KOWSAR MEDICAL JOURNAL
Year:2007 | Volume:11 | Issue:4|Papers Count:20

Objective: In this study, we compared nitric oxide production in peritoneal macrophages of Leishmania major (L. major) infected BALB/c mice immunized with BCG from rectal or subcutaneous routes.Materials and Methods: 20 male BALB/c mice vaccinated with appropriate dose of BCG through rectal and subcutaneous routes. One month later they received Autoclaved Leishmania major+ alum (ALM+alum) subcutaneously. Mice challenged with the injection of 105 Leishmania major in the hind footpad after 21 days and lesion development was evaluated every week. The amount of nitric oxide production in supematant of peritoneal macrophage culture was measured by Griess method 3, 6 and 9 weeks after challenge. Immunoblotting was used to show expression of inducible nitric oxide synthesis.Results: Stimulatory effect of BCG on immune system observed in both groups of vaccination according to delayed type hypersensitivity response. Three weeks after challenge nitric oxide production observed in both BCG vaccination groups. But after that, BCG vaccinated groups had a lot of variations in nitric oxide production that finally tended to disease overcome in subcutaneously BCG vaccinated group.Decreasing in nitric oxide production along with dissemination of parasite in body was observed in this group (P£0.05). In a different way rectal immunized group showed a high resistant to infection by increasing and maintenance of anti-leishmania responses.Conclusion: Rectal BCG vaccination can induce more stable nitric oxide production in comparison to subcutaneous vaccination and make animals protective, by inhibition of L. major dissemination.

Objective: In the present study attempts were made to further identify the effects of topiramate on the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in morphine-sensitized mice.Materials and Methods: Male Swiss-Webster mice (20-30 g) were used in this study and un-biased place conditioning paradigm was applied for this purpose. In a pilot study, the effects of morphine on place conditioning paradigm were assessed in morphine-nave animals for evaluation of ineffective doses of the drug.Results: Administration of one dose daily morphine (5 mg/kg) for 3 days followed by five days rest, in order to develop sensitization, enhanced the conditioning induced by ineffective morphine (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg). Injections of topiramate (20, 80 and 120 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced both the acquisition and expression of morphine CPP in morphinesensitized animals. Topiramate (20, 80 and 120 mg/kg, i.p.) by itself did not induce place preference or place aversion in the mice.Conclusion: It can be concluded that to piramate administration leads to inhibition of morphine sensitization, which may be due to glutamate and/or GABAergic mechanisms. In addition, it seems that topiramate may be useful for treatment of psychological dependence to opioids.

Objective: The general purpose of this study was to evaluate a new chromogenic medium "Candida ID agar" for identification of Candida species and compare it with Candida CHROM agar.Materials and methods: 150 clinical samples were cultured on Candida ID agar and Candida CHROM agar. The isolated yeasts were also identified using APi kit system and the results compared with Candida ID agar and Candida CHROM agar using laboratory test evaluation formula.Results: The sensitivity of Candida ID agar was 96.4% which was more than that in Candida CHROM agar of 51% especially for Candida albicans.Conclusion: Candida ID agar was more useful for identification of Candida albicans and differentiation of other Candida species in compare with CHROM agar.

Objective: Candida albicans isolates from patients and healthy hosts have been assumed as virulent and avirulent strains respectively by some researchers studying virulence factors of the pathogenic yeast. The present study using a standard virulence determination method was performed to evaluate the assumption validity.Materials and Methods: Candida albicans isolates from patients with candidiasis or normal hosts were maintained on appropriate culture media. Blastoconidia suspensions (1x 106 cells) of each isolate inoculated to a group of BALB/c mice through their lateral vein tail. Time of mortality was recorded and the distribution of survival time was determined and analyzed by Life Table statistics method.Results: The results indicated that the studied isolates of Candida albicans were considerably different from each other in pathogenic potential as Mean Survival Time (MST) of inoculated mice varied from 5 to 26.2 days for the most virulent and the least virulent strains, respectively. However, amongst the yeasts isolated from patient and healthy hosts, both high virulent and low virulent strains were found, and there was no significant difference between the MST of the isolates from patient (13.7±1/1 days) and healthy (12.45±1.2 days) hosts.Conclusion: It is concluded that the host status (healthy or patient) does not predict the virulence of Candida albicans isolates, and the assumption that patient's isolates are high virulent may not be valid. The results also confirm that there is no way more exact than animal model to determine virulence of Candida albicans strains.

Objective: To determine the correlation of albumin concentration with total and unbound phenytoin plasma concentration following head injury.Materials and Methods: Ten adult head trauma patients receiving phenytoin for seizure prophylactic treatment were studied for their free and total plasma phenytoin concentrations and their respective albumin concentrations.Results: No significant difference was found in plasma concentration measured with HPLC or FPIA while a marked correlation was noted between plasma albumin and free phenytoin concentration (r2=0.85). A remarkable difference (p<0.05) was noticed when administered doses were adjusted on the basis of total plasma phenytoin and calculated plasma phenytoin.Conclusion: Therapeutic monitoring in neurosurgical patients receiving phenytoin should be performed on the basis of free fraction rather than total phenytoin.

Objective: To determine vaccination coverage and immunity response to Hepatitis B among health personnel of Baqiyatallah Hospital.Materials and Methods: The present study is a descriptive study by method of cross-sectional aiming at specification of situation of personnel regarding their taking action for injection of Hepatitis B, risk factors, and also immunity of personnel under the study. In this research, 429 people have been studied, and after the questionnaires were filled up, the tests (virus markers) were measured by ELISA.Results: The findings reflected that the mean age for the people studied was 36.29 years old, of whom 147 were women and 282 were men, 90.4% were married, 9.6% were single. Considering their occupations, 60% were nurse, most held Bachelor's diploma. 68% of samples had complete vaccination coverage, 26.4% had incomplete vaccination coverage and only 24 people had not taken action for injection of vaccination. Making excuse (5.6%), inaccessibility of vaccine and irksome, were the most important factors preventing the complete coverage of vaccination by the personnel. More than half of the units at the sectors studied, had suitable response of HBs Ab>100MIU/L, 29.4% had mean immunity response and only 19.7% had HBs Ab<10 MIU/L. The results of the analysis between risk factors and HBs Ag, only accidental penetration of needle (after being used) into the body (P<0.05) showed significant association.Conclusions: Taking into account the harmful effects of virus of hepatitis B on liver, leading to imposition of high costs of treatment, the coverage of vaccination which has low costs should be completed.

Objective: Nowadays chronic sinusitis is more common now than before. Endoscopes are now available in some clinics. Collection of secretions with the help of endoscope in this disease was performed to point the modality of treatment.Materials and methods: In patients referred with chronic purulent rhinosinusitis to the private and hospital clinics, and CT scanning of sinuses also confirmed chronic sinusitis, endoscopic collection of secretions was made before administration of antibiotics. Medical management was assigned or changed according to symptoms, signs and endoscopic findings.Results: Cultures were positive in 66% of the cases. Gram positive bacteria were dominant in 52%, gram negatives in 20%, anaerobes in 18% and mixed cultures in 25%. Medical treatment relieved the symptoms in 85% and surgical approach was necessary in 15% of the cases.Conclusion: Results of culture of secretions in chronic rhinosinusitis can facilitate cure and prevent blind wide band antibiotic therapy or surgery and is recommended.

Objective: Considering importance of effective therapy introduction for osteoarthritis (OA), we studied various methods used for evaluating the efficacy of different osteoarthritis therapies.Materials and Methods: We evaluated randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing efficacy of osteoarthritis treatments published in English in 1987/1988, 1997/1998 and 2001/2002. Baseline characteristics, treatment type and outcome measures were assessed.Results: The number of RCTs increased in 2001/2002 when compared with that in 1987/1988. The majority of RCTs were of knee, hip or both. The median duration of RCTs was£3 months. 65%, 41.7% and 14.2% of them used NSAIDS in 1987/1988, 1997/1998 and 2001/2002 respectively. The median number of participants was unchanged. The commonly used outcome measures were clinical symptoms, function, global assessment and composite scores, respectively. Usage of function and composite scores was increased.Conclusion: The number and variety of therapeutic interventions for OA has been increasing recently. Currently a wide variety of outcome measures are used. This reinforces the importance of using standardized responder criteria.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the Milad NBC protective clothing without mask and military work clothing in terms of their effects on maximal oxygen consumption (Vo2max). Materials and methods: This was a quasi-experimental study. Thirty healthy male individuals according to inclusion criteria recruited for this study. After selecting type of clothes, they performed physical activity according to Bruce treadmill test while wearing NBC protective clothing without mask and military work clothing. After physical activity, parameters such as exhaustion time and distance were measured. Vo2max were also predicted with Bruce equation. Results: Data showed that Vo2max in NBC protective clothing without mask was 52.05±8.37 ml/kg/min and in military work clothes was 59.57±6.54 ml/kg/min. This difference was significant (P<0.001). These two sets of clothes had different values in parameters such as exhaustion time and distance. In the case of tolerance time and Vo2max the results obtained from the military work clothes showed greater values than that from NBC protective clothing without mask (P<0.05).Conclusion: This study revealed that NBC protective clothing without mask caused less tolerance time and earlier exhaustion. Vo2max for military work clothing was greater than that in NBC protective clothing without mask. On the other hand, military work clothing showed better function.

Objective: Our aim was to study clinical manifestations of primary and metastatic hepatic malignancies in patients admitted to the Baqiyatallah hospital.Materials and methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study which evaluated 123 cases of hepatic malignancies in Baqiyatallah hospital from April 1997 to March 2004. In this study we evaluated patients' clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory and pathological findings. Type and location of primary tumor was evaluated by appropriate procedure.Results: Our study population consisted of 75 male and 48 female. The mean age of patients was 64.2±1.3 years. 8.9% (11 persons) had a positive family history of malignancy. The most prevalent symptoms in our patients were anorexia (102 persons, 82.9%), weight loss (101 persons, 82.1%), abdominal pain (78 persons, 63.4%) and hepatomegaly (61 persons, 49.6%). Jaundice was present in 30 persons (24.4%).Ascites and right upper quadrant mass were present in respectively 33 (26.8%) and 44 persons (37.4%). Primary hepatic cancer was consisted only 9 persons (7.3%) of our sample. The remaining were metastatic cancers which their sources were gastrointestinal tract (85 persons, 74.5%) as major source and then, lungs, uterus, kidneys, skin, prostate, bladder, ovaries, neuroendocrine system and thymus. Of gastrointestinal system the major sources were from stomach (34 persons, 40%), pancreas (15 persons, 17.6%) and colon (14 persons, 16.4%).Discussion: The majority of our patients had advanced metastatic hepatic cancer and their symptoms were non-specific. With regard to the role of ethnic and geographical factors in occurrence of variant types of hepatic malignancies, increasing of our endemic information could improve the process of diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of term Large for Gestational Age (LGA) neonates and their complications.Materials and Methods: Current study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey which was performed by questionnaire. Evaluated neonates were term and with birth weight of more than 4000 grams which were delivered in Baqiyatallah Hospital during one year period.Results: From 2226 term neonates, weights of 77 cases were more than 4000 grams. Then, prevalence of LGA was 3.46 percent. Out of them 62.9% were male and 37.1% were female. 82.9% were delivered via cesarean section and 17.1% by normal vaginal delivery. 61.4% had head circumference of more than normal. Complications observed in 33% of cases and orderly included hypoglycemia (42%), head and face ecchymosis (23%), hypocalcemia (15.5%), hyperbilirubinemia (15.5%), and brachial plexus injury (4%) which was similar to other studies. Head and face ecchymosis and hyperbilirubinemia were significantly higher in neonates delivered vaginally. 81.4% of mothers were non-diabetic, 15.7% with gestational diabetes and 2.9% with NIDDM. There was a statistically significant association between neonatal hypoglycemia and diabetes in mother.Conclusions: Prevalence of LGA in our study was lower than previous reports.Considering the importance of complications, diagnostic and therapeutic processes should be performed to prevent birth of LGA neonates. Management of these complications is necessary.