Archives of Advances in Biosciences
Volume:7 Issue: 1, Winter 2016

Today’s tissue engineering is an important and interesting method of treatment in bone lesions; hence, tissue engineering specialists and orthopedic surgeons are forced to serve as a safe alternative to current methods. The introduction of a scaffold that has the best efficiency is a major challenge to scientists and researchers in this field. The aim of this study is to investigate the polyaniline (PANI) influence on biocompatibility of Polyethersulfone (PES) nanofibrous scaffold. Fabricated scaffold was structurally characterized using SEM microscope and tensile assay. To investigate biocompatibility of nanofibers by MTT assay and DAPI staining, human mesenchymal stem cells were seeded on the surface of PES, PES-PANI and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) as control. SEM images demonstrated that the scaffolds were flat and the average diameters of the nanofibers were 286 ± 588. Moreover, the results of MTT assay and DAPI staining revealed that the highest proliferation rate of cells was observed in PES-PANI scaffold compared to the PES and TCPS as control. It can be concluded that PANI improves the three-dimensional structure of PES nanofibers and increases the biocompatibility of PES through support proliferation and penetration of MSCs in the PES nanofibers and can also be a good candidate for introduction and use in the bone tissue engineering application.

Metallo β-lactamases (MBLs) producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolates are becoming an escalating global threat. Among the antibiotics used to treat infections associated with P. aeruginosa, resistance to carbapenem is a serious therapeutic challenge. The aim of the present study was to detect MBL-producing P. aeruginosa and to evaluate the extracts of Urtica. dioica, Carum. copticum, and Zataria multiflora on these clinical pathogens. The study was performed on hospitalized burn patients during 2014. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was assessed by broth micro dilution and disc diffusion methods. The MBLs were detected using combination disk diffusion test (CDDT) phenotypically. Then, PCR and sequencing methods were carried out to detect the MBL encoding genes. Among 83 imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa strains, 48 (57.9%) isolates were MBL-producing P. aeruginosa. PCR and sequencing methods confirmed that these strains were blaIMP-1 positive genes, whereas none were positive for blaVIM genes. Hospitalized burn patients with MBL-producing P.aeruginosa infection had 4/48 (8.3%) mortality rate. It was demonstrated that C. copticum, U. dioica, and Z. multiflora extracts had significant antibacterial effects on regular and IMP-producing P. aeruginosa strains. The prevalence of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates in burn patients is generally very high. All MBL-producing strains encode the blaIMP-1 gene. Therefore, detection of MBL-producing strains has major importance in identifying drug resistance patterns in P. aeruginosa and in controlling of infections. In the current study, the extracts from C. copticum, U. dioica, and Z. multiflora had high antibacterial effects against β-lactamase producing P. aeruginosa isolates

Farsi and English are both Indo-European languages with similarities in their roots. As such, this experiment was conducted to understand which English accent (i.e. American, British or Australian accents) would be easier for Iranians to adapt. To answer this question, 30 medical students performed three different activities of (I) listening to audio texts in three accents, (II) taking part in an oral interview and (III) completing an attitude questionnaire. The activities examined comprehensibility of the accents the participants were subjected to, type of accent they themselves produced and their attitude toward the accents under study. As for the audio texts, the order of presenting the three accents to the subjects was counterbalanced in order to control the order effect. The data on audio materials were analyzed for comprehensibility, accentedness, intelligibility and acceptability. Regarding comprehensibility, American accent was the most comprehensible (85%). Considering accentedness, intelligibility and acceptability, the participants found American accent the least accented (70%), the most intelligible 80% and the most acceptable (95%). In the interviews, student's accents were closer to the American accent. 85 percent of the participants used American accent in their conversational exchanges. Those with British and Australian accents formed 10% and 5% respectively. Regarding attitude, also, the participants mostly (90%) preferred American accent over the British or Australian accents. Student's tendency to adapt American accent more openly is mainly rooted in a mentality that American accent is easiest for the brain to digest.

