ABSTRACT
Background: Antibiotic resistant bacteria can be considered as a main problem in infection management. Zinc oxide nanoparticles [ZnO NPs], individually or in combination with antibiotics, can be considered as good candidates for struggling against drug resistant bacteria
Methods: In this study, Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using sol-gel method in low temperature as a cost effective procedure and characterized by X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Antibacterial activity of 9 new combinations of Zinc oxide nanoparticles and ceftazidime was assessed against standards and new clinically isolated multi drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa [P. aeruginosa], in order to evaluate enhancement effect of synthesized Zinc oxide nanoparticles on antibacterial activity of ceftazidime
Results: The results indicated that desirable effects can be seen at 6 and 7 mM of Zinc oxide nanoparticles [60 to 100% inhibition]. Moreover, after evaluation of 9 new combinations with various concentrations of both components, it was demonstrated that Zinc oxide nanoparticles can enhance the antibacterial activity of ceftazidime, against some bacterial strains of P. aeruginosa. The highest activity was observed with the concentration of 20 micro g/ml ceftazidime in the presence of 5, 6 or 7 mM of Zinc oxide nanoparticles
Conclusion: Zinc oxide nanoparticles in appropriate concentrations can be proposed as new and promising candidates for overcoming bacterial resistance
ABSTRACT
Background: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome [MetS] in polycystic ovary syn-drome [PCOS] has been studied in different populations, but their results were so con-troversial regarding Iranian women. These controversial data indicated the need for more investigation of MetS characteristics in PCOS patients in our population. So this study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and metabolic features of patients with PCOS in Rasht
Materials and Methods: This prospective cross sectional study was conducted on 215 PCOS women who lived in Rasht, north of Iran, from March 2010 to July 2012. The participants were then divided into two groups of women with MetS [n=62] and women without MetS [n=153]. The diagnosis of PCOS and MetS were based on the Rotterdam 2003 criteria and the Adult Treatment Panel III [ATP III] criteria, respectively. Demographic characteristics, fertility characteristics, family history and laboratory findings were assessed
Results: The prevalence of MetS in women with PCOS was 28.8%. In PCOS women of both groups, the waist circumference [WC] exceeded 88cm in 72.6%, hypertension [systolic blood pressure [SBP] and/or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] >/= 130/85mm Hg] was prevalent in 9.3%, fasting blood sugar [FBS] level was >/= 110 mg/dl in 6%, triglycerides [Tg] level were >/= 150 mg/dl in 47%, and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] level was <50 mg/dl in 86%. The values of WC, SBP, DBP, body mass index [BMI], ovarian size, Tg, cholesterol, FBS, 2-hour blood sugar, aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and alanine aminotransferase [ALT] were significantly greater in PCOS women with MetS than women without MetS. Also HDL and luteinizing hormone [LH] levels in women with MetS were significantly lower than women without MetS
Conclusion: Prevalence of MetS in PCOS women was 28.8%, indicating that this value is higher than other studies conducted on PCOS women in Iran and other studies conducted on general population in Iran. PCOS women are considered as a high-risk population for MetS. The special strategies are required to prevent MetS and its associated complications in PCOS women