Journal of Arak University Medical Sciences
Year:2014 | Volume:16 | Issue:10 (79)|Papers Count:12

Background: Preeclampsia is a serious problem with unknown etiology in pregnancy. The inheritance of preeclampsia is one of the theories regarding to the etiology of preeclampsia.Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in folate metabolism and C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene is associated with decrease in MTHFR activity, therefore blood levels of homocysteine increase which leads to vascular disease and also preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism and preeclampsia.Materials and method: This case-control study was performed on 129 preeclamptic pregnant women and 125 control individuals. The C677T polymorphism of MTHFR gene was determined by PCR-RFLP method.Results: Frequency of CC, CT and TT genotypes of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism were respectively 57.4, 38.8 and 3.9 percent in preeclamptic women and 53.6, 40 and 6.4 percent in control group that showed no significantly difference (p=0.614). However, the frequency of TT genotype was higher in control group (p=0.36). There was not any significant difference in T allele distribution between preeclamptic women (23.3%) and control group (26.4%).Conclusion: There was not any correlation between C677T polymorphism and preeclampsia but the TT genotype seems to have a protective role in preeclampsia.

Background: Given the importance of treatment of Giardiasis, particularly the resistance of protozoan to drugs used for the treatment, the aim of present study was to investigat the effect of gold nanoparticles on Giardia lamblia cysts in vitro.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, Giardia cysts were collected from stool and concentrated and isolated over 0.85 M-sucrose. Then, gold nanoparticles were prepared at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.3 mg/ml. The effect of different concentrations of the nanoparticles at minutes 5, 15, 30, 60, and 180 was evaluated and compared to control groups. Obtained data recorded and statistically analyzed.Results: The cytotoxic effect of nanoparticles on the Giardia cysts in vitro compared with the Metronidazole has shown mean percent of effect gold nanoparticles increased with increasing concentration and exposure time, so that the concentration of 0.3 mg/ml from 62% at 5 min to 96% at 180 min increased (p<0.05). Also, the increasing exposure time, killing effect of gold nanoparticles at a concentration of 78% in 0.05 mg/ml to 96% at a concentration of 0.3 mg / ml greatest increased (p <0.05). As a result, the concentration of gold nanoparticles in comparison with Metronidazole, cytotoxic effect of gold nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.3 mg / ml is similar to the effect of Metronidazole in the treatment of Giardia.Conclusion: The results of this study show that gold nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.3 mg/ml can be used as an effective combination for killing Giardia cysts in vitro. Thus, future studies on laboratory animals are recommended.

Background: Gonadal suppression is one of the side effects of chemotherapy that leads to infertility. The present study examined the feasibility of using a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-A) in prevention of side effects caused by busulfan in prepubertal mice.Material and Methods: In this case-control study, leuprolide (3.8 mg/kg) was injected to prepubertal male mice 2 weeks prior and after to busulfan (40mg/kg) administration. The animals received one or two doses of leuprolide after busulfan administration with 4 week intervals. Six weeks after the last injection, the sperm parameters including sperm count and motility were analyzed based on World Health Organization criteria.Results: At the time of sacrifice, testicular weight was increased in animals receiving leuprolide. In mice who received leuprolide pretreatment, the percentage of progressive and immotile sperms was significantly increased and decreased respectively (p≤0.05). But the percentage of non progressive sperm did not change. The sperm motility in mice that received leuprolide after busulfan also did not change. The sperm count also increased in pretreatment animals but it was not significant (p≥0.05).Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that leuprolide pretreatment results in improvement in sperm motility in prepubertal male mice.

Background: Behaviors and our lifestyles affect the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and experiences associated with emotional health such as exercise and enriched environment lead to increased levels of this important neurotrophin. This study was performed to identify the possible effects of endurance exercise and high-fat diet on levels of BDNF in hippocampus of adult male rats to clear the role of exercise and nutrition effect on synaptic plasticity.Materials and methods: In this experimental study, twenty eight Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups including Regular Diet-Sedentary (RD-Sed) as control group, Regular diet-Exercise (RD-Exe), HF-sedentary (HF-Sed), and HF- Exercise (HF- Exe).Animals in exercise groups received 8 weeks endurance training and animals in HF groups were exposed to the HF diet for 8 weeks. Hippocampal BDNF protein was assessed using commercial ELISA kits and the data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Statistical differences were considered significant at p<0.05.Results: The results showed that the endurance training had no significant increase in BDNF protein level comparison with the RD-Sd and HF-Sed groups.Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it seems that endurance training can increase levels of hippocampus BDNF protein.

Background: Hospitalization of a child in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is a stressful experience for parents. High stress in father can lead to decline in psychological adaptation and associated problems. The present study aimed to determine the effect of fathers' participation in the care of hospitalized child in PICU on his stress and coping strategies.Material and methods: This case-control study was performed on 60 fathers with children admitted to the PICU in intervention and control groups. Fathers in intervention group participated in the care of the child in 5 times, during a 5-days course. Fathers stress and coping strategies were surveyed in intervention group before and after participation course and in control group before and after a 5-days course.Results: fathers' stress in intervention group decreased significantly after participation (p􀀀 0/001) but in control group difference was not significant after time course. Fathers in both groups applied similar coping strategies that were often emotion focused.Conclusion: Fathers of children in PICU would experience too much stress. Their participation in the care of the children would be effective to decline their stress and reach most adaptation with disease, cure and cares in children.

