Estudio comparativo de las actividades in vitro de productos comerciales de polimixina B sobre Pseudomonas aeruginosa aislada de pacientes hospitalizados

Introducción: La polimixina B se ha aplicado como uno de los antibióticos de último recurso para el tratamiento de la multirresistencia entre las infecciones bacterianas Gram negativas. Debido a efectos secundarios como toxicidad renal, el uso de polimixina se asocia con limitaciones. El presente estudio evalúa la actividad antibacteriana in vitro de varios productos comerciales de polimixina B contra Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Métodos: Este estudio incluyó 63 aislados de P. aeruginosa no duplicados que se examinaron para la prueba de sus¬ceptibilidad in vitro a la polimixina B utilizando los siguientes discos de polvo: sulfato de polimixina B, otosporina, Poly-Mxb y Myxacort. También se han identificado las MIC50 y MIC90 para los antibióticos de polimixina B. Resultados: Myxacort tuvo una actividad funcional contra la mayoría de los aislados de P. aeruginosa, y sólo siete aislados tuvieron una CIM relativamente alta. Las actividades de Poly-MXb y Myxacort fueron las mismas que las de otosporina. Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados revelaron que el producto genérico nacional de polimixina B (Myxacort), y dos productos externos (Otosporin, Poly-MXb) son similares en términos de actividad microbiológica.Introduction: Polymyxin B has been applied as one of the last-resort antibiotics for the treatment of multidrug resistance among Gram-negative bacterial infections. Due to side effects such as renal toxicity, the use of polymyxin is associated with limitations. The present study evaluates in vitro antibacterial activity of a number of polymyxin B commercial products against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods: This study included 63 non-duplicated P. aeruginosa isolates examined for in vitro polymyxin B suscepti¬bility testing using the following powder disks: polymyxin B sulfate, otosporin, Poly-Mxb, and Myxacort. MIC50 and MIC90 have also been identified for polymyxin B antibiotics. Results: Myxacort had functional activity against most P. aeruginosa isolates, and only seven isolates had a relative¬ly high MIC. The activities of Poly-MXb and Myxacort were the same as otosporin. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the national generic polymyxin B product (Myxacort), and two external products (Otosporin, Poly-MXb) are similar in terms of microbiological activity

The effects of eight weeks resistance training and green tea supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight men

Background and aims: On the effect of resistance training combined with green tea supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors, few studies have been conducted. The aim of present study was to examine the effect of eight weeks of resistance training and green tea supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight men. Methods: In this clinical quasi-experimental study, 30 men with BMI of 25-30 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to three groups of 10. Each of them was: 1. resistance training and green tea supplementation (supplementation), 2. Resistance training (training) and 3. Control. Resistance training comprised three sessions with 60-80% severity per week one maximum repetition for eight weeks. Green tea supplement was consumed at 6 gr per day in three equal portions. Venous blood samples were used to analyze the lipid profile and fibrinogen in the pre-test and post-test stages. Results: Findings: The levels of cholesterol (P=0.034) and fibrinogen (P=0.01) changed significantly in supplementation group compared to pre-test. The levels of low density lipoprotein, triglyceride, body’s lipid in two supplementation and training groups increased (P0.05). Also, no significant difference in waist-to-hip ratio and BMI was seen among the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Eight weeks of resistance training caused desirable variations in some of cardiovascular risk factors which could cause prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the individuals with overweight. But combination of green tea supplementation and resistance training had a higher efficacy than resistance training alone

Abnormal Visual Function: An Under-recognized Risk Factor of Road Traffic Injuries

Purpose: To determine the relationship between road accidents with visual acuity, refractive errors, visual field, and contrast sensitivity. Methods: This population-based case–control study was conducted on roads leading to Tehran Province, Iran. The case group comprised drivers who had met with accidents and were at fault for the accident. The cases were selected in an ongoing manner (incidence cases). The controls were drivers who were the opposing victims in the same. After an initial interview, optometric and ophthalmic examinations including the measurement of visual acuity, refraction, visual field assessment, contrast sensitivity measurement, and slit lamp biomicroscopy were performed for all study participants. Results: In this study, 281 and 204 individuals were selected for the case and control groups. The mean uncorrected visual acuity was 0.05 ± 0.12 and 0.037 ± 0.10 logMAR in the case and control groups, respectively (P = 0.095). Of the participants in the case and control groups, 32.8% and 23% had a visual field defect in at least one eye, respectively (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–2.48; P = 0.021). Moreover, 16.2% of the cases and 8.3% of the controls had visual field defects in both eyes (aOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.17–3.86; P = 0.012). Contrast sensitivity was worse in the case group in all spatial frequencies under non-glare conditions. However, under glare conditions, the contrast sensitivity was significantly worse in the case group only in the spatial frequency of 12 cycles per degree (cpd). Conclusion: Reduced contrast sensitivity, especially under non-glare conditions, and visual field defects are risk factors that influence the prevalence of road accidents. It is strongly advised that special attention be paid to these visual functions in legal assessments to apply the necessary interventions in individuals with these types of disorders

Outpatient and Hospitalization in Cataract Surgery: Iranian Cataract Surgery Survey

Background: To determine the prevalence of outpatient and hospitalization for cataract surgery in Iran.Methods: A random cluster sampling was done in a cross-sectional study on cataract surgeries performed in treatment centers of ophthalmology in Iran between 2000 and 2005. One week of each season was selected randomly and all cataract surgery files of the center were studied. This study reported the prevalence of outpatient surgery and length of hospital stay in all surgeries in Iran between 2000 and 2005.Results: Among 13,409 studied files on cataract surgery, mean hospitalization time was 0.79±0.82 days, 31.42% of surgeries were done on an outpatient basis, and 62.32% were hospitalized for one night. About 4.45% and 1.81% were hospitalized for two nights and more, respectively. Hospitalization time after surgery showed no significant difference with sex. Also, There was no significant difference between mean age of inpatients and outpatients (P=0.08). The most common method used for surgeries was Phaco (52.33%) and the least was lensectomy (11.38%).Conclusions: A major proportion of cataract surgeries required hospitalization. Due to the costs of hospitalization in this surgery, the phaco method can play an important role in reducing the costs of treatment.

Outpatient and Hospitalization in Cataract Surgery: Iranian Cataract Surgery Survey

Background: To determine the prevalence of outpatient and hospitalization for cataract surgery in Iran.Methods: A random cluster sampling was done in a cross-sectional study on cataract surgeries performed in treatment centers of ophthalmology in Iran between 2000 and 2005. One week of each season was selected randomly and all cataract surgery files of the center were studied. This study reported the prevalence of outpatient surgery and length of hospital stay in all surgeries in Iran between 2000 and 2005.Results: Among 13,409 studied files on cataract surgery, mean hospitalization time was 0.79±0.82 days, 31.42% of surgeries were done on an outpatient basis, and 62.32% were hospitalized for one night. About 4.45% and 1.81% were hospitalized for two nights and more, respectively. Hospitalization time after surgery showed no significant difference with sex. Also, There was no significant difference between mean age of inpatients and outpatients (P=0.08). The most common method used for surgeries was Phaco (52.33%) and the least was lensectomy (11.38%).Conclusions: A major proportion of cataract surgeries required hospitalization. Due to the costs of hospitalization in this surgery, the phaco method can play an important role in reducing the costs of treatment.

The fate of neurons after traumatic spinal cord injury in rats: a systematic review

Objective(s): To reach an evidence-based knowledge in the context of the temporal-spatial pattern of neuronal death and find appropriate time of intervention in order to preserve spared neurons and promote regeneration after traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Materials and Methods: The study design was based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)-guided systematic review. PubMed and EMBASE were searched (24 October, 2015) with no temporal or linguistic restrictions. Hand-search was performed in the bibliographies of relevant articles. Non-interventional animal studies evaluating time-dependent neuronal death following acute mechanical trauma to the spinal cord were included. We separately evaluated the fate of various populations of neurons including propriospinal neurons, ventral motor neurons, Clarke’s column neurons, and supraspinal neurons. Results: We found 11,557 non-duplicated studies. Screening through the titles and abstracts led to 549 articles, 49 of which met the inclusion criteria. Both necrotic and apoptotic neuronal deaths occur after TSCI, though necrosis is the prominent mechanism. There are differences in the responses of intrinsic neurons of the spinal cord to the TSCI. Also, the extent of neuronal death in the supraspinal neurons depends on the anatomical location of their axons. Conclusion: In order to develop new therapies, selection of the injury model and time of intervention has a crucial role in the efficacy of therapy. In addition, examining the safety and efficacy of an intervention by reliable methods not confounded by the injury-related changes would promote translation of therapies to the clinical application

