Noninfectious Complications in B-Lymphopenic Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is considered the most symptomatic type of inborn errors of immunity in humans. Along with infectious complications, which have numerous consequences, noninfectious complications are a major challenge among CVID patients. METHODS: All CVID patients registered in the national database were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of B-cell lymphopenia. Demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, noninfectious organ involvement, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative diseases were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 387 enrolled patients, 66.4% were diagnosed with noninfectious complications and 33.6% with isolated infectious presentations. Enteropathy, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative disorders were reported in 35.1%, 24.3%, and 21.4% of patients, respectively. Some complications, including autoimmunity and hepatosplenomegaly, were reported to be significantly more frequent among patients with B-cell lymphopenia. As for organ involvement, the dermatologic, endocrine, and musculoskeletal systems were predominantly affected in CVID patients with B-cell lymphopenia. Among autoimmune manifestations, the frequency of rheumatologic, hematologic, and gastrointestinal autoimmunity was reported to be higher than that of other types of autoimmunity not associated with B cell-lymphopenia. Furthermore, hematological cancers, particularly lymphoma, were the most common type of malignancy. The mortality rate was 24.5%, and respiratory failure and malignancies were the most common causes of death, with no significant differences between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that some of the noninfectious complications might be associated with B-cell lymphopenia, regular patient monitoring and follow-up with proper medication (in addition to immunoglobulin replacement therapy) are highly recommended to prevent sequelae and increase patient quality of life.

CRISPR-Cas Technology as a Revolutionary Genome Editing tool: Mechanisms and Biomedical Applications.

Programmable nucleases are powerful genomic tools for precise genome editing. These tools precisely recognize, remove, or change DNA at a defined site, thereby, stimulating cellular DNA repair pathways that can cause mutations or accurate replacement or deletion/insertion of a sequence. CRISPR-Cas9 system is the most potent and useful genome editing technique adapted from the defense immune system of certain bacteria and archaea against viruses and phages. In the past decade, this technology made notable progress, and at present, it has largely been used in genome manipulation to make precise gene editing in plants, animals, and human cells. In this review, we aim to explain the basic principle, mechanisms of action, and applications of this system in different areas of medicine, with emphasizing on the detection and treatment of parasitic diseases.

Non-Infectious Complications in B-Lymphopenic Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is considered the most symptomatic type of inborn errors of immunity in humans. Along with infectious complications, which have numerous consequences, non-infectious complications are also a major challenge among CVID patients. METHODS: All registered CVID patients in the national database were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of B-cell lymphopenia. Demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, non-infectious organ involvements, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative diseases were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 387 enrolled patients, 66.4% were diagnosed with non-infectious complications; however, 33.6% had only infectious presentations. Enteropathy, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative disorders were reported in 35.1%, 24.3%, and 21.4% of patients, respectively. Some complications, including autoimmunity and hepatosplenomegaly, were reported to be significantly higher among patients with B-cell lymphopenia. Among organ involvement, dermatologic, endocrine and musculoskeletal systems were predominantly affected in CVID patients with B-cell lymphopenia. Among autoimmune manifestations, the frequency of rheumatologic, hematologic, and gastrointestinal autoimmunity was reported to be higher compared to other types of autoimmunity independent from the B cell-lymphopenia. Furthermore, hematological cancers, particularly lymphoma, were slightly introduced as the most common type of malignancy. Meanwhile, the mortality rate was 24.5%, and respiratory failure and malignancies were reported as the most common cause of death in our patients without significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Considering that some of the non-infectious complications might be associated with B-cell lymphopenia, therefore, regular patient monitoring and follow-up along with proper medications (besides immunoglobulins replacement therapy) are highly recommended to prevent further sequels and increase the patients' quality of life.

Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Study Based on the Fusion Gene of Newcastle Disease Virus Isolated from Broiler Poultry Farms in Markazi Province, Iran.

Newcastle disease (ND) is an economically significant and extremely spreadable viral illness affecting a wide variety of avian species. ND can rapidly spread within poultry farms and result in considerable economic losses for the global poultry industry. This disease is endemic in Iran, and despite intensive vaccination efforts in the poultry industry, outbreaks of ND occur unexpectedly. This study aimed to isolate the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) from poultry farms with breathing problems in Markazi province, Iran, and investigate the evolutionary relationship and molecular characteristics of the isolates during 2017-2019. To this end, tissue samples (lung, brain, and trachea) were taken from 42 broiler farms exhibiting respiratory symptoms. The samples were inoculated into 9-11-day-old embryonated eggs, and the virus was isolated from 20 (47.6%) of the 42 farms. Subsequently, RT-PCR was used to amplify partial fusion gene sequences from the new isolates. The amplified products were sequenced and compared phylogenetically to the standard pilot dataset (125 selected sequences) generated by the NDV consortium. As determined by phylogenetic analysis, all nine isolates belonged to subgenotype VII.1.1 of genotype VII and were highly similar to isolates from other parts of Iran and China. Moreover, all isolates possessed a polybasic cleavage site motif (112RRQKRF117), characteristic of virulent strains. Furthermore, the present isolates shared a high nucleotide identity (96%) with viruses previously isolated from other provinces of Iran, as determined by BLAST searches and multiple alignments. In addition, they shared a high degree of sequence similarity but were distinct from the existing NDV vaccines. Therefore, the genetic dissimilarity between current vaccine strains and circulating NDVs must be considered in vaccination programs.

Inducing Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in symmetrical multilayers using post annealing.

The interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction (iDMI) is an antisymmetric exchange interaction that is induced by the broken inversion symmetry at the interface of, e.g., a ferromagnet/heavy metal. Thus, the presence of iDMI is not expected in symmetrical multilayer stacks of such structures. Here, we use thermal annealing to induce the iDMI in a [Py/Pt]×10 symmetrical multilayer stack. Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy is used to directly evidence the iDMI induction in the annealed sample. Structural characterizations highlight the modified crystallinity as well as a higher surface roughness of the sample after annealing. First principles electronic structure calculations demonstrate a monotonic increase of the iDMI with the interfacial disorder due to the interdiffusion of atoms, depicting the possible origin of the induced iDMI. The presented method can be used to tune the iDMI strength in symmetric multilayers, which are the integral part of racetrack memories, magnonic devices as well as spin-orbitronic elements.

Pyrethroid-linked resistance allelic mutations by molecular analysis in wild human head louse (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) populations from schoolgirls of South Iran.

Background: Human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer, 1767 (Anoplura: Pediculidae), is one of the most frequent ectoparasites infesting Homo sapiens worldwide. Reduced sensitivity to treatment due to genetic mutations, in particular knockdown resistance (kdr) (or target site insensitivity) allele, has led to this infestation prevalence. Molecular characterization of this resistance has a crucial impact on selecting appropriate treatment protocol. The aim of this study was to investigate kdr gene mutations on voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) among wild head lice samples from Fars province, southern Iran. Methods: Head lice were collected using plastic detection combs on girls enrolled in public schools from 10 counties in Fars province. The specimens were screened in 10 pools (each pool per county containing 35 specimens), with three pools (30%) being positive. Following species identification with valid entomological keys, 350 (68%) out of 514 randomly collected adult head lice were analyzed after their somatic genomic DNA extraction using Sinaclon kit. Samples were investigated by polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and the amplicon was subsequently sequenced. Results: Sequence analysis showed that the sodium channel genes in the pooled ectoparasites had two intron and three exon regions. Single (L840F), double (I836L, E837K), and triple novel point mutations (V875L, Q876P, S879V); the last involving two concomitant allelic substitutions; were discovered in the second and third exon regions of head louse DNA on chromosome II from three (30%) counties. Other exon or intron regions remained non-mutated from the remaining seven counties. Conclusions: The detection of six amino acid substitutions from 30% of examined head lice among infested schoolgirls reveal that mutants are minutely developing. These findings provide further incentive to recapitulate the legitimacy of current control measures and resolve dynamics of resistance in human head louse populations.

The optimization effect of different parameters on the super hydrophobicity of prickly-shaped carbonyl iron particles.

