Background: Considering the increased activity of hypothalamic orexinergic neurons due to morphine administration, and its extensive projections to the hippocampus, it is probable that morphine effect on CA1 neuronal function is mediated by orexinergic system. So the effect of hippocampal orexin-1 receptors (OX1R) blockade on CA1 baseline synaptic response and short term synaptic plasticity was investigated.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, animals received morphine 10 mg/kg/12h/(SC) for 10 days. SB-334867-A, OX1R antagonist (0.5&mug/0.5 &mul), was microinjected intrahippcampally for OX1R inhibition before each morphine injection. Baseline synaptic response and short term synaptic plasticity were evaluated by field potential recording. fEPSP was recorded from CA1 following Schaffer collaterals stimulation. After Input/Output construction, short term synaptic plasticity was induced by paired pulse stimulations.

Results: Chronic use of morphine did not affect the baseline synaptic response (p>0.05). SB- 334867-A microinjection in CA1 did not have any effect on baseline synaptic response in morphine dependent rats. Morphine increased paired pulse index (PPI) at 80 ms inter pulse interval (IPI, p<0.05). SB-334867-A pretreatment did not affect this morphine induced PPI change.

Conclusion: The results suggest that orexin-1 receptors (OX1R) do not mediate the effect of morphine on baseline synaptic response and short term synaptic plasticity in CA1 area of the hippocampus.

Background: According to the Erikson`s generativity vs staqnation theory this study examines the impact of old women transition experiences on depression, feel aging and physical changes in rehabilitation institute of charity in Arak.

Materials and Methods: In this quasi- experimental study, 30 elderly women living in nursing homes aged over 65 years and tested geriatric depression score of 9 and above earned were selected and randomly divided into two groups of 15 people .one group was selected as control and the other test group. Questionnaires included: geriatric depression questionnaire, feel Aging questionnaire and physical changes. program experience with that already was set to be repeated during ten sessions on group test. finally independent and paired t-test were used for statistical analysis.

Results: Although ten sessions to transfer the experience were able aging feeling and depressed elderly women reduce but the decrease was not significant between the test and control groups, as well as reduced physical changes between test and control groups were not significant.

Conclusion: The lack of suitable components severely needed to establish an effective interaction model for hinder the effectiveness of the meetings was to conduct experiments requiring more study.

Background: Maturation of oocytes and fertilization in vitro can be considered as one of the most important steps to treat infertility. In this study maturation medium was enriched with Platelet extraction (PL) which has high concentration of growth factors. Meiosis resumption and maturation was monitored after 18 hours of maturation.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, oocytes at germinal vesicle stage were obtained from mature NMRI female mice. Maturation medium was &alphaMEM and the control groups had 5-10% FBS and the medium in the experimental groups was enriched by 5, 10% PL and the combination of 5% PL and 5% FBS. Meiosis resumption and maturation were observed after 18 hours.

Results: The rate of matured oocytes in the experimental group 5% PL for both COC and DO group was significantly higher than the control groups (P<0.05). The maturation rate for 5% PL was 61% for the COC group and 72% for the DO group while this rate for 5% FBS control group was 53% and 50% respectively.

Conclusion: PL had a significant effect on meiosis resumption and maturation of oocyte at germinal vesicle stage. Based on these results, PL could be used as a maturation promoting factor.

Background: Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infestation by a tapeworm of the genus of Echinococcus that characterized by cystic lesions in the liver and lungs but rarely in other parts of the body.

Case: Known case of chronic Lymphocytic leukemia was a 56-years old man with several hydatid cysts of liver and lungs that was hospitalized because of ascites and abdominal pain. The patient received albendazol and surgical operation with diagnosis of peritonitis and complicated hydatid cyst in lungs and liver and Peritoneum. Patient expired with DIC and sepsis.

