Search

Introduction: Influenza is a viral infectious disease with frequent seasonal epidemics causing world-wide economical and social effects. Due to antigenic shifts and drifts of influenza virus, long-lasting vaccine has not been developed so far. The current annual vaccines and effective antiviral drugs are not available sufficiently. Therefore in order to prevent spread of infectious agents including viruses, antiseptics are considered by world health authorities. Small particles of silver have a long history as general antiseptic and disinfectant. Silver does not induce resistance in microorganisms and this ability in Nano-size is stronger. Materials and methods: The aim of this study was to determine antiviral effects of Nanosilver against influenza virus. TCID50 (50% Tissue Culture Infectious Dose) of the virus as well as CC50 (50% Cytotoxic Concentration) of Nanosilver was obtained by MTT (3- [4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide, Sigma) method. This compound was non-toxic to MDCK (Madin-Darbey Canin Kidney) cells at concentration up to 1 µg/ml. Effective minimal cytotoxic concentration and 100 TCID50 of the virus were added to the confluent cells. Inhibitory effects of Nanosilver on the virus and its cytotoxicity were assessed at different temperatures using Hemagglutination (HA) assay, RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction), and DIF (Direct Immunofluorescent). RT-PCR and free band densitometry software were used to compare the volume of the PCR product bands on the gel. Results and Discussion: In this study it was found that Nanosilver has destructive effect on the virus membrane glycoprotein knobs as well as the cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Lagrange’s equations along with the Ritz method are used to obtain the equation of motion for a flexible, slender cylinder subjected to axial flow. The cylinder is supported only by a translational and a rotational spring at the upstream end, and at the free end, it is terminated by a tapering end-piece. The equation of motion is solved numerically for a system in which the translational spring is infinitely stiff, thus acting as a pin, while the stiffness of the rotational spring is generally non-zero. The dynamics of such a system with the rotational spring of an average stiffness is described briefly. Moreover, the effects of the length of the cylinder and the shape of the end-piece on the critical flow velocities and the modal shapes of the unstable modes are investigated.

Abstract Background The influenza virus is still one of the most important respiratory risks affecting humans which require effective treatments. In this case, traditional medications are of interest. HESA-A is an active natural biological compound from herbal-marine origin. Previous studies have reported that the therapeutic properties of HESA-A are able to treat psoriasis vulgaris and cancers. However, no antiviral properties have been reported. Methods This study was designed to investigate the potential antiviral properties of HESA-A and its effects in modulating TNF-α and IL-6 cytokine levels. HESA-A was prepared in normal saline as a stock solution (0.8 mg/ml, pH = 7.4). Percentages of cell survival when exposed to different concentrations of HESA-A at different time intervals was determined by MTT assay. To study the potential antiviral activity of HESA-A, Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells were treated with the effective concentration (EC50) of HESA-A (0.025 mg/ml) and 100 TCID50/0.1 ml of virus sample under different types of exposure. Results Based on the MTT method and hemagglutination assay (HA), HESA-A is capable of improving cell viability to 31% and decreasing HA titre to almost 99% in co-penetration exposures. In addition, based on quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), it was found that HESA-A causes decrements in TNF-α and IL-6 cytokine expressions, which was significant for TNF-α (p ≤ 0.05) but not for IL-6. Conclusion In conclusion, HESA-A was effective against influenza infection through suppressing cytokine expression.

An abstract of the article "Fetal MRI for diagnosis of bowel malposition" by G. Gorincour, A. Dabadie and M. Colombani is presented.

An abstract of the paper on the expression of a chimerical pcDNA encoding influenza virus presented during the Institut Pasteur International Network Annual Scientific Meeting at Hong Kong, China, from November 22-23, 2010 is presented.

An abstract of the paper on the isolation and cloning of large subunit of influenza virus A presented during the Institut Pasteur International Network Annual Scientific Meeting at Hong Kong, China, from November 22-23, 2010 is presented.

