Influence of Bovine Serum Albumin on the Antibacterial Activity of Endodontic Irrigants against Enterococcus Faecalis

INTRODUCTION: It has been demonstrated that organic content of the root canals can influence the antimicrobial capability of chemical irrigants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA), as an organic material, on the antimicrobial activity of several intracanal irrigants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bactericidal activity of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) 17%, citric acid 10%, Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) 5.25%, Chlorhexidine 0.2% (CHX), Smear Clear and Cetrimide 0.5% were tested by means of dilution-neutralization method. Contact times were 10 and 30 seconds, 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes and 24 hours. First 950 λ of the medicament was mixed with 50 λ of the bacterial suspension in an Eppendorf test tube. The suspensions were thoroughly mixed. Sterile water served as negative controls. After each contact time, 100 λ of samples was transferred to the Eppendorf test tubes which contained neutralizers. After 5 minutes, 50 λ of serial dilutions were cultured on brain heart infusion agar and incubated in aerobic conditions. Then colonies were counted and reported as cfu/mL. In half of the samples, medicaments were suspended in BSA 0.5% 30 minutes before examination to assess its possible inhibitory effect on the antibacterial activity. RESULTS: NaOCl 5.25%, Cetrimide 0.5% and Smear Clear showed bactericidal activity within seconds after the incubation. BSA had no inhibitory effect on bactericidal activity of these three medicaments. CHX took 5 and10 minutes to kill all bacterial cells in the absence and presence of BSA, respectively. Citric acid and EDTA showed the least antibacterial activity. CONCLUSION: In this study, NaOCl 5.25%, Cetrimide 0.5% and Smear Clear were significantly more effective against E. faecalis than EDTA 17% and citric acid 10% in the presence and absence of BSA. Also, in the presence of BSA, bactericidal activity of CHX 0.2% against E. faecalis was significantly more than EDTA after 10 and 30 minutes of contact time. EDTA and citric acid showed the least bactericidal activity

Antihypertensive effect of Iranian Crataegus curvisepala Lind.: a randomized, double-blind study.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential antihypertensive effects of extracts of the flavonoid-rich Iranian flower, Crataegus curvisepala Lind., a member of the Rosaceae family. The hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves and flowers were studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine its effects. A total of 92 men and women with primary mild hypertension, aged 40-60 years, were selected and divided randomly into two groups, receiving either hydroalcoholic extract of C. curvisepala Lind

Effect of anti-inflammatory drug (Piroxicam) on the development of fatty streak and biochemical factors in cholesterol-fed rabbits

زمینه و هدف: با توجه به اینکه هنوز علت اصلی مرگ و میر در اکثر نقاط دنیا بیماریهای قلبی- عروقی است، پیشگیری و درمان این بیماریها با توجه به مکانیسم های جدید ارائه شده قابل توجه است. این پروژه با تکیه بر مکانیسم جدید بیماریهای عروقی مبنی بر یک بیماری التهابی در صدد یافتن ترکیبات خاص در پیشگیری از تشکیل و پیشرفت رگه های چربی (fatty streak) در آترواسکلروز بوده است. روش مطالعه: در یک مطالعه مداخله ای 20 خرگوش نر به مدت 14 هفته مورد بررسی قرار گرفتند. خرگوشها بصورت انتخابی در 4 گروه 5 تایی تقسیم شدند و همه این گروهها در ابتدا به مدت2 هفته تحت رژیم پایه قرار گرفتند. سپس، گروه اول تا پایان دوره تحت رژیم استاندارد، گروه دوم علاوه بر رژیم استاندارد، روزانه mg6 پیروکسیکام تزریقی دریافت کردند، گروه سوم تحت رژیم پرکلسترول و گروه چهارم علاوه بر رژیم پرکلسترول روزانه mg6 پیروکسیـــکام تزریقی دریافت کردند. در طـــی این دوره در دو نوبت (بعد از رژیم پایه و در پایـــان دوره) از خرگوشها جهت آزمایشات بیوشیمیـــایی مختلف از جمله کلسترول تام، لیپوپروتئین با دانسیته پائین (LDL)، لیپوپروتئین با دانسیتـــه بالا (HDL)، مالون دی آلدئید، قند خون ناشتا (FBS)، CRP (C-Reactive protein) کمی، تری گلیسیرید و ظرفیت آنتی اکسیدان خونگیری به عمل آمد. در پایان پس از اتوپسی، نمونه آئورت و کرونرهای راست و چپ مورد بررسی پاتولوژی قرار گرفت. نتایج: رژیم پرکلسترول در مقایسه با رژیم استاندارد باعث ایجاد fatty streakدر عروق کرونر و آئورت شد (0001/0

The Association between Hypertriglyceridemic Waist Phenotype, Menopause, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background: The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors increase after menopause, thus realizing that the effect of menopause on women's health is becoming ever more vital. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the menopausal effect on cardiovascular risk factors in elevated triglycerides (TG) and waist circumference (WC) phenotype, and to compare this phenotype among pre- and postmenopausal women. Method: A total of 4146 women were randomly selected for this study from three districts of Isfahan, Arak, and Najafabad in Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP). Anthropometric, physical, and biochemical factors were assessed using standard methods. All variables were studied based on the menopause status and the levels of TG and WC. Results: Twenty-five point three percent of the postmenopausal women and 9.5% of the pre-menopausal women were hyper-TG/WC phenotype; however, the highest percent (77.1%) belonged to high-WC women in the postmenopausal group. In comparison with the postmenopausal women, the premenopausal women were more physically active, with higher education level, but lower BMI, WC, waist to hip ratio, and less likely to be smoker. In postmenopausal women, biochemical factors including fasting blood sugar and lipid profiles were significantly higher than the premenopausal women. There was no significant difference for multivariate-adjusted means of cardiovascular risk factors for menopause in different phenotypes of the WC and TG groups after adjustment for age and BMI. Conclusion: Hyper- TG/WC phenotype was more prevalent in postmenopausal women and menopause is not independently associated with CVD risk factors

Awareness Level of Operating Room Nurses of Their Professional Tasks

Introduction: The awareness of the duties and responsibilities of operating rooms nurses is considered as a basis for systems monitoring and quality evaluation. Operating room nurses are supposed to be aware of their professional standards and achieve their functions following professional standards. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out based on the census and sampling with 143 operating room nurses working in nine training hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, and the reliability was assessed through Cronbach's alpha. Also, both face and content validity of the questionnaire have been checked by faculty members. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 19 with descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: In terms of preoperative responsibilities, 25.7%, 35.9%, and 38.3% of operating room nurses experienced the awareness levels of high, moderate, and weak, respectively. The awareness levels for 20.4%, 34.7%, and 44.9% of operating room nurses were evaluated as high, moderate, and weak, respectively. They were considering the post-operative responsibilities of operating room nurses, 32.3%, 32.3%, and 35.3% of operating room nurses who experienced the awareness levels of high, moderate, and weak, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicated that a vast majority of operating room nurses experienced a high level of awareness with respect to their responsibilities before, during, and after the operation. Nurses’ awareness of their mission, and management and official plans for promoting deficiencies in this regard could help promote health. Contextualized education on improving the quality of nursing services should be considered as a part of the training for OR nurses and suggested to investigate the awareness level of nurses and other treatment staff about the standards of their responsibilities in diverse sectors to perform suitable planning of tasks

The Effect of Aqueous Extract of Cinnamon on the Metabolome of Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria is responsible for estimated 584,000 deaths in 2013. Researchers are working on new drugs and medicinal herbs due to drug resistance that is a major problem facing them; the search is on for new medicinal herbs. Cinnamon is the bark of a tree with reported antiparasitic effects. Metabonomics is the simultaneous study of all the metabolites in biological fluids, cells, and tissues detected by high throughput technology. It was decided to determine the mechanism of the effect of aqueous extract of cinnamon on the metabolome of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro using 1HNMR spectroscopy. Prepared aqueous extract of cinnamon was added to a culture of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 and its 50% inhibitory concentration determined, and, after collection, their metabolites were extracted and 1HNMR spectroscopy by NOESY method was done. The spectra were analyzed by chemometric methods. The differentiating metabolites were identified using Human Metabolome Database and the metabolic cycles identified by Metaboanalyst. 50% inhibitory concentration of cinnamon on Plasmodium falciparum was 1.25 mg/mL with p<0.001. The metabolites were identified as succinic acid, glutathione, L-aspartic acid, beta-alanine, and 2-methylbutyryl glycine. The main metabolic cycles detected were alanine and aspartame and glutamate pathway and pantothenate and coenzyme A biosynthesis and lysine biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism, which are all important as drug targets

Cheese consumption in relation to cardiovascular risk factors among Iranian adults- IHHP Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: It is expected that dairy products such as cheeses, which are the main source of cholesterol and saturated fat, may lead to the development or increase the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; however, the results of different studies are inconsistent. This study was conducted to assess the association between cheese consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in an Iranian adult population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Information from the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP) was used for this cross-sectional study with a total of 1,752 participants (782 men and 970 women). Weight, height, waist and hip circumference measurement, as well as fasting blood samples were gathered and biochemical assessments were done. To evaluate the dietary intakes of participants a validated food frequency questionnaire, consists of 49 items, was completed by expert technicians. Consumption of cheese was classified as less than 7 times per week and 7-14 times per week. RESULTS: Higher consumption of cheese was associated with higher C-Reactive Protein (CRP), apolipoprotein A and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level but not with fasting blood sugar (FBS), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and apolipoprotein B. Higher consumption of cheese was positively associated with consumption of liquid and solid oil, grain, pulses, fruit, vegetable, meat and dairy, and negatively associated with Global Dietary Index. After control for other potential confounders the association between cheese intake and metabolic syndrome (OR: 0.81; 96%CI: 0.71-0.94), low HDL-C level (OR: 0.87; 96%CI: 0.79-0.96) and dyslipidemia (OR: 0.88; 96%CI: 0.79-0.98) became negatively significant. CONCLUSION: This study found an inverse association between the frequency of cheese intake and cardiovascular risk factors; however, further prospective studies are required to confirm the present results and to illustrate its mechanisms

The impact of Date Palm Pollen Capsule on Vaginal Iubrication and Dyspareunia In Menopausal Woman

Background & aim: Estrogen and androgen deficiency in menopause leads to poor vulvovaginal blood flow, vaginal dryness, and dyspareunia which can reduce the quality of life among the women. In this regard, this study investigated the impact of date palm pollen capsules on vaginal lubrication and dyspareunia in postmenopausal women. Methods: The present triple-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 ‌menopausal women aged 40-65 years, who referred to the health centers affiliated to the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, in 2015. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention and placebo (n=30), receiving date palm pollen and placebo capsules (350 mg, daily), respectively, for 35 days. The data were collected at two stages (at the baseline and after treatment) using the Female Sexual Function Index, a part of which evaluated vaginal lubrication and dyspareunia. Data analysis was performed in SPSS (version 16) using the independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and ANCOVA. Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups after the intervention in terms of vaginal lubrication (

Experiences of stigma in healthcare settings among adults living with HIV in the Islamic Republic of Iran

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>People living with HIV (PLHIV) sometimes experience discrimination. There is little understanding of the causes, forms and consequences of this stigma in Islamic countries. This qualitative study explored perceptions and experiences of PLHIV regarding both the quality of healthcare and the attitudes and behaviours of their healthcare providers in the Islamic Republic of Iran.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In-depth, semi-structured interviews were held with a purposively selected group of 69 PLHIV recruited from two HIV care clinics in Tehran. Data were analyzed using the content analysis approach.</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>Nearly all participants reported experiencing stigma and discrimination by their healthcare providers in a variety of contexts. Participants perceived that their healthcare providers' fear of being infected with HIV, coupled with religious and negative value-based assumptions about PLHIV, led to high levels of stigma. Participants mentioned at least four major forms of stigma: (1) refusal of care; (2) sub-optimal care; (3) excessive precautions and physical distancing; and (4) humiliation and blaming. The participants' healthcare-seeking behavioural reactions to perceived stigma and discrimination included avoiding or delaying seeking care, not disclosing HIV status when seeking healthcare, and using spiritual healing. In addition, emotional responses to perceived acts of stigma included feeling undeserving of care, diminished motivation to stay healthy, feeling angry and vengeful, and experiencing emotional stress.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While previous studies demonstrate that most Iranian healthcare providers report fairly positive attitudes towards PLHIV, our participants' experiences tell a different story. Therefore, it is imperative to engage both healthcare providers and PLHIV in designing interventions targeting stigma in healthcare settings. Additionally, specialized training programmes in universal precautions for health providers will lead to stigma reduction. National policies to strengthen medical training and to provide funding for stigma-reduction programming are strongly recommended. Investigating Islamic literature and instruction, as well as requesting official public statements from religious leaders regarding stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, should be used in educational intervention programmes targeting healthcare providers. Finally, further studies are needed to investigate the role of the physician and religion in the local context.</p