A study on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of pregnant women regarding HIV and routine rapid testing : an assessment in a high-risk marginal area

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the main obstacles to communities' development. The disease mostly involves active and productive population groups. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of pregnant women regarding HIV prevention and rapid HIV tests. Pregnant women who were referred to the local health centers and who were willing to participate in the study were interviewed. To collect data, a standard questionnaire was used among 200 pregnant women in eight local health centers of Kermanshah, Iran. The survey contained 50 questions on demographic characteristics and the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIV/AIDS prevention and rapid tests for pregnant women. Although the majority (82.5%) of the pregnant women knew that mother-to-child HIV transmission during pregnancy was possible, fewer than half (48.2%) of them knew that HIV can be transmitted from mother to child through breastfeeding. Only 22.5% of pregnant women knew that a Cesarean section for HIV-positive mothers is recommended. The mean attitudes of pregnant women toward HIV prevention and HIV rapid testing were 4.5 (SD = 0.4) and 4 (SD = 0.3), respectively. Of the women, 11.5% had participated in an HIV rapid test counseling class, and 25.5% had participated in HIV education and counseling classes. The low knowledge of mothers regarding HIV transmission highlights the need for education and counseling classes and campaigns to improve knowledge and behaviors related to HIV prevention, especially during pregnancy for women in marginal regions

The Inhibitory Role of Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate on Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Via Down-regulation of RUNX2 and Membrane Function Impairment

Background: Blood contamination of di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) has been reported due to its release following medical procedures such as blood transfusion and vital liquid injection. We investigated the effect of DEHP on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and their viability. Methods: The rat bone marrow mesenchymal cells (MSCs) were cultured three times, and the third passage kept in the differentiation medium with the presence of DEHP. The viability of differentiated cells, sodium and potassium level, calcium concentration, total protein concentration, and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase were determined. Also, the concentration of malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase were estimated. Finally, the level of matrix deposition and expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) genes were evaluated.Results: We observed a concentration-dependent and significant reduction of matrix mineralization based on alizarin red and calcium analysis. Besides, the expression of ALP and RUNX2 gene was down-regulated, and alkaline-phosphatase activity reduced significantly. Also, we observed cell viability reduction but the elevation of lactate dehydrogenase activity and malondialdehyde level. Sodium level was elevated too, whereas the activity of transaminases, oxidative stress enzymes, potassium level, and total antioxidants decreased. Conclusion: DEHP contamination reduced matrix mineralization due to the down-regulation of the genes involved in osteogenic differentiation and viability reduction via electrolyte and metabolic imbalance as well as induction of oxidative stress

Molecular characterization of the strains cause sheep-Hydatid cyst, in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary province using restriction fragment length polymorphism

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: کیست هیداتیک مرحله لاروی کرم اکینوکوکوس گرانولوزوس از رده سستودهاست که در بدن انسان و تعدادی از پستانداران ایجاد بیماری اکینوکوکوزیس می نماید. استرین های متفاوتی تاکنون از این انگل در دنیا گزارش شده که این تنوع استرینها ممکن است بر اپیدمیولوژی و بیماریزائی کیست هیداتیک اثر بگذارد. هدف از این مطالعه بررسی استرین های ایزوله‌های گوسفندی در استان چهارمحال و بختیاری با استفاده از روش PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Lengh Polymorphism) بود. روش بررسی: بدین منظور تعداد 30 نمونه کیست هیداتیک با منشاء گوسفندی در سال 1383 از کشتارگاههای سراسر استان جمع آوری گردید. پس از استخراج DNA ژنومی پروتواسکولکسهای کیست هیداتیک با استفاده از روش فنل کلروفرم، ناحیه rDNA-ITS1 (ribosomal DNA-Internal Transcriibed Spacer1) هر کدام از ایزوله ها با استفاده از پرایمرهای (Forward) BDI،s 4 (Reverse) تکثیر گردید. سپس محصولات بدست آمده توسط چهار آنزیم Taq1, HpaII, Rsa1, Alu1 هضم گردید و محصولات PCR و هضم آنزیمی با استفاده از ژل پلی اکریل آمید الکتروفورز و توسط روش نیترات نقره رنگ آمیزی شد. یافته ها: طبق نتایج بدست آمده اندازه قطعه rDNA-ITS1 تکثیر یافته، bp1000 بود. پس از هضم آنزیمی با آنزیمALu1 ، قطعاتی با اندازه bp800 و bp200 با آنزیم RSal قطعاتی با اندازه bp655 و bp 345 و آنزیم HpaII قطعات با اندازه bp700 و bp 300 بدست آمد. با استفاده از آنزیم Taq1 تغییری در اندازه حاصل نشد و قطعه با اندازه bp 1000 در الکتروفورز مشاهده شد. نتیجه گیری: نتایج بدست آمده نشان دادند که سویه گوسفندی کیست هیداتیک غالب در استان چهارمحال و بختیاری ژنوتیپ G1 است که مطابق با سویه شایع ایران و جهان می باشد

Molecular Study of Gardnerella vaginalis Isolated from Vaginal Discharge of Women Referring to Gynecology Clinics in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran, in 2017

Background: vaginal infections are common among women referring to gynecological clinics worldwide, but treatment modali-ties cannot provide complete remission of the disease. Laboratory diagnosis of vaginal infections using more sensitive and specific methods is essential for the best treatment options. Objectives: In this study, diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was investigated. Methods: vaginal samples were collected from 635 symptomatic women referring to gynecology clinics in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran, in 2017. All samples were then diagnosed using microscopy, culture, and PCR methods. Results: Of 635 symptomatic women, 200 cases (31.4%) were diagnosed with BV according to the culture method using the PCR method. However, 3.9% of samples who were negative based on the culture method, were diagnosed to have BV based on PCR results. Conclusions: PCR is more sensitive than culture and microscopy methods for the diagnosis of BV

STUDY OF IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING THE AFFECTING FACTORS ON BANK BRAND CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Today, customer loyalty is the key to business success. By increased customers’ loyalty, market share and profitability level of enterprises will rise. Market perception along with planning and adopting appropriate strategies for making customers loyal and enhancing their rate of loyalty leads to long-term benefits for the enterprises. Given the importance of the issue, the goal of this study was to identify and prioritize the factors affecting loyalty to a banking brand from perspective of Keshavarzi (Agricultural) Bank customers in Shahin Dej, Iran. This was an applied research based on a survey approach. The statistical population incorporated all Keshavarzi Bank customers of Shahin Dej in 2017, and given the limitation of the research population, only 382 people were selected as the sample. The results suggested that customer satisfaction, transfer cost, and organizational image affected the loyalty of Keshavarzi Bank customers. Furthermore, customer satisfaction impacted the organizational image, service quality impacted customer satisfaction, and service quality exerted an effect on the perceived value.  Article visualizations

An observer based fault detection and isolation in quadruple-tank process

In this study, a new strategy for fault detection and isolation is presented. This strategy is based on the design of a Lüneburg observer which is implemented via pole placement using linear matrix inequalities. Two residuals are formulated based on the state estimation error in order to be utilized in detecting and isolating faults happened on the system. Fault detection problem solves by changes occur in the residual value and fault isolation is done through determining threshold on residuals according to system behavior in faulty condition. The procedure performs in four simulations steps in which there are certain numbers of faults happen in the system in each step. This method is validated in simulation on a quadruple tank process while each faulty condition is considered as a leak at the bottom of a tank in the process. This can lead to an undesirable flow of liquid out of the tank which results to a decrease in tank's level. The simulation results represented in the paper shows the applicability of this strategy

Energy Reduction with Anticontrol of Chaos for Nonholonomic Mobile Robot System

This paper presents energy reduction with anticontrol of chaos for nonholonomic mobile robot system. Anticontrol of chaos is also called chaotification, meaning to chaotify an originally non-chaotic system, and in this paper error of mobile robot system has been synchronized with chaotic gyroscope for reducing energy and increasing performance. The benefits of chaos synchronization with mechanical systems have led us to an innovation in this paper. The main purpose is that the control system in the presence of chaos work with lower control cost and control effort has been reduced. For comparison of proposed method, the feedback linearization controller has also been designed for mobile robot with noise. Finally, the efficacies of the proposed method have been illustrated by simulations, energy of control signals has been calculated, and effect of Alpha (: a constant coefficient is used beside of chaotic system) variations on the energy of control signals has been checked

Influences of combining nano zinc, honey and Aloe vera to accelerate healing the wounds caused by third–degree burn in male balb/c mice

Introduction: Burns are one of the most common household and industrial injuries. There are evidences which demonstrate the therapeutic properties of honey and Aloe vera. We evaluated the topical influences of this material and nano zinc combination on healing the wounds caused by third-degree burns. Materials and methods: 32 balb/c mice divided into a control group (without treatment), group 1 (treated with Aloe vera and nano zinc), group 2 (treated with Aloe vera, honey and nanoz inc) and group 3 (treated with honey and nano zinc). The third-degree burn was created on the back of balb/c mice with general anesthesia observing sterile conditions. Local treatment of burn was conducted once a week during 6 weeks and after the end of treatment, were anesthetized by ether and then killed. After fixation, the practical steps of general histology technique were performed on it. The samples stained with hematoxylin–eosin and they observed with a microscope. Results: We found full tightening of the burn wound and less scar in the group treated with nano zinc and honey compared to control group and other groups. In histological studies, a significant increase was found in the overall thickness of the skin, keratinocyte layer, the epidermis and hypodermis, number and diameter of the hair follicles in a third group versus other groups. Conclusion: The results showed the organic honey and nano zinc combination accelerate the healing process of burn wound in male balb/c mice. While adding Aloe vera to this composition doesn't have an effect on wound healing