Results of skin test surveys for systemic Mycoses in Iran

Several investigators had carried out histoplasmin skin test surveys in 3 different areas of Iran before 1960 (5). To detect skin sensitivity to both histoplasmin and coccidioidin a study was carried out by the Institute of Public Health Research in parts of 7 of the country's 13 provinces on both apparently healthy persons and on clinic patients from February 1962–September 1966. These studies uncovered a small focus with a rather high level of positive reaction to histoplasmin (about 17 %). Positive cultures ofHistoplasma capsulatum were not obtained from either sputum of the positive reactors or from collected soils. In spite of a previously reported case of coccidioidomycosis, very low percentages of positive reaction to coccidioidin were noted.These studies were supported in part by the Institute of Public Health Research Teheran University, and funds of the Ministry of Health and Plan Organization for Project No. 631101 and N.I.H. Grant No. TW00170.Paper read at the Eighth International Congresses for Tropical Medicine and Malaria, September 1968, Teheran (Iran).     

Power frequency magnetic field exposures among nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit and a normal newborn nursery

Given the current interest in potential carcinogenic and developmental effects of exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields, there is a need to identify cohorts of exposed female workers for future epidemiologic investigations. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that nurses working in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) may be significantly exposed to power-frequency magnetic fields. An electromagnetic field monitor was used to measure magnetic fields at distances of 5, 15, 30, and 60 cm from the surfaces of each device used in the NICU. Six female nurses assigned to the NICU (the “exposed” group) and six female nurses working in the normal newborn nursery (the “referent” group) wore EMDEX dosimeters for the entire duration of their 12 h shifts. An investigator kept a detailed log of each NICU subject's whereabouts for the first one-third of her shift. Magnetic fields at 5 cm from the front (defined by the nurses' usual work area) of the NICU devices ranged from less than 0.1 to 114 μT and in all cases decreased considerably with increasing distance. The geometric mean of the shift-time-weighted average exposure of the NICU nurses was 0.17 μT compared with 0.11 μT for the normal newborn nurses. The percentage of time when subjects were exposed to magnetic fields of 0.4 μT or greater ranged from 5.8% to 15.6% for the NICU nurses, 0.4% to 2.9% for five of the comparison group nurses, and was 9.4% for one of the normal newborn nurses with unidentified aberrantly high exposures. Log data revealed that the vast majority of observed peaks among NICU nurses occurred while subjects were in close proximity to infant bed units. We conclude that NICU nurses represent one female-intensive job sector with intermittent high exposures to ELF magnetic fields and encourage larger exposure studies of nurses in a variety of medical settings. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Growth of the haploid phase of the myxomycete Physarum flavicomum in defined minimal medium

The haploid phase (myxamoebae-swarm cells) of the myxomycete Physarum flavicomum grew readily in chemically defined liquid media. The minimal medium contained salts, glucose, biotin, thiamine, hematin, glycine, l-arginine and l-methionine. Cell yields of 1.4x10⁷ cells/ml were obtained in this medium in aerobic shake culture. These cells consumed about 35 μliters of oxygen/mg protein·hr in the minimal medium. The morphology of cells maintained in this medium appeared to be “normal”. l-valine replaced either glycine or l-methionine in the minimal medium but the growth rates and cell yields were reduced. Growth rates increased in media containing four, seven, or fourteen amino acids.     

A novel ABCB11 mutation in an Iranian girl with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis is an autosomal recessive liver disorder caused by (biallelic) mutations in the ATP8B1 of ABCB11 gene. A nine-year-old girl with cholestasis was referred for genetic counseling. She had a family history of cholestasis in two previous expired siblings. Genetic analysis of the ABCB11 gene led to the identification of a novel homozygous mutation in exon 25. The mutation 3593- A > G lead to a missense mutation at the amino acid level (His1198Arg). This mutation caused PFIC2 due to abnormal function in the bile salt export pump protein (BSEP).     

A preliminary note on inter-reaction of skin test sensitivity between Histoplasmin and Chrysosporin in experimental animals

Summary Species ofChrysosporium have been isolated from soil in Iran. Guinea pigs inoculated withChrysosporium keratinophilum gave a positive skin test to histoplasmin and vice versa. This would suggest thatChrysosporium species might be reponsible for positive skin tests to histoplasmin in areas known not to be endemic for histoplasmosis.     

Comparison of PCR-RFLP with 21-plex PCR and rDNA Sequencing for Identification of Clinical Yeast Isolates

Non-albicans Candida species and other rare yeasts have emerged as major opportunistic pathogens in fungal infections. Identification of opportunistic yeasts in developing countries is mainly performed by phenotypic assay, which are time-consuming and prone to errors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate PCR-RFLP as a routinely used identification technique for the most clinically important Candida species in Iran and make a comparison with a novel multiplex PCR, called 21-plex PCR. One hundred and seventy-three yeast isolates from clinical sources were selected and identified with sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domains of rDNA (LSU rDNA) sequencing as the gold standard method. The results were compared with those obtained by PCR-RFLP using MspI restriction enzyme and the 21-plex PCR. PCR-RFLP correctly identified 93.4% of common pathogenic Candida species (C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, and P. kudriavsevii (=?C. krusei)) and was able to identify 45.5% of isolates of the uncommon yeast species compared to the D1/D2 rDNA sequencing. Compared with PCR-RFLP, all common Candida species and 72.7% of uncommon yeast species were correctly identified by the 21-plex PCR. The application of the 21-plex PCR assay as a non-sequence-based molecular method for the identification of common and rare yeasts can reduce turnaround time and costs for the identification of clinically important yeasts and can be applied in resource-limited settings.

     

Review and future prospects on the mechanisms related to cold stress resistance and tolerance in medicinal plants

Medicinal plants play important role in industrial production of medicines. Moreover, they consume without complicated processes around the world. They are considered as healthy cure without any harmful side effects at least among ordinary people. Cold stress is one the harmful abiotic stresses and constrains medicinal plants yielding geographically. Cold acclimation is a process that induces cold stress resistance in temperate plants. Various structural and morphological alterations are involved in this process. Also, enzymatic and non-enzymatic agents play role in cold acclimation. Cell membrane modification and compatible solutes accumulation and so many other changes occur through cold acclimation. Growing under different stressful conditions, medicinal plants synthesize different components such as metabolites. Moreover, ROS can be generated in plant cells under stressful conditions. The accumulation of bioactive components, biosynthesis of phytohormones, ion hemostasis, osmolyte (compatible solutes) accumulation and changes in nutrient uptake, root system modification and systemic resistance are some of new investigations that are considered in this review.     

Gas6 Promotes Oligodendrogenesis and Myelination in the Adult Central Nervous System and After Lysolecithin-Induced Demyelination

A key aim of therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) is to promote the regeneration of oligodendrocytes and remyelination in the central nervous system (CNS). The present study provides evidence that the vitamin K-dependent protein growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) promotes such repair in in vitro cultures of mouse optic nerve and cerebellum. We first determined expression of Gas6 and TAM (Tyro3, Axl, Mer) receptors in the mouse CNS, with all three TAM receptors increasing in expression through postnatal development, reaching maximal levels in the adult. Treatment of cultured mouse optic nerves with Gas6 resulted in significant increases in oligodendrocyte numbers as well as expression of myelin basic protein (MBP). Gas6 stimulation also resulted in activation of STAT3 in optic nerves as well as downregulation of multiple genes involved in MS development, including matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), which may decrease the integrity of the blood–brain barrier and is found upregulated in MS lesions. The cytoprotective effects of Gas6 were examined in in vitro mouse cerebellar slice cultures, where lysolecithin was used to induce demyelination. Cotreatment of cerebellar slices with Gas6 significantly attenuated demyelination as determined by MBP immunostaining, and Gas6 activated Tyro3 receptor through its phosphorylation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that Gas6/TAM signaling stimulates the generation of oligodendrocytes and increased myelin production via Tyro3 receptor in the adult CNS, including repair after demyelinating injury. Furthermore, the effects of Gas6 on STAT3 signaling and matrix MMP9 downregulation indicate potential glial cell repair and immunoregulatory roles for Gas6, indicating that Gas6-TAM signaling could be a potential therapeutic target in MS and other neuropathologies.     

Validity of surrogates for determination of 30–1000 Hz magnetic field exposure for video display terminal users in office settings

In studies investigating adverse reproductive outcomes associated with video display terminal (VDT) usage, amounts of time spent in front of a VDT or magnetic field (MF) levels in front of the VDT are used as surrogate measures of subject's MF exposure. However, the relevance of such surrogates to actual exposures has not been demonstrated, and the validity of the use of such measures as a surrogate for the actual MF exposure is only speculative. This study examines 1) measurements of MFs at frequencies of approximately 30–1000 Hz at a fixed distance from the VDTs, 2) reported hours of VDT use, and 3) reported distance between the VDT and the subject's waist as surrogate measures for the average MF exposure level of a VDT user during one 8 h workday. The results showed a weak correlation between the average exposure level of a VDT user and the MF 46 cm from a VDT (R = 0.52, n = 67, P < 0.001). This study showed no association between self-reported hours of VDT usage, or self-reported distance between waist and VDT, and the average MF exposures. Moreover, individuals' average MF exposures did not seem to be affected by other variables, such as position of a VDT on the desk, hours of desk use, and the VDT type (color vs. monochrome). These findings indicate that VDT exposures within office settings are complex and cannot be easily predicted by surrogates. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.