Acta Medica Iranica
Volume:51 Issue: 1, Jan 2013

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintain spermatogenesis throughout life in the male. Maintenance of SSCs and induction of spermiogenesis in vitro may provide a therapeutic strategy to treat male infertility. This study investigated in vitro differentiation of mouse SSCs in presence or absence of Sertoli cells, hormones and vitamins. Spermatogonial populations were enriched from testes of 4-6 week old males by magnetic activated cell sorting and anti-Thy-1 antibody. Sertoli cells isolated from 6-8 week old testes were enriched using lectin-DSA-coated plates. Isolated SSCs were cultured in the presence of Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) for 7 days in gelatin-coated dishes, then dissociated and cultured for 7 days in media lacking LIF in the presence or absence of Sertoli cells, with or without FSH, testosterone and vitamins. After one week, the effects of Sertoli cells ± supplementary media on SSC differentiation was evaluated by microscopy and expression of meiotic and postmeiotic transcripts using RT-PCR. SSC colonies had limited development after LIF removal alone, exhibiting low expression of meiotic (Scp3, Th2b) but not postmeiotic transcript, and loss of Stra8 and Dazl expression. SSCs co-cultured with Sertoli cells, hormones and vitamins developed spermatid-like cells expressing postmeiotic markers (TP1, TP2, Prm1) at levels over 2-fold higher than Sertoli cells or hormone/vitamins alone. Our present SSC-Sertoli co-culture provides conditions that may allow efficient in vitro differentiation of SSCs for the treatment of male infertility.

Coenzyme Q10, a lipid soluble benzoquinone, has excellent antioxidant and membrane stabilizing properties in the cardiac tissue. The present study investigated the effects of coenzyme Q10 on in vitro LDL oxidation quantitavely. The formation of conjugated dienes, malondialdehyde (MDA) and electrophoretic mobility were monitored as markers of the oxidation of LDL, respectively. Coenzyme Q₁₀ showed a decrease the formation of conjugated dienes and MDA, respectively, against oxidation in vitro. Coenzyme Q₁₀ also reduced electrophoretic mobility of the oxidized human LDL. Thus, results showed that the coenzyme Q10 exhibits strong antioxidant activity in CuSO₄-mediated oxidation of LDL (P<0.05) in vitro. The inhibitory effects of the coenzyme Q10 on LDL oxidation were dose-dependent at concentrations ranging from 20 nM to 300 nM. Moreover, the effects of coenzyme Q10 on LDL oxidation were compared with vitamin E and vitamin C. This study showed that coenzyme Q10 is a potent antioxidant to protect LDL against oxidation in vitro and may be a good alternative to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease and other free radical associated health problems.

Smooth muscle tumors rather benign or malignant can arise wherever the muscular tissue presents but cutaneous leiomyoma is one of the rare benign tumors of the which even the diagnostic criteria from the malignant type of the tumor is still in doubt. This study was aimed to compare the subtypes of cutaneous leiomyoma from different histologic aspects in order to find unique criteria for better classification and diagnosis. The six year data base of our center was reviewed and 25 patients with cutaneous leiomyoma were included in this study. Of 25 patients, 5 were female and 20 were male. 5 patients had angioleiomyoma (ALM) and 20 had pilar leiomyoma (PLM). ALM had following characteristics: dilated vascular canals intermingled with compact smooth muscle bundles; well circumscribe counter and myxoid and hyaline changes through the tumor. In contrast, PLMs had following histologic features: poor defined outline, entrapped hair follicles and eccrine glands, acanthosis and elongated rete ridges with hyperpigmentation and smooth muscle bundles which are interdigitated with elongated rete ridges. Here we introduced some distinct histological features for each subtype of the cutaneous leiomyoma which can lead to create novel criteria for classification and diagnosis of the lesion.

In order to examine the prevalence of thyroid disease in a hospital outpatient setting, in an area of sufficient iodine intake, serum levels of TSH, T4, T3, anti-Tg and anti-TPO antibodies were examined in 909 individuals with an age range of 12.4 to 88.5 years, participating in a checkup outpatient setting. The study was conducted in Henry Dynant Hospital located in the metropolitan area of Athens, Greece, during a 2 year period. Hormonal parameters were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Overt thyrotoxicosis was found in 4.95% of the total population and subclinical thyrotoxicosis in 5.5%. Overt hypothyroidism was found in 1.43% and subclinical hypothyroidism in 4.51%. In male population, overt thyrotoxicosis was found in 4.4 % and subclinical thyrotoxicosis was also found in 4.4%. On the other hand, overt hypothyroidism was found in 1.4% and subclinical hypothyroidism was found in 3.7% in males. In female population, overt thyrotoxicosis was found in 5.2% whereas subclinical thyrotoxicosis was found in 6.0%. Overt hypothyroidism was found in 1.5% and subclinical hypothyroidism was found in 4,9% in females. Positive anti-TPO antibodies were detected more often (30.4%) than anti-Tg (15.4%) in the tested population. The positivity in both anti-TPO and anti-Tg antibodies was correlated with abnormally high TSH concentrations after the age of 50 years, especially in female population. In conclusion distinct profile of thyroid hormonal parameters was observed in inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Athens, with overt thyrotoxicosis strikingly overcome overt hypothyroidism while subclinical forms of each dysfunction also exhibit analogous results.

The central immunological disturbance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is autoantibody production. Some of these antibodies affecting components of the cell nucleus are the major characteristics of SLE. The present study was aimed to assess importance of anticardiolipin (ACL) antibody and its association with clinical state in SLE patients. A cross sectional study was performed on 100 patients with SLE referred to rheumatology outpatient clinic in Ekbatan hospital in Hamadan (Iran) between 2007 and 2008. Serum samples were extracted and screened for IgG and IgM using an ACL enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Up to 36% of patients were positive for ACL antibody that was more frequent in women than men (39.8% versus 8.3%). No association was revealed between ACL antibody and age. Clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome were observed in 23.0% of patients that was more prevalent in ACL positive group compared with ACL negative group (41.7% versus 125%). The prevalence of other manifestations including pregnancy-related disorders (recurrent abortion), central nervous system defects, and deep vein thrombosis was 33.3%, 25.0%, and 30.6% in ACL positive group and was 9.4%, 7.8%, and 7.8% in ACL negative group that all were more frequent in the former group. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was also higher in ACL positive group than another group (22.2% versus 15.6%). Among ACL positive patients with clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, 86.6% had medium to high titer of ACL. Our study emphasized value of (ACL) antibody to assess clinical status in SLE patients.

Treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP) is the administration of GnRH analogs. Metabolic syndrome comprised metabolic disturbances that confer increased risk of (CVD) diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease. This study is a longitudinal prospective study in pediatric endocrinology clinic. 30 non-obese children with idiopathic CPP were involved. Total body weight, height, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference of the patients along with their triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting plasma sugar (FPS) were evaluated at the beginning and during 3 and 6 months GnRH analog therapy. All of the patients involved in this study were female with age 9.5±1.02 years. Waist circumference, weight and BMI were 69.3 cm, 37.21 kg, and 19.13 kg/cm2 before therapy and 72.25 cm, 40.11 kg, and 19.54 kg/m2 6 months after therapy respectively. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the patients before therapy was 96.83 mmHg, 66mmHg and after 6 months therapy was 98.66 mmHg, 89.63 mmHg respectively. Mean TG, LDL, HDL and FPS were 90.06 mg/dl, 91.6 mg/dl, 43.7 mg/dl and 89.6 mg/dl before therapy and 96.4 mg/dl, 93.1 mg/dl, 44.7 mg/dl and 91.36 after 6 months therapy respectively. GnRH analog therapy doesnt cause metabolic syndrome after 3 and 6 month therapy but it may cause hyperlipidemia and central obesity.

Exposure to traumatic events is common in children and adolescent. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional reaction to traumatic events, which is increasingly recognized to be a prevalent and disabling disorder. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution of normative life events which predicts PTSD in youth who referred to an outpatient clinic in Rasht, Iran. This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The samples of children and adolescents ranging from 1-18 yr old who were diagnosed PTSD based on DSM-IV criteria in psychiatric interview and K-SADS (Kiddie-schedule for affective disorder and schizophrenia for school age children) semi-structured diagnostic interview, from 2005 until 2008.The information consist of: age, sex, comorbidity with PTSD, events accompanying with PTSD, and time interval between events and visit. Eighty four youth who met the diagnosis of PTSD and their parents participated in the survey. Half of PTSD youth were 6-11 years old and admitted to clinic in the first 3 months after events. The most common events were witnessing violent or fearful scenes on TV followed by witnessing someone's death or funeral ceremony. The most comorbidity with PTSD included: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and anxiety. Our results indicate that youth exposure to violent or fearful scenes on TV could be very traumatic for them. Informing parents about the potential effect of low-magnitude stressors such as violent or fearful scenes on TV and funeral ceremony can decrease the prevalence of PTSD in youth.

