Clinical presentations, diagnosis and treatment of adult intussusception, a 20 years survey.

Background: Intussusception is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in adult patients. The etiology of malignant nature has been reported to be more frequent in this group and the diagnosis is usually made at operation. Few reports are published for this clinical entity from Middle East.

Doctors' views of attitudes towards peer medical error.

Background: This study aims at evaluating doctors' attitudes towards handling medical errors made by their peers.

Materials: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted between April and July 2006 and targeted general practitioners attending continuing medical education programmes in Tehran. A total of 474 doctors were approached, 400 of whom completed the questionnaire.

Mutation of the histidin residue of the DRH motif in vasopressin V2 receptor expression and function.

Background And The Purpose Of The Study: Vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R), a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR), plays an important role in the regulation of renal antidiuretic function. The highly conserved DRH motif is essential for G protein signaling of V2R; however its role especially regarding the histidin residue is not fully understood..

Organ donation workshop - a survey on nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward organ and tissue donation in Iran.

Purpose: Despite increasing transplantation in Iran, organ shortage and long waiting lists remain major problems in the country. Many publications have demonstrated that the willingness of healthcare professionals to participate in the donation process can improve the donation rate. Since nurses are usually the first people among the healthcare staff to recognize a patient as a potential donor, they have an important role in the procurement of organ and tissue from cadaveric donors.

Knowledge and attitude of donor cardholders toward organ and tissue donation and transplantation in an Iranian tissue bank: a case-control study.

Background: Cadaveric organ shortage is the most important obstacle to more widespread provision of transplants. Many factors influence the donation rate: social factors, religion, familial relations, and especially knowledge and attitudes toward organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Increasing public awareness can reform the incorrect beliefs and myths about donation and transplantation.

The role of strain variation in BAX and BCL-2 expression in murine bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

This study hypothesized that the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes, such as BCL-2 and BAX may be affected by genetic variation in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in C57BL/6 and NMRI mice. Pulmonary fibrosis induced by single intratracheal dose of bleomycin (3 U kg(-1)). After 2 weeks, lung samples were analyzed for collagen deposition, pathological changes and expression of BCL-2 and BAX.

Doctors' views of attitudes towards peer medical error.

Background: This study aims at evaluating doctors' attitudes towards handling medical errors made by their peers.

Materials: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted between April and July 2006 and targeted general practitioners attending continuing medical education programmes in Tehran. A total of 474 doctors were approached, 400 of whom completed the questionnaire.

A survey of the complaints entering the medical council organization of tehran in three time periods: the years ending on 20 march 1992, 20 march 1997 and 20 march 2002.

One of the most important occupational tensions a physician encounters in his/her practice is the complaints lodged against him/her by the patients. The purpose of this study is examining the complaints against physicians and dentists entering the Medical Council Organization of Tehran in the years ending on 20 March 1992, 20 March 1997 and 20 March 2002 from the viewpoint of number, dispersion and inducing factors. The present study was performed as a descriptive and retrospective one with the aid of a questionnaire containing concerned data.

Seroprevalence of human T lymphtropic virus (HTLV) among tissue donors in Iranian tissue bank.

Iranian Tissue Bank prepares a wide range of human tissue homografts such as; heart valve, bone, skin, amniotic membrane and other tissues for different clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HTLV in tissue donors. About 1,548 tissue donors were studied during a 5-years period by ELISA assays.

Effects of silymarin on the proliferation and glutathione levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from beta-thalassemia major patients.

Iron toxicity in beta-thalassemia major is the main cause of oxidative stress and cell mediated immune deficiencies. Despite indicative signs of severe oxidative deficiencies associated with beta-thalassemia major, such as decreased level of plasma antioxidants and depletion of erythrocyte glutathione, little is known about intracellular redox status of immune cells. Since glutathione is a primary intracellular antioxidant and plays an essential role in several functions in T cells, in this study intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels as well as proliferation of PHA-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were investigated in 28 beta-thalassemia major patients and 28 healthy age-matched individuals.

Subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery: the first report from Iran.

Background: Chronic venous stasis ulcers of the leg are still a challenge in vascular surgery. Innovation of new surgical techniques using endoscopic instruments have ushered in a new era with less complications and better results. This study was designed to evaluate the safety and long-term outcomes of this technique for the first time in Iran.

Propofol-alfentanil vs propofol-remifentanil for posterior spinal fusion including wake-up test.

Background: Wake-up test can be used during posterior spinal fusion (PSF) to ensure that spinal function remains intact. This study aims at assessing the characteristics of the wake-up test during propofol-alfentanil (PA) vs propofol-remifentanil (PR) infusions for PSF surgery.

Methods: Sixty patients with scoliosis and candidates for PSF surgery were randomly allocated in either alfentanil (PA) or remifentanil (PR) group.

Anxiolytic effects of Salvia reuterana Boiss. on the elevated plus-maze model of anxiety in mice.

The anxiolytic and sedative effects of hydroalcoholic extract (HE) of Salvia reuterana Boiss. was evaluated in mice. The HE of Salvia reuterana (100 mg/kg), increased the percentage of time-spent and the percentage of arm entries in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze.

Fibrinolytic effects of Ginkgo biloba extract.

A multitude of factors are involved in regulating the blood coagulation homeostatic processes in the body, which may ultimately lead to thromboemboli and thrombosis. The resolution of blood clots after healing is as important as clot formation at the site of a vascular lesion. This is accomplished by fibrinolytic drugs such as streptokinase (SK) and urokinase.

Abdominal surgical site infections: incidence and risk factors at an Iranian teaching hospital.

Background: Abdominal surgical site infections are among the most common complications of inpatient admissions and have serious consequences for outcomes and costs. Different risk factors may be involved, including age, sex, nutrition and immunity, prophylactic antibiotics, operation type and duration, type of shaving, and secondary infections. This study aimed to determine the risk factors affecting abdominal surgical site infections and their incidence at Imam Khomeini, a major referral teaching hospital in Iran.

Cytotoxic Evaluations of Iranian Conifers on Cancer Cells.

In this study, branchlets, fruit, or bark of Taxus baccata. L. as well as branchlets or fruits of two other species of Iranian conifers, namely, Platycladus orientalis.

Anxiolytic effects of Echium amoenum on the elevated plus-maze model of anxiety in mice.

The ethanolic extract of Echium amoenum flowers at the dose of 50 mg/kg increased the percentage of time-spent and the percentage of arm entries in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and decreased the percentage of time-spent in the closed arms of EPM. Moreover, it prolonged the ketamine-induced latency to sleep but had no significant effects on total sleeping time induced by ketamine. Also, the locomotor activity was affected but not to the same extent as observed for diazepam.

Passive immunization with an anti-substance P antibody prevents substance P- and neurokinin A-induced bronchospasm in anesthetized guinea-pigs.

In a guinea-pig model of asthma, active immunization against substance P (SP) prevented the development of airways' hyperresponsiveness and reduced bronchospastic responses to SP (i.v.).