Leukemia in Iran: Epidemiology and morphology trends

Background: Leukemia accounts for 8 of total cancer cases and involves all age groups with different prevalence and incidence rates in Iran and the entire world and causes a significant death toll and heavy expenses for diagnosis and treatment processes. This study was done to evaluate epidemiology and morphology of blood cancer during 2003-2008. Materials and Methods: This cross- sectional study was carried out based on re-analysis of the Cancer Registry Center report of the Health Deputy in Iran during a 6-year period (2003 - 2008). Statistical analysis for incidence time trends and morphology change percentage was performed with joinpoint regression analysis using the software Joinpoint Regression Program. Results: During the studied years a total of 18,353 hematopoietic and reticuloendothelial system cancers were recorded. Chi square test showed significant difference between sex and morphological types of blood cancer (P-value < 0.001). Joinpoint analysis showed a significant increasing trend for the adjusted standard incidence rate (ASIR) for both sexes (P-value < 0.05). Annual percent changes (APC) for women and men were 18.7 and 19.9, respectively. The most common morphological blood cancers were ALL, ALM, MM and CLL which accounted for 60 of total hematopoietic system cancers. Joinpoint analyze showed a significant decreasing trend for ALM in both sexes (P-value < 0.05). Conclusions: Hematopoietic system cancers in Iran demonstrate an increasing trend for incidence rate and decreasing trend for ALL, ALM and CLL morphology

Theoretical Insights into the Use of Structural Similarity Index In Generative Models and Inferential Autoencoders

Generative models and inferential autoencoders mostly make use of $\ell_2$ norm in their optimization objectives. In order to generate perceptually better images, this short paper theoretically discusses how to use Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) in generative models and inferential autoencoders. We first review SSIM, SSIM distance metrics, and SSIM kernel. We show that the SSIM kernel is a universal kernel and thus can be used in unconditional and conditional generated moment matching networks. Then, we explain how to use SSIM distance in variational and adversarial autoencoders and unconditional and conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Finally, we propose to use SSIM distance rather than $\ell_2$ norm in least squares GAN.Comment: Accepted (to appear) in International Conference on Image Analysis and Recognition (ICIAR) 2020, Springe

Strategic crossing of biomass and harvest index—source and sink—achieves genetic gains in wheat

To accelerate genetic gains in breeding, physiological trait (PT) characterization of candidate parents can help make more strategic crosses, increasing the probability of accumulating favorable alleles compared to crossing relatively uncharacterized lines. In this study, crosses were designed to complement “source” with “sink” traits, where at least one parent was selected for favorable expression of biomass and/or radiation use efficiency—source—and the other for sink-related traits like harvest-index, kernel weight and grains per spike. Female parents were selected from among genetic resources—including landraces and products of wide-crossing (i.e. synthetic wheat)—that had been evaluated in Mexico at high yield potential or under heat stress, while elite lines were used as males. Progeny of crosses were advanced to the F4 generation within Mexico, and F4-derived F5 and F6 generations were yield tested to populate four international nurseries, targeted to high yield environments (2nd and 3rd WYCYT) for yield potential, and heat stressed environments (2nd and 4th SATYN) for climate resilience, respectively. Each nursery was grown as multi-location yield trials. Genetic gains were achieved in both temperate and hot environments, with most new PT-derived lines expressing superior yield and biomass compared to local checks at almost all international sites. Furthermore, the tendency across all four nurseries indicated either the superiority of the best new PT lines compared with the CIMMYT elite checks, or the superiority of all new PT lines as a group compared with all checks, and in some cases, both. Results support—in a realistic breeding context—the hypothesis that yield and radiation use efficiency can be increased by improving source:sink balance, and validate the feasibility of incorporating exotic germplasm into mainstream breeding efforts to accelerate genetic gains for yield potential and climate resilience

Epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in asymptomatic versus symptomatic patients

Background. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are different, which can be attributed to asymptomatic carriers, acute respiratory disease and pneumonia with different severities. The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with clinical symptoms versus asymptomatic patients. Methods. In this retrospective cohort study, the epidemiological characteristics of two groups of patients, with clinical symptoms (n = 38,630) and without clinical symptoms who were definitive cases of COVID-19 (n = 2,327) were investigated in the southwestern of Iran. Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences between qualitative variables in the two study groups. Results. Of 40,957 patients with COVID-19, 2,327 (5.68) were asymptomatic, of whom 1391 (59.77) were males, 1841 patients (79.11) had a history of contact with definite or suspected cases of COVID-19. Asymptomatic patients were older than symptomatic cases. Patients with clinical symptoms had higher mortality rate than asymptomatic patients (2.68 in symptomatic patients vs 0 in asymptomatic patients). Conclusion. According to the results of our study, the detected viral load in asymptomatic individuals was similar to that of symptomatic patients, indicating that asymptomatic infections can potentially transmit the disease. Therefore, screening and detection of asymptomatic cases is an important and key measure in prevention and early control of COVID-19 worldwide. © 2021 Pacini Editore S.p.A.. All rights reserved

Epidemiological characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in Southwest of Iran from February 19 to June 20, 2020

Background:COVID-19 spread rapidly throughout the world and affected many people. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in southwest of Iran from February 19 to June 20, 2020. Methods: In this retrospective study, the epidemiological characteristics of 7313 patients with COVID-19 in southwest of Iran were analyzed and reported from February 19, 2020, to the end of Jun,2020. Data were extracted from electronic records in hospitals. Sex ratio and mortality rate of the disease were calculated.A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the factors affecting mortality.Results: From all patients studied, 3920 (53 5) were men and 2066 (28.24) were in the age 30 to 40 years age group. The case fatality rate of the disease based on the total number of patients (hospitalized and nonhospitalized) was 4.84. The highest mortality rate was seen in patients with various cancers and in those aged over 80 years. The most common symptoms in patients were fever and cough, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Logistic regression results also showed that the chances of death in the 70-60 and 80-70 years age group were 5.94 (OR, 5.94; 95 CI, 2.14-16.43) and 8.63 (OR, 8.63, 95 CI, 3.09-24.14) compared to 10-20 years age group. Conclusion: These results indicate the need to increase primary care, provide the necessary equipment to treat patients, and more importantly, early identification of patients and treatment for them © 2021, Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran. All Rights Reserved