A short-term economic evaluation of early insulin therapy compared to oral anti-diabetic drugs in order to reduce the major adverse events in type 2 diabetes patients in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: While there are some recommendations about early insulin therapy in newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients, there is not sufficient evidence on this strategy's cost-effectiveness. This study compared early insulin therapy versus oral anti-diabetic drugs (OADs) for managing T2DMusing a cost-effectiveness analysis approach in Iran. METHODS: In this economic evaluation, a decision analytic model was designed. The target population was newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients, and the study was carried out from the perspective of Iran's healthcare system with a one-year time horizon. Basal insulin, Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) were compared in this evaluation. The main outcome for assessing the effectiveness of each intervention was the reduction in the occurrence of diabetes complications. Strategies were compared using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out. RESULTS: The DPP-4 inhibitors strategy was the dominant strategy with the highest effectiveness and the lowest cost. Early insulin therapy was dominated (ICER: $-53,703.18), meaning that it was not cost-effective. The sensitivity analyses consistently affirmed the robustness of the base case findings. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated probabilities of 77%, 22%, and 1% for DPP-4 inhibitors, TZDs strategies, and early insulin therapy, respectively, in terms of being cost-effective. CONCLUSION: In terms of cost-effectiveness, early insulin therapy was not cost-effective compared to OADs for managing newly diagnosed T2DM patients. Future studies in this regard, utilizing more comprehensive evidence, can yield more accurate results.

Pro-vegetarian dietary pattern and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: There are a few conflicting results from studies assessing the association between plant-based diets, particularly pro-vegetarian dietary pattern (PDP), and breast cancer (BC) incidence. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between PDP and BC odds in the Iranian population. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 134 women with BC and 265 without cancer (control). Participants were selected from two referral hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Also, a validated food frequency questionnaire was used to collect food information. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between PDP and BC and the association between PDP and BC by menopausal status. RESULTS: It was observed that in two models of logistic regression, the chance of BC was lower in the second and last tertile (T) than in the first tertile of PDP (model 1-T2: odds ratio (OR) = 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23-0.67; P = 0.001, and T3: OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.26-0.73; P = 0.002-model 2: T2: OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.24-0.74; P = 0.003, and T3: OR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.27-0.88; P = 0.017). Also, according to menopausal status, the odds of developing BC in post-menopausal women in the second and last tertile of PDP was significantly lower than the first tertile in both logistic regression models. CONCLUSIONS: The findings revealed that Iranian women who followed PDP had a lower chance of developing BC. Also, we found that a diet high in plant-based foods and low in animal products is beneficial for reducing BC odds, particularly for post-menopausal women.

The association between pro-vegetarian dietary pattern and risk of colorectal cancer: a matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies assess the link between plant-based diets and colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. To our knowledge, no study has examined the association between pro-vegetarian dietary pattern (PDP) and CRC globally or among Iranians. Therefore, the objective of our matched case-control study was to evaluate the association between PDP and CRC in the Iranian population. METHODS: The present research was a hospital-based case (n = 71)-control (n = 142) study conducted in the same hospitals in Tehran, Iran. This study used a reliable and valid semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to evaluate the participants' dietary intake. According to the residual method, the selected plant and animal foods have been adjusted in the total energy intake to calculate the PDP index. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for confounding variables were also expressed using logistic regression by SPSS software. RESULTS: In the crude and adjusted models, we observed that the odds of CRC decreased significantly in the 3rd and last quartile of PDP compared to the 1st quartile (Q) (Crude model: Q3: OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.79, P-value = 0.011 and Q4: OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14 - 0.79, P-value = 0.012 - Adjusted model: Q3: OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.18 - 0.94, P-value = 0.035 and Q4: OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.14 - 0.87, P-value = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of the present case-control study in the Iranian population, it was concluded that PDP, which involves consuming vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products, and low meat consumption, reduces the odds of CRC. In conclusion, adherence to PDP is associated with a decreased odds of CRC.

Effectiveness of supplementation with date seed (Phoenix dactylifera) as a functional food on inflammatory markers, muscle damage, and BDNF following high-intensity interval training: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one of the most effective protocols, even though acute HIIT causes inflammatory and oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of date seeds powder (DSP) during HIIT sessions on inflammation markers, oxidants and antioxidants, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), exercise-induced muscle damage, and body composition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-six recreational runners (men and women), aged 18-35 years, were randomly assigned to consume 26 g/day of DSP or wheat bran powder during HIIT workouts for a period of 14 days. At baseline, at the end of the intervention, and 24 h after the intervention, blood samples were obtained to determine inflammatory, oxidant/antioxidant, and muscle damage markers, as well as BDNF. RESULTS: DSP supplementation resulted in a significant downward trend in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Psupplement × time = 0.036), tumor necrosis factor alpha (Psupplement × time = 0.010), interleukin-6 (Psupplement × time = 0.047), malondialdehyde (Psupplement × time = 0.046), creatine kinase (Psupplement × time = 0.045), and lactate dehydrogenase (Psupplement × time = 0.040) after the intervention, as well as a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (Psupplement × time ≤ 0.001). However, interleukin-10 (Psupplement × time = 0.523), interleukin-6/interleukin-10 (Psupplement × time = 0.061), BDNF (Psupplement × time = 0.160), and myoglobin (Psupplement × time = 0.095) levels did not change significantly in comparison to the placebo group. Moreover, analysis demonstrated that DSP supplementation over 2 weeks had no significant effect on body composition. CONCLUSION: During the 2 weeks of the HIIT protocol, the consumption of date seed powder by participants who had engaged in moderate or high physical activity alleviated inflammation and muscle damage. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of TBZMED (No.IR.TBZMED.REC.1399.1011). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website ( www.IRCt.ir/ , IRCT20150205020965N9).

Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation as an adjunct therapy for improving inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers: An umbrella meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D supplementation has attracted a lot of attention as a potential modulator of inflammation and oxidative stress, while some studies have reported controversial findings. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to summarize existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials that determined the effects of supplementation with vitamin D on inflammatory and oxidative biomarkers. METHODS: The following international databases were systematically searched till March 20th, 2022: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A random-effects model was applied to evaluate the effects of vitamin D on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. RESULTS: Overall, 23 meta-analyses were qualified in this umbrella meta-analysis. Our findings revealed that the vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (ES = -0.42; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.29, p < 0.001), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (ES = -0.27; 95% CI: -0.42, -0.12; p < 0.001), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (ES = -0.37; 95% CI: -0.48, -0.25, p < 0.001). However, no significant changes were illustrated regarding interleukin-6 (IL-6) (ES = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.80, 0.10; p = 0.125), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (ES = 0.68; 95% CI: -0.31, 1.66, p = 0.179), and glutathione (GSH) activity (ES = 0.08; 95% CI: -0.44, 0.60, p = 0.757). CONCLUSION: The present umbrella meta-analysis indicated that supplementation of vitamin D in adults can improve CRP, TNF-α, and MDA levels under various health conditions. Vitamin D could be considered an adjuvant therapy for relieving inflammation and oxidative stress.

Monitoring of Infant Formula and Baby Food for the Pat and NOS Terminator of Genetically Modified Maize and Soybean by Real-time PCR in Iran.

Background: Soybean and maize are the most cultivated genetically modified (GM) plants. Because of the increase in the imports of GM products to Iran, infant formula and baby food, which is consumed by babies during their first month of life, can also contain soybean and maize. It has become fundamental to screen these types of products. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the GM corn and soybean in baby food and infant formula using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods: A total of 60 baby food and infant formulas were collected randomly from the local drugstores in Tehran. Genomic DNA was extracted from all samples, then by real-time PCR detection, tested Pat/NOS. Internal control genes zein and lectin were used for maize and soybean, respectively. Results: Results showed that 5% of infant formulas and 5% of baby food, two Iranian and one imported baby food, and two imported and one Iranian infant formula were positive for pat. However, NOS was detected in none of the samples. The results showed positive results for the presence of the pat gene in the products without an appropriate label. Conclusions: This article provides evidence of GM maize and soybean presence in baby food and infant formula in Iran.

Pan-cancer analysis of mRNA stability for decoding tumour post-transcriptional programs.

Measuring mRNA decay in tumours is a prohibitive challenge, limiting our ability to map the post-transcriptional programs of cancer. Here, using a statistical framework to decouple transcriptional and post-transcriptional effects in RNA-seq data, we uncover the mRNA stability changes that accompany tumour development and progression. Analysis of 7760 samples across 18 cancer types suggests that mRNA stability changes are ~30% as frequent as transcriptional events, highlighting their widespread role in shaping the tumour transcriptome. Dysregulation of programs associated with >80 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) drive these changes, including multi-cancer inactivation of RBFOX and miR-29 families. Phenotypic activation or inhibition of RBFOX1 highlights its role in calcium signaling dysregulation, while modulation of miR-29 shows its impact on extracellular matrix organization and stemness genes. Overall, our study underlines the integral role of mRNA stability in shaping the cancer transcriptome, and provides a resource for systematic interrogation of cancer-associated stability pathways.

The effects of date seed (Phoenix dactylifera) supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress and aerobic and anaerobic performance following high-intensity interval training sessions: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient method to improve vascular function, maximal oxygen consumption, and muscle mitochondrial capacity. However, acute HIIT overstresses the oxidative system and causes muscle soreness and damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of date seeds on exercise-induced oxidative stress and aerobic and anaerobic performance following HIIT sessions. Thirty-six physically active men and women aged 18-35 years were assigned to take 26 g/d of date seed powder (DSP, n 18) or wheat bran powder (placebo, n 18) before and after HIIT workouts for 14 d. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), total oxidant status (TOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), uric acid, malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-iso-PGF2α were determined at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and 24-h post-intervention. We used the Cooper and running-based anaerobic sprint test to assess aerobic and anaerobic performance at the study's beginning and end. Independent-samples Student's t tests, ANCOVA and repeated-measures ANOVA were used to compare the quantitative variables. Positive changes were observed in TAC, TOS, OSI, GPx, MDA and visual analogue scale after intervention and at 24-h post-exercise (P < 0·05). Likewise, peak power and fatigue index were significantly improved in DSP in comparison with the placebo group. Levels of SOD, uric acid, 8-iso-PGF2α, VO2 max and average power were not changed after training. Our results showed that date seed supplementation in active participants performing HIIT bouts ameliorated oxidative stress and improved performance parameters.

The effect of date seed (Phoenix dactylifera) supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress biomarkers, and performance in active people: A blinded randomized controlled trial protocol.

Introduction: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient training method to improve vascular function, maximal oxygen consumption, and muscle mitochondrial capacity while maximizing muscular damage. Recently, functional foods have been considered a practical approach to avoiding HIIT damage and improving sports performance. Thus, the present study will evaluate the effectiveness of date seed powder as a functional food on the nutritional, oxidative stress, anti/inflammatory status, mental health, and performance of active people. Methods: This study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, which will be conducted among recreational runners at Tabriz stadiums, Iran. Thirty-six recreational runners will be randomly selected into two groups to consume 26 g/d date seed powder or placebo for 14 days. Both groups will do HIIT workouts. Body composition, food intake, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), total oxidant status (TOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), uric acid, protein carbonyl (PC), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-6/IL-10, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), myoglobin (MYO), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), irisin, cortisol, muscle pain, aerobic and anaerobic performance will be evaluated at the beginning, end of the intervention and 24 h later. Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of TBZMED (No.IR.TBZMED.REC.1399.1011). This research's findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international conferences. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website (www.IRCT.ir/, IRCT20150205020965N9).

A Signature of Three microRNAs Is a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Glioblastoma

Background: Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant neoplasm of the central nervous system. Despite progress in diagnosis and treatment, glioblastoma still has a poor prognosis. This study aimed to examine whether a signature of three candidate miRNAs (i.e. hsa-let-7c-5p, hsa-miR-206-5p, and hsa-miR-1909-5p) can be used as a diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing glioblastoma from healthy brain tissues. Methods: In this study, 50 formalin­fixed paraffin­embedded (FFPE) glioblastoma tissue samples and 50 healthy tissue samples adjacent to tumor were included. The expression of each candidate miRNA (i.e. hsa-let-7c-5p, hsa-miR-206-5p, and hsa-miR-1909-5p) was measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. To show the roles of each miRNA and their biological effects on glioblastoma development and clinicopathological characteristics, in silico tools were used. ROC curves were performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of each miRNA. Results: Based on the results, hsa-let-7c-5p and hsa-miR-206-5p were downregulated, while hsa-miR-1909-5p was upregulated in glioblastoma tumors compared to healthy samples. No association was detected between the expression of each candidate miRNA and sex. Except for hsa-let-7c-5p, other miRNAs did not correlate with age status. ROC curve analysis indicated that the signature of candidate miRNAs is a potential biomarker distinguishing between glioblastoma and healthy samples. Only hsa-miR-206-5p suggested the association with poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the signature of three miRNAs is capable of distinguishing glioblastoma tumor and healthy tissues. These results are beneficial for the clinical management of glioblastoma patients.

Serum vitamin D levels in relation to metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies.

Several epidemiological studies examined the association of serum vitamin D with metabolic syndrome (MetS), but the findings were inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis to quantify the association between blood vitamin D levels and MetS in adults. A systematic search up to December 2020 was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), ISI (Web of Science), Scopus, and Google Scholar databases for epidemiological studies that assessed the relation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (as the exposure) and MetS (as the outcome) in adults. Eligible cross-sectional studies were restricted to those with representative populations. Finally, 43 studies were included in the analysis (38 cross-sectional, one nested case-control, and four cohorts studies). Combining 41 effect sizes from 38 cross-sectional studies included 298,187 general adult population revealed that the highest level of serum vitamin D, compared with the lowest level, was significantly related to a 43% decreased odds of MetS in developed countries (odds ratio [OR]: 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-0.65) and 40% in developing countries (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.52-0.70). Linear dose-response analysis (including 222,175 healthy individuals and 39,308 MetS patients) revealed that each 25 nmol/L increase in serum vitamin D level was significantly associated with a 15% decreased odds of MetS (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80-0.91); however, we found no significant nonlinear association. Meta-analysis of five prospective studies with 11,019 participants revealed no significant relation (relative risk [RR]: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.37-1.32). This meta-analysis indicated an inverse association between serum vitamin D concentrations and risk of MetS in general adult populations in cross-sectional studies in a dose-response manner. However, no significant association was found in a small number of cohorts. More prospective studies are needed to confirm the causality of this relationship.

HER-3 Knocking Down Induces G2/M Arrest in Gastric Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: The Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor-3 (HER-3) is a member of ErbB receptor family and has deficient kinase activity. HER-3 should heterodimerize with other members of ErbB receptor family, especially with HER-2, to transduce downstream signaling pathways. HER-3 co-expresses with other ErbB receptors in different cancers and overexpresses while the oncogenic signaling pathways such as Jak/Stat, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt are activated and promoted. Here, the expression level of HER-3 was evaluated in Iranian gastric adenocarcinoma's patients and the effects of HER-3 knocking down was investigated on cell cycle and cell viability of human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line of MKN45. METHODS: In this study, 38 paraffin-embedded surgical adenocarcinoma specimens and their marginal non-tumor tissue samples were collected. Total RNAs were extracted and cDNAs were synthesized. Finally, the expression level of HER-3 was evaluated by real time PCR approach. Moreover, the human adenocarcinoma cell line of MKN45 was transfected with siRNA against HER-3 and the effects of its down-regulation were evaluated using MTT assay and cell-cycle analysis. RESULTS: The data obtained from this study revealed HER-3 is significantly overexpressed in gastric tumors rather than non-tumor marginal tissues. Also, it was found that the expression level of HER-3 is elevated with tumor depth of invasion. Moreover, HER-3 knocking down promotes cell accumulation in G2/M phase of cell cycle and decreases cell viability in MKN45 cells which suggests a potential role for HER-3 in gastric adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results emphasize the importance of HER-3 receptor in diagnosis and prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Expression Rate and PAX5 Gene Methylation in the Blood of People Suffering from Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is one of the most important health issues in the world. Considering the lack of plenty of pre-awarenesses, the survival of gastric cancer is still quite disappointing. Methylation of PAX5 gene promoter is observed in most cancer cells of a human. A study has shown that PAX5 is a new tumoral suppressor in gastric cancer and methylation of the PAX5 promoter is associated with the survival rate of gastric cancer. AIM: The present research seeks to study the expression rate and methylation of the PAX5 gene in the blood of patients who have gastric cancer to be used as a biomarker in this type of cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Real-time PCR technique was used to assess expression of PAX5 gene, while the methylation status of PAX5 gene promoter in the blood samples of people who have gastric cancer versus blood samples obtained from normal Iranian population was studied using MS PCR technique. RESULTS: The final results pointed to the fact that expression of PAX5 in blood samples obtained from those who have gastric cancer is much less than what is observed in normal blood samples. A significant correlation was also observed between expression of this gene and age and promoter methylation rate. The results of methylation also indicated that 28% of PAX5 gene promoters among patients were methylated, while all normal samples were non-methylated. CONCLUSION: Studying the decrease observed in PAX5 gene expression and the rise in promoter methylation can be utilised as a biomarker to enhance pre-awareness of gastric cancer.

Blood assessment of the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and its natural inhibitor, TIMP1 genes in Iranian schizophrenic patients.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is the most severe chronic mental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and disrupted emotions and thought. Like other complex neuropsychological disease, SCZ is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors but with a high concordance rate. So far, different genetic factors are revealed to be associated with increased risk of developing SCZ. One of the best ways to investigate the genetic basis of the complex disease is to discover the genetic underlying mechanisms of the defective clinical aspects of the patients. In this regard, genes involved in the developmental mechanisms of the brain such as long-term potentiation (LTP) process that is the basis of synaptic plasticity, memory and learning are considered as strong candidates for SCZ. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression levels of two genes that are involved in the LTP regulation in the developing and adult brain, Matrix metallopeptidase9 (MMP9) and TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1) genes in a blood assessment of schizophrenic patients in comparison to healthy controls by means of quantitative real time PCR. The results of the study showed a significant difference in MMP9/TIPM1 ratio between SCZ patients and healthy controls (P = 0.01). However, no significant difference was detected in the expression level of individual MMP9 and TIMP1 genes in SCZ patients versus healthy controls either in total numbers of subject or in sex based subgroups. Considering the relatively small sample size of the current study, there is a need to replicate this study with further investigations about the mechanism of association of these genes and their functions in the pathogenesis of the SCZ.

Analysis of G3BP1 and VEZT Expression in Gastric Cancer and Their Possible Correlation with Tumor Clinicopathological Factors.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze G3BP1 and VEZT expression profiles in patients with gastric cancer, and examine the possible relationship between the expressions of each gene and clinicopathological factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of these genes in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues, collected from 40 patients with gastric cancer and 40 healthy controls, was analyzed. Differences in gene expression among patient and normal samples were identified using the GraphPad Prism 5 software. For the analysis of real-time polymerase chain reaction products, GelQuantNET software was used. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrated that both VEZT and G3BP1 mRNA expression levels were downregulated in gastric cancer samples compared with those in the normal controls. No significant relationship was found between the expression of these genes and gender (P-value, 0.4835 vs. 0.6350), but there were significant changes associated with age (P-value, 0.0004 vs. 0.0001) and stage of disease (P-value, 0.0019 vs. 0.0001). In addition, there was a direct relationship between VEZT gene expression and metastasis (P-value, 0.0462), in contrast to G3BP1 that did not demonstrate any significant correlation (P-value, 0.1833). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that expression profiling of VEZT and G3BP1 can be used for diagnosis of gastric cancer, and specifically, VEZT gene could be considered as a biomarker for the detection of gastric cancer progression.

New Gene Profiling in Determination of Breast Cancer Recurrence and Prognosis in Iranian Women.

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent cancer among women, with an estimated 1.67 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2012 (25% of all cancers). Polygene expression analysis is used to predict the prognosis and determine the most appropriate treatment regimen. The objective of this study was to examine the gene expression profiles of SIRT3, HRAS, LSP1, SCUBE2 and AP2A2 in Iranian women with BC.A total of 136 patients including healthy controls were categorized into three groups based on the relapse of the disease. Expression of desired genes in formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues collected from all groups of participants was analyzed via the RT PCR method. RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed then real-time quantitative PCR was carried out. Gene expression analysis revealed that the expression of SIRT3 was equal among patient and control groups. LSP1 was down regulated in all patient groups relative to controls but reduced expression in the metastatic group relative to the non-metastatic one was not significant. HRAS was significantly overexpressed in total and metastatic tumor samples versus normal but not in non-metastatic cases. SCUBE2 expression showed significant over-expression in both overall tumor samples and the non-metastatic group as compared to normal tissues. Gene expression level of AP2A2 in all groups was not detectable. Our data are compatible with a tumor suppressor role of LSP1 related to potential prognostic factor for tumor recurrence and outcome. This study for the first time assayed the prognostic value and changes in the expression of SIRT3, LSP1, HRAS, SCUBE2 and AP2A2 genes in women with breast cancer in the Iranian population and findings confirmed potential biomarker and prognostic capability of these genes. Such expression profiling data can critically improve prognosis and treatment decisions in cancer patients.

A genetic variant in CAMKK2 gene is possibly associated with increased risk of bipolar disorder.

A recent large-scale study have reported that rs1063843, a single nucleotide polymorphism located in the CAMKK2 gene is highly associated with schizophrenia in European and Han Chinese populations. Increasing evidences show that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have some common genetic variance. Here, we evaluated the association of this variant with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in Iranian population. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 500 schizophrenic patients, 500 bipolar patients and 500 normal controls and all were genotyped for the rs1063843 using a PCR-RFLP method. The allele frequency of rs1063843 was significantly different in both schizophrenia and bipolar patients comparing to control group. For the first time, we showed that rs1063843 is highly associated with bipolar disorder, although more replication studies are needed to confirm our findings. Our results also support the findings of previous studies suggesting a significant association between rs1063843 and schizophrenia.

Designing novel and simple competitive internal amplification control for reliable PCR diagnosis of herpes simplex virus.

BACKGROUND: PCR is a molecular technique for herpes simplex virus (HSV) detection that can cause life-threatening infections such as encephalitis and keratitis. However, the main issues, false-negative results causing by PCR inhibitors, of this technique that reduce PCR efficiency. To overcome this problem, a competitive internal amplification control (IAC) was constructed for conventional PCR using the PCR-cloning technique. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is the design of competitive IAC for PCR diagnosis of HSV, which in fact is the main cause of keratitis and viral encephalitis in developed countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Composite primers for PCR amplification of Leishmania major kDNA (kinetoplast DNA) were designed and optimized to use as IAC-HSV. IAC-HSV amplified in a non-stringent condition, ligated into pTZ57R plasmid vector, and transformed into Escherichia coli JM207 and then cloned. Resulting IAC was used for 105 CSF and 78 keratitis specimens. RESULTS: PCR amplicons for HSV and IAC-HSV were 454-bp and 662-bp, respectively. Detection limit of IAC was determined as 1000 plasmids per PCR reaction. IAC sensitivity for HSV detection was determined as 1000 plasmids per PCR reaction. IAC sensitivity for HSV detection was 500 copies/mL of HSV DNA. Among all specimens, 7 inhibited specimens were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Indeed, using other DNA as an IAC is expected to detect false-negative results and amplification of the DNA is the key tool to examine the accuracy of amplification and detection steps. This internal amplification control is applicable for early reliable diagnosis of HSV in different loads of virus in different specimens.

Angiofibrolipoma of the retromolar pad region: case report.

Angiofibrolipoma is a rare histopathological variant of lipoma, characterized by mature adipocytes, blood vessels and dense collagenous tissue. It is seldom seen in the oral and maxillofacial region. Diagnosis of angiofibrolipoma is only possible based on its histopathological features. This report presents the case of a 63-year-old male patient with the complaint of a polyp-like mass, felt from the left retromolar pad region. The mass was found as a small prominent lesion that had grown gradually for 1.5 years. Our differential diagnosis was irritation fibroma and fibrous pyogenic granuloma. This report also includes a comprehensive reference to previously reported data, as found through PubMed and Google Search, which revealed this type of case rarely has been documented.