Anthropometric indices in individuals infected with ascaris lumbericoids in Iran

Context: Ascaris Lumbericoids infection is more common in children and teenagers and in areas with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Largest of all the parasites inhabiting the human intestine it is also the most common of parasitic infections in developing countries. It has been reported to infect about one-fourth of the world population. Chronic ascariasis has been reported to adversely effect the growth rate and anthropometric indices in infected individuals of growing age. Aims: The goal of this research was to evaluate the anthropometric indices in individuals infected with Ascaris in Hamedan province of Iran. Settings and Design: This was a descriptive cross sectional study. Methods and Material: Six hundred fourteen randomly selected individuals who were inhabitants of Hamedan province of Iran were chosen for this study. Stool samples of these individuals were collected and then experimented with Formel-Ether method to determine Ascaris Lumbericoids infection. Height and weight of these individuals were measured and compared with the indices related to NCHS. Demographic information of these individuals was entered into questionnaires and ultimately was analyzed with SPSS software. Results: Out of the total study population, 16.5% of individuals were found to be infected with Ascaris. Out of the individuals infected with Ascaris, 1% were underweight. In the age groups of 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 years, 3.5%, 5.1% and 3.5% were found to be suffering from malnutrition, respectively. Conclusion: Malabsorption in children might result in malnutrition. In this study, few individuals infected with Ascaris had malnutrition, thus Ascaris infection may not be an important cause of malnutrition among children in our area

Effects of progesterone injection on performance, plasma hormones and ovarian morphology of ad libitum and restricted fed broiler breeder hens

An experiment was conducted to evaluate responses of feed-satiated and feed- restricted breeder hens to daily injection of progesterone (P4). A total of 64 Cobb 500 hens were fed either restricted or ad libitum from 27 to 38 wk of age. Fourteen laying hens from each group were selected to conduct P4 injection assay. Half of birds in each group (n = 7) were injected daily by 2.5 mg P4/kg BW and remaining birds were used as control. The P4 was injected subcutaneously, at the base of the neck daily(at 0900 h) for 21 d. Settable and abnormal eggs were recorded daily. Blood samples were taken just before initiation of injections, 10-d and 20-d after initiation of injection. Plasma samples were analyzedfor glucose, cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), P4, estradiol (E2), testosterone, T3 and T4 concentration. Settable egg production declined following P4 injection, whereas total egg production (including softshell egg) remain at high levels in injected birds during the first week after initiation of P4 injection. Progesterone injection in feed-satiated and feed-restricted birds resulted in ovary regression; the ovaryof these birds had no hierarchical follicle. Progesterone injection increased incidence of holding hardshelled eggs in the uterus. Plasma E2 concentrations were affected both by feeding pattern and P4 injection. Progesterone injection depressed plasma E2 concentration in both ad libitum and restricted fed hens. Hens with free access to feed had significantly lower plasma E2 levels compared to restricted fed hens. Our results revealed that whereas injection of P4 induced frequent ovulation early in the injection period in both feed- satiated and feed-restricted breeder hens; however this higher ovulation rate did not result in more settable egg production

Fumonisin B1 contamination of cereals and risk of esophageal cancer in a high risk area in Northeastern Iran

Introduction: Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin produced in cereals due to fungal infection. This study was conducted to determine FB1 contamination of rice and corn samples and its relationship with the rate of esophageal cancer (EC) in a high risk area in northeastern Iran. Methods: In total, 66 rice and 66 corn samples were collected from 22 geographical subdivisions of Golestan province of Iran. The levels of FB1 were measured for each subdivision by thin layer and high pressure liquid chromatographies. The mean level of FB1 and the proportions of FB1 contaminated samples were compared between low and high EC-risk areas of the province. Results: The mean of FB1 levels in corn and rice samples were 223.64 and 21.59 μ/g, respectively. FB1 contamination was found in 50% and 40.9% of corn and rice samples, respectively. FB1 level was significantly higher in rice samples obtained from high EC-risk area (43.8 μ/g) than those obtained from low risk area (8.93 μ/g) (p-value=0.01). The proportion of FBI contaminated rice samples was also significantly greater in high (75%) than low (21.4%) EC-risk areas (p-value=0.02). Conclusion: We found high levels of FBI contamination in corn and rice samples from Golestan province of Iran, with a significant positive relationship between FB1 contamination in rice and the risk of EC. Therefore, fumonisin contamination in commonly used staple foods, especially rice, may be considered as a potential risk factor for EC in this high risk region

Iranian Women's Strategies for Coping with Domestic Violence

Background: Behavioral coping strategies may lead to either increased or reduced violence or associated stress, while also affecting psychological outcomes. To help abused Iranian women cope better with domestic violence and to provide better care for them, it is crucial to investigate their strategies for coping with domestic violence. Objectives: This qualitative study explores the strategies used by Iranian women to cope with domestic violence. Materials and Methods: This study uses a qualitative design, based on a content analysis approach. The participants comprised 24 married women, selected from parks, health centers and two colleges located in Tehran, Iran. The purposive sampling method was used to recruit the participants and continued until data saturation was reached. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to gather data. Results: During the data analysis, a theme “situation management” emerged together with two categories, comprising “the strategies of violence control” and “the strategies of distress control”. The results show that the participants try to manage the abusive situation by controlling violence and or the distress it causes. Conclusions: Unlike common stereotypes that reveal women to be submissive and passive in the face of violence, the results show that the participants in this study coped with violence using consciousness and creativity, and by relying on the available resources. An understanding of the coping strategies used by abused women could help health staff to provide better care for such women and encourage them to use more effective strategies

Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of hydatid cysts isolated from livestock in Bushehr province, Iran

Hydatid cyst is one of the parasitic zoonoses caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm. The spread of this parasite is global and is of great importance in terms of public health. To date, ten different species of this parasite have been identified that differ in characteristics such as life cycle, epidemiology and pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the genotype and phylogenetic relationship of hydatid cysts isolated from livestock of Bushehr province, Iran. About 62 samples of hepatic and pulmonary hydatid cysts were collected from slaughtered animals. DNA extracted by phenol–chloroform method was amplified by PCR using primers specific for the cox1 gene. The PCR products of 50 samples were sequenced and analyzed using BioEdit software and compared with sequences in the GenBank. The phylogenetic tree was drawn using Neighbor Joining tree-NJ method, and its reliability was evaluated. Sequencing results showed that out of 50 sequenced samples, 43 samples had the genotype of Echinococcus granulosus and 7 samples had the genotype of Taenia hydatigena. By drawing a phylogenetic tree, all 43 hydatid cyst samples belonged to G1 strain. The predominance of G1 strain of hydatid cyst in livestock of Bushehr province shows the main role of this genotype in establishing the life cycle of parasite in this region and if the genotype of the parasite in dogs and humans is determined, then these findings can be used to disrupt the life cycle of the parasite and reduce the human infections

Incorporation of SiC ceramic nanoparticles into the aluminum matrix by a novel method: production of a metal matrix composite

SiC ceramic nanoparticles were incorporated into the A356 aluminum matrix with different compositions using a combination of stir casting and semisolid extrusion. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the produced nanocomposites were evaluated. The results showed that the presence of Nickel acts as an appropriate metallic carrier for SiC nanoparticles, which causes uniform dispersion and spherical grains. Consequently, the coexistence of SiC nanoparticles and Nickel resulted in UTS of above 304 MPa and elongation of 5.8%. However, the addition of Titanium caused the formation of flake-like intermetallics, which decreased the elongation of the nanocomposites. The method introduced in this study for the incorporation of SiC ceramic nanoparticles can be used as a promising process instead of conventional methods, which are expensive and time-consuming

A population-based dataset concerning predictors of willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Iran

The global issue of preventing the spread of COVID-19 is challenging. One of the most efficient ways to control the pandemic is to have a full coverage of COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, this paper collected survey data to understand the intention and willingness of COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Qazvin, Iran. With the use of a paper-and-pencil method and multistage stratified cluster sampling, research personnel approached and interviewed a representative sample of adults in Qazvin (n = 10843) between February 19 and April 9, 2021. The survey asked questions regarding sociodemographic information, fear of COVID-19, perceived COVID-19 infectability, perceived behavioral control over COVID-19 vaccination, subjective norm of COVID-19 vaccination, attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination, and intention to get COVID-19 vaccinated. The data collected from this survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics, which were carried out using the IBM SPSS version 17.0

Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling Pathway Associated Gene Polymorphisms May Explain Lower Breast Cancer Risk in Western Indian Women

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFB1) T29C and TGF β receptor type 1 (TGFBR1) 6A/9A polymorphisms have been implicated in the modulation of risk for breast cancer in Caucasian women. We analyzed these polymorphisms and combinations of their genotypes, in pre menopausal breast cancer patients (N = 182) and healthy women (N = 236) from western India as well as in breast cancer patients and healthy women from the Parsi community (N = 48 & 171, respectively). Western Indian women were characterized by a higher frequency of TGFB1*C allele of the TGF β T29C polymorphism (0.48 vs 0.44) and a significantly lower frequency of TGFBR1*6A allele of the TGFBR1 6A/9A polymorphism (0.02 vs 0.068, p<0.01) as compared to healthy Parsi women. A strong protective effect of TGFB1*29C allele was seen in younger western Indian women (<40 yrs; OR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.25–0.81). Compared to healthy women, the strikingly higher frequencies of low or intermediate TGF β signalers in patients suggested a strong influence of the combination of these genotypes on the risk for breast cancer in Parsi women (for intermediate signalers, OR = 4.47 95%CI 1.01–19.69). The frequency of low signalers in Parsi healthy women, while comparable to that reported in Europeans and Americans, was three times higher than that in healthy women from western India (10.6% vs 3.3%, p<0.01). These observations, in conjunction with the low incidence rate of breast cancer in Indian women compared to White women, raise a possibility that the higher frequency of TGFB1*29C allele and lower frequency of TGFBR1*6A allele may represent important genetic determinants that together contribute to a lower risk of breast cancer in western Indian women