Prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in symptomatic newborns under 3 weeks in Tehran, Iran.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common cause of congenital infection worldwide and infants with symptomatic congenital CMV (cCMV) infection are at significantly increased risk of developing adverse long-term outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cCMV infections in symptomatic infants under 3 weeks in Tehran, IRAN and to evaluate the usefulness of serologic markers in these neonates.

Methods: Urine and serum samples of 100 symptomatic infants, under 3 weeks old, with clinical signs referred to Tehran medical centers from June 2013 to December 2014, were collected and tested for CMV-DNA and IgG/IgM antibody titers by PCR and ELISA, respectively.

Permeability assessment of capsules for islet transplantation.

Despite considerable progress in the development of immunoisolation devices, the optimal permeability of such devices is not known. This limitation stems partly from deficits in knowledge about which molecules should be allowed to traverse the semipermeable membrane and which molecules should be excluded, and also partly from experimental obstacles that have prevented a systematic study of permeability. To determine the optimal permeability of immunoisolation devices, we have created a series of microcapsules (800 microM diameter) that span a broad range of molecular exclusion limits yet are identical in wall thickness and chemical composition.

An encapsulation system for the immunoisolation of pancreatic islets.

Over a thousand combinations of polyanions and polycations were tested to search for new polymer candidates that would be suitable for encapsulation of living cells. The combination of sodium alginate, cellulose sulfate, poly (methylene-co-guanidine) hydrochloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride was most promising. In parallel, a novel multiloop chamber reactor was developed to control the time of complex formation and to negate gravitational effects such as pancreatic islet sedimentation and droplet deformation during the encapsulation process.

Time course of adaptation to a high-fat diet in obesity-resistant and obesity-prone rats.

The purpose of the present study was to characterize the time course of adaptation (i.e., circulating metabolites and hormones, fat pad mass, lipoprotein lipase) to a high-fat diet in obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) male Wistar rats.

Involvement of liver and skeletal muscle in sucrose-induced insulin resistance: dose-response studies.

The ability of dietary sucrose to induce insulin resistance independent of changes in body weight is controversial. In the present study male rats were fed a high-starch (ST) diet (starch 68% of total kcal) ad libitum for 2 wk and then were fed equicalorically either the ST diet or a high-sucrose (SU) diet (sucrose 68% of total kcal) for 8 wk. Euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic (0, 1.