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The presence of mineral pollutants, combined with bacterial contamination, has significantly impacted groundwater quality and led to various health-related issues in mining-impacted areas. Therefore, we measured the concentration of fluoride (F - ), phosphate (PO 4 3- ), sulphate (SO 4 2- ), the total coliforms (TCs), and physiochemical characteristics in groundwater samples of South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. For this, we collected water samples from 100 wells in spring and autumn across this mining-impacted area. We then measured the concentrations of mineral pollutants and assessed their associated health risks to children and adults using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) models and spatiotemporal zoning maps in ArcGIS. The concentrations of PO 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3 - ), the total coliforms (TCs), and physiochemical characteristics in groundwater samples of South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. For this, we collected water samples from 100 wells in spring and autumn across this mining-impacted area. We then measured the concentrations of mineral pollutants and assessed their associated health risks to children and adults using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) models and spatiotemporal zoning maps in ArcGIS. The concentrations of PO 4 3- , NH 4 + , SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , and F - were 0.70 ± 0.34, 0.82 ± 0.9, 175.45 ± 123, 15.26 ± 9.41, and 0.53 ± 0.68 mg/L in spring, and 0.71 ± 3.18, 4.68 ± 31, 306.72 ± 615.80, 19.30 ± 15.61, and 0.72 ± 0.65 mg/L in autumn, respectively. PO 4 3- , NH 4 + , and SO 4 2- exceeded both the World Health Organization (WHO) and EPA, but NO 3 - exceeded only EPA standards. TCs in both seasons exceeded the standards set by the EPA and WHO. The hazard quotient (HQ) values indicated non-carcinogenic risks for F⁻ and NO 3 ⁻, while posing no risks NH 4 ⁺ and PO 4 3 ⁻ in both adults and children during autumn and spring.Hazard index (HI) was greater than 1 for all minerals in both children and adults in autumn and spring. No correlation was observed between mineral compounds and TCs in the study area, yet the water samples were highly contaminated by coliform with a significant risk to adults and children. In essence, both mineral pollutants and TCs potentially pose serious risks to human, and more efforts are required to improve the quality of water in this area., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) poses a significant health challenge as the most common primary malignancy of the adult central nervous system. Gender- and age-related differences in GBM influence prognosis and treatment complexities. This multicenter retrospective study explores gender and age disparities in GBM patients, investigating their impact on occurrence and survival outcomes., Methods: This multicenter retrospective study involved GBM patients treated in Guilan Province, Iran. Patients' data, including age, gender, tumor location, and histopathological diagnosis date, was collected from medical records., Results: In a cohort of 164 GBM patients, the average age was 54.34 ± 14.16 years, with a higher prevalence among men (59.8%) and patients aged ≤ 60 years (64.6%). The tumor sites exhibited overlapping features in 68% of cases, with the frontal and temporal lobes being the most common specific locations. The mean survival was 12.88 ± 14.14 months, one-year survival of 45%, with women showing significantly higher one-year survival (60% vs. 40%) and longer mean survival (16.14 ± 17.35 vs. 10.75 ± 11.15 months). Furthermore, Patients ≤ 60 years had significantly higher one-year survival (75% vs. 35%). In subgroup analysis, women had significantly higher survival rates in patients ≤ 60 years. However, among patients over 60, women exhibited a more pronounced decline in survival rates, with no statistically significant difference between men and women in this age group., Conclusion: This study highlights that both age and gender significantly affect GBM survival outcomes. Younger patients, particularly women, exhibited better survival rates, while older patients, especially women, showed poorer outcomes. These findings suggest the need to stratify treatment approaches by both age and gender to optimize care and improve survival in GBM patients. Further research is recommended to explore these associations., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

To estimate a watershed's response to climate change, it is crucial to understand how human activities and climatic extremes have interacted over time. Over the last century, the Zarivar Lake watershed, Iran, has been subjected to various anthropogenic activates, including deforestation and inappropriate land-management practices alongside the implementation of conservation measures like check dams. To understand the effects of these changes on the magnitude of sediment, organic carbon (OC), and phosphorus supplies in a small sub-watershed connected to the lake over the last century, a lake sediment core was dated using 210 Pb ex and 137 Cs as geochronometers. The average mass accumulation rate (MAR), organic carbon accumulation rates (OCAR), and particulate phosphorus accumulation rates (PPAR) of the sediment core were determined to be 6498 ± 2475, 205 ± 85, and 8.9 ± 3.3 g m -2  year -1 , respectively. Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, accumulation rates were significantly higher than their averages at 7940 ± 3120, 220 ± 60, and 12.0 ± 2.8 g m -2  year -1 respectively. During this period, the watershed underwent extensive deforestation (12%) on steep slopes, coinciding with higher mean annual precipitations (more than double). Conversely, after 2009, when check dams were installed in the sub-watershed, the sediment load to the lake became negligible. The results of this research indicate that anthropogenic activities had a pronounced effect on MAR, OCAR, and PPAR, causing them to fluctuate from negligible amounts to values twice the averages over the last century, amplified by climatic factors. These results imply that implementing climate-smart watershed management strategies, such as constructing additional check dams and terraces, reinforcing restrictions on deforestation, and minimum tillage practices, can facilitate protection of lacustrine ecosystems under accelerating climate change conditions., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: Food insecurity affects diet and nutrition intakes. We explored the relationship between food insecurity and dietary intakes in a group of Iranian women., Methods: The cross-sectional study was performed on 190 healthy females aged 20-55 years attending primary healthcare centers in Shiraz. Food insecurity was evaluated by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, which is a validated tool for assessing food insecurity in developing countries. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The association of dietary patterns and food insecurity was assessed by linear regression., Results: Assessment of dietary intakes revealed that consumption of red meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and nuts decreased whereas that of grains, processed meats, potato, and sugary foods increased with increasing food insecurity. Among nutrients, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, calcium, and magnesium decreased while fat and sodium increased as food insecurity increased. Three major dietary patterns were detected. Healthy dietary patterns showed inverse associations with food insecurity in the crude (β = -0.422 and - 0.435, P < 0.001) and adjusted (adjusted for age, marital status, and educational level) (β = -0.475 and - 0.341, P < 0.001) models of regression analysis but unhealthy pattern did not show an association with food insecurity. Compared to food secure participants, a higher percentage of food insecure individuals indicated unhealthy eating habits, such as skipping breakfast, lower snack ingestion, more fast and fried food consumption, and using unhealthy cooking methods., Conclusion: Overall, this study showed that food insecurity was associated with less healthy diet and unhealthy cooking and eating habits., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The aggregation of clonal plasma cells causes plasma cell neoplasms, which vary in severity and clinical outcomes. The present research focused on the epidemiological, clinical, immunologic, and cytogenetic characteristics of plasma cell neoplasms., Methods: In this five-year retrospective cross-sectional study, demographic information such as age and sex, calcium elevation, renal insufficiency, anemia, and bone lesion (CRAB) characteristics, as well as laboratory data including bone marrow and peripheral blood film results, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and cytogenetic study outcomes were collected at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics software (version 20.0). Descriptive statistics were reported as numbers, percentages, and mean±SD., Results: 417 newly diagnosed plasma cell neoplasm patients were confirmed by bone marrow or other tissue biopsy tests. 279 patients were men (66.9%). The most prevalent age group was 60-64 years old (18.46%). Plasma cell myeloma (PCM) affected 355 (85.13%) patients, while monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) affected 6 (1.43%) patients. Solitary plasmacytoma was seen in 56 (13.42%) patients. At the time of diagnosis, 119 (33.52%) of 355 PCM patients were asymptomatic, whereas 236 (66.47%) patients had at least one CRAB symptom, 55 (15.49%) had two or more, and 14 (3.94%) had three or more. There were 7 (1.97%) cases of amyloidosis. Cytogenetic abnormalities were found in 51.28% (40/78) of the patients. Twenty-one individuals (52.5%) were hyperdiploid with multiple trisomy, while 19 (47.50%) were not., Conclusion: When diagnosed, Iranian PCM patients might have more advanced disease. PCM was more prevalent in young adults, and hyperdiploid was the most common cytogenetic finding in this investigation., Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright: © Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Due to high antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-forming ability, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the seriously life-threatening agents causing chronic and nosocomial infections. This study was performed to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern, biofilm formation, and frequency of biofilm-related genes in P. aeruginosa strains. In total, 123 P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from different clinical sources. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed to detect multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MDRPA) isolates. To evaluate the biofilm-forming isolates, the microtiter plate (MTP) method was carried out. Also, the prevalence of biofilm genotype patterns, including pslA, pslD, pelA, pelF, and algD genes, was detected by polymerases chain reaction (PCR). According to our findings, the highest resistance and susceptibility rates were found in ceftazidime with 74.7% (n = 92) and ciprofloxacin with 42.2% (n = 52), respectively. In our study, the highest level of antibiotic resistance belonged to wound isolates which meropenem had the most antibacterial activity against them. In total, 86.1% (n = 106) P. aeruginosa isolates were determined as MDRPA, of which 61.3% (n = 65) were able to form strong biofilm. The highest and lowest frequency of biofilm-related genes among biofilm producer isolates belonged to pelF with 82.1% (n = 101) and algD with 55.2% (n = 68), respectively. The findings of the conducted study indicate a significant relationship between MDRPA and biofilm genotypic/phenotypic patterns, suggesting the necessity of a careful surveillance program in hospital settings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute of Plant Genetics Polish Academy of Sciences.)

