Convalescent plasma therapy in patients with severe COVID-19, A single-arm, retrospective study.

Convalescent plasma (CP) therapy has been suggested as a treatment for emerging viral diseases. Moreover, many studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of COVID-19 CP therapy, with some of them indicating that CP may be a promising treatment for the disease. However, the evidence for CP therapy's effectiveness in severe COVID-19 cases is limited. So, this study aimed to assess the probable effects of CP therapy in patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19. The study was designed as a single-arm, retrospective cohort of patients with severe COVID. Demographic data, laboratory test reports, and convalescent plasma transfusion doses were collected from medical records for patients before and after convalescent plasma transfusion. The clinical outcomes were hospital discharge and death. Also, laboratory parameters considered secondary outcomes. After CP therapy, some symptoms improved, especially in patients under 55 years old, as follows. Respiratory function was significantly enhanced after convalescent plasma transfusion, and the inflammatory biomarkers' values decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Moreover, the estimated median of partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and Prothrombin time (PT) in patients did not change after CP therapy (p > 0.05). Regarding COVID-19 mortality, a strong association was found between older ages and death (p < 0.001). Also, CP transfusion in the early days of admission was effective in treatment outcomes (p = 0.023). Other characteristics, including sex, blood group, number of CP transfusions, and preexisting conditions, did not significantly correlate with mortality. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of CP therapy in patients under the age of 55. Despite some improvement, we could not say that they were entirely due to the CP treatment. More extensive randomized clinical trials that cover different stages of the disease are needed.

Risk Factors of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis (CAM) in Iranian Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM) has been known as one of the most severe post-COVID morbidities. OBJECTIVES: To describe CAM cases, identify possible risk factors, and report outcomes of patients. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed in Amir-Alam Hospital, Tehran, Iran between February 2020 and September 2021. Patients with mucormycosis who had an active or previous diagnosis of COVID-19 have been included. RESULTS: Of 94 patients with mucormycosis, 52 (33 men and 19 women; mean age: 57.0 ± 11.82 years) were identified with an active or history of COVID-19. Rhino-orbital, rhino maxillary, rhino-orbito cerebral subtypes of mucormycosis were detected in 6 (11.5%), 18(34.6%), and 28(53.8%) patients. As a control group, 130 (69 men and 61 women; mean age: 53.10 ± 14.49 years) random RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients without mucormycosis have been included. The mean interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and initial mucormycosis symptoms was 16.63 ± 8.4 days (range 0-51). Those in the CAM group had a significantly more severe course of COVID-19 (OR = 3.60, P-value < 0.01). Known history of previous diabetes mellitus (OR = 7.37, P-value < 0.01), smoking (OR = 4.55, P-value < 0.01), and history of receiving high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy because of more severe COVID-19 (P-value = 0.022) were found as risk factors. New-onset post-COVID hyperglycemia was lower in the CAM group (46.2% vs. 63.8%; OR = 0.485, P-value = 0.028). After treatment of the CAM group, 41(78.8%) of patients recovered from mucormycosis. The mean ages of the expired patients in the CAM group were significantly higher than those who recovered from mucormycosis (66.18 ± 9.56 vs. 54.56 ± 11.22 years; P < 0.01); and COVID-19 disease was more severe (P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Either active or history of COVID-19 can cause an increase in the risk of mucormycosis development. Some of the most important risk factors are the medical history of diabetes mellitus, smoking, and high-dose corticosteroid therapy. CAM is important possible comorbidity related to COVID-19, which could make the post-COVID conditions more complicated. More research and studies with greater sample sizes among different ethnicities are needed to explore the association between COVID-19 and mucormycosis.

Coronavirus: proteomics analysis of chicken kidney tissue infected with variant 2 (IS-1494)-like avian infectious bronchitis virus.

Avian infectious bronchitis virus is one of the most important gammacoronaviruses, which causes a highly contagious disease. In this study, we investigated changes in the proteome of kidney tissue of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens that were infected with an isolate of the nephrotropic variant 2 genotype (IS/1494/06) of avian coronavirus. Twenty 1-day-old SPF White Leghorn chickens were randomly divided into two groups, each comprising 10 chickens, which were kept in separate positive-pressure isolators. Chickens in group A served as a virus-free control group up to the end of the experiment, whereas chickens in group B were inoculated with 0.1 ml of 104.5 EID50 of the IBV/chicken/Iran/UTIVO-C/2014 isolate of IBV, and kidney tissue samples were collected at 2 and 7 days post-inoculation (dpi) from both groups. Sequencing of five protein spots at 2 dpi and 22 spots at 7 dpi that showed differential expression by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) along with fold change greater than 2 was done by MS-MALDI/TOF/TOF. Furthermore, the corresponding protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks at 2 and 7 dpi were identified to develop a detailed understanding of the mechanism of molecular pathogenesis. Topological graph analysis of this undirected PPI network revealed the effect of 10 genes in the 2 dpi PPI network and nine genes in the 7 dpi PPI network during virus pathogenesis. Proteins that were found by 2DE analysis and MS/TOF-TOF mass spectrometry to be down- or upregulated were subjected to PPI network analysis to identify interactions with other cellular components. The results show that cellular metabolism was altered due to viral infection. Additionally, multifunctional heat shock proteins with a significant role in host cell survival may be employed circuitously by the virus to reach its target. The data from this study suggest that the process of pathogenesis that occurs during avian coronavirus infection involves the regulation of vital cellular processes and the gradual disruption of critical cellular functions.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation improve clinical symptoms in patients with Covid-19: A randomised clinical trial.

AIMS: We hypothesised that omega-3 fatty acids would be an appropriate adjunct therapy for alleviating the inflammatory response and clinical manifestation in hospitalised patients with Covid-19 disease. METHODS: This was a single-blind randomised controlled trial in Amir-Alam hospital in Tehran. Thirty adult men and women diagnosed with Covid-19 were allocated to either control group (receiving Hydroxychloroquine) or intervention group (receiving Hydroxychloroquine plus 2 grams of Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] + Eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) for 2 weeks. Primary outcome of the intervention including C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as well as clinical symptoms including body pain, fatigue, appetite and olfactory and secondary outcomes including liver enzymes were determined at the baseline and after omega-3 supplementation. Clinical signs were measured using self-reported questionnaires. There were commercial kits for determination of CRP and liver enzymes concentrations in the serum of patients. For determination of ESR automated haematology analyser was applied. The study of "Comparison of the effectiveness of omega-3 and Hydroxychloroquine on Inflammatory factors, liver enzymes and clinical symptoms in diabetic Covid-19 patients" was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with ID number: IRCT20200511047399N1. RESULTS: In comparison to control group, patients receiving omega-3 indicated favourable changes in all clinical symptoms except for olfactory (P < .001 for body pain and fatigue, P = .03 for appetite and P = .21 for olfactory). Reducing effects of omega-3 supplementation compared with control group were also observed in the levels of ESR and CRP after treatment (P < .001 for CRP and P = .02 for ESR). However, no between group differences in the liver enzymes serum concentrations were observed after supplementation (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Current observations are very promising and indicate that supplementation with moderate dosages of omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in the management of inflammation-mediated clinical symptoms in Covid-19 patients.

Possible role of hypothyroidism in the prognosis of COVID-19.

In patients with COVID-19, certain medical conditions could result in poorer clinical outcomes. However, the prognostic role of hypothyroidism in COVID-19 is still unknown. In the present retrospective study, we estimated the prevalence of hypothyroidism in COVID-19 admitted patients in Tehran, Iran. Among 390 COVID-19 admitted patients, 21 hypothyroid cases (5.4%) were found, in which nearly 90% were aged 50 years and older. Regarding the effect of hypothyroidism on COVID-19 mortality, 60 (15.3%) of total patients and 4 (19%) of hypothyroid patients died, and no significant difference was found between the two groups.

The first comprehensive molecular detection of six honey bee viruses in Iran in 2015-2016.

At least 18 viruses have been reported in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). However, severe diseases in honey bees are mainly caused by six viruses, and these are the most important in beekeeping. These viruses include: deformed wing virus (DWV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), sacbrood virus (SBV), kashmir bee virus (KBV), and black queen cell virus (BQCV). In this study, we evaluated 89 Iranian honey bee apiaries (during the period 2015-2016) suffering from symptoms of depopulation, sudden collapse, paralysis, or dark coloring, by employing reverse transcription-PCR. Samples were collected from four regions (Mazandaran, Hormozgan, Kurdistan, and Khorasan Razavi) of Iran. Of the 89 apiaries examined, 16 (17.97%), three (3.37%), and three (3.37%) were infected by DWV, ABPV, and CBPV, respectively. The study results for the other viruses (SBV, KBV, and BQCV) were negative. The present study evaluated the presence of the six most important honey bee viruses in bee colonies with suspected infections, and identified remarkable differences in the distribution patterns of the viruses in different geographic regions of Iran.

