KOWSAR MEDICAL JOURNAL
Year:2011 | Volume:16 | Issue:3|Papers Count:12

Aims: Considering the important effect of histamine and nitric oxide on anxiety behavior in dorsal hippocampus, the present study was designed to evaluate the role of nitric oxide system in histamine induced anxiety behavior.Materials & Methods: This experimental study was performed on 140 male NMRI mice. Mice were anaesthetized and two cannulas were inserted into the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus. After a one-week recovery, the effect of histamine on anxiety behavior in dorsal hippocampus and the effect of L-arginine and L-NAME on histamine induced anxiety behavior were investigated during three tests. The elevated plus maze test was used to test anxiety-like behaviors. One-way variance analysis followed by LSD test were used for analysis of the data using SPSS 17 software.Results: Intra-CA1 injection of histamine (9 mg/mouse) induced anxiety. Intra-CA1 injection of L-arginine (0.1 and 0.5 mg/mouse) 2min after of effective dose of histamine inhibited the anxiogenic effects of histamine but intra-CA1 injection of L-NAME (5, 10 and 50ng/mouse) had no effect on histamine response.Conclusion: These results show that there are complex interactions between histamine and nitric oxide system that affect anxiety behaviors in the CA1 region of dorsal hippocampus. Activation of nitric oxide system inhibits the anxiogenic response of histamine in the dorsal hippocampus but inhibition of nitric oxide in this site has no effect on histamine response.

Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is an important nosocomial infectious agent. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance complicates the treatment of staphylococcal infections. Therefore, the development of an effective vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus is important. saCOL2291 and saCOL2581 are potential candidate genes for vaccine development and their sequences are available in Gene Bank. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the mutations in different isolates and confirming the protein of these genes.Materials & Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 30 clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates, randomly obtained from urine, ulcer, mucosa and CSF samples of the inpatients of different Iranian hospitals. The genomic DNA was extracted after culture and the genes were PCR-amplified. The amplicons were sequenced and aligned with Puls4 software. Then, the nucleotide sequences were changed into amino-acid sequences by Gene runner software and the protein sequences were aligned and analyzed.Results: Nucleotide polymorphisms resulted in amino-acid sequence changes. These polymorphisms were located in the N-terminal domains, while the C-terminal domains of these genes were conserved.Conclusion: Both genes are appropriate candidates for vaccine due to their presence in most Staphylococcus aureus species and the existence of conserved C-terminal domain.

Aims: Hyperglycemia is considered as the source of reactive oxygen species generation through glucose oxidation in diabetic patients. There are controversial reports on changes of total antioxidant capacity in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase and catalase activity as its components, in type II diabetic mellitus patients.Materials & Methods: This case-control cross-sectional descriptive study was performed during May-December 2009 in the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences. 80 type II diabetic mellitus patients as the case group and 74 healthy volunteers as the control group were selected by easy given sampling method and their catalase and superoxide dismutase activity as well as the total anti oxidation capacity was analyzed. Data was described as mean±SD and data means of the two groups was compared by independent T-test. Data was analyzed by SPSS 15 software.Results: The amount of total antioxidant capacity and catalase and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly decreased in the diabetic group compared to the control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: The obtained data shows that antioxidant defense is decreased in type II diabetic patients. Oxidative stress and free radical generation probably play role in this situation and use of antioxidants can be studied in future as a solution.

Aims: Neurologic complications of organophosphates are probably associated with oxidative stress. Guanine derivatives have protective and nutritional effects on astrocytes and other brain cells. In this study the oxidative stress of diazinon and the protective effect guanosine against diazinon on astrocytes cell line types U373MG were evaluated.Materials & Methods: U373MG cells were exposed to different doses of diazinon at different time intervals after culture and the oxidative stress parameters were determined. Then, the protective effects of guanosine on the glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity were evaluated. The statistical comparison of different doses of diazinon in different incubation times was done with two-way variance analysis and the comparison of different therapeutic groups was done with one-way variance analysis and Tukey’s post test by Prism software.Results: Diazinon at the dose of 300 mM could significantly decrease the super oxide dismutase and catalase activity 72 hours after exposure. While, either pre- or post-treatment with guanosine could inhibit the glutathione reduction induced by diazinon and increased the glutathione level approximately near the control value, but had no effect on reduction of super oxide dismutase activity. Guanosine pre- or post-treatment increased the catalase activity significantly and could inhibit the reductive effect of diazinon catalase activity.Conclusion: Diazinon is toxic for U373MG cells in a dose and time dependent manner and guanosine could protect cells through the reservation of the glutathione level and catalase activity. These findings indicate that guanosine treatment may induce protective effects against diazinon neuronal toxicity.

Aims: Erythema, dryness and itching of skin are of late complications of mustard gas exposure. No study has been performed on the role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) in these injuries. This study was carried out with the aim of comparing the amount of MMPs and their inhibitors (TIMPs) in the skin tissue samples of mustard gas exposed victims and normal people.Materials & Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 75 people who were selected by convenience sampling method in one of Tehran’s hospitals in 2009. 25 mustard gas exposed victims who had chronic xerosis were compared to 25 similar patients without mustard exposure and 25 normal individuals and the MMPs and TIMPs levels was measured in the skin tissue samples of each group by Elisa method. Data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test by SPSS 16 software.Results: The average amount of MMPs 8&9 and TIMPs 1&2 in mustard gas exposed victims was significantly higher than normal individuals (p<0.05) and MMP-2 in mustard exposed victims was significantly lower than normal individuals (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the amount of MMP-1in mustard exposed victims compared to normal individuals (p>0.05).Conclusion: Based on the increase of MMPs 8 & 9 in the skin tissue sample of mustard gas exposed victims compared to normal population, changes in the amounts of MMPs and TIMPs may be highly responsible for the pathology of these injuries.

Aims: Barberry fruit extract contains various flavonoids that are considered as antioxidants. The present study was performed with the aim of investigating the hepato-protective potential of the methanolic extract of barberry fruit against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats.Materials & Methods: This experimental study was performed on 36 male mature Wistar Rats. Rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (non-treated, normal, control and three groups treated with barberry extract) and received 10, 100 and 200 mg/kg of barberry extract along with CCl4 (50% CCl4, 0.5 ml/kg) intraperitoneally for 28 days. After blood sampling and separation of serum, activity of Aminotransferases (ALT and AST), Alkaline Phosphatase and total serum protein were measured. Data was analyzed by one way variance analysis and Tukey’s test using SPSS 10 software.Results: Administration of CCl4 significantly increased the serum Alanine Aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase levels of rats. Treatment with the methanolic extract of barberry fruit significantly altered these changes to almost normal. Oral treatment with barberry fruit extract did not show a significant effect on serum protein.Conclusion: The extract could protect liver against the CCl4-induced oxidative damage in rats and this hepato-protective effect might be contributed to its modulation on detoxification enzymes and its antioxidant and free radical scavenger effects.

Aims: Amebiasis is endemic in Iran and its infection rate is about 8-40%. Considering the diagnostic problems, studies on amebiasis have been sparse and little study has been performed compared to other countries. This study was done with the aim of assessing the clinical and laboratory characteristics of enteric symptomatic amebiasis in one of Tehran’s hospitals.Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional analytical survey was performed on 159 patients who referred to the GI clinic of one of Tehran’s hospitals who were selected by Census sampling method, between March and June 2009. Stool exam and serologic assessment was performed for all included patients. Ten days after treatment, stool and serology tests were requested again with the same sampling conditions. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and Chi square test with SPSS 14 software.Results: Highest and lowest frequency of clinical symptoms belonged to dysentery and vomiting. According to the first stool exam, 37 patients were infected with Entamoeba histolytica/dispar. Among them, 18 patients had cysts, 12 patients had trophozoites and 7 patients had both. After treatment, stool exam was positive only in two patients who had cysts.Conclusion: Stool exam is a very poor diagnostic test for Entamoeba histolytica and more accurate methods such as serology or antigen test or PCR are recommended for the diagnosis of Entamoeba histolytica which is the only pathogen type.

Aims: Adipokines are proteins secreted from adipose tissue that are involved in metabolism control. Visfatin is one of the adipokines with different biological roles. Serum levels of Visfatin were found to be associated with BMI, thyroid dysfunctions, and metabolic syndrome in several studies. The aim of this study was to assess Visfatin’s association with thyroid dysfunction.Materials & Methods: This case-control study was performed on patients who referred to the clinic of the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences of Shahid-Beheshti University in year 2009. 48 patients with hypothyroidism, 34 patients with hyperthyroidism and 82 normal individuals as control group were selected by easy given sampling method and then were studied. BMI and fasting Visfatin, TSH and T4 serum levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay methods. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and one-way ANOVA by SPSS 18 software.Results: Visfatin serum levels in both groups of patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (9.38±1.77 ng/ml and 6.70±1.35 ng/ml, respectively) were significantly higher than the control group (2.51±0.12 ng/ml). There was no significant correlation between serum levels of TSH, T4 and BMI and Visfatin serum level in case and control groups.Conclusion: This study shows that the Visfatin level is independent of BMI changes inpatients who have thyroid dysfunction. The findings of this study suggest that changes in Visfatin levels may be considered as a criterion for diagnosis of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Aims: The relationship between lumbar spine angles and back pain has been considered from past. Little study has been performed on evaluation of all lumbar angles including sacral inclination, lumbosacral, sacral horizontal, lumbar lordosis and segmental lumbar lordosis angles in patients with acute and chronic back pain and normal individuals. The aim of this study was evaluating these angles in the three mentioned groups.Materials & Methods: This case-control study was performed on back pain patients who referred to the physical medicine clinic of one of Tehran’s hospitals in 2010. Subjects were selected by convenience sampling method and were divided into three normal, acute and chronic back pain groups that each consisted of 35 members. Subjects’ demographic data, history and physical examination were recorded in questionnaires and their height, weight, abdominal circumference and BMI were measured. Radiographic clichés were investigated by a specialist and lumbar angles were recorded. Data was analyzed by ANOVA, independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient using SPSS 18 software.Results: The mean range of sacral inclination angle was 42.40±9.18 that the difference was not significant in two genders, but was significant in acute and chronic patients and normal individuals. There was no statistical difference regarding other angles among patients and normal individuals.Conclusion: The degree of sacral inclination angle is significantly higher in back pain patients compared to normal people. Paying attention to this angle in patients’ radiographic clichés is of importance and its correction may be beneficial in reducing their symptoms.

Introduction: Meckel’s diverticulum has is one of the most common congenital anomalies in gastrointestinal tract and its incidence is about 2%. Meckel’s diverticulum is a true diverticulum since it consists of all three intestinal wall layers. It’s usually located 100 centimeters from the ileocecal valve and is formed due to failure of omphalomesenteric duct involution at 8th week of gestation. This case report is about a 16-month-old boy that was hospitalized in one of Tehran’s pediatric hospitals due to falling down from 40 cm height and was finally operated with acute abdomen diagnosis. Distal perforation of the Meckel’s diverticulum and peritonitis originating from intestinal secretions was diagnosed during the operation; therefore, segmental ileal resection and anastomosis was done.Conclusion: Meckel’s diverticulum perforation is uncommon and considering that the probability ofsolid abdominal organs’ injury is higher after trauma, similar cases with chronic signs should be observed closely in order to take appropriate and timely therapeutic measures.