farid azizi jalilian

 Investigating the prevalence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in asymptomatic children who have been in close contact with symptomatic individuals is instrumental for refining public health approaches, protecting vulnerable populations, and mitigating the broader impact of the pandemic. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence of COVID-19 infection in asymptomatic children who had been in close contact with parents exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

Study Design: 

A cross-sectional study.

 The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 175 asymptomatic children who had been in close contact with COVID-19 confirmed cases in Hamadan County from March 2021 to August 2021. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing was performed on all asymptomatic children who had been in close contact with an individual with COVID-19. Furthermore, multiple logistic regressions were conducted to determine the predictors of COVID-19 transmission from family members to children.

 Out of the 175 children in close contact with index cases, 53 (30.29%) tested positive for COVID-19 through PCR. Regarding factors related to the index case, male cases (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-5.09, P=0.041), rural dwellers (AOR=3.22; 95% CI: 1.02-10.16, P=0.046), illiterate cases (AOR=8.45; 95% CI: 1.76-40.65, P=0.008), and cases presenting with nasal congestion symptoms (AOR=9.12; 95% CI: 2.22-37.40, P=0.002) were more prone to transmitting the virus to children who had close contact with them.

 The findings of the present study suggested that asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in household contacts is significant in children who were in close contact with a COVID-19-positive patient. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to monitor this group closely.

 

Background and Aim:

 Inner ear infection with some viruses may be one of the possible causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL). This study aims to determine the frequency of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in perilymph and peripheral blood samples of cochlear-implanted children.

Methods: 

In this cross-sectional study, 30 children with severe-to-profound SNHL (aged 1.1–5 years) underwent cochlear implantation surgery. During surgery, their perilymph and peripheral blood samples were collected. The samples were analyzed separately for the presence of herpes HSV-1, HSV-2, and CMV by real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. The load of IgG and IgM antibodies against these viruses was determined using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method.

Results: 

The frequency of CMV in perilymph samples was 16.7% (5 patients) and in peripheral blood samples was 3.3% (1 patient). The IgG antibody against CMV and HSV- 1 was positive in 80% and 46.7% of the patients, respectively. The IgM antibody against CMV was positive in 10%. The mean IgM serum antibody load against HSV-1, HSV-2, and CMV was 2.70, 1.70, and 5.47, respectively, and the mean IgG antibody load against these viruses was 56.07, 2.50, and 23.67, respectively.

Conclusion: 

The IgG test is positive in cochlear-implanted children with CMV in their perilymph samples, and the CMV genome is not present in their peripheral blood. This may indicate the previous presence of this virus in the ear and its role in hearing loss.

Trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis protozoan, is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Although metronidazole and tinidazole are the only approved drugs for treatment, drug-resistant cases of infection are on the rise. The aim of the study was the evaluation of antitrichomonal potential of Piper nigrum and limonene. The phytochemical profile of P. nigrum oil was also investigated. The parasites were treated in vitro with essential oil and different extracts of P. nigrum seed and limonene using microtiter plate method. The oil analysis of P. nigrum was also evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assay of P. nigrum oil and limonene were screened on Vero cell line by MTT method. The tested P. nigrum fractions were able to kill 100% of Trichomonas trophozoites at MLC concentration and reduce the trophozoite viability at sub-MLC and lower concentrations. After 48 hours exposure, the most potent fraction was the n-hexane extract with MLC of 78 µg/ml and followed by the essential oil and methanol extract with MLC of 156 µg/ml, limonene (MLC=1250 µg/ml), and then, aqueous extract with MLC value of 25 mg/ml. Also according to cytotoxicity assay, P. nigrum oil was less toxic to Vero cell than limonene, with a selectivity index of 13.2 and 2.04, respectively. This study clearly demonstrated the trichomonacidal potential of P. nigrum. Thus, P. nigrum fractions can be considered promising antiprotozoal agents and the basis for further development to discover new phytochemicals compounds.

All age groups are at risk of contracting and dying of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, older people and those with underlying conditions, comorbidities and disability levels are at higher risk of developing a serious illness, especially those living in enclosed spaces such as nursing homes and care centers, are more vulnerable to getting this disease, which can become fatal during this pandemic. Other reasons that make them more susceptible include population density, sharing equipment, poor public health measurements and infection controlling and close contact with roommates, which may all these factors increase the transmission rate and risk of infection. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the outbreak of COVID-19 in a chronic psychiatric rehabilitation center called Behboud center in Hamadan, west of Iran. It is a rehabilitation center with 85 women clients and 16 staff.

 In December 2019, human-to-human transmission of respiratory illness (pneumonia) with fever and sputum was discovered in the respiratory tract, called COVID-19. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute-phase plasma protein that is considered to be diagnostically superior to CRP in pathological conditions such as viral diseases. Therefore, the study question in this review is whether SAA as an indicator is involved in the early diagnosis of COVID disease.

 To identify related studies, we systematically searched international databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine, without restriction on time until June 2021. Also, the Reference list of relevant studies was reviewed separately to find all existing articles in this field. Summary standardized mean difference (SMD) was estimated using random effects meta-analysis.

A total of 394 potentially relevant articles were identified from the initial search. After removing the duplicates and reading the title, abstract and full-text review, six studies were entered into the meta-analysis. There was a significant difference between the means of SSA among patients with a severe form of the disease compared to non-sever groups (SMD=-0.91, 95% CI: 1.18-1.59, -0.23) and with the control group (SMD=4.68, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.18). The Beggs and egger test results indicated no evidence of publication bias in the reported SMD.

 The result of our work indicates that SAA might potentially be used for the early diagnosis of COVID disease, but more studies are needed.

The phage display method is a technology that enables the expression of exogenous polypeptides on the surface of bacteriophage particles. Phage titration and ELISA are applied to measure helper phage particles or polypeptide bearing phages and also evaluation the interaction between polypeptide bearing phages and coated antigens, respectively. Although several procedures have been introduced to perform phage titration and ELISA, they face some limitations, such as being time-consuming, expensive, and low reproducibility. We developed a new system called EnzyPha by engineering the M13KO7 expressing Secreted Acid Phosphatase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SapM enzyme) on its pIX protein for applying in colorimetric phage titration and ELISA methods. To evaluate the idea, colorimetric phage titration and ELISA were performed and compared to the traditional methods. SapM enzyme was expressed on the pIX protein of M13KO7 properly. The colorimetric phage titration and phage ELISA showed better and comparable results against the traditional approaches. The results showed that the proposed model would titrate phages more sensitively than the plating titration method through a shorter timeframe. Moreover, it could be a better alternative to the routine phage ELISA due to time-saving, cost-effectiveness, and higher sensitivity.

The risk for transmission of COVID-19 to people in close contact with infected people, especially healthcare workers, has not been well estimated. Therefore the present study was conducted to assess the household secondary attack rate (SAR) of COVID-19 among healthcare workers and related factors.
The present prospective case-ascertained study was conducted on 202 healthcare workers with confirmed COVID-19 in Hamadan, diagnosed from March 1, 2020, to August 20, 2020. For households with close contact with the index case, RT-PCR was performed regardless of symptoms. We defined SAR as the proportion of secondary cases from the total contacts that live in the index case household. SAR was reported as a percentage and 95% confidence interval (CI). Multiple logistic regression was performed to explore the predictors of COVID-19 transmission of index cases to their households.
We found 36 secondary cases out of 391 household contacts with laboratory confirmation (RT-PCR), representing a household SAR of 9.2% (95% CI: 6.3, 12.1). Among factors related to the family member, female gender (OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 6.9), being the patient's spouse (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.6), and living in the apartment (OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.24, 6.23), and among factors related to index cases, hospitalization (OR: 5.9, 95% CI: 1.3, 26.9) and caught (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.2) were the significant predictors of disease transmission to other family members (P<0.05).
The findings of this study suggest that the SAR is remarkable in household contacts of infected healthcare workers. Some characteristics of family members of the index case, including female gender, being the patient's spouse, and living in the apartment, and some characteristics of the index case, including hospitalization and caught, were associated with the increased SAR.

