Association of levels of interleukin 17 and T-helper 17 count with symptom severity and etiology of chronic heart failure: a case-control study

Aim To assess the association between the levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17) and T-helper 17 count and symptom severity and etiology of chronic heart failure. Methods This single-center prospective case-control study, conducted from December 1, 2015 to January 1, 2017 in Tehran Heart Center, evaluated gene expression of IL-17, relative count of (CD4+IL17+) Th17 cells and CD4+ helper T-cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 42 patients with CHF and 42 matched controls. A multiple regression model assessed the predictors of peripheral IL-17 expression and Th17 count in patients with CHF. Results IL-17 expression was increased in patients with CHF, both at baseline and after stimulation. IL-17 and Th17 counts were higher in patients with advanced New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (class IV) than in controls and patients with class I. Th17 cell population expanded in patients with CHF, more prominently in patients with class IV than in controls and patients with class I, regardless of the ischemic or non-ischemic CHF origin. Multiple regression model showed that NYHA was the only meaningful predictor of IL-17 levels and Th17 count. Conclusion We demonstrated the lymphocytic origin of IL-17 production in advanced CHF and the ability of disease severity to predict IL-17 levels

The Measurement Education Services Quality Payam Noor University of Garmsar with Using of Servqual Model

ABSTRACT The goal of the implementation of this research is the study of education services provided by the Payam Noor University of Garmsar. It is therefore model was used Servqual known and most widely used in the evaluation of services Quality. Services Quality Model is evaluated in five dimensions: concrete, stress and scalability, guarantee, compassion and responsibility. 247 people were selected from students of this university as a model simple for the study questionnaires were distributed among them, the results of this research that, in all dimensions, the expectations of students more than their perception of the actual performance of the education services provided in the mentioned university

Increased level of advanced glycation end-products in renal transplant patients is associated with decreased measured GFR and grafted kidney function

Background: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) cause proinflammatory responses and macromolecular damages. Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are protein biomarkers for oxidative stress. Levels of AGEs and AOPPs increase with the progression of chronic renal dysfunction. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to measure these species in patients with renal transplantation and to analyze their correlation with the measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal function parameters. Patients and Methods: Eighty renal transplant patients and normal subjects were recruited. GFR was measured by the two-sample plasma method with technetium-99m-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (TC99m-DTPA) clearance. Biochemical measurements included creatinine, cystatin C, urea, total protein, and pentosidine. Serum AGEs were determined using a fluorometric assay and AOPPs were estimated spectrophotometrically. Results: The measured GFR found to be significantly decreased in renal transplant patients compared to the control subjects (P< 0.001). Levels of AGEs, AOPPs, serum creatinine, and cystatin C were increased in renal transplant patients with lower values of measured GFR (mGFR). A significant association between the levels of AGEs species (serum fluorescence and pentosidine) and mGFR when adjusted for creatinine and other risk factors in multiple linear regression model analysis was found (P=0.05 and P=0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This study demonstrated increased levels of pentosidine and AGEs in transplant recipients were associated with decreased mGFR. Their accumulation can be predictive for the progression of chronic allograft loss of function

Association between human polyomavirus infection and brain cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and potential association between the infection with some members of the polyomaviridae family of viruses and development of the brain tumors. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed by finding relevant cross-sectional and case-control studies from a large online database. Heterogeneity, OR, and corresponding 95% CI were applied to all studies by meta-analysis and forest plots. The analysis was performed using Stata Software v.14. Results: Twenty-three articles (33 datasets) were included in the meta-analysis, four (four datasets) of which were case/control studies and the rest were cross-sectional. The pooled prevalence of polyomaviruses among brain cancer patients was 13% (95% CI: 8–20%; I2 = 96.91%). In subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of JCV, SV40, BKV and Merkel cell polyomavirus was 20%, 8%, 6%, and 16%, respectively. An association was found between polyomavirus infection and brain cancer [summary OR 7.22 (95% CI (2.36–22.05); I2 = 0%)]. The subgroup analysis, based on the virus type, demonstrated a strong association between JCV infection and brain cancer development [summary OR 10.34 (95% CI 1.10–97.42; I2 = 0%)]. Conclusion: The present study showed a significant association between polyomavirus infection and brain tumors. Moreover, these results suggest that polyomavirus infection may be a potential risk factor for the development of brain cance