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Background: Reports on microsporidia infections are increasing and some species, such as Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis, have become important causes of chronic malabsorptive diarrhea, especially in HIV infected patients. In this study, Modified Trichrome-Blue (MTS) and Acid-Fast Trichrome (AFT) staining methods as well as PCR technique were used for detecting microsporidia in stool specimens. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 71 stool specimens from AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea were collected and sent to laboratory. Two slides were prepared for each stool specimen. The slides were fixed with methanol, stained with MTS and AFT stain, and read by at least three individuals. In addition, PCR with primers directed to a conserved region of the 16s rRNA of intestinal microsporidian spores was used. Results: Totally of 71 patients, 13 patients (18.30%) were positive for microsporidia by MTS and AFT stain methods. In addition, 9 patients (12.67%) were positive for cryptosporidium by AFT stain and 4 (5.63%) of them were positive for microsporidia. Furthermore, 16 patients (22.53%) were positive for intestinal microsporidiosis by PCR technique. Notably, all cases that were positive for microsporidia by staining methods were also positive for PCR technique as well Conclusion: PCR technique was more sensitive than staining methods. Also, MTS and AFT stain methods were equally useful in the diagnosis of microsporidiosis.

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Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium that has remained a persistent pathogen, causing infections such as endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome in humans. The accessory gene regulator (agr) system of Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for controlling the expression of many genes that code virulence factors and hemolysis.This study was carried out to determine the S.aureus agr group based on their source of isolation and any relation between agr specificity groups, pigmentation and hemolysis .

Materials and Methods: DNA of 194 S. aureus isolates were extracted by lysozym-phenol chloroform method, included 85clinical samples, 58 samples which isolated from nose of health care workers and 51 cases obtained from food product in Gorgan, North of Iran. PCR-based assays were used to evaluate agr locus nucleotide polymorphism for the identification of agr specificity group. Pigmentation on nutrient agar medium and hemolysis on sheep Blood agar medium were assessed.

Results: The majority of isolates belonged to agr group I (43.3%), followed by agr group III (28.87%), agr group II (22.68%), and agr group IV (5.15%). The isolates belonged to agr group IV have greater ability to produce hemolysin (60%) whereas isolates belonged to agr group III have greater ability to produce pigment (60.5%).

Conclusion: agr group I was predominant among health care worker and food product specimens in Gorgan, North of Iran but in strains isolated from patient, agr group III was predominant. Investigation of the possible role of agr group III in Staphylococcus aureus infection in the next studies is recommended.

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Background: Despite control, prevention and the availability of drugs to cure tuberculosis, TB remains an important cause of death from an infectious agent in Iran. Pulmonary tuberculosis is more than 80% of tuberculosis cases. Chest x-ray is sensitive, cheap and accessible instrument for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine the radiological changes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, after consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria, finally 477 radiographic patients referred to rural and urban clinics in recent decade were enrolled. The affected lobe or lobes of the left or right lung were recorded. The types of involvement were categorized based on patchy consolidation, cavitation, fibrosis, bronchiectasis, gohn lesion, bronchogenic spread and bronchopneumonia. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the strength of association between continuous variables. For analysis of qualitative parameters, we use from Chi-square test. Data analysis was done in SPSS18 and p value below than 0.05 was significant.

Results: Out of 477 patients, mean age was 48.24±22 years old, male including 33.3%, Iranian and urban cases were 44% and 91.3% respectively. The most frequent involved site was the left upper lobe followed by the right upper lobe. The most frequent radiographic finding was patchy consolidation and then bronchogenic spread and pneumonic consolidation respectively. There was significant correlation between lung cavities in patients with nationality.

Conclusion: This study could  help to early diagnosis and treatment of suspect patients to pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Background and Aim: In every age of history, human beings have been afflicted with the fear of disease. Undoubtedly, cancer is among the most concerning diseases; cancer pain is among the major pains. The present study aimed to compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on multidimensional pain symptoms in patients with breast cancer.
Methods & Materials: The present study was applied concerning the purpose and applied a quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest, a two-month follow-up, and control group design. The statistical population was all women with breast cancer referring to Tehran Cancer Research Center in 2018 who were selected by convenience sampling method, consisting of 30 patients. They were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and the control group. The repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the obtained data. The research instrument was a multidimensional pain questionnaire (West Hyun-Yale) to evaluate multiple pain indices.
Results: The current study results suggested that cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy were effective on pain experience (P<0.001); however, there was no significant difference between the intervention groups respecting pain experience.
Conclusion Based on the present research findings, cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy impacted the management and pain intensity of patients with breast cancer.