[Histopathological findings in necrotic spaces developed with doxorubicin and 150 kHz ultrasound at low intensity and a combination of these two methods on adenocarcinoma tumor breast cancer in BALB/c mice]

Background: breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Chemotherapy works on active cells. Active cells are cells that are growing and dividing into more of the same type of cell. Cancer cells are active, but so are some healthy cells. Also, scientists work constantly to develop ways of providing treatment with fewer chemotherapy side effects

Objectives: the aim of this study was antitumor effect of simultaneous low-intensity, 150 kHz ultrasound, in combination with the reduced dose of anticancer drug Doxorubicin [DOX] on breast adenocarcinoma using murine model [BALB/c]

Methods: twenty-five female BALB/c mice were used in this study. The tumor was implanted under the breast skin of mice. Mice were divided into five groups, namely control, sham, drug [IV injected of 2 mg/kg of DOX], drug [IV injected of 1 mg/kg of DOX] + US [150 kHz for 15 minutes] and exposure to ultrasound [150 kHz for 15 minutes] alone. The data were analyzed employing ANOVA using SPSS software V.13 and complementary test of Tooki was done

Results: it was shown that, after injection of DOX, exposure to ultrasound at 150 kHz the necrotic spaces in adenocarcinoma tumors compared to control and sham groups have meaningful variance [p<0.001]. There was also a significant difference [the bigger the necrotic spaces] between the drug+US group and drug treated group [p<0.05], It should be mentioned that the dose of DOX in drug+US group was reduced to 1mg/kg

Conclusions: the co-administration of DOX and low-intensity ultrasound provided a more effective treatment than the drug alone in murine adenocarcinoma breast cancer. The combined treatment appeared to produce synergistic effects that could prove potentially useful in reducing the side effects of DOX by lowering the required effective dose of the drug while increasing the efficiency of the therapy as a whole

investigation on the antioxidant activities of hyssopus officinalis L. and Echinacea purpurea L. plant extracts in oil model system

Nowadays, there a growing demand for the natural antioxidants due to the harmful effects of synthetic antioxidants. Therefore, introduction of new natural antioxidants [especially those with plant origin] is very important. The present study explores the chemical constitution and antioxidant activity of leaf extract of Hyssopus officinalis L. and extract of aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea L., as two valuable natural antioxidants in soybean oil. Total phenolic content of the water extract of Hyssopus officinalis L. and Echinacea purpurea L. were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activity [AOA] of these two extracts were evaluated with DPPH[*], ABTS[*+] and beta carotene bleaching [BCB] methods. Furthur, the oven tests including peroxide and thiobarbituric acid values were done at 70°C in soybean oil system. Total phenolic content of Hyssopus officinalis L. and Echinacea purpurea L. were 200 and 60 mg/g phenolic components [galic acid equivalent], respectively. In DPPH* test, EC[50] value of Hyssopus officinalis L. and Echinacea purpurea L. were 35.6 +/- 4.7 and 123.0 +/- 10.9 ppm, respectively. In the oven test [in soybean oil], AOA of all concentrations of HOE was comparable to BHT and BHA at the concentration of 100 ppm. AOA of EPE was comparable to BHT at concentrations of 100 and 200 ppm, but lower than that of BHA. In all three DPPH[*], ABTS[*+] and beta carotene bleaching tests, the antioxidant activity of Hyssopus officinalis extract [HOE] was greater than that of Echinacea purpurea extract [EPE]. The antioxidant activity of both extracts improved with increase of the concentration. Further, HOE and EPE were able to reduce the oxidation rate of soybean oil under conditions of the oven test at 70°C. Thus, these two extracts could be appropriate natural alternatives to synthetic antioxidants

[Paradims of rheumatoid arthritis patients quality of life predictors based on path analysis of the precede model]

Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA] can get a considerable impact on patients' quality of life. Path analysis is an exact statistical method for determining the best causative model of variables. So, the aim of this paper is application of regression based path analysis for introduction of the best model of RA quality of life determinants, using Precede Model constructs. This analytic study was carried out on non-probability sample of 181 outpatients with RA, referred to a rheumatology clinic in the city of Yazd in Iran. Appropriate instruments included questions regarding Precede model constructs were used to measure the variables. Data were analysed using regression based path analysis method by means of SPSS software. Health status and enabling factors had a direct effect on quality of life within which health status had the most powerful effect. Self-care behaviors, predisposing, reinforcing and enabling factors had an indirect effect on quality of life through health status. After health status, self-care behaviors are the second powerful predictor of quality of life in RA patients and then enabling factors is the third one. Precede model could be used as an conceptual framework for designing and implementing educational intervention programs to promote quality of life in RA patients. Enabling factors were found as the most powerful factors in the educational and ecological diagnostic stage of predictors of quality of life in RA patients and need to be considered carefully, while designing intervention programs

[Musculoskeletal disorders among video display terminal [VDT] workers comparing with other office workers]

Scientific and industrial development has led to increased production, which has been associated with different complications, including occupational stress, and increased incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders are frequent causes of absenteeism in developed countries. We designed this study to assess musculoskeletal disorders and occupational stress among video display terminal [VDT] workers in comparison with other office workers. This was a cross-sectional study on 72 VDT workers [case] and 145 office workers [control]. In this study we used Nordic and Osipow questionnaires in order to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders and job stress, respectively. The questionnaires were filled by direct interview. T test, chi square, Fisher test and logistic regression were used for data analysis. The frequency of musculoskeletal disorders among VDT users in the last 12 months was 46.5%, 20.3%, 5.1%, 12.4% and 57.6% in neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and low back areas, respectively. The frequency of musculoskeletal complaints in neck, shoulder and wrist and mean score of occupational stress was significantly higher in the case group comparing with control group, and both results were statistically significant. VDT working is a high-risk job for musculoskeletal disorders. In this study the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders, especially in high-risk regions for this job, was higher in VDT workers than other office workers. We recommend to perform other studies in order to find non-ergonomic points and postures in these persons

Evaluation of aflatoxin contamination in Maize from Mazandaran province in Iran

In Iran, maize is cultivated in wide areas including northern provinces. It is one of the most important crops for poultry and livestock feeding, which is susceptible to aflatoxins [AFs] contamination. So, pre-harvest maize samples from Mazandaran province, north of Iran were analyzed for AFs contamination. Thirty-five pre-harvest maize samples were analyzed using immunoaffinity column and reversed-phase liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization. Data revealed that incidence of AFB1, AFB2 and total aflatoxins [AFT] in maize samples were 66%, 54% and 63% with mean of 9.5 +/- 16.3, 1.7 +/- 2.6 and 10.4 +/- 18.4 ng/g, respectively. The mean level of AFB1 in samples was higher than the Iranian maximum tolerated level [MTL]. But, AFT mean level [10.4 ng/g] was lower than the Iranian and US [20 ng/g] MTLs

[ relationship between predisposing factors and self-care behaviors among patients with rheumatoid arthritis]

Self-care activity is a key factor in managing Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA] in order to reduce disability caused by the disease. Predisposing factors including knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy are introduced as determinants of self-care behaviors in the forth phase of PRECEDE model, i.e., ecological and educational assessment. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the predisposing factors and self-care behaviors in patients with RA in Yazd, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sampling was used to recruit 181 outpatients with RA referred to a rheumatology clinic in Yazd, Iran. Data were collected by conducting interviews with the participants using a survey questionnaire included knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy, as predisposing factors; and self-care behaviors items. Reliability and validity of the instruments were examined and approved. The statistical tests included bivariate correlations, Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression. Knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores were 71.7%, 66.9%, and 47.5%, respectively. The total predisposing factors score was 62.3%. There was a significant positive correlation between the self-care behaviors with attitude and self-efficacy. However, there was no significant correlation between the patients' knowledge and self-care behaviors. Totally, the measures explained 39.3% of total self-care behaviors variance within which the self-efficacy was the strongest predictor [beta=0.41]. Regarding the high power of predisposing factors, especially self-efficacy, in predicting self-care behaviors; and the low scores of self-efficacy, health promotion planners should pay more attention to predisposing factors of self-care behaviors especially the self-efficacy in designing health promotion programs

Patient's believes on effects of food on musculoskeletal pains

Patients frequently complain of chronic pain, which was affected by some foods. Previous investigations showed beneficial effect of some kind of fruits and seeds on pain. The aim of present study is to determine believes of the patients with chronic pain that whether food affects their pain. This cross-sectional analysis performed on 445 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in Yazd rhomathology clinic/Iran. Patient's points of view were assessed in terms of 97 variants of eating materials. The data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS-13. Of 455 patients enrolled at the study, more than 50% believed that food affects some how on pain perception. The age of patients ranged 18-81 years old [mean: 44.95, SD:14.67]. Of them, 77.1% were female and 22.9% male, which 57.8% of studied people complained of mechanical pain, 36% of inflammatory type, and 6.2% of other types of pains including non-specific ones. In meat groups, beef and sausage increased pain in majority of them [beef: 32.9% increase the pain and 1.3% decrease it], dairy products in most of the patients decreased pain [milk: 31.1% decrease the pain and 10.5% increase it], but grains, cereals and rice increased the pain [rice: 26.3% increase the pain and 2.6% decrease it] but bread decreased the pain [10.1% decrease the pain and 1.8% increase it. Cucumber [31.6% increase the pain and 4.4% decrease it, water melon [30.3% increase the pain and 6.6% decrease it] and some of the sour fruits increased usually their pain. Lettuce [21.9% increase the pain and 11% decrease it, potato, tomato, beans and aubergine increased their pain severely, but okra [11.8% decrease the pain and 2.2% increase it], carrot, onion, garlic and celery decreased the pain. All nuts like almond, walnut, hazelnut and pistachio diminished the pain, which walnut was the most effective one [37.7% decrease the pain and 0.4% increase it]. On the other hand, nuts especially walnut are believed to be pain-relieving. In conclusion food may have some impact on musculoskeletal pain as mentioned by our patients. It seems that abstinence of some drinks and foods can be helpful in better control of chronic pain in selected patients, that are named as cold [Sard] food in our traditional culture. More multi-population studies are suggested for more precise and comprehensive results

Emergence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major in a New Focus of Southern Iran

Reports from the health center of Kerman Province, southern Iran showed an increasing of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in Orzuieh Rural District, southwest of the province in 2003. The report encouraged the team to carry out an epidemiological survey in the district during 2003-2004. The objectives were to determine the ecology of sand flies, potential reservoir hosts and human infection. A total of 1075 sand flies were collected by sticky traps and 7 species of sand flies were identified. They comprised 3 species of the genus Phlebotomus [P. papatasi, P. mongolensis and P. bergeroti] and 4 species of the genus Sergentomyia [S. sintoni, S. clydei, S. tiberiadis and S. Baghdadis]. P. papatasi was the predominant species of the genus Phlebotomus in indoors [90.3%] and outdoors [50.2%]. Susceptibility tests on P. papatasi with DDT 4%. Showed that the species was susceptible to this insecticide. A total of 13 rodents consist of Tatera indica [76.9%] and Nesokia indica [23.1%] were collected. A study of prevalence among 2441 inhabitants in four villages showed a rate of 1.1% for active lesions and 10.4% for scars during November- December 2003. In a separate study examination of 1662 school children aged 6-12 years old showed 1.14% for ulcers and 14.7% for scars at the same time. The Leishmania parasites were isolated from man and characterized as Leishmania major using RAPD-PCR method. It seems that cutaneous leishmaniasis due to L. major [CLM] has been prevailed in the district

[Alkaloids from Narcissus tazetta L.]

Narcissus tazetta of the Amaryllidaceae is a monocotyledon, perennial and bulbous plant. This ornamental fragrant plant has various alkaloids that have shown anti tumor, anti virus and anticholinergic activities. In this study, we have investigated the alkaloids of the bulbs of Narcissus tazetta [post flowering] from Gilan province, north of Iran. Ethanolic extract of bulbs were prepared. Then the alkaloids were extracted with different solvents [Et[2]O, CHCI[3], Na[2]CO[3] solution] to yielding a brown gum. This extract was Done chromatography by TLC on silica gel. The separated alkaloids were identified by the study of their NMR, IR and MASS spectra. The bulbs of Narcissus tazetta from Gilan province were found to contain homolycorine as the major alkaloid as well as tazettine and ismine. This is the first report of ismine identification in the N. tazetta whereas tazettine and demethylated derivative of homolycorine, that have medicinal properties, were found previously

Designing and compiling a generic informed consent form human volunteers participating in research

Performing research on [human] volunteers may involve useful or harmful effects. To preserve the volunteers' dignity, numerous world associations have issued declarations such as Nuremberg s, Helsinki s, Belmont s report, etc. One of the four ethical principles in research is respecting volunteers' rights and the most obvious aspect of this respect materializes in obtaining the volunteers informed consent. This informed consent form has been compiled by a Delphi quality study which 15 experts have participated in its designation and compilation. At first, the experts replied the questions posed by the researchers on the frame and contents of the form. Then, the replies were summarized and once again were sent to the experts for a second revision. Eventually, the final form was edited by a Persian language expert. The final result of this research is an informed consent form which includes three main parts: introduction, body and places provided for signatures. Compilers of this form find it a suitable and useful way to obtain volunteers informed consent. This form has been prepared for all researchers in different fields of medical science and the authors welcome any comments, suggestions or criticisms by professors and specialists

Abortion in christianity

There is no clear mention of abortion in the moral teachings of the New Testament. Yet, from the very early times of Christianity, Christian sects and scholars have paid attention to this problem. The Roman Catholic Church believes that the fetus is a full human being, with a right to live, from the moment of conception; therefore this church has condemned all direct acts of abortion. Dida-che, a late first-century or early second-century manual of Christianity teachings, decrees that: [You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.]. In another Christian document, abortion is regarded as an abominable crime. Although some Christian scholars put forward the idea that abortion would be possible if the fetus has not developed a soul. The Roman Catholic Church in the nineteenth century rejected this idea formally, and decreed that abortion of any fetus is prohibited, and the person who performs it is condemnable to the canonical penalty of excommunication. One of the most important challenges to this idea of Catholic Church is that a pregnancy may put the mother's life at risk of death. According to this teaching, even in such cases, abortion is not allowed. Catholics in response to this problem have suggested the rule of [double effect], to save the life of the mother. For example, if a pregnant woman has uterine cancer or pregnancy in the fallopian tube, physicians may undertake procedures to save her life. In terms of the rule of double effect, the pregnant woman and her physician don't intend the fetus' death, and removing the cancerous uterus is a legitimate medical treatment for uterine cancer, even though it will result in her fetus' death. By contrast, many Protestants, Orthodox and other theologians, especially in recent times, view the fetus as a potential human being, which lays significant claims to the pregnant woman and others. Yet, abortion can sometimes be justified [e.g., when the life of the mother is at risk]. Some feminist theologians, that give another interpretation of the relation between the pregnant woman and her fetus, allow abortion if the pregnancy endangers the mother's life

Abortion in Judaism

In Torah, the first and most important source of Jewish laws, there is no direct mention of a willful abortion. This book only refers to the abortion of a pregnant woman's fetus in the course of a quarrel. In similar cases one who causes this kind of abortion shall pay fines. Talmud, the second important source of Jewish laws, refers to willful abortions. According to Talmud, abortion, although prohibited, is not punishable by death penalty. In spite of prohibition of abortion in Talmud, this book sometimes permits abortion. According to Talmudic laws, abortion is permitted if the fetus endangers the mother's life, but from the moment that the head or the greater part of its body has emerged into the world, no one can abort it; because here there are two living beings, and no one can say the life of the mother is more important than that of the fetus. Yet, when the mother's life is endangered, she herself may destroy the fetus even if the greater part of the fetus has come out of her body, according to [self-defense] rule. Some Jewish texts maintain that abortion should be permitted if it is necessary for rescuing the mother's life, even if there is no fatality attached to the pregnancy or the mother's illness is not directly caused by the fetus. The permissibility of abortion in relation to a pregnancy resulting from adultery has been a matter of controversy. Many Jewish scholars have permitted abortion by a married woman made pregnant through adultery, but not by an unmarried woman who becomes pregnant, because, according to the Jewish laws, the child of the former woman is regarded as a bastard, but the child of the latter, i.e. unmarried woman's, is not regarded so. According to Talmud, abortion is permitted, if a woman's pregnancy results from adultery and she is condemned to death. In this case, abortion is permitted, and it is even said that it is obligatory to do it before execution process starts, except the time when delivery has started. In recent years, the question of permissibility of abortion has been raised in cases where there is the fear of malformation or of a birth defect in the fetus. The general tendency is to uphold the prohibition against abortion in such cases. Yet, some neo-Jewish jurists have adopted a lighter view and permitted abortion in some cases