Volume 45, Issue 3

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental and physical well-being of individuals globally, with university students being particularly susceptible to mental health issues. Factors such as the transition to adulthood, economic hardships, and academic responsibilities, compounded by pandemic-related disruptions like lockdowns and remote learning, have elevated stress levels and altered daily routines. The pandemic has given rise to post-traumatic stress symptoms in certain individuals, including university students which may contribute to the emergence of emotional eating or adopting unhealthy eating patterns as a coping mechanism, leading to excessive consumption or unhealthy dietary choices. This review aims to investigate the influence of COVID-19 restrictions on eating disorders among university students and identifying the contributing factors. Content Out of 59 identified articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria, involving 23,542 participants (70.2 % women, 29.35 % men, 0.42 % gender fluid/undisclosed). The lockdown led to increased prevalence and severity of eating disorders among university students, particularly in women. Summary The review highlights a notable increase in eating disorders among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health issues, reduced physical activity, and economic stress were significant contributors to this trend, with women being disproportionately affected. Outlook To mitigate the impact of future pandemics or similar disruptions, universities should implement early screening, provide mental health counseling, virtual support groups, nutritional guidance, and opportunities for physical activity. Encouraging students to seek professional help is crucial for managing mental health and eating habits in such scenarios.

Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and several other metabolic diseases are all largely attributed to the problem known as insulin resistance. Diagnosing insulin resistance promptly and accurately is essential for adequately managing and intervening in metabolic disorders. Several diagnostic methods have been developed to assess insulin resistance. However, each method has advantages and disadvantages. The most precise test is the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, which examines the direct impact of insulin on glucose uptake by tissues. However, it is primarily utilized in research due to its complexity and intrusiveness. Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) are the second most used Insulin resistance tests in the clinical setup. These tests are based on measuring the fasting glucose and insulin levels. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Insulin tolerance test, and the Matsuda Index are further diagnostic procedures that shed light on insulin sensitivity. The improved techniques, such as the insulin suppression test and the minimal model analysis, provide substitutes for unique clinical circumstances. Additionally, including extra measurements with these tests, like waist circumference, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers, can improve the evaluation of insulin resistance. In summary, identifying insulin resistance is essential for the early detection and treatment of various metabolic illnesses. To make educated judgments and improve patient care, healthcare workers should be aware of the different available diagnostic tests and how they are used in each situation. Insulin resistance detection and monitoring will require further study to improve current diagnostic approaches and create novel, less invasive techniques.

Objectives Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by complete or partial defects in one of the several steroidogenic enzymes involved in synthesizing of cortisol from cholesterol in the adrenal gland. Prompt and proper treatment of the disease would reduce symptoms and the level of androgens in patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics and clinical findings of these patients. Methods This retrospective investigation was conducted in 146 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia participated. Their clinical and paraclinical findings were accurately recorded in the file and extracted from the records. Results Among all 146 patients, 119(81.5 %) was 21-OH Deficiency type;11-OH Deficiency type was 13(8.9 %), 10(6.8 %) was 3β-HSD type, StAR was 2(1.4 %) and 17 alpha(α)-hydroxylase Deficiency was 2(1.4 %). The mean age of disease onset in these patients was 2.45 ± 1.16 years. Macropenis was the most frequent clinical finding in 39 cases of 64 boys (60.9 %), and Clitoromgaly was the most clinical presentation in 40 cases of 82 girls (48.7 %). The levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and 17-OHP significantly decreased in the last visit compared to the initial diagnosis. Conclusions Based on the clinical findings in every infant or child with ambiguous genitalia, macropenis, clitoromegaly, hirsutism, and premature pubarche, we should consider congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Prompt and proper treatment and disease control would reduce symptoms and the level of androgens in patients.

Objectives There are conflicting reports regarding the association of angiotensin 1 converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism with diabetic retinopathy (DR). We compared ACE gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism between patients with and without DR in a middle-aged Indian population. The secondary outcome measure was the comparison of ACE gene I/D polymorphism in different grades of DR severity. Methods Institutional cross-sectional case-control study with middle-aged (45–64 years) type 2 diabetes patients from Eastern India with DR (DR group) and without DR (NODR group). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the ACE gene I/D polymorphism through primers flanking the polymorphic region of 287 bp Alu repeat sequence in intron 16. Results Genotyping for the ACE gene I/D polymorphisms were done for 107 patients in each group. The presence of DR had no significant association with the prevalence of ACE I/D genotype compared to those without DR either in the recessive model (p=0.588) or in the dominant model (p=0.891). The allele contrast was also similar between DR and NODR (p=0.837) groups. The severity of retinopathy was associated with the ACE I/D genotype in the recessive model (p=0.043) but not in the dominant model (p=0.136). However, the severity of retinopathy was associated with allele contrast (p=0.016). Conclusions The ACE gene polymorphism was not associated with diabetic retinopathy in middle-aged Indian patients with type 2 diabetes in our study. However, the severity of DR was associated with the ACE gene polymorphism in these patients.

Objectives Metastasis in breast cancer is the first cause of death in patients. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) increases cancer cells’ invasion, and migration. Melatonin’s inhibitory effects on various types of cancer were confirmed. This study aimed to investigate whether melatonin could apply its impact through the EGF-related pathways or not. Methods First, MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells were cultured, and then melatonin effects on cell viability were determined by MTT assay. Transwell invasion assay was applied to identify the invasiveness of these breast cancer cell lines under treatment of EGF and melatonin. Real-time RT-PCR then investigated the expression of MMP9 and MMP2 in determined groups. Cell proliferation was also assayed under EGF and melatonin treatment using Ki67 assessment by flow cytometry. Results The rate of invasion and migration of EGF-treated cells increased in both groups, in which melatonin caused increased invasion by EGF just in MCF7 cells. MMP9 and MMP2 expression increased significantly in both cell lines under EGF treatment, and melatonin increased these genes’ expression in both cell lines (p<0.05). EGF increased the MMP9 and MMP2 gene expression, and melatonin increased EGF-induced expression (p<0.05). The EGF reduced the expression of the Ki67 protein in the MCF7 cell line, which was negatively affected by melatonin and EGF. In contrast, along with melatonin, EGF did not affect the proliferation of the MDA-MB-231 cell line. Conclusions The results of this study show that melatonin in the presence of EGF does not show the anti-cancer properties previously described for this substance.

Objectives In Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity that is associated with chronic pelvic pain and subfertility. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of broccoli extract (BE) alone and in combination with soy isoflavones (SI) on endometrial implants in female rat. Methods In this study, endometriosis was induced surgically in 40 mature female rats. The rats were divided into 5 groups that were treated by oral gavage for 6 weeks with 0.5 mL of saline 0.9 %/day (control group), BE (3,000 mg/kg/day), SI (50 mg/kg/day), BE/soy isoflavones (BE 3000 mg/kg/day + soy isoflavones 50 mg/kg/day) and diphereline as a standard medication (3 mg/kg) intramuscularly. At the end of treatments, the volume and histopathology of the endometrial implants were compared among the 5 groups. The serum levels of oxidative parameters including superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were also compared between the groups. The volume of the implants significantly decreased in diphereline group (p=0.002). Results The histopathological grade of endometrial implants in BE/SI and diphereline group were significantly decreased compared to the control group (p=0.001). The serum levels of SOD in BE group were enhanced significantly in comparison to the control group (p=0.034). Conclusions BE in combination with SI decreased the growth and histopathologic grades of transplanted endometrial implants. These herbal compounds may have the potential therapeutic effect to be used as an alternative medication for the treatment of endometriosis.