Serum Hepcidin and Ferritin Have Not Correlation With Inflammatory Markers in Kidney Transplant Patients

In renal transplant patients, increased ferritin is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, transplant rejection, and mortality. Serum ferritin elevates in renal transplant patients due to blood product transfusion, inflammation, and malignancies. Hepcidin is also a peptide hormone produced in the liver in response to anemia, hypoxia, or inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ferritin, hepcidin, iron, TIBC, and serum inflammatory markers in renal transplant patients. The cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 60 renal transplant patients referred to Hazrat-Rasool and Imam-Ali clinics and Al-Mahdi Laboratory of Shahrekord selected by convenience sampling method. Serum ferritin, hepcidin, iron, TIBC, and inflammatory markers levels were determined by standard kits by ELISA. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Serum iron had a significant negative correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r=-0.418, P=0.001) and a negative correlation with C reactive protein (CRP) (r=-0.243, P=0.061). TIBC had a significantly negative association with ferritin (r=-0.27, P=0.037). Ferritin, hepcidin, and TIBC were not significantly correlated with inflammatory factors. The results of the study showed no significant relationship between ferritin, hepcidin, and TIBC with inflammatory factors in renal transplant patient

The Effects of Silymarin and N-Acetylcysteine on Liver and Kidney Dysfunction in Subjects with Severe Pre-eclampsia

Background: Silymarin and N-acetylcysteine are antioxidant supplements with protective effects on the liver and kidneys. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of silymarin and N-acetylcysteine on liver and kidney disorders against severe pre-eclampsia. Methods: In the present single-blind clinical trial, 60 mothers who underwent termination of pregnancy due to severe pre-eclampsia were divided into two groups. The first group received 70 mg of silymarin and the second group received 600 mg of N-acetylcysteine at 3 doses immediately, 12 and 24 hours after delivery. Patients were monitored for blood pressure, platelet and biochemical markers of liver injury and kidney function 12, 36 and 60 hours after drug administration. Results: Over time, the mean Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), levels in the two groups of silymarin and N-acetylcysteine significantly decreased (p<0.001). Silymarin and N-acetylcysteine were not significantly different in reducing the increased creatinine and BUN levels. Conclusion: N-acetylcysteine and silymarin help patients with pre-eclampsia to improve kidney and hepatic dysfunction; however, silymarin was more effective in decreasing ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH levels than N-acetylcysteine. N-acetylcysteine was more effective in decreasing BUN and creatinine levels than silymarin

Wolbachia infection in native populations of Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana.

Cockroaches are significant pests worldwide, being important in medical, veterinary, and public health fields. Control of cockroaches is difficult because they have robust reproductive ability and high adaptability and are resistant to many insecticides. Wolbachia is an endosymbiont bacterium that infects the reproductive organs of approximately 70% of insect species and has become a promising biological agent for controlling insect pests. However, limited data on the presence or strain typing of Wolbachia in cockroaches are available. PCR amplification and sequencing of the wsp and gltA genes were used to study the presence, prevalence and molecular typing of Wolbachia in two main cockroach species, Blattella germanica (German cockroach) and Periplaneta americana (American cockroach), from different geographical locations of Iran. The Wolbachia endosymbiont was found only in 20.6% of German cockroaches while it was absent in American cockroach samples. Blast search and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Wolbachia strain found in the German cockroach belongs to Wolbachia supergroup F. Further studies should investigate the symbiotic role of Wolbachia in cockroaches and determine whether lack of Wolbachia infection may increase this insect's ability to tolerate or acquire various pathogens. Results of our study provide a foundation for continued work on interactions between cockroaches, bacterial endosymbionts, and pathogens