Attitude of biological science researchers of Arak city about participatory researches with people in 2005

زمینه و هدف: پژوهش مشارکتی به مفهوم انجام تحقیقات در جهت یافتن پاسخ مناسب به معضلات اصلی جامعه با مشارکت افراد ذینفع، آموزش و ارائه مداخله های مؤثر اجتماعی می باشد. از آنجایی که در این نوع پژوهشها محققین و مردم در کنار هم به تحقیق می پردازند و با توجه به نقش محققین و دانشگاهیان در انجام پژوهش های مشارکتی بر آن شدیم تا نگرش محققین علوم زیستی شهر اراک را در مورد این پژوهش ها مورد بررسی قرار دهیم. روش بررسی: این تحقیق توصیفی- تحلیلی است که بر روی 116 نفر از محققین دانشگاههای علوم پزشکی، علوم، آزاد اسلامی و مرکز تحقیقات جهاد کشاورزی که به صورت تصادفی انتخاب گردیده بودند انجام گرفت. ابزار گردآوری اطلاعات پرسشنامه خود ساخته می باشد که پس از طراحی نمودار درختی، امتیاز گذاری، تهیه بانک سؤال، مطالعه مقدماتی انجام یافت و بر اساس ضریب همبستگی هر سؤال با امتیاز کل (جهت اعتبار) و آلفا کرونباخ (جهت پایایی) سؤالات نهایی بر اساس مقیاس لیکرت انتخاب گردید. محققین در کلیه مراحل تحقیق متعهد به اصول اخلاق پژوهش بودند. یافته ها: در این تحقیق میانگین نگرش افراد مورد پژوهش نسبت به تحقیقات مشارکتی با مردم 96/67 (از حداکثر امتیاز 95)، بدست آمد و سپس به تفکیک میانگین نگرش افراد مورد پژوهش نسبت به مقوله توانمند بودن مردم 12/11 (از حداکثر امتیاز 15)، به مقوله رفع مشکلات جامعه 70/11 (از حداکثر امتیاز 15)، در مقوله اعتماد به تحقیقات مشارکتی با مردم 99/10 (از حداکثر امتیاز 15)، در مقوله زمان 49/7 (از حداکثر امتیاز 10)، در مقوله قابل انتشار بودن 47/7 (از حداکثر امتیاز 10)، در مقوله اعتبار 37/7 (از حداکثر امتیاز 10)، در مقوله مشارکت 24/6 (از حداکثر امتیاز 10) و در مقوله در آمد 55/5 (از حداکثر امتیاز 10) بدست آمد. نتیجه گیری: در این تحقیق مثبت ترین نگرش ها به ترتیب در مورد مؤثر بودن تحقیقات مشارکتی با مردم در رفع مشکلات جامعه، توانمندی مردم، و منفی ترین نگرش ها در مورد مشارکت و درآمد زا بودن تحقیقات مشارکتی با مردم می باشد. لذا جهت گسترش پژوهش های مشارکتی با مردم می بایست در جهت توجیه دانشگاهیان و ایجاد راهکار از طرف مسئولین جهت رفع این نگرش های منفی، همچون پیمانی کردن طرحهای تحقیقاتی مشارکتی با مردم اقدام نماییم

Effect of supplemented zinc on treatment period of acute diarrhea in 6 to 36 months old children

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: اسهال یک بیماری مهلک و کشنده در شیرخواران و کودکان است. علی رغم پیشرفت‌های بهداشتی و درمانی که در مورد تشخیص سریع و درمان این بیماری انجام شده است، هنوز به عنوان یک معضل بزرگ بهداشتی در بین شیرخواران و کودکان می‌باشد. بر طبق مطالعات مختلف، کمبود روی یکی از عوامل مهم اسهال در کودکان بوده و در کشور ما نیز شایع می باشد. لذا هدف از این مطالعه بررسی اثر روی در کودکان سنین بین 6 تا 36 ماه مبتلا به اسهال می باشد. روش بررسی: این مطالعه یک کارآزمایی بالینی است که به صورت دو سویه کور بر روی 200 کودک مبتلا به اسهال آبکی حاد غیر تهاجمی بستری در بیمارستان امیرکبیر اراک انجام شد. کودکان مذکور به صورت تصادفی ساده به دو گروه کنترل و مداخله تقسیم شدند. به افراد گروه مداخله مقدار mg/kg/day 3 روی و به گروه کنترل همین مقدار دارو داده شد. در نهایت تجزیه و تحلیل داده‌ها با استفاده از آزمون‌ t مستقل انجام گردید. یافته ها: میانگین سنی کودکان شرکت کننده در مطالعه 18/8±07/14 ماه بود. میانگین تعداد روزهای بستری در کودکان گروه مداخله 25/1±14/3 روز و در کودکان گروه کنترل 83/1±59/3 روز بود (05/0

The Mean Platelet Volume in children with Pyelonephritis

Introduction: The mean platelet volume (MPV) is a determinant of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the MPV levels in children with pyelonephritis and to evaluate the possible relationship between MPV and febrile UTI.Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study, 82 patients with Pyelonephritis (group A) and 82 patients with viral gastroenteritis (group B) were enrolled from 20 Jun 2013 through 15 Jan 2014. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of pyelonephritis and viral gastroenteritis. The pyelonephritis group (A) included 82 patients and the acute gastroenteritis group (B) included 82 patients. Complete blood count (CBC) parameters were measured at admission. Routine biochemical tests were performed. Groups were compared according to different parameters.Results: A total of 164 patients were included from inpatients of Amir-Kabir Hospital. The mean platelet volume was lower in group (A) and it was associated with acute pyelonephritis (P =0 .003). The MPV (6.03 ± 0.26 fl vs. 9.06 ± 0.73 fl) was significantly lower in group (A), the platelet count (219.88-± 52.31vs. 184.09 ± 52.21) was significantly higher in group (A), and the WBC count (13.01± 3.43 vs. 8.30 ± 1.13) was significantly higher in group (A).Conclusions: MPV levels were significantly lower in children with pyelonephritis compared with controls. MPV can be used as a negative acute phase reactant in children with febrile UTI.Keywords: Child; Pyelonephritis; Mean Platelet Volume; Urinary tract infection

A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Findings of COVID-19 between Intensive Care Unit and Non-Intensive Care Unit Pediatric Patients: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Observational Study from Iranian Network for Research in Viral

Introduction: To date, little is known about the clinical features of pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Objective: Herein, we aimed to describe the differences in demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, clinical presentations, and outcomes of Iranian pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU versus those in non-ICU settings. Methods: This multicenter investigation involved 15 general and pediatrics hospitals and included cases with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) admitted to these centers between March and May 2020, during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Results: Overall, 166 patients were included, 61 (36.7%) of whom required ICU admission. The highest number of admitted cases to ICU were in the age group of 1–5 years old. Malignancy and heart diseases were the most frequent underlying conditions. Dyspnea was the major symptom for ICU-admitted patients. There were significant decreases in PH, HCO3 and base excess, as well as increases in creatinine, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and potassium levels between ICU-admitted and non-ICU patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock, and acute cardiac injury were the most common features among ICU-admitted patients. The mortality rate in the ICU-admitted patients was substantially higher than non-ICU cases (45.9% vs. 1.9%, respectively; p<0.001). Conclusions: Underlying diseases were the major risk factors for the increased ICU admissions and mortality rates in pediatric COVID-19 patients. There were few paraclinical parameters that could differentiate between pediatrics in terms of prognosis and serious outcomes of COVID-19. Healthcare providers should consider children as a high-risk group, especially those with underlying medical conditions

Arginine Adjunctive Therapy in Active Tuberculosis

Background. Dietary supplementation has been used as a mechanism to augment the immune system. Adjunctive therapy with L-arginine has the potential to improve outcomes in active tuberculosis. Methods. In a randomized clinical trial 63 participants with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Markazi Province of Iran were given arginine or placebo for 4 weeks in addition to conventional chemotherapy. The final treatment success, sputum conversion, weight gain, and clinical symptoms after one and two months were considered as primary outcomes and secondary outcomes were ESR, CRP, and Hg. Data were collected and analyzed with SPSS software (ver. 18). Results. Arginine supplementation reduced constitutional symptoms ( = 0.032) in patients with smear-positive TB at the end of the first month of treatment. Arginine treated patients had significantly increased BMI at the end of the first and second months of treatment ( = 0.032 and = 0.04) and a reduced CRP at the end of the first month of treatment ( = 0.03) versus placebo group. Conclusion. Arginine is useful as an adjunctive therapy in patients with active tuberculosis, in which the effects are more likely mediated by the increased production of nitric oxide and improved constitutional symptoms and weight gain. This trial is registered with Clinical Trials Registry of Iran: IRCT201211179855N2

Arginine Adjunctive Therapy in Active Tuberculosis

Background. Dietary supplementation has been used as a mechanism to augment the immune system. Adjunctive therapy with L-arginine has the potential to improve outcomes in active tuberculosis. Methods. In a randomized clinical trial 63 participants with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Markazi Province of Iran were given arginine or placebo for 4 weeks in addition to conventional chemotherapy. The final treatment success, sputum conversion, weight gain, and clinical symptoms after one and two months were considered as primary outcomes and secondary outcomes were ESR, CRP, and Hg. Data were collected and analyzed with SPSS software (ver. 18). Results. Arginine supplementation reduced constitutional symptoms (P=0.032) in patients with smear-positive TB at the end of the first month of treatment. Arginine treated patients had significantly increased BMI at the end of the first and second months of treatment (P=0.032 and P=0.04) and a reduced CRP at the end of the first month of treatment (P=0.03) versus placebo group. Conclusion. Arginine is useful as an adjunctive therapy in patients with active tuberculosis, in which the effects are more likely mediated by the increased production of nitric oxide and improved constitutional symptoms and weight gain. This trial is registered with Clinical Trials Registry of Iran: IRCT201211179855N2

Evaluation of possible occurrence of mutation in MMR repair system genes in resistant and sensitiveclinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosisby using sequencing method

Background:during recent years, the incidence and spread of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium causing tuberculosis, has set this disease in World Health Organizationpriorities alignment of diseases like AIDS and hepatitis. Study of close examination of resistant and susceptible clinical strains genotypes is necessary to overcome drug resistance. Among the numerous repair systems, only there are limited number of encoding genes of DNA repair enzymes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Commonly these genes have been conserved and any changes among them likely increasethe mutation occurance due to the impossibility of correctionof spontaneous mutations insensitive strains of this bacteria.mut genes encodeDNA repairable enzymes.This study investigated the mutations in these genes and the effect of these mutations on tuberculosis drug resistance. Materials&Methods: In this study,of 29 available specimens,we were selected 8 susceptible strains and 21 resistantstrains andafter ordering appropriate primers and performing the proliferation reaction two types of amplicons produced which includingfragments of genes mut T2 and mut T4 and they were sent inorder to sequencing. Results:The results of chain reactionprimer represents an appropriate choice of primerswhich were investigated. Sequencing results showed that overall 73% of resistant strains that had been selected for study of mutT4gene, have no mutations in codons 48of mutT4 gene, and 70% of resistant strains have no GGA >>> CGA mutation at codon 58 of mutT2 gene. Conclusion: One of the strategies to overcome tuberculosis drug resistance is a close examination of genotypes of resistant and susceptible clinical strains. Results of this study was performedby examining changes in mut T2 and mut T4 gene sequence. The mutation in mut T2 always associated with mutation in mut T4, in this way, the first mutation may occurs in mut T4and after that, the second mutationmay occurs in mut T2. Importance of this is determined by study of encoded proteins by these two genes and position of mut t4thanmut T2 in the MUT HLS spatial structure of protein complex. Results of comparison of drug resistance and occurrence of mutations in hot-spots of mut T2 and mut T4 genes illustrated that these genes are conserved in resistant strains. However, there is no significant relation in susceptible strains

Novel Mutations in pncA Gene of Pyrazinamide Resistant Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

In clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), resistance to pyrazinamide occurs by mutations in any positions of the pncA gene (NC_000962.3) especially in nucleotides 359 and 374. In this study we examined the pncA gene sequence in clinical isolates of MTB. Genomic DNA of 33 clinical isolates of MTB was extracted by the Chelex100 method. The polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were performed using specific primers for amplification of 744 bp amplicon comprising the coding sequences (CDS) of the pncA gene. PCR products were sequenced by an automated sequencing Bioscience system. Additionally, semi Nested-allele specific (sNASP) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods were carried out for verification of probable mutations in nucleotides 359 and 374. Sequencing results showed that from 33 MTB clinical isolates, nine pyrazinamide-resistant isolates have mutations. Furthermore, no mutation was detected in 24 susceptible strains in the entire 561 bp of the pncA gene. Moreover, new mutations of G→A at position 3 of the pncA gene were identified in some of the resistant isolates. Results showed that the sNASP method could detect mutations in nucleotide 359 and 374 of the pncA gene, but the PCR-RFLP method by the SacII enzyme could not detect these mutations. In conclusion, the identification of new mutations in the pncA gene confirmed the probable occurrence of mutations in any nucleotides of the pncA gene sequence in resistant isolates of MTB

Efficacy of Synbiotics for Treatment of Bacillary Dysentery in Children: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

Bacillary dysentery is a major cause of children’s admission to hospitals. To assess the probiotic and prebiotic (synbiotics) effects in children with dysentery in a randomized clinical trial, 200 children with dysentery were studied in 2 groups: the synbiotic group received 1 tablet/day of synbiotic for 3–5 days and the placebo group received placebo tablets (identical tablet form like probiotics). The standard treatment was administered for all patients. Duration of hospitalization, dysentery, fever, and the weight loss were assessed in each group. It was concluded that there was no significant difference in both groups in the baseline characteristics. The mean duration of dysentery reduced (P<0.05). The mean duration of fever has been significantly reduced in the synbiotic group (1.64±0.87 days) in comparison to the placebo group (2.13±0.94 days) (P<0.001). Average amount of weight loss was significantly lower in the synbiotic group in comparison to that in the placebo group (129.5±23.388 grams and 278±28.385 grams, resp.; P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean duration of hospitalization in both groups (P>0.05). The use of synbiotics as an adjuvant therapy to the standard treatment of dysentery significantly reduces the duration of dysentery, fever, and rate of weight losses. The trial is registered with IRCT201109267647N1