[Cytotoxicity of three species of centaurea genus on acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line [Nalm-6]]

Background: Medicinal plants are considered as one of the ideal therapeutic sources for cancer prevention or treatment due to their bioactive contents and low side effects to humans. Centaurea genus have shown potential anti-tumor activity on some cancer cell lines in previous studies

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of three species of Centaurea genus [C. albonitens, C. pseudoscabiosa, C. salicifolia] on Nalm-6 cells

Methods: Nalm-6 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of the methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of three Centaurea species, then, their cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects were evaluated using trypan blue, MTT and DAPI staining assays. Moreover, annexin V/PI staining and cell cycle analysis were performed for further investigation

Results: The results of trypan blue, MTT assay and DAPI staining revealed that all 3 extracts exhibit cytotoxic and anti-proliferative properties against Nalm-6 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner [P>/=0.001]. Interestingly, there was no considerable cytotoxicity in normal cells, MDBK. The flow cytometric analysis validated that Centaurea dose dependently induces apoptosis and G1 phase arrest in Nalm-6 cells [P>/=0.01]

Conclusion: Due to the safety profile of the natural products, our study suggests that Centaurea extracts might provide insight into a novel therapeutic strategy and may confer advantages for acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment, however further researches are necessary

[Toxoplasmosis infection in the pregnant women in the first half of pregnancy, in Kamyaran in 2008]

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii which is an obligate intracellular parasite. Toxoplasmosis in the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to dangerous fetal complications. After diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, proper treatment or curettage of the fetus should be attempted in order to prevent long term disabilities in the newborn. The aim of this study was to determine IgM and IgG anti toxoplasma antibodies in pregnant women in the first trimester. This was a discriptive analytic study. 201 blood samples were obtained from pregnant women in the first trimester. Anti toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were measured by ELISA method and data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics. In this study, 24 subjects [12%] were IgM positive, 54 [27%] IgG positive and 33 [16.5%] were positive for both IgM and IgG antibodies. In general 55% of pregnant women were seropositive for IgM, IgG or both. The results of this study showed a significant relation between education level and serum levels of anti toxopalsma antibodies [P?0.05], but no significant relationship was found between: occupation, contact with cats or other pets, consumption of unwashed fruits and vegetables, raw or underdone meat and raw milk with presence of toxoplasmosis. Considering the high prevalence of serum anti toxoplasma antibodies in pregnant women in the first trimester, screening of the pregnant women in the first trimester is necessary to prevent fetal complications or to take therapeutic measures for the affected newborns

[Study of curriculum changes and sequance of anatomy courses on medical students score of Esfahan medical sciences university]

Studdy of Curriculum Changes and Sequance of Anatomy Courses on Medical Students Score of Esfahan Medical Sciences University The midterm scores of two groups of medical students both engaged in learning the trunk anatomy and embryology were statistically compared simultaneously. Difference between two groups were as follows: One group had passed limbs anatomy units in previous term, and another group had not passed any anatomy course. The mid scores of the group one in trunk anatomy were 40/03 +/- 6/34 [of 65] and in embryology were 28/16 +/- 7/22 [of 50] and these scores in group two were 36/64 +/- 7/23 and 27/8 +/- 7/66 respectively. P value of compared scores were p <000 in both trunk anatomy and embryology. The meaningful difference between two groups scores is mainly due to familiarity of the first group with anatomy nomenclature and skill of three dimensional in carnation obtained during learning the limb anatomy. Although the trunk anatomy and neuroanatomy seems to be the most useful and the most interesting parts of curriculum for medical students, beginning of the curriculum with these two subjects without Any preliminary introduction to anatomy my be difficult and exhausting. Therefore it is better to taking limb anatomy course or having some types of introduction to anatomy before beginning of these two very important subjects