Evaluation the salivary zinc assay as a potential diagnostic tool in potential malignant lesions of oral cavity

Salivary analysis, a non-invasive alternative to serum analysis, is an effective modality for diagnosis and for prognosis prediction of various diseases like oral cancer and even oral potentially malignant disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of zinc (Zn) in saliva of patients with oral leukoplakia (OL) and to compare the values with healthy controls. The study group comprised of15  clinically diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed cases of OL and 15 healthy controls matched in age and gender. The data were assessed statistically using SPSS. It  was observed a slight decrease in OL patients(151.73 ±11.37 )compared with controls (156.13±10.12).However ,it was statistically insignificant  (P>0.05). Further research is needed in this line in patients with oral potential malignant disorders with higher sample size in order to correlate habit and diet pattern which may affect the Zn status. تحليل اللعاب هو بديل غير باضع للنسج كما أنه وسيلة فعالة لتشخيص والتنبؤ بإنذار العديد من الأمراض مثل سرطان الفم والآفات محتملة الخباثة .هدف هذه الدراسة تقييم مستويات الزنك في اللعاب لدى مرضى الطلاوة الفموية ومقارنة هذه القيم مع المجموعة الضابطة . مجموعة الدراسة ضمت 15 حالة طلاوة مشخصة سريرياً ونسيجياً و15 من الضوابط المطابقة في العمر والجنس . المعطيات قيمت إحصائياً باستخدام برنامج التحليل الإحصائي SPSS.كان هناك انخفاض في مستويات الزنك 151.73 ±11.37 عند مرضى الطلاوة مقارنة بالمجموعة الضابطة التي أظهرت مستويات أعلى 156.13±10.12ولكن هذا الانخفاض ليس ذو دلالة إحصائياً حيث (P>0.05).هناك حاجة إلى مزيد من البحث في هذا المجال في المرضى الذين يعانون من آفات فموية محتملة الخباثة بحجم عينة أكبر بهدف ربط نمط التغذية و العادات التي يمكن أن تؤثر على حالة الزنك

Biological therapy of strontium-substituted bioglass for soft tissue wound-healing: Responses to oxidative stress in ovariectomised rats.

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.International audienceNew synthetic biomaterials are constantly being developed for wound repair and regeneration. Bioactive glasses (BG) containing strontium have shown successful applications in tissue engineering account of their biocompatibility and the positive biological effects after implantation. This study aimed to assess whether BG-Sr was accepted by the host tissue and to characterize oxidative stress biomarker and antioxidant enzyme profiles during muscle and skin healing. Wistar rats were divided into five groups (six animals per group): the group (I) was used as negative control (T), after ovariectomy, groups II, III, IV and V were used respectively as positive control (OVX), implanted tissue with BG (OVX-BG), BG-Sr (OVX-BG-Sr) and presented empty defects (OVX-NI). Soft tissues surrounding biomaterials were used to estimate superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Our results show that 60 days after operation, treatment of rats with BG-Sr significantly increased MDA concentration and caused an increase of SOD, CAT and GPx activities in both skin and muscular tissues. BG-Sr revealed maturation of myotubes followed a normal appearance of muscle regenerated with high density and mature capillary vessels. High wound recovery with complete re-epithelialization and regeneration of skin was observed. The results demonstrate that the protective action against reactive oxygen species (ROS) was clearly observed in soft tissue surrounding BG-Sr. Moreover, the potential use of BG-Sr rapidly restores the wound skin and muscle structural and functional properties. The BG advantages such as ion release might make BG-Sr an effective biomaterial choice for antioxidative activity

A Review: Role of oxidative stress in male infertility

Recent studies have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a very important role in the intracellular signaling process in physiological conditions. On the other hand, during the recent decade it has been indicated that ROS play a role in various types of male infertility and it is due to the overproduction of ROS or decrease in the antioxidant defense system in the reproductive system and sperm. In pathological conditions, ROS via interferences in the spermatogenesis process, sperm function, and sperm structure (motility, viability, acrosome reaction, sperm-oocyte fusion, and damage to DNA and cell membrane) as well as reduction in fertilization and implantation can lead to infertility. Knowledge of how ROS affect the physiological process of the reproductive system is crucial in the treatment of infertility. Thus, in this review article we will discuss experimental and clinical findings related to the effects of ROS on male fertility

An overview of the role of bacterial infection in male infertility

An important cause of male infertility is the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract. These infections affect sperm cell function and whole spermatogenesis and also cause deterioration in spermatogenesis, obstruction of the seminal tract, and impairment of spermatozoa function. The most important bacteria associated with genitourinary tract infections include chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and genital mycoplasma species. Inappropriate or delayed therapy of the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract will lead to reduced fertility and, subsequently in severe cases, infertility. In other words, a good understanding of the interaction between bacterial infections and the reproductive system plays an important role in the treatment of infertile men. In this review article, we will discuss clinical and laboratory findings related to the bacterial infection of the genitourinary tract and its effects on male infertility

Association between spexin, nutritional status of pregnant women with excessive gestational weight gain, and newborn weight: A cross-sectional study

Summary: Introduction: Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) is associated with adverse effects on the life of the mother and the neonate. Spexin (SPX) is considered as a new factor involved in glucose homeostasis, body weight and fat metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between blood SPX concentration and the nutritional status of mothers with EGWG, Apgar score and the weight of the neonates. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Zahedan, Iran in 2021. The study sample includes 30 pregnant mothers with normal weight gain and 30 pregnant mothers with EGWG. Demographic questionnaire and 24-hour dietary recall (24-hr) were completed. The mothers' weight was recorded, and the birth weight and Apgar scores of the neonates were measured. The concentration of SPX in the blood sample of the pregnant mother and the umbilical cord blood of the newborn at the time of delivery was measured by a SPX kit with the ELISA method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS; 21. P  0.05). Weight gain during pregnancy, energy, carbohydrate and protein intake in EGWG mothers were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). In mothers with normal weight gain, the serum spexin showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.430) with 5-minute Apgar score. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference in the concentration of SPX between mothers and neonates in the group with normal weight gain compared to the EGWG group. This suggests that SPX may play a role in regulating weight gain during pregnancy. However, there was no significant difference in birth weight between the two groups, indicating that other factors may also contribute to birth weight. Additionally, mothers with EGWG had higher energy, carbohydrate, and protein intake compared to those with normal weight gain. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between serum SPX levels and 5-minute Apgar score in mothers with normal weight gain. This suggests that SPX may also have an impact on fetal well-being during pregnancy

Knowledge of pregnant women about congenital anomalies: A cross-sectional study in north of Iran

Background: Proper knowledge about risk factors and prevention of congenital malformations in pregnant women can lead to primary prevention of disease. The aim of this study was to explore pregnant women′s knowledge about congenital anomalies, risk factors, and prevention in relation to their sociodemographic profile. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of the expecting mother′s population was conducted over 3 months. Data collection was done through a questionnaire completed in face to face interviews using simple nonrandom sampling method in 150 pregnant women who visited the prenatal clinics in Rasht. The questionnaire contained 6 questions about specific knowledge and 12 questions for risk factors and prevention of congenital anomalies. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, as well as multivariate regression analysis was performed using SPSS 21 software. Results: The overall knowledge of pregnant women about congenital anomalies showed a significant relationship with age (P = 0.001) and the level of education (P = 0.000). However, there was not a significant relationship between overall knowledge and parity (P = 0.183) and the number of antenatal visits (P = 0.097). The participant who had High School and University education had the highest score in overall knowledge about the disorder. The age group 41-50 years had the lowest overall knowledge about the disorder. Conclusions: There is a need for public programs to increase awareness about congenital anomalies in pregnant women and people. Use of genetic counseling for families at risk for congenital anomalies is proposed

Lifestyles in suburban populations: A systematic review

Background: Lifestyle and suburban population are important issues in the field of health. The living conditions of informal settlements can lead to acquisition of an unhealthy lifestyle. Objective: This study has been designed to investigate the articles that have been published regarding lifestyle in suburban populations. Methods: The present research was a systematic review of studies in databases including Iranmedex, Magiran, SID, Irandoc, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus, in 2017. All Persian and English papers written from 2000 to 2017 were evaluated by two reviewers using an advanced search of the databases with keywords related to lifestyles and suburban population. After completion of the search, the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was used to evaluate the articles. Results: In total, 19 articles were found to have addressed the lifestyle in suburban populations. The results of these studies showed an unhealthy lifestyle in the most informal settlements. There was no food diversity. Malnutrition was common, especially overweight. The majority of the people did not have enough physical activity, and smoking and alcohol consumption were common, especially in men. Conclusion: Studies showed that suburban populations are among the groups that have unfavorable environmental conditions to acquiring healthy lifestyle and maintaining appropriate health. Therefore, developing infrastructure, improving health services (environment, treatment of diseases, reduction of malnutrition and infant mortality, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, improving waste disposal and recycling it), improving education and smoking prevention programs in improving lifestyle is recommended

Comparison the effects of Ginger and Curcumin in treatment of premenstrual syndrome

Background: Most women at reproductive ages experience the premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Different methods have been suggested for the treatment of this syndrome and one of them is using herbal medicine. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of ginger and curcumin on severity of symptoms of PMS. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, 105 students with PMS symptoms were randomly assigned to ginger, curcumin and placebo groups. Participants received two capsules daily from seven days before menstruation to three days after menstruation for three cycles and they recorded severity of the symptoms by Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) questionnaire. Data of before interventions and 1, 2 and 3 months after interventions were analyzed by repeated measurement ANOVA and indepented t-test. SPSS-18 software was used for analyses and P<0/05 was considered significant. Results: The mean of PMS symptoms severity were similar in three groups before the intervention [( 110/2&plusmn;30/7 in ginger group, 103/6&plusmn;39/1 in curcumin group and106/7&plusmn;44/65 in placebo group) p=0/79], but after interventions there were significant differences between groups [(47/06 &plusmn;33/4 in ginger group, 29/74&plusmn;11/6 in curcumin group and106&plusmn;48/7 in placebo group) P<0/0001]. Also, there was a significant difference between effects of curcumin and ginger (P=0/008). Conclusion: Ginger and curcumin are effective in reduction of severity of psychological, physical and behavioral symptoms of PMS and the effect of curcumin is more than ginger. Results of present study suggest curcumin and ginger as treatment for PMS

Disrupted neuregulin 1-ErbB4 signaling: Consequences of prenatal morphine exposure in rat pups and molecular gateway to neurological impairment

Objective: Morphine exposure during pregnancy has detrimental effects on both the mother and her offspring, both during and after childbirth. This study aimed to investigate the impact of prenatal morphine exposure on rat pups and dams, specifically focusing on changes in Neuregulin-1 (Nrg-1)/ErbB4 gene expression, inflammation, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Materials and methods: Twenty female rats were randomized into two experimental groups:1-Morphine Group: Dams received morphine throughout pregnancy. 2-Control Group: Dams received no interventions.At the end of gestation, blood samples were collected from the dams. Subsequently, dams and their pups underwent tissue collection from the cortical area of the brain to evaluate the following parameters: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).Additionally, RNA was extracted from the pup's cortical brain tissue for the assessment of gene expression levels of Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) and ErbB-4 using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qrt-PCR). Results: The molecular investigation revealed a decrease in NRG-1 and ErbB-4 expressions in the brain cortex of offspring exposed to morphine during prenatal development. Additionally, the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in both the serum and brain of both the mothers and their offspring in the morphine group were significantly higher compared to the control group. The morphine-exposed group also exhibited significantly lower levels of TAC and higher levels of MDA, indicating increased oxidative stress. Furthermore, the levels of BDNF in the morphine group were significantly lower compared to the control group. Conclusion: Prenatal morphine exposure in rats has detrimental effects on both the dams and their offspring. This study demonstrates that prenatal morphine exposure disrupts critical molecular pathways involved in neurodevelopment, inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotrophic signaling. These findings suggest that prenatal morphine exposure can have long-lasting consequences for the offspring, potentially contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders and other health issues later in life