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In the first experiment, the chemical composition, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), AME corrected for nitrogen (AMEn), true metabolizable energy (TME), TME corrected for nitrogen (TMEn) values of the sweet almond meal were determined in adult Leghorn cockerels. The second experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of different levels of sweet almond meal at 0, 100, 200 and 300 g/kg on Japanese quail's growth performance, some blood metabolites, relative weight of different organs, meat quality and egg yolk cholesterol in a completely randomized design with 288 Japanese quails including 4 treatments, 4 replicates and 18 birds per replicate. The metabolizable energy values of sweet almond meal were following: AME = 3734, AMEn = 3648, TME = 3908, TMEn = 3746 kcal/kg as fed basis. Feed intake, feed conversion ratio and live weight gain and relative weight of different organs in the birds fed diets with different levels of the sweet almond meal were not statistically different from control. A sweet almond meal at 300 g/kg level showed the lower serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05) compared to control and 100 g/kg sweet almond meal. Dietary treatments had no significant effect on the total cholesterol content of quail's eggs. Malondialdehyde concentration in breast meat samples after 40 days freezing decreased, whereas the level of sweet almond meal increased (P < 0.01). In general, a sweet almond meal without any adverse effect on growth performance is a good source of energy and protein and can be used up to 300 g/kg of the Japanese quail diets.

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that function as cellular antennae to address multiple metabolic and extracellular cues. The past decade has seen significant advances in understanding the pro-tumorigenic role of N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) modification in tumorigenesis. Nevertheless, whether m 6 A modification modulates the cilia dynamics during cancer progression remains unclear. Here, the results show that m 6 A methyltransferase METTL3 regulates cilia length in cancer cells via HDAC6-dependent deacetylation of axonemal α-tubulin, thereby controlling cancer development. Mechanically, METTL3 positively regulates the translation of HDAC6 in an m 6 A-dependent manner, while m 6 A methylation of A3678 in the coding sequence (CDS) of HDAC6 ameliorates its translation efficiency via facilitating the binding with YTHDF3. The upregulation of HDAC6 induced by METTL3 over-expression is capable of inhibiting cilia elongation and acetylation of α-tubulin, thereby shortening cilia length and accelerating the progression of cervical cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, depletion of METTL3-mediated m 6 A modification leads to abnormally elongated cilia via suppressing HDAC6-dependent deacetylation of axonemal α-tubulin, ultimately attenuating cell growth and cervical cancer development., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex disorder that arises from genetic and environmental factors. The current investigation endeavors to investigate the role of exposure to organochlorine (OCPs) and organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), recognized as the main environmental elements, in the genesis of PD. In this case-control study, 29 PD patients and 51 healthy subjects were involved. Gas chromatography was performed to measure the serum levels of organochlorine chemicals (2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, 4,4-DDE, α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH). Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and several oxidative stress (OS) markers were assessed. The levels of OCPs in the PD patients were significantly higher than in the control subjects. In addition, AChE activity, arylesterase activity of PON-1, catalase activity, and superoxide dismutase 3 activity in PD patients were significantly less than controls. However, the levels of carbonyl protein, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide in PD patients were higher than the controls. The findings of this investigation have indicated that OCPs and OPPs exposure could contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease. This potential linkage could either be established through the direct impact of these pesticides on the nervous system, leading to neurotoxicity, or via an indirect route through the triggering of OS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifaceted disease that is influenced by both genetic and environmental parameters. Non-coding RNAs have been shown to be ideal biomarkers for several diseases, including PD. This study was conducted to evaluate the expression levels of NEAT1, hsa-let-7a-5p, and miR-506-3p in individuals with PD to assess their efficacy for early-stage PD diagnosis., Methods: Twenty-four patients with PD and 29 healthy individuals participated in this study. The IntaRNA tool was used to predict potential base pairings between NEAT1 and let-7a-5p, and NEAT1 and miR-506-3p. RT-qPCR was employed to measure the relative expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), as well as nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1), hsa-let-7a-5p, and miR-506-3p levels in both groups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic value., Results: The PD group exhibited significantly elevated NEAT1 expression levels compared to the healthy control group. While the PD group exhibited an insignificant decreased TH expression level relative to the healthy group. Furthermore, the levels of hsa-let-7a-5p and miR-506-3p expression were seen to be decreased in patients with PD in comparison to the control group. Integration of NEAT1, hsa-let-7a-5p, and miR-506-3p levels significantly enhanced diagnostic capabilities and increased the AUC to 0.9501 (95% confidence interval: 0.8978-1.000, p < .0001)., Conclusions: The elevated NEAT1 expression and the decreased expression of hsalet- 7a-5p and miR-506-3p in PD patients indicate that these factors might contribute to the disease's pathogenesis. Combining the ROC curves of NEAT1 and hsa-let-7a-5p with miR-506-3p showed improved sensitivity and specificity, facilitating more accurate PD diagnosis. More importantly, they may contribute as promising non-invasive biomarkers for PD diagnosis., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Epigenetic alterations, changes in gene expression without DNA sequence modifications, are associated with various health disorders, including reproductive health issues. These alterations can be influenced by environmental factors such as pesticides. This study aimed to explore the relationship between exposure to Organochlorine Pesticides (OClPs) and the histone modification mark H3K9ac in the placenta and fetal tissue, in the context of unexplained recurrent miscarriage (URM). In the case-control study, serum samples from 73 women with URM and 30 healthy women were examined for the presence of OClPs, which include 2,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, 4,4-DDT, 4,4-DDE, α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH, using gas chromatography. Western blot analysis was used to assess H3K9ac expression in placental and fetal tissues. In the URM group, significant increases were observed in the values of α-HCH, β-HCH, 2,4-DDE, and 4,4-DDE, as well as in the concentration of total OClPs (Ʃ3HCH, Ʃ2DDE, Ʃ2DDT, and Ʃ7OClP), compared to controls. While H3K9ac levels in fetal tissue showed no significant difference, a notable decrease was found in the placental tissue of the URM. In the placenta tissue of URM, logistic regression analysis also revealed a significant inverse correlation between the toxins α-HCH, 2,4-DDE, 4,4-DDE, 4,4-DDT, total OClPs, and reduced H3K9ac expression. Our findings suggest that OClPs exposure may contribute to URM by reducing H3K9ac expression in the placenta, potentially affecting placental growth and immune tolerance. This underscores the need for further investigation into the involved mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions, and the importance of OClPs regulation for reproductive health protection., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a polypeptide hormone synthesized during pregnancy and is also upregulated in some pathologic conditions such as certain tumors. Its measurement is essential for diagnosing pregnancy and malignancies. Despite numerous attempts to introduce an accurate method capable of detecting hCG levels, several limitations are found in previous techniques. This study aimed to address the limitations of current hCG assay methods by designing an electrochemical biosensor based on voltammetry for the rapid, selective, inexpensive, and sensitive measurement of hCG levels., Methods: A carbon paste electrode was prepared and functionalized by para-aminobenzoic acid. The primary anti-β-hCG monoclonal antibody was immobilized on the electrode surface by activating the carboxyl groups with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide solutions. The study also involved optimizing parameters such as the time for primary antibody fixation, the time for hCG attachment, and the pH of the hydrogen peroxide solution to maximize the biosensor response. Different concentrations of hCG hormone were prepared and loaded on the electrode surface, the secondary antibody labeled with HRP enzyme was applied, thionine in phosphate-buffered saline solution was placed on the electrode surface, and the differential pulse electrical signal was recorded., Results: The linear range ranged from 5 to 100 mIU/ml, and the limit of detection was calculated as 0.11 mIU. The relative standard deviation was 3% and 2% for five repeated measurements of commercial standard samples with concentrations of 2 and 20 mIU/mL, respectively. The percent recovery was obtained from 98.3% to 101.5%., Conclusion: The sensor represents a promising advancement in hCG level measurement, offering a potential solution to overcome the existing limitations in current diagnostic strategies. Simple and inexpensive design, detecting hCG in its important clinical range during early pregnancy, and successful measurement of hCG in real serum samples are the advantages of this sensor., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Medical Signals & Sensors.)

