Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Year:2009 | Volume:8 | Issue:2 (61)|Papers Count:22

Background and objective: It has been suggested that chronic cough may be atributed to toxocariasis. There are few epidemiological studies carried out on this subject in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of anti-toxocara antibodies in children with chronic cough.Subjects and Methods: In a cross sectional study during a tuberculin survey in Ahvaz, a city in southwest Iran a total of 4206 children selected by randomized two-stage cluster sampling. Children with chronic cough were investigated for toxocariasis. Initially, the absolute eosinophil count was determined. Next, children with eosinophilia (>500/mm3) and hypereosinophilia (>1000/mm3) were tested for toxocara-IgG - ELISA kit (Ibl, Hamburg). Other epidemiological data collected by a questionnaire and analyzed with 95% confidence interval using SPSS 11.5 software.Results: Of total 115 children with chronic cough, 29 (25.2%) were eosinophilic, among them 34.5% were hypereosinophilic, 16 (13.9%) were ELISA-IgG positive for T. canis. No correlation between intestinal parasites and toxocariasis was detected (P>0.05).There was also no significant age, gender, and living site difference in toxocara antibody frequency (P>0.05).Conclusion: Anti toxocara antibody was detected in more than half of children with chronic cough. Intestinal parasites are not associated with hypereosinophilia and show no cross reacting to toxocara antibody.

Background and objective: Reviews of literature indicate that hydro- alcoholic extract of white mulberry leaves, possesses anti-inflammatory effects such as inhibition of nitric oxide, PGE2 and cytokines, which urged us to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of this leaves hydro-alholic extract on carrageenan- induced paw edema in rat.Materials and Methods: Hydroalcoholic extract of white mulberry (Morus alba) leaves was prepared by ethanol (70% V/V) and soxhlet's method. The rats grouped as: Intraperitoneal (ip) extract receiving (200, 400, 600 mg/kg), positive control (aspirin 300 mg/kg) and group that received saline. Thirty minutes following the ip injection of materials, carrageenan (1% W/V) was injected into the rat's hind paw and the changes in rat's paw edema was assessed by plethysmometer for five hours at intervals of one hour.Results: Compared with aspirin, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses of extract had lower effect on reduction of rat's paw edema (P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the group that received 600 mg/kg extract and aspirin group.Conclusion: Hydro-alcoholic extract of Morus alba leaves at 600 mg/kg dose similar to aspirin (300 mg/kg), significantly reduced the paw edema of rats and showed effective anti-inflammatory activity.

Background and objective: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) is an enzyme which supports the cell membrane against oxidant agents. Acute deficiency of enzyme activity in G-6-PD deficient individuals, due to sensitivity of red blood cells membrane to the oxidative agents, leads to haemolytic anemia. There are some reports showing that diabetic patients are at the risk of G-6-PD deficiency. Thus the object of this clinical study was to investigate the percent of hyperglycemia in individuals who are G-6-PD deficient.Subjects and Methods: One hudred and forty three patients (men and women in all ages) with G-6-PD deficiency were studied. In order to confirm the G-6-PD deficiency, Butler test was used, and then Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) was determined by enzymatic method. Analytical studies were done by means of descriptive tables and, Pearson correlation tests.Results: The mean concentration of FBS was 99.35 mg/dl which is within the normal range (70-100 mg/dl). In 86 G-6-PD deficient individuals (60.2%) FBS was within the normal range and in 57 (39.8%) G-6-PD deficient individuals FBS was higher than normal range. (normal range = 70-100 mg/dl) The mean FBS in men was not significantly different from women (P=0.7). There is no significant correlation between FBS and age in both sexes.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest a realation between G-6-PD deficiency and diabetes mellitus; however more researches are required to clarify all aspects of this correlation.