In this study, the effects of glucose concentration, temperature, and time parameters of the hydrothermal reaction on the growth of prickly-shaped carbonyl iron were studied by using an experimental design to obtain the maximum superhydrophobicity of the magnetic particles. The experimental design was carried out by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) analysis using the Central Composite Design (CCD) method. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis was performed to qualitatively assess the growth of the prickly-shaped carbonyl iron, and Water Contact Angle (WCA) analysis was used to quantify the superhydrophobicity of the resulting particles. The results revealed that the elevation of the concentration and time increased the roughness (prickly shape) of the particle surface and contact angle up to a point, after which it did not affect them. The temperature elevation caused an increase in the prickly shape of the particles and contact angles and then reduced them. The optimum concentration, temperature, and time were 0.75 Mol L-1, 170 °C, and 4 hours, respectively, for the maximum growth of prickly-shaped particles and the maximum contact angle was 169.7°. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results confirmed the presence of glucose and stearic acid chemically bonded to the carbonyl iron particles. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) results showed that the carbonyl iron had been not converted into iron oxide during the synthesis procedures of the superhydrophobic particles. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) analysis showed that making the particles superhydrophobic had little effect on the magnetization reduction.

Smart piezoelectric biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: a review.

Due to the presence of electric fields and piezoelectricity in various living tissues, piezoelectric materials have been incorporated into biomedical applications especially for tissue regeneration. The piezoelectric scaffolds can perfectly mimic the environment of natural tissues. The ability of scaffolds which have been made from piezoelectric materials in promoting cell proliferation and regeneration of damaged tissues has encouraged researchers in biomedical areas to work on various piezoelectric materials for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds. In this review article, the way that cells of different tissues like cardio, bone, cartilage, bladder, nerve, skin, tendon, and ligament respond to electric fields and the mechanism of tissue regeneration with the help of piezoelectric effect will be discussed. Furthermore, all of the piezoelectric materials are not suitable for biomedical applications even if they have high piezoelectricity since other properties such as biocompatibility are vital. Seen in this light, the proper piezoelectric materials which are approved for biomedical applications are mentioned. Totally, the present review introduces the recent materials and technologies that have been used for tissue engineering besides the role of electric fields in living tissues.

Remediation of zearalenone mycotoxin contamination in rumen fluid by phytochemical compounds of Zataria multiflora.

Background: Zearalenone (ZEA), which is one of the most prevalent wheat and corn seeds mycotoxins causes acute and chronic toxicities in ruminants, poultry, and aquatic animals. Among commercial toxin binders, only a few active charcoals have the significant ability to adsorb ZEA contamination; nevertheless, active charcoal is not considered a sound additive by the feed industry. Aims: This study aimed to screen and identify the ZEA-degradation compounds of the Zataria multiflora (Shirazi thyme) in the cattle rumen fluid. Methods: In this investigation, essential oil and different extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol) of the aerial part of Shirazi thyme (at three concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/ml) were screened to reduce ZEA contamination conditions (2 µg/ml) in rumen fluid. ZEA-content was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector. In addition, Shirazi thyme phytochemical compounds responsible for eliminating ZEA were localized by HPLC-based activity profiling and then identified by mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Results: Both n-hexane and methanol extracts of Z. multiflora, considerably remediated ZEA (63-78%) from rumen fluid. According to HPLC-based activity profiling of Z. multiflora extract and LC-MS analysis, two triterpene compounds, including ursolic and oleanolic acids were introduced as ZEA degradation agents. Conclusion: Z. multiflora could be recommended as a new botanical source, and ursolic and oleanolic acids could be introduced as new phytochemical compounds that degrade ZEA.

Oxygen Delivery Approaches to Augment Cell Survival After Myocardial Infarction: Progress and Challenges.

Myocardial infarction (MI), triggered by blockage of a coronary artery, remains the most common cause of death worldwide. After MI, the capability of providing sufficient blood and oxygen significantly decreases in the heart. This event leads to depletion of oxygen from cardiac tissue and consequently leads to massive cardiac cell death due to hypoxemia. Over the past few decades, many studies have been carried out to discover acceptable approaches to treat MI. However, very few have addressed the crucial role of efficient oxygen delivery to the injured heart. Thus, various strategies were developed to increase the delivery of oxygen to cardiac tissue and improve its function. Here, we have given an overall discussion of the oxygen delivery mechanisms and how the current technologies are employed to treat patients suffering from MI, including a comprehensive view on three major technical approaches such as oxygen therapy, hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), and oxygen-releasing biomaterials (ORBs). Although oxygen therapy and HBOCs have shown promising results in several animal and clinical studies, they still have a few drawbacks which limit their effectiveness. More recent studies have investigated the efficacy of ORBs which may play a key role in the future of oxygenation of cardiac tissue. In addition, a summary of conducted studies under each approach and the remaining challenges of these methods are discussed.

