دکتر Durdi Qujeq

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Since many colon cancers present no significant clinical symptoms, identifying new biomarkers or a set of biological indicators significant for clinical trials is crucial for the early detection of CRC. This advancement also aids in establishing new objectives for interventional therapeutic strategies against the disease. Currently, research is exploring various proteins, glycoproteins, and cellular and humoral substances involved in cellular homeostasis mechanisms as potential cancer markers. This review examines the potential utility of fucosylation and sialylation processes, as well as sex hormones, as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. A comprehensive search was conducted in PUBMED, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar, supplemented by a manual search of relevant journals. The keywords were L-fucose, sialic acid, fucosyltransferase-4, galectin-3, and steroid hormones in CRCs.

It has been revealed that major depressive disorder (MDD)is a common and debilitating psychiatric disorder. Dysfunctional enzymes involved in neurotransmission glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), Glutamine synthetase (GS) and Asparagine synthetase (ASNS) may underlie the pathophysiology of MDD. The present project aimed to explore the effects of Ketamine on GDH, GS and ASNS in MDD patients. This study provides evidence of interactions between ketamine and GDH, ASNS and GS levels in patients with MDD.

Patients with MDD are referred to the psychiatric ward of Shaheed Yahyanejad Hospital for regular follow-up. Patients diagnosed with MDD were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), structured clinical interviews, as well as the severity of depression based on clinical criteria determined by a specialist physician. Serum samples from MDD patients before and after ketamine administration were taken to examine the changes in GDH, ASNS and GS levels. In this project, 29 patients with MDD therapy were evaluated with ketamine (0.75 mg/kg).

Our study showed that after administrating ketamine, the level of ASNS and Glutamate dehydrogenase GDH in patients with MDD was reduced compared to pre-treatment. However, the level of GS was increased compared to before treatment. The results show that ketamine occurs at the metabolism level in MDD patients. Also, our results demonstrated that GDH, ASNS, and GS levels can be measured to evaluate the effect of Ketamine on MDD patients.

Patient success has improved depression after two months of administrating ketamine. Marginally, more than 80% of patients diagnosed with MDD treated with ketamine showed complete remission. Current results may be helpful in understanding the mechanisms responsible for ketamine’s clinical efficacy.

Previous experiments have shown different responses of pancreas and liver cells to the culture medium. It has been revealed that the most important step in preserving primary pancreas and liver cells is selecting the appropriate supplements to support the viability and functionality of these cells.

Cultivation supplements were prepared by adding bilirubin, hemin, zinc protoporphyrin, glutathione, curcumin, and their combination in the pancreas and liver cell culture at a concentration of 1, 3, and 5 μM. Then, the survival rate and function of the pancreas and liver cells were evaluated. The function of pancreas cells was evaluated based on producing insulin and the function of liver cells was based on liver enzymes, including transaminases.

We found that bilirubin, hemin, zinc protoporphyrin, curcumin, glutathione, and their combination as supplements can dose-dependently maintain pancreas and liver cells viability and functionality proven by increasing insulin secretion levels and transaminase enzyme activity. The strength of effects is displayed in the following order: bilirubin > combination of all compounds > hemin > zinc protoporphyrin > curcumin > glutathione.

This study shows that these compounds are suitable supplements with special biochemical properties. They provide optimal supplements for the culture media of pancreas and liver cells. They may fulfill a function in the antioxidant protection of pancreas and liver cells.

Atorvastatin may alter glycemic traits and lipid profiles. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin on biochemical variables in patients with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes (borderline diabetes).

This study included 80 individuals divided intofive groups. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes used atorvastatin 20 mg/day for three months. After three months, variables such as serum fasting blood glucose (FBS), cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were measured to assess the status of diabetes and pre-diabetes condition. Linear regression was applied to determine the association between atorvastatin uses and alters of biochemical variables levels.

