Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in baluch women in Chabahar

Epidemiological studies have shown the importance of the metabolic syndrome. With estimation of the metabolic syndrome, it may predict cardiovascular disease, sudden death and the presence of some other cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic syndrome among Baluch women. Our study consisted of 120 Baluch women. Baseline data of Baluch women, prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components and distribution of body mass index were determined. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride, High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-Chol.) and fasting blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the subjects with metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of HDL-cholesterol, high triglyceride, high fasting glucose levels, high waist circumference and high blood pressure were shown to be 33.3, 20.8, 12.5, 11.8 and 2.5, respectively. HDL-cholesterol (33.3) and high triglyceride levels (20.8) were the most frequent characteristics of metabolic components. The prevalence of subject with normal weight, overweight and obese BMIs were 77.5, 15 and 7.5, respectively. About 9.17, 4.17 and 4.17 of Baluch women had three, four and five criteria of metabolic syndrome components, respectively. This study reveals that there is a significant difference in the metabolic syndrome components in patients with and without metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of HDL-cholesterol and high triglyceride in Baluch women was highest. Definition of metabolic syndrome may help physicians to estimate, decrease and prevent coronary heart disease and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in subjects with metabolic syndrome. © 2015 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Association of diverse bacterial communities in human bile samples with biliary tract disorders: a survey using culture and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis methods

Bacterial infection is considered a predisposing factor for disorders of the biliary tract. This study aimed to determine the diversity of bacterial communities in bile samples and their involvement in the occurrence of biliary tract diseases. A total of 102 bile samples were collected during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Characterization of bacteria was done using culture and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was determined based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and identity of the nucleotide sequences of differentiated bands from the DGGE gels was determined based on GenBank data. In total, 41.2 (42/102) of the patients showed bacterial infection in their bile samples. This infection was detected in 21 (4/19), 45.4 (5/11), 53.5 (15/28), and 54.5 (24/44) of patients with common bile duct stone, microlithiasis, malignancy, and gallbladder stone, respectively. Escherichia coli showed a significant association with gallstones. Polymicrobial infection was detected in 48 of the patients. While results of the culture method established coexistence of biofilm-forming bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus spp., and Acinetobacter spp.) in different combinations, the presence of Capnocytophaga spp., Lactococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Enterobacter or Citrobacter spp., Morganella spp., Salmonella spp., and Helicobacter pylori was also characterized in these samples by the PCR-DGGE method. Multidrug resistance phenotypes (87.5 ) and resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and quinolones were common in these strains, which could evolve through their selection by bile components. Ability for biofilm formation seems to be a need for polymicrobial infection in this organ. © 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelber

Introducing a simple and economical method to purify Giardia lamblia cysts

Direct microscopic examination of stool to diagnosis giardiasis (wet mount) has low diagnostic value, but immunologic methods (like IFA and especially ELISA) that are based on the determination of parasite antigens in fecal samples (antigen detection) have relatively high sensitivity and specialty. To prepare anti-Giardia lamblia antibodies needed to design diagnostic kits as well as parasite culture and other molecular studies, we require purification of the parasite cysts. In this study, we designed a rapid, simple and inexpensive method to purify parasite cysts from fecal samples of the patients suffering from giardiasis. Initially, fecal samples that the presence of G. lamblia in them was affirmed by direct microscopic observation of cysts were subjected to various purification methods like one- and twophase sucrose gradient isolation, percoll-sucrose gradient isolation, and a modified two-phase method run by 0.85 and 1.5 M sucrose. The first procedure contained some contents of bacteria and small particles of feces. In the second and third procedure, bacteria were almost removed and the cysts were intact but the suspension contained some extras and cellulose particles. The recovery rate for modified two-phase method was 1.5 × 104 cysts for each two grams of fecal sample. In this study, by using and comparing with the results of some other studies, we introduce and run a modified method that in fact is a mélange of them with some changes. So this method could be recommended as a fast, advantageous and simple method in purification of G. lamblia cysts.Key words: Giardia lamblia, cyst, purification

Fatty acid composition of oilseed rapeseed genotypes as affected by vermicompost application and different thermal regimes

ArticleVegetable oils with a high relative amount of unsaturated fatty acids are of great significance for human health. Hence, in a 2-year factorial split plot experiment, the effects of different sowing date (optimum (October 17) and late (October 27)), vermicompost (0 and 20 ton ha-1 ) and genotypes (BAL104, DIE710.08, BAL102, FJL330, FJL290 and Okapi) on the fatty acid composition of rapeseed were evaluated. Rapeseed genotypes and the combination of sowing date and vermicompost application were randomized to sub and main-plots, respectively. The present results revealed that yield, oil percentage and fatty acids composition is affected by sowing dates along with genotypes. However, the unsaturated fatty acid, eicosanoic acid was not affected by interaction sowing date and genotype. Vermicomposting increased the yield, oil percentage, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids and decrease erucic unsaturated fatty acid. The FJL290 and BAL102 genotypes produced the highest values of grain yield (5,853 and 5,763 kg ha−1, respectively), oil percentage (43.98% and 43.85%, respectively), linoleic % acid (20.51 and 20.37% respectively), oleic % acid (65.23 and 64.93% respectively) and linolenic % acid (7.20 and 7.09% respectively) in comparison to the other genotypes, when they were sown at the optimum sowing date. The FJL290 and BAL102 also accelerated their growth period at the late sowing date. Consequently, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids had the highest direct and indirect effect influence on grain oil percentage indicating their importance as selection criteria to improve yield and oil quality of rapeseed. Concluding the combination of sowing date, vermicompost and FJL290 and BAL102 lines may be the most favourable cropping strategy for rapeseed production in Iran

