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Background: The major aim of this study was synthesis and assay of antimicrobial activity of peptide D28 and its new analogues derivatives as dimeric peptides. Materials and Methods: Three antimicrobial peptides known as D28, Di-D28-Lys,Di-Cys-D28 including 20, 41, 42 residues were synthesized respectively. For peptide synthesis, solid phase peptide synthesis method using blocked amino acids with flourenyl methoxy carbonyl group and for peptide purification HPLC were used. Peptides compositions were confirmed by amino acid analysis and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Antimicrobial tests against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were performed as disk and well diffusion on plate and by adding to liquid broth culture (Broth macrodilution) in different concentrations. Results: Three required peptides (D28, Di-D28-Lys, Di-Cys-D28) successfully were synthesized. All three peptides were effective against S. aureus, but Di-Cys-D28 on the contrary to two other ones, showed no antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa. The inhibitory activity of Di-D28-Lys against P. aeruginosa was more than that of D28 peptide. Conclusion: Improvement of antimicrobial peptides activity through dimerization depends on the methods of dimerization and the strain of bacterium. Di-D28-Lys peptide in comparison with D28 and Di-Cys-D28 showed wide range and more antimicrobial activity. Therefore, Di-D28-Lys peptide could be a suitable antibiotic candidate for future studies.

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Background: Numerous factors, such as Enterococcus antimicrobial resistance and expression of virulence factors, may account for the maintenance and prevalence of Enterococci infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of esp and eep genes in the E.faecalis and E.facium strains isolated from the patients with urethral system infections. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 214 clinical samples, including 80 catheters and 134 urine samples, were collected from the patients. The identification of the isolated samples was based on the growth on Bilesculin agar culture media, tolerance of 6.5% Nacl, gram staining, and catalase, hydrolysis of hyporate, telorite reduction, arginine hydrolization, and fermentation of the carbohydrates tests. The assessment of genes was done by PCR method. Results: esp gene was present in 83% of the urine samples and in 97% of the catheters while eep gene was present in 100% of the urine samples and 90% of the urine catheters. The results of antibiogram indicated that the multi-antibiotic resistance was about 78.1% against vancomycin and tetracyclin, 75% against cyprofeloxin and tetracyclin, 59.3% against vancomycin and cyprofeloxin, and about 53% against vancomycin and streptomycin. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that esp gene plays an important role in formation of biofilm in patients. Due to the presence of eep gene in almost all of the samples, it can used as a rapid identical agent for the assessment of pheromone production and provision of suitable conditions for plasmid transformation between clinical strains and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance.

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Background: Addiction is undoubtedly one of the biggest problems of human societies that every year governments spend enormous amounts of money on fighting it. Most addicts, besides their addiction, cause many psychological problems in their families therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the presence of these disorders between the families of addicts and non-addicts. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was done on a sample of 650 persons of opium addicts' and non-addicts' families using random sampling method. Data were collected through SCL-90-R questionnaire and were analyzed by Chi-square and t-test using SPSS software version 18. Results: There was a significant difference in psychiatric disorders in addicts' and non-addicts' families (p=0.005). Among the 9 psychiatric disorders under assessment, only anxiety, aggression, paranoia, and depression disorders in three types, including pathologic, borderline, and combined (pathologic-borderline), were significantly higher in addicts' families compared with non-addicts' families (p=0.005). Conclusion: Drug dependence disorder in one member of a family has a very important effect on the mental hygiene of the other family members and requires prevention and treatment in both.

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Background: There are various factors effective in the appearance of metastasis that have been surveyed and recognized in different studies. However, the appearance of metastasis by determination of these factors cannot be predicted. One of the models used for the analysis of recurrent data and consideration of heterogeneity between patients is frailty model. Materials and Methods: In this survival study, 133 women with breast cancer were treated in Fayazbakhsh Hospital, Tehran, during 2005-2007. All patients were followed until April 2011. Frailty model was employed for the analysis of data and gamma frailty distribution was assumed with the average one and Ө variance. All statistical methods were run in R software. Results: Disease-free survival rates for 3 and 5 years were 0.78 and 0.72, respectively. During the follow-up period, the risk of metastasis was estimated to be 43%. Two factors were identified as the prognostic factors in the appearance of metastasis: tumor malignancy grade and the number of positive lymph nodes. Frailty variance was 4.27 (P=0.001). Conclusion: The significant variance of frailty component in the model indicates that patients who have identical explanatory variables face different levels of risk experiencing metastasis. Also, specific characteristics of the patients are important in the incidence of metastasis.

