Molecular Study of PER and VEB Genes is Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas aeroginosa Isolated From Clinical Specimens in Isfahan/Iran and their Antibiotic Resistance Patterns

Abstract: Background & Aims: Duo to clinical use of antibiotics, pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with multiple drugs resistance have significantly increased throughout the world. Betalactamase production is one of the Mechanisms involved in resistance to pseudomonas aeruginosa resulting in many problems in the treatment of infections caused by this bacterium. The aim of this study was molecular analysis of PER and VEB genes in Pseudomonas with multiple resistance isolated from clinical samples in Isfahan/Iran. Methods: In whole, 98 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from various clinical specimens were identified by biochemical tests and the antibiotic susceptibility of the identified strains were determined using Kirby-Bauer method. PCR was performed on the samples to evaluate the presence or absence of PER and VEB genes. Results: Among 98 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 73 samples (73%) were multiple drugs resistant and all of them were cefotaxime, cefepime and ceftazidime resistant. Prevalence of PER and VEB genes were respectively 5 (6.84%) and 8 (10.9%). Conclusion: Considering high prevalence of multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeroginosa, it is essential to reduce these pathogens in hospitals through controlling PER and VEB genes transfer. Keywords: Beta-lactamase, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PER, VE

Analyzing consolidation data to obtain elastic viscoplastic parameters of clay

© 2015 Techno-Press, Ltd. A nonlinear creep function incorporated into the elastic visco-plastic model may describe the long-term soil deformation more accurately. However, by applying the conventional procedure, there are challenges to determine the model parameters due to limitation of suitable data points. This paper presents a numerical solution to obtain several parameters simultaneously for a nonlinear elastic visco-plastic (EVP) model using the available consolidation data. The finite difference scheme using the Crank-Nicolson procedure is applied to solve a set of coupled partial differential equations of the time dependent strain and pore water pressure dissipation. The model parameters are determined by applying the algorithm of trust-region reflective optimisation in conjunction with the finite difference solution. The proposed method utilises all available consolidation data during dissipation of the excess pore water pressure to determine the required model parameters. Moreover, the reference time in the elastic visco-plastic model can readily be adopted as a unit of time; denoting creep is included in the numerical predictions explicitly from the very first time steps. In this paper, the settlement predictions of thick soft clay layers are presented and discussed to evaluate and compare the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method against the graphical procedure to obtain the model parameters. In addition, comparison of the available experimental results to the numerical predictions confirms the accuracy of the numerical procedure

Estimating scour below inverted siphon structures using stochastic and soft computing approaches

This paper uses nonlinear regression, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Genetic Programming (GP) approaches for predicting an important tangible issue i.e. scours dimensions downstream of inverted siphon structures. Dimensional analysis and nonlinear regression-based equations was proposed for estimation of maximum scour depth, location of the scour hole, location and height of the dune downstream of the structures. In addition, The GP-based formulation results are compared with experimental results and other accurate equations. The results analysis showed that the equations derived from Forward Stepwise nonlinear regression method have correlation coefficient of R2=0.962 , 0.971 and 0.991 respectively. This correlates the relative parameter of maximum scour depth (s/z) in comparison with the genetic programming (GP) model and artificial neural network (ANN) model. Furthermore, the slope of the fitted line extracted from computations and observations for dimensionless parameters generally presents a new achievement for sediment engineering and scientific community, indicating the superiority of artificial neural network (ANN) mode

Installation Effect of Controlled Modulus Columns on Nearby Existing Structures

© 2016 ASCE. Controlled modulus columns (CMC) ground improvement technique is a novel approach to reduce ground settlement. To install CMC, a rotary displacement auger is used to form a vertical cylindrical cavity, by displacing the surrounding soils laterally, followed by grout injection. While the method reduces spoil generation, excessive lateral soil displacement may damage the adjacent structures and freshly-grouted CMCs. Although there has been growing interest in quantifying such effects, only a handful of studies have been attempted. This paper presents results of a numerical investigation on the CMC installation effect on an existing bridge pile using the three-dimensional finite difference software package FLAC3D. The bridge pile response to the lateral soil movement induced by the CMC installation are presented and discussed

The effect of combined conventional and modified ultrafiltration on mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic changes in congenital heart surgery

Background: Cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with increased fluid accumulation around the heart which influences pulmonary and cardiac diastolic function. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of modified ultrafiltration (MUF) versus conventional ultrafiltration (CUF) on duration of mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic status in children undergoing congenital heart surgery. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 46 pediatric patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass throughout their congenital heart surgery. Arteriovenous MUF plus CUF was performed in 23 patients (intervention group) and sole CUF was performed for other 23 patients (control group). In MUF group, arterial cannula was linked to the filter inlet through the arterial line, and for 10 min, 10 ml/kg/min of blood was filtered and returned via cardioplegia line to the right atrium. Different parameters including hemodynamic variables, length of mechanical ventilation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, and inotrope requirement were compared between the two groups. Results: At immediate post�MUF phase, there was a statistically significant increase in the mean arterial pressure, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05) only in the study group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in time of mechanical ventilation (P = 0.004) and ICU stay (P = 0.007) between the two groups. Inotropes including milrinone (P = 0.04), epinephrine (P = 0.001), and dobutamine (P = 0.002) were used significantly less frequently for patients in the intervention than the control group. Conclusion: Administration of MUF following surgery improves hemodynamic status of patients and also significantly decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation and inotrope requirement within 48 h after surgery. � 2016 Journal of Research in Medical Sciences

Waist Circumference and Risk of Liver Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of over 2 Million Cohort Study Participants

Liver cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, and waist circumference (WC) is associated with its risk beyond body mass index (BMI). This dose-response meta-analysis was performed to investigate the association between WC and the risk of incident liver cancer using prospective cohort studies. A comprehensive systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science databases, Scopus, and Coch-rane from inception to May 2019. Studies with retrospective or prospective cohort design that reported hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio, or odds ratio, and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for liver cancer based on WC categories were included in this meta-analysis. Combined HRs with 95% CIs was estimated by DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models. Associations between WC and liver cancer were reported in 5 articles with 2,547,188 participants. All studies were published between 2013 and 2019. Pooled results showed a strong significant association with minimum heterogeneity between WC and risk of liver cancer (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.38-1.83, heterogeneity = 0.42: 2 = 0%). Moreover, a dose-response model indicated a significant positive association between WC and risk of liver cancer (exp(b) = 1.018, < 0.001). This systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis highlights WC as a significant risk factor related to the incidence of liver cancer

Effect of salinity and drought stress on germination indices of two thymus species

The environmental stress such as, salinity (soil or water) and drought are serious obstacles for medical plants and field crops in further areas of the world, especially arid and semiarid regions. In order to investigate salinity and drought stress on T. daenensis and T. kotschyanus germination indices, an experiment was carried out. To create salinity stress, sodium chloride (NaCl) at the levels of 0 (as control), -3, -6 and -9 bar, and for drought stress, polyetylenglycol 6000 (PEG 6000) in osmotic levels at 0 (as control), -3, -6 and -9 bar were used. Effect of drought and salt levels on investigated traits significant at 0.01. Result showed significance different between evaluated indices. Increasing of stress levels lead to reduction of germination and root and shoot length. Salt stress only in high levels reduced germination rate. Therefore, T. daenensis and T. kotschyanus have relative resistance to salinity in germination stage. Decrease in osmotic potential progressively inhibited seed germination of the two thyme species. In all salt treatments, maximum germination percentage in T. kotschyanus related to West Azerbaijan population and maximum germination rate related to Gazvin population. But in T. daenensis the highest values (both rate and percentage germination) were observed in Arak population. The germination rate of T. daenensis to the drought stress was more than the T. kotschyanus germination rate like the germination percentage. Comparing the two stresses, it appears that drought has more effect than salt in germination indices

Investigating The Frequency of Serrated Polyps/Adenomas and Their Subtypes in Colonic Polyp Samples

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of Serrated polyps of colonic polyps samples in Hazrate Rasoule Akram Hospital over ten years. MATERIALS: The target group in this study was patients with colonic polyps in Hazrate Rasoule Akram Hospital. Pathologic evaluation of these patients was done. Serrated polyps, by location, gender, age and type of polyps were divided and frequency of them were determined separately. RESULTS: Of 381 patients studied, 224 (58.79) and 157(41.20) were males and females, respectively. Mean age of patients was 59.25 years. In initial diagnosis, frequency of Adenomatous polyp, Hyperplastic polyp and Mixed polyp were 92.44 and 5.33, and 2.22, respectively. In final diagnosis (Second evaluation), frequency of Adenomatous polyp, Hyperplastic polyp, Mixed polyp, Sessile Serrated Adenoma/ Polyp, Traditional Serrated Adenoma and SPU (Serrated Polyp Unclassifiable) were 90.44, 4.88, 2.44, 1.11, 0.66 and 0.44, respectively. 72.13 and 27.86 of polyps were low grade dysplasia and high grade dysplasia, respectively. According to the results of this study, the incidence of all types of polyps detected was more in men than women. Rectum and sigmoid were most abundant in the area polyp in both initial and final diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Despite the low prevalence of Serrated polyps in patients, early diagnosis is the best action to reduce morbidity and mortality. Probability of the risk of progression from low grade to high grade dysplasia and transforming into Adenocarcinoma is high in Serrated polyps

Gastrointestinal manifestations and dynamics of liver enzymes in children and adolescents with COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: To improve the knowledge on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) infection, we aimed to study the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and the dynamics of liver enzymes in children infected with COVID-19. Methods: We performed a systematic search of all the articles published up to May 2020 in the following databases: PubMed-MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane. We chose the fixed-or random-effect model for analysis based on the I2 statistic. The included data were analyzed to identify the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting or nausea) and to identify the dynamics of liver enzymes in children and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19. Results: We detected an overall prevalence of all gastrointestinal symptoms of 26 (95 CI: 0.18-0.35). The pooled prevalence of diarrhea and nausea/vomiting was 12 (95 CI: 0.08-0.16) with no heterogeneity (P = 0.19; I2 = 23.53) and 11 (95 CI: 0.05-0.17), respectively. The pooled prevalence of elevated ALT and AST and LDH was 12 (95 CI: 0.07-0.17), 14 (95 CI: 0.10-0.18) and 33 (95 CI: 0.12-0.54), respectively among the included studies. Conclusions: According to our systematic review and meta-analysis, 26 of the children and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19 present gastrointestinal symptoms. This paper has provided a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of digestive symptoms of COVID-19 and of the liver enzymes dynamics in children and adolescents. © 2020, Author(s)