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BackgroundAccording to the WHO’s recommendation for developing countries, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination has been implemented in some countries as part of national vaccination programs at birth. Although it is generally considered safe, some complications may occur; including BCGitis (local) or BCGosis (systemic), ranging from mild like local abscesses to fatal impediments like osteomyelitis and disseminated BCG infection. This study aimed to determine the spectrum of inborn errors of immunity (IEI) in BCG-vaccinated neonates experiencing local or systemic complications.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we investigated Iranian children referred to the Immunology, Asthma, and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI) between 2007-2023 for suspected immunodeficiency. Medical history was recorded, and primary screening tests for immunodeficiency were conducted for all cases. For suspected cases, more advanced immunologic investigations were performed to reach a definitive diagnosis. Furthermore, the study incorporated the documented genetic findings of the patients under investigation. All patients with inborn error of immunity who had a history of BCG vaccine complications within the first year of vaccination were enrolled in the study.ResultsWe investigated 3,275 cases suspected of IEI, identifying197 patients with both IEI and BCG vaccine complications. Among these, 127 (64.5%) were male. Symptoms began at or before 3 months of age in 64.8% of the cases, and parental consanguinity was reported in 79.2%. Genetic diagnoses were confirmed in 108 patients. Of the 197 patients, 108 (54.8%) had BCGitis, while 89 (45.2%) experienced systemic complications (BCGosis). A family history of IEI, BCG-related complications, and unexplained deaths were observed in 20.3%, 12.2%, and 29.9% of cases, respectively. Furthermore, 46.2% had at least one of these three risk factors in their history.ConclusionsEarly BCG vaccine complications may indicate an underlying immunodeficiency, particularly when there is a positive family history of BCG complications, immunodeficiency, or unexplained deaths. Nation-wide vaccination protocols should address this issue by delaying inoculation to allow for immunological screening of suspected immunodeficient patients, thereby preventing BCG vaccine-related morbidity and mortality.

Abstract Objective To assess the risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in accordance with prior history of COVID‐19 infection. Background Since the advent of the COVID‐19 pandemic much discussion has been had on the possible role it might play on global efforts to combat TB; most, focusing on the pandemic's impact on health care systems' capabilities to manage TB cases. Mechanisms have also been proposed by which the COVID‐19 infection may directly affect individuals' chance of developing TB infection. Cases have been reported with a history of COVID‐19 infection preceding a diagnosis of TB, evidencing its possible role as a risk factor for the disease. Methods A case‐control study was conducted enrolling patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB in the absence of major risk factors previous history of TB, (HIV) human immunodeficiency virus infection), end‐stage renal disease, organ transplants, and use of immunosuppressive agents) for developing TB. Each patient was age and sex matched with one healthy control. Data regarding prior COVID‐19 infection, diabetes, and smoking status as well as the use of corticosteroids and Tocilizumab for the treatment of COVID‐19 infection was obtained. Bivariate analysis was conducted and variables with a likely association with TB status were entered in a multivariate model. Results Bivariate analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between prior COVID‐19 infection and TB (95% confidence interval = 1.1−22.8, odds ratio [OR] = 5). Among other variables the severity of COVID‐19 infection was found to have a likely association with TB status (p = .125). In a multivariate model, prior COVID‐19 infection per se, was not found to be significantly associated with TB (p = .12, OR = 4.5). Conclusions There seems to be an association between prior history of COVID‐19 and a future diagnosis of TB partially linked to the severity of disease. The findings of the current study may serve as a basis for further studies to determine the need for and efficacy of measures to follow‐up COVID‐19 patients at an increased risk for developing TB.

Introduction: The prevalence of high-risk behaviors in young people is one of the concerns of societies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment therapy in reducing high-risk and harmful behaviors among high school students in Mobarakeh City.Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest and posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the present study included high school students with high-risk behaviors in Mobarakeh city, referred to the education counseling center of this city. Participants included 30 students randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups of 15 students. The Iranian Adolescents’ Risk-taking Scale was administered as a pretest and posttest (2 weeks after the end of the experiment). The experimental group received a 6-session intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy, with each session lasting 90 to 100 minutes. The control group did not receive any intervention.Results: The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and the results indicated a 56% reduction in risky behaviors (excluding alcohol consumption) among the participating students in the study (P

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Antigens in hydatid cyst fluid (HCF) have been discovered to bear a significant resemblance to antigens present in cancer cells. MicroRNA-1 (miR-1) is a well-known member of the tumor inhibitor miRNA family and has been shown to have pro-apoptotic and tumor-inhibitory functions. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of HCF to prevent breast cancer and to explore the underlying mechanisms that affect cancer cells. For this study, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells were cultured and divided into two groups: one group received HCF treatment and the other group was untreated and served as the control group. The cytotoxicity and cell viability of various HCF concentrations on breast cancer cells were evaluated using the MTT assay. In addition, the expression level of miR-1 in HCF-treated and untreated breast cancer cells was analyzed using qRT-PCR. The study found that HCF treatment reduced the growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, indicating that it was cytotoxic to the cells. Specifically, the IC50 concentration of HCF after 24 hours of treatment was 7.32 µg/mL for MDA-MB-231 cells and 13.63 µg/mL for MCF-7 cells. In addition, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression level of miR-1 was significantly increased in HCF-treated MDA-MB-231 (P=0.0203) and MCF-7 (P=0.0394) cell lines compared to untreated controls. Although HCF has been shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells and to upregulate miR-1, a key tumor suppressor in cancer cells, the specific mechanisms responsible for this effect remain unclear. Further studies are needed to fully understand the molecular pathways underlying HCF’s antitumor activity and its potential as a therapeutic agent in cancer therapy.

BackgroundThere is substantial evidence exploring the reliability of running distance self-reporting and GPS wearable technology, but there are currently no studies investigating the reliability of participant self-reporting in comparison to GPS wearable technology. There is also a critical sports science and medical research gap due to a paucity of reliability studies assessing self-reported running pace. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of weekly self-reported running distance and pace compared to a commercial GPS fitness watch, stratified by sex and age. These data will give clinicians and sports researchers insights into the reliability of runners’ self-reported pace, which may improve training designs and rehabilitation prescriptions. MethodsA prospective study of recreational runners was performed. Weekly running distance and average running pace were captured through self-report and a fitness watch. Baseline characteristics collected included age and sex. Intraclass correlational coefficients were calculated for weekly running distance and running pace for self-report and watch data. Bland-Altman plots assessed any systemic measurement error. Analyses were then stratified by sex and age. ResultsYounger runners reported improved weekly distance reliability (median 0.93, IQR 0.92-0.94). All ages demonstrated similar running pace reliability. Results exhibited no discernable systematic bias. ConclusionsWeekly self-report demonstrated good reliability for running distance and moderate reliability for running pace in comparison to the watch data. Similar reliability was observed for male and female participants. Younger runners demonstrated improved running distance reliability, but all age groups exhibited similar pace reliability. Running pace potentially should be monitored through technological means to increase precision.