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Background: Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vireh. or gray mangrove tree, belonging to the family Avicenniaceae, has long been used as a remedy to treat ulcers and skin diseases. In the present study, the antimutagenic activities of young and mature leaf extracts of Avicennia marina against the mutated bacterium Salmonella typhimurium TA100 were investigated. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the bacterial strain was checked for the intended genotypes. Leaves were isolated, dried, and chopped finely using a blender and they were extracted with 80% ethanol or water using a Soxhlet extractor. Metabolic activation was prepared from male rat homogenized liver. Antimutagenic effect of the extracts was tested using Ames test in the presence of a mutagen. Results: The number of mutant colonies decreased in the presence of both ethanol and water extracts with (+S9) and without (-S9) metabolic activation. The ethanolic extract exhibited a higher antimutagenic activity than the water extract. There were no inter-assay differences in the presence and absence of the S9 mixture. The highest (71%) and the lowest (24%) inhibition rates of Salmonella typhimurium TA100 bacterial growth were observed with the ethanolic extract of mature leaves from Bordekhon region and the aqueous extract of young leaves from Assaluyeh region, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that Avicennia marina (Forssk) Vireh. leaf extracts may contain bioactive compounds that can inhibit mutation, and that biotic and/or abiotic stress might have an effect on the antimutagenic potential of these leaf extracts in the two regions.

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Background: In recent years, changes in the composition of Iranian population into aged population have increased the need for more information about the quality of life (QOL) of this group. Proper planning for this age group for increasing their quality of life depends on the identification of factors associated with QOL. The aim of the current study was to assess the quality of life and its relationship with the quality of diet in elderly people aged 60 years and more living in the urban areas of Markazi province. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 165 elderly people in the urban areas of Markazi Province in 2010. Data obtained via general and QOL (SF-36) questionnaires and three 24-hour recalls on food. The quality of diet was measured using Healthy Eating index. Results: The means of total SF-36, physical and mental components scores were 55.66, 51.32 and 57.30, respectively. Additionally, the average overall healthy eating index score was 82.83. The results showed that the total, physical, and mental components of SF-36 scores in the elderly were positively associated with the healthy eating index but not significantly (P=0.2). QOL and diet scores were significantly associated with age, sex, education, previous employment, income, leisure activities, exercise, insurance, smoking, present disease, and drug consumption (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that the QOL in the elderly was not related to their quality of diet.

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Background: Adenoidal hypertrophy is a common condition of childhood, when abstructive sleep apnea ocurs adenoidectomy is indicated. In less sever cases, non surgical interventions maybe considered, however few medical altematives are currently available. Intranasal steroids used to reduce nasal airway obstruction. The aim  of this study to assesthe effectiveness of intranasal corticosteroids for improving nasal airway obstruction and in children with adenoid hypertrophy.

Materials and methods: 77 children 1-12 years exhibiting adenoid hypertrophy symptom and confirmed with radiologic imaging and without tonsilar hypertropy that not inclined to surgery were included and divided two groups in one group were treatend with intranasal betanethason 3 times daily for 3 weeks and and second group treatend with intranasal NACL as placebo. The subjects were assessed for airway obstruction symptoms including, snoring mounth breathing and prulaunt rhinorea, via questionarre ear examination, first month and third month of treatment.

Results: Intranasal betanethasone improved airway obstruction symptoms especially night snoring but hadn’t effective on other symptoms and infection complications including rhinorea.

Conclusion: Intranasal betanethasone can be used as alterative treatment for adenoidal hypertroply because its effect on airway obstruction symptoms due to probably reduction adenoideal size.

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Background: The present study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of molecules secreted by decidual cells on dendritic cells (DCs) function in abortion-prone compared with non-abortion-prone mice.

Materials and Methods: The decidual cell supernatants (DS) were obtained from abortion and non-abortion mouse models. DCs were purified from CBA/J mice spleens and treated with antigen and DS. Treated DCs were injected into mice palms. After 5 days, draining lymph nodes were removed, cultured in the presence of cognate antigen, and proliferation of lymphocyte cells was measured by 3H-thymidin incorporation.

Results: Our results showed that immunosuppressive activity of DS from non-abortion-prone mice significantly decrease dendritic cells' ability to stimulate lymphocytes proliferation compared with DS from abortion-prone mice (Simulation index (SI) of 4.93 ± 0.34 versus 11.84 ± 0.79).We, also found that DS prepared from non-resorption sites compared with DS from resorption sites in abortion-prone mice had increased immunosuppressive activity on DC function (SI of 7.31 ± 1.02 versus 2.67 ± 0.49).

Conclusion: Due to our results, we concluded that immunomodulatory activity of molecules secreted within decidual tissue is different between abortion-prone and non-abortion-prone mice. Based on the key role of DCs in inducing fetomaternal tolerance, we claimed that these molecules, through modulation of DCs function, play crucial role on pregnancy outcome.

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Background: Cardiac accidents due to Coronary Artery Disease are the most common cause of mortality in the world. On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency is known as an emerging risk factor of this disease. Considering the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Iran we investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in angioplasty patients, effect of gender and its relationship with Coronary Artery Disease severity.

Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study serum level of 25(OH) D3 in was measured in 149 patients undergoing PCI between May and September 2013 in Baqiatallah hospital. Patients with renal failure (Cr>2mg/dl), liver disease, and those treated with glucocorticoids or anti-epileptic drugs were excluded. Data were analyzed with SPSS 21 software. Chi-square and T-Test were used and P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients was 77.2% (men 86% and women 62.5%) (p=0.0005). Vitamin D deficiency severity was related to the number of involved vessels in men (p=0.046). Vitamin D deficiency was related with stent length in patients with right coronary angioplasty (p=0.041).

Conclusion: The effect of vitamin D deficiency on coronary artery disease seems to be different in men and women. Complementary studies are needed to elucidate this issue further.

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Background: There have been reports showing the protective role of inducible Heat-shock protein (HSP) 70 in gastric epithelial cells. HSP70-2 gene is located in the class-III region of the MHC on the short arm of chromosome 6. The HSP70-2 gene has a pst1 site due to an A to G transition at the 1267 position and different genotypes of the HSP70-2 gene have been shown to be associated with a different level of HSP70 mRNA expression. This study was performed to investigate relations between polymorphism of the HSP70-2 gene and risk of peptic ulcer diseases.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, the studied population comprised 100 subjects, attending the Endoscopy Center of Hafez Hospital in Shiraz on 2012. All subjects underwent upper gastroscopy. Genomic DNA was extracted from bioptic tissues. Genotypes were determined in patients and controls using PCR-RFLP.

Results: In the non-ulcer subjects, the HSP70-2 genotype distribution was 20 AA (40%), 26 AG (52%), and 4 GG (8%). Meanwhile, the HSP70-2 genotype distribution in peptic ulcer patients were 5 AA (10%), 44 AG (88%) and 1 GG (2%). The results showed that 1267G/A HSP70-2 Gene polymorphism is associated with peptic ulcer.

Conclusion: It appears that polymorphism of HSP70-2 gene is associated with the susceptibility to peptic ulcer diseases. The analysis showed that the AG genotype increased the risk of peptic ulcer (OR=6.76, 95%CI=2.26-20.20, p=0.0006).

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Background: Gene therapy is a recent promising treatment that effective gene transfer is considered as its most important step. Furthermore noninvasive method of transfer will be important to, when gene therapy is supposed to be applied. Administration of drugs in oral rout is more appreciated by patients. Loading and release rates are very important in targeting and effectiveness of transfer in all different methods that have been used for oral drug transfer. Here, we have studied packing of gene particles into two different enteric coats and compared these two coats in loading of entrapped materials and there release rate in vitro.

Materials and Methods: First, DNA was mixed with chitosan by coacervation technique and resulted polyplexes were coated using solvent evaporation technique. FTIR and two different pHs, less and more but near eudragit pKa, were used to evaluate formation of particles and their behavior.

Results: Formed particles have similar stability in low pH and their differences are trivial. Eudragit L100 release rate is really slower than L100-55 and gradual. Eudragit L100 shows better ability in loading rate.

Conclusion: According to two formed particles' behavior, eudragit L100-55 might be used in oral gene transfer targeting of initial part of small intestine and eudragit L100 might be used for wider surface of small intestine, from the initial to the end part, and colon.

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Background: Some children have abrupt onset of severe urinary frequency, voiding as often as every 10-15 min during the day, without dysuria, UTI, daytime incontinence, or nocturia. The most common age for these symptoms to occur is 4-6 yr, after the child is toilet trained, and the vast majority are boys. This condition is termed the daytime frequency syndrome of childhood or Pollakiuria. The condition is functional no anatomic problem is detected. The symptoms occur often just before a child starts kindergarten or if the child is having emotional family stress-related problems. OCD is a chronically disabling illness characterized by repetitive, ritualistic behaviors over which the patient has little or no control. OCD has a lifetime prevalence of 1-3% worldwide, and as many as 80% of all cases have their onset in childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between OCD and Pollakiuria.

