Abstract

       Background and objective: Peroxidases catalyze protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. The activity of these enzymes in nerve cells is involved in causing disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This study investigated the effect of Citrus aurantium, Foeniculum vulgare and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils on activity of peroxidase enzyme.

      Methods: All three medicinal plants were dried at room temperature. Their essential oil was extracted by steam distillation using a Clevenger apparatus. Optimal reaction conditions were determined in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and guaiacol as substrate and hydrogen donor, respectively. Enzyme kinetics of zucchini peroxidase were evaluated by increasing the amount of essential oils in optimal reaction conditions. Enzyme reaction rate for each of the essential oils and the K_m and V_max values were determined.

      Results: The results indicated concentration-dependent effect of the extracted essential oils on enzyme kinetics at optimum temperature of 50 °C and optimal pH of 6.5. The essential oil of Citrus aurantium had non-competitive inhibitory effects on the enzyme with K_m of 6.25 mM, while the enzyme’s V_max significantly reduced by increasing the concentration. Foeniculum vulgare showed mixed inhibition effect with K_m of 7.14 mmol per 20 μl of the essential oil, but had a decreasing effect on the V_max in smaller amounts. Finally, Rosmarinus officinalis showed activating effects by reducing the K_m to 4-5.88 mM.

        Conclusion: The essential oils of Citrus aurantium and Foeniculum vulgare are inhibitors of the peroxidase enzyme and can be further studied as natural herbal medicines.

ABSTRACT

       Background and Objective: The association of Triglyceride/High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio with fasting serum insulin, which is an alternative method of insulin resistance (IR) measurement, is well-recognized. Thus, the measurement of TG/HDL-C ratio is useful to determine both IR and dyslipidemia, which itself is a characteristic of individuals with IR. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between TG/HDL ratio as an indicator of IR, with different fasting blood glucose levels.

      Methods: This case-control study was performed on 343 volunteers with no history of diabetes or use of blood glucose-lowering medications and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels of less than 126 mg/dl. After sampling, the subjects were divided into three groups based on their FBS level. First group included healthy subjects with FBS of less than 100 mg/dl. Second group consisted of subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and FBS of 110-100 mg/dl and a third group including those with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and FBS of 110-125 mg/dl.

       Results: The amount of TG/HDL-C ratio was 3.8 ± 2.8, 4.0 ± 2.1 and 5.4 ± 3.8 for the healthy group, individuals with IFG and IGT, respectively. The TG/HDL index was significantly different among the tested groups with no significant difference between healthy subjects and subjects with IFG. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between the IGT and IFG groups with healthy individuals.

       Conclusion: Considering the significant increase of the TG/HDL ratio in groups with impaired glucose, using this index can be helpful in evaluation of glycemic disorder.

  

Background and Objective: Considering the increasing tendency of public towards green consumption and the dangers of artificial additives, this study aimed to assess antibacterial activity of essential oils of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Mentha piperita L., Zataria multiflora Boiss and Thymus vulgaris against three important pathogenic and spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Erwinia carotovora and Escherichia coli).

• After obtaining the essential oils from Magnolia Co., their antimicrobial activity was assessed using broth microdilution method by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50, MIC90) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). All experiments were performed in triplicate and the data were analyzed using the GraphPad software and Duncan's new multiple range test.
• All essential oils showed antimicrobial activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Increasing the concentration of essential oils from 0.01% to 4% (v/v) significantly enhancing the antibacterial activity. The statistical calculations and comparison of data showed that the essential oils of C. zeylanicum and Z. multiflora performed better compared to  the other two essential oils, due to having lower values of MIC50 (≤0.1%), MIC90 (≤0.4%) and MBC (≤1%) (P <0.05).
• Considering the high antimicrobial activity of essential oils of C. zeylanicum and Z. multiflora, they can be used as effective food additives with fewer side effects. However, further studies are being conducted on the effectiveness of essential oils on the growth of other microorganisms and their results will be published soon.
• Essential Oils, Antimicrobial, Pathogenic Bacteria, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Zataria Multiflora Boiss.

ABSTRACT

        Background and Objective: Nutritional factors and activation of inflammatory pathways are thought to be involved in pathogenesis of preeclampsia in pregnant women. The present study aimed to compare the serum levels of vitamin D and interleukin-6 in healthy pregnant women with those of preeclampsia ones.

