Genetic structure of Spanish and American stocks of cultivated rainbow trout, (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss is the most important cold water farmed fish in Iran. Several cultivated stocks have been imported to Iran and some fish farms have focuesd on the culture and breeding of these stocks all around the country. In this study, the genetic structure of Spanish and American stocks of rainbow trout was investigated using 4 pairs of microsatellite markers and 30 specimens of fish from each stock. Allele sizes at OMY77, OMY325, OMM1329 and OMM1332 loci were in the range of 102-178, 100-150, 122-198, 172-204 bps respectively. Average number of observed alleles in American and Spanish stocks was 11 and 11.5, respectively. Average number of effective alleles in Spanish and American stock was 8.65 and 8.03, respectively. The mean of observed heterozygosity for American and Spanish stocks were calculated as 0.59 and 0.63, respectively. The mean of expected heterozygosity for both stocks was very similar (around 0.86). The results showed a significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at seven out of eight loci × stock. AMOVA test showed low (7%) genetic diversity between stocks, while the most (93%) genetic diversity was observed within stocks. Genetic identity and genetic distance between stocks were 0.831 and 0.186, respectively. Fixation index FST was calculated based on allelic frequency between two stocks was 0.012 with no significant difference between 2 stocks. The results of this study showed that while there was considerable genetic diversity within Spanish and American stocks, two stocks were very similar and showed very insignificant genetic differentiation based on 4 microsatellite studied loci

Genetic Variants of Cytochrome b-245, Alpha Polypeptide Gene and Premature Acute Myocardial Infarction Risk in An Iranian Population

Background: Oxidative stress induced by superoxide anion plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and hence acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The major source of superoxide production in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells is the NADPH oxidase complex. An essential component of this complex is p22phox, that is encoded by the cytochrome b-245, alpha polypeptide (CYBA) gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of CYBA variants (rs1049255 and rs4673) and premature acute myocardial infarction risk in an Iranian population. Methods: The study population consisted of 158 patients under the age of 50 years, with a diagnosis of premature AMI, and 168 age-matched controls with normal coronary angiograms. Genotyping of the polymorphisms was performed by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: There was no association between the genotypes and allele frequencies of rs4673 polymorphism and premature acute myocardial infarction (P>0.05). A significant statistical association was observed between the genotypes distribution of rs1049255 polymorphism and AMI risk (P=0.037). Furthermore, the distribution of AA+AG/GG genotypes was found to be statistically significant between the two groups (P=0.011). Conclusions: Our findings indicated that rs1049255 but not rs4673 polymorphism is associated with premature AMI

The miR-196a SNP Rs11614913 but not the miR-499 rs37464444 SNP is a risk factor for non-small cell lung cancer in an Iranian population

BACKGROUND: Globally, lung cancer represents a major cause of cancer-related deaths. The regulation of gene expression is modulated by small noncoding RNAs called miRNAs that can act as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes. The maturation, expression and binding to target mRNAs is affected by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genomic regions thereby contributing to cancer susceptibility. SNPs Rs11614913 in miR196a and Rs3746444 in miR-499 are implicated in the development of cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in non-Arabic subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A small cohort of 204 participants including 104 lung cancer patients and 100 non-cancer controls subjects were enrolled into the study. The allele frequencies were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and their correlation with lung cancer risk was determined. RESULTS: The miR-196a rs11614913 polymorphism increased the risk of NSCLC (CC vs. TT+TC: OR= 2.26, 95%CI= 1.28 - 3.98, P= 0.0046) in a dominant genetic model. No statistically significant association was found between the miR-499 rs37464444 polymorphism and NSCLC. CONCLUSION: The rs11614913 polymorphism in miR-196a, but not the miR-499 rs37464444 polymorphism, increased the risk of NSCLC. Further studies with larger sample sizes in correlation with functional outcomes at the cellular level should be undertaken

Effects of zinc supplementation on serum adiponectin concentration and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background: Previous studies have suggested that zinc is involved in insulin homeostasis. Adiponectin is a well-known adipokine with anti-diabetic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of zinc supplementation on glycemic control, and the potential mediating role of adiponectin, in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 60 patients with diabetes, 30-60 years, were randomized to receive either 30 mg/d zinc (as zinc gluconate) or placebo for 12 weeks. Circulating levels of adiponectin, zinc, glucose homeostasis parameters, and lipid profiles, as well as anthropometric parameters and dietary intakes, were assessed. Results: About 53.3 of the patients had zinc insufficiency at baseline. Serum zinc levels improved significantly in the intervention than control group following 12 weeks supplementation (P < 0.001). Adiponectin (1.23 ± 2.23 μg/ml, P = 0.006) and insulin (3.6 ± 4.66 μIU/ml, P = 0.001) levels increased significantly compared to baseline in the zinc group; but this change was not significant compared with the control group. Following supplementation, there were no significant differences in glycemic control and anthropometric parameters between the two groups. Serum HDL levels increased significantly in the zinc (5.37 ± 14.8 mg/dl) compared to control (-1.53 ± 6.9 mg/dl) group following supplementation (P = 0.039). Conclusion: Despite a significant increase in serum zinc level, no improvement was observed in glycemic control, following 12 weeks supplementation with 30 mg/d zinc (as zinc gluconate). Zinc supplementation restored adiponectin concentrations partly within the intervention group, and increased HDL levels compared to the control group. The current findings did not support improvement in glucose homeostasis following zinc supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes under the present study design. © 2019 Elsevier Gmb

The association of plasma levels of miR-34a and miR-149 with obesity and insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents

Context. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs involved in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression that influence various cellular functions including glucose and lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of miR-34a and miR-149 and their relationship with metabolic parameters in obese children and adolescents. Design. Seventy children and adolescents were enrolled in the study. Plasma levels of microRNAs were evaluated by real-time PCR using SYBR green and analyzed by �Ct method. Plasma concentrations of visfatin and insulin were measured by ELISA method. Glucose and lipid profile were determined colorimetrically. HOMA-IR was calculated and used as an index of insulin resistance (IR). Results. miR-34a was significantly lower in subjects with insulin resistance compared to obese children with normal insulin sensitivity. There was an inverse relationship between miR-34a levels and both insulin and HOMA-IR. On the other hand, miR-149 was significantly correlated with visfatin. There was no significant difference in miR-34a and miR-149 between obese and normal weight subjects. Conclusions. miR-34a is associated with insulin and HOMA-IR and thus seems to be involved in IR. miR-149 is inversely associated with visfatin levels which could be indicative of anti-inflammatory effect of this miRNA. © 2018, Acta Endocrinologica Foundation. All rights reserved

Effect of fish oil on circulating asymmetric dimethylarginine and adiponectin in overweight or obese patients with atrial fibrillation

Obesity and adipose-derived peptides might be involved in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Adiponectin plays a major role in the modulation of several metabolic pathways, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been suggested to be predictive of AF and associated adverse events. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation on circulating adiponectin and ADMA in overweight or obese patients with persistent AF. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 80 overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) � 25 kg/m2) patients with persistent AF were randomly assigned to two groups to receive either 2 g/day fish oil or placebo, for 8 weeks. Serum levels of adiponectin and ADMA, and anthropometric indexes were measured. This study showed that serum adiponectin concentrations increased significantly following fish oil supplementation compared with the placebo group (13.15 ± 7.33 vs. 11.88 ± 6.94 µg/ml; p =.026). A significant reduction was also observed in serum ADMA levels in the fish oil compared with the placebo group following the intervention (0.6 ± 0.13 vs. 0.72 ± 0.15 µmol/L; p =.001). The changes in serum adiponectin and ADMA concentrations remained significant after adjustments for baseline values, age, sex, and changes of BMI and waist circumference (p =.011 and p =.001, respectively). In conclusion, 8 weeks supplementation with fish oil increased serum adiponectin and decreased ADMA concentrations in overweight or obese patients with persistent AF. As adiponectin and ADMA are suggested to be involved in many pathways associated with AF, the current findings might be promising in the clinical management of this disease, an issue that needs further investigations. © 2020 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Rich kids : a history of shopping malls in Tehran and the believers are but brothers - digital lack and excess in a postdigital age

This article addresses two recent performances by Javaad Alipoor and Kirsty Housley - Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran (2019) and The Believers are but Brothers (2017). It argues that they represent a fresh, stripped back and interrogative mode of intermedial performance, marking a clear departure from practices that employ the digital as a spectacular scenographic tool - where the visual excesses of large scale mapped and projected images are there for us to enjoy - as well as from sited, active and playful uses of handheld devices and networked engagements in mixed reality performance. Particularly focusing on the use of audience members’ smartphones and platforms such as Whatsapp and Instagram, I contend that the prompting of these types of interactions in a theatre space generates a productive uneasiness at the intersection of human action and digital process. The article explores these qualities of unease and critical positionings that emerge within the contained spaces created in the performances and how they reveal and heighten the dual lack and excess of contemporary digital content and processes in our lives. In exploring these ideas, I make reference to postdigital theories, discourses of intermediality and critical writing around digital computation