ABSTRACT
Objective: methylmalonic acidura [MMA] is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism. In this study we present a novel nucleotide change in the mutase [MUT] gene of two unrelated Iranian pedigrees and introduce the methods used for its functional analysis
Materials and Methods: two probands with definite diagnosis of MMA and a common novel variant in the MUT were included in a descriptive study. Bioinformatic prediction of the splicing variant was done with different prediction servers. Reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] was done for splicing analysis and the products were analyzed by sequencing
Results: the included index patients showed elevated levels of propionylcarnitine [C3]. Urine organic acid analysis confirmed the diagnosis of MMA, and screening for mutations in the MUT revealed a novel C to G variation at the 3' splice acceptor site in intron 12. In silico analysis suggested the change as a mutation in a conserved sequence. The splicing analysis showed that the C to G nucleotide change at position -3 in the acceptor splice site can lead to retention of the intron 12 sequence
Conclusion: this is the first report of a mutation at the position -3 in the MUT intron 12 [c.2125-3C>G]. The results suggest that the identified variation can be associated with the typical clinical manifestations of MMA
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Background: Spinal cord injury [SCI] causes infertility in male patients through erectile dys-function, ejaculatory dysfunction, semen and hormone abnormalities. Oxidative stress [OS] is involved in poor semen quality and subsequent infertility in males with SCI. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of SCI on the level of testosterone hormone
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we evaluated the effects of exogenous testosterone on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [GPx] as well as the levels of malondialdehyde [MDA] and protein carbonylation [PCO], as markers of OS, in 10 groups of SCI mice. Total antioxidant capacity [TAC] was determined using the 2,29-azinobis-[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] [ABTS] radical cation assay
Results: Exogenous testosterone administration in mice with SCI significantly reduced SOD and GPx enzyme activities and MDA level. There was no significant decrease in PCO content. In addition, TAC remarkably increased in the sham and SCI groups not treated with testosterone but remained unchanged in all other experimental groups. Exogenous testosterone also reduced serum testosterone levels in all groups except the positive control group
Conclusion: Our cumulative data indicated that SCI could cause sterility by disturbing the plasmatic testosterone balance. The normal level of endogenous testosterone was not completely restored by exogenous testosterone administration
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Oxidative Stress , Spinal Cord Injuries , Infertility , Mice , Reactive Oxygen SpeciesABSTRACT
Superoxide radicals are produced during oxidative metabolic processes, and removed by superoxide dismutase [SOD] enzymes. Controversial results have been reported regarding the tissue and plasma concentration of SOD in patients with breast cancer. Venous blood was obtained from study participants and activity of SOD enzyme was determined in 100 women. Comparison was made between 50 patients with breast cancer and 50 individuals in control group. The activities of SOD in patients with malignancy and control group were 553.56 +/- 53.67 U/gr Hb and 1218.60 +/- 98.55 U/gr Hb, respectively [P <0.001]. Patients with higher stage and nuclear grade had lower SOD activity. lower levels of SOD activity was observed in women with breast cancer compared to healthy individuals. Considering the existing controversy regarding the SOD level in breast cancer patients, further studies to explore the reason of these differences are warranted
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This study aims to investigate the quality of life [QOL] of Tehran University of Medical Sciences' [TUMS] medical students at different educational levels and specify the most important factors related to this quality. A sample of 242 medical students was selected randomly, given their number in three educational levels [basic sciences, physiopathology-stager and intern]. The QOL was measured by WHOQOL-BREF. The students obtained average high score in two psychological and environmental health domains, and low score in physical health and social relationship domains. As the educational level of students increased their quality of life decreased at all four domains. At social relationship domain, the female students had overall better situation as compared to males [p=0.009]. The female and male students had opposite condition at the level of basic sciences and internship, in a way that the female students earned higher marks at basic sciences level and the males at internship level [P= 0.008]. The condition of female students in terms of environmental, physical and psychological health became static while their education rose. However, only environmental health of the male students reduced as their education level increased [P= 0.05]. The students were of undesirable conditions in two domains of social relationship and physical health. Internship is a specific level in both groups which has a negative impact on the dimensions of quality of life and naturally needs more care for the students. Married status improved the students' QOL and could moderate the undesired effects of internship
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The liver is the major target organ for aflatoxin B1 [AFB1]. Ingestion of aflatoxin causes hepatotoxicty. In this study, captopril as new agent to help the hepatotoxicity induced by aflatoxin was suggested. The isolated perfused rat liver [IPRL] was chosen for evaluating hepatic function. Sixteen rats were divided randomly into four experimental groups: control, captopril, AFB1 and AFB1 + captopril. The level of glutathione content and lipid peroxidation, as marker of oxidative stress and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], alanine transaminase [ALT] and aspartate transaminase [AST] activities and pH of the perfusate medium were measured. There was a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and same increase was observed in glutathione level. Treatment with captopril also modulated the enzymes activity and pH of perfusate. This study showed that captopril protects the hepatotoxicty induced by AFB1. Therefore, this drug may provide an effective new strategy to reduce of aflatoxins toxicity
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Nearly three decades ago, the Master of Public Health [MPH] academic degree was introduced to Tehran University of Medical Sciences' School of Public Health, Tehran, Iran. A new program for simultaneous education of medical, pharmaceutical and dental students was initiated in 2006. Talented students had the opportunity to study MPH simultaneously. There were some concerns about this kind of admission; as to whether these students who were not familiar with the health system had the appropriate attitude and background for this field of education. And with the present rate of brain drain, is this just a step towards their immigration without the fulfillment of public health? This qualitative study was conducted in 2012 where 26 students took part in focused group discussions and individual interviews. The students were questioned about their motivation and the program's impact on their future career. The participants' statements were analyzed using thematic analysis. The primary motivations of students who entered this program were: learning health knowledge related issues, gaining a perspective beyond clinical practice, obtaining a degree to strengthen their academic rsum, immigration, learning academic research methods and preparing for the management of health systems in the future. Apparently, there was no considerable difference between the motivation of students and the program planners. The students' main motivation for studying MPH was a combination of various interests in research and health sciences issues. Therefore, considering the potential of this group of students, effective academic investment on MPH can have positive impact
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Podcasting has become a popular means of transferring knowledge in higher education through making lecture contents available to students at their convenience. Accessing courses on media players provides students with enhanced learning opportunities. Development of teaching methods able to cope with ever-changing nature of medicine is crucial to train the millennium students. Pharmacology education in Tehran University of Medical Sciences has been based on lectures so far; our aim was to implement a pilot study to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of offering the course contents as podcasts as well as evaluating whether such program can be feasible in our educational program. 46% of students downloaded the podcast according to our download center. 48% favored usage of both internet and DVD-ROM concurrently. Overall 96% of students perceived that podcasting had a positive impact on their learning in pharmacology course. Our results indicate that most of attendants proposed the positive yields of podcasting despite low usage of it, mainly as a pre-class preparing tool
ABSTRACT
Background: elevated level of plasma homocysteine has been related to various diseases. Patients with hyperhomocysteinemia can develop hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. We hypothesized that oxidative stress induced by homocysteine might play an important role in pathogenesis of liver injury. Also, the cellular response designed to combat oxidative stress is primarily controlled by the transcription factor Nrf2, a principal inducer of anti-oxidant and phase II-related genes
Methods: hepG2 cells were treated with homocysteine in different time periods. Glutathione content was measured by flowcytometry. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assay [EMSA] and Western-blotting, anti-oxidant response element [ARE]-binding activity of Nrf2 for heme ocygenase-1 [HO-1] was demonstrated. Real time RT-PCR and Western-blotting were performed to evaluate whether homocysteine was able to induce mRNA and protein expression of HO-1
Results: the role of Nrf2 in cellular response to homocysteine is substantiated by the following observations in HepG2 cells exposed to homocysteine [i] Western-blotting revealed that Nrf2 is strongly stabilized and became detectable in nuclear extracts. [ii] EMSA demonstrated increased binding of Nrf2 to oligomers containing HO-1 promoter-specific ARE-binding site. [iii] Real time RT-PCR and Western-blotting revealed increased mRNA and protein expression of inducible gene HO-1 after treatment with Homocysteine
Conclusion: data presented in the current study provide direct evidence that the immediate cellular response to oxidative stress provoked by homocysteine is orchestrated mainly by the Nrf2-ARE pathway. Therefore, induction of Nrf2-ARE-dependent expression of HO-1 could be a therapeutic option for hepatic cells damage induced by homocysteine. Iran. Biomed. J. 17 [2]: 93-100, 2013
