OBJECTIVETo illustrate mechanisms of spine fractures and the pattern of spinal injuries characterized by the major mechanisms in urban population of Iran.

METHODSData regarding spinal injuries including demographics, mechanism and level of spinal injury, abbreviated injury score, associated injuries and final fate of the patients were extracted from the Iranian national trauma registry database from 1999 to 2004.

RESULTSA total of 619 patients with traumatic spine fractures were identified, of whom 68.5% were males. The peak frequency of these injuries occurred in the 21-40 year age-group. Accidental falls and road traffic crashes (RTCs) were the most common mechanisms of spinal fractures (47.2% and 44.1%, respectively). RTCs tended to occur in younger patients compared with accidental falls. The most common spinal region for spinal fracture was the lumbar spine (53.63%). Cervical spine fractures were significantly more common in RTCs, while lumbar spine fractures were more common in accidental falls (P less than 0.001). A total of 171 (27.6%) patients had associated non-spinal injuries, of whom 127 had associated extremity injuries, and 55 had head injuries. Thirty-six (5.6%) patients had spinal cord injury (SCI).The injury severity score of the RTC group was significantly higher than that of accidental falls (P equal to 0.002). Fifteen (4%) patients died of traumatic injuries. The rate of death was significantly higher in RTCs compared with accidental falls (5.1% vs 2.1%, P equal to 0.039).

CONCLUSIONSThe patterns of spinal fractures are similar to those reported from developed countries. RTCs tend to affect the younger age population and are associated with a higher degree of associated injuries and mortality than accidental falls. Therefore preventive strategies should be based on reduction of the number and severity of RTCs.

Accidental Falls ; Accidents, Traffic ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology

Background: Reproductive dysfunction is a complication of diabetes. Arctium lappa (burdock) root has hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties, which are traditionally used for treatment of impotence and sterility. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of its hydro alcoholic extract on gonadotropin, testosterone, and sperm parameters in nicotinamide/ streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice (30–35 g) were randomly divided into seven groups: control, diabetes, diabetes + glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg), diabetes + extract (200 or 300 mg/kg), and extract (200 or 300 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced with intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (NA) and streptozotocin (STZ). Twenty-four hours after the last extract and drug administration, serum samples, testes, and cauda epididymis were removed immediately for experimental assessment. Results: Body weight, serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone levels, and sperm count (P < 0.05) and viability (P < 0.01) decreased in diabetic mice. Administration of glibenclamide significantly improved these reductions in diabetic animals (P < 0.05). However, the hydro alcoholic extract (300 mg/kg) enhanced sperm viability only in diabetic mice (P < 0.01). In addition, this dose of extract increased sperm count, LH, FSH, and testosterone in nondiabetic animals compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that applied burdock root extract has anti-infertility effects in nondiabetic mice. Hence, this part of the A. lappa plant has an effect on the health of the reproductive system in order to improve diabetic conditions.

No abstract available.
Botulinum Toxins* ; Burns* ; Contracture*

Methimazole and propylthiouracil have been used in the management of hyperthyroidism for more than half a century. However, hepatotoxicity is one of the most deleterious side effects associated with these medications. The mechanism(s) of hepatic injury induced by antithyroid agents is not fully recognized yet. Furthermore, there are no specific tools for predicting the occurrence of hepatotoxicity induced by these drugs. The purpose of this article is to give an overview on possible susceptibility factors in liver injury induced by antithyroid agents. Age, gender, metabolism characteristics, alcohol consumption, underlying diseases, immunologic mechanisms, and drug interactions are involved in enhancing antithyroid drugs-induced hepatic damage. An outline on the clinically used treatments for antithyroid drugs-induced hepatotoxicity and the potential therapeutic strategies found to be effective against this complication are also discussed.
Animals ; Antithyroid Agents/*adverse effects/chemistry/therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy/*etiology ; Graves Disease/drug therapy ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism/drug therapy ; Protective Agents/therapeutic use ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Risk Factors

AIM: To determine the frequency of HIV-related ocular involvement and to describe the characteristics of involvement in a special clinic in Tehran.METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 141 patients (125 male and 16 female, 282 eyes) of HIV-infected patients with various stages of HIV infection that were referred to Center of behavioral diseases were evaluated during a period of 7 months. Every patient had a complete profile including demographic data, method of HIV transmission, recent CD4 T cell lymphocyte count, serological studies for common sexual or blood-born viruses and toxoplasmosis, history of antiretroviral therapy, and associated systemic disease. RESULTS: A total of 141 patients were evaluated. HIV-related ocular involvement was detected in 15 patients (10.6%), including 3 mycobacterium tuberculosis-related choroiditis, 2 cytomegalovirus retinitis, 2 retinal toxoplasmosis, 2 herpes simplex virus-related lesions, 1 HIV-associated retinopathy, 1 herpes zoster ophthalmicus, 1 undetermined vitritis, and 3 cases of cranial nerve involvement including 2 cases of gaze palsy and 1 case of papilitis. In our study, mean CD4 T cell lymphocyte count was fewer in patients with ocular involvement than in patients without ocular involvement (204.7±123.8 vs 403.7±339.7, P=0.029), but there was no difference in other possible associated factors between two groups.lesions are the most common HIV-related ocular involvements in Tehran that is different from those of recent publications in developed countries.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Rhus coriaria seeds on the reproductive system of nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, 56 male Naval Medical Research Institute mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n=8): control; diabetic mice; diabetic mice administered glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg); diabetic mice who received the hydro-alcoholic extract of R. coriaria seeds (200 and 400 mg/kg groups); and normal mice who received this extract (200 and 400 mg/kg groups). Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) 15 minutes after an injection of nicotinamide (120 mg/kg). Then, glibenclamide and the above mentioned extract were administered orally for 28 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, serum samples, the testes, and the cauda epididymis were removed immediately for hormonal, testis morphology, and sperm parameter assessments. RESULTS: Body and testicular weight, sperm count and viability, and serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone levels were significantly lower in the diabetic mice (p<0.05). The diabetic mice treated with 400 mg/kg of the hydro-alcoholic extract of R. coriaria seeds recovered from these reductions (p<0.05). Further, glibenclamide alleviated hormonal and sperm count depletion in diabetes-induced mice (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicated that the hydro-alcoholic extract of R. coriaria seeds has anti-infertility effects in diabetic males.
Academies and Institutes ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Epididymis ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Glyburide ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Mice* ; Niacinamide ; Rhus* ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Streptozocin ; Testis ; Testosterone

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. PURPOSE: To determine if posterior surgery alone can satisfactorily treat post-traumatic kyphosis (PTK). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: One of the worst complications of vertebral fractures is PTK. The type of surgery and approach to treat a symptomatic and refractory PTK is a challenging issue in spinal surgery, and yet, there is no specific treatment algorithm. METHODS: From August 2003 to September 2010, we collected 26 cases (male to female ratio, 2.25; mean age, 31.9+/-9.7 years and follow-up period of 42.4+/-8.1 months) with PTK treated by posterior column osteotomy, spondylodesis, instrumentation and cement vertebroplasty in one stage posterior surgery. PTK angle, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analogue scale (VAS), and subjective satisfaction from surgery were used to determine the results. We used a student t test for analyzing the data before and after surgery. RESULTS: In our patients, T11 and L1 had the highest incidence of vertebral fractures. The results indicated that in PTK, ODI, and VAS were significantly improved this surgery. Solid fusion occurred in 96.2% of patients with 3.2degrees+/-2.1degrees loss of correction. A total of 84.6% of patients have satisfaction level of excellent and good. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior surgery alone with posterior column osteotomy, vertebroplasty, posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation can effectively treat symptomatic PTK.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kyphosis* ; Osteotomy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion* ; Vertebroplasty*

The mainstay therapy against leishmaniasis is still pentavalent antimonial drugs; however, the rate of antimony resistance is increasing in endemic regions such as Iran. Understanding the molecular basis of resistance to antimonials could be helpful to improve treatment strategies. This study aimed to recognize genes involved in antimony resistance of Leishmania tropica field isolates. Sensitive and resistant L. tropica parasites were isolated from anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and drug susceptibility of parasites to meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime(R)) was confirmed using in vitro assay. Then, complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) and real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) approaches were utilized on mRNAs from resistant and sensitive L. tropica isolates. We identified 2 known genes, ubiquitin implicated in protein degradation and amino acid permease (AAP3) involved in arginine uptake. Also, we identified 1 gene encoding hypothetical protein. Real-time RT-PCR revealed a significant upregulation of ubiquitin (2.54-fold), and AAP3 (2.86-fold) (P<0.05) in a resistant isolate compared to a sensitive one. Our results suggest that overexpression of ubiquitin and AAP3 could potentially implicated in natural antimony resistance.
Amino Acid Transport Systems/*genetics/metabolism ; Antimony/*pharmacology ; Antipruritics/*pharmacology ; *Drug Resistance ; Humans ; Leishmania tropica/drug effects/enzymology/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/*parasitology ; Protozoan Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Ubiquitin/*genetics/metabolism

Background: Sinonasal malignancies are a rare group of head and neck cancers. We aimed to report the oncological outcomes based on histological types in patients who underwent radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: In this single-institution study, we retrospectively retrieved and analyzed data of patients with sinonasal carcinomas who underwent radiotherapy during 2011–2016 as part of their treatment. The 3-year rate of local, regional, and distant recurrences, and overall survival were evaluated according to the histological type. Results: A total of 28 patients were evaluated in this study, the majority of whom were male (60%). Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), and adenocarcinoma (ADC) were found in 15 patients (53.5%), 8 (28.5%), and 5 (18%), respectively. The highest rates of local and regional recurrences were observed in ACC and SCC, respectively. Distant recurrences were numerically more common in ADC. The 3-year OS was 48%, 50%, and 73% in SCC, ADC, and ACC, respectively. Conclusion Different histopathologies of sinonasal cancer seem to have different patterns of failure, and this may be considered in the treatment approach.

Caesarean section without medical indication imposes many problems to families, personnel and medical equipment causing some side effects to pregnant woman and foetus, compared to natural childbirth. The present study aimed to evaluate the interventions in reducing caesarean section in the world. This study was a systematic review using Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Magiran and SID databases and grey literature. All studies conducted during 2000–2018 were reviewed and finally the studies with inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. A total of 19 studies were selected among 5,559 studies. The interventions conducted for reducing caesarean section included training the specialists and women by using Six Sigma method, changing the guidelines, reviewing the definition of natural childbirth various stages, encouraging the natural childbirth and expanding painless childbirth. All interventions were divided into educational strategy and managerial strategy. The interventions can be implemented to change the behaviour of physicians and attitude of pregnant women in order to reduce caesarean section. In this regard, the authorities are recommended to make more efforts.