مجله دانشکده پزشکی اصفهان
پیاپی 260 (هفته دوم دی ماه 1392)

Leukocytes form the major immune cells protect the body against foreign agents and pathogens. Hardiness is personality characteristic known as the most important factor in modulatoring the negative effects of stress on immune system. Various clinical studies have confirmed the relationship of this character with psychological and body health. However, no remarkable investigations carry out the relationship between hardiness and immune cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of hardiness (and its subscales) with immune system cells among pharmacy students of Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Iran. In this descriptive-correlational study, 62 students exposed to comprehensive exam of basic sciences were randomly selected. The instrument was Cobasa questionnaire to evaluate the hardiness personality characteristics and its subscales (commitment, challenge and control). Blood samples were collected from students for analysis of immune cells including WBC count and its subgroups using hematology test (CBC method) and also percentage of T-cell subpopulations and CD56 NK (natural killer) cells by flow cytometry technique. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation test. There was a significant positive correlation between hardiness and CD4+ T-cells, CD4/CD8 and neutrophil levels (P < 0.05 for all), while there was a significant negative correlation between hardiness and the percentage of CD8+T cells and eosinophil (P < 0.05). It seems that individuals with high hardiness may have stronger and more balanced immune system to cope with injurious factors.

Crigler-Najjar syndrome is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by unconjugated, non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia. The disease is caused by mutations in the UGT1A1 gene, which result in the decrease or lack of the UGT1A1 enzyme activity and thus, lack of bilirubin conjugation with glucuronic acid. Molecular diagnosis of the syndrome has been essentially based on direct mutation analysis. However, due to a large number of mutations associated with the disease, direct mutation analysis is expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, indirect analysis of mutations using linkage analysis by means of polymorphic markers is proposed. Several polymorphic markers associated with the UGT1A1 gene have been studied.

Using bioinformatic analysis of these markers, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4148326 with the C/T sequence, located at 5' region of the gene was selected. Analysis of the marker was performed by genotyping of 186 unrelated healthy individuals in the Isfahanian population, Iran, using tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (Tetra-Primer ARMS PCR) technique. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using the GENEPOP software.

The heterozygosity of rs4148326 the marker was 62.9% and the allele frequency for T and C allele was 66.94% and 33.06%, respectively. Analysis of deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium demonstrated that the Isfahanian population was in equilibrium (P < 0.001) for rs4148326 locus.

The data suggested that rs4148326 could be introduced as an informative marker for molecular diagnosis of Crigler-Najjar syndrome in a representative sample of the Iranian population.

Dental caries is a worldwide health problem involving almost all age groups in underdeveloped as well as developed countries. So for no considerable progress achieved in the disease prevention, so new preventive/thrapeutique measures are urgently needed. Probiotic bacteria and their biproducts, like biosurfactants, are cost-effective with no considerable side effects for dental caries prevention. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of biosurfactants purified from Lactobacillus casei (ATCC39392) and Lactobacillus reuteri (DSM20016) on ftf and gtf B/C gene expression level of the standard strains of streptococcus mutans (ATCC35668). Lactobacillus species purchased from the bacterial collection center of Iran. For biofilm production, microtiter plate assay in presence of 1% glucose was used. For biosurfactant production, lactobacillus species were cultured in MRS broth medium, dialyzed and lyophilized using freeze-dryer. To evaluate the effects of biosurfactant on gene expression, bacterial cells were cultured in presence of the appropriate biosurfactant (2.5 mg/ml); after four hours incubation, total cellular RNA was then extracted and used for cDNA synthesis. Expression of ftf and gtf B/C genes of the standard strains of Streptococcus mutans (ATCC35668) was considerably down regulated by the application of the biosurfactants. The reduction in gene expression was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Considerable down regulation of all genes in presence of biosurfactants was observed. Therefore, it is concluded that the biosurfactants prepared in this study is very successful in dental caries prevention.

Quality of life is of the most important outcomes measured in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The Lupus Quality of Life (LupusQoL) questionnaire is designed to specifically assess quality of life in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate validity and reliability of the Persian version of this questionnaire in Iranian patients.

LupusQol questionnaire was translated to Persian using the standard forward-backward translation method. Patients were asked to fill out the questionnaire. Cronbach`s alpha for the whole questionnaire and its 8 domains was measured. For construct validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity were evaluated. Also, known group validity was assessed by evaluating the correlation between quality of life and factors such as age, physical activity, concomitant diseases, disease activity and damage.

Seventy two patients with SLE with mean age of 36.7 ± 10.2 years were enrolled in this study. Cronbach`s alpha for the questionnaire was 0.94 and varied from 0.8 to 0.94 for the domains. The correlation coefficient of each item with its domain was more than 0.4 in all domains of LupusQol (convergent validity) and was more than the correlation of each item with other domains (discriminant validity). There was a significant correlation between age, physical activity, number of concomitant diseases and disease damage and most of the domains of the questionnaire (Correlation coefficient from 0.2 to 0.4).

The psychometric characteristics of the Persian version of LupusQol questionnaire are acceptable in Iranian population and this instrument can be used to evaluate quality of life in patients with SLE.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common infections in community and hospitalized patients. Irrational consumption of antibiotics and creation of drug resistance make the treatment of these infections more difficult. Hence, determination of antibiotic resistance pattern is necessary to manage the treatment correctly; this was the main purpose of the present survey.

This was a retrospective and cross-sectional study with targeted community of 2566 hospitalized patients with heart diseases in Tabriz Shahid Madani Cardiovascular Hospital, Iran, during 2009-2010. Urine cultures were studied for type of microorganisms and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. The gathered data were analyzed.

Out of 2566 urine cultures, 479 cases (18.7%) were positive for pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts). Three hundred and forty eight (72.3%) patients were women and 131 (27.7%) were men. Mean age was 61.0 ± 18.6 years. Enteric gram-negative rods were the most frequent agents of UTI in different units of the hospital. Among isolated microorganisms, the highest susceptibility [306 cases (64%)] was reported for amikacin. Three hundred and twenty four cases among of all bacterial UTI (79%) were community-acquired infections. In addition, the laboratory had not followed reference guideline in reporting antibiotic susceptibility test results and performing antibiogram test for Staphylococcus aureus.

We suggest amikacin for treatment of UTI in this hospital. Also, disobeying laboratory guidelines may impact treatment outcome and prevalence of antibiotic resistance in this medical center.