Journal of Studies in Medical Sciences
Volume:35 Issue: 7, 2024

The way we walk and the symmetry of various joints in the lower limb, particularly the knee, which is crucial for movement and weight-bearing, can change due to immobility and splinting of the upper limb. Therefore, this research aimed to conduct a symmetry analysis of the three-dimensional maximum mechanical power of the knee joint during walking while using an upper limb splint with a sling in young women.

This study employed a quasi-experimental and cross-sectional design. All research participants provided written consent to participate after being informed about the study's details. Ethical approval was obtained from the Kinesiology Research Center of Kharazmi University. Thirty healthy female subjects met the entry and exit criteria, which included having a dominant right limb and no history of orthopedic or neurological disorders. Participants walked along a force plate in three different conditions: normal, dominant upper limb splinting, and non-dominant upper limb splinting, all while being recorded by motion analysis cameras. Based on the obtained kinetic and kinematic outputs, the mechanical power value of the dominant and non-dominant knee of the subjects was estimated in three situations to compare the three-dimensional average mechanical power of the knee joint in each of the circumstances. Independent t-test was used at a significance level of P≤0.05.

The results showed that none of the values related to the knee joint's three-dimensional production and absorption power in the right and left limbs are significantly different.

The principle of symmetry in the knee joint is established between all three positions of dominant and non-dominant upper limb splinting. Since mechanical power is one of the important biomechanical criteria and contains kinetic and kinematic information at the same time, it may be concluded that the biomechanical symmetry of the knee joint is maintained in immobility states of the upper limb and these joint plays a more controlling role in walking.

Considering the importance of complications caused by cesarean sections performed during the second stage of labor for both the mother and the newborn, as well as its impact on future pregnancies, the purpose of this study is to investigate the complications associated with cesarean sections during the second stage of labor.

Materials & Methods :

In this case-control study, the case group includes patients who underwent cesarean section in the second stage of labor, and the control group includes patients who underwent elective cesarean section. Finally, the clinical findings obtained between the two groups of cases and controls were analyzed.

Out of 60 mothers in this study, 30 were in the control group and 30 were in the intervention group. The duration of hospitalization for the control and intervention groups was 2.94 ± 1.14 days and 4.03 ± 1.35 days, respectively. Statistically, the difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.002). Additionally, the average volume of bleeding, as indicated by the number of sterile gauzes used, was 7.9 ± 1.3 gauzes in the control group and 13.9 ± 2.8 gauzes in the intervention group. The difference in the volume of bleeding between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001).

Cesarean section in the second stage of labor is associated with higher maternal complications compared to elective cesarean sections. These complications include a higher rate of hemodynamic instability and blood pressure disorders, more bleeding, a higher blood transfusion rate, extension of unintentional uterine incision, uterine atony, sepsis, fever, more antibiotic treatment, more admissions to the ICU, longer hospitalization days after cesarean section, need for hysterectomy, longer operation time, re-laparotomy, postoperative pyrexia, and wound infection.

Zinc is required for the activity of many enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase. Aluminum, however, has toxic effects on the body by inhibiting the function of some enzymes. In this study, the protective effects of zinc on the activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartic aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were investigated in rats poisoned with aluminum.

In this experimental study, 60 male rats were divided into 12 groups of 5. Aluminum chloride at concentrations of 1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg was injected into the rats for 15 (6 groups) and 45 (6 groups) days. Additionally, a combination of zinc chloride and aluminum chloride was injected. Enzyme activity levels were measured by routine methods. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc analysis, specifically the LSD test, using SPSS version 20 software. Significance levels were set at p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001.

During the short-term simultaneous injection of 3% zinc chloride and 5% aluminum chloride, a significant decrease in ALT and AST enzyme activity was observed (P<0.05). During both short and long-term simultaneous injections of 3% zinc chloride and 1% aluminum chloride, a significant increase and decrease in the activity of ALT and ALP, respectively, were observed (P<0.05). Furthermore, in the short period of simultaneous injection of 3% zinc chloride and 5% aluminum chloride, there was a significant increase in enzyme activity compared to the control group and a significant decrease compared to the group receiving 5% aluminum chloride (P<0.05). Additionally, in the long-term administration of simultaneous injections of 1% aluminum chloride and 1% zinc chloride, an increase in GGT activity was observed (P<0.05).

Based on the results, zinc appears to have the ability to protect the liver against aluminum poisoning. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

Mercaptopurine (MP) is an anti-cancer drug specifically applied for the treatment of childhood acute leukemia. However, like other chemotherapy drugs, it can cause notable adverse effects including hepatotoxicity, immunosuppression, and myelosuppression. Therefore, it is imperative to regularly monitor the dosage of this medication in the human body. Currently used methods are time-consuming and expensive. Hence, the creation of a sensitive and cost-effective approach for MP detection is of importance.

AgNPrs were synthesized from silver nitrate, trisodium citrate, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), hydrogen peroxide, and sodium borohydride. The formation of AgNPrs was confirmed by TEM imaging and absorbance spectrum recording. The agarose gel discs containing AgNPrs were prepared and exposed to different concentrations of MP. Then, the discs were placed into an I⁻ solution and RGB signals were taken via imaging by a smartphone.

The prepared AgNPrs were characterized by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy and TEM imaging. TEM images confirmed the triangular shape of AgNPrs. Additionally, three SPR characteristic peaks of AgNPrs appeared at 330, 485, and 735 nm. The corner sites of AgNPrs placed in agarose gel were dissociated by I⁻, leading to a color change of the AgNPr discs from blue to purple. In the presence of MP, AgNPrs were protected from etching by I⁻, resulting in the discs returning to a bluish color.

The color variations of the prepared AgNPr discs were proportional to the concentration of MP. Based on this fact, a colorimetric sensor was developed for the determination of MP. The sensor's linear concentration range was obtained from 1 to 20 µM with a LOD of 0.9 µM. The developed method was applied for the determination of MP in pharmaceutical compounds (6-MP tablets, 50 mg) with satisfactory results.

Cholemic nephropathy is one of the important and serious complications associated with chronic liver damage and bile duct obstruction. Finding drug solutions to alleviate this complication or prevent its occurrence can be of clinical importance. Since luteolin is an antioxidant and one of the mechanisms of cholemic nephropathy is the induction of oxidative stress, this study was designed to investigate the protective effect of luteolin (LUT) on cholemic nephropathy in cholestatic rats.

In this experimental study, 50 male Wistar rats were used. Cholestasis was induced by common bile duct ligation (BDL). Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 10 as follows: a control group, a BDL group, and groups that received different doses of LUT (15, 5, and 30 mg/kg/day) daily by gavage for 14 days in addition to BDL. After the end of this intervention, the effect of cholestasis induction and the protective effects of LUT on serum, urine, and kidney tissue oxidative stress indices were examined.

The present study showed that the levels of serum BUN and Cr, oxidative stress (MDA and ROS) indices in cholestatic rats were significantly increased compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Also, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPx) in cholestatic rats was significantly decreased compared to the control group (P < 0.001).

It seems that LUT can be a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of renal damage caused by cholestasis by reducing oxidative stress and improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes.

Due to the similarity of symptoms between tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19, distinguishing between these two diseases poses a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of TB in Yazd City before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study included all TB patients in Yazd City during the years 2018 and 2021 who were referred to the TB reference center for treatment. A total of 277 patients were selected through consecutive sampling, and data analysis was performed using SPSS software.

In 2018, 128 patients (72 females and 56 males) were treated, compared to 149 patients (78 females and 71 males) in 2021. A comparison of clinical manifestations revealed a reduction in symptoms such as fever, cough, dyspnea, sputum production, night sweats, weight loss, appetite loss, chest pain, and fatigue. Among these, appetite loss, fatigue, and hospitalizations due to TB showed statistically significant reductions. The hospitalization rate for TB patients decreased following the onset of the pandemic. No significant differences were observed in the relative frequency, gender distribution, or treatment completion rates between the two years. Additionally, TB incidence and prevalence remained unchanged, and COVID-19 had no impact on the age or gender distribution of TB patients.

The findings indicate a reduction in hospitalizations and certain clinical symptoms of TB during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for greater attention to TB, particularly in cases involving other comorbidities.

In recent years, the field of biology has witnessed the discovery of new molecules with remarkable functions. One of these molecules is circular RNAs (CircRNAs), which are part of the large family of noncoding RNAs. These RNAs are abundantly present in body tissues and are located either in the cytoplasm or stored in exosomes, where they are not affected by cellular RNA exonucleases. Unlike other linear RNAs, circular RNAs lack free ends and therefore possess a more stable structure compared to linear transcripts. These unique characteristics make them ideal candidates for use as biomarkers. It is well established that these special RNAs play an important role in regulating gene expression. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs play a crucial role in a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and aging. Importantly, circular RNAs are described as microRNA sponges. This mechanism, which has been extensively studied in cancers, holds promise as a biomarker in other diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to evaluate the role of circular RNAs as biomarkers in the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Neuroinflammation has been reported as a key factor in the neuropathogenesis of cognitive disorders. Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin found in fenugreek, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer’s, and antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Diosgenin on cognitive deficits, cholinesterase activity, and astrogliosis following neuroinflammation induction in rats.

In this experimental study, 32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, Control with Diosgenin treatment, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and LPS with Diosgenin treatment. Rats in the treatment groups received 40 mg/kg of Diosgenin daily for seven days orally. To induce neuroinflammation, lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/kg dissolved in normal saline) was injected intraperitoneally one hour before Diosgenin administration. Learning and memory were assessed using passive avoidance tasks. After preparing homogenized hippocampal tissue, molecular parameters were evaluated. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

Step-through latency was significantly increased in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the LPS group (P<0.01). Decreased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity (P<0.05) and increased catalase (CAT) activity (P<0.05), along with reduced GFAP (P<0.05) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P<0.01), were observed in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the LPS group. A significant reduction in glutathione (GSH) levels (P<0.05) was noted in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the Control group. No significant differences were observed between the Diosgenin-treated Control group and the untreated Control group (P>0.05).

These findings suggest that Diosgenin is a memory-enhancing compound with antioxidant properties and has potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of various disorders, including neuroinflammation and leukemia, in the future.