maryam danesh

Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates are among the most important causes of nosocomial infections and could be classified as health threatening agents. This study aimed to determine the biofilm formation ability and clonal dissemination of S. epidermidis strains isolated from patients and healthy people in Isfahan during 2016 and 2017.

A total of 139 and 123 suspected colonies of S. epidermidis were collected from different clinical specimens and the arm of healthy people, respectively. The ability to form biofilm was determined using a combination of Congo-red agar (CRA) and microtiter plate (MTP) assays. The presence of genes involved in biofilm formation was also tested by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The susceptibility of all strains to 12 antibiotics was evaluated using the disk diffusion method according to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Moreover, all biofilm-producing strains were typed using PhenePlate system as well as cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and accessory gene regulator (agr) locus typing method.

A total of 43 biofilm-producing S. epidermidis strains were identified among 107 and 123 confirmed strains isolated from hospitalized patients and healthy people, respectively; all of which were positive for aap gene, and the presence of ica operon was limited to 86 and 27% of the strains isolated from patients and healthy people, respectively. All the strains showed susceptibility to vancomycin, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and linezolid. Moreover, SCCmec Types III, IV, and V were detected among all methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) strains, and agr Type I was the most frequent one. Among all biofilm-positive strains, 3 common types (CTs) and 7 single types (STs) were determined;  CT1 and CT2 were the most common types among the strains isolated from hospitalized patients and healthy people.

These findings indicated the presence and persistence of diverse clone types of biofilm-producing S. epidermidis strains with common types of PhP, agr, and SCCmec in the hospital and the community of Isfahan.

Salicornia europaea is a halophytic annual plant of the Chenopodiaceae family, which is considered as an oil plant in marine irrigation. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of salinity and to reach the best hormonal treatment for shoot regeneration. After washing and sterilization, seeds of S. europaea were cultured under controlled light and temperature conditions at five salinity levels consisting of 0, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mM of NaCl in plots including sterilized soil and vermicompost for 30 days. Germination percentage, germination rate, plant height, the fresh and dry weight of the plant, and relative water content were then recorded. For in vitro culture, the shoot-tips were excided and cultivated in Murashige and Skoog medium containing combinations of various plant growth regulators (BA and NAA including 0 and 100 mM salinity levels) under laboratory conditions, and then plant regeneration was investigated. These experiments were performed in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The results showed that high salinity exerted a low effect on seedlings of the Salicornia and the rest of traits indicated high levels of salinity tolerance and showed plant high ability to adapt to salinity. In tissue culture experiment, the results of shoot induction indicated that the hormonal treatments in combination with 100 mM of NaCl provided the better regeneration than that of non-salinity conditions. Increasing use of  the hormone were not given the better regeneration results, but it was needed to use a good proportion of hormone level for shoot regeneration. In the present research, the best possible ratio was the combination of 0.5 mg/l-1 NAA + 0.5 mg/l BA + 0.5 + 100mM NaCl, which resulted in 66.67 regeneration percentage.

Estimation of genetic diversity is an important factor in germplasm conservation and characterization. In rice breeding programs, genetic diversity information on specific regions of genome can be very useful for the application of marker assisted selection (MAS) and for gene mapping. A total of 152 rice lines were considered for breeding programs using microsatellites (SSR) technique. The total number of polymorphic alleles was 206 with an average of 2 alleles per SSR locus. The PIC value for the SSR loci ranged from 0.479 to 0.5 with an average of 0.498. The highest PIC value was observed for primers RM60, RM6832, RM3838 and RM592. RM1, RM237, RM154 and RM84 had the lowest PIC values in a decreasing order. Nei’s gene diversity ranged from 0.479 to 0.5 with an average of 0.498. Using Shannon’s diversity index, a mean genetic diversity of 0.691 was obtained. The lowest diversity was found for RM1, RM237, RM246, RM154 and RM279 in an ascending order and 27 SSR markers had the highest value (0.693). Cluster analysis using the UPGMA method based on Jaccard’s similarity coefficient classified all lines into three clusters. Association analysis by general linear model (GLM) method revealed that 62 SSR markers showed a significant association with 10 studied morphological traits. Twenty eight markers were associated with more than one trait. These may be further investigated in rice breeding programs to be introduced as informative and useful markers. Results showed the potential of SSR markers to identify rice lines at the DNA level. The information will help the selection of lines to serve for efficient rice breeding programs.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is known as the normal flora residing in the human skin unlike Staphylococcus aureus lacks different virulence factors of pathogenesis, so biofilm formation should be considered as the unique pathogenic element in these bacteria. Prevalence of biofilm producing strains in healthy people could be a significant health challenge. The aim of this study was the isolation and phenotypic and genotypic analysis of biofilm formation among S. epidermidis strains isolated from healthy people samples in Isfahan, Iran during 2016. Sampling was carried out from 100 healthy people and all isolated strains were identified at the species level using specific primers and their ability to form biofilm was determined using combination of qualitative Congo-Red agar and quantitative microtiter plate assay. In addition the presence of icaABCD, aap and IS256 genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using PCR, all 123 isolated strains were confirmed as S. epidermidis strains. The quantitative biofilm assay showed that 12.2% of strains were able to attach strongly to polystyrene microplates. On the other hand, 6.5% of S. epidermidis strains, respectively, were able to form black colonies on Congo-red agar plates and were slime positive. The presence of icaA, icaB, icaD, IS256 and aap genes was limited to 3.3, 3.3, 3.3, 0 and 52 % of strains. The results of this study are indicated the spread of biofilm producing and antibiotics resistance Staphylococcus epidermidis strains among healthy people in Isfahan city. Due to the fact that S. epidermidis strains are usually considered as the contaminant strains in the clinical samples, precise diagnosis of these strains in the clinical samples can be a great help to the specialists in diagnosing clinical infections. Presence of icaA and icaD genes with high prevalence of aap gene among biofilm producing S. epidermidis strains suggests that ica, aap and biofilm forming ability occur jointly in specific S. epidermidis clones and spread preferentially in the hospital and community.

To determine the relationship between grain yield and yield components and grouping of 150 F8 recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between two Iranian rice varieties; Gharib and Sepidroud, a field experiment was conducted using Augmented design in the research field of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran, in 2013. Correlation coefficients showed positive and significant correlation between grain yield with number of panicle per plant, number of filled grain per panicle, number of spikelet per panicle and panicle length. Path coefficient analysis for grain yield also showed that maximum positive direct effect belonged to flag leaf length and number of panicle per plant that implies these traits are important characteristics associated with grain yield. These traits can be used as selction criteria for indirect selection for genetic improvement of grain yield in rice breeding programs in Iran. Rice recombinant inbred lines were classified in three distinct groups by cluster analysis using ward method with 94% confidence. Recombinat inbred lines in third cluster had higher tiller number per plant, panicle number per plant, panicle length, spikelet fertility, thousand grain weight, grain yield, RWC and chlorophyll content were identified as highly valuable sources to be incorporated in rice breeding programs. These lines can also be used for selection of high yielding cultivars with desirable traits.

Accurate and definitive identification of pathogenic bacteria is essential for correct disease diagnosis, treatment of infection and trace-back of disease outbreaks associated with microbial infections. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a part of the human normal microbiota and known as opportunistic pathogen. This bacterium is the most important cause of indwelling device-related infections. Escherichia coli as a member of human and animal gut flora, is the most commonly isolated pathogen from uncomplicated urinary tract infections as well as catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The aim of this study is to report the rate of misidentification of two common bacteria in a university hospital in Isfahan.
During December 2014 and November 2015, a total of 284 E. coli and 135 S. epidermidis strains were collected from a university hospital laboratory in Isfahan. All isolated were identified using standard biochemical tests and PCR by specific primers.
The results of phenotypic and genetic testing in the laboratory were consistent with each other, but were not in agreement with results of bacterial identification in the hospital. Therefore, the results showed that 55 (19.4%) and 28 (20.7%) of strains were not E. coli and S. epidermidis, respectively.
Accurate and definitive identification of pathogenic bacteria, using standard operating procedures (SOP) in medical laboratories and providing useful therapeutic guidelines can help clinicians to remove and eradicate infections from the hospitals and community.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a normal flora of human in different parts of the body which is known as an opportunistic pathogen in nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of S. epidermidis strains isolated from clinical samples in a referral hospital in Isfahan.
In this study, total of 107 S. epidermidis strains isolated from different clinical samples in a referral hospital in Isfahan, during 2015. All isolates were identified at the species level using standard biochemical tests and PCR method by species specific primers. Antibiotic susceptibility of strains to 9 antibiotics was determined by disc diffusion method according to the guideline of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI).
The highest level of resistance was observed to erythromycin and also high resistance to clindamycin, cefoxitin, tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, was determined. All S. epidermidis strains sowed susceptibility to linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin.
Prevalence of resistance to broad spectrum of first and second lines antibiotics for treatment of S. epidermidis infections, indicating spread and distribution of these strains in this hospital in Isfahan. Lack of attention to antibiotic resistant S. epidermidis strains, which are members of human microbiota, could be an urgent for public health.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important agent of nosocomial infections which has high potential to acquire resistance to different antibiotics. The aim of this study was to type and determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of methicillin resistant S. aureus strains isolated from patients in a hospital in Isfahan, Iran.
In this study a total of 117 S. aureus strains were collected during 6 months in 2015 form outpatients and hospitalized patients in a hospital in Isfahan. All isolates were identified at the species level using standard biochemical tests and also specific primers. Antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus strains to 11 antibiotics was determined by the guidelines of CLSI, also presence of mecA gene among MRSA strains was tested. SCCmec typing and prophage typing of isolates was carried out using multiplex-PCR assay by specific primers.
All isolates were confirmed as S. aureus strains using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The highest antibiotic resistance was observed to erythromycin and followed by tetracycline and the lowest resistance was to vancomycin, linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin. Forty one percent of strains showed resistance to oxacillin and cefoxitin and also were positive for mecA gene, were confirmed as MRSA strains. Among MRSA strains, the highest rate of resistance was to erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, clindamycin, gentamicin and SXT, respectively. All MRSA strains harbored SCCmecc type III and classified as hospital acquired MRSA. Four different prophage types and 1 prophage pattern were found among isolates.
The prevalence of MRSA strains in this study was higher than other reports, and all isolates were classified as HA-MRSA strains. Vancomycin, linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin were the most effective antibiotics for treatment of infections caused by MRSA, in present study. High prevalence of antibiotic resistant clonal groups of MRSA strains which have potential to produce broad spectrum of virulence factors is a risk to public health.

Ethical tenets and political systems are one of the most controversial terminologies in philos o- phy of ethics and political thought. That is why thinkers based upon their intellectual standpoint have reached different inferences and definitions and elaborated various aspects of it  accordin g- ly. Shariati similar to his preceding thinkers made the creation of ethical pol itical system one of his primary goals and in attaining that goal made great efforts and suffered many difficulties so as to be able to express what he was thought. He was trying to promote a desired political sy s-tem in conflation with religion and logic. The main question is that what the relation between liberty and justice in his desired political system is like? Shariati perceives his desired system in the correlation between these two concepts. In fact he regards justice as a breeding ground for freedom and portrays this correlation as a mutual one.