Conclusion: This case report provides evidence that complicated hydatid cysts in immunocopromised patients have a bad prognosis and can not be safely treated by medication and surgery.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a various collection of heart diseases with autosomal dominant inheritance affecting 0.2% of the global population. HCM is also the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in individuals younger than 35 years old. Approximately, 40% of affected cases are associated with MYBPC3 gene. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible presence of mutation in 15 and 18 exons of MYBPC3 gene in patients with HCM in Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiyari province.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 HCM patients were selected. DNA was extracted using standard phenol-chloroform method. Certain exons were amplified by PCR method. And then, SSCP and HA methods were run.

Results: Significant differences were observed between the positive control samples and other samples. However, there were no difference in studied exons or shift in the bands.

Conclusion: Mutations in the exons of MYBPC3 gene may cause the HCM disease, and change in other exons may be the causative agent in this geographical region and change in this studied exons may not have contributed to the HCM disease. However, it is necessary to study more patients for getting a better conclusion.

  Background: Alpha-tocopherol, as a strong antioxidant, plays an important role in testraining free radicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Alpha-tocopherol on cell proliferation and restraining apoptosis in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

  Materials and Methods: In this research study, the rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were extracted under sterile conditions using flashing-out method. At the end of the third passage, cells were divided into groups of control and Alpha-tocopherol with doses of 15 and 25 µM and were treated in the osteogenic media cell medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 10 mM β-glycerol phosphate, 10 nM dexamethasone and 50 µg/ml ascorbic 3-phosphate] for a period of 21 days. Then, cell proliferation, DNA damage, expression of Bcl-2 and Bax genes and the morphologic changes of the cells were investigated during the procedure of osteogenesis. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and means difference was considered significant at p<0.05.

  Results: Cell proliferation, the size of nuclei diameter and expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene showed a significant increase in mesenchymel stem cells treated with Alpha-tocopherol (p<0.05) in a dose dependent manner compared to the control cells. Also, cytoplasm extension was seen in the cells treated with Alpha-tocopherol, compared to the control group. Since Alpha-tocopherol causes a significant decrease in DNA damage and the expression of apoptotic Bax gene, compared to the control group, therefore it can suppress apoptosis in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, in a dose dependent manner .

Background: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and change in lifestyle represents a successful strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the present study investigated the combined effects of regulae Pilates training and Apium Graveolens seed supplement on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in sedentary women.

Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 28 healthy sedentary woman with age average 31±5.5 years old are selected in a convenience sampling way and randomely divided into and control, exercise, supplement and exercise+supplement groups. Pilates exercise was consisted of exercise movements at 50% to 80% maximal heart rate in, 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Supplement and exercise+supplement groups consumed 1.3 gr Apium Graveolens seed capsule three times a day after meals. Fasting blood samples were collected before and 48 hours after the last interventions. MCP-1 and CRP levels were measured by ELISA method.

Results: Eight weeks of Pilates exercise, supplementation and the combined intervention were associated with a significant increase in MCP-1 and CRP levels (p<0.05). Furthermore Pilates exercise and combined intervention were associated with significantly greater increases in percent changes of the MCP-1 and CRP compared to supplement group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that the protective effect of Pilates exercise and Apium Graveolens seed supplementation non-drug interventions might in part be due to suppression of the inflammatory processes.

Background: Lateral epicondylitis may cause pain and functional disability in many daily activities. Steroid injection or phonophoresis are the recommended treatments in this regard. In this study, we aim to compare the effect of ultrasound guided local injection of dexamethasone with dexamethasone phonophoresis for treatment of lateral epicondylitis.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, patients with lateral epicondylitis were randomely assigned to injection (n=18) and phonophoresis (n=18) groups. Three patients in phonophoresis group dropped out from the study. In injection group, dexamethasone with lidocaine was injected once with the guide of sonography at the base of common extensor tendon. Phonophoresis group received 5 minutes treatment with ultrasound using dexamethasone gel for 10 sessions. Patients’ pain in total and in specific and usual activities according to PRTEE questionnaire before, one and three months after treatment was calculated.

Results: Injection group compared to phonophoresis had significantly better improvement in pain (p=0.04), but there was no significant difference in serial changes of functional subscale and total score of PRTEE between groups. Injection group compared to phonophoresis had also better pain and total score one month after treatment (p=0.003 and p=0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Dexamethasone injection compared to phonophoresis had significant improvement in patients’ pain which was more apparent one month after treatment, but the results were similar between groups three months after treatment.

