Journal of Arak University Medical Sciences
Year:2018 | Volume:21 | Issue:1 (130) |Papers Count:12

Background: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of 8 weeks High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on the expression of two muscle growth regulating genes (myostatin and follistatin) in gastrocnemius muscle of healthy male rats.Materials and Methods: 16 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups in the same number: control and HIIT. HIIT program was underwent 40 min each session, three sessions in a week for eight weeks. Each exercise training session consisted of 5 min warm-up and cool-down at 40-50% VO2max, 30 min interval running including 4 min high-intensity (85-90% VO2max) and 2 min active recovery (at 50-60% VO2max). Rats in control group did not do any exercise training program.48 h after the last training session, rats` gastrocnemius muscle was extracted and the expression of myostatin and follistatin genes was determined by Real Time-PCR. For statistical data analysis, independent t-test was used.Results: The expression of myostatin was significantly reduced 68% in HIIT group in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in follistatin expression in HIIT group compared to the control group (p>0.05). Gastrocnemius muscle weight was significantly increased 23% in the HIIT group compared to the control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: Results indicated that HIIT lead to significant reduction in the expression of myostatin gene and increase in the weight of gastrocnemius muscle in rats.

Background: Nanotechnology offers a great chance to treat drug-resistant microbial infections. The purpose of this study was to synthesize amoxicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles and compare the antibacterial activity of this nanoformulation with pure amoxicillin.Materials and Methods: Amoxicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles were prepared using chitosan as a polymer and alginate as cross linking agent. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The antibacterial effects of the nanoparticles were evaluated using broth microdilution and well diffusion methods against some common bacterial strains involved in hospital-acquired infections.Results: The drug-encapsulated nanoparticles were found to be spherical in shape with average size of 96 nm. These nanoparticles had a significant antibacterial effect on all tested bacteria, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They also displayed stronger antibacterial activity than the nanocarrier alone or free antibiotic. The highest mean zones of growth inhibition (23.7 mm) for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and the smallest zone (12.5 mm) for the resistant species of this bacterium were determined. MIC of the nanoformulation against these two strains was respectively determined at 1.5 and 48 μg/ml and for Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 6.6 and 256 mg/ml.Conclusion: The results suggest that amoxicillin encapsulation in polymer nanoparticles has the potential to increase its antibacterial activity against bacteria causing nosocomial infections.

Background: Ovarian cancer is one of the common malignancies within gynecological cancers. Its lethality may be due to problems in distinguishing it at an early stage and lack of effective managements for patients with a progressive or recurrent status. Therefore, there is an essential need for prognostic biomarkers to diagnose or identifying mechanism of disease for effective treatment. It has been found out that, TRAF4 gene was significantly transformed in different cancers. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the TRAF4 gene expression in ovarian cancer.Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumoral tissues of ovarian cancer and 40 non-tumoral tissues were enrolled. Afterwards total RNA extraction and cDNA was synthesized, the relative gene expression was determined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and evaluated by 2-DDct method. Finally, the expression pattern was analyzed by statistical analysis.Results: The results of recent study showed that TRAF4 expression was significantly increased in tumoral samples (p=0.0001). According to the study of demographic and clinopathology information with gene expression, there was seen a significant relationship between metastasis and up-regulation of gene.Also, there was a higher expression in TRAF4 gene in patient's £48 years old.Conclusion: According to different studies, it seems that TRAF4 over expression is likely due to amplification of gene copies in chromosomal zone in cancers. Considering the results of present study and the over expression of TRAF4 in ovarian cancer specimen, especially over expression in patients£48 years old, TRAF4 gene can be considered as a diagnostic biomarker.

Background: Hemodynamic changes during surgery are initially controlled by changes in dosage of anesthetics. Decreasing the dose of anesthetics in order to cope with hypotension during surgery may reduce the anesthetic depth and increases the chance of awareness. This study was designed to investigate the depth of anesthesia in patients whose anesthtics is prescribed by controlling blood pressure and is aimed to investigate the possibility of reducing the depth of anesthesia during surgery.Materials and Methods: In this study, females candidate for hysterectomy underwent general anesthesia according to specific inclusion criteria enrolled in two types of intravenous (propofol) or inhaled (isoflurane) anesthesia. The dose of maintenance anesthetic drugs were increased or decreased during the operation by the anesthetist technician (blinded to the depth of anesthesia) according to specified protocol. At defined intervals, depth of anesthesia was recorded by the anesthetist. Mean of obtained data were analyzed.Results: In addition to the weight and height similarity, there was no statistically significant difference in systolic, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in two groups at intervals, between two groups. The median of recorded BIS, which showed depth of anesthesia, was not different in either of the two groups, and no patients during the operation reached the level of awakening and the number above 60.Conclusion: The traditional method to control hemodynamic changes during surgery by changing the doses of maintenance drugs, does not result in severe changes in the depth of anesthesia and does not significantly increase the BIS to the awareness level.

Background: According to application of Retinoic acid in differentiation of the stem cells to different cells and its role in apoptotic of cancer cells, the selection of appropriate dose for differentiation of stem cells is important. Thus in this study the effects of Retinoic acid in different concentrations on viability stem cells to select the appropriate dose for differentiation was investigated.Materials and Methods: In this study, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were affected by different concentrations of Retinoic acid. Survival of cells was investigated after 3, 10 and 15 days of culture by MTT assay. DAPI staining was used to evaluate the number of apoplectic nuclei in treated cells after 10 and 15 days.Results: After three days of culture, the results showed that a large number of cells are destroyed at concentrations of 10-4, 10-3 and 10-2 M of Retinoic acid, while in 10-5 and 10-6 M of Retinoic acid, it is not observed many apoptosis. Amount of 10-5M Retinoic acid after 10 days showed significant apoptosis, while the concentration of 10-6 M Retinoic acid after 15 days showed significant apoptosis compared to the control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: It looks that 10-6 M Retinoic acid is an appropriate concentration for differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of endurance training on the content of lactate dehydrogenase isoforms (LDHA and LDHB) and isozymes in cerebrospinal fluid of male wistar rats.Materials and Methods: Seventeen animals (5 weeks old) were randomly divided into two groups according their body weight: control (C; n=9) and trained (T; n=8). The animals from the T group were underwent a training program for 12 weeks (started at 20 m/min for 30 min and finished at 26 m/min for 60 min at the last week). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from cisterna Magna 72 hours after the last exercise session. LDH Isoforms and isozymes were measured by ELISA and Electrophoresis techniques, and the comparisons between groups were evaluated by student t-test.Results: Both LDHA and LDHB isoforms were found in the CSF of the C group; LDH1 and LDH5 had the highest and lowest content, respectively. Following the twelve-week training protocol, LDHB (p<0.01), LDH1 (p<0.01), and LDH2 concentrations (p<0.01) were significantly increased in the T group compared with those from the C group and LDH3 concentrations (p<0.01) and LDHA/LDHB ratio (p<0.01) were significantly decreased. Endurance training had no effect on LDHA and LDH4.Conclusion: Endurance training is associated with oxidative shift of lactate dehydrogenase isoforms and isozymes in cerebrospinal fluid which could be considered as a prelude to aerobic metabolism of lactate in the brain.

Background: Aflatoxins are natural fungal toxins produced by Aspergillus species such as A. flavus. The toxins are poisoning and can cause tissue necrosis and liver cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the control of Aflatoxin B1 production by extracts and essential oils.Materials and Methods: Aqueous extracts were prepared by heating and essential oil by Clevenger's apparatus. Antifungal activity of essential oil and aqueous extract of Mentha pulegium and Satureja hortensis were determined by disc diffusion and microplate dilution methods. Production control of Aflatoxin B1 was investigated with concentrations under MIC (Minimum inhibitory growth concentration) of two materials and were determined by HPLC method.Results: The most zone of inhibition was 10% belonging to Satureja essential oil and its aqueous extracts with diameters of 26mm and 12mm, respectively. These values for Mentha extract and 10% essential oil were 18mm and 8mm respectively. MIC of the aqueous extract of Satureja and Mentha were 0.031 and 0.063mg/ml respectively, and 1% essential oil of two materials was 0.039 and 0.078 mg/ml, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 produced by A. flavus in concentrations of 1%, 2% and 10% Satureja essential oil were 122, 113 and 134 ppb, in 1%, 2% and 10% Mentha were 163, 168 and 171 ppb, respectively. The aqueous extracts of 1%Satureja reduced the production of toxin as 58.1 and the 1% aqueous extract of Menthaas 39.6.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that both Satureja hortensis and Mentha pulegium have the ability to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus fungus, as well as control of aflatoxin B1 production in low concentrations and recommended for further studies.

Background: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a widely-used flavor enhancer and stabilizer in ready-made or packaged foods. The excessive use of MSG has been shown to increase oxidative stress in different regions of the brain. In this study, the neuroprotective effect of L-carnitine was investigated against MSG intoxication in granular cell of cerebellum in rats.Materials and Methods: 48 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: the control, sham (normal saline treated), MSG (3%), L-Carnitine200, MSG+L-Carnitine100 and MSG+LCarnitine200. After 30 days of treatment, through transcardialy perfusion, the rats were sacrificed and histopathological analyses were conducted on cerebellum.Results: The results indicated that the density of granular cells in cerebellar folium IV, V and VI of rats in the MSG group had significantly decreased in comparison to that of the control and sham groups. Furthermore, the MSG+L-Carnitine200 group showed the higher density of granular cells compared with the MSG group in the three folia.Conclusion: Treatment with L-Carnitine could protect the granular cells in cerebellum against MSG intoxication in rats.

Background: Angiogenesis occurs in physiologic (wound healing) and pathological conditions and plays an important role in tumor growth, progression and metastasis. Therefore, the inhibition of angiogenesis can be an important approach to treat cancer diseases. In recent years, the use of nanoparticles has been developed to control cancer cells and prevent tumor growth. Various studies have shown the role of nanoparticles in reducing angiogenesis and inhibition of cancer cells. So, in this study, the anti-angiogenic effect of silver nanoparticle synthesis by Rubina tinctorum L (Ru-AgNPs) on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) was investigated.Materials and Methods: In an experimental study, 60 eggs were randomly divided into 6 groups including control, laboratory control and 4 treatment groups (10 eggs/group). On the second day of incubation, a window was created on the eggs. On the 8th day, the chorioallantoic membrane of samples was treated with different concentrations of nanoparticles and on the 12th day, the image was taken from all samples. Finally, the number and length of vessels on the chorioallantoic membrane and following that weight and length of the embryo from crown to squattiest were measured. Quantitative data were analyzed using LSD-test.Results: The results showed that the Ru-AgNPs significantly reduced the length and number of blood vessels in the treated groups compared to the control group. Also, the comparison of length and weight of embryos in treated samples with control group showed that the Ru-AgNPs had an inhibitory effect on the length of the embryos, but the weight did not differ significantly in the treatment with the control group.Conclusion: Considering the inhibitory effect of the Ru-AgNPs on the angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane, with further studies, this compound can be used to control and inhibit pathological angiogenesis in many diseases such as cancers.

Background: Learning disorders is one of the most common problems of students, which attracted the attention of many psychologists and many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of various interventions on different classes of learning disorder. The present study aimed to conclude general conclusions about the effectiveness of various educational and therapeutic interventions and the discovery of possible moderating variables.Materials and Methods: In order to achieve the research purpose by using meta-analysis method, quantitative results of 128 selected researches which were obtained according to the criteria for entering and leaving and using keywords were used. In total, 623 primary effect sizes were obtained and analyzed by using CMA2 software.Results: The results of the analysis showed that amount of combined effect size of the educational and therapeutic interventions on learning disorders was 1.13, and after dividing into multiple predecessor and consequence variables, the amounts of the combined effect size for educational interventions and therapeutic interventions for overall class of learning disabilities were respectively 0.74 and 1.26, for reading disorder 0.87 and 1.01, for writing disorder 1.20 and 1.22, and for mathematical disorder 1.29 and 1.26 that all of these effects size were significant (p£0.001). Also, the results of independent t-test showed that the difference in the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on reading disorder and educational interventions on mathematical disorder is significant (p£0.001).Conclusion: Based on the size of the effects obtained, it can be said that educational and therapeutic interventions have a very high effect on learning disabilities, and the use of therapeutic interventions for reading disorder and educational interventions for mathematical disorder is more effective.