Investigating the Information Seeking Anxiety and its Relationship with the Thinking Styles: A Case Study

Objective: The purpose of the present research was to investigate the information seeking anxiety of postgraduate students its relationship with the thinking styles. Methodology: This applied research was conducted through survey-descriptive method. The research population included 315 postgraduate students at The School of Allied Medial Sciences of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The research samples consisted of 173 postgraduate students studying during 2015-2016 academic years. The research instrument was a questionnaire of information seeking anxiety and the thinking styles. Findings: The results showed that the extent of information seeking anxiety among most of the students was at the average level. There was a significant difference between both genders in relation with the anxiety barriers related to information resources, and anxiety barriers related to the computer and Internet. The hierarchical thinking style had the highest GPA of 19.23 while the internal thinking style had the lowest GPA of 15.8 which made this style to be in the 12th rank. There was a negative significant relationship between the judiciary thinking style and the information seeking anxiety (p=0.02, r=-0.16). There was a positive significant correlation between the local thinking with the information seeking anxiety (p=0.02, r=-0.17), between the conservative thinking style and information seeking anxiety (p=0.001, r=0.31), and between the monarchic thinking style and the information seeking anxiety (p=0.01, r=0.18).There was a significant difference between various majors in terms of the barriers related to the computer and Internet (p=0.001, t=4.24), barriers related to the library (p=0.001, t=3.17) and the total information seeking anxiety (p=0.02, t=2.36). Conclusion: It is a need to revisit the librarie\u27s conducts and the information resources .The students had to identify the factors in the information seeking anxiety and their thinking styles so that they could reduce the extent of their information seeking anxiety

Evaluation of Genetic Pattern of Gentamicin-resistant Enterococci Isolated from Clinical Samples

Background and aims. Enterococci are among resistant microorganisms to antibiotics and are responsible for some of acute gingival infections. This study aimed at molecular evaluation of gentamicin-resistant enterococcus species and determining the resistance genes. Materials and methods. Clinical samples were cultured on BHI medium and enterococci were isolated by specific methods and antibiograms were prepared. DNA was derived from gentamicin-resistant species by alkaline lysis method and replicated by PCR method. Four gentamicin-resistant genes were evaluated by electrophoresis method on agarose gel. Results. From 105 Enterococcus faecalis isolates, 36.2% and from 38 Enterococcus faecium isolates, 78.2% were resistant to gentamicin. 60% of these species bore aac (6’)- le – aph(2”)- la gene. ph(2”)- Ib,Ic,Id genes were not seen in any of the evaluated species. Conclusion. In gentamicin-resistant species of E. faecalis and E. faecium, the aac (6’)- le – aph(2”)- la gene was identified as the main cause of resistance

Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 19 in Odontogenic Keratocysts and Dentigerous Cysts

Background and Aim: Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) and dentigerous cyst (DC) are two common developmental cysts involving the jaws. The role of matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and 19 (MMP19) in progression and invasion of some cysts and tumors has been documented. This study sought to assess the expression of MMP2 and MMP19 in OKCs and DCs. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, 58 paraffin blocks including 20 DCs, 20 OKCs and 18 dental follicles (DF) were chosen from the archives of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Department, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performed to detect the expression of MMP2 and MMP19 using the EnVision technique. Data were analyzed using the Chi square, Fisher’s exact, Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney and Spearman’s cor-relation tests. Results: Both markers were expressed in OKCs and DCs. Expression of MMP19 was higher in OKCs compared to DCs and DFs. Significant differences existed among the groups in the intensity of staining of the epithelium (P<0.05) and the connective tissue (P<0.001) for MMP19. Expression of MMP2 in DCs was higher than in OKCs and DFs. Significant differences existed among the groups in the intensity and percentage of staining of the epithelium (P<0.001) and the connective tissue (P<0.05) for MMP2. Conclusion: Our findings indicated the potential role of MMP19 in the invasive behavior of OKC. Greater expression of MMP2 in DCs may indicate its role in multi-dimensional growth of this cyst. Nevertheless, further studies are required to make an evidence-based decision. Key Words: Odontogenic Cysts, Dentigerous Cyst, Matrix Metalloproteinase

The effects of cashew nut intake on lipid profile and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Dyslipidemia and hypertension are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some studies have suggested that the consumption of nuts may reduce CVD risk. Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the efficacy of cashew nut consumption on lipid profile and blood pressure. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the effects of cashew nut intake on serum triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), serum total cholesterol (TC), systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) until 15 November 2019. Random-effects or fixed-effects models were used to pool weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Potential publication bias was assessed using Egger’s test. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of each individual study on the pooled results. Results: A meta-analysis on 392 participants showed that cashew consumption had no significant effects on lipid profile and DBP. However, there was a significant reduction in SBP (WMD = -3.39, 95% CI = [-6.13, -0.65], P = 0.01, I2 = 0.0%) in the group receiving an increased cashew nut intake compared to the controls. There was no significant publication bias in the meta-analysis. A sensitivity analysis, omitting single trials in turn, did not have a significant effect on the pooled results. Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that cashew nut consumption might reduce SBP but has no effects on lipid profile and DBP

Short-term Outcome of Open Appendectomy in Southern Iran: A Single Center Experience

Objectives: To evaluate the short-term outcome of open appendectomy, the rate of negative appendectomy as well as pathology reports after surgery in patients with suspected acute appendicitis.Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study being performed in Nemazee hospital affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Science during a 2-year period between 2008 and 2010. The medical records of all consecutive patients who underwent open appendectomy in our center due to acute appendicitis were included in the study. The elective and laparoscopic appendectomies were excluded. The demographic information, clinical findings, laboratory investigations and the histopathological examination of the appendix were recorded and reported.Results: A total of 337 patient including 137 (36.4%) females, and 240 (63.6%) males with the mean age of 16.26± 9.81 (range 3 to 76) years were stduied. Anorexia (64.7%) and fever (20.7%) were more prevalent symptoms. The mean duration between pain initiation and operation ranged from 0 to 14 days with mean 1.88 ± 1.63 days. Right lower quadrant (RLQ), periumbilical, epigastria, left lower quadrant (LLQ), and Right upper quadrant (RUQ), pain were manifest in 78.8%, 41.6%, 12.2%, 3.2%, and 1.3% of patients, respectively. Pathological evaluation of the appendix showed appendicitis in 70.4% of patients.Conclusion: The higher rate of negative appendectomy accounts for wasteful tapping of medical resources and causing further complication in patients. Therefore it is essential to conduct more accurate studies to detect the root cause of the disease. This would help improve the management of appendicitis which is an emergency condition with high incidence

Effect of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles-Labeling on Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Objective: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been used to label mammalian cells and to monitor their fate in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the effectiveness of phenotype of labeled cells by SPIONs is still a matter of question. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency and biological effects of labeled mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) using ferumoxide- protamine sulfate complex. Materials and Methods: In an experimental study, undifferentiated mESCs, C571 line, a generous gift of Stem Cell Technology Company, were cultured on gelatin-coated flasks. The proliferation and viability of SPION-labeled cells were compared with control. ESCs and embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from differentiated hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were analyzed for stage-specific cell surface markers using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Results: Our observations showed that SPIONs have no effect on the self-renewal ability of mESCs. Reverse microscopic observations and prussian blue staining revealed 100% of cells were labeled with iron particles. SPION-labeled mESCs did not significantly alter cell viability and proliferation activity. Furthermore, labeling did not alter expression of representative surface phenotypic markers such as stage-specific embryonic antigen 1 (SSEA1) and cluster of differentiation 117 (CD117) on undifferentiated ESC and CD34, CD38 on HSCs, as measured by flowcytometry. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, SPIONs-labeling method as MRI agents in mESCs has no negative effects on growth, morphology, viability, proliferation and differentiation that can be monitored in vivo, noninvasively. Noninvasive cell tracking methods are considered as new perspectives in cell therapy for clinical use an

Evaluation of the expression of the long non-coding RNAs, LOWEG and MINCR, and their clinical significance in human gastric cancer

Abstract Background Gastric cancer (GC) is currently the fifth most common malignancy. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed that maladjustments of diverse long non-coding RNAs may play key roles in multiple genetic and epigenetic phenomena in GC. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcriptional products with more than 200 nucleotides, are a subset of non-coding RNAs. LncRNA LOWEG and lncRNA MINCR, as novel lncRNAs, may have roles in GC progression. Objective This study aimed to examine the clinical and diagnostic significance of lncRNA LOWEG and lncRNA MINCR in GC. Methods The qRT-PCR technique measured lncRNA LOWEG and lncRNA MINCR expression in GC tissues and matched adjacent marginal tissues. The association between clinicopathological parameters and the expression level of lncRNAs was evaluated. Furthermore, The ROC curve was plotted to assess the diagnostic power of lncRNA LOWEG and lncRNA MINCR as candidate biomarkers in gastric cancer patients. Results We found that lncRNA LOWEG expression was downregulated in cancerous tissues compared to the adjacent marginal tissues (P-value < 0.0001). LncRNA MINCR expression was upregulated in cancerous tissues compared to adjacent marginal tissues (P-value < 0.0001). Downregulation of lncRNA LOWER and upregulation of lncRNA MINCR did not significantly correlate with clinicopathological parameters. ROC curve analysis showed that lncRNA LOWEG and lncRNA MINCR could be proposed as reliable diagnostic biomarkers in GC. Conclusion The expression of the lncRNA LOWEG was reduced in tumoral tissues compared to the adjacent marginal tissues, and the expression of lncRNA MINCR increased in tumoral tissues. So, as a result, lncRNAs LOWEG and MINCR could be considered diagnostic biomarkers for GC

Evidence of familial resemblance and family-based heritability of food intakes derived from a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract We sought to investigate the familial aggregation and family-based heritability of dietary intakes among adults in a population-based longitudinal study of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLSG). Total of 4359 males and 5439 females entered our study. We categorized foods into main groups based on the literature on main food groups and their subgroups among the Iranian dietary habits and food culture as follows: grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, legume, nuts, beverages, snacks, and fats. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) are estimated to verify familial resemblance of dietary habits for all relative pairs and spouses. Family-based heritability is obtained using a mixed effect framework with likelihood-based approach. For almost all food groups, the correlation between parents and offsprings tended to be larger than those of siblings. Family-based heritability of food groups varies from the lowest 6.36% for snacks to the highest 25.67% for fruits, and 25.66% for legume. Our findings indicated weak-to-moderate similarities between parents' and offspring's food intakes; however, the similarity in parent–child food intakes was different, and the correlation in mother-daughter food intakes was stronger than other parent–child correlations, and almost all of dietary components showed strong family-based heritability

Familial resemblance and family-based heritability of nutrients intake in Iranian population: Tehran cardiometabolic genetic study

Abstract Background We aimed to investigate the familial resemblance of dietary intakes, including energy and nutrients, and the family-based heritability of dietary intake in different age-sex dyads of the Tehran cardiometabolic genetic study. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 9,798 participants, aged ≥ 18 years, with complete data in each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth surveys of the Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic study, who were eligible to enter the current study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Nutrient intake was determined using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). FCOR command of the S.A.G.E. software was used to estimate the intra-class correlation coefficients of all relative pairs to verify the family resemblance of dietary nutrient intakes. Classical likelihood-based is used to assess the family-based heritability of dietary nutrient traits. Results There were 4338 families with a mean family size of 3.20 ± 2.89, including 1 to 32 members (2567 constituent pedigrees and 1572 singletons) and 3627 sibships. The mean ± SD age of participants was 42.0 ± 15.2 years, and 44.5% were males. The heritability of nutrient intake ranged from 3 to 21%. The resemblance degree of energy intake and most nutrients between spouses or between parents and children is weak to moderate; however, a high resemblance of intake was observed for some food components, especially among spouses, including trans fatty acids (TFAs) (r:0.70), chromium (r:0.44), fiber(r:0.35), pantothenic acid (r:0.31), and vitamin C(r:0.31). Based on our findings, the resemblance of nutrient intake in spouses was greater than in parent-offspring. The similarity in parent–offspring nutrient intake was different, and the correlation in mother-girls nutrient intakes was greater than other parent–child correlations. Also, the lowest resemblance in nutrient intake was observed among siblings. Conclusions Our findings suggested a weak-to-moderate similarity between the nutrient intakes of parents and offspring. The resemblance degree in nutrient intake varied between different family pairs; the strongest correlation of nutrients was observed between spouses, which includes TFAs, chromium, fiber, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C. The lowest correlation of nutrients was between siblings, such as carbohydrates, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin K. An individual's nutrient intake can somewhat be influenced by genetics, family relationships, and the effects of parents, although the significant influence of environmental factors should not be ignored