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The proper implementation of the monitoring process in construction projects helps strengthen sustainable development indicators. The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating effects of education and income on the relationship between job performance and effective factors on supervising engineers. Data gathering was performed by questionnaire, and analysis was performed with the PLS-SEM approach. According to the results of the moderator analysis, demographic variables of education and income levels, on the relationship between feedback and competence, as well as the relationship between job identity and job performance, had a significant moderating role. In addition, the moderating effect of demographic variables on the relationship between autonomy and competence, as well as the relationship between affective commitment and job performance, was confirmed. The moderating effect of income demographic variables on the relationship between independence and affective commitment and the relationship between competence and job performance was meaningful. To achieve a better understanding of the effects of variables on job performance, the mediation role of competence and affective commitment was studied in the research model. By using the results of this research, officials and managers of construction organizations can adopt appropriate payment and training policies, to better management of the performance of the supervising engineers.

Abstract Background Leishmaniasis is one of the ten most important neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Understanding the distribution of vectors of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis (VL/CL) is one of the significant strategic frameworks to control leishmaniasis. In this study, the extent of the bioclimatic variability was investigated to recognize a rigorous cartographic of the spatial distribution of VL/CL vectors as risk-maps using ArcGIS modeling system. Moreover, the effect of bioclimatic diversity on the fold change expression of genes possessing vaccine traits (SP15 and LeIF) was evaluated in each bioclimatic region using real-time PCR analysis. Methods The Inverse Distance Weighting interpolation method was used to obtain accurate geography map in closely-related distances. Bioclimatic indices were computed and vectors spatial distribution was analyzed in ArcGIS10.3.1 system. Species biodiversity was calculated based on Shannon diversity index using Rv.3.5.3. Expression fold change of SP15 and LeIF genes was evaluated using cDNA synthesis and RT-qPCR analysis. Results Frequency of Phlebotomus papatasi was predominant in plains areas of Mountainous bioclimate covering the CL hot spots. Mediterranean region was recognized as an important bioclimate harboring prevalent patterns of VL vectors. Semi-arid bioclimate was identified as a major contributing factor to up-regulate salivary-SP15 gene expression (P = 0.0050, P

Abstract Background Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is increasing in the world and Phlebotomus papatasi as a proven vector was considered in different aspects for disease control. Sandfly saliva contains proteins which provoke host immune system. These proteins are candidates for developing vaccines. Objectives The main purpose of this research was comparing evaluation of salivary glands proteomes from wild P. papatasi. Extracting these proteins and purifying of original SP15 as inducer agent in vector salivary glands from endemic leishmaniasis foci were other objectives. Methods Adult sandflies were sampled using aspirators and funnel traps from three endemic foci in 2017–2018. Each pair of salivary glands of unfed females was dissected and proteins were extracted using thermal shocking and sonication methods. Purification was performed through RP‐HPLC. All equivalent fractions were added together in order to reach sufficient protein concentration. Protein content and profile determination were examined with SDS‐PAGE. Results The protein concentration of whole‐salivary glands of specimens was determined approximately 1.6 µg/µl (Isfahan) and 1 µg/µl (Varamin and Kashan). SDS‐PAGE revealed 10 distinct bands between 10 and 63 kDa. Analysis of proteomes showed some similarities and differences in the chromatograms of different foci. SDS‐PAGE of all collected fractions revealed SP15‐like proteins were isolated in 24 min from Varamin, 26 to 30 min from Kashan and 29.4 min from Isfahan and were around 15 kDa. Conclusions Isolation of salivary components of Iranian wild P. papatasi is very important for finding potential proteins in vaccine development and measuring control strategy of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran and this could be concluded elsewhere in the world.

Introduction: Rodents are reservoir hosts of various infectious diseases. Many species and subspecies of genus Rattus play a significant role as potential reservoir hosts of different emerging and re-emerging diseases, including leishmaniasis. Methods: Rodents were captured using live wooden traps from different localities of Khuzestan Province, southwest of Iran. To precise identification of two sister species of rats, including Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus, morphological, molecular, and biosystematics characters were examined using amplification of mitochondrial Cytochrome b (Cytb) gene fragment. Results: Out of 119 captured rodents, 44 were R. rattus, 12 were R. norvegicus, and 63 belonged to other species (Tatera indica, Nesokia indica, Mus musculus). Partial Cyt b gene (≤624 bp) was amplified to characterize R. rattus and R. norvegicus, accurately. Three haplotypes of R. rattus (six samples) and a unique haplotype of R. norvegicus (three samples) were identified with some nucleotide variations. Conclusion: Mitochondrial results confirmed morphological disparity between the two Rattus species in Khuzestan Province. Therefore, we recommend applying an integrative approach to identify host reservoirs for infectious diseases, especially those suspected as reservoirs of cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Background: Leishmania major is a causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in the center of Iran, Abarkouh district. Molecular characterization and precise incrimination of Leishmania species was carried out to perform controlling measurements and to design treatment programs for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: All smears isolated from ulcers of suspected patients were examined under a light microscope and graded for amastigotes frequency. Extraction of DNA, PCR, RFLP and sequencing of ITS-rDNA genotype were done to increase the efficacy of Leishmania parasites identification at their species-specific level and to detect any Leishmania infections within. Results: Humans were found to be infected with L. major with high infection frequency and also Leishmania tropica was identified with low occurrence for the first time as non-native species using molecular analyses. The rates of infections was considerable with microscopic observation (n = 65, 73%) out of 89 smears prepared from suspected patients. Molecular analyses showed that the density of L. major was significantly higher (n = 48, 53.93%) than L. tropica (n = 4, 4.49%) (Mann–Whitney U test: p

Background: We employed a highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) by targeting 18S rRNA gene to identify the rapid mass screening of Leishmania infections in captured sand flies of southwest Iran and In vitro culture. Methods: One hundred fifty sand flies were collected from 11 sites adjacent to Iraqi’s borders in southern parts of Khuzestan Province by using sticky sheets of paper and CDC miniature light traps during late May 2014 to Nov 2015. Following morphological identification of sand flies species, the DNA of infected samples was extracted and amplified by PCR and LAMP assays by targeting ITS-rDNA and 18S rRNA genes. The PCR amplicons were directly sequenced to conduct the phylogenetic analysis Results: Ten (6.6%) Leishmania infections were identified by LAMP assay (detection limit 0.01 parasites DNA) among infected Sergentomyia baghdadis, S. sintoni and Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies that was more sensitive than PCR (n=6.4%; (detection limit 101parasites DNA). LAMP can identify 101-106promastigotes/100 µl RPMI 1640 while PCR recognized104-106 promastigotes. The majority infection rate of sand flies was confirmed to L. major inferred by phylogenetic analysis. Conclusion: This is the first exploration characterized the Old World Leishmania infections by LAMP technique in both infected sand flies and In vitro conditions. The LAMP method because of its shorter reaction time, robustness, more sensitivity, lack of requirement of complicated equipment and visual discriminatory of positivity can be appeared a promising tool instead of PCR to identify low Leishmania loads and entomological monitoring of leishmaniasis in resource-limited endemic of the world.

Individual, naturally occurring Phlebotomus mongolensis and Phlebotomus caucasicus from Iran were screened for infections with the maternally inherited intracellular Rickettsia-like bacterium Wolbachia pipientis via targeting a major surface protein gene (wsp). The main objective of this study was to determine if W. pipientis could be detected in these species. The sandflies were screened using polymerase chain reaction to amplify a fragment of the Wolbachia surface protein gene. The obtained sequences were edited and aligned with database sequences to identify W. pipientis haplotypes. Two strains of Wolbachia were found. Strain Turk 54 (accession EU780683) is widespread and has previously been reported in Phlebotomus papatasi and other insects. Strain Turk 07 (accession KC576916) is a novel strain, found for first time in the two sister species. A-group strains of W. pipientis occur throughout much of the habitat of these sandflies. It is possible that Wolbachia is transferred via horizontal transmission. Horizontal transfer could shed light on sandfly control because Wolbachia is believed to drive a deleterious gene into sandflies that reduces their natural population density. With regard to our findings in this study, we can conclude that one species of sandfly can be infected with different Wolbachia strains and that different species of sandflies can be infected with a common strain.