IRANIAN SOUTH MEDICAL JOURNAL (ISMJ)
Year:2015 | Volume:18 | Issue:3|Papers Count:22

Background: According to the previous studies Portulaca oleracea (PO) has antioxidative effects and several factors such as oxidative stress is involved in the renal injury caused by ischemia - reperfusion (I/R). Therefore, the goal of present study is to evaluate the renal I/R injury in rats received aqueous extracts of PO (AEPO).Material and Methods: First, the right nephrectomy was performed in adult male Wistar rats and after 20 days they were divided into 5 groups (6=n). Sham operated+vehicle (sham), sham operated+ AEPO300mg/kg (AEPO group), I/R, AEPO150+I/R and AEPO300+I/R. Each group was treated orally for 5 consecutive days by 150 or 300 mg/kg of either AEPO or saline. On the fifth day of treatment, I/R (45 min ischemia/24 hours reperfusion) or sham operation was performed on the left kidney and amounts of urea and creatinine in serum and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) in the kidney tissue were measured. Comparisons between groups were analyzed by ANOVA and LSD test. P values of 0.05 or less were considered statistically significant.Results: Induction of I/R increased urea and creatinine levels. AEPO had no effect on serum urea and creatinine, of non-ischemic animals, but increased the levels of urea and creatinine in I/R and treatment groups. SOD activity was significantly higher in all groups (except AEPO300 group) compared to the sham group. However the levels of MDA, GSH and TAA of I/R and treatment groups did not show any significant differences in comparison to sham group.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the PO aqueous extract did not ameliorate the I/R injury and even possibly some ingredients in the extract aggravate the renal I/R injury.

Background: Nowadays photoproteins are excellent reporter systems as they have virtually no background. The most commonly studied photoprotein is aequorin. But because of it’s low quantum yield and very fast reaction kinetic; this photoprotein assay don’t adapt for High-Throughput Screening (HTS). Consequently, some researchers developed three improved photoproteins optimized for the generation of precise Ca2+ mobilization assays; photina, i-photina and c-photina. Although the total light release of these photoproteins is greater and their reaction kinetic is slower compared to other existing photoproteins, opening new opportunities for the application of flash luminescence assays in HTS. Recently, the three photoproteins by several companies such as PerkinElmer and Axxam have been commercialized. So, we selected i-photina which has the highest luminescence signal and good stability compared with two other photoproteins.Materials and Methods: Codon usage of i-Photina was optimized for both E. coli and mammalian cells. The encoding gene of i-photina was synthesized and overexpressed in E. coli. Then i-Photina was characterized and compared with aequorin.Results: i-Photina showed about a 14-fold higher bioluminescence signal than aequorin. Ca2+ sensivity of i-Photina was found to be slightly less than aequorin. In respect to other measured properties such as degree of stability, bioluminescence spectrum and decay half-life time, these two photoproteins were almost the same.Conclusion: i-Photina is an improved version of photoprotein that in many ways is superior to use of other Ca2+ indicators for HTS assays and can also be considered as a potential candidate for creating genetic mutations improved the bioluminescence propertises.

Background: The marine environment is anexceptional reservoir of bioactive natural products, many of them exhibit structural/chemical features that not found in terrestrial natural products.Glycosaminoglycans are one of this various bioactive compounds. Heparin, as a well known glycosaminoglycan, is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan that has natural anticoagulant properties. Heparin and heparin-like compounds are used as anticoagulants in many aspects of medicine. However, for two main reasons: 1. Contamination in heparin samples obtained from pig intestine or bovine lung pathogens and other pathogens, 2. resource for use of heparin is limited and there are a lot of requirements for new compounds from natural resources. According to GAGs importance and widespread using of heparin in medicine, in the present study, GAGs compounds extracted from sea anemones and anticoagulant properties of the human blood is investigated.Materials and Methods: GAGs compound was extracted by using cetylpyridinium chloride. Anticoagulation activity of extracted GAGs (the extracted tentacle) was tested in human blood plasma, using manual procedures, and assay system, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT).Results: In this study the amount of the crude GAGs was 24 mg per gram of tentacle dry weight. The results ofanticoagulant activity extracted on human blood plasma showed that these compounds prolonged clotting time compared to the control. In APTT and PT assay of the extracted GAGs from the sea anemone also clotting time prolonged in compared to the control.Conclusion: The results demonstrated that anticoagulant compounds existed in the tentacle of the sea anemone, and although their effects is weaker than the heparin, but they can be substituted for heparin, at least in laboratory conditions.

Background: Pyrene is one of the stable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that is considered as an important pollutants, because of extensive distribution in the environment and carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Among the various treatment techniques, electrokinetic method is an environmental- friendly process for organic and mineral pollutants adsorbed to soil with fine pore size the same as clay and low hydraulic conductivity soils. For improving the efficiency of pyrene removal from soil, soulobilization of pyrene from soil could be used by surfactants.Materials and Methods: In this study, clay soil was selected as model because of the specific properties. Combined method using surfactant and electrokinetic was applied for pyrene removal from soil. Experiments were designed using response surface methodology (RSM), and effect of three variables includes surfactant concentration, voltage and surfactant type were evaluated for pyrene removal from contaminated soil.Results: Pyrene removal using anionic surfactants (SDS) and nonionic surfactants (TX100) as a solubilizing agents has high removal efficiency. In the optimum condition with 95% confidence coefficient, utilizing mixed surfactants of sodium dodecyl sulfate and triton X-100 with the same volume, induced of 18.54 volt and 6.53 percent surfactant concentration have 94.6% pyrene removal efficiency.Conclusion: Results of this study shows that electrokinetic process combined with surfactant as solubilizing agent could be applied as an efficient method for treating the pyrene-contaminated soils.

Background: In recent years, evidence from a number of studies has suggested that exercise is a safe and efficient way to induce improvements in a number of physiological functions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but the effects of exercise on nerve growth factor (NGF) and interlukin-6 (IL-6) in these patients are not well known. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 8 weeks resistance training on plasma NGF and IL-6 in female patients with MS.Materials and methods: Thirty two female MS patients with 32.4±5.5 years of old, and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) 0-4.5, participated in this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to control group (n=13) and training group (n=14). Subjects in training group performed selected upper and lower extremities resistance training with weight-training equipment and rubber bands 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Body composition parameters, NGF and IL-6 levels were measured before and after the intervention.Results: The results showed that body weight, body mass index, body fat mass and EDSS were decreased significantly after 8 weeks in training group compared to control group (P<0.05). Also, no significant differences were seen after the intervention in NGF and IL-6 between the training and control groups.Conclusion: The results suggest resistance training with specific intensity and duration utilized in this study improves EDSS in female patients with MS but it has no effecting on NGF and IL-6 in these patients.

Background: Open fracture of femur is common after trauma and fixation of it induced moderate to severe post surgery pain.Materials and Methods: In a clinical randomized study 78 elective patients divided to two equal groups. All the patients in case and control groups received five milligrams morphine sulfate intramuscular before surgery. In case group patient received fascia illica block as described by Dalens. pain score is recorded after surgery and in 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours post surgery by visual analogous scale. Data of nausea, vomiting shivering and sedation are recorded.Results: Hemodynamic parameters measured between two groups of patients and controls and anesthetic complications such as shivering, nausea and vomiting in patients in both groups were not significantly different. Time to first analgesic demand in patients who received the intervention are later and the total amount of analgesic intake in the intervention group are less than the control group, also, the intervention group had a higher level of satisfaction after the operation (p=0.001).Conclusion: Fascia illica block is simple and effective method in reducing pain with minor side effect. The patient satisfaction is higher relative to common analgesic technique.

Background: Early detection and suitable drug admission are the first attempts to control of TB and MDR-TB. In this study, PCR-RFLP method was used for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to isoniazid.Materials and Methods: In the present study, 87clinical isolates of MTB were used in a PCR-RFLP method. The RFLP-PCR assay by specific primer was used for two purposes; In the first, PCR of katG gene for diagnosis of bacteria and in the second step, PCR product by endonuclease enzyme in a RFLP reaction produced a pattern in electrophoresis for mutation detection in katG315. Sequencing method was used for confirmation of RFLP results.Results: The study showed that all studied strains produced band 620bp that confirmed MTB. From the 46 resistant strains to isoniazid, the RFLP-PCR method showed that 44 strains had mutations in the katG gene Ser315Thr. The 41 susceptible strains had not any mutation at the codon. Results of sequencing were confirmed results of the molecular method. Sensitivity of RFLP-PCR test was 95.6% (95% CI: 0.85-0. 98) and specificity was 100% (95% CI: 0.91-1. 0).Conclusion: RFLP-PCR test is a good tool for simultaneous diagnosis and detection of katG315 mutation in clinical isolates of MTB.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a spiral Gram negative bacterium that has been found to be related to various gastroduodenal diseases. The prevalence of H. pylori infection may vary greatly in different regions. In order to establish a suitable policy for disease control and prevention, it is necessary to perform epidemiologic studies in different geographical regions. This investigation aims to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and to study of some related factors among patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Bushehr, Iran.Materials and Methods: Gastric biopsy samples were collected from 310 patients referred for endoscopy due to different upper gastrointestinal symptoms. FISH was used to detect H. pylori in the specimens. Logistic regression with calculation of odds ratio was used for statistical analysis.Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 43.5%. There was a significant difference between the mean age of H. pylori positive (46.59±17.14) and H. pylori negative (42.35±17.3) patients (P= 0.033). There was significant association between H. pylori infection and age of 40 years or more (OR=1.63; P=0.036), employment (OR=1.91; P=0.047), smoking (OR= 2.16; P = 0.008), keeping domestic animals (OR=1.74; P=0.043), drinking tap water (OR=1.75; P= 0.025), and blood group O (OR=3.21; P=0.0001).Conclusion: The prevalence of H. pylori infection is considerable in Bushehr. The present study shows that several factors are significantly associated with H. pylori infection in Bushehr, of which some factors are modifiable. It is probable that modification of these factors can lead to decrease the prevalence of H. pylori infection in community.

Background: Targeted radiotherapy is one of the important methods of radiotherapy that involves the use of beta-emitting radionuclides to deliver a dose of radiation to tumor cells. An important feature of this method is the tumor size and the finite range of beta particles emitted as a result of radionuclide disintegration those have significant effects for the curability of tumors.Material and Methods: Monte Carlo simulations and mathematical models have been used to investigate the relationship of curability to tumors size for tumors treated with targeted 131I and 90Y. The model assumed that radionuclides are distributed uniformly throughout tumors.Results: The results show that there is an optimal tumor size for cure. For any given cumulated activity, cure probability is greatest for tumors whose diameter is close to the optimum value. There is a maximum value of curability that occurs at a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm for 131I. For 90Y maximum curability occurs at a tumor diameter of approximately 3.5 cm. Tumors smaller than the optimal size are less vulnerable to irradiation from radionuclides because a significant proportion of the disintegration energy escapes and is deposited outside the tumor volume. Tumors larger than the optimal size are less curable because of greater clonogenic cell number.Conclusion: With single radionuclide targeted radiotherapy, there is an optimal tumor size for tumor cure. It is suggested that single agent targeted radiotherapy should not be used for treatment of disseminated disease when multiple tumors of differing size may be present. The use of several radionuclides concurrently would be more effective than reliance on single radionuclide. This approach of using combination of radionuclides with complementary properties could hopefully prepare new measures and improve the efficiency of tumor therapy.

Background: Most women at reproductive ages experience the premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Different methods have been suggested for the treatment of this syndrome and one of them is using herbal medicine. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of ginger and curcumin on severity of symptoms of PMS.Materials and Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, 105 students with PMS symptoms were randomly assigned to ginger, curcumin and placebo groups. Participants received two capsules daily from seven days before menstruation to three days after menstruation for three cycles and they recorded severity of the symptoms by Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) questionnaire. Data of before interventions and 1, 2 and 3 months after interventions were analyzed by repeated measurement ANOVA and indepented t-test. SPSS-18 software was used for analyses and P<0.05 was considered significant.Results: The mean of PMS symptoms severity were similar in three groups before the intervention [(110.2±30.7 in ginger group, 103.6±39.1 in curcumin group and106.7±44.65 in placebo group) p=0.79], but after interventions there were significant differences between groups [(47.06 ±33.4 in ginger group, 29.74±11.6 in curcumin group and106±48.7 in placebo group) P<0.0001]. Also, there was a significant difference between effects of curcumin and ginger (P=0.008).Conclusion: Ginger and curcumin are effective in reduction of severity of psychological, physical and behavioral symptoms of PMS and the effect of curcumin is more than ginger. Results of present study suggest curcumin and ginger as treatment for PMS.

