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Biomedical subjects

A Nadim

Publications and source records attributed to A Nadim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Evaluation of deltamethrin-impregnated bed nets and curtains for control of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in a hyperendemic area of Iran.

In the study carried out in the rural district of Borkhar (Isfahan, Iran) from March 2003 to March 2004 efficacy of deltamethrin impregnated bed nets (IBs) and curtains (ICs), polyester mesh size 156 holes/ inch2, (25 holes/cm2) were compared to that of non-impregnated bed nets (NIBs) and curtains (NICs), in relation to zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) control. Deltamethrin impregnated bed nets and curtains at 25 mg a.i./m2 were distributed among 168 households in one of the villages and NIBs plus NICs among the same number of households in another village. In the third village similar numbers of households were used as control. Health education messages were disseminated to ensure the population's compliance with the proper use of bed nets and curtains in the two intervention areas. Entomological surveys using sticky paper traps were carried out in ten households in each village for the collection of sand flies from indoors and outdoors, every two weeks to assess the impact of insecticide impregnated bed nets and curtains on the density of Phlebotomus papatasi. Deltamethrin susceptibility tests and also bioassay tests were carried out on this species by WHO standard method. Case findings were done by house-to-house visits once a season and all the inhabitants of the selected households in each village were examined. The results showed that IBs and ICs can provide a definite personal protection against sand fly bites and interrupted the transmission of ZCL in the intervention village. NIBs and NICs did not provide any protection against the disease. There was no significant difference in monthly density of P. papatasi in indoors and outdoors among the villages (P > 0.05). Susceptibility tests showed that this species was susceptible to deltamethrin in the field population in the area. Bioassays confirmed that the treated nets with deltamethrin remain effective for more than three months and was an excellent mean of individual protection. It is recommended that IBs and ICs can be used widely in the control of ZCL in other similar foci such as hyperendemic and mesoendemic areas of Iran.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Strouhal-Reynolds number relationship for bluff-body flows numerically simulated by an artificial boundary method.

The incidence of the numerical resolution and the blockage effect are investigated in an embedding method for solving bidimensional bluff body flows. This method consists of using an artificial boundary instead of imposing exact conditions on the body surface. It requires us to define a blur frontier ratio and a blockage effect ratio. The blockage effect ratio is found using the mean flow of a circular cylinder directly. The blur frontier ratio is obtained by comparison of the present method with another numerical method where explicit boundary conditions on the body are imposed. For this ratio, the investigations are based on the flow past a square cylinder which discard the uncertainty on the surface of the body for the embedding method. Hence, the two factors allow the transformations of the Strouhal and the Reynolds numbers for the flow past a circular cylinder. The universal Strouhal-Reynolds number relationship of the circular cylinder is finally recovered.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Shape oscillations of a viscoelastic drop.

Small-amplitude axisymmetric shape deformations of a viscoelastic liquid drop in microgravity are theoretically analyzed. Using the Jeffreys constitutive equation for linear viscoelasticity, the characteristic equation for the frequency and decay factor of the shape oscillations is derived. Asymptotic analysis of this equation is performed in the low- and high-viscosity limits and for the cases of small, moderate, and large elasticities. Elastic effects are shown to give rise to a type of shape oscillation that does not depend on the surface tension. The existence of such oscillations is confirmed by numerical solution of the characteristic equation in various regimes. A method for determining the viscoelastic properties of highly viscous liquids based upon experimental measurements of the frequency and damping rate of such shape oscillations is suggested.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Stability of the Shape of a Viscous Drop under Buoyancy-Driven Translation in a Hele-Shaw Cell.

It has been shown (N. R. Gupta, A. Nadim, H. Haj-Hariri, and A. Borhan, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 218, 338 1999) that a circular drop translating in a Hele-Shaw cell under the action of gravity is linearly stable for nonzero interfacial tension. In this paper, we use the boundary integral method to examine the nonlinear evolution of the shape of initially noncircular drops translating in a Hele-Shaw cell. For prolate initial deformations, it is found that the drop reverts to a circular shape for all finite Bond numbers considered. Initially oblate drops, on the other hand, are found to become unstable and break up if the initial shape perturbation is of sufficiently large magnitude. The critical conditions for the onset of drop breakup are examined in terms of the magnitude of the initial deformation as a function of Bond number. Two branches of marginal stability are identified and the effects of viscosity ratio and asymmetric initial perturbations on the stability diagram are discussed. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

On the Linear Stability of a Circular Drop Translating in a Hele-Shaw Cell.

