Medical Sciences Journal of Islamic Azad University,Tehran Medical Branch
Year:2009 | Volume:19 | Issue:1 (55)|Papers Count:14

Background: There are few studies on the heart development in vitro conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the maintenance time and development of heart in vitro conditions compared with in vivo, and evaluate the effects of electromagnetic field and L-Arginine on the heart development.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, hearts of 11- day mice fetuses were excised and cultured in Medium 199, supplemented with 15% newborn calf serum in CO2 incubator in grid milipore membrane system. The culture period was 3 days at 37oC in an incubator with 5% CO2 and 95% air. The isolated hearts were divided into sham group which received L-Arginine with no exposure to EMF, control group, and three experimental groups, including E1 which received EMF (50 HZ/7.83 mT for 30 minutes), E2 which received L-Arginine (350 mg/l) and E3 which received EMF and L-Arginine.Results: Morphological and histological studies showed significant changes in experimental groups as compared with control groups. Length and diameter of heart, internal diameter of atrium and ventricle, length of interatrium septum and diameter of interventricular septum decreased significantly in experimental groups (p<0.001). Number of red blood cells and heart rate showed significant increase in experimental groups (p<0.001).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that electromagnetic field and L-Arginine have negative and disruptive effect on the mouse embryo heart development and have positive effect on the number of red blood cells and heart rate.

Background: Stem cells (SCs) have great therapeutic indication due to their potency of self-renewal, multilineage differentiation, feasibility and safety for donors. In this study, adult mouse lung extracts containing hematopoietic growth factors were administered to umbilical cord, and evaluated the differentiation of umbilical cord stem cells into erythroid and myeloid lineages.Materials and methods: In this basic and practical research, SCs were isolated from umbilical cord by enzyme digestion and cultured in appropriate culture medium. Subjects were divided into four groups: Experimental groups 1 and 2 (E1 and E2) which were exposed to 50% and 70% concentration of lung extract for 7 days, respectively, sham (Sh) group which did not exposed to lung extract and cultured for 7 days, and control group (C). E1, E2 and Sh groups were incubated for 7 days. All groups were evaluated by alkaline phosphatase detection kit for stem cells. Then, blood cells count and hematopoietic growth factors were assessed. ANOVA was used for data analysis.Results: There were significant changes in E2 groups as compared with Sh and C groups, so that E2 group cells were differentiated into erythroid and myeloid lineages.Conclusion: Growth factors in lung extract could have stimulatory effects on umbilical cord stem cell differentiation into blood cells.

Background: It is proposed that L-carnitine is a useful agent for treatment of various dysfunctions of sperm in infertile men. So, in the present study, effect of L-carnitine supplement on sperm parameters in men with idiopathic infertility was evaluated.Materials and methods: Thirty infertile men, aged between 20 and 40 years, with the following baseline sperm selection criteria, including sperm count< 66.6×106, motility< 30%, viability< 60%, normal morphology< 35%, were studied. Patients received 3 gram per day L-carnitine for six months. Semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization guidelines before study, and 3 and 6 months of therapy. Sperm parameters included liquefaction, pH, volume, sperm count, motility, viability and normal morphology.Results: The results showed that L-carnitine supplementation increased significantly sperm count, motility, viability and normal morphogy and pregnancy rate after 3 months (p<0.01) and 6 months (p<0.001). Also, L-carnitine supplementation increased sperm motility and viability in idiophatic infertile men after 3 and 6 months (p<0.001). Five couples became pregnant during the study.Conclusion: The present study indicated that L-carnitine supplementation is an appropriate drug in the treatment of men with idiopathic infertility.

Background: Regular exercise by increasing insulin sensitivity and improving the glucose uptake and lowering body adiposity is a powerful non-pharmacological tool for prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus. Diabetic hepatopathy is the main cause of liverilure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of regular exercise on diabetic hepatopathy.Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 56 wistar male rats with approximate age of 12 weeks and 200-300g weight were allocated into two equal groups of treatment and control. For induction of diabetes, these two groups were injected by streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. The treatment group was kept in normal conditions of management with regular exercise (treadmill) as 5 days a week, an hour every day, for 12 weeks. In control group, subjects have normal conditions without any physical activity and regular exercise. After 12 weeks, liver tissues were sampled in both groups and 5-6 micron tissue sections were prepared through H&E staining method.Results: Histopathological study in control group showed hepatosclerosis, central vein perivascular cuffing of mononuclear inflammatory cells, hepatocellular degeneration, sclerosing hyaline necrosis, apoptosis, dense perisinusoidal, and periportal and perivenular fibrosis. Mild pathological changes were observed in treatment group and significant differences were observed between two groups.Conclusion: Treadmill exercise is capable in reduction of pathological changes and improves diabetic hepatopathy to near normal histology.

Background: Most women who are going to have a caesarean section usually experience anxiety before surgery and nausea, anxiety, pain and alteration of vital signs after that. In this study, music therapy was studied as an effective technique in the reducing pain, anxiety, nausea and changes of vital signs of women under caesarean section.Material and methods: In this quasi-experimental study, the effect of music therapy, as independent variable, on anxiety, nausea, pain and vital signs after caesarean section was studied in the Dr. Shariatee hospital Esfahan. Sampling method was simple sampling, and subjects were randomly allocated within two groups.Results: The majority of women that underwent caesarean section were 26-30 years in case group and 25 years or less in control group. Subjects in both groups were mostly in the second gravid and had high school graduates. The mean weight of subjects was equal among two groups. There were no significant differences between two groups regarding at the time of anesthesia and operation, while significant differences were found in the aspects of anxiety, pain, nausea and some vital signs after music therapy.Conclusion: This study revealed that music therapy could relieve anxiety and pain, but had no significant effect on nausea. It also showed that music therapy had some effect on reducing systolic blood pressure, while there were no differences between diastolic blood pressure and respiration of the case and control groups.

Background: Nausea is one of the side effects of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) that may sometimes endanger the continuationof OCPs. Ginger, a root herb, has antioxidant effects 12 times more than Vitamin E. The aim of this study was to study effects of ginger on nausea and vomiting of oral contraceptives users in Shiraz.Material and methods: In this randomized clinical trial, nausea questionnaire was fulfilled through personal interview for some OCPs users. Then 44 OCPs users with inclusion criteria were chosen. They were divided randomly to two groups (control and treatment). The data were collected by nausea questionnaire in 2 cycles before and 2 cycles after treatment. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.Results: 43 women, 21 in treatment group and 22 in control group, completed the study, and 1 omitted from study. There was significant decrease on occurrence of nausea in different months among ginger group (P<0.001).Conclusion: It is concluded that ginger is more effective and have lower side effects in relief of unwanted symptom of contraceptive drugs.

Background: Early diagnosing and treatment of cancers is vital. Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers among women that can be diagnosed in antemalignant stage. In this study, the effect of health education on performing Pap smear test for prevention of cervix cancer in teachers of Isfahan city was evaluated.Materials and methods: In this quasi-experimental study, effect of health education on the knowledge, attitude and performance of the 150 female teachers about Pap smear test to prevent cervix cancer was evaluated. Teachers were well-informed about Pap smear and their knowledge, attitude and performance were evaluated before and after education.Results: Mean scores of knowledge and attitude were statistically different before and after health education (P<0.05), while there was no difference between performance of before and after education.Conclusion: Health education has positive effect on knowledge and attitude, although no effect was observed on performance. This study suggests the necessity of general health and women’s health education by physicians and mass media.

Background: Preeclampsia is a main cause of morbidity and mortality of pregnant women worldwide. Recently oxidative stress was considered as a part of pathophysiolgy of preeclamsia and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2a (8-iso-PGF2a) is known as a marker of oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare plasma concentration of free 8-iso-PG F2a in women with normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies.Materials and methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, Plasma free 8-iso-PGF2a levels were measured in pregnant women with preeclamsia (n=42) and normotensive pregnant women (n=39) between 28-38 weeks of gestation. Women in two groups were matched in age, gestational age and socioeconomic status and all women were nulligravid.Results: Free 8-iso-PGF2a levels were not significantly different in women with preeclamsia and normotensive group (17808 vs. 24288 pg/dl, NS). Plasma free 8-iso-PGF2a levels were increased in severe compared to mild preeclampsia (NS). Neonates weight of preeclamptic mothers was significantly lower than neonates of normotensive women (p<0.0001).Conclusion: Although free 8-iso-PGF2a is a marker of oxidative stress in vitro, but its measurement is not valuable in clinical medicine. However, further studies in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia will be needed.

