Advanced Biomedical Research
Volume:11 Issue: 2, Feb 2021

Protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is based on the presence of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Vaccination of newborns is the most effective means of prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of anti‑HBs antibody (anti‑HBsAb), anti‑HB core Ab (anti‑HBcAb), HBsAg, and HBV DNA among university students in Fars province, Southern Iran.

In this cross‑sectional study, 272 students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were enrolled. Venous blood (5 mL) was collected from each participant and centrifuged; the sera were stored at −20°C until use. Anti‑HBsAb, Anti‑HBcAb, and HBsAg were measured using a commercial enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay kit. HBV DNA load was also measured by a real‑time polymerase chain reaction.

The mean age of the participants was 19 ± 1 years. There were 171 (62.9%) females and 101 (37.1%) males. Anti‑HBsAb at a protective level (>10 mIU/mL) were detected in the sera of 104 (38.5%) of the cases. Of the anti‑HBsAb seropositive participants, 82 were female and 22 were male; the difference between the gender and seropositivity to anti‑HBsAb was statistically significant (P = 0.001, odds ratio: 3.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.89–5.79). Anti‑HBcAb was detected in only one participant that was negative for both HBsAg and HBV DNA.

Findings of the current study show that more than half of the students do not have a protective level of anti‑HBsAb and might be susceptible to HBV infection, indicating the necessity of checking the level of anti‑HBsAb as well as a booster dose in high‑risk groups.

Different genetic variants, including the single‑nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present in microRNA recognition elements (MREs) within 3’UTR of genes, can affect miRNA‑mediated gene regulation and susceptibility to a variety of human diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease of the central nervous system. Since the expression of many genes associated with MS is controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), the aim of this study was to analyze SNPs within miRNA binding sites of some neuronal genes associated with MS.

Fifty‑seven neuronal genes related to MS were achieved using dbGaP, DAVID, DisGeNET, and Oviddatabases. 3’UTR of candidate genes were assessed for SNPs, and miRNAs’ target prediction databases were used for predicting miRNA binding sites.

Three hundred and eight SNPs (minor allele frequency >0.05) were identified in miRNA binding sites of 3’UTR of 44 genes. Among them, 42 SNPs in 22 genes had miRNA binding sites and miRNA prediction tools suggested 71 putative miRNAs binding sites on these genes. Moreover, in silico analysis predicted 22 MRE‑modulating SNPs and 22 MRE‑creating SNPs in the 3’UTR of these candidate genes.

These candidate MRE‑SNPs can alter miRNAs binding sites and mRNA gene regulation. Therefore, these genetic variants and miRNAs might be involved in MS susceptibility and pathogenesis and hence would be valuable for further functional verification investigation.

Patients with somatic symptom disorder (SSD) had a poor quality of life and suffered from depression, anxiety, and stress. Mindfulness‑based stress reduction (MBSR) is a psychological treatment with remarkable effects on several psychological disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the MBSR program on psychological symptoms, quality of life, and symptom severity in patients with SSD.

The patients with SSD were randomly divided into two groups of receiving venlafaxine alone and venlafaxine with an 8‑week MBSR program. Depression, anxiety, and stress with their severities were assessed along with the quality of life, the number of physical symptoms and their severities, as well as SSD severity before and after the intervention. Subsequently, the results were compared between the two groups.

This study included 37 patients with SSD who referred to Shariati Psychosomatic Clinic, Isfahan, Iran, with a mean age of 37.08 ± 8.26 years. It should be noted that 37.8% of the participants were male. The intervention group obtained significantly lower scores in depression, anxiety, stress, and their severities, compared to the control group. Moreover, the number of physical symptoms, their severity, and the severity of SSD were significantly decreased more in the intervention group rather than the controls.

The MBSR accompanied by prescribing venlafaxine can significantly reduce the severity of SSD, as well as the number and severity of physical symptoms. Moreover, it can reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and their severity. The MBSR can be used as complementary medicine for the treatment of patients with SSD.

Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is a secondary headache with a cervical source that radiates pain to the head or face. Accordingly, one reason of CGH is myofascial trigger points. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of one session dry needling (DN) of myofascial trigger points of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle in patients with CGH.

In this before‑and‑after clinical trial, 16 females aged 18–60 years with a clinical diagnosis of CGH were enrolled. All of the patients received one session DN into the myofascial trigger points of the SCM muscle. Headache index (HI), headache duration, headache frequency, and headache disability index (HDI) were assessed at 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the intervention. This study was registered in Clinical Trials as IRCT20181109041599N1.

One session DN into myofascial trigger points of the SCM muscle showed a significant improvement in HI (P < 0.001). Duration and frequency of headache as well as HDI significantly reduced after intervention (P < 0.001).

One session DN into myofascial trigger points of the SCM muscle was effective on improvement of HI, headache duration, headache frequency, and HDI in patients with CGH.