مجله دانشگاه علوم پزشکی ایلام
سال سی و یکم شماره 1 (پیاپی 138، فروردین 1402)

Trimethyltin (TMT) intoxication is associated with damage to the cholinergic system in the hippocampus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trans-cinnamic acid on cognitive deficit and cell damage in CA1/CA3 regions of the hippocampus, as well as measure the activity of acetyl choline esterase (AChE) in the hippocampus of a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

In this experimental study, 40 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, TMT+Saline, TMT+CIN20, and TMT+CIN40. The AD model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 8 mg/kg TMT body weight, and 72 h after TMT administration, doses of 20 and 40 mg of trans-cinnamic acid were gavaged daily for four weeks. Subsequently, working memory, passive avoidance learning, neuronal density in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions, and AChE enzyme activity were measured in this study.

There was a significant increase in CA1/CA3 neuronal density, percentage of motor frequency, and improved passive avoidance memory in the groups receiving trans-cinnamic acid, compared to the group receiving normal saline. Moreover, AChE enzyme activity in the hippocampus, especially in the TMT+CIN40 group, increased significantly, compared to the TMT+Saline group.

It seems that trans-cinnamic acid with AChE inhibitory effects improves cognitive decline and hippocampal cell damage in the TMT model of AD.

The aortic valve has usually three cusps. The aortic valve regulates blood flow, and it opens to let blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta (systole), and it closes to prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction (diastole).

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital disease in which the aortic valve has only two valves. Due to this disorder and non-parallel opening and closing, the valve will not function properly. However, the function is usually proper that patients have normal clinical conditions for several years without noticing any visible signs or symptoms. This disease is presented as a sporadic or hereditary form, and it has been observed in 9% of the first-degree relatives of the affected. BAV is frequently discovered during the echocardiography performed for another indication or after developing complications. Affected patients are at risk of progressive aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, aortopathy with aortic aneurysm or dissection and endocarditis. There are also associated congenital anomalies including coarctation of aorta. Due to the progressive and asymptomatic nature of the disease, annual echocardiography to check valve function and CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check aortic aneurysm is recommended.

Calcium deposits gradually on the valve in patients with different degrees of aortic valve stenosis due to damage to the endothelium and degenerative valvular tissue. One of the uncommon but serious complications of BAV is systemic embolism owing to these deposits to various organs, including cerebral vessels and retinal artery. Embolism may occur even earlier and from a valve that is not yet ready for surgery according to existing signs and symptoms. In these cases, clinical decision-making for early valve replacement can be challenging.

This study investigated a case of a young athlete male presenting with sudden onset unilateral visual loss. The echocardiography results showed degenerative changes and calcification of the aortic valve considering BAV without severe stenosis that was identified incidentally.

The increasing trend of cancer morbidity and mortality is a major human health concern, indicating the necessity for the design and introduction of novel anticancer compounds. The use of nanotechnology products is a new approach to cancer treatment. Therefore, the current study was performed to synthesize Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with glutamine and conjugated to Thiosemicarbazide (TiO2@Gln-TSC) to inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells line (HepG2) and evaluate the effect of TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs on the expression of apoptotic genes.

TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs were synthesized by a chemical method and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cytotoxicity of the Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles was evaluated by the MTT assay, and relative gene expression was studied by Real Time PCR method.

The results showed that the synthesized Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles were spherical with a size range of 59 to 82 nm. The particles had a considerable anti-proliferative effect on liver cancer cells line with IC50 of 80 µg/mL. The treatment of the cancer cell line with TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs significantly increased the expression of the CASP3, BAX, and BCL2 by 2.8, 2.7, and 1.3 folds, respectively, which indicated the activation of apoptotic pathways in the treated cells.

The results showed that the TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs could inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells line and by triggering the apoptosis pathway.

One of the vital enzymes during spermatogenesis, which is one of the pluripotency factors of stem cells and contributes to maintaining their pluripotency is alkaline phosphatase. ZBTB16 and ZFP proteins are critical elements in stem cells which are expressed in pluripotent stem cells and maintain their pluripotency due to their role in messaging pathways.

The separation of the spermatogonial stem cells is the initial stage, followed by the preparation of the mouse embryonic stem cells and ES-like cells. The protein-protein network and the connections between genes were then investigated after alkaline phosphatase staining. Then, using the Fluidigm PCR method, the expression of the ZBTB16 and ZFP genes was determined. Finally, spermatogonia was immunohistochemically stained for the ZBTB16 protein.

Alkaline phosphatase was expressed positively by stem cell types; moreover, it was absent in Sertoli and fibroblast cells. Additionally, the specificity of these factors was demonstrated by the positive expression of the ZBTB16 and ZFP genes in these three cells and their negative expression in Sertoli cells. The connection and effect of these genes on the other genes are shown by the Protein-Protein network analysis.

Alkaline phosphatase, as well as ZBTB16 and ZFP genes are expected to be among the special markers of pluripotent stem cells and the critical elements of embryonic stem-like cells.

Overuse and inappropriate antibiotic prescription for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the major contributors to the current antibiotic resistance problem. ARIs are among the most common infections, and due to their high prevalence, they are of great importance and can play a vital role in mortality among children and adults. Therefore, this study aimed to train physicians in terms of communication skills with patients to reduce the use of antibiotic, which results in minimizing antibiotic resistance, proper use of antibiotics when it is necessary to use, and minimize self-medication, which ultimately leads to reducing costs.

This cross-sectional study was conducted to control antibiotic consumption in patients with respiratory infections referring to physicians.

The results of this study showed that cefixime and co-amoxiclav antibiotics were the least and the most prescribed by gastroenterologists and hepatologists, as well as pediatricians, respectively. In addition, according to the results, cefixime antibiotic showed statistically significant results (P<0.05).

The results revealed a reduction in the prescriptions of cefixime and amoxicillin by general physicians, amoxicillin, cefixime, and azithromycin by pediatricians, and co-amoxiclav by infectious disease specialists. However, there was an increase in antibiotic prescriptions by gastroenterologists and hepatologists which could lead to resistance increase, and consequently, the treatment failure. Accordingly, it is of necessary importance to take measures and implement instructions for logical prescription of antibiotics leading to infection control, reducing antibiotic resistance, reducing the length of patients’ hospital stay, as well as mortality due to infection, and reducing treatment costs for patients and hospitals.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing in developed and developing countries, such as Iran. This disorder affects all economic, social, and psychological aspects of the patient’s life. The first step in preventing the spread of a disease is to know the prevalence and causes of the disease. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CKD and its causes in those referring to the specialized Nephrology Clinic in Ilam, Iran.

After obtaining ethics code from Ilam University of Medical Sciences, this descriptive cross-sectional study investigated 2,928 patients referred to Ilam Nephrology Clinic for two years. In this study, the clients were assessed using a 17-item researcher-made questionnaire, and the results of blood and ultrasound tests were evaluated for the presence of CKD and its causes. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 22) using descriptive statistics.

The majority of patients were male (54.3%) and older than 40 years (47.9%). The prevalence of CKD in patients referred to Ilam Nephrology Clinic was 24.28% the majority of which (32.6%) were in the third stage (30<GFR<59). Diabetes (21.9%), kidney stones (17.6%), glomerulonephritis (17.2%), and hypertension (11.7%) were the common causes of renal failure in descending order.

Based on the results of this study, CKD is highly prevalent in Ilam. However, the most common causes of this disease can be prevented and cured. Therefore, appropriate interventions, such as awareness of the disease and its risk factors can prevent the spread and progression of this disorder.

Allergen exposure and sensitivity, asthma progression, and increased airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) are interconnected. The relationship between mite sensitivity and lung function is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between mite allergy and   pulmonary function decline in patients with asthma referred to Deziani Allergy Clinic in 2017.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on patients referred to Deziani Allergy Clinic in Gorgan in 2017. The patients were included in the study based on the clinical criteria for asthma. Mite antigen skin test was performed for all patients, and they were divided into two groups: sensitive and non-sensitive. A pulmonologist, allergist, and clinical immunologist performed a pulmonary function test (PFT) and bronchial stimulation test to confirm and evaluate the severity of asthma. Pulmonary function data were statistically compared between the two groups.

In total, 382 patients with a mean age of 42.75±16.50, including 146 (38.2%) males and 236 (61.8%) females, were included in the study. Moreover, 144 (37.7%), 101 (26.4%), and 137 (35.9%) patients had mild, moderate, and severe asthma, respectively. In addition, 173 (45.3%) cases were sensitive to mites. The FVC, FEV1, and FEF 25-75 values were significantly lower in patients with sensitivity, compared to the group without mite sensitivity (P<0.05). PFT results in females sensitive to mites were significantly lower in all cases, except for FEV1/FVC (P<0.050). The use of bronchodilators was significantly associated with improved pulmonary function in those who were over the age of 45 years (P=0.05).

Patients with mite allergy have poorer pulmonary function, and it plays an obvious role in the severity of asthma symptoms. Pulmonary specialists can help better control and reduce these patients' symptoms by adopting appropriate treatment programs, including improving the living environment and presenting the necessary guidelines to reduce contact with this allergen.

COVID-19, which appeared in December 2019, has impressed the whole world. The corona virus had far-reaching effects on all health care systems and has had a direct impact on almost all areas of human life in all countries of the world, which has led countries to take various public and social health measures. Making decisions during the coronavirus pandemic has numerous challenges. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making method called DEMATEL was used to identify and prioritize effective interventions in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Effective interventions to control COVID-19 were identified using literature review, and these factors were then ranked employing DEMATEL. Furthermore, three experts specialized in DEMATEL methodology were requested to rank 21 influential factors identified based on the relative importance.

The results of this study showed that prompt and timely public health measures (20/238), home quarantine for patients and carriers (20/130), appropriate patient tracking with the implementation of Shahid Soleimani plan (19/383), the availability of health services and social services during the quarantine (19/239), and educational interventions regarding public acceptance of the vaccine (19/161) are the most important effective interventions in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results of the study showed that 21 interventions were effective in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic .According to the identification and prioritization of effective interventions obtained from this study, using DEMATEL method, it is possible to control coronavirus infection in the community with high accuracy.

This study aimed to explain the causal model of marital boredom based on emotional and social maturity among married people in Shiraz, Iran.

 This descriptive and correlational study was conducted on 362 married people (270 women and 92 men) married for 10 years and were selected by convenience sampling method. The data were collected using the Paynes' Marital Boredom Self-Report Scale (1996), Yashvir and Bhargava's Emotional Maturity Scale (EMS) (1991), and Rao's Social Maturity Scale (RSMS) (1973). In addition to descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and correlation matrix), inferential statistics (structural equation model) were used to analyze the data of the aforementioned scales collected from the sample population by AMOS software.

The results showed that emotional maturity predicts marital boredom negatively and significantly (P<0.01, β= -0.69); however, social maturity is not a significant predictor of marital boredom (P<0.01, β= -0.09). After calculating the model by considering the output correction indicators of AMOS software, this model was modified and fitted with eight indicators. In general, the results of this analysis confirmed a good model fit.

The causal model showed that emotional maturity is able to predict marital boredom negatively and significantly. However, social maturity is not a significant predictor of marital boredom.

Fear of aging is one of the important factors for aging experts in the contemporary era of psychology. A negative attitude toward aging activates the anxiety of aging in the elderly, thereby leading to an experience of morbid anxiety in old age, which is exacerbating with age. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between the meaning of life and self-compassion with the fear of aging considering the mediating role of spiritual health among the elderly in Ilam, Iran.

 This correlational-descriptive study was conducted on 300 elderly who were selected purposefully from the statistical population based on the inclusion criteria. The required data were collected using the Meaning of Life Questionnaire by Steger et al. (2006), Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003), Anxiety about Aging Scale by Lasher (1993), and Polotzin and Ellison's (1982) Spiritual Health Questionnaire. The obtained data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The path coefficient values in the research model indicated that self-compassion and meaning of life explained 43% and 39% of the changes related to the fear of aging directly and respectively, which is statistically significant at the 95%.

The results showed that self-compassion and the meaning of life had an effect on the fear of aging through the mediating role of spiritual health.