Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
Volume:9 Issue: 6, Nov & Dec 2004

Cobalt (Co) is an essential trace element. Available data suggest an interaction between cobalt and other ele- ments. In this study the characteristics of Co and iron (Fe) bindings to human apo-transferrin (apo-tf) have been investigated and compared. Using spectrophotometric titration and equilibrium dialysis techniques, the bindings of Co(III) and Fe(III) to apo-tf were studied. Both Fe (III) and Co (III) as complexes with citric acid (1:20) were taken up by apo-tf, forming complexes with the maximum absorbances at 465 nm and 360 nm respectively. The binding of iron to apo-tf at 465 nm was reduced by 20% when 225 nmole/ml of cobalt was added to the reaction mixture. The binding constant of iron to apo-tf was calculated using scatchard plot analysis and it was 22×109 M- 1.The addition of cobalt (III), 200 µg/l to the outside of the dialysis sac reduced iron Uptake by 30%. The binding constant of Co (III) to apo-tf was also calculated and it was 3×109 M-1.

Considering the role of HLA matching in transplant outcome, the quality of HLA-DR typing is clearly an important issue. In recent years, serological methods have been replaced with DNA based typing methods. The main objective of this study was to compare HLA-DR typing data obtained from existing serologic method with data obtained by the new PCR-SSP method. 55 peripheral blood samples were collected from randomly selected individuals who were referred to the transplantation laboratory of Isfahan, in Aliasghar Hospital, and were typed for HLA-DR antigens by both methods. HLA-DR typing by serologic method was performed using 30 different antisera and for PCR-SSP method, specific primers were used for HLA-DRB1*01-10(except DR6, 8, 10), and also for HLA-DR52, and DR53. After DNA extraction, 13 pairs specific primers were used for each sample separately and PCR reaction were done. In this study, the third intron of DR locus was used as internal positive control. After PCR amplification, products of reaction electrophoresis was performed on 2% agarose gel, and after taking photo of gel, interpretation and comparison of results were performed. The results of 31 samples (56.3%) corresponded completely to serological method, 12 samples (22%) were assigned heterozygous in serology and homozygous in molecular typing, 7 samples (12.7%) were heterozygous in both methods but different in one allele. 2 samples (3.6%) were homozygous in serology and heterozygous in molecular typing, and also one sample (1.8%) was homozygous in both methods but so that in serology DR14, and in molecular typing DR11 were assigned. And finally 2 samples from 55 (3.6%) were not detectable in serological method. The typing data obtained from the conventional and the new methods were compared. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. The results indicated that the DNA based method had more sensitivity, accuracy, and resolving power than serologic typing methods.

In regard to complications of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) such as multiple pregnancy and ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS) and other short and long term complications, the interest to In Vitro Maturation (IVM) of oocytes from unstimulated ovaries is increasing. This clinical trial study was designed to establish the relative success of treatment with IVM in comparison with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) women. This prospective clinical trial included 35 IVM and 35 IVF cycles matched for age, and duration and cause of infertility. IVM patients underwent transvaginal retrieve of immature oocytes during unstimulated cycles, IVM and ICSI. Those in IVF group underwent ovarian stimulation after pituitary supression. Main outcome measures included number of retrieved oocytes, number of produced embryos, and pregnancy rate and complications. In the IVM group, 1.39 mature oocytes, 0.27 fertilized oocyte, and 0.24 embryos were obtained per retrieval, and in IVF group, 8.45 mature oocytes, 3.8 fertilized oocytes, and 2.7 embryos were obtained. This significant differences between two groups (P~ 0) indicate that this method maybe used as a research setting until further study.

Fibronectin seems to play a very important role in the progression and invasion of bladder cancer. EDA, EDB, and IIICS domains of fibronectin are not expressed in the adult persons but they’re expressed in different cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the mRNA of fibronectin in transitional carcinoma cells (TCC) of bladder to study these domains. A total of 20 patients with known bladder cancer were studied. Two of them excluded since their excised tissues were not enough for both the pathological examination and RNA study. Another 20 (control group) were normal volunteers who needed bladder operations. The excised tissue was immediately transferred to RNAlater (Ambion,TX). RNA was extracted via RNAWIZ (Ambion, TX). cDNA was made via RevertAid First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (Fermentas). PCR of the cDNAs was performed using primers for EDA, EDB, and IIICS (Eurogentec,Belgium). For the first time, we present the expression of the oncofetal fibronectin mRNA in the transitional cell carcinoma of bladder. The high grade muscle invasive (G3T2) tumor, expressed ED-A, ED-B, and IIICS. Expression of ED-A, ED-B, and IIICS was confirmed in the two patients with G3T1 TCC. The four patients with G2Ta and G3Ta expressed both ED-A and ED-B. The four patients with G1T1 tumor expressed ED-A only, similar to the nine patients with G1Ta tumor. None of the normal volunteers expressed the oncofetal extra domains. The sensitivity of ED-A positive fibronectin RNA for detecting TCC of any kind is 100%, and of ED-B was only 35%. The specificity of ED-B positive fibronectin RNA for the high grade TCC is 100%. ED-A, ED-B, and IIICS could be used as useful markers for the diagnosis and following up of bladder carcinoma.

Garlic extract is used in treatment of hypercholesterolemia, although its efficacy isn’t exactly clear. There is a little information about mechanism of garlic effect on plasma lipids. By intervention of garlic in atherogenesis process it has been shown that it has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, it has been shown that EDTA (Ethylene Diamin Tetra Acetic Acid) improves blood flow and decreases the vascular atherosclerotic symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of EDTA and garlic extract with together on plasma concentration of cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL, and HDL, and formation of fatty streaks through the phenomena called “chelation therapy” in male Rabbit aorta. 32 male Rabbits were used and divided to 4 groups as group 1: cholesterol – rich diet (CRD) + EDTA + Garlic Extract (GE), group 2: CRD + EDTA, Group 3: CRD + GE, Group 4: CRD (control group). The animals were under food and drug diet for 5 weeks. Blood samples of Rabbits were taken before and after the test and then plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL were measured. Finally, abdominal aorta was studied and pathologically evaluated. The experiments showed the significant decrease of mean cholesterol in case groups and mean triglyceride in the groups which have received EDTA + GE and EDTA. Our results showed that mean LDL and LDL/HDL Ratio in case groups have been decreased in comparison to control group. In addition, there was a significant increase in mean HDL in the group which has received EDTA + GE. In this study it was shown that the using of fresh garlic and EDTA with together has a reductive effect on cholesterol, Triglyceride, and LDL concentration and also has an increasing effect on HDL concentration. But it seems that concomitant using of these tow substances with together strengthen the effect of each one, and it produces a great reduction of the blood lipids concentration.

Environmental noise is a known stressful factor,that induces alterations of various physiological responses in the exposed individuals. Extensive evidences from animal and human studies have indicated that stress influences cognitive functions. Studies have shown that chronic exposure to noise during pregnancy impairs neurobehavioral and reproductive functions and also reduces the body weight of the offspring. It seems that prenatal noise stress during last three months of fetal life damages the neurons in special areas of brain involved in cognition and impairs the activity of hypothalamuspituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis. It is known very little about the effect of prenatal noise stress on learning. The aim of present work was to determine the effect of prenatal chronic intermittent noise stress on learning in rats. Fifteen Wistar pregnant rats were exposed chronically to intermittent white noise (90-120dB, 350Hz) during the last two weeks of their pregnancy periods (dark cycle, 07:00Pm-07:00Am). Stressed and nonstressed puppies bred under normal condition up to 3 months of age. Both stressed and nonstressed adult male and female rats were trained in an equal 3 arms Y-maze with 20-25 Volts D.C. electrical footshock and a 12 Watts light stimuli as an active avoidance learning. Animals were trained one session daily and criterion condition response (CCR) was 90 percent of last session of training. Data showed that chronic exposure to noise during pregnancy impairs learning of stressed male rats significantly at all sessions (P

Styrene is produced in large quantities in the chemical industries and it has been listed among the 189 hazardous and toxic atmospheric contaminants under Clean Air Act Amendments, 1990, due to its adverse effects on human health. The biofiltration has been widely and efficiently applied during recent decades for the treatment of air streams contaminated by volatile organic compounds at low concentrations. Also this technology has been applied widely and efficiently in the removal of styrene from waste gas streams. Biofiltration of waste gas stream polluted by styrene vapor was investigated in a three-stage bench scale reactor. Yard waste compost using shredded hard plastics as a bulking agent in a 75:25 v/v mix of plastics:compost was used to packing biofilter. The system inoculation was achieved by adding thickened activated sludge obtained from municipal wastewater treatment plant and the effects of loading rate, inlet concentration, and empty bed retention time variations on the performance and operation of biofilter were studied. Microbial acclimation to styrene was achieved with inlet concentration of 65 ± 11 ppm and bed contact time of 360 s after 57 days of operation. Under steady state conditions experimental results showed equal average removal efficiency of about 84% at loading rates of 60 and 80 g m-3 h-1 with empty bed retention time of 60 s. Maximum elimination capacity was obtained up to 81 g m-3 h-1 with organic loading rate of about 120 g m-3 h-1. Reduction in performance was observed at inlet concentrations of upper than 650 ppm related to organic loading rates up to 160 g m-3 h-1 and then removal efficiency was decreased sharply. Evaluation of the concentration profile along the bed height of column indicated that the most value of elimination capacity occurred in the first section of biofilter. Elimination capacity also showed higher performance when empty bed retention time was reduced to 30 s. Microbial acclimation period for biofiltration of styrene inoculated with activated sludge was longer than inoculation with adapted or enriched bacteria. Addition of compost improved performance of the biofilter because of high water retention capacity. Also high pollutant load with significant concentration to the first sections has a clear inhibitative effect on biofilter performance along the bed height of biofilter.

Legionella is a gram negative, aerobic, and sporeless bacterium which is readily found in ventilation systems, cooling towers, hot water distribution systems, bathrooms, swimming pools, and fountains. Legionella is implicated in the legionnaires’ and Pontiac fever diseases. Hospitals are common habitats for the bacterium, where the bacterial growths are amply found and that provide the most likely places for susceptible people to contract the diseases. Given the importance of hospitals in this regard, this survey was carried out in a General Hospital in Isfahan. For the purposes of this study, a total of 30 samples were taken according to standard methods from hot water distribution system at various points in the kitchen, the bathrooms, the internal distribution system, and the cooling towers (8, 8, 8, and 6 samples, respectively). After that temperature, pH, and residual chlorine of samples were determined, the samples were transferred to lab where they were inoculated on a base medium of BCYE-a and two selective media of GPVA and CCVC. The plates were then incubated at a temperature of 37 °C and a humidity of 90%. The colonies were then identified and counted. The tests showed that 11 from the total 30 samples were contaminated with Legionella, accounting for 36.6% of the samples. The numbers of Legionella positive samples from the kitchens, bathrooms, internal distribution system, and cooling tower were 4, 3, 3, and 1, respectively. From the total 30 heat and acid pretreated samples inoculated on base and selective media, 36.6% were Legionella positive while from the untreated samples, 6% grew on the base medium and 23% on selective media. Total mean of residual chlorine was 0.25 mg/l, pH= 7.6, and average temperature was 31.1 °C. The results of biochemical tests Blood agar, Catalz, Urea agar, Gelatin agar, Motility, and gram staining were −, +, −, +, +, and −, respectively. In addition to these tests, Legionella colonies were grown by Direct Fluorescent Antibody, confirming their presence. The results indicate that temperature is a critical factor in Legionella sp.’s proliferation. An average 0.25 mg/l of residual chlorine showed to have no effect on disinfecting the bacterium. Heat pretreatment proved to be more effective than the acidic one in removing nuisance factors and, finally, bacterial growth was higher on the selective media than on the base medium.

The purpose of this study was to determine the normal position of anus using anal position index (API) and the modified measurement method and also to emphasize the importance of ectopic anus. This cross-sectional study was performed on 400 neonates, equally boys and girls, who were all full term and delivered without any malformations. Anal position index, which is the ratio of anus-fourschette distance in girls and anus-scrotum distance in boys to the distance between coccyx and fourschette/scrotum, was calculated in all cases. To make correct measurements, transparent adhesive tape was used longitudinally on midperinum in a way that it covered the anus. Then fourschette/scrotum, anus center, and the lower margin of coccyx were marked on it. Distances marked on each tape were then measured with the standard ruler. Mean±SD of API in girls was 0.45±0.005 (95%CI: 0.44-0.46) and in boys was 0.54±0.005 (95% CI: 0. 53-0.55). Mean±2SD was considered as the normal range for an anus position. Six female and five male neonates who had abnormal APIs were put through more investigations. Our findings suggest a simple method for determination of normal position of anus in children; especially those who referred for chronic constipation. API can never be considered as the sole indication for the surgical intervention.

Pain following posterolateral thoracotomy, is recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Various methods have been used for the treatment of post-thoracotomy pain, however, the treatment of post-thoracotomy pain remains controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of Bupivacaine versus Cryoanalgesia for local intercostal nerve blockade on post-thoracotomy pain relief. In a randomized clinical trial, eighty patients who were scheduled to undergo posterolateral thoracotomy were selected and classified, randomly, into two groups. Group A underwent intercostal nerve blockade with Bupivacaine every 8 hours after surgery for three days. In group B, two nerves upper and lower of incision level was freezed by Cryoprobe. Postoperative pain was assessed by 0-10 cm visual Analogue Scale (VAS) every 8 hours and then, after one hour, both groups were received intravenous morphine according to their needs. Mean and standard deviation (Mean ± SD) of pain level were 4.70 ± 2.38 in group A and 4.87 ± 2.25 in group B. The t-test showed no statistically significant differences between two groups (t = 1.08, p = 0.28). Morphine consumption was 5.35 ± 3.17 mg in group A and 5.30 ± 3.20 mg in group B; Also there were no statistically significant differences between two groups (t = 1.25, p = 0.21). Cryoanalgesia and Bupivacaine showed equivalent analgesic effect on posterolateral thoracotomy pain reduction. We suggest cryoanalgesia as an easy-to-use technique, but for routine application, further studies with long-term follow up and more cases are recommended.

In spite of long time and broad use of formaldehyde derivates (Fixation agent) in primary tooth pulp treatment, There is some concerns about these derivates such as variability, inconsistency success rate, mutagenicity, cytotoxicity, alergenicity, and some other potential health hazards of them. Therefore other alternative pulpotomy procedures like Bioactive glass (BAG), Glutaraldehyde (2%), Hydroxyappetite (HA), Bone dried freezed (BDF), ferric sulfate (15%), laser, Electrosurgery (ES), Bone Morphogenic proteins (BMP), recombinant protein-1 (RP1), and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) have been compared. The purpose of this clinical trial is to assess radiographic and clinical success rate of Formocresol (FC) pulpotomy in compare with MTA in human primary molar teeth. 64 molars were pulpotomized equally and randomly with mineral trioxide Aggregate and Formocresol. Prior to trial, we defined a case as failure, when one or more of the events such as external root resorption, internal root resorption, periapical and furca lucency, pain, swelling, mobility, dental abscess, or early extraction appeared. Every treated tooth was defined as successful, if any noted evident was not shown. Totally, 60 teeth treatment (92.2 percent) were successful and 7.8 percent were failed. Failure and success rates for MTA group were 6.3 and 93.7 percent, respectively. Failure and success rates in FC group were 8.4 and 90.2 percent respectively. The difference between MTA and FC treatment methods was not significant (Fisher Exact test). Findings of this study show that mineral trioxide aggregate can be an alternative procedure for FC pulpotomy of primary tooth.

There are several irregular antibodies associated with various blood group systems which may cause some problems during blood cross matching in transfusion. The atypical antibodies are included auto and alloantibodies such as anti-I, anti-HI, anti-P…. In order to detect these antibodies, generally the agglutination reaction technique and anti-human-globulin (coombs) tests would be performed and a panel of identified red blood cells will use if necessary for further investigation. During our work, we encountered with one serum sample that showed agglutination reaction with all the blood groups (A, B, O, and AB). We tested pooled red blood cells with OI group of adult and pooled cord red blood cells of Oi group with the patient serum. it was shown that the serum was reactive with OI but not with Oi. For confirmation of the result, the sample was sent to Institute of Immunohematology (I.I.H.), India. The report approved that the serum contained anti-I specificity. To solve the transfusion problem for this patient, the recommendation is using the blood group with minimum coombs titration if the patient life is in threatened. Further investigations disclosed that the patient had leukemia.

moid cyst is a tumor arises due to embryogenesis impairment. It accounts for less than 0.3 percent of all intracranial masses. A 35 years old man presented with a tonic clonic seizure without any significant past history of seizure. Physical examination and imaging propounded epidermoid cyst as diagnosis. The patient had a craniotomy and cyst was totally removed. Operative findings and histopathological report confirmed the diagnosis of dermoid cyst with olfactory groove origin.

There are many problems in the treatment of hypertension, so we use alternative medicine to achieve better results to solve these problems. In this article we describe a hypertensive patient resisted to conventional drugs and she had some other somatic and psychotic symptoms and was treated by homeopathy, a method of alternative medicine