JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MEDICAL SCIENCES (JRMS)
Year:2009 | Volume:14 | Issue:5|Papers Count:11

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the sensation of palatal mucosa before and after Le Fort I osteotomy and compared it based on whether greater palatine nerve has been dissected or not.METHODS: Sixteen patients were studied within one week before surgery and then one week, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Four tests including sharp-blunt discrimination, cold perception, pin prick sensation and electrical stimulation were performed.RESULTS: Mean values of electrical stimulation were significantly higher 6 months after surgery (p<0.05), on the other hand mean values of pin-prick sensation were significantly lower (p<0.05). All patients regardless of the condition of greater palatine nerve were responsive to cold perception and sharp-blunt discrimination 6 months after surgery.CONCLUSIONS: Following Le Fort I osteotomy, palatal responsiveness to electrical stimulation decreases and mechanical hyper sensitization occurs. Dissection of greater palatine nerve was shown to have no effect on the results.

BACKGROUND: The immune system in endurance athletes may be at risk for deleterious effects of gasous pollutants such as ambient ozone. Therefore, this study was performed to assess the effect of regular aerobic exercise with ozone exposure on peripheral leukocytes populations in male Wistar rats.METHODS: Twenty eight 8 weeks old rats were selected and randomly divided into four groups of ozone-unexposed and untrained (control or group 1, n=6), ozone-exposed and untrained (group 2, n=6), ozone-unexposed and trained (group 3, n=8), ozone-exposed and trained (group 4, n=8). All animals in groups 3 and 4 were regularly running (20 m/min, 30 min/day) on a treadmill for 7 weeks (5 day/week). After the last ozone exposure [0.3 ppm, 30 min per sessions], blood samples were obtained from the cardiac puncture and hematological parameters as well as blood lactate were measured using automatic analyzers. Data were expressed as means (±SD) and analyzed by ANOVA and Pearson's correlation tests at p<0.05.RESULTS: All the hematological parameters differences (except RBC and hemoglobin rate) were significantly higher in the trained groups (p<0.001). However, ozone-induced leukocytosis in the trained (but not in the sedentary) rats was statistically higher than in the counterpart groups.CONCLUSIONS: Repeated acute ozone exposure has more additive effect on peripheral leukocyte counts in active animals. But, more researches are needed to identify effects of ozone exposure on other components of the immune system in athletes and non-athletes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the two most commonly used generic and disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures in patients with chronic lung disease due to SM: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item (SF-36) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of Iranian Chemical Warfare Victims Health Assessment Study (ICWVHAS) during October 2007 in Isfahan, Iran. In that survey, conducted in an outpatient setting, 292 patients with chronic lung disease due to SM were selected from all provinces in Iran. The total score and sub scores of correlations of SGRQ and SF-36 were assessed. Correlation of quality-of-life scores were evaluated using Pearson’s coefficient.RESULTS: Samples were 276 patients who were selected for our analysis. No significant correlation was found between the total score or sub scores of SF-36 and the total score or sub scores of SGRQ (p>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic lung disease due to SM, the SF-36 and SGRQ assess different aspects of HRQoL. Therefore applying both of them together, at least in the research setting is suggested.

BACKGROUND: The present study sought to evaluate the prophylactic effect of bethametazone on sulfur mustard (SM)- induced ocular morphometric damage in the rabbit eye.METHODS: Twenty five healthy New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 4 groups of normal (not exposed to SM or solution), solution (exposed to solution), SM (exposed to SM), and prophylactic bethametazone (received eye solution of bethametazone then exposed to SM solution; then treated for 2 weeks). On the day 14 after exposure, five-micron sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin for light microscopy evaluation. The ocular morphometric characteristics in the study groups were compared to determine the prophylactic effects of the bethametazone.RESULTS: Bethamethazone could protect eyes from SM effect by means of decrease in changes in number of Keratocyte in 10000 mm2, thickness of cornea (mm), thickness of corneal epithelium (mm), number of meibomian gland's cells in 2500 mm2, thickness of palpebral conjuctival epithelium (mm), thickness of epithelial of palpebral skin (mm), number of epithelial layers of palpebral skin, and number of goblet cells in conjunctival sac in 1000 mm.CONCLUSIONS: Bethametazone may have a prophylactic effect on the early lesions of the eye of the rabbit due to SM exposure.

