SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KURDISTAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
Year:2005 | Volume:10 | Issue:2 (Serial number 36)|Papers Count:10

Background and Aim: In this study the effect of voltage dependent calcium channels of the CA1 region of the hippocampus on the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) induced kindling and resultant learning deficits were investigated in rats. Materials and Methods: In this study the rats were divided into three groups. In the control group artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) was infused bilaterally into the hippocampus. In the kindled group, 20 min after infusion of ACSF, kindling was established in rats by injection of subconvulsive dose (37.5 mg/kg i.p.) of PTZ intraperitoneally. The rats were kept under observation for 20 minutes and the convulsive responses were graded on the basis of a 5-scale criterion. In the test or verapamile group, verapamile, were injected in the hippocampus (4 mg/4 min) and after 20 min Kindling was established in rats by use of PTZ. One month after induction of kindling spatial learning and memory were tested by Morris water maze in all three groups. Results: The results of this study were suggestive of a significant decrease of spatial learning in the rats of the test group.    Conclusion: In this research, intera-hippcampal injection of verapamil significantly impaired spatial learning in rats.

Background and Aim: Egg yolk is an available and rich source of immunoglobulin Y (IgY) that can be used in medical diagnosis and treatment against microbial agents. In this study anti-human IgG specific IgY was produced in hens immunized against human IgG and purified from egg yolk. Materials and Methods: After immunization of hens against human IgG, IgY was extracted from egg yolk by acidic water dilution method and purified using polyethylene glycol fractionation and absorption chromatography. Molecular weight, isoelectric point and activity of the purified antibody were estimated by means of SDS-PAGE, isoelectric focusing and ELISA tests, respectively. Results: SDS-PAGE results showed that prepared IgY against human IgG, has been isolated from other proteins desirably and has not considerable impurity. ELISA results indicated that products efficiency and purity are more than 75 percent and 99% respectively. Furthermore the molecular weight (MW) of intact IgY and its light and heavy chains were estimated to be 190, 27 and 67 KD, respectively Conclusion: This product can be used for diagnosis of IgG in different diagnostic tests.

Background and Aim: Zinc is a trace element essential for normal human growth and development, and plays an important role in human reproduction. Subnormal plasma zinc level in pregnancy may play a role as a causative factor in PROM. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of subnormal zinc level in maternal plasma to premature rupture of membrane (PROM). Results: Plasma zinc levels of mothers with premature rupture of membrane were significantly lower than those of the other group (p<0.05). Preterm and term maternal serum zinc levels did not show any significant difference (p>0.05). The relationship between maternal serum zinc level and mother's education was statistically significant (p<0.05). Materials and Methods: This case control study encompassed 60 women with PROM (case group) and 60 healthy pregnant women without PROM (control group). In each group 30 women were at term and other 30 at the preterm stage of pregnancy. Plasma Zn levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The type of sampling was simple and the questionnaires were filled out during interview and checklists of laboratory result tests were filled-in. The collected data were analyzed by means of SPSS-10 software and tests such as: Odds Ratio, CI, T-student and χ2 were used for statistical description and analysis. And p value of less than 0.05 considered significant.

Background and Aim: Indoor public swimming pools are one of the most popular recreational places for people. The water in swimming pool may be responsible for transmission of fungal diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the types of fungal contamination and some physico-chemical parameters. Materials and Methods: The fungal pollution of four public indoor swimming pools was evaluated by using membrane filtration and carpet sampling method in a period of one year. Samples were collected by a plastic pump in 200 ml sterilized bottles. A total of 384 water samples and 100 samples from surrounding places of each swimming pool were tested for the presence of fungi in different seasons during one year. Some physico-chemical parameters such as; temperature, residual chlorine, PH, turbidity and also the number of swimmers were studied. Results: Fungal pollution was detected in 48 (12.5%) water samples. The most common fungi recovered were as follows; Candida (22.9%), Rhizopus (4.16%) and Aspergillus (56.2%). Other fungi such as; filamentous (16.6%) and yeast species (2.8%) were also isolated from water. Alternaria, cladosporium, philophara and trichophyton mentagrophytis were isolated from dressing rooms and bath rooms of swimming pools. The average temperature, PH, residual chlorine and turbidity of water were 29.9, 0.6 ppm and 0.8 NTU, respectively. Conclusion: According to our results, it seems that the occurrence of some fungal species known to be opportunistic pathogens in public swimming pools may be related to the number of swimmers, residual chlorine concentration and the swimmers with fungal infection. It is recommended that the managers of swimming pools consider the standard level of chlorine, environmental sanitation and personal hygiene of swimmers as important preventive factors. Background and Aim: Indoor public swimming pools are one of the most popular recreational places for people. The water in swimming pool may be responsible for transmission of fungal diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the types of fungal contamination and some physico-chemical parameters. Materials and Methods: The fungal pollution of four public indoor swimming pools was evaluated by using membrane filtration and carpet sampling method in a period of one year. Samples were collected by a plastic pump in 200 ml sterilized bottles. A total of 384 water samples and 100 samples from surrounding places of each swimming pool were tested for the presence of fungi in different seasons during one year. Some physico-chemical parameters such as; temperature, residual chlorine, PH, turbidity and also the number of swimmers were studied. Results: Fungal pollution was detected in 48 (12.5%) water samples. The most common fungi recovered were as follows; Candida (22.9%), Rhizopus (4.16%) and Aspergillus (56.2%). Other fungi such as; filamentous (16.6%) and yeast species (2.8%) were also isolated from water. Alternaria, cladosporium, philophara and trichophyton mentagrophytis were isolated from dressing rooms and bath rooms of swimming pools. The average temperature, PH, residual chlorine and turbidity of water were 29.9, 0.6 ppm and 0.8 NTU, respectively. Conclusion: According to our results, it seems that the occurrence of some fungal species known to be opportunistic pathogens in public swimming pools may be related to the number of swimmers, residual chlorine concentration and the swimmers with fungal infection. It is recommended that the managers of swimming pools consider the standard level of chlorine, environmental sanitation and personal hygiene of swimmers as important preventive factors. Conclusion: The results of this study are suggestive of a possible role of zinc deficiency in term and preterm PROM cases. But more studies are required as to the necessity of taking zinc supplements in pregnancy.

Background and Aim: The safety of blood and its products depends on the health condition of the donors and in spite of screening tests, the possibility of transmission of AIDS through blood transfusion, during window period of the disease does exist and blood donated for the purpose of HIV check up endanger the safety of blood and its products. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross sectional study and included all the people who had donated blood in blood transfusion organization during the first 6 months of 2004. The sample size, in accordance with previous studies, included 10000 people. Systematic randomization was regarded as our sampling method. A questionnaire consisting of questions about personal and sociodemographic characteristics of subjects and the purpose of blood donation, filled out by blood doners. The collected data were encoded and analyzed by chi-square tests. P values of less than 0.05 were regarded significant.   Results: This survey encompassed volunteers who had donated blood at Shiraz Blood Transfusion Organization in 2004. The average age of the subjects was 34.6±11.3, 82.4% of them were male and; 68.6% were married. The intention of blood donors was to help other people in 56.4%, HIV check up in 14.8%, improvement of their health condition in 15.2%, health check up in 9.6% and curiosity about blood donation in 4% of the cases. Blood donation for HIV check up was more frequent in men, singles, and those who donated blood for the first time, which was significant (p<0.05). Blood donation for HIV check up didn’t correlate with job, education level and age (p>0.05). Conclusion: In this study 14.8% of the donors donated blood for HIV check up, and  blood donated for this purpose can endanger the safety of blood and its products, therefore people should be encouraged to donate blood only to help other humans, and blood donation for HIV check up should be discouraged.

Background and Aim: Depression is a common psychiatric disorder which has a great impact on human life. Data published by scientific sources suggest that about one hundred million cases are diagnosed annually. Depression comprises about 35 to 45% of all mental disorders in Iran. Unfortunately, this figure is rising day by day and it is necessary to present new ways and modern methods for treatment and prevention of this psychiatric disorder. One of the non medicinal methods of treatment is music therapy which seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic method. Reading the Koran with a nice voice can be regarded as a kind of agreeable Gnostic music. The main purpose of this research was to determine the effect of the Koran reciting on depression. Materials and Methods: This study was a semi-experimental one and included all the depressed patients who had been hospitalized in the psychiatry department of Rafsanjan Moradi center. The sampling time period was one year. The patients were divided into two groups randomly, (30 people in the experimental and 30 in the control group). The selection of the subjects was based on the psychiatrist's diagnosis, Beck's depression test and condition of the patients. The questionnaires were filled out for the case group. Recitation of Yousof Verse of the Koran by Abdolbaset, was transmitted for the case group, for 15 minutes every other day for 7 sessions. At the end of the first two weeks of hospitalization, both of the groups were retested by another questionnaire and the results were analyzed by paired t- test and T-students by EPI 6. Results: The result of this research showed that the Koran reciting had a beneficial effect on the depressed patients (p<0/0001). In our study the patients who expressed a strong belief in the Koran had greater differences in median depression scores before and after this kind of therapy. Conclusion: According to the results of this research and because of the rhythmic agreeable intonation of the Koran as a Gnostic music and its miracle aspect, we can use the Koran tone as a non medicinal method of therapy in the treatment of depressed patients.

Background and Aim: Acute meningitis is considered as a medical emergency which requires an urgent diagnosis and treatment. Otherwise high rates of mortality, morbidity or complications will be inevitable. Information about the geographical and epidemiological aspects of the disease will lead to a better management. The present study was designed to evaluate the causes of meningitis in regard to demographic characteristics of people in Kurdistan province. Materials and Methods: The study was descriptive and included all the patients with the diagnosis of meningitis from 1381 to the end of 1383 in Kurdistan province. The sampling method was census and check lists were used for data collection. SPSS was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The sample size included 161 patients [104 (64.5%) male and 57 (35.4%) female] 107 (66.4%) of them were diagnosed as bacterial meningitis. and 54 (33.5%) had viral meningitis. The incidence rate of the bacterial meningitis was most frequent in spring and summer while the viral cases were usually encountered in winter. The majority of the patients (34.6%) aged 0-4 year(s). The most common clinical findings were; fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and meningismus, respectively. More than 80% of the patients showed two or more symptoms simultaneously. 11 (68%) patients died of the disease (7 cases with bacterial and 4 cases with vival meningitis) Major predisposing factors such as head trauma, neurosurgical operations, fracture of the skull base and otitis media were detected in 12 (7.4%) cases. CSF smears were positive (17 gram negative and 8 gram positive diplococci) in 25 cases (23.4%). CSF cultures were positive, in 14 (8.6%) patients (meningococci in 11 and pneumococci in 3 cases). Conclusion: According to the results of this study the male to female ratio was 1.9. The disease was more frequent at the age group of 0-4 years with a higher mortality rate. The morbidity and mortality rates were less than those of the other countries which may be due to lack of registration or report of the cases. The most frequent pathogen in cultures was meningococcus. Therefore further investigations about vaccination of the people in the society or those at risk are recommended.

Background and Aim: Arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement is one of the most common tests used for clinical assessment and management of multiple trauma patients under ventilator in ICU. Although this is necessary as a guide for management of these patients but it seems to be of no value in clinically stable patients and may lead to complications of blood sampling, increased hospital cost and thick medical records. In this study we evaluated the value of ABG measurement in mechanically ventilated multiple trauma patients that are otherwise clinically stable.    Materials and Methods: we selected 32 clinically stable mechanically ventilated multiple trauma patients who had received FIO2=40% and had no change in vital signs, GCS and the treatment process in the past 24 hours. Vital signs [NIBP, HR, RR and Tem] and GCS of the patients were measured every hour from 24 hours prior to entering the study. In case of stable vital signs and GCS, 4 arterial blood samples, one sample every hour, were abtained for ABG measurement. At the same time the indirect BP, heart rate and Spo2 were measured by means of Pulse oximetry. Results: 25(78.4%) patients were male and 7(21.6%) of them were female, with a mean age of 34.3 year (range 17-71 years). Based on our study the mean variation of SPO2 was 3%, with a range of 0 to 5%. The mean PH changes were 0.03% with a range of 0.02 to 0.04 units from the baseline. The mean variations of pa02 were 16 mmHg and were in the range of -12 to 25 mmHg. PaCo2 changes were in the range of +4 to -5 (mean=2.8). The mean variation of HCO3 was 0.12 mEq/Lit with a range of +2 to -2 mEq/Lit.    Conclusion: NIBP, HR, BP, ABGS, pH and Spo2 were variable in multiple trauma patients under mechanical ventilatory support in different times. These variations were slight and usually in the normal ranges. And there is no need for particular therapeutic interventions. Therefore we suggest physical examination as the basis of judgment and decision making in the treatment of patients. When necessary, ABG should be regarded only as a complementary measure during treatment and used to facilitate clinical judgment. ABG should not be considered as a routine test.

Background and Aim: Breast cancer in one of the most fatal cancers which is second to lung cancer, in regard to the height mortality rate among women. The present study was designed to determine the incidence rate of the breast masses and their histopatholgical characteristics. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross sectional descriptive one and the data were obtained from the medical records in the sanandaj pathology center. Data were analyzed statistically by means of SPSS soft ware. Results: 83 (21.5%) of 386 masses were known to be malignant, while 303 (78.5%) of them were benign. Among the malignant tumors, infiltrated ductal carcinoma was the most prevalent (81.9%). Although benign masses, fibrocystic disease and fibroadenoma, had the frequencies of 34.3% and 34%, respectively. Female/male ratio was 8. Conclusion: According to the results of this study most of the breast masses were benign. Therefore proper measures to prevent malignant changes are highly recommended.