Journal of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences
Year:2016 | Volume:23 | Issue:10|Papers Count:10

Introduction: Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is one of the most common endocrine complications in major thalassemia patients. IGT prevalence in patients with thalassemia major has been differently in different studies in Iran, about which no total estimate can be proposed. Hence, this meta analysis study aimed to investigate IGT prevalence in major thalassemia patients in Iran.Methods: This study was a systematic review based on electronic databases including Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Medlib, IranDoc, Scopus, PubMed, Sciencedirect, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, Springer, Online Library Wiley as well as Google Scholar search engine without any time limitations up to 2015. All the potentially relevant papers were reviewed independently by two investigators using the standard key words. Then, all the reviewed studies that had inclusion criterion were evaluated. In order to statistically analyze the study data, random effect model was used via Stata software (Ver.11.1).Results: 1346 subjects were examined in 13 studies. IGT prevalence in patients with thalassemia major was estimated 9.6 %( CI: 95%, 6.6-12.5) in Iran. The IGT prevalence in male and female major thalassemia patients were 6.5 %( CI: 95%, 1.6-11.3) and 10.2 %( CI: 95%, 6.1-14.3), respectively.Conclusion: IGT Prevalence was demonstrated to be really high in patients with thalassemia major. As a result, implementing screening programs seems to be necessary in regard with early diagnosis of endocrine disorders especially IGT in these patients. Furthermore, it is recommended that annual glucose tolerance test be taken within such patients.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an acute disease of the central nervous system (CNS) associated with the degradation of myelin sheet around the nerve cells. It is assumed to be a multifactorial disorder that is to say numerous environmental and genetic factors are involved in the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between rs1800624 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), located in the promoter region of RAGE gene, and MS in Isfahan population.Methods: In this case-control study, tetra-primer ARMS PCR and newly designed primers were utilized in genotyping and determining allele frequency of rs1800624 SNP marker. A total of 300 individuals including 150 healthy and 150 MS patients participated in the study. In order to evaluate the association between genotypes and MS as well as the existence of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, SPSS and GENPOP softwares were used, respectively.Results: The study results showed that the frequency of TT, TA and AA genotypes were reported 42.7, 46.6 and 10.7 in the control group and 44, 42 and 14 in the case group. The studied population was in equilibrium in regard with rs1800624 marker. Moreover, no association was detected between rs1800624 marker and MS disease in the Isfahan population (p>0.5).Conclusion: The study findings indicated no association between SNP marker of rs1800624 and MS disease in the Isfahan population (p>0.5).

Introduction: Decarboxylated phytocannabinoids activates CB1 receptors of endocannabinoid system in the central nervous system. Endocannabinoid system interacts with dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems, which seems to be effective on the behavior processes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic and hexanic extract of heated female Cannabis sativa flowertops containing decarboxylated cannabinoids on anxiety, motor coordination and locomotor activity.Methods: In this experimental study, adult male Wistar rats were randomly (200 to 250 g) used in two groups (n=7) of control and sham (administration of the solution vehicle (Tween 80, ethanol and saline with 1:1:8 proportions). IP administration of hydroalcoholic extract (50mg/kg dosage), and hexanic extract (50mg/kg dosage) were applied. The elevated plus maze, open field and rotarod apparatus were used in order to measure the anxiety, locomotor activity and motor coordination in each group, respectively. Moreover, the data analysis was carried out by one-way ANOVA and Neumann-keuls post-hoc test.Results: The study results indicated that IP administration of hexanic extract (50mg/kg dosage) significantly reduced the numbers of entries into the open arms (P<0.05) as well as time of stay in the open arms (P<0.01) in evaluated plus maze. Furthermore, motor activity (P <0.01) and time coordination (P<0.001) were reported to significantly reduce.Conclusion: The study findings revealed thst administration of hexanic extract has probably more decarboxylated cannabinoids than hydroalcoholic extract resulting in a decrease in the motor activity and time of motor coordination, yet an increase in anxiety via activation of CB1 receptors.