The serum FBS and HbA1c levels in patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes who use atorvastatin were significantly lower than in patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes who did not use atorvastatin (p=0.001). Serum cholesterol and LDL-C levels decreased in diabetic and pre-diabetic patients who used atorvastatin in comparison with diabetic and pre-diabetic patients who did not use atorvastatin (p=0.001). In patients with pre-diabetes, the use of atorvastatin slightly increased serum HDL-C levels. However, in patients with diabetes, the use of atorvastatin slightly decreased serum HDL-C level (p= 0.001). Diabetic and pre-diabetic patients who use atorvastatin significantly decreased serum triglyceride levels (p=0.016), while in diabetic and pre-diabetic patients, using atorvastatin slightly increased the serum insulin level (p= 0.003).

Atorvastatin using alters fat and sugar indices in diabetic and pre-diabetic patients.

Chondral defects are frequent and important causes of pain and disability. Cartilage has limited self-repair and regeneration capacity. The ideal approach for articular cartilage defects is the regeneration of hyaline cartilage with sustainable symptom-free constructs. Tissue engineering provides new strategies for the regeneration of functional cartilage tissue through optimized scaffolds with architectural, mechanical, and biochemical properties similar to the native cartilage tissue. In this review, the basic science of cartilage structure, interactions between proteins, stem cells, as well as biomaterials, scaffold characteristics and fabrication methods, as well as current and potential therapies in regenerative medicine will be discussed mostly from a biochemical point of view. Furthermore, the recent trends in scaffold-based therapies and supplementary factors in cartilage tissue engineering will be considered. Level of evidence: I

This article aimed to evaluate nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) markers in patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) and those with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and compare them with the control group.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common disturbances of the upper digestive tract. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed in esophageal adenocarcinoma. NO, the product of this enzyme, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of this condition. Nevertheless, the data on whether iNOS and NO are expressed in the early stages of GERD is conflicting.

In this study, tissue samples were obtained from fifty-four patients (27 with erosive esophagitis and 27 with non-erosive reflux disease) and 27 controls. Tissue concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, and iNOS were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunesorbent Assay (ELISA). The Bradford method was used to determine the protein concentration of samples. The results were analyzed by SPSS software (version 22.0). In multiple comparisons, the Tukey test was performed, and p < 0.05 was considered as the level of significance.

Results:

Tissue amounts of iNOS were significantly higher (p= 0.001) in EE patients compared with the control group. There was a significant difference (p= 0.01) in this factor between EE patients and patients with NERD. Moreover, tissue levels of nitrite and nitrate were significantly higher (p = 0.001) in patient groups compared with the control group.

It was observed that NO and iNOS protein were increased in human esophagitis tissue. The results indicated that nitric oxide and iNOS levels are useful and effective markers in the pathogenesis of GERD. While the results are not certain, it is thought that a link exists between the expressions of iNOS and disease progression.

 Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes tissue destruction due to the imbalance in the oxidant-antioxidant system. Melatonin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory properties and is considered to be a biomarker and diagnostic/therapeutic agent in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

 The present study aimed to evaluate the salivary melatonin level and its changes following non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with periodontitis.

 In total, 90 salivary samples were collected from 60 patients, including 30 from patients with moderate chronic periodontitis (before periodontal treatment), and 30 from the same patients one month after the non-surgical periodontal therapy, and 30 from periodontally healthy subjects (control). Salivary melatonin levels were measured using the competitive immunoassay of the human melatonin ELISA kit.

 The highest melatonin concentration was observed in the control group (79.55 ± 59.22; P < 0.05), while the lowest concentration was observed in the pre-treatment group (P < 0.05). In addition, salivary melatonin concentration in the post-treatment group (56.58 ± 46.48) was significantly higher compared to the pre-treatment group (17.25 ± 5.79; P < 0.05).

 According to the results, salivary melatonin levels improved after non-surgical periodontal therapy, which suggests the involvement of melatonin in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, the exact role of melatonin requires further investigation.

An effective marker search in glioblastoma is precious in controlling and detecting the progression and monitoring of patients with glioblastoma. In this regard, the present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic role of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein -2 (IGFBP-2), and chitinase-3-like protein -1 (YKL-40) tissue and plasma levels in patients with GBM.

