mohammadmahdi naghizadeh

Covid-19 disease as a pandemic with high spreading power and a wide range of clinical symptoms and lack of definitive treatment is a challenge for mankind in recent years. The antiviral response of type 1 interferon against the SARS-COV-2 virus is one of the most important pathways of the innate immune system in dealing with this disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of two genes, ly6e and usp18, with the severity of clinical symptoms in patients with covid-19.

Peripheral blood samples were prepared from patients and their DNA was extracted, then the expression of ly6e and usp18 genes was measured by real-time PCR method. cDNA samples were first amplified using specific primers. Data analysis was performed using chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. A significance level of 0.05 was considered.

The expression of the ly6e gene was significantly (p=0.008) decreased in the hospitalized group compared to the control group. No significant difference was seen in the expression of the usp18 gene among the studied groups.

Proper expression of ly6e protein can be related to controlling the severity of clinical symptoms of covid-19 disease.

Interleukin-6 is one of the cytokines whose increase and role in the pathogenesis of Covid-19 has been reported in various studies. Interleukin-6 affects environmental factors and genes, including polymorphic sites in the IL-6 gene. In the present study, the rs1800795 polymorphism located in the IL6 gene region was investigated.

Participants in this study were divided into outpatient (n=245) and inpatient (n=245) groups due to COVID-19. Peripheral blood samples were taken from patients and their DNA was extracted, then rs1800795 polymorphism genotype was measured by Tetra Arms PCR. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and Chi-Square and t-test students.

The mean age of patients in the outpatient group was        41.6±12.3 years but in the inpatient group was 61±17.1 years (P-value <0.001); There was also a significant difference in the frequency of smokers and patients with kidney problems (P-value <0.05) as well as patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and a history of heart disease (P-value <0.001) in outpatient and inpatient groups. The frequency of G alleles in the inpatient group was significantly lower than the outpatient group (P-value = 0.045).

The frequency of polymorphism variants of rs1800795 interleukin-6 varies in different groups of Covid-19 patients with varying degrees of clinical symptoms, and the G allele may possibly play a protective role against COVID-19.

Regulatory T Cells (Treg) are the subgroups of lymphocytes that control inflammatory responses and regulate homeostasis processes through cellular contact and the secretion of soluble agents. We investigated the frequency of Treg in peripheral blood of sulfur mustard exposed patients with CD4, CD25, CD127, FOXP3, and CD45RA markers, compared with healthy individuals and the correlation between frequency of these cells and long-term pulmonary complications.

In total, 12 sulfur mustard exposed patients and 12 healthy volunteers were invited. Clinical inspections of both groups were performed by pulmonary specialists and spyrometric‎ evaluation that pulmonary function test operators conducted. After the isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the frequency of Treg cells was determined by flowcytometry.

The frequency of Treg cells was not significantly different in those exposed to sulfur mustard. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between spyrometric parameters and the frequency of these cells.

According to the current study data, there is no difference in the frequency of Treg cells between exposed patients with mild pulmonary complications and healthy volunteers. Thus, further studies are required to understand the role of these cells in the severity of pulmonary complications of these patients.

Increasing of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Covid-19 patients has been reported in various studies. Genetic variants of the IL-6 receptor are involved in the beginning and progression of severe infections, autoimmunity, and also inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between SNP (rs2228145) of IL-6 receptor with the severity of Covid-19 patients.

In the present cross-sectional and analytical study, 180 patients with Covid-19 entered voluntarily and were classified based on the severity of the disease in 4 groups: mild (90 patients, age 46.40 ± 15.8), moderate (45 patients, age 50.4 ±16.4), severe (25 patients, age 59.70 ±24) and critical (20 patients, age 15.30 ± 60.8). Peripheral blood samples were taken from patients and after DNA extraction, genotyping was performed by RFLP PCR and electrophoresis on 2% agarose gel. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and Chi-Square or ANOVA.

The mean age of patients in the outpatient group and the intubated inpatients were 46.40 ± 15.8 and 60.30 ± 15.8, respectively (P-value <0.001). Also, the frequency of diabetic patients in the outpatient group and intubated group were about 21% and 45%, respectively (P-value <0.05). A significant difference was observed in the CC genotype between outpatient and inpatient groups (P-value <0.01) as well as intubated patients (P-value <0.05).

