Northwestern Provinces Of Iran Research Articles

Phylogenetic Marker Selection and Protein Sequence Analysis of the ORF5 Gene Product of Grapevine Virus A.

Grapevine virus A (GVA), the type species of the Vitivirus genus, is one of the causal agents of the Kober stem grooving disease of the rugose wood complex and one of the most frequently detected viruses in grapevine. There is little information on GVA gene(s) marker useful for phylogenetic analysis. To this aim, a total of 403 leaf samples were collected from vineyards of East and West Azarbaijan provinces in the Northwestern provinces of Iran during 2014–2016 and tested by DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR using ORF5-specific primers. GVA was detected in 56 symptomatic samples, corresponding to 14% of infection, while it was not detected in asymptomatic samples. The ORF5 (p10) protein sequence of eight Iranian isolates was compared to other vitiviruses, showing that the most conserved region resides in the N-terminus, carrying an arginine-rich motif followed by a zinc-finger motif. Next, to define a robust phylogenetic marker representative of the whole genome sequence suitable for phylogenetic and evolutionary studies, phylogenetic trees based on the full genome sequences of all the available GVA isolates and on individual genomic regions were constructed and compared. ORF1, which encodes the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, was found to be the best phylogenetic marker for GVA classification and evolution studies. These results can be used for further research on phylogenetic analyses, evolution history, epidemiology, and etiology of rugose wood complex, and to identify control measures against GVA and other vitiviruses.

Relationship between quality of work life and caring behaviors among emergency nurses

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the relationship between quality of nurse work life (QNWL) and caring behaviors among emergency nurses.Design/methodology/approachIn this cross-sectional study, a total of 168 emergency nurses were selected from eight hospitals in the metropolitan of Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Data were collected in the first six months of 2018 by Brooks' QNWL questionnaire and Wolf's Caring Behaviors Inventory. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe overall QNWL scores were low to moderate. The highest scores were related to the work design and home/ life dimensions. Nurses' care behaviors were focused on the physical aspect of care, so that the highest scores for dimensions of caring behaviors belonged to the professional knowledge and skill followed by the attentiveness to the others' experience and the lowest belonged to the positive connectedness. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the model with the three variables of work context, male gender, and age group 51–60 years was significant.Research limitations/implicationsThis study used cross-sectional data for analysis, which limits the ability to establish causality. It is therefore suggested that future studies should use longitudinal designs to strengthen the acceptability of causality. Longitudinal designs will also help to assess changes of QNWL within units of observation over time. Moreover, this study was conducted in the educational treatment centers of Tabriz. Therefore, further studies should be carried out on nurses in the ED of East Azerbaijan and the northwestern provinces of Iran to allow generalization of the research results concerning macro-policymaking to improve the QNWL of these nurses and their caring behaviors.Practical implicationsFor providing high quality care to patients, it is necessary to pay more attention to the communication and emotional aspects of patient care. Nurses' QWL, especially in the work context dimension, should be enhanced to improve the caring behaviors of nurses.Social implicationsAlso considering that the work world dimension had the lowest score in QNWL, policymakers' efforts should continue for changing public attitudes toward the nursing profession and balancing the nurses' income based on their performance in the healthcare system to maintain the social prestige of the profession among the community. The media, political and public support can play a pivotal role in improving the image of nursing in society, increasing motivation among Iranian nurses and promoting the QNWL, which will result in higher levels of quality of care as well as greater patient satisfaction.Originality/valueThe results of this study show a positive correlation between the work context and caring behaviors and suggest that the use of strategies for improving the features of work context may be able to improve nurses' caring behaviors. In order to provide holistic care for our patients, we need changes in the conditions and work context of nurses so that nurses can like the physical aspect of care, pay attention to its psychological aspect.

