Optical coherence tomography angiography in intermediate uveitis-related cystoid macular edema

Background: Cystoid macular edema (CME) is the leading cause of permanent visual impairment in patients with uveitis, particularly in patients with intermediate uveitis (IU). This study was aimed at comparing the changes in the macular microvasculature in patients with IU with uveitic non-responsive CME and without macular edema. Methods: In this case-control study, 55 eyes of patients with IU were assessed for macular microvascular structures, including vascular density, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) measurement, and vascular morphological changes, using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) with the AngioVue OCT-A system. We divided patients into the following two groups: the case group, including 30 eyes with IU-related non-responsive CME, and the control group, including 25 eyes with IU without macular edema. Results: Participants in the case and control groups had comparable age (P = 0.753) and sex (P = 0.124) distributions. Superficial capillary plexus vessel density in the case group was significantly decreased in the whole image (P = 0.027) and the parafoveal area (P  = 0.001) compared to the control group. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of foveal superficial vessel density, deep capillary plexus vessel density, FAZ area, FAZ perimeter, FAZ acircularity index, or foveal vessel density in a 300-µm-wide annulus around the FAZ (all P > 0.05). Vascular morphological changes, such as the capillary tuft, telangiectatic vessels, or micro-aneurism, were not different in the overview images of the OCT-A printout between the two groups. Conclusions: The mean superficial capillary plexus vessel density was lower in eyes with IU-related nonresponsive CME than in those without macular edema. We observed more cystoid spaces in SCP than in DCP. Microcystic changes in the inner retina and ischemia may be the underlying cause in eyes with nonresponsive CME. Future prospective longitudinal studies with healthy, matched controls are warranted to confirm our findings

Pattern of Uveitis in Iran: A Systematic Review

Purpose: Uveitis is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide. This study aimed to summarize the pattern of uveitis in Iran through a systematic review. Methods: This review was conducted according to the guidelines for systematic reviews in the following four steps: literature search, study selection and assessment, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and statistical analysis. Results: One hundred and fifteen articles were identified by an encyclopedic literature search, and three independent investigators examined them according to the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eventually, 109 manuscripts were retrieved and six cross-sectional studies covering 3,567 patients were included and reviewed. According to the results, the mean age of patients was 40 years, and sex was not a statistically significant predisposing factor. The most common anatomical pattern of involvement was anterior uveitis, and the prevalence of the other three types of uveitis, including middle, posterior, and pan-uveitis, were almost equal. Overall, the most common etiologies of uveitis in the Iranian population were idiopathic uveitis, toxoplasmosis, Behcet’s syndrome, and Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis. Conclusion: This study depicted the pattern of uveitis in Iranian society; this can help physicians in the diagnostic approach, management, and treatment of patients

Pattern and Visual Prognostic Factors of Behcet’s Uveitis in Northwest Iran

Purpose: To investigate the pattern of ocular involvement in Behcet’s disease (BD) with predictors of patients’ final state of vision. Methods: This historical cohort encompassed the clinical records of 200 patients diagnosed according to the International Criteria for BD (ICBD), over a period of 17 years between 2004 and 2021. Results: The prevalence of Behcet’s uveitis (BU) was more common in females and patients in the fourth decade of life. Ninety-five patients (47.5%) had evidence of ocular involvement in the initial ophthalmologic evaluation, and 171 patients (85.5%) manifested evidence of BU during the follow-up visits of which bilateral non-granulomatous panuveitis was the most common anatomical pattern of involvement (32.9%) followed by posterior (27.6%), anterior (26.5%), and intermediate (13.8%) uveitis. The prevalent accompanying signs were oral aphthous (67%), skin lesions (29%), and genital ulcers (19.5%). Cystoid macular edema (CME) was the most frequent ocular complication (62%), followed by cataract (57.5%) and epiretinal membranes (ERM) (36.5%). Univariate analysis showed the following determinants: male gender, younger age at onset, panuveitis, posterior uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and longer duration of uveitis as poorer visual prognostic factors of the disease. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a higher chance of poor visual prognosis of BD in patients with panuveitis, posterior uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and longer duration of uveitis. Conclusion: This cohort study demonstrated an overview on epidemiological patterns of BU along with the visual prognostic factors in Iranian patients

Evaluation of the relationship between disability and pain severity with anxiety and depression in chronic low back pain patient: Research and review

Background: Chronic disabling physical and mental symptoms contribute to substantial health-care costs and reduced human productivity. Low back pain (LBP) and depression are leading causes of years lived with disability in every country. Almost half of chronic LBP individuals have comorbid depression and anxiety conditions with a higher risk in female gender. This is a very common comorbidity, and the psychological comorbidities have a negative impact on chronicity of LBP symptoms. Psychological distress and depressed mood have been reported to be correlated with chronicity and persisting disability of chronic LBP. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation of pain and disability and associated factors in a subgroup of depressed and anxious individual with chronic LBP (CLBP). Materials and Methods: A total of 74 CLBP participants in a university pain clinic with depression or anxiety diagnosis were enrolled. Hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) for depression and anxiety, visual analog scale for pain severity, and Oswestry disability index were recorded for disability evaluation. Correlation and regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of different factors on disability and depression. Results: Around 49 women and 25 men participated in this study. Duration of CLBP was 12.97 ± 9.27, and scores of depression and anxiety were 14.24 ± 3.41 and 12.95 ± 2.74, respectively. Disability and pain severity was 32.62 ± 9.9 and 5.67 ± 1.34, respectively. There was a significant relationship between disability and other scores. Pain and depression had a signifi cant correlation with disability, and the eff ect of depression (β = 0.357) on disability was more than pain (β = 0.331). Conclusion: Due to our results, there is a signifi cant relationship between psychiatric (depression and anxiety) and clinical factors (disability and pain) in patients with CLBP. The score of disability was higher than pain intensity and depression was the most important predictor factor of disability which must be recognized and treated in CLBP patients. Our results support that depression can predict disability and to some extend pain severity in CLBP patients

مروری بر تدابیر پوشاک بدن انسان از دیدگاه طب ایرانی

Background and Aim: Persian medicine is based on the philosophical-empirical view of the four elements, their qualities and their manifestation in the human body's physiological structure in the form of Akhlat. In Persian medicine, knowledge is a well-written collection with a scientific style and method based on humoral medicine and clinical evidence principles. Part of the measures related to clothing and fabrics for their protective role in protecting the human body against climatic and natural factors has been written in Persian medical texts. Methods: This research method is a descriptive-analytical study based on library resources and has tried to explain Persian physicians' various opinions about clothing and its types, preventive considerations and its benefits for the treatment of diseases and improve health. Ethical Considerations: Honesty and fidelity were observed in presenting the report and publishing the materials. Results: By examining Iranian medicine texts, different clothing types and their benefits were determined. Different types of clothing were used for different seasons of the year. Considering the importance of this issue, this study was conducted to raise awareness of the diversity of clothing and fabrics to maintain human health and wellness by examining Iranian medicine texts. Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be said that human health depends on the correct choice of clothing by climatic and natural conditions. Please cite this article as: Hossein Hashemi Z, Kasiri M, Montazerolghaem A, Boosaidi F. An Overview of Clothing Considerations from the Perspective of Persian Medicine. Tārīkh-i pizishkī, i.e., Medical History. 2022; 14(47): e9.زمینه و هدف: طب ایرانی بر پایه دیدگاه فلسفی ـ تجربی در مورد عناصر اربعه، کیفیات فاعله، کیفیات منفعله و تجلی آن‌ها در ساختار فیزیولوژیک بدن آدمی به صورت اخلاط اربعه بنا نهاده شده است. در طب ایرانی دانش تدبیر یک مجموعه مدون و با اسلوب و شیوه علمی و مبتنی بر مبانی طب اخلاطی و شواهد بالینی است. بخشی از تدابیر، مربوط به پوشاک و پارچه برای نقش حفاظتی آن در محفوظ نگه‌داشتن بدن انسان در برابر عوامل اقلیمی و طبیعی در متون طب ایرانی تحریر شده است. روش: روش انجام این تحقیق، مطالعه توصیفی ـ تحلیلی متکی بر منابع کتابخانه‌ای بوده و تلاش نموده است تا به دنبال تبیین نظرات گوناگون پزشکان ایرانی در خصوص پوشاک و انواع آن، تدابیر پیشگیرانه و فواید آن برای درمان بیماری‌ها و بهبود سلامت بدن را بیان کند. ملاحظات اخلاقی: در ارائه گزارش و انتشار مطالب، صداقت و امانتداری رعایت شد. یافته‌ها: با بررسی متون طب ایرانی، انواع پوشاک و فواید آن مشخص گردید. انواع پوشاک برای فصل های مختلف سال مورد استفاده قرار می‌گرفتند. با توجه به اهمیت موضوع، این پژوهش در جهت افزایش آگاهی از تنوع پوشاک و پارچه در جهت حفظ بهداشت و سلامتی انسان با بررسی متون طب ایرانی انجام شد. نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به یافته‌ها می‌توان گفت سلامتی انسان وابسته به انتخاب صحیح پوشاک متناسب با شرایط اقلیمی و طبیعی است

The Effect of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on Serum Iron Level

Background: Sleeve gastrectomy surgery is effective in limiting food intake and sometimes unknown and hormonal causes in weight loss. After the bariatric surgery, patients may be exposed to nutritional deficiencies, especially iron deficiency. Regarding the importance of iron in body metabolism, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery on the level of serum iron deficiency anemia. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 218 patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery for obesity from April 2017 to July 2018 in Shiraz Ghadir Mother & Child Hospital, which were studied in a quarterly period. The indications of the surgery were having BMI> 40 or between 35 and 39.9, which were associated with an co morbid disease. Serum levels of hemoglobin, iron, and ferritin before and three months after the surgery were evaluated. Results: The mean±SD of serum iron level in women ranged from 68.8±1.91 to 65.9±2.7 and in mean±SD from 74.6±5.32 to 71.7±2.8, and the mean serum ferritin level in women was from 56.1±5.5 to 43.2±6.1, and in males, from 61.9±9.7 to 47.3±8.2, and the mean±SD of serum hemoglobin level in both women and men was from 11.8±0.13 to 12.7±0.09 to 10.7±0.12 to 11.7±0.08 and from 12.7±0.09 to 11.8±0.13 to 11.7±0.08 to 10.7±0.12, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that due to the reduction of the level of iron, after the sleeve gastrectomy surgery, the iron level of the patients should be regularly checked in order to be able to administer adequate supplements and to adjust the diet which is rich in iron to prevent anemia and its effects

In-vitro Activity of 10 Antifungal Agents against 320 Dermatophyte Strains Using Microdilution Method in Tehran

Abstract Dermatophyte fungi are the etiologic agents of skin infections commonly referred to as ringworm. These infections are not dangerous but as a chronic cutaneous infections they may be difficult to treat and can also cause physical discomfort for patients. They are considered important as a public health problem as well. No information is available regarding the efficacy of antifungal agents against dermatophytes in Tehran. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the efficacy of 10 systemic and topical antifungal medications using CLSI broth microdilution method (M38-A). The antifungal agents used included griseofulvin, terbinafine, itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, voriconazole, clotrimazole, ciclopirox olamine, amorolfine and naftifine.Fifteen different species of dermatophytes which were mostly clinical isolates were used as follows; T. mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, E. floccosum, M. canis, T. verrucosum, T. tonsurans, M. gypseum, T. violaceum, M. ferruginum, M. fulvum, T. schoenleinii, M. racemosum, T. erinacei, T. eriotrephon and Arthroderma benhamiae. The mean number of fungi particles (conidia) inoculated was 1.25 ×10⁴ CFU/mL. Results were read after 7 days of incubation at 28 °C. According to the obtained results,itraconazole and terbinafine showed the lowest and fluconazole had the greatest MIC values for the most fungi tested. Based on the results, it is necessary to do more research and design a reliable standard method for determination of antifungal susceptibility to choose proper antibiotics with fewer side effects and decrease antifungal resistance and risk of treatment failure

The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background In estimating the global burden of cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer are often overlooked, despite being a distinct subgroup with unique epidemiology, clinical care needs, and societal impact. Comprehensive estimates of the global cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (aged 15-39 years) are lacking. To address this gap, we analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, with a focus on the outcome of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), to inform global cancer control measures in adolescents and young adults. Methods Using the GBD 2019 methodology, international mortality data were collected from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, and population-based cancer registry inputs modelled with mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Incidence was computed with mortality estimates and corresponding MIRs. Prevalence estimates were calculated using modelled survival and multiplied by disability weights to obtain years lived with disability (YLDs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated as age-specific cancer deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. The main outcome was DALYs (the sum of YLLs and YLDs). Estimates were presented globally and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles (countries ranked and divided into five equal SDI groups), and all estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). For this analysis, we used the age range of 15-39 years to define adolescents and young adults. Findings There were 1.19 million (95% UI 1.11-1.28) incident cancer cases and 396 000 (370 000-425 000) deaths due to cancer among people aged 15-39 years worldwide in 2019. The highest age-standardised incidence rates occurred in high SDI (59.6 [54.5-65.7] per 100 000 person-years) and high-middle SDI countries (53.2 [48.8-57.9] per 100 000 person-years), while the highest age-standardised mortality rates were in low-middle SDI (14.2 [12.9-15.6] per 100 000 person-years) and middle SDI (13.6 [12.6-14.8] per 100 000 person-years) countries. In 2019, adolescent and young adult cancers contributed 23.5 million (21.9-25.2) DALYs to the global burden of disease, of which 2.7% (1.9-3.6) came from YLDs and 97.3% (96.4-98.1) from YLLs. Cancer was the fourth leading cause of death and tenth leading cause of DALYs in adolescents and young adults globally. Interpretation Adolescent and young adult cancers contributed substantially to the overall adolescent and young adult disease burden globally in 2019. These results provide new insights into the distribution and magnitude of the adolescent and young adult cancer burden around the world. With notable differences observed across SDI settings, these estimates can inform global and country-level cancer control efforts. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Measurement of t(t)over-bar normalised multi-differential cross sections in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV, and simultaneous determination of the strong coupling strength, top quark pole mass, and parton distribution functions

Peer reviewe