Assessment of leadership among clinical laboratories managers of teaching hospitals: Quantum leadership approach

Background: Quantum leadership approach causes efficient and effective procedures among health care organizations, specially clinical laboratories. Objective: This research was aimed to determine the status of quantum leadership dimensions among all management levels of clinical laboratories of teaching hospitals of medical sciences universities in Tehran. Methods: This descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional study was induced among 180 managers of 35 clinical laboratories of Iran, Shahid Beheshti and Tehran Universities of Medical Sciences 2016. The research tool was researcher - constructed questionnaire of quantum skills, demographic details that its content and face validity and reliability were confirmed. For analysis of data, T-test and ANOVA techniques were used. Findings: Most of the studied clinical laboratories managers were male, married, with 15-20 years work experiences, 1-5 years managerial services, and minimally one training courses in clinical laboratory management. The managers had relatively desired and desired score of quantum skills and leadership respectively. Also, there was significant correlation between quantum leadership with age (P=0.01), and with management training courses (P=0.02). Conclusion: It is expected this paradigm may change the clinical laboratory management in the near future with regards to desirability of quantum leadership dimensions among clinical laboratories. Keywords: Quantum leadership model, Quantum skill, Clinical laborator

Immunological Effects of Leishmania major Secretory and Excre¬tory Products on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in BALB/c Mice

Background: To evaluate the immunological properties of Leishmania major excreted- secreted (E-S) products on the progress of leishmaniasis in susceptible BALB/c mice. Methods: Promastigotes of the Leishmania major were cultured and E-S products were collected during the culture preiod. Groups of BALB/c mice (n= 12) were immunized with E-S products or whole antigen. Animals were challenged with promastigotes of stationary phase culture, then mortality was followed up to 6 months. In another group of animals drainage lymph nods cells were removed and cultured for cytokines assay. Results: Activity of acteylcholinesters (AChE) and acid phosphatase (ACP) incresed time dependently. Using SDS-PAGE two major protein bands of 110 and 75 kDa were seen on the gel. Wound diameter in group receiving 24 h E-S products was significantly lower than the other experimental groups (P< 0.05). During the first 4 months of the follow up no mortality was seen in this group, but mortality was started in the second months of the challenge in other groups. The IL-4 and IL-10 level in whole Ag group were significantly higher than the other groups. In cells from animals receiving 24 h E-S products the IL-2 level was significantly higher than the other experimental groups (P< 0.05). Also the IFN g level was significantly higher both in 24 h E-S and whole Ag groups (P< 0.01). Conclusion: The 24 h E-S group corresponded with small wounds, dominant Th1 cytokines response and low level of mortality

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF POLYMYXINE B AND NIFEDIPINE ON DIABETIC COMPLICATIONS IN RAT: ROLE OF PROTEIN KINASE C

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), experience significant morbidity and mortality from microvascular retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. Hyperglycemia can induce diabetic complications through multiple pathways. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by hyperglycemia is one of the pathways which causes diabetic complications. Effect of nifedipine (a calcium channel blocker), and polymyxine B sulphate (a Protein kinase C inhibitor) was studied in adult male Sprague- dawley rats, who was made diabetic with streptozotocin. PKC activity was determined in tissues and serum enzymes and metabolite level was measured in all controls, diabetic and drug treated animals. The results showed that, levels of the, urea (two –fold), creatinine (60%), triglyceride (two-fold) and liver alanine transaminase (ALT) activity (two-fold), were significantly increased in diabetic group. In nifedipine, treated diabetic group, although urea and creatinine level was increased, but liver enzymes were not significantly different from those of control group. In diabetic group which was treated with polymyxine, all the measured metabolites and enzyme levels were the same as the control group, except glucose level which was increased and liver glycogen was decreased significantly. Protein kinase C activity in the cytoplasm of diabetic liver was increased comparing to its control group (5.73 ± 0.56 Vs, 4.00 ± 0.62). The enzyme activity in the plasma membranes of untreated and nifedipine treated diabetic groups was significantly increased (6.2 ± 0.42 and 3.66 ± 0.31 Vs 2.38 ± 0.36). These results show that polymyxine is more effective than nifedipine against protein kinase C activity in diabetic complications. In conclusion our results show that, liver and kidney damage in DM are related to PKC activation. The fact that polymyxine prevents diabetic related increase in PKC activity more than nifedipine, support the hypothesis that different PKC isozymes may play different roles in the development of diabetic complications

Enzymatic control of glycogenolysis during anoxic submergence in the freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta

Freshwater turtles Trachemys scripta elegans endure prolonged severe hypoxia, and even complete anoxia, while diving or hibernating underwater. Metabolic adaptations supporting survival include the activation of glycogenolysis and glucose output from liver, as well as strong metabolic rate depression. The present study analyzes the enzymes of both the phosphorolytic (glycogen phosphorylase, phosphorylase b kinase, cAMP-dependent protein kinase) and glucosidic (α-glucosidase) pathways of glycogenolysis in turtle organs. Turtles were subjected to 5 hr of submergence in N2-bubbled water at 7°C and then activities of phosphorolytic and glucosidic enzymes were assayed in liver, heart, brain, and red and white skeletal muscle, and compared with aerobic controls. In vitro incubations also assessed protein kinase A control of phosphorolytic enzymes. A functional enzyme cascade system for the activation of glycogen phosphorylase was found in all organs, and both phosphorylase and phosphorylase kinase were stimulated by in vitro incubation with the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Anoxic submergence led to significant increases in phosphorylase activities in liver and heart (phosphorylase a rose 2- and 2.5-fold, respectively) but phosphorylase kinase and protein kinase A activities in liver were reduced after 5 hr exposure. Both acidic (pH 4) and neutral (pH 7) forms of α-glucosidase were detected in all five organs with highest activities in liver. Activity of acid α-glucosidase, which degrades lysosomal glycogen, increased by 2-fold in liver during anoxic submergence. The data show that glycogen breakdown in turtle liver during anoxic submergence may result from coordinated activations of both the cytoplasmic phosphorolytic and the lysosomal glucosidic pathways of glycogenolysis