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Background and purpose: Hydatidosis is highly prevalent worldwide which mainly involves liver and lung. There are some drugs sensitive to the hydatid disease but surgery is still the most common form of treatment. Different chemical agents are used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery but most leave serious side effects. Therefore, herbal extracts have received more attention as replacing agents that have acceptable scolicidal effects and no adverse effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the scolicidal effects of mixture of Artemisia, Eucalyptus and ginger extracts on hydatid cyst protoscolices in vitro.
Materials and methods: Hydatid liver cysts isolated from sheep were collected from a slaughterhouse in Hamedan, Iran. The cysts fluid containing live protoscolices were aspirated aseptically. The effect of two concentrations of the methanolic extracts of the mixture (50 and 100 mg/ml) was investigated at 15 and 30 min. Viability of   protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Data analysis was done applying Chi-square test.
Results: The mixture of eucalyptus and ginger extracts showed acceptable scolicidal effects in which after 15 and 30 min exposure at 50 and 100 mg/ml concentrations it killed 97.24% and 100% of protoscolices, respectively.
Conclusion: This study showed that mixture of Eucalyptus and ginger had high scolicidal activity in vitro condition. Therefore, it could be used in surgical treatment of hydatid cyst after complementary researches.
 

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 Background and purpose: Current research was carried out to compare the effectiveness of integrative approaches; Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) in improving the symptoms of emotional regulation in couples with marital conflict.
Materials and methods: Statistical population included all couples attending Ahvaz Mehrvaran Psychological Clinic. Six couples were selected using purposive sampling. Single case study was used in this experiment. EFT and IBCT were conducted in two to four stages at base line phase within 16 sessions, and the subjects were followed up for three months. They completed Emotional Regulation dysregulation Scale (DERS). Data were analyzed applying visual inspection, improvement percentage, and reliable change index.
Results: The participants aged 25 to 40 years of age and either completed high school or had higher educations. Improvement rates in subjects at post-treatment and follow-up attending EFT and IBCT were 31.07% and 31.27% and 24.39% and 24.18%, respectively. In two couples attending EFT the RCI values significantly changed at post-treatment and follow-up stage (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In this study, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy was found to be more effective than Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy on the magnitude and stability of changes.

 

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Correction to: Comparing the Efficacy of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy in Improving the Symptoms of Emotional Regulation in Couples with Marital Conflict
 
 
Faizollah Poursardar1,
Masoud Sadeghi²,
Koroush Goodarzi³,
Mehdi Roozbehani⁴
 

1. Department of Psychology, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran

² Department of Psychology, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran
³ Department of Psychology, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
⁴ Department of Corrective Exercises, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
 
 
   
 

In the article published in volume 29, issue 173, 2019, the name of Koroush Goodarzi was published incorrectly, which is now corrected. Also, there was a typo for Borujerd which is now corrected.  
 
 

J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci 2019; 29(176): 225-226 (Persian).

 
 
 
 

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Background and purpose: Toxocariasis is a zoonotic infection that can affect the human eye, some viscera, and even the nervous system. The infection is worldwide and is more prevalent in areas with poor hygiene such as rural areas. This investigation aimed at studying the seroprevalence of toxocariasis in Qaemshahr, north of Iran, for the first time, and recognizing its risk factors in rural areas.
Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 370 people were selected from different rural areas and after completing a questionnaire, blood samples were collected. After isolation of serums, anti-Toxocara antibody was examined by ELISA kit (Novatec, Germany). Data were analyzed in SPSS V24 using logistic regression.
Results: Anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected in 159 (42.97%) patients. No significant association was observed between positive anti-Toxocara and variables studied (P>0.05). Among five selected areas, the rates of positive anti-Toxocara were significantly higher in two rural areas (P<0.05).
Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study reported the highest seroprevalence of Toxocara in Iran. Physicians in this area are suggested to pay more attention to this infection. Due to the high seroprevalence of Toxocara in this region, further studies are required in other regions in Mazandaran province with a similar climate.

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Background and purpose: Studies have shown that exercise improves glucose uptake by acutely increasing insulin sensitivity. Additionally, acute exercise or adaptation to exercise training activates pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons, which affect glucose metabolism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of eight weeks of resistance training and combined training on pro-opiomelanocortin gene expression in brain tissue and insulin resistance in obese Wistar rats.
Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 30 male rats with an average weight of 175–195 grams were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. After confirming obesity (weight over 300 grams), the rats were divided into three groups: control (10 rats), combined training (10 rats), and resistance training (10 rats). The rats continued the high-fat diet until the end of the training intervention. Resistance training consisted of climbing a one-meter ladder with an 85° incline and a 2 cm distance between steps. This resistance training protocol was performed for 8 weeks, 5 days a week, at an intensity of 40–60% of maximum load, with each session involving 15 ascents and a one-minute recovery between ascents. Combined training included both aerobic and resistance exercises; rats in the combined training group performed aerobic exercises on alternate days and resistance exercises on the other days. Aerobic exercises consisted of 60-minute sessions at 40–60% of maximum running speed on a treadmill with no incline. Insulin resistance was calculated using the formula: blood glucose (mg/dl) × fasting plasma insulin (IU mg/L in fasting state) / 405. To evaluate gene expression changes, 20–40 mg of brain tissue was used. After cDNA synthesis from extracted RNA, a Real-Time PCR reaction with a volume of 20 µl was performed for each sample, followed by thermocycling to complete the reaction, and the comparative ∆∆Ct method was used for quantification.
Results: The results of this study demonstrated a significant decrease in the body weight of rats following eight weeks of resistance and combined training (P<0.05). Furthermore, both resistance and combined training led to a significant reduction in insulin resistance in obese rats (P<0.05). Tukey’s HSD post hoc test showed a significant increase in POMC gene expression in the combined training group (P<0.05) and an increase in the resistance training group, though this was not statistically significant (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the combined training intervention led to an increase in POMC gene expression in the brain tissue of obese rats. This increase in POMC gene expression was associated with a reduction in insulin resistance following the intervention. These findings suggest that combined training may be a practical strategy for improving genetic adaptations in brain tissue and reducing insulin resistance.