Sleep loss and the brain vulnerability to neurodegeneration: behavioral, biochemical and neurohistopathological observations in a rat model

Background: Experimentally-induced total sleep deprivation (TSD) and chronic partial sleep restriction (CPSR) leads to the emergence of cognitive impairments. This is hypothesized to result from a consequent neuroinflammation which may also hasten the neurodegenerative processes. Neuroinflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) are thought to be potential culprits in SD-induced neurodegeneration. Methods: The effect of TSD and CPSR on memory and anxiety-related behaviors (using the Elevated Plus-Maze testretest protocol) and serum level of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and corticosterone were assessed in male Wistar rats subjected to the modified disk-over-water (DOW)apparatus. In addition, an immunohistochemical (IHC) study was done to possibly detect the amyloid-beta (Aβ) and hyper-phosphorylated tau protein (HPτ) deposition in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the examined rats’ hippocampi. Histomorphology and neuronal numerical density assessments were done at the same level across control and experimental animals. We also studied the above parameters in rats after intraperitoneal injection of the TNFα neutralizing antibody, infliximab (IFX). Results: Rats subjected to TSD and CPSR which did not receive IFX, showed a more pronounced impairment of memory, elevated serum corticosterone and decreased BDNF levels. CPSR rats which underwent delayed brain excision following behavioral testing, showed deposition of the HPτ and revealed the least numerical density in the hippocampal DG neurons. Meanwhile, IHC study revealed no Aβ deposition in the hippocampal DG of all examined rats. Interestingly, treatment with IFX, abrogated sleep restriction-induced cognitive decline, biochemical changes and the immunohistopathology in the hippocampal DG. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings indicated that CPSR (the SD model mimicking shift work) induces not only cognitive and biochemical changes, but also pathology in the hippocampal DG. This is possibly via activation of the inflammatory mechanisms in part through TNFα-dependent pathways

Knowledge and Attitude Towards Epilepsy Among Biology Teachers in Fars Province, Iran

How to Cite this Article: Asadi-Pooya AA, Torabi-Nami M. Knowledge and Attitude Towards Epilepsy Among Biology Teachers in Fars Province, Iran. IranianJournal of Child Neurology 2012;6(1):13-18.ObjectiveThis study investigates the awareness and perception on “epilepsy” amongst biology teachers in Fars province, Iran.Materials & MethodsA sample of high school biology teachers in Fars province, Iran, filled out an investigator designed questionnaire including questions about their knowledge and attitude concerning “epilepsy”. There were 17 questions in the questionnaire. Nine questions addressed the knowledge and the rest were about attitude and perception.ResultsForty two teachers completed the questionnaires. More than two-thirds of the participants had a fairly desirable awareness about the definition; whereas, only approximately 40% knew something about the etiology and treatment of epilepsy. More than two-thirds of the participants had a positive attitude towards epilepsy; however, misconceptions and negative attitudes were observed.ConclusionEducational programs for biology teachers and also other teachers are necessary to improve their knowledge, attitude and perception about epilepsy.References Sander JW, Shorvon SD. Incidence and prevalence studies in epilepsy and their methodological problems: a review. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1987;50:829-39. Saraceno B. The WHO world health report 2001 on mental health. Epidemiol Psychiatr Soc 2002;11(2):83-7. Kim MK, Cho KH, Shin J, Kim SJ. A study of public attitudes towards epilepsy in Kwang-Juarea. J Kor Neurol Assoc 1994;12:410-27. DiIorio C, Shafer PO, Letz R, Henry T, Schomer DL, Yeager K, etal. The association of stigma with self-management and perception of health care among adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2003;4(3):259-67. Aziz H, Akhtar SW, Hasan KZ. Epilepsy in Pakistan: stigma and psychological problems: a population-based epidemiologic study. Epilepsia 1997;38:1069-73. Ablon. The nature of stigma and medical conditions. Epilepsy Behav 2002;3:2-9. Jacoby A. Stigma, epilepsy and quality of life. Epilepsy Behav 2002;3:10-20. McLin WM, de Boer HM. Public perceptions about epilepsy. Epilepsia 1995;36:957-9. Daoud A, Al-Safi S, Otoom S, Wahba L, Alkofahi A. Public knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy in Jordan. Seizure 2007;16:521-6. Ndour D, Diop AG, Ndiaye M, Niang C, Sarr MM, Ndiaye IP. A survey of school teachers’ knowledge and behaviour about epilepsy, in a developing country such as Senegal. [Article in French]. Aert Rev Neurol 2004;160(3):338-41. Millogo A, Siranyan AS. Knowledge of epilepsy and attitudes towards the condition among school-teachers in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). Epileptic Disord 2004;6(1):21-6. Masoudnia E. Awareness, understanding and attitudes towards epilepsy among Iranian ethnic groups. Seizure 2009;18(5):369-73. Fernandes PT, Noronha AL, Araújo U, Cabral P, Pataro R, de Boer HM, Prilipko L, Sander JW, Li LM. Teachers’ perception about epilepsy. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2007;65(1):28-34. Aydin K, Yildiz H.Teacher’s perceptions in central turkey concerning epilepsy and asthma and short term effect of a brief education on the perception of epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2007;10:280-90. Caixeta J, Frenandes PT, Bell GS, Sander JW, Li LM. Epilepsy perception amongst university students. A survey. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2007;65 (suppl 1):43-8

