JOURNAL OF ISFAHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL (I.U.M.S)
Year:2013 | Volume:31 | Issue:258|Papers Count:7

Background: Adenovirus keratitis is an important ocular infection. Quick and timely detection of adenovirus keratitis can help to prevent the spread of disease. Virus detection methods (serological and molecular) have limitations. We evaluated the diagnostic value of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) technique for the detection of adenovirus keratitis.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 86 suspected patients to keratitis referred to Farabi and Labbafinejad Hospitals (Tehran, Iran) were enrolled in 2012. DNA samples of patients were extracted using boiling and DNG-Plus. Then, specific primers were designed for LAMP technique. First, sensitivity tests were done and then, optimized for the samples. At the end, LAMP production was examined adding cyber-green.Findings: The LAMP test was optimized regard to extracted DNA from adenovirus. The sensitivity test suggested the sensitivity about one particle per virus and no result was obtained during specification test by any of tested DNA. The results of 28 samples (32%) with specific particle and different titers were positive.Conclusion: Using LAMP technique to diagnose adenovirus showed that isothermal proliferation technique by loop (LAMP) has more sensitivity and precision. In addition, this technique provides a faster and more trusting method for diagnosing infections such as keratitis as an emergency case to be diagnosed and cured.

Background: Infertility is common among couples of childbearing age. Approximately, half of known causes of primary infertility are attributable to male factor and the etiology of male factors infertility is poorly understood. While some individuals may be genetically predisposed to be subfertile, there are major epigenetic factors implicated as potential causes of male infertility. Semen characteristics such as morphology, concentration and motility have positive effect of infertility. One of the most prevalent methods for solving this problem is Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) and the aim of this study was determining the effect semen characteristics on IUI outcomes.Methods: This cross sectional study was done in Shahid Beheshti hospital (Isfahan, Iran) during March to September 2012.80 samples of semen of infertile men were selected and analyzed by semen analysis and semen processing methods. Semen characteristics such as physical characteristics and motility were recorded and analyzed.Findings: Fertility in 16 cases (20%) was success and in 64 (80%) was unsuccess. Semen characteristics including volume, concentration and motility was not statistically different between these two groups.Conclusion: According to results of this study, except semen characteristics, some other factors such as technique of sperm injection, medical instruments and patient factors may have a role in unfertility. Thus, this factors and related protocols mast be revised and couple education must be done before sperm injection.

Background: Studies show that up to this research, no study investigated the knowledge of Iranian community about osteoarthritis its risk factors. The present study aimed to determine and assess this knowledge among the patients referred to Al-zahra hospital orthopedic clinic (Isfahan, Iran).Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 600 persons were enrolled in 2011.Findings: 20.5% of studied people were men and the rest (79.5%) were women. 52% had good, 44% had moderate and 4% had weak knowledge about risk factors of knee osteoarthritis.Conclusion: The knowledge about knee osteoarthritis and its risk factors was at a satisfactory level among the patients referred to Al-zahra hospital orthopedic clinic.

Background: Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) creates acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This virus affects all body systems and cause organ vulnerability to opportunistic infections, weight loss and ultimately death. The aim of this study was epidemiological investigation of HIVpositive patients in Isfanan Behavioral Consultation Center, Iran, during 1999-2009.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, epidemiological characteristics of AIDS/HIV patients were investigated during ten years; they were selected by census method. Patient data were analyzed via descriptive analytic statistical methods.Findings: 241 patients with a mean age of 38.7 years were investigated; 47.7% of patients were in 31-40 years age group, 89.6% were men and 30.7% were in AIDS phase. In 2008, 31% and in 2009, 53% of the patients at the time of diagnosis were in AIDS phase. Most of the patients were infected through drug injection [170 patients (70.5%)] and sexual intercourse [39 patients (16.2%)]. Totaly, 116 patients (48.1%) were also infected to other diseases, including hepatitis B and C or tuberclosis, among them, hepatitis C had the most frequency [79 patients (32.8%)] (P£0.001). The most prevalent cause of death was AIDS [23 patients (9.5%)].Conclusion: The results of this study showed that most of the patients had lower quality of life and health. Proper consultation and education in target groups is effective to prevent and control the risk factors and to reduce the disease incidence.

Background: Basic ethics theories are the unfailing philosophical foundations and thoughts that formulate the origin of stable ethical principles. Regard to the effect of ethics on medical decisions, it is indispensable to explore these foundations in order to compile the principles of medical ethics. The aim of this research was to identify a framework for presenting the applied ethical principles in medicine.Methods: We reviewed resources of Muslim authorities and Western philosophical-ethical resources on the philosophical, ethical, juratory and interpretive issues. Through this exploration, the conformable viewpoints to medical ethics were clarified, described and analyzed by virtue of their content.Findings: Four ethical principles were obtained according to the Western perspective on the fundamentals and theories of basic ethics: “beneficence”, “non-maleficence”, “autonomy” and ”justice” considered as the criteria for action in medical decision-making. According to the Islamic perspective, 8 ethical principles were obtained: “reliance”, “piety”, “respecting and dignity of patients”, “attracting profit”, “disposing the probable harm”, “authority”, “justice” and “charity”, among which, some has become influential on decision-making and some has become the criteria for adopting any measure in medicine.Conclusion: We found two basic differences between the Islamic and the non-Islamic ethical principles looking at the medical ethics principles: by virtue of basis or content. Hence, it is necessary to apply Islamic ethical principles that are taken from the Islamic ideology, juratory and philosophy in our healthcare centers as the Western countries in which their own ethical, philosophical and applied principles have been adopted and used in their healthcare centers.