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Introduction: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the common causes of injuries, claims, and decisions related to laser therapy medical malpractice during a nine-year survey. Methods: The legal documents in the Coroner's Office of Forensic Medicine were investigated in a national database from 2012 to 2020 in Tehran, Iran. The frequency and nature of the cases, including the year of litigation, the location and certificate of the provider, the injury sustained, and the cause of legal action and judgment were collected. Results: Three hundred and eighty-three cases related to injury from laser therapy were registered in the coroner's Office of Forensic Medicine during the study period. The incidence of litigation related to laser surgery showed an increasing trend, with a peak occurrence in 2020. Laser hair removal was the most common (51.2%) litigated procedure. General practice operators (48%) recorded the highest rate of laser-related medical complaints. Lack of skill was the most common reason for failure. Among 383 cases with public decisions, 62.4% of them were fault liability in paid judgment. Conclusion: Medical claims related to laser application are increasing. However, as it is clear, the growth of laser technology and the increasing demand for lasers in medical science require more surveillance to avoid probable injuries and improve patient safety, especially surveillance of the physicians who work outside the scope of their specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study strove to unfold the relationship between interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence types and classroom management strategies among the instructors of teaching English to the students of medical sciences. The study further tried to see if there was any significant difference between language and content instructors in terms of their classroom management strategies in their classes. Methods: A convenient sample of 80 EAP instructors from state universities of Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and Mashhad provided responses to the excerpted items related to personal intelligences from McKenzie's !Multiple Intelligences Questionnaire and Behavior and Instructional !Management Scale (BIMS). A Pearson product-moment correlation test was run to determine the possible link between the participants' personal intelligences and their classroom management strategies. !Moreover, an independent sample ttestwas used to find out the possible difference between language and content instructors in terms of their classroom management strategies. Results: The results revealed a significant relationship between the instructors' interpersonal and inrapersonal intelligences and their classroom management strategies. Furthermore, a significant difference was found between language and content instructors in terms of their classroom management approaches in English for the students of medical science courses. Conclusion: The findings can raise the EAP instructors' consciousness to enhance their interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence types in order to improve and promote their cassroom management strategies. In addition, the results may enhance the policymakers' perception of the required considerations for in-service teacher training courses of English for medical science instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To acquire evidence-based knowledge in temporal and spatial patterns of microglia/macrophages changes to facilitate finding proper intervention time for functional restoration after traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).Setting: Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Methods: We searched PubMed and EMBASE via Ovid SP with no temporal and linguistic restrictions. Besides, hand-search was performed in the bibliographies of relevant studies. The experimental non-interventional and non-transgenic animal studies confined to the rat species which assess the pathological change of microglia /macrophages at the specified time were included.Results: We found 15,315 non-duplicate studies. Screening through title and abstract narrowed down to 607 relevant articles, 31 of them were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The reactivity of the microglia/macrophages initiates in early hours PI in contusion, compression and transection models. Cells activity reached a maximum within 48 h to 28 days in compression, 7 days in contusion and between 4 and 60 days in transection models. Inflammatory response occurred at the epicenter, in or near the lesion site in both gray and white matter in all three injury models with a maximum extension of one centimeter caudal and rostral to the epicenter in the gray matter in contusion and transection models.Conclusion: This study was designed to study spatial-temporal changes in the activation of microglia/macrophages overtime after TSCI. We were able to demonstrate time-dependent cell morphological changes after TSCI. The peak times of cell reactivity and the areas where the cells responded to the injury were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lasers are becoming the standard of care for many dental procedures, and are being introduced as a high-tech instrument. They are also becoming more routine in dentistry through the advent of office-based lasers, which are also simple to use within the oral cavity. Many studies have shown the competencies of laser technology for the management of benign oral lesions as these techniques allow for painless and bloodless oral surgery. Cases Report: Nine patients attending the Department of oral and maxillofacial Disease, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, underwent laser outpatient procedures for the surgical removal of a wide range of benign oral lesions. Regarding the history, present illnesses and clinical figures of all reported cases, the clinician ensured that the lesions were benign and after taking informed consent from every patient, he did complete the excision of lesions with diode lasers. Following the injection of local anesthesia, an 810 nm diode laser was applied for the excisional biopsy of oral lesions. The specimens were sent for histopathological evaluations and the patients were assessed on intraoperative and postoperative complications. The patients were followed up for postoperative complications at one week and 2 weeks post-treatment. Conclusions: According to our findings, a diode laser can be a choice for the outpatient treatment of oral mucosal benign lesions as this technique provides painless and almost bloodless treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Growing demand for medical services has increased patient waiting time due to the limited number or unbalanced distribution of healthcare centers. Healthcare teleconsultation networks are one of the potentially powerful systems to overcome this problem. Medical pathology can hugely benefit from teleconsultation networks because having second opinions is precious for many cases; however, resource planning (i.e., assignment and distribution of pathology consultation requests) is challenging due to bulky medical images of patients. This results in high setup and operational costs. The aim of this study is to design an optimal teleconsultation network for pathology labs under the supervision of medical sciences universities in Tehran, Iran.Methods: To avoid the setup cost, we first propose a modified hybrid peer-to-peer (P2P) overlay architecture for our telepathology network, using Iran's National Healthcare Information Network (SHAMS) as the underlying infrastructure. Then we apply optimization techniques to solve the request assignment and distribution problems in the network. Finally, we present a novel mathematical model with the objective of minimizing the variable operational costs of the system.Results: The efficiency of the proposed method was evaluated by a set of practical-sized network instances simulated based on the characteristics of SHAMS. The results show that the presented model and architecture can obtain optimal solutions for network instances up to 350 nodes, which covers our target network.Conclusions: We believe that the proposed method can be beneficial for designing large-scale medical teleconsultation networks by adjusting the constraints according to the rules and conditions of each country. Our findings showed that teleconsultation networks in countries with strong information technology (IT) infrastructures are under the influence of consultation fees, while in countries with weak IT infrastructure, the transmission costs are more critical. To the best of our knowledge, no research has so far addressed resource planning in medical teleconsultation networks using optimization techniques. Besides, the target network, i.e., pathology labs under the supervision of medical sciences universities in Tehran and the SHAMS network, are discussed for the first time in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among the human parasitic diseases, malaria is the main cause of morbidity and mortality. To prevent the high mortality and tracking malaria elimination efforts, a prompt and sensitive diagnosis is essential. This study aimed to compare High-Resolution Melting (HRM) and microscopic methods to diagnose Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. Methods: Eighty-one blood samples were collected from patients with clinical symptoms who were suspect to malaria in Chabahar