[Effect of organic acids and formaldehyde on morphology of broiler intestine and salmonella reduction in feed]

Control of poultry feed microbial contamination could reduce carcass contamination at processing plants and resultin improvement of public health. In this study the effects of commercial blend of organic acids [Salkil[Registered] and Formycine[Registered]], formalin 37% and formaldehyde gas on morphology of intestinal mucosa and gut microflora in broilers were investigated. Three hundreds 1-d-old chicks [Ross 308] were randomly assigned to 5 groups with 4 replications of 15 birds. The first group was control and fed basal diet without supplemental of additives. The groups 2 to 5 fed diets treated by: 0.2% Salkil, 0. 2% formalin, 0. 1% Formycine and formaldehyde gas throughout the experiment[d42]. Among the experimental groups, formaldehyde destroyed Salmonella enteritidis of feed in short time. Number of tongue and leaf shape villi [p<0. 01] at the age of 28 days, ridge shape [p<0.05] at the ages of 14 and 42 days and number of villi per view field at the ages of 28 [p<0.01] and 42 [p<0.05] days were provided some visible evidence from the effect of diet regiment. Treatments had significant effects on the villus height [p<0.01] at the age of 14 days, depth of the crypts [p<0.05] and height/width ratio of the villus [p<0.05] at the age of 28 days.Villus heigth of chickens that received Formycine was also longer than other experimental groups through out the study

[Comparison of adenosine deaminase serum level in COPD patients and healthy subjects]

Global initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [Gold] has defined COPD as a disease characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. COPD is a subset of obstructive lung diseases which also includes cystic fibrosis, bronchitis and asthma. Adenosine deaminase [ADA, E.C.3.5.4.4] converts adenosine to inosine. ADA has two isoenzymes; ADA1 and ADA2. In COPD patients the serum level of ADA increases which can be regarded as a result of reduction in ADA activity. In this study we evaluated the level of ADA and its isoenzymes in COPD patients and healthy subjects. This was a case control study. ADA activity in 30 COPD patients with age range of 20-60 years whose disease had been confirmed by a pulmonologist in Ekbatan Hospital, was compared to the activity of the same enzyme in 60 healthy subjects consisting of 30 non smoker and 30 smoker subjects as control groups. Data were introduced into SPSS version.13 software and analyzed by Kruskall-Wallis and two-way ANOVA tests. ADA activity in the COPD and smoker control groups was significantly lower than that of non smoker group [18.99 +/- 7 and 22.99 +/- 6.7 U/L, respectively]. Regarding ADA2 serum level, the difference between patient group and non smoker control group was significant [P<0.05]. Activity of ADA1 isoenzyme in the study groups did not show any significant differences. In general ADA activity was decreased in COPD patients. Decreased ADA activity together with increased adenosine level may play an important role in producing pulmonary damage in COPD patients

Quality of life in thalassemia major: reliability and validity of the Persian version of the SF-36 questionnaire.

AIMS: The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the eight-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire translated into Persian for use in Iranian patients with thalassemia major. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a standard "forward-backward" translation procedure, the English language version of the questionnaire was translated into Persian. Two hundred patients with thalassemia major following up at the Thalassemia Center, Dastgheib Hospital, Shiraz, Iran, were enrolled in this study. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaire were assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Spearman's correlation, respectively. Validity was assessed using convergent and discriminant validity. RESULTS: The mean age of 200 subjects enrolled in the study was 19.81+/-4.07 years. Reliability analysis showed satisfactory results (Cronbach's a coefficient = 0.915). The factor analysis showed that all items were in the same groups as previous studies with the exception of role emotional and general health that had been substituted. Most of the patients were in lower range of normal for both mental and physical summary status. CONCLUSIONS: The study finding showed that the Persian version of SF-36 questionnaire has a good structural characteristic and is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the quality of life of patients with thalassemia major.

[Role of helicobacter pylori infection in sickle cell disease with recurrent abdominal pain]

The vaso-oculusive episode is the hallmark of sickle cell disease [SCD]. Abdominal pain is also a common presenting symptom in the sickle cell population. Careful evaluation is essential in distinguishing between pain secondary to vaso-occlusion and other intra-abdominal disease processes. Most cases of primary gastritis are now known to be caused by gastric infection with the organism Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori]. H. pylori has been described in association with recurrent abdominal pain in children. H. pylori induced peptic ulcer disease [PUD] has not previously been reported in children with SCD, [except one case]. The present study was designed to examine whether pain induced by H. pylori could imitate the recurrent abdominal pain in SCD. This is a cross sectional study, carried out in all of the patients with SCD [30 cases], who referred to Shiraz Motahari Clinic in 2004. At first 11 patients with recurrent abdominal pain [RAP] were selected and then by a questionnaire and an interview, 7 cases that had symptoms strongly suggestive of PUD were examined by upper gastroduodenoscopy with biopsy taken from gastric antrum. Six patients confirmed to be PUD induced by H. pylori were treated by quadriple therapy. All of them were followed for 9 months or more. Serum IgG titer against H. pylori was sent before and also 6 months after therapy.Endoscopic finding in 6 of the 11 patients with SCD and RAP was diagnosed as PUD. In all cases [6 cases] H. pylori serology [IgG] test was positive. After treatment for H. pylori infection, all of them had complete resolution of symptoms by 1 month, and H. pylori IgG [6 month after treatment] tests were negative.We conclude that careful evaluation is essential in distinguishing between pain secondary to vaso-occlusion in SCD and other intra-abdominal processes such as PUD. For differentiation of painful crises and H. pylori induced PUD, history and physical examination can be helpful. Episodic epigastric pain that was frequently associated with vomiting, nocturnal awakening and gastrointestinal bleeding is highly suggestive of presence of PUD. When definitive etiology of PUD is confirmed, appropriate treatment can be initiated and excess morbidity could be avoided