Koomesh
Year:2010 | Volume:12 | Issue:1 (37)|Papers Count:16

Introduction: Oral mucositis (OM) is a significant and frequent complication of chemotherapy, which results in delayed or incomplete chemotherapeutic management. This study was conducted to determine the effects of an oral rinse Peppermint essence (PE) in the prevention of chemotherapy- induced OM Materials & Methods: In this double blind clinical trial, 40 patients with colon or rectum cancers, who admitted for chemotherapeutic management, randomly divided in two equal placebo and PE groups. PE and placebo groups were received 10 drops of oral rinse PE or placebo, three times a day, from the first day of chemotherapy up to the fourteenth day, respectively. A bipartite questionnaire was used for obtaining demographic and clinical information. The evaluation of OM was measured using the WHO scale. Content and inter-rater methods were used for validity and reliability of tools, respectively (r = 0.93).Results: The incidence of OM between the PE group (15%) and the placebo group (50%) was significantly different (p<0.05). The risk of OM in the placebo group was 3.3 higher than the PE group. Moreover, a significant difference between the grade and incidence time of OM was found between both groups (p<0.05).Conclusion: According to these results, it seems that oral rinse PE is an effective, safe and well tolerated method for prophylactic treatment of chemotherapy- induced OM.

Introduction: Because of producing large amount of proteomics data and requiring new procedures for analyzing them, collective analysis of proteins can help us in identifying new annotation patterns in dataset. Furthermore, this type of analysis is a time- consuming process too. Cluster analysis, as a suitable statistic procedure, can be used for analyzing these datasets. This paper's objective was evaluating the efficiency of fuzzy clustering method in recognizing new patterns within proteins which are related to gastric cancers.Materials and Methods: Fuzzy clustering procedure has been used to analyze the identified included proteins in esophagus, stomach and colon cancers. Proteins were clustered based on three aspects of Gene Ontology (GO) and results were compared.Results: Fuzzy clustering was implemented and non-fuzziness indexes based on biological process, cellular component and molecular function were obtained equal to 0.41, 0.55 and 0.35, respectively. Obtained index based on molecular function showed the efficiency of fuzzy clustering method. Despite of non-substantial silhouette widths for the entire dataset, most of the proteins in each cluster had remarkable biological communions. Using Term Enrichment software to determine statistically enriched GO terms in the entire dataset and clusters, it was cleared that the fuzzy clustering has revealed novel annotation patterns within dataset that would not have been identified otherwise. Conclusion: Considering fuzzy clustering outputs, the efficiency of this method for better and flexible proteins analysis was cleared. As fuzzy clustering method has placed proteins, that have more similarities, with high probabilities together. Therefore, it can be used for the situations that some of proteins have unknown characteristics. Furthermore it seems that the proteins clustered via their cellular component similarities, have also biological and functional similarities which this requires more investigations.

Introduction: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common orthopaedic problems of the knee joint. Muscular weakness considered as a risk factor of this syndrome. Muscular weakness can alter lower extremity kinematics and lead to this syndrome. Also according to the kinetic chain, weakness in one motor segment can influence other motor segments. So the aim of this study was to determine the association between muscular strengths of both lower extremity and trunks muscles and PFPS.Materials and Methods: 40 women participated in this study (20 subjects with PFPS and 20 as controls). In both groups isometric strengths of the lower extremity and lower trunk muscles were evaluated with Nicholas hand-held dynamometer and then compared with each other.Results: There was a significant decrease in strength of the hip abductors, adductors, external rotators, flexors and extensors, quadriceps, ankle plantarflexors, dorsiflexors, flexor and lateral flexors of the trunk in patients with PFPS.Conclusion: Our results indicate that decrease in strength of the hip and trunk muscles is associated with the knee injury. It seems strengthening of muscles of these areas to be effective in preventing the injury, reducing the risk of more injury and treatment of patients with this syndrome.

Introduction: Nowadays hypertension is the most important risk factor of coronary, cerebral and renal vessel diseases. As an asymptomatic disease it is called “the silent killer” and the patients refer to physicians when the disease is progressed and irreversible. The aim of this study was to consider the prevalence hypertension in school children (9-17 years old) of Semnan, Iran.Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, a single stage cluster sampling was performed, and subjects (2125, 9-17 years old) were selected from three boys and three girls schools of Semnan city. Body weight, height and blood pressure were measured using standard procedures. Results: Prevalence of hypertension in girls and boys was between 4.4% to 9.6% and 3% to 8.2%, respectively. No significant differences were found between two sexes. Blood pressure of girls was higher than boys in all ages, except in age of 15. Most subjects had mild hypertension and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was increased with age in both sexes. The highest prevalence of hypertension in girls (6.9%) and boys (2.8%) were found in ages of 17 and 15, respectively. The lowest prevalence of hypertension in both girls (4.4%) and boys (3%) were observed in age of 9.Conclusion: Systemic hypertension is a major concern among schoolchildren of Semnan. Considering of severe complications of chronic hypertension, understanding the underlying causes and using an appropriate methods for treatment and prevention of hypertension are essential. Additionally, using suitable training programs and changing nutritional habits can be effective in reducing high blood pressure.

Introduction: Tearing of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most common lower extremity injuries in female athlete. In past studies, the relationship between ACL injuries and levels of sex hormones, as well as the relationship of ACL injuries with neuromuscular system has been proved, but the relationship between neuromuscular control and levels of sex hormones has been less considered. Thus, the aim of this study was to find out any possible such relationship by measuring joint position sense (JPS) of the knee in healthy female athletes across the menstrual cycle.Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 16 healthy female athletes participated voluntarily. Knee JPS was evaluated by reproduction of the target angle, in weight-bearing position at 3 menstrual phases. In each phase, levels of estrogen and progesterone also measured. Knee angles were determined using a system consisting of skin marking, digital photography and software AutoCAD. The absolute angular error was considered as dependent variable.Result: There was a significant differences between JPS of the knee in 3 phases of menstrual phases (P=0.025), and this difference was more prominent between 1st and 3rd phases (P=0.003).Conclusion: Findings of this study suggests that accuracy of joint position sense of the knee differs in healthy women athletes across menstrual cycle and the lowest accuracy was found in menstrual phase, when sex hormones are at a minimum concentration.

Introduction: Cerebral palsy is a motor disorder caused by non-progressive brain damage due to the incidence of lesions in the central nervous system and usually is associated with other disorders. Abnormal reflexes such as abnormal oral reflexes are common in spastic cerebral palsy. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between oral reflexes and the number of affected limbs in these children. Materials and methods: Forty-five children with spastic cerebral palsy (four and two limbs affected; 5-10 years) were participated in this study. Oral reflexes including lip, tongue, rooting, biting, chewing, swallowing, suckling, gag, open of mouthing were evaluated through direct assessment and observation. Inclusion criteria were: no sign of visual, auditory, intelligence and oral structure (such as cleft palate) problems.Results: Results showed an existence of abnormal oral reflexes in two groups. There was a significant relationship between the number of affected limbs (two and four limbs) and the frequency of abnormal biting, tongue, and swallowing reflexes, such that frequency of these abnormal reflexes are higher in four affected limb children than two affected ones. No significant relationships were found in other oral reflexes and number of affected limbs.Conclusion: Findings of this study indicated an existence of abnormal oral reflexes in two groups. Given that these reflexes affect on feeding and articulation, it is necessary to use an earlier and suitable interventions for appropriate development of these reflexes via rehabilitation procedures.

Introduction: Careful planning on health care may prevent the spread of disease and reduce the expense for treatment. Regarding the importance of health care in the clinical centers including physiotherapy clinics, this study was designed to investigate the rate of bacterial contamination of electrotherapy’s pads which use in the physiotherapy clinics of Semnan University of Medical Sciences (Iran).Material and Methods: 20 electrotherapy’s pads were sampled from three physiotherapy clinics. In order to find any contamination, the samples were cultured in the Medical School’s microbiology laboratory. A questionnaire was used to collect data about the method of washing and sterilizing used in the physiotherapy clinics.Results: The laboratory results showed all sampled pads were infected, while different pattern of contamination were seen among clinics. Normal skin flora of bacteria was found in the sampled pads from two clinics that used normal washing method and Whitex sterilizing method, while more varieties of contamination including; Klebsiella, Serratia and Enterobacteria were found in the other clinic that used just normal washing method.Conclusion: The results indicated that the all sampled pads were contaminated and this could be considered as a potential factor for transfer contamination between patients and therapists. These results confirm the importance of using substituting methods such as disposable pad, sterile electrolyte jell, and or using standard sterilizing method to disinfect the electrotherapy pads. More research is needed to control and prevent the ways of transfer contaminations in the physiotherapy clinics.

Introduction: Dictation as an important academic ability involves divers cortical processes so that any problem in one of them may lead to a dictation error. Identifying current dictation errors helps specialists to understand its causes more comprehensively and to use the most effective interventional approaches. The aim of this study was to compare the most common dictation errors between primary students of Semnan and Babol cities in Iran.Material and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, dictation samples of 2215 Semnan’s primary students and 1664 Babol’s primary students were collected. All of participants had normal I.Q, hearing skills and cranial nerves functions. Dictation materials were chosen from their books and dictated by their teachers. All of errors were categorized according to error kinds.Results: There were significant differences between Semnan’s and Babol’s primary students according to the frequency of dictation errors and their grades. Some of errors such as visual memory, educational and dysgraphia errors were significantly common between groups and all grades. Semnan’s primary students had more dictation errors in first and second grades than Babol’s primary students, although this condition reversed in other grades.Conclusion: Dialect may influence dictation and its errors so there should be various therapeutic and educational focuses for different dialects. The highest levels of visual memory, educational and accuracy errors mean that it is necessary to pay more attention on their prerequisites developmental skills to prevent and to treat them.

Introduction: Prevalence of infertility in general population is around 15-10 percent. Intra- uterine insemination (IUI) is one method for treatment of infertility. Success rate of this method is affected by different factors. Past studies have shown that induction of ovulation and IUI has increased significantly the chance of pregnancy in the infertile couple, especially male factor infertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the success rate of IUI and associated factors in Kashan fertility and sterility center.Material and Methods: Data from 120 patients (age between 20 and 42 years) who were referred to Kashan Infertility Center (Iran) during 2005-2009 were studied. According to the World health Organization instructions, semen samples of patients were prepared using swim-up and percoll gradient techniques. After preparation of sample, sperm motility and sperm count were performed. One ml of sperm suspension was expelled into uterine cavity.Results: Pregnancy rate of women with less than 40 years was significantly more than older women were (P<0.007). Pregnancy rate in infertility duration of less than 6 years was significantly more than the longer duration of infertility (P<0.005). Pregnancy rate in patients with unknown cause of infertility 15.3%, but in patients who had endometriosis, pregnancy rate was significantly lower (P<0.05). In cycles with a single pre-ovulatory follicle the pregnancy rate was significantly lower than in cycles with more follicles (P<0.05).Conclusion: This study showed that in infertile patients with less than 40 years of age, duration of infertility less than 6 years and infertility with non-endometriosis origin, IUI using Clomiphene citrate and HMG is a suitable method for treatment of infertility.

Introduction: Depending on mode, intensity and length of application, and stage of development, the low-frequency electromagnetic fields (LFEs) can induce a wide variety of biological effects in organisms. The chick limb bud is a powerful experimental system for study pattern formation in vertebrate embryo. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an application LFEs (50Hz, 50G) on chondrogenesis and osterogensis of embryonic chick limb bud.Materials and Methods: Twenty Gallus gallus fertilized eggs were randomly divided into two control and experimental groups. Fifty-six hours after incubation, eggs of experimental group were exposed to LFEs for 3h. On 12th day of incubation, the weight of embryos was recorded. Then, microscopic sections were prepared from embryos and length of tibia, length of osteogenesis zone and the number of chondrocytes of epiphysis and diaphysis were measured using the Image J software.Results: In comparison with control group, the number of chondrocytes of epiphysis and diaphysis was significantly decreased, while the length of tibia and osteogenesis zone was significantly increased (both, P <0.05).Conclusions: Findings of this study demonstrate that an application of LFEs on chick embryo leads to reduced accumulation of chondrocyte and increased length of tibia and osteogenesis zone.

Introduction: Reduction of serum glucose and lipids in diabetic patients using medicinal plants and their effective substances is clinically very important. Given the anti-diabetic potential of cyanidin-3-glucoside in type II diabetes, this study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside on serum glucose and lipids in experimental streptozotocin (STZ) model of diabetes mellitus in rats.Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced by STZ at a dose of 60mg/kg (i.p) in the adult male rats. Systemic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside (10 mg/kg) was started one week after induction of diabetes and lasted for two months. The corresponding control groups received appropriate treatments. Serum glucose and lipids levels were measured before and at 4th and 8th weeks after diabetes induction. Results: There was significant increases in serum glucose levels in the diabetic rats at 4th and 8th weeks as compared to the before of diabetes induction (p<0.001). Cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment induced a significant moderate reduction in the serum glucose levels diabetic rats as compared to nontreated diabetic rats (p<0.005). Levels of blood serum glyceride in the diabetic group were significantly increased at 4th and 8th weeks after induction of diabetes (p<0.01), but cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment did not have an effect on serum triglyceride levels in the diabetic group as compared with the non-treated diabetic group. Total levels of blood serum cholesterol were significantly increased (p<0.05) at 8th week in the diabetic rats which was not affected by cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment. Finally, there was also a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol and a significant decline in LDL-cholesterol levels in the treated diabetic group relative to the non-treated diabetics group (both, p<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that chronic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside in experimental model of diabetic mellitus has a moderate anti-hyperglycemic effect and leads to desirable and useful changes in serum HDL- and LDL-cholesterol without any influence on total serum cholesterol and triglyceride.

Introduction: Visual system is composed from different parts with different embryonic origins. In the present study, the effect of oral morphine consumption on retina development of the Wistar rat embryo was investigated.Material and Methods: 40 female Wistar rats (250-300 g) were used. After mating, the embryonic zero day (E0) was determined and then the pregnant females were divided randomly into experimental or control groups. Controls received tap water whereas experiments received morphine (0.05 mg/ml) in their waters. On the E17, pregnant females were killed and embryos were removed and kept in formalin 10% for 30 days. Then, heads of the embryos were dissected and processed by routine procedures. Sagittal sections of 5um were stained with haematoxylin– eosin and examined by using a light microscope and the Motic soft ware.Results: The retinal diameter was reduced in the experimental group. In addition, the granular and neural layers were fully developed in the control group, but they showed delayed developments in the experimental group. At last, there were empty pores between cells in the experimental group. Moreover, the plasma corticosterone levels were increased in the experimental group.Conclusion: These results indicated that oral morphine consumption during pregnancy may induce defects in retina development in the rat embryo. This may be related to an increased in the plasma corticosterone levels.

Introduction: Addiction is a chronic disorder that requires long-term drug treatments. However, the most drug treatments programs have limited success. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of voluntary exercise on naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal signs in rats. Materials and Methods: All rats were individually housed in cages with a free access to a running wheel and received subcutaneous injection of saline or morphine (10 mg/kg) twice per day at 12 hr intervals for 10 days. Non-runner groups were confined to the similar cages with no access to the wheels, but treated by morphine or saline. Morphine dependent intensity was examined by acute morphine withdrawal and naloxone injection (2 mg/kg, IP) according to a modified version of the Gellert–Holtzman scale.Results: The results showed that there was no significant differences between control and morphine treated groups in running rates for a period of 10 days, indicating no effect of morphine on running activity. Withdrawal signs including abdominal contractions, wet dog shakes, weight loss (24h) and overall Gellert–Holtzman score were significantly lower in the exercising morphine treated rats as compared with non-exercising control rats (P= 0.0001).Conclusion: Our findings indicated that the physical activity diminishes severity of dependency on morphine. Thus, it could be a potential natural reward method for substituting with the others of care methods.