University theses and dissertations are among those credible sources of information which, with regard to their given status of value, and the use of update resources using the international regulations and standards, can be perfect sources for optimal recovery of information and can increase the scientific credibility. This study reviews the accordance of the Pharmaceutical theses of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and the University of Tehran with the ISO 7144 standards: 2008-2012. 765 pharmaceutical theses of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and the University of Tehran at both general and specialized levels were studied, using an analytical method. Data collection was based on the checklist prepared according to ISO 7144 standards. The comparisons were performed based on the t-test, using SPSS software. The results manifested that the theses done at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences adhered more to the ISO standards compared to the University of Tehran. The study also revealed that the mean score of the adherence to the standards of ISO has been more in specialized theses than the general ones. Moreover, it suggests that, due to their scientific and practical nature, theses are among the most important sources, and therefore, the manner through which the data is inserted, is of utmost importance. The accordance of the studied theses of both general and specialized themes in both universities to ISO 7144 standards is below the %50 of the desired standard and has a long way to go to reach the desired status.

Menorrhagia is one of the most common gynecological problem and leading causes of poor quality of life and iron deficiency anemia in women of reproductive age. Research in gynecological field relies heavily on repeated measure designs. Repeated measure studies are helpful in understanding how factors of interest change over time. Our goal is to apply statistical methods which are appropriate for analyzing repeated measure data such as gynecological data. Three statistical methods were performed by data collection from 100 patients with menorrhagia. One-hundred patients were randomly assigned to two groups, i.e. intervention group (Urtica Dioica and mefenamic acid) and control group (placebo and mefenamic acid) with an equal size of 50. In this study, generalized estimating equations (GEE) and mixed effects models (MEM) were used for analyzing menorrhagia data to determine the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica Dioica on Menorrhagia. Finally, these methods are compared to the conventional repeated measures ANOVA (RM-ANOVA).
Based on the results, the three methods are found to be similar in terms of statistical estimation, the amount of bleeding before and after treatment between and within groups was compared. Results showed the average amount of bleeding was reduced significantly (P˂0/001). The average menorrhagia score in the third month (second cycles after intervention) were 91.38(71.432) and 149.40(127.823) in Urtica Dioica and control groups, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p =0.036). Because their advantages, GEE and MEM should be strongly considered for the analysis of repeated measure data. In particular, GEE should be utilized to explore overall average effects. When in addition to overall average effects, subject-specific effects are of primary interest, MEM should be utilized. With respect to these methods, it seems the extract of Urtica Dioica can be effective in reducing the amount of menstrual bleeding in women of reproductive age with Menorrhagia.

Hydatid disease is caused by the larva of Echinococcus granulosus parasite. Mebendazole (MBZ) is used as an alternative choice for the treatment of the disease. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is an essential enzyme in amino acid metabolism. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of MBZ on AST activity of hydatid cyst parasite in order to detect enzymatic parameter for drug efficiency. In the present study, AST activity was estimated in the extracts of untreated parasite (hydatid cyst protoscolices) and treated samples by MBZ (100 μg final concentration). Samples’ protein quantity and quality were detected by Bradford and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) methods respectively. For the purpose of determining the significant difference between the two independent samples, t-test was conducted. The values of the assayed AST specific activities of treated and untreated parasite samples were measured as 0.18 and 1.53U/ml/mg protein respectively. The difference between AST activities mean values of the two groups proved to be significant (P

Delivery of exogenous materials such as nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, and drugs into cells is an important strategy in modern cellular and molecular biology. Recently, the development of gene carriers for efficient gene transfer into cells has attracted a great attention. Furthermore, lack of effective drug delivery is one of the major problems of cancer chemotherapy. Many physical methods have been studied to enhance the efficiency of gene and drug delivery. These strategies help to cross the materials from membranes including needle injection, photodynamic therapy, jet injection, gene gun, electroporation, hydrodynamic injection, laser, magnetofection, and tattooing. The physical systems improve the transfer of genes from extracellular to nucleus by creating transient membrane pores using physical forces including local or rapid systemic injection, particle impact, electric pulse, ultrasound, and laser irradiation. The recent optimization techniques of transdermal patches could improve the transdermal drug delivery through the skin. Among different physical carriers, electroporation and gene gun are the most potent methods for gene transfection and drug delivery in vivo. However, the researchers have focused on enhancing their potency with the structural modifications. Regarding to numerous barriers for biomolecules delivery in cells, this review is concentrated on description and optimization of different physical delivery systems for gene or drug transfer across membrane.