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Species distribution models (SDMs) are excellent tools to understand the factors that affect the potential distribution of several organisms at different scale. In this study, we analyzed the current potential distribution of the Blanford's Jerboa Jaculus blanfordi and the Arabian Jerboa Jaculus loftusi (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Iran and predicted the impact of climate change on their future potential distributions using two different modelling software packages: Maxent and sdm. Our results showed that precipitation was the most important variable affecting the potential distributions of J. blanfordi and J. loftusi in Iran. We also showed that the potential distributions of the two jerboas species are unlikely to be affected by climate change. All our models showed high levels of predictive performances. Thus, SDMs are a promising tool to complement data from laboratory and field studies to illuminate the biology and ecology of jerboa and inform management decisions. • Precipitation is the most important variable affecting the potential distributions of J. blanfordi and J. loftusi in Iran; • The potential distributions of J. blanfordi and J. loftusi are unlikely to be affected by climate change; • SDMs are a promising tool to complement data from laboratory/field studies to illuminate the biology and ecology of jerboas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the environmental impact of fish farm discharge on the Zayandeh-Roud River in Iran, three trout farms (Dimeh, Hojat Abad, and Takab) with three different production capacities were studied by examining water physicochemical criteria and the macrobenthic invertebrate community. Six sampling sites were assigned to each farm: the inflow and outflow of the farm, the outfall into the river, 50 m upstream from the outfall (control), 50–100 m downstream from the outfall, and 1 km downstream from the outfall. Water and benthos samples were collected once during autumn, winter, and spring. Benthic samples were collected by using a quantitative technique (3 replicates/site). Results showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in 5-d biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and total suspended solids and a decline in dissolved oxygen concentration and pH in the outflow. However, concentrations of measured variables at each farm were generally within acceptable limits. Total taxonomic richness, abundance of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), and richness of EPT taxa were considerably lower at outflow stations than at inflow stations, especially for the farm with a higher production rate. In contrast to physicochemical results, the benthic community indices were significantly different between upstream and downstream samples. Sensitive taxa declined at downstream sites in comparison with upstream sites, while abundance of tolerant taxa (e.g., Chironomidae and Oligochaeta) increased at downstream sites. Although species richness and diversity improved farther downstream, the recovery was not complete within our study range. However, effluent effects were greatest during periods of low river flow. Thus, to reduce environmental impacts of aquaculture, production rates should be based on the lowest anticipated flow rate of rivers. Received December 29, 2010; accepted August 4, 2011 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality of the Zayandehrud River, located in an arid region of central part of Iran, was assessed using National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF WQI) calculated by four aggregation methods. Water samples were collected monthly (July 2006 to June 2007) from eight stations in the middle of the river. The parameters required for the NSF WQI calculations including saturation percent of dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, fecal coliforms, pH, nitrate, total phosphate, temperature deviation, total dissolved solids and turbidity were measured. According to WQIm which appeared to be more adapted to environmental conditions of the Zayandehrud River, the studied section of the river was considered as "reasonable" to "polluted" water quality. All of the calculated water quality indices showed the lowest values in August. In addition to BOD5 and fecal coliform amounts which were generally high, nitrate and total phosphate concentrations were also considerably increased due to agriculture practices in August. Generally, BOD5 and fecal coliforms are the main water quality subindices that reflect the effect of anthropogenic activities on the water quality of this river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identification of individuals who have a pathogenic mutation in breast cancer susceptibility genes is an important step to take advantage of genetic counseling, screening, and potentially life-saving prevention strategies. Based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline, genetic testing is deemed suitable for breast cancer patients with young age at onset, positive family history of cancers, male breast cancer, or diagnosis with a multifocal or triple negative breast cancer. Aim: Since, it is not known what proportion of breast cancers in Iran is hereditary