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Background & Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are regarded as one of the most common infectious diseases. A remarkable percent of urinary tract infections are asymptomatic. In some cases of urinary tract infections, significant bacteriuria is not present. One the etiologic agents of culture negative genitourinary tract infections, which can be transmitted through intercourse, is Chlamydia Trachomatis. On the basis of high incidence of negative results of urine culture (Up to 60%) in patients suffering from UTI referring to Bou-Ali infectious hospital and taking into consideration the importance of genitourinary Chlamydial infections, we decided to study prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis in urine sample of patients with UTI referring to this hospital. Materials & Methods: This research was a descriptive study on the 320 patients referring to Bou-Ali infectious hospital in Zahedan, which were chosen by non-randomized sampling. One early morning urine sample was taken from these patients. After centrifugation, sediment of samples was used as antigen for Chlamy-check-I ELISA kits. Results: Out of 320 urinary specimens, 95 specimens (29.69%) were positive and 225 specimen (70.31%) were negative for Chlamydia Trachomatis. From 95 positive samples, 43 person (45.2%) were male and 52 person (54.73) were female. In both sexes the highest percent was related to 20-29 years old group. Conclusion: In accordance with above reported prevalence rate and bearing in mind the consequences of inappropriate treatment of Chlamydial infections (PID, infertility, extra uterus pregnancy, epididiomitis) the importance of precise treatment of Chlamydial infection and necessity of providing laboratory facilities for accurate and rapid diagnosis of Chlamydial infections in the area with high incidence of culture negative urine specimens is recommended.

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Background & Objective: Adenosine deaminase is an enzyme which catalyses adenosine to Inosine. The determination of adenosine deaminase in body fluids is important for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. There are contradictory reports about the diagnostic value of serum adenosine deaminase in pulmonary tuberculosis. This study was set up to investigate the diagnostic value of serum adenosine deaminase and its isoenzymes activities on pulmonary tuberculosis. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive study, blood samples were obtained from 26pulmonary tuberculosis patients (group 1), 17 suspected tuberculosis with negative in both smear and culture tests (group 2), and 67 healthy subjects (group 3). Total ADA and ADA2 determination was carried out by kinetic method and EHNA Inhibitor, respectively. Results: ADA and ADA2 activities are as follow: 19.35±5.04, 13.35±5.34 (group 1) 17.24±6.20, 11.47±3.92 (group 2) and 13.96±4.25, 7.36±2.91(group 3). The mean differences of ADA and ADA2 activity between group 1 and 2 with group 3 was meaningful. The sensitivity and specificity for ADA and ADA2 tests were (26.9%, 94 %) and (50%, 97 %) respectively. The PPV for ADA and ADA2 were 63.6% and 86.7% and the NPV were 76.8% and 83.3%, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicated that the assessment of these enzymes in serum to some extend can be a useful method for differentiation of healthy subjects from respiratory disease, but these tests do not have enough sensitivity to assist in the diagnoses of tuberculosis patients from other respiratory diseases.

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Background and Objective: Neurotrophic factors are diffusible polypeptides that have critical roles in survival, proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. This study was done to assess the role of neurotrophic factors (CNTF‎, BDNF, ‎GDN‎F, ‎NT-‎3‎) expression and proliferation rate of neural stem cells (NSCs) in coculture with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, NSCs and MSCs were isolated from adult Wistar rat. Initially, NSCs was harvested from temporal lobe after mechanical digestion by a sterile flamed Pasteur pipette and enzymatic digestion with trypsin and Dnase. The cell suspension was cultivated in a flask with DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 10% FBS 100U/ml Penicillin and 100 mg/ml Streptomycin. To obtain MSCs, bone marrow of femur and tibia bones were flashed out and cultured. MSCs and NSCs‎ cocultured by transwell ‎system in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 10% FBS 100U/ml Penicillin and 100 mg/ml Streptomycin. Haemocytometer, immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR methods were performed to identify and evaluate cell proliferation, purity levels and neurotrophic factors expression. Results: There ‎is‎ no differences in NTFs profile of ‎neurotrophic‎ factors expression between ‎coculture ‎group‎ ‎and‎ control ‎NSCs, but interactions between MSCs and NSCs significantly promoted NSCs proliferation (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that coculture of NSCs with MSCs might be prfered in cell-therapy than‎ NSCs.‎

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Background and Objective: Since accurate and quick clinical and paraclinical diagnostic methods are not available, in some cases diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis occurs after considerable time from the onset of disease. This study was designed to determine the diagnostic value of High Resolution Computed Tomographic (HRCT) scan in active pulmonary tuberculosis, in Gorgan, Golestan province, North of Iran. Materials and Methods: This diagnostic screening study was carried out on 135 (79 male and 56 female) hospitalized patients suspected with active pulmonary tuberculosis, and HRCT was used in their course of treatment as recommendation of their clinician. The patients were chosen from 5th Azar hosptial during 2009-10. Also it should be mentioned that patients were selected on avaliabity bases, and they were examined by smear, and sputum culture. The patients with negative smear and culture were set up as true healthy group (64 subjects). The lung or small nuddles in HRCT was considered as proper position of lung involvument in active lung pulmonary. The HRCT findings between the case group (71 subjects) and healthy group were compared. According to HRCT findings, the sensitivity and specifity were determined for each patient. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16 and Chi-Square test. Results: In this study, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of HRCT in active pulmonary tuberculosis were equal to 97.2%, 71.9%, 79.3% and 95.8% respectively. Involvement of upper and middle lobe of the right lung and upper lobe of the left lung were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that HRCT has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and can be used as a quick diagnostic way in active pulmonary tuberculosis, especially in patients with strong clinical suspicion and negative smear.

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Background and Objective: Degeneration of neurons in the central nervous system occurs during aging. Transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) can be preventing the degeneration of neurons. In addition to neuronal replacement, with the production of neurotrophic factors, increased survival and proliferation of endogenous cells. This study was done to compare the cell proliferation, neurotrophic factors expression and features of NSCs harvested from different areas of the central nervous system in vitro. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study NSCs have been harvested from subgranular zone (SGZ), subventricular zone (SVZ) and central canal of spinal cord from adult Wistar rats with mechanical, enzymatical digestion and subsequently was cultured in α-MEM medium supplemented with serum as monolayer or adherent conditions and passaged for 13 times. Immunocytochemistry was used to determine expression of the nestin and GFAP markers. Semi-quantitative RT–PCR was used to confirm genes expression (NGF, CNTF, NT3, NT4/5, GDNF and BDNF). Results: Morphological features of stem cells extracted from different regions of the central nervous system were similar in the culture. Doubling time NSCs in the SVZ (37.45 hr) is shorter than in the SGZ (44.04 hr) and central canal of spinal cord (57.22 hr). The culture conditions as well as monolayer neural stem cells are capable of producing neurospheres. Also, nestin and GFAP markers, expressed by NSCs. Neurotrophic gene expression pattern profiles were similar to each other in stem cells extracted from the SGZ, SVZ and central canal of spinal cord. Conclusion: Neurotrophic gene expression in stem cells extracted from different regions of the central nervous system were similar, but proliferation capacity was higher in NSCs, which have been harvested from the SVZ.

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Background and Objective: Mycoplasma Hominis is the smallest pathogenic bacteria, with no cell wall and free living organisms. It grows slowly and the conventional clinical microbiology techniques can not be applied due to difficulties in cultivation in particular slow growth incubation. This study was done to compare the culture and PCR methods for diagnosis of vaginal infection due to Mycoplasma Hominis. Methods: This laboratory test evaluation study was done on 150 patients with bacterial vaginosis and 50 healthy people with no infection as control, whom refereed to Imam Khomeini and Imam Zaman Hospitals in Tehran. Samples were collected in PPLO culture for growth and PBS to perform PCR method. Results: 35.3% and 76% of patients were positive using culture and PCR methods, respectively. Using PCR method 8% of control subjects was positive. There was no significant association between PCR method with abortion, place of residence and also level of educations. There was a significant association between the age (P<0.05), times of changing under wear cloths (P<0.05) and parity (P<0.05). Conclusion: PCR method is a more reliable technique to detect the vaginal infection due to Mycoplasma Hominis compared to culturing.