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Introduction: The Ataxia Assessment and Rating Scale (SARA) has been validated in English and a standardized tool having translation and modification according to Iranian language and culture was needed. Therefore, we aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the SARA.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with ataxia who were referred to the otolaryngology office from April 2023 to January 2024. The SARA questionnaire consists of 8 objects that have been translated into Persian. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was measured to find the internal consistency. Moreover, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to evaluate the test-retest reliability. Furthermore, the content validity ratio (CVR) and the content validity index (CVI) were calculated to assess the content validity.Results: A total of 11 patients with ataxia (aged 48.5±18.8 years) enrolled in the current study. After examining the face validity, the experts did not mention any particular problem. In the content validity, each CVI and CVR index item was equal to one. Cronbach's alpha obtained was equal to 0.893 that indicates a high level of internal consistency of this scale in the first iteration. In the second iteration, this index was obtained as 0.892. In all the items, except the heel shin item, the value of the ICC could not be estimated because the scores in the first and second iterations were the same. ICC for the heel shin item was equal to 0.944.Conclusion: The Persian version of the SARA questionnaire achieved the necessary validity and reliability and can be used in patients with ataxia to detect the ataxia symptoms and its severity in the country.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality globally, due to the high frequency of early metastatic disease. In the past, the presence of metastasis was examined based on histological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. A high percentage of patients experience recurrence after metastasectomy. Recurrence could be due to the presence of micro-metastasis (MM), which could be detected at sites such as lymph nodes or bone marrow using RT-PCR or immune-histochemical staining. Previous studies have reported inconsistent results with respect to the clinical significance of MM, its impact on survival, and how it is affected by chemotherapy. In this study, we reviewed the (1) clinical significance of MM, (2) methods of detection, (3) sites of occurrence, (4) the mechanism associated with MM, and (5) the role of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with EC.

The present research was conducted to measure the impact of organizational maturity on the main variables of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology among library and information science experts in the public libraries in Mashhad. It is applied research in terms of purpose and correlation-descriptive research in terms of the data collection method. The research statistical population included all library and information science experts in Mashhad city, which were selected as research samples using random sampling. The questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The average variance extracted (AVE) was used to assess the validity of the questionnaire, and the composite reliability (CR) coefficient and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. The structural equation modeling method (partial least squares method) was used with Smart PLS software to test the research hypotheses and the research conceptual model. According to the results, it can be stated that the variable of organizational maturity has a significant and positive effect on the components of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, including performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, purposeful behavior, but this variable does not have a significant and positive effect on the effort expectancy. Organizational maturity affects the acceptance and use of technology by public library librarians.

Observations at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths offer a complementary perspective on our Sun and other stars, offering significant insights into both the thermal and magnetic composition of their chromospheres. Despite the fundamental progress in (sub-)millimeter observations of the Sun, some important aspects require diagnostic capabilities that are not offered by existing observatories. In particular, simultaneous observations of the radiation continuum across an extended frequency range would facilitate the mapping of different layers and thus ultimately the 3D structure of the solar atmosphere. Mapping large regions on the Sun or even the whole solar disk at a very high temporal cadence would be crucial for systematically detecting and following the temporal evolution of flares, while synoptic observations, i.e., daily maps, over periods of years would provide an unprecedented view of the solar activity cycle in this wavelength regime. As our Sun is a fundamental reference for studying the atmospheres of active main sequence stars, observing the Sun and other stars with the same instrument would unlock the enormous diagnostic potential for understanding stellar activity and its impact on exoplanets. The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST), a single-dish telescope with 50m aperture proposed to be built in the Atacama desert in Chile, would be able to provide these observational capabilities. Equipped with a large number of detector elements for probing the radiation continuum across a wide frequency range, AtLAST would address a wide range of scientific topics including the thermal structure and heating of the solar chromosphere, flares and prominences, and the solar activity cycle. In this white paper, the key science cases and their technical requirements for AtLAST are discussed.

ABSTRACT Aim This study evaluated surgical complication rates, recurrence‐free survival, overall survival (OS), and stoma status of patients with rectal cancer after significant pathologic response following neoadjuvant treatment and curative resection. Pathologic complete response (pCR) and near‐pCR patients constitute patients in our study. Methods Included was a retrospective cohort study of patients with rectal cancer who were diagnosed between July 2011 and September 2022 and who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection. Results Of 696 patients with rectal cancer, 149 (21.4%) cases achieved significant pathologic response. During the 64 (70.5) months of follow‐up, recurrence occurred in 16.1% of patients and distant metastases account for the majority of them. Age (p = 0.014) and receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.016) were significantly related to the occurrence of recurrence. The five‐year recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and OS rates were obtained at 83% and 87%, respectively. Although age and surgical technique were significant factors in univariate Cox regression analysis, none of the candidate variables were significant prognostic factors for RFS in the multiple models. The risk of surgical complications remained in these patients. The most frequent complication attributed to infection (20.8%). Despite the 24.8% presence of permanent stoma at primary surgery, more than 50% of our patients lived without stoma at the last follow‐up. Conclusion Our recurrence rate was about 16%, and it was related to age and adjuvant chemotherapy. These patients achieved over 80% rates of five‐year RFS and OS. No significant prognostic factors were found on RFS in the multivariable model. As a matter of course, the risk of surgical complications and permanent stoma has still remained in these patients.

