Self-assessment of health promoting Hospital's activities in the largest heart Hospital of Northwest Iran.

BACKGROUND: Health Promoting Hospitals are among the major health promoters of the society. To acquire Health Promoting Hospital (HPH) status, a hospital must self-assess to know their inadequacies and then lay the foundation for improvements. This study has been performed with the aim of assessing readiness of the largest heart hospital of northwestern Iran regarding the HPH standards. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted through the participation of 270 administrative and clinical staff of the largest heart hospital of northwestern Iran. Data were gathered using self-assessment tool for health promoting hospitals including demographics and the HPH standards. HPH standards' dimensions were Management policy, Patient assessment, Patient information and intervention, Promoting a healthy workplace, and Continuity and cooperation. Analysis was performed by SPSS v. 16 with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The participants included clinical (67.4%) and administrative (32.6%) staff. Among the HPH standards, the lowest score belonged to the management policy (1.44 ± 0.53) and the highest one to the patient information and intervention (1.72 ± 0.47). The average score of compliance with the HPH standards was 1.60 ± 0.40 which shows moderate progress of the hospital towards the HPH standards. CONCLUSION: Regarding the moderate situation of the hospital in HPH standards and the low score of the management policy, the studied hospital should enforce the standards, especially in the management policy. Also, there is a need for health promotion programs in all three levels of prevention with the participation of the staff and the patients as much as possible.

Expression of antigenic determinants of the haemagglutinin large subunit of novel influenza virus in insect cells.

The global outbreak of novel A/H1N1 spread in human population worldwide has revealed an emergency need for producing a vaccine against this virus. Current influenza vaccines encounter problems with safety issues and weak response in high-risk population. It has been established that haemagglutinin is the most important viral antigen to which antibody responses are directed, and recombinant subunit vaccines, haemagglutinin of influenza A and B viruses, have been considered in order to facilitate vaccine production. In the present study, we have focused on construction of a recombinant baculovirus encoding the large subunit of novel influenza virus A/H1N1 haemagglutinin. The full genome of haemagglutinin was cloned into pGEM-TEasy vector and sequenced. The large subunit of the haemagglutinin gene was amplified by PCR using specific primers and cloned into pFast- BacHTc donor plasmid, which was then confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing and transformed into E. coli DH10Bac competent cells. The bacmid DNA was transfected into insect cells to produce recombinant baculovirus. Expression of recombinant haemagglutinin in insect cells was determined by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. It has been shown that the recombinant haemagglutinin (rHA) obtained from the baculovirus insect cell expression system has suitable immunogenicity in human and can be considered as a candidate flu vac- cine. Here we produced large amounts of the HA1 protein of novel influenza A/H1N1 (Iranian isolate) in insect cells. The immunogenicity and efficacy of the recombinant HA1 will be evaluated as a vaccine candidate and compared to the recombinant HA1 produced in a prokaryotic system.

Molecular analysis of human influenza virus in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: To date there are no reports of molecular and phylogenetic analyses of human influenza virus in Tehran, Iran. OBJECTIVES: We isolated and characterized circulating influenza viruses in a sample of patients in Tehran. METHODS: Nasal and pharyngeal swabs were collected from 57 individuals who were suspected of having influenza between October 2005 and January 2007. These samples were cultured and subsequently genotyped by RT-PCR and sequencing analyses. RESULTS: Twelve of 57 samples (21%) were positive for human influenza virus. Out of the 12 positive samples, 7 were A/H3N2 (58%), 3 were A/H1N1 (25%) and 2 were B subtypes (17%). The phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene showed that the H1N1 isolates were close to the A/New Caledonia/20/99 and the H3N2 isolates were close to the A/Panama/2007/99 and A/Moscow/10/99 vaccine strains. CONCLUSION: In a sample of clinical patients in Tehran, Iran, the predominant subtype of human influenza virus was determined to be A/H3N2, followed by A/H1N1 and B. In addition, phylogenetic analysis on H1 showed some genetic drifts from vaccine strains, but the phylogeny of H3 demonstrated that these isolates were from the previous vaccine strains.

