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Background: This study was designed to examine the effect of resveratrol on mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative stress (OS), and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Fifty-six patients with PCOS were randomly assigned to receive 800 mg/day of resveratrol or placebo for 60 days. The primary outcome was OS in follicular fluid (FF). The secondary outcome involved assessing gene and protein expression related to mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content in granulosa cells (GCs). ART outcomes were evaluated at the end of the trial. Results: Resveratrol significantly reduced the total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) in FF (P = 0.0142 and P = 0.0039, respectively) while increasing the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (P < 0.0009). Resveratrol consumption also led to significant increases in the expression of critical genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) (P = 0.0032 and P = 0.0003, respectively). However, the effect on nuclear respiratory factor 1 (Nrf-1) expression was not statistically significant (P = 0.0611). Resveratrol significantly affected sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and PGC-1α protein levels (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0036, respectively). Resveratrol treatment improved the mtDNA copy number (P < 0.0001) and ATP content in GCs (P = 0.0014). Clinically, the resveratrol group exhibited higher rates of oocyte maturity (P = 0.0012) and high-quality embryos (P = 0.0013) than did the placebo group. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of chemical or clinical pregnancy rates (P > 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that resveratrol may be a promising therapeutic agent for patients with PCOS undergoing assisted reproduction. Trial registration number: http://www.irct.ir; IRCT20221106056417N1; 2023 February 09. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For the past three years, the pandemic has had a major effect on global public health, mainly on those with underlying medical conditions, such as people living with Multiple Sclerosis. Vaccination among this group is of great importance, and the long-term impacts of vaccination and its safety on the health of these patients will continue to be revealed. Therefore, risks related to vaccination and immune response need to be assessed. The objective here was to characterize the immune response, short-term safety, and the effects of multiple variables on these factors after COVID-19 vaccination (mainly Sinopharm) among people with Multiple Sclerosis. We assessed the short-term safety and humoral SARS-COV-2 anti-RBD IgG response using a data collection form and Immunoassay, respectively. Results: No severe adverse events or MS relapse was observed. Myalgia/body pain (26.7%), low-grade fever (22.2%), and mild headache (15.6%) were the most common adverse events. The use and type of vaccine influenced the frequency of side effects with a p-value < 0.0001. Regarding immune response, patients on rituximab and fingolimod had a lower antibody titer compared to other medications. With a significant difference, hybrid immunity (p-value: 0.047) and type of DMTs (p-value: 0.017) affected the humoral response. Conclusion: There is a low incidence of serious adverse effects, MS worsening or relapse after COVID-19 vaccination, and mainly, side effects are similar to that of the general population. It appears that treatment with various disease-modifying therapies does not induce or worsen the post-vaccination side effects, although some, including Rituximab and fingolimod, may affect the immunity induced after vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks. is a serious threat to wheat production worldwide. Exploiting wild relatives can effectively help to improve the genetic resistance of wheat against rust. This study aimed to evaluate the responses of 34 Aegilops triuncialis accessions to seven Pt pathotypes and to analyse expression of genes associated with resistance at the seedling stage. Following multipathotype testing, two accessions with contrasting resistance were analysed at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h post‐inoculation for the expression profile of genes related to PR1, PR2, PR4, PR9, phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase and ATP‐binding cassette transporter. Of the accessions tested, eight showed high infection types of "3" to at least one Pt pathotype, while the remaining accessions had low ITs ("0;=" to "2+") against all pathotypes. The relative expressions of all candidate genes increased at all‐time points, but the expression level in the incompatible interaction was significantly higher than that of the compatible. The close relationship between PR proteins, PAL, salicylic acid‐ and jasmonic acid‐responsive proteins, as well as the proteins involved in the production of reactive oxygen species and lignin, could point to the specific recognition of the pathogen followed by the timely and intense induction of the expression of PR genes as the main reasons for resistance in incompatible interaction. In conclusion, the present study identified potentially new sources of resistance in this Ae. triuncialis population, which can be exploited in wheat breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the prognostic importance of cytogenetic aberrations in plasma cell neoplasms, the present retrospective study was conducted to analyze cytogenetic abnormalities in plasma cell myeloma cases in a single center in the Middle East. Method: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we selected 42 patients referred to the molecular and cytogenetic department from 2013 to 2016 for initial assessment by immunohistochemical, flow cytometric, and cytogenetic studies. Chromosomal analysis was performed after a 72-hour unsynchronized culture and Giemsa banding; the result was reported according to ISCN 2016. Results: 32.5% of the patients showed an abnormal karyotype, of whom 53.8% were hyperdiploid and the rest were assigned to the non-hyperdiploid group. The gain of 1q and monosomy 13/ deletion 13q were the most common structural abnormalities accounting for 38.4% and 30.7%, respectively. t(11;14) was the only detected 14q32 rearrangement observed in 15.4% of the cases. The mean survival time in normal, hyperdiploid, and non-hyperdiploid groups was 29.5±1.7, 16.6±2.9 and 6.1±2.1 months, respectively. Conclusion: Cytogenetic abnormalities of plasma cell myeloma in this center were relatively similar to previous reports in the literature; moreover, hyperdiploidy was the most common cytogenetic aberration. As no cryptic aberration could be identified, we recommend the use of more precise techniques such as FISH in addition to conventional G banding to detect cryptic aberrations. Survival of the non-hyperdiploid group was the worst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac glycosides are used for treatment of irregular heartbeats, cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failures. In this research, digitoxin as a cardiac glycoside was identified and isolated for the first time in the world from Adonis aestivalis and investigated for its cytotoxic activity against cervical cancer cell (HeLa) lines and human lymphocytes by MTT test. Digitoxin extracted from the aerial parts of the plant collected from west of Iran and purified by column and thin layer chromatographic techniques. The structure of isolated cardiac glycoside was identified by IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR methods and so the presence of digitoxin was established. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values for cervical cancer and lymphocyte cells were obtained to be 5.62 and 412.94 μg/mL. The results of this study introduced the new resource of digitoxin which has considerable cytotoxic effects against HeLa cancer cells but did not damage normal human lymphocyte cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]