مجله دانشگاه علوم پزشکی قم
سال نهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 37، فروردین و اردیبهشت 1394)

4-hydroxyisoleucine is an amino acid in Fenugreek, which has antidiabetic properties. This effect is possibly brought about by activation of PI3K. In this study, cytotoxic effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine on hepatoma cell lines was studied. In this experimental study, HepG2 and Huh-7 cell lines were cultured in a 96-well microplate and after 24 hours incubation, cells were exposed to different concentrations of 4-hydroxyisoleucine (0.5-64mM). Cell viability was determined using MTT assay after 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test. The percentage of cytotoxicity caused by 4-hydroxyisoleucine is concentration- and time-dependent. In this study, this difference was statistically significant compared to the control group (p<0.05), so that at the highest concentration (64mM) and after 72 hours, 65% and 61% of cell death was seen in HepG2 and Huh-7, respectively. IC50 after 72 hours of incubation (at concentrations of 24mM and 23mM) was calculated for HepG2 and Huh-7, respectively. The results of this study showed that 4-hydroxyisoleucine not only does not cause cancer cell growth, but also has cytotoxic effects on hepatoma cell lines. Given the antidiabetic effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine, it could be an appropriate candidate as an antidiabetic drug.

Increased resistance of bacteria to antibacterial agents is one of the most important problem in medicine. Place of medicinal plants in the country's traditional medicine as well as available rich herbal resources on the one hand and the problems exist in the treatment of infections caused by resistant bacterial strains on the other hand, is a reason for closer investigation of medicinal plants. Some herbal essential oils, including (Melissa officinalis L.) from Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family have antimicrobial effects and can be used as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections. This study was performed to determine the compounds and antimicrobial effects of essential oil from Melissa officinalis L. In this experimental study, (Melissa officinalis L.) was collected from Qom province. Then, the compounds of the essential oil were analyzed using GC/MS apparatus. The diameter of inhibition zone and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined using disk diffusion and dilution liquid medium methods against strains Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. In this study, caryophyllene oxide was the major compound of the essential oil. Essential oil at the concentration of 20µg/ml had an inhibitory effect against S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeroginosa, but had no effect on C. albicans. According to the results of this study, the essential oil of this plant has a significant inhibitory effect on growth of pathogenic bacteria, especially gram positive ones. Therefore, further researches are required for clinical application of the essential oil.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (insulin resistance) in individuals with Down's syndrome is more than healthy people, which is possibly because of the high prevalence of obesity among them. Adiponectin is one of adipose tissue-secreted adipocytokines, which plays a role in pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the serum level of adiponectin and investigating its relationship with insulin resistance, in sedentary males with Down's syndrome after a period of aerobic exercise. In this study, 9 men with Down’s syndrome with the mean age of 26.7±3.7 years and body mass index of 29.7±7.7 performed aerobic exercise 3 sessions per week (50-45min/session) for 10 weeks. The blood samples were collected to measure the serum levels of adiponectin, glucose, and insulin in two stages: before exercise (after 12-hour fasting) and after exercise (72 hours after the last exercise session). Resistance index was used to determine insulin resistance. Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-smirnov statistical test, t-test and Pearson correlation test. The significance level was considered to be p<0.05. In this study, aerobic exercises increased the levels of serum adiponectin up to 3.1% and decreased insulin resistance levels down to 26% in men with Down's syndrome. There was no significant correlation between adiponectin and insulin resistance index among men with Down's syndrome, before and after the exercises (r=0.51, r=0.21). The results of this study showed that change in adiponectin levels hardly occur in men with Down’s syndrome.

The experience of anxiety by students has negative effects on their performance during the education period. In this regard, in recent years, researchers and psychologists have made increasing efforts to understand the etiology and broad impacts of social anxiety disorder. This research was done with the purpose of determining the correlation between assertiveness, psychological well-being, and aggression with social anxiety among the students of the Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch. This research was performed as a descriptive and correlational study on male and female students of the Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch in academic year 2013-2014, of this number, 346 subjects were estimated using Morgan table and selected by cluster sampling method. To collect data, Herzberg Assertiveness Scale, Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale, Buss and Perry Aggression Scale, and Watson and Friend’s Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaires were used. Data were analyzed using statistical methods of Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. The significance level was considered p<0.05. In this study, there were significant negative correlations between assertiveness and psychological well-being with social anxiety and a positive corelation with aggression (p<0.01). Also, the results of regression analysis showed that aggression, psychological well-being, and assertiveness have significant predictive ability for social anxiety. According to the findings of this study, it can be found that assertiveness and psychological well-being reduce social anxiety and aggression can lead to increase in social anxiety.

Burn is one of the most devastating conditions encountered in medicine. Burn wounds are appropriate environments for growth of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles on growth inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this experimental study, 25 burn wound samples were collected from patients hospitalized in Imam Musa Kazem hospital, Isfahan in 2012. After culturing and diagnostic tests, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected. The antibiotic resistance pattern was determined for amikacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefepime, cefotaxime, tobramycin, imipenem, piperacillin, gentamicin, and ceftizoxime using standard Kirby-bauer disk diffusion method. Antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles in sizes of 5 and 100nm were evaluated using well diffusion method in concentrations of 100.00, 50.00, 25.00, 12.50, 6.25, and 3.13mg/ml. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Chi-square tests. The significance level was considered as p<0.001. In this investigation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed sensitivity to piperacillin, tobramycin, and gentamicin. Zinc oxide nanoparticles in size of 5 nm at the concentration of 25, 50, 100mg/ml and in size of 100nm at the concentration of 100mg/ml had antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from burn wounds. The results of this study showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles have inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Also, the inhibitory effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles increases with increasing nanoparticle concentration and decreasing nanoparticle size.

Exposure to cadmium in early pregnancy has long-term effects on the growth and function of the liver. One of the pathways that controls proliferation of the fetal liver involves hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). This study was conducted to determine the effect of an endurance swimming training period during pregnancy on the alterations of the levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in neonates of pregnant rats exposed to cadmium poisoning. In this experimental research, 32 pregnant rats with the mean weight of 200±20g were divided into four groups (control, training, cadmium, and training-cadmium). Training protocol during pregnancy included 60 min swimming per day for 5 days a week. Cadmium group received cadmium chloride as a solution in drinking water (400mg/kg.BW) from the first day of pregnancy until delivery. Training-cadmium group performed training protocol along with cadmium receiving. Tissue sampling from liver of the neonates was performed 2 days after birth, and HGF levels were measured using ELISA method. In this study, the difference between the mean levels of HGF in the cadmium- training group (p=0.797) and the control group was not significantly different (p=0.797), but in cadmium group a significant increase was observed in HGF levels (p=0.025) of neonatal liver. The results of this study indicated that endurance swimming training can be effective in the modulation of HGF levels induced by cadmium poisoning of liver in neonates.

Losing 5-10% of initial body weight can reduce the risks of obesity in obese people. Identification of the personality of individuals is effective in motivating and designing weight management interventions. The present study was done to compare the personality traits of successful and unsuccessful women in terms of weight loss. This case-control study was done on obese and overweight women in 2013. The case group consisted of 45 women who were successful in losing weight, and the control group consisted of 45 women who were unsuccessful in losing weight. Losing at least 5% of initial body weight during 3-month treatment regimen was considered as an indicator of success. Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI125) questionnaire was completed by the participants, and the scores of temperament and character dimensions in successful and unsuccessful subjects were analyzed by t-test. The significance level was considered to be p<0.05. In this study, the mean score of reward dependence in successful group and unsuccessful group was 9.84±2.6 and 8.62±3.05, respectively, (p=0.044). The successful individuals had higher mean persistence score (3.42±1.30 vs. 2.56±1.30), (p=0.002). Cooperation score was 20.22±3.00 in the successful group and 18.38±3.71 in the unsuccessful group (p=0.011). Other personality traits, including novelty seeking, harm avoidance, self-directedness, and self-transcendence had no significant difference between the two groups. According to the results of this study, some personality traits, such as reward dependence, persistence, and cooperation could be effective in the individuals’ success in weight loss.