district, southeastern Iran and also, from those who were referred to Malaria National Laboratory in the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Microscopic examination and HRM method were used to the diagnosis of Plasmodium parasites simultaneously. Results: Microscopic results revealed 45 positive cases (12 P. falciparum and 33 P. vivax) out of 81 collected samples while according to HRM analysis results 11 and 33 samples were identified as P. falciparum and P. vivax, respectively. HRM analysis also revealed 1 mixed infection of P. falciparum and P.malariae. Conclusion: HRM analysis provides a promising mean for simultaneous detection and discrimination of the Plasmodium spp.especially in mixed infection cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is an emerging uncontrollable and neglected infectious disease worldwide including Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of apoptosis-related miRNA and its target gene in macrophages. Methods: This study was carried out in the Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran from January 2016 to November 2018.Applying literature reviews, bioinformatics software, and microarray expression analysis, we selected miRNA-24-3p interfering in apoptosis pathway. The expression profile of this miRNA and target gene were investigated in Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER)-infected primary and RAW 264.7 macrophages (IBRC-C10072) compared with non-infected macrophages (control group) using quantitative Real-time PCR. Results: Results of bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-24-3p as anti-apoptotic miRNA inhibits pro-apoptotic genes (Caspases 3 and 7). Microarray expression data presented in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) revealed a significant difference in the expression level of selected miRNA and its target gene between two groups. QRT-PCR results showed that the expression of miR-24-3p was upregulated in L. major infectioned macrophages that approved the results of bioinformatics and microarray analysis. Conclusion: Parasite can alter miRNAs expression pattern in the host cells to establish infection and its survival. Alteration in miRNAs levels likely plays an important role in regulating macrophage functions following L. major infection. These results could highlight current understanding and new insights concerning the gene expression in macrophages during leishmaniasis and will help to development of novel strategies for control and treatment of CL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: The her2 amplification plays an important role in breast cancer management. Therefore, there is a need for using supplementary molecular methods in IHC equivocal cases. Present study has been conducted to determine the effects of clinicopathological variables on her2 gene amplification by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) in IHC Her2 (2+) breast cancer individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Zaferanyeh Laboratory collaborated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Tehran-Iran; 2015-2018). All pathological data related invasive breast cancer patients with equivocal IHC results were included. CISH method was performed as a supplementary technique. The associations between histopathologic variables, status of Ki-67 index, progesterone and estrogen receptors (PR & ER) with her2 amplification by CISH were investigated and analyzed. The level of significance was considered as P-value < 0.05. Results: Totally, 239 patients with mean age of 53.2 years were studied. CISH identified her2 gene amplification in 51 subjects (21.3%). The type of tumor (invasive ductal carcinoma), the tumor grade, and the value of Ki-67 index were directly correlated with her2 amplification. Significant negative associations were also observed between CISH results and ER and PR expression. Conclusion: As her2 gene amplification was identified in 21.3% of invasive breast cancer patients with equivocal IHC results, it is supposed that applying CISH method may consider as a potentially valuable supplementary method. Results have also shown that higher grades of tumor, invasive ductal carcinoma, absences of hormone receptors and high Ki-67 index significantly correlated with the her2 amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Most colorectal cancers (CRCs) arise from adenomatous polyps, and clinical management of this type of polyp is highly dependent on the reliability and validity of the pathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to examine the interobserver agreement of five pathologists in assessing dysplasia in adenomatous polyps. Methods: In this study, a total of 146 adenomatous polyps of patients undergoing colonoscopy were selected from hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran between 2017 and 2018. Five pathologists independently classified adenomatous polyps according to histologic type, nuclear pseudostratification, mitotic activity, nuclear polarity, nuclear pleomorphism, nuclear shape, nucleolus, chromatin pattern, cytology grade, architectural features, dysplasia, and final diagnosis. The overall kappa statistic (k) was used to assess agreement among pathologists. Results: The mean age of the patients was 62.06 ± 13.06 (mean ± SD) with a male-tofemale ratio of 2.2:1. The most common site of resection was the sigmoid colon (28.1%). The highest agreement was found for dysplasia grade (k=0.415) and histologic type (k=0.401), whereas the lowest agreement was found for mitotic activity (k=0.185), nuclear shape (k=0.187), and nucleolus (k=0.196). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that agreement among pathologists in assessing dysplasia in adenomatous polyps is within fair to moderate levels of agreement. Therefore, there is a vital need to better clarify the current diagnostic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smartphone usage has increasing during recent years. Since its excessive use can have negative consequences, it is important to know how users use it and become dependent on it. This study was aimed at exploring how university students use their phones, how they depend on them, and the possible consequences of overusing them. Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative design and with a thematic analysis method. Data were collected using 3 focus group discussions regarding experiences of using smartphones among 22 smartphone owners who reported smartphone overuse. They were chosen through snowball sampling at a University of Medical Sciences in Tehran (Iran). Findings: Based on the analysis, the 3 categories of process usage (sub-categories: doing daily routines, information seeking, to take a picture or video, entertainment, academic work, making money, to escape real-life, and passing the time), social usage (sub-categories: relationship with family, relationship with friends, interact with the opposite gender, to be seen and heard, approval seeking, and free expression), and disadvantages (sub-categories: interference with other essential activities, decreased face-to-face communications, overdependence, automatic use, loss of sense of time, stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, physical inactivity, eye problems, high bills, and distraction) were developed. Conclusion: In this research, participants mentioned various uses of their smartphones that enable them to meet their personal needs and, in spite of the negative consequences of its overuse, cause them to continue to use it. Some uses seem to be affected by environmental and cultural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and has mental and emotional effects, which lead to a decline in their quality of life. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of severe depression in Iranian women with breast cancer. Methods. This meta-analysis study was conducted at Zabol University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Seven electronic databases were searched and evaluated for original research papers published on the prevalence of severe depression in Iranian women with breast cancer. Finally, 13 articles were selected and analyzed via Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Results. Overall, the prevalence of severe depression in Iranian women with breast cancer was 11% (95% CI (7.2, 16.5)). The highest prevalence was 44% in Tehran City in 2015 (95% CI (31, 57.9)), and the lowest prevalence was 0.8% in Qom City in 2017 (95% CI (0.01, 6.2)). A significant statistical correlation was observed between the prevalence of severe depression and sample size (p < 0.05). Conclusion. According to the results of this study, the prevalence of severe depression affects more than one-tenth of women with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacteremia is relatively common in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of bacterial meningitis among neonates with laboratory-confirmed UTI. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 163 hospitalized neonates in Ali Asghar and Shahid Akbarabadi hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. The demographic and clinical data of hospitalized neonates due to UTI during the recent 6 years (2010-2016) who were aged < 28 days and had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture via lumbar puncture were extracted from medical records and recorded in some checklists. Results: A total of 163 neonates with laboratory-confirmed UTI with the mean age of 18.25±5.41 days were included. In this study, 54% of the neonates were male. Out of all neonates, 23 (14.1%) cases had positive blood culture. The positive CSF culture was observed in only two (1.2%) neonates. Positive voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) test was reported in 50% of the neonates with positive CSF culture (P=0.047). Although abnormal ultrasound findings related to the urinary tract in positive CSF neonates were higher by approximately twofold, compared to those reported for negative CSF neonates, this difference was not statistically significant (50% and 24.2%, respectively; P=0.432). Conclusion: The frequency of the concurrent occurrence of UTI and meningitis in our neonates was 1.2%. Out of all indicators associated with meningitis occurrence, positive VCUG may be a risk factor. Further prospective studies are needed to approve these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Immunity of Iranian girls at the verge of marriage for rubella is about 90.6%. • Immunity of Iranian girls at the verge of marriage for measles is about 80.7%. • Effects of anti-rubella and measles campaign of Dec 2003 are still noticeable. • The higher the education level of girls, the higher their seropositive rate. Measles and rubella as two highly contagious eruptive diseases are on the agenda to be eliminated in Iran by 2020. To evaluate the seroimmunity of the future mothers against rubella and measles, a nationwide serosurvey was implemented in 10 provinces, selected at random from 31 provinces in the country. using a multistage sampling method, 1600 participants were interviewed and blood sampled in 40 'Pre-marriage Consultation Centers' across 40 districts. Using ELISA method, the sera were tested for anti-rubella and anti-measles IgG antibodies in the National Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Of the 1600 initial participants, the sera of 1573 participants were tested for rubella and 1569 for measles. The total seroprevalence of anti-rubella and anti-measles antibodies were 90.6% (95%CI: 89.1 to 92.0%) and 80.7% (95%CI: 78.7 to 82.6%) respectively. After 14 years, the effect of the immunization campaign of 2003 against rubella and measles on the age group of 5 to 25 years, was still apparent, i.e., there was a sharp difference between the seroprevalence of antibody (against both measles and rubella) of those who at the time of the present study were above 18 years with the younger age cohorts. For both diseases, higher seroprevalence of antibodies was detected in women above 18 years old. Implementation of a Supplemental Immunization activity or revision of the national immunization schedule to add a third dose of measles and rubella containing vaccine during adolescence are/might be considered as possible options for bridging the gap in the seroimmunity of the younger age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the challenges of multidisciplinary disciplines such as Medical Informatics, is the lack of familiarity with research fields. Due to the specializations and clinical facilities concentrated in each university, research is being done differently and with variety. Therefore, in this study, in order to identify the most researched fields and the neglected fields of research, the dissertations done in the field of medical informatics in Iranian universities were studied based on the health informatics framework. Material and Methods: Defended dissertations available to master and doctoral students of medical informatics during 2011 to 2019 in the universities of Tehran, Iran, Tarbiat Modares, Shahid Beheshti, Shiraz, Tabriz and Mashhad were collected. Three medical informatics experts assigned dissertation titles to a competency and an area of skill based on health informatics competencies framework. The second stage of the study was performed by two other experts (different from the previous three experts). Each dissertation title was assigned to a specific competency and a specific area of skill by the majority opinion method. Results: The results showed that the most of master and doctoral dissertations were in the field of information science and methods, in which area of skill of data analysis and visualization, which decision support systems and informatics for participatory health were more than others. Among PhD students, the area of skill of decision support system and architecture of health information systems were more popular. PhD students at the universities of Mashhad, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti worked in the field of methods and basic principles of activities more than other areas, information and communication technology, biomedical science and health were not considered. Conclusion: Results of this research could be helpful for field researchers in terms of conducting new research in the field and can help to design useful, scientific and effective research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Do oral contraceptives (OCs) containing progestins with low androgenic or antiandrogenic activities have different effects to those containing levonorgestrel (LNG) on clinical, androgenic and metabolic manifestations of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?Summary Answer: The three OCs tested had similar effects on clinical findings of hyperandrogenism (HA), whereas products containing LNG were less effective on androgenic profiles and had detrimental effects on lipid profiles.What Is Known Already: Despite data available on the effects of OCs, the superiority of products with low androgenic or antiandrogenic progesterone components in comparison with older products used in women with PCOS has not been clarified.Study Design, Size, Duration: This study is a crossover randomized controlled six-arm trial, with all six arms including two 6-month treatment periods, one period with OCs containing LNG, and the other with one of three OCs containing desogestrel (DSG), cyproterone acetate (CPA) or drospirenone (DRSP). The trial was conducted between February 2016 and January 2018 and enrolled 200 patients with PCOS.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Two hundred women with PCOS (ages 18-45 years) were recruited at the endocrine outpatient clinic of the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES) of the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. A blocking or stratification random allocation (block size = 6) using a computer-based random number generator was prepared to assign participants to treatment groups. Both the clinical examiner and data analyst were blinded to participants during the trial. Outcomes of interest, including anthropometric and clinical manifestations and hormonal, and biochemical parameters were assessed at baseline, after 3 and 6 months of each treatment and after the washout period.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: This study detected a higher decrease in free-androgen index (FAI) levels after 3 months of treatment with OCs containing DSG (95% CI: -2.3, -1.0), CPA (95% CI: -2.4, -1.1) and DRSP (95% CI: -2.6, -1.4), compared with products containing LNG (P < 0.001). Use of OCs containing DSG (95% CI: -3.6, -1.5), CPA (95% CI: -3.1, -0.8) and DRSP (95% CI: -3.4, -1.1) for 6 months was associated with more decrease in FAI, compared with products containing LNG (P < 0.001). The study showed that use of OCs containing DSG, CPA and DRSP for 3-6 months was associated with a higher increase of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), compared with products containing LNG (P < 0.001). We also observed more decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels after use of OCs containing DSG (P = 0.003), CPA (P = 0.012) and DRSP (P < 0.001) for 6 months, compared with products containing LNG. Our results showed that the use of OCs containing DRSP for 6 months was associated with more improvement in acne, compared with products containing LNG (P = 0.007). Women treated with OCs containing CPA, and DRSP for 3 months had higher TG and HDL levels and lower LDL levels, compared with those treated with products containing LNG (P < 0.05). After 6 months of treatment, patients treated with OCs containing DRSP had a sharper decline in LDL levels and more increase in HDL levels, compared to those treated with products containing LNG (P = 0.001).Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Considering this trial was conducted in women diagnosed with Androgen Excess Society criteria, the results may not be generalizable for mild phenotypes diagnosed using Rotterdam criteria. Other limitations of the study include the high dropout rate, the lack of a gold standard androgen assay and the multiple end points.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Our results support the views of clinicians, who suggest an OC with a low androgenic or antiandrogenic progestin, if available, to treat PCOS.