Background and Objective: For decades, stress has been postulated as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. Because of conflicting results in previous studies we conducted a prospective study to investigate this relationship in a less studied, Middle Eastern population. Methods: In this prospective study, 57 Iranian MS patients were followed trimonthly for 12 months. Possible stressful events (measured with validated Persian version of Paykel’s questionnaire) and quality of life (measured with validated Persian version of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale questionnaire) were assessed in successive visits in addition to other variables. Relapses were enquired and confirmed clinically by a Neurologist. Main analysis was done by use of Mixed Generalized Linear Model. Results: Mean age of the participants was 33.5±7.4 years, 81% were females, and all were receiving interferons. Number of stressors, not the stress severity measures, reached near significance in predicting relapses (p=0.054), and showed a trend towards significance in predicting severe relapses (p=0.082). Education and number of previous relapses were the only variables that had a near significance interaction with number of stressors in its association with MS relapse. This association was only significant among subjects with less than college education (P=0.008) and subjects with more than 2 relapses (p=0.038). Conclusion: Number of stressors, not their severity, was associated with MS relapses among Iranian patients. This association had interaction with education and history of previous relapses; it was significant only among lower educated patients or patients with more prior relapses.

Toxocariasis is a consequence of human infection by Toxocara larvae. There are symptomatic (visceral, ocular) and asymptomatic course of toxocariasis. The ocular form is very rare. We present a 6-year-old patient who developed an ocular form of toxocariasis caused by Toxocaracati. He demonstrated lesions in the peripheral retina of the right eye. White granuloma was present in the superior peripheral retina. A positive immunological assay for toxocariasis essentially completed the outcomes. On the basis of clinical manifestations and conducted examinations, a diagnosis of ocular form of toxocariasis was established. Albendazole and corticosteroids were applied in treatment. Current results clearly highlight the usefulness of excretory-secretory antigens derived from larvae of Toxocara cati for the fine diagnosis ocular larva migrans caused by Toxocara larvae.

Background: Cognitive functions are impaired in patients with liver disease. Bile duct ligation causes cholestasis that impairs liver function. This study investigated the impact of cholestasis progression on the acquisition and retention times in the passive avoidance test and on the locomotor activity of rats. Methods: Cholestasis was induced in male Wistar rats by ligating the main bile duct. Locomotor activity, learning and memory were assessed by the passive avoidance learning test at day 7, day 14, and day 21 post-bile duct ligation. The serum levels of bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were measured. Results: The results showed that acquisition time and locomotor activity were not affected at day 7 and day 14, but they were significantly (P < 0.05) impaired at day 21 post-bile duct ligation compared with the results for the control group. Additionally, memory was significantly impaired on day 7 (P < 0.01), day 14, and day 21 (P < 0.001) compared with the control groups. The levels of total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were significantly higher at day 7, day 14, and day 21 post-bile duct ligation compared with the levels in the sham group. Conclusion: Based on these findings, both liver and memory function were affected in the early stage of cholestasis (7 days after bile duct ligation), while learning and locomotor activity were impaired at 21 days after bile duct ligation following the progression of cholestasis.
Cholestasis ; Learning ; Motor Activity ; Bile Ducts ; Rats

Background: The effects of soy extract on memory as well as the oxidative damage to brain tissue induced by ischemia was investigated in ovariectomised (OVX) rats. Methods: The rats were divided into: 1) Sham; 2) OVX; 3) Sham‑Ischemia; 4) OVX‑Ischemia; 5) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20; and 6) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60. The common carotid artery was occluded (30 minutes), and it was then re-‑perfused. The OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups received 20 or 60 mg/kg of soy extract for eight weeks before the ischemia. Results: The Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups took a longer time to reach the platform while, spent a shorter time in the target quadrant (Q1) than the Sham and OVX. The escape latencies in the OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups were lower while, time spent in the Q1 was higher than that of the OVX-‑Ischemia. In the rotarod test, there were no significant differences between the groups. The hippocampal concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups were higher than the Sham and OVX. Pre-‑treatment by 20 and 60 mg/kg of the extract reduced the MDA. Conclusion: It is suggested that soy prevents memory impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage due to ischemia in OVX rats.

Introduction: The aim of the current study is to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic and antioxidative effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of marjoram (HAEM) in rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: In the experimental study, the rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats in each and fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks as follows: One group (normal diet group) was fed with a standard diet, one group was fed with HFD, and two groups were fed with HFD and orally fed with 150 and 450 mg/kg/day HAEM. The serum samples and liver tissues were used for measuring the biochemical and oxidative parameters and histopathological studies. HFD induced hepatosteatosis in rats as evidenced by the altered liver enzymes activity, serum lipid profile and oxidative status. Results: Serum lipid profile (triglyceride, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein) in rats fed with HFD + HAEM (150 and 450 mg/kg/day) was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the evaluation of oxidative stress showed a reduction of the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and an increase in ferric-reducing anti-oxidant power. Meanwhile, liver enzyme activities declined in response to HAEM. Conclusion: Using the HAEM could be a future therapeutic agent in treating hepatosteatosis and reducing oxidative damages of HFD in the liver.

To investigate the possible anticonvulsant effect of different extracts of Eugenia caryophyllata (clove) on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in mice.

PURPOSE: Mucinous adenocarcinomas account for about 10% of all colorectal cancers. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of mucinous histologic subtype on oncologic outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed at two large tertiary university hospitals. We analyzed the characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival of patients with colorectal cancer who were treated and followed up between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS: Totally, 144 of 1,268 patients with a colorectal adenocarcinoma (11.4%) had mucinous histologic subtype. Statistically significant results found in this research are as follows: Mucinous histologic subtype tended to present in younger patients and to have larger tumor size, higher histologic grade, higher node stage, larger number of positive nodes, and higher rate of perineural invasion compared to nonmucinous histologic subtype. On the univariate analysis, mucinous subtype was a prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival. On the multivariate analysis, primary tumor location, node stage and lymphatic-vascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for the local control rate. Rectal tumor location, higher disease stage, tumor grade II, and presence of lymphatic-vascular invasion had negative influences on disease-free survival, as did rectal tumor location, higher disease stage and presence of lymphatic-vascular invasion on overall survival. CONCLUSION: Mucinous histologic subtype was associated with some adverse pathologic features in patients with colorectal cancer; however, it was not an independent prognostic factor for oncologic outcome.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

In this study a disperse dye immunoassay method was standardized and evaluated for detection of antibodies against Neospora caninum in cattle. Sera from 150 cattle with a recent history of abortion were collected and tested by commercial ELISA kit and a standardized in-house dye immunoassay system. The positivity rate for the sera used in this study was 34.6% for the disperse dye immunoassay (DDIA) compared to 32% obtained by ELISA kit. This study showed no significant difference between DDIA and ELISA. The results indicated that the DDIA provide an economic, simple, rapid and robust test for detection of N. caninum infection in cattle.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Coccidiosis/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine/*methods ; Female ; Immunoassay/methods ; Neospora/*immunology ; Staining and Labeling/methods ; Veterinary Medicine/*methods

AIM: To evaluate the clinical success of living related conjunctival limbal and amniotic membrane transplantation for treatment of chemical injury induced limbal stem cell deficiency.METHODS: From July 2005 to December 2007, 10 eyes of 9 male patients with chemical injury induced limbal stem cell deficiency were included in the study. All subjects underwent living related conjunctival limbal and amniotic membrane transplantation. Blepharorrhaphy was performed in two cases. Systemic immunosuppression with cyclosporine and prednisolone was initiated.RESULTS: Complete corneal epithelialization was observed in 3 eyes (30%). In one of the patients immunologic rejection and corneal melting led to perforation 1.5 months after surgery. The increasing dose of systemic immunosuppression was used to control it. Three eyes were described as primary failure because graft could not re-epithelialize the corneal surface. The remained four eyes showed partial re-epithelialization, but failed to cover the entire corneal surface with epithelium. Best corrected visual acuity ranged from hand movement to counting finger at 1 meter before the surgery and after the surgery was light perception to 20/80. Five eyes had visual improvement without any additional procedure. Dry eye and persistent inflammation were known as main causes of failure.CONCLUSION: Living related conjunctival limbal allograft and amniotic membrane transplantation can be a good option in the management of limbal stem cell deficiency in selected cases in which tear production and control of ocular inflammation are adequate.

Background and objective: A successful family physician program needs ongoing and full cooperation between people and the organizations in charge. Ensuring the satisfaction of family physicians through improvement of the underlying factors could motivate them to provide high-quality services. This study aimed to determine the family physicians’ satisfaction level with the factors affecting the dynamism of the urban family physicians program in the Fars and Mazandaran provinces of Iran. Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out in urban areas in the Fars and Mazandaran provinces in 2016. The sample consisted of 143 and 96 family physicians, respectively, in Fars and Mazandaran provinces and was selected using the stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire and included both sociodemographic variables and factors assessing the family physicians’ satisfaction levels. Each factor was scored based on a Likert scale from 0 to 5 points, and any satisfaction level higher than 3 out of 5 was equated with being satisfied. Results: The overall satisfaction levels among family physicians in Fars and Mazandaran provinces were 2.77±0.53 and 3.37±0.56, respectively, revealing a statistically significant difference between provinces (p<0.001). Moreover, the mean satisfaction scores for the performances of healthcare centers, insurance companies, specialists, healthcare workers, and the population covered were 2.78±0.1, 2.54±0.9, 2.52±0.8, 4.24±0.07, and 2.96±0.8, respectively. The family physicians’ levels of satisfaction were significantly correlated with population size (p=0.02, r= -0.106), and willingness to stay in an urban family physician program (p<0.001, r= +0.398). Conclusion: This study revealed that family physicians exhibited a low level of satisfaction with the urban family physician program. Given the direct association between family physicians’ satisfaction levels and retention in the program, it is expected that family physicians will no longer stay in the program, and it is likely to have subsequent executive problems.