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Background and purpose: Myelin-producing oligodendrocytes play a key role in supporting normal neuronal function of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). Formation of myelinating oligodendrocytes from their precursors requires activation and coordination of a set of stage-specific transcriptional regulators that are important for the biosynthesis of myelin components. Olig2 plays an important role in oligodendrocyte differentiation, myelination and remyelination. Some studies indicated the importance of Vitamin B12 in the immunotherapies for MS patients. This study investigated the effects of Vitamin B12 on total protein concentration (TPC) and Olig2 expression in the cerebral cortex. Materials and methods: Thirty mice were divided into three groups (n=10 in each group). The first group received Vitamin B12 injections (50 µg dissolved in normal saline) once a week for three weeks. Normal saline injection was done for the second group and the third group was left without injection as the control group. In this study we investigated the role of vitamin B12 on TPC and Olig2 expression in the cerebral cortex using Bio-Rad protein assay based on the Bradford dye procedure and Western Blot, respectively. Results: The results showed that TPC and Olig2 expression in the cerebral cortex increased in the group injected with vitamin B12 compared with those of the control group. Conclusion: It is believed that vitamin B12 may play a key role in myelination in the CNS by increasing Olig2 expression and thus oligodendrocytes differentiation.

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Introduction: The nitrite and nitrate are considered as pollutant agents of ground water resource, which are currently entering the wastewater types their average, are increasing. In this study, changes in nitrate and nitrite in drinking water resources of Gachsaran are reviewed with GIS systems. Material and Method: In this cross-sectional study, the sampling and measurement of parameters was done based on the Standard method book, Overall the number 258 samples from 43 sources and results of 5 years Archived analysis in Water and sewage Co with GIS software version 9.3 and SPSS version 16 and Pearson correlation test was analyzed. Results: The results showed that, the concentration of nitrate from 5.15 (based on nitrate) in year of 2006 and nitrite from 0.01 in 2009 increased to 10.87 and 0.0157 (ppm), respectively in 2011. The minimum of nitrate concentration related to year of 2006 and their maximum was 11ppm (based on nitrate) in 2009 and local changes of nitrite and nitrate levels indicated that the studied area have high quality Compared to other areas. Discussion and Conclusion: According to the results, the concentration of nitrite and nitrate is increased during the past years. While the concentration of these parameters was less than determined National and international standards, but due to the risks of this elements must be prevented the increasing trend.

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Background and purpose: Oligodendrocytes are responsible for myelin synthesis in the central nervous system (CNS). Olig1 and Olig2 play an important role in regulating the development of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OLPs). Myelin basic protein (MBP) is the main component of myelin sheath. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has an important role in myelination and pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigates the effects of LIF on the expression of MBP, Olig1 and Olig2 in the cerebral cortex of cuprizone-induced MS mice. Materials and methods: In order to induce MS the mice were treated by Cuprizone for 5 weeks. The mice were then divided into three groups. The first group was injected LIF (25 µg/kg BW per day, i.p.) for 6 weeks. The second group (SHAM) received normal saline, i.p. for six weeks and the third group did not receive any injection. The mice were killed after six weeks and the cerebral cortex was harvested and MBP, Olig1 and Olig2 expression was studied by western blotting. Results: The results indicate that MBP, Olig1 and Olig2 expression in the cerebral cortical extracts was significantly increased in the LIF injected group compared with control and SHAM groups (P<0.001). Conclusion: This study reveals that LIF not only increases Olig1 and Olig2 expression in the oligodendrocytes and enhances oligodendrocytes activity and MBP expression, but also plays an important role in the pathophysiology of MS.

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Background and purpose: Nanotechnology researchers have identified a wide range of nanoparticle uses that may have an important role in medicine, prevention and treatment of diseases. Paucity of information on toxicity of silver nanoparticles made the authors to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles on the enzyme creatine phosphate kinase. Materials and methods: In this study, 40 adult male Wistar rats with average weight of 220 ± 20 gr were injected with 50, 100, 200, and 400 PPm of nanosilver particle in five consecutive days. Then three, eight and twelve days after the last injection, blood sampling was performed and skeletal tissue samples from the muscle were stained using hematoxylin-eosin. To investigate the effect of nanosilver on Phospho creatin kinase ANOVA was used in different days. Results: Different concentrations of silver nanoparticles has no significant effect on the phospho creatin kinase activity (p=0.841), but the effect of time was apparent on this activity (p=0.005). In fact the mean of the phospho creatin kinase activity increased in all concentrations of nanosilver after eight days. Histological changes were also occurred in 400 PPm doses of silver nanoparticles. Conclusion: Development of nanotechnology has increased its use in cosmetic and medical supplies. So precautions are needed when using appliances containing silvre nanoparticle.

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Background and purpose: High concentrations of heavy metals in industrial and domestic wastewater cause adverse effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, removing heavy metals from water resources is considered as a positive step towards sustainable development. Today, application of artificial wetlands to remove pollutants such as heavy metals is increasing due to high costs of construction sites, low operation, maintenance, and energy needs. Materials and methods: This experiential research was carried out in a pilot scale in adjacent of wastewater treatment plant in the campus of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The pilot was composed of four rectangular concrete reactors with 6 × 1.5 × 0.8 m length, width and affective depth. One reactor was used as control. The research was performed in five phases. Different hybrid systems of the reactors (combination of vertical and horizontal with parallel and series flow) were evaluated. The samples were digested using an acid digester and concentrations of lead and cadmium were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: By increasing the hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 2 to 6 days, the mean percentage for removal of studied metals increased to 58 (which was 42 at the beginning). Among the different phases, phase four was more efficient which removed 54% of the heavy metals while the lowest removal percentage was detected in phase one. The average percentage removal of cell output for reed planting and the controls were 65% and 35%, respectively. These differences were statistically significant (P≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this research showed that combination of DF-UF (down flow-Up flow) reactors was the best condition for the removal of lead and cadmium from subsurface wetlands. The optimal hydraulic retention time was 4 to 6 days and 10 to 20 mm gravel could be more appropriate for the size of gravel in wetland.

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Background and purpose: Lead (Pb) is an element that due to high solubility in aqueous solutions can cause poisoning in consumer. Therefore, removal or reduction of Pb (II) from industries wastewater and contaminated drinking water is inevitable. In recent years, particular attention to the variety of natural structures and cost-effective materials to remove pollutants from aqueous solutions has been made. Bivalve mollusk shell is one of the cheap-price natural adsorbents can remove these contaminants. Materials and methods: The requested adsorbent was derived from the shells of marine bivalve mollusk collected from the shores of the Caspian Sea, and then was powdered. After contacting the adsorbent with different concentrations of lead solution in laboratory conditions, readings of the secondary concentration by atomic absorption spectrophotometer were conducted. Experimental design of this study was central composite design (CCD), is one of the methods of response surface methodology (RSM). There were 31 standard samples. Results: The best pH for absorption by the adsorbent is 6. Increasing adsorbent dose to 0.55 mg/l and the contact-time to 45 minutes was optimal. The mechanism of adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm and adsorption process was monolayer and homogeneous. Quadratic interaction for pH parameter was significant (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Bivalve mollusk shells have the ability to adsorp Pb (II). This ability is due to the mechanism of adsorption and ion exchange. Maximum efficiency is related to the interaction between pH and optimum adsorbent dose. As compared to other adsorbents such as epicarp etc. that their availability is follows their consumption, usage of absorbent due to its low cost and abundance can be economically justified.

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Background and purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the validity, reliability and factor structure analysis of the Persian version of the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale (VSH). This scale is used to evaluate sleep quality in hospitalized patients and their perception of sleep for the preceding night.

Materials and methods: The Persian version of the scale was provided using forward translation. Then, 220 hospitalized patients were randomly selected to complete the approved version of the VSH sleep scale.  Face validity was confirmed by experts, and content validity and construct validity were confirmed by CVR and exploratory factor analysis, respectively. The reliability of the items was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and bisection method.

Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient and reliability of the scale was 0.43 before the analysis. Exploratory factor analysis with principal components and varimax rotation led to the extraction of three factors. The first was sleep disturbance that included 6 items of the 7 items in VSH sleep scale. The second was sleep supplementation that included 3 items of the 4 items in the scale. The last factor was sleep effectiveness which included only a single item from 5 items thereby, being removed from the scale. The remaining two factors explained 55.31% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the new questions was 0.83 and using Bisection test the correlation coefficient was 0.7.

Conclusion: Reliability and validity of the Persian form of the VSH sleep scale proves that this version is appropriate for measuring the quality of sleep in Iranian hospitalized population.

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Background and purpose: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a costly method to assess cardiac iron overload. The presence of fragmented QRS (fQRS) indicates changes due to iron overload in cardiac tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between fQRS and cardiac iron overload using cardiac MRI in patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM).
Materials and methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 β-TM patients admitted to Arak Amir-Kabir Hospital, Iran 2018-2019. Cardiac T2* MRI was performed and values of less than 20 ms were considered as cardiac iron overload. The patients were divided into two groups (<20 and >20 ms). The presence of fQRS was assessed on 12-lead surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and compared between two groups.
Results: There was a positive correlation between T2*MRI and serum ferritin (r= 0.041, P=0.657) and hemoglobin levels (r=0.057, P=0.540). The mean T2*MRI in patients with fQRS (18.43±7.24) was significantly lower than patients without fQRS (26.47±6.15) (P=0.001). We found a negative correlation between T2*MRI and fQRS (r= -0.048, P=0.001).
Conclusion: The presence of fQRS on ECGs could be a good predictor of cardiac iron overload in β-TM patients. It is believed that fQRS can indicate this change in electrocardiography and shows the need for more accurate monitoring for cardiac overload and aggressive chelation therapy.

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Background and purpose: The antioxidant Nrf2/Keap1 pathway prevents cellular damages against oxidative stress and this pathway is disrupted following diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of endurance and resistance training on antioxidant Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in testicular tissue of diabetic rats.
Materials and methods: In this experimental research, 48 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, resistance training control, endurance training control, diabetic, diabetic resistance training, and diabetic endurance training. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg nicotinamide and 65 mg/kg streptozotocin after 12 hours of fasting. Seventy two hours after induction of diabetes, resistance and endurance training protocols were performed for 10 weeks. Afterwards, the expression of Keap1, Nrf2, and HO1 genes in testicular tissues were measured by real-time PCR.
Results: According to findings, induction of diabetes significantly decreased the expression of Nrf2 and HO1 (P<0.05), while the expression of Keap1 increased (P>0.05). Endurance training significantly increased the expression level of Nrf2 (P<0.05) and resistance training changed the expression level of genes related to Nrf2/Keap1 pathway (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Endurance and resistance exercises could activate Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway on gene expression following diabetes and by activating this pathway the complications of diabetes on testis might be reduced.


 

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Correction to: Effect of Resistance and Endurance Trainings on Nrf2/Keap1 Signaling Pathway in Testicular Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Zahra Nadi¹,
Yusef Abbasi²,
Farideh Jalali Mashayekhi³,
Mohammad Bayat²,
Parvindokht Bayat⁴,
Maryam Baazm<sup>5

1</sup> MSc in Anatomy, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
² Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
³ Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
⁴ Professor, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
⁵ Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran





In the article published in volume 32, issue 214, 2022, the name of Yusef Abbasi was published incorrectly, which is now corrected.