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This study examined the microstructure and mechanical properties of explosively welded (EXW) Fe–Al multilayer laminated composite pipes, specifically SS321/AA1050/AA5083, with varying stand-off distances (SD) and post-weld heat treatments (PWHT). Findings revealed that higher collision forces at higher-SD produced a wavy interface with finer grains at the AA1050/AA5083 interface. In contrast, lower-SD yielded a smooth, flat interface. At the SS321/AA1050 interface, collision energy resulted in the formation of an uneven composite reaction layer comprising multiple intermetallics. Analysis of the SS321/AA1050 interface revealed that an increase in the PWHT temperature results in diffusion toward the reaction layer, transforming the unevenly Al-rich and Fe-rich phases into a uniform Al85(Fe,Cr,Ni)15 solid solution. The increase in the fraction of this phase made the reaction layer more brittle. At the AA1050/AA5083 interface, PWHT at higher temperatures caused a significant hardness decline extending further from the interface in samples with higher-SD. On the SS321 side of the laminated composite, higher SD resulted in higher kernel average misorientation (KAM) and increased hardness. Despite a decrease in hardness after PWHT at 350 °C, the hardness gradient from the matrix to the interface in laminates with higher SD remained relatively unaffected, whereas the lower SD counterparts experienced a noticeable stress relief.

IntroductionIntimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a serious public health issue and refers to physically, sexually and psychologically harmful behaviors as well as emotionally controlling behaviors and financial abuse that occur in the form of marriage or cohabitation. Knowing the current situation of the IPV prevalence against women and high-risk areas in the Zanjan city, Iran, can help policymakers to establish better health programs for risk reduction.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study consisted of married women aged 18–55 years living in Zanjan city in 2021. 760 married women covered by 19 urban comprehensive health service centers (UCHSCs) were selected by the stratified systematic random sampling method. The prevalence of IPV against women was measured in four types: psychological, physical, sexual, and economic.ResultsMean (SD) age of the women was 35.49 (8.76) years. 606 women (79.7%) experienced one type of IPV. The highest and lowest IPV prevalence against women were psychological (76.6%) and economic (12%), respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence of psychological violence were observed in CUHSCs 2 and 17, physical violence in CUHSCs 1 and 14, sexual violence in CUHSCs 2 and 17, and economic violence in CUHSCs 2 and 8, respectively. The severity of violence was higher among self-employment or workers husbands, with low monthly household income, and among younger women.DiscussionThe IPV rate in the target population is high, and the highest rate is related to psychological violence. These results highlight the need to intervention in the society and high-risk women for policymakers of the health system.

Introduction: No one could give meaning to the other's life, for the meaning of life is a personal not a general affair. Therefore, anyone should look for the meaning of his own life. The main goal of the present research is analyzing the role of ethical values and their contribution in education from the view of Frankl's approach. Material and Methods: The present research with the help of descriptive-analytic, comparative and deductive methods has been written and its information have been collected through the documentary – library searching. Conclusion: The measures and values could help men to find meaning in life to guide him to make better decision. In other words, a meaningful life is equal to valuable life, namely in the case the life could be meaningful that man recognizes the three creative, perceptive and experimental values. One can say that there is an interrelated condition between the values and the meaning. To Frankl the most indicators of spiritual life are magnanimity, accountability to the call of conscience and searching for meaning.

Background: A systematic review of research suggests that different variables affect the explanation of adolescent academic anxiety, but the role of mind theory and compatibility have been neglected as an integrated model. Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structural equation model of academic anxiety explanation of female adolescents based on mind theory with the mediating role of compatibility. Method: The present study was a descriptive correlation and structural equations. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all ninth grade female adolescents in the first secondary schools during 2019-2020 in Ghaemshahr. In this study, 300 people were selected by two-stage cluster sampling to determine the sample size. Sinha and Singh’s (1993) Student Compatibility Questionnaire, Albert and Haber’s (1960) Academic Achievement Anxiety Questionnaire, and Stirman's Mind Theory (1994) were used for data collection. Structural equations with SPSSV18 and AMOSV23 software were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the variables of mind theory and compatibility have a direct and significant effect on academic anxiety (P

