Omega-3 with and without insulin replacement alleviates detrimental effects of type II diabetes on reproductive system of male C57BL/6 mice.

AIMS: this study aimed to examine the protective role of omega-3 and insulin on reproductive system of the male mouse model of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially DNA integrity and chromatin quality. MAIN METHODS: adult age-matched mice were divided into intact, sham, or T2DM groups (n = 7) which received a high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin. T2DM-induced animals underwent no treatment as diabetic control (T2DM), received omega-3 (T2DM + Omg3), received insulin (T2DM + Ins) and their combination (T2DM + Omg3 + Ins) for 35 days. After which, testicular and sperm parameters and testosterone levels were evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: our findings revealed that the various examined parameters were comparable between the intact and sham groups, while most testicular and sperm parameters were affected by T2DM. Treatment of T2DM-induced animals with omega-3, alone and in combination with insulin, significantly improved sperm motility, normal morphology, sperm chromatin quality, DNA integrity, Leydig cell number and non-significantly testosterone levels. SIGNIFICANCE: T2DM interferes with spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis as well as sperm quality and DNA integrity, which can be partially ameliorated by long-term administration of omega-3 in combination with or without insulin. Although our findings should be confirmed in clinical studies, since previous clinical trials have found omega-3 consumption to be beneficial in humans, its use seems to be safe and effective.

Prevalence of household food insecurity among people living with HIV/AIDS (Kerman- the southeast of Iran).

Background: Household food insecurity is one of the major public health issues that may affect an individual's nutritional state, especially in patients with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of household food insecurity and its association with sociodemographic and clinical factors among patients with HIV/AIDS in Kerman province, Iran. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among the 179 patients with HIV/AIDS in Kerman province. Participants completed a questionnaire focusing on personal information, health, and clinical status. Also, household food security status was evaluated by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 22) by descriptive, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall, 98 responding men and women were classified as household food secure (n=41; 40.8%) and household food insecure (n=58; 59.2%). Among the household food insecure patients, 14% (n=8) experienced lower household food insecurity, 38% (n=22) moderate household food insecurity, and 48% (n=28) severe household food insecurity. No significant differences were observed between household food secure and insecure groups in demographic variables. In clinical variables, only BMI index was significantly different between the two groups (p=0.040), but CD4 count was not significant between groups (p=0.220). Conclusion: Prevalence of household food insecurity was high among people living with HIV/AIDS in Kerman. It seems clinical variables such as BMI index, which indicates the nutritional status of individuals, affect household food security status among people living with HIV/AIDS.

The interaction between apolipoprotein B insertion/deletion polymorphism and macronutrient intake on lipid profile and serum leptin and ghrelin levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

PURPOSE: We aimed to study whether macronutrient intake could modify the association between ApoB Ins/Del and lipid profile, and serum leptin and ghrelin in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: In this study, 700 T2DM patients were recruited. Anthropometric, biochemical and molecular data were collected, and Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The interactions were tested using ANCOVA. RESULTS: Del-allele carriers with high-MUFA and carbohydrate (≥ 12 and ≥ 54% of energy, respectively) had significantly higher TG (P = 0.04) and LDL-C (P = 0.02) compared to Ins/Ins homozygotes, and these were not significant in subjects with low-MUFA and -carbohydrate (< 12 and < 54%, respectively). A significant interaction was observed between ApoB Ins/Del and diet on TG in both unadjusted (P = 0.03) and adjusted models (model 2 and 3, P = 0.04 and P = 0.04, respectively), and on LDL-C only in adjusted models (model 2 and 3, P = 0.03 and P = 0.029, respectively). Besides, Del-allele carriers with protein, SFA, MUFA and n-3PUFA of ≥ 14, 9, 12 and 0.6%, respectively, had a significant increase in their serum leptin than Ins/Ins homozygotes (P < 0.05). However, these associations were not significant between the two genetic groups in subjects with low intakes of protein, SFA, MUFA and n-3PUFA. Moreover, Del-allele carriers with low carbohydrate (< 54%) had significantly higher leptin and ghrelin than Ins/Ins homozygotes (P < 0.05), however, in high-carbohydrate group, leptin and ghrelin were not significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the interaction between ApoB Ins/Del and dietary intake of MUFA, SFA, n-3PUFA, carbohydrate and protein could modulate the serum levels of TG, LDL-C, leptin and ghrelin in T2DM patients.

