Vitamin D and zinc are important components of nutritional immunity. This study compared the serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and zinc in COVID-19 outpatients with those of potentially non-infected participants. The association of clinical symptoms with vitamin D and zinc status was also examined. A checklist and laboratory examination were applied to collect data in a cross-sectional study conducted on 53 infected outpatients with COVID-19 and 53 potentially non-infected participants. Serum concentration of 25(OH)D were not significantly lower in patients with moderate illness (19 ± 12 ng/mL) than patients with asymptomatic or mild illness (29 ± 18 ng/mL), with a trend noted for a lower serum concentration of 25(OH)D in moderate than asymptomatic or mild illness patients (p = 0.054). Infected patients (101 ± 18 µg/dL) showed a lower serum concentration of zinc than potentially non-infected participants (114 ± 13 µg/dL) (p = 0.01). Patients with normal (odds ratio (OR), 0.19; p ≤ 0.001) and insufficient (OR, 0.3; p = 0.007) vitamin D status at the second to seventh days of disease had decreased OR of general symptoms compared to patients with vitamin D deficiency. This study revealed the importance of 25(OH)D measurement to predict the progression of general and pulmonary symptoms and showed that infected patients had significantly lower zinc concentrations than potentially non-infected participants.

The antioxidant system can be critical in reducing exacerbated inflammation in COVID-19. This study compared the antioxidant and inflammatory responses between COVID-19 outpatients and seemingly healthy individuals. This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 53 COVID-19 outpatients and 53 healthy individuals as controls. The serum concentrations of amyloid A (SAA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured and compared between COVID-19 patients and controls using the independent sample t-test before and after controlling for dietary supplement use. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression model, limited to COVID-19 patients, was used to evaluate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of disease symptoms on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the disease onset. Serum concentrations of SOD (p ≤ 0.001) and GPx (p = 0.001) were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients than in controls before adjustment for dietary supplement use. GPx remained significantly higher among COVID-19 patients than in controls after adjustment for all dietary supplements (p = 0.005). Moreover, serum concentrations of GPx (p = 0.003), SOD (p = 0.022), and TAC (p = 0.028) remained significantly higher among COVID-19 patients than in controls after adjustment for vitamin D supplementation. This study showed higher GPx in COVID-19 outpatients than in controls after adjustment for dietary supplement use. Moreover, elevated SOD, GPx, and TAC concentrations were shown in COVID-19 outpatients compared to controls after adjusting for vitamin D supplementation. These results may provide a useful therapeutic target for treating oxidative stress in COVID-19 disease, which may help ameliorate the pandemic.

Opioid receptors play an important role in modulation of hyperalgesia in inflamed tissues, but chronic morphine application induces such side effects as tolerance. There is near communications between cytokines and mu opioid receptor expression. This study was aimed to assess the role of serum IL-10 in morphine tolerance development during adjuvant-induced arthritis. Adjuvant arthritis (AA) was induced on day 0 by single injection of Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) into the rats' hindpaw. Hyperalgesia, edema, and spinal mu opioid receptor (mOR) variations were assessed on 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of the study. For assessment of the morphine tolerance development, morphine effective dose (4 mg/kg) was administered from the 14th day after CFA injection and continued until the morphine post-dose paw withdrawal latency (PWL); it did not significantly differ from the baseline. For assessment of the effects of IL-10 on tolerance induction, a neutralizing dose (ND50) of anti-IL-10 was administered daily during different stages of the study. AA induction in the right hindpaw of rats resulted in unilateral inflammation and hyperalgesia within 21 days of the study. Anti-IL-10 antibody administration in the AA rats induced marked elevation of hyperalgesia compared to the AA control group. Our data also indicated that morphine effective anti-hyperalgesic dose significantly decreased in the AA rats compared to the control group, which this symptom was aligned with spinal mu opioid receptor (mOR) expression increase during AA. Moreover, there was a significant difference in morphine tolerance induction between the AA and control rats, and our results also demonstrated that IL-10 played an important role in tolerance-induction process. It can be concluded that morphine tolerance slowly progressed when administered morphine effective dose was reduced during AA chronic inflammation. On the other hand, it seems that increased level of serum IL-10 may affect morphine tolerance development during inflammation.

Since the outbreak of COVID‐19 in China, it has rapidly spread across many other countries. We evaluated antioxidant defense systems and inflammatory status related to the SARS‐CoV2 infection in a population from southwestern Iran. Comorbidities and clinical symptoms of 104 subjects (comprising negative and positive‐PCR COVID‐19 outpatients) were assessed. Serum concentrations of glutathione reductase (GR) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) were measured using ELISA. In the positive‐PCR group, follow‐ups on clinical symptoms were carried out for 28 days at 7‐day intervals. In the positive‐PCR group, hypertension, diabetes, liver disease, chronic heart disease, and chronic kidney disease were the most common comorbidities. In the general category of symptoms, we found a significant difference between negative and positive‐PCR groups, except regarding runny noses. In the pulmonary category, there was a significant difference between the two groups except in terms of chest pain. We also determined a significant difference in neurologic symptoms, except for ear pain, between negative and positive‐PCR groups. We also found significantly lower levels of GR but higher levels of IL‐10 in the positive‐PCR group (p = 0.000 for both). In the positive‐PCR group, serum levels of IL‐10 (odds ratio = 0.914, p = 0.012) decreased the chances of neurological symptoms occurring over time. The antioxidant defense systems of positive‐PCR outpatients failed as demonstrated by a reduction in the serum levels of GR. We also indicated a dysregulation in the immune response against COVID‐19, characterized by changes in serum IL‐10 levels.

