Background: hospital personnel are at high risk of exposure, infection, and transmission of viral hepatitis. The present study aimed at investigating the knowledge, attitude, and performance of health service providers to provide them with the information required for their educational promotion on viral hepatitis. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 staff of the forenamed healthcare settings such as on nurses, midwives, licensed practical nurses, and lab officials in Isfahan, Iran, in 2012. A checklist including demographic data and questions associated with the knowledge (18 questions), attitude (4 questions), and performance (15 questions) on hepatitis B and C was completed by the participants. Results: A total of 388 participants completed the checklist. Participants' knowledge on the ways of transmission, prevalence, vaccination, and prevention methods was moderate (total score = 58.56 ± 10.1 percent) and the attitude was generally positive. Proper vaccination was carried out by 81.4% of the participants. Accidental injury by a needle was reported in 47.7% of the participants, but only 37.6% of them reported it to higher authorities and of them only 13.7% received appropriate treatment. Only 44.3% and 11.6% of participants reported always using gloves and masks, respectively, and 58.8% of the staff covered the needle cap before transferring it to the safety box. Conclusions: Due to excessive contact with patients, a paramedic-educated society is expected to have an optimal level of knowledge, attitude, and performance related to viral hepatitis. Our results from the checklists showed that medical personnel are not appropriately aware of viral hepatitis and their performance, too, is not satisfactory. Further continuous training is required and there needs to be more emphasis on actions regarding behaviors with high risk of infection transmission.

Background: Definite treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is surgical resection. Absence of early symptoms in most patients leads to late diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to evaluate resectability of the pancreatic adenocarcinoma at the time of the diagnosis in Iran. Materials and Methods: The present study which is of a descriptive, prospective and case series nature, has been studying the resectability of the pancreatic adenocarcinoma by multi-detector computerized tomography, endoscopic ultrasonography, laparoscopy and/or laparotomy in 157 patients for the duration of 2 years since November 2009. Results: A total of 157 patients were enrolled in this study. Majority of them (68%) were male. The mean age was 67 years. Final diagnosis obtained 1-12 (2.7 ± 1.6) months after beginning of the symptoms. The lesion situated in the head of the pancreas in 127 cases (81%). Vascular invasion, lymphadenopathy, liver metastasis and peritoneal involvement were seen in 88%, 57%, 43% and 19% of the patients, respectively. According to imaging, tumor was resectable in 10 (6%) patients but laparoscopy and/or laparotomy revealed that only five cases (3%) were actually resectable. After 24 months, only 8 patients were alive; 5 cases of them had been treated by Whipple surgery and other 3 cases were under the chemotherapy. At 1 and 2 year survival rate of the patients was 11% and 5%, respectively. Conclusion: Majority (97%) of the pancreatic adenocarcinomas are unresectable at the time of diagnosis. Thus, meticulous preoperative assessment of patients is essential in patients to avoid major surgery in unresectable cases.

Background: Anterior shoulder dislocation is the most common major joint dislocation. In patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation, surgical intervention is necessary. In this study, two methods of treatment, Bankart arthroscopic method and open Bristow procedure, were compared. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial survey had been done in the orthopedic department of Alzahra and Kashani hospitals of Isfahan during 2008-2011. Patients with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation who were candidates for surgical treatment were randomly divided into two groups, one treated by Bankart arthroscopic technique and the other treated by Bristow method. All the patients were assessed after the surgery using the criteria of ROWE, CONSTANT, UCLA, and ASES. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: Six patients (16.22%) had inappropriate condition with ROWE score (score less than 75); of them, one had been treated with Bristow and five with Bankart (5.26 vs. 27.78). Nine patients (24.32%) had appropriate condition, which included six from Bristow group and three treated by Bankart technique (31.58 vs. 16.67). Finally, 22 patients (59.46%) showed great improvement with this score, which included 12 from Bristow and 10 from Bankart groups (63.16 vs. 55.56). According to Fisher's exact test, there were no significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.15). Conclusion: The two mentioned techniques did not differ significantly, although some parameters such as level of performance, pain intensity, use of analgesics, and range of internal rotation showed more improvement in Bristow procedure. Therefore, if there is no contraindication for Bristow procedure, it is preferred to use this method.

Background and Aims: This study aimed to clone and express the reteplase cDNA, a thrombolytic agent used for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and stroke, in E. coli, utilizing tac promoter for its expression. Materials and Methods: Reteplase cDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with designed primers. The product was then cloned into pTZ57R plasmid. The cloned cDNA was digested out and ligated into pGEX-5x-1 expression vector. The presence of the insert was confirmed by restriction digestion. By using 0.2, 0.5 and 1 mM isopropyl beta-D thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), expression of reteplase was induced in E. coli TOP10 cells and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Results: Electrophoresis of PCR product and also double digested recombinant pTZ57R plasmid, also, pGEX-5x-1 vector, showed a 1068bp band of reteplase. SDS-PAGE analysis showed a 60 KDa band of protein product induced with different concentrations of IPTG. Conclusion: In the present study, reteplase cDNA was successfully cloned and expressed using tac promoter. This vector will be used for the optimization of the expression of reteplase in E. coli.

Background: Cardiac and pulmonary veins de-airing are of the most important steps during open heart surgery. This study evaluates the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on air trapping in pulmonary veins and on quality of de-airing procedure. Materials and Methods: This randomized prospective double blind clinical trial conducted on 40 patients. In the control group: During cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the ventilator was turned off and adjustable pressure limit (APL) valve was placed in SPONT position. In CPAP group: During CPB, after turning the ventilator off, the flow of oxygen flow was maintained at the rate of 0.5 L/min and the APL valve was placed in MAN position on 20 mbar. During cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) weaning, the patients were observed for air bubbles in left atrium by using transesophageal echocardiography. Results: The mean de-airing time after the start of mechanical ventilation in CPAP group (n = 20) was significantly lower than the control group (n = 20) (P = 0.0001). The mean time of the left atrium air bubbles occupation as mild (P = 0.004), moderate (P = 0.0001) and severe (P = 0.015) grading was significantly lower in CPAP group. Conclusions: By CPAP at 20 mbar during CPB in open heart surgery, de-airing process can be down in better quality and in significantly shorter time.

Background: Trietz ligament connects the duodeno-jejunal flexure to the right crus of the diaphragm. There are various opinions regarding the existence of the smooth muscle fibers in the ligament. We want to resolve this complexity with microscopic study of this part in cadavers. Materials and Methods: This study done on three cadavers in the medical faculty of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Three samples of histological specimens were collected from the upper, the central, and the lower parts of Trietz ligament and were stained by H and E staining and Mallory's trichrome stain. Three samples were collected from the regions of exact connection of the main mesentery to the body wall, the intestine, and the region between these two connected regions, and these specimens were stained. Results: In the microscopic survey, no collagen bundles were observed in the collected samples of the Trietz ligament after the dense muscular tissues. In the samples which were collected to work on collagen tissues stretching from the Trietz ligament to the main mesentery of intestine, no collagen bundles were observed. Conclusion: Trietz ligament is connected to the right crus of the diaphragm from the third and the fourth parts of the duodenum. Number of researchers state that there are smooth and striated muscular tissues and some others, with regard to observations of histological phases made from the samples of Trietz muscles, conclude that it can probably be noted that muscular bundles or the dense connective tissue bundles of collagen cannot be observed in the way we imagine.

Background: Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) can effect on biological systems and alters some cell functions like proliferation rate. Therefore, we aimed to attempt the evaluation effect of ELF-EMF on the growth of human adipose derived stem cells (hADSCs). Materials and Methods: ELF-EMF was generated by a system including autotransformer, multi-meter, solenoid coils, teslameter and its probe. We assessed the effect of ELF-EMF with intensity of 0.5 and 1 mT and power line frequency 50 Hz on the survival of hADSCs for 20 and 40 min/day for 7 days by MTT assay. One-way analysis of variance was used to assessment the significant differences in groups. Results: ELF-EMF has maximum effect with intensity of 1 mT for 20 min/day on proliferation of hADSCs. The survival and proliferation effect (PE) in all exposure groups were significantly higher than that in sham groups (P < 0.05) except in group of 1 mT and 40 min/day. Conclusion: Our results show that between 0.5 m and 1 mT ELF-EMF could be enhances survival and PE of hADSCs conserving the duration of exposure.