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Abstract Background and objectives: Ureaplasma urealyticum is one of the most important causes of Nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) and non-specific urethritis (NSU) in men. Also Mycoplasma hominis has a role in causing NGU and NSU. The aim of this study was the detection of Mycoplasma hominis & Ureaplasma urealyticum in men suffering from NGU and NSU by prostatic massage method and first- void Urine samples. Material and Methods: Urethral secretion samples, taken after prostatic massage and first-void urine, of 75 patients referred to department of bacteriology of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were examined for ureaplasma and mycoplasma by culture method in 2004-2005 Results: In prostatic samples, 19 and 11 samples are positive for ureaplasma and Mycoplasma, retrospectively. In first-void urine samples, 17 and 9 samples are positive for ureaplasma and Mycoplasma, retrospectively. Conclusion: The results show that if it is impossible to obtain urethral sample via prostatic massage , we can use first- void urine instead. Key words:Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum,Nongonococcal urethritis, Nonspecific urethritis, prostatic massage, first voided Urine

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Abstract Background and objectives: Halo interference around antibiogram disc is one of the problems seen in Agar media. This study aimed at applying graded plate method to reduce this problem. Material and Methods: Forty-eight millimeter plates, before putting disc, were graded and the location of discs was determined. Instead of full disc, we used half-disc and then compared the haloe interference, based on clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI), of Klebseila Pneumoniae in the presence of nine different antibiotics. Results: The tests performed on Klebseila Pneumoniae show that five antibiotics such as Enrofloxacin (24mm), Flumequine (12mm), Furazolidone (22mm), ampicillin (22mm) and Florfenicle (22mm) cause non-growth haloes while none of them has interference haloe when we use the news method. Conclusion: According to results, the graded plate not only has negative effect on Antibiogram results but also is careful and decrease the interference produced by previous methods and its efficacy is increased up to %17.64 when we use 84 diametered Plate. Keywords: Antibiotic, Disc diffusion test, Dispensing disc, Non-growth haloes, Non-growth haloes interference, Plate

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Abstract Background and objectives: "The comb antibiotic sensitivity test" is a quick, reliable and cost effective method to determine the susceptibility of bacteria to different antibiotics. The purpose of this study is to design a plate that is easy and quick to use, and enable to be interpreted easily without the need for measurement of the margins with a ruler. Material and Methods: First, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute data about the maximum growth inhibitory haloes formed with antibiotics and various micro-organisms were statistically examined and determined that the most (99.7%) zone of inhibition growth is formed in the range of 42 mm. Accordingly, the obtained number (42 mm) and conventional plate size (100 mm) used for testing sensitivity were punched into Solid works software which was used to determine the best place of strip and shoulder plates. After that the efficacy this media were examined by determination of MIC Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia, non-graded and graded plate shoulders were searched and compared. Results: Has been placed two combs MIC in a plate in this method and didn’t create growth inhibitory haloes interferences. Obtained MIC for Nitrofurantoin( 10 µg/ml) , Amikacin(0.5 µg/ml), Gentamicin(1 µg/ml) , and Amoxicillin (0.5 µg/ml) against S.aureus , MIC Nalidicsic Acid, Amikcin, Gentamicin and Nitrofurantoin against K.pneumonia was 0.1, 0.5, 0.5 and 10 µg/ml ,respectively. Conclusion:The comparison between this new innovative method and standard methods (Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute - CLSI) shows that there a marked reduction in the interference of antibiotic therapy and will also reduce time of interpretation. Key words: Plate, Antibiogram Comb, MIC, Antibiotics, Drug resistance.

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Background: Discovering new cytotoxic compounds has received significant attention due to the rise in drug resistance and the adverse effects associated with chemotherapy drugs. In this study, the cytoplasmic extract of Lactobacillus casei was used to produce iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂o₃ NPs), and the cytotoxic effects of NPs were investigated on MCF-7 and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells.
Methods: The cytoplasmic extract of L. casei was mixed with 10³M iron sulfate solution and incubated for 3 weeks at 37 °C and 5% CO₂. The coprecipitation method was used to synthesize chemical Fe₂o₃ NPs. The synthesis of NPs was studied by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated with dilutions (10, 100, and 1000 µg/mL) on MCF-7 and HEK cells.
Results: X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy presented the mean of NPs synthesized by the green method to be about 15 nm and their shape to be spherical, as well as the average of chemically synthesized NPs to be about 20 nm with cubic structure. Chemical and green synthesized NPs only at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL were able to significantly reduce the survival rate of normal HEK-293 cells; chemically synthesized NPs decreased MCF-7 cell survival only at 1000 µg/mL and green synthesis at 100 µg/mL and 1000 µg/mL.
Conclusion: Generating Fe₂o₃ NPs is biologically safe using the green synthesis method and the cytoplasmic extract of L. casei, which may be a suitable candidate for the treatment of cancer cells.