[Evaluation of heavy metals in tobacco and hookah water used in coffee houses in Sanandaj city in 2017]

Background and Aim: Tobacco use in various ways such as cigarettes, hookahs, and nas is one of the most important and preventable factors in illness, disability and premature death in the world. Considering the importance of hookah consumption and its impact on the health of people in the community, studies in this regard will be significant. In this regard, the aim of present study was to determine the levels of heavy metals [zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], lead [Pb], cadmium [Cd], arsenic [As], and mercury [Hg]] in the tobacco and hookah water used in cafes in Sanandaj city in 2017

Material and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical [cross sectional] study, two popular and common brands of hookah tobacco were selected in Sanandaj [Crystal and Palm], and each of the brands was evaluated for three flavors [dassib, lemon, and mint]. A total of 36 tobacco samples [before and after use] and 36 samples of water [before and after use] were investigated. The samples were prepared by acid digestion and finally, the concentrations of metals [Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As, and Hg] was measured by atomic absorption

Results: The results of this study showed that the highest and lowest concentrations of metals were related to Zn [11/05 microg/g] and As [1/35 microg/g] respectively. In general, according to the results, the order of the metals was Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd > As. The results showed that there was a significant difference between Pb in burnt and unburned tobacco, and Pb in burnt tobacco is more than unburned tobacco. In contrast, no difference in the mean of the other metals before and after use has not been made. The results of comparison of metals before and after the use of hookahs in hookah water showed that there was a significant difference in Cu, Zn, and Pb. Moreover, there is no significant difference between the two brands in terms of metals as well as the different taste of the tobacco [p> 0/05]

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the concentration of metals in tobacco samples distributed in Sanandaj was higher than the standards of WHO. The values indicated were high levels of metals in aromatic tobacco samples, which also require more attention to protect people's health and ways to reduce tobacco use

Proteomic analysis of muscle tissue from rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss] fed dietary beta-glucan

The aim of this study was to examine the changes in muscle proteome of the rainbow trout fed dietary beta-glucan. The experimental diets contained 0 [control], 0.1% and 0.2% beta-1, 3/1, 6 yeast glucan. First, feeding larvae were fed to apparent satiation nine times per day with their respective diets over two months. The percentage of body weight gain and feed efficiency of fish fed 0.2% diet was significantly higher than those of fish fed the control and 0.1% diets. Fish fed the control and 0.2% diets were subjected to proteomic analysis. Proteins of the muscle tissue were analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Spots that were found to differ significantly in abundance between control and beta-glucan fed fish were selected for identification. Out of 8 protein spots showing differential expression, 7 spots were successfully identified. Two protein spots that were found to be increased in abundance in the beta-glucan treated rainbow trout corresponded to tropomyosin alpha-1 chain [spot 1] and slow myotomal muscle tropomyosin [spot 2]. The five spots that were down-regulated with dietary beta-glucan supplementation were identified as different forms of myosin: myosin light polypeptide 3-2 [spot 3], myosin light chain 1 [spots 4 and 5], fast myosin light chain 2 [spot 6] and myosin heavy chain [spot 7]. The altered expression of structural proteins in fish fed beta-glucan may be related to higher growth rate in rainbow trout. These findings provide basic information to understand possible mechanisms of dietary beta-glucan contribution to better growth in rainbow trout

Integrated lecturing within clerkship course: a new learning method in Nurse Anesthesia Teaching

Background and purpose: The conventional lecture-based teaching method that has been used to transit theoretical knowledge to the participants is inadequate. Due to some issues with this didactic approach, it is believed that integration of this approach with an active method may be more valuable in nursing education. In this study, we hypothesized that integrating lecture-based teaching within clerkship course would enhance the knowledge of nurse-anesthesia students

Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted on 24 students of second-year nurse-anesthesia course. All students received either didactic lectures or integrated lectures within the clerkship course during a 4-month semester of their educational curriculum. Their knowledge of anesthesia course was assessed at the end of the course using the Wilcoxon Rank test

Results: The adopted integrated method improved the students' final scores at the end of the semester [p=0.004]. Moreover, their scores were much improved in taxonomy-2 questions [p=0.001]

Conclusions: Incorporating a didactic lecture approach within anesthesia clerkship course improves the knowledge of the participants in the anesthesia course

dietary wood betony, Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl extract as a growth promoter and immune enhancer in common carp [Cyprinm carpio]

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of wood betony [WB], Stachys lavandulifolia extract on growth performance and some immune responses in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Different concentrations of the WB extract 0, 2, 4 and 8% [g per 100 g of diet] were added to commercial diet. Each treatment was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of fish having average initial weight of 44 +/- 0.62 g for 10 weeks. The results showed that final weight, food conversion ratio, specific growth rate and condition factor were significantly improved by WB in a dose dependent manner, where the best growth parameters were achieved in the group of fish receiving the highest concentration of WB [P<0.05]. Feeding fish at 2 and 4% W/W by WB in the diet improved lysozyme activity, ACH[50] and IgM levels significantly in comparison to the control [P<0.05]. Group offish fed on 4% WB in the diet had the best levels of the immune characteristics [P<0.05]. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to feed common carp with WB to improve growth and non-specific immunity

Effect of adding soymilk on physicochemical, microbial, and sensory characteristics of probiotic fermented milk containing Lactobacillus acidophilus

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of addition of soymilk on physicochemical, microbial, and sensory characteristics of milk fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus. Soybeans were blended 1:5 w/v with distilled water. The prepared soymilk was added to milk in combinations of 20%, 40%, and 60%. Milk was used as the control. All the samples were sterilized and fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 as probiotics. Then, they were kept at C for 14 days. Microbial count, titratable acidity, pH, syneresis, color parameters and sensory evaluation were performed during the storage time. Results showed that all the samples possessed minimum effective dose of LA-5 on day 14, although a significant decrease in LA-5 was observed in the sample with 60% soymilk. In each experimental day, there was a noticeable decrease in the pH of the samples. Addition of soymilk to milk also significantly increased syneresis, particularly in samples with 60% soymilk. Sensory evaluations showed that scores of texture, mouth sense, aroma, and flavor of the samples with 40% and 60% soymilk were significantly lower than other samples. With respect to color, "L" value decreased significantly in the fermented product with 60% soymilk and the decrease was more pronounced with longer storage times. In conclusion, addition of 20% soymilk did not substantially alter physicochemical and sensory characteristics of milk while providing an appropriate growth culture for LA-5. The mixture of milk-20% soymilk can be introduced as a good probiotic product with lower lactose content and additional nutritional benefits. Key words: Probiotics, Milk, Soymilk, Lactobacillus acidophilus

Phenotypic and genetic diversity of motile aeromonads isolated from diseased fish and fish farms

Samples from the kidney of 100 diseased fish with signs of haemorrhagic septicemiaand50 samples from outlet water of fish farms were taken aseptically and cultured. In the laboratory, 75 colonies of gram-negative bacteria were biochemically diagnosed as motile aeromonads in our Bacteriology Laboratory Unit using API 20E rapid identification system. The genotype identification using specific primers for 16S rDNA by PCR and direct sequencing of 28 Iranian motile aeromonads isolates were as follow: in diseased fish, Aeromonas hydrophila [3 isolates, 15%], A. veronii bv. sobria [8 isolates, 40%], A. bestiarum/piscicola [5 isolates, 25%], A. media [3 isolates, 15%], A. j and aei [1 isolate, 5%], A. aquariorum [0 isolate, 0%] and in water, Aeromonas hydrophila [0 isolate, 0%], A. veronii bv. sobria [6 isolates, 75%], A. bestiarum/piscicola [0 isolate, 0%], A. media [1 isolate, 12.5%], A. j and aei [0 isolate, 0%] and A. aquariorum [1 isolate, 12.5%]. Results of this study suggest that the incidence of motile aeromonads septicemia due to A. veronii bv. sobria is the most prevalent motile aeromonads. Nucleotide polymorphisms on the sequencing results of the 16S rDNA were detected as noticeable inter and intra-specific variation within the population of different aeromonads isolates. In total, 10-20 variant nucleotide positions in this region were observed among Aeromonas spp. Key words: Phenotype, Genotype, Motile aeromonads, Diseased fish, Fish farms

[ comparative study on the structure of English abstracts of Persian and English medical journals]

Background and aim: Nowadays writing an essay is very important to represent scientific achievements providing that the principles of rhetorical patterns would be considered. The present study aimed to compare the structural variations in English abstracts of Persian and English journals in the area of medical sciences