Phylogenetic analysis of H9N2 avian influenza viruses in Afghanistan (2016-2017).

Avian influenza A virus (AIV) subtype H9N2 is the most prevalent subtype found in terrestrial poultry throughout Eurasia and has been isolated from poultry outbreaks worldwide. Tracheal tissue specimens from 100 commercial broiler flocks in Afghanistan were collected between 2016 and 2017. After real-time RT-PCR, AI-positive samples were further characterized. A part of the HA gene was amplified using RT-PCR and sequenced. The results of real-time RT-PCR showed that 40 percent of the flocks were AI positive. Phylogenetic studies showed that these H9N2 AIVs grouped within the Eurasian-lineage G1 AIVs and had a correlation with H9N2 AIV circulating in the poultry population of the neighboring countries over the past decade. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of HA revealed that the detected H9N2 viruses possessed molecular profiles suggestive of low pathogenicity and specificity for the avian-like SAα2,3 receptor, demonstrating their specificity for and adaptation to domestic poultry. The results of the current study provide great insights into H9N2 viruses circulating in Afghanistan's poultry industry and demonstrate the necessity of planning an applied policy aimed at controlling and managing H9N2 infection in Afghan poultry.

Phylogenetic study-based hemagglutinin (HA) gene of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) detected from backyard chickens in Iran, 2015.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype have been diversified into multiple phylogenetic clades over the past decade and are highly genetically variable. In June 2015, one outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in backyard chickens was reported in the Nogardan village of the Mazandaran Province. Tracheal tissues were taken from the dead domestic chickens (n = 10) and processed for RT-PCR. The positive samples (n = 10) were characterized as HPAI H5N1 by sequencing analysis for the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes. Phylogenetic analysis of the samples revealed that the viruses belonged to clade 2.3.2.1c, and cluster with the HPAI H5N1 viruses isolated from different avian species in Bulgaria, Romania, and Nigeria in 2015. They were not closely related to other H5N1 isolates detected in previous years in Iran. Our study provides new insights into the evolution and genesis of H5N1 influenza in Iran and has important implications for targeting surveillance efforts to rapidly identify the spread of the virus into and within Iran.

Clade 2.3.4.4 avian influenza A (H5N8) outbreak in commercial poultry, Iran, 2016: the first report and update data.

In 2010, H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage dramatically affected poultry and wild birds in Asia, Europe, and North America. In November 2016, HPAI H5N8 was detected in a commercial layer farm in Tehran province. The diagnosis was based on real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RRT-PCR) and sequencing of haemaglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes from suspected samples. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene demonstrated that the Iranian HPAI H5N8 viruses belong to the HPAI H5 virus clade 2.3.4.4 and cluster within group B (Gochang-like). In particular, the highest similarity was found with the sequences of the HPAI H5N8 identified in Russia in 2016. To our knowledge, this clade has not been previously detected in Iran. Previous HPAI A (H5) epidemic in Iran occurred in 2015 and involved exclusively viruses of clade 2.3.2.1c. These findings indicate that Iran is at high risk of introduction of HPAI H5 of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage from East Asia and highlight the need to maintain adequate monitoring activities in target wild and domestic bird species for HPAI early detection. This study is useful for better understanding the genetic and antigenic evolution of H5 HPAI viruses in the region and the world.

Polydopamine contained hydrogel nanocomposites with combined antimicrobial and antioxidant properties for accelerated wound healing.

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in infected wounds induces a tremendous inflammatory reaction to delay wound healing. To address this problem, we designed a multifunctional polyacrylamide/PVA-based hydrogel containing synthesized poly(1-glycidyl-3-butylimidazolium salicylate) (polyGBImSal) and fabricated polydopamine-coated polyphenolic nanosheet (PDA@PNS) for wound dressing. The PDA@PNS particles were designed to induce I) antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features through ROS-scavenging and II) cell adhesive properties by the existing polydopamine into the hydrogels. The poly(ionic liquid)-based polyGBImSal was designed to allocate effective hydrogel antimicrobial activity. The fabricated hydrogel nanocomposites showed excellent properties in the swelling ratio, cell adhesiveness, protein adsorption, and anti-inflammatory, proving their general performance for application in wound healing. Furthermore, these hydrogels showed high antimicrobial activity (over 95 %) against three common wound-infecting pathogenic microbes: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The healing process of full-thickness dermal wounds in rats was accelerated by applying hydrogel nanocomposites with 0.5 wt% of PDA@PNS and 28 wt% of polyGBImSal. The wound closure contraction attained full closure, reaching 100 %, after 14 days, contrasted with the control group employing commercial wound dressing (Tegaderm), which achieved a closure rate of 68 % within the equivalent timeframe. These results make these hydrogel nanocomposites promising candidates for multifunctional wound dressing applications.

Computational modeling multiple conformational states of proteins with residual dipolar coupling data.

Solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy provides unique opportunities to study the structure and dynamics of biomolecules in aqueous environments. While spin relaxation methods are well recognized for their ability to probe timescales of motion, residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) provide access to amplitudes and directions of motion, characteristics that are important to the function of these molecules. Although observed in the 1960s, the acquisition and computational analysis of RDCs has gained significant momentum in recent years, and particularly applications to motion in proteins have become more numerous. This trend may well continue as RDCs can easily leverage structures produced by new computational methods (e.g., AlphaFold) to produce functional descriptions. In this report, we provide examples and a summary of the ways that RDCs have been used to confirm the existence of internal dynamics, characterize the type of dynamics, and recover atomic-scale structural ensembles that define the full range of conformational sampling.

Effect of vitamin B1 supplementation on blood creatinine and lactate levels and clinical outcomes in patients in intensive care units: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

CONTEXT: The metabolic response to stress can deplete the remaining thiamine stores, leading to thiamine deficiency. OBJECTIVE: This study is the first meta-analysis of the effectiveness of thiamine supplementation on clinical and biochemical outcomes in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). DATA SOURCES: Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were searched to select studies up to 20 November 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Studies investigating the effect of thiamine supplementation on serum lactate and creatinine levels, the need for renal replacement therapy, length of ICU stay, and mortality rate in ICU patients were selected. DATA EXTRACTION: After excluding studies based on title and abstract screening, 2 independent investigators reviewed the full texts of the remaining articles. In the next step, a third investigator resolved any discrepancy in the article selection process. RESULTS: Of 1628 retrieved articles, 8 were selected for final analysis. This study showed that thiamine supplementation reduced the serum creatinine level (P = .03) compared with placebo. In addition, according to subgroup analysis, serum creatinine concentration was significantly lower in patients >60 years old (P < .00001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the lactate level between the thiamine supplementation and placebo groups (P = .26). Thiamine supplementation did not decrease the risk of all-cause mortality (P = .71) or the need for renal replacement therapy (P = .14). The pooled results of eligible randomized controlled trials also showed that thiamine supplementation did not reduce the length of ICU stay in comparison to the placebo group (P = .39). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides evidence that thiamine supplementation has a protective effect against blood creatinine increase in ICU patients. However, further high-quality trials are needed to discover the effect of thiamine supplementation on clinical and biochemical outcomes in ICU patients. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO no. CRD42023399710 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=399710).

The relationship between cumulative dose of immunosuppressive agents and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Immunosuppressive therapy has a key role in developing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of the type and cumulative dose of immunosuppressive agents on COVID-19-associated mucormycosis. Methods: We designed a descriptive cross-sectional study involving three COVID-19 hospitals in Iran. Clinical and demographic data were gathered from the medical records and checked by two independent researchers to minimize errors in data collection. Results: Seventy-three patients were included in the study. The mean age of cases was 57.41 (SD = 12.64) and 43.8% were female. Among patients, 20.5% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during COVID-19. Furthermore, 17 patients (23.29%) had a history of diabetes mellitus. Sixty-nine patients (94.52%) had a history of receiving corticosteroids (dexamethasone) during treatment of COVID-19, and of those, five patients (6.85%) received Tocilizumab beside. The mean cumulative dose of corticosteroids prescribed was 185.22 mg (SD = 114.738). The average cumulative dosage of tocilizumab was 720 mg (SD = 178.89). All of the included patients received amphotericin B for mucormycosis treatment, and 42 survived (57.53%). Also, there was a significant relationship between hospitalization in ICU for COVID-19 and the mucormycosis outcome (p = 0.007). However, there weren't any significant associations between cumulative doses of immunosuppressive drugs and mucormycosis outcome (p = 0.52). Conclusion: The prevalence of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis is increasing and should be considered in the treatment protocols of COVID-19. Controlling risk factors such as diabetes, malignancy and the administration of immunosuppressive agents based on recommended dosage in validated guidelines are ways to prevent mucormycosis.