In vitro effect of some nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors against HSV-1 replication.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was designed to investigate the effects of some nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) on HSV-1 infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, the SwissTargetPrediction server was used to predict the interactions between HSV-1 thymidine kinase and acyclovir, stavudine, zidovudine, didanosine, and entecavir. The effect of each component on Vero cell viability was assessed by the MTT assay. After treatment, the cell supernatants were collected, and HSV-1 replication was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: The qPCR results revealed that viral titers were reduced 41, 40, 19, 44, and 31-fold in the presence of acyclovir, zidovudine, stavudine, didanosine, and entecavir, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that NRTIs significantly reduce HSV-1 replication in cell culture.

L-lysine protects C2C12 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes against high glucose damages and stresses.

Hyperglycemia is a hallmark of diabetes, which is associated with protein glycation and misfolding, impaired cell metabolism and altered signaling pathways result in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). We previously showed that L-lysine (Lys) inhibits the nonenzymatic glycation of proteins, and protects diabetic rats and type 2 diabetic patients against diabetic complications. Here, we studied some molecular aspects of the Lys protective role in high glucose (HG)-induced toxicity in C2C12 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. C2C12 and 3T3-L1 cell lines were differentiated into myotubes and adipocytes, respectively. Then, they were incubated with normal or high glucose (HG) concentrations in the absence/presence of Lys (1 mM). To investigate the role of HG and/or Lys on cell apoptosis, oxidative status, unfolded protein response (UPR) and autophagy, we used the MTT assay and flow cytometry, spectrophotometry and fluorometry, RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. In both cell lines, HG significantly reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis, accompanying with the significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, the spliced form of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), at both mRNA and protein levels, the phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (p-eIf2α), and the Light chain 3 (LC3)II/LC3I ratio was also significantly increased. Lys alone had no significant effects on most of these parameters; but, treatment with HG plus Lys returned them all to, or close to, the normal values. The results indicated the protective role of Lys against glucotoxicity induced by HG in C2C12 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Cohnella sp. A01 laccase: thermostable, detergent resistant, anti-environmental and industrial pollutants enzyme.

Laccase (EC 1.10.3.2; benzenediol; oxygen oxidoreductases) is a multi-copper oxidase that catalyzes the oxidation of phenols, polyphenols, aromatic amines, and different non-phenolic substrates with concomitant reduction of O2 to H2O. Enzymatic oxidation techniques have the potential of implementation in different areas of industrial fields. In this study, the Cohnella sp. A01 laccase gene was cloned into pET-26 (b+) vector and was transformed to E. coli BL21. Then it was purified using His tag affinity (Ni sepharose resin) chromatography. The estimated molecular weight was approximately 60 kDa using SDS-PAGE. The highest enzyme activity and best pH for 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMP) oxidation were recorded as 8 at 90 °C respectively. The calculated half-life and kinetic values including Km, Vmax, turn over number (kcat), and catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of the enzyme were 106 min at 90 °C and 686 µM, 10.69 U/ml, 20.3 S-, and 0.029 s-1 µM-1, respectively. The DMP was available as the substrate in all the calculations. Enzyme activity enhanced in the presence of Cu2+, NaCl, SDS, n-hexane, Triton X-100, tween 20, and tween 80, significantly. The binding residues were predicted and mapped upon the modeled tertiary structure of identified laccase. The remaining activity and structural properties of Cohnella sp. A01 laccase in extreme conditions such as high temperatures and presence of metals, detergents, and organic solvents suggest the potential of this enzyme in biotechnological and industrial applications. This process has been patented in Iranian Intellectual Property Centre under License No: 91325.

Multifunctional Hybrid Magnetic Microgel Synthesis for Immune-Based Isolation and Post-Isolation Culture of Tumor Cells.

Circulating tumor cells are of utmost importance among various biomarkers in liquid biopsies as a prognosis indicator of metastasis as well as in chemotherapeutic monitoring. This study introduces an efficient tool composed of soft nano/hybrid immune microgels for magnetic isolation of targeted tumor cells. The development process involves the in situ synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles within the three-dimensional matrix of thermoresponsive microgels. Surface modification and anti-EpCAM conjugation are adjusted by changing the temperature, and a conjugation efficiency of around 70% is achieved by using a protein G linker. Anti-EpCAM-conjugated nano/hybrid magnetic microgels are used to isolate EpCAM-expressing breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells from culture media and whole blood with an efficiency of 75 and 70%, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of the hybrid microgels to isolate cancer cells with a purity of 65% and culture the cells post-isolation for further drug studies. The multifunctional hybrid microcarriers reported in this work can be potentially used for continuous monitoring of cancers and in personalized medicine.

