statistically significant (P=0.024). Under the limitations of the present study it can be concluded that there is an increase in oxidative stresses during pregnancy, followed by an increase in the total levels of salivary antioxidants to counteract such stresses. Therefore, it is expected that determining the salivary antioxidant levels during pregnancy can be an alternative technique for the early diagnosis of diabetes

Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Risk Factors in An Iranian Cohort: A Case-control Study

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the possible risk factors of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) in an Iranian cohort. Methods: We recruited 39 consecutive CSCR cases and 80 age-matched controls with no ocular pathology from the same medical center from March 2019 to March 2021. Enrolled patients underwent complete ophthalmological examination and extensive history taking in a referral setting. Logistic regression analysis was performed to detect any possible association of potential risk factors with CSCR. Results: The mean age of CSCR patients was 40.69±7.71 years. The male-to-female ratio in cases and controls was 1:1.79 and 1.22:1, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that alcohol consumption (odds ratio, OR: 62.0, P <0.001), smoking (OR: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.47-10.85, P <0.006), corticosteroid use (OR: 6.95, 95% CI: 2.64-18.28, P <0.001), and high psychological stress (OR: 13.34, 95% CI: 4.68-38.02, P <0.01) were significant risk factors for developing CSCR. Ischemic heart disease (P =0.550), hypertension (P =0.750), and hyperopia (P =0.467) were not associated with the risk of CSCR. The most common form of steroid use was oral in both groups. No pregnant female was present in the study sample, precluding the assessment of its potential association with CSCR.Conclusion: CSCR often affects individuals of productive working ages; thus, identifying its preventable risk factors is highly encouraged. Our results suggested that alcohol consumption, smoking, and high levels of psychological stress are independent, preventable risk factors for CSCR

New Natural Marine Antacid Drug from Cuttlebone

Background: Antacids are the most commonly used medications for fast symptomatic relief of gastric disorders. Because of adverse effects, low efficiency and the high cost of some chemical antacids, identifying a natural medicine with high efficiency and low cost seems useful. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to prepare antacid tablets from Cuttlefish bone and assessment of its antacid properties. Methods: 24 different formulations of cuttlefish bone were prepared by direct compression using different fillers (starch, cellulose, lactose, and mixture of those) in different ratios of the drug. Characterization of powders and tablets was done on all formulations and marketed dosage forms (calcium carbonate and Al-Mg). Results: Weight uniformity, hardness, and friability of all formulations were in acceptable range. Tablets prepared by calcined cuttlebone disintegrated in longer time due to their higher hardness which were mostly higher than 5 Kg. Also, disintegration time of formulations 50-50 (lower dose of cuttlebone) was less than other tablets (2 minutes or less). Results of antacid capacity showed that formulations 90-10 and 80-20 raise the acidic pH of the medium above 7.5, which were the same as or more than the capacity of the marketed tablets. Conclusion: Tablets were prepared by 90 or 80% of either calcined or non-calcined cuttlebone showed the highest antacid capacity

Protective effect of Rheum turkestanicum root against mercuric chloride-induced hepatorenal toxicity in rats

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Rheum turkestanicum against HgCl2 hepatorenal toxicity in rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were randomly divided into five groups (n= 6 in each group) and received HgCl2 and plant’s extract, intraperitoneally. Group1 received saline (1 mL/kg/day), group 2 received extract (200 mg/kg/day), group 3 was treated with HgCl2 (5 mg/kg/day,) and groups 4 and 5 received the extract (100 and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively), 1 hr before HgCl2 administration. All injections last for 3 days. Blood samples and specimens of the liver and kidney were collected 24 hr after the last injection. Results: Data showed that HgCl2 significantly increases liver malondialdehyde (MDA) level, reduces total sulfhydryl content and increases serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, compared to control group. The histopathological changes such as inflammatory cells infiltration was observed in HgCl2-treated group while plant’s extract partially improved histological changes. The extract (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) improved the liver functions as reflected by significant reductions in AST and ALT levels in serum, MDA decreased and the content of total sulfhydryl elevated. Also, the extract improved necrosis and atrophy of the kidney induced byHgCl2. Pretreatment with the extract reduced creatinine and urea in serum, and glucose and protein concentrations in urine, compared to HgCl2- treated group (group III). The extract significantly reversed HgCl2-induced depletion in thiol content and elevation in MDA content. Conclusion: Therefore, oxidative stress may play an important role in HgCl2-induced hepatorenal injury and R. turkestanicum extract may be regarded as a useful to protect the kidney and liver against HgCl2-induced oxidative damage

Reno-protective effect of Rheum turkestanicum against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity

Objective(s): Gentamicin belongs to the family of aminoglycoside antibiotics and is a preferred drug in developing countries because of its low cost, availability, and potent effects against bacterial. However, gentamicin can induce nephrotoxicity. In this research, hydroalcoholic extract of Rheum turkestanicum was used against gentamicin- induced nephrotoxicity. Rheum turkestanicum is used against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and in this study its effect against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats has been investigated.Materials and Methods: The rats were placed into one of these groups: saline group, gentamicin group that received gentamicin 80 mg/kg/day for six days, and two treatment groups that received R. turkestanicum intraperitoneally at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, respectively, 1 hr before gentamicin injections. Urine samples were collected at 24 hr to measure glucose and protein concentration. Blood samples were collected to determine serum urea and creatinine. One kidney was homogenized to measure malondialdehyde and thiol, and the other kidney was kept for pathological studies. Results: Gentamicin increased the level of urinary glucose and protein, and increased malondialdehyde while it decreased thiol in kidney tissue, and increased the concentration of urea and creatinine in the serum. Histopathological pathology revealed renal damage following gentamicin usage; however, the extract was able to improve gentamicin toxicity. Conclusion: R. turkestanicum has positive effects in the attenuation of gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity

Everolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, ameliorated streptozotocin-induced learning and memory deficits via neurochemical alterations in male rats

Everolimus (EVR), as a rapamycin analog, is a selective inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase and its associated signaling pathway. mTOR is a serine/threonine protein kinase and its hyperactivity is involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and associated cognitive deficits. The present study evaluated the impact of EVR, on cognitive functions, hippocampal cell loss, and neurochemical parameters in the intracerebroventricular streptozotocin (icv-STZ) model of AD rats. EVR (1 and 5 mg/kg) was administered for 21 days following the single administration of STZ (3 mg/kg, icv) or for 7 days on days 21-28 post-STZ injection after establishment of cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive deficits (passive avoidance and spatial memory), oxidative stress parameters, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and percentage of cell loss were evaluated in the hippocampus. Chronic administration (1 and 5 mg/kg for 21 days from the day of surgery and icv-STZ infusion) or acute injection (5 mg/kg for 7 days after establishment of cognitive impairment) of EVR significantly attenuated cognitive dysfunction, neuronal loss, oxidative stress and AChE activity in the hippocampus of STZ-AD rats. In conclusion, our study showed that EVR could prevent or improve deteriorations in behavioral, biochemical and histopathological features of the icv-STZ rat model of AD. Therefore, inhibition of the hyperactivated mTOR may be an important therapeutic target for AD