Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and incidence of microvascular complications of diabetes in patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver enzymes with the incidence of microvascular complications (neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy) in a cohort of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsFor a total population of 3123 patients with type 2 diabetes, a prospective study was designed for 1215 patients with NAFLD and 1908 gender and age-matched control patients without NAFLD. The two groups were followed for a median duration of 5 years for the incidence of microvascular complications. The association between having NAFLD, the level of liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) value, and the incidence risk of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy were assessed through logistic regression analysis.ResultsNAFLD was found to be associated with incidence of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy (Odds ratio: 1.338 (95% confidence interval: 1.091-1.640) and 1.333 (1.007-1.764), respectively). Alkaline-phosphatase enzyme was found to be associated with higher risks of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy ((Risk estimate: 1.002 (95% CI: 1.001-1.003) and 1.002 (1.001-1.004), respectively)). Moreover, gamma-glutamyl transferase was associated with a higher risk of diabetic nephropathy (1.006 (1.002-1.009). Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were inversely associated with the risk of diabetic retinopathy (0.989 (0.979-0.998) and 0.990 (0.983-0.996), respectively). Furthermore, ARPI_T (1), ARPI_T (2), and ARPI_T (3) were shown to be associated with NAFLD (1.440 (1.061-1.954), 1.589 (1.163-2.171), and 2.673 (1.925, 3.710), respectively). However, FIB-4 score was not significantly associated with risk of microvascular complications.ConclusionDespite the benign nature of NAFLD, patients with type 2 diabetes should be always assessed for NAFLD to ensure early diagnosis and entry into proper medical care. Regular screenings of microvascular complications of diabetes is also suggested for these patients

Otitis Media with Effusion in Children and the Impact of Risk Factors on Serum Cytokine Levels

Introduction:To evaluate the role of allergic-type and infectious-type cytokines in children with chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) Materials and Methods:We investigated serum levels of interleukins (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, along with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 35 children with OME and 28 healthy controls. Results:Children with OME had significantly higher levels of IL-5 in comparison with the control group, ranging from 1 pg/ml in cases to 0.04 pg/ml in controls (P=0.009). However, after adjusting for confounding variables, there was no significant difference in serum levels of IL-13, IL-4, IFN-γ, or TNF-α between the two groups (P=0.287, P=0.627, P=0.793, and P=0.217, respectively) Conclusions:The findings of this study suggest that in comparison with the control group, serum IL-5 levels were elevated in OME cases

Human-centered Approach for Proper Functioning of LEED Criteria; A Case Study in Tehran

Buildings are rated in five main categories according to the LEED standard to receive an environment-friendly design certificate. Sustainability, water efficiency, material properties, energy consumption, and the quality of indoor spaces are main criteria which confirm the proper function of a building in terms of optimal energy consumption. However, the role of residents and behavioral aspects in the consumption of energy and the decent application of energy standards are neglected. It is beyond doubt that the residents’ behavior is one of the most important factors in performance-based building design. Moreover, the individual mistakes, which most of the times cause energy dissipation, cannot be ignored. This research proposes "Integrated Interactive System" as a human-centered approach with the aim of minimizing energy consumption. A survey is conducted, and this system is evaluated as a case study in Tehran

Effect of Essential Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Structure and Function of Catalase at High Glucose Concentration

Background: Assessment of changes in structure and activity of catalase, as an antioxidant enzymatic protein, in combination with glucose and essential unsaturated fatty acids is the aim of present study. Materials and Methods: In order to investigate the activity and structure of catalase, a solution of this enzyme with 10 mg/mL concentration in phosphate buffer (0.1 M) and pH = 7.4, in the presence and absence of 50 mmol glucose was prepared, filtered, and then incubated for 4 months at 37°C with and without fatty acids including linolenic, linoleic, and arachidonic acids, separately. Samples were taken from each tube of solution, every 14 days for 4 months, to assess the fluorescence emission, circular dichroism (CD) and activity. Results: According to the results, catalase showed increase in fluorescence emission and decrease in activity after incubation with glucose in comparison with pure protein. Moreover, catalase showed alteration in CD after incubation with glucose during 4 months. After incubation with glucose and each of the mentioned unsaturated fatty acids, alterations of catalase were neared toward normal level in fluorescence emission, CD, and activity in comparison with pure protein. Conclusion: Functional and structural protection of catalase against damages from hyperglycemic environment with addition of essential unsaturated fatty acids was proved in our investigation

The interaction between CRY1 Polymorphism and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight women and women with obesity: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background According to some studies, diet can be interaction with CRY1 polymorphism and may be related to obesity and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). So, this study examined the interaction between CRY1 polymorphism and AHEI on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight women and women with obesity. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 377 Iranian women with overweight and obesity aged 18–48(BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Dietary intake was evaluated by the use of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with 147 items. The AHEI was calculated based on previous studies. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were assessed and the bioelectrical impedance analysis method was used for body analysis. The rs2287161 was genotyped by the restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Objects were divided into three groups based on rs2287161 genotypes. Results Our findings determined that the prevalence of the C allele was 51.9% and the G allele was 48.0%. The mean age and BMI were 36.6 ± 9.1years and 31 ± 4 kg/m2 respectively. After controlling for confounders (BMI, age, total energy intake, and physical activity), this study demonstrated that there was a significant interaction between CC genotype and adherence to AHEI on odds of hyper LDL (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.24–3.05, P for interaction = 0.004), hypertension (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.11–2.93, P for interaction = 0.01) and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 0.98–2.47, P for interaction = 0.05). Conclusions This study indicated that adherence to AHEI can reduce the odds of hyper LDL, hypertension, and hyperglycemia in the CC genotype of rs2287161

Frequency of chromosomal aneuploidy in high quality embryos from young couples using preimplantation genetic screening

Background: Selection of the best embryo for transfer is very important in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Using morphological assessment for this selection demonstrated that the correlation between embryo morphology and implantation potential is relatively weak. On the other hand, aneuploidy is a key genetic factor that can influence human reproductive success in ART. Objective: The aim of this lab trial study was to evaluate the incidence of aneuploidies in five chromosomes in the morphologically high-quality embryos from young patients undergoing ART for sex selection. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 high quality embryos from 23 women at the age of 37or younger years that had previously undergone preimplantation genetic screening for sex selection were included in this study. After washing, the slides of blastomeres from embryos of patients were reanalyzed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization for chromosomes 13, 18 and 21. Results: There was a significant rate of aneuploidy determination in the embryos using preimplantation genetic screening for both sex and three evaluated autosomal chromosomes compared to preimplantation genetic screening for only sex chromosomes (62.9% vs. 24.7%, p=0.000). The most frequent detected chromosomal aneuploidy was trisomy or monosomy of chromosome 13. Conclusion: There is considerable numbers of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos generated in vitro which cause in vitro fertilization failure and it seems that morphological characterization of embryos is not a suitable method for choosing the embryos without these abnormalitie

Association of the dietary phytochemical index with general and central obesity in a sample of Iranian adults

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the association between the dietary phytochemical index (DPI), reflecting the phytochemical content of the diet, and general and central obesity in Iranian adults. Methods: We studied 844 adults (264 men and 580 women) with a mean age of 44.7 ± 10.8 years in a population-based cross-sectional study in Tehran, Iran. Dietary intake was evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. The DPI was calculated by McCarty's-method, dividing energy obtained from photochemical-rich foods by total energy intake and multiplied by 100. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of general and central obesity across quartiles of DPI were estimated using binary logistic regression analyses, with control for age, sex, energy intake, marital status, smoking, physical activity, and education. Results: The mean DPI of men and women was 33.7 ± 24.7 and 36.2 ± 26.8, respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 28.2%. There was no association between DPI and general obesity in men and women. Women in the top quartile of the DPI had a lower odd of central obesity by waist circumference (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.00; P-value: 0.05). Men in the third quartile of the DPI were at lower risk of central obesity by waist-to-hip ratio (OR: 0.16, 95%CI: 0.03, 0.81; P-value: 0.02). Conclusion: The present study reveals that higher adherence to a diet with a high phytochemical index might be associated with a lower likelihood of central obesity, especially in women

Association of Oxidative Balance Score with the Metabolic Syndrome in a Sample of Iranian Adults

Objective. We aimed to assess the association of the oxidative balance score (OBS) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults. Design. A population-based cross-sectional study Setting. Health centers from five districts in Tehran, Iran. Methods. We recruited 847 participants with an age range of 18-65 years. Dietary intake was assessed by a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire with 168 items. The OBS was calculated by using the following 13 dietary and nondietary anti- and prooxidant components: dietary antioxidants (selenium, fiber, β-carotene, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate), dietary prooxidants (iron and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and nondietary anti- (physical activity) and prooxidants (smoking and obesity). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the MetS and its components across tertiles of the OBS were calculated by logistic regression analysis, controlling for age, sex, energy intake, occupation, and educational level. Results. The range of OBS was between 16 and 39. Being in the top versus the bottom tertile of the OBS was not associated with the MetS (OR=0.71, 95% CI 0.48-1.03; P=0.07), after controlling for potential confounders. Higher OBS score was associated with a lower likelihood of abdominal obesity (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38-0.81; P=0.003) and increased diastolic blood pressure (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.41-0.99; P=0.04). Higher OBS was not associated with other components of the MetS. Conclusion. Overall, the present study showed that there was no significant relationship between OBS and MetS in Tehranian adults