Co-transplantation of human neurotrophic factor secreting cells and adipose-derived stem cells in rat model of multiple sclerosis

Objective: The presence of neurotrophic factors is critical for regeneration of neural lesions. Here, we transplanted combination of neurotrophic factor secreting cells [NTF-SCs] and human adipose derived stem cells [hADSCs] into a lysolecithin model of multiple sclerosis [MS] and determined the myelinization efficiency of these cells

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 50 adult rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, lysolecithin, vehicle, hADSCs transplantation and NTF-SCs/ hADSCs co-transplantation group. Focal demyelization was induced by lysolecithin injection into the spinal cord. In order to assess motor functions, all rats were scored weekly with a standard experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis scoring scale before and after cell transplantation. Four weeks after cell transplantation, the extent of demyelination and remyelination were examined with Luxol Fast Blue [LFB] staining. Also, immunofluorescence method was used for evaluation of oligodendrocyte differentiation markers including; myelin basic protein [MBP] and Olig2 in the lesion area

Results: Histological study show somewhat remyelinzation in cell transplantation groups related to others. In addition, the immunofluorescence results indicated that the MBP and Olig2 positive labeled cells were significantly higher in co-cell transplantation group than hADSCs group [P<0.05]. Also, outcome of motor functional test showed significant improvement function in cell transplantation groups, as compared to the others [P<0.01]

Conclusion: Our results indicated that the remyelinization process in co-cell transplantation group was better than other groups. Thus, NTF-SCs/ hADSCs transplantation can be proper candidate for cell based therapy in neurodegenerative diseases, such as MS

[Assessment of physical preparedness of farabi eye hospital to deal with the crisis]

Introduction and Aims: Iran is a disaster-prone country and this event will be an obstacle to economic and social development. Crisis management and readiness to deal with the crisis in different organizations is essential. The head of these organizations are hospitals, so the aim of this study was to assess preparedness of Farabi Eye hospital deal with the crisis

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in Farabi Eye hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2014. Data was collected using a checklist extracted from the book "Hospital Disaster Risk Assessment" which has 5 forms: 1] General information about the hospital 2] Identification of risks 3] Assessment of functional safety 4] Assessment of non-structural safety 5] Assessment of structural safety that completed as self-report and was analyzed using Excel software

Results: Respectively, the most possibility hazards were geological hazards [earthquakes, landslides, and liquefaction], climatic hazards [hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat and cold, dust], biological/epidemic hazards [vermin infestation], and human-made hazards [fires, overloaded hospital]

Conclusion: According to high losses resulting from accidents, strategic planning of crisis management for health care centers and planning for cooperate health care centers together to deal with the crisis are necessary and it is suggested that training against the crisis is provided to staff of this center and to inform and participant attraction them take the necessary decisions and to be operational

[Evaluation of physical and chemical quality of groundwater in Northern Cities of Golestan Province [Bandar Torkaman, Kordkoy, Bandar-e Gaz] in 2005-2010]

Introduction and Aims: Access to safe water in terms of physical, chemical and microbial parameters is one of the health care providers of community. Testing and analyzing are essential to understand the safety of potable water. The purpose of this study is investigating the chemical and physical quality of drinking water resources in cites of Bandar Torkaman, Bandar Gaz and Kordkoy

Material and Methods: In this descriptive and crosses- sectional study, 43 samples of deep wells were collected from 3 cities during 2006-2010. 15 parameters analyzed according to standard methods, comparing to the WHO standards

Results: The results revealed the parameters of EC 625,992,650 micromho/cm, TDS 273, 535,523 mg/l, Nitrate 9/7,10.9,9.9 mg/l, Sulfate 19, 25.6, 39.2 mg/l and Chloride 22, 182, 185 for Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy, respectively. Also, the average value of hardness in drinking water 185, 255 and 317 mg/l calcium carbonate for Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy, respectively. According to hardness of water quality Bandar Gaz and Bandar Torkaman, Kordkoy ranged between hard and very hard water group. Fluoride concentration ranged from 0.3 to 0.4 ppm, where 100% samples showed fluoride less than permissible limit

Conclusion: According to results, the mean concentration of most physico -chemical parameters except fluoride concentration in Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy drinking water resources is within the Iran and WHO standard limitations

Congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae: a review on embryological etiology

Congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae is a rare anomaly. In this condition, two fused vertebrae appear structurally and functionally as one. This anomaly may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. Myelopathy, limitation in neck movement, muscular atrophy and regional sensory loss are examples of probable morbidity associated with this anomaly. Combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved in pathogenesis of this anomaly. Malformation of notochord, poor performance of retinoids, decreased local blood supply of spine and alteration in genes expression, especially members of Hox and Pax family genes are some of the proposed reasons of congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae. Diagnosis of this congenital anomaly in childhood seems to have an important role in prevention of probable secondary disorders in adulthood. We offer to clinicians that after performing careful physical tests and noticing the presence of signs and symptoms that mentioned in this paper, if a patient suspected to have congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae, genetic tests ought to be performed

