Changes in the muscle strength and functional performance of healthy women with aging

Background

Lower limbs antigravity muscles weakness and decreased functional ability have significant role in falling. The aim of this study was to find the effects of aging on muscle strength and functional ability, determining the range of decreasing strength and functional ability and relationship between them in healthy women.

Methods

Across-section study was performed on 101 healthy women aged 21-80 years. The participants were divided into six age groups. The maximum isometric strength of four muscle groups was measured using a hand-held dynamometer bilaterally. The functional ability was measured with functional reach (FR), timed get up and go (TGUG), single leg stance (SLS), and stairs walking (SW) tests.

Results

Muscle strength changes were not significant between 21-40 years of age, but decreased significantly thereafter. Also, there was a significant relationship between muscle strength and functional ability in age groups.

Conclusion

Both muscle strength and functional ability is reduced as a result of aging, but the decrease in functional ability can be detected earlier.     

Association of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene A1166C polymorphism with the presence of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome in patients with documented coronary artery disease

Background

There are relatively limited data available on the genetic susceptibility to diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome in the Iranian population. We have therefore investigated the association between the angiotensin II type I receptor gene polymorphism (AT₁R/A1166C) and the presence of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome in a well defined group of patients.

Methods

Patients with angiographically defined coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 309) were evaluated for the presence of AT₁R/A1166C polymorphism. These patients were classified into subgroups with (n = 164, M/F: 109/55) and without (n = 145, M/F: 84/61) diabetes mellitus. The AT₁R polymorphism was assessed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) based method.

Results

There was a higher frequency of polymorphic genotypes (AC + CC) in the diabetic compared with the non-diabetic group (p = 0.01). When determined for each gender separately, this difference remained significant in the males (p = 0.04) but not in females (p = 0.09). With regard to the allele frequencies, the C allele was significantly higher and the A allele frequency was lower in the diabetic group (p = 0.01). This remained significant after gender segregation for males (p = 0.01) but not females. In the binary logistic regression analysis, only serum fasting glucose was found as the independent predictor for the presence of diabetes in the CAD patients (β = 1.16, p < 0.001 for total population and β = 1.29, p < 0.001 for male subjects). There was no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies between subgroups with and without metabolic syndrome, this being unaffected by gender or the definition of metabolic syndrome used apart from a significantly lower frequency of C allele in male subjects with metabolic syndrome defined by the NCEP ATP III criteria (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

The AT₁R/A1166C polymorphism may be associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus in male subjects with documented CAD.     

Pain-relieving effects of Lawsonia inermis on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury

The aim of this study was to determine the role of Lawsonia inermis (L. inermis) extract in the chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain. Following CCI surgery, L. inermis extract (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) and gabapentin (100 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally for 14 consecutive days. Heat hyperalgesia and allodynia were assessed by radiant heat, aceton drop, and von frey filament tests, respectively. Rat pain behaviors were evaluated on -1sh, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 14th days post CCI surgery. At the end of the study, the spinal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol, IL1-β, and TNF-α were estimated. Treatment of L. inermis extract reversed the decreased level of thiol and the elevation of MDA level in the spinal cord of CCI rats. Besides, L. inermis extract treatment decreased the elevation of inflammatory markers including IL1-β, and TNF-α in the spinal cord of CCI rats. These results indicated that L. inermis has potential neuroprotective effects against CCI induced neuropathic pain due to its anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.

     

Footbath as a safe,simple, and non-pharmacological method to improve sleep quality of menopausal women

Due to the adverse effects of medication we decided to provide a safe, economic, and easy intervention to decrease sleep problems in menopausal women. This trial aimed to determine the effect of footbath on sleep disturbance in postmenopausal women. One hundred menopausal women were randomly stratified using a permuted block randomization procedure by Random Allocation Software, and assigned to one of two study groups: control (without intervention, n = 50) and intervention (footbath, n = 50). The footbath group was asked to lie their feet into the warm water for 20 min in a container with a depth of 10 cm one hour before the usual sleeping time for 6 weeks. To assess sleep quality, we used the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). To evaluate severity of menopause symptoms, the Greene scale was applied. Before the intervention, 96% of the subjects in the footbath group and 94% in the control group were poor sleepers. The results of analysis of covariance showed significant improvement in sleep quality and decrease in severity of menopause signs in the footbath group compared to the control group. At the baseline, there was a statistically significant correlation between the severity of menopause signs and the global score of PSQI in all study individuals (p ≤ .001, r = .464). The present study findings showed that footbath intervention enhanced sleep quality in menopausal women. Thus, footbath as a safe, simple, and non-pharmacological application can improve quality of life in postmenopausal women and inhibit problems due to inadequate sleep quality.     

