Effect of concentrated pomegranate juice consumption on glucose and lipid profile concentrations in type 2 diabetic patients

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most important metabolic disorders worldwide. As regards the anti-diabetic effects in different parts of pomegranate fruit, this study was performed to determine the effects of concentrated pomegranate juice [CPJ] consumption on blood glucose and lipid concentrations in type 2 diabetic patients. This quasi experimental study was performed on 55 diabetic patients, among patients referred to the Kashan Diabetes Center. Patients were divided into two groups: CPJ consumption and control. An anthropometric, medical and 24-hour food recall questioner was completed. Fasting blood sample before and after study was collected to measure glucose, HbA1c, TG, Chol, LDL and HDL. The patients consumed 45 g/day CPJ for 3 month. Control group did not received experiment. Variables were measured at the end of the study again. Both groups received the same diet and physical activity advice during the study. Cholesterol and LDL - cholesterol concentrations decreased in CPJ than control group but not significant [p>0.05]. The mean glucose concentrations showed no significant change between CPJ group and control [p>0.05]. Concentrated pomegranate juice [CPJ] consumption there are no effective on blood glucose and lipid profiles concentrations in type 2 diabetic patients

evaluation of increase in hemodialysis frequency on C-reactive protein levels and nutritional status

Malnutrition and inflammation are the most important causes of cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of increase in hemodialysis frequency on C-reactive protein [CRP] level and nutritional markers in contrast to previous routine method. 18 hemodialysis patients with a mean age of 53 +/- 16 years were randomly selected in this before-and-after clinical trial. The patients under a standard hemodialysis of 3 times/4 h per week were converted to 4 times/4 h for a period of 6 weeks. The CRP, albumin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL serum levels, anthropometric indices and 24-h diet recall intake was assessed before and after of the period. The data were analyzed using paired t-test, and P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. All patients completed the study. Mean weight, body mass index and serum albumin increased while serum CRP level decreased significantly after the intervention [P<0.03]. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, as well as energy, protein and fat intake had no significant change before and after the study. Increase in dialysis frequency decreased systemic inflammation and improved the nutritional state of hemodialysis patients. Therefore, it may decrease the risk of cardiovascular events in these patients

Effects of dialysis frequency on the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients

Malnutrition is a common problem in maintenance hemodialysis patients and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. This study was carried out to determine the effects of dialysis frequency on nutritional markers hemodialysis patients in Kashan [Iran]. This before and after clinical trials was carried out on 18 hemodialysis patients [12 female, 6 male]. In this study, the standard hemodialysis regime of patients, which it was3 times per week and 4 hours per session, were changed to 4 times per week for a period of 30 days. All Anthropometry and nutritional markers data were collected during 30 days and statistically analyzed with paired t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. P value less than 0.05 [P<0.05] was considered significant in all tests Weight and BMI of patients increased from 68.3 +/- 13.9 kg, 28.4 +/- 7.1 to 68.9 +/- 13.8 kg, 28.6 +/- 7 respectively [P<0.05]. In addition, serum albumin levels of the patients showed an increase from 3.7 +/- 0.2 to 4 +/- 0.3 g/dl [P<0.05]. These results showed that the increasing the number of dialysis times improve nutritional status in hemodialysis patients

Prenatal alcohol exposure and dysfunction of hippocampal formation in cognition

Background: Fetal alcohol syndrome is associated with numerous problems in the development and function of the brain. Learning and memory deficits are among well known effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol

Objective: This study aimed to examine the spatial working memory of 60-day old rats who were exposed to alcohol during their fetal life and to find the relation between the possible alcohol-impaired spatial memory and gestational period of exposure to alcohol

Materials and Methods: Pregnant rats in different stages of gestation period were administered with ethanol. Using a radial arm maze, the offspring were subjected to spatial working memory training at 60 days of postnatal age

Results: The rats exposed to ethanol during the first 10 days of fetal life indicated lower performances compared to the controls. Those receiving alcohol during the second half of pregnancy period had no problem in maze navigation. Behavior of the animals exposed to alcohol during the first and the second quarter of the gestation period demonstrated that only the latter were weak in solving maze tasks. The groups related to the third and the forth quarter of gestation period had a similar behavior with the control group. Comparison of the animals' performances in all groups revealed that only the second quarter group was the most disadvantaged

Conclusion: Our data indicates that the second quarter of the gestation period is more sensitive to harmful effects of alcohol on the areas of brain involved in learning and memory. Since the hippocampus is central in cognitive functions and this part of brain is highly vulnerable to alcohol effects it can be concluded that the hippocampus is mostly affected in the second quarter of prenatal life