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Background There are little data on isolated hypertriglyceridemia and CVD risk. Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is one of the heat shock proteins (Hsps) with low molecular weight. It has been shown that the atherosclerosis patients have higher concentrations of anti-Hsp auto-antibodies. The aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between hypertriglyceridemia with serum anti-Hsp27 titres. Methods In this cross-sectional study, fasting serum lipid profile and anthropometric parameters of 1688 subjects (1113 subjects with and 575 without hypertriglyceridemia) aged 35–65 years were analyzed as part of the data derived from the Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorders (MASHAD: 2010–2020). A validated questionnaire was used to collect the demographic data. Combined dyslipidemia was defined according to the NCEP ATPIII criteria. Results There were significant differences in waist and hip circumferences, level of fasting blood glucose, hs-CRP, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p Conclusion We found that serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers were significantly lower in the HTG group compared with individuals without HTG. However, levels of serum anti-HSP27 antibody can be affected by drug treatment. Therefore, the evaluation of drug treatment on the serum anti-HSP27 antibody in a larger population can help to confirm these findings.

There is a growing body of data reporting the association of genetic alterations in chromosome 9P21 with the risk of developing cancer. In the current study, we studied the association of a genetic variant in CDKN2A/B, rs1333049, with the risk of developing breast cancer. A total of 339 participants with and without breast cancer entered to the study. Genotyping was done by the TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method and gene expression analysis was ran by RT-PCR. Our data showed that the minor allele homozygote in the total population was 10%, whereas for heterozygote was 38%. The dominant genetic model demonstrated that individuals with breast cancer had advanced TNM classification. Moreover, the logistic regression revealed that individuals who had CC/CG genotypes might have an enhanced risk of developing breast cancer when compared to the holders of GG genotype (e.g., OR = 2.8; 95% CI,1.4-5.4; p = .001), after regulated for confounders; age and body mass index. Furthermore, our analysis showed that the CDKN2A/B gene was downregulated in patients (p < .001). We showed a meaningful relationship of CDKN2A/B with the risk of breast cancer, cancer, showing the importance of studies in great sample size and several centers for studying the value of the marker as a risk classification in the management of patients with breast cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common cancers globally with a high rate of cancer- associated mortality. OC may be classified into epithelial cell neoplasms, germ cell neoplasms and stromal cell neoplasms. The five-year survival in the early and advanced stages of disease is approximately 90% and 15%, respectively. microRNAs are short, single-stranded, non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA). miRNAs play critical roles in post transcriptionally regulations of gene expression. miRNAs are found in different tissues and body fluids. In carcinogenesis the expression of miRNAs are altered. Recent studies have revealed that there is a relationship between alteration of miRNAs expression and the prognosis of patients with OC. The aim of this review was to summarize the findings of recent studies that have investigated the expression of circulating and tissue miRNAs as novel biomarkers in the prognosis of OC.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers globally. A large portion of colorectal cancer patients who are treated with conventional chemotherapy eventually develop local recurrence or metastases. The failure of a complete cure in colorectal cancer patients may be related to the lack of complete eradication of cancer stem cells when using conventional therapy. Colorectal cancer stem cells comprise a small population of tumor cells that possess the properties of rapid proliferation and differentiation. The colorectal cancer stem cells are also phenotypically and molecularly distinct, and resistant to conventional chemo-radiotherapy. Therefore, it is important to identify approaches in combination with conventional therapy for targeting and eradicating cancer cells. The aim of this review was to summarize the main findings of recent studies on targeting colorectal cancer stem cells as a novel therapeutic approach in colorectal cancer treatment.

