Respiratory issues in patients with multiple sclerosis as a risk factor during SARS-CoV-2 infection: a potential role for exercise.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with cytokine storm and is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pneumonia problems. The respiratory system is a place of inappropriate activation of the immune system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and this may cause damage to the lung and worsen both MS and infections.The concerns for patients with multiple sclerosis are because of an enhance risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The MS patients pose challenges in this pandemic situation, because of the regulatory defect of autoreactivity of the immune system and neurological and respiratory tract symptoms. In this review, we first indicate respiratory issues associated with both diseases. Then, the main mechanisms inducing lung damages and also impairing the respiratory muscles in individuals with both diseases is discussed. At the end, the leading role of physical exercise on mitigating respiratory issues inducing mechanisms is meticulously evaluated.

Walking exercise and lower-body blood flow restriction: Effects on systemic inflammation, lipid profiles and hematological indices in overweight middle-aged males.

The objective of present study is to investigate the effects of walk training with and without blood flow restriction (BFR and no-BFR) on lipid profiles, inflammatory and haematological factors in over-weighed men. Participants were divided into BFR (n = 9) or no-BFR (n = 9) groups. Both groups were exposed to 8-week walk training on a treadmill: 3 sessions/week at a speed of 50 m/min, 5 sets × 2 min/session. There were differences in pre- to post-levels of (TG) and fibrinogen in the BFR group (p ≤ 0.05) that were accompanied by changes in red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and haematocrit (HCT) levels (p ≤ 0.05). RBC levels were increased in the BFR group (p ≤ 0.05). The groups differed in their mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). These findings suggest the efficiency of BFR walk training in individuals exposed to chronic diseases associated with overweight, such as metabolic syndrome.

Transplanted neural-like cells improve memory and Alzheimer-like pathology in a rat model.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Degeneration of the central nerve system, particularly in Alzheimer's disease, is a burden on society, and despite years of research, there is no effective treatment. Cell therapy appears to be an option that is of growing interest in neural studies. The main aim of this study was to investigate the histological and physiological effects of transplantation the neuron-like cell (NLC)-derived mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) on the repair of brain lesions in an Alzheimer's animal model (AM) in rats. METHODS: Behavioral experiments were conducted in the light hours in a Y-shaped maze device. Animals were randomly divided into five groups, with seven rats per group. The nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) was destroyed bilaterally with an electrical lesion (0.5 mA for 3 s). One week after the bilateral lesion of the NBM, the differentiated NLCs (0.1 mL) were injected with stereotaxic surgery using a Hamilton syringe at NBM coordinates, and behavioral and histological tests were performed by the Y-maze task and hematoxylin and eosin staining after five weeks of the lesion. Also, differentiated cells detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and fluorescent immunostaining. RESULTS: The expression of neuronal markers including Nestin, Map2, NF-H, Tuj-1, GFAP and Olig-2 was surveyed by using the immunocytochemistry and qRT-PCR methods, and the results confirmed that the genes in question were expressed significantly more compared than the control sample. Five weeks after the cell transplantation in the AM, morphological and physiological investigation during the determination period confirmed improved disease state in the tested models. CONCLUSIONS: It should be noted that by improving the neuronal connectivity in AM rat brains, the transplanted NLCs rescue Alzheimer's cognition. This research has presented some preclinical evidence that showed NLCs transplantation can be used for AM treatment.

Effects of Memantine on the Spontaneous Firing Frequency of Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons in Intact and Alzheimer Rat Model: An Electrophysiological Study.

Introduction: Memantine (MEM) is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist clinically used for the treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD) in mild to severe conditions. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of memantine on the spontaneous firing frequency of CA1 pyramidal neurons in rats caused by an electrical lesion of Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis (NBM). Then, this model of AD rats was compared with the intact adult male rats. Methods: In this study, adult male rats were divided into two groups. Group I (lesion of NBM, n=53) includes the following subgroups: lesion+saline, sham+saline, lesion+MEM 5 mg/kg, lesion+MEM 10 mg/kg, and lesion+MEM 20mg/kg. Group II (intact, n=48) includes the following subgroups: intact+saline, intact+MEM 3mg/kg, intact+MEM 5mg/kg, and intact+MEM 10mg/kg. Extracellular single-unit recording (15 min baseline+105 min after MEM or saline) was performed under urethane-anesthetized rats. Results: The results showed that the mean frequency of CA1 pyramidal neurons after saline in the lesion+saline (P<0.001) group significantly decreases compared with the intact+saline and sham+saline groups. In addition, after saline and memantine, the mean frequency of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the lesion+MEM 10 mg/kg (P<0.01) and lesion+MEM 20 mg/kg (P<0.001) groups significantly increased compared with the lesion+saline group. Also, the mean frequencies of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the intact+MEM 10 mg/kg (P<0.001) group significantly decreased compared with the intact+saline group. Conclusion: Results showed that memantine increases the electrical activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons in a rat model of AD. Furthermore, in the intact adult male rats, the low-dose memantine, contrary to high dose, does not decrease the electrical activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Multimodal Benefits of Exercise in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis and COVID-19.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease characterized by plaque formation and neuroinflammation. The plaques can present in various locations, causing a variety of clinical symptoms in patients with MS. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is also associated with systemic inflammation and a cytokine storm which can cause plaque formation in several areas of the brain. These concurring events could exacerbate the disease burden of MS. We review the neuro-invasive properties of SARS-CoV-2 and the possible pathways for the entry of the virus into the central nervous system (CNS). Complications due to this viral infection are similar to those occurring in patients with MS. Conditions related to MS which make patients more susceptible to viral infection include inflammatory status, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, function of CNS cells, and plaque formation. There are also psychoneurological and mood disorders associated with both MS and COVID-19 infections. Finally, we discuss the effects of exercise on peripheral and central inflammation, BBB integrity, glia and neural cells, and remyelination. We conclude that moderate exercise training prior or after infection with SARS-CoV-2 can produce health benefits in patients with MS patients, including reduced mortality and improved physical and mental health of patients with MS.

Thermal dysregulation in patients with multiple sclerosis during SARS-CoV-2 infection. The potential therapeutic role of exercise.

Thermoregulation is a homeostatic mechanism that is disrupted in some neurological diseases. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are susceptible to increases in body temperature, especially with more severe neurological signs. This condition can become intolerable when these patients suffer febrile infections such as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). We review the mechanisms of hyperthermia in patients with MS, and they may encounter when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Finally, the thermoregulatory role and relevant adaptation to regular physical exercise are summarized.

Hepatitis B virus genotype in Iranian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV appears to be the most common cause of HCC in Iran. To date, no study has been carried out on the HBV genotype in Iranian HCC patients. This study was undertaken to determine the HBV genotype in Iranian patients with HCC. METHODS: Paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 40 patients (31 males and nine females) with HBV-associated HCC were collected from different pathology centers during 2000-2007. Genotyping of HBV was performed by nested PCR-mediated amplification of the target sequence. PCR products were sequenced, and the genotype of each HBV sequence was determined by comparison with sequences of known genotypes in the GenBank. A phylogenetic tree was constructed. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all of the HBV isolates were clustered in genotype D. CONCLUSIONS: Our results concur with other reports from Iran, all showing that genotype D is the only detectable genotype in the different clinical forms of HBV infection in this country.