QOM UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
Year:2014 | Volume:7 | Issue:6|Papers Count:15

Background and Objectives: The increase of stress following technology development appears to be a threat to human body organs such as nervous system. The present study was conducted aiming at investigating the effects of chronic multiple stress on morphometric changes of Betz cells in male rat cerebral cortex.Methods: In this experimental study, 18 Wistar rats were randomly divided into two equal groups. Animals of the under stress group for 10 days were exposed to different stresses, such as food deprivation, water deprivation, forced swimming, immobilization at 4oC, and isolation, while the animals in control group were kept in their cages without any intervention. After the intended period, the animals were anesthetized and then their brains were removed. After fixation, samples of frontal cortex of the brain were prepared for light microscopy study. The data analysis were performed using t-test, and the significance level was considered p<0.05.Results: The mean number and size of Betz cells in the stress groups was significantly lower compared to control group (p<0.001). The qualitative observations also showed chromatolysis of nissl bodies, nucleus condensation, and decrease of neural processes.Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that chronic multiple stress can have negative effects on the rat cortical internal pyramidal layer through reducing the size and number of Betz cells; however, more studies are needed to confirm the above results.

Background and Objectives: Vibrio species have been known as the cause of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal disorders, which usually appear epidemically in some seasons of the year. Since the sea has been known as one of the important ecosystems of Vibrio species, this study was carried out with the aim of determining the prevalence of Vibrio species and their microbial resistance in different coastal regions of the south of country in different seasons of year.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 600 water samples taken from the coastal waters of Bandar Abbas were evaluated in terms of presence of Vibrio strains in two seasons of spring and winter. For primary detection, alkaline peptone water and TCBS were used, and the final identification was carried out using biochemical tests (oxidase, motility, Indole ring, KIA, and other biochemical tests such as 0% NaCl, 6% NaCl, VP, and ONPG).Results: V. harveyi (2.3%), V. cholerae (1.7%), V. parahaemolyticus (1.3%), V. furnissii (1.2%), V. metschnikovii (1%), P. shigelloides (1%), A. hydrophila (0.5%), V. vulnificus and V. mimicus (0.3%), and V. fluvialis (0.2%) had the highest prevalence. Also, in terms of the studied seasons, 71.2% of the contamination was related to winter season and 28.8% to spring season, which showed that the cases of contamination in winter was higher than in spring.Conclusion: Based on the study of researchers, the isolation of these species increases after rain. In the present study, this parameter had a positive effect on the isolation of Vibrio species.

Background and Objectives: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, which its effective treatment maintains an acceptable level of performance in patients. Vitamin E as an antioxidant protects cells against damage. This study was conducted with the objective of investigating the effect of citalopram and Vitamin E on the hippocampal neurons in female depressed rats.Methods: In the present study, 30 female rats with the mean weight of 200±20g were divided into five 6-rat groups. The groups included: 1- group C (Non-depressed control), 2- group D (depressed controls that were treated with normal food and water), 3- group DS (received citalopram at a dose of 30mg/kg/bw), 4- group DE (received Vitamin E at a dose of 100 mg/kg/bw), 5- group DES (received a combination of Vitamin E and citalopram). One month after treatment, all the rats were euthanized by easy killing method. Then brain and hippocampus were removed and after fixation in formalin, the tissue sections were prepared. After staining with hematoxylin and eosin by light microscopy, hippocampal tissue was studied. To induce depression, rats were placed in absolute darkness for 2 months. Data were analysed using one-way analisis of varience and Tukey’s test. Significance level was considered to be 0.05.Results: About 40 and 50 percent of the neurons of CA1 and DG region were had neuronal necrosis in depressed rats.Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that citalopram and Vitamin E have a protective effect against hippocampal neurons in the depressed animals.

Background and Objectives: In recent years the emergence of antibiotic resistance has a high prevalence, so that it has become one of the complexities in modern medicine. This study was performed with the aim of evaluating the bacteria isolated from clinical samples of the patients with various infections and estimating the prevalence of various bacteria and also antibiotic resistance pattern.Methods: At first, culture was prepared from wounds of the patients with nosocomial infection in Imam Khomeini and Burn hospitals in 2008-2009. Then, after isolation of bacteria, antibiotic susceptibility was determined using antibiotic discs. Data were analyzed using statistical tests (ratio) at the significance level of p£0.05.Results: Levels of antibiotic resistance and susceptibility in microorganisms isolated from 403 various samples included: Pneumococcus (2.2%), coagulase-positive (4%) and coagulase-negative (21.3%) Staphylococci, Pseudomonas (18.9%), Klebsiella (25.6%), Escherichia coli (26.8%), Shigella (1%), and proteus (0.2%). Among them, isolated klebsiellas showed various susceptibilities to different antibiotics. The most resistance was obsereved in coagulase-positive Staphylococci to cloxacillin, so that 80% of coagulase-positive Staphylococci were resistant to cloxacillin.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, and considering the possibility of transferring resistance genes to other bacteria, it is necessary that health care authorities pay more attention to planning, monitoring of control of nosocomial infections, and application of appropriate and effective treatment protocols in order to elimination of multidrug resistant microorganism. Also, limitation of the prescription of multidrug resistant antibiotics seems to be of main requirements of treatment protocols.

Background and Objectives: Probiotics are live microorganisms, which if administered in adequate amounts, have beneficial effects on host health. Probioticsreduces the risk of developing diseases in the consumers through prevention of the immunosuppressive effects. The present study was performed with the purpose of comparing the effect of probiotic supplementation on the immune response in male athletes, before and after exhaustive exercise.Methods: In a double-blind study, 16 male athlete volunteers aged between 19-25 years were assigned into two groups of experimental and placebo. Subjects of the experimental and placebo respectively tooktwo capsules of probiotic or placebo daily for 30 days. Blood samples of the participants were collected at the beginning and on the 30th day, and the numbers of lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, serum CRP, and serum IgA were measured. Data were analyzed using repeated measurement method and independent t-test.Results: Consumption of probiotics supplement in the rest levels in the intragroup and intergroup comparison, only showed significant difference (p<0.05) in the monocytes levels compared to base line level.Also, after the exhaustive exercise, a statistically significant difference was observed in the levels of monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes compared to the baseline levels. In the comparison between the probiotic and placebo groups, only the monocytes level were significantly different (p<0.05). Other variables had nosignificant differences.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that probiotic consumption following exhaustive exercise can cause increase infactors of lymphocyte, monocyte, and geranolocyte, thereforeit seems that probiotics play a role in the development of immune system.

Background and Objectives: Premenstrual syndrome is one of the common problems in women of reproductive age and has many physical and psychological symptoms with weak, moderate, and severe expressions. Considering the different results of researches done in this field, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, and clinical manifestations of premenstrual syndrome in the students residing in the dormitories of Arak University of Medical Sciences.Methods: This study was conducted as a descriptive study on 500 students residing in the dormitories of Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2009. The 10-item shortened premenstrual assessment form and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 (DASS 21) were completed by research units.Results: The mean age of the students participated in the research was 21.47±2.55 years old. 96.6% of the participants had some degree of premenstrual syndrome. Frequency of premenstrual syndrome on the basis of mild, moderate, severe, and very severe degrees was 52.2%, 38.8%, 5.2%, and 0.6%, respectively. Among the reported symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, such as stress, nervousness, irritability, depression, breast tenderness, backache, weight gain, abdominal pain, and bloating, psychological symptoms were more common than physical symptoms.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, since premenstrual syndrome is a common problem among women in reproductive age and has adverse effects on quality of life, so, preventive and therapeutic strategies should be provided to solve this problem.

Background and Objectives: Occupational stress is a chronic disease, which is caused by harsh working conditions, and affects individual performance and physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine the level of occupational stress in medical emergency staff in Ardabil province.Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, 103 persons of the emergency stations of Ardabil province in 2011, were studied in terms of stress level by convenience sampling. Data collection tool was a two-part questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data (the first part) and Harry’s stress questionnaire (the second part). After collection, the Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, and ANOVA.Results: Most of research units, i.e., 77 (74.8%) had the mean stress score of between 150-250, which was indicative of stress in them, and 4 subjects (3.9%) had scores higher than 250, which indicated severe stress. These results show that medical emergency staff has high stress during emergency medicine care.Conclusion: Considering that the medical emergency and prehospital emergency medical personnel are an important part of health staff that save lives, and also that stress is an important cause of development and exacerbation of burnout, therefore, a proper management system for facilitating and removing the risks of occupational stress and measures to prevent the consequences, are necessary.

Background and Objectives: Hospitals are important and vital centers for public services, which their nature of activity and type of provided services, require a calm and silent environment. This study was done to evaluate noise exposure dose among nurses of 6 hospitals in Qom city.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 12 nurses working in 6 educational hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences were selected randomly at the first stage. To assess the noise exposure level, two calibrated dosimeters (TES model, Taiwan) were used. In the second stage, demographic data such as age, sex, years of employment, daily working hours, etc. were collected using a questionnaire. Finally, the data were analyzed using central statistical indices, frequency distribution, one-way ANOVA and Duncan's test at the significance level of less than 0.05.Results: In this study, in all the studied hospitals, the level of noise exposure was higher than permissible limit. On the other hand, the received noise dose was significantly higher in the emergency, obstetrics and gynecology, and infectious wards (a<0.05). Also, most of the noise sources were reported respectively for ventilators, serum pumps, and suction apparatus and other sources, such as the sound of air conditioning systems, incubators, etc. Were in the second priority. The sounds of these devices were at the conversation frequencies (500-3000 Hz).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that noise levels were higher than permissible limit in various wards of the hospitals, Therefore, intervention programs to control and reduce noise pollution in the hospital could be implemented in a prioritized way through a study by analysis of the causes and patterns of sound production.

Background and Objectives: Currently, Allen & Gilbert’s entrapment scale is used in order to measure entrapment in different countries. Therefore, this research was carried out with the aim of investigating the validity and reliability of entrapment scale in the students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: A total of 162 students (60 males and 102 females) of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were selected by simple random sampling and responded to the research tools. To examine the validity of entrapment scale, methods including content validity, item-total correlation (material analysis) and subtest-total correlation (factors analysis) were applied, and in order to examine the scale’s reliability, methods including Cronbach’s alpha and split-half were used. Significance level was considered to be 0.01 (99% confidence).Results: Analysis of the questionnaire’s items demonstrated that item-total correlation coefficients were significant in all cases and varied in the range of 0.44-0.76. The subtest-total correlation coefficient with the total score was determined 0.95 for external entrapment subscale and 0.90 for internal entrapment subscale (p<0.01). Also, factors analysis indicated the presence of two general factors. In addition, by using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, the internal reliability of the scale for total scale and subscales of the external and internal entrapment subscales were calculated 0.92, 0.87, 0.88, respectively. The split-half reliability coefficient of the scale was obtained 0.88.Conclusion: All in all, the results of this research demonstrated that entrapment scale has satisfying psychometric properties for use in Iranian students.

Background and Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders with the prevalence of 10-20% of the world’s population. This syndrome usually manifests as abdominal pain or discomfort associated with altered bowel habits, and it is usually diagnosed based on patient’s history and there is no specific diagnostic test for it. However, it should be noted that definitive diagnosis is made after ruling out other organic diseases. The most common clinical manifestations are abdominal pain or discomfort, constipation, diarra or alternating constipation and diarrhea, and abdominal bloating. Various mechanisms have been described for pathogenesis of this disorder, including motor dysfunction, visceral hypersensitivity, mild inflammation, and stress. Genetic factors seem to be involved in inflammation and regional immune responses and subsequently, susceptibility to IBS. But it seems that several factors are involved in the presentation of IBS symptoms. Although most patients do not refer for medical care, the disease imposes a considerable cost on patient and healthcare system and considerably overshadows the subject’s quality of life. Having knowledge about the precise pathophysiology and diagnostic criteria are necessary for better identification of patients and choosing a more appropriate treatment approach.

Background and Objectives: Aspiration of foreign body into the bronchus is one the emergency problems, which emergency measures are required for its removal. This problem is frequently occurs in children and in the sixth decade of life in patients with an underlying disease, and patients presents with a history of sudden choking and coughing following swallowing.Case Report: The patient is a 38-year-old male without a history of diseases who had referred since 13 years ago after swallowing a metal zipper, without any symptoms at the time of aspiration. After several hospitalizations and receiving many antibiotics and the diagnosis of pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and lack of appropriate, he was suspected for the presence of a foreign body, and a half meter metal wire was removed from his right bronchus by flexible bronchoscopy in two stages after general anesthesia.