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Abstract Background Previous studies have suggested a link between diet and mental health. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the association between emerging diets such as the EAT-Lancet reference diet (ELD) and the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, and mental health in different societies. This study aimed to determine the association between adherence to ELD and MIND diets and the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods This research involved 4579 participants from the PERSIAN Organizational Cohort Study in Mashhad (POCM). To assess dietary intake, a comprehensive 118-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was employed. The Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) was used to assess adherence to the ELD. Mental health status was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21) questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was utilized to examine the relationship between these scores and mental health indicators. Results In the adjusted model, the highest quartile of PHDI showed a 35% reduced risk of depression compared to those in the lowest quartile (OR: 0.653, 95% CI: 0.483–0.883; P = 0.008). However, compared to the reference quartile, participants in the highest quartile of MIND diet exhibited significantly lower risks of depression (OR: 0.611, 95% CI: 0.447–0.836; P = 0.005), anxiety (OR: 0.559, 95% CI: 0.418–0.746; P

One of the first steps toward improving online English language courses should be exploring and understanding the educational policies that shape them. Accordingly, the present study examined 191 educational guidelines and plans which were issued during the COVID-19 pandemic at a well-known Iranian language institute in order to identify the main concerns of the institute policymakers, as well as the shortcomings of the online language classes. This was done through applying qualitative content analysis to these documents. The emerging themes revealed that the focus of the institute policymakers was mainly on supporting teachers’ and learners’ technological literacy. On the other hand, some of the guidelines which were issued in response to the teachers’ questions and requests indirectly revealed their concerns, thereby highlighting the shortcomings. These revealed that online teacher training can be more efficient by supporting online teachers beyond mere technology literacy support, and with more emphasis on effective technological pedagogical knowledge. Moreover, online teachers could play an influential role in the decision-making, development, and teaching of online courses. Recognizing their key role and providing them with more support, freedom, dignity, and respect can lead to an improvement in teacher soft skills, such as patience and empathy with students in times of crisis. Furthermore, enhancing the motivation, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing of teachers is expected to similarly promote student engagement and improve their performance.

Sanctions against a country could be a shock to the country's economy for a specific period. Iran has been subject to various sanctions for the past 40 years, and these sanctions have intensified since 2011. Unprecedented sanctions were imposed on Iranians after the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement, and a disastrous economic situation was the outcome of this international issue. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of this situation on weight gain of pregnant mothers and birth weight as well as food security of their families. Methods: The data of pregnant women and newborns were extracted from Sina Electronic Health System (SinaEHR®) questionnaires. These questionnaires were completed by trained healthcare workers in comprehensive health service centers. The data of 266,182 pregnant women were collected through questionnaires from 19 comprehensive health centers related to Razavi Khorasan province and were prepared for statistical analysis. Then, data analysis was done using the statistical method of Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) by SPSS software. Results: Examining the data of 266,182 pregnant mothers during the sanctions period of 2017 to 2020 in Iran shows that the weight gain of pregnant mothers (P

Background and Aims: Curcumin has potential anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of curcumin against cardiac ischemia -reperfusion injury in rats fed a high-fat diet. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (C), high-fat diet (H), curcumin 100 (HyperC100, 100 mg/kg) and curcumin 200 (HyperC200), with the last two groups receiving oral curcumin daily for 3 weeks. The rats were fed a high-fat diet for 7 weeks to induce obesity. After anesthesia, hearts were removed and placed on the Langendorff perfusion system andbegan beating. After 20 minutes of stabilization, 35 minutes of ischemia and 60 minutes of nutrient fluid reflux were performed. During this interval, ventricular (LV) functional indices including LVSP, LVDP, LVEDP and +dp/dt were recorded. The relative size of the infarction was measured by using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Results: Hyperlipidemia caused dysfunction with changes in ventricular parameters, but curcumin could to improve some LV contractile parameters such as systolic pressure and increase diastolic pressure (P≤0.05). Curcumin could not significantly reduce the infarct size. Conclusion: Curcumin may have an cardio protection effects against ischemia/reperfusion injury in normal and hyperlipidemic rats.

Purpose – Transitional entrepreneurship in distressed economies is a fairly new concept with respect to new ventures in such challenging economic environments. Formal institutional voids are sometimes held up as a reason for the difficulties present in distressed economies, along with exogenous shocks and other upheavals. In this research, the authors seek to contribute empirically and theoretically as to ways in which formal institutions voids can be filled by a culture developed by transitional entrepreneurs. Indeed, in transition economies, formal institutions need to be enhanced by informal institutions to control corruption and other misbehavior by authorities. Iranian economists emphasize these essential reforms to be able to manage current difficulties, yet top down policies cannot help transitional entrepreneurs benefit from the country’s value-adding cultural heritage to informally address this. To study this, qualitative research methods were used to interpret transitional entrepreneurs’ ideology and ethical routines as the ingredients of a commercial culture that can establish soft law that substitutes for formal institutions. This helps to reduce the disfunctionality of formal institutions in distressed economies. Design/methodology/approach – A thematic analysis interviewing key Iranian entrepreneurs and economists is conducted. Also based on an interpretive paradigm, a hermeneutic cycle has been carried out on selected texts. Results have been verified throughout related literature as to come up with a solid synthesized interpreted outcome. Findings – This paper contributes to theory from a new perspective by discussing transitional entrepreneurship and navigating a distressed economy; in which, ideology and ethics as the ingredients of soft law (Newman and Posner, 2018) are discussed as the base to further develop a commercial culture that fills voids of formal institutions. The formal–informal institutional cycle in distressed economies as the major difficulty entrepreneurs face (Peng and Luo, 2000) is important, because they try to increasingly enhance their move toward a market orientation (Bruton et al., 2008). The authors contribute as to how transitional entrepreneurs can complete this process of adaptation and also the fact that those informal institutions do actually respond to those adaptations. The other contribution is to enrich theories about institutions from the point of view of culture. Knowing these facts helps transitional entrepreneurs, because in distressed communities, formal institutions’ function has an important effect on economic performance (Amorós, 2009). This research’s contributions shed light to help government leaders understand the pros and cons of their actions forced on the industry. As it has been characterized in this research, it can turn in to new formal set of legitimacies (Ahlstrom et al., 2008) to root out corruption and help set the economy on a path to innovation and new venture creation. Originality/value – Transitional entrepreneurs can depend on the less formal cultural-cognitive aspect of ethics and ideology. These entrepreneurs can be working on the burgeoning private sector, who want to connect with the outside effectively to overcome an economy in distress. Transitional entrepreneurs may face governmental institutional intermediaries as a barrier. Formal intermediaries tend to benefit from inefficiencies caused by hierarchal orders and will improve informality in order to overcome difficulties. In this research, institutional theory from the third pillar of the cultural-cognitive sheds light on transitional entrepreneurship in distressed economies, where inquiry is to fill voids of formal institutions as a process of possible linking between new generated soft law derived by beliefs, ideology and professional morality in order to influence (old) legitimacies. The research’s focus evolves on values transitional entrepreneurs utilize to build informal institutions and then impact further on formal institutions to handle distressed communities. This theoretical background expands on subsections to define conceptual building blocks for the study, essential aspects such as individuals as transitional entrepreneurs, the values they utilize to generate soft law, informal institutions and soft law, to manage voids in formal institutions and legitimacy building aspects in policy agenda setting for transitional entrepreneurship in distressed economies.

Background: Sanctions are a type of forfeit aimed at forcing the subject to obey the desired political will. Since sanctions affect various components of the economic sectors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of sanctions on food intake of households living in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. Methods: To investigate the effect of sanctions on food intake of households living in Khorasan Razavi province, the survey data of the National Statistics Center of Iran (NSCI) on cost and income was used. 2129 households (number of households in 2017: 702, 2018: 726 and 2019: 701) were studied. In the N4 program, macronutrients and micronutrients were calculated. The studied variables were analyzed based on four income categories. In the SPSS software, quantitative variables of 2017 to 2019 were reviewed by ANOVA test and variables in pairs of the same period were reviewed by post hoc Tukey test. Results: The analysis showed that by intensifying sanctions, the cost of food has increased more than the average of income, and prices of all food groups spesifically healthy food groups have increased. The diet quality index has decreased significantly. The lower-income classes had the most insufficient dietary intake of micronutrients and the gap between dietary intake of different income classes increased during the study. Conclusion: Sanctions have affected the dietary intake due to the rise in the price of food expenditure and as a result people tend to consume cheaper and lower quality food. Corresponding Author:Abdolreza Norouzy View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Profile

Abstract Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Iranian children is on the rise. Dietary patterns (DPs) and socioeconomic status ( socioeconomic status (SES)) may relate to children's excess weight as a predictor of the risk of obesity in adulthood that may vary by geographical regions. Aim The relationship between DPs and the development of obesity in preschool children has not been adequately evaluated. The present study evaluates this relationship by considering SES. Methods A total of 320 preschool children (4–6 years) were randomly selected from three different areas of Mashhad based on economic status. Dietary intake was evaluated using a semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire completed by the children's parents. Anthropometric and body composition variables were measured by means of valid tools and standard methods. socioeconomic status data were collected through a researcher‐made questionnaire. Results Three dominant DPs of ‘healthy’, ‘unhealthy’, and ‘meat‐free’ were identified using factor analysis. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the children who followed meat‐free DP was significantly higher than that of other children (p = 0.004). The means and standard deviations of energy intake, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat‐free mass, and fat mass were 1187.97 ± 356.87 Kcal/day, 16.23 ± 2.28 kg/m2, 54.28 ± 6.49 cm, 16.24 ± 2.23 kg, and 4.62 ± 2.70 kg respectively. Being in the higher levels of SES was significantly related to height (p = 0.02), energy intake (p

Capturing a large amount of CO2 from industry, energy production, or incineration plants and storing it in the subsurface such as depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs or saline aquifers can fundamentally reduce the footprint of atmospheric greenhouse gasses. Injection of CO2 in a saline aquifer zone or depleted hydrocarbon reservoir will vaporize formation water and lead to potential salt precipitation in porous rock, thus increasing the risk of formation damage near the wellbore area and reducing the injectivity of CO2 in the reservoir. Previous experimental studies on salt precipitation have focused on core flooding, including micro-core flooding, ordinary single-plug flooding, and composite core flooding. The length of the core plugs limits these flooding tests. They usually suffer from serious end effects, and it is generally challenging to investigate the variation along the flooding direction, especially after large pore volumes of injection. In this study (Project Greensand), we have researched and developed new equipment termed “long tube apparatus” to improve the understanding of salt precipitation and gage the effects of formation damage in detail for a North Sea depleted oil field reservoir (Nini West) under investigation, while injecting CO2. The main aim of the experiment was to determine two properties such as salt and water content, which are used to evaluate the formation damage due to salt precipitation. Finally, a numerical simulation was carried out using CMG GEM in both 1D homogeneous model and another heterogeneous model honoring the channeling at the inlet. Results with qualitative agreement were achieved, especially with the heterogeneous model.

Food insecurity is a public health concern with pervasive effects on numerous human biological factors. In addition to physical problems, food insecurity may have adverse social and psychological impacts. The present study aimed to determine the correlations between household food insecurity and stress, anxiety, and depression in mothers living in Mashhad, Iran. In this cross-sectional study we recruited 312 mothers. We collected data on the food insecurity status of households using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and used the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) to assess the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in the subjects. The prevalence rate of food insecurity was 51.9%, and the prevalence rate of stress, anxiety, and depression was 70.2%, 70.2%, and 55.1%, respectively. In the food-insecure group, 94.3% of the mothers had stress, 91.4% had anxiety, and 87.1% had depression. While in the food-secure group, 60.7%, 61.3%, and 37.3% of the mothers had stressed, anxiety, and depression, respectively. In all the analytical models, food insecurity was significantly and positively associated with stress, anxiety, and depression (P

Background: The occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its health-related issues, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD), are increasing in developing countries. With a 3-year follow-up study, the present study aimed to determine the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with OSA in an Iranian population.Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 415 adults (300 patients with OSA and 115 patients without OSA) with a history of snoring and/or witnessed apneas or other suspected sleep breathing disorders were consecutively enrolled and followed up for three successive years to evaluate the development of cardiovascular events including acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular accidents (including ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes or transient ischemic attacks), death due to cardiac causes and all-cause mortality. Results: 415 patients were studied with a mean age of 56.2 ±15.7 years, 211 (50.8) of whom were male. Cardiovascular events developed in 15 participants (5%) of the OSA group, and 3 participants (2.6 %) of the OSA negative group. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the incidence of any of these events (P-value> 0.05). Using multiple logistic regression model (with P-value

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis is associated with obesity, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. It has been hypothesized that L-carnitine can improve cardiovascular risk factors. We aimed to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on lipid accumulation product (LAP) and atherogenic indices in women with overweight/obesity who have knee osteoarthritis. Methods In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, seventy-six women with overweight/obesity who had knee osteoarthritis were assigned into the intervention group and control group for 12 weeks. The intervention group received 1000 mg/day L-carnitine as capsule, and the control group received placebo. The primary outcomes were LAP, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), atherogenic coefficient (AC) and Castelli risk index II (CRI-II). Results We found no significant difference between the groups in baseline values of LAP, AIP, AC and CRI-II. After the intervention, a significant reduction in LAP was observed in intervention group compared to the control group (− 11.05 (− 28.24 to 0.40) vs. − 5.82 (− 24.44 to 2.68); P = 0.03). However, there was no significant difference between two groups in AIP (− 0.05 ± 0.16 vs. − 0.01 ± 0.13; P = 0.19), AC (− 0.40 ± 0.81 vs. − 0.30 ± 0.67; P = 0.67) and CRI-II (− 0.20 ± 0.76 vs. − 0.21 ± 0.47; P = 0.11). Conclusions L-carnitine supplementation for 12 weeks can improve LAP, but it has no effect on cardiovascular outcomes. To reach a definitive conclusion, further clinical trials with larger sample sizes and higher dosages of L-carnitine are needed. Trial registration Registered on 27/4/2017 at Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT2017011932026N2.