Background: This article introduces the first national guidelines for the management including diagnosis, treatment, and secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Iran., Materials and Methods: The members of the guideline development group (GDG) were specialists and experts in fields related to ACS and were affiliated with universities of medical sciences or scientific associations in the country. They carefully examined the evidence and clinical concerns related to ACS management and formulated 13 clinical questions that were sent to systematic review group who developed related evidence using Grade method. Finally the GDG developed the recommendations and suggestions of the guideline., Results: The first three questions in the guideline focus on providing recommendations for handling a patient who experience chest pain at home, in a health house or center, during ambulance transportation, and upon arrival at the emergency department (ED) as well as the initial diagnostic measures in the ED. Subsequently, the recommendations related to the criteria for categorizing patients into low, intermediate and high-risk groups are presented. The guideline addressed primary treatment measures for ACS patients in hospitals with and without code 247 or having primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facilities, and the appropriate timing for PCI based on the risk assessment. In addition, the most efficacious antiplatelet medications for ACS patients in the ED as well as its optimal duration of treatment are presented. The guideline details the recommendations for therapeutic interventions in patients with ACS and acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock, myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA), multivessel occlusion, as well as the indication for prescribing a combined use of anticoagulants and antiplatelet during hospitalization and upon discharge. Regarding secondary prevention, while emphasizing the referral of these patients to rehabilitation centers, other interventions that include pharmaceutical and nonpharmacological ones are addressed, In addition, necessary recommendations for enhancing lifestyle and posthospital discharge pharmaceutical treatments, including their duration, are provided. There are specific recommendations and suggestions for subgroups, such as patients aged over 75 years and individuals with heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease., Conclusion: Developing guidelines for ACS diagnosis, treatment and secondary prevention according to the local context in Iran can improve the adherence of our health care providers, patients health, and policy makers plans., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Research in Medical Sciences.)

Salinity is one of the predominant abiotic stress factors that influence the growth and productivity of plants. Salinity adversely impacts the growth responses via ionic toxicity, osmotic stress, impaired nutrients uptake, hormonal disparity, and the over-production of reactive oxygen species. To study the effects of salinity stress (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) and foliar treatments (dH 2 O, 2 g L -1 Dobogen biostimulant, 2 g L -1 KNO 3, and 2 g L -1 D-glucose) on the growth and physiological responses of Tanacetum balsamita, a factorial experiment was conducted based on the completely randomized design at the research greenhouse of Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Iran. The results showed the significant interaction effects of salinity and foliar sprays on chlorophyll a, K + , Na + , Mg 2+ , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Si content, K/Na ratio, and total phenolics and flavonoids content. The highest phenolic content was acquired with 100 mM salinity and foliar spray of Dobogen and glucose, 50 mM NaCl × KNO 3 application, and 50 mM salinity × no-foliar application. The highest K/Na ratio was observed in control plants and controls × KNO 3 and/or Dobogen application. The greatest Si content was recorded with no-salinity × Dobogen and KNO 3 applications and no-saline × no-foliar (control) plants. The independent effects of treatments influenced malondialdehyde, flavonoids, proline contents, and catalase activity. Chlorophyll b and superoxide dismutase were affected by the salinity. Total soluble solids and Ca 2+ content were responsive to the foliar applications. Malondialdehyde and proline content was the highest at 150 mM salinity. Salinity adversely affected the physiological responses of costmary. However, foliar treatments partially ameliorated the salinity effect, and the results with more detailed studies would be advisable to the extension section and pioneer farmers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The health belief model (HBM) is effective in preventing osteoporosis and promoting health literacy (HL). In this regard, there are some critical points such as the role of HL in preventing osteoporosis, adoption of preventive behaviors, adoption of behaviors, including physical activity, and the role of health volunteers in transmitting health messages to the community. Considering the aforesaid points this study was performed among the health volunteers aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention based on integrated HBM with HL on walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis., Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental intervention study, 140 health volunteers (70 people in each of the two intervention and control groups) were enrolled in the study using multi-stage random sampling, in 2020. The members of the intervention group received e-learning through social media software, 4 times during 4 weeks (once a week) and were provided with educational booklets and pamphlets. Data collection tools included demographic and background questionnaires; standard questionnaire based on the HBM, awareness, and walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis; and HELIA questionnaire to measure HL. These questionnaires were completed in two stages, before and 3 months after the intervention. The educational intervention in this study was sent to the intervention group in 4 stages. The collected data were analyzed using proportional tests (paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test) and SPSS software version 23., Results: The mean and standard deviation related to the score of adoption of nutrition behaviors at the beginning of the study in the intervention group was 5.398 ± 1.447, which changed to 8.446 ± 1.244 after 3 months, indicating a significant increase in the adoption of such behaviors (P = 0.009). In the control group, the mean and standard deviation of the scores of adoption of nutrition behaviors changed from 5.451 ± 1.222 to 6.003 ± 1.005, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.351). Also, the mean and standard deviation related to the scores of adoption of walking behavior at the beginning of the study in the intervention group was 8.956 ± 0.261, which changed to 13.457 ± 0.587 after 3 months, indicating a significant increase in the adoption of such behaviors (P < 0.001). In the control group, the mean and standard deviation related to the scores of the adoption of walking behavior changed from 8.848 ± 0.353 to 9.025 ± 0.545, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.211). Prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference between two groups regarding the variables of demographic and background, knowledge, all constructs of the model, HL, and adoption of walking and nutrition behaviors (P > 0.05). After the intervention, the comparison of the two groups showed that there was a significant change in the mean scores of awareness, all constructs of the model, HL, and adoption of preventive behaviors in the intervention group than the control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The educational intervention based on an HBM integrated with HL was effective and acceptable in correcting and promoting walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis among health volunteers. Therefore, it can be said that the intervention implemented was in line with the developed model used., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Quality of work-life is an important factor in the recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce and their work productivity., Aims: This study aimed to identify factors that affect the quality of work-life of nurses., Methods: In this correlational study, 239 nurses employed in a tertiary teaching hospital in Iran completed the study questionnaires, including the quality of work-life questionnaire. The associations between potential independent variables and quality of work-life were examined using multivariate regression analysis., Results: Participants were mostly women (80.33%) and within the age range of 30-45 years (71.54%). Working in other hospitals, having a second job and health information-seeking behaviours were significant predictors of quality of work-life, explaining 28.68% of the total variance in quality of work-life of nurses., Conclusions: Improving working standards may prevent nurses from working extra hours or in different occupations. This, along with facilitating the health information-seeking behaviours of nurses, may help improve their quality of work-life by maintaining a better work-life balance and acquiring knowledge and skills that can help with effective management of work and life commitments., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Background: Considering the role of sexual quality of life in public satisfaction, improving interpersonal relationships, promoting the general quality of life, especially in women, and ultimately maintaining, consolidating, and promoting family and community health, the need to explain the factors affecting it, such as sexual health literacy, is felt from the perspective of women. This study aimed to determine the relationship of sexual health literacy on the sexual life quality of women referring to health-care centers in Qazvin., Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The population of this study was 420 women of Qazvin in 2020 who were selected by multistage sampling. The data collection tool was a demographic questionnaire and the standard questionnaire sexual health literacy for adults and Sexual Quality of Life-Female questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 and descriptive statistics and logistic regression., Results: The mean (standard deviation) of the sexual health literacy score was 78.47 (17.85) and sexual quality of life was 59.71 (19.21). The results of logistic regression test showed that the variables of sexual health literacy, education level, age of marriage, and number of sexual intercourses per week were effective factors on the sexual quality of life ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Women with lower sexual health literacy, lower education level, higher marriage age, and women who had sex less per week had a lower sexual quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to these women in designing educational programs to improve the quality of sexual life., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background: Clinical trials concerning the effect of supplements or multivitamin on improving the quality of life have proven different results. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of multivitamin supplement on quality of life of the elderly., Materials and Methods: Sixty-four old people over 65 years of age in Kermanshah Elderly Care Center participated in this randomized trial. The samples were first selected using the convenience sampling and then were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received one multivitamin mineral (MVM) supplement capsule every day for 3 months with no intervention for the control group. Standard quality of life questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22., Results: The mean age of the participants was 70.77 ± 8.29 years. The results of intra-group evaluation of the aspects of quality of life of the elderly show the lack of significant changes in the mean scores of physical health and environmental health of the elderly in the intervention group ( P > 0.05) and the significant reduction of these aspects in the control group ( P < 0.05) after intervention. The mean score of mental health scores in the intervention group significantly increased ( P = 0.01), but there are no significant changes in the control group ( P = 0.273). The mean scores of social relationships as well as the overall score of quality of life in the intervention and control groups showed no significant changes ( P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The present study showed that the consumption of MVM supplements can have a positive effect on increasing the quality of life of the elderly, but it is recommended to be done in the long term along diet. Moreover, considering the fact that no change was observed in the other aspects of the quality of life, attentions should be paid to the environmental and social factors such as social supports and empowerment of the old people in the future studies., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Objectives: Diabetes is a chronic, progressive and life-threatening metabolic syndrome that causes physical complications such as amputation, psychological complications and crisis in one's life, which leads to increased expression of spirituality and increased use of spiritual support as a coping mechanism. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of spiritual care on the spiritual wellbeing of type-2 diabetic amputees., Materials and Methods: In the present clinical trial study, 54 type-2 diabetic amputees were randomly divided into two groups; namely, experimental and control in 2014 and underwent transcendental meditation (TM) in three sessions. The 20-item spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) (Paloutzian and Ellision), which measures the spiritual well-being dimensions, was completed by patients before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential methods (paired T-test, independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, mann-whitney test, and chi-square) in SPSS ver. 16., Results: The results showed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of mean spiritual wellbeing before the intervention, but, the post-intervention mean spiritual wellbeing score in the control and experimental groups was 97.82 ± 9.25 and 88.40 ± 9.47, respectively. (α = 0.05) (P = 0.001)., Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, it seems that spiritual care is able to improve the spiritual wellbeing status of individuals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aim: To determine the prevalence of, and reasons for, missed care by nurses and the factors associated with it in Iranian hospitals., Background: Despite providing high-quality patient care in hospitals, nurses often fail to deliver optimum care, which jeopardizes the safety of patients and increases health care costs. Therefore, identifying missed nursing care is essential if the quality of health services is to be improved., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 nurses working in the medical-surgical wards of eight public and private hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. The 'MISSCARE' survey tool was used to collect data in relation to the extent of missed care and the related reasons. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between factors and missed nursing care., Results: Results showed that the mean score of overall missed nursing care was 2.57 and 72.1% of the nurses reported that they missed at least one nursing care item on their last shift. 'Patient discharge planning and teaching', 'emotional support to patient and/or family' and 'attend interdisciplinary care conferences whenever held' were the most common missed items by nurses in Iran. In a 5-point Likert scale, the most important reasons identified by nurses for missed care were 'human resources', 3.11 (95% CI: 3.03-3.19); 'material resources', 2.7 (95% CI: 2.6-2.8); and 'communication', 2.4 (95% CI: 2.3-2.5), respectively. Missed nursing care was associated with sex (OR for males = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.01-7.89), age (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.33) and the number of patients under care (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22). A reverse association was found with the number of patients discharged (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.96) and satisfaction with teamwork (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41-0.89)., Conclusions: There is a need to identify the factors contributing to the incidence of missed nursing care in hospitals and to develop strategies to address these., Implications for Nursing Management: The results of this study highlighted the importance of addressing missed nursing care in Iranian public and private hospitals. Nursing management should consider improving communication between team members and units. Changes are required regarding task division and payments to the nursing staff. Further research is required to understand the reasons behind missed nursing care, and the development of appropriate policies to address better nursing care in hospitals is recommended., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Statins are widely used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. However, their inhibitory action on HMG-CoA reductase also results in the depletion of intermediate biosynthetic products, which importantly contribute to cell proliferation. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of the individual commercially available statins on investigational breast cancer. Thus, in this study, biodegradable polymeric micelles as carrier of statins were prepared using biodegradable copolymers (PCL-PEG-PCL). These nanoparticles were prepared with two statins (atorvastatin and rosuvastatin) and drug loading, release, kinetic release, and anti-cancer activity of these drugs were studied. The triblock copolymer PCL-PEG-PCL was synthesized by a ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone in the presence of PEG as the initiator and Sn(oct) 2 as the catalyst. The synthesized copolymers and nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, HNMR, GPC, DLS, and AFM analyses. The drug loading and release of drugs were studied by UV-Vis. Additionally, MTT assays on HFF-2 cell lines were performed for determination of biocompatibility of micelles. Finally, the anticancer activity of micelles was studied on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The results showed that the average diameter of nanoparticles was less than 45 nm. The loading capacity of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin was 20.0 ± 1.01% and 13.21 ± 1.18%, respectively, and encapsulation efficiency of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin was 88.19 ± 1.11% and 69.32 ± 0.23%, respectively. The results showed strong and dose-dependent inhibition of cell (MCF-7line) growth by the nanoparticles compared with statins. The result of cell viability assay on the MCF-7 cell line verified that the bare nanoparticles showed little inherent cytotoxicity whereas the statins-loaded nanoparticles were cytotoxic.

Denderimer-modified magnetic nanoparticles are a promising drug delivery nanosystem which can improve the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and can also be beneficial as magnetic resonance (MR) images contrast agent. The present study introduces the preparation and characterization of the potential therapeutic efficiency of curcumin (CUR)-loaded denderimer-modified citric acid coated Fe 3 O 4 NPs. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM, generation G 5 ) was used to encapsulate citric acid coated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. The successful preparation of CUR-loaded nanocarriers were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of CUR molecules were 12 ± 0.03% and 45.58 ± 0.41%, respectively. The anticancer effect of void CUR and CUR-loaded nanocarriers were compared to each other by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay on treated MCF-7 cell line. It can be concluded that application of nanoparticles can be more effective strategy for controlled and slow release of CUR in human breast cancer treatment.

Context: Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem. Despite numerous attempts, yet there is no effective vaccine against human leishmaniasis, mainly due to a lack of an effective vaccine delivery system as well as adjuvant., Objective(s): The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of recombinant glycoprotein 63 (rgp63) as a model of Leishmania antigen, entrapped in liposome-polycation-DNA (LPD) complexes nanoparticles in inducing cell mediated immune (CMI) response and protecting against L. major in BALB/c mice., Materials and Methods: To this end, the abundant leishmania promastigote cell surface glycoprotein, gp63, was entrapped in nano-sized LPD (CpG) particles, (LPD (CpG)-rgp63), and BALB/c mice were immunized three times with either (LPD (CpG)-rgp63) or rgp63-CpG DNA or LPD (CpG) or free rgp63 and dextrose 5%. Various parameters including footpad thickness, splenic load of L. major parasites, rgp63-binding IgGs and also cytokine levels of rgp63-reactive T lymphocytes were then compared among different vaccinated animals., Results: The lowest number of parasites in spleen, the higher levels of IgG2a after challenge infection, the minimal footpad swelling and high level of IFN-γ secretion, all indicated that adjuvants and antigen-delivery systems are essential in modifying immune responses; as mice received LPD (CpG)-rgp63 induced immune response stronger than the other groups., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that LPD nanoparticle is a promising and adaptable delivery system which could be modified towards specific vaccine targets to induce a more potent immune response in combination with rgp63.

Background: Postoperative bleeding is a common problem in cardiac surgery. We tried to evaluate the effect of topical tranexamic acid (TA) on reducing postoperative bleeding of patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery., Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty-six isolated primary CABG patients were included in this clinical trial. They were divided blindly into two groups; Group 1, patients receiving 1 g TA diluted in 100 ml normal saline poured into mediastinal cavity before closing the chest and Group 2, patients receiving 100 ml normal saline at the end of operation. First 24 and 48 h chest tube drainage, hemoglobin decrease and packed RBC transfusion needs were compared., Results: Both groups were the same in baseline characteristics including gender, age, body mass index, ejection fraction, clamp time, bypass time, and operation length. During the first 24 h postoperatively, mean chest tube drainage in intervention group was 567 ml compared to 564 ml in control group ( P = 0.89). Mean total chest tube drainage was 780 ml in intervention group and 715 ml in control group ( P = 0.27). There was no significant difference in both mean hemoglobin decrease ( P = 0.26) and packed RBC transfusion ( P = 0.7). Topical application of 1 g TA diluted in 100 ml normal saline does not reduce postoperative bleeding of isolated on-pump CABG surgery., Conclusion: We do not recommend topical usage of 1 g TA diluted in 100 ml normal saline for decreasing blood loss in on-pump CABG patients., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Insect-derived cell lines are used extensively to produce recombinant proteins because they are capable of performing a range of post-translational modifications. Due to their significance in biotechnological applications, various methods have been developed to transfect them. In this study, we introduce a virosome constructed from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a new delivery system for sf9 cells. We labeled these VSV virosomes by fluorescent probe Rhodamine B chloride (R18). By fluorescence microscope observation and conducting a fusion assay, we confirmed the uptake of VSV virosomes via endocytosis by sf9 cells and their fusion with the endosomal membrane. Moreover, we incubated cationic VSV virosomes with a GFP-expressing bacmid and transfected sf9 cells, after 24 h some cells expressed GFP indicating the ability of VSV virosomes to deliver heterologous DNA to these cells. This is the first report of a virosome-based delivery system introduced for an insect cell line.

Introduction: Diaper dermatitis is referred to the inflammation in outer layers of the skin in the perineal area, lower abdomen, and inner thighs. The lesions are maculopapular and usually itchy, which could cause bacterial or candida infection, and predispose the infants to penis or vaginal and urinary infection and lead to discomfort, irritability, and restlessness. The drugs which have been so far administered for this disease (topical steroids) cause special complications for the sensitive skin in this area. Magnesium (Mg) is known for its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties., Aim: The aim of the present study was to study the effect of the cream containing Mg 2% on treatment of diaper dermatitis and diaper rash in children., Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 64 children aged less than two years old with diaper dermatitis referring Paediatric Ward of Hajar Hospital were randomly assigned to two groups of 32. Group one was treated with the combined cream Mg 2% and Calendula and group two with Calendula cream alone. The duration of recovery was compared between the two groups., Results: The duration of recovery was significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group (p-value<0.001), but there was no significant difference in the lesions size and diapers' number between the two groups., Conclusion: Based on the finding of this study, Mg is effective on treatment of diaper dermatitis and could be used for treating diaper dermatitis and other types of dermatitis.

Annual health threats and economic damages caused by influenza virus are still a main concern of the World Health Organization and other health departments all over the world. An influenza virosome is a highly efficient immunomodulating carrier mimicking the natural antigen presentation pathway and has shown an excellent tolerability profile due to its biocompatibility and purity. The major purpose of this study was to construct a new chimeric virosome influenza vaccine containing hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins derived from the A/PR/8/1934 (H1N1) (PR8) and A/X/47 (H3N2) (X47) viruses, and to evaluate its efficacy as a vaccine candidate in mice. A single intramuscular vaccination with the chimeric virosomes provided complete protection against lethal challenge with the PR8 and X47 viruses. The chimeric virosomes induced high IgG antibody responses as well as hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) titers. HAI titers following the chimeric virosome vaccination were at the same level as the whole inactivated influenza vaccine. Mice immunized with the chimeric virosomes displayed considerably less weight loss and exhibited significantly reduced viral load in their lungs compared with the controls. The chimeric virosomes can be used as an innovative vaccine formulation to confer protection against a broad range of influenza viruses., (© 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Influenza virus is one of the main causes of respiratory diseases in human. Although different vaccines have been produced during past decades, there is still a huge demand for a safe influenza vaccine with the ability to induce mucosal immune responses and sufficient protection, especially in elderly patients. In this study, chitosan nanospheres were employed as the drug delivery system. Influenza virus, CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN) and Quillaja saponins (QS) were incorporated in this nanospheric system. Three doses of dry powder nanosphere vaccine were nasally administered to rabbits on days 0, 45 and 60, followed by a final booster injection on day 75. Both humoral and cellular immune responses were investigated. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titer was elevated in all groups compared to the control group at the end of vaccination in rabbits receiving nanospheres loaded with virus and CpG, CH(WV+CpG) (P<0.001). Rabbit serum IgG raised significantly in all the vaccinated groups, with the highest responses in CH(WV+CpG) group. CH(WV+CpG) and CH(WV) induced significant sIgA titers (P<0.001). CpG adjuvant also showed a prominent role in the stimulation and secretion of of IL-2 and IFN-γ cytokines (3 and 3.5 fold increase, respectively). Finally, as CH(WV+CpG) depicted to be effective in induction of humoral and cellular immune responses after nasal administration, this nanoparticulate adjuvant could be identified as an efficient adjuvant/delivery system for mucosal immunization against influenza virus., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Permanent antigenic variation of influenza viruses causes a major concern to develop an effective human influenza vaccine. Conserved antigens are new vaccine candidates because it is not necessary to match the prepared vaccine with circulating strains. Ion channel M2 protein is conserved among all influenza A viruses, allowing the virus to enter host cells., Objectives: To prepare an effective vaccine against influenza A viruses, a chimerical DNA plasmid encoding Influenza virus M2 protein and Leishmania major HSP70 was constructed., Materials and Methods: Influenza A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) was inoculated into MDCK cell line and total RNA was extracted. The full length M2 gene was amplified by RT-PCR using designed specific primers, cloned into pGEM-T Easy cloning vector and completely sequenced. The M2 gene was then subcloned into the pcDNA upstream of HSP70 gene. Recombinant plasmids were transfected into COS-7 cells to evaluate protein expression., Results: The recombinant plasmids were confirmed by PCR, restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing. Three dimensional structure of chimer protein was assessed using specific software. Transient protein expression in eukaryotic cells was confirmed by specific mRNA detection, indirect Immunofluorescence test and western blotting., Conclusions: M2-HSP70 chimer protein was successfully expressed in eukaryotic cells. Computational studies of chimer peptide sequence revealed that fusing HSP to the C-terminal of M2 protein does not mask the predominant epitope of M2. HSP70 is a molecular chaperon and immunostimulatory component. Genetically fusing antigens to HSPs leads to the enrichment of DNA vaccine potency. The immunogenicity of this construct with different formulation would be evaluated in further investigations.

Objective: Monitoring of influenza virus shedding and optimization of multiplicities of infection (MOI) is important in the investigation of a virus one step growth cycle and for obtaining a high yield of virus in vaccine development and conventional basic diagnostic methods. However, eluted infectious viruses may still be present immediately after virus inoculation and when cells are washed following virus cultivation which may lead to a false positive virus infectivity assay., Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we investigated influenza virus progeny production in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells with five different MOI at determined time points. The results were analyzed by end point titration tests and immunofluorescence assay., Results: Higher titers of eluted virus were observed following a high MOI inoculation of virus in cell culture. Most probably, this was the result of sialic acid residues from viral hemagglutin in proteins that were cleaved by neuraminidase glycoproteins on the surface of the influenza virus, which promoted viral spread from the host cell to the culture supernatant or during endocytosis, where viruses recycle to the cell surface by recycling endosomes which culminated in virus shedding without replication., Conclusion: We demonstrated that the pattern of influenza virus progeny production was dose-dependent and not uniform. This production was influenced by several factors, particularly MOI. Understanding the exact features of viral particle propagation has a major impact in producing high virus yields in the development of vaccines. Use of lower MOI (0.01) could result in accurate, precise quantitative assays in virus diagnosis and titration methods.

H9N2 avian influenza A viruses (AIV) have become panzootic in Eurasia over the last decade and are endemic in Iran since 1998, and inactivated vaccine has been used in chickens to control the disease. The hemagglutinin (HA), one of eight protein-coding genes, plays an important role during the early stage of infection. To study their evolution and zoonotic potential, we conducted an in silico analysis of H9N2 viruses that have infected broiler in Tehran Province, Iran between 1998 and 2007. The complete coding region of HA genes from nine H9N2 subtypes isolated from chicken flocks in Tehran Province during 1998-2007 was amplified and sequenced. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies of H9N2 subtype viruses on the basis of data of 9 viruses in this study and 30 selected strains are available in the GenBank. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed a large number of similar substitution mutations and close evolutionary relation among sequences of HA. The isolates possessed two types of amino acid motif -R-S-S-R/G-L- and -R-S-N-R/G-L- at the cleavage site of HA. The results showed that all nine representative H9N2 isolates belong to low pathogenic AIVs since none of the amino acid sequences at the cleavage site of the HA of the isolates possessed the basic motif required for highly pathogenic viruses (R-X-R/K-R). Six out of these nine isolates possessed leucine at position 226, which prevails in the sequences found in human strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all our isolates belonged to the G1-like sublineage. Also, these isolates showed some degree of homology with other H9N2 isolates, e.g., 89.46-93.93.39% with qu/HK/G1/97 and 93.39-98.39% with pa/Narita/92A/98. The available evidence indicates that HA genes of H9 influenza virus circulating in Iran during the past years were not well conserved. Our finding emphasizes the importance of reinforcing AIV surveillance, especially after the emergence of high pathogenicity in poultry in Iran., (© Springer-Verlag London Limited 2012.)

There are many effective chemotherapeutic agents used in influenza disease which some of them inhibit virus replication by interfering with FluV (influenza virus) viral binding or its penetration into cell membrane. A series of polyoxometalates compounds such as POM-523 and PM-504 have been synthesized and have showed inhibitory effects on viruses. In this study we examined anti influenza activity of a novel polyoxometalate derivative (POM-4960) synthesized in the Faculty of Chemistry of Damghan University of Basic Sciences. To evaluate the anti-influenza activity of POM, following the treatment of FluV with POM at different temperatures and incubation periods, viral titer reduction was assessed by haemaglutination assay (HA). The 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine TCID50 (tissue culture infective dose) of virus, CC50 (median cytotoxic concentration) of POM, protection percentage and antiviral activity of POM in cell culture. RT-PCR and direct Immunofluorescent assays were performed to evaluate the effect of POM on viral infection and viral RNA load, respectively. POM reduced HA titer near to zero in all cell culture specimens and showed high protection against viral infection of the cells. Reduction in viral infection was confirmed by RT-PCR and Immunofluorescent staining methods. Moreover, this POM derivative has a dual (cumulative) effect on attachment and penetration inhibition compared to other POM's with just one inhibitory effect. POM-4960 could be considered as a powerful anti-influenza agent with low toxicity and high antiviral potency.