Objective: Bluetongue virus is an arthropod-borne Orbivirus in the family Reoviridae which infects both domestic and wild ruminants. Bluetongue disease is a List A disease of the Office of International Epizootics. To the best of our knowledge, no report has been published on bluetongue disease of sheep flocks of Southeast of Iran. The objective of this study was to describe the seroprevalence rates of BTV in sheep flocks in southeast of Iran. Methods: The blood samples were collected randomly from herds of Southeast of Iran. A total of 188 sera samples (94 male, 94 female) collected between 2009 and 2010, were available. Antibodies to BTV in sera were detected by using a commercial competitive ELISA (Institute Pourquier, Montpellier, France) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Results: The seroprevalence rates were 6.57 %for sheep herds. Within a herd, prevalence of BTV seropositive animals ranged from 0% to 42.85%. 33.3% sheep flocks were positive to BTV antibodies. Sex didn't affect the rate of seropositivity, but the rate of seropositivity was significantly changed in different age groups. Conclusion: This study describes the seroprevalence rates of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in sheep flocks in southeast of Iran for the first time.

Objective: To describe the seroprevalence rate of bluetongue virus (BTV) in goat flocks in southeast of Iran.Methods:93 sera samples were collected between 2011 and 2012. Antibodies to BTV in sera were detected by using a commercial competitive ELISA 3 according to manufacturer’s instructions. The blood samples were collected randomly from herds of southeast of Iran. A total of Results: The seroprevalence rates were 67.7% for goats. Within a herd, prevalence of BTV seropositive animals ranged from 33.3% to 100.0%. All goat flocks were positive to BTV antibodies.Conclusions:This study describes a high seroprevalence rate of BTV in goat flocks in southeast of Iran for the first time.

Drug resistance is a great challenge in cancer therapy using chemotherapeutic agents.Administration of these drugs with siRNA is an efficacious strategy in this battle.Here,the present study tried to incor-porate siRNA and paclitaxel(PTX)simultaneously into a novel nanocarrier.The selectivity of carrier to target cancer tissues was optimized through conjugation of folic acid(FA)and glucose(Glu)onto its surface.The structure of nanocarrier was formed from ternary magnetic copolymers based on FeCo-polyethyleneimine(FeCo-PEI)nanoparticles and polylactic acid-polyethylene glycol(PLA-PEG)gene delivery system.Biocompatibility of FeCo-PEI-PLA-PEG-FA(NPsA),FeCo-PEI-PLA-PEG-Glu(NPsB)and FeCo-PEI-PLA-PEG-FA/Glu(NPsAB)nanoparticles and also influence of PTX-loaded nanoparticles on in vitro cytotoxicity were examined using MTT assay.Besides,siRNA-FAM internalization was investi-gated by fluorescence microscopy.The results showed the blank nanoparticles were significantly less cytotoxic at various concentrations.Meanwhile,siRNA-FAM/PTX encapsulated nanoparticles exhibited significant anticancer activity against MCF-7 and BT-474cell lines.NPsAB/siRNA/PTX nanoparticles showed greater effects on MCF-7 and BT-474 cells viability than NPsA/siRNA/PTX and NPsB/siRNA/PTX.Also,they induced significantly higher anticancer effects on cancer cells compared with NPsA/siRNA/PTX and NPsB/siRNA/PTX due to their multi-targeted properties using FA and Glu.We concluded that NPsAB nanoparticles have a great potential for co-delivery of both drugs and genes for use in gene therapy and chemotherapy.

Background: The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) influences a wide range of behavioral and reward function. In this study, we evaluated electrical stimulation and inactivation of DRN on morphine conditioned place preference (CPP). Methods: The rats were anesthetised (n = 7 for each group) and the electrode and cannula were implanted into the DRN by stereotaxic instrument. Electrical stimulation (100μA) and reversible inactivation by lidocaine were induced into DRN and then morphine-induced CPP was investigated. Results: The stimulation of DRN in combination with effective dose of morphine showed a significant decrease only on expression phases 20s (SD 33.7) when compared with morphine group 119.85s (SD 23.7) (One way ANOVA, Tukey’s; P = 0.036). Also, this stimulation in combination with ineffective dose of morphine showed a significant increase only on acquisition phases 67.5s (SD 41.2) of CPP compared with morphine group -46s (SD 18.51) (P = 0.034). Also, there were not significant differences in inactivation of DRN by lidocaine on different phase of CPP (P = 0.091). Conclusion: It is possible that electrical stimulation of the DRN with changes in concentration of serotonin or involving other transmitters such as glutamate and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) would be involved to these changes of CPP.

Objective:To evaluate and practically demonstrate the influence of Althaea ofifcinalis flower mucilage as a plant known in Iran’s and other Middle Eastern countries’ traditional medicine for its wound healing properties.
Methods:Animals were divided into 6 groups of 5 cases including a non-treated group as the negative control group receiving no treatment, a group treated with eucerin as the positive control group, a phenytoin 1%group as a standard group treated topically with phenytoin 1%hand-made ointment, and treatment groups treated with hand-made Althaea ofifcinalis flower mucilage (AFM) ointment in a eucerin base with different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%).
Results:Among the treatment groups, the AFM 15%ointment showed the best result. Wound healing duration was reduced by the surface application of these groups. Wound closure was completed on Days 14 and 15 in the AFM 15% ointment and phenytoin 1% groups, respectively. No significant difference was observed in healing period between these groups. Conclusions:In conclusion, AFM 15%ointment was found to reduce wound healing time without any significant difference with the phenytoin 1% ointment. The authors suggest increased AFM effectiveness in when combined with phenytoin or other effectual plants.

No abstract available.
Humans ; *Internet ; Suicide/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data

BACKGROUND: Spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine, typically used for elective and emergency cesarean section, is associated with a significant incidence of hypotension resulting from sympathetic blockade. A variety of dosing regimens have been used to administer spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of hypotension following two different fixed dosing regimens. METHODS: This was a randomized double-blind clinical trial with a two-sided design, 5% significance level and 80% power. After approval of the hospital ethics review committee, 60 patients were divided randomly into two groups. In one group, the local anesthetic dose was adjusted according to height and weight, and in the other, the dose was adjusted according to height only. RESULTS: Sixty women with a singleton pregnancy were included. Of the factors that could affect dose and blood pressure, including age, weight, height, and dose, only height differed between the groups. Mean heart rate was similar between the groups. Hypotension was significantly more frequent with dosage based on height alone than with two-factor dose calculation (56.7% vs. 26.7%; P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Adjusting the dose of isobaric bupivacaine to a patient's height and weight provides adequate anesthesia for elective cesarean section and is associated with a decreased incidence and severity of maternal hypotension and less use of ephedrine.
Advisory Committees ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Blood Pressure ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Bupivacaine ; Cesarean Section* ; Emergencies ; Ephedrine ; Ethics, Institutional ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVES: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the major causes of preventable mental retardation in infants. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of CH in Shadegan, Khuzestan Province, Iran from 2012 to 2014 and to identify the risk factors associated with CH. METHODS: A total of 203 cases were confirmed from 2012 to 2014 in Shadegan, with 66, 86, and 51 patients reported in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. A total of 3,900, 3,991, and 4,050 live births occurred in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. The controls (n=657) were selected using a random number table, and a case-control study was carried out to determine the risk factors for neonatal CH, including demographic, environmental, and medical factors. RESULTS: The incidence of CH was 17.0 per 1,000 live births in 2012, 21.5 per 1,000 live births in 2013, and 12.6 per 1,000 live births in 2014. This study showed that the likelihood of CH in children born to parents with a history of consanguineous marriage was 2.41 times greater than in children born to parents with no such history (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65 to 3.53). This study also found that CH was 3.4 times more likely (95% CI, 2.29 to 5.20) in infants born in urban settings than in infants born in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of CH in Shadegan from 2012 to 2014 was approximately 17 times greater than the expected incidence in Iran. CH was associated with a history of consanguineous marriage and urbanization.
Case-Control Studies* ; Child ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Incidence* ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Iran* ; Live Birth ; Marriage ; Parents ; Risk Factors ; Urbanization

The present study aimed to evaluate the cinnamic acid effect on memory impairment, oxidative stress, and cholinergic dysfunction in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic model in mice. In this experimental study, 48 male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice (30–35 g) were chosen and were randomly divided into six groups: control, cinnamic acid (20 mg/kg day, i.p. ), diabetic, and cinnamic acid-treated diabetic (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg day, i.p. ). Memory was impaired by administering an intraperitoneal STZ injection of 50 mg/kg. Cinnamic acid was injected for 40 days starting from the 21st day after confirming STZ-induced dementia to observe its therapeutic effect. Memory function was assessed using cross-arm maze, morris water maze and passive avoidance test. After the administration, biochemical parameters of oxidative stress and cholinergic function were estimated in the brain. Present data indicated that inducing STZ caused significant memory impairment, whereas administration of cinnamic acid caused significant and dose-dependent memory improvement. Assessment of brain homogenates indicated cholinergic dysfunction, increase in lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and decrease in glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities in the diabetic group compared to the control animals, whereas cinnamic acid administration ameliorated these indices in the diabetic mice. The present study demonstrated that cinnamic acid improves memory by reducing the oxidative stress and cholinergic dysfunction in the brain of diabetic mice.
Academies and Institutes ; Animals ; Brain* ; Catalase ; Dementia ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Memory Disorders* ; Memory* ; Mice* ; Oxidative Stress* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Streptozocin ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Water

Background: Styrene is one of the aromatic compounds used in acetonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) producing petrochemicals, which has an impact on health of workers. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the health risks of styrene emitted from the petrochemical industry in Iran. Methods: Air samples were collected based on NIOSH 1501 method. The samples were analyzed by the Varian-cp3800 gas chromatograph. Finally, risk levels of styrene's health effects on employees were assessed by the quantitative method of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the semiquantitative way by the Singapore Occupational Safety and Health Association. Results: Based on the results, the employees had the highest average exposure to styrene vapors (4.06x10-1 mg.(kg - day)-1) in the polybutadiene latex (PBL) unit. Therefore, the most top predictors of cancer and non-cancer risk were 2.3x10-4 and 7.26x10-1, respectively. Given that the lowest average exposure (1.5x10-2mg.(kg - day)-1) was in the dryer unit, the prediction showed a moderate risk of cancer (0.8x10-6) and non-cancer (2.3x10-3) for the employees. The EPA method also predicted that there would be a definite cancer risk in 16% and a probable risk in 76% of exposures. However, according to the semiquantitative approach, the rate of risk was at the “low” level for all staff. The results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the units in exposure and health risk of styrene (p < 0.05). Conclusion Given the high risk of styrene's health effects, appropriate control measures are required to reduce the exposure level.