Observations at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths offer a complementary perspective on our Sun and other stars, offering significant insights into both the thermal and magnetic composition of their chromospheres. Despite the fundamental progress in (sub-)millimeter observations of the Sun, some important aspects require diagnostic capabilities that are not offered by existing observatories. In particular, simultaneously observations of the radiation continuum across an extended frequency range would facilitate the mapping of different layers and thus ultimately the 3D structure of the solar atmosphere. Mapping large regions on the Sun or even the whole solar disk at a very high temporal cadence would be crucial for systematically detecting and following the temporal evolution of flares, while synoptic observations, i.e., daily maps, over periods of years would provide an unprecedented view of the solar activity cycle in this wavelength regime. As our Sun is a fundamental reference for studying the atmospheres of active main sequence stars, observing the Sun and other stars with the same instrument would unlock the enormous diagnostic potential for understanding stellar activity and its impact on exoplanets. The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST), a single-dish telescope with 50m aperture proposed to be built in the Atacama desert in Chile, would be able to provide these observational capabilities. Equipped with a large number of detector elements for probing the radiation continuum across a wide frequency range, AtLAST would address a wide range of scientific topics including the thermal structure and heating of the solar chromosphere, flares and prominences, and the solar activity cycle. In this white paper, the key science cases and their technical requirements for AtLAST are discussed.

Abstract Background The aim was to establish a 10-year dyslipidemia incidence model, investigating novel anthropometric indices using exploratory regression and data mining. Methods This data mining study was conducted on people who were diagnosed with dyslipidemia in phase 2 (n = 1097) of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) study, who were compared with healthy people in this phase (n = 679). The association of dyslipidemia with several novel anthropometric indices including Conicity Index (C-Index), Body Roundness Index (BRI), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), Abdominal Volume Index (AVI), Weight-Adjusted-Waist Index (WWI), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Adiposity Index (BAI) and Body Surface Area (BSA) was evaluated. Logistic Regression (LR) and Decision Tree (DT) analysis were utilized to evaluate the association. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of DT were assessed through the performance of a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve using R software. Results A total of 1776 subjects without dyslipidemia during phase 1 were followed up in phase 2 and enrolled into the current study. The AUC of models A and B were 0.69 and 0.63 among subjects with dyslipidemia, respectively. VAI has been identified as a significant predictor of dyslipidemias (OR: 2.81, (95% CI: 2.07, 3.81)) in all models. Moreover, the DT showed that VAI followed by BMI and LAP were the most critical variables in predicting dyslipidemia incidence. Conclusions Based on the results, model A had an acceptable performance for predicting 10 years of dyslipidemia incidence. Furthermore, the VAI, BMI, and LAP were the principal anthropometric factors for predicting dyslipidemia incidence by LR and DT models.

Abstract Background Various hematologic parameters have been proposed as prognostic factors in rectal cancer management, but data are conflicting and unclear. This study is designed to investigate the prognostic factor capability of preoperative hematologic parameters with postoperative morbidities and mortality in rectal cancer patients undergoing curative resection. Methods All 200 consecutive rectal cancer patients diagnosed at Ghaem University Hospital from 2017 to 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and machine learning (ML) algorithms of Random Forest, Recursive Feature Elimination, simulated annealing, Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting were administered to investigate the role of preoperative hematologic parameters accompanied by baseline characteristics on three clinical outcomes including surgical infectious complications, recurrence, and death. Results The frequency of infectious complications was correlated with the surgical procedure, while tumor recurrence was significantly influenced by T stage and N stage. In terms of mortality, alongside T and N stage, the status of resection margin involvement was significantly correlated. Based on the ROC analysis, the NLR >2.69, MPV ≤9 fL, and PDW ≤10.5 fL were more classified patients to mortality status. Likewise, the PLT >220 109/L, MPV ≤9 fL, PDW ≤10.4 fL, and PLR >13.6 were correlated with recurrence. However, all factors examined in this study were not significant classifiers for the outcome of surgical infectious complications. The results of ML algorithms were also in line with ROC analysis. Conclusion According to the results of both ROC analysis and ML models, preoperative hematologic parameters are considerable prognostic factors of postoperative outcomes in rectal cancer patients, and are recommended to be monitored by clinicians to prevent unfavorable outcomes.

Abstract Background and objective Corona virus causes respiratory tract infections in mammals. The latest type of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona-viruses 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Corona virus spread in humans in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and their biochemical and hematological factors with the level of infection with COVID-19 to improve the treatment and management of the disease. Material and method This study was conducted on a population of 13,170 including 5780 subjects with SARS-COV-2 and 7390 subjects without SARS-COV-2, in the age range of 35–65 years. Also, the associations between biochemical factors, hematological factors, physical activity level (PAL), age, sex, and smoking status were investigated with the COVID-19 infection. Result Data mining techniques such as logistic regression (LR) and decision tree (DT) algorithms were used to analyze the data. The results using the LR model showed that in biochemical factors (Model I) creatine phosphokinase (CPK) (OR: 1.006 CI 95% (1.006,1.007)), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (OR: 1.039 CI 95% (1.033, 1.047)) and in hematological factors (Model II) mean platelet volume (MVP) (OR: 1.546 CI 95% (1.470, 1.628)) were significant factors associated with COVID-19 infection. Using the DT model, CPK, BUN, and MPV were the most important variables. Also, after adjustment for confounding factors, subjects with T2DM had higher risk for COVID-19 infection. Conclusion There was a significant association between CPK, BUN, MPV and T2DM with COVID-19 infection and T2DM appears to be important in the development of COVID-19 infection.

