Evaluation of knowledge of vitamin D aspects among pharmacy and engineering students in University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Background: Vitamin D plays a major role in health. Several health disorders have been associated with its deficiency. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the knowledge of and attitude towards vitamin D of pharmacy and engineering students in the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during February-April, 2018. A 30 questions survey in English was designed, pre-validated and distributed to 250 students. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate and compare student’s knowledge and awareness of vitamin D.Results: 213 participants completed the survey producing a response rate of 85.2%. The majority of students were Arabs, females and of age ranging 21-23 years. Almost all pharmacy students were familiar with many aspects of vitamin D. Unlike engineering (66; 66.6%), most (113; 99.1%) pharmacy students know the meaning of osteoporosis. Knowledge of pharmacy students on vitamin D was generally better than that of engineering students particularly with questions on technical parameters of vitamin D levels and dosage. Students who took vitamin D test were advised by a physician. Most of the students from both colleges have a positive attitude to receive information on vitamin D through brochures, lectures/seminars and workshops.Conclusions: Awareness of non-health sciences and to some extent of pharmacy students seems to be inadequate and efforts are needed to increase awareness of the public in general of the importance of vitamin to health status

Genetic Identification of Echinococcus granulosus Isolates in Hamadan, Western Iran

Background: Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection and considered as a major economic and public health concern worldwide. This research was conducted to determine genotypic characteristics of livestock and human hydatid cyst isolates from Hamadan area, western Iran. Methods: Sampling was conducted in Hamadan industrial slaughterhouse and Beast Hospital of Hamadan City, western Iran, from 2015 to 2016. Overall, 74 livestock isolates including 69 sheep, 3 cattle and 2 goats and 9 human hydatid cysts were genotyped by PCR amplification of the rDNA ITS1 region and followed restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with four restriction endonuclease enzymes, RsaI, HpaII, AluI, and TaqΙ, and sequencing. Results: The PCR amplicon size of each isolate was approximately 1 kb which was the same with that of sheep strain. According to the RFLP patterns, the isolates belonged to a single species, E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1–G3 complex). Furthermore, sequencing of representative amplicons confirmed that the RFLP-genotyped isolates corresponded to E. granulosus sensu stricto. Conclusion: E. granulosus sensu stricto is the prevailing species of E. granulosus sensu lato in the region and pointed out the importance of sheep/dog cycle in human transmission

COVID-19 coinfection with Mucormycosis

Objectives: We will try to present cases of coinfection with COVID‑19 and mucormycosis in Kashan to increase the awareness of health‑care providers and reduce the number of forgotten and neglected cases.Methods: This is a descriptive cross‑sectional study that patients infected with COVID‑19 become vulnerable to a variety of opportunistic diseases. There are several studies of COVID‑19 and mucormycosis, but an effort has been made to provide a collection of cases in Kashan (the center of Iran) to reduce morbidity and mortality by increasing the awareness of health‑care providers.Results: A total of 31 patients with mucormycosis following COVID‑19 including 18 males and 13 females were included in the study. All reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction patients were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome‑coronavirus‑2. Twenty had a history of diabetes, eight had a history of hypertension, and three had no record of any underlying disease. The maxillary sinuses were the most common site of involvement. The maximum length of hospital stay was 52 dayss.Conclusion: Patients with COVID‑19 vulnerable to comorbidities, any facial involvement, or severe glucocorticoid and antibiotic treatment should be closely examined and monitored at the first encounter and during hospitalization for any signs of mucormycosis and start standard care and antifungal treatment as soon as possible

Elastic structures in architecture on the basis of bionic principles

Die Verformungsfähigkeiten der neuen Baumaterialien wie zum Beispiel Glas- oder kohlefaserverstärkter Kunststoffe zeigen neue Möglichkeiten für wandelbare Konstruktionen in der Architektur: Konstruktionen, die sich mit Hilfe von Biegsamkeit ihrer Komponenten verformen lassen. Diese Arbeit versucht zu zeigen, wie man diese biegsamen Konstruktionen entwickeln kann. In dieser Arbeit liegt der Schwerpunkt auf Verformungsmechanismen, Verformungsmöglichkeiten und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten dieser Art von wandelbaren Konstruktionen, die besonders aus biegsamen Stäben bestehen. Natürliche Prinzipien werden in der vorliegenden Arbeit als Vorbild geeigneter Mechanismen von biegsamen Konstruktionen betrachtet. Zuerst werden acht passende Vorbilder aus der Natur ausgewählt, die einen Körperteil oder den gesamten Körper eines Tieres oder einer Pflanze betreffen. Für die Übertragung ihrer Prinzipien auf die Architektur wird eine geometrische Methode angewandt. Acht Prinzipien, die von natürlichen Mechanismen hergeleitet sind, werden durch geometrische Modelle abstrahiert. Durch eine schrittweise Modifikation werden acht Grundmuster definiert. Jedes Muster beschreibt einen Mechanismus für die Verformung einer biegsamen Konstruktion in der Architektur. Im nächsten Schritt werden die Grundmuster weiterentwickelt, um verschiedene Möglichkeiten der Verformung durch Anwendung dieser Mechanismen studieren zu können. Damit haben wir verschiedene Varianten der Grundmuster durch ihre Manipulationen, Kombinationen und Anordnungen dargestellt. Diese Varianten präsentieren unterschiedliche Entwurfskategorien für biegsame Konstruktionen, die von acht ursprünglichen Grundmustern abstammen. Die Umsetzung entwickelter Grundmuster in der Architektur wird im letzten Schritt vorgestellt. In dieser Phase haben wir gezeigt, dass drei Gruppen der Anwendungszwecke für diese biegsamen Konstruktionen vorstellbar sind, die sich entweder erweitern können oder mit gleichen Elementen verschiedene Räume kreieren oder sich zur Anpassung an verschiedene Forderungen variieren können. Sie werden durch verschiedene Beispiele demonstriert.The deformation capability of the new materials such as glass- or carbon fibre reinforced plastics provides new possibilities for convertible structures in architecture: the structures which can be deformed through using the flexibility of their components. This research tries to represent how to develop these elastic structures. We concentrate on mechanisms, deformations and possible applications of this type of convertible structures that consist especially of flexible rods. In present work, the principles of nature are implemented as models of the appropriate mechanisms for flexible structures. The research process starts with survey and selection of eight suitable examples from nature such as an organ or a body of a plant or an animal. Then a geometric method is proposed for transfer of the natural principles into architecture. In this method eight principles which are derived from natural mechanisms are abstracted by geometric models. Later through gradual modification process eight basic patterns are defined. Each pattern presents a mechanism for deformation of a flexible structure in architecture. In the next step, the basic patterns are developed to show various possibilities of deformations by application of thei convertible mechanisms. For this reason we demonstrate different variants of the basic patterns through their manipulations, combinations and arrangements. These variants represent different design categories for flexible structures that stem from the eight basic patterns. Various proposals for the application of these developed basic patterns in architecture are the last step. In this part we demonstrated three purposes for applications of these flexible structures, i.e. structures that can be deployed, structures that can be created in different shapes using a similar component, and structures that can adjust their form based on different functions. These applications are demonstrated through various examples

Molecular Epidemiologic Study of Male Trichomoniasis in Hamadan, Western Iran

Background: Trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis protozoan, may lead to clinical or subclinical urethritis or prostatitis in men. Despite the importance of men in the epidemiology of trichomoniasis, there is little information about this topic. This epidemiological study was performed on men in Hamedan, western Iran. Methods: During Oct 2018 to Mar 2019, 214 male individuals, presenting to the Urology Clinic of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Hamadan, were enrolled and evaluated for trichomoniasis. First-voided urine specimen was used for detection of T. vaginalis infection using molecular and parasitological methods. Results: Trichomoniasis was detected in 10 of 214 male participants (4.7%, 95% CI: 7.5-1.8%) using PCR assay. Culture and wet mount preparation of urine sediment were unable to isolates any T. vaginalis parasite. Nine of the 10 infected men were married, and six of them were ≥49 yr of age. Urinary frequency and dysuria were the most complaints (80%) among infected individuals. Conclusion: Given the notable prevalence of the infection, the prevalence of male trichomoniasis will be underestimated if only conventional diagnostic methods are used. Therefore, the risk of infection as well as the molecular survey of T. vaginalis infection should be considered in men with or without clinical symptoms

The Prevalence of Trichomoniasis in Women Referring to Health Treatment Centers in Karaj City, 2016 (Iran)

Background and Objective: Trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the world, which is one of the causative agents of vaginitis in women. This research was the first study that conducted to determine the prevalence of trichomoniasis in Karaj city.   Methods: This study was carried out on 967 women referring to health treatment centers in Karaj city in 2016. Trichomonas vaginalis, was diagnosed using vaginal discharge sample, wet mount, gram stain, and culture on Dorset medium. Candida and bacterial vaginitis was also diagnosed based on direct staining of smear.   Results: Out of 967 individuals, 11 persons (1.1%), were diagnosed positive for Trichomoniasis. One sample (0.1%) were positive by gram staining, 5 samples (0.5%) by wet mount, and 11 samples (1.1%) by Dorset culture method. The highest infected individuals with T. vaginalis (1.6%), were in the age group of 35-44 and in the group with primary education (3.2%). In this study, the relationship between trichomoniasis and education level of the participants, was statistically significant (p=0.003). The most clinical signs and symptoms observed in individuals with trichomoniasis, was reported to be vaginal discharge and itching (90%). The prevalence of candida and bacterial vaginitis, were 11% and 14.5%, respectively.   Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the prevalence of trichomoniasis in the studied population is relatively low. But, considering the importance of sexually transmitted infections in community, implementation of appropriate health strategies for the promotion of public health, is necessary for the control of these groups of infections.   &nbsp

In-Vitro Efficacy of Plantago lanceolata L. Extracts on Trichomonas Vaginalis

Abstract Background: Trichomoniasis is one of the most common non viral sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Plantago lanceolata extracts on Trichomonas vaginalis. Materials and Methods: In this study, after collection and drying of P. lanceolata, n-hexanic, ethyl acetate, methanol and hydroalcoholic extracts, they were prepared by maceration. Five clinical T. vaginalis isoleates subjected to extract suscebtibility testing, in comparison of metronidazole. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) tests were carried out in duplicate and repeated two times for each T. vaginalis isolate. Results: The results showed that the extracts of P. lanceolata had potent antitrichomonal activity. The most antitrichomonal activity was related to ethyl acetate extract with the least MIC of 500 µg/ml and mean of 1525 µg/ml, after 48 hrs incubation. And also, the lowest antitrichomonal activity was related to hydroalcoholic and methanolic extract with the least and mean MIC of 2000 µg/ml. The results of MLC and MIC tests were identical and this finding confirmed the trichomonacidal activity of the extracts. The drug suscebtibility testing showed that the T. vaginalis isoleates were susceptibale to metronidazole ranging from 3.1 to 6.2 µg/ml with a mean and standard deviation of 4.2 ± 1.5 µg/ml. Conclusion: This study showed that the extracts of P. lanceolata hav e a considerable activity on T. vaginalis parasite. Hence, further studies are needed to clear more details of antimicrobial properties of P. lanceolata compounds