Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services

About: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services is a education organization based out in Tehran, Iran. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 19456 authors who have published 33659 publications receiving 365676 citations.

Curcumin and inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial.

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of curcumin supplementation on inflammatory indices, and hepatic features in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fifty patients with NAFLD were randomized to receive lifestyle modification advice plus either 1500 mg curcumin or the same amount of placebo for 12 weeks. Curcumin supplementation was associated with significant decrease in hepatic fibrosis (p < 0.001), and nuclear factor-kappa B activity (p < 0.05) as compared with the baseline. Hepatic steatosis and serum level of liver enzymes, and tumor necrosis-α (TNF-α) significantly reduced in both groups (p < 0.05). None of the changes were significantly different between two groups. Our results indicated that curcumin supplementation plus lifestyle modification is not superior to lifestyle modification alone in amelioration of inflammation. IRCT20100524004010N24, this trial was retrospectively registered on May 14, 2018.

Simvastatin treatment in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving interferon beta 1a: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Abstract: Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of simvastatin (40 mg/day) as an adjuvant therapy to interferon beta (IFNb 1a, 30 µg once weekly) in relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis patients, compared with placebo.Methods: We enrolled 85 patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (71% female) who were already receiving IFNb 1a (Avonex), with Expanded Disability Status Scale score of less than 5.0. The patients were assigned (in random and double-blinded fashion) into the two groups of simvastatin and placebo. All patients continued to receive their current IFNb treatment. The outcome measures were total relapse rate, Expanded Disability Status Scale score, and the number of gadolinium-enhanced (Gd+) and new T2 lesions in magnetic resonance imaging after a 1-year follow-up. We used Mann—Whitney and one-way multivariate analysis of variances to analyze the data.Results: Four patients in the placebo and two in the simvastatin group prematurely withdrew from the study due to experi...

Bacteriophage therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms: a review.

Abstract: Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important bacterial pathogens that causes infection with a high mortality rate due to resistance to different antibiotics. This bacterium prompts extensive tissue damage with varying factors of virulence, and its biofilm production causes chronic and antibiotic-resistant infections. Therefore, due to the non-applicability of antibiotics for the destruction of P. aeruginosa biofilm, alternative approaches have been considered by researchers, and phage therapy is one of these new therapeutic solutions. Bacteriophages can be used to eradicate P. aeruginosa biofilm by destroying the extracellular matrix, increasing the permeability of antibiotics into the inner layer of biofilm, and inhibiting its formation by stopping the quorum-sensing activity. Furthermore, the combined use of bacteriophages and other compounds with anti-biofilm properties such as nanoparticles, enzymes, and natural products can be of more interest because they invade the biofilm by various mechanisms and can be more effective than the one used alone. On the other hand, the use of bacteriophages for biofilm destruction has some limitations such as limited host range, high-density biofilm, sub-populate phage resistance in biofilm, and inhibition of phage infection via quorum sensing in biofilm. Therefore, in this review, we specifically discuss the use of phage therapy for inhibition of P. aeruginosa biofilm in clinical and in vitro studies to identify different aspects of this treatment for broader use.

Molecular Characterization of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Intensive Care Units in Iran: ST22-SCCmec IV/t790 Emerges as the Major Clone.

Abstract: Introduction The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in different patient populations is a major public health concern. This study determined the prevalence and distribution of circulating molecular types of MRSA in hospitalized patients in ICU of hospitals in Tehran.