Due to the critical condition of COVID-19, it is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of administrating convalescent plasma to COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we decided to design a clinical trial to investigate the effect of convalescent plasma of patients recovered from COVID-19 on the treatment outcome of COVID-19-infected patients.
In this parallel randomized controlled clinical trial, patients in the intervention group received standard treatment plus convalescent plasma of patients recovered from COVID-19. We allocated 60 patients to each treatment group through balanced block randomization. Then, COVID-19 outcomes, vital signs, and biochemical parameters were compared between the two treatment groups by the independent t test and ANCOVA.
The mean age (SD) of the patients in the intervention and standard treatment groups was 52.84 (15.77) and 55.15 (14.34) years, respectively. Although patients in the intervention group reported more hospitalization days (11.45±5.86 vs. 10.42±6.79), death rates (26.67% vs. 18.13%), ICU admission (45 vs. 41.67%), and ARDS (11.67% vs. 3.33%), these differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Moreover, the two groups were homogenous in vital signs and biochemical parameters before and after treatment (P>0.05).
The present study indicated that convalescent plasma therapy has no significant effect on the survival, hospitalization, and ICU admission of COVID-19 patients.

Epidemics and deaths caused by influenza viruses are an important concern worldwide. The use of neuraminidase inhibitors such as oseltamivir is an effective and valuable way to treat the diseases caused by these viruses. However, the mutation in several parts of the gene leads to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, and an ever-increasing rise in drug-resistant strains is a global problem. Histidine-to-tyrosine mutation at position 275 (H275Y) of neuraminidase protein is one of the most common oseltamivir resistance mutations. This study aimed to detect H275Y mutation in influenza A (H1N1) virus circulating in the Hamadan province of Iran using real-time polymerase chain reaction  (RT-PCR).

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 110 swab samples isolated from patients with suspected influenza virus infection between 2015 and 2016. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from samples and the RT-PCR method was used to determine virus types and subtypes. The positive samples were evaluated for detection of H275Y mutation using RT-PCR.

Out of 110 patients in this study, 50 (45%) were females and 60 (55%) were males. The mean±SD age of participants was 40.74±2.42 years. Influenza A (H1N1) virus was found in 22 (20%) out of 110 patients, including 9/50 (18%) females and 13/60 (21.7%) males. There was no significant relationship between the virus and gender (P=0.81). No drug resistance related to H275Y mutation was observed in 22 positive cases.

The findings indicated that no drug resistance mutations have occurred, and oseltamivir is still an appropriate option to treat infections caused by the influenza virus in Hamadan province, Iran. However, due to the increasing number of resistant strains, an annual review of oseltamivir resistance is recommended and further studies are needed in this regard.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) has various strains associated with human infections. H. pylori , H. heilmannii, and H. felis are the most common strains in humans. H. pylori is associated with several human diseases such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, mucous membrane lymphoma, and gastric adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to determine the prevalence rates of H. felis and H. heilmannii and the effect of co-infection with H. pylori in gastric biopsy specimens of patients.

Totally, 80 gastric biopsy specimens were taken by a physician from the patients referred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan City, Iran. PCR test was used to confirm the presence of H. pylori in samples that had positive rapid urease tests. Moreover, the ureB gene and ureA and ureB genes were used for H. heilmannii and H. felis , respectively.

Of the study patients, 61.5% were females, and 38.5% were males with a mean age of 37.8 years. Of 80 biopsies, 50% were H. pylori -positive, 53.8% were H. heilmannii-positive, but no H. felis was identified in any sample. Results indicate that smoking, having a history of gastrointestinal diseases, and taking certain medications can be risk factors for H. pylori .

Any agent contributing to gastric mucosal damage can enhance the susceptibility to bacterial contamination. Overall, the results indicate a low probability of interactions between H. pylori , H. heilmannii, and H. felis .

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world with high mortality, hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the tumor progression are important for CRC diagnosis and treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key gene expression regulators that can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in tumor cells, and modulate angiogenesis as a critical process in tumor metastasis. MiR-1290 has been demonstrated as an onco-miRNA in various types of cancer, however, the role of miR-1290 in CRC is not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic and angiogenic potential of miR-1290 in CRC.

Lenti-miR-1290 was transduced into HCT116, SW480, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). By bioinformatics analysis, we identified thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) as a novel predicted target for miR-1290. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, and luciferase reporter assay were used to demonstrate suppression of miR-1290 target genes including THBS1, Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor 3 (DKK3), and suppressor of cancer cell invasion (SCAI) in HCT116 and HUVECs. Cell cycle analysis, proliferation, migration and, tube formation were determined by flow cytometry, MTT, wound healing, and tube formation assays, respectively.

MiR-1290 significantly decreased the expression of THBS1, DKK3, and SCAI. We demonstrated that miR-1290 enhanced proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis partially through suppression of THBS1, DKK3, and SCAI in CRC.

These results suggest a novel function of miR-1290 which may contribute to tumorigenesis and angiogenesis in CRC.

Clinical evidence on the nutritional statuses of COVID-19 patients and their associations with COVID-19 clinical outcomes are limited. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies have been carried out on COVID-19 patients of Iranian population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess vitamin D, vitamin B12, RBP, zinc, selenium, copper and magnesium levels in patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, associations of nutrient levels with the disease-linked death were investigated.

This cross-sectional study was carried out in hospitals affiliated to Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran, on 98 COVID-19 positive patients, March to May 2020. Demographic and clinical data of the patients were collected from their clinical records. Blood samples of 5 ml were collected from the patients, which were used for hospital routine laboratory assays as well as measuring trace elements and vitamins. Comparison of chemical biomarkers based on the patient’s treatment outcomes was carried out using Mann-Whitney U test. For data analysis, Stata Software v.14 was used.

From 98 COVID-19 positive patients, 16 (13.33%) patients died during the treatment. These patients had higher proportions of heart diseases (37.5% against 10.98%, p = 0.007). Moreover, the median of white blood cell counts was significantly higher in patients, who died during treatment (p = 0.002). For vitamin D3, vitamin B12, RBP, zinc, selenium, cupper and magnesium, 59.2, 12.24, 53.08, 30.61, 88.71, 16.33 and 26.53% of the patients had values below the reference value ranges of these elements, respectively. Comparison of chemical biomarkers based on the patient’s treatment outcomes did not show significant differences (p > 0.05).

Although results of this study did not show significant differences between the levels of the trace elements and vitamins with the outcomes in COVID-19 patients due to the small sample size of the present study, assessment of these relationships needs stronger evidence by designing large studies.

 Today, one of the problems of health systems is the presence of cockroaches in hospitals as insects that move freely in and out of the hospitals and are infected with pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to identify carbapenem resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolated from Blattella germanica by dot blot assay in Hamadan hospitals in the west of Iran.

 A total of 109 B. germanica from April to September 2018 were collected from ICUs of different hospitals in the Hamadan province, located in western Iran. The B. germanica were identified using reliable taxonomic keys by an expert in the Department of Entomology, insectarium Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was determined by disk diffusion. The dot blot assay was used to identify resistance genes in E. coli isolated from B. germanica.

