Medical Sciences Journal of Islamic Azad University,Tehran Medical Branch
Year:2015 | Volume:25 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

In mammals, the majority of products of gene expression are non-coding ribonucleotide sequences. They include short and long RNA molecules with sizes ranging of tens to hundreds of nucleotides. Among them, the molecules with more than 200 nucleotides are called long non-coding RNAs or lncRNAs. While LncRNAs functions depend on their unique molecular structures, they play important roles in regulating gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Interacting with other biological molecules such as DNA, RNA and protein, LncRNAs have been found to play important roles in normal cell physiological activities. Activation of transcription factors, guidance of ribonucleoprotein complexes, aggregation of partner proteins, regulation of alternative processing, cooperation in chromatin remodeling, facilitation of genomic imprinting, maintaining of multipotential state and control of nucleus/cytoplasm traffic are some of crucial approaches Implemented by LncRNAs. Modern technologies have been developed to identify lncRNA molecules, and many relevant databases have been designated to facilitate research and academic exchange of data concerning them. In this review article, signification, identification, classification, biological evolution, genomic position, configuration, expression, localization and remarkable functions of LncRNAs have been discussed.

Background: Some researchers administer a diet with a higher ratio of protein to carbohydrates (HP) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but there is a limited number of dietary interventions compared the effects of an HP diet with a standard protein (SP) diet. Therefore, the aim of this review was to compare the effects of energy-restricted HP diets with those of iso-calorically prescribed SP diets on anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, and reproductive outcomes in women with PCOS.Materials and methods: Searches for English-language studies published between 2000 and 2014 were conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases to identify all randomized controlled trials that compared HP diet with SP diet.Results: There was no difference in anthropometric outcomes between two different diets. There was no difference in reproductive outcomes between the two dietary treatments. Weight loss decreased testosterone, free testosterone, or FAI (Free Androgen Index) and increased SHBG, independent of prescribed diet. There was no difference in metabolic outcomes between the two dietary treatments. A standard-protein weight-loss diet reduced HDL- cholesterol, while no changes occurred for a high protein weight-loss diet. The high-protein diet reduced total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio. Weight loss, independent of diet composition, decreased fasting insulin, insulin resistance and Improvements in lipid profiles.Conclusion: High protein diet caused subtle and inconsistent changes in metabolic variables, and weight loss results in clinical benefit, regardless of diet composition, in women with PCOS.

Background: Cadmium is a toxic metal with wide usage in industry. It exerts toxic effects on various organs, including liver. In this study, the hepato-protective effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Oliveria decumbens on AST, ALT, ALP Enzymes following toxicity induced by cadmium chloride was investigated in male rat.Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 48 adult male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups of 8. These groups were as follow: the control, left untreated; the sham, just received distilled water; the experimental group 1, treated with 2mg/kg cadmium chloride; the experimental group 2 received 500 mg/kg oliveria extract, and experimental groups 3 and 4 initially received 2mg/kg cadmium chloride followed by 250 and 500 mg/kg extract respectively for 21 days. At the end of experiment, blood samples were taken, and were prepared for measuring serum levels of hepatic enzymes.Results: In comparison with control and sham groups, serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP enzymes increased significantly in the experimental group 1. There were no significant changes in the enzyme levels in the experimental group 2. There were no significant changes in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP enzymes in the experimental group 3 compared to control and sham groups. A significant decrease was observed in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP enzymes in the experimental group 4 in comparison with experimental group 1 (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that O.decumbens extract could possess protective effect against hepatotoxicity induced by heavy metals, such as cadmium and could improve the liver function.

Background: Although, several ways of nanoparticles production are available, however the biological method of nanoparticles synthesis is considered by researchers due to its eco-friendly and energy conservation properties. In the present study, the biosynthesis and antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticle by Ziziphus vulgaris fruit extracts were examined.Materials and methods: The fruit extracts were subjected to the silver nitrate aqueous solution at the final concentration of 1 m molar. In order to characterize the synthesized nanoparticles, the color changed reaction mixtures were performed by spectrophotometry, X-raydiffractionanalysis (XRD) and transition electron microscope (TEM) microscopy. Finally, the antibacterial effect of the produced nanoparticles was investigated by agar well diffusion method against some pathogenic bacterial strains.Results: The visible spectra of all the color change extracts have shown the maximum absorption peaks around 420 nm wave lengths. Furthermore, the presence of the silver nanoparticles was confirmed by the XRD. TEM analysis revealed that the obtained silver nanoparticles have spherical shapes. Antibacterial assays indicated that the produced nanoparticles had suitable effects against all of the four bacterial strains. The produced nanoparticles had more effective antibacterial activity in comparison with the control solutions and the pure plant extracts.Conclusion: It seems that the biological production of nanoparticles with usage of these plant extracts is able to enhance their medicinal effects. This study indicated that the antibacterial property of the extracts containing nanoparticles was promoted considerably. Other effects of these nanoparticles can be evaluated by future studies.

Background: Mycobacterium bovine, as the etiology of bovine TB, involves human in some cases and with Mycobacterium tuberculosis are regarded as global health problems. The aim of this study was to extract and compare protein profile of these strains in order to achieve effective biomarkers for diagnosis and the vaccine components.Materials and methods: First, the clinical samples were cultured on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium by the N-acetyl-L-cysteine-sodium hydroxide method and the biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility were used.Colonies were grown in the Middlebrook 7H9 medium and, upon harvesting the new colonies, secretory and membrane proteins were extracted by sonication and ammonium sulfate and alcohol precipitation. Concentration was determined by Bradford method and finally the comparison was made through one dimensional electrophoresis.Results: The major discrepancy between two strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis was 45 and 60 KDa bands as well as the zone between 14 and 45 KDa bands of secretory proteins, in the banding separation membrane proteins.Conclusion: Discrepancy in the protein bands of sensitive strains and Mycobacterium bovis seems to be used as an effective protein marker or even a biomarker in distinguishing the sensitive and bovis strains; also similarities can be used for immunization purposes.

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Because of side effects of current treatments, researchers are looking for methods with less possible side effects and highest rate of destruction of cancer cells without influencing healthy cells. Based on this, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), is used on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In this method, electromagnetic waves are used for destruction and death of cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment of breast cancer using CAP.Materials and methods: In this study, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) with helium gas and oxygen was used for treatment of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in different times and with using MTT assay to determine viability percentage of treated cells. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA using SPSS software.Results: Viability percentage of cancer cells treated with CAP was significantly reduced compared to cancer cells not treated with plasma. Optimal treatment time of CAP for cancer cells was 45s.Conclusion: Cold atmospheric plasma can be considered as useful method for breast cancer cells treatment.

Background: The emotionally-focused couple therapy is one of the treating methods of couples that looks at permanent interactional negative cycles resulting from deep emotional vulnerability, and tries to reduce the distress by intervening in the emotional level. The current study was done with the purpose of investigating the efficacy of emotionally-focused group couple therapy on reducing couple burnout in women.Materials and methods: The current quasi-experimental study was done on 24 referring women with marital problems to Hamyaran Salamat Ravan institute in Bojnourd in spring 2014, which were divided randomly into two groups of control (n=12) and intervention (n=12). Both groups were evaluated by using Pains Couple Burnout Measure 1996 (CBM) at the pre-test level. Then, the emotionally-focused couple therapy intervention was performed for 10 sessions of 1.5- hour each week in interventional group. Control group didn’t receive any treatment. After finishing the intervention, both groups responded to the post- test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance by SPSS Ver.18 software.Results: Emotionally-focused couple therapy reduced couple burnout in women of interventional group.Conclusion: Emotionally-focused couple therapy is effective on reducing couple burnout and can reduce the problems of couples and improve marital situation.

Background: In the recent years, researches have been indicated that type D personality is a risk factor for psychopathology and somatic diseases. The purpose of current study was to assess relationship of emotional expression styles with Type D personality.Materials and methods: Using available sampling method, 306 students (126 male and 180 female) from Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran were selected voluntary and assessed by Emotional expression, Emotional control, Ambivalence over the Expression of Emotion and Type D personality questionnaires.Results: Results showed that among ambivalence over the expression of emotion factors, ambivalence over positive emotional expression and among emotional expression factors, intimacy expression and negative emotional expression predicted negative affect and social inhibition. Also, among emotional control factors, benign control, rumination and emotional inhibition predicted negative affect and emotional inhibition and rumination predicted social Inhibition.Conclusion: According to our findings, it could be claimed that emotional expression styles are behavioral correlates of type D Personality. These results have application in psychological and physical health risk factors, especially cardiovascular diseases.

Background: One of the most critical choices of students is to choose a university major. Lack of knowledge, towards the major causes a mismatch between the career prospects and their needs and expectations. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the knowledge of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch students to their educational major at the time of ntrance to university.Materials and methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 501 medical and non-medical fisherman students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, whom were selected by relative stratified random sampling technique. Data gathering tool was a questionnaire which consisted of two sections, including demographic information and questions to measure students’ knowledge.Results: The mean and standard diversion of students’ knowledge was 5.48 and 3.60, respectively. Students’ knowledge was high in 30.3%, moderate in 40.5% and low in 29.1%. The study showed that the increase in educational levels directly correlate with the knowledge. This means that with an increase in educational levels, the knowledge increases. The highest rank of knowledge, based on the educational levels, was related to professional doctoral degree with mean rating of 342.17, and the least knowledge was related to the Bachelor's degree mean rate of 136.32.Conclusion: The findings indicated that most of students had moderate knowledge about their major at arrival to college. Therefore, it is suggested that the students have consultation about their major by schools, media, families, and… in order the students know more about their majors before entering university.