Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Year:2005 | Volume:12 | Issue:1|Papers Count:12

In this experimental trial, 133 patients with single long bone fracture requiring surgery, admitted in Shahid Mohammadi Hospital (Bandar Abbas/Iran) from June 2002 to April 2003, were randomly divided into two groups. In the first group (72 individuals), after the completion of the operation a single hemovac drain was inserted, while in the second group (61 patients) no drain was used. The two groups had no statistically significant difference in regard to age, sex and antibiotic use before and after the operation (P>0.05). At the end of the 6-month follow up period the difference between the two groups in regard to analgesic demand in the first postoperative 48 hours, the need for dressing change in the first postoperative 24 hours because, of wetness, hematoma formation and postoperative infection was not statistically significant (p>0.05). According to these results it seems that hemovac drain is not effective in these aspects.

Iran is the main producer of Saffron in the world and a great number of Khorasan (the largest province of Iran) are involved in growing this plant. Recently, saffron pollen has found great importance due to inducing allergic reactions. In this study, the prevalence and clinical symptoms of saffron pollen allergy and specific IgE level in saffron workers have been studied For this purpose, 167 Saffron workers selected randomly from different regions of Khorasan Saffron growing areas were enrolled into the study. Clinical history, skin prick test results, total IgE and specific IgE were used as inclusion and exclusion criteria. Total IgE and specific IgE assessment carried out on 39 cases who had either positive skin prick test or positive clinical symptoms and 10 cases who had neither positive skin prick test nor clinical symptoms (non-allergic group). From 167 individuals, 21 cases had positive skin prick test to Saffron pollen extract and 11 cases had Saffron specific IgE in their sera (allergic group). Forty Saffron workers (24%) showed allergic symptoms in Saffron picking season and 19 individuals (11%) suffered from allergic symptoms in other seasons. Clinical symptoms were respectively sneezing, watery nose, itchy eyes, itchy nose and red eyes. Skin symptoms like urticaria and dry skin were reported rarely. Saffron allergic and non-allergic groups showed significant differences in birth month, allergy to three other pollen extracts and allergy history in their siblings. No significant difference was found between Saffron allergic and non-allergic groups in regard to gender, age, family size, the duration of allergen exposure and smoking. Therefore, Saffron pollen can cause allergic reactions occruing basically in eye, nose and upper respiratory system and according to the obtained results these allergic reactions occur through an IgE-dependent mechanism.

This study was carried out in order to compare the oral mucosal reactions to silk and poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) suture materials in albino rabbit. Twenty-one mature male albino rabbits were selected and under general and local anesthesia suture materials were placed randomly at right and left side of vestibular area of maxillary jaw. The animals were divided into three equal groups based on the time of suture removal (3, 5 and 7 days after suturing), and inflammatory reaction of the oral mucosa at sutured area was scored clinically and sutures were removed. The sutured areas in all of the animals were observed 14 days after suturing and the inflammatory reaction was scored again. Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis. Results showed that in all time intervals, inflammatory reactions to PVDF sutures were significantly milder comparing to silk sutures (P<0.05). Also, later suture removal increased the inflammatory reaction and healing decreased. It can be concluded that in oral surgeries PVDF suture due to creating milder tissue reactions is preferable to silk suture.

For the first time in Iran 40 strains of Bifidobacterium were isolated from feces of Iranian subjects. By using phenotypic tests, 18 isolates were identified as Bifidobacterium longum, 10 as Bifidobacterium bifidum and one as Bifidobacterium catlinolatum. In order to validate these results and also to identifications other isolates that had not been identified by phenotypic tests, two methods of PCR with genus-specific primers of Bif164f and Bif601r and 16SrRNA gene sequence analysis were applied. Results of PCR confirmed the obtained phenotypic identifications. Moreover by this method the 8 remaining strains were identified as Bifidobacterium species. Using sequencing 16SrRNA gene, 5 B. longum strains were identified that had different fermentation pattern from B. longum. Some new ribose negative Bifidobacterium longum strains were also identified. The obtained results present new strains of Bifidobacterium longum.

Although Securigera securidaca (Ss) has long been known for its hypoglycemic effect, the precise nature of its effective component (s) and the involved mechanisms have not been investigated yet. This study investigated the effect of chloroformic extract of securigera securidaea seed on fasting serum glucose and glucose tolerance test, body weight, food consumption and liver glycogen content. Chloroformic and hydroalcoholic extracts of the seeds were prepared by the maceration method. Experiments performed on mice of both sexes with the weight range of 25-30 gr. Serum glucose concentration and liver glycogen content were measured by O-toluidine and trichloroacetic methods respectively. According to the results, hypoglycemic effect of chloroformic extract is dose-dependent and it appeared that 3mg/kg dose of chloroformic extract has the maximum hypoglycemic effect. Administration of this dose reduced fasting serum glucose concentration from 103±3 mg/dlto 69±3mg/dl and glucose tolerance test from 128±1mg/dl to 90±2 mg/dl. Ten days administration of chloroformic extract also increased food consumption, body weight and glycogen content of the liver in case group comparing to the control group. In conclusion, the chloroformic extract of securigera securidaca seed contains component (s) that after oral administration can cause hypoglycemic effects through either inducing insulin-like effects or increasing insulin release. By indentifying and formulating of these components, this plant can be used more efficiently in the treatment of diabetic patients.

Opium derivatives affect the function and differentiation of peripheral leucocytes, directly or indirectly. Previous researches have shown that these cells respond to the endorphins through their opioid receptors (σ, µ and k). There are many reports about the effect of morphine and heroin on immune system of dependent people, but there is no report on the functions of T-helper lymphocytes in opium dependent individuals. For this reason, this study was designed to survey (in-vivo and ex-vivo) the effect of opium smoking on immune system of dependent male individuals. To carry out the investigation, 5 ml of heparinized peripheral blood was collected from each of the 23 opium dependant males (28.44±4.05 years old) and 12 males (26.50±4.30 years old) who served as control group. Individuals in both groups were smoking cigarettes (15-25 cigarettes per day). Part of the collected blood was used for blood cell count (CBC) and preparation of 0.5 ml plasma for evaluation of IL-2, IL-10 and TGF β 1and the rest was use for stimulation of the whole blood with a mixture of LPS (10 µg/ml) and PHA (10µg/ml) for 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours. According to the results, in the dependent group plasma concentration of IL-10 and TGF-β1 were higher (P<0.05), while IL-2 concentration was lower (P<0.05) comparing to the control group. Evaluation of TGF- β1 in the supernatant of stimulated whole blood of both groups showed similar pattern for TGF- β1 (non- significant). While synthesis and release of IL-10 were less and concentration of IL-2 was higher (P<0.001) in the opium dependent group. In conclusion opium dependent cigarette smokers have higher numbers of circulating TH2 and TH3 lymphocytes and lower number of TH1 than non-dependent cigarette smokers. However, due to lower activity of TH2 and higher activity of TH1 lymphocytes, dependent individuals may be at higher risk during infections.

Film thickness, strength, solubility and microleakage of dental cements are essential factors in cement selection by dentist. Since failure of metal ceramic restorations is mostly due to their marginal leakage and provious studies have shown that microleakage of Resin, Glassionomer and Zincphosphate cements are different, this study was done to compare the rate of microleakage between Ariadent and Harward zinc phosphate cements. In the case of observing no difference in microleakage of two cements Ariadent zinc phosphate cement which is more available than Harward zinc phosphate cement can be recommended. Frothy sound permanent premolar teeth extracted for orthodontic purposes were used. Standard metal ceramic preparation had been performed for all the teeth. In each tooth shoulder and chamfer finishing lines had been produced in labial and lingual surfaces respectively. After preparation of metal copings the prepared teeth were randomly divided into two experimental groups. In one group copings were cemented by Ariadent zinc phosphate cement and in the other group Harward zinc phosphate cement was used for luting. Both groups were sectioned buccolingually. The amount of dye microleakage was measured by stereomicroscope and non parametric willcoxon test was used for data analysis. Results showed that the mean of dye microleakage in Ariadent zinc phosphate cement in labial (1.4±1.17) and lingual surfaces (1.81±1.4) were less than those in Harward zinc phosphate cement (1.71±0.84 and 1.97±1.05 respectively). There was no significant difference in microleakage between the two experimental groups.

The lipid factor is currently considered to be the main agent responsible for cardiovascular risk in young individuals. Several epidemiological studies have shown that atherosclerosis begins in childhood. Therefore consensus was obtained that the earlier the control begins, the better results are achieved. There are many controversies around early identification of hyperlipidemia in children. The aim of this cross-sectional study was the evaluation of serum lipid levels in children of parents with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). For this purpose, 76 children between 2-10 years old (38 children belonged to parents with premature CAD and 38 age and sex-matched controls belonged to healthy parents) were studied. The height, weight and body mass index were similar in both groups. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride, HDLc and LDLc levels after 10 hours fasting were measured twice at one-week interval. Data were analysed with Epi 6 and p<0.05 was considered as significant. Mean cholesterol and LDLc were respectively 167±20 and 135±30 mg/dl in the case group and 101+20 and 121+20 mg/dl in the control group that shows statistically significant difference between the two groups. There were no differences between the two groups in triglyceride and HDLc levels and only six children in the case group had LDLc level greater than 160 mg/dl, while there was no case with LDLc level greater than 160 mg/dl in the control group. According to the results total cholestol and LDLc levels were higher children of parents with parents CAD, and this necessitates the evaluation serum lipid levels in children of parents premature CAD.

Two Iranian cases with very rare progeroid syndrome are reported. The first is a 24-year-old girl who has been healthy till her 13th birthday. From that time she has been suffering from a progressive generalized and multi-systemic illness. The cardinal clinical findings were growth retardation, subcutaneous fat loss, skin dryness and wrinkling, scattered focal sclerodermoid-like changes, prominence of superficial vessels, gradual loss of scalp hair and eyebrows and cardiac involvement in the form of dilated cardiomyopathy. All the above findings were suggestive of precocious ageing and the clinical diagnosis of Werner syndrome. The second case is a 6-year-old boy with typical clinical findings of Progeria or Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome. The diagnoses were confirmed by molecular analysis of the samples in Washington and Marseille. In the first case there was no molecular abnormality in Werner's gene (WRN), but there was a mutation in the LMNA gene. The mutation was substitution of C to G in codon number 57, and the codon GCA (alanine) changed to CCA (proline). So, in the codon 57 of the protein Lamin AIC proline had replaced alanine (A57>P). The mutation in the second case (Progeria=Hutchinson-Gilford syn.) was a point mutation at the exon 11 of Lamin A/C protein resulting in the replacement of thymine by cytosine in the nucleotide number 1824 (1824C>T). The importance of lamins and the mechanism and pathogenesis of progeroid syndromes are discussed briefly.

The patient is a seventeen years old girl, with severe pain and swelling in right maxillary sinus region and facial deformity from two weeks prior to referring. CT scan demonstrated a large tumoral mass in right maxillary sinus extended to petereigomaxillary fossa, orbital floor, lacrimal system and nasoethmoid region. Hard palate had been destroyed and bulged in to the oral cavity. Tumor was resected completely by radical cald-well-Iuck approach. Hystopathology of tumor was giant cell reparative granuloma (G.C.R.G), which is a very rare tumor in paranasal sinuses. Since the association of these tumors with hyperparathyroidism has been reported in literature, the patient was evaluated for hyperparathyroidism and elevated serum parathyroid hormone (PTH: 390 pg/ml) and other hematological tests confirmed secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Self-mutilation is defined as intentional damaging of the body without intention to die. Patients with borderline personality disorder frequently mutilate themselves by means of cutting, burning and abrading their skin. In this case report, a patient with borderline personality disorder is described who has cut his skin and suck his blood Several times. He had also the history of killing pigeons and sucking their blood. One time he had sucked his wife's blood. Blood sucking is the main theme of Bram Stocker's novel in which the character of the novel, Dracula, sucked the blood of human beings. Here we present blood sucking as a real symptom and not an imaginary one. This symptom associated with self cutting is well understood in borderline personality disorder.