Spatially structured genetic diversity of the Amerindian yam (Dioscorea trifida L.) assessed by SSR and ISSR markers in Southern Brazil

Dioscorea trifida L. (Dioscoreaceae) is among the economically most important cultivated Amerindian yam species, whose origin and domestication are still unresolved issues. in order to estimate the genetic diversity maintained by traditional farmers in Brazil, 53 accessions of D. trifida from 11 municipalities in the states of São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso and Amazonas were characterized on the basis of eight Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) and 16 Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) markers. the level of polymorphism among the accessions was high, 95 % for SSR and 75.8 % for ISSR. the SSR marker showed higher discrimination power among accessions compared to ISSR, with D parameter values of 0.79 and 0.44, respectively. Although SSR and ISSR markers led to dendrograms with different topologies, both separated the accessions into three main groups: I-Ubatuba-SP; II-Iguape-SP and Santa Catarina; and III-Mato Grosso. the accessions from Amazonas State were classified in group II with SSR and in a separate group with ISSR. Bayesian and principal coordinate analyzes conducted with both molecular markers corroborated the classification into three main groups. Higher variation was found within groups in the AMOVA analysis for both markers (66.5 and 60.6 % for ISSR and SSR, respectively), and higher Shannon diversity index was found for group II with SSR. Significant but low correlations were found between genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.08; p = 0.0007 for SSR and r = 0.16; p = 0.0002 for ISSR). Therefore, results from both markers showed a slight spatially structured genetic diversity in D. trifida accessions maintained by small traditional farmers in Brazil.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ São Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Genet, BR-13400970 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, BR-09972270 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Calif Davis, Dept Plant Sci MS1, Sect Crop & Ecosyst Sci, Davis, CA 95616 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, BR-09972270 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2007/04805-2Web of Scienc

Vitamin D status in Iranian pregnant women and newborns: a systematic review and meta-analysis study

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common health problem worldwide. The present study was conducted to assess the vitamin D status in Iranian pregnant women and newborns. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Medlib, IranDoc databases, and Google Scholar were searched until 2017. The data were combined using random effects model. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: In 23 studies including 6,127 Iranian pregnant women were eligible for inclusion. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency based on cutoff points of 10, 20, and 30 ng/ml was estimated to be 42.42 (95CI: 26.90-57.93), 55.84 (95CI: 31.75-79.93) and 80.82 (95CI: 71.20-90.45), respectively. The mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D concentration was estimated to be 15.69 ng/ml (95% CI: 14.39-17.00) in pregnant women. The mean 25(OH)D concentration was estimated to be 14.97 ng/ml (95% CI: 10.63-19.31) in Iranian newborns. The difference in mean 25(OH)D concentration between pregnant women and their newborns was significant (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: Vitamin D status in Iranian pregnant women and newborns are critical. Therefore, paying attention to the issue of vitamin D deficiency in this group should be a health priority in Iran

Cardiac complications in patients with thalassemia major in Iran: A meta-analysis

Cardiac complications are the most common cause of death in patients with thalassemia major. This study aims to assess cardiac complications in patients with thalassemia major in Iran.This study was conducted based on PRISMA guidelines for systematic review and meta-analysis studies. To find the relevant literature, a comprehensive search was conducted in several databases including SID, Magiran, Iranmedex, IranDoc, Medlib, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine. English and Persian MeSH keywords were searched without any time limited until 2017. Studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. To assess the heterogeneity between studies, I2 statistic and Cochran's Q test were used. Data were analyzed using Stata Ver.11.1 software through random effects model.In 20 studies, 3394 thalassemia major patients were surveyed. The mean age of the patients was 16.7. years. The prevalence of all types of cardiac complications in Iranian patients with thalassemia major was estimated to be 41.2 (95 CI: 25.3-57.2) and the prevalence for males and females patients was estimated to be 21.8 (95 CI: 9.3-34.4) and 21.4 (95 CI: 14.2-28.6), respectively. The most common echocardiographic abnormalities were diastolic dysfunction (40.2 95% CI: 14.1-66.2), systolic dysfunction (18.9% 95% CI: 9.4-28.5), pulmonary hypertension (14% 95% CI: 14.2-28.6), left ventricular hypertrophy (7.4% 95% CI: 2.5-12.3), tricuspid regurgitation (30.2% 95% CI: 11.2-50.4), mitral valve prolapse (16.4% 95% CI: 0-46.8), mitral regurgitation (12.3% 95% CI: 8.3-16.2) and aortic regurgitation (4.4% 95% CI: 0.2-8.9). The prevalence of abnormal echocardiography and electrocardiography was estimated to be 56.1% (95% CI: 9.0-100) and 32.6% (95% CI: 7.1-58.0), respectively. The relationship between cardiac complications and serum ferritin in patients with thalassemia major was not significant.The prevalence of cardiac complications in Iranian thalassemia major patients is high and screening the patients with thalassemia major in Iran for early diagnosis seems necessary. © 2017

The Relationship between Selenium and Lung Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Context: Many studies have reported contradictory results about the relationship between selenium levels and the risk of lung cancer. Objectives: This study was performed with the aim of evaluating the relationship between selenium and lung cancer. Methods: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and metaanalyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Using MeSH keywords, two reviewers independently searched international databases including PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The data were combined, using comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software Version 2 based on the random effects model. The tests were considered significant at P < 0.05. Results: In 15 high-quality studies including 13 case-control and 2 cohort studies, 84 199 subjects (2 434 cases and 81 765 controls) were studied. The odds ratio (OR) of lung cancer in the highest quintile of selenium exposure compared to the lowest quintile was 0.55 (95 CI: 0.35 to 0.86, P < 0.01). The results of the standardized mean difference between serum selenium concentrations in lung cancer and healthy groups in 11 studies (1446 cases and 77917 controls) was -0.32 mu g/L (95 CI: -0.53 to -0.11, P = 0.003). This value for toenails selenium in 3 studies (620 cases and 2 709 controls) was -0.13 mu g/g (95 CI: -0.22 to -0.038, P = 0.006). In subgroup analysis, it was determined that gender (P = 0.28), type of studies (P = 0.70), and measurement of selenium samples (P = 0.46) were not influencing factors. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated the preventive role of increased selenium levels in the incidence of lung cancer. Moreover, the selenium could be used as a predictive variable

Phenylketonuria screening in Iranian newborns: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Phenylketonuria (PKU), which is characterized by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity, is an autosomal recessive disorder of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism. Newborn screening is the main population-based public health screening program that allows successful identification and treatment of PKU with low-Phe diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of PKU screening in Iranian newborns. Methods The present study was designed based on MOOSE protocol and reporting was done in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The protocol of this systematic review was published in PROSPERO before it was performed (CRD42020162626). A comprehensive search was done in 10/10/2019 to find related literature on international online databases Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, Science Direct, PubMed/Medline, EBSCO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, national online databases and the Google Scholar search engine. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I(2)index and Q test. All meta-analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software ver. 2.P < 0.05 was considered significant. Result Finally, 18 studies with 3,339,327 Iranian neonates were included. The prevalence of suspected hyperphenylalaninemia(HPA) was estimated to be 45.6/100,000 (95 CI: 23.9-87.1). The prevalence of suspected HPA in girls and boys infants in Iran was estimated to be 38.0/100,000 (95 CI: 15.1-95.5) and 43.3/100,000 (95 CI: 16.2-116.2), respectively. The prevalence of PKU was estimated to be 16.5/100,000 (95 CI: 12.9-21.2). The prevalence of PKU in girls and boys infants was estimated to be 13.3/100,000 (95 CI: 7.5-15.8) and 10.9/100,000 (95 CI: 7.5-15.8), respectively. The prevalence of mild to moderate HPA was estimated 9.7/100,000 (95 CI: 5.1-18.4) and the prevalence of classical PKU was estimated 4.4/100,000 (95 CI: 2.5-7.8). Sensitivity analysis for all meta-analysis with the omission of one study showed that overall estimation is still robust. Conclusion The results of this meta-analysis showed that PKU is prevalent in Iranian neonates.It should be considered that for PKU there is a highly effective dietary treatment which can prevent the clinical symptoms of PKU if initiated early after detection by newborn screening

Thyroid dysfunction in Iranian pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThyroid dysfunction during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and fetus. The present meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate thyroid dysfunction in Iranian pregnant women.MethodsWe registered this review at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020166655). The research steps in this systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to the MOOSE protocol, and finally, reports were provided based on the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was performed in October 2019 using the international online databases, including Web of Science, Ovid, Science Direct, Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, CINAHL, Google Scholar as well as national databases were reviewed. Data were extracted after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and qualitative evaluation of the studies. I-2 index and Q test were used to assess differences in studies. All analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We identified 1261 potential articles from the databases, and 426 articles remained after removing the duplicate and unrelated studies. After evaluating the full text, 52 articles were removed.ResultsFinally, 19 eligible studies including 17,670 pregnant women included for meta-analysis. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Iranian pregnant women was 18.10 (95CI: 13.89-23.25). The prevalence of hypothyroidism, clinical hypothyroidism, and subclinical hypothyroidism in Iranian pregnant women was respectively estimated to be 13.01 (95CI: 9.15-18.17), 1.35 (95CI: 0.97-1.86) and 11.90 (95CI: 7.40-18.57). The prevalence of hyperthyroidism, clinical hyperthyroidism, and subclinical hyperthyroidism in Iranian pregnant women was respectively estimated to be 3.31 (95CI: 1.62-6.61), 1.06 (95CI: 0.61-1.84) and 2.56 (95CI: 0.90-7.05). The prevalence of anti-thyroperoxidase antibody was estimated to be 11.68 (95CI: 7.92-16.89).ConclusionThe results of this meta-analysis showed a high prevalence of thyroid disorders, especially hypothyroidism. The decision to recommend thyroid screening during pregnancy for all women is still under debate, because the positive effects of treatment on pregnancy outcomes must be ensured. On the other hand, evidence about the effect of thyroid screening and treatment of thyroid disorders on pregnancy outcomes is still insufficient. Nevertheless, a large percentage of general practitioners, obstetricians and gynecologists perform screening procedures in Iran

Celiac disease in Iranian irritable bowel syndrome patients; a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence, clinical symptoms and pathological findings of celiac disease (CD) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients in Iran. Background: Several studies show high prevalence of CD in IBS patients, but the results are contradictory. Methods: The present study was conducted based on MOOSE protocol and results were reported according to PRISMA guideline. The search was done using international online databases (Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science), national databases and Google Scholar search engine. Results: The pooled prevalence of CD in 2,367 Iranian IBS patients was estimated to be 6.13 (95CI: 4.11-9.05). The prevalence of CD in men and women with IBS was 4.28 (95 CI: 2.45-7.37) and 7.19 (95 CI: 4.51-11.28), respectively. The serological prevalence of anti tTG-IgA (11 studies with 2901 IBS patients) and AGA-IgG (4 studies with 936 IBS patients) was estimated to be 5.35 (95CI: 3.60-7.89) and 6.35 (95CI: 2.05-18.03), respectively. The clinical symptoms of CD among IBS patients included predominant diarrhea (47.87 95%CI: 22.46-74.43), predominant constipation (17.34% 95%CI: 9.17-30.35), and alternative diarrhea and constipation (27.84% 95%CI: 11.57-53.23). According to pathological findings based on marsh classification, the prevalence of CD at stages 1, 2 and 3 were 30.89% (95%CI: 13.25-56.68), 36.56% (95%CI: 21.74-54.45) and 52.87% (95%CI: 14.48-88.13), respectively. Conclusion: In the present meta-analysis, we observed a high prevalence for CD among Iranian IBS patients, which is higher than global estimates. Examination of all IBS patients in terms of CD seems to be necessary, but cost-effectiveness should be considered

Maternal anemia during pregnancy and small for gestational age: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: Anemia is a major public health and nutritional problem in the world. Studies have reported the relationship between anemia during pregnancy and small for gestational age (SGA). Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal anemia during pregnancy and SGA. METHOD: This meta-analysis was conducted without time limit until April 2017 based on the PRISMA protocol. Several international databases including Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science (ISI), Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar search engine were searched independently by two researchers. The keywords include: anemia, pregnant women, gestational age, and pregnancy. The relative risk (RR) and 95 confidence interval were estimated regarding to the significance of the I(2) index based on the random effects model. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software version 2. RESULTS: Ten studies with a sample size including 620 080 pregnant women entered the meta-analysis process. The overall relationship between maternal anemia during pregnancy and SGA was not significant (RR = 1.11 95%CI: 0.99-1.24, p = .074). The relationship between anemia during pregnancy and SGA based on pregnancy trimester showed that maternal anemia was significant in the first trimester, (RR = 1.11 95%CI: 1-1.22, p = .044), but this relationship was not significant in the second trimester (RR = 1.11 95%CI: 0.85-1.18, p = .91). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal anemia in the first trimester of pregnancy can be considered as a risk factor for negative pregnancy outcomes (SGA)

Causes of mortality in a neonatal intensive care unit in Iran: one year data

BACKGROUND Neonatal mortality rate is a major health index. Approximately, 65 of all deaths in the first year of life occur during this 4-week period. The present study was conducted to investigate the mortality rates and causes of death in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Ahvaz, Iran in a year. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in the NICU of Sina Hospital in Ahvaz. Medical records were studied, and data from 1,040 newborns admitted to the NICU within one year (March 2016 to March 2017) were collected following a checklist. Relevant data of 123 died newborns were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 20 (SPSS Inc., USA). RESULTS The mortality rate was 11.82 (123 cases) out of 1,040 newborns admitted to NICU. Most of the newborns (48.8) died on days 1-7. The causes of death were respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (34.1), asphyxia (25.2), anomalies (10.6), sepsis (7.3), intracerebral hemorrhage (8.1), pulmonary hemorrhage (7.3), and other causes (6.4), such as hydrops, severe pneumothorax, severe renal failure, and others. CONCLUSIONS The mortality rate in the NICU of this center was similar to that in other Iranian provinces. The most common causes of NICU mortality included prematurity and its complications, such as asphyxia and RDS. Thus, a strategic plan for reducing preterm delivery and asphyxia are necessary

Mortality in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Neonatal mortality rate is an important health index. The present study was conducted to determine the mortality rate and its causes in neonatal intensive care units (NICUS) in Iran. Methods: Online search was done without time limit until June 2018 in several databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, Magiran, Barakat Knowledge Network System, SID, Iranian National Library, Regional Information Center for Science and Technology (RICST), Google Scholar search engine, and Iranian journals. The articles were qualitatively assessed after evaluating the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochran's Q test and I-2 index were used to determine the heterogeneity between studies. Meta-analysis was done based on a random effects model using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (version 2). Results: Thirty-one eligible studies were analyzed. The mortality rate in 24,995 neonates admitted to NICUs in Iran was estimated to be 11.40 (95 CI: 9.10-14.20). The lowest mortality rate reported as 7.70 (95 CI: 6.01-9.82) was related to the Center of Iran, and the highest mortality rate was reported as 19.26 (95 CI: 15.82-23.24) in the west of Iran. In this regard, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The most common causes of mortality in NICUs in Iran were prematurity (44.14 95% CI: 31.95-57.08), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (31.93% 95% CI: 22.83-42.66), congenital malformation (16.09% 95% CI: 12.85-19.95), septicemia (12.66% 95% CI: 8.87-17.75), and asphyxia (7.58% 95% CI: 4.63-12.19). Conclusion: The most common causes of mortality in Iranian neonates were prematurity, RDS, and congenital anomalies. We also found the mortality rate to be acceptable (11.4%). To reduce the mortality rate, we recommend performing prenatal screening tests and genetic counseling. In addition, maternal care during pregnancy should be improved to reduce premature delivery