Evaluation of COVID-19 Information-Seeking Behavior

The rapid spread of COVID-19 and its transformation into a pandemic has caused anxiety and worry, especially in patients with underlying diseases such as Cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the information-seeking behaviors to prevent COVID-19 disease in cancer patients in Kerman in 2020. The present study is an applied study of objectives and a descriptive-correlational study in its design and methodology. The research population included cancer patients admitted to Shahid Bahonar, Afzalipoor Hospitals, and Javadalameh Clinic in Kerman. Out of 3000 patients, the sample size was randomly estimated to be 250 persons. This study's findings indicated that most patients needed Information about a healthy diet to boost their immune system against COVID-19 disease. Moreover, the patients were more likely to search for COVID-19 Information through simple search (common words that came to their mind). They frequently used COVID-19-related TV programs as a source of Information to raise awareness of the disease. The patients reported that reading or hearing shocking Information about COVID-19 made it difficult to access sources and Information related to the disease. Besides, the retrieved Information helped them to identify COVID-19 symptoms. Most of the patients also stated that they washed their hands regularly with soap and water to prevent COVID-19 disease

MGMT methylation alterations in brain cancer following organochlorine pesticides exposure

Background: Alterations in the methylation levels of tumor suppressor genes are considered as one of the essential aspects of malignancies. The present study explored the association of O6-methylguanine- DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter methylation, as a tumor suppressor, with some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in primary brain tumor (PBT) patients. Methods: The present study was conducted on a total of 73 PBT patients. The patients’ serum was analyzed using gas chromatography for seven OCP derivatives. The methylation-specific PCR (MSP) method was also used to determine the methylation status of the MGMT promoter. Results: The current findings demonstrated that the methylation of MGMT promoter occurred in 22 out of 34 glioma cases (64%), but in only one out of 35 meningioma cases. No MGMT promoter methylation was observed in other PBT, hemangioma, and anaplastic medulloblastoma stages. Besides, there were significant associations between MGMT methylation and γ-HCH (odds ratio [OR]: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.03- 2.40, P = 0.04), 4,4DDE (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01- 2.05, P = 0.02), 2,4 DDT (OR: 1.23; CI: 1.04- 1.45, P = 0.03), and 4,4DDT (OR: 1.46; CI: 1.23- 2.15, P = 0.02) in glioma patients. Conclusion: The results of the study suggested that the hypermethylation of the MGMT promoter in glioma patients is associated with increased OCPs in their serum, especially γ- HCH, 4,4DDE, 2,4DDT, and 4,4DDT. Moreover, it may lead to the hypermethylation of the MGMT promoter gene. Hence, it can be concluded that exposure to OCPs may potentially induce glioma. Keywords: Organochlorine, Pesticides, MGMT, DNA Methylation, Gliom

An Investigation of the Risk Factors of Osteoporosis and the Correlation between Opium Consumption and Osteoporosis in Adults

Background: Osteoporosis and osteopenia are the most common metabolic bone diseases making the patients vulnerable to bone fragility and fracture. In this study, the association of opium consumption and osteoporosis adjusted for other risk factors was studied.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 619 cases including 73 men and 546 women referred to densitometry center in Kerman, Iran, were studied. Demographic information, history of opium consumption, medications, and other risk factors were collected using a structured questionnaire.Findings: In a univariate analysis, opium consumption, aging, and having a body mass index (BMI) lower than 24 accompanied an increased chance of osteoporosis, while taking physical exercises on a daily basis reduces the chance of osteoporosis. Through multivariable analysis, the two variables of age group and BMI group turned out to be of significance; that is, the chance of osteoporosis or osteopenia in the age group of higher than 60 years and 45-60 years being placed in one of the levels of osteoporosis or osteopenia was 4.9 and 3.1 times higher than the age groups lower than 45 years, respectively, after being adjusted to the other variables.Conclusion: Considering the results of this study, though the risk of bone density reduction in the individuals consuming opium was higher, due to the disparity between opium consumption in the two sexes, the difference was not significant between the two groups, and it is proposed that studies on larger samples and in the both sexes be conducted to determine the impacts of opium on the bone density

sj-docx-1-imj-10.1177_10815589221145043 – Supplemental material for Organochlorine pesticides, oxidative stress biomarkers, and leukemia: a case–control study

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-imj-10.1177_10815589221145043 for Organochlorine pesticides, oxidative stress biomarkers, and leukemia: a case–control study by Arash Rafeeinia, Gholamreza Asadikaram, Mehrnaz Karimi Darabi, Moslem Abolhassani, Vahid Moazed and Mojtaba Abbasi-Jorjandi in Journal of Investigative Medicine</p