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Introduction: Nosocomial  infection  is  responsible  of  over  20.000  mortality  in  year  and  about  60%  admission  in  hospital  cause  nosocomial  infection. Thus  it  is  necessary  to  evaluate  attitude, knowledge  and  practice  of  nursing  staff  about  prevention  of  it.
Materials  and  Methods: In  this  study, 100  nursing  staff of  teaching  hospitals  in  Bushehr  were  selected  in  a  multistaging  random  sampling. A  questionnaire  used  for  determination  of  attitude, knowledge  subjects  and  practice  was  assessed  by  check  list  which  reliability  and  validity  of  it  assessed  by  pilot  study. The  questioner  had  15  questions  of  attitude  based  on  likret  scale. In  data  analysis  of  attitude  scores  aet  in  rang  of  15-75, the  high  scores  indicate  positive  attitude  and  the  lowest  scores  indicate  negative  attitude. The results  divided  in  to  three  group:  negative, positive  and  no  idea  and  showed  that  most  staff  had  positive  attitude(85.5%) about  infection  control. In  analysis  of  knowledge  and  practice  scores, score  100  consider  the  highest  level  and  below  50  no  acceptance.
Results: Showed  that  44%  nursing  staff  had  optimal  knowledge  related  to  nosocomial  infection  and  most  of  them  practice  poor  inprocedures  such  as  change  dressing (84%), tracheal suctioning (81%), bladder catheterization (83%)  and  change  venous  site (78%. There  was  seen  statistical  relationship  between  knowledge  and  academic  degree,  position, and  years  in  practice. The  last  variable  had  negative  relationship  (p<0.01, r=-0.276). In  addition  there  was  seen  relationship  between  practice  and  experience  in  critical  care  unit, family  history  of  infection  disease  and  participation  in  teaching  session (p<0.01)
Conclusion: This  study  results  showed  poor  knowledge  and  practice  of  nursing  staff  nosocomial  infection  control  in  study  society  and  must  be  attention  to  it  in  this  group  and  similar  societies.

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Introduction: Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus strains are the most important agents of nosocomial infections. The conventional antibiotic susceptibility methods such as disk diffusion are not suitable for detection of these strains due to their heteroresistancy. Therefore, in this study, agar screen and duplex-PCR were compared in determination of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from nose of personnel in Hajar hospital of Shahre-kord, 2007. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study a total of 204 nasal swabs from personnel of Hajar hospital over a period of 6 months were collected. The specimens were cultured on mannitol salt agar for primary isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus strains and their susceptibility pattern to oxacillin was assessed using agar screen method. Finally, using duplex PCR, the isolates were tested for the presence of mecA gene. Results were compared and sensitivity and specificity of the method was determined. Results: In this study, 23 of the 52 (44%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to oxacillin using agar screen method. However, mecA gene was detected in 27 of the 52 strains (52%). Our results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of agar screen method in determination of MRSA strains were 81.5% and 96%, respectively comparing with PCR. Conclusion: Oxacillin agar screen, comparing PCR, is an inexpensive, applied and phenotypical method with low false positive and suitable for screening of MRSA. However, due to its relatively high false negative results is not appropriate for screening of MRSA strains isolated from hospital-employed nasal carriers.

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Background: Since researchers were able to produce dendritic cells (DCs) from peripheral blood monocytes, many scientists have been in search of discovering the best way of producing dendritic cells and optimizing the DCs maturation processes in vitro to treat some diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the maturation of DCs for tumor immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, DCs were produced in two stages. In the first stage, monocyte cells were converted to immature DCs by GM-CSF and IL-4. In the second stage, immature DCs were made mature in the presence of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and PHA -activated T lymphocytes conditioned media and maturation factors. Results: The produced DCs with appropriate phenotype, phagocytosis ability, and proliferation of T lymphocytes stimulation traits could secrete high levels of cytokines. Conclusion: Endothelial cells and T lymphocytes conditioned media can produce Th1 and DC1 in vitro. Therefore, DCs produced through this method are suitable for immunotherapy treatment applications and cancer treatment through treatment cells.

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Background: Maturation of oocytes and fertilization in vitro can be considered as one of the most important steps to treat infertility. In this study maturation medium was enriched with Platelet extraction (PL) which has high concentration of growth factors. Meiosis resumption and maturation was monitored after 18 hours of maturation.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, oocytes at germinal vesicle stage were obtained from mature NMRI female mice. Maturation medium was &alphaMEM and the control groups had 5-10% FBS and the medium in the experimental groups was enriched by 5, 10% PL and the combination of 5% PL and 5% FBS. Meiosis resumption and maturation were observed after 18 hours.

Results: The rate of matured oocytes in the experimental group 5% PL for both COC and DO group was significantly higher than the control groups (P<0.05). The maturation rate for 5% PL was 61% for the COC group and 72% for the DO group while this rate for 5% FBS control group was 53% and 50% respectively.

Conclusion: PL had a significant effect on meiosis resumption and maturation of oocyte at germinal vesicle stage. Based on these results, PL could be used as a maturation promoting factor.

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Abstract

Background: Vitamin D was recognized with protective effects on nerve cells of Parkinson’s patients. The relationship between several VDR gene polymorphisms and age and risk of the disease was determined. Also, the relationship between VDR gene FOKI genotypes and PD was specified. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the relationship between polymorphic loci of FokI, TaqI, BsmI, ApaI and serum factor related to vitamin D metabolism in Isfahan population.

Materials and Methods: Case- control study of 125 Parkinson’s patients with their matched control individuals has been investigated based on Parkinson's disease brain bank criteria of Great Britain. After receiving consent, serum levels were measured. The genetic material was isolated by Miller protocol and polymorphisms has been analyzed and confirmed by repeated PCR-RFLP.

Results: Comparing the five serum factors between healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease, we have  shown a significant reduction in the levels of calcium, ALP and PTH (p<0.01). However, none of the levels of vitamin D and phosphate show any kind of significant relationship between patients and control subjects. Concentration of blood serumic factors including calcium and PTH showed p-values less than 0.01 between Parkinson's patients and control subjects according to different genotypes containing FokI-F allele,ApaI-A allele and BsmI-b allele .

Conclusion: The result of this study showed that each of FokI and ApaI recessive alleles can influence serum calcium and parathyroid hormone between healthy individuals and Parkinson's patients significantly.

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