Objective: To evaluate the effect of resveratrol against CCl4-induced nephrotoxicity. Methods: Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups randomly. After six weeks, kidney weight, body weight, blood urea, serum creatinine, oxidative stress markers, and gene expression of renal transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), TGF-β receptor type 1 (TGF-βR1) and Smad3 were determined. In addition, the protein level of TGF-β1 in the tissue lysate was measured. Results: Resveratrol had a protective role in renal tissue by the improvement of antioxidant balance and reduction of renal parameters such as creatinine and urea (P<0.001). In addition, the renal mRNA level of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, Smad3, as well as the protein level of TGF-β1 were decreased in rats treated with resveratrol (P<0.001), compared to the CCl4 group. Conclusions: Overall, resveratrol shows a protective effect against nephrotoxicity in CCl4 treated rats by reducing oxidative stress status and modulating the TGF-β signaling.

OBJECTIVEPresent study aimed at further comprehensive functional, histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical assessment of peripheral nerve regeneration using rat sciatic nerve transection model.

METHODSThe 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In control group nerve stumps were sutured to adjacent muscle and in treatment group the gap was bridged using an inside-out vein graft. In sham-operated group the nerve was manipulated and left intact. All animals underwent walking track analysis test 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. Subsequently, muscle mass measurement was performed to assess reenervation, histological examination to observe the sciatic nerve regeneration morphologically and immunohistochemistry to detect Schwann cells using anti S-100. Results were analyzed using a factorial ANOVA with two between-subjects factors. Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons was used to examine the effect of treatments.

RESULTSFunctional analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that nerve function improved significantly in the time course in treatment group. However, quantitative morphometrical analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that there was no significant difference between 8 and 12 weeks in treatment group. Muscle weight ratio was bigger and weight loss of the gastrocnemius muscle was ameliorated by inside-out vein grafting. The position of positive immunohistochemical reactions further implied that regenerated axons and Schwann cell-like cells existed after vein grafting was performed, and was accompanied by the process of myelination and structural recovery of regenerated nerves.

CONCLUSIONFunctional analysis of peripheral nerve repair is far more reliable than quantitative morphometrical analysis.

Animals ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; Rats ; Recovery of Function ; S100 Proteins ; analysis ; Sciatic Nerve ; physiology ; surgery ; Veins ; transplantation

OBJECTIVES: In women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. Screening tests are the basis for early diagnosis. In Iranian women, the mortality rate of breast cancer is high due to insufficient screening examinations and delayed visits for care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting breast self-examinations among Iranian women employed in medical careers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 501 women working in the medical professions at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in western Iran in 2018. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed, self-report questionnaire that contained demographic information and questions based on protection motivation theory and social support theory. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23 and model fitting with PLS version 2. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 37.1±8.3 years, and most of the women (80.4%) were married. Most women had a bachelor's degree (67.5%). The findings of this study showed that the coping appraisal construct was a predictor of protection motivation (β=0.380, p<0.05), and protection motivation (β=0.604, p<0.05) was a predictor of breast self-examination behavior. Additionally, social support theory (β=0.202, p<0.05) had a significant positive effect on breast self-examination behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of practicing self-examinations among women employees in the medical sector was low; considering the influence of social support as a factor promoting screening, it is necessary to pay attention to influential people in women's lives when designing educational interventions.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Self-Examination ; Breast ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Delivery of Health Care ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Iran ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Motivation ; Self-Examination ; Statistics as Topic

This study investigated the effect of ethanol extracts of horsetail, alfalfa, ortie, chêne and aleppo oak on blood coagulation in vitro. Extraction was performed by the maceration method. Extracts were mixed with platelet and plasma, then prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and platelet aggregation tests were conducted. Alfalfa extract had a dose-dependent effect on the PT. Ortie, and horsetail, reduced the PT significantly compared to control group. Alfalfa, horsetail, and ortie reduced the APTT, but their effect was insignificant compared to the control group. The pooled extract showed the highest effect compared to the single extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Horsetail and alfalfa induced platelet aggregation in response to arachidonic acid but not in response to collagen. In the case of ortie, no aggregation occurred regarding the arachidonic acid, and incomplete was observed in response to collagen. Interestingly, blood clotting occurred immediately after adding the chêne, aleppo oak and the pooled extract, and therefore platelet poor plasma (PPP) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) became jelly. Generally, chêne and aleppo oak, as well as pooled extract, were more effective in inducing both primary and secondary coagulation pathways via shortening the PT and APTT, and induction of platelet aggregation.

Volatile constituents obtained by water distillation from the aerial parts and root of Onosma dichroanthum Boiss (Boraginaceae) native to the north of Iran were investigated by GC and GC/MS for the first time. Palmitic acid (39.61%) and decane (31.39%) were the major components in the root while decane (26.26%) and phytol (25.52%) were the predominant constituents in the aerial parts. Ketones, aldehydes, alkanes, fatty acids, oxygenated diterpenes and sesquiterpenes were characterized as the most phytochemicals in the aerial parts. Alkanes and fatty acids were identified as the main groups in the root volatile substances. There were two ketone derivatives, belong to apocarotenoids, in the aerial parts; β-ionone and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone.

OBJECTIVES: In women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. Screening tests are the basis for early diagnosis. In Iranian women, the mortality rate of breast cancer is high due to insufficient screening examinations and delayed visits for care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting breast self-examinations among Iranian women employed in medical careers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 501 women working in the medical professions at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in western Iran in 2018. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed, self-report questionnaire that contained demographic information and questions based on protection motivation theory and social support theory. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23 and model fitting with PLS version 2. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 37.1±8.3 years, and most of the women (80.4%) were married. Most women had a bachelor's degree (67.5%). The findings of this study showed that the coping appraisal construct was a predictor of protection motivation (β=0.380, p<0.05), and protection motivation (β=0.604, p<0.05) was a predictor of breast self-examination behavior. Additionally, social support theory (β=0.202, p<0.05) had a significant positive effect on breast self-examination behavior. CONCLUSIONS The frequency of practicing self-examinations among women employees in the medical sector was low; considering the influence of social support as a factor promoting screening, it is necessary to pay attention to influential people in women's lives when designing educational interventions.

OBJECTIVES: Brucellosis is a major zoonotic disease that poses a significant public health threat worldwide. The classical bacteriological detection process used to identify Brucella spp. is difficult and time-consuming. This study aimed to develop a novel molecular assay for detecting brucellosis. METHODS: All complete sequences of chromosome 1 with 2.1-Mbp lengths were compared among all available Brucella sequences. A unique repeat sequence (URS) locus on chromosome 1 could differentiate Brucella abortus from Brucella melitensis. A primer set was designed to flank the unique locus. A total of 136 lymph nodes and blood samples were evaluated and classified by the URS-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in 2013–2014. RESULTS: Biochemical tests and bacteriophage typing as the golden standard indicated that all Brucella spp. isolates were B. melitensis biovar 1 and B. abortus biovar 3. The PCR results were the same as the bacteriological method for detecting Brucella spp. The sensitivity and specificity of the URS-PCR method make it suitable for detecting B. abortus and B. melitensis. CONCLUSION: Quick detection of B. abortus and B. melitensis can provide the most effective strategies for control of these bacteria. The advantage of this method over other presented methods is that both B. abortus and B. melitensis are detectable in a single test tube. Furthermore, this method covered 100% of all B. melitensis and B. abortus biotypes. The development of this URS-PCR method is the first step toward the development of a novel kit for the molecular identification of B. abortus and B. melitensis.
Bacteria ; Bacteriophage Typing ; Brucella abortus* ; Brucella melitensis* ; Brucella* ; Brucellosis ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; Lymph Nodes ; Methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Public Health ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Zoonoses

Background: This study was carried out on Iranian female adolescents to understandhealth needs for the purpose of designing health promoting intervention in schools.Methods: In this exploratory qualitative study, two focus group discussion (15 teachers)and 30 individual in-depth interviews were conducted among female adolescents in the eighthgrade in Zahedan, Iran. Qualitative content analysis was used for data evaluation.Results: The views of students and teachers demonstrated nine of needs including:informing students about the schools’ health project aims, education and training all dimensionsof health with an emphasis on mental health, use of experts in various fields for education fromother organisations, employing capable and trusted counselors in schools, utilisation of a varietyof teaching methods, activating reward systems for encouraging students’ participation in groupactivities, teaching communication and the ability to establish good relationships with parents andstrategies for resolving family conflict, teaching parents and students high-risk behaviours andstrategies for handling them as well as reforming wrong attitudes and indigenous sub-culture.Conclusion: This study found the different needs of Iranian female students comparedto other cultures about a health promoting school programme. Therefore, their contribution canprovide an insight for formulating policies and intervention in schools.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of resveratrol against CCl

OBJECTIVETo evaluate serological findings of bovine leptospirosis which is a zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution caused by Leptospira interrogans.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty seven sera were collected from 9 commercial dairy herds in jiroft suburbs, from July to October 2011. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used to evaluates serological findings of bovine leptospirosis in Jiroft suburb dairy farms, Kerman province, Iran.

RESULTSAntibodies were found by MAT at least against one serovar of Leptospira interrogans in 29 samples (17.36%) among 167 sera at a dilution 1:100 or higher, and Leptospira pomona was the most prevalent serovar. Positive titers against more than one serovar were detected in 6 sera of the positive samples.

CONCLUSIONThis study is the first report of leptospirosis in Southeast Iran and showed that Leptospira pomona was the most and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae the least prevalent serovars in Southeast Iran.