نشریه دانشور پزشکی
پیاپی 144 (دی 1398)

Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that causes
undesirable effects including learning and memory impairment. It has been reported that Nepeta menthoides improves memory and learning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Nepeta menthoides on learning and memory impairment related to diabetes in rats.
 

Forty male rats were divided into 4 groups including control, diabetic control, control group under treatment with extract of Nepeta menthoides, and diabetic group under treatment with extract of Nepeta menthoides. A single dose of streptozotocin intraperitoneally was used for diabetes induction in diabetic animals. After 6 weeks, Nepeta menthoides treatment was performed as an intraperitoneal injection of 400 mg/kg/day for two weeks, 30 min before each behavioral test. The eight-arm radial maze method with two-way repeated measures ANOVA test were used to evaluate learning and memory and one-way ANOVA was used for comparing blood glucose between different groups.
 

Diabetes caused learning and memory impairment in the form of increasing working and reference memory errors and use of Nepeta menthoides extract in the diabetic rats caused a significant reduction in the number of related errors. Nepeta menthoides also declined blood glucose in diabetic rats.
 

Nepeta menthoides consumption in diabetic rats improves diabetes-induced learning and memory impairment. This effect might be mediated at least partly by decreasing blood glucose.

The educational process will be useful if the goals for which they are attained are fulfilled during or after the course. The aim of this study was to evaluate the achievement of the educational goals of the Prosthodontics Department of Shahed Dental School in two curricula.
 

This cross-sectional study evaluated two dental curricula using CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model. The study population consisted of all senior students of Shahed Dental School who had completed all of their theoretical and practical units by the end of the year 2016-2017 (C79) and 2018-2019 (C91). The referral sampling method was used. Both groups were given a questionnaire that included the indicators of seeing, hearing, doing and ability to perform. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed and confirmed. Data were analyzed in SPSS 24 using t-test and chi-square test.
 

In group C79, in the partial removable prosthesis section, the index of seeing was 61%, listening was 43% and performing was 91%. In the complete removable prosthesis section, the rate of seeing was 43%, hearing was 46% and doing was 83%. In fixed prosthesis, the index was 43% for seeing, hearing was 53% and doing was 69%. In group C91 in the partial removable prosthesis section, the index was 67% for seeing, 74% for hearing, and 88% for doing. In the complete removable prosthesis section, the index was 54% for seeing, 70% for hearing, and 71% for performing. In fixed prosthesis, the index was 48% for seeing, hearing was 68% and performing was 62%.
 

In the C91 group, the focus was more on hearing and seeing of students. In the C79 group, however, the focus was more on student performance.

IFN-γ is one of the most important cytokines in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and COPD. The IFN-γ promoter methylation at CpG islands could be altered by various chemical and toxic substances which may have a role in the incidence of chronic pulmonary diseases and its severity. Thereby, the present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of sulfur mustard gas on the methylation status of IFN-γ gene promoter and its correlation with the severity of pulmonary disease in chemical veterans with delayed pulmonary complications.
 

46 sulfur mustard-exposed individuals with mild-moderate pulmonary complications, 45 with severe pulmonary complicationsand 41 unexposed individuals as a control group participated. The quality and quantity of extracted DNA were assessed by the nanodrop machine. After treatment with bisulfite, the methylation of IFN-γ gene promoter was evaluated by methylation-specific PCR.
 

The methylation of IFN-γ gene promoter showed a significant increase in exposed-patients with mild to moderate pulmonary complications and a significant reduction in exposed-patients with severe pulmonary complications compared to the control groups. The levels of spirometric parameters were significantly higher in individuals with Methylated DNA compared with those with unmethylated DNA.
 

It could be suggested that hyper-methylation of IFN-γ gene promoter and probable changes in IFN-γ gene expressionhave a positive effect on lung function in SM-exposed individuals.

Neurotrophins are a family of growth factors that are primarily identified by their ability to protect neuronal survival. The family of neurotrophins consists of 4 proteins, one of which is the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of 6-week aerobic training and ginseng supplementation on BDNF in 15-18 years old girls.
 

This study was a quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study was all girls aged 15-18 years in Zahedan, 46 of whom were voluntarily and purposefully selected. They were randomly divided into four groups of exercise, exercise + supplement, supplement, and control. The training protocol consisted of 6 weeks of running the gym (3 times a week) for 25 to 40 minutes, with 60-70% of the heart rate reserve. Subjects in the supplemented groups consumed Ginseng trace 500 mg daily (250 mg in the morning and 250 mg in the evening). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test and t-test. P<0.05 was considered as significant.
 

BDNF levels were significantly increased after six weeks of aerobic exercise and ginseng supplementation in the exercise + supplement group as compared to the other groups. Also, the baseline values of BDNF indices were improved in training, supplement + training and supplement groups (P <0.05). There was no change in this index in the control group (P >0.05).
 

It seems that aerobic exercise and ginseng supplementation have a significant effect on BDNF improvement. This increase was observed in all study groups except the control group, which showed the effect of exercise and ginseng independently on BDNF.

The present study investigated the effects of 10-week High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and quercetin consumption on dimension and functional left ventricular adaptations in men with hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
 

In this semi-experimental randomized, placebo‑controlled and double‑blind study, 34 men with hypertension and CAD after PCI aged 40-60 years were randomly divided into 3 groups of quercetin (n=11), HIIT+quercetin (n=12) and HIIT+placebo (n=11), were followed for 8 weeks of HIIT (30 seconds of activity and 30 seconds of rest) and quercetin consumption (250 mg of quercetin supplement or placebo pills daily). Echocardiography was used to investigate morphological factors such as Left Ventricle Diastolic Diameter (LVDD), Left Ventricle Systolic Diameter (LVSD), Ejection Fraction (EF) and left ventricular diastolic function(E/A). Data were analyzed using paired t test and one way ANOVA at a significant level of 0.05.
 

Systolic and diastolic Left Ventricular Dimensions (LVDs and LVDd) increased in the HIIT+quercetin (p<0.05) and Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function increased in the HIIT+quercetin and in the HIIT+ placebo and quercetin group (p<0.05) with no significant difference between the groups regarding these variables (p>0.05).
 

HIIT with quercetin supplementation can improve the dimensions and function of the left ventricle in men with hypertension and CAD after PCI, whereas separate use of exercise and quercetin increases ventricular function without affecting the dimensions of the left ventricle.

Maternal deprivation as an early life negative experience can lead to enduring disorders such as autism-like behaviors by affecting brain development. Oxytocinergic system alters in the process of maternal deprivation, on the other hand the positive effect of oxytocin on the improvement of social behavior and stereotyped behavior in autism disorder has been shown. In this study, we investigated the effect of oxytocin on maternal deprivation-induced autism-like behaviors in female rats.
 

For this purpose, 32 female rats were divided into four groups. The two groups were separated from the mother 3 hours daily for the first 14 days of life. The other two groups were kept in normal condition. After weaning from each of the two groups (maternal deprivation or control), one group received oxytocin at a dose of 1 mg/kg for five times. At adolescence (PND=42-50), social behavior tests, stereotyped behaviors, and anxiety behaviors were taken. Plasma BDNF levels were also measured.
 

The present study showed that maternal deprivation led to autism-like behaviors and anxiety behavior in adolescent female rats (P<0.05), which were significantly reduced by oxytocin injection (P<0.05). Maternal deprivation also resulted in a significant increase in plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level (P<0.05), but oxytocin treatment did not significantly decrease it.
 

The results of this study showed that oxytocin treatment had an effective role in modulating autistic-like and anxiety behaviors in female rats.