Journal of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
Volume:26 Issue: 2, Jun 2022

Erythropoietin plays a significant role in the growth of red blood cells, hemoglobin levels, and tissue oxygenation in critically ill patients, as well as anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of recombinant erythropoietin on improving COVID-19 patients.

This study was conducted on 20 COVID-19 participants with hemoglobin of ≥ 9. The inclusion criteria was at least one severe COVID-19 symptom/sign in this interventional study. The primary outcome was a combination of hospital stay length and paraclinical evaluation (LDH and hemoglobin level). The outcomes and side effects were evaluated on day 0 (before the intervention) and five (post-intervention).

The mean hemoglobin level was 10 ± 1.1 gr/dL in the intervention group and 8 ± 0.7 gr/dL in the control group posttreatment, indicating a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.04). The mean hospital stay length (6 ± 2 days) in the intervention group was significantly less than the control group (9 ± 4 days) (P = 0.001). At the end of the treatment, the mean LDH was significantly lower in the intervention group (503 ± 264 µ/L) than in the control group (725 ± 320 µ/L; P = 0.017).

According to the results, this study provides the first solid evidence for the positive effects of recombinant erythropoietin on COVID-19.

Restrictive measures caused by the COVID-19 have exposed the families’ structure to some critical issues such as reduced quality of life and increased domestic violence. For this reason, the study of psychological factors are essential in this regard.

The study aimed to predict the quality of life and violence against women during COVID-19 quarantine based on resilience and coping styles.

This descriptive correlation study was conducted on all married women in Karaj from October 1 to November 30, 2020. A total of 241 people were randomly selected as the sample and answered the questionnaires about coping styles, quality of life, violence against women, and resilience scale. The data were analysized by Pearson correlation test and regression analysis.

There was a significant positive relationship between resilience, efficient coping style, and quality of life, as well as a significant negative relationship between inefficient coping style and quality of life (P < 0.01). A significant negative relationship was observed between coping style with domestic violence, as well as a significant positive relationship between dysfunctional coping style and domestic violence (P < 0.01). Resilience and effective coping style predicted the quality of life, domestic violence, and ineffective coping style of domestic violence against women (P < 0.01).

According to the results, individual and psychological factors of people could play a significant role in the occurrence of violence and thus reduce their quality of life. In educational-therapeutic sessions, counselors and family therapists increased the quality of life and reduced violence by examining coping styles and resilience to use educational strategies in this area.

The increase in the elderly population is one of the most critical challenges facing various countries worldwide, including Iran. Medical and social problems are also rooted in this demographic problem.

This study aimed to evaluate the healthy aging themes from the perspectives of the elderly.

This qualitative study was conducted on all the elderly living in Shahrekord using thematic analysis among whom, 15 individuals were selected using the purposive sampling method based on the inclusion criteria. The sample size was determined considering data saturation. The participants took part in a semi-structured interview who were coded into three categories to analyze the data i.e., basic, organizing, and global themes through a thematic analysis approach.

The analyses indicated eight organizing themes, including satisfaction with marital life, healthy lifestyle, satisfaction with moral issues, spiritual orientation, independence and financial self-sufficiency, intra-generational dynamism, intergenerational dynamism, and social satisfaction. Finally, the global theme of dynamic aging was extracted by integrating the organizing themes.

According to the results, many factors, including marital, psychological, religious, family, economic, and social factors, are involved in dynamic aging. In addition tomaintaining a healthy lifestyle, the findings of this study can inform professionals who work with this demographic group about other factors that contribute to a healthy aging process.

Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for treating fever, discomfort, and inflammation. In addition, piroxicam inhibits cyclooxygenase and lowers prostaglandin synthesis, resulting in analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

This study used Franz diffusion cells made from rat skin primed with sesame, eucalyptus, olive, menthol, clove, and sunflower oils.

Control was hydrated rat skin. Permeability measurements include steady-state flux (Jss), permeability coefficient (Kp), and diffusion coefficient (D). FT-IR was used to compare changes in peak position, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), mean transition temperature, and the permeability enhancement methods of the penetration enhancer (Tm). The skin acted as a barrier to piroxicam permeability throughout the whole surface, indicating that drug flux was limited by diffusion into the skin.

The steady-state flux (Jss) of all penetration enhancers were not significantly different from control, except for clove and menthol oil (4 hours treated) and olive oil (2 and 4 hours treated).

Penetration enhancers improved drug permeability through rat skin. Sesame oil, menthol oil, and sesame oil were found to have higher ERflux, ERD, and ERP ratios than water-hydrated skin due to lipid fluidization, lipid structure disruption, and irreversible keratin denaturation.

A dysregulated iron metabolism can lead to a wide range of diseases, and investigating this issue is vital for the development of therapeutics. Furthermore, trace elements such as lanthanum have been shown to interfere with iron uptake.

Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the intestinal uptake of lanthanum and its competition with iron uptake.

