Evaluation of Serum Levels of Vitamin D3 and IgE in Patients with Chronic and Allergic Sinusitis: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis is known as a common problem with inflammatory and allergic causes. Several factors are associated with developing chronic rhinosinusitis, including immunoglobulin E (IgE) production and vitamin D deficiency. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the role of IgE and Vitamin D deficiency and differences between patients with chronic, allergic sinusitis and controls. METHODS: A total of 90 subjects were included in 3 groups (n=30) in this cross-sectional, correlational descriptive study. The subjects were divided into three groups, including control (healthy subjects), chronic sinusitis patients, and allergy patients. A checklist was used to collect the necessary data, including age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). To evaluate serum levels of vitamin D3 and IgE, ELISA kits were used. RESULTS: The mean vitamin D was 22 g/ml. Fifty-four participants (60%) out of all included people had insufficient vitamin D, 13% had a deficiency, and the high deficiency and insufficiency were in the group of allergic sinusitis. Our results indicated that gender (female) was significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency (p =0.01). Thirty-nine participants (43.3%) out of all studied subjects had high IgE, and the highest level of abnormality of IgE was in the allergic sinusitis group. Furthermore, it was found that gender and IgE were not significantly related. However, IgE was significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency in the allergic sinusitis group. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlighted that most of the patients with chronic and allergic sinusitis had insufficient vitamin D. A possible association was also found between low vitamin D and IgE levels and the prevalence of allergic sinusitis. This study showed that patients with allergic sinusitis may be more vulnerable to lower serum levels of vitamin D. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation as an adjunctive therapy may be considered in these patients.

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Resveratrol on Viral Hepatitis and Chronic Viral Hepatitis-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol (RSV) is used for the treatment of various diseases due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. However, its beneficial aspects on viral hepatitis have been less investigated. OBJECTIVE: This report reviews the impact of resveratrol on viral hepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The systematic review was performed and reported according to the PRISMA 2020 statement. Several core databases, such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus, were used for search on September 6, 2023. After extraction of the data, the desired information of the full text of the studies was recorded in Excel, and the outcomes and mechanisms were reviewed. RESULTS: RSV inhibits viral replication through anti-HCV NS3 helicase activity, maintains redox homeostasis via glutathione (GSH) synthesis, improves T and B cell activity, and suppresses miR-155 expression. It also enhances viral replication by enhancing hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA transcription, activating sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), which can increase peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), and SIRT1 activates the HBV X protein (HBx). Moreover, RSV is responsible for hepatitis-related HCC proliferation via suppression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), SIRT1 up-regulation, inhibiting expression of HBx, and reducing expression of cyclin D1. CONCLUSION: Despite the promising properties of RSV in inhibiting hepatitis-related HCC cell proliferation, its antiviral effects in viral hepatitis are controversial. The antihepatitis behaviors of RSV are mainly dose-dependent, and in some studies, activating some hepatoprotective pathways increases the transcription and replication of chronic HBV and HCV. Therefore, healthcare providers should be aware of viral hepatitis before using RSV supplements.

Overview of Human Papillomavirus Infection.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA oncogenic virus. HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease, and is capable of infecting mucosal and cutaneous membranes of the anogenital, upper aerodigestive tract, and other head and neck mucosal regions. Although HPV infection is generally asymptomatic and can be easily resolved by the immune system, if it persists and progresses, it can lead to cancer. HPV is permanently responsible for 5% of human cancers. Malignant lesions related to HPV include oral and respiratory squamous cell carcinomas, and cervical and anogenital cancers. Currently, no specific treatment is available for HPV infection, and therapeutic procedures (tissue ablation, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, and immunomodulation) cannot eliminate the virus completely. Vaccination and cervical screening are two methods that have been developed to provide protection against oncogenic HPV. Unfortunately, no effective protocol for vaccination, prevention, testing, or treatment has yet been proposed in the developing countries. In this review, we have reviewed the knowledge gained from recent studies on virology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of HPV infection.

Complications and Hazards Associated with Body Piercing: A Narrative Review.

OBJECTIVES: The increasingly widespread practice of piercings is often accompanied by complications and hazards which are constantly increasing. Therefore, it seems necessary to pay attention to the non-negligible risks that these practices entail and to the possibilities of reducing them. Hence, this study was conducted to help raise awareness of the complications and hazards associated with body piercing as a growing type of body modification practice. METHODS: Studies were searched in the PubMed database and the Google Scholar engine using the keywords, often in combination, including body piercing, body modification, complications, and infection. The searches were limited to post-2000. Studies without limitations on their types were included in this study. RESULTS: The most important complications are infection, bleeding, trauma, allergy, and scarring. Infection is the most common complication which occurs in individuals after piercing. A wide spectrum of bacterial and viral infections may occur. Allergic manifestations are not uncommon, with the risk that sensitization thus acquired may have subsequent harmful consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Educating people and health care professionals by conducting more studies to better understand the complications of body piercing can be a solution to reduce health problems related to body piercing.

