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Background: There is an increased attention to stroke following SARS-CoV-2. The goal of this study was to better depict the short-term risk of stroke and its associated factors among SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients. Methods: This multicentre, multinational observational study includes hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from North and South America (United States, Canada, and Brazil), Europe (Greece, Italy, Finland, and Turkey), Asia (Lebanon, Iran, and India), and Oceania (New Zealand). The outcome was the risk of subsequent stroke. Centres were included by non-probability sampling. The counts and clinical characteristics including laboratory findings and imaging of the patients with and without a subsequent stroke were recorded according to a predefined protocol. Quality, risk of bias, and heterogeneity assessments were conducted according to ROBINS-E and Cochrane Q-test. The risk of subsequent stroke was estimated through meta-analyses with random effect models. Bivariate logistic regression was used to determine the parameters with predictive outcome value. The study was reported according to the STROBE, MOOSE, and EQUATOR guidelines. Findings: We received data from 26,175 hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from 99 tertiary centres in 65 regions of 11 countries until May 1st, 2020. A total of 17,799 patients were included in meta-analyses. Among them, 156(0.9%) patients had a stroke—123(79%) ischaemic stroke, 27(17%) intracerebral/subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 6(4%) cerebral sinus thrombosis. Subsequent stroke risks calculated with meta-analyses, under low to moderate heterogeneity, were 0.5% among all centres in all countries, and 0.7% among countries with higher health expenditures. The need for mechanical ventilation (OR: 1.9, 95% CI:1.1–3.5, p = 0.03) and the presence of ischaemic heart disease (OR: 2.5, 95% CI:1.4–4.7, p = 0.006) were predictive of stroke. Interpretation: The results of this multi-national study on hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection indicated an overall stroke risk of 0.5%(pooled risk: 0.9%). The need for mechanical ventilation and the history of ischaemic heart disease are the independent predictors of stroke among SARS-CoV-2 patients. Funding: None. © 2020 The Authors

Introduction Range and diffusion of positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals are important parameters for image resolution in positron emission tomography (PET). In this study, GEANT4 toolkit was applied to study positron diffusion in soft tissues with and without a magnetic field for six commonly used isotopes in PET imaging including 11C, 13N, 15O, 18F, 68Ga, and 82Rb. Materials and Methods GEANT4 toolkit was used to simulate the transport and interactions of positrons. Calculations were performed for the soft tissue phantom (8 mm ×8 mm × 8 mm). Positrons were emitted isotropically from the center of the phantom. By the application of a magnetic field perpendicular to the path of positrons, lateral scattering of positrons could be prevented due to Lorentz force. When the positron energy was below the cut-off threshold (0.001 MeV), the simulation was terminated. Results The findings showed that the presence of a magnetic field increased the rate of positron annihilation. At magnetic field strengths of 3, 7, and 10 Tesla, 18F with the lowest decay energy showed improvements in the ratio of full width at half maximum (FWHM) resolution to the peak of curve by 3.64%, 3.89%, and 5.96%, respectively. In addition, at magnetic field strengths of 3, 7 and 10 Tesla, 82Rb with the highest decay energy showed improvements in resolution by 33%, 85%, and 99%, respectively. Conclusion Application of a magnetic field perpendicular to the positron diffusion plane prevented the scattering of positrons, and consequently, improved the intrinsic spatial resolution of PET imaging, caused by positron range effects.

Alpha-fetoprotein protein (AFP) is naturally found in fetal serum while production and appearance after birth is indicative of presence of malignant tumors. Therefore, by measuring this protein during fetal period and after birth, it is possible to diagnose abnormalities and tumors in fetus or the newborn. The objective of this study was to produce and purify AFP protein using DNA recombinant technology to apply in diagnostic kit preparations. In this study Pichia pastoris as metylotrophic yeast was used for AFP production. After construction of recombinant plasmid, pS1-AFP, electroporation and lithium chloride techniques were used for transferring to susceptible cells. The quantity and quality of the produced protein were checked by SDS-PAGE and ELISA methods. Selection of transformed mutant strains of Muts and culturing them in glycerol media (YPG) up to OD600=6 and their transfer to methanol media (YPM) with augmentation of methanol to 1% final concentration resulted in inducing protein production in auxotrophic media lacking histidine. This protein could be useful in monoclonal antibody production and in diagnostic kit preparations.Keywords: Alpha-fetoprotein, Pichia pastoris, cloning, expression

Background: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is functioned as national interventions against malaria in southeastern foci of Iran and deltamethrin WP one of the insecticides have been used since past decade. In this study, the residual activity of the wettable granule (WG) was studied on different surfaces in hut scale trial against Anopheles stephensi in Iranshahr District, southeastern Iran. Methods: Three dosages of 25, 40 and 50 mg a.i./m2 of deltamethrin WG 25% formulation were applied on plaster, cement, mud, and wooden surfaces using Hudson® X-pert compression sprayer having 10 litters capacity. Results: The residual effects of deltamethrin WG 25% on different surfaces was assessed based on reduction of mortality An. stepehnsi from 100% to about 70%. At 25, 40 and 50 mg a.i./m2 the WG formulation of deltamethrin had a bioefficacy for about 2, 3 and 4 months respectively. Conclusion: There was an expectable fluctuation in mortality of An. stephensi at different sprayed surfaces as well as dosages. The proposed 50 mg/m2 WG is the longest activity for up to 4 months which needs to be applied for two spraying cycles per year at the climatically condition of southwestern Iran.

There are some arboviral and parasitic diseases which are transmitted by culicine mosquitoes in Iran. Three genera and eleven species of the subfamily Culicinae (Diptera: Culicidae) were collected by dipping method and identified in Kahnooj district, Kerman province, south-eastern Iran, during October and November, 2003 including; Culex (Culex) bitaeniorhynchus, Cx. (Maillotia) deserticola, Cx. (Cux.) laticinctus, Cx. (Cux.) perexiguus, Cx. (Cux.) pipiens, Cx.(Cux.) quin- quefasciatus, Cx.(Cux.) sinaiticus, Cx.(Cux.) theileri, Cx.(Cux.) tritaeniorhynchus, Culiseta (Allotheobaldia) longiareolata, and Uranotaenia (Pseudoficalbia) unguiculata. In this study, Ur.unguiculata was identified in Kerman province for the first time. Fauna and ecology of Culicinae need more investigations in this province.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common chronic infections in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. Recent reports suggested that H. pylori might have high prevalence among patients with diabetes. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of H. pylori infection in diabetes mellitus and to study the relationship between histological findings and H. pylori infection in diabetic patients. Eighty patients with dyspepsia that were referred to our gastrointestinal department between May 2007 and May 2008 were included in our study. We checked fasting blood sugar for all of the study samples. All of patients underwent upper endoscopy and biopsy specimens were obtained from the antrum and the corpus. The specimens for the presence of H. pylori were colored by Giemsa stains. A single pathologist evaluated the histology slides. We found that prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly higher in diabetics than in non-diabetics (P=0.001). Indeed, the prevalence of gastritis did differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.001). According to our results diabetes mellitus is one of the risk factor that must be considered in evaluation of H. pylori infection in diabetic patients with dyspepsia.

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of oil crops cultivated in many areas of Iran. Its molecular breeding and production of varieties with new characteristics using genetic engineering needs the establishmentof efficient transformation methods in commercial varieties. In this research transformation potential of 8 commercial cultivars; Licord, SLM046, RGS003, Zarfam, Okapi, Sarigol, Modena and Opera adapted to different regions of Iran was studied using cotyledon and hypocotyl explants. Agrobacterium tumifaciens strain AGL0 containing the plasmid pCAMBIA3301 was used for transformation. Cotyledonand hypocotyl explants after inoculation with Agrobacterium were co-cultivated on MS medium containing 1 mg/l 2,4-D and 4.5 mg/l BAP, respectively. Cotyledonary explants after co-cultivation weretransferred on selection MS medium, containing 4.5 mg/l BAP and 3 mg/l phosphinothricin. Hypocotyl explants were transferred to selection MS medium containing 4 mg/l BAP, 2 mg/l Zeatin and 5 mg/lphosphinotricin. The regenerated plants were analyzed by PCR and histochemical GUS assay for gene transformation. The results showed that all of genotypes had gene transformation potential usinghypocotyl segments, while this potential was limited to some cultivars using cotyledonary explants. Among transgenic plants regenerated from hypocotyls, Licord cultivar had the most transformation rate(15.26%) and Sarigol the least (0.2%). Also among regenerated plans from cotyledon, SLM046 cultivars had the most transformation frequency (4.7%), and Modena, Opera and Zarfam cultivars did not respond to transformation.