Background and Objective: Air pollution is one of the serious challenges that have been faced in recent years, especially in major cities around the world. Isfahan, as one of the metropolises of Iran, is no exception to this rule. This issue has become critical for Isfahan as a densely populated and industrial city. Materials and Methods: In this research, the data recorded at 17 air quality monitoring stations in Isfahan have been analyzed. The stations included Ahmadabad, Parvin, Rudaki, Ostandari, Kharazi, Rehnan, Kaveh, Feiz, Mirzataher, Jey, Misaq Stadium, Farshadi, Bahonar, Enghelab, Shahinshahr, Mobarakeh and Segzai. All the statistical analyzes in this research were related to the AQI air quality index and were performed using Excel software. Results: The results showed that among the 17 studied stations, Ahmadabad station did not have any clean and good days during the studied period (From April 21, 2021 to March 20, 2022) and compared to other stations, the highest number of days with the condition Unsanitary is recorded at this station. It also had the highest AQI in the fall compared to other stations. Therefore, Ahmadabad station is the most polluted area in terms of air quality. The results also showed that the highest number of good and clean days was recorded in Mobarakeh and Shahinshahr stations. These two stations had the lowest amount of AQI during the study period. Conclusion: The results of this study shows that areas such as Segzi and Mobarakeh, which are relatively industrial areas, have less pollution than the Ahmadabad area, which is a residential but with high traffic. Therefore, it can be concluded that the impact of pollution caused by cars in 2021-2022 was more than the pollution caused by industries.

Abstract Background: Observational evidence on the association of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor-α (ER- α ) genes with odds of male infertility are rare. This is particularly relevant in the Iranian population where male infertility is relatively high. Objective: This study was designed to investigate the relationship between different SNPs of these genes and male infertility among the Iranian population. Materials and Methods: The present project was a population-based, case-control study conducted on 120 idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligospermia infertile cases alongside 120 age-matched subjects enrolled as controls. Overall, 3 variants from the AR gene and 2 variants from ER- α were genotyped - ARrs137852568, ARrs137852599 and AR rs137852563, and ER- α rs796065354 and ER- α rs104893956- using amplification refractory mutation system methods. Results: The obtained results indicated a significant association between AR rs1378525568 TT genotype as well as AR rs137852599 C allele with odds of male infertility (OR: 0.433, CI: 0.197-0.951 and OR: 0.545, CI: 0.304-0.978, respectively). Other variants of AR were not related to male infertility. A significant association was noted between predisposition polymorphism ER- α rs796065354 genotypes with male infertility. This significant association was not seen between ER- α rs104893956 and the risk of idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligospermia. Heterozygote overdominance was also observed in ESR rs796065354 but not in the other variants studied. Conclusion: Pieces of evidence were found on the association of novel polymorphisms of AR and ER- α with male infertility among the Iranian population. However, larger studies are warranted to confirm our findings.Key words: Male infertility, Androgen receptor, Estrogen receptor- α .

ABSTRACTBackground: Observational studies that inspected the association of USP26, TEX15, and TNP2 novel single nucleotidepolymorphism (SNP) with odds of male infertility are sparse. Male infertility prevalence in Iran is reported morethan global prevalence, while about 30-50% of infertile male have no distinct reason yet and they are considered asidiopathic male infertility. This study was conducted to investigate association of different SNPs of USP26, TEX15,and TNP2 genes with male infertility among the Iranian population.Materials and Methods: In this population-based case-control study, 120 diagnosed idiopathic azoospermia or severeoligospermia infertile cases range of 25-45 years old, and 120 age-matched fertile controls were recruited. Overall,six different variants from three genes were genotyped including USP26 rs61741870, USP26 rs144039408, TEX15rs323344, TEX15 rs61732458, TNP2 rs11640138 and TNP2 rs199536093 by using amplification-refractory mutationsystem polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) methods.Results: Although there was no significant association of USP26 gene variants (rs61741870 and rs144039408) withmen infertility, we found a significant association of TEX15 rs323344 T allele and odds of idiopathic azoospermiacompared to recessive allele (odds ratio [OR]: 0.259, confidence intervals [CI]: 0.083-0.811). We determined significantassociations of TEX15 rs61732458 AC and CA+AA with male infertility compared to normal homozygote (OR:3.776, CI: 2.049-6.957, OR: 3.818, CI: 2.077-7.016, respectively). Significant association was seen among TNP2rs199536093 GG genotype and idiopathic azoospermia compared to normal homozygote (OR: 0.348, CI: 0.129-0.939). We also observed heterozygote overdominance in TEX15 rs61732458 and TNP2 rs199536093.Conclusion: We found novel polymorphisms related to male infertility among Iranian population. However, largerstudies are needed to confirm the obtained results.

Objective: Caring for children with cancer has many tensions that can lead to deep emotional and emotional problems such as stress, anxiety and depression in their caregivers. This study aims to examine the effect of spiritual group therapy on depression, anxiety and stress of the mothers of children with cancer. Methods: The is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design conducted on 24 mothers as caregivers of children with cancer selected from among those in the children’s cancer association in Ardebil, Iran. They were divided into two groups of intervention and control. The intervention group participated in 8 sessions of spiritual group therapy. Depression, anxiety and stress were evaluated before and after intervention using the 42-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, independent t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test in SPSS v. 25 software. Results: Mean±SD age of mothers in the intervention and control groups was 39.08±8.56 and 38.09±9.76 years, respectively. The results showed that the spiritual group therapy could significantly decrease depression (P=0.001), stress (P=0.001) and anxiety (P=0.001) in mothers. Conclusion: Spiritual group therapy can reduce stress, anxiety and depression of mothers as caregivers of children with cancer. The development of such programs is recommended for alleviating the psychological problems in caregivers of children with cancer and, thus, maintaining or improving the quality of care provided by them to the children.

Introduction: Ramadan fasting (RF) is a model of calorie restriction similar to intermittent fasting, which is extensively practiced by a large population of Muslims. Limited and controversial studies have investigated the physiological changes induced by 30 days of RF. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on the resting metabolic rate and body composition of overweight and obese individuals. Methods: This study was conducted on 21 men and women aged 18-40 years. The subjects avoided eating and drinking for one month during the holy month of Ramadan (at least 20 days) and received a routine diet without an intervention between Iftar and dawn (Sahur). Before and after the study, the energy of the basal metabolic rate was measured via indirect calorimetry, and body composition was measured by bioimpedance (InBody s10). In addition, the physical activity of each participant was evaluated using a pedometer during one week. During the study, each participant received a 24-hour recall once a week. Results: Compared to the pre-study period and after four weeks of RF, body weight (77.91±11.83 vs. 77.01 ±11.75 kg; P

Background: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Lepidium sativum (LS) have therapeutic effects on infertility. Objective: To evaluate the combined effects of LS and CoQ10 on reproductive function in adult male NMRI mice. Materials and Methods: Eighty three-months-old male mice (35–40 gr) were divided into four groups (n = 10/each): control (treated with water), CoQ10-treated (200, 300, and 400 mg/kg/body weight), LS-treated (200, 400, 600 mg/kg/body weight), and co-treated (LS [600 mg/kg/body weight] + CoQ10 [200 mg/kg/body weight]) groups. Serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and gonadotropin realizing hormone (GnRH) levels were measured using ELISA method. The sperm quality was assessed using Sperm Class AnalyzerⓇ (SCA) CASA system and GnRH mRNA expression levels were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The number of sniffing and following behavior was significantly higher in LS-treated (400 and 600 mg/ml/body weight) groups than the control group (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.0010, respectively). The number of mounting and coupling behaviors was significantly higher in the CoQ10 (300 and 400 mg/ml/body weight)-treated animals than the control group (p = 0.0170 and p = 0.0006, respectively). Co-treatment of CoQ10 (200 mg/ml/body weight) and LS (600 mg/ml/body weight) significantly increased all aspects of sexual behaviors as well as the levels of serum testosterone (p = 0.0011), luteinizing hormone (p = 0.0062), and follicle-stimulating hormone (p = 0.0001); sperm viability (p = 0.0300) and motility (p = 0.0010); and GnRH mRNA levels (p = 0.0016) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The coadministration of CoQ10 and LS significantly improves the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and enhances the reproductive parameters in adult male mice.

Introduction: We know mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are in the higher postpartum risk of spare weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Excessive postpartum weight gains also lead to low maternal vitamin D levels. So, we decided to evaluate the result of a single mega dose of injectable vitamin D in postpartum weight gain and other anthropometric measurements in the new cases of GDM. Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial study with the follow-up time of 3 months. Totally 45 people were randomly allocated into control and intervention groups. The intervention group got only one IM injection of 300,000 IU of vitamin D whereas controls did not. The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference and waist to hip ratio were quantitated. Results: 24 mothers with an average age of 30.7±6.2 in the intervention group and 21 mothers with an average age of 29.5±4.0 in the control group took part in the study. Waist circumference and hip circumference reduced in the intervention group in compared to the control group (P value= 0.006), significantly. Changes of BMI were not significant after intervention (P value= 0.9). Conclusions: Only one single 300,000 IU dose of vitamin D decreased waist and hip circumference in postpartum of GDM women, but it did not find any significant effect on BMI. Further prospective studies with longer follow up period are necessary.

Summary: Background & aims: Vitamin D is being increasingly recognized for its important non-skeletal functions including endocrine actions. This study investigated if a single, large, intramuscular postpartum injection of vitamin D improve adiponectin levels among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A total of 45 pregnant women with GDM participated in this randomized clinical trial. They were randomly divided into intervention and control group. The intervention group received an intramuscular injection of 300,000 IU of vitamin D during 3–10 days after their child delivery, but controls did not. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum adiponectin were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention. Results: Serum 25 OH vitamin D increase significantly in the intervention but not in the control group from 24.25 to 62.10 (nmol/L) (p-value

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) with food and nutrition literacy (FNLIT) in a sample of Iranian children. This cross sectional study was performed on 315 children aged 9 to 12 years recruited from the primary schools throughout Mashhad, Iran. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to assess the HFI. Also, overall FNLIT score and its sub-categories were evaluated using a validated 40-item questionnaire. Results The prevalence of HFI in the total sample was about 56%. Also, almost 14% of students had a low FNLIT score. Food insecure children had significantly lower levels of FNLT and some subscales including nutrition knowledge, food choice literacy, and food label literacy than the food-secure subjects, moreover, they had a higher likelihood of having low FNLIT score (OR = 2.89, CI 1.03–8.09; p = 0.04). In conclusion, there is a negative association between HFI and FNLIT in children. Further studies to confirm this finding are needed.

Abstract Background In addition to their multilineage potential, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a broad range of functions from tissue regeneration to immunomodulation. MSCs have the ability to modulate the immune response and change the progression of different inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. However, there are still many challenges to overcome before their widespread clinical administration including the mechanisms behind their immunoregulatory function. MSCs inhibit effector T cells and other immune cells, while inducing regulatory T cells (T regs), thus, reducing directly and indirectly the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. TNF/TNFR signaling plays a dual role: while the interaction of TNFα with TNFR1 mediates pro-inflammatory effects and cell death, its interaction with TNFR2 mediates anti-inflammatory effects and cell survival. Many immunosuppressive cells like T regs, regulatory B cells (B regs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) express TNFR2, and this is directly related to their immunosuppression efficiency. In this article, we investigated the role of the TNFα/TNFR2 immune checkpoint signaling pathway in the immunomodulatory capacities of MSCs. Methods Co-cultures of MSCs from wild-type (WT) and TNFR2 knocked-out (TNFR2 KO) mice with T cells (WT and TNFα KO) were performed under various experimental conditions. Results We demonstrate that TNFR2 is a key regulatory molecule which is strongly involved in the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs. This includes their ability to suppress T cell proliferation, activation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, in addition to their capacity to induce active T regs. Conclusions Our results reveal for the first time the importance of the TNFα/TNFR2 axis as an active immune checkpoint regulating MSC immunological functions.

The zero forcing number $Z(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the minimum cardinality of a set $S$ with colored (black) vertices which forces the set $V(G)$ to be colored (black) after some times. ``color change rule'': a white vertex is changed to a black vertex when it is the only white neighbor of a black vertex. In this case, we say that the black vertex forces the white vertex. We investigate here the concept of connected zero forcing set and connected zero forcing number. We discusses this subject for special graphs and some products of graphs. Also we introduce the connected propagation time. Graphs with extreme minimum connected propagation times and maximum propagation times $|G|-1$ and $|G|-2$ are characterized.

Abstract Background Depression is a major contributor to disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost in the world. Dietary patterns are widely used to investigate diet–disease relations. In the current study, the relationship between dietary patterns and depression was investigated. Besides, the role of serum vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and total antioxidant capacity as potential mediatory variables was studied. Methods It was an individually matched case–control study in which 330 depressed and healthy subjects were recruited for the extraction of dietary patterns; psychiatrists diagnosed major depressive disorder, using the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Serum vitamin D and aforementioned biomarkers were measured for a number of randomly selected depressed and healthy individuals. We conducted mediatory analysis by regression models. Results Healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns were associated with the lower and higher odds of depression (OR 0.39, CI 0.17–0.92 and OR 2.6, CI 1.04–6.08), respectively. A significant relationship between serum vitamin D with depression after adjusting for potential confounders was observed as well (OR 0.93, CI 0.87–0.99). According to the mediatory analysis the unhealthy dietary patterns were related to depression via altering the serum vitamin D concentration. Conclusion This study showed that vitamin D deficiency mediates the relationship between unhealthy dietary patterns and depression. However, to get a clearer result further prospective studies are required.

Objective(s): It is known that treadmill exercise has beneficial effects on the nervous system. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a role in such effects. This study aimed at investigating effects of intermittent treadmill exercise-induced behavioral, histology, and immunohistochemistry (H&E, TH) measurement of brain interleukin-10 (IL-10) in a mice male model of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), as well as the role of BDNF gene in exercise effects. Materials and Methods: The animals were divided into Control (C), Saline (S), Parkinson (P), Exercise (E), and Parkinson + Exercise (PE) groups. Bar test was performed for the 21-day protocol with 5 days a week treadmill exercises. In this regard, brains were removed from the skull for H&E, TH, IL-10, and the expression of the BDNF gene using the MPTP male mice PD model.Results: MPTP reduced the number of DA neurons in the substantia nigra (SNpc), whereas daily exercise administration on 1st, 7th, 14th, and 21st days significantly reduced the catalepsy duration induced by MPTP. The results of H&E and TH studies showed that MPTP significantly reduced the number of TH+ neurons in the SNpc compared with those of the control mice. The MPTP caused a marked decrease in basal protein levels of IL-10 in SNpc and corpus striatum in the Parkinson (P) group as compared with controls. Treatment with Exercise (E) group had the most BDNF expression (3.71), and the Parkinson (P) group also had the least BDNF expression (0.18) relative to controls. Conclusion: The treadmill exercise having neuroprotective effects in SNpc and corpus striatum has improved MPTP associated with motor deficits. It is considered as a non-pharmacological tool for the management of PD.