To investigate the effects of converting forests into vineyards typical to Zarivar Lake watershed, Iran, which occurred mainly in the 1970s and 80s, on soil erosion, 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex , being mid-and-long-term soil loss tracers, were applied. In Chernobyl-contaminated areas like those found in some parts of Europe and Asia, the proportion of 137 Cs Chernobyl fallout needs to be determined to convert 137 Cs inventories into soil erosion rates. To do so, Pu radioisotopes were applied for the first time in Iran. The soil samples were gathered from two adjacent, almost similar hillslopes under natural forest (slope length: 250 m; slope gradient: 20%) and rainfed vineyard (slope length: 200 m; slope gradient: 17%). 137 Cs/ 239+240 Pu ratios indicated that 49.8 ± 10.0% of 137 Cs originated from Chernobyl. The net soil erosion rates derived by 137 Cs, and 210 Pb ex approaches were 5.0 ± 1.1 and 5.9 ± 2.9 Mg ha -1 yr -1 in the forested hillslope, and 25.9 ± 5.7 and 32.5 ± 14.5 Mg ha -1 yr -1 in the vineyard hillslope, respectively. Both 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex highlighted that deforestation increased soil erosion by around five times. Moreover, the impacts of deforestation on soil physicochemical properties were investigated in surface and subsurface soils. Compared to forested hillslope, soil organic carbon stock in the upper 40 cm of the vineyard reduced by 14 Mg C ha -1 (29%), 8 Mg C ha -1 of which was removed by erosion within 35 years, and the remaining have likely been lost via emissions (6 Mg C ha -1 ). The vineyard topsoil experienced the most dramatic drops in percolation stability (PS), sealing index, and organic matter by about 55, 51, and 49%, respectively. Among all measured physicochemical properties, PS showed the greatest sensitivity to land-use change. Overall, the present study's findings confirmed that deforestation for agricultural purposes triggered soil loss, deteriorated soil quality and possibly contributed to the reduction of the lake's water quality and climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Cesarean section (CS) is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States. Compared to vaginal delivery, CS has a higher risk of maternal and neonatal mortality, morbidities, and complications, among which surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common. We aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of postoperative oral administration of cephalexin and metronidazole on SSI among obese women undergoing CS., Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind clinical trial comparing the prophylactic effect of oral cephalexin and metronidazole vs cephalexin and placebo on SSI following CS among obese women. who had received preoperative prophylactic cephalosporin antibiotics. The study was conducted at the Ommolbanin Hospital, affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from April 2019 to February 2020., Result: The participants were randomized into the intervention group (n = 210) and the control group (n = 210). At week-1 follow-up, the outcomes were significantly lower in the intervention group as compared to the control group in terms of fever (9% vs 19%, p = 0.003), abnormal discharge from the incision (serous: 8.6% vs 10.5%, purulent: 2.9% vs 16.7%, p < 0.001), incision separation (1% vs 7.1%, p = 0.001), and cellulitis (4.8% vs 13.3%, p = 0.002). At week-2 follow-up, there were no patients in the intervention group with fever, abnormal discharge from the incision, incision separation, or cellulitis and there was a statistically significant difference for fever, abnormal discharge from the incision, and incision separation between the two groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.014, respectively)., Conclusion: Post-operative administration of cephalexin and metronidazole for 48-h post-cesarean delivery among obese women, in addition to the standard pre-operative prophylaxis, reduced the overall rate of surgical site infection and wound infection symptoms in a 2-week follow-up. Trial registration The study protocol was approved by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCTID: IRCT20200608047685N2) on 2021-03-15., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Investigations on food insecurity have shown that food insecurity is inversely associated with health. We examined the association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors in women living in Shiraz, Iran., Methods: The cross-sectional study was performed on 190 females. Food insecurity was assessed by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Cardiometabolic risk factors including anthropometric characteristics, blood pressure, and serum glucose and lipids were measured. Metabolic syndrome score was calculated according to the criteria described for Iranian adults. The association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors was assessed by linear regression., Results: The prevalence of food security, and mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity was 42.6%, 40.5%, 15.8%, and 1.1%, respectively. Cardiometabolic risk factors worsened with increasing severity of food insecurity. Among the risk factors, body mass index (BMI) had the strongest association with food insecurity. After controlling demographic factors and BMI, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterols, and metabolic syndrome score still showed significant associations with food insecurity (P < 0.01) but systolic and diastolic blood pressure were no longer associated with food insecurity after adjustment for BMI., Conclusion: Overall, although BMI was strongly associated with food insecurity, cardiometabolic risk factors including blood glucose, triglycerides, total, HDL, and LDL cholesterols, and metabolic syndrome score were associated with food insecurity independent of BMI, suggesting that other factors such as lifestyle and diet may have contributed to the exacerbated cardiometabolic risk in food insecure participants of this study. Future studies need to clarify underlying factors in the association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Organ transplant from poisoned donors is an issue that has received much attention, especially over the past decade. Unfortunately, there are still opponents to this issue who emphasize that toxins and drugs affect the body's organs and do not consider organs from poisoned donors appropriate for transplantation., Materials and Methods: Cases of brain death due to poisoning were collected from 2 academic centers in Tehran, Iran during a period from 2006 to 2020. Donor information and recipient condition at 1 month and 12 months after transplant and the subsequent transplant success rates were investigated., Results: From 102 poisoned donors, most were 30 to 40 years old (33.4%) and most were men (55.9%). The most common causes of poisoning among donors were opioids (28.4%). Six candidate donors had been referred with cardiorespiratory arrest; these patients had organs that were in suitable condition, and transplant was successful. Acute kidney injury was seen in 30 donors, with emergency dialysis performed in 23 cases. For 51% of donors, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed. The most donated organs were the liver (81.4%), left kidney (81.4%), and right kidney (80.4%). Survival rate of recipients at 1 month and 12 months was 92.5% and 91.4%, respectively. Graft rejection rate at 1 month and 12 months after transplant was 0.7% and 2.21%, respectively., Conclusions: Organ donation from poisoning-related brain deaths is one of the best sources of organ supply for people in need. If the organ is in optimal condition before transplant, there are no exclusions for use of the graft.

Ligustrum vulgare (Privet) pollen proteins are responsible for allergies in susceptible individuals in many regions of the world. This study investigated the immunochemical characterization of Privet pollen extract and the occurrence of skin prick test reactivity to Privet and other allergenic pollen grains in allergic rhinitis patients. All subjects experienced a skin prick test with twenty-two allergen extracts. sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) separated Privet pollen extract, IgE-immunoblotting, and specific ELISA procedures determined the allergenic profile on forty-five Privet allergic patients. A positive allergic reaction to L. vulgare pollen extract was observed in forty-five (31.4%) out of 145 patients. Ten resolved protein fractions were found on SDS-PAGE, ranging from 10 to 80 kDa. IgE-specific antibodies interacted with several allergenic protein bands from Privet-allergic patients in the immunoblotting assay. The most significant interaction was observed in proteins with molecular weights of approximately 15, 18, 43, and 66 kDa. Privet pollen is regarded as a potent allergen composed of IgE-binding constituents. Considering the high allergenicity of Privet pollen grains and since many countries are rich in this plant, identification and production of recombinant forms of common allergens in this species can be used for developing more efficient diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive approaches.

Identification of a new axis of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)/angiotensin (1-7)/Mas receptor, in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), has opened a new insight regarding the role of RAS and angiotensin in higher brain functions. ACE2 catabolizes angiotensin II and produces angiotensin (1-7), an agonist of Mas receptor. Mice lacking the Mas receptor (angiotensin 1-7 receptor) exhibit anxiety-like behaviours. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis of the involvement of ACE2 genetic variant (G8790A) on response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In a randomised control trial, 200 newly diagnosed Iranian patients with major depressive disorder completed 6 weeks of fluoxetine or sertraline treatment. Patients with a reduction of 50% or more in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score were considered responsive to treatment. G8790A polymorphism was determined in extracted DNAs using restriction fragment length polymerase chain reaction method. Our results show that the A allele and AA and GA genotypes were significantly associated with better response to SSRIs (p = 0.008; OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.4-8.5 and p = 0.027; OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.2-9.2, respectively). Moreover, patients with GA and AA genotypes responded significantly better to sertraline (p = 0.0002; OR = 9.1; 95% CI = 2.4-33.7). The A allele was significantly associated with better response to sertraline (p = 0.0001; OR = 7.6; 95% CI = 2.5-23.3). In conclusion, our results confirm the role of G8790A in response to some SSRIs.

Background: The present study aimed to compare serum total IgA levels between severe and mild COVID-19 patients' groups and the control group., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 216 definite severe COVID-19 patients (as the inpatient group), 183 subjects with positive specific COVID-19 IgG with mild or no symptoms as the (outpatient group), and 203 healthy subjects with negative specific serology, as the control group were investigated. The cases' laboratory data were collected, and thereafter, statistical tests, including independent samples t test, ANOVA test, and post hoc test, were performed using SPSS software version 22., Result: The mean ± SD of IgA in all the included subjects was 2.23 ± 0.78 (g/L). According to the obtained results, there were statistically significant changes in IgA among the three study groups (P value < 0.05). This difference was significant between both outpatient and inpatient groups (P value < 0.05). The mean ± SD of serum IgG in all the subjects was calculated as 15.83 ± 5.73 (g/L). A strong statistically significant change was also seen in IgG among all three groups (P value < 0.001). Of note, there was a significant negative correlation between IgG and IgA total titers of the outpatient group (P value = 0.011*r =  - 0.188)., Conclusion: It was shown that the total serum IgA and IgG levels are significantly associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection. As well, we found that total serum IgA and IgG are associated with the severity of illness. Since a low level of IgA is asymptomatic and high frequent in Iran and other countries, we suggest the evaluation of serum IgA levels in high-risk people and strengthening immune system in subjects with a low level of IgA, in order to reduce the rate of death. In this regard, oral or nasal mucosal vaccines in combination with parenteral vaccination are recommended due to increasing immunity versus COVID-19 by further secretion of the IgA antibody and preventing virus transmission., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Asthma is a chronic and multifactorial disease which is known to result from environmental and genetic factors. Interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1) is a receptor, which promotes inflammatory responses after binding to its ligand IL-33. Several studies have shown that IL1RL1 gene polymorphisms are related to susceptibility or protection to asthma. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between two IL1RL1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs10208293 and rs1041973) and the risk of asthma in the Iranian population. We performed genotyping of the IL1RL1 SNPs in 126 adult asthmatics and 300 healthy controls using TaqMan genotyping assay. Moreover, total serum IgE level, eosinophil count, and skin prick test were accomplished. The results indicated that the AA genotype of rs10208293 was positively associated with asthma susceptibility (p=0.028). We did not find any association between rs1041973 and asthma. Overall, our findings indicate that rs10208293 has a positive association with asthma in the Iranian population.

The presence of Candida species in urine may be due to colonization of this species in the bladder, urinary catheter, and perineum. Candida albicans has been the most commonly isolated from urine samples in patients with candiduria. Several virulence factors include adhesion to host cells, secreted extracellular enzymes, phenotype switching, and biofilm formation are contributing to the pathogenicity of C. albicans. ABC genotyping is the method based on the determination of 25s rDNA and C. albicans is divided into four genotypes include A, B, C, and E. We aimed to identify Candida species from pediatrics and evaluate extracellular enzyme activities, phenotype switching, biofilm formation, and genotyping in isolates. Urine samples collected, cultured, and yielded yeasts were identified. Phenotype switching, biofilm formation, enzymatic patterns, and genotyping of 50 isolates of C. albicans were evaluated. The Genotyping pattern was compared with extracellular enzymes, biofilm formation, and phenotype switching pattern. 16.2% of urine cultures were positive for the different Candida species. The most common species was C. albicans, followed by C. glabrata. Out of 50 isolates of C. albicans, 72% and 28% isolates were recognized as genotypes A and C. All isolates were produced extracellular enzymes and biofilm formation. In conclusion, candiduria with high colony counts is still a challenge in Iranian pediatrics. Genotype A was the predominant genotype among C. albicans strains. There is a statistical difference between esterase and genotypes of C and A C. albicans., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pathogens from the Trichophyton benhamiae complex are one of the most important causes of animal mycoses with significant zoonotic potential. In light of the recently revised taxonomy of this complex, we retrospectively identified 38 Trichophyton isolates that could not be resolved into any of the existing species. These strains were isolated from Iranian and Czech patients during molecular epidemiological surveys on dermatophytosis and were predominantly associated with highly inflammatory tinea corporis cases, suggesting possible zoonotic etiology. Subsequent phylogenetic (4 markers), population genetic (10 markers), and phenotypic analyses supported recognition of two novel species. The first species, Trichophyton persicum sp. nov., was identified in 36 cases of human dermatophytosis and one case of feline dermatophytosis, mainly in Southern and Western Iran. The second species, Trichophyton spiraliforme sp. nov., is only known from a single case of tinea corporis in a Czech patient who probably contracted the infection from a dog. Although the zoonotic sources of infections summarized in this study are very likely, little is known about the host spectrum of these pathogens. Awareness of these new pathogens among clinicians should refine our knowledge about their poorly explored geographic distribution. IMPORTANCE In this study, we describe two novel agents of dermatophytosis and summarize the clinical manifestation of infections. These new pathogens were discovered thanks to long-term molecular epidemiological studies conducted in Czechia and Iran. Zoonotic origins of the human infections are highly probable, but the animal hosts of these pathogens are poorly known. Further research is needed to refine our knowledge about these new dermatophytes.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) causing a human pandemic disease named COVID-19 has become a major global health concern. Iran as one of the most affected countries needs unprecedented effort for monitoring and evaluation of COVID-19., Objective: To determine the seroprevalance of COVID-19 in Semnan province North-East of Iran., Methods: Six hundred people were randomly selected using the "SIB data-base". From 1 to 30 June, 2020, 153 participants of Semnan population were enrolled. Blood, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples were obtained. Prevalence of IgM and IgG antibodies were ascertained using ELISA and Real-Time PCR was conducted to evaluate viral load. Estimates of prevalence were standardized by age and sex, based on the 2015 national census of Semnan province., Results: Seroprevalence showed no difference between females and males and no significant association between age and seropositivity. Among total participants, the age and sex adjusted prevalence of SARS-CoV2 infection was 19.3% (95% CI, 14.0-26.7 per 100 persons). Approximately 10% of participants had detectable antibodies but showed a negative-PCR result. However, approximately 80% of participants did not show an evidence of infection., Conclusion: The majority of the population in Semnan province has no detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, Semnan is considered a SARS-CoV-2 susceptible area. These results emphasize the need for maintaining public health measures to tackle the new epidemic wave.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine similar to IL-7, which is released by airway epithelial cells in response to injury and inflammation. Current literature is contradictory about the association between different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the TSLP gene and asthma development in different countries. We aimed to evaluate the association between two common TSLP SNPs (rs2289276 and rs2289278) and the risk of asthma in the Iranian population. Genotyping of the TSLP gene was performed in 126 adult asthmatic patients and 300 controls; using the TaqMan genotyping assay. Moreover, total serum IgE level and eosinophil count were assessed. The results indicated that the TT genotype of rs2289276 was inversely associated with the risk of asthma (p=0.002). A similar inverse association was detected in subgroups of atopic (p=0.001) and non-atopic (p=0.005) asthma. Moreover, the TT genotype of this SNP was more prevalent in severe and late-onset categories of asthma. In subgroup analysis, a significant sex-specific association between rs2290276 and asthma was observed in women (p=0.004). The prevalence of rs2289276 was extremely low, which made it infeasible to perform any further analysis. Overall, our findings indicated that rs2290276 SNP of the TSLP gene has a protective phenotype against asthma development in the Iranian population.

Background: Airway epithelial cells secrete Interleukin-33 in response to the different allergens. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of this cytokine have been reported to be involved in the development of asthma. We conducted this study to evaluate the impact of the two most common SNPs of the IL-33 gene (rs1342326 and rs3939286) and environmental factors on the susceptibility to asthma in the Iranian population., Subjects and Methods: In this study, we enrolled 126 asthmatics patients and 300 age, sex-matched controls. Genotyping was performed by real-time PCR using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. Moreover, total serum IgE level, eosinophil count, and skin prick test were accomplished and complete history was taken from all the participants., Results: The frequencies of mutant genotypes in both SNPs were significantly higher in asthmatics than controls. C/C genotype of rs1342326 [OR (95% CI) 2.50 (1.33-4.69)] and A/A genotype of rs3939286 [OR (95% CI) 2.18 (1.05-4.52)] were associated with higher risk of asthma development. While A/C+C/C genotype of rs1342326 was more prevalent in mild asthma [OR (95% CI) 2.36 (1.14-4.89)], G/A+A/A genotype of rs3939286 was associated with increased risk of moderate and severe asthma [OR (95% CI) 2.53 (1.30-4.94)]., Conclusion: This study revealed that both IL-33 SNPs were associated with an increased risk of asthma. The rs1342326 was associated with atopic, mild and adult-onset asthma and a higher level of eosinophils in peripheral blood. However, rs3939286 was more frequent in moderate and severe asthma. Moreover, rs3939286 was associated with non-atopic and childhood-onset asthma.

Background: Violence and aggression are considered to be important public health issues. There is limited data on the association between dietary intake and aggression score., Aim: We aimed to examine the relationship between the dietary intake and aggressive behavior in Iranian adolescent girls., Methods: The study was carried out among 670 girls aged 12-18 years. A valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) containing 147 food items was used to estimate dietary intake of the study participants. Aggression score was determined using a validated Persian version of the Buss-Perry questionnaire. We analyzed our data using crude and adjusted models., Results: Participants in the fourth quartile of aggression score had significantly higher energy intake compared with those in the first quartile (2808±949 vs 2629±819, p -trend = 0.01). Dietary intakes of soluble fiber (0.42±0.37 vs 0.35±0.29, p = 0.03) and insoluble fiber (2.17±1.65 vs 1.82±1.36, p = 0.02) were significantly higher in the first quartile than in the fourth quartile. In addition, the strongest negative correlations were found between aggression score and dietary soluble fiber ( p = 0.003) and insoluble fiber intake ( p = 0.001). Moreover, aggression score was negatively correlated with dietary α-carotene ( p = 0.02) and β-carotene ( p = 0.04) intake. These associations remained significant even after adjustment for potential confounders., Conclusions: Our results indicated that dietary intakes of fiber, α-carotene, and β-carotene were inversely associated with aggression score. Moreover, a significant positive association was observed between energy intake and aggression score in adolescent girls.

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Among genetic factors that contributed to incidence of metabolic syndrome, Polymorphisms of Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) are major candidates especially because of their effect on obesity and dyslipidemia. S447X (rs328) and Hind III (rs320) Polymorphisms of LPL gene have been reported to change LPL activity, resulting in altered triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. This study investigates the effects of these gene polymorphisms on factors affecting metabolic syndrome in northern population of Iran., Methods: Studied population included 223 adults consisting 90 women and 133 men with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m 2 as obese subjects, and 156 healthy participants as a control group with BMI <25 that included 68 women and 88 men. All factors causing metabolic syndrome were evaluated. Also DNA was extracted from blood samples and HindIII and S447X LPL gene polymorphisms were screened by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP)., Conclusions: The present study proves that some genotypes of S447X were associated with a reduced risk of developing low HDL-C only in men, while the protective effects of HindIII on hypertriglyceridemia were only seen in women [corrected]. The point is that this relation is affected by the weight profile of the participants. It can be concluded that there is a gender-related relation between the polymorphisms of LPL gene and the risk factors for incidence of metabolic syndrome in the northern population of Iran., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Otomycosis is a mycotic infection of the external auditory canal and can be caused by a wide range of fungal species. In this study, we aimed to identify fungal isolates from patients suspected of otomycosis., Methodology: External ear canal samples were taken from patients referred to the outpatient department of Shahid-Mofatteh Clinic in the city of Yasuj, Iran, and examined by direct microscopy and culture. DNA of the isolated fungi was tested by internal transcribed spacer PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for identification of yeasts and β-tubulin sequencing for identification of Aspergillus species., Results: Among 275 patients suspected of otomycosis, 144 cases (83 female and 61 male) were confirmed with otomycosis. For 89% (n=128) of positive cultures, microscopy was also positive, while there were no cases with a microscopy-positive and culture-negative result. The predominant predisposing factor was self-cleaning of the external ear using unhygienic tools, and the main risk occupation was 'housewife'. The most common isolated fungi were typically Aspergillus (n=120), including 73 isolates of Aspergillus section Nigri, 43 of section Flavi, 3 of section Terrei and 1 of section Fumigati. After sequencing, 44 out of 73 strains primarily identified as Aspergillus niger turned out to be Aspergillus tubingensis. Thirty-five isolates were identified as Candida, including Candida parapsilosis (n=22), Candida albicans (n=12) and Candida tropicalis (n=1)., Conclusion: Aspergillus tubingensis was the most common species involved in otomycosis. This work corroborates the difficulty of precise identification of species within the black Aspergilli by morphological characteristics.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life threatening disease in which a variety of cytokines regulating the immune responses can determine its outcome. As based on their region in the gene, some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) can influence the expression of their corresponding proteins, this study aimed to investigate the association between SNP in the IL-10, IL-12, IFN-γ genes and susceptibility to VL. The study was carried out on 120 patients with VL, 67 patients' families (family group), and 102 healthy individuals with positive leishmanin skin test as positive control group. SNPs in IL-10 (-592, -819, -1082), IL-12 (+1188) were analyzed using PCR-RFLP and allele specific polymerase chain reaction (ASPCR) was used to analyze SNPs in IFN-γ (+874 A/T). The results showed that at position +874 of IFN-γ, AT genotype was significantly more frequent in patients than that in families and controls, but TT genotype was significantly more frequent in families than in patients. Distributions of IFN-γ alleles were not significantly different between the study groups. As for IL-12 and IL-10 genotypes and alleles, no significant difference was observed between the groups. Although a strong linkage disequilibrium was observed between alleles -592, -819 and -1082 of IL-10, distributions of the most common haplotypes and haplogenotypes reconstructed from IL-10 alleles were not significantly different between the study groups. It could be suggested that heritage of AT genotype at position +874 of IFN-γ may predispose and TT genotype can resist individual to VL in an endemic area in the southwest of Iran.

Purpose: The dietary determinants of adolescent blood pressure (BP) are not well understood. We determined the association between major dietary patterns and BP in a sample of Iranian adolescents., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among a representative sample (n = 557) of Shirazi adolescents aged 12-19 years. Participants' systolic and diastolic BP was measured using a validated oscillometric BP monitor. Usual dietary intakes during the past 12 months were assessed using a valid and reproducible 168-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Principal component factor analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns based on a set of 25 predefined food groups., Results: Overall, three major dietary patterns were identified, among which only the Western pattern (abundant in soft drinks, sweets and desserts, salt, mayonnaise, tea and coffee, salty snacks, high-fat dairy products, French fries, and red or processed meats) had a significant association with BP. After adjusting for potential confounders in the analysis of covariance models, multivariable adjusted means of the systolic and mean BP of subjects in the highest tertile of the Western pattern score were significantly higher than those in the lowest tertile (for systolic BP: mean difference 6.9 mmHg, P = 0.001; and for mean BP: mean difference 4.2 mmHg, P = 0.003). A similar but statistically insignificant difference was observed in terms of diastolic BP., Conclusions: The findings suggest that a Western dietary pattern is associated with higher BP in Iranian adolescents. However, additional large-scale prospective studies with adequate methodological quality are required to confirm these findings.

Lymphoma is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Subtype distribution is different throughout the world. Some reports from the Middle East are in record. This article is trying to report the subtype distribution of lymphoma in Iran and compare it to that of Western, Far East Asian and Middle Eastern countries. A retrospective study was done on all lymphomas diagnosed in a large referral center in the South of Iran during a time period between 2009 and 2014. All diagnoses have been made according to 2008 WHO classification. A total number of 1085 cases with diagnoses of lymphoma retrieved. Twenty-nine cases (2.6 % of all) were precursor lymphoid neoplasm, 608 cases (56 % of all) were mature B cell neoplasm, 115 cases (10.5 % of all) were mature T and NK cell neoplasm, and 333 cases (30.6 % of all) were Hodgkin lymphoma. The six most frequent subtypes of mature B cell neoplasm were diffuse large B cell lymphoma, NOS (57 %), Burkitt lymphoma (7 %), small lymphocytic lymphoma (6.9 %), mantle cell lymphoma (5.7 %), extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma (5.2 %) and follicular lymphoma (3.6 %). Among mature T and NK cell neoplasm, mycosis fungoides was the most common type (43.4 %) followed by peripheral T cell lymphoma, NOS (20 %) and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (9.9 %). Of Hodgkin lymphoma cases, 90.6 % were classical type and 9.3 % were nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. Extranodal involvement was seen in 42.2 % and GI tract was the most common site. Lymphoma frequencies were similar to that of Middle Eastern countries except for lower rate of follicular lymphoma and higher incidence of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, NOS and small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Fungal infection of the external auditory canal (otitis externa and otomycosis) is a chronic, acute, or subacute superficial mycotic infection that rarely involves middle ear. Otomycosis (swimmer's ear) is usually unilateral infection and affects more females than males. The infection is usually symptomatic and main symptoms are pruritus, otalgia, aural fullness, hearing impairment, otorrhea, and tinnitus. Fungal species such as yeasts, molds, dermatophytes, and Malassezia species are agents for otitis externa. Among molds, Aspergillus niger was described as the most common agent in the literature. Candida albicans was more prevalent than other yeast species. Otomycosis has a worldwide distribution, but the prevalence of infection is related to the geographical location, areas with tropical and subtropical climate showing higher prevalence rates. Otomycosis is a secondary infection and is more prevalent among swimmers. As a result, a higher incidence is reported in summer season, when more people interested in swimming. Incidence of otomycosis in our review ranged from 5.7 to 81 %, with a mean value of 51.3 %. Our results showed that 78.59 % of otomycosis agents were Aspergillus, 16.76 % were Candida species, and the rest (4.65 %) were other saprophytic fungi. Among Iranian patients, incidence of infection was highest in summer, followed by autumn, winter, and spring. In Iran, otomycosis was most prevalent at the age of 20-40 years and the lowest prevalence was associated with being <10 years old. The sex ratio of otomycosis in our study was (M/F) 1:1.53.

Generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP) is a subgroup of periodontal diseases among 20-35 years age group adults. Several studies have reported the association of interleukin-1β gene polymorphism with periodontal diseases among different populations. The present study aimed at investigating the presence of IL-1β polymorphism in GAP patients in Iran. Further, the presence of IL-1β(+3954) gene polymorphism was evaluated in the GAP patients (n=26) and healthy individuals (n=26). All three genotypes (A1A1 [56%], A1A2 [28%], and A2A2 [16%]) were observed in healthy individuals, whereas only A1A1 (38.5%) and A2A2 (61.5%) were the genotypes observed in the patients. There was a significant positive association between distribution of IL-1β genotypes and the risk of periodontitis disease (p=0.017). Further, there was a significant positive association between probing pocket depth and IL-1β genotypes of patients (p=0.014). However, no meaningful correlation between genotype-clinical attachment loss and genotype bleeding on probing with the risk of GAP (p=0.418, p=0.819, respectively) was found. In conclusion, findings of the present study demonstrate a positive association between IL-1β gene polymorphism and risk of periodontitis disease.

Background: Multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains are frequently encountered problems worldwide with considerable increased occurrences in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and frequency of antimicrobial resistance and associated resistance genes in Salmonella isolates from broiler farms in different regions of Iran covering a time period of four years., Results: From 2007 to 2011, 36 Salmonella strains were isolated from broiler farms located in three northern provinces of Iran. The isolates were serotyped, antimicrobial susceptibility tested, and characterized for antimicrobial resistance genes associated to the phenotype. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was applied for comparison of genetic relatedness.Two serovars were detected among the isolates; Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (75%) and S. Enteritidis (25%). Thirty-four (94%) of the isolates exhibited resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin caused by a single mutation in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA. For all strains this mutation occurred in the codon of Asp87 leading to a Asp87-Tyr, Asp87-Gly or Asp87-Asn substitutions. All S. Infantis (n = 27) were resistant to tetracycline, spectinomycin, streptomycin, and sulfamethoxazole and harbored the associated resistance genes; tetA, dfrA14, aadA1, and sulI together with class 1 integrons. The isolates revealed highly similar PFGE patterns indicating clonal relatedness across different geographical locations., Conclusion: The data provided fundamental information applicable when launching future control programs for broilers in Iran with the aim to conserve the effectiveness of important antimicrobials for treatment in humans.

Background: Several epidemiological studies have shown associations between colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and type 2 diabetes and obesity. Any effects would be expected to be mediated through the insulin pathway. Therefore it is possible that variants of genes encoding components of the insulin pathway play roles in CRC susceptibility. In this study, we hypothesized that polymorphisms in the genes involving the insulin pathway are associated with risk of CRC., Materials and Methods: The associations of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IGF-I (rs6214), IGFBP-3 (rs3110697), INSR (rs1052371), and IRS2 (rs2289046) genes with the risk of CRC were evaluated using a case-control design with 167 CRC cases and 277 controls by the PCR-RFLP method., Results: Overall, we observed no significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies between the cases and controls for the IGF-I, IGFBP-3, INSR, IRS2 gene variants and CRC before or after adjusting for confounders (age, BMI, sex, and smoking status). However, we observed that the IRS2 (rs2289046) GG genotype compared with AA+AG genotypes has a protective effect for CRC in normal weight subjects (p=0.035, OR=0.259, 95%CI= 0.074-0.907)., Conclusions: These findings do not support plausible associations between polymorphic variations in IGF-I, IGFBP-3, INSR, IRS2 genes and risk of CRC. However, the evidence for a link between the IRS2 (rs2289046) variant and risk of CRC dependent on the BMI of the subjects, requires confirmation in subsequent studies with greater sample size.

Objective: To compare the frequency of gluten sensitivity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls., Patients and Methods: The patients were 161 clinically definite MS patients who referred to neurology outpatient clinic of Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, south of Iran from March 2004 to October 2005. IgG and IgA antigliadin antibodies were measured by enzyme immuno assay (EIA) method. The test of IgA antitranstissue glutaminase (tTG) and duodenal biopsy were carried out in patients with either IgA or IgG AGA positive sera. Antigliadin antibodies were also measured for 166 age and sex matched control group., Results: Neither IgG nor IgA antigliadin antibodies showed significant differences between MS patients and controls. Anti-tTG antibody and histopathologic studies were negative in all patients with positive IgG or IgA antigliadin antibodies results. Mean values of IgG and IgA antigliadin antibodies in MS patients with different sex, age, course, and functional systems involvement were not significantly different., Conclusion: Gluten sensitivity is not associated with MS in Iran.