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BackgroundSpinal Cord Injury (SCI) is one of the leading causes of severe neurological deficits worldwide. The pathophysiology of SCI includes a primary injury followed by a cascade of secondary biochemical and cellular changes. Current pharmacological options are limited for significant recovery from SCI. The β-lactam antibiotic ceftriaxone (CEF) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) have shown to induce neuroprotection in animal models of neurodegenerative disorders.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of CEF, NAC, and their combination on the functional recovery and histological damage in experimental SCI.MethodsRats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 7): Saline, CEF, NAC, and CEF + NAC. Then, SCI was performed on rats under general anesthesia using the Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC) impactor. Locomotor recovery following SCI was monitored using the locomotor rating scale of Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB). At the end of the study, all rats were sacrificed, and spinal cord cross-sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological evaluation.ResultsThe CEF and NAC administration, either alone or in combination (CEF + NAC), significantly improved locomotor recovery following SCI in rats when compared to the saline group. The histological analysis showed that the severity of histopathological lesion in the spinal cord of rats was significantly lower in the CEF, NAC, and CEF + NAC groups than in the saline group.ConclusionsTreatment with CEF and NAC, either separately or in combination, promotes locomotor recovery following SCI, which is associated with the effective reduction of the histopathological lesion.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the causative agents of urinary tract infections as one of the most common bacterial infections and their resistance patterns to used antibiotics. Methods: The current cross sectional study was carried out on urine specimens retrieved from patients with urinary infections in the Central Laboratory of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2013-14. After culture-based identification of isolates, antibiogram was conducted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocol. Results: Out of 56,564 urine specimens, 3,205 (5.7%) were positive in terms of urine culture, 77.3% belonged to women, and 22.7% belonged to men. Moreover, the results showed that Escherichia coli was the most common bacterium responsible for urinary infection. According to the obtained results of antibiogram test, most cases of bacterial resistance were respectively related to ampicillin (74.2%), cephalothin (68.1%), and co-trimoxazole (54%), and the most bacterial sensitivity belonged to amikacin (79%), nitrofurantoin (77.8%), and gentamicin (74.5%), respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the bacteria isolated belonged to the family of Gram negative bacilli. The antibiotic resistance pattern of microorganism is responsible for urinary infections in different regions. Comparing the results of the present study with previous studies carried out in this region and around the world showed an increasing trend. Therefore, it seems necessary to consume antibiotic drugs correctly and reasonably, and administer them based on antibiogram

Background. Dextromethorphan is a noncompetitive N-methyl D-aspartate receptor antagonist that is clinically feasible for relieving the opioid withdrawal symptoms. This study compares the efficacy of a combination therapy with dextromethorphan and clonidine to treatment with clonidine alone. Methods and Materials. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, patients were selected from inpatients of detox and rehabilitation ward of Razi Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. They were randomly allocated to two groups receiving either clonidine (0.4–1.2 mg/day) or clonidine and dextromethorphan (300 mg/day). Withdrawal symptoms were evaluated in the first day of admission and again 24, 48, and 72 hours later. Results. Thirty male patients completed the trial in each group. Withdrawal symptoms began to decrease in the second day in patients receiving dextromethorphan and clonidine while patients receiving clonidine experienced the more severe symptoms in 72 hours. Analysis of variance of the symptom severity score revealed a significant group × time interaction (F=14.25; P<0.001), so that patients receiving dextromethorphan plus clonidine had milder symptoms during three days in all of the measurements compared to clonidine group. Conclusion. Combination therapy of dextromethorphan and clonidine would result in milder opioid withdrawal symptoms compared to clonidine alone with a reduction beginning at the second day.