Molecular Identification of Neospora caninum Infection in Aborted Fetuses of Sheep, Cattle, and Goats in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Background: We aimed to identify Neospora caninum DNA in the brain samples of aborted fetuses of cattle, goats, and sheep in Mazandaran, northern Iran, using PCR. Methods: In total, 133 aborted fetuses (51 sheep, 78 cattle, and 4 goats) were randomly collected from different stages of gestation in various regions of Mazandaran, Iran, from Mar 2016 to May 2017. The DNA was extracted from all the brain samples using phenol chloroform isoamyl alcohol instructions. The Nc-5 gene was used for the detection of N. caninum DNA by nested-PCR assay. Results: The detection of N. caninum DNA was confirmed by the observation of a 227 bp band in 24 samples of 133 aborted fetuses (18.1%). The highest prevalence rate of N. caninum was detected in the cattle (20.5%) followed by the sheep (15.6%); however, no positive cases were reported in the goats. The highest and lowest prevalence rates of the infection were reported as 23.8% and 8.6% in Qaemshahr, and Behshahr, respectively. The prevalence rate of infection (32%) in the early gestational period was higher than those in the middle (15%) and late (3.8%) gestational periods. Conclusion: The obtained data of the present study indicated that N. caninum infection may partly be responsible for abortion and economic loss in livestock farming in Mazandaran Province

Enhancement of immune responses by vaccine potential of three antigens, including ROP18, MIC4, and SAG1 against acute toxoplasmosis in mice

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes considerable financial losses in the livestock industry and can present serious threats to pregnant women, as well as immunocompromised patients. Therefore, it is required to design and produce an efficient vaccine for controlling toxoplasmosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective immunity induced by RMS protein (ROP18, MIC4, and SAG1) with Freund adjuvant, calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaPNs), and chitosan nanoparticles (CNs) in BALB/c mice. The RMS protein was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and purified using a HisTrap HP column. Thereafter, cellular and humoral immunity was assessed by injecting RMS protein on days 0, 21, and 35 into four groups [RMS, RMS-chitosan nanoparticles (RMS-CNs), RMS-calcium phosphate nanoparticles (RMS-CaPNs), and RMS-Freund]. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), CNs, CaPNs, and Freund served as the four control groups. The results displayed that vaccination with RMS protein and adjuvants significantly elicited the levels of specific IgG antibodies and cytokines against toxoplasmosis. There were high levels of total IgG, IgG2a, and IFN-γ in vaccinated mice, compared to those in the control groups, especially in the RMS-Freund, indicating a Th-1 type response. The vaccinated and control mice were challenged intraperitoneally with 1 × 103 tachyzoites of the T. gondii RH strain four weeks after the last injection, and in RMS-Freund and RMS-CaPNs groups, the highest increase in survival time was observed (15 days). The RMS can significantly increase Th1 and Th2 responses; moreover, multi-epitope vaccines with adjuvants can be a promising strategy for the production of a vaccine against toxoplasmosis

Effect of shoes containing nanosilica particles on knee valgus in active females during landing

Objective(s): The effect of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) in sport shoes outsoles on the  parameters related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Injury has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of shoes outsole containing a composite of thermoplastic elastomer based on styrene-butadiene and silica nanoparticles (TPEN shoe) on Knee Valgus Angle (KVA) as a risk factor of ACL injuries during landing Materials and Methods: Fourteen active healthy women without knee injuries and disorders performed bilateral drop jump (DJ) and single leg drop landing (SLL) tasks in barefoot, wearing shoes fabricated with polyvinyl chloride outsole (PVC shoe) and TPEN shoes conditions , randomly. The knee valgus angle values of right and left legs were calculated in the landing conditions. Two factors repeated measures ANOVA were used to investigate the effect of landing and footwear conditions on KVA of right and left legs.  Results: For both left and right limbs, the KVA was at maximum and minimum values during landing with barefoot and TPEN shoes, respectively. PVC shoe significantly reduced the knee valgus by 3.84% in left and 4.18% in right knee (

The global seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in women who had spontaneous abortion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND:Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular pathogen that can lead to abortion in pregnant women infected with this parasite. Therefore, the present study aimed to estimate the global seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in women who had spontaneous abortion based on the results of published articles and evaluate the relationship between seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies and abortion via a systematical review and meta-analysis. METHODS:Different databases were searched in order to gain access to all studies on the seroprevalence of anti- T. gondii antibodies in women who had spontaneous abortion and association between seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies and abortion published up to April 25th, 2019. Odds ratio (OR) and the pooled rate seroprevalence of T. gondii with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the random effects model. RESULTS:In total, 8 cross-sectional studies conducted on 1275 women who had abortion in present pregnancy, 40 cross-sectional studies performed on 9122 women who had a history of abortion, and 60 articles (involving 35 cross-sectional studies including 4436 women who had spontaneous abortion as case and 10398 as control and 25 case-control studies entailing 4656 cases and 3178 controls) were included for the final analyses. The random-effects estimates of the prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in women who had abortion in present pregnancy and women who had a history of abortion were 33% (95% CI: 17%-49%) and 43% (95% CI: 27%-60%), respectively. In addition, the pooled OR for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in cross-sectional and case-control studies among women who had spontaneous abortion were 1.65 (95% CI: 1.31-2.09) and 2.26 (95% CI: 1.56-3.28), respectively. Also, statistical analysis showed that the pooled OR of the risk of anti-T. gondii IgM antibody 1.39 (95% CI: 0.61-3.15) in cross-sectional and 4.33 (95% CI: 2.42-7.76) in case-control studies. CONCLUSION:Based on the results of the current study, T. gondii infection could be considered a potential risk factor for abortion. It is recommended to carry out further and more comprehensive investigations to determine the effect of T. gondii infection on abortion to prevent and control toxoplasmosis among pregnant women around the world

Intestinal parasites among migrant barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) in the central region of Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Aim: Swallows are a family of migratory birds found worldwide except Antarctica. Annually, a number of species of swallows migrate to Iran. As they make their nests close to human living places, this may be a potential risk for public health. Conversely, no study has been conducted on intestinal parasitic infections of these birds so far. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in migratory swallows (Hirundo rustica) in the central region of Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 205 feces samples from two districts (Sari and Qaemshahr) in the central region of Mazandaran were randomly collected during the summer and spring sessions of 2016-2017. The collected samples were examined using the routine direct fecal examination and formalin-ethyl acetate concentration. In addition, the samples were examined by cold acid-fast staining method to detect possible Cryptosporidium oocysts. Results: The results of this study indicated that 38 samples (18.5%) were infected with intestinal parasites. Among the helminthic parasites, eight genera and species were identified as follows: Ascaridia galli, Syngamus trachea, Raillietina, Toxocara spp., Choanotaenia, Taenia spp., Ascaridia spp., and Moniezia spp. In addition, among protozoan parasites, only the Coccidia spp. oocysts were identified. Conclusion: Our findings showed a relatively high prevalence of parasitic infections in migratory barn swallows in Mazandaran Province. Given the presence of zoonotic parasites in the samples, further investigations are needed to identify all parasites fauna, particularly zoonotic species among swallows in the region

Expression of Recombinant Human Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 and Development of Camel Polyclonal Antibody

Aims Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) is a membrane receptor expressed on the surface of T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, natural killers, and dendritic cells. In cancer, the PD-1/PD-L1 system prevents the proliferation of T lymphocytes and causes the release of cytokines and cytotoxicity, which leads to the apoptosis of tumor-specific T cells, thereby preventing the immune response to cancer cells.  Methods & Materials In this study, the extracellular part of the humanized PD-1 protein was cloned and expressed, and the protein was injected as an antigen into a camel (Camelus dromedarius) to obtain a camel polyclonal antibody against PD-1 protein.  Findings The obtained results indicate the proper expression of the protein in the prokaryotic system. Also, using various tests, such as ELISA and western blot, it was confirmed that the polyclonal antibody obtained from camel can identify PD-1 protein.  Conclusion This study showed that because of the advantages, such as the ability to bind multiple epitopes, camel polyclonal antibodies can be used in antibody-based research for effective and strong molecular applications to detect PD-1 receptors

The Relationship Between Workplace Spirituality, Job Satisfaction and Attitude Toward Death Among the Staff of the Emergency Department

Background: The present study was carried out aimed to examine the relationship between workplace spirituality and job satisfaction. It also aimed to determine the intermediary role of attitude toward death among emergency department staff in Shiraz city. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and correlation study, the statistical population included 90 staff of the Shiraz Emergency department who were selected through simple random sampling in 2016-2017. Spirituality questionnaires in the workplace, life satisfaction and attitude towards death were used in this research, and the data were analyzed by SPSS and EMOS software. Results: The results of the data analysis indicated that workplace spirituality had a negative effect (β=-0.32, P=0.001) on neutral acceptance and a positive effect (β=0.21, P=0.03) on active acceptance and life satisfaction (β=0.19, P=0.05). Furthermore, out of the attitudes toward death scales, only neutral acceptance could play a mediating role between workplace spirituality and life satisfaction (β=-0.27, P=0.00). Model fitting indicators show that the model has a good fit (X2=0.86, GFA=0.97, CFI=0.99). Conclusion: The results show that workplace spirituality is compatible with life satisfaction and the mediating role of attitude toward death among the staff of the emergency department

مقایسه دو روش کوخر و هیپوکراتیک تعدیل شده در جااندازی دررفتگی قدامی شانه؛ یک مطالعه نیمه تجربی

Introduction: Various methods have been designed for shoulder reduction and Kocher method (flexion, adduction and external rotation) and traction counter-traction are introduced as the oldest methods. Therefore, the present study was designed aiming to compare these two methods in reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation. Methods: This quasi experimental study was conducted on 16 to 60 year-old patients presenting to emergency department following anterior shoulder dislocation during 1 year. Patients underwent reduction via Kocher or traction counter-traction methods and were compared regarding reduction time, pain relief rate, success rate and neurological vascular complications. Results: 150 patients with the mean age of 32.11 ± 11.3 years were randomly divided into 2 groups of traction counter-traction (67 individuals) and Kocher (83 individuals) (86.7% male). The 2 groups were similar regarding age (p = 0.52) and sex (p = 0.679). There was no significant difference regarding pain relief after reduction between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). Mean reduction time was 72.27 ± 15.08 seconds in the traction group and 62.34 ± 24.35 seconds in the rotation group (p < 0.0001). In addition, duration of hospitalization was 3.00 ± 0.48 hours in traction group versus 3.08 ± 0.61 hours in the other group (p = 0.382). The frequency of failure in reduction cases was 1 (1.49%) in the traction group and 6 (7.22%) in the rotation group (p = 0.129). Finally, 2 (2.40%) cases of mild injury of brachial plexus in the ulnar nerve path occurred in the rotation group and no neurological complication was seen in the traction group. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, Kocher and traction counter-traction methods were similar regarding pain relief after reduction and total duration of hospitalization, but reduction time was shorter in Kocher method and treatment failure rate was reported to be higher in this method. مقدمه: روش های مختلفی برای جااندازی مفصل شانه طراحی شده اند و از روش کوخر (فلکشن، ادداکشن و اکسترنال روتیشن) و  ترکشن کانترترکشن به عنوان قدیمی ترین این روش ها یاد می شود. لذا مطالعه حاضر با هدف مقایسه این دو روش در جااندازی دررفتگی قدامی شانه طراحی شده است. روش کار: این مطالعه نیمه تجربی به مدت یک سال و بر روی بیماران 16 تا 60 ساله مراجعه کننده به بخش اورژانس به دنبال دررفتگی قدامی شانه صورت گرفت. بیماران با دو روش کوخر یا ترکشن کانترترکشن جااندازی شدند و از نظر زمان جااندازی، میزان کاهش درد، میزان موفقیت و عوارض عروقی عصبی مورد مقایسه قرار گرفتند. یافته ها: 150 بیمار با میانگین سنی 3/11 ± 11/32 سال به طور تصادفی به دو گروه ترکشن کانترترکشن (67 نفر) و کوخر (83 نفر) تقسیم شدند (7/86 درصد مرد). دو گروه‌ از نظر سن (52/0 =p ) و جنس (679/0 =p ) در وضعیت یکسانی قرار داشتند. تفاوت معنی داری بین دو گروه از جهت میزان کاهش درد بعد از انجام جااندازی وجود نداشت (05/0 < p). میانگین مدت زمان جااندازی در گروه ترکشن  08/35  ±  27/72 و در گروه روتیشن 35/24 ±   34/62 ثانیه بود (0001/0 > p). همچنین طول مدت بستری در گروه ترکشن 48/0 ±  00/3 در مقابل 61/0 ±   08/3 ساعت بود (382/0 = p). تعداد موارد شکست در جااندازی در گروه ترکشن 1 (49/1 درصد) مورد و در گروه روتیشن 6 (22/7 درصد) بود (129/0= p). در نهایت 2 (40/2 درصد) آسیب خفیف شبکه بازویی در مسیر عصب اولنار در گروه روتیشن اتفاق افتاد و در گروه ترکشن عارضه عصبی روئیت نگردید. نتیجه‌گیری: بر اساس نتایج مطالعه حاضر دو روش کوخر و ترکشن کانترترکشن از شرایط یکسانی در رابطه با میزان کاهش درد بعد از جااندازی و کل طول مدت بستری در بیمارستان برخوردار بودند ولی در روش کوخر مدت زمان انجام جاندازی کوتاهتر بود و میزان موارد شکست درمان در این روش به نسبت بالاتر گزارش گردید

Comparison of Kocher and Modified Hippocratic Methods in Reduction of Anterior Shoulder Dislocation; a Quasi Experimental Study

Introduction: Various methods have been designed for shoulder reduction and Kocher method (flexion, adduction and external rotation) and traction counter-traction are introduced as the oldest methods. Therefore, the present study was designed aiming to compare these two methods in reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation. Methods: This quasi experimental study was conducted on 16 to 60 year-old patients presenting to emergency department following anterior shoulder dislocation during 1 year. Patients underwent reduction via Kocher or traction counter-traction methods and were compared regarding reduction time, pain relief rate, success rate and neurological vascular complications. Results: 150 patients with the mean age of 32.11 ± 11.3 years were randomly divided into 2 groups of traction counter-traction (67 individuals) and Kocher (83 individuals) (86.7% male). The 2 groups were similar regarding age (p = 0.52) and sex (p = 0.679). There was no significant difference regarding pain relief after reduction between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). Mean reduction time was 72.27 ± 15.08 seconds in the traction group and 62.34 ± 24.35 seconds in the rotation group (p < 0.0001). In addition, duration of hospitalization was 3.00 ± 0.48 hours in traction group versus 3.08 ± 0.61 hours in the other group (p = 0.382). The frequency of failure in reduction cases was 1 (1.49%) in the traction group and 6 (7.22%) in the rotation group (p = 0.129). Finally, 2 (2.40%) cases of mild injury of brachial plexus in the ulnar nerve path occurred in the rotation group and no neurological complication was seen in the traction group. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, Kocher and traction counter-traction methods were similar regarding pain relief after reduction and total duration of hospitalization, but reduction time was shorter in Kocher method and treatment failure rate was reported to be higher in this method