نشریه کومش
سال سیزدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 43، بهار 1391)

Scientific communication among researchers has an important role in scientific fields. Some reasons for this communication are: efficient scientific exchanges among researchers, increasing collaborative article quality, using of cooperator authors specialists, increasing probability collaborative article publishing in scientific journals. Collaboration can increase motivation among researchers to create scientific works and opposition to scientific retreat. The purpose of this article was to determine collaboration among authors who published articles in Koomesh journal during 1999-2010. This survey is a descriptive study with a statistical procedure. The total issues of Koomesh journal (a medical journal published by Semnan university of medical sciences) articles which have been published during 1999-2010 was the subject of current research. The method of research is Scienometrics and all data were analyzed by Excel software. The results showed that 440 authors had published 1584 articles in Koomesh journal and mean number of authors per article is 3.6. From the viewpoint of gender, 72.22% of authors are men and 27.78% are women. The findings indicated that Semnan University of Medical Sciences is most prolific among other research institutes and scientific centers. Furthermore, this university has the most collaborative published articles among other research institutes and scientific centers (with 612 articles). Only 44 articles has single author (10%). The results highlighted that the collaboration coefficient was 0.61. Overall, author’s collaboration in Koomesh journal is in high level.

Pulmonary embolism is a prevalent and fatal pulmonary disease. In this study, the relationships between serum highly sensitive (hs) troponin T levels and findings of ECG, colour doppler sonography of lower extremity veins venous (CDS LEV) and also arterial blood gas (ABG) in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism were investigated. A cross sectional study was carried out on 33 patients with acute pulmonary embolism who were hospitalized in Emam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences between 2009 and 2010 (mean age, 49.3; 18 male and 15 female). (18 patients had with a normal hs-troponin T, lower than 14 pg/ml, and 15 patients had with elevated hs-troponin T.)with acute pulmonary embolism (mean age, 49.3; 18 male and 15 female) who were hospitalized in Emam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences between 2009 and 2010 Serum hs-troponin T level was measured by ELISA highly sensitive method. The prevalence of T invert and S1Q3T3 patterns and also thrombosis in lower extremity deep venous were significantly higher in patients with elevated hs-troponin T. In addition, PCO2 and HCO3- levels were significantly lower in patients with elevated hs-troponin T levels. According to the results of the study, it seems that the elevated hs-troponin T accompanies with ECG and ABG findings and also with thrombosis in lower extremity deep venous prevalence in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

An epidemiologic cross-sectional study was conducted among 3799 persons who were 30-70 years old in Semnan Province, Iran. Multistage cluster sampling was performed, and subjects were selected from urban and rural populations of Semnan, Shahroud, Garmsar and Damqan. Data were collected through questionnaires, then a blood sample was collected from selected patients with 12 hours fasting for evaluation of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) levels in urban and rural communities. Totally, 3799 persons enrolled in this study with mean age 41± 10.2 years that 44.6% of them were male. High TG was seen in 29.1%, high LDL in 11.8% and low HDL in 30.7%. Prevalence of all kinds of dyslipidemia was higher in Shahroud. In conclusion, prevalence of dyslipidemia among 30-70 years old was higher than expected. So that, comprehensive preventive and educational programmes on lipid disorders and related diseases are necessary.

In the present research, the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-density lipoprotein of cholesterol (HDL-C) is studied among healthy adults in Tehran city.

It is performed as a cross-sectional study using data of adults with age 18 and more enrolled in the first phase of the "Evaluation of novel risk factors of NCD" project in the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (Tehran,Iran) in 2001. Analyses were done by logistic regression models using crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) to demonstrate the associations between CRP and HDL-C regarding their age, gender, body mass index and smoking status as underlying variables. To get final reduced logistic model we used backward elimination strategy with likelihood ratio test.

Based on the findings of analysis on data of 126 men and 208 women, it was reported a significant association between blood concentration of CRP and HDL-C (P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that increasing the concentration of CRP to 0.2 mg/l and more in serum, increased the likelihood of decreasing the serum concentration of HDL-C to 40 and 50 mg/dl and less about two folds in men and women respectively (adjusted OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.49-3.41).

In apparently healthy adults from Tehran city, independent of age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and smoking, serum concentrations of CRP and HDL-C are reversely associated while both of them are considered as independent factors related with cardiovascular disorders and complications.

Skin tags are small, benign, soft and pedunculated skin tumors. A possible association with impaired carbohydrate metabolism has been suggested in previous studies, but the results are not conclusive. This study was performed in order to determine association between skin tag and diabetes mellitus.

This study was carried out on 80 patients with skin tags as a case group and 80 patients without skin tags as a control group that they were referred to Semnan dermatological clinics. Then fasting blood sugar (FBS) were checked out in both two groups. In addition, height and weight were measured in all patients and body mass index (BMI) calculated for each of the patient.

43.8% and 55% of patients were respectively female in the case group and the control group. Age mean (± SD) was 44.3±16.6 and 37.3±18.9 years in the case and control group, respectively. BMI mean (±SD) index was 28.0±4.3kg/m2 in the patients with skin tag, whereas, it was 25.5±5.1 kg/m² in the patients without skin tag (P=0.001). Patients with skin tag had higher frequency of diabetes than patients in the control group (27.5% vs. 5%) and also the case group showed a higher frequency of pre diabetes than the control group (20% vs. 15%). The probability of presence of diabetes mellitus in the patients with skin tag was 6.82 times more than the patients in the control group (Odds ratio=6.82, 95% Confidence interval: 2.06-22.56, P=0.002).

Our data suggest that there is an association between skin tag and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, screening of patients with skin tag is recommended for early diagnosis diabetes mellitus.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs after eccentric exercises, may cause some reduction in ability in sport activities. For this reason, numerous recovery strategies have been used in an attempt to control the inflammatory-type response. Physical modalities have demonstrated no effect on the alleviation of muscle soreness or other DOMS symptoms. Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been suggested as a viable warm-up in sport fields. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support the protective effects of WBV-Training (WBVT) on muscle damage. Thirty-two healthy untrained volunteers randomly assigned into two groups: WBVT (n=15) and control (n=17). Subjects performed 6 sets of 10 maximal isokinetic (60°.s-1) eccentric contractions of knee extensors with dominant limb on a dynamometer. In the WBVT group before eccentric exercise, whole body vibration was applied using a vibratory platform (Power Plate, 35 Hz, 5 mm peak-to-peak amplitude), with 100° knee flexion for 60 seconds while no vibration was applied in the control group. DOMS criteria (serum creatine kinase (CK), pressure pain threshold (PPT), muscle soreness, thigh circumference and maximal voluntary isometric exertion) were recorded at baseline, immediately after, 1to 14 days postexercise. WBVT group showed significant reduction of DOMS symptoms in terms of lower CK levels, less PPT, less muscle soreness and lower maximal isometric voluntary strength loss compared to the control group (P< 0.05) However, no significant effect on thigh circumference was evident (P> 0.05). The findings of this study showed that WBVT administered before eccentric exercise may control and prevent DOMS and enhance the quadriceps muscle activity. Further investigation should be undertaken to ascertain the effectiveness of WBVT in athletes.

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after eccentric exercises would limit the efficacy of athletes. This study was designed to investigate the rate of DOMS in luteal and follicular phases of menstrual cycle (an indirect assesment of possible role estrogen) among healthy untrained female students Twenty-six healthy untrained female students, ranged between 18-25 years old were assigned into two groups based on their menstrual cycle: Mid-luteal (ML) (n=14) and Mid-follicular (MF) (n=12). To induce DOMS, all participants walked downwardly on treadmill, declined 20 degrees, 5 km/h, for 30 minutes. DOMS criteria (serum creatine kinase, pressure pain threshold, muscle soreness and thigh circumference), and average peak torque of dominant knee extensor were recorded at baseline, 24 and 48 hours post-exercise. Both groups showed significant perception of DOMS symptoms as compared to their baseline levels (p<0.05). Although, the severity of DOMS was lower in the ML group as compared with the MF group, but the difference was not significant. The findings of this study showed that DOMS got perceived in both experimental groups with a milder severity in ML group. The milder severity in the ML group may be contributed to the higher level of estrogen.

Any disturbance in balance control procedures may increase the risk of injury during sport activities. Knee deformities such as genu valgum and genu varum may perturb the line of gravity passing the lower limb joints and so disturb dynamic and static balance indices. This study was designed to investigate the effects of genu valgum and genu varum deformity on the static and dynamic balance indices. A total of 90 non-athletic female university students were assigned in one of the three experimental groups; normal knee (n=30), genu varum (n=30) and genu valgum (n=30), according to their knee conditions. Static and dynamic overall stability index (OSI), anterior-posterior stability index (APSI), medial-lateral stability index (MLSI) and falling risk were evaluated three times by Biodex balance system, and the average of each index were recorded. No significant difference was seen between groups in term of dynamic and static OSI and APSI, while significant lower stability was found in the genu varum group compared to normal groups in term of dynamic and static MLSI (p<0.05). A significant increased in falling risk was also seen in genu varum group, compared to the normal group (p<0.05). The results showed that mechanical disturbance due to the genu varum deformity may perturb the medial-lateral balance indices in both static and dynamic situations. This may indicate that genu varum deformity may increase the normal postural sway in the medial lateral direction and increase falling risk as well.

About 7% of world populations suffer from diabetes disease and its widespread complications. There are several studies about the beneficial effects of aerobic and resistance exercises on blood glucose and lipids levels, insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. However, there is no study to investigate the effects of eccentric exercise in these patients. This study was designed to compare the effect of eccentric and concentric exercises on some of the blood biochemical parameters in type 2 of diabetic patients.

28 type 2 diabetic patients were assigned randomly in one of the two experimental eccentric and concentric groups. Before and after control and also after intervention, blood sugers, HbA1c, lipids and body mass index were measured.

The results showed that eccentric and concentric exercises result in a significant decrease in blood sugar, HbA1c, and blood lipids. Eccentric exercise training also significantly reduced blood sugar levels and HbA1c compared to the concentric exercise (P<0.0001). Moreover, no significant changes were found in blood lipids levels in regard to the type of exercise.

Our findings show that eccentric exercise is more effective than concentric exercise with respect to reducing and controlling blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients.

Since disorders in neuromuscular performance and imbalance are the main cause of falling among the middle aged, their aspects including rehabilitation of balance are the main concern the researchers attend to them. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of eight weeks aquatic balance training (ABT) and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male. Thirty adult male subjects were randomized into two groups of ABT and control (n=15 per group). Berg balance scale, Timed Up and Go and 5-Chair stand tests, as they are indicators of balance and neuromuscular performance in older subjects, were taken as pretest and post-test and after four, six, and eight weeks of detraining as well. The ABT consisted of the sessions that lasted one hour, three times a week, for eight weeks. Results showed that neuromuscular performance and balance improved significantly in ABT group (P<0.05), and there were not any significant differences in these parameters between post-test and four, six, and eight weeks of detraining periods in this group (P > 0.05). ABT can affect neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male, and reduce the probability of falling among them. Moreover, the effects of these training are persistent after detraining periods. Hence, ABT can be recommended as an effective neuromuscular and balance training in healthy middle aged male.

Balance assessment plays a major role in treatment and rehabilitation of patients. Recently scientists have designed a new device with a dynamic multi-axial tilting platform to aid in joint rehabilitation and enhance proprioceptive mechanisms and postural assessment, called Biodex balance system (BBS). Repetition of exposure to the BBS causes learning or familiarization. Therefore, it can’t be sure that the changes seen in the stability index, are due to the effect of the learning or intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effects of test-retest postural task and to set the learning curve and test-retest reliability of dynamic standing balance using BSS.

