Anti-fibrotic effects of curcumin and some of its analogues in the heart.

Cardiac fibrosis stems from the changes in the expression of fibrotic genes in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in response to the tissue damage induced by various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) leading to their transformation into active myofibroblasts, which produce high amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins leading, in turn, to excessive deposition of ECM in cardiac tissue. The excessive accumulation of ECM elements causes heart stiffness, tissue scarring, electrical conduction disruption and finally cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Curcumin (Cur; also known as diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol compound extracted from rhizomes of Curcuma longa with an influence on an extensive spectrum of biological phenomena including cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, pathogenesis, chemoprevention, apoptosis, angiogenesis and cardiac pathological changes. Cumulative evidence has suggested a beneficial role for Cur in improving disrupted cardiac function developed by cardiac fibrosis by establishing a balance between degradation and synthesis of ECM components. There are various molecular mechanisms contributing to the development of cardiac fibrosis. We presented a review of Cur effects on cardiac fibrosis and the discovered underlying mechanisms by them Cur interact to establish its cardio-protective effects

The clinical outcome of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis

"nBackground: Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disorder with weakness of skeletal muscles. Thymectomy is now recognized as a treatment modality in MG. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of thymectomy on MG. "nMethods: MG patients with history of thymectomy at a tertiary referral center during twelve year period were included. The medical records were reviewed and telephone survey was conducted to evaluate the effects of thymectomy. "nResults: Sixty MG patients, 46 females and 14 males, aged 30.4±11.1 years, underwent open (n=48) or video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy (n=12) during study period. The mean dosage of preoperative pyridostigmine was 235.4±86.2mg/day. This figure reached to 129±18mg/day after thymectomy (p<0.0001). 17 patients (28.3%) had complete remission (complete freedom of symptoms without medications). Improve-ment (improved symptoms or less medication requirement) was seen in 34 patients (56.6%). There was no response to surgical therapy in six patients (10%). Three patients (5%) had experienced progression of disease postoperatively. Overall, benefit of thymectomy was observed in 85% of patients. Age, sex, duration and severity of disease, quantity of preoperative drugs, surgical approach, and presence of thymoma did not affect the outcome. Satisfaction was stated as excellent in 17%, good in 43%, moderate in 35% and poor in 5% of patients after operation. "nConclusion: Thymectomy is an effective treatment for MG which leads to less severity of disease and less drug requirement. It would be considered in all myasthenic patients regardless of age, sex, duration and severity of disease and presence of thymoma

Comparison of two methods for mechanical bowel preparation in elective operations of colon

"n Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1":*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Background: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution can induce complications when used as preoperative bowel preparation. The aim of this study was to compare two methods for mechanical bowel preparation in elective operations of colon."n"n Methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 129 patients elected for anastomosis of colon and referred to the surgical clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital of Tehran between March 2008 and March 2009 were included. They were randomly allocated into two groups of PEG1 (1liter of PEG or 70gr plus 15 mg bizacodil, n=63) and PEG4 (4 liter of PEG), according to the way of bowel preparation; and on the day before surgery, they received oral and IV prophylactic antibiotics and cleared solutions. In the morning of the surgery, they received their medication during 240 minutes. Then, they underwent anastomosic surgery of colon. The principle variables recorded were nausea, vomiting, flatulence, Na and K in the night before surgery, patients' and surgeons' satisfaction from bowel preparation and postoperative infection and leakage. "n"nResults: The majority of the patients were male (62%). Nausea (28.57% vs. 98.48%, p=0.001), flatulence (36.51% vs. 95.45%, p=0.001), and vomiting (4.76% vs. 75.76%, p=0.001) were significantly lower in PEG1 and the patients' satisfaction were significantly higher (59.02% vs. 1.52%, p=0.001) Peroperative Na was significantly higher in PEG4 group (141.21±3.63 vs. 139.94±2.97mg/l, p=0.001) and serum K was significantly lower (3.55±0.25 vs. 3.76±0.21, p=0.001). Surgeons' satisfaction were significantly higher in PEG4 group (good to very good 72.73% vs. 43.54%, p=0.001). Postoperative infection of surgical site, anastomosis leakage and ICU admission were comparable between study groups. "n"nConclusions: Bowel preparation with 1 liter of PEG plus 3 bizacodile pills instead of 1 liter of PEG in patients undergoing elective anastomosis of colon is not only associated with lesser nausea, vomiting, flatulence, but also increases the patients' satisfaction and tolerance, lessens electrolyte disturbances and do not influence postoperative infection of surgical site and anastomosis leakage