Background and objective: The presence of neonatal seizures often signals an underlying ominous neurologic condition. The etiologies of neonatal seizure include; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, central nervous system infections, intracranial hemorrhage, central nervous system malformation, acute metabolic disorders, inborn error of metabolism and others with lower frequencies. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologic distribution of neonatal seizure and correlation of age, gender, weight and route of delivery with neonatal seizures.Subjects and Methods: Detailed questionnaires were retrospectively collected for a period of 3 years (2004-2007) on 94 infants experienced seizure at presentation in hospital.Results: During the period of this study 94 neonate patients with convulsion were admitted. Seventy nine percent of them had seizure during the first 14 days of life. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was found to be the most common cause (34%) of neonatal seizures, followed by intracranial hemorrhage (13%), hypoglycemia (10%), meningitis (6%), hypocalcaemia (3%) and inborn error of metabolism (3%).Conclusions: This study showed that birth asphyxia is the most common etiology of neonatal seizures. In 31 percent of patients no pathologic factor was found.

Background and objective: LDH- C4 is an isoenzyme of lactate dehydrogenase that is found in mature testes and spermatozoa of species with internal fertilization. Its physiological function appears related to metabolic processes that provide energy for motility and survival of spermatozoa. Oxamate is a new selective competitive inhibitor of sperm LDH- C4 with pyruvate as substrate. In the present experimental study on male rat, the effectiveness of oxamate was evaluated as a novel approach to the development of a male contraceptive.Materials and Methods: In this study, 20 adult rats were divided into 4 groups, the first used as control and the remaining three used as experimental groups. Experimental groups received different concentration, of oxamate (150, 300, 600 mg/kg/, ip) for 45 days. Control animals received normal saline solution. The sperms from the cauda division of epididymidis were collected by placing minced cauda in culture medium (T6) for one hour at 37o C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere. Sperm motility was evaluated utilizing Makler chamber and compared with the control group. Statistical analysis was performed by the student t- test and one – way ANOVA.Results: Progressive sperm motility in control and treated there groups were %60.3±2.8), %50±2.4), %41.5±1.9), %19±2.2) respectively. We conclude that oxamate in vivo can reduce sperm motility significantly and this reduction was concentration-dependent.Conclusion: The results of this work show that sperm motility can be reduced by concentration- dependent effect of oxamate under in vivo conditions.

Background and objective: The most common tumors of mediastinum are neurogenic tumors, while mediastinal tumors are common in adolescent and middle ages. Lymphoma is a common cause of mediastinal tumors in children. We observed an increase in prevalence of lymphoma in adults. This study was to evaluate mediastinal masses over 5 years duration.Subjects and Methods: The study was carried out over five years stated from 1382 (2003) in three sugery departments of Ahvaz University of Medical Sceinces, Iran. Patients with mediastinal mass were evaluated for age, gender, signs and symptoms, chest X-ray, chest CT scan and the methods of removal and the pathological reports of results of tissue samples.Results: Sixty patients were evaluated and there was no difference in gender. Mediastinal masses were most common in 3rd and 4th decades of life. Anterior mediastinum was the most common involved site. Anterior mediastinotomy was the most common operation from which large tissue samples were taken from 78.33 % and 51.67% of the mediastinal masses were lymphoma.Conclusion: The best method to take large tissue of these tumors is anterior mediastinotomy. The most common pathology in mediastinal masses is lymphoma. Lymphoma must be suspected in young patients with fever, cough, dyspnea and a mediastinal mass.

Background and objective: In this research, the brain-damaged patient's function in the visual-motor Bender-Gestalt Test was compared with their brain MRI portraits and normal subjects.Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients with brain-damaged from neurosurgery department in Ahvaz Golestan Hospital were selected. Using matching method, 30 normal subjects were selected as control. The instruments used for this study were the Bender-Gestalt Test and brain MRI portraits. In order to analysis the data, t-test and correlation tests were used.Results: The results revealed that there was a significant difference between the performance of brain-damaged patients and normal subjects (control group) in the Bender-Gestalt Test. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the conclusions of the Bender-Gestalt Test and brain MRI portraits of patients. The qualitative performance of patients in the Bender-Gestalt Test was associated with their Brain MRI portrait.Conclusion: There was a positive relationship between the performance of brain-damaged patients in the Bender-Gestalt Test and their Brain MRI portrait. Therefore, as the previous studies showed, the Bender-Gestalt Test as a neuropsychological test can be confidently used to studying the visual-motor performance of brain-damaged patients.

Background and objective: Aphtous stomatitis is one of the most common ulcerative oral diseases. Aphtous stomatitis has several etiologic factors including immunologic, microbial, nutritional factors as well as allergies to the food. The aim of this study was the measurement and compare of the levels of serum iron, ferritin and TIBC among patients with aphtous stomatitis and healthy subjects.Subjects and Methods: In this case-control study 60 person were selected in two equal groups. The first group consisted of 30 persons with recurrent major aphtous stomatitis and no concurrent systemic disease was allocated as case group. The second group consisted of 30 person with no aphtous stomatitis and no systemic disease was allocated as control group. Blood samples for measurement of iron, TIBC and ferritin serum levels were collected. Data were analyzed with T-test.Results: There was no significant difference in the iron serum levels in both groups (71.1 mg/dl in the case group and 77.96 mg/dl in the control group) but the mean serum ferritin level in case group was significantly lower than control subjects (46.99 IU in the case group and 90/1 IU in the control group) But the mean of TIBC in the case group was significantly higher than the control subjects (358.73 mg/dl in the case group and 329.33 mg/dl in the control group).Conclusion: Nutritional deficiency especially serum iron and ferritin can be an etiological (factors) for development of aphtous stomatitis.

Background and objective: Output factor (O.F.) is one of the important and influential quantities in the calculation of treatment time in radiotherapy. The calculation of O.F. by a polynomial formula has been considered by researchers since 1985. All the previous studies employed empirical/semi empirical formulae. In the present research we propose a formula based upon a logic base and physical principles.Materials and Methods: The function O.F(x.y) = ¦(x.y) could predict the output factors for radiation fields of Varian 2100C/D. One could change the variables in terms of v=1/x and u=1/y in the main function to obtain a new function g (u,v). Expanding Tailor's series for g (u,v) around point (10,10), and neglecting the second higher orders. According to this expansion and symmetry of the photon fields, the first and second orders of differentiation of the function are constant. One can measure the dose of at least three radiation fields for obtaining the constants O.F formula. The later formula could be used to calculate O.F for other radiation fields. These calculated results are compared with the experimental data.Results: The calculated O.F data for radiation fields 5×5 to 40×40 cm2 have been compared with the experimental data for radiation energies 6 and 18 MV.Conclusion: The difference between the calculated and experimental data for the small radiation fields is more than that for the large fields because dimension of ionization chamber is large compare with the field size. This error is not important since the usual field sizes in radiotherapy are not small. Therefore this formula is suitable to be used in radiation therapy.

Background and objective: Cervical inability to preserve pregnancy is called cervical insufficiency. On-time diagnosis of cervical insufficiency is important for taking appropriate preventive actions. Endovaginal sonography is a powerful predictor for spontaneous preterm pregnancy loss. Importance of cervical length measurement is to diagnose cervical insufficiency and to decide on cerclage. In this study, we evaluated endovaginal sonography assessment of cervical length changes during a normal pregnancy.Subjects and Methods: In a prospective cross-sectional study endovaginal sonography on 150 pregnant women (50 in every trimester) was performed to measure cervical length and mean of the cervical lengths in the three trimesters was compared together by one way ANOVA test. The patients were followed until labor. Twin pregnancies and cases with history of uterus curettage, cervical anomalies, preterm labor and cerclage were excluded from the study.Results: Mean of the cervical length in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy respectively were 39, 40.7 and 39.3 mm respectively. In addition, the minimum and maximum length of cervix in the same trimesters was 28 and 56 mm, 26 and 52 mm, 27 and 52 mm respectively. Minimum cervical length was seen in the first pregnancy and maximum cervical length was seen in past NVD. No significant statistical differences were seen between the means of cervical length in the three trimesters of pregnancy or maternal age. However, there was a significant statistical difference between mean cervical length and maternal parity (p=0.05).Conclusion: The mean cervical length in three trimesters was 39 mm and considered as an accepted value for mean cervical length in different trimesters. According to presence significant correlation between cervical mean lengths and multiparity with no preterm labor history, it may be safer if there is no preterm labor history in a multiparity pregnant woman.  

Background and objective: Missed abortion, due to its severe complications, has both medical and surgical treatments. Because of surgical complications, medical treatment has recently more commonly used. As misoprostol (a prostaglandin E1 analogue) has oral route formulation, low expense, ease of administration and quick effect, has been widely prescribed.The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of misoprostol when given by vaginal with that given both vaginal plus oral misoprostol in the treatment of missed abortion in the first trimester.Subjects and Methods: In this clinical trial, which was performed during 2007, 98 patients with missed abortion who were referred to Ahvaz Imam Khomeini and Razi hospitals were enrolled and divided into two groups with 49 patients in each. Group I was prescribed 800 mg of vaginal misoprostol and every 12-24 hours, an additional 800 mg was administered. Group II was prescribed 400 mg of oral and 400 mg of vaginal misoprostol simultaneously with additional 400 mg of vaginal misoprostol every 8 hours. For analysis of the data ANOVA and Chi squared tests and SPSS 13 software were used.Results: Vaginal bleeding started significantly sooner in group I than group II 4 hour and 23 minute in contrast to 7 hour and 2 minute (P<0.05). Group I expelled gestational products more than group 39 (76.5%) in contrast to 12 (23.5%) (P<0.05). Patients in group I had less complications including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever than the patients in group II (P<0.01).Discussion: The overall results of this study confirm the previous studies that misoprostol is an effective drug in controlling complications of first trimesters missed abortions. Furthermore vaginal route of administration is preferable method to vaginal plus oral route for treatment of missed abortion.

Background and objective: Oral health education is an important subject in life-long prevention of dental problems. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of repetition of oral hygiene instruction in a group of 9 to 10 years old students in the Ahvaz.Subjects and Methods: The students were 364 boys and girls of grades 3 and 4 in the primary school. Before the begging of the teaching program, all the students were examined. Their oral hygiene was verified using the simplified index of the oral health offered by Green-Vermillion (CI-S, DI-S, OHI-S) and gingival health was recorded with the diagnostic standard of (James, Jackson, Stack and Lawton) in exacting of the teaching program. The students were divided into 4 groups the number of teaching sessions and the period between them were different in these groups: group once every two weeks and totally 6 times, group two: monthly and totally 3 times, group three a single session and group four (control) were not trained at all. An educational film with supplementary oral explanations and simplified educating were used as means of training. After completion the education sessions, sanitary daily practices and the oral conditions of student were re-examined. The results were evaluated with chi-square, ANOVA and t- tests and accepted result is being statistically significant at P<0.05.Results: Thirteen students dropped from the study, finally the 351 remaining students were examined and the results were as follows. The medium OHI-S and DI-S in the group one at the final examination showed a meaningful decrease compared with the first examination, but for the CI-S medium were not a meaningful difference compared with the first examinations. As for gingival health condition, in the all groups with training, students had improved their gingival from poor oral hygiene to medium or good health.Conclusion: These results showed that importance of oral hygiene instruction and follow up via repetition of it is very obvious. Repetitive oral hygiene instruction via school based programs, are very useful for improvement of students motivation.