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OBJECTIVE@#To justify the use of African mistletoe (AM) Viscum album (V. album) in folkoric medicine to treat diabetes.@*METHODS@#In one experiment, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels of diabetic rats were monitored for 4 h. Diabetic rats were treated with AM at doses of 50 mg/kg (AM1) and 100 mg/kg (AM2), glibenclamide (GB) (positive control) and saline solution (SS). In another experiment, diabetic rats were treated with AM2, GB and SS daily for 3 weeks.@*RESULTS@#AM1 and AM2 elicited significant (P<0.05) hypoglycaemic effects within 4 h of extract administration. AM1 and AM2 decreased the FBG by 41% and 49%, respectively, at 2 h. AM2 was found to lower FBG by 51%, relative to baseline, which was comparable to GB at 3 h. In the second experiment, AM2 and GB significantly (P<0.05) decreased the FBG by 34% and 51%, respectively. This was followed by marked decrease in levels of HbA1C in AM2- and GB- treated diabetic rats. AM2 significantly (P<0.05) decreased the STZ-induced increase in levels of serum triglyceride, urea, lactate dehydrogenase, α-amylase and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Furthermore, diabetic rats treated with AM2 had significantly (P<0.05) elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In contrast, STZ administration produced insignificant (P<0.05) effect on the levels of serum creatinine and total bilirubin.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Extract of African mistletoe has anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in STZ-diabetic rats. AM may find clinical application in the amelioration of diabetes-induced lipid disorders.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Blood Glucose , Metabolism , Body Weight , Carbohydrate Metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Blood , Drug Therapy , Glycated Hemoglobin , Metabolism , Hyperlipidemias , Blood , Drug Therapy , Hypoglycemic Agents , Pharmacology , Hypolipidemic Agents , Pharmacology , Lipid Metabolism , Liver , Metabolism , Loranthaceae , Methanol , Pharmacology , Phytotherapy , Methods , Plant Extracts , Pharmacology , Rats, Wistar , Viscum albumABSTRACT
Silymarin, an extract from Silybum marianum, has been shown to have antioxidant properties. However, there is no scientific report on wound healing activity of the silymarin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical administration of silymarin on excision wound healing in rats. Excision wounds were made on the back of rats. Rats were divided into three groups, as control, vehicle, and treatment. Vehicle and treatment groups received polyethylene glycol and silymarin dissolved in polyethylene glycol, respectively. The control group did not receive any treatment. The wound tissues were removed on 5th, 10th and 15th day for histopathological analysis and total collagen determination by hydroxyproline assay. Results showed that silymarin increased epithelialization and decreased inflammation but did not have any effect on percentage of wound contraction, collagenization and hydroxyproline levels. It was concluded that silymarin can significantly stimulate epithelialization and reduce inflammation in full-thickness wounds in rats.
ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted to investigate the histological changes and wound healing effect of aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia. After creating full-thickness skin wounds on the back of 45 male Sprague-Dawley rats they were randomly divided into three groups. Treated group received the extract, positive control group were treated with mupirocin ointment 2% and control group did not receive any treatment. Wound healing rates were calculated on days 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15 post-wounding and the wound tissues were harvested at 5, 10, and 15 days for histological analysis and hydroxyproline content measurement. The results indicated a significant increase in the percentage of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content in the treated group comparing to the control and positive control groups. A significant increase in the assigned histological scores was observed at 10 and 15 days in the treated and positive control groups compared to the control group. The results demonstrate that aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia accelerates cutaneous wound healing, and its effect may be due to the increased reepithelialization and collagen deposition in wound and so it can be considered as a therapeutic agent for wound healing.
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Background and Objectives: Emotional intelligence [EI] is a social intelligence identifying the ability of an individual to understand others' emotions, establish sympathy with others and adjust his emotions with others. In fact, EI enables individuals to have a proper understanding of their own and others' emotions and use it in their human relationships effectively. The purpose of this study was to determine mean of emotional intelligence in stager medical students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and its relationship with their academic achievement
Methods: In this analytic-descriptive study, a total of 70 stager medical students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2007-2008 were selected and their EI was determined by using a standard questionnaire [alpha-cronbach=0.937] consisted of 90 questions. Moreover, the relationship between EI and variables of age, sex, student's rank in the university entrance exam, grade point average and satisfaction of the field of study was determined. Data analysis was done through SPSS 16 software package
Results: Mean EI of the subjects in all 15 domains of the questionnaire were lower than the standard values. Minimum score belonged to the interpersonal relationships and maximum score belonged to the good-view. None of the studied variables showed significant relationship with emotional intelligence [p >0.05]
Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize on the necessity of more educational planning for increasing emotional intelligence of stager medical students during their educational period. In this way they can achieve better academic achievement and do their internship responsibilities more efficiently. However, lack of enough information about emotional intelligence requires further studies?
ABSTRACT
Nowadays progesterone contraceptives are being used by lactating women. In the last century elements effective in bone growth in infants, such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D have been evaluated. Vitamin D has been mentioned mainly in relation to rickets prevention in infants. This study was initiated in order to investigate the effect of Progestin-only contraceptives on breast milk vitamin D. In this cohort study 138 lactating women were assigned to either the hormonal [52 participants] or non-hormonal [86 participants] groups according to their chosen method of contraception. The characteristics and goals of the study were explained in detail and informed consent was obtained from all subjects before inclusion in the study. Research units started their method of contraception 45 [7] days postpartum and continued at least for 6 months afterward. 10 ml milk samples were obtained before the baby nursed at 6 mos postpartum, and kept at -20 °C until analysis. Vitamin D levels were measured with RIA method. Vitamin D levels were found to be 11.2 [7.2] nmol/L in the hormonal and 10.67 +/- 6.6 nmol/L in the non-hormonal groups, which was lower than other cultures. There was not a significant difference between the vitamin D levels of the two groups statistically [P>0.05]. According the results, the consumption of progesterone-only contraceptives had no effect on the vitamin D levels of mothers' milk, although with regard to low levels of vitamin D in the milk of lactating mothers, it is necessary to enrich foods with vitamin D and for mothers to use vitamin D supplements
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal , Vitamin D , Milk, Human , Lactation , Breast Feeding , Cohort Studies , MothersABSTRACT
Alkaline Phosphatase [EC: 3.1.3.1] is synthesized by kidney, liver, bone, Intestine and placenta. This enzyme is a glycoprotein and dimmer 4 Zn+2 and Mn+2 in each dimmer. It hydrolyzes mono ester phosphate to organic compound and phosphate_in alkaline medium. The purpose of this research is to compare this enzyme with placental alkaline phosphatase. Human Molehydatiform was purified by folds of precipitation of bybutanol, acetone, Amoniumm sulphate, Sephadex G200, affinity chromatography and preparative electrophoresis. Human Molehydatiform was purified 611.8 times. We obtained specific activity, optimum temperature and optimum Ph equaling to 611.8 U/mg, 40 centigrade degrees and 10.4 respectively. Purified Human Molehydatiform Alkalie phosphatase is different from Human placental Alkaline phosphatase due to optimum pH and optimum temperature
Subject(s)
Humans , Alkaline Phosphatase/chemistry , Alkaline Phosphatase/physiology , Placenta/enzymology , Pregnancy , Hydatidiform Mole/enzymologyABSTRACT
The hepatic secretion of apolipoprotein B [apoB], containing lipoproteins, is known to be regulated by insulin, and the overproduction of these atherogenic lipoproteins occurs in insulin-resistant states. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B [PTP-1B] is a key regulator of hepatic insulin signaling and is also upregulated in insulin resistance. We aimed to investigate the role of PTP-1B in regulating apoB mRNA translational efficiency mediated by 5'/3' untranslated regions [UTRs] under conditions of insulin stimulation. Human hepatoma HepG2 cells were transfected with a vector carrying the firefly luciferase reporter gene and either a chimeric apoB mRNA encoding the 5'/3' untranslated region [5' LUC3' -pGL3] or a null sequence of length equivalent to apoB 5' UTR [LUC-pGL3]. The transfected cells were then infected with adenovirus carrying the mouse PTP-1B gene [AdPTP1B] in the absence or presence of insulin, and the cellular luciferase activity was determined. The RNA extracts from cells were transfected with constructs carrying 5'/3' apoB UTR, or a null sequence was also translated in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte translation system. The luciferase activity of the cells transfected with constructs containing the apoB UTR sequences [5' LUC3'] was significantly higher than that of the control constructs carrying a null sequence [p<0.01, n=12]. Similar results were observed following in vitro translation studies showing a significantly higher expression of the 5'/3' UTR constructs [p<0.001, n=6]. Treatment with 100 nM insulin led to a significant reduction in the luciferase activity of the constructs carrying apoB 5'/3' UTR [p<0.0001, n=12]. The down regulation of the apoB mRNA translation mediated by insulin was mediated by the apoB 5'/3' UTR sequences since insulin did not affect the control constructs containing a null sequence. The infection of HepG2 cells expressing 5' LUC3' or control constructs with AdPTP-1B attenuated the inhibitory effect of insulin and led to higher levels of luciferase activity compared to the Ad beta-gal infected control cells [p<0.05, n=12]. However, the activity was lower than that in the control cells infected with 5' LUC3' -pGL3 but not treated with insulin [p<0.05, n=12]. Our data suggest that PTP-1B can potentially modulate apoB synthesis by blocking insulin-mediated inhibition of the apoB mRNA translation via its 5'/3' UTR sequences. We hypothesize that the PTP-1B-mediated attenuation of the insulin action can lead to the upregulation of the apoB mRNA translation and contribute to a lipoprotein overproduction in conditions such as insulin resistance