MicroRNA variants in endometriosis and its severity.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are naturally occurring posttranscriptional regulatory molecules that potentially play a role in endometriotic lesion development.Method: We evaluated the prevalence of miRNAs variants miR-146a rs2910164, miR-149 rs2292832, miR-196a2 rs11614913, and miR-499 rs3746444 in endometriosis in 260 cases and 260 controls. DNA was extracted and genotyping of the SNPs was carried out by PCR.Results: There was a significant association of rs2910164 and rs2292832 with increased rates of endometriosis under the dominant (p < 0.001), recessive (p < 0.05), co-dominant (p < 0.001), and allelic model (p < 0.001). Also, rs3746444 showed a borderline association with endometriosis under the recessive model (p = 0.05); however, rs11614913 was not linked to endometriosis. Further analysis indicated the significant association of miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism genotypes (GG, GC, and CC) and miR-149 rs2292832 genotypes (CC and CT) with endometriosis severity in patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, haplotype frequency in cases compared to controls and Linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the mentioned SNPs was appraised.Conclusion: MiR-146a, miR-149 and miR-499 may have a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Better mental component of quality of life in amputee.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of quality of life can promote health services. The purpose of this study was evaluation of health related quality of life in lower limbs amputee veterans of Iran. METHODS: In the present cross sectional study, we compared 38 lower limbs amputee veterans with 50 normal healthy subjects with SF36 questioner in face-to-face interview. RESULTS: Amputees had significantly lower grade than normal subject did in role physical (P < 0.01) and were better than normal subjects in vitality (P < 0.001) and mental health (P < 0.01). As a whole, amputees have higher in mental summary component of quality of life (P < 0.05) and lower in physical component of quality of life (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Diminishing the demand and improving social support of amputee veterans might be considered as high grade in mental summary component of their quality of life.

Dermatosis contributing factors in bilateral lower limb war-amputees.

This study conducted to assess the factors related to skin lesions in bilateral lower limb war-amputees. This is a clinical based, cross-sectional study of 335 bilateral amputees who injured during Iran-Iraq War. Their demographics and injuries detail, amputation, prosthesis and gait-aid characteristics, stump hygiene and skin problems, have been investigated. Through logistic regression analysis, the three factors of the shape of the stumps, the length of the stumps and excessive perspiration were recognized to have an independent association in skin lesions development, among the population studied. The results suggest that most of stump skin disorders in war-injured amputees are due to intensity of injury and awkwardness of the stump. The quality of surgical, medical and rehabilitative care, improve their quality of life by functional ambulation with prosthesis.

Cardiovascular risk factors among males with war-related bilateral lower limb amputation.

This study was conducted to determine the cardiovascular risk factors among 327 Iranian males with bilateral lower limb amputation.The average age at the time of amputation and at the time of the study was 20.6 (SD = 5.4) and 42 years (SD = 6.3), respectively. Below both knees was the most common level of amputation (37.6%). About 95.4% had at least one modifiable risk factor. Prevalence of risk factors included: hyperglycemia 13.1%, systolic hypertension 18.9%, diastolic hypertension 25.6%, abdominal obesity 82.5%, high total cholesterol 36.7%, low HDL 25.9%, high LDL 24.7%, high triglycerides 32.1%, and smoking 31.8%. The most common risk factor was abdominal obesity. Prevalence of coronary artery disease was similar to the general Iranian population but prevalence of risk factors was higher significantly. The majority of the cases seem to be susceptible to cardiovascular disease in near future. Some strategies are needed as a primary prevention to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Skin disorders associated with bilateral lower extremity amputation.