The prevalence of Francisella spp. in different natural surface water samples collected from northwest of Iran

Francisella tularensis has a wide distribution in northern hemisphere of the world. Up to now, there was little information about the Francisella spp. situation in the environmental samples in Iran. In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of Francisella spp. in the environmental samples in northwest of Iran. A total of 237 natural water samples from ponds, rivers, lakes, springs and other surface waters from north western provinces of Iran (Kurdistan and Western Azerbaijan) were collected from September to November 2015. All samples were cultured for Francisella and other bacterial species and Real Time TaqMan PCR was performed on the concentrated and DNA extracted samples. For detection of the presence of bacterial DNA in the samples, two different targets in the genome of Francisella, ISFtu2 and fopA were used. Among the tested surface water samples, 40 (17.09%; 95% CI: 12.67-22.33%) and 12 (5.13%; 95%CI: 2.81-8.56%) samples were positive for ISFtu2 and fopA respectively. None of them was positive in culture. The prevalence of Francisella spp. in the environmental samples in the west of Iran is high and it is comparable with Turkey, Iran's neighboring country. Use of higher copy number genes or IS like ISFtu2 could improve the detection of this organism in the environmental samples.

On Two Suffixal Elements in the Toponymy of Aturpatakan-South Caspian Region

The article presents an analysis of the place-names with the formants -(v)īγ/-(w)yq/ and - vīǰ, attested in the South Caspian and the north-western provinces of Iran.

Trends and risk factors of gastric cancer in Iran (2005–2010)

Background:Gastric cancer (GC) is the first and the third prevalent cancer among males and females in Iran, respectively. The aim of this study was mainly to identify high-risk areas of GC by assessing the spatial and temporal pattern of incidence, and second, to explore some risk factors of GC in ecological setting.Methods:In this cross-sectional ecological study we used Bayesian hierarchical space-time model to measure the relative risk and temporal trends of GC in Iran from 2005 to 2010 based on available data. Data analysis was done by the use of integrated nested Laplace approximation Bayesian approach in R software.Results:Overall trend of GC was significantly decreasing during the study period. Ardabil, Khorasan Razavi, West Azarbaijan, Zanjan, and Mazandaran provinces had the highest risk of incidence. Overweight and smoking were directly and significantly associated with GC risk.Conclusions:During the study period, GC has decreased in Iran. Nevertheless, GC risk was generally high in Northern and Northwestern provinces of Iran. Different health policies according to GC risk and trend are required for each province. Improvements in screening and education programs and conducting further epidemiological studies could help to reduce the incidence of GC in high risk provinces.

Serological and molecular detection of Bean leaf roll and Chickpea chlorotic stunt luteoviruses in chickpea from Iran

AbstractChickpea (Cicer arietinumL.) is an important legume crop and widely cultivated in northwestern provinces of Iran. During a survey in the 2015 growing season a total of 170 selected chickpea plants with general yellowing symptoms including stunting and leaf bronzing were collected. Serological Elisa and tissue blot immunoassay (TIBA) tests revealed the presence ofBean leaf roll virus(BLRV) andChickpea chlorotic stunt virus(CpCSV) as the predominant viruses in the region. Some serologically positive samples of BLRV and CpCSV were selected and rechecked by RT-PCR. The results of amplified PCR products using a specific pair of primers towards theCpgene region of the viruses were approximately 413 bp for CpCSV and 391 bp for BLRV. Results obtained from sequence comparison of BLRV (IR-F-Lor-5) isolate form two subgroups with eight other BLRV isolates from GeneBank indicating a high homology of 96% with isolates from Argentina, Germany, Tunisia, USA, Spain, and Colombia. An isolate from Norabad (Iran) (IR-Nor) had 98% homology with HQ840727 Libyan isolate. CpCSV sequence comparison with six other GeneBank isolates indicated 98% homology with isolates from Tunisia and Azerbaijan. The overall results of this research revealed the CpCSV and BLRV (luteoviruses) associated with the yellowing disease syndrome of chickpea crops in the surveyed region.

