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Introduction Development of high-power and cost-effective genotyping methods in recent years has provided the possibility of evaluation the genetic structure and the relationship among species populations utilizing genomic data. Genome wide inference of population structure using genetic markers could provide invaluable information associated with evolutionary relationships and clustering of subpopulations for performing animal breeding programs. In large scale studies, one of the interesting subjects is to study the existence of genetic differences among subdivided groups ascertained from different geographic locations. The objective of this study was to compare the principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis of principal component (DAPC) approaches for determining the population structure and study how an individual allocated to the true population of origin, in three Horse breeds located in Middle East consisting Akhal Take, Arabian and Caspian using genomic data.Materials and Methods In this study, the genomic data obtained from 61 animals consisting Akhal Take (19), Arabian (24) and Caspian (18) were used to investigate the population structure of some Asian horse breeds. The data were obtained from the Equine Genetic Diversity Consortium (EGDC) project. Hair or tissue samples were collected from animals. DNA extraction was performed using an optimized Pure gene (Qiagen) assay and approximately 1 μg of DNA was used for genotyping of the samples. Genotyping was performed using Illumina SNP 50K BeadChip arrays that allow to genotype 52603 SNP marker loci, according to the Illumina standard guidelines. In this study, different quality control steps were applied on preliminary data to ensure the quality of genotyping data. Quality control carried out using PLINK v.1.07 program. The samples with more than 5% missing data were excluded from analysis. Then for each SNP, MAF and call percentage were calculated and the SNPs with a call rate

Objective: Uterus is an important body organ in women responsible for purifying blood and carrying fetus. In Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM), identifying the uterine temperament (mizaj) is necessary for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this organ’s diseases. Many gynecological disorders in TIM including infertility, oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, hypermenorrhea, vaginitis, cervicitis, urinary incontinence and pelvic pain are related to uterine distemperament (Su-e mizaj). Therefore, their appropriate treatment depends on the correct diagnosis and treatment of uterine distemperament. Criteria for uterine distemperament in TIM resources are qualitative with no method for precise measurement of its symptoms. This study aims to develop a standard diagnostic protocol of uterine temperament and distemperament for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Methods: This is a qualitative study using hybrid concept analysis including three phases: theoretical, fieldwork, and final analytical. In the theoretical phase, TIM resources were reviewed. In the fieldwork phase, experts in TIM and patients were interviewed to extract concepts related to uterine temperaments and distemperaments. Results: In the final analytical phase, major and minor criteria for determination of uterine temperament were presented. Then, we had a several meetings with a panel of experts in TIM in order to design the protocol which led to the development of a standard diagnostic protocol of warm and cold uterine temperament/distemperament. Conclusion: The proposed protocol is an important step towards harmonizing the methods of diagnosis and treatment in TIM, and can be used for treatment or research purposes.

This paper presents a system that utilizes vision transformers and multimodal feedback modules to facilitate navigation and collision avoidance for the visually impaired. By implementing vision transformers, the system achieves accurate object detection, enabling the real-time identification of objects in front of the user. Semantic segmentation and the algorithms developed in this work provide a means to generate a trajectory vector of all identified objects from the vision transformer and to detect objects that are likely to intersect with the user’s walking path. Audio and vibrotactile feedback modules are integrated to convey collision warning through multimodal feedback. The dataset used to create the model was captured from both indoor and outdoor settings under different weather conditions at different times across multiple days, resulting in 27,867 photos consisting of 24 different classes. Classification results showed good performance (95% accuracy), supporting the efficacy and reliability of the proposed model. The design and control methods of the multimodal feedback modules for collision warning are also presented, while the experimental validation concerning their usability and efficiency stands as an upcoming endeavor. The demonstrated performance of the vision transformer and the presented algorithms in conjunction with the multimodal feedback modules show promising prospects of its feasibility and applicability for the navigation assistance of individuals with vision impairment.

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals have diverse applications in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), neurological condition diagnoses, and emotion recognition across healthcare, education, and entertainment domains. This paper presents a robust method that leverages Riemannian geometry to enhance the accuracy of EEG-based emotion classification. The proposed approach involves adaptive feature extraction using principal component analysis (PCA) in the Euclidean space to capture relevant signal characteristics and improve classification performance. Covariance matrices are derived from the extracted features and projected onto the Riemannian manifold. Emotion classification is performed using the minimum distance to Riemannian mean (MDRM) classifier. The effectiveness of the method was evaluated through experiments on four datasets, DEAP, DREAMER, MAHNOB, and SEED, demonstrating its generalizability and consistent accuracy improvement across different scenarios. The classification accuracy and robustness were compared with several state-of-the-art classification methods, which supports the validity and efficacy of using Riemannian geometry for enhancing the accuracy of EEG-based emotion classification.

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) were synthesized via the facile sol–gel method. The synthesized NiO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) techniques. The effect of particle size was analyzed on structural alterations, electrochemical behaviors, and cytotoxic effect of synthesized NiO NPs. According to TEM results, the particle sizes of synthesized NiO NPs were 8.2, 15.4, and 21.7 nm at 300, 400, and 500 °C, respectively. Electrochemical behaviors of synthesized NiO NPs were assessed through the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The results showed that the magnitude of the current density was decreased in treated samples exposed to higher temperature values. The cytotoxic activity of synthesized nanoparticles was investigated against human liver cancer cell (Hep-G2), breast cancer cell (MCF-7), and colon cancer cell (HT-29) lines using the MTT assay. The results demonstrated that synthesized NiO NPs had higher cytotoxicity at 300 °C than at 400 and 500 °C, because of their small particle size. Thus, synthesized NiO NPs exhibit acceptable cytotoxic effects against Hep-G2, MCF-7, and HT-29 cancer cell lines so that they could be a good choice for cancer treatment.

Introduction: Establishing an appropriate and effective professional relationship in social work practices is always emphasized, but sometimes this relationship is likely to be exposed to violence. The purpose of this study was to explain the experiences of social workers in utilizing professional capital to deal with clients’ violence.Methods: The present study was conducted using a conventional qualitative content analysis approach through 20 semi-structured interviews with 17 social workers selected via purposive sampling. The interviews continued until the data saturation and the identification of related themes and categories.Results: Based on the findings from the data analysis, four main themes (knowledge, experiences, techniques, and commitment to professional principles and values) and 14 subthemes related to the professional capital were identified.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the social workers try to cope with the violence of clients by utilizing knowledge, experiences, professional techniques and their commitment to professional principles and values in such a way to cause the least possible harm to the clients and themselves. Promoting the education and learning of violence coping skills, especially during internship courses, is one of the issues that need to be addressed from a social, organizational, and academic perspective.

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex inflammatory disease in which demyelination occurs in the central nervous system affecting approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. Intestinal microbiome changes play an important role in the etiology of chronic diseases.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effect of probiotic supplementation on systemic inflammation in patients with MS.MethodsA 12-week double-blind clinical trial study was designed and seventy patients with MS were randomly divided into two groups receiving probiotics and placebo. Patients in the intervention group received two capsules containing multi-strain probiotics daily and patients in the control group received the same amount of placebo. Factors associated with systemic inflammation were assessed at the beginning and end of the study.ResultsSixty-five patients were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of baseline variables except for the duration of the disease (P > 0.05). At the end of the study, probiotic supplementation compared to the placebo caused a significant reduction in the serum levels of CRP (−0.93 ± 1.62 vs. 0.05 ± 1.74, P = 0.03), TNF-α (−2.09 ± 1.88 vs. 0.48 ± 2.53, P = 0.015) and IFN-γ (−13.18 ± 7.33 vs. −1.93 ± 5.99, P < 0.001). Also, we found a significant increase in the FOXP3 and TGF-β levels in the intervention group (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe results of our study showed that supplementation with probiotics can have beneficial effects on serum levels of some factors associated with systemic inflammation.Clinical trial registration[http://www.irct.ir], identifier [IRCT20181210041 918N1].

Asthma is a common respiratory disease affecting humans. Helminth parasites, including Toxocara species, have been implicated as predisposing factors of asthma. However, various studies present different findings on asthma-Toxocara association. Herein, we investigated the association of asthma manifestations with Toxocara seropositivity in a case-control setting on 248 participants (147 women and 101 men), with 124 healthy individuals as the control group and 124 patients known to have asthma based on the medical records of asthma clinics of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Consequently, we presented a scoping review of all previous studies carried out on this topic, summarizing current findings and existing knowledge on this issue. Of 248 participants, 31 (12.5%) were Toxocara-seropositive, of which 19 (15.3%) were in the patient group and 12 (9.7%) in the control group. A significant relationship was found between asthma severity and age in Toxocara-seropositive individuals (P < 0.04). We found no significant relationship between asthma and Toxocara seropositivity. We identified 7,724 related records in three major scientific databases, NCBI PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The review of the literature showed that there are 80 published articles on asthma-Toxocara relationship with contradictory findings. More than half of the studies were performed in only four countries, namely, Brazil, the Netherlands, the United States, and Iran. The study population in 70% of the studies were children, and few studies investigated asthma-Toxocara association in adults. The most common study designs for investigating the association of asthma and Toxocara seropositivity were cross-sectional (35.0%), case-control (27.5%), and animal experimental (12.5%) studies. This study found no significant relationship between asthma manifestations and toxocariasis in a case-control setting. However, a scoping review of the current literature suggests that further experimental and field longitudinal cohort studies are required to elucidate the nature of asthma-Toxocara interaction in humans.

Abstract Background Although, preliminary reports of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 infection suggest that the infection causes a less severe illness in children, there is now growing evidence of other rare or even serious complications of disease. Case presentation During the recent COVID-19 pandemic in Kerman, Iran, two children (an 8 year-old boy and a 6 year-old girl) were referred to outpatient Clinic of Pediatric Rheumatology with complaints of limping. Both children had experienced fever and mild respiratory tract infection. At the beginning of the second week of infection, they developed joint effusion. They both tested positive for coronavirus infection and were therefore diagnosed with post Coronavirus reactive arthritis. Both children were treated successfully with rest and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). They did not have any medical problems in the two months fallow up. Conclusions These two cases suggest that COVID-19 may be rheumatogenic. Highlighting the need for awareness of physicians, especially pediatricians, regarding the pathogenesis margins of this virus, as late presentations are of great importance.

Introduction: Routine use of episiotomy is not recommended for women giving birth naturally. However, several studies in the Middle East have reported that it has high prevalence, but there is no general estimate. This study was performed with aim to review the prevalence and met-analysis of episiotomy in the Middle East based on studies conducted in this field. Methods: To search for articles, the databases of SID, Magiran, Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest and google scholer search engines using the keywords of prevalence, epidemiology, frequency, incidence, rate and episiotomy in both languages of Persian and English and all possible combinations were searched with AND and OR operators. Calculation of heterogeneity of the studies was evaluated using I2 index and Bag test was used to examine the bias. Results: Twelve articles with a sample size of 69171 were reviewed. The overall prevalence of episiotomy was 67% (95% CI: 55-78). Using the random effect model, the risk of episiotomy in primiparous women was two times than multiparous women, which was statistically significant (RR = 2.01, 95% CI: 0.87-4.63, p

Abstract Recently, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and their widespread biomedical applications have attracted great consideration from the scientific community around the world. However, reports have shown that the main populations of the transplanted MSCs are trapped in the liver, spleen, and lung upon administration, highlighting the importance of the development of cell-free therapies. Concerning rising evidence suggesting that the beneficial effects of MSC therapy are closely linked to MSC-released components, predominantly MSC-derived exosomes, the development of an MSC-based cell-free approach is of paramount importance. The exosomes are nano-sized (30–100 nm) lipid bilayer membrane vesicles, which are typically released by MSCs and are found in different body fluids. They include various bioactive molecules, such as messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNAs, proteins, and bioactive lipids, thus showing pronounced therapeutic competence for tissues recovery through the maintenance of their endogenous stem cells, the enhancement of regenerative phenotypic traits, inhibition of apoptosis concomitant with immune modulation, and stimulation of the angiogenesis. Conversely, the specific roles of MSC exosomes in the treatment of various tumors remain challenging. The development and clinical application of novel MSC-based cell-free strategies can be supported by better understanding their mechanisms, classifying the subpopulation of exosomes, enhancing the conditions of cell culture and isolation, and increasing the production of exosomes along with engineering exosomes to deliver drugs and therapeutic molecules to the target sites. In the current review, we deliver a brief overview of MSC-derived exosome biogenesis, composition, and isolation methods and discuss recent investigation regarding the therapeutic potential of MSC exosomes in regenerative medicine accompanied by their double-edged sword role in cancer.

