Seroepidemiology of rubella, measles, HBV, HCV and B19 virus within women in child bearing ages (Saravan City of Sistan and Bloochastan Province)

Present survey basically focused on women between 15-45 years of age resident in a town of Sistan and Baluchistan province named as Saravan city located in border of Pakistan-Iran in order to find out the seropositivity against the viruses in child bearing ages in the above stated under study community. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried-out from 2001 up to 2002. Saravan town was divided into 4 geographical areas and each area was further sub-divided into 10 blocks and in each block 10 families were chosen randomly. In the next step by referring to each family from the chosen married women with specified age i.e., 15-45 years, 5 mL blood was collected. Serum was then separated and stored at -20°C before the assay. ELISA kit was employed to detect anti B19, anti rubella, anti measles, anti HBV and anti HCV antibody. Furthermore during samples collection a questionnaire filled for each woman under study. This study showed that 89.6% of women understudy were seropositive against measles, rubella (96.2%), B19 (59.2%), HCV (0.8%) and HBV (19.8%), respectively. According to the results of no serious problem with rubella in this area; But, about measles, the present immunity against measles in this area is insufficient. It seems that incidence of B19 infection in this region is same as other places in Iran. The rate of seropositivity against HBV and HCV indicated of these viruses circulating in the population in this area. © 2007 Academic Journals

The incidence of prostate cancer in Iran: Results of a population-based cancer registry

Background: Little is known about the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Iranian men. We carried out an active prostate cancer surveillance program in five provinces of Iran. Methods: Data used in this study were obtained from population-based cancer registries between 1996 and 2000. Results: The age-standardized incidence rate of prostate carcinoma in the five provinces was 5.1 per 100,000 person-years. No significant difference was seen in the age-standardized incidence rate of prostate cancer within the provinces studied. The mean±SD age of patients with prostate cancer was 67±13.5 years. Conclusion: The incidence of prostate cancer in Iran is very low as compared to the Western countries. This can partly be explained by lack of nationwide screening program, younger age structure and quality of cancer registration system in Iran

Antioxidant Activity of Leaves and Fruits of Iranian Conifers

Cupressus semipervirens var. horizontalis, Cupressus semipervirens var. semipervirens, Cupressus semipervirens cv. Cereifeormis, Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica, Juniperus excelsa subsp. excelsa, Juniperus excelsa subsp. polycarpos, Juniperus foetidissima, Juniperus oblonga, Juniperus sabina, Platycladus orientalis and Taxus baccata are Iranian conifers. The antioxidant activity of leaves and fruits of these 11 different taxons were evaluated. The leaves of both male and female, and fruits of these plants were collected from different areas of the country. Methanol extract of leaves and fruits of these taxons were prepared. Antioxidant activity of each extracts was measured using two different tests of the ferric thiocyanate method and thiobarbituric acid. Results indicated that the methanol extracts of leaves, of male and female, and fruits of all these species (27 samples) possessed antioxidant activity when tested with both methods. The antioxidant activity was then compared with those of α-tocopherol (a natural antioxidant) and butylated hydroxytoluene (a synthetic antioxidant). Methanol extract of fruits of C. semipervirens cv. Cereifeormis showed the highest antioxidant activity while the methanol extract of leaves of C. semipervirens var. semipervirens possessed the lowest antioxidant activity. However, our finding showed that most of the tested extracts were showing strong antioxidant activity even higher than α-tocopherol

Biochemical and histological studies of over-ripened oocyte in the Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) to determine biomarkers for egg quality

The aims of the present study were to determine the best time for egg stripping after ovulation and to study oocyte over-ripening in the Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius). Eggs were retained in the female abdominal cavity for 40 days post ovulation (DPO). Partial volumes of eggs stripped from 10 individually identified females at 10 days intervals and fertilized with a pool of semen obtained from 8 males. The biochemistry and histology of the eggs and the biochemistry of the ovarian fluid were studied. The eyeing and hatching rate of the eggs declined with over-ripening time, which decreased from 90.60±6.28% for eyeing and 86.33±6.82% for hatching in newly ovulated eggs (0–10 DPO) to 1.34±0.67% for eyeing and 0.98±0.49% for hatching in over-ripened eggs (30–40 DPO). However, larval abnormalities remained constant for 30 days after ovulation. During the course of oocyte over-ripening, the pH of the ovarian fluid significantly decreased and the concentration of glucose, protein, calcium, iron, and aspartate aminotransferase activity significantly increased. Moreover, the concentration of protein, triglycerides, and aspartate aminotransferase activity in the eggs changed with over-ripening. In the newly ovulated eggs, the yolk consisted of homogenous tissue and its perivitelline space diameter had no considerable differences. With over-ripening, the yolk became heterogeneous, and while chorion diameter did not change, the perivitelline space diameter varied among different areas. The present study demonstrated that the best time to take Caspian brown trout eggs after ovulation at 7±0.6°C was up to 10 DPO. Among the studied parameters of the egg and ovarian fluid, egg quality was related to both ovarian fluid parameters (pH, protein, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium) and egg parameters (iron, aspartate aminotransferase), suggesting that these parameters can be used as egg quality biomarkers for Caspian brown trout

Stress-testing centralised model stores

One of the current challenges in model-driven engineering is enabling effective collaborative modelling. Two common approaches are either storing the models in a central repository, or keeping them under a traditional file-based version control system and build a centralized index for model-wide queries. Either way, special attention must be paid to the nature of these repositories and indexes as networked services: they should remain responsive even with an increasing number of concurrent clients. This paper presents an empirical study on the impact of certain key decisions on the scalability of concurrent model queries, using an Eclipse Connected Data Objects model repository and a Hawk model index. The study evaluates the impact of the network protocol, the API design and the internal caching mechanisms and analyzes the reasons for their varying performance

Systematic review of available guidelines on fertility preservation of young patients with breast cancer

Background: Since the survival rate of breast cancer patients has improved, harmful effects of new treatment modalities on fertility of the young breast cancer patients has become a focus of attention. This study aimed to systematically review and critically appraise all available guidelines for fertility preservation in young breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Major citation databases were searched for treatment guidelines. Experts from relevant disciplines appraised the available guidelines. The AGREE II Instrument that includes 23 criteria in seven domains (scope and purpose of the guidelines, stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, clarity, applicability, editorial independence, and overall quality) was used to apprise and score the guidelines. Results: The search strategy retrieved 2,606 citations; 72 were considered for full-text screening and seven guidelines were included in the study. There was variability in the scores assigned to different domains among the guidelines. ASCO (2013), with an overall score of 68.0, had the highest score, and St Gallen, with an overall score of 24.7, had the lowest scores among the guidelines. Conclusions: With the promising survival rate among breast cancer patients, more attention should be given to include specific fertility preservation recommendations for young breast cancer patients

Rat xenograft chondrosarcoma development by human tissue fragment

Aim: We conducted this study to develop a chondrosarcoma on rat by graft of human chondrosarcoma tumor tissue. Methods: Fourteen male Sprague-Dawley rats equally divided in xenograft-implanted and control groups. On the lateral side of the right femur distal 1/3, 5 mm incision was done on the skin after animal anesthesia. Then, was drilled 3 mm on the bone and implanted the xenograft in the bone. Radiography was taken from the operated femur weekly until the fourth week and monthly for 3 months. Four animals of each group were sacrificed after 4 weeks of operation; femur was harvested for histopathological study

A systematic review with meta-analysis of the StartReact effect on motor responses in stroke survivors and healthy individuals

Control of limb movements may be impaired after stroke due to the loss of connectivity between the cerebral cortex and spinal cord. A notion to improve motor function in stroke survivors is to use alternate motor fibers, such as the reticulospinal tract (RST), which originate from the brainstem and terminate at different levels of spinal cord. One way of targeting the RST is to use a “StartReact” protocol to foster premature release of a preplanned movement in response to a startling stimulus. Our aim was to find support for the preservation of such StartReact effect in stroke survivors. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis of literature published in English up to September 2020, to explore differences in motor responses to startling stimuli in StartReact effects. Protocol of the study was registered (PROSPERO Registration No. CRD42020191581). PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Science Direct were searched for relevant literature. The meta-analysis contained six studies involving a total of 151 stroke and healthy participants. Muscle onset latency data were extracted from the qualifying studies and compared using RevMan. StartReact effect was present in both stroke and healthy groups, represented by shortened muscle onset latency when startling stimulus was present. There was considerable heterogeneity of the outcome measures, which was attributed to the range of motor impairments among stroke survivors and methodologies used. Our findings support the notion of preservation of preprogramming ability and suitability of RST and StartReact effect for motor rehabilitation following stroke

Value of physical examination in the diagnosis of developmental hip dislocation in preterm infants

Background: Developmental dislocation of the hip joint is among joint abnormalities and lack of its early diagnosis leads to irreversible complications and disabilities. Methods: The current cross sectional study was conducted on 210 eighteen - month - old premature infants. Premature infants at term gestational age were examined by a neonatologist and underwent a sonographic scanning by a skilled radiologist. The results of the physical examination and ultrasound reports were collected and analyzed. Results: In the clinical assessment, hip joint examination was diagnosed abnormal in 22 cases (10.4) and joint dislocation was diagnosed by ultrasonographic examination in 17 patients (8.1). In one high - risk case, despite normal clinical examination (0.48), the dislocation was diagnosed by ultrasonographic evaluation. There was a significant relationship between hip dislocation rate, and reduced mean gestational age and birth weight (P 0.05). In diagnosis of joint dislocation, clinical examination (the results of the Ortolani and the Barlow tests) had sensitivity of 94 and specificity of 97 compared with sonography; the positive and negative predictive values were 73 and 99, respectively. Conclusions: Clinical examination has high sensitivity and specificity for early diagnosis of developmental hip dislocation. If there are risk factors, ultrasonographic scanning is recommended despite normal physical examination, and ultrasound is not necessary in case of normal physical examination and the absence of risk factors. © 2018, Journal of Comprehensive Pediatrics

Challenges to promoting population-based cancer registration in Iran: A workshop report

In December 2011, the Cancer Research Centre of the Cancer Institute of Iran sponsored a 3-day workshop on "Cancer Registration Principle and Challenges in Iran", which convened cancer registry experts. The objectives of the workshop were: to introduce standard cancer registration, to review the policy and procedure of cancer registration in Iran, and to review the best practices in the cancer registries in Iran. Challenges to cancer registration were discussed and recommendations were developed. The workshop was evaluated by participants for better organization of subsequent workshops. The objective of publication of this report is that based on Cancer in 5 Continents, many low- or middle-income countries do not meet the criteria for a standard population-based cancer registry (PBCR); on the other hand cancer is the most important cause of mortality and the essential part of any cancer control program is the cancer registry. Therefore this report focuses on problems and challenges of PBCR and provides recommendations which might help other developing countries to decrease their PBCR defects