Teratogenic effects of gabapentin on the skeletal system of Balb/C mice fetuses

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of gabapentin )GBP( administration on mice fetuses. Methods: This study was carried out in Birjand University of Medical Sciences during 2008. Thirty Balb/c pregnant mice were divided randomly into 3 groups: 2 experimental groups that received 25 mg/kg )I( and 50 mg/kg )II( of GBP intraperitoneally for the first 15 days of pregnancy, and a control group that received normal saline. External observations of day 18 fetuses and skeleton double staining were performed. Results: Both experimental groups showed similar disorders that can be categorized as the following: 1( decrease of fetal body weight and increase of fetal resorption, 2( macroscopic malformations, and 3( skeletal malformations. Fetal body weights were significantly lower, and fetus resorptions were significantly higher in both treated groups compared to the control group. Macroscopic malformations included exencephaly, limbs defects, brachygnathia, vertebral column deformity, and fetuses with severe retarded growth. Skeletal malformations included delayed ossification, scoliosis, calvaria deformity, and mandibular hypoplasia. Conclusion: This study revealed that GBP can induce previously unreported severe malformations if it is used continuously during the implantation, neurulation, and organogenesis stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it is suggested that great caution should be exercised in using GBP during the early stages of pregnancy until further studies are performed to better understand these effects

Protective effect of vitamin E on sperm parameters, chromatin quality, and DNA fragmentation in mice treated with different doses of ethanol: An experimental study

Background: Excessive consumption of alcohol induces an increase in oxidative stress production and can lead to detrimental effects on the male reproductive system. Objective: To evaluate the possible protective effects of coadministration of vitamin (vit) E on the detrimental changes in the sperm quality of mice administered ethanol. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four BALB/c mice were categorized into nine groups (n = 6/each). The control group received a basal diet while the eight experimental groups received ethanol 10%; ethanol 20%; vit. E 100 mg; vit. E 200 mg; ethanol 10% + vit. E 100 mg; ethanol 10% + vit. E 200 mg; ethanol 20% + vit. E 100 mg; ethanol 20% + vit. E 200 mg. After 35 days, the sperm parameters and sperm chromatin were assessed. Results: The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the motility rate, normal morphology rate, viability rate, increase in abnormal DNA structure and packaging (TB staining), and DNA damage (TUNEL) in ethanol consumer groups. In addition, the findings showed a significant increase in the aforementioned parameters in ethanoland vit. E-consumer groups compared to the ethanol-only consumer groups. The ethanol group received 20% of the most damage among the groups. The group receiving vit. E 100 mg and those receiving ethanol 10% + vit. E 200 mg gained the highest benefit among the groups. Conclusion: Sperm forward progressive motility, normal morphology rate, and viability decreased in the ethanol groups. Also, the rates of spermatozoa with abnormal DNA structure and DNA fragmentation increased in the ethanol groups. Our findings revealed that the coadministration of vit. E and ethanol can protect destructive changes in DNA structure and damage. Key words: Ethanol, Sperm parameters, Vitamin E

Effect of educational intervention on self-efficacy for choosing delivery method among pregnant women in 2013

Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 130 pregnant women who attended urban health centers in Shahrekord city in 2013. Intervention was applied in the experimental group in three sessions in about 60-90 min while control group did not receive any intervention. Fear of childbirth and self-efficacy questionnaire was completed before and after training. Results: While mean scores of the fear of childbirth, expectations and childbirth self-efficacy before the intervention between the two groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05), mean scores of childbirth in intervention group was reduced and expectation and childbirth self-efficacy had a significant increase after intervention (P 0.05) and self-efficacy (P < 0.001) than those who chose normal method. Conclusions: Our findings showed that training-based self-efficacy procedure has been effective in encouraging mothers to choose natural childbirth. Therefore, the design and implementation of curriculum-based strategies for increasing self-efficacy is suggested for pregnant women. Background: Nowadays, there has been a growing trend of caesarean sections in Iran. One reason would be the mother’s desire. Increased maternal self-efficacy can be an important step to reduce percentage of cesarean. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of training-based strategies to increase the self-efficacy for choosing delivery method among pregnant women in Shahrekord city. © 2014, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved

Investigating the Signaling Pathways Involved in Fighting Opportunistic Virus Infection with Helper T Lymphocyte Cells

Introduction: People with weakened immune system are more prone to opportunistic infections (OIs). Finding the association of these viruses and the transmission pathways associated with these viruses, such as EBV and CMV, play a significant role in investigating their association with helper T lymphocytes. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was used to examine and candidate genes in pathways associated with opportunistic viruses with helper T lymphocytes. Method: In this study, by referring to the GEO database, a suitable database was selected for analysis. This dataset included gene expression profiles in EBV and CMV virus infections. Gene clusters were classified into high and low expression. Rich databases such as Enrichr, STRING, and Networkanalyst were used to evaluate the data more accurately. Finally, the candidate genes were isolated and their protein binding was measured. Results: 964 high-expression genes and 837 low-expression genes are involved in the progression of opportunistic viral infections with lymphocytes. Cell cycle pathways, oxidative stress, RNA synthesis and TGFB were significantly observed. Conclusion: The present study showed that important proteins and genes played a major role in enhancing the inflammation of opportunistic viruses such as Epstein-Barr and Cytomegalovirus, among which CDK2, CCNB1, GSK3B, SRC, and SMAD3 showed a more prominent role in this pathway

Recurrent Syncope following Substance Abuse; a Case Report

Drug abuse is considered as the most common poisoning in the world. Stimulants agent especially amphetamines and methamphetamines are among important abused substances. Different types of neurologic, psychiatric, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiogenic complications have been reported to be related to methamphetamine consumption. Some of these substances could cause dysrhythmias which is the most prevalent etiology of cardiogenic syncope. Ecstasy, as one of the most commonly abused drugs, is known as a cause of cardiac dysrhythmias. Here we report a young boy who was admitted into the emergency department following three syncope attacks. All cardiac and neurologic assessments were normal; and finally ecstasy abuse was detected as the main etiology of syncopes

Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur & Sudar, 2019 (arborescentni Bentoski foraminifer) i Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot,1979 iz gornjobaremskog sedimentnog basena Kopet-Dag (SI Iran) i njihove paleobiogeografske revizije

During micropaleontological investigations on the Lower Cretaceous successions of the Tirgan Formation in Kopet-Dagh sedimentary basin, some new achievements are yielded. In this regards, the first occurrence of Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur & Sudar in close association with Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot is reported for the first time from the Upper Barremian of Kopet-Dagh sedimentary basin (NE Iran). The biostratigraphic investigations were carried out on a 197.5 m thick Gelian stratigraphic succession cropping out along the Tirgan Formation located 35 km southwest of Shirvan town. This study reviews the palaeogeographical distribution and age of Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur& Sudar and Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot along the northern Tethyan margins and extends its palaeobiogeographical existence.Mikropaleontološka istraživanja donjokredne sukcesije formacije Tirgan u Kopet-Dag sedimentacionom basenu (SI Iran) su pružila nove podatke. S tim u vezi, prvi put je u sedimentima Gornjeg Barema dokumentovan Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur& Sudar u asocijaciji sa Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot. Biostratigrafska istraživanja su obavljena na stratigrafskom profilu Gelian (Formacija Tirgan) ukupne debljine 197,5 m koji je otkriven 35 km jugozapadno od grada Shirvan. U radu je data revizija paleogeografskog rasprostranjenja i starosti foraminifera Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur & Sudar i Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot duž severnogo boda Tetisa

Transcription of adaptive-immune genes upon challenge with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) in DNA vaccinated rainbow trout

In the present study, rainbow trout weighting 3±0.3 g were vaccinated with an oral DNA vaccine encoding VP2 gene of a prevalent isolate of IPNV in Iranian trout farms encapsulated in sodium alginate microspheres and Chitosan tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles. The vaccinated fish were then challenged with a virulent isolate of IPNV at 30 days post-vaccination. The transcriptional changes of adaptive- immune genes (IgM and IgT), as well as the  VP4 gene of IPNV, as an indicators of viral replication were studied 45 days post-challenge. Analysis of RT-qPCR data showed lower levels of VP4 gene expression in the oral DNA vaccinated trout after IPNV challenge compared with the control one. Moreover, the constructed DNA vaccine did not enhance the expression of IgM and IgT genes above the levels observed in the carrier control group but it showed a mimic of viral activity and contributes to maintaining them at appreciable levels in vaccinated group

Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Conferring Resistance in Tumors of the Nervous System

Tumors of the nervous system can be originated from several locations. They mostly have high mortality and morbidity rate. The emergence of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is a hurdle in the treatment of patients. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to influence the response of glioblastoma/glioma and neuroblastoma to chemotherapeutic agents. MALAT1, NEAT1, and H19 are among lncRNAs that affect the response of glioma/glioblastoma to chemotherapy. As well as that, NORAD, SNHG7, and SNHG16 have been shown to be involved in conferring this phenotype in neuroblastoma. Prior identification of expression amounts of certain lncRNAs would help in the better design of therapeutic regimens. In the current manuscript, we summarize the impact of lncRNAs on chemoresistance in glioma/glioblastoma and neuroblastoma

EVALUATION OF HYPOGLYCEMIC AND HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECTS OF INTERNAL SEPTUM OF WALNUT FRUIT IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Background: Todays, the popularity of herbal medicine is increasing worldwide. Due to importance the evaluation of medicinal herbs efficacy and safety, the present study was conducted to investigate the antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of internal septum of walnut fruit (ISWF) ethanolic extract in diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Alloxan diabetic rats treated orally with ethanolic extract of ISWF (0-400mg/kg) for 28 days. To evaluate its anti-diabetic activity, the animals fasting blood glucose were determined on the first, 14th and 29th days. Moreover, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in diabetic rats at the last day of the study. After 24h of last administration, the blood samples were collected, and the Plasma lipids and liver enzymes levels were measured in fasting overnight rats. Results: The extract significantly decreased blood glucose (