The frequency of rs2228145 variants in Covid-19 patients with different severity is diverse and CC genotype can be a predictor of prognosis in admission to the ICU and intubation.

Functional bloating is one of the gastrointestinal diseases that impacts the quality of life and social activities of the patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle modification based on Persian Medicine (PM) on functional bloating improvement. Fifty patients with functional bloating and ROME III confirmation criteria were enrolled in the study groups of control and intervention. The intervention group received lifestyle modification education based on PM perspectives, and the control group did not receive any training. The score of implementing PM recommendations by patients was evaluated by the questionnaire of “compliance with the PM principles effective on functional bloating” once every two weeks during the two months of the study. The severity of clinical Complications Associated with Functional Bloating (CAFB) was also evaluated before and after the study by visual analog scale. Primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed by t-test and ANCOVA in SPSS version 19. The qualitative data analysis was performed via Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. The severity of clinical CAFB was significantly higher in women at baseline (P = 0.027). Lifestyle modification of patients led to a gradual increase in compliance with the PM principles. By the end of the study, the mean score of compliance with the PM principles in the intervention group was significantly higher compared to the pre-intervention score (P<0.0001) and also compared to the control group (P < 0.0001). Besides, the educational intervention resulted in a significant decrease (51.8%) in the mean severity of all clinical CAFB in the intervention group before and after training (P < 0.0001) and between the control group and the intervention group (P < 0.0001). Therefore, Lifestyle modification based on PM probably can be effective in improving the clinical complications of functional bloating.

Oral candidiasis is often caused by Candida albicans, followed by C. dubliniensis, C. parapsilosis, and C. glabrata. The present study aimed to investigate the antifungal effects of Rosa damascena (R. damascena) essential oil, mixed mouthwash of R. damascena essential oil and grape vinegar, as well as nystatin against various standard Candida species.

This descriptive study was performed on 5 standard strains of various Candida species. The anti-Candida effects of R. damascena and mixed mouthwash against various Candida strains were assessed using well diffusion and broth macrodilution methods. Nystatin was utilized as a positive control drug.

The results of the well diffusion assay of  R. damascena essential oil and mixed mouthwash were 17 and 6 mm regarding C. albicans strains, respectively, and 15 mm and 0 regarding other Candida strains, respectively. With respect to the results obtained from broth macrodilution test, the minimum inhibitory concentration of R. damascena essential oil and mixed mouthwash were found to be 8 and 6 µg/ml, 124 and 12 µg/ml, 31 and 12 µg/ml, as well as 62 and 25 µg/ml for C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata , and C. parapsilosis, respectively. Moreover, C. albicans was the most sensitive Candida species to R. damascena essential oil and the mixed mouthwash.

The results showed that R. damascena essential oil and mixed mouthwash remarkably led to the inhibition of Candida species growth causing oral candidiasis.

Postoperative hypothermia is physiologically stressful by elevating blood pressure, heart rate and plasma catecholamine concentration. This study conducted to evaluate the effects of intravenous fluids temperature on perioperative hemodynamic situation.

This was a randomized clinical trial study Perioperative pulse rate, blood pressure, intraoperative esophageal and skin temperature were measured in 60 volunteer patients undergoing orthopedic surgeries subjects randomly divided into two groups according to intraoperative IV fluids management. In 30 patients (hypothermia group) all IV fluids infused were at room temperature. In the other 30 patients (normothermia group) all IV fluids were warmed using and dry IV fluid warmer.

The core and skin temperature of hypothermia and normothermia group decreased significantly from induction of anesthesia toward end of surgery but its reduction was more in hypothermia group (P<0.005). Postoperative mean arterial blood pressure increased significantly more in hypothermia group versus normothermia group (P<0.005). Shivering was observed in 21 of 30 hypothermia and 11 of 30 normothermia group (p<0.005) and recovery time was significantly lower in normothermia group (36±5 vs. 26±3 min, P<0.005).

Infusion of warm fluids helps to reduce the variation of postoperative mean arterial blood pressure, core and skin temperature, occurrence of shivering and recovery time.