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Background: Carotid intima medial thickness (CIMT) is a reliable marker for assessing large and medium blood vessel atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the carotid intima-media thickness in children with nephrotic syndrome admitted to Mofid Hospital during 2019-2021. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted in Mofid Hospital for two years (2019-2021). The samples were selected in the case group from hospitalized children with nephrotic syndrome and the control group from hospitalized children without nephrotic syndrome. Results: The mean thickness of the right and left carotid intima-media thickness in the case group was 0.07 ± 0.43 and 0.43 ± 0.07 millimeters, respectively, and these two values were lower and equal to 0.42 ± 0.05 millimeters in the control group, respectively (P-value= 0.02, P-value = 0.016). There was a negative and significant relationship between the level of phosphate and CIMT on the left side, and with an increase of one unit in phosphate, the value of left CIMT decreased by 0.277 times. Also, there was a negative and significant relationship between right CIMT and the level of albumin at discharge time, so with an increase of one unit in albumin, the value of right CIMT decreased by 0.256 times. Conclusion: It is concluded that nephrotic syndrome causes an increase in CIMT and vascular damage in children. The increase of blood albumin and phosphate was associated with the decreased CIMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-diabetes is a level before diabetes involvement. Pre-diabetes is prevalent, and if the blood glucose parameters of pre-diabetic patients do not reduce, patients will be involved with type 2 diabetes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the value of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level for predicting diabetes and retinopathy involvement in pre-diabetics. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was performed on pre-diabetics referred to the endocrinology clinic of Loghman Hakim Hospital (Tehran-Iran) from 2020-20211. The patients were assessed on age, sex, familial history of diabetes, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and laboratory studies, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), HbA1c, lipid profile, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT). All participants underwent ocular examination by an expert ophthalmologist for retinopathy assessment. After one year, all participants were again assessed for all mentioned factors. Results: Pre-diabetics are five-fold more likely to be involved with diabetes after one year than patients with normal HbA1c. We found that patients with pre-diabetes HbA1c are 7.94 fold more at risk of retinopathy involvement than pre-diabetic patients with normal HbA1c (all p-values<0.05). Conclusion: A high level of HbA1c in pre-diabetics increases the risks of retinopathy and diabetes involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fibrous obliteration or appendiceal neuroma is a rare type of appendiceal tumor that causes appendiceal obstruction and then presents as appendicitis. This neural tumor has no specific presentation and, after appendectomy, is diagnosed by the pathologist accidentally. Fibrous obliteration is described as a proliferative lesion. The pathogenesis of this lesion is unknown, but it is mentioned that the etiology of this problem is secondary to recurrent inflammation processes. These processes cause neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia in the submucosa and lamina propria of the wall of the appendix. The repetitive occurrence of these sub-clinical inflammatory processes causes fibrosis. Cases Report: We presented a 55-year-old woman who was referred to our clinic with persistent pain in the right lower quadrant for five days in this report. The pain mimicked appendicitis presentation, and it suddenly started from the periumbilical area and then shifted to the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Her laboratory study showed a 9600/microliter white blood cell count with 70% neutrophils. An increase in the appendix loop with 9 millimeters diameter was reported in the ultrasound. There was also severe fat haziness around the tissues and visceral inflammation of the terminal ileum in the sonogram. She underwent an appendectomy after the diagnosis of appendicitis, and the pathologist diagnosed fibrous obliteration or appendiceal neuroma. Conclusion: It is concluded that fibrous obliteration or appendiceal neuroma mimics acute appendicitis, and in patients with this presentation, appendectomy is the best choice for treatment. The main diagnostic method is pathologic assessment, and it is important for the differentiation of this tumor from other malignant tumors of the appendix because fibrous obliteration is a benign tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatic spontaneous sub-capsular hematoma is uncommon. This is a life-threatening condition because the rupture of this hematoma is accompanied by uncontrolled intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Cases Report: We presented a 71-year-old man with a huge hepatic sub-capsular hematoma without any history of trauma or coagulopathy. The patient received heparin due to a neglected myocardial infarction. Blood pressure and hemoglobin levels decreased. The drug was discontinued, an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan was done for him, and a huge hepatic sub-capsular hematoma was detected. Conclusion: Spontaneous liver subcapsular hematoma may be found in patients with a history of surgery on the liver site and those with a history of COVID-19. In these patients, hemodynamic instability should increase the doubt of physicians about a rupture of hepatic hematoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: This study was carried in order to investigate the degree of agreement and correlation between arterial and venous blood gas parameters and the possibility of replacing intravenous blood instead of arterial blood gas test according to scientific evidence. Methods: This narrative review was done by searching the databases of SID, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar search engine, using the keywords arterial blood gases, venous blood gases from 2005 to 2020. A total of 24 related articles were found and after screening, 16 articles were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Review of studies examining the correlation of the agreement between ABG and VBG parameters often found a good relationship, especially between the PH and HCO3 values of arterial and venous blood. The use of intravenous PCO2 instead of arterial blood, although some studies have introduced intravenous PCO2 as an acidemy screening tool, is still debated and needs further study. Conclusion: Venous blood gas test can be a safe, easy and low-cost option to assess patients' blood gas status. However, considering the clinical condition of patients when using VBG is recommended and ABG analysis will commend only if necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclic peptides are a large class of natural compounds which attracted a great deal of attention, especially as potential amphi-ionophores. Herein, a theoretical study on the stability of new cystine-based tricyclopeptide (TCP) stereoisomers in achiral media in the presence of Li+, Na+, K+, F−, Cl−, and Br− ions was performed at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory in both gas and aqueous phases. The nature of the intermolecular interaction between TCPs and ions were studied by natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) methods in gas phase. According to the size of the ions and configuration of TCPs, the location of ions (within or above the TCPs) and the types of formed intermolecular interactions are different. The results revealed that the free TCP7 and TCP8 enantiomers in gas phase and also TCP1 and TCP2 enantiomers in aqueous phase are the most stable structures among all TCPs. Moreover, the calculated energies of the optimised complexes containing the same ion show different stability order as compared to the free TCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that often modifies the function of genes and affects gene expression, which may sometimes lead to cancer development. Tumor suppressor genes such as VHL (Von Hippel-Lindau) may be silenced when affected by epigenetic alteration. This study investigated the DNA methylation of VHL gene in ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) patients with methylation specific PCR (MSP). Methods: The DNA of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of 26 ALL patients and 26 healthy control subjects were extracted, treated with bisulfite, and VHL gene methylation was subsequently analyzed using the MSP technique. Results: None of the patients showed signs of methylation in the VHL gene. Conclusion: Due to the lack of methylation in the VHL gene promoter in patients and in the healthy control group, it is unlikely that the methylation of this gene can be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of ALL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main subject of urban landscape is the reading, right interpretation and finally reproduction of the qualities that connects the old and new city values which ultimately results in the preservation of natural human relationship with urban environment (urban identity) and should be considered a principle in urban landscape projects. Projects of renovation and reforming of neighborhoods and urban contexts are among most important urban landscape projects. The necessity of modernization of such contexts, urgency of preservation of their worthy character and providing continuity of life and identity in their new constructions are the most serious contemporary problems. One of such valuable contexts in Tehran is Jamaran neighborhood which has been a village adjacent to Tehran not many years ago and has become a district in Tehran after the expansion of this capital. One of the significant points in this area is the presence of Imam Khomeini in 1980 to 1989 as a political center which augments the emphasis of planning in this neighborhood. A number of planning and designing strategies has been presented in different projects in this area but the complex situation leads to inefficiency and insufficiency of such subjective and local plans. In this paper these projects are analyzed in three categories including aesthetic, functional and identity-related values. All of the strategies conducted in these planning projects deals with physical and functional aspects. Furthermore aesthetic and historical values are ignored in the projects. Regarding all the considerations, systemic and holistic view and sustainable approach based on all the values are the most important strategies in intervention and organization of this neighborhood today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advanced computed tomography (CT) scanners enable concurrent assessment of coronary artery anatomy and myocardial perfusion. The purpose of this study was to assess dual-energy CT images in a group of patients suspected for ischemic heart disease and to evaluate agreement of cardiac computed tomography perfusion (CTP) images with CT angiography results in a single dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) acquisition. Methods: Thirty patients (mean age: 53.8 ± 12.9 years, 60% male) with angina pectoris or atypical chest pain, suspected for ischemic heart disease, were investigated using a 384-row detector CT scanner in dual-energy mode (DECT). Firstly, resting CTP images were acquired, and then from the same raw data, computed tomography angiography (CTA) studies were reconstructed for stenosis detection. CT-based dipyridamole-stress myocardial perfusion imaging was then performed in patients who exhibited coronary stenosis >50% or had myocardial bridge (MB). A color-coded iodine map was used for evaluation of myocardial perfusion defects using the 17-segment model. Two independent blinded readers analyzed all images for stenosis and myocardial perfusion defects. Different myocardial iodine content (mg/mL) was calculated by parametric tests. The kappa agreement was calculated between results of two methods in cardiac scans. Results: All 30 CT angiograms were evaluated and assessment ability was 100% for combined CTA/CTP. According to the combined CT examination, 17 patients (56.7%) exhibited significant coronary stenosis and/or deep MB (DMB). A total of 510 myocardial segments and 90 vascular territories were analyzed. Coronary CTA demonstrated significant stenosis in 22 vessels (24.4% of all main coronary arteries) among 12 patients (40%), DMB in 6 vessels (6.7% of all main coronary arteries) in 17 out of 30 patients (56.7%). Twenty-eight out of 90 vascular territories (31.1%) and 41 out of 510 segments (8%) showed reversible perfusion defects on stress DECT. Kappa agreement between CTA and CTP results in whole heart was 0.79 (95% confidence interval=0.57--1). There were significant differences in mean iodine concentration between ischemic (0.59 ± 0.07 mg/mL) and normal segments (2.2 ± 0.15) with P < 0.001. Conclusion: Agreement of CTA and CTP in whole heart and in LAD considering DMB and significant CAD together were good to excellent; however, considering sole pathologies, most of the agreements were weak (<0.5). DECT with iodine quantification may provide a valuable method in comparison with previous methods for identifying both coronary stenosis and myocardial ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted at a 900+ bed general teaching hospital, from May to September 2007, in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and their antimicrobial pattern. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and the phenotypic disk confirmatory test were performed for each isolate. The total of 206 isolates including 106 E. coli and 100 K. pneumoniae were collected of which 122 isolates (59.2%) were ESBL positive. The prevalence of ESBL-producing strains was 59.2% (122/206). All the isolates were susceptible to imipenem. Among the ESBL-producing isolates, the sensitivity was from 3.3% to 61.5% for ampicillin to aztreonam. From female isolates (136), 59.5% and from male isolates (70), 58.6% were ESBL-producers. Ratios of isolates from hospitalized patients to out-patients were 94/28 in the ESBL-producing group. The number of ESBL-producing isolates according to the isolation sites showed a significant difference between ESBL-producers and non-producers in blood samples (P < 0.05). This study shows that the prevalence of ESBL strains in Iran is high. It seems necessary for clinicians and medical community personnel to be fully aware of ESBL-producing microorganisms.