Objective We aimed to evaluate whether traditional and non-traditional adiposity indicators are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods In this cross-sectional study among 240 inpatients with type 2 DM, we determined traditional anthropometric indicators including body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio, and non-traditional anthropometric indicators including lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), deep abdominal adipose tissue (DAAT), and Després indices. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured to evaluate cardiometabolic parameters. Results In overweight patients, DAAT was positively correlated with total triglycerides. LAP was negatively correlated with serum HDL-C levels. WHR and DAAT were associated with total triglycerides, HbA1c, total cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL-C, and total triglycerides/HDL-C, after adjustment for age and duration of disease. VAI, DAAT, LAP, and Després index were significant determinants of lipid profile and SBP. Conclusion Traditional and non-traditional anthropometric indices are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 DM.

Introduction: Today, evaluation and determination of the impact of computer games as an interactive media, play a significant role in cognitive and behavioral health of the individuals in the society. Computer games have been shown to have either positive or negative effects on cognitive indices among players. They also directly influence the lifestyle and quality of life of children, adolescents, and young adults. The present study was aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of the Brain Teaser game on players. Methods: Among forty-five male volunteers, a total of forty subjects with an average age of twenty years were recruited, and divided into two groups, the experimental group and control group. All required tests were conducted before and after the experimentation (playing the game) on the experimental group. Also, the tests were performed on control group, in which participants were not allowed to play the game. All assigned subjects completed a questionnaire, comprised of demographic characteristics and specific information regarding the game (e.g. game style and hours spent on playing the game). The saliva samples were collected to measure levels of Cortisol and Alpha Amylase. The salivary Alpha Amylase (sAA) and Cortisol levels were analyzed using a specific ELISA kit. Also, cognitive tests were performed using PASAT software before and after the game to assess perceptual-cognitive abilities of the players. The Brain waveforms were acquired by a 14-channel Emotiv brain signal recording device before and after the experimentation. Data analysis was conducted using R and MATLAB software. Results: PASAT test suggested that mental health and sustained attention were significantly improved, after the experimentation. In addition, the sAA and salivary Cortisol levels were significantly higher prior to the experimentation. The results of the brainwave analysis revealed that stress index and attention were significantly higher before the experimentation. Conclusion: Findings of the present study suggest that Brain Teaser games positively influence the central nervous system, and activate stress path, leading to changes in brain signals and subsequently improved cognitive elements, such as attention among players.

Introduction: Today, humans leave in a world surrounded by electromagnetic fields. Numerous studies have been carried out to discover the biological, physiological, and behavioral effects of electromagnetic fields on humans and animals. Given the biological similarities between monkeys and humans, the goal of the present research was to examine Visual Memory (VM), hormonal, genomic, and anatomic changes, and changes of the amygdala function in the male rhesus macaques who exposed to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF/MF). Materials and methods: Four male Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) were used. For the behavioral tests the animals were needed to be fasting for 17 hours, and for the behavioral tests such as visual memory, cooperation of the animal was necessary. Using the radiation protocol, two of the monkeys were exposed to 12-Hz electromagnetic fields with a magnitude of 0.7 microtesla (electromagnetic radiation) four hours a day for a month. Before and after the exposure, a visual memory test was conducted using a coated device (visible reward) on a movable stand. Ten mL of blood was obtained from the femoral artery of the monkeys and half of it was used to examine cortisol serum levels using MyBioSource kits (made in the USA). The other half of blood samples were used to extract lymphocytes for assaying expressions of Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) genes before and after radiation using the PCR method. Anatomic studies of the amygdala were carried out based on pre- and post-radiation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Findings: Research results indicated that visual memory in male primates increased significantly at the 12Hz frequency. Hormonal analysis at the 12Hz frequency showed a decrease in cortisol serum levels. However, visual memory and serum cortisol levels did not change considerably in male primates in the control group. There was no considerable amygdala volumetric difference at the 12 Hz frequency. The expression of the GR genes decreased at 12Hz compared to the control group. Conclusion: In short, these results indicated that ELF may have a beneficial value for memory enhancement as indicated by the fact that exposure to the 12 HZ ELF can enhance visual memory. This may be due to a decrease in plasma cortisol, and/or expression of GR genes. Moreover, direct involvement of the amygdala in this regard cannot be recommended.

Introduction: Video games affect the stress system and cognitive abilities in different ways. Here, we evaluated electrophysiological and biochemical indicators of stress and assessed their effects on cognition and behavioral indexes after playing a scary video game. Methods: Thirty volunteers were recruited into two groups as control and experimental. The saliva and blood samples were collected before and after intervention (watching/playing the scary game for control and experimental groups respectively). To measure cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, oxytocin (OT), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels, dedicated ELISA kits were used. EEG recording was done before and after interventions for electroencephalogram (EEG)-based emotion and stress recognition. Then, the feature extraction (for mental stress, arousal, and valence) was done. Matrix laboratory (MATLAB) software used for processing EEG acquired data. The repeated measures were applied to determine the intragroup significance level of difference. Results: Scary gameplay increases mental stress (P<0.001) and arousal (P<0.001) features and decreases the valence (P<0.001) one. The salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels were significantly higher after the gameplay (P<0.001 for both). OT and BDNF plasma levels decreased after playing the scary game (P<0.05 for both). Conclusion: We conclude that perceived stress considerably elevates among players of scary video games, which adversely affects the emotional and cognitive capabilities, possibly via the strength of synaptic connections, and dendritic thorn construction of the brain neurons among players.