Association of major and minor ECG abnormalities with traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the general population: a large scale study.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be determined and quantified using the electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis. Identification of the risk factors associated with ECG abnormalities may advise prevention approaches to decrease CVD burden. In this study we aimed to investigate the association between CVD risk factors and minor and major ECG abnormalities in a general Iranian adult population. This study was conducted in 2010 and covered a population of 9035 males and females aged 35 to 65 years recruiting from the phase I of Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) cohort study. The participants were drawn by a stratified cluster random sampling technique. The Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted considering gender stratification to explore the association of ECG abnormalities with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. There was a significant association between minor and major ECG abnormalities and hypertension (HTN), type 2 diabetes (T2DM), smoking, and physical activity (p < 0.005). There was a significant trend, in both genders, for increasing major abnormalities as the number of CVD risk factors increased. But, only in women, the minor abnormalities increase in frequency as the number of CVD risk factors increased. The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that men with HTN [ARRR = 1.25, 95% CI 0.99, 1.57] and T2DM [ARRR = 1.31, 95% CI 0.99, 1.74] had the highest likelihood to have major abnormalities, although these are not statistically significant. For women, those with HTN had the highest likelihood to have major [ARRR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.13, 1.63] and minor [ARRR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.15, 1.58] abnormalities. Also, women aged > 60 years were more likely to have major [ARRR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.49, 2.74] and minor [ARRR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.20, 2.10] abnormalities compared to women aged < 45 years. Age and HTN were significantly associated with major and minor ECG abnormalities in women, and, on the other hand, HTN and T2DM were associated with major abnormalities in men. Taken together, these findings suggest that healthcare providers should advise preventive approaches to the asymptomatic adults with both major and minor electrocardiographic abnormalities that may predict cardiovascular risk.

Investigating the inflammatory status in the patients candidate for second angiography after coronary stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation has been shown to be an important feature of atherosclerosis. We aimed to assess a profile of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD), 12 months after stent implantation. METHODS: A total of 193 patients with CAD, who were candidates for angiography, 12 months after stent implantation (cases), were compared with 107 patients with CAD, who were candidates for their first angiography (controls). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured using routine methods. The serum concentrations of IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, MCP-1, EGF and VEGF were determined using competitive chemiluminescence immunoassays. RESULTS: Serum levels of FBG (p = .002), TG (p = .029) and hs-CRP (p = .005) were significantly lower in cases than controls. The cytokines and growth factor profiles in cases were significantly different from controls. After multivariate analysis, serum levels of IL-2 (p < .001), IL-4 (p = .028) were significantly lower in cases compared with the controls while serum levels of IL-8, TNF-α, MCP-1, EGF and VEGF were significantly higher in the cases (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CAD and higher consumption of drug used (statins, aspirin and glucose lowering agents) to mitigate the risk of a secondary event, the level of hs-CRP one year after stent implantation decreased despite of significant higher serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors.

Effect of Metal-Cored Filler Wire on Surface Morphology and Micro-Hardness of Regulated Metal Deposition Welded ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 Steel Plates.

Environmental and human-friendly welding is the need of the hour. In this context, this study explores the application of the regulated metal deposition (RMD) technique for ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 steel plates. To examine the effect of metal-cored filler wire (MCFW), MEGAFIL 237 M was employed during regulated metal deposition (RMD) welding of 6 mm thick ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 steel plates. The welding was carried out at an optimized current (A) of 100 A, voltage (V) of 13 V, and gas flow rate (GFR) of 21 L/min. Thereafter, the as-welded plates were examined for morphological changes using optical microscopy. Additionally, the micro-hardness of the as-welded plates was measured to make corroboration with the obtained surface morphologies. In addition to this, the as-welded plates were subjected to heat treatment followed by surface morphology and micro-hardness examination. A comparison was made between the as-welded and heat-treated plates for their obtained surface morphologies and microhardness values. During this, it was observed that the weld zone of as-welded plates has a dendritic surface morphology which is very common in fusion-based welding. Similarly, the weld zone of heat-treated plates has a finer and erratic arrangement of martensite. Moreover, the obtained surface morphologies in the weld zone of as-welded and heat-treated plates have been justified by their respective hardness values of 1588.6 HV and 227.3 HV.

Associação do Genótipo e Fenótipo da Paraoxonase-1 com Angiografia Positiva para Doença Arterial Coronariana / Association of Paraoxonase-1 Genotype and Phenotype with Angiogram Positive Coronary Artery Disease

Resumo Fundamento Tem sido demonstrado que um aumento dos níveis séricos de PON1 é protetor contra vários distúrbios. Foi relatado que vários polimorfismos de nucleotídeo único (SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms ) do gene PON1 estão associados a níveis e atividade de proteínas enzimáticas séricas. Objetivos Investigar a associação de SNPs do PON1 e atividade da paraoxonase sérica com a doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Métodos Foram estudados 601 pacientes não relacionados submetidos à angiografia coronária, incluindo aqueles com estenose >50% (N=266) e aqueles com estenose <30% (N=335). Os SNPs rs662 e rs840560 do gene da paraoxonase foram determinados utilizando o método ARMS-PCR e o SNP rs705379 foi genotipado utilizando análise de PCR-RFLP. A atividade da paraoxonase sérica foi medida utilizando paraoxon como substrato. O valor de p<0,05 foi considerado significante. Resultados A atividade da paraoxonase sérica não foi significativamente diferente entre os grupos de estudo. Após ajuste para idade, sexo, hipertensão, diabetes mellitus e dislipidemia, o genótipo GG e o modelo codominante de rs662 foram positivamente associados a uma angiografia positiva (respectivamente, OR = 2,424, IC 95% [1,123-5,233], p <0,05, OR = 1,663, IC 95% [1,086-2,547]). A atividade da paraoxonase sérica foi significativamente maior no alelo G e variante GG do polimorfismo rs662, alelo A e variante AA de rs854560 e alelo C e variante CC de rs705379. A análise de haplótipos mostrou que o haplótipo ATC foi significativamente mais prevalente no grupo com angiografia negativa. A análise entre os grupos indicou que o alelo A de rs662 foi significativamente associado à menor atividade da paraoxonase no grupo com angiografia positiva (p=0,019). Conclusões A presença do alelo G do polimorfismo de nucleotídeo único rs662 está independentemente associada ao aumento do risco de DAC.

Abstract Background It has been shown that increased serum PON1 levels are protective against several disorders. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the PON1 gene have been reported to be associated with serum enzyme protein levels and activity. Objective To investigate the association of SNPs of PON1 and serum paraoxonase activity with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods A total of 601 unrelated patients who underwent coronary angiography including those who had >50% stenosis (N=266) and those with <30% stenosis (N=335) were studied. The Paraoxonase gene rs662 and rs840560 SNPs were determined using the ARMS-PCR method and the rs705379 SNP was genotyped using PCR-RFLP analysis. Serum paraoxonase activity was measured using paraoxon as a substrate. A p value of p<0.05 was considered as significant. Results Serum paraoxonase activity was not significantly different between the study groups. After adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, the GG genotype and co-dominant model of rs662 was positively associated with a positive angiogram (respectively, OR=2.424, 95%CI [1.123-5.233], p<0.05, OR=1.663, 95%CI [1.086-2.547]). Serum paraoxonase activity was significantly higher in the G allele and GG variant of rs662, A allele and AA variant of rs854560 and C allele and CC variant of rs705379. The haplotype analysis has shown that the ATC haplotype was significantly more prevalent among the angiogram negative group. The analysis between groups indicated that the A allele of rs662 was significantly associated with lower paraoxonase activity in the positive angiogram group (p=0.019). Conclusions The presence of the G allele of the rs662 single nucleotide polymorphism is independently associated to increased risk of CAD.

Preconcentration and determination of five antidepressants from human milk and urine samples by stir bar filled magnetic ionic liquids using liquid-liquid-liquid microextraction-high-performance liquid chromatography.