and related to mutations in BRCA1/2 and PALB2 genes, therefore, we screened these 3 genes in multiethnic Iranian population to determine the spectrum of the breast cancer susceptibility gene mutations and to further assess the predictive value of the hereditary breast cancer risk criteria for genetic testing. Methods: Next generation sequencing (NGS) was conducted on a population consisted of 299 and 125 breast cancer patients, with and without hereditary cancer risk criteria for genetic testing, respectively. Results: Pathogenic mutation rate was 10.36% in patients with hereditary criteria for breast cancer vs 1.6% in no criteria group (P = 0.002). All the patients who only met the young age at onset (<40) criterion tested negative for a gene mutation. This is while patients who had only 1 hereditary criterion (OR: 5.48, 95% CI: 1.09, 52.90, P = 0.017) and patients with multiple hereditary criteria (OR: 22.5, 95% CI: 5.19, 201.31, P < 0.0001) had a significantly higher probability of finding a mutation compared with no risk-criteria group. Conclusion: The first application of NGS on Iranian breast cancer population added to the cumulative evidence that BRCA1/2 mutations are seen commonly among Iranian breast cancer patients especially those with hereditary breast cancer criteria and indicated that PALB2 should be concerned in hereditary breast cancer screening alongside BRCA1/2. Investigating the predictive potential of hereditary breast cancer risk criteria our results suggest that offering genetic testing to women with early age at onset of <40 with no other hereditary criteria, may not be cost effective and should be considered for optimization of genetic counseling and genetic testing of the Iranian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dams provide benefits for human societies, but now they are considered as one of the most important factors influencing habitat degradation and changing the hydrological water flow. In order to study the ecological effects of Zayandehroud Dam on the benthic communities and water quality of Zayandehroud river, six sampling stations were selected on the river substrate using biological indicators such as BMWP (Biological Monitoring Working Party) and ASPT(Average Score Per Taxa). Then, a quantitative survey of the macro-benthic invertebrates fauna was conducted with 3 replications at each station, from July to June 2014 with a 45-day interval period. The identified macro-benthic invertebrates belonged to 31 families, 16 orders and 7 classes. The results of BMWP index showed significant differences among sampling stations (p<0.001), and significant difference between seasons in all stations except Overgan station (p<0.05). ASPT index also revealed significant differences among the stations (p<0.01). In addition, the results of Shannon diversity index indicated that Zayanderoud Dam construction, has changed diversity and composition of downstream benthic communities due to alterations in the depth and speed of the water flow, as well as substrate structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suburban populations in developing countries are affected by poor environmental conditions affecting their ongoing health. Given the low reproductive health indicators of women residing in the suburbs of eastern Iran, planning to improve their health by assessing the needs of the target group through qualitative research is essential. The present study seeks to elucidate the views of women living in the suburbs of Zabol, Iran, regarding sexual and reproductive health needs., Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in healthcare centers in the suburbs of Zabol in 2023. The sample comprised 22 women, including 16 women of reproductive age (age 15-49 years) living in the suburbs and six key informants (service providers and people who were in close contact with these women). The sample was selected purposively with maximum variation. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews, which continued until data saturation was reached. The data were then analyzed using conventional content analysis., Results: The data analysis yielded seven categories (gender-based violence, psychological problems, women's lack of empowerment, barriers to equity in sexual and reproductive health, support seeking, sexual issues, and pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care needs) and 24 subcategories. The results revealed that suburban women did not have adequate information or knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health or the available services, and most of them suggested that they required training., Conclusion: Women living in the suburbs of Zabol were faced with challenges in their sexual and reproductive health and well-being. It is crucial to provide these women with sexual and reproductive health education and services that are accessible and suitable to their conditions by targeted interventions aiming to improve their health and well-being. The findings of the current study can serve as a basis for future health policymaking, planning, and research by providing evidence and strengthening the body of knowledge about this domain of health., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Sampling was performed after obtaining