Introduction: Obesity and its complications such as hypertension, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes and kidney failure, can be mentioned as the main life-threating elements. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of air parts extract of Echinophora platyloba.L (EP) on changes in body weight as well as liver and kidney function tests in hypercholesterolaemia obese rats.Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats were divided in to five groups (n =8) including a control group with normal control diet, control hyperlipidemia group with fatty food diet and hypertriglyceridemia treatment groups which recieved the minimum dose (100 mg/kg), average dose (200 mg/kg) maximum dose (300 mg/kg) of EP extract via a gavage. At the end of this period (42 days), to measure cholesterol, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, bilirubin, albumin, total protein, alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the blood samples were collected and the study data were analyzed.Results: Cholesterol, ALT, AST and ALP were reported to significantly decrease (in the minimum and maximum dose groups) compared to the control group (P£0.05). Albumin and total protein in the maximum dose extract group significantly increased compared to the control group (P£0.05). Moreover, body weight in the group receiving the minimum dose of extract showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (P£0.05).Conclusion: EP extract, specifically in the minimal doses, in addition to protecting liver, could be recommended as a good candidate in regard with the treatment of blood lipids, and body extra weight.

Introduction: Heart disease is a psycho-physiological disorder that in addition to physical and biological factors, psychological factors such as stressful events, personality traits and coping strategies play an important role in its occurrence and exacerbation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate personality dimensions and stress-coping strategies within healthy individuals compared with heart patients.Methods: In this analytical-comparative study, 50 patients with heart disease (26 males and 24 females) and 50 healthy subjects (28 males and 22 females) were selected. The participants were required to respond to the Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ-R) and Folkman and Lazarus’s stress-coping strategies questionnaire. In order to analyze the studydata, descriptive indicators and independent t-test were applied using SPSS software (ver, 19) and the significance level was set at a=0.01.Findings: The study results revealed a significant defference between heart patients and healthy individuals in terms of personality dimensions, neuroticism, and psychoticism, though no significant difference was observed in regard with emotion-focused coping strategies between the two groups. In the present study, the effect of gender was also examined on personality dimensions and coping strategies. Moreover, extraversion features as well as emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies were demonstrated to differ significantly between males and females.Conclusion: The study findings indicated that heart patients seem to be more anxious, fearful, violent, aggressive and fast developing for anxiety, depression and aggression compared to healthy individuals who apply emotion-oriented coping style dealing with the problems.

Introduction: Since aloe vera plant has many medical benefits, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Aloe vera gel on the pancreatic islets and beta cells.Methods: This experimental study consisted of 50 mature male rats aged 2-3 months and weighed 200-250 g, who were randomly divided into five groups (n=10). Group I (control) did not receive any treatments, and group II were diabetized via Streptozotocin (IP) in 65 mg/kg, whose blood sample was taken after one week. Rats with blood glucose more than 250 mg/dL were considered as diabetic. Group III diabetic rats received the Aloe vera gel daily with dosage of 400 mg/kg, and group IV diabetic rats received insulin in 10 units/rat. Group V involved healthy rats which received only Aloe vera gel. After the last Aloe vera gel administration, blood glucose and body weight of all groups were measured on 15th and 30th days. Animals were euthanized with ether. Then tissues samples were collected from pancreas gland and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin solution. The 5-6 m sections were made by paraffin embedding method and stained using haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Aldehyde fuchsin stains. Ultimately, the histomorphometrical parameters were evaluated.Results: The mean number and size of pancreatic islets and beta cells of Langerhans islets decreased significantly in the diabetic group compared to the control group. The number of beta cells and diameter of langerhans islets increased significantly in the rats treated by Aloe vera gel in comparison to diabetic group at the end of 15th and 30th days.Conclusion: Applying Aloe vera gel seems to improve the renewal and restoration of langerhans islets and beta cells of pancreas gland in the diabetic rat.

Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of type 1 diabetes model induced by streptozotocin (STZ) on the sperm fertility parameters, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and total cholesterol as lipid metabolism indicators.Methods: Induction of diabetes mellitus was achieved through once subcutaneous (SC) injection of 200 mg/kg body weight of STZ in 10 mice, while the control group recived 0.25 ml of disstiled water in the same method. For diabetic groups, 8 mice were selected among the animals with higher glucose threshold (350 mg/dl) one week after STZ injection. Two weeks after diabetes confirmation, all the mice were sacrificed and whole blood was taken from cardiac puncture, while testes were removed for histopathological study and sperm evaluation. Total sperm motility, progresive movement, hypoosmotic swelling test and sperm concentration were determined by the conventional methods. Moreover, HbA1c and total cholesterol were measured spectrophotometerically.Results: Diabetic animals showed a significant decrease in sperm count (P<0.05), as well as an increase in HbA1c and total cholesterol (P<0.01) compared to the controls. A significant negative linear relationship (R2=0.90, P=0.012) was depicted between HbA1c and sperm concentration in the diabetic group. Epithelial vaculization of semineferous tubules was observed in the diabetic group in comparison with the control group and epidydimal ducts indicated increased volume of spermatoza in the controls when compared to the diabetic rats.Conclusion: As the study findings revealed diabetes was associated with decreased sperm concentration in the cauda epididymis even two weeks after hyperglycemia induction, which can be mentioned as a predective index for subfertility. Furthermore, Glycated hemoglobin revealed a negetive relationship with sperm concentration. Hypercholestrolemia was also shown in early stages of diabetes indicating an impairment in lipids metabolism, which was confirmed by the histology changes.

Introduction: The gold nanoparticles as other nanoparticles have catalytic, magnetic, optical, and biological (antimicrobial) properties. On the other hand, resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest public health problems posed in the world. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effects of gold nanoparticles on multi-drug resistant klebsiella pneumoniae as well as escherichia coli and its effect on the liver of balb/c mice.Methods: In this study, multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli bacteria clinical samples were utilized that were isolated from several hospitals in Isfahan and then the toxic effects of nanoparticles were investigated on the Balb / C mice. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were also applied with spherical shape and a concentration of 200 ppm in size of 10 nm, using two wells and disk agar diffusion method. Antibacterial properties of the nanoparticles were evaluated within 1-3 days with 37oc temperature, and diameter of inhibitory zone of growth was measured every day. Tissue and liver enzymes of the mice were examined, as well.Results: The greatest diameter of inhibitory zone was detected in multi drug resistant E. coli. Most of the MIC and MBC were found in multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria. Gold nanoparticles did not reveal any significant changes on the weight, liver enzymes and liver tissue of Balb / C mice after one month.Conclusion: As the findings of the current study revealed, inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles was observed on the axamined microorganism. Although the laboratories findings are promising, more studies should be conducted in regard with therapeutic standardization.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus has been demonstrated to affect the reproductive system. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Salvia officinalis (SO) on the serum levels of gonadotropin, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.Methods: In the present study, 60 adult male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n=10) as follows: control, Stereptozotocine- treated diabetic (60 mg/kg), SO- treated control (400 mg/ kg), SO - treated diabetic (200 mg/ kg), SO - treated diabetic (400mg/kg). After 28 days, the blood samples were prepared and hormones levels were measured by the radio-immunoassay method.Results: Serum levels of hormones significantly decreased in the diabetic group compared to the control group. Serum levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were reported to be higher and lower in SO- treated control group, respectively. Gonadotropin and testosterone were significantly demonstrated to be higher in the diabetic groups treated with the extract (200 mg/ kg,400 mg/kg) compared with the diabetic group.Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that extract of Salvia officinalis, containing quercetin and Rosmarinic acid, induces a protective effect on the cells destroyed by streptozotocin, which has been proved to be effective in reducing the complications of diabetes and maintaining a serum level of hormones in the rats.