Background: Numerous factors, some obvious and others subtle, determine food intake patterns in children. Likes and dislikes are established in the early years. The purpose of this study is to assess the food consumption pattern and factors affecting in preschool children in bushehr city.Materials and Methods: This is descriptive, analytical study. The total of 191 preschool children (6 years old) was selected at random sampling method. Data were collected by food frequency questionnaire and were analyzed by table of serving sizes food groups for children and adolescents and by SPSS software 16.Results: Frequency Of milk consumption was 41.9% daily, 40.9% weekly, and 12.6% rarely. Frequency Of fish consumption was 1.6% daily, 71.7% weekly, and 16.8% rarely. Frequency Of chicken consumption was 1% daily, 83.4% weekly, and 9.9% rarely. Frequency Of fruit consumption was 69.6% daily, 22% weekly, and 7.3% rarely. There was significant statistical relationship between Frequency consumption Of dairy, salad, fruit, juices, chicken, egg, and fathers ‘job and fathers’ and mothers’ education level.(P<0.05).Conclusion: It is concluded that situation of food group consumption about dairy, meats, vegetables, cereals is poor but fruit consumption was good in preschool children. Based on results we recommended planning for educational program in relation to Nutrition and food group consumption by media and in school and public centers and health centers.

Background: Urinary tract infection is the second most common complication of pregnancy that will follow with maternal and fetal complications. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the urinary system health promoting behaviors in pregnant women based on the health belief model.Materials and methods: The present study is a descriptive - analytic study was performed on 250 pregnant women referred to health centers of Bushehr. The tools for collecting information was a multi sectional questionnaire consisting of demographic information, measurement of urinary system health behavior, knowledge and health belief model constructs, which its validity and reliability were ensured previously. Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 20 by using correlation coefficient and linear regression tests.Results: The mean age of subjects 27.4±4.4 years. The relationship between demographic variables and health behavior wasn’t found. The most people (179 equivalents to 71.6%) had medium level of knowledge about urinary tract infection, and only 44 women (17.6%) had appropriate awareness. Mean score of preventive behaviors was significant difference between different levels of knowledge (p=0.026), self efficacy (p=0.000) and perceived barriers (p=0.002). In multivariate ANOVA, only the self efficacy had strong positive relationship with the preventing behaviors of urinary tract infection (p=0.000).Conclusion: Based on these results, the necessity of education based on health belief model with an emphasis on increasing the efficacy is necessary.

In the developing world, the cancer as a prevalent cause of mortality is a new emerging challenges in medical and pharmaceutical sciences. Marine environs are regarded as a rich source of natural products with broad of therapeutic uses. Numerous bioactive peptides and depsi-peptides have been extracted from various marine organisms such as tunicates, sponges, molluscs and other marine organisms, with anti-cancer potential. They can produce the complex compounds which are more effective than presented anti-cancer drugs. Some of these marine peptides are under different clinical trials phases; they are secondary metabolites that produced by these organisms. According to different studies, their anti-cancer potential is related to some properties like antioxidant, anti- proliferative and anti-mutations effects. These peptides can stimulate cell death by various mechanisms, such as apoptosis, affecting the balance tubulin- microtubules (antimicrotubules), inhibition of angiogenesis, antiproliferative and cytotoxicity effects. Further studies on the reaction states of these compounds on cell cycle or apoptosis in cancer cells, are essential. The future of remedies, belong to the sea; and the sea, will have the major percentage in drug discovery, particularly in anti-cancer drugs.

In recent years, rapid advances in nanotechnology followed great developments in the fields of environment, medicine and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, industry and other sciences. Nanoparticle technology has made a significant contribution in this field as nanotechnology basis. Nanoparticles have a wide range of applications such as environment application, pharmaceutical, food, clinical diagnosis and therapy, cosmetics, agriculture, energy, textile and electronics. Regarding nanoparticle application in environment uses, some cases such as the removal of contaminants from air, water and wastewater, environmental instruments biosensors, greenhouse gases reduction can be noted. Although being useful, nanoparticle can made risks to the environment, humans and animals from production to disposal. For this reason, environmental risk assessment of nanoparticles is necessary during the life cycle of nanoparticles. In this manuscript, first some of the most important environmental characteristics of the nanoparticles such as action and transfer mechanism in the environmen, facilitating the transfer of other toxic substances by nanoparticles, environmental microbial toxicity of nanoparticles, biodegradability of nanoparticles, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, concentrations in the environment and absorption of nanoparticles. In addition are described the environmental risks of nanoparticles, the procedure of toxicity production in the environment, toxicity mechanisms of nanoparticles are presented.

Sea cucumbers are one of the most echinoderms and from the class Holothuroidea. Some of their specific biological activities are including anti-cancer, anticoagulant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-atherosclerosis and anti-tumor properties, as well as accelerate wound healing. The presence of different compounds such as saponins, chondroitin sulfates, glycosaminoglycans, sulfated Polysaccharides, glycoprotein, glycosphingolipids and essential and non essential fatty acids, are the causes of their biological properties. Saponins, which are produced for compatibility with the environment, are as theire secondary metabolites. These active compounds have biological properties like hemolytic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, ichthyotoxic, cytostatic, anti neogenic, antineoplastic, and uric acid lowering effects. Sea cucumber, have high economic value. In East Asia, Since ancient times, it have been traditionally used for the treatment of fatigue, sexual impotence, impotence caused by aging, constipation due to intestinal dryness, urinary incontinence, asthma, hypertension, arthritis and anemia. Also, toxins obtained from sea cucumber, have anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-cancer and anti-pregnancy properties. According to literatures, the aqueous extract and high molecular weight compounds from sea cucumbers can inhibit tumor activity, via the apoptosis induction. Sea cucumbers because of the high percentage of protein and the absence of cholesterol, classified as an invigorating food. Because of different species of sea cucumbers in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea; the identification of compounds and biological properties of sea cucumber species in these regions is recommended to the researchers.

3D printing, one of the hottest cutting-edge interdisciplinary technologies, is projected to have revenue of $8.4 billion in 2020. #D printing technology will implement the concept of personalized medicine in medical healthcare industry and pharmaceutical fabrication. Organ printing, which it is defined as computer-aided, jet based 3D tissue-engineering of living human organs, is an interesting and challengeable field for 3D printing. Customized implants and prostheses can be produced in any imaginable geometry through the translation of radiological images of patients into digital. stl 3D print files. The creation of anatomical models based on the patient’s pathological conditions using 3D printing technologies would provide good models for training and to design surgical approaches. Hence, 3D printing not only will transform medical healthcare industry but also promises new converging technologies in the field of regenerative medicine.

Scenario planning is a process that stimulates imaginative, creative thinking to better prepare an organization for the future. It is also as a tool to promote innovation activities in organizations. Scenario planning may provide alternate futures in which strategies of the organization develop. Very recently, Jay Ogilvy introduced an eight steps scenario planning and strategic forecasting. According to this eight-step process, scenario planning has two major parts: first, choosing which scenario logics to flesh out, a task that comprises the first five steps, and second, telling the actual story, its implications and early indicators, which compromise the remaining steps. In order to identify opportunities and challenges faced by biomedicine sciences there are continually increasing trends for scenario planning in the field. In highly uncertain environments, as are faced in biomedicine sciences, scenario planning can provide a robust, flexible path to navigate. By evaluating the implications of societal, economic and policy impacts of these scenarios, biosciences organizations can determine how to manage a transition to regenerative medicine and personalized medicine, both of which could disrupt current healthcare systems.