Age differences in diabetes-related complications and glycemic control

BackgroundThis study aimed to examine the associations of age with the presence of complications and glycemic control in the Northwest of Iran.MethodsA total of 649 people with diabetes who were >25 years old and had a caring record in diabetes clinics in two Northwestern provinces of Iran during 2014–15, were recruited in this cross-sectional study. General information including demographic, socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors were collected by trained interviewers. Clinical information was retrieved from clinic's record. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to assess the predictors of diabetes outcome of interest as well as to clarify the role of age in relation to these outcomes.ResultsCompared to the age group of ≤49, the middle age group (50–59) and the older age group (60 years of age and older) were less likely to report poor glycemic control (OR fully adjusted = 0.49 95% CI: 0.28–0.86 and (OR = 0.44 95% CI: 0.24–0.80), respectively. Additionally, poor glycemic control was associated with income level, disease duration, hypercholesterolemia, high level of LDL and hypertension. In contrast, age was associated with the highest percentage of complications. People with duration of >7 years of disease record were 6 times more likely to have complications (ORadj = 5.98 95% CI: 2.35–15.22).ConclusionAlthough the prevalence of complications was higher among the older diabetic patients, they had a better glycemic control. The influential factors were variably associated with the two diabetes-related outcomes; therefore, a more comprehensive risk profiles assessment is needed for glycemic control.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Pratylenchoides persicus n. sp. (Nematoda: Merliniidae) and additional data on two other species of the genus from Iran.

Some nematologists recently placed the genus Pratylenchoides, ("Lesion Nematode-like") in the family Merliniidae. To investigate Pratylenchoides species diversity and their relationships with other Merliniidae genera, specimens were collected from various habitats in the northern and northwestern provinces of Iran. The morphological and molecular study yielded three species of the genus Pratylenchoides, including P. persicus n. sp. This new species is characterized by having lip region rounded or slightly flattened anteriorly with four or five fine but distinct annuli, pharyngeal glands off-set or slightly overlapping the intestine dorsally, all three gland nuclei located anterior to the pharyngo-intestinal valve and tail cylindrical with truncate to low rounded terminus. Morphologically, P. persicus n. sp. can be distinguished from the most closely related species, P. heathi by having shorter body and stylet length in females and males, as well as a shorter tail with different terminus in females. Pratylenchoides laticauda and P. cf. nevadensis are reported from Iran for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis based on the D2/D3 region of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA revealed Pratylenchoides as a monophyletic genus, and it supports the delineation of the new species, P. persicus n. sp.

Epidemiological Study of Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreaks in North-western Iran

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly contagious transboundary disease of cattle with major economic losses. This study was undertaken to address the emergence and epidemiological features of LSD in four north-western provinces of Iran. These provinces have extensive borders with others country including Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. A population of 683 cattle from 91 farms were examined during LSD outbreak in Iran during 2014-2016. The information of the farms including the population size, gender, age, vaccination status, clinical signs and the number of death because of LSD were recorded in the designed questionnaires. A number of 234 blood samples were collected randomly from animals with and without clinical signs of LSD. DNA was extracted from blood samples, and they were used for amplifying a fragment of 434bp in size coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for molecular detection of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). The estimated prevalence, cumulative mortality and case fatality were 17.9%, 3.5% and 19.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference in occurrence of the disease between male and female cattle. LSD occurrence in age groups above 5years old and below 6months old showed highest and lowest relative frequencies, respectively. Vaccination was significantly decreased the occurrence of clinical disease. The developed PCR-RFLP technique was able to differentiate between LSDV, sheep pox virus (ShPV) and goat pox virus (GPV). It was concluded that LSD was entered into Iran probably from Iraq via uncontrolled animal movements along common land borders between two countries. Developed PCR-RFLP could be used as a rapid and inexpensive method for differentiating Capripoxviruses (CaPVs).

Epidemiology and patterns of drug resistance among tuberculosis patients in Northwestern Iran

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has emerged as an important global health concern and is on the rise throughout the world. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the epidemiology and pattern of TB drug resistance. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 180 pulmonary TB patients from two Northwestern provinces of Iran were selected. The first and second line drug susceptibility testing was carried out using the 1% proportion method on the Löwenstein–Jensen medium. Full demographic, environmental and clinical history was evaluated. Results: Prevalence of resistance to any TB drug was 13.8%. Eight (4.4%) patients had MDR-TB (2.4% in the province of East Azerbaijan and 9.3% in the province of Ardabil) and one patient had extensively drug-resistant TB. Patient resistance to both isoniazid and streptomycin was the most prevalent at a rate of 8.3%. Patients showed the least resistance to ethambutol (2.8%). There was a significant relationship between the previous history of TB drug treatment and TB drug resistance. Migrants from rural to urban areas were in high-risk groups for the occurrence of TB drug resistance. Conclusion: In our study, prevalence of MDR was less than the global average. It is essential to monitor the patients with previous history of TB treatment and migrants by rapid and accurate techniques in terms of drug-resistance odds.

Morphological and molecular data support the monophyletic nature of the genus Pratylenchoides Winslow, 1958 (Nematoda: Merliniidae) and reveal its intrageneric structuring

The genus Pratylenchoides has recently been transferred from the family Pratylenchidae to Merliniidae. To investigate further the relationship between these ‘Pratylenchus-like’ species (residing in the subfamily Pratylenchoidinae) and the subfamily Merliniinae, more than 500 soil samples were collected from various natural and agronomic habitats in the northern and north-western provinces of Iran. In this study, paratypes or populations of 22 species of Pratylenchoides, including the Iranian populations of P. alkani, P. crenicauda, P. erzurumensis, P. laticauda, P. nevadensis, P. ritteri and an undescribed species, were studied. Intra- and interspecies variation of the following characters were investigated: position of the pharyngeal gland nuclei, shape of female and male head, striation of female tail terminus, number of lateral lines at mid-body and in phasmid region for females, presence of intestinal fasciculi, and shape of sperm. Combining morphological and molecular data prompted us to propose two clusters of related Pratylenchoides species. One cluster includes P. crenicauda, P. variabilis and P. erzurumensis, whereas the second cluster consists of P. alkani, P. nevadensis and P. ritteri. Our data point to a sister positioning of P. magnicauda vis-à-vis all Pratylenchoides species included in this research. Analyses of SSU rDNA (for family and subfamily relationships) and partial LSU rDNA sequences (for intrageneric relationships) data revealed: i) the distal and nested positioning of all Pratylenchoidinae within the Merliniidae; ii) the single transition from ectoparasitism to migratory endoparasitism within the family Merliniidae corresponds with the current subfamily partitioning; and iii) support for the monophyletic nature of the genus Pratylenchoides.

Stigmaeid and Pseudocheylid mites fauna in three northwestern provinces of Iran with description of male and re-description of female of Mediolata belfieldi Momen, 1987

Abstract A study of the stigmaeid and pseudocheylid mites fauna in northwestern provinces of Iran was carried out during 2012-2014. In this survey, 24 and 4 species of Stigmaeidae (belonging to 7 genera) and Pseudocheylidae were collected and identified, respectively. In this paper the male of Mediolata belfieldi Momen, 1987 is described and the female of the later re-described. A key to the genera of the Iranian Stigmaeidae is included.

Glaucoma in iran and contributions of studies in iran to the understanding of the etiology of glaucoma.

Epidemiologic and genetic/molecular research on glaucoma in Iran started within the past decade. A population-based study on the epidemiology of glaucoma in Yazd, a city in central Iran, revealed that 4.4% of studied individuals were affected with glaucoma: 1.6% with high tension primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 1.6% with normal tension POAG, and 0.4% each with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG), and other types of secondary glaucoma. Two notable observations were the relatively high frequency of normal tension glaucoma cases (1.6%) and the large fraction of glaucoma affected individuals (nearly 90%) who were unaware of their condition. The first and most subsequent genetic studies on glaucoma in Iran were focused on primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) showing that cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) is the cause of PCG in the majority of Iranian patients, many different CYP1B1 mutations are present among Iranian patients but only four mutations constitute the vast majority, and the origins of most mutations in the Iranians are identical by descent (IBD) with the same mutations in other populations. Furthermore, most of the PCG patients are from the northern and northwestern provinces of Iran. A statistically significant male predominance of PCG was observed only among patients without CYP1B1 mutations. Clinical investigations on family members of PCG patients revealed that CYP1B1 mutations exhibit variable expressivity, but almost complete penetrance. A great number of individuals harboring CYP1B1 mutations become affected with juvenile onset POAG. Screening of JOAG patients showed that an approximately equal fraction of the patients harbor CYP1B1 and (myocilin) MYOC mutations; MYOC is a well-known adult onset glaucoma causing gene. Presence of CYP1B1 mutations in JOAG patients suggests that in some cases, the two conditions may share a common etiology. Further genetic analysis of Iranian PCG patients led to identification of Latent-transforming growth factor beta-binding protein 2 (LTBP2) as a causative gene for both PCG and several diseases which are often accompanied by glaucomatous presentations, such as Weill-Marchesani syndrome 3 (WMS3). The findings on LTBP2 have contributed to recognize the importance of the extracellular matrix in pathways leading to glaucoma.

Detection of Pectobacteria Causal Agents of Potato Soft Rot in North Western Provinces of Iran

Various bacteria belonging to Enterobacteriaceae are known to be agents causing blackleg and soft rot in potato. In this study, a rapid and specific detection method was used to investigate bacteria in some northwestern provinces of Iran (Zanjan, Kordestan and eastern Azarbaijan). 26 strains were selected for the study that had been identified in previous studies as representative pathogens, they were as follows: 14 Pectobactrium carotovorum subsp carotovorum, 7 Dickeya chrysanthemi and 5 Pectobactrium atrosepticum. Primers Y1/Y2, Expccf/r, ADE1/2 and Eca1f/r, published as specific primers for the pathogens. They were tested to determine if they could be used for specific amplification of DNA in the strains. The expected specific fragment was not amplified in many strains or several non-specific bands, some close to those expected fragments were amplified. Specific primers for amplification of the DNA of pathogens were designed by sequencing the ITS region from representative strains and a PCR test was developed. In the PCR test a 300 bp fragment was amplified from all strains collected from the provinces. In specificity tests, no PCR products were obtained from other bacteria belonging to other genera.

Geometric Morphometric Study on Geographic Dimorphism of Coding Moth Cydia Pomonella (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) from North West of Iran

Geometric Morphometric Study on Geographic Dimorphism of Coding MothCydia Pomonella(Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) from North West of IranDuring years 2003-2004, nine geographical populations of codling moth Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) from 4 north western provinces of Iran were collected. By preparing 575 images from fore wings and 564 from hind wings, a total of 15 and 11 landmarks were determined for fore and hind wings, respectively. With transforming of landmark's geometrical data into partial warp scores, 26 and 18 scores were obtained for fore and hind wings, respectively. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) revealed significant correlation between environmental parameters and wing shape variables. Among environmental parameters, wind speed showed the highest correlation with wing shape variables whereas, the correlation between latitude, relative humidity as well as amount of precipitation and wing shape variables was low. Considering the effect of various environmental parameters on wing shape, wind speed was determined as important parameter affecting geographic dimorphism. Among the populations collected from different regions, two geographic population pairs; Meshkinshahr-Mahneshan and Zandjan-Khoramdareh were selected as representative of low and high windy regions, respectively. Relative warp analysis (RWA) of fore and hind wings shape variables in the areas with high and low wind showed shorter and wider fore wings as well as slender and narrower hind wings in populations from high windy regions compared with populations from low wind regions. Centroid size of fore and hind wings in high windy area populations were smaller compared with those from low windy ones as revealed by t-test. The results showed aerodynamic shape and small size of wings are as adapted traits for powerful flight and its control in high windy regions.

The Location of Azaris on the Patrilineal Genetic Landscape of the Middle East (A Preliminary Report)

AbstractThe origin of the Turkic-speaking population of the north-western provinces of Iran, the so-called Azaris, is the subject of long-year debate. Here, we present preliminary results on testing of several hypotheses concerning their origin: 1) the Azaris are the descendants of the Turkic ethnic groups migrated from Central Asia; 2) they have an autochthonous origins; 3) they are of Iranian origin; and 4) they have mixed ethnic origin with unknown proportions of source populations' contribution. The results show that Azaris have much weaker genetic affinity with the populations from Central Asia and the Caucasus than with their immediate geographic neighbours. Relying on these outcomes one can suggest that language replacement (change) with regard to Azaris occurred through "elite dominance" mechanism rather than "demic diffusion" model.