JOURNAL OF RAFSANJAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES AND HEALTH SERVICES
Year:2011 | Volume:10 | Issue:2 (39)|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: With respect to antioxidant effects of Otostegia persica and the role of antioxidant agents in the treatment diabetes mellitus, in this study the effect of methanolic extract of Otostegia persica on the serum levels of glucose and liver function enzymes was investigated in diabetic male rats. Materials and Methods: In the experimented study, type-I diabetes was induced in male rats by the injection of 70 mg/kg, i.p of streptozotocin. Blood samples were collected from rats for measuring glucose, ALT, AST and ALP in two ocassions; 1-before inducing diabetes, 2-five days after streptozotocin injection. Diabetes was confirmed in rats if FBS level was above 250 mg/dL. Diabetic rats were divided into 10 groups received 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg extract, glibenclamide (600 mg/kg) and distilled water (0.5 mL) daily for 6 and 14 days individually by gavage. After 6 and 14 days rats were sacrificed and serum levels of above factors were measured by spectrophotometery.Results: Administration of all doses of O. persica extract daily for 6 and 14 days decreased significantly the FBS serum level, significantly (p<0.05).Administration of extract for 6 days, at doses 100 and 300 mg/kg decreased significantly AST, at doses 200 and 300 mg/kg decreased ALT and only at dose 300 mg/kg decreased ALP serum levels. Administration of extract for 14 days at all doses decreased significantly ALP, at doses 200 and 300 mg/kg decreased ALT and only at dose 300 mg/kg decreased significantly AST serum levels (p<0.05) Conclusion: O. persica. metanolic extract reduces the serum level of glucose in diabetic rats significantly. Based on our results, not only O. persica has no side effect regarding the function of liver, but also imporves this function.

Background and Objectives: The retention of permanent teeth is important in oral health. Tooth extraction is always the last choice in dentistry, however in the most economically poor countries or those without efficient insurance services; tooth extraction, particularly among restorable teeth is common. The aim of this study was to determine the reasons of tooth extraction and evaluation of oral health status among patients referred to the Rafsanjan Dental School in winter 2008. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 320 patients. The general information about patient, oral health status, tooth location and causes of extraction after clinical and radiographically examination were collected by a cheklist. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistics methods.Results: In this study the most prevalent reasons were not restorable caries (32.5%), restorable caries that the tooth was extracted because of patient' s request (30.6%), patient' s request (11.6%), untreatable periodontal disease (10%), treatable periodontal disease that the tooth was extracted because of patient' s request (5%), impaction (3.1%), malaproposed teeth (2.8%), other reasons (2.8%), and orthodontics (1.6%). There was no tooth extracted because of pre-prosthetic reasons.Conclusion: Caries and patient's request were the main reasons for tooth extraction in respondents.Proper oral health system including efficient programs focusing on prevention and treatment of caries should be created and developed.

Background and Objectives: Lateral epicondylitis of the elbow is the most common contractile lesion of the elbow.It causes inflamation and pain at the origin of the wrist extensors muscles.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low power laser on the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of elbow. Materials and Methods: This double blinded clinical trial study was conducted in Fattemieh physiotherapy clinic of Rafsanjan. Fifty patients who were suffering from lateral epicondylitis of elbow were divided into two equal groups, randomly. One group received laser treatment and the other group was treated by placcbo. Intensity of local pain, radicular pain, sensitivity to palpation and grip strength were assessed in 1st, 5th and 10th sessions. Pain intensity and using grip strength were evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale and dynamometer respectively. Data were analysed using ANOVA, tuoky and chi-squire tests.Results: Results showed that laser has been effective in reduction of local pain and in increasing of grip strength of lateral epicondylitis of elbow (p<0.0001). In 10th session, chi-squre test result revealed that low power laser can be effective in reduction of redicular pain and sensitivity to palpation of lateral epicondylitis of elbow (p<0.0001).Conclusion: This can be concluded that after 10th session, laser can be effective on reduction of local and redicular pain, improving of sensitivity to palpation and increasing of grip strength of lateral epicondylitis of elbow.

Background and Objectives: Differentiation therapy is one of the methods for treatment of cancer. In this method, some drugs such as All-trans Retinoic Acid, are used which can inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells and induce cell differentiation. Previus experiments showed some anti-proliferation materials, anti-inflammation materials or anti-oxidant materials could influence the effects of such drugs and decrease resulting side effects. In this research the effects of the Honey Bee Venom, on All-trans Retinoic Acid functions was measured. Materials and Methods: In this experimental project we used HL-60 cell line belonging to acute promyelocyte leukemia. The HL-60 cell line was obtained from Pasteur Institute of Iran, and were grown in RPMI 1640 medium (Roswell Park Memorial Institute) containing 10% FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum) and 1% streptomycin­ penicilin. We used MTT (3- (4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2, 5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and NBT (Nitro-Blue tetrazolium chloride) tests for these purposes.All experiments were done three times and data were analyzed using SPSS.Results: Both Honey Bee Venom and All-trans Retinoic Acid could inhibit proliferation of HL-60 cells, also All-trans Retinoic Acid could induce differentiation in this cells. The amount of differentiation was increased significantly (p<0.01) in the presence of Honey Bee Venom.Conclusion: On the base of our findings, it seemed that Honey Bee Venom could increase anti cancer effects of All-trans Retinoic Acid.

Background and Objectives: Stress and coping strategies as well as other psychological factors affect quality of life among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between quality of life, stress and coping strategies in coronary heart disease patients. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on 310 patients with coronary heart disease who reffered to CCU and angiography wards at Rafsanjan hospital between March and October 2009. The data were collected using three questionnaires, SF-36, Jaloweis coping strategies and Cohen's perceived stress. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires have been approved. T-test, ANOVA, Scheffe and Pearson Correlation methods were used to analyze the data.Results: Results showed a negative significant relationship (p<0.0001) between quality of life and both stress (r=-0.68) and Emotionœ Focused coping (r=-0.35). There was also a positive significant relationship (p<0.0001) between quality of life and Problem-Focused coping (r=0.41). A negative significant relationship (p<0.0001) between stress and Problem-Focused coping (r=-0.49) as well as a positive significant relationship between stress and Emotion-Focused coping (r=0.31) was observed.Conclusion: This can be concluded from our results that the use of ProblemœFocused coping strategies is correlated with the decrease of perceived stress and improvement of quality of life in coronary heart disease patients.

Background and Objectives: Heavy metal pollution has always been a major type of environmental contamination and a main concern for food health. Tea is the most popular beverage in Iran and the presence of heavy metal in tea has received special attention because of their direct effect on health. The aims of this study were to measure the concentrations of Pb, Cr, Ni and Cu in consumed tea. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed for this research. Eleven type of the most widely consumed brands of dry black tea were purchased from local market in Tehran. Certain volumes of four samples of each brand were collected and digested with Nitric acid and Chloridric acid using wet digestion method. The final solution of digestion was used to determine the level of these metals.Heavy metal contents in each sample were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry.Results: The result showed that the mean concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cu and Ni in tea samples were 6.97±4.78, 5.75±1.08, 23.85±9.68, 2.91±1.9 (mg/kg), respectively. The maximum concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cu and Ni in tea samples were recorded for Ahmad tea Bag, Shilan, Golaby and dochakoshi, respectively.Conclusion: The results indicated that Pb and Ni concentrations in the black tea were higher than the permissible limit for the human foods, while for the other heavy metals, the amounts were lower than that. Regarding increasing trend of food sources, contamination with heavy metals and also due to their bioaccumulation in human body and the subsequent health risks, it is recommended to control these products.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes is among the important health problems that threatens the quality of life (QOL) in patients. Heart disease is the most common complication of diabetes and the most prevalent treatment for this disease is open heart surgery. Due to extensive operations of heart surgery and unpredictable results of this intervention on the quality of life, we decided to Compare quality of life in diabetic and non diabetic patients after open heart surgery. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 80 patients, 31 diabetic and 49 non-diabetic patients who were selected with objective based sampling. Data were collected by SF-36 and demographic data questionnaires which were completed in 3 steps (before, 1 and 3 monthes after operation). Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytic statistics including chi-square, repeated measures design and independent and paired t-test.Results: The results of the study showed no significant differences between the two groups in the different dimensions of life quality in the first and 3 months after the surgery. But in the field of mental health and role playing, there was significant statistical difference (p=0.03) between the two groups three months after surgery.Conclusion: This study showed that both diabetic and nondiabetic patients had benefitted from open heart surgery and it had improved their quality of life. Therefore, more studies are recommended to evaluate the long-term effects of open heart surgery on patients' quality of life.

Background and Objectives: The impaction of upper maxillary central incisor occurs infrequently. However it is an important issue both for cusmethic and oral health. Odontomas, supernumerary teeth and space deficiency are the most prevalent reasons for the impaction of these teeth. This problem could be solved by orthodontics and different surgical methods in mixed dentition period. Case Report: The patient was a 9.5 years old boy with a good general health in the mixed dentition period with skeletal and dental pattern of class q and two impacted central incisors due to supernumerary teeth that had been referred to orthodontic department of Rafsanjan's faculty of dentistry. After extraction of supernumerary teeth, he was treated by a period of removable orthodontic treatment for maintenance of available space and correction of deep curve of Spee and also a period of fixed orthodontic treatment with open surgical exposure of impacted teeth crown for bringing the teeth to the normal occlusal level. After a period of 2 and 1.5 years of removable and fixed orthodontic treatment, respectively, both impacted central incisors came into the dental arch. Final results were acceptable, aesthetically but in long term health, increasing attached gingival width should be controled.Conclusion: Orthodontic force eruption of impacted teeth, preferred with closed surgical exposure method, should always be considered in young patients, because this treatment modality has better results than other alternative strategies regarding cusmetic, gingival health and occlusal aspects.