ARAK MEDICAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL (AMUJ)
Year:2015 | Volume:18 | Issue:8 (101)|Papers Count:13

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the important pathogens can cause infections in hospitals specially in intensive care units (ICU). It seems that nasal carriage is important risk factor for developing l infection at ICU units. This study was designed to investigate the frequency of S. aureus nasal carriage and its virulence in patients admitted to ICU units in Vali- Asr hospital at Arak university of medical sciences. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, nasal swab samples were obtained from all the patients hospitalized in ICU unit of Vali- Asr hospital from July-December 2014 at admission. After identification, methicillin resistance and the frequency of pvl and acme genes determined by PCR. Demographic data were collected using questionnaire and were analysed using SPSS 20 software.Results: Out of 390 patients, 81 (20.8%) and 31 (12.9) patients had been colonized with MSSA and MRSA, respectively. The result of culture was negative for 278 patients (71.3%). 77.4% of MRSA and 54.3% of MSSA isolates were positive for acme gene. Also, 11.11% of and 6.45% of MSSA MRSA isolates were positive for pvl gene.Conclusion: The application of medical supportive devices like cv line, ventilator, history of surgery operation and antibiotic use significantly was associated with S. aureus nasal carriage. High prevalence of S.aureus shows that these bacteria settled in the hospital. Hence, infection control measures must be performed to reduce the risk of hospital infection.

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as the occurrence of two or moreconsecutive pregnancy losses prior to 20th week of gestation. There are several leading causes of RPLincluding uterine anatomical defects, infections, genetic, immunological, and environmental factors.However, despite in a large number of cases no causes have been identified, therefore, it is introducedas idiopathic.Recent studies have implicated the role of miRNAs in endometriosis, preeclampsia, infertility andRPL. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association of miR-196a2C>T(rs11614913) with RPL in Iranian women.Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 183 Iranian women including 83 patientswith at least two unexplained consecutive pregnancy losses and 100 healthy controls with at least onelive birth and no history of pregnancy loss were investigated. Patients with recurrent pregnancy lossesdue to anatomic, hormonal, chromosomal, infectious, autoimmune, or thrombotic causes wereexcluded from the study group. Genotyping was performed using Tetra- ARMS PCR method.Results: Significant difference in distribution of miR-196a2 rs11614913 genotypes was foundin RPL patients in comparison to controls, with p value of 0.04 and odds ratio equal to 2.96 (95% CI: 1.03-7.03).Conclusion: The results of the present study provide evidence for association between geneticvariation in miR-196a2 and recurrent pregnancy loss. Further studies will be required to validate thesignificance of the studied genetic variation in diverse populations and its regulatory role on targetgenes.

Background: Today, environmental pollutants are one of the most important human problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the health belief model structures for promotion of preventive behaviors in pregnant women exposed to air pollution in Arak city in 2014.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 208 pregnant women referred to healthcare centers in Arak city were selected by multistage sampling and were studied. Data were collected by using a valid and reliable self- report questionnaire. The questionnaire included the demographic characteristics of the mother, the aspects of the HBM model, and the maternal practice checklist. Finally, the data were analyzed.Results: The mean age of subjects was 26.48±4.77 and the mean gestational age was 14.88±5.59 weeks. The highest level of education for pregnant women (47.1%) was a diploma. The mean practice score was 72.9 and among the structures, the highest and the lowest score was obtained for perceived susceptibility (83.25) and barriers (59.16), respectively. To predict the hehavior by using the HBM structures, regression analysis showed that of the studied variables, the external practice guides, perceived susceptibililty, and barriers are as behavior predictive predictive agents that totally, predicted 26% (R2=0.265) of behavior changes.Conclusion: According to the results of the study, the design of educational interventions should be based on the external practice guides, perceived susceptibility and barriers structures as the most important predictors of maternal behavior.

Background: Obesity is a complex, multifaceted disease resulting from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle backgrounds, and is associated with increased risk of diseases, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. MiRNAs have been reported to be associated with chronic diseases such as obesity. The present study is the first investigation that examines the possible association of rs2910164 polymorphism in mir-146a gene with overweight and obesity in Iranian women.Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 133 overweight, 75 obese and 173 healthy control women with normal weight. The rs2910164 polymorphism genotypes of mir- 146a gene were determined by the Tetra-ARMS PCR method. Also, logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between genotypes and obesity risk.Results: There was a significant association between GC (OR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1-3.3, p: 0.04) and CC (OR: 4.5, 95%CI: 1.6-12.6, p: 0.004) genotypes with susceptibility to obesity. In the dominant genetic model of the C allele (comparison between CC+GC vs. GG), CC+GC genotypes were associated with the risk of obesity (OR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.2-3.7, p=0.01).Conclusion: This study showed that mir-146a gene rs2910164 polymorphism is associated with obesity risk and the C allele may act as a dominant allele and increase the obesity risk in Iranian women.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in reducinng expulsive anger.Materials and Methods: This is a pre- test and post-test semi-experimental study with control group. The study population included 32 patients with expulsive anger that reffered to Amir kabir remedial education center based on psychiatrist diagnosis and were randomely divided into case (dialectical behavior therapy) and control group. The case group was educated the dialectical behavior therapy skills for 16 sessions from 2 until 2.5 hours at teamly. To collect data, the patients filled Eysenk expulsive questionnaire before and after intervention. Considering no necessary assumptions were fulfilled to conduct the multivariate analysis of covariance and variance, so, the univariate analysis of variance was used.Results: The results of variance analysis proved that dialectical behavior therapy significantly reduced expulsive angers.Conclusion: With due attention to the results, it can be said that dialectical behavior therapy leads to reducing expulsive angers in treated patients, thus, this method can be included in interventional programs for target groups in psychotherapy centers. Aslo, it helps to improve the life of patients by reducing expulsive angers.

Background: Hydatidosis is one of the dengerous zoonotic diseases that cause serious problems for human health, as well as major economic losses for livestock industry. Due to the nature of the parasite life cycle and also the structure of the cyst in human, the control of parasite in community is difficult and its treatment has faced with a major challenge. One of these challenges is inactivating the protoscolices for treatment purposes and preventing secondary cysts. Different chemicals have been used in the treatment of cyst that most of them had serious side effects for the patient. The aim of this study was investigating the scolicidal effects of some herbal extracts in vitro.Materials and Methods: Liver hydatid cysts were collected from slaughterhouse; the cysts fluid containing live protoscolex was aspirated aseptically and stored at 4oC until use. Three concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg per ml) of each extract (ginger and artemisia) prepared and protoscoleces placed into incubator at 37oC. The viability of the protoscoleces was determined by eosin staining method at the times 5, 10, 25, 40 and 60 minutes.Results: The methanolic extract of ginger at the concentration of 100 mg/ml leads to kill all of protoscoleces at 40 minutes. While the artemisia extract in none of investigated concentrations had not much effect on the protoscoleces.Conclusion: The study of animal models and complementary tests showed that methanolic extract of ginger can be used as an effective protoscolex for it has high activity.

Background: One of the important adaptations that occurs after exercise is increased capillary density or angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor, has a mitogenic role for endothelial cells and acts as an important intermediator in the process of angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two kind of endurance training on vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in healthy male rats.Materials and Methods: In this laboratory experimental study, 18 male Wistar rats at the age of eight weeks, with an average weight of 210.5±9.77g were selected and randomely divided into three groups (control (n=6), ET (n=6) and HIIT (n=6)). Aerobic continuous training was performed 5 days a week, totally in eight weeks for 30 minutes with 70-75% VO2max and high intensity interval training consisted of three periods (four minutes with 90 to100% VO2max and two minutes with 50 to 60% VO2max). Vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression was measured by real time- CR technique. To determine the significance of variables between these groups, one- way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests were used.Results: The results showed that the gene expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor were increased significantly (p=0.006, F=7.243) in intense aerobic continuous and interval training groups compared to control group. Changes in exercise groups compared with each other were not significant.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in both training groups caused pro-angiogenic function in endothelial cells and an increase in ratsVO2max following eight weeks training may be due to increased angiogenesis process. High intensity interval training may cause faster adaptations in the body of organism than aerobic continuous training.

Background: Constipation is a functional gastrointestinal disorder and the use of probiotics is considered as a new solution in prevention and treatment of constipation. The aim of this study is to review the clinical evidence about probiotics effects in the prevention and treatment of constipation.Materials and Methods: To review the accessible evidence about efficacy of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of constipation, the search of key words such as constipation, probiotic and yoghurt are conducted in databases Pubmed, Medlinplus and Cochran from 1980-2013 and of 49 articles about constipation, 16 yandomized controlled clinical trial articles and 3 pre-test and post- test randomized trials that investigated the effects of probiotics on constipation were included in this study.Results: Probiotics produced lactic acid and fatty acids with short chains that decrease the colon pH and stimulate muscular contractions and intestinal peristalsis. Some of probiotics can increase the mucous discharge and change linked bile salts to free bile salts entering much water to colon and leads to soft defecation.Conclusion: Considering studies, daily use of probiotics such as lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria lactic 105-1011 CFU/gr for at least 1-2 weeks can help to decrease constipation.

Background: Aflatoxins are known as the most important toxins which their consumption could cause acute poisoning and create carcinogenic effects. Moreover, previous studies demonstrated the ability of lactic acid bacteria to connect to aflatoxin in food material. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the native probiotic Lactobacillus para casei strains TD3 against toxicity induced by aflatoxin B1 in vivo.Materials and Methods: 24 wistar male rats (250±10 g) were divided into 3 groups including: one negative control group and two groups treated with aflatoxin (170 mg/kg) and Lactobacillus para casei strain TD3 isolated from Tarkhine with aflatoxin (109 cfu/day) for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the blood and tissue samples were collected for histopathological and biochemical tudies.Results: The results indicated that treatment with Aflatoxin leads to a significant increase in the amount of liver enzymes such as AST, ALP and also liver damages. Furthermore, the group that received Lactobacillus para casei strain TD3, the level of these enzymes was reduced and liver damages due to aflatoxin were improved.Conclusion: The present study showed that aflatoxin can lead to liver damages and native Lactobacillus para casei strain TD3 which isolated from Tarkhine, probably leads to protective effects by binding to aflatoxin. Thus, it is considered as a biologic agent to remove aflatoxin in vivo.

Background: Many of key problems in students with attention deficit disorder are related to executive dysfunction that in this field neurofeedback training and computer games are effective. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of neurofeedback training and computer games on continuous attention and planning ability in students with attention deficit disorder.Materials and Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post- test design and with a control group. The statistical population was included all elementary students with attention deficit disorder that referred to counseling centers of Mashhad city in 2013. Totally, 45 students were selected through available sampling method and randomly assigned to three groups. The experimental groups were educated 12 sessions of 60 minutes by neurofeedback and computer ames methods. To assess continuous attention and planning, the CPT and Tower of London computerized tests were used, respectively. Data were analyzed by using the SPSS-19 software and multivariate analysis of covariance (MONCOVA) methods.Results: The findings showed that both methods of neurofeedback training and computer games significantly lead to increase continuous attention and planning in students with attention deficit disorder. Also, there wasn't any significant difference between two methods in continuous attention and planning (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that neurofeedback training and computer games methods were effective in improving continuous attention and planning for students with attention deficit disorder. Therefore, counselors and therapists can use mentioned methods in treatment of students with attention deficit disorder.