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This paper presents the design of a high speed and simple squaring structure based on half adder and full adder. The proposed architecture consists of three main steps; simplification of the squaring structure, calculation and transferring of the carry bit to the next part, and finally, applying the modified Wallace Tree Adder to calculate the summation of the products. The proposed squaring architecture is formed only by 13 half adders and 20 full adders for 8-bit squaring which has the lowest complexity compared to other works. The proposed structure is modeled by using Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and has been successfully synthesized and implemented with Xilinx Spartan-6 and Virtex-4 FPGA. Simulation results show that the proposed structure has high speed and excellent performance with low power consumption while having the lowest propagation delay (3.25 ns) and acceptable hardware utilization compared to existing squaring models. The gate-level design of 8-bit squaring is implemented using Cadence layout tools in 65 nm CMOS technology which has a total area of 0.095 mm2.

Background The objectives of this study were to analyze the clinical features and laboratory profiles and risk factors associated with critical illness of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Methods One hundred and sixty‐six coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) Iranian pediatric patients were recruited through a collaborative research network between March and May 2020. Demographics, clinical, laboratory, and radiological results were obtained from patient files. Results Of 166 patients, 102 (61%) and 64 (39%) were males and females, respectively. Ninety‐six (57.8%) and 70 (42.2%), had moderate and severe conditions, respectively. Thirty (18%) of patients died. The common symptoms were fever (73%), cough (54%), and shortness of breath, headache decrease in neutrophil and platelet counts; increase values in lactate dehydrogenase, decrease in the blood pH and HCO3 were significantly associated with the disease severity. 54% and 56% of patients showed abnormal radiographic appearance in Chest X‐ray and in chest computed tomography scan, respectively. Sixty‐one (36.7%) of patients were referred to intensive care unit (ICU). The coexistence of comorbidity was the main factor associated with ICU admission, shock, arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute cardiac injury, and death. Conclusions We describe a higher than previously recognized rate of COVID‐19 mortality in Iranian pediatric patients. Epidemiological factors, such as the relatively high case fatality rate in the country and the presence of underlying diseases were the main factors for the high death rate.

Pansharpening is an important way of integrating spatial and spectral information in the field of remote sensing. This field uses the complementary and redundant information between multispectral (...

Background Some current evidence is pointing towards an association between COVID-19 and worsening of multiple sclerosis (MS), stressing the importance of preventing COVID-19 among people with MS (pwMS). However, population-based evidence regarding the long-term post-COVID-19 course of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) was limited when this study was initiated. Objective To detect possible changes in MS clinical disease activity after COVID-19. Methods We conducted an observational study from July 2020 until July 2021 in the Isfahan MS clinic, comparing the trends of probable disability progression (PDP) – defined as a three-month sustained increase in expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score – and relapses before and after probable/definitive COVID-19 diagnosis in a cohort of people with RRMS (pwRRMS). Results Ninety pwRRMS were identified with definitive COVID-19, 53 of which were included in the final analysis. The PDP rate was significantly (0.06 vs 0.19, P = 0.04), and the relapse rate was insignificantly (0.21 vs 0.30, P = 0.30) lower post-COVID-19, compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. The results were maintained after offsetting by follow-up period in the matched binary logistic model. Survival analysis did not indicate significant difference in PDP-free (Hazard Ratio [HR] [95% CI]: 0.46 [0.12, 1.73], P = 0.25) and relapse-free (HR [95% CI]: 0.69 [0.31, 1.53], P = 0.36) survivals between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. Sensitivity analysis resulted similar measurements, although statistical significance was not achieved. Conclusion While subject to replication in future research settings, our results did not confirm any increase in the long-term clinical disease activity measures after COVID-19 contraction among pwRRMS.

To affirm the short-term safety of the BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccine among people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), 517 vaccinated and 174 unvaccinated pwMS were interviewed. 16.2% of the vaccinated pwMS reported at least one neurological symptom in their respective at-risk periods (ARP) – a period from the first until two weeks after the second vaccine dose. In a multivariable logistic regression model, presence of comorbidities (P = 0.01), being on natalizumab (P = 0.03), and experiencing post-vaccination myalgia (P < 0.01) predicted the development of post-vaccination neurological symptoms. One MS relapse, one COVID-19 contraction, and one ulcerative colitis flare after the first, and four MS relapses after the second dose, were the only reported serious adverse events during the ARPs. A multivariable Poisson regression model accounting for possible confounders failed to show any statistically-significant increase in relapse rates during the ARPs of vaccinated, compared to the prior year of unvaccinated pwMS (P = 0.78). Hence, the BBIBP-CorV vaccine does not seem to affect short-term MS activity. Furthermore, as 83.33% of the unvaccinated pwMS reported fear of possible adverse events to be the reason of their vaccination hesitancy, provision of misinformed pwMS with evidence-based consultations in this regard is encouraged.

Introduction: To date, little is known about the clinical features of pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Objective: Herein, we aimed to describe the differences in demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, clinical presentations, and outcomes of Iranian pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU versus those in non-ICU settings. Methods: This multicenter investigation involved 15 general and pediatrics hospitals and included cases with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) admitted to these centers between March and May 2020, during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Results: Overall, 166 patients were included, 61 (36.7%) of whom required ICU admission. The highest number of admitted cases to ICU were in the age group of 1–5 years old. Malignancy and heart diseases were the most frequent underlying conditions. Dyspnea was the major symptom for ICU-admitted patients. There were significant decreases in PH, HCO3 and base excess, as well as increases in creatinine, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and potassium levels between ICU-admitted and non-ICU patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock, and acute cardiac injury were the most common features among ICU-admitted patients. The mortality rate in the ICU-admitted patients was substantially higher than non-ICU cases (45.9% vs. 1.9%, respectively;p

Background: To date, less is known about the clinical features of COVID-19 pediatric patients admitting to ICUs. Herein, we aimed to describe the differences in demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, clinical presentations, and outcomes between COVID-19 pediatric patients admitting to ICU and non-ICU settings.Methods: This multicenter study involved 15 general and pediatrics hospitals on confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection by positive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between March 19 and May 31, 2020, during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.Results: Overall, 166 patients were included, of which 61 (36.7%) required ICU admission, especially in PConclusions: Underlying diseases were the major contributing factors in COVID-19 pediatric patients for the increased ICU admissions and mortality rates. There are few paraclinical parameters for differentiating pediatrics in terms of prognosis and serious outcomes of COVID-19. Healthcare providers should consider children as a high-risk group, especially those with younger age and underlying medical conditions and define strategies to control and prevent COVID-19 transmission in this population.

Background: The objectives of this study were to analyze the clinical features and laboratory profiles and risk factors associated with critical illness of children with SARS-CoV-2.Methods: 325 COVID-19 pediatric patients were recruited through a collaborative research network between March and May 2020. Demographics, clinical, laboratory, and radiological results were obtained from patient files. Results: Of 325 patients, 189 (58%) and 136 (42%) were males and females, respectively. The mean age was 6.18 ± 4.99. 195 (60%) and 130 (40%), had moderate and severe conditions, respectively. 45 (13.9%) of patients died. The common symptoms were fever (72.6%), cough (59%) and shortness of breath (36%). 254 (78%) and 145 (44.6%( had gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, respectively. Shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, nausea/vomiting, decrease in platelet counts; increase values in C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and blood urea nitrogen, decrease in the blood PH and HCo3 were significantly associated with the disease severity. 58.2% and 65.4% of patients showed abnormal radiographic appearance in Chest X-ray and in chest CT scan, respectively, which were correlated with disease severity. 104 (32%) of patients referred to ICU. The coexistence of comorbidity was the main factor associated with ICU admission, shock, arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute cardiac injury, and death. Conclusions: We describe a higher than previously recognized rate of COVID-19 mortality in Iranian pediatric patients. Epidemiological factors, such as relatively high case fatality rate in the country and the presence of underlying diseases are the main factors for the high death rate.

Background and objective: Considering ethical issues in higher education and promoting academy members professional ethics can affect the dissemination of the culture of sharing knowledge, information, ideas and specialty. The purpose of this study was to survey and discover the mediating effect of professional ethics on the relationship between intellectual capital, organizational learning and knowledge sharing capabilities. Materials and Methods: The current study was a descriptive- correlative research. Statistical population included all 171 faculty members of Ilam University of Medical Sciences that 125 of whom were selected through stratified random sampling method based on Morgan table. Data was gathered through professional­ ethics, organizational ­learning capability, knowledge sharing, and intellectual capital questionnaires. To investigate the relationship between the variables in a conceptual model, the structural equation modeling was used. Results: Results showed that the relationship between intellectual capital and knowledge sharing was mediated through professional ethics. But the mediating role of professional ethics in the relationship between intellectual capital and learning capability was not confirmed. The results also showed that the highest significant correlation was achieved in the relationship between intellectual capital and learning capability. In the considered­ model, all regression weights, except­ for the­ relationship between professional ethics and organizational ­learning capability, were statistically significant. Conclusion: Considering the principles of professional ethics and managing and developing intellectual capital at universities, which are expected to be at the center of knowledge creation, can be of great importance in promoting the culture of knowledge sharing among faculty members.