A total of 22 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (the fourth grade of glioma) who had undergone surgery at the Erfan Hospital were included in the current study. The levels of GFAP, IGFBP-2 were evaluated in 22 tumor tissues, and non-timorous matched adjacent tissue samples of patients with glioblastoma using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . Besides, 22 healthy subjects with no history of glioblastoma served as controls for plasma samples. All analyses were evaluated using the SPSS version 22.0.

The tissue levels of GFAP, IGFBP-2, and YKL-40 were significantly higher in patients with glioblastoma when compared to the healthy controls (p=0.001). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in comparison to the healthy control group in the plasma samples.

Tissue levels of GFAP, IGFBP-2, and YKL-40 may be potential biomarkers for predicting and the progression in patients with glioblastoma.

 Colorectal cancer (CRC) has no significant clinical symptoms at the early stages, and the molecular differences in the serum of the patients and healthy subjects could be assessed to identify the biological markers that indicate the detection of this cancer at the levels of the biological system.

 The present study aimed to assess the concentrations of the alpha-(1, 3)-fucosyltransferase IV (FUT4) enzyme and copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) as biological elements.

 This case-control study was conducted on 40 patients with CRC, including 20 men and 20 women. A metal-free sterile tube was used to collect five milliliters of venous blood. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the Biotin double-antibody sandwich technology was used to measure the human FUT4 in the sera. In addition, plasma zinc and copper values were determined using Zist Chem Diagnostics kits.

 The mean FUT4 levels in the CRC patients was slightly higher than the control group (P = 0.17), and the mean serum copper and zinc levels of these patients were lower than the control group with a significance difference in this regard (P < 0.001). In addition, the AUC of FUT4, copper, and zinc was 0.58, 0.80, and 0.77, respectively.

 According to the results, the altered levels of FUT4, copper, and zinc in the serum of the CRC patients compared to the healthy controls could be an indicator associated with the CRC disease course. Furthermore, the unusual changes in the FUT4, copper, and zinc levels may signify CRC development, which plays a key role in the diagnosis and monitoring of this cancer.

 Lipids are usually crucial to develop tumors, and dyslipidemia is correlated with the high chance of colon and colorectal cancer (CRC). Steroid hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can decrease the risk of colorectal cancer development.

 The present study aimed to compare the serum levels of lipid profile and steroid hormones in patients with CRC and healthy controls.

 The present study included 40 consecutive adult patients with CRC in the Mazandaran Cancer Center, Sari, Iran, between 2017 and 2020.The diagnosis of CRC was evaluated based on colonoscopy with biopsy and CT scan. Also, the diagnosis of CRC was based on NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology. Blood samples were taken before treatment during routine testing. A 5 mL of peripheral blood was collected from each patient. All patients signed the written consent for the study. Also, a total of 40 healthy subjects were selected as healthy controls from the same area during a routine physical examination, which was also confirmed by screening colonoscopy and pathology. Serum TCh and TG levels were quantitatively determined by the colorimetric method. LDL-C and HDL-C were determined by the turbidimetric immunoassay. Steroid hormones were quantitatively determined by the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) according to the reagent manufacturer’s instruction. To analyze data, the SPSS software package (version 21) was applied.

 Among all the indicators studied, the (mean ± SD) of testosterone, FSH and LH levels was higher (1.85 ± 1.63 ng/mL, 15.35 ± 0.13 mIU/L, 12.42 ± 0.12.16mIU/mL) in patients with CRC than (mean ± SD) healthy controls (0.40 ± 0.21 ng/mL, 6.27 ± 0.50 mIU/mL, 2.89 ± 0.20 mIU/mL, P < 0.05), respectively. Also, the results in subgroups showed that the mean testosterone (0.91 ± 1.2 ng/L), FSH (19.11 ± 16 mIU/mL), LH (14.49 ± 14 mIU/mL) levels in the woman patients with CRC was higher than healthy female controls and had more statistical significance (P = 0.02, 0.00, 0.00), respectively. The area under the AUC cure of the testosterone, FSH, and LH indicates positive test (0.670, 0.726 and 0.775).

 Changes in the levels of steroid hormones and lipids could correlate with the elevated chance of CRC. Therefore, assessment of multiple markers might overcome and provide better judgment in patients with CRC.

Atorvastatin hinders cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol levels. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) enhances the secretion of insulin by binding to LDLreceptor. Sortilin is committed in the transfer of intracellular proteins through the plasma membrane.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of atorvastatin consumption on alterations in the levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA-R), PCSK9 and sortilin in diabetic patients and pre-diabetics. Patients and

This study was carried out on 80 individuals including normal subjects, diabetic patients and pre-diabetics. The participated individuals were divided as control group (i) (healthy individuals without diabetes mellitus), diabetic group receiving statin (ii), diabetic group not receiving statin (iii), pre-diabetic group receiving statin (iv) and pre-diabetic group not receiving statin (v). Levels of HMG-COA-R, PCSK9 and sortilin were determined by ELISA method.

In diabetics and pre-diabetics taking atorvastatin, the level of HMG-COA-R was not altered significantly compared to diabetics and pre-diabetics not taking atorvastatin, respectively (P> 0.05). The serum PCSK9 level in diabetics and pre-diabetics was significantly higher than the healthy individuals (P= 0.001). Additionally, the serum PCSK9 level in diabetics and pre-diabetics receiving atorvastatin was significantly higher than diabetics and pre-diabetics not receiving atorvastatin, respectively (P=0.001). The serum sortilin level in diabetics and pre-diabetics was significantly higher than the healthy individuals (P=0.001). In addition, the serum sortilin level in pre-diabetics receiving atorvastatin was significantly higher than pre-diabetics not receiving atorvastatin (P=0.001).

Atorvastatin improved insulin secretion and sensitivity by increasing serum sortilin and PCSK9 levels. Thereby, it prevented the development of diabetes in diabetics and the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes in pre-diabetics.

Currently, glycans, which are known as functional molecules in the biological system, are being under study as potential cancer markers. This study aimed to determine the level of serum L-fucose and sialic acid as the biomarkers in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

The patients with CRC (n=40, 20 men and 20 women) participated in the present study. The spectrophotometric method was used to measure the levels of L-fucose and sialic acid in the serum of the patients. SPSS (version 21) was used to analyze the obtained data. The results were expressed as mean ± SD.

The mean ± SD L-fucose level in patients with CRC was 27.46 ± 4.8 ng/mL, which was more than this level in the healthy control group (18.64±3.1 ng/mL). Also, the mean ± SD serum concentration of sialic acid in patients with CRC was 2.1 ± 0.41 ng/mL, which was more than the mean ± SD sialic acid level of 1.23±0.21 ng/mL in the healthy controls.

Serum concentration of L-fucose and sialic acid increased significantly (P < 0.05) in patients with CRC compared with the healthy controls. We believe that determining serum L-fucose and sialic acid levels could be useful for the detection of CRC patients in the early stage.

Investigation of anti-cancer agents with desirable selective toxicity is critical for cancer therapy. The use of natural adjuvants can be a promising option in reducing the toxicity of the anti-cancer agent. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential application of melatonin (MLT) as a natural adjuvant molecule along with doxorubicin (DOX) to induce cytotoxicity in osteosarcoma (OS) cells.

Human OS cell lines included Saos-2, MG-63, and Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hBM-MSCs) were treated with free DOX, free MLT, DOX-loaded NPs (DOX-NPs), MLT-loaded NPs (MLT-NPs), combination of DOX and MLT (DOX-MLT) and combination of DOX and MLT-loaded NPs (DOX-MLT-NPs) in separated cell culture. Cell proliferation of experiments were evaluated by MTT assay after 24 h. Total protein levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay ELISA.