Spotlight on 17‐AAG as an Hsp90 inhibitor for molecular targeted cancer treatment

Hsp90 is a ubiquitous chaperone with important roles in the organization and maturation of client proteins that are involved in the progression and survival of cancer cells. Multiple oncogenic pathways can be affected by inhibition of Hsp90 function through degradation of its client proteins. That makes Hsp90 a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. 17‐allylamino‐17‐demethoxy‐geldanamycin (17‐AAG) is a potent Hsp90 inhibitor that binds to Hsp90 and inhibits its chaperoning function, which results in the degradation of Hsp90's client proteins. There have been several preclinical studies of 17‐AAG as a single agent or in combination with other anticancer agents for a wide range of human cancers. Data from various phases of clinical trials show that 17‐AAG can be given safely at biologically active dosages with mild toxicity. Even though 17‐AAG has suitable pharmacological potency, its low water solubility and high hepatotoxicity could significantly restrict its clinical use. Nanomaterials‐based drug delivery carriers may overcome these drawbacks. In this paper, we review preclinical and clinical research on 17‐AAG as a single agent and in combination with other anticancer agents. In addition, we highlight the potential of using nanocarriers and nanocombination therapy to improve therapeutic effects of 17‐AAG.     

Malondialdehyde-Modified LDL IgG Antibody Levels and Indices of Cardiac Function in Valvular Heart and Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Objective

To compare the changes in anti-malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) IgG levels among patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valvuloplasty.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 38, 39 and 34 patients who underwent off-pump CABG, on-pump CABG and valvuloplasty, respectively, were enrolled in this study. Serum anti-MDA-LDL IgG values were measured 24 h before and after the operative procedures and at discharge. Echocardiography was also done before surgery and before discharge. The results were compared with values from 50 healthy controls.

Results

In all patients, a reduction in antibody titers was observed post-operatively. However, the decrease was significant only in the off-pump CABG–before surgery: 42.33 (25.83–58.51), after surgery: 30.86 (16.36–51.33) and at discharge: 10.96 (6.82–23.57; p = 0.027). There was a significant positive association between anti-MDA-LDL IgG levels and ejection fraction (r = 0.248, p = 0.036) and a negative association with E/E'', a marker of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, in the coronary patients (r = −0.345, p = 0.012), but no significant associations were found in patients with valvular heart disease.

Conclusions

Serum anti-MDA-LDL IgG levels were associated with cardiac function indices in coronary patients undergoing CABG.Key Words: Anti-malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein, Valvular heart disease, Coronary artery bypass grafting, Cardiac function     

Probiotic bacteria alleviate chlorpyrifos-induced rat testicular and renal toxicity: A possible mechanism based on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) has caused many potential toxicities in nontarget organisms. Fewer studies have been conducted on the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in mitigating tissue damage induced by CPF in vivo. Therefore, we investigated CPF renal and testicular toxicity and the alleviating effect of probiotic lactobacilli, based on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, on induced toxicity in an animal model. Biochemical assays showed that CPF induced oxidative stress along with a change in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity in a tissue-dependent manner. After treatment with CPF, testicular and renal levels of TNF-α were significantly reduced and enhanced, respectively, compared to the control group. The probiotic treatment restored renal and testicular TNF-α levels and modulated and blocked the increasing effect of CPF on renal IL-1β levels. Testicular IL-1β levels in the probiotic-treated and CPF groups demonstrated similar values. Exposure to CPF significantly induced renal histopathological damage that, of course, was completely inhibited by treatment with Lactobacillus casei and the LAB mixture. In summary, CPF showed significant toxicological effects on oxidative stress and the inflammation rate in CPF-exposed rats. Therefore, supplementation with probiotic bacteria may alleviate CPF renal toxicity and mitigate its oxidative stress and inflammation effects.