RESEARCH AND REVIEWS: JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY Biosynthesis and Characterization of Selenium Nanoparticles Produced by Terrestrial Actinomycete Streptomyces microflavus Strain FSHJ31

ABSTRACT During last decades, study on the development of eco-friendly processes for the production of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) have received much attention due to hazardous effects of chemical compounds used for nanoparticle preparation. The present study was designed to screen actinomycete strains able to produce Se NPs. Among isolated bacterial strains, a terrestrial actinomycete strain which was tolerant to Se 4+ ions (200 µg/ml of) was launched as Se NPs producer. Morphological and biochemical characteristics as well as 16S rDNA gene analysis of the selected strain introduced it as Streptomyces microflavus strain FSHJ31. The biologically synthesized Se NPs was then purified using n-Octyl alcohol/water extraction system and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. Analysis of the particle size distribution pattern of biogenic Se NPs via laser light scattering method demonstrated the size range of 28-123 nm for Se NPs with the 48 nm NPs being the most frequent particles

Where Neuroscience and Art Embrace The Neuroaesthetics

Neuroscience has recently contributed a lot to the understanding of aesthetic experience features. Science, art and creativity are not really distinctively different entities. The parallelism seen between the properties of art and organizational principals of the brain has been highlighted through neuroaesthetic studies. Aesthetic as a subjective experience has comprehensively been studies through neuro-scientific, psychological, sociologic and cultural standpoints. This is a controversial topic in cognitive neuroscience, meanwhile seemingly varied results of the conducted researches in this field may be conceptualized in a framework linking aesthetics to neuroscience of affective visual processing, reward circuitries and the nature of decision making. Approaching the question of art-brain parallelism, is along side with elucidating the relation between perception and aesthetic experience,and the features of aesthetic judgment and reward. Moreover, other factors such as cultural underpinnings undoubtedly come into play. In this review we used expert opinions and literary notions to present a report on how neuroscience has so far elaborated on different features of the aesthetic phenomenon hoping to probe areas of neuroaeshetic research which can potentially assess our cultural interface with the aesthetics and cognitive neuroscience

Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates among hospitalized patients; a tertiary medical care center experience from Southern Iran

Background and Objective: Bacterial resistance to different types of antibiotics has been globally emerging over recent years. The present study was carried out to investigate the rate of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) at a tertiary medical care center in Kerman, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 250 samples with positive culture for coagulase-positive S. aureus, taken from the suspected infectious sites of patients admitted to different medical and surgical wards at Bahonar hospital from 2009 to 2011, were studied. Results: 9.2% of S. aureus isolates were found to be vancomycin-resistant. There was no significant difference in the rate of resistance between males and females (8 vs. 12.9%, respectively). Though the rate of resistance was shown to be marginally higher in post-surgical compared to medical ward patients, the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.8). Across the wards, general surgery housed the largest number of patients with VRSA (20%). Conclusion: The emergence of VRSA isolates has perhaps not received a great deal of attention so far. It appears that the increasing use of vancomycin in non-complicated infections may contribute to the emergence of S. aureus isolates which turn to be vancomycin-resistant

Repetitive Arm Movements During Sleep: A Polysomnographic Assessment

Sleep-related movement disorders should be differentiated from parasomnias, sleep-associated behavioral disorders, and epilepsy. Polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard in evaluating such disorders. Periodic leg movement disorder during sleep (PLMS), hypnic jerks, bruxism, rhythmic movement disorder, restless legs syndrome, and nocturnal leg cramps have broadly been discussed in the literature. However, periodic arm movement disorder in sleep (PAMS) is a less-appreciated entity perhaps because arm surface electromyography is not an integral part of the standard polysomnography. Results from our PSG study in a case suspected for PAMS prompted us to herewith discuss this problem

Homocysteine as a potential biomarker in bipolar disorders: a critical review and suggestions for improved studies

Introduction: Homocysteine levels have been associated with major depression, but associations with bipolar disorder remain less clear. Some data suggest homocysteine levels have potential as a biomarker of treatment response; however the literature is mixed. Areas covered: Oxidized forms of homocysteine can be potentially neurotoxic leading to glutamate toxicity, apoptotic transformation and neurodegenerative processes. High homocysteine may be a risk biomarker for bipolar disorders, but the empirical base remains too weak for firm conclusions. This review discusses the current literature for homocysteine levels as a biomarker. Expert opinion: It is premature to foreclose the utility of homocysteine levels as a biomarker for bipolar disorder due the methodological inadequacies in the existing literature. These methodological design issues include lack of control for the confounding variables of concurrent medication, phase of bipolar disorder, gender, age, nutritional status, thyroid, liver and renal function, smoking or lean body mass. Well-powered association studies with confounder control could help shed more light on the important clinical question of homocysteine\u27s utility as a biomarker in bipolar disorder. Future experiments are needed to examine the outcome of interventions modulating homocysteine for treating bipolar disorder. Only prospective randomized control trials will provide definitive evidence of the utility of homocysteine as a biomarker or therapeutic target

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS-P) in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the psychometric features of the Persian version of the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS-P) tool when used in Iranian MS patients. Methods: 140 MS patients and the equivalent number of healthy controls completed the following assessments: FIS-P, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), SF-36 questionnaire and  the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).  Results: A significant inverse correlation between FIS and the quality of life (SF-36 assessment tool), as well as a positive and significant correlation with the FSS were noted. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) values for the inter-rater reliability for the physical, cognitive, and social sections and the whole questionnaire were 0.89, 0.86, 0.95 and 0.98, respectively. The FIS Persian version was shown to possess a high reliability (with a Cronbach’s alpha  of 0.953). Likewise, the ICC values for the test-retest reliability were 0.86, 0.87, 0.92 and 0.93 for the physical, cognitive, social subscales and the whole questionnaire, respectively. This suggested a high reliability for the FIS-P. Discussion: With a proper validity and reliability, the Persian-version of FIS retains the capability for being used in the assessment of fatigue and evaluation of the treatment and rehabilitation effects on fatigue-related symptoms among Persian-speaking patients with MS.&nbsp

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration

<b>AIM:</b> To investigate the serum level of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and healthy control subjects. The disruption in the tight balance of neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective processes in an immune-privileged site like retina is proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of AMD. One of the main neuroprotective mediators in the central nervous system is BDNF with its serum level notably affected in several neurodegenerative disorders.<b>METHODS</b>:Thirty-six patients with AMD and 36 age-matched controls were enrolled in this study. The serum level of BDNF was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results were analyzed to compare case and control values. Comparisons were also made between the BDNF level of wet- <i>vs</i> dry-AMD, and male <i>vs</i> female patients and controls. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student’s<i> t</i>-test were employed to analyze the data.<b>RESULTS:</b> The mean BDNF levels in AMD group were significantly higher than the control group. Furthermore, our analysis revealed greater BDNF values in all AMD subgroups compared to controls (<i>P</i>=0.004, 0.005, 0.001 and 0.02 for male wet-AMD, male dry-AMD, female wet-AMD and female dry-AMD <i>vs</i> controls, respectively). The BDNF level however did not vary between wet- and dry-AMD patients (<i>P</i>=0.74). While within-group comparisons in males and females of AMD and control groups did not show any difference in BDNF (<i>P</i>=0.16, 0.64 and 0.85 for wet-AMD, dry-AMD and control groups, respectively), between-group data showed a higher mean BDNF in both male and female AMD subjects than their peer controls.<b>CONCLUSION:</b> This study demonstrated that the serum BDNF level is different in patients with AMD as compared to subjects without AMD. Future attempts should be done to unravel beneficial or deleterious effect of this neurotrophin in the pathogenesis of AMD

Intracranial meningiomas: Prognostic factors and treatment outcome in patients undergoing postoperative radiation therapy

Background: Meningioma constitutes 20% of the intracranial neoplasms. Followed by surgery as the primary treatment for most patients, radiotherapy becomes indicated in high-grade tumors with incomplete surgical removal. We evaluated the prognostic factors and overall outcome in meningioma patients who underwent radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective analysis, data from all patients with documented diagnosis of meningioma who referred to the Omid and Ghaem Oncology Centers (Mashhad, Iran) from 2002 to 2013 were included. We calculated the overall survival rates using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared the survival curves between groups by the log-rank test. Results: Eighty-three patients with a median age of 50 years (ranging: 16–84) were included. Grade I, II, and III meningiomas were seen in 40 (48%), 31 (37%), and 12 (15%) patients, respectively. Radiation therapy was indicated due to tumor recurrence, incomplete excision, or tumor grade in 32, 8, and 43 patients, respectively. Tumor grade had a significant effect on the overall survival with a 3-year overall survival of 76.7%, 43.5%, and 13.3% in Grade I, II, and III, respectively (P < 0.001). Gender, age, and tumor location were not correlated with the overall survival. Moreover, patients with Grade II and III who underwent total resection had a significantly higher overall survival than those with subtotal resection or biopsy alone (5-year survival rates of 82% vs. 17.1%, respectively; P = 0.008). Conclusion: Tumor grade was the most important prognostic factor in meningioma patients undergoing radiation therapy. In patients with Grade II and III tumors, the extent of surgical resection is significantly correlated with the overall survival