Methods: In this analytical-descriptive study, 64 medical article abstracts [32 in Iranian journals, 32 in international journals] were analyzed and compared on the basis of Swales' model. Furthermore detailed analysis was done on the Introduction section regarding CARS [Create- a- Research- Space] model proposed by Swales. The IMRC [Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion] sequence was considered as the structural conventions for the analysis. Data were analyzed using Chi square and Fisher tests

Results: The results showed that while all translated abstracts considered IMRC sequence, the original ones did not considered it completely. In the introduction section, there was a significant difference, in writing the aim of the study and it was found more in translated abstracts compared to the original ones [P<0.001]. In addition, there was a significant difference in using the Material and Methods section between the two groups of abstracts but pro translated abstracts [P<0.01]. Both groups of abstracts were identical in the Results and Conclusion sections

Conclusion: The results showed that the translated abstracts from Persian to English in medical articles more closely reflected the criteria of scientific writing structure than the abstracts excerpted from the original English articles

[ effect of Hemoglobin changes on postoperative shivering]

Background and aim: Postoperative shivering is a common complication of anesthesia. Some studies reported that hemodilution induced anemia can reduce postoperative shivering. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between the hemoglobin index and changes on post anesthesia shivering

Methods: In a descriptive-analytical study, 117 patients aged 16-60 years were participated. Preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin index was measured. The level of hemoglobin was evaluated in 3 steps; before operation, 1 and 6 hours after operation. Postoperative shivering was evaluated by Crossly-staging. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS 17.00 software, using repeated measures analysis of variances and Spearman correlation tests

Results: From the total of 117 patients, 21 patients [17.9%] demonstrated postoperative shivering. The mean hemoglobin levels in patients with and without shivering before the operation were found 14.70+/-2.38 and 15.14+/-2.25 mg/dl, respectively [P>0.05]. After the operation, the mean hemoglobin levels in two groups were 13.28+/-2.36 and 13.64+/-2.05, respectively [P>0.05]. Finally, measuring hemoglobin levels in both groups six hours after the operation, were found 13.08+/-2.2.10 and 13.52+/-2.49, respectively [P>0.05]. No correlation was observed between the hemoglobin levels and shivering stages [P=0.085]

Conclusion: According to results of this study, there is no correlation between hemoglobin level and postoperative shivering

Isolation and characterization of lactococcus garvieae from diseased rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum] cultured in Iran

A total of 200 moribund rainbow trout with clinical signs of a hyperacute haemorrhagic septicemia were collected from rainbow trout farms in Fars, Kohkiloyeh-Boyer Ahmad and Charmohal-Bakhtiari provinces in the south and southwest of Iran during summer 2002 to winter 2008 for detection of Lactococcus garvieae, the causative agent of lactococcosis. Fish kidney samples were cultured aseptically onto brain heart infusion agar plates and incubated at 25°C for 48 h. Using conventional biochemical tests, L. garvieae was detected from 32 fish [16% of total fish samples]. Additionally, isolates were confirmed as L. garvieae using a specific PCR assay based on 16S rDNA gene by producing a single band of 1107 bp. Partial analysis of 16S rDNA revealed 100% sequence similarity for all Iranian isolates and there was a close genetic relationship among these isolates and those previously reported from mullet in Taiwan [AF352166] and yellowtail in Japan [AB267897] based on GenBank data. Results of antibiogram tests on L. garvieae isolates showed a high susceptibility to erythromycin, enrofloxacin, chloramphenicol and clarithromycin. In pathogenicity tests, immersion of fish in a bacterial suspension of 6x10[5] colony forming unit/ml of L. garvieae in challenge experiments showed 60% mortality during 14 days post-infection. Experimentally, infected fish showed typical blackening of skin haemorrhages, exophthalmia and wide haemorrhages on viscera. The present study provides useful molecular and biochemical information for L. garvieae isolates in Iran compared with those from different hosts and geographic locations

Methotrexate hepatotoxicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Increases in aminotransferases [transaminitis] are potential major adverse reactions seen with long-term use of methotrexate [MTX]. The aim of this study, therefore was to evaluate the incidence of MTX induced hepatotoxicity and its risk factors among rheumatoid arthritis [RA] patients. This retrospective study described 286 patients with RA who received >/= 7.5 mg MTX weekly in an academic rheumatology clinic over a 15 year period. The results of serial liver function tests, concurrent MTX dose, cumulative dose and use of hepatotoxic drugs were collected and statistically analyzed according to a consecutive elevation in aminotransferases which occurred over at least a two week interval. During the study period, 286 patients [84.4% female] with mean age of 46.6 +/- 12.7 years [18-84 years] were enrolled. Transaminitis occurred among 23.7% of patients [incidence: 6.9 per 100 person-years] during 40.5 +/- 34.6 month's exposure to MTX [989.6 person-years]. The time difference between onset of therapy and occurrence of transaminitis was 22.1 +/- 22.0 months. The only significant factor related to the occurrence of transaminitis was the duration of MTX therapy. The average duration of treatment among patients with transaminitis [59.6 +/- 42.3 months] was greater than those with no transaminitis [p<0.001]. The cumulative dose of MTX was significantly related to the occurrence of transaminitis [p<0.001]. MTX hepatotoxicity is a common complication of long-term treatment with MTX. It is associated with mild liver enzyme elevation and related to the duration of therapy

Efficacy of mtad, glyde and edta in debridement of curved root canals

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of MTAD, Glyde and EDTA in removing the post-preparation smear layer and debris produced in apical third of curved molar root canals.Forty extracted human maxillary first molars with curved mesiobuccal canals [30degree sign-35degree sign], similar root lengths and morphologies were divided into 3 experimental groups [n=12] and one control group [n=4]. Canals were prepared by RaCe rotary files and were treated with the following materials between each two files: Group A [control group]; 5 mL of distilled water, Group B; 1 mL of 17% ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid [EDTA] for 1 min, Group C; BioPure trade mark sign MTAD [according to the manufacturer's instruction; 5mL for 5 min], and Group D; Glyde File Prep alternated with sodium hypochlorite [NaOCl] between each two files. Debridement of the apical third was evaluated using scanning electron microscope [SEM] [_5000]. The data were statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests [P < 0.05].Statistical analysis of the data showed that MTAD and 17% EDTA were effective in removing smear layer and debris from the apical thirds. MTAD was more effective than EDTA in smear layer removal. Glyde did not adequately debride curved root canals of molar teeth. MTAD and 17% EDTA were effective in debriding the apical third of curved molar root canals during endodontic treatment, whereas Glyde File Prep does not provide adequate debridement

[Study of lysozyme, immunoglobulin, blood cell and hematocrit changes following experimental infection with a pathogenic aeromonas hydrophila in rainbow trout]

In order to determine the changes in serum and blood factors of rainbow trout following experimental infection with a pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila, the cause of haemorrhagic septicemia in fish, three groups of rainbow trout [10 fish in each group] were injected intraperitoneally with 10[5], 10[6] and 10[7] of this bacteria respectively. The same number of fish in a control group were injected similarly with physiologic saline. After the appearance of clinical symptoms of haemorrhagic septicemia in fish, samples from skin mucus and blood of the fish were collected in order to determine lysozyme, anti- Aeromonas hydrophila immunoglobulins [measured by plate method and ELISA respectively], total white and red blood cells[WBC/RBC]. Results showed that the lysozyme level in skin mucus and sera was significantly higher than the control group [p<0.05] while the immunoglobulin level of skin mucus of experimentally challenged fish was not significantly higher than that of control group except that of the group 2 and 3 of the experimental fish. WBC/RBC and hematocrit of the experimentally challenged rainbow trout were significantly higher than the control. Thus infection of rainbow trout with Aeromonas hydrophila increases the level of mucus and serum lysozyme, serum immunoglobulins, decreases RBC count and heamatocrit percentage

Detection and identification of virulent Yersinia ruckeri: the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease in rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss] cultured in Fars province, Iran

From the winter 2002 to spring 2006, 126 moribund rainbow trout with clinical signs of external body haemorrhages around and within the oral cavity were sampled from 10 rainbow trout farms situated in the northwest and west of Fars province, Iran and examined for the detection and identification of Yersinia ruckeri, the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease. Fish kidneys were cultured aseptically on brain heart infusion [BHI] agar plates and incubated at 25°C for 48 h. Using conventional biochemical tests, Y. ruckeri was detected in 7 fish [5.5% of total fish sampled]. This was also confirmed using specific polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay. The 16S rDNA PCR assays produced amplicons of 409 bp when applied to Y. ruckeri isolates as well as a reference strain. Results of antibiogram tests on Y. ruckeri isolates showed a high susceptibility to enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, trimethoprim and oxytetracycline. In pathogenicity tests, dilution of 4 x 10[8] colony forming unit/ml of Y. ruckeri by immersion route in challenge experiments showed 70 +/- 8.2% mortality during 14 days post-infection. Experimentally infected fish showed typical haemorrhages in mouth, blackening of skin, exophthalmia and a wide haemorrhages on the internal organs

Closure time of spheno-occipital suture in the male cadavers referred to legal medicine organization

The identity of dead is an essential part of post-mortem examination. The identification of unknown human remnants begins with the creation of an anthropological profile, which includes sex, biological age, stature and individualizing features. The estimation of age at death is based on the bodily biological changes that occur throughout life. Closure of spheno occipital synchondrosis is one of factors used for age estimation although its importance and reliability has been challenged with different authors. We studied its closure time among Iranian 8 to 26 years old male cadavers with direct inspection during autopsy. We divided synchondrosis situation depending on its fusion state into three categories: open, semi closed and closed. During 2004-5, 106 cases studied. Mean age of open, semi closed and closed were 12.78, 16.86 and 21.36 years, respectively. Their difference was significant [p < 0.05]. Partial fusion [semi closed] was seen at 12 years while complete fusion [closed] should be 15 years or above. Spearman's correlation ratio coefficient showed linear correlation between age and suture situation [rho = 0.684, P < 0.05]. Our results showed that closure of spheno occipital suture can be used as a good indicator for age estimation in males. With sensitivity of 88.31% and specificity of 79.31% males can be correctly grouped above or below 16 years

Correlation between chronological age and developmental status of third molars [A Radiographic Evaluation]

Determining chronological age of individuals is an investigation key in legal medicine. The aim of this study was radiographic evaluation of correlation between chronological age of Iranian people and developmental status of third molar tooth based on Demirjian staging method. This cross-sectional and diagnostic study was accomplished in Radiology department, Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran [2004-2005]. [35] young adults, 15-25 year-old, attended the study. ID cards and radiographic evaluation were used for data collection. The radiographs were studied by a legal medicine resident and an oral and maxillofacial radiologist. Determining the developmental stages of third molar teeth was based on Demirjian method. Statistical calculations were carried out by Levene, t, Wilcoxon's signed rank, Mann-Whitney, Friedman tests and Kendal correlation coefficients [tau-b]. The distribution of different development stages of Demirjian method increased by development of third molars. There was a significant statistical discrepancy between boys and girls for the lower left third molar tooth [P < 0.001]; males were in a higher development rank. According to Calton system, he relation between Demirjian method and age was average in maxillary third molar teeth and was strong in mat dibular third molar teeth. The maxillary third molars were generally in a higher development rank compared to mandibular third molar teeth [Friedman test, X2 -44.2 14, P < 0.001]. Among four molar teeth, only developmental stage of lower left third molar was diagnosed to be effective [R 0.7 14, R2=0.51, adjusted R2 0.507, F =209.047, P < 0.001]. Only stage [H] of Demirjian method that the distal canal is closed can b: predicted with 99% precision whether the person will be 18 or above 18 years old

[ effects of group therapy on mental health condition in mothers of thalassemic patients]

Thalassemia is the most common hereditary chronic anemia in human. It causes terrible effects on psychological health condition of family members, especially mothers. Due to the advantages and a very few side effects of group therapy, the current study aimed at determining the effects of group therapy on mental health condition of the thalassemic patients' mothers. A clinical trial was conducted on 60 mothers of thalassemic patients in Hajar hospital of Shahrekord medical university and Seieed Al Shohada hospital in Farsan. At the beginning of the study all mothers were administered a demographic and mental health questionnaire [GHQ28] and among those who scored higher than 23, were randomly designated to the experimental and control groups. In the treatment period of the study the participants in the experimental group attended 8 weekly sessions of group therapy. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, paired t-test, and Pearson Correlation. Before the experiment there was no significant difference between the two groups of subjects in both questionnaires in all dimensions [P>0.05]. After the treatment period a significant difference was observed between the two groups in all dimensions of mental health [P<0.05]. The results also showed that there was no correlation between demographic variables and mental health conditions. The results of this study showed that group therapy has a considerable positive effect on recovery and improvement of mental health of mothers of the chronic patients, like thalassemia in all dimensions

Mandibulo-Canine index value for sex identification

The value of the mandibulo-canine index [MCI] in gender identification has been proved in some studies in various countries. The goal of our study was to determine the utility of MCI in gender identification in Iran. This descriptional survey was performed on a group of 18- to 25-year-old Iranian students at the Tehran University of Medical Science. We included 50 males and 50 females that were selected using a single sampling method. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS [v. 13] and t-test. No statistically significant difference was found between the mean ages of the two groups. Among men, the MCI ranged from 0.209 to 0.293, with a mean of 0.252. Among women, the MCI ranged from 0.202 to 0.276, with a mean of 0.245. There was significant statistical difference between the two means, [0.007; P value = 0.04]. The standard MCI of 0.247 was compared to that of each gender, after which no significant statistical difference was found between the two genders [P value = 0.8]. Despite some studies performed in other countries displaying the usefulness of MCI in sex determination, our data did not support this conclusion. Perhaps this difference can be explained because of the variety ethnic groups from various cities of Iran represented in this research had some influence on the results

Deep Vitrectomy with and without Silicone Oil in Infectious Endophthalmitis

To evaluate the efficacy of silicone oil injection after deep vitrectomy in infectious endophthalmitis regarding visual acuity. This single-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 50 cases of infectious endophthalmitis undergoing deep vitrectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: in one group silicone oil was injected into the eye at the end of the operation [silicone group] and in the second group the eye was formed with balanced salt solution [non-silicone group]. All patients were followed for more than six months. The underlying cause of endophthalmitis was cataract surgery in 23 patients [46%], trauma in 20 patients [40%], bleb-associated endophthalmitis in 3 patients [6%], corneal graft in 2 patients [4%] and endogenous in 2 patients [4%]. Mean visual acuity was 2.1 LogMAR in the silicone group and 4.0 LogMAR in the non-silicone group [P< 0.0001]. Silicone oil injection may be beneficial in terms of visual outcomes in deep vitrectomy for infectious endophthalmitis

Comparsion of atracurium and succinylcholine on post adenotonsillectomy pain in children of 3-12 years old

Adenotonsillectomy is a common operation in children, which may have numerous complications after ansethesia. Postoperative pain is a serious complication that cause instability, rebleeding and other problems. Since the anesthesia method may affect the postoperative complications, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of atracurium and succinylcholine on post adenotonsillectomy pain in children. This clinical trial study was performed on eighty children of 3-12 years old who were candidate for adenotonsillectoy surgery. These children were subjected to two methods of general anesthesia. For muscle relaxation, atracurium was given to one group and succinylcholine to the other group. Using Oucher's test the severity of post operative pain was measured. Means of post operative pain [p<0.05] and heart rate [p<0.01] in succinyl group were more than those of atracurium group. However, rebleeding, hemmorage and vomiting after anesthesia were not significantly different between the two groups. Our results showed that the patients who were given atracurium had deeper anesthesia, less pain and were more comfortable than the other group

[ relationship between triglyceride level - HDL level - tumor necrosis alpha factor and its soluble receptors with lupus erythematosus activity]

Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a disease with life-threatening complications. Since evidence indicates that measurement of triglyceride [TG] and HDL levels and tumor necrosis alpha factor [TNF- alpha] and its types I and II soluble receptors plays a major role in evaluation of lupus activity, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the above mentioned factors and lupus activity in Tehran in 2005. In this cross-sectional study fasting blood samples were obtained from 86 SLE patients who had been entered into the study through convenient sampling and the disease activity was calculated using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI]. Scores >/= 6 were considered as active lupus and <6 as dormant lupus. Serum levels of TNF- alpha, sTNFR[1] and sTNFR[2] were measured through ELISA [Bender Medsystem] and blood TG and HDL through routine biochemical tests within 12 hours overnight fasting. The results were analysed by t-test, Mann-Whitney and Pearson correlation tests. 46 people [53.5%] suffered from dormant disease and 40 people [46.5%] from active disease. TG level had significant relationship with disease activity, sTNFR[2] [P=0.001] and TNF-alpha [P=0/01], while HDL level had inverse significant relationship with SLEDAI [P=0.007], TNF [P=0.01], STNFR1 [P=0.001]. There was no significant relation between TG and HDL with STNFR2. Multiple linear analysis of regression showed that three variables [TG, sTNFR[1] and sTNFR[2]] are maintained in the model for prognosis of the disease while TNF-alpha and HDL are omitted. Dislipoproteinemia [elevated TG and reduced HDL] correlates with SLE activity following an increase in TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors. Thus, serum levels of TG, HDL and TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors are connected with lupus activity and are valuable markers for the disease activity