The association between serum selenium and gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Results of the studies about association between serum selenium concentration and gestational hyperglycemia are inconsistent. Some studies have demonstrated that women with gestational diabetesmellitus (GDM) have lower Se concentrations while contrary results are reported in other studies. Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the serum Se concentration in women with GDM and normoglycemic pregnant women via a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A computerized literature search on four databases (PubMed, Cochrane register of control trials, Scopus and Google scholar) was performed from inception through August 2013. Necessary data were extracted and random effects model was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Results: Six observational studies (containing 147 women with GDM and 360 normoglycemic pregnant women) were found, which had compared serum Se concentration in women suffering from GDM with normal pregnant ones. Our meta-analysis revealed that serum Se concentration was lower in women with GDM compared to normoglycemic pregnant women (Hedges = −1.34; 95% CI: −2.33 to −0.36; P < 0.01). Stratified meta-analysis demonstrated that concentration of Se in the sera of women with GDM was lower than normal pregnant women both in second and third trimesters, but the result was not significant in second trimester (second trimester: Hedges = −0.68; 95% CI: −1.60−0.25; P = 0.15, third trimester: Hedges = −2.81; 95% CI: −5.21 to −0.42; P < 0.05). It was also demonstrated that serum Se status was lower in pregnant women with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) compared to normoglycemic pregnant women (Hedges = −0.85; 95% CI: −1.18 to −0.52). Conclusion: The available evidences suggest that serum Se concentration is significantly lower in pregnant women with gestational hyperglycemia compared to normal pregnant women

The Effect of Acute and Chronic Morphine on Some Blood Biochemical ‎Parameters in an Inflammatory Condition in Gonadectomized Male Rats

Background: Opiates affect blood factors as well as pain and inflammation in a gender-dependent manner. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of morphine on serum glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and urea in gonadectomized and inflammation conditions. Methods: Animals were divided as follows: control group, carrageenan and chronic morphine recipients, acute morphine recipients, chronic morphine recipients, carrageenan recipients, acute morphine and carrageenan recipients, gonadectomized group, gonadectomized recipients of carrageenan, gonadectomized recipients of morphine, gonadectomized recipients of chronic morphine, gonadectomized recipients of carrageenan and chronic morphine, gonadectomized recipients of acute morphine and carrageenan. Findings: Our results have shown that acute and chronic morphine elevates blood glucose level in the acute and chronic morphine group. Cholesterol level has shown to be increasing in the morphine and carrageenan recipient group compared with a group which merely received morphine. Triglyceride has shown to be decreasing in acute and chronic morphine recipient group compared with control group. A significant increase in serum urea was observed in acute and chronic morphine recipients compared with the carrageenan recipient group. Conclusion: Morphine alters the serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and urea in the normal and inflammatory conditions differently, hence, this finding should be considered in the patients who use morphine as a relief of pain, especially in an inflammatory condition

Drying behavior, diffusion modeling of cuminum cyminum L. undergoing microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying

[EN] In order to conserve cuminum cyminum L. during long storage periods, the drying kinetics of this seed undergoing microwave-assisted fluidized bed dryer at various microwave output power (300, 600 and 900w), air velocity (10, 15 and 20 m/s) and air temperatures (45, 55 and 65ᵒc) were studied. The main aim of this research is developing a mathematical model of mass transfer to investigate the microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying of cuminum cyminum L. seed. In this paper, we tried to discover a good model to evaluate moisture effective diffusivity (Deff).Babaki, A.; Askari, G.; Emamdjomeh, Z. (2018). Drying behavior, diffusion modeling of cuminum cyminum L. undergoing microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 269-276. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7406OCS26927

The effect of synbiotic supplementation on body composition and lipid profile in patients with NAFLD: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial study

Background: Regarding the growing prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, concentrating on various strategies for its prevention and management seems necessary. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effects of synbiotic administration on body composition and lipid profile in patients with NAFLD. Methods: Eighty patients with NAFLD participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (from March to July 2014) in Iran. Based on AST and ALT as main variables of the study, 34 patients were required in each group (power 80% and α = 5%). Considering a 20% sample loss, 80 patients were enrolled. Synbiotic supplement in form of a 500 mg capsule (containing 7 species of probiotic bacteria and Fructooligosaccharides) was administrated to patients in the intervention group and those in the placebo group received 1 placebo capsule daily for 8 weeks. At the baseline and the end of the study, body composition and lipid profile were evaluated. Results: A significant reduction was observed in weight (P = 0.001), body fat (P = 0.02), and total cholesterol (P = 0.04) within the synbiotic group. Onthe other hand,WC(P = 0.02), total cholesterol, and LDL-c (P = 0.04 and P = 0.001, respectively) were significantly increased in the placebo group. TG, HDL-c, and FBG levels remained statistically unchanged in both groups. Significance betweengroup differences were seen in total cholesterol (P = 0.01), LDL (P = 0.01), weight, WC, and body fat after adjustment for energy intake (P = 0.05). Conclusions: Synbiotic supplementation may improve lipid profile and body composition in patients with NAFLD and might be useful in prevention of the disease progression