Background/Objectives:Physical inactivity and unhealthy nutritional behaviors are recognized as the key factors in the cause and management of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The effectiveness of interactive web-based interventions on dietary intakes, physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among people with MetS is currently unknown.Methods:The two-arm randomized-controlled trial was conducted for patients with MetS from June through December 2012 in Tehran, Iran. Participants (n=160) were recruited through online registration on the study website. After free clinical assessments of eligible participants for MetS, they were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups (n=80). All participants received general information about cardiovascular diseases and MetS risk factors via the website. The intervention group logged in to interactive part including My Healthy Heart Profile, received tailored calorie-restricted diet and used all parts of the interactive prevention program. Anthropometric measures, glycemic status, lipid profile, physical activity and food intake were evaluated at the beginning and after 6-month follow-up. HRQOL was assessed at beginning, 3- and 6-month follow-up.Results:There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups on age, gender, education and MetS factors. In comparison with control group, the intervention group showed significant changes in moderate physical activity 260.3±473.6 vs 101.6±213.1 MET-min/week, walking 505.2±505.3 vs 321±884 MET-min per week, cholesterol intake −88.4±158.7 vs −8.3±6 mg per day, total calories −430.2±957.5 vs −392.9±34.7 kcal per day and sodium 1336.9±2467 vs 1342±3200.4 mmol per day. With regard to HRQOL, the intervention group showed greater improvement in general health and vitality (P<0.05 for all).Conclusion:These results indicate the positive impact of a lifestyle intervention by a web-based program on physical activity, dietary intake and several dimension of QoL. The use of web-based approaches is a great interest to manage patients at high cardiovascular risk, especially where the prevalence of obesity, MetS and diabetes is increasing.

Cancer was predicted as the leading cause of death and the most important obstacle to the increased life expectancy in the 21st century worldwide. The WHO estimated number of new cases of cancers in 2020 about 19 million, and this number is estimated to be more than 295,300,000 people up to 2040 (more than 55% increase during next 20 years). Standard treatments for cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, all of these methods have dangerous side effects, so researchers are more interested in finding more novel and less risky therapies. In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in the development of anticancer agents obtained from foods or natural products. The relative safety of natural and food-derived compounds makes them attractive alternatives to conventional cancer treatment drugs. As a result, the majority of people are adviced to use complementary and alternative medicine to treat and prevent cancer. In recent years, honey, as a natural product, has attracted many researchers' attention as an alternative to conventional anticancer drugs. Natural honey has long been used as a medicine and nutrient and its beneficial effects on various diseases in animal and human models have been studied. It was found that it has a wide range of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, antiarrhythmic, wound healing, and liver protection benefits. This article aimed to review the role of natural honey in the prevention and treatment of a number of important cancers and their subsequent complications.

Antibiotic susceptibility testing of 70 pediatric Helicobacter pylori isolates was performed by using screening agar and disk diffusion methods. Resistance to metronidazole and tinidazole was 72 to 79% and 71 to 81% by modified disk diffusion and 77% and 78% by screening agar, respectively. Susceptibilities to amoxicillin, ampicillin, clarithromycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin were 58, 69, 75, 68, 68, and 65%, respectively.Resistance to antibiotics among Helicobacter pylori isolates is prevalent worldwide. The rate of metronidazole resistance is on the rise, and it varies according to the population studied. Resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline has also been observed, and there are reports of high rates of resistance to clarithromycin (1-2, 4, 8-11, 16). Most antibiotic resistance studies have been done on H. pylori isolates from adults; fewer data are available for children, particularly those in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the susceptibility of pediatric H. pylori isolates to commonly used antibiotics, by using the modified disk diffusion method (MDDM) and the screening agar method (SAM).During 1997 to 2000, biopsies from 250 children (median age, 9.4 years; range, 3 to 15 years) experiencing recurrent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting were used for bacterial culturing. Biopsies were placed within a modified Campy-Thio medium, composed of thioglycolate base medium (Difco), 10% sheep blood (SB), 8 mg of polymyxin B per liter, 2 mg of amphotericin B per liter, and 6 mg of vancomycin (Fluka) per liter and incubated at 37°C under a microaerophilic atmosphere. After 2 to 3 days, 20 l was used to streak Campy blood agar plates containing brucella agar base (Difco), 10% SB, and antibiotics. Isolates were conserved in skim milk-15% glycerol-10% fetal calf serum at Ϫ80°C, after identification by gram staining and biochemical analysis For antimicrobial susceptibility assays, a suspension was adjusted to a turbidity approximating that of a McFarland no. 3 standard, spread on SB-Mueller-Hinton agar (SBMHA) plates containing 8 mg of metronidazole or tinidazole per liter, and incubated for 3 days (5, 13). Isolates were considered susceptible or resistant if similar results were obtained from three experiments. If similar results were observed in two experiments out of three, the isolates were considered susceptible or resistant but were designated as mixed populations. For the MDDM, disks containing 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 g of metronidazole and tinidazole (prepared from pure powders; Sigma), clarithromycin (15 g; Becton Dickinson), amoxicillin (25 g), ampicillin (10 g), erythromycin (15 g), tetracycline (30 g), and ciprofloxacin (5 g) from Padtan Tab and BioMerieux were used. Bacterial suspensions were spread on SBMHA plates, disks were added, and the diameter of the zone of inhibition was measured after 3 days. Criteria for nitroimidazole susceptibility were inhibitory zones of Ն15 to 16 mm or Ն26 mm (3, 9, 12). Quality control was ensured by using organisms from ...

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome is a growing public health problem worldwide. Several interventions have been proposed to specifically target the problem. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an interactive web-based lifestyle for management of metabolic syndrome.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted from June through August 2012 in Tehran, Iran. Participants were individuals with metabolic syndrome who had registered on the study website. Interested eligible participants were invited for a free clinic visit and clinical assessment. They were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 80) or control (n = 80) group. The intervention group received an interactive web-based program called the Healthy Heart Profile and were followed for 6 months. The control group received general information on metabolic syndrome. Anthropometric measures, glycemic status, and lipid profile were evaluated at baseline, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up assessments. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III report except for waist circumference, which was modified to ≥90 cm for both genders for the Iranian population.ResultsIn total, 1,437 individuals registered on the study website. The mean age of participants was 44.2 years (SD = 10.0). There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups on any baseline variable except that participants in the intervention group recorded higher levels of LDL. The results showed a decrease in metabolic syndrome in both groups. These reductions were significantly greater in the intervention group at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The intervention group showed significantly greater decreases (P < 0.05) over the control group for, respectively, systolic blood pressure (3-month: −10 versus −6 mmHg; 6-month: −11 versus −8 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (3-month: −10 versus −4 mmHg; 6-month: −11 versus −6 mmHg), weight (3-month: −2 versus −1 kg; 6-month: −4 versus −1 kg), body mass index (3-month: −0.5 versus −0.2 kg/m2; 6-month: −1.1 versus −0.4 kg/m2) and improvement in HDL (3-month: 2 versus 0.64 mg/dl; 6-month: 6 versus 4 mg/dl).ConclusionThe findings suggest that the web-based interactive program was beneficial for individuals with metabolic syndrome. Comprehensive interactive web-based prevention programs are promising to help involve patients in improving management of metabolic syndrome and adopting a healthy lifestyle.Trial registrationIRCT201111198132N1. Registered 27 May 2013.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0950-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The present study indicated that IPostC or CsA failed to affect NO levels and failed to protect the diabetic myocardium against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Moreover, concomitant administration of CsA and IPostC at reperfusion can increase NO content and protect the diabetic myocardium.