        Methods: This case-control study was performed on 120 healthy pregnant women and 120 women with preeclampsia referred to Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah. The serum levels of vitamin D and IL-6 were measured by ELISA method. The data was analyzed by SPSS software (version 20) using independent t-test, the P-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

        Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean level of vitamin D in the patients (37.64 ± 29.50 ng/ml) and the controls (40.06 ± 33.20 ng/ml). the serum level of IL-6 in patients with preeclampsia (21.71 ± 32.24 pg/ml) was significantly higher compared to that of  control group (15.04 ± 28.6 pg/ml) (P <0.001).

       Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, inflammatory factors and cytokines such as IL-6 can be considered as risk factor for preeclampsia. However, more studies with larger sample sizes are required to further evaluate the association of vitamin D levels and risk of preeclampsia.

           Keywords: Pregnancy, Pre-Eclampsia, Vitamin D, Interleukin-6.

ABSTRACT

         Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of mortality worldwide. Several risk factors have been proposed to be associated with CVD. The main risk factors include family history, smoking, hypertension, history of diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity. However, new factors have been recently proposed to be associated with CVD. These include blood homocysteine, fibrinogen, plasma factor VII activity, lipoprotein (a) and several other factors. Nowadays, the role of homocysteine in the development and exacerbation of several diseases has been demonstrated. Extensive studies have been performed on the role of homocysteine in diabetes, preeclampsia, depression, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. Homocysteine level increases with age. Moreover, absorption of micronutrients, especially vitamin B12, decreases in old age that could cause a further increase in homocysteine level. On the other hand, elasticity of blood vessels decline with aging, and increased levels of homocysteine accelerate atherosclerosis. The sum of these processes highlights the role of homocysteine in the development and exacerbation of several diseases.

         Keywords: Homocysteine, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Preeclampsia, Depression, Alzheimer's Disease.

ABSTRACT
        Background and Objectives: The unfavorable lipid profile in obese individuals is associated with high incidence of various diseases including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, etc. Dieting for weight loss and physical activity are among the most important factors affecting the serum lipid profile. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of diet with and without physical activity on body mass index and serum lipid profile of obese women.
      Methods: This clinical trial was performed in 2011 on 39 obese women referred to a weight loss and nutrition counseling center. Subjects were randomly divided into an active group (diet and exercise) and inactive group (diet without exercise). Blood sampling was done before the intervention and two months after the intervention. Data was analyzed using SPSS-16 and t-test.
       Results: Mean level of triglyceride reduced significantly in both groups. Mean level of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein decreased significantly only in the active group. The Mean level of high-density lipoprotein in the two groups had no significant difference.
Conclusion: The results indicate that dieting for weight loss along with short-term physical activity improves serum levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, but does not affect serum HDL level.
        Keywords: Diet, Exercise, Triglyceride, Cholesterol, LDL, HDL.

ABSTRACT
            Background and Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that affects different groups of people, especially intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The prevalence of infections caused by this bacterium is very high. Today, prevalence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extreme-drug resistant (XDR) strains is increasing. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of A. baumannii isolates from ICU patients.
            Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2014 to March 2015 on patients admitted to ICU of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran, Iran. Clinical samples of various sources were collected from patients. Isolates were detected and identified via microbiological and biochemical tests as well as PCR amplification of the bla_Oxa51 gene. Then, susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (version 22, Chicago, IL, USA) using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.
            Results: Of the total of 62 clinical samples, 24 (39%) were respiratory samples and only three (6%) were cerebrospinal fluid samples. Most MDR and XDR strains were isolated from respiratory samples. The highest resistance rate was against ceftriaxone, ticarcillin and erythromycin (100%), while the lowest resistance rate was against to minocycline (20%).
            Conclusion: Owing to detection of high multi-drug resistance isolates in the present study, and importance of multi-drug resistance in A. baumannii, the identification of multi-drug resistance genes and their reporting to health care/treatment centers is important. Thus, it is recommended to perform susceptibility testing to help determine the most effective antibiotic(s) for the treatment of infections in ICU patients.
            Keywords:  Acinetobacter baumannii, MDR, XDR, ICU.

ABSTRACT
           Background and Objectives: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common X-linked disorder of human erythrocytes in which cells are susceptible towards hemolytic changes and could be destroyed by peroxides. Extracts of Ilex spinigera and Gleditsia caspica leaves have excellent free radical scavenging activity. We investigated the protective effects of these extracts against hemolysis induced by some drugs in G6PD-deficient erythrocytes.
           Methods: Blood samples were collected from males with and without G6PD deficiency. Hemolysis induced by aspirin, phenylhydrazine hydrochloride and phenacetin was assessed in the presence and absence of the extracts. The amount of released hemoglobin was determined by reading absorbance at 540 nm.
           Results: The methanol extract of G. caspica had significant protective effects against phenacetin-induced hemolysis in G6PD-deficient human erythrocytes (P<0.05). However, the I. spinigera extract had no significant anti-hemolytic effects on these cells.
           Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the extract of G. caspica could be a potential drug with antioxidant and anti-hemolytic properties for patients with G6PD deficiency.
           Keywords: Antihemolytic activity, Medicinal plant, G6PD deficiency, Gleditsia caspica, Ilex spinigera.

ABSTRACT
             Background and Objectives: The emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Shigella spp. is becoming a health concern worldwide. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic resistance pattern and frequency of bla_CTX-M, bla_SHV, and bla_TEM genes among Shigella isolates from patients in hospitals of Tehran, Iran.
             Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 52 non-repeated Shigella strains were isolated from hospitalized patients in Milad, Emam Khomeini and Shariati hospitals in Tehran (Iran) from November 2015 to December 2016. Bacterial identification, serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed according to the standard guidelines. The bla_CTX-M, bla_SHV, and bla_TEM resistance genes were identified using multiplex polymerase chain reaction.
             Results: Among 52 Shigella isolates, S. sonnei (44.2%) was the predominant species, followed by S. flexneri and S. dysenteriae (23%). Over 67% of the isolates were multidrug resistant. The highest rates of resistance were observed against cefalotin (67.3%), tetracycline (67.3%), amikacin (63.5%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (48.1), and ampi­cillin (42.3%). The lowest resistance rate was against ciprofloxacin (1.9%). We detected the bla_TEM and bla_CTX-M genes in 61.5% and 19.2% of the isolates, respectively. However, the bla_SHV gene was not detected in any of the isolates. In addition, 16.4% of the isolates harbored the bla_TEM and bla_CTX-M genes simultaneously. Ciprofloxacin was the most effective antibiotics according to the ESBL genes distribution.
             Conclusion: Our findings indicate the high prevalence of multidrug resistance and ESBL genes in Shigella isolates, which elucidates the need for appropriate infection control measures for limiting the spread of resistant strains.
             Keywords: Shigella, Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction, Drug Resistance.

ABSTRACT
             Background and Objectives: Emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains could complicate antipseudomonal chemotherapy. Dissemination of resistance genes, such as β-lactamases encoding genes by horizontal gene transfer can lead to development of multi-drug resistance in P. aeruginosa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the latest resistance patterns in MDR and XDR strains and evaluate Ambler class A β-lactamase gene distribution in P. aeruginosa clinical isolates.
             Methods: One hundred molecularly and biochemically identified P. aeruginosa strains isolated from different clinical specimens were tested for sensitivity to 17 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. PCR was performed to detect bla _TEM-1, bla _SHV-1, bla _REP-1 and bla _VEB-1 genes. Results were analyzed using SPSS and NTSYSpc softwares. 
             Results: Based on the results of antibiogram, the highest rate of resistance was observed against amikacin (100%), aztreonam (83%), ceftazidime (55%), cefepime (55%) and netilmicin (48%). In addition, the frequency of MDR and XDR isolates was 95% and 5%, respectively. The bla_SHV-1, bla _TEM-1, bla _PER-1 and bla _VEB-1 genes were detected in 31%, 24%, 13% and 10% of the isolates, respectively.
             Conclusion: Antibiotic resistance to β-lactam antibiotics and frequency of β-lactamase genes were relatively high in the study area. We also found that a significant proportion of XDR strains with different antibiotic resistance profile is isolated from tracheal specimens.
             KEYWORDS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Beta-Lactamase, Multidrug Resistant, Extensively Drug Resistant.