Background: Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is an intracellular chaperone constitutively expressed in many cell types including cardio myocytes and endothelial cells. Circulating levels of HSP27 and anti-HSP27 antibody are higher in patients with CVD. Anti-HSP27 antibody concentrations were also reported to be increased in atherogenesis. We aimed to evaluate serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers in individuals with, or without, MetS in the MASHAD study cohort with large sample size in 6,568 subjects. Methods: Participants with MetS were identified from MASHAD cohort (n=3358) using the IDF criteria, and the control group were those individuals who did not meet these criteria (n=3210). In-house enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) method was used for measuring Anti-HSP27 antibody levels. The two groups were matched for age, sex and smoking habit. Results: As expected, there were significant differences in height (p= 0.004), waist and hip circumference, weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, TGs, TC, HDL-C, Hs-CRP, glucose, with the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia (p Conclusion: In conclusion, our results revealed serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers were not statistically different between individuals with and without MetS. However, it is possible that drug treatment may affect antibody titers and confound our findings in this population sample..

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the antioxidant defenses and pro-oxidant production in favor of pro-oxidant production. Vitamin D has the potential for both pro- and anti-oxidative effects. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of high dose vitamin D supplementation on the prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in Iranian girls attending High School.A total of 464 girls aged 12-18 years were asked to take vitamin D capsules containing 50000IU vitamin DVitamin D supplementation was associated with an increase in serum PAB (P 0.001) and a reduction in serum LDL-C (P 0.001), total cholesterol (P 0.001) and HDL-C (P 0.01) serum levels in Iranian adolescent girls. The results obtained from the current study show that there were significant improvements in weight (P 0.001), BMI (P 0.001) and FBG (P = 0.02) in adolescent girls who had 50-74.9 nmol/L serum 25OHD levels compared to50 nmol/L ones after the vitamin D supplementation. There was no significant association between the serum PAB and all biochemical factors (P 0.05 for all variables).The results showed that vitamin D supplementation has increased the PAB levels in teenage girls.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the first leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing and developed countries. Circulating exosomes have recently been identified as extracellular transporters, detectable in biological fluids. Exosomes have established a new era in diagnosing diseases, especially CVD. Determination of exosome profiles, e.g., miRNAs, for different health states such as myocardial injury still requires further studies. In this review, we will discuss the role of exosomes as a potential biomarker in CVD, with particular emphasis on recent advances in the methods to study exosomes, isolation, detection, and characterization.

Extensive alterations in splicing is one of the molecular indicator for human cancers. Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), an obligatory heterodimer, is composed of α1 and β1 subunits. Each subunit is encoded by a separate gene, GUCY1a3 and GUCY1b3, correspondingly. sGC activity has been regulated by an alternative splicing and it has an important effect on the breast cancer. sGC alternative splicing has been evaluated in the 55 malignant, 25 benign and 30 normal breast tissues using qRT-PCR and RT-PCR. The differences between groups were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U. The expression of six different splice forms have been detected, three for α1 and three for β1 sGC. Expressions of Tr1, Tr2 β1 sGC and Tr7, Tr6 α1 sGC mRNA in the malignant breast tumors were significantly lower than those of benign and normal breast tissues. However, the expression of Tr3 α1 sGC mRNA was significantly higher than that of benign and normal tissues. Present data have provided some evidences for an alteration in the expression of α1 and β1 sGC alternative splicing forms which may contribute to the loss of sGC functions in the breast cancer. The observed information might be discussed by the cGMP status.

Background The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is used widely to investigate diet quality. It is used for a number of different applications, for example to measure compliance with dietary recommendations and guidelines. The Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) was created in 2002 and was designed to improve the ability to predict major chronic disease risks. Objective The main objective of the present study was to assess the associations between the HEI/AHEI with several cardiovascular disease risk factors (RFs) within a population sample of adults from northeastern Iran and to compare the predictive values obtained using HEI for these cardiovascular RFs with the values obtained using AHEI. Material and methods A total sample of 748 men, were recruited from Sarakhs City, in northeastern Iran. The mean age of study participants was 43.50 ± 8.88 years. Anthropometric indices were measured based on standard methods. Fasting blood samples (12 hrs) were collected from all subjects to determine several biochemical measures. HEI/AHEI were used to assess the quality of diet. Results There were no significant differences in diet quality with respect to the presence or absence of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. AHEI was significantly higher among subjects with a high serum levels of sensitive-C reactive protein (Hs-CRP) (p = 0.005), and the HEI was higher in subjects with a high serum copper (p = 0.01). There were no significant correlations between HEI/AHEI with CVD risk factors. Conclusions The results showed that there were no significant associations between the HEI/AHEI with CVD risk factors in the study population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers with a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence of CRC is similar in men and women but is distributed uniformly globally. It has been demonstrated that epigenetic alterations which may cause changes in the expression of microRNA, DNA methylation and histone acetylation that results in inheritable modifications in gene expression in colorectal epithelial cells, plays a crucial role in the development of CRC. Recently, targeting epigenetic modification has emerged as a potentially important treatment approach in CRC. The US Food and Drug Association has approved the use of some epigenetic drugs that may be able to inhibit or reverse these alterations and also enhance sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy in CRC. In this review we have summarized the recent pre-clinical and clinical trial studies investigating the therapeutic value of using epigenetic drugs as novel therapeutic approach in CRC treatment.\ud Keywords: epigenetic, colorectal cancer, drug, DNA methylation, histone acetylation

