Journal of Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences
Year:2006 | Volume:13 | Issue:2 (40)|Papers Count:8

Background and Purpose: New Pressor Protein (NPP) is a human plasma enzyme structurally related to b-FXIIa, which potently raises Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and Heart Rate (HR) in bioassay rats. These effects are strongly potentiated in nephrectomized (2NX) rats. Concurrently, there is a massive release of catecholamines from adrenal glands. This study is carried out to investigate NPP's mechanism of action and whether ganglionic blockade can affect NPP's responses by Pentolinium in 2NX rats.Method and Materials: Male Wistar rats, weighing 300-350g, were selected. In the nephrectomized group, after 24 h 2NX, animals were anesthetized by Inactin and ganglionic blocking agent Pentolinium (19.2 mg/kg s.c.) (P+ group) was injected. Measurements of SBP, DBP and HR were done in response to intravenous injection of NPP (5, 20 uL plasma equivalent) or purified b-FXIIa (300 ng/kg). The results of this group (P+) were compared with those of the (P-) group.Results: These results show that NPP and purified b-FXIIa can increase SBP, DBP and HR in both groups (sham-2NX or 2NX rats). These responses in (P+) nephrectomized rats are significantly higher than (P-) nephrectomized rats (P≤0.01 for each response). However, in (P+) nephrectomized rats, the increment in SBP and DBP responses are more than HR response.Conclusion: It is concluded that NPP and b-FXIIa can produce such cardiovascular responses in rats. Although NPP does not require ganglion blockade for these responses, in P+ rats these responses have been potentiated and this potentiation is significant in nephrectomized rats. The results confirm the structural and functional relations between NPP and bFXIIa. It also indicates that there is interaction between cholinergic and peptidergic pathways for producing cardiovascular effects of NPP.

Background and purpose: Keratinophilic fungi are ecologically, medically and industrially important and farming soil is suitable for their growth due to their keratin and fertilizers. Therefore, this study was intended to determine the different types of keratinophilic fungi in dry-farming soil samples.Methods and Materials: Using stratified sampling, this descriptive comparative study included 100 soil samples from dry-farming areas in South and Razavi Khorasan Provinces in Iran. Samples were cultured through Van beuseghemi method and various fungi within the cultures were identified and counted. Relevant data were analyzed using two-scale and multi-scale tables as well as statistical tests.Results: 289 colonies were isolated which included 20 species in 16 genuses. Fusarium SP With 53 colonies (18.33%), Annixopsis stercoraria with 47 colonies (16.26%) and Aspergillus SP varieties with 44 colonies (15.22%) were found to be the most common species. Also, McNemar's test revealed A. stercoraria, F. oxyspayum and penicillium SP to be dominant in the area (P<0.05). Conclusion: In the areas investigated, no dermatophytes were isolated; however, various keratinophilic fungi were isolated, which are considered as etiological causes of fungal infections in man and animals.

Background and Purpose: P53 gene is a tumor suppressive gene and its product, P53 protein, is a protective factor against tumor formation that inhibits the extension of genetically damaged cells. P53 aggregation in tumoral cell nucleus is related with p53 gene mutations, which can be detected by immunohistochemical methods. This study was designed to investigate the protein aggregation in patients with gastric cancer in Gorgan, Iran.Methods and materials: All paraffin-embedded blocks of gastric cancer cases during the years 2000 to 2004 in the pathology ward of the 5th Azar Hospital in Gorgan, Iran (111 cases altogether) were evaluated and stained, for detecting microtome cutting. The obtained data were entered into SPSS and chi-square was used for analysis.Results: 111 cases with gastric cancer were investigated. The most frequent type of gastric tumor was adenocarcinoma (66.7%). In 59.5% of the affected cases, P53 protein was detected. No significant relationship was observed between P53 expression and factors such as age, gender, and histological type of the tumor.Conclusions: In this study, P53 protein rate was high but it showed no significant relationship with other variables. We suggest further studies to discover the relationship between protein aggregation in tumor cells and other variables in affected cases.

Background and Purpose: Diarrhea is considered as one of the mortality causes in children less than five years of age in Iran. Often it is treated with either expensive method such as IV serum therapy or less effective drugs; while it is possible to treat it with more effective and simpler methods and to reduce the number of deaths due to diarrhea. The present study is, therefore, conducted to compare the effects of oral zinc sulfate and ORS on the severity and duration of diarrhea in the rural children of Neyshabour in 1384 (2005).Materials and Methods: This experiential study  was conducted on children under five years of age admitted to selected rural Health Clinics in Neyshabour, Iran; 160 children with viral  diarrhea and not taking antibiotics were taken as the study sample and divided into control (taking ORS only)  and experimental (taking ORS plus zinc supplement) groups. Questionnaires were used for data collection and the obtained data were analyzed in SPSS.Results: Acute diarrhea was the case in 83.3% of the patients. The highest frequency of excretion indication the severity before treatment was 6 times a day in 36.7% of the cases. While after treatment it was reduced to 2 times a day in 52.3% of the cases. A significant relationship was found between the severity and duration of diarrhea before and after taking zin sulfat (P<0.004). Conclusion: Taking oral zinc sulfate in infants and children with acute viral diarrhea will reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea.

Background and Purpose: The first chromosomal abnormality was first reported in 1959 by Lujeune and his collogues and since then, studies have suggested the relationship between chromosomal abnormalities and retarded phenotype of the affected children. Nowadays, therefore, detecting chromosomal abnormalities is considered the primary diagnostic tool in congenital abnormalities including mental retardations. This study is, therefore, intended  to compare the first-degree relatives’ karyotoype of mentally-retarded children with such abnormalities with those of normal children.Materials and Methods: in this case - control study Blood samples were taken from 62 relatives of mentally-retarded children and 22 healthy volunteer subjects. After culturing and staining by Gimsa, the chromosomal expansions of blood lymphocytes were examined by a microscope.Results: It was revealed that 75.8% of the experimental subjects (47 cases) had a kind of chromosomal abnormality including 44.7% structural, 25.5% numerical, and 29.78% mixed abnormalities. Also, abnormal karyotype was observed in 82.54% of parents, and 73.4% of the siblings.Conclusion: The high percentage of abnormal karyotype in parent and siblings of the mentally-retarded subjects, in comparison with the control group, suggest their close relationship with abnormal phenotypes in the affected children. Also, the high percentage of children (73.4%) of (at least one of) parents with abnormalities may indicate the significant role of genetics and heredity in transmitting these defects. The consequence of which may be physical and mental disorders in the affected children.

Background and purpose: Nosocomial infections are one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity, and increases the cost and duration of hospitalization. Equipment and supplies, particularly stethoscopes, play an important role in the transmission of nosocomial infections. Therefore, care must be taken in cleaning and sterilizing them. This study was mainly intended to determine the effectiveness of two solutions (isopropyl alcohol 70% and micro-10, 5%) on the bacterial infection of stethoscopes used in Malayer Hospitals in Malayer, Iran.Methods and Materials: This interventional two-group study was conducted in Malayer Hospitals and all stethoscopes used were taken into consideration as the population was limited. Sampling was done in two stages. First, microbial samples were taken from the diaphragms. Then, every other stethoscope was assigned into separate groups: one to be sterilized with isopropyl alcohol 70% and the other with micro-10 5%. In the second stage of sampling, samples were taken from diaphragms 10 and 15 minutes after sterilization.Results: The most common microorganism, in both groups, was found to be the negative coagulase staphylococcus. Also, it was revealed that mean colony forming unit, in the alcohol group before sterilization, was 79.3; while in the second group, it was 76.6. After disinfection, the figures amounted to 6.8 and 1.6 respectively. Statistical measures indicated that both solutions were effective in reducing the colony forming units but the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusion: The effect of both solutions in the disinfection of the stethoscopes has been equal.

Background and Purpose: Pituitary adenomas without clinically active hypertension are termed as non-functioning adenoma (NFPA). These tumors represent about one quarter of all pituitary tumors. Immunohistochemical methods are the gold standard methods of identifying them. The Ki-67 is a nuclear antigen detected by the monoclonal antibody MIB-1, whose labeling index (LI) is considered as a marker of normal and abnormal cell proliferation.Methods and Materials: In this clinicopathological study, 85 cases of NFPAs were analyzed immunohistochemically. Results: MIB-1 LI was measured in all surgical specimens, which was higher than 5% only in 5 cases. Also, 18 cases were immunoactive to one or two adenohypophysial hormones.Conclusion: NFPAs comprise several pathologically different types of tumors, some of which are potentially hormone producing tumors. However, probable defects in hormone secretion may be the cause of not increasing the adenohypophysial hormone levels in the serum and consequent syndromes.

Background and Purpose: Spinal cord compression due to metastasis, as the initial presentation of follicular thyroid carcinoma, is quite uncommon. In this article, we report one case of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma which has led to the compression of the spinal cord.The patient: The case we report here is a man of 53 years old, with increasing neck pain, paraplegia and urinary incontinence. Magnetic resonance imaging of the neck revealed a mass which had destructed C5 with extension to C6.Conclusion: Histopathology examination demonstrated the metastasis of a well-differentiated follicular carcinoma of thyroid. Therefore, the metastatic lesion of the thyroid carcinoma should be considered in any case of spinal cord compression.