Relationship between changes in heart rate variability indices and blood glucose control in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the mostcommon health problems in the community.DM is associated with pathologicchanges in the cardiovascular system due to alterations inthe autonomic nervous system (ANS). Dysfunction of thecardiovascular ANS can lead to fatal arrhythmias and suddendeath. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationshipbetween changes in heart rate variability (HRV)indices and blood glucose control status in patients withtype 2 DM. Patients with type 2 DM who presented toour university Diabetes Clinic were eligible to be included.Fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial bloodglucose test (2PPG), and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) weremeasured. According to the HbA1C the patients werecategorized as euglycemia (HbA1C <7%) and poorly controlledDM (HbA1C >7%). HRV indices were determinedby 24-hour Holter monitoring. There were 41 patientswith euglycemia and 39 patients whose blood glucosewas poorly controlled. pNN, SDANN, and SDNN indiceswere significantly higher in the euglycemia group thanin the group with poorly controlled glucose. There wassignificant and inverse correlation between pNN, SDANN,and SDNN with serum levels of HBA1C. However, no significantcorrelation was observed between FBS and 2PPGwith HRV indices. HRV indices were significantly lowerin diabetic patients with poorly controlled blood glucosewhen compared to diabetics with good control of bloodglucose. These findings reflect dysfunction of the ANS inpatents with poorly controlled blood glucose

How do leaf carbon and nitrogen contents of oak hosts affect the heterotrophic level of Loranthus europaeus? Insights from stable isotope ecophysiology assays

Loranthus europaeus is one of the major plant parasites threatening the fragile ecosystems of oak forests in westernIran. The mistletoe is a hemi-parasite plant which grows on forest species, especially oaks. Carbon isotopecomposition (δ13C) has been central to understand the behaviour of mistletoes in the field. This study investigatedC and N isotope compositions in leaves of L. europaeus and of its host oaks (Quercus libani, Q. infectoria andQ. brantii) in western Iran. The goal was to assess the degree of heterotrophy, and to estimate the carbon partitionbetween host and mistletoe and possible consequences of this phenomenon for the ecology of these hemiparasites.Leaf samples from mistletoe and host oaks were collected in the Mirabad forests of Sardasht, Iran.Ten adult trees of each oak species, with the hemiparasite species, were sampled for determination of leaf dryweight and area, concentration in carbon and nitrogen, and contents of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes. In allthree species, we found that the levels of δ13C of the host, were higher than those of the mistletoes. Quercusinfectoria, with the highest leaf mass per area and the highest carbon and nitrogen contents on a mass basis, wasthe oak species with the highest degree of mistletoe heterotrophy, which was negatively related with the hostmistletoeδ13C difference. Our results also showed that host and mistletoe leaf masses per area can be indicatorsof the heterotrophic degree of the mistletoe and an easy alternative to the determination of δ13C. In conclusion, itseems that the difference in δ13C between host and mistletoe is reduced when the host leaf mass per area, Cmassand Nmass increase. This condition relates to an increased heterotrophic degree of mistletoe.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF MULTIWAVELETS WITH COMPOSITE DILATIONS

Consider an affine system  AABwith composite dilations  Da,D in which  anand  .It can be made an orthonormal AB multiwavelet   or a parsval frame AB -wavelet  ,by choosing appropriate sets A  and B .In this paper ,we constructe an orthonormal AB-multiwavelet that arises from AB- multiresolution analysis Our construction is useful since the group Bis shear group.More generally, we give a parsval frame AB-wavelet

Maternal and Environmental Risk Factors as Predictors of Poor Pregnancy Outcomes among Female Greenhouse Workers

Background & aim: Maternal and environmental risk factors during pregnancy are potential threats for poor pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate maternal and environmental risk factors as predictors of poor pregnancy outcomes in female greenhouse workers (FGW).Methods: This predictive correlational study was performed on 275 Iranian FGW in Kerman, southern province of Iran in 2018. Participants were selected by census method from six rural areas with the highest level of greenhouse cultivation. A research-made instrument included demographic characteristics, maternal and environmental risk factors, and pregnancy outcomes was used to collect data through closed interview. All pregnancies were evaluated for the frequency of poor pregnancy outcomes. A binary logistic regression was used to predict the role of some environmental risk factors on pregnancy outcomes among FGW using SPSS software (version 16).Results:  Mean age of FGW was 33.26±7.24 years. Among poor pregnancy outcomes in FGW; abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birth weight (LBW) were predicted by several maternal and environmental risk factors (P0.05).Conclusion: Due to both maternal and environmental risk factors being associated with poor pregnancy outcomes in FGW, preventive educational intervention programs should be considered for this population

In vitro evaluation of different protocols for the induction of mesenchymal stem cells to insulin-producing cells

Stem cells therapy is a new promising approach for diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment, but the insulin secretion rate in differentiated cells is low when compared with pancreas beta cells embedded in Langerhans islets. In this study, we evaluated different protocols of insulin secretion to achieve the most appropriate protocol for in vitro insulin secretion. We differentiated human umbilical cord matrixderived mesenchymal cells (hUCMs) into insulinproducing cell (IPC) by the aim of three previously reported protocols and a modified protocol. The insulin content was analyzed through gene expression and immunocytochemistry (IHC). Dithizone (DTZ) staining was done for identification of islet-like structures. Insulin and C peptide secretion was measured by chemiluminesence immunoassay (CLIA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as well. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) showed efficient expression of insulin genes in all the study groups. IHC analysis showed higher expression of insulin and proinsulin proteins in the modified protocol. DTZ staining exhibited variable islet-like clusters in the different protocols except control. This finding was confirmed by the higher response to glucose challenge test in this group. A modified protocol using an intermediate step that makes the cells vulnerable to nestin production in combination with inducing agent results in the higher differentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells and more insulin secretion in vitro

