Aim:This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D intake on COPD exacerbation and FEV1 in the patients with severe and very severe COPD.Methods:This double blind placebo control randomized clinical trial study was done in the Ashayer university hospital in Khorramabad in 2012. Eighty eight patients with severe and very severe COPD were randomly selected from those who recoursed to the internal medicine clinic of Ashayer hospital. They were randomly allocated to case and placebo group. The patients received routine treatment for COPD. Along with the routine treatment, placebo group received 100,000 IU of oral vitamin D per month, for 6 months. Data was analyzed using SPSS computer software, paired t-test, independent t-test, non parametric t-test and Pearson correlation coefficients.Results:In each group, there were 44 patients. After the intervention, there were significant differences in FEV1 and the number of COPD exacerbation between the case and control group patients. Also, after the study, in the case group, FEV1 was increased and the number of COPD exacerbation was decreased significantly.Conclusion:Vitamin D intake decreased COPD exacerbation and improved FEV1 in the patients with severe and very severe COPD. It is suggested that baseline serum vitamin D levels will recorded in similar studies and the effect of vitamin D intake will evaluated regarding the baseline serum vitamin D levels.

Introduction: Renal dysfunction is caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, which is a common problem in kidney surgery or kidney transplantation. The human body consists of enormous complex antioxidant systems, which inquires adequate selenium (Se) absorption for normal physiologic function. It is known that Se has some antioxidant effects. Objectives: In the present research, effects of the Se on damages caused by I/R injury investigated. Materials and Methods: In this experimental research, four groups of rats (weighing 220±10 g) used, include control group, I/R group, healthy group treated with Se for two weeks, and I/R group with two-week Se treatment. On the test day, I/R was treated in both right and left renal arteries for 45 minutes and the reperfusion was done for 24 hours. Results: In I/R group, the amount of urea and serum creatinine (Cr) was an injury indicator of the kidney cells which showed a significant increase compared with the control group. When the treatment with Se significantly reduced these indicators, glutathione (GSH) enzyme levels reduced significantly in the second group and the enzyme levels increased due to Se treatment in the fourth group. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) enzyme levels increased in I/R group due to the Se treatment in the fourth group which was significantly reduced. In addition, the tissue damage was reduced in the fourth group compared with I/R group. Conclusion: Se has a protective effect against the I/R injury. This effect might be due to the antioxidant properties of Se.

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Ghrelin can improve the capacity of antioxidant enzymes to reduce the oxidative stress caused by varicocele and reduce spermatogenesis cycle. Therefore, special attention should be paid to ghrelin in studies evaluating antioxidant compounds in varicocele.

Aim:To determine the use of most popular forms of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM), sociodemographic characteristics of CAM users, and communication between CAM users and their physicians by adult Iranian in Khorramabad city.Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out on clients who were at least 15 years in age referring to health centers and hospitals in Khorramabad town in 2014. A multi-part questionnaire was used to gather information. The demographic data and details regarding usage (number of times and underlying reasons) of different kinds of complementary and traditional medicine in the past were gathered using a questionnaire.Results:In this study 790 subjects were surveyed using the questionnaire. The mean age of the participant was 38.9 years. 79.8% of the subjects had used at least one of the methods of complementary medicine. Among the participants, 58.2% had used at least one of the complementary medicines in the previous year. Herbal medicine and prayers treatment had the highest use with 69.2% and 37.2%, respectively. Concerns of the side effects of medical therapy, beliefs in less risky being and fewer side effects of complementary medicine, Dissatisfaction of General Practitioners, the increase of being-well feelings in physical conditions, and were among the most important reasons of inclination towards such treatment methods.Conclusion:The analysis of using complementary medicine among people is the first step for planning proper use of the beneficial methods of complementary medicine and the prevention of inefficient and harmful methods in this respect.

This study was conducted to survey the protective effect of pre-treatment with Persian honey during post-ischaemia reperfusion on ischaemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced testis injury. Animals were divided into four groups of IR, honey + ischaemia- reperfusion (HIR), vitamin C + ischaemia- reperfusion (VIR) and carbohydrates + ischaemia- reperfusion (CIR). The testes were examined for spermatogenesis index. Detection of single- and double-stranded DNA breaks at the early stages of apoptosis was performed. Total serum concentration of FSH, LH and testosterone was measured using ELISA. All data were expressed as mean ± SD in each group, and significance was set at p ≤ .05. Spermatogenesis index was significant in the HIR group (p < .001). Serum levels of FSH and LH were significantly higher in the CIR and HIR groups. Serum levels of testosterone were significantly higher in VIR and HIR groups. Apoptotic cells in IR and CIR groups increased significantly statistically (p < .001), while in HIR and VIR groups, the number of apoptotic cells decreased and the positive cells of TUNEL staining were detected in spermatocytes and spermatid. The present study indicates that honey decreases the cellular damage and apoptosis during testicular I/R injury, with significant protective effects on reproductive hormone production.

Selenium is a trace element that has antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of selenium in reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury of the gastrocnemius muscle. In this experimental study, 80 adult male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were divided into ten groups (N = 8 per group). Group 1 is control group (without ischemia-reperfusion). Group 2 received 0.2 mg/kg selenium. Group 3 received ischemia + 3 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg selenium, group 4 received ischemia + 3 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg placebo, group 5 received ischemia + 7 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg selenium, group 6 received ischemia + 7 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg placebo, group 7 received ischemia + 14 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg selenium, group 8 received ischemia + 14 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg placebo, group 9 received ischemia + 28 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg selenium and group 10 received ischemia + 3 d reperfusion + 0.2 mg/kg placebo. External iliac artery blocked for 3 h. After reperfusion, rats killed and gastrocnemius muscle removed, fixed, and tissue processing performed. Samples stained with hematoxylin-eosin for edema evaluation, toluidine blue for mast cell infiltration evaluation and immunohistochemistry for detection TNF-alpha and NF-kappa B proteins. Comparison of mast cell infiltration, edema of the interstitial fluid on the tissue, expression of TNF-alpha protein, and expression of NF-kappa B protein in the groups that received selenium with corresponding placebo group showed that selenium can reduce edema, mast cell infiltration, and TNF-alpha expression and inactivated NF-kappa B. The use of selenium simultaneously with creating ischemia can reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Selenium is considered as a trace element that plays antioxidant role in the body. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of selenium on ameliorating of sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion injury. Eighty (80) adult male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were used. They were divided into 10 groups (n = 8). Then, femoral vessels were obstructed by using 4/0 silk and splitknot techniques. After 3-h ischemia for all the groups, reperfusion was applied for different periods: 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. In half of each experimental group, 0.2 mg/kg selenium was injected intraperitoneally, coinciding with ischemia. After reperfusion, according to the grouping, rats were killed by using high dose of anesthetic drug and then sciatic nerve was removed and fixed. Then, tissue samples were processed and subsequently stained with hematoxylin-eosin, apoptosis, and immunohistochemistry stains. On the third day of reperfusion, the amount of TNF-α as an inflammatory marker of ischemia-reperfusion acute phase increased. On the seventh day of reperfusion, the amount of NF-кB as an apoptotic index and infiltration of mast cells increased in the tissue as a result of development of inflammation. But, on the 14th day of reperfusion, the amount of NF-кB as an apoptotic index decreased to the lowest amount. On the 28th day of reperfusion, the amount of TNF-α as an inflammatory marker decreased to its lowest level. Prescription of selenium concurrent with development of ischemia can reduce the damage caused by sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion.