Southern Provinces Of Iran Research Articles

Protective Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Malva sylvestris Plant against the Lethality and Histopathological Damage in Experimental Envenoming of Hemiscorpius lepturus Venom in Balb/c Mice.

Hemiscorpius lepturus envenomation is a serious health problem in the southern provinces of Iran. The antiserum produced in Iran to counteract this scorpion venom is not entirely effective due to the risk of anaphylactic shock and other adverse effects. Therefore, more efficient alternatives to treat patients deserve attention, and plants are extensively good candidates to be studied. This study aimed to assess the potential of the aqueous fraction of Malva sylvestris in inhibiting the toxic effects of H. lepturus venom. Injection of sub-lethal dose of H. lepturus venom leads to severe tissue damage in vital organs including the kidney, liver, heart and intestine, after 24 hours. By injecting 80 mg of the aqueous extract of M. sylvestris into the peritoneum helped treat the damaged tissues caused by H. lepturus venom in mice. Thus, Malva sylvestris could serve as an alternative treatment for scorpion sting envenomation and may be used as a drug to neutralize relevant toxic effects in patients stung by H. lepturus.

Legitimating Misogyny and Femicide: Legal Himpathy and (State) Violence against Women in Iran

On the fifth of February 2022, a man gruesomely murdered his seventeen-year-old wife, Mona Heydari, in a city in a southern province of Iran. The man then shocked bystanders by strolling in public spaces while carrying his wife’s severed head. This paper focuses on the case of Mona’s killing and investigates the state, media, and online user-created reactions to the incident. The paper aims to (i) offer an in-depth exploration of himpathy with the perpetrator and (ii) investigate the role of the law and the state in the normalization and perpetuation of violence committed by men against women in the name of ‘honor.’ This paper extends the usage of the concept of himpathy (by Manne, 2017) as a cluster of biases that direct sympathy towards men who commit violence against women to the institutional and legal realms. It also draws on the traditional notion of gheirat, referring to protecting one’s ‘honor,’ and explores its role in Iranian law to show that the Iranian legal system hinges upon it, therefore legitimating misogyny and femicide.

Survival Analysis of COVID-19 Patients in an Iranian Population

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a high rate of mortality, but data regarding its prognosis are scarce. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with mortality and survival of COVID-19 patients in a southern province of Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a secondary database of 3172 people who were admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 treatment. Relative risk (RR) was computed to estimate mortality risk between groups, and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival functions in different levels of categorical variables. Finally, the multivariable extended Cox model was employed to determine the factors that affected the survival of COVID-19 patients. Results: The 10- and 15-day survival rate of 3172 patients was 89% and 80%, respectively, and the median survival time was 30 days. Based on the extended Cox model, age, oxygen therapy, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, invasive ventilation, chronic cardiac disease, chronic kidney disease, and cancer were the most important variables affecting the survival of COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Older people (older than 40 years) and those with comorbidities (e.g., chronic cardiac disease, chronic kidney disease, and cancer) had a higher mortality rate; therefore, health-related organizations need to plan for the prevention and early detection of comorbidities to reduce the burden of diseases such as the pandemic of COVID-19 as much as possible in the future.

Association of amino acid metabolites with osteoporosis, a metabolomic approach: Bushehr elderly health program

Amino acids are the most frequently reported metabolites associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) in metabolomics studies. We aimed to evaluate the association between amino acid metabolic profile and bone indices in the elderly population. 400 individuals were randomly selected from 2384 elderly men and women over 60years participating in the second stage of the Bushehr elderly health (BEH) program, a population-based prospective cohort study that is being conducted in Bushehr, a southern province of Iran. Frozen plasma samples were used to measure 29 amino acid and derivatives metabolites using the UPLC-MS/MS-based targeted metabolomics platform. We conducted Elastic net regression analysis to detect the metabolites associated with BMD of different sites and lumbar spine trabecular bone score, and also to examine the ability of the measured metabolites to differentiate osteoporosis. We adjusted the analysis for possible confounders (age, BMI, diabetes, smoking, physical activity, vitamin D level, and sex). Valine, leucine, isoleucine, and alanine in women and tryptophan in men were the most important amino acids inversely associated with osteoporosis (OR range from 0.77 to 0.89). Sarcosine, followed by tyrosine, asparagine, alpha aminobutyric acid, and ADMA in women and glutamine in men and when both women and men were considered together were the most discriminating amino acids detected in individuals with osteoporosis (OR range from 1.15 to 1.31). We found several amino acid metabolites associated with possible bone status in elderly individuals. Further studies are required to evaluate the utility of these metabolites as clinical biomarkers for osteoporosis prediction and their effect on bone health as dietary supplements.

