QOM UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
Year:2020 | Volume:14 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Tumor-infiltrating regulatory T (TI-Treg) cells perform an important function in cancer immune escape. In this study, the third generation CAR construct was designed against human CD25 antigen as the cell surface biomarker of TI-Treg cells. Methods: At first, the construct of anti-CD25 CAR was designed. Using RNAfold web server, the RNA secondary structure was evaluated. Also, NK-92 cell line was transduced using lentiviral vectors. Then, the expression level of anti-CD25 CAR RNA, was assessed by qRT-PCR in NK-92 cells transduced with CAR and mock transfer vectors as well as untreated cells. Results: The RNA secondary structure was stable. Also, the expression level of anti-CD25 CAR RNA in the NK-92 cells transduced by pCDH-513B-1-anti-CD25 CAR transfer vector was significantly higher than NK-92 cells transduced by mock transfer vector and untreated cells (P˂ 0. 0001). Conclusion: The present study on anti-CD25 CAR RNA showed that this type of CAR transcripts were stable and expressed at a high level. In fact, this type of CAR can be further studied in the future as a tool to remove the cancer immune escape in all types of solid and liquid cancers.

Background and Objectives: Nanoparticles have a wide range of applications, such as environmental, pharmaceutical, nutritional, diagnostic and therapeutic, cosmetics, agricultural, energy, textile, and electronics applications. This study aimed to investigate the anti-angiogenesis properties of cerium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by green method from Persicaria bistorta Plant. Angiogenesis refers to the process of formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing blood vessels, which is important for the normal growth and development of the body. Persicaria bistorta is a perennial plant that its height is slightly less than 1 m and in some areas is very short and up to 20 cm. One of the distinct characteristics of the plant is its thick underground stem that is cylindral clinging and its outer surface is covered by a lot of beads with medicinal uses. Methods: In this study, chick chorioallantoic membrane was treated with cerium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by green method from Persicaria bistorta plant (CAM test). Comparison of the results in the groups, was performed by SPSS software. Results: The obtained data showed that the number and length of the vessels formed during 12 days after the treatment with nanoparticles significantly decreased. Conclusion: Cerium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by green method from Persicaria bistorta plan can be effective in the treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases, including cancer, through reduction of the angiogenesis process.

Background and Objectives: Ethephon is an effective plant growth regulator, which improves product quality and can probably interfere with the function of the reproductive system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ethephon on in vitro fertility and oxidative stress in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, the animals were divided into 5 groups; control (received no substances), sham (daily received serum physiology orally), ethephon 1 (daily received 192 mg/kg orally), ethephon 2 (daily received 240 mg/kg orally), ethephon 3 (daily received 480 mg/kg orally). At the end of the 28-day treatment period, the ovaries were removed from their body for in vitro fertilization. Oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were measured in serum samples. Fertility parameters, including oocyte percentage, fertilization percentage, and embryo quality, were also examined. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’ s post hoc test. Results: The results of the experiments showed that total antioxidant capacity was significantly decreased in the groups treated with ethephon as compared to the control group. TAC compared to the control group (p < 0. 05) and the level of MDA in ethephon-treated mice increased compared to the control mice (p < 0. 05(. In addition, fertilization rate, percentage of two-cell embryos, and blastocysts decreased in all three groups receiving ethephon. This difference was significant in high, medium, and low dose groups compared to the control group (p < 0. 05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that oral administration of ethephon with effectivity on the oxidative stress system can cause deleterious effect on fertility and embryo development process in mice.

Background and Objectives: High blood pressure is an important and controllable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Social support received by spouse and self-care are effective factors in controlling and preventing the complications of hypertension, therefore, this study was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of education based on spousal social support on improving self-care behaviors in men with high blood pressure. Methods: The present study was an interventional study performed on 112 male patients with primary hypertension and their spouse who referred to health centers of Qom city in 2019. After selecting the eligible individuals to enter the study using convenience sampling method, the subjects under study, were divided into two groups of experimental (n = 56) and control (n = 56) through block randomization method. Questionnaires and checklists were completed by the experimental and control groups before and two months after the intervention. Results: The results showed that the mean score of each of the dimensions of self-care behaviors and social support of the subjects’ spouse significantly increased in the experimental group after the educational intervention (p < 0. 05). Moreover, the mean systolic blood pressure score significantly decreased in the experimental group after the intervention (p < 0. 05), but this decrease was not significant for diastolic blood pressure (p < 0. 05). Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that education based on spousal social support improves self-care behaviors and lowers systolic blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

Background and Objectives: There is a bilateral relationship between mental health and overweight and obesity. In various studies, the association between dietary carbohydrate and mental health, have been controversially reported. Therefore, for the first time, we investigated the association between low carbohydrate diet score (LCDS) and mental health in overweight and obese women. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 360 obese and overweight women aged between 18 and 50 years, who were resident in Tehran city, were selected. A 47-item semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), was used to collect the dietary intake over the past year. LCDS was also calculated for all individuals. The psychiatric health statue was evaluated using a 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) questionnaire. ANOVA and linear regression, were used to analyze the data. Results: The results of the present study, showed that anxiety (p = 0. 03), stress (p = 0. 03), and depression (p= 0. 02) had a significant inverse relationship with LCDS after adjusting for confounders (age, body mass index, physical activity, and total energy intake). Conclusion: The current study revealed that lower amount of carbohydrate in diet is associated with mental health (anxiety, stress, and depression). Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Background and Objectives: Adherence to self-care behaviors is one of the effective factors in controlling and preventing chronic disease complications, such as hypertension, therefore, this study was conducted to determine adherence to self-care behaviors in hypertensive patients in Qom city. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional (descriptive-analytical) study, which was performed on 243 patients with hypertension referred to urban community health centers using available sampling method in Qom city in 2019. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, a self-care behaviors questionnaire and a checklist to assess and record systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and a standard blood pressure gauge. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 software using independent t-, chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient tests. Results: The results of this study indicated that 56. 8% of men and 83. 7% of women adhere to the drug regimen. In the investigation of self-care behavior of low salt diet, 23. 7% of the men and 27. 9% of the women adhered to low salt diet. The findings also showed a significant inverse relationship between adherence to low-salt diet and weight management with mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p>0. 05). Conclusion: The findings of the study reveal that about two-thirds of the patients adhere to drug and physical activity regimes, respectively, while adherence to the low-salt diet in one quarter of the patients still needs improvement. The findings also showed that self-care behaviors (medication, low salt diet, weight management) can decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients.

Background and Objectives: Poor dietary intake, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors, and renal function disorders can be caused by fast food consumption. This issue is particularly important for patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the relationship between fast food consumption, CVD risk factors, and renal function among DN patients. Methods: A total of 397 patients with DN, were randomly enrolled in this cross-sectional study. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to measure fast food intake from the diet. Ready-to-eat foods are referred to foods, such as hamburger, sausage, burger cheese, other burgers, hot dog, Roasted fish and chicken, French fries, and pizza. Standard methods were used to measure biochemical and anthropometric markers. Results: The mean intake of fast food, were 13. 8 grams per day. Patients in the highest tertile of fast food consumption, were more likely to be overweight and obese (p = 0. 01) compared to the patients in the first tertile. Patients in the highest tertile of fast food consumption had higher levels of creatinine, systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as lower level of total cholesterol in unadjusted model and higher levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after adjusting confounders (p ≤ 0. 001) as compared to the patients in the first tertile. Conclusion: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in DN patients could increase as a result of consuming fast food. Moreover, people who consume more fast food were more likely to be overweight or obese.

Background and Objectives: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that weakens the relationship between couple and between mother and child and has negative effects on health, quality of life of the affected and family members. Depression in women is highly affected by social and demographic risk factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the congenital risk factors for postpartum depression in Natanz city. Methods: The current study is a descriptive study in which 673 women who referred to Natanz health centers in 2018, were examined two weeks to two months after their delivery. The research tools were 2 questionnaires of standard Edinburgh and demographic information. Results: The overall prevalence of depression in the study population was obtained to be 7. 1%. Maternal illness and preterm birth and sex of baby, were among the factors associated with postpartum depression. The mother's age, education, occupation, wanted or unwanted pregnancy, type of baby feeding, the birth rate, type of delivery, mother's thyroid disease, and baby hospitalization, were not related to maternal depression. Conclusion: Investigating the factors related to postpartum depression in this research will help the health team for better planning to manage this disorder, and to prevent the disorder, educational and supportive programs should be implemented during pregnancy and after delivery for the mother and those around her, and by timely referral of mothers at risk of postpartum depression, the complications of this disorder could be prevented to some extent.