International Journal of Basic Science in Medicine
Year:2018 | Volume:3 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Dear Editor The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Approximately about 37 million people are infected by this virus with the rate of 1. 2 million deaths per year. The mortality rate is high among HIV infected patients in the first 6 months of treatment. 1 Immune deficient cases are at the high risk of any opportunistic infection. AIDS has been closely linked with tuberculosis (TB) disease, so almost one third of total mortality is related to this co-infection. In this regard, tuberculosis is used as a diagnostic index for AIDS. 2 AIDS is not only associated with high mortality and morbidity, but it affects social life with related stresses and anxieties. 3 Considering vast influence of HIV-TB over peoples’ lives, the present study aimed to estimate direct global burden of HIV infection on the patients with TB in a one-year period in 2014. 4-6

One of the negative effects of ionizing radiation is the alteration of cellular signaling pathways which lead to carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis. In this review, we discussed the impacts of ionizing radiation on cells and cellular signaling pathways. In this regard, exposure to radiation can directly or indirectly alter cellular signaling pathways. Remarkably, irradiated cells release special mediators into cellular matrix, aberrating cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. Most notably, these mediators include nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cell growth factors which contribute to cellular interactions between irradiated cells and their neighbor cells, a phenomenon known as radiation-induced bystander effect. DNA molecule is the most important cellular compartment damaged by ionizing radiation. On the other hand, the ability of irradiated cells to repair the damaged DNA is very low. Therefore, DNA alternations are passed to the next generations, and ultimately lead to carcinogenesis. The study of ionizing radiations and their impacts on biological systems is of remarkable importance to divulge their impacts on cellular signaling pathways.

Introduction: Escherichia coli is one of the most prevalent bacterial species which cause gastrointestinal and digestive tract infections in humans and livestock. This study examined genotypic diversity of the E. coli isolates taken from fecal specimens in Zabol using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method and phylogenetic background. Materials and Methods: In this study, 100 isolates were collected from human samples and identified by the common biochemical tests. The isolates were categorized into four main phylogenetic groups including group A (28 isolates), group B1 (7 isolates), group B2 (48 isolates), and group D (17 isolates). Two primers (H1 & H2) were used to study the genetic variation of E. coli and the electrophoresis band pattern was analyzed by the NTSYS. Results: The analysis of the difference in isolates using the RAPD technique showed a genetic similarity between 14% and 100%. Conclusion: The phylogenetic groups B2 and A were more frequent in fecal isolates. In addition, the number of isolates related to phylogenetic groups B1 and D was significantly lower than that of the other groups.

Introduction: The impact of aerobic training on liver function by modulating hepatic enzymes and lipid profiles in overweight women is uncertain. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of 12-week aerobic exercise training on hepatic and lipid profiles and cardiorespiratory indices in overweight women aged over 50 years. Methods: Thirty sedentary and overweight postmenopausal women (PMW) over 50 years old were randomly divided into 2 groups: exercise (Ex, n=15) and control (C, n=15) groups. The Ex group performed moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (60 min/d, 3 days/week at 65%-70% of maximal heart rate reserve [HRmax]) for 12 weeks. The C group participated in no intervention during a 3-month period and maintained their normal daily lifestyle. The serum levels of hepatic and lipid profiles were assessed at baseline and after week 12. Descriptive and inferential (ANCOVA test) statistics were used to analyze the data using SPSS software version 23. 0 at a significance level of P < 0. 05. Results: After 12 weeks of exercise intervention, the serum levels of hepatic and lipid profiles were not significantly different in the Ex group compared to the C group (P > 0. 05). However, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), walking-jogging time to exhaustion (WJTE), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) significantly increased in the Ex group (P < 0. 05). In contrast, systolic blood pressure (SBP) significantly decreased in the Ex group (P < 0. 05). Conclusion: The results demonstrated that 12-week moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (jogging and walking) at 65%-70% of HRmax did not affect the liver function without modulating hepatic enzymes and lipid profiles in overweight women over 50 years old, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) by modulating VO2max, WJTE, and SBP was improved.

Introduction: The role of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors in reducing neuropathic pains is uncertain. In this study, the antinociceptive effects of theophylline, milrinone, and tadalafil were investigated on sciatic nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain (NP). Methods: Male mice (25-30 g) were purchased and housed in controlled environmental conditions before and during the experiments. The mice received identical diet and water ad libitum. Two weeks after sciatic nerve ligation, either theophylline (75 mg/kg), milrinone (4. 5 mg/kg), or tadalafil (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally (IP) injected for either 1, 3, or 7 consecutive days. Antinociceptive effects were evaluated using the hot plate test. Negative controls received time course IP injections of saline (5 mL/kg). A single dose of imipramine (40 mg/kg, ) was intraperitoneally administrated to the mice in the positive control group. Results: As was found for this study, a single-dose IP injection of either theophylline (75 mg/ kg), milrinone (4. 5 mg/kg), or tadalafil (20 mg/kg) on day 14th following sciatic nerve ligation induced significant antinociceptive effects at 30 minutes (P < 0. 01), 60 minutes (P < 0. 01), and 90 minutes (P < 0. 05) compared to the control (saline– treated) animals. Accordingly, both 3-(on days 12– 14) and 7-day (on days 8– 14) IP injections of tadalafil (20 mg/kg) induced significant antinociceptive effects at 30 minutes (P < 0. 05), 60 minutes (P < 0. 01), and 90 minutes (P < 0. 01) after sciatic nerve ligation compared to the control (saline– treated) animals. However, the 3-and 7-day IP injections of theophylline and milrinone did not reveal any significant differences compared to the control group. Conclusion: Taken together, the results of this study suggested that selective PDE inhibitors that act predominantly on cGMP pathway, may contribute to the management of sciatic nerve ligation– induced pain.

