JOURNAL OF ILAM UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
Year:2020 | Volume:27 | Issue:6|Papers Count:11

Introduction: The function of acetylcholinesterase accelerates the acetylcholine hydrolysis process and protects the hemostasis of this neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues. Due to the fact that in diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, the level of acetylcholine is reduced, the administration of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs (AChEID) is one of the methods for preventing the progression of this disease. The majority of the researchers attempted to investigate drugs with lower side effects, especially from herbal sources. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of methanol extract of Mentha pulegium leaves on the enzyme activity of AChE. Materials & Methods: In this study the AChE enzyme was partially isolated from the bovine brain using homogenization, centrifugation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and dialysis at 4 º C. The rate of production of thiocholine from acetylthiocholine iodide was measured according to Ellman's method. Subsequently, the methanolic extract of Mentha pulegium leaves was prepared by the maceration method. Then the inhibitory effect of the extract on the AChE was measured. Ethics code: IR. umz. rec 1397. 090 Findings: The total activity and specific activity of the partially purified AChE were determined as 1143. 78 U and 4. 10 U/mg, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature of the acetylcholinesterase were determined to be 7. 5 and 45° C respectively. Moreover, the Km and Vmax of this enzyme were estimated at 6. 49 mM and 59. 88 mM/min. Discussion & Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the methanolic extract with a concentration of 26. 66 mg/ml had significant effect on the activity of this enzyme. According to the results, this extract can inhibit the AchE in form of mixed inhibition. Therefore, Mentha pulegium leaf could be considered by the researchers in study and investigation of pharmaceutics.

Introduction: Anthracene is one of the chemical and persistent pollutants released into the environment and the food chain causing irreparable damage to the immune system. This study aimed at removing anthracene from aqueous solutions using modified magnetic nanoparticles. Materials & Methods: Initially, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized with silicon dioxide shell and then modified with organic dendrimers. The adsorbent product characterized by Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Following that, the effects of different operational parameters in the adsorption process were investigated in this study, and the UV-Vis spectrophotometer was used to measure the anthracene content in the solutions. The adsorbent resuscitation was also assessed in this study. Findings: The highest level of removal efficiency was obtained at the reaction time of 10 min, the adsorbent dosage of 0. 7 g/L, and anthracene concentration of 20 mg L− 1 at pH=7. The results showed that the adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics. Furthermore, the adsorbent product was capable of resuscitation up to 5 cycles. Discussion & Conclusions: According to the results, the synthesized magnetic dendrimer was able to remove anthracene from aqueous solutions of contaminated water with high efficiency.

Introduction: Emotional divorce as a social damage is the first step in the process of divorce and represents a destabilizing marital relationship that enhances the feeling of alienation in couples and affects the general health and mental health of family members. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between general health and emotional divorce in couples referred to Ilam Family Counseling Center. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 217 individuals referred to Ilam Family Counseling Center were recruited through simple random sampling. The standard questionnaire of emotional divorce and general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean and standard deviation, Pearson correlation, t-test methods and one-way ANOVA. Findings: The mean age of the couples in this study was 36. 69 ± 17. 85 years. The mean score of emotional divorce and general health were 39. 48± 6. 25 and 40. 34± 10. 12, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between emotional divorce and general health and its dimensions (P=0. 01). Also, there was a significant relationship between emotional divorce with variables of age (P=0. 01) and gender (P=0. 03) and education (P=0. 02). Discussion & Conclusions: Overall, Considering the relationship between general health and emotional divorce and the relationship between these two factors, improving factors related to general health and mental health in the family, such as developing programs to educate and inform the mental health components and provide the necessary framework for enhancing relationships between couples with emphasis on Health factors can have a direct effect on emotional divorce.

Introduction: Investigation of the blood flow in the cerebral arteries has important clinical applications. There is a dearth of research on fluid flow in the circle of Willis, analysis of shear stress on the arterial wall, and the effect of hyperelasticity of the arterial wall and fluidstructure interactions in different gravities. This study has practical implications in aerospace medicine. Materials & Methods: In this study, computational fluid dynamics methods were used to study the blood flow in the cerebral arteries and the stresses on the arterial walls through alternations in gravity. The circle of Willis was introduced as a flexible tube with hyperelastic material properties. The solution of the flow was evaluated using the method of fluidstructure interactions in two gravitational accelerations of zero and 9. 8 m/s2. A total number of 248 computed tomography angiography images were used to design the geometry. The boundary conditions considering the multi-branching and autoregulation were assumed at the inlet and outlet of the arteries. Findings: Regarding the 9. 8 m/s2 gravity, the maximum stress was equal to 3. 9 Pascal. On the other hand, when gravity was neglected, the corresponding value was equal to 6. 5 Pascal. Considering the results of blood flow in 9. 8 m/s2 gravity, the blood pressure in the upper arteries and the circle of Willis was significantly reduced, compared to the blood pressure output from the heart. Discussion & Conclusions: The rate of production of biochemical materials due to a mechanical stimulation had a direct relationship with shear stress. Therefore, it is anticipated that those chemical reactions occurred more in the anterior and posterior communicating arteries. The results of this study can be used in physiological experiments on the astronauts, mechanobiological studies of the cerebral arteries in pathological conditions, and investigations of tissue growth and repair in regenerative medicine.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or arthritis is the most common systemic inflammatory disease of the joints and one of the chronic autoimmune diseases. The global prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis has been reported at 1%. Sodium benzoate (NaB) is a cinnamon metabolite used as a food preservative. This study aimed to evaluate the changes of CD52 in the animal model of rheumatoid arthritis treated with NaB. Moreover, it was attempted to investigate the relationship between serum CD52 and RA severity. Materials & Methods: The male rats were divided into four groups of healthy, RA, RA treated with NaB, and RA treated with prednisolone. The RA was induced by intradermal injection of heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis suspended in the Freund's incomplete adjuvant. During two weeks, from the 10th to 23rd days after RA induction, the disease progression was assessed through macroscopic examinations, including walking ability, redness of the skin, as well as swelling at the ankle, wrist, and small joints of the fingers. Clinical, radiological, and histological symptoms, as well as the serum protein levels of CD52, were also investigated in this study. Ethics code: IR. sums. med. rec. 1398. 353 Findings: According to the results, the overall activity and walking ability of the RA rats decreased, compared to the healthy control group. Moreover, the severity of RA clinical symptoms was significantly reduced in the group treated with NaB and prednisolone, compared to the control group. There were no significant differences among the groups regarding the serum levels of CD52. . Discussion & Conclusions: There were no significant differences among the groups regarding the serum change of CD52 expression level indicating that the mechanism of the effect of NaB was not induced by CD52.

Introduction: Pedestrians, especially children, are among the most vulnerable active groups in traffic. One of the major causes of death and disability is pedestrian and children injuries. Therefore, it is important to prevent these injuries, which requires educational strategies and implementation of scientific-practical interventions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of educational intervention on safe crossing along the street among students using Children's Traffic Park in Yazd, Iran. Materials & Methods: This interventional study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design. This study included 66 elementary students (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades) who were selected by random sampling from schools in Yazd, Iran, during the academic year of 2018-19. The intervention consisted of theoretical and practical training in the Children's Traffic Park. The data were collected using a 12-item checklist assessing the safe crossing of the street. Moreover, the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and a paired twosample Student's t-Test. Ethics code: IR. SSU. SPH. REC. 1397. 055 Findings: In total, 50% of the students were male with a mean age of 7. 65± 1. 36 years. The minimum level of respecting safe behaviors was related to passing through the crosswalks (62. 1%) and pedestrian overpasses (66. 7%). Therefore, it was revealed that more than 60% of the students did not comply with these safety behaviors. The mean± SD scores of respecting safe behaviors when crossing the street were 9. 5± 1. 75 and 9. 86± 1. 41 before and after the intervention, respectively. The results also showed a significant increase in the scores of respecting safe behavior when crossing the street among students after the intervention (P<0. 006). Discussion & Conclusions: According to the obtained results, educational intervention using children's traffic park had effects on the safe crossing of the students from the street. Therefore, it is suggested that this intervention be implemented as a framework for developing educational programs to train schoolchildren regarding crossing the street safely.

Introduction: A discharge plan is required to be included in the care plan of patients who underwent cardiac valve replacement surgery. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the efficacy of a proposed discharge plan on the self-efficacy of patients with cardiac valve replacement. Materials & Methods: This clinical trial study included 65 patients who underwent cardiac valve replacement at Shahid Chamran Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. The participants were then randomly assigned to intervention and control groups using a random allocation method. In the intervention group, the proposed discharge plan was implemented at the time of the patients' admission and continued one month after discharge based on a five-stage nursing process. The duration of hospitalization and the level of self-efficacy of patients before the intervention, one month, and three months after discharge in two groups were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) through the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, independent t-test, and analysis of variance. Ethics code: IR. Skums. REC. 1395. 80. Clinical Trial Code: IRCT2016092312452N4 Findings: The mean score of self-efficacy increased significantly over time in the intervention (53. 18± 4. 3) and control groups (32. 9± 7. 4) (P=0. 001). However, the intervention group obtained significantly higher self-efficacy scores after one and three months post-discharge, compared to the control group (P=0. 001). Furthermore, according to the Least Significant Difference test, the most significant level of effect was after three months postdischarge. Discussion & Conclusions: The discharge plan as a method of providing ongoing care increases the level of self-efficacy of patients. Therefore, it is recommended that the discharge plan be used as an effective way to provide patients who underwent cardiac valve replacement with ongoing care.

Introduction: Antioxidants have a great influence on the control of oxidative stress and free radicals; moreover, they cause the expression of apoptosis genes. Accordingly, they have an important role in preventing cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ascorbic acid on signaling pathways of Bcl2 and Bax genes in AGS cell lines. Materials & Methods: In this study, the AGS cell line was treated with different concentrations of ascorbic acid at different time intervals. The effect of ascorbic acid on cell death was measured using the MTT method. Furthermore, RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed in this study. Finally, the expression of Bcl2 and Bax genes was evaluated using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Ethics code: 0000000215021053. Findings: Considering the different concentrations of ascorbic acid, the results obtained from the cell toxicity indicated a significant increase in cell death in the test group, compared to the control group (P<0. 05). The results of the real-time PCR test showed that the expression of Bcl2 and Bax gene was significantly increased due to treatment with ascorbic acid, compared to GAPDH (P<0. 05). Discussion & Conclusions: The results show that ascorbic acid plays an important role in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Introduction: Adolescence is undoubtedly one of the most important and critical periods of human life. The results of several studies indicate that suicidal ideation is increasing among adolescents across the world, and it is certainly important to reduce suicidal ideation and other related traumas. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of negative mood control training skills on suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression in high school female students in Ilam, Iran, during 2018. Materials & Methods: This quasiexperimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of all female high school students in Ilam, Iran. This study included 60 female students who were selected using a multistage cluster sampling method and the Morgan table. Subsequently, the participants were divided into two groups of experimental and control (30 students per group). The data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory, Cattell Anxiety Scale, and Maria Kovacs Depression Inventory. Furthermore, the data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) through the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Ethics code: IR. MEDILAM. REE. 1394. 126 Findings: The results of ANCOVA showed that negative mood control training skills had a positive and significant effect on reducing suicidal ideation (P=0. 000), anxiety (P=0. 025), and depression (P=0. 034). Discussion & Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, negative mood control training skills reduced the level of suicidal ideation, anxiety, and depression in students.

Introduction: Genetic factors play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of polymorphism CASQ1 (rs2275703) in 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Kurdistan, Iran. Materials & Methods: This study was conducted based on a case-control design. After obtaining the informed consent, the blood samples were obtained from patients with T2DM who were over 35 years of age. In total, 100 blood samples from the patient group and 100 blood samples from the control group (with matched age and gender) were assessed for the status of CASQ1 (rs2275703) using Tetra-Arms polymerase chain reaction method. The data were then analyzed statistically. Ethics code: IR. MUK. REC. 1396/319 Findings: Out of 100 healthy individuals (60 males and 40 females), 34 and 47 ones had genotype AA4, respectively. Moreover, 4 and 13 cases had genotype AC, and 0 and 2 individuals had genotype CC. Additionally, out of all healthy individuals and diabetic patients, 81 and 71 cases had genotype AA, respectively; moreover, 17 and 25 cases had genotype AC. In addition, out of 100 healthy individuals and 100 patients, 2 and 4 cases had genotype CC, respectively. There was no significant relationship between CASQ1 rs2275703 polymorphism and T2DM (P=0. 241). Discussion & Conclusions: According to the results, no significant relationship was observed between CASQ1 (rs2275703) polymorphism and T2DM in the population under study.