The healing power of Aloe vera mucilage: induction of insulin-like growth factor gene expression and regeneration tissue in mouse damaged skin

زمینه و هدف: گیاه آلوئه ورا (Aloe barbadensis Miller) از جمله گیاهان استوایی بوده که به منظور ترمیم بسیاری از سوختگی ها و دیگر زخم ها کاربرد فراوان دارد؛ مطالعه حاضر با هدف بررسی اثرات موسیلاژ آلوئه ورا بر فرآیند ترمیم زخم در پوست آسیب دیده موش انجام شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی 30 سر موش سوری نر نژادbalb/c در محدوده وزنی 2±22 گرم به پنج گروه بدون زخم (کنترل منفی)، زخم با تیمار سرم فیزیولوژیک به مدت 8 روز، زخم با تیمار سروم فیزیولوژیک به مدت 16 روز، زخم با تیمار موسیلاژ آلوئه ورا به مدت 8 روز و زخم با تیمار آلوئه ورا به مدت 16 روز تقسیم شدند. بر روی پشت هر موش دو زخم مساوی به قطر 2 ±10 میلی متر با برداشت ضخامت کامل پوست (Full-thickness) ایجاد گردید. پس از 8 و 16 روز از هر گروه نمونه برداری های به عمل آمدو از تکنیک RT-PCR جهت بررسی میزان بیان ژن فاکتور رشد شبه انسولینی (IGF) و در مطالعات بافت شناسی تغییرات بافتی مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. جهت بررسی آماری از آزمون آماری آنالیز واریانس یک طرفه (ANOVA) و آزمون تعقیبی توکی (Tukey) استفاده شد. یافته ها: تیمار با موسیلاژ آلوئه ورا سبب افزایش بیان ژن فاکتور رشد شبه انسولینی (IGF) در 8 و 16 روز پس از ایجاد زخم نسبت به گروه شم گردید (05/0

Knowledge and perception toward colorectal cancer screening in east of Iran

Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iran and its early detection is necessary. This study is based on perception of people in the east of Iran toward CRC screening. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 1060 randomly selected individuals who referred to Razavi Hospital of Mashhad, Iran, between September the 1 st , 2012 and February the 28 th , 2013 as patients or their visitors involved in an interview to fill a questionnaire on CRC screening. Results: The participants’ age ranged from 40 to 88 years (mean= 55). More than 90% had no knowledge of CRC and screening tests. The most cited reasons for not having screening tests were “did not have any problem” and “did not think it was needed”. Although, older people had more knowledge of CRC ( P = 0.033), there was no relationship between gender, health insurance status, family history of individuals and their knowledge about CRC ( P > 0.050). Employment, education and higher income had positive effect on the perception of people toward CRC screening ( P < 0.050). Conclusion: Lack of knowledge in people in lower socio-economical class with limited literacy is the most important barrier to CRC screening. As such, designing educational programs involving physicians and media is important to improve CRC screening rates

Identification and characterisation of flotillin-2 as a molecular target in breast and bladder cancers

Invasive breast and bladder cancers are associated with poor clinical outcome and are characterised by a genotype that is distinct from superficial disease. Predicting the invasive and metastatic potential of tumours at the time of diagnosis remains a major challenge in cancer management. Exploiting a multi-component data-mining in silicostrategy, genes associated with an invasive phenotype were targeted. These bioinformatics screens were conducted on previously published and publicly available datasets derived from various high-throughput genome-wide experimental data based on gene expression arrays and array-based comparative genomic hybridisation. Differentially expressed genes between high and low-risk cancers were functionally annotated by gene ontology and compared to available expression datasets. Overexpression of a lipid raft associated protein, Flotillin 2 (FLOT2) in invasive cancers was identified. The FLOT2 locus (17q11-q12) was associated with copy number gains in 15% of tumours.Flotillin-2 is an important lipid raft marker and is predicted to be involved in cell-matrix adhesion, cell migration and signal transduction. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate flot2 expression and localisation in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded malignant and non-malignant breast cancers. Flot2 localisation varied from a cytoplasmic distribution in normal cells to a more cell-cell contact distribution in malignant cells. A correlation was found between flot2 overexpression in the invasive compartments of tumour tissues and clinical stage. The staining intensity in the invasive compartment increased with cancer progression. Flot2 protein expression was tested in an independent bladder cancer tissue microarray series by immunohistochemistry. Flot2 protein expression increased with bladder cancer progression as well. Subsequently, FLOT2was knockdown in bladder and breast cancer cells in vitro by siRNA. Migration and invasion assays were employed to determine the phenotypic effects of FLOT2 inhibition. The inhibition ofFLOT2 expression in knockdown cells was confirmed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Knockdown of FLOT2 led to a significant reduction in the invasive and migtransduction. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate flot2 expression and localisation in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded malignant and non-malignant breast cancers. Flot2 localisation varied from a cytoplasmic distribution in normal cells to a more cell-cell contact distribution in malignant cells. A correlation was found between flot2 overexpression in the invasive compartments of tumour tissues and clinical stage. The staining intensity in the invasive compartment increased with cancer progression. Flot2 protein expression was tested in an independent bladder cancer tissue microarray series by immunohistochemistry. Flot2 protein expression increased with bladder cancer progression as well. Subsequently, FLOT2was knockdown in bladder and breast cancer cells in vitro by siRNA. Migration and invasion assays were employed to determine the phenotypic effects of FLOT2 inhibition. The inhibition ofFLOT2 expression in knockdown cells was confirmed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Knockdown of FLOT2 led to a significant reduction in the invasive and migratory cellular phenotypes. The precise mode of action of flot2 remains to be elucidated but it is predicted to play an important role intransmembrane signal transduction, cell adhesion and endocytosis. Incidentally,FLOT2 overexpression has also been shown to enhance the spreading of cells, formation of filopodia as well as melanoma progression and metastasis. This study identifies and confirms flot2 overexpression as a common feature of invasive breast and bladder cancers.In addition, the functional targeting experiments and genedosage dependent FLOT2 overexpression in invasive breast and bladder cancers confirm a link between FLOT2 and a pro-invasive cancer phenotype. flot2 remains to be elucidated but it is predicted to play an important role intransmembrane signal transduction, cell adhesion and endocytosis. Incidentally, FLOT2 overexpression has also been shown to enhance the spreading of cells,formation of filopodia as well as melanoma progression and metastasis. This study identifies and confirms flot2 overexpression as a common feature of invasive breast and bladder cancers.In addition, the functional targeting experiments and genedosage dependent FLOT2 overexpression in invasive breast and bladder cancers confirm a link between FLOT2 and a pro-invasive cancer phenotype

The Effect of glial cells inhibition on the progression of seizures induced by chemical kindling in male rats

Background &amp; Objectives: Considering the role of glial cells in synaptic transmission, regulation of neurotransmitter concentration in synaptic cleft, K+ buffering, and releasing the gliotransmitters, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of glial cells inhibition on the progression of seizures induced by chemical kindling in rats. Materials &amp; Methods: In chemical kindling, animals received Pentylenetetrazol, 35 mg/kg each 48 hours, intraperitoneally and five different stages of seizure were appeared gradually and seizure parameters including maximum seizure stage (SS), stage 4 latency (S4L), stage 4&amp;5 duration (S5D), and seizure duration (SD) were measured during 20 min after PTZ injection. Then seizure parameters were evaluated in animals treated with intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of Fluorocitrate (as a glial cells inhibitor), injected 30 min before PTZ, and compared with PTZ treated animals. Results: Results showed that glial cells inhibition with ICV injection of Fluorocitrate decreased SS, S5D, and SD and increased S4L significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). Â Conclusion: On the basis of obtained results, it may be concluded that glial cells inhibition reduces spreading rate of epileptiform activity in the nervous system, and the duration of neuronal hyperexcitability and, also, prevents the progression of seizure to final stages

Comparison of indomethacin suppository and lidocaine cream on post-episiotomy pain: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND One of the most important problems after episiotomy is perineal pain which is more severe on the first day of postpartum period. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of indomethacin suppository and lidocaine cream in the management of post-episiotomy pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a randomized, controlled trial, 60 primiparous women who had mediolateral episiotomy received 50 mg indomethacin suppository (n = 30) or 2% lidocaine cream (n = 30) in the postpartum period in Hajar Hospital in Shahrekord (Iran). The mean severity of post-episiotomy pain was assessed with the first complaint and at 6, 12, and 24 h after the delivery, and compared in the two groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used for pain recording and data were analyzed with independent-samples t-test, χ(2), and Fisher's exact tests, and significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS With the first complaint of pain, the mean intensity of pain was 4.9 (1.9) in the indomethacin group and 4.9 (1.8) in the lidocaine group, and the difference was not significant (P = 0.25). Six hours after birth, it was 3.3 (1.3) in the indomethacin group and 3.2 (1.9) in the lidocaine group, and there was not a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.90). No significant difference was found between the two groups at 12 h after birth [2.3 (1.7) vs 2.5 (1.7); P = 0.59]. Also, the difference was not significant at 24 h after birth [1.5 (1.3) vs 1.8 (1.3); P = 0.31]. CONCLUSIONS It was concluded from the study that indomethacin suppository and lidocaine cream have similar efficacy on episiotomy pain relief on the first day of postpartum period