Saliva Secretion and Efficacy of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication in Peptic Ulcer Patients

Objective: It has been noted that the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)in the oral cavity may affect the outcome of eradication therapy. This condition is associated with the recurrence of gastric infection. The optimum secretion of salivapromotes oral health consequently influencing H. pylori eradication. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between salivary secretion and the efficacy of H. pylori eradication from the stomach.Materials and Methods: Forty five patients with gastric H. pylori infection were enrolled in this study. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection was confirmed by endoscopy,biopsy, urease test and histological examination. Salivary secretion of all participants was determined under standard condition before the beginning of antibacterial treatment. Then the patients were treated with a 14-day course anti-H. pylori regimen consisting of amoxicillin, omeprazole, metronidazole and bismuth. The efficacy of eradication therapy was evaluated 4 weeks after the end of the treatment course. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the variables.Results: The median of salivary secretion among successful and unsuccessful H. pylori eradication groups was 0.48 ml/min and 0.24 ml/min, respectively (p=0.005).Conclusion: Although the type of drug regimens is challenging, the efficacy of H. pylori eradication from the stomach might be reduced by lower salivary secretion

The effect of mathematical skills training in teaching physics on promoting task value and minimizing educational burnout among high school grade twelve students

Background and Objectives: The educational Burnout and task value are among the most important variables in the field of education. Educational burnout refers to feeling of tiredness in doing tasks and study, as well as a pessimistic Attitude to education and curriculum and a feeling of inadequacy. The task value is one's perception of tasks and its importance, which includes the components of interest, importance, and usefulness. Research has shown that these two variables can affect academic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of training math skills in physics education on improving the task values and reducing the educational Burnout of 12th grade students. In this regard, the present study aimed to compare students with and without training math skills in physics education in terms of the educational Burnout and task value. Materials and Methods: The present research method was a quasi-experimental design as a pre-test-post-test with a control group. In this study a sample of two classes with 36 students from the 12th grade math-physics students from the statistical community of students of the District 1 of Tabriz was selected in the first semester of the 2018-19 academic year. The students in this study were selected by Targeted Sampling and then randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. Students in the experimental group were exposed to math skills training for 8 sessions and the control group received traditional training over the same period. The training math skills in physics education package has been prepared by physics teachers and reviewed and approved by professors in the field of education and physics at the university. This package included justifying students about training math skills and their applications in training physics concepts such as vector analysis in physics, linear function and its application in physics, Quadratic function and its application in physics ،Tangents and slope. Both groups were evaluated before and after the study by educational burnout and task value questionnaires. The obtained data were analyzed using covariance method. Findings: The results of study showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of their educational burnout. Students who had math skills training in physics education demonstrated lower educational burnout in compare with control group. The results also showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in the task value. The results show that students who have been taught math skills show a higher task value. Conclusion: The results of the research confirm the effect of teaching math skills in physics education on improving the task values and reducing educational burnout of students.The results can be used in the field of education. In this regard, it is suggested that in order to improve the task value and reduce academic burnout and consequently to improve academic outcomes, the teaching math skills in physics education should be considered. The study did not examine burnout subscales.  In future researches, it is suggested that the effect of teaching math skills on physics education on the subscale of academic burnout be examined.   ===================================================================================== COPYRIGHTS  ©2020 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.  ====================================================================================

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Punica Granatum Peel Extracts Against Oral Pathogens

Objective: Punica granatum has been used for many years in folk medicine due to several purposes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of methanolic extract of Punica granatum peel (MEPGP) against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Actynomyces viscosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Candida albicans.Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, the mentioned oral organisms were cultured in blood agar and mueller-hinton media and then paper disks containing MEPGP at concentrations of 4 mg/ml, 8 mg/ml and 12 mg/ml were inserted on medias. The antimicrobialactivity was evaluated by agar disk diffusion method. The effects of three different concentrations of MEPGP against microorganisms were compared using one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests.Results: All concentrations of MEPGP had antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S.epidermidis. Only at concentration of 8 mg/ml and 12 mg/ml MEPGP was effective against L. acidophilus, S. mutans and S. salivarius. Furthermore; no concentrations ofMEPGP inhibited A. viscosus and C. albicans.Conclusion: This study suggests that MEPGP might be used as an antibacterial agent in controlling oral infections

Influence of various dietary fat sources on freezing capacity of Moghani ram semen

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of protected fish oil (FO) and Persia fat® (PF) on the quality of Moghani ram semen. For this purpose, a total of 96 ejaculates were collected from 12 healthy mature Moghani rams, which were divided into three distinct groups (n = 4) and were assigned to one of three experimental diets. The first group (control) received a diet supplemented with palm oil (PO), while the second and third groups received encapsulated FO and PF, respectively. After primary evaluation, semen samples of each group were pooled to eliminate individual differences, and then evaluated for semen concentration and volume. Afterwards, the samples were diluted with a Tris-based extender and frozen with a standard protocol. After thawing, motion kinetics, viability, membrane functionality and abnormality were assessed. The results showed that the group that received FO had significanty higher viability (quadratic), progressive motility (PM) (%), average path velocity (VAP) (μm/s), curvilinear velocity (VCL) (μm/s) (linear), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) (μm) (quadratic) and sperm concentration (linear) than the others. Additionally, total motility (TM) (%) and straight-line velocity (VSL) (μm/s) were significantly higher in the groups that received FO and PF compared with the control (quadratic) The results indicated that sperm abnormalities in the control group were significantly higher than the other groups. In conclusion, enrichment of the diet with FO or Persia fat could enhance ram sperm quality after freeze-thawing process.Keywords: fish oil, frozen spermatozoa, ram, motion parameter

Parkinson's disease candidate gene prioritization based on expression profile of midbrain dopaminergic neurons

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. The pathological hallmark of the disease is degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Genetic association studies have linked 13 human chromosomal loci to Parkinson's disease. Identification of gene(s), as part of the etiology of Parkinson's disease, within the large number of genes residing in these loci can be achieved through several approaches, including screening methods, and considering appropriate criteria. Since several of the indentified Parkinson's disease genes are expressed in substantia nigra pars compact of the midbrain, expression within the neurons of this area could be a suitable criterion to limit the number of candidates and identify PD genes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this work we have used the combination of findings from six rodent transcriptome analysis studies on the gene expression profile of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and the PARK loci in OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) database, to identify new candidate genes for Parkinson's disease.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Merging the two datasets, we identified 20 genes within PARK loci, 7 of which are located in an orphan Parkinson's disease locus and one, which had been identified as a disease gene. In addition to identifying a set of candidates for further genetic association studies, these results show that the criteria of expression in midbrain dopaminergic neurons may be used to narrow down the number of genes in PARK loci for such studies.</p

Study on physico-chemical characteristics of Azad dam reservoir (Sanandaj) in order to fisheries activities

Dam reservoirs have important rules in aquaculture and fish farming in many countries. In this regard, water samples of Azad Dam reservoir (Sanandaj) were collected at five stations from July 2015 to June 2016. Then, the results of 18 physico-chemical parameters were compared with the aquaculture standards and thresholds. Results showed that thermocline and oxycline was started from June and they vanished in December. Maximum level of thermal and oxygen stratified were registered during August and June, respectively. Mean of the most physico-chemical parameters were significantly different between surface and bottom layers (T-Test, p<0.05). Mean of temperature, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, total hardness, pH, total suspended solid, total dissolved solid and nutrients were in range of standard threshold of different countries. As a result, based on physico-chemical parameters and with proper management decision, the dam reservoir could be considering suitable for standard pattern of aquaculture activities

Nosocomial infection in an Iranian neonatal intensive care unit: Hospital epidemiology and risk factors

Background: Hospital-acquired infection is one of the main concerns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), leading to increased mortality, hospital stay, and costs. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of hospital-acquired infection in NICUs. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted in the NICU of Ali Asghar Children Hospital for one year. All admitted newborns were sampled on a simple basis. The criteria for the diagnosis of hospital-acquired infection were based on the definitions of the CDC and the NNIS system. Risk factors such as days of fully catheters usage, nurse-to-patient ratio, history of surgery, prematurity, and mechanical ventilation were considered as variables. The data collection tools consisted of a patient information questionnaire, the monthly report of the hospital infection control committee based on the NNIS system, a daily schedule of all risk factors for each infant, and the monthly nurse-to-patient ratio in the NICU. The STATA software was used for data analysis. Results: In our study, 654 newborns were enrolled. The rate of hospital-acquired infections was 13.5. Moreover, 80.7 of the cases exhibited sepsis (72.7 diagnosed based on clinical findings and 8 based on positive blood culture). Statistical analysis showed 9 pneumonia cases, 8 surgical site infection cases, and 2.3 urinary tract infection cases. The average time to the occurrence of hospital-acquired infection was 13.5 days after admission. All risk factors were significantly higher in the infected group than in the control group (P = 0.0001). Furthermore, surgical interventions were significantly more in the infected group than in the non-infected group (34.1 vs. 6.7, respectively, P = 0.0001). The prevalence rates in different weight ranges (less than 1000 g, 1001 to 1500 g, 1501 to 2500, and above 2501 g) were 2.6, 6.9, 21.4, and 69.1, respectively, in the infected group, which were significantly different from those of the non-infected group (P = 0.0001). The most common etiologic microorganism was Acinetobacter baumannii. Conclusions: Factors such as surgery, the presence of a central venous catheter, and the increased length of hospital stay significantly increased the hospital-acquired infections. Reducing invasive procedures, maintenance of full catheters, and providing optimal nursing care can help control hospital-acquired infections. © 2020, Author(s)

A comparison of the professional qualifications among teachers graduated from Farhangian University, former Teacher Education Centers and other universities

Background and Objectives:In the ideals proposed by experts for education systems in the twenty-first century, the teacher is mentioned as the fulcrum of any change. Competence is a set of knowledge, skills and abilities of a particular job that makes a person successful in performing tasks. In recent educational research, the term professional competence is used to describe the specific prerequisites that teachers need to succeed in their work. It is assumed that this professional competence can be learned and taught. Professional competence includes having professional knowledge as well as motivational and emotional aspects. Professional knowledge is divided into different types such as content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and pedagogical-psychological knowledge. A teacher's competence refers to his or her ability to adequately meet the demands and requirements of the teaching profession, using an integrated set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that manifest in the teacher's performance and response. Based on the growth model of teachers' professional competence, the psychological characteristics of the teacher seem to play an important role in gaining learning opportunities. In addition, it has been suggested that beyond specific subject knowledge, more aspects of the teacher, such as teachers' beliefs and motivational and emotional characteristics, are important prerequisites for educating and motivating students. The aim of this study is to investigate professional qualifications among teachers graduated from Farhangian University, former Teacher Education Centers and other universities. Methods: The method of the study is causal-comparative. The sample was comprised of 210 teachers in three groups that graduated from Farhangian University, former Teacher Education Centers and other universities such that the groups were similar in demographic factors. All subjects assessed by teacher professional qualifications questionnaire. The results of two-way analysis of variance show that teachers’ professional qualifications in three groups are different. Findings: The results of the cognitive qualification show that Farhangian University’s graduates have the best state. In management qualification, the difference between Farhangian University’s graduates and former Teacher Education Centers’ graduates is not significant but this difference is significant when other universities’ graduates are considered. Attitude qualification difference is not significant between the groups. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the professional competence of teachers is significantly different. The cognitive competence of Farhangian University graduates is higher than other graduates. Graduates of teacher training centers also have higher cognitive competencies compared to graduates of other universities. In terms of managerial competence, the graduates of Farhangian University have not shown a significant difference with the graduates of teacher training centers, but they are in a better position compared to the group of graduates of other universities. In this case, the difference between former teacher training graduates and other universities is not significant. In attitudinal competence, the difference between groups of teachers is not significant, meaning that these three categories have equally developed attitudinal competence in their graduates

MiR-144: A new possible therapeutic target and diagnostic/prognostic tool in cancers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and non-coding RNAs that display aberrant expression in the tissue and plasma of cancer patients when tested in comparison to healthy individuals. In past decades, research data proposed that miRNAs could be diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer patients. It has been confirmed that miRNAs can act either as oncogenes by silencing tumor inhibitors or as tumor suppressors by targeting oncoproteins. MiR-144s are located in the chromosomal region 17q11.2, which is subject to significant damage in many types of cancers. In this review, we assess the involvement of miR-144s in several cancer types by illustrating the possible target genes that are related to each cancer, and we also briefly describe the clinical applications of miR-144s as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in cancers