Out of 109 B. germanica samples collected from ICUs of different hospitals in Hamadan, 31 samples (28.44%) were positive for E. coli. The highest frequency of antibiotic resistance against ampicillin (100%) and the lowest resistance to imipenem was observed in two isolates (6.45%). The frequency of genes among E. coli isolates in B. germanica was as follows: bla NDM (4 isolates: 3.66%), bla OXA-48 (one isolate: 0.92%), and other studied genes were not observed in any of the strains.

 Cockroaches are an important factor in transmitting Enterobacterales and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. Therefore, effective preventive and control measures are needed to reduce vector-borne diseases.

Oral health status has been suggested as one of the possible risk factors for oral human papillomavirus (OHPV) infection. There is inconsistent evidence concerning its relationship with the presence of OHPV.

This study aimed to compare oral health status between two groups of patients with and without OHPV infection.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 272 oral rinse samples, collected from our previous study population. After signing the written informed consents, the oral examination was performed to determine some clinical parameters of oral health status including periodontal disease status, oral hygiene status, decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) of participants. Next, viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and HPV genotyping tests were performed on the samples.

OHPV DNA was detected in a total 31 (11.40%) samples that were considered as OHPV+ group. None ofthe determined clinical parameters of oral health status was significantly different between OHPV+ and OHPV DNA negative (OHPV-) groups (p> 0.05).

The findings of the current study did not indicate a significant association between oral health status and OHPV. Further studies with larger sample size are recommended to reach a definite conclusion.

More than 99% of cervical cancers are associated with human papillomaviruses (HPVs) worldwide. Current HPV vaccines are safe, highly immunogenic, with effective immunity against specific HPV types. However, DNA vaccines are a new appealing platform which can be considered for designing the HPV vaccines. This study aimed to construct a recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid containing L1 of HPV-18, tissue plasminogen activators (tPA), and pan HLA DR-binding epitope (PADRE) genes into the pVAX1 vector. The L1, tPA, and PADRE genes were amplified in a thermocycler. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were cloned and insertion of the genes was confirmed using colony PCR, restriction enzymes analysis, and sequencing methods. Indirect immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and western blot assays were applied to identify the target gene in HEK-293 cells. Total IgG and its isotypes in immunized mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Western blot analysis showed a protein band of about 67.5 kDa in supernatant and cell lysate of transfected cells. The results of mice immunization with different constructs (group 1: the pVAX-L1, group 2: pVAX-tPA-PADRE-L1, group 3: pVAX1, and group 4: PBS as controls) indicated that the pVAX1-tPA-PADRE-L1 construct induced a significantly higher level of total IgG than pVAX1-L1 (p=0.003). In conclusion, pVAX1-tPA-PADRE-L1 recombinant plasmid is a highly immunogenic construct and suggests as a promising candidate for vaccine development against HPV type 18 in low-middle-income countries.

Ruthin's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis is based on the positive result of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the nasal and oropharyngeal swab. However, chest CT scans can play an important role in diagnosing patients with COVID-19.

Cases Report:

In this study, we reported a 44 years old female with a mild form of the COVID-19 who showed a positive result for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA for 44 days after symptom onset. The suspected case was detected using real-time PCR. After two weeks of hospitalization, the patient was discharged, but her molecular tests were performed twice after one month and 44 days, and they remained positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

In theory, if the patient becomes re-infected or the virus reacts, these individuals may serve as a transmission source. So far, the only way to screen for possible reinfection has been by using PCR on separate specimens.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs (containing approximately 22 nucleotides), which modulate and control the expression of target genes by binding them. MiRNAs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Thus, alterations in the expression level of miRNAs play a key role in the pathobiology of numerous cancers. In this research, the expression level of MicroRNA-1290 (miR-1290) and its target genes THBS1 and DKK3 were evaluated in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

This case-control study was carried out on 144 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of CRC and adjacent tissues from patients who referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Total RNA was isolated from the tissue using Trizol reagent following the manufacturer's instructions and then reverse transcribed to cDNA. The expression of miR-1290 and its target genes was measured by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS V.20 statistical software.

