Effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Astragalus Longistylus on growth and proliferation of human dental pulp stem cells

Ebrahimi Maryam,Yaghoobi Mohammad Mehdi 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2021 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.21 No.1

Increasing stem cell proliferation and preventing their aging is a prerequisite for cell-based therapy. Astragalus Longistylushas been used as a medicinal plant for centuries and is widely dispersed in Iran. In this study, the effect of aqueous and metha-nolic extracts of A. Longistylus on the growth and proliferation of human dental pulp stem cells was investigated by MTT, BrdU and flow cytometry over 24 and 48 h. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was also measured by DPPH method. The expression of BTG1, CCND1, and HTERT genes were also analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results of the DPPH test showed that the aqueous and methanolic extracts at the concentration of 1000 μg/mL had 29.39% and 82.71% antioxidant activity, respectively. Both the aqueous and methanolic significantly increased the cell proliferation and DNA synthesis after 48 h as revealed by MTT and BrdU assay results. Cell cycle analysis showed that the cells arrested in the G1 phase upon treatment with both extracts after 24 h. However, after 48 h, the number of G1 cells was reduced while the number of cells in G2/M phase approached that of the control group. Meanwhile, expression of CCND1, TERT and BTG1 was reduced after 48 h by both extracts and increased following a 72 h treatment. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that the effect of the extracts on the cell proliferation was somewhat decreasing during 24 h and increasing after 48 h. These effects could be attributed to compounds such as flavonoids, polysaccharides, astragalosides, and calycosin.

Relationship between Exposure to Pesticides and Occurrence of Acute Leukemia in Iran

Maryam, Zakerinia,Sajad, Amirghofran,Maral, Namdari,Zahra, Lesan,Sima, Pooralimohamad,Zeinab, Attabac,Zahra, Mehravar,Fariba, Ebrahimi,Sezaneh, Haghpanah,Davood, Mehrabani Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.1

Background: One of the causes of acute leukemia can be exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides. This study determined the relationship between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of acute leukemia in Fars province, south of Iran. Materials and Methods: Between April 2011 and April 2013 in a case-control study conducted in Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz, Southern Iran; 314 subjects diagnosed with acute leukemia (94 pediatric cases and 220 adults) were enrolled to determine any correlation between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence. Controls (n=314) were matched by sex and age. Results: There was a history of exposure to pesticides among 85% of pediatric cases and 69% of their controls and 83% of adult cases and 75% of their controls while 87.5% of pediatric cases and 90% of adult cases reported exposure to intermediate and high doses of pesticides and among the controls, the exposure to low doses of pesticides was 70.5% and 65%, respectively. Exposure to indoor pesticides was seen among most of cases and controls. Being a farmer was at a significantly more increased risk of developing acute leukemia in comparison to other jobs, especially for their children. Conclusions: Exposure to pesticides was shown to be one of the most important causes of acute leukemia. It seems that there is a need to educate the people on public health importance of exposure to pesticides especially during school time to reduce the risk of malignancies during childhood.

Other Side of Breast Cancer: Factors Associated with Caregiver Burden

Maryam Vahidi,Nader Mahdavi,Elnaz Asghari,Hossein Ebrahimi,Jamal Eivazi Ziaei,Mina Hosseinzadeh,Hossein Namdar Areshtanab,Iraj Asvadi Kermani 한국간호과학회 2016 Asian Nursing Research Vol.10 No.3

Purpose: This study aimed to determine factors associated with caregiver burden among primary caregivers of women with breast cancer in Iran. Methods: This was a descriptive correlation study conducted in 2012 on 150 main caregivers of patients with breast cancer who came to the oncology clinic of Shahid Ghazi hospital in Tabriz, Iran. A questionnaire which included caregiving-related factors and the Zarit Burden Interview was used for data collection after its validity and reliability were determined. Data was analyzed using SPSS 13.0 software with descriptive and analytic statistics. The association between significant variables and the dependent variable with an observation of the effects of other variables was assessed using the multiple linear regression model. Results: The mean age of caregivers was 39.60 ± 13.80 years old, and 77 (51.3%) of them were men. The mean score of the Zarit Burden Interview was 30.55 ± 19.18. In the regression model, the mean score of activities of daily living, level of education, gender, and financial status were identified as the determining factors of the burden of caregivers. Conclusions: Primary caregivers need to be financially supported by the relevant organizations. Care skills training and providing palliative care seem helpful in reducing the pain and the burden of family caregivers for patients with breast cancer.

A Preliminary Study of the Objective Measurement of Compliance Rates for Semirigid Lumbar-Support Use in Patients with Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: How Important Is the Compliance Rate?

Maryam Hekmatfard,Mohammad Ali Sanjari,Nader Maroufi,Hassan Saeedi,Esmail Ebrahimi,Hamid Behtash 대한척추외과학회 2017 Asian Spine Journal Vol.11 No.5

Study Design: Clinical pilot study. Purpose: To objectively evaluate the compliance rate of lumbar-support use in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain, as well as to assess low back pain intensity, disability, and fear-avoidance beliefs. Overview of Literature: Wearing time is an important factor in the assessment of the efficacy of lumbar-support use in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Previous studies have measured lumbar-support wearing time based on subjective assessment, and these evaluations are not easily verifiable and are usually overestimated by subjects. Methods: Twelve subjects with chronic nonspecific low back pain who had been wearing semirigid lumbar supports for 6 weeks were evaluated. Compliance was objectively monitored using temperature sensors integrated into the semirigid lumbar supports. Subjects wore their lumbar supports for 8 hour/day on workdays and 3 hour/day on holidays during the first 3 weeks. During the next 3 weeks, subjects were gradually weaned off the lumbar supports. Pain intensity was measured using a numerical rating scale. The Oswestry disability index was used to assess the subjects’ disability. Fear-avoidance behavior was evaluated using a fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire. Results: The mean compliance rate of the subjects was 78.16%±13.9%. Pain intensity was significantly lower in patients with a higher compliance rate (p =0.001). Disability index and fear-avoidance beliefs (functional outcomes) significantly improved during the second 3-weeks period of the treatment (p <0.001, p =0.02, respectively). Conclusions: The compliance rate of patients wearing lumbar supports is a determining factor in chronic low back pain management. Wearing semirigid lumbar supports, as advised, was associated with decreased pain intensity, improved disability index scores, and improved fear-avoidance beliefs in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

Effects of immune system cells in GvHD and corresponding therapeutic strategies

Maryam Jadid Tavaf,Mahboobeh Ebrahimi Verkiani,Fateme Poorhoseini Hanzaii,Mina Soufi Zomorrod 대한혈액학회 2023 Blood Research Vol.58 No.1

Allogeneic tissue transplantation is one of the most effective treatments for several diseases and injuries, in particular, malignant and non-malignant hematological conditions. Following this procedure, transplanted tissue encounters various complications, one of the most serious being graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). The management of GvHD directly affects the success of transplantation and the survival rate of the patient; therefore, many studies have focused on GvHD prevention and control. This review briefly explains the transplantation process, causes of graft rejection, and importance of the human leukocyte antigen system. Initially, we address the pathophysiology and immunobiology of GvHD, the cells involved in this complication, the differences between chronic and acute GvHD, and the importance of graft-versus-leukemia. Interestingly, various types of immune cells are involved in GvHD pathogenesis. After explaining how these cells affect the GvHD process, we discuss the studies conducted to control and reduce GvHD symptoms.

Effect of Selenium Supplementation on Expression of SIRT1 and PGC-1α Genes in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: a Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

( Maryam Khazdouz ),( Naser Ebrahimi Daryani ),( Foroogh Alborzi ),( Mir Hadi Jazayeri ),( Farnaz Farsi ),( Motahareh Hasani ),( Javad Heshmati ),( Farzad Shidfar ) 한국임상영양학회 2020 Clinical Nutrition Research Vol.9 No.4

Selenium (Se) supplementation may decrease the severity of ulcerative colitis (UC) through the activation of genes responsible for immune modulation. The present research was aimed to assess the effect of Se supplementation on the expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in UC patients. In a double-blind randomized parallel clinical trial, 100 patients with mild-to-moderate active UC met inclusion criteria and divided into 2 groups of treatment (50 patients received selenomethionine [200 μg daily]) and placebo (50 patients received placebo [1 capsule daily]) for 10 weeks. The expression rates of SIRT1 and PGC-1α were examined in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) using the real-time polymerase chain reaction. There was no considerable difference in the mean of baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between groups. Also, there were no significant differences in total energy intake, macronutrients, and micronutrients between groups. The SIRT1 gene expression in the Se group was significantly increased compared to the placebo (p < 0.001). An increase in the expression of the PGC-1α gene in the Se group was not statistically significant. It seems that Se supplementation caused a significant decrease in the inflammatory response of the colon by a significant increase in the expression of the SIRT1 gene.

Evaluation of Levels of Knowledge about Etiology and Symptoms of Oral Cancer in Southern Iran

Tadbir, Azadeh Andisheh,Ebrahimi, Hooman,Pourshahidi, Sara,Zeraatkar, Maryam Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Background: Knowledge regarding risk factors and primary signs of oral cancer in the general population can help them to avoid risky behaviour and seek timely advice from a physician. The aim of this study was to survey adult knowledge about risk factors and signs of oral cancer in Shiraz Dental University. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study using an investigator-made questionnaire, 783 adults who were referred to Shiraz Dental University participated. Questionnaire data were analyzed by ANOVA and T-test. Results: The results showed that 32.3% of participants were aware of oral cancer and gained their knowledge from the media. The risk factors mentioned by these participants was as follows: sunlight 30.8%, hot and peppery food 40.7%, alcoholic drinks 47.4% and smoking 73.6% (there was significant relationship for drinking alcohol and gender, education and times of using dental service, p<0.05). They also mentioned the primary signs of oral cancer as follows: red patch without pain 27.8%, white patch without pain 13.5% and prolong scarring without pain 56.7% (there was significant relationship between these three signs and education and times of using dental service, p<0.05). The mean knowledge about the risk factors and signs of oral cancer were 1.94 from 5 with 1.14 standard deviation and 0.96 from 3 with 0.93 standard deviation. Conclusions: The observed low level of knowledge of people regarding both risk factors and signs of oral cancer emphasizes the need for more efforts to be made about the above mentioned issues by the media.

Serum Level of MMP-3 in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma - Lack of Association with Clinico-pathological Features

Tadbir, Azadeh Andisheh,Purshahidi, Sara,Ebrahimi, Hooman,Khademi, Bijan,Malekzadeh, Mahzad,Mardani, Maryam,Taghva, Masumeh,Sardari, Yasaman Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.9

Background: MMP-3 is a proteolytic enzyme of the matrix metalloproteinase family. Protein degradation which is their fundamental action regulates different activities of tumor cell such as their growth, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, angiogenesis as well as their resistance to the immune system. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine MMP-3 serum levels in patients with OSCC and investigate if they correlate with clinicopathological features. Method and materials: Using an ELISA kit, we assessed and compared the circulating levels of MMP-3 in blood serum of 45 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients with 45 healthy control samples. Results: The serum MMP-3 level in OSCC patients was significantly higher ($9.45{\pm}4.6$ ng/ml) than healthy controls ($5.9{\pm}3.6$ ng/ml, p<0.001), especially in females and in older patients. However, there was no apparent correlation in serum MMP-3 concentration with the clinico-pathological features such as tumor location, stage, tumor size, nodal status, distant metastasis, histological grade and smoking. Discussion: This result suggests that the measurement of serum MMP-3 concentration might be helpful to diagnose OSCC but not to predict prognosis.

Bioacoustics of Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

Azizi Farsani Payam,Sakenian Dehkordi Nader,Ebrahimi Rahim,Nemati Alireza,Taghizadeh Dehkordi Maryam 한국응용곤충학회 2024 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.27 No.1

Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the major destructive pests of grain products in hot and dry parts of the world. No information has been made available on the bioacoustic signals (BASs) of T. granarium. In this paper, the bioacoustic features of this insect have measured from larvae and adult males and females. No anechoic chamber was used in this study. The extracted features were compared to evaluate the ability of the acoustic method to determine larva or adult as well as their sex. Adult males and females and larvae T. granarium produced BASs with a length of 2–11, 2–52, and 2–30 ms with a maximum sound pressure level of 3, 36, and 17 dB, respectively. At least 60 % of all BASs were in the ranges of 2–12 impulses in larva and adult stages. The sum of the total BASs was different in larvae and adult stages. Adult males had the least number of BASs compared to adult females and larvae. Detection of the growth stage and determination of the sex of the adult T. granarium by acoustic method in the time domain depends on the feature extracted from BASs and number of their impulses. Furthermore, in the frequency domain, the most dominant frequency bands were in the range of 1–8 kHz. In this band, the most dominant frequency band was 3.5–4.5 and 1–1.7 kHz for adult males and larvae, respectively. The most dominant bands of 1–3 and 4–5 kHz were observed for adult females.