Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Effect of Depo-Provera on Depression

Mehri Jamilian

Background: Depression is one of the common psychiatric disorders which are more common in women in the reproductive ages. So this study is to investigate the effect of Depo-Provera on depression.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 70 women who had chosen Depo-Provera as contraception. Beck test was done at arrival and repeated 3 months later, and the scores obtained were compared by paired t test.

Results: The participants BDI scores at baseline were equal to 7.89±3.85 while 3 months after treatment with the scores were equal to 7.09±3.63 which were significantly decreased.

Conclusion: Since Depo-Provera reduces depressive symptoms in women who take it and does not increase these symptoms in women with a history of depression, it seems that Depo-Provera is an appropriate choice as contraception.

Effect of Massage on Serum Cortisol Levels, Quality of Life and Mental Health in Women with Breast Cancer

Shahnaz Shahrjerdi

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. An important goal for cancer patients is to improve the quality of life (QOL) by maximizing functions affected by the disease and its therapy. This study examined the effects of massage therapy on quality of life in women with breast cancer after surgery.

Materials and Methods: The study was quasi-experimental. Among the 53 women with breast cancer surgery and oncology clinic of Arak, 30 were randomly allocated in two groups of massage therapy (n=15) and 5 weeks (30 min, 2 sessions per week) and control (15 cases). Cortisol levels and quality of life questionnaire (SF36) was redirected and mental health groups. Data analysis software SPSS version 16 using paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance and a confidence level of 95% (p<0.05) was performed.

Results: The results showed a significant increase in the experimental group improved after the massage, physical (p=0.001) and psycho-social (p=0.002) were compared with control subjects. Massage also improves quality of life and mental health in breast cancer patients after surgery was (p<0.05). However, serum cortisol levels between the experimental and control groups were not significant (p>0.05).

Conclusion: The overall results of this study showed that massage therapy can be an effective intervention to improve quality of life and mental health in patients with breast cancer during radiotherapy is used.

Evaluation of the Effect of Combined 2D/4D Ultrasound on Fetal Heart Rate Changes

Fatemeh Safi

Background: Today, ultrasonography has become the main tool used for the evaluation of fetal anomalies. The aim of this study was to evaluate fetal heart rate changes immediately after combined two- and 4-dimensional ultrasound.

Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 191 pregnant women aged 15 to 45 years old who were referred for 4-dimensional ultrasonography in summer 2013. Before the onset of 2-dimensional ultrasonography, baseline fetal heart rate was measured by ultrasound. At the same time, the maternal heart rate was recorded during one minute. Then, combined ultrasonography was performed and same parameters were recorded at the end.

Results: Maternal heart rate significantly decreased after combined ultrasonography (p=0.0001). Fetal heart rate did not differ before and after ultrasonography (p=0.693).

Conclusion: Four-dimensional ultrasonography has no effect on fetal heart as an indicator for evaluating the fetus temperature.

Effect of L-Arginine Supplementation on Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, Total Antioxidant Capacity and Body Composition in Patients with Pre-Diabetes

Ahmad Saedi Someeh Olia

Background: Considering that pre-diabetes is one of disorders that increases developing of diabetes, this study was performed to investigate the effect of L-Arginine supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activity, total antioxidant capacity, and body composition in patients with pre-diabetes.

Materials and Methods: A double-blinded randomized clinical trial was performed on 46 pre-diabetic patients. Patients in intervention (n=23) and placebo groups received 3g/day L-arginine and placebo (three 1gr L-arginine capsules), respectively for 8 weeks. Anthropometric, body composition, and dietary intake assessments, and also biochemical tests were done at baseline and end of study. Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase enzyme and superoxide dismutase activity were measured. Paired t-test, independent t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze quantitative variables.

Results: Thirty eight patients (19 subjects in each group) completed the study. After adjusting confounding factors, no significant difference in body composition, anthropometric indices and dietary intake was observed at the end of study (p<0.05 in all factors), but a significant difference in TAC level was observed in the intervention group at the end of study (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Supplemenation with 3gr/day L-arginine for 8 weeks led to raised serum TAC level without changes in body composition in pre-diabetic patients.

The Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Student and Teacher About Waste Management for Developing Methods of Educational in 2012

Mohammad Javad Ghanadzadeh

Background: Solid waste is one of the environmental pollution. Therefore the aim of this study was to survey of knowledge, attitude and practice of student and teachers about weast management for developing methods of educational in Arak city.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross sectional and analytical study that was carried out on 1739 student and 149 teacher in school of Arak city in 2012. sampling with cluster and data collection with questionnaire including knowledge, attitude, practice and appropriate resource of education for waste management. Finally data analyzed with statistical tests.

Results: The mean knowledge and attitude student was 4.1±1.9 (out of 8) and was 20.63±5.9 (out of 35) respectively. Based on most educational methods for weast management viewpoint of student book 441 student (29% ) but impact of internet very low interest 487 (32%) of student. Moreover the most educational methods based on level of education significant difference was observed (p=0.001).

Conclusion: Due to a level of knowledge and attitude of student and accsses to educational resourse and huge of weaste in school educational program planned via book, teacher and peer education for student recommended.

Effect of UV/H2O2 Advanced Oxidation Processes for the Removal of Naphthalene from the Water

Behrooz Karimi

Background: Naphthalene is a polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH_s) present in many water sediments. This study evaluated the performance of UV/H₂O₂ reaction to decompose naphthalene in the aqueous solution.

Materials and Methods: It was an experimental-laboratory study. A one liter cylindrical glass reactor was used for performing all degradation experiments. The radiation source was a low pressure mercury UV lamp emitting at 254 nm (30 W, UV-C) which was placed above a batch photoreactor for UV/H₂O₂experiments and different concentrations of H₂O₂ (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mg/L) were tested.

Results: In 15 mg/L naphthalene in UV/H₂O₂ system and reaction times 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 100 and 120 minutes, 15, 28, 31 , 36, 42, 52, 56, 73 and 59.5% naphthalene removal efficiencies were observed and COD removal efficiencies in reaction times 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 100 and 120 minutes, 22, 38, 45, 61.5, 67.5, 70, 80, 88.5 and 76 % were observed. When the initial pH values were 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,9, 10 and 12 the naphthalene removal efficiency was approximately 75.8, 63.4, 62, 58.5, 44.8, 35.8 and 30%, respectively, with UV/H₂O₂ system.

Conclusion: The experimental results of this study suggested that the dosages with 20 mg/L H₂O₂ at pH= 3 with 2.8 W/cm² UV intensity (254 nm) provided the optimal operation conditions for the mineralization of naphthalene yielding a 73% mineralization efﬁciency after 100 minutes of reaction time.

Antidepressant-Like Effect of Aqueous and Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Lavandula Angustifolia Mill in Forced Swim Test and Tail Suspension Test in Male Mice

Saeid Abbasi Maleki

Background: Lavandula officinalis has anti-anxiety and sedative properties. In the present study, the antidepressant effect of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Lavandula officinalis in forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in male mice was investigated.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 72 male mice were randomly divided into 9 groups of 8: Negative and positive control groups received normal saline (10 ml/kg), fluoxetine (20mg/kg) and imipramine (30mg/kg) respectively and treatment groups received extracts of Lavandula officinalis (100,200 and 400 mg/kg). Immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors were recorded during 6-min.

Results: Lavandula officinalis extracts (except the aqueous extract at a dose of 100 in FST) compared to control group significantly and dose dependently reduced the duration of immobility time a both of tests (p<0.001).Also, these extracts (except the aqueous extract at a dose of 100 in FST) significantly and dose dependably increased swimming time (p<0.001) without significant change of climbing time.

Conclusion: Lavandula officinalis has considerable antidepressant-like effect and their effect similar to fluoxetine.

The Effect of Decidual Microenvironment on Dendritic Cell Function in Normal Pregnancy and Abortion

Seyed Mohammad Moazzeni

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of molecules secreted by decidual cells on dendritic cells (DCs) function in abortion-prone compared with non-abortion-prone mice.

Materials and Methods: The decidual cell supernatants (DS) were obtained from abortion and non-abortion mouse models. DCs were purified from CBA/J mice spleens and treated with antigen and DS. Treated DCs were injected into mice palms. After 5 days, draining lymph nodes were removed, cultured in the presence of cognate antigen, and proliferation of lymphocyte cells was measured by 3H-thymidin incorporation.

Results: Our results showed that immunosuppressive activity of DS from non-abortion-prone mice significantly decrease dendritic cells' ability to stimulate lymphocytes proliferation compared with DS from abortion-prone mice (Simulation index (SI) of 4.93 ± 0.34 versus 11.84 ± 0.79).We, also found that DS prepared from non-resorption sites compared with DS from resorption sites in abortion-prone mice had increased immunosuppressive activity on DC function (SI of 7.31 ± 1.02 versus 2.67 ± 0.49).

Conclusion: Due to our results, we concluded that immunomodulatory activity of molecules secreted within decidual tissue is different between abortion-prone and non-abortion-prone mice. Based on the key role of DCs in inducing fetomaternal tolerance, we claimed that these molecules, through modulation of DCs function, play crucial role on pregnancy outcome.

The Association Between GSTP1 A/G Polymorphism and Oxidative Stress with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in Kermanshah

Ali Aidy

Background: End stage renal disease or ESRD is a progressive and irreversible deterioration in renal function in which the body’s ability to maintain metabolic and fluid and electrolyte balance fails. Glutathione s-transfrase P1 is member of multigenic family which have essential role in cells as an antioxidant. In this study we investigated the polymorphism of GSTP1 genotypes and oxidative stress in ESRD patients and compare with control subjects to determine the possible relation between polymorphism of this enzyme and ESRD.

Materials and Methods: We select 136 ESRD patients and 137 control cases (without kidney disease). GST P1 polymorphism were determined with PCR-RFLP. Level of MDA was measured by HPLC apparatus.

Results: Genotypes distribution of GSTP1 A/G polymorphism to AA, AG and GG genotypes in control group were 70(51.1%), 56(40.9%) and 11(8%) and In diabetic group 74(55.6%), 50(37.6%) and 9(6.8%), respectively (p=0.744). MDA levels in ESRD patients was higher than control group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: GSTP1 A/G polymorphism between two groups and each groups was not statistically significant with ESRD, probably this enzyme has a protective role in the risk of ESRD.

Isolation of Listeria Monocytogenes from Meat Products and Study on PrfA Gene in Bacteria Isolated and Compaire Them with Clinical Samples and Standard Samples

Robab Baharvand

Background: Listeria is a gram positive bacterium, facultive intracellular pathogene. Prf A gene has an important role in virulence. The purpose of this study was to determine of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in various meat products and presence of prf A gene in bacteria isolated from food samples and compare them with clinical samples and standard samples.

Materials and Methods: During 6 months of 60 samples of beef, chicken, ham, cocktail, sausage, from a butchery’s Khoramabad and shops in Khoramabad and Tehran were collected. L. monocytogenes was isolated according to cold enrichment method and prf A gene were analyzed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method. Statistical analysis was performed with the software SPSS (statistical package for social science).

Results: From 60 samples of meat and meat products, 8 (13.3%) were positive for Listeria spp. Among in these samples, 4 cases of L. monocytogenes (6.6%), 3 cases (5%), L. innocua and 1 case (1.6%) L. welshimri, were isolated which L. innocua was isolated from meat and poultry samples and L. monocytogens from meat, chicken, ham and L. welshimeri from meat were isolated. Prf A gene was detected in isolated L. monocytogenes and donated bacteria from dairy products, clinical and standard samples, 2 cases of donated samples of vegetable contained prf A genes.

Conclusion: The prf A gene (activator of transcription and regulators the expression of other virulence genes), in the studied samples were observed. This gene plays a role in pathogenesis. Because these bacteria are transmitted through food and is a serious threat to public health. Thus identification of bacteria especially its genes could be possible to find some ways to prevent the bacteria and avoid disease from it.