Intraspecific variations of morphometric indices of some species of the genus Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 (Nematoda: Anguinidae) in relation to diet and temperature.

In a study, 13 known species of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 were collected during 20132017 mainly in the southern provinces of Iran, and the variability of their morphological and morphometric characteristics was investigated. The results showed that the number of lateral lines, V and V indices, stylet and spicule length, whose coefficient of variation was less than 10%, were more stable than the other characters. The effects of different temperatures and food sources, including several plants, fungi and carrot disc on the taxonomic characters of three populations of Ditylenchus destructor, two populations of D. dipsaci, and one population of D. myceliophagus were studied. The results showed that indices V, V and MB were more stable than the others. The indices were more affected by food source than by temperature. In addition, the calculation of the correlation between some morphometric indices showed that the distances between the anterior end and vulva, and the anterior end and anus were significantly correlated with body length in all species and populations studied.

Carcinogenic risk assessment of nitrate contamination of drinking water resources in South Provinces of Iran

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the concentration of nitrate in drinking water resources and its carcinogenic risk in the southern provinces of Iran in 2020. Raw data of nitrate concentrations were obtained from wastewater and water Company of each province, and Mont Carlo Simulation (MCS) was considered 10‐5 for estimating human carcinogenic risk. Our results demonstrated that in the drinking water resources of Khuzestan and Fars provinces, the nitrate level was 59 and 72 mg/L, respectively, higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation. The calculated carcinogenic risk of nitrate for Khuzestan and Fars provinces were higher than the range set by WHO and Health Canada, 8.8 × 10−5 and 1.3 × 10−5, respectively. Exposure to an unacceptable nitrate level through drinking water can affect blood carrying oxygen and cause methemoglobinemia and a significant relationship with gastrointestinal cancer spread.

Forms and distribution pattern of soil Fe (Iron) and Mn (Manganese) oxides due to long-term rice cultivation in fars Province Southern Iran

ABSTRACT To assess the effect of long-term rice cultivation and aquic conditions on the physicochemical properties and different forms of iron and manganese and also to make a comparison with non-paddy and adjoining uncultivated soils in calcareous soils of southern Iran. The soil samples were taken from the paddy and non-paddy soils with similar parent materials and landforms. The results showed that in the paddy fields, the amounts of available (extracted by DTPA), total (extracted by nitric acid), and poorly crystalline iron and manganese oxides (extracted by ammonium oxalate) were higher than those in the non-paddy soils and show the highest amount in the surface horizons of paddy fields. In general, the paddy land use increases the iron and manganese oxides with poorly crystalline form, Feo/Fed and Mno/Mnd ratios by 1.84, 1.57, 2 and 3.2, respectively. It also reduces the amount of pedogenic iron and manganese oxides and their crystalline forms relative to the adjacent uncultivated soils. Finally, a significant positive relationship was found between the amounts of poorly crystalline iron and manganese oxides and total form and the amount of organic matter and clay in the soils under study. Also, by changing the land use from the non-paddy to paddy field, the amount of smectite increased and, in contrast, the amounts of illite and chlorite decreased. Therefore, it seems that the significant amount of organic matter introduced and their burial caused by the plowing operation and, on the other hand, their slow decomposition due to the inactivation of aerobic activities in the reduction conditions is among the factors affecting the variations of chemical properties in paddy soils and, generally, wet land soils.

Clinical Characteristics of Outpatients and Inpatients With COVID-19 in Bushehr: A Report From the South of Iran

Aim: To investigate clinical, laboratory and imaging features of COVID-19 patients in Bushehr, a southern province of Iran. Materials & methods: A total of 148 COVID-19 patients were enrolled. The patients were categorized into four groups including inpatients, outpatients, elderly and nonelderly. Clinical, laboratory and computed tomography characteristics were analyzed and compared. Results: Levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferas among inpatients were higher than outpatients. There were significant differences in the levels of creatinine and blood urine nitrogen between elderly and nonelderly patients. The incidence of ground-glass opacities in inpatients was significantly higher than in outpatients. Conclusion: COVID-19 is associated with more severe renal failure in elderly patients. Elderly patients with underlying conditions are at increased risk of severe progression of COVID-19.

