Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) generally colonizes in the colon of hospitalized patients... more Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) generally colonizes in the colon of hospitalized patients who receive antibiotics for a long time. C. difficile expresses its virulence factors which are associated with pathogenesis. Naturally, the expression of these virulence factors may be influenced by antibiotics. The effect of antibiotics at the sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on virulence factors has been investigated and it is varied and depends on the type of antibiotic and C. difficile isolate. Some of the antibiotics at sub-MIC upregulate virulence factors, while others downregulate. Meanwhile, some antibiotics have no detectable effects on the regulation of virulence factors. Nearly, all investigations have surveyed a few numbers of C. difficile isolates in terms the expression of virulence factors at sub-MIC. Most of the antibiotics at sub-MICs regulate gene expression of virulence factors, toxin production, spore formation, and germination by several mechanisms especi...
It has been documented that cytokines play important roles in the induction of normal functions o... more It has been documented that cytokines play important roles in the induction of normal functions of the placenta. It has been hypothesized that abnormal expression of the cytokines may be associated with unsuccessful pregnancy. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and tumor growth factor (TGF-β) in pre-term, term neonates, and their corresponding mothers. This study was performed on 100 term and 60 pre-term neonates, and also on their corresponded mothers. Serum levels of IL-17A and TGF-β were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results revealed that the serum levels of IL-17A were significantly decreased in pre-term neonates in comparison to full-term neonates. However, the serum levels of IL-17A in the mothers either with pre-term or full-term neonates were not different. Also the serum levels of TGF-β were not changed in pre-term neonates and their mothers when compared with full-term neonates and their mothers, r...
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most prevalent viral infection and is among the leading causes of ... more Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most prevalent viral infection and is among the leading causes of human liver diseases. Nearly 360 millions of people are world widely infected with prolonged forms of hepatitis B including active and inactive chronic forms. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients suffering from congenital and/or acquired immunodeficiency and also following immunosuppressive therapy. The target cell of human acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is CD4 positive T cells. These cells play central role(s) in both cellular and humoral immunity so that the HIV attack of CD4 positive T cells causes suppression of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses. One of the frequent complications in HIV positive patients is HBV co-infection and as a result, the co-transmission of these viral diseases is common. Due to the paramount importance of the co-infection of HBV and HIV, it is noteworthy to investigate the pr...
Cytokines are considered important factors for the pathogenesis of asthma as they play a key role... more Cytokines are considered important factors for the pathogenesis of asthma as they play a key role in the regulation of immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between this disease and polymorphisms in the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. This study was carried out on 100 asthmatic patients and 100 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was applied to examine the polymorphisms in the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. Our results showed a significant difference between patients and controls in terms of genotypes and alleles of the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. According to our results, it can be concluded that the IL-10 promoter polymorphisms may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Toxoplasma species are obligate intracellular protozoan which are responsible for induction of se... more Toxoplasma species are obligate intracellular protozoan which are responsible for induction of several forms of Toxoplasmosis in humans. The mechanisms responsible for the progression of the prolonged forms of Toxoplasmosis and associated pathologies are yet to be identified. However, previous studies proposed that immunological and genetic parameters may play important roles in the etiology and complexity of Toxoplasmosis. Pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize microbial antigens and induce immune responses against parasites, including toxoplasma species. Toll like receptors (TLRs) are PRRs which recognize toxoplasma as a pathogenic parasite and activate immune cells. It has been reported that the TLR4 is a critical innate immune cell receptor in toxoplasma detection and subsequently activates immune responses using either MYD88 or TRIF pathways. This review collates recent information regarding the role of TLR4 and its related signaling molecules with Toxoplasmosis.
Chlamydia species are obligate intracellular parasites which cause usually asymptomatic genital t... more Chlamydia species are obligate intracellular parasites which cause usually asymptomatic genital tract infections and also are associated with several complications. Previous studies demonstrated that immune responses to Chlamydia species are different and the diseases will be limited to some cases. Additionally, Chlamydia species are able to modulate immune responses via regulating expression of some immune system molecules including cytokines. IL-10, as the main anti-inflammatory cytokine, plays important roles in the induction of immune-tolerance against self-antigen and also immune-homeostasis after microbe elimination. Furthermore, it has been documented that ectopic expression of IL-10 is associated with several chronic infectious diseases. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that changes in the regulation of this cytokine can be associated with infection with several species of Chlamydia and their associated complications. This review collected the recent information regarding the association and relationship of IL-10 with Chlamydia infections. Another aim of this review article is to address recent data regarding the association of genetic variations (polymorphisms) of IL-10 and Chlamydia infections.
Thalassemia and hemodialysis patients are at risk of blood-transmitted infections due to their lo... more Thalassemia and hemodialysis patients are at risk of blood-transmitted infections due to their long-term need for blood transfusion. Nowadays, control of viral infections, including HCV infections, is one of the main tasks of blood transfusion services worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the prevalence of HCV infection in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients in Kerman, in southeastern Iran. In this cross-sectional experimental study, 384 (203 hemodialysis and 181 thalassemia) patients were examined for HCV infection. Demographic data were also collected by questionnaire, and HCV infection was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Data were analyzed by chi-square and t-test. Our results showed that 81 (44.7%) thalassemia and 64 (31.5%) hemodialysis patients were infected with HCV. There was a significant relationship between HCV positivity and the frequency of blood transfusion and the duration of dialysis in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients, respectively. Based on our results, the prevalence of HCV infection in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients in the southeastern part of Iran is higher than the other parts. Therefore, it is suggested that clinical and health authorities in southeastern Iran should pay more attention to preventing the transmission of HCV through blood and blood components.
It is not currently known how dietary assessment in older persons is affected by cognition. In a ... more It is not currently known how dietary assessment in older persons is affected by cognition. In a 1997-2000 study, the authors assessed the validity and reproducibility of a modified Harvard self-administered food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) among 118 Black and 114 White randomly selected participants, aged 68-99 years, of the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Participants completed multiple 24-hour dietary recall interviews (mean = 3.6) over 12 months and two SFFQs in the first and 12th months. The average energy-adjusted intraclass correlation coefficient for 15 nutrients was 0.59 for 1-year reproducibility in nutrient intake levels assessed by the SFFQ. The average energy-adjusted Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.46 for comparative validity between nutrient intake levels on the SFFQ and the dietary recalls. SFFQ reproducibility was higher among men, and comparative validity with the dietary recalls was higher among women. There were no remarkable differences in the correlations by age, race, educational level, presence of chronic conditions, or cognitive ability. The modified Harvard SFFQ is a reasonable method of dietary assessment even in a population of older persons, some of whom are at advanced age, have chronic health conditions, and have cognitive impairment.
Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but t... more Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but these measurements can identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening, had elevated FPG, HbA1c or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardized proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed and detected in survey screening ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the age-standardized proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29–39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevat...
Objective(s) Deregulation of the immune system through allied factors and cytokine responses are ... more Objective(s) Deregulation of the immune system through allied factors and cytokine responses are thought to be important contributors to the pathogenesis of asthma. Vitamin D3 and its nuclear receptor appear to be factors that maybe involved in regulating i mmune responses during the progression of asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms in intron 8 and exon 9 of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and this disease. Materials and Methods This study was performed on 100 asthmatic patients and 100 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was performed to examine polymorphisms in intron 8 and exon 9 of VDR gene. Results Our results showed a statistically significant difference in the Taq-1 evaluated genotypes of exon 9 of the VDR gene when comparing healthy patients to asthmatic patients. Conclusion Based on our results, it can be concluded that VDR and its functional polymorphisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) generally colonizes in the colon of hospitalized patients... more Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) generally colonizes in the colon of hospitalized patients who receive antibiotics for a long time. C. difficile expresses its virulence factors which are associated with pathogenesis. Naturally, the expression of these virulence factors may be influenced by antibiotics. The effect of antibiotics at the sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on virulence factors has been investigated and it is varied and depends on the type of antibiotic and C. difficile isolate. Some of the antibiotics at sub-MIC upregulate virulence factors, while others downregulate. Meanwhile, some antibiotics have no detectable effects on the regulation of virulence factors. Nearly, all investigations have surveyed a few numbers of C. difficile isolates in terms the expression of virulence factors at sub-MIC. Most of the antibiotics at sub-MICs regulate gene expression of virulence factors, toxin production, spore formation, and germination by several mechanisms especi...
It has been documented that cytokines play important roles in the induction of normal functions o... more It has been documented that cytokines play important roles in the induction of normal functions of the placenta. It has been hypothesized that abnormal expression of the cytokines may be associated with unsuccessful pregnancy. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and tumor growth factor (TGF-β) in pre-term, term neonates, and their corresponding mothers. This study was performed on 100 term and 60 pre-term neonates, and also on their corresponded mothers. Serum levels of IL-17A and TGF-β were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results revealed that the serum levels of IL-17A were significantly decreased in pre-term neonates in comparison to full-term neonates. However, the serum levels of IL-17A in the mothers either with pre-term or full-term neonates were not different. Also the serum levels of TGF-β were not changed in pre-term neonates and their mothers when compared with full-term neonates and their mothers, r...
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most prevalent viral infection and is among the leading causes of ... more Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most prevalent viral infection and is among the leading causes of human liver diseases. Nearly 360 millions of people are world widely infected with prolonged forms of hepatitis B including active and inactive chronic forms. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients suffering from congenital and/or acquired immunodeficiency and also following immunosuppressive therapy. The target cell of human acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is CD4 positive T cells. These cells play central role(s) in both cellular and humoral immunity so that the HIV attack of CD4 positive T cells causes suppression of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses. One of the frequent complications in HIV positive patients is HBV co-infection and as a result, the co-transmission of these viral diseases is common. Due to the paramount importance of the co-infection of HBV and HIV, it is noteworthy to investigate the pr...
Cytokines are considered important factors for the pathogenesis of asthma as they play a key role... more Cytokines are considered important factors for the pathogenesis of asthma as they play a key role in the regulation of immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between this disease and polymorphisms in the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. This study was carried out on 100 asthmatic patients and 100 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was applied to examine the polymorphisms in the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. Our results showed a significant difference between patients and controls in terms of genotypes and alleles of the -592 region of the IL-10 gene. According to our results, it can be concluded that the IL-10 promoter polymorphisms may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Toxoplasma species are obligate intracellular protozoan which are responsible for induction of se... more Toxoplasma species are obligate intracellular protozoan which are responsible for induction of several forms of Toxoplasmosis in humans. The mechanisms responsible for the progression of the prolonged forms of Toxoplasmosis and associated pathologies are yet to be identified. However, previous studies proposed that immunological and genetic parameters may play important roles in the etiology and complexity of Toxoplasmosis. Pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize microbial antigens and induce immune responses against parasites, including toxoplasma species. Toll like receptors (TLRs) are PRRs which recognize toxoplasma as a pathogenic parasite and activate immune cells. It has been reported that the TLR4 is a critical innate immune cell receptor in toxoplasma detection and subsequently activates immune responses using either MYD88 or TRIF pathways. This review collates recent information regarding the role of TLR4 and its related signaling molecules with Toxoplasmosis.
Chlamydia species are obligate intracellular parasites which cause usually asymptomatic genital t... more Chlamydia species are obligate intracellular parasites which cause usually asymptomatic genital tract infections and also are associated with several complications. Previous studies demonstrated that immune responses to Chlamydia species are different and the diseases will be limited to some cases. Additionally, Chlamydia species are able to modulate immune responses via regulating expression of some immune system molecules including cytokines. IL-10, as the main anti-inflammatory cytokine, plays important roles in the induction of immune-tolerance against self-antigen and also immune-homeostasis after microbe elimination. Furthermore, it has been documented that ectopic expression of IL-10 is associated with several chronic infectious diseases. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that changes in the regulation of this cytokine can be associated with infection with several species of Chlamydia and their associated complications. This review collected the recent information regarding the association and relationship of IL-10 with Chlamydia infections. Another aim of this review article is to address recent data regarding the association of genetic variations (polymorphisms) of IL-10 and Chlamydia infections.
Thalassemia and hemodialysis patients are at risk of blood-transmitted infections due to their lo... more Thalassemia and hemodialysis patients are at risk of blood-transmitted infections due to their long-term need for blood transfusion. Nowadays, control of viral infections, including HCV infections, is one of the main tasks of blood transfusion services worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the prevalence of HCV infection in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients in Kerman, in southeastern Iran. In this cross-sectional experimental study, 384 (203 hemodialysis and 181 thalassemia) patients were examined for HCV infection. Demographic data were also collected by questionnaire, and HCV infection was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Data were analyzed by chi-square and t-test. Our results showed that 81 (44.7%) thalassemia and 64 (31.5%) hemodialysis patients were infected with HCV. There was a significant relationship between HCV positivity and the frequency of blood transfusion and the duration of dialysis in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients, respectively. Based on our results, the prevalence of HCV infection in thalassemia and hemodialysis patients in the southeastern part of Iran is higher than the other parts. Therefore, it is suggested that clinical and health authorities in southeastern Iran should pay more attention to preventing the transmission of HCV through blood and blood components.
It is not currently known how dietary assessment in older persons is affected by cognition. In a ... more It is not currently known how dietary assessment in older persons is affected by cognition. In a 1997-2000 study, the authors assessed the validity and reproducibility of a modified Harvard self-administered food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) among 118 Black and 114 White randomly selected participants, aged 68-99 years, of the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Participants completed multiple 24-hour dietary recall interviews (mean = 3.6) over 12 months and two SFFQs in the first and 12th months. The average energy-adjusted intraclass correlation coefficient for 15 nutrients was 0.59 for 1-year reproducibility in nutrient intake levels assessed by the SFFQ. The average energy-adjusted Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.46 for comparative validity between nutrient intake levels on the SFFQ and the dietary recalls. SFFQ reproducibility was higher among men, and comparative validity with the dietary recalls was higher among women. There were no remarkable differences in the correlations by age, race, educational level, presence of chronic conditions, or cognitive ability. The modified Harvard SFFQ is a reasonable method of dietary assessment even in a population of older persons, some of whom are at advanced age, have chronic health conditions, and have cognitive impairment.
Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but t... more Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but these measurements can identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening, had elevated FPG, HbA1c or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardized proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed and detected in survey screening ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the age-standardized proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29–39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevat...
Objective(s) Deregulation of the immune system through allied factors and cytokine responses are ... more Objective(s) Deregulation of the immune system through allied factors and cytokine responses are thought to be important contributors to the pathogenesis of asthma. Vitamin D3 and its nuclear receptor appear to be factors that maybe involved in regulating i mmune responses during the progression of asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms in intron 8 and exon 9 of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and this disease. Materials and Methods This study was performed on 100 asthmatic patients and 100 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was performed to examine polymorphisms in intron 8 and exon 9 of VDR gene. Results Our results showed a statistically significant difference in the Taq-1 evaluated genotypes of exon 9 of the VDR gene when comparing healthy patients to asthmatic patients. Conclusion Based on our results, it can be concluded that VDR and its functional polymorphisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
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Papers by Hamid Hakimi