Functional recovery of sciatic nerve through inside-out vein graft in rats

AbstractObjectivePresent study aimed at further comprehensive functional, histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical assessment of peripheral nerve regeneration using rat sciatic nerve transection model.MethodsThe 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In control group nerve stumps were sutured to adjacent muscle and in treatment group the gap was bridged using an inside-out vein graft. In sham-operated group the nerve was manipulated and left intact. All animals underwent walking track analysis test 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. Subsequently, muscle mass measurement was performed to assess reenervation, histological examination to observe the sciatic nerve regeneration morphologically and Immunohistochemistry to detect Schwann cells using anti S-100. Results were analyzed using a factorial ANOVA with two between-subjects factors. Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons was used to examine the effect of treatments.ResultsFunctional analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that nerve function improved significantly in the time course in treatment group. However, quantitative morphometrical analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that there was no significant difference between 8 and 12 weeks in treatment group. Muscle weight ratio was bigger and weight loss of the gastrocnemius muscle was ameliorated by inside-out vein grafting. The position of positive immunohistochemical reactions further implied that regenerated axons and Schwann cell-like cells existed after vein grafting was performed, and was accompanied by the process of myelination and structural recovery of regenerated nerves.ConclusionFunctional analysis of peripheral nerve repair is far more reliable than quantitative morphometrical analysi

The effect of acupuncture on pain during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy- a clinical trial

زمینه و هدف: سنگ شکنی برون اندامی به عنوان روشی انتخابی در درمان سنگ های ادراری شناخته شده است. اکثر بیماران حین عمل سنگ شکنی درد تجربه می کنند. طب سوزنی، روش درمانی سنتی است که یکی از کاربردهای آن تسکین درد می باشد. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی اثر درمانی طب سوزنی بر روی میزان کاهش درد حین عمل سنگ شکنی برون اندامی انجام شده است. روش بررسی: این مطالعه کارآزمایی بالینی دو سو کور، بر روی 100 بیمار مبتلا به سنگ کالیسیل کلیه که کاندید عمل سنگ شکنی برون اندامی بودند، انجام گرفت. بیماران قبل از سنگ شکنی توسط متخصص طب سوزنی ویزیت شدند و به صورت تصادفی در یکی از دو گروه طب سوزنی (50 بیمار) و شم (50 بیمار) قرار گرفتند. در گروه طب سوزنی 4 نقطه مخصوص به مدت 30 دقیقه و در گروه شم همان نقاط به صورت غیر مؤثری به مدت 30 دقیقه تحریک شدند. سپس سنگ شکنی انجام شد و شدت درد بیمار بر اساس مقیاس دیداری درد ثبت و مورد مقایسه قرار گرفت. یافته ها: در 100 بیمار ارزیابی شده میانگین میزان درد در گروه طب سوزنی حقیقی 92/0±74/2 و در گروه طب سوزنی غیر واقعی 87/0±34/4 بود (01/0>P). سایز سنگ در دو گروه با میزان درد ارتباط معنی داری داشت (05/0>P) و هرچه سایز سنگ بیشتر بود، میزان درد ناشی از سنگ شکنی نیز بیشتر می بود. سن و جنس بر روی میزان درد اثری نداشت. نتیجه گیری: استفاده از طب سوزنی در بیمارانی که تحت عمل سنگ شکنی برون اندامی قرار گرفتند، باعث کاهش شدت درد حین عمل سنگ شکنی شد؛ لذا با انجام این روش می توان تا حدود زیادی به بیماران جهت تحمل درد کمک نمود

Protective Effect of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rat

Ischemia/reperfusion can cause tissue damage and affect organ function. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) occurs in a variety of clinical manifestations such as stroke, trauma, and surgery. The present study investigated the role of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) on the renal damage after IRI. Rats were assigned to four groups randomly (n = 8): Control group, Sham group, Renal IRI (45 minutes ischemia and subsequently 24 hours reperfusion) and renal IRI + PQQ (10 mg/kg /IP). Serum level of urea, creatinine, TNF-α and IL-6 were measured by a biochemical analyzer using commercial kits. In kidney tissue samples total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured using commercial kits. The results showed that IRI injury increased serum urea, creatinine levels, TNF-α and IL-6 along with MDA, MPO levels in the renal tissue, and decreased renal TAC levels. A decrease in serum urea, creatinine levels as well as MDA, MPO levels of the IR + PQQ group were observed in renal tissues. In addition, TAC levels in the kidney tissues of PQQ-treated animals were improved in comparison with the IRI group. In conclusion, pyrroloquinoline quinone treatment ameliorated renal IR injury by anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory properties. Consequently, it could be promising as a potential therapeutic agent for renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Evaluation of antibiotic activity of methicillin in healing of full-thickness infected wounds with sensitized methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in presence of HAMLET

