مجله فیض
سال بیست و هفتم شماره 6 (پیاپی 134، بهمن و اسفند 1402)

Apoptosis is regulated by a complex interplay of gene products that either activate or inhibit this process. This study aimed at assessing the combined impact of nanocurcumin supplementation and resistance training on TERF2 (Telomeric Repeat Binding Factor 2) gene expression and the p21-p53 axis in the muscle tissue of male rats.

In this experimental study, 24 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: a healthy control group, a resistance training group, a nanocurcumin group, and a resistance training + nanocurcumin group. Resistance training was conducted over a 4-week period following a specific protocol. Concurrently, rats in the nanocurcumin groups received 80 mg of the supplement per kilogram of body weight. The expression levels of TERF2, p53, and p21 genes were assessed using the Real-Time PCR method.

The results showed significant differences in the expression levels of TERF2, p53, and p21 genes among the four groups (P<0.05). In the resistance training + nanocurcumin group, the expression of TERF2, p53, and p21 genes was significantly higher compared to the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, p53 gene expression in the resistance training group was significantly higher than in the nanocurcumin supplement group (P<0.05). The combined resistance training and nanocurcumin supplementation did not significantly affect the expression of the TERF2 gene in the muscle tissue of male rats compared to either training or supplementation alone (P<0.05). Furthermore, the synergistic effect of resistance training and supplementation significantly increased the expression of p21 and p53 genes (P<0.05).

Resistance training and nanocurcumin supplementation enhance TERF2 gene expression, potentially reducing telomere shortening and aging. Moreover, the upregulation of p53 and p21 gene expression during resistance training and nanocurcumin supplementation may induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

In assisted reproductive techniques (ART) to obtain more oocyte, it is important to use nanomaterials based on graphene oxide (GO) and superparamagnetic Fe3O4, which increase the effectiveness of the drug in the appropriate dose. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of nano-magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) drug delivery with gonadotropin on glutathione levels and free radicals in oocytes during in vivo maturation of NMRI mice.

In this experimental study, 30 female NMRI mice were divided into 6 groups of 5 each, including a control group receiving PMSG and HCG hormones, a control group without hormones, a PMSG hormone group with nano-MGO, a PMSG and HCG hormone group with nano-MGO, and a nano-MGO group. Ovulation-stimulating hormone (Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin; PMSG) was intraperitoneally injected followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) after 48 hours. Twelve hours later, the number of metaphase II oocytes retrieved from the left fallopian tubes was counted in each group. Immunocytochemical staining for glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was performed, and ovarian histological examination was conducted.

Simultaneous administration of HCG and PMSG with nano-MGO significantly increased cytoplasmic GSH expression compared to the control hormone group (P<0.01). The group treated with a combination of hormones and MGO showed a significant increase in the number of corpus luteum (P<0.01). The level of ROS in groups treated with nano-MGO and hormone did not differ significantly from the group receiving only hormones.

Nano-MGO may enhance the efficacy of ovulation hormones, improve protein and hormone absorption in ovarian tissue, and with further research, could potentially be utilized in the development of ovulation drugs.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in brain tissue plays a significant role in the development of Parkinson's disease. This study aimed to assess the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic training and garlic supplementation on the gene expression of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1-a) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) in the brain tissue of elderly rats with Parkinson's disease.

In this experimental study, 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups: 1) healthy control (HC), 2) Parkinson's control (Res), 3) Parkinson's-aerobic exercise (AT), 4) Parkinson-garlic supplement (G), and 5) Parkinson-aerobic exercise-garlic supplement (AT+G). Parkinson's disease was induced by injecting 2 mg/kg of reserpine. Aerobic training was conducted five times a week, with each session lasting 15-48 minutes at speeds ranging from 10 to 24 meters per minute over 8 weeks. The supplement groups received a daily dose of 500 mg/kg of garlic via gavage. The gene expression of PGC1-a and TFAM in brain tissue was assessed using real-time PCR.

The expression of the PGC1-a gene in the G, AT, and AT+G groups was significantly higher than that in the Res group, with the AT+G group showing significantly higher expression than the G group (P=0.001). TFAM gene expression in the AT (P=0.005) and AT+G (P=0.001) groups was significantly higher than in the Res group, with the AT+G group exhibiting higher expression compared to the G and AT groups (P=0.001).

The results suggest that the combination of exercise and garlic supplementation may have additive or synergistic effects on mitochondrial health and function in Parkinson's disease.

Aging is often accompanied by inflammation and lipid abnormalities. This study aimed at investigating the effects of endurance training combined with Citrus aurantium L.var. amara Engl. (CAVAO) consumption on the lipid profile, intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecules-1 (VCAM-1) in aged Sprague-Dawley rats.

