JOURNAL OF MILITARY MEDICINE
Year:2005 | Volume:7 | Issue:1|Papers Count:20

Introduction: Chemical warfare is a reality in today's world. Contingency plans against probable attacks by other countries and non-military situations, such as unexpected explosions in chemical plants, are reasons why any country must conduct studies in relevant fields and take a wide range of safety measures, including the provision of protective clothing. In Iran, Milad Company produces NBC protective clothing. The aim of this study was to compare the NBC protective clothing manufactured by Milad and similar German companies in terms of their effects on some physiological parameters. Materials and Methods: Some healthy male individuals, recruited for this study, performed a heavy physical activity while wearing Iranian and German NBC protective clothing in two different weather conditions. Before and after this physical activity, such parameters as blood lactate, sweat loss, temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and mean arterial pressure were measured. Exhaustion time and distance were also measured in either condition.Results: Data showed that these two sets of protective clothes had the same effects on blood lactate, sweat loss, temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and mean arterial pressure. In the case of exhaustion time and distance, the results obtained from the German protective clothing showed greater values than that from Milad (P<0.05).Discussion: This study revealed that the NBC protective clothing manufactured by Milad and Germany had relatively the same effects on certain physiological parameters. However, the German protective clothing had a relatively better function in such variables as sweat evaporation and tolerance time.

Introduction: Delayed ophthalmic disorders of mustard gas which may lead to blindness are important complications. In only 0.5 percent of cases, severe disorders result from high doses of mustard, but problems such as the dry eye are prevalent. In order to study the involvement of the oxidant/antioxidant systems in the pathophysiology of such complications, this research analyzed hydrogen peroxide, the main inducer of hydroxyl radical in the eye; and defensive properties both against the most important ocular oxidant, i.e. superoxide radical, and against the most potent ophthalmic radical, namely hydroxyl radical, in the serum and tear of patients.Materials and Methods: Hydrogen peroxide was determined in tear and serum by the FOX1 method as expounded by Wolff. The Halliwell method and Rook method were employed in order to estimate hydroxyl radical scavengering properties of serum and superoxide radical scavengering of tear and serum, respectively.Results: A significant difference between hydrogen peroxide values in the serum of the cases and controls (P value<0.001) was observed. There were no other significant difference in other measurements.Discussion: A hypothesis can be induced from the results: Because of the other delayed disorders of mustard injury, such as the pulmonary complications, hydrogen peroxide is released in the blood from different sources. But protection against important free radicals such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals does not increase. Therefore, problems such as the dry eye and keratopathies occur. 

Introduction: Organophosphate poisoning produces nicotinic and muscarinic effects in both peripheral and central nervous systems. In an attempt for a better management of victims, non-cholinergic mechanisms are also investigated. Organophosphate compounds can affect many structural elements of chemical synapses; there is also a complex interaction between the cholinergic system and other neurotransmitters in the brain. Superfusion of rat cerebellar synaptosomes may be an appropriate approach to study the pathogenesis of central complications of organophosphate toxicity.Methods: The present study was conducted in three stages: preparing cerebellar synaptosomes, calibrating the superfusion system set-up and testing the release of labled GABA from synaptosomes.Results: The outflow of [3H]GABA from superfused synaptosomes nearly showed a linear kinetic. The K+-evoked depolarization caused 2-3 fold increases upon basal spontaneous release.Discussion: It seems that cerebellar synaptosome superfusion may be used as an appropriate in vitro approach to study the mechanisms of organophosphates central complications. Regarding the spontaneous or stimulated release, differential assessments and different tests can be simultaneously carried out on the same samples.

Introduction: The goal of this research was to study and identify effective factors in committing crimes and offences by official and conscripted personnel of The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (I.R.C) in the city of Tehran.aMethods: The subjects of this study comprised the official personnel and draftees in the prisons of the I.R.C. 137 individuals cooperated in the project (37 official members and 100 draftees) as the sample society. The research tools included a researcher-developed questionnaire and the SCL-90-R checklist.Results: The results showed the most frequent offence was desertion (36.6%) followed by theft. However; if theft, forgery, financial offences and rejected cheque are regarded as economic crimes as a whole, the economic crimes will constitute the highest number of offences (38.4%). In addition, results showed that the reward and punishment systems were not so active in some parts of the I.R.C, 57.8% of the personnel and conscripts had never experienced a reward even once during their service, while more than 65% of the individuals had never been punished.Discussion: Offences in the I.R.C. are usually committed by the individual and, therefore, lack sophisticated organization. The offenders are mostly those with no penal and criminal record. So it seems that suitable traing programs will prevent these offences.

Introduction: Suicide, defined as an act with a personal intent and full awareness, takes place among all age groups; however, the young and, in particular soldiers are more vulnerable. The present survey aims to find the validity and reliability of the Beck Suicide Scale Ideation (BSSI) among a group of Iranian soldiers.Method: One hundred subjects were selected from the Infantry Forces in Tehran. All the soldiers were requested to complete the BSSI as well as Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed by correlations and t-test methods.Results: The results revealed that the two scales were significantly associated (r=0.76) and a high validity was also found for the BSSI (alpha Chronbach = 0.95).Discussion: Overall, these preliminary results confirmed that the BSSI scale is valid enough to evaluate suicidal thoughts in soldiers.

Introduction: Such services as counseling, psychotherapy, psychiatry, mental health education and social work in The Islamic Revolution Corps are offered at clinics, hospitals, mental health centers, counseling centers and cultural or educational administrative offices, hence the need for better coordination.Method: This study, carried out in 2003, aimed to recognize the status of counseling services in The Islamic Revultion Corps with a view to organizational charts and human / physical sources. The research method was descriptive, and the utilized tool was a questionnaire.Results: The results show that there were 255 official positions for counsellors and that while 40 percent of graduates in counseling-related fields were occupying unrelated positions, 26.5 percent of those employed at counseling centers had irrelevent University degrees. In total, 63 percent of those working at counseling centers did not have the minimum M.Sc. degree in related fields.Discussion: Based upon the findings of the research, it could be mentioned that quantity, distribution and quality of counseling services lacks scientific bases. The services do not meet needs of the organization and is not coordinated precisely.

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis is a severe infection with a high mortality rate. Although conscripts are vaccinated against meningococcal meningitidis, cases of the disease have been reported sporadically among this high-risk group. The aim of this study was to determine the etiology of bacterial meningitis in this particular group.Material and Methods: In order to find out the etiology of bacterial meningitis in patients, we included four military hospitals in this study. For isolation of the bacterium, different media (i.e. Mueller Hinton agar, Trypticase Soy agar and Thiyer Martine agar, enriched by some additives) were used as well as standard bacteriological methods. From each sample, two smears (wet and dry) were prepared. If PMN was not observed in the wet smear, the sample was centrifuged for 5 min in 10000 χ g, in lab temperature and then the smear was once more prepared as mentioned above. In addition, from the CSF samples, (Mueller Hinton agar, Trypticase Soy agar and Thiyer Martine agar) were inoculated to each medium. Next, the plates were incubated at 37 C and 3% CO2 atmosphere for 24- 48 hours. Based on biochemical reactions (i.e. Catalase, Oxidase, Coagulase, Manitol Salt agar, Bacitrasine, Optocin, Bile Solubility, Glucose and Maltose), the organisms were identified.Results: In this research, 100 samples of CSF were collected in aseptic condition from meningitis patients. The results of this study indicated that 63% of the patients were male and 37% of them were female. 50% of the patients were dependants, the rest were retirees and employees. Conscripts constituted only 8% of the patients. In 28% of the patients CSF, the bacterial growth was positive, and in 72%, it was negative. Bacteriological study revealed that in 5 out of 8 Patient, Niesseria meningitidis were isolated. In one patient Neisseria sica and in 2 patients no bacterial growth were detected in CSF. In one of the patients recurrent meningococcal meningitidis was seen and in 10 patients, Streptococcus pneumonia were isolated with age older than 55 years. In addition, patients with meningitis after Lumbar Trauma, Staphylococcus coagulase negative, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and E. coli were isolated too.Discussion: In this study, 28% of suspected cases of meningitis were positive in culture media. This figure was 4.7% more than the ones previously reported; perhaps this is related to the culture method. Only 5 cases (17.8%) of Neisseria meningitidis were isolated from the suspected patients, who were Conscripts, and there was complement deficiency in three out of the 5 cases. However, these Conscripts had been vaccinated against Niesseria meningitidis. Further studies must be carried out to obtain more data. Vaccinating dependants against Streptococcus pneumonia is necessary because 35.7% of the meningitis cases were related to this organism.

Introduction: Measles is a highly contagious disease that prior to vaccination caused several outbreaks every 3-5 years. Despite the use of measles vaccine in recent decades, epidemics of the disease has continued in developing countries. Consequently, the Ministry of Health in I.R.IRAN provided mass vaccination for everyone between 5- 25 years old in 2003. This study evaluated anti measles IgG in military cadets.Materials & methods: This study was carried out one month after the mass vaccination of 865 military cadets, who had been given vaccination cards in Tehran in 2003.Demographic information comprised age, educational level, history of measles vaccination and past history of measles disease. Five mililiter Blood samples were taken from each individual, were assessed for anti measles IgG by ELISA kits, Manufactured by Enzygnost Behring in Germany. Serum was examined by Cut-off OD and converted to IgG MIU/ml by specific kit formula.Results: In this study, all the subjects were male with a mean age of 19.16 years (SD=1.1) and 78.8% of them had a high school diploma. Anti measles productivity was 97.8 % and 2.2% were vulnerable. More than 67.7% had been vaccinated before, 3.9% had close contact with measles cases and 2.7% stated that they had a positive history of measles.Conclusion: This study suggests that 98.6 % of the vaccinated subjects had a protective level of anti measles antibody after mass vaccination and that this program could control the outbreaks. Therefore, we recommend that all soldiers to be vaccinated.

Introduction: Although war injuries have been reported to be a risk factor for viral hepatitis, few studies on the health status of former prisoners of war (POWs) from this perspective have been published. This study presents 5 former POWs with viral hepatitis.Methods: This study reports the demographic data and the records of physical examinations and laboratory findings of 5 Iranian POWs with viral hepatitis at Tehran Hepatitis Center in 2004. Also, previous relevant literature is reviewed and discussed. Results: Three patients were infected with hepatitis B virus (inactive carrier) and 2 with hepatitis C virus. All had been injected with non-disposable syringes and subjected to torture or flogging, and some had undergone surgery during captivity all were asymptomatic and were diagnosed by screening.Discussion: This study cannot relate viral hepatitis in these 5 patients directly to their captivity; however, it suggests iatrogenic transmission of viral hepatitis in this population. Further studies are recommended with screening of viral hepatitis in POWs so the patients can be treated effectively, transmission rates can be reduced and certain cases of liver transplantation can be avoided. The confirmation of such a hypothesis could be useful, in addition, pave the way for future compensation claims for our former POWs and their families.

With the advancement in technology and military and telecommunications industries and with the increasing applications of electromagnetic fields in telecommunications, military and medical experiments, fields with different magnitudes and in various forms represent a constant hazard to the environment. The biological effects of such fields depend on their magnitude, frequency and fluctuation as well as the phycial attributes of the individual or the tissue exposed to them.Telecommunications, television and radio transmitters generate powerful magnetic fields.Frequencies under 100 Khz cause nervous tics, and frequencies of 10 Mhz lead to an increase of 1-2 degrees in the body temperature. Needless to say, exposure to more powerful fields generate more harmful levels of heat in the tissue.Microwaves, at high magnitudes and in the long term, cause such various symptoms as headaches, vertigo, spontaneous miscarriages, menstruation disorders, speech disorders, sudden bouts of paralysis and cancer. In military industries, E-bombs generate waves with frequencies of 300 Ghz per PS and are able to stop computers, banks, large financial institutes and all electric and electronic circuits in their paths. Electromagnetic waves generated by E-bombs are divided into two groups:1- Pulses within the same range of the frequencies of brain waves, which cause nausea, panic attacks, lack of alertness and depression.2- More powerful waves, such as microwaves used in electromagnetic weapons, cause behavioral and cognitive disorders as was the case when the US utilized these weapons against Iraq.

Today, the deliberate contamination of water and food supplies with biological agents is called bioterrorism. This transmission mode is the second priority after the respiratory mode. Biological threats are created by pathogens and their toxins. Many toxins and pathogens are used in terrorism targets, for example Botulinum, Staphylococcus entrotoxin, Vibrio cholera, entero hemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Ricin, Bacillus anthrasis, etc. Unfortunately, there are no vaccines available against them.Water and food contaminated with bioagents are not organoleptically diagnosable as there are usually no apparent changes in their color, smell and taste. Water treatment plants, subterranean water supplies, reservoirs of treated water, food warehouses and the lines of production, maintenance and distribution of food in the food industries are the most vulnerable points. The most limiting factor against these threats is the impossibility of a rapid diagnosis, hence the importance of "prevention. Generally, readiness before, during and after any crisis is a top priority. Raising public awareness, preserving and monitoring water and food supplies during and after biological attacks, implementing water treatment processes, particularly disinfection through chlorination and eventually employing rapid diagnostic techniques of biological agents are the most important preventive measures against biological threats.

Development and proliferation of conventional weapons has made it necessary to strengthen the international treaties for preventing the production, development and use of weapons such as chemical, nuclear and ballistic missiles. The development and use of unconventional weapons, such as weapons of mass destruction, in the past two decades have raised real concerns to legal, technical and medical terms. For these reasons, the chemical weapons convention was ratified in 1996, and its organization is still active. On of the most dangerous kinds of weapons of mass destruction are biological or microbial agents. The Geneva protocol of 1925 and BW convention of 1975 were ratified to prevent the production and development of these weapons. But by global advancement in biology, microbiology, biotechnology and genetic engineering, there have been novel innovations in industrial applications of microorganisms, hence the real need to prepare certain criteria to develop a list of agents along the same lines of the goals of the convention on biological weapons. On the other hand, the production and development of biological weapons and their application in military conflicts, bioterrorism, agroterrorism and ecoterrorism and the danger of the development of new agents is now a major threat against world security. Pandemics and epidemics of new infectious diseases like SARS, birds Flu, human monkey pox, Rift valley fever, and emerging and reemerging infectious agents are a new challenge for the medical and health communities. These threats necessitate the implementation of national biosafety and biosecurity measures in laboratories, research and industrial centers working with the listed agents. There has also been a call for an international code of conduct for scientists; this is the subject of discussion in the 2005 BWC meetings. Due to a lack of international or regional consensus on the list of biological agents and toxin agents, it is crucial to study how to prepare a list of agents so that it can be used as a reference at national or international levels.In this study, we compare different lists available with agreed criteria with a view on devising a list of biological agents and toxins as human pathogens for national or regional applications relevant to biological weapons convention. Nonetheless, due to geographical and environmental differences and epidemiology of infectious diseases, it will not be easy to make a single list for international applications. We, therefore, propose that national and regional lists be prepared.