The effect of acrylamide on mitochondrial membrane potential and glutathione extraction in human spermatozoa: A laboratory study

Background: Acrylamide (AA) is a compound used in the industrial production of polyacrylamide. AAs affects by creating oxidative stress. It produces reactive oxygen species and leads to lipid peroxide. Lipid peroxidation in the cell membrane is one of the most important oxidations in the sperm, which can disrupt the fluidity and permeability of cell membranes and damage all cells. Objective: To investigate the different concentrations of AA on human sperm parameters based on the World Health Organization standard and its impact on mitochondrial membrane potential and sperm glutathione levels. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, we examined the different concentrations of AA on human sperm parameters based on the World Health Organization standard and its impact on mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry and sperm glutathione levels by ELISA assay. Results: The results were reported as the mean fluorescence intensity of JC and the index was observed to decrease following the effect of AA in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δ Ψm). The results of ELISA test to study the level of intracellular glutathione showed that with the increase in the concentration of AA exposed to sperms, there was a significant reduction in the level of intracellular glutathione. Conclusion: AA destroys the sperm membrane integrity under apoptotic and oxidative inductions with a negative impact on mitochondrial function and antioxidative enzyme in sperm such as glutathione. Key words: Acrylamides, Spermatozoa, Mitochondrial membrane potential, Glutathione S-Transferase

The effects of uncertainty of available information on investors' behaviors on herding formation

During the past century, there were different events where herding behavior created market turbulence and many investors were hurt, significantly. In this paper, we perform a survey to investigate investors’ behavior on creating herding behavior when they face with various levels of uncertainty on available information on the market. The survey designs a questionnaire, distributes it among some investors, and analyzes the results. The findings of our survey indicate that when there is a high level of uncertainty on publicly disclosed information, most investors assign more weights on confidential information or make no decision. In the event the uncertainty is on moderate level, investors rely more on publicly announced news and follow others’ behaviors. Finally, when the level of uncertainty is low, most investors depend on public information but this uncertainty creates less herding behavior compared with the previous case. The study also indicates that those investors who are normally making their decision with high inertia are not influenced by herding behavior

Improvement of Drug Delivery Properties of Risperidone via Preparation of Oral Disintegration Tablet Containing Nanostructured Microparticles

Introduction: The aim of this study was to improve the dissolution profile of risperidone and increase the compliance of psychotic patients through the design of an oral disintegration tablet­ (ODT) of microparticles containing nanoparticles. Methods and Results: In order to prepare nanoparticles, the effect of six surfactants on the size and stability of nanoparticles was evaluated. The nanoaggregate fabricated via the spray freeze drying ­(SFD) process using mannitol, lactose and maltodextrin as a matrix agent. Nine formulations were prepared and evaluated on the particle size, dissolution rate , and other physicochemical properties.Finally, the formulations of ODT were designed and evaluated. The results show that using of cremophore EL and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose E15 with the synergic effect can develop the risperidone nanosuspension with nano range particle size (~188 nm). Also, it is showed that fabrication of risperidone microparticles containig nanoparticles enhanced the drug dissolution up to 2 min for  lactose-based microparticles (as a superior formulation) that is very faster time than coarse risperidone powder with dissolution time of 60 min. the formulations of  ODT containing  10%  Sodium Starch Glycolate and 88% Microcrystalline Cellulose as Super disintegrants were selected with a disintegration time of fewer than 30 seconds and dissolution time of 10 min in superior formulation. Conclusions: It is indicated that the simultaneous use of non-ionic surfactants can prepare risperidone nanoparticles by creating a steric barrier around the drug particles. In addition, the dissolution rate of risperidone has increased significantly due to the small particle size of nanoparticles according to Noyes-Whitney equation. The use of sugars maintains the size of the nanoparticles and prevents the formation of irreversible coalescence of nanoparticles. Thus, this investigation shows that the preparation of microparticles containing nanoparticles using SFD is an easy and usable method for improving the dissolution profile of many low solubility drugs

The effect of acrylamide on sperm oxidative stress, total antioxidant levels, tyrosine phosphorylation, and carboxymethyl-lysine expression: A laboratory study

Background: Acrylamide (AA) is a reactive molecule produced during food processing at temperatures above 120°C. Objective: To evaluate the impact of different concentrations of AA on human sperm parameters, oxidative stress and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, semen samples were obtained from healthy donors referred to the Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran between June and July 2019. Samples were divided into four groups (n = 10/each): one control and three treatment groups (0.5, 1, and 2 mM of AA). After 2 hr of exposure to AA, the superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde levels were measured based on colorimetric methods. The TAC was determined by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. Also, immunohistochemistry was done to determine the effect of AA on tyrosine phosphorylation and carboxymethyl-lysine expression. Results: Results of the study demonstrated that the motility and viability of spermatozoa were significantly decreased after AA exposure (p < 0.001). This decrease was also seen in the TAC and superoxide dismutase activity as well as in the phosphotyrosine percentage compared with the control (p < 0.01). However, the carboxymethyllysine and prooxidant activity including reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation level increased (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Overall, the results confirmed the detrimental effect of AA on human spermatozoa which may be due to oxidative stress and decreased total antioxidant levels. AA may reduce fertility by reducing sperm capacitation and motility. Key words: Acrylamide, Oxidative stress, Antioxidant, Spermatozoa, Infertility

Different Polymorphisms of Placental Growth Factor (PLGF) Gene in Iranian Women's Population with Pre-eclampsia

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a complication affecting pregnant women worldwide, which leads to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Due to the importance of mutations in the PLGF (Placental Growth Factor) gene and the association with the incidence of preeclampsia, this study aimed to evaluate the association of polymorphisms of the PLGF gene with the prevalence of preeclampsia in Iranian women.Methods: Fifty pregnant women with pre-eclampsia diagnosis and 50 healthy pregnant women for determination of genotypes rs1464547123, rs12411, rs1399853427, and rs1312670436 were evaluated using the Sanger sequencing method.Results: There was no significant difference in the frequency of alleles ofrs1464547123, rs1399853427 and rs1312670436 polymorphisms between case and control groups (P > 0.05), but the rate of recessive allele A in rs12411 polymorphism was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (case = 24%, control = 8%, P-Value = 0.04), while the frequency of the allele T in the control group was higher than that of the patient group (case = 76%, control = 92%, P-Value = 0.04) The frequency of AT genotype in the patient group was a none significantly higher than the control group (case = 8%, control = 4%, P-Value = 0.1) and the frequency of AA genotypes in the case group was none significantly higher than that of the control group (case = 16%, control = 4%, P-Value = 0.1).Conclusions: The results revealed that polymorphism rs12411 of the gene encoding PLGF has a significant difference among individuals with and without pre-eclampsia and can affect the incidence of pre-eclampsia among Iranian women

Exposure rate of cardiovascular risk factors among clients of health-care clinics in Kashan, Autumn 2010

زمینه و هدف: بیماری های قلبی وعروقی، بیماری های غیر واگیر هستند که توسط عوامل متعدد ایجاد می شوند. یکی از مهمترین آنها، سبک زندگی ناسالم است. در ایران این بیماری از مشکلات دهه اخیر بوده و از سویی در مقایسه با 10 علت اول مرگ و میر در سال 1387، با 8./44 بیش ترین عامل مرگ و میر در شهر کاشان بوده است. لذا این مطالعه با هدف بررسی میزان مواجهه با عوامل خطر بیماری های قلبی عروقی در شهر کاشان می باشد. روش بررسی: این مطالعه توصیفی – تحلیلی بر روی 336 نفرمراجعه کنندگان به مراکز بهداشتی درمانی کاشان که به صورت خوشه ای انتخاب شده بودند انجام گرفت. اطلاعات بوسیله پرسشنامه سبک زندگی که از 5 قسمت اطلاعات دموگرافیک، سابقه بیماری، تغذیه، مصرف سیگار و فعالیت بدنی تشکیل شده بود جمع آوری و با کمک آزمون های آماری کای دو تجزیه و تحلیل گردید. یافته ها: میانگین شاخص توده بدنی (BMI) بین افراد 69/25 بود. شایع ترین ریسک فاکتورها در بین افراد به ترتیب عبارت بودند از: مصرف غذای سرخ کرده (9/97)، مصرف کم ماهی (8/90)، مصرف کم حبوبات (8/79)، مصرف کم تخم مرغ (3/75) مصرف زیاد گوشت قرمز (3/69)، مصرف زیاد شیرینی جات (9/67)، مصرف غذای چرب (7/66) و میزان کم فعالیت بدنی (4/66) می باشد. بین سبک زندگی با جنسیت (016/0=P) و تحصیلات (019/0=P) و فعالیت بدنی با شغل (013/0=P) رابطه ی معنی داری یافت شد. نتیجه گیری: با توجه به نتایج حاصل از این مطالعه سبک زندگی افراد در وضعیت مطلوبی قرار نداشته در نتیجه لزوم توجه و آموزش بیشتر در جهت کاهش مصرف غذای سرخ کرده، گوشت قرمز، غذای چرب و شیرینی جات و افزایش متعادل مصرف ماهی، حبوبات، تخم مرغ، میوه جات و سبزیجات، در رژیم غذایشان افزایش فعالیت بدنی و کاهش مصرف سیگار توصیه می شود.

Global, regional, and national burden of colorectal cancer and its risk factors, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Funding: F Carvalho and E Fernandes acknowledge support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), in the scope of the project UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences UCIBIO and the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy i4HB; FCT/MCTES through the project UIDB/50006/2020. J Conde acknowledges the European Research Council Starting Grant (ERC-StG-2019-848325). V M Costa acknowledges the grant SFRH/BHD/110001/2015, received by Portuguese national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), IP, under the Norma Transitória DL57/2016/CP1334/CT0006.proofepub_ahead_of_prin