[Exploration of context of the cultural care education in Iran]

Since cultural care is not included in nurses' retraining and continuing education, clinical nurses should deal with the cultural needs of patients according to their own personal experiences. While measures to implement cultural interventions are unknown, the recognition of cultural factors influencing cultural care education is necessary to increase nurses' ability to provide efficient care. The purpose of this study was to explore the context of the cultural care education in Iran. Using a qualitative study, 23 clinical nurses with the experience of working in practice, were selected using purposive sampling. Semi-structured were held for data gathering. A content analysis approach was used to analyze the collected data. During the data analysis the following themes were developed: "inadequate academic training", and "inadequate retraining". It was believed that in course planning, how to provide care to patients with different cultures, was a hidden part of the bachelor's degree nursing program. Nurses learnt how to communicate with others based on their own experiences and mostly in the workplace

[Comparative effects of massage therapy and bandage on shoulder pain, edema and dysfunction after the modified radical mastectomy]

Mastectomic patients experience complications such as edema of the operated hand, shoulder pain and dysfunction. This study was conducted to compare the effects of manual lymph drainage and low pressure bandage on shoulder pain and dysfunction after modified radical mastectomy. In this clinical trial study, 90 women with radical mastectomy referred to the oncology ward of Imam Khomeini hospital [Tehran] were randomly assigned to three groups: the massage, massage+bandage and control groups. Groups were trained how to use manual lymph drainage massage and low pressure bandage. Shoulder pain intensity and dysfunction were measured at 7 and 30 days post-surgery. Edema was measured at 24 hours post-surgery and also 30 days post-intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics [one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis]. There was no statistically significant difference among three groups in the means of three measured variables [the arm circumference, shoulder pain intensity and dysfunction] before the intervention. Moreover, the results showed a significant reduction in the means of shoulder pain intensity and dysfunction among the three groups on the 30th intervention day [P=0.001], but the difference was not significant in the mean of arm circumference. Lymphatic drainage massage and low pressure bandage are effective in reducing post-mastectomy complications

[Evaluation the effects of Bezoar on survival duration Attenuation of complications of Echis carinatus snake venom poisoning in mice]

Snakebite treatment is one of the major difficulties in medicine due to its dangerous side effects. Bezoar, a stone found in the stomach of wild goat, is widely reputed against various diseases, including snakebite, in traditional medicine among the tribes in southeast of Iran. But its efficacy against snakebite poisoning has not been determined, yet. This study was performed to evaluate the Bezoar effect on the clinical signs, mean survival duration and the autopsy findings [pathologic signs] of experimental mice receiving various doses of crude Echis carinatus snake venom. This experimental study was performed on 48, 4 week old mice. The natural crude snake venom was serially diluted and 10% and 2% concentrations of the venom were used. Various experimental doses of Bezoar [6, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/i.p] were injected, 20 min before 2% snake venom intra peritoneal administration. The clinical signs, mean survival duration and autopsy findings were recorded and compared with control mice which received saline, 20 min before snake venom administration. In case of using 10% concentration snake venom, mice received only 100 mag/ i.p of Bezoar, 20 min before snake venom administration. The results of this study showed that Echis carinatus snake venom caused pain, progressive edema and death in mice. The Bezoar [50 and 100 mg/kg] increased the survival duration of mice receiving 2% dilution of Echis carinatus snake venom significantly as compared to controls [p<0.01]. The dose of 100 mg/kg of Bezoar increased the survival duration from 213.8 +/- 2.7 to 705 +/- 4.3 min in comparison to control group [p<0.01]. Also the Bezoar significantly antagonized the pathologic signs induced by Echis carinatus snake venom in mice. Pretreatment of mice with Bezoar increased the survival duration of mice and decreased the pathologic signs [such as bleeding in the retroperitoneal space, thoracic cavityand CNS and lung vascular congestion] induced by Echis carinatus snake venom in mice. The exact mechanisms must be elucidated in other investigations

[In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of sixteen new n-piperazinyl quinolone derivatives against a panel of tumor cell lines]

Fluoroquinolones are potent inhibitors of bacterial topoisomerase II. They can also inhibit eukaryotic topoisomerase, and may confer antitumoral properties. In this study the antitumoral activity of a new series of N-substituted piperazinyl- fluoroquinolones against a panel of human tumor cell lines was determined by MTT assays. Among the tested compounds N-[2- [5-bromo-2-thienyl]-2-oxoethyl] [C1,N1,E1], N-[2- [5-bromo-2-thienyl]-2-[hydroxyimino] ethyl][C2,N2,E2] and N-[2-[5-bromo-2-thienyl]-2-[phenylmethoxyimino] ethyl] [C3,N3,E3] piperazinyl quinolones exhibited the most cytotoxic activities [mean IC50s = 2.5 to 3 microg/ml], comparable to that of the Etoposide [mean IC50= 1.7micro g/ml]. Replacement of the 5- bromo-2-thienyl with 4- fluorophenyl or 2, 6- difluorophenyl rings leads to variable inhibition activity. The quinolone activity was enhanced by the presence of a chlorine and two fluorine atoms at the benzyl and phenyl groups, especially against ACHN renal adenocarcinoma cell line. These data suggest that these series of quinolones provide good models for the further design of potent antitumor compounds

[Effects of Methanolic extract of Achillea Wilhelmsii C.koch on seizure induced by Picrotoxin in mice]

Some therapeutic effects of medicinal plants such as Achillea have been known for many years ago. In this investigation, the effects of methanolic extract of Achillea Wilhelmsii C. Koch on seizure induced by picrotoxin was studied in mice. This study was performed on animals pretreated with different experimental doses of percolated extract of Achillea Wilhelmsii via intraperitoneal injection and 20 minutes after extract injections, each animal received picrotoxin 10 mg/kg for induction of generalized tonic and clonic seizure. Latency of onset and duration of seizure, death time and percent of mortality were determined. The results showed that pretreatment of animals with different doses of extracts did not change the beginning time of seizure induced by picrotoxin. The duration of seizure increased [p<0.01], but the severity of seizures was milder than control group. In addition, all doses of extract lengthened the time of death [p<0.01]. The mortality rate was decreased with dose of 50 and 100 m a g [p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively]. The results showed that the dose of 100mg/kg is the most effective one. The extract of Achillea Wilhelmsii decreased the severity of generalized tonic and clonic seizure induced by picrotoxin and lengthened the death time; therefore it is a suitable for continuing investigation as anticonvulsant drug

[Study the effect of valeriana officinalis and echium amoenum on the liver and renal function tests in rats]

Nowadays herbal medicine is marketing without standard toxicological study. Although people believe that herbal medicine do have any toxic effects, there are some reports indicating the toxicity of the herbal medicine. The aim of this investigation is to study the renal and hepatic effects of Echium Amoenum [EA] and Valeriana Officinalis [VO]. Percolated extract of these plants with doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg was administered to 5 groups of rats via orogastric tube for 7 days. At the 8th days, the blood samples were taken for biochemical studies. The results showed significant variation of the levels of AST. ALT and AlkP in comparisons with control groups. AlkP was increased significantly after oral administration of two extracts with dose of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. ALT was decreased with dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg of VO significantly but AST increased significantly only with dose of 100 mg/kg. ALT was decreased with dose of 100 mg/kg of EA but increased only with dose of 200 mg/kg. [p<0.01]. AST did not change with dose of 100 mg/kg, but decreased significantly with dose of 200 mg/kg [p<0.01].Renal function tests including BYN [Blood Urea Nitrogen] and Creatinine did not change significant after oral administration of two extracts. The data of this investigation indicate that hepatotoxic effect of extract of EA was greater than VO especially at high dosage

[Effects of valeriana officinalis extract on the seizure induced by picrotoxin in mice]

Neurological effects of Valeriana officinalis have been recognized for many years. In this study, the anticonvulsant activity of methanolic extract of the plant were investigated in mice. Picrotoxin with doses of 6 and 12.5 mg/kg were used for induction of seizures. The effects of different doses of methanolic extract of the plant on the variation of beginning time of seizures, the incidence of tonic and clonic seizures and mortality rate were determined. The beginning time of tonic seizures induced by picrotoxin [6 and 12.5 mg/kg I.P.] were delayed significantly in-group which received extract [50 mg/kg I.P.] 20 min. before picrotoxin administration. Latency of beginning time of tonic seizures in mice which receive picrotoxin 6mg/kg were increased significantly from 10.58 min to 15 min [P<0.05] and in case of 12mg/kg of picrotoxin from 5.87 to 10.82 min.[P<0.0l]. The incidence of clonic seizures and mortality rate were decreased in this group of animals [P<0.05, P