The neural basis of hazard perception differences between novice and experienced drivers

The neural mechanisms underlying hazard perception are poorly understood as to how experience affects it in drivers. In this study we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine experienced-related changes in brain activation of a hazard perception skill between novice and aged drivers. Additionally, region of interest (ROI) and seed-to-voxel analysis were conducted to examine experienced-related functional connectivity changes in visual attention and saliency networks between novice (n=15, age 22.13± 3.38 years years) and experienced (n=16, age 41.44± 5.83 years) drivers. Experienced drivers had significantly lower hazard perception reaction time (1.32 ± 1.09 s) and miss rates (11.42 ± 8.36 %) compared to the novice (3.58± 1.45 s and 39.67 ± 15.72 %, respectively). Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation increased in occipital, parietal and frontal areas when executing hazard perception task in the both the groups. During task execution, experienced drivers showed, in general, greater activation in occipital lobe, Supramarginal Gyrus (SMG), right insular cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and cerebellar regions compared to the novice drivers indicating more efficient visual attention and decision-making processing in hazard perception skill. Seed based functional analyses in the task revealed greater connectivity between the ACC and the entire salience network (visual attention network) in the experienced group. Additionally, ACC had higher functional connectivity with right frontal eye field (FEF) and, bilateral Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS) and lateral occipital areas in the experienced group. Our results suggest that the hazard perception ability in experienced drivers is due to increase in the activation of executive attention regions, and better functional connectivity between bilateral occipital cortices and salience network. Better hazard perception performance is highly dependent on emotional awareness and attention to the velocity of motion

Microbiological quality of traditional ice cream and homemade juices in Gorgan and its relationship with health conditions of workers and environment

Background and Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of food poisoning. Owing to the high consumption of fruit and ice cream, this study was carried out to examine the contamination of traditional ice cream and homemade juices to gram positive bacteria.  Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Gorgan during the summer months. Totally, 25 distinct sites producing handmade traditional juice and ice cream were included in this study.  Ice cream (100 g) as well as carrot and cantaloupe juices (100 cc) were sampled in sterile containers. Collected samples were then transported to the relevant laboratory in due time, where they were analyzed using methods specified for different types of microbes and bacteria. All the Operators participated in the study were completed informed consent form.Results: Results showed that traditional ice cream samples were contaminated to S. aureus (56%), yeast (44%), B. cereus (28%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (16%), Listeria (12%), Bacillus subtilis (8%), Bacillus licheniformis (4%) and actinomycetes (4%). Furthermore, respectively 14.8, 33.3, 28.57, 4.76, 14.28, 4.28 and 0 percent infection was traced to contaminated homemade juices (carrot juice and cantaloupe). Conclusion: The  findings of this study revealed the contamination of traditional ice cream and juice to Staphylococcus aureus and various other microorganisms. Therefore, the more surveillance of health care centers, promoting personal hygiene through health education, and enhancing sanitary conditions is required. The continuous sampling from corporate units should be noticed as well.   Key words: Traditional Ice Cream, Juice, Staphylococcus Aureu

Omics Multi-Layers Networks Provide Novel Mechanistic and Functional Insights Into Fat Storage and Lipid Metabolism in Poultry

Fatty acid metabolism in poultry has a major impact on production and disease resistance traits. According to the high rate of interactions between lipid metabolism and its regulating properties, a holistic approach is necessary. To study omics multilayers of adipose tissue and identification of genes and miRNAs involved in fat metabolism, storage and endocrine signaling pathways in two groups of broiler chickens with high and low abdominal fat, as well as high-throughput techniques, were used. The gene–miRNA interacting bipartite and metabolic-signaling networks were reconstructed using their interactions. In the analysis of microarray and RNA-Seq data, 1,835 genes were detected by comparing the identified genes with significant expression differences (p.adjust < 0.01, fold change ≥ 2 and ≤ −2). Then, by comparing between different data sets, 34 genes and 19 miRNAs were detected as common and main nodes. A literature mining approach was used, and seven genes were identified and added to the common gene set. Module finding revealed three important and functional modules, which were involved in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, Alzheimer’s disease metabolic pathway, adipocytokine, insulin, PI3K–Akt, mTOR, and AMPK signaling pathway. This approach revealed a new insight to better understand the biological processes associated with adipose tissue

Nanocurcumin as a radioprotective agent against radiation-induced mortality in mice

Objective(s): Curcumin, a natural plant product, is commonly known as wonder drug of life, but the poor bioavailability of its free form has hindered its clinical development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of nanocurcumin on survival of mice under whole body X-ray irradiation. Materials and Methods: The Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice randomly assigned to separate groups and received nanocurcumin via oral gavage at different time points related to irradiation. The survival of mice was evaluated daily for 30 days post-irradiation and finally, the LD50/30 was calculated using Probit analysis. The 30-day survival curve was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve and the median survival of different subgroups was compared using log-rank test. The P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Our results showed that the administration of oral nanocurcumin could effectively reduce the mortality rate in the irradiated mice. Five days pretreatment with nanocurcumin (4 mg/kg/day) induced maximum radioprotective effect. The LD50/30 was 7.18 Gray (Gy) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.59-7.77) and 8.78 Gy (95% CI: 8.14-9.50) for irradiation-only and the optimum nanocurcumin group (pre-irradiation group), respectively (dose reduction factor [DRF] = 1.22). Continued administration of nanocurcumin up to seven days post-irradiation resulted in no further radioprotection. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study confirmed the efficacy of nanocurcumin as a radioprotective agent against radiation-induced mortality in mice. The specific characteristics of nanocurcumin, such as non-toxicity, edibility, availability, make this phytochemical as a potential radioprotective agent in the radiotherapy setting and radiation accidents. Further clinical studies are highly recommended

Digoxin Inhibits Retinoblastoma through Suppressing a Non-canonical TGFβ Signaling Pathway.

Aims: Retinoblastoma is a childhood ocular tumor rapidly developing from the immature cells of the retina due to loss of functional retinoblastoma protein. Digoxin, a cardiac glycoside, has been reported to be effective in inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and cytotoxic effects on human cancers. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate whether digoxin could suppress retinoblastoma cancer through the regulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway. Methodology: The effects of digoxin on Y-79 cells, retinoblastoma cancer cell line, were investigated using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoli-umbromide) and BrdU (bromodeoxyuridine) assays to measure cellular cytotoxicity effects and cell apoptosis, respectively. Also, a qPCR assay was employed to analyze the mRNA expression levels of TGFβ signaling pathway including C-MYC, P21, P15, TGFβRI, TGFβRII, and SMAD2, 3, and 4 genes. Results: The results of the cell function assays revealed that digoxin inhibited the cell viability and proliferation of Y-79 cells. In addition, it was found that digoxin significantly suppressed C-MYC expression and enhanced the expression of P21, P15, SMAD2 and SMAD4 genes in a dose-and time-dependent manner. However, the obtained results could not detect any significant effect of digoxin on TGFβRI, TGFβRII and SMAD3 genes. Conclusion: Taken together, the findings of the present study suggest that digoxin could be a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of retinoblastoma by regulating the cell cycle genes via a non-canonical TGF-β signaling pathway

VDR and CYP24A1 Expression Analysis in Iranian Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disease of the central nervous system. This disease may be initiated by either vitamin deficiency or triggered by abnormality in CYP24A1 and vitamin D receptor. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, the expression of genes encoding vitamin D receptor (VDR) and CYP24A1 in relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) patients was compared with normal individuals in the Iranian population. RNA from whole blood of 50 RR-MS patients (HLA-DRB1*15-negative and responders to interferonbeta with a normal vitamin D level) and 50 normal controls was extracted. The levels of CYP24A1 and VDR expression were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The RR-MS group had a significantly more than 2 times higher expression level of VDR than the normal group (P=0.04). On the other hand, there was a 0.89 times decrease in the expression level of CYP24A1 in RR-MS patients which was not statistically significant. There was no linear correlation between the risk of expanded disability status scale of Kurtzke (EDSS) and the expression level of either CYP24A1 or VDR. In addition, the expression level of CYP24A1 or VDR was not correlated with the duration of the disease. Conclusion: Up-regulation of VDR is likely to happen in RR-MS patients in the Iranian population. We did not observe a gene expression-phenotype correlation for CYP24A1 which may be due to limited statistical power as a result of the small sample size. Although the individuals taking part in this study had normal levels of vitamin D, the increase in VDR expression levels may perhaps be a response to a defect in vitamin D processing. Another possibility is that despite an increase in VDR expression level, factors such as micro-RNAs may result in their deactivation while an increase in VDR expression level can be seen as a compensatory response. Of course, further studies are required to identify the mechanism of action of vitamin D by analyzing genes involved in its signaling pathway, particularly VDR and CYP24A1