SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KURDISTAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
Year:2011 | Volume:15 | Issue:4 (SERIAL NUMBER 58)|Papers Count:14

Background and aim: Continuous or long term use of opiate drugs may cause tolerance to the analgesic effect of these drugs, which limits the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs. In this study we evaluated the effects of central administration of 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA), a selective A1 receptor agonist, on morphine-induced tolerance in rats.Materials and Methods: Different groups of rats received daily intracerebroventricular (ICV) morphine (10 mg/kg, ip) in combination with saline 5 ml/rat, or intracerebroventricular (icv) CCPA (20, 40, 80 mg/5 ml/rat). Nociception was assessed by use of a hotplate apparatus (55±0.5oC). Using a hot-plate device, the pain inducing effect was recorded when the rat licked its hind paw or jumped.Results: Results showed that different doses of CCPA (20, 40, 80 mg/5 ml/rat, icv) delayed the tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine for 4, 8, and 10 days respectively. In addition, our results showed that CCP A increased the total analgesic effect of morphine.Conclusion: We found that intracerebroventricular administration of CCP A, A1 selective agonists, prevented morphine-induced tolerance to the analgesic effect in rat.

Background and Aim: Dermatitis caused by paederous insect is considered a public health problem in many parts of the northern, and some of the southern areas of Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical triamcinolone on the treatment of linear dermatitis in animal model.Materials and Methods: 20 male guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were divided into treatment and control groups (N=10). Animals had free access to food and water and were kept at 25oC and 50% humidity. Paederus beetles caught from the city of Neka, transferred to the School of Public Health in Tehran. Guinea pigs developed linear dermatitis on contact with peaderus beetles. Triamcinolone ointment (0.1%) was applied on the skin of the pigs for 14 days after shaving their hair. The recovery rate was assessed on the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh and fourteenth days after drug administration in the treatment and control groups. The control group used placebo without alcohol base.Results: The mean weight of the guinea pigs was 700±10 gr. At the end of the ninth day all the guinea pigs in the treatment group improved while 10% of the guinea pigs in the control group showed improvement (P>0.05). There were no serious medical complications during and one month after the treatment course.Conclusion: This study showed that triamcinolone had significant beneficial effects on the treatment of linear paederus dermatitis in animal models and it can be considered as an effective drug for the treatment of this dermatitis in human models in the future studies.

Background and Aim: Considering the importance of post operative shivering several different studies had been performed for its treatment which revealed controversial results. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of pethidine and doxapram on the treatment of shivering following general anaesthesia.Materials and Methods: In this randomized double blind clinical trial 60 patients with post operative shivering in recovery room were assigned randomly into 3 groups: normal saline, pethidine (25mg), and doxapram (1.5mg/kg). Induction and maintenance of anesthesia were the same in the three groups.Results: Shivering was treated in 95%, and 65% of pethidine and doxapram groups respectively (P<0.05). But shivering continued in 100% of the patients in normal saline group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Pethidine is more effective than doxapram and normal saline in the treatment of post operative shivering.

Background and Aim: Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis are two main components of homeostasis. Lack of balance between activities of these systems and their controlling mechanisms can lead to bleeding and clot formation. There are controversial reports about the effect of physical activities on these systems. The effect of aerobic exercise on coagulation and fibrinolytic factors in inactive old men has not been determined in the previous studies and these factors have direct relationship with cardio vascular problems. In this study we evaluated the effect of this kind of exercise on some of the factors of these systems.Materials and Methods: This was an experimental study. Sampling method was convenient. For this purpose, 16 male volunteers with age range of 60-70 years were divided randomly into 2 groups: control and aerobic groups (n1=n2=8). Aerobic group performed physical exercise with ergometer in the first 2 weeks with 65%HRmax intensity for 30 minutes, and the next 2 weeks with 75%HRmax intensity for 35 minutes. Blood samples were taken 24 hours before the first, and 24 hours after the last training sessions. Fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), platelet counts and D-dimer were measured in both groups before and after training. Differences between the above mentioned factors in each person, before and after training, and between test and control groups were analyzed by means oft-test.Results: Data analyses showed that aerobic training induced significant decrease in fibrinogen, PTT, PT and platelets counts (p<0.05), and significant increase in D-dimer (p<0.05). These changes were not observed in the control group (p>0.05).Conclusion: According to the findings of this study we concluded that 12 sessions of aerobic training can decrease coagulation factors and increase fibrinolytic factors of the blood and can prevent vascular thrombosis.

Background and Aim: Allium porrum L. is a plant from the Liliaceae family and has been used in Iranian foods as flavor. It has been used in traditional medicine in different ways. In the western parts of Iran, people believe that the fresh Allium juice can inhibit epistaxis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of methanolic and n-hexanic extracts of Allium porrum L. on coagulation tests in human beings in vitro.Materials and Methods: The methanolic and n-hexanic extracts of Allium porrum L. were prepared using continuous extraction method. Effect of different concentrations of extracts on prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and clotting time (CT) was evaluated. The result was analyzed by analysis of variance.Results: The results of the present study showed that the methanolic extract of Allium porrum increased PT and PTT but failed to change the clotting time. In the presence of N-hexanic extract, clotting time increased but PT decreased.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that Allium porrum extracts had a significant anti-coagulatory effect. However, some of the findings of this study are controversial, and further studies on animal models are needed in order to clarify the possible mechanisms.

Background and Aim: Anxiety is a common psychiatric disorder affecting many people in the society and is associated with clinical symptoms such as tachycardia, sweating, shortness of breath, insensitivity.The objective of this study was to evaluate anxiolytic effects of sylimarin extract in wistar rats.Material and Methods: 35 male Wistar rats with a mean weight of 250±25 grams were divided into 5 experimental groups (n=7). Silymarin was purchased from Goldaroo company in Isfahan. The rats received sylimarin with different doses of 35, 70, 140 and 280 mg/Kg for two weeks. The control group received saline orally with the same volume. Then, using elevated plus maze (EPM), 30 minutes after treatment, the behavior of the experimental groups was compared to that of control group. Data were introduced into SPSS software and analyzed by variance analysis.Results: According to the results of this study, sylimarin with the three doses of 35, 70 and 140 mg/Kg caused a statically significant decrease in anxiety, in comparison to the control group.Conclusion: Our data showed that silymarin seems to be a potential and effective anxiolytic agent and can be used for anxiety control.

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of one-session of whole body vibration training on isokinetic strength of rotator cuff and shoulder proprioceptionMaterials and Methods: 32 students experienced three positions including control (no vibration), push up with straight elbow and push up with semi flexed elbow (two vibration positions) for 2 minutes with 30 minutes interval between positions. After control position, vibration positions were tested on a random basis by means of a power plate device (Freq: 30Hz and Amp: low). The isokinetic strength of rotator cuff and shoulder proprioception were measured in angle repositioning test in 3 target angles of 0o, 45o and 90o by means of Kin-Com dynamometer before and after each position. Then the results of 3 positions were compared with one another.Results: Despite decreased dynamic strength of medial rotators after 3 positions, this decrease was significantly less in push up with straight elbow than that in control position (p=0.03). Also there was a significant difference in concentric MPT of lateral rotators between 3 positions so that, control position caused the greatest decline in lateral rotators strength (p=0.01) and push up with straight elbow was more effective than push up with semi flexed elbow (p=0.03). Moreover, There was a significant improvement in angle repositioning in 3 positions but only in zero degree a significant difference was detected between the push up with semi flexed elbow position and the control position (p=0.03). No significant change in muscle strength was found between push up with straight elbow and semi flexed elbow positions.Conclusions: The results of this experiment show that a two minute single-session of whole body vibration is relatively a good stimulation for neuromuscular system in young and healthy individuals.

Background and Aim: Despite taking regular antipsychotic mdications, patients with schizophrenia continue to experience persistent auditory hallucinations. Therefore self-care management strategies are required for mangement of this symptoms. Self-care management strategies can decrease disturbances resulting from hallucination in these patients. Distraction, relaxation and listening to music are effective strategies. This study aimed to establish self-care management strategies to control auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patient in Shafa Hospital in Rasht.Matrrials and Methods: This was a descriptive study and included 100 patients with schizophrenia who had been selected from different wards of Shafa Hospital by means of convenient sampling. To collect data all subjcets filled out a questionnaire, consisted of 4 units: unit 1 was about demographic characteristics and unit 2 consisted of self-report questionnaire with 38 items about self-care management strategies, unit 3 about severity of hallucination, from score 1 (not severe) to score 10 (very severe) and unit 4 about interference of auditory hallucination in activities from score 1 (lack of interference) to score 10 (a lot of interference).Results: The results indicated 45.5 percent of the patients were younger than 30 years old (33.2±9.5), 87.2 percent were male and 70.3 percent were unemployed. There was no relationship beetween demographic variables and severity of hallucination. But there was a significant relationship between marital status and level of interference of auditory hallucination in activities (P<0.03). The most common used self-care management strategies to control auditory hallucination were behavioral methods with a mean value of 10.26 and ST deviation of 3.26. Praying, praise and reading Quran were the most effective methods in this group. Using Pearson correlation coefficient, a significant relationship between the level of interference in activities with severity of hallucination was detected (r=0.64) (P<0.000). The most common source of obtaining information was the patients.Conclusion: The schizophrenic patients from Guilan province more commonly used behavioral domain strategies, in particular reading Qoran and prayer. The socio-demographic variables showed no relationship with, self-care management strategies.

Background and Aim: Workers working in car painting workshops are exposed to different contaminants including isocyanates. One of the most important sequelae of this exposure is occupational asthma. The aim of this study was to identify alterations in peak expiratory flow test in the workers working in the car painting workshops.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. 43 workers were selected randomly from the car painting workplaces in Isfahan. The peak expiratory flow of the workers was measured by means of a peak flow meter set at the beginning and at the end of the work shift, for one week.Results: The mean percentage of alterations in peak expiratory flow was 6.91% on the first day and 8.11% on the last day of week. The mean percentage of alternation of peak expiratory flow of the workers were 11.2±1.8 and 7.9±1.9 an the day of exposure to the contaminants after painting, and also one day after exposure respectively, which was indicative of pathological changes in the lungs of the workers, as shown by standard tests of pulmonary function. 72% of the workers after exposure to the contaminants showed alternation of more than 10% in the peak expiratory flow.Conclusion: This study showed there is high risk of occupational asthma and other lung diseases in the workers working in car painting workshops and peak flow meter test can be useful for assessment of pulmonary disorders.

Background and Aim: Culex pipiens is extremely active in blood feeding in the urban areas. The role of this species in causing annoyance to the people, in addition to transmission of fillers, and viruses has increased their importance. Building of towns without proper principles of health and improvement of sewage systems is considered as the essential factor for producing larval habitat. The present study was carried out for ecological identification of Culex pipiens as the most prevalent mosquito and planning control programs.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study were selected-two cities that had the highest problem of mosquitoes. Suitable shelters were selected for sampling after survey on resting sites and larval breeding places of mosquitoes. Sampling carried out eleven times from May to December in 2009. Different sampling methods carried out such as larval collection, pyrethrum space spray collection, hand collection, light trap, and collection of mosquitoes from pit shelters.Results: In this study, the samples were of three genera Anopheles, Culex and Culiseta and five species of mosquitoes. Totally, 19054 mosquito larvae were caught from different breeding places. Cx. pipiens was predominant and consisted of 82.2% of the larvae.From 523 adult mosquitoes, 118 were collected by pyrethrum space spray collection. Cx. Pipiens with a 90% frequency was the most abundant mosquito, and Cx. sinaiticus was reported for the first time from Yazd Province.Conclusion: Culex pipiens was the predominant species and its seasonal peak activity was from late June to early July. Comparison of abdominal physiological states of the species caught by pyrethrum space spray collection with pit shelter collection showed the exophilic behavior of this species.

Aureobasidium pullulans (de Bary) is a yeast-like fungus which belongs to the order Dothideales that occurs in Mediterranean, dry and tropical areas where fresh water and marine precipitates can be found on the leaves of the trees.A. pullulans has different applications in various biological fields. Production of pullulan is one of its uses and also it can be used in tasteless polymers as a flavor. Pullulan is a biomaterial factor and is used as a primary material in production of medications and food. Pullulan is used in pharmacologic industry as a binder and oxidative agent.A. pullulans can be used for production of "single cell protein" and also removal of oil spots on the seas, lakes and seashores. It can be used for production of xylanase, sucrase, amylase, and b-galactosidase, glucoamylase. In addition, other important enzymes can be produced which add to the importance of this organism.There are few reports indicating yet another potential of A. pullulans as a probable source of new extracellular and intracellular antimicrobial agents. Considering the above mentioned potentials of A. pullulans, it is clear that this organism is of great importance for various research point of view. Therefore considering the importance of its industrial production (antibiotic, pullulan, single cell protein, removal of environmental pollution, and paint manufacturing industry), we recommend more investigations in the future and its industrial production.