mansour amin

Given the apparent life-threatening nature of COVID-19, finding an effective treatment is under investigation.

We assessed effect of shallomin oral syrup (co IranAmin®) as a complementary treatment to improve the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Patients in the control group received the approved treatment protocol (lopinavir/ritonavir), while those in the intervention group were treated with the oral syrup shallomin in addition to the approved treatment. Clinical status of treated patients was recorded and compared.

There were meaningful differences between the two groups regarding shortened length of hospital stay and the recovery time for cough, myalgia, sore throat, and shortness of breath. No side effect occurred in the intervention group compared to the control group in terms of biochemical and hematological factors.

It seems that the treatment with shallomin syrup showed remarkable contribution to the recovery of COVID-19 induced symptoms in the patients under lopinavir/ritonavir therapy.

Prescribing Chlorhexidine mouthwash is currently considered the standard anti-plaque treatment. One of the active antimicrobial compounds in the Iranian shallot extract is a flavonoid called Shalomin II. The purpose of this study was to compare the antibacterial effect of Shalomine II and Chlorhexidine on Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus mutans bacteria in human saliva.

Methods and Materials:

 In this in-vivo study, about 300 grams of white shallots were collected from Zagros Mountains. Then the aqueous extract was mixed with ethyl acetate (Razi, Iran) at a ratio of 50:50 and mixed for 10 minutes. Microbial resistance and antimicrobial sensitivity of microorganisms were determined using E-test. The bacteria investigated in this study were Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus mutans. A combination of 0.5% Shalomin II and 2 % chlorhexidine was prepared and diluted at eight different concentrations. The different mixtures were then cultured on the bacteria plate. This experiment was repeated three times. Then the plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and examined for halo radius size. The location of the closed region indicated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

The MIC values associated with chlorhexidine against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus strains was 0.31 mg/mL and 0.16 mg/mL, respectively, and the MIC associated with Shalomin II against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus was 1.95 mg/ml. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.002). It was also found that the antibacterial effect of chlorhexidine was greater against Lactobacillus acidophilus compared to Streptococcus mutans.

Shalomin II had antimicrobial effects against both bacterial strains, and displayed a relatively similar inhibitory effect on Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus mutans. However, its inhibitory effect was not as strong as 0.2% chlorhexidine.

These days, most of the disinfectants used in the food industry such as chlorinated compounds are dangerous and harmful. Common methods of removing all types of pollution have many disadvantages for human health and the environment. It is possible to help preserve the environment and human health by replacing these methods with new ones such as ultrasound technology. Ultrasonic waves are non-thermal technology that helps increase microbial safety and prolong the shelf life of heat-sensitive foods with nutritional value and functional characteristics. Ultrasonic waves are known as one of the most effective disinfection methods for all forms of microbial and fungal contamination. These waves reduce the resistance of microorganisms by physically damaging them. Therefore, this study deals with the effect of high-power ultrasound waves on the population of two type of pathogenic microorganisms in the washing effluent of tomatoes. The selected bacteria included one type of gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus. aureus) and one type of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) to compare the effect of ultrasound waves on the two different types of bacteria with different cell walls.

In this research, irradiation of high-power ultrasound waves were applied to the water after washing the tomatoes. In this washing effluent, the impacts of ultrasonic power (100, 300, 500 W), radiation time (300, 750, 1200 s), and water temperature (0, 30, 60 °C) were examined on the survival of the S. aureus and Ecoli. The data analysis was done for each experimental runs, using the response surface methodology (RSM), to find the best model for estimating the difference in bacterial population (CFU) before and after irradiation.

The lack of fit was not significant in the analysis of variance and also the value of the explanation coefficient in the model for S. aureus and Ecoli were 0.9721% and 0.9206% respectively. This indicated the appropriate accuracy of the quadratic model in estimating the number of S. aureus and Ecoli remaining in the water after washing tomatoes (for the mentioned independent variables). Gram-negative bacteria (E coli), are composed of an inner thin peptidoglycan cell wall, surrounded by an outer lipopolysaccharide membrane. Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus), lack an outer membrane but are made up of a multi-layered and very complex structure layers of peptidoglycan many times thicker than is found in the Gram-negatives. In general, the application of ultrasound waves causes to destruction of the mentioned bacteria. The main disinfection effect of ultrasonic waves on the population of S. aureus was power, while for Ecoli the main variable was temperature (based on the highest coefficient of quadratic equations/ 99% confidence level). Through physical, chemical and mechanical effects caused by acoustic cavitation, ultrasound is able to affect the bacterial suspension without producing a side product. The antimicrobial effect of ultrasound is achieved by a combination of chemical effects such as the production of active free radicals and thermal effects such as the production of local hot spots. The observations showed that increasing the temperature first increased and then decreased the effectiveness of ultrasound waves in the inactivation of bactetria. The negative effect of increasing temperature can be related to the decrease in the intensity of bubble explosion.

According to the results of the experimental tests in the average time (750 s), with the simultaneous decrease in temperature (from 60 to 0 ºC) and increase in power (from 100 to 500 W), the destruction effect of ultrasound waves on S. aureus and Ecoli was increased. In the perturbation curves, the simultaneous effect of all three parameters (temperature, time and power), were investigated at the middle points (30 ºC, 750 s and 300 W). At these points, power changes were more effective in reducing S. aureus population, while temperature changes were more effective on the reduction of E coli. The population of S. aureus and E. coli decreased by increasing power of ultrasonic waves. Temperature and power had a synergistic effect, that is, the increase of both parameters led to the decrease of bacteria population. Finally, the tested variables were optimized by desirability in the RSM to minimize the population of microorganisms (S. aureus and E coli simultaneously), and parameters (in the range) obtained for the ultrasonic power, time, and temperature were 300 W, 1200 s, and 0 °C respectively.

Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis are the most common fungal species in humans. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser on inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis in vitro.  Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis species were cultured in sub-dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol and exposed to Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm). The laser was emitted at the pulse frequency of 1 Hz (1 pulse per second) for 7 or 13 seconds. At each pulse duration, the energies of 40, 60, 80, or 100 mJ were delivered to microbial plates. After radiation, the number of colonies was counted and reported as colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL).  There was a significant reduction in the number of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis colonies after Nd:YAG laser radiation, compared to the control group (P<0.05). At the pulse duration of 7 seconds, there was a significant difference in the number of Candida albicans colonies between the pulse energy of 40 mJ with other pulse energies (P<0.05). At the pulse duration of 13 seconds, the energies of 80 mJ and 100 mJ were significantly more potent at killing Candida tropicalis than other pulse energies (P<0.05). Increasing the duration of irradiation from 7 to 13 seconds was effective at killing Candida species at most pulse energies (P<0.05).  Nd:YAG laser is effective in inhibiting the growth of Candida species. Under the conditions of this study, the antifungal effect of Nd:YAG laser improved with increasing pulse energy and duration of laser irradiation. (J Dent Mater Tech 2023;12(2): (68-72)

Candidiasis is an important health problem and one of the most common infections of the female genital tract. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the formulated antifungal extract of Vaginahil® as a purified and formulated fraction of the ethyl acetate extract of Allium hirtifolium plant in the treatment of candidal vaginitis.

Fractions were prepared from ethylene acetate extract of Allium hirtifolium (mountain shallot) and their MIC against Candida albicans was determined. The most effective fraction with an anti-fungal effect was formulated and named Vaginiheal®. In total 30 women with confirmed vulvovaginal candidiasis infection were divided into two groups, one treated with Vaginiheal® and the other as control group without significant changes in age, education level, and occupation. Vaginiheal® was used to treat 15 women (n = 15) and the control group (n = 15) was treated with Clotrimazole.

The isolated fraction with the greatest antifungal effect had a MIC of 60 μg.ml-1 against Candida albicans. There was no significant difference between the women treated with Vaginiheal® and the group of women treated with Clotrimazole in terms of age, employment status, and pregnancy history. Our obtained results showed, Vaginiheal® treatment can lead to improvement and acceleration of complete treatment, reduction of inflammation, and decreasing of abnormal vaginal secretions in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis compared to the group treated with Clotrimazole.

Vaginiheal® should be considered as a new and effective medicinal option in the treatment of women with vulvovaginal candidiasis and its recurrent type.

Acyclovir is used locally or systemically to treat cold sore and totally have no side effect. However, this antiviral drug is not suitable for some people. The main aim of this study was to prepare and characterize shallomin liposomal hydrogel formulation and evaluation and comparison of dermal efficacy of this new formulation with acyclovir ointment on cold sores. Thin-Film Hydration was used to prepare liposome consisting of lecithin and cholesterol (molar ratio: 1:1). Morphology, size analysis and liposome encapsulation efficiency were determined. For preparation of hydrogel, Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was used. In vitro</em> Skin permeation assay through abdominal region skin of male wistar rat was also determined. After preparing liposomal shallomin 1% in hydrogel a randomized controlled trial was performed on three groups (15 students in each groups) who showed cold sore within 24 hours. Liposomal shallomin gel, acyclovir and placebo was used every 6 hours for the first, second and third groups, respectively. The size of liposomal shallomin particles were 139±31.8 nm whereas polydispersity index values were 0.219 ± 0.01. The TEM images showed that the shape of particles was spherical and any aggregation or fusion were not seen. Furthermore, the particle size diameter was < 150 nm. The encapsulation capacity with the liposomes was approximately calculated 82.7%. The cold sore and tingling was disappeared in liposomal shallomin gel treated group within 0-12 hours in 12 cases (80%) and within 12-24 hours in 2 cases. In the acyclovir treated group, skin was cleared from cold sore in 8 cases (53%) within 24-48 hours after using drug. Regarding the obtained results, the liposomal shallomin gel caused a significant improvement in the removing cold sores within 12 hours related to acyclovir (P=0.001). Because mucoidal properties of hydrogel can facilitate adhesion between the shallomin and skin membrane, which extend keeping of shallomin at the site of administration and enhancing drug permeation so, liposomal shallomin gel is more effective treatment than shallomin extract and acyclovir with fewer side effects for cold sores treatment.

Acyclovir is used locally or systemically to treat cold sore and totally have no side effect. However, this antiviral drug is not suitable for some people. The main aim of this study was to prepare and characterize shallomin liposomal hydrogel formulation and evaluation and comparison of dermal efficacy of this new formulation with acyclovir ointment on cold sores. Thin-Film Hydration was used to prepare liposome consisting of lecithin and cholesterol (molar ratio: 1:1). Morphology, size analysis and liposome encapsulation efficiency were determined. For preparation of hydrogel, Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was used. In vitro Skin permeation assay through abdominal region skin of male wistar rat was also determined. After preparing liposomal shallomin 1% in hydrogel a randomized controlled trial was performed on three groups (15 students in each groups) who showed cold sore within 24 hours. Liposomal shallomin gel, acyclovir and placebo was used every 6 hours for the first, second and third groups, respectively. The size of liposomal shallomin particles were 139±31.8 nm whereas polydispersity index values were 0.219 ± 0.01. The TEM images showed that the shape of particles was spherical and any aggregation or fusion were not seen. Furthermore, the particle size diameter was < 150 nm. The encapsulation capacity with the liposomes was approximately calculated 82.7%. The cold sore and tingling was disappeared in liposomal shallomin gel treated group within 0-12 hours in 12 cases (80%) and within 12-24 hours in 2 cases. In the acyclovir treated group, skin was cleared from cold sore in 8 cases (53%) within 24-48 hours after using drug. Regarding the obtained results, the liposomal shallomin gel caused a significant improvement in the removing cold sores within 12 hours related to acyclovir (P=0.001). Because mucoidal properties of hydrogel can facilitate adhesion between the shallomin and skin membrane, which extend keeping of shallomin at the site of administration and enhancing drug permeation so, liposomal shallomin gel is more effective treatment than shallomin extract and acyclovir with fewer side effects for cold sores treatment.

Common methods for identifying the infectious bacteria in human urine are mainly time-consuming and costly. Therefore, the most reliable method for detecting the urinary tract infections is the urine culture, which requires at least 48 hours to identify infectious factors.

It is important to detect the bacteria in urine rapidly, simply, and accurately.

