IntroductionIn order to find out the frequency rates of domestic and wild animal bites as well as the evaluation of the prevalence rates of rabies disease in the human population in the Province of Kerman, a retrospective study was designed to analyze statistically the collected recorded data related to this project. Methods This study was conducted within the framework of MPVM student research projects by means of collaboration between

Summary Background and objective: A variety of outcome measures are used in evaluating disease activity and therapeutic efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) studies, and this makes comparisons of drug efficacy difficult. Some of the endpoints used are not standardized and/or are insensitive to change. The purpose of this report is to present a critical appraisal of outcome measures and quality of life assessments in RA studies. Method: An overview of the literature was undertaken to determine the extent to which there is consensus among experts in this area of research. Results: The data suggest that the core set of endpoints in RA clinical studies should include tender joint count, swollen joint count, patients' assessment of pain, patients' and physicians' global assessments, patients' assessment of physical function and acute phase reactant level. When trials of disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) last for more than a year, radiography may be useful. A ‘pooled index’ may be valuable, and its construction is discussed. Quality of life (QoL) instruments facilitate a fuller examination of the effects of health care interventions and these should be used to complement the more traditional clinical endpoints in the core set. The instruments most commonly used in RA research are identified. Conclusions: We conclude that randomized clinical trials of treatments in RA should now ideally use the core set of clinical endpoints and validated QoL instruments for assessing safety and efficacy.

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We have previously demonstrated that turkey poults fed furazolidone (Fz) in high concentrations (700 ppm) develop dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which approximates the human condition [1-3]. We wanted to study the effects of a calcium channel blocker in an animal model with a documented decrease in beta-receptor density, increased levels of circulating catecholamines, and abnormal calcium metabolism. The effects of a third generation calcium channel blocker has not been studied in our model. We hypothesized that the model would be predictive of the human condition and provide additional insights into the potential use of Ca2+ channel blockers in the setting of DCM. In the present study, we examined the effect of pranidipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, in the setting of DCM on the gross and microscopic morphology of the heart and the overall contractile performance of the myocardium. A state of symptomatic to mild cardiomyopathy was induced in Broad-Breasted White turkey poults by administration of Fz for three weeks. Blood pressure, heart rate, fractional shortening, and body weight were monitored and compared in DCM animals treated with pranidipine and those given a placebo. After four weeks of treatment or no treatment with pranidipine, animals were euthanized and heart weight, cardiac dimensions, and microscopic morphology were compared. Progressive left ventricular (LV) dilatation and wall thinning was prevented with pranidipine treatment. In addition, microscopic examination demonstrated myocyte hypertrophy regression in DCM animals treated with pranidipine. In DCM animals, treatment with pranidipine resulted in significantly smaller left ventricular dimensions. We conclude that the calcium channel blocker pranidipine was not detrimental to global cardiac function in animals with dilated cardiomyopathy.

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