Background and objective: Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In recent years some evidence has been presented on the association of periodontal and cardiovascular disease. Acute systemic or local chronic infections seem to induce changes in the plasmatic concentration of cytokines and hormones, which determine changes in the lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was the evaluation of association between chronic periodontitis and plasma lipid level.Subjects and Methods: The plasma lipids levels of were measured in 90 subjects. The patients were divided into two age- and sex- matched groups: a test group, composed of 45 individuals with chronic periodontal diseases ranging from moderate to severe, with at least two periodontal pocket³ 5mm; and a control group, composed of 45 periodontally healthy individuals or with gingivitis. Individuals with diabetes, hypertension, with history of myocardial infarction or cancer, or those who used diuretics, corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, and those who had received periodontal treatment in the last six months and/or took cholesterol reduction medicine in the last two months before the beginning of this study were not included in the study. Variables related to high cholesterol levels, including age, sex and, body mass index, were evaluated.Results: Total cholesterol (CHOL) and triglycerides (TG) were significantly higher in case group compared with control group (P<0.001). HDL and LDL cholesterols were higher in cases but didn’t have any significant differences with controls. The frequency of persons with pathologic value of TG and CHOL were significantly higher in cases compared with control group.Conclusion: This study showed that hyperlipidemia may be associated with periodontitis in medically healthy people but we cannot conclude that whether periodontitis causes an increase in levels of serum lipids or whether hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for periodontitis.

Background and objective: Alopecia Areata (A.A) is a chronic inflammatory disease that involves hair and nail. Recent studies show a high prevalence of psychological problems in A.A. The purpose of the present study was assessment psychological problems in patients with A.A.Subjects and Method: In this cross-sectional study, 74 (27 female and 47 male) volunteered patients with A.A who were referred to Ahvaz Imam Khomeini hospital dermatologic clinic and private clinic were enrolled. Patients completed symptom checklist-90-R and demographic form.Results: The results showed 55.5% of patients suffered from psychological problems (61.8% of whom were male and 44.5% were female). The patients suffered from the following psychological problems: anxiety (0.86) paranoid (0.85) Depression (0.78) obsessive compulsive (0.78). Significant relationship was observed between psychological problems and marital status (p=0.005).Conclusion: Our findings showed that psychological problems are common in patients with A.A. Male patients report more frequent compliance of psychological problems in comparison to female. The study’s finding suggests that psychological assessment and possibly additional psychological therapy is needed as a routine treatment in A.A.

Background and objective: One of the most common and important problems in neonates is low birth weight (LBW). The prevalence of LBW in Iran is estimated 12%, 30-50% of whom are preterm. Improvement in care procedures of these neonates in addition to decrease the cost of care can cause reduction in complications of neonatal, childhood and adulthood period. With regarding to the importance of growth and development, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of massage with coconut oil on weight gain of preterm neonates.Subjects and Methods: This study is a clinical trial which was carried out on 72 healthy preterm neonates with gestational age between 34-37 weeks who had the conditions of entrance to the study. The sampling was done randomly based on purpose of the study. Neonates were divided into three equal groups (24 in each): control, massage and massage with oil. In massage group: massaging were done 3 times-a-day and each session lasted for 5 minutes based on the teacher techniques started from the days 3 to 17 after birth by the mother. In the oil-massage group the same techniques were done with 10 ml/kg coconut oil for the same period. In control group there were no interventions. Weights were measured, 7th and 14th days after birth.Results: The average gestational age at birth was 35-37 weeks. The average weight was 2314 g and there was no significant difference between these groups. There was a significant difference in average weight gain 7 days after intervention in massage with oil(2525.42 gr) to control group (2267.29 gr) (P=0.04) and in massage (2444.38 gr) to control group (P=0.02). On day 14 after intervention there was a significant difference in massage with oil (2789.58 gr) to control group (2375.42 gr) (P< 0.001) and in massage (2606.67 gr) to control group (P<0.01) and also there was a significant difference between massage with oil to massage group (P=0.04).Conclusion: This study showed that massage and especially massage with oil is an effective and valuable method in weight gain in preterm neonates.