Identification of the synoptic patterns of dust storms over southern provinces of Iran

The present study was conducted to identify the synoptic patterns that could display the origin of dust-storm over southern provinces of Iran. In order to design these patterns, we selected 17 weather stations whose data-sets of visibility per meter for one decade (2000 to 2009) were provided from Meteorological Organization of Iran. This paper used daily data of Sea Level Pressure (SLP) from NCEP/NCAR for designing the synoptic patterns as composite maps for each group. The extraction of dust records from the stations and consequently the evaluation of dust-storms frequency were our primitive aims. According to results, there were totally 345 dust-storms from 2000 to 2009 in the study area. Moreover, our results revealed that the dust-storms could be classified to three groups, including pervasive, semi-pervasive, and small ones based on Dust Stations (DS) frequency. All the dust-storms comprise 2 to 41 days. This paper illustrated the patterns for all the peak dusty days of the above-mentioned groups by extracting the sea level pressure data. According to the findings, the synoptic patterns demonstrated that the Pakistan Low is an important thermal low in Southern Asia, which pumped dust from 5 routes originated from Sahel, Southern Hijaz, and Mesopotamia Plain, toward the study area, particularly during the pervasive ones. This low appeared weak and disappeared during semi-pervasive and small dust-storms.

Dynamic Modulus Predictive Models for In-Service Asphalt Layers in Hot Climate Areas

Dynamic modulus of asphalt mixtures is one of the most important input parameters in design and rehabilitation of asphalt pavements. Dynamic modulus predictive models are alternative methods for laboratory determination of this parameter. These models were developed based on laboratory data. Due to sophisticated and laborious laboratory testing methods, there is a need to develop new models to determine dynamic moduli of in-service asphalt layers. In this study, nine different asphalt pavement sites were selected in two southern provinces of Iran. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing was performed at each site and core samples were taken from the asphalt layers for volumetric analysis. Using the results, dynamic moduli of asphalt layers were determined using six predictive models, including Witczak, modified Witczak, Hirsch, Al-Khateeb, global, and simplified global models. Predicted dynamic moduli were compared with those determined from back-calculation analysis of FWD data. Existing predictive models were calibrated and new models were developed for the prediction of in situ dynamic modulus of asphalt layers in hot climate areas. Performance evaluation and validation of the new models showed high prediction accuracy and low prediction bias with very good correlations between the predicted and back-calculated values (R2=0.96).

Challenges and Needs of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in Response to the Great Flood of Iran in 2019

INTRODUCTION: In the first half of April 2019, heavy rains in central and western parts of Iran resulted in great floods. The rains affected 24 provinces and caused extensive damage to urban and rural infrastructure. Since Iran, especially the northern, western, and southern provinces of Iran are prone to floods, the floods are expected to occur every year in many provinces. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the needs and problems of the Red Crescent Society in different provinces of Iran in response to the great flood of Iran in 2019. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in all provinces of Iran after the end of the flood response operations in April 2017. The required data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire and interviews with provincial operational managers. The designed questionnaire had different parts about the situation of the provinces in the face of floods, the most important problems faced during floods, and the most important needs for facing floods. Participants were also asked two questions about the information and equipment they should have had before the flood. FINDINGS: Analysis of the answers revealed that 24 provinces (77.41% of the country) were affected by the floods. The most common problems were lack of equipment and low public awareness which were repeated by the subjects 24 and 17 times, respectively. Moreover, the need for specialized equipment and training courses were also the most important needs. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, the Iranian Red Crescent Society faced many problems and needs during the disaster relief process in the 2019 flood which indicated the lack of a comprehensive plan for flood management in Iran. Therefore, policymakers and disaster managers must develop practical and localized guidelines for relief according to the conditions of Iran in order to achieve the ultimate goal of disaster management which is to reduce deaths, injuries, and financial damages.

New and known species of Nothotylenchus Thorne, 1941 (Nematoda: Anguinidae) from Iran with an updated list of species.

During a survey conducted during 2013-2017, five known and two new species of Nothotylenchus Thorne, 1941 were collected from the southern provinces of Iran. N. brzeskii n. sp. is characterised by a body length of 774-922 µm, lateral fields with four incisures, delicate, short stylet (7-8 µm) with small rounded knobs, pyriform, offset or slightly overlapping basal pharyngeal bulb, posterior vulva position (V = 83.4-84.4), short PUS (5-10 µm), spicules 20.5-23 µm long, and thick tail with rounded to dull terminus. N. siddiqi n. sp. is characterised by a body length of 573-645 µm, six to nine incisures in lateral fields, delicate, short stylet (6.5-7.5 µm) with rounded knobs, pyriform or slightly elongate and offset basal pharyngeal bulb, V = 79.3-81.0, PUS = 26.5-40 µm, short spicules = 14.5-16.5 µm, and tail with rounded terminus. Morphometric data of the studied species are presented and intraspecific variation of their morphometrics and morphological characters is discussed. The list of world Nothotylenchus species is updated, and a dichotomous identification key and an updated tabular compendium for 41 valid species are provided.

