Search

Background: Different species of Salvia L. genus were used for disinfection and blood glucose regulation in traditional and modern medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical compositions of the essential oils of S. sclarea L. and S. reuterana Boiss. and their antimicrobial properties. Materials and Methods: The species collected from the heights of Kashan mountains were dried. Volatile fractions were isolated by simultaneous distillation-extraction technique. The analysis of the essential oils was performed using the GC and GC-MS. The in-vitro antimicrobial activities against 10 bacterial strains were evaluated using the disk diffusion and micro-well dilution techniques. Results: Twenty-nine and 12 compositions were identified in leaves and flowers of the essential oil of S. sclarea, respectively. Twenty-six compositions were identified in leaves and 31 in flowers of the essential oil of S. reuterana. The S. sclarea L. essential oil showed the highest sensitivity against Proteus vulgaris. Moreover, the lowest concentration of S. reuterana essential oil was highly effective in inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans. A. niger was the most resistant microbes against the extract of flowers and leaves of the two species of the essential oils. Staphylococcus aureus was highly resistant to the essential oil and extract of flowers and leaves of S. sclarea and also the essential oil of flowers and leaves of S. reuterana, but it showed sensitivity to the extract of flowers and leaves of S. reuterana. Conclusion: Considering the relatively high antimicrobial activities of the species, the effective compounds in the flowers can be used for antibacterial purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In competing risks data, when a person experiences an event other than the one of interest in the study, usually the probability of experiencing the event of interest is altered. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the competing risk data. The aim of this study was to analyze the breast cancer risk factors using the competing risk model in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this cohort study, 6206 cancerous patients included all women diagnosed with breast cancer were identified during 1990-1999 by the British Columbia Cancer Center and followed until 2010. To compare the competing risk models, the stratified Cox and proportional sub-distribution hazards models were fitted. Results: Findings showed that for breast cancer death, the hazard ratio increased for age (29%, 40%), radiotherapy (71%, 55%) and hormone therapy (76%, 84%) in the stratified Cox and proportional sub-distribution hazards models, respectively. Surgery decreased the hazard ratio in both models (89%, 80%). For deaths not due to breast cancer, the hazard ratio for age (81%, 91%) and chemotherapy (67%, 61%) decreased in both models, respectively. Conclusion: The Cox model, which ignores the competing risks, presents the different estimates and results than the proportional sub-distribution hazards model. Thus, in the analysis of competing risks data, the sub-distribution proportion hazards model is more appropriate than the Cox model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To measure the effect of body mass index (BMI) versus calorie intake and physical activity (PA) on the outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Study design: A prospective study was performed on 236 infertile women who underwent in vitro fertilization. BMI, level of PA and calorie intake were assessed at study entry, and associations between these variables and ART outcomes were analyzed. Participants were divided into four groups based on BMI and PA: normal BMI/inactive, normal BMI/active, overweight/inactive and overweight/active. Results: BMI, adjusted for age, level of PA, calorie intake and aetiology of infertility, was not associated with the number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, number of embryos, number of high-quality embryos or pregnancy rate. For women aged <36years, the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of embryos decreased with increasing BMI, independent of calorie intake and PA. The fertilization rate, cleavage rate, number of high-quality embryos and pregnancy rate were not associated with BMI. The number of oocytes retrieved was significantly higher in women of normal weight compared with overweight women, regardless of the level of PA. Conclusions: Age has a strong negative effect on ART parameters. Increased BMI, independent of calorie intake and PA, has an adverse effect on the number of oocytes retrieved in women aged <36years, but does not affect the number of high-quality embryos or the success of the treatment cycle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: This study was performed to determine the clinical application of rest 99mTc-sestamibi in the assessment of viability and functional improvement of the left ventricle (LV) myocardium in the post-thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Material and methods: In 37 patients with AMI who received thrombolytic therapy, 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography, as well as the resting redistribution of 99mTc-sestamibi, was investigated, both within 1 week and 3–5 months after AMI. The predictive capacity of the perfusion percentage for myocardial function recovery was evaluated. Also, the capacities of the possible variables in the prediction of recovery of myocardial function resulting from a change in LV ejection fraction (EF) were evaluated using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Thirty-seven patients (30 men and 7 women; mean age: 58±14 years) with AMI were enrolled in the study. Redistribution was observed in 35 and 50 segments of the initial and follow-up scans, respectively. In addition, 146 segments with reverse redistribution (RR), both in the initial scan (118 segments) and the follow-up scan (86 segments), were also observed. An apparent difference in wall motion scores was seen between the initial and follow-up echocardiographs (p<0.001). Furthermore, using the optimal cut-off point of perfusion percentage in each image set, sensitivity as well as specificity and likelihood ratio (LR) for the improvement of regional wall motion after 3–5 months were defined. Conclusion: These data showed that redistribution and reverse redistribution of 99mTc-sestamibi post thrombolytic therapy can be used as a marker of viability to predict the recovery of segmental wall motion abnormality (stunning), as well as the improvement of segmental perfusion uptake. This study also demonstrates that the resting 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT can be used for an approximate assessment of LV function status and can predict the recovery of jeopardized myocardium function after thrombolytic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: There are various definitions and monitoring modalities for hemodynamic status. Each of them has its own advantages and shortcomings. A new hemodynamic index is proposed in this study. This index can be calculated by placing the measured hemoglobin saturation in a formula. Blood samples for this measurement are taken from arterial, antecubital and central venous blood. Material and Methods: We calculated this index in three different groups undergoing laparatomy. The control group consisted of patients who underwent elective surgery. The case group with acute internal abdominal bleeding was divided into two groups. Those with more than 20 ml/kg of blood in their abdominal cavity were designated as the severe case group, while those Needing less were categorized as moderate. Blood samples were taken from ten patients in each group in stable and unstable conditions. Results: This index differed significantly between dissimilar hemodynamic conditions. The pre-anesthesia value of this index in the control group showed a mean ± SD of 8.5 ± 3.2 vs. 1.6 ± 0.4 in the moderate case group vs. 0.7 ± 0.08 in the case group with severe hemodynamic changes (p < .001 ). The index approximated to the control values as the circumstances improved. After compensation for volume loss, pre-extubation values were not significantly different, These were 9.6 ± 2 in the control group vs. 8 ± 2 in the case group with moderate hemodynamic change vs. 8 ± 1.8 in the severe case group. The likelihood ratio of bleeding increased as this index decreased. Conclusion: As the hemodynamic condition deteriorates, this index decreases significantly. This index is an accurate indicator for predicting hemodynamic changes compared to some other modalities. Further investigations are needed into the prognostic and therapeutic advantages of this index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patterns in survival can provide information about the burden and severity of cancer, help uncover gaps in systemic policy and program delivery, and support the planning of enhanced cancer control systems. The aim of this paper is to describe the one-year survival rates for breast cancer in two populations using population-based cancer registries: Ardabil, Iran, and British Columbia (BC), Canada.Methods: All newly diagnosed cases of female breast cancer were identified in the Ardabil cancer registry from 2003 to 2005 and the BC cancer registry for 2003. The International Classification of Disease for Oncology (ICDO) was used for coding cancer morphology and topography. Survival time was determined from cancer diagnosis to death. Age-specific one-year survival rates, relative survival rates and weighted standard errors were calculated using life-tables for each country.Results: Breast cancer patients in BC had greater one-year survival rates than patients in Ardabil overall and for each age group under 60.Conclusion: These findings support the need for breast cancer screening programs (including regular clinical breast examinations and mammography), public education and awareness regarding early detection of breast cancer, and education of health care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]