Epidemiology of attempted suicide in Kashan during 2003-8

Background: Suicide is a major public health problem in developing countries which depending on geographical area, several factors have been associated with its prevalence and incidence. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of attempted suicide and its related factors in Kashan during 2003-8

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on all suicide attempters referred to Kashan health centers during 2003-8. Patient's demographic information, manner, outcome and a previous history of suicide attempts were recorded on a questionnaire by interviewing patients or their families

Results: There were 2867 suicide cases during the study period. Most of them were in age range of 25-35 years. Fifty-nine percent of patients were female and 56% married. Drug abuse was the most common method of suicide [79%]. So, an overall attempted suicide rate was 119 per 100000 people in Kashan during 2003-8 and there were only 29 cases [1.1%] of successful suicide

Conclusion: Although the rate of attempted suicide are high in this city, the rate for successful suicide is very low. Therefore, this problem and its related factors need to be considered by health managers

Transient and spatial modeling and simulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers reaction and transport in air, water and soil

The release of the wastes containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers into the environment is a worldwide major concern. Investigation of spatial and temporal variations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers concentrations due to different factors, especially the transport of these species between air and water as well as between air and soil is the purpose of present research. A model was developed and solved using the methods of finite difference and lines. Simulations were implemented for three dimensions of width, length, and height and also time for the air compartment, whereas for the soil and water compartments, variations were considered only with respect to height and time. Transport between water and soil was disregarded for simplicity at this stage. Vancouver's landfill was considered as a case study. Lower concentrations in air and higher concentrations in water at the interface show that these pollutants tend to diffuse from air to water. Concentrations of all four pollutants decrease near the interface in soil as time passes, but they are predicted to be almost constant at other levels

Subcutaneous transplantation of marrow-derived murine mesenchymal stem cells cultivated in alginate and their chondrogenesis

Mesenchymal stem cells are appropriate candidates to treat diseases including articular cartilage defects. There are plenty of researches being conducted to make the application of these cells possible. The purpose of this study was to cultivate murine mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs] in alginate gel and transplant them subcutaneously to immuno-suppressed rats to examine their chondrogenic potential in vivo. 4-6 week old NMRI mice were sacrificed and their bone marrow cells were cultivated in 6-cell plates at the density of 500 cell/cm[2]. The pure fibroblastic cells appeared after two passages. 2X10[6] flbroblastic cells were mixed with 1 ml of alginate solution and converted into gel by being exposed to calcium chloride solution. MSCs-embedded alginate gel were then transplanted subcutaneously to 6 rats that had received an immunosuppressive drug [cyclosporine] for transplant rejection to be avoided. 5 weeks after transplantation, the alginate gels were removed and evaluated by histochemistry, RT-PCR for certain cartilage markers, and transmission electron microscopy. 5 weeks after transplantation, the skin was incised and the alginate gel with its surrounding vascular connective tissue were removed. Tuloidine blue staining indicates that the cells within the gel assumed oval morphology and occupied lacuna-like cavities. RT-PCR analysis revealed that in these cells the mRNA of some cartilage markers such as collagen II [the marker of hyaline cartilage], collagen X [hypertrophied chondrocyte marker in osteogenesis], and aggreacan were largely produced. Ultra-thin sections analysis showed that the cells within the lacuna-like cavity of alginate gel contain a large amount of expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum and secret fibrillar extra cellular matrix. Transplanted murine MSCs cultivated in alginate gel can differentiate into hyaline cartilage with the sign of osteogenic initiation

Antitussive effect of nigellla sativa in guinea pigs

Several therapeutic effects including anti-asthma and dyspnea have been described for the seeds of Nigella sativa. In previous studies the relaxant and anticholinergic [functional antagonism] effects, histamine H, inhibitory effect, and calcium channel blocking effect of Nigella sativa have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains. In the present study the antitussive effect of this plant was evaluated. The antitussive effects of aerosols of two different concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts, one concentration of boiled extract, codeine, and saline were tested by counting the number of coughs produced due to aerosol of citric acid 10 min after exposing animal to aerosols of different solutions [n=7 for each solution]. The results showed significant reduction of cough number observed in the presence of both concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts, boiled extract and codeine [p<0.05 to p<0.001]. The cough number observed over a period of five minutes in the presence of higher concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts were also significantly less than those of lower concentrations [p<0.05 for aqueous and p<0.01 for macerated extracts]. In addition there was not any significant difference between cough numbers observed in the presence of all extracts with that of codeine. These results indicated an antitussive effect of Nigella sativa, which was comparable to that of codeine

Comparison of antitussive effect of nigella sativa with codeine in guinea pig

The relaxant and anticholinergic [functional antagonism] effects, histamine H1 inhibitory effect, and calcium channel blocking effect of Nigella sativa have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains. Several therapeutic effects including antiasthma and dyspnea have also been ascribed to the seeds of Nigella sativa. To evaluate the antitussive effect of this plant. The antitussive effects of aerosols of two different concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts as well as an extract of concentrated boiled seeds, codeine, and saline were tested by counting the number of coughs produced 10 min after exposing animal to aerosols of different solutions of citric acid [n=7 for each solution]. The results showed significant reduction in the number of coughs obtained in the presence of both concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts, boiled seeds extract and codeine [p<0.05 to p<0.001]. The cough number induced in the presence of higher concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts were also significantly less than those with lower concentrations [p<0.05 for aqueous and p<0.01 for macerated extracts]. There was no significant difference between the number of coughs obtained in the presence of all extracts with that of codeine. These results indicate an antitussive effect of Nigella sativa comparable to that of codeine