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Carbapenems are beta-lactam antibiotics that can play an important role in infections with multiple and severe resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of carbapenem-producing bacteria in gram-negative isolates of clinical samples obtained from patients291 g-negative bacilli were isolated from the samples of hospitalized patients using gram staining method, conventional methods and biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined using the agar disk diffusion method for 5 different antibiotics. Strains that were resistant to Meropenem antibiotic, KPC enzyme production was examined by the Modified Hodge test method.Out of 291 g-negative bacilli, 14 isolates showed resistance to Meropenem by a disk agar diffusion method where 12 (85.8%) strains were producing KPC enzymeIt was shown that carbapenem-resistant strains are considered as a growing problem in hospitals, especially in the intensive care unit for children and men.

Objective Smoking is one significant global health care problems, that not only affects the users but also endangers the health of people inhaling the smoke (passive smoking/secondhand smoke). The serum level of IL-18, an important regulator of inherent and acquired immune response, is affected by cigarette smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on IL-18 serum level in non-smoker adults. Methods In a case-control study, using easy sampling method, 76 non-smokers who were exposed to cigarette smoke for at least 1 h daily during the past year were considered as exposure group, while 76 of their companions without exposure to cigarette smoke (after matching age) were considered as non-exposure group. Serum IL-18 levels were measured for all participants and finally compared between the two groups using Chi-square test. P value, Highlights • Smoking is one significant global health care problems. • That not only affects the users but also endangers the health of people inhaling the smoke. • The serum level of IL-18, an important regulator of inherent and acquired immune response. • The exposure to secondhand smoke has no significant effect on serum level of IL-18.

Metformin is one of the oldest and commonly used blood sugar lowering drugs, having limited side effects and used as the first line treatment in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. Moreover, various studies have emphasized on the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role of metformin, with multiple mechanisms, which activation of AMPK by metformin has had a key role in many of them. During the searches on the internet websites of PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, 76 papers related to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role of metformin were selected and reviewed since 2003 to 2017. At the cellular level, metformin suppresses the inflammation in many cases and reduces or eliminates inflammatory factors mainly through dependent mechanisms and sometimes independent of AMPK at the cellular level and through other ways at the systematic levels. It is also effective in reducing the level of oxidative stress factors by regulating the antioxidant system of the cell. All evidence suggests the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role of metformin in various conditions. Metformin can be an appropriate treatment option for many diseases, which inflammatory processes and oxidative stress play a role in their pathogenesis.

Introduction: The nephrotoxicity of gentamicin is thought to be a dangerous side effect in the use of this drug caused by the formation of oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen species. Antioxidant agents play important roles in reducing oxidative stress. Objectives: In this study, the antioxidant role of ferulic acid has been studied in nephrotoxicity caused by gentamicin. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 50 Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. The first group was considered as the control group and other groups received different doses of ferulic acid + 80 mg/kg gentamycin for 8 days by intraperitoneally injection. After the treatment, blood samples were prepared from animals. Then, the right and left kidneys were removed, paraffin blocks prepared, and the rest of the tissues were lysed. Three samples were used to evaluate serum creatinine and urea, as well as urine creatinine, histopathologic status and oxidative stress factors levels, respectively. To compare the results of different groups, Mann-Whitney U test was used. Results: Ferulic acid treatment decreased tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), serum urea and creatinine, urine albumin/creatinine ratio and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and also increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT). Ferulic acid reduced tubular necrosis and eosinophilic casts in gentamycin group induced nephrotoxicity. Conclusion: Ferulic acid can be effective in inhibiting gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Introduction: Nephrotoxicity is one of the most important side effects of cisplatin which has limited its use. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of this drug. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effect of zolpidem on the reduction of nephrotoxicity associated with cisplatin. Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 adult male rats were divided into 4 groups; 1) healthy group, 2) control group, 3, 4) cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity + different doses of zolpidem. After a certain period of time, the urine, spinal cord and kidney samples of rats were collected. Then, urine levels of functional factors including urea, creatinine and albumin/ creatinine ratio, antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated. Consequently, histological studies were conducted with the collected samples. Results: Zolpidem reduced levels of urea, creatinine, albumin/creatinine ratio, and MDA. It also increased the amount of antioxidant enzymes of the kidney including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and moderated the tubular damage caused by the use of cisplatin. Conclusion: Zolpidem is able to improve the nephrotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress.