Homeodomain protein transforming growth factor beta-induced factor 2 like, X-linked function in colon adenocarcinoma cells

A member of homeodomain protein namely TGIF2LX has been implicated as a tumor suppressor gene in human malignancy as well as in spermatogenesis. However, to our knowledge, dynamic functional evidence of the TGIF2LX has not yet been provided. The aim of the present study was to investigate the human TGIF2LX target gene(s) using a cDNA-AFLP as a differential display method. A pEGFP-TGIF2LX construct containing the wild-type TGIF2LX cDNA was stably transfected into SW48 cells. UV microscopic analysis and Real-time RT-PCR were used to confirm TGIF2LX expression. The mRNA expressions of TGIF2LX in transfected SW48 cells, the cells containing empty vector (pEGFP-N), and untransfected cells were compared. Also, a Real-time PCR technique was applied to validate cDNA-AFLP results. The results revealed a significant down-regulation and up-regulationby TGIF2LX of Nir1 and Nir2 genes, respectively. The genes are engaged in the cell morphogenesis process. Our findings may provide new insight into the complex molecular pathways underlying colorectal cancer development

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum probiotics on the serum biochemical parameters, and the vitamin D and leptin receptor genes on mice colon cancer

Objective(s): The preclinical reports have shown that specific probiotics like Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) can be applied as the biotherapeutic agents in the inhibition or therapy of colorectal cancer via the modification of gut bacteria. In the previous studies, we have assessed the impact of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum probiotics on gut bacteria concentration and also their chemo-protective impact on mice colon cancer. In the following, we assessed the effects of these probiotics on the  gene expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the leptin receptor (LPR) and the serum biochemical parameters on mice colon cancer. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six male BALB/c mice were equally shared into 4 groups; (i) health with routine dietary foods without any treatment, (ii) azoxymethane (AOM)-induced mice colon cancer with common dietary foods, (iii) and (iv) AOM-induced mice colon cancer with oral consumption of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum (1×109 cfu/g) for 5 months, respectively. Then, the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin and also VDR and LPR genes expression were evaluated. Results: Oral consumption of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum probiotics significantly decreased the triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, LDL, and also the VDR and LPR gene expression in mice colon cancer (

Effects of symbiotic and vitamin E supplementation on blood pressure, nitric oxide and inflammatory factors in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been suggested to be well correlated with altered blood pressure. This study was conducted to determine the effects of symbiotic and vitamin E supplementation on blood pressure and inflammatory indices of patients with NAFLD. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed among 60 NAFLD patients aged 25 to 64 years old. Participants were randomly divided into four groups to receive a 400 IU alpha-tocopherol and 2 × 108 CFU/g symbiotic supplement for 8 weeks. The anthropometric parameters, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention. After 8 weeks of intervention, combined symbiotic and alpha-tocopherol, symbiotic and alpha-tocopherol lone administration, compared with the placebo, resulted in significant decreases in SBP (-17.07±2.1, -16.07±3.56, -1.73±2.25 and -1.55±3.01 mmHg, P=0.01), serum MDA (-1.19±0.5, -0.12±0.65, 0.14 ± 0.64 and 0.16±0.34 nmol/mL, P<0.001), serum TNFα (-15.62±13.93, -9.24±7.12, -11.44 ± 15.47 and 3.01±1.71 pg/ml, P<0.001) concentrations. A significant decrease in serum AST (-11.36±4.52, -7.43±8.58, -5.93±6.61 and 2.5±5.75 μmol/L, P <0.001), ALT (-12.79±3.65, -3.66±6.81, -6.54±7.66 and 4.16±3.43 μmol/L, P <0.001) and ALP (-26.8±11.1, -4.56±9.22, -14.48±12.22 and 5.19±2.64 μmol/L, P <0.001) was seen. Variations in DBP and serum NO concentration were not significant. Alpha-tocopherol and symbiotic supplementation among patients with NAFLD resulted in decreased SBP, serum MDA, TNFα levels and enzymes liver; however, they did not affect DBP and serum NO concentration

Effect of saffron supplementation on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized placebo‐controlled trials

