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Showing 5 results for majidpour
Does Probiotic Therapy Have Effect on Serum Calcium and Cholesterol Levels in Demyelinated Hippocampus?

Volume 3, Issue 3 (9-2017)
Abstract
Background: Recently, the use of probiotics in preventing and treating the immune system diseases through changes in blood factors has attracted the attention of researchers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium B94 on changes of blood factors, influencing the autoimmune system diseases.
Materials and Methods: The rats used in this study were divided into four groups (n=10 each), including control (saline), damage with Ethidium bromide (EB), L. plantarum and Bifidobacterium B94 treatment groups. In damage and treatment groups, a single dose of 3μL EB was directly injected into hippocampus of rats for inducing demyelization. Also, in control group, the same amount of saline was used. Then 2×108 probiotic bacteria were administered by gavage for 28 days. Then serum calcium and cholesterol levels were measured. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc tests (p≤ .05).
Results: The results showed that level of blood serum calcium increased insignificantly in the L. plantarum and Bifidobacterium B94 treatment groups compared to control group.  Also, the level of blood serum cholesterol decreased insignificantly in both treatment groups compared to control group.
Conclusion: Probiotics are used for preventing and treating some of the common autoimmune diseases such as MS. Previous studies showed that probiotics affects some of the blood parameters such as calcium and cholesterol while decrease or increase in these parameters is effective in the improvement of MS.  Although no significant finding has been obtained in some of these studies, they have almost confirmed the recommendation of probiotic consumption.
Reliability of MIC Gradient Strips (E-test) in Detection of Colistin Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Caused an Outbreak in a Teaching Hospital in Tehran

Volume 4, Issue 3 (Summer 2018)
Abstract
Aims: Colistin resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains have become an important treat in nosocomial infection control. The reliable detection of these strains plays a critical role in treatment procures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the three different methods in detection of colistin resistant A. baumannii strains.
Materials & Methods: Eighty-three A. baumannii strains were isolated from hospitalized patients of a teaching hospital in Tehran during 1 year (2016-2017). All isolates were genetically confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The resistance to colistin was determined with disc diffusion, E-test, and micro broth dilution method.
Findings: According to the results of micro broth dilution as a gold standard, 43% of the isolates were resistant to colistin, while this percentage was 23% and 44% through E-test and disc diffusion methods, respectively. The positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV) of this method was 43% and 57%, respectively. The sensitivity and NPV index of E-test for the detection of colistin resistant strains was 76% and 68%.
Conclusion: Detection of colistin MIC by E-test strips has been commonly used in clinical laboratories to recognize the colistin susceptible strains. The NPV and sensitivity of E-test method demonstrated that this method has inefficacy to accurate determination of colistin susceptible strains. Thus, using standard protocol micro broth dilution with qualified materials should be stabilized and replaced instead of disc diffusion or even using E-test in clinical laboratories.

Tetracycline Resistance Associated with tet Genes or Integrons among Enterobacter cloacae Strains Isolated from Patients with Urinary Tract Infections

Volume 6, Issue 1 (Winter 2020)
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tet genes and Class I and 2 integrons in Enterobacter cloacae strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Materials & Method: A total of 50 E. cloacae isolates were collected. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and tetracycline MIC were determined. The presence of tet genes (tetA, tetB, tetC, tetD) and Class 1 and 2 integrons and the content of Class 1 integron were determined.
Findings: Tetracycline MIC pattern classified 36 % of the E. cloacae isolates as resistant. The most common tet gene was tetC (22%), followed by tetD, tetA, and tetB.  Class 1 integron was detected in 64% of the isolates. Class 1 integron content analysis showed two variable gene cassettes (aadA1 and aadA5/dfrA17 genes). The frequency of aadA5/dfrA17 was 18.75%, which was more common than aadA1 gene (6.25%).
Conclusion: The most important genetic markers for tetracycline resistance in E. cloacae isolates were tetC and Class 1 integron. Harboring Class 1 integron and resistance to streptomycin and ciprofloxacin were significantly correlated.
Association between Hematology Indices as Early Markers and Urinary Tract Infection, Septicemia, Pneumonia, and Diabetic Foot Infection

Volume 8, Issue 1 (Winter 2022)
Abstract
Backgrounds: Infectious diseases are one of the main leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases are very important. Infection affects some blood indices that could be used as diagnostic markers. Therefore, this study aimed to compare blood parameters in four important and prevalent infectious diseases.
Materials & Methods: In this study, 202 out of 892 patients with a final diagnosis of UTI (urinary tract infection), septicemia, pneumonia, or diabetic foot infection were evaluated; they were hospitalized in Rasoul Akram hospital in Iran from August 2017 to February 2018. Patients’ demographic and laboratory data, such as RDW (red cell distribution width), PDW (platelet distribution width), RBC (red blood cell), CRP (C-reactive protein), ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), and, WBC (white blood cells), were evaluated.
Findings: This study results showed that mortality rate in sepsis cases was higher than in other cases (42.1%). Changes in blood parameters such as RDW, PDW, and EDR levels as well as monocyte, basophil, and eosinophil counts were significant among patients with different infectious diseases, while there was no significant difference in terms of changes in some blood parameters, such as WBC, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts and CRP level between patients with different infectious diseases. For statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests were used.
Conclusion: According to this study results, it was found that the range of blood parameters varies in different types of infectious diseases. Therefore, the physician could employ routine blood parameters along with other diagnostic factors to more accurately diagnose the type of infection and prescribe more appropriate antibiotics.
Estimating the supply of and demand for labor force until 2050 in Iran

Volume 24, Issue 1 (spring 2024)
Abstract
Introduction:
Iran's economy will become bigger in the coming years and the GDP will increase every year. Therefore, the economy will need more labor force, which is provided through population growth. Now this question is raised, will population growth be enough for Iran's future economic growth?
During the last 50 years, the situation of Iran's labor market has been such that the supply has increased over the demand, so unemployment has been one of the chronic problems of Iran. For example, the active population in 2021 was about 25.8 million people, of which 2.3 million were unemployed and 23.5 million were employed, that is, the unemployment rate was 9.2% (Statistical Center of Iran, Results of the 2021 Labor Force Survey Plan), but the population outlook in Iran shows major changes in the coming years. This research shows that in the future, the labor market of Iran will not experience unemployment, rather the possibility of labor force shortage will not be surprising. In this article, the supply of and demand for labor in Iran are estimated until 2050, then the gap between the two is predicted.
Methodology:
To predict the labor supply, first, the population by age has been estimated using the cohort method until 2050. Then we consider two scenarios for the labor force participation rate. First, it is assumed that the labor force participation rate will be constant until the year 2050. Second, it is assumed that the participation rate will increase along the trend of "average years of education of women". With the availability of the participation rate and the working age population (15-64), the active population has been estimated until 2050.
The demand for labor is estimated according to the production elasticity of employment. With the assumption of this elasticity and the assumption of economic growth at least level for Iran's economy, labor demand is predicted. The average production elasticity of employment in Iran is about 0.7, which means that with economic growth of 1%, the demand for labor increases by 0.7%. Assuming that this elasticity is constant until 2050 and considering the scenario for economic growth (minimum economic growth), the labor demand is estimated for the next 30 years.
Findings: 
A realistic scenario that predicts the labor force participation rate in line with the trend of "average years of education for women", the active population is predicted to be 30.35 million in 2050. On the other hand, by using the output elasticity of employment and two scenarios for Iran's economic growth, the demand for the labor force has been predicted until 2050. Assuming an average economic growth, 2.6% per year and an output elasticity, 0.7, the demand for labor in 2050 is predicted to be around 40.26 million people. With a realistic scenario, the results show that there is unemployment in Iran until 2030, although the trend is decreasing. In 2030, unemployment will reach zero, which means labor supply and demand will be equal. From 2030 onwards, the excess demand for the labor force begins with an increasing trend, so that in 2050 the excess demand for the labor force reaches about 10 million people.
Discussion and Conclusion:
In this research, labor supply and demand have been predicted using very conservative and reasonable assumptions. The results show that with a minimum economic growth rate (1% per year) and the maximum increase in the labor force participation rate up to 50% in 2050, there will still be a lack of labor demand. There are three ways to reduce excess demand. The first is to increase productivity. Through improving technology and human capital through education, health, skills, etc., labor productivity can be increased. With the improvement of technology and the use of advanced machines, the use of robots, the mechanization of various economic sectors, and the use of artificial intelligence (IA), the majority of excess demand can be provided.  The second is to use of foreign labor. Many countries use the supply excess of foreign labor from countries that face supply excess to offset their excess demand. The third way is to increase the labor force participation rate of women in Iran.
It should be noted that the assumption of other conditions is always met in any forecasting. Among these conditions are sanctions, oil exports, technology, environmental changes, and so forth. For example, if the sanctions are lifted, Iran's economic growth can up to 7 percent annually. Higher economic growth leads to higher demand for labor, and excess demand occurs sooner. Therefore, changing any of the unexpected factors in the future can increase or decrease the forecast of supply and demand.

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