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Correlation between systemic markers of inflammation and local synovitis in knee osteoarthritis
Get PDFBackground: In the elderly population joint swelling, effusion and pain indicate local synovitis and the presence of inflammation. At present, no serum marker has been shown linking to knee synovitis in KOA. With regard to serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) as a measure of inflammation, this study aimed to determine the association of systemic inflammation with local synovitis, as well as with pain and muscle strength in KOA. Methods: The study population was selected consecutively among patients with KOA presented to Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital Rheumatology Clinic with knee joint synovitis. The diagnosis of KOA was confirmed according to the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria. Data regarding radiographic, demographic and biochemical characteristics were provided and IL-17, IL-10, TGF-ß and hsCRP in serum and synovial fluid (SF) were measured in all patients. Stepwse linear regression models were used to determine the correlation between SF- hsCRP as a measure of local inflammation with other systemic or local markers of inflammation. Results: A total of 40 patients (women 65) with mean age 65.6+8.9 (49-86) years, mean BMI 27.7+3.7 (22-38) kg/m2, were analyzed. SF-hsCRP was positively correlated with serum hsCRP as well as serum and SF cytokines. Knee pain was positively associated with BMI and radiographic severity and negatively with quadriceps muscle strength (QMS) (r=-0.350, p=0.029). In stepwise linear regression analysis the SF-hsCRP was positively correlated with serum hs-CRP (r=0.769, p=0.001), SF-IL-17 (r=0.428, p=0.001) and negatvely with serum IL-10 (r=-0.316, p=0.002). Conclusion: These findings indicate that systemic markers of inflammation such as serum hsCRP, and IL-17 are associated with local inflamation in KOA
Effect of Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) syrup and vitamin E on sperm parameters, oxidative stress index and sex hormones in infertile men: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Get PDFBackground: Spermatogenesis is a necessary process in fertility and reproductive capacity of humans. In view of the relative high prevalence of spermatogenesis disorders in men and the failure of treatments provided in conventional medicine, new therapeutic approaches are being considered. This study will be designed to investigate the effect of Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) syrup and vitamin E on sperm parameters, oxidative stress index and reproductive hormones in infertile men. Methods: This randomized controlled trial protocol will be set in Babol Uuniversity of Medical Sciences. The proposed sample size is 60 men with oligozoospermia and teratospermia with 30 men in the experimental group taking Carob syrup while 30 men in the comparison group receiving vitamin E. The primary outcome measure is the change in semen parameters and secondary outcome measures including change in endocrine parameters and stress oxidative markers. This research was registered in the website of Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials as IRCT20171209037794N1identification number Conclusion: If the beneficial effect of this herb can be confirmed, it will provide a cost-effective method for helping infertile men and provide evidence-based references for the treatment of male infertility in future
Parvimonasmicra bacteremia in a patient with colonic carcinoma
Get PDFBackground: Parvimonas micra is a gram-positive anaerobe and a part of the normal commensal flora of the gastrointestinal tract. Factors predisposing to anaerobic bacteremia include malignant neoplasms, periodontal disease, immune deficiencies, chronic renal insufficiency, decubitus ulcers and perforated abdominal viscus. Cases of Parvimonas bacteremia in a patient with esophageal carcinoma and in a patient following ERCP procedure have been reported but to our best knowledge no case has been reported yet in which a patient had colonic carcinoma. Case presentation: We present a rare case of a 94-year-old male who presented with chief complaint of fever and constipation. Complete blood count revealed normal white blood cell count anemia. Urinalysis came out to be unremarkable for any evidence of infection. Two blood cultures grew Parvimonas micra and Gamella morbillorum and patient was later switched to ampicillin-sulbactam as per blood culture susceptibility results. Echocardiogram came negative for any evidence of infective endocarditis. CT abdomen/pelvis showed soft tissue mass in the ascending colon just superior to the ileocecal valve (fig.1, 2). Colonoscopy showed non-obstructing eccentric mass (fig. 3). Biopsy of the mass revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Because of lack of distant metastasis, surgical resection of the mass as definitive curative treatment was done. Conclusion: Immune deficiency is a risk factor for anaerobic bacteremia. Apart from immediately starting the patient on antibiotics, a thorough search for malignancy may be considered when a patient presents with anaerobic bacteremia, especially, when the source of infection is not known. Identifying malignancy in earliest stages may improve treatment outcome
The Effect of Silymarin on the Expression of Urotensin–II and Urotensin–II Receptor Genes in the Liver Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic Rats
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that the increase in urotensin – II is associated with diabetes disorders. Considering that using herbal medicines for the treatment of diseases leads to fewer complications compared to most chemical drugs, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of silymarin on glucose, and insulin levels and the expression of urotensin – II (U–II) and urotensin – II receptor (U–II R) genes in the liver tissue of type 2 diabetic male rats.
