Journal of Arak University Medical Sciences
Year:2018 | Volume:20 | Issue:10 (127) |Papers Count:10

Background: The exact diagnosis of schizophrenic disorder from schizoaffective disorder has always been a challenge for therapists due to the comorbidity of many signs and symptoms. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differential diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder from schizoaffective disorder, focusing on the emotional content of their memories.Materials and Methods: The present study is a causal-comparative study on 23 male and female patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (without any comorbid diagnosis). Using a clinical interview, the emotional events and memories of their lives, as well as the amount of affective and emotional words used by these patients in expressing their memories, have been assessed. To determine the differences between the two groups, the data were analyzed by Chi-square test.Results: Results showed that men with schizophrenia had a significant difference in expressing the amount of emotional events in their lives, as well as in expressing affective and emotional words compared to schizoaffective men. But, this difference was not observed in schizophrenic and schizoaffective women.Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that differential diagnosis of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder can be made with emphasis on the emotional content of memories, especially in men.

Background: Successful pregnancy depends on the ability of the embryo to achieve appropriate extent of trophoblastic proliferation and invasion into maternal endometrium as well as, once implanted, to induce its own blood supply. Beta Human chorionic gonadotropin (b-hCG), enhances blastocyst implantation, uterine vascularization, and angiogenesis, as well as regulates maintenance of uterine quiescence and immunological adaptation during pregnancy. The β-subunit of hCG is encoded by CGB3, CGB6, CGB5, CGB7 and CGB8 genes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of CGB5-G/C polymorphism and the clinical outcomes in women who underwent IVF-ET procedures.Materials and Methods: A total of 200 patients undergoing IVF-ET (100 patients with positive and 100 patients with negative IVF-ET outcome) were included in this study. Genotyping of CGB5 at -155G/C polymorphic site was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc software.Results: Our findings show that the CC genotype of the CGB5 -155G/C polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of IVF-ET failure (OR=0.29; 95%CI=0.1-0.85; p=0.02). However, the allelic distribution of the CGB5 -155G/C is not significantly different between two groups (c2=1.46; p=0.22).Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that CGB5 (-155G/C) CC genotype has a protective effect on IVF-ET outcome. More studies with larger sample sizes on different populations are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms which can explain the associations found between the GGB5 gene polymorphisms and IVF-ET outcome.

Background: Tympanometry is one of the most important audio logical tests for the assessment of neonatal hearing screening programs. This test is usually done using a 226 Hertz probe tone; however, in infants less than 6 months of age, using this probe tone frequency is not reliable due to the different characteristics of the middle ear compared to adults. The purpose of this study was to assess the obtained tympanometric data in neonates 1 to 14 days with normal hearing using 226, 678, 800 and 1000 Hertz frequency probes tones.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 30 neonates aged 1 to 14 days who were diagnosed as normal in hearing aspect with using otoacoustic emissions test, were assessed by tympanometry. Tympanometric tests were performed using 226, 678, 800 and 1000 Hertz frequency probe tones for both ears. For data analysis, the T-paired method has been used.Results: With using 226 Hertz frequency probe tone, incidence of unusual double peak tympanograms was observed in 65% of cases, which with increasing frequency of the probe tone, this percentage was decreased. There was also a statistically significant difference between the static admittance peak compensated in two 226 and 1000 Hertz frequency probes tones.Conclusion: In neonates with normal hearing and without any risk factors for hearing loss, the 1000-Hertz Tympanogram shows a better middle ear status than the 226-Hertz tympanogram.

Background: Selenium supplement has multiple important effects, including anti-inflammatory effect. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of selenium supplement on gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factor in gestational diabetes.Materials and Methods: This randomized double blind placebo control trial was performed on 40 patients suffering from GDM aged 18–40 years old. Participants were randomly divided into interventional group receiving 200mg/day selenium supplements (n=20) and control group receiving placebo (n=20) for 6 weeks. Primary outcome was gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and VEGF which were assessed in lymphocyte of GDM patients by RT-PCR method.Results: After 6 weeks intervention, in comparison with the control group, interventional group showed down regulation of gene expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF–a) (p=0.02) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF–b) (p=0.01) and up-regulation of gene expression of vascular endothelial (VEGF) (p=0.03) in lymphocytes of GDM. There was not any significant change following intervention with selenium regarding gene expression of interleukin IL-1 b and IL-8 in lymphocytes of GDM patients.Conclusion: 6 weeks supplementation with selenium in patients with GDM can cause down regulated gene expression of TNF-a and TGF–b, and up regulated gene expression of VEGF. Selenium supplement had not any effect on gene expression of IL-1 b and IL-8.

Background: Alzheimer is a neurodegenerative disease wich caused memory impairment, reduced cognitive functions, intellectual ability and behavior changes. In this study, the effect of Nacetyl-cysteine (NAC) as a strong antioxidant on memory deficiency and number of CA1 pyramidal neurons in Streptozotocine (STZ) - induced Alzheimeric rats were studied.Materials and Methods: 32 Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sham group, streptozotocin group, treated group with streptozotocin plus N-acetyl-cysteine, and treated group with Nacetyl-cysteine alone. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of STZ was done in the first and the third day of surgery and i.p injection of N-acetyl-cysteine was done in the fourth of surgery. After the memory test, the animals were killed and their brains were fixed and density of intact neurons in the CA1 area of the hippocampus was investigated. Statistical analysis was performed with software SPSS, ANOVA and Prisme software. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.Results: The ICV injections of STZ significantly reduced memory retention and intact pyramidal cells compared to the sham group (p<0.001). Administration of N-acetyl-cysteine improved STZ-induced effects on memory retrieval and increased intact neurons in hippocampal CA1 area compared to the STZ group (p<0.001). N-acetyl-cysteine alone doesn’t have any significant effect on memory retrieval and the number of intact neurons in hippocampal CA1 area compared to the sham group (p>0.05).Conclusion: N-acetyl-cysteine improved memory retrieval and hippocampal CA1 area intact neurons in streptozotocin-induced Alzheimeric male rats.

Background: The activation of inflammatory cascades reactions has been consistently demonstrated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Among several neuroinflammatory mechanisms, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling system has a central role in this process. The abnormal production of inflammatory factors may accompany the progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. We aimed to examine serum levels of soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR1) in patients with MCI and AD as compared to cognitively unimpaired elderly subjects. We further aimed to investigate whether abnormal levels of these cytokines predict the progression from MCI to AD upon follow up.Materials and Methods: We utilized cross-sectional determination of serum levels of sTNFR1 (ELISA method) in a test group comprising 150 older adults (30 AD, 60 MCI, and 60 healthy controls), and longitudinal reassessment of clinical status after12 months.Results: At baseline, there were statistically significant differences in serum sTNFR1 between patients with MCI and AD and controls (p<0.05). Also, patients with MCI who had more disorder in diagnostic functions and progressed to AD after one year, had significantly higher serum sTNFR1 levels as opposed to patients who retained the diagnosis of MCI upon follow up (p=0.03).Conclusion: The results showed that abnormal activation of TNF signaling system, represented by increased expression of sTNFR1, is associated with a higher risk of progression from MCI to AD.

Background: Students face a lot of emotional problems and psychological stress that affect their individual and social adaptation as well as their quality of life. Therefore, examining treatment models for these problems is very important. One of these models, the Fractal Diagnostic Treatment Model, is based on emotional regulation skills for a wide range of emotional disorders that can be used properly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of integrated diagnostic therapy on individual and social adaptations and emotional adjustment.Materials and Methods: A total of 70 female students were selected and assigned into two diagnostic groups (35 patients) and control (35 people). The experimental group received 12 sessions of diagnostic diagnosis weekly. Data were gathered in this study by Social Compliance Scale and Graz' s Regulatory Emotion Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA).Results: The results showed that trans diagnostic treatment focused on the dimensions of emotional regulation, including: refusal of emotional responses (F=120.69, p<0.01), impulse control problems (F=14.57, p<0.01), lack of emotional awareness (F=104.82, p<0.01), lack of emotional resolution (F=42.64, p<0.01), participation problems (F=41.00, p<0.01), and limitations in achieving emotional regulation (F=85.33, p<0.01) is effective. Also, the results showed that exacerbation-based fetal diagnostic therapy was effective on individual adaptations (F=146.76, p<0.01) and social (F= 85.02, p<0.01).Conclusion: Regarding the effect of Fract-Intervention therapy based on emotional adjustment on personal and social adaptation and student's emotional adjustment dimensions, these results are applicable to clinical practitioners, counselors and practitioners in academic counseling centers.

Background: For treating hypercholesterolemic in traditional medicine, Anethum graveolens seeds are used that reduce blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed on the changes of testis tissue, sperm parameters in hypercholesterolemic male rats.Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 adult male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6: control, hypercholesterolemic, hypercholesterolemic+alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 500 mg/kg/day, hypercholesterolemic+alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 300 mg/kg/day, healthy+alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 500 mg/kg/day. After treatment for 45 days, rats were weighed and after the dissection, sperm samples were collected from the tail epididymal and sperm parameters were studied. The testicular specimens were transferred to formalin and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey's post- hoc tests and significant level (p<0.05) was considered.Results: In this research, in the hypercholesterolemic rats, the testicular weight was increased, but the diameter of the semnifer tubes, tubal differentiation and spermiogenese, and sperm viability were decreased compared to control (p<0.05), but in hypercholesterolemic treatment withAnethum graveolens seed these parameters were improved.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, Anethum graveolens seed has positive effects on testicular tissue and sperm parameters in hypercholesterolemic mice.

Background: Ultrasonography (US) is the most important imaging modality in detecting both intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies. This study aimed to compare serum b-hCG level with Transvaginal Ultrasound in symptomatic patients with ectopic pregnancy.Materials and Methods: A total of 210 patients with definite diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy were enrolled prospectively. All patients underwent transvaginal US by an experienced radiologist who was blind to the final status of the patient. Serum levels of b-hCG and the time gap between US examination and last menstrual period (LMP) were compared between patients with positive and negative US findings.Results: US were positive in 194 patients (92.4%) and negative in the remaining 16 patients (7.6%). The two groups were similar in terms of age (median, 31 years vs.30.5 years, respectively; p=0.57). Both the median time gap between US and LMP (median, 43 days vs.34 days, p=0.03) and serum level of b-hCG (median, 1027 mIU/ml vs.172.5 mIU/ml, p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients with positive US findings. Both differences were independent of each other in multivariate analysis. The best discriminative zone was set at a serum b-hCG level of 326 mIU/ml with a sensitivity and specificity of 86.6% and 87.5%, respectively.Conclusion: According to our findings, both the median serum level of b-hCG and time gap between US and LMP in patients with missed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy were significantly lower in comparison with correct diagnosis and proposed discriminative zone for serum level of b-hCG in our study is different from the previous studies though further studies are recommended especially in symptomatic patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy.

Background: Today, overweight is a damaging agent that threats general health and mental states. So, the current research was done with the aim of specifying the relationship between personality attributes (neuroticism, psychoticism), self-efficacy in weight control with people’s weight.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive - correlational study. The sample concluded of all of students in Razi university of Kermanshah in year 2015-2016; of them 459 people were selected with stochastic random sampling method. The research tools were self-efficacy of lifestyle that effects on weight and Eisenck personality questionnaires.Results: The results showed that there is a negative significant relationship between weight with neuroticism and psychotics (p<0.001), but there was no significant relationship between neuroticism and weight. Also, the results showed that the components of self-efficacy in weight control can predict weight of people. Based on this, overeating with impact factor equal to 0.001, diet with 0.28 and oral inhibition with -0.13 of impact factor can predict weight of people.Conclusion: Due to the results, psycho personality and self-efficacy have roles in weight control of people.