Pretreatment with Zinc Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol on Cultured Mouse Sertoli Cells: Role of Anti-apoptotic and Antioxidant Activities.

Background: Global rise in cannabis abuse during reproductive years has placed a large number of men at risk for the adverse consequences of δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary active component of cannabis. It has been reported that THC affects male fertility and causes testicular cell dysfunction and apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate the possible protective role of zinc pretreatment against the toxic effects of THC in cultured mouse Sertoli cells and the underlying mechanism.

Cytomegalovirus UL97 ganciclovir resistance mutations in kidney transplant recipients.

Objectives: Widespread and prolonged therapy with ganciclovir (GCV) may result in the emergence of GCV-resistant mutations in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome. The aim of this study was to detect the UL97 mutations associated with GCV resistance in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: Forty-nine kidney recipients with positive HCMV DNAemia, who received GCV therapy were included in this study.

Sindbis virus infection of mosquito species in the wetlands of northwestern Iran and modeling the probable ecological niches of SINV vectors in the country.

Sindbis virus (SINV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are among the most widely spread mosquito-borne viruses worldwide. Due to the key role of mosquitoes in the transmission cycle of vector-borne diseases, models such as Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) have been used in recent years to predict the environmental suitability and ecological niches of mosquito vectors. Infection of three mosquito species (Anopheles maculipennis s.

A multicenter study of β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from university teaching hospitals of Urmia, Iran.

Introduction: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen accounting for 5-7% of hospital acquired infections. The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has been increasing rapidly over recent years causing many therapeutic problems worldwide. This study aimed to research the antimicrobial resistance profile, detect β-lactamase genes among clinical isolates of K.

Zinc attenuates ethanol-induced Sertoli cell toxicity and apoptosis through caspase-3 mediated pathways.

Ethanol enhances apoptosis in testicular germ cells. Zinc reduces ethanol-induced apoptosis of somatic cells through inhibition of caspase-mediated pathways. Little is known about the effects of ethanol on Sertoli cells and the effects of Zinc on ethanol-induced testicular injury.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of cytomegalovirus UL55 sequence in renal transplant recipients in north west of Iran.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most important infections in renal transplant recipients. Kidney transplant is the last hope for the patients with end stage renal diseases. Cytomegalovirus infection can threaten patients and graft survival after transplantation.

Evaluation of Cytogenetic Alterations in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Radiotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy using Cytokinesis-Blocked Micronucleus Assay.

The effects of combined radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy in the severity of cytogenetic alterations expressed as micronucleus (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients treated for esophageal cancer was evaluated. To do this, blood was obtained from 23 and 15 esophageal cancer patients scheduled for chemo-radiotherapy and RT alone, respectively, before, during, and after treatment. Blood samples were cultured in RPMI-1640 complete medium containing 1% phytohemagglutinin and incubated in a CO2 incubator.

West Nile Virus in Mosquitoes of Iranian Wetlands.

The West Nile virus (WNV) transmission cycle includes a wide range of migratory wetland birds as reservoirs, mosquitoes as biological vectors, and equines and humans as dead-end hosts. Despite the presence of potential vector species, there is no information about the existence of WNV in mosquito vectors in Iran. The Iranian West Azerbaijan Province is located in the northwestern part of Iran and has borders with Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Subtyping of BK Virus in Iranian Turkish Renal Transplant Recipients by RFLP-PCR.

Introduction: BK polyomavirus (BKV) as a member of polyomavirus family is prevalent in the human population. BKV persists in renal tissue after asymptomatic infection in childhood. The reactivation of BKV in renal transplant recipients sometimes can lead to BKV associated nephropathy.

Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-2 in kidney transplant recipients: a single-center experience.

Introduction: Viral infections are a real threat in kidney transplant recipients because of their immunocompromised condition. This study aimed to evaluate herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) seropositivity among kidney transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods: Serum samples of 91 kidney transplant recipients from Urmia, Iran, were examined serologically for antibodies against HSV-2 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

A novel adjuvant, the general opioid antagonist naloxone, elicits a robust cellular immune response for a DNA vaccine.

While many adjuvants have been discovered and used in research, only a few adjuvants have been permitted for use with human vaccination. We have previously shown that the administration of naloxone (NLX), a general opioid antagonist, during infection with a non-virulent strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) could enhance protection against HSV-1 challenge. Here, the adjuvant activity of NLX has been evaluated using a DNA vaccine for HSV-1 as a model.