فصلنامه نوید نو
پیاپی 73 (بهار 1399)

Infertility is one of the global health problems. The bacterial infection of semen and genital tract is one of the causes of the decline in male fertility. Defects in spermatogenesis and sperm function may be due to cellular reactions against microbial agents, as well as the direct effect of bacteria on germ cells. The recognition of the interaction between bacteria and reproductive system plays an important role in treating infertile men. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro direct effect of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) on the motility, morphology, and viability of human spermatozoa, and compare the effect of these bacteria on the quality of sperm.

The study was carried out on swim-up-separated spermatozoa from 33 men referred to the Nikan Infertility Treatment Center in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. After the removal of seminal plasma, the sperm suspension of each sample was divided into three parts. The first and second parts (i.e., experimental groups) were coincubated with E. coliand S. aureus, respectively, for 90 min at 37°C, and the third part (i.e., control group) was incubated at the same condition but without bacteria. Sperm parameters were assessed after the incubation. Statistical analysis was done to find the significant differences between the experimental groups and control group.

The results showed that E. coliand S. aureus infection caused a significant decline in the morphology, motility, and viability of two experimental groups in comparison to that reported for the control group (P<0.05).

The results of this study revealed that the contact of bacteria with ejaculated spermatozoa can decrease sperm motility, morphology, and viability, with potential consequences for male fertility.

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease of the tissues supporting the teeth caused by certain microorganisms and can lead to progressive erosion of the Periodontal Ligament and alveolar bone followed by pocket formation and/or gingival recession. Nowadays, saliva is utilized as a diagnostic fluid in medicine and dentistry. The enzymes, immunoglobulin, hormones, and bacterial products of the saliva can be indicators of a periodontal disease. The present study aimed to measure and compare the Lactic Dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme in the saliva of the patients with chronic periodontitis who referred to the Periodontal Department, School of Dentistry, Mashhad, Iran, before and after the treatment.

The population of this interventional study included the patients who referred to the Periodontal Department, School of Dentistry, Mashhad, Iran. This study was conducted on 30 patients, and the inclusion criterion was pocket attachment loss with a depth of 3-5 mm. The patients were matched regarding the plaque selection. The saliva samples of the patients with moderate periodontitis were collected before phase-1 treatment (i.e., scaling, root planning, and health education) and 4 weeks after treatment. Approximately, 3mL unstimulated whole saliva was collected from each participant using the Spitting method, placed immediately in micro tubes, stored at -20ºC, and transferred to a laboratory to be kept at -80ºC. Once the sample temperature reached room temperature, they were centrifuged at 3000g for 5min. The supernatant clear liquid was used for LDH analysis. The data were analyzed in SPSS software through t-test.

The results showed that the mean values of LDH level were 8.57±1484 and 4.25±1112 mg/l before and after the treatment, respectively. Moreover, there was a significant difference before and after the treatment regarding the LDH level of saliva (P=0.01).

The results of this study showed that LDH enzyme levels were higher considerably in the saliva of patients with a periodontal disease before treatment, compared to post-treatment. This is due to the pathological processes that occur in periodontal tissues leading to the release of intracellular enzymes.

Following the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli)strains has become a major medical challenge in recent years. It demands the development of effective antibiotics with natural origin. Actinomycetes are known for their ability to produce secondary metabolites and antibiotics. The aim of this study was to isolate aqueous Streptomyces species producing antimicrobial agents against gentamicin-resistant E. coli in Lake Bakhtegan in Fars province, Iran.

The first step was to obtain samples to evaluate the antagonistic effect of Streptomyces on antibiotic-resistant E. coli. In this study, 10 water samples were collected from Bakhtegan Lake. The bacteria were cultured in a specific culture medium (i.e., ISP2), and Streptomyces species were isolated and purified. The isolation and determination of the efficacy of secondary metabolites in the pathogens were performed by disk diffusion method. Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from effective Streptomyces for molecular analysis. The 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequence was excised, and polymerase chain reaction was conducted using 27F and 1492R primers to identify the Streptomyces species.

In this study, 17 Streptomycin isolates were recovered from 10 water samples 7 of which secreted metabolites. In addition, one isolate with a more strong effect on gentamicin-resistant E. coli was sequenced and identified as Streptomyces species strain 11K402.

Based on the obtained results of this study, it can be concluded that aquatic environments are considered suitable sources for the detection and isolation of Actinomycetes and Streptomycetes with antimicrobial metabolites.

Parents' disregard for the provision of a psychologically and emotionally healthy environment for adolescents and poor family and social relationships exposes children to emotional deficiencies and psychological problems, such as anxiety. Given the importance of this topic, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between family emotional climate and social anxiety in adolescents taking into account the mediating role of social support. 

The current research was a correlational study. The study population who were selected by cluster sampling consisted of 200 male and female high school students in district 5, Tehran, in the academic year 2017-18. The employed tools in the present study included Hill-Bern Family Affection Questionnaire, social anxiety scale for adolescents (SAS-A), and family social support. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 23) and AMOS (version 18).

The obtained results revealed that social support (Total Effect = -0.325) and family affection (Total Effect = -0.08) had a direct and indirect effect on anxiety, respectively. Findings in structural equation modeling confirmed the mediating role of parental social support in the relationship between family emotional climate and social anxiety.

The obtained results of the current research confirmed the mediating role of parental social support in the relationship between family emotional climate and social anxiety. Therefore, the mentioned variable deserves consideration in the development of interpersonal, family, and therapeutic relationships.

Central venous catheterization (CVC) is one of the most common procedures performed by pediatric surgeons. However, the use of these catheters leads to complications and children are more sensitive to these complications, compared to adults. Due to the importance of this issue, the present study aimed to evaluate the results of central venous catheterization using the sagittal-oblique technique in neonates and children.

In this prospective study, CVC was placed for a total of 117 patients by using the help of multiple images obtained from ultrasound, fluoroscopy, and angiography. The priority in catheter placement is that the jugular vein is first selected for CVC insertion, and if the CVC could not be inserted successfully, the subclavian vein and the femoral vein were used for this purpose in the order of priority. Patients were first examined 2 h after catheter insertion and then every 24 h until the day after the catheter removal. Prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, and platelet count were measured before catheter insertion. Moreover, the required information was recorded, such as age, gender, catheter size, catheter placement location, number of attempts for catheter placement, catheter use duration, cause of catheter usage termination, and complications of the patients. Furthermore, chi-Square and t-test were used to investigate the research hypotheses and questions.

Based on the findings, the average duration of catheter retention was 8.85±7.18 days. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the number of catheter insertion attempts and the incidence of complications associated with its insertion. There was also a significant relationship between the catheter use duration and the incidence of complications associated with catheter maintenance. In total, CVC was inserted for 117 patients, 92 (78%) of whom had no complications, while 5 (4%) and 20 (17%) of them experienced catheter insertion and maintenance complications, respectively. In this study, the most common complication was hematoma and bleeding that were not threatening. Therefore, no life-threatening side effects, such as pneumothorax and hemothorax were observed, which seems to be due to the use of visual guidance and appropriate catheter insertion techniques.

The results of this study indicated that the use of visual guidance in CVC insertion increases the rate of success and decreases the number of insertion attempts in children and infants. Given the low incidence rate of complications when using visual guidance in central venous catheter placement, it is recommended to replace the traditional techniques with this one.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mood disorders associated with loss of pleasure, lack of motivation, and sleep disorders. Chronic diseases, such as cancer and major thalassemia can increase the risk of depression with varying severity in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to compare depression symptoms in children and adolescents with chronic cancer and thalassemia major.

This descriptive cross-sectional and analytical study was performed on a number of 100 children and adolescents with cancer and 100 children and adolescents with thalassemia who were admitted to Shafa Hospital of Ahvaz, Iran. Data were collected using Maria Kovacs children's depression inventory (CDI) and demographic variables and analyzed in SPSS software (version 16) using the independent t-test.

As evidenced by the obtained results, the mean score of depression in the cancer group was significantly higher, as compared to that in the thalassemia group (P=0.04). Moreover, the mean score of depression was significantly correlated with demographic variables, including age, length of disease, and educational performance in children and adolescents with cancer (P<0.05). Nonetheless, in patients with thalassemia, a significant relationship was only detected between depression score and gender (P<0.05).

The results of the current study demonstrated that children and adolescents with cancer obtained a higher rate of depression, compared to patients with thalassemia. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize faster psychological therapeutic interventions in this group of children and adolescents.

The emergence of drug resistance in bacteria is a serious threat to human health; therefore, new thiazole derivatives can be good alternatives for common drugs. In this regard, the aim of this study was the one-step synthesis of ethyl and methyl derivatives of ylidene-acetate bonded at position 5 of ring 1,3-thiazole and evaluation of their antibacterial activities. 

From the single-step reaction between thiourea and acetylene decarboxylase derivatives in acetone solvent, the new thiazole structures were derived based on ethyl and methyl, and they were investigated and confirmed by spectroscopic methods, including infrared, carbon nuclear magnetic resonance, and hydrogen proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The antibacterial properties of this isomer were assessed applying minimal inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, and disc diffusion methods. These properties were tested with three repetitions on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Bacillus cereus at a concentration of 1 mg/ml.

The results of the present study showed that the strongest inhibitory effect (R2=250 mg/ml) and highest diameterof the inhibitory zone (R2=34±1/55 mm) of the derivatives used in this experiment were related to Staphylococcus aureus as the same effect of conventional antibacterial drugs.

The results of this study indicated that the new single-step 1,3-thiazole derivatives have very good antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria.

Personalization of educational content based on students' needs, conditions, and preferences is one of the most important trends in educational data mining. This study aimed to personalize the content of some courses based on the students’ views using a data mining technique.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 7th semester undergraduate students (in the last semester of theoretical course) (n=56) studying Health Information Technology in Mashhad, Semnan, and Ahvaz Universities of Medical Sciences, Iran. The participants were selected randomly, and the data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. Validity of the questionnaire was verified by the Health Information Technology faculty members. The students were asked to suggest the preferred order for the most effective teaching of Health Information Technology course headings 1, 2, and 3. Moreover, they were asked to eliminate the headings that were not necessary.  Subsequently, genetic-based algorithms for data mining were used to extract the most frequent patterns from the presented sequences.

In total, four frequent patterns were extracted from the collected data. The first group of the students suggested a common sequence for Health Information Technology course headings 1, 2, and 3. The second and third groups suggested a common sequence for parts of the “Health Information Technology 1” course. Eventually, no frequent patterns were extracted from the fourth group. Inappropriate headings, sequence of courses, references, content volume, and the method of presentation (theoretical and practical) were the most important factors in obtaining these results.

The analysis of the results by the experts showed that the proposed algorithm was useful in providing appropriate sequences of the educational content.

Generally, 25% of patients in the emergency department are patients with musculoskeletal injuries. The physician should be familiar with anatomy, as well as limb injuries, so that patients can receive appropriate treatment. Traditional medicine books are known as rich sources in medicine. In this regard, the aim of this study was to review the bones and muscles of the upper limbs from the Iranian medical point of view and compare them with the anatomical findings of modern medicine.

In this descriptive-comparative study, reliable texts, such as Hidayat al-Mutaallimin, Anatomy Abolhassan Khan, Tashrihe-e-Tafreshi, Tashrih-e-Mansuri, Ibn Sina's Canon, and Zakhire-e Kharazmshahi, were used. Gary, Snell's and Moore's anatomy books were reviewed for modern medicine. Then, a comparative analysis was made, and the differences and similarities were examined.

Upper limb bones were found in the texts of traditional medicine with several terms, including akharak (clavicle), samsanieh (scapula), azod (homerus), zand asfal (ulna), zand ala (radius), rasagh (wrist), mosht (wrist bones), and phalanges. The upper limb muscles also include the shoulder-specific muscles (scapular muscles), arm-specific muscles (arm muscles), zara muscles (forearm muscles), and hand muscles.     

The comparative results of anatomical descriptions in traditional and modern medicine texts showed the detailed and delicate views of traditional medicine practitioners. In addition, the findings emphasized the need for more frequent use of information in traditional medicine texts by physicians in the treatment of various diseases.