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This study was supported by the RIES, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. There are no conflicts of interest.Trial Registration Number: IRCT201702071281N2.Trial Registration Date: 21 February 2017.Date Of First Patient’s Enrolment: 21 March 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vygotsky’s Action Theory clarifies that humans’ behaviors are mostly derived by socio-cultural backgrounds. It heavily relies on the fact that information interaction can be affected by afterbirth habits and historical knowledge. Health scholars' web-based information practice is hugely important since they learn while they teach and information practice is a such interaction. Drawing on viewpoint of Vygotsky’s Action theory we studied health scholars’ information practice and investigated the related factors using a qualitative grounded-based theory approach. On a voluntary basis 23 faculty members from School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran were selected and on two stages were asked about their information practice experiences during December 2015 to March 2016 and November to December 2017. Interviews were placed at their university offices, then transcribed, coded and carefully analyzed. We derived 3 themes of cultural, economic and sociopolitical factors for all barriers the faculties had during their information practice. Since students directly, and the society at large collectively bear the brunt of the barriers, a suitable and effective modification of the current status is recommended. It looks as if the governing system contribute to help improving information practice of played-out scholars, we will have the cultural, economic, and socio-political development on an accelerating rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Biological alterations throughout the lives of women make them highly vulnerable compared to men. Thus, being empowered to make better reproductive decisions is an important and valuable aspect of women's lives. One of the Millennium Development Goals was women's empowerment. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between marital satisfaction and women's empowerment in progenitive decision-making. Materials and Methods: This explanatory correlational study was conducted on 400 women who had referred to medical centers associated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Data were collected using a questionnaire encompassing the participants' demographic information, the indices of marital satisfaction and women's empowerment in reproductive decisions. The gathered data were evaluated via the SPSS software version 21.0. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between female marital satisfaction and relevant reproductive empowerment (r = 0.34; P<0.05). Based on the results, the participants also showed an average level of progenitive empowerment. Conclusions: In general, women's empowerment and relevant progenitive decision-makings are defined in relation to their marital satisfaction; hence both fields require undivided attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) can cause a fatal disease in humans and it is mainly transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Vector control using insecticides is a very important goal. Study of Culex pipiens resistance towards several insecticides in the city of Tehran, Iran was evaluated. Methods: Adult females reared from field-caught larvae from southern part of Tehran and lab strain reared in the insectary of Tehran University of Medical Science were determined for resistant status by exposing to 4% DDT, 0.1% bendiocarb, 0.1% propoxur, 1% fenitrothion, 0.05% deltamethrin, 0.75% permethrin, 0.05% lambda-cyhalothrin, 0.5% etofenprox, 5% malathion and 0.15% cyfluthrin papers using the standard WHO susceptibility tests. Results: Results clearly showed resistance development of Cx. pipiens against tested insecticides. Mortalities of Cx. pipiens were less than 90% with high resistance, low knock down rate and knock down time (50%) observed against insecticides. DDT and Malathion showed the most and least lethal time (LT50) values for the field strain. The results of the knockdown test showed that DDT and deltamethrin had the most and least knockdown times (50%) for the field strain, respectively, while DDT and lambda-cyhalothrin had the most and least knockdown times (50%) for the lab strain, respectively. Conclusion: Resistance to mentioned insecticides in Cx. pipiens is widely distributed in southern part of Tehran. Regular implementation of susceptibility test in Cx. pipiens mosquitoes will help local public health authorities to develop new and better control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is considered to be a cultural and value-driven matter where any intervention in this field requires certain tools in order to describe the status quo. The current study, while taking into account the contextual texts related to Islamic mentoring, seeks to develop a tool to quantify this concept, as well as introduce the respective psychometric properties. A 113 items questionnaire was designed after reviewing the literature, the recommended guidelines concerning Islamic mentor and mentee, and reviewing available international tools. Content validity of the questionnaire was evaluated based on several criteria of clarity, fitness, and comprehensiveness by a survey of 10 experts and the necessary corrections were made. In the primary phase of this study, the psychometric properties of this questionnaire were evaluated by collecting the data from a random sample of 213 Iranian Ph.D. students in Tehran Universities of Medical Sciences. The factors analysis results show that 70 items, in the form of nine factors, construct the Islamic monitoring. Furthermore, The Cronbach's α coefficient was determined for each factor and the entire questionnaire. Total reliability of the scale was obtained at 0.97. Considering the confirmed validity and reliability of the questionnaire, this tool can be highly beneficial for the experts and education professionals, particularly in the field of medicine, for the assessment and establishment of mentoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection cause trichomoniasis. In this study prevalence and genotype of Iranian isolates of T. vaginalis infected (dsRNA) viruses were evaluated by PCR-RFLP and obtained patterns were then confirmed by sequence analysis and genotype of these Iranian isolates confirmed again. Methods: Ten strains of T.vaginalis were collected from 1700 vaginal samples of women referred to hospitals associated with Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran during Feb 2016 to Jul 2017, evaluated in points of infection to T. vaginalis Virus (TVV-1) were used in a PCR-RFLP. All of ten isolates of T. vaginalis were examined by designed nested PCR for actin gene and then digestion patterns of three endonuclease enzymes of HindII, MseI and RsaI were evaluated and genotype of these isolates was defined. Results: By combination of fragments pattern of three enzymes of HindII, RsaI and MseI, three genotypes were found; six genotypes E, two genotypes G and two genotypes I. The most dominant genotypes were genotype E. Among four TVV infected isolates two genotype E, one genotype G and one genotype I were found, however among six uninfected T. vaginalis isolates to TVV-1, all of three genotypes were also found. Conclusion: Three genotypes E, G and I in T. vaginalis infected with dsRNA isolates were found, however, these three genotypes in T. vaginalis without virus were also observed. Further study is needed to evaluate genotypes of T. vaginalis, which infected virus in more great T. vaginalis population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to evaluate the safety of SinaAmpholeish in a doubleblind, randomized, phase 1 clinical trial in healthy human volunteers. Methods: The study was carried out in DermaLab of Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran in 2012. A topical Nano-liposomal formulation of 0.4% Amphotericin B was developed against Leishmania under trade name of SinaAmpholeish. In this randomized, double-blind, right-left, comparative, phase I clinical trial, in 2 steps; 7 and 20 healthy volunteers were recruited and applied SinaAmpholeish on the right and its vehicle on the left volar side of forearm, twice a day for one week or 3 times a day for two weeks. Seven biophysical skin parameters were measured in standard conditions before and 2 wk after application. Results: There was no adverse effect when SinaAmpholeish and its vehicle were used twice a day for seven days. However, when were used 3 times a day for two weeks, both SinaAmpholeish and its vehicle induced severe local skin reactions in 2 volunteers leading to discontinuation of application. Mild and temporary local reactions were observed in about half of the application sides and there was no significant difference between SinaAmpholeish and its vehicle. Conclusion: The new formulation is safe and worth to be tested in further phase 2 clinical trial and since there was no adverse effect with twice a day application it was decided to use SinaAmpholeish twice a day in phase 2 clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is described as a major health problem in many countries of the world. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are characterized as one of immunologic indexes. One of the best methods to determine of Tregs percentage is flow cytometry. The aim of this study was determination of the role of Tregs profile among acute and chronic forms of human CL using flow cytometry analysis. Methods: This study was conducted on 24 patients referred to Laboratory of Leishmaniasis, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran with acute and 14 patients with chronic phases of CL as well as 15 healthy individuals as control group in 2015-2016. After microscopic examination, 2 ml of peripheral blood samples were collected for determining percentage of CD4 + CD25 + CD127 low Tregs by using flow cytometry method. Results: Using flow cytometry analysis, the average percentage of Tregs were calculated 5.73, 6.71 and 6.61 for acute, chronic and healthy individuals, respectively. With SPSS software and Scheffe multiple comparison tests, the differences within in these groups are statistically significant (P=0.04) and between the acute and chronic group, there was marginally significant with approximately 91% of confidence level (P=0.088). Conclusion: Marginally differences were found significantly among averages of Regulatory T cells, acute and chronic phases of CL. Further comprehensive studies can be needed to verify the role of Tregs in both phases of CL cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sarcomas are rare malignancies with aggressive biological behavior. They are categorized into soft and hard tissue types. The main objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of head and neck sarcomas (HNS) among the Iranian population. Materials and Methods: The pathology files derived from Iran National Tumor Bank of Cancer Institute in Imam Khomeini Hospital, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, served as the source of the materials for this study. All cases diagnosed with head and neck sarcoma were included in the study. The recorded data included the patient's age, gender, tumor location, and rates of recurrence and metastasis. Results: Investigation of the pathology files of the patients referring to the center under study during a 10-year period resulted in the identification of 183 HNS cases, 96.17% of which were primary. Generally, the prevalence of this disease was at its highest level in patients within the age range of 30-60 years with a male to female ratio of 1.4. The recurrence and metastasis rates of HNS were 32.38% and 5%, respectively. Osteosarcoma was detected as the most common type of sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcomas constituted 69.3% of the lesions with a male predilection. The patients afflicted with this type of sarcoma had a mean age of 45.88 years. Furthermore, hard tissue sarcomas comprised 30.68% of the sarcoma cases with a mean age of 36.22 years and a female predilection. The commonest lesion was osteosarcoma, and the most typical location was the mandible. Conclusion: In the current study, head and neck sarcomas were most often observed in patients within the age range of 30-60 years with a male predilection. Osteosarcoma was identified as the most common type of sarcoma. Studies addressing rare lesions with a large sample size facilitate the recognition of the demographic data and histopathologic variation which may contribute to a correct diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in the northwest and south of Iran. Untreated cases of VL could cause death. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of western blotting to detect a specific immunodominant proteins pattern for Leishmania infantum infection using human sera infected with VL. Methods: We studied a panel of 122 cryopreserved human serum samples from the leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran from 2010 to 2017. Serum samples were collected from visceral (Group I, n: 43) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) (Group II, n: 8) patients, healthy individuals from endemic (Group III, n: 13) and non-endemic (Group IV, n: 16) areas for VL, and patients with other infectious diseases (Group V, n: 42). Total antigens were prepared from the Iranian strain of L. infantum promastigote form. Results: In western blotting method, 34 protein bands of 14 to 163 kDa were recognized using the sera of VL patients. The polypeptide fractions with the highest frequency including 29, 51, and 62 kDa fractions were detected using 81.4%, 79%, and 81.4% of the sera, respectively. These bands were not detected using the sera of the negative control. Moreover, 19–23, 27, 31–35, 143–163, and 109 kDa fractions were detected specifically using the sera of the patients with VL. Conclusion: This technique could be a primary step for further exploration of VL immunodominant antigens for cloning (or any technique) further investigations for future planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder characterised by cerebellar degeneration, telangiectasia, radiation sensitivity, immunodeficiency, oxidative stress and cancer susceptibility. Epidemiological research has shown that carriers of the heterozygous ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene mutation are radiosensitive to ionising irradiation and have a higher risk of cancers, type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. However, there is currently no fast and reliable laboratory-based method to detect heterozygous ATM carriers for family screening and planning purposes. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the ability of a modified G2-assay to identify heterozygous ATM carriers in the families of A-T patients. Methods: This study took place at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, between February and December 2017 and included 16 A-T patients, their parents (obligate heterozygotes) and 30 healthy controls. All of the subjects underwent individual radiosensitivity (IRS) assessment using a modified caffeine-treated G2-assay with G2-checkpoint abrogation. Results: The mean IRS of the obligate ATM heterozygotes was significantly higher than the healthy controls (55.13% ± 5.84% versus 39.03% ± 6.95%; P <0.001), but significantly lower than the A-T patients (55.13% ± 5.84% versus 87.39% ± 8.29%; P = 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the G2-assay values indicated high sensitivity and specificity, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.95–1.00). Conclusion: The modified G2-assay demonstrated adequate precision and relatively high sensitivity and specificity in detecting heterozygous ATM carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: Medical errors and adverse events are among the major causes of avoidable deaths and costs incurred on health systems all over the world. Medical errors are among the main challenges threatening the safety of patients in all countries and one of the most common types of medical errors is medication errors. This study aimed to determine the frequency, type, and causes of medication errors in the emergency and pediatric wards of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2017. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study which was conducted on 423 nurses working in teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2017. The subjects were selected using the stratified sampling method. A total of 49 teaching hospitals in Tehran are affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences and they are divided into two groups of general and specialized hospitals. Of all, 10 general hospitals and 14 specialized hospitals were randomly selected. The required data was collected using a three-part questionnaire. Using the SPSS software (version 18), the collected data was analyzed by means of ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and t-test and the results were reported as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Results: According to the results of this study, the mean total number of medication errors that occurred within one month in the pediatric and emergency wards was roughly 41.9 cases, as stated by the nurses. The mean number of medication errors was higher in men than in women. Also, the two variables of gender and the type of shift work were related to medication errors; specifically, it was higher first in the evening and night shifts and then in the morning and evening shifts, respectively. Also, the number was higher in night shifts than in the morning shifts. The most common types of medication errors were: administration of the drugs at the wrong time, using a wrong technique of administration, wrong dosage, forgetting the dosage of the drug, administrating additional doses, administrating the drug to a wrong patient, and following the oral orders of physicians. On the other hand, the most common causes of medication errors in clinical wards were the following: illegible physician orders, shortage of manpower and high workload, incomplete physician orders, the use of lookalike and sound-alike drugs, absence of pharmacist/pharmaceutical expert in the ward, lack of dosage forms appropriate for children, and lack of adequate training regarding drug therapy. Discussion and Conclusion: Considering the results of this study, it is necessary to reduce the workload and working hours of nurses, increase medical staff's awareness of the significance of medication errors, revise the existing techniques of drug prescription, and update the indices of human resource in hospitals. It is also necessary to correct the process of naming and selecting the dosage forms of drugs by the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although some physicians insist on performing plain radiography for all trauma patients, some others recommend performing it for symptomatic ones. Therefore, the present study has been designed with the aim of evaluating the screening performance characteristics of plain radiography in identifying traumatic neck injuries. Methods: The present diagnostic accuracy study was performed on injured patients presenting to the trauma unit of emergency departments of hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Imam Hossein and Shohadaye Tajrish), Tehran, Iran, during March 2015 to March 2016. Results: 180 patients with the mean age of 32.30 ± 11.32 (16-68) years were evaluated (76.7% male). Most patients (73.3%) were in the 16-40 years age range and the most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle collision (83.3%). Fracture of the 7th cervical vertebrae was the most prevalent fracture seen in radiography (7.2%) and computed tomography (CT) scan (17.2%). Based on the findings of cervical radiography and CT scan, respectively, 54 (30.0%) and 139 (77.2%) of the patients had at least 1 pathological finding (fracture or dislocation) in their cervical spine. Area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and positive and negative likelihood ratio of plain radiography in detection of traumatic cervical injuries and with 95% confidence interval were 0.568 (0.472-0.664), 33.09 (25.48-41.64), 80.48 (64.63-62.90), 85.18 (72.32-94.62), 26.16 (18.95-34.91), 5.75 (3.00-11.00) and 2.81 (2.43-3.26), respectively. Conclusion: Accuracy of plain radiography in detection of traumatic cervical injuries is very low. This is due to the very low sensitivity of plain cervical radiography in detection of fractures and dislocations of the cervical spine. Therefore, it seems that plain radiography cannot be considered as a proper tool for ruling out cervical spine injuries following head and neck trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The health sector evolution (HSE) plan has been implemented since 2014 in Iran and includes seven programs. Since one of the goals of this plan was to improve the condition of emergency departments, in this study we evaluated the effect of HSE plan on performance indices of emergency department in hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in all Hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences. Six performance indices of emergency department were collected monthly in two 12-month periods before and after implementation of the HSE plan by referring to the hospitals' statistics unit. Data were analyzed via SPSS 22 using paired Ttest and Interrupted Time Series (ITS) model. Results: The results of ITS showed that implementation of HSE plan had no significant effect on the rate and trend of indices such as percentage of patients who left the emergency department within 12 hours and percentage of patients discharged against medical advice (p > 0.05). On the other hand, HSE plan implementation affected the rate and trend of indices such as percentage of patients who were decided upon within 6 hours and the average response time for emergency tests significantly (p < 0.05). The rate of both indices has increased but their trend has decreased. Conclusion: Implementation of HSE plan has resulted in improved percentage of patients who were decided upon within 6 hours and increased average response time for emergency tests. In addition, although it has significantly increased the trend of successful CPR percentage, it has decreased the rate of successful CPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The power transmission lines are the emission source of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields that are considered to have an adverse impact on human health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the amount of magnetic flux with extremely low frequencies (ELF) around high voltage power transmission lines in the western areas of Tehran in 2012. Materials and Methods: In this study, the magnetic flux density was measured around three lines of high voltage electricity transmission (63, 230 and 400 kV). The employed device for magnetic flux measurement was Triple axis TES 1394 tester. The measurements were taken according to IEEE standard procedures (Std 644-1994) in four distances (0, 5, 10 and 20 m). Results: The results showed that the amount of the minimum, mean and maximum of magnetic flux density were 0.14, 1.43 ±1.25 and 11.51μT, respectively. The flux density was lower than the standard international commission on ionizing radiation protection in all cases. Conclusion: The average level of magnetic flux density was about 1.25% of the exposure limit ICNIRP standard (100 μT) around the three lines. Also the magnetic flux density rate decreased with increasing distance from the line and decreasing flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and Background: Among air pollutants, particles are the primary and major pollutant. Research conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) shows that per each 10 micrograms increase in the concentration of particles, the mortality rate rises 1 to 3 times. The purpose of this study has been to determine the concentration of PM2.5 and determinants of it distribution in Tehran's metro stations is autumn and winter of 2012. Materials and Methods: In this study, concentrations of PM2.5 in 24 of Tehran's metro stations were measured during autumn and winter. At each station, samples were taken in 4 spots and 4 times: morning, afternoon, evening and night. For sampling of particles, a portable real-time reading particle monitoring device HAZ DUST EPAM 5000 with a flow of 4 liters per minute was used. Results from measurements were compared with EPA and DOE (Department of Environment) standards. Results: The results showed that max, average and min concentrations of PM2.5 in underground stations were 103, 49 and 10 μg/m³ respectively, also max, average and min concentration PM2.5 at ground-level stations were 99, 39 and 8 μg/m³ respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the average concentration of suspended particles in Tehran metro stations was higher than EPA and DOE environment standards and air quality in metro stations was inappropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The overview of postgraduate Theses and PhD Dissertations and the factors associated with their publishing is a subject, which has not been studied in recent years, especially in the field of medical sciences. The objective of this study was to find out the publishing trend by postgraduates based on their Theses or Dissertations. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study all Theses and doctorate Dissertations by postgraduates of Tehran University of Medical Sciences between 2001 and 2009 were taken to account. We collected the data using the computer files or directly from mentors, students and different databases such as Pub Med. Results: Findings showed that manuscripts from thirty per cent of the Master Theses, 76% of the PhD Dissertations were published. There was a relationship between the publishing of the Theses or Dissertations and the students' subject of study, department, Theses or Dissertations grade, the first supervisors' title, the second advisor's title, and the number of supervisors and advisors. Conclusion: Since the factors associated with the publishing of papers based on Theses or Dissertations are specified, it is necessary to consider them by introducing more experienced supervisors or advisors to the students. In addition, preference to Theses/Dissertations with excellent grade and publications in indexed journals should be encouraged while interviewing PhD candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The quality of life in patients with various chronic disorders, including diabetes has been directly affected by depression. Depression makes patients less likely to manage their self-care regimens. Accurate assessment of depression in diabetic populations is important to the treatment of depression in this group and may improve diabetes management. To our best knowledge, there are few studies that have looked for utilizing questionnaires in screening for depression among patients with diabetes in Iran. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and accuracy of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), in comparison with clinical interview in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Outpatients who attended diabetes clinics at IEM were recruited on a consecutive basis between February 2009 and July 2009. Inclusion criteria included patients with type 2 diabetes who could fluently read and speak Persian, had no severe diabetes complications and no history of psychological disorders. The history of psychological disorders was ascertained through patients' medical files, taking history of any medications in this regard. The study design was explained to all patients and informed consent was obtained. Volunteer patients completed the Persian version of the questionnaires (CES-D and PHQ-9) and a psychiatrist interviewed them based on Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for DSM-IV criteria. Results: Of the 185 patients, 43.2% were diagnosed as having Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) based on the clinical interview, 47.6% with PHQ-9 and 61.62% with CES-D. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) for the total score of PHQ-9 was 0.829 ± 0.30. A cut-off score for PHQ-9 of ≥ 13 provided an optimal balance between sensitivity (73.80%) and specificity (76.20%). For CES-D the AUC for the total score was 0.861 ± 0.029. Optimal balance between sensitivity (78.80%) and specificity (77.1%) was provided at cut-off score of ≥ 23. Conclusions: It could be concluded that the PHQ-9 and CES-D perform well as screening instruments, but in diagnosing major depressive disorder, a formal diagnostic process following the PHQ-9 and also the CES-D remains essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Pressure ulcer is a common problem and a large drain on hospital resources, especially in wards such as ICU where patients stay for a long time. The aim of this study was to explore the likely factors contributing to pressure ulcers in the ICU units of Tehran University of Medical Sciences teaching hospitals, Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: This project was conducted in all the seven ICUs of four teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. In the first phase the researcher performed a direct observation of all the 90 patients who were admitted to the ICU units to check the presence of any pressure ulcer. In the second phase, 310 patients discharged from the same ICU units between March 2007 and February 2008 was randomly selected and their medical records reviewed. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Results: Pressure ulcer occurred more frequently in the elderly; women; patients who were less active and had less mobility, hospitalized for a long time, or those with fever, diabetes, high blood pressure, paralysis, or respiratory diseases. In addition, pressure ulcer was seen more frequently in the patients hospitalized in the general ICUs, as well as in those with infections and different types of tumors. Conclusion: Using a standard risk assessment tool and paying attention to the main risk factors of pressure ulcer can be a useful method for identifying the high-risk patients before admission in order to prevent them from developing such ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Length of stay (LOS) in a hospital is one of the best hospital indicators that can be used for various purposes. In this survey, we studied the hospital LOS and its associated factors in Tehran University of Medical Sciences Women's Hospital (a teaching hospital) in Tehran using the Cox proportional hazards semi parametric model and compared the results with the results obtained using the multiple linear regression. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study in which we reviewed 3421 files of inpatients hospitalized in, and those discharged from, the oncology, surgery and obstetrics units in 2008. The required data were collected using a data collection sheet and inpatient interviews. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The median of patients' LOS in the hospital was 50.8 hours, that in the obstetrics, surgical and oncology units being 48.5, 54.4 and 94.2 hours, respectively. Of all the patients, 2632 (76.9%) had been discharged with a recovery status and the rest (23.1%) with a no-recovery status. Results of the Cox proportional hazards model showed that the following variables had increased LOS: a distance longer than 200 km between a patent's residence and the hospital, hospitalization in the surgery and oncology units, admission on a Thursday, admission by an internist, hospitalization for neoplastic, endocrine, nutritional, or genitourinary system diseases (P<0.005), as well as a high number of diagnostic laboratory tests, radiographies or sonographies (P<0.001). Patients admitted and hospitalized as an emergency case had a shorter LOS (P<0.001) than others. On the other hand, based on the multiple linear regression model results, some occupations (being a worker, a farmer, a stockbreeder, or a retired spouse) admission on a Thursday, (The first day of the weekend in Iran), suffering from a neoplastic disease, and a high number of diagnostic tests or radiographies or sonographies increased, and admission by a resident decreased, patients' LOS (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering having censored data, the Cox proportional hazards model is a more suitable model than the multiple linear regression models for identifying factors influencing patients' LOS in a hospital. From among the LOS Cox model's associated factors as identified in this study, policy-makers and managers can only change admission days and the number of diagnostic tests. That is to say, they should try to prevent admission on a Thursday (unless emergency cases) and also perform the required primary diagnostic tests before admitting a patient into the hospital, which would lead to a more effective utilization of hospital beds and other resources [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The most common cancer in Iran is digestive system cancer, the highest incidence of which is reported from the Caspian Sea littoral. This study aimed to determine factors affecting the survival of patients with gastrointestinal cancer using the Cox and parametric models; the 2 models were compared. Materials and Methods: This survey was a prospective study conducted between 1990 and 1991. Data were collected through the Cancer Registry Center in Babol, which functions under supervision of the School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. We tried to identify cases of gastrointestinal cancers. The individual characteristics of 484 patients, namely, age, sex, family history, marital status, smoking status, occupation, ethnicity, medication status, education, residence (urban, rural), and type of cancer were recorded. The patients were followed up for a period of 15 years, i.e., until 2006 year. To determine the effective factors on survival of patients, the Cox model and parametric models such as exponential, weibull, log-normal, log-logistic, and the AIC criteria and residuals were used to compare the effectiveness of the models. The SAS and STATA software were used for data analysis, with a significant level of 0.05. Results: Sixty-six percent of the patients (total n=484) were males and 34% females, with a mean age of 59 and 55 years, respectively. Their distribution according to type of cancer was as follows: esophageal cancer, 359 (74.2%); stomach cancer, 110 (22.7%); colorectal cancer, 15(3.1%). Estimated one-, three-, and five-year survival rates were 24%, 16% and 15%, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study reveal that gender and family history can be strong risk factors for GI cancer. Log-normal and log-logistic models in multivariate and univariate analyses gave almost similar results. However, based on AIC criteria and residuals analysis, the log-logistic model gives the best fit as compared to other parametric models and can be used instead of the Cox model for determining factors affecting survival of patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The abdominal sacrocolpopexy is the gold standard method of vaginal prolapse correction and posterior intra- vaginal slingplasty (posterior IVS) is a newer procedure with minimal invasion. This study is going to compare the effectiveness and complications of these two surgical methods. Methods: In this study, 51 patients with prolapse admitted to vali-e-asr Hospital of Tehran University of medical science were evaluated during years 2001-2004. 26 patients were operated by posterior IVS method (the first group) and 25 of them had undertaken sacrocolpo-pexy (the second group). Data were primarily gathered from patients' folder and further complimentary information were achieved by two years follow-up and inviting patients to interview or exam. Results: Eighty percent of women with abdominal sacrocolpopexy were cured compared to 96.2 percent with posterior IVS. Surgery complications was reported in one patient (4%) of second group while none of patients in first group experience this and the difference was not statistically meaningful. Short-term post surgical complications (hemorrhage-perforation fever and abdominal distention) were also negative in first group (posterior intra vaginal slingplasty) but these problems such as fever and abdominal distention were positive in 36% of second group (abdominal sacrocolpopexy) which was evidently statistically meaningful (p=0.001). Long- term post surgical complication (tape and mesh disfunction) were seen in 7.7% of first group while none of second group patients showed these complications. Conclusion: According to shorter operating time, lower complications and efficient response to therapy in posterior IVS method, it can be an alternative in prolapse surgery it is preferred in elderly patients with medical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: In the past few years publications in the field of medicine have increased considerably in Iran and knowledge production in this country shows the greatest growth rate in the entire Middle East region. Considering the fact that 12% of all faculty members in the health and medical sector in Iran are employed by Tehran University of Medical Sciences, this university is regarded as the country's leading research institution. This study is focused on the behavior of the researchers in this university in terms of collaboration in research and factors that affect such behavior. Materials and Methods: Our samples included all research projects in Tehran University of Medical Sciences that had obtained grants from inside and outside the university in 2004, had registered their contracts, had been finished by the time of this study (October 2006- March 2007) and whose final reports had been submitted (315 projects). The data collecting forms were filled for 301 files. The researcher's questionnaire was sent to the principal investigators of the projects and eventually 208 questionnaires were collected. We used the SPSS software package and the usual statistical tests (frequency ratio, chi square, analysis of variance and multiple linear regression with the Enter method) to assess the factors affecting the participation scores of individuals. Based on the data gathered from the forms, we used the UNICET software to analyze the 'cooperation network' between project directors and their principal co-workers and the relationship between different sections of the university. Results: Only in 2.2 percent of the projects whose contracts were arranged in 1383 there has been some cooperation between the project director/principal coworkers and non-academic organizations. This ratio reaches 2.5% for collaboration with other universities. Among all projects, health system research programs show a better status of collaboration. Linear regression analysis showed that another important factor affecting the participation score is the "method for choosing the research topic". University-affiliated research centers only collaborate with the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, while in the School of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine all projects are defined within the School's own structure, with virtually no collaboration with any other sections of the university. Conclusion: The present study showed that research programs in this university include little collaboration with organizations outside the university or with other universities. Part of this is related to the current structure of the research sector in the country, which is largely financed by the government with hardly any participation by the private sector. Current potentials within the University make it possible to embark upon joint research initiatives with other academic institutions. As the possible effect of intervention on health system research has been shown, policies can be implemented to promote effective collaborative research at university and national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Comparison of the effect of hydroxychloroquine with placebo to prevent infection from the COVID -19 virus among healthcare professionals TRIAL DESIGN: Single centre, 2-arm, double-blind randomised (ratio 1:1) placebo-controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: Treatment staff who are in contact with patients and have at least 3 shifts a week in Arash hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, in Iran and who consent to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria include: History of COVID -19 virus infection, clinical symptoms such as fever, nausea, dyspnea and myalgia in the past two months, history of underlying diseases hypersensitivity to hydroxychloroquine and G6PD enzyme deficiency.Intervention and Comparator: Intervention group: Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablet of Amin Pharmaceutical.Control Group: placebo which is completely similar in form and taste to 200 mg hydroxychloroquine tablet and is manufactured by the same factory (Amin Pharmacy). The dosage is two tablets daily, once a week for one to three months (based on the duration of the Coronavirus epidemic in Tehran).Main Outcomes: Confirmed COVID-19 virus infection using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the primary outcome. The time period for measuring the primary outcome is any infection within the trial period up to one month after taking the last dose.Randomisation: The randomized block allocation method was developed using Stata version 15 software by an independent researcher, using a block size of six. Allocation to the two treatment groups will be conducted by this researcher using paper labels (random 10-digit codes) in a 1:1 ratio t The labels will be attached to the drug packages in order of randomization. Drug packages will be arranged in a box according to the randomization list.Blinding (masking): Participants and caregivers are blinded to group assignment and the data will be analyzed by an independent statistical expert who is unaware of the treatment allocation.Numbers To Be Randomised (sample Size): A total of 282 participants will be randomised with 141 participants the Hydroxychloroquineeach intervention group and 141 participants to the placebo control group TRIAL STATUS: The protocol version number is 99-1-101-47091 and the approval ID is IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1399.001 and recruitment began April 7, 2020, and is anticipated to be complete by August 7, 2020.Trial Registration: The name of the trial register is Iranian registry of clinical trial (IRCT), registration number is IRCT20120826010664N6, date of trial registration is April 7, 2020, FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin injection is a routine treatment for type-1 diabetes which couldn't result in physiologic reaction to blood glucose changes and patients are encountered with diabetes complications. Therefore, a treatment option that leads to modulate the immune system and mitigate the procedure of insulitis could be a hopeful clinical choice. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) have been shown to have immunomodulatory and regenerative effects. In this clinical trial, autologous bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) were used for immune response modulation and to assess the safety and efficacy of transplantation in newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes patients. A Crossover triple blinded randomized controlled trial in two 12-months periods conducted between 2015 and 2020, at "Royan Institute" with the collaboration of "Growth and Development Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences" in Tehran, Iran. Patients of 8 to 40 years old who have been diagnosed with type-1 diabetes in no more than 6weeks, and met other inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to receive either two doses of 1 million per kg of patient's body weight MSCs or placebo. Safety was assessed based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5. Efficacy was defined as a reduction in the number of hypoglycemic episodes and changes in metabolic indices compared to baseline. Patients' Quality of life (QOL) was assessed by SF36 and Diabetes Specific QOL (DSQOL) Questionnaires. Percent of regulatory T cells population were assessed in patients' blood before and 48 hours after MSCs transplantation by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS v.13. The primary outcome was safety concluding there were not any major adverse events in this trial. The total number of hypoglycemic episodes was significantly reduced in patients who received MSCs compared to the placebo group. There were not any significant differences in metabolic indices between intervention and placebo groups. DSQOL showed a significant increase in QOL of patients received MSCs after 12 months compared to baseline. SF36 showed a considerable increase in QOL in patients received MSC. The population of regulatory T cells in patients' blood was significantly increased 48 hours after MSC transplantation compared to baseline. Autologous transplantation of BM- MSCs in newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes patients is safe, feasible, and could improve some of the clinical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please note that the corresponding author's correct affiliation is "Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please note the following corrections to the original article. The 2nd author affiliation should read Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of penicillin non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSP) isolates can pose significant challenges to today's health-care system. Resistant clonal isolates are disseminated in different regions and countries, and this study was focused on the description of the epidemiological spread of these strains. Clinical samples were collected from individuals admitted to hospitals affiliated to the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. To investigate the molecular characteristics of PNSP isolates, they were subjected to molecular typing using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Serotype distributions of S. pneumoniae isolates were also evaluated by multiplex PCR assay. The most prevalent serotypes in the PNSP isolates were 23F, 19F, 14, 3 and 9V. Two isolates were considered as a non-vaccine serotype. The MLST analysis showed that PNSP isolates belonged to five different clonal complexes (CC180, CC217, CC81, CC63 and CC320) and 42% (5/12) of the sequence types were novel (12936, 12937, 12938, 12939 and 12940). This study indicates the high level of heterogeneity that is present among PNSP isolates. Unexpected high genetic diversity in small populations indicates consecutive diversification of resistant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The affiliation of Fariba Ghorbani should be Tracheal Diseases Research Center (TDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on a cognitive-neuroscience research group in Tehran, Iran, headed by Hossein Esteky. His three modern namesakes, working in a country devastated by the war with Iraq in the 1980s, and kept crippled by U.S.-led sanctions, set to their neuroscience challenge with similar energy. Their first task was to expand the group, then locate suitable books to begin their studies. Arash Fazl, a technical whiz, borrowed a computer in the Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, Iran's premier research center, and set up a DOS-based Internet connection. The group used it to identify three books on cognitive neuroscience.

Information about several papers discussed at the Second International Congress of Immunology Asthma and Allergy (ICIAA) held at the Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran supported by several international organizations in February 2013. Topics include different aspects of pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of immunodeficiency. The congress was attended of 500 participants and lecturers from U.S., Europe, and Great Britain.