Background: Both c-peptide and nicotinamide are known to increase blood insulin in diabetes. In the present study, we examined the effect of c-peptide alone or in combination with nicotinamide on insulin levels in pancreatic islets in mice. Methods: This study was conducted with 60 adult male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMARI) mice weighing 25 to 30 g. Pancreatic islets from normal mice were isolated by the collagenase digestion method. Mice were divided into ten groups of six (n = 6): control, glyburide (1 and 10 μM), C-peptide (50 and 100 nM), nicotinamide (10, 25, and 100 mM), nicotinamide + C-peptide (100 mM and 100 nM), and buffer in different glucose concentrations (2.8, 5.6, and 16.7 mM). Insulin secretion was measured using insulin radioimmunoassay method. Results: Insulin secretion significantly increased at 16.7 mM glucose concentration compared with 2.8 and 5.6 mM glucose concentrations. Incubation of islets at 2.8 and 5.6 mM glucose concentrations and nicotinamide + C-peptide, nicotinamide 25 and 100 mM, and C-peptide 100 nM significantly increased insulin secretion compared with the control group. In addition, incubation of islets at 16.7 mM glucose with nicotinamide + C-peptide significantly increased insulin secretion. Glyburide at 10 μM concentration was more effective than nicotinamide at 10 and 100 mM, C-peptide 50 and 100 nM in the presence of 16.7 mM glucose concentration. However, the combination of nicotinamide + C-peptide was more effective than glyburide at a concentration of 10 μM in the presence of a 16.7 mM glucose concentration. Conclusions: This paper suggests that c-peptide, nicotinamide, and the combination of c-peptide and nicotinamide in-creases insulin secretion from pancreatic islets.
C-Peptide ; Niacinamide

Background: Both C-peptide and nicotinamide are known to reduce blood glucose in type 1 diabetes. In the present study, the effects of C-peptide alone or in combination with nicotinamide on glucose and insulin levels in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic mice. Methods: The study used 70 adult male NMARI mice, weighing 25–35 g, divided into seven groups: control; type 1 diabetic; type 2 diabetic; type 2 diabetic + C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide and C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + glyburide. Type 2 diabetes was induced with ip injection of streptozotocin–nicotinamide. Twenty eight days after the onset of diabetes, treatment with C-peptide, nicotinamide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, or glyburide were initiated. Glucose and insulin levels were evaluated. One-way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests were used to test for significance. Results: Blood glucose significantly increased (P < 0.001) in all diabetic mice compared with control mice. Insulin resistance and blood glucose levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in C-peptide and nicotinamide + C-peptide mice compared with type 2 diabetic mice. Conclusions: The present study supports the anti-diabetic effects of C-peptide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, and suggests that one of the anti-diabetic mechanisms of these compounds is mediated through the reduction of insulin resistance.

The diagnosis of human hydatidosis is primarily made using radiological and serological methods. Radiological methods are generally of low specificity and serological methods lack sensitivity, especially for pulmonary disease. In this study the capabilities of a new rapid test, the hydatid antigen dot immunobinding assay (HADIA), which was developed for the diagnosis of pulmonary hydatidosis, were studied and compared with another immunodiagnostic method, indirect hemagglutination (IHA). The study subjects included 18 patients, 9 women, 9 men; range 7 to 63 years; mean 30 years, with surgically proven pulmonary hydatidosis, a control group comprised of 14 patients; viral respiratory infections (1), cirrhosis (2), connective tissue disease (2), taeniasis (3), and 6 healthy donors. We found that the HA-DIA test had a sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 100%, and that the IHA test had a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 100%. We conclude that HA-DIA is a simple, rapid, low cost assay that does not require instrumentation and has a higher sensitivity than IHA for the diagnosis of pulmonary hydatidosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Child ; Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/*diagnosis ; False Negative Reactions ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoblotting/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a major risk factor for chronic gastritis and gastric cancer. Some findings show increased frequencies of these diseases in individuals with type O blood and in secretors (expressing Leb antigen), but other studies have not found any relationship between blood groups and this infection. Given that H. pylori infection and gastric cancer are common in Iran, the assessment of the pathogenesis of this infection in relation to these blood groups could be valuable. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we determined the ABO and Lewis blood groups of participants using the tube method and evaluated the level of anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This study included 171 Iranian blood donors from Mashhad, Iran, during 2010. The significance of the differences in the frequencies of the Lewis and ABO phenotypes between individuals infected with and without H. Pylori infection were tested using the chi-square test. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: H. pylori infection was found in 76.6% of the study subjects (n = 131). The most common ABO blood group was O (33.9%), and the most common Lewis blood group was Le(a-b+) (54.7%). The frequencies of the ABO, Lewis, and secretion phenotypes were not significantly different between the infected and uninfected subjects. Conclusion: We did not find any significant relationship between the Lewis, ABO, and secretion phenotypes and H. pylori infection.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: One ongoing effort to curtail dyslipidemia in school children is through lifestyle intervention. This study analyzes outcomes of the intervention of nutrition education and Javanese traditional game-based physical activity, on lipid profiles of overweight and obese children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The experimental study consisted of three steps: data collection (October to December 2016), intervention processes (January to March 2017), and final report preparation (April to May 2017). This was a split-plot block study, enrolling a total of 72 subjects. Traditional game intervention (12 meetings) and nutrition education (9 meetings) was carried out within 3 months with material related to obesity. RESULTS: Our results showed no decrease in the levels of total cholesterol in the group receiving nutrition education (rise by 1.56 mg/dL), but when compared to subjects without intervention, total cholesterol levels experienced was increased. The group which did not receive physical activity showed increase in the total cholesterol, whereas the traditional game intervention group showed a decrease of 0.05 mg/dL total cholesterol at the end of the intervention. Nutrition education and physical activity interventions did not influence any reduction in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, but rather showed a tendency to increase at the end of the intervention. However, the increase in LDL-c levels in the traditional game group was lower than in other intervention groups. Duncan's test indicated that the effect of nutrition education and physical activity interventions did not differ from the cut-off values of LDL-C and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the traditional game group tended to decrease at the end of the intervention, but the results did not differ much from other intervention groups. We deduce that nutrition education and traditional game-based physical activity interventions are not capable of improving blood lipid profiles in overweight and obese children within 3 months. It is necessary to increase the time of physical activity intervention to maintain the lipid profile in another study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: One ongoing effort to curtail dyslipidemia in school children is through lifestyle intervention. This study analyzes outcomes of the intervention of nutrition education and Javanese traditional game-based physical activity, on lipid profiles of overweight and obese children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The experimental study consisted of three steps: data collection (October to December 2016), intervention processes (January to March 2017), and final report preparation (April to May 2017). This was a split-plot block study, enrolling a total of 72 subjects. Traditional game intervention (12 meetings) and nutrition education (9 meetings) was carried out within 3 months with material related to obesity. RESULTS: Our results showed no decrease in the levels of total cholesterol in the group receiving nutrition education (rise by 1.56 mg/dL), but when compared to subjects without intervention, total cholesterol levels experienced was increased. The group which did not receive physical activity showed increase in the total cholesterol, whereas the traditional game intervention group showed a decrease of 0.05 mg/dL total cholesterol at the end of the intervention. Nutrition education and physical activity interventions did not influence any reduction in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, but rather showed a tendency to increase at the end of the intervention. However, the increase in LDL-c levels in the traditional game group was lower than in other intervention groups. Duncan's test indicated that the effect of nutrition education and physical activity interventions did not differ from the cut-off values of LDL-C and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the traditional game group tended to decrease at the end of the intervention, but the results did not differ much from other intervention groups. We deduce that nutrition education and traditional game-based physical activity interventions are not capable of improving blood lipid profiles in overweight and obese children within 3 months. It is necessary to increase the time of physical activity intervention to maintain the lipid profile in another study.

Objective: Studies of the effects of estrogens on the male reproductive system have emphasized the role of these hormones in male fertility. Sesame oil has many phytoestrogenic compounds and may improve male fertility. This study investigated the effects of sesame oil and different concentrations of estrogen on sperm parameters and DNA integrity in male mice. Methods: Twenty old NMRI (The Naval Medical Research Institute) male mice (40 weeks; weight, 30–35 g) were treated with sesame oil or different concentrations of estrogen (estradiol, 1 and 10 μL/kg/ day) or received no treatment (controls). After 35 days, sperm parameters and DNA integrity were assessed and analyzed. Results: Sperm count, progressive motility, and morphology were decreased in the group that received 10 μL/kg of estradiol. A remarkably lower percentage of DNA fragmentation and protamine deficiency were detected in the group that received 1 μL/kg of estradiol. In the groups that received sesame oil and 1 μL/kg of estradiol, the numbers of spermatogonia and Leydig cells were higher than in controls. The combination of sesame oil and 1 μL/kg of estradiol led to improved sperm parameters and chromatin and testicular structure. Conclusion Based on this study, consumption of sesame oil and a low concentration of estradiol may improve testicular function in older mice.

The objective of this research was to analyze nutritional status and food consumption of children participating in the Posyandu nutrition program. A total sample of 300 children under five years had been drawn. Sample was divided into two categories namely high participation and low participation in the Posyandu nutrition program. The sample was selected from two sub districts of Cianjur District, West Java. The districts were areas with a high proportion of poor people and many of them take the benefits of Posyandu nutrition program conducted by the government. The participation of children (under five years old) in visiting Posyandus was relatively good, namely, 92.4% (for the high participation group). However, for the low participation group, the number of participating children was relatively low (28.3%). The average consumption of energy for children under five years old was still below the recommended dietary allowance < 80% of RDA, whereas the protein consumption was already above the RDA. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting among children were respectively 30.0%, 43.7%, and 12.3%. The activities at Posyandus had a positive impact on the nutritional status of children under five years olds, measured in terms of weight for age (W/A) and weight for height (W/H). The more frequent the visit to Posyandus, the better the nutritional statuses would be.
Child ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Nutrition Policy ; Nutritional Status ; Prevalence ; Thinness

OBJECTIVES: Free flaps are widely used to reconstruct head and neck defects. Despite the improvement in the surgical techniques and the surgeons’ experiences, flap failures still occur due to thrombotic occlusion after small vessels anastomosis. To reduce the possibility of flap loss as a result of thrombotic occlusion, various anticoagulants have been used. In this study we decided to evaluate a new protocol for anticoagulation therapy and its effect on flap survival and complications. METHODS: In this interventional study, 30 patients with head and neck cancer underwent surgical defects were reconstructed by microvascular free flap between 2013 and 2014. In the postoperative period patients have taken aspirin (100 mg/day) for 5 days and enoxaparin (40 mg/day subcutaneously) for 3 days. The flap survival was followed for three weeks. RESULTS: Given that there was no complete necrosis or loss of flap, the free flap success rate was as much as 100%. The need for re-exploration occurred in 3 patients (10%). Only in one patient the need for re-exploration was due to problem in venous blood flow. CONCLUSION: The aspirin-enoxaparin short-term protocol may be a good choice after free flap transfer in reconstruction of head and neck surgical defects.
Anticoagulants ; Aspirin ; Enoxaparin ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Methods* ; Neck* ; Necrosis ; Postoperative Period

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients and the majority of them occur in developing countries. The aims of the present study were to determine the frequency of HIV/TB co-infection and other probable associated factors. METHODS: This 10 year retrospective study was conducted on 824 HIV patients in the south-west of Iran. HIV infection was diagnosed by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by Western blot. TB diagnosis was based on consistency of the clinical manifestations, chest X-ray, and microscopic examination. Drug susceptibility testing was done by the proportional method on Lowenstein-Jensen media. RESULTS: Of 824 HIV patients, 59 (7.2%) were identified as TB co-infected and the majority (86.4%) of them were male. Of the overall TB infected patients, 6 cases (10.2%) showed multidrug-resistant with the mean CD4+ lymphocyte count of 163+/-166 cells/mm3. The main clinical forms of TB were pulmonary (73%). There was a significant (p<0.05) correlation between TB infection and CD4+ lymphocyte counts < or =200 cells/mm3, gender, prison history, addiction history, and highly active anti-retroviral therapy. CONCLUSION: We reported novel information on frequency of HIV/TB co-infection and multidrug resistant-TB outcome among co-infected patients that could facilitate better management of such infections on a global scale.
Blotting, Western ; Coinfection ; Developing Countries ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Iran* ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Methods ; Mortality ; Prisons ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant