ABSTRACT
Background: An abnormality in pulse amplitude and frequency of gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] secretion is the most characteristics of polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS]. On the other hand, arginine-phenylalanine-amide [RFamide]-related peptide-3 [RFRP3] inhibits the secretion of GnRH in mammalian hypothalamus. The current study performed in order to investigate the expression of RFRP3 mRNA in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus [DMH] after the induction of PCOS in a rat model of constant light exposure, and the possible role of parity on occurrence of PCOS
Materials and Methods: In the experimental study, female nulliparous [n=12] and primiparous [n=12] rats were randomly subdivided into control and PCOS subgroups [n=6]. PCOS were induced by 90 days exposure to constant light. After 90 days, blood, brain, and ovaries were sampled. Serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], and testosterone were evaluated. In addition, six adult female ovariectomized rats as a control of real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR] tests were prepared and in the DMH of all rats, the relative mRNA expression of RFRP3 was assessed
Results: Histological evaluation of ovaries represented the polycystic features. In addition, serum concentrations of testosterone in the PCOS subgroups were more than the controls [P<0.05]. Furthermore, the relative expression of RFRP3 mRNA in PCOS subgroups was lower than the controls [P<0.05]
Conclusion: Constant light model of the PCOS-induced rats decreased the gene expression of RFRP3 in the DMH that suggests the decrease of RFRP3 may reduce its inhibitory effect on GnRH during the PCOS pathogenesis. This effect was stronger in the nulliparous rats than the primiparous
ABSTRACT
Strategies for weight reduction often promote lifestyle changes like encouraging participation in physical activity. Also there is some evidence suggesting an association between insomnia and physical activity level and probable beneficial effect of magnesium supplementation on insomnia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of magnesium supplementation on physical activity level in insomniac elderly subjects. A double blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in 46 overweight or obese subjects, randomly allocated into the magnesium or the placebo group and received 500 mg magnesium or placebo daily for 8 weeks. Questionnaires of insomnia severity index [ISI], physical activity and sleep-log were completed and serum magnesium measured at baseline and after the intervention period. Anthropometric confounding factors, daily intake of magnesium, calcium, potassium, caffeine, calorie form carbohydrates, fat, protein and total calorie intake, were obtained using 24-hrs recall for 3- days. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-19 software. No significant differences were observed in assessed variables between the two groups at the baseline. According to our research magnesium supplementation significantly increased sleep indices and physical activity level, also resulted in significantly decrease of total calorie intake in magnesium group. Although serum magnesium concentration and weight did not show any differences. In the present study magnesium supplementation resulted in improvement of sleep indices and physical activity level in elderly subjects. Although according to our short term intervention no significant beneficial effect was observed on subject's weight
ABSTRACT
Restricted mineral bioavailability of minerals in Iranian breads due to high levels of phytic acid has been reported for more than 50 years. Bread intakes still provide over one-third of the food energy through out the country. Hence improving bread mineral bioavailability can play an important role in decreasing the prevalence of many mineral deficiencies. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of phytase supplementation on blood, liver and bone zinc, blood and liver iron and femur bone calcium in growing Wistar male rats, fed a diet containing high phytate Iranian bread [Sangak]. Thirty weaning Wistar rats were assigned to the phytase [Aspergillus niger] or the control group for 6 weeks. The diet was designed based on Iranian food patterns and 34.2% of energy was supplied from Sangak bread with high amount of phytic acid. Feed intakes, weight gain, liver and femur bone weight did not differ between the groups. Blood zinc was higher in the phytase group [p=0.03], indicating the positive effect of phytase supplementation on blood zinc levels, independent of the growth process. Other variables did not show any differences between groups. We conclude that the addition of high phytate Iranian bread phytase to the diet can improve blood zinc status in growing rats
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Bread , Zinc/blood , Calcium , Iron , Rats, Wistar , Nutritive Value , DietABSTRACT
Multiple Sclerosis [MS] is the most prevalent autoimmune disease of the nervous system in young adults. There are currently more than 30000 cases in Iran and the number is increasing everyday.The objective of this study was to measure the amount of vitamin and mineral intake in MS patients and to compare it with reference values. We randomly selected 108 relapsing-remitting MS patients from the Iranian MS society in Tehran in 2005. Two questionnaires- covering personal information and medical data- were filled for each patient. Food intake was assessed by three 24-hour recalls and a quantitative food frequency questionnaire for the year preceding the study. The food intake recorded on the original questionnaire was changed to values in grams using [Manual for Household Measures] and then converted to corresponding amounts of nutrient ingredients by the [Nutritionist 3] program. Data analysis was performed by the SPSS software package. We calculated means and standard deviations for intake levels and applied t tests to compare the results with reference values. Women with MS took excessive amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, while their daily intake of folate, vitamin E, vitamin D, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine and calcium was below reference values. Male patients had higher-than-recommended intake of vitamin A, phosphorous, manganese and iron. Their ingestion of folate, Vitamin D and E, magnesium, zinc, calcium and selenium was shown to be below the recommended amount. In view of these results, higher intake of vitamin D and calcium is recommended. Women should be encouraged to take more iron and folate as many symptoms of anemia mimics MS symptoms. Considering the well-known role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of MS, men should be urged to increase their ingestion of antioxidant-rich foods. It appears that nutritional assessment, dietary counseling and education are necessary for Iranian MS patients