Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

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    Although cataract is very common and its detection seems apparently easy especially in the mature cataract, its quantitative description to determine the critical value of diagnosis is too difficult. Non-invasive evaluation of the mechanical properties of eye is hampered by the absence of in-vivo methods for direct assessment of the axial length of eye, lens and cornea. In the present study, firstly, rabbits’ eyes were suggested to create cataract. Then, through a non-invasive method the elastic parameters of the cataract eyes were estimated. 12 male rabbits (3 months old, New Zealand white/Dutch) were chosen in order to create and control the trend of cataract and Lux-metry. After the injection of formalin (20%) to the lens of each rabbit, the results showed that the intensity of the reflected light from the rabbits’ eye had descending trend, and after one hour a mature cataract was confirmed. To assess Δ d, a planning loading system was designed. Ultrasound images of A-mode with the mechanical probe and the frequencies of 8 and 10MHz were taken before and after applying the stress and saved into the computer by median board. With processing its imaging before and after applying the stress the axial length changes of eye ( Δ d) was estimated in in vivo and in vitro conditions. The mean axial length of the cataract eye in vivo and in vitro were 19.71 ±0.32 and 18.81±0.44mm, respectively (P>0.05), which indicated that there was no significant difference between these two conditions. Regarding the applied stress, the mean elastic modulus of the cataract eye in in vivo and in vitro conditions were 84004±17656 and 106864±33346 Pascal respectively (P>0.05), which showed that there was no significant difference between in vivo and in vitro conditions. Results of the present study showed that with applying limited stress, processing the ultrasound images, assessing the amount of strain and assuming an elastic structure for eye, it is possible to estimate its elastic parameters through a complete non-invasive method. Since, in the cataract eye, any change in the elasticity of the lens will change the acoustic properties of the tissue including the velocity, this new method may be useful in the exact determination of the acoustic parameters based on the elastic module and may increase the preciseness of the ultrasound systems. It may further be effective in making the lens after surgery.

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    A potential relationship between chronic infection with chlamydia pneumonia (CP) and atherosclerosis has been suggested by seroepidemiologic, pathologic and animal studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between antichlamydia antibody in patients with coronary events. This research was performed as a retrospective, case-control study on the blood samples from 87 individuals in three group: 29 individuals with acute myocardial infarction, 29 with chronic stable angina and 29 healthy individuals in control group. These 3 groups were matched in terms of age, sex and major cardiovascular risk factors. After assembling samples, IgG antibody concentration against CP was measured in the sera by Elisa and based on the used kit. Serum antibody ranges higher than or equal to 5 unit per milliliter were considered as positive. Data analysis was carried out via Instat software, one-way ANOVA, and K² test with statistical significant level of P<0.05. In group with acute myocardial infarction, seropositivity to CP was 100%, in group with chronic stable angina 65.5% and in control group was 30%. These differences were statistically significant with P<0.001. Mean antibody levels were 34.7, 11.4 and 3.61u/ml respectively and the difference between these 3 levels was significant (P<0.001). These results show that anti CP antibody can be seen in a considerable number of patients with coronary artery disease. Also, CP antibody level is expected to have a positive correlation with coronary events including acute myocardial infarction.

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    Background and Aim: Recent evidences suggest new risk factors especially inflammatory reactions and immunologic factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of IL-17 in patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study serum samples were obtained from 30 patients with Acute Mycrordial Infarction (MI), 30 patients with Unstable Angina (UA) and 30 sex and age matched healthy subjects. Serum samples of participants were tested for the levels of IL-17 by the use of ELISA. Statistical analyses have been done using ANOVA and t-test.

Results: The mean serum levels of IL-17 were 6.68±1.2 pg/ml in AMI group, 5.48±1.01 pg/ml in UA group and 2.07±0.60 pg/ml in healthy control group. Statistical analyses showed that the mean serum concentrations of IL-17 in AMI and UA groups was significantly higher than that observed in healthy control group (P<0.005 and P<0.04, respectively). Moreover, the mean serum levels of IL-17 in total IHD (Ischemic Heart Disease) patients (6.08±0.79 pg/ml) was significantly higher than that observed in healthy subjects (P<0.002). No significant difference was observed between AMI and UA groups regarding the mean serum concentrations of IL-17.

Conclusion: These results demonstrated higher serum levels of IL-17 in patients with AMI and UA than the control group. Accordingly, IL 17-associated mechanisms may participate in the pathogenesis of IHD.

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Background: Infectious diseases are one of the most common diseases in the world, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In burn wounds, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is used to treat burns, but a number of resistances have been created, which has led to the use of plants to treat diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of antimicrobial and healing marigold extract, eucalyptus, walnut, jujube, turpentine oil with silver sulfadiazine to create an effective agent in the treatment of burns is due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Methods: Alcoholic and ethanolic extracts of walnut and jujube leaves were prepared in the laboratory and Eucalyptus oil, turpentine oil and marigold extracts were prepared for ready and we also used silver sulfadiazine ointment. In the next step, the MIC and MBC extracts were determined. In the animal model, the burn was initially burned and then infected by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Then the silver sulfadiazine ointment was used alone and in combination with each of the extracts separately and one gram and for three consecutive days, was injected into the wound of mice and The number of bacterial colonies was counted after the culture on the Muller Hinton Agar and culture Nutriant Agar.
Results: MIC and MBC of Extracts of Marigold 5.25 and 10.50 mg/ml, Eucalyptus 1.75 and 3.50 mg/ml, Alcoholic Extract of Walnut 59.0875 and 118.175 mg/ml, Estonian Extract of Walnut 8.375 and 16.75 mg/ml, Alcoholic extracts of jujube 39.875 and 79.75 mg/ml, Estonia extracts of jujube 8.625 and 17.25 mg/ml and Turpentine 8.375 and 16.75 mg/ml. The study of mouse model confirmed the effect of extracts with silver sulfadiazine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The acetone extract of walnut leaf, the acetone and alcoholic extract of jujube, as well as the eucalyptus extract, reduced the number of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and had better antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa than other groups.
Conclusion: Alcoholic juices and Estonian jujube have a better effect than other groups.

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Background and aims: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Genital carcinomas, especially cervical cancer, make up almost 12% of all cancers in women and are the second most common female genital cancer in the world. Cervical cancer is caused by specific papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Various factors, including regular exercise, reduce the risk of cancer. An active lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing cancer. Studies show that active women are 20 to 30 percent less likely to develop cancer than inactive women.
Clinical evidence suggests that angiogenesis plays an important role in cervical cancer. Specifically, overexpression of VEGF is associated with unpleasant oncological consequences in cervical cancer tumors. VEGF is an important growth factor involved in neoangiogenesis and is expressed in glomerular pedocytes and renal endothelial cells. Also, Thrombospandine-1 (TSP1) inhibits tumor growth and metastasis and is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and tumorigenesis in vivo.
Taxol is a compound of diterpene with a complex structure that is often extracted from the yew plant. This substance is currently the most important natural anti-cancer compound with a different mechanism from other similar drugs in this field, worldwide for the treatment of various cancers such as skin, lung, urinary tract, esophagus, lymph nodes and ... It is used effectively.
To date, no study has examined the response of VEGF and thrombospandine-1 to aerobic exercise in patients with cervical cancer. On the other hand, today there is an increasing tendency to use plants and their compounds as potential anti-cancer drugs that have a direct toxic activity on malignant cells. The results of the present study can help to better explain the factors involved in cervical cancer; Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 6-Week Endurance training and Taxol extract on kidney tissue VEGF and Thrombospondin in C57 Mice with Cervical Cancer.
Methods: In this experimental study, 35 female C57 mice, eight weeks old, were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (healthy), control(cancer), Taxol extract, training(cancer), and Training-Taxol extract (cancer) with 7 mice in each group. The implantation of cancerous tumors was performed under the skin of the upper pelvis. The training group completed the endurance training protocol, which included 3 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session, at a speed of 14-18 m/s for six weeks. A dose of 60 mg/kg/day, a pure extract of Taxol was injected peritoneally Data were analyzed by t-test, One-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferron's at the significant level p<0.05.
 
Results: The results showed that the use of taxol extract and endurance exercises significantly reduced the levels of VEGF in kidney tissues of C57 mice with cervical cancer (p=0.000). Also, the use of taxol extract and endurance exercises significantly reduced the levels of thrombospondin in kidney tissues of C57 mice with cervical cancer (p=0.000).
Conclusion: The findings of this study were consistent with the results of Previous research [19,20,25]. VEGF in response to exercise is due to the binding of VEGF to receptors on endothelial cells, which is a stimulus for the angiogenesis process. Also, Decreased VEGF can be due to binding to other proteins, including heparin sulfate and endothelial stem cells. It is possible that one of the reasons for the decrease in VEGF in response to the exercise is due to the increase of VEGF production inhibitors, namely ANP and CNP. Another reason for the decrease in VEGF to exercise can be explained from the perspective of somatostatin. Taxol is a diterpene compound with a complex structure. It is rich in isoflavones. Flavonoids such as 3,4 dihydroxyflavones, 1,3 dihydroxyflavones, Fisetin, Apigenin and Lutelin are able to inhibit angiogenesis in vitro in the micromolar concentration range. The results of studies have shown that taxol inhibits angiogenesis at low concentrations of picomolar by inhibiting the production of VEGF and inhibiting the protein expression of alpha factor induced by hypoxia. There were some limitations in the present study, such as the lack of measurement of other angiogenic factors and anti-angiogenic factors. According to the findings of this study, aerobic endurance training and Taxol extract may be effective interventions to reduce the progression of cervical cancer.