BACKGROUND: Dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) are ideal environment for development of microbial biofilms. Microbial contamination of water in DUWLs is thought to be the result of biofilm formation as it could serves as a haven for pathogens. The aim of this study was to assess microbial quality of water in dental unit waterlines of dental units located at the dental school of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.METHODS: Water samples were collected from air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece. Generally, 100-200 ml water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers with sodium thiosulfate at the beginning of the day after a 2 minute purge. Samples were transferred to the laboratory in insulated box with cooling packs and examined for total viable heterotrophic bacteria and fungi.RESULTS: The heterotrophic plate count levels were significantly exceeded the American Dental Association recommendations for DUWL water quality (<200 CFU/ml), in both air/water syringe (84%, CFU/ml: 500-20000) and highspeed handpiece (96%, CFU/ml: 710-36800) samples. However, there was no significant difference between the level of contamination in the air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece. Fungi were found in 28% and 36% of air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece samples, respectively; and filamentous fungi were the most frequently isolated fungiCONCLUSIONS: DUWLs should be subjected to routine microbial monitoring and to a decontamination protocol in order to minimize the risk of exposure to potential pathogens from dental units.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent technologic improvements in identifying mycobacterium tuberculosis, we are still facing problems in rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis. The objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic value of a new rapid screening test (Patho-TB™) for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.METHODS: Between September 2006 to August 2007, 178 patients were enrolled in the study who were finally classified into two groups; a group of documented pulmonary tuberculosis (n=67) and a group of non-tuberculous pulmonary infection (n=111). Patho-TB™ test, Ziehl-Neelsen staining and culture were done on all specimens.RESULTS: Of all, 43 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were sputum smear positive for acid fast bacilli and the rest were smear negative. Mean age of the patients was 59.8±16.1 years and 44% of them were men. The results of Patho- TB™ test were positive in 40 of smear positive and 20 of smear negative tuberculous patients and 33 cases of nontuberculous control group. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of Patho- TB™ test were estimated 89.5%, 70.2%, 64.5%, 91.7% and 77.5%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: According to the present study it would be suggested that Patho-TB™ test could be a rapid and inexpensive method for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, given by its high sensitivity and negative predictive value.Concerning the high number of false positive results, using a confirmatory diagnostic procedure is mandatory.

BACKGROUND: Studies have emphasized on the frontal EEG asymmetry as a mediator of emotional states. This research was aimed to examine the overall and asymmetric activities of the brain lobes under the affective states.METHODS: A coupling EEG was recorded in an eye closed awakened condition from 40 right handed female students under the baseline and affective states.RESULTS: Bilaterally decreased activities in anterior and posterior regions and also a superimposed right asymmetry in posterior regions were revealed.CONCLUSIONS: Variability of frontal, temporal and parietal lobes together with a superimposed relative right posterior activity may mediate affective states.

In Iran, the number of published articles has increased significantly in the basic and applied sciences including medicine and its subspecialties during the recent years. The present study reviewed Iranian science production in medicine, focusing on Iranian medical journals and assessing the current status of Iranian medical journals in several information databases. The study revealed that only a few number of Iranian biomedical journals were indexed by Web of Science, Medline, Scopus and Biological abstract, but most of them have been covered by Index Copernicus and Index Medicus for Eastern Mediterranean Region. Observing some important factors such as journal's basic publishing standards may increase the number of Iranian medical journals indexed by reputable information databases and improve Iranian contribution to the world science.

Aortic dissection occurs when the layers of the aorta separate as a result of extra luminal cavity of blood through an intimal tear. Dissection limited to the abdominal aorta is rare. Unfortunately, the appropriate management of dissecting aneurysm of abdominal aorta is not documented yet. A 43 years old man was admitted to Al-zahra hospital in Isfahan with sudden onset of periumbilical abdominal pain. CT scan confirmed infrarenal dissection of abdominal aorta. Performing laparotomy, aorta was repaired using bifurcate collagen-coated Dacron graft. Surgical intervention with synthetic graft is recommended in patients with dissecting aortic aneurysm of infrarenal segments where the extent of dissection is limited and accessible.

Pure primary ovarian choriocarcinoma is an extremely rare condition of gestational or nongestational origin. The possibility of gestational origin can be suspected by the presence of a corpus luteum of pregnancy but definite diagnosis would be based on genetic analysis. Here, we present two cases of pure ovarian choriocarcinoma in the forth decade of life with the possibility of gestational origin.

How Mad Are You?" is a two-part 2008 BBC Horizon/Discovery Channel Co-Production produced and directed by Rob Liddell. The program explores the relationship between character traits and mental illness and considers the social implications of inaccurate diagnosis of the latter. Ten volunteers, five of whom have been previously diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, are observed and interviewed by a panel of three mental health experts who then venture their diagnoses. The experts include a psychiatrist, a professor of clinical psychology, and a psychiatric nurse. The volunteers and experts have no prior knowledge about one another, and were brought together for this one week study.