Effect of a newly developed ready-to-use supplementary food on growth indicators in children with mild to moderate malnutrition.

OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is one of the leading causes of death among children younger than five years. In this study, we aimed to formulate a ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), based on local food products, and investigate its efficacy on growth indicators in children with mild to moderate malnutrition. STUDY DESIGN: This is a randomized controlled clinical trial. METHODS: This study was performed in six health centers in Shahr-e-Rey, Tehran, Iran, between April and October 2017. One hundred children, aged 24-59 months, with mild to moderate malnutrition (weight-for-height Z-score [WHZ] between -3 and -1) were randomly assigned to two groups to receive either 1-3 sachets of RUSF or normal diet for 8 weeks. All mothers and caregivers received nutrition education. Growth indicators including weight and height, WHZ, and body mass index (BMI), along with clinical outcomes, were assessed. RESULTS: Children who received RUSF had a significant increase in weight (1.44 ± 0.38 vs 0.7 ± 0.32 kg, respectively, P < 0.001), and BMI (1.2 ± 0.47 vs 0.35 ± 0.33 kg/m2, respectively, P < 0.001) compared with the control group. There was a greater daily weight gain during the first 4 weeks (P < 0.001) and throughout the study (P = 0.013) in the RUSF group. Daily height gain was considerably higher in the RUSF group during the first 4 weeks (P = 0.027). Children in the RUSF group had more improvement in WHZ (1.18 ± 0.41 vs 0.41 ± 0.31, P < 0.001) after supplementation. Besides, 92% of the RUSF and 12% of the control group reached to WHZ > -1 at the end of the study (P < 0.001). There was lower prevalence of diarrhea (12% vs 28.6%, respectively, P = 0.01) and marginally lower fever (16% vs 36.7%, respectively, P = 0.05) in the intervention than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A newly developed RUSF improved growth indicators and clinical outcomes in children with mild to moderate malnutrition. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER: IRCT2017021315536N6 (registered at www.irct.ir).

Incorporation of Propionibacteria in Fermented Milks as a Probiotic.

Propionibacteria are mainly found in dairy products and fermented milks but are found in other foods as well. Dairy propionibacteria have recently shown to exert potential probiotic activities such as production of propionic acid, vitamins, bacteriocins, essential enzymes, and other vital metabolites. Furthermore, stimulating the immune system and lowering the blood cholesterol level are some of their favorable effects. They have a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities, inhibiting the growth of gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria, as well as some yeasts and molds. At industrial scale, they are used in cheese making, especially Swiss (hard) cheeses, as dominant starter cultures. There is a rising trend to use propionibacteria in fermented milks as probiotic. The current paper reviews the characteristics of propionibacteria related to their use in fermented milks either as starter culture or probiotic, methods for the enumeration of propionibacteria, and their functional (in vivo) efficiency.

The feasibility of regional anesthesia in the percutaneous nephrolithotomy with supracostal approach and its comparison with general anesthesia.

There are various approaches for the percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Supracostal approach is a well known technique for doing of it. This approach is being done commonly under general anesthesia (GA). In this retrospective study, we evaluated the feasibility of supracostal PCNL under regional anesthesia (RA) and compared it with the same procedure under GA. Since March 2000 to March 2005, a total of 123 renal stone cases underwent PCNL with supracostal access in our center. GA was selected in 69 cases (56 %) (Group 1), spinal anesthesia (SA) in 45 cases (36.5 %), and epidural anesthesia (EA) in 9 cases (7.5 %) (Group 2). The operative time, success rate, hospital stay, and ensuing complications were compared between group 1 and group 2. There were no significant differences between groups 1 and 2 among surgical parameters, including age, stone area, anesthesia time, and hospitalization time (P > 0.05). There was no difference in the rate of complications or success rate between GA and RA cases (P > 0.05). Overall complete stone free rate, regardless of stone size, in relation to type of anesthesia was as follows: 88.4 % for GA, 88.9 % for EA, and 91.1 % for SA (P > 0.05). Conversion to GA was not needed in any patient with RA. The results showed that the supracostal PCNL with regional anesthesia was feasible but without evident advantages versus general anesthesia in this population, and possible advantages of the procedure in patients with pulmonary co-morbidities have still to be evaluated. The anesthesia related complications of RA were negligible and easily controllable.

