Report of the clinical features of patients with leptospirosis in Golestan, Iran, 2011-2015: Based on information available at the provincial health center

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a global distribution that is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of Leptospira. It has a global spread, but it is more common in warm and tropical regions. In developing countries such as Iran, it is considered as a work-related illness and occurs mostly in farmers, ranchers, slaughterhouse workers, butchers, and fishermen in the warm seasons of the year. The aim of this study was to report the information available at the provincial health center about the clinical features of patients with leptospirosis in Golestan province, Iran, from 2011 to 2015.METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed all patients with leptospirosis in Golestan provincial health center from 2011 to 2015. All information was collected by a self-designed checklist that its reliability was approved by three infectious specialists. In case of defective files, patients were contacted. The collected data were analyzed by an epidemiologist via SPSS software.RESULTS: In this study, during the years of 2011 to 2015, 75 cases of leptospirosis were recorded. 50 cases (66.6%) were men and 25 (33.3%) were women. The most common complaint of patients at referral was fever (70 cases, 93.33%). The most complained problem after fever (93.33%) was musculoskeletal pain and jaundice reported 57.33% and 54.66%, respectively.CONCLUSION: It is important to pay attention to this disease in farmers and villagers, especially in agricultural seasons. Due to the high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of leptospirosis, early diagnosis based on common symptoms is important. Healthcare centers in each area are required to recognize common diseases to reduce irreversible complications

Report of the clinical features of patients with leptospirosis in Golestan, Iran, 2011-2015: Based on information available at the provincial health center

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a global distribution that is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of Leptospira. It has a global spread, but it is more common in warm and tropical regions. In developing countries such as Iran, it is considered as a work-related illness and occurs mostly in farmers, ranchers, slaughterhouse workers, butchers, and fishermen in the warm seasons of the year. The aim of this study was to report the information available at the provincial health center about the clinical features of patients with leptospirosis in Golestan province, Iran, from 2011 to 2015. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed all patients with leptospirosis in Golestan provincial health center from 2011 to 2015. All information was collected by a self-designed checklist that its reliability was approved by three infectious specialists. In case of defective files, patients were contacted. The collected data were analyzed by an epidemiologist via SPSS software. RESULTS: In this study, during the years of 2011 to 2015, 75 cases of leptospirosis were recorded. 50 cases (66.6%) were men and 25 (33.3%) were women. The most common complaint of patients at referral was fever (70 cases, 93.33%). The most complained problem after fever (93.33%) was musculoskeletal pain and jaundice reported 57.33% and 54.66%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is important to pay attention to this disease in farmers and villagers, especially in agricultural seasons. Due to the high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of leptospirosis, early diagnosis based on common symptoms is important. Healthcare centers in each area are required to recognize common diseases to reduce irreversible complication

Effects of Hip Exercises on the pain Severity in Patients with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Introduction: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is associated with a decrease in hip muscles strength, especially abductor and external rotator muscles. Hip abductors with femoral control have an effect on the frontal plane on the knee valgus, and the increased hip abduction capacity helps these patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of abductor and adductor exercises in addition to the knee exercises in knee joint pain in patients with Patellofemoral pain syndrome. Method: This is a clinical trial study conducted on patients suffering from patellar-femoral pain syndrome who visited the Sports Medicine department of the Imam Khomeini Hospital Clinic. The NRPS questionnaire was used to evaluate the patients’ pain severity SPSS version 16 was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The mean age of the patients in abductor group was 33.4±6.1 and in adductor group was 33.7±7.3, but this difference was not significant (P=0.1). The results of this study showed that in the abductor and adductor group, the results of all of the statistical tests on the change in the Scores of the questionnaires and tests after 6 weeks of training exercises were statistically significant (P<0.05). the comparison of the scores between the two groups showed only the difference between the mean scores of Step down between the two groups of adductor and abductor, which was statistical significance after exercises (P=0.03). Conclusion: Based on the presented study, 6 weeks of abductor and adductor muscle exercises, and specially abductor muscles, helps reduce pain and the improve joint function in patients suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome

A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Findings of COVID-19 between Intensive Care Unit and Non-Intensive Care Unit Pediatric Patients: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Observational Study from Iranian Network for Research in Viral

Introduction: To date, little is known about the clinical features of pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Objective: Herein, we aimed to describe the differences in demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, clinical presentations, and outcomes of Iranian pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU versus those in non-ICU settings. Methods: This multicenter investigation involved 15 general and pediatrics hospitals and included cases with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) admitted to these centers between March and May 2020, during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Results: Overall, 166 patients were included, 61 (36.7%) of whom required ICU admission. The highest number of admitted cases to ICU were in the age group of 1–5 years old. Malignancy and heart diseases were the most frequent underlying conditions. Dyspnea was the major symptom for ICU-admitted patients. There were significant decreases in PH, HCO3 and base excess, as well as increases in creatinine, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and potassium levels between ICU-admitted and non-ICU patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock, and acute cardiac injury were the most common features among ICU-admitted patients. The mortality rate in the ICU-admitted patients was substantially higher than non-ICU cases (45.9% vs. 1.9%, respectively; p<0.001). Conclusions: Underlying diseases were the major risk factors for the increased ICU admissions and mortality rates in pediatric COVID-19 patients. There were few paraclinical parameters that could differentiate between pediatrics in terms of prognosis and serious outcomes of COVID-19. Healthcare providers should consider children as a high-risk group, especially those with underlying medical conditions

The Effect of Differences in the General Proficiency of Iranian EFL Students on their Metaphorical Competence

