Journal of Advances in Medical and Biomedical Research
Year:2017 | Volume:25 | Issue:109|Papers Count:15

Background and Objective: Food deprivation increases the expression of orexin-1 receptor gene in the hypothalamus. On the other hand, food deprivation induces analgesia and orexin has a fundamental and well known role in pain modulation. This study aimed to determine the role of orexin receptor 1 antagonist in analgesic effect of acute food deprivation (12 h) by hot plate test in male rats.Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n=8), control, food deprivation without surgery, stereotaxic surgery with vehicle, vehicle and food deprivation and food deprivation and orexin receptor 1 antagonist groups.12 hours before the hot plate test, food was removed from the animals.proximity, but water was freely available. All groups were tested using the hot plate. Data were analyzed statistically by one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test.Results: According to our findings, orexin receptor 1 antagonist injection increased pain related behaviors at the time of 5 (P<0.05), 15 (P<0.05), 30 (P<0.01) and 60 (P<0.001) minutes in the hot plate test.Conclusion: Orexin plays an important role in feeding state.induced pain modulation. Based on our results, change in pain behavior induced by food deprivation may be related to change in orexin expression or in orexin receptors density.

Background and Objective: In spite of various and effective anti seizure drugs available, 30% of epileptic patients are not adequately treated with current medications. Based on the effectiveness of phytocannabinoids on epileptic and seizure models, in this study the effects of 2-achidonoylglycerol (2-AG) injection, as an important endocannabinoid, on tonic-clonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) was examined.Materials and Methods: The study was performed on male wistar rats (180-200 g). Tonic-clonic seizures were induced through a single intra-peritoneal injection of PTZ (80 mg/Kg) and then seizure behavior was monitored for 30 minutes. The intra-peritoneal injection of 2-AG (1 mg/Kg) in dimethyl solfoxide (DMSO) was performed 15 minutes before the PTZ injection. In the sham group an equivalent volume of DMSO was injected 15 minutes before PTZ. Data on the delay of seizure stage occurrence, duration of the stages, number of occurrences for each stage and mortality rate due to tonic-clonic seizures were collected for analysis.Results: PTZ injection in association with DMSO significantly increased the delay for seizure stages 1 and 2, in comparison with just a PTZ injection (P<0.05), but had no significant effect on the duration and delay of seizure stages 3-5. Intra-peritoneal injection of 2-AG in association with DMSO before the injection of PTZ had no significant effect on the delay and duration of seizures but reduced the occurrence of each seizure stage and also reduced mortality due to tonic-clonic seizures in comparison with PTZ injection associated with DMSO. The mean seizure stage was also significantly decreased (P<0.05).Conclusion: It seems 2-AG injection could be effective in reducing seizure parameters in seizures induced by PTZ.

Background and Objective: In the modern era, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a huge burden on the shoulders of health systems around the world. On the other hand, lack of a specific and effective therapeutic approach has persuaded scientists to look for new treatments, among which probiotics have recently raised interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of probiotics in non alcoholic fatty liver disease treatment.Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 90 patient were enrelled with NAFLD and divided into two groups: 45 patients in the diet and exercise group, and 45 patients received 500 mg/d Familacat capsules in addition to diet and exercise. Then the serum level changes of FBS, Triglycerides, Cholestrol, AST and ALT as well as weight and blood pressure were compared between the groups.Results: In the FamiLact group, BMI, FBS, cholesterol, LDL, AST and ALT had improved significantly. In the control group, the only insignificantly changed variable was serum LDL. Comparison of the groups showed a significantly better improvement in the FamiLact group in terms of cholesterol and LDL changes.However in the control group, changes in blood pressure and HDL levels were significantly better.Conclusion: FamiLact is a safe and effective probiotic in improving blood sugar, BMI and lipid profile values (except for HDL) in patients with NAFLD.

Background and Objective: Based on previous studies, inflammation and oxidative stress play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, we aimed to examine the protective effects of crocin, as a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, on kidney function and oxidative stress in an experimental model of diabetic nephropathy in male wistar rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, male wistar rats (190-220 g) were randomly divided into four groups (each n=6); normal, normal treatment, diabetic, diabetic treatment. The rats were made diabetic by an intravenous injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg). Treated rats received crocin intraperitoneally with a dose of 40 mg/kg/day for eight weeks. Blood samples were collected for measurement of blood glucose and creatinine levels. The Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrate contents of kidney also were assessed.Results: Chronic hyperglycemia (blood glucose>400 mg/dL) significantly increased the blood creatinine of the diabetic group (4.51±0.45 mg/dL) compared with normal rats (0.72±0.09 mg/dL, P<0.001). Hyperglycemia also decreased the nitrate content (37%) accompanied by an increase in the MDA content (13.00±0.19 µg/mg protein) compared with normal group (10.22±0.54 µg/mg protein). Crocin significantly decreased the blood creatinine of diabetic rats (1.12±0.13 mg/dL, P<0.001), accompanied by a decrease in blood glucose (9%). Finally, the content of MDA significantly decreased by 29% in diabetic treated rats compare to diabetic untreated rats (P<0.001) Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it is appeared that crocin has a role in the prevention of diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of oxidative stress and reducing lipid oxidation.

