Cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and hepatitis E virus (HEV): Are they related?

Introduction And Objectives: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the most common causes of acute hepatitis. In recent years, its role in the development of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis especially in immunosuppressed patients and its wide range of extrahepatic involvement have increased the amount of research on HEV. In this study we aimed to investigate the presence of HEV infection in individuals with cryptogenic cirrhosis.

Impacts of the international economic sanctions on Iranian patients with epilepsy.

Purpose: On May 8, 2018, the United States announced that it was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. This has resulted in reimposition of the economic hardship on Iran. We investigated the patients' perceptions of hardship in obtaining their antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) after the reimposition of sanctions.

Hemi-ESES associated with agenesis of the corpus callosum and normal cognition.

•Corpus callosum plays the important role in bilateral synchronous expression of focal discharges of ESES.•Sparing dominant hemisphere form continuous spike and slow waves during sleep accounts for normal cognitive scores.•Early detection and treatment of ESES have a great impact on cognitive and language scores and final prognosis.

The bioimpedance spectroscopy as useful tool for measuring the fluid excess and fluid management in severe polytrauma patients.

Although the fluid therapy plays a fundamental role in the management of polytrauma patients (PP), a tool which could determine it appropriately is still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of a bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) for body fluids volume and distribution monitoring in these patients. This prospective, observational study was performed on 25 severe PP and 25 healthy subjects.

Results of a Dutch national and subsequent international expert meeting on interconception care.

The potential value of preconception care and interconception care is increasingly acknowledged, but delivery is generally uncommon. Reaching women for interconception care is potentially easier than for preconception care, however the concept is still unfamiliar. Expert consensus could facilitate guidelines, policies and subsequent implementation.

THE IMPACT OF ASTAXANTHIN ON THE LEVEL OF DNA METHYLATION IN IRRADIATED IN VITRO HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES.

Objective: To investigate an effect of astaxanthin on global DNA methylation in human peripheral blood lympho-cytes exposed to γ-radiation in vitro.

Methods: Samples of whole blood were diluted with RPMI-1640 medium in proportion 1 : 10 and incubated at 37 °Cfor 3 h. Samples were exposed to γ-ray (emitter IBL-237C, dose-rate 2.

A novel in vitro co-culture model to examine contact formation between astrocytic processes and cerebral vessels.

Here, we developed a novel in vitro co-culture model, in which process-bearing astrocytes and isolated cerebral microvessels from mice were co-cultured. Astrocytes formed contacts with microvessels from both adult and neonatal mice. However, concentrated localization of the immunofluorescence signal for aquaporin-4 (AQP4) at contact sites between perivascular endfoot processes and blood vessels was only detected with neonatal mouse microvessels.

Behavioral, hormonal, and neurochemical outcomes of neonatal repeated shaking brain injury in male adult rats.

It is well known that an abusive environment in childhood is related to individual anxiety behavior in adulthood. Though an imbalance of adrenocorticosteroid receptors and a dysfunction of monoaminergic neuron systems have been proposed, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. To address these problems, we recently developed a new model of shaking brain injury (SBI) in neonatal rats.

Gastroesophageal Reflux in Asymptomatic Patients with Diabetes: An Impedance Study Diabetes, Obesity and Gastroesophageal Reflux.

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is more frequent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).The aim of the present study was to evaluate gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in asymptomatic patients with DM using 24-h pH impedance.

Materials And Methods: 19 healthy controls and 35 patients with DM without typical GERD symptoms were enrolled in the study.

Comet assay and its use for evaluating oxidative DNA damage in some pathological states.

The comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), is a sensitive, rapid, relatively simple and inexpensive method for detecting DNA strand breaks in individual cells. It is used in a broad variety of applications and as a tool to investigate DNA damage and repair. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay are greatly enhanced if the DNA incubated with an enzyme, which recognizes a specific kind of DNA damage.

Small intestine barrier function failure induces systemic inflammation in monosodium glutamate-induced chronically obese mice.

Chronic obesity has increased worldwide, in conjunction with type 2 diabetes. Chronic obesity causes systemic inflammation that may result in functional deterioration of the gastrointestinal barrier. However, gastrointestinal conditions associated with chronic obesity have not been comprehensively investigated.

Exploring Factors Affecting the Emergency Specialists' Decision-Making in Case of Emergencies in Patients.

Introduction: Appropriate decision-making is essential in emergency situations; however, little information is available on how emergency decision-makers decide on the emergency status of the patients shifted to the emergency department of the hospital. This study aimed at explaining the factors that influence the emergency specialists' decision-making in case of emergency conditions in patients.

Methods: This study was carried out with a qualitative content analysis approach.

Effects of the differential expression of ZO-1 and ZO-2 on podocyte structure and function.

Glomerular podocytes in the kidney originate from columnar epithelial cells possessing tight junctions. During podocyte differentiation, tight junctions are replaced by slit diaphragms, which are formed between foot processes and function as a blood filtration barrier. Although the expression of most tight junction components is suppressed during podocyte differentiation, several components, including ZO-1 and ZO-2, are consistently expressed.

Role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in slowly progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the Zitter rat.

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is involved in nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurodegeneration. However, little is known about the distribution patterns and functions of nNOS in slowly progressive DA neurodegeneration. Here we describe the spatiotemporal change in nNOS expression over the course of neurodegeneration and the effect of short- or long-term treatment with the nNOS inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), in zitter (zi/zi) rats.

Tyrosine hydroxylase afferents to the interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure are neurochemically distinct from those projecting to neighboring nuclei.

The interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure (IPAC) is exclusively innervated by tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) fibers as observed in the other nuclei of the rat forebrain such as the striatum and nucleus accumbens. Distinguishing TH-IR afferents to the IPAC from those projecting to neighboring nuclei has been difficult. However, we previously showed that the TH-IR fibers projecting to the IPAC were invulnerable to neurodegeneration in zitter mutant rats, whereas almost all TH-IR afferents fibers to the dorsolateral striatum were lost, indicating that these two groups of TH-IR afferents have distinct neurochemical properties.

Study the impact of astaxanthin on developing of genomic instability in human peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated in vitro on G2 phase of cell cycle.

Objective: To identify the possibility of modification by astaxanthin the level of genome damages induced by gamma quanta in the culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed in vitro on postsynthetic (G2) phase of the first mitotic cycle.

Materials And Methods: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from four apparently healthy volunteers 35-51 years old were cultivated using modified micromethod. To obtain genomic damages in G2 phase of the first mitotic cycle the part of cultures was irradiated by γ quanta in dose 1.

Synaptic localization of the SUMOylation-regulating protease SENP5 in the adult mouse brain.

Covalent conjugation of small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) or SUMOylation is a reversible post-translational modification that regulates the stability and function of target proteins. SUMOs are removed from substrate proteins by sentrin/SUMO-specific proteases (SENPs). Numerous studies have implicated SUMOylation in various physiological and pathological processes in neurons.

Identification of a novel mutation in ARSA gene in three patients of an Iranian family with metachromatic leukodystrophy disorder.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy disorder (MLD) is an autosomal recessive and lysosomal storage disease. The disease is caused by the deficiency of the enzyme arylsulfatase A (ARSA) which is encoded by the ARSA gene. Different mutations have been reported in different populations.

Evaluation of the effect of metformin and insulin in hyperglycemia treatment after coronary artery bypass surgery in nondiabetic patients.

Introduction: Insulin therapy is the most commonly used treatment for controlling hyperglycemia after coronary artery bypass surgery in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Metformin has been indicated for critically ill patients as an alternate for the treatment of hyperglycemia. This study evaluated the effect of metformin and insulin in hyperglycemia treatment after coronary artery bypass surgery in nondiabetic patients.

Age-related behavioral, morphological and physiological changes in the hippocampus of zitter rats.

Convulsive seizure is known to be associated with hippocampal abnormalities, such as hilar cell degeneration, abnormal mossy fiber sprouting in the dentate gyrus (DG) and abnormal expression of immediate early genes. However, whether these morphological changes are a cause or consequence of convulsive seizures has remained contentious. Zitter (zi/zi) rats carry a mutation of the attractin gene and display spongiform degeneration of the brain.

Exposure to nano-size titanium dioxide causes oxidative damages in human mesothelial cells: The crystal form rather than size of particle contributes to cytotoxicity.

Exposure to nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes has been shown to cause pleural mesothelioma similar to that caused by asbestos, and has become an environmental health issue. Not only is the percutaneous absorption of nano-size titanium dioxide particles frequently considered problematic, but the possibility of absorption into the body through the pulmonary route is also a concern. Nevertheless, there are few reports of nano-size titanium dioxide particles on respiratory organ exposure and dynamics or on the mechanism of toxicity.

Effects of environmental enrichment on the activity of the amygdala in micrencephalic rats exposed to a novel open field.

Environmental enrichment (EE) mediates recovery from sensory, motor, and cognitive deficits and emotional abnormalities. In the present study, we examined the effects of EE on locomotor activity and neuronal activity in the amygdala in control and methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM)-induced micrencephalic rats after challenge in a novel open field. Control rats housed in EE (CR) showed reduced locomotor activity compared to rats housed in a conventional cage (CC), whereas hyperactivity was seen in MAM rats housed in a conventional cage (MC) and in MAM rats housed in EE (MR).

Systematic early obstetrical assistance at calving: II. Effects on dairy heifer calf growth, health, and survival to weaning.

Good calving management should not only ease the transition of cows into lactation, but also contribute to providing healthy replacement animals for the herd. Difficulty during parturition has been found to be detrimental to the offspring. Because of the association of obstetrical intervention with undesirable outcomes, the general management recommendation for calving is to let cows give birth unassisted whenever possible.

Belching in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Impedance Study.

Background/aims: There are limited data about the relation between belching and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We aim to evaluate belching in patients with IBS.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with IBS and 12 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study.