A comparative assessment of RNF38 and P53 genes expression in the sperm samples obtained from males with normozoospermia and asthenospermia: A case-control study

Background: Infertility is considered as a common problem appears in about 10-12% of couples in their reproductive ages. Ring finger protein 38 (RNF38) gene is a ubiquitinprotein ligase that can regulate Protein 53 (P53) and affect cellular motility. Objective: Considering the role of P53 on cellular motility and RNF38 on the regulation of P53, the present study aimed to assess the difference between RNF38 and P53 genes expression in normozoospermic and asthenospermic samples as a diagnostic biomarker in males. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted among 21 asthenospermics and 63 healthy individuals. First, the real-time polymerase chain reaction technique was applied to measure the expression level of the P53 and RNF38 genes extracted from sperm samples, and the glyceraldehyde-3phosphate dehydrogenase gene was selected as the reference gene. Results: An increase and a decrease occurred in the level of P53 and RNF38 genes expressions in asthenospermic and normozoospermic samples, respectively. In addition, a significant difference was observed between increasing P53 gene expression (p < 0.001), reducing RNF38 one, and decreasing sperm motility (p < 0.001) in asthenospermic cells compared to that of normozoospermic ones. Conclusion: Based on the results, an increase in the expression of the P53 gene and a decrease in the expression of the RNF38 gene had a significant relationship with asthenospermia in men. Therefore, it is expected that an effective step should be adopted to diagnose the asthenospermia expression pattern by using these results. Key words: RNF38, P53, Asthenozoospermia, Motility

Childhood Epilepsy; Prognostic Factors in Predicting the Treatment Failure

How to Cite This Article: Taghdiri MM, Omidbeigi M, Asaadi S, Mohebbi M, Azarghashb E, Ghofrani M. Childhood Epilepsy; Prognostic Factors in Predicting the Treatment Failure. Iran J Child Neurol. Winter 2017; 11(1):21-28.AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to find the prognostic factors to detect the patients who fail the treatment of epilepsy, in the early stages of the disease.Materials & MethodsThis study was done on the epileptic patients attending the Neurology Clinic of Mofid Children’s Hospital, Tehran, Iran from September 2013 to October 2014. After defining the criteria for exclusion and inclusion, the patients were divided to two groups based on responding to the medical treatment for their epilepsy and indices were recorded for all the patients to be used in the statistical analyses.ResultsThe patients’ age ranged from 1 to 15 yr. There was 188 patients with refractory seizure in group 1 (experimental group) and 178 patient with well controlled seizure in group 2(control group).There was a significant different between serum drug level in both groups and patients with refractory seizure group had a lower serum drug level than control group. In both groups tonic-clonic was the most common type of seizure. Also the prevalence of brain imaging Abnormalityand other neurologic disorders was significantly higher in patients with refractory seizure in compare with control group.ConclusionChildren with seizure who suffer from refractory epilepsy need more attention and exact observation by the medical staff. References 1. Kozyrskyj AL, Prasad AN. The burden of seizures in Manitoba children: a population-based study. Can J Neurol Sci 2004;31:48-52. 2. Camfield PR, Camfield CS, Gordon Kandet al. If a first antiepileptic drug fails to control a child’s epilepsy, what are the chances of success with the next drug? 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Expression of Recombinant Human Coagulation Factor VII by the Lizard Leishmania Expression System

The variety of recombinant protein expression systems have been developed as a resource of FVII gene expression. In the current study, the authors used a novel protein expression system based on the Iranian Lizard Leishmania, a trypanosomatid protozoan as a host for expression of FVII. Plasmid containing cDNA encoding full-length human FVII was introduced into Lizard Leishmania and positive transfectants were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, biological activity of purified protein was detected by PT assay. The recombinant strain harboring a construct was analyzed for expression of FVII at the mRNA and protein level. Purified rFVII was obtained and in order to confirm the purified compound was in fact rFVII. Western blot analysis was carried out. Clotting time in PT assay was reduced about 30 seconds with the purified rFVII. In Conclusion, this study has demonstrated, for the first time, that Leishmania cells can be used as an expression system for producing recombinant FVII

The Therapeutic Effect of Endoscopic Tumor Resection on Acromegalic Cardiomegaly in Patients With Pituitary Adenoma

Background: Acromegaly defines as chronic elevations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH), which results in enlargement of organs and soft tissues. Cardiovascular complications of acromegaly such as cardiomegaly, hypertension contributing to a high risk of cardiovascular events. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the prevalence of cardiomegaly as cardiovascular comorbidity of acromegaly and the potential effect of the curative intervention.Methods: A total of 160 patients with acromegaly due to pituitary adenoma participated in this study. Acromegaly diagnosed was based on clinical manifestations, age-adjusted plasma IGF-I, and elevated plasma GH levels, not suppressible during an oral glucose tolerance test (75 g). Electrocardiogram and chest X-ray obtained in all patients. Treatment approaches included transsphenoidal surgery and hormonal evaluation performed before and six months after surgery.Results: The GH serum level was elevated in all patients before surgery, with a mean of 33.7 ng/mL that reached 5.7 ng/mL after surgery. Mean IGF-1 was 794.1 ng/mL that reached 395.6 ng/mL postoperatively. The prevalence of cardiomegaly was 15% that improved in 5% of patients after trans sphenoidal surgery.Conclusion: Appropriate surgical intervention in acromegaly that complicated by cardiomegaly may result in significant improvement of the cardiac structure

Evaluation of Anti-CCP Positive in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Referred to Loghman Hakim Hospital between 2007-2017; A Descriptive Study

Background: It has been found that some patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), although the clinical significance of such finding is not well established. SLE patients may have joint complaints that are very similar to those observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In early stages of disease, this form of arthritis can be difficult to differentiate from RA, so it is not rare that some SLE patients are initially misdiagnosed to have this disease. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anti-CCP in SLE patients in Loghman Hakim hospital, Tehran, Iran.Method and Materials: One hundred fourteen SLE patients were studied for anti-CCP. Demographic features and prevalence serum positive Anti-CCP were measured in studied patient.Results: In this study we evaluate 11 men and 103 women. The mean age of patients was 40.26±14.54 y/o. Anti-CCP was positive in 20 of 114 SLE patients. In Anti-CCP positive group also there was 3 men and 17 women with mean age of 45.7±13.Conclusion: We found that 17.5 % of Iranian patients with SLE have positive anti-CCP. Only a careful and prolonged follow-up will reveal the real clinical value of these markers in each patient individually. Key Words: Anti-CCP, Rheumatoid arthritis, Systemic lupus erythematosu

Frontal assessment battery in a Persian population with Parkinson's disease

Background: Several studies have indicated that executive dysfunction is the main neuropsychological feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a short tool for the assessment of executive functions. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Persian version of FAB scores and age, education, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and severity of the disease in Iranian patients with PD. Methods: The study involved 60 healthy participants and 60 patients with idiopathic PD. Age, sex, disease duration, and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores were noted. FAB and MMSE were administered to all participants. Both groups were compared according to FAB scores, MMSE, age, and education. Results: FAB scores were significantly lower in patients with PD than in healthy controls (P<0.05). In patients with PD, FAB scores were correlated with MMSE (P<0.05) but not with UPDRS (P=0.93). Conclusion: FAB scores were significantly lower in Iranian patients with PD in comparison to controls and it can indicate that this battery has good discriminate validity and can be a useful tool to identify executive dysfunction in  Iranian patients with Parkinson’s disease. Also it seems that FAB is not useful test to show disease severity in Iranian patients