Content Analysis of Articles Published in Iranian Scientific Nursing Journals From 2009 Through 2011

Background: Little is known about the features of Iranian nursing journals, specifically the subject areas used in articles, study designs, sampling methods, international collaboration of Iranian nursing scholars, specialty and academic rank of authors, and the most frequently contributing academic institutions in articles. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the content of the articles published in Iranian scientific nursing journals. Materials and Methods: Quantitative content analysis was implemented to study Iranian nursing journals, which were approved by the commission for accreditation and improvement of Iranian medical journals in 2011. Thus, 763 articles from six journals, published from 2009 through 2011, were investigated. Data were extracted from the abstracts and when necessary, from the full-text of articles by visiting the websites of these journals. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The main subjects of published articles in Iranian scientific nursing journals were consecutively renal dialysis (n = 21), intensive care unit (n = 16), nursing education (n = 15), patient satisfaction (n = 13), quality of life (n = 12), health education (n = 11), patient education (n = 11), pain (n = 10), and education (n = 9). The majority of authors had nursing and midwifery specialty (52.59%) followed by epidemiology/biostatistics specialty (7.72%). Isfahan, Tehran, Shahid Beheshti, Iran, Baqiyatallah, and Urmia universities of medical sciences had consecutively the largest number of publications in the studied journals. Only three papers (0.39%) were published by the international collaboration. Conclusions: Iranian nursing journals should publish special issues in the neglected subject areas. These journals should encourage authors to publish research evidence with higher quality

Designing of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for diagnosis copro-antigens of Giardia lamblia

The sensitivity of microscopic examination of fecal samples to recognize Giardia parasites is low. In the methods based on antigen scanning of parasites such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), copro-antigens of parasite will be traced and diagnosed even if the live parasite is absent in the fecal samples. To design this method, a pure antibody against parasite as well as an antibody conjugated to a proper enzyme is needed. In this study, an anti-Giardia IgG extracted from serum of contaminated rabbit was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and conjugated to the enzyme horse radish peroxidase (HRP). This antibody was used to design direct and indirect ELISA kits to measure conjugation titer. In both direct and indirect ELISA methods, optical densities (ODs) were 1 by using dilution of 1/4000 of conjugation. According to the results of both tests and the success in produced conjugate, it could be proceeded to prepare ELISA kits to diagnose giardiasis infections in various samples.Key words: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), antibody, copro-antigen, Giardia lamblia

Antifungal activity of Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) Less essential oil against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, the causal agent of “Bayoud” disease on date palm

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important food source and commercial perennial crop in the Sahara and North Africa. “Bayoud”, a vascular wilt disease, incited by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (FOA), has become a serious threat to date production in date palm-growing regions in Morocco. Substantial body of research reported antifungal properties of a wide range of plant extracts. The present work aims to determine chemical composition and anti-FOA activity of Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) Less (AG) essential oil. GC/GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of forty-two distinct chemical components in the essential oil samples. The main compounds of the studied essential oils were 6-Oxocyclonerolidol (7.7–73.8%), cis-8-acetoxychrysanthenylacetate (0.6–50.1%) cis-chrysantenyl acetate (0.3–15.4%), 6-hydroxycyclonerolidol (2–13.3%), τ-cadinol (0.4–12.2%) and α-oxobisabolene (0.2–5.5%). Mycelial growth and spore germination of FOA were found to be strongly inhibited by the oil when tested using agar dilution assay. The lowest essential oil (EO) concentration that inhibits 100% of mycelial growth was 3500 ppm for leaves and 4000 ppm for aerial parts EO. These findings contribute significant insight into the potential of using plant extracts for controlling “Bayoud” disease

A parametric study of wave energy converter layouts in real wave models

Ocean wave energy is a broadly accessible renewable energy source; however, it is not fully developed. Further studies on wave energy converter (WEC) technologies are required in order to achieve more commercial developments. In this study, four CETO6 spherical WEC arrangements have been investigated, in which a fully submerged spherical converter is modelled. The numerical model is applied using linear potential theory, frequency-domain analysis, and irregular wave scenario. We investigate a parametric study of the distance influence between WECs and the effect of rotation regarding significant wave direction in each arrangement compared to the pre-defined layout. Moreover, we perform a numerical landscape analysis using a grid search technique to validate the best-found power output of the layout in real wave models of four locations on the southern Australian coast. The results specify the prominent role of the distance between WECs, along with the relative angle of the layout to dominant wave direction, in harnessing more power from the waves. Furthermore, it is observed that a rise in the number of WECs contributed to an increase in the optimum distance between converters. Consequently, the maximum exploited power from each buoy array has been found, indicating the optimum values of the distance between buoys in different real wave scenarios and the relative angle of the designed layout with respect to the dominant in-site wave direction

Evaluation framework of construction alternative dispute resolution methods through an integrated model of real options, probabilistic analysis and system dynamics

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2003.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-78).by Naz E. Majidi.S.M

Deportation Stigma and Re-migration

Many, if not most, of those who are forcibly expelled from the country to which they have migrated will not settle in the country to which they have been returned but will leave again. A recent article examined some of the reasons why this should be so. It was argued that in addition to the factors that had caused the original migration, such as fear of persecution, continuing conflict, insecurity, poverty and lack of opportunity, deportation creates at least three additional reasons that make re-migration the most likely outcome. These were debt, family commitments and the shame of failure and or ‘contamination’ leading to stigmatisation. In this article, we explore the stigma of failure and of contamination attached to those deported, and the ways in which they respond to and manage this stigmatisation, including by re-migrating. We use Goffman's concept of stigma and the refinement offered by to further nuance understanding of the impact of deportation