Mechanism of action and neuroprotective role of nicorandil in ischemic stroke.

Nicorandil is a dual mechanism anti-anginal agent that acts as a nitric oxide (NO) donor and a potassium (K+) channel opener. Recent studies have evaluated the effect of nicorandil on ischemic stroke. Neurons have a low tolerance to hypoxia and therefore the brain tissue is significantly vulnerable to ischemia. Current approved treatments for ischemic stroke are tissue plasminogen activators and clot retrieval methods. The narrow therapeutic time window and lack of efficacy in restoring the dying neurons urge researchers to develop an alternative approach. In the terminal stages of anoxia, K+ channels induce hyperpolarization in various types of neuronal cells, leading to decreased neuronal activity and the preservation of the brain's energy. Nicorandil can open these K+ channels and sustain the hyperpolarization phase, which may have a neuroprotective effect during hypoxia. Additionally, we review how nicorandil can improve overall stroke outcomes through its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and edema-reducing effects. One of the major components evaluated in stroke patients is blood pressure. Studies have demonstrated that the effect of nicorandil on blood pressure is related to both its K+ channel opening and NO donating mechanisms. Since both hypertension and hypotension need correction before stroke intervention, it's crucial to consider the role of nicorandil and its impact on blood pressure. Previously published studies indicate that the right dosage of nicorandil can improve cerebral blood flow without significant changes in hemodynamic profiles. In this review, we discuss how nicorandil may contribute to better stroke outcomes based on previously published literature and laboratory findings.

Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet in relation to age-associated poor muscle strength; a cross-sectional study from the Kurdish cohort study.

The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet is an eating pattern associated with multiple health benefits, including the conservation of skeletal muscle. The Hand Grip Strength (HGS) is the most frequently used indicator of muscle functional capacity and muscle strength for clinical purposes. The current study aims to investigate the association between adherence to MIND diet and prevention of age-associated decline in muscle strength among the Kurdish population in Iran. This cross-sectional study was performed using data from Ravansar non-communicable diseases (RaNCD) cohort study on 3181 adults (48.5% men) aged 35-65 years. The dietary intake of the studied participants was assessed using a 114-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed by RaNCD cohort study. The MIND diet and the major dietary patterns were identified based on the participants' dietary intake and three dietary patterns emerged including plant-based diet, high protein diet, and unhealthy diet. Hand grip strength (HGS) was measured using a hand-held hydraulic handgrip dynamometer and poor HGS was defined as HGS less than 32.8 and 20.5 kg in men and women, respectively. Compared with participants in the lowest category of MIND diet, those in the highest category had lower odds of poor HGS (OR: 0.65; CI 95%: 0.51-0.83). Furthermore, participants who were in third tertiles of plant-based and high protein diet were more likely 37% and 33% lower odds ratio of poor HGS (OR: 0.63; CI 95%: 0.5-0.79), (OR: 0.67; CI 95%: 0.54-0.84), respectively. On the other hand, greater adherence to the unhealthy diet was increased odds of poor HGS (OR: 1.39; CI 95%: 1.11-1.74). Overall, our findings suggest that adherence to the MIND diet and high protein diet may be associated with higher HGS, while adherence to the unhealthy diet can increase the odds of age-associated poor HGS in the Kurdish population.

Metabolically healthy versus unhealthy obese phenotypes in relation to hypertension incidence; a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although obesity increases the risk of hypertension, the effect of obesity based on metabolic status on the incidence of hypertension is not known. This study aimed to determine the association between obesity phenotypes including metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and the risk of hypertension incidence. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study on 6747 adults aged 35-65 from Ravansar non-communicable diseases (RaNCD) study. Obesity was defined as body mass index above 30 kg/m2 and metabolically unhealthy was considered at least two metabolic disorders based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Obesity phenotypes were categorized into four groups including MUO, MHO, metabolically unhealthy non obesity (MUNO), and metabolically healthy non obesity (MHNO). Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to analyze associations with hypertension incidence. RESULTS: The MHO (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.03-1.86) and MUO phenotypes (HR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.81-3.29) were associated with higher hypertension risk compared to MHNO. In addition, MUNO phenotype was significantly associated with risk of hypertension incidence (HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.29-2.14). CONCLUSIONS: Both metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity increased the risk of hypertension incidence. However, the increase in metabolically unhealthy phenotype was higher.

