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Variations in Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) encoding genes have been associated with tumorigenesis through the disruption of immune and inflammatory responses. The aims of this study were to evaluate the two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genes Arg753Gln TLR2 (rs5743708) and Asp299Gly TLR4 (rs4986790) in colorectal cancer patients in southern Iran. Colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls were included in this study (150 Persian subjects in each group). Blood samples were used for genotyping by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The association between these SNPs and colorectal cancer and clinicopathological factors, including age, gender, tumor stage and differentiation were also investigated. A significant association was found between Arg753Gln TLR2 SNP and colorectal cancer. This SNP was significantly more frequent in male patients. However, there was no association between Asp299Gly TLR4 and colorectal cancer. Therefore, Arg753Gln TLR2 SNP can be considered as a risk factor for colorectal cancer incidence in southern Iran, especially in men. Further investigations in other populations are recommended in order to assess the association of this SNP with colorectal cancer.

Objective: Human amniotic membrane (HAM) used as a wound coverage for more than a century. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of amniotic membrane on wound healing and reduce post-operative complication. Study design: Randomized clinical trial study. Place and duration of study: Surgery Department, Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, in the period of between Sep. 2014 and Nov. 2015. Methodology: 73 patients with anal fistula were divided into two groups. The patients suffered from simple perianal fistula (low type) without any past medical history. Fistulotomy were performed for all of them and in interventional group HAM were applied as biologic dressing. Their wound healing improvement was evaluated post-operative in two groups. Results: From 73 patients participated in the study, 36 patients were in control group and 37 patients were in intervention group. According to the analysis of images taken from the wound, the rate of wound healing was 67.39% in intervention group and 54.51% in control group (p

Background: Although bariatric surgery has been introduced as a therapeutic option for patients with obesity, there is still debate on the choice of procedure. Objectives: This study aimed to compare two types of bariatric surgeries in patients with obesity: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and single anastomosis sleeve ileal (SASI) bypass. Methods: This observational prospective study compares patients with obesity who received either of the two types of bariatric surgeries at Ghadir or Shahid Faghihi hospitals in Shiraz from October 2019 to November 2020. Metabolic profiles, shear wave liver elastography (fibroscan), and cardiac evaluations (echocardiography) were performed at baseline and then seven to eleven months after the surgery. Results: Forty-five patients with obesity who had undergone SG and SASI bypass entered this study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and triglycerides (TG) decreased during the follow-up in both groups (P = 0.032, P < 0.001, respectively). The fibrosis score decreased significantly from 6.45 (4.55) before surgery to 5.40 (3.60) after surgery, and the cardiac ejection fraction increased significantly from 61.5% (12.5%) before surgery to 65.0% (8.5%) after surgery following the SASI bypass compared to the SG (P = 0.034, P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: Despite the lack of difference in weight reduction, SASI bypass, compared to sleeve gastrectomy, may result in a more rapid improvement in cardiac function and liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to compare the remineralizing effects of casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPPACPF) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) on artificially induced enamel white spot lesions (WSLs). Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 45 sound extracted premolars were immersed in a demineralizing solution (pH=4.5) for 96 hours, and were randomly divided into 3 groups of TCP, MI Paste Plus, and control. They were exposed to the remineralizing agents for 5 minutes once a day for 30 days. After mounting the teeth in resin blocks and polishing, they underwent a microhardness test at 3 different depths from the enamel surface. Data were analyzed by Prism software, two-way ANOVA, and Tukey's test (α=0.05). Results: The volume percentage of mineral content (VPM) was significantly different among the three groups at 30-, 60- and 90µm depths (P<0.0001). At 30µm depth, CPP-ACPF was significantly more effective than TCP (P<0.0001). At 60- and 90µm depths, there was no significant difference between CPP-ACPF and TCP (P>0.05). Conclusion: Both CPP-ACPF and TCP had significant efficacy for remineralization of artificially induced enamel WSLs under in vitro conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study assessed the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a general adult population in Iran. The association between GERD and various factors was also evaluated. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 163,018 individuals aged over 35 who were enrolled in the PERSIAN cohort. GERD was defined as the occurrence of heartburn and/or regurgitation symptoms at least several days a month. Survey design analysis for pooled data was performed and multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the independent risk factors for GERD. Results: The prevalence of GERD in our study was estimated at 21.86% (95% confidence interval:17.4%-36.4%). The mean age of the participants was 49.84 years±9.25 (35–70) and 44.75% of the participants were male. Symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation were reported in 18.65% (n: 29,170) and 6.06% (n: 9,717) of participants, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, several factors were found to be associated with a higher prevalence of GERD: female sex, age >50, current smoking, opium use, weekly consumption of fried foods, frequent consumption of hot tea, less than 6 hours of sleep per night, psychiatric disorders, usage of NSAIDs, and poor oral hygiene, were associated with a higher prevalence of GERD. Conversely, higher education levels and average physical activity were found to be less commonly associated with GERD. Conclusion: We found a relatively high prevalence of GERD (21.86%) in this population-based study in Iran. By identifying modifiable risk factors, this research offers opportunities for targeted interventions and lifestyle modifications to reduce the burden of GERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction forces are important parameters in fixture design. They are generated by the clamping forces and machining loads at the fixture locating points. These forces are used as input values in the determination of clamping forces, fixture stiffness, and workpiece deformation. In this paper, an analytical model based on the minimum norm principle was developed to calculate these forces. Numerical simulations and experimental tests were performed on a 3D polyhedral workpiece to validate the model. The simulations were conducted using Abaqus® software and the experimental tests used a fixture and a 3D polyhedral workpiece. The theoretical, numerical, and experimental results showed good agreement for the normal component of reaction forces. The maximum errors of 3.9% and 15% were observed between the theoretical predictions compared to the numerical and experimental results, respectively. The model was also used to study the effects of two influential parameters, the coefficient of friction and clamping force, on the reaction forces. The good agreement between the theoretical, numerical, and experimental results demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed model in the rapid calculation of reaction forces for fixturing 3D polyhedral workpieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]