Scientific Journal of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences
Year:2022 | Volume:26 | Issue:7 (117)|Papers Count:7

Background and Aim: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women worldwide. Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, this disease remains one of the leading causes of death. Snake venom is a mixture of various molecules such as carbohydrates, nucleosides, amino acids, lipids, proteins and peptides. Previous studies have shown that the venom of some snakes have anti-cancer effects on human cell lines. In the present study, the effect of Vipera raddei kurdistanica venom on breast cell lines was investigated. Materials and Methods: The effect of increasing concentrations of snake venom on breast cells viability was investigated using 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and lactate dehydrogenase measurement. Apoptotic cell death was evaluated by fluorescent dye staining and DNA fragmentation assay. Changes in the expression levels of some apoptoticrelated genes were investigated by using real time PCR. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. P <0. 05 was considered significant. Results: After 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours treatment, cell viability was significantly decreased in a time and dose dependent manner (P <0. 05). The effect of venom was significantly less on normal breast cells than on cancer cells (P <0. 05). Apoptotic cell death was significantly increased (P <0. 05) in a dose dependent manner. Results of real time PCR confirmed the increase in apoptotic cell death due to venom treatment. Conclusion: These data indicated that snake venom of Vipera raddei kurdistanica had anti-cancer properties through apoptosis cell death induction specifically in breast cancer cells.

Background and Aim: Diabetes is one of the major risk factors for ischemic heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antioxidant drug troxerutin (TXR) on ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial injury in experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (250-270 g) were divided into four groups including control, troxerutin, streptozotocin and streptozotocin + troxerutin groups. Diabetes was induced in the rats by intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg / kg streptozotocin and rats were studied for 10 weeks. Rats in the streptozotocin + tezroxerotin group received troxerotin by oral gavage for 4 weeks from the 7th week onwards. The hearts of the rats in all groups were placed in the Langendrov apparatus after separation from the body and subjected to local ischemia for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion for 60 minutes. The amount of lactate dehydrogenase enzyme in coronary artery as well as the parameters of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in myocardial tissue during ischemia-reperfusion were measured using special kits. Results: Body weight and the amount of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes were significantly decreased in the diabetic rats (P <0. 05). Troxerutin in the streptozotocin + troxerutin group improved the levels of these enzymes to normal levels (P <0. 05), whereas lactate dehydrogenase level decreased in this group (P <0. 05). Conclusion: In this study troxerutin reduced the severity of ischemia-reperfusion injury in the diabetic rats.

Background and Aim: Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic pathogen that may cause fatal granulomatous encephalitis and ocular keratitis in humans and animals. Increasing number of contact lens wearers can lead to increased frequency of amoebic keratitis and due to lack of effective drugs treatment of this disease is difficult. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of Chaerophyllum macropodum on Acanthamoeba genotype T4. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, samples taken from the patients with keratitis were cultured on 1. 5% non-nutrient agar medium. Different concentrations of the ethanolic extract (1. 25, 2. 5, 5, 10 mg/ml) were tested three times (24, 48, and 72 h) on trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba in vitro. The number of live and dead parasites were counted by using trypan blue staining and neobar lam. Also, the percentage of cysts apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Results: In the presence of 10 mg/ml ethanolic extract in the culture medium, the percentages of live trophozoites after 24, 48, and 72 h were 53. 6, 15. 11, and 0 percent, respectively. In the case of cysts, after 24, 48, and 72 h, 65. 31, 43. 31, and 0 percent of the cysts were alive, respectively. The results of flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate was 0. 09% in the sample treated with extract after 72 h. Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Chirophyllum macropodium can be a promising candidate for the development of anti-Acanthamoeba drugs due to its high toxic effects on the cysts. However, since the crude extract of Chaerophyllum macropodum was used in this study, further investigations are needed to find the effective fractions of the plant and determine their mechanisms of action. It can also be tested in vivo or even against other parasites.

Background and Aim: In recent years, sperm cryopreservation has resulted in significant advances in assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs),and, has showed a crucial potential impact on infertility treatment and increasing success rates of ARTs. The negative effects of sperm freezing due to lack of antioxidants have been well recognized. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of coenzyme Q10 as a potent antioxidant on sperm parameters including DNA fragmentation, membrane integrity, and sperm chromatin condensation after thawing of frozen semen. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were collected from 50 men referring to the infertility treatment center of Besat Hospital. According to WHO criteria, the men were normozoospermia. Semen samples were divided into three parts: 1) before freezing 2) freezing without coenzyme Q10, and 3)freezing with coenzyme Q10. After freezing, samples were stored in liquid nitrogen. After two weeks, the samples were thawed and the parameters of sperm including DNA fragmentation, membrane integrity, and sperm chromatin condensation were evaluated. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. Results: After thawing the frozen samples, sperm parameters including number and concentration, total number of motile sperms and progressive movement of sperm, viability, membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, chromatin density were significantly different from the same parameters before freezing (P <0. 05). Addition of coenzyme Q10 improved, viability, membrane integrity, chromatin density, and total number of motile sperms and reduced sperm DNA fragmentation. (P <0. 05) Sperm count and morphology showed no significant difference before and after freezing (P> 0. 05). Also, the percentage of sperm DNA fragmentation was directly related to sperm chromatin before and after freezing. Conclusion: Addition of Q10 coenzyme antioxidant to sperm freezing medium not only improved sperm parameters of membrane integrity and chromatin, but also resulted in reduced sperm DNA fragmentation after thawing.

Background and Aim: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is defined as bleeding occuring from a site proximal to the ligament of Trietz, which can present as hematemesis, melena, and hematochezia. Epidemiological studies on pediatric upper gastrointestinal bleeding were limited and its accurate incidence is not clear. This study deals with epidemiological investigation of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in hospitalized children. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional-descriptive retrospective study. Medical records of the children under 14 years of age who had been hospitalized in Besat Hospital in Sanandaj for upper gastrointestinal bleeding over the past seven years (2011-2017) were reviewed. Demographic data and endoscopic results obtained from the medical records were recorded in the questionnaires. Using SPSS 20 software, statistical analysis was performed. Results: Our study included 121 medical records. 64. 5% of the patients were male. The mean age of the children was 5. 66 years and the duration of hospitalization was 3. 13 days. Among the patients, 77% were urban dwellers, 95% presented with hematemesis. 8. 3% were treated with mechanical ventilation, and 5. 8% had coagulation disorders. Endoscopic results showed that 45. 5% of the children had prolapse gastropathy and 15. 7% had Mallory Weiss syndrome. Conclusion: According to our results, the most common manifestation of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children was hematemesis and the most common cause of it was prolapse gastropathy.

Background and Aim: Prevalence of gallstones is higher in the patients with diabetes mellitus than in the non-diabetic patients. The pathophysiological mechanism of gallstone formation in type 2 diabetic patients is still unclear. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate gallbladder motor function as one of the contributing factors to gallbladder dysfunction in type 2 diabetic patients by sonography of gallbladder. Materials and Methods: In this study our case group included 54 patients with diabetes mellitus and control group consisted of 51 healthy subjects. The groups were matched in regard to age, gender and BMI. Ultrasound was performed for all subjects in the two groups while fasting and also after eating light meals. Gallbladder volume was measured in the fasting state (V1) and after eating (V2), and ejection fraction of the gallbladder was calculated. Also, in the subjects, demographic variables such as age, gender, BMI and number of childbirths were investigated. Results: Gender ratio, age, number of births and BMI were the same in both case and control groups (P> 0. 05). Independent t-test showed no significant relationship in the mean values of V1, V2 and EF between the case and control groups (P> 0. 05). Also, there was no significant difference between gender and mean values of V1, V2 and EF between the groups (P> 0. 05). The prevalence of gallstones was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the control group (P = 0. 026). Conclusion: The results of the present study confirmed the high prevalence of gallstones in the diabetic patients but there were no statistical difference between the groups in relation to gallbladder motor function. However, other factors may be involved in the formation of gallstones in the diabetic patients.

Background and Aim: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains one of the leading causes of hospital admissions and a common cause of death. Population-based studies assessing the etiology and incidence of CAP are lacking in developing countries. In this prospective study, we assessed the incidence, etiology, and outcomes of CAP in the Iranian population. Materials and Methods: This five-year hospital based cross-sectional and descriptive study included 357 patients with CAP, between 18 and 95 years of age. Demographic criteria and clinical data of CAP including fever, cough, sputum, dyspnea, hemoptysis, gastrointestinal symptoms and loss of consciousness were recorded. Laboratory findings and prescribed antibiotics were retrieved from the patients’,records. Results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and sputum specimens and also culture results were recorded. Paired t-test, independent-samples T Test and chi-square were used to examine the relationships among different variables. P<0. 05 was considered significant. Results: The total number of patients in the study was 384 patients, of which 55. 2% were male and 44. 8% were female (P value = 0. 2). The most common underlying disease was community-acquired pneumonia (35. 9%). The most common symptom was productive cough, which was observed in 85. 2% of the patients. The most common microorganisms isolated from culture were Staphylococcus aureus (9. 1%) and Acinetobacter (8. 9%). The most commonly used antibiotic in this study was ceftriaxone (43. 3). In addition, Acinetobacter species were the most common pathogen in exudative pleural effusion (51. 5%). Among the people with higher than normal ESR, 62. 2% were male and 37. 8% were female, which showed a significant difference (P = 0. 03). Out of 89 deaths following pneumonia, 43. 8% were under 65 and 56. 2% were over 65 years of age, which was significant (P= 0. 01). Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and higher mortality in the elderly and patients with decreased level of consciousness or underlying obstructive pulmonary disease, it is necessary to conduct detailed examinations for sputum culture at the beginning and administer appropriate treatment, based on the identified pathogen as soon as possible in order to reduce drug resistance.