A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Role of Statins in the Prevention of Mortality Following Pancreatic Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a type of cancer with a high incidence and case-fatality rate. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the role of statins in preventing mortality following PC based on scientific evidence with systematic review and meta-analysis method. METHODS: This meta-analysis considered studies published from 1980 till the end of 2022 in ISI Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Embase databases. Funnel diagrams and Begg's and Egger's tests were used to assess the publication bias. RESULTS: In general, this meta-analysis has included 19 studies (13 cohort studies, 4 case-control, and 2 randomized clinical trials (RCTs)) and a total of 100,888 patients with PC. The risk of mortality of PC in statin users in total was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80 - 0.92, P-value <0.001); in the case-control studies, it was equal to 0.53 (0.34-0.83); in the cohort studies, it was equal to 0.87 (0.82-0.92, P-value <0.001); in RCTs, it was equal to 1.19 (0.99-1.42, P-value <0.001); in studies with good quality score category, it was equal to 0.92 (0.86-0.99, P-value <0.001), and in articles of the moderate quality score category, it was equal to 0.73 (0.64-0.84, P-value <0.001). The results of statistical tests indicated the existence of publication bias (Begg's test (P-value = 0.002) and Egger's test (P-value = 0.004)). CONCLUSION: Statins reduce the risk of mortality in patients with PC. However, no significant relation has been observed in RCTs. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious in interpreting the results.

Bone mineral density in Iranian children with celiac disease.

Aim: The current study aims to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with celiac disease who were referred to the celiac clinic of Shahid Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran, in 2020. Background: Extraintestinal presentations of celiac disease are widespread and, if neglected, can be devastating. Osteoporosis, one of the extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease, often remains undiagnosed until advanced stages and can impose a significant burden on patients with celiac and health systems. Nonetheless, the prevalence and characteristics of osteoporosis in celiac disease are unknown in Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study at the celiac clinic of Shahid Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran. Participants were 48 patients under 18 years diagnosed with Marsh II and Marsh III stages of celiac disease (who need to be on a gluten-free diet) at the pediatrics celiac clinic in 2020. All patients were recruited, completed a questionnaire, and had their blood biochemical parameters analyzed. Then their bone mineral density (BMD) was measured through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the Asia Imaging Center in Khorramabad under the supervision of a radiologist and pediatric rheumatologist. Results: The mean age of the children was 9.96±3.17 years. The minimum and maximum ages of the participants were 4 and 17 years, respectively. Of all 48 children who were included (48), 34 (70.8%) were female, and 14 (29.2%) were male. In the femoral region bone densitometry, 35.4% were normal, 41.7% had lower limit normal, and 22.9% had low bone density. In the lumbar region, 39.6% were normal, 25% were Lower limit normal, and 35.4% had low bone density. No significant correlation was found between age, sex, place of residence, Marsh stage, gluten-free diet, and bone densitometry in both lumbar and femoral regions. Nonetheless, we detected a statistically significant relationship between bone density in the lumbar region and two HLA types, namely HLA DQ8 and HLA DQ2/8 (P=0.016). Conclusion: The results of the current study provided further evidence that all children with advanced celiac disease should be screened for metabolic bone diseases. Besides those in Marsh II and Marsh III, patients in Marsh I stage should also be investigated for low bone mineral density.

Effect of progesterone administration on tissue mast cell population and histamine content in mice uterus after ovulation induction.

OBJECTIVE: Mast cell population and histamine affect on blastocyst implantation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of progesterone administration after induction of ovulation on the uterine tissue mast cell population and histamine content in mice. METHODS: We ran an experimental study on three groups of mice; control group, ovulation induction (induction group), and ovulation induction along with progesterone administration (progesterone group). Mast cells were counted using toluidine blue staining, and the histamine level was measured through spectrophotometry. RESULTS: According to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), there was no difference in mast cell population in endometrium (p=0.138) nor in myometrium (p=0.611). The ratio of mast cells in the myometrium per endometrium increased in the progesterone group in comparison to the control group based on a generalized linear model (p=0.041). The uterine histamine level was different between the groups, based on the ANOVA (p=0.039), in which the progesterone group had lower amounts of histamine. CONCLUSIONS: Progesterone administration after ovulation induction did not decrease the number of endometrial mast cells and could have increased the ratio of myometrium mast cells per endometrium mast cell. The histamine level in uterus decreased by the administration of progesterone in the ovulation-induced mice.