Effects of ER,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation and fluoride treatment on acid resistance of the enamel.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Er,Cr:YSGG loser on the enamel's acid resistance when irradiated alone, prior to or after acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) treatment. METHODS: Eighty-five enamel surfaces were prepared from 17 extracted human premolars and randomly assigned to 5 groups: (1) untreated (control); (2) irradiated with a Er,Cr:YSGG loser; (3) exposed to a 1.23% APF gel; (4) loser-irradiated followed by APF treatment; and (5) APF-treated followed by loser irradiation. The specimens were individually demineralized in 0.2 M acetate buffer solution for 10 days, and the acid resistance was evaluated by determining the calcium ion using atomic absorption spectrometry. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between group 1 and groups 2 through 5 (P < 0.001). There were no signifIcant differences between groups 2 and 3 (P = 1.000). Compared to groups 2 and 3, a lower calcium content was detected in the demineralization solution for groups 4 and 5. The difference between groups 4 and 5, however, was not statistically significant (P = 0.289). CONCLUSIONS: Combining ocidulated phosphate fluoride with the Er,Cr:YSGG loser decreased the enamel demineralization more than either fluoride treatment or laser treatment alone.

Determination of artemisinin in Artemisia sieberi and anticoccidial effects of the plant extract in broiler chickens.

Artemisinin has received much attention in the treatment of malaria in recent years, and it is now considered as a potential candidate to reduce coccidial infection in chickens. It is a sesquiterpene compound which has been isolated from Aretemisia annua for the first time. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of artemisinin in A. sieberi (AS) and to test the anticoccidial effects of plant extract in broiler chickens. The aerial parts of the plant were collected during different seasons from Yazd Province, in the centre of Iran. The artemisinin content of the AS was extracted with petrol ether and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography using UV detection. Anticoccidial effects of the plant extract were tested on chicks challenged with various species of Eimeria. The infected chickens were treated with doses of 1 or 2.5 mg/kg per day artemisinin via oral administration of plant extract. The analytical results showed that the level of artemisinin in AS was 0.2% and 0.14% of dried weight (DW) of plant materials in summer and autumn, respectively. Treatment of experimentally infected chickens with AS extracts showed that artemisinin was able to reduce the severity of coccidial infection induced by Eimeria tenella and E. acervulina, but not E. maxima. The anticoccidial effects of artemisinin were shown by significant decrease in output of number of oocysts per gram of faeces in chickens challenged with different species of Eimeria. This study showed that the levels of artemisinin in AS were comparable with those in other species including A. annua, and that the extract of this plant can reduce coccidial infection in broiler chickens.

An epidemiological survey of the time and sequence of eruption of permanent teeth in 4-15-year-olds in Tehran, Iran.

AIM: The aims of this study were to define the average time of eruption of permanent teeth, the range of variation of the eruption time of each tooth, and their sequence of eruption amongst boys and girls in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: The population under study comprised 3744 pupils and students in the 4-15-year-old age group (1786 girls and 1958 boys) who were randomly selected from schools and training centres in the 20 districts covered by the General Department of Education and Training in Tehran. The research was carried out on a cross-sectional basis. The average age at eruption of permanent teeth, excluding third molars, was given as the mean (+/- SD) and median in months for each gender. A table of percentiles of the eruption time was also determined. RESULTS: The results show that, with the exception of the maxillary second premolars, the average age at eruption of permanent teeth in girls is less than in boys. The results also show that mandibular teeth have an earlier eruption time than maxillary teeth in both boys and girls. By the age of 96 months, 97% of the girls had all their first permanent molars. In boys, the corresponding age was 99 months. Amongst girls, maxillary canines erupt earlier than maxillary second premolars. CONCLUSION: On average, girls have their permanent teeth erupt earlier than boys. The sequence of eruption differs between girls and boys for maxillary canines and maxillary second premolars.