[Karyological study on persian gulf banana shrimp, Penaeus [Fenneropenaeus] merguiensis]

Because of limits in applicable karyological techniques and also the presence of a large number of small chromosomes in Penaidae family, the study on the number, structure, and the formula of the chromosomes in these shrimps in difficult. The present cytogenetic study was conducted on Penaeus [Fenneropenaeus] merguiensis native to Persian Gulf and Oman Sea by preparing spreads from various early stages of this species including embryos, nauplii, protozoa, myses, postlarvae as well as adult tissues such as gill, hepatopancreas, testis and ovary. For this purpose, two methods of splashing of cell suspension and squashing of tissues on warm and cold slides were used. Different doses of colchicines and incubation periods on obtaining and the quality of chromosomes were examined as well. It was only possible to obtain acceptable quality metaphase chromosomes using adult testis. The testicular tissue contained both mitotic and meiotic cells, so diploid and haploid chromosome numbers could be counted, respectively. The modal diploid number of this species was found to be 2n=88 which was confirmed by the modal haploid chromosome number of n=44 in the adult testes. Tentative karyotype of Penaeus [Fenneropenaeus] merguiensis contained 21 pairs of meta- and submetacentric chromosomes and 23 pairs of acro- and telocentric chromosomes. The chromosome arm number was calculated NF=130

[Determination of factors related to depression in cancer patients of the oncology ward in Kerman]

Depression is one of the most frequent behavioral disorders characterized with disenjoyment, lack of motivation, sexual disorders, sleeping disorder and depressed mood. Depression is a prevalent complication in cancerous patients that mostly occurs as a result of social function impairment. In this cross-sectional study on cancerous patients hospitalized during a 6-month period in the radiooncology ward of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, the relationship of depression severity with variables of age, sex, marital status, educational statues, life region and frequency of chemoradiotherapy sessions were studied and the predictive factors were determined. The prevalence or severity of depression showed significant relation with age increase [OR=10.8, P<0.05], low education [OR=6.4, P<0.05], being single [OR=2.8, P<0.05], and undergoing more than six therapeutic sessions [OR=3.2, P<0.05], while there was not such a relation for variables of sex and life region. Logistic regression model showed that, age over 45 [OR=8.1, P<0.05], being illiterate [OR=6.5, P<0.05] and being single [OR=4.3, P<0.05], are good predictors for depression in patients with cancer, while the number of therapeutic sessions was not a significant risk factor. Treatment of depression as a part of therapeutic plan of cancerous patients especially in high risk cases seems to be so important in decreasing the period of disease and patient's disability