Journal of Pathobiology Reaearch
Volume:6 Issue: 3, 2004

In this study the effect of REM sleep deprivation on the anticonvulsant activity of adenosine AI receptors of the entorhinal cortex was investigated in amygdaloid kindled rats. Animals were kindled by daily electrical stimulating of amygdala. In experiment 1, the rats were devided into three groups. In the group I the animals were paced on a small platform (Zcm diameter) for REM sleep deprivation. In the group 2 on a large platform (16cm diameter) and, in the group 3 on the cage (without any platform) for 4 hand 15 min. In all the groups the EEG and EMG were recorded simultaneously. 15 min later, the animals were stimulated and their seizure parameters were recorded. In experimant 2, the animals were devided into 3 groups in the same manner as the experiment 1 but in each group, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (lOIlM) was injected into their entorhinal cortex bilaterally and the animals were stimulated 15 min after the drug injection. Obtained data showed that in the experimant I, REM sleep deprivation increased the afterdischarge duration (ADD), the stage 5 duration (SsD) and reduced the stage 4 latency (S4L) significantly. In the experimant 2, the ADD and SsD were significantly increased while the S4L was decreased in the deprived animals compared to the animals that received the CHA (IOIlM) without the REM sleep deprivation (which were placed in a cage with a platform of 16 em diameter or in a cage without any platform). It may be concluded that the REM sleep deprivation can decrease the anticonvulsant effects of adenosine AI receptors activity in the entorhinal cortex.

To study mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna in Guilan Province (Caspian Sea littoral, North of Iran), an investigation was carried out from April to December 2000.MateriaJs and Adult mosquitoes were collected by means of aspirators, captorators and light traps and mosquito larvae by means of ladles and dippers from various habitats. The whole set of 2478 adult specimens from 64 habitats and 6656 larvae from 127 larval breeding places were collected. Eight species of the genus Anopheles based on adult, larval stage and according to the egg pattern were identified as follow:I. An. claviger, 2. An. hyrcanus, 3. An. maculipennis, 4. An. melanoon, 5. An. messeae, 6. An. plumbeus, 7. An. pseudopictus, 8. An. superpictus. In this study, An. superpictus was reported for the first time in Guilan Province and An. maculipennis, An. pseudopictus and An. hyrcanus showed the most distribution and percentage of frequency respectively, in the area.

Ankle ligament injury is the most common injury in athletic activities. The cost for the treatment and rehabilitation ofthese injuries has been reported to be two billion dollars a year in the USA. Reducing the risk of ankle ligament injuries depends on identifying the environmental and individual conditions in which such injuries occur. It has been found that 73% of ankle sprains occur in ankles that had been previously sprained. Therefore, there must be some factors, in previously sprained ankles, causing the ankle to be restrained. Some researchers reported that Proprioceptive problems could be more effective than other causes in recurrent sprains. Proprioceptive problems could be evaluated by balance tests. The goal of this study was to determine balance problems in the athletes with acute lateral ankle sprains. Subjects were 30 athlets selected from the patients referred to physical therapy clinics ofIranian Sport Medicine Federation. We used clinical and laboratory tests for the evaluation of balance. Our results showed that the balance in the patients was significantly weaker when the eyes were closed versus the open condition. The Symmetry of weight bearing on the involved and sound limb in bilateral standing did not show any significant difference, but weight bearing on nondominant limb was significantly higher than the dominant limb. We can conclude that after acute ankle sprains, the unconscious (reflexive) part of proprioception is more severely involved than the conscious (voluntary) part.

This study has been carried out to investigate the interaction of two important components of monoterpene aldehydes family (picrocrocin and safranal) oflranian saffron with the DNA as a possible molecular mechanism for saffron's anti-cancer effect. Picrocrocin and safranal were extracted and purified from Iranian saffron.The DNA purification from the calf thymus was also performed. Then the interaction of the mentioned components of the saffron with the DNA was investigated in the tris buffer (0.05 M, pH 7.4 at 25° C) with various techniques.Results and disseusion: The absorption spectrum of the DNA was changed in the presence of picocrocin or safranal due to the complex formation. The increment in the absorption of the DNA at 260 nm was due to the DNA conformational changes after the complex formation. The DNA- safranal complex had also an additional peak at 315 nm. The fluorescence emission of the DNA-ethidium bromide complex was quenched by picrocrocin and safranal. The schatchard analysis of the quenching plots showed a noncompeptitive behavior. It means that picrocrocin or safranal bound to the DNA non-intercalatively may be through the DNA minor groove. The LlG (H20) as the best parameter for the stability of macromolecules was determined for the DNA in the presence of picrocrocin and safranal using the dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) as a denaturant. The results indicated that the DNA denaturation by the DTAB was accelerated with the both ligands, because the G (H2O) were decreased. This is the most important reason for the DNA destablization after the complex formation.

Several studies have showed that some components of hormonal and immune systems of athletes can be influenced by the duration and type of body activities. This investigation was performed to study the effects of wrestling exercises at 90%-95% heart rate reserve (HRR) and 80% -85% HRR strength during the pre-competitive and competitive seasons on CD4+and CD8+ lymphocytes, CD4/CD8 ratio and cortisol concentration of young wrestlers. 37 Young wrestlers with a mean age of 19.5±2 years, a mean height of 175.9±6.8 em, a mean body mass of 69.6±7.5 kg, a mean percent of fat of9.6%±0.71, a mean maximum oxygen consumption of 55.4±3.4 ml/kg/min and a mean body mass index of 22.4±1.9 kg/m2 were divided into two groups by random sampling. For the test group a special protocol of exercises was used during the pre-competitive (12 weeks) and competitive seasons (4 weeks). The control group was not participated in any exercise. The peripheral blood was obtained at the end of each season and two weeks after finishing the exercises. Then the above mentioned factors were investigated in the blood samples. Obtained results showed that both groups were similar regarding the selected cell immune factors and the cortisol concentration of serum at the beginning of the study. A decrease in the CD4+ Tlymphocytes and the ratio ofCD4/CD8 and an increase in the CD8+ T-Iymphocytes were observed in the test group compared with the control group in the pre-competitive season (p<0.05). The cortisol concentration in the serum was increased significantly in the same season. In the competitive season the CD4+ subpopulation of lymphocytes and the ratio of CD4/CD8 were decreased and the CD8+ lymphocytes were increased in the test group as noted previously. In the same season, a significant incerease in the cortisol concentration was also observed in the test group compared with the control group. In the recovery season, the CD4+ cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio were less than that of the resting season in the test group. However, they were increased just by a level compared with the base line. The cortisol concentration was also more, however it was decreased compared to the competitive season. There was no significant difference between the WBC count and the percent of lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils between the two groups in the recovery season. The results of this long-term study showed that cell immunity components and theserum cortisol of young wrestlers are influenced by the severity of exercises and their immune system can be suppressed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ~2- adrenoceptors activation on the rat knee joint blood flow changes in acute inflammation. The acute inflammation was induced by intra articular injection of carrageenan (%3) and kaoline (3%) on the rat knee joint. The change of blood flow in response to salbutamol (2- adrenoceptor agonist) in experimental and control groups was studied over a 5.5 hour period, using the Laser Doppler Flowmetery (LDF) technique. Unilateral injection of carrageenan and kaoline (0.1ml) into the right knee joint, increased the diameter of the injected knee at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours post-injection with the maximum response at the 4.Sth hour. In control animals, topical application of 10,11, 10-9, 10'7 and 10'3 M salbutamol onto the exposed joint capsule increased the blood flow. But the dose of 10'7 M was more reliable than the other doses. Unilateral injection of carrageenan and kaoline increased the response to salbutamol in both of the ipsilateral and contralateral knees of the experimental animals as compared to the control (22.38±2.88%, 36.38±3.88%, respectively, p<0.01). To avoid the influence of 1 and cc-adrenoceptors, 15 min before the salbutamol application, atenolol (1-antagonist, lmg/kg i.p.) and phenoxybenzamine (-antagonist, 10 mg/kg i.p.) were injected. Neither the phenoxybenzamine nor the atenolol had any significant effect on the contralateral knee blood flow in the both control and inflammatory groups: But the salbutamol with the presence of these two antagonists increased the blood flow significantly. Discussion and These findings indicated that the vasodilator response to salbutamol is increased in the acute inflammation. The local application of salbutamol in the presence of propranolol (1 and 2 - antagonist) causes a significant reduction in the joint blood flow. Based on the results, it could be concluded that the activation of 2-adrenoceptors may cause the blood flow to ncrease. The mechanisms responsible for this increase remains to be investigated.

This was a quasi-experimental clinical trial study carried out in the emergency room of AIiasghar Hospital of Boushehr city in 1999. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of therapeutic touch before venipuncture on the anxiety level of school-age children. Twenty patients were selected for each of the case, placebo and control groups using acceidental and accessible sampling methods with the chareteristics of samples (e.g. age, sex,. ..) being matched in the three groups. Before the veipuncture in the case group therapeutic touch was used fer 10 minutes, in the placebo group speech and behavioral suggestion was used for 10 minutes, and in the control group no intervention was used except the presence of investigator over the same period of time. In all of the three groups the level of anxiety was measured by the vital sign chart (pulse, respiration, blood pressure and oral temperature), the behavioral symptom check list consisting of 9 objects ranged from 0 to 3, and the face anxiety exam scale of children filled by a colleague, before and after the intervention. Data analysis with chi square showed that demographic factors were similar in the three groups (p>0.05). Comparision of the level of anxiety before and after the therapeutic touch between the case and control groups by the ANOVA test indicated a significant difference (p<0.0001). Therefore, the first hypothesis of this research stating that "the level of anxiety in school age children will decrease after the therapeutic touch" is accepted. In addition, comparison of the anxiety level, before and after the touch, between the case and placebo by the ANOVA test indicated a significant difference (p<0.0001). Therefore, the second hypothesis of this research stating that "the level of anxiety of children will decrease after the theraputic touch" is also accepted. It is therefore recommended that the therapeutic touch, as an attentive technique, can be used to decrease the level of anxiety before the venipuncture in school age children.

The emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance among Escherichia coli strains has created problems in the treatment of infections caused by this organism at hospitals. In this regard, transferring of the antibiotic resistance from resistant to sensitive strains by conjugation plays an important role in this phenemenon. In this research more than 50 strains of E.coli were isolated from different hospitals over one year (1999-2000) in Kerman. Among them, 10 strains which exhibited the highest level of the resistances to antibiotics were selected for further study. The sensitivity ofthe isolates to antibiotics were evaluated by the MIC and disc diffusion tests. Conjugation was done by the membrane filter technique and plasmids were isolated by the alkaline lysis method. 45% of the isolates were from faece, 35% from urine and 20% from blood. All the isolates had resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin and amoxycillin. Among the resistant strains, only the strain no. 3 was capable oftransfering Amp' and Arnox' [r = resistance] genes to the sensitive strain of E.coli K12 SG20030.1 (Rif f) by the conjugation process, Cotransfer study indicated that both Amox' and Amp' are transferred to recipient cells simultaneously. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the plasmids revealed that the strains 2, 3 and 7 contain plasmids, however only the strain 3 carried a conjugative one. Comparison between the growth phase of the doner and transconjugants did not show any differences. Only the lag phase was extended when the antibiotic was added. Based on the results, it can be concluded that conjugative plasm ids may playa role in the dessimination of antibiotic resistance genes in E.coli at hospitals.

