Imipramine-induced antinociception in the formalin test. Receptor mechanisms involved and effect of swim stress

This study concerned the effect of swim stress on imipramine-induced antinociception in mice. The data showed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of different doses of imipramine (10-40 mg/kg) and 0.5-3 min of swim stress (17 degrees C) induced antinociception in the first and second phases of the formalin test. Low period of swim stress (10 s) with low doses of imipramine (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.), which did not have any effect by themselves, in combination showed antinociception in the second phase of the test. Either yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) or naloxone (1 mg/kg i.p.) reversed the response induced by the combination of low doses of imipramine plus swim stress. Yohimbine (1 mg/kg i.p.) decreased the response of imipramine (20 mg/kg i.p.) but not that of 30 s swim stress in the second phase. However, naloxone (1 mg/kg i.p.) reduced the antinociception induced by imipramine (20 mg/kg i.p.) or 30 s swim stress in the second phase of the test, the combination of imipramine with swim stress was not altered by yohimbine or naloxone. Prazosin induced antinociception by itself in the first phase of the test and increased swim-stress-induced antinociception with no interaction. It is concluded that antinociception induced by imipramine in the second phase of formalin test may be mediated through alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonists. The results indicate that the responses of swim stress and imipramine may be mediated by an opioid mechanism, but the combination of both drugs induced higher antinociceptive effects.     

杜安眼球后退综合征和染色体组异常

目的:观察I型杜安眼球后退综合征患者的第8染色体。方法:连续观测了29例I型杜安眼球后退综合征患者的第8染色体。采用质粒DNA提取试剂盒方法从患者的外周血白细胞里分离提取DNA,选取D8S553和D8S1797做标记,用PCR法进行测定。结果:实验的所有病人样本中没有D8S553和D8S1797标记阳性。结论:我们的发现提示所观察的I型杜安眼球后退综合征患者的可能病因是属散发病例而没有家族史,建议纳入更多病例、选取其他的标记和不同的染色体进行进一步的研究。     

Impairment of echocardiographic acoustic window caused by breast implants.

Cosmetic breast implants are increasing in popularity. The presence of a breast implant overlying the anterior mediastinal space as a cause of impairment of the echocardiographic acoustic window has not been described previously. Here, we report three cases with significant impairment of echocardiographic acoustic window caused by breast implants. Clinicians should be aware of this interference and women should be informed of this dilemma before considering this cosmetic surgery.     

Distal administration of very high doses of intracoronary adenosine for the treatment of resistant no-reflow

No-reflow is a serious condition, and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention. The most feared complication of no-reflow is a case of no-reflow that is resistant to multiple drug therapy. This condition usually occurs in patients with distal coronary disease or high thrombus burden. In the present case, a patient with resistant no-reflow that could be reversed by distal intracoronary administration of very high doses of adenosine (1 mg) is described. Administration of very high doses of adenosine via a balloon catheter was safe and did not cause any changes in the heart rate or blood pressure. The present case is the first to be reported in the literature.     

An epidemiological survey of psychiatric disorders in Iran

Background

The nation-wide epidemiological survey of psychiatric disorders in term of lifetime prevalence is not adequately known in Iran. The prevalence of lifetime psychiatric disorders was estimated among the population of aged 18 and over on gender, age group, educational level, occupational status, marital status, and residential area.

Methods

The subjects were 25,180 individuals selected through a clustered random sampling method. The psychiatric disorders were diagnosed on the bases of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria. It is the first study in which the structured psychiatric interview administered to a representative sample of the Iranian population age 18 and over by the 250 trained clinical psychologist interviewers. The data was entered through EPI-Info software twice in an attempt to prevent any errors and SPSS-11 statistical software was also used for analyses. The odds ratios and their confidence intervals estimated by using logistic regression.

Results and Discussion

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 10.81%. It was more common among females than males (14.34% vs. 7.34%, P < 0.001). The prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders were 8.35% and 4.29% respectively. The prevalence of psychotic disorders was 0.89%; neuro-cognitive disorders, 2.78% and dissociative disorders, 0.77%. Among mood disorders, major depressive disorder (2.98%) and among anxiety disorders, phobic disorder (2.05%) had the higher prevalence. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among divorced and separated 22.31%; residents of urban areas 11.77%; illiterates 13.80%; householders 15.48%; unemployed 12.33% that were more than other groups.

Conclusion

The mental health pattern in Iran is similar to the western countries, but it seems that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Iran may be lower than these countries.It is estimated that at least about 7 millions of Iranian population suffer from one or more of the psychiatric disorders. It shows the importance of the role of the psychiatric disorders in providing preventive and management programs in Iran.

     

Changes in gram negative microorganisms’ resistance pattern during 4?years period in a referral teaching hospital; a surveillance study

Background and purpose

Surveillance studies evaluating antimicrobial susceptibilities are of great value in preventing the spread of resistant pathogens by elucidating the trend of resistance in commonly used antibiotics and as a consequence providing information for prescribing the most appropriate agent. This study is a longitudinal antimicrobial resistance surveillance study designed to evaluate the trend in antimicrobial resistance to gram negative microorganisms from 2007 to 2010.

