Antifungal effects of the extract of the Withania somnifera on Candida albicans

Background and aims: Withania somnifera (W. somnifera), commonly known as Ashwagandha, is an important medicinal plant that has been used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine for over 3,000 years. Candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal diseases in humans. In fact, the most important fungal disease in women is vaginal candidiasis. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal effects of the extracts of the W. somnifera on Candida albicans (C. albicans). Methods: In this experimental research, 9 vaginal samples were collected using the sterile swap and Falcon tube by the gynecological specialists. The extracts of the shallot and artichoke were prepared using a rotary device. The inhibitory concentration against C. albicans was determined using incubation in media. Results: The results of this study suggested that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against C. albicans, which is equivalent 50 ppm to 250 ppm has the highest concentration of inhibitor. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the antifungal activity of wind cheese against C. albicans is good, so it can be used as a drug to treat infections caused by C. albicans

Single course of high dose dexamethasone is more effective than conventional prednisolone therapy in the treatment of primary newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia

INTRODUCTION: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an immune disorder commonly presents as isolated thrombocytopenia. Generally corticosteroids are the main treatment of ITP. This study was designed to evaluate effectiveness of high dose dexamethasone comparing conventional corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of ITP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized prospective study, sixty adult patients with newly diagnosed primary symptomatic ITP (Platelet count < 20,000) were evaluated. Patients divided into two groups. In group A, thirty patients (mean age of 24.9 years) received Dexamethasone 40 mg/IV/daily for four days (10 mg/q6h); and then Prednisolone 1 (mg)/(kg)/day/PO with rapid tapering of prednisolone (10 mg/week). From the other hand, in group B, thirty patients (mean age of 27.2 years) were treated with Prednisolone 1 (mg)/(kg)/day/PO for four weeks, then the drug tapered weekly. RESULTS: All the patients in group A showed favorable response within the first seven days, 27 cases presented complete response (CR) and three cases revealed response (R). In group B, 11 cases had CR, 13 cases showed R and six cases had No response (NR). After three months, rates of CR were 80% and 23.3% in group A and B; respectively. Responses were 16.7% and 33.3%, NRs were 6.6% and 43.3% in group A and B; respectively (P < 0.0001). After 6 months, CR was 73.3% vs.16.7%, and R was 16.7% vs.36.7% and NR was 10% vs. 46.7% in group A and B; respectively (P < 0.0001). After 12 months, there was no change in response rate in group A, but in group B 53% were non responsive, 40% showed R (chronic ITP) and complete response was observed only in 6.7% (P < 0.0001). Three cases in group A and 12 cases in group B had needed splenectomy (P < 0.00002). CONCLUSION: We showed that high dose dexamethasone is more effective than conventional steroid therapy in newly diagnosed ITP as initial treatment with less relapses and toxicities

Cut-off Value for Stenosis Ratio and Zung Depression Scale in Successful Prediction of Posterior Spinal Fusion surgery

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate effect of some clinical attributes in prediction of satisfaction with posterior spinal fusion (PSF) surgery in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) and determine a cut-off point for these attributes.Methods: The attributes such as stenosis ratio (SR) values (described by Lurencin), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA), The Zung depression scale (ZDS), duration of symptoms (in months), were investigated for 329 patients with LSCS and 151 patients with LDH separately. Patient satisfaction was recorded based on the international standard questionnaire Swiss Spinal Stenosis Score (SSS). The sensitivity and specificity values and the optimal cut-off points were calculated for SR, JOA, ZDS and duration of symptoms using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.Results: One hundred fifty-one patients with LDH (39 male, 112 female; mean age 50.24 ± 9.21 years) and 329 patients with LSCS (111 male, 218 female; mean age 53.28 ±7.81 years) were followed–up for 6 months. Post-surgical satisfaction was 73.86% in patients with LSCS and 85.43% in patients with LDH. The cut-off point of SR for prediction of besting surgical outcome was estimated more than 0.46 with asymptotic significance less than 0.05, 60% sensitivity and 75% specificity in LSCS patients (AUC-0.705, 95% CI, 0.644–0.766; P &lt; 0.001).Conclusion: The findings show that the SR with a cut off value of 0.46 cross sectional area, in patients with LSCS may be superior to JOA, duration of symptoms and ZDS for prediction of satisfaction with PSF surgery

Cost-effectiveness analysis of topiramate versus phenobarbital in the treatment of children with febrile seizure in Shiraz

Background: Febrile seizure is the most common disorder in childhood, with a prevalence of 2% to 5%. There are many drugs for treatment of this disease; however, the most common prescribed medication in Iran is phenobarbital that is cheap, but it has many side effects. Topiramate is a medication with fewer side effects that is currently prescribed in Iran only for patients with epilepsy; also, it has recently been prescribed and tested for children with febrile seizure. The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of topiramate versus phenobarbital in patients with febrile seizure in the south of Iran in 2017.Methods: This econometric cost-effectiveness and cost-utility study was conducted on 91 patients with febrile seizure to assess two strategies of oral drug therapy including phenobarbital and topiramate in 2016-2017. Of all, 51 patients were treated with phenobarbital and 40 patients received topiramate. In order to collect the required data, we followed up the patients for six months, using a randomized and single-blinded approach. In this study, a decision tree model was used. The outcomes of the model included febrile seizure and utility. The study was conducted from the perspective of the community; therefore, direct and indirect costs were included in the study. Excel and TreeAge software (2011) were used to analyze the results.Results: The results showed that topiramate was cheaper and more effective than phenobarbital. In patients in the phenobarbital and topiramate groups, the mean costs were $740 and$674 per ppp, utility scores were 0.72 and 0.82, and febrile seizure without side effects were 0.3 and 0.6, respectively. Moreover, one-way sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results of the study.Conclusion: According to the results, topiramate in patients with febrile seizure is a fully cost-effective and cost-efficient strategy that can be suggested as a better alternative for children with febrile seizure

Effectiveness of Exercise Activity on Mental Health, Depression and Life Expectancy of Improved Addicts

Introduction: Drug abuse can affect the mental, physical and social health of individuals. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise activity on mental health, depression and life expectancy of improved addicts. Methods: 86 patients from Jahrom City, who had stopped at least one year taking any drugs were voluntarily selected and divided into active (n=34) (Mean ± SD; aged: 36.44 ± 9.91 yrs., height: 177.55 ± 6.96 cm., weight: 79.63 ± 7.60 kg) and inactive (n=52) (Mean ± SD; aged: 39.22 ± 9.24 yrs., height: 173.54 ± 8.05 cm., weight: 76.98 ± 10.77kg) groups. General health questionnaire (GHQ) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were used for data collection. Data analysis was done by U Mann Whitney test were using SPSS 18 software (p≤0.05). Results: The results showed that the mean mental health of the active group was significantly lower than the inactive group (p = 0.008). Additionally, the active group was significantly less depressed than its inactive counterparts (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the active group had a higher life expectancy than the inactive group, although this difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.36). Conclusion: According to the results of the study, active improved addicts had a better status in mental health, depression and life expectancy than inactive people

Correlation of 2,4-DDT with CDH1 Gene Promoter Methylation in Gastric Cancer

AbstractBackground: Methylation alterations of tumor suppressor gene promoters are essential aspects of epigenetic changes in gastric cancer (GC). Cadherin1 (CDH1) encodes a protein with essential roles in cell-cell adhesions. In this study association of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) serum levels with the methylation profile of this gene was investigated in gastric cancer (GC), intestinal metaplasia (IM), and functional dyspepsia (FD) patients.Methods: GC (n=34), IM (n=8), and FD (n=48) patient serums were analyzed for the determination of OCP levels by gas chromatography equipment. The methylation status of the CDH1 gene promoter was examined by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) method. In order to confirm reduced protein expression of this gene in methylated samples, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used.Results: Our findings revealed significant hypermethylation of CDH1 gene promoter along with reduced expression in GC patients compared with IM and FD patients. Furthermore, there was significant association between CDH1 promoter hypermethylation and 2,4-DDT (odds ratio [OR]:1.183;95%CI:1.001-1.398, p=0.048) serum levels in GC patients.Conclusion: Our results could suggest the association of 2,4-DDT OCP levels in the GC patient serums with CDH1 gene promoter hypermethylation. Additionally, this gene promoter methylation may play a role in the progression of pre-cancerous IM towards GC

Effect of Estrogen and Progesterone on Cytokines Levels at Different Time Intervals after Traumatic Brain Injury

Introduction: Following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines is major cause of cerebral edema that can cause permanent neuronal loss. This study examined the changes in brain concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and TGF- after different doses of estrogen or progesterone treatment in brain-injured rats at 6 and 24 h post-injury. Methods: Adult female rats were divided into 14 groups, and underwent either bilateral ovariectomy (12 groups) or sham surgery (2 groups). The hormones or vehicle were given intraperitoneally 0.5 h after TBI. Moderate TBI was induced by Marmarou method in TBI or treatment groups and brain levels of proinflammatory cytokines were measured 6 and 24 h post-injury. Results: The results indicated that high dose of estrogen (E2) and low dose of progesterone (P1) increase brain levels of IL-1 6 h post-injury by 52.8% and 79.2%, respectively compared to the vehicle. By the 24th h post-injury brain IL-1 level was reduced 27.5% and 27%, respectively compared to vehicle, when estrogen low dose (E1) and E2 were administered. Progesterone high dose treatment reduced brain level of IL-6 by 45.9% at 6 h post-injury and P1 treatment reduced IL-6 level by 20.5% at 24 h post-injury when compared to the vehicle. The brain TNF-α level was reduced by 72.5% by P2 at 6 h and 48.5% by E2 at 24 h post-injury, when compared to the vehicle. In addition, TGF- level seem to be increased by E1 up to 3.37 times at 24 h post-injury compared to the vehicle. Both doses of hormones showed increased levels of TGF- at 6 h post-injury, when compared to the vehicle. Conclusion: We conclude that progesterone and estrogen may change the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the acute or delayed phases after TBI and this may be one of the mechanisms by which hormones reduce cerebral edema

Isolation, characterization and complete genome sequence of PhaxI: a phage of Escherichia coli O157 :H7

Bacteriophages are considered as promising biological agents for the control of infectious diseases. Sequencing of their genomes can ascertain the absence of antibiotic resistance, toxin or virulence genes. The anti-O157 :H7 coliphage, PhaxI, was isolated from a sewage sample in Iran. Morphological studies by transmission electron microscopy showed that it has an icosahedral capsid of 85–86 nm and a contractile tail of 115�15 nm. PhaxI contains dsDNA composed of 156 628 nt with a G+C content of 44.5 mol% that encodes 209 putative proteins. In MS analysis of phage particles, 92 structural proteins were identified. PhaxI lyses Escherichia coli O157 :H7 in Luria-Bertani medium and milk, has an eclipse period of 20 min and a latent period of 40 min, and has a burst size of about 420 particles per cell. PhaxI is a member of the genus ‘Viunalikevirus’ of the family Myoviridae and is specific for E. coli O157 : H7

Research Records and Possibilities of the Department of Pharmacology Physiology in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background: The publication of information and possibilities of a university department and the experiences of its faculty members make others aware of these issues and can be regarded as one of the methods of publishing and teaching science. It seems that the report of research experiences, capabilities, and achievements in Department of Pharmacology Physiology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, make it easier for further researches of other researchers. Methods: Data were obtained via observing, searching in valuable scientific databases and group archives, and asking the department manager, faculty members, and experts in Department of Pharmacology Physiology, as well as gathering the information in research centers of the university. Results: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology was the first group that initiated postgraduate and doctoral degrees’ courses at Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The annual per capita of paper production in this group was close to 7 with 10 faculty members. Three faculty members were among the first 15 of the university in terms of the H-index. The country, provincial, university, and faculty rankings achieved by the department, variety in research projects, and the collaborative studies in the university were the features of this department. The first and second research centers of the university in terms of history and rank were managed by faculty members of this department. Conclusion: Department of Pharmacology Physiology is one of the successful and high history departments in Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Other researchers can use the experience of these faculty members, and department facilities for their advancement. Keywords Physiology; research; Equipment; Department; Pharmacy facult