In this work, the variations in the electrical conductivity and dielectric coefficient of the urine sample due to changes in the concentration of infectious bacteria have been studied. Furthermore, an appropriate measurement system was prepared for impedancemetry and conductometry.

We showed that the detection time was reduced to about an hour. Finally, the accuracy of the device for diagnosis and precision of measurement were evaluated and compared by the detection method for bacterial culture.

In this work, the detection time was reduced to about 1 hour.

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacterium that contaminates more than half of the world's inhabitants, and infection with this bacterium is associated with some gastric disorders. Also, 5% to 10% of H. pylori genes are specific to this bacterium and many bacterial virulence factors fall into this group. The cagA, vacA, sodB and hsp60 are among important virulence factors of H. pylori. A gastric biopsy specimen was taken from 341 gastric patients and cultivated on a Colombia agar plate, containing various antibiotics, such as vancomycin, amphotericin B, and trimethoprim & polymyxin B, and incubated for 3 to 10 days under microaerophilic conditions at 37°C. PCR was used to detect the ureC, cagA, vacA, sodB and hsp60 genes. In this study, 131 isolates were identified as H. pylori. The prevalence of cagA, vacA, sodB and hsp60 were 74%, 100%, 92.4% and 96.2%, respectively. The correlation between the clinical forms of the disease and the virulence genes were analyzed by statistical tests and no significant correlation was found.

The obtained results are similar to some studies conducted in different parts of the world and is different in other cases. This discrepancy is due to the difference in the type of gastric disorders, sample size and methodology.

Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative bacteria, is the most important cause of gastric ulcer, gastric malignancies, and chronic gastritis. Clarithromycin is recognized as the most important antibiotic for the treatment. Clarithromycin resistance is related to point mutations in the 23srRNA, and the most important mutation is A2143G, A2142G. The most common cause of resistance to metronidazole is rdxA gene mutational inactivation. This study aimed to evaluate clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance in H. pylori by phenotypic and genotypic methods. In total, 338 gastric biopsy samples were collected. The samples were cultivated on Colombia agar, consisting of various antibiotics and were incubated at 37°C under microaerophilic conditions. The biochemical tests and PCR assay were applied to identify the strains as H. pylori. The E-test was applied in the antibiogram test based on CLSI standard. The PCR-RFLP assay was performed to identify point mutations and followed by sequencing. The PCR method was done to identify deletion of a 200-bp fragment from the rdxA gene. In total, 131 (38.7%) H. pylori strains were isolated that among them, 70 (53.4%) and 83 (63.4%) showed resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole, respectively. Prevalence of A2143G, A2142G, A2142C mutations were 71.4%, 7.1% and 4.3%, respectively. Seven (8.4%) strains, included 200-bp deletion. The high prevalence of resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole in H. pylori is a major concern revealed by this study which should be taken into account by physicians in selecting drug regimens. The results confirmed the necessity of phenotypic and genotypic methods of antibiotic susceptibility.

Allium ascalonicum is a part of the diet of many populations of the world due to their long-held beliefs. A. ascalonicum extracts have been reported have antibacterial properties and prevent cancer cell proliferation. This study was conducted for the purpse of evaluating the anticancer and antibacterial activity of a flavonoid fraction isolated from A. ascalonicum bulbs. The HeLa and HUVEC cells were used as target cell line and some gram negative and positive bacteria were also targeted for antimicrobial activity. The A. ascalonicum plant was collected from the Zagros Mountains in the north of Dezful city- Iran, in September 2016 and confirmed by School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. The water extract of bulbs of this plant was extracted and the flavonoid fraction was isolated from aquous extract by ethyl acetate. The antibacterial and anticancer effects of isolated falavonoid were determined using MIC and MTT respectively. The best antibacterial effect of falvonoid extracted from A.ascalonicum was found against C. diphtheria. Furthermore, gentamicin resistant P.aeruginosa was the most resistant pathogenic bacterium. The MTT method showed that this fraction had a concentration-dependent anti-proliferative activity on HeLa cell lines and there was no cytotoxic effect against HUVEC cells. The inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) values of the A. ascalonicum extract for Hela cell was 3 mg/mL but the treatment of HUVECs with the A. ascalonicum showed no considerable effect. The flavonoid fraction of A.ascalonicum bulbs had remarkable antibacterial and anticancer properties. Therefore, it could be used as an antibacterial and anticancer agent for control of cancers and infectious diseases.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of atypical pneumonia, which is almost asymptomatic and self-limited.
The current study aimed at investigating the prevalence of M. pneumoniae among children with pneumonia in Ahvaz, Iran, using bacterial culture growth, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and serology tests.
A total of 136 throat swab and serum specimens were collected from patients with pneumonia. The specimens were cultured on pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) agar. Molecular identification of the throat swab specimens was performed using the amplification of P1 gene. Determination of M. pneumoniae-specific antibodies (IgG and IgM) in the sera was carried out by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.
In the current study, the acute infection was detected in 16 cases. Moreover, 3 out of 136 cases had positive results in their bacterial culture. Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA was detected in 11 of the 136 cases. An acceptable titer of IgM was observed in 12 cases. On the other hand, 4-fold or greater titer of IgG was detected in 14 cases.
The results of the current study suggested that the combination of PCR and the serology results were effective to detect M. pneumoniae. Moreover, the combination of PCR and IgM results can detect all cases of acute infection with M. pneumoniae in children.

Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is the main cause of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. In women, this infection can lead to tubal infertility.

In this study we investigated C. trachomatis among infertile and fertile women with both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA methods in Ahvaz, Iran.

This case-control study was conducted at the Infertility Clinic of University Jahad, Ahvaz, Iran from January to August 2017. A total of 225 vaginal swabs and blood samples (100 infertile and 125 fertile women) were collected. Detection of C. trachomatis DNA was performed from vaginal swabs by amplification of MOMP gene. Also, anti C. trachomatis immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G antibodies in the serum samples were recognized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results showed that, 6 (6%) infertile and 2 (1.6%) fertile women were positive for IgM (p=0.21). Also, PCR was positive for C. trachomatis infection in 5 infertile (5%) and 2 fertile women (1.6%) (p=0.35). We did not find any seropositive immunoglobulin G in both groups.

In this study, no significant difference was found between fertile and infertile groups for C. trachomatis infection. Also, the correlation between IgM and PCR results revealed a relatively strong agreement and seems both PCR and IgM assays are appropriate for the accurate diagnosis of C. trachomatis infections.

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (E. rhusiopathiae) is generally transmitted into the gastrointestinal tract of animals by the intake of contaminated food or water and causes great economic loss in agriculture worldwide. Some of the Erysipelothrix spp. are the causative agents of erysipeloid, which is an occupational infection in humans. The aim of the present study was to isolate E. rhusiopathiae from animals as well as the hands of the butchers working in Ahvaz, Iran, and to determine their susceptibility to antibiotics.
Totally, 150 samples were taken from slaughterhouse workers, fishermen, and livers and hearts of sheep and calves by the swabbing method. Phenotypical methods and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used for the isolation and identification of E. rhusiopathiae. The isolates were tested for their susceptibility to commonly used antimicrobial agents using the disk diffusion protocol described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.
Out of the 150 samples examined via phenotypical and biochemical tests, 16 samples were positive as putative Erysipelothrix spp. twelve cases out of the 16 putative Erysipelothrix spp. were confirmed by PCR. The tested isolates were highly sensitive to the antibiotics used. The results of the sensitivity and specificity of PCR revealed that the sensitivity and specificity of indirect PCR were higher than those of direct PCR.
E. rhusiopathiae is widely distributed on seafood and presents as a commensal pathogen in nature and animals. Infection with this microorganism should be emphasized because it is a rare organism causing severe infections such as infectious endocarditis and polyarthritis following localized infections.

Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive, commensal bacterium which can cause life-threatening infections in humans. E. faecalis has been frequently found in root canal-treated teeth and is resistant to many commonly used antimicrobial agents. Nowadays modern medicine recognizes herbalism as a form of alternative medicine. Tribulus terrestris, Allium sativum, Salvia officinalis and Allium hirtifolium Boiss are commonly found in Iran and used as antimicrobial agents in folklore medicine.
In this study, antimicrobial activities of aqueous extracts of some plants were examined in vitro against E. faecalis.
Antibacterial activities of the extracts of T. terrestris, A. sativum, S. officinalis and A. hirtifolium Boiss were examined using disc and well diffusion methods, and the19 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of aqueous extracts were determined against E. faecalis using agar and broth dilution methods.
The obtained results showed that the extract of A. hirtifolium Boiss inhibited the growth of E. faecalis (MIC of 10 mg/mL). Other plants had no effect on the target bacterium.
According to the best effect of A. hirtifolium extract on E. faecalis and stability of this extract in thermal condition, we may purify this extract and use it for treatment of infections.

Microorganisms resistant to most antibiotics are rapidly spreading, and there is an urgent and continuous need for novel antimicrobial compounds. The genus Citrus belongs to the family Rutaceae has many biologically active secondary metabolites.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial activity of essential oil and extract of Lemon (Citrus limon), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and Pummelo (Citrus grandis) against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhi.
The fresh Citrus leaves were shade-dried and powdered. Antimicrobial metabolites were extracted from them by 80% methanol for extract and using a Clevenger-type apparatus for essential oil. Eight different concentrations of the each leaf extract and essential oil were prepared. The antimicrobial susceptibility assay of Citrus leaves metabolites were subjected against four bacterial strains by agar disc diffusion and E-test method.
In this study, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of different Citrus leaf extracts were determined against all four food-borne pathogens. The C. grandis leaf essential oil had potent antimicrobial activity against all four pathogens, and the C. limon leaf essential oil was effective on Gram-positive bacteria. S. typhi was resistant against two leaves essential oils.
The results showed that there was no antimicrobial activity effect in all extracts on tested bacteria. In this study, the antibacterial effect of essential oil of Citrus leaves on four strains of pathogenic microorganisms was confirmed. The C. grandis leaf essential oil had the most powerful antimicrobial properties, suggesting its potential application as natural preservative in foods or an effective medicine against different pathogenic microbes.

Endophytic actinobacteria colonize inside the plant tissues without causing damages to the host plant. Since these microorganisms colonize in the different parts of plants and can stop plant disease, they have been applied as biological agents for controlling human diseases. The aim of this study was molecular identification and measuring the antimicrobial activity of endophytic Actinomycetes isolated from medicinal plants of Iran.
The total of 23 medicinal plant samples were collected, sterilized, and crushed. Small pieces of the crushed samples were then cultured directly on three selective media. Grown colonies were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing method. Each isolate was cultured in TSB medium and then antimicrobial compound was extracted using ethyl acetate and tested against the target bacteria.
Sixteen out of 23 bacterial isolates (69%) exhibited antimicrobial activity against the selected pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli.
Our Study showed a high phylogenetic diversity and the potent antibiotic activity of endophytic bacteria in medicinal plants of Iran.

A survey of the trend of students’ referral to university counseling service centers can aid administrators in identifying students’ problems and resolving them. In this study, the trend of students’ referral to the university counseling service center was evaluated during 7 semesters.
In this retrospective study, the causes of students’ referral to the university counseling service center were examined over a period of time. Data were collected from the archives of the university counseling center. The data were analyzed using chi-square test in SPSS software and were described through percentage and frequency.
Among the 2,130 studied students, 28.9% were men and 71.1% women with a mean age of 22.39 ± 3.5 (18 to 38 years). The students’ referral to the university counseling service center had a linear and decreasing trend. The most common causes of students’ referral to the counseling service center in this period were adaptive and individual problems (31%), psycho-emotional (26.5%), educational (18.9%), familial-marital (15.8%), and others (7.8%). During this period, the rate of students’ referral decreased in all areas except others.
The findings revealed that the most common causes for students’ referrals to the counseling center were adaptive and individual problems, psycho-emotional problems. The rate of students’ referral had a linear trend and decreased in most areas.

Pulpectomy is one of the most common treatments for preserving infected primary teeth. Intracanal medicaments have been used to decrease the amount of microorganism. The purpose of present study was to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial effect of some medicaments (formocresol, CMCP and 0.2% chlorhexidine) against some common bacteria isolated from infected primary teeth. Subjects and In this experimental study fifty primary canine teeth were prepared and were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10). After sterilization, suspension of bacteria (Streptococcus mutans, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were inoculated into each canal. Cotton soaked in normal saline as a positive control; and cotton soaked in Formocresol; CMCP and 0.2% chlorhexidine were placed in canal groups(2 to 4). The antibacterial effect of each medicament was evaluated by determining the percentage reduction in colony counts (RCC %) and CFU (colony-forming units) on day 3 after exposure. Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's test and SPSS 22 were used to analyze the data. All experimental groups showed a significant decrease in bacterial counts in compassion with control group (P < 0.05). 0.2% chlorhexidine showed significantly lower efficacy compared to formocresol and CMCP group (P < 0.05). According to the present study formocresol and CMCP have good antimicrobial effect.

Antigenic similarities between Neisseria lactamica as a commensal species and N. meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) as an important cause of meningitis infection have been considered for the development of an effective vaccine based on their common proteins to prevent life-threatening bacterial meningitis. The main aims of this study were to determine whole proteome profiles of N. lactamica strains and to compare them with whole proteome profile of a reference strain of NmB for identification of some of common proteins between the two species. We compared the whole proteomic profiles of N. lactamica strains and a reference strain of NmB. Lysates from bacterial strains were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), followed by Coomassie Brilliant blue staining. Some of the protein spots were excised from the gel and subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) analysis. The analysis of Coomassie-stained gels using ImageMaster 2D Platinum software identified approximately 800 reproducible protein spots in the range of pI 4.5 - 9.5 and Mr of 8 - 100 kDa for each 2-DE gel of the studied bacterial strains. By comparing proteome maps of 2-DE gels, more than 200 common protein spots were recognized between the two species. Forty-eight common protein spots between the studied bacterial strains were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. The results indicated that among the protein spots identified by MOLDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, the groups of proteins included cell surface, energy metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, coenzyme metabolism, defense, multifunctional cellular processes, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, ribosomal structure, regulatory functions, replication, transcription, translation, unknown and hypothetical proteins with unknown function. We found that N. lactamica strains have a proteome profile somewhat similar to each other and slightly different with NmB. These results show the usefulness of proteome analysis in successful identification of the common proteins between N. lactamica strains and NmB. This proteomics analysis is the starting point in the path of knowledge development about whole proteome profiles of N. lactamica strains.

Microbial biofilms has remained a major complication of tracheal intubation in patients requiring ventilator equipment. The aim of this study was to characterize bacterial and fungal biofilms in endotracheal tubes from intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Ahwaz, Iran. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, patients admitted to ICU that required mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours were evaluated. Specimens were collected from tracheal tubes of patients with endotracheal aspiration, when they had clinical manifestation of pneumonia. The specimens were microbiologically investigated and the bacterial and fungal isolates were identified by using standard cultural and biochemical tests. In total, 350 cases had tracheal tube aspirate positive cultures. The most of isolates are known to cause colonization of endotracheal tube included: Coagulase negative staphylococci (18.2%), E.coli (18%), Enterobacter spp. (16.2%), Pseudomonas spp. (14.6%), Acinetobacter spp. (9.7%), S.aurous (8.1%), Klebsiella spp. (6.7%), and Serratia spp. (0.4%). 7.4% were colonized with Candida spp. that the most common species was C.albicans (42.3%). The coagulase negative staphylococci species identified by mass spectrometry were: S.epidermidis (64%), S.haemolyticus (17.1%), S.lugdune (3.1%), S.warnerii (6.25%), S.hominis (6.25%), S.pasteur (3.1%). There was significant association between duration of being intubated and S.aurous, Enterobacter spp. (P=0.002). The presence of bacterial and fungal biofilms of endotracheal tube suggests that it may be important in biofilm development and may provide a therapeutic target for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Bacillus species are the predominant soil bacteria because of their resistant-endospore formation and production of essential antibiotics such as bacitracin.. The aim of this study was to isolate Bacillus spp. from riverside soil and investigate their antimicrobial characteristics against some pathogenic bacteria.. Fifty soil samples were collected from different sites of Bahmanshir riverside in Abadan city, Iran, and analyzed for the presence of Bacillus species. The media used in this research were nutrient broth and agar. Bacillus species were identified by their phenotypic and biochemical characteristics. The antimicrobial effects of Bacillus extract against the target bacteria including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae and Corynebacterium diphtheriae were examined.. The identified Bacillus species included B. cereus (86.6%), B. subtilis (6.6%), B. thuringiensis (3.3%), and B. pumilus (3.3%). Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the extracted compounds was carried out against five different bacteria. Antibiotic production tests indicated that two Bacillus strains belong to B. cereus, which showed antimicrobial properties. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these compounds ranged between 8.34-33.34 mg/mL for the target bacteria.. This study indicated that some Bacillus species have the potential to produce antimicrobial compounds which can be used to control microbial infections..

Neisseria lactamica as one of the main commensal in oropharynx during the childhood is related to the induction of a natural immunity against meningococcal meningitis. Also Moraxella catarrhalis in oropharynx of children is a predisposing factor for otitis media infection. The current study aimed to investigate the frequency of the N. lactamica, other nonpathogenic Neisseria spp. and M. catarrhalis in the oropharynx of young healthy children in Ahvaz, Iran by the two phenotypic tests and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A total of 192 oropharyngeal swab samples of the young healthy children were studied during four months. Swabs were plated onto enriched selective media and non-selective media. Gram-negative and oxidase-positive diplococci were identified by several conventional biochemical tests. The PCR and sequencing were used to confirm the accuracy of laboratory diagnosis to identify N. lactamica and M. catarrhalis. Among 192 young healthy children with the mean age of 5.93 ± 2.5903 years, authors identified: N. lactamica (21.9%) in the age group of one to nine years; N. mucosa (6.3%); N. sicca (7.8%); N. cinerea (1.6%); N. subflava (biovar subflava) (4.2%); N. subflava (biovar perflava) (28.1%); N. subflava (biovar flava) (7.3%) and M. catarrhalis (42.7%). The young healthy children screening by colonization of N. lactamica and other nonpathogenic Neisseria spp. in oropharynx was the first report in Ahvaz, Iran. The study results demonstrated the high frequency of colonization of M. catarrhalis in the studied young healthy children other than Neisseria spp.

Previous studies showed that shallomin, the active antimicrobial constituent of Persian shallot, has a wide range of antibacterial and antifungal properties. The objective of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of topical shallomin alcoholic solution in treatment of cold sore.Patients and A total of 60 volunteers who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to two equal groups to hourly apply topical of either 0.5% shallomin alcoholic solution or placebo within the first 24 hours of developing cold sores. All the cases were reassessed at six-hour intervals. The cold sores were cleared within six hours among 30% of cases who received shallomin solution and the remaining of the cases in this group were cleared between 6six to 24 hours of application. In the placebo group, clearance of the sores occurred in four cases between 48 to 72 hours and the remaining of cases were cleared after 72 hours. The results of this study demonstrated that shallomin is a useful natural remedy in preventing the progression and treatment of cold sores and can significantly reduce the duration of ulceration.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) exhibit a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial activity against both gram negative and gram-positive bacteria. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the main factor in peptic and duodenal ulcer diseases. Some strains of H. pylori have become resistant to the current antibiotics.. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial effects of garlic on H. pylori.. The gastric biopsies were inoculated on Brucella agar base (Conda Pronadisa, Spain) supplemented with 5% sterile sheep blood, 7 % fetal calf serum, vancomycin (5 mg/L), trimethoprim (5 mg/L), and polymyxin B (2500 U/L). Antibiotic susceptibility to garlic and commercial antibiotic disc was determined by agar disc diffusion method.. In this study, ten strains of H. pylori out of 120 samples were isolated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of garlic extract for all isolates ranged between 25- 400 mg/mL. Resistance rates of 10 strains of H. pylori to amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, and tetracycline were 20%, 20%, 30%, 60%, and 30%, respectively.. In this study, the antibacterial effect of aqueous extract of garlic on all H. pylori clinical isolates was confirmed. These findings might help us to use a new strategy for treatment of peptic ulcer..