Ardabil University of Medical Sciences
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Breast Conservation From Radiation Damage By Using Nano Bismuth Shields In Chest CT Scan
Get PDFObjectives: The present study aimed to calculate the efficiency of bismuth nanoparticles shield to protect the breast in chest computed tomography (CT) scan and investigate the alteration of image quality after using the shield.
Materials and Methods: Three groups were included in this experimental research in which phantom was scanned without using nano bismuth shield (group 1), using 0.5 mm nano bismuth shield (group 2), and employing nano bismuth shield with 1 mm thickness (group 3). The polymethyl methacrylate phantom was applied to present the main organ of the chest including the breast and lung. Multi-detector 6-slice CT scan system was utilized for the tests. In addition, the breast radiation dose was measured by ion-chamber which was placed at 12 o"clock position in the phantom according to dosimetry protocol. Further, chest CT image processing was performed once without shield and once in the presence of 10% nano bismuth shield with different thicknesses. Finally, image quality was compared by adding the shield for correct diagnosis. Tests were repeated three time and data were analyzed by ANOVA.
Results: Based on the results, using nano bismuth shields, breast dose reduced by 7.2% and 13.8% for 0.5 and 1 mm thickness of the shield, respectively. Furthermore, the CT number and noise increased from 121.3 to 126.36 HU and from 24.53 to 28.1 HU, respectively. Finally, the dose reduction ratio approximately doubled by increasing the thickness from 0.5 to 1 mm.
Conclusions: Generally, nano bismuth shields have a noticeable potential for reducing the breast dose with the smallest change in the noise
An Overview on Chemistry and Biological Importance of Pyrrolidinone
No full textBackground: Pyrrolidinone is a five membered heterocyclic ring that is a versatile lead compound for designing powerful bioactive agents. Pyrrolidinone nucleus is one of the most important heterocyclic compound indicating notable pharmaceutical effects. Many procedures for the preparation of pyrrolidinone and also their various reactions offer great scope in the field of medicinal chemistry. This fascinating group of compounds has diverse pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and anticonvulsant.
Objective: The review article proposes to classify comprehensive information on chemistry and pharmaceutical effects of pyrrolidinone in order to open new viewpoint for future studies.
Conclusion: It is clear from the review of the topic that a wide spectrum of pyrrolidinone analogues have been synthesized and the majority of these derivatives have indicated different significant biological activities. Thus, these analogues can be used for future progression of novel drugs against many more poor agents
Combination treatment of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) cause growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in the human gastric cancer cell line
No full textCurrent medication for gastric cancer patients has a low success rate with resistance and side effects. According to recent studies, γ-secretase inhibitors is used as therapeutic drugs in cancer. Moreover, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is a natural compound proposed for the treatment/chemo-prevention of cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of ATRA in combination with N-N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl-l-alanyl)-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT) as -secretase inhibitor on viability and apoptosis of the AGS and MKN-45 derived from human gastric cancer. AGS and MKN-45 gastric cancer cell lines were treated with different concentrations of ATRA or DAPT alone or ATRA plus DAPT. The viability, death detection and apoptosis of cells was examined by MTT assay and Ethidium bromide/acridine orange staining. The distribution of cells in different phases of cell cycle was also evaluated through flow cytometry analyses. In addition, caspase 3/7 activity and the expression of caspase-3 and bcl-2 were examined. DAPT and ATRA alone decreased gastric cancer cells viability in a concentration dependent manner. The combination of DAPT and ATRA exhibited significant synergistic inhibitory effects. The greater percentage of cells were accumulated in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle in combination treatment. The combination of DAPT and ATRA effectively increased the proportion of apoptotic cells and the level of caspase 3/7 activities compared to single treatment. Moreover, augmented caspase-3 up-regulation and bcl-2 down-regulation were found following combined application of DAPT and ATRA. The combination of DAPT and ATRA led to more reduction in viability and apoptosis in respect to DAPT or ATRA alone in the investigated cell lines
Renoprotective effects of the methanolic extract of Tanacetum parthenium against carbon tetrachloride-induced renal injury in rats
Get PDFObjective: Studies have demonstrated that carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) increases the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in many tissues including the kidney, heart, lung ,brain, and liver . The major aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective activity of Tanacetum parthenium extract (TPE) in renal tissues of CCl4-intoxicated rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into seven groups of six rats. Group 1 was the control group that was not treated with CCl4. The rats in the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 (1.5 ml/kg, 1:1 in olive oil) on day 14. Rats in the groups bTPE40, bTPE80, and bTPE120 were gavaged with 40, 80, and 120 mg/kg of TPE, respectively for 14 constitutive days on a daily basis, before CCl4 administration. Rats in groups aTPE80 and aTPE120 were gavaged with 80 and 120 mg/kg of TPE, respectively, 2, 6, 24 and 48 hr after receiving CCl4. Blood samples were collected at the end of the 16th day through an intracardiac puncture and then serums were separated. Results: CCl4 increased urea, creatinine, uric acid and creatinine: albumin (C/A) ratio level in serum and decreased total antioxidant and antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GPx) when compared to the control group (p<0.001). But administration of TPE to rats either before or after exposure to CCl4, attenuated these changes when compared with CCl4 control group (p<0.05 – p<0.001). Conclusion: TPE had potent nephroprotective effects against oxygen free radicals produced through CCl4 metabolism
Preparation, characterization and Cr(VI) adsorption evaluation of NaOHactivated carbon produced from Date Press Cake; an agro-industrial waste
No full textDate Press Cake (DPC) is an inevitable by-product of date processing industries and may pose environmental problems if not managed properly. In this study, DPC was converted into activated carbon using solid NaOH under various activation conditions. The prepared activated carbon showed high specific surface area (2025.9 m2 g−1) and microporous texture (86.01%). It was successfully applied for the adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities as high as 282.8 mg g−1 (pH = 2) and 198.0 mg g−1 (pH = 5). The kinetic and isotherm experimental data of Cr(VI) adsorption onto the activated carbon were best described by Elovich and Redlich-Peterson models, respectively. It was found that the Cr(VI) adsorption onto the DPC-derived activated carbon was predominantly a chemisorption process with limited desorption rates (below 50%). Overall, Date Press Cake could be considered as an abundant and renewable agro-industrial precursor for the production of high quality activated carbon
Characteristics and health effects of BTEX in a hot spot for urban pollution
No full textThis study reports a spatiotemporal characterization of toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes concentrations (BTEX) in an urban hot spot in Iran, specifically at an bus terminal region in Shiraz. Sampling was carried out according to NIOSH Compendium Method 1501. The inverse distance weighting (IDW) method was applied for spatial mapping. The Monte Carlo simulation technique was applied to evaluate carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk owing to BTEX exposure. The highest average BTEX concentrations were observed for benzene in the morning (at 7:00–9:00 A.M. local time) (26.15 ± 17.65 µg/m3) and evening (at 6:00–8:00 P.M. local time) (34.44 ± 15.63 µg/m3). The benzene to toluene ratios in the morning and evening were 2.02 and 3.07, respectively. The main sources of BTEX were gas stations and a municipal solid waste transfer station. The inhalation lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) for benzene in the morning and evening were 1.96 × 10−4 and 2.49 × 10−4, respectively, which exceeds the recommended value by US EPA and WHO. The hazard quotient (HQ) of all these pollutants was less than 1. The results of this work have implications for public health near ‘hot spots’ such as IKBT where large populations are exposed to carcinogenic emissions
Mental Health–Ill Health Differences in Disease Severity and Its Sociodemographic Biobehavioral Predictors Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis
No full textOur aim in this cross-sectional study was to investigate mental health–ill health differences in disease severity and its sociodemographic biobehavioral predictors among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Applying convenient sampling, 180 patients with knee OA in Tabriz, Iran, were recruited to participate in completing a three-section questionnaire (SF-12, Lequesne Algofunctional Index and Self-Management Behaviors Scale). Separate hierarchical multiple linear regressions were performed with OA severity as dependent variable: one for OA patients with positive mental health and other for OA patients with mental disorders symptoms. Among the patients with positive mental health, but not those with symptoms of mental disorder, pain management, duration of OA, physical activity management, living alone, and level of education were significant predictors of disease severity. Health care providers with a better understanding on the determinants of disease severity by mental health status may identify vulnerable patients and develop targeted interventions to foster disease management behaviors among OA patients
Comparing the efficacy of 7%, 5% hypertonic saline and 0.9% normal saline in acute bronchiolitis: a randomized controlled trial
Get PDFBackground: The study aimed to investigate the effect of nebulized 5% and 7% Hypertonic Saline (HS) versus Normal Saline (NS) in acute viral bronchiolitis.