We present evidence that the miR-1290 expression in CRC tissues was significantly higher than in the normal margin, and its targets were downregulated in tumor tissue compared to the adjacent tissue.

This study supports the essential role of miR-1290 and its contribution to CRC invasion and metastasis through targeting THBS1 and DKK3, as biomarkers for CRC diagnosis.

Bacteriophages, viruses which infect the bacteria are the most abundant organisms on the earth. Among them, the best studied and the most-exploited group is the filamentous phages especially M13 phage. They have shown a lot of interesting applications because of their unique features. Therefore, to get maximum performance of bacteriophage like M13, techniques need to be engaged for proper concentrations. In this review, most of these methods were explored in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, using keywords including M13 bacteriophage, phage concentration, phage purification, phage display. Accordingly, the most important research papers about this subject have been collected, categorized and discussed. As a conclusion, to select an appropriate method for the concentration of M13 bacteriophages different criteria should be considered, including cost, equipment, yield and purity of the product. In general, subsequent applications of M13 phage is the most important factor for the selection of the concentration method.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a group of non-enveloped viruses which contain double-stranded DNA, and have widespread prevalence in human populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HPV in asymptomatic patients at the Women’s Clinic in Hamadan and compare the two techniques of Pap smear and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in detecting the virus.

This epidemiologic study was carried out on 1770 asymptomatic patients at the Women’s Clinic in Hamadan. After collecting the cell samples from the cervical areas, they were placed in a pre-prepared medium by a physician and divided into two sections after being sent to the laboratory; the first part was for Pap smear and the second for PCR. If there was a viral genome, it could be determined by PCR. People who were HPV + were candidates for typing.

The results of the present study showed that out of 1770 patients aged between 14 and 60 years, referred to Hamadan health centers, 271 patients (15.31%) had HPV. Among them, the highest number of HPV+ cases belonged to the age group of 31-40 years, with the lowest number belonging to the age group of 15-20 years old. Furthermore, out of 271 HPV + patients, 111 (40.09%) had abnormal Pap smear and more than 90% had HPV infection, while less than 10% had low risk (LR) HPV.

The results of this study showed that the prevalence of HPV in Hamadan health centers was relatively high. According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that the use of PCR along with Pap smear can help the patients with diagnosis and better treatment

Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) technology has shown great promise as a new class of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. It is a remarkable endogenous pathway that can regulate sequence-specific gene silencing. Despite the excitement about possible applications of this biological process for sequence-specific gene regulation, the major limitations against the use of siRNA-based therapeutics are their rapid degradation by serum nuclease, poor cellular uptake, and rapid renal clearance following systemic delivery, off-target effects and the induction of immune responses. Many researchers have tried to overcome these limitations by developing nuclease-resistant chemically-modified siRNAs and a variety of synthetic and natural biodegradable lipids and polymers to enhance the efficacy and safety profiles of siRNA delivery. Ideal siRNA-based delivery systems for cancer therapy must be clinically suitable, safe and effective. In this review, we introduce the greatest challenges in achieving efficient RNAi delivery and discuss design criteria and various delivery strategies for cancer therapy, including chemical modifications, lipid-based nano-vectors, polymer-mediated delivery systems, conjugate delivery systems, and others.

This study was conducted to provide a clear epidemiological picture of HCV spatial pattern. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major problems of public health, that its spatial and spatiotemporal pattern remain unclear in Hamadan province. We used the scan statistic to identify the spatial and spatiotemporal clusters of HCV in Hamadan province with an emphasis on considering the role of carrier's and injecting drug users (IDUs) cases. We repeated the same analysis to estimate the effect of some influencing factors on the formation of clusters. All HCV cases that had been recorded by deputy health of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences during 2008-2016 were included in this study. The location of the purely spatial cluster for carriers, IDUs and total of cases were similar to each other, a cluster consisting of Toyserkan, Nahavand, Asadabad, Malayer and Bahar cities. However, after adjustment, the location of the identified cluster for both carries and IDUs cases changed to a cluster consisting of Asadabad, Bahar, Toyserkan and Nahavand cities. This cluster also observed for spatiotemporal clusters carriers, IDUs and total of cases even after adjustment. Although further studies in individual level are needed, our results revealed that spatial distribution of HCV in Hamadan province (especially in clusters areas) can strongly dependent on the distribution of IDUs cases. Consequently, the effectiveness of HCV combating programs is subjected to properly controlling these case through various counseling, behavioral and therapeutic programs.

Context: Recent studies on patients with psychiatric disorders suggest a possible association between borna disease virus (BDV) and mood disorders. However, a clear association remains controversial. The current systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed at investigating the association between BDV infection and mood disorders.
The current study was conducted based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To obtain the evidence, several databases were searched including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar search engine without time limit until 2017. Heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using Q test and I2 index. A random effect model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).
Meta-analysis of 23 studies comprising 3628 cases and 5,810 controls showed that BDV infection was associated with a significantly increased risk of mood disorders (OR = 1.61; 95%CI: 1.21 - 2.15, P = 0.001, I2 = 44%). Subgroup analysis was used according to diagnostic method indicating OR was 1.01 (95%CI: 0.37 - 2.8) for immunofluorescence antibody (IFA), 1.26 (95%CI: 0.5 - 3.18) for western blot (WB) assay, 1.58 (95%CI: 1.06 - 2.38) for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 1.16 (95%CI: 0.24 - 5.70) for radioligand assay (RLA), 2.55 (95%CI: 1.67 - 3.88) for enzyme immunoassay (EIA), 2.15 (95%CI: 0.68-6.80) for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 3.29 (95%CI: 1.35 - 7.98) for electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), 4.00 (95%CI: 0.89 - 17.87) for peptide array, and 1.00 (95%CI: 0.23 - 4.27) for proliferation assay method. In subgroup analysis of bipolar and unipolar disorder, OR was 1.99 (95%CI: 1.29 - 3.08, P = 0.002) and 1.16 (95%CI: 0.76 - 1.76, P = 0.481), respectively.
These results can confirm the significant role of BDV infection in mood disorders. Therefore, it might be necessary to consider BDV infection to manage psychiatric disorders.

Virology is one of the most important courses in medical sciences programs, so that teaching it improperly would lead to reduced skills of viral disease diagnosis in clinics and labs. Nevertheless, virology is offered as a small part of microbiology course in most medical schools. Hence the purpose of this paper was to investigate medical and MLS students’ perspective on the necessity of revising the virology course at Hamedan and Kermanshah Universities of Medical Sciences. This descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted on medical apprentices and interns and senior MLS students at Hamedan and Kermanshah Universities of Medical Sciences in 2016. A total of 275 students were selected by means of census method. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test. Most of the medical (n=154, 80.7%) and MLS (n=67, 79.8%) students perceived virology as a very important course; moreover, 94 of the medical students (49.3%) and 40 of the MLS students (47.6%) agreed to more credits for this course. Findings showed a significant difference in gender between the scores of MLS students only in the educational environment area(p=0.026). However, no significant difference was found in gender between the scores of medical students in any of the areas. Based on the findings, the students considered virology as one of the most important courses in their fields and agreed to the revision of syllabuses and credits. Given the clinical importance and application of the virology course, revision of the curriculum for this course seems necessary.

PSA is the most routine marker to detect prostate cancer, but due to its low specificity that can lead to a number of unnecessary biopsies, there is great need for an alternate method. Can PCA3 be one of these methods? PCA3 is overexpressed in prostate cancer, not in benign conditions such as prostatitis (unlike PSA). Because of its efficacy (being more sensitive and specific in comparison with PSA), this biomarker could be a very useful and promising method for the early detection of prostate cancer, especially in combination with other tests such as TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion.