CYP1B1 mutation profile of Iranian primary congenital glaucoma patients and associated haplotypes

The mutation spectrum of CYP1B1 among 104 primary congenital glaucoma patients of the genetically heterogeneous Iranian population was investigated by sequencing. We also determined intragenic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotypes associated with the mutations and compared these with haplotypes of other populations. Finally, the frequency distribution of the haplotypes was compared among primary congenital glaucoma patients with and without CYP1B1 mutations and normal controls. Genotype classification of six high-frequency SNPs was performed using the PHASE 2.0 software. CYP1B1 mutations in the Iranian patients were very heterogeneous. Nineteen nonconservative mutations associated with disease, and 10 variations not associated with disease were identified. Ten mutations and three variations not associated with disease were novel. The 13 novel variations make a notable contribution to the approximately 70 known variations in the gene. CYP1B1 mutations were identified in 70% of the patients. The four most common mutations were G61E, R368H, R390H, and R469W, which together constituted 76.2% of the CYP1B1 mutated alleles found. Six unique core SNP haplotypes were identified, four of which were common to the patients with and without CYP1B1 mutations and controls studied. Three SNP blocks determined the haplotypes. Comparison of haplotypes with those of other populations suggests a common origin for many of the mutations.     

Effect of health on knowledge,self‐efficacy and health behaviours of women with urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections affecting about 40% of women in some points in their lives. UTI can cause serious potential consequences such as life‐threatening sepsis, if it is not treated by primary health care providers. Health behaviours play an important role in causing UTI. Self‐efficacy, as an important moderator of the relationship between knowledge and behaviour, is an important prerequisite for behaviour change. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of health education on knowledge, self‐efficacy and health behaviours of women with UTI. This is a quasi‐experimental study of the intervention and comparison groups, with pre‐test and post‐test design, conducted with 170 married women with UTI; referred to selected hospital laboratories in Tehran. The data collection tool was a self‐made questionnaire which was answered by both groups, prior to the intervention and 12 weeks thereafter. The intervention was performed on the intervention group samples. On the basis of the study results, after the intervention the average score of the knowledge (p = 0·002), self‐efficacy (p < 0·001) and health behaviours (p < 0·001) of the intervention group had significantly increased compared to the comparison group. The findings showed that health education was effective in promotion of the knowledge, self‐efficacy and health behaviours of women with UTI.     

Associated Factors of Self-Rated Mental Health Status in Southwestern Iran: Using SCAD Regression Model in a Population-Based Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between self-rated mental health (SRMH) and current health status of an Iranian population. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3400 individuals selected through random sampling in Shiraz, Iran between January 2014 and March 2015. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 19.0, and R.3.1.2 software was used for SCAD penalized logistic regression. The mean age of the participants was 38.5 (±?14.1 years). There were significant relationships between better SRMH and younger ages (p?<?0.001), and between better SRMH and better self-rated physical health (p?<?0.001). Individuals with poor SRMH were more likely to have signs and symptoms of medical diseases. SRMH, a component of self-rated health, was related to a variety of health problems in our study population. Therefore, paying attention to SRMH and mental well-being could be useful in making decision about implementation of preventive measures.     

A clinical study of efficacy of garlic extract versus cryotherapy in the treatment of male genital wart

Background/Objective

Genital warts are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) and usually have no promising cure. Garlic (Allium sativum) belongs to Liliaceae family, which has a long history of medicinal use. The garlic extract had antiviral and anticarcinogenic effects and can be effective on complete resolution of cutaneous wart. The aim of this clinical study was to compare the garlic extract effect with cryotherapy in the treatment of male genital wart.

Chronic ghrelin treatment reduced photophobia and anxiety‐like behaviors in nitroglycerin‐ induced migraine: role of pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide

Chronic migraine is a debilitating disorder that has a significant impact on patients and society. Nearly all migraineurs frequently reported light sensitivity during a headache attack. Pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) plays an important role in the activation of trigeminal system and migraine pain. To identify the effect of chronic ghrelin treatment on endogenous PACAP and associated symptoms of migraine, an experimental chronic migraine model was induced by intermittent intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of nitroglycerin (NTG). Photophobia and anxiety‐like behaviors were determined in the modified elevated plus maze on days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 and in the light/dark box on days 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Blood levels of PACAP and cortisol were assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent (ELISA) kits. Chronic injection of NTG evoked photophobia and anxiety‐like behaviors and treatment with ghrelin (150 μg/kg) for 11 days effectively attenuated photophobia and anxiety‐like behaviors in the both paradigms. We further found that NTG increased the blood levels of PACAP and cortisol, which was significantly reduced by ghrelin treatment. Additionally, staining with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) revealed that ghrelin reduced NTG‐induced increase in the number of satellite glial cells in the trigeminal ganglion. Furthermore, for the first time we showed that repeated administrations of NTG increased white blood cell (WBC) counts and mean platelet volume (MPV), and decreased platelet counts. These results indicated that ghrelin decreased migraine associated symptoms possibly through attenuating endogenous PACAP and cortisol levels. Therefore, ghrelin may hold therapeutic potentialities in managing the chronic migraine.     

Opiates and plasticity

Opiates are among the most powerful analgesics and pain-relieving agents. However, they are potentially extremely addictive thereby limiting their medical use, making them exceedingly susceptible to abuse and adding to the global drug problem. It is believed that positive memories associated with the pleasurable effects of opiates and negative memories associated with dysphoria during opiate withdrawal contribute to compulsive opiate-seeking behavior characterizing addiction. There is a vast amount of available data regarding the neuroadaptations in response to opiates during opiate tolerance, dependence and withdrawal that contribute to opiate addiction, yet it is still a major challenge to identify the neurobiological adaptations that underlie the hallmarks of opiate addiction such as compulsive drug use, and relapse to drug seeking. Since the discovery of synaptic plasticity as the cellular correlate of learning and memory, strong overlaps between neural and cellular substrates of learning and addiction have been recognized. Consequently, the current notion of addiction supports the idea that aberrant forms of drug-induced synaptic plasticity and learning in the brain drive addictive behaviors. Here we discuss current progress on some of the recently identified forms of synaptic plasticity at excitatory and inhibitory synapses in opioid-sensitive areas of the brain that are targeted by opiates and other addictive drugs. The neuroadaptations involved in opiate tolerance, dependence and withdrawal will be re-visited since they share many features with synaptic learning mechanisms.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Synaptic Plasticity and Addiction’.     

The glucocorticoid system is required for the voluntary exercise-induced enhancement of learning and memory in rats

Although it is well established that voluntary exercise can improve cognitive functions, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Glucocorticoids play an important role in learning and memory functions. This study addressed whether the glucocorticoid system would play a role in the exercise-induced enhancement of learning and memory. Intact rats or those that were either adrenalectomized or daily given the corticosterone-synthesis inhibitor metyrapone were allowed to freely exercise in a running wheel for 10 days. Control animals were kept sedentary for this period. After this period, they were trained and tested on a water-maze spatial task using three-trial per day for 5 consecutive days, succeeded by a probe trial two days later. Exercise increased plasma corticosterone levels, as assessed after this 10-day period. Both adrenalectomy and metyrapone slightly reduced running-wheel activity. Adrenalectomy reduced the plasma corticosterone levels to almost zero whereas metyrapone selectively blocked the exercise-induced increase in corticosterone levels. Exercise significantly improved performance during both training and retention of the water-maze task whereas this effect was absent in both adrenalectomized and metyrapone-treated rats. These findings indicate that the glucocorticoid system play a crucial role in the beneficial effects of voluntary exercise on cognitive functions in rats.