Correlation between expression levels of mRNA IL-6 and H. pylori-infected patients with cagA

خلاصه سابقه و هدف: عفونت هلیکوباکترپیلوری با جذب سلول‌های التهابی مانند نوتروفیل، ماکروفاژ و سلول‌های T و B اختصاصی هلیکوباکتری به ناحیه درگیر عفونت همراه می‌باشد. مسیرهای مولکولی کنترل پاسخ ایمنی بر علیه این باکتری خیلی پیچیده می باشد، اما معمولاً سایتوکاین‌های که در ناحیه درگیر عفونت تولید می‌شوند در حفظ و گسترش عفونت نقش دارند. هدف از این مطالعه بررسی بیان ژن IL-6 در سطح مخاط بیماران آلوده به هلیکوباکترپیلوری و غیرآلوده و همچنین ارتباط آن با فاکتور ویرولانس cagA در میان افراد آلوده به هلیکوباکترپیلوی می‌باشد مواد و روش ها: این مطالعه از نوع موردی- شاهدی می‌باشد. از 58 نفر از مبتلایان به هلیکوباکترپیلوری و 44 نفر از افرادی که آلوده به این باکتری نبودند توسط آندوسکوپی بیوپسی تهیه شد. و بعد از استخراجmRNA ، توسط real-time PCR، میزان بیانmRNA IL-6 اندازه گیری شد. فاکتور بیماری زای cagA توسط PCR ارزیابی شد. بیان سایتوکاین ها در دو گروه آلوده و غیرآلوده با استفاده از تست T-Test مورد آنالیز قرار گرفتند. یافته ها: سطح بیان IL-6 mRNA در بیماران دارای هلیکوباکترپیلوری نسبت به افراد غیرآلوده به بطور معنی داری بالاتر می‌باشد. ارتباط معنی‌داری بین فاکتور بیماری‌زای cagA و سطح بیان IL-6 mRNA مشاهده نشد. نتیجه گیری: افزایش بیان IL-6 mRNA ممکن است مستقل از فاکتور ویرولانس cagA و در ایجاد التهاب معده همراه با هلیکوباکترپیلوری نقش مهمی داشته باشد

A review on promising natural agents effective on hyperlipidemia.

Hyperlipidemia is a prevalent disease and a major component of the metabolic syndrome resulting from various factors. This disease increases morbidity and mortality when combined with other prevalent diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. The side effects of the current lipid-lowering drugs have increased the tendency to move toward traditional and alternative treatments. Epidemiological observations indicate that using alternative treatments, consumption of medicinal plants, diet, and consumption of fruits have had satisfactory results on the effects of hyperlipidemia in many societies. It should be noted that in majority of societies, even developed countries, the tendency toward eating lipid-lowering medicinal plants has increased extensively. Using these plants especially when common remedies cannot control the disease is significant. Although consumption of medicinal plants by hyperlipidemic patients may show improvement in disease state, drug interaction and side effects may cause complications in disease control. Therefore, in this review, apart from introducing some of the reliable plants effective in inhibition and decrease of hyperlipidemia, the possibility of their intoxication and drug interaction is also presented

Micro-encapsulation of asphalt rejuvenators using melamine-formaldehyde

Asphalt pavement roads are exposed to traffic loading and natural elements such as rain, sunlight and oxidation, which result in decreasing their relaxation capabilities and the initiation of cracks. Innovative maintenance techniques such as developing microcapsules with rejuvenators have emerged in order to reverse the aging process in asphalt binder. The objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness of an asphalt rejuvenator to reverse the aging process in asphalt binder and to develop a microencapsulation procedure for the tested asphalt rejuvenator. Properties such as size, shell thickness and morphology of the prepared microcapsules were evaluated by varying the production parameters, i.e. agitation rate, heating temperature, and Ethyl Methyl Acrylate (EMA) concentration. Three binder types were considered in the experimental program, two virgin asphalt binders that were aged in the laboratory and a binder extracted from Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). Based on the results of the experimental program, it was concluded that the binder Performance Grade (PG) 70-22 was partially restored at both high and low temperature grades with the use of the rejuvenator. In contrast, the low temperature grade of the binder PG 76-22 and the high temperature grade of the RAP binder were restored with the use of the tested rejuvenator product. Microcapsules containing the rejuvenator were synthesized and a characterization process was conducted based on microcapsule properties such as diameter, shell thickness and morphology of the prepared microcapsules

