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Background: Since 2020, COVID-19 has become a global public health issue and has caused problems worldwide. This infection can lead to a fever and respiratory problems. Asymptomatic carriers of the virus are a significant part of the spread of the disease, so early screening and diagnosis of suspected cases of COVID-19 are essential. Generally, standard diagnostic methods include lung imaging (CT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and corona antibody (IgM&IgG) testing. However, the costs of the above tests for the healthcare system cannot be ignored, and evaluating the incremental costs against the additional benefit is necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic methods for COVID-19 patients., Materials and Methods: In this research, an economic evaluation analysis was conducted to reveal the cost-effectiveness of the diagnostic strategies for COVID-19 from the service provider's perspective. Basic information about the costs of CT, serology (IgG&IgM), and molecular (PCR) tests were collected from the Ministry of Health of Iran. The effectiveness data were calculated according to the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic tests for COVID-19. In this study, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the diagnostic strategies for COVID-19 was estimated, and the most cost-effective diagnostic strategy was determined. In calculating ICER and analyzing the sensitivity of the results, Treeage software was used., Results: According to the calculated incremental effectiveness cost ratio for scenarios with 5, 10, and 50% prevalence of COVID-19 and according to the threshold defined by the World Health Organization, in the study, PCR, PCR, and IgG&IgM strategies are the most cost-effective diagnostic methods of the corona. Also, the results were not sensitive to the desired parameters based on the results of one-way sensitivity analysis., Conclusion: Nowadays there are various tests with different levels of accuracy in the diagnosis of COVID-19. In general, PCR tests are more cost-effective for low prevalence of Covid-19, while IgM&IgG tests are more cost-effective for high estimated prevalence. The results of this research can help policymakers and health system managers to validate the most accurate diagnostic method for COVID-19, considering the prevalence of the disease., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: Permanent hypoparathyroidism can be presented as part of genetic disorders such as Sanjad-Sakati syndrome (also known as hypoparathyroidism-intellectual disability-dysmorphism), which is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. Our aim was to confirm the diagnosis of a group of patients with dysmorphism, poor growth, and hypoparathyroidism clinically labeled as Sanjad-Sakati syndrome and to identify for the first time the genetic variations on Iranian patients with the same ethnic origin., Methods: In this study, 29 cases from 23 unrelated Arab kindreds with permanent hypoparathyroidism and dysmorphism indicating Sanjad-Sakati syndrome were enrolled for 10 years in the southwest of Iran. The mutational analysis by direct sequencing of the tubulin folding cofactor E gene was performed for the patients and their families, as well as their fetuses using genomic DNA., Results: Twenty-eight out of 29 cases had parental consanguinity. Twenty-seven cases presented with hypocalcemia seizure and two were referred because of poor weight gain and were found to have asymptomatic hypocalcemia. The dysmorphic features, hypocalcemia in the setting of low to normal parathyroid hormone levels and high phosphorus led to the diagnosis of these cases. Sequencing analysis of the tubulin folding cofactor E gene revealed a homozygous 12-bp deletion (c.155-166del) for all patients. Following that, prenatal diagnosis was performed for eight families, and two fetuses with a homozygous 12-bp deletion were identified., Conclusion: These results make it much easier and faster to diagnose this syndrome from other similar dysmorphisms and also help to detect carriers, as well as prenatal diagnosis of Sanjad-Sakati syndrome in high-risk families in this population., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.)

Background: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type VI, also known as Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in arylsulfatase B (ARSB) enzyme. Our objectives were to investigate clinical phenotypes and performed molecular studies in Iranian patients with MPS VI, for the first time, in the southwestern Iran., Methods: We studied 14 cases from 10 unrelated kindreds with MPS VI that were enrolled during 8 years. The mutational analysis of coding and flanking regions of ARSB gene was performed for the patients and their families using genomic DNA from whole blood by direct sequencing., Results: All cases had parental consanguinity. Except one who had Fars ethnicity and presented with a very mild degree of coarse face, but normal otherwise, even near normal height, all were from Arab ethnicity with characteristic phenotypes including severe facial changes, cardiac involvement and dysostosis multiplex. Sequencing analysis of ARSB gene revealed four pathogenic homozygote mutations, including a novel nonsense mutation c.281C>A (p.Ser94X) in 9 patients, as well as, a known nonsense mutation c.753C>G (p.Try251X) in 3 cases, and two missense mutations c.904G>A (p.Gly302Arg) and c.454C>T (p.Arg152Trp) in two cases. The type of mutations affected the severity patient's phenotypes., Conclusions: These findings increased the genetic databases of Iranian patients with MPS VI and would be so much helpful for the high-risk families to speed the detection of carriers with accuracy and perform the prenatal test of disorder with cost-effective in this population., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI) or Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome is a rare metabolic disorder, resulting from the deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme arylsulfatase B (ARSB). The enzymatic defect of ARSB leads to progressive lysosomal storage disorder and accumulation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) dermatan sulfate (DS), which causes harmful effects on various organs and tissues and short stature. To date, more than 160 different mutations have been reported in the ARSB gene., Materials and Methods: Here, we analyzed 4 Iranian and 2 Afghan patients, with dysmorphism indicating MPS VI from North-east Iran. To validate the patients' type of MPS VI, urine mucopolysaccharide and leukocyte ARSB activity were determined. Meanwhile, genomic DNA was amplified for all 8 exons and flanking intron sequences of the ARSB gene to analyze the spectrum of mutations responsible for the disorder in all patients., Results: Abnormal excretion of DS and low leukocyte ARSB activity were observed in the urine samples of all 6 studied patients. In direct DNA sequencing, we detected four different homozygous mutations in different exons, three of which seem not to have been reported previously: p.H178N, p.H242R, and p.*534W. All three novel substitutions were found in patients with Iranian breed. We further detected the IVS5+2T>C mutation in Afghan siblings and four different homozygous polymorphisms, which have all been observed in other populations., Conclusion: results indicated that missense mutations were the most common mutations in the ARSB gene, most of them being distributed throughout the ARSB gene and restricted to individual families, reflecting consanguineous marriages., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Background: Periodontitis is a disease of tooth supporting tissues, and Gram-negative Bacteria are the main cause of this. Propolis has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects due to its high polyphenol and flavonoids content. The aim of this study is the formulation of a mucoadhesive gel containing concentrated extract of propolis for treatment of periodontitis., Materials and Methods: Formulations containing carbopol 940, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K4M, and propolis extract were prepared. Among ten prepared formulations, five formulations had acceptable and proper physical appearance and uniformity; thus, they were selected for physicochemical tests (centrifugal, thermal change, cooling and heating, freeze and thaw, thermal stress, and pH evaluation), quantification of flavonoids, viscosity, mucoadhesion, drug release, and syringeability tests. We investigated the antibacterial activity of F 10 (carbopol 940 1%, NaCMC 3%) against Porphyromonas gingivalis using the disk diffusion method., Results: Phenolic content was measured 39.02 ± 3.24 mg/g of concentrated extract as gallic acid and flavonoid content was determined 743.28 ± 12.1 mg/g of concentrated extract as quercetin. Highest viscosity (3700 cps) and mucoadhesion (21 MPa) were seen in F 10 . Study of release profile in F 10 also revealed that propolis could release from this system in more than 7 days. All of the five selected formulations had ease of syringeability in 21-gauge needle for drug delivery into periodontal pocket. In the disk diffusion method, F 10 produced significant growth inhibition zones against P. gingivalis ., Conclusion: Controlled release of drug into periodontal pocket helps effective treatment and recovery, higher persistence and reduces drug use frequency. Increase of carbopol 940 leads to viscosity and mucoadhesion elevation and accordingly decreases of release rate. F 10 was the best formulation because of highest viscosity and mucoadhesion and lowest release rate. It had efficient function in treatment of periodontitis, so we recommend it for clinical evaluation., Competing Interests: The authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflicts of interest, real or perceived, financial or non-financial in this article.

Background: Early stage gastric cancer diagnosis has ensued different approaches in resection strategies. In order to increase the proportion of cases which have undergone radical resection or have reduced the recurrence rate, different pre-operative treatments have introduced. Here, we have verified an active preoperative chemotherapeutic regimen in locally advanced gastric cancer patients., Methods: Forty nine patients who have found eligible to enter this phase 2 trial have treated with oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 IV, docetaxel 50 mg/m2 IV, plus capecitabine 625 mg/m2 PO (TOX). Clinical staging has been following the first 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy. Patients that have further undergone radical surgery, have evaluated for pathological response rate., Results: Anemia (10.2%), nausea (10.2%) and vomiting (6.1%) were the most frequent grade 3 or 4 adverse effects. Regarding the pathologic staging, 6 patients (12.2%) had complete response (95% CI 3% to 21.4%), 18 of them (36.7%) had partial response (95% CI 23.2% to 50.2%), then 3 patients (6.1%) had stable disease (95% CI 0%-12.8%). Among the patients who had surgery, 22% had pathologic complete response., Conclusion: Preoperative chemotherapeutic regimen of TOX seems to be an active and safe neoadjuvant therapy in non metastatic gastric cancer. It should further be considered with concurrent radiotherapy.

Objectives: Reliable evidence is the keystone for any noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention plan to be initiated. In this study we carried out a risk factor investigation based on the WHO Stepwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS)., Methods: The study was conducted on 1000 adults between 15 and 64 years of age living in Ardabil province, north-west Iran during 2006, based on the WHO STEPS approach to surveillance of risk factors for NCD. At this stage only the first and second steps were carried out. Data were collected through standard questionnaires and methods analyzed using STATA version 8 statistical software package., Results: 29.0% of men and 2.6% of women were current daily tobacco smokers. The mean number of manufactured cigarettes smoked per day was 18.9 among current daily smokers. Smoking was most prevalent among men of low-income families and those of lower education. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.6 kg/m(2), and was significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure. 58.9% were overweight or obese; 18.0% had raised blood pressure and 3.7% had isolated systolic hypertension. The mean number of servings of fruit consumed per day was 1.1; 33.1% had low levels of activity. Combined risk factor analysis showed that 4.1% of participants were in the low-risk group (up to 5.1% among men and 3.2% among women). Those in the high-risk group comprised 25.6% in the 25- to 44-year age group and 49.7% in the 45- to 64-year age group. Mean BMI increased by age in both sexes at least at the first three decades of adult life., Conclusion: Based on observed status of risk for cardiovascular health, burden of cardiovascular diseases is expected to increase if an effective prevention strategy is not undertaken.

Epidemiology of minor burns is not well defined worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine epidemiological features of minor and moderate burn events that could be beneficial for prevention purposes. The study was conducted in Ardabil province in north-west Iran in 2005-2006. A total of 1700 minor and moderate burns were studied using a pretested questionnaire. Using the SAS 9.1 statistical program analyses were made. Females comprised the majority of cases (n=1000, 58.8%) and children, aged six and younger, made up 36.4% of burn victims. The majority of burns were caused by hot water and tea with the primary containers being kettles in 37.8%, cups or glasses in 24.2%, pots in 13.6% and samovars in 7.9%. Samovars, gas stoves, valors and picnic gas stoves were the primary heating devices involved in burns. In 56% of the cases, overturning of liquid containers was the primary injury mechanism of scalds. 43% had a second-degree burn with a mean total body surface area of 1.3%. This study provides possible beneficial information for burn prevention in the Ardabil area and other similar settings., (2009 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)