Association between alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphisms (rs1229984, rs1573496, rs1154460, and rs284787) and susceptibility to head and neck cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a prevalent and complex group of malignancies with increasing incidence globally. Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) play a crucial role in alcohol metabolism, and their polymorphisms have been linked to HNC risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the association between ADH polymorphisms and susceptibility to HNCs, incorporating additional analyses and adding more studies to increase power and accuracy of the results. DESIGN: Subgroup analysis, meta-regression analysis, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential differences within the data and assess the stability of pooled odds ratios (ORs). To mitigate the risk of false conclusions from meta-analyses, a trial sequential analysis was performed. RESULTS: For ADH1B rs1229984, the pooled OR (95 % confidence interval (CI)) was 0.73 (0.65, 0.82), 0.42 (0.35, 0.50), 0.57 (0.44, 0.73), 0.56 (0.50, 0.62), and 0.80 (0.73, 0.88), as well as for ADH7 rs1573496, the pooled OR was 0.72 (0.62, 0.85), 0.36 (0.17, 0.74), 0.76 (0.64, 0.91), 0.80 (0.71, 0.91), and 0.38 (0.18, 0.78) with a p < 0.05 in all allelic, homozygous, heterozygous, recessive, and dominant models, respectively. However, no significant association was found between the ADH7 rs1154460 and rs284787 polymorphisms and the risk of HNC with pooled ORs of 1.11 (p = 0.19) and 1.09 (p = 0.24) for the recessive model, respectively. The ethnicities, tumor subsites, control sources, sample sizes, quality scores, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium statuses were confounding factors. CONCLUSION: The ADH1B rs1229984 and ADH7 rs1573496 polymorphisms are significantly associated with a reduced risk of HNC.

Real-time impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cutaneous leishmaniasis case finding and strategic planning, preventive interventions, control and epidemiology in a region with a high burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis and COVID-19: A cross-sectional descriptive study based on registry data in Ilam-Iran.

Background and Aims: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a severe parasitic disease affecting people, mostly in underdeveloped nations. As a zoonotic infection yearly incidence of CL depends on several parameters such as demographic, epidemiological, and environmental factors as well as prevention and control measures. The sudden outbreak of pandemics such as SARS-Corona-Virus-2 pandemic, can probably affect the incidence or reporting of other diseases, especially infectious diseases, in various ways such as pressure on health systems, providing sanitary services and its components, lockdowns and changes in people's living habits. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 impact on the incidence and other epidemiological aspects as well as control measures of CL in Ilam Province-Iran. Methods: Required data was extracted from the CL registration system in Ilam from 2014 to 2021 to demonstrate the trend of CL incidence before and after COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Based on our results, a declining pattern of CL incidence was observed, accompanied by the advent and intensification of the viral pandemic in Iran and Ilam province. Although, this decreasing pattern was not integral in all areas, and even increase in CL detection was emphasized in some regions. Conclusion: It may be inferred that the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt treatment programs of CL cases, rodent nest destruction, and fighting vector insects.

Chlorella vulgaris is an effective supplement in counteracting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related complications through modulation of dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and inflammatory pathways.

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related complications induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Fifty adult male rats were divided into six groups. Control group and HFD group treated with or without C. vulgaris 5% and 10%. Biochemical parameters in serum were measured by spectrophotometric and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. The relative gene expression levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), NF-kappa B (NF-ƙB), and p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (p38 MAPK) in the liver were assessed by using quantitative real-time PCR, while the protein levels of NF-ƙB and TNF-α in the liver homogenate were determined by ELISA. The effects of HFD significantly were reversed by C. vulgaris, especially at a 10% dose. Therefore, it can be concluded that C. vulgaris therapeutically could be useful to improve NAFLD and its complications. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: It is established that NAFLD is associated with the resistance to insulin, dyslipidemia, and inflammation. Accordingly, modulating of these conditions may be useful in the management of NAFLD. Our results showed the effectiveness of C. vulgaris against NAFLD-related complication through the alleviating insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and also down-regulation of inflammatory genes in p38 MAPK/TNF-α/NF-ƙB pathway. The results of our study may be useful for scientist to prepare an effective supplement from C. vulgaris to overcoming NAFLD-related complications.

The effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing on the fear of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The fear of hypoglycemia leads to psychological symptoms in patients with diabetes type 2. In this research, the effects of EDMR on the fear of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes type 2 were examined. METHODS: A clinical trial study was carried out with participation of 72 patients who had diabetes type 2 in Velayat Hospital. The participants were randomly assigned into control and intervention groups. The intervention group received EMDR. The required information was gleaned using a questionnaire of fear of hypoglycemia, intensity of hypoglycemia, and demographics filled out before the intervention, and 1 month and 3 months after it. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics on SPSS Version 23. For comparison of fear of hypoglycemia in intervention and control groups, repeated measure ANOVA and Cohen d test were used. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants in the intervention group was 43.17 ± 10.55 and in the control group was 45.86 ± 13.6. In this study, without considering the potential disruptors in the incorrect model, the intervention caused a reduction of 15 points 1 month after the completion of the intervention and a reduction of 17 points 3 month after the completion of the intervention on the scale of fear of hypoglycemia; but post-correction of potential disruptors, intervention caused a reduction of 19.5 scores 1 month after the completion and a reduction of 20.3 scores 3 months after the intervention . CONCLUSIONS: The EMDR can be used as a non-pharmaceutical treatment method to treat and alleviate the fear of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20181201041813N1 , 2019/11/13.

Clinical and metabolic response to vitamin D plus probiotic in schizophrenia patients.

BACKGROUND: This study determined the effects of a novel combination of vitamin D and probiotic on metabolic and clinical symptoms in chronic schizophrenia. METHODS: This trial was conducted among 60 patients with chronic schizophrenia to receive either 50,000 IU vitamin D3 every 2 weeks plus 8 × 109 CFU/day probiotic (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Vitamin D and probiotic co-supplementation was associated with a significant improvement in the general (- 3.1 ± 4.7 vs. + 0.3 ± 3.9, P = 0.004) and total PANSS scores (- 7.4 ± 8.7 vs. -1.9 ± 7.5, P = 0.01). Vitamin D and probiotic co-supplementation also significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (+ 51.1 ± 129.7 vs. -20.7 ± 53.3 mmol/L, P = 0.007), and significantly decreased malondialdehyde (- 0.3 ± 0.9 vs. + 0.2 ± 0.4 µmol/L, P = 0.01) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (- 2.3 ± 3.0 vs. -0.3 ± 0.8 mg/L, P = 0.001) compared with the placebo. Moreover, taking vitamin D plus probiotic significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose (- 7.0 ± 9.9 vs. -0.2 ± 9.9 mg/dL, P = 0.01), insulin concentrations (- 2.7 ± 2.3 vs. + 0.4 ± 2.0 µIU/mL, P < 0.001), homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (- 0.8 ± 0.7 vs. + 0.1 ± 0.7, P < 0.001), triglycerides (- 7.8 ± 25.2 vs. + 10.1 ± 30.8 mg/dL, P = 0.01) and total cholesterol levels (- 4.9 ± 15.0 vs. + 5.9 ± 19.5 mg/dL, P = 0.04) and total-/HDL-cholesterol ratio (- 0.1 ± 0.6 vs. + 0.3 ± 0.8, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Probiotic and vitamin D for 12 weeks to chronic schizophrenia had beneficial effects on the general and total PANSS score, and metabolic profiles. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered in the Iranian website ( www.irct.ir ) for clinical trials registration ( http://www.irct.ir : IRCT2017072333551N2). 07-31-2017 2.

The MMP-2 -735 C allele is a risk factor for susceptibility to breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The expression of MMP genes has been demonstrated to be associated with tumor invasion, metastasis and survival rate for a variety of cancers. The functional promoter polymorphism MMP-2 C-735T is associated with decreased expression of the MMP-2 gene. The aim of present study was to detect any association between MMP-2 C-735T and susceptibility to breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism was studied in 233 women (98 with breast cancer and 135 healthy controls). All studied women were from Kermanshah and Ilam provinces of Western Iran. The MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism was detected using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS: The frequencies of MMP-2 CC, CT and TT genotypes in healthy individuals were 59.3, 38.5 and 2.2%, respectively. However, in breast cancer patients, only CC (71.4%) and CT (28.6%) genotypes were observed (p=0.077). In patients the frequency of the MMP-2 C allele was significantly higher (85.7%) compared to that in controls (78.5 %, p=0.048). The presence of C allele of MMP-2 increased the risk of breast cancer by 1.64-fold [OR=1.64 (95%CI 1.01-2.7, p=0.049)]. The frequency of MMP-2 C allele was also higher in patients≤40 years (88.9%) than those aged ≥41 years (67.5%, p=0.07). In addition, the frequency of MMP-2 C allele tended to be higher in patients with a family history of cancer in first-degree relatives (76.6%) compared to that without a family history of cancer (67.3%, p=0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the C allele of MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Also, the MMP-2 C allele might increase the risk of young onset breast cancer in our population.