Journal of Birjand University of Medical Sciences
Year:2015 | Volume:22 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

The skin is the largest and the heaviest organ in the human body which, in addition to its important roles in the protection, waste removal, and contribution to vitamin D synthesis. As an important sensory organ, it can play a major role in the maintenance of homeostasis in the body. Total loss of of the skin integrity can cause harms and diseases that lead to physical disability and even death. Therefore, one of the main problem faced by medical science so far, is the question of .wound healing in the shortest possible time and with minimal side effects.Increasing the wound healing rate leads to positive financial and health results. Thus, several studies on new therapeutic techniques such as use of chemical drugs, herbal medication and homeopathy have been done. Moreover, physical methods such as laser therapy and other treatments have been constantly improving. In recent decades, the use of herbal medicine, as an effective method, has been progressing in most countries including Iran. In the traditional medicine of Iran various methods of using plants for the treatment of diseases are common. This is actually justifiable due to the geographic diversity of the flora in Iran.In the present paper the effectively of the cut healing properties of some medicinal herbs in Iran is discussed.

Background and Aim: Acute coronary syndrome is one of heart problems in Iran and the first known cause of death. The present study aimed at assessing the effect of self-care education on life expectancy in acute coronary syndrome patients in the cardiology ward of Valieasr hospital in Birjand.Materials and Methods: This clinical-experimental study was done on 60 patients admitted to the cardiology ward of Valieasr Hospital in Birjand. Sampling was done using non-probabilistic method and the subjects were selected from acute coronary syndrome patients who were randomly divided into a case and a control group. On dismissal (from the hospital) the cases received self-care education by a trained nurse who also followed up the education through telephone calls. In the control group no interventions were made. Data collection means included individual sample form, demographic questionnaire and HRS index, which were all filled out both before and after intervention in both groups. The obtained data was fed into SPSS software (V: 15) and were analysed at the significant level a=0.05 using statistical tests including x2, independent T, and dependent T.Results: Mean life expectancy mark in the cases increased from 23.6±2.5 (before intervention) to 33.4±1.4 (after intervention), P<0.001. However, in the controls no significant changes occurred (22.8 vs 22.4). Besides, in all three domains of life expectancy a significant increase was observed in the cases after intervention, compared to before.Conclusion: Hospitalized acute coronary syndrome patients have a lower level of life expectancy. Their life expectancy can increase through providing them with self-care education, which will lead to their independence promotion and self-esteem.

Background and Aim: Currently, several methods are used to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions, one of which is the adsorption process. Graphene oxide nanoparticles, due to their high adsorption capacity, have caused major concerns. The current study aimed at assessing the role of these particles in removing Chromium and Lead from aqueous solutions.Materials and Methods: This empirical study investigated the effect of the initial concentration of pollutants, their PH, adsorbent dose, time and temperature on graphen oxide nanoparticles capacity in removing Chromium and Lead from aqueous solutions.Results: Maximum adsorption efficiency occurred at PH=9 with initial concentration of 4 mg/L and at PH=3 with initial concentration of 3 mg/L for Lead and chromium, respectively. Maximum efficiency of Lead and Chromium adsorption by graphen oxide occurred at 0.01 g dosage of the adsorbent and after 15 minutes of contact time, i.e. 90% and 42.33%, respectively. Results showed that adsorption of the two metals was better in accord with Freundlich isotherm. Thermodynamic reaction results revealed that Cr adsorption reaction was exothermic and that of Pb was endothermic.Conclusion: The adsorbent Graphen Oxide has got a favorable role in removal of the two contaminants, Lead and Chromium from aqueous solutions and waste waters.

Background and Aim: The pomegranate fruit peel has been suggested in traditional medicine as an antiobesity compound. Therefore, the study was carried out to evaluate the effects of aqueous or ethanolic extracts of pomegranate fruit peel on obesity and lipid profile in rat.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 24 Wistar male rats randomly divided into 4 equal groups (2 experimentals and 2 controls). The experimental groups A and E treated with aqueous or ethanolic extract of pomegranate peel at dose of 400 mg/kg, respectively, for 35 days. The control groups N and X respectively received 5mg/kg of saline and Xenical during the study as same as the experimental groups. The rats' weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were determined before and after investigation. Also at the end of study plasma lipid profile were measured. All data were analyzed by Prism software (ver- 3) and using paired samples t-test and ANOVA.Results: Comparison of weight change before and after the intervention showed a significant reduction in the Group E and a significant increase in group N (p£0.05). Waist circumference was significantly increased in the experimental group A and control group N (p£0.05) and reduced in group X (p£0.05).There was no significant difference in plasma lipid profile between the groups.Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of pomegranate fruit peel can be considered as an anti-obesity compound in further studies.

Background and Aim: Based on recent studies, atorvastatin has some pleiotropic actions such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects independent of lipid lowering effects. Regarding the critical role of oxidative stress and inflammation in inducing diabetic neuropathy, the current study aimed at examining the neuroprotective and anti-oxidative stress effects of atorvastatin atthe brain tissues in diabetes experimental models.Materials and Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups. including normal, normal treated, diabetic and diabetic treated. The diabetic group were made diabetic by an intravenous injection of streptozotocin (40mg/kg) and the treated group received 40mg/kg/day atorvastatin for 8weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples from the subjects were derived to measure their blood glucose and urea. Finally, the rats were killed under deep anesthesia and their brains were removed in order to measure malondialdehyde (MDA) and to make histopathological assessment.Results: Uncontrolled hyperglycemia (blood glucose>450 mg/dl) significantly increased blood urea in the diabetic group (130±10 mg/dl) compared with the normal group (58±7 mg/dl), (P<0.05). Also, hyperglycemia increased brain MDA of the diabetic group (8.78±3.07mmol/mg protein) associated with mg/dl) accompanied by histopathological damages. Finally, the content of brain MDA significantly. decreased in diabetic rats treated with atorvastatin (0.92±0.31mmol/mg protein), (P<0.05).Conclusion: The findings of the present study reveal that atorvastatin is able to prevent hyperglycemia induced diabetic neuropathy and inhibit brain oxidative stress during diabetes. It is probable that reduction of urea is one of the reasons for atorvastatin prevention of hyperglycemia-induced neuropathy.

Background and Aim: Chronic otitis media with effusion is a common childhood infection. The present study aimed at determining the prevalence of bacterial causes of chronic otitis media with effusion and their drug resistance in patients with intact tympanic membranes.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 100 patients with chronic otitis media with effusion who underwent myringotomy from October 2011 to September 2013 were selected through census and assessed. First of all, their middle ear secretions were collected and cultured in thioglycollate broth. Then, the isolated bacteria were identified and their drug sensitivity. was evaluated using standard disk diffusion method.Results: Out of 87 samples with positive culture results the most common bacteria isolated were coagulasenegative staphylococci (39%) and streptococcus alpha, beta, and non-hemolytic (24%). A significant association between the type of bacteria isolated from the ear with acute otitis media discharge (P=0.003), affected ears (P=0.049) and presence of allergy (P=0.029) was observed. Among the antibiotics tested, the highest sensitivity was that of levofloxacin (94.7%), clindamycin (84.9%), and ciprofloxacin (83.3%), and the highest resistance belonged to oxacillin (77.1%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (59.4%) and cefixime (58.3%).Conclusion: Based to the obtained results, when the middle ear secretion culture is impossible, administration of the antibiotics clindamycin and ciprofloxacin to the patients is recommended.

Background and Aim: Internet is one of the most advanced new communication means. Despite the positive uses of it, occurrence of excessive behaviors and detrimental effects of internet addiction particularly in adolescents has attracted everyone's regard. Thus,the aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of this problem among Birjand intermediate school students and its relationship with their anxiety, stress, and depression.Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 2014 on 400 male and female intermediate students of Birjand who were selected through cluster sampling. In addition to employing a demographic variables questionnaire, other data collection was carried out using Young's Internet addiction test and DASS-21 stress, anxiety, and depression scale questionnaire. Then, the final obtained data was analyzed, using SPSS software (V:18). and a= 0.05 was taken as the significant level.Results: It was found that 73.8% of the students were normal users, 20.5% had low addiction and 5.7% had a severe addiction to internet .The findings showed that the mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression in students addicted to internet were significantly higher than normal users` (P<0.001).Conclusion: Results indicated a high prevalence of internet addiction in the students and had significant relationships with anxiety, stress, and depression. This is something that necessitates. interventions aiming at preventing various harms to them.

Background and Aim: The journals are communication links between authors and subject specialists. The aim of the current study was assessing the citation analysis and accuracy degree of applying vancouver style in the references of the scientific journal of Birjand University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional and randomized sampling investigation. A total of 168 articles which was published in the Journal of Birjand University of Medical Sciences between 2006 and 2012 were assessed. In these articles, collaboration coefficient, citation and applying Vancouver style in referencing were taken into accoun using a checklist and original references. The obtained results were analyzed. applying SPSS software(V: 18) and using T-test.Results: The articles studied had cited to 3634 sources each of which had cited to the average of 21.6 sources. The most Citation (i.e.82.3%) were to journal articles and 84.1% of the citations were to English ones. The highest percent of the articles were in the domain of health and collaboration coefficient was 0.7.Conclusion: It was found that in the bibliography Of the cited English articles, Vancouver style had not been applied completely, which should be paid attention to by scholars in their initial surveying of the articles.