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Background: Memory is one of the main functions that is impaired by neurological disorders. Noticing the susceptibility of memory to emotions, the effect of emotional states on memory in patients with alzheimer, brain tumor, and normal individuals was investigated in this study. Materials and Methods: Through Causal-Comparative study, 26 patients with alzheimer, 38 patients with brain tumor, and 30 normal individuals were selected and tested by a memory-related computerized task on explicit recall memory and implicit memory. Results: Patients with alzheimer showed a poor performance in memory tasks. They recognized more sad and threatening words in their explicit memory. Overall, patients with alzheimer and tumor in comparison with normal individuals indicated poorer explicit/implicit memory functions, respectively. Conclusion: Cognitive processes of patients with alzheimer are influenced when they encounter simple emotional stimulus.

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Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a disorder with autosomal dominant pattern caused mainly by mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and apolipoprotein B-100. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of LDLR gene mutations in an Iranian population of patients with high blood cholesterol. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-lab based study, a total of 50 non-related possible FH subjects from Cheharmahal Bakhtiari were studied. All subjects were tested for presence of LDLR gene mutations in 9 exons of the LDLR gene including 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 14. The shifted bands were detected on electrophoresis gels and confirmed by subsequent DNA sequencing method. Results: Overall, four different polymorphisms were identified in 18% of the patients. We found 1413G>A, 1725C>T and 1773C>T, 2140+5G>A in 2,23,2 and 2 subjects respectively from which 1413G >A and 1773C>T were detected in both alleles of the gene. Conclusion: The results did not indicate the involvement of LDLR gene mutations of FH in the samples studied.

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Background: Cardiovascular diseases are directly influenced by some specific psychological behaviors accompanied by stress and anxiety that in the long run increase cardiovascular diseases risk and bring about some complications. This study was carried out to examine the effects of relaxation and distraction training on anxiety reduction in cardiac patients,. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, sixty 40-65 year old patients with cardiac diseases were selected by convenience random sampling procedure and were randomly assigned to different experimental groups: 15 patients received relaxation training, 15 patients received distraction training, 15 patients received both relaxation and distraction training, and 15 patients stayed in the waiting list group. All participants completed STAI-S and STAI-T before and after the training program. Data were analyzed by factorial analysis of variance with repeated measures. Results: The results indicated that instruction of anxiety reduction techniques significantly decrease cardiac patients’ anxiety. There were no significant differences between the two genders. Also, there were no significant decreases between different educational levels and types of diagnosis in the anxiety reduction. Conclusion: Noticing the decrease in anxiety due to relaxation and distraction in patients hospitalized with cardiac diseases, the use of these techniques in all stages of prevention and treatment of coronary heart diseases seems necessary.

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Background: Paraoxonase1 activity shows decline in patients with coronary artery disease. The C to T change in the -107 position of promoter is the most important genetic determinant of serum levels of paraoxonase 1. Study of this polymorphism and its relationship with the type of fatty acid composition of phospholipids in HDL particles can be found in the common pursuit of better medicines and considered in drug treatment.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study 265 Patients were selected and divided in two groups based on LDL level (131 in case and 134 in control). Information of subjects were collected from questionnaire and the results of biochemistry and molecular tests. Fatty acids of HDL phospholipids were measured with Gas chromatography technic .

Results: PON1aryl esterase activity, had no significant changes after treatment with lovastatin but paraoxonase activity had more significant increases in the CC genitype of -C/T107 polymorphism. Percent of oleic acid, linoleic acid and icosapentanioc acid in HDL phospholipids were increased by lovastatin.

Conclusion: Treatment with lovastatin in the CC genotype is probably more protective effect against cardiovascular disease. Following treatment, in patients with higher paraoxanase 1 activity Oleic acid and linoleic acid have also increased in HDL phospholipids.

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Background: SLC26A4 gene mutations are the second currently identifiable genetic cause of autosomal recessive non syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) after GJB2 mutations. In databases, several potential STR markers related to this region have been introduced. In this investigation, the identity and informativeness of D7S2459 CA repeat STR marker in SLC26A4 gene region was examined in five ethnic groups of the Iranian population.

Materials and Methods: The research study was accomplished by genotyping the locus in 165 individuals of five different ethnic groups including Fars, Azari, Torkaman, Gilak and Arab using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and fluorescent capillary electrophoresis. In this study, results were analyzed by GeneMarker HID Human STR Identity software, GenePop program and Microsatellite Tools software.

Results: Analysis of the allelic frequency revealed the presence of 8 alleles for D7S2459 marker in the Iranian population. Among all, allele 148bp at the D7S2459 locus with 31% frequency was the most frequent. The Azari ethnic with 84.8% observed heterozygosity was the highest among all ethnic groups. Finally, analysis of PIC value revealed that D7S2459 marker could be considered as a highly informative marker in each ethnic of the Iranian population (PIC value above 0.7).

Conclusion: Our data suggested that D7S2459 could be introduced as a highly informative marker in molecular diagnosis of SLC26A4 based ARNSHL by Linkage analysis.

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Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious problem of pregnancy and its etiology is still unknown. The inheritance of preeclampsia is one of the theories regarding to the etiology of preeclampsia. Methylenetetrahydrofolatereductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in folate metabolism and the C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene is associated with decrease MTHFR activity, and therefore cause higher blood levels of homocysteine and leads to vascular disease that can be the reason of preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism with PE development in south-west of Iran.

Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed in 129 preeclamptic pregnant women and 125 control individuals.The C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene was determined by PCR-RFLP method.

Results: The CC, CT and TT genotypes frequency of C677T polymorphism of MTHFR gene were 57.4, 38.8 and 3.9 percent in preeclamptic women and 53.6, 40 and 6.4 percent in control group. They were not significantly different (p=0.614). However, the frequency of TT genotype was higher in control group (p=0.36). There was not any significant difference in T allele distribution between preeclamptic women (23.3%) and control group (26.4%).

Conclusion: Our results showed that there was not any correlation between the C677T polymorphism and PE but the TT genotype of C677T polymorphism seems to be a protective factor for preeclampsia.

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Background: Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is one of the major pathogens in poultry and vaccination is intended to control the disease, as an effective solution, yet. Fusion protein (F) on surface of NDV, has a fundamental role in virus pathogenicity and can induce protective immunity, alone. With this background, here our aim was to construct a baculovirus derived recombinant bacmid shuttle vector (encoding F-protein) in order to express it in insect cell line.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, at first complete F gene from avirulent strain La Sota of NDV was amplified by RT-PCR to produce F cDNA. The amplicon was cloned into T/A cloning vector and afterwards into pFastBac Dual donor plasmid. After the verification of cloning process by two methods, PCR and enzymatic digestion analysis, the accuracy of F gene sequence was confirmed by sequencing. Finally, F-containing recombinant bacmid was subsequently generated in DH10Bac cell and the construct production was confirmed by a special PCR panel, using F specific primers and M13 universal primers.

Results: Analysis of confirmatory tests showed that the recombinant bacmid, expressing of F-protein gene in correct sequence and framework, has been constructed successfully.

Conclusion: The product of this F-containing recombinant bacmid, in addition to its independent application in the induction of protective immunity, can be used with the other individual recombinant baculoviruses, expressing HN and NP genes to produce NDV-VLPs in insect cell line.

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Background: Shigella is the causative agent of human shigellosis and its lipopolysaccharide is detected by TLR4. TLR4 belongs to Toll-like receptors family and many immunological pathways are triggered when these receptors are stimulated. Many researches showed increasing in TLR4 expression in mesenchymal stem cells through lipopolysaccharide treatment. The main goal of this study is detecting the optimum lipopolysaccharide between shigella strains through stimulation of immune system for vaccine studies.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells were treated with three distinct concentrations (0.1, 0.01, and 0.001) of shigella (S. flexneri, S. dysenteriae, S. sonnei) extract containing lipopolysaccharide. Then TLR4 expression in mRNA level was investigated by RT-PCR and Q-PCR. The cells treated with phosphate buffered saline have been considered as a control group.

Results: Expression of TLR4 was shown in all of case groups except treatment with concentration 0.001 of extracts from sonnei and dysenteriae and also control group. The variations in the expression of TLR4 was dose-dependent in all of case groups. The maximum expression of TLR4 related to treatment with extract from shigella flexneri strain and the minimum expression related to treatment with shigella sonnei extract. The use of lipopolysaccharide from E. coli as a positive control indicated that lipopolysaccharide in shigella extracts is responsible for the increased expression of TLR4.

Conclusion: The TLR4 expression level was increasesed by S. flexneri extract, so it could be recommended for increasing vaccine efficiency.

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Background: In 1970, human papillomavirus (HPV) was introduced as the main etiologic factor of cervical carcinoma. Since there is no possibility of detecting the virus and its subtypes using serological methods and cell culture, the molecular methods such as PCR have particular importance in accurate, early and definite diagnosis of the virus. So, in this research, our goal is to use a proprietary PCR assay based on L1 gene of human papillomavirus for molecular recognition of HPV and to evaluate its prevalence in patient samples.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, after collecting of samples from malignant cervical lesions, the viral DNA was extracted from paraffin blocks of 50 clinical samples and PCR was done by specific primers for L1 gene of human papillomavirus in all samples. After the analysis of PCR products by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis, sensitivity and specificity of the test were also evaluated.

Results: Among 50 patient samples, 33 cases were confirmed to be positive for HPV infection and 17 cases were negative, showing high frequency of HPV in this patient population (about 66%). The results of specificity assay were positive for papilloma samples and sensitivity of the assay was 20 copies of recombinant construct containing L1 per reaction.

Conclusion: This study showed that PCR by specific primers for L1 gene of human papilloma virus is a proper and accurate method for detection of this virus and the results confirm the previous reports of correlation between HPV and cervical carcinoma.

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Abstract

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is the most common congenital defect in humans. One or two in thousand newborn babies have prelingual hearing loss. Autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) is the most common form of hereditary deafness. Hearing loss is more common in the developing countries which is due to genetic and environmental (cultural -health factors) reasons. HL has a wide range of clinical demonstrations including: congenital or late onset, conductive or sensory-neural, syndromic or non-syndromic hearing loss. The goal of this project is to determine the portion of the DFNB21 (TECTA) in ARNSHL in families with negative GJB2 gene in Khuzestan province.

Materials and Methods: We studied 21 families with ARNSHL with at least 4 patients and negative for GJB2 mutations from Khuzestan province. Genetic linkage analysis was performed using STR markers linked to DFNB21 locus.

Results: Following genetic linkage analysis and haplotyping, out of 21 families with ARNSHL, one family showed linkage to the DFNB21 (TECTA) locus.

Conclusion: The results of this project confirm other studies in Iran and give insight into the most common loci causing ARNSHL in Iran which could be helpful in research and clinic.