IRANIAN SOUTH MEDICAL JOURNAL (ISMJ)
Year:2018 | Volume:21 | Issue:1 |Papers Count:8

Synthetic biology is a novel branch of biological sciences. The creation of a synthetic microorganisms with minimal genome compatible with life by Craig Venter had provoked the prior hot philosophical discussions about the nature of life. The recent advancements in synthetic biology brings new philosophical analysis about hybrid entities “ synthetic organisms” and “ living machines” and fundamental difference between biological machines and the living world. This paper is a critical analysis of the philosophical perspective on the design of synthetic organisms, minimal genome and artificial life. It also presents a critical view on knowledge-making practices in synthetic biology on Richard Feynman’ s statement: “ What I cannot create, I do not understand. ”

Background: TP53 tumor suppressor gene play a role in repairing DNA damages and also in cell apoptosis. This research have paid to the association between codon 72 polymorphism of TP53 gene in a variety of abnormal cervical tissue samples compared to samples of healthy women as a control group and also frequency of human herpes simplex viruses (HSV) in these samples. Material and Methods: In this case-control study, 110 biopsies of the cervix with abnormal pathology were examined from archives of the Department of Pathology at Shohadaye Khalij Fars Hospital, and 164 healthy women were selected as control group. PCR test was used for detection of HSV, and Allele-specific PCR was used for analysis of codon 72 polymorphism of TP53 gene. Data was analyzed with SPSS software. Results: Distribution of codon 72 of TP53 genotypes in patient and control groups was not statistically significant. Evaluation of the frequency of arginine and proline alleles in patient and control groups revealed that those without proline allele were lower in patients (19%) compared to controls (30. 1%), and this difference was statistically significant (p=0. 04), (OR: 1. 03-3. 36، CI 95%=1. 86). Also there were not significant correlation between the various results of pathology, age, ethnicity and place of residence with the TP53 genotype. In this study, HSV was not detected in samples. Conclusion: Because of significant difference in proline allele between the case and control groups, it seems that this allele is associated with the abnormal cervical pathology results in Bushehr province.

Background: Gastric cancer is considered as the fourth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death around the world. Northern areas of Iran from NorthWest to NorthEast have high risk of this cancer. Genetic mutations and changing in expression level are the most effective factors in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. CFL1 is one of the genes that is affected by changes in the level of expression. CFL1 is isoform of the ADF/cofilin protein familyThe protein encoded by this gene can polymerize and depolymerize F-actin and G-actin in a pH-dependent manner. In this research, we studied expression of this gene in intestinal samples of gastric adenocarcinoma. Material and Methods: In this study, mRNA in intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma of 26 biopsy samples was extracted, then after cDNA synthesis, real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure gene expression. Results: The rate of CFL1 gene expression in tumor samples significantly increased compared with healthy tumor margins (p<0. 05). Also, The biomarker index for CFL1 was obtained 0. 88. Conclusion: This gene can be used as a biomarker in gastric cancer. Overall, the results of this study showed that the expression of CFL1 has significant association with the nature of cancer tumors. This implies that CFL1 can have high potential as novel targets for gene therapies in gastric cancer.

Background: Humans in modern societies expose to substantially elevated levels of electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions with different frequencies. The neurobiological effects of EMF have been the subject of debate and intensive research over the past few decades. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of EMF on visual learning and anatomical dimensions of the hippocampus and the prefrontal area (PFA) in male Rhesus monkeys. Materials and Methods: In this study, four rhesus monkeys were irradiated by 0. 7 microtesla ELF-EMF either at 5 or 30 Hz, 4 h a day, for 30 days. Alterations in visual learning and memory were assessed before and after irradiation phase by using a box designed that cchallenging animals for gaining rewards Also, the monkeys’ brains were scanned by using MRI technique one week before and one week after irradiation. The monkeys were anesthetized by intramuscular injection of ketamine hydrochloride (10– 20 mg/kg) and xylazine (0. 2– 0. 4 mg/kg), and scanned with a 3-Tesla Magnetom, in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes using T2 weighted protocol with a slice thickness of 3 mm. The anatomical changes of hippocampus and the prefrontal area (PFA) was measured by volumetric study. Results: Electromagnetic field exposure at a frequency of 30 Hz reduced the number of correct responses in the learning process and delayed memory formation in the two tested monkeys. While, ELF-EMF at 5 Hz had no effect on the visual learning and memory changes. No anatomical changes were found in the prefrontal area and the hippocampus at both frequencies. Conclusion: ELF-EMF irradiation at 30 Hz adversely affected visual learning and memory, pprobably through these changes apply through effects on other factors except changes in brain structure and anatomy.

Background: Differentiation between benign and malignant parotid tumors before surgery is important because it can change the therapeutic planning for patients. In this study we evaluated the role of Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in differentiation of benign from malignant parotid tumors. Materials and Methods: 40 patients entered with salivary gland tumor especially parotid) that candidated for surgery in this study. Patients selected in Amiralam hospital and did MRI in Imam Khomeini hospital. In this study, on these patients Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was performed at 135 and 270 Time of Echo, and the choline/creatine ratio was determined. Regarding to the cytological results, patient divided to warthin, benign and malignant tumors and ROC curves used to determine the best cut off points. Results: 40 patients entered in this study, 25 had benign non warthin tumors, 9 malignant tumors and 6 warthin tumors. In differentiation benign from malignant tumors TE136 was stronger. The best cut off point of Choline to Creatine ratio in TE: 136 was 1. 92 with sensitivity 81 % and specificity 89% and in TE 270 was 1. 76 with Sensitivity 89% and specificity 71%. Choline/creatine ratio <1. 25 can rule out the malignancy with sensitivity of 92% and ratio > 1. 76 strongly suggest malignancy (with10% specificity). MRS was not able to differentiate benign non warthin from warthin tumors. Conclusion: According to this study, Choline/ creatine ratio in MRSpectroscopy can be helpful as noninvasive method in differentiation of benign from malignant tumors.

Background: Observation, categorize and count various types of white blood cells in a blood sample is a One of the most important steps in the treatment of various diseases. The aim of this study was to design and implement a fast and reliable and based on the processing of microscopic images of blood samples for the classification of four types of white blood cells. Materials and Methods: In this article, the modified k-means clustering method is used to perform image segmentation. Furthermore, The classification of white blood cells was done using a deep convolutional neural network and with the help of data in the MISP database, a free database composed of microscopic blood sample images. Moreover, Several regularization techniques such as dropout and image augmentation were applied to prevent the network from overfitting. Results: In the classification category, the accuracy of the neural network is measured to be 99%, which has been more successful than many earlier studies. In the segmentation section, the cross-reference index was 0. 73. Conclusion: The results of this research show that rapid and reliable system design and implementation is possible by processing the microscopic images of the blood sample using different methods of image processing and machine learning.

Background: Considering the high increase in individuals' weight and its complications in different societies, as well as the progression of bariatric surgery techniques, psychological interventions are needed to reduce postoperative complications and to increase their positive outcomes for these patients. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) model on improving weight and body size in women undergoing bariatric surgery. Materials and Methods: The design of present semi-experimental study was pre-test, post-test with experimental and control groups. The statistical population included all obese women that undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery in Shiraz Ghadir Mother & Child Multi Super Specialty Hospital, during second half of 2016. The 30 of them were selected by using available sampling method and they randomly were assigned to 2 groups, experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). The Balance with ruler, Tape measure& demographic information questionnaire was used to collect data for each 2 groups in two steps (pre-test and post-test). IMB model was implemented for the experimental group in four weeks (each week a 1/5 hour session) in Hospital Obesity Clinic. SPSS19 software was used and data were analyzed by using MANCOVA method and the significance level was P <0. 05 for meaningful results. Results: The results of multivariate covariance analysis showed that IMB model has had a significant effect on improving weight and body size in obese women undergoing bariatric surgery (p<0/05). Conclusion: The results of this research showed that Information Motivation Behavioral model can be effective to improve weight and body size in women undergoing bariatric surgery.