Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Volume:11 Issue: 3, 2004

Hemophilia is the most common congenital coagulative disorder, which exposes the patients who many problems because of lack of coagulative factors, higher risk of viral infections and other complications. This study was designed t detect the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C infection in Hemophiliac patients referring to Kerman Samenalhojaj center. For this purpose, 97 Hemophiliac patients were studied during the summer 2002 and their demographic data such as age, sex, duration of disease, history of blood transfusion and drug history were colleted. By means of serologic tests HBV and HCV were diagnosed. In order to determine risk factors, odds ratio was calculated. From total subjects 84 were male and 13 were female and their mean age was 21.8±11.6 years (Mean±SD). Among subjects 43 person (44.3%) had HCV infection and only 1 person had HBV infection. Patients with HCV infection, had greater mean age comparing to the non-infected patients. There was statistical significant relationship between blood transfusion and HCV infection. That is, blood transfusion had increased the risk of HCV infection 2.3 times. The high risk of HCV infection in Hemophiliac patients has been demonstrated in several investigations and shows the role of blood transfusion in HCV infection. Lack of HBV infection in Hemophiliac patients suggests that blood transfusion is not the main way of HBV infection. However these patients are at a high risk of HBV infection. Because of many complications of HBV and HCV infection, detection of these infections in Hemophiliac patients is highly necessary.

Congenital hearing loss with many genetic and environmental causes affects 1 in 1000 newborns. Mutations in the GJB2 (Gap junction beta-2) gene encoding the gap junction protein connexin 26 have been established as the main cause of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss. The aim of this study was to study the frequency of one mutation (35delG) of GJB2 gene in Kerman non-syndromic deaf population. For this purpose, 130 chromosomes from 65 patients were studied and 35delG mutation was diagnosed in 3 (2.3%) chromosomes (1 patient was homozygote and the other one was heterozygote). This rate of frequency is significantly higher comparing to that in the whole population of Iran.

Previous studies have shown that epididymial and its secretions are critical for sperm maturation. These secretions contain many glycoconjugates with sialic acid terminal sugar. This terminal sugar by intervening in cellular interactions and masking surface receptors, has an important role in sperm maturation and protection. Moreover lectins have been employed as useful probes to detect the presence of glycoconjugates with specific sugar residues such as sialic acid. Considering the importance of sialic acid, distribution of this terminal sugar in different parts of mouse epididymis was studied by means of lectin histochemistry. For this purpose, epididymial tissue species were obtained from 15 adult male BALB/c mice. After fixation and routine laboratory process, 5 µm sections prepared from paraffin blocks. Slides were exposed to lectins with lectin-histochemistry. For this purpose, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), specific for sialic acid, was employed. Then they assessed with light microscope. The rate of reactions in epithelial cells and spermatozoa were significantly different parts of epididyms. In this manner that, in spermatozoa, stereo cilia and luminal surface the least reactions were seen in caput, while the most reactions were seen in cauda. Epithelial cells, too, showed less reaction in caput comparing to corpus and tail of epididyms. Sialic acid has been identified in many glycoproteins secreted by epididyms and is necessary for sperm maturation. It seems that this maturation happens mostly in body and tail of epididyms during epididymial transit. Increase in sialic acid content of spermatozoa during epididymial transit is probably due to the secretion of glycoconjugates containing this component by epididymial principal and flask cells.

This clinical study was carried out to compare the rate of nerve complications after posterior and anterior approaches in forearm both bone fractures in adults. For this purpose, 310 patients with forearm both bone fractures operated during 1997-2002 in Kerman Shahid Bahonar hospital were studied. From these patients, 121 cases were female and 189 cases were male and they were aged from 12 to 67 years old with the average of 43.2 years. In 170 patients (54.8%) fractures were in the proximal 4th and in 140 patients in the middle 4th. In 283 cases nerves were intact, while 27 cases (18.7%) had nerve palsy of whom 24 cases had radial nerve palsy and 3 cases had median nerve palsy. Among patients with nerve injury, 5 cases had been operated with anterior approach and 20 cases with posterior approach. In 9 cases regeneration of the damaged nerves occurred in the first month, in 12 cases in the 2nd month and in 3 cases in the 3rd month and three cases had no evidence of regeneration at the end of 6th month. Based on the results, radial nerve palsy is more frequent in the posterior approach comparing to the anterior approach and this difference is statistically significant. Therefore the anterior approach for decreasing nerve damage is recommended.

Alpha-hydroxylic acids are widely used in the treatment and control of skin disorders. Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid that can be formed endogenously from long-chain dicardoxylic acids, metabolism of oleic acid or omega oxidation of mono carboxylic acids. It shows bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms present on acne-bearing skins. The beneficial effects of Azelaic acid have been lead to different pharmaceutical formulations such as creams, gels, etc. HPLC and GC techniques are mostly used for the determination of Azelaic acid in plasma. These techniques are very accurate but, they are expensive and time consuming due to the lack of chromophore and consequently the necessity of pre-column sample preparation. For the determination of Azelaic acid in pharmaceutical dosage forms, a simple method with suitable accuracy and precision is needed. In this research, non-aqueous titration was used for the determination of Azelaic acid. For this purpose, Azelaic acid was titrated by sodium methoxide in the presence of thymol blue. The results of method validation by considering various parameters showed the accuracy of the suggested method in the determination of Azelaic acid in pharmaceutical formulations.

Conventional methods of stenting require predilatation, which potentially increase vessel wall injury and cost of the procedure. In this study, the safety and efficacy of direct AVE-S7 (Medtronic-USA) stent placement were evaluated in 100 patients. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed at the baseline and post-stent. Clinical follow-up was done up to 9 months. In 100 patients (76 male/24 female; Mean age 51±12 years), with stable angina (N=84; 84%) and unstable angina (N=16, 16%), 102 AVE-S7 stents (Diameter 3.2±0.2 mm) were implanted for 102 stenoses. Direct stenting was successful in all stenoses. No stent was lost or damaged and all stents were implanted at the target site. Angiographic success (<30% residual stenosis) was achieved in all lesions. In the 9-month follow up, none of the patients died. Target lesion revascularization became necessary in 8 (8%) patients after 3 months and in 4 (4%) other patients after 6 months. After 6 months, 78 patients (78%) and after 9 months 82 patients (82%) were free of anginal symptoms and after 9 months 80% of the patients were free of the ischemic events. This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of direct placement of the AVE-S7 stent as well as its favorable clinical and angiographic results up to the 9 months after the procedure.

Evaluation of elastic properties of major arteries is subject of great interest with respect to the development of vascular diseases. In this study changes in diameter and cross-sectional area, stress-strain elastic modulus and stiffness of the common carotid arteries in healthy and atherosclerotic women and men were evaluated by using indirect end pressure changes. Variations in diameter and cross-sectional area of carotid artery in systolic and diastolic phases were measured by B-mode ultrasonography and using edge tracking algorithm. Indirect end pressure measurement was performed immediately after the measurement of the pulsatile vessel diameter. Pressure-strain elastic modulus and stiffness were estimated based on the strain and end pressure changed. The results of the evaluation of mechanical parameters of common carotid artery based on end pressure changes showed significant difference between healthy and atherosclerotic women (P<0.05). Comparison of women and men with the same age range in 2 groups of normal and atherosclerotic showed that mechanical properties and diameter changes are not sex-dependent and in the process of atherosclerosis disease elastic parameters show increase in both sex. By evaluating end pressure change of common carotid artery, atherosclerosis disease (Especially in severe stenosis) in both sex can be detected.

Acne vulgaris is a chronic and prevalent usually self-limited disorder. Topical medication is the main route for acne therapy. In this disorder the most widely used topical preparations are antibiotics such as Erythromycin and keratolytic agents such as Tretinoin. Excellent results with minimal side effects may be achieved by a fixed combination of Tretinoin and Erythromycin. This combination therapy increases efficacy and a faster response in the treatment of acne may be achieved. The purpose of this work was to assess a suitable formulation of Erythromycin and Tretinoin in a topical gel base. UV spectrophotometer analysis was chosen for Erythromycin and Tretinoin assay. This method was adapted to assay Erythromycin and Tretinoin in their combination. The proposed method for Erythromycin was the formation of a complex with O-nitrobenzaldehyde, in glacial acetic acid and in the presence of hydrochloric acid, which manifested maximum absorbance at 486 nm. For the measurement of Tretinoin, the absorption peak at 355 nm in acidic ethanol-water-isopropyl alcohol (IPA) mixture was suitable. In order to formulate the Erythromycin and Tretinoin in a gel base, gelling agents, plasticizers, solvents, cosolvents such as carbopol, HPC, HPMC, ethanol, propylene glycol (PG), isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and water have been used. By using tertiary diagrams, the most proportionate percentage of gel constituents have been determined. The formulations have been controlled for rheological, organoleptic properties and physical and chemical stability under several conditions (4, 25, 40°C). The release of drugs from the gels was studied using Franz diffusion cell and the best formulations were chosen. Drug release rates followed Higuchi’s law. The results indicated that Erythromycin and Tretinoin could be formulated in a gel base with a suitable release profile and presented to pharmaceutical market.