Introduction: Hematological parameters are crucial factors in disease severity and chronic condition pathogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the hematological factors in different severity stages of COVID-19 at different time intervals., Methods: Serum samples were collected from 470 patients (235 men and 235 women) with a confirmed RT-qPCR COVID-19 test exhibiting moderate, severe, and critical symptoms based on WHO criteria. Samples were collected at three-time intervals, including the first: the 1st days of infection, 2nd: the one month after, and 3rd: the three months after disease onset. Total WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, RBC counting, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, hsCRP levels, G6PD deficiency, and hemoglobinopathies were determined in all patients., Results: Total WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet, RBC counting, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, and hsCRP levels were significantly changed with different disease severity (p&#60;0.0001). Also, there were significant differences between different time intervals for WBC and RBC parameters (p&#60;0.0001) except for monocytes and eosinophils. At all time intervals, there are significant changes in levels of hematological and hsCRP based on gender. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between disease severity, age, and BMI (p&#60;0.0001)., Conclusion: Significant differences in hematological parameter and inflammatory parameter levels based on disease severity, time intervals, and gender revealed the importance of evaluating these factors in the management of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, in patients during and post-disease times.

N1-methyladenosine (m 1 A) modification is one of the most prevalent epigenetic modifications on RNA. Given the vital role of m 1 A modification in RNA processing such as splicing, stability and translation, developing a precise and controllable m 1 A editing tool is pivotal for in-depth investigating the biological functions of m 1 A. In this study, we developed an abscisic acid (ABA)-inducible and reversible m 1 A demethylation tool (termed AI-dm 1 A), which targets specific transcripts by combining the chemical proximity-induction techniques with the CRISPR/dCas13b system and ALKBH3. We successfully employed AI-dm 1 A to selectively demethylate the m 1 A modifications at A8422 of MALAT1 RNA, and this demethylation process could be reversed by removing ABA. Furthermore, we validated its demethylation function on various types of cellular RNAs including mRNA, rRNA and lncRNA. Additionally, we used AI-dm 1 A to specifically demethylate m 1 A on ATP5D mRNA, which promoted ATP5D expression and enhanced the glycolysis activity of tumor cells. Conversely, by replacing the demethylase ALKBH3 with methyltransferase TRMT61A, we also developed a controllable m 1 A methylation tool, namely AI-m 1 A. Finally, we caged ABA by 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl (DMNB) to achieve light-inducible m 1 A methylation or demethylation on specific transcripts. Collectively, our m 1 A editing tool enables us to flexibly study how m 1 A modifications on specific transcript influence biological functions and phenotypes., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Long COVID is characterized by the persistence of symptoms among individuals who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The enduring impact of these long-term effects on the health and well-being of those affected cannot be denied., Method: About 470 patients with SARS-CoV-2 were consecutively recruited in this longitudinal study. The participants were entered into moderate, severe, and critical groups. 235 out of 470 participants were female. The levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), alanine transaminase (SGPT), aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (Cr), urea, uric acid (UA), and total protein (TP) were measured during hospitalization and again at one and three months after infection. The levels of Zn and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were also measured only during hospitalization., Result: COVID-19 severity was associated with high levels of glucose, urea, Cr, ALT, AST, ALP, and HbA1c, and low levels of Zn, UA, and TP. There were significant sex differences for these markers at all three-time points. Glucose, urea, Cr, ALT, AST, and ALP all decreased three months after infection, whereas the levels of UA and TP returned towards normal., Conclusion: COVID-19 infection affects the levels of multiple biochemical factors in a gender-dependent manner. The biochemical changes become more tangible with increasing disease severity, and several of these predict mortality. Levels begin to return to normal after the acute phase of the disease, but in some individuals, at three months, several markers were still not within the normal range. Whether the trajectory of these changes can predict long COVID requires further testing., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) rs662 polymorphism, arylesterase (ARE) activity, and the serum lipid profile in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different stages of the disease considering post-COVID outcomes. A total of 470 COVID-19 patients (235 female and 235 male patients) were recruited into the study, and based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, the patients were divided into three groups: moderate, severe, and critical. PON1 rs662 polymorphism was determined by the Alw 1 enzyme followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Moreover, serum levels of triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (Chol), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), as well as the level of the ARE activity of PON1 in the sera of patients were measured at the time of infection and one and three months after hospitalization. There was a significant relationship between the G allele and the severity of the disease. In addition, the probability of death in homozygous individuals (GG) was higher than in heterozygous patients (GA), and it was higher in heterozygous patients than in wild-type individuals (AA). There was also a significant relationship between the decrease in serum lipids and the intensity of COVID-19. On the contrary, at the onset of the disease, the HDL-c level and serum ARE activity were reduced compared to one and three months after COVID-19 infection. The findings of this study indicated the significant impact of PON1 rs662 polymorphism on ARE activity, lipid profiles, disease severity, and mortality in COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: In the current study, we investigate whether oral administration of agmatine (AGM) could effectively reduce motor and cognitive deficits induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in an animal model of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) through neuroprotective mechanisms., Methods: The Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sham, BDL, BDL+ 40 mg/kg AGM, and BDL+ 80 mg/kg AGM. The BDL rats were treated with AGM from 2 weeks after the surgery for 4 consecutive weeks. The open field, rotarod, and wire grip tests were used to assess motor function and muscle strength. The novel object recognition test (NOR) was performed to evaluate learning and memory. Finally, blood samples were collected for the analysis of the liver markers, the animals were sacrificed, and brain tissues were removed; the CA1 regions of the hippocampus and cerebellum were processed to identify apoptosis and neuronal damage rate using caspase-3 immunocytochemistry and Nissl staining., Results: The serological assay results showed that BDL severely impaired the function of the liver. Based on histochemical findings, BDL increased the neuronal damage in CA1 and Purkinje cells, whereas apoptosis was significantly observed only in the cerebellum. AGM treatment