Green cardamom plus low-calorie diet can decrease the expression of inflammatory genes among obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder and a common cause of infertility among women that is associated with low-grade inflammation. Therefore, the current randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to assess the effects of green cardamom supplementation on the serum level of inflammatory markers and their gene expression among obese women with PCOS. METHODS: We included 194 obese women with PCOS and administered low-calorie diet to all of them. These subjects were randomly divided into two groups including the intervention group with 3 g/day green cardamom (n = 99) and the placebo group (n = 95). Anthropometric indices, androgen hormones, and inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP)] were assessed before and after the 4-month intervention. TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP gene expression levels were measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. RESULTS: Anthropometric indices were improved in both studied groups (P < 0.001). Among androgen hormones, luteinizing hormone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone were significantly decreased (P < 0.001), and follicle-stimulating hormone was significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the green cardamom group. Our findings showed that TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP serum levels were significantly decreased after the intervention with green cardamom plus low-calorie diet (P < 0.001). In addition, the expression levels of TNF-α and CRP genes were significantly decreased in the intervention group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the beneficial anti-inflammatory effect of green cardamom on the inflammatory state in PCOS women. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I: randomized clinical trial. Trial registration This trial was registered with the Iranian Clinical Trials Registry (registration number: IRCT20200608047697N1). 1 August, 2020; https://www.irct.ir/trial/48748 .

The use of oral and enteral tube-fed arginine supplementation in pressure injury care: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: Pressure injuries (PIs) are one of the most common complications related to immobility, especially in hospitalized patients, which lead to increased morbidity, infection and overall decreased quality of life. Arginine supplementation may prevent the development of PIs. This study has summarized the findings of studies on the effect of arginine supplementation on PI healing. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: This study was conducted on online electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase to identify relevant clinical trial studies up to September 2020. The pooled effect size of arginine supplement effects on PI was evaluated with standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis with 196 patients. PIs were significantly improved with Arginine supplementation (SMD: -0.6; CI 95%: -0.9 to -0.3, I2 : 72.5%, p = .001). Subgroup analysis showed that administering Arginine supplement more than 15 g/day had more beneficial effects on the healing of PIs (SMD: -2.8; CI 95%: -4.08 to -1.52, I2 : 54.7%, p = .138). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the administration of Arginine supplement in patients with PIs can accelerate the healing of this type of ulcer. Arginine is a supplement, and primary treatment is still needed to optimize PI healing. Therefore, arginine supplementation in addition to primary treatment seems to be an appropriate approach for the healing of PIs. Further well-designed studies are necessary to prevent the development of PIs compared to their primary treatment.

Psychological profile of pet owners in Isfahan, Iran / Perfil psicológico de tutores de animais em Isfahan, Irã

This study aimed to compare the psychological profile of pet owners with the ones who didn't own any pets. The research method was a casual-comparative study. Pet owners and people without pets were included in this research which was done in Iran in February 2017. One hundred and sixty people were selected in this sample in a nonrandom available sampling method and matched in terms of demographic characteristics. Eighty people, pet owners, were referred to the veterinary clinics and 80 didn't own any pets. They were assessed by a psychological signs inventory. The result of ANOVA indicated that pet owners and those without any pets were indifferent in the characteristics of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hostility, paranoid, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychosis, while those without any pets, statistically had a higher average in somatization and depression than the pet owners and it could be justified by corrective emotional experience, displacement, and sublimation in the pet owner. This statistic can be based on the fact that pet owners use these animals as an object for thrilling topics which is a factor to decrease their psychological stress and increase their physical health.(AU)

O presente trabalho é um estudo comparativo casual que comparou o perfil psicológico de tutores e não tutores de animais de estimação. Os tutores e os não tutores foram incluídos na pesquisa realizada no mês de fevereiro de 2017 em Isfahan, Irã. Os 160 participantes da investigação foram selecionados de forma não casual e associados com base nas suas características demográficas. Os 80 tutores de animais haviam procurado clínicas veterinárias e o grupo controle nunca teve qualquer animal de estimação. Os dois grupos foram submetidos a um questionário psicológico. O tratamento estatístico dos resultados por análise de variância revelou a ausência de diferença entre os dois grupos para as características: ansiedade, desordens obsessivas-compulsivas, hostilidade, paranoia, sensibilidade interpessoal e psicoses. Contudo, foi constatado que os não tutores de animais de estimação apresentaram uma média estatisticamente mais elevada de somatização e depressão, o que pode ser justificado por uma experiência emocional corretiva, deslocamento e sublimação evidenciada nos tutores que pode ser atribuída ao fato dos animais constituírem um fator de valor emocional que contribui para a redução do estresse psicológico e melhoria da saúde física e emocional dos seus tutores.(AU)

