Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Effect of Pentoxifylline Administration on Skin Biomechanical Indices in Acute Phase of Skin Wound Healing in Rat

Saeid Babaei

Background: Pentoxifylline is a xantin derivative that causes deduction of blood viscosity, improves peripheral blood current and increases tissues oxygenization. In this study, considering special properties of this drug and inspite of undefined mechanism of its effect, the effect of pentoxifylline on skin biomechanical indices in acute phase of skin wound healing in rat is evaluated.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 14 adult Wistar rat were divided in two groups of experimental (n=7) receiving 100mg/kg twice a day and control (n=7) receiving distilled water intraperitoneal. Incisional wounds, 20mm length in identical pattern were created on back skin of rats. On day 15 skin strips containing incision were excised and used to evaluate biomechanical indices, work up to maximum force-Nm and Tensile strength= Rm-N/mm2. Results were analyzed by Spss soft ware and K-S, Levens and student T-Test.

Results: According to biomechanical test findings, pentoxifylline administration causes improvement in biomechanical indices of skin after 15 days of drug administration. Discrepancy between skin biomechanical indices of experimental and control subgroups was significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Pentoxifylline caused improvement in skin biomechanical indices and accelerated skin wound healing in experimentals.

Effects of Oligofructose-Enriched Inulin Prebiotic Supplementation on the Lipid Profile and Inflammation in Patients with Type 2 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Parvin Dehghan

Background: Considering the high prevalence of diabetes and developing cardiovascular diseases via dyslipidemia and inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Oligofructose-enriched inulin on serum lipid concentrations and inflammation in type2 diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 52 patients with type 2 diabetes were assigned to one of two groups. Experimental group (n=27) received 10g/d oligofructose-enriched inulin and control group (n=25) received 10 g/d maltodextrin for 8 weeks. Dietary intakes, anthropometric measurements, hs-CRP and serum lipids concentrations were measured at the baseline and at the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (verision11.5). Paired, independent t-test and ANCOVA were used to compare comparison of quantitative variables.

Results: At the end of study, we observed significant decrease in total cholesterol (28.00 mg/dL, 14.10%), LDL-c (22.00 mg/dL, 21.7%), TC/HDL-c ratio (-0.73, 20.7%) and LDL-c/HDL-c ratio (-0.55, 27.5%) in oligofructose-enriched inulin compared with the maltodextrin group (p<0.05). Changes in concentrations of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein were not significant in oligofructose-enriched inulin compared to maltodextrin group.

Conclusion: Oligofructose-enriched inulin supplementation with improving in inflammtion and lipid profile help in management of type 2 diabetes and its complications.

The Relationship Between Organizational Structure and Organizational Intelligence in Teaching Hospitals of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Zohreh Anbari

Background: According to the organizational intelligence to increase access of the knowledge in organizations and can to create competitive advantage in order to improve efficiency & effectiveness in organization, but that are affected by the structural dimensions of centralization, formalization, complexity (which reflects the characteristics of the internal organizations). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between organizational structure & organizational intelligence in Arak Medical University affiliated teaching hospital was performed.

Materials and Methods: In this study, the research community was comprised official staff that have high school diploma, working in hospitals that were selected for this study by sample stratified random studied. Tool for data collection, was questionnaire Robbins organizational structure and standardized questionnaire Alberkht about organizational intelligence. After confirming the validity and reliability of questionnaires, these were distributed between colleagues in teaching hospitals and then were collected. Using data collected from 16 SPSS software testing was analyzed by Spearman correlation coefficient.

Results: From 87 respondents, most of them have had a bachelor's degree and about 52 people who (74%) had experience about five years. The results were shown of the significant correlation between the organizational structure &intelligence in teaching hospital (r=-0.612 and p=0.001). The relationship between the complexity of organizational with organizational intelligence was not significant (r=0.157 and p=0.53), but by two other organizational dimension of structures (i.e., degree of formalization, centralization) with organizational intelligence was obtained significant respectively (r=-0.693 and p=0.001) and (r=-0.711 and p=0.001).