The Effect of L-Carnitine on Mortality Rate in Septic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Randomized Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trial studies have reported that L-carnitine supplementation can reduce the mortality rate in patients with sepsis, but there are no definitive results in this context. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on 28-day and one-year mortality in septic patients. METHODS: A systematic search conducted on Pubmed, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases up to June 2019 without any language restriction. The publications were reviewed based on the Cochrane handbook and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). To compare the effects of L-carnitine with placebo, Risk Ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled according to the random effects model. RESULTS: Across five enrolled clinical trials, we found that L-carnitine supplementation reduce one-year mortality in septic patients with SOFA> 12 (RR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.96; P= 0.03) but had no significant effect on reducing 28-day mortality ((RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.28; P= 0.65) compared to placebo. Finally, we observed that based on current trials, L-carnitine supplementation may not have clinically a significant effect on mortality rate. CONCLUSION: L-carnitine patients with higher SOFA score can reduce the mortality rate. However, the number of trials, study duration and using a dosage of L-carnitine are limited in this context and further large prospective trials are required to clarify the effect of L-carnitine on mortality rate in septic patients.

Protracted COVID-19 during Treatment of Facial Palsy.

Neurologic manifestations are increasingly reported as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues. This is a report of a COVID-19 patient with Bell's palsy. Case Summary. A 52-year-old man with fever and malaise was tested positive for COVID-19. After a week, he developed right-sided peripheral facial palsy and was treated with corticosteroids in conjunction with antiviral treatment which resulted in complete recovery. Discussion. Concomitant treatment of corticosteroids and antiviral treatment can decrease morbidity in patients with COVID-19-related Bell's palsy.

Study of clinical features of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in an educational hospital in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of new pathogens or the resurgence of pathogens that have already spread is a serious challenge to public health. Coronavirus is a pathogen that seems to invade the human respiratory system in the first place. Coronaviruses form a large family and are so called because of the presence of crown like cristae on their surface. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted to assess the status of patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in an educational hospital. For this purpose, 142 patients hospitalized in this hospital were followed up 2 weeks after discharge and were inquired about the symptoms they had upon admission to the hospital, the number of hospitalization days, the history of underlying disease, and so on. Descriptive data analysis was done with the SPSS software version 22. RESULTS: The findings of this research showed that overweight or obese people (about 66%) is more likely to contract the disease. It also seems that older people (37.3% older than 60 years old) and those with a history of diseases (69.6%) such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease are more prone to COVID-19. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 patients included fever (64.5%), shortness of breath (67.4%), and dry cough (50.4%). CONCLUSION: it seems that high risk group (obese people, old people, and people with a history of disease) is more likely to be infect with coronavirus so they should more careful than others. Another important issue is that policy-makers must play an active role in public awareness of dangers of COVID-19 and ways to prevent it.

The Effects of Hesperidin on BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway and Oxidative Stress Parameters in the Cerebral Cortex of the Utero-placental Insufficiency Fetal Rat Model.

INTRODUCTION: Uteroplacental Insufficiency (UPI) produces critical neurodevelopmental problems affecting the Intrauterine Growth Restricted (IUGR) in offspring. This study aimed to investigate the possible neuroprotective roles of Hesperidin (Hes) on the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model. METHODS: In this experimental study, 40 pregnant Wistar rats (age: ∼40 days, Mean±SD weight: 180±10 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n= 8/group). The study groups included control (normal saline, orally), UPI+NS (uterine vessel ligation+normal saline, orally), UPI+HES25, UPI+HES50, and UPI+HES100 (uterine vessel ligation+25, 50 and 100 mg/kg Hes, orally). After being anesthetized by ketamine and xylazine, UPI was induced by permanent bilateral closure of the uterine vessels on Gestation Day (GD) 18. From GD15, the Hes/NS-treated groups received Hes/normal saline until GD21. On GD21, the uterus, placenta, and fetus were dissected out and weighed. The oxidative stress parameters, including Catalase (CAT) activity, Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were measured in the fetal cerebral cortex. The expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B (TrkB) was assessed by RT qPCR methods. The obtained data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: The present study findings identified a significant difference in the uterine and fetus weight in Hes-treated mothers (P< 0.05). In the fetus, Hes reduced MDA, and increased CAT activity and TAC (P<0.001 in the UPI+Hes100 group, compared to the UPI+NS group). UPI reduced BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, Significant increases in BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression were observed after administrating Hes in the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model, in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Hes, as a neuroprotective and antioxidant agent, accelerates BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway and suppresses oxidative stress parameters in the cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model.

