Journal of Advances in Medical and Biomedical Research
Volume:31 Issue: 145, Mar-Apr 2023

 Vascular stenosis is one of the causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Implementing appropriate therapeutic measures for CVDs requires preventing the progression of stenosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on the levels of alpha and beta apolipoproteins using systematic review and meta-analysis.

 This review was performed based on the PRISMA protocol. The ISI, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases were independently searched by two researchers. MeSH keywords were used to recruit related articles published between 2005 and 2018. Meta-analysis was conducted in STATA 11.1software.

 A total of 65 articles were found. Out of these, nine studies were ultimately included in meta-analysis. The findings showed that alpha lipoprotein level increased by 4.24 mg/dl (95% CI: -0.03; -8.45) and 8.71 mg/dl (95% CI: -1.95; -15.48) in patients treated with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, respectively. Also, patients treated with either atorvastatin or rosuvastatin showed 40.55mg/dl (95% CI: 32.16; 45.93) and 44.78 g/dl (95% CI: 34.16; 55.39) decreases in beta-lipoprotein levels, respectively.

 According to the results, rosuvastatin is more effective than atorvastatin in reducing alpha apolipoprotein and increasing beta apolipoprotein levels within a short period of time.

 Genetic modifications in the adiponectin receptor 2 (AdipoR2) gene can affect phenotypes associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible role of genetic modifications in the AdipoR2 gene, to determine the frequency of genotypes and polymorphism alleles of this gene at rs11061971 (+219 A>T), and to investigate its correlation with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its related metabolic profile.

 In this case-control study, the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of AdipoR2 in 116 T2D patients and 102 controls was evaluated using RFLP PCR and FOK 1 enzyme. Fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, HDL-C, LDL-C and HbA1c were also measured and their correlation with the studied genetic modifications was assessed. The collected data were analyzed using Chi-square test and Hardy-Weinberg equation.

 There was a significant association in AT and TT genotypes in rs11061971 (+219 A>T) with T2D. However, no significant difference was observed in the frequency of alleles between the case and control groups. In addition, in LDL-C and total cholesterol in the control group, there was a significant difference between AA and TT genotypes as well as with AA and AT genotypes. However, no correlation was found between the other studied serum parameters and the genotype of individuals in the rs1106197171 polymorphism.

 It can be concluded that rs11061971 (+219 A>T) polymorphism is associated with T2D incidence. The findings suggest that AT and TT genotypes in this gene compared to AA genotype increase the risk of diabetes.

 Oxidative stress (OS) associated with estrogen deficiency in menopause has been implicated in various complications of menopause. Some indices of OS, bone metabolism and uric acid (UA) in postmenopausal women were assessed as possible predictors of gouty osteoarthritis.

 This case-control study enrolled 40 postmenopausal women and 60 premenopausal women as participants. The levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), total plasma peroxides (TPP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), inorganic phosphate (Pi), total calcium (tCa) and UA were estimated by colorimetry, estradiol (E2) by ELISA and oxidative stress index (OSI) by calculation. Data were analyzed using t-test, correlation and regression at P<0.05.

 Postmenopausal women had higher UA, OSI and lipid peroxidation (higher MDA, TPP) with lower E2, tCa and antioxidants (reduced GSH, NO, TAC) compared to premenopausal women (P<0.05). Aging correlated negatively with E2 (r=-0.273, P=0.006), TAC (r=-0.484, P=<0.001), GSH (r=-0.306, P=0.002), NO (r=-0.337, P=0.001), tCa (r=-0.571, P=<0.001) and positively with TPP (r=0.445, P=<0.001), OSI (r=0.454, P=<0.001), MDA (r=0.505, P=<0.001) and UA (r=0.441, P=<0.001) in all women studied irrespective of menopause status. There were no associations between UA, tCa, Pi, E2 and indices of oxidative stress (TPP, TAC, OSI, MDA, GSH, NO) with menopause (R2 =0.216, P=0.728).

 Elevated UA, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress and reduced tCa, E2 and antioxidants observed in postmenopausal women may be associated with aging and not the menopausal status suggesting that their assessment may be utilized in predicting women at increased risk of gouty osteoarthritis.

 C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12; known as stromal cell-derived factor 1 [SDF-1]) and its receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) are 2 pairs studied in breast cancer metastasis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the occurrence of CXCL4 and CXCL12 gene polymorphisms and the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with metastatic breast cancer under chemotherapy.

 Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 30 patients with metastatic breast cancer and 30 control samples. The polymorphisms of CXCL12 and CXCR4 were detected using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system–polymerase chain reaction (T-ARMS–PCR) method. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 20 with a 95% CI.

 The mean age of the patients was 50 years, and the average age of the healthy subjects was 41.23 years. The disease was diagnosed in 63.33% of the cases before menopause and in 36.66% after menopause. Also, 73.32% of patients showed metastatic signs 3-6 years after primary chemotherapy, and 63.33% of all patients had a grade III tumor. There was a significant relationship between the time of relapse after chemotherapy and the occurrence of polymorphisms (P = 0.001), between age and incidence (P = 0.02), and between menopausal age and incidence (P = 0.07).

 No significant correlation was found between the occurrence of mutant alleles of CXCL12 and CXCR4 polymorphisms and breast cancer. The relapse of the disease after chemotherapy and the age of menopause are associated with the occurrence of polymorphisms. However, further studies are needed to confirm the results.

 Due to the overall wide range of oral manifestations and the lack of comprehensively categorized information in Iran, this study was performed to investigate the prevalence of different oral manifestations and report their possible associated factors in patients with SLE.

 This cross-sectional study was performed on 96 SLE patients referred to two rheumatology clinics in Yazd, Iran, from September 2020 to February 2021. SLE patients were diagnosed based on the last revision of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria in 1997. A questionnaire was created to collect demographic information and oral health status. Data were analyzed using SPSS v20.0 and p-values of P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

 This study included 13 men (13.5%) and 83 women (86.5%), with an average age of 31.9 ±11.35 years. Oral lesions were diagnosed in 64.4% of patients, with white and red lesions being the most frequent (58%), and the most common region involved was buccal mucosa (25.8%). 97.1% of participants had caries and 86.5% had periodontal diseases. There was a significant association between the presence of oral lesions and female gender, longer duration and higher activity level of the disease and simultaneous presence of periodontal disease and missing or filled teeth. (P < 0.05).

 Given the frequency of oral lesions in more than 60% of patients, as well as the high incidence of caries and periodontal disorders, regular oral examinations in these patients appear to be particularly important.

 Febrile seizures are one of the most common neurological disorders in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of abnormal EEG reports and its association with other risk factors of febrile seizures.

 In this prospective observational study, all patients with febrile seizure admitted into Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan, Iran, from April 2015 to March 2016 were enrolled. EEG was carried out for all patients and the clinical data were recorded in the prepared questionnaire .The statistical analysis was performed by using spss.16 software.

 One hundred seventy patients, 92 (54.1%) male and 78 (45.9%) female with the mean age of 28.57 months were evaluated. The EEG reports were normal in140 (82.4%) cases and 30 (17.6%) cases had abnormal reports including 8 cases(26.6%) of spike & sharp electric discharge, 2 cases (6.6%)of slow activity and 20 cases(66.6%) of nonspecific changes. EEG abnormalities were significantly related with male sex (P = 0.020), history of previous febrile convulsion (p< 0.001), positive family history of epilepsy and febrile seizures (p< 0.001) and complex type of febrile convulsion (p< 0.001). Longer duration of seizure (p< 0.001) and older age of patients (p< 0.033) had significant relation with abnormal EEG.

 Although EEG is not routinely performed in all patients with febrile seizure, it is recommended for male gender, age over 3 years, complex febrile seizure, previous history of seizure and family history of epilepsy or febrile seizures.

 Little is known about the association between dietary protein intake and clinical manifestations in osteoarthritis (OA) patients. We aimed to determine the correlation between dietary protein intake and pain severity, functional status, and body composition indices in patients with knee OA.

 This cross-sectional study was performed on 220 OA patients, staged I to Ⅲon Kellgren and Lawrence scale. Patients were selected randomly via cluster sampling method from the health centers of Tabriz between October 2017 and October 2018. We estimated the participants' protein intakes using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Western Ontario and McMaster Index (WOMAC) was used to measure the functional status. We used the Visual Analogue Scale to measure pain severity. A bioelectric impedance device measured the patients’ body composition.

 Total dietary protein intake was 55.36±24.14 grams per day. Higher dietary total and animal-based protein intakes were associated with lower pain severity. There were reverse correlations between dietary protein intakes (total and animal-based) with the physical disability according to WOMAC total, WOMAC pain, and WOMAC stiffness scores in the subset of patients who didn’t meet the 75 percent of recommended dietary allowance. In these patients, higher total, plant-based, and animal-based protein intakes correlated with WOMAC functional scores. Higher total and animal-based protein intakes were associated with higher soft lean and lean body mass in women.

 Dietary protein intake needs to improve in knee OA patients, and dietary protein intake might be an intermediation objective in these patients.

 Acetaminophen overdose can result in hepatic injury, mainly through oxidative stress. We investigated the protective effect of Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) seeds powder after acetaminophen administration.

 In this study, 30 male rats were allocated into five groups of six in number as follows: control, acetaminophen (A), and acetaminophen + C. cyminum 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg (A+C). After 24 hours of fasting, the control group received distilled water, and groups A and A+C received acetaminophen 1,000 mg/kg orally through gavage. Six hours later, the control group and group A were given distilled water, and groups A+C received C. cyminum 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg by gavage. Twelve hours after the second gavage, hepatic markers of oxidative stress and serum ALT and AST were assessed.

 In group A, the activities of serum ALT and AST, the concentration of hepatic malondialdehyde and H2O2 increased, and peroxidase & catalase activities decreased substantially compared to the control group. C. cyminum administration in groups A+Cs resulted in the return of these changes toward group control.

 These results suggest that C. cyminum, due to its flavonoid and polyphenol contents, could diminish hepatic injury induced by acetaminophen.

 Doxorubicin as an effective chemotherapeutic agent is frequently used in various cancers. Nowadays, the application of doxorubicin is limited due to its cardiotoxic effects. The important mechanism which is involved in the cardiac injury of doxorubicin is the generation of reactive oxygen species; therefore antioxidant compounds may reduce cardiotoxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effects of Portulaca oleracea extract against doxorubicin-induced damage in cardiomyocytes cell line H9c2.

 The H9c2 cells were pre-treated for 2h with different concentrations of extract (12-400µg/ml) or resveratrol (50µM, positive control), and then doxorubicin was added for 24h. Afterward, the cell viability, and parameters of oxidative stress including lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and also apoptosis rate, were measured.

 The results revealed that doxorubicin extremely decreased cell viability via increasing malondialdehyde, ROS, and apoptotic cells. The extract could reverse doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through anti-oxidant activity.

 In conclusion, we witnessed that P. oleracea has protective effect against doxorubicin-caused cardiomyocytes damage.

 Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder that affects the way people think and feel about themselves and others, causing problems in everyday life functions and attributes. BPD has a high comorbidity with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder (BD). The people with borderline personality traits (BPT) are not diagnosed as personality disorder but they have the traits of this personality disorder that can affect their mental health and function. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of BPT as a predictor of suicidal ideation in patients with BD.

 This cross-sectional study was carried out on 50 individuals (25 women and 25 men) who were hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti psychiatric hospital, Zanjan, Iran. The patients were selected by structural clinical interview and then examined by borderline personality inventory (BPI) and Beck scale for suicide ideation (BSSI). The diagnosis of bipolar disorder was made by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and inferential statistics including independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and Multivariate regression analysis with stepwise methods.

 The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between BPT and suicidal ideation in patients with BD. Pearson correlation coefficient results revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the component of primary defense mechanisms as one of the BPT components and suicidal ideation in patients with BD. The results also showed that the type of mood disorder along with BPT and gender are not determinants of suicidal ideation in patients but, there is a relationship between BPT and suicidal ideation in bipolar patients.

 We showed a relationship between BPT and suicidal ideation in BD patients. Our study also showed that a high level of BPT which could lead to the diagnosis of BPD may be a risk factor for suicidal ideation. Thus, it seems that one of the central modifiable risk factors for suicidal ideation severity is BPD features.

 Infertility is a health problem that affects 72.4 million couples worldwide. Infertility can occur as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, such as a smoking habit. Cigarettes contain nicotine, a toxic compound that can trigger oxidative stress and eventually decrease fertility. Temulawak is a medicinal plant that is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used as a traditional remedy and is believed to improve fertility. We aim to study the effect of temulawak extract on the morphology, motility, and sperm counts of nicotine-induced mice.

 A total of 20 mice were divided into four groups (n = 5): control normal (K0); nicotine-induced (K1); and nicotine-induced treated with two different concentrations of temulawak extract, 4 mg/20 g body weight (P1) and 8 mg/20 g body weight (P2). The mice were given nicotine and temulawak for 28 days and then killed by neck dislocation. Both testes and vas deferens were collected for sperm analysis.

 Mice treated with nicotine (K1) showed lower sperm counts (p=0.012) and motility (p<0.001) compared to mice in the control normal (K0) but had no difference in morphology. Treatment with temulawak (4 mg/20 g body weight) on nicotine-induced mice (P1) significantly increased sperm motility (p< 0.001). A double dose of temulawak extract (P2) resulted in significantly higher motility and sperm counts than in group K1.

 Temulawak treatment (8 mg/20 g body weight) on nicotine-induced mice can significantly improve motility and sperm counts.

 Cardiovascular diseases are the most important causes of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis, as a common form of cardiovascular disease, tends to involve specific areas of the circulatory system. Boron has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties with potential beneficial effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of Boron on histopathological changes of atherosclerotic plaque and lipid profile in hyperlipidemic rabbits.

 Male rabbits in five groups of control, sham, hyperlipidemia, treatment 1 and treatment 2 were fed on high fat diet (1% cholesterol). Treatment groups received Boron, 4 mg / kg, on the first and 20th days of experiment. Animals’ weights were measured on days 1, 21 and 60. Plasma levels of Cholesterol, LDL, HDL and TG were measured by photometric method. After 60 days, Sudan IV staining method was used for macroscopic study. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining method were performed for quantitative analysis.

 Animals in the control and sham groups showed no significant change in serum lipid profile with no atherosclerotic plaque in aortic vessels. In the hyperlipidemia group, significant alterations in lipid profile and presence of atheroma plaques were detected. In animals receiving Boron as a protective agent, atheroma plaques were significantly less (p <0.05). This was confirmed by quantitative analysis.

 Boron ameliorates the development and progression of atherosclerotic plaques. Boron can be used alone or in combination with other drugs as anti-atherosclerotic treatment.

Shone syndrome is a rare congenital cardiac abnormality; however, many of the cases remain undiagnosed until early and middle adulthood. Different imaging modalities are used to assess the related structural abnormalities. In this case study, we report a 32-year-old woman who was planning her first pregnancy. In light of her childhood heart problems, in addition to a history of extended penicillin prescriptions for several years, she was referred for complementary assessments. At the time of presentation, she was asymptomatic. Imaging results showed several structural obstructive left-sided lesions and pulmonary artery hypertension. Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with congenital shone syndrome, which was initially misdiagnosed. Shone complex in our case was presented in its full form, which could be potentially fatal in case of pregnancy.

Ellis-Van Creveld (EVC) syndrome, otherwise known as chondroectodermal dysplasia, is a genetic disorder with cardiac and skeletal manifestations. The four main characteristics of EVC syndrome include chondroectodermal dysplasia, polydactyly, congenital heart defects, and hypoplastic nails and teeth. Changes in the mechanical properties of the chest wall in infants with skeletal dysplasia reduce the functional residual capacity and cause respiratory failure. Here, we describe the case of a female patient with symptoms, including fever, poor feeding, and frequent cough, for one week before admission to a hospital in Sabzevar, Iran. The patient was a four-month-old girl with a medical history of EVC syndrome. She complained of fever, poor feeding, and repeated cough for one week. She had multiple labial frenal attachments in the upper and lower jaws, as well as long bones. The iliac bones were short and square-shaped, with the acetabulum in a transverse orientation. Slight elongation of the chest, along with short ribs, was also observed. Based on the findings, EVC syndrome should be considered as a pediatric disorder, which can damage multiple organs, including the skeletal system, and cause respiratory disorders and congenital heart disease. If this syndrome is not diagnosed in childhood, due to poor available treatments, patients will be at risk of disorders at older age.