Methods to break seed dormancy of Astragalus cyclophyllon

The aim of this study was to enhance the germination rate of Astragalus cyclophyllon seeds which have a very low germination rate under normal conditions. The seeds were soaked for 72 h in 100, 200, 300,400 and 500 ppm gibberellic acid (GA3) solution, H2SO4 concentrations (50 and 98%) at two treatment times (5 and 10 min) and 60, 80 and 100ºC hot water at two treatment times (5 and 10 min) beforeplacing in Petri dishes. The fresh seeds (non-stratified) of A. cyclophyllon had 55% germination. Analysis of variance indicated that both GA3 and H2SO4 concentrations had significant effects on seed germination and final germination percentage. The highest germination percentage (81%) was obtained when the seeds were treated with 500 ppm GA3. The results showed that hot water treatments are not useful methods for breaking the seeds dormancy

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: epidemiological trends and controversies in treatment

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus has the widest geographic range of all tick-borne viruses and is endemic in more than 30 countries in Eurasia and Africa. Over the past decade, new foci have emerged or re-emerged in the Balkans and neighboring areas. Here we discuss the factors influencing CCHF incidence and focus on the main issue of the use of ribavirin for treating this infection. Given the dynamics of CCHF emergence in the past decade, development of new anti-viral drugs and a vaccine is urgently needed to treat and prevent this acute, life-threatening disease

Serum zinc level in newborns with neural tube defects in Gorgan

Background: Neural tube defects (NTD) are a group of congenital malformations that include spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele. Some investigations have indicated that Zinc deficiency is one of the causative factors of NTDs. This study was done to determine the relation between neural tube defect and neonatal serum Zinc level in Gorgan - North of Iran. Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 23 newborns with NTD and 35 healthy newborns, in Dezyani hospital in Gorgan- north of Iran. Serum zinc level was assessed with spectrophotometery. Data was analyzed by SPSS soft ware. Findings: Mean of serum Zinc levels in case and control groups were 8 (±3.9) μmol/Lit and 12.3 (±4) μMol/Lit, respectively (p<0.001). Zinc deficiency was found in 43.5% of the cases and 8.6% of the controls (χ2 =9.73, p=0.002). The logistic regression analysis has shown an association between the presence of NTDs and zinc deficiency (OR=8.2, 95%CI: 1.9-34.7). Conclusion: This study showed that Zinc deficiency was thought to be one of the most important factors in the NTDs etiology in this area

Peak Bone Mass Measurement in Iranian Healthy Population

Background: Osteoporosis is a disabling disease characterized by compromised bone strength, which predisposes a patient to increased risk of fracture. The aim of this study was evaluation the pattern of bone mass in Iranian healthy population. Methods: The study was performed between December 2000 and May 2001 on one thousand three healthy Iranian sub¬jects who currently live in Tehran. They were selected randomly by cluster random sampling among men and women of 10-76 yr from 50 clusters. The volunteer people were referred to the Bone Mineral Density BMD unit of EMRC. The partici¬pants were recalled for three times and the response rate was 83%. BMD was measured by DXA using Lunar DPX-MD device. Results: Females achieved maximum lumbar BMD up to 25-35. Femur BMD maximized in 30 to 35 and after 45 the inten¬sity of bone loss increased. Female peak bone mass in lumbar region was 1.19 ± 0.12 g/cm2and in femur was 1.02±0.12 g/cm2. Male peak bone mass in lumbar region occurred between ages 25-40 yr, Male&apos;s femur BMD maximized in 20-30. In male peak lumbar bone mass was 1.22±0.16 g/cm2 and femur was 1.08±0.15 g/cm2. Osteopenia was recog¬nized in 50% and 48.8% of women above 50 in spine and total femur, respectively, however these percentages were 37.1% and 34.8% among male subjects. Conclusion: Iranian BMD values sufficiently different from other countries to warrant a separate reference sample with which to compare individuals for the purpose of diagnosing osteoporosis and osteopenia according to the WHO criteria