METHODS: In this experimental study, 36 male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6): 1. Control group; 2 and 3. Control groups treated with 60 and 120 mg / kg / day silymarin; 4. Type 2 diabetic group which received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 60 mg / kg streptozotocin and 120 mg / kg nicotinamide; 5 and 6. Diabetic rats treated with 60 and 120 mg/kg/day silymarin. After 60 days of treatment, serum and liver tissue samples were collected. Glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR index and liver enzymes were evaluated by spectrophotometry and ELISA methods, while gene expression in liver tissue was analyzed by Real-time PCR method.
FINDINGS: Insulin levels increased significantly in diabetic groups treated with silymarin (60 and 120 mg/kg) (9.6±1.11 and 9.8±0.96, respectively) in comparison with the diabetic control group (7.10±1.06) (p<0.05). Moreover, glucose level, HOMA-IR, liver enzymes, U–II and U – II R expression in diabetic group treated with silymarin significantly decreased compared to diabetic control group (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that administration of silymarin improves liver function in diabetic rats
A Case Report of Opioid Induced Hypomania and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder are common psychiatric illnesses and there are many challenges in pathology and their treatment. In recent years, the role of opioid system in the pathology of these disorders has been considered. In this report, we present a case with simultaneous episodes of hypomania and OCD following opium use. CASE REPORT: The 65-year-old man, who was suffering from irritability, talkativeness, over spending and frequent washing following use of opium, visited in psychiatric clinic. After administration of 30 mg of methadone every day, all her symptoms improved. During 12 years of follow-up, we observed that her symptoms recurred when the patient was taking opium again. Few days after repeat prescription of methadone, these symptoms subsided. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study emphasize the role of opioid system in the pathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder, at least when there are comorbid
The Risk Factors for Ectopic Pregnancy
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ectopic pregnancy is a common complication and one of the causes of pregnancy-related deaths. Considering the increased prevalence of ectopic pregnancy in recent years and the increased risk factors such as assisted reproductive treatment, the present study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in Babol, northern Iran.
METHODS: This case-control study was performed on pregnant women who were admitted with suspicion for ectopic pregnancy or acute abdomen within a 6-year period. Patients diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy were selected in the case group and the control group was selected from among the pregnant women's medical record during the same years. Patients were examined in terms of age, parity, history of abortion, type of contraception, history of ectopic pregnancy, history of pelvic infections, history of cesarean section, infertility treatment, history of smoking, marriages within the family, medical history and underlying disease.
FINDINGS: In this study, 201 patients were examined in each group. The mean age for the case group was 29.75±5.6 and for the control group was 28.62±6.4 years. Among the risk factors, assisted reproductive treatment (OR=10.24, p≤0.001), abdominal and pelvic surgery (OR=2.35, p=0.002), infertility (p=6.76, p<0.001), contraceptive pills (OR=0.61, p<0.001) and nulliparity (OR = 1.61, p=0.019) were associated with increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the most important risk factors for ectopic pregnancy are the use of hormonal pills to prevent pregnancy and nulliparity, respectively
A comparative study on the scientific outputs of agricultural faculty members at State Universities in Khuzestan
Get PDFBackground and aim: Today, the scientific outputs of universities are quantitatively and qualitatively measured using scientometrics on which the scientific progress of these institutions is evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the scientific outputs of agricultural colleges in State Khuzestan Universities during 1989-2008 and to assess the scientific status of these institutions.
Material and methods: This descriptive-analytical survey was performed using scientometrics. A checklist, Web of Science (WoS) and research report were used to gather the data. The study population consisted of 128 faculty members working in the Faculties of Agriculture in Shahid-Chamran University, Ramin (Khuzestan) Agricultural and Natural Resources and Behbahan Natural Resources.
Findings: The results of the research showed that the total scientific outputs of all three institutes were 5715 titles, and had the growing trend the studied period. The most scientific documents with 1445 titles (about 25% of the total scientific output) were produced in 2008. Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that there was a significant relationship between scientific degree, work experience and scientific outputs (p≥0.000).
Conclusion: The trend of scientific outputs of the studied institutions was growing. Educational groups of agronomy and plant breeding, animal sciences and plant protection had more scientific outputs than other groups
Comparison of the Effects of Hydrosol Extracted from Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) on staphylococcal biofilm
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The biofilm of bacteria, especially pathogenic bacteria, endanger food safety due to their high resistance to disinfectants; use of herbal extracts, essential oils and hydrosol (aqueous residual from extraction of essential oils) is one of the ways to combat the resistance microbial biofilms. Therefore, the effect of hydrosol extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) on staphylococcal biofilm was investigated in this study.
