Characteristics, outcomes, and predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with acute systolic heart failure (HFrEF): Two-center registry of acute heart failure from Iran

Background: Acute Heart Failure (AHF) is a common cause of hospitalization in many countries. Rehospitalization due to AHF is also a very important economic issue for health services. Registries for AHF have been made in many countries to characterize such patients, which have provided great information about these patients for better care. To date, there is insufficient information about these patients in Iran and their rehospitalization and short-and long-term follow-up is unclear. Objectives: This study aims to describe the results of a small registry of AHF (HFrEF) patients in Iran and their short-term follow-up. Patients and Methods: This study aimed to describe the earliest results of the AHF registry, which was started from September 2015 in two hospitals (Afshar Heart Center in Yazd and Rajaie Heart Center in Tehran). All patients with diagnosis of AHF and HFrEF were enrolled into this registry. During six months, 352 patients with diagnosis of AHF and HFrEF were entered into this registry. The patients� demographic, clinical, and Para clinical data were collected during hospitalization and they were followed up for all-cause mortality and hospitalization for three months. Patients suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction were excluded because of their small number and incomplete data. Results: The mean age of the patients was 55 ± 16 years and 76 were male. Besides, 77 of the patients had acute decompensation of chronic heart failure and 17 had new-onset AHF. Etiology of heart failure was ischemic heart disease in 52 of the patients. Additionally, the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 20. Moreover, length of hospital stay was 10.5±10 days and in-hospital mortality rate was 9.7. Conclusions: This small and limited registry of patients with AHF (HFrEF) in Iran delineated these patients� characteristics with some discrepancies and similarities with western registries. Thus, a larger nationwide registry is needed for further clarification of the issue. © 2018, Iranian Cardiovascular Research Journal. All rights reserved

Characteristics, outcomes, and predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with acute systolic heart failure (HFrEF): Two-center registry of acute heart failure from Iran

Background: Acute Heart Failure (AHF) is a common cause of hospitalization in many countries. Rehospitalization due to AHF is also a very important economic issue for health services. Registries for AHF have been made in many countries to characterize such patients, which have provided great information about these patients for better care. To date, there is insufficient information about these patients in Iran and their rehospitalization and short-and long-term follow-up is unclear. Objectives: This study aims to describe the results of a small registry of AHF (HFrEF) patients in Iran and their short-term follow-up. Patients and Methods: This study aimed to describe the earliest results of the AHF registry, which was started from September 2015 in two hospitals (Afshar Heart Center in Yazd and Rajaie Heart Center in Tehran). All patients with diagnosis of AHF and HFrEF were enrolled into this registry. During six months, 352 patients with diagnosis of AHF and HFrEF were entered into this registry. The patients� demographic, clinical, and Para clinical data were collected during hospitalization and they were followed up for all-cause mortality and hospitalization for three months. Patients suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction were excluded because of their small number and incomplete data. Results: The mean age of the patients was 55 ± 16 years and 76 were male. Besides, 77 of the patients had acute decompensation of chronic heart failure and 17 had new-onset AHF. Etiology of heart failure was ischemic heart disease in 52 of the patients. Additionally, the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 20. Moreover, length of hospital stay was 10.5±10 days and in-hospital mortality rate was 9.7. Conclusions: This small and limited registry of patients with AHF (HFrEF) in Iran delineated these patients� characteristics with some discrepancies and similarities with western registries. Thus, a larger nationwide registry is needed for further clarification of the issue. © 2018, Iranian Cardiovascular Research Journal. All rights reserved

Chironomidae larvae from the lower Athabasca River, AB, Canada and its tributaries including macroscopic subfamily and tribe keys, indices for environmental tolerance and trait-based information for biomonitoring

