Journal of Inflammatory Diseases
Volume:20 Issue: 2, 2016

Kidney stone is a common multifactorial disease inIran. Environmental and genetic factors including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) affect the incidence of kidney stones.
The aim of this study was to determine the association of  T/C polymorphism at 3′untranslated region (3'UTR) of urokinase gene and calcium kidney stones.
This case-control study was conducted on 70 patients with history of calcium kidney stones as case group and 70 healthy subjects as control group in the Baqiyatallah hospital in 2013. The polymorphism was assessed using the Allele Specific PCR (AS-PCR) method. Allele and genotype frequencies of the two groups were compared using 2x2 contingency tables. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was compared between the two groups using Chi-square test.
Findings: Of 70 cases, 10 (15%) were heterozygous and 24 (34%) were homozygous for the polymorphism. Of 70 controls, 25 (35%) were heterozygous for the polymorphism. The frequency of mutant T allele was 41% in the case group and 18% in the control group. The frequency of mutant C allele was 59% in the case group and 82% in the control group. The risk of calcium kidney stones in carriers of the mutant allele was 1. 7 times higher than non-carriers (OR: 1. 7).
With regards to the results, it seems that there is a significant association between the polymorphism at 3׳UTR of urokinase geneand formation of calcium kidney stones. Urokinase gene polymorphism may be introduced as a candidate gene involved in calcium stone formation. 

Gastric ulcer includes benign mucosal and sub-mucosal lesions in the stomach wall. Gastrointestinal ulcers particularly stomach ulcer can be due to increased acid secretion.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Saturejahortensis on gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid in rats.
This experimental study was conducted on 60 female wistar rats weighing 200-250 g in the Biology Research Center of Zanjan, 2014. The rats were randomly divided into four groups(control, sham, 50mg/kg Satureja extract, and 80 mg/kg Satureja extract). Rats were operated after 24 hours fasting and gastric ulcers were induced by luminal application of 0.12 ml acetic acid solution (60%). On the first, fourth, seventh, tenth, and fourteenth days after oral administration of the Saturejahortensis extract, the stomach was excised (the rats related to any special day had received the extract separately)and the ulcer size was measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA.
Findings: Using the aqueous extract of Saturejahortensis resulted in significant ulcer healing in both intervention groups. Mean neutrophil, macrophage, and fibroblast count on the seventh, tenth and 14th day of intervention was significantly decreased in the intervention groups compared to the fourth day and compared to the control and sham groups.
With regards to the results, it seems that the aqueous extract of Saturejahortensisis has significant healing effect on gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in women of reproductive age. Studies have shown that bacterial vaginosis can affect the activity of rheumatoid arthritis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of treatment of bacterial vaginosis on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
This interventional study was conducted in 100 women with rheumatoid arthritis (50 women with bacterial vaginosis and 50 women without bacterial vaginosis) referred to the Rheumatologyclinicin Tehranduring 2013. The activity of rheumatoid arthritis was assessed by DAS-28 in both groups before the study. The women were treated withoral metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for one week in the intervention group. The disease activity was also assessed in both groups after the study. Data were analyzed using T-test, Chi-square test, and ANOVA.
Findings:The disease activity was not significantly different between the two the groups before the study. But the disease activity in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group after the study.
With regards to the results, it seems that the treatment ofbacterial vaginosis can improve the activity of rheumatoid arthritis.These findings indicate the importance of attention to health care in women with rheumatoid arthritis by healthcare providers.

Body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders are of common problems in adolescence and adulthood especially among athletes.
The aim of this study was to determine the association of eating disorders and body image in athletes and non-athlete students in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences.
This cross-sectional study was conducted on226 athlete students and 350 non-athlete students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences during 2013-2014. Students who followed a specific sport field and had participated in at least one sport event were considered as athlete students. All athlete students were entered the study by census method. Non-athlete students were selected among students who had not any exercise activityand by random sampling method.Data were collected through demographic questionnaire,EatingAttitudes Test(EAT-26), and Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ).Data were analyzed using T-test and Chi-square test.
Mean age was 21.92±3.19 years and mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.24±3.18 kg/m2. The frequency of eating disorders was 11.5% among the athlete students and 11.2% amongthe non-athlete students.Anorexia nervosa was found to be more prevalent than bulimia nervosa in both groups. The students with normal BMI had better body image perception and less eating disorderssymptoms than other students. The association of age, educational level, and gender with eating disorders and body image was not statistically significant. The associationof eating disorders and body image was not statistically significant. Eating disorders were more prevalent in males than females but the difference was not statistically significant.
With regards to the results, it seems that eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction are relatively prevalent among both athletes and non-athlete students and BMI is predictor of eating disorders.