In this experimental study, 35 aged Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 7 groups: high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), HIIT with CAVAO (HIIT+CA), MICT with CAVAO (MICT+CA), CAVAO alone (CA) (300 mg/kg/day), control, and sham. Over eight weeks, HIIT was conducted at 85-110% VO2max intensity, while MICT was performed at 65-75% VO2max intensity. Lipid profiles were assessed using a kit, and ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 gene expressions were analyzed via RT-PCR.

HIIT, MICT, HIIT+CA, MICT+CA, and CA resulted in a significant increase in HDL levels, with HIIT showing the most pronounced effect (P<0.05). LDL decreased significantly in all groups except CA (P<0.05). The HIIT+CA group exhibited a greater reduction in TG levels compared to the CA group. Cholesterol levels decreased in the HIIT, MICT+CA, and CA groups, with the CA group demonstrating a more substantial reduction than the HIIT and MICT+CA groups (P<0.05). VCAM-1 levels increased in all groups, while ICAM-1 levels decreased in all groups except HIIT+CA, where a more significant reduction in ICAM-1 was observed compared to other groups (P<0.05).

The combination of endurance training interventions and CAVAO antioxidant supplementation (HIIT, MICT, HIIT+CA, MICT+CA, CA) may offer cardiac protection against hyperlipidemia due to their antihyperlipidemic effects. The interactive effect of HIIT+CA and MICT+CA appears to have a more favorable impact on lipid profiles and ICAM-1 levels.

Incorporating physical activity and a balanced diet can play a crucial role in managing and preventing obesity-related diseases. This study aimed to assess the effects of six weeks of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercises combined with EPA/DHA and clenbuterol supplementation on visfatin serum levels and the insulin resistance index in obese mice.

In this experimental study, 35 male NMRI mice were divided into seven groups of five: healthy control, high-fat diet, high-fat diet with HIIT, high-fat diet with EPA/DHA supplement, high-fat diet with clenbuterol supplement, high-fat diet with clenbuterol supplement and HIIT, and high-fat diet with EPA/DHA supplement and HIIT. HIIT training was conducted at 90% of maximum speed for six weeks, with five sessions per week. The EPA/DHA supplement dosage for five days of training was 180 mg, while each rat received two clenbuterol tablets in 25 cc of distilled water for the same duration. Blood samples were collected directly from the heart 48 hours after the final exercise session, centrifuged, and stored at -20°C for subsequent analysis. A specific animal kit was utilized to measure visfatin levels and the insulin resistance index.

The combination of six weeks of HIIT exercises with EPA/DHA and clenbuterol supplementation led to a significant reduction in visfatin levels in obese mice (P=0.001). Additionally, this regimen resulted in a notable decrease in the insulin resistance index among obese mice (P=0.001).

Engaging in HIIT with appropriate intensity and duration can effectively reduce visfatin levels and improve insulin resistance. Furthermore, combining HIIT with the intake of supplements presents a promising approach to managing visfatin levels and insulin resistance.

Primary dysmenorrhea significantly affects the daily lives and performance of girls. This study aimed to investigate the effects of resistance training and melatonin consumption on sex hormone levels, PGF2α, FSH, LH, pain intensity, and sleep quality in girls with primary dysmenorrhea.

This semi-experimental study included 60 girls with moderate primary dysmenorrhea randomly assigned to four groups: exercise + melatonin, exercise + placebo, melatonin, and control (15 girls in each group). Participants in the exercise + melatonin group received 10 mg of melatonin daily, while the placebo group received an equivalent amount of carbohydrates. The resistance training program involved 50-60 minutes of weight training daily, three days a week for eight weeks. Pain intensity was evaluated using the McGill questionnaire, and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh questionnaire. Serum levels of sex hormones, PGF2α, FSH, and LH were also measured.

The exercise + melatonin group exhibited a significant increase in estrogen (P<0.001), progesterone (P<0.001), LH (P<0.001), and FSH (P<0.001) levels compared to all other groups. Additionally, both the exercise + placebo group and the melatonin group showed higher levels of these hormones compared to the placebo group. The melatonin group demonstrated reductions in PGF2α (P<0.001), pain intensity (P<0.001), and sleep quality (P<0.001) compared to all other groups. Similar improvements were observed in the exercise + placebo group and the exercise + melatonin group compared to the placebo group.

The findings reveal that hypothalamic and corticotropin hormone release may play a role in primary dysmenorrhea. Melatonin appears to modulate sex hormone fluctuations associated with primary dysmenorrhea, leading to improved sleep quality and reduced pain intensity by decreasing PGF2α levels.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and pain catastrophizing significantly affect the quality of life in adolescent girls. This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in reducing symptoms of PMDD and pain catastrophizing in this population.

This quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The study population consisted of female high school students with PMDD in Tabriz, Iran, in 2022. Thirty girls were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 girls each). The experimental group received eight 1.5-hour therapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Both groups completed questionnaires comprising 19 items on PMDD and 13 items on pain catastrophizing before the intervention, immediately after, and three months later.

The mean age of the experimental group was 16.80±0.77 years, and the control group was 16.53±0.64 years. In the pre-test, the mean score for acceptance and commitment therapy for PMDD was 57.60±5.00 and for pain catastrophizing was 37.13±4.79 in the experimental group, while in the control group, they were 57.93±6.59 and 38.40±5.27, respectively (P<0.05). Acceptance and commitment therapy significantly reduced symptoms of PMDD (43.93±5.99) and pain catastrophizing (32.93±5.16) in the post-test (P<0.001). The effects of therapy on PMDD (44.07±5.86) and pain catastrophizing (33.07±5.14) remained significant in the follow-up phase (P<0.001).

Acceptance and commitment therapy shows promise in reducing symptoms of PMDD and pain catastrophizing in adolescent girls, suggesting its potential as an effective intervention for improving their quality of life.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition characterized by repetitive thoughts and behaviors. This study aimed to assess the impact of emotion regulation therapy on the severity of obsessive symptoms, disgust propensity, and cognitive-executive functions in patients with OCD.

This clinical trial included two groups: an experimental group receiving emotion regulation therapy in addition to medication, and a control group receiving only medication. A total of 48 patients with OCD were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to each group (24 individuals per group). Assessment tools included the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Disgust Propensity Scale, Iowa Task, Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, and Stroop Color-Word Task. The experimental group received the emotion regulation therapy along with medication while the control group just received medication.

Following the intervention, the experimental group exhibited a significant decrease in obsessive symptoms severity, and disgust propensity compared to the control group. Additionally, the experimental group demonstrated enhanced cognitive-executive functions (reduced risk-taking behavior, improved inhibition, greater psychological flexibility, and enhanced problem-solving abilities) than the control group.

Emotion regulation therapy was found to effectively reduce obsessive symptoms severity, disgust propensity, and improve cognitive-executive functions in patients with OCD.

Beta thalassemia often leads to iron overload in various tissues, including the heart. Current diagnostic methods rely on MRI, which may not be feasible in certain situations. This study aimed to investigate the correlation and diagnostic accuracy between serum ferritin levels, echocardiography results, and T2-weighted cardiac MRI values in patients with beta-thalassemia major to diagnose myocardial iron overload without the necessity of MRI.

This cross-sectional study included 102 patients with beta-thalassemia major who underwent echocardiography and MRI. Serum ferritin levels were measured, and myocardial T2 weighting was calculated. The cut-off values for MRI interpretation were defined as T2>20 milliseconds for normal myocardial iron load, T2*≤2010 milliseconds for mild to moderate myocardial iron burden, and T2*≤10 for severe myocardial iron burden.

The mean ferritin level was 2418.7±2860.8 ng/ml, mean heart T2* was 22.6±14.7 ms, and mean ejection fraction (EF) based on MRI was 51.7±11.2%. The echocardiographic parameter MVDT was identified as a suitable diagnostic indicator for reduced and severely reduced T2*. The sensitivity and specificity of ≤170 MVDT for T2 reduction were 0.72 and 0.62, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity of ≤150 MVDT for severely reduced T2 were 0.52 and 0.96, respectively.

The findings suggest that serum ferritin levels, EF, and MVDT in echocardiography have the highest diagnostic efficiency for detecting reduced T2*. In settings where cardiac MRI is unavailable or contraindicated, the MVDT parameter and ferritin levels can be valuable for evaluation purposes.

Recent research has highlighted the potential interplay between human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections in gastric cancer patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori and HPV co-infection and its association with tumor characteristics in individuals diagnosed with gastric cancer.

In this descriptive study, 32 gastric cancer tissue samples and 32 healthy gastric tissue samples were collected from people referred to a hospital in Iran. DNA extraction was performed using a Biogen kit, and Real-time PCR was utilized to detect HPV and H. pylori infections through L1 and cagA gene primers, respectively.

Over 50% of the cancer samples were classified as stage III. Helicobacter pylori infection was detected in 26 cancer tissues (81.2%) and 22 healthy tissues (67.8%). Additionally, four cancer tissue samples (12.5%) tested positive for HPV infection, while no HPV infection cases were observed in the control group. A significant association was found between H. pylori infection and various tumor characteristics, including staging, grade, tumor size, lymph node involvement, and histology in gastric cancer patients. Moreover, HPV infection showed a significant correlation with gastric cancer staging. However, no significant relationship was observed between the co-infection of H. pylori and HPV with gastric cancer.

The study results did not reveal a significant association between the co-infection of H. pylori and HPV with gastric cancer. Nevertheless, a notable relationship between H. pylori and HPV co-infection and gastric cancer staging was observed, highlighting the complexity of interactions between these infectious agents in gastric carcinogenesis.

The prevalence and patterns of antibiotic resistance among bacterial agents causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) can vary over time and across different geographical regions. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial agents isolated from urine cultures of outpatients referred to the Reference Laboratory in Kashan, Iran, during 2021-2022.

This cross-sectional study analyzed 7365 urine culture samples collected from patients referred to the Reference Laboratory in Kashan, Iran, between April 2021 and March 2022. Urine samples were obtained using the mid-stream method under sterile conditions and cultured on MacConkey agar, blood agar, and specific bacterial media. The identified organisms were tested for antibiotic resistance using the disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar medium following the guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (CLSI 2020).

Among the 7365 patients with urine cultures, 401 individuals (5.4%) had positive culture results, with a predominance of women (88.8%). Escherichia coli (62.5%) and Klebsiella (24.6%) were the most frequently isolated organisms. Escherichia coli exhibited the highest resistance rates to cefazolin (54.7%), cotrimoxazole (51%), and ciprofloxacin (41%), while showing the lowest resistance to imipenem and nitrofurantoin (4.4%). Klebsiella showed the highest resistance to cefazolin (58.3%) and cotrimoxazole (41.4%), with the lowest resistance to imipenem (7.1%). Gram-positive bacteria demonstrated the highest resistance to clindamycin (71.4%) and cotrimoxazole (57.9%), while displaying the lowest resistance to gentamicin (14.7%) and nitrofurantoin (17.5%).

Escherichia coli and Klebsiella were the predominant causative agents of UTIs, exhibiting similar antibiotic resistance patterns. Empirical antibiotic treatment based on these results may be considered before obtaining culture results.

Precocious puberty presents a variety of causes and clinical features, with its prevalence on the rise. This study aimed at investigating the etiology and clinical characteristics of precocious puberty in children referred to the endocrinology clinic of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

In this retrospective study, the medical records of children diagnosed with precocious puberty who attended the pediatric endocrinology clinic at Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, between 2007 and 2014, were retrospectively reviewed. A comprehensive history and clinical examination were conducted by a pediatric endocrinologist, along with left hand X-rays and specific hormonal tests.

Among the 357 children meeting the inclusion criteria, only two were boys, one with isolated adrenarche and the other with central precocious puberty. Out of the 355 girls, 315 (88.2%) had central precocious puberty, 19 (5.3%) presented with premature thelarche, 20 (5.6%) exhibited pubarche, and three (0.8%) had transient thelarche. Only 172 children maintained regular follow-up visits, with an average follow-up duration of 23±16 months. Of these, 42 were undergoing treatment, while 130 were monitored for the progression of puberty and the necessity for intervention. Over a 3-6-month period, no change in pubertal stage was observed in 49.6% of children, while 42.6% progressed in thelarche or pubarche, and 7.8% advanced in both pubarche and thelarche. Additionally, 24.8% of children experienced a height growth rate exceeding the 97th percentile.

Central precocious puberty emerged as the predominant cause of precocious puberty symptoms in this study. Furthermore, more than half of girls with true precocious puberty displayed a slow progressive course that did not warrant therapeutic interventions.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder among children, adversely affecting various aspects such as learning abilities, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and emotions. Given the detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health, this study aimed to assess the quality of life of 8 - 12 year-old children with ADHD during the pandemic.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 54 children with ADHD referred to Kargarnejad Hospital in Kashan, Iran, in 2022. Data collection utilized a demographic questionnaire and the PedsQL quality of life questionnaire. Children were assessed in four functional subscales of quality of life: physical, emotional, social, and academic, along with a total score.

The mean age of the children was 9.15±1.43 years. The highest score was observed in physical performance, with a mean of 74.48±15.08, while the lowest score was in academic performance, with a mean of 53.33±15.17. A significant relationship was found between academic performance and gender (P=0.04).

Both ADHD and COVID-19 contribute to a decline in children's quality of life, particularly impacting academic performance, which may lead to negative psychological consequences in their future years. Further research is recommended to explore treatment options for ADHD and address environmental and familial factors influencing the disorder.