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Contamination by fasciolids takes place through ingestion of metacercariae attached to vegetables. Experimental studies were performed with plant-made foods suggesting a role in human contamination in Iran and on the usefulness of potassium permanganate as a preventive tool for killing metacercariae attached to vegetables used in salads in Egypt. In the foods assayed, although viability decreases with time, a high percentage of the metacercariae were still alive 2 and 4 weeks after preparation. Infection of laboratory animals proved that metacercariae kept their infectivity. The 5-minute tests of potassium permanganate effects showed that metacercarial viability was not affected even at the very high doses of 300, 600, and 1,200 mg/L. Careful, subsequent washing of leaves and vegetables with water is therefore needed after its application. A review on similar studies performed with metacercariae belonging to fasciolid and other trematode species affecting humans is included.

Permethrin (5%) cream was found to be significantly more effective in the treatment of scabies in comparison with lindane in this study, and it seems that it could be an alternative treatment.

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This study determines the mean concentrations of free amino acids in stimulated and unstimulated whole saliva in healthy young adults. Standardised salivary amino acids as a substitute for their counterpart in blood, searched for the source of free amino acids in saliva, the probable correlation between particular amino acids with caries experience. Stimulated and unstimulated whole saliva were collected by the draining method in 31 dental students. Saliva was purified, and amino acids were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. DMFT scores were recorded, and the relation of amino acids to caries experience was explored by generalised linear model. Almost all amino acids had higher concentration in unstimulated whole saliva than in stimulated saliva. The normal range of amino acids (95% CI) and their natural logarithm were defined. There was a significant relationship between caries experience and threonine (P < 0·008), citrulline (P < 0·023) and ornithine (P < 0·001) as a detrimental factor, whereas serin (P < 0·026), glutamine (P < 0·015) and phenylalanine (P < 0·014) had an inhibiting effect on caries. However, in comparison, salivary flow rate (P < 0·013) was a more preventive factor than amino acids. Amino acids in saliva contribute as a marker, instead of their counterpart in blood. Unstimulated saliva had higher concentration of amino acids. Amino acids have different impact on caries and may be one of underlying risk factors for caries experience.

Background Menopause is associated with changes in lipid profile and is a known risk factor for oxidative stress. Different therapeutical strategies have been used to control menopause complications. Vitamin E, an important anti-oxidant, can possibly affect lipid peroxidation in menopausal women. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin E supplementation on the lipid profile of menopausal women. Materials and Methods This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over, phase I/II trial study was designed in two 4-week intervention phases with an 8-day washout period in between. Eighty-three natural menopause women participated in the study. Randomized block allocation was used to divide women into group A (n = 41) and group B (n = 42). In phase I, one group received vitamin E capsule (400 IU/day) and another group received placebo capsule for 4 weeks. After an 8-day washout period, phase II was initiated for a period of 4 weeks, where the group that received vitamin E capsule was given placebo (E-P) and the group that received placebo was given vitamin E (P-E). Plasma lipid profile levels (LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, and TG) were assessed before and after intervention separately in each phase and in each group. Lipid profile was measured by enzymatic colorimetric method. Data were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. Results The analysis indicated no significant difference in plasma TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG levels between P-E and E-P groups before intervention in phase I and II ( P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma lipid profile levels within the P-E and E-P groups before and after intervention in phase I and II. There was a significant difference in plasma TG within the E-P group before [141.74 ± 53.52, 138.50 (94–195)] and after [167.47 ± 71.32, 170 (108–202)] intervention in phase II ( P = 0.010). There was no significant difference in terms of the mean changes in plasma lipid profile between the P-E and E-P groups in phase I and II ( P > 0.05). Conclusion The study results revealed that vitamin E supplementation had no remarkable effect on the lipid profile in menopausal women.

Background: Hemodialysis is a treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that is an underlying factor of cognitive impairment in patients.Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its associated factors in patients undergoing hemodialysis using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2016 in the dialysis unit of an academic hospital in the north of Iran. A total of two hundreds and twenty-four patients with chronic renal failure and ESRD presenting to for hemodialysis were included. All the patients were evaluated by the MoCA and the cut-off point was set at ≤25 for confirming cognitive impairment. The data obtained were analyzed in SPSS-18 using the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney's U-test, Fisher's exact test, the independent t-test and the binomial logistic regression.Results: From the total of 224 patients examined, 93 (41.52%) had developed cognitive impairment. The variables of age, stroke, education and diabetes were entered into the logistic regression model to analyze the associated risk factors, but only age and a history of stroke showed a significant relationship with this impairment; that is, the possibility of cognitive impairment increases with increasing age and a history of stroke can increase its risk six-fold. Conclusion:Cognitive impairment was a relatively frequent complication of hemodialysis in this study which was performed in the north of Iran. Aging and a history of stroke are risk factors of cognitive impairment in patients with chronic kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis treatment.