Heart failure (HF) is a condition due to a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. In developing countries, around 2% of adults suffer from heart failure, but in people over the age of 65, this rate increases to 6-10%. In Iran, around 3.3% of adults suffer from heart failure. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is one of the most widely used models in public health theoretical framework. This was a cohort experimental study, in which education as intervention factor was presented to case group. 180 Heart failure patients were randomly selected from patients who were referred to the Shahid Rajaee center of Heart Research in Tehran and allocated to two groups (90 patients in the case group and 90 in the control group). HBM was used to compare health behaviors. The questionnaire included 69 questions. All data were collected before and 2 months after intervention. About 38% of participants dont know what, the heart failure is and 43% dont know that using the salt is not suitable for them. More than 40% of participants didnt weigh any time their selves. There was significant differences between the mean grades score of variables (perceived susceptibility, perceived threat, knowledge, Perceived benefits, Perceived severity, self-efficacy Perceived barriers, cues to action, self- behavior) in the case and control groups after intervention that was not significant before it. Based on our study and also many other studies, HBM has the potential to be used as a tool to establish educational programs for individuals and communities. Therefore, this model can be used effectively to prevent different diseases and their complications including heart failure

Podcasting has become a popular means of transferring knowledge in higher education through making lecture contents available to students at their convenience. Accessing courses on media players provides students with enhanced learning opportunities. Development of teaching methods able to cope with ever-changing nature of medicine is crucial to train the millennium students. Pharmacology education in Tehran University of Medical Sciences has been based on lectures so far; our aim was to implement a pilot study to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of offering the course contents as podcasts as well as evaluating whether such program can be feasible in our educational program. 46% of students downloaded the podcast according to our download center. 48% favored usage of both internet and DVD-ROM concurrently. Overall 96% of students perceived that podcasting had a positive impact on their learning in pharmacology course. Our results indicate that most of attendants proposed the positive yields of podcasting despite low usage of it, mainly as a pre-class preparing tool.

Clinical learning occurs in the context of a dynamic environment. Learning environment found to be one of the most important factors in determining the success of an effective teaching program. To investigate, from the attending and resident's perspective, factors that may affect student leaning in the educational hospital setting at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). This study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to determine factors affecting effective learning in clinical setting. Residents evaluated the perceived effectiveness of the university hospital learning environment. Fifty two faculty members and 132 residents participated in this study. Key determinants that contribute to an effective clinical teaching were autonomy, supervision, social support, workload, role clarity, learning opportunity, work diversity and physical facilities. In a good clinical setting, residents should be appreciated and given appropriate opportunities to study in order to meet their objectives. They require a supportive environment to consolidate their knowledge, skills and judgment.

Pulmonary agenesis is a very rare condition and many of them are associated with a variety of cardiac and non-cardiac malformations. We report an eight-month old girl with chronic lung infection due to right sided pulmonary agenesis without any associated major cardiac or non-cardiac abnormalities. The case brings in forth the importance of investigating any infant presenting with features of chronic lung infection for any congenital abnormality of the lung including aplasia of the lung. This case also emphasizes that mildness of the attack does not exclude right sided aplasia of the lung.

Sarcomas are rare tumors account for about 1% of cancers in adult. Soft tissue sarcomas are the most common one. Synovial sarcoma's incident is about 10% of all sarcomas and most commonly rise from para-articular regions in young adults. Based on our knowledge there have been only two reports of thyroid synovial sarcoma in medical literature. We report a 44-year old woman presented with a rapid growing neck mass. The pathology report revealed sarcoma and the immunohistochemistry (IHC) was compatible with synovial sarcoma. It could be understood that synovial sarcoma can be found in various tissues even if there is no synovial cells.