BackgroundRecent studies shows that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy exerts some protective effects against neural injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the neuroprotective effects of HBO following sciatic nerve transection (SNT).MethodsRats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 14 per group): Sham-operated (SH) group, SH + HBO group, SNT group, and SNT + pre- and SNT + post-HBO groups (100% oxygen at 2.0 atm absolute, 60 min/day for five consecutive days beginning on 1 day before and immediately after nerve transaction, respectively). Spinal cord segments of the sciatic nerve and related dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) were removed 4 weeks after nerve transection for biochemical assessment of malodialdehyde (MDA) levels in spinal cord, biochemical assessment of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalse (CAT) activities in spinal cord, immunohistochemistry of caspase-3, cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2), S100beta (S100ß), and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) in spinal cord and DRG.ResultsThe results revealed that MDA levels were significantly decreased in the SNT + pre-HBO group, while SOD and CAT activities were significantly increased in SNT + pre- and SNT + post-HBO treated rats. Attenuated caspase-3 and COX-2 expression, and TUNEL reaction could be significantly detected in the HBO-treated rats after nerve transection. Also, HBO significantly increased S100ß expression.ConclusionsBased on these results, we can conclude that pre- and post-HBO therapy had neuroprotective effects against sciatic nerve transection-induced degeneration.

We propose that EGCG may be effective in the protection of neuronal cells against retrograde apoptosis and may enhance neuronal survival time following nerve transection.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes is one of the most common diseases and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that regular exercise can affect apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high-intensity interval training on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax as important apoptosis factors in diabetic rats. Methods: After inducing diabetes in 20 male Wistar rats (weighing 250 ± 1.15 g), the rats were randomly divided into a control group and a training group. The training group performed high-intensity interval training five days a week for four weeks, and the control group did not perform any training. After the intervention, RNA was extracted and TCF mRNA was subjected to real time RT-PCR for measuring Bax and Bcl-2 expression in the heart tissue of diabetic rats. Data were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics V22 using independent t-test. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: The expression of Bcl-2 increased significantly and the expression of Bax decreased significantly after the four-week training intervention. Conclusion: The high-intensity interval training can have beneficial effects on the expression of apoptotic genes in rats with type 2 diabetes.

This study was carried out with the aim of investigating the relationship between personality traits and situational anxiety about marriage in young people at the age of marriage. Correlational- descriptive research design used for this study. 50 young adults between 19 and 35 years residing in Tehran, after receiving information about research goals and giving their consent to participation, completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and situational anxiety questionnaire. Multiple correlation and multiple regression matrices used for analyzing the obtained data. The results indicated a positive correlation between situational anxiety and neuroticism (N), and a significant negative relationship between situational anxiety and extraversion (E), openness (O), agreeableness (A), and conscientiousness (C). Thus, the personality traits (OCEAN) were able to predict situational anxiety in young people at the age of marriage. Keywords: personality traits, situational anxiety, marriage

Abstract This study conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-concept as well as educational achievement of Tehran students. Descriptive correlational research used as a research design. Selected samples, after receiving information about research goals and giving their consent to participation, collaborated with the researcher. First, using multi-stage cluster sampling, districts 1, 4, and 17 were selected among 22 districts of Tehran randomly. Then, two high schools (one girls' high school and one boy’s high school) were chosen from each of districts. 200 students were recruited. Emotional intelligence and Tennessee self-concept questionnaires were completed by participants and then analysis of data carried out using correlation matrix and Multiple Regression. The results showed that self-concept and educational achievement have a significant relationship with emotional intelligence. Also, emotional intelligence could predict self-concept and educational achievement.   Keywords: emotional intelligence, self-concept, educational achievement

In this clinical study, we combined different (metabolic) MRI sequences at 7T to characterize focal epileptogenic lesions, and uncover potential metabolic markers that could help identifying the culprit lesion in MRI-negative epilepsy patients. Using QSM, we observed increased iron deposition in the affected hippocampus of two HS patients that was not found in the contralateral hippocampus, neither in a suspected HS patient with no abnormal tissue, nor in matched healthy volunteers. No increased iron deposition was found in patients with FCD or matched healthy volunteers. No significantly different metabolite ratios between patients and healthy volunteers were found using SV 1H-MRS.