The hydrological model calibration is a challenging task, especially in ungauged catchments. The regionalization calibration methods can be used to estimate the parameters of the model in ungauged sub-catchments. In this article, the model of ungauged sub-catchments is calibrated by a regionalization approach based on automatic clustering. Under the clustering procedure, gauged and ungauged sub-catchments are grouped based on their physical characteristics and similarity. The optimal number of clusters is determined using an automatic differential evolution algorithm-based clustering. Considering obtained five clusters, the value of the silhouette measure is equal to 0.56, which is an acceptable value for goodness of clustering. The calibration process is conducted according to minimizing errors in simulated peak flow and total flow volume. The Storm Water Management Model is applied to calibrate a set of 53 sub-catchments in the Gorganrood river basin. Comparing graphically and statistically simulated and observed runoff values and also calculating the value of the silhouette coefficient demonstrate that the proposed methodology is a promising approach for hydrological model calibration in ungauged catchments. HIGHLIGHTS The model of ungauged sub-catchments is calibrated by a regionalization approach based on automatic clustering.; The optimal number of clusters is determined using an automatic differential evolution algorithm-based clustering.; Comparing graphically and statistically simulated and observed runoff values and also calculating the value of silhouette coefficient proved the superiority of automatic clustering differential evolution in clustering.;

Background: We aimed to verify the susceptibility of Leishmania infantum, L. major and L. tropica, to commercial lectins in order to identify the three Leishmania species. Methods: The degree of agglutination was determined both macroscopically and microscopically and was scored negative (-) to positive (from 1+- 4+) based on their percentage of agglutination. Results: Jacalin and UEA-1 were capable of agglutination of L. infantum isolates in both logarithmic and stationary phases at a concentration of 1000 µg/ml (100%). L. tropica isolates showed agglutination with the lectin UEA-1 in both logarithmic and stationary phases (62.5% and 87.5%). L. major and L. tropica showed 75% agglutination with lectin Jacalin in both logarithmic and stationary phases. L. tropica isolates showed 25% agglutination with the lectin WGA in the logarithmic phase. L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica isolates showed 25, 12.5 and 37.5% agglutination in the stationary phase, however, did not show agglutination in logarithmic phases. L. major isolates showed 12.5% agglutination with the lectin PHA in the stationary phase, however, were incapable of agglutination with the L. tropica and L. infantum in both logarithmic and stationary phases. Conclusion: Despite the fact, that JCA and I-UEA lectins were not able to completely separate L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica. WGA lectin and PHA lectin can help in separating the species of Leishmania parasites.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease that presents a broad spectrum of clinical features. Treatment of CL is problematic. We aimed to compare the field therapeutic efficacy of topical nanoliposomes containing 0.4% amphotericin B (Nano Lip-AmB) alone and in combination with cryotherapy and/or Glucantime® on human CL in the endemic areas of Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was performed based on the results of using Nano Lip-AmB alone or with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy in the treatment of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in patients referred to health centers of Isfahan, Golestan and Ilam Provinces of Iran as endemic foci of ZCL caused by Leishmania major besides Mashhad and Bam cities as endemic foci of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) caused by with L. tropica. Results: Two hundred and seventy-eight patients with CL were included in the current study. All of the patients (100%) who received Nano Lip-AmB alone or in combination with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy based on guideline of Iranian national committee for the treatment of CL. Two patients with 7 skin lesions, who was resident in ACL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus Glucantime® and another patient was a resident of ZCL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus cryotherapy showed clinical relapses after treatment. Conclusion: Sina Ampholeish® in combination with other standard protocols of treatment of CL is well tolerated and with acceptable clinical efficacy rate.

Introduction: An association between heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) antigen with cardiovascular risk factors has been shown previously. Furthermore, higher levels of serum anti-HSP27 antibodies are also related to higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the current study, we looked at the relationship between serum Hsp27 antibodies and hypertension, as an important cardiovascular risk factor, in individuals without evidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods: A sub-population of hypertensive patients (HTN+) without underlying CVD were recruited from the Mashhad stroke and atherosclerosis heart disease (MASHAD) study to assess the association between serum Hsp27 antibodies and hypertension; independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 1599 people were studied of whom 288 individuals had hypertension and 1311 were used as controls (HTN-).Results: Mean serum Hsp27 antibody titers were 0.20 (0.27) OD in the whole population sample and was not significantly different in the normotensive (HTN-) compared to HTN+ individuals with different degrees of hypertension.Conclusion: There were no significant associations between serum anti-Hsp27 concentrations and either the presence or severity of hypertension. Future studies are warranted to explore the association of anti-Hsp27 antibody and antigen levels and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Allelopathy refers to the beneficial and detrimental effects of one plant on another plant in both crops and weeds through the production of secondary compounds. In order to evaluate the allelopathic effects of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) as a crop and redroot pigweed ( Amaranthus retroflexus L.) as a common weed worldwide on each other in intercropping, these plants were cultivated under controlled conditions at Tabriz University laboratory. The ratios of wheat to redroot pigweed were, 100 : 0 and vice versa as a control, 75 : 25, 50 : 50, and 25 : 75. The results showed that at the ratio of 25 : 75 (wheat : redroot pigweed), the fresh and dry weight of roots and shoot length of wheat decreased significantly compared to the control. The fresh and dry weight of wheat shoots showed a significant decrease at different ratios compared to the control. Shoot peroxidase (POD), root superoxide dismutase (SOD), and root and shoot catalase (CAT) activities in redroot pigweed increased in all intercropping ratios compared to the control. POD activity in wheat roots was higher at all ratios than in the control. Furthermore, the ratio of 75 : 25 (wheat : redroot pigweed) led to increased activity of POD enzymes and malonedialdehyde (MDA) content in wheat shoots. Moreover, roots of redroot pigweed showed increased activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and SOD enzymes and MDA content. With increased density of redroot pigweed, the soluble sugar content of wheat roots reduced significantly. However, the content of insoluble sugar and total protein increased. Root exudate compounds such as terpenoids, phenolic compounds, fatty alcohol, steroids, fatty acids, and alkanes were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The findings showed that the roots were more exposed to oxidative stress due to direct contact with allelochemical compounds. Our results support the hypothesis that increasing the density can reduce the toxicity of allelochemical compounds and that increasing the activity of the antioxidant system will improve plant growth under allelochemical stress.