Mobile networks are expected to face major problems such as low network capacity, high latency, and limited resources but are expected to provide seamless connectivity in the foreseeable future. It is crucial to deliver an adequate level of performance for network services and to ensure an acceptable quality of services for mobile users. Intelligent mobility management is a promising solution to deal with the aforementioned issues. In this context, modeling user mobility behaviour is of great importance in order to extract valuable information about user behaviours and to meet their demands. In this paper, we propose a hybrid user mobility prediction approach for handover management in mobile networks. First, we extract user mobility patterns using a mobility model based on statistical models and deep learning algorithms. We deploy a vector autoregression (VAR) model and a gated recurrent unit (GRU) to predict the future trajectory of a user. We then reduce the number of unnecessary handover signaling messages and optimize the handover procedure using the obtained prediction results. We deploy mobility data generated from real users to conduct our experiments. The simulation results show that the proposed VAR-GRU mobility model has the lowest prediction error in comparison with existing methods. Moreover, we investigate the handover processing and transmission costs for predictive and non-predictive scenarios. It is shown that the handover-related costs effectively decrease when we obtain a prediction in the network. For vertical handover, processing cost and transmission cost improve, respectively, by 57.14% and 28.01%.

Background: Adolescence is a very important and sensitive period of life and paying attention to the health of this period is of particular importance. Therefore, paying attention to the health of female adolescents, as future mothers, is doubly important. Objectives: This study was performed aiming to determine the physical health needs of female adolescents and related factors in the city of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 435 high school female adolescents in the city of Tabriz using two-stage sampling method, in 2020. A demographic information form and the Female Adolescents Health Needs Questionnaire (FAHNQ; Shah Hosseini et al.) as a native questionnaire (validity=0.92, reliability=0.90) were used to collect data. Data analysis was performed by one-sample t-test, independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Duncan’s post hoc test using SPSS software version 16. Results: According to the findings, 90.34% and 9.66% of the samples attended public and non-public schools, respectively. The field of study of 53.79% of the participants was experimental sciences and 43.45% were studying in tenth grade. The level of physical health needs of female adolescents in Tabriz was high. The physical health needs of the study samples in public schools were higher than non-public schools, with twelfth-grade students more than other grades (P

Background and Objective: Inefficient communication patterns and personality traits can cause repetitive conflicts among couples. The purpose of this study was to compare the patterns of family communication and personality traits among couples applying for divorce with a control group. Materials and Methods: This research is a descriptive-comparative study. The statistical population consisted of all divorce applicants who were referred to the family courts of Tehran in 2018 and a control group. The research sample consisted of 200 divorce applicants and a control group who were selected via convenience sampling method. The data were collected using a relationship patterns questionnaire, personality characteristics questionnaire, and analyzed by one way ANOVA and SPSS software version 22. Results: The mean (SD) age was 5.7 (8.2) in the control group and 36.7 (9.1) among divorce applicant. The mean (SD) constructive mutual score in the control group was 37.4 (5.5) which was higher than the divorce applicants 35.8 (4.4), P

Introduction: Medical and surgical priorities were dramatically changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of this pandemic on presentation to emergency department (ED) with urologic complaint. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary urology referral center in Tehran, Iran. The data of all ED admissions were collected and the frequency of admissions with urologic complain and their outcomes were compared between two 90-day periods (before and during COVID-19 era). Results: 480 ED admissions were studied. The number of patients visiting the ED with urologic complaint during COVID-19 era was significantly lower than the same period in the pre-COVID-19 period (125 vs. 355 admissions; p = 0.01). The mean hospitalization days for patients in the pre-COVID-19 period were significantly higher (5.6 ± 4.4 vs. 3.2 ± 4.2 days; p

The purpose of this study was modeling the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between attachment styles with dependency on virtual social networks. In this descriptive-correlational study, the research population consisted of all the 2nd cycle high school female students in Tehran city at the academic year of 2018-2019. From this population, 425 students were selected as the research sample through cluster sampling method. In this study, addiction to social networks questionnaire (ASNQ) of mobile scale of Khāje Ahmadi, Poulādi and Bahrini (2016), adult attachment scale (AAS) of Collins & Read (1990) and loneliness scale (ULS-8) of Wu & Yao (2008) were used as the research instruments. Evaluation of the proposed model with path analysis was done using SPSS and AMOS-24 softwares. Findings showed that there was a negative and significant correlation between secure attachment style with dependency on the virtual social networks(p < 0/01). There was a positive and significant correlation between the ambivalent attachment styles, avoidance and loneliness with dependency on the virtual social networks(p < 0/01). The proposed model had an acceptable fitness to the data (RMSEA=0/059, GFI=0/920, IFI=0/940, χ2= 6/632, P-value

Rural development requires attention to the cultural, economic and social conditions as well amenities and capacities of rural areas. Implementing the development strategies in each region will fail without considering these issues. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize development strategies in rural areas of Asadabad. Therefore, this research was carried out through two stages using qualitative-quantitative method and a questionnaire-based protocol. The statistical population of this study was 45 rural development organizations’ experts and rural informants in Asadabad County to identify the strategies and 8 experts to prioritize these strategies, which were selected through purposeful (Typical Case) sampling method. First, strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of development in rural areas were identfied using SWOT technique. Then, rural development strategies were prioritized based on Analytic network process (ANP) analysis. The results showed that the "government's financial support from farmers to buy new equipment for rural and agricultural development by providing low-interest credit facilities and long-term repayment" strategy was ranked as first priority. The second and third important rural development strategies were:"diversification of villagers' income and recruitment of educated young people through investing on agriculture, tourism and agricultural processing industries " and "Formation of farmers' union or cooperatives (farmers' network) to increase agricultural productivity and farmers’ bargaining power as well the sale of agricultural products and handicrafts". Given that diversification strategies have been placed in higher priority, it is suggested that investment on rural off-farm activities like handicrafts and tourism as well agricultural processing indestries be increased.

