mahmood yaghoobi

 Objectives were to investigate aspects of the COVID-19 epidemics via testing the individuals who were referred to Aramesh Medical Laboratory in Tehran and to integrate the molecular results with epidemiological data since the beginning of the epidemic. 

 In this cross-sectional Study 77528 outpatients were referred to Aramesh Medical laboratory by physicians for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 2019 and May 2021. Viral acid nucleic extracted from nasal and throat specimens and subsequently amplified using Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time PCR. Laboratory data including Ct values compared with epidemic peaks of COVID-19 countrywide. Statistical Analysis was done by SPSS 21 Software.  

 14312 (18.46%) tested positive.36.5% of the positive cases were in the 30 to 39 years old age group. The positive result rate was significantly different based on months, ranging from 6% to 28%, compatible with four recognized epidemic peaks encompassing the end of March through the first week of April (first epidemic peak), from June to July 2020 (second epidemic peak),  October until mid of November 2020 (third epidemic wave) followed by the end of April to May 2021 (until the end period of study, in the middle of 4th peak). In 37.8% of cases, the Ct value was between 21 and 28. Two separate trends were seen for Ct ≤ 25 and Ct ≤ 20  for the first and fourth epidemic peaks, respectively. There was an association between the number of total monthly positive results and total deaths in the country, especially with the  second to third peaks (in the course of summer 2020) and fourth epidemic peak. 

It might be useful to consider laboratory admission rates as an indicator for changes in the epidemic level in the country to continue the SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in accordance with public decision-makers.

Due to the overlapping clinical characteristics of respiratory tract infections (RTI)s and unavailability of appropriate diagnostic techniques, the diagnosis of RTIs is arguing. The aim of study was to prompt diagnosis of RTI using commercial multiplex real time PCR.

The survey undertook over a period of 2 years (2019-2020), on 144 flu-negative immunocompetent outpatients. Respiratory samples were examined by multiplex PCR assays.

Study population consisted of females 77 (53.5%) and males 67 (46.5%). The mean age was 42.8 ± 23.7 SD years. Thirty-one (21.5%) of patients infected with only one viral or bacterial infections. Eighty-two (57%) were infected with more than one pathogen. Ninety-five (37%) and 161 (62%) tests were positive for bacterial and viral pathogens, respectively. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and atypical CAP pathogens included 17% and 10% of respiratory specimens, respectively. The predominant pathogens consisted of Human Herpes Virus 7 (HHV-7), 38 (15.5%); Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), 34 (13.8%); Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 24 (9.8%) and Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV-6), 21 (8.5%). There were associations between pathogen finding and special age categories. Fever, cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis were associated with certain pathogens identification. There was not substantial difference between viral and bacterial Ct in relation with genders, age group and presence of comorbidities.

Multiplex diagnostic assays significantly increased the rate of appropriate diagnosis of respiratory pathogens. However, further investigation needed for finding the significance of non-respiratory viruses in respiratory specimens of immunocompetent symptomatic patients.

Today, considerable amount of energy is spent for heating and cooling indoor environments to provide thermal comfort for the building's residents. Availability of modern heating and cooling systems caused to pay no attention to non-active solutions in the modern architecture .Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming in recent years and high energy consumption in the residential sector caused more attention to be paid on climatic strategies and more effort is made to use such strategies in local and traditional architecture in modern buildings. Building and climatic strategies used in local and traditional buildings for so many years based on trial and error and these experiences are going to be forgotten. The most traditional buildings in hot and dry climates have been comfortable for residences passively compared to modern buildings and consumed less energy for air conditioning. Located in southern part of Iran, Bushehr with hot and humid climate has a spectacular vernacular architecture. It has many creative architectural aspects applied in order to reduce high air temperature and humidity. These features use two main strategies to moderate the harsh weather condition: shading and natural ventilation. This article aims to identify the effects of thermal passive strategies and features used in vernacular architecture of Bushehr through experimental study. As so in the first step, thermally passive features and elements were described. Second two case studies were selected for experimental data study, one in the coastal area and another inside the city context. The main climate variables including air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed were recorded in a week from 27th September to 27th October. The sensor data loggers were installed in different spaces in the case studied buildings. Based on the results the average indoor air temperature in case studies is 6% less compared to outdoor temperature. While relative humidity is about 18% less than outdoor relative humidity, indoor wind velocity is in thermal comfort zone. The results show that the main passive features used to provide indoor thermal comfort are natural ventilation and shading and the techniques are as follow: a) Catching desired wind flow from sea. b) Use of light color on exterior building envelops. c) Application of materials with low thermal capacity, such as wood in ceiling, windows and shading devices. d) Application of porous local materials (coral stone and gypsum) to prevent humidity absorption in building envelops. e) Design of deep veranda, and shading elements and semi-open spaces called “Tarmeh” to make cool shading spaces. f) Use of central courtyard to make microclimates with lower air temperature and humidity. g) Room arrangement around a central courtyard to provide natural cross ventilation transferring wind flow from alleys to rooms. h) Considerably high height to width ratio of alleys helping to increase wind flow speed and shade building exterior walls. The lessons learned from Bushehr vernacular architecture can be used to define guidelines for new building design in hot and humid climate which leads to reduction in energy consumption and sustainable architecture.