Journal of Basic Research in Medical Sciences
Volume:2 Issue: 4, Autumn 2015

Antioxidants are compounds that eliminate free radicals, which reduce tissue damage and allow the organs and blood vessels to properly heal. In this research, the anticancer effect against MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines, and antioxidant, antimicrobial and wound healing activities of the lichens extracts have been investigated.

Anticancer activity was assayed with standard MTT colorimetric procedure against MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines. Antioxidant activity was studied by measuring DPPH, reducing power, total phenols and flavonoids assays. In vivo antimicrobial property and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis were evaluated.

Metanolic extract of Umbilicaria decussata showed nearly 50 % HT-29 cell line inhibition at 200 μg/mL tested dose. Protoparmeliopsis muralis extract showed stronger antibacterial activity (MIC= 125 mg/mL) than Fulgensia fulgens. Also, it had a largest free radical scavenging activity (65.67%). The results revealed that there was a strong positive correlation between flavonoids and total phenolics (r= 0.952). In excision wound model, there was a significant reduction in both wound surface area and bacterial colony count in F. fulgens and especially P. muralis methanolic extracts. These significant activities are found due to the presence of unique compounds as Usnic acid, 8S,14-Cedrandiol and 3,9-Dimethyltricyclo[4.2.1.1(2,5)] dec-3-en-9-ol in P. muralis and 3-[5-(2-Chloro-5-nitro-phenyl)-furan-2-yl]-2-cyano-acrylic acid and 3-[2,4-Dichlorophenyl]-1-hydroxy-9,10-anthracenedione in F. fulgens.

These results show that compounds as 3-[5-(2-Chloro-5-nitro-phenyl)-furan-2-yl]-2-cyano-acrylic acid, 3-[2,4-Dichlorophenyl]-1-hydroxy-9,10-anthracenedione and usnic acid are responsible for accelerating the wound healing process by antimicrobial and antioxidant activities in these studied species.

Infertility is a major problem in today´s medicine. Infertility is known a health indicator and the right to infertility treatment is part of Millennium Development Goal. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors of infertility, in women referred to both public and private health centers in Ilam.

A cross-sectional study was carried out among women attending in both public and private health centers in Ilam, in 2013. A simple random sampling method was used. Inclusion criteria consisted of married women in all age groups. Women with marriage times less than 12 months were excluded. Demographic characteristics and main data about reproductive events, contraceptive use, medical and surgical histories and familial histories were recorded. Differences were regarded statistically significant with an alpha error of 0.05.

Overall, 11.5% of all participants experienced of primary or secondary infertility in their life. A significant relationship reported between age, smoking, women´s occupation, husband´s occupation, women´s education, husband´s education with infertility (P < 0.05).

Ageing, smoking, occupation, level of education and age at marriage are effective factors on the prevalence of infertility. Therefore, education about the risk factors of infertility is necessary for couples receiving primary health care.

Currently, neuroresearchers report that the median nerve shows severity-correlated intracarpal enlargement in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a most common peripheral neuropathic disorder. The purpose of this paper was to investigate ultrasonography morphological findings in patients with idiopathic CTS and comparing some physical properties such as age, gender, BMI with dominancy in the hands.

This research was a cross sectional study that conducted in Al-Zahra hospital. 125 patients who came to ultrasonography department for any reason were studied randomly and selected by a convenience method. The thickness of median nerves of these patients was measured by ultrasonography and analyzed based on age, sex, BMI and dominancy and non-dominancy in hand for each patient separately as main aim of our study. The data collected entered to computer and analyzed by SPSS software. The chi- square and t-student tests were used for data analysis.

The mean cross-sectional area of right median nerve in right-handed patients was 0.063±0.02 cm2 and for left median nerve in the same group was 0.056±0.022 cm2. Results demonstrates differences in cross-sectional area of median nerve in dominant hand in comparison to non-dominant-hand in right-handed ones (P<0.001). Again, mean cross-sectional area of left median nerve in left-handed patients was 0.064±0.013 cm2 and for right median nerve in the given group was 0.057 ± 0.017 cm2.

No relation between median nerve, BMI and age was existed and probably we can apply ultrasonography as a diagnostic imaging tool to distinguish between competent and non-competent median nerves.

Glucose, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL-c), triglyceride, and high density lipoprotein (HDL-c) are the related biochemical factors to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The present study aimed to assess the seasonal changes in serum levels of these factors in healthy individuals.

In the present applied study, demographic information and written informed consent forms were completed for all the individuals referring to laboratory of Mustafa Khomeini Hospital, Ilam, Iran during 2014-2015. Then, glucose, cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, and triglyceride levels in the subjects were measured. After all, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software and analyzed using Chi-square test and ANOVA. P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

The results showed a significant increase in serum glucose and triglyceride levels in fall and winter compared to spring and summer (P<0.001). A significant increase was also observed in serum glucose level in winter compared to fall (P<0.001). On the other hand, serum HDL-c level significantly decreased in fall and winter in comparison to spring and summer (P<0.001). This biochemical factor also showed a significant decrease in winter compared to fall (P<0.001).

Identification of proper seasonal patterns can play a role in preparedness of transfer centers as well as emergency and treatment centers for sudden increase in the number of patients. It is also of great importance in providing the necessary facilities for treatment of such patients.

Biosorption of heavy metals can be an effective process for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. Also, living lichens are known to accumulate metals across their surface.

In this study, the biosorption of cadmium ions Cd (II) by the lichens Acarospora strigata, Lecanora muralis and Caloplaca aurantia was investigated in aqueous solution in a batch system with respect to pH, biomass dosage, temperature initial cadmium ion concentration and contact time.

The biosorption capacity of the biomass was found to be 6.9 mg/g at pH 7 for L. muralis, 7.6 mg/g at pH 6 for A. strigata and 8.6 mg/g at pH 7 for C. aurantia. The experimental adsorption data were fitted to the Freundlich adsorption model. Experimental data were also tested in terms of kinetic characteristics and it was found that biosorption processes of Cd (II) ions followed well pseudo-second-order kinetics.

The results indicated that the biomass of L. muralis, A. strigata and C. aurantia are suitable biosorbents for removing Cd (II) from aqueous solutions and among these three species, C. aurantia has greater ability to remove cadmium from aqueous solutions.

Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia parasites in water samples is usually performed by US Environmental Protection Agency 1623 method. Nevertheless, the USEPA1623 method still need improvement, to prevent and control the water borne parasitic disease. Therefore, we undertook the present study.

Totally 48 surface water samples were collected. Four samples from 12 sites and samples of each site were evaluated by IMS-IFA, SF-IFA, IMS-PCR and SF-PCR. These typically involve sample filtration by membrane filter, separation by Sucrose flotation or immunomagnetic separation (IMS) methods and detection of (oo)cysts by PCR or immunofluorescent staining.

Same samples were evaluated by the different techniques at the same time showing a rate of Cryptosporidium oocysts detection of 8 (66.6%) by IMS-IFA, 7 (58.3%) by SF-IFA, 10 (83%) by IMS-PCR and 0% by SF-PCR.Giardia cysts detected in, 5 (41.7%) by IMS-IFA, 3(25%) by SF-IFA, 7 (58.4%) by IMS-PCR and 2 (17%) by SF-PCR.

Data analysis showed a higher sensitivity of IMS-PCR for the detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium (oo)cysts respectively in comparison with others techniques used in this study. IMS prior to DNA extraction showed a higher sensitivity to eliminate or reduce PCR inhibitors that presence in water samples.

Helicobacter pylori infections occur in about 50% of the world population and have a main role in the creation of peptic ulcer and its related cancer. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of two treatment regimens on the eradication of helicobacter pylori and its complications among peptic ulcer patients.

By a clinical trial, patients with peptic ulcer showing an infection compliance of more than 80%, confirmed by biopsy, were entered into the study and were randomly divided in two groups. Group A was treated by medical regimen of Amoxicilline, Bismot, Omeperasol and Furazolidone (ABOF) and group B by medical regimen of Amoxicilline, Bismot, Omeperasol and Clarithromycin (ABOC) for two weeks. In the next step, both groups were treated by only Omeperasol for two weeks and finally, the infection rate of h. pylori was investigated by urea breath testing among both groups.

Among the 137 registered patients, 17 were unable to continue. The mean age of patients in group A, was 36.1 years and for group B, was 40.1 years. The rate of infection eradication in group A was 38.3% and in group B was 53.3% (P= 0.07). The most common symptoms among patients in group A were a bad taste mouth (80%) and headache (70%) and in the group B including headache (62%) and a bad taste mouth (60%) respectively.

ABOF regimen compared to ABOC, showed a lower rate of infection eradication and also more complications for patients and the ABOC was considered as the preferred regimen.

The use of cell phones is widespread and there are public concerns regarding its possible deleterious effects on human health especially on the pregnancy outcomes. In this study, structural changes of the placenta after applying the cell phone radiation were examined in the mice model. 

For this work, 40 pregnant Balb/C mice were randomly allocated to one control and one experiment groups. The experimental animals were exposed to cell phone fields with a carrier frequency of 915 MHz, for 4 h a day continuously, during 5-17 days of gestation. On the 18th day of pregnancy, the half of each groups were sacrificed and placentas specimens were taken for histological studies. In the rest of animals, the neonates were counted and the offspring’s survival rates were determined. Also, morphometrical aspects of the placentas were studied.

There were no morphometric as well as light microscopic changes in the placentas between two groups. Ultrastructural results of the treated group revealed a slight elevation in the number of intra cytoplasmic droplets in the labyrinth interhemal membrane. In addition, in the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) exposed mice, the nucleus of the cytotrophoblast cells occasionally was large in the size and irregular in the shape and also had compact nucleoli. Finally, the survival rate of the neonate was not significantly affected by cell phone exposition.

according to the results of the present study, the cell phone radiation at 915 MHz may exert deleterious effects on the placenta in the mice model.