Background: Chlorination of wastewater effluent with high levels of residual organic matter has been suspected to the production of toxic and hazardous disinfection by-products (DBPs) including trihalomethane (THM) compounds. Methods: In this study, two rapid techniques including dissolved oxygen depletion (DOD) and optical density (OD) bioassays were used to evaluate the chloroform toxicity of aqueous solution. The activated sludge was collected from aeration tank of a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant and used as a biological inoculum. In order to achieve an active and stabilized mixed culture of bacteria, the test cultures were transferred to a fresh nutrient broth culture media every day. The influence of chloroform on DOD and OD bioassays was examined at chloroform initial concentrations of 10-1000 μg/L. Results: It was revealed that the application of chloroform at concentrations of 100 and 1000 μg/L showed moderate and extreme toxicity, respectively, and reduced bacterial activity. The estimated chemical concentration with 50% inhibition of bacterial activity for DOD and OD bioassays was 457 and 961 μg/L, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results, the wastewater effluent should use bioassays in order to evaluate the effects of DBPs where the wastewater effluent is disinfected by chlorine compounds.

Fatalism is believing in the impact of superhuman power or external forces like chance/luck in life. This research was conducted for a comparative study of fatalism among disabled and non-disabled people. In this research, a survey method was used. 200 people with physical disabilities, cerebral palsy (CP) and blindness and 200 non-disabled people from Yazd in 2018 were selected. Available quote sampling method was used to select disabled people and systematic cluster sampling was used to select non-disabled people. Data collection tools include the responsibility scale of Ahmadi Akhorme et.al (1392), the ability of Peterson and Seligman (2004), Weissman & Beck`s (1978) dysfunctional attitudes and researcher questioner made by fatalism. Data were analyzed in two independent groups by statistical mean difference, T-test, Pearson correlation, ANOVA and multivariate regression test. The average fatalism is 48.3 in disabled people and 45 in non-disabled people. The result of hypothesis showed that the measure of fatalism is higher in disabled people. In disabled people, there was a significant/meaningful relationship between fatalism and the studied variables such as education (with meaningful level, age, severity of disability, inefficient attitudes, empowerment and responsibility. In non-disabled people, there was a meaningful relationship between fatalism and inefficient attitude variables and empowerment, but there wasn’t any significant relationship between fatalism and other studied variables. The result of regression analysis showed that inefficient attitude variables and ability had the greatest effect on fatalism in disabled and non-disabled people and only people and only 16 percent of Variance explains fatalism.

Abstract Background The purpose of the present study is to showcase the image of Sexual Violence (SV) temporal trends through exploring differences in its prevalence rates during 1990–2017 across 195 countries and territories. Methods The SV prevalence rates were derived from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database during 1990–2017, worldwide. First, the Latent Growth Model (LGM) was employed for assessing the change in SV prevalence rate over time in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia & Oceania, for men and women separately. Then, the change in SV prevalence rate over time was determined within countries with high and low Human Development Index (HDI). Finally, the Latent Growth Mixture Models (LGMM) were applied for identifying classes where countries within each class have similar trend of SV prevalence rate over time. Results The SV prevalence was higher among women than men and decreased in both genders over time across the world. The declining trend in SV prevalence against men is visible in both countries with high and low HDI, but SV prevalence against women in countries with low HDI shows an increase. The findings of LGMM identified six classes of SV prevalence trajectories. LGMM allocated Bermuda into the class with the highest decrease in SV prevalence against men, and Equatorial Guinea and Luxembourg into the class with the highest increase. Other countries had very slow declining trends. In terms of SV prevalence against women, LGMM allocated China, North Korea, and Taiwan into the class with the most increase among the countries in the world. Bermuda, Guyana, Mexico, Nigeria, and Saint Lucia were placed into the class which witnessed the largest decline and Angola, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea were ranked next. The trend in other countries was mostly decreasing. Conclusion Given the high economic and social burden that SV has on victims and societies, the rate of SV in most countries does not seem to have dropped remarkably and requires special attention by relevant policymakers. The SV prevalence rate is highly heterogeneous among world countries which may be due to the definitions and tools used, and more importantly, the culture norms.

Background and Objective: Attitudes towards marital infidelity and unfaithfulness could be considered among the most complex and painful emotional problems among couples. The objective of this study was to compare of personality characteristics and sexual satisfaction among couples with marital infidelity and normal couples. Materials and Methods: This study was of descriptive design with a causal-comparative method. The statistical population of the study included all couples who had come to a counseling clinic in District 3 of Tehran from May to November 2018 due to marital infidelity. Convenience sampling method was used and 120 participants, 30 couples, were selected: 30 couples with a history of marital infidelity and 30 couples in the control group. Data were collected using Neo Five personality traits and sexual satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance via SPSS software version 22. Results: The mean (SD) score of marital satisfaction in the group with a history of marital infidelity was 56.9 (10.5) which was lower than the control group: (14.4) 72.8, P

Abstract Background Insulin resistance has a vital role in the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Previous investigations have shown that some lipid ratios could be a simple clinical indicator of insulin resistance (IR) in some disorders and ethnicities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between triglyceride to HDL-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol (TC/HDL-C), as well as fasting triglyceride-glucose (TyG) indices with IR (as measured by homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGIR)) among the Iranian women diagnosed with PCOS. Methods In the current study, a total of 305 women with PCOS were evaluated. TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and TyG indices were calculated. Fasting insulin level was measured using ELISA technique. IR was defined as a HOMA-IR value of ≥2.63, FG-IR value of

Background and Objective: The purpose of the present study was to developing the model of psychological well-being in elderly based on life expectancy through mediation of death anxiety. Materials and Methods: The research method is correlational and structural modeling equation. The statistical population of this study included all the elderly hospitalized in the sanatorium and the elderly at home in Tehran in 2019. The sample included 400 elderly people selected by cluster sampling. In this way, among the elderly care centers and neighborhood house, 10 centers were selected randomly from districts 2, 3 and 5 in Tehran and then 40 elderly people were randomly selected from each center 400 elderly in total and the questionnaires were completed by them and in the presence of the researcher. Research instruments included Ryff Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (1989), Templer Death Anxiety Scale (1970) and Snyder Hope Scale (1991). The research data were analyzed by structural equation modeling and Sobel intermediate test. Results: The results of the conceptual model test indicated that the fit indices of the research model were in good condition (GFI=0.98). Hope had a direct effect on psychological well-being (p

Abstract Background Kidney transplant improves patients’ survival and quality of life. Worldwide, concern about the equality of access to the renal transplant wait-list is increasing. In Iran, patients have the choice to be placed on either the living or deceased-donor transplant wait-list. Methods This was a prospective study performed on 416 kidney transplant recipients (n = 217 (52.2%) from living donors and n = 199 (47.8%) from deceased donors). Subjects were recruited from four referral kidney transplant centers across Tehran, Iran, during 2016–2017. The primary outcome was to identify the psycho-socioeconomic factors influencing the selection of type of donor (living versus deceased). Secondary objective was to compare the outcomes associated with each type of transplant. The impact of psycho-socioeconomic variables on selecting type of donor was evaluated by using multiple logistic regression and the effect of surgical and non-surgical variables on the early post-transplant creatinine trend was assessed by univariate repeated measure ANOVA. Results Based on standardized coefficients, the main predictors for selecting living donor were academic educational level (adjusted OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.176–9.005, p = 0.023), psychological status based on general health questionnaire (GHQ) (adjusted OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.105–5.489, p = 0.028), and lower monthly income (adjusted OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.242–3.916, p = 0.007). The waiting time was substantially shorter in patients who received kidneys from living donors (p

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between knowledge management and service innovation in academic libraries of Kermanshah.Method: The present study is a practical research and was conducted based on descriptive-survey method. To collect data, Islam, Agarwal & Ikeda questionnaire was used. After standardization it was distributed among the research population. The population of the study consisted 55 academic librarians. Because research population was limited, so, census method was used to collect data. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used.Findings: The findings showed the highest mean was related to variable of innovation in library services (3.39) and the lowest mean for dissemination and transfer of knowledge (3.05). There is also a significant relationship between knowledge creation/capture, knowledge sharing/transfer and knowledge application/use with innovation in academic library services. Also, there was a significant correlation between knowledge management and innovation in academic library services. Of course there is no significant difference between the innovation in services and the dimensions of knowledge management of librarians based on the places of librarians' services.Originality: Based on the desirability of knowledge management and innovation in academic library services (except knowledge sharing/transfer) it is imperative to improve knowledge sharing in academic libraries, so, librarians need to participate in social activities and discussion sessions.

Background: Today, asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic respiratory diseases, involving a large number of people and communities. Research show that the disease overshadows the social, psychological and even economic life and performance of the patients. Objectives: This study was conducted in Zanjan Province hospitals with the purpose of comparing the life style and quality of life asthma patients with healthy people. Methods: This study is descriptive-comparative in nature, focusing on two groups of individuals (healthy people and those suffering from asthma) using convenience sampling method to serve the goals of the study. The instruments used for collection of data were the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) questionnaire and the Life Style Questionnaire (LSQ). The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 16. Results: The demographic data relating to both groups (n=50 for each group) did not show any difference of statistically significant. The mean scores of the life style of the healthy people and the asthma patients were 149.34 and 136.48, respectively (p

Background: Women's lifestyle affects their health and having a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of developing non-communicable diseases. Evidence suggests that disadvantaged women are more subject to the risk of non- communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the lifestyle of disadvantaged women at the risk of type 2 diabetes under the support of social welfare center of Zanjan city in 2018. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 287 women aged 65-35 and under the support of social welfare centers of Zanjan who were selected by Poisson random sampling. Data collection tools included a three-part questionnaire including demographic and background characteristics, an international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), and a Mini Nutrition Assessment questionnaire (MNA), filled out by a researcher at the social welfare center. Data were analyzed using descriptive-analytic statistical tests (mean index, standard deviation and one-factor analysis of variance, Kolmogorov-Smirnov) by applying SPSS software version 24. Results: The minimum and maximum age of women were 35 and 61 years, respectively, with a mean of 41.6(±9). The minimum and maximum body mass indexes were 16.2 and 42, respectively, with a mean of 26.1±4.3. In terms of education, the majority of women (42%) had Quranic-elementary education and concerning the income, 76% had insufficient income. As to the marital status, the majority of participants (69%) were widowed or divorced. According to the quantitative criterion of physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), more than half of the women (60%) had low to moderate physical activity and according to the quality criterion of WHO physical activity, 89% of women had unfavorable physical activity. In terms of nutritional status, more than half of the women (50.5%) had poor nutrition. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that the majority of women were undesirable in terms of physical activity and healthy nutrition. Therefore, interventional research is needed to find appropriate educational models to improve diabetes preventive behaviors in this population group.

