نشریه پژوهش در پزشکی
سال چهل و ششم شماره 3 (پیاپی 183، پاییز 1401)

It seems that performing exercise at different times of the day is associated with different responses in the functioning of the cardiac autonomic system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the acute effects of exhaustive exercise and circadian rhythms on recovery period heart rate variability in sedentary men with prehypertension.

A total of 15 sedentary men with prehypertension performed exhausting aerobic exercise in three sessions in the morning, noon, and afternoon using intra-subject comparisons and crossover design. Heart rate variability at baseline, end of exercise, and 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes of recovery period were recorded at each time of exercise using a heart rate Holter-monitor. Preliminary data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and bonferroni post hoc test.

Considering the participants' descriptive data (mean±SD age; 35.3±3.87, weight; 89.2±5.73, and mean blood pressure; 101.2±4.68), the results showed that performing exhausting exercise in the afternoon time compared to the morning and noon time caused a significant difference in standard deviation of RR interval (p=0/01 morning 10 min, p=0/01 noon 10 min), variance of RR interval (p=0/01 morning 5 min, p=0/001 noon 5 min; p=0/03 morning 10 min, p=0/001 noon 10 min) time indices and low-frequency(p=0/03 morning 5 min, p=0/01 noon 5 min; p=0/01 morning 10 min), and high-frequency(p=0/01 morning 5 min, p=0/01 noon 5 min; p=0/04 morning 10 min, p=0/01 noon 10 min) indices of heart rate variability in 5 and 10 min of recovery period.

It was found that performing exhaustive exercise by sedentary males with hypertension in the afternoon is desirable.

Oxidative lipid damage is a reaction that requires the attack of free bases on unsaturated fatty acids with multiple bonds. Garlic with antioxidant effects can reduce the index of cell membrane damage while counteracting the adverse effects of oxidative stress caused by diseases. The aim of the present study was to answer the lipid peroxidation index to long-term consumption of garlic following strenuous exercise.

An experimental study was conducted on inactive male students of Ahar Azad University with an age range of 23-23 years. Totally, 26 people were selected based on research background and randomly divided into three groups of placebo and garlic supplement in two doses of 500 and 1000 Mg distributed on a daily basis. The first and second blood samples were obntained at baseline after strenuous exercise and the third and fourth samples were taken after 8 weeks of supplementation and under the same conditions to measure lipid peroxidation index. For data analysis, repeated measures analysis of variance and one-way Tukey post hoc test were used at the significant level of p <0.05.

The findings showed that a session of helpless exercise increases a significant increase in lipid damage (p <0.05). In addition, long-term supplementation of garlic pills with doses of 500 and 1000 mg per day reduces basal lipid damage after strenuous exercise. Also, taking 1000 mg of garlic tablets has a greater effect compared with the 500-mg dose (p <0.05).

Therefore, it can cautiously be suggested that long-term garlic supplementation, especially the 1000-mg dose, be used to prevent oxidative stress from strenuous exercise.

The use of herbal products with antimicrobial properties has widely been considered by researchers in recent years. Plant extracts such as lavender extract have a specific importance and role in terms of its application in pharmaceutical and medical industries due to its specific phenolic acids and terpenoid compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial properties of lavender extracts on some common nosocomial pathogenic bacteria in comparison with antibiotics in vitro.

In the present empirical study, top flowering part of lavender plant was used to prepare the ethanolic and methanolic extracts at different concentrations (500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.62, 7.81 mg/dl) using maceration method. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) apparatus was used to determine the value of phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid in the obtained extracts. To determine the diameter of growth inhibition zone and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) from agar dilution method and microdilution procedure were used against four strains of common pathogenic bacteria including Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes using well diffusion and microdilution techniques. Data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA in three replications at the probability level of p <0.01.

The amount of both compounds, rosmarinic acid (4.6±0.5 g/100 g DW), and caffeic acid (2.7±0.2 g/100 g DW) were higher in methanolic extract compared with those of ethanolic. Among the different concentrations of lavender ethanolic extract, only 500 and 250 mg/dl of the extract were efficient by creating 12±0.1 and 10±0.2 mm in diameter of growth inhibition zone, respectively. The MBC of all antibiotics and pathogenic bacteria was obtained at a concentration of 125 mg/dl of methanolic extract. However, the MIC for Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae was 250 mg/dl of the extracts.

