ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE FATTY ACIDS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS AND HOT-NATURE DIETARY INTERVENTION WITH CO-SUPPLEMENTED HEMP-SEED AND EVENING-PRIMROSE OILS

The risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with increased dietary intake of saturated fatty acids. For many years it has been suspected that this disease might be associated with an imbalance between unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. We determined erythrocyte membrane fatty acids levels in Hot nature dietary intervention with co-supplemented hemp seed and evening primrose oils in multiple sclerosis patients. To determine the erythrocyte membrane fatty acids levels and correlate it with expanded disability status scale (EDSS) at baseline after 6 months intervention in MS patients by gas chromatography, in this double blind, randomized trial, 100 RRMS patients with EDS

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements improve the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, including markers of inflammation and auto-immunity

OBJECTIVE Fish-oil contains high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. We have evaluated the effects of purified omega-3 fatty acid supplements on several anthropometric and biochemical parameters, including heat shock protein (Hsp) 27 antibody titres in subjects with metabolic syndrome. METHODS Subjects (n = 120) with metabolic syndrome (mean age of 52.9 +/- 11.9 years) were randomly allocated to one of two groups: sixty subjects were given 1 gram of fish oil as a single capsule, containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid daily for 6 months. Control subjects did not receive any supplementation over the same period. RESULTS The study was completed by 47 subjects in the intervention group and 42 subjects in the control group. Treatment with omega 3 supplements was associated with a significant fall in body weight (P < 0.05), systolic blood pressures (P < 0.05), serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05), and total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.05), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < 0.01), and Hsp27 antibody titres (P < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSION It appears that omega 3 improves the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, having effects on weight, systolic blood pressure, lipid profile and markers of inflammation and autoimmunit

Electrical interferential current stimulation versus electrical acupuncture in management of hemiplegic shoulder pain and disability following ischemic stroke-a randomized clinical trial

Abstract Background Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain (HSP) is among common complications occurring after stroke leading to disability. This study was conducted to compare the effects of electrical Interferential Current stimulation (IFC) and Electrical Acupuncture (EAC) on pain intensity, range of motion, and functional ability in patients with HSP and also comparing the two modalities regarding improvement of above indices. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 46 patients with HSP caused by ischemic stroke were recruited and assigned into 2 groups. Conventional exercise trainings were applied for both groups. Group A received additional IFC with medium frequency of 4000 HZ, and Group B received additional EAC two times a week for a total of 10 sessions. Pain severity, daily function, and shoulder Range of Motion (ROM) were evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and goniometry, respectively before and 5 weeks after the treatment. Results Both groups showed relative improvement in pain severity, SPADI score, and its subscales, and also active and passive shoulder ROM after the treatment. However, IFC group compared to EAC group had higher mean changes of active ROM in abduction (28.00 ± 3.81 vs. 12.25 ± 2.39) and functional subscale of SPADI (11.45 ± 1.88 vs. 5.80 ± 1.66) after the treatment. On the contrary, EAC group showed higher percentage of VAS changes (46.14 ± 6.88 vs. 34.28 ± 5.52), indicating better pain improvement compared to IFC group. Other parameters did not show significant difference between two groups. Conclusion Both IFC and EAC caused short term improvement in functional state, increased motion, and decreased pain in patients with HSP. Although pain control was more evident in acupuncture group, IFC resulted in better effects on function and active ROM of abduction, and seems to have higher efficacy. Trial registration This clinical trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials at 2016-07-16 with a registry number of IRCT201602153217N10

Comparison of safety and effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy regimens among pregnant women living&nbsp;with HIV at preconception or during pregnancy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission is the primary cause of HIV cases among children. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) plays a critical role in preventing mother-to-child transmission and reducing HIV progression, morbidity, and mortality among mothers. However, after more than two decades of ART during pregnancy, the comparative effectiveness and safety of ART&nbsp;medications during pregnancy are unclear, and existing evidence is contradictory. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of different ART regimens among pregnant women living&nbsp;with HIV at preconception or during pregnancy. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science. We included randomized trials that enrolled pregnant women living&nbsp;with HIV and randomized them to receive ART for at least four weeks. Pairs of reviewers independently completed screening for eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Our outcomes of interest included low birth weight, stillbirth, preterm birth, mother-to-child transmission of HIV, neonatal death, and congenital anomalies. Network meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects frequentist model, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: We found 14 eligible randomized trials enrolling 9,561 pregnant women. The median duration of ART uptake ranged from 6.0 to 17.4 weeks. No treatment was statistically better than a placebo in reducing the rate of neonatal mortality, stillbirth, congenital defects, preterm birth, or low birth weight deliveries. Compared to placebo, zidovudine (ZDV)/lamivudine (3TC) and ZDV monotherapy likely reduce mother-to-child transmission (odds ratio (OR): 0.13; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.31, high-certainty; and OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.33 to 0.74, moderate-certainty). Moderate-certainty evidence suggested that ZDV/3TC was associated with decreased odds of stillbirth (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.09 to 2.60). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis provides high- to moderate-certainty evidence that ZDV/3TC and ZDV are more effective in reducing the odds of mother-to-child transmission, with ZDV/3TC also demonstrating decreased odds of stillbirth. Notably, our findings suggest an elevated odds of stillbirth and preterm birth associated with all other ART regimens

Evaluation of allelopathic potential of safflower genotypes (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Forty safflower genotypes were grown under normal irrigation and drought stress. In the first experiment, the allelopathic potential of shoot residues was evaluated using the sandwich method. Each genotype residue (0.4 g) was placed in a sterile Petri dish and two layers of agar were poured on that. Radish seeds were placed on agar medium. The radish seeds were cultivated without safflower residues as the controls. The length of the radicle, hypocotyl, and fresh biomass weight and seed germination percentages were measured. A pot experiment was also done on two genotypes with the highest and two with the lowest allelopathic activity selected after screening genotypes in the first experiment. Before entering the reproductive phase, irrigation treatments (normal irrigation and drought stress) were applied. Shoots were harvested, dried, milled and mixed with the topsoil of new pots and then radish seeds were sown. The pots with safflower genotypes were used to evaluate the effect of root residue allelopathy. The shoot length, fresh biomass weight, and germination percentage were measured. Different safflower genotypes showed varied allelopathic potential. The results of the first experiment showed that Egypt and Iran-Khorasan genotypes caused maximum inhibitory responses and Australia and Iran-Kerman genotypes resulted in minimum inhibitory responses on radish seedling growth. Fresh biomass weight had the most sensitivity to safflower residues. The results of the pot experiment were consistent with the results of in vitro experiments. Residues produced under drought stress had more inhibitory effects on the measured traits. Safflower root residue may have a higher level of allelochemicals or different allelochemicals than shoot residue