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The accuracy of ultrasound findings in predicting the incidence of morbidly adherent placenta has been evaluated previously. In this study, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of different quantitative findings of color Doppler and grayscale ultrasonography in predicting morbidly adherent placenta.

Background: ADHD is widely recognized as the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Recently, the potential role of gut microbiota as an etiological factor in ADHD has gained attention. This systematic review aims to investigate the potential impact of probiotic supplements on alleviating ADHD symptoms and influencing behavior. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS were searched from inception to May 2023. Only randomized controlled trials that have suitable data of the effects of probiotics/synbiotics on children with ADHD were enrolled. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. Results: Five related randomized controlled trial were evaluated in the current review. Types of interventions ranged from single/multi strain probiotics to synbiotic. The duration of intervention in all of the studies were 2 to 3 months. The assessed outcomes were very diverse and different tools were used to report the symptoms in children. Among those which used Conners' Parent Rating Scale, a decrease in the total score occurred in the probiotic group, compared to the placebo group. An improvement in both intervention and control groups was seen in one study which used ADHD-Rating Scale. Conclusion: In summary, the combined findings from the reviewed studies suggest that probiotic supplements might potentially serve as a complementary intervention for ADHD. However, given the small number of studies, limited sample sizes, and the diversity of probiotic strains, further research is needed to clarify the effects of probiotics in children with ADHD. The observed tolerability of probiotics is noteworthy as none of the studies report adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) has been revealed as a severe illness with a wide‑ranging cardiac manifestation and has a worldwide burden on the health‑care system. Aims: Our aim in this study is to assess the impact of mild COVID‑19 infection on cardiac function in patients without previous structural heart disease. Settings and Design: We evaluated 100 outpatients with a history of mild COVID‑19 infection without needing hospitalization within 3 weeks to 3 months after recovery from the acute phase of the illness between August 2020 and July 2021. Subjects and Methods: The patients were compared with 105 healthy participants without a history of COVID‑19 as the control group. All participants underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 23. For all tests, P < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. Results: COVID‑19 patients had higher global longitudinal strain (P = 0.001), systolic pulmonary artery pressure (P = 0.008), RV E’ (P = 0.049), and RV A’ (P = 0.003), while had lower septal tissue velocities (P = 0.01) and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (LVEF) (P = 0.03). Abnormal EF (LVEF <55%) was noted in 19% of the COVID‑19 patients and 8.6% of the control group (P = 0.03). Moderate or more diastolic dysfunction was noted in 10 COVID‑19 patients but only in one participant in the control group (P = 0.005). Conclusions: Mild COVID‑19 infection can result in cardiac functional and structural changes, even in patients without known previous structural heart disease. Echocardiography can be a useful modality for risk assessment and follow‑up in patients with COVID‑19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study intends to assess the impact of oral selenium intake on anti-Tg antibody in individuals with autoimmune hypothyroidism. Methods: In this double-blinded randomized controlled trial, two groups of 72 autoimmune hypothyroid patients were randomly assigned; One group received levothyroxine (LT4) and oral selenium and the other group was given placebo with LT4. Anti-Tg antibody, free T4, anti-TPO antibody, and TSH were identified in both groups before the treatment and also 3 months after treatment and analysis of data was done by SPSS software. Results: After the intervention, the average amount of anti-Tg antibody decreased in both of the groups, and this decrease was noticeably greater in the intervention group (P = 0.03). In the intervention group, the TSH level decreased after the intervention (p < 0.05), and the free T4 level increased after the intervention (p < 0.05); the changes in these two variables were statistically significant. Conclusion: Consumption of selenium, compared to placebo, in patients with autoimmune hypothyroidism drastically reduces the level of anti-Tg antibody, and it significantly increases the free T4 level. Also, there is a greater decrease in the level of TSH compared to the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Body hair removal plays an important role in beauty standards, particularly for women. Finding a method that is easy to use, cheap, and can be done without supervision can significantly affect long-term hair reduction and reduce the side effects of hair removal. The present study investigated the impact of a containing 20% broad bean (Vicia faba) extract cream on axillary hair removal. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five female volunteers were randomly divided into A (right axillary intervention - left axillary placebo) and B (right axillary placebo - left axillary intervention). Depending on the group, each person used a cream containing 20% broad bean extract) "The extract made from the seeds and pods of broad beans.") on one side and a placebo on the other twice a day for three months. Volunteers shaved their axillary hairs three days before each visit and took pictures of both sides on the day of the visit with a trichoscope (to check the diameter and thickness of the hairs). Results: We found a decrease in thickness on the intervention group (the axilla where a cream containing broad bean extract was applied); however, this difference was not significant between the intervention side and the placebo. In terms of the number of hairs, the difference between the two groups was significant only in the second month despite the decrease on the intervention side. Evaluation based on the personal judgment of the volunteers showed that there was a substantial difference in terms of the number of hairs (p=0.012) and thinning of hair (p=0.02). Conclusion: Our findings showed that 20% broad bean extract cream could potentially reduce axillary hair growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Asthma is a common disease and curcumin has modest effect in inflammatory disorders. This study investigated the efficacy of nano-curcumin on asthma. Materials and Methods: In this double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 60 patients with non-atopic bronchial asthma were randomly stratified in two groups of intervention (N=30) and control (N=30) groups. Apart from their standard treatment, the intervention group received 40 mg nano-curcumin (soft gel) three times daily while the control group received placebo. During the 60-day study, patients were assessed using spirometry to measure Forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1). Asthma control test (ACT) was completed every 30 days and asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) was completed at the first and end of the study. Results: Totally, 31 patients (51.7%) were male and the mean age was 51.45±12.58 years. FEV1 was improved but there was no significant difference between intervention and control groups. ACT and AQLQ domains scores significantly improved. However, it was not statistically different between control and intervention groups. Conclusion: Nano-curcumin at administered dosage had no additive effect on the standard treatment in asthmatic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the high prevalence of head and neck cancers in Iran, no studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and these cancers. Many Iranians suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which underscores the importance of conducting these studies in Iran. Objectives: This study aims at investigating the relationship between vitamin D levels and laryngeal cancer. Methods: This 1: 1 matched case-control study included 216 patients in Mashhad, Iran, who had not consumed vitamin D supplements for 3-months before study onset. Participants were grouped in 2 categories; the case group, which consisted of patients with laryngeal cancer whose squamous cell carcinoma was confirmed pathologically for the first time (new cases), and the control group, which consisted of individuals who did not have any cancer at the time of the study, confirmed by indirect laryngoscopy, and were identical to the patient group in terms of other risk factors for laryngeal cancer (smoking and alcohol abuse). First, the relevant checklist (including age, occupation, consumption of tobacco, alcohol use, etc., history of contact with mustard gas, wood, stone, metal, and cement industry, as well as history of reflux in the individual and cancer in relatives) was completed for all case and control group members. After taking blood samples, they were evaluated for serum levels of vitamin D3. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney U or independent sample t-tests. Logistic regression was also used to determine the relation between vitamin D level and laryngeal cancer. Results: Mean age, sex and risk factors of laryngeal cancer were not significantly different between the two groups. Vitamin D level was significantly lower in patients with laryngeal cancer compared to control group (16.02 ± 3.62 ng/mL vs 25.19 ± 3.40 (P< 0.001)). Logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin D level is independently related to laryngeal cancer and has a protective effect on this neoplasm (OR= 0.54, 95%CI: 0.46 - 0.63, P < 0.001). Conclusions: A lower vitamin D level may be related to laryngeal cancer. However, the role of vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for head and neck cancers and whether the treatment of this condition could prevent the incidence of such cancers is a matter of future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rate of olfactory loss related to COVID-19 was reported between 4-89 percent. There is no approved treatment for patients who experience anosmia after the mentioned infection. This systematic review aimed to assess the therapeutic effects of corticosteroids on anosmia in COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: Databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Databases were searched up to September 2022 to find out randomized controlled trials that assessed the effect of corticosteroids on post-COVID anosmia/hyposmia. Only studies published in the English language were entered in this review. Results: Among the six relevant trials with a total population of 712, one study administered the combination therapy of both systemic and nasal corticosteroids, while others used intranasal corticosteroids. No significant difference was observed between the intervention (IG) and control (CG) groups in terms of duration of improvement from anosmia (mean difference:-1.799). The pooled effect of self-rating olfactory scores was assessed at 2 weeks and at the end point of the studies which revealed no significant effect in favor of the IG (pooled effect in 2 weeks: 0.739; in the endpoint: 1.32). The objective evaluation with different tools indicated that IG obtained higher scores at the endpoint of treatment. The pooled results showed that the number of patients who recovered from anosmia is higher in IG compared to CG (Odds Ratio: 1.719). Conclusion: It appears that the duration of corticosteroid therapy more than two weeks may be a considerable effect on the recovery of smell dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fetal exposure to maternal anxiety is associated with low birth weight and maternal stress may be led to constriction of uterine arteries. This study compared the relation of anxiety and uterine artery doppler flow indices in pregnant women with the high and low-risk of Down syndrome. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted among pregnant women in the second trimester that were classified as having a high or low risk according to their prenatal aneuploidy screening outcome. The high risk group underwent amniocentesis. Anxiety was initially assessed using the Spielberger State-Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and uterine artery blood flow indices were evaluated 2 times for the both groups. For the high-risk group first: immediately before amniocentesis and second: after two weeks follow up, when receiving the karyotype results and for the low-risk group in the first admission and two weeks later. Results: Totally, 375 pregnant women participated in our study that sorted into 2 risk populations based on the aneuploidy screening test, low-risk=176 and high-risk women=199. The high-risk group for Down syndrome amniocentesis showed abnormal results in the 23 cases (23/199). The mean state (P=0.003) and trait (P=0.033) of the Anxiety Inventory scores were significantly different between the groups. Baseline uterine artery indices were no significant difference between the groups. Baseline Uterine artery indices in the high-risk group was significantly different with follow-up (in both positive-amniocentesis and negative amniocentesis sub-groups) indices. Also, there was a weak and significant correlation in the uterine resistance index and STAI scores (P=0.008, r=0.137) during the follow-up period. Conclusion: All pregnant women experienced high level anxiety, especially in the high-risk group that may reduce after confirmation of prenatal aneuploidy screening test and also affects the Doppler indices. For all pregnant women; Stress management and emotional support training is recommended before and during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to myocardial damage and arrhythmia. Patients with ECG changes have shown an increased risk of mortality. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study the changes in the electrocardiogram, which may be of great significance for risk stratification of COVID-19-positive patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to compare electrocardiogram changes and disease severity markers in COVID-19-positive patients admitted to a referral hospital between February 20 and March 20, 2020. RESULTS: Our study consisted of 201 cases, including 123 males and 78 females. Ages ranged between 16 and 97 years old. Fifty-two (25.9%) cases had a history of ICU admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a low O2 saturation level (OR = 0.920, 95% CI 0.868–0.976, p=0.005), several lab tests, ECG changes (OR = 46.84, 95% CI 3.876–566.287, p = .002) and Age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.000–1.065, p = .048) were the independent risk factors for predicting mortality rate. In addition, we utilized multivariate logistic regression analysis, demonstrating that LBBB (OR = 4.601, 95% CI: 1.357–15.600, p=0.014) is the only ECG risk factor associated with morbidity in elderly patients with ECG changes. CONCLUSIONS: ECG changes are strong indicators of high mortality rates in elderly COVID-19 patients. ECG interpretations should therefore be used for risk stratification and predicting the need for ICU admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]