Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
Year:2012 | Volume:13 | Issue:8|Papers Count:16

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) to produce an intracellular photo-sensitizer, a protoporphyrin molecule IX (PPIX) which absorbs light and targets cells, is a promising cancer treatment. Unfortunately, treatment failures are still a common occurrence when ALA is used. In this study, in order to enhance the efficacy of ALA-dependent photodynamic therapy, the effects of photodynamic therapy on melanoma cancer cells were studied after treating them with tocopherol succinate.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study melanoma cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium for 24 h. then, cells were treated with tocopherol succinate (6mm/ml). After 48 and 72 hours, the mediums were replaced by serum-free medium in the darkness, with ALA, 0.1mg/ml and then cells incubated for 4h. After that, cells were irradiated by using Nd: YAG laser (532 nm). After 24h, cell survival was measured by the MTT assay.Results: Twenty-four hours after PDT, among compared groups, pretreated cells with tocopherol succinate showed significant lower cell viability than control group.Conclusion: Induction of differentiation by using tocopherol succinate augmented intracellular PPIX accumulation in cells treated with ALA. Therefore phototoxic cell death after exposure to 532nm light enhances significantly in tocopherol succinate-pretreated cells. This study suggests that tocopherol succinate may act as a biological enhancer of ALA based photodynamic therapy.

Background: Hypericum perforatum or St. John’s wort is a plant known as a Raee flower (or Hypericum) in Persian. Hyperisin and Hyperforin are the main constituents of this plant extract that are connected to sigma opioid and GABA receptors. Its various pharmacological effects, such as analgesia, sedation, anti-spasm, anti-convulsion, anti-anxiety, and anti-bacteria have already been known.Materials and Method: To conduct the study, the authors prepared the hydro alcohol extract taken from the aerial organ of the plant. Then, different groups of female Wistar rats, which were almost equal in age and weight, received doses of 500 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg of the extract, 1.2 mg/kg of diazepam, and di-methyl solphoxid (as placebo) with equal volumes. The intraperitoneal injections were administered 15 min before assessing the sedative/hypnotic effects (i.e. duration of the induced sleep by ketamin with a dose of 40 mg/kg) and the anxiolytic effects by means of the elevated plus maze.Results: The results showed a statistically significant increase (p=0.00) both in the duration of the induced sleep by ketamin and in the time lapsed in the open arms in the experimental groups with high and low doses of the extract.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the extract of Hypericum perforatum with a dose of 500 mg/kg could have sedative, preanaesthetic, and anxiolytic effects.

Background: Both tooth size and shape of the anterior maxilla play important role in complete denture and facial esthetics. Tooth selection for an edentulous patient with no pre-extraction is very difficult. The purpose of this study was to analyze mesio-distal width of maxillary anterior teeth and to determine the presence of any relationship between them and other facial measurements.Materials and Method: In this cross-sectional study, after enrolment of 100 high school students, full-face standardized digital images of them were taken in frontal view. Bizaygomatic, interpupilary and interalar distance were measured by images. Width of teeth was determined on the casts. T-test and pearson correlation coefficient were performed to analyze the data.Results: Maxillary central incisor is the widest anterior tooth in both male and female. Correlation between bizaygomatic and interpupillay distances and central incisor width were not significant but between interalar and intercanine were significant.Conclusion: Based on this study, interalar distance is a better index to estimate the width of anterior teeth of maxilla in an edentulous patient.

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the commonest surgical emergencies. There are different scoring systems in use to diagnose the appendicitis. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of Alvarado scoring system in clinical practice for acute appendicitis.Materials and Method: This medical diagnostic-test study was performed from January 2009 till September 2010 in surgery clinic of Farabi hospital, Mashhad. For all patients, Alvarado score has been determinate preoperatively; and intraoperative finding and histopatological examination of the removed appendix confirmed diagnosis.Results: The study was conducted among 150 patients (63% male, 37% female). Specificity was 68 %, whereas sensitivity was 74.8%. The negative appendectomy rate was 5.7% with score 7 or more Alvarado score. The positive predictive value was 98.1%. The accuracy rate was 74%. The cut-off score was 7.Conclusions: In the diagnosis of acute appendicitis Alvarado score has a high diagnostic value (74%). Alvarado score increases the diagnostic certainty of clinical examination in diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Background: A few studies were done to examine the effect of different dosage of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on serum indexes of muscle injury in wrestlers. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of two dosage of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on muscle serumic damage indexes after heavy resistance exercise in wrestlers.Materials and Method: Twenty-nine young wrestlers were randomly selected and divided into three groups. All subjects were participated in heavy resistance exercise (3 sets, 10 repetitions, 80% 1RM). The BCAA was given at doses of 210 and 450 mg/kg for supplemental groups 1 and 2 respectively, 30 minutes before and after to exercise test and dextrin was given at dose of 210 mg/kg for control group. To identify enzymes activity (IU/L), venous blood samples were obtained 30 min prior to exercise and at 24 and 48 hrs after exercise. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonfferoni post hoc test (p£0.05).Results: Based on this study results, CPK, LDH, CPKMB activity were significantly increased (p<0.05) in all groups. CPK, LDH, CPKMB indexes having the highest activity in the control group, but there were no significant differences between all groups.Conclusion: These results provide evidence that the use of two different dosage of BCAA could not decrease muscle damage associated with heavy resistance exercise.

