Introduction: Although contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) is a well-known complication of radiocontrast media administration among patients with underlying renal insufficiency, however the data about CIN among patients with normal renal function are few and it seems that CIN often remained under-diagnosed among these patients. Objectives: The aim of present study was evaluation of CIN in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with normal renal function undergoing coronary angiography. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional and prospective study has conducted on patients with normal renal function candidate for diagnostic coronary angiography at Imam hospital, Ahvaz, Iran from October 2010 to February 2011. CIN defined as an increase in serum creatinine (sCr) >0.5 mg/dL after two days of contrast administration. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect demographics, clinical and laboratory data. Results: A total of 254 patients (140 males and 114 Females with mean age of 56.6 ± 11.9 years) were included in the study. Of them, 60 patients (23.6%) had congestive heart failure (CHF) and 57 patients (22.4%) had diabetes mellitus (DM). The mean sCr levels before contrast administration in men and women were 1.05 ± 0.22 and 0.93 ± 0.17 mg/dL respectively. In overall CIN occurred in 27 patients (10.6%) with no difference between males and females (P = 0.386) and in patients with or without CHF (P = 0.766). There was a significant association between CIN and DM (P = 0.001) and mean volume of contrast administration (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Although CIN is a common problem in patients with diabetic nephropathy undergoing coronary angiography, diabetic patients without diabetic nephropathy and also patients without DM who had normal renal function are also at risk of contrast nephropathy.

In order to define the protein expressional changes related to the process of meglumine antimoniate resistance in anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), we performed a comparative proteomics analysis on sensitive and resistant strains of Leishmania tropica isolated from Iranian CL patients. Cell proteins were analysed with 2-dimensional electrophoresis and differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Image analysis of the matched maps identified 7 proteins that were either over-or down-expressed: activated protein kinase c receptor (LACK), alpha tubulin (×2), prostaglandin f2-alpha synthase, protein disulfide isomerase, vesicular transport protein and a hypothetical protein. The study shows the usefulness of proteomics in identifying proteins that may express differences between sensitive and resistant L. tropica isolates. RÉSUMÉ Afin de déterminer les modifications de l'expression des protéines liées au processus de résistance à l'antimoniate de méglumine dans la leishmaniose cutanée anthroponotique, nous avons réalisé une analyse protéomique comparative de souches sensibles et de souches résistantes de Leishmania tropica isolées à partir d'échantillons prélevés chez des patients iraniens atteints de la maladie. Les protéines cellulaires ont été analysées par électrophorèse bidimensionnelle ; des protéines différentiellement exprimées ont été identifiées par spectrométrie de masse à temps de vol avec désorption-ionisation laser assistée par matrice. L'analyse d'image des cartes appariées a permis d'identifier sept protéines qui étaient soit surexprimées, soit sous-exprimées : le récepteur de la protéine kinase C activée, la tubuline alpha (×2), la prostaglandine F2-alpha synthase, la protéine disulfide isomérase, une protéine du transport vésiculaire et une protéine hypothétique. L'étude souligne l'utilité de la protéomique dans l'identification des protéines pouvant être différentiellement exprimées selon le caractère sensible ou résistant des souches L. tropica.

Gathering information on systemic arterial PTX3 may help more accurately reclassify DTS-determined patients with intermediate-risk chronic stable angina into more appropriate risk categories. PTX3 possibly, at least in part, mediates the protective effect on CAD of HDL-C.

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Objective:Carvedilol is a nonselective third generation β-blocker that does not display the negative effects of traditional β-blockers. Regarding the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and distinct metabolic properties of carvedilol which are similar to that of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1), the present study intends to investigate the effects of carvedilol treatment on malondialdehyde (MDA) and soluble lectin-like ox-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (sLOX-1) as markers of oxidative stress in association to lipid profiles, apolipoproteins (apo), and PON1 activity in hypertensive patients.Patients and Methods:This clinical trial study was performed on forty patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Subjects were studied before and after 2 months treatment with carvedilol, 25 mg daily. Lipids and lipoproteins were measured using a biochemistry analyzer. PON and arylesterase activity were assayed using paraoxon and phenyl acetate as substrates, respectively. MDA was quantified using a chemical colorimetric assay. ELISA was used to measure sLOX-1.Results:Our results showed that carvedilol treatment decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure as much as forty and 16 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.001). It also increased HDL, total cholesterol, and serum PON1 activity (P < 0.05), but the levels of triglyceride, LDL, apo A-I, and apo B did not significantly change. There was an inverse correlation between serum PON1 activity and serum MDA.Conclusion:This study confirmed the antihypertensive effect of the drug and its beneficial metabolic effects through augmenting HDL and PON1 activity. We propose that the antioxidant effects of carvedilol can be partially attributed to increased PON-1 activity.