[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

impact of improving the quality of test questions development on the content validity of examinations for PhD students of traditional pharmacy: a case report

To improve the quality of the MCQs, a supervising feedback strategy between the examination constructors and the Educational Development Office of the School of Traditional Medicine was performed to evaluate the content validity and designation of the course items of the phytotherapy exam for PhD students of Traditional Pharmacy. The efforts resulted in a well-constructed examination

Halothane: How should it be used in a developing country?

The anaesthetic agent halothane is still widely used in developing countries including the Islamic Republic of Iran because of its low price. Because of halothane-induced hepatitis, a rare complication, it has been replaced by other inhalation anaesthetics in Western countries; it has been suggested by some Iranian professionals that the Islamic Republic of Iran should do the same. We evaluated various dimensions of this replacement through a literature review to assess the incidence of halothane-induced hepatitis and costs of anaesthetics in the country. We also conducted a questionnaire survey of 30 anaesthesiology/gastroenterology experts about their views on the subject. The results indicate that the incidence of halothane hepatitis in the Islamic Republic of Iran is very low and could mostly be avoided by strict adherence to guidelines. Complete withdrawal of halothane in the Islamic Republic of Iran might not be appropriate at present. Comprehensive cost-effectiveness studies are needed before a decision is made on complete replacement of halothane with other anaesthetics

[Production of selenium-enriched yeast using a Plackett-Burman design]

Today dietary deficiency of selenium [Se], an important mineral in human nutrition, is common in many regions and communities. Se-enriched yeast, obtainable by growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Se-rich media, is considered as a source of organic Se suitable for alleviating its deficiency due to its high bioavailability, stability, digestability, and absorbability. Using a Plackett-Burman design, the effects of various culture medium conditions, including temperature [28 and 30°C], initial pH [4.5 and 5.8], shaking speed [130 and 160 rpm], fermentation duration [24 and 48 h], size of inoculum [30 and 60 g/l], Se concentration [15 and 25 micro g/ml] and time of Se addition [0 and 9 h], on the bioaccumulation of Se in the yeast were investigated.. The Se content in the yeast was determined by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that Se concentration, size of inoculums, temperature, time of Se addition and fermentation duration were, in ascending order, the most significant factors on the yield of total Se accumulation and organic Se formation in the yeast. Manipulating these conditions/variables could markedly affect the magnitudes of incorporation of Se and formation of organic Se in the yeast, the ranges being 107.9 to 287.6 mg/kg and 93.27 to 269.05 mg/kg, respectively. The most suitable culture medium conditions to attain the highest level of total and organic selenium Se biotransformation in yeast are a concentration of 25 micro g/ml sodium selenite, an inoculum size of 30 g/l, a temperature of 28°C, an initial pH of 5.8, a shaking speed of 130 rpm, an incubation time of 48 h, and adding the selenium source to the culture medium 9 hours after the start of fermentation

[Decision making in prehospital emergency nurses: a qualitative research]

The patients' first encounter is usually with the prehospital emergency. In order to meet the clients and beneficiaries' needs, it is necessary the prehospital emergency nurses be a competent decision maker based on the patients' unstable conditions. This study aims to examine the factors influencing on the manner of prehospital emergency nurses' decision making in emergencies and during the mission. In this qualitative study, 18 nurses of prehospital emergency bases of Shahrekord University of medical sciences were studied. Data was collected by using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and also it was used content analysis to analyze the qualitative data. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed concurrently with the data collection. By analyzing the data, five main themes were known as the influencing factors in prehospital emergency nurses' decision making which are as follows: 1] patient-related factors; 2] nurse-related factors; 3] environmental factors; 4] colleagues related factors; 5] the factors related with the type of event and mission. The findings provide a deep understanding of the effective factors in prehospital emergency nurses' decision making. Deep understanding of the manner of prehospital emergency nurses' decision making can facilitate more effective decisions in emergencies, during the mission as well as its related factors and also influence on the output of nursing and medical cares

effects of morphine and nicotine co-administration on body weight, food intake and appetite-regulating peptides in rats

Previous studies in humans and animals have reported that nicotine administration decreases body weight and caloric intake. Opiate and cigarette have been used concomitantly as drug abuse. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to analyze the effect of chronic co-administration of nicotine and morphine on food intake, body weight and on some feeding-associated peptides. All experiments were carried out on male Wistar rats. Animals were randomly assigned to the free-fed and pair-fed control groups, nicotine-and morphine-treated and nicotine plus morphine groups. Morphine sulfate [20 mg/kg for 14 days s.c.] and nicotine [4 mg/kg for 14 days i.p.] were injected to the rats. The serum levels of leptin and neuropeptide Y [NPY] were measured by enzyme immunosorbant assay and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The results showed that nicotine had a greater suppressing effect on total food intake than morphine alone or nicotine plus morphine. Furthermore, chronic injection of nicotine significantly decreased body weight as compared with before injection, while body weight changes were not observed in morphine-treated rats. The mean body weight in the morphine-treated rats was lower than that in the free-fed control animals. The serum level of NPY was decreased just in the nicotine-injected group. A significant decrease in leptin levels was observed in the drug treated and pair-fed groups. In conclusion, morphine modulates the decreasing effect of nicotine on food intake, and it seems that the mechanism underlying the attenuating effects of morphine on the nicotine effects involves mediation, at least in part, by preventing the effect of nicotine on NPY levels

[Effect of omega-3 supplementation on preeclampsia in high risk pregnant women]

Identification of factors preventing preeclampsia in high risk pregnant women is of prime importance. The omega-3 supplementation may reduce the risk of preeclampsia. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of omega-3 supplementation on high risk pregnancy for preeclampsia in the city of Qazvin. This was a single-blind randomized clinical trial conducted on 100 high risk pregnant women for preeclampsia over a period between 14 to 18 weeks of gestation in the city of Qazvin, Iran. Fifty patients were assigned to omega-3 group and another 50 to placebo group. Women were given a daily supplementation of 1000mg omega-3 or placebo until delivery. Later, preeclampsia and pregnancy outcome were assessed in both groups. Data were analyzed statistically using t-test, chi square test, Mannwhitney, and Fisher exact tests. There were significant differences between the omega-3 and placebo groups regarding the rate [p=0.015] and intensity [p=0.01] of preeclampsia. Statistically, a significant correlation between the omega-3 group and outcome of pregnancy including the birth weight [p=0.000] and apgar score [p=0.002] was found. Our results suggest that supplementation with omega-3 during pregnancy reduces the risk of preeclampsia in high risk pregnant women. Thus it seems necessary to promote educational programs on nutrition for pregnant women

Evidence of sperm storage in Myotis capaccinii [Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae] in western Iran

Several species of the family Vespertilionidae store spermatozoa for prolonged periods prior to ovulation, but the reproductive strategy used by Myotis capaccinii remains unknown. Reproductive cycle of Myotis capaccinii has been determined using macroscopic and microscopic examinations on two captured bats in spring and one male and one female reared in a flight cage during winter. Microscopic slides prepared from one male collected in late July showed spermatids indicating that spermatogenesis develops in summer. Estimation of the volume of testes and epididymis based on photographs taken on weekly intervals during late summer until late winter in male, M. capaccinii shows that the rate of epididymis to testes volume increases by more than one order of magnitude from late summer until late winter. Microscopic slides prepared from this bat indicate that decapacitated spermatozoa are packed in the tubules in the epididymis in late winter

Serial serum CRP value for early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia

The early diagnosis of neonatal infection is important. Because of its various clinical signs and symptoms it is necessary to resort to methods for detecting and treating them as soon as possible. Serial serum CRP value has recently attracted some researchers attention. Therefore, in this study the CRP value for diagnosing neonatal infection has been examined. This study was performed in Imam Reza hospital, on all newborns suspected of infection within a period of 9 months. These newborns were divided into two groups: The first group [case] with positive blood culture and the second group [control] with positive signs but negative blood, urine, CSF, eye and skin lesion's cultures. Serum CRP were controlled at the beginning of the admission, after 48 hours and after 7 days. The sensitivity, specificity, the positive and negative predicting values were examined. The sensitively first CRP had a sensitivity of 61.5% and specificity of 93.8%. Fourty eight hours later, CRP had a sensitivity of 69.2% and specificity of 69%. The first two days CRP sensitivity, [CRP[1,2]] was 74.3% and its specificity was 69%. Negative predicting value of CRP in successive days was 80%. CRP specificity was 98.4% in the 7[th] day. Serial serum CRP is a good method for confirming the infection and to evaluate the response to the treatment of infection