Effect of saffron on rat sperm chromatin integrity

Currently, relation between reactive oxygen species [ROS] ROS concentration and semen quality was indicated. Saffron has traditionally been not only considered as a food additive but also as a medicinal herb, which has a good antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protection potency of saffron and vitamin E on sperm chromatin integrity. Thirty adult male Wistar rats divided equally into saffron [100 mg/kg], vitamin E [100 mg/kg] and control [0.5cc distilled water /day] groups. After 60 days, cauda epididymis dissected and sperm cells were used for analysis of sperm chromatin packaging by chromomycin A3 [CMA3] staining, and sperm chromatin susceptibility to acid denaturation by acridine orange [AO] staining. The mean percentage of CMA3 positive sperm was significantly decreased in saffron and vitamin E groups relative to control group [p<0.001]. Moreover, the AO staining results showed that the mean percentage of sperm with DNA damage was significantly decreased in saffron and vitamin E groups as compared with control group [p<0.001]. Our results purposed that saffron can protect sperm against DNA damage and chromatin anomalies

Comparative study of microtubule-associated protein-2 and glial fibrillary acidic proteins during neural induction of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and adipose-derived stem cells

In recent years, adipose tissue, due to the stem cells contained within, has found a new special place in laboratory and clinical applications. These adipose-derived stem cells [ADSCs] have the same characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BMSCs]. Although bone marrow [BM] is not easily accessible and its procurements may be painful, most patients possess excess fat which can be obtained by less invasive methods; this makes adipose tissue ubiquitous, available and an ideal large-scale source for research on clinical applications. BMSCs and ADSCs were harvested from three healthy human and were characterized using flow-cytometry. After they were treated for neurosphere formation using basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, B27; terminal differentiation was performed. In this study, we used immunocytochemistry, real time-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting techniques for detection and comparison of Nestin, microtubule-associated protein-2 [MAP-2] and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] markers in human ADSCs and BMSCs. Under appropriate conditions ADSCs can differentiate into neuron-like cells and express neural markers the same as BMSCs, also the expression of GFAP marker in differentiated cells derived from ADSCs was significantly lower than the cells derived from BMSCs [P < 0.05]. While the expression of MAP-2 marker in both groups was the same. However, due to its advantages and according to our results based on the expression levels of GFAP and MAP-2, adipose tissue rather than BM could represent a more appropriate stem cell source for investigating the application of these cells in understanding the pathophysiology and in treatment of neurodegenerative disorders

Combination of salermide and cholera toxin b induce apoptosis in MCF-7 but not in MRC-5 cell lines

Sirtuin1 is an enzyme that deacetylates histones and several non-histone proteins including P53 during the stress. P300 is a member of the histone acetyl transferase family and enzyme that acetylates histones. Hereby, this study describes the potency combination of Salermide as a Sirtuin1 inhibitor and cholera toxin B [CTB] as a P300 activator to induce apoptosis Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 [MCF-7] and MRC-5. Cells were cultured and treated with a combination of Salermide and CTB respectively at concentrations of 80.56 and 85.43 micro mol/L based on inhibitory concentration 50 indexes at different times. The percentage of apoptotic cells were measured by flow cytometry. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to estimate the messenger ribonucleic acid expression of Sirtuin1 and P300 in cells. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and Bradford protein techniques were used to detect the endogenous levels of total and acetylated P53 protein generated in both cell lines. Our findings indicated that the combination of two drugs could effectively induced apoptosis in MCF-7 significantly higher than MRC-5. We showed that expression of Sirtuin1 and P300 was dramatically down-regulated with increasing time by the combination of Salermide and CTB treatment in MCF-7, but not MRC-5. The acetylated and total P53 protein levels were increased more in MCF-7 than MRC-5 with incubated combination of drugs at different times. Combination of CTB and Salermide in 72 h through decreasing expression of Sirtuin1 and P300 genes induced acetylation of P53 protein and consequently showed the most apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, but it could be well-tolerated in MRC-5. Therefore, combination of drugs could be used as an anticancer agent

role of sperm chromatin anomalies on the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques

Sperm DNA is known to contribute one half of the genomic material to the offspring. The integrity of sperm DNA is important in fertilization, embryonic and fetal development, and postnatal child well being. The nature has created multiple barriers that allow only the fittest sperm to reach and fertilize an oocyte. However, assisted reproductive techniques [ART], like IVF and ICSI, may allow sperms with abnormal genomic material to enter the oocyte with minimal effort. This article describes structure of sperm DNA and different mechanism involved in sperm chromatin anomalies and DNA damage. Furthermore, this study elaborates possible sperm selection methods that may improve the outcome of ART