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration through CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in oil reservoirs is one way to reduce this gas in the atmosphere. Undesirable chemical reactions that occur during these operations can affect the reservoir structure and characteristics. In this study, the effect of CO2-water-rock interaction on the rock permeability alteration and final oil recovery has been evaluated experimentally during CO2 injection into a carbonate rock. The effect of flow rate, displacement type and pressure were investigated during CO2 EOR injection. Different scenarios of miscible/immiscible displacement, secondary/tertiary recovery has been evaluated for different levels of connate water salinity and injection rate. The results show that the severity of damage is directly related to the injection rate, however change in displacement type from miscible to immiscible reduce the intensity of chemical reactions in porous medium. Moreover, in the tertiary CO2 injection, the chemical reactions become more severe due to the higher water saturations. Interestingly, this growth in the level of chemical reactions has a negligible impact on permeability reduction, since the major volume of possible reactions occurs in coarse and high permeable pores. Results reveal that damage is more intense in the case of more saline water.

Background: Tegument protein pp150 of cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) plays a vital role in all stages of viral life cycle, representing the most important tegument protein candidate for HCMV treatment. However, the exact role of pp150 in immune regulation is yet to be elucidated. Objective: To examine the effects of pp150 on the maturity and function of murine dendritic cells (DCs). Methods: Maturity status (CD40, CD86, and MHC-II expression) and phagocytic capacity of DCs (dextran uptake assay) were characterized. Gene expression profiles of ROR-γ, GATA-3, T-bet, and FOXP-3 as well as the protein expression of INF-γ (Th1), IL-4 (Th2), IL-35 (Treg), IL-17A (Th17), IL-22, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-2 were evaluated in T cells co-cultured with DCs. Results: A significant increase in CD40, CD86, and CCR7 expression and a reduction in the phagocytosis rate were observed in pp150-stimulated DCs compared with unstimulated DCs. T cells co-cultured with stimulated DCs showed higher expressions of ROR-γ, IL-6, IL-2, IL-17A, IL-22, and TNF-α. Conclusion: Despite improvements in maturity status, pp150-stimulated DCs does not seem to be able to induce Th1 or Th2 immunity. In fact, Th17 and its mediators, IL-17A and IL-22, might be the main inflammatory factors involved in pp150-stimulated DC's action mechanism. However, it is necessary to conduct further investigations to corroborate these observations.

Purpose – In recent years, a new form metrics for evaluating research and researchers, called Altimetrics has been developed that seeks to track media attention, viewing, downloading, and so on about academic works. The key institutions that need to be aware of these emerging metrics are academic libraries that provide researchers with research measurement services. The purpose of this research is to find out how well these libraries are prepared to provide these new services.Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the objectives of the study, a survey method was employed. The statistical population of this study was librarians working in central libraries of universities affiliated to MSRT and MOHME in Tehran (105 librarians). Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire including three sections and 20 items.Findings – Findings indicate that librarians' knowledge and use of altmetrics are not sufficient to respond to users' requests and their readiness to serve in this field is low. Also, there is no significant difference between the knowledge and use of librarians in the two ministries. In addition, most librarians need a workshop on learning altmetrics.Originality/value – This is the first study to find out the extent to which librarians in Iranian libraries are familiar with and utilize altmetrics.Practical implications – librarians' knowledge and use of altmetrics are not sufficient. University librarians need new services for users to be viable and relevant to their communities. The findings of this study are an alarm for them to move quickly to new tools and methods.

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder is among main worldwide causes of disability. The low medication compliance rates in depressed patients as well as the high recurrence rate of the disease can bring up the nutrition-related factors as a potential preventive or treatment agent for depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns and depression via the intermediary role of the serum folate and vitamin B12, total homocysteine, tryptophan, and tryptophan/competing amino acids ratio. Methods This was an individually matched case-control study in which 110 patients with depression and 220 healthy individuals, who completed a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire were recruited. We selected the depressed patients from three districts in Tehran through non-probable convenience sampling from which healthy individuals were selected, as well. The samples selection and data collection were performed during October 2012 to June 2013. In addition, to measure the serum biomarkers 43 patients with depression and 43 healthy people were randomly selected from the study population. To diagnose depression the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, were utilized. Results The findings suggest that the healthy dietary pattern was significantly associated with a reduced odds of depression (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.61–0.93) whereas the unhealthy dietary pattern increased it (OR: 1.382, CI: 1.116–1.71). The mediation analysis showed that the healthy dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of depression via increased serum levels of the folate and vitamin B12; however, the unhealthy dietary pattern was associated with increased risk of depression via decreased serum levels of folate and vitamin B12, based on tree adjusted logistic regression models. Conclusion Dietary patterns may be associated with depression by changing the serum levels of folate and vitamin B12. Further studies are required to confirm the mechanism.

IntroductionNitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice (BRJ) ingestion has been shown to improve exercise tolerance during acute hypoxia, but its effect on exercise physiology remains unstudied during sustained terrestrial high altitude exposure. We hypothesized that performing exercise at high altitude would lower circulating nitrate and nitrite levels and that BRJ ingestion would reverse this phenomenon while concomitantly improving key determinants of aerobic exercise performance.MethodsTwenty seven healthy volunteers (21 male) underwent a series of exercise tests at sea level (SL, London, 75 m) and again after 5–8 days at high altitude (HA, Capanna Regina Margherita or “Margherita Hut,” 4,559 m). Using a double-blind protocol, participants were randomized to consume a beetroot/fruit juice beverage (three doses per day) with high levels of nitrate (∼0.18 mmol/kg/day) or a nitrate-depleted placebo (∼11.5 μmoles/kg/day) control drink, from 3 days prior to the exercise trials until completion. Submaximal constant work rate cycle tests were performed to determine exercise efficiency and a maximal incremental ramp exercise test was undertaken to measure aerobic capacity, using breath-by-breath pulmonary gas exchange measurements throughout. Concentrations of nitrate, nitrite and nitrosation products were quantified in plasma samples collected at 5 timepoints during the constant work rate tests. Linear mixed modeling was used to analyze data.ResultsAt both SL and HA, plasma nitrate concentrations were elevated in the nitrate supplementation group compared to placebo (P < 0.001) but did not change throughout increasing exercise work rate. Delta exercise efficiency was not altered by altitude exposure (P = 0.072) or nitrate supplementation (P = 0.836). V̇O2peak decreased by 24% at high altitude (P < 0.001) and was lower in the nitrate-supplemented group at both sea level and high altitude compared to placebo (P = 0.041). Dietary nitrate supplementation did not alter other peak exercise variables or oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold. Circulating nitrite and S-nitrosothiol levels unexpectedly rose in a few individuals right after cessation of exercise at high altitude.ConclusionWhilst regularly consumed during an 8 days expedition to terrestrial high altitude, nitrate supplementation did not alter exercise efficiency and other exercise physiological variables, except decreasing V̇O2peak. These results and those of others question the practical utility of BRJ consumption during prolonged altitude exposure.

Background: Post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common complication leading to significant activity limitation. Some approaches have been recommended for the management of HSP, and most of them have various adverse effects, while none were established to be effective. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of minimally invasive extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on patients with HSP pain management. Materials and Methods: Using a single-blind, randomized clinical trial, 43 patients with HSP were randomly assigned to complete three focus ESWT sessions once a week and additional five radial ESWT sessions twice a week. Patients in the control arm received zero energy ESWT. Visual analog scale, passive range of motion (ROM), Fugl-Meyer upper extremity assessment (FMA-UE), and shoulder pain and disability scale (SPADI) were measured at baseline, at the end of the interventions, and within four and eight weeks' intervals to evaluate the pain, function, and ROM in the affected shoulder. Result: Both groups showed an improvement in pain scores on the fourth and eighth weeks visits (P-value 0.05). FMA-UE and SPADI did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the combination of rESWT and focused ESWT can efficiently improve stroke-induced HSP.

Introduction: Little is known about the laboratory and radiological characteristics and clinical significance of peripheral immune alterations in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aims to clarify these aspects in children and adults with COVID-19.Methods: In this consecutive pilot study, COVID-19 patients with the confirmed pneumonia and real-time RT-PCR were recruited prospectively in June 2020. The clinical, chest CT, and laboratory features, such as lymphocyte subpopulations, were analyzed for each individual.Results: Forty confirmed COVID-19 patients, 11 severe children, 12 severe adults, and 17 critical adult patients, besides 20 healthy pediatrics and 14 healthy adults as controls, were enrolled prospectively. Adult patients, especially critical ones, had a much higher prevalence of laboratory and chest CT abnormalities. Data regarding immune cell subsets in children patients, compared with matched controls, had higher CD3+ CD8+ T cells (p = 0.004) and lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p = 0.042), while adult patients, compared with matched controls, had lower CD14+ monocytes (p = 0.032). Adult patients were also categorized as experiencing critical or severe illness on admission and, compared with severe patients, had lower total lymphocytes (p < 0.047), CD3+ T-lymphocytes (p < 0.002), and CD3+ CD8+ T cells (p = 0.001) and, on the other hand, had higher CD3+ CD4+ T cells (p = 0.012) and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p = 0.003). Non survived adults, compared with survived patients, had significantly lower CD3+ T-lymphocyte (p = 0.005).Conclusion: Unlike adult patients, who compared with matched controls and had more comorbidities, higher frequency of severe clinical symptoms, laboratory abnormalities, and immune cells alteration, clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in children (compared with matched controls) were relatively mild, and fewer clinical complications were seen either, perhaps because of a milder inflammatory response following their peripheral innate and adaptive immune cell alteration pattern.

Backgrounds and aims: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is immune-inflammatory disease which is associated with great pain and disability. Overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress play an important role in RA pathogenesis and related outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of propolis on inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress status in RA patients. Methods/design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind clinical trial aiming to recruit 48 patients with RA. Block randomization will be used. An intervention group will receive 500 mg/twice a day propolis capsules for 3 months and control group will receive the placebo for the same dose and duration. The oxidative stress status (malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)), and inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-17 (IL-17), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)), lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c), and triglyceride (TG)) and also physical activity, anthropometric indices, clinical and nutritional status will be measured at beginning and end of this study. The primary analysis will be based on theintention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If this randomized clinical trial shows the reduction in inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress and improves clinical outcome, it would provide evidence for other clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of propolis supplementation in RA patients.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now an important cause of death all over the world and is a growing health concern. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition, have an undeniable effect on the prevention and treatment of CVD. Walnut has a unique profile and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and CVD risk factors. Method: A randomized clinical trial, in which 50 participants with a normal lipid profile were randomly divided into two groups. We added 40 gr of walnuts without skin per day for 4 weeks to the usual diet of the intervention group. Results: Paired T-test showed that calorie, protein and fat intake increased significantly in all of the cases, after the consumption of walnuts. At baseline, BMI in control and intervention groups was 21.66 ± 4.06 and 21.22± 4.03 respectively which did not have a significant difference before and after the intervention. We observed a significant decrease in serum LDL and TG concentration in walnut groups after the intervention. Conclusion: The consumption of walnuts could result in decreased serum LDL and TG.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Due to the neurodegenerative effect of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) this study aimed at investigating the effect of this plant on the improvement of learning and memory in rat models of Alzheimer's disease. Material & Methods: The male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups, namely the control group (no injection), sham group (saline injection), experimental group (injection of beta-amyloid (40-1). The other three groups received 75, 140, and 250 ml/kg of fennel extract intraperitoneally 7 days before and 3 weeks after bilateral intraventricular beta-amyloid injection. Shuttle box was used to study the learning and memory behavior of the rats; moreover hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted for histological studies. Findings: According to the results, fennel extract at a dose of 140 mg/kg increased behavioral indicators in measuring the passive avoidance memory in the Alzheimer's group, compared to the sham group (P

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOs) is one of the most common metabolic and endocrine abnormalities among women in reproductive age. In the case of not comprehensive treatment, PCOs can lead to hormonal, metabolic, and fertility disorders. The exact cause of PCOs is still unclear. This disease seems to have a genetic background caused by the interference of several key genes with the environmental factors such as dietary habit and food intake, which play an important role in prevention and treatment of this syndrome. Methods: We searched Scopus, PubMed, SID, and Magiran data bases to find the studies conducted in Iran on dietary patterns, dietary intake, food intake, and PCOs published in English. Results: The findings showed that decrease of weight and fat intake from total calorie (especially saturated fat and cholesterol), increase of physical activity and intake of dietary fibers can improve this syndrome. Furthermore, DASH diet, increase of the protein/carbohydrate ratio in the diet, the low-calorie diets, or iso-caloric diets with a low glycemic index can also be useful in this regard. Discussion: In recent studies, the effects of some healthy diets were studied on PCOs women. A few of these studies were about finding appropriate dietary patterns for PCOs patients, but their number was limited. So, further studies are needed in this regard.

BackgroundCohorts of severely ill patients with COVID-19 have been described in several countries around the globe, but to date there have been few published reports from the United Kingdom (UK). Understanding the characteristics of the affected population admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in the UK is crucial to inform clinical decision making, research and planning for future waves of infection.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational cohort study of all patients with COVID-19 admitted to a large UK ICU from March to May 2020 with follow-up to June 2020. Data were collected from health records using a standardised template. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyse the factors associated with ICU survival.ResultsOf the 156 patients included, 112 (72%) were male, 89 (57%) were overweight or obese, 68 (44%) were from ethnic minorities, and 89 (57%) were aged over 60 years of age. 136 (87%) received mechanical ventilation, 77 (57% of those intubated) were placed in the prone position and 95 (70% of those intubated) received neuromuscular blockade. 154 (99%) patients required cardiovascular support and 44 (28%) required renal replacement therapy. Of the 130 patients with completed ICU episodes, 38 (29%) died and 92 (71%) were discharged alive from ICU. In multivariable models, age (OR 1.13 [95% CI 1.07-1.21]), obesity (OR 3.06 [95% CI 1.16-8.74]), lowest P/F ratio on the first day of admission (OR 0.82 [95% CI 0.67-0.98]) and PaCO2 (OR 1.52 [95% CI 1.01-2.39]) were independently associated with ICU death.ConclusionsAge, obesity and severity of respiratory failure were key determinants of survival in this cohort. Multiorgan failure was prevalent. These findings are important for guiding future research and should be taken into consideration during future healthcare planning in the UK.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their ability to induce the conversion of conventional T cells (Tconvs) into induced regulatory T cells (iTregs) in specific inflammatory contexts. Stable Foxp3 expression plays a major role in the phenotypic and functional stability of iTregs. However, how MSCs induce stable Foxp3 expression remains unknown. Methods We first investigated the role of cell–cell contact and cytokine secretion by bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) on the induction, stability, and suppressive functions of Tregs under various experimental conditions that lead to Foxp3 generation by flow cytometry and ELISA respectively. Second, we studied the effect of MSCs on TRAF6, GRAIL, USP7, STUB1, and UBC13 mRNA expression in CD4+ T cells in correlation with the suppressive function of iTregs by real-time PCR; also, we investigated Foxp3 Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) methylation in correlation with Foxp3 stability by the high-resolution melting technique. Third, we studied the effect of ex-vivo-expanded BM-MSCs on the induction of transplant tolerance in a model of fully allogeneic skin transplantation. We further analyzed the cytokine secretion patterns in grafted mice as well as the mRNA expression of ubiquitination genes in CD4+ T cells collected from the spleens of protected mice. Results We found that in-vitro MSC-induced Tregs express high mRNA levels of ubiquitination genes such as TRAF6, GRAIL, and USP7 and low levels of STUB1. Moreover, they have enhanced TSDR demethylation. Infusion of MSCs in a murine model of allogeneic skin transplantation prolonged allograft survival. When CD4+ T cells were harvested from the spleens of grafted mice, we observed that mRNA expression of the Foxp3 gene was elevated. Furthermore, Foxp3 mRNA expression was associated with increased TRAF6, GRAIL, UBC13, and USP7 and decreased STUB1 mRNA levels compared with the levels observed in vitro. Conclusions Our data suggest a possible ubiquitination mechanism by which MSCs convert Tconvs to suppressive and stable iTregs.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is characterized as, have at least 3 of the following 5 criteria: high waist circumference, high blood pressure, high Triglyceride, low HDL (High Density Lipoprotein), and elevated Fasting Blood Glucose. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 25% of the world's population has metabolic syndrome. Specially, metabolic syndrome is more prevalence in depressed people and other psychiatric patients, but some studies do not confirm it. So, we decided to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome criteria and depression as a most common psychiatric disorder. Method: Our study was a cross sectional design of 130 participants aged 18-65 years. We assessed the metabolic syndrome based on International Diabetes Federation criterion and depression by using the criterion of DSM-IV. Results: After an adjustment for important confounders (Physical activity, calorie intake, history of depression, the depression score, menopausal status, body mass index and dietary patterns) depressed patients significantly had more waist circumference. Conclusion: Maybe visceral obesity results in depression or vice versa. So, we suppose more studies to clarify this relationship.

