Correlation of anthropometric indices with common cardiovascular risk factors in an urban adult population of Iran: data from Zanjan Healthy Heart Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the anthropometric index that best predicts common cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 2768 individuals (1310 men and 1458 women) aged 21-75 years with full relevant data from the Zanjan Healthy Heart Study (a prospective study in Zanjan and Abhar, two main cities of Zanjan Province, Iran) were recruited. Common cardiovascular risk factors (TG, TC, HDL-c, LDL-c, fast blood sugar, blood pressure), anthropometric indices (BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR) were measured using standard process, and their correlated classification was evaluated by partial correlation and Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Area under curve (AUC) of WHtR was the largest for most (6 of 7) of the common cardiovascular risk factors in both men and women; followed by WC (4 of the 7 including ties) in men, while AUCs of three anthropometric indices (WC, BMI, WHR) were the same with the largest for 1 of 7 risk factors in women. These results show that the high prevalence of lipid profiles, as cardiovascular risk factors, need special attention, intervention and appropriate treatment. Consistence with other reports, WHtR is a better discriminator of cardiovascular risk factors compared with the other three indices (BMI, WC, and WHR). We determined its optimal cutoff point of 0.5 for both genders. However, due to differences in reported cut-off values across different ethnic groups, future research and longitudinal data is needed before reaching an internationally accepted simple and appropriate measure that could be effectively used in the clinical and epidemiological fields

Purification and characterization of M2-type kinase isozyme from human meningioma.

Ph.D. - Doctoral Progra

Short communication - Effect of metronidazole on spermatogenesis, plasma gonadotrophins and testosterone in rats

Metronidazole and its derivatives have both antiprotozoal and anti bacterial effects. The reproductive toxicity of metronidazole has been observed in some studies.The aim of this study was to determine the detrimental effects of metronidazole on spermatogenesis and testicular androgenesis in male adult rats. Eighteen male Wistar rats (70-90 days old) were randomly divided into three groups. Animals in group I (Control group) were administered with the water only. Animals in groups II and III were administered with metronidazol at the doses of 200 or 400 mg/kg/day for 60 days. Quantitative analysis of spermatogenesis was carried out by counting the relative number of each variety of germ-cells at the stage VII of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, i.e. type-A spermatogonia (ASg), pre-leptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), and step 7 spermatids (7Sd).Plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). In groups II and III, there was a significant decrease in the testes, accessory sex organ weights, plasma concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone with massive degeneration of all the germ cells at stage VII. Our data concluded that metronidazole has a suppressive influence on spermatogenesis and sex hormones in rats

A report of high triglyceride level in cord blood of Iranian newborns

Background: Since cord blood triglyceride level have been reported very different in recent articles, the purpose of this study is determination of triglyceride level in cord blood of Iranian newborns and compare it with other reports. Methods: In this study, cord blood of 174 healthy term newborn infants (97 girls, 77 boys) born from healthy mothers have been used. Triglyceride level has been measured by calorie metric method Statistical analysis was performed by independent t test, Mann-Whitney regression test and Spearman correlation coefficient method using SPSS 16 .0 software (SPSS, USA). Results: The mean of cord blood triglyceride was 1.37 ΁ 4.81 mg /dl and there was no statistical difference between two sexes. There was not exist linear relationship between triglyceride and weight, height, head circumference, body mass index and sex of the babies .In 8.6% of our new born infants, triglyceride levels were more than 95th percentile of triglyceride level reported in Iranian population. In 33.9% of our cases, triglyceride levels were more than 95 th percentile of triglyceride level reported in the Nelson text book of Pediatrics. In this study, the 95th percentile of triglyceride level in cord blood was 132.5 mg /dl. Conclusion: The mean and 95 th percentiles of triglyceride levels in cord blood of our newborn infants were higher than other reports. We recommend that larger studies should be conducted in this area to establish preventive ways for increasing epidemic of the metabolic syndrome

Anti-Cancer Activity of Methanol Extracts of Cichorium Intybus on Human Breast Cancer SKBR3 Cell Line

Background Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the second cause of death among women around the world. In many cancers, including breast cancer, Fatty acid synthase (FASN) gene expression is increased significantly. In breast cancer cell lines, expression of FASN is higher in HER2 positive cell line like SKBR3 than the others. FASN is the key enzyme for fatty acid synthesis de novo pathway and it is producing palmitate which is necessary for cell membrane formation. Cichorium intybus is a medicinal plant that effectively leads to inhibition of fatty acid synthase and thus reduces the percentage of survival of cancer cell lines. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methanol extract of Chicorium intybus root on percentage of survival in SKBR3 cell line. Methods Human breast cancer SKBR3 cell line was cultured in DMEM medium. Methanol extract of Cichorium intybus root was extracted and different dilutions (200, 300, 400, 500 and 600µg/mL) were added to cell culture. Cell viability was quantitated by MTT assay after 24, 48 and 72 hours. Results Cichorium intybus could decrease cell viability. The effects of extract on cell viability were observed after 24, 48 and 72 hours on SKBR3 cell line and IC50 was 800, 400 and 300 after 24, 48 and 72 hours of treatment, respectively. Conclusions Our study shows that methanol extract of Cichorium intybus has cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. This is a pilot work for further evaluation in the future

Comparative proteomics study of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats kidneys transfected with adenovirus-mediated fibromodulin gene

BACKGROUND: Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) activation appears to be crucial for tissue injury in Diabetic Nephropathy (DN). Fibromodulin, the small leucine-rich proteoglycan, has been proposed to be the potent TGF-β modulator. In this study, the therapeutic effects of fibromodulin in the kidneys of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. METHODS: Diabetic rats received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of recombinant adenovirus expression vectors (RAd5) containing fibromodulin (RAd-FMOD) and were killed after 10 weeks. Proteins were isolated from the rat kidney and separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). RESULTS: Ten spots were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. The identified proteins were primarily responsible for cell metabolism, cytoskeleton formation, and oxidative stress. RAd-FMOD treatment markedly attenuated the albuminuria in diabetic rats. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results provide a valuable clue in exploring the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of fibromodulin in diabetic nephropathy suggesting that it can be a potential agent in the treatment of this disease