Method

During a four-year period (2007–2010) isolates derived from all patients admitted to infectious diseases ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, the major referral center for infectious disease in Iran with the highest admission rates, were evaluated. Based on disk diffusion method and zone of inhibition size, the microorganism was regarded as to be sensitive, resistant or has intermediate susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents.

Results

The widest spread Gram-negative microorganism in all of isolates taken together in our study was E.coli (30%) followed by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in 28.6% and Enterobacter spp. in 11.9%, respectively. The susceptibility to amikacin, imipenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, and nitrofurantoin was equal or above 50% for all microorganisms over four years. However, the susceptibility to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefotaxim, and ceftriaxone was less than 50% in derived isolates during the study period.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the finding of the present study revealed that resistance rate to common antimicrobial agents in Iran is growing and isolates were susceptible mostly to broad-spectrum antibiotics including imipenem and piperacillin/tazobactam.     

Influence of nitric oxide agents in the rat amygdala on anxiogenic-like effect induced by histamine

Background/aims: Both histamine and nitric oxide (NO) may play a role in anxiety-like behavior. Within the brain, the amygdala is an important area involved in processing emotional responses such as anxiety. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the NO system in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) influences histamine-induced anxiety-like behavior in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats weighing 200–220 g were used. Bilateral cannulae were implanted in the BLA place for microinjections of drugs and the elevated plus maze apparatus has been used to test parameters (%OAT, %OAE, locomotor activity) of anxiety-like behavior. Results: Intra-BLA administration of histamine (2.5 and 5 μg/rat) decreased %OAT [P < 0.001]. Histamine (5 μg/rat) also reduced %OAE [P < 0.05] but not locomotor activity. The results obtained may indicate an anxiolytic response for histamine. Furthermore, bilateral intra-BLA microinjections of different doses of l-arginine (l-arg), an NO precursor (0.5 and 1 μg/rat) increased %OAT [P < 0.01], %OAE [P < 0.01] and locomotor activity [P < 0.001] while NG-nitro-l-arg methylester (l-NAME), a potent inhibitor of NO-synthase (NOS; 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 μg/rat) decreased %OAT [P < 0.05] and locomotor activity [P < 0.001] but not %OAE. The combination of l-arg (0.5 μg/rat) with histamine increased %OAE [P < 0.001] but had no effect on %OAT and locomotor activity. Finally, the combination of l-NAME (0.025 μg/rat) with histamine decreased %OAT [P < 0.001] and locomotor activity [P < 0.05] but increased %OAE. Conclusion: The results indicate a modulatory role for NO in BLA in the anxiogenic response of histamine in rats.     

In vitro cytotoxic effect of garlic extract on malignant and nonmalignant cell lines

Cancer is one of the major causes of death in the world and despite many years of research, the treatment of cancer is still a problem. Epidemiological observations and laboratory studies have indicated anticarcinogenic potential of garlic, which has been traditionally used for various human diseases around the world. In this study the cytotoxicity of garlic extract against three malignant cancer cell lines including gastric (AGS), breast (MCF-7) and colon (HT-29) and a nonmalignant cell line (L929) were evaluated by the MTT assay. The results of this study reveal MCF-7 and AGS cells were sensitive to garlic extract. Despite a many reports on inhibitory effects of garlic on cancer cell line, our data showed these effects are tumor specific and dose dependent. Further studies on animal models and humans are needed to clarify the important molecules and their mechanisms.     

Enhanced plant tolerance to iron starvation by functional substitution of chloroplast ferredoxin with a bacterial flavodoxin

Iron limitation affects one-third of the cultivable land on Earth and represents a major concern for agriculture. It causes decline of many photosynthetic components, including the Fe-S protein ferredoxin (Fd), involved in essential oxidoreductive pathways of chloroplasts. In cyanobacteria and some algae, Fd down-regulation under Fe deficit is compensated by induction of an isofunctional electron carrier, flavodoxin (Fld), a flavin mononucleotide-containing protein not found in plants. Transgenic tobacco lines expressing a cyanobacterial Fld in chloroplasts were able to grow in Fe-deficient media that severely compromised survival of WT plants. Fld expression did not improve Fe uptake or mobilization, and stressed transformants elicited a normal deficit response, including induction of ferric-chelate reductase and metal transporters. However, the presence of Fld did prevent decrease of several photosynthetic proteins (but not Fd) and partially protected photosynthesis from inactivation. It also preserved the activation state of enzymes depending on the Fd-thioredoxin pathway, which correlated with higher levels of intermediates of carbohydrate metabolism and the Calvin cycle, as well as increased contents of sucrose, glutamate, and other amino acids. These metabolic routes depend, directly or indirectly, on the provision of reduced Fd. The results indicate that Fld could compensate Fd decline during episodes of Fe deficiency by productively interacting with Fd-dependent pathways of the host, providing fresh genetic resources for the design of plants able to survive in Fe-poor lands.