The Biochemical Parameters and Vitamin D Levels in ICU Patients with Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: In Covid-19 infection, leukopenia, inflammation, and elevated liver enzymes are found in most patients. Also, vitamin D deficiency attenuates the immune system and predisposes a person to being more susceptible to infection. In this context, we aimed to evaluate vitamin D, electrolytes, complete blood count, liver enzymes, urea, creatinine, albumin, CRP and ESR levels in patients with Covid-19. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 118 patients with Covid-19 who were hospitalized from 2020/2/19 to 2020/4/3 in ICU. Serum levels of electrolytes, liver enzymes, blood factors, urea, creatinine, CRP and ESR, as well as anthropometric parameters and serum vitamin D concentration, were measured. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients (80 male and 38 female) were enrolled in the study (65.05±15.75 years). Only 5.08% of patients had no risk factors and 55.9% had ≥ 2 risk factors. Diabetes (44.1%) and obesity (23.7%) were more common among patients. Laboratory findings showed that 80.50% of patients had hyponatremia, but other electrolytes including K, Mg, Ca and P were normal in the majority of participants as well as CBC, Cr, Urea, Alb, ALT and ALKP. The AST concentration increased in most patients (66.94%). All patients had high levels of inflammatory factors such as CRP and ESR. The mean of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels in participants (25.95 ± 14.56 ng/mL) was lower than its levels in the general population. However, it was not statistically significant (P= 0.88). A significant negative correlation was found between vitamin D and ALT (P= 0.02, -0.21) as well as vitamin D and CRP (P= 0.05, -0.17). CONCLUSION: Due to the regulatory role of vitamin D in the immune system and low levels of vitamin D in Covid-19 infected patients, the evaluation of vitamin D levels and prescribed supplements, if necessary, is suggested.

The omega-3 and Nano-curcumin effects on vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) in episodic migraine patients: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this clinical trial was to examine the effect of omega-3 fatty acids (W-3 FAs), nanocurcumin and their combination on serum levels and gene expression of VCAM in patients with episodic migraine. RESULTS: In this study, 80 patients were randomly divided in to 4 groups to receive for 2 months. Both serum levels and gene expression of VCAM showed remarkable decreases after single W-3 and after combined W-3 and nanocurcumin interventions. However, a borderline significant change and no remarkable change were observed after single nanocurcumin supplementation and in control group, respectively. While a significant difference between study groups in VCAM concentrations existed, there was no meaningful difference in VCAM gene expression among groups. It appears that the W-3 and combined W-3 and nanocurcumin can relieve VCAM serum level and its gene expression in patients with episodic migraine. Moreover, the combination of W-3 with nanocurcumin might cause more significant declines in VCAM level in the serum of migraine patients than when W-3 is administered alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with ID number: NCT02532023.

The Effects of Resveratrol on Oxidative Stress Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

OBJECTIVE: Recent trial studies have found that resveratrol supplementation beneficially reduces oxidative stress marker, but, there is no definitive consensus on this context. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol supplementation on oxidative stress parameters. METHODS: We searched databases of Pubmed, Scopus and Cochrane Library up to December 2018 with no language restriction. Studies were reviewed according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and Cochrane handbook. To compare the effects of resveratrol with placebo, weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled based on the random-effects model. RESULTS: Among sixteen clinical trials, we found that resveratrol supplementation increased GPx serum levels significantly (WMD: 18.61; 95% CI: 8.70 to 28.52; P<0.001) but had no significant effect on SOD concentrations (WMD: 1.01; 95% CI: -0.72 to 2.74; P= 0.25), MDA serum levels (WMD: -1.43; 95% CI: -3.46 to 0.61; P = 0.17) and TAC (WMD: -0.09; 95% CI: -0.29 to 0.11; P = 0.36) compared to placebo. Finally, we observed that resveratrol supplementation may not have a clinically significant effect on oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: However, the number of human trials is limited in this context, and further large prospective clinical trials are needed to confirm the effect of resveratrol supplement on oxidative stress markers.