Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
Year:2006 | Volume:8 | Issue:1|Papers Count:13

Background: Many kinds of the plant species can decrease naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome in experimental morphine-dependent models. In this study, we tried to examine the effect of infusion obtained from red nutshell of pistachio (Pistacia vera) on withdrawal signs after administration of naloxone in morphine-dependent male rats.Methods and Materials: A total of 42 male NMRI rats were used in this study. Animals were made dependent by chronic administration of morphine during 14 days in their drinking water. Naloxone (2mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) to rats in order to produce behavioral parameters of withdrawal syndrome for 20min including diarrhea, writhing and ejaculation. Weight loss was noticed 24h after administration of naloxone. In control group (n=10), only naloxone was injected after dependency in 15th day. While, in other groups (n=8), morphine-treated rats have been received an infusion of nutshell of pistachio (25, 50, 100 and 200mg/kg; i.p.), 30 min before naloxone administration.Results: There were some withdrawal signs such as diarrhea, writhing and weight loss in all dependent rats after administration of naloxone. The number of writhing in infusion pretreated rats [25 (P<0.05), 50 (P<0.05) and 100mg/kg (P<0.01) groups] significantly decreased in comparison with control group. Diarrhea in all infusion pretreated groups (P<0.01) and weight loss in 50 (P<0.05) and 100mg/kg (P<0.01) infusion pretreated groups decreased significantly. The most dramatic decrease in morphine withdrawal signs has been seen in 100mg/kg infusion pretreated rats (P<0.01).Conclusions: The results indicate that an infusion of the red nutshell of pistachio (Pistacia Vera) can be effective (dose-dependently) on morphine withdrawal syndrome. However, high dose of this infusion has a toxic effect and future studies should be about mechanisms, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the red nutshell infusion of pistachio.

Background: Thalassemia is the most common hemolytic anemia in the world. Absence or irregular chelation therapy in these patients leads to cardiac complications such as heart failure, precarditis and arrhythmia. These complications are among the most common cause of death in thalassemic patients. The purpose of this study was investigation of survival without cardiac disease and effective factors in these patients.Methods and materials: In a retrospective study (with enumeration method) the survival without cardiac disease was studied in 806 thalassemic patients (406 male and 400 female) referring to Cooley's ward of Dastgheib hospital in Shiraz using a data collection form. In addition to determination of age of cardiac disease incidence to survival analysis, demographic information and age at onset and type of transfusion and age at onset and method of chelation therapy also specified. Our data analyzed using descriptive and analytical (Kaplan-Meier and Log Rank test) statistic.Results: The age range of the subjects was from 1 to 43 years (mean±SD: 15.34 years±6.82). The prevalence of cardiac disease was 15.9%. The mean age of onset of cardiac disease and mean age of patients with complications were 16.93±5.44 and 19.6±5.8 respectively and the estimated average years of survival with cardiac disease was 2.67 years. The median of survival without cardiac disease was 31.5 years and the estimated rates of survival without cardiac disease of 20 and 25 years were 75% and 69% respectively. There was a significant association between cumulative probability of occurrence of cardiac disease and age, education of parents and age of chelation therapy onset.Conclusions: Early onset of blood transfusion with late onset of chelating therapy increases the occurrence probability of cardiac disease. Educational level of parents and education of parents and patients about thalassemia and its complication would be very helpful in prevention of complications.

