[Achieving the goals of integration of medical education and health service delivery systems from the viewpoint of the faculty members of Kermanshah university of medical sciences]

Plan of integration of the schools of medicine and health systems was approved in 1985. Considering the importance of the opinion the faculty members on achieving success on this issue, we decided to perform this study. We used a questionnaire consisted of 27 questions in various fields. Also the questions were categorized in the education, research, treatment, health and social fields. After completing the questionnaire, score of every question was determined. According to demographic information of the participants, scores of the different fields and also between different fields were analyzed by means of ANOVA, Friedman and paired T test. From the viewpoint of the faculty members, achievement of the goals of integration on the average was 52.37 +/- 1.07 [Mean +/- SEM] percent of the maximum scores. The highest scores belonged to health services and health indicators [59.87% +/- 1.21] and the least scores were related to research facilities and activities and social purposes of integration plan [49.19% +/- 1.20] [P=0.0001]. From the viewpoint of the faculty members, success in achieving integration plan goals is still far from ideal state. Success of this plan in the health field was significantly higher than that of education and treatment fields. Also the success of this plan in the research and social fields [such as changing the sociological insight of the graduates and faculty members] was significantly lower, compared with the other fields. These differences may be due to a failure in the current system to achieve some of its goals. Similar studies on this subject, in other centers are recommended

Protection of ischemic and reperfused rat heart by aqueous extract of Urtica dioica

Urtica dioica [U.D] has widely been used in traditional medicine for its hypotensive and vasodilatory effects. The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of aqueous extract of Urtica dioica on isolated ischemia- reperfused heart. The heart of male wistar rats were isolated and perfused according to langendorff method. In the control group [n = 13] the hearts were subjected to three steps of stabilization [30 min], normothermic global ischemia [40 min] and reperfusion [45 min]. In addition, before and after ischemia, the aqueous extract of U.D [200 mg/ml] was added to perfusion solution in the test group [n=14]. Different cardiac variables including left ventricular pressure, heart rate and coronary flow were measured and rate pressure product was calculated. Results showed that left ventricular pressure [59.11 +/- 4.7] and rate pressure product [13680 +/- 1136] in 45th minute of reperfusion in the test group were significantly [P=0.0187 and 0.0321 respectively] greater than the control group [39.1 +/- 6.0, 9480 +/- 1480] respectively. These findings indicated decreased cardiac damage following ischemia in the test group, compared with that of control group. Results of the present study showed that the aqueous extract of U.D, increased the tolerance of isolated rat hearts against ischemic damage. This effect can be explained by potent antioxidant activity of the U.D extract, suggesting its clinical use in ischemic heart disease

[Assessment of the role of nitric oxide component of Falcaria vulgaris extract in coronary vasodilatation in the isolated rat heart]

Falcaria vulgaris locally named Paghazah has been used traditionally as a herbal medicine and as a vegetable in the west of Iran. Effects of the plant extract on the isolated rat heart including vasodilatation have been shown in our previous study. The aim of this study was to assess thoroughly the effect of the plant on vasodilatation, role of the nitric oxide as one of the most important mechanisms of vasodilatation, and the potential cytotoxic effect of this herbal medicine on the isolated rat heart. Hearts of male Wistar rats were isolated and perfused under constant pressure according to Langendorff method. Extract of the plant was prepared by soaking it in 70% ethanol according to percolation method. The rats were assigned into three groups. In one group [n=8] concentrations of 0.2, 1 and 5 microgram/ml of the extract were infused into the hearts over a period of 5 minutes and different cardiac parameters were measured and recorded. In the second group [n=8] 15 mg and 22.5 mg of the extract were used as bolus injections by ten minute intervals. Then the above mentioned doses were injected again into the hearts treated with LNAME [100micmol]. In the third group, at first the hearts were treated with LNAME, then 15 mg and 22.5 mg of extract were injected. Results of this study showed that infusion of concentrations of 0.2, 1 and 5 micgr/ml of the extract significantly increased coronary solution flow [CSF] from the third to the fifth minute after infusion [P<0.05]. Following injection of 15 mg and 22.5 mg of extract, CSF increased significantly from 10.58 +/- 0.63 and 9.66 +/- 0.52 ml/min to 13.76 +/- 0.51 and 12.18 +/- 0.64 respectively [P<0.05]. Also similar significant increases in CSF changes were seen in the presence of LNAME [P<0.05] which indicated nitric oxide played no role in this mechanism. Amount of LDH released after bolus injection of the extract did not significantly differ from its amount in the control group. In the present study we emphasize that the coronary vasodilator effect of Falcaria vulgaris hydro alcoholic extract in the isolated rat heart is significant. Nitric oxide is not involved in this mechanism. Considering the time and wide range of administrated doses [infusion method] and reversible effect of the extract it can be regarded harmless. Also on the basis of LDH measurement it has no cytotoxic effect. In our study nitric oxide had no role in coronary vasodilatation. Therefore evaluation of other mechanisms of vasodilatation brought into play by the extract is recommended

Evaluation of ischemia tolerance in the rabbit heart isolated before maturation

Several studies have shown that cardiac tolerance of ischemia, before maturation is greater in the newborn than adults and it decreases gradually in the rest of life. Most studies on cardiac tolerance before maturation have shown this tolerance gradually decreases before maturation. But a few studies have not confirmed such results. In regard to its clinical importance this study was designed to determine the change in the pattern of tolerance of ischemia before maturation. Hearts of 2, 3, 6 and 8 week-old rabbits were isolated and perfused under constant pressure according to langendorff method. Coronary flow [CF] and functional parameters including heart rate [HR] and fluctuations in the left ventricular developed pressure [LVDP] were measured and the product of [HR x LVDP] [RPP] was calculated. Steps of the experiment included baseline period [20 min], ischemia [35 min] at temperature of 37°C and reperfusion for 45 minutes. Cardiac parameters including RPP were evaluated 45 minute after reperfusion and at the baseline period. ANOVA test was used for data analysis. Recovery of the heart function in 3 week old rabbits [85.81 +/- 4.36] [mean +/- SE] was significantly greater than those of 2, 6 and 8 week old rabbits [67.57 +/- 3.27], [61.19 +/- 2.83] and [52.03 +/- 5.09] respectively [P<0.05]. It can be concluded that tolerance of ischemia in rabbit before maturation doesn't decrease and reaches its maximum between birth and maturation