Background: Considering the increased activity of hippocampal glial cells due to chronic morphine administration and the involvement of hippocampus in restoration of the addictive drug-associated experience, the role of these cells on morphine induced conditioned place preference (CPP) was investigated.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, four groups of animals were evaluated. After habituation to CPP apparatus on the first day, conditioning was done by injection of morphine (5 mg/kg) or its vehicle (saline) during three consecutive days. On the fifth day, the time spent in each compartment of CPP cage and locomotor activity was recorded for 20 min. To investigate the role of hippocampal glial cells in CPP, these cels were inbibited by bilaterally injecting fluorocitrate (1nmol/1ml), before each morphine injection. CPP testing in this group and animals received fluorocitrate vehicle (Phosphate buffer saline) was done before morphine injection.

Results: Fluorocitrate pretreatment reduced morphine induced conditioned place preference acquisition, so that a significant decrease was observed in conditioning score (unpaired t-test, p<0.01) in this group (n=8) compared to animals received morphine (n=9). Neither morphine nor fluorocitrate pretreatment did not affect locomotor activity (ANOVA, p>0.05).

Conclusion: The results suggest that glial cells in the hippocampus are involved in morphine induced conditioned place preference.

Background: Recently it is accentuated on the role of psychological symptoms in the course of chronic diseases and applying psychological interventions as complementary interventions. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management, optimism training and conevntional medical therapy on somatic symptoms, perceived stress, illness perception and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Materials and Methods: In this study, thirty female patients were selected accidentally, and randomly assigned into three groups including cognitive-behavioral stress management(n=10), optimism training(n=10) and conventional medical therapy(n=10). All patients completed Perceived Stress Scale, Illness Perception questionnaire, WHO Quality of Life questionnaire, and Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index. Then, experimental groups participated in 9 sessions of  cognitive-behavioral stress management and optimism training group interventions. Thereafter, three groups answered to scales again. This course was repeated in a 6-mounth follow-up. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data.

Results:  The findings indicated that the effects of two interventions were significant on patient´s illness perception, perceived stress and quality of life however, these interventions did not change somatic symptoms.

Conclusion: Totally, it can be said that psychological interventions such as stress management and optimism training can be effective on improving the psychological symptoms in patients with ulcerative colitis and their cure.

Background: Reducing the duration of the effect of sedatives and increasing their quality is one of the tasks of ICU staff. The aim of this study is to compare the sedative effects of these medications on neurosurgery patients under mechanical ventilation.

Materials and Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, 70 patients requiring mechanical ventilation in neurosurgery ICU were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to one of remifentanil or fentanyl groups. The first group received 0.05 µg/kg/min remifentanil and the second group received 1 µg/kg/hr fentanyl infusion for sedation and analgesia in the first 24 hours. Sedation score, Minogue scale and hemodynamic parameters were evaluated throughout the study and at regular intervals. 

Results: There was no significant statistical difference in demographic variables such as age, sex, and body weight between two groups. The results of this study showed a significant difference in sedation score (p=0.0001) and Minogue scale (p=0.0001) and both variables were lower in remifentanil group. Also, heart rate (p=0.011) and mean arterial blood pressure (p=0.007) were significantly higher in fentanyl group.

Conclusion: Generally, sedative effect of remifentanil has several relative advantages over older medication of fentanyl and causes more effective sedation and better control of hemodynamic parameters in patients under mechanical ventilation.

Background: Myelomeningocele is one of the common congenital malformation in childhood that has association with many disorders. in addition to routine management of associated disorders surgical repair of myelomeningocele has been considered in many cases . The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of myelomeningocele surgical repair in prognosis of children with myelomeningocele

Materials and Methods: This is a case-control study from 2001 to 2013 in 60 infants with myelomeningocele in two department of neurosurgery in Arak and Ilam cities (Vali Asr and Imam Khomeni hospitals, respectively). Infants were divided into two groups according to operable and inoperable cases (each group includes 30 cases). The prognosis of two groups was investigated with respect to mortality, and Stark and Drummond disability rating scale. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18 software.

Results: Case group had better prognoses compared to control with respect to handicap (p=0.003), urinary tract disorders (p=0.006), IQ (p=0.001), global disability(p=0.006) and mortality rate, but there was no difference between two groups with respect to hydrocephalus(p=0.3).

Conclusion: According to the results, mortality, disability and prognosis of infants with myelomeningocele that underwent operation were better. In conclusion, early myelomeningocele repair is advised for infants, because it affects the improvement of prognosis and the quality of patients' life.

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding has a negative impact on quality of life. In this study, the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of capsella bursa pastoris on menorrhagia is evaluated.
Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was carried out on 90 women with complaint of heavy menstrual bleeding. Samples, after a control cycle of primary bleeding, were randomly divided to capsella bursa pastoris and control groups. Both groups were subjected to mefenamic acid treatment with 500 mg every 8 hours, from the first day to the end of bleeding, up to seven days, for two consecutive cycles. In capsella bursa pastoris group, in addition to mefenamic acid, capsella bursa pastoris capsule 500 mg every12 hours, from the first day to the end of bleeding, up to seven days, was prescribed. In control group, instead of capsella bursa pastoris capsules,it^,s placebo was prescribed with the same order. Data were checked and compared before and after treatment using SPSS software.
Results: The average amount of bleeding reduced in capsella bursa pastoris group from 135.27 in control cycle to 69.13 in third cycle and in control group reduced from 133.91 to 75.44 in third cycle(p<0.001). The average duration of bleeding was reduced in capsella bursa pastoris group from 7.38 in control cycle to 5.40 in third cycle and in control group was reduced from 6.91 to 5.31 in third cycle(p<0.001).
Conclusion: It seems that the extract of capsella bursa pastoris can be effective in reducing the amount and duration of bleeding in women of reproductive age with heavy menstrual bleeding.

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a heterogeneous condition with the prevalence of more than 1% among women of reproductive age, which is defined as the occurrence of more than two miscarriages. Immune-mediators, cytokines, determine the role of immune cells in response to tissue incompatibility conditions. Colony stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) is a cytokine affecting the expression of other cytokines such as IL-4, and suppressing the immune response against semi-allograft embryo. This study was done for the first time on the association of the rs1042658 polymorphism at 3’UTR of the CSF3 gene with the susceptibility to recurrent pregnancy loss, supposing the effect of it on the expression level and stability of the CSF3 gene transcript.

Materials and Methods: 122 RPL women and 140 healthy fertile women as a control group were enrolled in this case-control study. Genotype distribution of the selected polymorphism was evaluated by T-ARMS PCR method and the results were analyzed by logistic regression test.

Results: comparison of the genotypic frequencies in the 3'UTR of the CSF3 gene in patients and controls resulted in the statistically significant difference in the incidence of pregnancy loss in order to the protection effect of the genotypes carrying T allele was observed between two groups (p<0.05). History of the abortion among the relatives of RPL women versus the relatives of controls showed significant differences (p=0.05).

Conclusion: Findings showed significant relationship between rs1042658 polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss, which can affect the susceptibility of the condition.

Background: Nef is one of the HIV-1 critical proteins, because it is essential for viral replication and AIDS disease progression and induction of immune response against it can partially inhibit viral infection. Moreover, a domain of the HIV-1 Trans-Activator of Transcription (Tat, 48-60 aa) could act as a cell penetrating peptide (CPP). In current study, cloning and expression of Tat-Nef fusion protein was performed in E. coli for the first time. The protein expression was confirmed by western blot analysis and was purified using reverse staining method.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, primarily, cloning of Tat-Nef fusion gene was done in pGEX6p2 expression vector. Then, the expression of Tat-Nef recombinat protein in E.coli BL21 (DE3) strain was performed by using IPTG inducer. The protein expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting using anti-Nef monoclonal antibody. Then, the recombinant fusion protein was purified from gel using reverse staining method.

Results: The results of PCR analysis and enzyme digestion showed a clear band of ~ 726 bp in agarose gel indicating the correct Tat-Nef fusion cloning in pGEX6p2 prokaryotic expression vector. In addition, a 54 kDa band of Tat-Nef on SDS-PAGE revealed Tat-Nef protein expression that western blot analysis using anti-Nef monoclonal antibody confirmed it.

Conclusion: The purified Tat-Nef recombinant fusion protein will be used as an antigen for protein vaccine design against HIV infection.

Background: The speech disorders may produce irreparable damage to childs speech  and language development in the psychosocial view. The voice, speech sound production and fluency disorders are speech disorders, that  may result from delay or impairment in speech  motor control mechanism, central neuron system disorders, improper language stimulation or voice abuse.

Materials and Methods: This study examined the prevalence of speech disorders in 1393 Arakian students at 1 to 6th grades of primary school. After collecting continuous speech samples, picture description, passage reading and phonetic test, we recorded the pathological signs of stuttering, articulation disorder and voice disorders in a special sheet.

Results: The prevalence of articulation, voice and stuttering disorders was 8%, 3.5% and%1 and the prevalence of speech disorders was 11.9%. The prevalence of speech disorders was decreasing with increasing of student’s grade. 12.2% of boy students and 11.7% of girl students of primary school in Arak had speech disorders.

Conclusion: The prevalence of speech disorders of primary school students in Arak is similar to the prevalence of speech disorders in Kermanshah, but the prevalence of speech disorders in this research is smaller than many similar researches in Iran. It seems that racial and cultural diversity has some effect on increasing the prevalence of speech disorders in Arak city.

Abstract

Background: Infertility is described as a loss that this event is serious tension in life and it makes extreme trauma on couples. This research aimed to investigate the effect of group psychotherapy based on life quality on marriage intimacy of infertile women.

Materials and Methods: This research method was in semi-test methodology with pre-test, post- test and follow-up test plan with control group and statistical sample was 32 persons (16 persons in test group and 16 persons in control group) that they were chosen in available sampling mode from Royan center in Arak and both two groups were peer in research standards. Test group received training for 5 sessions in 90 minute. For collecting data, Bagarozzi marital intimacy questionnaire was used. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance by using SPSS software.

Results: Results showed that life quality training affected significantly on marriage intimacy of infertile women and improved it. Significant difference between pre-test, post-test and follow-up average scores of test and control groups showed effectiveness of life quality training on infertile women ( p=0.003<0.05 ,f=27.57).

Conclusion: The research showed that group therapy of life quality plan affected on marital intimacy and improved it. Therefore, it is recommended as a supplement.

Abstract

Background: Fetal hemoglobin (α2γ2) is the main oxygen transport protein in the human fetus. Fetal hemoglobin is nearly completely replaced by hemoglobin A, except in a few thalassemia cases and sickle cell anemia. Several studies have indicated that expression of γ-globin might be regulated post-transcriptionally. Small non-coding RNA called microRNAs which target mRNA can lead to translated repression or mRNA decay. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of miR-940 up-regultion on γ-chain gene expression and erythroid markers in k562 cell line.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, k562 cells were cultured in RPMI1640. Then pre miR-940 was transfected by electroporation method in k562 cell line. In 3, 7 and 14 days, RNA was extracted and cDNA synthesized in selected days. Up-regulation of miR-940 was confirmed by miRNA Quantitative real time PCR and then the expression γ of chains and GATA-1 was investigated by QRT-PCR. Finally, erythroid markers were checked by flow cytometry.

Results: In 3, 7 and 14 days after transfection, the GATA-1 and γ-chain expression were increased in comparison with untransfected cells. Also, the expression of erythroid markers was increased.

Conclusion: The data show that up-regulation of miR-940 has a role in the increase of γ-chain gene expression in k-562 cell line. We suggest that miR-940 may be a significant potent therapeutic target for increasing Hb F level. Patients with sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia are suitable candidate for treatment in this way.