Objective: The participation, Based on International Classification of Functioning (ICF), Disability And Health, is part of healthy function that leads to the development of skills and a sense of competence and confidence in them. People with multiple sclerosis experience problems in various areas of participation. Environmental factors can create serious restrictions in the level of participation of people with multiple sclerosis, in some cases, the effect of these factors on restricting the participation of people with multiple sclerosis can be more than the effects of weakness and the defects of systems and organs that result from the disease. the barriers in the physical environment can reduce mobility of people with multiple sclerosis to transfer, that leads consequences such as weakening functional status, physical and mental health, quality of life, happiness, loss of life satisfaction; Therefore, due to high prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the city of Isfahan, the aim of this study was to Identifying the environmental barriers affecting the participation of people with multiple sclerosis in Isfahan. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study population was all patients with multiple sclerosis in Isfahan City in February 2018. That was conducted in Isfahan province, 96 patients with MS (22.9%male and 77.1% female) were selected with convenience sampling method. To collect the data, after informing the participants about the subject and purpose of the study, obtaining informed consent letter, and also ensuring confidentiality of the information to the researcher, a demographic questionnaire was completed. The Mini Mental State Examination questionnaire was completed by participants, and then the Expanded Disability Status Scale scores were recorded for each person by the neurologist. At the end, Craig hospital inventory of environmental factors were provided to the participants. Finally, Data were analyzed by SPSS V. 16. In order to describe the data, the mean and standard deviation were used. The normal distribution of data was done by Shapiro-Wilk test. Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and post hoc by LSD method test were used to analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05. Also, considering that the ANOVA test is susceptible to variance inequality, Levin test was conducted to evaluate the equality of variances. Results: Physical and structural barriers are the major barriers to participation of multiple sclerosis patients (12.05±8.62) and the field of work and school is the minor barrier of participation (2.24±4.16). Furthermore, the findings Also result showed there is no statistical relationship between the demographic variables (such as age, sex, disability status and cognitive status) and level of confrontation with the environmental barriers of participation (P>0.05). Comparison of the mean of confrontation to environmental barriers to participation Based on education level showed that there is a significant difference between the services and assistance subscale and different levels of education. The highest mean score was for the under diploma education group and the lowest was for the Bachelor's degree and higher group. There is no significant difference in other subscales of participation. Conclusion: According to this findings among the environmental factors that can potentially affect the participation of patients with MS, field of physical and structural barriers were strongest factor which can restrict their participation in personal and social activities. Physical and structural barriers have been introduced in various studies as the most important limiting factor for participation in people with disabilities, especially those with neurological disorders. Therefore, maintaining the participation of these people in the community is a priority in adopting special measures in the field of removing physical and structural barriers.

Objective(s): Hypercholesterolemia is a common metabolic disorder in developing and developed countries and is associated with the increased rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Statin therapy could reduce cholesterol synthesis as well as progression of CKD. Diversity between statins causes variety in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and also their pleiotropic effects. In the present investigation we aimed to evaluate the protective potentials of both atorvastatin (Ator) (as lipid-soluble statin) and rosuvastatin (Ros) (as water-soluble statin) against renal histopathological damages in the high cholesterol diet induced hypercholesterolemic rats (HCDIHR).Materials and Methods: Serum lipid profile, oxidized low density lipoprotein (OX-LDL), malondialdehyde (MDA), urea and creatinine levels, as well as renal histopathology were evaluated.Results: While Ros acted better than Ator to reduce serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (PConclusion: The findings underline that the lipophilic Ator may performs better than Ros in attenuating renal damages in HCDIHR.

Abstract Background Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is known as the most common endocrine disorder of women in reproductive ages. With the increasing prevalence of PCOS in different countries, the use of herbal medicine as an alternative treatment is growing in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of flaxseed powder supplementation on metabolic biomarkers of patients with PCOS. Methods This randomized open-labeled controlled clinical trial was conducted on 41 patients with PCOS. The participants were randomized to take either flaxseed powder (30 g/day) plus lifestyle modification or only lifestyle modification for 12 weeks. Anthropometric and biochemical evaluations were performed for all patients at the beginning and end of the study. Results The flaxseed group showed a significant reduction in body weight, insulin concentration, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), Triglycerides (TG), high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), and leptin and an increase in Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and adiponectin compared to the baseline (p

Background: Non-pharmacological methods including the improvement of knowledge of patients and his/her family members in the management and control of pain can reduce patients' experiences of pain. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of family-oriented educational intervention on postoperative pain after orthopedic surgery. Materials and Methods: This study is a non-randomized controlled trial with the control group, which was carried out on 46 patients in orthopedic surgery units of Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan in 2017. Patients were selected based on convenience sampling and categorized into two groups of experimental (n = 23) and control (n = 23) groups. In the experimental group, educational intervention was performed with the attendance of the patient and his/her family members in two sessions of the preoperative and postoperative period. The control group received routine care. The pain intensity was measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for 3 days in both control and experimental group. Data were analyzed by using Chi-square, Fisher exact test, independent t-test, and Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures and Greenhouse–Geisser. Results: Mean (SD) of pain intensity in the experimental and control groups was 5.21 (1.47) vs 6.74 (1.30) on the first day, 2.91 (1.20) vs 4.81 (1.32) on the second day, and 1.75 (0.67) vs 3.38 (1.53) on the third day, respectively. Pain severity reduction was significant in the experimental group compared to control group in every 3 days after surgery (F = 152.30, df = 1.62, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Family-oriented educational intervention resulted in reducing the intensity of pain and the use of narcotic drugs after orthopedic surgery.

Background: Despite therapeutic interventions, patients are still dissatisfied with the treatment of postoperative pain. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Rosa damascena essential oil on postoperative pain in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized trial, 60 patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery were selected consecutively and equally assigned to two groups of experimental and placebo. In both groups, the pain intensity was measured by a visual analog scale in 4, 8, and 12 h after the surgery. Patients in the experimental group received aromatherapy with R. damascena essential oil and those in the placebo group treated with almond oil. In both groups, pain intensity was measured before and 20 min after aromatherapy. Data analysis was performed using the repeated-measures analysis, analysis of covariance, independent-samples t- test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests. Results: The mean pain intensity in the experimental and the placebo groups was 7.10 ± 1.24 versus 7.20 ± 1.10, 4.56 ± 1.04 versus 4.90 ± 0.84, and 1.30 ± 0.79 versus 2.46 ± 0.68 after the 4th, 8th, and 12th postsurgical hours, respectively. The repeated-measures analysis showed that the intervention was effective on pain reduction, especially in the 8th and 12th postoperative hours when the pain was at moderate-to-mild levels (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Aromatherapy with R. damascena essential oil was effective in relieving mild to moderated postoperative pain. Yet, further studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Background. Aluminum phosphide poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning which requires immediate and urgent treatment. Objective. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of two solutions, including hydroxyethyl starch and normal saline, in treating hypotension in patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. Methods. This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 35 patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. We reviewed the profile of 18 patients treated with hydroxyethyl starch and 17 patients treated with normal saline. Within-group and between-group differences in systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were compared using paired t-test and independent t-test, respectively. Results. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of the subjects in the starch and normal saline groups was 27.06 ± 9.72 and 27.88 ± 9.08, respectively. The levels of blood pressure in the two groups were not significantly different before the treatment; the mean ± SD of systolic blood pressure in the starch and normal saline groups was 72.67 ± 14.49 and 68.59 ± 8.3, respectively (P=0.313). After the treatment, it was significantly increased to 94 ± 24.45 and 85.18 ± 19.9 in the starch group (P=0.001) and the normal saline group (P=0.004), respectively. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.245). Only one person survived in each group. Conclusion. According to the results of this study, although there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their effects on hypotension, these treatments could not prevent mortality.

Atenolol (ATN) is a β-blocker drug extensively used to treat arrhythmias and high blood pressure. Because the human body cannot metabolize it completely, this drug has been commonly found in many environmental matrices. In the present study, the response surface method (RSM) was used for adsorption prediction of ATN on modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (M-MWCNTs) by NaOCl and ultrasonic. The sensitivity analysis was done by the Monte Carlo method. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the effective parameter by the Monte Carlo simulator. Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed by using the nonlinear second-order model of RSM. The influential parameters including contact time (min), adsorbent dosage (g/L), pH, and the initial concentration (mg/L) of ATN were investigated, and optimal conditions were determined. Kinetic of ATN adsorption on M-MWCNTs was evaluated using pseudo-first, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models. Equilibrium isotherms for this system were analyzed by the ISOFIT software. As per our result, optimum conditions in the adsorption experiments were pH 7, 60 min of contact time, 0.5 mg/L ATN initial concentration, and 150 mg/L adsorbent dose. In terms of ATN removal efficiency, coefficients of R2 and adjusted R2 were 0.999 and 0.998, respectively. Sensitivity analysis also showed that contact time has the greatest effect on increasing the removal of ATN. Pseudo-first-order (R2 value of 0.99) was the best kinetic model for the adsorption of ATN, and for isotherm, BET (AICC value of 3.27) was the best model that fit the experimental data. According to the obtained results from sensitive analysis, time was the most important parameter, and after that, the adsorbent dose and pH affect positively on ATN removal efficiency. It can be concluded that the modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes can be applied as one of the best adsorbents to remove ATN from the aqueous solution.

Accurate and robust human immune system assessment through white blood cell evaluation require computer-aided tools with pathologist-level accuracy. This work presents a multi-attention leukocytes subtype classification method by leveraging fine-grained and spatial locality attributes of white blood cell. The proposed framework comprises three main components: texture-aware/attention map generation blocks, attention regularization, and attention-based data augmentation. The developed framework is applicable to general CNN-based architectures and enhances decision making by paying specific attention to the discriminative regions of a white blood cell. The performance of the proposed method/model was evaluated through an extensive set of experiments and validation. The obtained results demonstrate the superior performance of the model achieving 99.69 % accuracy compared to other state-of-the-art approaches. The proposed model is a good alternative and complementary to existing computer diagnosis tools to assist pathologists in evaluating white blood cells from blood smear images.

Liposomes are essentially a subtype of nanoparticles comprising a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic head constituting a phospholipid membrane. The spherical or multilayered spherical structures of liposomes are highly rich in lipid contents with numerous criteria for their classification, including structural features, structural parameters, and size, synthesis methods, preparation, and drug loading. Despite various liposomal applications, such as drug, vaccine/gene delivery, biosensors fabrication, diagnosis, and food products applications, their use encounters many limitations due to physico-chemical instability as their stability is vigorously affected by the constituting ingredients wherein cholesterol performs a vital role in the stability of the liposomal membrane. It has well established that cholesterol exerts its impact by controlling fluidity, permeability, membrane strength, elasticity and stiffness, transition temperature (Tm), drug retention, phospholipid packing, and plasma stability. Although the undetermined optimum amount of cholesterol for preparing a stable and controlled release vehicle has been the downside, but researchers are still focused on cholesterol as a promising material for the stability of liposomes necessitating explanation for the stability promotion of liposomes. Herein, the prior art pertaining to the liposomal appliances, especially for drug delivery in cancer therapy, and their stability emphasizing the roles of cholesterol.

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Background: The prevalence and risk factors of urinary tract infection (UTI) in neonates with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia are not studied thoroughly. Since the prevalence of UTI is highly variable in different areas and countries, this study aimed to review the existing data of Iranian neonates with UTI presented with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia. Methods: This study is a meta-analysis of Iranian newborns with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia. We identified all studies indexed in international (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) and national (Science Information Database, Magiran) databases from 2000-2018. Search terms included: Urinary Tract Infections OR UTI AND urine OR culture OR microbio, jaundice OR icter OR hyperbili, AND Iran. Results: Overall, 4210 neonates from 17 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of UTI in neonates with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia was 6.81% (95% CI: 4.86-8.77). Considering the subgroups analyses; the prevalence of UTI was higher in the prolonged vs. not-prolonged state (8.34% vs. 4.00%), low birth weight vs. normal birth weight (7.81% vs. 4.51%), and exclusive vs. non-exclusive breastfeeding (8.84% vs. 4.72%). Male gender and low birth weight increased the risk of UTI about two times compared to the female gender and normal birth weight, respectively. The results of the analyses in neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia also showed the above-mentioned subgroup differences.

Pompe disease or type II glycogen storage disease is a rare autosomal hereditary disease. The prevalence of the disease is about 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 300,000 population. It usually occurs as a result of glycogen accretion following acid maltase deficiency. The current treatment is enzyme replacement therapy, which may slow down the disease progression. Sometimes, the clinical presentation can be atypical and lead to late recognition. This article reports a 32-year-old female with persistent fatigue and mild elevated liver transaminase levels. Biochemical analysis initially did not result in a diagnosis. Years later, increased Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were observed. A muscle biopsy exhibited unusual glycogen accretion, followed by dried blood spot, indicative of Pompe disease. Notably, persistent raised levels of hepatic transaminases are not exclusive to liver pathology and clinicians should also consider extrahepatic causes.

Background & Objective: Brucellosis is one of the most prevalent bacterial zoonotic diseases which afflicts both humans and animals. Genetic factors play an important role in susceptibility to brucellosis. One of these factors is interferon-gamma (IFN-g), which is vital in the defense mechanism against infectious diseases such as brucellosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions -611 and -56 within the promoter region of interferon-gamma receptor-1 gene (IFN-g R1) and brucellosis. Methods: In this research,thegenomic DNA was collected from 60 peripheral blood samples infected with brucellosis and 68 healthy volunteers. DNA was extracted by salting out method. Then, DNA genotypes were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP). Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference in -611 SNP frequencies between control and patient groups. At position -611, CC genotype was related to patient group (P=0.024) and TT genotype was related to the control group. According to the results, males had a higher frequency of Brucella infection. Conclusion: The presence of C allele in position -611 in IFNγ R1 gene promoter was related to a higher risk of disease and susceptibility to brucellosis. Moreover, the presence of T allele in position -611 in IFN-g R1 gene promoter was related to a lower risk of disease.

Context: Smoking in adolescence is a worldwide health problem. Understanding the prevalence of smoking and its clinical correlates in adolescent inpatients is useful for mental health staff to plan effective programs to reduce its detrimental consequences. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and correlates of cigarette smoking and its sociodemographic and clinical correlates. We performed a narrative review of cigarette smoking prevalence among adolescents as well as a descriptive study in inpatient adolescents in Iran. Evidence Acquisition: This was a multicentric, cross-sectional, and hospital-based survey. In total, 82 patients (male/female: 66.9% vs. 33.1%) were consecutively recruited from 5 child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric wards of Iran. The study data were collected from patients, their family members and patients’ medical records. The descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-squared test, and univariate logistic regression analyses were employed to analyze the obtained data. Additionally, we added a narrative review to understand the prevalence rate of smoking and its clinical correlates in adolescent inpatients. Results: The prevalence rate of smoking was 30% in our study sample (24.5% in boys and 39.5 % in girls). There was a significant association between smoking with family size, history of suicide attempt, physical illness, drug misuse in patients, and alcohol or drug misuse in family members. The prevalence of mood disorders in the nonsmokers and smokers were 37.5% and 62.5%, respectively. Overall, 26.6% of the subjects had a history of suicide attempt of whom, 52.9% were smokers. Conclusions: Results of this study about the association between smoking with family size, history of suicide attempt, physical illness, drug misuse, and other related factors, call for both careful screening of smoking and specially designed integrated psychiatric/smoking treatments in these patients.

Background: Cancer is among the most important causes of death worldwide. This disease is the third main cause of death in Iran. Method: In the present study, mortality rates of Iranian men and women due to various cancers were analyzed using a database from 1990 to 2015 (in 5-year intervals), available in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. For statistical modeling, Latent Growth Mixture Models (LGMMs) were used to determine the subgroups of cancers, in which cancers within each group had similar trends of mortality rates over the period of study. Result: The LGMM identified 3 classes for both female and male data. For females, most cancers were allocated to the class with a slow increase in cancers mortality over time. Cancers in Class 2, including breast, stomach, trachea, bronchus and lung, colon and rectum, liver, brain, and nervous system, ovarian, and pancreatic had an increasing trend until 2000; then, they reached a fixed trend during 2000-2005, followed by showing an increasing trend once again. In the last class, leukemia showed a decreasing trend of mortality rate over time. For male data, most cancers were allocated to the class with a very slowly increasing trend in mortality rate over time. In both Class 2 (including bladder, brain and nervous system, liver, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and pancreatic cancers) and Class 3 (including breast, larynx, leukemia, prostate, stomach, trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers), there was an increasing trend of mortality rate over time until 1995 and then it reached an almost stable trend during 1995-2005 followed by an increasing trend once again. Conclusion: Hence, the general status of cancer mortality rates shows an ascending trend. Therefore, it is necessary to provide programs for early detection, screening, preventing, public health program planning, and patient care improvement.

Introduction: This study evaluated the effect of gelfoam impregnated with botulinum toxin on the symptoms induced by allergic rhinitis. Materials and Methods: In total, 30 patients with allergic rhinitis who did not respond to common therapies were included in this clinical trial study. All patients were treated with intranasal gelfoam impregnated with botulinum toxin type a (40 unit in each side) placed in the middle meatus of each nostril. The main symptoms of allergic rhinitis were scored from zero to three by the patients. Symptoms recorded and compared before and two months after the treatment. Result: The mean age of patients was 31.03±6.9 years. The mean score for sneezing was 2.23 before the treatment which significantly decreased to 1.06 after the treatment (P Conclusion: According to the results, treatment with gelfoam impregnated with botulinum toxin is an effective and safe method in patients who have not responded to common therapies for allergic rhinitis. Accordingly, it is recommended to relieve symptoms in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in order to maintain the effectiveness of this treatment at least 8 weeks.

Background: Given the fact that various studies have reported the positive effects of hydroxyethyl starch therapy in controlling shock, this study aimed to compare the effects of hydroxyethyl starch on modifying acidosis and treating patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial that was conducted on 60 patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. We compared the two groups of patients treated with hydroxyethyl starch and normal saline. Base excess and serum pH of arterial blood gases (ABG) were measured before and after the treatment and compared by t-test. Results: Results showed that arterial pH in the starch group and normal saline group increased by 0.13 and 0.18, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. The difference in the base excess before and after treatment in the starch group and normal saline group was 6.41 and 5.39, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. Changes in mean values of arterial pH after the intervention in comparison with before treatment were statistically significant (p