Cross-Reactivity and Neutralization Capacity of Polyspecific Antivenom Produced by Razi Institute against Three Species of Buthidea Family Scorpions

Abstract :Scorpion sting is a significant health problem in southern provinces of Iran. Many thousands of people are stung by different species of scorpions annually. More than 60 scorpion species have been reported to be present in Iran. However razi Institute manufactures polyvalent antivenom against only six species of scorpions, excluding Buthacus macrocentrus , Apistobuthus susanae and Vachoniolus iranus, wide spread scorpion species in south region of Iran. In this research, after collecting scorpions (at night),milking by elctroshock method, the venom of its lyophilized and the LD50 was determined. The fractions were then separated by gel chromatography and HPLC. Using SDS page electrophoresis, the fractional molecular weight was determined. At the end, potency test of these scorpion venoms was carried out in the vicinity of the antiserum produced by the Razi Institute on the animal.In the present work we tried to investigate the cross reactivity of present antivenom against these excluded scorpion species. The antisera production of the Razi Institute was able to neutralize the 33 LD50 of Apistobuthus susanae venom. This antivenom could neutralize Buthacus macrocentrus as well as Vachoniolus iranus scorpion venoms by 41 LD50 and 15 LD50 respectively . According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , antiserums should be made locally and against animal species.Therefore based on the results obtained in the present study it can be concluded that although the venom of these scorpion species are not included in the antivenom production but the present polyvalent antivenom is able to be used in patients stung by these 3 species of scopions too. The powerity of anti-serum neutralizing against the venom of other species of scorpions is based on the constructional similarity and cross-reactivity of different species of venom scorpions

Description of Ditylenchus paraparvus n. sp. from Iran with an updated list of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 (Nematoda: Anguinidae).

During a survey, 12 known and one new species of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 were collected from southern provinces of Iran during 2013-2017. Ditylenchus paraparvus n. sp. is characterised by a short body length (441-543 µm), lateral field with four lines, delicate and short stylet (6-7.5 µm) with small rounded or posteriorly sloping knobs, pyriform and offset basal pharyngeal bulb, V = 67.7-76.4, short post-vulval uterine sac less than one vulval body width long, small spicules (12.5-15 µm) and almost cylindrical tail (71-90 µm) with rounded end. Morphometric data of studied species are presented and intraspecific variation of their morphometrics and morphological characters is discussed. The list of the world Ditylenchus species is updated, and a dichotomous identification key and an updated tabular compendium for 63 valid species is provided.

Application of Kinetic Models in Describing Soil Phosphorus Release and Relation with Soil Phosphorus Fractions across Three Soil Toposequences of Calcareous Soils

Knowledge on P release characteristics and availability of different forms of soil phosphorus can be useful for crop production. Kinetics of P release and distribution of inorganic P from in calcareous soils at summit, shoulder, back slope, foot slope and toe slope of three soil toposequences (Fars province southern Iran) were determined and the relationship between P release and soil properties with phosphorus form was investigated. The kinetics of P release in the soils was determined by successive extraction with 0.01 M CaCl2 over a period of 72 hours. The kinetics of P release followed Elovich, power function and first order kinetic models. The results demonstrated that the pattern of P desorption was similar in all topographic units of the three regions at all times. The highest amount of P release was observed in the lower part of the slope specially in Eghlid and Abadeh (xeric and aridic regimes). Generally, the average content of cumulative phosphorus release and most forms of phosphorous and physical and chemical characteristics in Eghlid soils were greater than other studied soils. Different P forms were determined by sequential extraction; the fractionated inorganic P forms namely apatite type and dicalcium phosphate possessed the highest and the lowest amounts of P reserve in the soils, respectively. As a result, P release and various P forms distribution within the soil profiles along toposequences varied in different topographic units and increased down the slope with an irregular trend. Due to such variability, P fertilizers are recommended by consideration of the physiographic units.

Genetic Population Diversity of Aedes caspius in Southern Provinces of Iran.

Aedes caspius has a wide distribution throughout the world and can transmit Chikungunya virus, West Nile Virus (WNV), Tahyna virus and the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome C-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and cytochrome C-oxidase subunit 2 (COII) genes have been widely used to estimate phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels among this species. Adult collections were carried out by human bait, Center for Deseases Control Light Traps (CDC-LT) and aspirator during February/April, June and October/December 2013-2015 from different southern provinces of Iran and then identified morphologically with reliable keys. A total of 3,570 adult mosquitoes were collected and identified as belonging to three genera, including five species of Culex, six species of Aedes and one species of Culiseta. In this study, 1,796 specimens of Aedes caspius were identified from four provinces. Based on the COI and COII sequences obtained for Ae. caspius population, 12 and 11 haplotypes were identified, respectively. The present study evidenced a high degree of intraspecific variation among these populations of Ae. caspius.

Prevalence of HIV-1 pre-treatment drug resistance in a southern province of Iran, 2016-2017.

HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) occurs when primary viruses bear drug resistance mutations (DRMs). TDR causes first-line antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (ART) failure and is becoming more pronounced due to the widespread use of ART. With the absence of routine individual-level drug resistance testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the tracking of TDR mutations and optimizing the first-line ART following pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) surveys. Here, we report the PDR frequency for the first time in Hormozgan, a southern province of Iran. In this study, 41 blood samples from HIV-1-positive ART-candidate volunteers were collected across the province between April 2016 and March 2017. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) regions showed that 39 out of 41 samples (95%) were CRF35_AD and the two remaining cases were subtype B (2.5%) and C (2.5%). D67G (2.4%), a mutation that reduces susceptibility to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) was the only detectable TDR mutation in this population. Two other DRMs, including E138A (9.7%) and V179T (4.9%), which confer resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), were also identified. Although no major protease inhibitor (PI) resistance mutations were detected, the minor mutations L10F and L33F (2.5% each) as well as several highly frequent polymorphic mutations were identified. Our results show a PDR frequency of 17% in infected individuals from Hormozgan, classified further as 2.4% NRTIs and 14.6% NNRTIs. These results suggest that first-line ART should be practiced carefully in Hormozgan province, and alternative regimens may become necessary for all starters.

Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) programme: study protocol and design of musculoskeletal system and cognitive function (stage II)

IntroductionMusculoskeletal disorders and cognitive diseases are prevalent, and they are significant determinants of morbidity and mortality in older adults. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of...

Burden of traffic accidents among pedestrians of Fars province, southern Iran; estimate of years of life lost in a sample of Iranian population from 2009 to 2013

PurposeTraffic injuries are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Pedestrians have been considered as a high-risk group among road users, especially in middle- or low-income communities. This study attempted to determine the burden of pedestrians' fatalities in Fars, the southern province of Iran using years of life lost (YLL) approach. MethodsThe data used in this study were retrieved from Fars Forensic Medicine Organization database on pedestrian traffic accidents. The YLL from 2009 to 2013 was estimated using the method presented by World Health organization. Some epidemiological characteristics of pedestrians' fatalities were analyzed by SPSS. ResultsAlthough YLL among 1000 male pedestrians decreased from 2.5 in 2009 to 1.5 in 2013, it increased from 0.9 to 2.1 among 1000 females during the same period. Higher proportion of death was found in female, illiterate, and married pedestrians (p < 0.001). In addition, mortality was higher in pedestrians living the cities, during daytime, at home, and in hospitals (p < 0.001). ConclusionConsistent with the global trends, burden of pedestrian accidents in Fars was also exceptionally high. Considering the national and cultural aspects of different countries, improving the safety of pedestrians demands a multi-dimensional approach with interventional factors concerning policies, rules, pedestrians, motor vehicles and environmental conditions taken into consideration.

Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Pediatric Scorpion Stings: A Report From Southern Iran.

Scorpion stings are a major public health problem in many countries, particularly in pediatrics. Children are more susceptible to severe clinical manifestations of envenomation. The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric scorpionism in Hormozgan province of Iran during 2012. This was a cross-sectional study being conducted during 2010 in Hormozgan, the southern province of Iran. We included 350 patients admitted to emergency unit of the hospitals of 8 cities of Hormozgan with impression of scorpion envenomation. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics as well as the treatment and outcome were recorded. The prevalence rate of pediatric scorpion stings in the province was 1.8 in 1000 children. The mean age of the patients was 5.75 ± 4.54 (range, 1-18) years. There were 208 (59.5%) boys and 142 (40.5%) girls among the patients. The most common site of sting was sole to knee in 94 (26.8%) followed by hand in 61 (17.4%) and fingers in 47 (13.4%). The most common presenting symptom was vomiting in 236 (67.4%) followed by localized pain in 131 (37.3%), erythema in 120 (34.2%), and edema in 119 (33.9%). The highest and lowest frequency occurred in July (17.7%) and January (3.2%), respectively. Nocturnal envenomations (53.7%) were more common than diurnal (46.3%). Most of scorpionism were mild (83.4%) that all evolved to cure, without any deaths. The results demonstrate the pediatric scorpionism is a public health problem in Hormozgan province of Iran, and special attention should be paid to prevention and treatment.