Objective(s): The novel healing choices for handling of infections due to multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus are reguired. HAMLET has been reported to be able to sensitize bacterial pathogens to traditional antimicrobial agents. The aim was to assess wound healing activity of methicillin in presence of HAMLET in methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infected wounds. Materials and Methods: Fifty male rats were randomized into five groups of ten animals each. In CONTROL group, 0.1 ml sterile saline 0.9% solution was added to the wounds with no infection.  In MRSA group, the wounds were infected with MRSA and only treated with 0.1 ml the sterile saline (0.9%) solution. In MRSA/HAMLET group, infected wounds were cured with HAMLET (100 µg). In group MRSA/ Met, animals with infected wounds were cured with 0.1 ml local use of 1 mg/ml methicillin. In MRSA/Met/HAMLET group, animals with infected wounds were cured with local use of 0.1 ml solution of methicillin (1 mg/ml) and HAMLET (100 µg). All test formulations were used for ten consecutive days, twice a day, beginning from first treatment.Results: Microbiological examination, planimetric, histological and quantitative morphometric studies, immunohistochemical staining for angiogenesis, determination of hydroxyproline levels and RT-PCR for Caspase 3, Bcl-2 and p53 showed that there was significant difference between animals in MRSA/Met/ HAMLET group compared to other groups (

The comparison of stress coping styles between athletes and non-athletes and its relationship with mental health

Background and aims: Stress and anxiety are important factors that can highly affect athletes’ performance. They can also influence the mental and physical heath of the athletes. The aim of this study was to compare the stress-coping styles in two groups of athletes and non-athletes and evaluating its relationship with their mental health. Methods: One hundred athletes were selected randomly and 100 non-athletes were voluntarily participated in this study. Both groups answered the standard Yoo coping-styles and Goldberg general health questionnaires. Relevant statistical tests were used for data analysis. Results: Athletes in comparison with non-athletes used problem-focused and emotion-focused coping styles more frequently, but, they used avoidant-coping styles less frequently (P<0.01). Also, in the former group, while the application of problem- and emotion-focused coping-styles were correlated with increase in mental health, avoidant-coping styles were correlated with decrease in mental health. In contrast, in non-athletes, using problem-focused and avoidant coping styles were correlated with increase and decrease in mental health, respectively (P<0.05). Regression analysis demonstrated that stress-coping styles could largely predict the mental health variation in athletes and non-athletes groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Findings of this study provide more support for the importance of coping styles and its relationship with mental health in stress situations such as sport fields

DG-Embedded Radial Distribution System Planning Using Binary-Selective PSO

With the increasing rate of power consumption, many new distribution systems need to be constructed to accommodate connecting the new consumers to the power grid. On the other hand, the increasing penetration of renewable distributed generation (DG) resources into the distribution systems and the necessity of optimally place them in the network can dramatically change the problem of distribution system planning and design. In this paper, the problem of optimal distribution system planning including conductor sizing, DG placement, alongside with placement and sizing of shunt capacitors is studied. A new Binary-Selective Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) approach which is capable of handling all types of continuous, binary and selective variables, simultaneously, is proposed to solve the optimization problem of distribution system planning. The objective of the problem is to minimize the system costs. Load growth rate, cost of energy, cost of power, and inflation rate are all taken into account. The efficacy of the proposed method is tested on a 26-bus distribution system

Nano-Methoxatin Improves Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Torsion-Detorsion Model of Ovary

Using a rat ovary model, protective effects of nano-methoxatin (NMXTN) were studied on ischemia-reperfusion injury. Following randomization of forty-eight healthy female Wistar rats ~250 g, the animals were subjected to eight experimental groups (n = 6): Group SHAM: Only laparotomy was performed. Group IS: Only a 3-hour ischemia was performed. Group IS/Oil: Only a 3-hour ischemia was performed and 50 µl soybean oil alone (Solvent of MXTN) was administered 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Group IS/REP: The procedure included a 3-hour ischemia followed by a 3-hour reperfusion and 50 µl soybean oil alone was administered 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Group IS/MXTN: The procedure included a 3-hour ischemia only and 50 µl (0.3 mmol/l/IP) of MXTN 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Group IS/NMXTN: The procedure included a 3-hour ischemia only and 50 µl (0. 3 mmol/l/IP) of NMXTN 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Group IS/REP/MXTN: The procedure included a 3-hour ischemia, a 3-hour reperfusion and 20 µl (0.3 mmol/l) of MXTN 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Group IS/REP/NMXTN: The procedure included a 3-hour ischemia, a 3-hour reperfusion and 20 µl (0.3 mmol/l) of NMXTN 30 min before cessation of ischemia. Significantly amended development of ischemia/reperfusion tissue injury was observed in animals treated with NMXTN compared to those of other groups (p = 0.001). Mean values of biochemical indices were significantly higher than those observed for other groups (p = 0.001). Significantly lower values of MDA were observed in IS/REP/NMXTN animals compared to those of other groups (p = 0.001). Where ovarian tissue is exposed to ischemia intraperitoneal administration of NMXTN could bear clinical benefits in diminishing ischemia-reperfusion injury

Investigating the Relationship between Working Capital Management and Stock Price Crash Risk

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of working capital management on stock price crash risk. The sample includes 103 Iranian firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2013 to 2017. Panel data analysis with fixed effect estimation has been used to analyze the relationship between working capital management and stock price crash risk. Cash conversion cycle, working capital requirement, current, and quick ratios were applied as comprehensive measures for working capital management, and Hutton’s model was applied as a measure for stock price crash risk. The results indicate that there is a negative relationship between working capital indicators and stock price crash risk. Therefore, managers can use working capital strategies to decrease the risk of the stock price crash. Furthermore, asymmetry information may, in fact, increase a manager’s incentive to use working capital strategies to reduce the stock price crash risk