Quantification of angiogenic factors and their clinicopathological associations in breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the top three common cancers in women, responsible for nearly one-third of all new cancer diagnoses. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in BC progression. In this study, we aimed to measure the serum concentrations of eight angiogenic factors in BC patients and healthy controls and to assess their correlation with clinicopathological variables. METHODS: In a case-control study, 62 pathologically confirmed BC patients as well as 54 age-matched controls were recruited. A bead-based immunoassay was used to measure serum levels of VEGF-A, ANG-2, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, EGF, TGF-α, HGF, and bFGF. RESULTS: We observed a significant elevation in serum levels of VEGF-A, EGF, and PDGF-AA in BC patients compared with the controls (P < 0.05). Patients with grade III had higher ANG-2 levels compared with those with grades I (P = 0.007) and II of the disease (P = 0.003). In addition, estrogen-positive and progesterone-positive BC patients had higher levels of TGF-α (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The significant elevation of VEGF-A, EGF, and PDGF-AA serum levels in BC patients suggests these cytokines might have diagnostic value as potential biomarkers in BC. Further large-scale studies are needed to generalize these results to all BC patients.

Peripheral Cytotoxic T Cell Lymphoma of the Appendix Presenting as Acute Appendicitis.

INTRODUCTION: Lymphoma of the appendix is a rare cause of acute appendicitis; however, acute appendicitis is a common first manifestation of appendiceal lymphomas. Cytotoxic peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a type of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma that portends a generally poor outcome. Cytotoxic PTCL of the appendix is extremely rare with few cases reported in the literature. Case Presentation. This is the report of a 23-year-old man who had experienced lower abdominal pain for three months before presenting to the emergency department with severe right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia since the day prior to admission. The patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis, and the pathology report confirmed cytotoxic PTCL of the appendix. CONCLUSION: Patients with appendiceal PTCL commonly present with signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis due to luminal obstruction by the tumor. Therefore, appendiceal tumors such as PTCL should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting as acute appendicitis. In addition, since there is no standard chemotherapy regimen for cytotoxic PTCL, this and other case reports hopefully help in providing the clinical evidence needed for establishing appropriate treatment guidelines.

Healthcare-seeking behavior and its relating factors in South of Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Health systems aimed to increase health utilization. Habits and behavior about using health facilities, which is called health-seeking behavior, are different among different cultures and influenced by different factors. The present study is aimed at investigating Iranian Southern population health-seeking behavior and its influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 397 people was selected using proportional stratified random sampling for this cross-sectional study. They were asked to fill a questionnaire about their health-seeking behaviors (seeking treatment, inattention to treatment, and self-medication) and socioeconomic factors. Data were analyzed using regression models including linear, ordinal, and logistic regressions. RESULTS: Near 80% of participants reported self-medication and most of them prefer public hospitals as their first point of contact with health system compared to others such as family physician. Using linear regression revealed seeking treatment has significant relationship with age (P = 0.037), living place (P = 0.018), and having complementary insurance (P = 0.013). Self-medication behavior has relation with age (P = 0.015), gender (P = 0.039), education years (P = 0.031), living place (P = 0.005), having complementary insurance (P = 0.001), and satisfaction with health-care providers (P = 0.003) in logistic regression. Using ordinal regression, it was found that inattention to treatment has a relation with education years (P = 0.044), living place (P = 0.042), having complementary insurance (P = 0.049), and severity of illness (P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: Southern population does not accept family physician as the first point of interaction with the health system, and they prefer to go to public hospitals directly. Moreover, self-medication is a prevalent behavior among the population and thus their acceptance of health care is low. Based on the findings, it can be suggested providing more satisfying health care, increasing insurance coverage, and informing population could lead to better utilization of health-care services.