Archives of Razi Institute最新文献

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are known as the most common blood-borne viral infections worldwide. Individuals referring to drop-in centers (DICs) are considered high-risk people exposed to infection with blood-borne viruses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV infections among women referred to DICs in Lorestan Province, western Iran. During this cross-sectional study, after obtaining informed consent and completing a demographic form, two blood samples were collected from 118 women referred to Lorestan DICs to be evaluated for HIV, HBV, and HCV infections. Accordingly, the samples were first screened by using the most common serological methods and then by Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect viral genomes. The results were analyzed using Chi-square statistical test and binary logistic regressions. Out of the 118 blood samples, 8 (6.8%), 4 (3.4%), and 10 (8.5%) subjects tested positive for HIV, HBV, and HCV infection, respectively. Furthermore, our study showed that 5 (4.2%) subjects were positive for HCV/HIV coinfection and 3 (2.5%) cases for HBV/HCV coinfection. Moreover, our data revealed that incarceration and STDs were the most important risk factors for HIV (odds ratio [OR]=15.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.74-62.89; P=0.01) and HBV (OR=16; 95% CI 1.57-42.34); P=0.018) infections, respectively. Our results suggested that women referring to DICs are at risk of infection with blood-borne viruses due to risky behaviors. Thus, precise diagnostic testing and implementation of preventive methods against blood and sexually transmitted infections are urgent in these high-risk groups.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasitic nematode that lives in the mucosa of the small intestine and causes strongyloidiasis in humans. Mazandaran is among the endemic areas of this parasite in Iran. For detecting S. stercoralis larvae in stool samples, various techniques, such as PCR technique have been used. The present study was conducted to determine the molecular characteristics of S. stercoralis collected from residents of Mazandaran, Northern Iran. From April to September 2017, a number of 2,195 samples of human feces were collected from different regions of Mazandaran province. First, all stool samples were tested using the formalin-ether method. Then, S. stercoralis-positive stool samples and 300 random samples were selected for molecular study. A set of primer pairs for conventional PCR was used in a PCR reaction to amplify the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) gene. To confirm the results of PCR, positive samples were sent for sequencing. The sequence was compared with reference sequences from GenBank. Phylogenetic relationships of the Cox1 gene of S. stercoralis inferred by the maximum likelihood algorithm. According to our results, in the stool test with the formal ether method, 21 (0.95%) stool samples were found to be positive for S. stercoralis, and 162 (38.7%) samples were positive for other parasites. All 21 positive samples were confirmed as S. stercoralis by PCR method. The sequence of the samples overlapped 99% with S. stercoralis in the Genbank. Our results showed that conventional PCR could detect all the microscopically positive samples.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ultrasound at two different frequencies, namely 30 kHz and 42 kHz, on various aspects of industrial Iranian honey, including its physical, biochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Samples were subjected to ultrasound treatment at 30 kHz or 42 kHz for a duration of 1, 5 or 10 minutes at temperatures of 20 °C or 45 °C, respectively. The following parameters were then evaluated on days 1, 30, 90, and 180: HMF content, pH, acidity, proline concentration, total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, diastase activity, moisture content, sucrose concentration, fructose concentration, glucose concentration, fructose- glucose ratio, ABTS (antioxidant activity) content, number of osmophiles, phenol concentration, reducing sugar concentration and total sugar concentration. It is noteworthy that both treatment groups exposed to ultrasound showed changes in these parameters. Specifically, the group treated with ultrasound at a frequency of 42 kHz showed a decrease in moisture content, pH, acidity, fructosetoglucose ratio, total sugar concentration, clostridium count, total microbial count, mold count, osmophiles countand HMF content; as well as an increase in diastase activity, proline and phenol concentration. These changes were more pronounced on days 90 and 180. Ultrasound treatment at a frequency of 42 kHz for a duration of 10 minutes at a temperature of 45 °C has the potential to improve the quality and shelf life of industrial honey. Consequently, this technique can be used in the food industry to obtain a better product that is more suitable for export.

