Investigating gender differences in quality of life and social support in patients with severe mental illnesses.

BACKGROUND: Severe mental illnesses (SMIs), including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder affect patients significantly. Gender has been identified as a key factor influencing the experience of SMIs with notable disparities in prevalence, symptoms, and treatment outcomes. Additionally, the quality of life (QoL) and social support for patients with SMIs can vary based on gender. AIMS: This study examined gender differences in QoL and social support of patients with SMIs. METHOD: Participants include 170 outpatients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder at Shafa Hospital (2021). QoL and social support were assessed using World Health Organization QoL (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire and Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), respectively. Group differences were analyzed using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and two-way multivariate analyses of variance explored the effect of gender and disease type. RESULTS: It was indicated that females with schizophrenia reported higher QoL than males, but the opposite was observed for bipolar disorder. Gender differences in social support were not significant among schizophrenia patients, nor between the two patient groups. However, women with bipolar disorder and multiple hospitalizations experienced lower social support and QoL compared to men. Additionally, more hospitalizations were associated with decreased QoL in both genders with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest the need for gender- specific interventions and support policies to enhance QoL and social support in patients with SMI.

Gestational diabetes mellitus increased the number of dopaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb of rat offspring.

Objectives: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy that causes central nervous system and olfactory dysfunction in the offspring. It has been demonstrated that dopamine modulates several aspects of olfactory information processing in vertebrates. Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of gestational diabetes on the expression of the Dopamine (DA) metabolism genes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopa decarboxylase (DDC) in the olfactory bulb (OB) tissue of rats' offspring. Female Wistar rats were divided into a control group which received citrate buffer and the diabetic group which received 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) on day 0 of gestation. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured before and 72 hr after injection. OB tissues of adult offspring were isolated, and TH-positive cells were counted by immunofluorescence staining. Also, TH and DDC expressions were analyzed by qRT- PCR and western blot. Results: The data showed that gestational diabetes could cause up-regulation of TH (P<0.01) and DDC (P<0.05) in the OB tissue of offspring. Furthermore, our results showed that GDM causes a significant increase in TH and DDC protein levels in the OB tissues of offspring. Immunohistochemistry showed a significant increase in the number of TH-positive cells in the offspring of diabetic mothers (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that gestational diabetes could cause an increase in TH and DDC gene expression in the OB tissue in the offspring, which may be correlated with reduced olfactory sensitivity.

Nanoencapsulation of crocin in double-layer emulsions for improved stability and enhanced efficacy against depression.

On average, depression affects 7.7% of the population aged 15 and older. One of the types of medicinal plants used to treat depression is saffron, which is uplifting and relieves sadness. Crocin as a bioactive compound is effective against depression, but it is sensitive to temperature, pH, and oxygen, and its efficiency decreases. Nanoencapsulation of crocin using double-layer emulsions is a method to increase the stability of this compound. Surfactant ratio (50% to 200%), stirrer speed (500 and 1000 rpm), and stirring time (45, 90, and 135 min) were used as variables of primary emulsion production. The optimum ratio of surfactant to aqueous phase was 100%, and in all microemulsions, viscosity increased with increasing surfactant ratio. A high-pressure homogenization method was used to make the secondary emulsion (double-layer emulsions), and soy protein concentrate (SPC), Gum Arabic (GA), and Pectin (P) at two levels of 5 and 10% were used to increase the stability. All treatments evaluated using Duncan's test at a significance level of 5%. Double-layer emulsions stabilized with pectin showed the highest viscosity and the lowest release of crocin in simulated stomach and intestine conditions. The use of the cellular automata model to investigate the release of crocin showed that this model could simulate the effects of crocin concentration, polymer concentration, and the droplet size of double-layer emulsions with 93-99% confidence to predict the release in double-layer emulsions. Then the double-layer emulsions added to the chocolate, and the chocolate containing the double-layer emulsions compared with the control sample in terms of sensory properties and had a higher score than the control sample.

Association between food additives and prevalence of allergic reactions in children: a systematic review.