VZV genome contains all seven genes homologous to Herpes Simplex-l (HSV-I) genes for oriS- dependent in vitro DNA replication. These seven genes in the VZV have been cloned separately but have not been able to show a functionally activated ori-dependent replication system. To investigate whether other genes are required for the VZV replication, the expression of the cloned genes had to be confirmed. One of the genes not analyzed so far is the VZV gene 52. This gene, which is homologous to Vl8 gene in HSV-I and codes for one of the subunits of helicase-primase complex, was selected for further study. Due to the unavilability of a specifice antibody against the gene product, direct analysis of the gene 52 expression was not possible. Hence, the DNA vaccine technique was used to prepare antibodies in vivo. After the first and second administration of the DNA samples to Balb/c mice, the antibody titers were not significant. However, marked increase in the titer was observed following the third vaccine administration. By western blottig, the antibodies detected an 87kD protein, corresponding to the predicted molecular weight of the protein. To confirm that the protein detected in the immunoblotting was, in fact, protein 52 expressed by the plasmid vector, the produced polyclonal antibodies were tested against one of the four VZV cosmids carrying the complete viral genome and proved positive. Furthermore, the ability of this antibody to detect protein Ul8 indicated that the postulated structural homologies between the two proteins could explain the cross-reactivity of the antibody.

Mumps virus is the cause of a contagious disease mostly seen in children and young adults.Immunoglobulin G protects individuals from reinfection. Because of the broad range of incubation time in various individuals, the presence of the virus in saliva before the appearance of clinical symptoms and infection of many individuals without symptoms makes the control of the transmission of the disease difficult. Therefore, vaccination is the best way to control the disease and spread of the viral agent. In addition, laboratory methods with a high sensitivity are needed to determine vaccine efficiency and to identify susceptible groups and infected individuals.

In this research, we used the viral neutralization test (VNT) and ELISA to determine IgG titers. First, the VNT was performed for 400 cord blood samples from which, 91.7% were detected to be positive. A vero cell line was infected with Hushino strain of mumps virus. By the hemadsorption test, the virus propagation in the infected cell line was confirmed. Later, the cultured virus was concentrated by PEG 6000, then purified by sucrose gradient and the amount of the protein was determined. The purified virus was coated on the micotiter plates and an indirect ELISA was performed. We used the VNT as a golden standard to determine the efficiency of our designed ELISA method.

The results demonstrated that the two methods have a good correlation. The sensitivity and specificity of our ELISA system was 100% and 97% respectively. Thus, our ELISA technique is a reliable method to determine mumps virus antibody titer.

Many investigators are interested in finding new cultural systems that can provide a better support for the development of preimplantation embryos. Past studies suggest that growth factors, such as: the epidermal growth factor (EGF) are important in the preimplantation embryo development at later stage and also the implantation process. Therefore, simple culture media may not be adequate for the maintenance of embryo needs. So, adding directly exogenous EGF can be useful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the EGF on the post-thaw development of vitrified mouse morulae.

Mouse morulae were collected from superovulated mice oviducts or uterus 78-80 hours post heG injection and divided into four groups: control I cultured (on T6 medium), control 2 (on T6 + EGF 10 ng/ml medium), experimental I (vitrified embryos on T6 medium) and experimental 2 (vitrified on T6 + EGF 10 ng/mI). The vitrification procedure was the same as the Kasai protocol. On the second day of the cultivation, some embryos from each group were stained using the Tarkowsky procedure. Results were analyzed with the X2 and one-way variance tests.

The results showed that there was a significant difference of hatching stage embryos between the control 2 and the experiment 2 (83.3% vs 64%) groups. The mean number ofblastomers of the control 2 group was higher than the others (97±21.66) and there was a significant difference with the other groups.

The results of the present study demonstrated that the EGF can enhance the development of unvitrified embryo development but the development of vitrified embryos cannot be modulated by the addition of the EGF.

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Islamshahr District of Tehran, Iran, in 1998. This descriptive study was carried out on 1552 blood samples randomly collected from individuals in different age groups who were admitted to 17 urban and rural health centers. For each individual a questionnaire was filled, then three finger prick samples were taken and serologically tested by indirect fluorescent antibody technique using 1:20, 1:100 and I:200 serum dilutions. Any positive serum in 1:20 dilution was rechecked for final titration. The serum dilution of 1:20 with a confidence level of95 percent was accepted as the index of the infection. A total of 606 persons (39%) were diagnosed positive (with titers of 1:20 or higher) and 54persons (3.5%) had a titer of 1:200 or higher. This study showed a statistically significant relationship between the toxoplasmosis seropositivity and sex, age, occupation, exposure to cats and abortion. The results indicated that there are some appropriate conditions for the transmission of the infection in the considered area.