Association of the Myocilin Gene Polymorphism With Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the second cause of irreversible blindness, and the Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) subtype is the most common type of glaucoma. It has been shown that genetic mutations increase the risk of POAG used for early detection. The aim of the current study was to determine the association between genetic variations of Myocilin (MYOC) gene and susceptibility to POAG in the Iranian population. This case-control study was conducted on patients with POAG, referred to Khatam-al Anbia Eye Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. The control group was selected from healthy patients with a refractive disorder, who had referred to this hospital. After extracting the DNA from the whole blood sample, the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphisms (PCR-SSCP) method was used to discriminate variability in sequences in three exons of MYOC gene locus, known as GLC1A. Clinical characteristics of the subjects, comprised of visual acuity, Cup to Disc Ratio (CDR), and Intra-Ocular Pressure (IOP) were statistically compared between the wild and mutant type of the MYOC gene using independent samples t-test, Chi-square, and logistic regression test with SPSS version 15.0 software. P-values of < 0.05 were considered significant. One hundred and forty participants (75.1% males) were studied in two groups of case (n = 70) and control (n = 70). The frequency of mutant alleles in patients and healthy groups was statistically significant (40% versus 11.5%, Odd’s Ratio (OR): 5.1, CI 95% for OR: 2.1 to 12.4, P-value < 0.001). Also, the detected mutation in the case group was significantly higher in exon 1 and 3 (15.7% versus 0%, P-value = 0.001, and 11.5% versus 2.8%, P-value = 0.049, respectively). Based on the result of the current study, it seems that the MYOC gene polymorphisms increased the risk of POAG in the Iranian population

Association of the Myocilin Gene Polymorphism With Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the second cause of irreversible blindness, and the Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) subtype is the most common type of glaucoma. It has been shown that genetic mutations increase the risk of POAG used for early detection. The aim of the current study was to determine the association between genetic variations of Myocilin (MYOC) gene and susceptibility to POAG in the Iranian population. This case-control study was conducted on patients with POAG, referred to Khatam-al Anbia Eye Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. The control group was selected from healthy patients with a refractive disorder, who had referred to this hospital. After extracting the DNA from the whole blood sample, the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphisms (PCR-SSCP) method was used to discriminate variability in sequences in three exons of MYOC gene locus, known as GLC1A. Clinical characteristics of the subjects, comprised of visual acuity, Cup to Disc Ratio (CDR), and Intra-Ocular Pressure (IOP) were statistically compared between the wild and mutant type of the MYOC gene using independent samples t-test, Chi-square, and logistic regression test with SPSS version 15.0 software. P-values of < 0.05 were considered significant. One hundred and forty participants (75.1% males) were studied in two groups of case (n = 70) and control (n = 70). The frequency of mutant alleles in patients and healthy groups was statistically significant (40% versus 11.5%, Odd’s Ratio (OR): 5.1, CI 95% for OR: 2.1 to 12.4, P-value < 0.001). Also, the detected mutation in the case group was significantly higher in exon 1 and 3 (15.7% versus 0%, P-value = 0.001, and 11.5% versus 2.8%, P-value = 0.049, respectively). Based on the result of the current study, it seems that the MYOC gene polymorphisms increased the risk of POAG in the Iranian population

Ibactericidal and bacteriostatic in vitro effects of teucrium chamaedrys hydroalcoholic extract on two bacterial causative agents of tooth decay

Tooth decay is a prevalent dental disease and Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus rhamnosis are the most important bacterial causes of tooth decay. Because of the increased antibiotic resistance of bacteria and the side effects of antibiotics, this study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial effect of hydroalcoholic Teucrium Chamaedrys extraction S.mutans and L.rhamnosis. In this experimental-laboratory study, T.chamaedrys was extracted by maceration, and the standard strains of lyophilized S.mutans and L.rhamnosis were provided from Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology for investigation of T.chamaedrys effect on their growth. The antibacterial effect of hydroalcoholic T.chamaedrys was investigated on S.mutans and L.rhamnosis and then minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. The MIC of T. chamaedrys was obtained 128 and 32 μg/L against S.mutans and L.rhamnosis, respectively. The MBC of T.chamaedrys was obtained 256 and 64 μg/L against S.mutans and L.rhamnosis, respectively. T.chamaedrys bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on L.rhamnosis and S.mutans, two bacterial causative agents of dental cavity show that it might be used for prevention of dental cavity due to these patogens

THE LINK BETWEEN ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND RHEUMATIC DISORDERS: FROM AVICENNA'S VIEW TO RECENT FINDINGS

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most prevalent allergic disorder across the globe which has significant socioeconomic costs. In addition to direct and indirect costs, the disease also has hidden direct costs related to comorbid conditions. AR can result in several complications such as pharyngitis, sinusitis, asthma, otitis media, eczema and lymphoid hypertrophy. Although associations between AR and other airway disorders have been investigated for years, less attention has been focused on the association of this disease with non-respiratory disorders. Cosidering the fact that AR is rarely found in isolation and reprts of traditional Persian medical literatures on the relationship between rhinitis and joint disorders, this study aimed to investigate the link between AR and rheumatic disorders. In this regard, Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine which was a well known medical textbook until 17th century was reviewed. Modern medical databases were searched as well. The results of this study showed that as mentioned in the teachings of Avicenna, allergic rhinitis may have association with some rheumatic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, low back pain and gout. Findings that support this hypothesis include the wide range of symptoms and complications of allergic rhinitis, emphasizing the association by prominent medical scholars of the past like Rhazes and Avicenna, studies found an association between AR or chronic rhnosinusitis with rheumatic diseases and common cytokines and inflammatory biomarkers that serve similar roles in both allergic rhinitis and rheumatic diseases like IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17 and TNF-alpha. It is suggested that studies be conducted with the main aim of investigating the relationship between these diseases and evaluating underlying mechanisms. The result of such research can be helpful in finding new treatment modalities in both groups. Keywords: allergic rhinitis; rheumatic disorder; comorbidity, traditional medicine; Persian medicine; Avicenn

Multimorbidity as an important issue among women: results of gender difference investigation in a large population-based cross-sectional study in West Asia

Objectives: To investigate the impact of gender on multimorbidity in northern Iran. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of the Golestan cohort data. Setting: Golestan Province, Iran. Study population: 49 946 residents (age 40–75 years) of Golestan Province, Iran. Main outcome measures: Researchers collected data related to multimorbidity, defined as co-existence of two or more chronic diseases in an individual, at the beginning of a representative cohort study which recruited its participants from 2004 to 2008. The researchers utilised simple and multiple Poisson regression models with robust variances to examine the simultaneous effects of multiple factors. Results: Women had a 25.0% prevalence of multimorbidity, whereas men had a 13.4% prevalence (p<0.001). Women of all age-groups had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity. Of note, multimorbidity began at a lower age (40–49 years) in women (17.3%) compared with men (8.6%) of the same age (p<0.001). This study identified significant interactions between gender as well as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, physical activity, marital status, education level and smoking (p<0.01). Conclusion: Prevention and control of multimorbidity requires health promotion programmes to increase public awareness about the modifiable risk factors, particularly among women

Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oral Epithelial Dysplasia: A Practical Approach to Make the Diagnosis

Background: High-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes are found in malignant oral epithelial lesions, and HPV infection is proposed as a risk factor for initiating Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the head and neck region. This study suggests a practical approach to detect HPV in HPV-associated oral epithelial dysplasia (HAOED).Methods: Fifty-four oral epithelial dysplasia specimens were examined, comprising twenty-seven cases diagnosed with high-grade dysplasia and twenty-seven cases diagnosed with low-grade dysplasia using a binary grading system. To assess the cases for HPV, the specimens were examined for p16 protein using an immunohistochemical (IHC) study, and then, the Chromatin In Situ Hybridization (CISH) test was performed for all positive cases. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-Polymerase Chain Reaction (ChIP-PCR) was performed on CISH-positive specimens to assess the outcome. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 at Tehran University of Medical Science. SPSS software version 22.0 was used to perform the Chi square or Fisher’s exact test to examine the relationship between variables (statistically significant level P0.99), and in the nine cases, undergone the ChIP-PCR study, two cases (22.2%) showed positivity for HPV-16, while one case (11.1%) demonstrated positivity for HPV-51.Conclusion: Regarding HAOED, here, we proposed a step-by-step combination approach using different diagnostic methods, including IHC for p16 protein, CISH, and ChIP-PCR based on a complementary algorithm

Evaluating and Comparing the Views of Teachers and Students about the Criteria of a Good Professor at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background & Objective: The main goal of university includes educating specialists needed for society, promotion and development of the knowledge, developing research, and providing the background for society development. Undoubtedly, professor is one of the main and effective factors in high education quality, and training specialist workers requires strong faculty members that are experienced and skilled in various educational courses. We decided to utilize two, professor and student, groups opinions about the indices of a good university teacher. Methods: In this descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional research, 240 professors and 899 students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were selected by hierarchical and simple random sampling methods. The data were gathered by a researcher-made valid and reliable questionnaire. Results: Teachers Characteristics for a good professor were respectively: Scholarships, communication skills, teaching skills, evaluation skills, and Physical characteristics and appearance of the teachers. Students Characteristics for a good professor, were respectively: communication skills, Scholarships, teaching skills, evaluation skills then Physical characteristics and appearance of the teachers. In the professors, ANOVA test showed there was a significant relationship between the work experience, rank and social field study of teachers and Priority communication skills, scholarship, teaching methods, evaluation and faculty characteristics (p <0.05). In the students, ANOVA test showed there was a significant relationship between major and semester students and Priority communication skills, scholarship and faculty characteristics(p<0.05(. Conclusion: The comparability between two groups in teaching and evaluation domains indicates that there is a good relationship between them; though, this mutual relationship can facilitate learning, then increase students’ consent, and finally increscent educational quality. On the other hand. Giving high priority to professors’ personal characteristics and relationship skills by students shows that, students put more importance on mutual relationship as an educational background. Keywords Professor Students Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Iran Index Good professo