Dietary patterns and benign breast diseases: a case-control study.

Several studies have investigated the relation between benign breast diseases (BBD) and food intake. However, dietary patterns of these patients have not been taken into consideration up to now. The aim of this study is to determine the association between dietary patterns and BBD. In this case-control study, ninety-six patients with BBD and seventy controls were selected from women attending the Iranian Center for Breast Cancer affiliated with Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research. Demographic, physical activity and semi-quantitative FFQ were completed. The main dietary patterns were extracted by factor analysis. Two major dietary patterns emerged: Healthy dietary pattern including fish, poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, oil and mayonnaise, olives, fruits; and Unhealthy dietary pattern including red meats, organ and processed meats, high-fat dairy products, refined grains, sweets and desserts, animal and solid fats. After adjustment for age, BMI and energy intake, the participants in the highest tertile of Healthy dietary pattern (OR 0·44; 95 % CI 0·20, 0·99) were less likely to have BBD compared with those in the first tertile. After adjustment for other confounding variables, this relationship still remained close to significant level. However, higher consumption of Unhealthy dietary pattern was not associated with the risk of BBD. In conclusion, Healthy dietary pattern might be inversely associated with the risk of BBD; however, this result should be interpreted with caution. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Assessment of the dietary pattern of dormitory students in Kerman, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Nowadays it is known that dietary imbalances are associated with non-communicable diseases which would be a major cause of worldwide deaths in 2020. This study was conducted to assess the dietary pattern of students who live in a dormitory in Kerman, Iran, based on Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 229 students who lived in the dormitory of Kerman University of Medical Science. The participants were recruited by multistage sampling. Their usual dietary intake was collected by using a valid food frequency questionnaire. The diet quality was calculated via HEI-2005. The HEI-2005 score was categorized into three groups: less than 50 (poor diet), between 50-70 (needs improvement) and more than 70 (good diet). RESULTS: The mean score of HEI-2005 in the present study was 64.22±8.98. 8.1% of the participants had poor diet, 63.4% had to improve their diet, and 28.5% enjoyed a good diet. The percent of energy intake from total fat, saturated fatty acid, solid fat and added sugar, and also sodium were significantly lower in the highest category of HEI-2005 than the lowest category. There was no significant difference in the intake of cholesterol, total vegetable and dairy products between the highest and lowest quartile categories. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the participants need to improve their diet.Policy revisions and dietary interventions would require to promote diet quality and prevent non-communicable diseases in the future.

Thermoplastic starch/bentonite clay nanocomposite reinforced with vitamin B2: Physicochemical characteristics and release behavior.

This study presents the development and characterization of a nanocomposite material, consisting of thermoplastic starch (TPS) reinforced with bentonite clay (BC) and encapsulated with vitamin B2 (VB). The research is motivated by the potential of TPS as a renewable and biodegradable substitute for petroleum-based materials in the biopolymer industry. The effects of VB on the physicochemical properties of TPS/BC films, including mechanical and thermal properties, water uptake, and weight loss in water, were investigated. In addition, the surface morphology and chemical composition of the TPS samples were analyzed using high-resolution SEM microscopy and EDS, providing insight into the structure-property relationship of the nanocomposites. The results showed that the addition of VB significantly increased the tensile strength and Young's modulus of TPS/BC films, with the highest values observed for nanocomposites containing 5 php of VB and 3 php of BC. Furthermore, the release of VB was controlled by the BC content, with higher BC content leading to lower VB release. These findings demonstrate the potential of TPS/BC/VB nanocomposites as environmentally friendly materials with improved mechanical properties and controlled release of VB, which can have significant applications in the biopolymer industry.

Effects of cinnamon supplementation on antioxidant status and serum lipids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of study were to investigate the effects of cinnamon supplementation on antioxidant status and serum lipids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 84 overweight or obese PCOS patients; aged 20-38 years. Subjects in cinnamon (n = 42) and placebo (n = 42) groups were given 3 cinnamon capsules (each one contained 500 mg cinnamon) or placebo daily for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements and dietary intake data were gathered at the beginning and at the end of the study. Independent t test, paired t test and analysis of covariance were used to analyze of data. RESULTS: Cinnamon significantly increased serum total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.005). Malondialdehyde was significantly decreased compared with placebo (P = 0.014). Cinnamon supplementation significantly improved serum level of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (all P < 0.05). No significant effect was detected on serum triglyceride level. CONCLUSIONS: Cinnamon supplementation improved antioxidant status and serum lipid profile in women with PCOS and may be applicable for reducing PCOS risk factors.

Association between dairy consumption, dietary calcium intake and general and abdominal obesity among Iranian adults.

AIM: To assess the association of dairy consumption and dietary calcium intake with general and abdominal obesity in a large sample of Iranian adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, dairy consumption and dietary calcium intake were assessed using a validated dish-based 106-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 6582 Iranian adults aged 18-55 years living in Isfahan. A self-administered validated questionnaire was used to collect data on anthropometric measures. Overweight or obesity was considered as body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference ≥88 cm for women and ≥102 cm for men. RESULTS: Mean age of study participants was 36.8 ±â€¯8.1 years. Compared with the lowest quartile, men in the highest quartile of dietary calcium intake had greater odds for general obesity (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.03-1.60). This relationship was significant even after adjustment for age and energy intake (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03-1.60). However, such relationship was not seen in women. No other significant associations were observed between dairy and dietary calcium intake with general or abdominal obesity. CONCLUSION: Dietary calcium intake was positively associated with general obesity in men, but not in women. No significant association was seen between dairy consumption and general or central adiposity.

Toward a Better Nutritional Aiding in Disasters: Relying on Lessons Learned during the Bam Earthquake.

Introduction Examining various problems in the aftermath of disasters is very important to the disaster victims. Managing and coordinating food supply and its distribution among the victims is one of the most important problems after an earthquake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to recognize problems and experiences in the field of nutritional aiding during an earthquake. METHODS: This qualitative study was of phenomenological type. Using the purposive sampling method, 10 people who had experienced nutritional aiding during the Bam Earthquake (Iran; 2003) were interviewed. Colaizzi's method of analysis was used to analyze interview data. RESULTS: The findings of this study identified four main categories and 19 sub-categories concerning challenges in the nutritional aiding during the Bam Earthquake. The main topics included managerial, aiding, infrastructural, and administrative problems. CONCLUSIONS: The major problems in nutritional aiding include lack of prediction and development of a specific program of suitable nutritional pattern and nutritional assessment of the victims in critical conditions. Forming specialized teams, educating team members about nutrition, and making use of experts' knowledge are the most important steps to resolve these problems in the critical conditions; these measures are the duties of the relevant authorities. Nekouie Moghadam M , Amiresmaieli M , Hassibi M , Doostan F , Khosravi S . Toward a better nutritional aiding in disasters: relying on lessons learned during the Bam Earthquake. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):382-386.

Microbiological, biochemical and organoleptic properties of fermented-probiotic drink produced from camel milk.

The microbiological and biochemical changes occurred during the fermentation of camel milk inoculated by three selected bacterial starter, were investigated as well as the sensory evaluation of the product. Milk samples were collected from camel herds of southeastern of Iran. Chr. Hansen ABT-10 starter including Lactobacillus acidophillus, Biphidobacterum biphidum and Sterptococcus thermophilus in ratio of 0.50 g per 100 mL of camel milk was added. This fermented product was examined at the 0, 3rd, 6th and 9th days for microbiological, biochemical and sensory evaluations. The results showed the number of starter bacteria was maintained at least 106 CFU mL-1 during nine test days. It was shown that it could be used as fermented-probiotic drink. The product did not show any microbial contamination. The acidity and protein amount of produced drink showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in different test days. Fat, solids-not-fat and ash amount of the product showed significant differences at the ninths' test day compared to the zero test day (p < 0.05). Organoleptic properties of product including flavor, color, odor, consistency, mouth feel and overall acceptance were significantly improved (p < 0.05). Therefore, the produced fermented-probiotic drink, in addition to keep maintenance and increased nutritional quantity value, was accepted by consumers in terms of organoleptic properties and it could be used as a healthy and functional drink.

