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 Background & Objectives: Spironolactone is a diuretic and antiandrogenic drug and is used in the treatment of hypertention 'secondary hyprealdosteronism congestive heart failure' cirrhosis of the liver, nephrotic syndrome 'androgenic alopecia' gynecomastia and hirsutism. In this research, the effects of spironolactone on the serum LH, FSH, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and changes in body weight and testicular tissue in adult male rats, were studied.

 Methods: For this purpose 190 10 g male wistar rats (n=40) were randomly divided into the following grups: control, sham operated (received water) and 25, 50, 100 mg/kg oral spironolactone treated groups. After 14 days body weight and testis weight under laboratory methods, were measured and blood samples were taken from heart and used for the measuring of LH/FSH/testosterone and dihydrotestosterone and then the rates' testes, in order to evaluate the histological changes, were removed and weighed and after obtaining tissue section and staining through HE, they were studied.

 Results: Serum LH level showed a significant increase and testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels showed asignigicant decrease in 100mg/kg spironolactone treated group ( p 0.05 ) and there was no significant difference among serum FSH level, body weight and testicular weight as compared to control group.

 Conclusion: It can be concluded that oral administration of spironolactone maximum dose for 14 days could increase serum LHlevel and decrease testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels.

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Background & objectives: Diabetes mellitus mediated by oxidative stress, creates serious metabolic disorders in testis. Kudzu root with an isoflavonin and saponin contents is often used as antidiabetic and antioxidant. This study aimed at preventing the oxidative effects of diabetes using Kudzu root.

Methods: In this study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided into four groups: control, diabetic and diabetic rats treated with Kudzu 50 and100 mg/kg. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 55mg/kg streptozocin. One week after injection, the rats started to receive Kudzu at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg for five weeks by gavage. Testicular damage was examined by using hematoxylin-eosin staining protocol. Hormonal and blood biochemical factors were measured.

Results: The results of this study showed that diabetes causes a high blood sugar levels and reduces the spermatogonia and Sertoli cells with decreased spermatogenesis,sperm count and function. These effects were improved in the treatment groups. Decrease in blood sugar and increase in the number and motility of sperm cells and spermatogonic cells were also observed together with enhanced seminiferous tubule diameter and lower basement membrane thickness.

Conclusion: Kudzu with the ability to reduce blood sugar, improves diabetic-induced testicular damage and can have a therapeutic role in diabetes.v

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Background & objectives: exposure to lead has a wide range side effects on fertility. Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins required for the body. This study was conducted to determine the effect of vitamin D on spermatogenesis in male rats treated with lead nitrate.
Methods: In this experimental study, 25 adult male Wistar rats (250-300 gr) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=5). Control group without any treatment, the group receiving lead by gavage and experimental groups receiving lead plus vitamin D at doses of 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg body weight by gavage  for 28 days. At the end of the study, after anesthetizing the rats, blood samples were collected directly from heart and serum levels of testosterone hormone, Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) andLuteinizing Hormone (LH) were measured. Histological studies were performed to count the spermatocyte and examine the diameter of the seminal tube. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using one-way ANOVA, at significance level of p>0.05.
Results: Compared to the control group,  the mean serum testosterone level in the lead group significantly decreased (p<0.001) and the mean LH and FSH serum levels significantly increased (p<0.001) . Also, spermatocytes and seminiferous tubule diameter significantly decreased (p<0.001). Vitamin D consumption reduced the effects of lead intake, and  this effectiveness was completely dose-dependent.
Conclusion: Our data showed that vitamin D has a significant effect on serum testosterone levels and gonadotropins.

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Leishmania parasites as the causative agent of leishmaniasis belong to Trypanosomatidae family. Parasite, vector, vertebrate host and environment are major factors in pathogenesis of Leishmania. 
Parasite dependent factors are virulence factors which exist in Leishmania species such as LPG, GP63. In recent years, the importance of these factors in the field of vaccine and drug has been considered by researchers. Sand fly biting behavior and salivary gland proteins are vector dependent factors which are effective in the Leishmania pathogenesis. Age, gender, nutrition, immune system, infectious diseases, genetic, occupation, socio-economic characteristics, and habitat are vertebrate host mediated factors. Temperature, rainfall, wind and its speed, soil, and continuous changes in climate are also environmental factors. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenesis of Leishmania parasites.
 

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Background & objectives: Antibiotic resistance in Vibrio cholerae is a crucial matter in the world. Objective of this study was the improvement of cholera surveillance by assessing the antimicrobial resistance pattern and bacterial  resistance genes in V. cholerae O1 isolates, reffered to Iranian Reference Health Laboratory, in cholera outbreaks during 2012- 2015.
Methods: This study is a cross sectional- descriptive research. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) to 8 antibiotics was performed on 113 V.cholerae O1 isolates using E-test method. For all isolates, conventional PCR method was used to detect the presence of tetracycline resistance genes (tetA, tetB and tetC) and the sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resistance genes (sul2 and dfrA1).
Results: All isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, temocillin, ciprofloxacin and cefixime and 64% of strains showed intermediate susceptibility to erythromycin. The resistance rate of nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and tetracycline were 90%, 71% and 50% respectively. However, the frequency of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains varied across the years. The frequency of resistance genes (tetA, tetB, tetC, sul2 and dfrA1) were 70%, 34%, 58%, 66% and 70% respectively.
Conclusion: AST should be used to determine the resistance profile at the beginning of a cholera outbreak and to monitor the resistance profile of circulating strains as part of surveillance of the disease. A prominent association was observed between phenotypic resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and presence of dfrA1gene. Determining the presence of resistance genes is necessary for understanding the epidemiology and routes of transmission of antibiotic resistance genes

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Background & Objectives: Based on the probably positive role of exercise on total oxidative status (TOS) and total antioxidant system (TAS) and their effect on the process of angiogenesis, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of one course of moderate-intensity endurance training on the gene expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B) and angiopoietin-1(ANGPT-1) and TAS and TOS status in cardiac tissue of male rats.
Methods: In this study, 20 male Wistar rats were divided into two equal groups as follows:   1-training group and 2- control group: no sports activities were performed on them. Rats in the training group performed moderate endurance training for 6 weeks and 5 sessions per week from the twelfth week of life. Twenty-four hours after the last training session, heart tissue samples were extracted to measure gene expression levels of VEGF-B and ANGPT-1 and the TAS and TOS status in heart tissues. T-test with the statistical level of (p˂0.05) was used for between groups comparison.
Results:­ Findings showed that after six weeks of endurance training, the expression level of ANGPT-1 and VEGF-B and the amount of TAS in the exercise group significantly increased (p=0.001) and the amount of TOS significantly decreased compared to the control group (p=0.008).
Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, it seems that moderate-intensity endurance training can be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease by increasing factors involving in angiogenesis, improving TAS and reducing TOS in heart tissue of rats.

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Background & objectives: Age-related cardiovascular dysfunction is often accompanied by impaired mitochondrial biogenesis and function. Exercise training can improve mitochondrial function and content in muscle to meet the energy demands of the cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of moderate-intensity (MRT) and high-intensity (HRT) resistance training on the expression of PGC-1α, TFAM and AMPK of cardiomyocytes in elderly rats.
Methods: In this experimental study, 30 elderly male rats (23 months) were divided into 3 groups: control (C), MRT and HRT. Training groups exercised resistance training for eight weeks (5 days a week). The resistance training protocol consisted of climbing a 110- centimeter -long ladder, with a weight attached to a tail sleeve. In the MRT group, the training protocol with 60% MVCC, 14-20 times climbing the ladder; In the HRT group with 80% MVCC, 9-10 times climbing the ladder was performed. Data were tested using ANOVA at a significance level of p<0.05.
Results: the expression of PGC-1α, TFAM and AMPK was significantly increased in MRT and HRT groups compared to control group (p=0.000). There was no significant difference between MRT and HRT groups on the expression of PGC-1α, TFAM and AMPK (p=0.574).
Conclusions: Eight weeks of MRT and HRT exercise improved mitochondrial biogenesis by increasing the expression of AMPK, PGC-1α and TFAM Cardiomyocytes in Elderly Rats. Both types of exercise training may be considered an effective intervention to improve mitochondrial function

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Background & objectives: Obesity and a high-fat diet (HFD) lead to metabolic disorders in the liver by affecting the signaling pathways of fat and glucose metabolism. Exercise and dietary habits are of special interest to prevent and counteract obesity and its associated metabolic disorders. Also, Capsaicin ameliorates diet-induced obesity in rodents and humans. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of aerobic exercise and capsaicin on the gene expression level of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and protein kinase B (Akt) in the liver of HFD rats.
Methods: in this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats were fed a normal diet (ND, n=8) or high-fat diet (HFD) (n=32) for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, all rats were divided into 5 groups: normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), high-fat diet-training (HFDT), high-fat diet-capsaicin (HFDCap), high-fat diet-training-capsaicin (HFDTCap). Training groups have performed a moderate- intensity aerobic running program (60-50% VO2max, at 15-25 m/min, 30-60 min/day, and 5 days/week) on a motor-driven treadmill for eight weeks. Capsaicin (4 mg/kg/day) was administered orally, by gavage, once a day.
Results: Induction of diabetes was associated with decreased AMPK expression (p=0.0001) and increased Akt (p=0.0001). The results showed that training and capsaicin significantly increased AMPK expression (p=0.032 and p=0.045, respectively) and decreased Akt expression (p=0.045 and p=0.049, respectively) in HFD rat hepatocytes. Also, the interaction of training and capsaicin had a significant effect on the expression of AMPK (p=0.017) and Akt (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: The results showed that HFD impaired hepatocyte function and that aerobic exercise and capsaicin increased lipogenesis with increasing AMPK and decreasing Akt expression. However, the interaction effect of training with capsaicin was greater.

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Background & objectives: Maintaining the capacity of mitochondrial biogenesis during aging is considered a key factor to prevent the development of age-related diseases. this study aimed  to investigate the effect of 8-weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and hawthorn extract on the peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-γ gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) proteins levels in the soleus muscle of aged rats.
Methods: Thirty-six aged rats were randomly and equally assigned into control (CON), HIIT, extract or combined (COM, HIIT+ extract) groups. The HIIT protocol consisted of 6 to 9 sets×5-min of running on a treadmill, which was performed 4 minutes at 16 m/min and one minuteat a speed velocity of 25 m/min, 5 times a week for 8 weeks. Over the intervention period, rats in the extract and COM groups received 100 mg/kg per day hawthorn. After the interventions, TFAM and PGC-1α protein expression levels were detected in the soleus muscle using the western blotting method.
Results: There was a significant increase in PGC-1α for all interventions when compared to the CON, although this increase in the COM was significantly higher than the other groups. After 8 weeks , there was a significant increase in TFAM level in  extract group compared to CON,also, the training groups had more effects on this marker in comparison to the former intervention (p>0.05).   
Conclusion: It seems that, 8-weeks of the HIIT+ intake hawthorn is a more efficient approach in improving mitochondrial oxidative capacity compared to HIIT and extract alone.