The prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in the genital tract of males in Iran

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral sexually-transmitted infection. Despite HPV infection is associated with several malignant disorders including penile and anal cancers, little is known about the epidemiology of HPV infection in males, particularly in developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV infection and its genotype distribution among Iranian males. Patients and Methods: Between March 2009 and April 2014, a total number of 483 males, referred to Iran University of Medical Sciences-affiliated sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinics, were enrolled in this study. Following DNA extraction, HPV detection and genotyping were performed using INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra assay. To analyze the association of HPV infection and age, the logistic regression was employed. Results: No statistical association between HPV infection and age was observed (P = 0.469). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant correlation between HR HPV infection and age (P = 0.330). Conclusions: In this investigation, the prevalence of HPV infection was relatively substantial. Totally, 17 different HPV genotypes were detected and the most frequently detected genotypes were HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, HPV18 and HPV52, respectively. The data from this study is essential for planning future public health strategies including HPV vaccination programs. © 2015, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Effects of COVID-19 prevention procedures on other common infections: a systematic review

Introduction: Since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) began, necessary measures to prevent virus transmission and reduce mortality have been implemented, including mandatory public use of masks, regular hand-sanitizing and hand-washing, social distancing, avoidance of crowds, remote work, and cancellation of public events. During and after the introduction of COVID-19 lockout, we performed a systematic review of available published literature to investigate the incidence of seasonal influenza and other respiratory viral infections. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and the World Health Organization databases and websites were systematically searched for original studies concerning the impact of COVID-19 prevention means and measures on other common respiratory infectious diseases during the pandemic published by March 2021. Results: The findings showed that the adherence to health protocols to prevent COVID-19 could help to reduce the incidence of other infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Conclusion: The implemented prevention measures and protocols might have reduced the incidence of influenza and some other common respiratory infections. However, controversies exist on this matter and future large population-based studies might provide further information to address these controversies. © 2021, The Author(s)

Factors Affecting the Determination of Secondary Sex Ratio

Background and Objectives: Secondary sex ratio (SSR), i.e. the gender ratio of fetuses reaching viability has faced a declining trend in most societies in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the contributing factors such as season of conception, type of pregnancy, housing conditions, monthly income and financial stress on SSR in Iran. .Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 202 couples with children under one year old were studied. They were selected using two stage random sampling method from two healthcare centers in Tehran. Financial stress of parents was assessed based on a valid questionnaire. Data regarding other variables were gathered through a checklist. Uni-and multi-variate logistic regression tests were used to analyze the data (p<0.05).Results: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant relationship between financial stress test score {OR=1.056, p=0.024} and rental housing (OR=1.89, p=0.029) and female newborns. Conclusion: Financial stress not only has physical and moral consequences, but also might play a major role in determining the sex ratio of future generations. Therefore, it is highly important that more effective guidelines be considered for improving welfare conditions and solving the housing problem

Common and distinct variation in data fusion of designed experimental data

INTRODUCTION: Integrative analysis of multiple data sets can provide complementary information about the studied biological system. However, data fusion of multiple biological data sets can be complicated as data sets might contain different sources of variation due to underlying experimental factors. Therefore, taking the experimental design of data sets into account could be of importance in data fusion concept. OBJECTIVES: In the present work, we aim to incorporate the experimental design information in the integrative analysis of multiple designed data sets. METHODS: Here we describe penalized exponential ANOVA simultaneous component analysis (PE-ASCA), a new method for integrative analysis of data sets from multiple compartments or analytical platforms with the same underlying experimental design. RESULTS: Using two simulated cases, the result of simultaneous component analysis (SCA), penalized exponential simultaneous component analysis (P-ESCA) and ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) are compared with the proposed method. Furthermore, real metabolomics data obtained from NMR analysis of two different brains tissues (hypothalamus and midbrain) from the same piglets with an underlying experimental design is investigated by PE-ASCA. CONCLUSIONS: This method provides an improved understanding of the common and distinct variation in response to different experimental factors

Drug resistance patterns in HIV patients with virologic failure in Iran

We reviewed the medical charts of 1,700 patients diagnosed with HIV who referred to a central HIV clinic in Tehran between 2004 and 2017. Participants who had a viral load of &gt; 200 copies/mL after six months or more on antiretroviral therapy (ART) were grouped as virologic failure (VF). We assessed the demographic characteristics, diagnosis date, first ART regimen, and resistance to various ART drugs. Out of 1,700 patients, 72 (4.2%) had a treatment failure. Among those with treatment failure, 51.3% were on zidovudine + lamivudine + efavirenz, 13.9% were on tenofovir + lamivudine + lopinavir/ritonavir, and 12.5% were on tenofovir + emtricitabine + efavirenz. In patients with treatment failure, the highest resistance was to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) combination (44.4%). In these patients, resistance to tenofovir (one of the NRTIs) was 29.1%. The highest treatment failure was observed among patients treated with nevirapine (NVP) and efavirenz (EFV)-based regimen. Our findings suggest that protease inhibitors should be considered as first-line drugs in ART regimens in VF patients in Iran

A geologic contribution to the evaluation of the seismic potential of the Kahrizak fault (Tehran, Iran)

In this paper we present the results of preliminary geomorphic and trenching investigations along the Kahrizak fault. This fault is located south of the highly populated metropolis of Tehran and represents one of the main structures in the area containing important seismic potential. The Kahrizak fault has a very clear expression at the surface where it forms a prominent 35-km-long, 15-m-high scarp on Holocene alluvial deposits. The fault strikes N70°-80°W and dips to the north. Movement is prevalently right-lateral with the northern side of the fault up. Trench excavations exposed a sequence of weathered, massive, alluvial deposits which are dated, by means of radiometric methods, to the Holocene. In the trenches the sequence is intensely deformed by north-dipping, high- and low-angle faults within a 30-m-wide zone. On the basis of stratigraphic and structural relations, some evidence for individual Holocene earthquakes is found; however, we were not able to reconstruct the seismic history of the fault nor to evaluate the size of deformation produced by each event. Because of the possible ~10 m offset of ancient linear hydraulic artifacts (qanáts), that cross the fault, we hypothesize that the most recent event may have occurred in historical times (more recent than 5000 yr B.P.) and it may be one of those reported in this area by the current catalogues of seismicity. Based on these preliminary investigations we estimate an elapsed time between 5000 and 800 years, a maximum slip per event dmax of ~10 m, a minimum Holocene vertical slip rate of ~1 mm/yr versus a horizontal slip rate of ~3.5 mm/yr, a maximum of ~3000 years for the average recurrence time, and an expected Mw = 7.0 to 7.4. These can be considered as a first-hand reference for the activity on this fault

Subtype classification of Iranian HIV-1 sequences registered in the HIV databases, 2006-2013.

BACKGROUND: The rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Iran has increased dramatically in the past few years. While the earliest cases were among hemophiliacs, injection drug users (IDUs) fuel the current epidemic. Previous molecular epidemiological analysis found that subtype A was most common among IDUs but more recent studies suggest CRF_35AD may be more prevalent now. To gain a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 infection in Iran, we analyzed all Iranian HIV sequence data from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. METHODS: All Iranian HIV sequences from subtyping studies with pol, gag, env and full-length HIV-1 genome sequences registered in the HIV databases (www.hiv.lanl.gov) between 2006 and 2013 were downloaded. Phylogenetic trees of each region were constructed using Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Parsimony methods. RESULTS: A total of 475 HIV sequences were analyzed. Overall, 78% of sequences were CRF_35AD. By gene region, CRF_35AD comprised 83% of HIV-1 pol, 62% of env, 78% of gag, and 90% of full-length genome sequences analyzed. There were 240 sequences re-categorized as CRF_AD. The proportion of CRF_35AD sequences categorized by the present study is nearly double the proportion of what had been reported. CONCLUSIONS: Phylogenetic analysis indicates HIV-1 subtype CRF_35AD is the predominant circulating strain in Iran. This result differed from previous studies that reported subtype A as most prevalent in HIV- infected patients but confirmed other studies which reported CRF_35AD as predominant among IDUs. The observed epidemiological connection between HIV strains circulating in Iran and Afghanistan may be due to drug trafficking and/or immigration between the two countries. This finding suggests the possible origins and transmission dynamics of HIV/AIDS within Iran and provides useful information for designing control and intervention strategies

A geologic contribution to the evaluation of the seismic potential of the Kahrizak fault (Tehran, Iran)

In this paper we present the results of preliminary geomorphic and trenching investigations along the Kahrizak fault. This fault is located south of the highly populated metropolis of Tehran and represents one of the main structures in the area containing important seismic potential. The Kahrizak fault has a very clear expression at the surface where it forms a prominent 35-km-long, 15-m-high scarp on Holocene alluvial deposits. The fault strikes N70°-80°W and dips to the north. Movement is prevalently right-lateral with the northern side of the fault up. Trench excavations exposed a sequence of weathered, massive, alluvial deposits which are dated, by means of radiometric methods, to the Holocene. In the trenches the sequence is intensely deformed by north-dipping, high- and low-angle faults within a 30-m-wide zone. On the basis of stratigraphic and structural relations, some evidence for individual Holocene earthquakes is found; however, we were not able to reconstruct the seismic history of the fault nor to evaluate the size of deformation produced by each event. Because of the possible ~10 m offset of ancient linear hydraulic artifacts (qanáts), that cross the fault, we hypothesize that the most recent event may have occurred in historical times (more recent than 5000 yr B.P.) and it may be one of those reported in this area by the current catalogues of seismicity. Based on these preliminary investigations we estimate an elapsed time between 5000 and 800 years, a maximum slip per event dmax of ~10 m, a minimum Holocene vertical slip rate of ~1 mm/yr versus a horizontal slip rate of ~3.5 mm/yr, a maximum of ~3000 years for the average recurrence time, and an expected Mw = 7.0 to 7.4. These can be considered as a first-hand reference for the activity on this fault.Published187-1993.2. Tettonica attivaN/A or not JCRreserve

The protective effect of prenatally administered vitamin E on behavioral alterations in an animal model of autism induced by valproic acid

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that has a powerful antioxidant activity. Previous studies reported reduced plasma levels of vitamin E in autism-spectrum patients and also as the result of treatment with valproic acid (VPA). The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of prenatally vitamin E on autism-like behavior in prenatally VPA-exposed rats. Animals were divided into four groups. Sham (saline-treated 1ml/kg), Vit E (were injected 500mg/kg vitamin E), VPA (400mg/kg valproic acid dissolved in saline), and Vit E + VPA received vitamin E (500mg/kg) plus VPA (400mg/kg). VPA was injected intraperitoneally on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of pregnancy and Vitamin E one hour before VPA administration. Prenatal administration of vitamin E resulted in a significant reduction of the repetitive/stereotypic-like activities, anxiety-like behaviors, and sociability impairments in rats prenatally exposed to VPA. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group