The methanolic extract of lavender had a better inhibitory effect compared with the ethanolic extract against the tested bacteria mainly due to the higher content of phenolic acids.

Nowadays, the use of metals such as silver, copper, gold, and aluminum in various forms including nanoparticles as antimicrobial and bactericidal compounds has become popular. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of zinc nanoparticles on ‌‌‌‌Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853).

In the current experimental study, zinc nanoparticles prepared from Nano Pars Co. ‌‌‌‌Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was used as the indicator microorganism. The antibacterial activity of nano-particles was compared with benzalkonium using agar diffusion (disk diffusion) and dilution methods. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software, version 22 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) running one way ANOVA and Tukey test.

The results showed that the addition of zinc nanoparticles to the benzalkonium chloride solvent increased the diameter of the inhibitory zone of Pseudomonas spp. from 9±1 to 19.66 ± 3.05 )P-value =0.001). The MIC and MBC for zinc nanoparticles were 0.15 and 0.24 mg/ml, respectively, while the MIC and MBC for nanoparticles of zinc+benzalconium chloride 10% were 0.03 and 0.04, respectively. This indicates the excellent antibacterial activity of nanoparticles in combination with benzalkonium chloride solvent against Pseudomonas spp.

It seems that the stock of nanoparticles with benzalkonium chloride solvent has bactericidal or growth inhibitory effect against ‌‌‌‌Pseudomonas aeruginosa in different concentrations and has rapid bactericidal effect in concentrations higher than MIC concentration. Zinc oxide nanoparticles can be used to prevent or help treat ‌‌‌‌Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

Memory and learning are the most important behavioral processes that occur at the highest functional levels of the central nervous system. On the other hand, probiotics are living microorganisms that, if used adequately, can improve host health. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the probiotic Bifido bacterium bifidum on the neuronal density of the hippocampus in Alzheimer's rats.

In the current experimental study, 30 male Wistar rats, weighing about 200 to 250 g, were prepared and randomly divided into 5 control groups, Alzheimer's, and 3 treatment groups. To induce Alzheimer's disease, streptozotocin was injected at a dose of 5 mg/kg with a volume of 5 μl in each lateral ventricle of mice via stereotaxic method. In the treatment groups, probiotics were injected intraperitoneally with doses of 10-6, 10-7, and 10-8 ml/CFU, simultaneously with STZ injection for 21 days. After 21 days, the rats treated with rampon and ketamine were anesthetized and after perfusion method, the brain was removed from the skull and placed in 10% saline formalin. After tissue passage, seven-micron sections were prepared from the brain and stained with toluidine blue and erythrosine. CA1, CA2, and CA3 DG regions were imaged and neuronal density was calculated using a dissector and stereology method and the results of the groups were compared using ANOVA test.

The results showed that in the groups treated with the probiotic Bifido bacterium bifidum in all regions of the hippocampus, neuronal density increased compared to the Alzheimer's group (significant p <0.001).

Therefore, the probiotic Bifido bacterium bifidum with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects could prevent lesions of the nervous system

Gastric ulcer is a chronic gastrointestinal disease caused by the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that increase the risk of gastrointestinal complications, such as ulcers or bleeding. The use of antioxidants as adjunctive therapy for this disease is very important. Pantothenic acid is a B vitamin and a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the body. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pantothenic acid on antioxidant factors in improving experimental models of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in NMRI mice.

In the current experimental study, 60 adult male NMRI mice (body weight: 25-30 g) were randomly divided into 10 groups. Mice in the control group were intact. The sham group received pantothenic acid solvent (normal saline). The experimental groups received pantothenic acid at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, omeprazole (40 mg/kg) as standard drug and indomethacin (18 mg/kg) to induce ulcers by gavage for two weeks. Six hours after receiving indomethacin and wounding, the mice's stomachs were examined for macroscopic evaluation of the ulcer at the epithelial level, visible lesions, inflammation with bleeding, and edema as well as biochemical evaluation of antioxidant enzymes by light absorption using an ELISA device. Statistical data were analyzed running one-way ANOVA.

Administration of indomethacin significantly reduces gastric antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity (p<0.001), and increases malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as compared with the normal control group (p<0.001). Treatment with pantothenic acid significantly increased the amount of SOD and CAT with doses of 200 (p<0.01), 400 mg/kg (p<0.001), and GPx in both doses (p<0.001) and the level of MDA with doses of 200 (p<0.05) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001) significantly decreased. The result of pantothenic acid was 400 mg/kg equivalent to omeprazole and no significant difference was observed between the two substances.

The results of our study suggest that pantothenic acid can protect the stomach against indomethacin-induced ulceration in mice.

Fertility in men includes the ability to produce a sufficient number of normal sperm. Several factors affect the schermatogenesis-quality of sperm parameters. These factors include the use of certain chemical drugs, such as zinc and bioluxax-H (a combination of losartan + hydrochlorothiazide), common drugs used to treat hypertension. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of these drugs on spermatogenesis and the expression of Dogen on its effect in rat testis.

In the present experimental study, 32 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n= 8): Group I (control) received distilled water, Group II (Lnh) was treated with Lnh (losartan and hydrochlorothiazide) (20/5 mg/kg BW/day, Group III (Zn) was treated with the Zn (Zinc gluconate, 30mg/kg BW/day, and Group IV (LnhZn) was treated with Lnh and Zn at the same doses. Treatment was continued in all groups for 60 days. After the treatment, testicular tissue, sperm parameters, and AR and Dazl genes expression in the rats were investigated.

In Lnh group, a significant decrease in spermatid cell count (34.1 ± 1.8) was observed as compared to the controls. In Zn group, all factors were similar to those in the control group and spermatocyte count (75.11 ± 1.3) and Sertoli cells (14.62 ± 3.4) increased in these groups compared to those of the controls; however, this increase was observed only in the number of spermatocytes (p < 0.05). Also, the LnhZn group had similar results in all factors compared to the control group. Moreover, the expression of AR (0.0048 ± 0.001) and DAZL (0.008 ± 0.006) genes in the Lnh region was significantly reduced compared to that in the control group (1 ± 0.04) (p= 0/05). AR gene showed increased expression in Zn (1.247 ± 0.073) and LnhZn (1.354 ± 0.224) groups compared to the controls. In addition, DAZL gene in Zn experimental groups (1.68 ± 0.4) and LnhZn (1.58 ± 0.54) showed a significant increase (p < 0/05).

The use of zinc supplementation improved the side effects of Bioluxax-H on sperm quality.

One of the problems of the fixed orthodontic treatments is the changes of surface characteristics of the orthodontic wires. Presence of the surface roughness on orthodontic wires can affect the corrosion, friction, dental movement, biocompatibility, and esthetic, which can prolong the treatment and interfere with tooth movement. The present study was carried out to evaluate and measure the influence of the most popular soft drink, Coca Cola, on the surface roughness of nickel titanium and stainless steel wires.

An experimental research was performed in vitro on 80 wires. Orthodontic wire packages of nickel titanium and stainless steel with round (diameter of 0.016 inches) and rectangular (0.016 × 0.022 inches) cross section of American Orthodontic (AO) Company were randomly prepared in 10 millimeter pieces. The samples were cleaned via alkaline solution and then surface roughness of the wires (Rₐ, Rq, Rz) were tested using profilometr machine. This process was repeated daily for 30 days. Eventually, the same surface roughness parameters were re-evaluated and compared with that before the intervention. We used Cronbach's alpha test to evaluate internal consistency of primary data, and in each group before and after changes were measured running Wilcoxon test. Also, to test the meaningfulness of differences between groups, Mann-u-Whitney statistical analysis was used.

