Internal Medicine Today
Year:2010 | Volume:16 | Issue:3 (49)|Papers Count:9

Ovaries are oval shaped and are located on each side of the uterus in the pelvis. They are not attached to the fallopian tubes but are covered with their end. Surface epithelial tumor (carcinomas) is the most common type of ovarian cancer and is often asymptomatic in its early stages, and due to the lack of early detection strategies, most patients are diagnosed with disseminated disease. Thus, it has the highest mortality rate of cancers of the reproductive organ. Several genes are involved in initiation and progression of this cancer. For example, recent studies have demonstrated that there is mutation in BRAF, KRAS and P53 genes. Also, Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for the vast majority of families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. On the other hand, siRNA that controls gene expression changes in this cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. Aberrant DNA methylation in ovarian cancer is observed in early cancer development, especially CpG island DNA methylation, and silencing of genes including tumor suppressors can be detected in DNA circulating in the blood and; hence, it provides the promise of a noninvasive cancer detection test. Several therapeutic methods are used for this cancer including Surgery, Antivascular drugs, Hormone therapy and Gene therapy. Adenoviruses have been developed as gene delivery vehicles or vectors. Many genes are selected for gene therapy and are studied. For example, Calponin h1 gene, actin binding protein, that cause stability of acting filament, Human PNAS-4 (hPNAS-4), a novel pro-apoptotic gene participating during the early response to DNA damage, RhoB as a tumor suppressor gene and cytokine interleukin-12 gene for induced anticancer activity of immune system. In this article, with the use of many articles and our experiments, the molecular genetics and gene therapy in ovarian cancer were reviewed.

Background and Aim: Postoperative pain is a major consequent of lumbar laminectomy. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the efficacy of morphine injection versus sublingual buprenorphine in postoperative pain after lumbar laminectomy in Booali Hospital in 2007-2008.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a single-blind randomized clinical trial. The patients (in two groups of 25 subjects) were randomly assigned to receive either 0.4 mg of sublingual buprenorphine or 10 mg of intravenous morphine three times. The patients were monitored for postoperative pain in a period of 24 hours after surgery. The data were analyzed through SPSS software version.13 using t-test and chi-square.Results: Before intervention, VAS was 8±1.04 and 7.72±1.06 in morphine and buprenorphine groups, respectively, a finding which was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Within a period of 12 to 24 hours after intervention, visual analogue scale (VAS) was decreased 2.08±0.95 in morphine group and 3.28±0.67 in buprenorphine group ([p=0.0001). Further, 24 hours after intervention, VAS was decreased 2.08±0.9 in morphine group and 2.6±0.95 in buprenorphine group (p=0.055).Conclusion: Totally, it may be concluded that sublingual buprenorphine may be used as an easy and effective method for pain reduction after lumbar disc surgeries in comparison with intravenous morphine.

Background and Aim: Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide (CGRP), a 37-amino acid peptide, generated by alternative processing of primary transcripts from calcitonin gene, is broadly distributed in the peripheral and central nervous systems of vertebrate and invertebrate species. In addition, CGRP which is transported in somatofugal direction in peripheral nerve probably has a role in the muscle protein synthesis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of strength training on the content of CGRP in slow (soleus) and fast (tibialis anterior) muscles of Wistar rats.Materials and Methods: A number of 12 male Wistar rats (10 months of age, 220±15 g) were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n=7) and strength training (n=5). The strength training protocol consisted of climbing a l-meter-long ladder set at an 85o angle, with a weight attached to the tail.Results: The results showed that there was not a significant difference between slow and fast muscle CGRP of control group. Nonetheless, the strength training led to an increase in CGRP content of slow muscle and a decrease in CGRP content of fast muscle both of which were not significant compared with the control group (p=0.155 and p=0.083), respectively.Conclusion: The findings of the current study show that slow and fast muscle CGRP content changes with shoength training and indicate that strength training can remodel neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

Background and Aim: Recognizing obesity as a chronic illness which has multiple causes has led to the fact that prevention efforts and interventions are needed in early childhood. Parents who provide immediate environment and influence the healthy habits and behaviors of their children can be effective in the prevention of childhood obesity. This study aims to determine the relationship between parenting style and obesity in preschool children in Mashhad.Materials and Methods: In a two-stage random cluster sampling, children from kindergartens and preschool centers, who were also State Welfare recipients from seven regions of the city of Mashhad school districts, were selected. 76 obese children were in the case group and 152 normal-weight children were in the control group. A child was considered obese if the BMI was≥95 the percentile. Individual and family information along with the three day food consumption records were gathered by interviewing the mothers. The parents also completed the Baumrind parenting style questionnaire.Results: The mean scores of authoritative, authoritarian and permissive styles of mothers in case group were 32.4±3.9, 13.6±5.3 and 15.8±3.8, respectively. The mean scores for the same categories of parenting style of mothers in the control group were 33.0±3.3, 13.4±4.9 and 15.9±4.2, too. The mean scores of authoritative, authoritarian and permissive styles of fathers in case group were 32.2±3.8, 14.8±5.8 and 16.5±5.3. The mean scores for the same categories of parenting style of fathers in the control group were 31.9±3.2, 14.7±4.8 and 15.7±4.5. The mean scores of parents parenting styles in two groups were insignificant (p>0.05). However, there was a significant relation between fathers and mothers' BMI with their children's BMI (p=0.000).Conclusion: Parenting style is not associated with child obesity. The findings can be used as a basis for intervention studies.

Background and Aim: Despite their medical side-effects, corticosteroids have been suggested for reducing the postoperative edema and bruising associated with rhinoplasty. More surveys are still under process in this regard. The current study was designed to assess the effects of corticosteroid on reducing both edema and echymosis as the side-effects in closed rhinoplasty. These two side-effects prolong the postoperative recovery of the patients.Materials and Methods: This project is a multiple time series design of causal experimental type. 30 patients undergoing septorhinoplasty operations were randomly divided into 3 groups each of which consisted of 10 cases. The study was conducted during a six-month period. The first group received no dexamethason, the second group received a single dose of dexamethasone while the third group received 3 doses of dexamethasone. The two variables studied were the dose and time of administration. By comparing standard photography which was taken before and after the operation, three blinded panelists rated the extent of echymosis and the severity of the edema.Results: The extent of edema and the severity of echymosis were different among the three groups. In group 3, which was prescribed the 3-dose steroid, the severity of edema and the extent of echymosis were much lower in comparison with the other two groups. Also, the effect of dexamethason in relation to echymosis was statistically meaningful in the sixth postoperative day.Conclusion: Dexameyhason in the prescribed dose is effective in reducing both periorbital ecchymosis and edema in closed rhinoplasty with osteotomies which leads to the patients' satisfaction in postoperative period. This effect is long lasting and depends on the dose and time of prescription.

Background and Aim: The family and social environment have important roles on flowering potential aptitudes. They enhance health and self-efficacy beliefs. The theory of self-efficacy hypothesizes that the individuals' beliefs about their aptitude and abilities have good effects on their activities. Self-efficacy belief is the most important determinant of behavior. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship among emotional intelligence, social support and self-efficacy.Materials and Methods: 269 Tehran University students (191 females and 105 males) who were randomly selected were asked to complete perceived social support, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence scales. Factor analysis and regression were used to analyze the data.Results: The results showed that self-efficacy had direct and meaningful correlation with all components of emotional intelligence and perceived social support. Emotional intelligence and perceived social support explained 23% and 15% of the variance of self-efficacy, respectively. Common correlation among components of emotional intelligence and perceived social support with self-efficacy was 0.37. Emotional perception (a component of emotional intelligence) could explain 40% of variance of self-efficacy. The family support and friends (the components of perceived social support) could explain 15% of the variance of self-efficacy, and family support has the greatest correlation coefficient with self-efficacy. After controlling the components of perceived social support effect, correlations between components of emotional intelligence and self-efficacy were found statistically meaningful. After controlling emotional perception, it was found that there were not significant correlations between components of perceived social support and self-efficacy.Conclusion: In total, the findings revealed that emotional perception has a greater role in explaining of self-efficacy; and self-efficacy, emotional intelligence and perceived social support have significant and reciprocal effects on each other. The current research confirmed the role of social environment in enhancing the emotional intelligence and self-efficacy.