Background: It is believed that adolescents suffer from dysmenorrhea but premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is not a common and prevalent disorder. Recently, some studies indicated that PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) were common problems among students and prevalence of premenstrual symptoms reported differently due to socio-cultural characteristics. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of PMS and PMDD in a group of Iranian adolescent students.Materials and Method: In this descriptive study, 142 students (aged 14-18years) from high schools of Zahedan (southeast of Iran) were selected and asked to complete the PMS questionnaire, including symptoms of PMS and demographic characteristics.Results: The findings of current study showed that 142 participants 83.1% (n=118) of them had PMS and about 57.7% (n=82) met the criteria for DSM-IV for MDD. Also, 28.2% of participants with PMS and 26.8% of those with PMDD reported that severity of symptoms interfered with their function and adjustment. Most common symptoms were breast pain (100%), gastric pain (53.5%), tiredness or lethargic (51.4%), backache (47.2%) and joint or muscle pain (38.7%). Mean of severity of symptoms was higher in students aged 16 (p=0.05).Conclusion: The prevalence of PMS and PMDD were common among the adolescents, thus systematic and well designed programs and interventions for prevention and management of PMS was highly recommended.

Background: Asthma is the most important chronic disease in children and the most common cause of school absenteeism. Its prevalence has been raised due to increased environmental and industrial. This study were designed and implemented to estimate the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in Shiraz children.Materials and Method: A cross sectional study was carried out in 3000 male and female students that selected multistage sampling method in 2009. Data were collected based on ISSAC standard questionnaire. After entering data into the SPSS software the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases was calculated. Statistical analysis carried out with chi-squared test at 0.05 significant levels.Results: Prevalence of asthma, rash, eczema and atopic diseases in the total 3000 participated students were 3.8%, 10.4%, 18.3% and 42% respectively. Prevalence of rash, eczema and atopic diseases, runny eyes and wheezing after exercise in both sexes showed significant differences (p<0.05) but there were no significant difference between two sex in asthma, hay fever, impaired speaking disorder, runny nose and dry cough (p>0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the prevalence of asthma in Shiraz children is less than some other cities. However, acceleration in trend of asthma in recent years would be a threat and this phenomenon requires serious attention of authorities and health policymakers.

Background: Self treatment is correcting every change in health by him/her. Regarding to willfully antibiotic consumption this qualitative study was done to investigate the self treatment experience by antibiotic in Kashan city.Materials and Method: In this qualitative study, febrile patients were interviewed in infectious diseases clinics of Kashan and data were analyzed.Results: Twenty-five patients were interviewed.76 cases were classified in to six categories including facilitating and inhibitor factors, factors related to disease and factors related to attending physicians.Conclusion: We suggest patient education, increase facilitation of treatment and inexpensive medical costs to decrease complication of self treatment.

Background: The policy of fasting of pregnant women during labor is probably an unnecessary medical intervention. It may cause adverse consequences to mother and fetus. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assessthe effect of food intake on pain and anxiety of low risk pregnant women.Materials and Method: This is a semi-experimental study on 175 pregnant low risk women was elected at central hospital of Gonabad during1387-88. Women in the intervention group (n=87) got dates, orange juice and water; and women in the control group (n=88) underwent fasting. The investigators used visual analogue scale (VAS) and (PBI). Data was analyzed using t and chi-squared tests. P-value of less than 0.05 was determined significant.Results: Anxiety levels in 7-6 cm cervical dilatation and transition as well as pain during delivery in the intervention group were lower than control group (p<0.05). However, during active phase of labor and volume of vomitous do not have any significant difference in both groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: We concluded that intake of food during labor could decrease pain and anxiety level during labor.

Bone and soft-tissue tuberculosis accounts for approximately 1% and 2% of total cases of tuberculosis, respectively. Tubercular involvement of metacarps and phalanges of the hand are extremely rare. In this case report a young woman was presented with finger tuberculosis without active pulmonary involvement.