prevented the increase of serum liver enzymes, balance deficits, and neuronal damage in the brain areas. Apoptosis partially decreased by AGM, and there were no differences in the performance of animals in different groups in the NOR., Conclusions: The study suggests AGM as a potential treatment candidate for HE because of its neuroprotective properties and/or its direct effects on liver function., (© 2023 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: Cancer incidence depends on various factors e.g., pesticide exposures which cause epigenetic alterations. The present research aimed to investigate the organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) impacts on promoter methylation of three tumor-suppressor genes and four histone modifications in thyroid nodules in 61 Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 70 benign thyroid nodules (BTN) patients., Methods: OCPs were measured by Gas chromatography. To identify promoter methylation of TSHR, ATM, and P16 genes, the nested-methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was utilized, and histone lysine acetylation (H3K9, H4K16, and H3K18) and lysine methylation (H4K20) were detected by performing western blot analysis., Results: Further TSHR methylation and less P16 methylation were observed in PTC than in BTN. No substantial difference was detected for ATM methylation between PTC and BTN groups. Also, OCP dramatically increased the odds ratio of TSHR (OR=3.98, P =0.001) and P16 (OR=5.65, P <0.001) methylation while confounding variables reduced the chances of ATM methylation arising from 2,4-DDE and 4,4-DDT influence. Hypomethylation of H4K20 and hypo-acetylation of H3K9, H4K16, and H3K18 ( P <0.001) were observed in PTC samples than BTN. Furthermore, OCPs substantially decreased the odds ratio of H3K9 (OR=3.68, P <0.001) and H4K16 (OR=6.03, P <0.001) acetylation., Conclusion: The current research indicated that OCPs could contribute to PTC progression by TSHR promoter hypermethylation and decreased acetylation of H3K9 and H4K16. In addition, in PTC patients, assessing TSHR promoter methylation and acetylation of H3K9 and H4K16 could have predictive values., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Salimi, Asadikaram, Ashrafi, Zeynali Nejad, Abolhassani, Abbasi-Jorjandi and Sanjari.)

The molecular mechanisms of opium action with regard to coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of opium on the expression of scavenger receptors including CD36, CD68, and CD9 tetraspanin in monocytes and the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide metabolites (NO x ) in CAD patients with and without opium addiction. This case-control study was conducted on three groups: (1) opium-addicted CAD patients (CAD + OA, n = 30); (2) CAD patients with no opium addiction (CAD, n = 30); and (3) individuals without CAD and opium addiction as the control group (Ctrl, n = 17). The protein and mRNA levels of CD9, CD36, and CD68 were evaluated by the flow cytometry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) methods, respectively. The consumption of atorvastatin, aspirin, and glyceryl trinitrate was found be higher in the CAD groups compared with the control group. The plasma level of TNF-α was significantly higher in the CAD + OA group than in the CAD and Ctrl groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). MDA levels significantly increased in CAD and CAD + OA patients in comparison with the Ctrl group (p = 0.010 and p = 0.002, respectively). No significant differences were found in CD9, CD36, CD68, IFN-γ, and NO x between the three groups. The findings demonstrated that opium did not have a significant effect on the expression of CD36, CD68, and CD9 at gene and protein levels, but it might be involved in the development of CAD by inducing inflammation through other mechanisms.

Exposure to pesticides has been linked to an elevated risk of leukemia. The present research aimed to evaluate the relationship between organochlorine (OC) pesticides and biomarkers of oxidative stress in leukemia patients. This work was conducted on 109 patients with leukemia and 109 healthy controls. The serum concentrations of seven derivatives of OCs including alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, 2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, and 4,4-DDE along with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and catalase (CAT) activities as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxide (NO), protein carbonyl (PC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in all the subjects. Levels of OCs were remarkably higher in leukemia patients compared to the controls (p < 0.05). In addition, levels of SOD, AChE, GPx, PON-1, and TAC were remarkably lower in leukemia patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). In contrast, MDA, NO, and PC concentrations were higher in leukemia patients than in the controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the serum level of 4,4-DDE was negatively associated with GPx activity (p = 0.038). Our findings suggest that OCs may play a role in the development of leukemia by disrupting the oxidant/antioxidant balance.

Thyroid disease is one of the most common endocrine problems around the world. Among the numerous factors, exposure to environmental elements such as pesticides is associated with an increase in the incidence of thyroid disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in induction of oxidative stress (OS) and development of thyroid tumors. This case-control study was conducted on 61 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), 70 patients with benign thyroid nodules (BTN), and 73 healthy individuals as control. Seven derived OCPs residues measured by gas chromatography (GC), and enzyme activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), superoxide dismutase3 (SOD3), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase3 (GPx3) and paraoxonase1 (PON1) and also, non-enzymatic antioxidant including; malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyl (PC), and nitric oxide (NO) biomarkers in all participants were investigated. Furthermore, all of the above enzymes were docked against measured OCPs. The results revealed that β-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4 DDE, 4,4 DDE, 2,4-DDT, and 4,4-DDT levels along with MDA, NO, and PC levels were elevated, while AChE, SOD3, GPx3, CAT, and PON1 activities and TAC levels were decreased in the PTC and BTN groups compared with the control group. Therefore, OCPs might play a role in the development of thyroid tumors through several mechanisms including generation of OS. Importantly, in silico analysis confirmed the in vivo findings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Epigenetics is the science of altering gene expression without changing nucleotide sequences and may be induced by various environmental factors, including pesticides. The aim of this study was to investigate certain epigenetic changes including the methylation of CDKN2B, CDKN2A, and MGMT gene promoters and histone modifications of H3K9ac, H4K16ac, H4K20me3, and H3K4me3, as well as their association with the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The evaluation of OCP levels, promoter methylation, gene expression, and expression of histone modifications was performed by gas chromatography (GC), methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR), reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and western blotting, respectively. The results indicated that 76.2 % of CDKN2B promoters and 85.1 % of MGMT promoters were hypermethylated in children with ALL compared to healthy children. In addition, the relative expression of CDKN2B, MGMT, H4K16ac, and H3K4me3 showed a significant decrease in children with ALL compared to healthy children. Levels of OCPs in children with ALL were significantly higher than in healthy children. Furthermore, the results revealed that the rise in the OCP levels was