Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

The Effects of Bilberry and Cinnamon on Blood Biochemical Parameters of Workers Exposed to Nickel and Chromium Contaminants

Neda Baghinia

Background: Nickel and chromium are heavy metals whieh after arriving in biological systems can produce highly reactive free radicals in the body and interact with macromolecules cause damage to them. The purpose of this study, the effect of bilberry and cinnamon extract on blood biochemical factors in workers exposed to nickel and chromium.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 99 workers were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (control), group 2 workers, welders exposed to nickel and chromium without extract (G) and group 3 workers, welders exposed to nickel and chromium with extracts (B). First biochemical parameters were measured in blood serum. Then the group 3, 2 times a day for four weeks, billberry juice and tea - Cinnamon received. Finally, Biochemical parameters in blood were measured and compared. SPSS software and descriptive statistics (mean±SD), T- independent and one-way ANOVA test were used to analyze the data.

Results: Between group Variance in some biochemical variables between the three groups, control, G and B showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Within-group variance was significant in some variables.

Conclusion: After consumption of billberry juice and tea-cinnamon positive changes in biochemical parameters in workers who are exposed to the toxic effects of nickel and chromium was obtained.

Increasing of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Vaccine Potency, Using a Mixture of Alum-Naloxone: Augmentation of Humoral Immune Responses

Gholamreza Irajian

Background: The emergence of antibiotic resistance, particularly resistance to methicillin in Staphylococcus aureus has made the treatment process more difficult. Therefore, producing of an effective vaccine seems to be necessary to prevent infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In this study, a mixture of naloxone and alum has been used to improve the efficacy of a vaccine against MRSA.

Materials and Methods: MRSA 834 strain was grown on TSB medium and the grown cells were harvested and killed by sonication and were used as a vaccine model. Balb/c mice were divided into six groups and the vaccines were either injected alone, with naloxone, alum, or a mixture of naloxone - alum and control group received naloxone and PBS buffer. Total IgG antibody level was measured by ELISA method and finally, the challenge test of this bacterium was performed and the mice were examined regarding the degree of bacteria growth in their kidneys.

Results: The serum level of Total IgG antibody in the mixture of naloxone – alum with MRSA group was shown to be signiﬁcantly increased (p<0.05). Furthermore, the lowest bacterial load was observed in this group.

Conclusion: It seems that a mixture of naloxone and alum as an adjuvant with the killed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus enhances the humoral immunity leading to a high level of protection against MRSA infections. Therefore, this seems to be a good option for improving the performance of this vaccine.

Assessment of Histopathological Changes on Brain, Spleen and Embryo NMRI Pregnant Mice Exposed to Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

Bagher Seyed Alipour

Background: Nanomaterials have gained increasing attention because of their novel properties, including a large specific surface area and high reaction activity. This study was designed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of CuO nanopaticles on brain, spleen, and embryo NMRI pregnant mice.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, forty two female NMRI mice of (weighting 30±3.0 g) were randomly divided into six groups (four experimental groups, one sham group and one control group).The experimental mice on days 3 and 12 of pregnancy received CuO nanoparticle with concentrations 50, 100, 150, 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection. On day 17 pregnancy, brain, spleen and fetus weights were measured.Tissues for histopathological evaluation were stained with hematoxylin and eosin.

Results: Based on the macroscopic observations of embryos weight with increasing concentration of nanoparticle compared to control reduces its toxicity increased (p&le0.05). Spleen only at concentration of 600 mg/kg showed significant changes compared to control (p&le0.05). Histopathologic examination on brain and spleen following IP administration of CuO nanoparticle showed signs of cytotoxicity (congestion, necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, vacuolar degeneration) and (congestion, necrosis, increased hemosiderin) compared to control group, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study clearly showed that CuO-NPs can produce the histopathological abnormalities on brain and spleen tissues of NMRI mice in a dose-dependent manner.

Study of the Relationship Between Testosterone, Age, Serum Lipoprotein Levels and Body Mass Index in Men in Golestan Province

Masoud Golalipour

Background: Due to the changing lifestyle in terms of nutrition and physical activity, obesity has become one of the major challenges to human health. The study of metabolic factors involved in this phenomenon plays an important role in preventing and treating the obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between testosterone level and serum lipoproteins such as LDL and HDL with Body Mass Index (BMI), in different age groups of men in Golestan population.

Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 183 men were randomly selected during 2012. Anthropometric measures (weight and height) were obtained according to standard methods, and BMI was calculated for each one. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Pearson bivariate correlation test between groups and one-way Anova test was performed and p<0.05 being considered as significant.

Results: Data analysis showed a significant inverse correlation between BMI and serum testosterone level (p=0.005). In the study population, higher BMI was associated with increased LDL level (p=0.049) and also increasing age (p=0.011). In addition, an inverse relationship was observed between BMI and HDL levels that were not statistically significant (p=0.068).

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that weight gain is associated with increased LDL and low testosterone serum level, and this relation is more meaningful in old men.

Indole-3-Carbinol Enhances Doxorubicin-Induced Apoptosis Through Suppression of NF-B in B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cell Line NALM-6

Majid Safa

Background: Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic agent still in widespread use in hematologic malignancies. A side effect of anthracyclines such as doxorubicin is the activation of nuclear factor-&kappaB (NF-&kappaB), a potent inducer of antiapoptotic genes, which may blunt the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs. In this study, the effect of indole -3-carbinol (I3C) on the activation NF-&kappaB and the anti-apoptotic genes whose expression is regulated by NF-&kappaB was assessed in NALM-6 cells.

Materials and Methods: NALM-6 cells were preincubated with various concentrations of I3C and then treated with doxorubicin. Cellular DNA content assay and Annexin V-FITC staining were performed by flowcytometry for evaluation of apoptosis. For assessing the effect of I3C on the expression of XIAP, survivin, and nuclear p65 proteins, NALM-6 cells were pretreated with I3C and then incubated with doxorubicin. Whole-cell and nuclear extracts were prepared for Western blot analysis. A paired t-test was conducted to evaluate the results.

Results: DNA histogram analysis of NALM-6 cells indicates a combination of I3C with doxorubicin significantly escalated the percentages of sub-G1 population cells compared with doxorubicin - only treated group (p<0.05). Annexin V-FITC staining also showed that cotreatment of NALM-6 cells with I3C and doxorubicin significantly increased the proportion of Annexin-V positive cells in comparison with the doxorubicin treated cells (p<0.05). The western blot analysis indicated I3C significantly inhibits both doxorubicin -induced nuclear translocation of p65 and the expression of doxorubicin-induced NF-&kappaB target.

Conclusion: Our results indicated that using natural non-toxic inhibitors of NF-&kappaB such as I3C in combination with anthracyclines might be a rational combination therapy for BCP-ALL cells in which NF-&kappaB is constitutively active.

Effectiveness of Group Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Based on Core Distress Tolerance and Emotion Regulation Components) on Expulsive Anger and Impulsive Behaviors

Narges Zamani

Background: Impulsivity is a core social pathology. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to Effectiveness of group dialectical behavior therapy based on core distress tolerance and emotion regulation components on Expulsive Anger and Impulsive Behaviors.

Materials and Methods: Research method is a semi experimental socio-statistic approach consisting of experimental group (dialectical behavior therapy) and control group. Participants were patients referred to Amir Kabir Hospital in Arak. and who were Expulsive Anger and Impulsive Behaviors. Based on stratified random sampling, 16 patients (women) were placed in each group. Research tools included the structured diagnosis interview according to DSM-IV-TR (2000), Barrat impulsivity scale (1994) Distress Tolerance Scale (2005) Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (2004) and dialectical behavior therapy were done for two months, 8 groups Sessions.

Results: The results of this study showed that there was significant difference between control and experimental groups after implementation of dialectical behavior therapy relying on component tolerance and regulation of emotional distress variables impulsive behavior and explosion furies (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Distress tolerance and emotion regulation components effective on Expulsive Anger and Impulsive Behaviors.

Hemokinin-1 Molecular Adjuvant: An Approach to Enhance the Efficacy of Influenza Vaccine

Shahla Shahsavandi

Background: The outbreaks of new antigenic variants of influenza viruses in human populations have increased necessity the improvement of controlling programs. Influenza vaccines are formulated with adjuvant to enhance and direct the host immune responses. Currently, much effort is devoted to designing molecular adjutants. Hemokinin-1 (HK-1) activates T and B cells for proliferation, survival, differentiation into plasma cells, and antibody production. In this study, the effect of HK-1 as a molecular adjuvant for inducing humoral immune response against influenza virus was investigated.