Background & objectives: Fishes are one of the most important sources of zoonotic parasites throughout the world. This study aimed to determine helminthic parasites of Fish caught in the Aras River. Methods: During 2020-2021, a number of 100 fishes including 20 Cyprinus carpio, 10 Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, 5 Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, 12 Silurus glanis, 5 Aspius aspius, 15 Ratilus rutilus, 3 Sander lucioperca, 22 Luciobarbus capito, and 8 Abramis brama were caught. All parts of the fish body (scales, gills, eyes, muscles, gastrointestinal tract) were examined for Helminthes parasites. After clearing and temporarily staining with Lactophenol-Azokarmin, morphological characters of worms were analyzed using a calibrated microscope equipped with a camera. Results: After examining and evaluating the samples, 18 (18%) of the fish were infected with at least with one helminthic parasite. The species and percent of infection were as follows: Ligula intestinalis plerocercoid: Cyprinus carpio 40%, Ratilus rutilus 13.33%, Abramis brama 12.5% in the abdominal cavity. Bothriocephalus sp.: Cyprinus carpio 5% in the intestine. Diplozoon sp.: Cyprinus carpio 5% and Ratilus rutilus each 6.7% in gills. Dactylogyrus sp.: Cyprinus carpio 10%, Abramis brama 12.5% in gills. Clinostomum sp. metacercariae: Cyprinus carpio 5% infected with metacercaria in gills and abdominal cavity. Conclusion: Among the investigated types of fish, the highest level of infection with helminthic parasites was found in common carp. Also, among the helminthic parasites found, the highest frequency is related to Ligula intestinalis, followed by Dactylogyrus

Seyed Mohammad Ali Shariatzadeh & Zahra Alizadeh Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran Correspondent author: Seyed Mohammad Ali Shariatzadeh, s-shariatzadeh@araku.ac.ir Abstract. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) can affect female fertility because they can cause toxicity in the ovaries. The aim of this study is to see if Spirulina platensis (SP) can protect mouse from Ag NPs-exposed toxicity in its ovary. Twenty-four female Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice were divided into four groups (n = 6 per group): control; Ag NPs (500 mg/kg daily); SP (300 mg/kg daily) and Ag NPs + SP (With the same defined doses). 30 days after oral gavage treatment, biochemical parameters were measured and ovary compartments were estimated stereologically. The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) values, hormonal concentrations, corpus luteum volume, and the number of healthy follicles were all significantly lower (p

Abstract Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a prevalent disease with high morbidity and mortality rates. Invasive coronary angiography is the reference standard for diagnosing CAD but is costly and associated with risks. Noninvasive imaging like cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) facilitates CAD assessment and can serve as a gatekeeper to downstream invasive testing. Machine learning methods are increasingly applied for automated interpretation of imaging and other clinical results for medical diagnosis. In this study, we proposed a novel CAD detection method based on CMR images by utilizing the feature extraction ability of deep neural networks and combining the features with the aid of a random forest for the very first time. It is necessary to convert image data to numeric features so that they can be used in the nodes of the decision trees. To this end, the predictions of multiple stand-alone convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were considered as input features for the decision trees. The capability of CNNs in representing image data renders our method a generic classification approach applicable to any image dataset. We named our method RF-CNN-F, which stands for Random Forest with CNN Features. We conducted experiments on a large CMR dataset that we have collected and made publicly accessible. Our method achieved excellent accuracy (99.18%) using Adam optimizer compared to a stand-alone CNN trained using fivefold cross validation (93.92%) tested on the same dataset.

Abstract Here, we investigated the photothermal effect of gold nanorods (GNRs) on human neuroblastoma CD133+ cancer stem cells (CSCs) via autophagic cell death. GNRs were synthesized using Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), covered with bovine serum albumin (BSA). CD133+ CSCs were enriched from human neuroblastoma using the magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) technique. Cells were incubated with GNRs coated with BSA and exposed to 808-nm near-infrared laser irradiation for 8 min to yield low (43 °C), medium (46 °C), and high (49 °C) temperatures. After 24 h, the survival rate and the percent of apoptotic and necrotic CSCs were measured using MTT assay and flow cytometry. The expression of different autophagy-related genes was measured using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array analysis. Protein levels of P62 and LC3 were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The viability of CSC was reduced in GNR-exposed cells compared to the control group (p 0.05). The clonogenic capacity of CSC was also inhibited after photothermal therapy (p

Introduction: Human beings are inherently different and this fact can affect his/her behavior in work environments. The aim of this study was to examine the individual differences of employees (personality traits, biological and demographic factors) as a predictor of unsafe behaviors in a turbine manufacturing company. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, safety behavior sampling technique, NEO-FFI questionnaire, demographic information questionnaire, BMI and cell type method were used to determine unsafe behaviors, personality traits, demographic variables, body mass index and blood group system, respectively. The statistical sample of the study was 260 employees of a turbine manufacturing industry. The SPSS software version 20 was used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that 44.5% of employees’ behaviors were unsafe. There was a significant relationship between the occurrence of unsafe behaviors with smoking, BMI, blood type and neuroticism and agreeableness dimensions measured by NEO-FFI (p < 0.05). BMI was the most important predictorof unsafe behaviors in the present study. Conclusion: Due to the role of individual differences in people’s tendency to unsafe behaviors, the results of this study can be considered in job design, screening of personnel according to their individual differences, and perform better interventions to prevent accidents at work.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most challenging diseases in middle-aged and older people, which causes high mortality. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known as a common cardiovascular disease. A standard clinical tool for diagnosing CAD is angiography. The main challenges are dangerous side effects and high angiography costs. Today, the development of artificial intelligence-based methods is a valuable achievement for diagnosing disease. Hence, in this paper, artificial intelligence methods such as neural network (NN), deep neural network (DNN), and fuzzy C-means clustering combined with deep neural network (FCM-DNN) are developed for diagnosing CAD on a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) dataset. The original dataset is used in two different approaches. First, the labeled dataset is applied to the NN and DNN to create the NN and DNN models. Second, the labels are removed, and the unlabeled dataset is clustered via the FCM method, and then, the clustered dataset is fed to the DNN to create the FCM-DNN model. By utilizing the second clustering and modeling, the training process is improved, and consequently, the accuracy is increased. As a result, the proposed FCM-DNN model achieves the best performance with a 99.91% accuracy specifying 10 clusters, i.e., 5 clusters for healthy subjects and 5 clusters for sick subjects, through the 10-fold cross-validation technique compared to the NN and DNN models reaching the accuracies of 92.18% and 99.63%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted for CAD diagnosis on the CMRI dataset using artificial intelligence methods. The results confirm that the proposed FCM-DNN model can be helpful for scientific and research centers.

Ocular trauma is one of the most common causes of acquired blindness in children. The epidemiological parameters associated with ocular trauma vary in different populations, especially in children. The objective of this study was to assess the ocular trauma epidemiology in children less than 18 years of age. In this crosssectional study, 145 children (under 18 years) with ocular trauma who referred to the emergency department of Bu-Ali-Sina Hospital in Sari, Iran were enrolled from November 2017 to January 2019. Of the participants, 57.9% were men, 70.4% had blunt trauma, 97.2% had a unilateral eye injury, and 54.5% had a right eye injury. The most risk factor for trauma was stationery (51.0%). Almost half of the patients (52.9%) had corneal injuries. The most trauma locations were at home (67.4%). Most patients (95.0%) had normal relative afferent pupillary defects. Blunt (52.6% vs. 47.4%) and penetrating (72.5% vs. 27.5%) traumas was higher in boys than girls (p=0.03). Most frequent part of eye injuries in blunt and penetrating traumas was related to the cornea (P=0.04). It seems that parents should have more supervision on children at home and give adequate education in using of stationery to school-age children by considering the results of present study.

Abstract Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been widely applied for detecting COVID-19 in medical images. Existing studies mainly apply transfer learning and other data representation strategies to generate accurate point estimates. The generalization power of these networks is always questionable due to being developed using small datasets and failing to report their predictive confidence. Quantifying uncertainties associated with DNN predictions is a prerequisite for their trusted deployment in medical settings. Here we apply and evaluate three uncertainty quantification techniques for COVID-19 detection using chest X-Ray (CXR) images. The novel concept of uncertainty confusion matrix is proposed and new performance metrics for the objective evaluation of uncertainty estimates are introduced. Through comprehensive experiments, it is shown that networks pertained on CXR images outperform networks pretrained on natural image datasets such as ImageNet. Qualitatively and quantitatively evaluations also reveal that the predictive uncertainty estimates are statistically higher for erroneous predictions than correct predictions. Accordingly, uncertainty quantification methods are capable of flagging risky predictions with high uncertainty estimates. We also observe that ensemble methods more reliably capture uncertainties during the inference. DNN-based solutions for COVID-19 detection have been mainly proposed without any principled mechanism for risk mitigation. Previous studies have mainly focused on on generating single-valued predictions using pretrained DNNs. In this paper, we comprehensively apply and comparatively evaluate three uncertainty quantification techniques for COVID-19 detection using chest X-Ray images. The novel concept of uncertainty confusion matrix is proposed and new performance metrics for the objective evaluation of uncertainty estimates are introduced for the first time. Using these new uncertainty performance metrics, we quantitatively demonstrate when we could trust DNN predictions for COVID-19 detection from chest X-rays. It is important to note the proposed novel uncertainty evaluation metrics are generic and could be applied for evaluation of probabilistic forecasts in all classification problems.

Myocarditis is the form of an inflammation of the middle layer of the heart wall which is caused by a viral infection and can affect the heart muscle and its electrical system. It has remained one of the most challenging diagnoses in cardiology. Myocardial is the prime cause of unexpected death in approximately 20% of adults less than 40 years of age. Cardiac MRI (CMR) has been considered a noninvasive and golden standard diagnostic tool for suspected myocarditis and plays an indispensable role in diagnosing various cardiac diseases. However, the performance of CMR depends heavily on the clinical presentation and features such as chest pain, arrhythmia, and heart failure. Besides, other imaging factors like artifacts, technical errors, pulse sequence, acquisition parameters, contrast agent dose, and more importantly qualitatively visual interpretation can affect the result of the diagnosis. This paper introduces a new deep learning-based model called Convolutional Neural Network-Clustering (CNN-KCL) to diagnose Myocarditis. In this study, we used 47 subjects with a total number of 98,898 images to diagnose myocarditis disease. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 97.41% based on 10 fold-cross validation technique with 4 clusters for diagnosis of Myocarditis. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first to use deep learning algorithms for the diagnosis of myocarditis.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare primary immunodeficiency disorder more common in autosomal recessive (AR) than X-linked in Iran. This study aimed to assess whether having a child with AR-CGD would increase the likelihood of the next child being affected by CGD. Ninety-one families with at least one child affected by AR-CGD entered this study. Out of the 270 children, 128 were affected by AR-CGD. We used a cross tab for the odds ratio (OR) calculation, in which exposure to a previously affected child and the next child’s status were evaluated. This study illustrated that the chances of having another child afflicted with AR-CGD are significantly increased if the previous child had AR-CGD (OR=2.77, 95% CI=1.35-5.69).Althoug h AR disorders affect 25% of each pregnancy, we showed that the chance that the next child would be affected by CGD, given that the previous child was affected, is 2.77 times greater than in families with a normal child. It is recommended to warn families with one or more affected children to evaluate the risk of CGD in their subsequent pregnancies with prenatal diagnosis.

Background: Cystic Echinococcosis is considered a cosmopolitan cyclozoonotic parasitic infection. This study aimed at evaluating the seroprevalence of human hydatidosis using ELISA test and find the role of mutable factors such as age, sex, occupation, residency in the broadcast of the parasites in rural Ardabil Province, North-West of Iran. Methods: The study population was 950 asymptomatic individuals selected randomly from urban and rural populations of Ardabil province, North-West of Iran by randomized cluster sampling in 2019-2020. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against Echinococcus granulosus spp. were analyzed by ELISA test. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and Multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Overall, 42 (4.4%) of the participants had anti E. granulosus antibodies in this region. High titer antibodies were most prevalent in people age group of >70 yr old, rural areas, females and people having history of contact with dog that showed significant difference. There was no significant association between the presence of Echinococcus antibodies and sex, occupation, having history of eating unwashed vegetable. Conclusion: This is the first description of the seroprevalence of E. granulosus infection in the population in Ardabil Province, North-West of Iran. Obtained rate of hydatidosis approves the importance of diagnosing human cystic echinococcosis in these regions and it is expected that the authorities be careful to screen the disease.

Abstract Background Multiple intra-atrial thrombi are found rarely except in the presence of prosthetic valves, intra-cardiac devices, structural connections like foramen ovale and thrombophilia. Case presentation We reported acute thrombosis formation in right and left atrial appendages of a 66-year old man admitted due to progressive dyspnea since 7 days earlier. He had a history of prior laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and atrial fibrillation (AF). Infection with COVID-19 was confirmed thereafter. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) suggested the diagnosis of atrial clot superior to neoplasm. After surgical removal of the thrombi, symptoms as well as imaging features of pneumonia were resolved. Conclusions We should focus on different presentations and complications of systemic inflammation especially in the setting of COVID-19 infection. Although risk factors of thrombosis are present in some of these patients, rapid progression as well as unusual types of involvement may indicate to a new trigger.

The spam of the study is from history of old Persia,Iran after Islam to Pahlavi Synasty. The present research,Which is based on a descriptive and analytic method,examines the verbal and written symbols and signs and tries to investigate effective factors in transformation of the body of kings in Iran. The spam of the study is from history of old Persia,Iran after Islam to Pahlavi Synasty. The present research,Which is based on a descriptive and analytic method,examines the verbal and written symbols and signs and tries to investigate effective factors in transformation of the body of kings in Iran. The results indicates that Farrreh in ancient Iran gives aholy significance to the body of kings.the continuity of this thought in Islamic period in combination with the thought to Shadow of God of limity to plays an important role some of the changes up such as foreign attacks,social changes, the rise to safavids,modernity and the thoughts of constitutionalists have got a great influence on transformation of the body of the King

Abstract COVID-19 has caused many deaths worldwide. The automation of the diagnosis of this virus is highly desired. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown outstanding classification performance on image datasets. To date, it appears that COVID computer-aided diagnosis systems based on CNNs and clinical information have not yet been analysed or explored. We propose a novel method, named the CNN-AE, to predict the survival chance of COVID-19 patients using a CNN trained with clinical information. Notably, the required resources to prepare CT images are expensive and limited compared to those required to collect clinical data, such as blood pressure, liver disease, etc. We evaluated our method using a publicly available clinical dataset that we collected. The dataset properties were carefully analysed to extract important features and compute the correlations of features. A data augmentation procedure based on autoencoders (AEs) was proposed to balance the dataset. The experimental results revealed that the average accuracy of the CNN-AE (96.05%) was higher than that of the CNN (92.49%). To demonstrate the generality of our augmentation method, we trained some existing mortality risk prediction methods on our dataset (with and without data augmentation) and compared their performances. We also evaluated our method using another dataset for further generality verification. To show that clinical data can be used for COVID-19 survival chance prediction, the CNN-AE was compared with multiple pre-trained deep models that were tuned based on CT images.

Background: The main purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of organizational silence and mobbing on turnover intention. Method: The statistical population of this study was 386 employees of Payam-e-Noor University of Kermanshah. In order to determine the sample size we have applied Morgan table and consequently 191 employees have were selected as sample members by random sampling method for the first half of 2018. The data collection tool was a standard questionnaire in this area. Validity (content, convergent, divergent) and reliability (loading factor, composite reliability, Cronbach's alpha) of questionnaire indicate that measuring instruments have good reliability and validity. The results of hypotheses test by SMART-PLS software and using t-test statistics. Results: Path coefficients (β) indicate that organizational silence have strong, direct and significant influence on mobbing. Mobbing have strong, direct and significant effects on turnover intention and organizational silence have weak, indirect and significant effects on turnover intention. On the other hand, mobbing can play moderator role in influence on organizational silence and turnover intention. Conclusion: Despite the design model, it can be expected that the university can reduce the level of job leave due to the variables of organizational silence and organizational mobility.

Fontan operation is a reliable palliative surgery for patients with single ventricle physiology. Still, the development of complication is common; one of these complications that need to interventional approach is veno-venous collaterals between systemic and pulmonary veins. A 16-yearoldgirl with a history of modified Fontan operation at 9 years ago was referred with progressive cyanosis and dyspnea on exertion. In contrast trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE), no fenestration was seen in Fontan circulation. Cardiac magnetic resonance revealed partial anomalous pulmonary vein connection (PAPVC) from left upper pulmonary vein to vertical vein and then into the in nominate vein and SVC with the reverse flow from superior vena cava (SVC) to left upper pulmonary vein(LUPV). This anomalous vein became severe engorged and tortuous. Possibly, LUPV and the verticalvein was dilated gradually as a result of increased pressure in the Fontan circuit. Finally, she underwent successful coil embolization in the midpart of the vertical vein. The oxygen saturation increased from80% to 93%.

The relevance of molecular mechanisms governing mitochondrial proteostasis to the differentiation and function of hematopoietic and immune cells is largely elusive. Through dissection of the network of proteins related to HCLS1-associated protein X-1, we defined a potentially novel functional CLPB/HAX1/(PRKD2)/HSP27 axis with critical importance for the differentiation of neutrophil granulocytes and, thus, elucidated molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying congenital neutropenia in patients with HAX1 deficiency as well as bi- and monoallelic mutations in CLPB. As shown by stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) proteomics, CLPB and HAX1 control the balance of mitochondrial protein synthesis and persistence crucial for proper mitochondrial function. Impaired mitochondrial protein dynamics are associated with decreased abundance of the serine-threonine kinase PRKD2 and HSP27 phosphorylated on serines 78 and 82. Cellular defects in HAX1–/– cells can be functionally reconstituted by HSP27. Thus, mitochondrial proteostasis emerges as a critical molecular and metabolic mechanism governing the differentiation and function of neutrophil granulocytes.

Abstract Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), with skin manifestations, has been associated with mutations in JUP encoding plakoglobin. Genotype–phenotype correlations regarding the penetrance of cardiac involvement, and age of onset have not been well established. We examined a cohort of 362 families with skin fragility to screen for genetic mutations with next-generation sequencing-based methods. In two unrelated families, a previously unreported biallelic mutation, JUP: c.201delC; p.Ser68Alafs*92, was disclosed. The consequences of this mutation were determined by expression profiling both at tissue and ultrastructural levels, and the patients were evaluated by cardiac and cutaneous work-up. Whole-transcriptome sequencing by RNA-Seq revealed JUP as the most down-regulated gene among 21 skin fragility-associated genes. Immunofluorescence showed the lack of plakoglobin in the epidermis. Two probands, 2.5 and 22-year-old, with the same homozygous mutation, allowed us to study the cross-sectional progression of cardiac involvements in relation to age. The older patient had anterior T wave inversions, prolonged terminal activation duration (TAD), and RV enlargement by echocardiogram, and together with JUP mutation met definite ARVC diagnosis. The younger patient had no evidence of cardiac disease, but met possible ARVC diagnosis with one major criterion (the JUP mutation). In conclusion, we identified the same biallelic homozygous JUP mutation in two unrelated families with skin fragility, but cardiac findings highlighted age-dependent penetrance of ARVC. Thus, young, phenotypically normal patients with biallelic JUP mutations should be monitored for development of ARVC.

Karbala tragic event is considered as one of the significant and effective events in the history of Islam about which various works have been developed from the first century (A. H) to the present time. The reporters of Karbala have taken different approaches in regard with the why and how of event, the explanation of conditions of Imam Hossein ‘s followers and the other agents as well as the dimensions of Ashura event. The study of the works in regard with Ashura developed by the writers and researchers is considered as one of the necessities of research in the present time. Among the reports on Ashura in the contemporary era, the works by Ebrahim Ayati (1343) are worth to be investigated thanks to the special attention to the deviation of Ashura event from the diverse aspects. The present article investigates the themes of Ashura in Ayati’s works in order to typologically study the distinguished discourses. In this method, the social and political conditions in which the text has been developed along with the linguistic elements and context have been investigated. The findings of research illustrate that the historical, emotive and mystic approaches are observed in the works of the author. Furthermore, putting emphasis on the documents, considering the strong elements of developing the historical events including time, location, people and the domination on the kinship led to the observation of historical discourse as a dominated discourse in Ayati’s works.

Background. This study aimed to assess the association of haptoglobin (HP) and natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) alleles with the presence of heme-consuming periodontal pathogens in a group of Iranian patients with chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Methods. This cross-sectional study evaluated 69 eligible chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis patients selected from Shahid Beheshti Dental School. The periodontally diseased individuals had at least three teeth with clinical attachment loss of ≥3 mm and a probing pocket depth (PPD) of ≥3 mm in at least two quadrants. Peri-implant PPD of at least one site was ≥5 mm with or without suppuration and bleeding on probing. A plaque index of >20% and a radiographic crestal bone loss was present in at least one site around the implant. The paper point method was used for sampling from the deepest periodontal/peri-implant pocket of each tooth or implant for the DNA checkerboard hybridization technique. Statistical analyses were performed with PASW Statistics 18.0. The variables were presented as absolute and relative frequencies (%). Results. An Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) score of 1–2 was 5.8 times more frequent in HP 2, rs1723540 G, and rs2276631 G alleles. A Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) score of 1–2 was 4.8 times more common in the subjects carrying HP 2, rs1723540 G, and rs2276631 G alleles compared with HP 1, rs1723540 A, and rs2276631 A alleles. Conclusion. Within the limitations of this study, it seems that there was a relationship between HP and NRAMP1 allele frequencies and the presence of heme-consuming periodontal pathogens in the Iranian patients with chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis evaluated in the present study.

Background: Toxocariasis is a worldwide-distributed helminth parasitic infection. This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of human toxocariasis in children living in Ardabil Province, North-West of Iran. Methods: A seroepidemiological study to evaluate human toxocariasis among urban and rural populations of Ardabil County, North-West of Iran using ELISA test was carried out from 2019 to 2020. The study population was 472 children (185 females and 287 males) aged between 5 and 15 yr old. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against Toxocara spp. were analyzed by ELISA test. Results: Of the 472 collected serum samples, 66 (14.0%) were positive for antibodies against human toxocariasis. The highest prevalence of infection was observed in children with age groups of 5-6 years. Data demonstrate higher seroprevalence among males (15.3%) than females (11.8%). Rural areas prevalence was significantly higher (24.4%) than the urban area (8.65%). The rate of the diseases was 22.8% in children having history of contact with dog. Conclusion: Toxocariasis is prevalent in the children of Ardabil region. The present study can increase the awareness of the population about the risk of zoonotic diseases as well as the anthelmintic treatment of dogs by veterinarians and, more importantly, the control of stray dogs.

Coronaviruses can cause viral pneumonia with extrapulmonary manifestations and complications. Many patients have either underlying cardiovascular disease or cardiac risk factors. Acute heart attacks are also frequent in severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is associated with high mortality. In this paper, we describe a patient with COVID-19 who presented with myocardial infarction (MI) symptoms but lacked the initial symptoms of the infection such as fever and cough. COVID-19 and myocardial infarction were diagnosed. The patient underwent thrombolytic treatment and fully recovered.

Background: Medroxyprogesterone and donepezil could be used as respiratory stimulants in ventilated patients. However, no randomized placebo-controlled trial is available to confirm this approach and compare these drugs. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of donepezil or medroxyprogesterone compared to the placebo in improvement in respiratory status and weaning facilitation in critically ill adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation.Material and Methods: This randomized, triple-blind trial was conducted on 78 ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU). Patients who were intubated due to pulmonary disorders were ruled out. Patients were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 5 mg donepezil (n = 23) or 5 mg medroxyprogesterone (n = 26), or placebo (n = 24) twice a day until weaning (maximum 10 days). The primary endpoints were weaning duration, and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation. Secondary endpoints included rate of successful weaning, changes in arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters, GCS and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, hemoglobin (Hgb), ICU-mortality, and duration of ICU stay, were measured before and after the intervention and if successful weaning was recorded.Results: Of 78 studied patients who were randomized, 59 weaned successfully. 87% patients in donepezil and 88.5% patients in medroxyprogesterone groups were successfully weaned compared to 66.7% patients in the placebo group. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p-Value = 0.111). Changes in pH, mean duration of intubation, and weaning duration were statistically different in donepezil compared with the control group (p-Value < 0.05). No significant difference in ABG, Hgb, GCS and SOFA score, and duration of intubation were seen in the medroxyprogesterone group, but weaning duration was significantly reduced to 1.429 days compared with the control group (p-Value = 0.038).Conclusion: The results of this clinical trial have demonstrated that the administered dose of medroxyprogesterone and donepezil can expedite the weaning process by reducing the weaning duration compared to placebo. Furthermore, the total duration of invasive ventilation was significantly lower in the donepezil group compared to the control group. Future clinical trials with a larger sample size will determine the exact role of medroxyprogesterone and donepezil in mechanically ventilated patients.Clinical Trial Registration:https://irct.ir/IRCT20190810044500N2 (April 1, 2020).

The predominant activity of slow wave sleep is cortical slow oscillations (SOs), thalamic spindles and hippocampal sharp wave ripples. While the precise temporal nesting of these rhythms was shown to be essential for memory consolidation, the coordination mechanism is poorly understood. Here we develop a minimal hippocampo-cortico-thalamic network that can explain the mechanism underlying the SO-spindle-ripple coupling indicating of the succession of regional neuronal interactions. Further we verify the model predictions experimentally in naturally sleeping rodents showing our simple model provides a quantitative match to several experimental observations including the nesting of ripples in the spindle troughs and larger duration but lower amplitude of the ripples co-occurring with spindles or SOs compared to the isolated ripples. The model also predicts that the coupling of ripples to SOs and spindles monotonically enhances by increasing the strength of hippocampo-cortical connections while it is stronger at intermediate values of the cortico-hippocampal projections.

A 65-year-old male was introduced with a history of percutaneous coronary intervention 2 years ago who received Aspirin and Plavix. He was referred for coronary angiography after receiving thrombolytic therapy for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in precordial leads. On admission, he had dyspnea with low oxygen saturation, leukocytosis, lymphopenia, elevated C-reactive protein, and cardiac troponin levels. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 25% and pulmonary artery pressure of 45 mmHg. A small thrombus at the site of the previously deployed stent was noticeable at coronary angiography. The chest computed tomography depicted significant involvement of the lungs manifested by peripheral ground-glass opacifications. A positive polymerase chain reaction confirmed coronavirus infection. He was oxygen dependent for 1 week. Gradually, his respiratory distress improved and his LVEF reached to 30% after discharge.

Introduction: Covid-19 epidemic and the fear of its infection in infants as a global threat is a challenge for mother-infant attachment behaviors. Methods: The present study was a review study conducted based on the information collected from searches in SID, PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier, Scopus databases and Google Scholar search engine using the conjunctions of “AND” and “OR” between the keywords. The articles were searched using systematic search with the keywords of attachment behaviors, mother-infant bonding, maternal attachment, Covid-19, and neonates, with all possible combination of important words from December 2019 to April 2021. The initial search for relevant sources related to mother-infant attachment and Covid-19 led to 65 articles. Then, by applying the time filter, this number was reduced to 31 articles. In the final stage, by excluding duplicate articles and examining the relationship of articles with the subject of study, 7 articles were selected as relevant and final sources. Results: The results of reviewing of the studies showed low to moderate level of mother-infant attachment behaviors during Covid-19 crisis. Mothers with lower levels of attachment to their infants were more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and peritraumatic distress. Women who gave birth during quarantine had lower levels of attachment to their infants compared to other women. Conclusion: Covid 19 epidemic caused a high prevalence and a wide range of psychological disorders and a reduction in the level of attachment in mothers of infants under 12 months. Providing timely psychological support is essential to improve the level of attachment of mothers to their infants.

T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC)/Kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KREC) assay has been recently recognized for detecting patients with primary (T- and/or B-cell) immunodeficiency (PID). We aimed to investigate the alterations of these biomarkers in some combined immunodeficiency patients compared to the healthy controls in different age groups. TREC and KREC were assessed in a total of 82 PID patients, most of them with exact genetic diagnosis (3 months to 42 years); using quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Patients had a final diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency (n=23), ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) (n=17), hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) (7 with DOCK8 deficiency, 4 with signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) deficiency, and 8 children with unknown genetic defects), Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) (n=20), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP)deficiency(n=1), dedicator of cytokinesis2 (DOCK2) deficiency (n=1), recombinase activating gene1 (RAG1) deficiency (n=1). Very low to zero amounts of TREC and/or KREC were detected in 14 out of 23 cases of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 14 out of 17 cases of AT, 8 out of 20 cases of WAS, 6 out of 7 cases of DOCK8-deficiency patients, 4 out of 8 cases of HIES with unknown genetic defects and all patients with defects in DOCK2, PNP, and RAG1. STAT3-deficient patients were normal for both biomarkers. All patients showed a significant difference in both markers compared to age-matched healthy controls. Our findings highlight that apart from severe types of T/B cell defects, this assay can also be used for early diagnosis the patients with late-onset of disease and even PIDs without a positive family history.

No effective antiviral drugs and vaccines are available for the treatment of patients with severe coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, available, safe, and inexpensive drugs and supplements such as melatonin are among the proposed options for controlling inflammation. We did a randomized, single-blind study in Imam Khomeini Hospital between June 30, 2020, and August 5, 2020. Mild to moderate COVID-19 patients aged 25-65 years were eligible to enter the study based on chest CT scan, clinical symptoms, and physician diagnosis. The intervention group was prescribed 6 mg of oral melatonin for 2 weeks, which consumed half an hour before bedtime every night in low light conditions. Clinical symptoms and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured before and after treatment in the melatonin received and control (regular medications) groups. Among screened patients with COVID-19, 14 patients were assigned to receive melatonin, and 17 patients were considered as controls. A significant difference (p=0.005) between CRP 1 and CRP 2 levels (before and after using melatonin) was found in the melatonin group while this difference (p=0.069) was not significant in the control group. Also, the percentage of recovery (based on symptoms) in patients who took melatonin was higher than that of patients in the control group (85.7% VS 47.1%). The result of this study confirmed the effectiveness of melatonin in mild to moderate outpatients with COVID-19. More clinical trials on elderly, diabetic, obese patients and severe cases are suggested in future studies.

Background: Immigration is one of the social determinants of health. It affects the mental health very seriously. The present study was aimed to investigating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on anger rumination, hostile attribution bias, and aggression of immigrant children. Method: The present study was conducted through a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental method with a control group. It was done on a 24-subject sample of immigrant children selected by targeted sampling and randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. Measurement tools were the anger rumination scale, the hostile attribution scale, and Aggression Questionnaire of Buss and Perry. The experimental group then received acceptance and commitment therapy in eight 90-min sessions while the control group received no treatment. After holding the sessions, the experimental and control groups again completed the three questionnaires as post-test; and data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and SPSS software version 24. Results: In the posttest, acceptance and commitment therapy reduced the anger rumination, hostile attribution bias and aggression variables of immigrant children in the experimental group compared to the control group (p

Objective: Carotid ultrasonography is a reliable and non-invasive method to evaluate atherosclerosis disease and its complications. B-mode cineloops are widely used to assess the severity of atherosclerosis and its progression; ho- wever, tracking rapid wall motions of the carotid artery is still a challenging issue due the low frame rate. The aim of this paper was to present a new hybrid frame rate up-conversion (FRUC) method that accounts for motion based on manifold learning and optical flow. Methods: In the last decade, manifold learning technique has been used to pseudo-increase the frame rate of carotid ultrasound images, but due to the dependence of this method to the number of recorded cardiac cycles and frames, a new hybrid method based on manifold learning and optical flow was proposed in this paper. Results: Locally linear embedding (LLE) algorithm was first applied to find the relation between the frames of consecutive cardiac cycles in a low dimensional manifold. Then by applying the optical flow motion estimation algorithm, a motion compensated frame was reconstructed. Conclusion: Consequently, a cycle with more frames was created to provide a more accurate consideration of carotid wall motion compared to the typical B-mode ultrasound ima-ges. The results revealed that our new hybrid method outperforms the pseudo-increasing frame rate scheme based on manifold learning.

Objective The aim of this research was to identify marker loci associated with some agronomic traits under drought stress conditions in Common millet. Materials and methods In this study, 30 genotypes of Common millet were planted as augmented design at research farm of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in April 2016. In order to induce stress irrigation was stopped at 50% panicling stage. Traits including grain yield, biological yield, 1000- grain weight, number of grain in tiller, number of tiller in plant, panicle length, number of panicle branches, plant height, number of leaf in plant, leaf length, leaf width and harvest index were measured. The AFLP Technique was performed by the six EcoR1/Mse1 primer combinations. Results In total, 246 polymorphic bands were generated and the average percentage polymorphic was 89.13%. Association analysis based on GLM and MLM model indicated that 52 and 64 markers associated to traits under drought stress condition, respectively. Among them, four markers (M4/E10-65, M4/E10-74, M4/E10-67 and M59/E36-105) with grain yield, three markers (M59/E36-84, M10/E1-244 and M10/E1-245) with 1000- grain weight, two markers (M59/E36-106 and M10/E1-224) with number of tiller in plant and five markers (M3/E2-31, M3/E2-35, M3/E2-38, M59/E36-114 and M4/E8-128) with number of grain in tiller showed highly significant and strong relationship under drought stress condition in both models. Conclusions In this study, several common genetic locations for the studied traits were identified. The existence of common markers between different traits may be due to pleiotropic effects or to linked genomic regions affecting several traits.

Introduction Workplace violence leads to psychological and physical problems and reduces the satisfaction and performance of nurses. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence rate and source of workplace violence against nurses. Methods & Materials A cross-sectional study was conducted using 181 nurses at Neyshabur University of Medical Science’s teaching hospitals in Neyshabur, Iran, from April 2016 to June 2018. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Workplace violence in the health sector questionnaire was used for data collection. SPSS Statistics for Windows version 19 was used for data analysis. Results The majority of participants (67.2%) were female and the mean age of the nurses was 28.8 years ± 5.3 SD. The incidence rate of physical, verbal, and sexual violence was 25.7%, 72.6%, and 1.2%, respectively. More than 66% of the nurses suggested that there is no procedures for reporting of violence in their workplace. Shortage of personnel and facilities and crowded wards was descript as most important causes of physical and non-physical violence against nurses. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between wards and verbal violence, sex and physical violence, and number of shifts per week and physical and verbal violence. Conclusion The verbal violence against nurses is very common and occurs more often by patients and their relatives and physicians. Hospital managers pay very little attention to this problem. Nurses usually do not report workplace violence against themselves and workplace violence against nurses is becoming a typical phenomenon in hospitals.

Background: Patients with beta-thalassemia major are categorized as high risk for cardiovascular complications due to myocardial iron overload that leads to reduce both systolic and diastolic function as well as cardiac arrhythmias. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the presence of fragmented QRS and iron overload determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* in patients with beta-thalassemia major. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 71 consecutive patients with beta-thalassemia major that referred to Shahid Rajaei Heart Center in 2014 for assessing myocardial T2* using cardiac MRI. The cardiac MR T2* values and electrocardiograms (ECGs) of the patients were evaluated. The patients' 12-lead surface ECGs were analyzed for the presence of fragmented QRS. Results: The presence of fragmented QRS was revealed in 19.7% of patients. The study showed the presence of a significant relationship between cardiac T2* value and fragmented QRS in ECG that the mean myocardial T2* in those with and without fragmented QRS was 11.46 ± 6.63 and 21.72 ± 9.49 (P < 0.001). Using the multivariable linear regression model, it was shown a significant association between the presence of fragmented QRS and myocardial T2* value (standardized beta = −0.318, P = 0.007). In those with fragmented QRS, a significant association was found between myocardial and liver T2* values [r = 0.677, P = 0.008. Conclusion: A notable number of patients with beta-thalassemia major have fragmented QRS pattern in ECGs that is accompanied with lowering myocardial T2* value in these patients.

Air pollutants are capable to enter bloodstream through the nose, mouth, skin and the digestive tract. Hemolysis is the premature destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) membranes. This can affect metabolism of RBCs and reduce cell life. Each of these adverse effects could lead to anemia, jaundice and other pathological conditions. Hemolysis can induce by the mineral components adsorbed on the particles. The aim of this study was to evaluate hemolysis of RBCs treated by airborne PM10 (PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm) in vitro. Study had two main stages including sampling and preparation of PM10 suspension, and hemolysis test. Particle samples were collected by means of a high-volume sampler on fiberglass filters. The PM10 was extracted through dry ultrasonic method. Blood sample was incubated by PM10 at concentrations 50–300 μg/mL for 3 h. Hemolysis percent was assessed through measurement of Hemoglobin concentration in test samples and total blood hemoglobin (TBH) sample by the cyanmethemoglobin method. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post-hoc test were applied to compare mean values of hemolysis percent between different PM concentrations.Method used in current study is suggested for investigation of toxic effects of airborne particle matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) on human RBCs. Method name: Effect of airborne particulate matter on hemolysis in vitro, Keywords: Cyanmethemoglobin, Hemoglobine, Hemolysis percent, Air pollution, Dry extraction, In vitro test, ASTM standard E2524-08, Hemolytic samples

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that are involved in intracellular communication and different biological processes. Recently, the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in exosomes has been considered as biomarkers in asthma diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the expression of selective miRNAs from plasma-derived exosomes in moderate and severe asthmatic patients compared with healthy controls. Forty-six subjects including 22 patients with severe and mild to moderate allergic asthma and 24 healthy controls have entered this study. MiRNAs were extracted from the plasma exosomes and selective miRNAs (miR-21, miR-16, miR-Let7, miR-148a, miR-155, miR-125, miR-150, miR-146a, miR-223, miR-126) expressions levels were determined; using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In this study, we found a significant up-regulation of miR-223 and miR-21 in moderate asthmatic patients compared to the healthy controls (p=0.002, p=0.006). MiR-223 and miR-21 had the probability of 83% and 76% diagnosis estimation in moderate asthmatic patients respectively. Therefore, they could be used as biomarkers in these patients. No expression of miR-125, miR-126, and miR-155 was found in plasma exosomes by qPCR in this study. The other miRNAs had no significant expression between different groups. Based on our findings,miR-223 and miR-21 may be considered biomarkers or used for targeted immunotherapies in asthma.