Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Year:2013 | Volume:31 | Issue:250|Papers Count:7

Background: During the last decade, intra-spinal micro-stimulation (ISMS) has been proposed as a potential technique for restoring the motor function in paralyzed limbs. It has been shown that there are functional networks of inter-neurons in the spinal cord (i.e., movement primitive block or motor module) that generate particular motor outputs by selecting specific patterns of muscles activation. In this paper, we investigated the possible activation of the motor module via intra-spinal micro-stimulation.Methods: The experiments were conducted on three adult female Wistar rats. A partial laminectomy was performed to expose at the T13-L4 level. The animals were positioned in a stereotaxic setup which allowed the hindlimbs to hang free while the head and spinal vertebrae (T12 and L5) were clamped rigidly to the frame. We developed custom made real-time software written in LabVIEW to estimate the joint angles. To stimulate the spinal cord, a computer-based sixteen-channel stimulator was used. The amplitude, pulse width and frequency of the stimulation signal could be varied online. Different positions within the spinal cord between the T13-L4 regions were stimulated and the joint angles were measured.Findings: Movement primitive blocks associated with stepping could be generated using ISMS. Recruitment curves of the motor primitive blocks showed liner relationship between stimulation signal and joint angles. by defining a specific pattern of motor primitives'' activation, the locomotor-like stepping could be generated.Conclusion: The complex locomotor-like stepping can be generated by the combination of the motor primitives using ISMS.

Background: DAL-1 (differentially expressed in adenocarcinoma of the lung-1), located on chromosome 18 (18p11.3), has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene. DAL-1 is one member of cell adhesion molecules, play role in cytoskeleton organization with intracellular tight junctions. Inactivation of this gene can destroy the intracellular and cell-cytoskeleton adhesion, which induces malignancy and metastasis. We aimed to compare the DAL-1 tumor suppressor protein expression in cancerous and normal ovarian specimens.Methods: 60 samples of ovarian cancer and 60 adjacent normal tissues from the same tumor samples were used. Immunohistochemistry method used to investigate the expression of DAL-1 protein. For scrutiny of percentage of cells in stained tissue sections, we took advantage of optical microscope and motic advanced plus 2 software. The presence of brown cytoplasm, with or without brown membrane, was considered positive for the expression of DAL-1.Findings: Significantly, expression of DAL-1 protein was reduced in tumoral tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (P<0.001). Also, the decrease of protein expression was statistically related with lymph node metastasis (P=0.036).Conclusion: According to the low incidence of DAL-1 protein in tumor samples compared to normal samples in this study, DAL-1 protein expression can be related with the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. On the other hand, significantly relation of the absence or reduce expression of this protein in cancerous samples with lymph node metastasis reveals that DAL-1 can be used as a diagnostic marker for ovarian cancer patients.

Background: Spinal anesthesia needs needle insertion through the skin into the subarachnoid space. In most patients, this insertion causes pain which leads to discomfort, stress, unintended moving and finally, failure in spinal block. Heretofore, different methods have been evaluated to decrease the pain during spinal anesthesia. This study aimed to compare the effect of different methods of skin infiltration of local anesthetics on pain during spinal needle insertion.Methods: In a clinical trial study, 172 patients scheduled to undergo spinal anesthesia were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups: group 1 received intratecal injection without local anesthetic (control); group 2 received interatecal injection with local anesthesia of 1 cc lidocain 1% (skin wheal); group 3 received interatecal with local anesthesia of 2 cc lidocain 1% (subcutaneous); and group 4 received interatecal with local anesthesia with 3 cc lidocain 1% (subcutaneous and deep). Assessment of pain intensity during the spinal anesthesia induction using visual analog scale (VAS) was done.Findings: Mean pain intensity right after skin infiltaration in was not statistically different between the groups (P=0.94). Mean pain intensity during the spinal anesthesia induction in was no statistically different between them, too (P=0.54). But, the frequency of satisfaction was higher in those underwent skin wheal and subcutaneous methods than others.Conclusion: Skin infiltration in spinal anesthesia, if done appropriately, can improve the anesthesia procedure and patient satisfaction. Local anesthetic infiltration with skin wheal and subcutaneous methods improves the patients'' satisfaction.

Background: Human Rotavirus is a significant cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. In recent years, rotavirus genotyping by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has provided valuable information about the diversity of rotaviruses circulating worldwide. The purpose of the present study was to monitor the prevalence of the different circulating G and P genotypes of rotaviruses in Isfahan, Iran.Methods: During the period of spring 2013, a total of 117 stool samples were collected from children less than 3 years old who were hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Imam Hossein Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, as the referral pediatrics hospital. Rotavirus-associated diarrhea was investigated in fecal specimens with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Rotavirus-positive specimens were typed by the nested reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (Nested RT-PCR) using different types of specific primers.Findings: Out of the 117 collected samples, 35.3% (41 cases) tested positive for rotavirus. The frequency of G1P8, G8P4, G8P8, G1P4 and G1G4P8 types was 65.9%, 17.1%, 12.2%, 2.4% and 2.4%, respectively.Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence rotavirus infection among children less than 3 years of age in Isfahan was determined. The dominant genotyped was G1P8. Other studies in important areas of the country are needed to decide about future vaccine formulation in Iran.

Background: Transforming growth factor beta receptor type 1 (TGFBR1) is a serine–threonine protein kinase which mediates the growth-inhibitory signals of TGFB1 through a complex with TGFBR2. Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association of TGFBR1 polymorphisms and the risk of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the tri-nucleotide polymorphism (GCG) in exon 1 of TGFBR1 gene and its association with risk of breast cancer in women.Methods: This study was conducted on 200 women with breast cancer and 200 healthy women in Isfahan, Iran. After DNA extraction from peripheral blood samples, desired sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, GCG repeat polymorphism was determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing.Findings: The TGFBR1 gene allele distribution in studied women varied between 6 and 9. The most common allele in both controls and cases was (GCG)9. The frequencies of (GCG)6 allele or homozygote of (GCG)6 in patients were significantly lower than controls.Conclusion: Contrary to previous reports, our findings demonstrate that women who carry two alleles of (GCG) 6 of TGFBR1 gene are at lower risk of developing breast cancer. Our results suggest a protective role of this allele against breast cancer.