We conducted this study to determine the types and frequency of skin problems among war related bilateral lower limb amputees. Three hundred and thirty five cases were examined for dermatologic problems in about 20 years (20 +/- 3.89) after bilateral lower extremity amputation. The subjects were injured during the Iraq-Iran war. Descriptive statistics were used. At least one skin problem was found in 189 (56.4%) of the amputees. Three hundred and nineteen skin problems were diagnosed in 189 amputees. The most common skin problems were contact dermatitis 39.5% (n=126), calluses 26.6% (n=85), folliculitis 14.42% (n=46) and ulcers 7.2% (n=23). The skin problems were more frequently seen in subjects with bilateral below the knee amputation. Skin problems were highly incident in our amputees. The substantial multidisciplinary rehabilitation team included a dermatologist, orthopedic surgeon, prosthetist and physical therapist is recommended to prevent and diagnose these problems on time.

Analyses of the complete sequence of the genome of wheat Eqlid mosaic virus, a novel species in the genus Tritimovirus.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of wheat Eqlid mosaic virus (WEqMV) (excluding the poly A tail) comprised 9636 nucleotides including 5' and 3' noncoding regions of 137 and 172 nt, respectively. It contained a single ORF coding for a polyprotein of 3,109 amino acid residues and had a deduced genome organization typical of members of the family Potyviridae and with proteinase cleavage sites very similar to those of the members of the genus Tritimovirus. Pairwise and multiple alignments and phylogenetic analysis showed that WEqMV is a distinct species in the genus Tritimovirus. WEqMV and Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) shared the greatest nucleotide sequence identity in the NIb and HC-Pro cistrons (63.2% and 60.8%, respectively) and the lowest sequence identity in the P1 and CP cistrons (51.2% and 51.1%, respectively). Sequence identity for the complete genome of WEqMV and WSMV was 56.8% at the nucleotide level and 50.7% at the amino acid level. WEqMV had 57.2% nucleotide identity and 50.6% amino acid identity with Oat necrotic mottle virus and 52.5% nucleotide identity and 45.5% amino acid identity with Brome streak mosaic virus. The relationship of WEqMV with other members of the family Potyviridae was more distant. Structural analysis of WEqMV protein showed presence of potential transmembrane helices in 6k1, 6k2, and P3 proteins.

Frequent fusion of liposomes to a positively charged planar bilayer without calcium ions.

A novel positively charged planar bilayer membrane was formed from a mixture containing 20% cationic lipid, 1,2-dioleoyloxy-3-(trimethylammonio)propane, and neutral phospholipid mixture of 56% phosphatidylethanolamine and 24% egg phosphatidylcholine. The basic properties of the bilayer were essentially the same as those previously reported for neutral and negatively charged lipid bilayers. Using the positively charged bilayer in addition to neutral and negatively charged bilayers, the effects of charge of the planar bilayers upon vesicle-planar membrane fusion were investigated by measuring the fusion, to the bilayers, of liposomes containing nystatin-ergosterol channels and carrying a net negative charge. The tendency for fusion was evaluated in terms of the time elapsed before the first fusion event (denoted fusion time). In the absence of calcium ions, a fusion time of about 1 min was measured with the positively charged planar bilayers, and about 5 and over 15 min with the neutral and negatively charged planar bilayers, respectively. These results indicated that the vesicle-planar membrane fusion without calcium ions is greatly enhanced by the presence of cationic lipids in the planar bilayers, and suggested the usefulness of cationic lipid bilayers.

Stimulation by gastro-intestinal hormones of cyclic adenosine 3': 5'-monophosphate accumulation and insulin release in isolated pancreatic islets of the rat.

In collagenase isolated rat pancreatic islets, CCK-PZ, SHG, secretin and glucagon stimulated the accumulation of cAMP, in physiological ranges. The resulting increment of cAMP showed a good correlation with insulin release stimulated by either glucagon or secretin, but not by SHG or CCK-PZ. In the same system, 14CO2 production from glucose-U-14C was significantly increased by either SHG or CCK-PZ. The results presented in this report are compatible with the hypothesis that insulin release by gastrointestinal hormones may be mediated by cAMP in the B-cell in the case of either glucagon or secretin; whereas, in the case of either SHG or CCK-PZ, it may presumably be mediated by an unknown mechanism in glucose metabolism, other than c-AMP.