Responses of Endothelin-1 and Arterial Blood Pressure of Postmenopausal Women to Aerobic Exercise Training

Objectives:&nbsp;Endothelin-1 is a strong constrictor of blood vessels that is secreted by endothelial cells and identified as the strongest vascular constrictor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight week aerobic exercise on the endothelin-1 concentration of plasma and its relationship with blood pressure in elderly postmenopausal women. Methods & Materials: A total of 20 menopausal women (with the average age of 67.85&plusmn;5.67 years , height 153.50&plusmn;7.7 cm, weight 66.16&plusmn;11.96 kg, BMI of 28.15&plusmn;4.98, fat percentage of 18.41&plusmn;3.65, and WHR of 0.92&plusmn;0.04) were selected and randomly assigned into two groups of ten each. The experimental group underwent eight weeks of aerobic training spanning across three sessions in a week with the intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate. The resting level of endothelin-1 concentration along with the systolic and diastolic blood pressure for each participant were measured and recorded before and after eight weeks of exercise .Paired t-test was used for investigating the changes within the group while the independent t-test was used for investigating the differences between the groups. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for investigating the relationship between endothelin-1 and blood pressure. A significance level less than 0.05 were considered to be significant. Results:&nbsp;The result of this study showed that one duration of aerobic exercise had a significant effect on endothelin-1 plasma density (P<0.01) and decreasing systolic (P<0.01) as well as diastolic(P=0.002) blood pressure in older women. A direct correlation was established between endothelin-1 and systolic blood pressure (P=0.59). Nevertheless, no correlation was noted between endothelin-1 and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.39). Conclusion: It was concluded that single duration of aerobic exercise with the agreed intensity and volume could decrease the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the endothelin-1 concentration of plasma

Detection of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori infection in human is one of the most common infections worldwide. However, the origin and transmission of this bacterium has not been clearly explained. One of the suggested theories is transmission via water. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of H. pylori in tap water, dental units' water, and bottled mineral water in Iran. In the present study, totally 200 water samples were collected in Isfahan province and tested for H. pylori by cultural method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by the detection of the ureC (glmM) gene. Using cultural method totally 5 cultures were positive. Two out of 50 tap water samples (4%), 2 out of 35 dental units' water (5.8%) samples, and 1 out of 40 (2.5% ) from water cooler in public places were found to be contaminated with H. pylori. H. pylori ureC gene was detected in 14 (7%) of water samples including 5 tap water (10%), 4 dental units' water (11.4%), 1 refrigerated water with filtration, and 4 (10%) water cooler in public places samples. This may be due to the coccoid form of bacteria which is detected by PCR method

Helicobacter pylori as a zoonotic infection: the detection of H. pylori antigens in the milk and faeces of cows

Background: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, which may increase the risk of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and cancer, has increased worldwide. This number is estimated to be around 70-90% in developing countries and 25-50% in developed countries. It is possible that the bacterium can be transmitted via food and water as well as zoo-notically and iatrogenically. Because of high prevalence of this infection in Iran, the aim of this study is to examine whether H. pylori infection might be transmitted from cow′s milk and faeces. Methods: The existence of the H. pylori antibody and antigen was investigated in samples of serum, milk, and faeces from 92 lactating Holstein cows in Shahrekord, Iran. The H. pylori antigen and antibody were detected using ELISA and were confirmed by PCR. Results: It was found that out of 92 serum specimens, 25 (27%) of the cows were positive for the H. pylori antibody and 67 specimens were negative. From these 25 seropositive cows, 10 (40%) faeces samples and four (16%) milk sam-ples were antigen positive for H. pylori. Four of the antigen-positive milk specimens were also antigen positive for fae-ces. The existence of the UreC gene was also confirmed in positive samples of milk and faeces. Conclusions: There is a possibility that cow′s milk is a transmission mode in H. pylori infection and faecal contami-nation and inappropriate management processes could transfer H. pylori to humans. The awareness of the H. pylori epi-demiology and its method of distribution are necessary for public health measures and controlling the spread of this bacterium. Further investigation with a greater sample number is necessary to verify the ability of H. pylori transmis-sion via milk consumption

Detection of Helicobacter pylori in city water, dental units&apos; water, and bottled mineral water

Helicobacter pylori infection in human is one of the most common infections worldwide. However, the origin and transmission of this bacterium has not been clearly explained. One of the suggested theories is transmission via water. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of H. pylori in tap water, dental units&apos; water, and bottled mineral water in Iran. In the present study, totally 200 water samples were collected in Isfahan province and tested for H. pylori by cultural method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by the detection of the ureC (glmM) gene. Using cultural method totally 5 cultures were positive. Two out of 50 tap water samples (4%), 2 out of 35 dental units&apos; water (5.8%) samples, and 1 out of 40 (2.5% ) from water cooler in public places were found to be contaminated with H. pylori. H. pylori ureC gene was detected in 14 (7%) of water samples including 5 tap water (10%), 4 dental units&apos; water (11.4%), 1 refrigerated water with filtration, and 4 (10%) water cooler in public places samples. This may be due to the coccoid form of bacteria which is detected by PCR method

The mutation of the rdxA gene in metronidazole-resistant Helicobacter pylori clinical isolates

Backgrounds: Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem throughout the developed world, and knowledge about different resistance mechanisms is consequential for efficient treatment of bacterial infections. Although metronidazole has been frequently used in treatment regimens for H. pylori infection, but antibiotic resistance is now a major contributing factor in treatment failure. Nevertheless metronidazole has been greatly used as a critical component of combination therapies for H. pylori infection. Objective: This study is trying to describe the mutational mechanisms of metronidazole resistance in H. pylori in our clinical isolates in Isfahanian patients, Iran and compare with the findings of previous studies in world. Materials and Methods: MIC values of metronidazole for H. pylori strains were determined by E- test. Both rdxA and glmM genes used for confirmation of isolates as H. pylori and then amplification of another rdxA oligonucleotide pair was done. Finally, the six resistant strains were sent to sequencing for other processing and further analysis was done by software. Results: The result of six clinical isolates in comparison with 26695, J99 and 69A as a sensitive and resistant reference strains showed plenty of mutations. No frame shift and nonsense mutation was seen in our clinical isolates. Conclusion: An interesting finding in metronidazole-resistant strains in our study was the detection of one mutation not previously described in the literature in the rdxA gene and this W(209)R substitution presumably plays a role in inducing metronidazole resistance

The Efficacy and Safety of Adding Chlorpromazine to Atazanavir/Ritonavir Regimen in the Treatment of Moderate COVID-19 Patients, a Randomized Double-blind Clinical Trial

Background: According to COVID-19 mutation and no defined treatment, it is necessary to find effective treatment. Chlorpromazine, a phenothiazine antipsychotic drug, has been shown in animal studies to have antiviral effects by inhibiting clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of adding chlorpromazine to the atazanavir/ritonavir regimen in the treatment of moderate COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, sixty hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 confirmed by CT findings or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were enrolled. All patients received atazanavir/ritonavir 300mg/100mg once daily. In two parallel groups, chlorpromazine 25 mg three times a day or a placebo was administered for up to 14 days. Complete blood count with differential, C-reactive protein (CRP), liver enzymes, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was measured on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. The primary outcome was the improvement of oxygen saturation and the secondary outcome was the duration of hospitalization and conversion of PCR test results.  Results: Oxygen saturation during the hospitalization was not different among the two groups. The mean duration of hospitalization in the chlorpromazine group was 7.4±2.7 days and in the placebo was 8.2±3 days (P=0.2). Compared to baseline, both groups showed an increase in white blood cell count (P=0.04) and polymorphonuclear cells (P=0.04) but lymphocyte count decreased. At the end of the study, the PCR test was negative in 100% of patients in the chlorpromazine group and 95% of patients in the placebo group. Conclusion: In adult hospitalized patients with moderate symptomatic COVID-19, adding chlorpromazine to the atazanavir/ritonavir regimen did not improve outcomes

Final selected CTL, HTL and LBL epitopes for multi-epitope vaccines construction.

Final selected CTL, HTL and LBL epitopes for multi-epitope vaccines construction.</p

S2 Fig -

Linear (A and C) and Discontinuous (B and D) B-cell epitopes of the construct 1 (A and B) and construct 2 (C and D) vaccines (colored spheres). (DOCX)</p

The 3D view of the final system conformations.

The interface residues between two proteins TLRs (orange cartoon) and vaccines (magenta cartoon) residues (orange and magenta sticks) are labeled. Hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts are presented as green dashed line and arc with spokes radiating, respectively. A and B indicate TLR4-construct 1 and TLR3-construct 2 complexes, respectively.</p

Multiple alignment of the NS3 protein sequences in HCV strains.

(PDF)</p