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Background and Objective: After distinguishing the role of Helicobacter Pylori in gastritis and peptic ulcer, some hypothesis were brought up about the probable interference of this germ in dyspepsia. This study was done in order to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori infection in persons conflicted with dyspepsia, attended in 5th Azar Hospital in Gorgan during 8 months (From 2001/Mar/21 to 2001/Nov/22). Materials and Methods: In this research, 270 patients with diagnosis of dyspepsia were endoscopic based on clinical examinations and paraclinical studies and after ruling out of erosive gastrodeodenitis and peptic ulcer, two biopsy samples were taken from antrum. Then, the samples were put in urea rapid test environment media. The required time for positive response was 15 minutes but to be completely sure about it, urea environment media consisted of biopsy samples were maintained for 2 hours. Any color changes during this time were considered as positive response. Results: Among 270 patients conflicted with dyspepsia 136 patties were male and 134 were female with age average of 40.9% Y/O. The patients with Helicobacter Pylori infection were 139 (51.5%) and the ones without infection were 131 (48.5%), and age averages were 44.4 Y/O and 37.3 Y/O, respectively. The prevalence of dyspepsia subgroups were as follows: Ulcer like 53.7%, reflux like 31.1%, non specific 9.6%, and dismotility like 5.6%, and the prevalence of infection among dyspepsia subgroups were as follows: Ulcer like 62.02%, reflux like 40.47%, non specific 46.15%, and dismotility like 20%. Other risk factors in these patients were as follows: Cigarette smoking 25.6%, NSAID 16.3% and alcohol drinking 4.1%. Conclusion: This study suggests that Helicobacter Pylori infection can have a role in formation of dyspepsia.

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Background&Objective: Genital mycoplasmas can cause infection of the genitourinary tract. Thses organisms are associated with bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis, cervicitis, Nongonococcal urethritis. Spontaneous abortion, premature birth, neonatal pneumonia and meningitis, and infertility. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of PCR method for diagnosis and identification of genital mycoplasma in culture negative samples taken from women suffering from bacterial vaginosis. Materials&Methods: 174 genital samples were taken from women suffering from bacterial vaginosis during January until December 2005. Two genital swabs were taken from each patient. One of them was cultured on the mycoplasma specific media for isolation of mycoplasma. The other swab was immersed in PBS buffer and frozen until DNA extraction. To detect the presence of mycoplasma and ureaplasma in genital DNA Samples: a 520-bp fragment of the 16S rRNA was amplified. The specific primers used for this purpose were: MGSO, UGSO, MY- ins. Results: From 174 samples, 71 samples (40.8%) were positive by culture for mycoplasma & ureaplasma. From 103 culture negative samples. According to PCR results, 14 samples (13.6%) were positive and 89 Samples (86.4%) were negative for mycoplasma and ureaplasma. Conclusion: This study showed that PCR method is more sensitive than culture for detection genital mycoplasma, Therefore PCR is a rapid, sensitive and easy method to detect genital mycoplasmas in urogenital swabs.

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Background & Objective: Glucose Amino Glycans (GAG) are unbranched polysacharides, major components of the basement membrane and play a key role in their molecular organization and function, also have an important role in the pathogenesis of some diseases such as hypertension. Hypertention is probably the most important health problem in several countries. But there is not yet a reliable indicator for early diagnosis of hypertension. The goal of this study was the measurement of serum and 24-h urinary GAG as an exact and early diagnostic marker. Materials & Methods: In this case – control study, 24-h urine and serum samples collected from the 53 patients and 38 persons as matched control normotensive group. Then amount of GAG was measured with spectrophotometery method. Results: Our findings showed that there is a direct relation between 24-h urinary GAG excretion and systolic blood pressure and it increases with increase of systolic blood pressure. Also amount of serum GAG increases in hypertensive patients in comparison with control group. Conclusion: This study showed that the concentration of GAG in sera and 24-h of urine samples increase in systolic hypertention.

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Background and Objective: Continuous antigenic variation of Influenza a viruses causes a major concern to develop Influenza vaccine. Conserved antigens are suitable candidates for vaccine production due to its non-requirement to match the designed strains with circulating strains. The M2 gene is conserved among Influenza a viruses and has potential to be considered as a universal vaccine. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of aqueous Echinacea purpurea extract on immunogenicity of DNA vaccine encoding M2 gene of Influenza virus. Materials and Methods: This interventional study was carried out on female BALB/c mice with 3-4 week age (250-300 gr). Plasmid DNA encoding M2 gene (pcDNA-M2) of Influenza virus A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) was transformed into E.coli top10 f' and cultured in LB broth media. Large scale plasmid preparation was done and the concentration was measured by spectrophotometric method. Mice were divided into eight groups and immunized three times with fifteen days apart. Vaccine groups received inactivated Influenza virus or pcDNA-M2, alone or in combination with Echinacea extract. Control groups were injected pcDNA, Echinacea extract, and phosphate buffer. All animals were left to bleed before immunization and at 21 days after the last vaccination and specific anti-M2 antibodies were measured by indirect ELISA. Then the mice were intranasally challenged under an aesthesia with mouse-adapted PR8 Influenza virus and monitored for 3 weeks to evaluate the vaccine regimen efficacy in reduction of mortality rate compared to control groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16, One-way ANOVA and Kaplan–Meier tests. Results: The highest specific immune response was obtained in mice received inactivated virus plus extract (P<0.05). Immune responses in mice inoculated with pcDNA-M2 were significantly higher compared to all control groups mice (P<0.05). In addition the specific immune responses in group inoculated with pcDNA-M2 and aqueous extract was higher compared to the group receiving only pcDNA-M2 (P<0.001). The highest survival rate was observed in mice injected with inactivated virus or pcDNA-M2 plus extract. Conclusion: This study showed that pcDNA-M2 induced specific immunity and protected mice against lethal challenge with PR8 Influenza virus. Furthermore, application of Echinacea extract with M2 gene vaccine increased vaccine efficacy.

