مجله طب جنوب
سال بیست و چهارم شماره 6 (بهمن و اسفند 1400)

Sertraline is one of the most widely used antidepressants in the world. The present study was performed to evaluate the protective effects of vitamin E against sertraline-induced damage on testicular tissue in adult NMRI mice.

In this experimental study, 40 adult male NMRI mice were divided into eight groups of five. The first control group, received 0.3 ml of normal saline per day by gavage. The second, third and fourth groups received sertraline at 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight per day by gavage,respectively. The fifth group received vitamin E at 100 international units per kg body weight per day by gavage. The sixth, seventh, and eighth groups received sertraline at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight, along with vitamin E at 100 international units per kg body weight per day by gavage, respectively. After 42 days of treatment, testicular specimens were collected and used for histomorphological, histomorphometrical and histochemical studies. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS v. 19 using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test at the significance level of (p<0.05).

Sertraline caused destructive histomorphological and histochemical changes in testicular tissue and also significantly decreased the diameter of the seminiferous tubules, the height of the germinal epithelium, the number of spermatocytes, the number of Leydig and Sertoli cells and the Johnsen’s score compared to the control group (p<0.05). Vitamin E administration improved the histomorphological, histochemical condition and significantly increased the histomorphometric parameters in testicular tissue (p<0.05).

Vitamin E can improve the adverse effects on histomorphological, histomorphometrical and histochemical parameters in the testicular tissue of mice receiving sertraline.

Vaccination is preventive behavior, and vaccine literacy and hesitancy appear to influence vaccination. The aim of this study was to determine the role of vaccine literacy and hesitancy on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In this cross-sectional study, 2185 residents over 18 years old in urban and rural health centers in three cities of Dashtestan, Dashti, and Kangan were selected through multi-stage sampling and studied online in 2021. The questionnaire included five sections of demographic factors, the questionnaire of vaccine hesitancy, and literacy, attitudes toward the vaccine, and vaccine acceptance. Data were analyzed in SPSS software version 22.

The participants’ mean age was 34.1 ±11.01 years. Out of 2185 participants in the study, 1417 (64.6%) wanted to receive the vaccine. The mean and standard deviation of functional and critical literacy were 11.2±3.08 and 24.81±5.2, respectively. The mean and standard deviation of the vaccine hesitancy was 14.9±4.2. The results of the study showed that most of the vaccine recipients were men (P= 0.013), people with higher education (P=0.009), and divorced or single individuals (P=0.044). Age was significantly related to vaccine acceptance (P<0.001). Critical literacy, attitude toward vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy were significantly related to vaccine acceptance (P<0.001). Based on the logistic regression model, attitude toward the vaccine (P<0.001, Exp(B)=1.095), vaccine hesitancy (P<0.001, Exp(B)=0.846), age (P=0.030, Exp(B)=1.012), and married status (P=0.007) were predictors of vaccine acceptance. Based on married status, married persons had a lower chance of vaccine acceptance than single persons.

Based on the results of the study, in order to improve vaccine acceptance, vaccine hesitancy should be alleviated and a positive attitude toward the vaccine should be created, especially in married and young people. In this regard, providing information to increase vaccine literacy will not have much effect on increasing vaccine acceptance.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is based on the nuclear reaction, such that B-10 irradiated with low-energy thermal neutrons produces alpha particles with high linear energy transfer and lithium-7. Clinically, BNCT is used primarily for treatment of high-grade glioma or brain metastases from melanoma and, more recently, head, neck and liver cancers. Since reactors have long been used to produce high intensity neutron beams, nuclear reactors have also been used to produce BNCT. Accelerators can also be used to generate quasi-thermal neutrons, but none of them are currently used for BNCT. Boron medications with low molecular weight used in clinic include sodium borocaptate (BSH) and a phenylalanine derivative called boronophenyl alanine (BPA). The main challenge in the development of boron tracers is the selective targeting to reach a sufficient concentration of boron (F 20 Ag / g tumor) so that the tumor receives a sufficient dose of radiation and normal tissues receive minimal radiation. Clinical trials of BNCT are being conducted or have been conducted in various countries. Most patients undergoing BNCT were patients with high-grade brain tumors. The patients underwent surgery for complete or partial removal of the tumor and then received BNCT at various time intervals after surgery. BNCT in combination with other treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy can also be used as an adjuvant therapy for treatment of other tumors. This concomitant use may lead to improvements in patient survival. According to clinical studies, BNCT is a targeted therapy with promising results and acceptable toxicity. Important issues in this treatment include the need for more selective and effective agents for boron delivery carriers, development of methods for estimating semi-quantitative amounts of boron content in the tumor before treatment, clinical progress of BNCT and the need for randomized clinical trials with known therapeutic efficacy. If these issues are addressed enough, BNCT can develop as a treatment method. Further research is needed to determine the role of BNCT in clinical medicine.

Skene's glands are the largest external secretory glands in the distal part of the urethra. Although cystic changes caused by abnormal accumulation of significant amounts of secretions are rare, they can be seen even at birth. The presented case was a female full-term newborn with vaginal delivery. This was the second pregnancy of her mother after another living child. The mother was 26 years old and had no history of birth trauma, medication, abnormal ultrasound findings, or exposure to the known teratogenic agents during pregnancy. Routine physical examination of the newborn revealed no abnormal findings except for a rounded mass with a yellowish cystic consistency located at the intralabial portion of the genital area, without involving the lower part of the urethra. Further examination revealed both vagina and hymen had normal structure. The genito-urinary ultrasound after birth showed essentially normal anatomy except for a non-mobile paraurethral cystic mass measuring about 20*21 mm placed at the urethral wall. In clinical follow-up, this mass began to regress 3 days after birth and was not complicated for the next two months. Commonly, these cysts do not require any surgical intervention if not complicated, while the clinical follow-up might be considered for a long time.

It has been decades full of documents to support the effectiveness and safety of I131 therapy for benign and malignant thyroid disease. Benign hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules and post thyroidectomy malignant metastases accumulate I131. Recently Lu177 PSMA has been successfully used for the treatment of prostate cancer metastases. Comparing the thyroid and prostate may bring a theory to treat benign prostate hypertrophy with Lu177 PSMA. Although proceeding to practice needs prior dosimetry study, effectiveness and safety evaluation, and cost-benefits assessment, the idea on its own is interesting.