Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

A Review: Evaluating the Dynamics of Influenza Viruses Replication and Host Cell- Virus Interactions

Shahla Shahsavandi

Background: Direct transmission of avian influenza viruses with human receptor binding specificity to humans is a serious risk of newly emerging virus responsible for pandemy. The analysis of recent avian influenza hemagglutinin sequences and their glycans show their affinities to the human sialic acid receptors. The upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and type I IFN genes, and host cell death responses contribute to the pathogenesis of influenza infection. Understanding the host cell-virus interactions and replication dynamic of the viruses in different cells is an essential step in surveillance and controlling programs against influenza.

Passive Immunity with Recombinant Anti-Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Type B Fagellin Antibody in a Burned Mouse Model

Nour Amirmozafari

Background: Pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains produce a polar flagellum that required for motility, adhesion, invasion and secretion of virulence factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of prevention and treatment with anti-recombinant type B ﬂagellin antibody in a burned mouse model.

Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty six mice were divided into 16 groups injected with different regimen of anti-recombinant type B ﬂagellin antibody. Infections were caused by sub-dermal injection of P. aeruginosa PAO1 and PAK strains at the burn site. Groups were monitored for mortality for one week. Additionally, functional activity of this antibody was assessed by motility inhibition and opsonophagocytosis assays.

Results: Immunotherapy with rabbit antisera substantially increased (85.71%) survival rate of mice challenged with a homologous strain PAO1 compared with the control PBS. The mortality rate in mice infected by the heterologous strain PAK was only 28.57%. This antibody increased phagocytosis killing of the homologous strain but it only had a slight effect on the heterologous strain.

Conclusion: Passive immunotherapy protected burned mice challenged with the homologous strain but showed lower efﬁcacy against the heterologous strain.

Production and Study of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Gelatin Nano-Capsules Containing Ferula Assa-Foetida Essential Oil

Amin Shakiba

Background: Ferula assa-foetida is one of the common medicines that was used as antiseptic with a view to traditional uses, it can be used as a safe and effective drug to treat diseases particularly resistant bacterial infections. This study aims to product gelatin nano- capsules containing Ferula assa-foetida essential oil and investigate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on gelatin nano-capsules containing Ferula assa-foetida essential oil (FAO) (2, 4, 6 and 8% w/w), glycerol (25% w/w) as plasticizer and glutaraldehyde as cross-linker. The morphology, antioxidant and antibacterial activities and operation of the nano-capsules were assessed according to American Standards by Scanning Electron Microscopy, ABTS, and microbiological tests.

Results: Gelatin nano-capsules exhibited low antioxidant and antibacterial activities while gelatin nano-capsules incorporated with FAO exhibited excellent antioxidant and antibacterial. The highest rates of these effects were seen merged with 8% of FAO.

Conclusion: Gelatin nano-capsules merged with FAO have excellent physical form, as well as they are an appropriate antioxidant and antibacterial that have been considered to produce antoxidant and antibacterial drugs.

Evaluation of the Effect of Human Bone Marrow-Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretions on KGF and TGF-β1 Genes Expression in Diabetic Rats Wound

Abbas Piryaei

Background: Wound healing is a complex process that is impaired in diabetic patients due to several factors. So far, the positive effects of mesenchymal stem cells secretions in wound healing process have been reported. In this study, we investigated the effect of human mesenchymal stem cells Conditioned media on expression of effective factors involved in wound healing.

Materials and Methods: 27 rats were divided into 5 groups: no wound control, normal control, diabetic control, diabetic placebo and diabetic experimental. Diabetes was induced by Alloxan. A wound was created on the back of the rats. Then, the conditioned medium was prepared from mesenchymal stem cells. Diabetic experimental rats received 200 microliter of conditioned medium intravenously. The wounds were sampled and expression of KGF and TGF-&beta1 genes was examined by RT-PCR on days four and seven after wounding.

Results: In the diabetic experimental group, expression of KGF gene at fourth and seventh days had been non-significantly increased in comparison to diabetic control group. While, expression of TGF-&beta1 gene in diabetic experimental group compared to diabetic control group had been significantly (p<0.05) increased on fourth day, and non-significantly increased on seventh day.

Conclusion: It seems that using the conditioned medium derived from human mesenchymal stem cells positively affects the expression of trophic and inflammatory factors involved in diabetic skin wound healing.

Investigation of Mutations in Exons 15 and 18 of MYBPC3 Gene in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Patients

Morteza Hashemzade chaloshtari

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a various collection of heart diseases with autosomal dominant inheritance affecting 0.2% of the global population. HCM is also the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in individuals younger than 35 years old. Approximately, 40% of affected cases are associated with MYBPC3 gene. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible presence of mutation in 15 and 18 exons of MYBPC3 gene in patients with HCM in Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiyari province.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 HCM patients were selected. DNA was extracted using standard phenol-chloroform method. Certain exons were amplified by PCR method. And then, SSCP and HA methods were run.

Results: Significant differences were observed between the positive control samples and other samples. However, there were no difference in studied exons or shift in the bands.

Conclusion: Mutations in the exons of MYBPC3 gene may cause the HCM disease, and change in other exons may be the causative agent in this geographical region and change in this studied exons may not have contributed to the HCM disease. However, it is necessary to study more patients for getting a better conclusion.

Predictive Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Intention in Pregnant Women

Nasrin Roozbahani

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after delivery plays a crucial role in preventing infants morbidity and mortality. Exclusive breastfeeding intention during pregnancy is one of predictors of this behavior. Determining the effective factors in exclusive breastfeeding intention helps plan for promoting breastfeeding intention and behavior. The aim of this study is to determine predictive factors of exclusive breastfeeding intention in pregnant women, based on the theory of planned behavior.

Materials and Methods: This analytical study was conducted in 2014 on 224 primigravide women referred to Health Centers of Kashan. The samples were randomly selected from 16 health centers. The mothers completed the questionnaires of demography, intention, attitude, subjective norms and the perceived behavior control. A linear regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of the exclusive breastfeeding intention.

Results: In regression model, the perceived behavior control (&beta=0.42, p<0.001), attitude (&beta=0.27, p<0.01) and subjective norms (&beta=0.18, p=0.059) were predictors of the exclusive breastfeeding intention. This model could explain 63% of the variance of the exclusive breastfeeding intention. The knowledge and demographic factors were not predictors of the intention.

Conclusion: The results reveal the perceived behavior control, attitudes and subjective norms could predict exclusive breastfeeding intention, so they should be considered as general guidelines in designing educational interventions in order to improve exclusive breastfeeding in women.

Assessing Health Impacts of Air Pollution in Kashan 2011

Mohadeseh Mosayebi

Background: The air pollutants such as CO, SO₂, NO₂, O₃, and particulate matters have harmful effects on public health. Determination of the actual concentration of the pollutants and description of air quantity and quality contents in comparison of standard conditions and timely informing people to regulate control programs is essential. Kashan is exposed to the winds contain-ing the suspended particulate matters due to the proximity of the desert. Moreover, the growth of population, factories and industries in the city are artifical resources of the air pollution. Hence, assessment and monitoring of air pollution standard condition in kashan is crucial.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, the concentration of CO, SO₂, NO₂, O₃, and suspended particulate matters less than 10 microns (PM₁₀) measured according to WHO standards in Panzdah-e-Khordad station of Kashan in 2011. The annual mean and maximum rates, the mean and maximum rate of summer and winter, and annual percentile 98%, determined for each pollutant and used in AirQ software. Then, the number of death and disease attributed to each pollutant was calculated.

Results: The results demonstrate that the cumulative number of deaths attributed to PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ was 100, 22, 82, and 54, respectively.

Conclusion: In total, the suspended particulate matters have the most effects on death and disease resulted from the air pollution. Hence, managing the resources of particulate matters and SO₂ pollutants has many effects on reducing the adverse health effects of air pollution in Kashan.

Quality of Life and Assessment of Efficacy of Rehabilitation on Improvement of Quality of Llife and its Subtypes after PCI in Qom

abolfazl mozafari

Background: Cardiovascular diseases is one of the most prevalent causes of mortality in all around the world accounting for high rates of decrease of physical function and daily work. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of cardiac rehabilitation on quality of life dimensions Percutanous Coronary Intervention (PCI) patients.

Materials and Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on 96 patients in the rehabilitation unit in Qom. Half of patients put in the test group and the others remained as control. Data of all patients including of demographic parameter and questionnaire of quality of life before and after rehabilitation (in case and control groups) were collected. Data analysis was done in SPSS 18 by central statistical indices and frequency distribution as well as independent t-test, pair t-test ans Chi-square and p-value below than 0.05 was significant.

Results: out of 96 patients, the mean age was 57.21±9.09 and 57.3± 10.89 years in case and control groups respectively and 70.8% were male and remains were female. There was significant relationship between quality of life and its subtypes except physical function (p<0.001). Moreover, difference between quality of life and six out of eight subtypes scores before and after rehabilitation in both groups was significant.

Conclusion: It seems that cardiac rehabilitation after PCI affects quality of life.

The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) on Improvement in Pain and Symptoms of Shoulder Subacromial Impingement Syndrome

Armita Ghahremaninia

Background: Subacromial impingement is one of the most common complaints of shoulder. Treatments include avoiding of painful activities, oral anti-pain drugs, physical therapy modalities, corticosteroid injection and exercise therapy. Some studies have shown that platelet- rich plasma(PRP) is effective on tendinitis and tearing of tendons, ligaments and muscles, but evidence that has proved PRP as a conservative treatment in shoulder pathologies is very limited. This study aims to investigate the effect of PRP injection on relieving pain and improving daily function of patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, patients older than 40 with pain more than three months were included. If they had three of four positive diagnostic clinical tests of shoulder impingement that were confirmed by shoulder MRI, could be injected PRP twice. The time between injections was 1 month. Pain was measured by visual analog scale (VAS) and function was measured by two questionnaires named disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and western Ontario rotator cuff (WORC) index. Range of motion (ROM) of shoulder was measured in five directions by goniometry . All of these parameters were evaluated before intervention and in 1, 3, 6 months later.

Results: with due attention to a six-month folloe-up, PRR injection was effective in pain reduction and improvement of patient's function (p<0.05). Shoulder Rom increased in all directions except external rotation and the power of shoulder muscles was evidently improved statistically in flexion, abduction and internal toration.

Conclusion: PRP injection could effectively reduce pain and improve daily activities in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

A Case Report of Complicated Hydatid Cyst in a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Gholamreza Noori Broujerdi

Background: Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infestation by a tapeworm of the genus of Echinococcus that characterized by cystic lesions in the liver and lungs but rarely in other parts of the body.

Case: Known case of chronic Lymphocytic leukemia was a 56-years old man with several hydatid cysts of liver and lungs that was hospitalized because of ascites and abdominal pain. The patient received albendazol and surgical operation with diagnosis of peritonitis and complicated hydatid cyst in lungs and liver and Peritoneum. Patient expired with DIC and sepsis.

Conclusion: This case report provides evidence that complicated hydatid cysts in immunocopromised patients have a bad prognosis and can not be safely treated by medication and surgery.