Soil moisture remote sensing using SIW cavity based metamaterial perfect absorber.

Continuous and accurate sensing of water content in soil is an essential and useful measure in the agriculture industry. Traditional sensors developed to perform this task suffer from limited lifetime and also need to be calibrated regularly. Further, maintenance, support, and deployment of these sensors in remote environments provide additional challenges to the use of conventional soil moisture sensors.

Wide-angle metamaterial absorber with highly insensitive absorption for TE and TM modes.

Being incident and polarization angle insensitive are crucial characteristics of metamaterial perfect absorbers due to the variety of incident signals. In the case of incident angles insensitivity, facing transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) waves affect the absorption ratio significantly. In this scientific report, a crescent shape resonator has been introduced that provides over 99% absorption ratio for all polarization angles, as well as 70% and 93% efficiencies for different incident angles up to [Formula: see text] for TE and TM polarized waves, respectively.

Spectroscopic, electrochemical, docking and molecular dynamics studies on the interaction of three oxovanadium (IV) Schiff base complexes with bovine serum albumin and their cytotoxicity against cancer.

This study was designed to investigate the interaction of three oxovanadium (IV) Schiff base complexes with bovine serum albumin (BSA) by means of various spectroscopic and electrochemical methods along with molecular docking study and molecular dynamics simulations. Binding constants were estimated by fluorescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results indicated a good affinity of the complexes for BSA in which furyl derivative had more activity.

Anticancer activity of new imidazole derivative of 1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane palladium and platinum complexes as DNA fluorescent probes.

The aim of this study was synthesis of two new water-soluble fluorescent palladium and platinum complexes with formulas of [Pt(DACH)(FIP)](NO) and [Pd(DACH)(FIP)](NO), respectively, where FIP is 2-(furan-2-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10] phenanthroline and DACH is 1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane. Fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), thermal denaturation measurement, ionic strength, and kinetic study displayed groove binding of Pt complex on DNA, while due to binding of Pd complex, B form of DNA convert to Z form. Due to electrostatic interaction of Pd complex with DNA, the DNA form is converted and it provides enough space for Pd complex to insert between base stacking of DNA.

Radiographic manifestations of Tuberculosis in HIV positive patients: Correlation with CD4+ T-cell count.

Background: Observations on Tuberculosis/HIV co-infection in addition to epidemiologic molecular studies have recently provided strong evidence for the state of immune system as the major determinant of the TB imaging spectrum. However, the presence of any correlation between radiographic findings and the degree of immunosuppression in HIV+ patients still remains controversial. The present study aimed to investigate the TB radiographic manifestation in HIV+ patients and its relationship to the CD4 cell count.

Recommendations for the Clinical Management of Hepatitis C in Iran: A Consensus-Based National Guideline.

Context: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health issue worldwide, including Iran. The new direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) with high efficacy have changed the landscape of HCV treatment. This guideline provides updated recommendations for clinical management of HCV infection in Iran.

Increased Ribavirin Bioavailability Associated With Telaprevir Use in Hepatitis C Patients Treated With PEGylated -Interferon/Ribavirin/Telaprevir Triple Therapy.

Background: Anemia is more frequent in patients receiving telaprevir with PEGylated interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) than in those receiving PEG-IFN/RBV alone.

Objectives: The objective was to measure the impact of telaprevir on RBV bioavailability and to assess the concomitant renal function.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-seven hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients non-responders to a previous course of PEG-IFN/RBV therapy and re-treated with triple therapy combining PEG-IFN/RBV and telaprevir were analyzed.

Standardized one-step real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay for universal detection and quantification of hepatitis delta virus from clinical samples in the presence of a heterologous internal-control RNA.

As for other chronic viral diseases, quantification of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) loads may be useful for patient management. We describe a one-step quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assay that is reliable and automatable and meets the regulatory authorities' standards for accurate quantification of the major HDV genotypes. It includes an internal control and uses in vitro-transcribed RNAs as standards.

Detection of Antibodies Against 6, 16 and 38 kDa Antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a Rapid Test for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis.

Background: Serological assays for diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) are very attractive because they are inexpensive, non invasive and simple. Present study was conducted to evaluate the tuberculosis rapid test device in Iran.

Materials And Methods: The tuberculosis rapid test device based on detection of IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies against 6, 16 and 38-kDa antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis via chromatography was used in 96 cases of pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB.

Impact of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis on treatment outcome of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients with standardized regimen: report from Iran.

The limited experience in treating patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) shows a therapeutic success rate under 50-60% and there are no publications regarding the outcome of these patients treated with standardized regimens. All multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients hospitalized at the Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran, Iran, during 2004-2007 were recruited. Drug susceptibility testing to 14 drugs (including eight second-line drugs) was performed and a standardized regimen with ofloxacin, cycloserine, prothionamide, and amikacin was administered for all patients.

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment outcome in Iran: a case series of seven patients.

Background: Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has recently been identified as a major threat to global health. XDR-TB poses a risk of higher failure rates and death during TB treatment. We report herein the outcomes of XDR-TB in patients treated with the standardized regimen in Iran.

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy results in decreased morbidity and mortality among patients with TB and HIV.

Introduction: The overlapping drug toxicity profiles, drug-drug interactions and complications of management of both HIV and tuberculosis (TB) in patients with advanced HIV have not been fully delineated.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of the outcomes of tuberculosis treatment among 69 HIV-infected patients with TB, who were hospitalized in Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran, Iran between 2002 and 2006, and who received standard category 1 (CAT-1) regimens. Group I (N = 47) included those treated from 2002 to 2005 with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiated after eight weeks of TB treatment for those whose CD4 count was <200 cells/mm3.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria among patients who are suspected for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis-need for earlier identification of nontuberculosis mycobacteria.

Background: In this study, we intended to find the prevalence of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) among patients who are referred as suspected multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases to the only referral center in Iran.

Methods: All patients referred to our center in 2002-2006 as MDR-TB with histories of treatment with standard and CAT II World Health Organization regimens were included in the study. Sputum smear and culture for acid-fast bacilli were performed for all patients 3 times.

First-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance patterns and trends at the national TB referral center in Iran--eight years of surveillance.

Objective: Resistance to anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs is becoming a major and alarming threat in most regions worldwide.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital in Iran, using patient medical records for 2000-2003. The findings were analyzed following the same framework as that used for previous reports from this center.

Representative drug susceptibility patterns for guiding design of re-treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Iran.

Background And Objective: The prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has increased substantially in the past 20 years, however, there are no data specific to Iran. This study investigated patients suspected to have MDR-TB, attending the TB referral hospital in Iran.

Methods: All patients suspected of having MDR-TB on hospital admission in the period 2003-2005 were included in this study.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of nucleic acid sequence-based amplification for molecular detection of M. tuberculosis.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA-ELISA) was developed for molecular detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The primers targeting 16S rRNA were used for the amplification of bacterial RNA by the isothermal digoxigenin (DIG)-labeling NASBA process, resulting in the accumulation of DIG-labeled RNA amplicons. The amplicons were hybridized with a specific biotinylated DNA probe which was non-covalently immobilized on streptavidin-coated microtiter plate.

Primary immune deficiencies presenting in adults: seven years of experience from Iran.

Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are not solely diseases of childhood. We describe the clinical presentation and outcome for 55 adult patients with previously unrecognized PIDs. This series provides unique data regarding PIDs presenting in adulthood, and serves as a timely reminder that physicians must consider the diagnosis of PIDs in their adult patients.