Food additives contain synthetic and natural chemical compounds and are one of the causes of food allergies. In this regard, it is necessary to recognize the food additives that are of special interest for children. In this survey, the relation between food additives and allergic reactions and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders in children was studied. The research studies with keywords "allergic reactions", "hypersensitivity", "food additives" and "children" were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and SID databases, from 1984 to 2020. Three hundred twenty-seven studies were obtained and only seven articles were finally selected according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. In the final review, seven articles were selected to investigate the relationship between food additives and hypersensitivity reactions. Some clinical factors such as urticaria, eczema, rhinitis and gastrointestinal symptoms and the prevalence of laboratory evidence in atopic children are due to increased exposure to food additives including artificial colors and sweeteners, preservatives, and monosodium glutamate. Clinical signs and laboratory evidence prove a significant association between some food additives and allergenic adverse reactions. It was also found that food additives such as artificial colors and sweeteners, preservatives, and monosodium glutamate are responsible for most cases of hypersensitivity in children, and the prevalence of hypersensitivity to food additives was estimated to be about 1.2% based on data extracted from studies.

Embryonic stem cells-derived mesenchymal stem cells do not differentiate into ovarian cells but improve ovarian function in POF mice.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is characterized by amenorrhea, hypoestrogenism, elevated gonadotropin levels, and infertility. Although some of previous studies reported that Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplantation could rescue the ovary function of POF animal models through the paracrine pathways, these mechanisms require further investigation. Here, we aimed to investigate the possible mechanisms of therapeutic effects of human embryonic stem cells derived MSC (ES-MSC) in a mice model of chemotherapy-induced POF. For this purpose, Cyclophosphamide (Cy) was injected intraperitoneally into female mice to induce POF. 10 days after Cy injection, we evaluated follicle count, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) hormone concentrations, and TUNEL assay. Then, ES-MSC was transplanted into mice and the expression of Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and apoptosis was evaluated in ovary. Results indicated that ES-MSC reduced apoptosis in the follicles and increased the expression of AMH protein in the ovary of POF mice. So, ES-MSC may inhibit the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells. Then, to investigate the potential mechanisms of therapeutic effects of ES-MSC and their fate in the ovary, MSC were labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) before transplantation. Immunofluorescence staining indicated that although GFP-labeled ES-MSC was located in the ovarian stroma, they did not express granulosa cell markers: AMH and Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), theca cell marker: luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), and oocyte marker: Growth/differentiation factor 9 (GDF9). Therefore, ES-MSC may not differentiate into ovarian cells directly and they might restore ovarian function in chemotherapy-induced POF mice by paracrine mechanisms.

Effect of MDMA exposure during pregnancy on cell apoptosis, astroglia, and microglia activity in rat offspring striatum.

Objectives: Ecstasy is a popular recreational psychostimulant with side effects on the central nervous system. This study examined the corpus striatum tissue of adult rats that received ecstasy during the embryonic period for histological and molecular studies. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into control and ecstasy groups. The ecstasy group was given MDMA 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally twice daily at 8-hour intervals on days 7-15 of gestation. At the age of 15 weeks, adult offspring of both groups were examined for learning and memory study by the Morris water maze test. Then, ventral striatum tissue was harvested for TUNEL assay, Nissl staining, and real-time PCR for the expression of the GFAP and CD11b. Results: Ecstasy up-regulated the GFAP and CD11b expression in the striatum of offspring (*P˂0.05). Furthermore, the Morris water maze test showed that exposure to ecstasy significantly impaired learning and spatial memory (*P˂0.05). TUNEL assay results did not show any significant change in the number of apoptotic cells in the striatum tissue of ecstasy offspring compared with controls, while Nissl staining showed a significant decrease in the number of neurons in the ecstasy group (*P˂0.05). Conclusion: Exposure to ecstasy during pregnancy causes long-lasting changes in brain regions underlying learning and memory, including the striatum, and impaired working memory in the offspring. In addition, these data provide the first evidence that exposure to ecstasy during the embryonic period causes a persistent change in the activity of microglial cells and the number of astrocyte cells in the striatum.

Effects of Goldblatt hypertension on rats' hippocampal cholinergic system.

Background: The classical renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has an important role in the cardiovascular system and water homeostasis in the body. Recently, the existence of RAS with all of its components has been shown in the mammalian brain. RAS participates in many brain activities, including memory acquisition and consolidation. Since the cholinergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus is crucial for these functions, this study aims to evaluate the hippocampal angiotensin receptors (ATs) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA in the renovascular hypertensive rats in captopril- and losartan-treated hypertensive rats. Methods: The rats were randomly divided into four groups of eight animals; sham, Goldblatt two kidney one clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats and Goldblatt 2K1C hypertensive rats received 5 mg/kg captopril and Goldblatt 2K1C hypertensive rats received 10 mg/kg losartan. After 8 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), ChAT, AT1, and AT2 receptor mRNAs in the hippocampus of rats were assessed by real-time PCR. The Morris water maze test was applied to measure the cognitive functioning of the rats. Results: Hypertensive rats showed impaired acquisition and memory function in the Morris water maze test. Treatment with ACE inhibitor (captopril) and AT1 receptor antagonist (losartan) reversed the observed acquisition and memory deficit in hypertensive rats. Overexpression of AChE, AT1, and AT2 and low expression of ChAT were noted in the hippocampus of rats with Goldblatt hypertension compared with that of the sham group. Treatment with captopril significantly reversed these changes, while treatment with losartan slightly reduced the mentioned effects. Conclusion: The memory-enhancing effect of captopril in renovascular hypertensive rats might lead to increased hippocampal ChAT expression.

The organotin contaminants in food: Sources and methods for detection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Organotin compounds in low doses have toxic effects. These components may contaminate food. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the type and level of organotin in food that are mainly contaminated with these compounds, as well as common detection methods. The research studies with keywords Organotin, Tributyltin, TBT, Food, Detection, Contamination, and Pollution were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases, regardless of publication time. Two author independently investigated the publications. A number of 123 studies were obtained and only 9 articles were finally selected according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. Studies were selected which organotin components were detected in the food matrix. The important data were extracted. Meta-analysis was calculated for the amount of TBT in seafood. The most important of these compounds are TBT, TPhT, Dibutyltin (DBT) and di-n-octyltin (DOT). Surveys were conducted on three continents, Europe, America and Asia. Contaminated foods reportedly included seafood and edible oils, according to studies. TBT was investigated more than other tin components in food. The overall average estimate for TBT in seafood was estimated at 182.33 ng/g that This amount was more than maximum limit. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to treat the wastewater so that these harmful compounds do not reach the water of sea.

Antibacterial agent-releasing scaffolds in dental tissue engineering.

It seems quite challenging in tissue engineering to synthesize a base material with a range of essential activities, including biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and antimicrobial activities. Various types of materials are synthesized to solve the problem. This study aimed to provide the latest relevant information for practitioners about antibacterial scaffolds in dental tissue engineering. The PubMed search engine was used to review the relevant studies with a combination of the following terms as search queries: tissue engineering, scaffolds, antimicrobial, dentistry, dental stem cells, and oral diseases. It is noteworthy to state that only the terms related to tissue engineering in dentistry were considered. The antimicrobial scaffolds support the local tissue regeneration and prevent adverse inflammatory reactions; however, not all scaffolds have such positive characteristics. To resolve this potential defect, different antimicrobial agents are used during the synthesis process. Innovative methods in guided tissue engineering are actively working towards new ways to control oral and periodontal diseases.

In Utero Exposure to Gestational Diabetes Alters DNA Methylation and Gene Expression of CDKN2A/B in Langerhans Islets of Rat Offspring.

OBJECTIVE: DNA methylation, a major epigenetic reprogramming mechanism, contributes to the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Based on genome-wide association studies, polymorphisms in CDKN2A/B are associated with T2DM. Our previous studies showed that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) causes apoptosis in ß-cells, leading to a reduction in their number in pancreatic tissue of GDM-exposed adult rat offspring. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of intrauterine exposure to GDM on DNA methylation, mRNA transcription, as well as protein expression of these factors in the pancreatic islets of Wistar rat offspring. Our hypothesis was that the morphological changes seen in our previous study might have been caused by aberrant methylation and expression of CDKN2A/B. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we delineated DNA methylation patterns, mRNA transcription and protein expression level of CDKN2A/B in the pancreatic islets of 15-week-old rat offspring of streptozotocin-induced GDM dams. We performed bisulfite sequencing to determine the DNA methylation patterns of CpGs in candidate promoter regions of CDKN2A/B. Furthermore, we compared the levels of mRNA transcripts as well as the cell cycle inhibitory proteins P15 and P16 in two groups by qPCR and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that hypomethylation of CpG sites in the vicinity of CDKN2A and CDKN2B genes is positively related to increased levels of CDKN2A/B mRNA and protein in islets of Langerhans in the GDM offspring. The average percentage of CDKN2A promoter methylation was significantly lower in GDM group compared to the controls (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: We postulate that GDM is likely to exert its adverse effects on pancreatic ß-cells of offspring through hypomethylation of the CDKN2A/B promoter. Abnormal methylation of these genes may have a link with ß-cell dysfunction and diabetes. These data potentially lead to a novel approach to the treatment of T2DM.

The comparison of general health in athlete and non-athlete women.

The aim of the present study was to compare the general health in athlete and non-athlete women. The statistical population of the present study included all athlete and non-athlete women in Shiraz, Iran. The sample consisted of 764 subjects (382 athletes, 382 non- athletes) that the athletes sample selected by Gerjesy and Morgan' sample size table and non-athletes sample selected by purposeful sampling method. The General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1978) was used for measuring the general health. Independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests were used for data analysis. The results showed a significant difference between athlete and non-athlete women in the general health and its subscales (p<0.05). According to this finding, general health in athletes is better than non-athlete women. Regarding the findings of this study, it can be argued that sport activities are effective in improving general health of women.

Development and Clinical Translation of Approved Gene Therapy Products for Genetic Disorders.

The field of gene therapy is striving more than ever to define a path to the clinic and the market. Twenty gene therapy products have already been approved and over two thousand human gene therapy clinical trials have been reported worldwide. These advances raise great hope to treat devastating rare and inherited diseases as well as incurable illnesses. Understanding of the precise pathomechanisms of diseases as well as the development of efficient and specific gene targeting and delivery tools are revolutionizing the global market. Currently, human cancers and monogenic disorders are indications number one. The elevated prevalence of genetic disorders and cancers, clear gene manipulation guidelines and increasing financial support for gene therapy in clinical trials are major trends. Gene therapy is presently starting to become commercially profitable as a number of gene and cell-based gene therapy products have entered the market and the clinic. This article reviews the history and development of twenty approved human gene and cell-based gene therapy products that have been approved up-to-now in clinic and markets of mainly North America, Europe and Asia.

From formulation of acrylamide-based hydrogels to their optimization for drug release using response surface methodology.

This study conducted on the structure of modified acrylamide-based hydrogel by synthesizing the nano composites. The hydrogels employed in this study were provided through a combination of acrylamide monomers, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles by crosslinking polymerization. N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine and ammonium persulfate as the initiator was applied in the structure of the polymer. Findings of the study considered the nano composites consisting of MgO have the highest swelling ratio compared to pure Aam hydrogels. Thus, MgO is an appropriate nanoparticle to be used in the nano composites. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD Design) was applied to optimize the preparation variables of a hydrogel consisted of MgO, NaCMC. With the swelling ratio for acrylamide-based hydrogel as the response, the effects of two variables, i.e. MgO and NaCMC were investigated. The effects of pH, temperature, MgO, and NaCMC on the drug release were investigated using the CCD design. The predicted appropriate drug release conditions for the hydrogel at the highest rate of temperature (37.50 °C) and pH: 4.10, is at its highest value, while the lower drug release is at temperature 38 °C and pH 3.50. With the desired value of MgO (0.01 g) and amount of NaCMC (0.1 g).

