Effects of maternal isocaloric diet containing different amounts of soy oil and extra virgin olive oil on weight, serum glucose, and lipid profile of female mice offspring

Background: Health status of offspring is programmed by maternal diet throughout gestation and lactation. The present study investigates the lasting effects of maternal supplementation with different amounts of soy oil or extra virgin olive oil [EVOO] on weight and biochemical parameters during gestation and lactation of female mice offspring

Methods: Eight weeks old female C57BL/6 mice [n=40] were assigned through simple randomization into four isocaloric dietary groups [16% of calories as soy oil [LSO] or EVOO [LOO] and 45% of calories as soy oil [HSO] or EVOO [HOO]] during three weeks of gestation and lactation. After weaning [at 3 weeks], all offspring received a diet containing 16% of calories as soy oil and were sacrificed at 6 weeks. Two-way ANOVA was used to adjust for confounding variables and repeated measures test for weight gain trend. Statistical analyses were performed with the IBM SPSS package

Results: At birth and adolescence, the weight of offspring was significantly higher in the soy oil than the olive oil groups [P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively]. Adolescence weight was significantly higher in the offspring born to mothers fed with 16% oil than those with 45% oil [P=0.001]. Serum glucose, triglyceride and total cholesterol were significantly higher in the LSO than LOO [P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001], LSO than HSO [P<0.001, P=0.03 and P<0.001], and LOO than HOO [P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001] dietary groups, respectively. Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol were significantly higher in the offspring of HSO than HOO fed mothers [P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively]

Conclusion: A maternal diet containing EVOO has better effects on birth weight, as well as weight and serum biochemical parameters in offspring at adolescence

APO A2 -265T/C Polymorphism Is Associated with Increased Inflammatory Responses in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein A2 (APO A2) is the second most abundant structural apolipoprotein in high density lipoprotein. Several studies have examined the possible effect of APO A2 on atherosclerosis incidence. Due to the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis, we aimed to determine the relationship between APO A2 -265T/C polymorphism and inflammation as a risk factor in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: In total, 180 T2DM patients, with known APO A2 -265T/C polymorphism, were recruited for this comparative study and were grouped equally based on their genotypes. Dietary intakes, anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers (i.e., pentraxin 3 [PTX3], high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], and interleukin 18) were measured. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test, a chi-square test, and the analysis of covariance. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding factors, in the entire study population and in the patients with or without obesity, the patients with the CC genotype showed higher hs-CRP (P=0.001, P=0.008, and P=0.01, respectively) and lower PTX3 (P=0.01, P=0.03, and P=0.04, respectively) in comparison with the T allele carriers. In the patients with the CC genotype, no significant differences were observed in the inflammatory markers between the obese or non-obese patients. However, regarding the T allele carriers, the plasma hs-CRP level was significantly higher in the obese patients compared to the non-obese patients (P=0.01). CONCLUSION: In the T2DM patients, the CC genotype could be considered as a risk factor and the T allele as a protective agent against inflammation, which the latter effect might be impaired by obesity. Our results confirmed the anti-atherogenic effect of APO A2, though more studies are required to establish this effect.

Expression, purification and characterization of three overlapping immunodominant recombinant fragments from Bordetella pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin

Filamentous hemagglutinin [FHA] is one of the most important immunoprotective antigens of Bordetella pertussis [B. pertussis] and a major component of the acellular pertussis vaccine. In the present study, three overlapping recombinant fragments from the immunodominant region of FHA were produced and their immunogenicity was investigated. Three overlapping coding sequences of FHA antigen were amplified from B. pertussis genomic DNA by PCR. Amplified fragments were expressed in Escherichia coli [E. coli] BL21[DE3] strain and purified through His-tag using Nickel-based chromatography. Purified fragments were characterized by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting techniques. In vitro peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] proliferation and IFN- gamma production were assessed in a limited number of healthy adults vaccinated with a commercial acellular pertussis vaccine in response to all purified FHA fragments by H3-Thymidine incorporation and ELISA, respectively. Recombinant FHA segments were successfully cloned and produced at high levels in E. coli BL21[DE3]. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses confirmed their purity and reactivity. All three recombinant fragments together with a commercial native FHA were able to induce in vitro PBMC proliferation and IFN- gamma production. Our preliminary results suggest that these overlapping recombinant FHA fragments are immunogenic and may prove to be immunoprotective

Morphometric differentiation between camel and sheep strains of Echinococcus granulosus using computer image analysis system (CIAS)

OBJECTIVE@#To find importance of morphometric criterion of larval rostellar hook of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) and the easy and reliable method for distinguish sheep and camel strains in epidemiologic studies.@*METHODS@#Larval rostellar hooks (n=1860) of 31 camel and sheep isolates in Iran, which already had been characterized by PCR, were carefully processed by computerized imagime analysis system (CIAS) and acquired data about rostellar hooks were analyzed using software SPSS.@*RESULTS@#Measurement analysis of rostellar hooks [mean length (24.23±3.12) μ m] indicated that length of the large hook was a remarkable parameter for strain differentiation. Data analysis demonstrated that CIAS could be used as a reliable tool to distinguish camel from sheep strains with high sensitivity (95.2%) and specificity (91.5%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CIAS as a specific, sensitive, economic, fast, and reliable means might be used for differentiation of E. granulosus strains. Although perimeter and area were measured by digital technology, they were not shown as discriminative criterion as total hook length did.

Effects of carnitine and coenzyme Q10 on lipid profile and serum levels of lipoprotein[a] in maintenance hemodialysis patients on statin therapy

Dyslipidemia and high serum lipoprotein[a] are among the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in hemodialysis patients. Statins as a first line of therapy in hyperlipidemia does not always reduce the serum lipoprotein[a] level. Several studies have reported the lipid-lowering effects of carnitine and coenzyme Q10 in hemodialysis patients. This study was designed to investigate the effects of carnitine and coenzyme Q10 on serum lipid profile and lipoprotein[a] level in maintenance hemodialysis patients. This was a randomized placebo-controlled trial. We studied on hemodialysis patients who were on treatment with atorvastatin or lovastatin to assess the efficacy of supplement therapy. They were divided into 4 groups to receive carnitine, coenzyme Q10, both carnitine and coenzyme Q10, and placebo. After a 3-month experiment, blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of lipoprotein[a], triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Fifty-two hemodialysis patients, 27 men and 25 women, completed the course of the study. Three months after supplement therapy, serum levels of lipoprotein[a] reduced significantly in the carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and combination groups compared to the baseline values and the 3-month value of lipoprotein[a] in the placebo group [P = .01]. Serum levels of triglyceride and other lipoproteins did not significantly alter. Our study showed that supplementation with carnitine and coenzyme Q10 could reduce serum levels of lipoprotein[a] in maintenance hemodialysis patients treated with statins

[Comparison of RD, L20B and Hep2 cell lines sensitivity to the standard poliovirus and oral polio vaccine virus]

As we are approaching the global eradication of wild poliovirus, laboratory surveillance of poliovirus by the gold standard cell culture method becomes increasingly important. As there is a lot of concern about accurate and sensitive detection of imported wild and Vaccine Derived Polioviruses [VDPVs] in Polio-Free countries, in this study we assessed and compared the sensitivity of the cell lines used in polio laboratory simultaneously to standard poliovirus and Oral Polio Vaccine [OPV] polioviruses, to ensure the accurate detection of circulating and imported polioviruses in the society. Cell sensitivity test was performed according to the World Health Organization [WHO], Polio Laboratory Manual for RD, L20B and Hep2 cell lines using 3 serotypes of standard monovalent and OPV polioviruses. The test was repeated every four passages for all cell lines. The sensitivity of L20B and Hep2 cell lines for standard poliovirus type 1 and 2 is more than sensitivity for the same types of OPV virus but for poliovirus type 3 it is vice versa. Also RD cell line is more sensitive to all 3 types of OPV virus. In addition, the test showed that increasing the passage number will decrease the sensitivity of all cell lines. Using RD and L20B cell lines simultaneously [with low passage number] will assure us of sensitivity and accuracy of the cell lines for detection of circulating and imported polioviruses

[Overweight, obesity and some related socio-economic factors among adolescent girls in Tehran, Iran]

To compare obesity, overweight and related socio-economic factors among adolescent girls in the North and South areas of Tehran, the capital of Iran, in 2005. This cross-sectional and analytical study 210 adolescent girls, aged 14-17 years, from high schools in the North area of Tehran [n=105; high socio-economic level] and the South area [n=105; low socio-economic level] were selected by the two-step, cluster random sampling method. Demographic data, including mothers_ and fathers_ educational levels and parents_ jobs were gathered, using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Food intake data were obtained by a one-day 24- hour recall and a one- day food record. Weight and height were measured based on standard methods and Body Mass 85 th >/= Index [BMI] were calculated. Overweight + obesity were defined as a BMI percentile of age - sex specific BMI. The prevalence of overweight +obesity was observed in 15.2% of the girls in the North area and 26.7% of the South area, the difference being significant [P= 0.001]. Mean of energy, fat and energy derived from fat were 1964 kcal, 72.0 gr and 34.1% in North area and 2288 kcal, 83.1 gr and 34.4% in South area, respectively. There was a significant correlation between BMI of the girls and mothers' literacy in the North area. Obesity + overweight were significantly correlated with mothers' job among girls in the South area. Evidence suggests that overweight and obesity in Tehran, especially among female adolescents of a low socioeconomic level, is a public health problem. It is suggested to design and implement nutritional intervention programs for adolescent girls, particularly in the low socio- economic areas