مقدمه: سندرم Carpal tunnel، یکی از مشکلات شایع نوروپاتی در اندام فوقانی در دنیا می‌باشد. هدف از انجام این مطالعه، ارزیابی اثر درمانی دولوکستین در ترکیب با درمان معمول در بیماران مبتلا به سندرم Carpal tunnel بود. روش‌ها: این مطالعه‌ی آزمایشی، به صورت یک کارآزمایی بالینی بر روی 24 بیمار مبتلا به سندرم Carpal tunnel در دو گروه مورد (دولوکستین) و شاهد انجام گردید. بیماران هر دو گروه، در طول مطالعه درمان معمول را دریافت کردند. از ابتدای هفته‌ی سوم، بیماران گروه مورد به مدت یک ماه کپسول دولوکستین دریافت کردند. نمره‌ی درد بیمار، نمره‌ی شدت علایم بیماری، نمره‌ی وضعیت عملکردی، نمره‌ی شدت بیماری و عوارض جانبی به عنوان متغیرهای اصلی در ابتدای مطالعه، پایان هفته‌‌های ششم و دوازدهم در بیماران ارزیابی و مقایسه گردید. یافته‌ها: میانگین نمره‌ی درد در پایان هفته‌ها‌ی ششم و دوازدهم در گروه مورد به طور معنی‌داری کمتر از گروه شاهد بود (050/0 > P). نمره‌ی شدت علایم بیماری در بین دو گروه مشابه بود (050/0 > P). روند کاهش نمره‌ی وضعیت عملکردی بیماران در طول مطالعه در گروه شاهد از گروه مورد بیشتر بود (028/0 = P). نمره‌ی وضعیت عملکردی بیماران در پایان هفته‌ی داوزدهم در گروه شاهد کمتر از گروه مورد بود (010/0 = P). نمره‌ی شدت بیماری در گروه مورد در انتهای مطالعه کمتر از گروه شاهد بود (012/0 = P). نتیجه‌گیری: اضافه کردن دولوکستین به درمان معمول در بیماران مبتلا به سندرم Carpal tunnel، می‌تواند در کاهش درد و بهبود عملکرد بیماران مؤثر باشد؛ هر چند با توجه به حجم نمونه‌ی کم مطالعه‌ی حاضر، انجام بررسی‌های بیشتر ضروری می‌باشد.

Background: The use of a neutropenic diet after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was instituted more than 30 years ago. This diet was targeted toward preventing from infection with organisms colonizing the gastrointestinal tract and the food-borne pathogens, which are the most important cause of illness and death in developing countries. Regarding this, the present study aimed to evaluate neutropenic diet in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation in a selected hospital. This study also sought to investigate the role of hospital foods in the transmission of clinically important bacteria to the hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the specimens of the foods served in the Bone Marrow Transplant Department of Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The samples were evaluated in terms of bacterial contamination using the standard method ‎of American Public Health Association and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Results: According to total bacteria and coliform counts, No contamination was detected in any of the tested specimens. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the neutropenic diet, was found to be fully in line with the standards of the Ministry of Health and FDA both in terms of guidelines and food analysis.

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Introduction: Thirst is one of the main complaints during Islamic fasting. As bread is the staple food among most Muslims, evaluating its impact on thirst is important. In this study, we investigated the effect of licorice-enriched barley bread compared to barley bread and white wheat bread. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on three consecutive days during Itikaf ceremony. Data were garnered by using a checklist including items on demographic data, weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, and pulse rate. Blood pressure and pulse rate measurements were repeated at the end of the study. The participants were divided into three groups receiving functional barley bread enriched with licorice, barley bread, and white wheat bread. The thirst sensation was assessed by Fan visual analogue scale. Also, 24-hour dietary recall was obtained on all the three days. Results: Overall, 273 people participated in this study. Thirst sensation in the functional barley bread was lower than that in the wheat bread and barley bread groups, but there were no significant differences between wheat and barley bread groups in this regard. During the fasting period, the greatest increase in thirst was observed during the first five hours of fasting in all the three groups, which was significantly lower in the functional barley bread group than the wheat and barley bread groups; however, there was no significant difference between wheat and barley bread groups in this respect. Finally, similar results were attained following fluid intake adjustment.Conclusion: This study showed that licorice enrichment of barley bread might alleviate thirst sensation among fasting individuals.

Objectives: Sarcopenia refers to the involuntary loss of skeletal muscle and is a predictor of physical disability/mortality. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood, although roles for altered hypoxic signaling, oxidative stress, adipokines and inflammatory mediators have been suggested. Sarcopenia also occurs upon exposure to the hypoxia of high altitude. Using data from the Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition we therefore sought to analyze the extent of hypoxia-induced body composition changes and identify putative pathways associated with fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) loss. Methods: After baseline testing in London (75 m), 24 investigators ascended from Kathmandu (1300 m) to Everest base camp (EBC 5300 m) over 13 days. Fourteen investigators climbed above EBC, eight of whom reached the summit (8848 m). Assessments were conducted at baseline, during ascent and after one, six and eight week(s) of arrival at EBC. Changes in body composition (FM, FFM, total body water, intra- and extra-cellular water) were measured by bioelectrical impedance. Biomarkers of nitric oxide and oxidative stress were measured together with adipokines, inflammatory, metabolic and vascular markers. Results: Participants lost a substantial, but variable, amount of body weight (7.3±4.9 kg by expedition end; p

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of endurance (ET), resistance (RT) and concurrent training (CT) on plasma levels of visfatin, insulin, glucose and insulin resistance of non-athlete men with Obesity. It was a semi-experimental study. Thirty six men [age: 21.48 (0.25), and BF%: 27.39 (0.52)], voluntarily participated in this study after public announcement in university. Main inclusion and exclusion criteria was healthy (no physical illness and inability), obesity [based on WHO's definition body fat percentage (BF%) of over 25] and non-athlete (without regular training during week). They were randomly divided into three groups (n=12) for ET, RT and CT. For 8 weeks (3sessions/week), the candidates participated in ET (25-40 min at 65-85% of maximum heart rate), RT (5exercises, 6sets, intensity: 50-80% of one repetition maximum, volumes: 5, 8 and 12repetitions) and CT (one or a half-term ET and then RT with 3 sets). Blood samples were taken 48 h before the first training session and 48 h after the last training session. The ANCOVA was used for the comparison of the effect of three types of training. The BF% in ET was significantly less than that in RT (p

The current study investigated the effect of temporary inhibition of amygdala in response to metabolic changes caused by stress in female mice. Unilateral and bilateral amygdala cannulation was carried out, and after a week of recovery, 2% lidocaine hydrochloride was injected into the mice amygdalae five minutes before the induction of stress. A communication box was employed to induce stress for four consecutive days and plasma corticosterone, food and water intake, weight changes, and anorexia were measured as stress-induced metabolic changes. Results demonstrated that stress, increases stress, increased plasma corticosterone concentrations, weight, food, and water intake. Temporary inhibition of the amygdala slightly decreased plasma corticosterone concentrations, but did not fully reduce the effect of stress. The bilateral injection of lidocaine hydrochloride to the amygdala reduced the effect of stress and reduced water intake and weight. Unilateral injection of lidocaine hydrochloride into the left and right amygdala reduced food intake. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the left side and right side of amygdala nuclei play a different role in metabolic responses in stress.

Introduction: Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, during which Muslims are obliged to perform specific rites and rituals. Fasting is considered the most important ritual during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting variably influences the health of individuals, which could be attributed to the changes in the concentrations of certain biochemical markers. This study aimed to elucidate the health effects of fasting through evaluating the impact of this Islamic duty on blood biochemistry. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 40 male volunteers employed at North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.Data collection and phlebotomy were performed before fast breaking(Iftar) on the first and last day of Ramadan. Fasting duration was 11 hours per day. Serum biochemical factors, including blood glucose, uric acid, albumin, low-density lipoprotein(LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol and triglyceride(TG), were measured in all the participants at the beginning and end of Ramadan. Data analysis was performed in SPSS using paired-samples T-test to compare the mean variables. Results: Mean age of the participants in this study was 39.11±8.602 years. After one month of fasting, a significant reduction was observed in the mean levels of blood glucose, uric acid, TG, and LDL(PConclusion: According to the results of this study, Ramadan fasting could lower blood cholesterol and uric acid, while enhancing the level of albumin in healthy adults.

In this study, a combined electro-(Fenton/coagulation/flotation) (EF/EC/El) process was studied via degradation of Disperse Orange 25 (DO25) organic dye as a case study. Influences of seven operational parameters on the dye removal efficiency (DR%) were measured: initial pH of the solution (pH0), applied voltage between the anode and cathode (V), initial ferrous ion concentration (CFe), initial hydrogen peroxide concentration (CH2O2), initial DO25 concentration (C0), applied aeration flow rate (FAir), and process time (tP). Combined design of experiments (DOE) was applied, and experiments were conducted in accordance with the design. The experimental data were collected in a hand-made laboratory-scaleglass cylindrical batch reactor equipped with four graphite barcathodes, an aluminum sheet anode, an aeration pump equipped with an air filter and air distributer, a 150-rpm mixer, and a DC power supply. A DR% of 98 was achieved with a pH0 of 4, V of 10, CFe of 7.5, CH2O2 of 0, C0 of 140, and FAir of 0. The data were used for modeling using normal and reduced multiple regression models (MLR & r-MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN & r-ANN). Further statistical tests were applied to determine the models’ goodness and to compare the models. Based on statistical comparison, ANN models clearly outperformed the stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) models. Finally, an optimization process was carried out using a genetic algorithm (GA) over the outperformed ANN model. The optimization procedure was used to determine the optimal operating conditions of the combined process.

Background and Objectives: Reduction of calorie (energy) intake can lead to stress management and improvement of nervous system function. In this research, the effect of intermittent feeding on metabolic signs of stress was investigated. Methods: Male laboratory mice with mean weight of 27±3g were divided into 4 groups of 7 each. The control group received ad-lib food and water and did not have stress. The second group (experimental) was deprived from food 2 hours per day for one week, and then went under stress for 4 days. The third group was only deprived from food 2 hours per day for a week, and the fourth group received electric shock for 4 days without food deprivation. In this investigation, plasma corticosterone level, the amount of food consumption, delay in eating, weight gain, and the amount of feces, were measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey test. The significance level was considered p

Background: Recent studies show that Iranians, especially women, do not have enough physical activity and if serious measures are not taken to resolve this problem, the consequences will be harmful to the society. The purpose of this advocacy paper was to determine and explain the responsibilities of all organizations and institutions responsible for promoting physical activity to root out the problem. Methods: After a thorough library search we conducted nine in-depth interviews with the relevant policymakers and government officials, managers, and practitioners in promoting physical activity. All interviews were recorded. To analyze, all of voice files were typed, saved as Word files, and exported to MAXQDA10 software by the research team. To find the main themes, all the files were read carefully several times. Then they were coded, categorized, and organized based on the main objectives of the study. In this way, themes and subthemes were emerged. Results: According to the participants in the study current state of physical activity in the country, especially among women, is not promising. The participants explained about the main obstacles for promotion of physical activity in the country and recommended practical strategies for its promotion. The strategies were suggested in three areas: Promoting culture, social protection, and adjusting current policies to overcome the existing barriers. Conclusion: Regarding the unfavorable state of physical activity in the country presentation of this advocacy document can be an effective step in promoting physical activity, thus reducing chronic diseases and improving general health in the country.

Background: Calorie input reduction (CIR) can improve central nervous system functions. However, there is no study dealing with the effect of CIR on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity as the main neuro-endocrine system in this regard. In the present study, the effect of CIR (intermittent feeding) on metabolic responses to stress was examined. Material and Methods: Female mice with an average weight of 27 ± 3 g were divided into 4 groups of 7. The control group received adequate food and water without stress. The second group was deprived from food (2 hours/day for seven consecutive days) and then electro foot-shock stress was applied to them for 4 days. The third group was deprived from food 2 hours/day for a week, and the fourth group received 4 days of electric shock without food deprivation. Blood samples were collected from all animals for plasma corticosterone evaluation. Results: Stress and intermittent food increased plasma corticosterone levels while intermittent feeding when combined with stress, no increment was observed in plasma corticosterone level. Stress decreased food intake, but the intermittent feeding with or without stress increased food intake. Stress and intermittent feeding decrease delay to eating time whereas this was opposite in the group in which received both stress and intermittent feeding. Stress and intermittent feeding did not affect the animal's weight gain. In addition, fecal material was decrease in groups experience stress, intermittent feeding and stress in combination with intermittent feeding. Conclusion: Intermittent feeding inhibits stress-induced metabolic responses. This inhibition in plasma corticosterone level, feeding and weight gain were observed.