Objectives\ud The adverse effects of cigarette smoking have been widely studied before, whilst the effects of hookah smoking has received less attention, although it is a common habit in the Middle East. Here we have investigated the effects of cigarette and hookah smoking on biochemical characteristics in a representative population sample derived from the Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) cohort study, from Northeastern Iran.\ud \ud Study design\ud A total of 9840 subjects from the MASHAD population study were allocated to five groups; non-smokers (6742), ex-smokers (976), cigarette smokers (864), hookah smokers (1067), concomitant cigarette and hookah smokers (41).\ud \ud Methods\ud Baseline characteristics were recorded in a questionnaire. Biochemical characteristics were measured by routine methods. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and p

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common manifestation of CVD and the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality in most populations globally. There are several biomarkers for diagnosis of MI. Troponin is routinely used as a biomarker in patients with chest pain, but it lacks sensitivity in the first hours of onset of symptoms, and so there is still a clinical need for new biomarkers for the diagnosis of CAD events. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs are involved in atherosclerotic plaque formation and their expression is altered during CAD events. Whilst studies have shown that several miRNAs are not superior to troponin in the diagnosis of a MI, they may be useful in the early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with CAD, however further studies are required. In this review we have summarized the recent studies investigating circulating miRNAs as novel biomarkers for the early detection of MI, CVD risk stratification and in the assessment of the prognosis of patients with ACS.

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

Curcumin is a yellow pigment derived from rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and can affect multiple components metabolic syndrome (MetS). In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of curcumin on several CVD risk factors, including indices of depression and anxiety in individuals with MetS. This randomized clinical trial was undertaken in the Nutrition Clinic of the Ghaem Hospital. One hundred and twenty subjects (18–65 years old) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: a group receiving phospholipidated curcumin (PC) capsules (1 g/day) for 6 weeks )n = 40), a group receiving unformulated curcumin (UC) capsules (1 g/day) for 6 weeks (n = 40), and a control group who received a placebo capsule (n = 40). Socio-demographic status of all participants was documented using a self-administered questionnaire. Blood samples were collected after a 12-h fasting. All biochemical factors and anthropometric indices were measured in all patients at baseline and after 6 weeks intervention. Complete blood count (CBC), serum levels of FBG, lipid profile, apolipoproteins, and hs-CRP were assessed. Physical activity level was measured using a standard questionnaire. At the beginning and end of study, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were completed by all volunteers. According to the self-reported adverse effects, one subject in the PC-treated group reported hypersensitivity. Also, there were reports of cold sore (n = 1) and nausea (n = 1) in the UC group. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. A total of 109 subjects completed the study. There were no significant differences between the three study groups for any of the variables at baseline, nor after the 6 weeks intervention, including anthropometric indices, serum biochemical factors, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and CBC. However, subjects with severe anxiety appeared to be significantly improved by treatment with the PC and UC compared with the placebo group (p = 0.01). Curcumin supplementation did not improve any of the cardiovascular risk factors associated with MetS.

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of metabolic abnormalities that include central obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and increased blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate and identify the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome by using a decision tree algorithm as a data mining tool. A total of 6578 individuals were included in the analysis using a body mass index (BMI) cutoff >= 25 kg/m2 for the definition of overweight, in accordance with International Diabetic Federation (IDF) criteria. Subjects with obesity plus two or more of the criteria for defining metabolic syndrome were included in the metabolic syndrome group. Of the 6578 subjects, 70% (4539 subjects) were selected as a “training” dataset and 30% (2039 cases) were used as the testing dataset to evaluate the performance of decision tree. Two models were evaluated. In model I, age, sex, educational level, marriage and job status, fasted serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), uric acid, fasting blood glucose (FBG), high sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, and physical activity level were considered as input variables and in model II, age, gender, Hs-CRP, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), Platelets (PLT), red cell distribution width (RDW), and platelet distribution width (PDW) were used as input variables. The validation of the model was assessed by constructing a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The results showed that in model I, serum fasted TG was the most important associated risk factor for metabolic syndrome. In model II, serum Hs-CRP was identified as a risk factor of metabolic syndrome. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) values for model I were 99%, 94%, 97% and 0.972 and for model II were 74%, 77%, 76% and 0.812, respectively. Our findings in model I suggest that the IDF criteria are suitable for identifying individuals within the Iranian population into those with, or without MetS. Furthermore, model II showed that serum Hs-CRP concentrations were identified as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome within the Iranian population.

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

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of global mortality. Although extensive efforts have been made to identify valid biomarkers for CVD risk, relatively few are of proven clinical utility. It is recognized that genetic factors play a major role in determining the susceptibility to CVD. Recent genome-wide-association-studies have demonstrated common genetic variants in a region on chromosome 9p21 associated with an increased risk of CVD. Several genetic-polymorphisms have been identified in this region that are highly associated with CVD, and these are clustered around the gene loci for CDKN2B (coding for p15ink4b), CDKN2A (coding for p16ink4a and p14ARF) and the 3' end of CDKN2BAS, which has been termed antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL). Targeted deletion of the 9p21 locus reduces the cardiac expression of CDKN2A/B and is the most frequent mechanism for methylthioadenosine phosphorylase inactivation, leading to a less stable plaque phenotype in the artery. Further investigations will be essential to explore the clinical utility of emerging-markers in larger and multicenter setting in order to establish their values for risk stratification or prediction a chance of future CVD events. The aim of the current review was to provide an overview of the possible molecular mechanisms by which the chromosome 9p21 locus may confer CVD risk, and the consequential clinical implications with particular emphasis on preclinical/clinical trials on genetic changes of this locus and CVD risk.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and a common cause of cancer-related mortality globally. In spite of the improvements in the early diagnosis of CRC, approximately one-third of patients develop metastasis and then have a very poor survival rate. The mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) is a tyrosine kinase cell surface receptor activated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Activation of c-MET/HGF signaling pathway regulates a variety of biological processes including cell motility, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and the development and progression of cancer cells. Recent studies have suggested that the c-MET/HGF signaling pathway is involved in the carcinogenesis of CRC. In this review, we summarize the main findings of recent studies investigating the role of c-MET/HGF signaling pathway in CRC and the potential of the c-MET/HGF signaling pathways in the diagnosis and treatment of CRC. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019.

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD), is one of the leading causes of death globally. CAD risk factors, such as smoking, dyslipidemia, and obesity, are mainly associated with increased oxidative stress. Heat Shock Protein-27 (HSP27) has a protective role in conditions of oxidative stress. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between HSP27 mRNA copy numbers in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) and the degree of CAD progression. Methods A total of 103 subjects aged 49–71 years were recruited; Patients with CAD were categorized into two groups: patients having Results Angio+ patients had a significantly higher level of TC and LDL-C values compared with Angio− patients and the control group (p Conclusion It was shown that the increased expression of HSP27 in PBMCs of CAD patients is significantly correlated with CAD severity in Angio+ subjects, which can be used as an early prognostic biomarker, indicating the degree of overall oxidative stress in patients. In order to verify this statement, it is suggested to measure Pro-oxidant- Antioxidant Balance (PAB) test by the same design in subsequent studies.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract consisting two principal categories, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The precise etiology of IBD remains unknown. Vitamin D is an important micronutrient that plays a critical biological role in various processes in human tissues. However, the relationship between disruption of the gut microbiota and the development of IBD is unclear. Some studies suggest that IBD is the cause of disrupted gut microbiota while others propose that gut microbiota itself can lead to development of IBD. Regardless of this complexity, it has emerged that vitamin D is an immunoregulatory factor that plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of IBD by affecting the gut microbiome and the inflammatory response. It has been reported that 38.1% of CD patients and 31.6% of UC patients suffer from vitamin D deficiency (VDD). In this review, we aimed to evaluate the association between VDD and IBD, summarizing recent clinical studies examining the effect of low vitamin D and the role of vitamin D supplementation on IBD clinical outcomes.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer, and the second most common cause of cancer-associated death globally. One of the major reasons for this high rate of mortality is a failure to make an early diagnosis. The average survival in untreated HCC patients is estimated to be approximately three months. The 5-year overall survival rate after radical resection is about 15-40% and within two years, more than two third of patients experience a relapse. To date, the most common biomarker which has been used for the diagnosis of HCC is serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). However, there is a lack of sensitive and specific tumor biomarkers for the early diagnosis of HCC. MicroRNAs are a class of short endogenous RNA with crucial role in many biological activities and cellular pathways and can be found in various tissues and body fluids. The aim of this review was to summarize the results of recent studies investigating miRNAs as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognostic risk stratification of patients with this type of liver cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) has a high mortality rate with a poor 5-year survival. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is present as part of the normal flora of stomach. It is found in the gastric mucosa of more than half of the world population. This bacterium is involved in developing H. pylori-induced GC due to the regulation of different micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA or miR). miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs and are recognized as prognostic biomarkers for GC that may control gene expression. miRNAs may function as tumor suppressors, or oncogenes. In this review, we evaluated studies that investigated the ectopic expression of miRNAs in the prognosis of H. pylori positive and negative GC.

Introduction Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is involved in several biological processes, including angiogenesis and VEGF high levels results in higher risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to examine the interaction of the rs10738760 (A > G), a genetic polymorphism of VEGF, and dietary intake in subjects with MetS recruited as part of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders (MASHAD) cohort study. Methods In this cross-sectional study, International-Diabetes-Federation criteria (IDF) were applied to determine the presence of MetS. The polymerase chain reaction-amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS-PCR) was used for genotyping. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used for determining dietary macro/micronutrient intake. Results Subjects with the AA genotype for the VEGF polymorphism, and a high consumption of sugar, starch, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and saturated fatty acid (SFA) showed a significantly higher risk of MetS. There was a significant association between AA genotype with sugar (OR:1.02, 95% CI:1.01–1.03) and starch intake (OR:1.01, 95% CI:1.00–1.01) and risk of MetS (p Conclusions Individuals with an AA genotype, and a high intake of MUFA, SFA, sugar and starch, had a high risk of developing MetS. Therefore, this genetic polymorphism might determine disease susceptibility when combined with a high consumption of fat and carbohydrate. A further study is necessary to confirm this association as a potential marker in predicting CVD events.

Background The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing globally. It is associated with a significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods The relationship between adherence to several different dietary patterns and the presence of MetS was explored in an Iranian population sample of 5764 subjects. Results We observed that the prevalence of MetS was 13% and 18% in men and women, respectively. There were three main dietary patterns: the first pattern was characterized by protein, carbohydrate, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, dietary fibre, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, carotene, vitamin c and lactose; second representative of fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, vitamin D, chloride, betaine, niacin; third consisting of copper, selenium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12. In this dietary pattern, individuals in first quintile had a higher consumption of total fat, saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, cholesterol and vitamin A. In the second pattern, individuals in the fifth quintile ate less carbohydrate, dietary fibre, glucose, Fructose, potassium compared to first quintile. We found that individuals in the first quintile in pattern 3 had higher intakes of protein, zinc and calcium compared to other quintiles. Conclusions We have found that a nutrient pattern which mostly characterized by dietary protein, carbohydrate, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose was associated with a higher risk of MetS in both genders, while a pattern which was represent of copper, selenium, Vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12 was associated with greater odds of Mets, in women.