Since 2011 the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM) program has been conducted in the lower Athabasca River by the Governments of Canada and Alberta to assess the freshwater health in areas associated with oil sands development. The majority of the benthic invertebrate assemblage of the Athabasca River and its tributaries are Chironomidae larvae. Assessments of such benthic assemblages are made difficult because the identification of Chironomidae larvae is costly and time consuming. To facilitate this identification process, we aimed to develop a simple taxonomic key for Chironomidae larvae of this region. This taxonomic reference and identification key makes use of the known taxonomic details on these Chironomidae species. Moreover, we provide details on their geographical distribution, ecology, habitats, environmental tolerance values for species, and traitbased morphological characters. Our main goal was to make this information readily available to both non-specialists and specialists so that biomonitoring programs can more readily utilize these organisms in biomonitoring

Trace and rare earth elements distribution and mobility during diagenetic alteration of volcanic ash to bentonite in Eastern Iranian bentonite deposits

The chemical composition of the source magma along with the physiochemical conditions of the depositional environment are the main controlling factors in determining the behavior and mobility of trace elements and rare earth elements (REEs) during the transformation of volcanic ash to bentonite. The purpose of the present study was to determine the distribution pattern and mobility of trace elements and REEs in several bentonite deposits formed by diagenetic alteration of volcanic ash in shallow alkaline water in eastern Iran. Using geochemical and statistical data, the degree of weathering in the parent rocks and the distribution and mobility of trace elements and REEs during the alteration process at seven deposits (Chah-Taleb, Chah-Keshmir, Chah-Golestan, Chah-Pirouz, Gholeh-Gelia, Kharman-Sar, and Khal-Kooh) were studied. None of the parent rocks showed an advanced degree of depositional reworking and, therefore, their chemical composition is representative of the volcanic ash from which the bentonites were formed. In the chondrite-normalized REE patterns of both parent rocks and bentonites, the light rare earth elements (LREEs) were found to be enriched relative to the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). The variation in δEu and δCe values suggested a high-temperature (<200°C), suboxic, aquatic environment in which the conversion of volcanic ash to bentonite occurred. In the bivariate correlation analysis, Si showed a strong inverse relationship with Al and LREEs, while large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), high field strength elements (HFSEs), HREEs, and LREEs displayed a positive correlation between the elements of their respective groups. The R values in the binary diagram of potential immobile elements against Al suggest a qualitative classification in which Ti, Gd, Ga, Pr, Tb, Nd, Sm, Ce, and Nb are considered immobile, and U, Dy, In, Sc, Hf, Zr, La, and Eu are considered to have had poor mobility during formation of the Eastern Iranian bentonite deposits.This research was partly funded by the Iran National Science Foundation (contract no. 90004849), Spanish Group CTS-946 (Junta de Andalucia), and MINECO project CGL2016-80833-R. The authors acknowledge the School of Geology of the University of Tehran for sample preparation and some geochemical tests. The authors express their gratitude to Shaghayegh V. Navabpour for assisting with the statistical analyses. They also sincerely thank the reviewers for their careful reading of the manuscript and their many insightful comments and suggestions which certainly helped to improve the manuscript

Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) from the eastern Canadian Arctic and subarctic with descriptions of new life stages, a possible new genus, and new geographical records

Chironomidae larvae constituted the largest proportion of benthic invertebrates collected from 99 rivers stretching from northern Labrador (latitude 58°N) to northern parts of Ellesmere Island (82°N). We describe 92 species of Chironomidae (mainly larval forms) providing new descriptions, a revision for the adult female of Parametriocnemus boreoalpinus Gowin et Thienemann, a possible new genus (larval form only), and 9 larval forms that may represent a new species. In addition, new geographical distribution records are specified for 1 Nearctic species, 6 species in Canada, 10 for Labrador, and 17 for Nunavut. This work contributes to Environment Canada’s International Polar Year output (2007-2009)

Genesis of the Eastern Iranian bentonite deposits

Numerous bentonite deposits are located in Southern Khorasan (Eastern Iran), especially in Ferdows and Sarayan counties. We studied the genesis of these bentonites at seven deposits (Chah-Taleb, Chah-Keshmir, Chah- Golestan, Chah-Pirouz, Gholeh-Gelia, Kharman-Sar and Khal-Kooh) using petrological, mineralogical and geochemical data (including X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) from both bentonites and parent rock samples. The deposits mainly consist of Na-montmorillonite and opaline silica, with lesser amounts of quartz, feldspars, carbonates, halite, zeolites, and illite. The studied deposits formed in a volcanic arc setting and their magma series are calc-alkaline, except for the Kharman-Sar deposit, which is tholeiitic in composition. The presence of significant amounts of opaline silica indicates a low fluid flow rate in these systems, in spite of the high leaching of alkalis. The strata-bound nature of the studied deposits, as well as the high amount of montmorillonite, the presence of gypsum layers alternating with those of bentonite and the lack of hydrothermal alteration suggest that these Iranian bentonite deposits were formed through diagenetic processes in lagoon environments, by means of the alteration of intermediate to acidic precursors, trachy-andesite to rhyolite, belonging to two volcanic provinces: one pyroclastic realm in Ferdows, and another volcaniclastic in Sarayan

Genesis of the Eastern Iranian bentonite deposits

Numerous bentonite deposits are located in Southern Khorasan (Eastern Iran), especially in Ferdows and Sarayan counties. We studied the genesis of these bentonites at seven deposits (Chah-Taleb, Chah-Keshmir, Chah-Golestan, Chah-Pirouz, Gholeh-Gelia, Kharman-Sar and Khal-Kooh) using petrological, mineralogical and geochemical data (including X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) from both bentonites and parent rock samples. The deposits mainly consist of Na-montmorillonite and opaline silica, with lesser amounts of quartz, feldspars, carbonates, halite, zeolites, and illite. The studied deposits formed in a volcanic arc setting and their magma series are calc-alkaline, except for the Kharman-Sar deposit, which is tholeiitic in composition. The presence of significant amounts of opaline silica indicates a low fluid flow rate in these systems, in spite of the high leaching of alkalis. The strata-bound nature of the studied deposits, as well as the high amount of montmorillonite, the presence of gypsum layers alternating with those of bentonite and the lack of hydrothermal alteration suggest that these Iranian bentonite deposits were formed through diagenetic processes in lagoon environments, by means of the alteration of intermediate to acidic precursors, trachy-andesite to rhyolite, belonging to two volcanic provinces: one pyroclastic realm in Ferdows, and another volcaniclastic in Sarayan.This research was partly funded by the Iran National Science Foundation (contract no. 90004849 ), Spanish Group CTS-946 (Junta de Andalucia) and MINECO project CGL2016-80833-R . We also acknowledge the School of Geology of the University of Tehran for sample preparation and some geochemical tests

Assessment of the musculoskeletal complaints of Kashan university hospitals staffs in 2006

Background: Work related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most important occupational problems and one at the top of the problems is low back pain (LBP). LBP can cause diverse disabilities in people. Of the susceptible people for MSDs are the medical staffs. Factors such as handling and transportation of the patients, awkward body postures during the medical procedures, prolonged standing and mental work-related stress are effective in the occurrence of the MSDs. Considering the importance of the problem, the aim of the present study was to assess the musculoskeletal complaints of Kashan university hospitals staffs, 2006. Materials and Methods: This cross–sectional study was carried out on 278 staff (212 female and 66 male) consists on nurses, nurse assistance, midwives, anesthesia and operating theater technicians categorically randomized from 5 hospitals. After the selection of qualified subjects, the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ) was used for the study and its validity was evaluated through test and retest as a screening instrument. The obtained data was analyzed using the�X2,�Fisher exact test, logistic regression for removing confounding factors. Results: Two-hundred forty one out of 278 subjects (87.7%) had discomfort and pain in at least one bodily organ and the related percents in female and male were 86.8% and 86.4% respectively. Also it was seen that the highest frequency of MSDs among the age range (30-34) was 91.2% and the least frequency of 78.7% was seen below the age of 30. A significant correlation was seen between musculoskeletal and the years of work (p<0/05). Considering the results of statistical tests no significant difference was seen between MSDs and all bodily organs whit age and gender. Conclusion: The occurrence of MSDs among all levels of medical staff was the greatest, because of the heavy duties of this group .for the similar reason whit removal the effect of age and the increment of the years of the work a significant difference was seen in MSDs of the lower part of the back. The lack of the effect of age on MSDs in other parts of the body possibly is that with the advancing age the work-related activities of the staff have been increased and also the type or severity of physical work have been changed