Effects of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.) Seed and Peel Methanolic Extracts on Oxidative Stress and Lipid Profile Changes Induced by Methotrexate in Rats.

Purpose: Methotrexate (MTX) is prescribed in many diseases and can result in oxidative stress (OS) followed by injuries in some tissues. Antioxidants administration are effective in reducing OS. Pomegranate exhibits high anti-oxidant capacities. This study investigated whether pomegranate seed and peel methanolic extracts (PSE and PPE) could protect against MTX-induced OS and lipid profile changes in rats. Methods: Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (normal salin), PSE group (500 mg/kg, orally), PPE group (500 mg/kg, orally), MTX group (10 mg/kg, IM), MTX and PSE group, and MTX and PPE group. Blood samples were taken for analysis in the end of the procedure. Results: The findings showed a significant reduction in Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and an enhancement in malondialdehyde (MDA) values after MTX treatment (p < 0.05). SOD and GPx levels reached the levels of the control group in MTX+SPE and MTX+PPE groups. No significant differences were observed in catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels between groups. The results showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the MTX treated group (p < 0.01). The values of TC, HDL, and LDL became elevated to the normal control levels in the MTX+PSE and MTX+PPE treated groups. Conclusion: The results showed the OS induced by MTX and the protective effects of PSE and PPE against MTX-induced serum oxidative stress and lipid profile changes in rats.

The effect of cardamom supplementation on serum lipids, glycemic indices and blood pressure in overweight and obese pre-diabetic women: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Spice consumption helps the treatment of diseases due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory contents. Cardamom is one of this spices; therefore, this study is designed to determine the effect of cardamom supplementation on serum lipids, glycemic indices, and blood pressure in pre-diabetic women. METHODS: Eighty overweight or obese pre-diabetic women were randomly allocated to two groups. The intervention group received 3 g of green cardamom and the placebo group received 3 g of rusk powder for 2 months. The physical activity level, dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), insulin, body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity were measured before and after intervention. RESULTS: After intervention, mean TC (p = 0.02) and LDL-C (p = 0.01) significantly decreased and insulin sensitivity (p = 0.03) increased in the cardamom group. In the control group, mean HDL-C (p = 0.02) significantly decreased after the study. We observed no significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycemic indices, and serum lipids values in the cardamom group compared to the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Green cardamom supplementation may have a protective effect on HDL-C level in pre-diabetic subjects. It improves some blood parameters in these subjects; however, its effects are not different from placebo. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2014060817254N2. Registered 2 September 2014.

APOA II genotypes frequency and their interaction with saturated fatty acids consumption on lipid profile of patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Several studies have suggested that APOA II-265T/C polymorphism affect lipid profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of -265T/C APOA II polymorphism and saturated fatty acids (SFA) intake interaction on lipid profile in diabetic population who are at risk for lipid disorders. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 697 type 2 diabetic patients participated. Food consumption data were collected using validated semi-quantitative FFQ during the last year. Realtime-PCR was used to determine APOA II-265T/C genotypes. The interaction between the genotypes and SFA intake with lipid profile was tested using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: According to APOA II-265T/C (rs5082) genotype distribution results, CC genotype with a frequency of 12.9% and TC with that of 47.7% showed the lowest and highest frequency in our population, respectively. CC genotype subjects had significantly lower total cholesterol, triglyceride, Cholesterol/HDL-c ratio and non-HDL cholesterol than T allele carriers (p = 0.009, p = 0.02, p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, respectively). The interaction between genotype and SFA intake contributed to significant higher levels of LDL-c and LDL/HDL in CCs (p = 0.05 and p = 0.01), suggesting vulnerability of these individuals to high intake of SFA in the diet. CONCLUSION: APOA II polymorphism may influence the saturated fatty acid intake required to prevent dyslipidemia in the type 2 diabetic population.