Background and Aim: In most infections and diseases, induction and increasing power of immuno system are necessary to cure and decrease the effect of the disease. Nigella sativa is a plant that has been used for treatment of many diseases. In this survey, the effect of Nigella sativa is surveyed in strengthening of Monocyte phagocytosis so that the use and mechanism of this plant for strengthening the phagocytosis of main cells of immune system are characterized.Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 21 male quinea pigs were selected and divided into three groups: control group given nothing, treatment group with taking %6.25 Nigella sativa nutrient and another treatment group with taking %12.5 Nigella sativa nutrient for 3 weeks. At an even period, blood samples were taken and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated from each subject's Heparin Blood in the Faikol-Hypak style. Finally, the three tests, that is, reduction Nitro Blue Tetrazolium (NBT) renewal, phagocytosis with yeast and latex bead floressance were given.Results: The results have shown that increasing of phagocytosis in Monocyte is meaningful (p£0.05).Conclusion: Using Black seed with food causes the increasing of phagocytosis in mononuclear cells and increasing of phagocytosis activity for uptake of foreign particles and pathogens. Thus, this substance can be used to define pathogens through activating Monocyte-Macrophage pathway, that is, the connector between the innate and adaptive immuno systems.

Background and Aim: Although hand-washing is one of the most important factors in prevention of nosocomial infections, research findings show that hand-washing compliance has not been satisfactory in health care personnel. The concept of compliance refers to effective hand hygiene in any related opportunity.Research findings in other countries indicate that hand-rubbing with alcohol-based solution has increased the hand hygiene compliance. This study was carried out in order to compare compliance of hand hygiene with alcohol-based solution and plain soap regarding nurses' beliefs and cultural differences.Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 97 nursing personnel of hospitals in Gonabad city. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups. Also, the two groups were matched regarding affecting factors. The hand hygiene behavior was observed for 15 days. The data were collected and analyzed by SPSS. The p-value was set at less than 0.05 level of significance.Results: Results showed that hand hygiene compliance in case and control groups were %62 and %59, respectively. Although compliance with alcohol-based solution was better in comparison to soap, independent t-test didn’t show significant differences between two groups (p=0.625).Conclusion: Although alcohol-based hand rub is reasonable, time-saving, and easily used with little skin complication, the reasons for its low compliance are religious beliefs and feelings that hands would not be clean, if not rinsed. Teaching the importance of hand-hygiene, advantages of using alcoholic solution and encouraging personnel who follow hand-hygiene can improve hand-hygiene compliance.

Background and Aim: Metabolic syndrome is a metabolic disorder that affects on the Diabetes mellitus pathophysiology and alters the cell excitability and serum DHEAS value. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tamarindus indicia seed aqueous extract on tail flick reaction time and DHEAS value in fructose-fed male rats.Materials and Methods: This experiment was performed on 30 male rats which were divided into three equal groups of sham control (C), Fructose-fed (F) and fructose-fed receiving Tamarindus indicia seed aqueous extract (FT). At the end of the study, tail flick reaction time and serum DHEAS were measured. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software version.11. The results were expressed as mean±SD and statistical differences were considered significant (p<0.05).Results: The results showed that tail flick reaction time in FT group significantly decreased compared with that of F group; however, serum DHEAS value in this group significantly increased compared with that of F group.Conclusion: The results indicated that Tamarindus indicia seed aqueous extract can increase the cell excitability and serum DHEAS in fructose-fed male rats. Future studies will probably show the exact mechanism.