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Background and Objective: Yersinia is a gram-negative bacillus that cause diarrhea through consumption of contaminated food and water. This study was performed to identify the atypical Yersinia virulence markers isolated from children with diarrhea. Methods: This descriptive cross -sectional study was done on 384 fecal samples of 0- 14 years old children admitted at children medical center from August 2011 to August of 2012. Fecal samples, for the enrichment, after 21 days of incubation in alkaline buffer with pH=7.2 at 4degree C, on days 7, 14 and 21 samples were cultured on CIN agar and Mac agar and then confirm the differentiation atypical Yersinia from other typical Yersinia species from fermentation of different sugars. Isolates were tested for marker of virulence including calcium dependence, auto agglutination, Congo red uptake and binding of crystal violet. Results: Out of 384 stool samples, 4 (1.04%) were infected with Yersinia (Yersinia frederikseni, Yersinia kristensenii and Yersinia enterocolitica). Out of these three, only two samples in association was positive with virulence markers. Conclusion: Phenotypic markers can be used to study the properties of phenotypic strains of Yersinia.

Background and Objective: Gastroenteritis due to Salmonella is common in human and considered as a global dilemma of public health. This study was done to determine the Pattern of serotyping and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella in children with diarrhea in Iran. Methods: In this laboratory study, 306 stool samples were collected from children with diarrhea in public health centers in Robat-karim, Tehran province, Iran. The specimens were enriched in Selenite F medium and then cultured on Hekton agar. The identification of Salmonella was carried out by conventional method and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI procedures. Results: Out of 306 stool samples, 7.2 % were identified as Salmonella species, as follow: 7 Salmonella typhi, 6 Salmonella paratyphi B, 3 Salmonella paratyphi C, 2 Salmonella paratyphi A and 4 samples were not identifiable. There was a significant relation between presence of WBC in fecal and salmonellosis (P

Background and Objective: Klebsiella species are gram-negative bacteria with positive voges proskauer (VP) reaction. Klebsiella species are found as commensal in human digestive and respiratory system. This group of organisms can create a serious health hazards in hospitalized patients, and their ability to drug resistance is a major health problems. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of Ciprofloxacin, Ceftizoxims and Carbenicillin on Klebsiella species isolated from hospital specimens. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, 1200 clinical samples were isolated from patients in Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran. The identification Klebsiella species were carried out according to conventional biochemical tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of carbenicillin, ceftizoxime, and ciprofloxacin antibiotics were determined using Macrodilution broth test. Results: Out of 1200 isolated samples, 25% were identified as Klebsiella species. 73% of identified Klebsiella were obtained from urine samples. Klebsiella.peumoniae with rate of 94% was the most abundant among other species. The results of MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration by using standard microdilution method showed drug resistance range of 16-1024 μg/ml, 4-256 μg/ml and 0.25-16 μg/ml for carbenicillin, ceftizoxime, and ciprofloxacin, respectivley. In general, 94%, 6% and 1% of species were resistance to carbenicillin, ceftizoxime and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin and Ceftizoxime are suitable for the treatment of infections due to Klebsiella species.

"nBackground: Numerous use of Beta Lactame in treatment of bacterial infections resulted in increments of drug resistance of such bacteria. One of difficulties in treatment of hospital infections is Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) among isolated clinical strains of E.coli. Since some of ESBL strains shows double reaction in drug sensitivity test at in vitro and in vivo condition, therefore it makes difficulties in selection of right treatment. In the last years, CTX-M enzymes have become the most prevalent ESBLs in worldwide. The prevalence of ESBL types largely remains unknown in many parts of the Iran. This study was made to find the prevalence of ESBL-producing E.coli and molecular detection of CTX-M-1 in Tabriz."n "nMethods: In the present study, 400 urine samples collected between November 2009 and April 2010, from Tabriz Hospitals were studied. Out of the 400 samples, 188 E.coli isolates were detected by standard biochemical tests. Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents was tested to 10 antibiotics by the disk agar diffusion (DAD) method. ESBL production was screened by phenotypic test that included both separate and combined disk agar diffusion techniques. The screened isolates were investigated by PCR assay to detect CTX-M-1 gene."n "nResults: From the total 188 E.coli isolates, 82 (43.6%) were shown to produce ESBLs by phenotypic test. During the PCR method on the 82 isolates, 69 (84.1%) were confirmed as CTX-M-1 producing group."n "nConclusion: The present study showed that CTX-M-producing isolates were increasing among E.coli strains and indicated the need for adequate susceptibility tests in laboratories for choosing the appropriate antibiotics for treatment.

Background: With due attention to the prevalence of thalassemia in Iran and patients' importunate needs for blood intake, this study aimed to inspect contaminations due to repeated blood transfusion which does not sift in blood donation. One such contamination is cytomegalovirus infection, which is an important pathogen in immunosuppressive patients or receivers of transplanted organs.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 311 thalassemia patients under age of 15 yr who was receiving blood from Hospitals in Tehran and Noorabad Mamasani repeatedly. To determine active infection (presence of IgM antibodies) of cytomegalovirus, ELISA method was used. In addi­tion, 225 healthy people under age of 15 yr were studied as testified group and finally all data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 11.5.Results: 12.9 % of patients were positive from the view point of active infection. Regional separation of patients showed that the patients resided in Tehran are more contaminated to this virus than patients of other cities.Conclusion: The range of cytomegalovirus active infection in thalassemia patients is high. One reason might be the infected blood intake or immunosuppressant (weakness of immune system) in patients, there­fore immunity care of these patients and negative serologic blood intake with respect to and also he­matic parents (parents with the same blood) are important.

Background: Septicemia is a life threatening status and needs rapid antibiotic treatment. Enterobacteri­acea are one of the most important causes of septicemia. So this study is therefore aimed to evaluate antibiotic sus­ceptibility of enterobacteriacea isolates in blood cultures in Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran.Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 138 patients with positive blood culture in Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran in 2004, using disk diffusion and Macfarland standard.Results: Prevalence of isolated enterobacteriacea was respectively E. coli (n=74, 53.6%), Klebsiella (n=37, 26.8%), Enterobacter (n=21, 15.2%), Citrobacter (n=4, 2.9%), Salmonella paratyphi (n=1, 0.7%) and Proteus mirabilis (n=1, 0.7%). The most antibiotic susceptibility among enterobacteriaceaes was ciprofloxacin (60.4%), cloramphenicol (56.8 %) and gentamycin (49.3%). The most antibiotic re­sistance were seen among cephalotine (78%), cotrimoxazole (62.3 %) and ceftriaxon (57.5 %).Conclusions: Due to dissimilarity between antibiotic consumption in laboratories and hospitals, it seems that to reach more proper conclusions and choosing better strategy for antibiotic consumption, cooperation should be between laboratories and physicians, plus synergism between drug prescription and antibiotic discs in laboratories.

The maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis is essential for central nervous system function. Consequently, factors that affect cholesterol homeostasis are linked to neurological disorders and pathologies. Among them, ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) plays a significant role in atherosclerosis. However, its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unclear. There is inconsistent information regarding ABCG1's role in AD. It can increase or decrease amyloid β (Aβ) levels in animals' brains. Clinical studies show that ABCG1 is involved in AD patients' impairment of cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Lower Aβ levels in the CSF are correlated with ABCG1-mediated CEC dysfunction. ABCG1 modulates α-, β-, and γ-secretase activities in the plasma membrane and may affect Aβ production in the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane (MAM) cell compartment. Despite contradictory findings regarding ABCG1's role in AD, this review shows that ABCG1 has a role in Aβ generation via modulation of membrane secretases. It is, however, necessary to investigate the underlying mechanism(s). ABCG1 may also contribute to AD pathology through its role in apoptosis and oxidative stress. As a result, ABCG1 plays a role in AD and is a candidate for drug development., (© 2024 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Recent advances in materials science and engineering highlight the importance of designing sophisticated biomaterials with well-defined architectures and tunable properties for emerging biomedical applications. Click chemistry, a powerful method allowing specific and controllable bioorthogonal reactions, has revolutionized our ability to make complex molecular structures with a high level of specificity, selectivity, and yield under mild conditions. These features combined with minimal byproduct formation have enabled the design of a wide range of macromolecular architectures from quick and versatile click reactions. Furthermore, copper-free click chemistry has resulted in a change of paradigm, allowing researchers to perform highly selective chemical reactions in biological environments to further understand the structure and function of cells. In living systems, introducing clickable groups into biomolecules such as polysaccharides (PSA) has been explored as a general approach to conduct medicinal chemistry and potentially help solve healthcare needs. De novo biosynthetic pathways for chemical synthesis have also been exploited and optimized to perform PSA-based bioconjugation inside living cells without interfering with their native processes or functions. This strategy obviates the need for laborious and costly chemical reactions which normally require extensive and time-consuming purification steps. Using these approaches, various PSA-based macromolecules have been manufactured as building blocks for the design of novel biomaterials. Clickable PSA provides a powerful and versatile toolbox for biomaterials scientists and will increasingly play a crucial role in the biomedical field. Specifically, bioclick reactions with PSA have been leveraged for the design of advanced drug delivery systems and minimally invasive injectable hydrogels. In this review article, we have outlined the key aspects and breadth of PSA-derived bioclick reactions as a powerful and versatile toolbox to design advanced polymeric biomaterials for biomedical applications such as molecular imaging, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Additionally, we have also discussed the past achievements, present developments, and recent trends of clickable PSA-based biomaterials such as 3D printing, as well as their challenges, clinical translatability, and future perspectives., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

After several billions of years, nature still makes decisions on its own to identify, develop, and direct the most effective material for phenomena/challenges faced. Likewise, and inspired by the nature, we learned how to take steps in developing new technologies and materials innovations. Wet and strong adhesion by Mytilidae mussels (among which Mytilus edulis -blue mussel and Mytilus californianus -California mussel are the most well-known species) has been an inspiration in developing advanced adhesives for the moist condition. The wet adhesion phenomenon is significant in designing tissue adhesives and surgical sealants. However, a deep understanding of engaged chemical moieties, microenvironmental conditions of secreted proteins, and other contributing mechanisms for outstanding wet adhesion mussels are essential for the optimal design of wet glues. In this review, all aspects of wet adhesion of Mytilidae mussels, as well as different strategies needed for designing and fabricating wet adhesives are discussed from a chemistry point of view. Developed muscle-inspired chemistry is a versatile technique when designing not only wet adhesive, but also, in several more applications, especially in the bioengineering area. The applications of muscle-inspired biomaterials in various medical applications are summarized for future developments in the field., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2022 The Authors. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.)

Designing biomaterials capable of biomimicking wound healing and skin regeneration has been receiving increasing attention recently. Some biopolymers behave similarly to the extracellular matrix (ECM), supporting biointerfacial adhesion and intrinsic cellular interactions. Polydopamine (PDA) is a natural bioadhesive and bioactive polymer that endows high chemical versatility, making it an exciting candidate for a wide range of biomedical applications. Moreover, biomaterials based on PDA and its derivatives have near-infrared (NIR) absorption, excellent biocompatibility, intrinsic antioxidative activity, antibacterial activity, and cell affinity. PDA can regulate cell behavior by controlling signal transduction pathways. It governs the focal adhesion behavior of cells at the biomaterials interface. These features make melanin-like PDA a fascinating biomaterial for wound healing and skin regeneration. This paper overviews PDA-based biomaterials' synthesis, properties, and interactions with biological entities. Furthermore, the utilization of PDA nano- and microstructures as a constituent of wound-dressing formulations is highlighted.

New emerging technologies, remarkably miniaturized 3D organ models and microfluidics, enable simulation of the real in vitro microenvironment ex vivo more closely. There are many fascinating features of innovative organ-on-a-chip (OOC) technology, including the possibility of integrating semipermeable and/or stretchable membranes, creating continuous perfusion of fluids into microchannels and chambers (while maintaining laminar flow regime), embedding microdevices like microsensors, microstimulators, micro heaters, or different cell lines, along with other 3D cell culture technologies. OOC systems are designed to imitate the structure and function of human organs, ranging from breathing lungs to beating hearts. This technology is expected to be able to revolutionize cell biology studies, personalized precision medicine, drug development process, and cancer diagnosis/treatment. OOC systems can significantly reduce the cost associated with tedious drug development processes and the risk of adverse drug reactions in the body, which makes drug screening more effective. The review mainly focus on presenting an overview of the several previously developed OOC systems accompanied by subjects relevant to pharmacy-, cancer-, and placenta-on-a-chip. The challenging issues and opportunities related to these systems are discussed, along with a future perspective for this technology., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The biodegradability and mechanical properties of polysaccharides are dependent on their architecture (linear or branched) as well as their crystallinity (size of crystals and crystallinity percent). The amount of crystalline zones in the polysaccharide significantly governs their ultimate properties and applications (from packaging to biomedicine). Although synthesis, characterization, and properties of polysaccharides have been the subject of several review papers, the effects of crystallization kinetics and crystalline domains on the properties and application have not been comprehensively addressed. This review places focus on different aspects of crystallization of polysaccharides as well as applications of crystalline polysaccharides. Crystallization of cellulose, chitin, chitosan, and starch, as the main members of this family, were discussed. Then, application of the aforementioned crystalline polysaccharides and nano-polysaccharides as well as their physical and chemical interactions were overviewed. This review attempts to provide a complete picture of crystallization-property relationship in polysaccharides., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

It has been necessary to use methods that can detect the specificity of a virus during virus screening. In this study, we use a dual platform to identify any spiked virus and specific SARS-CoV-2 antigen, sequentially. We introduce a natural bed-receptor surface as Microparticle Vesicle-Galactins1 (MV-gal1) with the ability of glycan binding to screen every spiked virus. MV are the native vesicles which may have the gal-1 receptor. Gal-1 is the one of lectin receptor which can bind to glycan. After dropping the MV-gal1 on the SCPE/GNP, the sensor is turned on due to the increased electrochemical exchange with [Fe(CN) 6 ] -3/-4 probe. Dropping the viral particles of SARS-CoV-2 cause to turn off the sensor with covering the sugar bond (early screening). Then, with the addition of Au/Antibody-SARS-CoV-2 on the MV-gal1@SARS-CoV-2 Antigen, the sensor is turned on again due to the electrochemical amplifier of AuNP (specific detection).For the first time, our sensor has the capacity of screening of any spike virus, and the specific detection of COVID-19 (LOD: 4.57 × 10 2 copies/mL) by using the natural bed-receptor and a specific antibody in the point of care test., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

In-out surface modification of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) has been successfully performed by taking advantage of 8-hydroxyquinolines in the lumen of HNTs and precisely synthesized aniline oligomers (AO) of different lengths (tri- and pentamer) anchored on the external surface of the HNTs. Several analyses, including FTIR, H-NMR, TGA, UV-visible spectroscopy, and SEM, were used to establish the nature of the HNTs' surface engineering. Nanoparticles were incorporated into epoxy resin at 0.1 wt.% loading for investigation of the contribution of surface chemistry to epoxy cure behavior and kinetics. Nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data were fed into home-written MATLAB codes, and isoconversional approaches were used to determine the apparent activation energy ( E α ) as a function of the extent of cure reaction (α). Compared to pristine HNTs, AO-HNTs facilitated the densification of an epoxy network. Pentamer AO-HNTs with longer arms promoted an Excellent cure; with an E α value that was 14% lower in the presence of this additive than for neat epoxy, demonstrating an enhanced cross-linking. The model also predicted a triplet of cure ( m , n , and ln A ) for autocatalytic reaction order, non-catalytic reaction order, and pre-exponential factor, respectively, by the Arrhenius equation. The enhanced autocatalytic reaction in AO-HNTs/epoxy was reflected in a significant rise in the value of m, from 0.11 to 0.28. Kinetic models reliably predict the cure footprint suggested by DSC measurements.

Hydrogel membranes (HMs) are defined and applied as hydrated porous media constructed of hydrophilic polymers for a broad range of applications. Fascinating physiochemical properties, unique porous architecture, water-swollen features, biocompatibility, and special water content dependent transport phenomena in semi-permeable HMs make them appealing constructs for various applications from wastewater treatment to biomedical fields. Water absorption, mechanical properties, and viscoelastic features of three-dimensional (3D) HM networks evoke the extracellular matrix (ECM). On the other hand, the porous structure with controlled/uniform pore-size distribution, permeability/selectivity features, and structural/chemical tunability of HMs recall membrane separation processes such as desalination, wastewater treatment, and gas separation. Furthermore, supreme physiochemical stability and high ion conductivity make them promising to be utilised in the structure of accumulators such as batteries and supercapacitors. In this review, after summarising the general concepts and production processes for HMs, a comprehensive overview of their applications in medicine, environmental engineering, sensing usage, and energy storage/conservation is well-featured. The present review concludes with existing restrictions, possible potentials, and future directions of HMs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Poloxamers, also called Pluronic, belong to a unique class of synthetic tri-block copolymers containing central hydrophobic chains of poly(propylene oxide) sandwiched between two hydrophilic chains of poly(ethylene oxide). Some chemical characteristics of poloxamers such as temperature-dependent self-assembly and thermo-reversible behavior along with biocompatibility and physiochemical properties make poloxamer-based biomaterials promising candidates for biomedical application such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. The microstructure, bioactivity, and mechanical properties of poloxamers can be tailored to mimic the behavior of various types of tissues. Moreover, their amphiphilic nature and the potential to self-assemble into the micelles make them promising drug carriers with the ability to improve the drug availability to make cancer cells more vulnerable to drugs. Poloxamers are also used for the modification of hydrophobic tissue-engineered constructs. This article collects the recent advances in design and application of poloxamer-based biomaterials in tissue engineering, drug/gene delivery, theranostic devices, and bioinks for 3D printing. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Poloxamers, also called Pluronic, belong to a unique class of synthetic tri-block copolymers containing central hydrophobic chains of poly(propylene oxide) sandwiched between two hydrophilic chains of poly(ethylene oxide). The microstructure, bioactivity, and mechanical properties of poloxamers can be tailored to mimic the behavior of various types of tissues. Moreover, their amphiphilic nature and the potential to self-assemble into the micelles make them promising drug carriers with the ability to improve the drug availability to make cancer cells more vulnerable to drugs. However, no reports have systematically reviewed the critical role of poloxamer for biomedical applications. Research on poloxamers is growing today opening new scenarios that expand the potential of these biomaterials from "traditional" treatments to a new era of tissue engineering. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review article in which such issue is systematically reviewed and critically discussed in the light of the existing literature., (Copyright © 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sarcocystis is a genus of eucoccidian parasites, which globally infects humans and various animals. In addition to economic losses in livestock industries, the parasite is a zoonosis that infects humans through contaminated beef and pork with the parasite sarcocysts. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess Sarcocystis contamination in beef and industrial raw beef burger samples from butcheries and retail stores in Tehran, Iran. Overall, 180 samples of 90 beefs and 90 raw industrial beef burgers with at least 80% meat were randomly collected in Tehran, Iran. Samples were studied microscopically after peptic digestion. Furthermore, sample genomic DNAs were used in conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify approximately 900-bp fragments from 18S ribosomal DNA. Of 180 samples, 170 samples (94.4%) were microscopically and 161 samples (89.44%) were molecularly positive for Sarcocystis spp. Eucoccidial DNA fragments were detected in 161 samples (89.4%), including 78 (86.6%) beef and 83 (92.2%) beef burger samples. No significant differences were found between the beef and beef burger infestations by Sarcocystis bradyzoites using statistical analysis ( P > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were seen between the sample type and the intensity of parasites in samples ( P = 0.003). Furthermore, differences between the conventional PCR results (positive/negative) and the intensity of parasites in samples were statistically significant ( P < 0.001). The considerable prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in beef and beef burger samples reflects high transmission of the parasite in meat producing cattle, which is important due to food hygiene. Although the most prevalent bovine species, S. cruzi , is not a zoonosis, it is highly recommended to follow guidelines on the parasite transmission prevention due to the existence of S. hominis as a zoonotic bovine species., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Foodborne diseases are caused by indigestion of contaminated food. In some cases they may result in either hospitalization or death. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention in 2017 stated that 10% reduction in foodborne illness would prevent nearly five million illnesses every year. Approximately one out of six Americans become ill from contaminated foods or beverages every year. Another problem is drug resistance which is responsible for approximately 2 million illnesses and around 23000 dead every year. Nearly 400,000 Americans acquire antibiotic-resistant Salmonella or Campylobacter each year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outbreak of salmonellosis and shigellosis along with their antibiotic susceptibility patterns in different provinces of Iran. Methods: Over a period of 2 years from 2015 to 2016, a total of 1055 cases in 249 outbreaks reported in 20 provinces of Iran, as a part of surveillance by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The stool samples of patients were taken and tested for Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. by conventional standard techniques. Disk diffusion was used for the antibiotic sensitivity test. Results: Of 1055 cases, 118 (11.2%) contained Shigella and 74 (7%) contained Salmonella . Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that entirely 100% of Salmonella and Shigella isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin; whereas 12.2% of Salmonella and 98.2% of Shigella were resistant to cotrimoxazole. Conclusion: Our results show that there is a need for more food handling practices to minimize the exposure of consumers to Salmonella and Shigella , at all points along the distribution chain., (© 2020 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Leukemia is the worst type of malignancy in children which its proper diagnosis can be used in the treatment. We design the turn-off sensor by using the different electrochemical patterns of liposomes to the detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Our design is first sandwiched by lectin liposome which increases the electrochemical exchange on the electrode. With the addition of Molt-4 cells, the bonding connection between the n-glycan and lectin can also increase the electrochemical exchange with the high detection cells. Subsequently, the addition of boronic acid liposomes decreases the resistance due to covering glycosylation bond and the sensor is turn-off. But stable and specific binding with the sialic acid causes the higher detection of Molt-4 cells. The electrochemical measurements are performed between the potentials at -0.4 V and +0.4 V with 1 mM [Fe(CN) 6 ] -3/-4 . So, for the first time, we designed a cells sensor based on the different patterns of liposomes to screening the N-glycan cells, which can be used in the point of care tests with higher sensitivity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The liposome-based biosensors are used for detection of nucleic acids and proteins as organic beds which are biocompatible tools for point of care tests, but their lack of sensitivity has been challenging. Therefore, designing a proper strategy is vital to increase the sensitivity of the target in diagnostic tests. In this study, for the first time, we use a combination of cationic DOPC liposome (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine) with MoS 2 to enhance the sensitivity of liposomal sensors clearly. The electrochemical measurements are performed between potentials at - 0.4 V and + 0.4 V with 1 mM [Fe(CN) 6 ] -3/-4 . At first, we construct the DOPC/MoS 2 hybrid (as a mineral/organic bed) to promote higher electrochemical behavior than DOPC liposome (as organic bed). In this research, adding AuNP can cause attachment with both the DOPC and MoS 2 . Therefore, the electrochemical reactions are enhanced accordingly to provide more positions for attaching the probes on the AuNP. So our DOPC-MoS 2 /AuNP hybrid can detect miR-21 with high sensitivity (LOD = 10 aM) because of attachment of miR-21 to MoS 2 /AuNP in addition to DOPC/AuNP. This sensor has also high specificity and repeatability as a biocompatible sensor, which can be used in point of care tests and transduction instruments.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of leishmaniasis in Iran with high mortality rates in the case of inaccurate diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to prepare and evaluate a new rk39 recombinant antigen from an Iranian strain of Leishmania infantum for diagnosis of VL in humans and dogs., Methods: rK39-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection of anti L. infantum antibodies. We screened 84 human sera and 87 dog sera from clinical cases in the endemic area of Meshkin-Shahr, Iran along with 176 sera from healthy controls (collected from 86 humans and 90 dogs) during 2013-2016., Results: Using the rK39 ELISA, a sensitivity of 85.7% (95% CI, 95-99%) and a specificity of 86.0% (95% CI, 95%-99%) were detected in human sera at a 1:800 (cut-off) titer when DAT-confirmed cases were compared with healthy controls; a sensitivity of 96.6% (95% CI, 95%-99%) and specificity of 94.4% (95% CI, 95%-99%) were found at a 1:80 (cut-off) titer compared with DAT. Kappa analysis indicated agreement between the rK39 ELISA and DAT (0.718) when using human sera at a 1:800 (cut-off) titer as well as (0.910) at a 1:80 (cut-off) titer when using dog sera ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: New rk39 recombinant antigen from an Iranian strain of Leishmania infantum seems to be used for diagnosis of VL in humans and dogs. Further extended field studies are recommended., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests., (Copyright© Iranian Society of Parasitology & Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Echinococcus granulosus parasite causes a zoonotic disease which is important for public and veterinary health. Since pumpkin seeds ( Cucurbita sp.) are used as traditional vermifuge in Iran, they may be a potential herbal anthelmintic., Methods: This study was designed in 2016 to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Cucurbita moschata seeds form northern part of Iran. Hydroalcoholic and petroleum ether extracts were prepared by maceration and soxhlet respectively. Both extracts with four different concentrations (100, 10, 1, 0.1 mg/ml) were incubated against protoscoleces in 5, 15, 30 and 60 min., Results: Maximum mortality was 16% with 1% hydroalcoholic extract in 60 min. The highest mortality with organic extract was 4% with 10% concentration in 60 min ( P =0.015)., Conclusion: Since highest mortality was 16%, the extract did not reach to LD50 (50% mortality). Therefore, the potency of the total extract is not sufficient as potential scolicidal drug., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright© Iranian Society of Parasitology & Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is a distinguished method to improve the prescription and efficacy of antibiotics., Aim: The efficacy of ASP and conventional methods was compared to measure the effectiveness of meropenem (MPM) and vancomycin (VMN) antibiotics in pediatric patients., Design: In an interventional quasi-experimental study, 135 children admitted in Children's Hospital affiliated to University of Medical Sciences in time periods of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 were assessed., Methods: The conventional and ASP methods in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 were respectively utilized to provide the best antimicrobial therapy of MPM and VMN antibiotics in patient children. The data of mortality rate (MR), antibiotic prescription (AP), antibiotic dose (ADe), antibiotic duration (ADn), length of hospital stay (LOHS), and blood cultures (BCs) were compared across the years using the Chi square, independent t test, and Fisher's exact test., Results: The levels of MR, AP, ADe, ADn, LOHS, and positive BCs using the ASP method in 2015-2016 were significantly lower those of in 2014-2015 using the conventional one (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The ASP method versus conventional one with a better efficacy can be employed as an antibiotic administration guide for MPM and VMN in the therapy of patients in community-based hospitals.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most endemic global health problems in many countries all around the world. Pentavalent antimonial drugs constitute the first line of leishmaniasis treatment; however, resistance to these drugs is a serious problem. Therefore, new therapies with new modes of action are urgently needed. In the current study, we examined antimicrobial activity of CM11 hybrid peptide (WKLFKKILKVL-NH2) against promastigote and amastigote forms of L. major (MHRO/IR/75/ER). In vitro anti-leishmanial activity was identified against L. major by parasite viability and metabolic activity after exposure to different peptide concentration. In the presentt study, we demostrated that different concentrations of CM11 result in dose dependent growth inhibition of Leishmania promastigotes. Furthermore, we demostrated that CM11 peptide has significant anti-leishmanial activities on amastigotes. Our results demonstrated that CM11 antimicrobial peptide may provide an alternative therapeutic approach for L. major treatment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major is a most common type of vector-borne disease in Iran. The pentavalent antimonial drugs have been used in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis for a long time, but drug resistance and some of serious side effects have been reported. Thus, discovery and development of new therapeutic candidates are needed. The CM11 peptide is one of these peptides that its anti-bacterial activity has been proven. This peptide is a short cecropin-melittin hybrid peptide obtained through a sequence combination approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro anti-leishmanial activity of CM11 peptide against amastigote forms of Leishmania major . In this study, amastigote forms of Iranian strain of L. major (MRHO/IR/75/ER) were cultured in the presence of different concentrations of meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime ® ) to find the most appropriate in vitro concentration of Glucantime ® against L. major amastigotes. Then, the anti-leishmanial activities of various concentrations of CM11 peptide (8, 16, 32 and 64 µM) were evaluated for 24, 48 and 72 hr by DAPI staining. In addition, MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effects of CM11 peptide on murine fibroblast cell line. The results showed that CM11 peptide has antimicrobial activity against Iranian isolate of L. major in the laboratory conditions. It seems that the CM11 peptide has significant potential to be used as a new anti-leishmanial agent., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

Fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in clinical isolates of Shigella species has been increasing reported in recent years. This study was carried out to find the mutations within the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) and the prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants among the clinical isolates of Shigella sp. in Tehran, Iran. A total of 50 Shigella isolates were collected from five teaching therapeutic centers in Tehran, Iran and analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility over a period of 20 months from July 2015 to January 2017. The PCR and direct nucleotide sequencing were used for genetic alterations in the QRDRs. The PMQR genes were detected using PCR. The results revealed four types of mutations in the QRDR of gyrA: 20 (40%) had a S83L mutation, 1 (2%) had a S83A mutation, 2 (4%) had a D87G mutation, and 1 (2%) isolate had a D87Y mutation. Mutations were also found at codon N57D, D200N, and E210K in three isolates. Seven hospitalized children had qnrS determinants, and one isolates had the mutation S83A, while two isolates had double mutations at S83L and/or D87G (Ser83Leu and Asp-87Gly). The PMQR gene-positive isolates had the single replacement of serine with leucine. In hospitalized children, two isolates had two types of PMQR determinants (qnrS and qnrA) and (qnrS and qnrB) at once. The results of this study indicate that the emergence of strains with mutations in the QRDR regions and the capture of PMQR determinants in strains may lead to failure in therapy with FQ and the widespread emergence of strains with high-level FQ resistance.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is the most severe form of leishmaniasis in Iran, which causes a high mortality rate in the case of inaccurate diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to clone of K26 gene from Iranian strain of L. infantum and register the sequencing results in Genbank to facilitate the preparation a new K26 antigen for the detection of L. infantum infection., Methods: L. infantum was obtained from an infected domestic dog in Meshkin-Shahr area from northwestern Iran in 2015. Canine visceral leishmaniasis was confirmed by direct agglutination test (DAT), rK39 dipstick and parasitological methods. L. infantum was confirmed by N-acetyl glucosamine -1-phosphate transferase (nagt)-PCR and its sequencing. The band of interest for k26 form Iranian strain of L. infantum was purified by gel extraction kit after PCR amplification and then ligated into pBluescript II SK (+) and pET-32a (+), respectively. The sequences of recombinant plasmids were analyzed and submitted to Genbank., Results: The submission of rk26 nucleotide sequence was performed to the GeneBank/NCBI Data Base under accession number KY212883. The related gene was showed a homology about 99% to L. chagasi and L. infantum k26 gene, while the level of homology in comparison with different strains of L. donovani ranged from 84-94%., Conclusion: The successful rk26 cloning into an expression vector performed in this study could help to produce a new recombinant antigen for serodiagnosis of VL especially in areas where L. infantum is the main causative agent., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interests The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Nosocomial infection constitutes a major public health problem worldwide. Increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogens associated with nosocomial infections has also become a major therapeutic challenge for physicians. Thus, development of alternative treatment protocols, such as the use of probiotics, matters. The aim of this research was to determine the antagonistic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lb. fermentum isolated from the faeces of healthy infants against nonfermentative bacteria causing nosocomial infections. One hundred five samples of nosocomial infections were collected and processed for bacterial isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing following standard bacteriologic techniques. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by the disk diffusion method, and antagonistic effect of Lactobacillus strains was investigated by well diffusion method. Of 105 samples, a total of 29 bacterial strains were identified as nonfermentative bacteria, including 17 Acinetobacter baumannii and 12 Pseudomonas aeruginosa . A. baumannii showed high resistance to tested antibiotics except ampicillin/sulbactam, and P. aeruginosa showed resistance to ampicillin/sulbactam and gentamicin and sensitive to amikacin and meropenem. Lb. plantarum had antagonistic properties against both A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa strains . Lb. plantarum had considerable effects on preventing the growth of A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa strains . However, further research is needed to better understanding of these effects on P. aeruginosa .

Background and Aim: Two types of dressing, occlusive and exposure dressing, are commonly used in burn units. A dressing is said to be occlusive if a moist wound surface is maintained when the dressing is in place. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of occlusive and exposure dressing in controlling burn infections., Patients and Methods: Two hundred patients with second-degree burns admitted to Mottahari Hospital, Tehran, Iran, over a period of 12 months from May 2012 to May 2013 were studied. They were divided into two groups of 100 each, to receive either occlusive or exposure dressing. During the first week of treatment, wound specimens were obtained by sterile swab and cultured in selective media. Demographics (age and gender), burn areas, cause of burn, length of hospital stay (LOS), type of infections and time to total healing were compared between the two groups., Results: Occlusive dressing was more susceptible to microbial contamination and infections than exposure dressing. The mean duration of treatment based on epithelialization and healing in occlusive dressing was longer than for exposure dressing. The most common isolate was Pseudomonas spp., followed by Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter, and Klebsiella spp., Conclusions: Exposure dressing was more suitable than occlusive dressing for treating partial-thickness at our center. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common organism encountered in burn infection., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Lactobacilli are normal microflora of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and are a heterogeneous group of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus strains with Probiotic activity may have health Benefits for human. This study investigates the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus strains obtained from the feces of healthy infants and also explores antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus strains with probiotic potential against enteropathogenic bacteria. Fecal samples were collected from 95 healthy infants younger than 18 months. Two hundred and ninety Lactobacillus strains were isolated and assessed for probiotic potential properties including ability to survive in gastrointestinal conditions (pH 2.0, 0.3% oxgall), adherence to HT-29 cells and antibiotic resistance. Six strains including Lactobacillus fermentum (4 strains), Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus plantarum showed good probiotic potential and inhibited the growth of enteropathogenic bacteria including ETEC H10407, Shigella flexneri ATCC 12022, Shigella sonnei ATCC 9290, Salmonella enteritidis H7 and Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 23715. These Lactobacillus strains with probiotic potential may be useful for prevention or treatment of diarrhea, but further in vitro and in vivo studies on these strains are still required., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Carbonaceous materials have recently received attention in electronic applications and measurement systems. In this work, we demonstrate the electrical behavior of carbon films fabricated by methane arc discharge decomposition technique. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of carbon films are investigated in the presence and absence of gas. The experiment reveals that the current passing through the carbon films increases when the concentration of CO2 gas is increased from 200 to 800 ppm. This phenomenon which is a result of conductance changes can be employed in sensing applications such as gas sensors.

Background: Despite of the advances in infectious diseases prevention and food technology, food-borne diseases are considered major problems in developed and developing countries. Meat plays a key role in transferring zoonotic diseases to human., Objectives: This study was conducted in south of Tehran, Iran, to investigate the prevalence rate of Salmonella spp. in packed and unpacked red meat and chicken., Materials and Methods: A total of 379 packed and unpacked samples including 189 red meat and 190 chicken samples were collected randomly. From each sample, 25 g was separated and treated with 225 mL of buffered peptone water, homogenized and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Samples were enriched using Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth and then streaked onto Hektoen enteric agar., Results: Totally, 86 out of 190 chicken and 38 out of 189 red meat samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp. The most isolated serotypes were Salmonella thompson (67.7%), S. heaardt (6.5%), S. enteritidis (4.8%), and S. veyle (4%), respectively. In general, the rate of chicken contamination was higher than meat, as 43.3% of packed and 46% of unpacked chicken samples were contaminated., Conclusions: These results confirmed the pervious findings, stating that proper packaging of meat products can effectively decreases the rate of microbial contaminations.

Herein is described the first case of an infant with neuroblastoma who developed isolated splenorenopancreatic mucormycosis. An 18-month-old boy with neuroblastoma who was on intensive chemotherapy was admitted with febrile neutropenia. On abdominal computed tomography, multiple hypodense lesions in the spleen with invasion to the upper pole of the left kidney were demonstrated. Enlargement of splenic lesions with a complete hypoechoic pattern replacing the whole spleen, consistent with splenic abscess were observed on serial ultrasound. On splenectomy the resected spleen appeared to be severely fragmented and necrotic. On pathology, massive infiltration of broad, non-septate hyphal fragments identified as Mucor with invasion to all blood vessels was seen. Histologically, a piece of the tail of the pancreas also showed involvement by the filamentous Mucor. The present case highlights the necessity of high index of suspicion in susceptible patients, early diagnosis and appropriate management in order to minimize the mortality rate., (© 2013 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2013 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Life crises as stressor agents can disrupt the best stress management regime. Different life crises have different impacts. A standard scale to rate change and its related stress impact has been developed commonly referred to as LCU (life change unit) rating. This allocates a number of life crisis units or life change units (LCUs) to different event and then evaluates them and takes action accordingly. This idea behind this approach of is to rundown the LCU table, totaling the LCUs for life crisis that have occurred in the previous one year. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study was conducted among 900 Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) employees by a Holms and Rahe LCU questionnaire at 15 hospitals. The respondents were asked to determine their demographic information, list of stress symptoms which suffered from these diseases in the previous one year and finally, responded to 45 Life Change Unit as stressful life events and the value of each in "stress units" which occurred in the previous one year. The results showed that there is significant correlation between the employees LCU rating by sex, educational degree and size of hospital. Also we found that there are significant correlations between the employees stress symptoms with their LCU rating. Totally, 40% of the employees have less than 150 LCU rating (normal range) and 60% of them have 150-300 or more than 300 LCU rating (abnormal range). In conclusion most of TUMS hospitals' employees who had stress symptoms have more LCU rating. One third of these employees are not in danger of suffering the illness effect, while two third of them are in danger.

Three strains of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae namely NTHi-I, NTHi-II and NTHi-III were isolated from the sputum of patients with bronchitis and identified by biochemical, serological and electron microscopy. The polypeptide patterns of isolates were compared and found to have similar sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) polypeptide patterns, although some of the bands were specific in some strains. A similar comparison was made on extracted outer membrane proteins (OMPs) on the above mentioned strains, using Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyle sulphate (SDS). It was found that the polypeptides with molecular weights of 70, 42, 33 and 27 KDa were identified as P1, P2, P4 and P5 respectively. The protein estimation of crude OMPs from the three strains were calculated, and OPM-I prepared from NTHi-I showed the highest amount of protein and was chosen for its immunogenicity in a rat respiratory model. The efficacy of immunization with OMP was determined by enhancement of pulmonary clearance of live bacteria in the rat lung. A significant protective immune response induced by OMP was observed by enhanced respiratory clearance of nontypeable H. influenzae following mucosal immunization.

Different strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from human, chickens, and the common strain between human and chickens were isolated and typed with mono-specific antibody. The E. coli strains from each group of human, chicken and common between human and chicken were selected. The polypeptide patterns of selected strains were analyzed and compared with each other by Sodium dodecyle sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS - PAGE). The SDS - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns between the strains were very similar, although the densities of some of the peptide bands were different, and some were missing in some strains. A similar comparison was made on extracted outer membrane proteins (OMP) using Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyle sulphate on the above-mentioned strains. The polypeptide patterns between the strains 078 (chicken strain), 06 (human strain) and O2 (the common strain between human and chicken) were also very similar and two major bands with molecular weights of 44 KD and 25 KD were very distinctive, and seen between all the strains.The passive haemoagglutination tests (PHA) in chickens injected OMP from the common strain (O2), showed increased level of antibody after the second injection which remained constant after repeated injections.In the challenge study, with LD100 from homologous strain of O2, a significant protection was observed in the groups injected the OMP (extracted from O2 strain), compared with controls injected saline.The results of this study indicate that purified E. coli outer membrane protein, can induce a significant protection immunity against colibacillus diseases in chickens, and probably in immunocompromised hosts with repeated urinary infections.