IRANIAN SOUTH MEDICAL JOURNAL (ISMJ)
Year:2014 | Volume:17 | Issue:1|Papers Count:12

Background: Nowadays according to our life style high percent of people are exposed to different acute stressors which may result in various metabolic disorders. In order to more clarify the effect of acute psychological stress, which is very common in the societies, on insulin secretion from isolated islets the present study was designed.Material and Methods: Animals were divided into control and experimental groups (n=6/group). Stress was induced acutely by a communication box. Then insulin secretion from isolated islets of Langerhans was studied statically. Plasma glucose, insulin and corticosterone levels were measured. In addition the adrenal glands’ weight was also evaluated.Results: Acute psychological stress did not change basal plasma corticosterone levels significantly. Whereas, immediately after acute exposure to stress, plasma corticosterone level significantly increased compared to the control group. Acute stress increased plasma insulin concentration markedly. The weight of adrenal glands and HOMA-IR index showed no significant change in the experimental group. Stress exposure resulted in no significant change of insulin secretion from islets.Conclusion: From the results of the present study, it could be concluded that application of acute psychological stress, despite the significant increase of plasma corticosterone concentration did not change insulin secretion from isolated islets of Langerhans.

Background: Diabetes type I is accompanied with disturbances in cognitive skills, memory and learning. In this research, we evaluated the effect of resveratrol chronic treatment on learning and memory in diabetic male rats.Material and Methods: Rats were divided into 4 groups: control, resveratrol-treated control, diabetic and resveratrol-treated diabetic groups. We used streptozotosin for inducing diabetes. Resveratrol (10mg/kg I.p.) was administered for 8 weeks. For evaluation of learning and memory, passive avoidance test and Y-maze task were used. For Statistical analysis, SPSS software and paired T-test and one-way ANOVA were used.Results: Resveratrol decreased serum glucose in diabetic rats (P<0.01). In passive avoidance learning, there wasn’t any significant difference in initial latency between diabetic and treated-diabetic group. Also, a significant decrease of step latency was observed in diabetic and treated diabetic rats (P<0.01). In Y maze, Resveratrol improved alternation percentage in diabetic rats.Conclusion: Probably due to different mechanism of long term and short term memory, long term resveratrol treatment didn’t improve memory and learning in passive avoidance learning. In Y maze, method for determining the spatial memory, resveratrol improved spatial memory in diabetic rats. Resveratrol not only regulates glucose in diabetic rats but also it improves short term memory.

Background: Corn silk is obtained from the plant Zea mays L. A traditional herbal medicine is in China. This has been used in many parts of the world to treat edema, kidney infections, gout, kidney stones, kidney diseases and prostate. Reports of the antioxidant effects of this material are available. Although little scientific resources are available to confirm its efficacy. In this study we tried to find out the antioxidant effect and preventing of hepatotoxicity effect of Corn silk with IRLP Isolated Rat Liver Perfusion) system.Material and Methods: The aqueous and methanol extracts of dried Corn silk doses (10, 20, 40, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was used. Albino Rats weighing 220-180 g were examined after anesthesia by diethyl ether, the abdominal cavity of the animal T-shaped pattern excision in the abdomen and around) is opened. Then portal vein connected to the perfusion flow by using small scalp Vienna (No. 23) into the portal vein. After reaching perfusion flow rate to 20 ml per minute, extracts and fraction with above doses were added to perfusion buffer. Fluid outflows from the inferior vena cava, were collected for measurement of glutathione. One sample of the liver was removed for glutathione measurement and one sample was maintained in 10% formalin for histopathological examination. Differences between group means were estimated using oneway ANOVA followed by Duncan’s multiple range test.Results: The results showed that reduced glutathione level increased significantly by aqueous and methanol extract in comparison with controls. Pathology results confirmed that by increasing dose of extracts, severity of tissue damage (hemorrhage, fibrosis, and necrosis) is reduced. In samples taken at intervals of 120 minutes, changes in the glutathione of case groups showed significant difference in comparison with the control group (p<0.01).Conclusion: Findings indicated that aqueous and methanolic extracts of corn fiber, reduced hepatic damages of MDMA significantly. This effect was dose dependent and because of flavonoid and phenol compounds.

Background: Increasing frequency of Staphylococcus aureus infections and changes in antimicrobial resistance pattern have led to renewed interest in the use of lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) antibiotics for treatment of infections. Since no study has focused on the molecular epidemiology of community -acquired staphylococcus aureus isolates in Iran, the aim of this study was to determine the molecular typing and prevalence of the macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramins B (MLSB) resistance in community associated s.aureus isolated from healthy students at Arak university of Medical sciences.Material and Methods: 568 healthy students from Arak university of Medical sciences were subjected to this study. All samples were subjected to S. aureus-specific isolation procedures. D test was performed to determine various phenotypes as well as spa typing done for molecular typing of these strains.Results: Of 568 the 84 community acquired Staphylococcus aureus, six (7%) were Methiclicin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and 78 (93%) were Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (CAMSSA) of the 84 s.aureus strains, eight (9.5%) showed constitutive resistance with spa type t660, t701, t304, t5598, t012, t3204, t084 and t1944. Two strains (2.5%) demonstrated inducible resistance with spa type t9024, t077, two strains (2.5%) were D test negative with spa type t084 and t1149. 72 (85.5%) strains. Illustrated susceptible Phenotype. Among CA-MRSA isolates, two strains had constitutive resistance and four remaining CA-MRSA had susceptible phenotype.Conclusion: The result of this study indicates that in community associated s.aureus strains, constitutive MLSB resistance rate is higher than the rate of inducible resistance. Presence of inducible resistance to clindamycin in CA-MRSA strains, warrants that D test should be performed to detect this type of resistance. All isolates with inducible and constitutive resistance and D zone negative strains had different molecular typings.

Background: Shigellosis is endemic throughout the world and it is among the most common causes of bacterial diarrheal diseases. Antibiotic resistance of Shigella is becoming a progressive problem in world. The aim of this study was the survey of shigellosis frequency and determination of antibiotic resistance profile of isolated strains from infected children in Tehran.Material and Methods: This study conducted on 9131 patients with acute diarrheal disease. For isolation of Shigella spp. from stool samples, culture performed on different selective and differential media. After confirmation of bacteria by biochemical tests, susceptibility testing was done by disc diffusion method according to clinical and laboratory standards (CLSI) recomendations.Results: Among 9131 stool samples, Shigella spp. was isolated from 90 cases. Shigella sonnei was the most common isolated species. 92.2 % of isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole. In contrast, most of the Shigella spp. was founded to be sensitive to ciprofloxacin, imipenem and third-generation cephalosporins.Conclusion: Surveillance programs on antimicrobial resistance not only identify pathogenic bacterial species, by reporting data like serotyping, microorganisms incidence rates, and susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents currently used for treatment, but also contribute to monitoring the intervention strategies including removing organism from reservoirs.

Background: Medicinal plants are used in treating diseases as low-risk, available and inexpensive natural materials with higher consumption by people comparing to synthetic antimicrobial drugs. Excessive use of antimicrobial drugs led to medicinal resistance against different antibiotics in most bacteria.Material and Methods: In this empirical experimental study, the antimicrobial effects of methanolic extracts of 14 medicinal plants species were examined comparing to conventional therapeutic antibiotics against standard bacterial strains. The plant species were collected from dashti of Bushehr province. The methanolic extract of the cultivations broths were prepared in different concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 4%) dissolved in DMSO/ Methanolic solution and their antibacterial potency respected on the inhibition zone using the disc diffusion assay.Results: The maximum effects on Escherichia coli belonged to Arundo donax and the least effects belonged to Calotropis procera. The maximum effects on Staphylococcus aureus belonged to Lawsonia inermis and the least effects belonged to Calotropis procera. The maximum effects on Micrococcus luteus belonged to Phoeniex doctylifera and the least effects belonged to Oligomeris baccatus. The maximum effects on Klebsiella pneumonia belonged to mnocarpos decander and the least effects belonged Oligomeris baccatus. The maximum effects on pseudomonas aeroginosa belonged to Arundo donax. The maximum effects on Bacillus subtilis belonged to Astragalus arbusculinus.Conclusion: The antimicrobial effects of 4% methanolic extracts of Arundo donax were comparable to Cephalotin (30mcg), Piperacilin (30mcg) and Amikacin (30mcg) against Escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeroginosa. The antimicrobial effects of %4 extracts of Lawsonia inermis were similar to Amikacin (30mcg) and Chloramphenicol (30mcg) against Klebsiella penumoniae.

Background: Purple coneflower (Echinaceae purpurea L.) is a perennial herbaceous with astringent properties, disinfectant, antimicrobial and anti intoxication activity. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of shoot essential oil of purple coneflower against some microorganisms including gram positive, gram negative bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts.Material and Methods: In this experimental and laboratory investigation, plant samples were collected in full blooming stage. Shoot essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation technique using Clevenger apparatus. The chemical constitutes of this oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS method. Anti microbial properties of the essential oil were determined using micro broth dilution and well disk diffusion methods. At the end, data were analyzed by the SPSS version 15 software, using the T-test and Duncan s' test.Results: Twenty nine components were identified by GC and GC/MS in the essential oil of purple coneflower representing 96.21% of total oil. The major components were Germacrene D (53.30%), r-Cymene (9.78%), b-Caryophyllene (7.52%), a-Humulene (5.22%), b-Bisabolene (4.43%) and a-Pinene (4.23%), respectively. This oil exhibited strong antifungal activity against filamentous fungi and yeast with average of inhibition zone (AIZ) 39.63. Microorganisms differ in their resistance to purple coneflower oil. All of the bacteria including gram positive and gram negative bacteria are more resistant than fungi; and gram negative bacteria are more resistant than gram positive bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium were more resistant than others.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that coneflower essential oil with significant antimicrobial effects and can be used instead of synthetic antibiotics that microbial resistance towards them is increasing.

Background: Bone marrow suppression as a serious complication of chemotherapy induces leucopenia or neutropenia that results to hospitalization and antibiotic therapy. Several studies used zinc supplement for reduction of chemotherapy side effects’, these studies showed that zinc can prevent metastasis, local recurrence and increases survival rate, so this study conducted to evaluate preventive effect of oral zinc sulphate on hematologic changes induced by chemotherapy.Material and Methods: This double blind randomized controlled trial enrolled 50 adult patients who were under chemotherapy during 2008-2009. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. By the beginning of chemotherapy, the patients in each group received three 220 mg zinc sulphate capsules daily (Alhavi Co.) or placebo capsules provided by zinc sulphate manufacturing company, which were similar in shape, taste and color to zinc sulphate capsules. This diet followed up to end of study. Then data was analyzed by SPSS17 software using independent sample T-test.Results: There was no statistically significance between white blood cell count (p=0.7), red blood cells count (p=0.4) and hemoglobin (p=0.9) in zinc sulphate and placebo groups (CI=95%).Conclusion: It can be concluded that zinc sulphate cannot prevent hematologic changes induced by chemotherapy.

Background: Milk is a valuable source of nutrients that microorganisms can grow in favorable conditions on it. This study was conducted to evaluate the microbiological quality of pasteurized and sterilized marketing milks in Bushehr.Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the autumn and early winter 2011. In this study 11 brands including 6 pasteurized, 5 sterilized brands and in total 160 samples were elevauted. Microbial tests included heterotrophic bacteria (HPC), total coliform and Escherichia coli (E.coli) were conducted according to standard methods.Results: results of this study showed that from 98 pasteurized samples, 35.7% and HPC and 15.2% of samples were contaminated by HPC and total coliform, respectively. There was no microbial contamination in all 62 sterilized samples. Mean heterotrophic bacteria in pasteurized milk was much more than Iranian national standard.Conclusion: In this research the relationship between heterotrophic and coliform bacterial growth with temperature and time variation between production date and sampling date (maintenance period) were measured and the results showed that bacterial growth had direct and significant association with temperature but there was no statistically significant association with maintenance period.

Oil has vital importance in many industries and is the main source of energy internationally; it supplies 32% of energy in Europe and Asia and more than 53% in Middle East. The most volume of oil industry products includes fuel oil and gasoline (diesel). Oil is used as the basic material in producing chemical products such as medicines, solvents, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and etc. Considering the importance of petroleum industry in the world we should not ignore its harms to humans and the environment and should look for solutions to reduce them.Nowaday petroleum refineries emit million pounds of air pollutants that pose a serious risk of harm to human health and the environment as well as impairs the life quality of the people that living nearby these industries. These pollutants consist of volatile organic compounds, SO2, NOx, particulate matter, CO, H2S and HAPs. These pollutants have different adverse impacts on different parts of ecosystem, environment and animals. So this paper deals with some of these problems.

Background: Fasting and malnutrition during pregnancy is associated with deleterious consequences such as hypoglycemia, ketonemia, impaired fetal IQ, low birth weight and even abortion. Comparison of pregnancy length and year duration shows that about 75% of pregnancies coincided with Ramadan. Also, fasting during Ramadan is not equivalent to hunger and malnutrition, however, knowledge of the effects of Ramadan fasting on pregnancy outcome is important. In this review, the results of all studies related to the possible effects of Ramadan fasting in pregnancy and lactation have been collected.Material and Methods: Keywords such as "Ramadan", "Ramadan Fasting", "Islamic Fasting", "Fasting in Ramadan "and Fasting with words Pregnancy, Birth Weight, Lactation, Preterm, Milk Composition, Breast Milk were searched in PubMed Database, SID (Scientific Information Database), and some regional journals and 40 related articles (descriptive cross - sectional, cohort, clinical trial and review articles) from 1968 to 2010 were studied.Results: Based on available information, if the maternal nutrition during Ramadan is good, the normal process of pregnancy will be maintained and Ramadan fasting would not have deleterious effects on fetal physical and mental growth.Conclusion: Considering nutritional tips, nursing mothers could also fast during Ramadan.