Identifying Components of Social Responsibility in Curriculum of Skills UniversityIntroductionPlaying the role of an active citizen in civil society is possible by augmenting the sense of social responsibility in the community. Therefore, to achieve this goal, teaching the principles, methods and approaches of social responsibility should be reflected in the curriculum. The goal of this report is to identify the components of social responsibility in the curriculum of Skills University as one of the top universities for creating sustainable employment.MethodsA qualitative method was used in this study according to the purpose and nature of research. Statistical sample includes 18 experts in the field of skills training; Sampling was performed purposefully. Data collection tools are semi-constructive interviews and data analysis methods based on thematic analysis technique. Findings from the study showed that educational content, learning and teaching activities, and continuous evaluations are principles that, in terms of social responsibility, lead higher education curricula toward skill-oriented curricula. The connection between the components and elements of the curriculum as an educational sub-system and macro-educational programs can make the social institution of higher education more capable.ResultsThe results showed that the three main categories of educational content, learning and teaching activities, and continuous assessment are social responsibility categories in the curriculum of Skills University. Based on these categories, a model of social responsibility was developed in the curriculum of Skills University.DiscussionAchieving social responsibility requires that Skill University change the curriculum paradigm and the elements contained in it to institutionalize the components of social responsibility in the core of curriculum activities. The establishment of a social responsibility research center in Skills University and affiliated colleges to monitor the curriculum contexts, behaviors and structures according to the components identified in this study can be considered a turning point for this goal. Keywords: Curriculum, Skills University, Social Responsibility

Introduction: Futures studies as an interdisciplinary concept provides a vivid image of the future in the field of medical education in universities. This study endeavored to identify effective components on futures studies of medical sciences education based on competitive dynamics approach in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This qualitative study was performed through semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis. The population included experts in the field of medical education, a total of 13 of whom were selected by snowball sampling, and their votes and opinions were analyzed in three stages of open, axial and selective coding. Results: Qualitative analysis of the results of interviews with experts in the field of medical education showed that the futures studies of research in this field requires attention to 6 major categories and 21 subcategories. Causal conditions (experienced academic staff, diversity of educational and research programs, expansion of applied research, university interaction with knowledge-based companies and institutions, flexible and applied curriculum), contextual factors (necessity of thinking about the future as an educational practice, multiple educational facilities, and appropriate social communication), interfering conditions (having critical and interpretive skills of the future, existence of empowerment policy and familiarization of professors and students with futuristic indicators), strategies (empowerment human resources, development of educational and research valences and use of various teaching methods) and consequences (providing active performance vs. educational events, promoting lifelong learning, considering students as social capital, regular evaluation, & review) was extracted from the analysis. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study revealed that futures studies in the field of medical education based on competitive dynamics is important and therefore researchers and specialists in the field of medical education and futures studies can use these components for the futures studies of medical education.

The main drawback of friction stir welding (FSW) dissimilar metals is the formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs), which are brittle and affect the strength of the joint. The formation of these compounds is inevitable due to their low enthalpy of formation; however, their emergence is an indication of metallurgical bonding between dissimilar metals. This means that the determining factors of intermetallics should be optimal to ensure the formation of the joint and, at the same time, the performance of the joint. It is known that various parameters such as welding parameters, joint configuration, and tool geometry have an influence on the formation of these compounds. However, the influence of the base metal is not adequately addressed in the literature. The current review paper focuses on intermetallic formation during the friction stir welding of aluminum/steel (Al/St) alloys to explore how the types of alloys affect the thicknesses and morphologies of the intermetallics. Different structural steels and stainless steels were considered to see how they affect intermetallic formation when welded to different types of aluminum alloys. The thicknesses of the IMCs in the FSW of different aluminum/steel alloys were taken from the literature and averaged to provide insight into the contribution of the elements to IMC formation. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses were used to explain this effect. Finally, the mechanism of intermetallic formation is explained to provide a useful guide for selecting dissimilar metals for welding using friction stir welding.

The aim of this study was to identify the dimensions of the neglected components in the curriculum implemented in the field of educational sciences of Farhangian University. The approach of the present study, based on the nature of the research objectives, is qualitatively phenomenological and descriptive. Participants in the study were professors and teachers, graduates in the field of primary education at Farhangian University, 98-97. Participants were selected by purposive sampling based on the experiences of both groups by snowball method and this theoretical saturation was finally completed for 12 professors and 15 new teachers. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Also, in order to check the validity, the information obtained from the analysis of the text of the interviews was given to the supervisors, advisors as well as specialists at Farhangian University; The reliability of the data was confirmed by three criteria considered by qualitative study experts: including: acceptability, reliability, and verifiability. Based on the structure of the interview, the seven-step Klaizi method was used to analyze the participants' perceptions. After the above steps, seven main dimensions including: organizational structure and university course, necessary professional skills and proper performance of the teacher, attention to the learner's needs, appropriateness of the subject and course materials with student resilience, central research in the classroom, were extracted. Recognizing and introducing the neglected components in the country's teacher education system can help policy makers, administrators and educational planners in adopting appropriate strategies to reduce the gap between the current and desired situation in this field and improve the status of implemented curriculum components.

Knowledge-based economies and the movement towards capital gaining through the application of science and knowledge, are undeniable necessities for the preservation and survival of universities. Furthermore, they help meet the needs of the people at universities and the society. Universities of medical sciences across the country contain creative human resource (including faculty members, students, graduates and employees) with technological ideas. However, they show little tendency towards commercialization and creation of knowledge-based companies. This research is intended to provide a model for creating knowledge-based companies through SWOT approach in medical universities in Mazandaran province. This applied research follows field method to regard the level of control of field variables. In terms of data collection it is a descriptive research relying on context search. The research can also be regarded as an exploratory research by some considerations. The statistical population of the qualitative stage includes 15 scientific experts, chairmen and experts of the university's development centers, research and technology units of the university, officials and experts of the science and technology parks, and experts of knowledge-based companies. The statistical population of the quantitative phase include the faculty members of medical sciences universities in Mazandaran (University of Babul and Mazandaran University) including 750 professors from whom a sample of 256 people were selected as the sample by stratified random sampling method based on Morgan table. A researcher-made questionnaire, containing 45 items, was developed as a result of interviews for data collection. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were confirmed. Qualitative data analysis of the research was done through open coding and central coding. For the analysis of quantitative data, the structural equation model test using the partial least squares method (PLS) was used for performing factor analysis. Using the structural equation model test, the researchers designed the final research model as a model for creating knowledge-based companies through SWOT approach for medical universities. The model illustrates the share of each factors. Threats occupy the highest factor load and first rank with a factor load of 0.813. Opportunities fit the second rank with a factor load of 0.787. Strengths with a factor load of 0.0569 take the third rank and the factor of weaknesses take the fourth rank with a factor load of 0.266..

Knowledge-based economies and the movement towards capital gaining through the application of science and knowledge, are undeniable necessities for the preservation and survival of universities. Furthermore, they help meet the needs of the people at universities and the society. Universities of medical sciences across the country contain creative human resource (including faculty members, students, graduates and employees) with technological ideas. However, they show little tendency towards commercialization and creation of knowledge-based companies. This research is intended to provide a model for creating knowledge-based companies through SWOT approach in medical universities in Mazandaran province. This applied research follows field method to regard the level of control of field variables. In terms of data collection it is a descriptive research relying on context search. The research can also be regarded as an exploratory research by some considerations. The statistical population of the qualitative stage includes 15 scientific experts, chairmen and experts of the university's development centers, research and technology units of the university, officials and experts of the science and technology parks, and experts of knowledge-based companies. The statistical population of the quantitative phase include the faculty members of medical sciences universities in Mazandaran (University of Babul and Mazandaran University) including 750 professors from whom a sample of 256 people were selected as the sample by stratified random sampling method based on Morgan table. A researcher-made questionnaire, containing 45 items, was developed as a result of interviews for data collection. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were confirmed. Qualitative data analysis of the research was done through open coding and central coding. For the analysis of quantitative data, the structural equation model test using the partial least squares method (PLS) was used for performing factor analysis. Using the structural equation model test, the researchers designed the final research model as a model for creating knowledge-based companies through SWOT approach for medical universities. The model illustrates the share of each factors. Threats occupy the highest factor load and first rank with a factor load of 0.813. Opportunities fit the second rank with a factor load of 0.787. Strengths with a factor load of 0.0569 take the third rank and the factor of weaknesses take the fourth rank with a factor load of 0.266..

Objective(s): microRNAs are small non-coding molecules that regulate gene expression in various biological processes. T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a malignancy accompanied with genetic aberrations and accounts for 20% of children’s and adult’s ALL. Notch signaling pathway dysregulation occurs in 60% of T-ALL cases. In the present study, we aimed to determine the relationship between miRNAs and genes involved in Notch signaling pathway. Materials and Methods: Considering the role of the pathway and its down-stream genes in proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle, and apoptosis, NOTCH1, c-Myc, and CCND1 genes were selected as target genes. Using bioinformatics studies, miR-34a, miR-449a, miR-1827, and miR-106b were selected as miRNAs targeting the above-mentioned genes. We evaluated these genes and miRNAs in T-ALL clinical samples as well as Jurkat cell line, in which NOTCH1 is overexpressed. Results: Quantitative Real-Time PCR indicated that NOTCH1, c-Myc, and CCND1 were overexpressed in samples with decreased expression of miR-34a. In addition, we observed that samples with decreased expression of miR-449a showed increased expression of NOTCH1 and CCND1. Furthermore, we analyzed the expression of miR-1827 and miR-106b, which target c-Myc and CCND1, respectively. We found out that the expression of miR-1827, miR-106b, and their respective target genes were inversely correlated in 80% and 75% of the cases (r=0.8), respectively. Furthermore, in Jurkat cell line, the expression of target genes was increased while the candidate miRNAs except miR-34a were decreased. Conclusion: These miRNAs can be proposed as biomarkers and new therapeutic targets in T-ALL patients who have NOTCH1 overexpression.

Background: The main objective of the current study was to investigate on the cryopreservation of protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus, a causative agent of cystic hydatidosis in man. Methods: This study was conducted on isolated protoscoleces from hydatid cysts infected livers collected from slaughterhouse of Tehran, Iran in 2016. Viability of protoscoleces was evaluated by dye test. Cryopreservation of isolated protoscoleces in the presence of Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and glycerol using a three-step cooling protocol involving an initial period at -20 °C, -80 °C and liquid nitrogen was performed. Results: The mean viability rate of 10% DMSO and 15% glycerol were 9% and 8% respectively. The protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus have been successfully thawed and recovered after 6 months storage in liquid nitrogen. Conclusion: Cryopreservation method needs to be improved for each species of helminthes and can be useful for other immunological and laboratorial studies.

BACKGROUND:Neglected parasitic diseases (NTDs) like cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) have caused high mortality and morbidity rate in developing countries. This disease is considered as one of the six major tropical diseases, and has a great importance in HIV infected individuals as an opportunistic infection in those areas that both infections are endemic. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the Urtica dioica L (U. dioica) aqueous extract as an anti-leishmanial herbal drug in-vitro and in-vivo, and in addition to that, evaluated two vital immune system cytokines including gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) plus nitric oxide (NO) and arginase activity against Leishmania major (L. major) infected mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In-vitro anti-leishmanial activity of U. dioica aqueous extract was determined using MTT method and also Parasite Rescue Transformation Assay. Also, the footpad lesion size and parasite load in BALB/c mice infected with L. major were quantified for in-vivo assessment. Furthermore, for evaluating the immune responses, the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, NO and arginase were measured in the BALB/c mice. These results indicated that U. dioica extract significantly reduced the L. major promastigotes viability. According to the in-vitro cytotoxicity assay of the extract on Leishmania parasites (CC50) and infected macrophages (EC50), the extract had no toxicity to the macrophages, however it efficiently killed the L. major amastigotes. In addition, the lesion size, parasite load, IL-4, and ARG were decreased in the treated infected mice, however IFN-γ and NO were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:This study established satisfactory results in Leishmania parasite clearing both in-vivo and in-vitro. Therefore, U. dioica extract can be considered as an effective and harmless herbal compound for killing the parasite without toxicity to the host macrophages. Furthermore, it also can treat the CL by switching the mouse immune response towards a cell-mediated response (Th1); hence, it may be identified as a perfect therapeutic herbal drug for CL treatment.

Objective Over the last years, vitrification has been widely used for oocyte cryopreservation, in animals and humans; however, it frequently causes minor and major epigenetic modifications. The effect of oocyte vitrification on levels of acetylation of histone H4 at lysine 12 (AcH4K12), and histone acetyltransferase (Hat) expression, was previously assessed; however, little is known about the inhibition of Hat expression during oocyte vitrification. This study evaluated the effect of anacardic acid (AA) as a Hat inhibitor on vitrified mouse oocytes. Materials And Methods In this experimental study, 248 mouse oocytes at metaphase II (MII) stage were divided in three experimental groups namely, fresh control oocytes (which were not affected by vitrification), frozen/thawed oocytes (vitrified) and frozen/thawed oocytes pre-treated with AA (treatment). Out of 248 oocytes, 173 oocytes were selected and from them, 84 oocytes were vitrified without AA (vitrified group) and 89 oocytes were pretreated with AA, and then vitrified (treatment group). Fresh MII mouse oocytes were used as control group. Hat expression and AcH4K12 levels were assessed by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunofluoresce staining, respectively. In addition, survival rate was determined in vitrified and treatment oocytes. Results Hat expression and AcH4K12 modification significantly increased [4.17 ± 1.27 (P≤0.001) and 97.57 ± 6.30 (P0.05). Conclusion The present study suggests that AA reduces vitrification risks caused by epigenetic modifications, but does not affect the quality of vitrification. In fact, AA as a Hat inhibitor was effective in reducing the acetylation levels of H4K12.

Introduction: Independence is one of the structural and functional requirements of university. The purpose of this study was to prioritize the dimensions of university independence from the perspective of academic experts at Babol University of Medical Sciences and Noshirvani University of Technology. Methods: This descriptive survey was conducted in 2017. Thirty faculty members of Noshirvani University of Technology and Babol University of Medical Sciences were selected by purposive sampling method to participate as academic experts in higher education, teaching and learning. Data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on paired comparison matrix whose validity was confirmed by the academic experts. Also, the incompatibility rate of the questionnaire was obtained at 0.085 and 0.074 at University of Medical Sciences and Noshirvani University of Technology, respectively. Data were analyzed using the AHP method in expert choice-11 software. Results:The dimensions of university independence from the viewpoints of experts at Noshirvani University of Technology, in priority order, was academic freedom (weight=1.37), actual independence (weight=1.23), financial independence (weight=1.21), organizational independence and staff independence (weight=0.86). The dimensions of university independence from the viewpoints of experts at Babol University of Medical Sciences, in priority order, was financial independence (weight=2.33), actual independence (weight=1.25), organizational independence (weight=0.9), academic freedom (weight=0.61), and staff independence (weight=0.44). Conclusion:Achieving a desired university independence is one of the most important strengths of higher education systems. Assessment of the university independence priorities of the two universities showed that the importance of each dimension is influenced by the mission, goals and functions of the university. It is therefore suggested that in order to achieve independence, a plan should be developed for sensitization towards university independence and promotion of all of the dimensions.

Objective We evaluated the effect of melatonin, as a potent antioxidant agent, on glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, as well as histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9), and H4 lysine 12 (H4K12) acetylation when added to oocytes culture medium. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, two in vitro and in vivo groups were used. In the in vitro group, cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) from the ovaries of B6D2F1 mice were cultured in maturation medium containing two doses of melatonin (10-9 and 10-6 M) and without melatonin [control group treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)] for 22-24 hour. The cumulus expansion and nuclear status were monitored by an inverted microscope. Next, COCs were isolated from the oviducts of superovulated mice and studied as the in vivo group. In in vitro and in vivo matured oocytes, GSH and ROS levels were assessed by monochlorobimane (MCB) and 2-7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) staining, respectively. Changes in histone acetylation were examined by immunofluorescent staining with specific antibodies against acetylated H3K9 and H4K12. Results The H4K12 acetylation and ROS levels were significantly higher in the oocytes matured in the in vitro group compared to the in vivo group (P

The purpose of the research is to identify and rank the components of perfectionism in the education managers of Mazandaran province. This research is purposeful and effective in terms of descriptive method of field research. The statistical population consists of 2,653 people, directors, heads of departments and departments of education departments and directors and deputies of schools in Mazandaran province. Based on the Cochran formula, 338 people were selected by cluster random sampling method Selected as samples. To collect data, a researcher-made perfectionism questionnaire with 60 questions in two dimensions and nine components was used. The face and content validity of the tool was confirmed by the experts and its reliability was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.78. For analyzing the data, exploratory factor analysis was used. The results showed that among the dimensions of perfectionism, the progressive dimension with the factor load of 955 had the most effect and the deterrent dimension with factor load of 926.0 had the least effect. Also in the dimension of perfectionism, the component of "desire to order" has the greatest impact and the component of "trying to be excellent" has the least effect. In the dimension of deterrent perfectionism, the component of "concern for mistakes" has the most and the least component of "rumination" has the least effect.

Objective The in vitro treatment of tumor cells with platelet (Plt) causes inhibition of tumor cell growth, although mechanism of this effect is not clear yet. Induction of apoptosis has been proposed as a mechanism of Plt effects on tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of Plts and Plt-derived components in the induction of apoptosis in the blood mononuclear cells of patients with leukemia. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from whole blood of five patients with childhood B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) and encountered with Plts, Plt-derived microparticles (Plt-MPs) as well as purified soluble CD40L (sCD40L). After 48 hours of co-culture, the anti-cancer activity of the aforementioned factors was surveyed using examination of apoptosis markers of the cells including active caspase-3 and CD95 using ELISA and flow cytometer techniques, respectively. Additionally, staining of the cells with 7-Aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) was evaluated by flow cytometer technique. Trypan blue exclusion test and WST-1 method were also used to compare the death/survival status of the cells. Results Levels of CD95 and caspase-3 were significantly increased in the all treated groups (P

BackgroundHuman toxocariasis is an important neglected disease. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis study to estimate the global and regional prevalence of anti-Toxocara serum antibodies (referred to as 'T-seroprevalence') in human populations around the world.MethodsWe searched five international databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SciELO and Scopus) for seroprevalence studies published from 1 January 1980 to 15 March 2019. We used random effect models to calculate the overall T-seroprevalence (with 95% CIs) in all six WHO regions and worldwide. We also conducted subgroup and linear meta-regression analyses to evaluate the impact of socio-demographic, geographical and climatic parameters on seroprevalence.ResultsWe identified 250 eligible studies (253 datasets) comprising 265,327 participants in 71 countries for inclusion in the present meta-analysis. The estimated global T-seroprevalence rate was 19.0% (95%CI, 16.6-21.4%; 62,927/265,327); seroprevalence was highest in the African region (37.7%; 25.7-50.6%) and lowest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (8.2%; 5.1-12.0%). The pooled seroprevalence for other WHO regions was 34.1% (20.2-49.4%) in the South-East Asia; 24.2% (16.0-33.5%) in the Western Pacific; 22.8% (19.7-26.0%) in the American; and 10.5% (8.5-12.8%) in the European regions. A significantly higher T-seroprevalence was associated with a lower income level; lower human development index (HDI); lower latitude; higher humidity; higher temperature; and higher precipitation (P-value < 0.001). Potential risk factors associated with seropositivity to Toxocara included male gender; living in a rural area; young age; close contact with dogs, cats or soil; consumption of raw meat; and the drinking of untreated water.ConclusionsThe present findings indicate high levels of infection with, or exposure to Toxocara spp. in many countries, which calls for increased attention to human toxocariasis and improved measures to prevent adverse health risks of this disease.

Objective: To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, the frequency of integrons and associated gene cassettes in Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) strains isolated from selected hospital intensive care units. Methods: During a ten-month period, 120 A. baumannii isolates were studied. The resistance rates to different classes of antimicrobial agents were determined. PCR was used to detect different types of integrons and associated gene cassettes. Results: The resistance rates to the majority of antibiotics tested were found to be between 39.3% and 99.1%. No isolate was observed to be resistant to colistin and polymyxin B. The rate of extensive drug-resistance among these clinical isolates was 62.5%. The prevalence of class 1 and 2 integrons was found to be 74.1% and 12.5%, respectively. Seven different gene cassettes (ampC, aacA4-catB8, ISAba1-blaOXA-23-GES-14, aadA2-cm1A6-GES-14-qacF, VIM-25-GES-24-qacF, dfrA5-ISAba1-blaOXA-51-blaOXA-40 and aadA2-GES-11-IMP-1) were observed in Class 1 integron-carrying strains. Three gene cassettes (IMP-4, VIM-2-VEB-aacA4 and dfrA2-sat-2-aadA4) were detected in class 2 integron-bearing A. baumannii strains. Conclusions: A high prevalence of integron was described among multidrug resistant A. baumannii in the hospital. The findings highlighted the need for continuous surveillance in order to prevent dissemination of multidrug resistance among A. baumannii strains in Iran.

Toxascaris leonina is an ascaridoid nematode of dogs and cats; this parasite affects the health of these animals. This study estimated the global prevalence of Ta. leonina infection in dogs and cats using random effects meta-analysis as well as subgroup, meta-regression and heterogeneity analyses. The data were stratified according to geographical region, the type of dogs and cats and environmental variables. A quantitative analysis of 135 published studies, involving 119,317 dogs and 25,364 cats, estimated prevalence rates of Ta. leonina in dogs and cats at 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence was highest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (7.2% for dogs and 10.0% for cats) and was significantly higher in stray dogs (7.0% vs. 1.5%) and stray cats (7.5% vs. 1.8%) than in pets. The findings indicate that, worldwide, ~26 million dogs and ~23 million cats are infected with Ta. leonina; these animals would shed substantial numbers of Ta. leonina eggs into the environment each year and might represent reservoirs of infection to other accidental or paratenic hosts. It is important that populations of dogs and cats as well as other canids and felids be monitored and dewormed for Ta. leonina and (other) zoonotic helminths.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease with global prevalence, which causes considerable health problems and economic losses throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess the seroepidemiology of CE in Doroud City, Lorestan Province, Iran, considered a neglected endemic location. Methods: An ELISA was performed using recombinant AgB from Apr to Jul 2015 in Lorestan Province, Western Iran. The commercial Hydatidosis IgG ELISA kit (Vircell SL, Granada, Spain) was used to confirm the obtained results. Results: In the present study, out of 927 collected sera, 25 samples (2.6%) were found as seropositive for E. granulosus IgG antibodies. The prevalence of IgG antibodies against E. granulosus was significantly higher in rural areas (3.24%) than in urban area (1.20%) (P0.05). Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of CE in males (13/349, 3.72%) and females (12/553, 2.12%). With regard to occupation, farmers and ranchmen had the highest rate of infection (5.5%). There was a significant association between eating unwashed vegetables and seropositivity (P

Background and Objective: the world moving toward a knowledge based economy has led efficient human capital trained in university to the most important competitive factor in each country. Thus , it is vitally important to identify the factors related to their functions. The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between cultural capital and academic performance of Gorgan University of medical sciences’ students. Material and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted ( 2013) on 126 randomly selected students , with at least 3 years of College experience, who had not any known physical or mental illnesses. The questionnaires, completed self-reportedly, were cultural capital and academic performance whose face and content validity (quantetive and qualitative) as well as reliability (internal consistency test) were confirmed. In data analysis, using SPSS-19, we measured frequency, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and stepwise regression techniques (0.05). Results: Based on the results, there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.45) between cultural capital and academic performance in that the higher cultural capital score the better academic performance. Furthemore, using the prediction formula, students’ academic performance can be predicted by their cultural capital. Conclusion: According to the findings, the promotion of cultural capital can affect on academic performance of students.

Background: Detection of Plasmodium vivax specific antibodies with serological tests could be a valuable tool for epidemiological researches. Whereas P. vivax cannot be simply obtained in vitro, serological tests using total or semipurified antigens are infrequently used. Given this restriction, the present study investigated whether recombinant P. vivax merozoite surface protein 1 (PvMSP-1 42 kDa) could be useful in detection of antibodies from the serums of a P. vivax infected person using serological tests. Methods: Parasite DNA was extracted from blood sample of an Iranian P. vivax-infected patient. The region of PvMSP-142 kDa was amplified by PCR then cloned into pTZ57R/T vector and sequenced. The insert was sub cloned into pGEX 6P1 expression vector. Afterwards, it was transformed into E. coli BL21 and cultured massively. Sub cloning of gene was confirmed by PCR and enzyme digestion and sequencing finally. Production of recombinant protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Western blot was performed by human sera to appraisal binding ability to the IgG antibodies of P. vivax infected patients. Recombinant protein was purified and estimated by Bradford assay. Results: The specialty values of the Western blot determined with 10 sera from naturally infected individuals, 10 sera from healthy individuals and 7 sera from individuals with other infectious diseases. Conclusion: For the Iranian population, using a Western blot assay for MSP-142 recombinant protein can be used as the foundation for promotion of serological assay for the detection of P. vivax malaria such as ELISA.

PurposeConstitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome (CMMRD) is a lethal cancer predisposition syndrome characterized by early-onset synchronous and metachronous multiorgan tumors. We designed a surveillance protocol for early tumor detection in these individuals.Patients and methodsData were collected from patients with confirmed CMMRD who were registered in the International Replication Repair Deficiency Consortium. Tumor spectrum, efficacy of the surveillance protocol, and malignant transformation of low-grade lesions were examined for the entire cohort. Survival outcomes were analyzed for patients followed prospectively from the time of surveillance implementation.ResultsA total of 193 malignant tumors in 110 patients were identified. Median age of first cancer diagnosis was 9.2 years (range: 1.7-39.5 years). For patients undergoing surveillance, all GI and other solid tumors, and 75% of brain cancers were detected asymptomatically. By contrast, only 16% of hematologic malignancies were detected asymptomatically (P < .001). Eighty-nine patients were followed prospectively and used for survival analysis. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 90% (95% CI, 78.6 to 100) and 50% (95% CI, 39.2 to 63.7) when cancer was detected asymptomatically and symptomatically, respectively (P = .001). Patient outcome measured by adherence to the surveillance protocol revealed 4-year OS of 79% (95% CI, 54.8 to 90.9) for patients undergoing full surveillance, 55% (95% CI, 28.5 to 74.5) for partial surveillance, and 15% (95% CI, 5.2 to 28.8) for those not under surveillance (P < .0001). Of the 64 low-grade tumors detected, the cumulative likelihood of transformation from low-to high-grade was 81% for GI cancers within 8 years and 100% for gliomas in 6 years.ConclusionSurveillance and early cancer detection are associated with improved OS for individuals with CMMRD.

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a serious public health issue and refers to physically, sexually and psychologically harmful behaviors as well as emotionally controlling behaviors and financial abuse that occur in the form of marriage or cohabitation. Knowing the current situation of the IPV prevalence against women and high-risk areas in the Zanjan city, Iran, can help policymakers to establish better health programs for risk reduction. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study consisted of married women aged 18-55 years living in Zanjan city in 2021. 760 married women covered by 19 urban comprehensive health service centers (UCHSCs) were selected by the stratified systematic random sampling method. The prevalence of IPV against women was measured in four types: psychological, physical, sexual, and economic. Results: Mean (SD) age of the women was 35.49 (8.76) years. 606 women (79.7%) experienced one type of IPV. The highest and lowest IPV prevalence against women were psychological (76.6%) and economic (12%), respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence of psychological violence were observed in CUHSCs 2 and 17, physical violence in CUHSCs 1 and 14, sexual violence in CUHSCs 2 and 17, and economic violence in CUHSCs 2 and 8, respectively. The severity of violence was higher among self-employment or workers husbands, with low monthly household income, and among younger women. Discussion: The IPV rate in the target population is high, and the highest rate is related to psychological violence. These results highlight the need to intervention in the society and high-risk women for policymakers of the health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, the process of designing and simulating optical sensors based on photonic crystal (PC) micro-ring resonators (MRRs) has been investigated. According to the PC type, different waveguides and resonators can be designed, and various topologies can be proposed from their combination, for optical sensor applications. Here, the investigated MRR is of the symmetrical micro-hexagonal ring resonator (MHRR) type. Different arrays of MHRR arrangement have been designed to investigate their effects on the output spectrum. The results of the design and simulation of different topologies have been analyzed and compared with other numerical researches. Considering all the necessary aspects of PC optical sensors, a detailed and comprehensive algorithm has been presented for designing these devices and choosing the optimal structure. In a more complementary process, the effects of reflector rods have been investigated, which indicates the existence of similarity and compatibility in the design between the distance of reflector rods and the length of MHRRs to obtain the optimal structure. Finally, the effect of different values of lattice constant and radius of dielectric rods on FWHM, transmission (TR) and resonant wavelength is studied, and the most optimal mode is presented. In order to measure the performance of the proposed optimal sensor, its application for gas detection has been analyzed. TR, FWHM, quality factor (QF), sensitivity (S) and figure of merit (FOM) of the proposed sensor were equal to 96%, 0.31 nm, 2636, 6451 nm/RIU and 2960 RIU−1 respectively. An examination of results from similar research indicates a rational and effective approach for generating diverse topologies, aiming to attain the most optimal configuration for optical sensors employing MRRs. Furthermore, employing a systematic design process based on established principles and the proposed algorithm helps prevent arbitrary parameter variations, facilitating the attainment of desired outcomes in a more streamlined and efficient manner. Given the comprehensive nature of this research, it presents a viable solution for designing optical devices based on MRRs for use in optical integrated circuits (OICs) applications.

Background: Aerobic exercise and ginger after myocardial infarction (MI) modify calcium handling. Ginger has cardioprotective effects on cardiovascular disease. This study assessed the effects of aerobic exercise combined with ginger extract (GE) loaded into chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) on miRNA-214, Serca2a, and Anp genes and cardiac fibrosis in myocardial infarction (MI) rat models. Methods: Twenty-five male rats divided into 5 groups were subjected to ginger treatment and exercise. Aerobic exercises (AE) were performed on a rodent treadmill 5 days per week for 6 weeks. The GE-CNPs (500 mg/kg) were orally administered to the rats for 6 weeks. The expressions of miRNA-214, Serca2a, and Anp genes were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The histopathological assessments were performed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining. The serum activities of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were also measured by ELISA. Results: The MI model and CNP groups had the highest rate of collagen deposition (P