Journal of Advanced Biomedical Sciences
Volume:2 Issue: 4, 2012

An important cause of male infertility is the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract. These infections affect sperm cell function and whole spermatogenesis and also cause deterioration in spermatogenesis, obstruction of the seminal tract, and impairment of spermatozoa function. The most important bacteria associated with genitourinary tract infections include chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and genital mycoplasma species. Inappropriate or delayed therapy of the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract will lead to reduced fertility and, subsequently in severe cases, infertility. In other words, a good understanding of the interaction between bacterial infections and the reproductive system plays an important role in the treatment of infertile men. In this review article, we will discuss clinical and laboratory findings related to the bacterial infection of the genitourinary tract and its effects on male infertility.

Cancer is one of the principal causes of mortality in the modern world. There are different treatment methods available for cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. About 40% of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy during their illness for treatment or for local control or symptomatic palliation. In clinical radiation oncology, the final aim is to attain uncomplicated cancer treatment. The aim of treatment is to deliver a maximum radiation effect to a tumor or other lesions with minimal impact on the normal tissue. Significant technological advances like intensity-modulated radiotherapy have increased the possibility to shape the dose distribution to the target volume more favorably and thus spare a larger portion of the healthy tissues. In this review, the principles and applications of different cancer treatment methods are compared.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is a marker of T cell activation. ADA catalyzes the deamination of adenosine and modulates the bioactivity of insulin. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between ADA activity and various clinical and metabolic parameters, including fasting plasma sugar (FBS) and glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c), in gestational diabetes (GDM).

Fasting ADA activity, FBS, HBA1c, serum insulin level, and blood lipids were measured in 70 GDM patients and in 70 non-diabetic pregnant subjects. Insulin resistance was measured using a homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

ADA activity was increased in the GDM patients compared with that in the non-diabetic pregnant subjects (mean ± standard error, 13.9 ± 7.1 U/L vs. 9.6 ± 3.8 U/L; p value <0.0001). ADA activity was correlated with FBS (r=0.277, p value =0.001) and HbA1c (r=0.344, p value <0.0001). HOMA-IR was higher in the GDM patients than that in the non-diabetic pregnant subjects; however, no correlation was observed between ADA activity and HOMA-IR.

Our results show that ADA activity, as a marker of T cell activation, is increased in GDM. Serum levels of ADA activity are positively correlated with glycemic control.

Parasporin is a parasporal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis and exhibits special cytocidal activity against human cancer cells. Similar to other insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis crystal toxins, parasporin shows target specificity and damages the cellular membrane. In this study, different strains of Bacillus thuringiensis isolated from various regions of Iran and their cytocidal activity against CCRF-CEM cell line and human erythrocyte were investigated. Fifty soil samples were collected from different Iranian provinces, and characterization was performed based on protein crystal morphology by phase-contrast microscope and variations of Cry protein toxin using SDS-PAGE. After parasporin was processed with proteinase K, the active form was produced and protein activity on the cell line was evaluated. Parasporal inclusion proteins showed different cytotoxicity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (ALL), but not against normal lymphocyte. Isolated parasporin demonstrated no hemolytic activity against human erythrocyte. It appears that these proteins have the ability to differentiate between normal lymphocytes and leukemia cells and have specific receptors on specific cancer cell lines. Our results provide evidence that the parasporin-producing organism is a common member in Bacillus thuringiensis populations occurring in the natural environments of Iran.

Resistance patterns among nosocomial bacterial pathogens in hospitals may vary widely from country to country at any given point and within the same country over time. Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections. Therefore, surveillance of the antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii is necessary, especially in our country, where there is death of relevant data. This cross-sectional-descriptive study was performed on 63 MDR isolates of acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients in Fars province hospitals. After acinetobacter baumannii diagnosis with bacteriological standard tests, we determined their susceptibility to the following antibiotics via the antibiogram method (disk diffusion): cefoxitine; polymixin B; nalidixic acid; meropenem; tobramycin; imipenem; trimethoprim sulphametoxazole; ampicilin-sulbactam; azteronam; rifampicin; ceftazidim; gentamycin; cefotaxim; piperacillin; ciprofloxacin; streptomycin; amikacin; and polymixin B. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC (for imipenem and ciprofloxacin against acinetobacter baumannii isolates was determined using the serial dilution method according to the CLSI guideline. The percentage of acinetobacter baumannii isolates that were resistant to ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and meropenem in the serial dilution method was 77.7%, 40.9%, and 60%, respectively. High antimicrobial resistance in acinetobacter baumannii species was observed in the present study; therefore, it is necessary to implement some approaches for the prevention of bacterial spread.

Currently, Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen insofar as its hospital outbreaks have been described from various geographical areas. Since the discrimination of strains within a species is important for delineating nosocomial outbreaks, this study was conducted with the aim of genotyping the A. baumannii clinical strains in Tehran via the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method, which is the most accurate method used for the typing of bacterial species.

This study was performed on 70 isolates of acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients from Baqiyatallah, Rasoole Akram, and Milad hospitals in Tehran. Cultural and biochemical methods were used for the identification of the isolates in species level, and then susceptibility tests were carried out on 50 isolates of A. baumannii using the disk diffusion method. The PFGE method was performed on the isolates by Apa I restriction enzyme. Finally, the results of the PFGE were analyzed.

Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from hospitals in Tehran showed seven different genetic patterns, two of which were sporadic. Also, genotypic profiles were different in each hospital, and different patterns of genetic resistance to common antibiotics were observed.

A lthough diversity was observed among the strains of A. baumannii by the PFGE method in Tehran, no epidemic strains were found among them. Keywords:

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium responsible for one of the most prevalent infections found in humans worldwide. Considering the importance of this infection and its different prevalence in different regions of Iran, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari as a high-risk province. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 200 patients with dyspeptic symptoms referred to Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord. First, we applied the RUT and PCR assays to identify Helicobacter pylori-positive samples, and then performed SPSS software and statistical analyses to find the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and different kinds of diseases. Out of all samples, 82% were infected with Helicobacter pylori. According to the data, there was a significant relationship between sex, level of education, and pain and Helicobacter pylori infection, while there was no relationship between the bacterium and age, family size, occupation, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Given the increased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and its complications, health education and tight control of re-infection are recommended in patients.

Antibiotic resistance due to the widespread use of antibiotics is one of the major causes of failure in antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of antibiotic resistance among Escherichia coli isolates from Fasa Vali-e-Asr Hospital patients. In total, 234 isolates of Escherichia coli strains, obtained from inpatients and outpatients, were studied. The identity of the isolated strains was confirmed by bacteriologic methods. T he drug sensitivity definition test to 17 antibiotics was done via the disk diffusion antibiogram method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the resistant isolates to Ciprofloxacin and Imipenem was measured using the s erial dilution method according to the CLSI standards. The resistance rates of the isolates to Ciprofloxacin and Imipenem by disk diffusion antibiogram method were 22.65% and 11.11% and by serial dilution method were 19.66 % and 9.4% of all the isolates, respectively. These results show higher resistance of Escherichia coli to Ciprofloxacin and Imipenem as compared to the results in previous studies. Further investigation will shed light on how to more effectively battle antibiotic resistance of virulent microorganisms.

The widespread use of the pills of ecstasy has opened the floodgates to social damage. Severe kidney and liver damage as well amnesia and imbalance are some of ecstasy pills complications. This study evaluated the effect of these pills on the ovary and hormonal axis of pituitary-gonadal axis in rats.

Thirty-five female immature Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 7 rats, comprising control, sham, experimental 1, experimental 2, and experimental 3 groups. The control group did not receive any solvent or medication; the sham group received physiologic serum (0.2 cc) once daily for 14 days; and the experimental groups of 1, 2, and 3 received a solution (0.2 cc) once daily containing 0.5, 1, and 2 mg of medication for 14 days via intraperitoneal injection. Hormone measurement was done with the ELISA method. Ovaries were excised to prepare tissue sections and to investigate the number of ovarian follicles. The number of follicles was calculated via the physical dissector technique.

There was a statistically significant difference in body and ovary weight between the control group and the experimental group 3. Also, the number of primary and Graafian follicles decreased significantly. The results did not show a statistically significant difference between the three experimental groups and the control group in terms of FSH and LH hormones, but the rate of progesterone hormone had a meaningful increase.

Use of ecstasy pills exerted a destructive impact on the ovary and progesterone hormone.

Risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke increases with the number of the metabolic risk factors. In general, a person who has the metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes as someone who does not have the metabolic syndrome. High-calorie-diet rodent models have contributed significantly to the analysis of the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome, but their phenotype varies distinctly between different studies and maybe is not very similar to a model of the metabolic syndrome in humans. We sought to create a model in this study close to the disease in humans.

Twenty male, Wistar rats were randomly assigned to the high-calorie diet group with 416 calories per 100 grams (researcher made) or the control diet group for 12 weeks. Weight changes, lipid profile, glucose, insulin levels, and QUICKI index (an indicator of insulin sensitivity) were measured. Weight changes were compared using the repeated measures and the independent t-test, and serum factors were compared using the independent t-test.

There was a significant change in weight, glucose, insulin, and lipid profile except for HDL at the end of the study. The QUICKI index (0.34 ± 0.02 vs. 0.40 ± 0.01; p value <0.0001) suggested that insulin resistance had been created in the high-calorie diet group.

The present study demonstrates the ability to make diet-induced metabolic syndrome domestically.

Genetic background and blood groups are important factors in creating diabetes disease. The aim of the present study was to review the frequency distribution of blood groups in diabetic and non-diabetic patients and the relationship between blood groups and diabetes.

This cross-sectional study included 379 diabetic patients (325 cases with type II diabetes and 54 cases with type I diabetes) who had clinic files as the case group and 702 cases randomly selected as the control group from those having been proved non-diabetic in the compulsory marriage tests. Information was collected using a checklist, containing variables such sex, age, diabetes type, family history of diabetes, and blood type and Rh. All the study patients underwent blood type tests.

The mean age of the case and control groups was 51.74 and 24.68 years, respectively, and the mean diabetes duration in the case group was 8.5 years. The chi-square test demonstrated no significant differences between the case and control groups in terms of gender (p value = 0.49), blood type (p value =0.25), and Rh (p value =0.197); however, this test showed a significant difference between the case and control groups regarding the family history of diabetes (p value <0.001).

Some previously conducted research has confirmed the effect of blood types on diabetes. Our results, however, showed no significant relationship between diabetes and blood types.

The silver nanoparticles are important in many applications of nanoparticles on human health. The toxicity of silver nanoparticles are not well documented yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles on lactate dehydrogenase activity and histological changes in heart tissue. In this study, 40 adult male wistar rats of 220±20gr were divided in to five groups including control and four experimental groups. The latter groups were injected intraperitoneally spherical nano silver particles of 50, 100, 200 and 400 ppm respectively for five consecutive days. Then three, eight and twelve days after the last injection, blood samples were collected and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was assayed. Also, tissue samples from the heart muscle were prepared and studied after staining with Hematoxiline-Eosine. Data of LDH activity was analyzed by One way- ANOVA- test and P-value of ≤ 0.05 were considered as significant. The result showed that different concentrations of silver nanoparticles have no significant effect on the lactate dehydrogenase (p=0.192). T he histological study of the tissue after exposure to 400 ppm concentration of silver nanoparticles showed the start of primary apoptosis in heart tissue. The LDH activity was not changed significantly after exposure to different concentration of silver nanoparticles, which shows the safety of these particles on LDH activity.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease and is a multifactorial disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin secretion and insulin factional or both. In this study, the protective role of vitamin E and sodium selenite in preventing the harmful effects of insulin resistance (diabetes type 2) on spermatogenesis was studied. Male adults (180-200 g) of Wistar rats were divided into five groups, each containing 7 rats (control, sham, and three experimental groups). The rats were fed daily with water-soluble fructose (10%), mg/kg 200 of vitamin E (gavage), and 5/0 mg/kg of sodium selenite (intraperitoneal injection) or both for 110 days. Subsequently, sperm parameters, levels of testosterone, LH, and daily sperm production (DSP) were checked. Additionally, testicular histopathology and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the testis were examined. Sperm count, sperm motility and viability, and insulin resistance in the rats decreased DSP. A significant decrease was observed in the number of Leydig cells, spermatogonia, spermatogenesis, and spermatozoa in the testis of the insulin-resistant animals, whereas MDA and testosterone rose in the insulin-resistant rats. Vitamin E and sodium selenite intake reduced the levels of MDA and harmful effects of fructose on testicles, as well as sperm parameters and testicular pathology. A simultaneous intake of vitamin E and sodium selenite conferred the highest level of protection. These findings suggest that vitamin E and sodium selenite can have a protective role in the testes of rats against oxidative stress induced by diabetes type 2.