The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the absence of traceable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the plasma specimen of patients is defined as occult HBV infection (OBI). This study aimed to detect HBV-DNA in the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of Iranian HBsAg negative patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 172 patients with HIV infection from September 2015 to August 2017. The patients were tested for serological parameters (HBsAg, HBcAb, HBeAg and HBeAb) against HBV infection. Moreover, they were tested for HBV viral load (using COBAS TaqMan 48 Kit, Roche, USA) in plasma and the presence of the HBV genome in PBMC specimens using real-time PCR. The mean age of the patients was 35.4 ± 13.4 years. Of the 172 studied patients, 109 (63.4%) were male. In this study, 151 (87.8%) patients were negative for HBsAg, 111 (64.5%) patients were negative for all HBV infection serological markers, 9 (5.2%) patients were only positive for HBsAg and 29 (16.9%) patients were only positive for HBcAb. Moreover, five (3.3%) patients with HBsAg negative had OBI (in the plasma sample of four patients and PBMC specimens of all five patients, HBV-DNA was detected). The present study revealed that 3.3% of the patients with HIV infection had occult HBV infection. Presumably, designing prospective studies to identify this infection in patients with HIV infection is informative and valuable.

Background:Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a marker of HBV replication in the liver of patients infected with HBV.Objectives:This study aimed to investigate the association between the presence of cccDNA in the plasma samples of Iranian treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and HBV viral load and HBsAg levels.Patients and Methods:From April 2012 to May 2015, 106 treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The HBsAg titer was measured by the Roche HBsAg II assay on the Cobas e411 system, and HBV DNA quantitation was performed using the COBAS TaqMan 48 kit. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for the detection of HBV cccDNA.Results:The mean (SD) age of the patients was 41.1 ± 12.4 years (range, 20 - 62 years). From a total of 106 study participants, 67 (63.2%) were males. The HBV cccDNA was detected in plasma specimens in 19 (17.9%) out of the total 106 patients, and a significant relationship was found between the presence of cccDNA in plasma sample of males (23.9%) and females (7.7%) (P = 0.039). Also, a significant correlation was found between the presence of cccDNA in plasma sample of the patients and HBV viral load level (P < 0.0001) and HBsAg titer (P = 0.0043).Conclusions:This study showed that cccDNA can be detected in the plasma specimen of 17.9% of Iranian treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. Therefore, designing prospective studies focusing on the detection of cccDNA in these patients would provide more information.

No abstract

Objective: One of the concerns of dentists is the referral of patients with temporomandibular prob- lems. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) is a complex multifactorial clinical problem that involves masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joint and related structures. This complication is one of the three common chronic pains after headache and low back pain, which can manifest as pain in the temporoman- dibular region and limitation in joint movements, or even as clicking, crepitus, and popping sounds during temporomandibular joint movements. For the first time, the american association for oral pain (AAOP) proposed the role of genetic factors in the development of TMD. It is thought that a complex disorder such as TMD is multidimensional and can be subjected to environmental conditions as well as multiple gene polymorphisms. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human genome can play an important role in clinical setting for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic interventions in various diseases including TMD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between polymorphism of galactose mutarotase gene by creating jaw sound in patients with temporomandibular disorder in a population with high similarity to the whole Iranian population and using the results in prevention and targeted treatment of affected patients. Study Design: 101 patients with TMD using DC/TMD criteria among those referred to Tehran University School of Dentistry and 103 healthy subjects for TMD that have age and gender matched were selected to control groupfrom those referring to the Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases and Oral and Maxillo- facial Pain departments. Blood samples were taken in 5cc and DNA extracted from the blood of both groups by applying the technique PCRARMS in terms of polymorphism rs4776783 in Galm gene were Compared. Results: 101 patients with TMD along with 103 healthy individuals without a history of TMD were evaluated to investigate rs4776783 polymorphism in GALM gene. The average age of the patients was 35.92, and 21 were men and 80 were women. According to the questionnaire, 61 people felt the sound in their jaw while moving. On the other hand, according to the TMD/DC criterion, the number of people who have crepitus in the right and left jaws is equal. The average age of the patients was 35.92, and 21 were men and 80 were women. According to the questionnaire, 61 people felt the sound in their jaw while moving. On the other hand, according to the TMD/DC criterion, the number of people who have crepitus in the right and left jaws is equal. The low prevalence of crepitation with p=0.734 has a significant relationship with the genotype of people. Conclusion: This study showed that there is a significant relationship between the rs4776783 poly- morphism in Galm gene and the occurrence of temporomandibular disorder (TMD), jaw sound and pain in many masticatory muscles such as lateral pterygoid and temporal. Therefore, it can be concluded that TMD has a genetic basis.

Background and Purpose:Spinal injury is a destructive complication creating huge changes in the teen health and lifestyle, depending on its extent and severity. Although most of the complications of this disease are treatable, they impose huge costs on the healthcare system, the patient, and his family. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of family-centered education on the quality of life and self-esteem of adolescents with spinal cord injuries.Method:The present study is a quasi-experimental study. Adolescents (108 old) with spinal cord injuries entered the present study through stratified sampling with appropriate allocation. The participants were compared in two groups of experimental and control. The data was collected using demographic information questionnaire as well as Ferrans and Powers’ quality of life index in spinal cord injury. Four weeks after the intervention, the research questionnaires were completed once more by the adolescents of both groups. Data analysis was conducted by using T-square test, independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, and analysis of variance.Finding:According to results, quality of life mean score of adolescents with spinal cord injuries was 23.05 ± 122.65 before the intervention. It became 22.64 ± 148.15 after the intervention. With respect to importance, quality of life mean score of these adolescents changed from 20.83 ± 164.07 to 21.62 ± 174.99.Conclusion:Given the effect of family-centered education on the quality of life in adolescents with spinal cord injuries, it seems essential to create necessary grounds for training families having adolescents with spinal cord injuries by nurses to improve their quality of life as well as conducting researches on their problems.