Background: Multidrug resistance is the main reason of unsuccessful chemotherapy. The most important cause of drug resistance is ATP dependent pumps such as MDR1 that extrude drugs from the cell. MDR1 gene is highly polymorphic and it seems that these polymorphisms influence the gene expression and response to treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate MDR1 gene C1236T polymorphism and it’s association with response to treatment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.Materials & Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, MDR1 gene C1236T polymorphism was investigated in 44 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 40 healthy individuals by ARMS-PCR technique. Association of this polymorphism with response to treatment was also evaluated. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using Chi-square test and p value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: There was no significant difference in frequencies of C1236T polymorphism between patients and healthy group (p=0.876). Also there was not significant difference about frequency of polymorphism between responders and non responders (p=0.304).Conclusion: It seems that there is no correlation between C1236T polymorphism of MDR1 gene and response to treatment, and the role of this polymorphism in MDR1 gene expression in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and response to treatment is still controversial.

Background: According to the studies, Iran’s per capita antibiotic consumption is remarkable. Since the emergence of Antibiotic Resistant Organisms (AROs) is considered a global problem in community and hospitals, this study aimed to investigate the pattern of antibiotic resistance in gram-negative bacteria isolated from patients in an academic and a non-academic hospital in Arak, Iran.Material and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included all specimens referred to the microbiology laboratory of Amir Al-Momenin Hospital (academic hospital) and Imam Khomeini Hospital (non- academic hospital) in a one-year period from June 2012 to June 2013. The susceptibility of the isolated gram-negative bacteria against the important antibiotics used in clinical practice was determined using the disk diffusion method.Results: A total of 846 specimens were collected from patients in the two hospitals where 520 (61.5%) were gram-negative bacteria, of which 63.3% were E. coli. The prevalence of gram-negative organisms in the academic and the non-academic hospital was obtained 79.8% and 20.2%, respectively (P=0.097). There was significant difference between the two hospitals in the prevalence of Extended- Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) gram-negative bacteria (P=0.003).Conclusion: There was a significant difference between the two hospitals in the prevalence of ESBL gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, conducting regional surveillance programs to evaluate the patterns of antibiotic resistance is recommended.

Background: Cardiac accidents due to coronary artery disease are the most common cause of mortality in the world. On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency is known as an emerging risk factor of this disease. Considering the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Iran we investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in angioplasty patients, effect of gender and its relationship with coronary artery disease severity Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study serum level of 25 (OH) D3 was measured in 149 patients undergoing PCI between May to September 2013 in Baqiatallah hospital. Patients with renal failure (Cr>2mg/dl), liver disease, and those treated with glucocorticoids or anti-epileptic drugs were excluded. Data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 21). Chi-square and T-Test were used and P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 77.2% (men 86% and women 62.5%) (P=0.0005). Vitamin D deficiency severity was related to the number of involved vessels in men (P=0.046). Vitamin D deficiency was related with stent length in patients with right coronary angioplasty (P=0.041).Conclusion: The pattern of effect of vitamin D deficiency on coronary artery disease seems to be different in men and women. Complementary studies are needed to elucidate this issue further.

Introduction: Getting too much calcium in diet may increase risk of prostate cancer and measuring blood calcium may help to understand this relationship. In this study we evaluate the relationship between prostate specific antigen (PSA) and calcium in men with prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we selected 400 men from different inner-city areas of Arak city within a one year period. After the population was approved to have the inclusion criteria, their PSA and calcium levels were measured. Individuals in this study were divided into two groups of prostate cancer and prostate hyperplasia. In order to determine mean difference between groups T-test analysis was used.Results: There was a significant relationship between age, serum calcium, and serum PSA in both groups and there was a negative significant relationship between age and serum calcium and a positive significant relationship between age and serum PSA in both groups. Mean levels of PSA in prostatic cancer group and prostatic hyperplasia group were respectively 4.5±14.4 and 3.8±9.1 ng/ml and the mean of calcium in both groups was 8.7±1.01 and 8.4±0.8 mg/dl. There was a negative significant relationship between the mean level of PSA and calcium levels only in prostate cancer group.Conclusion: Based on our findings, there is a significant relationship between serum PSA and serum calcium only in patients with prostate cancer. Probably serum calcium will be used in future as a tumor-marker in screening and control of prostate cancer.

Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem cells which results in increase of myeloid cells, erythroid cells and platelets in the peripheral blood and hyperplasia in bone marrow. The research evaluates the cytotoxic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of M.polegium before flowering aerial organs on K562 cell line as a model of chronic myeloid leukemia.Materials and Methods: In this experimental trial, Leaves and stems of M. pulegium before flowering collected from Afoos city and extraction using maceration method. K562 cells were cultured and treated with concentrations of extract (12.5-100 mg/ml) and different times (24, 48, 72 hour).Cytotoxicity of M. pulegium before flowering extract against K562 leukemia cells was estimated by the MTT test method. The absorbance was measured using an ELISA plate reader at 540 nm. Survey on data accomplished with the use of SPSS15 software and one-way ANOVA test analysis and Tukey test; and p<0.001 was considered significant.Results: hydro-alcoholic extract of Mentha pulegium before flowering showed the highest cytotoxic effect (IC50=50 mg/ml) and 72 hour after treatment on K562 cell line.in other words, hydroalcoholic extract of Mentha pulegium before flowering extracts a dose and time dependent cytotoxic effect on K562 cell line Conclusion: Considering the cytotoxic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of M. polegium before flowering aerial organs on K562 cells, the plant can be considered as a potential candidate for further studies on CML treatment.