Honey as a complementary medicine

The beneficial effects of honey on human health have long been recognized. Today, many of those positive effects have been studied to elucidate its mode of action. This review briefly summarizes the best studied features of honey, highlighting it as an appealing alternative medicine. In these reports, the health benefits of honey range from antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activity to anticancer action, metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, prebiotic properties, human pathogen control, and antiviral activity. These studies also support that the honey's biological activity is mainly dependent on its floral or geographic origin. In addition, some promising synergies between honey and antibiotics have been found, as well as some antiviral properties that require further investigation. Altogether, these studies show that honey is effectively a nutraceutical foodstuff.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bacteriophage biodistribution and infectivity from honeybee to bee larvae using a T7 phage model

Bacteriophages (phages) or viruses that specifically infect bacteria have widely been studied as biocontrol agents against animal and plant bacterial diseases. They offer many advantages compared to antibiotics. The American Foulbrood (AFB) is a bacterial disease affecting honeybee larvae caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Phages can be very significant in fighting it mostly due to European restrictions to the use of antibiotics in beekeeping. New phages able to control P. larvae in hives have already been reported with satisfactory results. However, the efficacy and feasibility of administering phages indirectly to larvae through their adult workers only by providing phages in bees feeders has never been evaluated. This strategy is considered herein the most feasible as far as hive management is concerned. This in vivo study investigated the ability of a phage to reach larvae in an infective state after oral administration to honeybees. The screening (by direct PFU count) and quantification (by quantitative PCR) of the phage in bee organs and in larvae after ingestion allowed us to conclude that despite 104 phages reaching larvae only an average of 32 were available to control the spread of the disease. The fast inactivation of many phages in royal jelly could compromise this therapeutic approach. The protection of phages from hive-derived conditions should be thus considered in further developments for AFB treatment.This study was supported by the project APILYSE, PTDC/CVT-EPI/4008/2014 - POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016598, - funded by FEDER through COMPETE 2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds trough FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. The work was also supported by the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004), funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. HR was supported by FCT through the grant SFRH/BD/128859/2017. RC was founded by FCT and FEDER (POCI-010145-FEDER-007274).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of JSPE-HP Questionnaire (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Health Professionals Version)

Abstract: Background & Aims: Empathy plays an important role in patient’s relationship with his/her dentist or doctor. One of the most used tools for evaluation of empathy is the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Health Professionals Version (JSPE-HP). The aim of this study was to validate the JSPE-HP for use among Iranian population. Methods: The English original version of the JSPE-HP questionnaire was translated into Persian language by a forward–backward translation method. Reliability was tested on 30 Dental and Medical students. Then validity and internal consistency were tested on 554 students. Results: The reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of the JSPE-HP was excellent (alpha: 0.83). The coefficient of test re-test reliability measured by ICC (Intra class correlation coefficient) was 0.82 (CI 95%: 0.80-0.87). Freshman students had higher scores than other students and this difference was significant (P=0.03). There was no significant difference on empathy scores between Dental and Medical students. Conclusion: The overall findings of this study indicate that the Persian version of the JSPE is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating physician-patient empathy in Iranian Population. Keywords: Physician-patient relation, Empathy, Questionnaire, Cross-cultural comparison, Ira

Association of hypogonadism with the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with weight loss and muscular weakness. Low serum testosterone level (hypogonadism) may contribute to muscle wasting. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of hypogonadism with the severity of COPD. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 57 patients with COPD who had medical records in the lungs clinic of Qazvin during 2012 and 2013. The patients were divided into two groups of mild and sever disease. Total and free testosterone levels and FEV1 were measured. Smoking status and history of taking corticosteroids were assessed. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: Based on free testosterone level, 26.7% of patients with mild disease and 22.2% of patients with severe disease had hypogonadism. Mean total and free serum testosterone levels were not significantly different between the two groups (3.2±1.5 ng/ml and 3.9±1.6 pg/ml in mild group and 3.3±1.1ng/ml and 4.2±1.7pg/ml in sever group). After adjusting for age, body mass index, history of taking corticosteroids and smoking status, the mean total and free testosterone levels were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: With regards to the results, hypogonadism occurs frequently in patients with COPD. It seems that serum testosterone level is not clinically associated with severity of COPD

Dietary Fatty Acids and Other Nutrients in Relation to Inflammation and Particularly to Oral Mucosa Inflammation: A Literature Review

Oral mucosa is site of inflammatory process development. When they are chronic, they provide a microenvironment based on cytokines and inflammatory mediators that contribute to cancer initiation, progression, invasion, and metastasis. Certain dietary fatty acids (FAs) have immunomodulatory, inflammatory, and antiinflammatory effects. This review examined the literature on inflammation, mainly referred to the oral mucosa, and its association with dietary FAs and other nutrients. A Pubmed search of studies published in English until June 2018 was carried out. N-3 FAs have shown immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory activity in certain human diseases. These FAs and their mediators may inhibit inflammation, angiogenesis, and cancer via multiple mechanisms. Studies on cellular models of murine and human intestinal mucosa indicate association between dietary n-3 FA intake and the inflammatory state of mucosa membranes. Nevertheless scarce information on the association between dietary FAs and oral inflammation could be found. Based on the evidence, we hypothesize that n-3 FAs reduce the oral mucosa inflammation thus decreasing the risk of developing precancerous lesions and cancer. Molecular and clinical studies referred to this topic should be carried out as a contribution to the oral cancer prevention.Fil: Costantino, Evangelina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología; ArgentinaFil: Actis, Adriana Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin