Elham Jafari, Sedigheh Kamali, Saeedeh Mazloomzadeh, Faranak Sharifi,
Volume 15, Issue 9 (February 2013)
Abstract
Background: Aging in men is characterized by a progressive, moderate decrease in plasma testosterone. However, the associations of partial androgen deficiency of the aging male with clinical symptoms are controversial. This study investigates the association between the androgen deficiency symptoms (based on ADAM questionnaire) and sex hormone levels in men over 40 years old. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 171 healthy men over 40 years old. Demographic data and ADAM questionnaire were completed by each patient. Also, serum levels of free testosterone, estradiol, LH, and FSH were determined using the ELISA method. The data was analyzed by Chi-squared, Mann-whitney U test and Logistic Regression Test. Results: Based on ADAM questionnaire, 85 patients (49.7%) had androgen deficiency symptoms, and there was a significant relationship between these symptoms and age. However there was no significant correlation between the total score of the questionnaire with sex hormones, and only sexual symptoms were significantly associated with low testosterone levels. Conclusion: It seems that the clinical symptoms of androgen deficiency cannot precisely predict the levels of sex hormones in elderly men. Nevertheless, hypogonadism diagnosis can be clinically suspected when symptoms of sexual dysfunction are present
Firoozeh Alavian, Sohrab Hajizadeh, Mohammad Javan, Roham Mazloom,
Volume 20, Issue 6 (9-2017)
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Recent studies indicate that hyperoxia has a significant therapeutic effect in the acute ischemic injury. The role of intracellular kinases, including ERK, has been posed in the phenomenon of ischemic tolerance. In the present study, the effect of intermittent normobaric hyperoxia on the activity of ERK in the stroke model was studied
Material and Methods: This is an experimental study. Animals include 4 groups (sham, hyperoxia–sham, stroke and hyperoxia–stroke); each group consisted of 6 male Wistar rats in the weight range of 250 to 350 grams. Hyperoxia groups were exposed to 95% inspired oxygen for 4 h/day and 6 consecutive days. Oxygen concentration in the control groups was 21% (normoxia, room air). After 24h, the stroke group animals were subjected to 60 min of right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). After 24h reperfusion, neurological deficit scores (NDS) and ERK activity were assessed.
Results: 5 hours after MCAO, stroke groups showed a significant increase in ERK activity in the cortex (p <0.01) and subcortex (p <0.001). At the same time, hyperoxia significantly increased the activity of ERK in cortex compared to the normoxia group (p<0.05). In subcortex, hyperoxia had no significant effect on ERK activity. Twenty-four hours after MCAO, stroke groups showed a significant reduction in ERK activity in the cortex (p <0.001) and subcortex (p <0.05). 24hr after MCAO, The activity of ERK in the hyperoxia groups; in both cortex and subcortex areas was significantly higher than that of the normoxia groups (p<0.05). Also, hyperoxia caused a significant decrease in NDS (p=0.0220).
Conclusion: Increased levels of ERK activity in the hyperoxia groups can be used to protect the nervous system, but the presence of other malicious factors may have been more effective in some cases, so that hyperoxia alone hasn’t been able to prevent stroke progression.