Due to some cultural problems, most people, especially women cannot go to gyms for exercise. Therefore, researchers are trying to design tools, which different individuals can easily exercise at any place and any time. One of these tools is Thera-band. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of exercise using Thera-band on body composition in the middle-aged women. In this quasi-experimental study, among teachers of Qom city, 20 middle-aged women were randomly divided into two groups of exercise (n=10) and control (n=10). The exercise group exercised for 60minutes per session (3 sessions a week for 8 weeks), while the control group performed their daily activities. The training protocol consisted of upper and lower body exercises using Thera-band. The effects of this training program were assessed using the body composition measuring instruments, before and after training program. Data were analyzed by independent and paired t-tests. The significance level was considered to be less than 0.05. Eight weeks of exercise using Thera-band caused a significant decrease in the body fat percentage and body fat mass. Also, lean body mass significantly increased after 8 weeks of exercise using Thera-band. The results of this study showed that exercise using Thera-band improves body fat percentage, body fat mass, and lean body mass in the middle-aged women.

Colorectal cancer is a global health problem. Most patients are curable with early diagnosis and screening program. This study was conducted with the objective of determining knowledge, attitude, and practice on colorectal cancer screening among individuals older than 50 years using health belief model. This cross-sectional study was performed on 200 individuals more than 50 years of age referred to the clinics of educational hospitals of Qom city in 2012. The available sampling method was used, and data collection tools were Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) and socio-demographic variables questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t- and chi-square tests. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. The mean age of the subjects was 62.47±10.78, and 75.5% of them were women. A high percentage (93.5%) of the participants had no information about colorectal cancer screening, and only 2.5% participated in the screening program. The subjects were at the lowest level in terms of perceived susceptibility and had the highest percentage regarding positive perceived benefits. The subjects who participated in the screening program achieved significantly higher scores in the domains of perceived benefits and Self-efficacy (p<0.05). According to the findings of this study, level of knowledge and behaviors about colorectal cancer screening is low among individuals more than 50 years of age. Most participants had no perceived susceptibility to colorectal cancer and more than half of the subjects perceived many barriers to screening. With respect to the described health beliefs, implementation of intervention and education programs is necessary in this regard.

Todays, scientometric indeces are being used in quantitative measurement of sciences at the national and international levels to compare the scientific performance. In the current study, citation analysis of scientific outputs of the Qom University of Medical Sciences, were evaluated until the first half of 2014. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, all scientific records attributed to the Qom University of Medical Sciences, were evaluated for 10 years. The required Data were obtained by searching the Scopus scientific database. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and prioritized according to the year of publication, citation, self-citation, and Hirsch Index (HI). Since the beginning of July 2014, only 252 scientific records were indexed in the Scopus database by 149 authors affiliated to the Qom University of Medical Sciences, so that the university’s H Index was 12 and it acheived the 41st rank among 70 scientific academic centers related to medical field. There were four different affiliations of the university in Scopus. An increasing trend was observed in the number of scientific documents, citations, and self citation in the scientific records of the university. According to the results of this study, the growth trend of scientific records of the University has been an increasing trend with rapid slope, which of course this speed will decrease according to estimate of the first half of 2014. Only a few faculty members of the university contributed to knowledge production in citation databases. It seems that increase in the ability of researchers is necessary to promote the level of the university.

The double headed mandibular condyle is a rare deformity, which is commonly diagnosed as an incidental finding in a panoramic radiograph. This study reports a case with bifid mandibular condyle, who referred for routine dental examination.Case Report: The patient is a 23-year-old man with unilateral bifid condyle (without any history of trauma in childhood), who referred to the Radiology Department of School of Dentistry in Qom. Panoramic radiography and tomography showed an abnormal right condyle. Bifid mandibular condyle is a rare anomaly with unknown etiology. This anomaly requires careful clinical examination, and specific imaging is necessary for its future control.