Tehran University Medical Journal

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Helicobacter pylori (H.Pylori) is the most common human infection in the world. This agent has a strong role in pathogenesis of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer. Therefore introducing of simple and cost effective tests are important for diagnosis of H.Pylori infections. ELISA has been considered as an alternative test compare with biopsy, histological staining, culture and urease test in diagnosis of H.Pylori infection. In this investigation, 111 patients referred to GI endoscopy department of Imam Khomeini Hospitals for U.G.I problems which were evaluated for H.Pylori infection. Culture and histological staining (GIMSA and H & E) were used as a gold standard test compare with ELISA-IgG and urease test. Sensitivity and specificity for ELISA were 90%, 93% respectively. This report suggests that ELISA is a cost effect and valid test in diagnosis of H.Pylori infection

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Background: Pulmonary Nocardiosis is an infrequent infection whose incidence seems to be on the rise due to a higher degree of clinical suspicion and to an increasing number of immunosuppressive factors. The present investigation was carried out to detect Nocardiosis in immunocompromised patients confined in the pulmonary ward of Tehran’s Shariati Training Hospital through the use of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and bacterial culture methods. The comparison of the two methods and the correlation between the antibody titer and the statistical and epidemiological data were also investigated.

Materials and Methods: 101 patients with advanced symptomatic pulmonary infection were studied in the course of a twenty-month period. Individual patients’ sputum, BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) and blood sera were tested. From each sample three thin smears were prepared for microscopic observations. The samples were cultured in Sabouraud’s dextrose, blood and paraffin agar. The detection of antibody against Nocardia asteroides was carried out in all study groups, using the IFA method. The medical history of patients was also obtained through questionnaires for further analysis.

Results: Nocardia asteroides was isolated from only one patient suffering from Wagner vasculitis with an antibody titer of in serum. The 41 patients suspected for Nocardiosis with an antibody titer ranging from to , detected by IFA method, included 26 (63.4%) men and 15 (14.8%) women. The age of the patients varied from 7-80 years. Those with reasonable antibody titers included 15 (36.5%) housewives and 9 (21.9%) workers. Furthermore, in-vitro investigation for the differentiation of the isolates was performed and confirmed the notion that the organism which grew on the primary media was, indeed, the Nocardia asteroids complex.

Conclusion: Our results revealed that the broncho-pulmonary infections, which occur in high-risk patients -T-cell deficiencies, long term corticosteroid therapy, immunocompromised hosts, HIV infection, organ transplantation- was an important index for the primary diagnosis of Nocardiosis. As the important finding of the present research, the antibody titer of could be proposed as the criterion for the diagnosis of the infection. The probability of Nocardiosis was proposed when antibody titer was less or more than .

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Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Varicocele is a major cause of male infertility, but its pathophysiology is unclear. Recent studies declare that fertile varicocele people with normal semen analysis are also at risk of loss of infertility. The exact mechanism by which varicocele damages spermatogenesis is still unknown. Some studies have reported increased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is a major factor in semen of men with varicocele. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the source of elevated ROS is intracellular or not. In addition, we studied Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP), viability, antioxidant activity, sperm count and motility in these rats.
Methods: The study group consisted of 28 male rats divided in four groups: control, sham, varicocele 1, varicocele 2, Experimental varicocele was established by partial ligation of the left renal vein in last two groups. Animals were sacrificed two and six months after surgery and dilation of the internal spermatic veins was observed. Then, superoxide anion production and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential were evaluated by Flow cytometry sperm characteristics were evaluated by Flow cytometry. Sperm superoxide anion production was assessed by the dihydroethidium and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential with rhodamin 123.
Results: Our results showed intracellular superoxide anion production significantly increased and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, viability, sperm count and motility significantly decreased in rats with experimental left varicocele. However, there was no significant difference for seminal plasma antioxidant activity between all groups.
Conclusions: Consequently, our findings suggest that one of the main sources of ROS production is intracellular and we must consider it in treatment.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Allergic rhinitis is a common disorder with great morbidity. Its prevalence has increased during recent years, therefore attracting attentions to its mechanisms. Type 2 cytokines play a major role in allergies. It has been proposed that Natural killer (NK) cells may be able to produce type 2 cytokines. This study was done to evaluate NK cells number and subtypes in patients with allergic rhinitis, comparing healthy subjects.
Methods: In a case control study, patients with allergic rhinitis were compared to healthy non-atopic subjects. Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed according to ARIA guidelines. NK cells quantity was studied by staining of peripheral blood mono nuclear cells with anti-CD16-FITC and anti-CD56-PE and evaluated by two color flowcytometry. Intracellular cytokines were evaluated by tri-color flowcytometry. NK cells were separated by magnetic beads, and cultured for 72 hours. Secretion of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ was measured by ELISA, in stimulated and unstimulated conditions.
Results: Patients had more CD16+ CD56+ NK cells than control group. IL-4+ NK cells were significantly higher in patients (p<0.001), but the number of IFN-γ+ NK cells was not different. Cytokine secretion of NK cells was similar in case and control groups. Although IL-13 level after stimulation seemed higher in patients, the difference was not significant.
Conclusion: NK cells number is increased in patients with allergic rhinitis and a considerable number of them produce IL-4.

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Hemoglobinopathies are most common inherited disorders in the world; approximately 7 percent of the worldwide population and 5-6 percent of population of Iran are carriers. The hemoglobin disorders inherit as autosomal recessive and are very common in the Mediterranean area and much of the Asia and Africa. The control of this inherited disorders need to genetic counseling and accurate screening by more advanced and more accurate methods. This study explains features of current Iran hemoglobin disorders, nominates the accessible methods for screening them and introduces the capillary zone electrophoresis as a rapid and more accurate method. The required data were extracted of various articles and then for good explanation, current Iran hemoglobinopathies properties were showed in the tables and electropherograms of important hemoglobin disorders in Iran population were provided for help to interpretation results of blood tests by capillary zone electrophoresis method. Hemoglobin disorders are including thalassemias and hemoglobin variants; Disruption in the production and malfunction of globin chains cause types of hemoglobin disorders. We cannot introduce one of clinical laboratory tests as critical and basic method for screening and distinguishing types of inherited hemoglobin disorders as alone. For distinguishing the types of them must be prepared enough information and data of the hemoglobin disorders and for more accurate analysis must be used simultaneously different methods as gel electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography, isoelectric focusing, capillary zone electrophoresis or molecular tests. The capillary electrophoresis is an accurate and rapid method for screening types of the hemoglobin disorders. Other side this method cannot analyze all of them, so must be used biochemical, biophysical and molecular methods for confirmation the results. This review showed we can use the capillary electrophoresis and HPLC as two complementary methods for hemoglobinopathies screening. We can analyze by the methods more hemoglobin disorders and decrease more laboratory errors. Moreover, we must have patient history, hematological indices, information and data of types of hemoglobinopathies. The patient history and complete blood count results as red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration can be useful and helpful in screening the hemoglobin disorders and then distinguishing all of hemoglobin disorders.