Gestational diabetes influences the expression of hypertrophic genes in left ventricle of rat's offspring.

OBJECTIVES: Gestational diabetes increases the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess the effects of induced gestational diabetes on expression of some involved genes in cardiac hypertrophy in the offspring of diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetes was induced in 40 adult Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin. The day of appearance of the vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of gestation for inducing diabetes. After pregnancy, the offspring was maintained until they reach the age of 12 weeks. Then, their hearts were excised and were sectioned for molecular study. We analyzed the expression pattern of some hypertrophic genes by the quantitative real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of all studied genes including c-jun, c-fos, c-myc, alpha-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and ß-MHC, which are important in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, were higher in the offspring of the diabetic group compared to controls. Significant differences were found for ß-MHC and c-myc with P<0.01 and for α-MHC and c-fos with P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Gestational diabetes upregulates expression of c-jun, c-fos c-myc, α-MHC, ANF and ß-MHC genes that are involved in cardiac hypertrophy in the offspring of diabetic rats.

Synthesis of chitosan based magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for selective separation and spectrophotometric determination of histamine in tuna fish.

A novel chitosan molecularly imprinted polymers (CHI/MIPs) coated on Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for selective solid phase extraction (SPE) of histamine (His) was synthesized by cross-linking of CHI with (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) in the presence of His as the template molecule, and GPTMS/MNPS. Synthesized sorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and via adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms. The application of this sorbent was investigated in preconcentration and spectrophotometric determination of His by charge transfer complexation. The method is based on the adsorption of His on CHI/MMIPs and subsequent reaction of desorbed His with 2,3-Dichloro 5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) reagent for final spectrophotometric detection. The experimental parameters affecting separation efficiency and spectrophotometric determination were optimized. Under optimum conditions and at an analytical wavelength of 468nm, the calibration plot is linear in the 5.0-160.0ngmL-1 concentration range, and the limit of detection (estimated at S/N=3) is 1.5ngmL-1. The intra-day and inter-day precisions are in the range from 2.9 to 4.1%. The method was successfully applied for determination of His in spiked tuna fish samples where it gave recoveries ranging from 94.3 to 107.0%.

Gestational diabetes leads to down-regulation of CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway genes in pancreatic islets of rat offspring.

OBJECTIVES: The link between a hyperglycemic intrauterine environment and the development of diabetes later in life has been observed in offspring exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon are still not clear. Reduced ß-cells mass is a determinant in the development of diabetes (type 1 and type 2 diabetes). Some recent studies have provided evidence that the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 regulatory pathway is involved in ß-cells proliferation. Therefore, we postulated that GDM exposure impacts the offspring's ß-cells by disruption in the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Wistar rats were randomly allocated in control and diabetic group. The experimental group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) on day zero of gestation. After delivery, diabetic offspring of GDM mothers and control dams at the age of 15 week were randomly scarified and pancreases were harvested. Langerhans islets of diabetic and control groups were digested by collagenase digestion technique. After RNA extraction, we investigated the expressions of the kir 6.2 and CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway genes by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: GDM reduced the expression of CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway genes in Langerhans islets cells of offspring. CDK4, pRB and E2F1 pathway genes were downregulated in diabetic islets by 51%, 35% and 84%, respectively. Also, the expression of Kir 6.2 was significantly decreased in diabetic islets by 88%. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the effect of gestational diabetes on offspring's ß-cells may be primarily caused by the suppression of CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway.