approval from the Research Council of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, as well as permission from their Ethics Committee (IR.TUMS.FNM.REC.1401.067). The confidentiality of the data was guaranteed and informed written consent was obtained from all the participants. Moreover, the participants were free to refuse or withdraw from participation at any stage of the research process. All the interviews were recorded with participants’ permission, and all the audio files were securely stored on password-protected computers. No harm, injury, or possible conflict of interest existed for the participants. The researchers publish the results of this study in a general form and maintain participants’ anonymity. Consent for publication: Written consent was obtained from all the participants in the study. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Suburban population is increasingly growing in Iran. People in the suburbs usually have limited sexual information and there are limited studies into their sexual issues. This study aims the effect of sexual education (SE) based on the Sexual Health Model (SHM) on sexual functioning among women living in the suburbs., Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups. Seventy-six women will be selected through simple random sampling from healthcare centers in suburban areas and will be allocated to a control group (n = 38) and an intervention group (n = 38) with a randomization ratio of 1:1. Participants in the intervention group will receive SHM-based SE in three120 min weekly sessions which will be held using the lecture, question-and-answer, group discussion, and educational booklet methods. Data will be collected through a demographic and midwifery characteristics questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Sexual Quality of Life-Female, and will be analyzed through the analysis of covariance as well as the independent-sample t, the paired-sample t, and the Chi-square tests., Discussion: We hope this study provides a clear framework for decision-makers and healthcare providers to provide appropriate policies and interventions for SE and thereby improve the sexual health of women in the suburbs., Trial Registration: This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials on 2024.03.05 (code: IRCT20231121060133N1)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to nations worldwide, affecting various sectors of society. Women's HIV harm reduction centers, which provide critical services, have also been affected by these difficulties. This study aimed to examine the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on the services offered by women's HIV harm reduction centers from the perspective of clients., Methods: A convergent mixed-method design was utilized to gain in-depth insights into the challenges of COVID-19 on the services provided by women's HIV harm reduction centers, counseling centers, and night shelters that cater to women at risk, such as drug users, sex workers, and the homeless population, in three provinces (Tehran, Khuzestan, and Kermanshah) in Iran. The study was conducted from January to May 2023. The quantitative aspect of the study employed a cross-sectional method with a sample size of 430 individuals. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to assess a range of services. The qualitative part of the study involved traditional content analysis and included 32 individual interviews. The integration of qualitative and quantitative results was performed during the interpretation phase to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of COVID-19 on women's HIV harm reduction centers., Results: In the quantitative phase, the mean age of women was 39.0 ± 10.2 years. 165 women reported a history of COVID-19, which accounts for 38.4% of the total. More than half of them (n = 102, 61.8%) recovering at home. The majority of women (n = 365, 84.9%) mentioned receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 diagnostic tests were conducted for 74.2% (n = 319) of women. Women expressed higher satisfaction with the services (HIV prevention services, and accommodation services) before the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the satisfaction during the pandemic. The qualitative analysis identified emerging challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic in two categories: personal challenges and mismanagement of services, comprising nineteen subcategories., Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the services provided by women's HIV harm reduction centers, in contrast to the pre-pandemic period. To mitigate these negative effects, it is crucial to implement preventive measures and practical solutions. This may involve addressing the personal and management challenges of the centers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Emotional eating is a situation with harmful consequences for the physical, mental and social health of humans. In this regard, the present study aimed to explain the role of social culture in the lived experiences of emotional eating in Iranian obese women., Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted using the phenomenological approach. Purposive heterogeneous sampling method was used to select 17 women with body mass index of 30 and above who had emotional eating experience. Data were collected through semi-structured and face-to-face interviews. A guideline designed by the research team, whose content validity was confirmed by the expert panel, was used to conduct the interviews. Data were analyzed based on Diekelmann 7-step approach, and trustworthiness was evaluated by Lincoln and Guba criteria., Results: The main topic of the findings was social culture and emotional eating, which was explained by three themes: "influence of social culture", "language culture of eating" and "the culture of eating together". Influence of social culture had three sub-themes: "a legal and popular entertainment", "hospitality culture: encouraging guests to overeat", and "coping with the social stigma of thinness and obesity". The language culture of eating had two sub-themes of "association of common infinitives" and "the symbol of swallowing anger ". Also, "culture of eating together" included 2 sub-topics with the titles "pleasant symbol of belonging and love" and "the symbol of family cohesion"., Conclusion: This study found that social culture through language, norms, and customs can initiate and/or reinforce emotional eating. The results of this study can be used in the design of interventions to improve emotional eating behavior in women by emphasizing the characteristics of Iranian social culture., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The Fear of Childbirth (FOC) is associated with several adverse health outcomes for children and women. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive mobile health application named Tele-midwifery with an emphasis on continuous care and education, on FOC, self-efficacy, and childbirth mode in primiparous women., Methods: Seventy primiparous women attending the prenatal clinic of Baharlou Hospital in Tehran, Iran, were randomly assigned to two parallel intervention and control groups with 35 participants each. Women in the intervention group received Tele-midwifery for eight weeks, whereas women in the control group only received routine care. The Wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire and the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory were used to measure the FOC and self-efficacy at baseline and eight weeks after the intervention. The FOC and birth mode were also measured after birth., Results: There was a significant decrease in FOC among women in the intervention group compared to control groups after eight weeks of intervention (- 20.9 [95% Confidence Interval,-24.01 to-17.83], p < 0.001), and after birth (- 30.8, [95% CI-33.8 to-27.97], p < 0.001). After eight weeks, the mean self-efficacy score in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001). Compared to the control group, the intervention group had a lower C-Section (CS) rate (p = 0.03)., Conclusions: Tele-midwifery intervention reduced FOC, increased women's self-efficacy in childbirth, and decreased the number of CS in a group of first-time mothers. Healthcare providers can use the mHealth approach to support pregnant women with FOC., Trial Registration: Registration number: IRCT20200122046227N1, Registered on 27 January 2020., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Khademioore et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Reproductive-aged breast cancer (BC) survivors are concerned about their fertility potential after BC treatment. No specific and comprehensive educational and clinical package examines pregnancy health in BC survivors. This study aimed to develop and validate a pregnancy health educational package for BC survivors who intend to experience pregnancy after completing cancer treatment. The present study is a mixed methods study conducted in three phases. The researchers, in phase 1, performed a qualitative content analysis study to explore the perceived needs and experiences of pregnancy among Iranian BC survivors. Then in the second phase, the authors conducted a systematic literature review to search all available packages, guidelines, documents, and published papers on pregnancy or fertility status among BC survivors worldwide. In the third phase, the intervention type was selected according to the opinions of the expert's team during two sessions of online meetings using the Delphi technique. The package quality was assessed by an expert team using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Instrument II (AGREE II) tool. The pregnancy health package for BC survivors was developed in seven separate chapters based on the qualitative study and literature review findings. The results of the validity or quality assessment of the package according to the six domains of the AGREE II tool were reported as follows: the score for the scope and purpose domain was 95.55%, the stakeholder involvement domain was 89.16%, the score for the rigor of development domain was 92.97%, clarity of presentation domain was 94.44%, the score of applicability domain was 87.06%, and the score of editorial independence domain was calculated 93.75%. The pregnancy health package was designed with high quality and validity and, as an excellent cost-effective resource, is proposed to BC survivors to increase their awareness regarding their fertility issues before attempting to conceive., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to American Association for Cancer Education.)

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and anxiety are comorbid conditions that increase the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of yoga on the anxiety of women with EGWG., Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial was performed on EGWG pregnant women referring to comprehensive health centers in Qom city, Iran, between October 2021 and August 2022. Eighty-eight participants were assigned to the intervention (N = 44) and control (N = 44) groups. The experimental group participated in six sessions of 90-min yoga classes, and the control group only received routine care. Two questionnaires including a demographic information questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22., Results: The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of trait anxiety (25.84 ± 3.45 vs. 57.38 ± 8.07; p &lt; 0.05) and state anxiety (27.93 ± 3.72 vs. 60.13 ± 8.13; p &lt; 0.05) after intervention. On the other hand, the trait and state anxiety rates were stable in the experimental group before and after intervention, while they increased to the severe form of anxiety in the control group (effect size = -21.84 ± 10.66 vs. -19.43 ± 8.44)., Conclusion: The result of this study showed that yoga has a positive effect on the anxiety of pregnant women with EGWG and can be used as a preventive or complementary solution to control the anxiety of these mothers., Exzessive Gewichtszunahme in der Schwangerschaft (EGWG) und Angst sind Komorbiditäten, die das Risiko für einen ungünstigen Verlauf für Mutter und Kind erhöhen. Diese Studie wurde durchgeführt, um die Auswirkung von Yoga auf Angst bei Frauen mit exzessiver Gewichtszunahme in der Schwangerschaft zu untersuchen.Diese randomisierte, kontrollierte Studie wurde bei Schwangeren mit EGWG durchgeführt, die sich zwischen Oktober 2021 und August 2022 an Zentren für ganzheitliche Gesundheit in der Stadt Ghom im Iran vorstellten. 88 Teilnehmerinnen wurden einer Interventions- (N = 44) und einer Kontrollgruppe (N = 44) zugeteilt. Die experimentelle Gruppe nahm an einem Yogakurs von sechsmal 90 minuten Dauer teil, die Kontrollgruppe erhielt lediglich die Standardversorgung. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte mit zwei Fragebögen: einem Fragebogen zu demografischen Angaben und dem State-Trait-Angstinventar (STAI). Die Auswertung der Daten erfolgte mit SPSS-Software, Version 22.Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie zeigten einen statistisch signifikanten Unterschied zwischen beiden Gruppen im Hinblick auf Eigenschaftsangst (25.84 ± 3.45 vs. 57.38 ± 8.07; p &lt; 0.05) und Zustandsangst (27.93 ± 3.72 vs. 60.13 ± 8.13; p &lt; 0.05) nach der Intervention. Auf der anderen Seite waren die Raten von Eigenschafts- und Zustandsangst in der experimentellen Gruppe vor und nach der Intervention stabil, während sie in der Kontrollgruppe zur schweren Form von Angst anstiegen (Effektstärke = −21.84 ± 10.66 vs. −19.43 ± 8.44).Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie zeigen, dass Yoga sich bei Schwangeren mit EGWG positive auf Angst auswirkt und als präventive oder komplementäre Lösung zur Beherrschung von Angst bei diesen Müttern eingesetzt werden kann., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Brachyunguis dendrostellerae Kadyrbekov, 2014 and B. monstratus Kadyrbekov, 1999, both living on Diarthron lessertii (Wikstr.) Kit Tan. (Thymelaeaceae), are recorded for Iranian aphid fauna for the first time. The hitherto unknown alate viviparous females of B. dendrostellerae are described, and the little-known apterous viviparous females are redescribed. An identification key for apterous viviparous females of Brachyunguis species known from Iran is provided.

In this study, material of Iranian Ophioninae was examined. In total, 63 species are recognized as occurring in Iran. Sixteen species are described as new to science: Enicospilus amerii Johansson sp. nov., E. apocalypticus Johansson sp. nov., E. haladai Johansson sp. nov., Enicospilus peri sp. nov., Ophion al Johansson sp. nov., Ophion angustigena Johansson sp. nov., Ophion breviflagellator Johansson sp. nov., Ophion golestanicus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion klimenkoi Johansson sp. nov., Ophion persicus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion schmidti Johansson sp. nov., Ophion sinuosus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion sistanicus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion transcarinatus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion vasi Johansson sp. nov. and Ophion xrafstra Johansson sp. nov. Sixteen species: Enicospilus combustus (Gravenhorst, 1829); E. intermedius (Johansson, 2018); E. undulatus (Gravenhorst, 1829); Ophion angularis Johansson Cederberg, 2019; Ophion bipictor Aubert, 1980; Ophion crassicornis Brock, 1982; Ophion confusus Johansson, 2019; Ophion ellenae Johansson, 2019; Ophion eremita Kokujev, 1906; Ophion kallanderi Johansson, 2019; Ophion rostralis Meyer, 1935; Ophion rufoniger Kohl, 1905; Ophion semipullatus Kokujev, 1909; Ophion tenuicornis Johansson, 2019; Hellwigiella dichromoptera (Costa, 1886) and Eremotylus curvinervis (Kriechbaumer, 1878) are new records for the fauna of Iran. Enicospilus flavocephalus (Kirby, 1900), Enicospilus monostigma (Vollenhoven, 1879) and Eremotylus sibiricus Szpligeti, 1905 are excluded from the Iranian checklist due to previous misidentifications. Enicospilus tarsalis Hedwig, 1957 syn. nov. is excluded from synonymy with E. ahngeri and instead introduced as a junior synonym of E. cruciator Viktorov, 1957. Enicospilus affinis Hedwig, 1957 stat. rev. is excluded from synonymy with E. ocellatus Shestakov, 1926 and reinstated as a valid species. Enicospilus splendidus Rousse, Soliman Gadallah, 2017 syn. nov. is a junior synonym of Enicospilus stenopsis Kohl, 1905. Enicospilus grandiflavus Townes Townes, 1973 (= E. grandis Morley) syn. nov. is synonymized with Enicospilus unicallosus (Vollenhoven, 1878). Enicospilus contributus Shestakov, 1926 is confirmed as a junior synonym of E. merdarius (Gravenhorst, 1829). Ophion fossulatus Hedwig, 1957 stat. rev. is excluded from synonymy with Ophion mocsaryi Brauns, 1899 and reinstated as a valid species close to Ophion parvulus Kriechbaumer. Ophion mocsaryi var. decedens Hedwig, 1961 syn. nov. is a synonym of Ophion bipictor Aubert, 1980. Ophion obscuratus var. heratensis Hedwig, 1961 syn. nov. is treated as a synonym of Ophion turcomanicus Szpligeti, 1905. Ophion pravinervis Kokujev, 1906, previously only known from the lost type collected in Georgia, is redescribed. Despite the relatively high number of new species here presented, the Iranian fauna most likely still harbours additional species awaiting discovery.

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified opium use as a Group 1 carcinogen. However, much remains to be studied on the relation between opium and cancer. We designed the Iranian Opium and Cancer (IROPICAN) study to further investigate the association of opium use and cancers of the head and neck, bladder, lung, and colon and rectum. In this paper, we describe the rationale, design, and some initial results of the IROPICAN Study., Methods: The IROPICAN is a multi-center case-control study conducted in 10 provinces of Iran. The cases were all histologically confirmed and the controls were selected from hospital visitors who were free of cancer, were not family members or friends of the cancer patients, and were visiting the hospital for reasons other than their own ailment. The questionnaires included detailed questions on opium use (including age at initiation, duration, frequency, typical amount, and route), and potential confounders, such as tobacco use (e.g., cigarettes, nass and water-pipe), and dietary factors. Biological samples, including blood and saliva, were also collected., Results: The validation and pilot phases showed reasonably good validity, with sensitivities of 70% and 69% for the cases and controls, respectively, in reporting opium use. The results also showed excellent reliability, with intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.96 for ever opium use and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.92) for regular opium use. In the main phase, we recruited 3299 cancer cases (99% response rate) and 3477 hospital visitor controls (89% response rate). The proportion of ever-use of opium was 40% among cases and 18% among controls., Conclusion: The IROPICAN study will serve as a major resource in studies addressing the effect of opium on risk of cancers of the head and neck, bladder, lung, and colon and rectum., (© 2021 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

During a study of the family Myrmeleontidae of Iran, specimens of the tribe Myrmeleontini, housed in Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum were examined. Specimens of Euroleon nostras and Myrmeleon noacki were identified for the first time from Iran. An identification key, illustrations and distributional maps are presented for the Iranian species of Myrmeleontini.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a highly complex, heterogeneous and multifactorial disease and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide. Family history and genetic mutations are important risk factors for BC. While studies in twins have estimated that about 10%-30% of BC are due to hereditary factors, only 4%-5% of them are due to mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Our aim was to investigate the role of other BC genes in familial BC among the Iranian population., Methods: We selected 61 BC patients who were wild-type for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations but who met the criteria for hereditary BC based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. We performed targeted sequencing covering the exons of 130 known cancer susceptibility genes based on the Cancer Gene Census list., Results: We found seven mutations in seven known BC susceptibility genes (RAD50, PTEN, TP53, POLH, DKC1, WRN and CHEK2) in seven patients including two pathogenic frameshift variants in RAD50 and WRN genes, four pathogenic missense variants in TP53, PTEN, POLH, and DKC1 genes and a pathogenic splice donor variant in the CHEK2 gene. The presence of all these variants was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and Gap reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the splice variant. In silico analysis of all of these variants predicted them to be pathogenic., Conclusion: Panel testing of BC patients who met the established criteria for hereditary BC but who were negative for BRCA1/2 mutations provided additional relevant clinical information for approximately 11.5% of the families. Our findings indicate that next generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful tool to investigative putative mutagenic variants among patients who meet the criteria for hereditary BC, but with negative results on BRCA1/2 testing., (© 2020 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Because the contribution of genetic factors to the burden of breast cancer is not well investigated in Iran, we aimed to examine the prevalence of mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1/2 and PALB2 , and to investigate the predictive potential of hereditary breast cancer risk criteria for genetic testing in Iranian population. Next-generation sequencing was conducted on a population consisting of 299 and 125 patients with breast cancer, with and without hereditary cancer risk criteria for genetic testing, respectively. The pathogenic mutation frequency rate was 10.7% in patients with hereditary cancer criteria versus 1.6% in no criteria group ( P = 0.0017). None of the 107 tested patients with only young age at onset (<40) criterion had a pathogenic mutation. Patients who had only a single heritable risk criterion [OR, 6.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-58.59; P = 0.009] and patients with multiple heritable risk criteria (OR, 22.5; 95% CI, 5.19-201.31; P < 0.0001) had higher probabilities of carrying a mutation compared with no criteria group. Our results showed that young age at onset alone is not an indicator of hereditary breast cancer at least in the Iranian population. This is while women with multiple hereditary breast cancer risk criteria were enriched for BRCA1/2 mutations. Given such high risk of identification of a disease-causing mutation, multiple hereditary criteria should be regarded as a strong predictor for a hereditary breast cancer syndrome. These findings are important concerning the optimization of genetic counseling and furthermore establishing criteria for BRCA1/2 testing of the Iranian population., (©2019 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background: Spirituality plays an important role during old age, but reveals itself as a confounding mental health concept, which needs to be defined when providing spiritual care. The purpose of this study was to explore factors promoting Iranian older adults' spirituality., Method: In a qualitative content analysis approach, we searched for the factors promoting spirituality among a selection of Iranian older adults. Totally, 22 people aged above 60 years old were interviewed using open-ended questions. The recorded interviews were then transcribed, and a coding process was applied based on a qualitative, conventional content analysis., Results: Three key factors were found to promote the spirituality among the older adults: 1) insight in personal belief, 2) spiritual socialization, and 3) peace of mind. Traditional dimensions, the cultural surroundings, and participants' religious beliefs were apparent in each of the categories., Conclusion: Society's role in making the seniors spiritual role models was very important; moreover the hereafter life on religious grounds seemed to be another important factor in reaching for high levels of spiritual and mystical perfection. Educational interventions based on the elders' needs for spiritual empowering by health care professionals especially with regards to their spiritual based social interactions and reaching peace of mind, will comprise a major part of wellness approaches.

Hearing impairment (HI) caused by mutations in the connexin-26 gene (GJB2) accounts for the majority of cases with inherited, nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss. Due to the illegality of the abortion of deaf fetuses in Islamic countries, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a possible solution for afflicted families to have a healthy offspring. This study describes the first use of PGD for GJB2 associated non-syndromic deafness in Iran. GJB2 donor splicing site IVS1+1G&gt;A mutation analysis was performed using Sanger sequencing for a total of 71 Iranian families with at least 1 deaf child diagnosed with non-syndromic deafness. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was performed, followed by PGD for a cousin couple with a 50% chance of having an affected child. Bi-allelic pathogenic mutations were found in a total of 12 families (~17 %); of which a couple was a PGD volunteer. The deaf woman in this family was homozygous and her husband was a carrier of the IVS1+1G&gt;A gene mutation. Among 8 biopsied embryos, two healthy embryos were implanted which resulted in a single pregnancy and subsequent birth of a healthy baby boy. This is the first report of a successful application of PGD for hearing loss in Iran. Having a baby with a severe hearing impairment often imposes families with long-term disease burden and heavy therapy costs. Today PGD has provided an opportunity for high-risk individuals to avoid the birth of a deaf child.

Background: TNF-α -308G/A polymorphism has been investigated in few studies for an association with susceptibility to bullous pemphigoid (BP) and alopecia areata (AA). Yet, these findings had so far not been independently replicated, and no data on a possible association of TNFα -308G/A polymorphism with these diseases in Iranian population were available., Objectives: In the present study, a possible effect of TNF-α -308G/A variation on susceptibility to BP or AA disease was evaluated., Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of the patients with BP and AA as well as control subjects which genotyped for the TNF-α -308 G/A polymorphism. TNF-α gene expression levels were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR., Results: No association was observed between the TNF-α -308 G/A variation and susceptibility to BP or AA diseases in our Iranian cohort. In contrast to AA patients, expression of TNF-α gene was significantly higher in BP patients compared to control group. TNF-α gene was found to be similarly expressed in mutant and wild-type genotypes., Conclusions: TNF-α -308G/A polymorphism is not associated with the risk to develop of BP and AA in our Iranian cohort. Furthermore, this polymorphism is contributed to altering the levels of gene expression in BP disease.

Background: Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and malignant brain tumor. Risk factors are largely unknown however, although several biomarkers have been identified which may support development, angiogenesis and invasion of tumor cells. One of these biomarkers is PAI-1. 4G/5G and A-844G are two common polymorphisms in the gene promotor of PAI 1 that may be related to high transcription and expression of this gene. Studies have shown that the prevalence of the 4G and 844G allele is significantly higher in patients with some cancers and genetic disorders., Materials and Methods: We here assessed the association of 4G/5G and A-844G polymorphisms with glioblastoma cancer risk in Iranians in a case-control study. All 71 patients with clinically confirmed and 140 volunteers with no history and symptoms of glioblastoma as control group were screened for 4G/5G and A-844G polymorphisms of PAI-1, using ARMS-PCR. Genotype and allele frequencies of case and control groups were analyzed using the DeFinetti program., Results: Our results showed significant associations between 4G/5G (p=0.01824) and A-844G (p=0.02012) polymorphisms of the PAI-1 gene with glioblastoma cancer risk in our Iranian population., Conclusions: The results of this study supporting an association of the PAI-1 4G/5G (p=0.01824) and A-844G (p=0.02012) polymorphisms with increasing glioblastoma cancer risk in Iranian patients.

Background: One of the causes of acute leukemia can be exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides. This study determined the relationship between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of acute leukemia in Fars province, south of Iran., Materials and Methods: Between April 2011 and April 2013 in a case-control study conducted in Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz, Southern Iran; 314 subjects diagnosed with acute leukemia (94 pediatric cases and 220 adults) were enrolled to determine any correlation between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence. Controls (n=314) were matched by sex and age., Results: There was a history of exposure to pesticides among 85% of pediatric cases and 69% of their controls and 83% of adult cases and 75% of their controls while 87.5% of pediatric cases and 90% of adult cases reported exposure to intermediate and high doses of pesticides and among the controls, the exposure to low doses of pesticides was 70.5% and 65%, respectively. Exposure to indoor pesticides was seen among most of cases and controls. Being a farmer was at a significantly more increased risk of developing acute leukemia in comparison to other jobs, especially for their children., Conclusions: Exposure to pesticides was shown to be one of the most important causes of acute leukemia. It seems that there is a need to educate the people on public health importance of exposure to pesticides especially during school time to reduce the risk of malignancies during childhood.

The regeneration structure and biodiversity of trees and shrub species in under story of pure and mixed Oak plantations were investigated in Chamestan Forest and Rangeland Research Station of Iran. Planted species including Oak (as main species) and Hornbeam (as associated species). This species were planted in five proportions (100Q, 70Q:30C, 60Q:40C, 50Q:50C, 40Q:60Z) in Northern of Iran in 11 years ago. All of regenerating seedlings and saplings of woody plants were divided into two height classes of 15-200 cm and more than 200 cm. In biodiversity study dominance index of Berger-Parker, diversity index of Fisher alpha, richness index of Margalef and evenness index of Equitability J were used. The results showed that abundance and diversity of regenerated species in under story of all plantations of oak were more than unplanted control plots and also under 50Q:50C were more than pure stand of oak. The presence of primary forest species in under stories of mixed plantation showed the usage of these plantations in development of succession in natural