associated with an increase in methylation at the promoter level of CDKN2B and MGMT as well as a decrease in the relative expression of H4K16ac and H3K4me3. Therefore, it can be concluded that exposure to OCPs is associated with the induction of epigenetic changes at the level of DNA and histones, which may lead to leukemia., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim / Objective: This study aimed to investigate the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the serum of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients., Methods: 63 AD patients and 50 healthy individuals participated, and the levels of some OCPs derivatives (including; α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, and 4,4-DDE), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric oxide (NO) along with the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), paraoxonase 1(PON1), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were measured., Results: The mean OCP level of OCPs in AD patients was significantly higher than in the control group. However, the patients' mean levels of TAC, PC, MDA and activity of SOD, GPx, PON1 and AChE were significantly lower than controls. A significant positive correlation was also observed between 2,4-DDE and MDA and between γ-HCH and PC in AD patients. These findings showed that pesticide exposure is associated with an increased risk of AD. Furthermore, the mean levels of oxidative stress markers, which may result from pesticide exposure, were significantly lower in AD patients compared to healthy individuals., Conclusion: Therefore, it may conclude that pesticides, at least in part, contribute to AD development through several mechanisms, including the induction of oxidative stress., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The molecular mechanisms of opium with regard to coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been determined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of opium on the expression of scavenger receptors including CD36, CD68, and CD9 tetraspanin in monocytes and the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide metabolites (NO x ) in patients with CAD with and without opium addiction. This case-control study was conducted in three groups: (1) opium-addicted patients with CAD (CAD+OA, n=30); (2) patients with CAD with no opium addiction (CAD, n=30); and (3) individuals without CAD and opium addiction as the control group (Ctrl, n=17). Protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of CD9, CD36, and CD68 were evaluated by flow cytometry and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR methods, respectively. Consumption of atorvastatin, aspirin, and glyceryl trinitrate was found to be higher in the CAD groups compared with the control group. The plasma level of TNF-α was significantly higher in the CAD+OA group than in the CAD and Ctrl groups (p=0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). MDA levels significantly increased in the CAD and CAD+OA groups in comparison with the Ctrl group (p=0.010 and p=0.002, respectively). No significant differences were found in CD9, CD36, CD68, IFN-γ, and NO x between the three groups. The findings demonstrated that opium did not have a significant effect on the expression of CD36, CD68, and CD9 at the gene and protein levels, but it might be involved in the development of CAD by inducing inflammation through other mechanisms., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Federation for Medical Research 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Exposure to pesticides has been linked to an elevated risk of leukemia. The present research aimed to evaluate the relationship between organochlorine (OC) pesticides and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with leukemia. This work was conducted on 109 patients with leukemia and 109 healthy controls. The serum concentrations of seven derivatives of OCs including alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, 2,4-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), 4,4-DDT, 2,4-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and 4,4-DDE along with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and catalase (CAT) activities as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxide (NO), protein carbonyl (PC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in all the subjects. Levels of OCs were remarkably higher in patients with leukemia compared with the controls (p<0.05). In addition, levels of SOD, AChE, GPx, PON1, and TAC were remarkably lower in patients with leukemia compared with controls (p<0.05). In contrast, MDA, NO, and PC concentrations were higher in patients with leukemia than in the controls (p<0.05). Moreover, the serum level of 4,4-DDE was negatively associated with GPx activity (p=0.038). Our findings suggest that OCs may play a role in the development of leukemia by disrupting the oxidant/antioxidant balance., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Federation for Medical Research 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

In this study, oxidative stress was investigated as the possible mechanism of action of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in primary brain tumors (PBT). The levels of seven OCP residues and enzymatic antioxidant biomarkers including erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) along with non-enzymatic oxidative biomarkers including malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured in blood samples of 73 patients with PBT and 104 healthy controls. A significant association was found between farming activities and PBT (55% of patients were engaged in farming activities while 45% had no farming experience). The mean levels of β-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4 DDE, 4,4 DDE, 4,4 DDT, MDA, PC, NO, SOD, CAT, and GPx were significantly higher in PBT patients, whereas the levels of TAC, PON-1, and AChE were significantly lower in these patients. Regression analysis showed that PBT was correlated with β-HCH, γ-HCH, 2,4 DDE, 4,4 DDE, and 4,4 DDT. Based on these results, it can be concluded that OCPs and OPPs may play a role in PBT development through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promoting oxidative stress.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), led to a pandemic in March 2020. During a viral infection, it has been reported that epigenetic changes occur for both sides: Infected cells elicit an antiviral environmental response, which induces and initiates certain pathways for proper response to the virus, while the virus silences the expression of vital genes in the anti-viral host cell. In this study, we aimed to examine the methylation level of the MX1 gene promoter in different stages in COVID-19 patients compared to the control group., Methods: In total, 470 COVID-19 patients with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test (235 women and 235 men) were recruited into the study as the test group. Patients were divided based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification into three groups: moderate, severe, and critical. Moreover, 100 healthy individuals (50 women and 50 men) were selected as the control group. Peripheral white blood cells were collected and PCR was performed using two types of primers designed for methylated and unmethylated states of the MX1 gene. The PCR products were then loaded on agarose gel and the band intensities were calculated by ImageJ software., Results: The results showed a decrease in the methylation of the MX1 gene promoter in moderate and severe groups and an increase in the MX1 gene promoter methylation in the critical group. In addition, the level of methylation was higher in men than in women., Conclusions: Increased methylation of the MX1 gene in the critical group may indicate the role of SARS-CoV-2 in reducing the expression levels of this antiviral gene and thus promoting virus replication and disease progression.