This study was an effort towards examining the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ language proficiency and their metaphorical competence. The were 120 Iranian EFL learners studying at SADR English Language Center within the 19-25 age range. The EFL learners’ English proficiency from Elementary to Advanced which was determined by the OPT. Afterwards, the students were administered a researcher-made test assessing their metaphorical competence. The test consisted of ten concepts with each concept containing metaphors together with their Persian equivalents written in English. Having scores in hand, the researcher was able to see whether there were any significant relationships between the students’ language proficiency and their metaphorical competence. The researcher used the SPSS software package to calculate degree of correlation between participants’ language proficiency and their metaphorical competence. Using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient formula researcher used the statistical procedure of one-way ANOVA to determine the relationship between learners’ metaphorical competence and their language proficiency. The findings revealed that the more proficient the EFL learners in English language, the more metaphorically competent they would be

The combined effect of fish oil containing Omega-3 fatty acids and Lactobacillus plantarum on colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest malignancies. Recent attempts have indicated the role of diet in the etiology of CRC. Natural dietary compounds such as probiotics and Omega-3 fatty acids that act synergistically can be beneficial in finding a tremendous solution against CRC. To date, the combined effect of fish oil containing Omega-3 fatty acids (Omega-3) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on CRC has been left behind. We here evaluated the effects of co-encapsulation of Omega-3 and probiotic bacteria on CRC cell lines compared to normal cells. Omega-3 and L. plantarum bacteria were co-encapsulated in three ways, including gelatin–gum Arabic, gelatin–chitosan, and chitosan–gum Arabic complex coacervate microcapsules. After treatment of cells (Normal [L929] and colorectal [C26]) by L. plantarum, Omega-3, and microcapsules, viability and growth capacity of cell lines were measured using the MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Isolated total RNA was used to evaluate the expression profile of BCL2-associated X protein (BAX), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), and Caspase-3 (CASP3) genes by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 25 software. A value of p < .05 was considered statistically significant. The results indicated a significant reduction in cell viability of C26 in a concentration-dependent manner in the treated cells with all treatments, except gelatin–gum Arabic microcapsules. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of the BAX and CASP3 genes in C26 cells being treated with all treatments significantly increased than in untreated cells, and the expression level of the anti-apoptotic factor of the BCL-2 gene decreased in C26 cells simultaneously (p < .05). Although, the combined effect of Omega-3 and L. plantarum and microcapsulated treatments had no more effect on viability and apoptosis gene expression of cancer cells compared to Omega-3 or L. plantarum. In conclusion, combination therapy with fish oil containing Omega-3 and L. plantarum does not improve the anticancer effect of each alone

In Vitro Effect of Porcelain Firing Cycle and Different Thicknesses of IPS E.max CAD Core on Marginal Accuracy of All-Ceramic Restorations

Objectives: Marginal adaptation is important for long-term success of full-coverage restorations. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of porcelain firing cycle and different thicknesses of IPS e.max core on marginal accuracy of all-ceramic restorations. Materials and Methods: A standard stainless steel die with 0.8 mm classic chamfer finish line and 10° taper was used in this in vitro study. An impression was taken from the stainless steel die to fabricate 20 epoxy resin dies, which were then scanned and IPS e.max CAD cores were fabricated using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique in two groups of 10 with  0.7 mm (group A) and 0.4mm (group B) core thickness. Copings were then placed on their respective dies and randomly numbered. The amount of marginal gap was measured in 10 points under a stereomicroscope (×90 magnification) before and after porcelain veneering. Results: The mean gap in 0.7mm and 0.4mm core thicknesses was 15.62±2.55µm and 19.68±3.09µm before porcelain firing and 32.01±3.19µm and 35.24±3.8µm after porcelain firing. The difference in marginal gap between the two thicknesses was significant before porcelain firing but not significant after veneering. Significant differences were also found in the marginal gap before and after porcelain veneering in each group. Conclusion: The porcelain firing cycle increases marginal gap in IPS e.max CAD restorations; 0.3 mm decrease in core thickness slightly increased marginal discrepancy, however it was not significant

Autoantibodies in a Three-Year-Old Girl with Visceral Leishmaniasis: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a life-threatening parasitic infection, is endemic in the Mediterranean region. Diagnosis of VL is based on epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory findings. However, sometimes, clinical features and laboratory findings overlap with those of autoimmune diseases. In some cases, autoantibodies are detected in patients with VL and this could be a potential diagnostic pitfall. In this study, we have reported on a three-year-old girl from a VL-endemic area in Iran, who presented with prolonged fever and splenomegaly. Bone marrow examination, serologic tests, and the molecular PCR assay were performed; however, results were inconclusive. The levels of anti-double stranded DNA, cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody, and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody were elevated and, at the end, splenic biopsy was performed. The splenic tissue PCR test detected the DNA of Leishmania infantum. The patient’s condition improved with anti-Leishmania therapy, and the autoantibodies disappeared within the following four months. Clinical presentations and laboratory findings of VL and autoimmune diseases may overlap in some patients

Case Report Autoantibodies in a Three-Year-Old Girl with Visceral Leishmaniasis: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a life-threatening parasitic infection, is endemic in the Mediterranean region. Diagnosis of VL is based on epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory findings. However, sometimes, clinical features and laboratory findings overlap with those of autoimmune diseases. In some cases, autoantibodies are detected in patients with VL and this could be a potential diagnostic pitfall. In this study, we have reported on a three-year-old girl from a VL-endemic area in Iran, who presented with prolonged fever and splenomegaly. Bone marrow examination, serologic tests, and the molecular PCR assay were performed; however, results were inconclusive. The levels of anti-double stranded DNA, cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody, and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody were elevated and, at the end, splenic biopsy was performed. The splenic tissue PCR test detected the DNA of Leishmania infantum. The patient's condition improved with anti-Leishmania therapy, and the autoantibodies disappeared within the following four months. Clinical presentations and laboratory findings of VL and autoimmune diseases may overlap in some patients