Herein, we found the combination of MLT with DOX, especially formulated in nanoform, is resulted in a significant reduction in the protein levels of both X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis (XIAP) and Survivin (p<0.0001). Indeed, there was a significant decrease in the expression of XIAP and Survivin when MLT is combined with DOX compared to the individual treatments.

Our findings indicated the synergism of the antitumor effect could be due to the down-regulation of XIAP and Survivin in the levels of protein.

Currently, no potent tools are available to differentiate diagnose between patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients (NDPCa) based on increased serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as the value may increase in both conditions. Therefore, finding new biomarkers is considered to be a major issue in this regard.

The present study aimed to differentiate BPH and NDPCa patients and evaluate serum and urine sarcosine levels as reliable markers.

This study was conducted on 67 patients with NDPCa and BPH and healthy controls. PSA evaluation was performed on all the patients, and the serum and urine levels of sarcosine were measured using the ELISA assay. In addition, the serum and urine sarcosine levels were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

The mean serum and urine sarcosine levels in the healthy controls were 3.0 ± 2.0 and 6.0 ± 2.0 ng/mL, respectively, while they were 9.0 ± 1.0 and 8.0 ± 1.0 ng/mL in the patients with BPH, respectively. The serum and urine sarcosine levels in the patients with NDPCa were 21.02 ± 2.0 and 15.0 ± 2.0 ng/mL, respectively. Significant differences were observed in the serum and urine sarcosine between the patients with BPH and NDPCa (P < 0.001). In addition, the serum sarcosine content increased in the patients with NDPCa and BPH compared to the healthy controls. The serum and urine levels of sarcosine had the following order: healthy controls < patients with BPH<patients with NDPCa.

According to the results, the serum and urine sarcosine contents might provide beneficial evidence for PCA diagnosis, while differentiating the patients with BPH and NDPCa. Furthermore, sarcosine levels may be valuable markers for PCA with clinical significance compared to PSA

There is now an increasing body of evidence that survivin is a protein, expressed highly in breast cancer. The signaling interaction of protein survivin in breast cancer is still unclear, but physiological regulation of survivin seems to be linked to the breast cancer occurrence and severity of it.

Serum samples were obtained from April 2015 to November 2017 out of women enrolled in a group undergoing annual breast cancer testing. Routine blood samples were analyzed at the Biochemical Laboratory of Rouhani Babol University Hospital .

Serum levels of survivin in patients with breast cancer group increased compared to the healthy controls [207.520±110.284 (mean±SD) vs. 126.212±53.130, ng/L, p<0.001]. Also, we detected a positive correlation between elevated serum survivin level and clinical characteristics of patients with breast cancer.

Serum survivin measurement was shown to discriminate patients with breast cancer from healthy controls. However, further studies are needed to confirm this role and its benefits.

In the recent years, the considerable interest in survivin has significantly increased, because of its possible detection role in esophageal cancer.

Twenty eight patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer and thirty three healthy controls were assessed for the purpose of the study. From March 2015 until September 2017, the subjects who had esophageal cancer were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were from subjects enrolled in a prospective cohort undergoing annual esophageal cancer testing. The concentrations of serum survivin were determined using Elisa method.

Serum levels of survivin in the esophageal patient group increased compared to the healthy controls [164.06±55.03 (mean±SD) vs. 119.37±48.25, ng/L, P<0.04].Elevated serum survivin had positive correlation with clinical parameters.

The positive association between elevated serum survivin and esophageal cancer status could be due to the fact that this protein involves in the development of esophageal cancer. Determination of serum survivin could differentiate normal and esophageal cancer subjects and lead to lower numbers of excessive esophageal biopsies.

Irisin is a myokine that regulates energy metabolism by inducing browning of adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between irisin level and biochemical parameters of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in stage 2 and stage 4.
The research was a cross-sectional study; the study population included patients with CKD who were over 18 years of age, included 90 individuals with CKD, of these participants, 45 were in the second stage of the CKD while the other 45 subjects were in the fourth stage. Serum irisin concentration plus the level of glucose (Glu), urea, creatinine (Cr) and hemoglobin (Hb) were measured.
In the present study, the serum irisin level of patients in stage 4 was significantly reduced (13.00 ng / ml) compared with patients in stage 2(21.41 ng / ml).
With the progression of CKD from stage 2 to stage 4, parameters such as serum Cr, TG, LDL, FBS, BUN and urea levels significantly increased. Inversely, factors such as irisin, GFR, Alb, HDL and Hb levels significantly decreased. These findings suggest that irisin may be involved in the regulation of biochemical factor levels in CKD patients through the progression from stage 2 to stage 4.