Background: The pre-internship is the most important examination of the Medical students, which can assess their professional abilities. The present research has described some important factors, about these exams.Material &methods: This study was done in 2002 on 99 medical students who participated in the examinations in September and Mars 2001. For the analysis, the scores of 13 courses of the stagery periods, the final scores (pre-internship and basic sciences) and some demographic factors were collected. To analyze Hest, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression were used.Result: The participants and failed students were 35 and 9 in September and 64 and 10 in Mars examinations respectively. The mean scores of examinations were significantly different (p=0.034).The means of the pre-internship examinations for sex and quota system (Sahmieh) were significantly different in September and total, the means for marital status have significant differences only in Mars, and the means for the age in both examination and total were significantly different. Furthermore, the mean scores of Eye and Infectious disease, the means of different periods, and the final scores were significantly different between pass and fail students in both examinations. In September, the highest correlation between pre-internship scores and the courses or the means are for eye and infectious disease, and the mean of stagery period. In Mars examination, the highest correlation between pre-internship scores and the courses or the means, belongs to the means of stager and physiopathology periods and the final basic sciences score respectively. Also the regression equation for the pre-internship score was calculated.Conclusion: The variables of age, marital statues, quota system and sex, the mean of three periods and the score of eye and infectious disease are the important variables which more associated to the scores of the pre-internship examinations.

Background: AIDS is one of the epidemic diseases around the world and in the developing countries in particular. To define the pattern of transmission of AIDS in the southern regions of Sistan-va-Baluchestan province namely Chabahar this research was done on Chabahar sailors traveling regularly between Chabahar and overseas. Material and Methods: This research is a Quasi-Experimental study carried out with 130 participants. Questionnaires were used as the data collection tool. Questionnaires were completed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of the sailors about AIDS. Then training programs including the educational materials, lectures, face to face discussions, and educational films were presented. Knowledge, attitude and practice of the sailors were evaluated for the second time two months after the educational programs. The data were analyzed according to suitable statistical methods.Results: 21% of sailors had history of sexual intercourse while residing in abroad; and our health educational programs promoted knowledge (27.74 vs. 36.33), attitude (29.45 vs. 42.48) and practice (23.91 vs. 30.45) significantly.Conclusion: Use different educational methods for improvement of knowledge, attitude, and practice of sailors (as a high risk group) have to be considered seriously and by health managers.

Background: Neuropathic pain arising from sciatic nerve ligation (SNL) injury can result in increased sensitivity to both noxious (hyperalgesia) and non-noxious stimuli (allodynia). Some research studies have been shown that the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain processing differed as a function of gender and gonadal hormone status. In this study, we try to show the effects of nerve injury after gonadectomy in time-course of hyperalgesia that has not been extensively studied.Methods and Materials: 45 albino male mice weighting 25-35 gr were subjected to Intact, Shamoperated, Sciatic Nerve Ligated, Gonadectomized, and Sciatic Nerve Ligated+Gonadectomized groups. The tail flick latency was measured at set intervals 10th-20th days for 11 days after surgical operation (peripheral nerve injury by left sciatic nerve ligation and gonadectomy) in all groups by tail flick analgesiometer.Results: The gonadectomizedmice responded (7.15±1.8 sec) significantly faster than intact ones (10.78±1.43 sec) to a thermal nociceptive stimulus (P<0.05). In ligated mice, hyperalgesia developed significantly within 11-17 days after sciatic nerve ligation (6.35±1.33 sec; P<0.05). In sciatic nerve ligated+gonadectomized group, tail flick latency time (5.45±1.14 sec) decreased significantly within 11 and 13-16 days after surgical operations in comparison with sham-operated mice (9.99±1.64 sec; P<0.05) and as compared with tail flick latency in sciatic nerve ligated mice (6.62±1.75 sec) within 13th-14th (P<0.05) and 15th (P<0.01) days after surgical operations.Conclusions: It was concluded that testosterone might play a role in the pain modulation. In addition, we suggest that testosterone also affects neuropathic pain that is accompanied by a number of neuroplastic alternations at the level of spinal cord including up- and down-regulation of neurotransmitters during sciatic nerve ligation-induced hyperalgesia.

Background: Isolation and characterization of Leishmania parasites is a necessary strategy forcontrol of Leishmaniasis. Free-cell culture media, rich with biologic fluids such as Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) are among the best media for culturing of the parasite. In our country, FBS is very expensive and is not available everywhere. In this study, we evaluated Ovine Hydatid Cyst Fluid (HCF) as a substitute for FBS in liquid culture media of Leishmania major.Materials & Methods: Leishmania parasites were isolated from Balb/C mouse ulcer and characterized by PCR. of six tubes by triplicate (totally 18 tubes) add to each tube 800,000 promastigotes of Leishmania major and then add 1 cc of media including, once BHI (Brain Heart Infusion broth), BHI plus 5% FBS, BHI plus 10% FBS, once Hydatid Cyst Fluid (HCF) , BHI plus 5% HCF and BHI plus 10% HCF, respectively. After 24h, 72h, 144h, 192 hours the number of parasites in each tube counted and the means of them compared together.Results: The result of this study showed that BHI plus HCF 10% medium could be use as a suitable substitute till 72 hours for Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) in liquid Culture of Leishmania major parasites.Conclusion: In this study, we have introduced the Ovine Hydatid Cyst Fluid (HCF) as replacement for FBS in liquid Culture media.

Background: The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic is in its third decade and presently no single disease has attracted as much attention in the international community as AIDS. This Cross-Sectional study carried out in order to determine and evaluate the knowledge and attitude of high school students about AIDS in Yazd province at 2005.Methods and Materials: 2146 high school students in different grades from four cities of Yazd province were selected through cluster sampling and evaluated by Self Administered questionnaires.Results: Although most of the students had an accurate knowledge about modes of HIV/AIDS transmission, but there were significant misconceptions about the disease and modes of HIV/AIDS transmission, but totally, the majority of students (35.2%) had a good knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Most of the student (36.3%) had a positive attitude; however, regarding the proportion of 32.4%, negative attitude towards HIV/AIDS was common also. The knowledge and attitude regarding the academic grade of students was significantly different (p<0.001). Additionally, attitude of girls was significantly more positive than boys (p<0.001). Radio and Television (63.9%) were the main sources of information and 21.2% of student named Internet as one of information sources. The Majority of students (56.1%) spoke with their friends about HIV/AIDS.Conclusion: According to the results, it can be recommended that schools have to be regarded as one of the main foci of activities in the strategies of AIDS risk reduction, and education of high school students (as one of the most important risk groups) about all aspects of HIV/AIDS, have to be seriously considered by the education policy makers.

Background: Asthma is one the most common respiratory disease that produce high rates of mortality. Upper and lower limbs exercises are a basic component of pulmonary rehabilitation in asthmatic patients, and can result in improvement of sign & symptoms of asthmatic patients. The purpose of this study was evaluation of the effects of physical exercises on pulmonary function and clinical manifestations and signs & symptoms of asthmatic patients.Material & Methods: The samples included 21 asthmatic patients that participated in a physical exercise program. The researcher followed test- re- test design in the present study. Patients took part physical exercises in 3 stages including: warming up, exercise, and cooling down for four weeks (each session for forty jive minutes) under controlled conditions and supervision of the researcher. The data were collected using an asthma clinical manifestations questionnaire and pulmonary function test (spirometery). The questionnaires were administered at beginning of the program and four weeks after the application of program. Parameters considered in spirometry includes: FEV1, FVC, FEV1 /FVC, PEF, FEF%25, FEF %25-%75.Results: Physical exercise program was effective in improvement pulmonary function of asthmatic patients, (P=0.0001).Conclusion: The results indicate that asthmatic patients would benefit from a physical training program and such a physical exercise program can be adapted for use in clinical practice.

Approximately 1% of pregnancies are ectopic. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) appears to be increasing especially among young women. The diagnosis of EP is often based on clinical suspicion and usually the history and physical findings aren't typical.In this articlewe reporta 42-year old female with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, 17 days retard of mense and vaginal bleeding. In paraclinic work up there was positive Grave Index test and b-HCG titer was 18000mu/ml and according to sonography findings a 7x8cm mixed echo mass in cul-de-sac was present and uterine cavity was empty. In Laparatomy there was partial obstruction in small intestine with adhesion bands from the site of salpingectomy related to a previous ectopic pregnancy. This condition (intestinal obstruction with complete abortion) is very rare in ectopic pregnancy differential diagnosis.