Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
Year:2014 | Volume:16 | Issue:4|Papers Count:20

Background and aims: Cervix cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Peganum harmalaL. is a native herb used in traditional medicine as an anticancer, antibacterial, fungicidal and antiulcer agent in Iran. The current study was designed to evaluate the anticancer effect of this herb on cervix cancer cell lines.Methods: In this experimental study, the proliferated and cultured HeLa cells (human cervical epithelial- derived tissue) were used to determine the anticancer effect of harmala seed extract. The cells exposed to different doses of harmala seed extract (12, 25, 50.5 and 100 mg/ml) and were incubed for 24, 48 and 72 hours. After the incubation period, modified colorimetric MTT [(3- (4.5-dimethyl Thiazole-2yl)] -2.5Diphenyl Tetrazolium Bromide) method was used to determine cytotoxicity. After collecting data, statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: The results of MTT assay showed that the HeLa extract anticancer effect is dependent to time and dose. The highest percentage of cell death was observed after 72 h incubation and increase in extract concentration (P<0.001). The 50% growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) of harmala in 24 h was 12.5 micrograms per milliliter.Conclusion: Harmala extract could have dose and time dependent for preventing growth on HeLa cancer cell line. It seems to come with further research, and utilizes its compound in cancer treatment.

Background and aims: Humic acid (HA) is released from degradation of plant and animal components. Humic substances contribute to chlorination as precursors of disinfection byproducts.This study was conducted to investigate the effect of cations Ca2+ and Mg2+ on the removalefficiency of humic acid by the titanium dioxide nanoparticle (UV/TiO2).Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, the effect of different variables such as pH, contact time, various concentrations of TiO2, Ca2+, and Mg2+ on the removal efficiency of humic acid by the UV/TiO2 on synthetic water and raw water of Zayandehroud in Isfahan was studied. The results obtained were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient test and SPSS software.Results: Optimal concentration of the TiO2 catalyst for removal of HA was 1g/L. The removal efficiency was the highest in acidic conditions (pH=3) within 60 minutes of contact time. The removal efficiency of HA by the UV/TiO2 decreased with increase of contact time. The presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions increased the rate of HA removal by the UV/TiO2.Conclusion: TiO2 photocatalytic process results in a significant reduction in humic materials in water. If water or wastewater contains a high amount of resistant compounds and hardness, these compounds can be broken by a preliminary photocatalytic catharsis and transform to degradable by-products.

Background and aims: Various devices have been offered to reduce the time of channel preparation. One of these devices is a modern handpiece (TEP-E10R) which is known as endogripper. This study was conducted to determine canal displacement rate of mesiobuccal root of the maxillary first molar after the preparation by two manual and rotating methods using stainless steel hand files.Methods: In this laboratory experimental study, 50 teeth taken out from human maxillary first molar were selected and divided into two groups. After access cavity preparation and placement of original files in mesiobuccal canal, digital radiography was done as the relationship between film and emission angle, and samples was fixed. Then, canals were prepared using stainless steel manually in group one and by endogripper in group two. The technique for preparing canals in both groups was passive step back in both groups. After preparation, radiography was done using master apical file as the first radiography was done. Canal displacement rate of primary radiography and original file-assisted radiography was calculated in millimeter (mm) according to adaptive images by photoshop software and radiologist assistance. The data were compared by t-test.Results: Mean deviation from original canal route in group one was 3.45±1.36 mm, higher than 1.75±1.69 obtained in group two (P=0.045). Also, mean time for canal preparation in group one was 19.36±1.53 min, higher than 12.03±1.55 min in group two (P=0.0001).Conclusion: Using stainless steel files with reciprocal handpiece keeps on original canal route better compared to stainless steel files alone.

Background and aims: Cr (VI) is one of the strongest oxidizing agents and is classified as carcinogen group A which presents in various industrial wastewaters. Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are natural polymers that are secreted from several environmental bacterial groups especially in response to adverse conditions. Therefore, exopolysaccharides from bacterial species of these astewaters may contribute in increasing their resistance to unfavorable factors. Thus the aim of this study was to investigate the role of exopolysaccharides from chromate resistant bacteria in chromate reduction and antibiotic resistance.Methods: This research was a laboratory crossectional study that was performed on chromate resistant bacterial species in different kinds of wastewaters. Maximum tolerable concentration (MTC), amount of exopolysaccharides secretion, chromate reduction by EPS and antibiotics resistance of selected isolation were determined. The data were analyzed by determining the standard error and agreed confidence intervals (P<0.05).Results: An effective isolation showed the highest MTC and EPS production: 128 mM and 0.117 mg.ml-1 respectively was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on biochemical test results. Comparison between chromate reduction efficiency by EPS solely (61%) and chromate reduction efficiency by bacterial cell (78%) indicated considerable role of EPS in chromate reduction. These bacteria also indicated resistance to a wide range of antibiotics.Conclusion: Environmental increasing of Cr (VI) concentration leads to increasing in bacterial resistance using various types of adaptable mechanisms such as higher EPS production. This resistance is very important in terms of a medicine subject and can be valuable information for us in the relationship to the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, plasmid genetics and the desired isolated ecology.

Background and aims: Books and documents damaged or contaminated by microorganisms are a serious threat to the health of users and librarians. This study was conducted to investigate the air, surfaces and shelves of books in the libraries affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences for various molds.Methods: In this descriptive study, 307 samples of existing molds were taken from air and different surfaces in library including repository of Persian and Latin books, reading room, circulation desk, and magazines section. Culture was done on Sabouraud's medium and dextrose agar by swab. After 10 days, direct smears were prepared from grown colonies, and fungal genera were identified.Results: Frequency distribution of molds growth was higher in Latin books than in Persian books, shelves, and air. The most frequent type of mold in different studied sections was Penicillium.Conclusion: Regarding higher growth of molds in Latin books and presence of some molds including Penicillium in these books, more attention to this sector is essential and necessary.

Background and aims: Metabolic acidosis is one of the most important diseases that affects nervous system. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential variations in sensory pain threshold in children born to mothers with metabolic acidosis compared with children born to healthy mothers.Methods: In this experimental study, 50 healthy female rats were randomly divided into five equal groups; control with no treatment, control with minimum dose, control with moderate dose, acidosis with minimum dose, and acidosis with moderate dose. To induce acidosis, ammonium chloride was used instead of drinking water. Also, sodium chloride was administered for control groups. All animals were conceived by natural mating.20 days prior to and till the completion of pregnancy, the rats received the solutions. For the groups with minimum and moderate doses, the solutions of interest at respectively 0.15 and 0.3 mol were used. Tests of the pain due to formalin were conducted on adult male children. Pain score were registered in three acute, interphase, and chronic stages and compared. For intergroup statistical analysis of the data, one-way ANOVA and Turkey’s post hoc test were used at significance level of P£0.05. Normality and homogeneity of pain variance were investigated and compared in the groups. So, the conditions of running parametric tests applied.Results: Results indicated a significant increase in pain in acute and chronic stages of formalin test in male children born to acidosis mothers (P£0.05). Pain scores were not significantly different between acidosis and control groups in interphase stage (P£0.05).Conclusion: Results indicated that the effects by metabolic acidosis caused decrease in sensory pain threshold in the children born to metabolic acidosis mothers and increase in their pain.Therefore, through preventing development of metabolic acidosis, decrease in sensory pain threshold could be prevented in their children.

Background and aims: A study about all kinds of pollutions, especially water and other aquacultures is necessary with the spread of contaminants in the environment and the human relationship to the environment for supplying food and other needs. The aim of this study was to determine concentration of heavy metals, Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Vanadium (V), in muscle tissues and skin of edible Indian prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) sold in Shiraz city.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 120 Indian prawns were collected by referring to the main aquatic supply market in Shiraz in the fall of 2011. The preparation and analysis of samples conducted in accordance with the recommended instructions and the amount of heavy metals detected with atomic publishing (ICP) set in Varian V10-ES model and compared with the recommended values of global standards WHO and FAO. Data were analyzed using independent t-test.Results: The concentration means of Cd, Ni, Pb and V in the studied samples of the muscles and tissues were 1.08±0.45, 8.62±1.25, 1.63±2.1, and 0.61±0.93 mg/kg and in the skins were 1.28±0.38, 7.61±1.53, 7.15±4.6, 1.4±0.45 mg/kg, respectively. The results of the analyzed data with t-test showed that the rate of Cd, Pb and V in the skin of sample was more than muscles, while Ni in the muscle was more than in skin (P<0.05). In this study, concentration levels of metals of Cd, Pb and V in the skin, and Ni in tissues of shrimp were above compared to each other (P<0.05).Conclusion: Based on these results, edible Indian prawns in Shiraz city were infected with high concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pd and V compared with Standards of WHO/FAO (P<0.05). So, consumption of these species should be cautious.

Background and aims: Hearing loss (HL) is one of the sensory, neurological disorders and is the highest rate of existing disorder at birth. More than 60% of deafness is hereditary. Genetic type of HL is divided into two groups, syndromic HL (SHL) and Non-syndromic HL (NSHL). Autosomal recessive non syndromic deafness (ARNSHL) occurs with the highest percentage (70%). This study aimed to determine genetic linkage of DFNB93 Locus in families with ARNSHL.Methods: The descriptive study was performed on 40 large pedigrees with at least two ARNSHL patients. They had healthy parents and most of consanguineous marriage. These cases were negative for GJB2 gene mutation in Chahar Mahal & Bakhtiari and Kohkiluyeh & Boyer Ahmad provinces of Iran. Then families were investigated for genetic linkage to the DFNB93 locus using STR markers, PCR and polyacrylamide gels.Results: Results showed that one of the 40 families (2.5%) was linked to the DFNB93 locus.The value of SLINK (2.67), preliminary two-point LOD (2.05), and multipoint LOD (2.05) for this family was calculated.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, DFNB93 locus has probably little role in deafness of studied population. Further investigations are necessary to determine the role of this locus in deafness in Iranian population more precisely.

Background and aims: Paraoxonase-1 is a calcium dependent enzyme which is related to HDL.Paraoxonase LDL plays an important role in prevention of atherosclerotic lesions by having preventing potential. Different antioxidants such as flavonoids affect serum paraoxonase activity.In the current study, the aim was to investigate the effect of some flavonoids on serum paraoxonase activity.Methods: In this animal experimental study, 45 Wistar rats in 9 groups of 5 animals received flavonoids by gavage feeding as follows: Group 1 as control group received 1 ml water daily and ethanol with concentration 0.25. Group 2-5 and 6-9 was fed with 7.5 and 15 mg/kg for per kilogram of body weight (BW) of the one of myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol and galangin flavonoids along with 1 ml ethanol 25%. The mean of changes in enzyme activities due to performed intervention between groups was compared using one-way ANOVA.Results: There were significant differences between PON-1 enzyme activity changes before and after intervention in both dosages 7.5 and 15 mg/kg body weight (P=0.04). There were significant differences in increasing concentration between PON-1 enzyme activity changes before and after intervention (Gavage for 4 types of flavonoids) compared to control groups (P≤0.009), but there was not any significant difference between PON-1 enzyme activity changes used two dosages of flavonoids (P>0.05) Conclusion: In this study, it was shown that all of the flavonoids increased paraoxonase activity.Probably, the potential of flavonoids in increasing serum paraoxonase activity is related to the number and location of hydroxyl groups on these compounds.

Background and aims: On the effect of resistance training combined with green tea supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors, few studies have been conducted. The aim of present study was to examine the effect of eight weeks of resistance training and green tea supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight men.Methods: In this clinical quasi-experimental study, 30 men with BMI of 25-30 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to three groups of 10. Each of them was: 1. resistance training and green tea supplementation (supplementation), 2. Resistance training (training) and 3. Control. Resistance training comprised three sessions with 60-80% severity per week one maximum repetition for eight weeks. Green tea supplement was consumed at 6 gr per day in three equal portions. Venous blood samples were used to analyze the lipid profile and fibrinogen in the pre-test and post-test stages.Results: Findings: The levels of cholesterol (P=0.034) and fibrinogen (P=0.01) changed significantly in supplementation group compared to pre-test. The levels of low density lipoprotein, triglyceride, body’s lipid in two supplementation and training groups increased (P<0.05) and high density lipoprotein decreased significantly compared to pre-test (P<0.05 and 0.021, respectively). In post-test, a significant difference in body’s profile (P=0.028), cholesterol (P=0.014), triglyceride (P=0.004), and fibrinogen (P=0.047) was seen in supplementation group compared to resistance training, but there was no significant difference in other factors (P>0.05).Also, no significant difference in waist-to-hip ratio and BMI was seen among the groups (P>0.05).Conclusion: Eight weeks of resistance training caused desirable variations in some of cardiovascular risk factors which could cause prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the individuals with overweight. But combination of green tea supplementation and resistance training had a higher efficacy than resistance training alone.

Background and aims: Cucurbita maxima Duch (CMD) is used as sedative for tooth and ear pain, but its analgesic effect has not been research in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of CMD was studied using formalin model in rats.Methods: In this experimental study, 60 Rats were randomly divided into 6 equal groups.Control group was injected distilled water and three experimental groups were injected CMD extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Group 5 received ibuprofen and group 6 received naloxone with the most effective dose of the extract. Extract or drugs were injected 15 minutes before formalin injection. The responses of animals to pain were recorded for 30 min. after the formalin injection. Responses of first 0-5 min. were considered as acute pain and responses of 15-30 min.as chronic pain.Results: CRM extracts reduced acute pain in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg (P<0.001). In addition, the extract decreased chronic pain in all used concentrations compared to the control group (P<0.001). Naloxone inhibited analgesic effect of the extract (P<0.05).Conclusion: CRM extracts reduce acute and chronic pains in formalin test through opioid system and it might be used as an analgesic drug.

Background and aims: Toxocara and Toxascaris are intestinal parasites of dogs and cats and Toxocara canislarva can develop eosinophilia in human body. In this study the effect of the antigens of eggs of Toxocara canis (T. canis) or Toxascaris leonina (T. leonine) on eosinophilia development was investigated.Methods: In this experimental study, 54 surrey mice were assigned to six groups. Case groups were injected with antigens of T. canis and T. leonina eggs. These antigens were injected either intraperitoneally without adjuvant or subcutaneously with Freund's adjuvant. To groups of mice as control groups underwent no injection. Each injection was repeated three times with an interval of two weeks and after each injection blood sample was taken from the mice and white blood cells in a blood sample were counted.Results: Mean white blood cells consisting of lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes, basophils in the groups injected with T. canis and T. leonina eggs were obtained in normal range compared with control groups and no difference was seen among the groups (P>0.05).Conclusion: Unlike Larvae of T. canis, antigen of T. canis and T. leonina eggs caused no change in eosinophil count in the studied mice. Therefore, further research is recommended in this regard.

Background and aims: Angiogenesis, formation of new vessels from the primary vessels is involved in physiological condition such as reproduction, wound healing and pathological like diabetes and tumor. Tumor progression associates with persistent unregulated angiogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of alcoholic extract in henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaf on the angiogenesis of chorioallantoic membrane and morphological abnormalities of chick embryos.Methods: In this experimental study, 40 fertilized eggs of Hy-line race were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, sham-exposed group and two empirical groups (n=10). In the second day of incubation in sterile condition, a window was opened on eggs. On 8th day, chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was treated at sham-exposed group with normal saline and at empirical groups with alcoholic extract in henna (Lawsonia inermis) leafs (50, 200 mg/kg). On 12th day CAMs, the length and weight of vessels were examined and morphological disorders were studied. Data were calculated and analyzed statistically using t-test and ANOVA.Results: Weight and length CR of chick embryo at the control group with the sham-exposed group showed no significant difference in the mean comparison of number and length of vessels.The mean of number and length in the second empirical group and in the first empirical group at the comparison of vessel's length and the CR length than the control group showed significant decrease (P<0.05). Variablesmean in two empirical groups showed no significant difference. Morphological abnormalities were not observed in fetuses.Conclusion: According to the results of this research, alcoholic extract of henna leaf inhibits angiogenesis on chorioallantoic membrane, but it had no significant effect on chick embryo' s morphological characteristics.

Background and aims: Background and aim: Platinum-based drugs cause heme group to be released from hemoglobin through binding to hemoglobin, impair hemoglobin function and thereby develop anemia in the patient under treatment. The aim of the present study was to examine side effects of oxali-palladium as a new synthetic anticancer drug through interacting with hemoglobin and degrading heme group.Methods: In this experimental study, human hemoglobin structure was studied in vitro in presence and absence of oxali-palladium. For study of structural variations and degradation of heme, hemoglobin absorbance spectrum was examined at 200 to 700-nm wavelengths. Also, for more accurate study of variations in three-dimensional structure of hemoglobin and the possibility of heme degradation, spectroscopic examination of fluorescence was done at two ambient and physiological temperatures.Results: Addition of oxali-palladium at different concentrations into hemoglobin caused increase in absorbance at 280-nm wavelength and decrease in absorbance at 415-nm wavelength (corresponding to peak Surat). Also, it caused a pronounced decrease in intensity of intrinsic fluorescence emission and increase in fluorescence emission intensity of the products derived from heme degradation in hemoglobin at both studied temperatures.Conclusion: By the findings of this study, oxali-palladium causes structural and functional variations in hemoglobin through heme isolation and degradation and hence could develop anemia in patients under treatment.