Cytotoxicity of Two Gypsophila Species to Human Breast Adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)

Introduction: Cancer is known as the second cause of death worldwide which results in serious problems in human life. It is developed by uncontrolled growth of a cell or a group of cells. Caryophyllaceae is a large family which has been reported to possess cytotoxic species and in the present study, the cytotoxic activity of two plants from this family has been evaluated. Methods and Results: Dried powder of Gypsophila bicolor (Freyn & Sint.) Grossh and Gypsophila ruscifolia Boiss. aerial parts were extracted with methanol 80% by maceration method (10 g). For fractionation, 30 g of the dried powder of both species was macerated with petroleum ether at room temperature. After 24 hours, the mixture was filtered and the plant residues were extracted with chloroform and methanol successively through the same process. Then they were concentrated using a rotary evaporator apparatus. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), A-549 (non-small cell lung carcinoma) and AGO-1522 (human fibroblast) cell lines using MTT assay. The chloroform fractions of both Gypsophila species showed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 cells with IC50 value <100 μg/mL. None of the extracts or fractions demonstrated cytotoxicity to A-549 or AGO-1522 cells up to the tested concentrations. Conclusions: The selective toxicity of the chloroform fractions of the species only to the MCF-7 cell line suggested that Gypsophila bicolor and G. ruscifolia could be proper candidates for further studies in the field of cancer researches

Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii by PCR-ELISA method

زمینه و هدف: اسینتوباکتر بومانی عامل عفونت های دستگاه تنفسی، دستگاه ادراری، خون و زخم ها به خصوص در بخش مراقبت های ویژه می باشد و توانایی کسب مقاومت دارا می باشد. به منظور تشخیص به موقع و پیگیری فرایند درمان این عفونت ها، لازم است که تکنیک ها به طور مستمر اصلاح شوند. با توجه به اینکه تاکنون مطالعه ای در زمینه شناسایی و جداسازی این باکتری در نمونه های بالینی در ایران با روش PCR-ELISA انجام نشده است، این مطالعه با هدف جداسازی اسینتوباکتر بومانی با روش PCR-ELISA انجام شده است. روش بررسی: در این تحقیق روش PCR-ELISA با استفاده از آغازگرهای اختصاصی و پروب بر روی سویه استاندارد مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. بعد از تکثیر و نشاندار کردن توالی ژن gltA، محصول نشاندار در کف میکرو پلیت کوت گردید و با استفاده از آنتی بادی ضد دیگوکسی ژنین کانژوگه با پراکسیداز شناسایی شد. یافته ها: بررسی توالی bp722 از بخش حفظ شده ژن gltA اسینتوباکتر بائومانی و نتایج حاصل از مطالعه بر روی این باکتری با استفاده از روش PCR-ELISA و به کارگیری آغازگرها و پروب نشان داد که این روش علاوه بر دقت و حساسیت، برای تشخیص سریع باکتری مناسب است. نتیجه گیری: نتایج حاصل، حاکی از حساسیت بیشتر و سرعت بالای روش PCR-ELISA در مقایسه با PCR معمولی است. این تکنیک همچنین علاوه بر سهولت بررسی تعداد بیشتر نمونه، از خطر کمتری نسبت به روش PCR معمولی برخوردار است

Prirodna hrana acipenser persicus gajenog u ribnjačkim jezerima

A study on live food in Acipenser persicus rearing ponds was carried out In four rearing ponds; two in the Shahid Beheshti hatchery and two ponds in the Yousefpour hatchery. Samples were collected from three points in each pond on a weekly basis. Samples were collected using plankton nets (mesh size 50 µm), Ruthner sampler and Ekman grab. Zooplankton and benthic samples were fixed in 4 % formalin solution for later analysis. Zooplankton species identified in water samples collected at all four ponds belonged mainly to two phyla; Arthropoda and Rotifera. Total abundance of zooplankton species was estimated 87576 individuals L-1 in the Yousefpour hatchery and 136626 individuals L-1 in the Shahid Beheshti hatchery. Insect larvae, oligochaeta worms and mollusks were found in the sediment samples collected from the Yousefpour hatchery while sediment samples collected from the Shahid Beheshti hatchery contained only insect larvae and oligochaeta worms. The total abundance of benthic organisms was 0.343 g m-2 in the Yousefpour hatchery and 1.28 g m-2 in the Shahid Beheshti hatchery. Condition factor in fishes ranged from 0.29-0.54 in the Yousefpour hatchery and from 0.30-0.47 in the Shahid Beheshti hatchery

Visual Field Abnormalities among Adolescent Boys with Hearing Impairments

The aim of this study was to compare the visual field (VF) categorizations (based on the severity of VF defects) between adolescent boys with hearing impairments and those with normal hearing. This cross-sectional study involved the evaluation of the VF of 64 adolescent boys with hearing impairments and 68 age-matched boys with normal hearing at high schools in Tehran, Iran, in 2013. All subjects had an intelligence quotient (IQ) > 70. The hearing impairments were classified based on severity and time of onset. Participants underwent a complete eye examination, and the VFs were investigated using automated perimetry with a Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer. This device was used to determine their foveal threshold (FT), mean deviation (MD), and Glaucoma Hemifield Test (GHT) results. Most (50%) of the boys with hearing impairments had profound hearing impairments. There was no significant between-group difference in age (P = 0.49) or IQ (P = 0.13). There was no between-group difference in the corrected distance visual acuity (P = 0.183). According to the FT, MD, and GHT results, the percentage of boys with abnormal VFs in the hearing impairment group was significantly greater than that in the normal hearing group: 40.6% vs. 22.1%, 59.4% vs. 19.1%, and 31.2% vs. 8.8%, respectively (P < 0.0001). The mean MD in the hearing impairment group was significantly worse than that in the normal hearing group (-0.79 ± 2.04 and -4.61 ± 6.52 dB, respectively, P < 0.0001), and the mean FT was also significantly worse (38.97 ± 1.66 vs. 35.30 ± 1.43 dB, respectively, P <0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant between-group difference in the GHT results (P < 0.0001). Thus, there were higher percentages of boys with VF abnormalities and higher mean MD, FT, and GHT results among those with hearing impairments compared to those with normal hearing. These findings emphasize the need for detailed VF assessments for patients with hearing impairments.Â

Educational Needs Assessment for General Practitioners in the Field of Neurological Diseases in the Regulatory Zone of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background & Objective: Regarding the significance of neurological diseases, training general practitioners has a key role and they should be well-trained in diagnose and approaching different diseases in this field. We focused on educational needs assessment for general practitioners in the field of neurological diseases. Methods: All the general practitioners practicing in the regulatory zone of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, (urban and rural areas), who agreed to participate, were entered the study. 104 participants of the total of 170 general practitioners in this area completed a researcher-made questionnaire and mailed us. The questionnaire encompassed 54 neurological diseases, four paraclinical tests and 9 approaches for neurological signs and symptoms, as well as their practical framework, satisfaction from their education, and demographic and educational items. Results: In 47.9% of cases, educational expectations were at the level of screening and refer, in that 31.4%, at the level of diagnosis and treatment and in 18.8%, at the level of acquaintance and describing. The remainders (1.88%) were the cases with no need to know and unfamiliar ones. Statistically, screening and refer, just the diagnosis, and the treatment were the mentioned educational expectations, respectively. Most of general practitioners were not fully satisfied from their externship and internship educational programs. Conclusion: This study, in a more systematic way, outlines the general practitioner’s points of view and their tendency to intervene in the procedure of neurological managements which can also be of great use to any further modifications in medical training curricula. Absence of perfect satisfaction about educational programs shows us that we should change our educational methods to more practical and clinical forms. Key Words: Educational needs, Neurological diseases, General practitioner

Comparison of plankton and benthic organisms diversity and density in sturgeon hatcheries and assessing their effects on condition factor in sturgeon fingerlings

Phytoplankton and benthic organisms diversity and density were studied in six sturgeon rearing ponds in the Yousefpour and Shahid Beheshti hatcheries from 22 April to 1 July 2001. We used Ruttner sampler, plankton net with a mesh size of 50 microns and Ekman grab to sample the organisms on a weekly basis and fixed the samples in formalin solution 4% and then identified 22 genera of phytoplanktons for the three ponds in the Yousefpour hatchery and another 21 genera for the three ponds in the Shahid Beheshti hatchery. Planktons from the phyra Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Chrysophyta, Cryptophyta and Euglenophyta were present in the ponds. Schroederia sp. of the phyla Chlorophyta was the dominant species identified. We observed 2 x 106 and 1 x 106 cells of phytoplanktons per milliliter of pond water in the Yousefpour and Shahid Beheshti hatcheries respectively. The zooplankton phyla Arthropoda and Rotifera were represented with 9 genera in the two hatcheries showing a density of 36937 and 46603 zooplanktons per liter of water in the Yousefpour and Shahid Beheshti hatcheries respectively. Insect larvae and oligochaeta worms were the benthic organisms common to both hatcheries and mollusks were present only in the Yousefpour hatchery. The average benthic biomass was 1.58±0.19 and 2.16±0.75 g/m2 in the Yousefpour and Shahid Beheshti hatcheries respectively. The condition factor in sturgeon fingerlings of the Yousefpour hatchery varied from 0.294 to 0.554 while that of sturgeon fingerlings of the Shahid Beheshti hatchery were 0.297 to 0.6

The effect of heparin after primary percutaneous coronary intervention on short-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background: Doing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the first hours of myocardial infraction (MI) is effective in re-establishment of blood flow. Anticoagulation treatment should be prescribed in patients undergoing PCI to decrease the side effects of ischemia. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of heparin prescription after PCI on short-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Materials: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted at Imam Ali cardiovascular center at Kermanshah university of medical science (KUMS), Iran. Between April 2019 to October 2019, 400 patients with STEMI which candidate to PCI were enrolled. Patients randomly divided in two groups: intervention group (received 5,000 units of heparin after PCI until first 24 hours, every 6 hours) and control group (did not receive heparin). Data were collected using a checklist developed based on the study's aims. Differences between groups were assessed using independent t-tests and chi-square (or Fisher exact tests).Result: Observed that, mean prothrombin time (PT) (13.30±1.60 vs. 12.21±1.15, p<0.001) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) (35.30±3.08 vs. 34.41±3.01, p=0.003) were significantly higher in intervention group compared to control group. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade 0/1 after primary PCI was significantly more frequently in control group (5.5% vs. 1.0%, p=0.034). The mean of ejection fraction (EF) after PCI (47.58±7.12 vs. 45.15±6.98, p<0.001) was significantly higher in intervention group. Intervention group had a statistically significant shorter length of hospital stay (4.71±1.03 vs. 6.12±1.10, p<0.001). There was higher incidence of re-vascularization (0% vs. 3.0%; p=0.013) and re-MI (0% vs. 2.5%; p=0.024) in the control group.Conclusion: Performing primary PCI with receiving heparin led to improve TIMI flow and consequently better EF. Receiving heparin is associated with lower risk of re-MI and re-vascularization

Electroconvulsive therapy for a patient with suicide by drinking bleach during treatment of COVID-19: A case report

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first experienced in 1938 and had been conducting without anesthesia for 30 years. In this study, the most common indication for ECT was mood disorder (major depressive disorder and bipolar I disorder). We introduce a patient with a history of COVID-19 and suicide who required emergency ECT. Electroconvulsive therapy can be life-saving in patients with suicide history or catatonic schizophrenia. Health workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak control and must follow health instructions. Aerosol-producing procedures such as suction in anesthesia for ECT may facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. When performing aerosol-producing procedures during the pandemic of novel coronavirus, every patient should be considered suspicious. © 2020, Author(s)

The role of daphnia fed with purified and enriched phytoplankton with PUFA in enhancing growth and survival of Acipenser persicus larvae

In this study, Daphnia longispina were fed with two freshwater green algae species, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus dimorphus, enriched with Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus dimorphus were isolated and cultured for mass production. Three treatments with three replicates and a control group were considered to conduct this study. In order to investigate feeding, a total of 30 Acipenser persicus larvae with the initial mean weight of 68±3.6 mg were distributed into 12 plastic tanks of 60 L. Experimental fish larvae were fed daphnia collected from earthen ponds (as control group), daphnia enriched with Scenedesmus dimorphus (treatment 1), daphnia enriched with Chlorella vulgaris (treatment 2) and daphnia enriched with Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus dimorphus (at the rates of 50%) (treatment 3). The microalgae density to enrich daphnia is estimated at 5×107 cells mL^-1. Fish larvae were fed at an amount of 30% body weight per day for four times. During the experimental period, water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration and pH ranged between 18-24°C, 5.8-7.2 mg l^-1 and 5.6-8.2, respectively. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the highest (32.3 %) in D. longispina enriched with Chlorella vulgaris and the highest concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (19.8%) was observed in D. longispina enriched with Scenedesmus dimorphus. The highest (21.6%) and lowest (13.2%) concentrations of PUFA in fish larvae were recorded in treatment 3 and the control group, respectively. The results obtained from the body weight increase (BWI %) revealed that there were significant differences (P≤0.05) between treatment 3 (daphnia enriched with chlorella and scenedesmus) and other treatments. The highest (5.5±1.24% day^-1) and the lowest (4.6±1.13% day^-1) mean specific growth rates (SGR) were recorded in fish fed treatment 3 and the control group, respectively. The lowest (68%) and the highest (85%) survival rates were obtained in the control group and treatment 3, respectively

Late Little Ice Age palaeoenvironmental records from the Anzali and Amirkola Lagoons (south Caspian Sea): Vegetation and sea level changes

This is a postprint version of the article. The official published article can be found from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Elsevier Ltd.Two internationally important Ramsar lagoons on the south coast of the Caspian Sea (CS) have been studied by palynology on short sediment cores for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic investigations. The sites lie within a small area of very high precipitation in a region that is otherwise dry. Vegetation surveys and geomorphological investigations have been used to provide a background to a multidisciplinary interpretation of the two sequences covering the last four centuries. In the small lagoon of Amirkola, the dense alder forested wetland has been briefly disturbed by fire, followed by the expansion of rice paddies from AD1720 to 1800. On the contrary, the terrestrial vegetation reflecting the diversity of the Hyrcanian vegetation around the lagoon of Anzali remained fairly complacent over time. The dinocyst and non-pollen palynomorph assemblages, revealing changes that have occurred in water salinity and water levels, indicate a high stand during the late Little Ice Age (LIA), from AD < 1620 to 1800–1830. In Amirkola, the lagoon spit remained intact over time, whereas in Anzali it broke into barrier islands during the late LIA, which merged into a spit during the subsequent sea level drop. A high population density and infrastructure prevented renewed breaking up of the spit when sea level reached its maximum (AD1995). Similar to other sites in the region around the southern CS, these two lagoonal investigations indicate that the LIA had a higher sea level as a result of more rainfall in the drainage basin of the CS.The coring and the sedimentological analyses were funded by the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography in the framework of a research project entitled “Investigation of the Holocene sediment along the Iranian coast of Caspian Sea: central Guilan”. The radiocarbon date of core HCGL02 was funded by V. Andrieu (Europôle Méditerranéen de l'Arbois, France) and that of core HCGA04 by Brunel University