Hepatotoxicity in sheep and goats caused by experimental feeding with foxtail millet [Setaria italic]

Some species of grass cause poisoning and hepatogenous photosensitization in animals. Feeding trials were conducted in sheep and goats to evaluate the hepatotoxic effects of Setaria italica [S. italic]. Twelve indigenous male sheep and goats were used in this study. The animals were kept outdoors against prevailing climatic conditions. They were fed with S. italica freely for 50 days. Some biochemical factors associated with liver function, such as total bilirubin [TBIL], direct bilirubin [BC], aspartate amino transferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], gamma glutamyltransferase [GGT] activities, blood urea nitrogen [BUN] total protein [TP], and albumin [ALB], were measured on day 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 of the experiment. On the 50[th] day, the animals were sacrificed and necropsied, then the gall bladder and livers were removed for pathological study. Blood samples on day 0 [prior to feeding with S. italic] were set as the control group. Three sheep and 3 goats showed signs of intoxication, including facial edema, mucus hyperemia, runny nose, lacrimation, and icterus. Post-mortem examination revealed varying degrees of generalized icterus, degeneration, necrosis and cell swelling of hepatocytes, formation of acidophilic bodies, and mild hyperplasia in biliary ducts. Clinical signs, laboratory findings, and necropsy findings, support the potential of S. italica in the induction of hepatotoxicity and secondary photosensitivity in sheep and goats

[Outcome of factors related to traumatic brain injuries among the patients hospitalized in intensive care unit]

Background: Trauma is the leading cause of mortality and its unfavorable outcomes among the population under 50 years. This study was conducted to assess the outcome of traumatic brain injuries and its related factors among the patients hospitalized in intensive care unit [ICU]

Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 95 patients hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries in ICU wards of Kashan hospitals. A check-list was used for data gathering, consisted of demographic and clinical data [e.g. characteristics of accident, trauma outcome and the level of consciousness]. The level of consciousness was evaluated using Glasgow Coma Score [GCS] on admission and 6 hours post-admission in ICU

Results: The average age of patients was 27.6+/-13.9 years. The average length of hospitalization in ICU [12.3+/-13.9 days] showed a significant relationship with GCS. Sixtypercent of patients showed desirable outcomes with a mortality of 23.2%. The severity of head trauma on admission and 6 hours post-admission had a significant relation to trauma outcome [P=0.0001]. Logistic regression showed that GCS evaluation 6 hours postadmission could identify the outcome of trauma [P=0.007]

Conclusion: The evaluation of GCS 6 hours post-admission to ICU was among the most important variables in identifying outcomes after head trauma. To evaluate and predict the outcomes of head trauma, the data related to the GCS of the ICU patients should be recorded carefully

Typical laryngeal carcinoid tumor: a case report

Neuroendocrine tumors of the larynx comprise a rare group of tumors categorized as typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, and paragangliomas. Atypical carcinoid type occasionally denotes carcinoid syndrome. Typical carcinoid is extremely rare. The primary diagnosis is based on light histochemical studies that should be confirmed by immunocytological and/or ultrastuctural investigation. The different biological behaviors of these tumors lead to a specific diagnosis of paramount importance

[ effect of speech therapy on laryngeal stroboscopic features of patients with vocal cord nodules]

Vocal cord nodule is one of the most prevalent disorders of laryngeal mucosa which is commonly caused by the overuse of laryngeal vocal function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of speech therapy on laryngeal stroboscopic features of patients with vocal cord nodules. In this clinical trial, five women with vocal cord nodules aged between 14 and 45 years participated in a speech therapy program. Their laryngeal stroboscopic features were assessed in the first and ninth sessions of therapy. After speech therapy, glottal closure in 3 subjects reached to complete closure or near to it. Symmetry of phases in 3 cases reached to symmetrical condition and periodicity of phases in 1 patient reached to periodical state. After speech therapy, right mucosal wave in 4 subjects reached to normal condition. The left mucosal wave in 1 subject reached to normal and in 1 patient approached to normal form. The results of this study revealed that speech therapy has a gradual influence on treatment of vocal cord nodule which can be evaluated by subjective methods such as therapist's assessment of patient's voice or objective methods such as stroboscopy

[Self treatment experience in diabetes mellitus type 2]

It has been recognized that adoption of self treatment or self management skills by diabetics is beneficial in treatment/management of their disorder. Self-treatment or self-management is the behavior that a patient follows to relieve his/her health related problems without professional supervision. In a qualitative and phenomenology study, adult patients with diabetes mellitus type 2, who were referred to the diabetes clinic in Kashan in 1386, were interviewed with and questioned about their experiences in self treatment all interviews were recorded and data was analyzed using the Colizzi method. Twenty patients [14 females and 6 males] participated in the study, average age 51 years. The 80 themes extracted from the interviews were clustered in 7 categories. Concealing the disease, such as denial factors facilitating self treatment, such as treatment costs factors related to disease such as type and severity of the disease factors related to the physician, such as trust and availability and hopeless of consulting the doctor the restricting inhibitor factors like education, or unsupervised self treatment, such as self medication self treatment related consequences like delayed recovery or complications. Self treatment is a complex behavior with different presentations that is influenced by so many interrelated factors. Self treatment in diabetes mellitus can have severe consequences, viz. delay in treatment. Patient education and facilitating easier access to treatment can improve the use of such treatments

Endolaryngeal neurofibroma

Neurofibromatosis is a benign neurogenic tumor, originating from Schwann cells of the nerve sheath. This tumor forms a round, white mass on the course of the involved nerve. It occurs sporadically or in association with von Recklinghausen's disease. Laryngeal involvement is a rare occasion that affects women more than men [F/M ratio 3:2]. The most common symptoms are hoarseness, dyspnea and dysphagia. The most common sites of origin are arytenoids and aryepiglottic folds. Because of benign nature of this tumor, conservative surgery is recommended as the management of choice. Only few cases of laryngeal involvement have been reported in literature and this article presents two cases of laryngeal neurofibroma with brief review of literatures. Both cases presented with submucosal, non-ulcerated, endolaryngeal mass with signs and symptoms of airway compromise. In both cases surgical approach was endolaryngeal conservative surgery with CO[2] laser

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of pursed-lip breathing education in COPD patients]

Breathing rehabilitation techniques are designed to reduce symptoms, decrease disability, increase participation in physical and social activities, and improve the overall quality of life for individuals with chronic respiratory disease. However, the role of these techniques remains unclear. This study examined the effects of pursed-lip breathing [PLB] education on the respiratory function, arterial blood gases and day to day life in patients with COPD. A before-after quasi-experimental research was conducted on 40 patients with COPD at Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan. Spirogram and ABG were tested before and after three-months of PLB exercise and a questionnaire [AQ20] was used to assess day to day activities. Wilcoxon matched- pairs signed-rank and descriptive tests were used for statistical analysis of collected data. The study showed that after three months breathing exercise, O2 saturation was significantly increased [P=0.002]. Although there was an increase in PaO2, it was not significant. In addition, a decrease in PaCO2 [P=0.014] and the respiration rate [P < 0.000] was observed. The level of activities of daily living was also increased [P < 0.000]. Forced expired volume second one [FEV1%] and forced vital capacity [FVC] did not change. We conclude that pursed-lip breathing education can improve lung function, arterial blood gas levels and also the levels of day to day activities. Therefore, breathing exercises education should be a part of physiotherapy programs in COPD patients until improvement in the quality of their life

quality of prenatal care performance on the basis of existing care standards in health centers

Prenatal care is a kind of comprehensive care program in pregnancy period that must begin in preconception. This cares have excellent effect on pregnancy outcomes and mothers and newborns' health promotion. By considering these effects more studies have been carried out for inventing and spreading provider centers of prenatal cares. There is more information about the quantity spreading of prenatal care but there isn't enough information about its quality performance. This approach was conducted to assess the quality of prenatal care [pre-conception and pregnancy] on the existing care standards in Semnan health centers. This descriptive study was performed on 95 women who delivered from March 2002 through September 2002 and their prenatal cares were received by Semnan health centers. The measurement device was a checklist consisting of four sections that used confirming validity and reliability. Data collection was carried out healthy files and telephonic interview. In this study was six indicators were used to evaluate the quality of pre-natal care. Only 11.6% of women received preconception counseling; 46% of them benefited their prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy, the mean of care numbers was 9 times. Prenatal care include of 49.5% via history information, 19.55% midwifery examinations, 47.2% in physical examinations and 72.2% in laboratory tests which were presented in the first prenatal care visit. On average, 87.3% of women received recommended components of prenatal care in subsequent visits and 46.4% of educations cases were presented. This study showed that the qualities of prenatal cares was not completely desirable in health centers, therefore effective steps must be taken to improve the quality of prenatal cares