Melatonin attenuates responses to angiotensin II in isolated aortic rings of STZ-induced type 1-like DM rats.

Background: In patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED) is the main reason for impaired life expectancy. Melatonin (MEL) demonstrates wide-ranging effects across various organs and exhibits pleiotropic characteristics. The current study aims to investigate the modulatory roles of MEL vascular response to angiotensin II (Ang II) and its receptors including angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT-1 R) and angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT-2 R) in isolated thoracic aorta of non-diabetes (non-DM) and diabetes (DM) rats.

The vascular influence of melatonin on endothelial response to angiotensin II in diabetic rat aorta.

The current study explored melatonin (MEL) and its receptors, including MEL type 1 receptor (MT1) receptor and MEL type 2 receptor (MT2), along with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE), influence on vascular responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) in rat aortic segments of normal and diabetic rats. The isolated aortic segments were exposed to MEL, the MEL agonist; ramelteon (RAM), the MEL antagonist; luzindole (LUZ), and an ACE inhibitor (S, S)-2-(1-Carboxy-2-(3-(3,5-dichlorobenzyl)-3 H-imidazol-4-yl)-ethylamino)-4-methylpentanoic acid,) on Ang II-induced contractions in non-diabetic normal endothelium (non-DM E+), non-diabetic removed endothelium (non-DM E-), and streptozotocin-induced diabetic endothelium-intact (STZ-induced DM E+) rat aortic segments, as well as their combination in STZ-induced DM E + segments, were also included. The current results showed that MEL and RAM shifted Ang II dose-response curve (DRC) to the right side in non-DM E + and non-DM E- aorta but not in STZ-induced DM E + aorta.

Understanding Healthy Eating Habits of Elderly People in a Geriatric Center in Kirkuk City: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background A person's nutritional knowledge has a great influence on their eating habits and nutritional status. Identifying knowledge gaps can lead to educational efforts to reduce the probability of malnutrition and encourage healthy aging. This study aimed to assess older people's knowledge of healthy eating and identify associated factors in the Geriatric Center in Kirkuk City.

The roles of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 inhibitor, melatonin and its agonist on angiotensin II reactivity in intact and denuded rat aortic rings.

Background: The pineal product melatonin (MEL) modulates blood vessels through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) called melatonin type 1 receptor (MTR) and melatonin type 2 receptor (MTR), in that order. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which breaks down angiotensin II (Ang II) to create Ang 1-7, is thought to be mostly controlled by angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE).

Aim: The current work examines the involvement of ACE inhibitor, MEL, and ramelteon (RAM) in the vascular response to Ang II activities in the endothelial denuded (E-) and intact (E+) rat isolated thoracic aortic rings.

Substance use among high school students in Erbil City, Iraq: prevalence and potential contributing factors.

Background: Substance use among adolescents, especially smoking and alcohol consumption, has become a public health concern in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, in the past 10 years.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of substance use and certain associated factors among high school students in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage cluster sampling technique to collect a sample of 3000 students.

Impact of an education intervention on knowledge of high school students concerning substance use in Kurdistan Region-Iraq: A quasi-experimental study.

Background And Aims: Substance use among adolescents especially smoking, is becoming a public health problem in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. School-based health education is an appropriate approach for improving students' knowledge regarding substance use in an attempt to prevent or reduce such problem The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of an educational intervention for high school students to improve their knowledge for substance use and its negative consequences, which will, in turn, motivate students to take protective measures against substance use.

Methods: This quasi-experimental (one group; pre, and post-test) design was carried out in Erbil city from January 2017 to June 2017.