Detection of bacterial agents causing prostate infection by culture and molecular methods from biopsy specimens

Background and Objectives: Prostatitis affects about 16% of men in their lifetime and sometimes leading to prostate cancer. Bacterial infections are the most common causes of prostatitis. Diagnosis of the causative agents of bacterial prostate infections plays an essential role in timely treating and preventing secondary complications. This study isolated bacterial infectious agents in patients’ surgical prostate and evaluated them by routine and molecular microbiological methods. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 72 prostate biopsy specimens were collected from the Orology Departmen of hospitals of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. All samples were cultured in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Antibiotic susceptibility test by Kirby-Bauer standard method was performed for all isolated bacteria. In addition, all isolated bacteria were identified using 16S rDNA PCR and sanger sequencing methods. Also, TaqMan real-time PCR was applied to detect Ureaplasm aurealyticum, Mycoplasma hominins, and Mycoplasma genitalium. Results: In conventional culture method, out of 18 positive samples, 15 samples (83.3%) were Gram-negative bacteria and 3 samples (16.6%) were Gram-positive bacteria, containing Escherichia coli (55.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.1%), Enterobacter cloacae (5.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (11.1%), and Enterococcus faecalis (5.5%). The results of molecular identification methods were the same as conventional culture results. Also, four patients were Ureaplasm aurealyticum, and three patients were positive for Mycoplasma hominis. Conclusion: Most bacteria isolated from prostate specimens belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae family, especially Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae. Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis were cocci isolated in the specimens too. Also, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis were identified in prostatitis. Keywords: Prostatitis; Pathogens; Enterobacteriaceae; 16s rDNA; Real-time polymerase chain reactio

Effects of a comprehensive educational program on health behaviors and awareness of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in men with substance use disorders

Abstract Background Poor adherence to health behaviors is one of the considerable challenges among drug users. This issue is especially noticeable among people who use injection methods for consumption, which increases the possibility of contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C. Therefore, it seems that adopting appropriate intervention approaches focusing on all dimensions of health-related behaviors to promote health behaviors is considered. As a result, in the present study, the effectiveness of a comprehensive educational program on promoting health behaviors and awareness of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in drug users was investigated. Methods This pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study was performed. The participants were 81 men with substance use disorders residing in a rehabilitation center. The participants took part in four training workshops. The workshops focused on mental health, awareness of HIV, and hepatitis B and C with learner-centered approaches. Results According to the results, the mean score of the health behavior scale in the participants after receiving the intervention of the comprehensive program increased significantly (P < .001). Additionally, the analysis showed that 1 month after the end of the intervention, there was a significant increase in the AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C scale scores compared to before the intervention (P < .001). Conclusion Considering the adverse consequences of drug use, especially in users without social support, the need for education as a cost-effective approach to prevent diseases transmitted through high-risk behaviors such as HIV, and hepatitis B and C is considered a basic necessity

The thermophysical properties and the stability of nanofluids containing carboxyl-functionalized graphene nano-platelets and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Two structures of carbon-based materials with sp2-hybridized are carbon nanotubes and graphene arrayed in the concentric tube and two-dimensional sheet, respectively. The most important problems of graphene and carbon nanotube for use in various applications are insufficient dispersibility and their inadequate stability in different organic and aqueous solvents. The low interaction with other materials is second category problems of carbon nanostructures. Functionalization, a common method suggested by numerous researchers, can be employed to enhance this property. In this regard, the nanofluids containing graphene nanoplatelets and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube were synthesized and dispersed in deionized water to prepare homogeneous samples of 0.1 and 0.2 wt%. The stability dependency of samples was investigated, for the first time, on ultrasonic time and microwave irradiation. Thermophysical properties including shear stress, viscosity, surface tension, density and stability were also measured and reported. © 2019 Elsevier Lt

Pharmacotherapeutic potential of walnut (Juglans spp.) in age-related neurological disorders

Global and regional trends of population aging spotlight major public health concerns. As one of the most common adverse prognostic factors, advanced age is associated with a remarkable incidence risk of many non-communicable diseases, affecting major organ systems of the human body. Age-dependent factors and molecular processes can change the nervous system’s normal function and lead to neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative stress results from of a shift toward reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the equilibrium between ROS generation and the antioxidant defense system. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation caused by Amyloid-ß protein deposition in the human brain are the most likely pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Walnut extracts could reduce Amyloid-ß fibrillation and aggregation, indicating their beneficial effects on memory and cognition. Walnut can also improve movement disabilities in Parkinson’s disease due to their antioxidant and neuroprotective effect by reducing ROS and nitric oxide (NO) generation and suppressing oxidative stress. It is noteworthy that Walnut compounds have potential antiproliferative effects on Glioblastoma (the most aggressive primary cerebral neoplasm). This effective therapeutic agent can stimulate apoptosis of glioma cells in response to oxidative stress, concurrent with preventing angiogenesis and migration of tumor cells, improving the quality of life and life expectancy of patients with glioblastoma. Antioxidant Phenolic compounds of the Walnut kernel could explain the significant anti-convulsion ability of Walnut to provide good prevention and treatment for epileptic seizures. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effect of Walnut oil could be beneficial in treating multiple sclerosis. In this study, we review the pharmaceutical properties of Walnut in age-related neurological disorders