Iron overload is one of the medical problems in some diseases. Recent reports have indicated a need for iron chelator. In this study, the possible iron chelating properties of aqueous extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle on total iron binding capacity, iron and ferritin levels in iron overloaded rats were investigated.

Fresh A.graveolens and Urtica dioica leaves and milk thistle seeds were obtained from the local market. Fortyeight male rats were randomly divided into six groups: negative control (normal), positive control (iron overload) and groups treated with deferoxamine (DFO), aqueous extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle. Iron dextran was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 50mg/kg body weight/day to establish the iron overload for twelve weeks. Normal group rats received normal saline, while the rats of the treated groups received (orally) aqueous extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and Milk thistle and DFO daily for eight weeks. Changes in biochemical factors were measured at the end of the experiment.

After twelve weeks of iron dextran treatment, we found a significant increase in iron and ferritin levels and a decrease in total iron binding capacity (TIBC) level compared to normal group (229.0±5.85, 181.22±5.53 and 200.54 ±1.51 vs. 131.90±6.85, 50.25 ±4.01 and 291.71, respectively). After eight weeks of treatment with extracts and DFO, there was significant reduction in serum iron level of extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle and DFO treated groups compared to iron overloaded group (185.81±3.5, 180.88±2.73, 200.6±2.44, 176.48 ±2.29 vs. 229.0±85.5). Also, there was a significant increase in serum TIBC level in the extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle and DFO treated groups compared to iron‑overloaded rats (218.62±2.44, 226.74±2.71, 211.06±1.86, 231.57 ±2.05 vs. 200.54±1.51, respectively). Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in serum ferritin level in the extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle and DFO treated groups compared to iron‑overloaded rats (130.49±4.24, 121.96±4.31, 140.63±3.82, 112.87 ±4.60 vs.181.22±5.53). So after eight weeks treatment with aqueous extracts of A.graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle, we found a significant reduction in iron and ferritin and an increase in TIBC level. These effects indicated the following hierarchy: Urticadioica >Anethum graveolens > milk thistle.

Anethum graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle extracts may be a potential herbal plant to reduce liver damage caused by iron overload. These results indicated that Anethum graveolens, Urtica dioica and milk thistle extracts can preserve liver function.

Here, we evaluated the role of (iNOS) as a blood-based biomarker of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the intestinal epithelial cells has been closely associated with the initiation and maintenance of intestinal inflammation in IBD. In a case-control design, 59 IBD patients and 30 healthy control subjects were participated in this study. A total of 10 ml blood sample was taken from each participant. Blood leukocytes were isolated and iNOS mRNA expression level was evaluated in the isolated leukocytes using relative quantitative Real-time PCR. The patients’ population included 40 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 19 Crohn's disease (CD) patients. The flare and remission phase of disease were seen in 43 and 16 patients, respectively. The mean iNOS mRNA expression was not significantly different between the IBD patients and healthy controls (p=0.056). The mean iNOS mRNA expression was significantly higher in the flare phase of the disease compared to the remission phase (p=0.039). No significant difference was observed between the mean iNOS mRNA expression in the blood leukocytes of UC and CD patients (p=0.82). iNOS is differently expressed in the blood leukocytes of active vs. inactive IBD disease. Thus, it could be potentially used as a non-invasive blood-based biomarker of IBD.