A sensitive and straightforward liquid-liquid-liquid microextraction method was developed to preconcentrate and cleanup antidepressants, including mirtazapine, venlafaxine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, and fluvoxamine, from biological samples before analyzing with high-performance liquid chromatography. The essential novelty of this study is using magnetic ionic liquids as the extraction phase in the lumen of hollow fiber and preparing a liquid magnetic stir bar. In this method, polypropylene hollow fiber was utilized as the permeable membrane for the analyte extraction. Six magnetic ionic liquids consisting of the transition metal and rare earth compounds were synthesized and then hollow fiber lumen was injected as acceptor phase to extract the antidepressants. Besides, 3-pentanol as a water-immiscible solvent was impregnated in the hollow fiber wall pores. The effective factors in the method were optimized with the central composition design. The resultant calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.8-400.0 ng mL-1 (R2 ≥ 0.996). The method displayed the proper detection limit (0.11-0.24 ng mL-1 ), the reasonable limit of quantification (≤0.79 ng mL-1 ), wide linear ranges, high preconcentration factors (≥294.3), and suitable relative standard deviation (2.31-5.47%) for measuring antidepressant medications. Analysis of human milk and urine samples showed acceptable recoveries of 96.5-103.8% with excellent relative standard deviations lower than 5.95%.

Evaluating the efficacy of extracted squalene from seed oil in the form of microemulsion for the treatment of COVID-19: A clinical study.

This study investigates the effect of the nanostructure of squalene in the form of microemulsion on COVID-19 patients. In this blinded clinical trial, a comparison was made between the efficacy of squalene treatment and controls. A total of 30 COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department, and the infection ward was equally allocated to case (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups according to their age and underlying diseases. The baseline characteristics of subjects, including age, gender, time of treatment onset, underlying condition, white blood cells count, and lymphocyte count were similar (p < 0.05). Baseline laboratory tests and computed tomography (CT) scans were performed for the study groups. The treatment group received 5 mg of intravenous squalene twice a day and standard treatment for 6 days, while controls received only standard treatment. After 6 days of treatment, clinical and CT scan changes were evaluated and compared in intervention and control groups. The need for oxygen therapy (p = 0.020), 2 days of no fever (p = 0.025), cough alleviation (p = 0.010), and lung high-resolution computed tomography improvement (p = 0.033) were significantly different between cases and controls within 7 days of admission. No adverse effects were observed in the treatment group. Our data suggest that squalene could be considered as a potential treatment for COVID-19, and further studies are required to confirm the results.

Association of a genetic variant in the AKT gene locus and cardiovascular risk factors.

Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) is the leading cause of morbidity and death worldwide. Most genetic variants could be identified by several genome-wide-association-studies (GWAS), including within genes encoding proteins involved in the AKT/PI3K pathways that are related with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and CVDs. Therefore, due to the importance of genetic variants in the prognosis of diseases, we examined the genetic polymorphism of AKT-rs1130233 located on chromosome 14 with cardiovascular risk factors. In this cross-sectional study, 721 subjects recruited from the Mashhad-Stroke and Heart-Atherosclerotic-Disorders (MASHAD) cohort study. The participants including 257 subjects with metabolic syndrome, 144 subjects with cardiovascular disease and 320 subjects as a control group. Anthropometric, biochemical and demographic information measures were prepared. Dietary assessment was managed by 24h dietary recall. DNA extraction and genotyping were carried out by using the TaqMan real-time-PCR based method. The association of AKT rs1130233 locus with dietary intakes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 21 software. Frequencies of genotypes AA, AG and GG of the AKT rs1130233 polymorphism were 12.6%, 44.5% and 42.9% in subjects with metabolic syndrome and 9.7%, 39.6% and 50.7% in subjects with cardiovascular disease, respectively. The frequency of allele A and G in cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome population were 29.5%, 70.5% and 34.8%, 65.2%, respectively. We have found no significant association between the AKT rs1130233 polymorphism with cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome. The results of dietary intake showed that the levels of phosphorus intake (p=0.008), calcium intake (p=0.007) and iodine intake (p=0.04) were different in subjects with and without metabolic syndrome. And also, energy intake was significantly different in subjects with cardiovascular disease (p=0.01) compared to the control group. Our findings suggest that AKT rs1130233 was not associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in the Iranian population. More studies are needed to validate our results. We did functional analysis, due to certify our investigation about value of this genetic biomarker for CVD risk.

Tribological and mechanical investigation of multi-directional forged nickel.

Tailoring material properties to specific application requirements is one of the major challenges in materials engineering. Grain size is a key factor affecting physical and mechanical properties of polycrystals materials, the presented work enables insight into how the pure nickel properties are affected by application of multi-directional forging (MDF) as a well-known severe plastic deformation method. It is demonstrated that the hardness and wear rate are improved by imposing MDF process. The rate of enhancement is reduced at the higher pass numbers. It is also shown that the application of MDF process changed the mechanism of wear. Non-MDF sample's surface shows spalling and delamination, while the dominated wear mechanism of final pass sample is peeling with a slight of adhesion. The change of wear mechanism can be associated with the reduction of friction coefficient of the deformed sample. By considering the linear correlation between the hardness and wear rate, a simple and fast procedure is proposed to estimate the wear rate of sample after the different MDF pass numbers using the corresponding hardness magnitude. Additionally, the attained microstructure of the final pass sample shows a combination of ultrafine grains and micro shear bands.

Hookah smoking is strongly associated with diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and obesity: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: The adverse effects of cigarette smoking have been widely studied before, whilst the effects of hookah smoking has received less attention, although it is a common habit in the Middle East. Here we have investigated the effects of cigarette and hookah smoking on biochemical characteristics in a representative population sample derived from the Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) cohort study, from Northeastern Iran. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 9840 subjects from the MASHAD population study were allocated to five groups; non-smokers (6742), ex-smokers (976), cigarette smokers (864), hookah smokers (1067), concomitant cigarette and hookah smokers (41). METHODS: Baseline characteristics were recorded in a questionnaire. Biochemical characteristics were measured by routine methods. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and sex; the presence of CVD, obesity, metabolic syndrome, DM and dyslipidemia were significantly (p < 0.001) related to smoking status. After multivariate analysis, HDL (p < 0.001), WBC (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.05), PLT (p < 0.01) and RDW (p < 0.001), and the presence of CVD (p < 0.01), obesity (p < 0.001), metabolic syndrome (p < 0.05) and DM (p < 0.01) remained significant between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. Between hookah smokers and non-smokers; uric acid (p < 0.001), PLT (p < 0.05) and RDW (p < 0.05), and the presence of obesity (p < 0.01), metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), diabetes (p < 0.01) and dyslipidemia (p < 0.01) remained significant after logistic regression. CONCLUSION: There was a positive association between hookah smoking and metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia which was not established in cigarette smoking.

Association of rs6921438 A

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified common variants at the Vascular-Endothelial-Growth-Factor (VEGF) gene locus, which appear to be associated with plasma VEGF concentrations. These factors are among the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome (MetS). We have investigated the association between serum VEGF concentrations and a VEGF genetic variant (rs6921438 A

Interaction between a variant of CDKN2A/B-gene with lifestyle factors in determining dyslipidemia and estimated cardiovascular risk: A step toward personalized nutrition.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Several genome-wide-association-studies have identified genetic variants in a region on chromosome 9p21 that are associated with an increased risk of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. Here we have explored the interaction of a genetic variant of the CDKN2A/B-rs10811661 gene locus with cardiovascular risk factors and environmental-exposures (e.g., diet and physical activity) in 1165 individuals recruited from the Mashhad-Stroke and Heart-Atherosclerotic-Disorders cohort. METHODS: Genotyping was carried out using TaqMan-real-time-PCR based method. The association of CDKN2A/B-rs10811661 locus and its interaction with dietary intake in association with the main determinants of dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular-risk-factors were assessed in 2 cohorts. RESULTS: Our data showed that obese subjects with a TT genotype had a higher level of TG, TG/HDL ratio and Hs-CRP, compared to the subjects with the wild type genotype, or individuals with a normal BMI. Moreover, the presence of a TT genotype was associated with increased risk of hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance and CVD. These effects were more pronounced in the sub-group with low physical activity and a high dietary energy intake (e.g., the interaction between TT genotype and total energy intake on serum cholesterol was positive (RERI: 0.2, 95%CI (-0.96-1.3), AP: 0.1, 95%CI (-0.5-0.7) and SI: 1.2, 95%CI (0.3-5.1))). CONCLUSIONS: We have found a significant association between the CDKN2A-rs10811661 polymorphism with cardiovascular risk factors and dyslipidemia in a non-diabetic population. It is possible that a low energy diet and high physical activity could ameliorate the unfavorable effects of T allele of CDKN2A/B locus. Functional analysis is warranted to investigate the value of this genetic biomarker of CVD risk in obese people.

The role of human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) in cardiovascular diseases: A review of literature.

Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis, and viral infections can cause cardiovascular disease by developing inflammation. Infection with human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) is endemic in some parts of the world such as Japan, Africa, Caribbean islands, South America, and Iran. HTLV-1 is an oncogenic retrovirus, and can cause adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL or ATLL). It also causes HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A number of inflammatory diseases such as uveitis, arthritis, and Sjogren's syndrome are also associated with the virus. A few case reports have shown the direct involvement of the heart in HTLV-1-positive patients who develop ATLL. The purpose of this study was to review the literature relevant with the role of HTLV in cardiovascular diseases.

Effects of a 3D segmental prosthetic system for tricuspid valve annulus remodelling on the right coronary artery: a human cadaveric coronary angiography study.

OBJECTIVES: A prosthetic system to repair secondary tricuspid valve regurgitation was developed. The conceptual engineering of the current device is based on 3D segmental remodelling of the tricuspid valve annulus in lieu of reductive annuloplasty. This study was designed to investigate the operational safety of the current prosthetic system with regard to the anatomical integrity of the right coronary artery (RCA) in fresh cadaveric human hearts. METHODS: During the study period, from January to April 2016, the current prosthetic system was implanted on the tricuspid valve annulus in fresh cadaveric human hearts that met the study's inclusion criteria. The prepared specimens were investigated via selective coronary angiography of the RCA in the catheterization laboratory. The RCA angiographic anatomies were categorized as normal, distorted, kinked or occluded. RESULTS: Sixteen specimens underwent implantation of the current prosthetic system. The mean age of the cadaveric human hearts was 43.24 ± 15.79 years, with vehicle accident being the primary cause of death (59%). A dominant RCA was noticed in 62.5% of the specimens. None of the specimens displayed any injury, distortion, kinking or occlusion in the RCA due to the implantation of the prostheses. CONCLUSIONS: In light of the results of the present study, undertaken on fresh cadaveric human heart specimens, the current segmental prosthetic system for 3D remodelling of the tricuspid valve annulus seems to be safe vis-à-vis the anatomical integrity of the RCA. Further in vivo studies are needed to investigate the functional features of the current prosthetic system with a view to addressing the complex pathophysiology of secondary tricuspid valve regurgitation.

Depression and anxiety both associate with serum level of hs-CRP: A gender-stratified analysis in a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are two important mood disorders that are frequently associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Hyper-inflammation is related to both CVDs and psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, inflammation may partially explain the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perform a gender-stratified examination of the association between symptoms of depression/anxiety disorders and serum hs-CRP and inflammation linked conditions in a large Iranian population. METHODS: Symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders and serum hs-CRP levels were measured in 9759 participants (40% males and 60% females) aged 35-65 years, enrolled in a population-based cohort (MASHAD) study in north-eastern Iran. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated with Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. According to the scores of depression and anxiety, individuals were categorized into four groups of no or minimal, low, moderate and severe categories. RESULTS: The median serum hs-CRP concentration increased with increasing severity of depression and anxiety disorders. Male participants with severe depression had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP (p<0.001); however, this relationship was less marked among women (p=0.04). Subjects with severe anxiety also had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP (p<0.001). Moreover, women with severe depression and anxiety had higher BMI. There was also a positive association between current smoking habit and depression/anxiety disorders. CONCLUSION: Depression and anxiety disorders are associated with elevated levels of hs-CRP, particularly among men. Also, there is a significant positive association between depression/anxiety disorders and inflammation linked conditions such as smoking and obesity; however, in the case of obesity this association is only present in women.

The application of a decision tree to establish the parameters associated with hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The goal of this study was to establish the factors associated with hypertension by using a decision-tree algorithm as a supervised classification method of data mining. METHODS: Data from a cross-sectional study were used in this study. A total of 9078 subjects who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. 70% of these subjects (6358 cases) were randomly allocated to the training dataset for the constructing of the decision-tree. The remaining 30% (2720 cases) were used as the testing dataset to evaluate the performance of decision-tree. Two models were evaluated in this study. In model I, age, gender, body mass index, marital status, level of education, occupation status, depression and anxiety status, physical activity level, smoking status, LDL, TG, TC, FBG, uric acid and hs-CRP were considered as input variables and in model II, age, gender, WBC, RBC, HGB, HCT MCV, MCH, PLT, RDW and PDW were considered as input variables. The validation of the model was assessed by constructing a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of hypertension were 32% in our population. For the decision-tree model I, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC) value for identifying the related risk factors of hypertension were 73%, 63%, 77% and 0.72, respectively. The corresponding values for model II were 70%, 61%, 74% and 0.68, respectively. CONCLUSION: We have developed a decision tree model to identify the risk factors associated with hypertension that maybe used to develop programs for hypertension management.

Relationship between serum anti-heat shock protein 27 antibody levels and obesity.

BACKGROUND: Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is an intracellular molecular chaperone that is expressed at high levels following the exposure of cells to environmental stressors such as heat, toxins, and free radicals. High levels of HSP antigens and antibody titers have been reported in several conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancers. We measured serum anti-HSP27 antibody levels in 993 subjects and assessed the associations between serum anti-HSP27 antibody levels and demographic characteristics including coronary risk factors. METHODS: A total of 993 subjects were recruited as part of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders (MASHAD) cohort study. Demographic, clinical, and biochemical parameters and serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers were determined in all the subjects. RESULTS: Serum anti-HSP27 antibody levels increased with increasing age in men. No significant differences in levels were detected between men and women. Serum anti-HSP27 antibody levels were significantly higher in obese subjects than in nonobese subjects (P=0.046); however, no significant influence of smoking status was observed. Moreover, serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers were positively associated with age, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, the presence of diabetes mellitus, nonsmoking habit, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein. CONCLUSION: We have found that serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers are related to several cardiovascular risk factors, necessitating further studies on the value of this emerging marker for risk stratification.

Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Serum Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines and Growth Factors.

Inflammation plays a key role in the initiation, progression, and clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the current study was to investigate the serum concentrations of 12 cytokines and growth factors (EGF, INF-γ, IL-1α/-1ß/-2/-4/-6/-8/-10, MCP-1, TNF-α, and VEGF) in an Iranian population, including 192 smokers, comparing these values with concentrations in nonsmokers. One hundred and ninety-two cases were enrolled from the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Of these cases, 82 were cigarette smokers and 110 were nonsmokers. Sex and age were matched for the two groups. The serum concentration of 12 cytokines and growth factors were determined using EV-3513-cytokine-biochip arrays, by competitive chemiluminescence immunoassays. The level of serum MCP-1 was significantly ( p < .001) lower in the female group of cigarette smokers (mean = 88.1 dL/ng), compared with nonsmokers (mean = 155.6 dL/ng). There were no significant differences for the other cytokines and growth factors between the groups. Our finding demonstrate the association of MCP-1 with cigarette smoking, supporting further studies in larger population on evaluating the role of cigarette smoking on pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases with serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration in individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease: a report from a large Persian cohort.