Statistical analysis showed that the changes on Rₐ, Rq, Rz in all four groups were not significant (P<0.9). Also, Rₐ, Rq, Rz before inserting the wires in Coca Cola revealed that variables in stainless steel group were higher compared with those in Ni-Ti groups. For example, the amount of Rₐ, Rq, Rz of stainless steel and Ni-Ti groups were 18.08  ± 3.55, 105.31 ± 8.84, 95.64 ± 4.54 vs. 6.19 ± 0.34, 60.78 ± 3.66, 53.74 ± 1.91 respectively. These findings were the same after placing the samples in the Coca Cola, too (P<0.9).

It can be concluded that the carbonated drinks cannot affect the surface roughness of arch wires neither the treatment duration.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens. One of the therapeutic problems of this bacterium is antibiotic resistance, which is associated with biofilm production. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of curcumin nanoparticles on biofilm gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosain vitro.

In the present in vitro study, 50 Pseudomonas aeruginosaisolates were collected from Firoozgar Hospital. The prevalence of pilA, algX, lasI, and estA genes was determined using PCR, biofilm formation ability using microtiter plate, and MIC for curcumin nanoparticles using microdilution broth method. Also, in order to investigate the inhibition effect of curcumin nanoparticle on gene expression, Real-time PCR was run. Data were analyzed using REST 2009 and GraphPad Prism 8 (GraphPad Software, Inc.). The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate the mean changes in the expression of the studied genes compared to the control sample in the presence of 16srRNA internal control gene. P-value <0.05 was considered as significant.

The prevalence of pilA, algX, lasI and estA genes were 40%, 100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively. In addition, 38% of strains formed strong biofilm, 54% moderate, and 8% weak. The MIC values for all strains and PAO1 positive control strains were the same with the concentration of 128 μg / ml of nanoparticles. The expression levels of pilA, algX, and lasI decreased by 1.91, 2.9, and 3.98 folds, respectively, but estA gene expression increased by 0.19. These observed changes in gene expression were found to be statistically significant (P-value <.05).

Due to the inhibitory effect of nanocurcumin on genes involved in the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosabiofilm, it is possible that this nanoparticle could be used as a therapeutic option against this bacterium and to inhibit the genes involved in its virulence.

Stem cells have a pivotal role in wounds healing; however, the mechanism of the healing effect of these cells is not still clear. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of fibroblast cells on diabetic wound healing and skin thickness and elasticity in male rats. This research was done in Javid Biotechnology Laboratory in 2021.

In the present experimental laboratory study, fibroblast cells were isolated from the foreskin. Totally, 12 streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats were divided into control (normal saline-treated) and fibroblast-treated rats. Wounds with a diameter of 0.8 cm were created via a biopsy puncture in the back of the mice. On days 7, 14, and 21 after treatment, the wound healing was evaluated via morphological observation, sonography, and elasticity assessment. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance.

The healing rate and skin thickness and elasticity significantly increased in fibroblast cells treated group compared with control group. Compared with day 7, on days 14 and 21 after treatment, we observed significant increase in wound area skin gross elasticity (R2), recovery after deformation (R7) (p=0.008<0.01 and p=0.0007<0.001, respectively), and net elasticity (R5) (p=0.0008<0.001and p=0.009<0.01, respectively).

The results of the present study showed that foreskin derived fibroblast cells can accelerate diabetic wound healing by increasing the skin thickness and elasticity.

VEGF is an important angiogenic factor whose expression and plasma levels are affected by obesity and its effects can be health-promoting or disease-inducing. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of six weeks of interval training on vascular smooth muscle VEGF gene expression in male rats on a high-fat diet. In an experimental study, 40 male rats were randomly divided into four groups: 1) control (standard diet), 2) high fat diet 1 (eight weeks high fat diet), 3) high fat diet 2 (14 weeks high fat diet), and 4) High-fat diet and intermittent exercise. Animals in groups 2 to 5 first ate a high-fat diet (60% of calories from fat) for eight weeks. In the eighth week of the high-fat diet group 1, in order to determine the level of VEGF at the beginning of the training intervention, facilitation and sampling were performed. Periodic training consisted of 5 to 12 60-second runs of 24 to 32 meters per minute and light work intervals of 75 seconds for six weeks (to ensure oxidative compatibility with interval training) and five days a week. Real Time PCR technique was measured. Mann-Whitney test was run to compare the groups.

