Hypocalcemic seizure and related factors after neonatal period; A single-center, retrospective study

      Seizures are the most common disorder of the central nervous system in childhood and constitute a significant number of admissions to the pediatric emergency departments. The aim of this study is evaluate the etiology of hypocalcemic seizures in pediatrics. A single-center, hospital based descriptive study was done in the academic referral center for hypocalcemic seizure of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data was evaluated based on the medical records of each patient. Case files of these children’s were analyzed for age at presentation, sex, weight, clinical features, biochemical parameters (serum calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase) ,type of seizure, history of previous seizure and history of drug intake.  A total 38 children with hypocalcemic seizure, consisting of 19 boys and 19 girls, with ages ranging from one month to 14 years, were enrolled in this study. The most common patterns of seizures were generalized seizures (83.8%). the mean levels of serum alkaline phosphatase was significantly greater in patients under the age of 2 years (1234 ± 541.03) rather above than 7 years of age (922.75 ± 147.45) (p = .021). Rickets was the commonest cause of seizures rickets were diagnosis in  80.8% subjects  under 2 years of age, whereas none of those over 7 years old had not rickets , these  results were statistically significant (p = .015). Current observational study indicates that rickets could be a major cause of hypocalcemic convulsion in infants and children. Screening children presenting with hypocalcemic convulsions for rickets and/or other cause of hypocalcemia can help in early diagnosis and institution of specific therapy.

Correlation of fear memory in a PTSD animal model and hippocampal BDNF in response to β-estradiol treatment

         The most important characteristics of PTSD, as an anxiety disorder, are memory disorders and hippocampus is one of the essential structures which plays a critical role in PTSD memory disorders. Traumatic events cause apoptosis and alter the expression of neurotrophic factors in hippocampus. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of β-Estradiol on behavioral responses in PTSD and to study its biochemical and histological mechanisms.We used single prolonged stress (SPS) to develop PTSD in rats. The day after, the rats received electrical foot shock within shock chamber. One week later, in order to test the conditioned fear responses, the freezing behavior of rats were examined for 5 continuous days, as they were placed back in the chamber without any shock. Animals received multiple injections of β-estradiol or sesame oil, immediately after shock and also on a daily basis through the seven days prior to the test. Hippocampal cell count was implemented after cresyl violet staining. We measured BDNF protein levels by ELISA kit.Main findings of this study confirmed that exaggerated fear response is observed in PTSD group as compared with control group and β-estradiol administration reduced these exaggerated behavioral responses. We found out that SPS decreases the density of cells in hippocampus and this effect is partly corrected by β-estradiol; β-estradiol increased BDNF protein level in hippocampus as compared with PTSD group; BDNF protein level was negatively correlated with freezing response in both SPS+β-estradiol and SPS+sesame group.The results of this study is consistent with the hypothesis that decreased expression of BDNF contributes to memory impairment in PTSD and up regulation of BDNF by β-estradiol plays a role in memory treatment

Comparison of Methods of RNA Extraction From Breast and Gastric Cancer Tissues

Objective: Optimal quality and quantity of extracted RNA is the first step in molecular biology analysis and investigation. In this way, several methods have been proposed in order to obtain the best quality of RNA in different cases. On the other hand, RNA extraction from cells and tissues is different. Materials and Methods: In this study, the effects of 4 common RNA extraction kits including Trizol, AccuZol, Ribozol and TriPure and also the effect of RNAlater and liquid nitrogen were compared and studied on 50 breast cancer and 50 gastric cancer tissues. Remarkably, the quality of the extracted RNA was investigated using real-time PCR TaqMan assay on HER2 gene. Results: The results showed better relative quality of extracted RNA with Trizol kit compared to other kits in this study. Conclusion: Conspicuously, fewer amount of tissues between 10 to 30 mg lead to gain a much better quality of RNA. Meanwhile, the expression of HER2 gene indicates a suitable performance of extracted RNA qualitatively and quantitatively. Notably, GAPDH gene was used as internal control in all samples

Correction to: Effects of Moderate Treadmill Exercise and Fluoxetine on Spatial Memory and Serum BDNF Levels in an Animal Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Correction to: Effects of Moderate Treadmill Exercise and Fluoxetine on Spatial Memory and Serum BDNF Levels in an Animal Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder     Sakineh Shafia1, Abbas Ali Vafaei2,  Ali Rashidy-Pour2   1 Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran 2 Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran          In the article published in volume 29, issue 179, 2019, the affiliation of Ali Rashidy-Pour was published incorrectly, which is now corrected

Influence of verapmil on the inhibitory effects of corticosterone on neuropathic pain behaviors in rats

Introduction: The mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids on neuropathicpain are not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the role of L-type voltage sensitive calciumchannels (VSC) in the effects of corticosterone on neuropathic pain behaviors in CCI model in rats.Materials and Methods: Male adult Wistar rats (200-300 gram) were used in this study. Chronicconstriction nerve injury (CCI) was produced in the animals by loosely ligating in their commonsciatic nerve. Two weeks after inducing CCI, the effects of corticosterone (15 mg/kg) on neuropathicpain behaviors were examined in the presence or absence of verapmil; a blocker of L-VSC channels,at the dose of 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg. Behavioral pain responses including thermal hyperalgesia andthermal and mechanical allodynia, were studied using standard procedures.Results: Our findings indicated that peripheral administration of corticosterone suppresses bothhyperalgeisa and allodynia. Verapmil pretreatment attenuated the effects of corticosterone on boththermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. In addition, the administration of verapmil alone andat high dose suppressed both thermal allodynia, and mechanical allodynia.Conclusion: These findings showed that inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids on neuropathic painbehaviors, at least in part, might mediate through L-type VSC channels. Our findings suggest apotential role for glucocorticoid receptors agonist in combination of L-type VSC channels antagonistsin the clinical management of neuropathic pain

Effect of passive and active recovery from supramaximal exercise on blood lactate levels in male athletes

Introduction: One important factor of fatigue occurrence among athletes, following heavy sportactivities, especially sports activities with short time and the maximum speed and intensity, is theaccumulation of lactic acid in blood. The need for athletes to achieve natural conditions and to prepare forthe next activities, methods of disposal lactic acid are very important. The purpose of this study was tostudy the effects of passive and active recovery with a severity of 55, 60 and 65 percent of maximumheart rate, on levels of blood lactic acid.Material and Methods: This semi-experimental study was carried by 60 male athletes' students whowere divided randomly to four groups. The first group included 15 subjects of group programs forpassive recovery and the second, third and fourth groups off the state quarter program for active recoverywith highly active 55, 60 and 65 percent of maximum heart rate, respectively. Groups acting Cunninghamtest began to test blood lactic acid in four stages (before the activity, immediately after the activity, 5 and20 minute period recovery). The measurement was done by a hand lacto – meter.Results: The mean amount of blood lactic acid during resting time in four groups and also immediatelyafter the activity was not significant, but 5 minutes after recovery as well as 20 minutes after recoverydifference between groups was significant (P<0.001). Mean blood lactic acid 20 minutes after recovery ofpassive group was significantly higher and that of group with 60 percent maximum heart rate wassignificantly lower (P<0.001) than other groups. Also the rate of the decrease in lactic acid level within 5to 20 minutes after recovery in group with 60% maximum heart rate was significantly more than group55%. The rate of decrease with group 65% maximum heart rate was shown to be significantly more thangroup 55% with maximum heart rate (p <0.001).Conclusion: Our findings showed that active recovery from supramaximal exercise had a better effectthan passive mode in reducing blood lactate levels in male athletes. Moreover, active recovery with a rateof 60 percent of maximum heart rate had a better effect than those of 55 or 65% maximum heart rat

Evaluation the role of nitric oxide in corticosterone effect\'s on anxiety behaviors in mice

Background & Objective: Many evidence indicated that action of glucocorticoid receptors can modulate anxiety behaviors and these effects probably mediated by nitric oxide (NO) system. Thus, in this study, we investigated interaction between corticosterone and NO on anxiety behaviors in mice in elevated plus maze (EPM). Materials & Methods: In this experimental study male albino mice (25-30 g) were used. A standard EPM was used to determine anxiety behaviors. Two behavioral measures were used that include of the percentage of time spent in the open arms and the ratio of open arm entries to total entries during 5 min. Animals received IP injection of L-Name 30 mg/kg as an inhibitor or L-Arginine 50 mg/kg as a synthesis of NO or saline 60 min and corticosterone (1, 2.5, 5 mg/kg) 30 min before of evaluation. Results: Analysis of data indicated that corticosterone at doses of 1 and 2.5, but not 5 mg/kg significantly reduced anxiety behavior in mice (P<0.05). Also pretreatment of L-Name potentiate but injection of L-Arginine had inhibition of corticosterone effects (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that glucocorticoid induces anxiolytic effects and these effects probably potentiate by NO inhibitor and reduced by NO synthesis. Therefore, it seems that there are interaction between of glucocorticoid and NO system for control of anxiety behaviors

Effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on learning and memory and anxiety-like behaviors in rats

Introduction: Although past research has suggested that acute exposure to the extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELFEFs) can impair cognitive functions, data on chronic exposure remained scare. Only a few studies investigated the effects of chronic ELFEFs on cognitive functions, but the results are controversial. Thus, the aim of the present study was to study whether chronic exposure to ELFEFs can affect cognitive functions and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five male Wistar were divided into control and exposed (10 or 100 uT). Exposed rats were continuously exposed to a 50 Hz magnetic field of 10 or 100 µT for four weeks. Then, cognitive functions of all rats were tested in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tasks. Also, anxiety-related behaviors of all rats were examined in the elevated- plus maze and light-dark box. Results: No significant differences were found between control and exposed in learning acquisition, memory retention and anxiety-related behaviors. Conclusion: Our results showed that chronic exposure to ELFEFs neither change cognitive functions nor anxiety-related behaviors in rats

Effects of Mineralocorticoid Receptors Blockade on FearMemory Reconsolidation in Rats

Reconsolidation memory is defined as a process in which the retrieval of a previously consolidated memory returns to a labile state which is then subject to stabilization. Previous studies have shown that mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) modulate distinct phases of learning and memory, which display a high concentration and distinct distribution in the hippocampus. Moreover, we found no studies that examined the role of hippocampal MRs in fear memory reconsolidation. Here, we investigated the effect of MRs blockade on fear memory reconsolidation in rats. Additionally, to test whether blockade of protein synthesis would disrupt fear memory reconsolidation in our paradigm, we tested the effect of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis after memory reactivation. Results indicated that systemic as well as intra-hippocampal administrations of the MR antagonist spironolactone immediately following memory reactivation did not affect on post-retrieval long-term memory. Cycloheximide given after the reactivation treatment produced a strong impairment that persisted over test sessions. These findings indicate that MRs are not required for reconsolidation of fear-based memory