Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of obesity and its related cardiovascular risk factors in Iranian adults

Obesity as major global pandemic is associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular complications. This study was conducted to evaluate the association between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages [SSBs] and weight, waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and blood pressure status in Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 5852 men and women, aged 19-70 years, who participated in the fourth phase [2009-2011] of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Demographics, anthropometries, biochemical measurements including triglycerides, HDL and blood pressure were assessed. Intakes of SSBs including carbonated drinks and synthetic fruit juices were measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Mean dietary intake of SSBs was 48.9 +/- 77.8 g/d. After adjustment for all potential confounding variables, significant associations were observed between SSB consumption and BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL and blood pressure in the fourth quartile. Participants in the highest, compared to the lowest quartile category of SSBs had 25%, 37%, 22% and 32% higher risk of general obesity [OR: 1.25, 95% Cl: 1.02-1.50], abdominal obesity [OR: 1.37, 95% Cl: 1.15-1.64], low HDL cholesterol [OR: 1.22, 95% Cl: 1.04-1.44] and hypertension [OR: 1.32, 95% Cl: 1.08-1.61], respectively. Higher intakes of SSBs were found to be associated with a higher risk of general obesity and its related cardiovascular risk factors in Iranian adults

effect of life style modification on the occurrence of diabetes type 2 in a 3.5-year study: Tehran lipid and glucose study

Hyperbilirubinemia is a common problem in newborn infants and may progress to kernicterus if not treated. The objective of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of clofibrate in full-term healthy neonates with non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia. A randomized clinical trial was performed on two groups of healthy full-term neonates with jaundice. Clofibrate group, [n=50], received a single dose of oral clofibrate [100mg/kg], plus phototherapy, while the control group [n=50], received only phototherapy. The mean plasma total bilirubin levels at 12, 24, and 48 hours after treatment were significantly lower in the clofibrate treated group, as compared with the control group [p=0.001]. At 48 hours of treatment, 48% of patients in the clofibrate group, had bilirubin levels<12 mg/dl in comparison with 16% of control group [p=0.001]. Treatment with clofibrate also resulted in a shorter duration of hospital stay as compared to the control group [p0.001]. A single oral dose of clofibrate [100mg/kg], along with phototherapy is more effective than phototherapy alone in treatment of non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in full-term healthy newborn infants

[Lactic acid production by Lactobacillus strains]

Lactic acid [2-hydroxypropionic acid, CH[3]CHOHCOOH] is a naturally occurring, chiral, alpha-hydroxy acid and has L[+] and D[-] optical isomers. It is used in food processing [as an acidulant and preservative], medicine, agriculture, and leather and textile industries. Due to its chiral properties, L-lactic acid is used in the pharmaceutical industry as an intermediate for the synthesis of chiral drugs. Polymers of lactic acid are biodegradable and have found use in manufacturing medical equipment. Although several strains of microorganisms are capable of producing lactic acid, some strains of Lactobacilli are generally recognized as safe [GRAS] in this regard. In the present study five lactobacillus strains were studied in order to determine the best L[+] lactic acid-producer strain. The lactobacillus strains were obtained from the Persian Type Culture Collection [PTCC], Iranian Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. They were cultured, under sterile conditions, on the slants of de Man, Rogosa and Sharp [MRS] agar, followed by inoculation on MRS broth medium as a preculture. Then 2.5-ml samples of the preculture containing 10[8] cells/ml were inoculated in 250-ml Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 ml of a production medium. Fermentation was carried out at 30°C and 180 rpm on a rotary shaker incubator, and glucose consumption, lactic acid production, and growth of the strains were measured in triplicates every 8 hours. L. easel subspp. casei produced 95 g/1 calcium lactate. The yield and productivity of this strain on optimized media containing 100 g/1 glucose were 95% and 0.98 g/lh, respectively. The other high-lactate producer was L. rhamnosus which produced 81.40 g/1 calcium lactate, the yield and productivity being 63% and 0.85 g/lh, respectively. L, casei subspp. casei PTCC: 1608 and L. rhamnosus PTCC: 1637 are the best L[+] lactic acid-producers. They are, thus, the best bacterial strain candidates for pilot plant studies of lactic acid production

Fine needle aspiration of unilocular ovarian cysts - a cytohistological correlation

To assess the diagnostic efficacy of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in differentiating neoplastic and non-neoplastic dysfunctional ovarian cysts - cytological findings to be verified with histology of excised cyst. In this prospective study fifty-three cases with unilocular nonseptate ovarian cystic masses,detected on ultrasound examination were subjected to ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of the cyst contents at Department of Pathology, Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore, from January 1999 - January 2000. Aspirated fluid was examined cytologicaly using Giemsa stain on the smears prepared from centrifuged deposit.The same cyst removed surgically was examined histologicaly and cytohistological correlation was carried out. In this series of 53 cases, histologically confirmed break up of various types of cysts was follicular cysts [n=25], leuteal cysts [n=6], serous cysts [n=15], mucous cysts [N=4] and Endometriotic cysts [n=3]. Non-diagnostic fine needle aspirate was obtained in 19/53 cases, majority being the follicular cysts. The cytohistological correlation revealed no false positive but 40% false negative results for follicular cysts on cytological examination of the aspirate. Hence the specificity and sensitivity for cytological diagnosis of follicular cyst was 100% and 60% respectively. For leuteal cysts, false positive and false negative results on cytological examination were 0% and 16.6% respectively with a specificity and sensitivity value of 100% and 83% respectively. For neoplastic serous cysts cytologically false positive and false negative diagnosis was 0% and 46.6% respectively with specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 53%. For mucinous cystadenomas sensitivity and specificity of cytological diagnosis was 100%. For endometriotic cysts a sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 100% was procured with cytological evaluation. Guided fine needle aspiration cytology may prove to be one of the most valuable and acceptable tools in the differential diagnosis of ovarian cystic lesions

Hydatiform mole co-existing with a normal foetus

This is a case of a hydatiform mole co-existing with a normal fetus discovered after a hysterectomy was performed, and the specimen was dissected. The report was made because of the rarity of the condition and the literature on the subject is rare