Pathology-based radiation dose in computed tomography: investigation of the effect of lung lesions on water-equivalent diameter, CTDIVol and SSDE in COVID-19 patients.

Lung lesions can increase the CT number and affect the water-equivalent diameter (Dw), Dw-based conversion factor (CFw), and Dw-based size-specific dose estimate (SSDEw). We evaluated the effect of COVID-19 lesions and total severity score (TSS) on radiation dose considering the effect of automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) and fixed tube current (FTC). A total of 186 chest CT scans were categorised into five TSS groups, including healthy, minimal, mild, moderate and severe. The effective diameter (Deff), Dw, CFw, Deff-based conversion factor (CFeff), volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIVol), pathological dose impact factor (PDIF) 1 and SSDEw were calculated. TSS was correlated with Dw (r = 0.29, p-value = 0.001), CTDIVol (ATCM) (r = 0.23, p = 0.001) and PDIF (r = - 0.51, p-value = 0.001). $\overline{{\mathrm{SSDE}}_{\mathrm{w}}}$ (FTC) was significantly different among all groups. $\overline{{\mathrm{SSDE}}_{\mathrm{w}}}$ (ATCM) was greater for moderate (13%) and mild (14%) groups. Increasing TSS increase the Dw and causes a decrease in CFw and $\overline{{\mathrm{SSDE}}_{\mathrm{w}}}$ (FTC), and can increase $\overline{{\mathrm{SSDE}}_{\mathrm{w}}}$ (ATCM) in some Dw ranges.

Neuropathology of 30 deceased patients with COVID-19: a case series in Tehran, Iran.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can affect the nervous system and result in neurological symptoms. The most common feature of central nervous system involvement is hypoxia and congestion. This study aimed to evaluate the histopathology of cerebral tissue in deceased patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: In a case series study, we took cerebral samples of 30 deceased patients with COVID-19 through supraorbital bone from January to May 2021. The samples were fixed in a formalin solution, stained with haematoxylin-eosin dyes and studied by two expert pathologists. The Ethics Committee of AJA University of Medical Sciences approved this study with code IR.AJAUMS.REC.1399.030. Results: The mean age of the patients was 73.8 years, and the most common underlying disease was hypertension. Cerebral tissue samples showed hypoxic-ischaemic changes in 28 (93.3%), microhaemorrhage in six (20%), lymphocytic infiltration in five (16.7%) and thrombosis in three samples (10%). Conclusion: Hypoxic-ischaemic change was the most common neuropathology in our patient. Our study showed that many patients with severe COVID-19 may develop central nervous system involvement.

Evaluation of the knockdown resistance locus (kdr) in Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) in southeastern Iran.

Background & objectives: The resistance to insecticide among Anopheles stephensi population due to insecticide selection pressure has been previously reported from Iran. The current study was performed to evaluate the susceptibility of different insecticide reagents against An. stephensi by bioassay and molecular methods in Saravan County, a malaria-endemic area in southeastern Iran. Methods: An. stephensi mosquitoes were collected from different larval habitats in Saravan City, southeastern Iran in 2022. At first, the susceptibility of collected samples for DDT, permethrin, and deltamethrin were evaluated by bioassay test. The collected mosquitoes were then evaluated for the presence of different kdr mutations. Results: Insecticide susceptibility tests were conducted on the field population of An. stephensi from Saravan, revealing its potential resistance to pyrethroids and DDT. Of the 150 An. stephensi samples, 4 % carried the kdr L1014F mutation as heterozygous and the rest of them were homozygous L1014 wild type. Interpretation & conclusion: The current study revealed the presence of L1014F mutation for the first time in Iran. So, further monitoring of kdr mutations in the VGSC gene and resistance phenotypes should be performed.

Association of thyroid dysfunction and COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on thyroid function and the role of thyroid hormones alterations in predicting the severity of COVID-19. Online databases, including Scopus, Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane were searched up to August 2, 2022. After screening titles, abstracts, and full manuscripts, respectively, 30 reports were enrolled. The risk of bias (ROB) was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool. In addition, odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) analysis for assessing the OR of abnormal thyroid function tests (TFT) in predicting the COVID-19 severity and poor outcomes. Among 30 enrolled studies, ROB of the current study is estimated low to moderate. The average number of patients in each study was 325 (range: 40-3,703), with an overall mean age of 57.6, and the female proportion of 40.4%. Overall, the pooled analysis showed that the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among 9,707 COVID-19 cases was 15%. Among mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, 6.2% had abnormal TFT, and among patients who experienced severe to critical COVID-19, 20.8% had abnormal TFT. The pooled OR for abnormal TFT and the severity of COVID-19 obtained from 3,865 COVID-19 patients was 3.77 (2.03, 6.99). The pooled HR of TSH level of COVID-19 mortality was 1.57 (0.91, 2.72). Our results demonstrate a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in COVID-19, and that among patients severe cases had a 3.77-fold higher risk of abnormal TFT compared to mild to moderate COVID-19. Further studies are required to evaluate the longer-term prognostic role of thyroid dysfunction in severe COVID-19, and investigate potential therapeutic strategies.

The association between HPV gene expression, inflammatory agents and cellular genes involved in EMT in lung cancer tissue.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several studies have suggested that Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an important risk factor in the development of lung cancer. In this study, we aim to address the role of HPV in the development of lung cancer mechanistically by examining the induction of inflammation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by this virus. METHODS: In this case-control study, tissue samples were collected from 102 cases with lung cancer and 48 controls. We examined the presence of HPV DNA and also the viral genotype in positive samples. We also examined the expression of viral genes (E2, E6 and E7), anti-carcinogenic genes (p53, retinoblastoma (RB)), and inflammatory cytokines in HPV positive cases. RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 52.9% (54/102) of the case samples and in 25% (12/48) of controls. A significant association was observed between a HPV positive status and lung cancer (OR = 3.37, 95% C.I = 1.58-7.22, P = 0.001). The most prevalent virus genotype in the patients was type 16 (38.8%). The expression of p53 and RB were decreased while and inflammatory cytokines were increased in HPV-positive lung cancer and HPV-positive control tissues compared to HPV-negative lung cancer and HPV-negative control tissues. Also, the expression level of E-cad and PTPN-13 genes were decreased in HPV- positive samples while the expression level of SLUG, TWIST and N-cad was increased in HPV-positive samples compared to negative samples. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that HPV infection drives the induction of inflammation and EMT which may promote in the development of lung cancer.

Viral infections and risk of thyroid cancer: A systematic review and empirical bayesian meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The associations between viruses and the cancer have been conducted in several studies while there has been no systematic review and meta-analysis about the association between viral infections and thyroid cancer (TC). Therefore, we investigated the association between viral infection and TC risk. METHODS: Systematic search was done from 1994 to 2019 in Web of sciences (ISI), PubMed, and Scopus databases. Pooled logarithm of odds ratio (OR) and their corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) and pooled prevalence of viral infections were calculated to find the association between the viral infections and TC risk and overall prevalence of the viral infections in TC. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 852 original articles were selected and included in the study. According to the results of the random effect meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of viral infections in the TC patients was 37 % (95 % C. I = 22 %-55 %). In addition, there was a significant association between viral infections (log (OR) = 1.51, 95 % credible interval = 0.68-2.39) and TC risk. The highest associations were observed between TC risk and Simian Vacuolating Virus 40 (SV40) and B19 infections, respectively. The lowest non-significant association was found between TC risk and Poliovirus type 1 infection. The significantly heterogeneity was observed between included studies (Q test: p-value<0.001; I2 = 73.82 %; τ2 = 1.08, 95 % Cr. I = 0.47-1.94). CONCLUSIONS: Results clearly demonstrated the potential pathogenetic association between viral infections and increased risk of TC.

Association between Parvovirus B19 and anemia in HIV-infected patients.

Background: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) can cause anemia in some patients, including those with compromised immunity system. There are a few studies on molecular epidemiology of B19V and its association with anemia in Iran. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the B19V DNA, IgM, IgG, genotyping, and viral load in HIV patients in different groups of pregnant women, general population, injection drug users (IDU), and Elite controllers. Also, the possible association of B19V with anemia was studied. Methods: In this case-control study, B19V DNA, anti-B19V IgM, anti-B19V IgG, viral load, and hemoglobin level were assessed in 113 HIV positive patients and 72 healthy controls. Also, CD4+ T cell counts and HIV load were measured in the patients' group. All statistical analyses were done using STATA 14.2 software (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA). P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among HIV patients, 19 (16.8%) cases had B19V DNA, 3 (2.7%) had B19V IgM, and 7 (6.2%) had B19V IgG. In control group, the prevalence of B19V DNA, IgM, and IgG was 6 (8.33%), 7(9.7%), and 19 (26.4%), respectively. In subpopulations based on transmission routes, general population had the highest B19V IgG and DNA positivity prevalence and viral load level. There was no significant association between B19V antibodies and DNA with anemia. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that B19V infection cannot be considered as a high-risk factor for anemia in adult HIV patients. However, further studies are needed to determine the exact role of B19V infection in HIV patients.