The prolactin hormone (PRL) is often secreted by lactotrophic cells of the anterior pituitary and has been shown to play a role in various biological processes, including breast feeding and reproduction. The predominant form of this hormone is the 23 kDa form and acts through its receptor (PRLR) on the cell membrane. This receptor is a member of the superfamily of hematopoietic/cytokine receptors. PRL also has a 16 kDa subunit with anti-angiogenic, proapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects which is produced by the proteolytic breakdown of this hormone under oxidative stress. Although the common side effects of hyperprolactinemia are exerted on the reproductive system, new studies have shown that hyperprolactinemia has a wide variety of effects, including playing a role in the development of autoimmune diseases and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, peripartum cardiomyopathy, and diabetes among others. The range of PRL functions is increasing with the discovery of multiple sites of PRL secretion as well as PRLR expression in various tissues. This review summarizes current knowledge of the biology of PRL and its receptor, as well as the role of PRL in human pathophysiology., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Federation for Medical Research 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic psychiatric illness. Concentrations of inflammatory cytokines are increased in BD. Supplementation with probiotics has shown promising effects in reducing inflammation and producing improvement in clinical symptoms in some psychiatric disorders. Therefore, we designed a clinical trial to assess the effects of adjunctive probiotics on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with BD., Methods: In this 8-week, double-blind, randomized study, 38 patients suffering from BD type I were given a probiotic or placebo capsule each day. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), as the primary outcome measure, and of interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α, and malondialdehyde, as the secondary outcome measures, were obtained before and after the intervention., Results: At the end of the study, the 2 groups showed no significant or clinically meaningful differences in the serum concentrations of IL-6 [Hedge g=0.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.6; 0.64, P=0.936], tumor necrosis factor-α (Hedge g=-0.2, 95% CI: -0.82; 0.42, P=0.554), IL-10 (Hedge g=-0.072, 95% CI: -0.071; 0.56, P=0.827), and malondialdehyde (Hedge g=0.27, 95% CI: -0.37; 0.91, P=0.423)., Conclusions: This study did not find any significant or conclusive effects of probiotics supplementation on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with BD. Further studies are needed before a conclusion can be drawn about the efficacy of probiotics in the management of BD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to ascertain if the circulating levels of apelin, as an important regulator of the cardiovascular homeostasis, differ in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and controls., Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science to identify the studies addressing apelin in CVD up to April 5, 2021. Due to the presence of different units to measure the circulating levels of apelin across the included studies, they expressed the standardized mean difference (SMD) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) as summary effect size. A random-effects model comprising DerSimonian and Laird method was used to pool SMDs., Results: Twenty-four articles (30 studies) comprised of 1793 cases and 1416 controls were included. Pooled results obtained through random-effects model indicated that apelin concentrations in the cases' blood samples were significantly lower than those of the control groups (SMD = -0.72, 95% CI: -1.25, -0.18, P = 0.009; I2 = 97.3%, P<0.001). New combined biomarkers showed a significant decrease in SMD of apelin/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (apelin/HDL-C) ratio [-5.17; 95% CI, -8.72, -1.63, P = 0.000; I2 = 99.0%], apelin/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (apelin/LDL-C) ratio [-4.31; 95% CI, -6.08, -2.55, P = 0.000; I2 = 98.0%] and apelin/total cholesterol (apelin/TC) ratio [-17.30; 95% CI, -22.85, -11.76, P = 0.000; I2 = 99.1%]. However, no significant differences were found in the SMD of apelin/triacylglycerol (apelin/TG) ratio in cases with CVDs compared to the control group [-2.96; 95% CI, -7.41, 1.49, P = 0.000; I2 = 99.2%]., Conclusion: The association of apelin with CVDs is different based on the region and disease subtypes. These findings account for the possible usefulness of apelin as an additional biomarker in the diagnosis of CVD in diabetic patients and in the diagnosis of patients with CAD. Moreover, apelin/HDL-c, apelin/LDL-c, and apelin/TC ratios could be offered as diagnostic markers for CVD., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and have no conflicts.

Organophosphate (OPPs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are the two predominant forms of pesticides extensively used all around the world and are being reconsidered as environmental pollutants. The current study sought to assess the role of socioeconomic factors on the level of pesticides residues and the oxidative effects of exposure to OPPs and OCPs among the farmworkers of southeast Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 192 farmworkers and 74 non-farmworkers (controls) were involved. Gas chromatography (GC) was performed to measure the serum levels of organochlorine chemicals (2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, 4,4-DDE, α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH). Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and several oxidative stress (OS) markers were assessed. In addition, the impact of several parameters such as home to farm distance, education level, ventilation status, and personal protective equipment (PPE) on pesticide levels was analyzed. The levels of OCPs in the farmworkers were significantly higher than the control subjects. In addition, AChE activity, arylesterase activity of PON-1, and total antioxidant capacity in farmworkers were significantly less, and MDA levels were higher than the controls. Education level was associated with farmworkers' protective behavior. The current findings suggested that some phased out OCPs can still be measured in human samples in the southeast of Iran. Furthermore, the current study demonstrated that exposure to OCPs and OPPs was accompanied by adverse consequences regarding OS parameters and subsequent health problems. In addition, the findings of the present study suggest that improving farmworkers' education might be associated with reduced exposure to pesticides and less adverse health effects.

Exposure to organochlorines is associated with epigenetic changes, including methylation change in the promoter of tumor suppressor genes, thereby leading to cancer induction. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and ABL1 promoter methylation in child patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the control group. The methylation rate of the ABL1 promoter was evaluated using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction method, and the level of OCPs in patients with ALL and healthy children was measured using gas chromatography. ABL1 promoter hypermethylation was observed in 64% of ALL patients and 28.5% of children in the control group. The level of OCPs in children with methylated ABL1 promoters was significantly higher than that in children with nonmethylated ABL1 promoters ( p  < 0.05). Our findings suggest that OCPs, especially alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane, beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane, 2,4 dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, and 4,4 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane may induce methylation at the ABL1 promoter level, thereby preventing the normal expression of the ABL1 gene. As a result, the reduced expression of ABL1 (a tumor suppressor) gene due to the hypermethylation of its promoter leads to the disruption of normal biological processes, thus making cells vulnerable to oncogenic factors.