For the buoyancy-driven motion of a drop in a Hele-Shaw cell, a circle is an exact solution for the shape of the drop. The stability of the shape of a circular drop translating in a Hele-Shaw cell under the action of gravity is investigated. It is shown that for nonzero interfacial tension, the circular shape is linearly stable. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Randomised vaccine trial of single dose of killed Leishmania major plus BCG against anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Bam, Iran.

BACKGROUND: A vaccine consisting of a single dose of whole-cell autoclave-killed Leishmania major (ALM) mixed with BCG was assessed in comparison with BCG alone against anthroponotic (human to human transmission) cutaneous leishmaniasis in a randomised double-blind trial in Bam, Iran. METHODS: 3637 schoolchildren, aged 6-15 years, with no history of cutaneous leishmaniasis and no response to a leishmanin skin test, were randomly assigned to receive 1 mg ALM mixed with BCG (n = 1839), or BCG alone (n = 1798). Safety of the vaccine and the incidence of confirmed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis were followed up for 2 years. FINDINGS: Side-effects were those usually associated with BCG vaccination, but tended to persist longer in the ALM + BCG group. After exclusion of four cases occurring within 80 days of vaccination (one in the ALM + BCG group and three in the BCG group), the 2-year incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis did not differ significantly between vaccine and BCG groups: 2.8% vs 3.3%, respectively (total cases 112). A sex-stratified analysis showed that in boys the vaccine conferred a protective efficacy of 18% and 78% for the first and second years, respectively--a crude 2-year overall protection of 55% (95% CI 19-75%, p < 0.01). In the first 9 months after vaccination, there was a non-significant excess of cases in the ALM + BCG group (25 vs 16), whereas the incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis thereafter was significantly reduced in the ALM + BCG group (27 vs 44, p < 0.05). INTERPRETATION: A single dose of ALM + BCG was safe and more immunogenic than BCG alone, as measured by leishmanin skin test. The exact reason for the apparent protective effect of the vaccine in boys is unknown, and may be a chance finding. However, since boys are more exposed to the infection, which is indicated by higher disease prevalence in boys in this study population, the preferential protective effect in boys may have resulted from a greater booster effect produced by repeated exposure to infected sandflies. Booster injections or alternative adjuvants should be tried to improve the potential efficacy of this vaccine.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1998

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in primary school children in the south-eastern Iranian city of Bam, 1994-95.

Between August 1994 and July 1995, 11,517 primary school children aged 6-11 years in the south-eastern Iranian city of Bam, comprising 5560 (48.3%) girls and 5957 (51.7%) boys, were examined for the presence of active lesions or scars of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). There was a trend towards increasing prevalence with age, the prevalence being 10.7% in 6-year-old and 20% in > or = 11-year-old children. Overall, 1.3% of the children had active lesions and 14.3% had scars. There was no significant difference between the sexes in the prevalence of active lesions and/or scars. Of the children examined, 54 (0.5%) had leishmaniasis recidivans: 19 girls (35.2%) and 35 boys (64.8%). The number of active lesions or scars per child ranged from 1 to 10. The majority (82.3%) had 1 lesion, 12.4% had 2 lesions, and 5.3% had > or = 3. The average number of lesions was 1.08 (1.03 in girls and 1.18 in boys). The face was the part of the body most commonly involved (63.6%), followed by the hands (20.9%), legs (12.8%) and other parts of the body (2.7%). Examination of isolates from 14 children revealed that in 13 (92.9%) the causal organism was Leishmania tropica and in the other (7.1%) L. major. The survey indicates that the geographical distribution of CL is far wider than previously thought. It also shows that Bam is a suitable areas for a vaccine field trial.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1993

Epidemiological aspects of kala-azar in Meshkin-Shahr, Iran: human infection.

During the last decade, kala-azar, which used to be a sporadic disease, became endemic in parts of East-Azerbaijan province in north-west Iran. Many of the 1051 cases observed between 1985 and 1990 were in the district of Meshkin-Shahr (800 cases). The diagnosis was based on symptoms and signs of the disease plus a positive serological test (indirect immunofluorescence assay or direct agglutination test) and, in some cases, the finding of parasites in bone marrow smears. About 90% of the cases were children under 5 years of age. The disease incidence in 1990 was almost ten times that in 1985. New cases are diagnosed throughout the year, but mostly from January till April. Cases were treated with meglumine antimoniate with very satisfactory results; deaths were few among the treated children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Application of the indirect fluorescent antibody test in serodiagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in experimentally infected mice and naturally infected Rhombomys opimus.

The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used to detect leishmanial antibodies in experimentally inoculated mice with promastigote forms of Leishmania major, L. tropica and L. donovani infantum and in naturally infected Rhombomys opimus captured from the area endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Esfahan, Iran. In the mice inoculated with L. major, the leishmanial lesion appeared at the site of inoculation and the leishmanial antibody level was much higher than in mice inoculated with other strains of Leishmania and in which no lesion was observed up to the 22nd week after inoculation. In R. opimus, the microscopical examination of the two smears prepared from the ears of each gerbil (one by the ordinary and the other by the sand-paper method) showed about 41% to be parasitologically positive. However, in IFAT about 84% were serologically positive. There was a good correlation between the percentage of thickened ears and leishmanial antibody titres in the gerbils. This investigation indicated that IFAT is a suitable serological technique for finding the reservoir hosts of leishmaniasis and determining leishmanial infection among rodents.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Animal toxoplasmosis in Iran.

A latex agglutination slide test for Toxoplasma antibodies was used on serum samples collected from various animals (111 cats, 113 dogs, three jackals, 393 sheep, 272 goats, 69 cows) in different parts of Iran. The sero-positive rate in titres 1:2-1:256 in different animals ranged from 12.6 to 56.0%; the highest (56.0%) was found in the stray dogs. Suspensions of the brains of 120 sero-positive animals (17 cats, 14 dogs, one jackal, 66 sheep, 22 goats) as well as 13 sero-negative animals (11 dogs, two jackals) and four black kites (Milvus migrans) not serologically tested were inoculated intraperitoneally into mice for isolation of Toxoplasma gondii. Altogether 16 strains of T. gondii were isolated from cats (47.0%) dogs (14.2%), sheep (7.5%) and a bird (black kite).

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Absorption of lead in Tehran traffic policemen.

In this study 228 traffic policemen and 68 policemen engaged in office duties were studied for lead absorption. The average value of blood lead of traffic policemen (29.52 +/- 7.78 micrograms/100 mL) in the city of Tehran was significantly (p less than 0.01) higher than for the policemen in office duties (21.74 +/- 5.63 micrograms/100 mL). No correlation between blood lead level and age and/or length of occupation was found. The most reasonable explanation for the findings of this study is that lead emission from motor vehicles is causing this effect.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Blood pressure and rural--urban migration in Iran.

To find the possible association between rural-urban migration and elevation of blood pressure a cross-sectional study was carried out with 379 subjects 40--59 years of age in rural areas of East Azarbaijan, northwest Iran. Another cross-sectional study was carried out in Teheran City in which 403 migrants from the same rural areas and also 357 non-migrant urban residents of the same age group from both sexes were examined. Comparison of the three groups showed that, in all age and sex groups, migrants had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than did the people in the rural areas of origin. The blood pressure levels of migrants and non-migrants in the city were not much different from each other. The effect of other variables on the levels of blood pressure was investigated. Age, sex and body build (as measured by ponderal index) were also associated with blood pressure. None of these factors however explained the differences in blood pressure levels between rural-urban migrants and people in the rural areas of origin.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Present status of kala-azar in Iran.

Sporadic cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been reported from all parts of Iran except the deserts and very arid zones in the southeast. About 120 cases have been reported up to the present time, the majority from the mountainous areas of the southwest. Most patients (76%) have been children under 10 years of age. The probable reservoirs of infection are wild carnivores, infection of man and dog being accidental. During a survey conducted in the Caspian area and northeastern part of Iran in 1970, 20 jackals and 10 foxes were shot; examination of smears from bone marrow and spleen showed the infection in a jackal (Canis aureas) and in a fox (Vulpes vulpes). On the basis of epidemiological evidence, Phlebotomus major is the probable vector of kala-azar in Iran.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Comparison of the prevalence of hypertension in the rural and urban areas of Guilan Province, Northern Iran.

Blood pressure levels of three groups of people 35 years and older in the Guilan province, Northern Iran are compared. One group in the city of Bandar Pahlavi (550) another group in the coastal villages near the city (510) and the third in the mountain villages, less than 100 km far from the city (272). This study shows that in both sexes, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are lowest in the mountain villages, highest in the city and intermediate in the coastal villages. The possible causes of the observed differences are discussed.

Adult↗