Search

Abstract Background Studies have shown an inverse relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD). Little is known about this association in Iran. This study aimed to investigate whether mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) varies by SES. Methods In a retrospective study, 1283 MI patients who hospitalized in Tehran Heart Center from March 2005 to March 2006 were followed up in March 2008. Demographic, clinical and SES data were collected from case records and by telephone interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the predictive effect of socioeconomic factors on outcome. Results In all 664 patients were studied. Of these, 500 patients were alive and 164 were dead due to MI (64 died at hospital and 100 died at home). The results of regression analysis showed that in addition to treatment (OR = 9.52, 95%CI 4.84-18.7), having diabetes (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.12-2.81) or hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.14-2.90), socioeconomic variables including living area in square per person (lowest level vs. upper level OR = 4.92, 95% CI 2.11-11.4), unemployment (OR = 3.50, 95% CI 1.50-8.13) and education (OR for illiterate patients = 2.51, 95% CI 1.00-6.31) were the most significant contributing factors to increased mortality after MI. Conclusion Although the findings should be interpreted with caution, the study results indicated that socioeconomic variables were significant contributing factors to increased mortality after myocardial infarction. The underlying role of socioeconomic status on increased mortality after MI deserves further investigation.

Beta (β) thalassemia major is a genetic blood disorder with a deficiency in the hemoglobin beta chain, requiring blood transfusion therapy. Multiple blood transfusions increase the risk of transmitting blood‐borne infections. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Iranian individuals with β‐thalassemia major. A total of 164 patients with β‐thalassemia major were recruited for this study. HCV RNA testing was done on plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the HCV seropositive samples (with reverse transcriptase–nested polymerase chain reaction [PCR] method using primers from the 5′‐untranslated region [UTR]), and all HCV RNA positive samples were genotyped by the restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. For confirmation of the HCV genotyping in PBMCs of occult HCV infection [OCI]‐positive patients, the PCR products of two different regions of HCV (5′‐UTR and nonstructural protein 5B [NS5B]) were sequenced. Of 164 patients, 29.3% were positive for anti‐HCV antibodies, and HCV RNA was detected in the plasma specimens of 13.4% patients and in the PBMC samples of 15.2% participants. The genomic HCV‐RNA was detected in PBMC samples in 3 (6.3%) of the total 48 individuals who were HCV seropositive, and plasma HCV‐RNA negative (occult HCV infection). The subtypes of HCV in the plasma and PBMC samples of three participants were not identical. This study shows that among this group of Iranian patients with β‐thalassemia major, 13.4% had active HCV infection and 6.3% had occult HCV infection as evidenced by HCV RNA detected in PBMC specimens. Therefore, the design of a prospective study that focuses on the diagnosis of OCI can be very valuable and provide more information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Leishmania are intracellular flagellate protozoan parasites cause a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in human. The immunological basis for resistance against leishmaniasis depends on Thl responses in the course of performance of cytokines like IL-12. In this study, a transgenic Leishmania coding human IL-12 was produced that can be used in Leishmanization. Materials and Methods: A fragment of Iranian lizard Leishmania (I.L.L) gene, named Cysteine Peptidase C (CPC), was amplified separately as two parts with PCR reaction. Then, they were attached using SOEing PCR such that the restriction site of SalI was placed in the middle of it. SOEing PCR product was purified and cloned in HindIII restriction site of pGEM-7z-f and named pKDB-CPC. After clone optimization, the hIL-12 construct was cloned in SalI restriction site of pKDB-CPC and named pKDB-IL12. Prokaryotic section of the above construct was removed and transferred into I.L.L by electroporation. Results: Production of recombinant hIL-12 in transgene parasites was proved by ELISA. rhIL-12 secreted into supernatant culture medium accumulated at concentrations up to 246.53 ± 15.92 pg.mL-1. Conclusion: Targeted gene replacement into the I.L.L genome using plasmid pKDB-cpc identical replacement process was successfully completed for the first time. Stabilized recombinant DNA consist of target gene didn't have any toxicity for the parasite. Transgenic I.L.L produced and secreted active human interleukin 12 and can be an appropriate candidate for Leishmanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is a major co-receptor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Some individuals carry the CCR5 delta-32 genetic polymorphism. People with homozygous CCR5 delta-32 gene are nearly completely resistant to HIV-1 infection. High-resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis is a post-PCR technique utilized for identifying genetic variations in a quick, affordable, and closed-tube assay. The objective of this study was to develop an HRM assay for easy detection of delta-32 mutations., Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. HRM was performed to detect delta-32 mutation. The study investigated the impact of various factors, including annealing temperature, template concentration, touchdown PCR, additives, amplicon size, and program settings, on HRM Tm differentiation., Results: It was expected that there would be a 4°C Tm difference between amplicons with and without delta-32 mutation, but the test showed a difference of only 2.3°C. In attempts to identify heterozygote delta-32 variants, a Tm difference of only 0.4°C could be achieved. Various modifications were applied, such as adjusting the template concentration, using touchdown PCR, and adding DMSO and glycerol. However, none of these changes helped to differentiate the Tm effectively, especially in delta-32 heterozygote samples., Conclusion: The HRM test identified four samples with heterozygote mutations in each HIV-infected (8.89%) and control (5.72%) groups. More importantly, this study showed that identifying the delta-32 mutation of the CCR5 gene using HRM assay is not as straightforward as previously suggested in some literature, and it requires special setup conditions., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)