Comparison of cytotoxicity of Miltefosine and its niosomal form on chick embryo model

© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Various drugs have been used for the treatment of leishmaniasis, but they often have adverse effects on the body's organs. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of one type of drug, Miltefosine (MIL), and its analogue or modifier, liposomal Miltefosine (NMIL), on several fetal organs using both in silico analysis and practical tests on chicken embryos. Our in silico approach involved predicting the affinities of MIL and NMIL to critical proteins involved in leishmaniasis, including Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGF-A), the Kinase insert domain receptor (KDR1), and apoptotic-regulator proteins (Bcl-2-associate). We then validated and supported these predictions through in vivo investigations, analyzing gene expression and pathological changes in angiogenesis and apoptotic mediators in MIL- and NMIL-treated chicken embryos. The results showed that NMIL had a more effective action towards VEGF-A and KDR1 in leishmaniasis, making it a better candidate for potential operative treatment during pregnancy than MIL alone. In vivo, studies also showed that chicken embryos under MIL treatment displayed less vascular mass and more degenerative and apoptotic changes than those treated with NMIL. These results suggest that NMIL could be a better treatment option for leishmaniasis during pregnancy.Peer reviewe

Suspension Culture Alters Insulin Secretion in Induced Human Umbilical Cord Matrix-Derived Mesenchymal Cells

Objective: Worldwide, diabetes mellitus (DM) is an ever-increasing metabolic disorder. A promising approach to the treatment of DM is the implantation of insulin producing cells (IPC) that have been derived from various stem cells. Culture conditions play a pivotal role in the quality and quantity of the differentiated cells. In this experimental study, we have applied various culture conditions to differentiate human umbilical cord matrix-derived mesenchymal cells (hUCMs) into IPCs and measured insulin production. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we exposed hUCMs cells to pancreatic medium and differentiated them into IPCs in monolayer and suspension cultures. Pancreatic medium consisted of serum-free Dulbecco’s modified eagle’s medium Nutrient mixture F12 (DMEM/F12) medium with 17.5 mM glucose supplemented by 10 mM nicotinamide, 10 nM exendin-4, 10 nM pentagastrin, 100 pM hepatocyte growth factor, and B-27 serum-free supplement. After differentiation, insulin content was analyzed by gene expression, immunocytochemistry (IHC) and the chemiluminesence immunoassay (CLIA). Results: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed efficient expressions of NKX2.2, PDX1 and INSULIN genes in both groups. IHC analysis showed higher expression of insulin protein in the hanging drop group, and CLIA revealed a significant higher insulin production in hanging drops compared with the monolayer group following the glucose challenge test. Conclusion: We showed by this novel, simple technique that the suspension culture played an important role in differentiation of hUCMs into IPC. This culture was more efficient than the conventional culture method commonly used in IPC differentiation and cultivation

Different effects of energy dependent irradiation of red and green lights on proliferation of human umbilical cord matrix-derived mesenchymal cells

Abstract Light-emitting diodes (LED) have recently been introduced as a potential factor for proliferation of various cell types in vitro. Nowadays, stem cells are widely used in regenerative medicine. Human umbilical cord matrix-derived mesenchymal (hUCM) cells can be more easily isolated and cultured than adult mesenchymal stem cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of red and green lights produced by LED on the proliferation of hUCM cells. hUCM cells were isolated from the umbilical cord, and light irradiation was applied at radiation energies of 0.318, 0.636, 0.954, 1.59, 3.18, 6.36, 9.54, and 12.72 J/cm2. Irradiation of the hUCM cells shows a significant (p < 0.05) increase in cell number as compared to controls after 40 h. In addition, cell proliferation on days 7, 14, and 21 in irradiated groups were significantly (p< 0.001) higher than that in the non-irradiated groups. The present study clearly demonstrates the ability of red and green lights irradiation to promote proliferation of hUCM cells in vitro. The energy applied to the cells through LED irradiation is an effective factor with paradoxical alterations. Green light inserted a much profound effect at special dosages than red light

Human monkeypox: history, presentations, transmission, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Human monkeypox is a zoonotic infection that is similar to the diseases caused by other poxviruses. It is endemic among wild rodents in the rainforests of Central and Western Africa, and can be transmitted via direct skin contact or mucosal exposure to infected animals. The initial symptoms include fever, headache, myalgia, fatigue, and lymphadenopathy, the last of which is the main symptom that distinguishes it from smallpox. In order to prevent and manage the disease, those who are infected must be rapidly diagnosed and isolated. Several vaccines have already been developed (e.g., JYNNEOS, ACAM2000 and ACAM3000) and antiviral drugs (e.g., cidofovir and tecovirimat) can also be used to treat the disease. In the present study, we reviewed the history, morphology, clinical presentations, transmission routes, diagnosis, prevention, and potential treatment strategies for monkeypox, in order to enable health authorities and physicians to better deal with this emerging crisis

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract: a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity &lt;6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity &lt;3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.</p