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Shilajit, a medicine of Ayurveda, on the serum changes in cytokines and adipokines caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)., Methods: After establishing fatty liver models by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks, 35 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including control (standard diet), Veh (HFD + vehicle), high-dose Shilajit [H-Sh, HFD + 250 mg/(kg·d) Shilajit], low-dose Shilajit [L-Sh, HFD + 150 mg/(kg·d) Shilajit], and pioglitazone [HFD + 10 mg/(kg·d) pioglitazone] groups, 7 rats in each group. After 2-week of gavage administration, serum levels of glucose, insulin, interleukin 1beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), adiponectin, and resistin were measured, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated., Results: After NAFLD induction, the serum level of IL-10 significantly increased and serum IL-1β, TNF-α levels significantly decreased by injection of both doses of Shilajit and pioglitazone (P<0.05). Increases in serum glucose level and homeostasis model of HOMA-IR were reduced by L-Sh and H-Sh treatment in NAFLD rats (P<0.05). Both doses of Shilajit increased adiponectin and decreased serum resistin levels (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The probable protective role of Shilajit in NAFLD model rats may be via modulating the serum levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10, adipokine and resistin, and reducing of HOMA-IR., (© 2022. The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objectives: Obesity is known as a disease with a chronic low-grade state of inflammation and high levels of oxidative stress. Given the challenges and consequences caused by obesity, obesity therapy is an essential subject to address. For sustainable weight loss, gastric bypass surgery is the most successful and essential option., Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed on 35 patients aged (18-54) with morbid obesity (BMI: 42.06 kg/m 2 ). Volunteers blood was taken, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, high mobility group box 1(HMGB1), nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2(Nrf2), Interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and biochemical factors were determined one day before and 4 months after surgery., Results: Four months following surgery, the BMI, hip and waist circumferences, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) all decreased significantly. The lipid profile and antioxidant power were dramatically enhanced after surgery. IL-6 and TNF-α expression in PBMC patients showed a significant decrease after surgery. HMGB1 and Nrf2 expression in PBMC of postoperative patients decreased compared to before surgery, and HMGB1, and Nrf2 protein levels also decreased after surgery., Conclusion: Weight loss indicated the significant function of adipose tissue in the induction of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors. Gastric bypass reduced the inflammation conditions and improved the metabolic status and living situations in the patients with morbid obesity., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Introduction: Hyper-inflammatory reactions play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of the severe forms of COVID-19. However, clarification of the molecular basis of the inflammatory-related factors needs more consideration. The aim was to evaluate the gene expression of two fundamental molecules contributing to the induction of inflammatory like CCR2 and DPP9 in cells from peripheral blood samples from patients with various patterns of COVID-19., Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 470 patients (235 male and 235 female) with RT-qPCR-confirmed COVID-19 test exhibiting moderate, severe, and critical symptoms based on WHO criteria. 100 healthy subjects (50 male and 50 female) were also enrolled in the study as a control group. The gene expression of DPP-9 and CCR-2 was assessed in the blood samples using real-time PCR method., Results: The COVID-19 patients in severe stage expressed higher levels of CCR2 and DPP9 compared with healthy controls. In male and female patients, the levels of CCR2 and DDP9 expression significantly differed between moderate, severe, and critical patterns (p < 0.0001) as well as between each COVID-19 form and control group (p < 0.0001). The male patients with severe COVID-19 expressed greater levels of CCR2 and DPP-9 than female with same disease form. The female patients with moderate and critical COVID-19 expressed greater levels of CCR2 and DPP-9 than male patients with same disease stage., Conclusion: We demonstrated that the expression of DPP-9 and CCR-2 was substantially increased in COVID-19 patients with different forms of disease. Considerable differences were also demonstrated between male and female with different patterns of disease. Therefore, we suggest to consider the gender of patients and disease severity for management of COVID-19., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: It has been reported that inflammation may be a potential risk factor for the progression of epistaxis. Due to the major roles played by Th17 in the induction of inflammation, the present study aimed to assess the serum levels of Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and IL-23, as the most important cytokines in the Th17 pathway, as well as IFN-, IL-4, and IL-10 serum levels, as regulatory cytokines for Th17 cells in patients with idiopathic epistaxis., Materials and Methods: The serum levels of IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-23, and IFN- were evaluated in 90 patients with idiopathic epistaxis and 90 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique., Results: The obtained results pointed out that the serum levels of IL-17A and IL-10, but not IL-4 and IL-23, were significantly up-regulated, and IFN- serum levels were significantly down-regulated in patients with idiopathic epistaxis. Furthermore, female patients with epistaxis had higher IL-10 serum levels., Conclusions: As evidenced by the results of the present study, IL-17A is the main cytokine which participates in the pathogenesis of idiopathic epistaxis; moreover, in association with IL-10, it can be regarded as the suppressor of IFN- in patients.

In the pathophysiology of COVID-19, immunomodulatory factors play a vital role. Viruses have epigenetic effects on various genes, particularly methylation. Explaining the changes in immunological factor methylation levels during viral infections requires substantial consideration. HLA-C is a crucial determinant of immune function and NK cell activity and is primarily implicated in viral infections. This research focused on studying HLA-C methylation in COVID-19 patients with different severity. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 470 patients (235 men and 235 women) with RT-qPCR-confirmed COVID-19 test and classified into moderate, severe, and critical groups based on WHO criteria. Also, one hundred (50 men and 50 women) healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used for DNA extraction, and the methylation-specific PCR (MSP) method and gel electrophoresis were used to determine the methylation status of the HLA-C. Significant statistical differences in HLA-C methylation were observed among cases and controls and various stages of the disease. HLA-C methylation in men and women has decreased in all stages ( p  < 0.05). In comparison with control, HLA-C methylation in both genders were as follows: moderate (women: 41.0%, men: 52.33%), severe (women: 43.42%, men: 64.86%), critical (women: 42.33%, men: 60.07%), and total patients (women: 45.52%, men: 56.97%). Furthermore, the methylation levels in men were higher than in women in all groups ( p  < 0.05). Significantly, among all groups, the severe group of men participants showed the highest methylation percentage ( p  < 0.05). No significant differences were detected for different disease severity in the women group ( p  > 0.1). This study found that HLA-C methylation was significantly lower in COVID-19 patients with different disease severity. There were also significant differences in HLA-C methylation between men and women patients with different severity. Therefore, during managing viral infections, particularly COVID-19, it is critical to consider patient gender and disease severity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have declared that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose concerning this manuscript., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Shiraz University 2022.)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of female sex hormones on the level of intracellular molecules of cytokine signaling pathway after diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI) in ovariectomized rats., Methods: Female rats were divided into 10 groups: control, sham, TBI, Vehicle (oil), Vehicle E1 (33.3 µg/kg), E2 (1 mg / kg), P1 (1.7 mg/kg), P2 (8 mg / kg), E2 + P1. All drugs were injected 0.5 h after TBI. Brain edema and the brain levels of P-STAT-3, NFκB-P52, NFκB-P65, P-IκB, and SOCS-3 by immunohistochemistry measured at 24 h after TBI., Results: Increased brain edema after TBI was inhibited by different doses of estrogen, progesterone (P < 0.001), and E2 + P1 (P < 0.05). The brain levels of P-STAT-3, NFκB-P52, NFκB-P65, and p-IκBα that increased after TBI was decreased only by E2 (P < 0.05). E2 and E2 + P1 have increased the SOCS-3 level after TBI (P < 0.05). Also, there was a difference between the E2 with E1 and two progesterone doses (P < 0.05). So that in all cases, the effects of E2 were more significant than the other groups. The target cells for these effects of E2 were microglia and astrocytes., Conclusion: The results indicate that one of the probable mechanism(s) of estrogen anti-inflammatory effect after TBI is either reduction of p-STAT-3, NFκB-P52, p-NFκB-P65, and p-IκBα or increase in SOCS-3 molecules involved in the signaling pathway of inflammatory cytokines., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the presence/absence of SARS-CoV-2 genome in the air and high-touch surfaces. This cross-sectional study was conducted from late-2020 to mid-2021 in the sections of Intensive Care Unit (ICU), emergency, infectious disease ward, and nursing station of the COVID-19 patient reception center in Kerman, Iran. The presence/absence of SARS-CoV-2 genome in the 60 samples of high-touch surfaces and 23 air samples was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fisher's exact test was used to compare the number of positive samples in different sampling sites. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 was found in the eight samples (13.32%) taken from the high-touch surfaces (two samples in COVID-19 ICU, two samples in general ICU, two samples in emergency ward, and two samples in nursing station) and two air samples (8.70%) (one sample in the general ICU and one sample in the emergency ward). Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the type of sampling site and the positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 in the surface samples ( p value = 0.80) and air samples ( p value = 0.22). According to the results, the SARS-CoV-2 can find in the high-touch surfaces and indoor air of the COVID-19 patient reception centers. Therefore, suitable safety and health measures should be taken, including regular and accurate disinfection of surfaces and equipment and proper ventilation to protect healthcare workers and prevent disease transmission. More studies are recommended to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 concentration in the high-touch surfaces and air samples in the similar researches, efficacy of different disinfectants used on the high-touch surfaces and compare the effect of type of ventilation (natural or mechanical) on the viral load., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© University of Tehran 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

This study aimed to assess the associated-risk determinants for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to patients without DM. This case-control study was performed between 2017 and 2019 in southeastern Iran. Overall, 206 participants were selected from patients with DM without CL (11.2%), patients with CL without DM (6.2%), and DM patients concomitance with CL (27.6%) as case groups and healthy individuals as a control group 64 (76%). These cases were compared for parasitological, immunological, biochemical, and hematological parameters. The findings demonstrated that parasitological factors regarding the number, duration, and size of the lesion in CL patients showed a significant difference among patients with and without DM (p < 0.05). Data analysis showed that six major risk factors, including female (odds ratio (OR) = 3.47, confidence interval (CI) = 1.84-6.53, p < 0.001), total protein in CL group (OR = 4.9, CI = 2.3-10.44, p < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration in CL group (OR = 0.87, CI = 0.81-0.93, p < 0.001) and DM co-infected with CL group (OR = 0.8, CI = 0.72-0.88, p < 0.001) than healthy group, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration in DM group (OR = 0.86, CI = 0.76-0.98, p = 0.02), transforming growth factor beta)TGF-β( level in the CL group (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.003-1.05, p = 0.02), and presence of diabetes disease (OR = 2.07, CI = 1.16-3.7, p < 0.05), were significantly linked with the induction of CL lesion. The findings demonstrated a significant relationship between DM and CL in distinct risk determinants. Also, the study revealed that DM enhanced the severity of active CL., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Pesticides are potentially hazardous chemicals that can cause injury to human health and the environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) exposure in farmworkers' children aged 6 to 11 years in Jiroft city in southeastern Iran. One hundred twenty farmworkers' children as case and 53 non-farmworkers' children aged 6 to 11 years as control were selected and the serum levels of OCPs were measured by using gas chromatography in all participants. In addition, erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) were measured to evaluate OPPs effects. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase3 (SOD3), glutathione peroxidase (GPx3) activities, and the levels of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxide (NO), and protein carbonyl (PC) were measured to investigate OCPs and OPPs effects on oxidative stress (OS). The serum levels of beta-HCH, 4,4 DDE, and 4,4 DDT in the case group were significantly higher than the control group. In addition, in the case group, AChE, PON-1, CAT, SOD3, and GPx3 activities and the levels TAC were significantly lower, while MDA, PC, and NO levels were significantly higher than the control group. OCPs as illegal pesticides are present in southeast Iran and children are exposed to OCPs and OPPs in the studied area. In addition, higher serum levels of pesticides may be a major contributor in OS development, as a cause of many diseases., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This meta-analysis was conducted aiming to summarize the results obtained from the previous studies so that the effect of opium on blood lead levels (BLLs) can be investigated. Scopus, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science (ISI) were systematically searched up to June 2020. Heterogeneity of the included studies was evaluated using Cochrane's Q test and the I 2 statistic. A random-effects model was used to pool the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Out of a total of 2372 citations, eleven articles with 916 participants (487 opium addicts and 429 controls) were included in the study. The meta-analysis results showed that there were higher lead levels (WMD = 14.59 μg/dL, 95% CI = 11.59 to 17.92, Z = 8.60, P < 0.001) in opium addicts than in the control group. The degree of heterogeneity observed (P < 0.001, I 2 = 98.1%) might be mainly the result of the type of sampling and of consumption. Moreover, the findings of meta-regression analyses indicated that publication year (β = 1.23, P = 0.287), total sample size (β = 0.05, P = 0.728), and quality scores (β = - 2.91, P = 0.546) had no effects on lead levels in opium addicts. In the sensitivity analysis, it was found that the pooled WMDs remained stable after excluding one by one study. Oral opium consumption increased the amount of lead in the bloodstream, and the measurement of lead levels in opium addicts' blood may be regarded as a useful test to diagnosis and prognosis of disorders that may lead poisoning causes., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Circadian system is deeply involved in renal function. The circadian timing system may be disrupted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Gender differences in CKD have been reported. This research aimed to investigate the gender differences in the circadian rhythm of inflammatory and oxidant markers of CKD., Methods: Male, intact female, and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats (twenty-four in each group) were randomly assigned to control and CKD groups. The rats were further divided into day (12:00 p.m.) and night (12:00 a.m.) subgroups. Evaluations of each sample were carried out a day after the last day of adenine administration., Results: Final results revealed that the circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin , kidney malondialdehyde (MDA), and transforming growth factor- β (TGF-β) levels in CKD group were the same as the control group. Melatonin and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels significantly decreased in the CKD group compared with the control group in day and night subgroups, whereas MDA and TGF-β levels increased. Male group in comparison with the intact female group significantly showed less melatonin and TAC but higher MDA and TGF-β levels which could be due to CKD., Conclusion: Findings of this study represent gender differences in circadian rhythm amplitude of inflammation, melatonin, and oxidative stress in CKD animals, probably in favor of female sex steroids. These findings emphasize on the importance of gender differences in CKD progression; therefore, considerable attention must be paid to gender in the treatment of CKD., Introduction: Circadian system is deeply involved in renal function. The circadian timing system may be disrupted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Gender differences in CKD have been reported. This research aimed to investigate the gender differences in the circadian rhythm of inflammatory and oxidant markers of CKD., Methods: Male, intact female, and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats (twenty-four in each group) were randomly assigned to control and CKD groups. The rats were further divided into day (12:00 p.m.) and night (12:00 a.m.) subgroups. Evaluations of each sample were carried out a day after the last day of adenine administration., Results: Final results revealed that the circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin , kidney malondialdehyde (MDA), and transforming growth factor- β (TGF-β) levels in CKD group were the same as the control group. Melatonin and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels significantly decreased in the CKD group compared with the control group in day and night subgroups, whereas MDA and TGF-β levels increased. Male group in comparison with the intact female group significantly showed less melatonin and TAC but higher MDA and TGF-β levels which could be due to CKD., Conclusion: Findings of this study represent gender differences in circadian rhythm amplitude of inflammation, melatonin, and oxidative stress in CKD animals, probably in favor of female sex steroids. These findings emphasize on the importance of gender differences in CKD progression; therefore, considerable attention must be paid to gender in the treatment of CKD. DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.6242.

Background: Type2 Diabetes (T2D) remains one of the most important causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Menopause leads to an increase in CVD and metabolic syndrome, which indicates the role of sex steroids as a protective factor. In the present study, we surveyed the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) alone and in combination with progesterone (P4) on cardiovascular dysfunction in T2D., Methods: Female ovariectomized (OVX) diabetic rats were divided into eight groups: Sham-Control, Diabetes (Dia), OVX + Dia, OVX + Dia + Vehicle, OVX + Dia + E2, OVX + Dia + P4, OVX + Dia + E2+P4, and OVX + Dia + E2+Vehicle. T2D was induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin. E2 and P4 were administrated every four days for four weeks. The heart cytokines and angiotensin II, lipid profile, insulin, water, and food intake and cardiovascular indices were measured., Results: Results showed that single treatment with E2 decreased fasting blood glucose, water, and food intake, atherogenic and cardiac risk indices, and blood pressure. Also, P4 led to a decrease in atherogenic and cardiac risk indices. TNFα and IL-6 levels were increased and IL-10 was decreased in the Dia group, while E2 alone was able to inhibit these changes. The combined use of E2 and P4 eliminated the beneficial effects of E2 on these indices. Although diabetes results in an increment of cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride, hormone therapy with E2 was associated with improved dyslipidemia., Conclusion: The use of E2 alone, and not the individual use of P4, and its combination with E2 improved cardiovascular function in OVX diabetic animals, possibly by reducing the amount of inflammatory cytokines and improving metabolic parameters., (Copyright © 2020 Chang Gung University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Along with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and brain damage, brain edema is the most common cause of death in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Curcumin can pass the blood-brain barrier and possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. This study focuses on the curcumin protective effect on intrahepatic and extrahepatic damage in the brain., Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty-four male Albino N-Mary rats were randomly divided into 2 main groups: intrahepatic injury group and extrahepatic cholestasis group. In intra-hepatic injury group intrahepatic damage was induced by intraperitoneal (IP) injection of acetaminophen (500 mg/kg) [19] and included four subgroups: 1. Sham, 2. Acetaminophen (APAP), 3. Normal saline (Veh) which was used as curcumin solvent, and 4. Curcumin (CMN). In extrahepatic cholestasis group intrahepatic damage was caused by common bile duct litigation (BDL) and included four subgroups: 1. Sham, 2. BDL, 3. Vehicle (Veh), and 4. Curcumin (CMN). In both groups, 72 hr after induction of cholestasis, brain water content, blood-brain barrier permeability, serum ammonia, and histopathological indicators were examined and ICP was measured every 24 hr for three days., Results: The results showed that curcumin reduced brain edema, ICP, serum ammonia, and blood-brain barrier permeability after extrahepatic and intrahepatic damage. The maximum effect of curcumin on ICP was observed 72 hr after the injection., Conclusion: According to our findings, it seems that curcumin is an effective therapeutic intervention for treating encephalopathy caused by extrahepatic and intrahepatic damage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Protective effects of estrogen (E2) on traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been determined. In this study, the hepatoprotective effects of E2 after TBI through its receptors and oxidative stress regulation have been evaluated. Diffuse TBI induced by the Marmarou method in male rats. G15, PHTPP, MPP, and ICI182-780 as selective antagonists of E2 were injected before TBI. The results indicated that TBI induces a significant increase in liver enzymes [Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Glutamyl transferase (GGT)], and oxidants levels [Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric oxide (NO)] and decreases in antioxidant biomarkers [Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD)] in the brain and liver, and plasma. We also found that E2 significantly preserved levels of these biomarkers and enzymatic activity. All antagonists inhibited the effects of E2 on increasing SOD and GPx. Also, the effects of E2 on brain MDA levels were inhibited by all antagonists, but in the liver, only ICI + G15 + E2 + TBI group was affected. The impacts of E2 on brain and liver and plasma NO levels were inhibited by all antagonists. The current findings demonstrated that E2 probably improved liver injury after TBI by modulating oxidative stress. Also, both classic (ERβ, ERα) and non-classic [G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER)] receptors are affected in the protective effects of E2., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a rare cardiovascular disorder with unknown mechanisms and related risk factors. The roles played by homocysteine in induction of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have also been documented previously. This project was designed to assess the relationship between opium and CAE and coronary artery disease (CAD)., Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 46 patients with CAE, 30 patients with CAD, and 42 cases without CAE and CAD (controls). Demographic data and information regarding opium consuming and also smoking were collected using a standard checklist. Serum levels of homocysteine, creatinine (Cr), urea, fasting blood glucose (FBG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol were determined., Findings: Statistical analysis revealed that opium consumers were significantly higher in patients with CAD and CAE when compared to healthy controls. Opium increased serum levels of Cr in the normal controls, and decreased HDL in the patients with CAD. Homocysteine serum levels were not significantly different between the groups., Conclusion: The results of study showed that opium addiction was associated with increased risk of CAE and CAD, independent of homocysteine serum levels., (© 2021 Kerman University of Medical Sciences.)

The aims of this study were to compare mRNA levels of melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) and retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in comparison to the healthy controls as well as investigating the effects of IFN-β 1a on the expression of these molecules. In this study, mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 in peripheral leukocytes of 30 new cases of MS patients and 35 healthy controls were evaluated using the real-time-PCR method. mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 were determined in the MS patients 6 months after treatment with standard doses of IFN-β 1a. mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 were significantly decreased in the MS patients in comparison to the healthy controls. The analysis also revealed that IFN-β 1a therapy leads to the upregulation of RIG-1, but not MDA5, in the total MS patients and the female group. MS patients suffer from insufficient expression of MDA5 and RIG-1, and IFN-β 1a therapy results in the upregulation of RIG-1 in the patients, especially in the female patients. Thus, it seems that IFN-β 1a not only decreased pathogenic inflammatory responses but also modulated the expression of RIG-1 to protect the patients from infectious diseases and upregulation of IFN-I in a positive feedback., (© 2020 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Virosomes as membranous vesicles with viral fusion protein in their membrane are versatile vehicles for cargo delivery. The vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) is a common fusogenic protein used in virosome preparation. This glycoprotein has been used in liposomal systems so far, but in this study, we have tried to use the niosomal form instead of liposome for. Niosomes are vesicular systems composed of non-ionic surfactants. Niosomes were constructed by the thin-film hydration method. VSV-G gene in pMD2.G plasmid was expressed in the HEK293T cell line and then was reconstituted in the niosome bilayer. The formation of niosomal virosomes was confirmed with different methods such as SDS-PAGE gel, western blotting, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The efficiency of niosomal virosome was investigated with the pmCherry reporter gene. SDS-PAGE and western blotting proved the expression and successful insertion of protein into the bilayer. The TEM images showed the spike projection of VSV-G on the surface of niosomes. The transfection results showed high efficiency of niosomal virosomes as a novel carrier. This report has verified that niosome could be used as an efficient bilayer instead of liposome to construct virosomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)