[ effectiveness of family-based cognitive behavioral therapy in weight reduction among children with obesity]

The fast increasing prevalence of childhood obesity makes it necessary to prioritize effective treatment strategies to deal with this problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of family-based cognitive behavioral therapy in weight reduction among children with obesity. A randomized controlled trial with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments was conducted. Thirty children with obesity and Body mass index [BMI] >/= 95th percentile for age and gender, were selected by convenience sampling from patients attending the Amirkabir Hospital and Morsali Clinic in Arak, and were randomly assigned to the experimental group [n=15] under administration of family-based cognitive behavioral therapy for a duration of six group sessions per week] and a control group [n=15]. Patients were weighed at the beginning of each session and Body mass index [BMI] was measured for all participants in three phases of pre-test, post-test and follow-up. The results of analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that this intervention was effective in reducing body mass index. According to the results, family-based cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective method for treating of childhood obesity, and may be applicable in future research and possible clinical applications in this field

[Cloning of catalytic domain of exotoxin A from pseudomonas aeruginosa]

Antibody against Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A can be used in immunotherapy together with antibiotics to treat acute burn patients. Exotoxin A is one of the virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that comprises of three domains, binding domain, translocation and catalytic domain. The purpose of this study was to construct the recombinant domain of the catalytic part of this microorganism in order to produce antibody against it. Pseudomonas aeruginosa samples were isolated from burn patients hospitalized in Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan, Iran and its species was identified by Biochemical tests. Bacteria genomic DNA and also the catalyhc domain of exotoxin A was amplified by PCR. PCR Products and plasmid extracts was digested by restriction enzymes. Subsequently PCR products and plasmids transformed into E. coli BL21 [DE3]. Clones containing gene of interest was determined by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing. The sequence homology of the catalytic domain of exotoxin A was compared with that of the published gene data bank. The results showed a complete homology between our gene species and the published genome in data banks. The results of this study showed that about 90% of the isolated bacteria contained exotoxin A and there was a sequence homology between our species and published gene data banks

[Perscription pattern of drugs acting on the central nervous system in Tabriz in 1999]

Drug acting on the central nevrous system [CNS] are widely used in the world as well as Iran due to social, economic and cultural factors. Thus because of the importance and wide prescription of drugs , prescription patterns of five groups of drugs including sedatives , hypnotics, antidepressants , antiepileptics, antipsychotics and antiparkinsonism were evaluated in Tabriz. 1461 prescriptions were collected from 24 randomized - selected pharmacies and analyzed. The results indicated that: 1]-On an average 3.65+/-0.3 types of drugs were included in each prescription which was 1.8 times more compared to International standards. 2-Out of 1461 prescriptions, 288[19.71] contained at least one drug affecting the CNS. 3- 41.41% of the total prescriptions were prescribed by general physicians, out of which 18.34% contained at least one drug affecting the CNS. 4- Drugs acting on the CNS were prescribed in 94.87%, 58.18% and 36.66% of cases by Psychiatrists, Neurologists and Rehabilitists, respectively. 5- Women received these druge more compared to men so that 62.5% and 35.77% of these prescriptions were advised for women and men respectively [p<0.01]. Average mean ages of women and men receving these drugs were 41.76+- 4.2, 26.29+/-4.7 respectively and for children under 12 years 4.66+/-0.5. 6- Sedatives, hypnotic agents were the most common prescribed drugs both for women and men. However, these agents were prescribed for women more than men [p<0.05]. In contrast, Antiepileptic drugs were prescribed for men more than women [p<0.01]. 7- 58.68% and 26.04% of the prescriptions contained one or two of these agents, respectively and the rest contained 3-6 of them. Considering of these results, we conclude that the correct prescription of these agents, therapeutic monitoring of them, prescription by specialists and limitation of poly pharmacy may increase efficacy and safety of them