Molekularna karakterizacija i otpornost na antibiotike bakterije Clostridium perfringens izolirane iz trupova goveda i ovaca u klaonicama Shiraza u južnom Iranu

Clostridium perfringens type A food-borne poisoning is often caused by C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) encoded by chromosomal cpe. Contamination of meat with C. perfringens usually leads to food poisoning outbreaks. To find more information regarding the causative agent, we focused on the identification of type A containing cpe and netB genes in cattle and sheep carcasses slaughtered at Shiraz slaughterhouse and investigated the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant plasmid in isolated C. perfringens. 200 specimens were randomly collected by swabbing the whole outer and inner surface of the carcasses, and processed for selective culture on sulfadiazine polymyxin sulphate agar (SPS). The suspected colonies were further identified using species-specific primers as to confirm the presence of the cpa, cpe, netB and tetracycline and enrofloxacin gene resistance patterns. Our results demonstrated that out of 90 and 70 colonies of the positive cultures from cattle and sheep samples, respectively, 40% and 35.7% of the suspected colonies were identified as C. perfringens type A by PCR assay. Moreover, from those type A isolates, only 1 (2.7%) isolate was positive for both cpe and netB genes in the cattle carcasses. The MIC values also showed high tetracycline resistance patterns for cattle (45.8%) and sheep (92.3%) while all of the PCR positive C. perfringens type A isolates were susceptible to enrofloxacin. The high prevalence of C. perfringens in slaughtered animals with a high rate of resistance to tetracycline implies the need for caution in the use of antibiotic in food animals.Trovanje hranom uzrokovano bakterijom Clostridium perfringens tipa A često uzrokuje C. perfringens enterotoksin (CPE), kodiran kromosomskim cpe. Kontaminacija mesa s C. perfringens obično uzrokuje otrovanje hranom. Da bismo doznali više informacija o uzročniku, iz trupova goveda i ovaca zaklanih u klaonicama Shiraza, identificirali smo tip A koji sadržava gene cpe i netB. Osim toga, u izoliranim bakterijama C. perfringens utvrdili smo prevalenciju plazmida rezistentnih na antibiotike. Obriskom cijele vanjske i unutarnje površine nasumično odabranih trupova, prikupljeno je 200 uzoraka koji su obrađeni selektivnom kulturom na sulfadiazin-polimiksin sulfatnom agaru (SPS). Sumnjive kolonije dodatno su identificirane primjenom specifičnih početnica kako bi se potvrdila prisutnost gena cpa, cpe, netB te gena za otpornost na tetraciklin i enrofloksacin. Naši su rezultati pokazali da je PCR analizom od 90, odnosno 70 kolonija pozitivnih kultura iz uzoraka goveda i ovaca, njih 40 %, odnosno 35,7 % identificirano kao C. perfringens tipa A. Štoviše, iz izolata tipa A dobivenih od goveđih trupova, samo je jedan izolat (2,7 %) bio pozitivan i za gene cpe i za netB. MIC vrijednosti također su pokazale visoku razinu otpornosti na tetracikline kod goveda (45,8 %) i ovaca (92,3 %), dok su svi PCR pozitivni na C. perfringens tipa A bili osjetljivi na enrofloksacin. Visoka prevalencija bakterije C. perfringens kod zaklanih životinja zajedno s visokom stopom otpornosti na tetraciklin upućuje na potrebu za oprezom u primjeni antibiotika kod životinja koje služe za ljudsku hranu

The Effect of Listening to the Quran Verses on the Happiness of Girl Students of Junior High School in Borujen

Background: Happiness among students can enhance school performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of listening to the Quran verses on the happiness of female students of a junior high school in Borujen, Iran. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, all students of the 2nd grade of the Distinct Governmental Junior High School in Borujen, Iran, were included by census sampling method. Data were collected by the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire completed by the students. Then, the verses of Hashr sura recited by Mahmoud Minshavi were replayed for one week. After this, the questionnaires were completed by the students again. Finally, the data were analyzed by paired t-tests using SPSS 15. Results: In this study, 92 girl students of Junior High School with an average age of 13.57±0.49 were included. The average score of happiness before and after listening to the Quran verses were 60.39±10.69 and 67.58±14.30, respectively. The scores of happiness significantly increased (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings show that Quran recitation probably increases the happiness of the students. Therefore, by planning to have Quran recitation in schools, the level of students’ happiness can be increased

Comparing the positive results of carpal tunnel syndrome surgery in two groups of patients with and without splint

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition in which the median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel is compressed. Then, gradual paralysis occurs. This study aimed to compare patient outcomes after surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome in both groups with and without splint. Methods: This study was conducted in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in Kashani hospital during 2011. 64 patients underwent surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome were selected and randomly divided into two groups of 32. For the first group, splints were considered after the surgery and for the second group, as the control group, splint was not given. Patients within 3, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery were followed and healing in the sense of motion and pain based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) measures were examined. Findings: Sensory conflict scores at the 3rd and 6th weeks in the group with splint were higher than the group without it; but, 12 weeks after the treatment, the results were identical. In any cases, motor involvement was not seen. At the 3rd week after the treatment, the mean pain score in the group without splint was higher than with splint group. The results of the 6th week after the treatment in both groups were almost identical; but, at the 12th week after the treatment, changes in pain intensity was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.97). Conclusion: Splinting after the surgical release of the median nerve probably causes a delay in the recovery of sensory, motor and pain; but due to the effect of material of used splint, the result is still uncertain and further broader interventions needs to be done in this regard

Comparison of the Effect of High and Low Doses of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) in the Management of Infantile Spasms

Introduction:Infantile spasmscan have irrecoverable adverse effects on a child’s brain. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is the most common first line medication for its treatment; however, the suitable dose and duration of treatment continue to be debated among specialists. The common high doses of this drug can produce more side effects; thus, lower doses are preferred. The aim of this study is to determine the effect and extent of complicationscaused by high and low doses of ACTH for children suffering from infantile spasms.Materials and methods:This study is a clinical trial in which 32 infants from 1.5 and 18 months of age suffering from infantile spasms were divided into high and low dose ACTH groups. Treatment lasted for two months. The therapeutic effects and their complications were then compared over the course of 18 months.Results:The results indicate thatthere were no significant differences between groups for short-term prognosis of controlling convulsions, final prognosis of patients for spasm relapse, EEG changes after treatment, post-treatment evolution and development of hypertension. However, there was a significant difference in the frequency distribution for intensity of restlessness and becoming Cushingoid, which were more frequent in the high dose group.Conclusion:These results indicate that high and low dose ACTH are equally effective in terms of controlling spasms, yet the low dose brings about fewer side effects

Maternal and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women with different polycystic ovary syndrome phenotypes: A cross-sectional study

Background: Pregnancy is a process associated with various metabolic and hormonal changes, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can affect this process. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women with different polycystic ovary syndrome phenotypes. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 pregnant women with PCOS according to the 2003 ESHRE/ASRM criteria were categorized into four phenotype groups (A-D). The maternal outcomes include gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertension, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, small-for-gestational age birth, intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine mortality, preeclampsia, abortion, amniotic fluid disorders, delivery method, and cause of cesarean section were studied between groups. Additionally, neonatal outcomes such as neonatal weight, neonatal recovery, 5-min Apgar score, neonatal icter, the need for NICU admission, the cause of hospitalization, and infant mortality rate were investigated and compared among the groups. Results: According to the results, phenotype D (37%) was the most common phenotype among the participants. The risk of gestational diabetes was more common in phenotype A than in the other phenotypes, whereas pregnancy-induced hypertension was most common in phenotype B. No significant differences were observed in the neonatal complications among the PCOS phenotypes. Conclusion: Considering the higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy-induced hypertension in PCOS phenotypes A and B, women with these phenotypes need more precise prenatal care. Key words: Pregnancy outcome, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Phenotype, Pregnancy

Outcome of cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer in the GnRH agonist versus antagonist protocol

Abstract Background: GnRH agonist and antagonist were developed to control the premature release of LH surge. There is some difference between two protocols. Objective: We compared the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer in infertile women who used GnRH agonist or antagonist protocol for previous COH cycle and evaluation of any adverse effect of GnRH antagonist on oocyte and embryo. Materials and Methods: The study group included all infertile women who referred to Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility. Overall 20-35 years old women who were candidate for frozen-thawed embryo transfer with regard to inclusion and exclusion criteria were participated in the study. The patients based on previous control ovarian stimulation (COH) protocol divided in to two groups: GnRH agonist long protocol (n=165) and GnRH antagonist multiple dose protocol (n=165). Frozen-thawed embryos were transferred after endometrial preparation in both groups. Main outcome measures were: implantation, chemical and clinical pregnancy rate. Results: The implantation and clinical pregnancy rate following cryopreserved embryo transfer in GnRH agonist group and antagonist group were 16.3% vs. 15.7% (p=0.806) and 38.1% (63/165) vs. 36.9% (61/165) (p=0.915) and chemical pregnancy rate was 44.8% (74/165) vs. 43.6% (72/165) (p=0.915) respectively. Conclusion: There was no statistically difference between two groups in terms of implantation and pregnancy rate. Although pregnancy rate in fresh embryo transfer in antagonist cycles was lower than agonist groups, Therefore decrease in these parameters might be due to detrimental effect of GnRH antagonist on the endometrium, not embryo or oocyte