Ten healthy non-athletic persons participated in this study. The volunteers were asked to stand on BBS with two levels of difficulty on their dominant leg with open eyes. Two trials of 10 repetitions were applied at difficulty level of 4 and 8 with 30 minutes rest between each test and 30 minutes rest between two trials. Total stability index (TSI), anteroposterior (APSI) and mediolateral (MLSI) were registered.

The effect of repetition of hard postural task on biodex was significantly different in trial 6 from 1-5 (P<0.05). The effect of repetition of easy postural task on biodex was significantly different in trial of 5 from 1-4 (P<0.05). After learning, we found no significant difference in mean stability index of test condition of each trials in reliability assessment so the intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.83 to 0.92. Tests at lower stability level produced the higher ICCs (0.90-0.92). There was a very strong correlation between total stability index and AP stability index using Pearson correlation coefficient (P<0.01, r = 88%).

The results showed that repeating a task on the BBS for five times or more have learning effects. So, while evaluating postural stability in a simple task which has more than five repetitions, learning effect should be take in to account and in difficult postural task it is sex repetitions that can have learning effects.

Group A, β hemolytic streptococci are among the major causative agents of otorhinolaryngology infections. Inadequate treatment of disease may lead to serious disorders such as acute rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Anti-streptolysin-O (ASO) is commonly used as a marker in the diagnosis of infection. Purification of native streptolysin-O has several difficulties and its industrial production process is time consuming with very low yield and the risk of biological contamination. In this study, we used a recombinant streptolysin-O protein as an antigen to detect ASO antibodies in enzymes-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We amplified streptolysin-O gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and subcloned in prokaryotic expression vector PET28a. E.coli. BL21-DE3-plySs strain was transformed with PET28a-streptolysin-O and gene expression was induced by IPTG. ELISA microplates were coated with different concentration of streptolysin-O protein. Level of ASO antibodies were detected by ELISA method. The results obtained from ELISA method were compared with inhibition of hemolysis assay as a standard method. The results showed that there is a positive significant correlation between the ELISA and inhibition of hemolysis method(r=0.97, p=0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for detection of ASO anti bodies were 100% and 83%, respectively. ELISA developed with recombinant streptolysine O showed a good sensitivity for detection of ASO antibodies. It is suggested that this method could be suitable for immunoassays.

Ecstasy (methylendioxymethamphetamine) is a stimulant drug that has various side effects on nerve system, cardiovascular and immune system. This substance affects body tissues and can cause their death. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of ecstasy on liver tissues in Wistar rats. Fifty Wistar rats, ranging 5-6 weeks of age, were divided into five groups (n=10) including control, sham, experimental 1, 2 and 3. In the experimental groups, the animals were injected with the consecutive doses of ecstasy (2, 4 and 8 mg/kg, I.P, for two weeks). The sham group received normal saline and the control group had no injection. Animals were sacrificed 12 hours after the latest injection of ecstasy. Liver tissues sections were provided and stained by hematoxylin-eosin to investigate the histopathological changes. Hepatocytes cells significantly decreased in experiment groups as compared with the control and sham groups (p<0.05). This decrease was more severe with higher doses. The results showed that numbers of kuppfer cells and liver weight were increased and the degree of changes depended on the dose. According to the results, ecstasy might cause damages on liver tissue in higher and consecutive doses. So, this study suggests more attention on using of these kinds of drugs.

Memory extinction is the process that being after recalled and actively previously consolidated memories. Although recent studies suggest that acute stress and glucocorticoids have modulatory effects on fear memory extinction, but their effects are not known clearly. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of acute stress and corticosterone on fear memory extinction in passive avoidance task in mice. In this exprimental study, 48 male albino mice (25-30 gr) were used, which were trained in one trial inhibitory avoidance task (1mA, 3 s footshock). Corticosterone (0.5, 1 and 3 mg/kg) was systemically administrated 30 min prior to memory reactivation. In addtion, acute stress was induced in some groups using restrainer (plexiglass tube) for 10 min at the same time of cortisterone adminstration. The process of memory extinction was assessed by retention tests given 2, 5, 7 and 9 days after memory reativation. The latency to re-enter dark compartment of the apparatus was recorded. The results showed that systemic injection of corticosterone (1 or 3 mg/kg) or acute stress facilitates fear-related memory extiction significantly. Our findings indicate that glucocorticoid system and acute stress play an important role in fear memory extiction. Our findings might be helpful to develop therapeutic methods to treat pathological emotional memories such as those seen in post-traumatic disorders and phobia.

Increased pressure of oxygen in cell culture condition in comparison with in vivo, leads to changes in expression of some genes and subsequently abnormality in some functions of cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of in vitro %1 acute hypoxia on the expression of connexin 43 and CXCR4 in human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. After culturing, a group of stem cells were treated under %1 acute hypoxia for 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 hours. In another group (Hypoxia/Re-oxygenation), the cells were exposed to normoxia condition for 8 hours following mentioned hypoxia treatment. In each case, RNA was extracted and subsequently cDNA synthesised and then the expression of connexin 43 and CXCR4 genes were compared with normoxia group using real-time PCR technique. Connexin 43 gene expression significantly increased at 4, 8 and 16 hours of hypoxia. This increase in CXCR4 expression was observed in only 16 hours hypoxia. In Hypoxia/Re-oxygenation group, although Connexin 43 gene expression was greatly increased at 4 and 8 hours, CXCR4 gene expression showed no significant change compared with normoxia group. Based on these results, O2 concentration, time of exposure to O2 and and type of it's administration play important roles in the expression of CXCR4 and Connexin 43 in human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. Regarding the main role of oxygen in expression of these genes, it would be necessary to optimise the O2 concentration to reach the maximum expression in each gene in these cells.

Adenosine has been considered as a fine-tuner of the neurotransmitters in the nerve system. Adaptive changes in the brain adenosine system occur in some patho-physiological situations such as chronic exposure to morphine. In this study, the adaptive changes in the adenosine deaminase activity as a key enzyme in the adenosine metabolism that converts adenosine to inosine and ammonia, irreversibly, due to morphine dependence and tolerance to anti-nociceptive effects of sodium-salicylate were investigated. Morphine dependence was induced by morphine administration in tap water (0.4mg/ml for 24 days). Tolerance to sodium-salicylate was induced by 6 i.p. injection (1 injection/day) of sodium-salicylate. Tolerance to antinociceptive effects of sodium-salicylate was measured by tail flick (TF) and hot plate (HP) tests. Right hippocampus was dissected, homogenized at phosphate buffer, centrifuged and then the supernatant fraction was isolated. Protein content of the samples was measured by the Bradford method. Hippocampus adenosine deaminase activity was measured by a calorimetric method of enzyme assay which is based on the direct measurement of the produced ammonia from excessive adenosine degradation by adenosine deaminase. Daily injection of Sodium-salicylate produced antinociception in early days by latency increase rather than saline injection (P<0.0001) but in the following days this antinociceptive effect progressively decreased so at the day 5 and 6 following injection it was similar to saline (P>0.05). Injection of morphine (5mg/Kg) at the day 7 showed more increase in the latency of saline injected rather than sadium-salicylate injected (P<0.001). Adenosine deaminase activity was significantly higher in sucrose administrated rather than chronic morhine administrated (P<0.05) and in saline injected rather than sodium-salicylate injected (P<0.05). Single injection of sodium-salicylate and its control shows the same activity. There was no significant difference in enzyme activity of morphine dependent with sadium-salicylate tolerance (P>0.05). This decline in the adenosine deaminase activity may be related with adaptation in brain adenosine system subsequent of dependent to morphine or tolerance to sodium-salicylate.