METHODS: In this experimental study, the hydrosol of turmeric and cinnamon was extracted using steam distillation method. After separation of essential oil, 10, 30 and 50% concentrations were used to investigate the anti-biofilm effects. Anti-biofilm effect against Staphylococcus aureus (PTCC 1112), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (PTCC 1440) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (PTCC 1435) was evaluated using ELISA reader. The efficacy of both hydrosols in removing bacterial biofilms formed on different surfaces (glass, steel and polyvinyl chloride) was determined by microbiological culture method.
FINDINGS: The results showed that optical density in control samples of Staphylococcus aureus, epidermidis and saprophyticus was 0.254 ± 0.03, 0.138 ± 0.019, and 0.146 ± 0.017, respectively, but after exposure to 50% cinnamon hydrosol reached to 0.072 ± 0.011, 0.096 ± 0.021, and 0.064 ± 0.01, and after exposure to 50% turmeric hydrosol reached to 0.074 ± 0.02, 0.098 ± 0.021, and 0.057 ± 0.011, respectively. Investigation of the efficiency of hydrosol in removal of formed biofilms showed that the highest decrease was in the case of Staphylococcus saprophyticus biofilm formed on glass and steel surfaces, and the logarithm of bacterial population declined from 4 to 1 in the presence of 50% hydrosol (p ≤ 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the hydrosol extracted from cinnamon and turmeric is effective in preventing biofilm formation of staphylococcal bacteria and eliminating the formed biofilm
The Effectiveness of Training Program Based on Virtual Participation on Stress and Anxiety of Parents with Premature Infants Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Due to lack of physical, emotional and psychological preparation, premature birth may cause a lot of stress for parents and may have consequences for both parents and infants. Since some parents have difficulty participating in face-to-face training programs, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a training program based on virtual participation on stress and anxiety of parents with premature infants
METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was performed among 80 parents of premature infants admitted to Amirkola Children's Hospital and Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, who were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups with 40 participants in each group. The parents of the intervention group received the content of the virtual participation training program asynchronously in the form of Telegram groups within four days. The control group received no intervention other than the usual methods and support of the ward. Then, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (score 40-160) and the Parental Stress Scale (score 31-155) were completed and compared on the third and seventh days for both groups and on 13th day for the intervention group.
FINDINGS: Results showed that parental stress score decreased from (97.118±21.68) to (86.27±00.27) (p<0.001) in the intervention group. In the control group, it changed from (76.103±30.44) to (91.99±31.82), which was not significant. In investigation of the effect of time on parental stress subscales, the mean scores of the questionnaires showed a significant difference from day 3 to day 13 in regard with the components of stressful parental experiences, relationship with the infant and parental role, parental experiences about behavior, appearance and treatment of the infant, and environmental stress (p<0.001). The parental state anxiety score in the intervention group changed from (45.68±4.63) to (46.63±3.54) and in the control group from (46.25±6.38) to (46.83±5.21), and the parental trait anxiety score in the intervention group changed from (43.88±5.91) to (43.97±5.59) and in the control group from (43.18±5.62) to (42.17±6.63), which was not significant.
CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that training program based on virtual participation reduces the stress of parents with premature infants
Assessment of Effective Factors In Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF) Following Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Get PDFBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Despite many advances have been made in the assisted reproduction techniques (ART), implantation rate after embryo transfer has not increased significantly. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors involved in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) following ART.
METHODS: In this retrospective study, 80 infertile patients with a history of at least 3 recurrent implantation failure (RIF) following assisted reproductive technology (ART) were referred to Fatemezahra Infertility Center in Babol from March 2006 to March 2013 were selected. The control group also included 80 women who became pregnant following the first IVF. Associated factors of infertility, endocrine disorder and endometriosis were recorded and their effect on RIF was assessed in both groups.
FINDINGS: The mean BMI was 26.39±3.63 in the case group and 26.77±4.49 in the control group. Body mass index (BMI) >30 increased the risk of RIF significantly (p=0.001). After adjusting for the effects of other possible confounding factors, the odds ratio of obesity on RIF was 1.09(0.91-1.19) 95% CI which was not significant (p=0.06). There were no significant differences among type and cause of infertility, endocrine abnormalities, uterine malformations, endometriosis and polycystic ovary with RIF.
CONCLUSION: According to our findings, BMI, type and cause of infertility, endocrine disorders, uterine abnormalities, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary were not effective on recurrent implantation failure