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Background: Epidemiological studies, classification and genetic studies of Leishmania species are effective in treatment, control and prevention in endemic areas. We aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and phylogeny of Leishmania in Zoonotic foci located in northeastern Iran using nagt gene for the first time. Methods: DNA of 100 confirmed positive slides collected from the health centers of Sarkhes, Darghez, Fariman, Esfarayen, and Sabzevar were extracted during 2020-2021. The partial sequence of kDNA was amplified to identify the species. Twenty-five DNA samples were randomly subjected to amplify by nagt gene primes and were sequenced. The sequences were aligned with reference sequences in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Then, the genetic similarities of the sequences were checked using Clustalx2.1 software and the phylogenetic tree was drawn by Mega 7 software. Results: All the positive samples were diagnosed as L. major. Approximately, half of the sequences of species were similar to two reference genes JX103550.1:404-712 L. major Esfahan and KX759012.1:568-807 L. Major Ilam (more than 90% similarity). According to the results of the phylogeny tree, the closest genotype to our study samples was JX103550.1:404-712 L. major Esfahan. Conclusion: The most causative agent CL in these areas was L. major. The genetic diversity of L. major was high such as other zoonotic foci in Iran. Due to the high similarity of the strains in the study areas with the strains of Isfahan and Ilam, similar control and prevention methods is suggested in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Cell‐based therapeutics are among the latest advances in health care technologies. The rapid evolution of stem cell science in Iran has necessitated the application of scientific achievements in clinical settings. However, various issues hindered their translation, in particular, impediments in the interactions of basic stem cell scientists and clinicians. We highlighted the impediments in the interactions of stem cell scientists and physicians involved in the opinion of professionals from both groups. Method: This qualitative research was conducted with thematic analysis, performed by purposive sampling. Thirty‐two distinguished stem cell scientists and clinicians were interviewed to identify their perspectives on this matter. MAXQDA 2018 was used to classify the axial codes based on factors related to communications inefficiencies. The analysis of coded data recognized 18 subthemes and six major themes. Results: Central themes include different registers of the two parties, counterproductive clusters hampered networking, external communication barriers, the competition to access resources, leadership conflicts, and the dissatisfaction of stakeholders with their share. Conclusions: Most of the impediments were seemingly global, for example, the incoherent medical and basic science educational systems, the vulnerable career path of physician‐scientists, and an increasing tendency towards overspecialization. However, some local specific issues were also described, for example, limited funding opportunities and the negative impacts of the division of medical education from the ministry of science, research, and technology in Iran. Proposed interventions include the reinforcement of physician‐scientist programs, designing a distributed leadership model, and bringing back the scientific integrity to higher education in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is an association between serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and vitamin D and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).Methods: In this case-control study, 51 patients with TMDs (28 patients with TMJ clicking, 5 patients with muscular disorders, and 18 osteoarthritis patients) and 29 healthy subjects within the age range of 20-50 years as the control group, were referred to the laboratory for calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, PTH, and vitamin D (25 OHD) analysis tests. The TMJ status of all participants was examined according to RDC-TMD criteria by a prosthodontist who is an expert in TMDs. The results were analyzed with Fisher's precise test.Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between TMD patients and healthy subjects.Conclusion: Serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, PTH, and vitamin D are not associated with TMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the last decade, a few cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been reported in some provinces of northeastern Iran. We aimed to investigate clinical and laboratory findings of VL among children who admitted to the pediatric ward in a referral hospital in Mashhad, northeastern Iran. Methods: A retrospective study, between 1997 and 2017, was performed on the data sheet registered for children with confirmed VL at the referral Emam Reza Hospital in Mashhad. Hematological and biochemical profiles of the patients were analyzed. Results: Thirty-five children with VL, confirmed by the presence of amastigotes of Leishmania in Giemsa stained smears of the bone marrow, had been recorded through 20 yr. The mean age of patients was 3.7±4 yr. The majority of the patients suffered from hepatosplenomegaly (100%, n=35/35), followed by prolonged fever and pallor (91%, n=32/35), weight loss (85%, n=30/35). The main laboratory findings were anemia (94.1%), leukopenia (52.9%) and thrombocytopenia (70.5%). Almost one-third (37.1%; 13/35) of VL patients inhabited in rural areas of the Bojnoord district as a known VL endemic focus in northeastern Iran. Conclusion: Our preliminary data showed that the origin of VL is still in some districts other than Mashhad, where VL just will be diagnosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human hydatidosis is endemic in northeastern Iran. The present study aimed to investigate molecular diversity of Echinococcus granulosus isolates collected from human surgically. Methods: Sixty human hydatid cysts (58 lung cysts and 2 liver cysts) were collected through surgery from Ghaem and Emam Reza hospitals in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences during 2015–2016. Cysts were characterized using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP) analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) gene and sequencing fragments of the genes coding for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (nad1). Results: Overall, 55 out of 60 Echinococcus granulosus cysts (91.6%) were determined as the G1 strain, 4 cases (6.6%) were determined as the G6 strain and 1 sample was not identified. Conclusion: Although sheep strain (G1) is dominated in human patients in Great Khorasan, the prevention of camel-dog cycle should pay attention in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, in the original publication of the article, given name and family name of the first and fourth author names were mentioned incorrectly. The exact given name and family name of those author names have been provided in the erratum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gene expression in AH and PBMC in active ocular toxoplasmosis and controls. • While the expression for IL-10 and IL-17 in the AH was increased, TGF-β was decreased. • Expression for IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-β in AH followed an opposite pattern compared to PBMC. • The expression levels for IL-17 in PBMC was not upregulated. • Our results strongly indicate an underlying local rather than a systemic immune regulation. To compare mRNA expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 17 (IL-17) and Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) in aqueous humor (AH) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in human ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) and controls. RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis and real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed on AH sediments and PBMCs of 16 patients with active OT and 21 controls at the Khatam-al-Anbia Eye Hospital, Iran. For comparison, Mann Whitney U test was used at a discrimination level of p < 0.05. Pearson and Spearman rank correlation test were applied for correlation with clinical parameters. The expression for IL-10 and IL-17 in the AH was 3.7- and 88.0-fold higher in OT than in controls (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively) whereas that of TGF-β was 7.7-fold lower (P < 0.001). The expression levels for these cytokines in PBMC followed a similar pattern (IL-10 13.8-fold down-regulated (P = 0.001), IL-17 with 1.9-fold insignificantly upregulated (p = 0.43), TGF-β 452.8-fold down-regulated (P = 0.002). Compared to PBMC, IL-10 coding mRNA was 1876-fold higher in the almost cell-free AH in OT (39.2-fold in controls), IL-17 coding mRNA was 9.4-fold higher (17.7-fold down-regulated in controls), and that coding for TGF-β 207-fold higher in OT (7x105-fold in controls). The expression for IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-β in AH thus followed an opposite pattern compared to that in PBMC. OT induces a highly-specific local immunoregulatory process as evidenced by an intraocular up-regulation of IL-10 and down-regulation of TGF-β mRNA. This could indicate an attempt to prevent unnecessary tissue damage which is in line with a moderate local mRNA up-regulation for IL-17 which seems sufficient to control parasite proliferation. That this regulation is opposite to that in PBMC may be linked to intraocular immune deviation in the course of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]