[Effects of aquatic balance training and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male]

Since disorders in neuromuscular performance and imbalance are the main cause of falling among the middle aged, their aspects including rehabilitation of balance are the main concern the researchers attend to them. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of eight weeks aquatic balance training [ABT] and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male. Thirty adult male subjects were randomized into two groups of ABT and control [n=15 per group]. Berg balance scale, Timed Up and Go and 5-Chair stand tests, as they are indicators of balance and neuromuscular performance in older subjects, were taken as pretest and post-test and after four, six, and eight weeks of detraining as well. The ABT consisted of the sessions that lasted one hour, three times a week, for eight weeks. Results showed that neuromuscular performance and balance improved significantly in ABT group [P<0.05], and there were not any significant differences in these parameters between post-test and four, six, and eight weeks of detraining periods in this group [P > 0.05]. ABT can affect neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male, and reduce the probability of falling among them. Moreover, the effects of these training are persistent after detraining periods. Hence, ABT can be recommended as an effective neuromuscular and balance training in healthy middle aged male

[Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated molecule -4 [CTLA-4] gene polymorphisms in ovarian cancer patients]

Ovarian cancer is a relatively common cancer among postmenopausal women. Nowadays, there is controversy about immunotherapy of ovarian cancer patients with interleukins such as interferon to reach better out come in prognosis of patients under chemotherapy. CTLA-4 is a gene, which has an important role in homeostasis and regulation of immune response. Inhibitory nature of CTLA-4 is proved to be of significance in autoimmune diseases as well as in cancer. In this study we intend to find out the relationship between polymorphisms of this gene at the sites of +49 A/G and -318 C/T and ovarian cancer. The polymorphisms of the CTLA-4 gene at the sites of +49 A/G exon and -318 C/T promoter were investigated. Blood samples of 73 patients with ovarian cancer and 115 healthy subjects used for DNA extraction. Two groups genotypes and alleles were determined using PCR method and compared by statistical t-student test. There was no statistically significant difference in genotypes and alleles prevalence of +49 A/G and -317 C/T between two groups [p>0.05]. Further researches with larger sample size while paying attention to the relation between the gene polymorphism and stage and type of tumor is recommended

[In vitro expansion of antigen-specific natural regulatory T cells in hepatitis C virus infection mediated by Core antigen]

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is one of the most relevant persistent infections afflicting the human population. Control of viral replication in HCV infection has been associated with the cellular component of the host immune response. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this abnormal immune response, among them an altered activity of regulatory T cells [Tregs] being the most recently postulated. As the first report, in the present study the ability of HCV-core antigen in increase the frequency of natural Tregs [nTregs] in the mixed population of PBMCs was evaluated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] from chronic HCV infected patients [n=19] and normal controls [n=6] were analyzed to study the effect of HCV-core antigen in frequency of HCV specific nTregs. For this, PBMCs of different groups were isolated, cultured and stimulated with core antigen. Then an in-house triple-stain flowcytometric method was used to investigate the frequency of nTregs. The results showed that, following incubation with HCV-core Ag, a population of nTregs was increased but, in negative controls the number of nTregs did not increase. The present data supporting the idea that nTregs are able to respond specifically to HCV antigen suggests that Tregs could contribute to an inadequate response against the HCV infection, leading to chronic infection and supports the view that specific natural Tregs may be implicated in host immune tolerance during HCV infection. It is reasonable that HCV vaccine candidates avoid epitopes that lead to strong nTregs stimulation