Methods: This is a prospective, randomized controlled trial study that has been done on 90 infants presenting with acute bronchiolitis. All infants divided randomly in three equal size and matched groups (n=30). Subjects received 4ml nebulized 5% and 7% HS along with 0.15mg/kg Adrenaline or 4 ml 0.9%NS every 6 hours from enrolment until hospital discharge. For all patients, clinical symptoms such as sputum, wheezing, retraction rate, heart rate, fever, crackle, irritability, week nutrition and breathing were recorded in baseline and length of wheezing, cough, and crackle, length of stay (LOS), fever and sputum based on days in the end of study. Collected data analyzed by statistical methods in SPSS.19.
Results: At baseline, study groups were similar in demographic and clinical characteristics. The mean age of all patients was 5.5±3.6 months, and 59 (65.6%) were male. The length of cough and crackle, and the length of LOS in 5% and 7% HS groups was significantly lower than NS group.
Conclusions: Among infants admitted to the hospital with viral bronchiolitis, treatment with nebulized 5% HS and 7% HS had significant effect on decreasing clinical symptoms length and LOS when compared with NS
Efficacy of uteral injection of G-CSF in repeated implantation failure: A clinical trial study
Get PDFBackground: Despite advances in clinical and laboratory techniques, including stimulating ovulation and transferring embryo, success rate of pregnancy remains is about 30%. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of intra uterine G-CSF on implantation and clinical pregnancy rate in patients with implantation failure in IVF. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial on patients undergoing in vitro fertilization within an age range of 45-18 years and a history of failure in implantation for two or more times. A total of 34 patients receiving G-CSF in the intervention group and 38 patients in the control group were enrolled. Results: Mean age of the participants was 34.1 years with a standard deviation of 6.4 years. The average number of years of fertility was 10 years with a standard deviation of 5.2 years. The average number of embryos implanted in the intervention group was 2.88 with a standard deviation of 0.33. The figures for the control group were 2.97 and 0.37, respectively. The two groups did not differ significantly. With respect to the potential clinical and laboratory fertility outcomes, including existing gestational sac with observed heart rate and positive serum βHCG, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: It seems that the effect of G-CSF on improving fertility outcomes in patients with implantation failure does not exist and more related studies are recommended in this regard
Blind Mothers’ Experiences of Marginalization: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Qualitative Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Mothering is a precious art with many intricacies. When women experience the phenomenon of mothering, they become vulnerable, and face many challenges. It creates worst conditions, if this experience is combined with a disability such as blindness. This study aimed to determine blind mothers’ experiences of marginalization.
Method: The approach used in this study was hermeneutic phenomenology. Sampling was carried out using targeted and snow balling method. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with nine congenitally blind mothers who had child under the age of 8 years old. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interviews continued until data saturation. van Manen method was used for all steps of the study including data collections, data analysis, and interpretation and reporting the findings. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA software.
Results: From 479 initial codes, the main theme of "hermit inevitable", and subthemes of "feelings of shame", "a sense of discrimination", and "obligation in loneliness" were emerged.
Conclusion: Blind mothers’ perception of themselves was to be marginalized, and they suffered from shame feeling, discrimination, lack of support, and obligation in loneliness. Blindness affects mothering, and blind mothers are in a unique situation