Gestational diabetes induces pancreatic beta-bells apoptosis in adult rat offspring / Diabetes gestacional induce apoptosis de células beta del páncreas en crías de ratas adultas

Several studies indicated that pancreatic ß-cell death occurs in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This experimental study was designed to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on the ß-cells in 16-week-old rat offspring. By this aim, adult Wistar rats aged 10-12 weeks were randomly allocated in control and diabetic groups. The diabetic group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) on day zero of gestation. After delivery, diabetic offspring of GDM mothers and controls at the age of 16 weeks were sacrificed and pancreases harvested and fixed. The number of ß-cells and were counted by Gomori's method staining. Also, apoptosis in pancreas tissue of diabetic and control offspring was detected by TUNEL assay. Results showed a significant reduction in ß-cell number in offspring of GDM (p<0.05). TUNEL assay showed that the number of apoptotic cells increased in GDM compared to controls (P<0.05). This study revealed that gestational diabetes induces pancreatic beta-cells apoptosis in 16-week-old rat offspring.

Varios estudios indican que la muerte de las células ß del páncreas se produce tanto en la diabetes Tipo 1 como en la Tipo 2. Este estudio experimental fue diseñado para determinar el efecto de la diabetes gestacional en las células ß del páncreas en crías de ratas de 16 semanas. Para ello, ratas Wistar adultas de entre 10-12 semanas fueron asignadas al azar en dos grupos: control y diabetes. El grupo diabetes recibió 40 mg / kg / peso corporal de estreptozotocina (STZ) en el día cero de la gestación. Después del parto, a las 16 semanas, las crías de las madres diabéticas y controles de madres con diabetes gestacional (MDG), fueron sacrificadas para la extracción del páncreas, el cual posteriormente fue fijado. Se contó el número de células ß del páncreas mediante tinción con el método de Gomori. Además, se detectó apoptosis en el tejido del páncreas de la descendencia diabética y el grupo control mediante un ensayo TUNEL. Los resultados mostraron una reducción significativa en el número de células b en la descendencia de MDG (p <0,05). El ensayo TUNEL mostró que el número de células apoptóticas aumentó en MDG en comparación con los controles (P <0,05). Este estudio reveló que la diabetes gestacional induce apoptosis de células ß en el páncreas de crías de ratas de 16 semanas.

The effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on sciatic nerve in adult offspring rats / Efecto de la diabetes mellitus gestacional sobre el nervio ciático en ratas adultas

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one form of diabetes affect approximately 7 % of pregnancies. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes that is associated with loss of nerve fibers, myelin abnormalities and significant decrease in the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) in peripheral nerves. This study was done to determine the effect of induced diabetes during pregnancy on sciatic nerve in adult rat offspring. In this study, wistar rats' dams were allocated to control and diabetic groups. Diabetic rats were received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) on the first day of gestation. Six offspring of each group were randomly selected on 12 weeks postnatal and histopathological changes in their nerve tissue were examined through H&E staining and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the expression of MBP in sciatic nerve was examined by immunohistochemistry. We found that the myelinated fiber number of sciatic nerve in offspring of diabetic rats was reduced compared to the controls, but this difference was not significant. The average thickness of the myelin sheath of sciatic nerve fibers in the control and GDM was 97.1±0.1and 94.1±0.2 µm, respectively that the difference was not statistically significant. The expression of MBP protein in the myelin sheath of both groups was similar. TEM results showed that myelin sheath of diabetic offspring had not any changes compared to control. Atrophy of axons and schwannocytus (Schwann cells) alterations were not observed in diabetic offspring. Induction of diabetes during pregnancy reduced the number of nerve fibers and thickness of the myelin sheath. But it has no effect on MBP expression and schwannocytus morphology.

La diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) es una forma de diabetes que afecta aproximadamente al 7 % de los embarazos. La neuropatía periférica diabética (NPD) es una complicación frecuente de la diabetes asociada a la pérdida de fibras nerviosas, anomalías de la mielina y disminución significativa de la expresión de la proteína básica de mielina (PBM) en los nervios periféricos. Este estudio se realizó para determinar el efecto de la diabetes inducida durante el embarazo en el nervio ciático en descendientes de ratas adultas. Las ratas Wistar madres fueron asignadas a los grupos control y diabéticas. Las ratas diabéticas recibieron 40 mg/kg/peso corporal de estreptozotocina (STZ) el primer día de gestación. Seis descendientes de cada grupo fueron seleccionados al azar en la semana 12 postnatal y los cambios histopatológicos en su tejido nervioso se examinaron a través de tinción H-E y microscopía electrónica de transmisión. Además, la expresión de PBM en el nervio ciático se examinó mediante inmunohistoquímica. Se encontró que el número de fibras mielinizadas de nervio ciático en descendientes de ratas diabéticas se redujo en comparación con los controles, pero esta diferencia no fue significativa. El espesor medio de la vaina de mielina de las fibras nerviosas ciáticas en el control y DMG fue de 97,1±0,1 y 94,1±0,2 µm, respectivamente, y la diferencia no fue estadísticamente significativa. La expresión de la proteína PBM en la vaina de mielina de ambos grupos fue similar. Los resultados del TEM mostraron que la vaina de mielina de la descendencia diabética no tuvo ningún cambio en comparación con el control. La atrofia de los axones y las alteraciones de los schwannocitos (células de Schwann) no se observaron en descendientes diabéticos. La inducción de diabetes durante el embarazo redujo el número de fibras nerviosas y el grosor de la vaina de mielina. Pero no tiene ningún efecto sobre la expresión de PBM y la morfología de las schwannocitos.

Association of Mood Disorders with Serum Zinc Concentrations in Adolescent Female Students.

Among various factors influencing mood disorders, the impact of micronutrient deficiencies has attracted a great attention. Zinc deficiency is considered to play a crucial role in the onset and progression of mood disorders in different stages of life. The main objective of this study was to assess the correlation between serum zinc levels and mood disorders in high school female students. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 100 representative high school female students. The participants completed 24-h food recall questionnaires to assess the daily zinc intakes. Serum zinc status was assessed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and zinc deficiency was defined accordingly. Mood disorders were estimated by calculating the sum of two test scores including Beck's depression inventory (BDI) and hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) tests. General linear model (GLM) and Pearson's regression test were applied to show the correlation of serum zinc levels and mood disorder scores and the correlation between zinc serum levels and BDI scores, respectively. Dietary zinc intake was higher in subjects with normal zinc concentrations than that of zinc-deficient group (p = 0.001). Serum zinc levels were inversely correlated with BDI and HADS scores (p < 0.05). Each 10 µg/dL increment in serum zinc levels led to 0.3 and 0.01 decrease in depression and anxiety scores, respectively (p < 0.05). Serum zinc levels were inversely correlated with mood disorders including depression and anxiety in adolescent female students. Increasing serum levels of zinc in female students could improve their mood disorders.

Potentiation of a novel palladium (II) complex lethality with bee venom on the human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (MOLT-4).

BACKGROUND: Although honeybee venom (BV) has been reported to induce apoptosis in different types of cancerous cells, its synergistic effects with customary anti-cancer drugs remain largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of BV alone (as a natural product) and the synergistic cytological effects of this component in combination with [Pd (bpy) (Pi-Pydtc)]NO3 - a novel palladium complex on human T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia cells. To investigate the cytotoxic effect of the BV alone and in combination with palladium complex on MOLT-4 cells MTT assay was performed. In order to determine the apoptotic effects of BV separately and in combination with Pd (II) complex on these cells and its ability to induce apoptosis, morphological examination, flowcytometric analysis and caspase-3 colorimetric assay were done. RESULTS: We found that BV induced morphological changes, namely nuclear shrinkage, and inhibited MOLT-4 cell proliferation; both effects were dose- and time-dependent. Flow cytometry by Annexin-V antibody demonstrated that BV induced apoptosis in MOLT-4 cells. Furthermore, BV induced apoptosis independently of caspase-3 in these cells. In addition, we proved a clear synergistic effect of BV on [Pd (bpy) (Pi-Pydtc)]NO3. The apoptotic pathway activated by BV in combination with Pd complex was caspase-3-dependent. CONCLUSIONS: These observations provide an explanation for the anti-proliferative properties of BV, and suggest that this agent may be useful for treating lymphoblastic leukemia alone or in combination with chemotherapy drugs pending further investigations on animal models as preclinical tests.