Evaluation of Phytochemical Composition of Mentha pulegium L. Essential Oil and Its Antibacterial Activity against Several Pathogenic Bacteria

Background and Aims: Mentha pulegium L. is one of the medicinal plants used in the food production as a flavoring substance and its antibacterial effect has also been considered. The present study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical composition of Mentha pulegium L. originated from Iran and its antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria. Materials and Methods: The chemical compounds of this medicinal plant were analyzed by GC-MS and 14 components were identified, representing 86.98% of its total essential mass. The antibacterial activity of the essential oil (EO) of Mentha pulegium L., has been evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato using disc diffusion method compared to synthetic antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated against the above tested bacteria using macrobroth dilution method. Results: Results showed that the EO of Mentha pulegium L., was formed by the main components of piperitone (32.1%), piperitenone (21.71%) and pulegone (15.85%). In addition, the results obtained using MIC and MBC showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of the EO of M. pulegium was in the range of 10-40 mg/mL for S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeroginosa and 20 mg/mL for Ps. syringae pv. tomato, respectively. According to the results, the maximum zones of inhibition (29.15 mm) was observed on P. syringae P. tomato in 40 mg/mL of essential oil, and the minimum zone of inhibition (17.08 mm) was related to P. aeroginosa in the same concentration. Conclusions: The results revealed that EO of Mentha pulegium L. had an appropriate inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Effect of cropping systems and crop rotations on weeds

Dynamics of weed populations in arable fields are influenced by environmental and soil characteristics and also by cropping system and management practices. Manipulation of cropping systems to improve weed management requires a better understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of weeds, seed losses and seed production. To assess the effect of different cropping systems and various crop rotations on the weed population and seed bank, we conducted a field study at the experimental farm in Khorasan Agricultural Research Center, Mashhad, Iran. The experimental design was a split plot with 3 crop rotations as the main plots, and five cropping systems consisting of high-input, medium-input, low-input, organic and integrated systems applied to the sub-plots. Our results show that weed seed densities in organic and integrated cropping systems, of about 5000–6000 seeds/m$^{2}$ were higher than conventional and high-input cropping systems showing about 2000 seeds/m$^{2}$. Weed seed density in continuous winter wheat of approximately 6300 seeds/m$^{2}$ was higher than other rotations with about 5000 seeds/m$^{2}$. Weed composition in the high-input system was 11 species with 66 plants/m$^{2}$. Whereas in the low-input and organic systems, the weed populations were 15 and 13 species with 145 and 220 plants/m$^{2}$, respectively. Changes in weed seed bank density and species composition often occur when crop management practices and crop rotations are altered. For example, continuous winter wheat fields showed more annual grass weeds, but broadleaf weeds were more abundant in sugar beet-winter wheat rotation. The weed population in continuous winter wheat plots comprised 90% grass and sedge weeds, while in sugar beet-wheat rotation, it was only 43% of total weed density. Broadleaf weeds were 55.2% in sugar beet-winter wheat but 9.4% of total weed density in continuous winter wheat. Different rotations that include crops with different life cycles such as winter wheat-maize and winter wheat-sugar beet could lead to additional benefits of reducing the weed seed bank

The epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers (Stomach, esophageal, colorectal) In Markazi province during 2005-2010

Introduction and Aims: Cancer is the third leading cause of death after Coronary Artery Disease and accidents in Iran. This Research has been carried out to Study the epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers (Stomach, esophageal, colorectal) in Markazi province during 2005-2010.Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study that was carried out on cancer registry data collected from Markazi province between 2005-2010 years. Cancer incidence adjusted based on the age structure and agespecific incidence rates were calculated.Results: Most statistics on the Morbidity of gastric cancers in the study was 642 patients (51.2) that associated with gastric cancer and after which the CRC 444(35.4%) patients and esophageal numbers of 169 (13.5%) patients. in this study 61.8 % (801 patients) of cases in the age group 80-70 years, male, 387 cases (30.8%) and the highest 77.1% living in urban areas has been observed in terms of location. mean age at estimated time of diagnosis was 69 years. Rates age standardized incidence of digestive cancers in males and female was 141.04 and 73.39 respectively.Conclusion: Identification of risk factors and prevention of gastrointestinal cancers in Markazi province is required. Training programs related to the prevention of cancer in people at high risk should be presented.*Corresponding author: Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.Email: [email protected]

Correction: Alijanzadeh et al. Measurement Invariance and Differential Item Functioning of the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA): A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study in Iran. Healthcare 2022, 10, 2064

There were some errors in the original publication in the Abstract and Results sections [...

Measurement Invariance and Differential Item Functioning of the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA): A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study in Iran

Health literacy is important for health behavior engagement. Therefore, it is important to have a good instrument assessing health literacy with a theoretical framework. The present study aimed to examine the measurement invariance and differential item functioning (DIF) of a newly developed health literacy instrument; that is, the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch models were used to examine the data collected from a large Iranian sample (N = 9775; 67.3% females; mean age = 36.44 years). All the participants completed the HELIA. CFA was used to examine if the HELIA had a five-factor structure (including reading, access to information, understanding, appraisal, and decision making/behavioral intention factors) and multigroup CFA to examine if the five-factor structure of HELIA was invariant across gender, educational level, accommodation, and age subgroups. Rasch models were used to examine whether each factor of HELIA was unidimensional and DIF contrast in Rasch to examine if the HELIA items were interpreted similarly across the aforementioned subgroups. The CFA results supported the five-factor structure of HELIA, and the Rasch models verified that each HELIA factor is unidimensional. Additionally, multigroup CFA supported the measurement invariance of HELIA across the following subgroups: male vs. female; highly educated vs. poorly educated; city residents vs. suburban residents; and younger age vs. older age. The DIF contrasts in the Rasch models additionally showed that there are no substantial DIF items in the HELIA across aforementioned subgroups. Therefore, the HELIA is a feasible and comprehensive instrument assessing health literacy across different populations in Iran