Background Metabolic syndrome is defined by a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with a heightened inflammatory state. A raised serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, is also known to associate with cardiovascular risk. We have investigated the relationship between the presence of metabolic syndrome and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration in a large representative Persian population cohort without a history of cardiovascular disease. Methods The MASHAD study population cohort comprised 9778 subjects, who were recruited from the city of Mashhad, Iran, between 2007 and 2008. Several cardiovascular risk factors were measured in this population without cardiovascular disease. Individuals were categorized into quartiles of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration: first quartile - 0.72 (0.59-0.85) (median [range]) mg/L, second quartile - 1.30 (1.14-1.4) mg/L, third quartile - 2.29 (1.92-2.81) mg/L and fourth quartile - 6.63 (4.61-11.95) mg/L, respectively. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in each quartile was determined using either International Diabetes Federation or Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was highest in the fourth quartile for serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (1220 subjects [50.0%]), and significantly higher than that in the first quartile (reference group) (634 subjects [25.9%]) ( P < 0.001). A positive smoking habit (OR, 1.47 [1.26-1.70], P < 0.001) and the presence of either metabolic syndrome-International Diabetes Federation (OR, 1.35 [1.18-1.55], P < 0.001) or metabolic syndrome-ATPIII (OR, 1.40 [1.18-1.50], P < 0.001) were strong predictors of a fourth quartile for serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration. Conclusions There was a significant association between high concentrations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and the presence of metabolic syndrome among individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease in our Persian cohort.

Preparation, characterization and in-vivo evaluation of microemulsions containing tamoxifen citrate anti-cancer drug.

The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize a new nanocarrier for oral delivery of tamoxifen citrate (TMC) as a lipophilic oral administrated drug. This drug has low oral bioavailability due to its low aqueous solubility. To enhance the solubility of this drug, the microemulsion system was applied in form of oil-in-water. Sesame oil and Tween 80 were used as drug solvent oil and surfactant, respectively. Two different formulations were prepared for this purpose. The first formulation contained edible glycerin as co-surfactant and the second formulation contained Span 80 as a mixed surfactant. The results of characterization showed that the mean droplet size of drug-free samples was in the range of 16.64-64.62nm with a PDI value of <0.5. In a period of 6months after the preparation of samples, no phase sedimentation was observed, which confirmed the high stability of samples. TMC with a mass ratio of 1% was loaded in the selected samples. No significant size enlargement and drug precipitation were observed 6months after drug loading. In addition, the drug release profile at experimental environments in buffers with pH=7.4 and 5.5 showed that in the first 24h, 85.79 and 100% of the drug were released through the first formulation and 76.63 and 66.42% through the second formulation, respectively. The in-vivo results in BALB/c female mice showed that taking microemulsion form of drug caused a significant reduction in the growth rate of cancerous tumor and weight loss of the mice compared to the consumption of commercial drug tablets. The results confirmed that the new formulation of TMC could be useful for breast cancer treatment.

Effects of Dietary Honey andArdehCombination on Chemotherapy- Induced Gastrointestinal and Infectious Complications in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

We aimed to investigate the effects of dietary combination of honey and Ardeh on chemotherapy-induced complications in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A total of 107 AML patients who underwent chemotherapy for at least 30 consecutive dayswere recruited to this double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical-trial which was conducted in the Imam Reza and Ghaem teaching hospitals (Mashhad, Iran). They weredivided into two age and sex-matched groups: 58 treated and 49 untreated patients. A combination of 50 grams of honey and 150 grams of Ardehwas added to the treated group's diet for 30consecutive days, three times each day; while the untreated group received their regular diet.Both groups received their standard medication for AML as well. After one month, they were all examined and lab tests were done on them by an internist and laboratory technicians who were blinded to the subject allocations. Mean value of WBC count in treated group was significantly lower than that of untreated group. Duration of fever and admission in the hospital due to fever were both significantly lower in the treated group (P=0.014, P=0.032 respectively). Total gastrointestinal complications were significantly less in the treated group one month after therapy with the special honey and Ardeh compound.No unusual or unexpected side effects were observed. Honey and Ardehare easily accessible materials that can be helpfully administered in AML patientsreceiving chemotherapy, since their useful effects in ameliorating gastrointestinal complications and reducingfever and neutropenia in AML patients have been shown.