Rapid Molecular Approach for Simultaneous Detection of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Vibrio cholera

AbstractObjectivesGastrointestinal tract infection is still one of the serious public health problems in many geographic areas and is endemic in most countries including Iran. Early detection of the gastrointestinal tract pathogens can be extremely important. The aim of the current study was to apply a shortened time-multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rapid and simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Vibrio cholera.MethodsThe standard and clinical strains of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and V. cholerae were used in the assay. Multiplex PCR was performed and optimized based on amplification of invA, putative integrase, and ompW genes for detecting Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and V. cholerae, respectively. The specificity of the assay was evaluated by testing 12 different bacterial species.ResultsOnly Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and V. cholerae strains had positive results when subjected to the assay using multiplex PCR. The assay showed a high sensitivity, and no amplification products were observed in multiplex PCR with any of the other microorganisms.ConclusionOur study indicated that the invA, putative integrase, and ompW-based multiplex PCR assay appears to be an efficient method for rapid and simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and V. cholerae

Iran supports a great share of biodiversity and floristic endemism for Fritillaria spp. (Liliaceae): A review.

Iran supports a great share of exotic and/or endemic plant genera and species. The genus Fritillaria (Liliaceae) is a precious part of this botanical richness with 19 species, of which 10 are endemic to the country. However, signs are mounting that the country is truly at a crossroads when it comes to preservation of this national wealth. In this regard, an effective conservation strategy should thoroughly consider the classification of Fritillaria, as conservation practices are compromised by knowledge gaps in systematics and taxonomy. As published studies on Fritillaria in Iran have been sporadic and limited in scope, the aim of this review is to provide information necessary to help bridge these information gaps. Our objective is to facilitate increased understanding of the geographic, taxonomic, cytogenetic and phylogenetic status of Iranian Fritillaria, which is vital to meeting the goal of sustainable conservation of the genus in Iran and neighboring areas

Discrete wavelet transform and artificial neural network for gearbox fault detection based on acoustic signals

Gearboxes are widely applied in power transmission lines, so their health monitoring has a great impact in industrial applications. In the present study, acoustic signals of Pride gearbox in different conditions, namely, healthy, worn first gear and broken second gear are collected by a microphone. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is applied to process the signals. Decomposition is made using Daubichies-5 wavelet with five levels. In order to identify the various conditions of the gearbox, artificial neural network (ANN) is used in decision-making stage. The results indicate that this method allow identification at a 90 % level of efficiency. Therefore, the proposed approach can be reliably applied to gearbox fault detection

Evaluation of asphaltene adsorption on minerals of dolomite and sandstone formations in two and three-phase systems

Asphaltene adsorption on reservoir rock minerals causes wettability alteration and pore plugging which subsequently reduces crude oil production. Also, it has a negative effect on the efficiency of production and enhanced oil recovery operations. In this study, the adsorption of extracted asphaltenes of two samples of Iranian oil fields on dolomite, quartz, and magnetite was investigated in two-and three-phase systems in both static and dynamic flow modes. Mineral adsorbents were analyzed by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and X-ray fluorescence methods. Also, several laboratory tests including elemental analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were carried out to characterize asphaltenes. The results showed that in addition to the effect of known parameters such as asphaltenes concentration and specific surface area of the solid phase, the water phase also affects the amount of asphaltenes adsorption. The adsorption amount of asphaltenes increases with increasing the specific surface area of adsorbent (decreasing particle size) and increasing the initial concentration of asphaltenes, and decreases with the addition of water to the two-phase system. The static adsorption amount of asphaltenes in a two-phase system can be up to 90% higher than the adsorption amount in a three-phase system. Doubling the fluid flow rate in dynamic adsorption significantly (by about 20%) reduces the asphaltenes adsorption, which could be a sign of physical adsorption of asphaltenes on adsorbents. The structure and elemental composition of asphaltenes also have a significant effect on asphaltenes adsorption. The asphaltene sample, which had a more aromatic nature and high nitrogen content, had higher adsorption on reservoir rock minerals. Finally, fitting the adsorption equilibrium models with experimental data reveals that the adsorption isotherm model depends on the type and particle size of the adsorbents and the concentration and type of asphaltenes.Cited as: Mohammadi, M.R., Bahmaninia, H., Ansari, S., Hemmati-Sarapardeh, A., Norouzi-Apourvari, S., Schaffie, M., Ranjbar, M. Evaluation of asphaltene adsorption on minerals of dolomite and sandstone formations in two and three-phase systems. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2021, 5(1), 39-52, doi: 10.46690/ager.2021.01.0

Baseline results of the first malaria indicator survey in Iran at household level

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria is one of the leading causes of sickness and death in the developing world, causing more than a million deaths and around 250 million new cases annually worldwide. The aim of this comprehensive survey was to provide information on malaria indicators at household level in high-risk malaria areas in Iran.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a cluster randomized cross-sectional survey data were collected from 5,456 households in both rural and urban areas of 20 malaria-affected districts of Iran. All the fieldwork was done by trained interviewers and a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised baseline characteristics of the study population, the knowledge of people about different aspects of malaria (such as clinical symptoms, transmission and prevention) and their practice to prevent illness (such as using mosquito nets, spraying houses). The data were analysed and descriptive statistics (i.e. frequencies, percentages) were used to summarize the results.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results of this survey showed that 20% (95% CI: 17.36 - 22.24) of households owned at least one mosquito net, whether treated or untreated. Consequently, the use of mosquito nets was considerably low among both children under age five [5.90% (95% CI: 5.14 - 6.66)] and pregnant women [5.70% (95% CI: 3.07 - 8.33)]. Moreover, less than 10% of households reported that the interior walls of their dwelling had been sprayed in the previous year [8.70% (95% CI: 6.09 - 11.31)]. Data also suggest that 63.8% of the participants recognized fever as a sign of malaria, 56.4% reported that mosquito bites cause malaria and about 35% of participants mentioned that the use of mosquito nets could prevent malaria.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Findings from this study indicate that low access to treated nets along with low understanding of the role of nets in malaria prevention are the main barriers to utilization of bed nets. Therefore, the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets should be encouraged through health education on the importance of the use along with increasing access to it.</p

Baseline results of the first malaria indicator survey in Iran at the health facility level

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria continues to be a global public health challenge, particularly in developing countries. Delivery of prompt and effective diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases, detection of malaria epidemics within one week of onset and control them in less than a month, regular disease monitoring and operational classification of malaria are among the major responsibilities of the national malaria programme. The study was conducted to determine these indicators at the different level of primary health care facilities in malaria-affected provinces of Iran</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this survey, data was collected from 223 health facilities including health centres, malaria posts, health houses and hospitals as well as the profile of all 5, 836 recorded malaria cases in these facilities during the year preceding the survey. Descriptive statistics (i.e. frequencies, percentages) were used to summarize the results and Chi square test was used to analyse data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All but one percent of uncomplicated cases took appropriate and correctly-dosed of anti-malarial drugs in accordance to the national treatment guideline. A larger proportion of patients [85.8%; 95% CI: 84.8 - 86.8] were also given complete treatment including anti-relapse course, in line with national guidelines. About one third [35.0%; 95% CI: 33.6 - 36.4] of uncomplicated malaria cases were treated more than 48 hours after first symptoms onset. Correspondingly, half of severe malaria cases took recommended anti-malarial drugs for severe or complicated disease more than 48 hours of onset of first symptoms. The latter cases had given regular anti-malarial drugs promptly.</p> <p>The majority of malaria epidemics [97%; 95% CI: 90.6 - 100] in study areas were detected within one week of onset, but only half of epidemics were controlled within four weeks of detection. Just half of target districts had at least one health facility/emergency site with adequate supply and equipment stocks. Nevertheless, only one-third of them [33% (95% CI: 0.00 - 67.8)] had updated inventory of malaria foci on quarterly basis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To sum up, malaria case management still constitutes a public health problem in Iran. Additionally, data suggest scarcity in management and evaluation of malaria foci, detection and control of malaria epidemics as well as assignment of emergency sites across different regions of the country. Consequently, massive and substantial investments need to be made at the Ministry of Health to coordinate national malaria control programmes towards achieving determined goals and targets.</p

Translation and Psychometric Validation of Women Health Questionnaire (WHQ) in Persian Language

Menopause is not a disease; however the somatic and psychological symptoms that accompany it affect the life of women. Women health questionnaire (WHQ) is a self-administered questionnaire that measures the physical and mental health of women ages 40 to 65 years. The purpose of this study is to provide psychometric documentation details of the translation of WHQ into the Persian language. A total of 350 peri and postmenopausal women were recruited from urban health centers in the city of Tabriz, between March and October 2015. The validity of WHQ was assessed using construct and discriminate validity. The reliability of questionnaire was assessed by test retest reliability and measuring internal consistency. The KMO was 0.791, and the Bartlett’s test of Sphericity was significant. Principle component analysis (PCA) resulted in 9 factors which explained up to 55.4% of the total variance. Cronbach's coefficient was 0.799 and the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the Persian translation scale was 0.712. Evaluation of the psychometric properties showed that the Persian language translation of the 36-item version of the WHQ was appropriate when applied to middle aged wome