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Background and aim: Assessing the quality of scientific outputs is part of the development measuring system of countries around the world. The aim of this study was to analyze the thematic structure of the top articles of Iranian researchers in the Web of Science (WoS) database in Web of Science database. Materials and methods: This applied-descriptive study was performed using scientometric method. The research population was all top papers of Iranian researchers indexed in Essential Scientific Indicators (ESI) and WoS databases from 2010 to 2019. Data were analyzed using Ravar Matrix and Ucinet softwares. Findings: Total number of Iranian top articles was 2447 of which 2428 and 114 were highly cited and hot articles published from 2010-2019, respectively. The top ranking of centrality was assigned to the keyword "nanofluid" with a closeness centrality of 53.684, betweenness centrality of 24.229 and degree centrality of 3.020%. Conclusion: The top articles of Iranian researchers were classified into 14 thematic clusters, so that most of these articles were in the field of "engineering" and the keyword "nano" was the most important thematic keyword and the basic foundation of this study.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) cause progressive neuronal loss, resulting in morbidity and mortality. Research is continued on treatment strategies that can tackle the disease's pathophysiology and cease its progression. Considering the anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective properties of apelin, we hypothesized that apelin-13 could be a therapeutic solution for Alzheimer's disease and similar NDDs. Therefore, we evaluated its effect on scopolamine-treated rats. Methods: Male rats (n=40) were assigned to 5 groups of 8. No intervention was considered for the control group. The scopolamine group received stereotaxic surgery and was treated with 3 mg/kg scopolamine intraperitoneally. The treatment groups were treated with scopolamine plus intraventricular injection of apelin-13 (1.25, 2.5, and 5 µg) into the right lateral ventricles for 7 days. For evaluating the memory impairment, the passive avoidance reactions of the animals, except the control group, were assessed 24 hours following the last injection. Regarding histological analysis, Congo red staining of the hippocampal sections was done, and immunoblotting was used to determine apoptotic biochemical markers, including caspase 3, cytochrome C, and congophilic amyloid-beta plaques. Results: Apelin–13 alleviated scopolamine-related passive avoidance memory impairment and reduced the number of congophilic amyloid-beta plaques in the hippocampus (all P

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were the number one cause of death in Iran. The main risk factors of CVDs include unhealthy lifestyles, insulin resistance, hypertension (HTN), and hyperlipidemia. Given that there are modifiable risk factors for CVDs, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of CVDs and their risk factors among adults. Methods The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 9828 adults 35–70 years (both sexes). The demographic data, lifestyle habits, anthropometric data, and clinical and biochemical parameters were collected from the baseline data of the Hoveyzeh Cohort Study. The odds ratio (OR) of CVDs was assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Results The prevalence of CVDs was higher in females than males (16.2 vs. 12.6, p ≤ 0.001). The prevalence of CVDs was related to age, gender, marital status, lifestyle, anthropometric measurements, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, HTN, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (p ≤ 0.05). The participants aged 65–70 y showed the highest odds of CVDs (OR: 3.97, 95% CI: (3.14, 5.01), (p ≤ 0.001)). Males (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: (1.51, 2.05), p ≤ 0.001), married status (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: (1.08, 2.47), p = 0.021), more using a mobile phone (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: (1.09, 1.46), p ≤ 0.002), and smoking cigarettes (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: (1.24, 1.68), p ≤ 0.001) associated with CVDs. Higher odds of CVDs were related to low physical activity (PA) (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: (1.34, 1.8), p ≤ 0.001), body mass index > 30 (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: (1.01, 2.8), p ≤ 0.047). Moreover, odds of CVDs were related to systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mm Hg (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: (1.04, 1.51), p = 0.017), FPG = 100–126 mg/dl (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: (1.07, 1.43), p = 0.003), and FPG > 126 mg/dl (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: (1.47, 1. 98), p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion The present study showed the main risk factors of CVDs were older age, married status, using a mobile phone, low PA, smoking, obesity, and abnormal FPG and SBP. The lower odds of CVDs were found in the participants with normal cholesterol.

Abstract Background Increasing trend of prediabetes and diabetes is a global public health issue. On the other hand, prediabetes can increase the risk of developing some non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, fatty liver disease, etc. Given that there are modifiable various risk factors for prediabetes, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of prediabetes and its risk factors among adults. Methods The present study included the baseline data from the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies of the Iranian Adult and Neonates (PERSIAN), Hoveyzeh Cohort Study (N = 10,009). The demographic data, lifestyle habits, anthropometric data, and clinical and biochemical parameters were gathered. The odds ratio of prediabetes was assessed by logistic regression. Results The final analysis was conducted on 7629 participants. The prevalence of overweight (36.7%), obesity (37.5%), prediabetes (30.29%), abnormal high density lipoprotein (35.4%), cholesterol (33.8%) and triglyceride (39.7%), and HTN (21.3%) were common. In the adjusted analysis, there were higher odds of having prediabetes for overweight (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: (1.19, 3.03), p = 0.007), obesity (OR = 3.18, 95% CI: (1.99, 5.07), p

Abstract Background Diabetes is one of the major public health concerns. Prediabetes can increase the risk of developing some non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Given the increasing trend of prediabetes, it is critical to control it and prevent its complications. Curcumin is a major bioactive component of turmeric. Zinc is an antioxidant nutrient. The present trial aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumin and zinc co-supplementation along with a loss-weight diet on serum lipid profiles in overweight or obese patients with prediabetes. Methods Eighty-four participants were randomized to four groups (curcumin (500 mg/day), zinc (30 mg/day), “curcumin and zinc”, and placebo) for 90 days. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), non-HDL, HDL/LDL ratio, weight, BMI, waist circumstance (WC), hip circumstance (HC), physical activity (PA) and dietary intake were determined pre and post-intervention. This study will be conducted at Yazd Diabetes Research Clinic, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Results Totally, 82 participants were included in the final analysis. After the adjusted PA effect, changes in serum TG (adjusted p = 0.001), LDL (adjusted p = 0.035), non-HDL (adjusted p = 0.003), HDL/LDL ratio (adjusted p = 0.002), and HDL (adjusted p

Abstract Background The growing number of adolescents who are overweight or obese (OW / OB) is a public concern. The present study was aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) (screen time (ST) and homework time (HT)) among Yazd OW/OB adolescents. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed among 510 students aged 12-16 in Yazd, Iran. The general information, PA, and SB (ST and HT) were collected by interview based on the WHO standard questionnaire. Anthropometric data were assessed by precise instruments. Daily energy intake (Energy) was obtained from a 7-day food record. Nutritionist 4 software (version I) was run to estimate the energy. Results There was a high prevalence of SB > 2h/day (97.6), ST > 2h/day (70.3%), overweight or obesity (40%), abdominal obesity (36.9%), physical inactivity (29.8%) among the students. The younger age (p = 0.014), energy (p < 0.001), no access to the yard (p < 0.001), family size ≤ 2 (p = 0.023), passive transportation, (p = 0.001), the highest school days’ HT (p = 0.033) and SB (p = 0.021), and the highest weekends’ HT among the students were the risk factors for OW/OB. The highest PA level was associated with a lower risk of OW/OB (p < 0.001). The findings were not the same in both sexes. Compared to the normal weight students, OW / OB spent more time on school days and weekdays for ST (P

Improving the crop traits is highly required for the development of superior crop varieties to deal with climate change and the associated abiotic and biotic stress challenges. Climate change-driven global warming can trigger higher insect pest pressures and plant diseases thus affecting crop production sternly. The traits controlling genes for stress or disease tolerance are economically imperative in crop plants. In this scenario, the extensive exploration of available wild, resistant or susceptible germplasms and unraveling the genetic diversity remains vital for breeding programs. The dawn of next-generation sequencing technologies and omics approaches has accelerated plant breeding by providing the genome sequences and transcriptomes of several plants. The availability of decoded plant genomes offers an opportunity at a glance to identify candidate genes, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), molecular markers, and genome-wide association studies that can potentially aid in high throughput marker-assisted breeding. In recent years genomics is coupled with marker-assisted breeding to unravel the mechanisms to harness better better crop yield and quality. In this review, we discuss the aspects of marker-assisted breeding and recent perspectives of breeding approaches in the era of genomics, bioinformatics, high-tech phonemics, genome editing, and new plant breeding technologies for crop improvement. In nutshell, the smart breeding toolkit in the post-genomics era can steadily help in developing climate-smart future food crops.

