Evaluation of osteoporosis in patients with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis

The liver is a vital organ that plays an important role in the metabolism of nutritional agents, drugs and hormones,synthesis of various proteins, coagulation factors and maintenance of hemostasis between calcium,and phosphorous. Biochemical changes in the skeletal system such as osteopenia and pathologic fractures may follow hepatic failure. This researchevaluates metabolic bone changes in non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients. We evaluated 50 known cases of nonalcoholic cirrhosis in the Internal Medicine Clinic and Ward of GhaemHospital during the second half of 2004. Inclusion criteria were: age >14 years anda Child-Pugh score of A or B. Exclusion criteria were: history of previous bone metabolic disorders; endocrine disease; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver metastasis;previous use of calcium, vitamin D, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, hormone replacement therapy, and prednisolone; and alcoholics. Patients underwent clinical and laboratory studies in addition to bone densitometry analyses of the femoral neck and second to fourth lumbar spine area. Patients' mean age was 41.18 +/- 15.94 years and the male to female ratio was 1.5 to 1. Cases presented with the following types of non-alcoholic cirrhosis: post-hepatitis B [58%], cryptogenic [26%], autoimmune hepatitis [10%], post-hepatitis C [4%] and primary biliary cirrhosis [2%]. There were 68% of our cases classified as Child-Pugh score A; 32% were Child-Pugh score B. Osteoporosis and osteopenia were more common in the Child-Pugh B group. T-score of the femoral neck was normal in 39 [78%] cases. The lumbar spine Z-score was normal in 46 [92%] and the femoral neck Z-score was normal in 48 [98%] cases. There were more post-hepatitis B and cryptogenic cirrhosis cases that had decreased bone density.The Child-Pugh A group had more increased calcium, phosphorous, and PTH levels and decreased ALP levels compared to the Child-Pugh B group. Progression of liver failure [according to Child-Pugh] in patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis to some extent causes increased osteoporosis and osteopenia. It is necessary to place increased emphasis on the importance of mineral supplementation in cirrhotic patients

[Evaluation of the combined effects of sonodynamic and photodynamic therapies in a colon carcinoma tumor model[CT26]]

Photodynamic therapy is a noninvasive therapeutic method for tumors with a maximum depth 0.5 mm. On the other hand, most photosensitixers are also susceptible to ultrasound waves [the basis of sonodynamic therapy]. Therefore, it is expected that a combination of the two therapeutic methods will increase effectiveness of photodynamic therapies for lower doses of sensitizer and curing deeper tumors. This study evaluates the synergistic effects of photodynamic and sonodynamic therapies. The study was conducted on a colon carcinoma tumor model in Balb/c mice. The colon carcinoma tumors were induced in the mice by subcutaneous injection. Twenty four hours after intraperitoneal injection of Zinc Phthalocyanine liposome as a sensitixer, at first ultrasound irradiation with a known frequency and intensity was performed followed by illumination of the tumor area. Evaluation of the treatment efficacy was done using daily measurement of the tumors and calculation of their relative volumes. Also, all control groups were considered to confirm the effect of each therapeutic option in the study. In the first ten days post treatment, the relative volumes of all groups decreased significantly in comparison with the main control group, but the best response was observed in the photodynamic or sonodynamic therapy groups. The longest doubling time of tumor size was related to groups under photodynamic, sonodynamci and main therapies, and the shortest belonged to the control group. Zinc phthalocyanine lipsome is both a photosensitizer and sonsentisitizer. Photodynamic and sonodynamic therapies can be efficient in retarding tumor growth rate. In this study, combination of the two methods did not cause improved therapeutic outcomes. It is predicted that this result is related to the choice of therapeutic agents and could be optimized in future

Study of the effects of massage therapy on the intensity of labor fatigue

Fatigue is common to pregnant women, 80% of whom consider fatigue as one of the ten health concerns. Affecting the nervous and muscular systems, massage therapy induces muscular relaxation, blood circulation and excretion of body waste including lactic acid which leads to energy release. This study is therefore conducted to investigate the effect of massage on the intensity of labor fatigue in the primipara admitted to Bentolhoda Hospital in Bojnord, Iran in 2005. This clinical trial was conducted on 62 primiparous women [18 to 32 years old] who were candidates of natural labor. The subjects were purposively selected and randomly assigned into massage therapy and conventional caregiving. The former [32 subjects] received back or leg massage or both. But the latter [the control group] received no massage therapy. Fatigue intensity before and 30 minutes after intervention were measured and recorded by a visual scale over the three labor phases. The data were analyzed in SPSS using student t- test, paired t- test, chi-square and linear test. Significant differences, across the two groups, were observed in the fatigue intensity of the latent phase and the transition phase but not in the active phase. Before and after means were statistically different in the transition phase for the massage therapy group. Massage therapy reduces the fatigue intensity of latent and transition phases. As labor fatigue intensity is lightest during the transition phase, massage therapy can be applied in pregnant women, as a non- invasive and conservative procedure, in order to relieve fatigue intensity and to enhance their health and well being

comparison of personality characteristics of medical university students with and without early dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is one of the common problems of women at the childbearing age and has social, psychological, physical and economic consequences. As emotional factors influence physical conditions and the perception of pain, this study was conducted at the University of Mashad, Iran to compare the personality features of medical students with and without early dysmenorrheal. This is a descriptive analytical and cross-sectional study and the study population was the female medical students at Mashad University of Medical Sciences in 2004. 200 students were proportionately sampled using a subject selection form. They also filled out the interview checklist, the lifestyle questionnaire and the Cassidy Social Support Form. On specific days, the menses pain intensity form, history of menses form and Eysenk Personality Questionnaire were completed. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using Chi square, Fischer's Exact Test, t-test, Mann Whitney and Regression model. Significant differences were found between the two groups as for the frequency of introversion: in the group with dysmenorrhea 67% and the other group only 12% were introverts. In addition, the frequency of neurosis was statistically different across the two groups [52% in the group with dysmenorrhea and 10% in the other group]. Also the two groups were statistically different in the prevalence of psychosis [72% versus 32% for the group with and without dysmenorrheal respectively]. Introversion, psychosis and neurosis were more prevalent in women with dysmenorrhea than in women without dysmenorrhea

Factor V and VIII inhibitor in patients with combined factor v and VIII deficiency

Patients with coagulation factor[s] deficiency who use coagulation therapy are susceptible to forming inhibitors against coagulation factor[s]. In this survey we detected factor V and VTQ inhibitor in ten patients with combined deficiency of factors V and VIII from north east of Iran [Khorassan province]. It was revealed in our survey that eight patients had both factor V and factor VIII inhibitors and two patients had none. Because factor V and factor VIII share approximately 40% amino acid sequence homology in their A and C domains, it remains to be elucidated if it is one molecule that recognizes both factor V and VIII or whether there are two inhibitor molecules against common sites