[Ultrasound of the fetal urinary system during the first trimester of pregnancy]. / Échographie de l'appareil urinaire fœtal au 1er trimestre de la grossesse.

The detection of abnormalities of the fetal urinary system in the first trimester of pregnancy is constantly improving, namely owing to the improved resolution of the image, the use of the endovaginal approach and thanks to sonographers' constant training. The pathological aspects, usually detected in the second trimester of pregnancy, can be suspected early in the first trimester and range from kidneys' cavity dilation to bilateral renal agenesis, polycystic kidney disease, multi-cystic dysplasia and bladder megavessia or bladder exstrophy. A poly-malformative syndrome is to be found out. The detection of an abnormality of the urinary tract requires a close ultrasound check. Very often, the pathological aspects tend to disappear spontaneously. In particular, the non-visualization of the bladder requires repeated examinations during the same session or even a little later in the pregnancy. We will carry out a review of the literature by pointing out the usual and unusual aspects of the fetal urinary system visible in the first trimester and we will as well propose an algorithm describing how to deal with abnormalities of the urinary tract that can be found out at first trimester ultrasound.

Prenatal diagnosis of bowel malposition using T2-weighted fetal MRI sequences.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the capability of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in revealing fetal bowel malposition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All fetal MRI examinations (excluding central nervous system MRI examinations) performed in our department from January 2005 to January 2014 were retrospectively studied by 2 independent observers for situs, stomach and jejunum location on T2-weighted images. Patients data were also reviewed for results of ultrasound examinations, MRI indication, and gestational age. Abnormally positioned jejunums were classified into 3 groups: intrathoracic (A), extra-fetal (B) and abnormal intra-fetal (C). Prenatal data were compared to postnatal imaging, surgery or autopsy findings that served as standard of reference. RESULTS: A total of 709 fetal MRI examinations were analyzed. In 64 fetus (9%), the jejunum was not present in the left subgastric area on T2-weighted MR images. In these 64 fetuses, proximal jejunum was intrathoracic (41/64, 64%, group A), extra-fetal (11/64, 17%, group B), or intra-abdominal but abnormally positioned (12/64, 19%, group C). Interobserver agreement was 100%. All diagnoses for fetuses in groups A and B (52 cases) were confirmed postnatally (41 cases) or at autopsy (11 cases). In group C, bowel malposition was suspected after ultrasound in only 2/12 fetuses (16.6%); it was confirmed postnatally in 1 fetus but not confirmed in the remaining one. In the 10 remaining fetuses (83%), malposition was confirmed postnatally although not initially suspected. CONCLUSION: T2-weighted fetal MR images are useful for the prenatal diagnosis of bowel malposition, even when they are unsuspected on ultrasound examination.

Lipid matrix-based subunit vaccines: a structure-function approach to oral and parenteral immunization.

Immunization is today the most effective defense mechanism against microbial infections. Although highly effective vaccines are currently available for a number of infectious diseases, vaccine formulations can still be improved in a number of important areas. The ability to induce antigen-specific humoral and cell-mediated immunity is crucial to the development of effective prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for HIV and other pathogens. The approach of our laboratory has been to design and test simple, highly defined antigen-lipid complexes that would stimulate antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in the absence of any nonspecific immunological activators such as Freund's adjuvant, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or alum. These studies have provided insight into the relationships between the properties of an immunogen and the induction of the desired immune responses. We have previously utilized this approach to define the minimal structures required for the induction of antibody responses. Our more recent studies have focused on defining the parameters involved in the induction of cell-mediated and mucosal immune responses. Toward this end we have developed a new type of subunit vaccine that is effective when given orally or intramuscularly, and elucidated structure-function relationships in peptide vaccines that affect induction of CD8+ cell responses.

Dry-powder form of chitosan nanospheres containing influenza virus and adjuvants for nasal immunization.

The objective of this study was to develop and statistically optimize chitosan nanospheres. For this purpose chitosan powder was turned into nanospheres using tripolyphosphate as a crosslinker and through ionic gelation. D-optimal response surface design was applied to optimize the nanospheres. Their size and polydispersity index (PDI) were measured as the dependant variables. Then the inactivated influenza virus and/or CpG ODN or Quillaja saponin (QS) were incorporated into the chitosan nanospheres. The release profiles of the antigen and both adjuvants were obtained. The toxicity of the formulations was tested by XTT using Calu 6 cell lines. The size distribution and PDI of plain chitosan nanospheres was 581.1 ± 32.6 and 0.478 ± 0.04. After 4 h the release of antigen, QS and CpG from the chitosan matrix were 33, 36 and 62%, respectively. The inactivated virus remained intact during preparation, as revealed by the SDS-PAGE method. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy indicated no serious structural changes in the chitosan carrier in the presence of either the antigen or the immunoadjuvants. Although the antigen loaded into chitosan nanospheres showed slight cytotoxicity on lung-cancer cells, co-encapsulation of the adjuvant (especially CpG) lowered this effect. The results demonstrated that chitosan as a carrier and immunostimulator, along with CpG or QS adjuvants, creates a potential influenza vaccine delivery system which can be administered nasally.

Safety of human therapeutic morphine vaccine employing Lohmann specific pathogen free eggs.

One of the sensitive and standard tests to control the safety of a vaccine is the inoculation of such vaccine to the air pocket of Lohmann specific pathogen free eggs. The aim of this study is to control the safety of morphine vaccine. This study reveals the safety of morphine vaccine by employing Lohmann specific pathogen free embryo eggs. The changeable parameters in this test were: weight of eggs, safety of eggs embryo, vaccine concentration, normal saline and temperature of the incubator. To study, the safety of morphine vaccine, we used 30 eggs (after controlling the safety of eggs and their embryos) which were divided into two groups of control (15 eggs) and test (15 eggs). After weighing the eggs, the eggs under experiment were inoculated with morphine vaccine and the control group was inoculated with physiological solution. Both groups were incubated and weight of the eggs and chickens were determined accordingly. The eggs of each group were controlled by their weights showing healthy, normal growth and evolution. The comparison between the weights of control and experimental groups did not show any significant changes. Exactly growth and evolution of each group were found equally to be balancing for three weeks after injection. Finally all eggs were observed to be safe, alive and in evolutionary form. By comparing the growth and evolution amongst each egg in the group under experiment, after injection, the eggs did not show any adverse reaction after inoculation with therapeutic human morphine vaccine.

Antigenic variations of human influenza virus in Shiraz, Iran.

PURPOSE: Influenza virus is a major cause of human respiratory infections and responsible for pandemics and regional outbreaks around the world. This investigation aims to determine the prevalent influenza genotypes during 2005-2007 outbreaks in Shiraz, the capital city of Fars province, southern Iran and compare the results obtained with those of previous study. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Of the 300 pharyngeal swabs collected from influenza patients, 26 were found to be positive by culture and hemagglutination (HA) assays. Typing and subtyping of the isolates carried out by using multiplex RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis performed on isolated HA genes using neighbour-joining method. RESULT: Out of 26 positive isolates 12 and 14 were H1N1 and H3N2 respectively. The phylogenetic and amino acid sequence analyses of our H1N1 isolates showed 99-100% genetic resemblance to A/NewCaledonia/20/99 (H1N1) vaccine strain. Most of the Iranian H3N2 isolates varied form A/California/7/2004 vaccine strain in 20 amino acids of which positions 189,226 and 227 were located in antigenic sites of HA1 molecule. These substitutions were not observed in any of the H3N2 subtypes from the same region reported previously. CONCLUSION: The H3N2 subtype strains prevalent during the 2005/7 influenza outbreak in southern Iran demonstrated a drastic antigenic variation and differed from A/California/7/2004 vaccine strain. The H1N1 subtypes showed a notable resemblance to A/NewCaledonia/20/99 vaccine strain and therefore were predicted to be capable of conferring sufficient immunity against H1N1 subtypes.