Abstract Background The prevalence of prediabetes is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, prediabetes is related to non-communicable diseases. A high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is reported in people with prediabetes. Curcumin, a polyphenol, might lead to its therapeutic role in obesity and some obesity-related metabolic diseases. Zinc is a trace element that plays a key role in the synthesis and action of insulin, carbohydrate metabolism, and decreasing inflammation. There has been no clinical trial of zinc and curcumin co-supplementation in patients with prediabetes. In previous studies, the single administration of zinc or curcumin has not been conducted on many of the studied markers in prediabetic patients. Methods The purpose of this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial is to investigate the effect of curcumin and zinc co-supplementation on glycemic measurements, lipid profiles, and inflammatory and antioxidant biomarkers among 84 prediabetic patients with body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35. Also, liver enzyme, serum zinc, urine zinc, blood pressure, anthropometric parameters, quality of life, adherence to co-supplementation, the side effects of co-supplementation, physical activity, and dietary intake will be assessed. Women or men (18–50 years old for men and 18 years to before menopause for women) will be followed for 3 months (90 days). This study will be conducted at Yazd Diabetes Research Clinic, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Discussion A diet rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and phytochemicals has been shown to have a beneficial role in prediabetes. According to the beneficial properties of curcumin or zinc and inadequate evidence, RCTs are needed to assess the effect of curcumin and zinc co-supplementation in native prediabetes patients. We hope the results of the present trial, negative or positive, fill this gap in the literature and facilitate the approach for a much larger, multi-center clinical trial. In conclusion, a synergic effect of co-supplementation along with a weight-loss diet may delay the progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) IRCT20190902044671N1 . Registered on 11 October 2019

Background: The important risk factors in obesity are related to unhealthy nutritional habits. The aim of this study was to estimate and compare the macro- and micro-nutrients’ intake in breakfast and midmorning snacks. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 569 students (12-16 years) by the multistage cluster sampling method. The demographic data were gathered by interview. Anthropometric data and breakfast habits (breakfast frequency and time as well as nutrients’ intake at breakfast or snacks) were measured using standardized instruments by asking some questions. Results: The results showed that the high prevalence of irregular breakfast eating (IRBE) and overweight or obesity. No significant difference was found between breakfast frequency and time according to the students’ gender or body mass index (BMI). The mean BMI had a significant increase in females; whereas, the percentage of energy from breakfast (EB%), snack (ES%), or both breakfast and snacks (EBS%) were shown no significant difference between genders. A significant increase was found in EB%, EB%, and EBS%; whereas, the daily energy intake (DEI) was lower in normal-weight students. However, other nutrients at breakfast or snacks had no significant difference. The level of higher DEI was reported in IRBE adolescents. Conclusions: An inappropriate breakfast habit can cause irreparable consequences in adolescents. Although breakfast plays an undeniable role, other factors are also effective in one’s health. Further studies are required for more comprehensive results.

Abstract Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age. Chemerin, a novel adipokine, is involved in inflammation, energy metabolism, adipogenesis, angiogenesis and insulin secretion in the adipose cells and ovary. This systematic review with meta‐analysis aimed to compare serum and follicular fluid (FF) chemerin and ovarian chemerin mRNA expression among women with PCOS and non‐PCOS. Methods Electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane and CINAHL were used for a comprehensive search through April 2021. Of the 174 articles initially identified, 22 studies met the eligibility criteria. A random‐effects model with a weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was performed to compare the outcomes between groups. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to detect the sources of heterogeneity. Results Women with PCOS compared to without PCOS showed significantly higher serum chemerin [WMD: 12.02 pg/ml (95% CI: [10.92, 13.13]), p

Introduction and purpose: In this study, we attempted to investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and quality of life in staff of selected hospitals in Golestan Province, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, the study population included all the employees (n=770) of Kordkuy Heart Hospital and Khatam al-Anbia Hospital of Gonbad Kavus, Golestan Province, Iran. The standard sample size was estimated at 256 based on Morgan Table. Considering the probability of subject attrition and to bolster the validity of the study, 300 employees (150 Kurdkuy and 150 Gonbad Kavus) from different occupational groups were randomly selected by stratified sampling. To collect the data, a demographic information form, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the Lancashire quality of life profile were used. Independent t-test was run in SPSS, version 22. Results: During the past year, the neck and knee were the most problematic areas, and the elbows and thighs caused the least amount of pain or discomfort among the employees. There was a significant difference between different dimensions of quality of life with consideration of musculoskeletal disorders in different areas of the body. Musculoskeletal disorders in various areas significantly diminished different aspects of quality of life. In the physical aspect of quality of life, the employees suffering from musculoskeletal disorders in all areas were significantly different from those without any problems. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, musculoskeletal disorders are one of the workplace damages that affect employees’ quality of life. Indeed, in addition to high costs, it undermines physical, mental, and social health, hence low productivity of employees.