Background & Objective: ‎Cannabinoids have a dose-related antinociceptive effect in animals and humans through Cannabinoid receptors (CB1,CB2). Several ‎studies have suggested that CB2 receptors are not expressed in the CNS but others suggest that there are a few, although significant, receptors in that area. To date no studies have been done on the antinociceptive effect of central administration of a CB2 agonist. In this study the central and peripheral analgesic effect of JWH133 (a CB2 agonist) was examined.‎
Materials & Methods: Male mice were used in this study. The antinociceptive effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of JWH133 ‎using formalin test was studied in stereotaxed mice after one week of ‎surgery and the insertion of a stainless steel cannula in the left cerebroventricle. To study peripheral effects of JWH133, the drug was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.).
Results: The i.c.v injection of JWH133 had no effect but i.p. injection of the drug had analgesic effects.
Conclusion: The present results may suggest that there are no any effective analgesic CB2 receptors in the CNS.

Background and Objective: Fascioliasis is an important zoonotic disease that causes several health problems and economical losses in different parts of Iran including Zanjan. Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica are recognized as causative agents of the disease. The differential diagnosis between these two species is very important for planning and control of infection. This study was designed to identify the Fasciola species by molecular methods in Zanjan (Iran). Methods and Materials: A number of 535 adult Fasciola worms were collected from the natural infected livers of cattles and sheep in local slaughterhouse. Living flukes were washed extensively in PBS at 37 OC and then anterior half of adult worms were stored at -20 OC in 70% ethanol. Total genomic DNA was extracted from individual flukes by modified phenol-chloroform method. Nucleotide polymorphism of ITS2 fragment of rDNA was investigated using PCR-RFLP assay and sequencing technique. Results: The results of PCR-RFLP and comparison of ITS2 sequences with the BLAST GenBank database clarified that all specimens were F. hepatica. The obtained sequences are available in the GenBank, with accession numbers EU391412 to EU391424. Conclusion: The results of this study showed no evidence of F. gigantica infection in sheep and cattles in Zanjan as all of the isolates were found to be F. hepatica. Key words: Fasciola, Liver flukes, rDNA, ITS2, PCR-RFLP

Background and Objective: Cerebrovascular accidents are one of the most common causes of disability in human population all over the world. Regarding the incidence of post- CVA Seizures and its effect on morbidity and mortality in these patients and due to lack of enough similar studies in our country, we decided to carry out this study in Valiasr hospital, Zanjan. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 404 CVA patients who were admitted in Valiasr hospital from Mar to Oct 2007. The data such as gender, age, type of CVA, damaged brain zone, occurrence of seizure in the first week, type of seizure and the expiration date (if patient had expired), was collected through questionnaire the data were analyzed using appropriate softwares. Results: The total mean age was 70.3 years old. 227 (56/2%) were men and 177 (43/8%) were women. Out of 404 patients with CVA, 362 cases (89/6%) were admitted with ischemic and 42 cases (10/4%) with hemorrhagic CVA. 16 cases (4%) had at least one seizure attack at the first week after CVA. Fifteen patients (4.1%) with ischemic CVA and 1 case (2.4%) with hemorrhagic CVA had at least one episode of early seizure in the first week (P= 0.579). The mortality rate was 7.5 and 31.3% in patients without and with seizure attack respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that early seizure following CVA was more common in ischemic type of CVA, especially in embolic form. The risk of early seizure was higher at the first day after CVA. In addition, early seizure was correlated with higher mortality rate in CVA patients. The incidence of early seizures was higher in men. So prescribing prophylactic anticonvulsant drugs may reduce the incidence of post CVA seizure and its complications in these patients.

Background and Objective: Cerebrovascular accidents are one of the most common causes of disability and mortality in human population all over the world. Several factors such as age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and heart diseases are risk factors for stroke. ِDue to high prevalence of cerebrovascular accidents and its related risk factors and particularly heart diseases, we decided to study echocardiography findings in patients with cerebrovascular accidents.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 372 cerebrovascular patients who had been admitted to Zanjan Vali-e-Asr hospital in 2008. The data such as gender, age, type of cerebrovascular accidents, underlying disease and findings of echocardiography were collected and then they analyzed by appropriate software.
Results: Of 372 patients, 181 were men (48.6%) and 191 were women (51.4%). Systolic function in 321 cases (86.3%) was normal and it was abnormal in 51 cases (13.7%). Diastolic function in 304 cases (81.9%) was normal and in 68 cases (18.1%) was abnormal. Twenty -two cases had mitral stenosis and 198 patients had mitral regurgitation, whereas 23 cases showed both of them. Nine cases had aortic stenosis; similarly 80 cases were found with aortic regurgitation and only 5 cases had both of them. 165 cases were found with tricuspid regurgitation, while 1 case had both regurgitation and stenosis. Sixty- three cases had ejection fraction below 40%. In one case there was a clot.
Conclusion: High frequency of abnormal echocardiography findings in stroke leading to cardiac disorders is one of the most important risk factor of stroke. Thus, with echocardiography which is a non-invasive technique, many of heart problems can be diagnosed and consequently occurrence of cerebrovascular accidents can be prevented or treated.

Background and Objective: The production of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) by Escherichia coli is the main cause of resistance to Cephalosporins.  In the past decade, CTX-M enzymes have become the most prevalent ESBLs in Europe, Canada, and Asia.  In this study, the frequency of ESBL-producing E.coli and molecular detection of the CTX-M-I group was investigated.
Materials and Methods: A total of 400 urine samples were collected from both hospitalized and out-patients in Khoy’s hospitals between November 2009 and April 2010.  Out of these samples, 188 were identified as  E.coli  by standard biochemical tests. The antibiotic Susceptibility tests to 10 antibiotics were performed by the-disk-agar diffusion (DAD) method. ESBL production was screened by phenotypic test that including disk diffusion agar and combined disk as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Screened isolates were investigated by PCR assay for detection of CTX-M-I group genes.
Results: The results show that out of 188 E.coli isolates identified, 56 (29.8%) were producing ESBls by phenotypic test. All isolates were sensitive to imipenem. Overall, 49 (87.5%) isolates were confirmed as CTX-M-I producer by PCR.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that about 30% of the identified E.coli were producing ESBl. Therefore, we recommend to use molecular methods in such researches.

Background and Objective: Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor. Despite many advances in treatment, all patients die within 6 to 18 months after diagnosis. In the cases of glioma, the immune system is suppressed in a local fashion. Therefore, unveiling the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved, with the aim of obtaining an appropriate new treatment is a priority. Designing an appropriate animal model is necessary before any clinical trials. Material & methods: In this study, we prepared fifteen 6-8 week-old female mice (Balb/C) from the Pasteur institute, Tehran,and also selected the mouse glioma cell line GL26 to induce a allogeneic subcutaneous tumor. After culturing the cell and anesthetization of the mice, we injected different cell doses into distinct groups of mice. Sterile PBS was injected into the control group. Animal behavior and clinical symptoms were regularly followed and recorded, and after tumor induction, it was surgically removed and evaluated in terms of macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results: The tumor was induced more quickly with higher number of GL26 cells in mice. Atrophy and weakness was observed in the affected animals. In macroscopic examination, the tumor was relatively large, thick and full of blood. Moreover, in microscopic examination, cell proliferation, mitosis, abundant vessels, and tumor necrosis were observed. Conclusion: Regarding the limitations of a glioma syngeneic animal model, establishment of an allogeneic subcutaneous model, allows an easy evaluation of the size and volume of the tumor, without a requirement for sacrificing the animal. This model has the potential to provide opportunities for research on some immunological parameters, the testing of new therapeutic agents, and new discoveries in basic research, concerning glioma, for the first time in Iran.

Background and Objective: Subsequent to spinal cord injury (SCI), many pathological changes may occur that could lead to inappropriate conditions for repair. The most important of such changes include the death of neurons, cyst formation, glial scar, and ineffectiveness of monocytes. Adult stem cells and monocytes may provide new strategies to treat SCI. Among various types of candidate cells, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and monocytes are promising because of their potential for neuronal differentiation and repair. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of BMSC versus monocyte treatments in a rat SCI model. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided randomly into three groups of six. The SCI was inflicted using the weight dropping method. The BMSCs and monocytes were injected on the 4th day of post SCI. Group one included rats receiving normal saline, group two received BMSCs, and group three received monocytes. Following the injections, a Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) score test was performed for a period of four weeks. Two weeks before the end of BBB, biotin dextran amine was injected intracerebrally followed by tissue staining at the end of the fourth week. Results: There was not a significant difference in the BBB scores between the groups. There were significant differences in axon counting between group one and other groups (p<0.0001). However, there were not significant differences in axon counting between groups two and three. Conclusion: BMSCs and monocytes are promising candidate cells for the repair of SCI. In this study, the scoring was carried out for 4 weeks. It might be better to continue the evaluation for a longer period.

Background and Objective: Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a high incidence rate in the world. However, until recently, there has been no reliable treatment available for its sensory and motor complications. Utilization of stem cells has opened new insights for treatment of SCI. Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are multipotent, have high proliferative potential, and easily accessible. Here, we isolated HFSCs and transplanted them to Rats with spinal cord injury by compression model. Materials and Methods: HFSCs were isolated from the bulge area of Wistar rat whisker follicles. The SCI model was induced in 14 rats, and cultivated HFSCs were transplanted to the spinal cord lesion sites. Functional recovery was assessed by Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan (BBB) scale and muscular activity changes were evaluated with electromyography (EMG) 8 weeks following the transplantation. Results: Behavioral assessments with BBB test showed that scores in transplanted animals were higher than the control group. Functional recovery in the transplanted group were better eight weeks after transplantation (p=0.023) and BBB scores were 15.64 ±0.32 compared to 12.8 ±0.45 in the sham group. Moreover, the signal amplitude of the needle EMG records of the lower extremity muscles increased in transplanted rats. Conclusion: Our results show that transplantation of HFSCs to the site of SCI could be useful for repair and replacement of degenerated neuronal and glial cells.

Background and Objective: Esophageal variceal bleeding is associated with a high mortality rate and expensive hospitalization costs. By diagnosing predicting factors of rebleeding at admission, and proper course of action, we can minimize the rates of mortality rebleeding. The aim of this study was to determine the predicting factors of rebleeding in patients hospitalized because of variceal hemorrhage by Child Turcotte Pugh Classification. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 100 patients with variceal bleeding, whom were admitted to the Tabriz Imam Khomeini Hospital from June 2007 to May 2008, were recruited. The demographic characteristics including age, gender, etiology, CTP classification, and also various clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic data were recorded for each patient. Patients were divided into case and control groups (with or without variceal bleeding) and predictive factors of rebleeding were determined. Results: A total of 68 patients with mean age of 49.88±16.42 were in non-bleeding and 32 patients with mean age of 54.2 ±19.8 were in rebleeding groups, respectively. The size of varices (P=0.046), encephalopathy (P<0.05), ascites (P<0.005), and CTP classification (P<0.0001) had predictive effects on rebleeding. Overall, 12 were CTP class A, 59 CTP class B, and 29 CTP class C. The level of sensitivity to CTP and bilirubin with the aid of ROC evaluation was found to be higher than 85% and 62%, respectively. Conclusion: Determination of the CTP class and grade at admission, in patients with variceal bleeding can provide useful prognostic information. In this study, patients with CTP class B were strongly susceptible to rebleeding. The risk of rebleeding increases significantly in patients with higher levels of bilirubin, or severe ascites or encephalopathy, and they require prophylactic measures.

Background and Objective: Hypotension associated with spinal anesthesia for cesarean section is still a clinical problem. The role of crystalloid preloading to prevent hypotension associated with spinal anesthesia in parturients during cesarean section has been challenged. However, studies with crystalloids predict that fluid loading should be more efficacious if administered immediately after induction of spinal anesthesia. The effects of colloid loading after spinal anesthesia in cesarean section have not been studied enough. The aim of this study was to compare pre and co-loading of hetastarch for the prevention of hypotension following spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was performed in 112 parturients (ASA I or II) undergoing elective cesarean section. Patients were randomly allocated to one of the two groups to receive rapid infusion of 500 ml of 6% hydroxyethylstarch (HES) before spinal anesthesia (preloading group, n = 56), or rapid infusion of 500 ml of HES after induction of spinal anesthesia (co-loading group, n= 56). The incidence of hypotension and the amount of vasopressor, (ephedrine 5 mg/mL + phenylephrine 25 micg/mL) were compared in the treatment of hypotension. Results: There was no significant difference in hypotension between the two groups (P = 0.58). The pre-loading group used 2.2 ± 1 ml of vasopressor mixture compared with 1.7 ±0.7 ml in the co-loading group (P = 0.04) and the difference was significant. Conclusion: Colloid loading after induction of spinal anesthesia is as effective as preloading in reducing hypotension in cesarean section.

Background and Objective: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory, chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with unknown etiology. Due to the positive effects of exercise in patients with MS, we aimed to compare the effects of three combined exercise methods on serum levels of ghrelin, TNF-α and IL-10 in these patients. Materials and Methods: Forty- eight MS patients with EDSS 2 to 3 voluntarily participated in this study and were randomly divided into four groups experimental-1 (one session of resistance training and three sessions of aerobic training per week), experimental-2 (two sessions of resistance training and two sessions of aerobic training per week), experimental-3 (three sessions of resistance training and one session of aerobic training per week) and a control group. The subjects performed four sessions of training protocol per week for eight weeks. Blood samples were collected 5 days before and 72 hours after the training program. Results: The results of the data analysis using ANOVA and post hoc Scheffe test indicated that IL-10 levels significantly increased in the experimental group-3 than in groups one and two, but these changes were not statistically significant in the three experimental groups compared to the control group. The serum levels of TNF-α and Ghrelin were not significantly different among the groups. Conclusion: It seems that concurrent combined training with an emphasis on resistance training leads to increased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, decision on the best type of training programs in concurrent or combined training for MS patients calls for further research. As related to the improvement of serum Ghrelin levels in patients with MS, further studies with longer periods of exercises along with a proper diet is required.

Background and Objective: Breast cancer, assumed as a difficult -to –treat disorder across the world, is the most common malignancy among women. Over decades, significant advances in breast cancer immunotherapy and tumor immune biology have been brought about. In vitro studies of the effect of various cytokines have been conducted in breast tumor. Among Interleukins, IL-27 -a novel cytokine- is associated with specific properties. Moreover, IL-27 contributes to the Th1 induction and also acts as a pro- inflammatory cytokine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the IL-27 anti-proliferative effects on 4T1 cell line in vitro. Materials and Methods: In this study, 4T1 cells were cultured in RPMI1640. mIL-27 gene was cloned, cells were transfected and recombinant protein was produced. Then, anti-proliferative effect of IL-27 on 4T1 breast cancer cell line was evaluated. Results: Our results indicated that IL-27 could suppress 4T1 cell proliferation significantly (p<0/01). Cell to cell interactions and also morphology of the cells were remarkably changed in comparison to control cells. Conclusion: Our results showed that, IL-27 under in vitro conditions, could potentially suppress tumor without any essential cells and biologic factors of tumor matrix. Therefore, rmIL-27 may be a probable candidate protein as an antitumor agent, applicable to breast cancer immunotherapy.