[Effect of Lycium ruthenicum L. aqueous extract on morphometric and histopathologic indices in mice lymphatic organs]

Background and Objective: Several studies reported the immunological activity of Lycium barbarum. This study carried out to determine the effect of aqueous extract of fruits of Lycium ruthenicum L. on morphometric and histomorphometric indices in mice lymphatic organs

Methods: In this experimental study, 36 adult mice were randomly allocated into six experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were received Lycium ruthenicum L. fruit aqueous extract in the doses of 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw, daily by feeding tube for 21 days. In the control group animals were recived 100 mg/kg/bw of saline using feeding tube. After the treatment, the relative increase in the body weight, morphometric, histomorphometric and histopathologic indices in thymus, lymph node and spleen were measured

Results: The administration of extract in doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/bw did not effect on body weight of mice but in the doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw significantly reduced the body weight [P<0.05].Thymus index in 800 mg/kg/bw of extract significantly reduced in comparison with controls [P<0.05]. Thickness of thymus medulla in low doses significantly increased while it was not visible in higher doses [P<0.05]. Thickness of capsule in lymph node and spleen in dose of 800 mg/kg/bw significantly increased in comparison with control group [P<0.05]. Low doses of the Lycium barbarum extract increased stimulation and infiltration of the immune cells and hematopoiesis in the lymphoid organs while in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw caused pathological changes including fibrosis in capsule, degeneration in follicles and stromal cell apoptosis

Conclusion: Aqueous extract of fruits of Lycium ruthenicum L. in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw causes histopathological alterations in the lymphoid organs

Effect of two methods of training, small sided game [SSG] and resistanceplyometric, on plasma level of Interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in youth soccer players

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of two concurrent resistance-plyometric and small sided game methods on pro-inflammatory in youth soccer players. 30 youth soccer players with a range of 14 to 17 years of age were divided randomly in three groups, SSG [n=8], resistance-plyometric [n=11] and control [n=11]. Height, weight, BMI and VO2max of the subjects were measured. The next day, blood samples from the anterior brachial vein of subjects were taken. The experimental groups participated in their exercise program [8 week, 2 sessions per week plus three current sessions]. All variables were measured again after 8 weeks. In order to compare data within groups' Dependent t-test was used and for comparison between groups Independent t-test was used by SPSS 17. The findings showed that after 8 weeks of SSG training plasma level of IL-6 and TNF-alpha increased significantly. The results in other groups did not show significant change [P>/=0.05]. SSG training can induce a catabolic environment in youth soccer players' body

Impact of FLT-3 mutations on clinical features and response to the therapy in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients

FLT3 mutations are associated with poor outcome in acute myeloblastic leukemia [AML] patients. Only limited information is available about effects of FLT3 mutation on Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia [APL]. We investigated the prevalence and impact of FLT3 mutations on the clinical characteristics and the response to treatment in APL patients treated with arsenic trioxide [As[2]O[3]]. Blood samples were collected from 115 untreated APL patients and genomic DNA was extracted by the salting-out method. FLT3-ITD and FLT3-D835 mutations were investigated by PCR-RFLP. Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square were used for data analysis. FLT3-ITD and FLT3-D835 mutations were detected in 16 [14%] and 13 [11%] of the patients, respectively. Both mutations were identified in two patients, so overall frequency of FLT3 mutations was estimated to be 23.5%. Patients positive for FLT3-ITD mutation had a higher rate of white cell counts [p= 0.005] and more frequent bcr3 type of PML/RARA fusion [p=0.04]. We have not found any significant association between FLT3-D835 mutation and the clinical characteristics of patients. Between the group with FLT3 Mutations and the group without, there was no significant difference in response to therapy. Complete remission induction with As[2]O[3] may be independent of FLT3 mutation status, so As[2]O[3] may be the first choice of APL especially in patients with FLT3 mutations. However, further studies on a large group of patients are necessary to confirm our findings

[Evaluating the protective effects of melissa officinalis on learning deficits of rat's offspring exposed to lead acetate during pre-and postnatal periods]

Lead contamination dramatically influences different body systems especially the central nervous system. Lead absorption during gestational period has deleterious effects on fetal differentiation and development and it may possibly result in learning deficits in adulthood. Recent studies have demonstrated positive effects of Melissa officinalis on memory improvement in some neural disorders. The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective effects of Melissa on learning deficits in lead acetate exposed rats. In this experimental study in department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad [2008-2009], 40 mated Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups as follows: control, negative control [Pb], Melissa [M] and Pb+M, and each in 3 different subgroups. The treatment started from the 7th day of gestation and continued during pregnancy and lactation. The learning ability and memory retention of four months old offspring were tested by complex T-maze. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS software using one-way ANOVA and Toki test. A significant difference was found between lead exposed group and other groups regarding the time to reach the goal and the number of errors; while there was no meaningful difference between the control and other experimental groups. In lead exposed rats, learning deficits were obviously noticed. Since there was meaningful difference between control and Pb+M subgroups, Melissa can possibly improve learning deficits in lead acetate exposed rats

Efficacy of oral glucose on infant vaccine shot pain

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experiment arising from actual or potential tissue damage and can be constant or intermittent. Pain can be dull, sharp or throbbing. Untreated pain especially in early infancy can actually have profound and lasting consequences. Therefore this study is done to assess the efficacy of oral Glucose on infant vaccine shot pain. This research is a double-blind clinical trial. Samples were consisting of 121 healthy 2, 4 and 6 months infants referred to health centers of Yasouj medical sciences university. They were selected as three aged groups and randomly divided in two control and case groups. Two minutes before DPT vaccine injection, the intervention was performed in case group. Before, during and after injection, the infant's reaction was videotaped. The pain severity was surveyed using Modified Behavioral Pain Scale [MBPS]. Duration of crying was also determined. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, LSD, Pearson correlation and X[2] tests. Results indicated that, the mean pain severity in case and control group was 6.38 +/- 0.16 and 5.87 +/- 0.22 respectively. LSD test showed significant difference between case and control group. The mean crying period in first 180 seconds was 50.36 +/- 4.4 seconds for case group and 65.69 +/- 6.8 seconds for control group. Nevertheless, LSD test did not show a significant difference between two groups. Results indicated that, Oral glucose does not effect on reducing pain severity caused by vaccination. It seems that, crying period has reverse relation with pain severity which needs to be studied more widely

Identification of the water pollutant industries in Khuzestan province

The purpose of this study was to build up a logic ranked pattern between the most important industrial activities with respect the type of water pollution and the discharge ways or managing the wastewaters in these units. For this purpose all of the statistical data have been gathered by referring to the responsible organizations. After that, by using the desk study, field work and selecting some of the industrial units as studied cases and by referring to their production processes and obtaining the curtained analytical results, the industries have been separated to several groups including Food,Textile, Pulp and Paper/, Chemical, Non-metallic mineral, Metal and Electricity and electronics Comparing the number of active industrial plants within the boundaries of Khuzestan province at 5 catchments area, indicates that Karun, Dez and Jarrahi basins with 1044. 324 and 290 active plants, respectively, are crowded with a lot of industries. Nature of the examined parameters has been selected in view of the production process type and includes pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, chloride, sulfate, BOD, COD, TSS, iron. Results indicates that Dez river basin, being compared with the other two basins, impose the most degradable organic, nutrient substances and suspended particle loads to Dez River, and the metal pollution load at Karun basin is more than the other two basins, caused by the steel industries concentrated in Ahvaz city