Lactase deficiency problem discourages many adults from consuming milk as a major source of micro- and macronutrients. Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose is an ideal solution for this problem but such processing adds significant costs. In this study, a cold active β-galactosidase from Planococcus sp-L4 (bgal) was optimized for expression of recombinant "BGalP" in Pichia pastoris. As a result of codon optimization, the codon adaptation index was improved from 0.58 to 0.85 after replacing rare codons. After transformation of two P. pastoris strains (KM71H and GS115), the activity of BGalP enzyme was measured in the culture supernatants using ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside (ONPG). Maximal activity was recorded as 3.7U/ml on day 11 in KM71H clone #2 which was 20% higher than the best GS115 clone. Activity measurements under different conditions indicated optimal activity at pH 6.5. It was active at temperatures ranging from 0 to 55°C with deactivation occurring at or above 60°C. Protein analysis of the crude ultra-filtrate showed the enzyme was ∼75kDa and was the major constituent (85%) of the sample. This enzyme have the potential to find utility for the breakdown of lactose in chilled milk and subsequently can be deactivated by pasteurization. The use of BGalP would minimize energy consumption thus decreasing cost and also help to preserve the nutritional elements of the milk.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by clustering of clinical, physiological, biochemical, and metabolic factors that are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Immune response to heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) has been suggested to be implicated in atherogenesis. We aimed to investigate the association between serum anti-Hsp27 antibody concentrations and type 2 diabetes in patients with MetS. This was a cross-sectional observational study on groups of MetS and healthy subjects. The population sample was derived from MASHAD STUDY, a national cross-sectional study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2004. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and patients who had cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, or systemic disease were excluded from the 9600 subjects of the MASHAD STUDY population. A total of 933 subjects including 477 women and 456 men were classified as having MetS, diabetes mellitus, or neither. Data including age, gender, and smoking habit collected using a questionnaire. MetS was diagnosed based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition. The serum anti-HSP27 antibody titers were measured by ELISA. There was no difference in serum anti-HSP27 concentrations between subjects with and without MetS, or diabetes mellitus, nor was there a significant difference in anti-HSP27 levels between men and women. There was no significant difference in anti-HSP27 antibody between diabetic MetS patients, normal population, non-diabetic MetS, and diabetic non-MetS patients (p value >0.05). Serum anti-Hsp27 antibody concentrations did not differ between individuals with or without MetS or diabetes mellitus.

Obesity is one of the greatest public health concerns worldwide. Weight loss surgeries have been increased in recent decades due to the world's epidemic of obesity. The aim of this prospective study is investigating metabolic factors of morbid obese patients following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.This was a nonrandomized prospective cohort study conducted from 2010 to 2013 on 60 consecutive patients who had body mass index (BMI) of more than 40 kg/m(2) and met the surgical indication criteria of bariatric surgery. Upon discharge, patients were followed in outpatient clinic of Qaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, each 3 months for 12 months. Measurement of anthropometric and metabolic indices was done in each postoperative visit.Mean BMI reduction was 15.26 ± 3.45 kg/m(2) in the patients with an average value of 28.84 ± 3.94 (range from 22 to 40 kg/m(2)), which was significantly lower than the base value (p 0.001). After a 12-month follow up, patients had lower low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and total cholesterol (p 0.001 for all the variables), while achieving a greater high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.004). An improvement was seen in all of hypertensive patients after a 3-month follow up and blood pressure remained within normal limit in further follow ups. Complete remission was observed in all the patients with obstructive sleep apnea.It appears reasonable that multidisciplinary treatment including surgical alternatives should be concerned for all morbidly obese patients, considering high rate of failure of conservative medical therapy in this setting.

Background: Diabetes mellitus remains one of the major health problems of the 21st century and is associated with comorbidities including obesity and metabolic abnormalities. The study was conducted to evaluate serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, as a marker of inflammation, in a large sample of Iranian population without a history of cardiovascular or inflammatory disease and cancer, and to relate this to fasting blood glucose (FBG) and the presence of diabetes mellitus. Methods: The study consisted of 7,762 subjects divided into four groups—nonobese/nondiabetic, obese/nondiabetic, nonobese/diabetic and obese/diabetic—based on the BMI classification and their FBG. Anthropometric characteristics were measured and blood was collected for the evaluation of fasted lipid profile, FBG and serum hs-CRP levels. Results: Several clinical and biochemical characteristics were significantly different among the four groups: FBG, P 3 mg/dl had higher TC (P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, P < 0.001), TG (P < 0.001), fat percentage (P < 0.001), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001) compared with subjects with a serum hs-CRP

Background Healthy behaviors, such as a healthy diet are associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate the association of dietary quality, assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), with serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) and also dietary intake of Cu and Zn. Study design This cross-sectional study was performed in a sub-sample of 5313 participants (2162 males and 3151 females) aged 35-65 years recruited as part of MASHAD cohort study. Methods HEI was assessed using dietary intake data that were collected based on a 65 items food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure serum Cu and Zn concentrations. Dietary intakes of Cu and Zn were evaluated based on the FFQ data; they were adjusted for total energy. Results HEI values had a negative correlation with serum Cu concentration and positive correlation with dietary intake and serum Zn/Cu showed. After adjusting for confounding factors, results showed that with increasing 10 unit of HEI the risk of serum level of Cu Conclusion There was a negative and positive correlation between HEI and serum concentration of Cu and serum Zn/Cu, respectively in the middle-aged Iranian adults. Although, the association between serum concentrations of Zn and Cu with their dietary intake were not significant. The evaluation of these factors in a larger population and in cohort study design may help further confirm these findings.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers globally and is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. A large proportion of patients with early stage CRC, who undergo conventional treatments develop local recurrence or distant metastasis and in this group of advanced disease, the survival rate is low. Furthermore there is often a poor response and/or toxicity associated with chemotherapy and chemo-resistance may limit continuing conventional treatment alone. Choosing novel and targeted therapeutic approaches based on clinicopathological and molecular features of tumors in combination with conventional therapeutic approach could be used to eradicate residual micrometastasis and therefore improve patient prognosis and also be used preventively. Peptide- based vaccination therapy is one class of cancer treatment that could be used to induce tumorspecific immune responses, through the recognition of specific antigen-derived peptides in tumor cells, and this has emerged as a promising anti-cancer therapeutic strategy. The aim of this review was to summarize the main findings of recent studies in exciting field of peptide-based vaccination therapy in CRC patients as a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of CRC.

Objective: The Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) study is a 10-year cohort study that aims to evaluate the impact of various genetic, environmental, nutritional and psychosocial risk factors on the incidence of cardiovascular events among an urban population in eastern Iran. Methods: The MASHAD study comprises a cohort of 9704 individuals aged 35-65 years using a stratified cluster random sampling design. This cohort will be followed up until 2020, with follow-up examinations being undertaken every 3 years. Ten-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation was determined using NCEP ATP III criteria. Results: Overall, 88.4 of women and 79.2 of men (P 20 were observed to be 86.6, 11 and 2.5 , respectively. Predicted risk of CVD > 10 using the Framingham algorithm was considerably higher in men compared to women. Overall, 9.5 95 % confidence interval (CI) 8.9�10.1 % of our subjects had prevalent CAD. Conclusion: The prevalence of CVD risk factors within our population is high compared to Western countries, indicating the necessity for interventional risk modifications. © 2015, Swiss School of Public Health.

Background: The high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally is attributable to an interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Gene × diet interaction studies aim to explore how a modifiable factor interacts with genetic predispositions. Here we have explored the interaction of a heat shock protein (HSP70) gene polymorphism (+1267A>G) with dietary intake and their possible association with serum C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, that is a major component of CVD risk.\ud \ud Methods: HSP70 genotype was determined using a TaqMan real time PCR based method. Genetic variation of the HSP70 gene +1267A>G locus. Dietary intake was assessed using a dietary questionnaire. Serum high sensitivity (Hs) CRP and other cardiovascular risk factors were assessed by routine methods. This included coronary angioplasty to determine the presence of coronary artery stenosis. \ud \ud Results: There were significant differences between serum lipid profile and Hs-CRP across the genotypes for Hsp70. The carriers of G allele had higher serum hs-CRP concentrations, compared with the AA homozygotes, with the wild genotype. Interaction analysis showed the association was modulated by total energy intake; the interaction of high energy intake with GG genotype: RERI= 0.77, AP= 0.26, S=1.6.\ud \ud Conclusion: We have found a significant association between the +1267A>G variant of the HSP70 gene with cardiovascular risk factors and serum hs-CRP concentrations. It is possible that a low energy diet could ameliorate the unfavorable effects of G allele of HSP70.

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

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between serum antibody titers to Hsp27 (anti-Hsp27) and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in patients with angiographically-defined coronary artery disease (CAD) with or without the metabolic syndrome (MS). DESIGN Subjects (n=243) were classified into MS+ (n=161) and MS- (n=82) subgroups, based on the AHA/NHBLI criteria. RESULTS Serum anti-Hsp27 titers were found to be significantly higher in the MS+ vs. MS- group. However, no significant difference was observed in serum PAB values. When assessed for individual components of MS, increased serum anti-Hsp27 was found to be higher in subgroups with elevated triglycerides, elevated blood pressure and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Subgroups of patients with elevated triglycerides had higher PAB values. HDL-C was the only significant predictor of anti-Hsp27 in the population as a whole. CONCLUSION The evidence from this investigation indicates the presence of elevated anti-Hsp27 in patients with concurrent CAD and MS compared to those with CAD alone.

Previous researches have shown that the nutritional status of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) was poor on admission and appears to decline during their stay in the ICU. Critically ill patients are prone to malnutrition because their hypermetabolic disorders lead to an increase in nutritional requirements that are not often met with the nutrition supplied. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status and hs-CRP of ICU patients on admission and discharge from the hospital. Twenty-nine neurological ICU patients (20–87 years old) underwent fasting blood sample collections, anthropometric measurements and impedance analysis on admission and discharge at Ghaem Teaching Hospital. NRS 2002 was used to determine malnutrition in ICU patients. Markers of nutritional status changed from admission into the ICU until discharge as follows: weight, BMI and triceps skinfold thickness decreased (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.005, respectively). hs-CRP was decreased over the stay in the hospital (admission = 19.4 ± 16.3, discharge = 13.8 ± 14.5, p value = 0.11). The percent of patients at risk of malnutrition decreased during stay in ICU (not significant). Prevalence of malnutrition was as high as 47.6% on admission. The nutritional status of patients was slightly improved over the period of their stay in hospital using NRS 2002 method.

The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome are increasing globally. The present study was conducted in an attempt to define optimal cutoff values for several anthropometric variables in an Iranian population, as these may vary with ethnicity. Iranian subjects (2483 men and 2445 women), aged 15–65 years, were recruited using a cluster-stratified sampling method from rural and urban areas within the Khorasan province. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to define optimal anthropometric cutoff values. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome were 28, 5.5, 67, and 39.9%, respectively. The gender-specific cutoff values for waist:height ratio to predict hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome among men were 0.52 (sensitivity = 66%; specificity = 66%), 0.54 (sensitivity = 65%; specificity = 65%), 0.50 (sensitivity = 58%; specificity = 57%), and 0.53 (sensitivity = 73%; specificity = 70%), and for women were 0.59 (sensitivity = 61%; specificity = 61%), 0.61 (sensitivity = 64%; specificity = 64%), 0.57 (sensitivity = 61%; specificity = 61%), and 0.59 (sensitivity = 77%; specificity = 77%) (p< 0.05). Significant correlations were found between waist:height ratio and hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. Waist circumference cutoffs were higher for women than men for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia.