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The present study was an attempt to explore international English-medium publication in humanities and social sciences in Iran. In so doing, 50 PhD students from 8 humanities and social sciences disciplines, who had already published or attempted to publish in English-medium journals, were requested to write reflection guide accounts and to take part in follow-up semi-structured interviews. The reflection guide and interview data were analyzed based on the principles of grounded theory research yielding the four major themes of motivations, hurdles, strategies, and call for support. The results indicated that the Iranian PhD students in the fields of humanities and social sciences are strongly motivated to publish in English-medium journals though they face considerable discursive and non-discursive challenges too. Moreover, although they pursue some strategies to rise to these challenges, they could not fight them off on their own and claim support by other more competent academics and officials. The authors also call for a firm action plan to improve the status of English-medium publication in humanities and social sciences. The action plan could count on support from more experienced doctoral students, professors and other university level officials, editors, reviewers, and high-level national policymakers., Author(s): Ali Mansouri Nejad [sup.1], Mahmoud Qaracholloo [sup.2], Saeed Rezaei [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411528.b, 0000 0004 0611 9352, Ilam University, , Pajouhesh Boulevard, 51669315, Ilam, Iran (2) grid.444893.6, 0000 [...]

Purpose: Peripheral neuropathy is a dose-limiting adverse effect of oxaliplatin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of duloxetine in the prevention of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN). Method: Cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin based chemotherapy were randomized into two arms. Duloxetine 60 mg capsule was given in the first 14 days of each chemotherapy cycle to one arm and placebo was similarly given to another. We compared the two arms based on the incidence of neuropathy and the results of the nerve conduction study (NCS). Grade of complained neuropathy was recorded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Results: Thirty-two patients mostly rectal cancer (90.6%) were randomized to duloxetine and placebo arms. Highest grade of neuropathy in each cycle was not significantly different between the two groups. Six weeks after treatment incidence of neuropathy of any grade was 52.9 in duloxetine arm compared to 76.9% in placebo arm (P: 0.26). Patients in the duloxetine arm had a lower percentage of chemotherapy cycles (mean) in which they reported distal paresthesia (51% vs. 84%, P = 0.01) and throat discomfort (37% vs. 69%, P = 0.01). Results of NCS were mostly comparable between the two arms except for the velocity in two of the examined nerve which was significantly higher in duloxetine group. Duloxetine was safe and well-tolerated. Conclusion: Although a definite conclusion might be difficult to draw but administering duloxetine for 14 days in each chemotherapy cycle could not decrease the incidence of acute OIPN based on CTCAE grading system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textbooks provide the most serious source of knowledge construction and transmission for children at schools. This paper used a discursive and qualitative content analysis approach to extract the dominant values, ideologies and identities in four social studies textbooks taught nationwide to children in primary schools in Iran. Textual and visual analysis were applied on these textbooks and the results showed the saliency of four dominant discourses and values including pre-Islamic ethos and Iranian-Islamic identity, war and peace, social and traditional values in Iranian culture, and respect for diversity. Each of these discourses are discussed and some recommendations are made at the end of the paper to better situate the significance of these values in school textbooks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most prevalent cancer and the fourth in terms of cancer-related death worldwide. The GC is the most commonly diagnosed and the most important cause of cancer-related death in Iranians. Due to the significant burden of stomach cancer in Iran, we aimed to review all articles that have been conducted on the Incidence, Prognostic Factors, and survival of Gastric Cancer in Iran and compare them with the global situation. We surveyed Google Scholar, Pub Med, Scopus, Web of Science (ISI), and Science Direct databases using the keywords of Gastric Cancer, Stomach Cancer, Gastric Neoplasm, Stomach Neoplasm, and Iran and obtained English language articles. After a two-step screening of articles, 51 out of 202 remained eligible for our study (related to Incidence, Prognostic Factors, and survival of stomach Cancer in Iran). We found that although Iran is one of the high-burden countries for GC, the incidence rate and mortality rate are very different in different provinces (up to a six-fold and thirty-fold difference in mortality rate and incidence rate have been reported respectively in reviewed articles between Northern and Southern Iran). Considering that the initial stage is one of the most important and probably the most important prognostic factors, through upper endoscopy screening, the disease can be diagnosed in earlier stages and the survival of patients can be improved. We recommend the Ministry of Health identify high-risk people according to their combination of risk factors (especially geographical region) and make a national cost-effective screening algorithm for Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran was one of the first countries that was severely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in the Middle East in February of 2020. What is unique about Iran is that religious leaders from the early stages have been involved with debates concerning its cause, preventive measures, and moral significance. Relying on textual analyses of media coverage, herein we examine religious debates in Iran that are increasingly gaining public attention amid the pandemic. Our analyses illuminate the styles of reasoning used by religious leaders to situate their understandings of the pandemic that are principally organized through the language of science. Our findings include that religious leaders are receptive to modern science, but not unquestionably. The status, application, and development of modern science is contingently shaped by the discourses and practices of Islam that religious leaders find compelling based on what they regard as a proper understanding of Islam and Islamic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disorder which is mostly caused by deficits in social interactions. Lack of physical activity and poor nutritional habits are common problems in these patients which may be exaggerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The study aims to assess the effect of functional training along with online nutrition education on inflammatory biomarkers in children with ASD. Subjects and Methods In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 80 children with ASD (age=9.73±1.29 years, weight=49.94±2.08 kg, height=146.08±40 cm, body mass index=24.71 ±1.48 kg/m²) were randomly divided into four groups of training, education, training+ education, and control. The interven- tions lasted for 8 weeks. The inflammatory biomarkers including white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reac- tive protein (CRP) level, neutrophil count, eosinophil count, and basophil count were assessed (using blood samples collected from antecubital vein) before and after the interventions. Results There was no significant difference between the groups before the interventions (P>0.05). After the intervention, the results showed a significant decrease in WBC (P<0.001), CRP (P=0.001), neutrophils (sig.=0.009), and eosinophil (P=0.003) in all groups. Basophil count decreased in all groups (P=0.01) except in the education group. Conclusion Functional training and online nutrition education are beneficial interventions for management of inflammatory biomarkers in children with ASD which can be used during the Covid-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]