Background: Regarding to high prevalence of sleep disorders in general population and effect of sleep on mental and physical function, and also due to attention-requiring task done by physicians, prevalence of sleep disorders in medical students as well as the relation of these problems with daytime sleepiness and their function based on gender and grade were assessed.Materials and methods: In this study, 400 medical residents and students were evaluated by means of a questionnaire from the Kaplan textbook and questionnaire of life style assessment (S-DHQ). Data were analyzed by SPSS ver.13 and descriptive and comparative statistics, including mean, standard deviation, chi- square, ANOVA, paired t were used.Results: Among different types of Insomnia, fragmented sleep was the most prevalent (49%) and sleep latency more than 1 hour (7.3%) was the least common disorders. Nightmares were the most common (32%) form of Parasomnia, while sleep eating disorder had the least prevalence (1%). We didn't found any report of narcolepsia. There was a significant relation between sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness and self-reported dissatisfaction of function that was more common in women and interns.Conclusion: Any type of sleep disorders can lead to daytime sleepiness and human's dissatisfaction of their function, particularly in women.

Background: Nowadays, social relations have been become more complex and mental diseases have been raised. So, it will be necessary that people become more familiar with methods of opposition and psychological defense mechanisms which is especially important for individuals with special diseases. Purpose of the present research was to study the level and way of using defense mechanisms by diabetic and healthy people.Materials and methods: In this case-control study, among 500 diabetic people who visited in Imam Khomeini hospital of Ardebil in years 2006 - 2007, 40 diabetic and 40 healthy people were selected by systematic sampling method. Information was gathered by means of a questionnaire prepared by Qamari (1383) according to defense function measure (DSM-IV). Data were compared between two groups by t-test.Results: There was significant relation between education and job with the way of how using defense mechanisms. While, level of using defense mechanisms between men and women, patients and non- patients, and single and married people was not significant.Conclusion: In general, diabetic and non-diabetic people, especially jobless and low educated subjects need further information about defense mechanisms.

Background: Colorectal carcinoma is the most common malignant disease of the gastrointestinal tract and causes approximately 500000 deaths in the world annually. Previous studies indicated that the epidemiology of this disease in the eastern countries is different from European countries and USA. Therefore we decided to evaluate the incidence of colorectal tumors in the capital city of Tehran, Iran.Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, we reviewed pathology reports of 144 patients with colorectal tumors between 2004 and 2007. The prevalence of colorectal tumors according to type of tumor (polyp or cancer), age, sex, tumor site and tumor grade were evaluated.Results: Forty-seven and Fifty-three percent of tumors were cancer and polyp, respectively. The most prevalent site for colorectal carcinoma was rectum (41%), followed by sigmoid colon (21%), caecum and ascending colon (18%), and transverse and descending colon (each 10%). The prevalence of carcinomas of rectum, sigmoid and descending colon were higher in men than women, and cancers of transverse colon, caecum and ascending colon (right colon) were higher in women than men. grade of malignancies were increased from distal colon to proximal colon. In higher ages, the probability of finding malignant tumors was significantly higher than benign tumors.Conclusion: The remarkable prevalence of right colon cancer in this Iranian population showed the importance of colorectal cancer screening, especially total colonoscopy which can be useful for early detection of right colon cancers.

Background: Family planning is in fact the most effective program to control population crises all over the world. Undoubtedly, every planning to control population requires contribution of the people. It is better done, when we know knowledge and attitude of our population. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate knowledge and attitude of students of Karaj Azad University before as well as after they pass family planning course.Materials and methods: In this descriptive study, 200 students, 100 girls and 100 boys, randomly selected during 2006 to 2007. Information was gathered by a questionnaire within 6 months, before and after family planning course.Results: There was significant differences regarding students knowledge before and after their participation in family planning course (P<0.05). Mean attitude score was 3.32±1.1 before education that increased to 3.68±0.99 after that (P<0.05). Mean knowledge and attitude score was significantly different among different years of entrance to University, marital status, age, colleges and courses (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between male and female students, and academic order of family planning teachers, regarding knowledge and attitude about family planning.Conclusion: It is recommended that family planning teaching was begun in the last years of high school. This study showed that short-term educational program can alter the health attitudes of population.