Oxidative stress (OS), the absence of equilibrium between prooxidants and antioxi dants in the body, has been shown to play a pivotal role in the initiation and pro gression of many diseases. Saffron has been noted for its antioxidant capacity and can be used to improve OS parameters in unhealthy patients. Our aim was to evalu ate the efficacy of saffron supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy patients in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restrictions for RCTs up until April 2021. Studies were included if they compared any form of saffron sup plementation to placebo or no supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy pa tients. Using a random-effects model with calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), we quantitatively synthesized the data. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochrane's I 2 values. Ten randomized controlled trials were eligible for this review. Seven were included in the meta-analysis and indicated an association between saffron intake and a statistically significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (SMD: −0.40; 95% CI: −0.63, −0.17; I 2 = 32.6%) and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC, SMD: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.42; I 2 = 00.0%). Saffron intake was shown to significantly impact MDA and TAC, indicating its beneficial properties in improving OS in unhealthy patients. However, additional RCTs are required to evaluate the effect on other OS parameters.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparing the Prevalence of Constipation Risk Factors in the Elderly With and Without Constipation in Hazrat-e Rasoul (PBUH) Hospital

Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with constipation among elderly people. Constipation is a common condition affecting elderly people and may lead to complications such as urinary retention and overflow incontinence. Methods & Materials This case-control study was conducted on 100 consecutive patients, aged 65 years and older (50 with constipation according to ROME III criteria and 50 without constipation) who were referred to the Gastrointestinal Clinic of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital. For statistical analysis of the data obtained, SPSS &nbsp;(version 16) for Windows was used. Results The frequencies of using polypharmacy, calcium channel blocker, anticholinergic drugs, also factors such as immobilization, dehydration, low fiber diet, diabetes, hypothyroidism, stroke, malignancy, renal failure, and Parkinson disease were higher in patients with constipation compared to those without this complaint. There was no significant difference in consumption of opium or having depression. Conclusion By eliminating the risk factors of constipation, we can reduce constipation and the side effects of using laxatives in the elderly

Comparison of azithromycin and metronidazole in a quadruple-therapy regimen for <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> eradication in dyspepsia

Background/Aim: Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric neoplasms . Therefore, it is necessary to select an effective regimen for H pylori eradication . The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two quadruple-therapy regimens-one with azithromycin and the other with metronidazole-for H pylori eradication in patients with dyspepsia. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted in Rasoule-Akram Hospital in 2006, we included 60 patients (aged 15-70 years) who had dyspepsia and H pylori infection as diagnosed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and rapid urease test. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a quadruple-therapy regimen for 2 weeks: 1) the MAO-B group (n = 30) received metronidazole 500 mg b.i.d, amoxicillin 1g b.i.d, omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d, and bismuth 240 mg b.i.d and 2) the AAO-B group (n = 30) received azithromycin 500 mg once daily for 1 week and amoxicillin 1g b.i.d, omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d, and bismuth 240 mg b.i.d for 2 weeks). H pylori eradication was assessed by the rapid urease test (RUT) 2 months after the cessation of treatment . Results: H pylori was eradicated in 68&#x0025; and 69&#x0025; of patients in the MAO-B and AAO-B groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in H pylori eradication rates between the two groups (P = 0.939). Conclusion: No significant difference exists between the two quadruple-therapy regimens that were tested

Impact of Best-Fitted Control Selection on Effect Size: An Example in Functional GI Disorder Case–Control Studies

Background: Effect sizes are the most useful quantities for communicating the practical significance of results and helping to facilitate cumulative science. We hypothesize that the selection of the best-fitted controls can significantly affect the estimated effect sizes in case–control studies. Therefore, we decided to exemplify and clarify this effect on effect size using a large data set. The objective of this study was to investigate the association among variables in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and mental health problems, common ailments that reduce the quality of life of a large proportion of the community worldwide. Method: In this methodological study, we constitute case and control groups in our study framework using the Epidemiology of Psychological, Alimentary Health and Nutrition (SEPAHAN) dataset of 4763 participants. We devised four definitions for control in this extensive database of FGID patients and analyzed the effect of these definitions on the odds ratio (OR): 1. conventional control: without target disorder/syndrome (sample size 4040); 2. without any positive criteria: criterion-free control (sample size 1053); 3. syndrome-free control: without any disorder/syndrome (sample size 847); 4. symptom-free control: without any symptoms (sample size 204). We considered a fixed case group that included 723 patients with a Rome III-based definition of functional dyspepsia. Psychological distress, anxiety, and depression were considered as dependent variables in the analysis. Logistic regression was used for association analysis, and the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for OR were reported as the effect size. Results: The estimated ORs indicate that the strength of the association in the first case–control group is the lowest, and the fourth case–control group, including controls with completely asymptomatic people, is the highest. Ascending effect sizes were obtained in the conventional, criterion-free, syndrome-free, and symptom-free control groups. These results are consistent for all three psychological disorders, psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: This study shows that a precise definition of the control is mandatory in every case–control study and affects the estimated effect size. In clinical settings, the selection of symptomatic controls using the conventional definition could significantly diminish the effect size

Prevalence and risk factors of isolated anti-HBc antibody and occult hepatitis B infection in hemodialysis patients: a nationwide study

Background. Recent studies have demonstrated that prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission remains a challenge in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study is to explore factors which increase the possibility of occult HBV (OHB) infection in patients under HD in Iran.Material and methods. Among 2188 cases who spent an average of 60.2 ± 61.1 months under HD, we selected 103 cases with isolated antihepatitis B virus core antibody (anti-HBc) and 231 controls without any HBV, hepatitis D virus (HDV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) serologic markers. Socio-demographic data, past medical history, and clinical signs and symptoms were assessed.Results. The frequency of checking hepatitis B serologic markers was 15.3%. The rate of OHB infection in HD patients who were monitored for their HBV markers was 4.9%. Cases with isolated anti-HBc had significantly higher percentage of positive HBV DNA [odds ratio: OR (95% confidence interval: 95% CI) = 12.1 (1.4–105)], visual disturbances [OR (95% CI) = 1.8 (1.1–3.03)], history of diabetes mellitus [OR (95% CI) = 2.1 (1.3–3.5)], higher age, higher age when dialysis started and were mostly married, illiterate, disabled and retired. Diabetes mellitus was the only independent predictor of HBV DNA status in cases with isolated anti-HBc.Conclusion. In our region, OHB infection is prevalent among hemodialysis patients and displays a direct correlation with factors which are age related except diabetes mellitus. Thus, the presence of isolated anti-HBc should prompt the clinician to evaluate a possible OHB infection especially when it is detected in conjunction with a history of diabetes mellitus

Short term effects of ginger on quality of life, disease activity index, inflammatory and oxidative stress factors in ulcerative colitis

Background: Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are the two essential factors determining ulcerative colitis (UC) onset and severity status. In present study, we aimed to investigate short-term effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) as a well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent on the quality of life, disease activity index and some of inflammatory and oxidative stress factors in patients with active mild to moderate UC. Methods: This study was a double blind placebo controlled randomized clinical trial conducted in nutrition and diet therapy clinic of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran, from October 2017 to June 2018. Forty-six patients with active mild to moderate UC daily consumed four capsules of 500 mg dried ginger powder or similar placebo through eating their meals for 6 weeks. Before and after intervention, we analyzed patient´s scores of disease activity index, by simple clinical colitis activity index questionnaire (SCCAIQ) as well as their quality of life using inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire-9 (IBDQ-9). We also measured serum concentrations of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), high sensitive (hs)-CRP and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in fasted blood samples of each participant. Additionally, anthropometric and dietary intake values of energy, macro/micronutrients and minerals of all of participants were assessed at the same time. Results: While the mean of anthropometric measures and dietary intake values remained unchanged during the study, MDA level decreased in ginger group (P=0.04) compared with placebo group. Additionally, ginger supplementation successfully lowered serum levels of TNF-α and disease activity index after 6 weeks of intervention compared with baseline in ginger consumer group, however the increase of quality of life score was not statistically significant in mentioned group versus baseline values. No significant change in other study outcomes was observed at the end of 6 weeks within and between groups. Conclusion: Our data indicates that two grams per day supplementation with dried ginger powder can reduce oxidative stress level of patients with active mild to moderate UC

Hepatitis C virus infection in dialysis patients

Despite the introduction of strict hygienic precautions preventing infection spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in dialysis settings, this infection is still prevalent among dialysis patients due to procedures making the patients vulnerable to infection through blood contamination. Treatment of HCV infection in dialysis patients is also less successful than that in the non-uremic population due to contraindication of using ribavirin, a main drug, in the infected patients. In this review article we aim to investigate the feasibility of the current antiviral therapies in dialysis patients infected with HCV infection