Effect of triage training on nurses' practice and triage outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment and prompt management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a complex process for emergency department (ED) nurses and has variable clinical outcomes. The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention on nurses' practice during the triage of patients with ACS and the triage outcomes in this group of patients. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, a pretest-posttest group of 24 nurses were included by convenience sampling method and 960 patients with ACS were selected by sequential sampling during the pre-intervention (n = 480) and post-intervention (n = 480) phases. A case-based learning (CBL) intervention was performed for nurses for one month considering the role of the triage nurse according to the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations as well as the factors affecting the proper identification and management of patients with ACS. During patient triage in the pre- and post-intervention phases, the "Triage Nurse Practice Checklist" and the "Medical Electronic Records" were used to assess nurses' practice and the triage outcomes in patients, respectively. RESULTS: The overall mean score of the triage nurses' practice and its subscales, including Primary monitoring and assessment, cardiovascular risk factors assessment, evaluation of coronary heart disease (CHD) symptoms, chest pain management, and adherence to the ACC/AHA practice guidelines were significantly improved in the post-intervention phase compared with the pre-intervention phase (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the triage outcomes, including in-hospital mortality within 24 hours, death in ED, hospitalization in other wards, and discharge from ED in the pre and post-intervention phases (P = 0.723). CONCLUSION: The development of a cardiac triage-specific educational program could improve the performance of nurses in the evaluation and management of patients with ACS, but had no effect on the triage outcomes in this group of patients. We recommend a quality improvement project or a critical outcomes-based triage system to assess ACS patients' care needs in the ED.

Assessing the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on air quality change and human health outcomes in a capital city, southwestern Iran.

The aimsof this study were to assess the spatial variation of PM2.5, NO2, and O3 between 2019 (before) and 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic); and calculation the health outcomes of exposure to these pollutants. The daily PM2.5, NO2, and O3 concentrations were applied to assess health effects by relative risk, and baseline incidence. The annual PM2.5 and NO2 mean concentrations exceeded the WHO guideline values, while O3 did not exceed. The restrictive measures associated to COVID-19 led to reduction at the annual means of PM2.5 and NO2 by -25.5% and -23.1%, respectively, while the annual mean of O3 increased by +7.9%. The number of M-CVD and M-RD (-25.6%, -26.1%) related to PM2.5 exposure, and HA-COPD and HA-RD >65 years old (-21% and -3.84%) related to NO2 exposure were reduced in 2020, and O3 exposure-related M-CVD (+30.1%) and HA-RD >65 years old (+23.4%) increased compared to the previous year 2019.

Ambient PM2.5 and O3 pollution and health impacts in Iranian megacity.

The main objectives of this study were to (i) assess variation within fine particles (PM2.5) and tropospheric ozone (O3) time series in Khorramabad (Iran) between 2019 (before) and 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic); (ii) assess relationship between PM2.5 and O3, the PM2.5/O3 ratio, and energy consumption; and (iii) estimate the health effects of exposure to ambient PM2.5 and O3. From hourly PM2.5 and O3 concentrations, we applied both linear-log and integrated exposure-response functions, city-specific relative risk, and baseline incidence values to estimate the health effects over time. A significant correlation was found between PM2.5 and O3 (r =-0.46 in 2019, r =-0.55 in 2020, p < 0.05). The number of premature deaths for all non-accidental causes (27.5 and 24.6), ischemic heart disease (7.3 and 6.3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17 and 19.2), and lung cancer (9.2 and 6.25) attributed to ambient PM2.5 exposure and for respiratory diseases (4.7 and 5.4) for exposure to O3 above 10 µg m-3 for people older than 30-year-old were obtained in 2019 and 2020. The number of years of life lost declined by 11.6% in 2020 and exposure to PM2.5 reduced the life expectancy by 0.58 and 0.45 years, respectively in 2019 and 2020. Compared to 2019, the restrictive measures associated to COVID-19 pandemic led to reduction in PM2.5 (-25.5%) and an increase of O3 concentration (+ 8.0%) in Khorramabad.

