[Evaluation of gamma-interferon in diagnosis of tuberculosis pleurisy]

Differential diagnosis between Tuberculosis pleurisy and Non Tuberculoses pleural effusion can be sometimes difficult and needs invasive diagnostic methods. In recent years, several biological markers have been found to be diagnostic markers of Tuberculosis pleurisy. The aim of this study was assessment of the value of Gamma-Interferon in the diagnosis of TB pleurisy. We studied 70 patients with pleural effusion who had been admitted to Ghaem hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Interferon gamma level was measured by "ELISA' method. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was based on microbiologic study of pleural fluid plus pleural biopsy. Altogether Twenty patients had tuberculosis pleurisy [44.44%], 21 patients had malignant pleural effusion [46.67%] and 4 patients had pleural effusion with various non TB non malignant etiologies [8.9%]. The sensitivity, specificity of Gamma-Interferon in TB pleurisy were 60% and 96% respectively. INF gamma is a valuable indicative marker for diagnosis of tuberculosis pleurisies' but we should consider situations with high level of INF gamma without any evidence of TB and also Tuberculosis pleurisy patients with INF gamma level lower than diagnostic threshold

Evaluation of the effect of castor oil on initiating labor in term pregnancy

To determine the effect of castor oil on initiating labor in term pregnant women. We conducted this randomized control clinical trial on 47 pregnant women from August 2003 to March 2004 in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. There was a significant increase in labor initiation ratio in the castor oil group compared with the control group [54.2% compared with 4.3%, p<0.001]. Also, the mean bishop score in the castor oil group increased from 2.50 +/- 1.29 to 6.79 +/- 3.20 [p<0.001]. The probability of labor initiation increases during the first 24 hours after using castor oil, however, further studies are recommended to improve its efficacy and safety

[Effect of channel number decrease performance in two groups of implanted patients with Nucleus 22 and Med-el]

One of the main questions in the design of Cochlear Implants is "How many channels of stimulation are needed to achieve a high level, of speech understanding? Recently, some investigations have been carried out in which experiments were conducted with adults to provide an answer to this question. To reach 90% accuracy in quit. 5 channels are necessary for more difficult sentences produced by multiple talkers [Loizou et a1.1999] and 8 or more channels are necessary for monosyllabic rods [Dorman et al., in press]. In our research we extend our observations on the number of channels necessary to reach high levels of word Recognition Scores [Without Lip-reading]to a group of 30 implanted patients using the Nucleus 22 and Med-el[Combi 40+] cochlear implant devices, who had at least six months of Auditory Verbal Training experience following implant surgery. Simulating various numbers of channels was performed by reducing the number of active electrodes while the overall spectral band width was preserved. Five levels of active electrodes were simulated for nucleus devices, including: 22, 16, 12.8 and 4 electrodes. Three levels of active electrodes were simulated for Med-El devices including: 12, 8, and 4 electrodes. Word recognition score was measured on ten disyllabic words after each level. The results showed that word recognition scores decreased dramatically, as the number of electrodes was decreased from 12 to 8 and 4 electrodes [in nucleus devise] and from 8 to 4 electrodes [in med-el devices]. There was no significant difference in word recognition score as the number of electrodes was increased from 12 to 16 and 22 electrodes [in nucleus devices], and from 8 to 12 electrodes [in Med El devices]. Results indicate that if signal processors / electrode arrays could provide implanted patients with the equivalent of 8-1 2 functional channels of stimulation then the tasks of word recognition and language acquisition would be significantly facilitated