Serum levels of vitamin D (VD) are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inactivated COVID-19 virus (ICoV-19) immunization on VD levels, as well as biochemical and hematological parameters in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty rats were randomly divided into two groups of 10: the control group (group I) and the ICoV-19-receiving group (group II). Aluminum hydroxide and a single dose of ICoV-19 (10⁷ TCID50 of the HB02 strain of the COVID-19 virus) were administered subcutaneously to rats in groups I and II, respectively. After two weeks (on day 14), booster doses were administered to both groups. Blood samples were collected from the rats in both groups primarily for the experiment and 21 days after the second administration (on day 35). Samples were then stored frozen until analysis. There were no significant differences in VD levels between the two groups on day 0, but on day 35, VD levels in group II had significantly decreased, compared to group I (P<0.05). Additionally, group II had higher concentrations of fibrinogen, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and lactate dehydrogenase activity than group I (P<0.05). Group II also showed a significant increase in neutrophil counts and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio after 35 days (P<0.05), while lymphocyte counts decreased. These findings suggest that VD may play a role in preventing COVID-19 and can thus be a potential candidate for managing and controlling the disease.

Today, the current chemical agents used for the management of pain cause numerous complications. They are associated with the occurrence of disorders in the digestive system, damage to the kidney, or addiction, which has prompted individuals to seek novel drugs that, apart from removing the side effects, are cost-effective and available. The present in vivo survey aimed to assess the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of Ferula elaeochytris Korovin methanolic extract (FEME) in male Swiss mice. After obtaining the methanolic extract through the maceration process, the antinociceptive efficacy of FEME at doses of 25 to 100 mg/kg was assessed by the tail-flick, hot-plate, and formalin tests. Moreover, anti-inflammatory evaluation was performed using the Carrageenan-induced paw edema model. It was found that in the tail-flick and hot plate test, FEME, mainly at the dose of 100 mg/kg, significantly reduced the latency time and increased the time of the observance of licking or jumping, in comparison to normal saline (P<0.001). We reported that FEME at 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly decreased pain behaviors in acute and chronic phases in comparison to normal saline (P<0.001). FEME significantly declined paw edema in a dose- and time-dependent response (P<0.05); therefore, a significant difference was observed in paw edema, followed by treatment with FEME at 50 and 100 mg/kg (P<0.001). To conclude, this study reported the potent analgesic and inflammatory effects of FEME in controlling peripheral and central pain. Nonetheless, additional experiments are mandatory to clarify the accurate mechanisms of action of this plant.

Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are one of the major initiatives under the National Rural Health Mission. These MMUs help people in remote, underserved areas access healthcare at affordable prices on their doorstep. The present record-based study aimed to assess the morbidity profile of the patients attending Mobile Medical Unit camps in the Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district between April 2022 and December 2022. The MMU is run by the Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Bibinagar, in six selected villages of the Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. A register is maintained to record the details of patients visiting the MMU camp. Patient's name, age, gender, place, mobile number, height, weight, blood pressure (BP), glucometer Random Blood Sugar, diagnosis, and details of medication dispensed were entered in the register. Diabetes, hypertension, and obesity were diagnosed using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, the Eighth Joint National Committee guidelines, and WHO Asia Pacific guidelines, respectively. Mobile Medical Unit Camp data are entered into the Excel database at the end of every month. Since it is a record-based analysis, we used data for analysis between April 7, 2022, and December 31, 2022. A total of 1494 patients were treated in the MMU camps during this period. Among them, 89.4% were adults, and 10.6% were children (less than 18 years). Among 1,336 adult patients, the majority of participants suffered from osteoarthritis, followed by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The mean scores of systolic and diastolic BP of the adult population were obtained at 131±21 and 77±13 mm Hg, respectively. The mean random blood glucose level of the adult population was 150±74 mg/dl. A total of 158 children were younger than 18 years old, out of whom 78 and 80 participants were males and females, respectively. Moreover, 23.1% and 25% of males and females suffered from upper respiratory tract infections, respectively. The study further suggests that the NCD epidemic is spreading to rural areas where necessary health infrastructure is insufficient. MMUs can bring a significant change to the public health system, which needs to re-orient its priorities.

Newcastle disease (ND) is among the most common and deadliest poultry diseases worldwide. Thermostable Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccines have been widely used to protect village chickens against ND due to their decreased dependence on cold chains for transport and storage. The NDV4 Heat-Resistant (NDV4HR) vaccine is an apathogenic, heat-resistant, live vaccine that can induce immunity in chickens. In this study, 60 one-day-old Arain local hybrid broilers were divided into three groups of 20. Group A had the usual vaccination program in broiler flocks (seven days old: B1 type by eye drop and ND killed vaccine intramuscularly; 18 and 28 days old: LaSota strain orally). Group B did not receive any vaccine, and group C received the NDV4HR vaccine orally, six times from the first day to the 35^th day of rearing. All groups were nasally challenged with acute Newcastle virus (genotype VIId) on the 35^th rearing day. Regarding the hemagglutination inhibition serum antibody titer of the birds after the challenge, group B had the highest (7.12±1.05), and group C (6.37±1.31) had a higher titer than group A (6±1.22). After the challenge with the Newcastle virus, the necropsy findings and clinical symptoms of the disease were almost similar in groups A and C. Group B showed the most signs, with higher casualties than other groups. Regarding weight gain, group C had the highest weight at the end of the study (2204±106). On the second day after the challenge, groups A and B had virus shedding through the trachea and cloaca, while group B shed the virus only through the trachea. Furthermore, on the seventh day after the challenge, group A shed the virus through the cloaca, whereas group B did it through the trachea and the cloaca. On the other hand, there was no virus shedding in group C. This study showed that the NDV4HR vaccine provokes an antibody response that protects the birds against a virulent virus challenge.

The present study was conducted from December 2021 to April 2023 at the College of Health and Medical Technologies, Al-Bayan University, in Baghdad province, Iraq, to detect Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans by serological methods. Field studies were conducted using 1,500 sera samples from hospitals and private medical laboratories. The sera samples were separated and examined by indirect immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to serologically detect T. gondii infection. The serological results demonstrated that 62% of cases were positive. The present study recorded a high rate of infection in both pregnant (70.4%) and non-pregnant women (53.6%). The serological results in males illustrated a rate of 57%, while the females showed an infection rate of 65.1%, demonstrating a non-significant difference. The highest and lowest rates of infection pertained to the 30-39 (90.2%) and < 20 (25.1%) age groups, respectively. Nevertheless, 7.8% of the 192 serologically tested sera samples were positive for Echinococcus granuloses. Regarding the age group, the rates of infection were 10.2%, 6.6%, and 14% in the 20-29, 30-39, and > 40 age groups, respectively, with a highly significant difference with E. granuloses. In terms of gender, the infection rate in males was 5.7%, while it was 10.2% in females, with a highly significant difference (P≤0.01). Finally, regarding the months, the peak infection rate was recorded in March.

This research seeks to investigate the factors related to the nature of the organization and its role in brand identity. The research was conducted in the field of biological industry. Razi Institute is the leader of the vaccine industry in terms of a variety of products and production of more than 70% of the country's market needs and is a propitious case for studying this industry. The model from the results of the qualitative method was examined using the structural equation modeling method. Because of the exploratory nature of the model and the non-normal distribution of the variables, variance-based methods were employed to predict the results of the hypotheses. The statistical population comprised 1,870 individuals, including sales representatives, inoculation centers, and veterinarians. A 40-item questionnaire was distributed among 251 participants, with an 80% response rate. The adequacy of this tool was confirmed using Bartlett's sphericity test. The variables of the model included eight exogenous latent (independent) variables, two endogenous latent (dependent) variables, two moderating variables, and one mediating variable. A total of 15 hypotheses related to relationships between variables were examined in various internal and external model analysis tests. In the end, the hypotheses were checked through factor loadings and impact factors. The variables of the model with a coefficient of determination of 0.731 could predict the model at a close-to-strong level. The obtained fit (goodness-of-fit=0.593) showed that the model had high reliability and tested the hypotheses with 97% precision.