A crosstalk between epigenetic modulations and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has recently emerged as a major public health concern worldwide due to its rapidly rising prevalence and its potential to progress into end-stage liver disease. While the precise pathophysiology underlying NAFLD remains incompletely understood, it is strongly associated with various environmental triggers and other metabolic disorders. Epigenetics examines changes in gene expression that are not caused by alterations in the DNA sequence itself. There is accumulating evidence that epigenetics plays a key role in linking environmental cues to the onset and progression of NAFLD. Our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to NAFLD pathophysiology has expanded considerably in recent years as research on the epigenetics of NAFLD has developed. This review summarizes recent insights into major epigenetic processes that have been implicated in NAFLD pathogenesis including DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNAs that have emerged as promising targets for further investigation. Elucidating epigenetic mechanisms in NAFLD may uncover novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this disease. However, many questions have remained unanswered regarding how epigenetics promotes NAFLD onset and progression. Additional studies are needed to further characterize the epigenetic landscape of NAFLD and validate the potential of epigenetic markers as clinical tools. Nevertheless, an enhanced understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of NAFLD promises to provide key insights into disease mechanisms and pave the way for novel prognostic and therapeutic approaches.

Translation and validation of the Persian version of Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire in patients with multiple sclerosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to translate, culturally adapt and evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian (Farsi) version of GLTEQ in patients with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: This study had three phases, including translation of the questionnaire into Persian and making cultural adaptation, evaluation of pre-final version of questionnaire's comprehensibility in a pilot study, and investigation of reliability and validity of the final version of the translated questionnaire. Content validity, and convergent validity (correlations among the Persian version of GLTEQ and Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ), and international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ)) and after all test-retest reliability were studied. RESULTS: The subjects were 87 MS patients. The Persian version demonstrated moderate to good convergent validity; the correlation coefficient between the Persian version and GPAQ was r=0.64 (p<0.001), and between the Persian version and IPAQ was r=0.59 (p<0.001). The test-retest reliability was strong (Intra-class Correlation (ICC) value ranged between 0.908 and 0.992). Besides, its face validity and content validity were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of GLTEQ is a valid and reliable instrument to assess physical activity in patients with MS. This questionnaire can be a step toward standardization of physical activity measurement in patients with MS. Also, in research, it provides the possibilities to carry on a comparative study across cultures using the same outcome measure.

In vitro evaluation of an iodine radionuclide dosimeter (IRD) for continuous patient monitoring.

In vivo dosimetry of the patients treated by I-131 is important from patient dosimetry and radiation protection points of view. Knowledge of delivered dose to the target volume and adjacent normal tissues can improve the effectiveness of radioiodine treatment. Herein, design, fabrication, and assessment processes of an iodine radionuclide dosimeter (IRD) are explained. Two CsI(Tl) scintillator crystals coupled to photodiodes were used in IRD fabrication with specifications derived from Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Linearity, sensitivity, and long-term performance of the system were tested. Delivered dose due to a known administered activity of I-131 was calculated by MC simulation which was validated based on the Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) Committee formalism, and the calibration factor was provided. Using the current mode signal acquisition method, the system showed a linear response up to 8.2 GBq radioiodine activity to prohibit the pile-up error without a need for correction factor. On the other hand, IRD was sensitive down to the rarely detectable activity of 7.4 MBq. A prototype version of the IRD system has been developed to guide the hospital staff for the safe release of iodine - administered patients and to provide an insight for physicians about the delivered dose to the thyroid and nearby organs. Graphical abstract IRD attached to MIHAN.