Role of orexin-1 receptors in the dorsal hippocampus (CA1 region) in expression and extinction of the morphine-induced conditioned place preference in the rats

Abstract Orexinergic system is involved in reward processing and drug addiction. Objectives here, we investigated the effect of intra-hippocampal CA1 administration of orexin-1 receptor (OX1r) antagonist on the expression, and extinction of morphine-induced place preference in rats. Conditioned place preference (CPP) was induced by subcutaneous injection of morphine (5 mg/kg) during a 3-day conditioning phase. Two experimental plots were designed; SB334867 as a selective OX1r antagonist was dissolved in 12% DMSO, prepared in solutions with different concentrations (3, 30, and 300 nM), and microinjected into the CA1 and some neighboring regions (0.5 μl/side), bilaterally. CPP score and locomotor activity were recorded during the CPP test. Results demonstrated that intra-CA1 administration of the OX1r antagonist attenuates the expression of morphine-induced CPP. Furthermore, higher concentrations of SB334867 facilitated the extinction period of morphine-induced CPP and reduced its latency. Nevertheless, solely administration of DMSO did not have any influence on the CPP scores and locomotion in both phases. Our findings suggest that OX1rs in the CA1 region of the hippocampus are involved in the expression of morphine CPP. Moreover, blockade of OX1rs could facilitate extinction and may extinguish the ability of drug-related cues. It seems that the antagonist might be considered as a propitious therapeutic agent in suppressing drug-seeking behaviors. Keywords Reward Orexin-1 receptor Dorsal hippocampus (CA1) Extinction Morphine Conditioned place preference Ra

The relationship between violence during pregnancy and low birth weight: A meta-analysis study

Background & Aim: Violence during pregnancy affects both mother and fetus. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between physical, sexual and psychological violence during pregnancy and low birth weight in the world as a meta-analysis. Methods & Materials: This study is a meta-analysis that was performed on articles published in Persian and English languages from the beginning of 1995 to the end of 2015. Articles were extracted by searching in the databases of Scopus, Medline, EMBASE, Pubmed, Web of Science, Google scholar, Science Direct, Irandoc, Magiran, Medlib, and SID using key words of violence during pregnancy, low birth weight, physical, sexual and psychological violence and their compounds. The results of studies were combined using a random effects model in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of studies was evaluated using the I2 index and meta-regression, and the data analysis was performed using STATA software v.11.2 and SPSS software v.16. Results: Of 254 found articles, 16 relevant articles with the sample number of 117287 people were included in the study. The results of meta-analysis showed that physical OR:1.61 (CI95:2.04–2.28), psychological OR:1.26 (CI95:1.02–1.56) and sexual violence OR:1.26 (CI95:1.02–1.56) during pregnancy, lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers. Conclusion: Physical, psychological and sexual violence during pregnancy lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers. Therefore, maternal screening and counseling by trained general practitioners and professionals before and during pregnancy are recommended. © 2016, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). All Rights Reserved

An empirical study on applying community detection methods in defining spatial housing submarkets in London

Housing submarkets can be defined as a set of dwellings that are reasonably close substitutes with one another, but poor substitutes between other submarkets. This research argues similarities within submarkets are not only captured by its building and location characteristics but also in how each dwelling is inter-connected within its local area and embedded to the rest of the system. This research conjectures that spatial network local-areas as defined by community detection methods can be used to identify spatial housing submarkets. In order to test this conjecture, the hedonic approach will be used as an empirical strategy on the case study of London. The study found spatial network local areas correspond with planned known local area boundaries and that greater house price similarity is found within spatial network local-areas than between. The study also found that spatial network local area as defined by community detection technique can be used to identify spatial housing submarkets to explain house price. The contribution of this research is it represents a proof of concept in the use of community detection techniques in the definition of spatial housing submarket. Importantly it illustrates the significance in how spatial configuration influences housing market not just in terms of accessibility (Law et al. 2013) but also in terms of housing submarket. Further research will be carried out to study the spatial configuration of the spatial network local areas in understanding severances and connectivity between them. By understanding cities through multiple spatial representations will allow more informed policies at the local-area level

High Prevalence of Symptomatic Hepatitis A Infection in Rural Area of Chaharmahal VA Bakhtiari Province, Iran.

INTRODUCTION Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of hepatitis during childhood and is an important public health problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate an outbreak of symptomatic viral hepatitis in children and in young adults in a rural area from Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiari Province, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS Serum samples from the 70 patients with icterus, who were suspected for HAV infection, referred to a therapeutic center in a central province of Iran from February to July, 2010 were tested for IgM specific antibody to HAV, using Enzyme linked Fluorscent assay (ELFA) Kit (General Biological Corp., Hsinchu, Taiwan). RESULTS All of the 70 children had jaundice. The ELFA results showed that 48 out of 70 (68.6%) tested positive for anti-HAV specific antibody (IgM). The mean age of the individuals were 12.81+12.2 and 23 of them (32.8%) were females. There was significant relationship between seropositivity for IgM anti-HAV antibody and age group in the patients studied (p<0.05). CONCLUSION The high number of cases identified, may indicate an outbreak of hepatitis A in this region with the children as the most susceptible age group to this symptomatic infection

The prevalence of physical and psychological violence during pregnancy in Iran and the world: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aims: Violence against women is a public health crisis, because it affects the mother and fetus simultaneously and causes undesirable consequences. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of physical and psychological violence during pregnancy in the world and Iran in systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis that was conducted on the English and Persian articles published from 1990 up to 2015. In this aim by searching the information at SID, Medlib, Irandoc, Google scholar, Pubmed, ISI, Iranmedex, Scopus and Magiran, using key words the prevalence of physical and psychological violence during pregnancy in the world and Iran were extracted all related articles independently by 2 trained researchers. The results of studies combined using the STATA and Spss20 software. Results: In the initial searching of 276 articles, 46 articles related to Iran with a sample size 40457, 83 articles related to other regions of the world and totally 124 with a sample size 417832 Person relevant articles met inclusion criteria for study. The prevalence of physical violence during pregnancy was estimated in the world 18% (CI95%: 16%-19%) and in Iran 23% (CI95%: 20%-27%) and prevalence of psychological violence during pregnancy were estimated in the world 38% (CI95%:35%-41%) and in Iran 44% (CI95%: 38%-50%). Conclusion: According to the present meta-analysis results, the prevalence of physical and psychological violence during pregnancy in Iran is more than the world. Thus, it is recommended that the relevant authorities by implementation the intervention programs such as the establishment of Prevention Center for Social Damages, implementation the family education programs before marriage and pregnancy prevent of violence during pregnancy

In vitro antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities of crude ethyle alcohole extract of Quercus brantii L. acorn and subsequent fractions

Cancer cell resistance to widely used chemotherapeutic agents is gradually developed. Natural products, mainly isolated from medicinal plants, have been considered as valuable sources for herbal anticancer drugs. The present study aimed to evaluate in vitro antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities of crude ethyle alcohole extract and four fractions of Q. brantii acorn. Crude ethyle alcohole extract of Q. brantii acorn was prepared and subjected to fractionation with different polarity. Subsequently, the extract and the fractions wereevaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity in two cancerous (Hela and AGS) and one normal (HDFs) cell lines using MTT 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2ol) 2, 5 diphenyltetrazoliumbromide] assay. To determine whether the cytotoxicity of these compounds involved the induction of apoptosis, Hela cells were treated with IC50 concentrations of test compounds, stained with both propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and analyzed by flow cytometry. In vitro cytotoxicity assay showed that the cell viability was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner following treatment with crude ethyle alcohole extract and Cholophorm and n-Butanol fractions. Based on the probit regression model, antiproliferative activities of crude ethyle alcohole extract, Cholophorm fraction, and n-Butanol fraction on Hela and AGS cells and HDFs cells were significantly different (P < 0.001). The results of flow cytometric analysis showed that crude ethyle alcohole extract and two fractions of Q. brantii acorn induced early apoptotic cell death. These findings suggest that crude ethyle alcohole extract and Cholophorm and n-Butanol fractions of Q. brantii acorn suppress the proliferation of cancer cells through induction of early apoptosis

Building Resiliency and Creating Innovation in the Digital Age Through Leadership and Human-Connection

A soft skills gap is evident in all business sectors. The future of competition and innovation in America is dependent upon a strong workforce rooted in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to facilitate and connect technology with humanity. The study conducted 27 interviews with STEM employers in the top-growing healthcare industry to identify emerging skills and strategies needed for innovative growth in the future of the healthcare industry. Hearing their voices through semi-constructive interviews, all participants (100%) indicated the demand would only increase for future STEM college graduates. Most respondents (93%) identified leadership starting with self-leadership and the ability to connect with others (89%) on top of their emerging soft skills. They indicated that the key to innovation in the digital age resides in our competencies to unite humanity and technology to facilitate decision-making and effectively deliver results

Association of systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma and active toxoplasmosis in a child

Introduction: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a subset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and an unusual disease in children. Case Presentation: Herein we have reported a 7- year- old girl with a large necrotic skin ulcer on the chest caused by systemic form of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma and simultaneous active toxoplasmosis diagnosed by PCR on lymph node specimen. There were few reports showing a role for toxoplasma infection to cause some malignancies such as lymphoma in adults. Conclusions: Based to our knowledge, this has been the first report of simultaneous systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma and active toxoplasmosis, documented by positive PCR on tissue biopsy in a child. This case report has suggested more attention to the accompanying Toxoplasma gondii infection as a probable cause of some types of lymphomas. © 2015, Iranian Journal of Cancer Prevention