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The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of management dimensions as well as the performance dimensions of rural producers’ cooperatives on the overall performance of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan province. The statistical population of this research is the components of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan province. Required data were collected by completing the questionnaire by 375 persons from rural cooperatives. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA), linear regression analysis, and arithmetic mean method were used. The results of the research indicated that a unit of improvement in cooperative management led to a 67% improvement in cooperatives performance. Among the seven component dimensions of cooperatives performance, the improvement of livelihood (0.852), had the highest factor loading in the performance structure of rural cooperatives. Also, among the four component dimensions of co-operative management, the leading (0.895) has been the most important factor in the management structure of rural producers’ cooperatives.

ABSTRACT Objective: This study was designed to investigate the possible effect of the insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) gene rs1801276 polymorphism on the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Subjects and methods: The rs1801276 polymorphism was investigated in 127 controls and 123 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients using PCR-RFLP. Results: No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was discovered for the rs1801276 variant of IRS1 in either NAFLD patients or controls (P>0.05). The distribution of different rs1801276 genotypes and alleles showed significant variations between controls and NAFLD patients. In comparison to rs1801276 ‘CC’ genotype, the "GG+GC" genotype occurred less frequently in NAFLD patients than in controls, which also persisted after adjustment for confounding factors (P = 0.041, OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.45-0.93). In comparison with the IRS1 rs1801276 "C" allele, the "G" allele was significantly less prevalent in NAFLD patients than in controls (P = 0.045, OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.58-0.91). Conclusions: For the first time, we reported a significant association between the IRS1 rs1801276 polymorphism and biopsy-proven NAFLD. More studies are required to further elucidate the contribution of the IRS1 gene to NAFLD susceptibility.

Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM), a plasma cell malignancy, is a systemic disease affecting various body organs. Plasmacytoma of bone and extramedullary disease (EMD) are presentations of MM. EMD is usually the sign of a more aggressive form of the disease. Herein, we report a patient with refractory MM presenting with extramedullary plasmacytoma in the superior oblique (SO) muscle. Case Presentation: A 51-year-old female presented complaining of gradual protrusion of the left eye and ocular pain from 20 days prior. She received bone marrow transplantation 1 year prior and was on a chemotherapy regimen for MM for the past 1 year. Ocular examination revealed proptosis of the left eye and mild limitations of adduction and elevation. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated remarkable enlargement of the left SO muscle with focal contrast enhancement. The patient underwent a biopsy and mass debulking. The histopathologic exam revealed fibromuscular tissue containing a neoplasm composed of sheets of plasmacytoid cells in a varying degree of differentiation with intervening scantly vascularized stromal components. The plasmacytoid cells were diffusely positive for a cluster of differentiation 138 (CD138), leading to a diagnosis of EMD involving the EOM and soft tissue of the orbit. The patient underwent palliative radiotherapy and a systemic workup. The PET-CT scan revealed involvement of the pelvic bone and left calf. Accordingly, the chemotherapy regimen was upgraded to reflect the aggressive nature of the disease. In the last follow-up, there was no sign of tumor reactivation in the orbital soft tissues. Unfortunately, the patient succumbed to her illness 7 months following her most recent presentation. Conclusion: Early recognition of disease recurrence is lifesaving in MM patients; ophthalmic manifestations should be seriously considered as a sign of MM activity.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is defined as excessive and unreasonable worry about everyday events and activities. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of positive mindfulness therapy on the affective capital and metaemotions of women with generalized anxiety disorder in Isfahan, Iran. The research method was a quasi-experimental type of pre-test-post-test and three-month follow-up design. The sample consisted of 30 people who were selected by the purposive sampling method after reviewing the inclusion criteria and were randomly replaced in two equal groups. The research instruments involved affective capital questionnaires and the short form of the meta-emotional perspective. The experimental group received 8 sessions of 60-minute positive mindfulness therapy, and the control group was placed on a waiting list for training. Data were analyzed by Combined analysis of variance. The results showed positive mindfulness therapy led to reduced negative metaemotion and increased affective capital and positive metaemotion, and this effect of the follow-up phase persisted.IntroductionGeneralized anxiety disorder as one of the most common psychiatric disorders can be related to learning, concentration, and remembering the contents and connecting the subjects with each other. It can creates a disturbance and may make the person with problems and face risks such as psychological and emotional problems (Fara and Smith, 2019). This disorder is caused by excessive anxiety and worry, difficulty in controlling worry, psychological and physical complaints, concentration problems, irritability and sleep problems (Keshavarz et al., 2021). For women with generalized anxiety, various treatments and trainings have been used so far, the most important of which is the positive mindfulness therapy. Prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among women is high. Also, the decrease in energy level, positive emotions, happiness and inability to regulate negative emotions can have negative consequences including anxiety. The present study sought to answer the question of whether positive mindfulness therapy was effective for enhancing affective capital and metaemotion in women with generalized anxiety disorder. MethodThe method used in this study was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the study included all women with generalized anxiety disorder in Isfahan, Iran. To recruit the sample, 100 people were selected from among the people who referred to four private counseling centers in the fall and winter of 2021. Among them, 36 people who had a score above on Spitzer's Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (2006) were selected as the sample of the study. Then, they were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (18 people in each group). At the end of the treatment process, 6 subjects dropped out due to meeting the withdrawal criteria (absence of more than one session and starting to take psychiatric drugs) and the final sample number reduced to 30 subjects. After randomly assigning the women to two groups and conducting a pre-test through research questionnaires, the experimental group underwent 8 sessions of 60 minutes weekly for two months of positive mindfulness therapy. The control group did not receive any intervention. After completing the sessions and three months later, the experimental and control groups were re-evaluated. For the statistical analysis of the data, the combined analysis of variance method was used. Results Table 1The Average Scores of the two Groups in the Pre-test, Post-test, Follow-up and the Normality of theData Variablegrouppre-examPost-testFollow-upMSDF(1/28)PMSDF(1/28)PMSDF(1/28)PAffect capitalexam50/275/570/2690/60860/075/960/3330/56959/135/830/5610/46Control49/136/4148/2776/6248/936/77Positive emotionexam26/278/381/360/25334/337/320/3440/56235/536/990/1890/667Control25/66/7324/936/2824/66/11Negative emotionexam53/87/10/1460/70536/87/540/0070/93438/27/050/0990/755Control52/076/7653/337/5352/076/63The assumptions of the combined analysis of variance method were checked. Since the aim of the present study was to examine the effects within and between subjects simultaneously, mixed variance analysis was used. In this analysis, while examining the difference between the research stages and the difference between the experimental and control groups, the examination of the difference between the groups in each of the research stages was also been considered. Therefore, the interaction was investigated. In the obtained results, a significant interaction was obtained in both linear and non-linear ways, which shows that the change in the scores of the groups in the research stages was significant. In other words, there were significant differences in the scores before the test compared to the post-test and the follow-up in the two groups. ConclusionThis research was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of positive mindfulness therapy for increasing affective capital and metaemotions of women with generalized anxiety disorder. The results of the present study are in line with the results of Madadi Zavareh et al.'s study (2017) and Golperor and Zarei's study (2016) who reported the effects of positive mindfulness therapy on affective capital among Iranian people. The results of this study are in line agreement with the findings of Feig et al.'s study (2020) . In the treatment of positive mindfulness, a combination of mindfulness and positivity techniques such as focusing on destructive and negative emotions, focusing on the positive aspects of life at the level of mind and behavior, teaching meditation techniques and focusing on increasing value and self-satisfaction, training inhibition Emotion, conscious breathing meditation training focusing on the virtue of wisdom and knowledge and its dimensions, self-regulation of mood and emotion, and learning the skills to do it are employed (Golperor et al., 2018). These techniques help women suffering from general anxiety to increase the level of their character capabilities. In addition, it gives them tools to control the cognitive, behavioral and emotional factors involved in anxiety, and in this way, the increase their positive emotion, feeling of energy. and promote happiness, which are the main factors in emotional capital.In relation to the effect of positive mindfulness ttherapy on metaemotions, the findings of study are consistent with the research results of Benisi (2018) and Biranvand et al. (2018). In fact, the effectiveness of positive mindfulness therapy on metaemotions is due to the ability to cognitively regulate positive and negative emotions and the ability to manage and regulate positive or negative emotions that feed positive or negative emotions. By increasing the level of concentration of the mind on cognitive states experienced in the present and focusing on human abilities, positive mindfulness therapy provides the cognitive, human and behavioral possibility of positive and negative metaemotions. The most important limitations of this research include being cross-sectional, single-sex society, the research community being limited to the group of women, conducting the research in the city of Isfahan, and not comparing this treatment with other treatments. Therefore, it is recommended to use the group of men in future researches and compare this treatment with other treatments. Ethical ConsiderationEthical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues were compiled based on ethical committee of Isfahan Azad University (Khorasgan branch).Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to the study. The first author administered positive mindfullness therapy to the participants and written the first draft of the manuscript. The second author edited the manuscript.Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this study.Funding: The study had no financial support.Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and contribution to the study. *. Corresponding author

Background: To quantify carbohydrates, various indicators such as glycemic load (GL) and glycemic index (GI) were introduced. In order to address the effect of dietary carbohydrate content on lipid profile, we investigated the relationship between dietary GI and GL with lipid profile in adults living in Shiraz, Iran.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 236 participants aged between 20 and 50 years were selected using cluster random sampling in Shiraz, Iran. For assessing the food intake, a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was utilized. Dietary GI and GL were calculated based on food items intake.Results: Higher GI was associated with increased odds ratio (OR) of lowdensity lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, OR: 2.51; p-trend=0.008), nonhigh-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL, OR: 2.34; p-trend=0.01) and LDL to HDL ratio (OR: 2.13; p-trend=0.02) in crude model. In adjusted model, direct association was observed between GI and total cholesterol (TC, OR: 2.40; p-trend=0.01), LDL-C (OR: 2.50; p-trend=0.01) and non-HDL-C (OR: 2.48; p-trend=0.01). Association was noted between higher GL with TC (OR: 2.50; p-trend=0.01), LDL-C (OR: 2.22; p-trend=0.02), non-HDL-C (OR: 2.49; p-trend=0.005) and LDL-C to HDL-C ratio (OR: 2.29; p-trend=0.01) in crude model. After adjusting for potential cofounder, association remained for TC (OR: 3.97; p-trend=0.01), LDL-C (OR: 4.39; p-trend=0.005) and non-HDL-C (OR: 3.72; p-trend=0.008).Conclusion: Dietary GI and GL may have an association with higher odds of abnormal lipid profile. It seems that a diet with a low GI and GL (which full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes) can play an effective role in favorable lipid profile.

Abstract The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) intake and lipid profile in Iranian people. The study was performed on 236 individuals with the age range of 20–50 years in Shiraz, Iran. Food intakes of the participants were evaluated using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) which was previously validated in Iranian populations. In order to estimate the ultra-processed foods intake, classification of NOVA food group was used. Serum lipids including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. The results showed that mean of age and body mass index (BMI) of the participants were 45.98 years and 28.28 kg/m2, respectively. Logistic regression was used to evaluation the relation between UPFs intake and lipid profile. Higher UPFs intake was associated with increased OR of TG and HDL abnormality in both crude (OR 3.41; 95% CI 1.58, 7.34; P-trend = 0.001 and OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.31, 6.82; P-trend = 0.010) and adjusted models (OR 3.69; 95% CI 1.67, 8.16; P-trend = 0.001 and OR 3.38 95% CI 1.42, 8.07; P-trend = 0.009). But, there were no association between UPFs intake and other indices of lipid profile. Also, we found significant associations between UPFs intake and dietary nutrient profiles. In conclusion, UPFs consumption could worsen the nutritional profile of the diet and lead to negative changes in some indices of the lipid profile.

مقدمه: پژوهش حاضر به بررسی و مقایسه رفتارهای مثبت کلامی و غیرکلامی با شریک عاطفی در سه دوره نامزدی، نامزدی رسمی و پس از ازدواج پرداخته است.روش کار: جامعه آماری این مطالعه مقطعی شامل کلیه دختران و پسران شهر همدان بود که در سال 1390 در دوران نامزدی، نامزدی رسمی و یا پس از ازدواج بوده اند. یکصد و پنجاه نفر (50 مورد در هر دوره) از طریق روش نمونه گیری طبقه ای مناسب انتخاب شدند. آنها به مقیاس رفتارهای کلامی و غیرکلامی محقق ساخته پاسخ دادند. داده ها با استفاده از آزمون t، آنالیز واریانس یک طرفه، آزمون تعقیبی LSD و نرم افزار SPSS25 مورد تجزیه و تحلیل قرار گرفت.یافته‌ها: نتایج تحلیل واریانس یک‌طرفه نشان داد که رفتارهای کلامی مثبت (045/128 F=، 001/0 >P) و غیرکلامی (416/46 F=، 001/0 >P) در هر سه دوره تغییر معنی‌داری داشته است. نتایج همچنین تغییرات معناداری را در رفتارهای مثبت کلامی و غیرکلامی در پسران (کلامی: 39/66F=، 001/0> P، غیر کلامی: 106/20F=، 001/0>P) و دختران (کلامی: 88/59 F=، 001/0> P، غیر کلامی: 48/31 F=، 001/0>P) در طول دوره ها نشان داد. همچنین رفتارهای مثبت کلامی و غیرکلامی در هر دو جنس با حرکت رابطه از نامزدی به ازدواج روند نزولی را تجربه می کند. نتایج نشان داد که بین دختران و پسران از نظر رفتارهای کلامی و غیرکلامی تفاوت معناداری وجود ندارد (کلامی: 231t= ، 001/0 ).نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به نتایج به‌نظر می‌رسد رفتارهای کلامی و غیرکلامی در دوران نامزدی مثبت‌تر است و با پیش‌رفتن رابطه به سمت ازدواج کاهش می‌یابد.

Background: Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly-2 (MCPH2) is a rare genetic disorder with clinical and genetic heterogeneity. This study aimed to perform high-throughput whole-exome sequencing (WES) to facilitate the diagnosis of the genetic variants responsible for MCPH2 and the comorbidities. Materials and Methods: The WES was performed for a 3-year-old boy with primary microcephaly-2 and homocystinuria-megaloblastic anemia in a consanguineous family. Sequencing and variant calling was conducted by standard bioinformatics tools. Filtering was performed to prioritize novel variants. Finally, the effect of variants on the protein structure and function was assessed using web prediction tools. Results: Using WES, two novel homozygous variants and three novel homozygous variants were identified in the WDR62 and MTR genes as the causes of MCPH2 and homocystinuria-megaloblastic anemia in the affected child, respectively. These frameshift insertion variants are classified as pathogenic and affect the structure and feature of the WDR62 and MTR proteins by changing amino acid sequence and causing nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD). Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) supported polymicrogyria and impaired cerebral cortical development in the affected child. WDR62 as a causative gene plays an essential role in cerebral cortical development, and its pathogenic disease-causing variants are considered as causing factors for MCPH2. Homocystinuria-megaloblastic anemia was a comorbidity associated with microcephaly in this patient, and its variants were confirmed by WES. Overall, performing WES is a necessary and accurate way to rapidly identify the exact causative genetic variants in MCPH2 and the homocystinuria-megaloblastic anemia and manage the disease.

Abstract Background Stickler syndrome (STL) is a rare, clinically and molecularly heterogeneous connective tissue disorder. Pathogenic variants occurring in a variety of genes cause STL, mainly inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Autosomal recessive STL is ultra-rare with only four families with biallelic COL9A3 variants reported to date. Results Here, we report three unrelated families clinically diagnosed with STL carrying different novel biallelic loss of function variants in COL9A3. Further, we have collected COL9A3 genotype–phenotype associations from the literature. Conclusion Our report substantially expands the molecular genetics and clinical basis of autosomal recessive STL and provides an overview about allelic COL9A3 disorders.

Background and Objectives: Scaphoid fractures are common fractures of the upper extremity and more than 5% of them progress to nonunion. Nonvascularized bone grafting (NVBG) and vascularized bone grafting (VBG) are used to treat this fracture and the best option for the treatment of scaphoid nonunion (SN) is controversial. Hence, this study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of VBG and NVBG in treatment of SN. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 30 patients with SN. The patients were divided into two groups of NVBG (n = 15) and VBG (n = 13) and were followed up at 2, 4, 8 weeks, and at least 10 months after surgery. Patients' functional abilities in both groups were compared using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire and the Mayo modified wrist score. Severity of pain was also compared using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after the surgery. Results: Union rates between the VBG (92.3%) and NVBG (73.3%) groups were not significantly different (P = 0.1). There was a significant difference in the VAS score (P = 0.03) and grip strength (P = 0.010) between the two groups. However, no significant difference was found regarding the active range of motion between the groups (P = 0.2). The postoperative Quick DASH scores of the VBG and of NVBG groups were 5.6 ± 1.1 and 8.4 ± 2.3, respectively, and the difference was significant (P = 0.001). The functional improvement based on the postoperative Mayo score was significantly higher in the VBG group compared with the NVBG group (85.9 ± 3.04 vs. 80.4 ± 6.6; P = 0.006). Conclusion: Vascularized bone grafting seems to be a preferable treatment option for SN because of its higher union rate and better functional outcomes.

Introduction. Former research studies have demonstrated controversial associations between dietary indices and oxidative stress biomarkers including oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA). So, in this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the association of dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC), oxidative balance score, and phytochemical index (PI) with ox-LDL/MDA in a healthy adult population of Shiraz, Iran. Methods. 236 individuals participated in this cross-sectional study. DTAC, OBS, and PI were calculated using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which was previously validated in Iran. We measured ox-LDL and MDA in blood samples of the participants using commercially existing kits. Crude and adjusted models of linear regression were used to evaluate the relation of dietary indices with ox-LDL and MDA. Results. There was a significant association between ox-LDL and DTAC in both crude (β = −1.55; 95% CI: −2.53, −0.58; P-trend = 0.002) and adjusted (β = −1.65 95% CI: −2.66, −0.64; P-trend = 0.001) models. Also, a negative association was observed between ox-LDL and PI in the crude (β = −1.26 95% CI: −2.33, −0.29; P-trend = 0.01) and adjusted (β = −1.36 95% CI: −2.38, −0.34; P-trend = 0.01) models. Conclusion. Results of this study showed that DTAC and PI were inversely associated with ox-LDL as markers of lipid peroxidation. But no correlations were seen between MDA and dietary antioxidant indices.

BackgroundSteroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) represents a significant renal disease burden in childhood and adolescence. In contrast to steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS), renal outcomes are significantly poorer in SRNS. Over the past decade, extensive genetic heterogeneity has become evident while disease-causing variants are still only identified in 30% of cases in previously reported studies with proportion and type of variants identified differing depending on the age of onset and ethnical background of probands. A genetic diagnosis however can have implications regarding clinical management, including kidney transplantation, extrarenal disease manifestations, and, in some cases, even causal therapy. Genetic diagnostics therefore play an important role for the clinical care of SRNS affected individuals.Methodology and resultsHere, we performed NPHS2 Sanger sequencing and subsequent exome sequencing in 30 consanguineous Iranian families with a child affected by SRNS with a mean age of onset of 16 months. We identified disease-causing variants and one variant of uncertain significance in 22 families (73%), including variants in NPHS1 (30%), followed by NPHS2 (20%), WT1 (7%) as well as in NUP205, COQ6, ARHGDIA, SGPL1, and NPHP1 in single cases. Eight of these variants have not previously been reported as disease-causing, including four NPHS1 variants and one variant in NPHS2, ARHGDIA, SGPL1, and NPHP1 each.ConclusionIn line with previous studies in non-Iranian subjects, we most frequently identified disease-causing variants in NPHS1 and NPHS2. While Sanger sequencing of NPHS2 can be considered as first diagnostic step in non-congenital cases, the genetic heterogeneity underlying SRNS renders next-generation sequencing based diagnostics as the most efficient genetic screening method. In accordance with the mainly autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, diagnostic yield can be significantly higher in consanguineous than in outbred populations.

This study set out to evaluate the wound healing properties of brittle star extracts in vitro and in vivo. Due to the great arm regeneration potential of the brittle star, Ophiocoma cynthiae, the present study aimed to evaluate the wound healing effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of brittle star undergoing arm regeneration in wound healing models. The brittle star samples were collected from Nayband Bay, Bushehr, Iran. After wound induction in the arm of brittle stars, hydroalcoholic extracts relating to different times of arm regeneration were prepared. The GC-MS analysis, in vitro MTT cell viability and cell migration, Western blot, and computational analysis tests were performed. Based on the in vitro findings, two BSEs were chosen for in vivo testing. Macroscopic, histopathological and biochemical evaluations were performed after treatments. The results showed positive proliferative effects of BSEs. Specifically, forty-two compounds were detected in all groups of BSEs using GC-MS analysis, and their biological activities were assessed. The MTT assay showed that the 14 d BSE had a higher proliferative effect on HFF cells than 7 d BSE. The cell migration assay showed that the wound area in 7 d and 14 d BSEs was significantly lower than in the control group. Western blot analysis demonstrated an increase in the expression of proliferation-related proteins. Upon the computational analysis, a strong affinity of some compounds with proteins was observed. The in vivo analysis showed that the evaluation of wound changes and the percentage of wound healing in cell migration assay in the 7 d BSE group was better than in the other groups. Histopathological scores of the 7 d BSE and 14 d BSE groups were significantly higher than in the other groups. In conclusion, the hydroalcoholic extract of O. cynthiae undergoing arm regeneration after 7 and 14 days promoted the wound healing process in the cell and rat skin wound healing model due to their proliferative and migratory biological activity.

Aims: With advances in computer technology, the recent decade has witnessed a growth in resources and an increase in the availability of devices for language learning and teaching. This study aimed at investigating the effect of Adobe Connect virtual classrooms on technical vocabulary learning of students of medicine as well as to explore their attitudes toward Adobe Connect virtual classrooms. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 60 EFL students of medicine studying at Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. To ensure the participants' homogeneity in terms of language proficiency, the Oxford Quick Placement Test was used. The participants were randomly divided into two groups (n = 30): conventional teacher-centered and Adobe Connect virtual groups. Data were collected using pre- and post-tests of technical medical vocabularies to evaluate vocabulary knowledge and a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the students' attitudes toward Adobe Connect virtual classrooms. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test and a paired t-test by SPSS version 22. Results: The results revealed no significant difference in the mean scores of the vocabulary test between the conventional teacher-centered and Adobe Connect virtual groups before training (P = 0.757); however, the mean vocabulary scores after training in the Adobe Connect virtual group was significantly higher than the conventional group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the present study show the effectiveness of the Adobe Connect virtual classrooms and students' satisfaction with such a virtual environment in terms of technical medical vocabulary learning.

Objective(s): Nowadays, ionizing radiation (IR) has a significant contribution to the diagnostic and therapeutic medicine, and following that, health risks to individuals through unexpected exposure is greatly increased. Therefore, biological and molecular technology for estimation of dose (biodosimetry) is taken into consideration. In biodosimetry methods stimulation of cells to proliferation is routine to achieve more sensitivity of techniques. However, this concept has recently been challenged by new molecular methods such as gene expression analysis. This study aims to investigate the stimulation effects on gene expression biodosimetry.Materials and Methods: The blood samples were taken from15 patients who were irradiated by TC-99 MIBI, before radiopharmaceutical injection and 24 hr after injection. Lymphocytes were extracted immediately and activated by (phytohemagglutinin) PHA for 24 hr and XPA and FDXR expression levels were investigated by employing relative quantitative Real-Time PCR.Results: The results of this study show a significant increase in the FDXR expression level and a significant decrease in the XPA after stimulation of irradiated lymphocytes. Interestingly, a significant increasing trend in the FDXR expression level (at 0.05 significance level) following cell stimulation to the division was observed.Conclusion: Our results suggest that the PHA activation role in gene expression-based biodosimetry is strongly depended on the target genes and the relevant protein pathways. Finally, cell stimulation looks to be useful for some specific genes, such as FDXR, due to the increasing trend in expression and improvement of sensitivity of gene expression-based biodosimetry method.

Introduction: Suicide can be defined as a conscious act of self-harm that leads to death. Aim: The aim of this study was to comparison attachment styles and alexithymia in suicidal attempts and control group. Method: In this casual comparative study, 100 individuals (50 suicide attempts and 50 normal individuals) were selected by convenience sampling. All participant completed the attachment styles questionnaire and Toronto emotional alexithymia scale. Data were analyzed using MANOVA by SPSS-21. Results: The results showed that the difference between two groups was significant in difficulty in regulating emotions. Also, the difference between the two groups in avoidant and secure attachment style is significant (p

Diclofenac (DIC) is administrated to treat pain, inflammatory disorders, and dysmenorrhea but kidney problems are the main worries of the agent. The literature has revealed that quercetin (QR) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant attributes. This study aims to highlight the possible nephroprotective effects of QR on DIC-exposed rats. In this study, the animals after exposure to DIC (50 mg/kg, i.p) were administrated to QR (100 mg/kg, p.o). Then, the levels, as well as the activity of several oxidant and anti-oxidant mediators, were evaluated. Our results showed that DIC treatment was coupled with the elevation in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and some pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, NF-κB, and IL-1β, suggesting that probably this agent exert its toxicity in the kidney tissue through inducing both oxidative stress and inflammation. Interestingly, QR was successful in restoring the activity of antioxidant compounds such as GSH, GPx, SOD, and CAT in the kidney tissue of DIC-treated rats. Moreover, in the presence of QR, DIC was unable to increase the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that perhaps QR might have anti-inflammatory properties. In agreement with this, the results of the histopathological evaluation also showed that while DIC increased the lymphocyte infiltration into the kidney tissue, QR reduced the number of lymphocytes in DIC-treated rats. The results revealed that QR exerted a supportive effect against diclofenac-induced renal injury in male rats through modulation of oxidative stress and mitigation of inflammatory response.

Introduction: The effects of the low dose of ionizing radiation are not thoroughly evident due to an unavoidable increase of occupational exposure and the widespread application of ionizing radiation in medical and industrial fields. The aim of this study was to investigate immune system responses following the low doses of ionizing radiation. Material and Methods: BALB/c mice were exposed to Whole Body Irradiation of 20, 50, and 100 mGy through a 60Co source. Lymphocytes extraction were operated 24 h after irradiation. Afterwards, gene expression analysis was performed with relative quantitative Real-Time polymerase chain reaction to IL-4, IFN-γ, and TGF-β expression levels. Moreover, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was computed, and the independent sample t-test was performed for the statistical analysis. Results: Whereas IL-4, IFN-γ, and TGF-β expression levels decrease after the radiation of the low doses of gamma rays, the IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio increased significantly after irradiation of 20 mGy (P-Value

Abstract Background Bartter Syndrome is a rare, genetically heterogeneous, mainly autosomal recessively inherited condition characterized by hypochloremic hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis. Mutations in several genes encoding for ion channels localizing to the renal tubules including SLC12A1, KCNJ1, BSND, CLCNKA, CLCNKB, MAGED2 and CASR have been identified as underlying molecular cause. No genetically defined cases have been described in the Iranian population to date. Like for other rare genetic disorders, implementation of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies has greatly facilitated genetic diagnostics and counseling over the last years. In this study, we describe the clinical, biochemical and genetic characteristics of patients from 15 Iranian families with a clinical diagnosis of Bartter Syndrome. Results Age range of patients included in this study was 3 months to 6 years and all patients showed hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis. 3 patients additionally displayed hypercalciuria, with evidence of nephrocalcinosis in one case. Screening by Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and long range PCR revealed that 12/17 patients (70%) had a deletion of the entire CLCNKB gene that was previously identified as the most common cause of Bartter Syndrome in other populations. 4/17 individuals (approximately 25% of cases) were found to suffer in fact from pseudo-Bartter syndrome resulting from congenital chloride diarrhea due to a novel homozygous mutation in the SLC26A3 gene, Pendred syndrome due to a known homozygous mutation in SLC26A4, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) due to a novel mutation in CFTR and apparent mineralocorticoid excess syndrome due to a novel homozygous loss of function mutation in HSD11B2 gene. 1 case (5%) remained unsolved. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate deletion of CLCNKB is the most common cause of Bartter syndrome in Iranian patients and we show that age of onset of clinical symptoms as well as clinical features amongst those patients are variable. Further, using WES we were able to prove that nearly 1/4 patients in fact suffered from Pseudo-Bartter Syndrome, reversing the initial clinical diagnosis with important impact on the subsequent treatment and clinical follow up pathway. Finally, we propose an algorithm for clinical differential diagnosis of Bartter Syndrome.

Background: Considering the importance of pedestrian traffic crashes and the role of environmental and demographic factors in the severity of these crashes, this article aimed to review the published evidence and synthesize the results of related studies to determine any associations between demographic and environmental factors and the severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes. Methods: All epidemiological studies published from 1970 to 2019 were searched in international electronic databases (PubMed [Medline], Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Ovid) and reference lists of the identified articles were also searched. Studies were included if they investigated the severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes as outcome, measured any environmental and demographic factors for pedestrian-vehicular crashes as exposure, designed observational, and if they were written in all languages. Quality of included studies was evaluated using the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology checklist for observational studies. Results: We found 3126 references among which 24 studies were included in this review. All retrieved studies were conducted between 1990 and 2019 and had a cross-sectional design. In most of these studies, the associations between environmental and demographic variables such as vehicle speed or speed limits, pedestrian age, lighting, type of road, type of vehicle, and alcohol intake with the severity of pedestrian traffic crashes were examined. Conclusion: This study showed that few studies were conducted in this area; in fact, most of the studies were carried out in metropolises of developed countries. As a result, studies which provide strong causal inferences by focusing on high-risk groups and a higher level of evidence such as cohort and case-control ones are needed in developing countries.

BACKGROUND: Critical thinking is one of the goals of education. It is a criterion for academic accreditation in medical education by concentration on students' soft skills. Due to lack of basic information on critical thinking tendency in undergraduate medical program, this study aimed to determine the trend of tendency toward critical thinking of medical students in two phases: basic science (year 1) and preinternship (year 5) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This longitudinal descriptive–analytic study has been conducted in two phases (2010 and 2015); all 105 medical students were selected by accessible sampling method. Years of entrance to college was the inclusion criterion. The psychometric properties of The California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI) were confirmed, and then, the instrument was completed twice by participants. Data were analyzed by SPSS: 16 using student t-test, and paired t-tests. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between genders of students (P < 0.05). Males were more disposed toward critical thinking than females. The significant increase was found between mean of truth-seeking in the second test compared to the first test; instead, the mean of inquisitiveness, analyticity and self-confidence and inquisitiveness was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). However, in other subscales, there were no significant differences between the 1st and the 5th year students (P > 0.05). The total score of the test in the second phase was lower than the first phase, which was not significant. CONCLUSION: According to the findings, there is necessary to consider the critical thinking dispositions in medical students training programs and break down the barriers. Tendency toward critical thinking seems to be as prerequisite of critical thinking skills in undergraduate medical program.

Background and Aim: Rapid and precise typing of E.coli is a prerequisite for epidemiological surveillance and controlling of infection caused by this bacterium. The present study was conducted to determine the molecular diversity of E.coli strains isolated from human and swimming pools samples using Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) method. Materials and Methods: This was descriptive-analytic study was conducted, from 2014 to 2016. The target population in this study were 45 isolates of E.coli (25 isolates from human, 20 isolates from swimming pools sample), all of which were confirmed by biochemical and molecular methods. They were then classified using the ERIC-PCR technique. Results: Generally, in ERIC-PCR product electrophoresis, 3-7 different bands were observed in the range of 100 to 1500 bp. A total of 21 ERIC-PCR profiles were found among all of the studied isolates, that included 12 profiles among human isolates and 10 profiles among swimming pools isolates, and there was one similar profile between them. Based on the results of the dendrogram, 2 main clusters and 7 categories (A to G) were observed. Conclusion: All isolates were typed using ERIC-PCR and high genetic diversity was observed among the isolates. On the other hand, the presence of common profiles among both sources indicates the possible rotation of these isolates between human-water-humans.

Abstract Background IARS2 encodes a mitochondrial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, a highly conserved nuclear-encoded enzyme required for the charging of tRNAs with their cognate amino acid for translation. Recently, pathogenic IARS2 variants have been identified in a number of patients presenting broad clinical phenotypes with autosomal recessive inheritance. These phenotypes range from Leigh and West syndrome to a new syndrome abbreviated CAGSSS that is characterised by cataracts, growth hormone deficiency, sensory neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and skeletal dysplasia, as well as cataract with no additional anomalies. Methods Genomic DNA from Iranian probands from two families with consanguineous parental background and overlapping CAGSSS features were subjected to exome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Results Exome sequencing and data analysis revealed a novel homozygous missense variant (c.2625C > T, p.Pro909Ser, NM_018060.3) within a 14.3 Mb run of homozygosity in proband 1 and a novel homozygous missense variant (c.2282A > G, p.His761Arg) residing in an ~ 8 Mb region of homozygosity in a proband of the second family. Patient-derived fibroblasts from proband 1 showed normal respiratory chain enzyme activity, as well as unchanged oxidative phosphorylation protein subunits and IARS2 levels. Homology modelling of the known and novel amino acid residue substitutions in IARS2 provided insight into the possible consequence of these variants on function and structure of the protein. Conclusions This study further expands the phenotypic spectrum of IARS2 pathogenic variants to include two patients (patients 2 and 3) with cataract and skeletal dysplasia and no other features of CAGSSS to the possible presentation of the defects in IARS2. Additionally, this study suggests that adult patients with CAGSSS may manifest central adrenal insufficiency and type II esophageal achalasia and proposes that a variable sensorineural hearing loss onset, proportionate short stature, polyneuropathy, and mild dysmorphic features are possible, as seen in patient 1. Our findings support that even though biallelic IARS2 pathogenic variants can result in a distinctive, clinically recognisable phenotype in humans, it can also show a wide range of clinical presentation from severe pediatric neurological disorders of Leigh and West syndrome to both non-syndromic cataract and cataract accompanied by skeletal dysplasia.

Background & Aim: Urinary incontinence is a common disorder in women. Pelvic floor muscle exercise is one of the effective treatment methods. Self-efficacy is considered an effective and strong predictor of willingness to perform and continue these exercises. In Iran, there is no appropriate tool for assessing self-efficacy. So this study was performed to determine the psychometric properties of the Broome scale in women with urinary incontinence. Methods & Materials: A psychometric study of the Broome scale was conducted on women with urinary incontinence who referred to health centers affiliated to Tehran University of medical sciences in 2015.In this study, following processes were implemented: translation, back translation, face validity, content validity using CVR and CVI, reliability using Cronbach’s α coefficient, and construct validity using explanatory factor analysis. Results: The face validity was confirmed through the modification of ambiguous items based on the patients’ views. Content validity (CVR= 0.8 and CVI= 0.8 to 0.9) and reliability (Cronbach’s α= 0.96) were also confirmed. Explanatory factor analysis showed two factors with eigen value more than 1 including pelvic floor exercise self-efficacy in usual and special situations. These factors explained 82.08 percent of the total variance. Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the Broome scale were confirmed for using by Iranian women with urinary incontinence, and this scale can be used to measure these womenchr('39')s self-efficacy in performing pelvic floor exercises.

Dear Editor, Education is a complex issue and there is a need to consider a several factors to provide an effective training program. Regarding the issue of road traffic crashes, there are some contradictory findings about the efficacy of education, which may cause mistrust among professional circles and experts. Some scientists believe that most of the training programs do not necessarily cover all aspects of crashes and only address some of the concerns. Road traffic crashes are a multidimensional issue and can be influenced by various political, economic, social and cultural factors, and thus the efficacy of an education program can be reduced. The low efficiency of educational programs can have several reasons, which are mentioned below: 1.Non-use of Specific Educational Theory The efficacy of some educational interventions poses a serious challenge for researchers. A simple search in scientific databases will result in various studies aiming to offer educational programs for different road users about the road traffic safety. These educational programs are sometimes designed and implemented without sufficient scientific evidence or without relying on specific educational theory. Some researchers believe that designing an educational intervention without considering the guiding theory in education is like prescribing a medication to a patient regardless of his/her physiology. The use of educational theories entails identifying the audience properly, presenting the educational content in an appropriate manner, and evaluating its feedback. It also helps audiences to gain a better understanding about the safety in relation to their own behavior as road users. 2.Non-use of Various Methods for Providing the Educational Content Some educational interventions are based on learning context-dependent methods. However, learning context-dependent methods is not easily generalized among the target group. This type of educational delivery method is not adequately effective for some age groups, including children. Adopting various training methods tailored to the content and target groups such as role-playing, as well as using animation, cartoons, computer games, simulators, virtual reality technologies and augmented reality in training of traffic safety can increase the efficacy of such educational methods. 3.Insufficient Attention to the Causation Network of Traffic Crashes Some believe that educational programs only emphasize on one topic, and generally fail to take into account the effect of other interventions. On the other hand, the designed educational intervention may focus on the wrong variable (as a factor influencing the occurrence of traffic crashes or the resulting injuries). For example, some drug abuse resistance education interventions focus on peer pressure as a variable with a direct causal effect, while the effect of the peer pressure in some studies is pale and other factors have a stronger causal effect. As for the road safety issue, some educational interventions focus on a number of factors, such as vehicle control skills, while these factors may or may not be the main factors responsible for some of the road traffic crashes. The road safety educational programs may focus only on traffic behaviors such as driving speed and may neglect other behavioral aspects such as smoking, alcohol, and drug consumption. In such cases, and even if the trainees demonstrate the positive aspects of driving speed in their behavior, the impact of the negative aspects of other behaviors such as alcohol consumption causes the risk of road traffic crashes to remain in the target group. 4.Insufficient Knowledge of Audience Gaining sufficient knowledge about the target group, as well as paying due attention to the characteristics of individual receiving an education are important factors for deepening learning in the audience. Recognition of the audience usually takes place over a long period of time. However, it has been shown that educational activities are often short-lived, and short-term interventions may be less effective for the audience. Some educational interventions only provide safety information without giving the drivers an accurate understanding of their behavior as road users. On the other hand, some educational interventions focus on high-risk behaviors of the drivers without considering the underlying reasons for these behaviors. Many drivers who display an unsafe behavior are aware of the fact that their behavior is not safe; however, they keep displaying the unsafe behavior. The issue of education has conflicting aspects that should be addressed. For example, raising risk awareness may strongly discourage some people to follow educational topics; while it may be attractive for others and may even encourage them to include their acquired education in their behavior. For instance, education providers focus on quitting high-risk health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and speeding that culminate in adolescence, while some training recipients may be curious and think about following these behaviors. It is argued that sometimes extensive financial resources to run inefficient educational program may deviate the resources from more effective community-based initiatives. Therefore, it is recommended that the researchers and policymakers in this field consider the theoretical and scientific principles when designing and implementing the educational interventions in order to increase their efficacy. Ethical Approval Not applicable. Conflict of Interest Disclosures None.

Background: Nephropathic Cystinosis, the most common cause of renal Fanconi syndrome, is a lysosomal transport disorder with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. A large number of mutations in CTNS have been identified as causative to date. A 57 kb deletion encompassing parts of CTNS is most commonly identified in Caucasians but this allele has not been identified in individuals of Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Persian, or Arab origin to date.Methods and Results: Implementing whole exome sequencing (WES) in a consanguineous Iranian family, we identified this large deletion affecting CTNS in a patient initially presenting with hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis symptoms and considerable proteinuria.Conclusion: We show WES is a cost and time efficient genetic diagnostics modality to identify the underlying molecular pathology in Cystinosis individuals and provide a summary of all previously reported CTNS alleles in the Middle east population. Our work also highlights the importance to consider the 57-kb deletion as underlying genetic cause in non-European populations, including the Middle East. Limited diagnostic modalities for Cystinosis in developing countries could account for the lack of previously reported cases in these populations carrying this allele. Further, our findings emphasize the utility of WES to define genetic causes in clinically poorly defined phenotypes and demonstrate the requirement of Copy number variation (CNV) analysis of WES data.

Disasters and environmental hazards have long time been considered as the destructive factors for humans, society and human life. In this regard establishing a strong management style and applying proper methods to control the crisis can reduce the amount of damages. So, this study aimed to assess the environmental hazards in research area, and the efforts to reduce the impact of rural producer cooperative that is called Arg Roodasht in Ghoortan village. Statistical populations in this research are including cooperative members of Arg Roodasht and the questionnaires were distributed among 100 members of the cooperative’s board of directors. To achieve the research objectives, review methods and survey methodology and also questionnaires have been used. In order to determination questionnaire validity, expert views used and for determination questionnaire reliability Cronbach’s Alpha method (78%) used. The data analyses were conducted by using descriptive statistics, One-Sample T-test and structural equation modeling. The results showing that drought and river erosion were the most important natural hazards in the research area. Among the human risks of drought in the research area prevalence of illness and disease, conflict and differences between rural people as well as rural migration had the most important influence in the research area, respectively. Based on the results of the sample T-test, Arg Roodasht’s performance in order to combat drought and river erosion by 95 percent, significantly higher than average were evaluated

Emergency Department Response in Dealing with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Patients

Background The purpose of this investigation is to determine the efficacy of emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT-C) on enhancement of marital adjustment in infertile couples. Materials and Methods This was a semi-experimental study with a pre- and post-test design. We selected 30 infertile couples (60 subjects) by purposive sampling. Couples were randomly assigned to two groups, sample and control. Each group consisted of 15 couples who had marital maladjustment and low sexual satisfaction. Couples answered the marital adjustment and sexual satisfaction questionnaires at baseline after which the sample group received 10 sessions of EFT-C. Results Results of pre-test and post-test showed that EFT-C significantly impacted marital adjustment and sexual satisfaction. Conclusion EFT-C had a significant effect on enhancement of satisfaction, cohesion and affectional expression. This approach impacted physical and emotional sexual satisfaction of infertile couples.

Background The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of emotionally fo- cused therapy (EFT-C) on promoting marital adjustment of infertile couples with marital conflicts by improving quality of life. Materials and Methods This is a semi-experimental study with a pre- and post–test design in which 30 infertile couples (60 individuals) were chosen by purposive sampling. Couples were randomly divided into two groups, sample and control, of 15 couples each. Next, couples in the sample population answered questionnaires for marital adjustment, sexual satisfaction and quality of life after which they received 10 sessions of EFT-C. Results Pre- and post-tests showed that EFT-C had a significant effect on marital adjust- ment and quality of life. Conclusion According to the results, EFT-C had a significant, positive effect on en- hancement of marital adjustment. Life quality of infertile couples significantly increased via application of EFT-C. This approach improved the physical, psychological and social relationships of infertile couples and enhanced their social environment.

Objectives. Insufficient cortical bone volume when placing implants can lead to lack of primary stability. The use of cement as a bone fill material in bone defects around dental implant could result in better clinical outcome. HA has shown excellent biological properties in implant dentistry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanohydroxyapatite powder (Nano-HA) in combination with accelerated Portland cement (APC) on implant primary stability in surgically created circumferential bone defects in a bovine rib in vitro model. Materials and Methods. Sixteen bovine rib bones and thirty-six implants of same type and size (4 mm × 10 mm) were used. Implants were divided into six groups: no circumferential bone defect, defect and no grafting, bone chips grafting, Nano-HA grafting, APC grafting, and Nano-HA mixed to APC grafting (Nano-HA-APC). Circumferential defects around the implants were prepared. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were measured before and after the grafting. Results. APC exhibited the highest ISQ values. A significant increase of ISQ values following the grafting of Nano-HA-APC (18.08±5.82) and APC alone (9.50±4.12) was achieved. Increase of ISQ values after 72 hours was 24.16±5.01 and 17.58±4.89, respectively. Nano-HA grafting alone exhibited the least rise in ISQ values. Conclusions. Nanohydroxyapatite silicate-based cement could improve the primary stability of dental implants in circumferential bone defect around implants.

Background and Aim: Collaboration within and between healthcare teams facilitates effective healthcare provision. Fundamental strategies in effective healthcare services focus on collaboration and teamwork. This study was an attempt to assess reliability and validity of Team STEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) in Iranian context. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Iran in 2012. Delphi method was applied and the questionnaire was submitted to 11 experts in 2 rounds to determine its face and content validity. Besides, it was translated and back translated to determine external validity. To estimate the reliability of the instrument, test-retest method was used. A sample of 67 medical and nursing senior students was stratified from Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). T-TAQ is a questionnaire having 30 questions in 5 themes. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS13. Results: The content, face and external validity of the tool were approved by Iranian experts. Meanwhile, applying Cronbach's alpha, total reliability was estimated to be 0.80; moreover, the ICC turned out to be 0.8. Conclusion : Since the validity and reliability of this instrument are confirmed in an Iranian context, it can be used to measure attitude regarding teamwork in this context.

Background and Aim: Collaboration within and between healthcare teams facilitates effective healthcare provision. Fundamental strategies in effective healthcare services focus on collaboration and teamwork. This study was an attempt to assess reliability and validity of Team STEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) in Iranian context. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Iran in 2012. Delphi method was applied and the questionnaire was submitted to 11 experts in 2 rounds to determine its face and content validity. Besides, it was translated and back translated to determine external validity. To estimate the reliability of the instrument, test-retest method was used. A sample of 67 medical and nursing senior students was stratified from Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). T-TAQ is a questionnaire having 30 questions in 5 themes. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS13. Results: The content, face and external validity of the tool were approved by Iranian experts. Meanwhile, applying Cronbach's alpha, total reliability was estimated to be 0.80 moreover, the ICC turned out to be 0.8. Conclusion : Since the validity and reliability of this instrument are confirmed in an Iranian context, it can be used to measure attitude regarding teamwork in this context.

Schizophrenia is a sophisticated mental disability which has affected nearly1.1% of people all over the world. According to recent researches, the key proteins triggered in the immune system are cytokines which might also be taking part in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the -1082G/A and +874T/A polymorphisms of IL-10 and IFN-γ genes, respectively, in patients with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Total of 94 schizophrenic patients and 97 individuals as control samples were enrolled in this study. All samples were genotyped by amplification mutation refractory system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS PCR) for candidate SNPs in IFN-γ and IL-10 genes. Results: No significant association was found among various genotypes of IFN-γ and IL-10 in selected SNPs with risk of schizophrenia, As well as there was no significant variation in allelic frequency of IFN-γ and IL-10 genes with the risk of disease. Conclusion: These data suggest that the -1082G/A of IL-10 and +874T/A IFNγ genes are not involved in the development of schizophrenia risk. To validate of this data, suggesting more studies in diverse populations with larger sample size.

Housing is a one of the most important human’s requirement and is one of the geographical phenomenon of a region and geographical factors (that differ in each area and obtain specifiction of each area) has important role in sharing its kind beside the ethnical, historical and psychological factor) Human and it’s around environment in small or large scales has mutual relations and by profit or force and innate flexibility for agreement with environmental conditions, are trying for improve their around environment and outlook of this improvement is obvious in housing different parameters and variabled contribute in determination of condition of housing Providing proper accommodation is one of the important problems in our country and is considered as one of the emergency issues in society and is extremely vital and for the same reason it has been on focus in the Islamic Republic Constitution to provide proper accommodation for all of the society classes as a right for each individual. The use of the housing indices is one of the important ways in awareness of the housing situation in rural planning process. These indices represent qualitative and quantitative condition of rural housing and improving housing which are part of planning for a long-term perspective. The purpose of this study at first step is giving an overview of the concept and status of rural housing indices and identifying of characteristics of Ilam rural housing. Then, the most important components and indices of housing situation in rural areas of Ilam Province will study and finally the rural area of this region will classify by using of the indices. Therefore, the present research according to its purpose is analytical-descriptive which has been conducted by using documents and library studies. Among the variables that are related to housing, 22 indices extracted and reduced to 5 factors. Factors obtained from the factor analysis totally include 97.60 percent of the variance. Among 5 extracted factors, welfare factor covers 25.406 percent alone which is the most effective factor in this study. In order to classify rural homogeneous regions, cluster analysis method has been used and Ilam rural settlements have been classified in 4 homogeneous groups. Based on the results, rural areas of Shirvan and Chardavol are located at the highest level and rural areas of Dehloran, Dareshahr and Abdanan located at the lowest level in terms of enjoyment of housing indices.

In this paper we report synthesis and application of ZnO nanoparticle (ZnO/NPs) and 1, 3-dipropylimidazolium bromide as high sensitive sensors for voltammetric determination of ascorbic acid (AA) using carbon paste electrode. The ZnO/NPs was characterized with different methods such as TEM and XRD. The cyclic voltammogram showed an irreversible oxidation peak at 0.35 V (vs. Ag/AgClsat), which corresponded to the oxidation of AA. Compared to common carbon paste electrode, the electrochemical response was greatly improved. The electro-oxidation of AA occurred in a pH-dependent 2eâ and 2H+ process, and the electrode reaction followed a diffusion-controlled pathway. Under the optimum conditions, the voltammetric oxidation peak current of AA showed two linear dynamic ranges with a detection limit of 0.04 μM for AA. The novel sensor has been found selective and successfully implemented for the determination of AA in fresh vegetable juice fruit juices, tablet and tablet samples without previous preparation and were compared with a published electrochemical method.

Purpose. Pterygium is a serious eye problem in countries with high exposure to UV. However, despite numerous studies, the molecular etiology of pterygium is unclear. Recent studies have indicated that LATS1 and LATS2 genes are involved in DDR signaling pathways against continuous UV exposure. Our aim was to evaluate the LATS1 and LATS2 promoter methylation with the risk of pterygium formation. Methods. We evaluated the promoter methylation status of LATS1 and LATS2 using methylation-specific PCR technique. Also, mRNA expression of LATS1 and LATS2 was assessed in 14 cases of pterygium and 14 normal specimens by real-time PCR. Results. Promoter methylation of LATS1 and LATS2 was detected significantly between pterygium tissues and normal tissues [LATS1; OR = 4.9; 95% CI: 1.54 to 15.48, P=0.003; LATS2; OR = 7.1; 95% CI: 1.53 to 33.19, P=0.004]. The gene expression analysis showed a statistically significant difference between pterygium tissues and healthy controls for both LATS1 and LATS2 (P

Abstract Homing based on path integration (H-PI) is a form of navigation in which an animal uses self-motion cues to keep track of its position and return to a starting point. Despite evidence for a role of the hippocampus in homing behavior, the hippocampal spatial representations associated with H-PI are largely unknown. Here we developed a homing task (AutoPI task) that required a mouse to find a randomly placed lever on an arena before returning to its home base. Recordings from the CA1 area in male mice showed that hippocampal neurons remap between random foraging and AutoPI task, between trials in light and dark conditions, and between search and homing behavior. During the AutoPI task, approximately 25% of the firing fields were anchored to the lever position. The activity of 24% of the cells with a lever-anchored field predicted the homing direction of the animal on each trial. Our results demonstrate that the activity of hippocampal neurons with object-anchored firing fields predicts homing behavior.

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The survival rate after hepatectomy as the first line of treatment for HCC depends on various factors. This study evaluated the association of the ABO blood group and Rh with overall survival (OS) and Recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate after hepatectomy. Methods This multicenter retrospective cohort study reviewed the medical files of 639 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy from 2010 to 2022 in three medical centers affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences. Patient data, including demographic, clinical, tumor characteristics, and post-surgery outcomes, were collected by referring to the patient’s medical profiles. The Cox proportional hazard investigated the relationship between ABO blood group type and OS and RFS rate after hepatectomy. Results The five-year OS and RFS rates were 25.4% and 18.7%, respectively. The five-year OS (Lok rank:40.89, P:0.001) and RFS rate in patients with blood type A were significantly lower than in non-A patients. (Lok rank:10.8, P:0.001) The multivariate Cox analysis showed that blood type A, age 5 cm, Poor tumor differentiation, presence of metastasis, The number of involved lymph nodes ≤ 2, and serum Alpha-Fetoprotein)AFP( level ≥ 400 were significantly related to the decreased survival rate of HCC patients after hepatectomy (P 0.05). Conclusion Blood group type A, compared to non-A, can be associated with decreased OS and RFS rates in patients with HCC after hepatectomy.

Background and Objectives: Learning is essential for understanding mental disorders, normal behavior, and forgetfulness. In this regard, the hippocampus plays an important role in the learning process. It has been reported that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the hippocampus are involved in learning and memory mechanisms and some diseases, such as epilepsy and Alzheimerchr('39')s. This study aimed to investigate the effect of coumarin on retention, tissue index, and GABA type A receptor gene expression in the hippocampus of male gonadectomy rats. Methods: The population of this study consisted of 40 Wistar rats, which were randomized into 5 groups (n=8 each). These groups included healthy without treatment, gonadectomized without treatment, gonadectomized receiving solvent or Dimethyl sulfoxide, and gonadectomized receiving coumarin at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg. The treatment was administered intraperitoneally once daily in 2 weeks. A shuttle box was used to test the memory retention of the rats. At the end of the research process, the rats were exterminated in accordance with research ethics. After removing the brains of rats, in each group, in four brains histology test was implemented with Niels staining, and in four other brains, the hippocampus was removed quickly. The hippocampi were placed inside the micro type and frozen with liquid nitrogen. Finally, a gene expression test was taken from the hippocampus using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Based on the findings, in the memory retention test of initial latency to enter the dark room (step through latency), the gonadectomy group showed a reduction, compared to the healthy group. Moreover, a significant decrease was observed in the number of healthy hippocampal pyramidal neurons; however, GABAA gene expression showed no significant difference. In the gonadectomy groups receiving treatments with different doses of coumarin, the amount of STL (Step Through Latency) and number of healthy pyramidal neurons in the memory retention test showed a significant decrease, compared to the gonadectomy group receiving solvent; nonetheless, a significant increase was revealed in the GABAA-α2 gene expression. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Gonadectomy caused memory impairment and coumarin affects memory impairment by increasing the GABAA-α2 gene expression and decreasing the number of healthy hippocampal neurons.

Objective(s): N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has gained attention recently in dermatology as a unique anti-oxidant. In light of progress in nanotechnological methods, it was hypothesized that loading NAC onto nanofibers would positively affect skin wound healing. The objective of this study was to fabricate NAC-loaded electrospun mats and test their effect on wound healing in vivo and in vitro. Materials and Methods: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based mats loaded with NAC at three concentrations were electrospun and characterized in terms of physicochemical properties and drug release profile. Human fibroblast cells (in vitro) and mouse full-thickness skin wounds (in vivo) were treated with mats for 5 and 14 days, respectively. Wound area, tissue histopathology, fibroblast proliferation and cellular oxidative state were evaluated.Results: Mats containing 5% PVA/NAC showed thinner fibers with suitable physicochemical properties and a sustained drug release profile. PVA/NAC (5%) mats enhanced fibroblast proliferation and attachment in vitro. The mats resulted in significant wound closure with high levels of re-epithelialization and collagen fiber synthesis on day 14 post-surgery in vivo. The mats also reduced granulation tissue and edematous stroma to a higher extent. These findings were accompanied by a significant decrease in tissue lipid peroxidation and higher superoxide dismutase activity, which may explain how NAC improved wound healing.Conclusion: We propose an NAC-loaded nanofibrous mat that takes the advantage of a porous nanoscaffold structure to release NAC in a sustained manner. This mat may be a promising candidate for further clinical evaluation.

The present study reports on a green method for the fabrication of wound dressing loaded with Pistacia atlantica extract. The oil was extracted from P. atlantica plant using a solvent extraction process. The UV–vis spectroscopy showed that the phenolic compounds existed in the P. atlantica oil (PAO). The result of the antioxidant activity with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay illustrated an IC50 value of 7.26 mg/ml, which indicated that the PAO was a significant source of natural antioxidants. Then, the PAO-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-sodium alginate (SA) nanofibres were successfully produced using the electrospinning process. The results of field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the addition of the PAO to the polymer solution increased the diameter of the fabricated nanofibres, while the optimum blending concentration of the PAO for obtaining the maximum scaffold stiffness was almost 1.5% (w/v). The physical properties of the fabricated nanofibres were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction technique, and thermogravimetric-derivative and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the PAO was bonded to the structure of the PVA/SA nanofibres, and the crystallinity, as well as the thermal stability of the fabricated nanofibres increased due to this attachment. In addition, the experiments showed that the PAO concentration in the structure of the fabricated nanofibres played a major role in the drug release rate, and increasing the PAO concentration from the optimum value decreased the controlled release of the drug. Last, based on the two-film theory, a mass transfer model was developed to predict the PAO released from the fabricated wound dressing.

The COVID-19 disease usually leads to mild infectious disease in children, but some develop serious complications. Here, we describe the characteristics of children with COVID-19 in northern Iran, the Golestan province. Ninety-one confirmed cases were enrolled in the study, aged 0–18 years. Demographic, clinical, comorbidity, laboratory, and radiological data were compared based on the disease severity (admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) or not) and disease outcome (recovered or deceased). Sixteen (17.5%) cases were hospitalized in ICU, and 8/91 (8.8%) deceased. Fever and cough were the most common clinical symptoms. Among all symptoms notified there were no significant differences between severe and milder cases, or between those who deceased and recovered. Failure to thrive (FTT), malignant disease and neurological disease were significantly more prevalent in severe cases as was frequently reported comorbidities. Laterality, ground-glass opacity, and lung consolidation were the most common findings in chest computed tomography. The data confirms that the COVID-19 disease has various presentations in children, and clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings may help predict the development of severe forms of COVID-19 among children.

Background: Nowadays, in order to preserve the environment and sustainable development, the use of natural and renewable resources is a priority for industries. High performance and specific structure of nano-biocompatible materials has attracted researchers. In this research, alginate polymer, which is generally obtained from marine sources such as algae, was added to polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers in order to improve their biocompatibility and investigate the effect of solution parameters on their morphology. Materials and Methods: Polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers were produced in different concentrations by electrospinning to investigate the effect of concentration, adding alginate polymer and Triton x-100 surfactant. The quality of nanofibers and rheology behavior of polymer solutions were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, rheometry and tensiometer. Results: The results showed that increasing the concentration of polymer solution increased the diameter of nanofibers, as well as the viscosity of the polymer solution, such that a polyvinyl alcohol solution with 10wt.% concentration produced more uniform nanofibers. At first, adding alginate to the polyvinyl alcohol solution deteriorated electrospinning, however, production of nanofibers was improved by increasing polyvinyl alcohol solution to 10wt.%. Also, the results showed that adding Triton x-100 surfactant to the polymer solution affected the dominant mechanism in electrospinning by reducing surface tension and viscosity of the solution at polyvinyl alcohol solution 6wt.% and 10wt.%, respectively. Conclusion: Under optimized conditions of solution parameters, suitable nanofibers will be produced, which will be applicable in many industries, such as drug delivery.

Background and Objectives: Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder after stroke. Despite various anticonvulsants, researches continue to discover new drugs with better efficacy and less side-effects. Various herbs and natural substances with different properties are appropriate fields for such researches. This study investigated the effects of Aloe vera latex on seizure in male mice. Methods: Two groups of mice (n=8) and placebo were tested. The control group received Saline and the experimental group received Aloe vera latex (15, 25 and 50mg/kg) and half an hour later PTZ (80mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally. Immediately after injection of PTZ, seizure threshold and duration of seizure were recorded. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test. p

Recent studies have shown that many users struggle to properly manage selective sharing of the diverse information artefacts they deposit in social software tools. Most tools define privacy based on the ‘network of friends’ model, in which all ‘friends’ are created equal and all relationships are reciprocal. This model fails to support the privacy expectations that non-technical users bring from their real-life experiences, such as enabling different degrees of intimacy within one’s network and providing flexible, natural means of managing the volatile social relationships that social software systems confront. Furthermore, the model suffers from lack of empirical grounding and systematic evaluation. This paper presents a framework for building privacy management mechanisms for social software systems that is intuitive and easy to use for the average, non-technical user population of these systems. The framework is based on a grounded theory study of users’ information sharing behaviour in a social software tool. Results inform the design of OpnTag, a social software prototype that facilitates personal and social information management and sharing. Preliminary empirical data suggest that our proposed privacy framework is flexible enough to meet users’ varying information sharing needs in different contexts while maintaining adequate support for usability.

The velvetleaf is an important annual weed in the Mazandaran province, Iran. Seeds are the only way of propagation and renewal of this weed. More knowledge was gained regarding soil seed bank and its seed production to improve the management of the velvetleaf weed in the future. There is a minimal information concerning the impact of the soybean planting pattern on the dynamics of the velvetleaf population. For this reason two different fiel ds have been studied with the cooperation of the Agriculture Discipline of the Islamic Azad University, in Qaemshahr, Iran, during 2009 and 2012. In this study the effect of two types of soybean row spacing were used, 50 cm-wide and 36 cm - narrow, and three emergences of the velvetleaf weed populatio n (periods 0-10, 10-20 and 20- 30 days after soybean sowing were implemented) were studied. Seed production, leaf area and dry matter increased in each plant population of the velvetleaf weed in the 50-cm soybean rows. Mortality rates we re decreased in velvetleaf’s seedling population in the wider spaced rows. By observation it was seen an increased producti on of seeds in the first batch of seedlings. It appears that we must remove the first weed emergence flushes within three to four weeks after the soybean emergence to prevent reduced yields in the soybean crop and further increase of the velvetleaf seed bank.