Occlusion therapy for amblyopia, a historical report from 9th century Persian scholar, Ali ibn Sahl ibn Rabban al-Tabari (838-870 CE).

INTRODUCTION: This study reevaluates the historical origins of occlusion therapy for amblyopia, focusing on the contributions of the 9th-century Islamic scholar, Ali ibn Sahl ibn Rabban al-Tabari (838-870 CE). METHODS: The investigation delved into al-Tabari's writings, particularly "Firdous al-Hikma," to extract insights into his approach to addressing reduced vision in one eye.Additionally, the study examined subsequent advancements in occlusion therapy by scholars such as Thabit ibn Qurrah and Rhazes, building upon al-Tabari'sfoundational work. RESULTS: Al-Tabari's reports contain significant insights into occlusion therapy for amblyopia, predating commonly attributed origins of the treatment. Within "Firdous al-Hikma," he outlines methods for addressing reduced vision, advocating for the covering of the healthier eye to promote the function of the weaker eye. These findings highlight the pioneering efforts of al-Tabari and his contemporaries in the Islamic civilization and challenge the conventional narrative surrounding the history of occlusion therapy. Subsequent advancements by scholars such as Thabit ibn Qurrah and Rhazes expanded upon al-Tabari's work, advocating for similar therapeutic approaches within the Islamic civilization. Their contributions further solidified the practice of occlusion therapy, laying the groundwork for its continued evolution and refinement in subsequent centuries. DISCUSSION: Al-Tabari's contributions to occlusion therapy underscore the rich heritage of scientific inquiry in theIslamic civilization during the medieval period. This historical perspective sheds light on the diverse contributions to medical knowledge and practice outside of Western contexts and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and honoring these contributions in the broader history of medicine.

The Rhazes' views on qualifications of physicians, a historical review.

Testing physicians and determining their professional qualifications have been significant issues in the educational and medical system of the Islamic civilization. The purpose of this study is to explain the views of Rhazes on how to test physicians in the book Al-Hawi Fi Al-Tibb. This library study has been done with descriptive-analytical method and using the keywords of medical test, medical ethics and medical history. Rhazes emphasizes various criteria by holding a comprehensive test to determine the competence of physicians with the aim of evaluating different aspects of their knowledge and attitude. He enumerates the provisions of the test in three sections: individual characteristics, theoretical and practical medical sections. The results show that Rhazes paid attention to all aspects related to a doctor's personal and social habits and behavior and his relationship with the patients. A number of post-Rhazes physicians have also mentioned to the test of physician before hiring them but their content does not have the coherence of Rhazes' statements. Most of the material mentioned in Al-Hawi Fi al-Tibb is still worth rethinking after hundreds of years. It is suggested that medical students and physicians use the ethical and professional points mentioned by this great scientist in his valuable book in order to make the high position of medical science more visible.

Albucasis (936-1013), a pioneer in tonsillectomy.

BACKGROUND: The surgical removal of tonsils has been performed from as long as three thousand years ago, as mentioned in Hindu literature. The role medieval physicians like Albucasis played in the history of tonsillectomy is very important. This article aims to show the contributions Albucasis made to this procedure. METHODS: The present library-documentary research relied on the third chapter of the book al-Tasrif, Albucasis' surgical text, as the main information source. RESULTS: Albucasis discussed the conditions necessary for tonsillectomy, he introduced three surgical tools for this operation, and he also described the surgical method. Albucasis succeeded in inventing and discovering new tools and methods for tonsillectomy. CONCLUSION: The comparison of the tonsil surgery introduced by Albucasis and those of earlier and later surgeons reveals Albucasis' superiority in both operation performance and equipment used. Some of his methods are comparable with approaches to operations used in the 20th century.

The Early Report of Herpetic Whitlow by Bahal-Dawlah Razi in 15th Century CE.

A herpetic whitlow is a lesion (whitlow) on a finger or thumb caused by herpes simplex virus. It is a painful infection that typically affects the fingers or thumbs. Occasionally infection occurs on the toes or on the nail cuticle. Symptoms of herpetic whitlow include tenderness, swelling and reddening of the infected finger skin, fever and swollen lymph nodes. Although, it is believed that the first recorded observations were in 1909 CE by H. G. Adamson, in the medieval period, Bah?' al-Dawlah N?rbakhsh? Razi (1501 CE) described herpetic whitlow, under the title of Dakhes in Khulasat al-Tajarib (The Summary of Experience), his book on medicine. Some of Baha al-Dawlah's descriptions and his etiology of Dakhes are based on humoral theories and cannot be concurred with current medical concepts, but more symptoms and clinical manifestations are consistent with current definitions. It seems the earliest description of herpetic whitlow in the medical history.

Ethanol consumption inhibits TFH cell responses and the development of autoimmune arthritis.

Alcohol consumption is a consistent protective factor for the development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The underlying mechanism for this tolerance-inducing effect of alcohol, however, is unknown. Here we show that alcohol and its metabolite acetate alter the functional state of T follicular helper (TFH) cells in vitro and in vivo, thereby exerting immune regulatory and tolerance-inducing properties. Alcohol-exposed mice have reduced Bcl6 and PD-1 expression as well as IL-21 production by TFH cells, preventing proper spatial organization of TFH cells to form TFH:B cell conjugates in germinal centers. This effect is associated with impaired autoantibody formation, and mitigates experimental autoimmune arthritis. By contrast, T cell independent immune responses and passive models of arthritis are not affected by alcohol exposure. These data clarify the immune regulatory and tolerance-inducing effect of alcohol consumption.

Targeting zonulin and intestinal epithelial barrier function to prevent onset of arthritis.

Gut microbial dysbiosis is associated with the development of autoimmune disease, but the mechanisms by which microbial dysbiosis affects the transition from asymptomatic autoimmunity to inflammatory disease are incompletely characterized. Here, we identify intestinal barrier integrity as an important checkpoint in translating autoimmunity to inflammation. Zonulin family peptide (zonulin), a potent regulator for intestinal tight junctions, is highly expressed in autoimmune mice and humans and can be used to predict transition from autoimmunity to inflammatory arthritis. Increased serum zonulin levels are accompanied by a leaky intestinal barrier, dysbiosis and inflammation. Restoration of the intestinal barrier in the pre-phase of arthritis using butyrate or a cannabinoid type 1 receptor agonist inhibits the development of arthritis. Moreover, treatment with the zonulin antagonist larazotide acetate, which specifically increases intestinal barrier integrity, effectively reduces arthritis onset. These data identify a preventive approach for the onset of autoimmune disease by specifically targeting impaired intestinal barrier function.

The potential effects of chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic components in coffee, on health: a comprehensive review of the literature.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), an important biologically active dietary polyphenol, is produced by certain plant species and is a major component of coffee. Reduction in the risk of a variety of diseases following CGA consumption has been mentioned in recent basic and clinical research studies. This systematic review discusses in vivo animal and human studies of the physiological and biochemical effects of chlorogenic acids (CGAs) on biomarkers of chronic disease. We searched PubMed, Embase, Amed and Scopus using the following search terms: ("chlorogenic acid" OR "green coffee bean extract") AND (human OR animal) (last performed on April 1st, 2015) for relevant literature on the in vivo effects of CGAs in animal and human models, including clinical trials on cardiovascular, metabolic, cancerogenic, neurological and other functions. After exclusion of editorials and letters, uncontrolled observations, duplicate and not relevant publications the remaining 94 studies have been reviewed. The biological properties of CGA in addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have recently been reported. It is postulated that CGA is able to exert pivotal roles on glucose and lipid metabolism regulation and on the related disorders, e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity, cancer, and hepatic steatosis. The wide range of potential health benefits of CGA, including its anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity impacts, may provide a non-pharmacological and non-invasive approach for treatment or prevention of some chronic diseases. In this study, the effects of CGAs on different aspects of health by reviewing the related literatures have been discussed.

Quercetin improves bone strength in experimental biliary cirrhosis.

AIM: Metabolic bone disorders and reduced bone mass are common complications in patients with biliary cirrhosis. As a result of there being no clear etiology, no specific therapy has been established yet. Previous studies have reported that quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid, might improve bone quality. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of quercetin on bone strength of biliary cirrhotic rats. METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 6-7 months were randomized into three groups of eight. One group served as control (sham operated), while the other two groups underwent a complete bile duct ligation (BDL). Four weeks after the operation, serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were measured in animal blood samples to confirm the occurrence of cirrhosis in the BDL rats. Then, one of the BDL groups received placebo and the other one was injected once a day with 150 µmol/kg of quercetin for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, femora were removed and tested for bone strength and histomorphometric parameters. The serum levels of osteocalcin, C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen, calcium and phosphorus were determined as bone turnover markers. RESULTS: Femur breaking strength was dramatically lower in the BDL group compared with control. However, receiving quercetin could reverse the deteriorating effect of cirrhosis on bone strength of BDL rats. Quercetin could noticeably elevate osteocalcin as a bone formation marker. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that quercetin can significantly improve bone strength particularly due to increasing bone formation in biliary cirrhosis.

Short-term effect of weight loss through restrictive bariatric surgery on serum levels of vaspin in morbidly obese subjects.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the short-term effects of laparoscopic restrictive bariatric surgery (LRBS) on plasma levels of vaspin and the potential associations of changes in vaspin levels with changes in anthropometric indices, insulin-resistance and dietary intake. Thirty, severely obese subjects (21 female; mean age, 32.5 years) with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 44.1 ± 4.9 kg/m(2) underwent LRBS. Measurements of anthropometric indices, dietary intakes, physical activity and plasma vaspin concentrations were performed prior to, and six weeks after LRBS. Insulin-sensitivity was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin-resistance (HOMA-IR). Six weeks after LRBS, BMI decreased to a mean of 38.4 ± 4.9 kg/m(2). Significant reductions were also observed in waist circumference (WC), daily intakes of calorie, fat and protein, and plasma concentrations of triglyceride. No significant change was observed in fasting levels of insulin, blood sugar or HOMA-IR. Vaspin decreased significantly (0.26 ± 0.17 vs 0.36 ± 0.20, p=0.048) following surgery. While the percentage change of vaspin was not correlated with percent changes in anthropometric indices and HOMA-IR, it correlated positively with the percentage change in intake of calories, fat and protein: this correlation remained significant even after adjustment for sex and changes in WC and HOMA-IR. Our study suggests that LRBS decreases the serum vaspin concentrations in parallel with the restriction of dietary intake. Furthermore, decreased levels of vaspin early after LRBS seem more likely to result from decreased dietary intake rather than weight-loss-induced insulin sensitivity improvement.