Introduction : It has been shown that angioplasty and endovascular stent deployment, used after coronary revascularization, are associated with an inflammatory response. Inflammation has a key role in the complications of atherosclerotic plaque, coronary artery disease (CAD) and in-stent restenosis (ISR). The objectives of the present study was to investigate serum levels of 12 pro/anti-cytokines and growth factors and their relationship with restenosis.Methods: A total of 244 subjects were recruited in current study including unrelated patients who previously underwent coronary stent implantation (between 2014 and 2017) and were subsequently indicated for coronary angiography. According to angiography results patients were allocated into two groups: cases with stenosis more than 50% within the stent (N=79) and controls with stenosis less than 50% within the stent (N=165). Serum was separated by centrifuging the blood for 15 min at 1000 rpm. Serum cytokines levels including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, MCP-1, EGF, and VEGF were measured using an EV 3513 cytokine biochip array (Randox Laboratories, Crumlin, UK).Results: The mean age of the NISR and ISR groups were 62.47±9.2 and 59.49±8.48 years, respectively. The diabetes frequency was significantly higher in the ISR group (55.1%) compared with NISR group (30.9%) (p0.05).Conclusions: The results showed that serum levels of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors did not have a significant difference between NISR and ISR study groups.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is still an ongoing problem affecting people’s well-being globally. It is known that malnutrition is an important determinant of immune function, leading to an increased risk of infection and severity of diseases. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between macronutrients and micronutrients and this viral infection.Methods: This study was a historical cohort including 6539 subjects (57.2% females, 42.8% males) from the Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) cohort study. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 65-item validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Data on COVID-19 diagnosis was collected from online health records of patients available in the Sina health information system from the onset of the disease to the end of July 2020. COVID-19 diagnosis has been confirmed using a lung spiral CT scan or PCR laboratory test. SPSS software (Version 20) was usedfor the analysis of data. .Results: A total of 154 subjects including 85 men (55.2%) and women (44.8%) were infected with COVID-19. Body mass index (p=0.03) and waist circumference (p=0.01) of the patients along with the protein (p=0.02), total N2 (p=0.02), calcium (p=0.02) and thiamin (p=0.04) content of their diet was significantly associated with COVID-19. After multivariate analysis, dietary calcium remained the only dietary factor that predicted COVID-19 infection (OR=0.94, 95%CI [0.87-0.99], p value=0.04).Conclusion: Our findings indicated that prevalence of COVID-19 may be affected by dietary macronutrients and micronutrients. According to our data, increased calcium intake can reduce the prevalence of COVID-19.

Objective: The obesity prevalence is growing worldwide. There is strong evidence indicating that a disturbance of zinc, copper and magnesium concentrations is associated with the development of obesity and its related diseases. Our aim was to determine the effect of curcumin supplementation on serum zinc, magnesium and copper in obese individuals.Materials and Methods: In this randomized crossover trial study, thirty obese patients with an age range of 18 to 65 years were randomized to treatment with curcumin 1 g/day or placebo for 30 days. There was then a two-week wash-out period, after which, subjects crossed to the alternate regimen. Serum levels of zinc, copper and magnesium were determined at baseline and at the end of the study.Results: The study groups were similar to each other in base line characteristics. We did not observe significant impacts (p>0.05) of curcumin on Cu, Zn, Mg serum concentrations.Conclusion: Curcumin administration at a dose of 1 g/day for 30 days did not affect serum Cu, Zn, Mg levels in obese subjects.

The new media and technologies in the information era have affected all aspects of individuals in the information society. This research aimed to investigate the motivations for using Instagram as a social network among students of the Psychology and Educational Science Faculty of Semnan University. The present study was a survey in terms of methodology and applied research in terms of purpose. The research population comprised 442 students in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Semnan University. Totally, 205 individuals were selected through simple random sampling. Based on Gülnar, Balci and Çakir questionnaire (2010), a measure was provided for data gathering. To assess students' motives in using Instagram as a social network, exploratory factor analysis, one-sample t-test, and description analysis were used, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24). Findings showed that six factors of narcissism and self-expression, passing the time and entertainment, curiosity about events and memories, information seeking, creating social and emotional capital, and relationship maintenance were the most important motivations for students to use Instagram as a social network. The results further showed that three factors (i.e. information seeking, passing time, and relationship maintenance) were suggested as the three main motivations of students. Psychology students of Semnan University use social networks such as Instagram according to real-life conditions to compensate for their shortcomings and deficiencies and meet their needs.https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.20088302.2022.20.4.15.4

Background: Breastfeeding training among mothers is necessary to ensure the continuation of this behavior. Given the great benefits of breastfeeding for children and mothers and the effective role of training in this process, studies have emphasized the importance of training, support, and follow-up. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the impact of successful breastfeeding training on the knowledge and planning of pregnant women regarding this behavior in 2018.Methods: This quasi-experimental study with a pre-/post-test design was carried out on 30 pregnant women with a gestational age of 32 weeks. At first, two comprehensive health centers were selected by cluster sampling. The dependent variable was successful breastfeeding, while the independent variables were awareness and planning for breastfeeding. The educational content was presented in three 45-minute sessions. Due to the lack of a standard questionnaire, a researcher-made questionnaire was prepared using the relevant references. After all, the data were entered into the SPSS 22 software and were analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA.Results: The mean score of the mothers’ awareness of successful breastfeeding was increased from 49.97±3. 53 to 63.27±3.72 and that of their planning for successful breastfeeding was increased from 42.78±2.99 to 53.77±3.74; these differences were statistically significant (P

Abstract Background and Aims The fatty acid‐binding proteins (FABPs) gene polymorphisms are related to several metabolic properties. We investigated the association of SNPs rs2241883 of FABP 1 gene with obesity to evaluate the role of FABP1 gene in the pathogenesis of obesity in the population of MASHAD study cohort. Methods In this cross‐sectional study, 2731 individuals (1883 Obese and 848 nonobese) aged 35 to 65 years old, were enrolled from the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) study cohort. DNA Quantitation was determined using the NanoDrop®‐1000 instrument (NanoDrop‐Technologies). The rs2241883 polymorphisms were genotyped by double ARMs PCR (double amplification refractory mutation system) reactions. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 22 and a p

Introduction: The association between the serum antibody titer of several heat shock proteins (HSPs) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors so far has been the subject of several previous studies.Aim: To evaluate the association of adiposity indices and HSP-27 antibody titers in healthy individuals.Materials and Methods: Overall 4823 individuals were recruited from Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders Study (MASHAD study), that included 1496 individuals with normal-weight (body mass index (BMI)

Previous studies have shown that the health burden associated with vitamin D deficiency is increasing globally. Vitamin D supplementation appears to be a feasible strategy for improving vitamin D status within populations. Little information is available on the perception and barriers to the widespread application of vitamin D supplements in Iran. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the perception of health care providers regarding the implementation of vitamin D supplementation program in the Iranian cities of Mashhad, Qom and Zahedan.This qualitative conventional content analysis study was conducted at 3 medical universities in Iran: Mashhad (MUMS), Qom (QUMS) and Zahedan (ZAUMS) University of Medical Sciences. These universities, are within regions with differing prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, and were selected based on the results of National Integrated Micronutrient Survey 2012 (NIMS-II study). Individual semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed with 103 participants (consisting of health professionals and health providers) to understand the perceptions of health professionals and health care providers’. The data were collected from December 2018 to July 2019. Guba and Lincoln’s criteria were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis based on the approach of Graneheim and Lundman's.There were three categories of barriers to distribution and use of individual supplements, and the funding to implement the program; there were ten subcategories. Supplement distribution were affected by three subcategories of inadequate distribution of the supplement, irregular distribution of the supplement, and insufficient space to store the supplements. Individual barriers to the use of supplement comprised five subcategories: forgetting to take them, lack of knowledge about their benefits, accessing a health care center providing them, negative advertising for supplement use, and not taking them because of cost. Funding to implement the program contained the two subcategories of financial limitation in urban and rural area and financial limitation for all target groups.The findings showed that health care providers reported a variety of barriers to supplement use. Applying a multiple strategy requires: training, conducting advertising campaigns, financial support, sufficient and regular distribution of the supplement and perhaps the use of alternative methods of supplement delivery, such as food fortification can be helpful.

The levels of physical activity (PA) is an important for the health of children and environmental factors play a vital role in shaping children's attitudes, behavior and physical-mental development. Hence the identification of the environmental factors that may contribute to children`s health is important. The relevant literature between 2015-2020 was reviewed, and the factors classified according to three principal environments of home, neighborhood and school. Findings highlight the need for more studies, especially into contextual factors and design-related characteristics of the environments. Increasing child`s PA opportunities including active play and commute vs. sedentary behavior (SB) in all of the three environments were suggested through: 1) proper presence and availability of PA supportive places (either indoors or outdoors), routes (sidewalks, cycling routes) and equipment, 2) consideration of practical threshold for walking/cycling time and distance to schools and neighborhood destinations, 3) provision of neighborhood with more traffic/social safety, 4) limitation of child`s sedentary time (ST), SB supportive devices number and accessibility, 5) emphasizing the importance of teachers, child care providers and family role (role modeling, support, attitude, rules, socioeconomic status (SES), perceptions, concerns, priorities and physical-mental health). Implementation of policies and measures targeted at enhancement of the environments PA supportive qualities simultaneous with promotion of knowledge of planners, designers, teachers, child care providers and families about children`s PA importance is needed.

NGC 5128 (Cen A) is the nearest giant elliptical galaxy and one of the brightest extragalactic radio sources in the sky, boasting a prominent dust lane and jets emanating from its nuclear supermassive black hole. In this paper, we construct the star formation history (SFH) of two small fields in the halo of NGC 5128: a northeastern field (Field 1) at a projected distance of ∼18.8 kpc from the center, and a southern field (Field 2) ∼9.9 kpc from the center. Our method is based on identifying long-period variable (LPV) stars that trace their sibling stellar population and hence historical star formation due to their high luminosity and strong variability; we identified 395 LPV stars in Field 1 and 671 LPV stars in Field 2. Even though the two fields are ∼28 kpc apart on opposite sides from the center, they show similar SFHs. In Field 1, the star formation rate (SFR) increased significantly around t ∼ 800 Myr and t ∼ 3.8 Gyr and in Field 2, the SFR increased considerably around t ∼ 800 Myr, t ∼ 3.8 Gyr, and t ∼ 6.3 Gyr, where t is the lookback time. The increase in SFR ∼800 Myr ago agrees with previous suggestions that the galaxy experienced a merger around that time. The SFH reconstructed from LPV stars supports a scenario in which multiple episodes of nuclear activity lead to episodic jet-induced star formation. While there is no catalog of LPV stars for the central part of NGC 5128, applying our method to the outer regions (for the first time in a galaxy outside the Local Group) has enabled us to put constraints on the complex evolution of this cornerstone galaxy.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) affects more than one billion individuals globally. We aimed to review all the published papers on vitamin D deficiency in in the country. Method: PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, Science direct and scientific information databases were searched for papers related to the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency for all age groups in Iran from 2000 to 2018. The Joanna Briggs Institute prevalence critical appraisal tool was applied for the assessment of the methodological quality of these studies. The Meta-analysis is based on the random effect model using Comprehensive Meta-analysis data analysis.Results: Eighty-seven original articles reported on participants with vitamin D insufficiency in Iran. According to the meta-analysis of the prevalence of moderately deficient of vitamin D in men and women as well as younger and older individuals (>18 years) using a cut-off point of 25(OH) D3

Introduction: Air leak is one of the post-surgical complications following thoracic surgeries. Studies have shown that patients with more intraoperative air leaks are at higher risk of developing prolonged postoperative air leak. Various adjuncts have been used in attempts to reduce alveolar air leaks (AAL). One of these, is the topical application of Glubran-2. This study examines the role of Glubran-2 in management of air leak in patients with chronic empyema.Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial that included 44 patients with chronic pulmonary empyema who underwent decortication and pleurectomy. They were divided into 2 equal groups. In the first group, Glubran-2 was used for management of air leak and in another group other routine methods were used for this purpose. Patients in each group were assessed according to their age, sex, location of the lesion, cause of the lesion, air leak and duration of hospitalization. The data were analyzed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) software.Results: All data of the clinical features showed no significant difference among case and control group in patients with chronic empyema at baseline (P>0.05). Alveolar air leak duration and duration of hospitalization were significantly lower in the sealant group compared to the no-sealant group (P< 0.001 and P< 0.01, respectively). Prolonged AAL (PALL) was found in 5 (50.0 %) patients in the case group and 15 (83.3 %) patients in the control group for a total of 20 (50 %) patients. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding PAAL (P= 0.77).Conclusion: Our results support the use of Glubran-2 glue for decreasing alveolar air leak and then decreasing duration of hospitalization in the patients who underwent the thoracic surgeries.

