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Background & aim: Birth and presence of slow pace children in each family can be considered as challenging and adverse event that probably leads to stress and frustration and mental health related complications. According to several studies that show positive and significant relationship between resiliency and values and religious beliefs and their impact on mental health,the present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of resiliency skills training based on Islamic spirituality in promoting mental health and spiritual resilience among mothers of Slow Pace children.

Methods: The present study used a semi-experimental design with pre test-post test which was conducted among mothers of Slow Pace Children in Dehdasht, Iran, and the countryside using random sampling, in which 30 of these mothers were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups, participated in this study. Twelve sessions of resiliency training based on Islamic spirituality were held for experimental group of 15 people.The tools used in this study included a mental health questionnaire-28 (Ghq) and resiliency based on Islamic spirituality researcher made scale that were completed by individuals in pre and post tests. Finally, collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

Results: Analysis of data using multivariate analysis of covariance showed that utilization of Intervention program among mothers of Slow Pace children in experimental group was significantly (P>0/05) effective on mental health and components of resiliency based on Islamic spirituality. In other words, spiritual resiliency skills training was led to improve depressive symptoms, social functioning and components of spiritual resiliency such as patience, contentment, Submission and thanksgiving.

Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that through changes in attitude of Slow Pace children's mothers, resiliency skills training based on Islamic spirituality can improve mental health and components of resilience-based on Islamic spirituality and helps them keep their mental health despite the exposure to chronic stress and tension.

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Background & aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a chronic condition of the intestine with unknown etiology involving different agents like immune, genetic and environment. Today, many of herbal and synthetic compounds are being used as anti-inflammatory products around the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of aquatic extraction of Teucrium polium L. plant on colitis in rat.

Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 135 male rats, weighing 200±20 g and 10  to 12 weeks old, were randomly divided into nine equal groups: healthy control group were given normal saline without ulcerative colitis (UC) induction, negative control group which UC was induced by 3% acetic acid with no treatment, basal gel group which were received basal gel via enema after UC induction, two groups as positive controls were taken Asacol (10 mg/kg/day) and Mesalamine (10 mg/kg/day) trans-rectally and orally, respectively. Also, oral form of aqueous extraction with doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day in two groups and enema form (gel 10% and 20%) of Teucrium polium L. in two groups were given. At the end of study, MDA measurement as antioxidant index and histopathological evaluation of colon tissue were performed. The collected data were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Mann–Whitney U test.
 
Results: Enema gels 10% and 20% lead to repair of damaged tissue of colon at the microscopic level and caused reduction in MDA level (p<0.01). Gels 20% compared with negative control showed significant difference in in terms ofMDA (p<0.01). Mesalamine and Asacol as positive controls, compared with each other and alsooral and enema forms of Teucrium polium L. showed no significant difference in respect of MDA (p<0.01). Although, enema gel form compared with oral form of plant aquatic extraction showed no significant difference, but enema form had better effect in control of inflammation.
     
Conclusion: Teucrium polium L. has remarkable effects on healing processing of induced colitis in male rat. According to anti-inflammation, antioxidant and anti-microbial properties of Teucrium polium L., it can be mentioned that this plant is effective in healing of intestinal ulcers.
 
 

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Abstract

Background & aim: Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been used extensively in over 200 million people in more than 90 countries in various food products and pharmaceuticals. There are many controversial reports about the toxicity of aspartame on various tissues of the body. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of long-term aspartame on histomorphometric and histochemical adrenal glands in NMRI mice.

 

Methods: In the present experimental study, 36 male NMRI male rats weighing 20-25grs were perched from Pasteur Institute of Experimental Animals. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: three groups received aspartate at dose of 40 (low dose of aspartame), 80 (medium dose of aspartame) and 160 (high dose of aspartame) mg/kg body weight by oral gavage for 90 days, respectively. And the control group was also considered. 24 hours after the last treatment, histological and histomorphometric changes were evaluated by digital microscopy. Also, specific stains of periodic acid schiff, trichrome masson and toluidine blue were used to determine carbohydrate compounds, amount of fibrosis and the number of mast cells in adrenocortical tissue. The collected data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test.

 

Results: Aspartate in the high dose group resulted in the collusion of cellular structure between glomerular cell and reticularis cells. Also, aspartame in the fashiculate region in medium to high dose groups caused cellular collusion and disintegration of the cellular columns and inflammatory and necrosis coronals were also observed in the feccilata region. In the central part of the adrenal gland, there were medium and high necrosis points in the adrenal gland. Histometric changes showed a significant increase in the size of the sponge cells, the number of mast cells, and the thickness of the layers of the fashiculate and reticularis. A significant reduction was observed in the large diameter of the central region of the adrenal gland in medium and high dose groups. No significant changes were seen in glomerular layer thickness and adrenal gland capsule parameters. In the histochemical studies of Trichromus Mason staining, it was found that aspartame increased the fibrosis tissue in the high dose group. Also, there was no significant change in the level of carbohydrate in the periodic acid staining in the groups.

 

Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that aspartame as an oxidant in medium and high dose groups resulted in negative effects on histomorfrometry parameters and tissue damage in the adrenal gland by producing reactive oxygen species. It also increased the number of mast cells and fibrosis of the adrenocortical gland tissue.

 

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Background & aim: Lead is an environmental contaminant and capable of making major changes to the structure and function of the human brain, especially children. Chronic exposure to low levels of lead affects and causes changes in the function of the central nervous system. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of chronic exposure to low levels of Pb on learning in the active rat avoidant conditional approach.
 
Methods: In the present experimental study which was conducted in 2018, 24 adult male mice were randomly divided into four equal groups for analysis. The drinking water of the test groups was contaminated with one concentration of 0.1, 0.33 or 1 g / L of lead acetate for 28 days. The experiments were carried out in a semi-dark place. On day 29 for adaptation, each animal was housed separately for 10 minutes without any stimulus in the shuttle box and was free to move. On days 30, 33, and 36, the experiments were performed 40 times (ie, 120 times in total) in each rat for 80 seconds as followed: a 60-second light escape (conditioned stimulus), a 5-second light pause, an active avoidance period consisting of 10 seconds of sound (unconditioned stimulus) with light, and then a warning period of 5 seconds without light and sound. The variable considered was the number of times of the 40 tests that the animal took refuge in the safe cell during each of the above three stages. Data were analyzed using Tukey test.
 
Results: The results indicated that in the warning period, concentration of 0.1 g / L of lead acetate in drinking water considerably weakened learning and showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (p <0.05). In the active avoidance period, on the other hand, the animals receiving the highest doses of lead acetate (1 g / l) showed a significant increase in their learning compared to the control group (p <0.05), but in the escape period, concentrations of 0.1, 0.33 and 1 g / L of lead acetate made no significant change in learning rate compared to the control group.
 
Conclusion: According to the findings, lead contamination has an effect on learning in the mouse model. However, this effect mainly leads to impaired learning and the type of animal response varies depending on the period and dose used.