ARAK MEDICAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL (AMUJ)
Year:2016 | Volume:19 | Issue:4 (109)|Papers Count:13

Background: The efflux pumps are one of the main mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics in E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains. The aim of this study is to study the association between genes coding efflux pumps AcrAB and Qep A and ciprofloxacin resistance among E. coli and K. pneumoniae clinical strains.Materials and Methods: This study was done on 100 strains of E. coli isolated from Taleghani and Labbafinejad Hospitals and 100 strains of K. pneumoniae isolated from Taleghani and Mofid Children Hospitals. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by disk diffusion method based on CLSI guidelines. Identification of genes encoding efflux pumps Acr AB and Qep A was done by PCR technique.Results: In this study, fosfomycin and imipenem had the best effect against E. coli clinical isolates and fosfomycin and tigecycline had the best effect against K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. PCR assay demonstrated that the prevalence of AcrA, AcrB and QepA genes among E. coli isolates were 92%, 84% and 0%, respectively and among K. pneumoniae isolates were 94%, 87% and 4%, respectively.Conclusion: The prevalence of genes encoding efflux pumps in E. coli and K. pneumonia clinical strains, which causes resistance to fluoroquinolones, is cause for concern. Therefore, controlling infection and preventing the spread of drug-resistant bacteria needs to manage medication carefully and identify resistant isolates.

Background: Considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in females with OCD and its impact on marital satisfaction, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sexual function and marital satisfaction in a group of female OCD patients.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 36 females with OCD, referred to the clinic of Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital (related to Tehran University of Medical Sciences) and 3 private offices in Tehran, were selected by random sampling and completed questionnaires including: demographic questionnaire, FSFI, BDI-II, MOCI, OCI-R and researcher-developed marital satisfaction questionnaire.Results: 80.6% of women reported sexual dysfunction. The results of studying sexual function questionnaire subscales was as following: 50% low sexual desire, 58.3% low sexual arousal, 36.1% decreased lubrication, 44 % orgasmic disorder, 52.8% sexual pain disorder and 41.7% sexual dissatisfaction. Furthermore, statistically significant correlation was found between sexual dysfunction (total score and arousal, lubrication, pain and satisfaction subscales) and marital dissatisfaction. Studying the relation between obession(MOCI questionnaire) and marital satisfaction revealed that the correlation between washing subscale of MOCI and marital dissatisfaction was also significant while there were not any significant correlation between obsession (OCJ-R, MOCI) and sexual function (FSFI).Conclusion: High prevalence of sexual dysfunction in OCD patients, significant relationship between obsession and marital satisfaction, and sexual function and marital satisfaction could demonstrate relationship between sexual function, OCD and marital satisfaction.

Background: Irisin is a new myokine that exerts its positive effects via increasing energy expenditure. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of submaximal aerobic training on serum irisin level and irisin- related insulin-resistance change in obese men.Materials and Methods: In this study, 26 obese men were selected as statistical sample and they were divided into experimental groups. Former group (13 men) consisted of subjects who carried out exercise training with 50-60 percent of maximum max heart rate for 10 continuous weeks (3 sessions per week for 30 to 45 minutes in each session). Later group was consisted of subjects who do not carried out exercise training. After the interventions of study, irisin serum levels, insulin resistance indices, body composition and maximum oxygen consumption were determined. Finally, data were analyzed by Stata software.Results: Statistical data analysis illustrated that the amounts of irisin serum were significantly increased in exercise training group than control group (14.75±6.22; p=0.022) after the intervention. Also, only body fat percentage (1.242±0.57) and max oxygen consumption (1.509±0.328) of subjects were significantly increased (p=0.034 and p=0.0001, respectively). However, there were not statistically significant changes in irisin- related insulin-resistance indices (p>0.05).Conclusion: Current study presented that serum irisin was increased after 30 submaximal exercise training sessions regardless of insulin resistance changes in obese men.

Background: Boredom is a psychological phenomenon that was defined as an aversive state or incompatibility with every repetitive experience while the release of stability is not allowed. Boredom has several complications. So, the goal of this study is to compare the predictors of boredom in students of Arak University of medical sciences and Islamic Azad University.Materials and Methods: The current descriptive-comparative study has been done on966 students (from Arak University of medical sciences and Islamic Azad University). The scale of current study was a checklist list of demographic information, predictors of boredom assess questionnaire, Farmer and Sundberg’boredom proneness scale. Data were analyzed by using chi-square, Pearson correlation, multivariate regression, and Fisher'sz.Results: The greatest number of students from both universities have normal boredom without a statistically significant difference between male and female students (p=0.06). University factor had the highest average between students. Totally, boredom had a significant correlation with each of the home (p=0.000) and society (p=0.001) factors. All three factors including home (p=0.033), university (p=0.033) and society (p=0.031) can explain and predict boredom in male and female students.Conclusion: The results showed that university factor was the most important factor for predicting boredom between college students. Thus, in order to avoid adverse effects of boredom on students educational activities, this phenomenon and its causes should be considered.

Background: chitin and its derivates microparticles (MPs) have immunomodulatory activities. In this study, we examined the effect of size, purity and acetylation degree of chitin MPs on CHID1- encoding SI-CLP, involved in inflammation- gene expression in mixed leukocyte culture.Materials and Methods: Small (<40) and medium(40-70 m) sized chitin MPs were prepared by sonication, and they were used in treatment of leukocyte mixed culture in comparison with chitosan and also shrimp shell small-sized MPs. Neutral red uptake assay and microscopic examination of apoptosis were used to assess cytotoxicity of MPs. Finally, following cell treatment with MPs (100 mg/mL) for 48h, expression levels of CHID1 gene were determined by Real Time PCR.results: Different concentrations of chitinous MPs hadn’t any cytotoxic effects. In gene expression analysis, small-sized chitin MPs (<40 m) resulted in down regulation of CHID1 gene expression (p=0.004), while other MPs didn’t change it significantly.Conclusion: Size, purity and acetylation degree of chitin MPs influence their interference in immune cells interactions and it seems small-sized chitin MPs can potentially modulate immune responses through decreasing CHID1 gene expression. Using small-sized chitin MPs may be effective to treat allergies which their treatment strategies rely on modulating the immune responses.

Background: Mental health is an important aspect of health and the World Health Organization defines health as "full physical, mental and social welfare, and not merely the absence of disease". Given that 79 percent of the health education focused on physical aspects, in fact, the most focus is on biological parameters of people to measure their health. So we need a valid questionnaire to measure mentally and physically the health of people in the research community.Materials and Methods: The Holistic Wellness Model reflects that the researches is done on health which is different in variant cultures perspectives.102 managers and officials of Islamic Azad University of Arak participated in this studyin 2014 and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were analyzed using the software SPSS20.Results: 102 people were enrolled in this study, 74 males (72.5%) and the rest were female. Cronbach' Alpha coefficient for the entire questionnaire was 0.93. In all six aspects which reviewed, the correlation between all questions and its perspective was measured by using Spearman test. There was a significant positive correlation among all the questions and the related aspects.Conclusion: The Persian version of physical and mental health questionnaire, based on the Holistic Wellness Model, is suitable to assess the health of people. Also, validity and reliability is appropriate.

Background: Nef is one of the HIV-1 critical proteins, because it is essential for viral replication and AIDS disease progression and induction of immune response against it can partially inhibit viral infection. Moreover, a domain of the HIV-1 Trans-Activator of Transcription (Tat, 48-60 aa) could act as a cell penetrating peptide (CPP). In current study, cloning and expression of Tat- Nef fusion protein was performed in E. coli for the first time. The protein expression was confirmed by western blot analysis and was purified using reverse staining method.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, primarily, cloning of Tat-Nef fusion gene was done in pGEX6p2 expression vector. Then, the expression of Tat- Nef recombinat protein in E.coli BL21 (DE3) strain was performed by using IPTG inducer. The protein expression was confirmed by SDS- PAGE and western blotting using anti-Nef monoclonal antibody. Then, the recombinant fusion protein was purified from gel using reverse staining method.Results: The results of PCR analysis and enzyme digestion showed a clear band of ~ 726 bp in agarose gel indicating the correct Tat-Nef fusion cloning in pGEX6p2 prokaryotic expression vector. In addition, a 54 kDa band of Tat-Nef on SDS-PAGE revealed Tat-Nef protein expression that western blot analysis using anti-Nef monoclonal antibody confirmed it.Conclusion: The purified Tat-Nef recombinant fusion protein will be used as an antigen for protein vaccine design against HIV infection.

Background: Biofilm formation is one of the pathogenicity factors of Staphylococcus aureus that can help the bacteria to stick to the other surface and also increase antibiotic resistance pattern. This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic indices for formating biofilm in Staphylococcus aureus isolates isolated from infectous samples.Materials and Methods: 250 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from hospital infections were selected. Antibiotic resistance pattern was determined by using disk diffusion method. The ability of biofilm formation was investigated by molecular and phenotypic method.Results: In this study, 73.5% of isolates were able to bind strongly, 5.33% had the ability of medium connection and 15.4% had the ability of weak connection in biofilm production. The frequency of icaC and icaB genes were 67.3% and 63.2%, respectively. 92.2% of biofilm producing isolates have mecA gene.Conclusion: The spread of antibiotic resistance in isolates especially isolates that produce biofilm will create serious problems in the hospital therapeutic wards.

Background: Endurance training can lead to tissue damage and destruction by creating oxidative stress. But, it seems that exhaustive and endurance swimming indicated different results with each other. The purpose of this research was to compare two kinds of endurance swimming training on levels of LDH, CK and MDA in male Wistar rats.Materials and Methods: 18 male Wistar rats with 12 weeks old, weighting 250 to 300 g, were randomly divided into three groups (6 in each): 1) endurance swimming (EN), 2) exhaustive swimming (EX) and 3) Control (C). Both groups swam for 1 h/d and 5 d/w for 10 weeks. Swimming duration in EX groups was increased progressively by fiveth weeks, by 30 min/week, reaching 3 h/d by final 3 weeks of traninig protocol. In this duration, C group didn't receive any intervention. One dayafter the end of training protocol, blood samples of rats were obtained on vena cava. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) was measured with DGKC method and malondialdehyde (MDA) through reaction with TBA. Results were analyzed using the one- way ANOVA followed by a Tukey test. Significant level was 0.05.Results: EN groups significantly increased the levels of CK compared with EX and C groups (p=0.001), when indicated significantly lesser levels of MDA than C group (p=0.011). But, no significantly difference observed in the levels of LDH.Conclusion: It seems that endurance swimming creates more muscle damage, while were generates lesser lipid peroxidation.

Background: This essay reports a case about tissue defect of heel due to melanoma excision.Patient history: The patient was a man 60 years old with a heel ulcer that had reported malignant melanoma in biopsy. Then the ulcer was done under wide local excision.Materials and Methods: We should use flap for tissue defect coverage that tendon and heelbone are exposed from it. It seems using skin graft is not useful, because skin graft in persistent contact with shoes will get chronic ulcer. Among different flaps (sural flap or medial plantar flap), wedecided to use medial plantar flap. The advantage of this flap is its sensority and low volume.Conclusion: Conclusion with due attention the results, The meial planter flap, as an efficient method, is adviced to teconstruct heed specially after excision of melanoma.