Effect of vitamin supplementation on serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels in male subjects with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Objective(s):Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs) appear to play a significant role in atherogenesis. In fact, circulating ox-LDL concentrations have been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The main objectives of this study were to assess the effects of antioxidant vitamins on ox-LDL as a biomarker of CVD in male subjects with CVD risk factors. Materials and Methods:The effect of antioxidant vitamins on ox-LDL as a biomarker of CVD in male subjects with CVD in male subjects with CVD risk factors at baseline and after 12 weeks of supplementation with vitamin E (400 IU), C (500 mg), ß-carotene (15 mg), and the combined supplements (E, C, and ß-carotene) respectively defined as group E, C, B and control group was considered as group P. Results:The mean values for ox-LDL at the baseline were 86.93 ± 26.30 U/l in group C, 94.52 ± 38.40 U/l in group E, 79.73±2.07 U/l in group B, 85.97±23.07 U/l in combined group, and 84.90± 14.66 U/l in group P. After 12 weeks of intervention the percentage of changes for group C, group E, group B, COM group, and group P were (-18.32), (-2286), (-17.31), (-19.01) and (-2.0), respectively. Using Wilcoxon method, significant differences were detected in the mean ox-LDL concentrations of baseline and after intervention, values in the C, E, B and combined groups (P< 005). Conclusion:This study illustrated that diet supplemented with vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), ß-carotene (15 mg), and the combination of these vitamins was associated with lower serum ox-LDL levels

Synanthropic Ants as Vectors of Pathogens in Hospitals of Iran

Background: Synanthropic ants can transmit pathogens especially in hospital environments, but this fact had not been confirmed in Palaearctic region. This is the first study on confirming this ability of ants in this region. Methods: Three hospitals of Bandar Abbas, Iran have been selected for monthly sampling of ants in their various wards. The main processes on collected samples were washing out and culturing on various culture media. Results: As many as 250 individuals from 3 sub-families and 7 species of ants have been collected. Most of the collected species were from Formicinae sub-family. Paratrechina longicornis and Camponotus sp. were the most common species. At least 12 species of pathogens were found on ant species in the study. Conclusion: Environmental sanitation with emphasis on renewal of the hospital structures and informing the personnel about the ability of ants on transmission of pathogens are recommended for preventing the harmful impacts of ants

Synanthropic Ants as Vectors of Pathogens in Hospitals of Iran

Background: Synanthropic ants can transmit pathogens especially in hospital environments, but this fact had not been confirmed in Palaearctic region. This is the first study on confirming this ability of ants in this region. Methods: Three hospitals of Bandar Abbas, Iran have been selected for monthly sampling of ants in their various wards. The main processes on collected samples were washing out and culturing on various culture media. Results: As many as 250 individuals from 3 sub-families and 7 species of ants have been collected. Most of the collected species were from Formicinae sub-family. Paratrechina longicornis and Camponotus sp. were the most common species. At least 12 species of pathogens were found on ant species in the study. Conclusion: Environmental sanitation with emphasis on renewal of the hospital structures and informing the personnel about the ability of ants on transmission of pathogens are recommended for preventing the harmful impacts of ants

Competency of Anopheles stephensi mysorensis strain for Plasmodium vivax and the role of inhibitory carbohydrates to block its sporogonic cycle

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the abundance of studies conducted on the role of mosquitoes in malaria transmission, the biology and interaction of <it>Plasmodium </it>with its insect host still holds many mysteries. This paper provides the first study to follow the sporogonic cycle of <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>in a wild insecticide-resistant mysorensis strain of <it>Anopheles stephensi</it>, a major vector of vivax malaria in south-eastern Iran. The study subsequently demonstrates that host-parasite sugar binding interactions are critical to the development of this parasite in the salivary glands of its mosquito host. The identity of the receptors or sugars involved was revealed by a receptor "pre-saturation" strategy in which sugars fed to the mosquitoes inhibited normal host-parasite interactions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>Anopheles stephensi </it>mysorensis mosquitoes were artificially infected with <it>P. vivax </it>by feeding on the blood of gametocytaemic volunteers reporting to local malaria clinics in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of south-eastern Iran. In order to determine the inhibitory effect of carbohydrates on sporogonic development, vector mosquitoes were allowed to ingest blood meals containing both gametocytes and added carbohydrates. The carbohydrates tested were GlcNAc, GalNAc, arabinose, fucose, mannose, lactose, glucose and galactose. Sporogonic development was assessed by survival of the parasite at both the oocyst and sporozoite stages.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Oocyst development was observed among nearly 6% of the fed control mosquitoes but the overall number of mosquitoes exhibiting sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands was 47.5% lower than the number supporting oocysts in their midgut. Of the tested carbohydrates, only arabinose and fucose slightly perturbed the development of <it>P. vivax </it>oocysts at the basal side of the mosquito midgut, and the remaining sugars caused no reductions in oocyst development. Strikingly however, sporozoites were completely absent from the salivary glands of mosquitoes treated with mannose, GalNAc, and lactose.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study indicates that <it>An. stephensi </it>in southern Iran has the potential to survive long enough to be re-infected and transmit vivax malaria several times, based on the average adult female longevity (about 30 days) and its gonotrophic cycle (2–3 days) during the malaria transmission season. Certain sugar binding interactions are important for the development of <it>P. vivax </it>sporozoites, and this information may be instrumental for the development of transmission blocking strategies.</p

Species identification of Middle Eastern blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of forensic importance

The lack of reliable tools for species identification of necrophagous blowflies of the Middle East is a serious obstacle to the development of forensic entomology in the majority of countries of this region. Adding to the complexity of diagnosing the regional fauna is that species representing three different zoogeographical elements exist in sympatry. In response to this situation, a high-quality key to the adults of all species of forensically relevant blowflies of the Middle East has been prepared. Thanks to the modern technique of image-stack stereomicroscopy and high-quality entomological materials, this new key can be easily applied by investigators inexperienced in the taxonomy of blowflies. The major technical problems relating to the species identification of necrophagous blowflies of the Middle East are also discussed

First Palaearctic Record of the Bird Parasite Passeromyia heterochaeta (Diptera: Muscidae) from the Iranian Persian Gulf Islands.

Background: Passeromyia is a muscid genus previously known from the Old World Afrotropical and Oriental re- gions and eastwards from Australia and the West Pacific. The genus is known from nest-dwelling larvae which may be parasites of the nestlings. This study was aimed to identify of the Passeromyia species in the Iranian Persian Gulf Islands. Methods: The flies were collected during April 2010 to March 2011 on the 4 Iranian Persian Gulf islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Abu-Mousa and Qeshm with fly bottle trap and entomological net. Results: During this sampling, 18 representatives of P. heterochaeta, a species with free-living haematophagous larvae, have been collected. The species is reported herein from Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Abu-Mousa and Qeshm islands. Conclusions: This is the first Palaearctic record of the species as well as the first report of the genus Passeromyia from the Palaearctic Region

Developing and explaining the mobile-based learning model of social networking in higher education in Iran

In this study, a model for validation and validation of social network-based mobile learning in higher education in Iran has been investigated. Mobile learning is a concept that is composed of a combination of two forms of education or e-learning and distance learning and is generally done via mobile and social media. The research method in this article is a mixed one. Firstly, based on qualitative method and specifically based on interviews with subject matter experts, the dimensions, components and indicators of mobile learning concept are extracted and then in the quantitative phase, by formulating a questionnaire. Based on the qualitative stage indicators and after implementing a WhatsApp social networking 'statistical basics' learning course, 300 participants in this questionnaire-based survey were recruited based on 281 data. Questionnaire was valid - validation and factor analysis of mobile learning model in higher education were conducted. The findings of the qualitative research showed that the mobile learning model has 4 components and 24 components. These dimensions include the "learner or learner" dimension, "interaction and communication", "tools and technology" and "infrastructure". Quantitative results also showed that in exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, factor loadings of all indices were higher than 0.3, and goodness of fit indices showed good fit. Also, the indices had good reliability (Cronbach's alpha) in the model