ABSTRACT
           Background and Objective: Strongyloides infection is usually asymptomatic in healthy individuals; however, immunocompromised patients are subject to potential hyperinfection involvement. Hereby, we report disseminated and hyperinfection strongyloidiasis in two immunosuppressed patients from north of Iran, an endemic region for Strongyloides stercoralis.
           Case description: After assessment of clinical symptoms, disseminated strongyloidiasis            was identified in the first case with pemphigus vulgaris by the presence of abundant larvae in direct stool smears and gastric biopsy. The second patient had metastatic carcinoma and was hospitalized with complicated symptoms. The infection was diagnosed by detection of numerous first-stage larvae in wet mount stool smears and agar plate analysis. Despite antiparasitic treatment, both patients died during the hospitalization.
           Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis of active strongyloidiasis in immunosuppressed patients can lead to hyperinfection syndrome. Thus, screening for S. stercoralis infection in these patients is recommended in endemic regions to reduce mortalities.
           Keywords: Strongyloides stercoralis, Disseminated strongyloidiasis, Hyperinfection.

ABSTRACT
             Background and objectives: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to global public health. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the most important contributing factors to development of antibiotic resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify and discover new compounds against drug-resistant microorganisms. We have previously synthesized new series of 3-substituted 5H-(1,2,4)triazolo(3',4':2,3) (1,3,4)thiadiazino(5,6-b)quinoxaline derivatives (4a-4f). Here, we evaluate the antimicrobial activity of these derivatives against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, S. aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei.
             Methods: The agar well diffusion and agar dilution methods were used for determining inhibition zone diameter and minimum inhibitory concentration during preliminary evaluation of antimicrobial activity.
             Results: All synthesized compounds exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity against the tested microorganisms.
             Conclusion: Our findings indicate the antimicrobial potential of the six novel synthetic triazolo thiadiazin quinoxaline compounds.
             Keywords: Antimicrobial, Anti-bacterial agents, Antifungal agents, Triazolo, Thiadiazin, Quinoxaline.

ABSTRACT
            Background and Objective: It is desirable for athletes, especially female soccer players, to consume beetroot beverage during training as a way of improving both health and performance ,. Therefore, the objective of this study was to  assess the effect of beetroot juice intake on lipid profile in female soccer players.
            Methods: Young and well-trained female soccer players (N=20) were  included in a randomized placebo-controlled crossover study. They were categorized into two groups: experimental (beetroot beverage, n=10, age: 23.20±0.91 years, BMI: 22.57±1.54(kg/m²)) and control (placebo, n=10, age: 23±0.81 years, BMI: 23.13±0.58(kg/m²)). Subjects drank either 200 ml concentrated beetroot beverage or an equal amount of placebo 2 hours prior to their trainings for six weeks (18 session). Blood samples were taken 24 hours before and after trials. All data were compared in pretest and posttest  via paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test. All statistical analyses were performed at (P≤0.05) by SPSS (version22).
            Results: Beetroot juice intake increased plasma high density lipoprotein (t= -60.88, P<0.05). Triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein were  reduced (P<0.05). Compared with placebo, beetroot  juice reduced the concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (P<0.05).
            Conclusion: Regular beetroot juice intake has significant effects on lipid profile in female soccer players, hence its suggestion for preventing diseases such as  hypercholesterolemia and  hypertension in female soccer players.
            Key words: Soccer, Training, Dietary Supplements, Lipids.

Background and Objectives: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a widespread virus with various manifestations depending on the immunologic and hematologic status of the host. Infection with the virus can cause a wide range of complications in fetus of infected pregnant women, especially those with hemoglobinopathies. This study aimed to determine association of hemoglobin electrophoretic patterns and risk of B19V infection in pregnant women.
 
      Methods: Blood samples were collected from 200 pregnant women attending University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. The samples were screened for anti-B19V IgM and IgG. Hemoglobin patterns were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and Minicap Flex Piercing Electrophoresis system. Structured questionnaires were used to collate sociodemographic variables and associated risk factors of B19V.
 
      Results: Of 200 participants, 12 (6.0%) were positive for B19V IgM, 45 (22.5%) were positive for IgG and two (1.0%) were positive for both antibody, while 145 (72.5%) had no detectable B19V antibody. Twenty-six subjects (28.3%) with HbAA hemoglobin pattern had B19V IgG of whom, nine (12.5%) had HbAS and 11 (30.6%) had HbSS electrophoretic patterns. There was a significant association between prevalence of anti-B19V IgG and hemoglobin electrophoretic pattern of participants (P=0.037). However, no association was found between prevalence of B19V IgM and hemoglobin electrophoretic pattern, age and parity of pregnant women (P>0.05).
 
      Conclusion: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of B19V infection among pregnant women in the studied area. In addition, acute B19V seems to be associated with hemoglobin electrophoretic patterns of pregnant women. It is recommended to follow up newborns of anti-B19V IgM positive pregnant women.