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Regional differences in BDNF expression and behavior as a function of sex and enrichment type: oxytocin matters
No full textThe early environment is critical to brain development, but the relative contribution of physical versus social stimulation is unclear. Here, we investigated in male and female rats the response to early physical and social environmental enrichment in relation to oxytocin (OT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. The findings show that males and females respond differently to prolonged sensorimotor stimulation from postnatal days 21-110 in terms of functional, structural, and molecular changes in the hippocampus versus medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Physical enrichment promoted motor and cognitive functions and hippocampal BDNF mRNA and protein expression in both sexes. Combined physical and social enrichment, however, promoted functional and structural gain in females. These changes were accompanied by elevated plasma oxytocin (OT) levels and BDNF mRNA expression in the mPFC, while the hippocampus was not affected. Administration of an OT antagonist in females blocked the beneficial effects of enrichment and led to reduced cortical BDNF signaling. These findings suggest that an OT-based mechanism selectively stimulates a region-specific BDNF response which is dependent on the type of experience. © The Author(s) 2021
Major Thalassemia, Screening or Treatment: An Economic Evaluation Study in Iran
No full textBackground: Beta-thalassemia minor and thalassemia major are an autosomal recessive disease with hypochromic, microcytic anemia, and morbidities, Today, therapeutic advances have significantly improved the life expectancy of thalassemia major patients, but at the cost of financial toxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the possibility of increasing the funding for thalassemia screening programs and comparing the cost-effectiveness of screening for thalassemia in the treatment of the patients. Methods: In this study, screening for thalassemia minor was compared with the treatment of thalassemia major patients. A decision tree model was used for analysis. A hospital database, supplemented with a review of published literature, was used to derive input parameters for the model. A lifetime study horizon was used and future costs and consequences were discounted at 3. The approach of purchases of services was used to evaluate the screening test costs for patients with thalassemia major. Also, a bottom-up method was applied to estimate other screening and treatment costs. All the costs were calculated over one year. The number of gained quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was calculated using the EQ-5D questionnaire in the evaluated patients. Results: In this study, 26.97 births of patients with thalassemia major were prevented by screening techniques. On the other hand, total screening costs for patients with thalassemia major were estimated equal to US 879 879, while the costs of preventing the birth of each thalassaemia major patient was US 32 624 by screening techniques. In comparison, the cost of managing a patient with thalassemia major is about US 136 532 per year. The life time QALYs for this is 11.8 QALYs. Results are presented using a societal perspective. Incremental cost per QALY gained with screening as compared with managing thalassaemia major was US 11 571. Conclusion: Screening is a long-term value for money intervention that is highly cost effective and its long-term clinical and economic benefits outweigh those of managing thalassaemia major patients. © 2022 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences
The Comparison of the Effects of Training Self-awareness and Problem-solving Skills on Marital Satisfaction of Married Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
No full textBackground: One of the most important causes of marital dissatisfaction is the lack of life skills. This study aimed to compare the effects of training self-awareness and problem-solving skills on marital satisfaction of married women. Methods: This study was a randomized field trial conducted in Gorgan since October 2019 to September 2020. A total of 105 married women were allocated to one of two interventions or a control group based on triplex block randomization. Data collection tools were the Persian version of the self-awareness questionnaire, problem-solving questionnaire and Four ENRICH Couple Scales. The participants completed the questionnaires before (T1), immediately (T2), and one month after the intervention completion (T3). The first intervention group received self-awareness skills training and the second received problem-solving skills training one session per week for four weeks. The control group did not receive any training. Data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Chisquare, Fishers exact test, exact test, repeated measure ANOVA, and Bonferroni test, using SPSS 16. A P value 0.05). However, in the problem-solving group, the scale of marital satisfaction was significantly different at T2 and T3 (31.40±4.55, 33±5.21, P=0.008). In the self-awareness training group at T1 and T3, the mean of the conflict resolution scale (32.60±63.28, 33.94±5.74, P=0.03) was significantly different. Conclusion: The results showed that problem-solving skills training was more effective in increasing the score of marital satisfaction compared to self-awareness skills training. Trial Registration Number: IRCT20190721044290N1. © 2022, Shriaz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Levels are Elevated in The Serum of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
No full textBACKGROUND: Various factors contribute to the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), one of which is Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2). The function of FGF2 is pleiotropic. The investigation on the role of this factor in the myelination has produced conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serum levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 in patients with MS. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with MS and eighty healthy volunteers with no history of inflammation or demyelinating disorders were included, and serum samples were collected to evaluate serum levels of FGF2 using an ELISA technique. Both groups had the same age and gender distribution. For analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test was used. RESULTS: Patients with MS had considerably greater serum FGF2 levels than the control group (p = 0.005). There was no difference between the FGF2 level in men and women. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that FGF2 levels may be related to the susceptibility of Iranian patients with MS. Further studies are required to analyze the involvement of FGF2 in enhancing an inflammatory process in MS
Scimitar Syndrome in a Newborn
No full textIntroduction: Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital condition that is usually presented in two major types, the infantile type as a severe condition with a poor outcome (median age: 2 months) and the adult type with a better condition and good outcome. It also has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, from being asymptomatic in the adult type to cardiac and respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension in the infantile type. Case Presentation: In this case report, we present a 43-day-old female case referred to Taleghani Children Hospital, Gorgan, Iran, with respiratory symptoms. In a physical examination, the case had a grade II/VI murmur, dextrocardia, and respiratory distress. In evaluations, the patient had severe stenosis proximal to the left common carotid artery after its origin. The heart and mediastinum were displaced to the right side, and the thoracic aorta was normal in size and orientation. bovine type of supra-aortic arch branches in the left-sided aortic arch, hypoplasia of the right upper lobe with severe hypoplasia of the right lower lobe were seen as well. There was sequestration adjacent to the right lower lobe with a dual feeder artery directly from the abdominal aorta and celiac branch and dual draining veins. Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection was detected in the neck, and mediastinal computed tomography (CT) angiography with reconstructed views.. Bronchoscopy revealed right main bronchus hypoplasia and right lower lobe hypoplasia. Then, with the help of angiography, scimitar syndrome diagnosis was confirmed for the patient. Conclusions: Although scimitar syndrome is an uncommon condition, it has serious complications and poor outcomes in some patients. It is necessary to be aware of this rare congenital condition and use helpful methods, such as CT angiography and angiography, to confirm the diagnosis. Copyright © 2022, Author(s)
Evaluation of antimicrobial and probiotic properties of the predominant LAB isolated from fermented germinated clover seed رز�اب� خص�ص�ات ضد٠�کر�ب� � پر�ب��ت�ک� باکتر� اس�د �اکت�ک غا�ب جدا شد� از تخ٠�ر تصاد��
No full textRecently, the tendency to use probiotic-potential starter cultures among lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from non-dairy fermented substrates has been increased. The aim of this study was to isolate and molecularly identify the predominant LAB isolated from fermented germinated clover seeds, and also to evaluate its probiotic and antifungal properties. The LAB isolate was identified asPediococcus pentosaceus, in accordance with the sequencing results of the PCR products. The antifungal and antibacterial effect of the isolate on Aspergillus niger and Staphylococcus aureus was significantly (P <0.05) higher than the other studied foodborne fungi and bacteria. Furthermore, P. pentosaceus isolate had a good survival (77.22) in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The isolate had no hemolytic activity, and its auto-aggregation activity was 35.51. Also, the rate of co-aggregation of the isolate with Escherichia coli and S. enterica was equal to 48.71 and 18.43, respectively. In addition, the bacterium was sensitive to the penicillin, cephalothin, ampicillin and cefazolin antibiotics. Accordingly, it is possible to use the isolate as a probiotic culture with potential biological preservative in the food industry. © 2022 Journal of Food Science and Technology (Iran). All rights reserved
ABCC6P1 pseudogene induces ABCC6 upregulation and multidrug resistance in breast cancer
No full textBackground: The elevated drug efflux by ABC transports has been considered the primary mechanism of drug resistance in cancer. Recently, non-coding RNAs, such as pseudogenes, have been proposed to be involved in transporter-mediated drug resistance in cancer. The human genome has 22 ABC transporter pseudogenes. Among these pseudogenes, ABCC6P1 has co-expression with its ancestral gene in various human tissues. In the present study, we assessed the effect of ABCC6P1 pseudogene overexpression on ABCC6 expression and drug resistance. Methods and results: The ABCC6P1 was transfected into the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. In ABCC6P1-overexpressing cells, the ABCC6 level significantly increased. The results of cell treatment with doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel showed that the survival of ABCC6P1-overexpressing cells was higher than normal cells. Furthermore, uptake of doxorubicin was lower in ABCC6P1-overexpressing cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results show that overexpression of ABCC6P1 pseudogene induces the drug resistance phenotype, possibly through activation of the ancestral gene. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V
Social Capital of Parents of Children and Adolescents and Its Relation to Psychiatric Disorders; A Population-Based Study
No full textSocial capital is a complex concept that is considered an effective factor in the development of societies. Considering the importance of burdens of psychiatric disorders in Iran, we studied the relationship between various dimensions of social capital of parents of children and adolescents and psychiatric disorders among them. In this cross-sectional study, 18,940 parents of children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years old were randomly selected from all provinces of Iran and were evaluated by the Millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III (MCMI-III) and a modified version of Nahapiet and Ghoshal questionnaire. MCMI-III was designed as a self-report tool for investigating psychiatric clinical disorders and personality traits in the general population. Modified Nahapiet and ghoshal questionnaire has 20 items and measures four components of social capital included trust, values, communication, and collaboration. Validity and reliability of both questionnaires have been approved in Iran. In the regression model, the relationship between social capital components and clinical and sever clinical syndromes, in the form of regression weight and standard weight for trust was � 0.558 and � 0.062 with p value less than 0.0001, and for values was � 0.466 and � 0.057, respectively, with p value less than 0.0001. There was a reverse correlation between social capital components of parents of children and adolescents and psychiatric disorders in Iran. In regression statistical models, the two components of values and trust were negative predictors of psychiatric disorders. Considering the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Iran, it seems that the strengthening of cognitive and structural aspects of social capital of parents of children and adolescents is one of the effective factors in reducing the prevalence of these disorders among them. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
Ecological Problems of Gorgan Bay in the Southeast Corner of the Caspian Sea (Iran) and Ways of Improvement
No full textGorgan Bay, with an area of about 40 to 50 thousand hectares, is located in the southeast corner of the Caspian Sea in Iran (Figure 1) as a valuable biological reserve. In 1975, Gorgan Bay along with Miankaleh peninsula and surrounding wetlands were registered as international wetlands in the Ramsar Convention and its conservation degree was promoted to the "wildlife refuge" in the same year. In 1976, the UNESCO considered it a "natural biosphere reserve" 1. In this geographical area, there are about 200 species of migrating and breeding water birds such as flamingos, white and gray pelicans, various types of swan species (small, mute, whooper), white-headed ducks, Lesser and Greater white fronted gooses, Mergus mergansers, Western marsh harriers, and White-tailed eagles that come there to spend the winter 2,3. In addition, the relatively low depth, low current intensity, suitable temperature, biogenic materials, and abundant feed have made Gorgan Bay to be a suitable place for marine fish such as sturgeons, carps, mullets, Rutilus caspicus, and Caspian kutum 4,5 © 2022, Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development. All Rights Reserved
Validation of the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS) and its role in Predicting Hope among Iranian Elderly
No full textOlder adults, as the most vulnerable group, are affected by decreased functional abilities and changes in physical status, such as cognitive, social, and psychological function. This study aims to investigate the validation of the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS) and its role in predicting hope in Iranian older adults. 812 Iranian older adults�aged 60 years and older�participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), the Resilience Scale, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21), and the Adult Hope Scale. The psychometric properties of the SWBS were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while its reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha. Discriminant validity was measured by examining the relationship with the DASS-21 subscales, and convergent validity was assessed using resilience. In addition, multiple regression analysis was used to predict hope by the SWBS subscales. The four-factor structure provided good agreement with the data. The SWBS had significant negative associations with the subscales of the DASS-21, and there was a significant positive correlation between SWBS and resilience. The results indicate that SWBS significantly predicts hope among older adults. The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) has good validity for older adults in Iran and can be used in psychological assessments in the Iranian context. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature