Detection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by TaqMan Real-Time PCR in Iran.

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is known as a positivesense single-strand RNA virus and leads to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Coronaviruses significantly impact the human respiratory tract. Coronavirus disease is potentially fatal and transmissible in the world. In this study we evaluated the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 in 220 patients with un-explained pneumonia by TaqMan real-time PCR assay regarding open reading frame (ORF1ab) and nucleocapsid (N) protein genes. Materials and methods: Totally, 224 patients entered the study. Upper and lower respiratory tract secretion samples were obtained during 2020 from patients. Samples contained nose and throat swabs with viral transport medium. RNA was isolated from clinical samples with the GenePure Plus fully automatic Nucleic Acid Purification System, NPA-32+ (Hangzhou Bioer Technology Co. Ltd, Hangzhou, China). Outcomes: 72.32% of cases were positive for COVID-19. All positive cases had the most common symptoms of illness regarding fatigue, dry cough, dyspnea, headache, abdominal pain, nausa, vomiting and myalgia. Fever was observed in 50% of positive cases. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan of all tested patients indicated two-sided chest involvement. Conclusion:Detection of COVID-19 by TaqMan real-time PCR seems to be a powerful method for the screening and detection of novel corona virus infection.

The Effect of Acute Intra Locus Coeruleus (LC) Microinfusion of Bupropion on Formalin-Induced Pain Behavior in Rat.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory pain is a common sign of chronic diseases. Some brain regions such as locus coeruleus (LC) of the brainstem nor-epinephrine (NE) system have a key role in The mechanisms of the pain modulation and dependence. Bupropion synthesized as an antidepressant, but it is using for smoke cessation. It can change morphine withdrawal signs such as pain related behaviors. This study tested the acute effect of intra-LC microinfusion of bupropion on the formalin-induced pain behavior in rats. METHODS: Wistar male rats were divided into 6 groups (control-naïve, control-operated, shamoperated, and 3 treated groups with 10(-2), 10(-3), 10(-4) mol/µl intra-LC of bupropion). The injection guide cannulae were implanted into LC nuclei bilaterally by stereotaxic coordinated surgery under sterile condition. The sham group received normal saline as drug vehicle but control groups had no intra-LC injections. Formalin (50 µl, 2.5%) was injected subcutaneously in plantar region of the right hindpaw in all animals (30 min after drug administration in treated animals). Nociceptive signs were observed continuously and registered on-line each minute. Common pain scoring was used for pain assessment. RESULTS: The analysis of data by one-way ANOVA showed that bupropion can reduce pain behavior scores significantly. Bupropion reduced total pain score in the phase 01 (60%) and phase 02 (52%) of maximal behavior compared to the sham group, dose dependently and significantly. The pain scores of controls and sham groups had no significant difference. DISCUSSION: The results showed that bupropion has analgesic effects on LC neurons and can alter the neurochemical involvement of LC in pain process. Bupropion has different and significant effect on early and late phases of formalin test.

Microinfusion of bupropion inhibits putative GABAergic neuronal activity of the ventral tegmental area.

INTRODUCTION: The most common interpretation for the mechanisms of antidepression is the increase of the brain monoamine levels such as dopamine (DA). The increase of DA can reduce depression but it can also decrease the monoamine release because of autoreceptor inhibition. Although bupropion can decrease the dopamine release, there is evidence about stimulatory effects of chronic application of bupropion on ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons. In this study, the intra-VTA acute microinfusion of bupropion on putative VTA non-Dopaminergic (VTA-nonDA) neuronal firing rates was evaluated by a single neuron recording technique. METHODS: Animals were divided into 7 groups (sham, and 6 bupropion-microinfused groups with 1, 10(-1), 10(-2), 10(-3), 10(-4), and 10(-5) mol, 1 µl/3 min, intra-VTA). A single neuron recording technique was done according to the stereotaxic coordination. After 10 min baseline recording, ACSF or bupropion was microinfused. The recording continued to recovery period in the treated groups. The prestimulus time (PST) and interspike interval (ISI) histograms were calculated for every single unit. The assessment of the drug effect was carried out by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-hoc test. RESULTS: 126 non-DA neurons were separated. Bupropion could inhibit 116 neurons and 11 neurons had no significant response. Maximum inhibition was 79.1% of baseline firing rate with 44.3 min duration. The inhibitory effect of bupropion was dose-dependent. DISCUSSION: The acute inhibitory effects of bupropion on VTA-nonDA neurons can explain the fast inhibitory effects of bupropion and other antidepressants on the VTA. These data can explain some side effects of antidepressants.

Serum Level of Some Minerals during Three Trimesters of Pregnancy in Iranian Women and Their Newborns: A Longitudinal Study.

Concentrations of various trace elements are altered during pregnancy with changes in the mother's physiology and the requirements of growing fetus. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to learn the changes of micronutrients Iron (Fe), Calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn) Magnesium (Mg) and copper (Cu) of pregnant woman and their relations with newborns levels. Serum levels of iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and copper of 162 pregnant women and their newborns were determined by an inductively couple plasma mass spectrometer (ICP/MS). The results showed that majority (41 %) of pregnant women were in age group 26-36 years 55 % had high school and diploma levels of education and the total income ranged between 3 and 5 Rials million per month There was significant difference in iron levels during first, second and third trimesters, 76.0 ± 17.8, 63.5 ± 15.2 and 70.1 ± 14.4 µg/dl respectively. Significant difference was shown in zinc levels 79.5 ± 15, 74.5 ± 16.1, and 65.3 ± 14.9 µg/dl during three trimesters. Copper levels during pregnancy were significantly different (130.9 ± 43.5, 172.0 ± 38.94, 193.2 ± 28.5 µg/dl. The serum levels of calcium and magnesium during pregnancy were constant (Ca: 8.96 ± 0.48, 8.86 ± 0.47, 8.91 ± 0.42 mg/dl and Mg: 2.10 ± 0.21, 2.08 ± 0.28, 2.09 ± 0.29 mg/dl). Results showed that 13 % of pregnant women had hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia. Thirty eight percent and 42 % of pregnant women had iron and zinc deficiency respectively. In this study, unlike zinc, no pregnant women were found deficient in serum copper levels. Calcium, iron, zinc, copper and magnesium levels in the newborn's cord blood were 8.93 ± 0.43, 106.0 ± 26.1, 85.35 ± 16.6, 57.04 ± 13.8 and 1.99 ± 0.27 mg/dl respectively. In the present study the levels of iron and zinc in cord blood were higher than the levels of iron and zinc in maternal serum. The mean level of copper in cord blood serum in the current study was lower than maternal values. The mean serum calcium and magnesium in the serum cord blood and in the serum of the pregnant women were similar.

Tail flick modification of orexin-a induced changes of electrophysiological parameters in the rostral ventromedial medulla.

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that intracerebroventricular (ICV) and supraspinal injections of orexin-A elicit analgesia, but the mechanism(s) of action remains unidentified. This study aims to characterize the effect of orexin-A on rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) neurons which are involved in the descending nociception modulating pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we injected orexin-A or vehicle di- rectly into rats' ICV while the tail flick (TF) latencies were measured and the on- and off-cell firing activities were monitored for more than 60 minutes. RESULTS: In response to noxious stimuli on the tail, we observed increased firing rate of on-cells and a decreased association with the firing rate of off-cells and in neutral cells the firing rate was unchanged just prior to tail flicking. ICV injection of orexin-A decreased the spontaneous firing rate of on-cells (the type of RVM neurons believed to have facilitatory action on nociception). Furthermore, orexin-A increased firing rate of off-cells (the type of RVM neurons believed to have an inhibitory action on nocicep- tion). Orexin-A reduced the TF-related responses of on-cells and TF-related pause duration of off-cells. CONCLUSION: These results have shown that the analgesic effect produced by orexin-A may be induced by brainstem neurons. It is suggested that the orexinergic system from the hypothalamus to the RVM may have a potential role in modulation of nociceptive transmission.

Effect of low frequency electrical stimulation on spike and wave discharges of perioral somatosensory cortex in WAG/Rij rats.

Low frequency electrical stimulation has been revealed that as a potential cure in patient with drug resistant to epilepsy. This study tries to evaluate the effect of low frequency electrical stimulation (LFS) on absence seizure of perioral region primary somatosensory cortex (S1po). Eighteen male WAG/Rij rats were received LFS (3Hz, square wave, monophasic, 200µs, and 400µA) for 25min into S1po for a period of five days. There is 6 animals per group .The stimulating electrodes were implanted according to stereotaxic landmarks and EEG recording was obtained 30min before and after LFS to analyse frequency, number and duration of spike-wave discharges (SWD). The results showed that in animals with unilateral stimulating electrodes (Exp1) in first and second days and also in animals with bilateral stimulating electrodes (Exp2) in days 3rd and 4th. LFS had significant decrease effects (p<0.05) on mean number of SWD between pre-LFS. In comparison pre-LFS to post-LFS, mean of duration in Exp2 decreased significantly. In continuous application of LFS (5 days) only the data of first day was differently significant (p<0.05) but data of other days had no difference. Comparison of data between Exp1, Exp2 and control groups showed that the mean number of Exp1 was significantly different (p<0.05) and mean pick frequency in Exp2 was significantly decreased in comparison with Exp1 group (p<0.05). The LFS of S1po produces significant antiepileptic effect on absence seizure but it was not persistent till the next day and shows a short time effect.

Practice guidelines and clinical risk assessment models: is it time to reform?

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines and Risk Assessment Models (RAMs) are some useful tools to bring medical evidences into our daily clinical practice. Despite the improvement over the time, they still have some shortcomings. DISCUSSION: One of these shortcomings is the arbitrary cutoffs used in these tools to facilitate the decision making process. This problem is to some extent due to the "Black or White" approach of modern medicine in making the decisions, whilst in the real world and our daily practice we used mostly an uncertain approach, which is called recently as "Fuzzy" thinking approach. SUMMARY: The authors of this article believe that the fuzzy type of thinking may resolve the above mentioned shortcomings of clinical practice guideline or risk assessment models and they tried to discuss about this using an example about Venous Thromboembolism related guidelines and RAMs.

Cardioprotective effect of vitamin E: rescues of diabetes-induced cardiac malfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in rat.

AIM: This study was designed to assess the effect of vitamin E on cardiac autonomic neuropathy, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and the status of oxidative stress in the heart under hyperglycemic conditions, in vivo. METHODS: Wistar male rats (n=16) were made hyperglycemic by streptozotocin at 6 months of age. Normal Wistar rats (n=8) of the same age were used as the control group. Diabetic rats were divided into two groups, nontreated and those treated with vitamin E (300 mg/day). Stable hyperglycemic status was proved by levels of blood sugar and HbA(1c). Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and cellular antioxidant defense were measured by 8-isoprotane, protein carbonyl content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, respectively. RESULTS: Cardiac complications such as autonomic neuropathy as prolonged QT interval along with significant increases in level of 8-isoprotane, protein carbonyl content, and SOD activity were observed after 6 weeks. Structural abnormality was also observed as severe induction of apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSION: Significant decline in apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and QT interval resulted from vitamin E administration, which strongly implies that this radical scavenger may promote a convalescing effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy through the attenuation of oxidative stress and abrogation of apoptotic signals, which was verified by restoring normal QT interval.

Acute morphine administration reduces white blood cells' capability to induce innate resistance against HSV-1 infection in BALB/c mice.

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that acute morphine administration modulates innate immune response to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection. In this study, the effect of acute morphine on innate resistance and its probable mechanisms in increasing the mortality rate during HSV-1 infection were investigated. METHODS: Mice were infected with HSV-1 24 h prior to different doses of morphine or saline administration and the mortality rate was recorded. Spleen cells were obtained from morphine- or saline-treated mice, then natural killer (NK) cell activity and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production were evaluated. The effect of morphine on white blood cells' capacity to induce protection against HSV-1 infection was evaluated by adoptive transfer of spleen cells to cyclophosphamide-treated mice that were previously infected with HSV-1. Furthermore, in a separate experiment, a different group of mice received corticosterone 24 h after HSV-1 infection. RESULTS: Mortality rate in high-dose acute morphine-treated mice increased significantly compared to saline-treated mice (p = 0.035). NK cell cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma mRNA levels also showed a significant reduction compared to those of control groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively). Corticosterone administration reduces innate resistance against HSV-1 infection compared to saline-treated mice (p = 0.044). Furthermore, adoptive transfer of normal but not morphine-treated spleen cells induces resistance against HSV infection in cyclophosphamide-injected mice (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The current study shows that acute morphine administration reduces white blood cells' capability to induce protection against HSV-1 infection via suppression of IFN-gamma production and NK cells activity. This may be due to the increase in corticosteroids. Further studies are needed to test the effect of acute morphine on other immune cells.

Independent coding of movement duration in a repetitive non-visually guided movement.

Temporal information is an embedded feature of our sensory and motor experiences. How is temporal information encoded in the brain? In the two-stage theory of timing, an explicit representation of timing is responsible for the movement initiation while movement duration is coded implicitly. We investigated the correlation of movement duration and amplitude in a repetitive one-dimensional non-visually guided movement to find out if temporal information could be coded independently from movement. Subjects were asked to learn the distance between two points by moving their hands repeatedly along the distance between two sticks, while they could not see their hands and hand path. After a training phase, a delay of either 2 or 20 s was imposed and the subjects were asked to reproduce the learned distance. There was no correlation between distance difference and time difference in either delay condition. In the 20 s delay experiment, in comparison to the 2 s delay experiment, there was a significant increase in distance reproduction error. However, there was no significant change in time differences in either of the experiments. In addition, the time difference between the training and test trials was independent from the direction of the distance difference (i.e., overshot, undershot, or accurate). In conclusion, time may be coded as an independent measure after the delay period, so it should be a kind of explicitly coded information.