Crescent Journal of Medical and Biological Sciences
Volume:11 Issue: 2, Apr 2024

The study aims to delineate the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms among COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals and explore the relationship between interleukin levels and C-reactive protein (CRP).

A study involving the review of medical records was carried out on 109 patients aged 18 and above who were COVID-19 positive and hospitalized during treatment. Pregnant individuals with severe illnesses or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Demographic information and laboratory findings were extracted from a health database from earlier research conducted at the same hospital. The investigation focused on establishing the connection between musculoskeletal manifestations, CRP, and interleukin levels. P values less than 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant.

A total of 109 individuals were assessed in this study. Among the patients, 34.86% (n = 38) reported arthralgia, 1.83% (n = 2) had arthritis, 41.28% (n = 45) experienced fatigue, and 32.11% (n = 35) encountered post-COVID-19 syndrome. Notably, no significant correlation was observed between musculoskeletal manifestations, CRP, and interleukin levels (P>0.05). However, a positive correlation was identified between post-COVID-19 syndrome, fatigue, duration of O2 support, and duration of hospitalization (P<0.05). Additionally, 54% of the patients were elderly, aged 65 years or older. Furthermore, CRP levels exhibited a positive correlation with the duration of hospitalization, O2 support, history of intensive care, and duration of intensive care (P<0.05). Regarding interleukin levels, there was a positive correlation between interleukin-6 and CRP levels, duration of hospitalization, and O2 support duration (P<0.05). No significant correlation was found between interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels (P>0.05).

No correlation was observed between musculoskeletal symptoms and levels of CRP and interleukin. It is recommended to monitor individuals who have been hospitalized, elderly, experiencing unusual fatigue, or relying on oxygen support for the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Ovarian torsion is an important gynaecological emergency because it causes ischemia in ovary. Our aim is to research the effects of Hypericum perforatum on p53, TNF-α, CAT, SOD, GSH, PTEN and is haPI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in ovarian of rats with ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury.

The study included 56 adult female rats which were allocated to 7 groups; control, ischemia, ischemia 300HP, ischemia 600HP, I/R, I/R 300HP and I/R 600HP. H. perforatum was applied to ischemia 300HP, ischemia 600HP, I/R 300HP and I/R 600HP groups at the dose of 300 mg/kg or 600 mg/kg by oral gavage. Collected ovarian tissues were examined by light microscopy, biochemical and real-time PCR techniques.

In histological examination, the least degeneration was seen in 600HP group among other groups, apart from control group. TUNEL results showed that apoptosis level of other groups was lower than that of ischemia and I/R groups. CAT and GSH levels of I/R 600HP group increased. The highest level of PTEN and mTOR was found in the ischemia group. The Akt level was lower in I/R and I/R 300HP groups but its level was close to that of control and I/R 600HP groups. TNF-α and p53 mRNA expressions in I/R group were increased.

The result of the study showed that H. perforatum (600 mg/kg) had an effect on tissue degeneration, CAT and GSH levels, and also TNF-α and p53 mRNA expressions levels. We suggest that H. perforatum can be considered as an agent to protect against tissues damage during ischemia reperfusion.

Tendon recovery after a surgical operation or traumatic injury is still one of the challenges of rehabilitation. Many recently formulated treatments have been designed to improve these procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on calcaneus tendon healing and regeneration in rabbit models.

This study subdivided 40 mature male New Zealand white rabbits into four groups (n=10 in each). The defect was made under general conditions, and the wound was closed without treatment. The experimental groups included sham (without treatment), bFGF (operated bFGF in the injured area), CAP (used CAP in the injured area), and bFGF/CAP (used both CAP and bFGF) in the injured area. This study used trichrome and reticulin stains to evaluate collagen production and other tissue factors. Also, hydroxyproline levels were measured for better observation of collagen synthesis. Pathological evaluation of the defective tendon was performed on days 60 and 120 after surgery.

The improvement of new and parallel tendon formation was the best in the bFGF/CAP group at both times, especially 120 days after surgery. An increase in hydroxyproline levels was also seen on the sampling days.

The experiment showed that bFGF/CAP combination significantly improved tendon remodeling in the injured areas.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is among the most common liver diseases. In recent years, the prevalence of fatty liver disease has been mostly attributed to obesity, an unhealthy lifestyle, and poor eating habits, which, in addition to Western countries, have also been reported in Iran. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lifestyle modification (physical activity and diet) on the recovery of NAFLD in health insurance staff in Tabriz, Iran.

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 42 male and female NAFLD patients aged 20 to 55. The participants were randomly divided into intervention (diet along with aerobic exercise) (n=21) and control (without diet and exercise) (n=21) groups. The level of disease recovery was evaluated by measuring the level of liver enzymes (AST and ALT), liver ultrasound (to determine the degree of fatty liver), and body mass index (BMI) before and after three months of intervention. Paired and independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test were performed using SPSS version 22 software. The clinical significance of the study was estimated using an epidemiological tool known as the number needed to treat (NNT).

No significant difference was observed between the two groups in anthropometric and biochemical parameters, as well as fatty liver grade. However, the decrease in BMI index in the intervention group was insignificant compared to the control group. The degree of liver recovery in the intervention and control groups was calculated to be 69.9% and 33.3%, respectively. Also, the decrease in fatty liver grade in the intervention group was significant compared to the control group (P = 0.028). There was a statistically significant reduction in the severity of fatty liver disease in the intervention group at the end of the research (NNT = 3.5), meaning that for every 3.5 patients with NAFLD treated with diet and exercise for 3 months, one patient showed improvement.

This study showed that lifestyle modifications, such as physical activity and dietary habits, significantly affected fatty liver in NAFLD patients.

The current research delves into ethnopharmacology, specifically focusing on the influence of extraction solvent on parameters such as total phenol, flavonoid, coumarin, tannin, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity. This investigation spans different parts of Melilotus officinalis L. within two northern provinces of Iran. It is a holistic approach, exploring both traditional applications and the scientific impact of extraction methods on the plant’s bioactive properties.

In various observational studies across different fields, ethnopharmacological data were acquired by collecting various parts of the M. officinalis plant (flowers, stem, and root) at different blooming stages from Charbagh Mountain (2340 msl) and Gorgan region (200 msl) between June and July 2016. “Ethanol and water extracts” of these plant parts were obtained through the maceration method. The quantification of “total phenol” (TP), “flavonoid” (TF), coumarin (CO), and tannin (TA) content in the extracts was conducted using spectrophotometry. The in vitro “antioxidant capacity” of the extracts was assessed through the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assay, and the reducing power assay. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of the extracts was examined against nine gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays.

Based on the results, the ethanol extract obtained from the flowers of M. officinalis collected at a high altitude (2340 meters) in Semnan province demonstrated the highest concentrations of total phenols (38.08 ± 0.13 mgGA/g), flavonoids (62.04 ± 0.01 mgQU/g), coumarins (19.32 ± 0.08 mL/g), and tannins (33.89 mg/g). Notably, coumarin and tannins were absent in the water extract. The ethanol extract from the flowers in Semnan province exhibited superior antioxidant activity, particularly in the DPPH method (IC50=10.61 ± 0.81 µg/mL), surpassing the efficacy of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Moreover, the ethanol extract from high-altitude flowers displayed potent antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, specifically Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and Bacillus cereus, with inhibition zone (IZ) values of 19.1 ± 0.01 mm, 15.8 ± 0.2 mm, and 14.4 ± 1.12 mm, respectively. The MIC values against these bacteria were 24.5 μg/mL, respectively. In summary, the ethanol extract exhibited greater effectiveness against gram-positive bacteria compared to gram-negative bacteria.

Our results indicate a robust association among the extraction solvent, plant part, phytochemical composition, antibacterial efficacy, and antioxidant potential of M. officinalis L. Specifically, the ethanol extract derived from the flowers displayed the most significant antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics. This implies that the ethanol extract from the flowers of M. officinalis L. holds promise as a valuable reservoir of natural antioxidants, aligning with its traditional utilization in addressing various infections.

This study aimed to report a simple environmentally compatible method that is economically affordable for the facile biosynthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in corn steep liquor (CSL) nutrient using the sewage of a leather factory.

The biosynthesis of AgNPs were done by reduction of AgNO3 in the sewage of leather factory as a mixed bacterial culture and corn steep liquor under anaerobic condition while protecting from light.

The AgNPs were found to have a characteristic absorption peak at 416 nm on the ultraviolet-visible spectrum. Characterization of AgNPs was performed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopes (TEM) images showed poly-dispersed spherical stable AgNPs with a maximum diameter of 20 nm. Moreover, the dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed that the average size of AgNPs was 15.57 nm with a zeta potential value of -19.2 mV. The synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated more antibacterial activity in opposition to gram-negative bacteria. The zone of inhibition of biosynthesized AgNPs in 1 mM concentration of AgNO3 against Escherichia coli was equal to that of gentamicin.

The interaction of protein residues with AgNPs was identified, supporting that the proteins not only act as a reducing agent but also as a capping. The synthesized AgNPs showed antibacterial activity, providing commercial viability in biomedicine.

Wound healing and tissue regeneration have raised serious challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, affecting both aesthetic and health-related aspects of the community well-being. Wound healing is a complex sequence of physical, cellular, and molecular events involving cell recruitment, proliferation, as well as the synthesis and accumulation of the new extracellular matrix components. The present study aimed to histopathologically evaluate the application of zinc nanoparticles in conjunction with chitosan dressing for the wound healing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infected skin wounds in rats.

In this experimental investigation, 28 healthy male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, each of which including 7 rats. The wound healing process was evaluated based on histopathological studies and biochemical findings on days 7, 14, and 21.

According to the results from the two-way ANOVA analysis, the means of wound area in the study groups were statistically and significantly different on all evaluated days (P<0.001). The highest wound area was associated with group III (i.e., wound with zinc oxide) on days 6, 18, 15, 12, and 9, while the lowest wound area was observed in group IV (i.e., wound with chitosannanoparticles-zinc oxide). A statistically significant difference was also found among the study groups in terms of the mean values of hydroxyproline (P<0.001). According to the post hoc Tukey test for pairwise comparisons, a significant difference was observed among all groups regarding the hydroxyproline values (P<0.001). Additionally, the highest collagen density was detected in the chitosan-nanoparticles-zinc oxide group.

The application of biodegradable chitosan-nanoparticles-zinc oxide dressing significantly improved the histopathological and biochemical indices of the full-thickness skin wound healing. This study highlighted the effectiveness of chitosan-nanoparticleszinc oxide dressing in wound healing enhancement, indicating its potential application in wound healing.