Adverse Events Following Immunizations in Infants Under 1 Year of Age in Lorestan Province, Western Iran / 예방의학회지

Objectives@#Vaccination is an important intervention for preventing disease and reducing disease severity. Universal vaccination programs have significantly reduced the incidence of many dangerous diseases among children worldwide. This study investigated the side effects after immunization in infants under 1 year of age in Lorestan Province, western Iran. @*Methods@#This descriptive analytical study included data from all children <1 year old in Lorestan Province, Iran who were vaccinated according to the national schedule in 2020 and had an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). Data were extracted from 1084 forms on age, sex, birth weight, type of birth, AEFI type, vaccine type, and time of vaccination. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage) were calculated, and the chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used to assess differences in AEFIs according to the abovelisted variables. @*Results@#The most frequent AEFIs were high fever (n=386, 35.6%), mild local reaction (n=341, 31.5%), and swelling and pain (n=121, 11.2%). The least common AEFIs were encephalitis (n=1, 0.1%), convulsion (n=2, 0.2%), and nodules (n=3, 0.3%). Girls and boys only showed significant differences in mild local reactions (p=0.044) and skin allergies (p=0.002). The incidence of lymphadenitis (p<0.001), severe local reaction (p<0.001), mild local reaction (p=0.007), fainting (p=0.032), swelling and pain (p=0.006), high fever (p=0.005), and nodules (p<0.001) showed significant differences based on age at vaccination. @*Conclusions@#Immunization is a fundamental public health policy for controlling vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. Although vaccines such as the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, oral poliovirus vaccine, and pentavalent vaccine are well-researched and reliable, AEFIs are inevitable.

Perceived social support in pregnant women with gestational diabetes attending hospitals in western Iran compared to healthy controls and its relationship with perceived anxiety.

Background/purpose: Due to the importance of social support in pregnant women, especially those with gestational diabetes that cause anxiety and stress in them and requires effective and enough attention, this study aims to assess perceived social support of pregnant women with gestational diabetes in western Iran compared to healthy controls and its relationship with their perceived anxiety. Methods: This is a descriptive/analytical study with a cross-sectional design conducted on 180 pregnant women with gestational diabetes (n = 89) and without gestational diabetes (n = 91) referred to the obstetrics and gynecology clinics of two hospitals (Asalian and Shahid Rahimi) in Khorramabad, western Iran. Data collection tools were a demographic checklist, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Collected data were analyzed in SPSS v.20 software using chi square test, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation test. Results: The difference between the two groups was significant in terms of perceived support from family (p = 0.001), perceived support from friends (p = 0.006), and anxiety (p = 0.047). Pearson correlation test results showed a significant negative relationship between the scores of MSPSS and BAI in patients (r= -0.329, p = 0.001) and controls (r=-0.204, p = 0.006). There was a significant difference in the MSPSS score among diabetic women in terms of having fetal macrosomia (p = 0.005), occupation (p = 0.003), education (p = 0.001), and frequency of pregnancy (p = 0.010). Conclusions: The perceived social support level is higher in diabetic pregnant women compared to healthy peers in western Iran. Improvement of social support from family and friends can reduce the anxiety of pregnant women with/without diabetes.

Increased tropospheric ozone levels as a public health issue during COVID-19 lockdown and estimation the related pulmonary diseases.

The aims of this study were to i) investigate the variation of tropospheric ozone (O3) levels during the COVID-19 lockdown; ii) determine the relationships between O3 concentrations with the number of COVID-19 cases; and iii) estimate the O3-related health effects in Southwestern Iran (Khorramabad) over the time period 2019-2021. The hourly O3 data were collected from ground monitoring stations, as well as retrieved from Sentinel-5 satellite data for showing the changes in O3 levels pre, during, and after lockdown period. The concentration-response function model was applied using relative risk (RR) values and baseline incidence (BI) to assess the O3-related health effects. Compared to 2019, the annual O3 mean concentrations increased by 12.2% in 2020 and declined by 3.9% in 2021. The spatiotemporal changes showed a significant O3 increase during COVID-19 lockdown, and a negative correlation between O3 levels and the number of COVID-19 cases was found (r = - 0.59, p < 0.05). In 2020, the number of hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases increased by 4.0 per 105 cases, the mortality for respiratory diseases increased by 0.7 per 105 cases, and the long-term mortality for respiratory diseases increased by 0.9 per 105 cases. Policy decisions are now required to reduce the surface O3 concentrations and O3-related health effects in Iran.

High prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in Iranian patients suffering from colorectal cancer.

