a. jafarzadeh

Physicians and scientists around the world are aggressively attempting to develop effective treatment strategies. The treatment goal is to reduce the fatality rate in 15% to 20% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 who develop severe inflammatory conditions that can lead to pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. These conditions are major causes of death in these patients. Convalescent plasma (CP) collected from patients recovered from the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) has been considered as an effective treatment method for COVID-19. Moreover, low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) for COVID-19 pneumonia was historically used to treat pneumonia during the first half of the 20th century. The concept of LDRT for COVID-19 pneumonia was first introduced in March 2020. Later scientists from Canada, Spain, United States, Germany and France also confirmed the potential efficacy of LDRT for treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. The rationale behind introducing LDRT as an effective treatment method for pneumonia in COVID-19 patients is not only due to its anti-inflammatory effect, but also in optimization of the activity of the immune system. Moreover, LDRT, unlike other treatment methods such as antiviral drugs, does not have the key disadvantage of exerting a significant selective pressure on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and hence does not lead to evolution of the virus through mutations. Given these considerations, we believe that a hybrid treatment including both CP and LDRT can trigger synergistic responses that will help healthcare providers in mitigating today’s COVID-19 pandemic.

Global health authorities are trying to work out the current status of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and explore methods to reduce the rate of its transmission to healthy individuals. In this viewpoint we provide insights concerning how health care professionals can unintentionally shift the novel coronavirus type to more drug-resistant forms. It is worth noting that viruses usually have different sensitivities to physical and chemical damaging agents such antiviral drugs, UV and heat ranging from extremely sensitive (ES) to extremely resistant (ER) based on a bell-shaped curve. Given this consideration, the widespread infection of people with such ER viruses would be a real disaster. Here, we introduce a modified treatment method for COVID-19-associated pneumonia. In this proposed method, COVID-19 patients will receive a single dose of 100, 180 or 250 mSv X-ray radiation that is less than the maximum annual radiation dose of the residents of high background radiation areas of Ramsar that is up to 260 mSv. In contrast with antiviral drugs, a single dose of either 100, 180 or 250 mSv of low LET X-rays cannot exert a significant selective pressure on the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and hence does not lead to directed accelerated evolution of these viruses. Moreover, Low Dose Radiation (LDR) has the capacity of modulating excessive inflammatory responses, regulating lymphocyte counts, and controling bacterial co-infections in patients with COVID-19.

The question of whether low levels of non-ionizing radiations such as the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) can induce the same positive immune responses remains unanswered. This study aimed to investigate the effects of non-ionizing RF-EMF on some parameters of the immune system in an animal model following infection with Salmonella Typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

 Male BALB/c mice were exposed to RF-EMFs generated by a common GSM mobile phone for 3 days. Animals were infected with K. pneumonia or S. Typhimurium on the 4th day. On the7th day after injection, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture. The specific antibodies against bacteria were determined by agglutination method and serum levels of the cytokines were measured using the ELISA method. Moreover, the leukocytes count was measured using a cell counter.

 The levels of specific antibodies against bacteria were higher in non-irradiated mice compared to irradiated mice. There were no significant differences between the irradiated and non-irradiated mice regarding the total blood leukocyte count. The mean serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 after infection with K. pneumoniae were significantly higher in the irradiated mice (p<0.001).

Low levels of RF-EMF can stimulate the immune responses in the mice pre-exposed to RF-EMF. This study provides further evidence supporting that exposure to certain levels of RF-EMF can stimulate the immune system. These adaptive responses may be applied to cope with the increased susceptibility of the astronauts to infections during a deep space mission.

The aim of this study was to investigate the bovine chondrocytes growth on new polymeric nanofibers silk fibroin/kitosan scaffolds, designed by authors, to form the cartilage tissue. Material and Methods: The chondrocyte cells isolated from three calf articular cartilage were loaded on the scaffold. After a monthof incubation, cells morphology was studied by SEM and the rate of cell growth by H&E and DAPI staining. To assay chondrogenesis in the culture, production of collagene was assayed by masson’s trichrom staining and formation of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and Proteoglycan was assayed by DMMB and “safranin O” staining. The results showed that the cells attached and proliferated to scaffolds very well. The number of cultured cells after one month proliferated by 4 to 5 times. Masson’s trichrom, safranin O staining and GAG assay showed cartilage tissue production in the scaffolds. According to the results, the scaffold of nanofibers Fibroin silk / chitosan could be a good scaffold candidate for cartilage tissue engineering. This is due to the nature of the proteins in silk fibroin and polysaccharides in chitosan for cellular attachment and also the diameter close to the diameter of extracellular matrix proteins in these scaffolds.

The use of groundwater resource is very significant in regions such as plain of Birjand. Ease of removal from groundwater sources and potential exploitation of the weak area of surface water resources is one of the main reasons for this. As a result, the protection of groundwater in these areas is very important. Integrated urban wastewater project will impact directly on aquifer of plain. Balance conceptual model of aquifer was coded in VISUAL BASIC for assessment impacts of this plan. Three level of development (A, B, C) for this plan was considered until 2020. A, B levels show develop of plan in 60, 100 percent respectively and C level shows no plane. Precipitation was extracted of output of AOGCM models under three scenarios of A1B, B1, and A2. Head simulation results shows that maximum head loss occurs by 6.8 m in B, 5.5m in A and 3.57m in the scenario of C respectively on 2020. Also these results show that head loss in B is higher than A levels. Head loss in B level is longer than 1.3m in A level.

In recent years, some specialized software has been developed for land evaluation goals that the common aspect of them is the generation of an environment for patterning and modeling of evaluation methods. The purpose of the present study is the assessment of susceptible land for irrigated maize, sunflower and barely crops in Jaldyan and Pasveh regions with an area of 9680 ha lain between 36o30΄ to 36o50΄ N latitude and 45o05΄ to 45o25΄ E longitude in West Azerbaijan province by GIS technique. After determination of climate, soil and landscape characteristics of the region, crop requirements of land utilization types were determined using the tables developed by Sys and Givi, and finally land suitability was recognized by ArcGIS software. Results show that in the surveyed region, the climatic classes are highly suitable (S1) for irrigated barely and moderate suitable (S2) for maize and sunflower due to the limitation of relative humidity of the growing cycle. Also, the most important soil limiting factors for crops production are pH, CaCO3, texture, coarse fragments and topography in areas. It is suggested that, this method of overlaying two or more map layers to produce a new map, to be used more in land evaluation, because it is very difficult and time-consuming by traditional methods. In other words, using GIS in land suitability surveys increases the accuracy and progress of research.

In recent years with introduction of better screening tests, the risk of infection with transfusion-transmitted viruses has been reduced remarkably, although obtaining a zero-risk blood supply still remains international blood transfusion services goal. The routine test for detection of HBV infected blood samples is examination of HBsAg with ELISA method but in occult HBV infection, HBsAg is not detectable by ELISA. Therefore, a more sensitive or complementary test is needed. Some international blood transfusion services have introduced anti-HBc screening as a surrogate test for the presence of HBV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of occult HBV infection in Isfahanian blood donors and the potential value of anti-HBc testing of donors as a screening test to detect occult HBV infection.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 545 blood units were collected (from Isfahan blood center) and tested by HBsAg ELISA kit from April to June 2004 and then all HBsAg negative samples were tested by anti-HBc ELISA kit. To detect occult HBV infection, all HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive samples were tested by PCR method.

All samples were negative for HBsAg while 43 blood units were anti-HBc positive (8%). These HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive blood units were tested for HBV DNA of which five units (%11.6) were HBV DNA positive.

Occult HBV infection is a clinical form of HBV infection that cannot be detected by usual method (ELISA) for HBsAg and therefore more sensitive techniques are needed for detection of HBV infection. PCR is a sensitive technique that detects HBV DNA even in a trace mounts. Our results identified that more sensitive and complementary tests such as, PCR and anti-HBc, are essential and helpful to ensure safety of blood units.

Vaccination with the major surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) induces anti-HBs antibody production and level of 10 IU/L is considered protective. It has been shown that the level of anti-HBs antibody does wane after vaccination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the persistence of anti-HBs antibodies in healthy Iranian children 10 years after primary vaccination.

Blood samples were collected from 146 children, 10 years after completion of primary hepatitis B vaccination course at birth. The sera were tested for anti-HBs, antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and HBsAg by use of ELISA technique.

At 10 years after primary vaccination, 70 (47.9%) children had protective levels of antibody (anti-HBs> 10 IU/L) with mean titer of 68.1 IU/ml. Moreover, 45 (30.82%) children were negative for anti-HBs antibody. Distribution of children according to anti-HBs concentration revealed that the proportion of subjects with antibody titer of 0-10 IU/L, 10-100 IU/L, 100-500 IU/L and 500-1000 IU/L was 52.1%, 24.6%, 20.5% and 2.7%, respectively. All children were negative for HBsAg, although anti-HBc was positive in 11 (7.5%) children. There was no difference in the seroprotection rates of males and females.

The results of present study show that after 10 years after primary vaccination with recombinant HB vaccine, 47.9% of the children had protective levels of anti-HBs antibody. On basis of the HBsAg and anti-HBc results, it seems that effective immunological memory exists in children. Additional follow-up studies need to be conducted to determine the duration of protection.

Background:

Recently, mast cells have been found to participate in the inflammatory process of atherosclerosis.Mast cells can be activated by IgE-mediated mechanisms to release potent mediators which also affect coronary blood flow. The aim of this study was to determine serum IgE levels in patients with acute ischemic syndromes.

Methods:

Serum samples were collected from 3 groups consisting of 30 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 30 patients with unstable angina pectoris and 30 subjects without any ischemic heart diseases, as a control group. The serum IgE levels were measured by sandwich ELISA technique.

Results:

The mean serum IgE concentrations in AMI, unstable angina and control groups were 367.1, 286.2 and 136 IU/ml, respectively. There was a significant difference between the IgE levels in patients with AMI and those in the control group (p<0.01). Moreover, there was a significant association between IgE levels and acute ischemic syndromes in men as compared to women.

Conclusion:

Elevated levels of serum IgE were observed in patients with ischemic heart diseases.These results suggested that IgE might play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of AMI and unstable angina or that it could only be a marker formed during pathological mechanism