Quarantine, one of the most effective protection measures, plays an essential role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, along with quarantine, can have devastating consequences for individuals' mental and social health. This study examined the psychosocial status of individuals during and after quarantine in the COVID‐19 pandemic. This cross‐sectional study was conducted on 714 individuals in the general population during (365) and 3 months after quarantine (349) in southeastern Iran. Data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7‐item (GAD‐7) based on an online questionnaire. Data were collected from April 13 to April 20, 2020 (in quarantine) and 3 months later from August 20 to September 20, 2020. Psychological disorders in the quarantined population were significantly higher than that after quarantine. The risk of a mental disorder in the quarantined population was 1.54 times higher than that after quarantine. The results showed that quarantine is associated with a significant level of psychosocial disorders; therefore, interventions should be considered to reduce the effects of quarantine on the mental health of general population as a public health priority at the community level.

Purpose:Pistacia vera is a plant of the family Anacardiaceae found in Central and West Asia. P. vera nut (Pistachio) possess multiple pharmacological effects such as antimicrobial, anti-hyperlipidemia, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This study is designed to evaluate the protective effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of pistachio on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.Methods: Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day for 7 days). Hydroalcoholic extract of pistachio (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg/p.o) was administered for 7 days. The nephroprotective activity was evaluated by determining creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, urine volume, urine glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. The kidneys were processed for histopathological examinations and all specimens were examined for morphologic parameters involving tubular degeneration, tubular necrosis and tubule interstitial nephritis.Results: Results showed a significant increase in the levels of serum creatinine, urine volume, urine glucose and BUN and decrease of creatinine clearance by gentamicin (GA) administration. Co-administration with pistachio extract showed reduction in the levels of serum creatinine, urine volume, urine glucose and BUN and increase of creatinine clearance in all doses but the most significant alteration was observed in doses of 100 mg/kg. Also, the nephroprotective effect of the GA was confirmed by the histological examination of the kidneys.Conclusion: The study revealed the nephroprotective effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of pistachio. These findings suggest that pistachio treatment may attenuate renal dysfunction and structural damage through the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation in the kidney.

Cytokines are the main factors involved in the normal functions of the placenta and delivery process. The aim of this project was to compare serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in term and prolonged-pregnancy mothers and their neonates. This study was performed on 240 participants including 60 term and prolonged-pregnancy neonates and their corresponding mothers. Serum levels of IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β were evaluated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results revealed that IL-8 serum levels were significantly lower in the prolonged-pregnancy mothers and their neonates when compared with term mothers and their neonates. Data analysis also revealed a negative correlation between TGF-β and age of prolonged-pregnancy mothers. A poor positive correlation between IL-6 and head circumference of term neonates was also observed. IL-8 may play crucial roles in the process of on-time delivery and age may significantly affect TGF-β production in prolonged-pregnancy mothers. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, can also be considered as main factors involved in fetal growth.

Gemfibrozil (GFZ) is a lipid‐lowering drug with several other effects, such as antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities. In the current study, chronic d‐galactose treatment (d‐gal, 150 mg/kg/day; i.p., 6 weeks) induced a model of accelerated aging in male mice and was used to study the behavioral, anti‐oxidative, and neuroprotective effects of GFZ (100 mg/kg/day; p.o.). Anxiety‐like behaviors were assessed using the elevated plus‐maze while working memory was measured by spontaneous alternation in a Y‐maze. Brain oxidative stress was determined by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. Neuropathological evaluation of the brain with hematoxylin–eosin and Masson's trichrome staining was also performed. The results demonstrated that the anxious‐like phenotype and the cognitive impairments observed in d‐gal‐treated mice could be prevented in those animals coadministered with GFZ. Besides, the decrease in SOD and GPx antioxidant enzymatic activities and increase of MDA levels were also prevented in the brains of d‐gal plus GFZ treated mice. Preliminary hematoxylin–eosin staining also suggested neuroprotective effects of GFZ. The results of Masson's trichrome staining showed no evidence of fibrosis in brain sections of different experimental groups. The current data provide novel insights into GFZ in the d‐galactose‐induced aging mouse model that open promising future research lines to determine inflammatory mediators and cell signaling underlying these effects.

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