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Abstract Background and objectives: Coronary Artery Disease is one of the most important causes of death in the world. Atherosclerosis is a complex disorder and many factors cause it . In recent years , a relationship between infectious agents, particularly Chlamydia pneumonia, and atherosclerosis was found. This research was aimed at serological studying of Chlamydia pneumonia in the coronary artery patients and healthy ones. Material and Methods: We carried out this cross-Sectional study on 102 patients with CAD and 142 individuals without any history of CAD. The subjects were admitted to Dr. Beheshty hospital, Babol, from July 2005 to September 2006. The subjects’ serums were collected to detect specific anti Chlamydia pneumonia antibodies (IgA and IgG), using ELISA method. Data were analyzed by chi-square, using SPSS software. Results: The mean age of patients and healthy subjects were 60.6 and 43.7 years, respectively. Fifty-nine point eight percent of cases and 40.8% of healthy subjects are men. The results show that 45.1% of patients and 47.9% of healthy subjects have positive titer of IgG and negative titer of IgA (chronic). There is no significant correlation between patient and healthy groups (P=O.698). Also 88.2% of patients and 81% of healthy group have positive titer of anti Chlamydia pneumonia antibody (IgG). Conclusion: In spite of high titer of IgG, there is no significant relationship between Chlamydia pneumonia and atherosclerosis. It seems that further experiments are necessary to prove the relationship between Chlamydia and atherosclerosis. Key words: Atherosclerosis, Chlamydia pneumonia, IgA, IgG

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Abstract Background and objectives: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is an enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway. G6PD deficiency (an X-linked recessive hereditary disease) is an inherited condition affecting approximately 3% of the people globally. This deficiency can cause hemolytic anemia and jaundice in neonates. The goal of this study is to detect the prevalence of G6PD deficiency in neonates referred to Semnan province screening lab Material and Methods: This cross sectional study, from 2007 to 2010, was conducted on the basis of country planned program and in line with neonatal screening tests. Blood samples were taken from the heels of 3-5 day neonates. Assessment of G6PD was done by rapid fluorescent spot test. The Prevalence of G6PD deficiency in boys and girls was compared by chi square (p<0.05(test. Results: Of 9353 newborns referred to semnan province screening Lab., 4820(51.53%) are males and 4533(48.47%) females. Three hundred (3.2%) of them suffer from G6PD deficiency. Of these, 263 (5.45%) are males and 37 (0.81%) females. The ratio of male to female is 7 to 1. Conclusion: The prevalence of G6PD deficiency is detected 3.2% in Semnan province and its frequency in boys is more than that of girls, which is expected. Key words: Glucose -6-phosphate dehydrogenase, Neonatal screening, Fauvism

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Abstract Background and Objective: Snake venom is a complex of several toxic elements and enzymes. It has the agents with the ability to destroy cellular and subcellular membrane and to bring about hemolysis of red blood cells (RBC). Two types of direct and indirect hemolytic activity are known in snake venom in that phospholipase A2 is responsible for the indirect lysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of α-lipoic acid on hemolytic activity of Iranian Vipera Lebetina venom. Material and Methods: Protein concentration of the crude venom of Vipera Lebetina was determined using bovine serum albumin as a standard. Direct hemolytic activity of venom was determined by using the Human RBC and Indirect hemolytic activity was assayed on RBC in the presence of egg yolk. Then, α-lipoic acid with different concentrations in 100 mM Tris-HCL buffer was applied and its effect on hemolysis of RBC was studied. Results: direct hemolytic activity on RBC was not observed while its indirect activity was detected to be increased proportional to different concentration of α-lipoic acid. The range of indirect hemolysis was increased up to 60% by 60µm α-lipoic acid. Conclusion: Not only has α-lipoic acid no inhibitory effects on the hemolytic activity of Iranian Vipera Lebetina venom but also has the positive effects on it. Keywords: Iranian Vipera Lebetina Venom, Direct Hemolytic, Indirect Hemolytic, α-Lipoic Acid, Phospholipase A2

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Background and objectives: Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) is an enzyme involved in the regulation of glucose and fatty acid metabolism and homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of continuous exercise and resveratrol supplementation on insulin resistance and expression of PDK4 in the soleus muscle of elderly rats with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: After inducing diabetes in 42 old male rats (mean weigh: 250-300 g, aged about two years), the rats were randomly divided into six groups: healthy control, diabetic control, continuous exercise, supplementation, continuous exercise + supplementation and sham. The continuous exercise group was subjected to eight weeks of running, five sessions a week. Daily 20 mg/Kg body weight resveratrol supplementation was administered to the supplementation and supplementation + exercise groups. To evaluate insulin resistance, the HOMA-IR insulin resistance index was calculated as the product of insulin (μIU/mL) and glucose (mmol/L) divided by 22.5. Expression of the PDK4 gene in the soleus muscle was analyzed by RT-PCR. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23 using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: Resveratrol alone or combined with continuous exercise significantly increased PDK4 expression and slightly decreased insulin resistance in the subjects.
Conclusion: Our results show that diabetes is associated with reduced PDK4 expression and increased insulin resistance. These effects can be effectively reversed in the soleus muscle of elderly diabetic rats by resveratrol supplementation alone or combined with continuous exercise.
 

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Background: Discovering new cytotoxic compounds has received significant attention due to the rise in drug resistance and the adverse effects associated with chemotherapy drugs. In this study, the cytoplasmic extract of Lactobacillus casei was used to produce iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂o₃ NPs), and the cytotoxic effects of NPs were investigated on MCF-7 and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells.
Methods: The cytoplasmic extract of L. casei was mixed with 10³M iron sulfate solution and incubated for 3 weeks at 37 °C and 5% CO₂. The coprecipitation method was used to synthesize chemical Fe₂o₃ NPs. The synthesis of NPs was studied by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated with dilutions (10, 100, and 1000 µg/mL) on MCF-7 and HEK cells.
Results: X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy presented the mean of NPs synthesized by the green method to be about 15 nm and their shape to be spherical, as well as the average of chemically synthesized NPs to be about 20 nm with cubic structure. Chemical and green synthesized NPs only at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL were able to significantly reduce the survival rate of normal HEK-293 cells; chemically synthesized NPs decreased MCF-7 cell survival only at 1000 µg/mL and green synthesis at 100 µg/mL and 1000 µg/mL.
Conclusion: Generating Fe₂o₃ NPs is biologically safe using the green synthesis method and the cytoplasmic extract of L. casei, which may be a suitable candidate for the treatment of cancer cells.