Marfa : a culturally respectful Perso-Arabic and Latin multi-script typeface

Globalization and the need for cross-cultural communication have created a need for multi-script typefaces suitable for both print and digital applications. However, there are far fewer Perso-Arabic typefaces in existence than Latin ones, and even fewer Perso-Arabic/Latin multi-script typefaces. Of the Perso-Arabic/Latin multi-script typefaces in existence, very few are visually unified enough to use for multilingual typesetting. And the very few visually unified multi-script typefaces that do exist usually achieve that visual unity by forcing the calligraphic forms of Perso-Arabic glyphs into the norms of Latin typography. With a few exceptions, multi-script Perso-Arabic/Latin typefaces have not been very respectful to Perso-Arabic calligraphic traditions: their forms are visible artifacts of western influence, and they therefore do not strike a particularly effective tone for cross-cultural communication. In response to the need for visually unified, less obviously “colonizing” Perso-Arabic/Latin multi-script typefaces, I have designed the Marfa type family. Marfa is a visually cohesive multi-script type family (which will eventually include eight different weights and styles) that respects the calligraphic origins of both Perso-Arabic and Latin writing systems. Marfa not only adds to the number of available visually cohesive Perso-Arabic/Latin multi-script typefaces—therefore giving typographers new, less overbearing “tones of voice” to work with—but also, by refusing to force Perso-Arabic characters into Latin typographic norms, provides a model for how to begin “decolonizing” other multi-script typefaces.Desig

Fifth and fourth millennium BC in north-western Iran: Dalma and Pisdeli revisited

This paper discusses the nature of Dalma and Pisdeli cultures, their regional and interregional interactions and expansions in 5th millennium BC. It discusses old and new excavations and surveys as well. According to the importance of the material from these periods found at newly-excavated sites such as Kul Tepe Jolfa, Dava Göz Khoy, Lavin Tepe, and Qosha Tepe, we briefly describe the main stratigraphic and material data from these sites. Old and new data from excavations and surveys eventually lead us to a new chronological table for the 5th millennium BC in north/western (NW) Iran. The implications of the finds are discussed along with their limitations and future research directions.V članku razpravljamo o naravi kultur Dalma in Pisdeli, o njunih regionalnih in medregionalnih interakcijah in širjenju v 5. tisočletju pr. n. št. Predstavljamo tudi rezultate starih in novih izkopavanj in terenskih pregledov. Na kratko opišemo tudi stratigrafijo in najdbe iz novo izkopanih najdišč Kul Tepe Jolfa, Dava Göz Khoy, Lavin Tepe in Qosha Tepe, ki predstavljajo pomemben material za to obdobje. S pomočjo starih in novih podatkov iz izkopavanj in pregledov smo lahko oblikovali nove kronološke tabele za čas 5. tisočletja pr. n. št. na območju severo-zahodnega Irana. Razpravljamo tudi o implikaciji teh najdb, o njihovih omejitvah in usmeritvah za prihodnje raziskave

Alendronate improves fasting plasma glucose and insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance in prediabetic osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomized triple-blind clinical trial

Aims Postmenopausal women receive bisphosphonates for osteoporosis treatment. The effect of these medications on developing diabetes mellitus (DM) in prediabetic patients is yet to be investigated. We aimed to determine the effect of alendronate on plasma glucose, insulin indices of postmenopausal women with prediabetes and osteopenia. Methods This triple‐blind randomized controlled clinical trial included 60 postmenopausal women, aged 45–60 years. All patients were vitamin D sufficient. They were randomly enrolled in intervention (70 mg/week alendronate for 12 week) and control (placebo tablet per week for 12 weeks) groups. The morning 8 hour fasting blood samples were collected at the baseline and follow–up visits to measure the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (mg/dl), insulin and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Plasma glucose and insulin concentration were measured 30, 60, and 120 minutes after glucose tolerance test. Matsuda index, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA–IR), homeostasis model assessment of beta–cell function (HOMA–B) and the area under the curves (AUC) of glucose and insulin were calculated. Results Mean (SD) FPG (102.43 (1.46) mg/dl vs. 94.23)1.17) mg/dl, P=0.001), 120‐minutes insulin concentration (101.86)15.70) mU/l vs. 72.60 (11.36), P=0.026), HbA1c (5.60 (0.06) % vs. 5.40 (0.05)%, P=0.001), HOMA‐IR (3.57 (0.45) vs. 2.62 (0.24), P=0.021) and Matsuda index (7.7 (0.41) vs. 9.2 (0.4), P=0.001) significantly improved in the alendronate‐treated group. There was statistically significant more reductions in FPG (‐8.2 (8.63) mg/dl vs. ‐2.5 (14.26) mg/dl, P=0.002) and HbA1c (‐0.2 (0.23) % vs. ‐0.09 (0.26) %, P=0.015) were observed in alendronate‐treated group than placebo group during the study course, respectively. Conclusions Administration of 70 mg/week alendronate improves fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c and insulin indices in postmenopausal women

Levels of Blood Biomarkers among Patients with Myocardial Infarction in Comparison to Control Group

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) as a term for a heart attack happens due to reduced blood flow to heart myocardium and lack of oxygen supply caused by plaques inthe interior walls of coronary arteries. With respect to the importance of MI etiology, we aimed to study the relationship of MI and blood examination variables.METHODS: This study was conducted in Mazandaran Heart Center as a hospital-based case-control Comprising 894 participants including 465 cases and 429 controls, individually matched by sex and age. Considered blood markers were analyzed using routine laboratory methods and equipment.RESULTS: Of all participants, 64.3% of the cases and 51.0% of the controls were males with a mean age of 61.2 (±13.8) in cases and 62.4 (±14.) in controls. We could not find any differences between cases and controls for total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and alkaline-phosphatase (ALP) (P>0.05). However, levels of creatine-kinase-muscle/brain (CK-MB) (P<0.0001), fasting-blood-sugar (FBS) (P<0.0001), aspartateaminotransferase (AST) (P<0.0001), alanine-transferase (ALT) (P<0.0001) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P=0.001) were significantly higher in cases compared to the controls (P<0.05). Multivariable analyses revealed that the risk of MI was associated with high levels of AST (adjusted OR=24.3, 95%CI=3.5±165.6, P=0.001) and LDL (adjusted OR=7.4, 95%CI=1.0±51.8, P=0.001).CONCLUSION: Our investigation indicated that the levels of CK-MB, FBS, AST, ALT and ESR were significantly higher in patients with MI. Besides, our findings showed that the risk of MI in cases with high levels of AST and LDL was about 24 and 7 times more than the control group respectively

Breast cancer risk factors in Iran: A systematic review & Meta-analysis

Objectives: Breast cancer is known as one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and it is increasing globally. There are a variety of proven and controversial risk factors for this malignancy. Herein, we aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis focus on the epidemiology of breast cancer risk factors in Iran. Methods: We performed a systematic search via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Persian databases for identifying studies published on breast cancer risk factors up to March 2019. Meta-analyses were done for risk factors reported in more than one study. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95 confidence intervals (CIs) using a fixed/random-effects models. Results: Thirty-nine studies entered into the meta-analysis. Pooling of ORs showed a significant harmful effect for risk factors including family history (OR: 1.80, 95CI 1.47-2.12), hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) (OR: 5.48, 95CI 0.84-1.74), passive smokers (OR: 1.68, 95CI 1.34-2.03), full-term pregnancy at age 30 (OR: 3.41, 95CI 1.19-5.63), abortion (OR: 1.84, 95CI 1.35-2.33), sweets consumption (OR: 1.71, 95CI 1.32-2.11) and genotype Arg/Arg (crude OR: 1.59, 95CI 1.07-2.10), whereas a significant protective effect for late menarche (OR: 0.58, 95CI 0.32-0.83), nulliparity (OR: 0.68, 95CI 0.39-0.96), 13-24 months of breastfeeding (OR: 0.68, 95CI 0.46-0.90), daily exercise (OR: 0.59, 95CI 0.44-0.73) and vegetable consumption (crude OR: 0.28, 95CI 0.10-0.46). Conclusions: This study suggests that factors such as family history, HRT, passive smokers, late full-term pregnancy, abortion, sweets consumption and genotype Arg/Arg might increase risk of breast cancer development, whereas late menarche, nulliparity, 13-24 months breastfeeding, daily exercise and vegetable consumption had an inverse association with breast cancer development. © 2020 Amir Shamshirian et al., published by De Gruyter

Zinc Supplements and Bone Health: The Role of the RANKL-RANK Axis as a Therapeutic Target

Background: To this day, empirical data suggests that zinc has important roles in matrix synthesis, bone turnover, and mineralization and its beneficial effects on bone could be mediated through different mechanisms. The influence of zinc on bone turnover could be facilitated via regulating RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway in bone tissue. Therefore, the aim of the study was to conduct a review to investigate the possible effect of the zinc mediated bone remodeling via RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway. Methods: A comprehensive systematic search was performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar to explore the studies investigating the effect of zinc as a bone remodeling factor via RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway regulation. Subsequently, the details of the pathway and the impact of zinc supplements on RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway regulation were discussed. Results: The pathway could play an important role in bone remodeling and any imbalance between RANKL/RANK/OPG components could lead to extreme bone resorption. Although the outcomes of some studies are equivocal, it is evident that zinc possesses protective properties against bone loss by regulating the RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway. There are several experiments where zinc supplementation resulted in upregulation of OPG expression or decreases RANKL level. However, the results of some studies oppose this. Conclusion: It is likely that sufficient zinc intake will elicit positive effects on bone health by RANKL/RANK/OPG regulation. Although the outcomes of a few studies are equivocal, it seems that zinc can exert the protective properties against bone loss by suppressing osteoclastogenesis via downregulation of RANKL/RANK. Additionally, there are several experiments where zinc supplementation resulted in upregulation of OPG expression. However, the results of limited studies oppose this. Therefore, aside from the positive role zinc possesses in preserving bone mass, further effects of zinc in RANKL/RANK/OPG system requires further animal/human studies. © 2019 Elsevier Gmb

A case of sine scleroderma with parenchymal lung disease

Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma is a subtype of scleroderma, which is characterized by involvement of visceral organs, but no characteristic skin alteration. The involved organs could be kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal system, and lungs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the pulmonary manifestations of sine scleroderma. We report a 38-year-old woman presenting with chill, fever, generalized malaise, dyspnea on exertion, and dry cough with a history of Raynaud′s phenomenon, who was evaluated by physical examination, spirometry, and computed tomography scan, that all lead to the diagnosis of ILD. Combination of high-titer positive anti-nuclear antibody, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, positive C-reactive protein, and ILD could be explained by sine scleroderma