QOM UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
Year:2015 | Volume:9 | Issue:5|Papers Count:9

Background and Objectives: Spinal cord dorsal horn lamina 2 receives many synaptic terminals from C fibers and a few from Ab fibers. GABAergic inhibitory interneurons in lamina 2 play an important role in the pain sensation. Gap junctions (Gj) are intercellular channels, which provides cell to cell transport of small molecules and ions. In this research, the importance of C-fibers in pain transmission through GABAergic system and Gj manipulations, was investigated by formalin test using capsaicin, muscimol, and carbenoxolone.Methods: In this experimental study, 9 groups of male wistar rats (200-250 g), including group treated with capsaicin in infancy, control group, and sham group, were used. Adult animals received saline, carbenoxolone (1nM) and muscimol (0.3mg) individually or as a form of co-treatment. After sub plantar injection of 0.05 ml of 2.5% formalin, pain related behavior was recorded for 1 hour. Data were compared using one-way ANOVA and post t-Tukey test. Significance level was considered to be p<0.05.Results: Analgesic effect was the same in groups treated in infancy with capsaicin, and received saline and carbenoxolone, but muscimol increased pain reduction in the inflammatory phase of formalin test (p<0.01). Also, Co-treatment of carbenoxolone and muscimol did not show more pain reduction.Conclusion: Considering the elimination of C-fibers and stimulation of GABA-A, elimination of Gj cannot show a significant effect on pain relief beyond what the elimination of C-fibers and stimulation of the GABAergic system at the spinal level can do.

Background and Objectives: Probiotics refers to a group of microorganisms, which when exist in an appropriate amount in the gastrointestinal tract can have beneficial effects on host. Due to their duced consumption of traditional fermented food, where by the possibility of loss of many probiotic strains exist, isolation and identification of these bacteria from traditional and healthful food products seem necessary. Kimchi is a fermented food, which seems to have probiotic strains. In this study, the probiotic potential of strains isolated from kimchi was investigated.Methods: To determine the probiotic properties of the mentioned strains, confirmatory tests, including resistance to acid (pH= 2, 3, and 7), resistance to bile salts (percentage, 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0), antibacterial activity, and finally resistance of the studied strains to some common antibiotics were performed.Results: In this study, out of 55 tested isolates, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus showed good probiotic properties, so that maximum probiotic potential belonged to Lactobacillus plantarum strain PD412 and Pediococcus pentosaceus strain ATCC 25745.Conclusion: In this study, safety aspects of using these bacteria, in terms of resistance to antibiotics, indicated that these two bacteria have natural resistance to antibiotics. Therefore, considering high probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi, it is recommended that this food be used as a probiotic supplement.

Background and Objectives: Recently, Rosa canina L. fruithas been taken into consideration in the treatment of diseases due to not having any side-effects. In the present study, the antidiabetic effect of Rosa canina L. fruit was investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.Methods: In this experimental study, animals were divided into 6 groups (8 rats/group): healthy group, diabetic group, in which diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of alloxan (at dose of 120 mg/kg), and experimental groups, which were treated with i.p. administration of hydroethanolic extract (at doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) for 14 days. Blood samples were collected from heart after 14 days. The diabetic control group was treated daily with saline. Serum levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-c, HDL-c, urea, uric acid, creatinine, enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (AP), were measured using kit.Results: Alloxan treatment significantly increased serum levels of glucose, LDL-c, triglyceride, total cholesterol, urea, uric acid, creatinine, enzymes ALT, AST, and AP and significantly decreased serum HDL-clevel in diabetic control (saline) animals compared to healthy group. Treatment with hydroethanolic extract of Rosa canina L. fruit for 14 days (in concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg), significantly decreased serum levels of glucose, LDL-c, triglyceride, total cholesterol urea, uric acid, creatinine and AP enzyme compared to the diabetic control animals, while increased serum HDL-c level compared to the diabetic control (saline)group.Conclusion: Hydroethanolic extract of Rosa canina fruit has antidiabetic effect on diabetic animals. Therefore, this plant is a good candidate for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and should be given more attention in future researches.

Background and Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosais a gram-negative bacterium and an opportunistic pathogen with several virulence factors. This bacterium is one of the common pathogens in nosocomial infections, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis. Also, one of the important mechanisms of the survival of this pathogen in the pulmonary disease is biofilm formation. This study was conducted with the purpose of determining the sub-MIC concentrations of two antibiotics, ampicillin and gentamicin, along with the form conjugated with gold nanoparticles on the formation of biofilms in mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Methods: In this study, gold nanoparticles were synthesized using trisodium citrate in a chemical reduction method, then the shape and size of gold nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Conjugation of gold nanoparticles with ampicillin and gentamicin antibiotics was performed by mixing them together. To test the effect of compound son biofilm formation, micro plate method was performed.Results: In this study, approximate size of nanoparticles was determined to be 10nm. In electronic image (in conjugated form), accumulation of nanoparticles was observed in the image. Also, gold nanoparticles conjugated with the drugs, had better effect on biofilm formation compared to free form of the drugs.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, gold nanoparticles by increasing the concentration of drug around themselves result in better inhibitory effect of drug on the biofilm formation compared to the free form of drug.

Background and Objectives: Anethum graveolens (Dill) like Bunium persicum has therapeutic effect, such as food digestive, carminative, anticonvulsant, but its effect on increasing milk is certain. In this study, the possible effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Dill was investigated on serum levels of estrogen and progesterone in female rats.Methods: The present study was carried out on 36 mature female wistar rats (weight, 150-250g) in 4 groups (9 rats per group):The first and second groups received the hydroalcoholic extract at doses of 50 and 100mg/kg, respectively, and the third group (sham) received 1 ml of water (solvent)for 14 days through gavage. The fourth group (control) received no drug. At the end, a deep ether anesthesia and blood sampling from the heart of animals were done and the serum levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones were measured. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA statistical test. The significance level was considered to be p<0.05.Results: The serum concentration of progesterone hormone significantly increased in groups received the extract compared to the control and sham groups (p<0.05). But the serum level of estrogen did not show any significant difference in experimental groups compared to the control group.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of dill seed at both doses could be effective in the increase of serum progesterone level. Therefore, in future, after conducting more studies, this extract should be considered as an important factor for elevation of this hormone level in women.

Background and Objectives: Sleep pattern may changes over the lifetime, but the quantity and quality of sleep always depend on individual factors, such as age, gender, and psychological and environmental factors. However, in a child, sleep is as important as growth and development. This study aimed to assess sleep disorders in 4-6 years old children referred to health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences of Tehran.Methods: This study was carried out as a descriptive cross-sectional study on 400 children referred to health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences of Tehran, 2013. Sampling was performed by multi-stage method and interview with mothers. To assess the sleep disorders, Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) consisting of 5 subscales was used. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The significance level was considered p<0.05.Results: The mean age of children was 64.27±9.3 months. Sleep habits disorders were associated with child’s age, body mass index (BMI), and marital adjustment, sleep behavior disorders were associated with child’s age, BMI, father’s drug abuse, and marital adjustment, Night-waking disorders were associated with BMI, and morning-waking disorders were associated with BMI and marital adjustment.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that sleep disturbances threaten growth and development of children. Mental, familial, and cultural problems influence sleep quality. Therefore, assessment of sleep disorders in children should be considered in the differential diagnosis of their health.

Background and Objectives: One of the common complications of diabetes is nervous system disorder and diabetic neuropathy. In various studies, it has been reported that flavonoid and polyphenolic compounds of plants improve diabetic neuropathy. Due to the presence of large amounts of these compounds in Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit, this study was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia on diabetic neuropathic pain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Methods: This experimental study was performed on 24 male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 3 groups of 8 each: negative control group (without any intervention), positive control group (diabetic), and group received the extract (at dose of 200 mg/kg/day). After induction of diabetes, the aqueous extract was administered orally for 3 weeks. Thermal allodynia, mechanical allodynia, hyperalgesia, and formalin tests were used for evaluating diabetic neuropathic pain on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 after injection of Streptozotocin. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. The level of significance was considered at p<0.05.Results: The difference of pain between negative and positive controls and diabetic control was significant in thermal allodynia (p=0.036), mechanical allodynia (p=0.023), thermal hyperalgesia (p=0.001), and formalin (p<0.0001) tests. Administration of aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia improved diabetic neuropathic pain compared to positive control group in thermal allodynia (p=0.036), mechanical allodynia (p=0.012), hyperalgesia (p=0.011), and formalin (p<0.0001) tests.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia improves diabetic neuropathic pain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Background and Objectives: Virtual education is one of the novel and active methods for promotion of education. This study aimed to compare the effect of lecture-based education versus CD-based education (CBE) on cognitive learning of research methods course in students of Qom University of Medical Sciences.Methods: This educational trial was performed on 36 individuals. The students were assigned to two groups of lecture (24 subjects) and CD (12 subjects) by simple random sampling method. Pretest and posttest of each group were performed before and one month after education. Data were analyzed by Chi-Square, paired t-, and independent t- tests.Results: A significant difference was observed in the mean total scores, knowledge score, understanding score, and composition scores between before and after education in lecture group (p<0.05), but, in CBE group, despite the increase in mean total score in all different domains of cognitive learning, no significant difference was observed between before and after scores. In lecture-based group, the only significant difference was observed in mean percentage of changes of total score and knowledge score, before and after education (p<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, the percentage of changes of total score and knowledge score of cognitive learning were significantly changed more in lecture group than those of CBE group. Therefore, lecture and CBE educational methods could be effective in the increase of knowledge domain score for research methods course, but lecture education is more appropriate in other domains.