25-hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations in Patients with Optic Neuritis as a Clinically Isolated Syndrome and Healthy Controls

OBJECTIVES

The onset of multiple sclerosis in the majority of the cases occurs as a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). We sought to assess serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) in CIS patients and healthy controls.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study 40 patients (36 women and 4 men) with CIS manifesting as a single isolated optic neuritis and 40 Age- and sex-matched healthy controls (35 women and 5 men) were enrolled between late October 2010 and early March 2011. General vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25-OHD levels of lower than 20 ng/ml and was classified as mild (15 < 25-OHD <20 ng/ml), moderate (8 < 25-OHD <15 ng/ml), and severe (25-OHD <8 ng/ml).

RESULTS

We found no difference in the median interquartile range [IQR] between CIS patients and controls (17.95 [10.40-29.13] vs. 17.00 [12.25-31.00]; P=0.57). However, when stratified by the levels of deficiency, among CIS patients a significantly higher proportion had severe vitamin D deficiency in comparison to healthy controls (20% vs. 2.5%; P=0.034). Nevertheless, the frequency of general (62.5% vs. 60%, P=0.82), mild (25% vs. 30%, P=0.80), and moderate (17.5% vs. 27.5%, P=0.42) vitamin D deficiency were not different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings do not indicate any significant difference of serum 25-OHD between CIS patients and healthy controls. However, in our series severe vitamin D deficiency was more frequent among CIS patients.

Mycoplasma pneumonia seroposivity in Iranian patients with relapsing-remitting multipl sclerosis: a randomized case-control study

OBJECTIVES

Environmental factors, such as different infections, have proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to the evaluate mycoplasma pneumonia seropositivity, as a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

METHODOLOGY

Using ELISA method, IgM and IgG antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae were determined in 130 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (85 Remitted and 45 Relapsed) and 50 sex- and age-matched controls. The groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test at the significant level of p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The median [interquartile range] titer of IgG in remitted multiple sclerosis group was 65.3 [51.1-75.2] RU/ml versus 64 [52.6-71.4] RU/ml in relapsed group and 57.5 [29.2-74.3] RU/ml in control group (p = 0.442). There was not any significant difference between the groups base on median titer of IgM too (p = 0.446). The median [interquartile range] titer of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MPn) IgG in women was 69.2 [56.4-77.4] RU/ml in remitted patients versus 63.85 [52.45-71.25] RU/ml in relapsed patients and 55.2 [29.17-72.75] RU/ml in controls (p = 0.022). Post hoc analysis demonstrated significant difference between remitted patients and controls (p = 0.002). There was not any significant difference between men in the groups (p = 0.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Mycoplasma seroposivity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was not significantly different in various phases of activity of disease compare to controls; but in women, seroposivity of Mycoplasma antibodies were more than controls.

Repellency Effects of Essential Oils of Myrtle (Myrtus communis), Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Compared with DEET against Anopheles stephensi on Human Volunteers

BACKGROUND

Malaria and leishmaniasis are two most significant parasitic diseases which are endemic in Iran. Over the past decades, interest in botanical repellents has increased as a result of safety to human. The comparative efficacy of essential oils of two native plants, myrtle (Myrtus communis) and marigold (Calendula officinalis) collected from natural habitats at southern Iran was compared with DEET as synthetic repellent against Anopheles stephensi on human subjects under laboratory condition.

METHODS

Essential oils from two species of native plants were obtained by Clevenger-type water distillation. The protection time of DEET, marigold and myrtle was assessed on human subject using screened cage method against An. stephensi. The effective dose of 50% essential oils of two latter species and DEET were determined by modified ASTM method. ED(50) and ED(90) values and related statistical parameters were calculated by probit analysis.

RESULTS

The protection time of 50% essential oils of marigold and myrtle were respectively 2.15 and 4.36 hours compared to 6.23 hours for DEET 25%. The median effective dose (ED(50)) of 50% essential oils was 0.1105 and 0.6034 mg/cm(2) respectively in myrtle and marigold. The figure for DEET was 0.0023 mg/cm(2).

CONCLUSION

This study exhibited that the repellency of both botanical repellents was generally lower than DEET as a synthetic repellent. However the 50% essential oil of myrtle showed a moderate repellency effects compared to marigold against An. stephensi.

Enaminone Compounds as Corrosion Inhibitors for Austenitic Stainless Steel in Sulphuric Acid Solution. javascript:filterformular(´3´)

Two newly synthesized Enaminone compounds ethyl-3-[(2-aminoethyl) amino]-2-butenoate (compound I) and ethyl-3-(2-aminoanilino)-2-butenoate (compound II)) in 0.5 M H2SO4 on AISI 316 have been investigated at 20 to 50 ºC using weight loss and potentiostatic polarization techniques. The percentage inhibition efficiencies and surface coverage degrees increase with increasing additive concentration. The inhibition is in both cases of a mixed anodic-cathodic nature. Differences in inhibition efficiency between compound I and II are correlated with their chemical structures. The inhibitors function through adsorption following Temkin isotherm in acid media. Activation energy (E a) and Gibbs free energy (∆G ads) for adsorption of inhibitors are calculated. The values of ∆G ads decreased (attained more negative values) with increasing temperature.

Identification of physiological races of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici and evaluation of powdery mildew resistance in wheat cultivars in Sistan province, Iran

Powdery mildew of wheat caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) is one of the most important fungal diseases in Iran. During the years 1998-2001, wheat fields in Sistan province were surveyed and powdery mildew infected samples were collected from various areas and transferred to the laboratory. In the greenhouse, fungal spores were purified and inoculated onto susceptible wheat cultivars using single pustule and single spore procedures. Selected pure isolates were inoculated onto the first leaves of eight differential wheat varieties for identifying physiological races. The results showed the existence of Bgt races 5, 11, 14, 19, 21, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 44, 50, 53, 58, 66, 73 and 84 in Sistan. These races were new to Sistan province and Iran as a whole. Among 17 races studied, races 11, 53 and 73 were important dominant races thus constituting 40% of total population. Race 53 constituted 16% of all isolates and was the dominant race in the area with 62.5% pathogenicity. Therefore, this race was introduced as the most virulent race during the period of this study. This study showed that Bgt isolates were compatible with host plant genes pm8, pm3 and pm3b but incompatible with gene pm4b. Powdery mildew resistance was evaluated using race 11 on 70 wheat cultivars during seedling stage as well as adult plant under both greenhouse and field conditions between 1999 and 2001. Among wheat lines tested for resistance against powdery mildew, cultivar Hirmand resembled the differential line Weihenst M1 in that both may possess gene pm4b and showed no symptoms under the greenhouse and field conditions. Cultivar Chamran was found to be highly resistant whereas Sorkhtokhm was susceptible. Other cutivars showed partial and gradual resistance against the powdery mildew disease.