The present investigation was designed to study the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in the colorectal cancer patients compared to the healthy subjects. The present descriptive case-control study was performed on 174 subjects including 87 healthy people and 87 patients with colorectal cancer attending to general hospitals in Lorestan Province, Western Iran, during October 2019-August 2020. A fresh stool specimen was collected from each subject in a sterile labeled container. The collected stool samples were concentrated using the sucrose flotation method and then prepared for Ziehl-Neelsen staining for microscopic examination. All samples were also tested using the Nested-PCR assays by amplifying the 18S rRNA gene for the presence of Cryptosporidium DNA. Demographic and possible risk factors such as age, gender, residence, agriculture activity, history of contact with livestock, consumption unwashed fruits/vegetables, and hand washing before eating were investigated in all the studied subjects using a questionnaire. Of the 87 patients with colorectal cancer, 37 (42.5%) had Cryptosporidium infection. A significant difference (p < 0.001) in the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infections among the participants in the case and control (11, 12.6%) groups was observed. We found that cryptosporidiosis was not linked with age, gender, hand washing, agriculture activity, and history of contact with livestock in the colorectal patients. However, residence in urban areas was significantly associated with the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis. The 18 s rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium in 48 samples was successfully amplified by the Nested-PCR. Based on the obtained findings, Cryptosporidium spp. infections were observed significantly more frequently in the patients with colorectal cancer in comparison with the healthy individuals. It is suggested to carry out similar studies in various parts of Iran with larger sample sizes and further parasitological tests.

Adherence to preventive behaviours and risk of COVID-19 infection: a case-control study.

Aim To investigate the relationship between adherence to preventive behaviors and risk of COVID-19 infection. Methods In this case-control study, 491 participants were selected through convenience sampling. First, the samples of the case group (COVID-19 patients) were selected, and then the control group was matched with the case group based on age, gender, and occupation. The criteria for diagnosing COVID-19 for the case group were self-reported positive PCR test or lung involvement on a chest CT scan. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results, and an odds ratio was calculated to quantify the magnitude of the association using a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p<0.05. Results The results showed that, compared to those who always wear a mask, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 was 3.153 times higher in those who used no masks (95% CI: 0.953-10.434) and 3.779 times higher in those who used masks occasionally (95% CI:1.929-7.37). The participants who never observed physical distancing and handwashing were 2.25 times more likely to get COVID-19 than those who always observed (95% CI:1.719-4.954; OR=2.258). Conclusion Participants who fail in following the protective measures, especially wearing a mask regardless of its type, had a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, it is recommended to use a mask consistently, especially during the peak of COVID-19 waves.

Coactivity of Mast Cells and Stem Cells on Angiogenesis and Antioxidants' Potentials at Inflammation, Proliferation, and Tissue Remodeling Phases of Wound.

Background Reactive oxygen species cause serious damage to the physiological function of tissues. Determination of total antioxidant capacity of skin tissue is one of the determinants of damaged tissue function. Mast cells (MCs) are one of the groups of cells that are invited to the site of injury. The healing process begins with the rapid release of various types of MCs' intermediate factors at the site of injury. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) production and secretion have been shown to regenerate the skin. The aim of this research was to evaluate the wound-healing and antioxidant effects of BMMSCs per MCs. Methods Fifty-four albino Wistar male rats were divided into three groups: (1) nonsurgery, (2) surgery, and (3) surgery + BMMSCs. Groups 2 and 3 were operated with a 3 × 8 cm flap and in group 3, cell injections (7 × 10 9 cell injection at the time of surgery) were performed. After days 4, 7, and 15, percentage of the surviving tissue, histological characteristics, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in the groups. For results, Graph Pad Prism 8 software was used, and data were analyzed and compared by analysis of variance and Tukey test. Results BMMSCs' application decreased the amount of MDA, increased SOD activity and survival rate of the flaps, and improved the histological characteristics. Conclusion This study revealed the protective effects BMMSCs alongside MCs against oxidative stress on the survival of the flaps. However, for clinical use, more research is needed to determine its benefits.

Evaluation of serum levels of cathepsin S among colorectal cancer patients.

Objective: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Cathepsins are protease that are known to be involved in cancer progression and metastasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of serum cathepsin S in patients and control subjects and its effects on the prognosis of the cancer. Methods: In this case-control study, colorectal cancer patients referred to our gastroenterology clinic were included. The control group consisted of healthy individuals. Cathepsin S levels were analyzed in these patients and the check list consisting of demographic data, cancer stage, colonoscopy findings, CEA marker and cathepsin S levels were recorded. Results: Of 80 patients and healthy controls included in the study, age, gender and BMI were not significantly different among the two groups, p = 0.265, p = 0.752 and p = 0.2, respectively. Cathepsin S levels were significantly greater in-patient group p < 0.001 and was significantly correlated with the stage of the tumor. CEA marker was also linear related with the increased levels of cathepsin S, p < 0.001. Conclusion: Our study concluded that cathepsin S is elevated in the cancer patients and can be a significant marker for the prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Dose-Dependent Effects of Astaxanthin on Ischemia/Reperfusion Induced Brain Injury in MCAO Model Rat.

Excitotoxicity and oxidative stress are central to the pathology of the nervous system, and inhibition of excitotoxicity induced by glutamate is one of the therapeutic goals determined for stroke. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Astaxanthin, a potent natural antioxidant, on complications caused by acute cerebral stroke. In this research, 60 male Wistar rats were used which were divided into 5 groups as follow: (1) the sham group (vehicle), (2) the ischemic control group (vehicle), and the ischemic groups treated by Astaxanthin with doses of 25, 45, and 65 mg/kg. In the ischemic groups, ischemic model was performed by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method, and the Astaxanthin administration was carried out after the artery occlusion and before opening the artery. The obtained results indicated that Astaxanthin could significantly reduce stroke volume, neurological deficits, and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, it was able to restore total oxidant status (TOS) and caspase 3 level to the normal level. The activity of antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and the expression of catalase, GPx and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκb) genes, which were reduced after ischemia, were increased. This phenomenon was particularly pronounced for glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1). Furthermore, Astaxanthin decreased the augmented pro-apoptotic gene Bax and restored the reduced Bcl2 expression to the normal level. Significant effects on the P53 and PUMA expression were not observed. Overall, the medium dosage of Astaxanthin appears to be more effective in reducing the complications of ischemia, particularly on our major study endpoints (stroke volume and neurological defects). Longer studies with a more frequent administration of Astaxanthin are required to better understand the precise mechanism of Astaxanthin.

Effects of zinc on expression of apoptosis-related genes in freezing thawing damage of adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of zinc supplementation on freezing thawing damage in adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) of mice through studying cellular viability and gene expression profile of apoptosis. Slow freezing method was conducted and the samples were treated with zinc doses 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 µM. Viability was increased in groups of 2.5, 10 and 25 µM zinc in comparison to the control group. Gene expression study showed that in the group of 2.5 µM zinc, Fas, Bax and Caspase3 had down regulation. Up regulation of Bcl2 was observed in the groups of 10 and 25 µM zinc. P53 did not have a protecting regulation in the groups of study. The present study showed that doses 2.5-25 µM of zinc had a rather safe toxicity, increased cellular viability, and ameliorated expression of apoptosis-related genes in both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

An ecological modeling on the adjusted effects of socioeconomic determinants and HLA-DRB1 alleles in fatality of COVID-19 during the early phase of epidemics in a group of countries.

INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomic determinants along with genetic status may affect fatality rate of COVID-19. We intend to investigate the adjusted effects of the HLA-DRB1 alleles and socioeconomic determinants including gross domestic product per capita (GDP cap) and health expenditure per capita (HE cap) in fatality of COVID-19 during the early phase of epidemic in a group of countries. METHODS: As an ecological study, early exposure to epidemics was defined as having more than 5000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 1 March 2020 to 1 April 2020. Poisson regression was used to report adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) for case fatality rate in this constant time period. RESULTS: Fourteen countries were eligible. Among the alleles, DR7 showed the strongest risk factor (IRR=112.535, P<0.001). Having GDP cap more than 40000$ or having HE cap more than 3000$ was a protecting factor (IRR=0.899, P<0.001, adjusted with allele DR7). Having GDP cap more than 40000$ along with having HE cap more than 3000$ was a protecting factor (IRR=0.471, P<0.001, adjusted with allele DR7). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic status of the countries may compensate the probable harmful effect of some HLA-DRB1 alleles. This conclusion was limited to a period that all the selected countries had almost similar governmental intervention.

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in women with spontaneous abortion.

The present study aimed to use the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique in comparison with serological tests to determine the rate of T. gondii infection in women suffering from spontaneous abortion (SA). A total of 140 women suffering from their first SA were included in this study. The collected aborted fetal remains and blood samples from each patient were examined in sterilized conditions using the LAMP technique and ELISA. Of the 140 women, 80 (57.1%) tested seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies by ELISA, 72 (51.4%) women tested seropositive for the IgG antibody, 8 (5.7%) tested seropositive for the IgM antibody. Among the eight women who'd had their first SA who tested seropositive for IgM antibody by ELISA, only five cases (62.5%) reported positively to the LAMP test. The difference in the frequency distribution of the LAMP results for measuring the Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women under study was statistically significant (P < 0.001) from the results of the serological test (ELISA). Although there was a significant difference between age and positivity in the LAMP test (P = 0.017), no significant difference was observed between positivity in the LAMP test and other variables. The findings of the present investigation suggest that LAMP is a preferred method for determining Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women suffering from SA compared with other routine serological tests. Even in a field with limited facilities and equipment, this technique can be effective and efficient in accurately and specifically diagnosing Toxoplasma infections in women at high risk of SA.