This study was conducted using the everted gut sac method on freshly-prepared rat everted gut sacs, which were incubated in Earle’s medium, including iron and lanthanum. The effects of ascorbic acid, glucose, and time intervals were investigated on lanthanum and iron intestinal uptake. In addition, the interfering effect of lanthanum on iron uptake was scrutinized.

The absorption of iron and lanthanum is saturated at 200 mg/L concentration. Using ascorbic acid (as a reducing agent) and glucose (as an energy source) increase the absorption of these elements (P < 0.05), and lanthanum reduces iron uptake by up to 19.3%. The results revealed that the highest uptake occurs in 30 minutes in which, the average uptakes for iron and lanthanum was 36.6 and 17.6 µg, respectively.

According to the results, lanthanum reduces iron uptake because of competing with iron. Lanthanum could also interfere with iron metabolism and cause iron-related metabolic disorders. Further studies at the molecular and intracellular levels are required to understand this mechanism.

Numerous studies have proven that silymarin can fight cancer, but the results remain controversial.

This study aimed to determine the expression levels of SBDSP1 and CASC11 genes in HCT116 colon cancer cells to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of silymarin.

This study was conducted on HCT 116 cell lines, which were divided into groups treated with 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 µg/mL silymarin and control group. The silymarin cytotoxicity was checked using the MTT assay, and the apoptosis induction rate was determined using the annexin (An)-V/PI kit and flow cytometry. The real-time PCR was also used to examine the expression of the CASC11 and SBDSP1 genes. The data were compared using one-way analysis of variance between groups.

The cell survival was reduced based on concentration and time, and IC50 concentrations were observed in 30.94, 41.50, and 46.41 µg/mL at 24, 48, and 72 hours, respectively. In addition, the treatment with IC50 concentration significantly increased in apoptosis after 48 hours compared to the control. A decrease in expression of CASC11 and SBDSP1 genes was observed in HCT116 cells treated with IC50 concentrations after 24 and 48 hours.

According to the results, silymarin, as an active substance, declines survival, induces apoptosis, and reduces the expression of SBDSP1 and CASC11 genes on the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line based on concentration and time.

Hope is essential for MS patients to recognize favorable genetically challenging conditions and develop a positive outlook on life.

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of Snyder’s Adult Hope Scale (AHS) in Iranian females with multiple sclerosis (MS).

This cross-sectional study was conducted on all female patient members of the Iran MS Society of Tehran Province from November 2017 to August 2019. This study was used a convenience sampling method used to select a sample of 321 Iranian females with MS (age: 40.61 years, SD = 9.89). A series of questionnaires was administered to the participants, including sociodemographic data, hope (Snyder’s Adult Hope Scale; AHS), anxiety and depression (Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDIII), and self-efficacy (General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE)). Through the analysis of psychometric features of the AHS, construct validity was determined via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability was determined via Cronbach’s alpha, divergent validity was determined by examining the relationship between anxiety and depression, and convergent validity was determined using the General Self-efficacy Scale.

The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the data were well fit by a two-factor structure: sbX 2 = 66.93 (P < 0.01); SRMR = 0.07; CFI = 0.91; NFI = 0.90; IFI = 0.92; PNFI = 0.61; GFI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.079. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the Adult Hope Scale (AHS) was calculated as much as 31.28 (4.58). There was a significant negative correlation between AHS with the Beck’s Depression Inventory (r = -0.51; P < 0.01) and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (r = -0.42; P < 0.01). Additionally, it was observed that there was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and AHS (r = -0.41; P < 0.01).

According to the results, the 12-item AHS indicated good psychometric characteristics in assessing hope among Iranian females with MS. The AHS is one of the primary scales in assessing hope, which can be applied in clinical and research settings.

There are three broad types of food allergies, including IgE-mediated reactions, non-IgE-mediated reactions, and mixed reactions. The onset of IgE-mediated food allergies is usually rapid and can sometimes lead to serious illness. Non-IgEmediated and mixed types of food allergies can cause significant morbidity as a result of chronic disease.

This study aimed to compare various types of food allergies and discuss the basis of their different presentations.

This study was conducted on children aged 2 - 12 years old with signs or symptoms of food allergy in the allergy clinics of Azad University Hospitals, Tehran, Iran, from January 2019 to January 2020. Food allergy was evaluated in these patients by careful history, physical exam, skin prick test, and atopy patch test.

A positive family history of atopy was detected in the first-degree relatives of 82 (63%) patients. All the children were exclusively breastfed at the beginning. A total of 61 patients had positive skin prick test (SPT), and 68 patients had positive atopy patch test (APT) results. Among food allergens, a significant correlation was detected between positive atopic patch test results and hypersensitivity reactions to cow’s milk (P value = 0.001), beef (0.002), and tomato (0.04). There was the same significant correlation between positive skin prick test results, allergens, and wheat (P value = 0.01).

Although skin prick and atopy patch tests may help identify the culprit foods, oral food challenges are the mainstay of the diagnosis.