Rheological properties of asphalt binder modified with recycled asphalt materials and light-activated self-healing polymers

Ultraviolet (UV), light-activated, self-healing polymers are an emerging technology that was proposed to enhance the elastic behavior of asphalt binder, while improving its self-healing properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of self-healing polymer on the rheological properties of binder blends prepared with or without recycled asphalt materials. Binder blends were prepared with two different binders (PG 67-22 and PG 70-22M), with or without recycled asphalt materials, and 5% self-healing polymer (Oxetane-substituted Chitosan-Polyurethane). High-Pressure Gel Permeation Chromatography (HP-GPC) results showed an increase in High Molecular Weight (HMW) components in the binder with an increase in stiffness through the addition of recycled materials. A further increase was observed with the addition of self-healing polymer. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed High-Pressure Gel Permeation Chromatography (HP-GPC) results with an increase in the carbonyl index. Furthermore, the addition of recycled materials led to an increase in the high-temperature grade and the low-temperature grade of the binder blends, while the self-healing polymer did not have a significant effect on the PG-grade. Overall, the addition of self-healing polymer led to an increase in stiffness and an improvement in the rutting performance, while it did not have a positive effect on low-temperature cracking performance. For unmodified binder (PG 67-22), self-healing polymer incorporation improved the elastic and fatigue cracking properties of the binder. However, when it was added to a polymer-modified binder (PG 70-22M) and/or binder blends containing recycled asphalt materials, the potential of this material was low to negative on the low temperature and fatigue cracking performances

Frequency of helicobacter pylori hopQI, hopQII and sabA genes among Iranian patients with gastroduodenal diseases

Background: Helicobacter pylori has been recognized as the most common pathogen of human gastroduodenal tract and it has been suggested that adhesins, including HopQ and SabA, are associated with the organism’s virulence. Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the frequency of hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes among H. pylori isolates from patients with gastroduodenal disorders in Shahrekord, Iran. Methods: Gastric corpus samples were obtained from 150 symptomatic patients admitted to the endoscopy unit at gastroenterology clinic. After DNA extraction from all corpus samples, H. pylori molecular confirmation and genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using specific primers for glmM, 16SrRNA and hopQ, sabA genes, respectively. Results: The hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes were found in 74 (49.3%), 59 (39.3%), and 43 (28.7%) cases, respectively. The hopQI gene was detected in 75% of patients with gastric cancer (GC), 42.4% with chronic gastritis (CG), and 57.4% with peptic ulcer disease (PUD). The hopQII among patients with GC, CG, and PUD was also detected in 50%, 38.8%, and 39.3%, respectively. Moreover, sabA was diagnosed in 50% of patients with GC, 29.4% with CG, and 26.2% with PUD. Conclusions: No significant association was observed between hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes with clinical outcomes

Institutional Trust and Cognitive Motivation toward Water Conservation in the Face of an Environmental Disaster

The agricultural sector in general, and in Iran in particular, is a major consumer of water and now finds itself under significant pressure due to water deficiency. This study used the Protection Motivation Theory to detect reasons for the imprudent consumption of water in Iran and to further its conservation. The Theory was extended for particular application to a seriously affected water basin, the Urmia Lake Basin in Northwest Iran. The factors governing water-saving intention among farmers in the Basin were investigated. Three hundred farmers were selected through a multi-stage, clustered, random sampling method. The results of structural equation modeling illustrated that while the original model variables accounted for 58 of the variance in water-saving intention, this rate increased to 63 in the extended model when institutional trust was used as a variable. Whereas response efficacy showed itself to be the strongest determinant of water-saving intention, all factors except perceived severity were significant in both models. Furthermore, the results of a multi-group analysis revealed that the intention to adopt water conservation measures is commensurate with the distance from the water resource and proximity to the (drying) lake. The findings of the study are expected to provide important information for policymakers looking to tailor policies to work in extreme water deficiency cases like the Urmia Lake Basin

Correlation of interleukin 6 and transforming growth factor β1 with peripheral blood regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a potential biomarker

Introduction: Proinflammatory cytokines and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are considered as important factors involved in autoimmunity development especially in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Aim of the study: To investigate the frequency of peripheral blood Tregs and related cytokines in RA patients and to determine the possible correlation between Treg percentage and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) as indicators in assessment of Treg function and mechanisms preceding autoimmunity in RA. Material and methods: Thirty-seven Iranian RA patients with a moderate (3.2-5.1) disease activity score (DAS) and the same number of healthy age- and sex-matched individuals were enrolled. Frequency of peripheral blood Tregs (CD4+FoxP3+CD25high) was determined by flow cytometry. Serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-β1 and their expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were evaluated by ELISA and Q-PCR, respectively. Results: Rheumatoid arthritis patients showed significantly lower peripheral blood Treg frequencies compared to healthy individuals. Additionally, Treg (%) showed a significant inverse correlation between serum concentrations of IL-6 and mRNA expression of PBMCs, whereas there was no significant correlation between Treg (%) and TGF-β1 levels. Conclusions: The current study revealed that Treg numbers were reduced in peripheral blood of RA patients. This reduction inversely correlated with IL-6 levels, which may lead to persistent autoimmune and inflammatory conditions in RA patients

Darboux coordinates for the Hamiltonian of first order Einstein-Cartan gravity

Based on preliminary analysis of the Hamiltonian formulation of the first order Einstein-Cartan action (arXiv:0902.0856 [gr-qc] and arXiv:0907.1553 [gr-qc]) we derive the Darboux coordinates, which are a unique and uniform change of variables preserving equivalence with the original action in all spacetime dimensions higher than two. Considerable simplification of the Hamiltonian formulation using the Darboux coordinates, compared with direct analysis, is explicitly demonstrated. Even an incomplete Hamiltonian analysis in combination with known symmetries of the Einstein-Cartan action and the equivalence of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formulations allows us to unambiguously conclude that the \textit{unique} \textit{gauge} invariances generated by the first class constraints of the Einstein-Cartan action and the corresponding Hamiltonian are \textit{translation and rotation in the tangent space}. Diffeomorphism invariance, though a manifest invariance of the action, is not generated by the first class constraints of the theory.Comment: 44 pages, references are added, organization of material is slightly modified (additional section is introduced), more details of calculation of the Dirac bracket between translational and rotational constraints are provide

Study of CAPE effect on apoptosis induction in AGS human gastric cancer cell line

Background: Propolis is a natural product of bee and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a pharmacologically important product of propolis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CAPE on apoptosis induction in AGS human gastric cancer cells. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic effects of CAPE at different concentrations were investigated on AGS cells viability after 24 hours treatment by MTT assay. To measure the effect of CAPE on apoptosis induction, AGS cells were treated with CAPE for 24 hours and investigated by FITC Annexin V/PI staining using flow cytometry. Results: CAPE prevented growth and proliferation of AGS human gastric cancer cell line in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 of approximately 60 μM by a 24-hour treatment. Also CAPE caused increased induction of apoptosis in AGS cells from 1.37 % in control cells to 21.76 % in treated cells with 30 μM CAPE. Conclusions: CAPE prevents growth and proliferation of AGS human gastric cancer cell line through inducing programmed cell death in AGS cells. Therefore, CAPE could be helpful for developing chemotherapeutic agents or as an adjuvant for human gastric cancer treatment. © 2016, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Laboratory Testing of Self-Healing Polymer Modified Asphalt Mixtures Containing Recycled Asphalt Materials (RAP/RAS)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of an innovative light-induced self-healing polymers in enhancing the durability of asphalt mixtures and improving its self-healing properties. Mixtures were prepared using two different binders, with and without recycled materials, and self-healing polymer. Results showed that the addition of recycled asphalt material to mixtures prepared with an unmodified binder negatively affected the healing recovery at room temperature. Furthermore, Self-healing properties of the mixtures were improved by increasing the healing temperature. The addition of 5% self-healing polymer to the control mixture, followed by UV light exposure resulted in an increase in self-healing properties of the mixtures prepared with PG 67-22 binder. Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test results showed that the incorporation of self-healing polymer and 48 h of UV light exposure improved the cracking resistance. Loaded-Wheel Test (LWT) results showed that the self-healing polymer caused an increase in the rut depth of the samples prepared with an unmodified binder. However, the final rut depth was less than the acceptable rutting performance. Thermal-Stress Restrained Specimen Test (TSRST) test results showed that self-healing polymer improved the low temperature cracking performance of the mixtures