Protective effects of royal jelly on testicular torsion induced ischaemia reperfusion injury in rats.

This study was performed to investigate the protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) on a testicular torsion-induced ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in adult rats. A total of 40 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, including 10 rats in each group: Group 1 (sham), Group 2 (Control), group 3 (I/R rats treated with 100 mg/kg RJ for 50 days after torsion) and group 4( I/R rats treated with 20 mg/kg vitamin C for 50 days after torsion). Testicular torsion was created by rotating the right testes 720° a clockwise direction for 90 min. The levels of testosterone were measured by ELISA. Pathological evaluation, mean maturity and quality of the seminiferous tubules were used. Results showed that the testicular histopathology standards and testosterone levels changes were statistically significant in groups 3 and 4. The results obtained in this study may suggest that RJ like vitamin C had protective effects on a testicular ischaemia/reperfusion-induced injury in rats.

Protective effects of honey, Apis mellifera meda skorikov, on ischemia-reperfusion induced muscle injury / Efectos protectores de la miel, Apis mellifera meda skorikov, sobre la lesión muscular inducida por isquemia-reperfusión

Honey is a natural antioxidant that its protective effects have been proven against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Persian Honey, Apis mellifera meda skorikov, on gastrocnemius muscle IR injury. Eighty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-300 g were used. They were divided into ten groups (N=8 per group). The ischemia was conducted with a silk suture 6-0 using the slipknot technique. All groups were rendered in ischemic for 3 h, and reperfused for various times of 3 days (3-day reperfusion), 7 days (7-day reperfusion), 14 days (14-day reperfusion), and 28 days (28-day reperfusion). Half of the groups had experimental honey (5 %) treatment immediately after ischemia. After reperfusion, the rats, based on the grouping, were killed with high doses of anesthetic, and the gastrocnemius muscles were removed and fixed. After the tissue processing, the evaluation of edema and mast cells infiltration was performed with hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue staining, respectively. TNF-α was detected with immunohistochemistry method. The amount of TNF-α as an index of acute inflammatory except the 3rd day significantly decreased on the other day of reperfusion (7th, 147th and 287th days). The mast cells infiltration was significantly decreased on 77th and 147th days. The tissue edema was decreased significantly in honey administrated group in the comparison with placebo groups. Honey administration can reduce damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion in the rat gastrocnemius muscle.

La miel es un antioxidante natural; sus efectos protectores han sido probados contra la lesión por isquemiareperfusión (IR). El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de mejora de la miel persa Apis mellifera meda skorikov, en la lesión por IR del músculo gastrocnemio. Se utilizaron 80 ratas Sprague-Dawley macho adultas con un peso entre 250 y 300 g divididas en diez grupos (N = 8 por grupo). La isquemia se realizó con una sutura de seda 6-0 utilizando la técnica slipknot permaneciendo isquémicos durante 3 h. La reperfusión se realizó durante varios tiempos de 3 días, 7 días (reperfusión de 7 días), 14 días (reperfusión de 14 días) y 28 días (28 días reperfusión). La mitad de los grupos recibió tratamiento experimental con miel (5 %) inmediatamente después de la isquemia. Después de la reperfusión, las ratas, fueron sacrificadas con altas dosis de anestésico, y los músculos gastrocnemios fueron removidos y fijados. Después de procesar el tejido, se realizó la evaluación del edema y la infiltración de mastocitos se realizó con tinción de hematoxilina-eosina y azul de toluidina, respectivamente. TNF-α se detectó con el método de inmunohistoquímica. La cantidad de TNF-α como índice de inflamación inflamatoria aguda, excepto en el tercer día, disminuyó significativamente al día siguiente de la reperfusión (7, 14 y 28 días). La infiltración de mastocitos disminuyó significativamente a los 7 y 14 días. El edema tisular disminuyó significativamente en el grupo administrado con miel en comparación con los grupos placebo. El tratamiento con miel puede reducir el daño causado por la isquemia-reperfusión en el músculo gastrocnemio de la rata.