Salivary gland dysfunction has commonly been mentioned by patients with diabetes.
The aim of this study was to compare the salivary cortisol level between patients with controlled type 2 diabetes and healthy subjects.
In this case-control study (2014-15), the unstimulated salivary samples were collected from 60 patients with controlled type 2 diabetes above 30 years old (case group) and 60 healthy subjects (control group) matched for age and gender. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and salivary cortisol levels were measured using ELIZA. Data were analyzed using independent sample T-Test.
Findings: The mean salivary cortisol level in patients with type 2 diabetes (1.73±1.017 mmol/ dL) was significantly different from healthy controls (1.08±0.643 mmol/ dL). The mean salivary cortisol levels in men (1.73±1.05 mmol/ dL) and women (1.73±1.01 mmol/ dL) with type 2 diabetes were significantly higher than healthy men (0.74±0.44 mmol/ dL) and women (1.26±0.66 mmol/ dL).
With regards to the results, it seems that salivary cortisol level considerably increases in patients with controlled type 2 diabetes in comparison with healthy subjects.

Nuclease and caspase activities that promote death signals and cause apoptosis are dependent to potassium ion.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of potassium channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA) on prevention of Parkinson's disease in rats.
This experimental study was conducted on 33 male rats in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, 2014. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was injected into the striatum of the brain. The rats received different doses of TEA twice daily the day before the 6-OHDA injection till 15 days after the injection. The severity of Parkinsonism was assessed by the apomorphine-induced rotational behavior, the elevated body swing test (EBST), and the rotarod test. Data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests.
Findings: Pretreatment with 5 mg/kg TEA significantly reduced the severity of rotations compared to the saline group. TEA did not reduce the swings in the EBST. In the rotarod test, TEA caused significant improvement in the motor performance of the rats.
With regards to the results, it seems that pretreatment with TEA can partly reduce the severity of behavioral symptoms in the 6-OHDA-induced chronic Parkinson's disease. The higher the TEA dose, the more significant the reduction in the severity of symptoms.

Increasing drug resistance in microorganisms and concerns for side effects of chemical preservatives, especially in the food industry, have led to extensive studies on novel potential agents with natural origin.
The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the Melissa officinalis essential oil.
This experimental study was carried out at Islamic Azad University, Saveh Branch in 2012-2013. The essential oil was extracted from different parts of the plant (leaves, stem and flower) by hydrodistillation. The essential oil was phytochemically characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Antibacterial properties were examined by disc diffusion and microtiter plates. Antioxidant activity was examined by diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay.
Findings: E-Citral in leaves, 2-Cyclohexen-1-one, 2-methyl-5-(1-methylethenyl) in stem, and Trans-Carveol in flower were the major components identified in the Melissa officinalis. Among different parts essential oil, the highest and the lowest antibacterial activity were related to leaves and stem, respectively. The largest diameter of the inhibition growth zone for Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was related to the leaves essential oil. The highest antioxidant activity was related to the leaves essential oil in DPPH assay.
With regards to the results, the Melissa officinalis essential oil can be used as a natural preservative for increasing the shelf life of foods.

Self-efficacy is known as a factor which influences health behaviors, chronic diseases management and quality of life in patients with cancer.
The aim of this study was to investigate the association of self-efficacy and quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.
This cross sectional study was conducted in 100 women with breast cancer referred to Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan in 2015. The study subjects were selected by simple random sampling method. The measurement tools were the Sherer self-efficacy scale and the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
Findings: Mean age was 48.25±11.93 years. The mean self-efficacy score and quality of life score were 55.78± 11 and 75.91±15.28, respectively and both of them were average. There was positive significant correlation between self-efficacy and quality of life. There was also significant association between self-efficacy and quality of life domains including physical health, mental health, social relationships and environment.
With regards to the results, it seems that activities such as workshops for patients, presence of a psychologist in department of chemotherapy, and providing health facilities can be effective for increasing self-efficacy and quality of life in patients with cancer.

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the clinical and histological features of benign esophageal tumors in endoscopic biopsy specimens in Booali Sina Hospital, Qazvin from 2004 to 2013. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and ANOVA. Eighteen tumor lesions were found in 11 men and seven women with mean age of 63±15.3 years old. Of 18 cases, seven were glycogenic acanthosis, five were squamous papilloma, two were each type of leiomyoma, two were adenomatous polyp, and two were hyperplastic polyp. The frequency of tumor lesions was 0.06% among endoscopic examinations, 3.6% among esophageal biopsies and 5.7% among benign esophageal lesions. The distal third (61.1%) and the middle third (27.8%) of the esophagus were the most frequent sites of involvement. The association of endoscopic appearance, site of involvement, sex, and age with histological types was not significant.

Anthropometric indices are of the best indicators for growth monitoring during neonatal period. The aim of this cross-sectionalstudy was to determine the association ofanthropometric indices in Iranian and Afghan infantswith maternal indices. The study was conducted in 230 mothers who had health profiles in the Eqbaliyeh health center, Qazvin during 2013. Data were collected through the records in mothers’ health profiles. Data were analyzed using T-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Of 230 infants, 119 (51.7%) were male. Mean weight and head circumference were significantly different between Iranian and Afghan infants.The Iranian mothers were older and had higher weight and height during pregnancycompared to the Afghan mothers and the difference was statistically significant. There was positive significant correlation between mothers’ age, weight, hemoglobin, and hematocrit and infants’ birth weight. There was also positive significant correlation between mothers’hemoglobin and hematocrit and infants’ height. With regards to the results, proper nutrition, maternal health,and providing appropriate health services during pregnancy can be beneficial for improving infants’ health.