The effects of endosulfan on P450 1A gene expression, antioxidant enzymes activity and histopathological alterations in liver of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1987)

The effects of 14 days exposure to sublethal concentrations of endosulfan (10 and 40 μg L−1) were investigated in mRNA- P450 1A expression, antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) activity and histopathological alterations of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) fingerlings with weights of 3–5 g. The results illustrated that the relative mRNA- P450 1A expression level significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. Highest significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed on the first day, then decreased towards day 14 of exposure. The SOD and CAT activity showed a significant increase in fish exposed to different concentrations up to day 7, then activity decreased on day 14 in fish of all treated groups. Although signs of tissue lesions were observed on day 4, they increased from day 7 and reached the highest level on day 14. The magnitude of all changed studied parameters (gene expression, enzymes and histopathological) follows a concentration-dependent manner. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag Gmb

Intestinal parasitic infections in chronic psychiatric patients in Sina Hospital Shahre-Kord, Iran

Background: Although the number of infectious diseases has sharply decreased in last few decades, parasitic diseases persist in developing countries. On the other hand, chronic psychiatric patients tend to have low self-control, poor personal hygiene, long term institutionalization and extremely low self-care should be monitored for parasitic diseases since psychosocial conditions can contribute to an affinity for infectious diseases

Sharing Islamic punishment criteria (based on jurisprudence)

The recognition of sharing Islamic punishment criteria is based on understanding the basic and Islamic law criterion, which is basis of mischief disposal Islamic law. Attracting human interest criteria and mentioned criterion is the basis of canonization of all decrees including the Islamic punishment so that it can be human's benevolence-oriented. Mercy and attracting interest to men, and disposal of mischief, refining and purification of the offender and excommunication from crime, consideration of proportionality between the losses and punishment based on  punishment  proportionality with  damage to the victim due to the severity of the injury and social benefits  as well as the importance of committed crime by considering the proportionality with crime and personality characteristics of offender and the victim's fault are criteria that in canonization of punishment have been considered of legislator

The Role of Trace Elements in Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study

Purpose: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF) is an age-related condition, characterized by deposition of whitish flake-shaped materials in the anterior segment of the eye. Although it occurs all over the world, a considerable racial variation exists. According to the high frequency of PXF in Iran and the importance of prevention and early treatment, we evaluated the plasma level of iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium in patients with PXF. Methods: In this study, 83 individuals were enrolled; 40 patients with cataract and PXF as the case group and 43 age- and sex-matched individuals with cataract but without PXF as the control group. The serum levels of the mentioned microelements were compared in two groups. Results: In the case group, 25 (62.5%) male and 15 (37.5%) female subjects participated. In the control group, the corresponding figures were 22 (51.2%) and 21 (48.8%), respectively. The mean age of the case group was 66.07 ± 9.46 and that for the control group was 66.88 ± 8.04 years. Regarding the case group, the serum levels of iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium were 60.58 ± 21.04, 84.7 ± 14.37, 120.23 ± 14.43, and 2.11 ± 0.23, respectively. These serum levels in the control group were 89.07 ± 26.06, 97.51 ± 17.42, 123.33 ± 19.01, and 2.14 ± 0.16. The serum levels of iron and zinc were significantly lower in the case group than the control group (P &lt; 0.0001); however, such a difference was not observed in terms of copper and magnesium serum levels. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that the serum iron and zinc levels were lower in PXF patients. Nutritional deficiency may be a cause of zonular weakness in these patients. Heme is a cofactor for the enzyme which contributes to the biosynthesis of fibrillin, the major protein in zonular fibers. Therefore, iron can play a substantial role in the biosynthesis of the fibrils and also in the zonular stability

Levodopa Plus Occlusion Therapy versus Occlusion Therapy Alone for Children with Anisometropic Amblyopia

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of short-term administration of levodopa plus occlusion therapy versus occlusion therapy alone in preschool children with hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia. Methods: This comparative interventional study included 40 eligible preschool children aged 6 to 7 years with hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia. The primary outcome measure was the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity recorded at baseline, 3 weeks after the treatment initiation and 12 weeks after the treatment termination. The results were compared between the two groups. Results: No statistically significant intergroup difference was observed in baseline logMAR visual acuities (P = 0.92). The mean logMAR visual acuities of the amblyopic eyes were significantly better in both groups three weeks after the treatment initiation than the baseline (P &lt; 0.01 in both groups). At 12 weeks after treatment termination, the logMAR visual acuities of the amblyopic eyes were significantly better than the baseline values (P &lt; 0.001 in the placebo group and P = 0.09 in the levodopa group). Intergroup comparisons revealed no statistically significant difference in visual acuities 3 weeks after the treatment initiation (P = 0.11) and 12 weeks after the treatment termination (P = 0.10). Twelve weeks after the treatment termination, visual acuities regressed 0.037 logMAR in the placebo group and 0.042 logMAR in the levodopa group. These regression rates were not significantly different (P = 0.89). Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence that adding short-term administration of levodopa to occlusion therapy in hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia offers no additional benefit in visual outcomes and provides no advantage in terms of the regression rate