Daneshvar Medicine: Basic and Clinical Research Journal
Year:2016 | Volume:24 | Issue:125 |Papers Count:10

Background and Objective: Common anticancer drugs have adverse effects due to targeting both normal and cancerous cells, so it seems valuable to search for further new anticancer compounds. Previously reported, herbal preparation SIM5 has toxic effect on cancerous cells, although its effect on normal proliferating cells is not clear. The present study was performed in order to further comparing the effects of the preparation and its fractions on normal resting, proliferating cells and cancerous cells.Materials and Methods: The BCL1 cell line (cancerous) and mouse splenocytes (normal resting) were cultured, the stimulator (ConA or LPS) was added to half of the wells (normal proliferating). Then, incubated with various concentrations of SIM5 or its fractions (according to relative molecular weight) for 48 hours, MTT test was performed and the cytotoxicity and IC50 were calculated.Results: SIM5 had strong toxic effect on BCL1 (from 0.2-2 mg/ml, IC50 about 0.41 mg/ml), however no toxic effect was observed on activated lymphocytes. Besides, it was able to activate normal resting lymphocytes. The most effective anti-cancer fractions lie between the molecular weight of 30-50 KDa and the best immune-activating effect was between of 10-30 KDa.Conclusion: The herbal preparation SIM5 has distinct effects on cancerous cells, lymphocytes and normal proliferating cells, so seeking possible discriminative mechanisms may clarify its potency as a candidate anti-cancer drug.

Background and Objective: Resiliency and age are two important variables that play a role in patient compliance with disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of resiliency and age to adjustment in patients with signs and symptoms of chronic pain.Materials and Methods: In a descriptive and correlational study, 154 patients (64 males and 90 females) with chronic pain referred to Imam Khomeini hospital pain clinic and with voluntary sampling method were selected. Participants completed demographic inventory, Resiliency Scale (CS_RISC), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS_21) & Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ). The data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.Results: The correlation coefficients showed that resiliency with anxiety, depression, stress and physical disability had a significantly negative correlation and age had a significant positive correlation with physical disabilities. The results also showed that resilience can be a negative predictor for anxiety, depression, stress and physical inability and age can be positively a predictor for physical inability.Conclusion: These findings suggest that resiliency is a protective factor in adjustment with chronic pain. it is noticeable that older people more likely to report physical functional limitations due to chronic pain and it should be considered in pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies designed for patients with chronic pain.

Background and Objective: Obesity and body fat percentage seem to be associated with respiratory problems, although the mechanism of this correlation is not very clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 12-week HIIT training on lung function, serum leptin level and lipid profile in inactive obese men.Materials and Methods: Twenty-two inactive obese men aged 18 to 30 years voluntarily participated in the study and randomly divided into two exercise (n=11) and control (n=11) groups. Subjects in the exercise group performed high-intensity interval training for 12 weeks, 3 sessions per week with a heart rate of 70 to 85% HRmax. Serum leptin level, lipid profile and lung (pulmonary) function were measured before and after 12 weeks of HIIT training. All statistical tests (paired sample T-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis) were perfor ed and considered significant at a p£0.05.Results: The results indicated a significant decrease in levels of leptin (p=0.001) and cholesterol (p=0.001) after 12 weeks of HIIT. Also, HDL non-significantly increased and triglycerides, LDL and VLDL were non-significantly decreased after 12 weeks of HIIT training (P>0.05). In the case of lung function, this type of exercise significantly increased FVC (p=0.003).Conclusion: In conclusion, 12-week HIIT training decreased cholesterol and serum leptin in obese men and this decrease was associated with increased lung function and profound changes in body fat.

Background and Objective: Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Satureja hortensis hydro-alcoholic extract on anxiety and depression in male Wistar rats exposed to chronic immobilization.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 48 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 6 groups (n=8 for each): control, stress group (6 hours/day during 21 consecutive days restraint stress), Satureja 200 and Satureja 400 (receiving doses 200, 400 mg/kg/bw of hydroalcoholic extract of Satureja hortensis), stress-Satureja 200 and stress-Satureja 400 groups (received Satureja extract in addition to chronic immobility stress). At the end of study, anxiety and depression were evaluated using elevated plus maze and forced swimming test, respectively.Results: The percentages of open arm entry and time spent in open arm significantly increased in satureja-stress groups as compared with stress animals (p<0.01). The results of forced swimming test showed that the immobility time in satureja-stress400 group significantly decreased as compared with stress animals (p<0.05).Conclusion: The results suggested that hydroalcoholic extract of Satureja hortensis has anxiolytic effect and at dosage of 400 mg/kg decreases depression-like behavior in rats.

Background and Objectives: Payment methods of fee-for-service and per capita affect financial incentives of service providers differently, and hence, can produce excess or shortage of healthcare services and expenses for the health insurance organization and the insured. This study assessed expenses of healthcare services for households in the Iranian provinces regarding the payment methods of fee-for-service and per capita for the same indicator value of the insured satisfaction.Materials and Methods: In this study, the proposed assessment of the payment methods of fee-for-service and per capita was carried out using the record data from the Iranian health insurance organization and the optimizing model of compensated demand for healthcare services. In this model, the contract between the insurance organization and the insured could be specified by a certain level of expenses and indicator value for users’ satisfaction. Hence, the demand for health insurance services could be determined independent of the supply of services by healthcare providers.Results: It was shown that at the same indicator value of satisfaction in the two payment methods in 1391, the average expenses of household for sum of outpatient and inpatient services for per capita payment method in 22 provinces of 31 are less than the expenses for fee-for-service payment method.Conclusion: Providing a contract between the insurance organization and the insured that represents minimum expenses for insurance services at a certain value of satisfaction indicator could be considered a plausible target for the both sides, irrespective of the providers’ incentive. This helps the insurance organization and the insured to choose the payment method that minimizes the difference between average unit cost of insurance services against the average cost in the market for health services, or minimizes the risk of healthcare costs.

Background and Objective: Mothers’ empowerment and self-efficacy in breastfeeding are key motivational and psychological factor for continuous breastfeeding and expected improve breastfeeding. Therefore, this study was carried out aiming to promote women’s empowerment in breastfeeding.Materials and Methods: In this random clinical trial, pregnant women were gradually selected and randomly put into a control and an intervention group. For the intervention group, two 2-hour educational breastfeeding sessions were held for each pregnant woman along with her key family members and breastfeeding training manual and software were given to them; then mothers and family members attended a breastfeeding counseling session one week after delivery. The control group received routine education. Mother’s empowerment was assessed by a researcher-made questionnaire two weeks and two months after delivery.Results: 71 women in the control and intervention groups were investigated two months after delivery. Findings showed that family-centered education and support significantly increases the mean score of breastfeeding empowerment in the intervention group at 2 weeks and 2 months after birth as compared to the control group. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding at 2 weeks and 2 months after birth in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group.Conclusion: Results showed that family-centered education and support promote exclusive breastfeeding. For breastfeeding promotion, it is suggested to train mothers and their families during pregnancy and teach breastfeeding skills and family support after delivery and resolve related problems in collaboration with key family members.

Background and Objective: Despite conducted studies, the amount of difference for the proteins such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that is involved in learning, memory and cognitive function in the elderly men and women is not clear. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gender on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor at rest and in response to acute resistance exercise in elderly men and women.Materials and Methods: In this study, 22 elderly men (60-75 years old; n=11) and elderly women (60-75 years old; 11) participated.72 hours after the determination of the 1-RM, the subjects performed three resistance exercises by 75%1-RM. Blood samples were collected at rest, immediately and 30 min after the exercise. For statistical analysis, we used independent t-test, repeated measures ANOVA (2*3) and statistical significance was assued p£0.05.Results: The results of the study revealed that the amount of the based BDNF in elderly women was higher than the men. Additionally, the result showed that serum BDNF significantly increases immediately after the resistance exercise in both groups. However, 30 minutes after the activity, there were no significant increments in serum BDNF as compared to the baseline amount. On the other hand, the outputs of the statistical analyses revealed that gender has no significant effect on the response of the serum BDNF to the resistance exercise in the elderly men and women.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the baseline serum BDNF of the elderly women is higher than the elderly men. Additionally, the amount of this protein is increased in response to the resistance exercise. Gender has no effect on the response of the BDNF to the resistance exercise in the elderly people. Based on the results of this study, same exercise intervention has same effects on the serum BDNF and subsequent effects on the some functions such as learning, memory and cognitive function in elderly people. However, more studies are needed for this issue.

Background and Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a kind of autoimmune and chronic disease of the central nerve system. Fatigue is the most common cause of disability among those who are affected with MS. It may increase due to sleep disorder and reduce patients’ quality of life. Since exercise as an alternative treatment is thought to be effective for MS-affected people, this study aimed at investigating the effect of interval aerobic training of upper and lower body on fatigue, quality of life, sleep and function of female MS-affected patients.Materials and Methods: The present study was a semi-experimental type which was done with pre and post-tests. For this purpose, 25 female MS-affected patients EDSS£3 participated in the study and were divided into two groups of control (10 people) and experimental (12 people) randomly. All of the participants answered quality of life (MSQOL-54), fatigue (FSS) and quality of life questionnaires before training. Also, VO2max, maximal power of upper and lower body and their functions were measured. The experimental group had upper and lower body interval aerobic training by means of arm and leg ergometer cycle for eight weeks (three times a week). The data were analyzed with dependent and independent t-tests and variance analysis.Results: The findings of this study indicated that after eight weeks of upper and lower body interval aerobic training, fatigue decreased while quality of life, function and VO2max of the patients significantly increased (p<0.05), but there was no significant change in their quality of sleep (p>0.05).Conclusion: Interval aerobic training of upper and lower body improves quality of life, function and VO2max. Moreover, it decreases the major sufferings of MS-affected patients which is fatigue. It also increases their mental and physical functions.

Background and Objective: Positive and negative emotional states are of the most important factors in the process of treatment and prevention of psychosomatic diseases. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotional schemas therapy on the severity and frequency of physical symptoms and life quality of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).Materials and Methods: This research was implemented in the framework of single-subject experimental design by using of stepwise multiple-baselines plan. Five patients with IBS were selected as convenience sampling on the base of the participation willingness of individuals to the research. Thereafter, they received emotional schema therapy. Research tools included ROMEIII scale, SCID interview, IBS symptoms frequency and severity scale and life quality questionnaire. The analysis of data was done using visual analysis charts, recovery percentage and reliable change index.Results: the results showed patients that received emotional schema therapy detected decreased severity of symptoms and increased life quality variable (p<0.05). Also, the therapy has no effect on IBS symptoms frequency (p>0.05).Conclusion: It seems emotional schemas therapy is an appropriate option for treatment of these patients because it is effective in improvement of life quality and IBS symptoms severity.