Evaluation of Metallo-β-Lactamase-Production and Carriage of bla-_VIM Genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Burn Wound Infections in Isfahan

Background: Metallo-β-lactamase-production among Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, has become a challenge for treatment of infections due to these resistant bacteria. Objectives: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the metallo-β-lactamase-production and carriage of bla-VIM genes among carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated from burn wound infections. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2014 to July 2015. One hundred and fifty P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered from 600 patients with burn wound infections treated at Imam-Musa-Kazem Hospital in Isfahan city, Iran. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were screened by disk diffusion using CLSI guidelines. Metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates were identified using an imipenem-EDTA double disk synergy test (EDTA-IMP DDST). For detection of MBL genes including bla-VIM-1 and bla-VIM-2, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and sequencing were used. Results: Among the 150 P. aeruginosa isolates, 144 (96%) were resistant to imipenem by the disk diffusion method, all of which were identified as metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates by EDTA-IMP DDST. Twenty-seven (18%) and 8 (5.5%) MBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates harbored bla-VIM-1 and bla-VIM-2 genes, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings showed a high occurrence of metallo-β-lactamase production among P. aeruginosa isolates in burn patient infections in our region. Also, there are P. aeruginosa isolates carrying the bla-VIM-1 and bla-VIM-2 genes in Isfahan province

The effects of phytoestrogens Matricaria recutita on growth, maturation of oocytes in the three spot gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus)

Chamomile is a rich source of phytoestrogens; these compounds have antioxidant, anticancer. In this study, the effects of chamomile on growing oocytes in immature female gourami fish were examined. Thus 60 immature female gourami fish with an average weight of 2-3 g of 6-treated group were analyzed. Treatments in a completely randomized experimental design with a dose of chamomile (10-20-30-50 mg/kg fish) along with control (no injection) and ethanol control (solvent injection) and with three replicates were tested. The fish adaptation to the environment lasted 3 days. The extract injections were done for 20 days, in 10 periods, every other day. In order to histological study, three days after end of the experiment, the ovarian tissue was removed and weighed, tissue processing and staining steps done with hematoxylin- eosin. At last the histological structure of the ovaries and the average percentage of treated fish gonadal indices were compared with the control group. According to our results of gonadal index, there was no significant difference between the control groups with receiving Ethanol (p>0.05). Histological results showed that increasing the dose of chamomile extract accelerate oocyte maturation in three spot gourami. This is the fourth treatment (dose, mg / kg 50) to show its obvious. The difference between oocyte diameter was observed with increasing doses of Chamomile and in comparison with the control group, the difference was significant (p <0.05). Histological results showed that increasing the dose of Chamomile accelerate oocyte maturation in three spot gourami

The role of religious coping and social support on medication adherence and quality of life among the elderly with type 2 diabetes

© 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Purpose: Type 2 diabetes is a major public health issue particularly in the elderly. Religion may affect the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in such patients, mediated by factors such as religious coping and social support. This study aimed to investigate the impact of religiosity on medication adherence and HRQoL. Methods: 793 adults (> 65 years old, 45% females) were recruited from 4 diabetes care centers and followed for 1 year. Duke University Religion Index, Spiritual Coping Strategies, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support, Medication Adherence Report Scale, WHOQOL-BREF and Diabetes-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire Module were used for assessment, as well as HbA1c and fasting blood glucose level. Using structural equation modeling, the potential paths were tested between religiosity, medication adherence and HRQoL; social support, religious coping and medication adherence served as the mediators. Results: Religious coping and social support were recognized as the significant mediators between religiosity and medication adherence (CFI = 0.983, TLI = 0.985, and RMSEA = 0.021). The relationships between religiosity and HRQoL were considerably mediated by social support, religious coping and medication adherence and these variables explained 12% and 33% of variances of generic and specific HRQoL, respectively. There was no significant direct effect of religiosity on HRQoL. HbA1c and fasting blood glucose level were successfully loaded on the latent construct of medication adherence (factor loading = 0.51 and 0.44, respectively). Conclusions: The impact of religiosity on medication adherence and HRQoL occurs through the mediators such as religious coping and social support. Therefore, to improve the adherence to treatment and quality of life, interventions may be designed based on these mediators

Damage intensity of gallic acid on prostatic cancer cells lineDu145 by alkaline electrophoresis

زمینه و هدف: سرطان پروستات شایع ترین سرطان در جامعه مردان است. عوامل بسیار زیادی منجر به بروز این بیماری می شود. در عین حال فاکتورهای متعددی به منظور پیشگیری و یا درمان این بیماری شناسایی شده اند. آنتی اکسیدان ها و مخصوصاً ترکیبات پلی فنلی مانند اسید گالیک دارای ظرفیت بالقوه ای از این ویژگی هستند. در این مطالعه با استفاده از تکنیک الکتروفورز قلیایی، اثر اسید گالیک را بر لاین سلول های سرطانی Du145 پروستات مورد مطالعه قرار دادیم. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی آزمایشگاهی، میزان زیست پذیری سلول های Du145 در مجاورت غلظت های مختلف گالیک اسید، به کمک روش رنگ سنجی تترازولیوم (MTT) اندازه گیری و غلظت مهارکنندگی 50 درصد رشد سلول‌ها (IC50) محاسبه شد. سه غلظت نزدیک به IC50 از داروی اسید گالیک برای 48 ساعت بر سلول های مذکور تیمار شد. پس از انجام الکتروفورز قلیایی تصاویر کامت های ایجاد شده با استفاده از نرم افزار CASP آنالیز شدند. یافته ها: با استفاده از آزمون MTT و بر اساس مدل پروبیت میزان IC50 اسید گالیک برای سلول های Du145 برابر 35 میکرومولار بدست آمد. در آزمون الکتروفورز قلیایی، برای سه غلظت 25،30 و 35 میکرومولار اسیدگالیک، نسبت طول کامت به قطر سلول به ترتیب برابر 1/3±6/7، 2/6±13/8 و 1/2±69/4 بود. نتیجه گیری: گالیک اسید به عنوان یک آنتی اکسیدان قدرتمند در غلظت های نزدیک به IC50 اثر مهاری شدیدی بر رشد سلول های سرطان پروستات (لاین Du145) داشته و با اثر تخریبی بر ژنوم این سلول ها می تواند آپوپتوز را در آنان القاء کند

Mouse Lung Conditioned Medium Induces Short Term Erythropoiesis in Mouse Long Term Bone Marrow Culture System

Dexter-type long-term bone marrow culture is a myelopoietic culture system that allows maintenance of  mouse and human hematopoiesis in vitro over a period of several months. In mouse unperturbed long-term  bone marrow culture, erythropoiesis activity is limited to the production of immature erythroid progenitors  (BFU-E) from primitive hematopoietic stem cells. In this study the effects of mouse lung conditioned  medium (MLCM) as a source of myeloid growth factors, on long-term mouse bone marrow cultures was  studied. Numbers of cells in adherent and non-adherent layers of cultures were counted weekly and the  morphological appearances of mature cells that were produced in non-adherent layers were analyzed. In the  presence of MLCM, mature nonnucleated and hemoglobinized red blood cells were produced in the nonadherent  layers of the cultures.

Long-Term Effect of Motivational Interviewing on Dietary Intake and Weight Loss in Iranian Obese/Overweight Women

Background: This study aimed to determine whether motivational interviewing (MI) could change dietary habit and body mass index (BMI) in obese/overweight women. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled study was performed in four health centers in Qazvin, central Iran. In total, 327 obese/overweight women were selected by a multi-stage sampling method and randomly assigned into control and experimental groups. Food frequency (using questionnaire; FFQ), BMI, and metabolic markers including blood pressure, total serum cholesterol and fasting blood glucose levels were measured in all participants. Data were collected twice (before and one year after the MI interventions). Data were analyzed using student t-test, and Stepwise Linear Regression. Results: There was a significant increase in daily consumption of dietary fiber, whole grain products, fruits and vegetables in the MI group (P<0.05). The consumption of meat product, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate and total energy intake were also significantly reduced after MI intervention (P<0.05). As a result, body weight and BMI were significantly reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: MI is suggested to be an effective strategy to change life style and reduce BMI in overweight/obese women in the long term. This effect needs to be further investigated in different gender and age populations

A Persian Adaptation of Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (MASES) in Hypertensive Patients: Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure

© 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Introduction: Poor adherence to anti-hypertensive treatment significantly contributes to the failure to achieve well-controlled blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Aim: To convert the original English version of Medication Adherence Self-efficacy Scale (MASES) into a Persian version for clinical application in hypertensive patients. Methods: The backward–forward translation method was used to produce the Persian version of the questionnaire. Then the internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Exploratory Factor Analysis was applied to extract the components of the questionnaire. Correlation between blood pressures and drug adherence was then determined using the Persian MASES in hypertensive patients. Results: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the Persian version of MASES was >0.92, suggesting that it can yield consistent results. Exploratory Factor Analysis suggested an uni-dimensionality of the scale. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension showed poor adherence to hypertensive medications, therefore had significant lower self-efficacy scores than those with well-controlled blood pressure by medications. Conclusion: The Persian version of MASES is valid and reliable to assess self-efficacy of antihypertensive medication adherence in hypertensive patient, which is helpful to improve medication compliance in such patients in order to achieve better blood pressure controls

Ability of biofilm production and molecular analysis of spa and ica genes among clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of biofilm formation and spa and ica genes among clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Result: This cross-sectional study was performed on 146 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from hospitalized patients in Isfahan Province Hospitals. MRSA isolates were confirmed using disk diffusion test with oxacillin disk and amplification of mecA gene by PCR assays. Ability of biofilm production was evaluated targeting the icaA and icaD genes. Of 146 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 24 (16.4) carried mecA genes and identified as MRSA strains. Strong ability of biofilm production was seen among 76.02 (111/146) S. aureus isolates and 87.5 (21/24) MRSA strains, respectively. Also, 75.0 (18/24) MRSA isolates carried icaA and icaD was not detected in these strains. Analysis of spa gene showed 70.83 (17/24) MRSA strains were spa positive. From which 14 and 3 strains identified with one band (150, 270, 300, 360, 400 bp) and two bands (150-300 bp), respectively. According to data obtained, the prevalence of MRSA isolates from Isfahan Province Hospitals is relatively high and a remarkable percentage of them show strong power in biofilm production. Also analysis of spa gene showed a fairly large diversity among MRSA strains. © 2020 The Author(s)

The effect of carvacrol on the growth inhibition and genomic destruction in prostatic cancer cells using comet assay technique

زمینه و هدف: امروزه، سرطان ها یکی از بزرگترین نگرانی های جوامع بشری است. ترکیبات پلی فنلی و آنتی اکسیدان ها به عنوان یک فاکتور مهم و کلیدی در پیشگیری و یا درمان انواع سرطان ها به خوبی معرفی شده اند. این تحقیق با هدف بررسی اثر کارواکرول به عنوان یک ماده آنتی اکسیدانی قوی بر مهار رشد و میزان تخریب ژنوم رده سلول سرطانی PC3 پروستات انجام شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی آزمایشگاهی، سلول های سرطانی PC3 پروستات با غلظت های مختلف کارواکرول تیمار و درصد زیست پذیری سلول ها به کمک روش رنگ سنجی تترازولیوم (MTT) اندازه گیری و سپس غلظت مهارکنندگی 50 درصد رشد سلول‌ها (IC50) محاسبه شد.در قدم بعدی، الکتروفورز قلیایی با توجه به IC50 برای سه غلظت 130، 230 و 360 میکرومولار از کارواکرول انجام و 100 عدد تصویر کامت های ایجاد شده با استفاده از نرم افزار CASP آنالیز گردید. یافته ها: بر اساس مدل پروبیت میزان IC50 کارواکرول برای سلول های PC3 360 میکرومولار بدست آمد. در آزمون الکتروفورز قلیایی، نسبت طول کامت به قطر سلول در غلظت های 130، 230 و 360 میکرومولار به ترتیب برابر 2/1±15/9، 4/2±38/7 و 2/0±65/3 درصد مشاهده شد. نتیجه گیری: کارواکرول به عنوان یک ترکیب پلی فنلی موثر در درمان سرطان ها به طور بالقوه ای می تواند ژنوم سلول های PC3 مشتق از سرطان پروستات را تخریب کند. تخریب ژنوم سلول های PC3 در غلظت های نزدیک به IC50 بسیار محسوس تر است