Materials and Methods:In this case-control study, we evaluated (152) children aged 6-18 years old who were visited in the pediatric clinics of Amir-Kabir Hospital, Arak, Iran. The control group considered of (76) healthy children and the case group included (76) age and sex matched children with Pollakiuria. Then, the children’s behavioral status was evaluated using the children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (C-YBOCS). The C-YBOCS is helpful in identifying children with OCD. The data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS-16.

Results: OCD was detected in (5) case (6.6%) with Pollakiuria and (8) controls (10.5%). The difference in OCD was not significant (p-value 0.282) between the two groups.

Conclusion: OCD isn’t more common in Pollakiuria versus non-Pollakiuria children. It is recommended to conduct a study with higher sample volume in order to detect the relationship between OCD and Pollakiuria.

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Background: Nitric oxide is synthesized in endothelial cells by eNOS and acts as a pleiotropic regulator involved in carcinogenesis. Most gastric cancers develop from stomach epithelial cells therefore, NO may play a role in their development. Polymorphisms of eNOS have been shown to be associated with cancer susceptibility. In the present study, we investigated the association of the eNOS genotypes with gastric cancer risk in Guilan Population.

Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, we analyzed the Glu298Asp polymorphism of eNOS in 87 patients with gastric cancer and 90 healthy controls. The genotyping of eNOS polymorphism was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism assays. All statistical analyses were conducted by the MedCalc statistical software.

Results: No association between the eNOS genotypes and gastric cancer risk was found. Among the 87 patients, 45 had Glu/Glu, 38 were Glu/Asp, and 4 were Asp/Asp. In the control group, 44 had Glu/Glu, 40 were Glu/Asp, and 6 were Asp/Asp. We found no significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between control and patient specimens.

Conclusion: We found that there was no association between this polymorphism and gastric cancer risk. Results suggest that eNOS polymorphism may play a role in inhibition of gastric cancer. However, larger population-based studies are needed for clarifying the role of eNOS polymorphism in gastric cancer.

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Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness among working adults worldwide. Chronic extra cellular hyperglycemia in diabetes stimulates reaction oxygen species (ROS) production and increase oxidative stress. Glutathion S- transferases (GSTs) enzymes have been shown to protect human from reactive oxygen compounds damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the genetic polymorphism of GSTP1 is associated with DR.

Materials and Methods: This case–control study, included 70 patients with DR and 70 healthy volunteers. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc program for Windows version 12.

Results: The prevalence of genotype frequencies of the GSTP1 Ile/Ile and Ile/Val were 71.42% and 28.57% respectively, in DR subject, whiles in healthy volunteers were 78.58% and 21.42%, respectively. Statistical analysis has not emerged significant difference from the comparison of either genotype (&Rho>0.05).

Conclusion: There was no evidence that GSTP1 variants were associated with DR in studied population. Further research is required to clarify role of GSTP1 in DR.

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Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that mainly affects the peripheral joints and surrounding tissue. Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in pathogenesis. The role of oxidative stress and the enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis have been studied in these years. A predominant role in counteracting reactive oxygen spieces is played by endogenous antioxidant enzymes, and glutathion peroxidase (GPx). An alteration of CTC codon to CCC codon which results in substitution of leucine instead of proline in 198th amino acid location is one of the important polymorphisms of this gene. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of GPx1 gene polymorphism in patients with rheumatoid artheritis.

Materials and Methods: The case-control study included 130 patients with rheumatoid artheritis and 126 healthy individuals. Genomic DNA was extracted from white blood cells and the genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR - RFLP). Statistical analysis was carried using the MedCalc (version 12.1).

Results: The frequencies of CC, CT and TT genotypes of GPx1gene were 32.31%, 43.08% and 24.61% respectively, in rheumatoid arthritis patients, whiles in healthy volunteers were 42.62%, 54.10% and 3.28%. Statistical results showed significant relationship between TT genotype of GPx1 gene and Rheumatoid arthritis (p=0.002, &chi2 =11.715, OR: 9.90 95% CI (2.04 to 48.01)).

Conclusion: In conclusion, these results indicate that TT genotype of GPx1 gene may be associated with the risk of rheumatoid artheritis in the studied population. However, further research is required to clarify the role of gene polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis.

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Background: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease which is present in 20% of general population. Major symptoms include sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and nasal pruritus. It seems that tricyclic antidepressants blocking histamine receptors may be used as an effective treatment in allergic rhinitis.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 84 patients with allergic rhinitis entered the study and randomly divided into two groups. Patients of 1st group received cetirizine and 2nd group received doxepin for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks patients were evaluated about sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and nasal pruritus.

Results: The results of our study showed that clinical score of patients after 2 weeks was not different in both groups (p=0.261). The only symptom that was affected by the kind of treatment and was significantly different between groups was sneezing (p=0.005).

Conclusion: It seems that there is not much difference in using cetirizine and doxepin in treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis sympotoms. It is recommended that future studies use TCAs with more potent blocking anti-histamine receptors feature and on more samples.

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Background: Cancer is one of the most common causes of deaths in the world. Cancer incidence and prevalence is increasing in the world. There is no clear trend is available on incidence of these cancers in Iran, therefore, this study aimed to determine the incidence of 10 common cancers among Iranian women from 2003 to 2009.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by analyzing existing data. Data from a national registry of cancer cases were received. Data included the records from the cancer registry system in Iranian women during 2003 to 2009. The incidence rates were then standardized using direct method. We used Cochrane Armitage Test for linear trend by Winpepi software to determine the variation in the incidence of cancers.

Results: The results show that the proportion of all cancers is rising in women as compared to all population. Breast, skin, colorectal, gastric, esophageal, thyroid, leukemia, ovary, brain and uterus were the most common cancer among Iranian women. During the years of the survey, these cancers are significantly increased.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the incidence of cancer in women is increased. screening programs can be useful in reducing the cancers.

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Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and one of the main causes of cancer-related death all over the world that has become a major public health concern. Human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (ApE1) is a multifunctional protein that has an important role in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Single- nucleotide polymorphism T>G found in exon 5 led to substitution of Asp>Glu at codon 148 (Asp148Glu). In this case-control study, we aimed to evaluate the association of this polymorphism on the risk of breast cancer in Guilan population.

Materials and Methods: To study gene polymorphism APE1 (Case- Control), blood samples were collected from 75 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and 75 control subjects, and genotyped by allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR). To estimate the association between genotype and allele frequencies in cases and controls, Chi-Square analysis was used.

Results: Analysis revealed no significant differences were found in genotype and allele distributions of ApE1 Asp148Glu polymorphism between breast cancer patients and controls (p=0.1, p=0.6 respectively) in this population.

Conclusion: Data from this study indicated no significant association between the Asp148Glu polymorphism and breast cancer risk (p=0.1). Further study is needed to clarify the impact of Asp148Glu polymorphism on the breast cancer.

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Background: Cancer in the elderly is rising increasingly. According to the population structure in Iran, it is necessary to conduct a study to examine the epidemiology and trends in cancer incidence in the elderly in Iran. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology and trends in cancer incidence in Iranian elderly from 2003 to 2009.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by analyzing existing data obtained from the National Cancer Registry System in Iran. In this stucly, all records of elderly cancer cases in Iran during 2003 to 2009 were investigated. The age- specific incidence rates of reported cases were estimated by using direct standardization method and the world standard population. We used Cochrane Armitage Test for linear trend by Winpepi software to study the trends in cancer incidence.

Results: stuolying statistics of Cancer Registry center shows that the incidence of cancer increases with age and most cases of cancer occur commonly in elderly people (aged over 60), so that, the highest number of cancer cases diagnosed in people aged 80-84, but it decreases after the age of 85. The most common cancer among the elders, in this period (2003-2009), was the skin cancer. Also, according to the statistics, cancers are more prevalent among older men than older women.

Conclusion: with due attention to the results, the trend of incidence of cancer and its various types in the elders is increasing with age. The implementation of screening programs and necessary trainings in the field of early detection and the avoidance of exposure to risk factors to reduce the risk of cancer in Iranian elderly can be useful.

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Background:  Ferula assa-foetida is one of the common medicines that was used as antiseptic with a view to traditional uses, it can be used as a safe and effective drug to treat diseases particularly resistant bacterial infections. This study aims to product gelatin nano- capsules containing Ferula assa-foetida essential oil and investigate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on gelatin nano-capsules containing Ferula assa-foetida essential oil (FAO) (2, 4, 6 and 8% w/w), glycerol (25% w/w) as plasticizer and glutaraldehyde as cross-linker. The morphology, antioxidant and antibacterial activities and operation of the nano-capsules were assessed according to American Standards by Scanning Electron Microscopy, ABTS, and microbiological tests.

Results: Gelatin nano-capsules exhibited low antioxidant and antibacterial activities while gelatin nano-capsules incorporated with FAO exhibited excellent antioxidant and antibacterial. The highest rates of these effects were seen merged with 8% of FAO.

Conclusion: Gelatin nano-capsules merged with FAO have excellent physical form, as well as they are an appropriate antioxidant and antibacterial that have been considered to produce antoxidant and antibacterial drugs.