Introduction: Bacteria that are able to form biofilms can lead to chronic antibiotic-resistant infections and immunomodulatory effects. Iron and other bivalent metals are essential requirements for biofilm formation by bacteria. Escherichia coli is the most predominant agent causing urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to assess the effects of bivalent metals (iron, zinc, cobalt, and copper) on biofilm formation by E. coli isolated from hospitalized patients suffering from UTI. Methods: A total of 110 E. coli were isolated from 200 UTI patients referred to Farmanieh hospital in Tehran, Iran. E. coli was confirmed by culture specific media, biochemical tests, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. To determine the antibiotic resistance, the Kirby-Bauer disk method was used and the biofilm formation was assessed using microtiter plate assay and electron microscopy. Finally, the data were analyzed via paired t test using the SPSS software. Results: Based on our results, out of 110 urine samples containing E. coli, the highest and the lowest resistance were observed to ampicillin (90%) and amikacin (53%), respectively. The biofilm development was intensified in the presence of glucose and iron. The results also indicated that biofilm formation was inhibited by the use of bivalent metal ions including zinc, cobalt, and copper, with the maximum effect obtained for zinc (P < 0. 05). Conclusion: Our work led us to conclude that zinc, cobalt, and copper can inhibit biofilm formation by bacterial strains in medicine.

Introduction: Moringa peregrina (Forssk. ) Fiori as a desert tree has economic, nutritional, and medicinal properties, and is constantly encountered with drought stress. In addition, the role of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in regulating the drought stress which induces biochemical processes is uncertain in this plant. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biochemical alternations, namely, enzymatic and osmoprotectant which are induced by ZnO-NPs in ten populations of M. peregrina under drought stress. Materials and Methods: Moringa peregrina seeds were collected from southeast of Iran in 2014. The young plants were exposed to drought stress by withholding irrigation (until 50% filed capacity [FC]) 40 days after germination followed by spraying 0 (as control), 0. 05, and 0. 1% of the ZnONPs. Results: The alternations of Na/K ratio, enzymes activities, and osmoprotectant content varied under drought stress depending on the M. peregrina populations. Generally, drought stress significantly enhanced peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, as well as proline content in untreated plants. Further, the Na/K ratio and carbohydrates content significantly decreased under the drought stress. Furthermore, ZnO-NP treatment significantly enhanced POD and PPO activities, as well as proline and carbohydrates content under both well-watered (100% FC) and drought stress conditions (50% FC), and at the concentration of 0. 05% rather than 0. 1%, ZnO-NPs was more effective. Conclusion: Overall, ZnO-NP treatment could effectively improve the drought tolerance by enhancing the enzymes activities and osmoprotectant content in different M. peregrina populations under drought stress. Therefore, foliar application of ZnO-NPs at 0. 05% concentration could be a recommended treatment for growing different M. peregrina populations under drought stress conditions.

Introduction: Studies on bacterial resistance to common antibiotics are often based on bacteria isolated from patients, with less attention towards foodborne bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern and the presence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) genes viz blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaSPM-1, in the Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from raw milk and cheese samples. Methods: A total of 100 raw milk and cheese samples (50 of each) were collected from the centers of production and distribution of dairy products in Ardabil city in 2017. Bacillus subtilis colonies susceptible to antibiotics were identified by conventional methods. Kirby-Bauer method was used to measure the antibiotic susceptibility and MBL E-test technique was used for detecting MBL enzymes. Presence of blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaSPM-1 MBL genes in the bacterial strains was investigated using PCR. Results: The results showed that 25 (59. 52%) isolates from raw milk samples and 16 (43. 24%) isolates from cheese samples produced MBL enzyme. The MBL-producing isolates exhibited high level (100%) of antibiotic resistance, except for cefixime (67. 40%) and cefotaxime (64. 60%). All MBL-producing isolates expressed blaVIM gene, while blaIMP and blaSPM-1 genes were not detected. Conclusion: Based on our results, molecular detection of MBL genes can be used as a complementary method along with common phenotypic diagnostic methods in the samples of dairy products, tested positive for MBL.