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Background and Objective: Iron oxide nanoparticles have wide applications such as MRI contrast agent and drug delivery. Nevertheless, their effects on human health have not been fully investigated yet. After cellulose, chitin is one of the most abundant organic materials in nature which is widely used in food industry, cosmetics, agriculture, medicine and the environment. This study was done to evaluate the effect of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan on renal functional indeces in rat.

Methods: In this experimental study, 60 adult female Wistar rats were allocated into 10 equal groups. Concentrations of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg/bw from chitosan, iron oxide nanoparticles and chitosan coated nanoparticles were intraperitoneally injected into 9 groups and animals in control group were received normal saline. Blood samples were collected directly from the rat heart in the days 15 and 30 post after injection and renal functional indeces including urea, creatinine, uric acid, sodium, potassium and total protein were measured.

Results: There were no significant differences in the level of urea, creatinine, uric acid, sodium, potassium and total protein in the groups whom received chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles compared to control. There was no mortality during the study time.

Conclusion: Short-term using of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan does not create any toxicity in the rat kidney.

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Background and Objective: Helicobacter pylori are one of the most common gastrointestinal bacterium infections. This study was done to compare the urease test with Giemsa staining to detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with gastric ulcer and gastritis.

Methods: This descriptive – analytic study was conducted on 601 patients' diagnosed with gastric ulcer and gastritis, whom under went endoscopy in 5th Azar hospital, Gorgan, Iran during 2008-12. Rapid urease test was immediately taken during endoscopy. Pathological examination, Giemsa staining on paraffin blocks and haematoxylin and eosin stain were done to assess either presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori.

Results: Based on biopsy results, Gastritis and gastric ulcer were diagnosed in 80.69% and 19.3%, respectively. In gastritis and gastric ulcer patients, there was a significant differences between urease test (91.5% and 90%, respectively) in comparison with Giemsa staining (91.5% and 90%, respectively) (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The study revealed that in primary diagnosis and screening of role of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastric ulcer and gastritis, urease test is suitable than giemsa staining.

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Background and Objective: Iron oxide nanoparticles, including nanoparticles is important in industry and medicine. Nanoparticles affect on detoxification of environmental pollutants such as Pesticides and chlorinated organic solvents.This study was done to evaluate the short term effect of Fe2NiO4 composite nanoparticle on kidney function indeces in wistar rats.

Methods: In this experimental study, Twenty four Wistar rat were randomly allocated into three groups, including: control, treated groups 1 and 2. Animales in control, treated groups 1 and 2 were received 0.5cc of saline, 0.5cc of solution containing 100, 200 ppm Fe2NiO4 for 7 days, respectively. Uric acid, ceratinine and urea (BUN) were measured at day 2, 7 and 14.

Results: BUN level in treated groups 1 and 2 significantly reduced in comparison with control group at day 7, 14 after intervention (P<0.05). Uric acid level in treated groups 1 and 2 significantly increased at day 7 and 14. 2 week after intervention, the mean creatinine levels in treated group 2 group significantly reduced in compare  to the in treated group 1 and controls (P<0.05).

Conclusion: It seems that the application of Fe2NiO4 nanoparticles in biological system has no toxic effect on the kidney function indeces.

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Background and Objective: Molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) is a type of nanoparticle used in the industry as an antibacterial agent. The kidney is one of the most important organs in the body, responsible for filtering waste products and regulating blood factors that are affected by various agents. Due to the widespread use of MoO₃ in disinfecting operating room equipment and the importance of renal glomeruli in blood plasma purification, this study aimed to determine the effect of molybdenum trioxide nanoparticles on rat kidneys.
Methods: In this experimental study, thirty Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were randomly divided into five groups (n=6), including a control group, a sham group (receiving normal saline), and three experimental groups (receiving MoO₃ at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/bw IP). Intraperitoneal injections were given for 35 days. After the treatment period, the animals were anesthetized, and blood samples were collected from the heart. The right kidney was then removed, and after tissue preparation, the samples were examined by stereology to determine changes in the volume of cortex, medulla, urinary space, renal body, and glomeruli.
Results: Significant increases in urinary space volume were observed in the groups receiving MoO₃, and a decrease in medulla volume was observed in the group receiving a dose of 200 mg/kg/bw compared to the control and sham groups (P<0.05). A significant increase in cortex volume was observed in the group receiving nanoparticles at a dose of 50 mg/kg/bw compared to the control and sham groups. MoO₃ caused weight reduction in animals, as well as an increase in urea and a decrease in renal volume (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Molybdenum trioxide nanoparticles can cause changes in the morphology of rats' kidneys.