Effects of Plantar Flexor Muscles Fatigue on Postural Control during Quiet Stance and External Perturbation in Healthy Subjects.

BACKGROUND: The maintenance of postural control is a key component in dynamic physical activity, especially during muscle fatigue and against external forces. Despite many studies in this field, there is no consensus regarding the effects of plantar flexor muscles fatigue on postural control during different postural tasks. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of plantar flexor muscles fatigue on postural control during quiet stance and external perturbation in healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty four healthy individuals (20-35 years) participated this interventional study. The foot center of pressure data was measured using a single force platform, and then the postural control parameters, including the center of pressure displacement and velocity in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral direction and also path length calculated under two conditions; quiet and perturbed stance, before and after plantar flexor muscles fatigue. RESULTS: The statistical analysis demonstrated that mean displacement and velocity of the center of pressure in the anterior-posterior direction and also path length increased after the fatigue protocol in the perturbed condition. However, fatigue had no significant effects on postural control parameters in the quiet standing condition. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that the effects of muscle fatigue on postural control depend on the difficulty of the task and the relevance of proprioceptive information. The postural control system appears to use distinct control strategies in different situations such as quiet and perturbed stance conditions, and these strategies may be differentially altered by fatigue. In conclusion, due to the potential risk of loss of balance, it is important to take the role of plantar flexor muscle fatigue into account during more difficult postural tasks.

Efficient targeted cancer cell detection, isolation and enumeration using immuno-nano/hybrid magnetic microgels.

Magnetic nanomaterials have drawn ample attention in the field of biotechnology due to their excellent magnetic properties and biocompatibility. These materials have been widely used for exosome isolation, DNA separation, magnetic resonance imaging, and drug delivery. However, their application in cell isolation has been limited due to the lack of efficient antibody conjugation and instability in aqueous solutions. In this study, we produced hybrid maghemite nanorod/immuno-microgels with high capturing capacity for cell isolation and enumeration. Lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanorods with controlled morphology are synthesized using hydrolysis method. The effects of the different synthesis conditions on morphology, phase composition, and magnetic properties of lepidocrocite are studied to determine the best synthesis conditions. We coat the nanorods with chitosan and attach them to the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PNIPAM-AA) microgel through chemical bonding to form a nano/hybrid microstructure. Our results suggest that the hybrid magnetic microgels have more antibody binding capacity and higher cancer cell capturing rate compared to pristine maghemite nanorods. In addition, new cell magnetometery method was applied for cancer cell quantification after capturing step in which different magnetized labelled cells were correlated to the saturation magnetization. In this method, higher concentrations of the primary cell suspension resulted in more binding of the magnetic immuno-microgels to the cells which was shown as saturation magnetization drop in the microgel-cell complex.

pH-responsive carbon nanotube-based hybrid nanogels as the smart anticancer drug carrier.

Tumour drug delivery using nanocarriers is attracting ample attentions due to their high drug-loading capacity. Regarding specific tumour microenvironment properties as acidic pH, smart nanocarriers with the ability of responding to the microenvironment, can have a profound effect on the level of drug release and subsequent tumour treatment. In this study, by combining the advantages of multiwall carbon nanotube and pH-sensitive nanogels, multifunctional magneto/pH-responsive nano-hybrid system is developed to deliver the doxorubicin as a general cancer chemotherapeutic drug. The chemical and physical properties of the nanocarrier, as well as drug-loading efficiency and drug releasing characteristics were analysed. It was showed functionalized CNT has low pH-responsiveness in acidic environment, whereas chitosan-coated magnetic nanocomposite can result in greater pH-responsiveness and subsequently higher drug release over a week compared to nanocomposite system without chitosan. This behaviour was proved in Live/Dead assay of the U-87 glioblastoma cell lines exposed to DOX release supernatant at different time intervals so that significant effect of DOX supernatant on cancer cell proliferation suppression was showed.

Diagnostic value of 3 T MR spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted MRI, and apparent diffusion coefficient value for distinguishing benign from malignant myometrial tumours.

AIM: To further verify the effectiveness of diffusion-weighted (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) using a 3 T MRI system to differentiate benign leiomyomas from uterine sarcoma; to investigate the benefit of adding MRS to the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for improving the specificity of the benign/malignant classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dataset included 21 uterine sarcoma from 14 patients and 84 benign leiomyomas from 51 patients. T1-and T2-weighted images as well as DWI were obtained using a 3-T MRI system. Approximately 60% of patients also underwent MRS. The chi-square test was used to compare the percentage of malignant lesions that showed choline peaks, lipid peaks, and restricted diffusion to the corresponding percentage of benign masses. Using the area under a receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve, the efficacy of different parameters for distinguishing uterine sarcomas from leiomyomas was measured. RESULTS: The visual assessment of DWI images showed that 100% of malignant lesions exhibited restricted diffusion while the corresponding figure for benign leiomyomas was only 5%. The mean ADC of malignant tumours differed significantly from that of benign ones (p<0.001). The percentage of malignant lesions for which choline and lipid peaks were present was significantly higher than that of benign lesions. By combining the ADC and MRS findings, an accuracy of 98.3 (95.1-100) was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that a combination of DWI and MRS could be useful in the preoperative assessment of uterine masses to differentiate benign leiomyomas from leiomyosarcoma.

Molecular characterization of Toxocara spp. eggs isolated from public parks and playgrounds in Shiraz, Iran.

Human toxocariasis, a worldwide parasitic disease, is caused by the larval stage of intestinal nematodes of dogs and cats, namely Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. Human infection occurs by the accidental ingestion of embryonated eggs present in the soil, vegetables or on other contaminated surfaces, as well as via consumption of uncooked paratenic hosts, such as bird meat and giblets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contamination of soil in public parks and playgrounds in Shiraz using microscopy and molecular methods. A total of 150 soil samples were collected from public parks and playgrounds in various areas of Shiraz, southern Iran. The samples were treated with saturated zinc sulphate solution, and Toxocara spp. eggs were detected by microscopic observation followed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To differentiate T. canis and T. cati eggs from each other, PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-rDNA region by SalI endonuclease enzyme was used. PCR-sequencing was performed to confirm the results of the PCR-RFLP method. Based on the flotation results of the 150 soil samples, six (4%) were found to be positive for Toxocara spp. eggs, whereas nested-PCR showed 24 samples to be positive (16%). Based on the PCR-RFLP method and the sequence of the ITS-rDNA region, a total of 23 out of 24 isolates were confirmed as T. cati and one out of 24 as T. canis. The results showed a higher number of soil samples to be positive for Toxocara by the molecular method than microscopy, and higher T. cati infection in soil samples, which could have an important role in human infection with toxocariasis in this region.

Maternal voluntary exercise ameliorates learning deficit in rat pups exposed, in utero, to valproic acid; role of BDNF and VEGF and their receptors.

In utero exposure to therapeutic doses of valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy can produce physical malformation and CNS abnormalities in the offspring. There is evidence indicating that even lower doses of VPA during pregnancy could cause cognitive impairment in offspring. It has been demonstrated that maternal exercise has positive effects on offspring's cognitive function. In this study we evaluated the preventive potential of maternal voluntary exercise on cognitive deficits induced by in utero exposure to VPA, in rat pups. Furthermore, the alteration of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their respective receptors were measured. In treatment groups, pregnant rats received VPA (10 and 20 mg/kg) daily on the gestation days (GD) 7 for twelve days with or without access to a running wheel. In control groups, rats received saline with or without access to a running wheel. On postnatal day (PND) 30, learning and memory of rat pups were assessed using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. Also, on PND 30, hippocampal BDNF and VEGF were measured by ELISA and western blot analysis respectively. VEGFR (VEGF receptor) and TrkB (Tyrosine receptor kinase B, the receptor for BDNF) expressions were assessed using immunofluorescence staining. Results revealed that maternal voluntary exercise enhanced learning in offspring but had little effect on memory retention. Exposure to VPA during pregnancy disturbed learning and memory in rat pups. Maternal voluntary exercise could ameliorate some aspects of cognitive deficit induced by VPA. TrkB and VEGFR2 expression were enhanced in pups from running mothers. VPA, at both doses, suppressed exercise induced expression of these two receptors. Voluntary exercise and to a much greater extent VPA administration increased hippocampal BDNF. Voluntary exercise of mothers caused an enhance expression of VEGF in rat pups as did VPA administration, although to a smaller amount.