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that diabetes mellitus and obesity are associated with an increased risk of severe complications with COVID. We aimed to investigate whether individuals with obesity and diabetes mellitus are more likely to be infected with COVID19.Methods: The information related to COVID-19 was extracted from the Sina Health system information of Mashhad Health Deputy among participants in Mashhad cohort study (n=9704 people). Information regarding the cardiac risk factors of the individuals was previously recorded during the recruitment phase of the Mashhad cohort study. The relationship between COVID infection and several CVD risk factors was investigated.Results: The results showed that obesity (P= 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (DM), (P= 0.01) were positively related to COVID-19. Furthermore, DM augmented the risk of COVID-19 by 1.79 folds (P-value= 0.004; OR: 1.79; CI:1.21-2.67).Conclusions: The incidence of COVID-19 until 2020.07.19 was 2.36% in Mashhad Study Cohort population. Moreover, DM has increased the risk of COVID-19 by 1.79 folds in the population.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease is an ailing condition that in the final stages can lead the patient to renal replacement therapies such as dialysis. An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with proper function and maturation is needed with this regard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of blood pressure on the function and maturation of AVF and AVG.Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed between September 2016 and March 2019 on all patients with chronic renal failure, who referred to the Alavi Vascular Surgery Hospital as candidates for hemodialysis and underwent AVF implementation by the researchers. Using a predesigned checklist, the hospital records of all patients were reviewed and data including the demographic information of patients (age and sex), previous medical history (diabetes, hypertension), smoking status and blood pressure of the patient before and after surgery were extracted. In order to follow the patients and evaluate the function and maturation of the fistula, the dialysis centers in Mashhad were contacted and information about the successful dialysis of the patients was recorded. Data were extracted from the forms and entered into SPSS software and at the end, patients' blood pressure was compared between functional and unfunctional groups and also in terms of access type.Results: Totally, 298 cases were enrolled in the study and classified into two groups including 242 (81.2%) functional AVFs and 56 (18.8%) unfunctional AVFs. The mean age of the patients was 55.15±17.93 years and the median was 58.5 (67.0-43.0) years old. Moreover, 152 patients (51.0%) were male and 146 patients (49.0%) were female. There was no significant difference regarding age (p=0.057) and gender (p=0.290) between the two study groups. Furthermore, underlying diseases (diabetes and hypertension) showed significant difference between the two study groups (p0.05).Conclusion: Our study revealed that probably blood pressure paly and important role in the function and maturation of AVF.

Introduction: The disability-adjusted life years (DALY) may provide a better indicator of the burden of disease than mortality. This study provides the estimates of both Years of Life Lost (YLL) and COVID-19 mortality in Mashhad. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Mashhad, the second-most populous city in Iran. The mortality data in the population served by Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) were extracted from the national mortality data system. In this system, all deaths in the whole of the country are recorded based on the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD10). The data in the current study comprised all cases of death recorded in the population under the auspices of MUMS from January 21st to April 19th 2019 and 2020 which were transferred to SPSS software after sorting. The method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) was used for the estimation of YLL. Results: The YLL per 1000 caused by COVID-19 was 1.2 years and increased with age, and was higher in men (1.6 years) compared to women (0.9 years). The incidence of COVID-19 was higher in the urban area (9.8%) compared to rural areas (4.8%). During the study period, COVID-19 was the fourth most prevalent cause of death in Mashhad after cardiovascular disease (35.4%), cancer (12.9%) and respiratory disease (10.6%). Conclusions: The YLL per 1000 caused by COVID-19 was 1.2 years, increased with age and was greater in males than in females.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterised by a clustering of metabolic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors that include: central obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, dyslipidaemia (hypertriglyceridemia, increased low-density lipoprotein [LDL], decreased high-density lipoprotein [HDL]) and hypertension. Paraoxynase-1 (PON1) is a plasma HDL associated protein that inhibits the oxidation of other lipoproteins. There is some evidence of reduced enzyme activity in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol, it has been reported that curcumin has beneficial effects on several metabolic syndrome associated parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of phospholipid complex of curcumin as an antioxidant on the activity of this enzyme in subjects with metabolic syndrome.Materials and Method: A double-blind randomised control study was undertaken in 80 patients with metabolic syndrome. Subjects in the intervention (n = 40) were given capsules of phospholipidated curcumin (1 g/day) for a period of 6 weeks. The control subjects (n = 40) received a placebo. Fasting blood samples of each person were obtained during the start and the end of the study. Paraoxonase activity was measured using a PON1 fluorescence Paraoxonase Assay Kit and Arylesterase activity was measured by photometeric method using a UV-Visible spectrophotometer.Results: Serum paraoxonase enzyme activity did not change significantly between the curcumin treated group and the control group before the intervention (0.54 ± 0.18 U/µl versus 0.49 ± 0.14 U/µl; P > 0.05), nor did serum arylesteras activity change significantly between two study groups (152.67 [46.60 to 916.05] U/µl versus 129.77 [55.34 to 344.78] U/µl; P > 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in changes at baseline and after the intervention in serum PON1 activity between the curcumin treated group and the control group (-0.03±0.19 U/µl versus -0.04±0.18 U/µl; P > 0.05), nor was there a significant change in arylesteras activity (-12.36 [-88.83 to 110.24] U/µl versus -4.58 [-61.06 to 47.07] U/µl; P > 0.05).Conclusion: Phospholipid fortified curcumin has no significant effect on serum PON1 activity.

Introduction: Obesity is a common risk factor associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Curcumin has been reported to exert beneficial effects on lipid metabolism, including HDL functionality. We have examined the effects of curcumin on HDL cholesterol uptake capacity in subjects with obesity.Materials and Methods: 30 obese individuals received curcumin and placebo 1 g per day for a period of 30 days. The subjects were crossed over to the alternative regimen after a 2-week washout period. A modified cholesterol uptake capacity (CUC) assay was used to determine serum HDL functionality.Results: The study groups had similar base line characteristics. We did not find significant effects (p>0.05) of curcumin on serum HDL CUC levels.Conclusion: Curcumin administration at a dose of 1 g per day for 30 days did not affect HDL CUC in subjects with obesity.

Background: Breast Self-examination (BSE) is one of the effective ways of early diagnosis of breast cancer. This study surveyed the effect of a BSE training program and intervention on women referred to health centers in Gonabad, Iran. Methods: In this field trial study, 140 married women aged 20-49 from Gonabad were chosen randomly and divided into two groups of control and experiment. The BSE skill was examined in both groups before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Data was analyzed by SPSS software and statistical tests like analysis of variance (ANOVA), student t-test, and multivariate ANOVA in significant level of α = 0.05. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 37.27 ± 6.69 years. Before the the intervention, nearly half of the women in both groups had not performed BSE or they were not familiar with its proper technique. After the intervention, the evaluation score of the BSE skill increased significantly in the experiment group (P < 0.050). The follow up controls after three months showed statistically significant effect of the intervention (P < 0.001), but changes in the control group were not significant. Conclusion: Training interventions based on the BSE technique was effective in promoting self-care and early diagnosis of breast cancer among women. Thus, it is essential to design a BSE training program and integrate it into the National Women's Health Program.

Background: Nutrition is one of the factors affecting children’s health and empowering mothers is the most important way to prevent underweight. This study is conducted to compare the effectiveness of health belief model (HBM) and the theory of planned behavior on the nutritional education of mothers with underweight children aged 6-36 months in Gonabad City, Iran. Methods: The study was of a field trial type carried out on 93 mothers with underweight children aged 6-36 months. The mothers were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The data collection instruments included two researcher-made questionnaires whose validity and reliability were established and were self-administered. The intervention was performed based on the above-mentioned models. The data were collected immediately and three months after the intervention and were analyzed through SPSS software (version 22, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA), using analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, Bonferroni test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, and Shapiro Wilk test at 0.050 level of significance. Findings: The mothers’ mean age was 31.24 years old in the three groups and they were homogeneous with regard to other demographic variables. After the intervention, all the constructs of both models, except for the perceived barrier construct, in the two experimental groups showed a significant increase in comparison with those of the control group. Conclusion: The educational intervention based on the theory and model had a considerable effect on increasing mothers’ nutritional knowledge and the factors affecting underweight. The results also showed that the theory of planned behavior was more effective than the health belief model.

Resumo Fundamento Tem sido demonstrado que um aumento dos níveis séricos de PON1 é protetor contra vários distúrbios. Foi relatado que vários polimorfismos de nucleotídeo único (SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms ) do gene PON1 estão associados a níveis e atividade de proteínas enzimáticas séricas. Objetivos Investigar a associação de SNPs do PON1 e atividade da paraoxonase sérica com a doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Métodos Foram estudados 601 pacientes não relacionados submetidos à angiografia coronária, incluindo aqueles com estenose >50% (N=266) e aqueles com estenose

Objective: Sleep-duration is related to obesity. Curcumin can affect behavioral changes that arise from sleep deprivation in animal models. In this study, we assessed the effects of curcumin on sleep-duration in metabolic-syndrome (MetS) patients. Materials and Methods: This study was a double-blind clinical trial in 120 adults with MetS. All participants received crude curcuminoids in a simple formulation (n=40), phospholipidated curcuminoids (n=40) or placebo (n=40) 1 g/day during 6 weeks. Demographic data, anthropometric indices and serumbiochemical factors were documented forall volunteers at baseline and after the intervention. A standard questionnaire was used for evaluating physical-activity-level (PAL) and patients’ sleep-duration, including night time sleep and daily napping. Based on the time of sleep, sleeping hours were classified into: night time sleep; daily naps and total sleeping hours in 24 hours. Results: A total of 120 participants aged 38.72±10.05 years old were enrolled into the study. We did not find significant differences in biochemical factors, sleep-duration or PAL at baseline among the 3 groups (p>0·05). Moreover,curcumin did not exert any significant effect on sleep-duration before, or after, adjustment for confounding factors in the overweight and obese individuals, or in total population (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that curcumin does not have an effect on sleep-duration in subject with MetS.

Abstract Oral dexamethasone was administered at a dose of 0.075 mg/kg/day for a boy with ataxia‐telangiectasia. The SARA score was improved by 7.0 points after dexamethasone treatment over a period of 28 days. The body weight was increased by 1.4 kg after 4 weeks leading to dose titration to 0.05 mg/kg/day.

We conducted an optical monitoring survey of the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy (SagDIG) during the period of 2016 June–2017 October, using the 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescopeat La Palama. Our goal was to identify long-period variable stars (LPVs), namely, asymptotic giant branch stars (AGBs) and red supergiant stars, to obtain the star formation history of isolated, metal-poor SagDIG. For our purpose, we used a method that relies on evaluating the relation between luminosity and the birth mass of these most evolved stars. We found 27 LPV candidates within 2 half-light radii of SagDIG. 10 LPV candidates were in common with previous studies, including one extreme-AGB (x-AGB). By adopting the metallicity Z = 0.0002 for older populations and Z = 0.0004 for younger ages, we estimated that the star formation rate changes from 0.0005 ± 0.0002 M _⊙ yr ^−1 kpc ^−2 (13 Gyr ago) to 0.0021 ± 0.0010 M _⊙ yr ^−1 kpc ^−2 (0.06 Gyr ago). Like many dwarf irregular galaxies, SagDIG has had continuous star formation activity across its lifetime, though with different rates, and experiences an enhancement of star formation since z ≃ 1. We also evaluated the total stellar mass within 2 half-light radii of SagDIG for three choices of metallicities. For metallicity Z = 0.0002 and 0.0004, we estimated the stellar mass M _* = (5.4 ± 2.3) × 10 ^6 and (3.0 ± 1.3) × 10 ^6 M _⊙ , respectively. Additionally, we determined a distance modulus of μ = 25.27 ± 0.05 mag, using the tip of the red giant branch.

We present a photometric study of the resolved stellar populations in Andromeda IX (And IX), the closest satellite to M31, a metal-poor and low-mass dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We estimate a distance modulus of ${24.56}_{-0.15}^{+0.05}$ mag based on the tip of the red giant branch. By probing the variability of asymptotic giant branch stars, we study the star formation history of And IX. We identified 50 long-period variables (LPVs) in And IX using the Isaac Newton Telescope in two filters, the Sloan $i^{\prime} $ and Harris V . In this study, we selected LPVs within two half-light radii with amplitudes in the range of 0.2–2.20 mag. It is found that the peak of star formation reaches ∼8.2 ± 3.1 × 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 at ≈6 Gyr ago. Our findings suggest an outside-in galaxy formation scenario for And IX with a quenching occurring ${3.65}_{-0.13}^{+1.52}$ Gyr ago with a star formation rate (SFR) in the order of 2.0 × 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 at redshift

The attribution of traits plays an important role as a heuristic for how we interact with others. Many psychological models of personality are analytical in that they derive a classification from reported or hypothesised behaviour. In the work presented here, we follow the opposite approach: Our personality model generates behaviour that leads an observer to attribute personality characteristics to the actor. Concretely, the model controls all relevant aspects of non-verbal behaviour such as gaze, facial expression, gesture, and posture. The model, embodied in a virtual human, affords to realistically interact with participants in real-time. Conceptually, our model focuses on the two dimensions of extra/introversion and stability/neuroticism. In the model, personality parameters influence both, the internal affective state as well as the characteristic of the behaviour execution. Importantly, the parameters of the model are based on empirical findings in the behavioural sciences. To evaluate our model, we conducted two types of studies. Firstly, passive experiments where participants rated videos showing variants of behaviour driven by different personality parameter configurations. Secondly, presential experiments where participants interacted with the virtual human, playing rounds of the Rock-Paper-Scissors game. Our results show that the model is effective in conveying the impression of the personality of a virtual character to users. Embodying the model in an artificial social agent capable of real-time interactive behaviour is the only way to move from an analytical to a generative approach to understanding personality, and we believe that this methodology raises a host of novel research questions in the field of personality theory.

Introduction: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing globally. Previous studies have shown that saffron has anti-oxidative effects. Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are important trace elements involved in antioxidant protection. We aimed to investigate the effects of saffron supplements on serum levels of Cu, Zn and SOD in subjects with MetS. Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial comprised 70 subjects with MetS, aged18-75 years, who referred to the Nutrition Clinic in Ghaem Hospital. They were divided into 2 groups: 1- saffron group: taking a capsule of saffron 100 mg/kg/day (50 mg twice a day) (n=35); 2- placebo group: taking a capsule of placebo (twice a day) (n=35), for a period of 12 weeks. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure serum zinc and copper levels in all subjects. Serum SOD activity determined using pyrogallol indirect spectrophotometric assay. SPSS version 18 was used for all the statistical analysis. Results: Fifty-six subjects completed the study. There were no significant differences in baseline features between the saffron and placebo groups (p> 0.05). The changes in serum zinc levels at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention were significant between the saffron and placebo groups (p=0.041), (Table 2). While, there were no significant differences changes in serum copper, ZN/Cu and SOD1 between 2 study groups before and after the intervention. Conclusion: The results of current study showed that saffron supplementation for a period of 12 weeks can increase serum Zn level in patients with MetS.

Shortage of water resources and the growing concern about the sustainable development have made the water supply for all of the potential needs nearly impossible.As an accurate prediction of river discharge is very important in water resources management, the development of a model to predict discharge has been carried out using the genetic programming and auto regression moving average on the Amameh Watershed located in the Province of Tehran. The long-term rainfall, temperature, discharge, relative humidity, and evaporation data have been used. Satisfactorily, the results showed that genetic programming had a lower error and could estimate the observed discharge. Furthermore, the number 54 model with inputs of temperature, rain, the delay in rainfall of up to two days, relative humidity, evaporation, and the delay in discharge of up to two days were considered as the best fit model with the errors of 0.001, 0.031 and 0.009 in the training stage and 0.002 , 0.032, and 0.009 at the testing stage respectively. On the other hand, the linear auto regression moving average models showed a much higher error; they could neither predict the high discharge, nor low flow and have not been able to provide satisfactory results. Therefore, the application of a genetic programming model is recommended due toits high precision with the main operators and the standardized data.

In this case report, we have explained a patient with Hydatid cyst of the lung. He aged 29 years weighted 61 kg. The most common symptom was provocative cough and there was a large cystic lesion on computed tomography (CT) scan that had filled approximately three-quarters of the left hemithorax (Figure 1). The patient had a positive hydatid agglutination test (HAT) test and was diagnosed with a vague hydatid cyst of the left lung and underwent left posterolateral thorachotomy in August 2021. After removing the cyst membrane, the patient's pericyst lesion (10 x 15 cm) was completely excised (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows a pulmonary hydatid cyst in which the congested blood vessels in the pricyst with fibrofatty collagenous tissue have been revealed.

Objective: Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesteryl ester from HDL-C to LDL-C and VLDL-C. The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the effect of curcumin and its modified formulation on serum CETP concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups of 40 subjects receiving either unmodified curcumin or its phospholipid complex or placebo. Lipid profile and plasma CETP were measured at the start and sixweeksafter initiation of the treatment.The normality of data distribution was assessed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Wilcoxon test was used for comparing the data before and after the intervention. The percent changes of CETP and biochemical factors among the three groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Serum CETP levels were not significantly altered among patients receiving curcumin. Conclusion: Curcumin and its complex had no significant effect on serum CETP concentrations.

Introduction: Breast cancer is considered as a serious health concern worldwide. The early diagnosis of this disease plays an important role in reducing its associated mortality rate. Regarding this, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the role of training in changing the breast self-examination behavior among the females living in Gonabad, Iran. Method: This field trial was conducted on 140 married women within the age range of 20-49 years in Gonabad in 2016. The study population was selected using simple random sampling technique, and then assigned into two groups of control and intervention. The intervention group was subjected to breast self-examination training. The breast self-examination behavior was investigated using the Stages of Change Model. The participants filled out a questionnaire, covering the demographic information and the stages of changes, before, immediately after, and three months after the educational intervention. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version 20) using statistical tests, such as repeated measures ANOVA, Student’s t-test, Chi-square test, and multivariate ANOVA. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Findings: According to the results, the majority of the women in both intervention and control groups were in pre-contemplation and contemplation stages prior to the intervention. The results of the Chi-square test revealed no significant difference in change stages before the intervention (P=0.609). However, immediately and three months after the training, most of the subjects in the intervention group moved to action and maintenance stages, while in the control group, the majority of the women were in pre-contemplation and contemplation stages. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, educational intervention based on the stages of change model was effective in the improvement of breast self-examination behaviors. Moreover, training based on this model could lead to the promotion of screening behaviors depending on the stage of changes at which the women are.

Background: The Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. PON1 and CETP genes may be involved in the pathogenesis of lipid metabolism and thus MetS. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms of genes were demonstrated to affect their function. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a yellow pigment of turmeric that has shown numerous pharmacological activity against obesity and related conditions through anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory properties. Objective: We aimed to assess the association of these polymorphisms with metabolic syndrome and to investigate if these genetic variants were associated with an altered activity of PON1 and the protein levels of CETP at base line and after Curcumin supplementation. Methods: The genotypes of PON1 and CETP polymorphisms were determined in 81 patients with MetS and 100 healthy individuals using ARMS-PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques. Results: Individuals with different genotypes of the PON1 rs662, rs854560 and rs705379 polymorphisms did not differ with paraoxonase activity and CETP serum protein concentrations, either at baseline, or after intervention. Individuals with different PON1 rs854560 genotypes differ significantly in serum arylesterase activities (p = .037). There were statistically significant differences in genotype frequencies between cases and controls for CETP rs5882 genotypes (p-value = .034) but not in genotype frequencies and haplotypes for PON1 studied polymorphisms (p-value

This study is aimed to investigate the effect of accounting variables driving risk on abnormal stock returns of firms listed in the Tehran Stock Exchange. The sample consists of 98 firms during the period from 2010 to 2015. The data collected is analyzed using the software Eviews7. The results indicate that asset turnover deviation, margin deviation and average financial leverage have a relation to abnormal returns; however, average operating debt leverage has no relation to abnormal returns.

Introduction: Patient safety is a major component of healthcare quality, which is defined as the avoidance of causing harm to patients in providing healthcare services. The present study aimed to investigate the attitude of nurses toward the patient safety culture in the teaching general hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014. Data were collected using the adapted version of the safety attitude questionnaire (SAQ). Sample size consisted of 385 nurses, who were selected randomly. In total, 325 participants completed the questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in SPSS Version 19 using descriptive statistics, t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results:Mean age of the participants was 36.21±6.9 years, and 92% and 8% of the respondents were female and male, respectively. In terms of the occupational status, 92.1% of the participants had a contractual job or permanent official employment. Mean percentage of the positive attitude toward the patient safety culture was 59.2±18.1, 55.6±17.0, 53.8±24.2, 49.5±16.5, and 43.0±22.4 in the dimensions of management perception, teamwork, job satisfaction, safety climate, and work conditions, respectively. In addition, a significant difference was observed in the dimension of management perception and employment status of the nurses (F=4.4; P=0.01). Conclusion: According to the results, attitude of the nurses in the selected hospitals was poor toward the dimensions of the patient safety culture. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that specific training interventions be performed to enhance the work conditions and safety climate in these hospitals

Purpose: The aim of present research is to determine the level of co-authorship among authors participating in Iranian LIS specialized conferences during 2004-2007. Methodology: Scientometry is used in this study and it is descriptive. The population under study consisted of papers presented in Iranian LIS specialized conferences during 2004-2007. Data collection was initially carried out manually using two forms for input data which were designed by the researchers. Afterwards, the collected data was inserted into a database in Excel software. Then, considering the questions, data were counted, ranked, and sorted for required analyses. Findings: Results of present study showed that, regarding 269 papers presented in Iranian LIS specialized conferences, 469 authors have participated and the average number of authors in each paper is 1.74. Concerning their gender, 55.65% were male while 44.35% were female. Analysis of the obtained results concerning the most active institutes and university centers indicated that Isfahan University of medical sciences has had the highest participation in Iranian LIS specialized conferences, with 38 papers. Also, with 32 co-authored papers, this university has assigned the highest number of co-authored papers among other Iranian institutes and university centers. Regarding co-authorship, the results indicated that 57.25% of the papers in these specialized conferences had a single author. It seems that authors’ tendency to co-authored papers has increased in recent years. Also, collaboration coefficient for authors of papers presented in Iranian LIS specialized conferences was estimated to be 0.16. In general, co-authorship among LIS experts in Iranian specialized conferences has low level, though evidence indicates an improvement and increase in level of co-authorship for papers in future years. Originality/Value: Value of this paper remains in determination of the pattern for scientific collaboration of researchers and librarians who have participated in Iranian LIS specialized conferences.

This article aims to investigate structural and content attributes of university websites from the perspective of website users and developers. The study had two phases. First, a sample of graduate students and faculty members from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Sharif University of Technology and Tehran University of Arts were surveyed as users of websites. A checklist of attributes was used in the survey. In the second phase, 14 website developers were surveyed. The findings showed that from users’ perspective, content attributes were more important than structural ones, while, website developers put more value on special content attributes as well as on those structural attributes which were user-oriented and facilitated users access to the content.