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Breast cancer is a molecularly heterogeneous disease and the most common female malignancy. In recent years, therapy approaches have evolved to accommodate molecular diversity, with a focus on more biologically based therapies to minimize negative consequences. To regulate cell fate in human breast cells, the Hippo signaling pathway has been associated with the alpha subtype of estrogen receptors. This pathway regulates tissue size, regeneration, and healing, as well as the survival of tissue-specific stem cells, proliferation, and apoptosis in a variety of organs, allowing for cell differentiation. Hippo signaling is mediated by the kinases MST1, MST2, LATS1, and LATS2, as well as the adaptor proteins SAV1 and MOB. These kinases phosphorylate the downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway, yes-associated protein (YAP), and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), suppressing the expression of their downstream target genes. The Hippo signaling pathway kinase cascade plays a significant role in all cancers. Understanding the principles of this kinase cascade would prevent the occurrence of breast cancer. In recent years, small noncoding RNAs, or microRNAs, have been implicated in the development of several malignancies, including breast cancer. The interconnections between miRNAs and Hippo signaling pathway core proteins in the breast, on the other hand, remain poorly understood. In this review, we focused on highlighting the Hippo signaling system, its key parts, its importance in breast cancer, and its regulation by miRNAs and other related pathways.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. As long as the 27th of December 2021, approximately 280 million people have been infected with coronavirus, resulting in more than 5,418,421 deaths worldwide. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, different methods were introduced for diagnosing coronavirus-infected patients and evaluating the immune response, following the vaccination.Objective: The current study aimed to compare the level of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific IgG in a group of patients who recovered from COVID-19, measured by three different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on sera from patients who recovered from a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 in Birjand, South Khorasan, Iran. SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) protein IgG levels were measured using commercial ELISA kits. Comparison between groups was made using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests.Results: The mean titer of anti-N IgG was significantly higher for the PishtazTeb Diagnostics kit than the Ideal Tashkhis Atieh kit (p

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common allergic disorder. Detection of responsible pathogenic allergens in AD patients by reliable methods has a fundamental role in the prevention, management, and treatment of AD. This study was conducted to determine the most common allergens by the skin prick test (SPT) and immunoblotting among AD patients referring to an allergy clinic in Birjand City, Iran. Methods: The presence of AD was confirmed by an expert allergist. Serum levels of total and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) against 30 food and inhalant allergens were evaluated by a commercial immunoblotting kit (AlleisaScreen). Results: The skin prick test was performed by a battery of 17 allergens. In total, 34 AD patients (mean age, 28.76 ± 17.36 years; range, 1-60 years; F/M ratio: 0.88) were enrolled in this study. The sensitization rates to at least 1 fungus, pollen, food, or indoor allergen by the immunoblotting method were 32.35%, 61.76%, 52.94%, and 47.05%, respectively. The most prevalent allergens were ragweed (52.94), Olive tree (41.16), Eucalyptus (35.29), date palm (35.29), and grass mix (32.28). Conclusion: The study found that 85.29% of the studied population were sensitized to at least 1 allergen. Pollens and date palms were the most common allergens among AD patients, but the pattern of sensitization in SPT and immunoblotting was not exactly similar. Detection of allergens to which patients are sensitized and avoidance can help in the management of the disease and its symptoms.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the reactogenicity effects of COVID-19 vaccines, used in Iran. Methods At least 1000 people were followed up with phone calls or self-report in a mobile application within 7 days after vaccination. Local and systemic reactogenicities were reported overall and by subgroups. Results The presence of one or more local and systemic adverse effects after the first dose of vaccines was 58.9% [(95% Confidence Intervals): 57.5–60.3)] and 60.5% (59.1–61.9), respectively. These rates were reduced to 53.8% (51.2–55.0) and 50.8% (48.8–52.7) for the second dose. The most common local adverse effect reported for all vaccines was pain in the injection site. During the first week after the first dose of vaccines, the frequency of the pain for Sinopharm, AZD1222, Sputnik V, and Barekat was 35.5%, 86.0%, 77.6%, and 30.9%, respectively. The same rates after the second dose were 27.3%, 66.5%, 63.9%, and 49.0%. The most common systemic adverse effect was fatigue. In the first dose, it was 30.3% for Sinopharm, 67.4% for AZD1222, 47.6% for Sputnik V, and 17.1% for Barekat. These rates were reduced to 24.6%, 37.1%, 36.5%, and 19.5%, in the second dose of vaccines. AZD1222 had the highest local and systemic adverse effects rates. The odds ratio of local adverse effects of the AZD1222 vaccine compared to the Sinopharm vaccine were 8.73 (95% CI 6.93–10.99) in the first dose and 4.14 (95% CI 3.32–5.17) in the second dose. Barekat and Sinopharm had the lowest frequency of local and systemic adverse effects. Compared to Sinopharm, systemic adverse effects were lower after the first dose of Barekat (OR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.46–0.67). Reactogenicity events were higher in women and younger people. Prior COVID-19 infection increased the odds of adverse effects only after the first dose of vaccines. Conclusions Pain and fatigue were the most common reactogenicities of COVID-19 vaccination. Reactogenicities were less common after the second dose of the vaccines. The adverse effects of AZD1222 were greater than those of other vaccines.

Summary: Background: The causes for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are diverse and the incidence trends of IMIDs from specific causes are rarely studied. The study aims to investigate the pattern and trend of IMIDs from 1990 to 2019. Methods: We collected detailed information on six major causes of IMIDs, including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, between 1990 and 2019, derived from the Global Burden of Disease study in 2019. The average annual percent change (AAPC) in number of incidents and age standardized incidence rate (ASR) on IMIDs, by sex, age, region, and causes, were calculated to quantify the temporal trends. Findings: In 2019, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease accounted 1.59%, 36.17%, 54.71%, 0.09%, 6.84%, 0.60% of overall new IMIDs cases, respectively. The ASR of IMIDs showed substantial regional and global variation with the highest in High SDI region, High-income North America, and United States of America. Throughout human lifespan, the age distribution of incident cases from six IMIDs was quite different. Globally, incident cases of IMIDs increased with an AAPC of 0.68 and the ASR decreased with an AAPC of −0.34 from 1990 to 2019. The incident cases increased across six IMIDs, the ASR of rheumatoid arthritis increased (0.21, 95% CI 0.18, 0.25), while the ASR of asthma (AAPC = −0.41), inflammatory bowel disease (AAPC = −0.72), multiple sclerosis (AAPC = −0.26), psoriasis (AAPC = −0.77), and atopic dermatitis (AAPC = −0.15) decreased. The ASR of overall and six individual IMID increased with SDI at regional and global level. Countries with higher ASR in 1990 experienced a more rapid decrease in ASR. Interpretation: The incidence patterns of IMIDs varied considerably across the world. Innovative prevention and integrative management strategy are urgently needed to mitigate the increasing ASR of rheumatoid arthritis and upsurging new cases of other five IMIDs, respectively. Funding: The Global Burden of Disease Study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project funded by Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital (2022QN38).

Abstract Clinical diagnostics rely heavily on the detection and quantification of cancer biomarkers. The rapid detection of cancer-specific biomarkers is of great importance in the early diagnosis of cancers and plays a crucial role in the subsequent treatments. There are several different detection techniques available today for detecting cancer biomarkers. Because of target-related conformational alterations, high stability, and target variety, aptamers have received considerable interest as a biosensing system component. To date, several sensitivity-enhancement strategies have been used with a broad spectrum of nanomaterials and nanoparticles (NPs) to improve the limit and sensitivity of analyte detection in the construction of innovative aptasensors. The present article aims to outline the research developments on the potential of DNAzymes-based aptasensors for cancer biomarker detection. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Vaccine efficiency has a significant role in the public perception of vaccination. The current study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines (AZD-1222, Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Covaxin) and the effect of gender on vaccine efficacy. We evaluated the efficacy of these vaccines among 214 health care employees in Iran. Blood samples were taken from all participants on day 0 and 14 days after the second dose. Humoral responses were evaluated by the PT-SARS-CoV-2-Neutralizing-Ab-96. Results The frequency of immunized individuals in the Sputnik V and AZD-1222 groups was 91% and 86%, respectively. This rate was 61% and 67% for Sinopharm and Covaxin vaccines. A comparison of the results obtained from the effectiveness of the vaccines between female and male groups did not demonstrate a significant difference. Conclusion According to the results, Sputnik V and AZD-1222 vaccines were more effective than Sinopharm and Covaxin vaccines. Moreover, the effectiveness of these vaccines is not related to gender.

Background: Different parts of plants are rich sources of bioactive ingredients and have received much attention during recent decades. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial properties of five common allergenic pollens extracts. Methods: The aqueous and lipid extracts were prepared from allergenic plant pollens including Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Artemisia vulgaris, Cupressus arizonica, and Ailanthus altissima. Antibacterial activity of the extracts was determined using the broth microdilution method against ATCC bacteria strains. Results: Total protein content of aqueous extracts was form 453 to 2772 μg/ml, but for all lipid extracts it was less than 0.2 μg/ml. Aqueous pollen extracts of C. album, C. arizonica and A. altissima (MIC between 38.8 to 562 μg/ml), and the lipid pollen extracts of C. album, C. arizonica, A. altissima, A. retroflexus, and A. vulgaris (MIC between 0.89 to 21.9 μg/ml) had a significant antibacterial activity on E. faecalis. Moreover, the aqueous pollen extract of A. altissima (MIC = 8.7 μg/ml), and the lipid pollen extracts of C. arizonica, A. altissima, A. retroflexus, and A. vulgaris (MIC between 1.78 to 21.9 μg/ml) showed a significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The only extract with antibacterial effect on K. pneumoniae was the lipid pollen extract of A. vulgaris (MIC value of 3.72 μg/ml). Conclusion: The results of this study showed the significant antibacterial activity of some plants pollen extracts. More studies are needed to further assess the active compounds in the pollen extracts and their cytotoxic effects.

Abstract Alopecia Areata (AA) is characterised by an autoimmune response to hair follicles (HFs) and its exact pathobiology remains unclear. The current study aims to look into the molecular changes in the skin of AA patients as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms of AA in order to identify potential candidates for early detection and treatment of AA. We applied Weighted Gene Co‐expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify key modules, hub genes, and mRNA–miRNA regulatory networks associated with AA. Furthermore, Chi2 as a machine‐learning algorithm was used to compute the gene importance in AA. Finally, drug‐target construction revealed the potential of repositioning drugs for the treatment of AA. Our analysis using four AA data sets established a network strongly correlated to AA pathogenicity based on GZMA, OXCT2, HOXC13, KRT40, COMP, CHAC1, and KRT83 hub genes. Interestingly, machine learning introduced these genes as important in AA pathogenicity. Besides that, using another ten data sets, we showed that CHAC1 could clearly distinguish AA from similar clinical phenotypes, such as scarring alopecia due to psoriasis. Also, two FDA‐approved drug candidates and 30 experimentally validated miRNAs were identified that affected the co‐expression network. Using transcriptome analysis, suggested CHAC1 as a potential diagnostic predictor to diagnose AA.

Background: Different parts of plants are rich sources of bioactive ingredients and have received much attention during recent decades. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial properties of five common allergenic pollens extracts. Methods: The aqueous and lipid extracts were prepared from allergenic plant pollens including Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Artemisia vulgaris, Cupressus arizonica, and Ailanthus altissima. Antibacterial activity of the extracts was determined using the broth microdilution method against ATCC bacteria strains. Results: Total protein content of aqueous extracts was form 453 to 2772 μg/ml, but for all lipid extracts it was less than 0.2 μg/ml. Aqueous pollen extracts of C. album, C. arizonica and A. altissima (MIC between 38.8 to 562 μg/ml), and the lipid pollen extracts of C. album, C. arizonica, A. altissima, A. retroflexus, and A. vulgaris (MIC between 0.89 to 21.9 μg/ml) had a significant antibacterial activity on E. faecalis. Moreover, the aqueous pollen extract of A. altissima (MIC = 8.7 μg/ml), and the lipid pollen extracts of C. arizonica, A. altissima, A. retroflexus, and A. vulgaris (MIC between 1.78 to 21.9 μg/ml) showed a significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The only extract with antibacterial effect on K. pneumoniae was the lipid pollen extract of A. vulgaris (MIC value of 3.72 μg/ml). Conclusion: The results of this study showed the significant antibacterial activity of some plants pollen extracts. More studies are needed to further assess the active compounds in the pollen extracts and their cytotoxic effects.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the two solid malignancies in which a higher T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) corresponds with a worse prognosis for the tumor. The inability of T cells to eliminate tumor cells despite an increase in their number reinforces the possibility of impaired antigen presentation. In this study, we investigated the TME at single-cell resolution to understand the molecular function and communication of dendritic cells (DCs) (as professional antigen-presenting cells). According to our data, tumor cells stimulate the migration of immature DCs to the tumor site by inducing inflammatory chemokines. Many signaling pathways such as TNF-α/NF-κB, IL2/STAT5, and E2F up-regulated after DCs enter the tumor location. In addition, some molecules such as GPR34 and SLCO2B1 decreased on the surface of DCs. The analysis of molecular and signaling alterations in DCs revealed some suppression mechanisms of tumors, such as removing mature DCs, reducing the DC's survival, inducing anergy or exhaustion in the effector T cells, and enhancing the differentiation of T cells to Th2 and Tregs. In addition, we investigated the cellular and molecular communication between DCs and macrophages in the tumor site and found three molecular pairs including CCR5/CCL5, CD52/SIGLEC10, and HLA-DPB1/TNFSF13B. These molecular pairs are involved in the migration of immature DCs to the TME and disrupt the antigen-presenting function of DCs. Furthermore, we presented new therapeutic targets by the construction of a gene co-expression network. These data increase our knowledge of the heterogeneity and the role of DCs in PCa TME.

Abstract Background The natural killer (NK) cells differentiated from umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) may be more suitable for cell-based immunotherapy compared to the NK cells from adult donors. This is due to the possibility to choose alloreactive donors and potentially more robust in vivo expansion. However, the cytotoxicity of UCB-HSC-derived NK cells against cancer cells might be suboptimal. To overcome this obstacle, we attempted to generate NK cells with potent antitumor activity by targeting RAS/MAPK, IGF-1R and TGF-β signaling pathways using IL-15, IGF-1 and SIS3 respectively. Methods The CD34 + cells were isolated from human UCB mononuclear cells through magnetic activation cell sorting (MACS) with purity of (≥ 90%) and were subjected to differentiate into NK cells. After 21 days of induction with SFTG36 (SCF, FLt-3L, TPO, GM-CSF, IL-3 and IL-6), IS721 (IGF-1, SIS3, IL-7 and IL-21) and IL-15/Hsp70 media, NK cells phenotypes were studied and their cytotoxicity against K562 human erythroleukemia cells and SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells was analyzed. Results The NK cells induced in SFTG36/IS721 medium were selected for activation due to their higher expression of CD56 + 16 + CD3 − (93.23% ± 0.75) and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of NKG2D + (168.66 ± 20.00) and also a higher fold expansion potential (11.893 ± 1.712) compared to the other groups. These cells once activated with IL-15, demonstrated a higher cytotoxicity against K562 (≥ 90%; P ≤ 0.001) and SKOV3 tumor cells (≥ 65%; P ≤ 0.001) compared to IL-15/Hsp70-activated NK cells. Conclusions The differentiation of ex vivo expanded CD34 + cells through manipulation of RAS/MAPK, IGF-1R and TGF-β signaling pathways is an efficient approach for generating functional NK cells that can be used for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract Background Allergic disorders may have a bidirectional causal relationship with mental disorders. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the associations between cognitive abilities and emotional function tests and quality of life with the presence of allergic disease in young women. Methods A diagnosis of allergic disorders, comprising allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD), was confirmed by a specialist in allergy. The presence and severity of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia and sleepiness were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Cognitive abilities and quality of life were assessed using standard instruments. Results Among 181 female young participants, the prevalence of AR, asthma and AD were 26.5%, 2.8%, and 14.9% respectively. The AR group had higher scores than the non-AR group for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and lower scores for physical and mental health-related quality of life. Moreover, the AD cases had higher scores on the depression and stress scale compared to those without it (p

Vitiligo is the most common cause of skin, hair, and oral depigmentation which is known as an autoimmune disorder. Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in the progression of the disease. Dysregulation of gene expression, like microRNAs (miRNA), may serve as major relevant factors. Several biological processes are involved in vitiligo disease and developing a comprehensive approach helps us to better understand the molecular mechanisms of disease. In this research, we describe how a weighted gene co-expression network analysis as a systems biology approach assists to define the primary gene modules, hub genes, and messenger RNA (mRNA)-miRNA regulatory network in vitiligo disease as the novel biomarkers. The results demonstrated a module with a high correlation with vitiligo state. Moreover, gene enrichment analysis showed that this module's genes were mostly involved in some biological activities including G protein-coupled receptors signaling pathway, lymphocyte chemotaxis, chemokine activity, neutrophil migration, granulocyte chemotaxis, etc. The co-expression network was constructed using top hub genes of the correlated module which are named as CXCL10, ARL9, AKR1B10, COX7B, RPL26, SPA17, NDUFAF2, RPF2, DAPL1, RPL34, CWC15, NDUFB3, RPL26L1, ACOT13, HSPB11, and NSA2. MicroRNAs prediction tool (miRWalk) revealed top miRNAs correlated with the interested module. Finally, a drug-target network was constructed which indicated interactions of some food and drug administration (FDA) approved drugs with hub genes. Our findings specified one important module and main hub genes which can be considered as novel biomarkers for vitiligo therapeutic purposes.

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of allergic disorders and skin prick test sensitivity to different allergens among patients with pterygium. METHODS: Sixty two patients with pterygium and equal number of age/ sex matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. All patients and controls examined by an ophthalmologist and allergist. Skin prick test performed with a battery of common allergens and serum total IgE level determined by ELISA method. RESULTS: Prevalence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was significantly higher in patient group(19.3% vs 3.2%, P=0.002)but there was no significant differences in other allergies and symptoms between two groups. The rate of skin reactivity to at least one allergen was significantly higher in pterygium group than healthy controls(38.7% vs 6.5%, P=0.003). Cockroach and house dust mites were the most prevalent allergens among patients(16.1% and 12.9%).CONCLUSION: The results of current study showed higher prevalence of rhinoconjunctivits and skin prick sensitivity to allergen among pterygium patients. This may has implication in prevention and treatment of pterygium.

Background: In Iran scince 1992, hepatitis B vaccination was a part of the national vaccination program. Hepatitis B vaccination is effective in the epidemiology of hepatitis B. The aim ofthis study was to evaluate the long – term persistence of immunity. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on children and adolescents aged between 6-18 years in Birjand, who received a three – dose hepatitis B vaccination in accordance with the national immunization program. No students were infected with hepatitis B. Antibody titer higher than10 IU/L was considered positive. Results: A total of 530 patients (307 boys and 223 girls) were recruited for the study of which 44% had positive antibody titer (≥10 IU / L). The geometric concentration mean (GMCs) of antibody in subjects was 64.9±34.2, HBS antibody titer was positive in 40.4% of the boys and 59.6% of the girls. A significant difference in antibody titers was observed in terms of gender and according to the time elapsed since the last vaccination. Antibody titer in children older than 13 years had passed since their last vaccination and was significantly less than those children younger than thirteen years old had passed since their vaccination logistic regression analysis showed that the only predictive factor of anti-HBS low titer (

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the autoimmune diseases that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and causes myelin loss and axonal damage. Recent studies have shown the important role of autoreactive T cells in the pathogenesis of MS. One of the plants in the Astersa family, which has therapeutic benefits is Artemisia dracunculus L. or Tarragon. In this study, the role of aqueous extract of Tarragon in suppressing Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation and ameliorating experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was investigated. EAE was induced in C57BL/6 female mice by Hook kit MOG35-55/CFA Emulsion PTX and one group was treated with Tarragon at a dose of 500 mg/kg. Mice were euthanized on day 33 post-immunization, spleens were removed for assessing Th1, Th17 and Treg cells by flow cytometry. We provided evidence that Tarragon (500 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated clinical scores of EAE. We did not observe significant alterations in T cell differentiation to Th1, Th17 or Treg in the spleen of mice during EAE. This is the first experimental evidence showing that administration of aqueous extract of Tarragon reduces the severity of EAE, but the protective effect of Tarragon is independent of alteration in T cells in the spleen. These results suggest other mechanisms for the effectiveness of this extract in improving the EAE process.

Background: Being exposed to house dust mites intensifies atopic dermatitis. This study has investigated the con­tamination rate with Dermatophagoides mites in patient's residential home with atopic dermatitis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients took part with atopic dermatitis (positive or negative for mites by prick Dermal Test). Samples were collected from 3 locations (living room, bedroom and bed) by vacuum cleaner. Dust samples (transferred to freezer -20 ˚C) were examined by direct method and flotation. The data were analyzed using statistical SPSS vr.20 software. Results: Twenty patients of positive prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. The results of direct observation of mites: 7 cases (35%) in bedding sheets, 6 cases (30%) bedrooms' carpet, 3 cases (15%) living room's carpet. Twenty patients of negative prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. Only mites were found (5%) in living room's carpets of negative prick test patients. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was more frequent than Dermatophagoides farinae. (98% vs 83%). Conclusion: Fifty-five percent of residential homes of prick test positive patients and only 5% of residential homes of prick test negative patients were positive for mite. Sunshine provided home had fewer mites than home where sunshine is not provided. Prick test positive patients used handmade carpets more than machine made ones. In posi­tive prick test patients, mites were found in bed sheet and bedroom’s carpet more than negative prick test patient's sheets and carpets.

In this paper we have characterized the lineage of two traits associated with the coat proteins (CPs) of the tombusvirids: Silencing suppression and HR elicitation in Nicotiana species. We considered that the tombusvirid CPs might collectively be considered an effector, with the CP of each CP-encoding species comprising a structural variant within the family. Thus, a phylogenetic analysis of the CP could provide insight into the evolution of a pathogen effector. The phylogeny of the CP of tombusvirids indicated that CP representatives of the family could be divided into four clades. In two separate clades the CP triggered a hypersensitive response (HR) in Nicotiana species of section Alatae but did not have silencing suppressor activity. In a third clade the CP had a silencing suppressor activity but did not have the capacity to trigger HR in Nicotiana species. In the fourth clade, the CP did not carry either function. Our analysis illustrates how structural changes that likely occurred in the CP effector of progenitors of the current genera led to either silencing suppressor activity, HR elicitation in select Nicotiana species, or neither trait.

Exposure to indoor allergens plays an important role in the etiology of asthma. This study was designed to quantify indoor allergens from homes of families that had at least one case of childhood asthma at home in a southwestern city of Iran. The relationship between the indoor allergen levels and home characteristics was also investigated. Dust samples were collected from the bedrooms and the kitchens of 35 homes where children with persistent asthma were living. The levels of indoor allergens were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Detectable amounts of mite, mouse and cockroach allergens were found in all evaluated places. None of our patients were exposed to a threshold concentration of indoor allergen for sensitizing at home. Regarding of mite allergens, the levels of Der f1 were significantly higher than Der p1 and a direct correlation was observed between living in an apartment and Der f1 levels. Moreover, Fel d1 (cat) and Bla g1 (cockroach) allergens were found in the children’s bedrooms more frequently than those in the kitchens. In this study, direct associations were obtained between Bla g1 allergen and the duration of occupancy and between Fel d1 and average home size. A total of 34.2% of the patients showed positive skin reactions to at least one of the tested allergens as 17.1% of them showed reactivity to D. pteronyssinus. Proper controlling of cockroaches and mice by public health officials would be a practical approach to avoid inducing asthma or worsening the symptoms.

Introduction: There is no single test as a gold standard for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR). The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness and validity of nasal smear as a quick, easy and inexpensive diagnostic method for diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a university hospital setting. Nasal smears were taken from 39 patients with a clinical history of nasal allergy and a positive skin prick test to at least one aeroallergen as well as 26 controls without any history and negative test. Biopsy specimens from the inferior turbinate as well as nasal smears of 19 cases including 9 patients and 10 controls with the same criteria were taken. Nasal smears and biopsy slides were stained with Giemsa and Hematoxilin-Eosin and were examined blindly by two separate pathologists. Results: Fifty one percents of the patients and 11.5% of the controls showed eosinophilia in their nasal smear (≥10% eosinophils, P=0.001). The sensitivity of nasal eosinophil count as a diagnostic test for AR was 51.3% with a specificity of 88.5%, a positive predictive value of 87% and a negative predictive value of 54%. Eosinophilia in nasal biopsies was found in 44% and 30% of allergic patients and controls respectively. There was no significant correlation between symptoms or positive skin tests with either smear eosinophilia or tissue eosinophilia. Conclusion: Evaluation of eosinophils in nasal smear is an insensitive but fairly specific test for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. It seems that the nasal secretions and nasal tissue represent two distinct cellular compartments.

Prison inmates are among the high risk population for dangerous infections such HIV, HBV, HCV and other contagious diseases. In spit of many data about the prevalence and risk factors for blood born diseases among prisoners in the world, such data are spares from Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for HIV, HBV, HCV and HDV infections among a large sample of prison inmates in Iran.In a cross-sectional study in 2009-2010, 881 inmates in three prisons of Southern Khorasan Province in Iran were selected based on a systematic, stratified random sampling method. Sera were analyzed for HBV, HDV, HCV and HIV infections by appropriate commercial ELISA kits. An anonymous questionnaire was used to collect the demographic data and information about risk factors.Overall, 881 prisoners (mean age: 34.7±11.4 years, range: 11-84 years, M/F ratio:4.5/1) were participated in this study. The prevalence of HBV and HCV infection was 6.9% and 7.7%, respectively. Among the HBsAg positive subjects, 6.6% (4/61) and 9.8% (6/61) had HDV and HCV super-infection, respectively. Only one case (0.1%) had HIV infection that was co-infection with HCV. Drug abuse and history of traditional phlebotomy were associated risk factors for HBV infection (P