Effect of dietary patterns on oxidative stress in Patiants with metabolic syndrome: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a prevalent condition with dramatic rising trend worldwide. Single dietary factors, such as omega-3 fatty acids consumption protect body against oxidative damage by reinforcement of dietary total antioxidant capacity but the combination of all dietary components may be more effective when studied as integrated dietary patterns. This present study was designed to assess the association between different dietary patterns and oxidative stress in a population of Tehranian adults suffering from metabolic syndrome. Methods: Dietary data were collected using a validated 147-item semi-quantitative FFQ with a standard serving size. Factor analysis method was used to derive dietary patterns. Blood analysis and anthropometric measurements were also obtained. Oxidative stress was assesses using serum levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Results: The regression coefficient for TAC and MDA with different quintiles of dietary patterns, adjusted for potential confounder in model 3 reveal a significant positive association between healthy pattern and serum TAC levels (β=0.244, p=0.008) and also between serum MDA levels and the unhealthy pattern (β=0.387, p=0.0001). On the other hand, a significant negative association found between serum TAC levels (β=-0.289, p=0.001) and the unhealthy pattern, a relationship also noted between serum MDA levels and the healthy dietary pattern (β=-0.273, p=0.002). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that following a healthy pattern filled with fruits and vegetables ameliorates oxidative stress status and on the contrary, attachment to an unhealthy pattern, characterized by higher intakes of fast foods and processed foods, aggravated the oxidative stress levels in Tehranian individuals suffering from metabolic syndrome

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

<b>Antitussive effect of <i>Cuminum cyminum</i> Linn. in guinea pigs</b>

266-269Several therapeutic effects including the effect on asthma and dyspnoea have been described for the seeds of cumin, Cuminum cyminum Linn. In the present study the antitussive effect of this plant was evaluated. The antitussive effects of aerosols of two different concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts, Codeine and saline were tested  on guinea pigs by counting the number of coughs produced due to aerosol of citric acid 10 minutes after exposing animal to aerosols of different solutions (n=5 for each solution). The results showed significant reduction of cough number in the presence of both concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts and Codeine (PP<0.001). The cough number observed in the presence of higher concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts were not significantly different than those of lower concentrations. In addition, there was no significant difference between cough numbers observed in the presence of both concentrations of extracts with that of Codeine. These results indicated an antitussive effect of cumin which was comparable to that of Codeine. </b

Kinetics of Leaching Calcium from Dolomite

Magnezijev oksid dobiva se preradom magnezitne rude, a tijekom procesa potrebno je smanjiti udjel primjesa koje kvare vatrostalne značajke konačnog proizvoda. S obzirom na to da se ležišta magnezita sve više eksploatiraju te su u velikoj mjeri i iscrpljena, povećava se potreba za proizvodnjom magnezijeva oksida na bazi drugih minerala magnezija, posebice dolomita, koji je široko rasprostranjen, lako se eksploatira i u većini slučajeva sadrži malo primjesa. U ovom radu istražena je kinetika izluživanja kalcija iz dolomita otopinom magnezijeva nitrata. Istražen je utjecaj: temperature, masenog udjela magnezijeva nitrata u otopini, veličine čestica dolomita i vremena izluživanja na svojstva dobivena proizvoda. Tijek izluživanja opisan je primjenom odgovarajućih kinetičkih jednadžbi. Određeni su pripadni koeficijenti brzine reakcije, njihova ovisnost o temperaturi te energija aktivacije prema Arrheniusu.Magnesia is obtained from magnesite ore and the production process applied should remove accompanying minerals that reduce its refractoriness. Given that magnesite reservoirs are more exploited and largely exhausted, there is a growing need for production of magnesia on the basis of other magnesium minerals. Dolomite is a promising source of magnesia because it forms large deposits, is easy to exploit, and generally contains a small quantity of impurities. The kinetics of calcium leaching from dolomite by magnesium-nitrate solution has been studied. The research program included the influence of temperature, mass fraction of magnesium nitrate in solution, dolomite particle size and leaching time. Time dependence of calcium leaching is described by relevant kinetic equations. Rate coefficients, their temperature dependence and Arrhenius activation energy have been determined

Tamoxifen antagonizes the effects of ovarian hormones to induce anxiety and depression-like behavior in rats

The effects of tamoxifen (TAM) on anxiety and depression-like behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) and naïve female rats were investigated. The animals were divided into Sham-TAM, OVX-TAM, Sham and OVX groups. Tamoxifen (1 mg/kg) was administered for 4 weeks. In the forced swimming test, the immobility times in the OVX and Sham-TAM groups were higher than in the Sham group. In the open field, the numbers of central crossings in the OVX and Sham-TAM groups were lower than the number in the Sham group, and the number of peripheral crossings in the OVX group was lower than the number in the Sham group. In the elevated plus maze, the numbers of entries to the open arm among the animals in the Sham-TAM and OVX groups were lower than the number in the Sham group, while the number of entries to the open arm in the OVX-TAM group was higher than the number in the OVX group. It was shown that deletion of ovarian hormones induced anxiety and depression-like behavior. Administration of tamoxifen in naïve rats led to anxiety and depression-like behavior that was comparable with the effects of ovarian hormone deletion. It can be suggested that tamoxifen antagonizes the effects of ovarian hormones. It also seems that tamoxifen has anxiolytic effects on ovariectomized rats

Psychometric Properties of a Developed Questionnaire to Assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Vitamin D (D-KAP-38)

The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess vitamin D-related knowledge, attitude and practices in Tehranian adults, who may be at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. This study was conducted on 572 individuals, aged ≥20 years from public health care centers in Tehran, Iran. Based on results of a literature review and in-depth interviews, the 38-item vitamin D-related KAP questionnaire (D-KAP-38) with four subscales was developed: (1) general knowledge; (2) nutritional knowledge; (3) attitudes; (4) behaviors. Validity of the D-KAP-38 questionnaire was assessed, utilizing face, content, and construct validity methods. Internal consistency was calculated to assess reliability of the current developed questionnaire. A total of 572 (54.1% female) adults, aged 30.2 ± 7.9 years, participated in the study. All items were perceived as relevant and comprehendible by participants. Content validity was confirmed by a panel of experts. The internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, exceeded the minimum reliability standard of 0.60 for four subscales. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor construct and the results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable fit indices for the proposed model. No ceiling effects were observed except for general knowledge (1.2%). Floor effects detected were 0%, 1.1%, 2.4%, and 8.7% for practice, attitude, general knowledge, and nutrition knowledge, respectively. General knowledge had the highest score (79.59 ± 14.52) and nutrition knowledge had the lowest (42.58 ± 20.40), among the four sub-scales. Results confirm the initial validity and reliability of D-KAP-38 questionnaire. Further investigations in different populations are recommended