Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Volume:16 Issue: 1, 2009

Today, toxic effluents have created ecological and health problems in and around the industrial cities resulting in death of nearby living organisms. The aim of this research was to increase the elimination of copper and zinc from copper factory effluents in Kerman/Iran through mutation inducing in metal-resistant bacteria by using Acriflavine, Acridine orange and Ethidium bromide. A total of 20 strains of Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from water and soil of the factory and subjected to microbiological identification. Maximum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) to Cu and Zn were determined by agar dilution method. Those strains with the highest MIC to these metals (5mM) were subjected to 400-3200mg/L of the above mutagenic agents. After determination of MIC those colonies which were capable to grow on 20mM copper were selected for atomic absorption spectroscopy. According to the atomic absorption spectroscopy of dried biomass obtained from resistant strains after exposure to mutagenic agents, strains 6,7,8,9,10,13 & 16 showed the highest accumulation of CU and Zn (10mM for Cu & 20mM for Zn). Strain 13 had the highest absorption of Cu (0. 35%/mg biomass) and strain 10 showed the highest accumulation of Zn (0.33%/mg biomass). Elimination of heavy metals by artificially mutated bacteria can be suggested as a cost effective solution to this environmental health issue.

Today, toxic effluents have created ecological and health problems in and around the industrial cities resulting in death of nearby living organisms. The aim of this research was to increase the elimination of copper and zinc from copper factory effluents in Kerman/Iran through mutation inducing in metal-resistant bacteria by using Acriflavine, Acridine orange and Ethidium bromide. A total of 20 strains of Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from water and soil of the factory and subjected to microbiological identification. Maximum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) to Cu and Zn were determined by agar dilution method. Those strains with the highest MIC to these metals (5mM) were subjected to 400-3200mg/L of the above mutagenic agents. After determination of MIC those colonies which were capable to grow on 20mM copper were selected for atomic absorption spectroscopy. According to the atomic absorption spectroscopy of dried biomass obtained from resistant strains after exposure to mutagenic agents, strains 6,7,8,9,10,13 & 16 showed the highest accumulation of CU and Zn (10mM for Cu & 20mM for Zn). Strain 13 had the highest absorption of Cu (0. 35%/mg biomass) and strain 10 showed the highest accumulation of Zn (0.33%/mg biomass). Elimination of heavy metals by artificially mutated bacteria can be suggested as a cost effective solution to this environmental health issue

Human cystic Echinococcosis (CE) caused by larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, has a cosmopolitan distribution and is particularly more prevalent in rural regions. Iran is an endemic focus for CE and human cases are reported regularly from medical centers in different parts of Iran including Kerman. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis among rural communities in Shahdad and Chatroud in Kerman province. A total of 451 individuals (87 males and 364 females) were selected by randomized cluster sampling between 2006 and 2007. Demographic features were recorded in a questionnaire and abdominal ultrasonography was carried out. Then 5 ml venous blood sample was collected for ELISA test. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and Multivariate logistic regression for risk factors analysis. Two hydatid cases (0.4%) were detected by ultrasonography. Serological results showed 8.8 % (37 cases) seropositivity, and females (9.7%) were more positive than males (4.9%). There was a significant difference in CE prevalence in different age groups (p=0.012). Results showed the seroprevalence of 8.5% and 9% in Shahdad and Chatroud respectively and there was no significant difference in CE prevalence rates between the two regions. Multivariate logistic regression showed that females were 4.6 times more likely to be infected than males (OR=4.6, 95% CI=1.27-16.79). Proper washing of vegetables decreased the probability of infection by 71% (OR=0.29, 95% CI=0.13-0.65).Dog ownership was not a significant risk factor of CE (OR=0.28, 95% CI=0.06-1.22, P=0.09). Housewives (9.6%) and farmers (9.1%) were more seropositve than other groups. Canclusion: The study showed that seroprevalence of hydatid disease is relatively high in rural regions of Shahdad and Chatroud

Postprandial hyperglycemia results in the development of chronic complications. Therefore, its control is critical in the treatment of diabetes. One of the main therapeutic approaches for reducing postprandial hyperglycemia is to reduce the absorption of carbohydrates by enzyme inhibitors such as Acarbose which have already been clinically used as a medicine for diabetic patients. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of Zataria multiflora, Pistachio hulls, Myrtle leaves and Quercus infectoria which had inhibited alpha glucosidase (>90%) in our previous study were prepared by maceration method. Male wistar rats were divided into two, streptozotocin-induced diabetic group and non-diabetic group. Then each group subdivided into 6 groups of control receiving 2g/kg maltose, positive control receiving 2g/kg maltose as well as Acarbose and 4 other groups receiving 2g/kg maltose and one of the prepared extracts (1000mg/kg) after deprivation of food. Blood glucose level was measured before and 30, 60 and 120 min. after extract administration. In non-diabetic rats, Quercus infectoria and Myrtle extracts significantly reduced the postprandial glucose levels (60 and 50% respectively, P<0.0001) comparing to the control. The effect of Pistachio extract on reduction of blood glucose was not significant. Zataria multiflora extract had no significant effect (P>0.05) but showed a reveres effect on plasma glucose and remained at high level up to 60 minutes. Further studies must be done for proving the efficacy of Zataria multiflora and Quercus infectoria for hyperglycemic patients with uncontrolled diets

Ulcerative colitis is one of the inflammatory bowel diseases with unknown etiology. Genetic and environmental factors are thought to be effective in this disease. According to the limited studies in our country, general assessment of demographic features and clinical symptoms seems to be essential. In this prospective and cross-sectional study, 85 cases of ulcerative colitis referred to the 3 gastroenterologist offices in Kerman city were evaluated during 2005-2007. The diagnosis was confirmed based on clinical features, colonoscopy, pathology and ruling out of other causes. Data were collected through direct interview and analyzed by SPSS 15 software. Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 33.31_13.12. Duration of symptoms onset until diagnosis was 8 months. Male to female ratio was 0.8/1 and the most important clinical manifestations were rectorhagia and bloody diarrhea (92.9%), abdominal pain (20%), mucoid diarrhea (13.1%), weight loss (11.2%) and fever (4.4%). The pattern of disease was chronic intermittent in 83.5%, chronic continuous in 13% and acute self-limited in 3.5%. Anatomically disease was limited to the rectum (8.3%), recto sigmoid (23.5%), recto sigmoid and descending colon (28.5%), transverse colon (21.2%) and pan colitis. (18.8%). Extra intestinal manifestations were seen in 22.35% of cases of whom 12.96% had oral involvement, 5.85% had hepatic involvement and 3.53% had musculoskeletal involvement. Recurrent inflammatory bowel disease is one of the important reasons of referral to gastroenterologists. Ulcerative coilitis in Kerman is similar to other countries of world epidemiologically, demographically and clinically but its seems that severe clinical courses, extra intestinal manifestations and second old age peak to be less comparing to other studies.

Epidural fibrosis (EF) is part of natural physiological tissue response to laminctomy and it may be an important cause of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). There is still no effective medical or surgical therapy for EF. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a soluble member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that might play a role in postoperative EF. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum OPG level and EF after laminectomy. Sixty rabbits were employed and divided randomly into two groups. Group A contained 20 rabbits as controls and group B contained 40 rabbits that underwent bilateral laminecyomy at L4 and L5 lumbar levels under an approved surgical protocol. Serum sample was obtained after 8 weeks from all rabbits and then the animals in group B were killed in accordance with the guidelines for euthanasia. The spine segment from L3 to L6 was removed en bloc. The amount of scar tissue at the laminectomy defect was scored on an ordinal score from 0 to 3 with a scoring system similar to that of He et al. According to the amount of scar the rabbits in group B, were divided into two groups: B1 with low fibrosis (grade 0, 1) and B2 with high fibrosis (grade 2, 3). The serum OPG level of groups A, B1 and B2 were determined using ELISA method. The one way ANOVA was used to assess significant difference among groups. Serum OPG level ranged from 0-4 Pmol/l_with a median of 1.5 Pmol/l in group A, 0-6 Pmol/l with a median of 2.42 Pmol/l n group B1 and 0-6 Pmol/l with a median of 2.15 Pmol/l in group B2. There was not any significant difference in OPG levels among these 3 groups. This study showed no relation between OPG level and existence of postlaminectomy EF after 8 weeks.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of nasal carriage of MRSA and its antibiotic susceptibility pattern among healthcare workers at Namazi Hospital (Shiraz-Iran) In a cross-sectional study from July to November 2006, nasal swabs were taken from 600 stratified randomly selected health care workers. The isolates were identified as S. aureus based on morphology, gram stains, catalase test, coauglase test and DNase Agar. To differentiate Methicillinsusceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), agar screen plate was used. All methicillin-resistant isolates were examined for mecA genes existence by PCR performance. The sensitivity patterns of S.aureus isolates were determined by disc diffusion and E-test method. Nasal screening identified 186 (31%) S. aureus carriers of whom, 154 ones (82.8%) were MSSA and 32 ones (17.2%) were MRSA._There was no significant association between related risk factors and gender, age, years of healthcare service and level of education. In the univariate analysis, a statistically significant difference was found only based on occupation (P=0.032) between carriers of MSSA and MRSA. In multivariate analysis(logistic regression), having nursing occupation (p=0.012, OR=3.6, 95%CI=1.3-9.7) was independently associated with MRSA carriage. All of the MRSA strains were sensitive to mupirocin. This study revealed that having nursing occupation is independently associated with MRSA carriage since all S.aureus isolates were susceptible to mupirocin, topical mupirocin could be used successfully to eradicate nasal staphylococcal colonization and carriers.

Background & Aims Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam belongs to the Labiatae family and its dried aerial parts are used as flavors and also in the treatment of cold and cough. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from aerial parts by hydro distillation method was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The methanolic extract was also obtained from the aerial parts of the plant. Samples were subjected to a screening for their possible antioxidant activities by using 2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-carotene-linoleic acid. Twenty three constituents accounting to 96.6% of the total oil were identified. Major components of the oil were pulegon (30.1%), thymol (21.3%), p-mentha-3-en-8-ol (12.9%), piperitenone (9.3%) and 1, 8-cineol (4.1%), respectively. In the DPPH test system, the IC50 value for antioxidant activity of methanolic extract was determined to be 28.4µg/ml, whereas it was 55.3 µg/ml for the oil. In β-carotene-linoleic acid test system, antioxidant activities of the extract and oil were 89.3% and 61.6%, respectively. In general, methanolic extract of ziziphora clinopodioides lam showed greater antioxidant activity than its essential oil.

Abstract: The most common cause of gastric outlet obstruction in neonates and infants is hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Pyloric web as a cause of gastric outlet obstruction is relatively rare in children and presents with non_bilious vomiting, abdominal pain and failure to thrive. The onset of symptoms is usually late with nonspecific symptoms like vomiting and failure to thrive that seems to be due to neuromuscular incoordination. Here we report a 3 year-old boy with prolonged fever, anorexia, and intractable postprandial non bilious vomiting and weight loss since 20 days prior to admission. Barium meal study revealed gastric outlet obstruction with a dilated stomach. The patient underwent laparotomy and pyloric web was confirmed as the cause of the symptoms and Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty led to disappearing of the entire patient’s problems.