Annals of Military and Health Sciences Research
Volume:16 Issue: 3, Summer 2018

Diabetes is a chronic disease that causes disorders in blood lipids. The purpose of this study was to investigate the lipid lowering effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa and swim training in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. A total of 32 diabetic rats were selected and randomly divided into four equal-size groups: (1) Swim training, (2) Nigella sativa, (3) swim training with Nigella sativa, and (4) control. Groups 2 and 3 received 100 mg/kg/day of Nigella sativa extract in the peritoneum. Groups 1 and 3 also swam in a swimming tank (five days per week for four weeks). After this period, blood samples were taken. For analysis of the findings, Paired Sample t-test and two-way ANOVA were used (P ≤ 0.05). Swim training and Nigella sativa consumption had a significant effect in reducing cholesterol (Cho), triglycerides (TG), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P ≤ 0.05); high-density lipoprotein (HDL) increased significantly following swim training (P ≤ 0.05); Nigella sativa and swim training had significant interactive effects in reducing Cho, TG, VLDL, and LDL, and in increasing HDL (P ≤ 0.05). It seems that four weeks of Nigella sativa consumption combined with swimming training has a more favourable fat-reducing effect than Nigella sativa consumption or swim training alone

Padua prediction score (PPS) predicts high risk patients of vein thromboembolism (VTE). This study was conducted to assess Padua prediction score in order to receive prophylaxis of VTE. This prospective cohort study was conducted between 300 patients admitted to the internal ward of Imam Reza Hospital who stayed longer than three days in 2017. The initial questionnaire of PPS done for patients and telephone follow up after three months was used to gather data. For the statistical analysis, SPSS software version 22 using chi-square test was used. Out of 300 patients, according to the Padua model, 266 patients were in a high risk of VTE, 35 received prophylaxis. Only 13.15% of high risk groups received prophylaxis. Around 87% of high risk groups did not receive prophylaxis. After six months follow up, 18 patients got VTE, three of them being in a high-risk group and received prophylaxis. There was a significant difference between PPS and cancer in receiving prophylaxis (P < 0.05). Receiving prophylaxis in the high-risk group was low. Cancer patients needed more in receiving prophylaxis, according to categories of cancer/not cancer, however, they did not receive it and PPS could recognize them.

In neurodegenerative complications, the function and structure of the neurons undergo a change, which eventually cause the death of neurons. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of continuous aerobic exercise on neurodegeneration in diabetic rats. A total of 84 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, including: (1) sedentary control (SC), (2) trained control (TC), (3) sedentary diabetic (SD), and (4) trained diabetic (TD). The exercise protocol in this study comprised of 12 weeks, three sessions per week. There was no significant difference in the level of tau protein hyperphosphorylation in four weeks of training (P = 0.128), however, there was a significant difference in the 8th and 12th weeks of training (P = 0.000). In addition, the results showed that there was a significant difference in tau protein hyperphosphorylation in different stages (4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of training) (P = 0.000). It can be concluded that in all three different time periods (4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of training), the levels of tau protein hyperphosphorylation in the control and diabetes groups were more than those in the training, diabetes, and exercise groups. On the other hand, the higher the incidence of diabetes mellitus, and the more time gone (from 4th to 8th and then 12th week), the higher increase in the level of tau hyperphosphorylation occurred, so that continuing aerobic exercise could reduce the amount of this variable.

Accurately assessing hemodynamic parameters plays an important role in preventing complications during and after interventions related to a fever in febrile patients. There are not enough studies related on the effects of peripheral cold application (PCA) and antipyretics (APs) on hemodynamic parameters in febrile patients. The aim was to determine the effects of PCA and APs on hemodynamic parameters in febrile ICU patients diagnosed with hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). In this retrospective study, the archive documents of the 346 adult ICU patients diagnosed with HAIs of a university hospital in Turkey were evalauted. Body temperature (BT), systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), pulse rate (PR), respiratory rate (RR), and arterial O2Sat (aO2sat) changes one hour before, during, and one hour after application of PCA or APs were evalauted. The incidence of HIAs was 4.16%. A total of 46% of the patients had a bacteremia infection and causative microorganisms in 16.8% were Acinetobacter spp. BT, DBS, PR, and aO2Sat changes one hour before, during, and one hour after PCA were significantly different. In addition, BT, RR, and aO2Sat changes one hour before, during, and one hour after APs were also significantly different (P < 0.05). More decrease in SBP and DBP were observed between during and one hour after APs compare with PCA. BT and hemodynamic parameters, especially SBP and DBP changes, were higher in APs compared with PCA. Knowledge regarding the effects of APs on BT and hemodynamic parameters will be of benefit to the ICU staff in terms of quality of care in febrile patients. The ICU staff should be proactive in ensuring that they have an evidence-based management plan for the prevention of HIAs and management of fever that conforms to the relevant clinical guidelines and integrates multidisciplinary care.

The ABC and VED (i.e. vital, essential, desirable) analysis of the pharmacy of Imam Reza Educational Hospital was carried out to determine the categories of medicines, which necessitate strict control. The annual consumption and cost of each item of medicine for the year 2016 were analyzed and cost control programs, i.e. ABC, VED, and ABC-VED matrix analysis, were used. The drug formulary of the pharmacy included 597 items. The annual drug expenditure on items issued was 13 108,365,188 Rials. The ABC analysis showed that 5.7%, 11.2%, and 83.1% of items belonged to category A, B, and C, respectively, conforming 74.873%, 20.089%, and 5.038% of ADE of the pharmacy. The VED analysis revealed 10.55%, 19.43%, and 70.02% of items as V, E, and D category items, respectively, conforming 23.20%, 47.91%, and 28.89% of ADE of the pharmacy. On ABC-VED matrix analysis, 15.24%, 20.44%, and 63.32% of items were defined to be category I, II, and III items, respectively, conforming 83.76%, 13.54%, and 2.70% of ADE of the pharmacy. In conclusion, scientific inventory management tools are needed to be applied on a routine basis for efficient management of pharmacy stores, as they contribute improvement in patient care and judicious use of resources

Parkinson’s disease is a common and progressive neuropathology disorder caused by the neuronal degradation of the dopaminergic system of the substantia nigra. We investigated the increase of levodopa in the brain to protect neurons. Twenty eight male Wistar rats (weighing 200 - 250 grams) were randomly divided into four groups (n = 7 each). The control group received only saline. The second group used MPTP toxin to create Parkinson’s disease. The third group received levodopa 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally and the fourth group received levodopa 10 mg/kg plus benserazide 2.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally for two weeks. All rats were decapitated after four weeks and their brains were prepared for the TUNNEL and immunohistochemical studies. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons in the substantia nigra (SNpc) region was significantly higher in the combined treatment group than in the other groups, and the number of TUNNEL positive cells in this group was lower than in the other treatment groups. The results show there is a positive correlation between behavioral improvements and TH positive cells. Therefore, it is possible that the increase of levodopa in the brain leads to behavioral improvement. Increasing amount of levodopa in the brain reduces the number of apoptotic cells. Therefore, there is a direct correlation between the level of brain levodopa and cell death. Thus, we suggest that the increase in dopamine in the brain following the use of benserazide can support the dopaminergic neurons of the SNpc