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Background & Objective: Trauma is the second most common cause of death regardless of age in Iran and the health system annually defrays a vast cost for trauma patients. The majority of cases comprise abdominal trauma. This study was performed to determine individual and pathologic characteristics of patients with blunt abdominal trauma in Gorgan – Iran. Materials & Methods: This descriptive and retrospective study was done on 239 patients with blunt abdominal trauma in 5 Azar hospital, Gorgan - Iran from March 2001 to March 2005. Results: 197 (82.4%) of cases were male and 42 (17.6%) were female. The mean age of patients was 23.4 years. The mean of hospital stay was 8.8 days. The most common cause of blunt abdominal trauma was traffic injury. The most common damaged organs were spleen (49.4%) and liver (21.3%) respectivly. Mortality rate was 16.3%. The hypovolumic shock was the major cause of mortality. Conclusion: This study showed that epidemiology of trauma is similar to those in other regions of our country. Therefore, programming and attempts of governmental organizations are needed to prevent and decrease traffic accidents.

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Background and Objective: Several studies reported the immunological activity of Lycium barbarum. This study carried out to determine the effect of aqueous extract of fruits of Lycium ruthenicum L. on morphometric and histomorphometric indices in mice lymphatic organs. Methods: In this experimental study, 36 adult mice were randomly allocated into six experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were received Lycium ruthenicum L. fruit aqueous extract in the doses of 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw, daily by feeding tube for 21 days. In the control group animals were recived 100 mg/kg/bw of saline using feeding tube. After the treatment, the relative increase in the body weight, morphometric, histomorphometric and histopathologic indices in thymus, lymph node and spleen were measured. Results: The administration of extract in doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/bw did not effect on body weight of mice but in the doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw significantly reduced the body weight (P<0.05).Thymus index in 800 mg/kg/bw of extract significantly reduced in comparison with controls (P<0.05). Thickness of thymus medulla in low doses significantly increased while it was not visible in higher doses (P<0.05). Thickness of capsule in lymph node and spleen in dose of 800 mg/kg/bw significantly increased in comparison with control group (P<0.05). Low doses of the Lycium barbarum extract increased stimulation and infiltration of the immune cells and hematopoiesis in the lymphoid organs while in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw caused pathological changes including fibrosis in capsule, degeneration in follicles and stromal cell apoptosis. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of fruits of Lycium ruthenicum L. in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw causes histopathological alterations in the lymphoid organs.

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Background and Objective: Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive facultative intracellular non spore forming bacillus. The epidemiologic studies have shown that Listeria monocytogenes is the cause of abortion and abnormalities in human embryo. This study was done to determine the effect of listeria monocytogenes colonization on maternal and fetal liver and spleen in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, Inbred BALB/c dams allocated into case and control groups. Dams in interventional and control groups were received 200µL of 1.2 LogFCU/ml, Listeria monocytogenes and normal salin intraperitoneally, respectively. Few mice from each group were randomally selected and 5ml of blood collected, placenta, uterus liver and spleen were removed subsequently in 13 and 24 day of gestation and listeria monocytogenes colonization were determined. Liver and spleen of full term offsprings were stained for the histological studies. Results: L.monocytogenes strains were detected in different organs of mice damsup for 30 day of gestation. The higest and lowest of organ contamination were seen in liver and blood samples, respectively. The ratio of weight/volume of organ was higher in case than control groups. Hepatocytes degenration, hepatocyte size alteration, cell cord atrophy and sinusoid dilatation were seen in the liver. Disruption of red pulp, disorganization of lymphoid nodules and necrosis were noticed in the spleen. Conclusion: Contamination of BALB/c dams causes the histological alterations in the liver and spleen of offesprings.