Background and Objective: In traditional medicine, the shallot plant is recognized as an effective food for the amplification of male sexual ability. This study was performed in order to find an available, effective and low-risk treatment for fertility problems due to sperm production disorders.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 60 adult male mice with an average weight of 23±1 grams were selected and randomly divided into 5 equal groups, including a control group, a sham group and 3 experimental groups. The experimental groups received 0.5 ml hydroalcoholic extract of shallot three different doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/day hydroalcoholic extract of shallot every other day resulting in a total of 13 injections. The sham group received the same volume of normal saline and the control group did not receive anything. After removing the testicles, data was collected on testicular mass, germ cell numbers, external and internal diameter of tubules and germinal layer area and density. The data was evaluated with one-way ANOVA variance analysis and Tukey and Dunnett tests Results: Significantly increased spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, spermatids and internal and external diameters of tubules and germinal layer area were seen in experimental groups compared with controls.Furthermore comparison of testis weight ratio between the third experimental group and controls and comparison of the internal diameter of tubules among the first and third experimental groups showed a significant increase.Conclusion: The results showed that hydroalcoholic shallot extract increases the number of germ cells in mice testes and helps amplify the sexual ability of male mice.

Background and Objective: The beneficial effects of Ephedra Major in treating hypertension, common cold and muscle weakness have been reported. As there are no previous studies that assess its effects during pregnancy, we aimed to assess the biological effects of Ephedra Major extract on the quantitative development of Balb/C mouse embryos during the third to sixth days of pregnancy Materials and Methods: In this study, 50 female Balb/C mice were randomly divided into 6 equal groups consisting of a control group (no injection), a sham group (injection of saline) and 4 experimental groups.The in vivo LD50 was determined as 3086 mg/kg and the injection doses were chosen at 300 and 500 mg/kg. Injection was done on the third to sixth days by enema. Then the mice were dissected on the 15th day of pregnancy. The experiment was performed twice. Data were analyzed by Duncan test in SPSS21. P<0.001 was considered statistical significance.Results: All embryos were atrophied in the group receiving 500 mg/kg Ephedra Major. We observed reduced myometrial thickness and disruption in the natural order of the endometrial layer. In the group receiving 300mg/kg, a significant decrease (P<0.001) in the Crown.Rump Length (CR), embryo weight and placental weight was noted compared with other groups.Conclusion: According to our observations, it seems that using this herb during pregnancy is hazardous. In addition to abortion, it may have a negative effect on embryonic development.

Background and Objective: Several reports indicate the effect of obesity on the rise of breast cancer prevalence in different societies. Several laboratory methods have been applied in order to understand molecular mechanisms and biochemical markers associated with breast cancer, many of which are still unknown. In this study, we investigate the relation between protein profile of breast tumor tissue and body mass index (BMI) in women with invasive ductal breast cancer.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, 10 patients diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer were chosen and divided into two groups based on their BMI, higher mean (33.41) and lower mean (26.04). Homogenized tumor proteins were analyzed with proteomics system. In this method, twodimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS / MS were used. Statistical analysis was done by t-test and Image master 2D platinum 6.0.Results: In this study, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase expression increased significantly in the biopsy of the higher mean BMI group in comparison with the lower mean BMI=26.04 group (P<0.05). In contrast, the expression of cytokeratin 19 in the higher mean BMI group compared to the other group showed a significant reduction (P<0.05). Furthermore Apo A-1 expressed only in the biopsy of the lower mean BMI group and HSP27 expressed only in the higher mean BMI group.Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate some differences in protein spectrum between the biopsies of lower and higher mean BMI groups of breast cancer patients. Furthermore the four proteins mentioned in the results probably influence molecular mechanisms linking obesity to breast cancer, but more studies are needed.

Background and Objective: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli(EHEC) can cause diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis in humans. The attachment of EHEC to intestinal epithelial cells is the first step of infection which the protein Intimin plays a key role in this process. An immunogen consisting of Intimin can inhibit the attachment of EHEC and prevent diarrhea. Encapsulation of antigens in particular carriers such as chitosan nanogels not only protects them from degradation in environmental conditions but also provides the effective concentrations of antigens in targets and increases bioactivity. The aim of this study was the investigation of immunization against EHEC using chitosan nanogels loaded with protein.Materials and Methods: The protein was expressed in E.coli and purified. Chitosan nanogels were prepared by reacting chitosan with tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a crosslinking agent The nanogels were loaded with Intimin and their structures were characterized by SEM and DLS. Nanogels and solution protein were introduced in Balb/C mice by oral and parenteral routes respectively. Antibody titers were determined by ELISA. Immunized and nonimmunized mice were tested withE.coli O157: H7.Results: Loading efficiency of the nanogels was 100% after 48h of incubation. The average particle size was 218 nm. Immunization of mice induced serum IgG antibody response. The protection of immunized animals via oral route was better than parenteral route.Conclusion: Chitosan nanogels loaded with Intimin can be used as an effective vaccine against EHEC.

Background and Objective: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological disorder that leads to the loss of social interactions. It is reported that storytelling provides templates for communication, behavior skills and the proper way of communication in diverse states with different people for autistic children. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of storytelling on the social interaction of boys with ASD.Materials and Methods: This Quasi-experimental study with a pre and post-test were designed for this project. Elementary school students diagnosed with ASD in governmental and nongovernmental schools located in the city of Karaj in the year 2015 comprised the study population. Overall, 24 students were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly assigned into two groups. The examination group was provided 120 storytelling sessions for 30 minutes and the control group received no intervention. Social interactions of the children were measured by current treatment algorithm (ADI-R. SPSS-19 software and covariance method were used for data analysis.Results: Before and after intervention the mean and standard deviation of social interaction storytelling group was 28.75±1.055 and 19.91±2.53, respectively.Conclusion: The results showed that storytelling lead to a significant increase in social interactions of children with ASD. The application of storytelling could benefit the social interactions of autistic children.

Background and Objective: Nitrite is widely used in food, pharmaceutical and chemical products. This study was performed to examine the effects of sodium nitrite on liver histopathology and enzyme and nitric oxide in adult Wistar male rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups of 10, consisting of one control group and two experimental groups (one group receiving 100 mg/kg/day and the other 300 mg/kg/day of sodium nitrite in drinking water for 60 days). Blood samples were collected to determine serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and nitric oxide. After sacrifying the rats, the rat.s liver tissues were removed for histopathological evaluation (using Hematoxylin-Eosin staining). The obtained results were analyzed statistically.Results: Use of sodium nitrite in both experimental groups caused a significant increase in serum AST, ALT, ALP and nitric oxide compared to the control group (p£0.0) In the group receiving 300 mg/kg/day of sodium nitrite, dilatation and congestion of hepatic sinusoids with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells in addition to sinusoid cell proliferation was observed.Conclusion: Sodium nitrite increases nitric oxide levels and damages hepatocytes, therefore it is a risk factor for liver disease and should be replaced with a suitable and healthy substance in the food industry.

Background and Objective: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. The most common well-differentiated form of thyroid cancer is papillary carcinoma (PTC). Few studies on determining the role of CD10 in PTC prognosis have been performed, furthermore they have been controversial. This study was designed to determine the correlation of CD10 expression with age, gender, tumor size, lymph node involvement and capsular invasion as prognostic factors of PTC.Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study. Data concerning age, gender, tumor size and lymph node involvement were derived from the medical records of 85 patients diagnosed with PTC that underwent thyroidectomy in Mostafa Khomeini Hospital between 2011 and 2014.With the help of four micrometer sections made from paraffin embedded blocks, CD10 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Another section was stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin and capsular invasion was evaluated by light microscope.Results: In this study 88.24% of patients were female and 11.76% were male.41.2% of samples were CD10 positive. A significant correlation between CD10 and tumor size, lymph node involvement and capsular invasion was found. There was no significant correlation between CD10 expression and the age or gender of patients.Conclusion: CD10 oncoprotein expression is correlated with increased tumor size, lymph node involvement and capsular invasion. Therefore CD10 can be used to assess PTC prognosis.

Background and Objective: Currently mulitifactorial etiology of addiction have caused concurrent use of different methods in treatment process The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of modified alphatheta protocol on drug craving among male Opioid addicts.Materials and Methods: By using a pretest-posttest method, 20 opiate dependent patients who were referred to methadone treatment centers, were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group after completing a.Desire for Drug Questionnaire. The experimental group received 20 sessions of neurofeedback therapy during their methadone treatment. The Control group received only methadone medication. Finally, the participants in both groups completed.the Desire for Drug Questionnaire. for the second time. Data was analyzed using the mean of differences method.Results: The results showed that in comparison to control group, modified alpha-theta protocol is more effective in decreasing the intensity of craving (d=18, P<0.0001).Conclusion: Neurofeedback therapy in tandem with medication is more effective than only using medication for reducing opioid craving.