Studies in Medical Sciences
Year:2010 | Volume:21 | Issue:4|Papers Count:11

Background & Aims: There are multiple mechanisms of embryo protection against ROS. However, in the in vitro condition these reagents are absent and the level of ROS is higher. This study was aimed to survey the morphological damage induced by oxidative stress and also to study the effect of Hypotaurin as an antioxidant on mouse preimplantation embryo development in two different conditions of normal and oxidative tension In vitro.Material & Methods: Following in vitro fertilization, the zygotes were cultured in different groups in HTF medium containing 4 mg/ml BSA. To survey the effect of oxidative stress on embryo development, zygotes were cultured for one hour in a medium containing different concentrations of H2O2 and were transferred to the culture after washing. In order to study the effect of Hypotaurin on embryo development in oxidative tension system, the zygotes were placed in a medium containing different concentrations of Hypotaurin after culturing the zygotes in 10 mM H2O2 for 1 hour. Along with the effect of Hypotaurin on embryo development was surveyed by adding different concentrations of Hypotaurin to the culture without oxidative tension.Results: After short time exposure to H2O2, the preimplantation embryo development decreased significantly and this was more obvious in higher concentrations. Hypotaurin reduced the impairment resulting from oxidative tension slightly and improved the embryo development, quality, and the cleavage rate and decreased embryo arrest. It also improved the cultured embryos morphologically (p<0.05).Conclusion: To suppress the deleterious effects of ROS in embryo culture system various antioxidants can be employed. The present study showed that oxidative stress induced embryo arrest and dismorphogenesis and reduced the embryo development. However, supplementation of the embryo culture with Hypotaurin improved the embryo. Therefore, adding antioxidants such as Hypotaurin to embryo culture system restores the embryo growth from damages.

Background & Aims: Blastocystis is a worldwide intestinal protozoan parasite in human and animals. It is strongly suggested that Blastocystis is a pathogenic parasite. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in total content of essential elements of iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and hematological indexes in adult Blastocystis infected patients compared with healthy males as a control group. Decrease in their serum level causes physiologic and enzyme functional disorder.Materials & Methods: In this analytic cross-sectional study during 2008, 54 Blastocystis positive patients and 58 healthy controls that referred to the parasitological laboratory of Milad Hospital were examined. Hematological indexes and serum levels of the elements were measured after final confirmation of feces by direct smear and formalin-ethylacetate concentration methods. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS using the independent sample T-Test.Results: There was no statistical significant difference in hematological indexes in both groups. Although the serum levels of iron, zinc, magnesium and copper were slightly higher in cases, no significant difference was found between two groups.Conclusion: As Blastocystis is in the large intestine and absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper are accomplished in the small intestine probably this parasite has no effect on their absorption.

Background & Aims: Mentha longifolia and cumin seed were used for long time as spices and in conventional medicine. This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the chemical composition of essential oils of Mentha longifolia L. and cumin seed (dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum L.) and their antibacterial efficacy alone and combined with nisin on Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis.Materials & Methods: The essential oil of the Mentha longifolia L. and Cuminum cyminum L. were obtained using steam distillation method by Clevenger apparatus and their chemical composition was assed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Broth microdilution susceptibility assay is used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration of essential oils and nisin.Results: Pulegone (31.54%) and Cumin aldehyde (29.02%) were the most abundant chemicals in horse-mint and cumin seed, respectively. Mentha longifolia, cumin, and nisin showed antibacterial activity on Bacillus cereus in concentration of 0.25%, 0.25%, and 10 mg/ml, respectively. The corresponding activity on Bacillus subtilis were 0.25%, 0.125%, and 25 mg/ml.Conclusion: The combined use of these essentials oils with nisin increased their antibacterial properties substantially. Furthermore, the bacterial growth curve showed that the efficacy of cumin seed alone or combined with nisin were greater to that of Mentha longifolia. The results of this study can be employed in food industry to overcome the hazards posed by pathogenic microorganisms.

Background & Aims: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (POS) is a common endocrine disorder in women in which an ovulation problem is often the cause of infertility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on POS abnormalities in young women.Materials & Methods: Thirty POS women were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group performed selective aerobic training for 10 weeks. The control group did not participate in any exercise program during the study period. Anthropometric variables and fasting blood samples were collected for assay of research variables before and after exercise regimen. Plasma LH and FSH were analyzed by radioimmunoassay method. Testosterone and insulin were measured with Electrochemiluminesence (ECL) technique. SHBG concentration was also detected by Immuneradioimetricassay (IRMA).Results: Data analysis showed that aerobic training decreased significantly WHR, fat percentage, LH level, LH/FSH proportion, SHBG, and serum insulin levels in the experimental group (P<0.05). Also T student test analysis showed that there were significant differences between experimental and control group in mean LH level, LH/FSH proportion, SHBG and serum insulin level (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results of this research showed positive effects of aerobic exercise on hormonal levels and lipid profiles of women with POS.

Background & Aims: Genetic disorders are responsible for a major proportion of mortality, morbidity, and handicap in the world varying by racial, ethnicity and cultural differences. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of genetic disorders in East Azerbaijan.Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross sectional study, 2968 cases (53% males and 47% females) with confirmed genetic disorders or carriers of the traits diagnosed by molecular methods were investigated. Sex, area/place of residence of patients, and reporting year were identified. The prevalence rate, descriptive statistics, and a 95% confidence interval were used for data analysis.Results: The study subjects were: patients (n=1312), carriers (n=1474), suspected cases (n=157), and unknown cases (n=25). The most prevalent (in five years) disorders were identified as familial Mediterranean fever (20.58 in 100000), inherited deafness (11.37 in 100000), spinal-muscular atrophy (11.12 in 100000), cystic fibrosis (7.98 in 100000), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (7.84 in 100000), and down syndrome (5.09 in 100000).Conclusion: Estimating the true prevalence of the genetic disorders helps in planning health care and screening programs. The prevalence of these diseases in the region indicates the necessity to establish a population-based center for genetic disorders. More population-based investigations are however needed to develop effective preventive strategies to control genetic disorders in the region.

Background & Aims: According to modern approaches to management, satisfactory quality must meet consumer’s requests. One of the first basic steps in improvement quality is recognizing consumers’ perceptions and expectation. The aim of this study was to determine the quality gap in primary health care services in Urmia health care centers following consumers’ perceptions and expectations. Materials & Methods: This analytic-descriptive study (cross-sectional) covered 400 females that referred to Urmia health care centers the study population was selected with systematic random method. Data were gathered using a research questionnaire.Results: It was indicated that there was a quality gap in all dimensions. Overall quality gap is (-0.61) and the largest gap was in reliability dimension (-0.78) and the smallest gap was observed in tangibility dimension (-0.23). There was no significant relation between age and education level of consumers with quality gap (P>0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study show that there is a negative gap in most quality dimensions of Urmia health system and consumers’ expectations are not granted.

Background & Aims: The relationship between family context and environment with mental illness has been of interest for years. The obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can impair family functioning and quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate family function in patients with OCD according to the theory of McMaster model and compare it with normal subjects.Materials & Methods: This descriptive-analytical study included all OCD patients referring to psychiatric and psychological clinics of Tabriz. Among them 50 OCDs were selected by available sampling method. The control group was selected from students and employees of Tabriz University. All patients were asked to complete the Moudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and Family Assessment Device (FAD). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and t-test.Results: OCD patients act poorly in many aspects of family functioning compared to normal people. OCD people had poor performance in general functioning (p<0.001), communication (p<0.001), and affective involvement (p<0.001), but there was no significant difference between the patients and control group in problem solving, affective responsibility, control of behavior, and roles.Conclusion: According to the results, OCD patients have dysfunction in most aspects of their family functioning.

Background & Aims: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point (SP6) on the duration and pain of the active phase of labor in n ulliparas women.Materials & Methods: A single blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 120 eligible n ulliparas who were at the beginning of active phase of labor. The women were randomly assigned into two groups. The case group (n=60), received acupressure at Sanyinjiao point, (above the ankle), for 30 minutes during contractions. In the control group (n=60), simply a touch at this point without massage was performed. Two hours later a second pelvic examination was performed and in the absence of good forceful contractions oxytocin in the classical form was infused. Finally, the duration of active phase, severity of pain (using the Visual Analogue Scale, VAS), the amount of necessary oxytocin, and necessity to administer oxytocin, and the route of delivery were compared between both groups and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 15.Results: The mean duration of active phase was shorter in the case group (252.37±108.50 min vs. 441.38±155.88, P=0.0001). Six patients (10%) in the case group and 25 women (41.7%) in the control group delivered via cesarean section (P=0.0001). The severity of pain in the case group was less than the control group (5.87±1.77 vs. 6.79±1.52, P=0.003). Twenty five women (41.7%) in the case group and 38 women (63.3%) in the control group needed oxytocin (P=0.017), the amount of necessary oxytocin in the case group was less than the control group (73.33±97.19 ml vs. 126.6±97.19 ml, P=0.003).Conclusion: Acupressure at Sanyinjiao point (SP6) reduced the duration and severity of pain of the active phase of labor, cesarean section rates and necessity and amount of oxytocin.

Acute scrotal pain is a unique emergency in urological field and necessitates a quick intervention because the most probability in this situation is teticular torsion which in case of delay can lead to irreversible testicular damage.The patient is a 24 year old man who complained of sudden left teticular pain from 4 hours ago. Severity of pain had woken him during the night. In history and physical examination the primary findings were inconclusive and the diagnosis of torsion could not be ruled out. Paraclinic study began but in Doppler ultrasonography testicular blood flow was normal.In secondary assessment we noticed a gray small papule in the posterior aspect of left hemiscrotum and then we extracted the lesion from scrotal wall. It was a thick, sucking blood, penetrated scrotum to half of his body length, so the symptoms resolved.We reported this case to underline the importance of quick management of acute scrotum in association with paying attention to meticulous history taking and physical examination even in case of emergency.