Volume Changes After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Animal Studies - A Systematic Review

There are limited data on the lesion volume changes following spinal cord injury (SCI). In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the volume size changes of the injured spinal cord over time among animal studies in traumatic SCI. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive electronic search of English literature of PubMed and EMBASE databases from 1946 to 2015 concerning the time-dependent changes in the volume of the spinal cord following mechanical traumatic SCI. A hand-search was also performed for non-interventional, non-molecular, and non-review studies. Quality appraisal, data extraction, qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed afterward. Of 11,561 articles yielded from electronic search, 49 articles were assessed for eligibility after reviewing of titles, abstracts, and references. Ultimately, 11 articles were eligible for quantitative synthesis. The ratio of lesion volume to spinal cord total volume increased over time. Avascularity appeared in spinal cord 4 hours after injury. During the first week, the spinal subarachnoid space decreased. The hemorrhagic lesion size peaked in 1 week and decreased thereafter. Significant loss of gray and white matter occurred from day 3 with a slower progression of white matter damage. Changes of lesion extent over time is critical in pathophysiologic processes after SCI. Early avascularity, rapid loss of gray matter, slow progression of white matter damage, and late cavitation are the pathophysiologic key points of SCI, which could be helpful in choosing the proper intervention on a timely basis

Corneal thickness measurements with the Concerto on-board pachymeter

Purpose: To assess the Concerto excimer laser on-board pachymeter (COP) measurements of the central corneal thickness (CCT), central stromal thickness (CST) and flap thickness (FT) in terms of repeatability and agreement with the Pentacam and ultrasound pachymetery. Methods: Patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), PRK with mitomycin-C (MMC), and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) were enrolled in the study. All eyes had CCT measurement with the Pentacam, the COP, and ultrasound, preoperatively. In the LASIK group, the CST was measured intraoperatively with the COP and ultrasound, after removing the flap. Each measurement was done 3 times to study the repeatability, and we calculated the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) for paired readings. Results: The study sample comprised of 82 eyes of 41 patients. All three devices showed excellent repeatability with intraclass correlation coefficients between 0.946 and 0.993. Mean CCT was 546 ± 31 μm with the COP, and 548 ± 32 μm and 548 ± 34 μm with the ultrasound and Pentacam, respectively. COP readings demonstrated high correlations with their paired ultrasound and Pentacam readings. The 95% LoA between COP and ultrasound were −16.6 μm to 12.0 μm for CCT, −25.6 μm to 26.2 μm for CST, and −29.5 to 21.3 μm for FT. The 95% LoA between COP and Pentacam CCT readings were −15.1 μm to 10.1 μm. Conclusions: COP generated repeatable readings that were highly correlated with their pair readings by the Pentacam and ultrasound. Although the agreement between COP and ultrasound was better with CCT measurements, the inter-device agreement for CST readings was not worse than that reported in other comparative studies of pachymeters

Prevalence and causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in the lorestan province of iran, using the key informant method.

PURPOSE: To estimate the prevalence and causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in Lorestan province of Iran, and to assess the feasibility of the Key Informant Method in this setting. METHODS: Potential cases were identified using the Key Informant Method, in 3 counties of Lorestan province during June through August 2008, and referred for examination. Causes of severe visual impairment/blindness were determined and categorized using standard World Health Organization methods. RESULTS: Of 123 children referred for examination, 27 children were confirmed to have severe visual impairment/blindness or blindness. The median age was11 years (interquartile range 6-13), and 59% were girls. After adjusting for non-attenders, the estimated prevalence of severe visual impairment/blindness was 0.04% (0.03-0.05). The main site of abnormality was retina (44%), followed by disorders of the whole eye (33%). The majority of causes had a hereditary etiology (70%), which was associated with a family history of blindness (P = 0.002). Potentially avoidable causes of severe visual impairment/blindness were found in 14 children (52%). Almost all children with severe visual impairment/blindness had a history of parental consanguinity (93%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a moderate prevalence of childhood blindness in the Lorestan province of Iran, a high proportion of which may be avoidable, given improved access to ophthalmic and genetic counselling services in rural areas. The Key Informant Method is feasible in Iran; future research is discussed