Conclusion: Based on findings from this research, teaching hospitals must be review current situation about organizational structural dimensions particular through decreasing centralization, formalization, to provide necessary field for developing and implementation of organizational intelligence

Facial Nerve Monitoring Using Monopolar Electrocautery During Parotidectomy of Patients with Parotid Masses

Sima Karbalaei Esmaeili

Background: Monitoring of facial nerve function during surgery help surgeons to preserve the nerve during parotid gland surgery. EMG is currently the standard method for monitoring, however, the rates of facial nerve paresis and paralyses are 68-18% and 3%, respectively. The disadvantages of this method are its cost and lack of access to it everywhere. Unipolar alternating electric current stimulation of the facial nerve causes contraction of the muscles and the nerves, and the damage can be avoided.

Materials and Methods: In this study, patients in the years 1388 to 1390 using monopolar electrocautery was undergoing parotidectomy and one month after surgery, the facial nerve injury were examined. During the study period, twenty patients had undergone total or superficial parotid gland resection and one excluded due to facial nerve involvement before surgery.

Results: In this study, 19 patients were studied. The mean age of patients participating in this study, 43.1 ± 13.9 years and 63.2% of them (12 cases) were female. A temporary palsy (5.4%) was observed and there was no paralysis.

Conclusion: Due to its availability and low cost, using electrocautery devices compared with standard facial nerve monitoring, EMG, is beneficial and the treatment results are also satisfactory.

Evaluation of 6 Years Performance of Screening Program of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Markazi Province (2012-2006)

Fatemeh Dorreh

background: Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent mental retardation in congenital Hypothyroidism (CH). The aim of this study was to evaluating of screening program of CH in Markazi Province.

Materials and Methods: In cross sectional descriptive study we used recorded data in Markazi province health center. From 2006 to 2012,127112 newborns were screened by measurement of serum TSH level by heel prick. Neonates who had blood TSH&ge5MIU/L were recalled for more evaluation. Neonates with confirmed hypothyroidism underwent treatment.

Results: From127112 screened neonates, 414 were diagnosed as CH patients (both permanent and transient). The prevalence of CH was . Recall rate was 4.8%. In 94.4% of patients, treatment were begun before the 40th day of life. The coverage percent in the province was 100% from the second year of the program.

Conclusion: Recall rate and the incidence of CH were higher than those in other studies, both in Iran and other countries. The mean age of treatment initiation and coverage percent were in favorable range.

Identification of Candida Species Associated with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis by Comparison of New Molecular and Culture Methods in 2013

Mohammad Reza Sarookhani

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a common problem in women. The purpose of this study was to compare two identification methods new PCR analysis (with DNA extracted from samples) and conventional culture technique in detection of Candida species in vulvovaginal samples.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental-analytical study, 150 women of fertility ages participated and two vaginal discharge samples were collected by speculum. One sample used for direct DNA extraction as well as PCR and the other was used for culture and phenotypic evaluations. Phenotypic evaluations waere performed by germ tube and chlamydospore formation and specially culture in chrome agar medium to detect color of the colonies. PCR was performed by DNA extracted from samples as templates and finally size of Candida specific amplicons was determined.

Results: From 150 samples, 87 in culture and 127 in new PCR technique were positive. In culture method, from total 87 Candida species , 73 C. albicans, 12 C. glabrata and 2 C. tropicalis were isolated whereas in new PCR technique, from total 127 candida species 107 C. albicans, 18 C. glabrata and 2 C. tropicalis were identified. Concordance of the two methods were calculated as 68 percent.

Conclusion: The new molecular method (innovative PCR) has the potential to rapidly and accurately diagnose Candida vulvovaginitis in patients and can be used for diagnosis of Candida species in clinical specimens.

Design of Mercury Shielding System in Megavoltage Radiation Therapy

Fatemeh Seif

Background: In this research dosimetric parameters of mercury was investigated as a radiotherapy modulator and compared with cerrobend as a common beam attenuator material in most radiotherapy centers. Also several designs for mercury shielding system were evaluated.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental research transmission factor of different thicknesses of cerrobend and mercury at 6MV and 18MV photon beams was measured in order to investigate mercury as a beam modulator. Relative dosimetry was done with ionization chambers and then mercury modulating system for radiotherapy was designed with different cross sections.

