The effect of vitamin C supplementation in the last month of pregnancy on neonatal bilirubin levels; A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Jaundice is a typical condition in the neonatal period, particularly in the Asian continent. Drowsiness and disruption of breastfeeding, behavioral and neurological disorders, hearing loss and mental retardation are the results of impairment in controlling it. The increase in oxidant substances can stimulate the heme oxygenase enzyme and increase the conversion of heme to bilirubin. In some studies, vitamin C levels in the blood of infants with hyperbilirubinemia were lower than in healthy infants. DESIGN: In this double-blind clinical trial study, 144 healthy pregnant women aged 20-40 years who were in 34th weeks of gestation were randomly divided into intervention, and control groups and until the end of pregnancy, they took a 500 mg tablet of vitamin C or placebo (Preparation of starch) daily. Demographic information, dietary intake, and physical activity level of the participants were also evaluated. The total blood bilirubin level was measured on the fifth day after birth using a sample of the neonatal heel. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 22. In this study P-value < 0. 05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Of the 144 participants, 128 of them completed the intervention. There was no significant difference between the two groups at the level of vitamin C intake through diet, and anthropometric indices, but the total bilirubin level in the neonates of the two groups was statistically different (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Vitamin C supplementation in the last month of pregnancy had a significant effect on neonatal bilirubin level and decreased it significantly.

Fabrication of porous NiTi biomedical alloy by SHS method.

Having similar properties with natural bone, has made porous NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) a promising material for biomedical applications. In this study porous NiTi SMA has synthesized with 30 and 40 vol.% green porosity by self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) from elemental Ni and Ti powders. After synthesizing, the average porosity of specimens reached to 36.8 and 49.8% for green compacts with 30 and 40 vol.% of green porosity, respectively. Combustion products were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS and electrochemical polarization test. Although desired B2 (NiTi) phase was the dominant phase, other phases like Ti2Ni, Ni3Ti and Ni4Ti3 are found. Electrochemical polarization analysis in simulated body fluids (SBF) shows that, synthesized porous NiTi has better corrosion resistance than solid one and hydroxy apatite coating on porous NiTi worsen electrochemical corrosion resistance which is because of bioactive behavior of hydroxy apatite.