Materials and Methods: The HK-1 coding sequence was cloned into pcDNA3.1 vector and used as adjuvant. Groups of mice were immunized with an inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with HK-1. The sera of vaccinated mice were collected prior to priming and boosting injections and at defined weeks, and analyzed with serological assays.

Results: The results showed that HK-1 was able to increase antibody titer against virus vaccine. The mice immunized with the adjuvanted vaccine produced higher antibody titers against influenza comparing to vaccine alone immunized group. Number of boosting had no effect on the enhancing of antibody titer.

Conclusion: These data revealed that HK-1 as a molecular adjuvant induces stronger humoral and memory responses against influenza immunization.

Correlation Between the Expression of OprD Gene and Sensitivity to Carbapenems of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Strains Isolated from Clinical Samples Using qRT-PCR

Mohammad Reza Arabestani

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens with high mortality rates. OprD is the major resistance mechanism to carbapeneme antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of the genes encoding these efflux pumps using qRT-PCR.

Materials and Methods: This study examined 100 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients admitted to various hospitals in the Hamedan. Conventional phenotypic tests were used for identifying the 100 collected samples, then 31 samples were selected based on type of collected specimen and antibiotic susceptibility test i.e. antibiotic disk diffusion method performed for aminoglycoside, quinolone and carbapenem antibiotics. Furthermore, MIC method was performed for imipenem. Finally, RNA was extracted and converted to cDNA for determining the efflux pump genes expression using qRT-PCR.

Results: Among 8 selected antibiotics, the greatest resistance was for levofloxacin (61.2%, n=19) and the lowest one for imipenem (9.6%, n=3). The results of MIC were to imipenem 12 samples (38.7%) resistant, 13 samples (41.93%) intermediate, and 6 samples (19.35%) sensitive. The OprD gene was present in all strains but different expression has been observed. The strains with over expression of OprD gene showed high sensitivity towards carbapenems family antibiotics especially imipenem.

Conclusion: Identifying of bacterial resistance mechanisms is very complicated and extensive due to different mechanisms involved for similar antibiotics. OprD is main cause of attachment to the carbapenems family antibiotics. The more expression of OprD shows the more antibiotic sensitivity.

The Efficacy of Education Film on Quality of Life and Satisfaction in Patient with Tracheostomy

Salam Vatandoust

Background: Quality of life in Tracheostomy patients who are discharged from hospital and take care of your home will be affected by the current situation. Therefore, proper training can improve their quality of life also will increase the satisfaction of the training provided. Based on this, the researcher was to investigate the effects of video tape on quality of life and satisfaction in patient with tracheostomy.

Materials and Methods: This research is a Quasi-experimental study in Imam Khomeini and Amir alam Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in1392. In this study 80 patient were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In the discharge questionnaire on demographic characteristics, quality of life (SF-36) and satisfaction (VAS) were completed. The intervention group received education film for home use addition to the routine teaching of hospital. Two months later the patient's quality of life and patient satisfaction were assessed again with the above instruments. The data were analyzed with using statistical SPSS (V.20).

Results: Statistical analysis showed the difference was significant in both groups after the intervention (p=0.003). The quality of life in the intervention group at two months after the discharge in role limitation due to emotional problems, emotional status, social functioning, energy, public health, and the pain had increased. Average satisfaction with the training of the two groups was statistically significant difference (p<0.001).

Conclusion: The results showed that in addition to routine education to provide educational CDs for home use at discharge can improve the quality of life as well as increased satisfaction with training provided to patient’s tracheostomy.

Catamenial Pneumothorax: a Case Report

Shahin Fateh

Background: Catamenial recurrent pneumothorax is spontaneous pneumothorax in women of reproductive age, which includes 1-30% of spontaneous pneumothoraces in women and is associated with the menstrual cycle.

Case: A 39-year-old woman with sudden onset dyspnea, respiratory distress and decreased right side respiratory sounds with a history of spontaneous pneumothorax and chest tube placement one month ago. The patient's symptoms improved after chest tube placement and within less than 24 hours after onset, she began menstruating. Treatment was performed with chemical pleurodesis with tetracycline and oral danazol.

Conclusion: Catamenial pneumothorax and thoracic endometriosis should be considered in all women of childbearing age with spontaneous recurrent pneumothorax. Early detection of this syndrome can result in reduction of morbidity and mortality with recurrence episodes.