The results of the present study showed that eight weeks of high-fat diet significantly increased the expression of VEGF gene in vascular smooth muscle of male rats compared to the control group (P =0.001 .(VEGF gene expression was significantly lower after 14 weeks of high-fat diet (P =0.005( compared with that in eight weeks. Also, VEGF gene expression after six weeks of interval training was significantly lower than that in eight weeks of high-fat diet (P = 0.001 (and was not significantly different from the 14-week high-fat and control groups.

Interval training can possibly reduce angiogenesis by reducing VEGF expression in visceral adipose tissue vessels and thus preventing adipose tissue development.

Irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells after neurodegenerative disorders may result in blindness. Thus, it is of crucial importance to identify and suppress the destructive irremediable loss of ganglion cells. Recent studies showed Tau pathology process as a major destructive neurodegeneration factor upon traumatic brain injury. It has recently been demonstrated that Cis-p Tau conformers are extremely neurotoxic and trigger neurodegeneration process. In the current study, we examined pathogenic Tau presence in the crushed cell body and axonal structure of mouse retinal ganglion cells for the first time.

We performed an interventional experiment on retinal ganglion cells. Optic nerve crush injury was induced in C57 mouse, so the axons of the ganglion cells were damaged and the connection between the eye and the optic nerve was affected. Mice vision and behavior was analyzed using Visual cliff test after surgery to confirm the effect of surgery on optic nerve crush. Pathogenic Tau was observed using immunofluorescent staining via specific antibody for Tau on retinal ganglion cell body and optic nerve axons 60 days post crush. The results were analyzed via Prism software.

The first signs of pathogenic Tau accumulation were seen 24 hours post-crush in the ganglion cell layer after staining with Tau antibody which increased during the following days in more areas. On the 60th day post-crush, we detected pathogenic Tau presence in the ganglion cell nucleus. Proof of increase in pathogenic Tau expression was also quantified in another study.

It seems that the pathogenic Tau accumulates in the retinal cells of C57 mice after optic nerve crush. So, we could consider pathogenic Tau presence as one of the destructive factors of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush qualitatively and, also, the rate of increase in its expression was proved in another study. This is the first time such a finding is reported in retina.

Statistics have shown that breast cancer is the second common cancer in most countries of the world. Many factors can have detrimental effects on this disease and herpes simplex virus type 1 is likely to be one of the items related to breast cancer due to the oncogenic proteins of this virus and its ability to stimulate the immune system. In the present article, we evaluated the prevalence of this virus in breast samples of patients in Tehran.

In the current case-control study, 40 breast cancer tissues and 50 healthy adjacent ones were collected from Taleghani and Imam Hossein Hospitals in Tehran, between 2017 and 2021. After DNA extraction, the prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 in breast samples was investigated.

Our results showed that more than 50% of the cancer samples were in phase III-IV and one of the healthy tissues showed the herpes simplex virus type 1 infections.

It seems that herpes simplex virus type1 prevalence in breast cancerous tissues is likely to be lower in comparison with healthy ones; however, this conclusion requires further research, due to the small number of samples in our study.

Schwannoma is a nerve sheath tumor that is often benign and slow-growing in nature and is solitary and encapsulated. This tumor can also originate in any peripheral nerve that contains Schwann cells. Schwannoma rarely occurs in retroperitoneum and its prevalence is 2% of retroperitoneal masses and malignant types are rare. This tumor is not normally invasive. Accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult, and the surgeon may experience damage to blood vessels, nerves, or organs during surgery, because the findings of surgery are different. Diagnosis and treatment of schwannoma in retroperitoneum is more challenging. In addition, the prognosis of malignant schwannoma is very poor.

Case report:

 The patient was a 35-years- old woman who was first presented with vague pelvic pain by radiation to back and frequency and difficult urination since a year before. CT scan report showed pelvic mass and needle biopsy result was benign spindle cell neoplasm that underwent total surgical resection by sympathetic chain saving and the final diagnosis was schwannoma.

Retroperitoneal masses should be considered in every patient by abdominal and back pain and urinary symptoms.