METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental with posttestonly control group design. Twenty-five adult male Swiss Webster mice were randomly divided into five groups: shamoperated group (SO), UUO-control day-7 (U7), UUO-control day-14 (U14), UUO-chlorogenic acid day-7 (UC7), and UUOchlorogenic acid day 14 (UC14). Myofibroblasts were identified by immunohistochemical staining of alphasmooth muscle actin (α-SMA) while collagen fibers were identified by Sirius Red staining. Both data were presented as area fraction. BMP-7 and HGF mRNA expressions were assessed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Data were quantified using ImageJ software.
RESULTS: UUO-control groups (U7 and U14) showed higher α- SMA-immunopositive (6.52±1.33, 18.24±1.39 vs. 0.22±0.01; p<0.05) and Sirius Red-positive area fractions (6.61±0.8, 12.98±2.31 vs. 0.62±0.10; p<0.05), lower BMP-7 (1.02±0.47, 1.18±0.65 vs. 2.09±0.87; p<0.05) and HGF mRNA expressions (1.06±0.31, 0.89±0.14 vs. 1.88±0.81; p<0.05) compared to SO group. UUO-chlorogenic acid groups (UC7 and UC14) showed lower α-SMA-immunopositive (1.24±0.37, 4.58±0.61; p<0.05) and Sirius Red-positive area fractions (4.76±1.03, 3.72±0.54; p<0.05), higher BMP-7 (1.84±0.49, 2.19±0.43; p<0.05) and HGF (1.58±0.38; p>0.05, 1.84±0.42; p<0.05) mRNA expressions compared to UUO-control groups. UUOchlorogenic acid groups showed BMP-7 and HGF mRNA expressions that were not significantly different from the SO group.
CONCLUSION: Chlorogenic acid administration prevents kidney fibrosis in UUO mice model through modulating antifibrotic pathway.
METHOD: This review study extracted information through searching national and international databases of SID،, Embase, ScienceDirect, ، Scopus, ، PubMed, Web of Science (ISI) between 2003 and January 2020. To perform the meta-analysis, random-effects model and heterogeneity of the studies with I2 index were investigated. Data were sanalysed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.
RESULTS: In total, 26 articles with a sample size of 600 individuals were enrolled in the meta-analysis. According to the results of the study, the mean level of β-hCG was 28,744.98 ± 4425.1 mIU/ml before the intervention and was 23,836.78 ± 4533.1 mIU/ml after the intervention. The mean intraoperative blood loss (ml) was 4.8 ± 3.76 ml, mean hospital stay (days) was 11.7 ± 1.2 days, mean time for serum-hCG normalization (days) was 41.6 ± 3.2 days, success was 90.7% (95% CI: 86.7-93.5%), and complication was 9% (95% CI: 6.3-12.8%).
CONCLUSION: The results of the current study show methotrexate significantly reduces β-hCG levels and can be effective in treating caesarean scar pregnancy and its complications.
METHODS: Thirty university badminton players aged from 19 to 22 years old were randomly divided equally into two groups, where the probiotic group (PG; n = 15) received a drink that contained Lactobacillus casei Shirota (3 × 1010 CFU) and placebo group (CG; n = 15) a placebo drink for six weeks. Anxiety, stress and mood levels were determined using the CSAI-2R, PSS and BRUMS questionnaires, respectively. Fitness levels were measured using by subjecting the players to 20-m shuttle runs (aerobic capacity), handgrips (muscular strength), vertical jumps (leg power), 40-m dash (speed) and T-test (agility). The Student's t-test (p < 0.05) was used to determine the differences between PG and CG players.
RESULTS: After six weeks, the anxiety and stress levels of PG players significantly decreased by 16% (p < 0.001) and 20% (p < 0.001), respectively, but there were no significant changes detected in CG players. Supplementation of probiotics also improved aerobic capacity in PG players by 5.9% (p < 0.001) but did not influence the speed, strength, leg power and agility.
CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics supplementation showed improved aerobic capacity and relieve anxiety and stress. However, further studies need to be carried out to determine the mechanisms through which probiotic intake produces these effects.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of epilepsy cases with VEM performed in University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, from January 2012 till August 2016.
RESULTS: A total of 137 cases were included. The mean age was 34.5 years old (range 15-62) and 76 (55.8 %) were male. On the first 24 -h of recording (D1), 81 cases (59.1 %) had seizure occurrence, and 109 (79.6 %) by day 2 (D2). One-hundred and nine VEMs (79.6 %) were diagnostic, in guiding surgical decision or further investigations. Of these, 21 had less than 2 seizures recorded in the first 48 h but were considered as diagnostic because of concordant interictal ± ictal activities, or a diagnosis such as psychogenic non-epileptic seizure was made. Twenty-eight patients had extension of VEM for another 24-48 h, and 11 developed seizures during the extension period. Extra-temporal lobe epilepsy and seizure frequency were significant predictors for diagnostic 48 -h VEM. Three patients developed complications, including status epilepticus required anaesthetic agents (1), seizure clusters (2) with postictal psychosis or dysphasia, and all recovered subsequently.
CONCLUSIONS: 48-h video EEG monitoring is cost-effective in resource limited setting.
METHODS: Head and neck cancer patients were recruited from July 2016 till March 2017 at National Cancer Institute, Ministry of Health, Malaysia. All study participants continued their standard oncology surveillance. Treatment group participants additionally received Chinese herbal treatment. The assessments included unstimulated salivary flow rate (USFR), stimulated salivary flow rate (SSFR), and QoL questionnaire.
RESULTS: Of 42 recruited participants, 28 were in the treatment group and 14 were in the control group. Participants were mainly Chinese (71.4%), stage III cancer (40.5%), and had nasopharynx cancer (76.2%). The commonly used single herbs were Wu Mei, San Qi, and Tian Hua Fen. Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, and Gan Lu Yin were the frequently prescribed herbal formulas. The baseline characteristics, USFR, SSFR, and QoL between control and treatment groups were comparable (p > 0.05). USFR between control and treatment groups were similar throughout the 6-month study period. SSFR for the treatment group significantly improved from 0.15 ± 0.28 ml/min (baseline) to 0.32 ± 0.22 ml/min (p = 0.04; at the 3rd month) and subsequently achieved 0.46 ± 0.23 ml/min (p = 0.001; at the 6th month). The treatment group had better QoL in terms of speech (p = 0.005), eating (p = 0.02), and head and neck pain (p = 0.04) at the 6th month.
CONCLUSION: Herbal treatment may improve xerostomia and QoL in post-radiotherapy head and cancer patients.
METHODS: Within an Asian research consortium focusing on pharmaco-epidemiological factors in schizophrenia, we evaluated rates of MS coprescription, including high doses (>1000 mg/day lithium-equivalents) and clinical correlates.
RESULTS: Among 3557 subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia in 14 Asian countries, MSs were coprescribed with antipsychotics in 13.6% (n = 485) of the sample, with 10.9% (n = 53) on a high dose. Adjunctive MS treatment was associated (all p < 0.005) with demographic (female sex and younger age), setting (country and hospitalization), illness (longer duration, more hospitalizations, non-remission of illness, behavioral disorganization, aggression, affective symptoms, and social-occupational dysfunction), and treatment-related factors (higher antipsychotic dose, multiple antipsychotics, higher body mass index, and greater sedation). Patients given high doses of MSs had a less favorable illness course, more behavioral disorganization, poorer functioning, and higher antipsychotic doses.
CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia patients receiving adjunctive MS treatment in Asian psychiatric centers are more severely ill and less responsive to simpler treatment regimens.