Results: The result show that the transmission values increased with field size increment due to increased scatter contribution, for all cerrobend and mercury thicknesses at two energies. The procedure of mercury transmission factor is in agreement with cerrobend transmission factor. The second designed system with hexagonal cross section is in good agreement with patient contour.

Conclusion: The experimental investigation on mercury dosimetric parameters showed that mercury can be proposed as a modifier in radiotherapy because of its profit properties such as being liquid in room temperature, power of attenuation and …. So mercury can be proposed as a beam modifier (at closed system because of its poison vapor) in radiotherapy. Keywords: beam modifiers, Cerrobend, dosimetry, Mercury

Investigating Level of Daily Physical Activity in Children with High Functioning Autism and its Relation with Age and Autism Severity

Amir Hossein Memari

Background: Due to high risk of physical inactivity in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and its adverse consequences, evaluating their level of physical activity (PA) using accelerometry and investigating its relation with age and severity of the disorder are integral.

Materials and Methods: Fifty two boys and sixteen girls aged 7-14 years -from autism schools in Tehran- participated in current cross sectional study. Level of daily PA was evaluated for seven consecutive days using accelerometers. Autism severity was also assessed in the areas of communication, sociability, sensory and cognitive awareness, and health and physical behavior using Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).

Results: On the whole 91 percent of participants encountered low level of PA. Girls were remarkably less active than boys and were more inactive. Level of PA significantly reduced as they aged. Level of PA was adversely and significantly correlated with autism severity in the area of sensory and cognitive awareness. Moreover, level of vigorous PA was adversely and significantly correlated with total autism severity. Finally, age, sex, and sensory and cognitive awareness were partially predictors of PA.

Conclusion: It appears that children with HFA are physically inactive and considerably engage in more sedentary activities as they age. Age and gender can be considered as physical activity determinants among this population.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Effect of Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Against Some Pathogens

Zeynab Golshani

Background: Today, with raised use of antibiotics and prevalence of resistant strains, there is need for antimicrobial drugs that have fewer side effects than antibiotics. Rosmarinus officinalis is a medicinal plant which had many uses in traditional medicine. In this study, methanol leave extract of this plant is tested on various pathogens.

Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, Rosmarinus officinalis was used to evaluate its antimicrobial effects. Methanol leave extract of this plant with concentrations of 400, 200, 100, and 50 mg/ml were prepared, and antibacterial activities were evaluated by well diffusion method on strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by the microplate method.

Results: In this study, the most efficacy of thanol extract of rosemary leaves was at concentration of 400 mg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the extract on the growth of these bacteria showed changes from 6.25 mg/ml to 100 mg/ml. Also MBC of extract showed range from 12.5 to 200 mg/ml respectively.

Conclusion: It was found that rosemary methanol extract inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but did not inhibit of Bacillus cereus growth.

Corneal Thickness, Corneal Curvature and Refractive Errors of University Student in Arak

Ebrahim Ebrahim Jafarzadehpur

Background: Racial and environmental factors may influence the refractive errors, corneal curvature and thickness. These variables were evaluated in Arak residential university students.

Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional observational study 400 students aged 18-30 years old living in Arak city that were eligible for the study. Demographic and past medical history information of all students was recorded and the corneal thickness (CT) and curvature (CC) and refractive error were measured. The correlation between refractive indices and CT and CC were investigated in all cases and also in refractive subgroups.

Results: The mean of CT, CC and power were 533.22(±32.02) µm, 7.75(±0.28) mm and 43±1.66 Diopters respectively. There were significant correlation between refractive error and CT in hyperopic subgroup (p=0.029) and between CT and CC in myopic subgroup (p=0.007). The mean of CC of myopic and astigmatic subgroups were significantly more than normal cases.

Conclusion: These findings are similar to the other international researches about corneal thickness, curvature and refractive errors in normal population. It seems further studies with more and older cases are necessary to investigate the impact of climatic condition and industrial air pollution on refractive errors and corneal parameters.