Kisspeptin refers to peptides involved in appetite regulation and responds to energy-decaying agents. The aim of the current study was to survey brain response of kisspeptin and glycogen at different times to acute aerobic exercise with and without glucose solution consumption in male rats. Eighty adult male Wistar rats, after 2 weeks of familiarization with the laboratory space and treadmill, performed aerobic exercise training for 4 weeks followed by rest for 1 week. Then, based on the weight, they were divided into eight groups: 1, pre-exercise (PE, n = 10); 2, immediately after exercise (IAE, n = 10); 3, 24 hours after exercise-saline (24HAES, n = 10); 4, 24 hours after exercise-glucose (24HAEG, n = 10); 5, 48 hours after exercise-saline (48HAES, n = 10); 6, 48 hours after exercise-glucose (48HAEG, n = 10); 7, 72 hours after exercise-saline (72HAES, n = 10); 8, 72 hours after exercise-glucose (72HAEG, n = 10). Each exercise session of the rats included running on the treadmill for 90 minutes with a speed of 25 m/min with the slope of zero degrees. Glucose and saline solutions were given to the glucose and saline groups immediately after training. The rats were sacrificed after 3 hours of fasting, and the brain tissue was separated for analysis. No significant difference in brain kisspeptin was seen with time, between groups, and for interaction between time and group (P > 0.05). Tissue glycogen analyses showed significant changes between the groups (P < 0.001). The results of this study showed that brain kisspeptin did not respond to stress and disruption of energy balance and did not relate to the reduction of tissue glycogen in the brain.

Many studies have shown a relationship between serum level of trace elements and risk of stroke, but the exact mechanism of this relationship is not clear. The purpose of this study was to measure changes of serum magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc levels in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients to evaluate their potential diagnostic utility.
Overall, 53 healthy individuals (30 men, 32 women) and 53 ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients (30 men, 23 women) who were admitted to the Rouhani Hospital in Babol (Iran) were enrolled in the study within 24 hours after stroke onset. Diagnosis was made based on medical history and physical examination by a neurologist. After blood sampling, serum copper was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and zinc, magnesium and iron levels were assessed by spectrophotometry. Data analysis was performed in SPSS (version 21) using independent sample t-test and chi-square test.
Serum concentrations of copper was significantly higher in the patients (58.8 ±14.7 mg/dL) compared with the controls (45.7 ±10.0 mg/dL). Serum concentrations of zinc was significantly higher in the patients (113.2 ±17.3 mg/dL) compared with the controls (95.60 ±12.80 mg/dl). Moreover, serum concentrations of iron was significantly higher in the patients (148.5 ±30.4 mg/dL) compared with the controls (74.22 ±33.3 mg/dL). However, the patients (1.4 ±0.8 mEq/L) had significantly lower level of magnesium level compared to the controls (2.1 ±0.3 mEq/L).
Our results suggest that evaluation of serum magnesium, iron, copper and zinc levels in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients may be useful for the prediction and diagnosis of stroke status.

This study aimed at evaluating oxidant and antioxidant markers (including nitrite, nitrate, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), iron, selenium, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and compare them with healthy controls.
Serum samples were obtained from 35 patients (19 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 16 Crohn’s disease (CD) in the active phase of the disease) and 30 healthy controls. Serum levels of nitrite and nitrate, TAC, MDA, iron, selenium, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were measured. The results were compared between the two groups using independent t-student test. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient (for continuous data) was performed using the SPSS software.
Serum levels of nitrite, nitrate, and MDA were significantly higher (P = 0.001) in patients with IBD, while the levels of TAC, trace elements, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and Glutathione Reductase (GR) levels were lower (P There is an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant properties in patients with IBD, which highlights the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Earthworms possess antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, and hemolytic properties. To recognize the molecules responsible for various biological activities of earthworm’s coelomic fluid, a detailed knowledge about its protein contents is required. The aim of this study was to characterize the proteins present within the coelomic fluid of Eisenia foetida earthworm. Polyacrylamide-gel-electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) were carried out. Several proteins with molecular masses varying from 10 to 150 kDa were further separated from the coelomic fluid of Eisenia Foetida. The biological activities of the coelomic fluid could be mediated by these proteins.