Medical Journal of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
Year:2016 | Volume:38 | Issue:2 |Papers Count:15

Background & Objectives: Muscular atrophy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. In such cases, protein degradation is increased and protein synthesis is decreased. MuRF1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase which has been identified as a mediator of skeletal muscle wasting in various skeletal muscle atrophy models, and its expression is upregulated in atrophy. Exercise training has been suggested as one of the treatment strategies for muscular atrophy. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of 4 weeks of resistance training on MuRF1 gene expression in muscular atrophy in streptozotocin-diabetic wistar rats. Material and Methods: Thirty six male Wister rats (288 ± 22 g) were randomly divided into four groups: non-diabetic control, non-diabetic trained, diabetic control and diabetic trained. The exercise groups were subjected to a resistance training program using a ladder (3 days/wk, for 4 wk). MuRF1 mRNA level was measured in Flexor Hallucis Longus muscle using Real-Time PCR. The results were studied by statistical methods.Results: MuRF1 gene expression was increased in rats with diabetes (p=0.001); resistance training diminished the skeletal muscle wasting in diabetic rats (p=0.002) by inhibiting MuRF1 gene expression.Conclusion: This study indicates that short term resistance training can overcome diabetes-induced atrophy in rats. Whether this kind of training might be a good way for countering atrophy in other diseases with similar catabolic situation to diabetes remains to be elucidated.

Background & Objectives: Diarrhea, characterized by increased defecation of wet stool and abdominal pains, is of great importance in public health and is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. In the present study, the effect of Glycyrrhiza glabra as a native medicinal plant on diarrhea was investigated.Material and Methods: The effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of G. glabra (HEGG) on small intestinal transit was studied in overnight fasted mice (23-28 g). The antidiarrheal activity of extract was evaluated against castor oil induced diarrhea. Further, the effect of extract on castor oil–induced intestinal transit, and enteropooling at the different doses (50 - 200 mg/kg) were evaluated. Loperamide was used as the positive control.Results: HEGG significantly (p<0.05) and dose-dependently reduced small intestinal transit. The plant extracts significantly (P<0.05) delayed the onset of diarrhea in mice. The extracts also showed significant (P<0.05) inhibitor activity against severity of castor oil induced diarrhea and castor oil induced enteropooling in mice when tested at 200 mg/kg. The oral LD50 values obtained were greater than 2240mg/kg in mice.Conclusion: These findings suggest that the hydro-alcoholic extract of G. glabra roots may contain some biologically active ingredients possessing antidiarrhea properties due to inhibition of gastrointestinal propulsion and fluid secretion.

Background & Objectives: Pain control after cesarean operation is very important for mothers on infant care and breastfeeding. Aromatherapy massage and massage are two of the CAM therapies are useful in controlling pain and anxiety. Lavender plant has analgesic properties that are used in aromatherapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of massage with lavender oil on pain relief after cesarean operation in primiparous women.Material and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 volunteers among primiparous women between 18 and 30 years who were undergoing cesarean operation were selected and randomly were assigned to experimental and control groups of 15. The experimental group in three steps is received massage with lavender oil for a 10 minute massage and a 10 minutes relaxation and control group were treated under massage with almond oil. Pain intensity was measured by VAS diagram in the two groups. Results were analyzed by using independent and correlated t-test.Results: The results showed that the pain intensity in the experimental group than the control group in the first massage step was decreased round at the P=0.05, the second stage at P=0.001 and the third stage at P=0.0005 significantly.Conclusion: This study showed that massage with lavender oil led to decrease pain in the experimental group than the control group, which was due to anxiety reduction and Morphines-like increasing.

Background & Objectives: The aim of this study was determination of the relationship between fitness and posture alignment in blind and deaf children.Material and Methods: Sixteen blind, 30 deaf and 60 healthy children (6-12 years) were participated in this study. Physical fitness was examined with 3minute step test, sit ups, hand grip strength test, sit-and-reach and trunk-lifting. Spinal curvature was assessed with spinal mouse, and head and shoulder posture was assessed with photography. Pearson correlation test was used (a=0.05) for data analyzing.Results: Results of this study showed that there was relationship between the BMI and kyphosis, hand grip strength and FSP, Flexibility and uneven shoulder, flexibility and lordosis in blind children. In deaf children, there was relationship between the BMI and kyphosis, VO2 peak and scoliosis, uneven shoulder and FSP, muscle endurance and thoracic scoliosis and FHP, muscle strength and scoliosis, flexibility and uneven shoulder and FSP, trunk flexibility and kyphosis, scoliosis and FHP. In normal children, there was relationship between the hand grip strength, kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis and between trunk flexibility lordosis and scoliosis.Conclusion: The relationship between the Physical fitness and posture in blind and deaf children necessitates the attention to both physical fitness and corrective exercises in physical education programs in schools and guiding these children toward appropriate sporting activities.

Background & Objectives: Spleen largest lymphoid organ in the body and its role is blood filtering, strengthen the immune system, storage and hematopoiesis. Trauma, congenital pathologic is the indications of splenectomy. The aim of this study was evaluation 10 years splenectomy indications in Children's Hospital of Tabriz.Material and Methods: In a retrospective and descriptive study that performed on the children who underwent splenectomy in Tabriz Children's Hospital, the indications of splenectomy in these children evaluated.Results: 34 of studied children were boys and 35 of studied children were girls. Mean age of boy children was 99.20 ± 42.77 months and the mean age of girl children was 125.42 ± 35.24 (P=0.007). Major beta-talassemia in 23 cases was the most common indication for splenectomy in studied children. Spleen size in 22 children was normal and in 47 children spleen size was great. Platelet drop in two cases, port vein thrombosis in 3 cases, heard failure in two cases, sepsis, recurrent meningitis, sepsis and CVA in one of the studied children were postoperative complications in children underwent for splenectomy. Only seven cases of studied children had died after surgery that two cases of mortality causes was heart failure due to talassemia. In our study, trauma in 3 cases (4.34%) of the studied children was the splenectomy indications that one of these children had died.Conclusion: Major beta-talassemia, hereditary spherocitosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura were the most common causes of spelenctomy in the studied children and in our study, 5 of children with talassemia were died that 2 causes was heart failure due to talassemia, 2 cases due to port vein thrombosis and one case due to CVA. Postoperative complication rate was 23.18% and risk of infection and sepsis in our study was 3.07% and also the mortality rate in our study was 10.1%.

Background & Objectives: One of the important characteristics of the quality in contraception is its continuity. Discontinuation might lead to unwanted pregnancy and high risk pregnancy. The purpose of this research was to identify factors associated with discontinuance of oral contraceptive pill among women users who were referred to health centers in Sanandaj.Material and Methods: This descriptive- analytical study was carried out among health centers in Sanandaj.5 centers were selected with cluster sampling. Data related to women who discontinued oral contraceptive pill consumption during one year were collected using a questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and x2, Kaplan Meier test, and t-test.Results: The most common causes of oral contraceptive discontinuation were side effects (64.37%), desire for pregnancy (15.02%), and difficulty in using (10.73%). The most common side effect was weight gain (26.67%). Results showed that there is a significant association between the duration of oral contraceptive pill taking and age of the subjects and also the number of their children (P<0.005).Conclusion: It seems that education and improved knowledge of women who desire for using oral contraceptive pill is necessary before choosing this method. Also, prevention and treatment of the side effects derived from oral contraceptive pills can improve users’ satisfaction and medication continuation.

Background & Objectives: Dietary patterns reflect diet and nutritional habits of the individuals in a society. Moreover, dietary patterns help identify subjects who are at risk of chronic disease to propose proper dietary guidelines. The present study aimed to identify the prominent dietary patterns among apparently healthy adults in Tabriz, Iran.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 670 males and females, aged 25-50 years, selected with simple random sampling from 4 medical centers of Tabriz city including Sheykh-Al-raees clinic, specialist clinics of Imam Reza hospital, clinic of Alinasab hospital and Bu-Ali clinic (Valiasr area). Food intake was evaluated using a 132-item semi quantitative food frequency questionnaire after collecting participants' demographic data. Finally, major dietary patterns were extracted through the method of factor analysis.Results: Four major identified dietary patterns were Western, healthy, mixed and Azerbaijan traditional dietary patterns among which healthy dietary pattern (28.8%) was the most prominent. The proportion of adherence to the Western, mixed and traditional dietary patterns was 25.7%, 24.8%, 20.6%, respectively. Moreover, it was observed that among males, Western dietary pattern (33.7%) and among women, healthy dietary pattern (32.4%) had the most followers.Conclusion: Despite dominance of the healthy dietary pattern, more than one-quarter of subjects follow the Western dietary pattern which plays an important role in the incidence of chronic diseases.

Background & Objectives: The complexity of determining presence and distribution of bone metastases is due to morphological, time-related and location-related variations. Different imaging modalities have been used in this regard, with benefits and shortcomings of each. This study aims to study the correlation between isotope scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computer tomography (CT) findings and bone metastases.Material and Methods: Of 152 patients with cancer, 46 patients with bone metastases were investigated within 10 months in Imam Reza educational Center in a cross-sectional study. Conformity and nonconformity between the findings obtained by radioisotope scanning, MRI and CT scanning with the presence or absence of bone metastases were investigated.Results: 20 men and 26 women with the mean age of 61.02±12.63 (range 35-84) years were studied. Radioisotope scanning yielded positive results for bone metastases in 42 out of 46 patients (91.3%), MRI was positive in 34 out of 42 patients (81%), and CT scanning was positive in 29 out of 44 patients (65.9%). There was significant concordance rate between isotope scan and MRI (kappa=0.35, p=0.003, concordance rate of 85.7%), between radioisotope scan and CT (kappa=0.20, p=0.05, concordance rate of 70.5%), and between MRI and CT scan (kappa=0.44, p=0.004, concordance rate of 80%) for conforming or ruling out bone metastases.Conclusion: There were significant concordances between the finding of radioisotope scan, MRI and CT scan for diagnosis of bone metastases.

Background & Objectives: Air pollution from particulate matters and dust storms is considered one of the most challenging of health problems in our country, nowadays. Most of the epidemiological studies have shown a relationship between health outcomes and airborne particles. The main aim of this study was the assessment of health impacts of PM10 in Tabriz.Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, PM10 levels were monitored in fixed stations of air monitoring and its adverse health effects were estimated for one year. We applied the approach proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) using the AirQ2.2.3 software developed by the WHO European Center for Environment and Health on air pollutants in Tabriz.Results: The results showed that 5.94% (CI 95% 5.02%; 6.83%) of natural death, 6.39% (CI 95% 4.09%; 13.31%) of cardiovascular death, 9.28% (CI 95% 6.39%; 23.98%) of respiratory death, 7.13% (CI 95% 4.87%; 9.98%) of hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease and 6.39% (CI 95% 3.93%; 8.72%) of hospital admissions for respiratory disease can be attributed to PM10 concentrations over 10 mg/m3.Conclusion: Based on the output of this model, air pollution due to airborne particles is a serious problem that necessitates attention and preventive measures by authorities and decision-makers.

Background & Objectives: Targeting transgene carriers and vectors to individual cells and tissues is one of the most important goals of gene therapy. Bacteriophages are of appropriate transgene carriers and there are different methods for their targeting to target cells. Present study reports preparation of targeted M13-based bacteriophage particles by a chemical coupling strategy.Materials and Methods: First, the pCMV-Script-GFP construct was produced via in vivo excision protocol from l-GFP Phage particles using ExAssist helper phage and XLOLR as specific host. Then, M13 phage particles bearing GFP (M13-GFP) were obtained by single stranded rescue using R408 helper phage. The human holotransferrin molecules were then coupled to the surface of phage particles by reductive amination chemistry. Transferrin molecules bind to the surface of phage particles were studied by phage-ELISA.Results: Phage-ELISA tests showed that holotransferrin molecules were coupled to the surface of M13 phage particles in a correct way and the transferrin-targgeted M13 phage particles were prepared. Further analysis showed that about 485 transferrin molecules coupled per phage particle.Conclusion: The results show that chemical coupling might be considered as a suitable strategy for targeting of M13 particles via coupling of targeting molecules in high density to the phage surface.

Background & Objectives: Type I fimbriae is one of the major key factors in attachment and colonization of Escherichia coli in the urinary tract. fim operon phase variation is controlled by various environmental situations. The goal of this study is to investigate of the effect of lactobacillus acidophilus culture supernatant (Cs) on fim phase variation.Material and Methods: In this study, at first, lactobacillus acidophilus culture supernatant (CS) was prepared from overnight culture. Then modified M9 medium which included serial dilution of Cs (0.1% up to 6%) was prepared. Then UPEC isolate (o26) was inoculated in modified M9. Finally, Fim promoter activity was assessed through fim promoter PCR product digestion by HinfI restriction enzyme.Results: Modified M9 medium including 0.1% up to 0.7% of Cs, supports and stimulates fim operon expression. But modified M9 including 0.8% up to 3% of Cs, downregulated fim expression. By the way, UPEC was not able to multiply during inoculation in modified M9 including 4% up to 6% of Cs.Conclusion: Probably, Lactobacillus acidophilus secrets some by-products which are able to inhibit fim operon expression in UPEC. Characterization and pharmaceutical application of these metabolites may be easily lead to design the new therapeutic products for prevention of urinary tract infections, especially in women.

Background & Objectives: It has been indicated that some blood groups act as receptors for pathogens. There is a controversy over the relationship between Lewis blood group antigens and H. pylori infection which is one of the main causes of peptic ulcer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Lewis blood group antigens and H. pylori induced peptic ulcer.Material and Methods: Blood and saliva samples from 60 patients with peptic ulcer caused as a result of H. pylori infection and 44 healthy individuals (control group) were collected. Types of Lewis antigens and secretory state of subjects were determined using direct agglutination and saliva tests, respectively. In order to find the relationship between Lewis blood group antigens and H. pylori induced peptic ulcer, Chi-Square test using SPSS statistics software version 17.0 (SPSS Inc., U.S.A.) was applied.Results: Seventy two percent of the patients and sixty one percent of the healthy individuals were secretor and expressed Lewis B antigen. No significant relationship was observed between Lewis blood group antigens and H. pylori induced peptic ulcer.Conclusion: No significant correlation was found between Lewis B antigen and presence of H. pylori induced peptic ulcer. Further studies for identification of the role of other factors like Lewis X and Sialyl Lewis X in binding, colonization and virulence of H. pylori infection are recommended.