Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of natural antioxidant formula (blend of herbs: ginger root, cinnamon bark and raw almond fruit powder, rosemary leaf powder, and honey) on oxidative status, antioxidant enzyme activity, and relative heat shock protein (HSP-70) expression in recreational female athletes. Materials and Methods: Eighteen female participants trained for 4 weeks and randomly received either antioxidant formula (FormEX) (n = 8) or placebo (PlcEX) (n = 10) in a randomized controlled trial. Blood samples were obtained 1-h before, 1 h and 24 h postexercise to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidases (GPx), and HSP70 mRNA expression. Data analysis was performed using 2 (treatment = grouping factor) ×6 (time = within-factor) repeated measurements analysis of variance or generalized estimating equations (GEE) test. We used the independent t-test to evaluate any significant differences for real-time polymerase chain reaction data. Results: Antioxidant formula increased the relative HSP-70 mRNA expression more than Plc-EX group in all time points (P = 0.001). The time main effect was significant with regard to TAC and SOD concentrations (P = 0.001 and 0.002, respectively). However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups for TAC, SOD, and MDA (P = 0.25, 0.06, and 0.38, respectively). Neither the time main effect for MDA nor time and intervention interaction was not statistically significant for MDA, TAC, and SOD (P = 0.19, 0.13, and 0.10, respectively). GEE results for GPx showed that there were no significant differences between the groups (P = 0.11). Conclusion: The results presented herein revealed that natural antioxidant rich formula had variable effects on oxidative status. However, in contrast to many antioxidant supplements, this formulation increases the HSP-70 mRNA expression which might improve the antioxidant ability of cells in the long-term period and exercise-induced adaptation.

Background: Among patients with diabetic polyneuropathy, the status of folic acid, homocysteine, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) variations has been associated with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms. The objective of the present study is to assess B9 vitamin supplementation associated with MTHRF C677T polymorphism can be effective on NCS variations in patients. Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomly allocated to either intervention (1 mg of folic acid, n = 40) or placebo (n = 40) groups based on parallel group design. Blood samples were taken to determine the serum levels of folic acid and homocysteine. The NCS data were collected for the assessment of diabetic neuropathy. Genotyping was performed for C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene. Results: Four months after intervention, patients significantly observed change of serum folic acid and homocysteine levels based on C677T genotypes in the MTHFR gene. The amplitude of sensory peroneal nerve between intervention and placebo groups with CC genotype was significantly different (2.8 ± 1.6 vs. 1.9 ± 1.1). However, peak latency and amplitude of sensory sural nerve between CC (3.8 ± 1.8 vs. 4.0 ± 1.5 for peak latency and 3.5 ± 1.0 vs. 2.5 ± 1.0 for amplitude; and CT + TT genotypes (3.7 ± 1.7 vs. 3.9 ± 1.3 for peak latency and 3.2 ± 1.0 vs. 2.3 ± 1.1 for amplitude) were significant. Furthermore, significant difference for variables of motor tibial nerve and motor peroneal nerve amplitude was observed in different groups of MTHFR C677T genotypes (5.4 ± 2.9 vs. 4.6 ± 3.2 for onset-latency of tibial nerve between CC genotype; 4.8 ± 2.8 vs. 4.6 ± 3.2 for onset-latency of tibial nerve between CT + TT genotype; 0.6 ± 0.2 vs. 0.3 ± 0.1 for amplitude of tibial nerve between CC genotype; 0.5 ± 0.3 vs. 0.3 ± 0.2 for amplitude of tibial nerve between CT + TT genotype; 26.0 ± 13.3 vs. 23.2 ± 13.4 for velocity of tibial nerve between CC genotype; 26.0 ± 13.7 vs. 23.1 ± 9.6 for velocity of tibial nerve between CT + TT genotype; 1.6 ± 1.0 vs. 0.9 ± 0.7 for amplitude of peroneal nerve between CC genotype; 1.4 ± 0.7 vs. 0.9 ± 0.5 for amplitude of peroneal nerve between CT + TT genotype). Conclusion: The study determined that MTHFR C677T polymorphism effects the efficacy of folic acid supplementation on serum folic acid, homocysteine levels and some NCS parameters in diabetic polyneuropathy patients.

Background: Physical training signals cardiac hypertrophy through PI3K as an upstream and Hand2 gene as a downstream agent. The present study aimed to find the role of PI3K and Hand2 gene in myocardial hypertrophy following interval and endurance training (ET). Materials and Methods: Twenty-four adult Wistar male rats (210–250 g) randomly divided into control, sham, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and ET group. Swimming time in ET increased incrementally 30–75 min, whereas in HIIT, load/body weight, and time/rest ratio increased within 12 weeks. Heart morphometry, including left ventricle end systolic (LVESV) and Diastolic (LVEDV) volume, LV posterior wall (LVPW), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), fraction shortening (%FS), pure heart weight (HW) and left ventricle weight (LVW), and PI3K and Hand2 gene expression were measured. Results: HW and LVW were significantly more than control after ET (P < 0.05) and HIIT (P < 0.05). Both of the training groups demonstrated significantly thicker LVPW (P < 0.05), SV (P < 0.05), and %FS (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PI3K concentration and Hand2 expression significantly increased in ET (P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively) and HIIT (P < 0.05; P < 0.001, respectively) compared to control. Conclusion: It can be concluded that this training protocol caused physiological hypertrophy in both of ET and HIIT groups, whereas HIIT can be more beneficial because of shorter training time.

Background: Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy extends life for persons living with HIV. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has been rapidly expanding coverage around the world, including in Iran. However, ART drug resistance also rapidly develops with expanding use and limits effectiveness and treatment options. The aim of this study was to monitor the appearance of new mutations conferring HIV pretreatment drug resistance in the treatment of naïve patients with HIV in Iran. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained from ARV treatment-naïve patients from 8 different provinces in Iran in 2016 for genotyping for drug resistance mutations. Results: Sequences were successfully obtained from 90 specimens. Of these, 2 (2%) mutations conferring resistance to protease inhibitors, 2 (3%) conferring resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and 9 (13%) conferring resistance to non-NRTI (NNRTI) were detected. Any ARV-resistant drug mutation was found in 11 patients (12%). Conclusion: Nearly one in 8 ARV-naïve patients had mutations associated with NNRTI resistance in diverse areas of Iran in 2016. Iranian ARV therapy guideline for HIV could consider non-NNRTI-based first-line therapies and expand routine drug resistance testing before treatment initiation as according to HIV drug resistance recommendations of the World Health Organization.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common diagnosed female cancer. Breast cancer is also the leading cause of cancer death in females accounting for 13.7% of female cancer-related mortality globally. Variable known prognostic factors such as histological tumor type, tumor size, nodal status, grade, age, and estrogen receptor (ER) status and the proliferation marker – Ki-67 influence the type of treatment decision. The purpose of this present study is to investigate the association between Ki-67 expression with several clinicopathological variables and patients' outcome. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study from September 2008 to March 2017; 165 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were enrolled in the study. Ki67 levels were measured using immunohistochemistry and compared with clinicopathological variables. The relation of Ki67 expression with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was also analyzed. Results: The result of this study revealed that age, tumor size, menopausal status, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status had no effect on the patients' outcome. Patients with ER-positive, progesterone receptor (PR)-positive, and HER2-negative tumors expressed a higher rate of Ki-67 (>10%) than patients with ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-positive tumors, respectively. However, we found that Ki-67 levels were not significantly increased statistically with ER, PR, and HER2 statuses. There was a statistically significant correlation between Ki-67 expression and with higher stages of the disease. Multivariate analysis showed that Ki-67 expression could not to be an independent prognostic factor for 5-year OS and DFS. Furthermore, p53 status was only prognostic factor for 5-year OS whereas higher stages of disease and p53 status were prognostic factors for 5-year DFS. Conclusion: Ki67 could not be an independent variable for prediction of breast cancer outcome.