The cost-effectiveness of insulin analogs and regular insulin for diabetes control: a case study in Iran

Purpose: For years, traditional techniques have been used for diabetes treatment. There are two major types of insulin: insulin analogs and regular insulin. Insulin analogs are similar to regular insulin and lead to changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. The purpose of the present research was to determine the cost-effectiveness of insulin analogs versus regular insulin for diabetes control in Yazd Diabetes Center in 2017. Design/methodology/approach: In this descriptive�analytical research, the cost-effectiveness index was used to compare insulin analogs and regular insulin (pen/vial) for treatment of diabetes. Data were analyzed in the TreeAge Software and a decision tree was constructed. A 10 discount rate was used for ICER sensitivity analysis. Cost-effectiveness was examined from a provider's perspective. Findings: QALY was calculated to be 0.2 for diabetic patients using insulin analogs and 0.05 for those using regular insulin. The average cost was 3.228 for analog users and 1.826 for regular insulin users. An ICER of Findings: QALY was calculated to be 0.2 for diabetic patients using insulin analogs and 0.05 for those using regular insulin. The average cost was 3.228 for analog users and 1.826 for regular insulin users. An ICER of 0.093506/QALY was obtained. The present findings suggest that insulin analogs are more cost-effective than regular insulin.093506/QALY was obtained. The present findings suggest that insulin analogs are more cost-effective than regular insulin. Originality/value: This study was conducted using a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate insulin analogs versus regular insulin in controlling diabetes. The results of study are helpful to the government to allocate more resources to apply the cost-effective method of the treatment and to protect patients with diabetes from the high cost of treatment. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

GLOBAL Leukemia in children 0-14 statistics 2018, incidence and mortality and human development index (HDI): GLOBOCAN sources and methods

Objective: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children under 15 and leukemia is the most common type of cancer in this age group. The aim of the present study is to investigate the incidence and mortality of leukemia in children aged 0-14 years and its relationship with Human Development Index (HDI in different countries of the world. Methods: Incidence and mortality rates were obtained from GLOBOCAN and Country's income from World Bank. The data analysis was conducted using correlation analysis. The association of incidence and mortality rates with HDI was investigated using linear regression models. Results: The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the incidence rate and Gross National Income per capita (r = 0.464, P <0.0001), mean years of schooling (r = 0.566, P <0.0001), life expectancy at birth (r = 0.712, P <0.0001) and expected years of schooling (r = 0.604, P <0.0001). The results also demonstrated a positive and significant correlation between mortality rate and life expectancy at birth (r = 0.199, P <0.0001). An improvement in HDI Beta = 7.7, CI95% (0.1, 15.3) and life Expectancy at birth Beta = 0.1, CI95% (0.03, 0.1) caused a significantly rise in the incidence of leukemia. Moreover, the improved HDI Beta = 6.2, CI95% (1.9, 10.5) was associated with increased mean years of schooling Beta =-0.1, CI95% (-0.2,-0.01) and expected years of schooling Beta =-0.1, CI95% (-0.3,-0.08). Conclusion: As the HDI increases, incidence and mortality from of leukemia increases indicating a change in factors that affects leukemia incidences. © 2020, Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention