ahad alizadeh

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common disorder in women that can affect normal aspects of their life. We conducted the present study to compare the effect of acupressure and fluoxetine on PMS. 

This randomized clinical trial included 90 Iranian female students at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences with moderate to severe premenstrual syndrome.  After convenient sampling, individuals were randomly assigned to three groups (30 acupressure, 30 fluoxetine, and 30 control) using block randomization. The tools used include the demographic form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Daily Record of Severity of Problems form (DRSP). The intervention was performed in three consecutive menstrual periods and was followed up three months later.  The acupressure group applied acupressure to 4 points (LIV3, SP9, LI11, LI4) every other day, 14 days before menstruation, using the TENS device (6 sessions during the second half of the menstrual cycle). The fluoxetine group received oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 14 days prior to menstruation. The control group received no intervention Data were analyzed using R software and Mixed effect model tests.

There was a significant difference between the acupressure and fluoxetine groups with the control group in DRSP score (P<0.001) after the intervention. However, no significant difference in DRSP score was observed between the two intervention groups during the intervention (P>0.05), but the difference between the two groups became significant during the time of follow-up (p=0.033).

Acupressure can be recommended as a useful complementary and alternative method to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in women with PMS

A strong sense of belonging is crucial for the physical and mental health of older adults and their social interactions. The age-friendly city offers various opportunities for social participation of older adults. The present study aims to determine the role of age friendly-city indicators in predicting social belonging of older adults residing in Mohammadiyeh County, Qazvin Province, Iran.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 300 older adults in 2022, who were selected by a cluster sampling method from six municipal districts of Mohammadiyeh County. Data were collected using a demographic checklist, an age-friendly city scale, and a social belonging scale. Data analysis was conducted in SPSS software version 23 using multivariate linear regression analysis. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The mean age of participants was 67.55±6 years, ranging from 60 to 84 years. The majority of them were male (n=157, 52.33%), married (n=216, 72%), and illiterate (n=157, 52.33%). Among the age-friendly city indicators, the highest score was related to the safety/ease of transportation (16.86±4.51) and open public spaces (45.61±11.47) indicators. The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that marital status (β=-0.150, P=0.006), lower than high school education (β=0.170, P=0.003) and high school diploma (β=0.192, P=0.001), and the age-friendly city indicator of safety/ease of transportation (β=0.328, P<0.001) were predictors of social belonging in older adults. 

The majority of older adults in Mohammadiyeh County are dissatisfied with age-friendly indicators. Those who feel safe and have easy access to public transportation are more likely to have a stronger sense of social belonging. The results of this study can effectively help policymakers and city managers in proper planning in order to develop an age-friendly city.

Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the world and accounts for 23% of mortalities. Self-care for senior patients with myocardial infarction can reduce complications, multiple hospitalizations, and financial costs.

This clinical trial was performed on 128 older adults with myocardial infarction. Available sampling was done via block random sampling among patients at the Heart Clinic of Booali Hospital, Qazvin, Iran. Data were collected through interviews and demographic and self-care questionnaires regarding heart disease. Data analysis was conducted using R software, version 4.1.0, and via the mixed-effects model method and post hoc and contrast tests.

The mean age of the study population was 65.54±4.50 years. Before the intervention, self-care maintenance was not significantly different between the 2 groups. After the intervention, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups (P=0.001). No statistically meaningful difference concerning self-care monitoring existed between the 2 groups at the beginning of the study (P=0.03); however, a significant difference emerged after the intervention (P=0.001). A difference existed between the groups regarding self-care confidence study commencement in that the self-care confidence level in the control group was higher (P=0.013), but no difference was observed following the intervention. Nonetheless, after 1 month, the groups were significantly statistically different (P=0.003) in that the self-care confidence level in the intervention group increased.

Mobile health could improve self-care in older adults with myocardial infarction.

Nowadays, antibiotic residues as a global concern pose a threat not only to public health, but also to the food industry all around the world. There have been many studies on contamination sources of bee products, which the most important of them is evaluation of honey contamination extent with various antibiotics used in colonies. Antibiotic residues have a relatively long half life and may have direct toxic effects on consumers. Considering the adverse effects of this residues, we decided to measure the residual erythromycin in different samples of honey consumes in Qazvin, Iran. The present study is a cross-sectional study which conducted in different regions of Qazvin, Iran, in 2019. 80 samples of honey were collected from different regions in Qazvin. Using semi-quantitative ELISA, honey samples were evaluated for the presence of residual erythromycin. Based on the results obtained by ELISA, residual erythromycin was detected only in 8 samples (10.66%), of which, 5 samples (6.66%) and 3 samples (4%) had between 10-120 ng g-1 erythromycin and higher than 120 ng g-1 erythromycin (higher than detection limit of kit), respectively. According to the results, more than 96 percent of our honey samples lacked any erythromycin or had erythromycin concentration lower than allowable limit. The present study demonstrated that most of the honey samples collected from different regions of Qazvin lacked erythromycin residues, but due to the importance of drug residues on community health, annual screening of produced honey for the presence of drug residues by competent authorities.

The pandemic of COVID-19 affect all healthcare systems globally, and its effect on different hospital performance indicators has been debated. The study aimed to compare the impacts of COVID-19 on hospital performance indicators using pre-and post-pandemic data from training hospitals. We conducted an observational cohort study of hospital performance indicators from two healthcare facilities affiliated with Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in the north-west of Iran. The R statistical software was used to analyze monthly data on three basic performance indicators, including bed turnover, average length of stay (LOS), and bed occupancy rate before and during the outbreak of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The pandemic had a remarkable effect on the level of bed turnover, the average length of stay (LOS), and the bed occupancy rate after one month from the COVID-19 outbreak (P<0.05). Moreover, regression results showed that after the pandemic, the first two mentioned indicators increased monthly at 108.18 and 0.15, respectively, while LOS decreased by 0.09 monthly (P<0.05). Based on the study findings, a significant decline in hospital occupancy rate and bed turnover was observed after one month since the beginning of the outbreak. This reduction was associated with a longer LOS. Using ITS in pandemics such as COVID-19 can evaluate the effect of various policies on outcome measures and help policymakers make effective decisions.

 A lack of enough light in educational-academic spaces causes a wide range of damages and, most importantly, a destructive effect on the learning of students and researchers.

 In this study, the intensity of light (in terms of lux) in the classrooms and laboratories of the faculties of health and paramedicine, medicine, nursing and midwifery, and dentistry of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran, was measured in 2020.

 In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, the numbers of classes and laboratories were 35 and 23, respectively. Natural and artificial light measurements were carried out in the morning and evening. The average readings were compared to international and national standards. Data analysis was performed using R software (version 4.1.0).

 The classes of the Faculty of Dentistry and Faculty of Medicine had the highest and lowest average intensity of general and artificial lighting, respectively. Moreover, 78% and 82.4% of the general lighting intensity readings in the morning and evening were within the standard range, respectively. However, only 36.8% and 26% of the total readings of artificial light intensity in the morning and evening were outside the defined standard range, respectively. The classes with western and eastern windows had significantly higher general lighting intensity than the northern geographic windows (P < 0.001).

 In the classrooms and laboratories of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, the general and artificial lighting in the Faculty of Medicine classrooms and in the majority of laboratories need to be improved.

Recent studies suggest that HDL-C may not serve as a useful biomarker in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study aimed to improve the prediction of CAD in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with nephropathy by substituting the activity of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) for HDL-C.  

This study examined 48 T2D patients who underwent coronary angiographic examination. The subjects were divided into two groups: non-CAD and CAD. For measuring PON1 activity, the initial rate of substrate hydrolysis (phenylacetate) was spectrophotometrically assayed at 270 nm. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to compare the predictive performance of the study biomarkers.

The area under the ROC curve showed increases in the diagnostic performance of the study atherogenic ratios by replacing HDL-C with the PON1 in T2D patients with nephropathy. LDL-C/PON1 (AUC=0.72, P=0.048) and log (TG/PON1) (AUC=0.81, P=0.005) had higher predictive powers compared with LDL-C/HDL-C (AUC=0.56, P=0.276) and log (TG/HDL-C) (AUC=0.67, p=0.038) for CAD risk assessment.

The ratios of LDL-C/PON1 and log (TG/PON1) improve the prediction of CAD in T2D patients with nephropathy. Our findings support efforts to practically use HDL function instead of HDL-C levels for CAD diagnosis.

A further understanding of the mechanisms linking inflammation to T2D and related complications can help prevent or control this silent but dangerous disease. This study was conducted to determine the association between paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity and interleukin‑6 (IL‑6) in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Furthermore, we have evaluated the role of age and gender in the relationship between the PON1 activity and IL‑6.

A total of 105 people with T2D were enrolled in this study. IL‑6 levels were determined using ELISA. For the PON1 activity assay, the hydrolysis rate of the substrate phenylacetate was spectrophotometrically assayed in serum at 270 nm. The determined velocities were the initial velocities of substrate hydrolysis.

PON1 activity was negatively correlated with IL‑6 in total data (r = −0.34, P = 0.001). In both groups with age ≥50 and <50 years, PON1 activity was negatively correlated with IL‑6, but the correlation was significant in patients aged 50 years and above (r = −0.358, P = 0.005) compared with patients with age <50 years. In both women and men, PON1 activity was negatively correlated with IL‑6, but the correlation was significant in women (r = −0.318, P = 0.006) in comparison with men.

Inverse association between PON1 activity and IL‑6 in T2D may represent the oxidative–inflammatory interaction in this disease. Our findings highlight that at older ages and in women, the associations between lower PON1 activity and higher IL‑6 concentrations are more evident, and this should be considered in patients with T2D.

Improving patient safety is a common international priority because errors and other forms of unnecessary damage to the process of patient care and treatment are global problems. Training programs such as web-based programs enhance the patient safety culture in staff. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of virtual collaborative learning with mobile devices on patient safety culture among the staff of a maternity center.

This study was conducted on staff working in Kowsar Hospital of Qazvin in 2019 with a pretest-posttest design. Sixty-three eligible participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The educational contents were shared on a website. Data were collected online using the hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire. Educational intervention sessions were held once a week, for 8 weeks. The paired t-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The mean score of safety culture increased significantly from 141.19±16 to 147.93±14.05 after the intervention (P<0.001). Error reporting at the center also increased significantly after the intervention (P<0.001).

This research showed that the collaborative method using mobile learning can be effective for the promotion of patient safety culture among the maternity center staff.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a pathologic condition in the retina characterized by abnormal vasoproliferation. We aim to investigate the correlation of different birth- and hospitalization-related factors in the progression of ROP.

This historical cohort study performed in the ophthalmology center of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital in Babol (Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran), included 828 infants (gestational age <35 weeks and birth weight <2500 g). Also, data were collected from the history of hospitalized premature infants.  

The lower gestational weight of infants has been observed in ROP infants (1418.05±547.09 g) compared to non-ROP infants (1917.31±486.01 g) (p<0.001). In addition, the average gestational age of ROP infants (30.28±2.34 weeks) was younger than non-ROP infants (33.26±1.00 weeks) (p=0.042). Increase in the duration of hospitalization increased 6% the chance of ROP in infants (OR=1.06; 95%CI: [1.05,1.08]) (p<0.001). Furthermore, increase in the count of blood replacement decreased 29% the chance of complete remission of ROP (OR=0.71; 95%CI: [0.51,0.95]) (p=0.029). The blood group does not have an impact on ROP development or remission.  

More birth weight of premature infants is associated with less chance of ROP incidence. Moreover, the lower gestational age is related to more chances of ROP.

 In today's constantly changing world, educational organizations regularly renew their fundamental goals as a factor of development and transformation in society.

 Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between organizational pathology and employees' organizational commitment.

 This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among the headquarter employees at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The data were collected using Meyer and Allen standard organizational pathology and organizational commitment questionnaires. In addition, R software version 4.0.3, Spearman or Pearson correlation statistical methods, and multiple linear regression coefficient analysis were utilized to analyze the data based on the research objectives.

 A total of 101 participants were male and 125 were female. There was a statistically significant correlation between organizational pathology and organizational commitment. The organizational commitment increased by increasing pathology (r = 0.1640, P-value = 0.019). The transparency of goals and the organization mission significantly affected the normative scale. The normative scale decreased by 0.35 by increasing one unit of the scale in the transparency of goals and organization mission (B = -0.038, P-value = 0.038). There was a direct and significant relationship between organizational pathology and organizational commitment.

 According to the results, university administrators and policymakers are recommended to take measures to coordinate employees' interests and individual goals with the organization’s interests and goals. Managers can provide employees with a clear and concise vision by expressing short- and long-term goals and planning, allowing employees to know the value of their actions to achieve the goals.

Honey is a unique food product containing bioactive compounds derived from bees and plantsNowadays, animal food products that may contain antibiotic residues have caused a lot of concern for the consumers. The presence of antibiotic residues in honey may be harmful to human health. One of the most important risks of antibiotic residues in food products is the occurrence of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria in the body. Regarding the complications caused by these residues, the present research has investigated sulfonamide antibiotic residues in the honey samples consumed in Qazvin province. The present research is a cross-sectional study performed in different regions of Qazvin province in 2019. For this purpose, 80 honey samples were collected from different regions of Qazvin. The samples were transferred to the food safety laboratory of  the Health Faculty under proper conditions. First, the samples were tested to check the sulfonamide antibiotic residue by the semi-quantitative ELISA assay. The data were recorded in SPSS 23, and data analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and (post hoc) Tukey test at the significant level of P˂0.05. According to the results of the ELISA assay, 10-120 ng of sulfonamide antibiotic residue was found in 23.75% (19 samples) of the samples. The findings showed that the highest and the lowest sulfonamide concentrations were respectively reported as 30.81 and 6.26 ppb, and the average sulfonamide residue was obtained as 14.50 ppb. According to the results, more than 75% of the honey samples collected from Qazvin province are free of sulfonamide or contain a little sulfonamide concentration. The research showed that most of the honey samples collected from different regions of Qazvin province are free of sulfonamide or contain a little sulfonamide concentration. Regarding the important role of honey consumption in health and the wide use of antibiotics in beehives, it is necessary to take the necessary actions to control the quality of this product.

Tomato is one of the popular crops in the world and tomato paste is a product of it. Due to its wide application, quality control of this product is important. The goal of our study was to the assessment of potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate preservatives and artificial color in bulk tomato paste samples in Qazvin, Iran. In this study, 45 samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the preservatives. Benzoic acid was detected in 17 (37.78%) samples, ranging from nd not detected to 1896 mg kg-1 and Potassium sorbate was not detected in any of the samples. The detection of color in samples was done by the thin-layer chromatography method (TLC). Three samples (6.67%) had Pansio 4R artificial color. The mean and standard deviation of sodium benzoate in samples were 990.62 mg kg-1 and 396.07 mg kg-1, respectively. According to the national standard of Iran for canned tomato paste, adding any kind of preservative and color to tomato paste is prohibited. The results show the importance monitoring of sodium benzoate and artificial colors in bulk tomato paste by health authorities.

Aberrant alterations in DNA methylation are known as one of the hallmarks of oncogenesis and play a vital role in the progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). SMG1 is a member of the Phosphoinositide 3-kinases family, acting as a tumor suppressor gene. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the expression level and methylation status of SMG1 in AML.

In this follow-up study on AML patients admitted to Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran, the methylation status of SMG1 [performed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)] and its expression level (performed by qRT-PCR) were evaluated in three phases: newly diagnosed, under treatment and complete remission. The correlation of the methylation status of SMG1, its expression level, and clinical/paraclinical data was analyzed by SPSS ver.25.

This study on 18 patients and five control individuals showed that the CpG-islands of the SMG1 promoter in newly diagnosed cases is hypomethylated compared to the normal group (P=0.002) The fold change of SMG1 expression levels in new cases is 0.464 ± 0.468, while the fold change of SMG1 expression levels in under-treatment and in-remission patients is 0.973 ± 1.159 and 0.685 ± 0.885, respectively. In under-treatment patients, white blood cell (WBC) count decreases 114176.36 cell/μl with each unit of increase in fold change of SMG1 (P<0.0001), and Hb unit increases 2.062 g/dl with each unit of increase in fold change (P<0.0001) Also, in the remission phase, the Hb unit increases 1.395 g/dl with each unit increase in fold change (P=0.019).

The robust results of our study suggest that the methylation and expression of SMG1 have a high impact on the pathogenesis of AML. Also, the methylation and expression of SMG1 can play a prognostic role in AML.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative retinal disease in premature infants that causes lifetime visual impairment and blindness in the early ages. In this study, we investigated the differences in the values of clinical laboratory parameters between different ROP and its remission/progression statuses regarding stages and zones.

This historical cohort study includes 828 infants divided into two groups after the first examination containing ROP infants and controls. The biochemical and hematological parameters of the two groups have been collected from the patient’s history.

In infants with ROP, the hematopoiesis-related parameters, including the mean level of hemoglobin, total bilirubin, potassium, calcium were significantly less than controls (P =0.039, P =0.001, P =0.001, and P=0.046, respectively). The percentages of reticulocyte and the levels of BUN in ROP patients were significantly higher than in normal infants (P=0.015 and p <0.001, respectively). Moreover, the levels of hemoglobin and BUN were significantly different in the different zones of ROP (P=0.017 and P=0.001, respectively). Also, higher hemoglobin levels, total bilirubin, and CRP were observed in the reduced stages of ROP (P=0.041, P=0.045, and P=0.039, respectively).

Laboratory parameters are different in different stages, zones and remission/progression ROP infants.

Entrepreneurship and business behavior are of great significance in developing countries, such as Iran, due to the unemployment crisis. Today's economic status and population composition have propelled everyone to find effective solutions in the economic arena. Therefore, appropriate educational models for students and programs to encourage students to turn to entrepreneurship and create new businesses are vital.

The present study aimed to determine the impact of business attitude on entrepreneurial behavior in postgraduate students.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on the postgraduate students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2021. Data were collected using the standard questionnaires of Aution et al. and Leon Dice Zamptakis and Vasilis Mustakis. Data analysis was performed in the R software version 4.0.4 using Spearman’s or Pearson’s correlation-coefficient and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

The mean age of the participants was 28.17 ± 6.297 years. Pearson’s correlation-coefficient indicated a significant, inverse correlation between age and attitudes toward competitiveness and entrepreneurial culture (r = -0.210; P = 0.002 and r = -0.177; P = 0.01, respectively). In addition, the results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the attitude to business had a significant, inverse effect on entrepreneurial behavior (r = -0.259; P < 0.001).

According to the results, students' unpreparedness for self-employment activities highlights the need for changing the attitude of postgraduate students in this regard by explaining the prevalence of the COVID-19. Due to the outbreak of the disease, numerous startups and personal businesses were shut down. Therefore, students are mostly reluctant to become involved in entrepreneurial activities despite their business attitude.

Identifying appropriate biomarkers for predicting type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with increased HbA1c may prove helpful in preventing increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present study was conducted to analyze the diagnostic performance of the atherogenic index log (TG/HDL‑C) in T2D patients with increased HbA1c.

Patients with T2D were classified into two groups according to having an HbA1c <8% or ≥8%. Atherogenic index was calculated from the logarithmic transformation of TG/HDL‑C. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of log (TG/HDL‑C). Insulin and fasting glucose concentrations were used to determine homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‑IR).

Compared with the patients with HbA1c <8%, log (TG/HDL‑C) was significantly higher in the patients with HbA1c ≥8% (p = 0.025). The atherogenic index was a biomarker for the prediction of T2D patients with HbA1c ≥8% versus patients with HbA1c <8%, as shown in the area under the curve (AUC = 0.61, P = 0.013). The best cut‑off point of log (TG/ HDL‑C) for the discrimination between patients with HbA1c ≥8% versus patients with HbA1c <8% determined to be 0.44. Atherogenic index was significantly and positively correlated with HOMA‑IR in female patients (r = 0.313, P = 0.003) and in patients with an age ≥5o (r = 0.253, P = 0.021).

The log (TG/HDL‑C) in addition to its known association with enhanced CVD risk could be considered as a biomarker to predict T2D patients with poor glycemic control. Therefore, the increased ratio may provide a simple and useful way of identifying poor glycemic T2D patients who are possibly to be at elevated risk of CVD.

Back and pelvic pain is one of the most common problems during pregnancy. Acupressure is one of the treatment strategies. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to determine the effect of electro-acupressure of LI4 and LI11 on the severity and disability of in pregnant women with low back and pelvic pain.

This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 101 pregnant women with low back and pelvic pain referred to Booeinzahra health centers from April to November 2020. The subjects were divided into intervention and control groups using block random allocation. The intervention group participated in 12 sessions of electro-acupressure on Heogu and Quchi from 26 to 32 weeks of pregnancy. The control group received standard prenatal care. The Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and Visual Analogue of Pain were completed in both groups before, 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed using R software and mixed effects model tests and post hoc test. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The results of the study showed that 4 weeks intervention significantly reduced pain intensity (6.42 ± 0.83, 3.00 ±1.04) and disability (14.62 ± 1.29, 7.9±2.22) in the intervention group compared to the control group (P <0.001).

Electrical stimulation of Hugo and Kochi needles during pregnancy can improve the severity of pelvic and low back pain and disability; it is recommended as a non-pharmacological method for low-risk pregnant women.

The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method is frequently used for identifying many microorganisms. The present review aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP method for detection of food-borne bacteria and to compare these features with those of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as an alternative molecular diagnostic procedure, and with cultivation method, as the gold standard method.

The literature was searched in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE) for recruiting publications within Jan 2000 to Jul 2021. We used the combinations of keywords including foodborne disease, LAMP, PCR, Loop-mediated isothermal amplification, and polymerase chain reaction. Meta-analysis was used to adjust the correlation and heterogeneity between the studies. The efficiency of the methods was presented by negative likelihood ratio, positive likelihood ratio, sensitivity, specificity, and odds ratio using forest plots. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistical significance cut off. The confidence intervals were presented at the 95% interval.

Overall, 23 relevant studies were analyzed. The sensitivities of LAMP and PCR methods were estimated to be 96.6% (95% CI: 95.0-97.7) and 95.6% (95%CI: 91.5-97.8), respectively. The specificities of LAMP and PCR were also estimated to be 97.6% (95%CI: 92.6-99.3) and 98.7% (95%CI: 96.5-99.5), respectively.

The specificities of LAMP and PCR assays were determined by comparing their results with cultivation method as the gold standard. Overall, the specificity of both PCR and LAMP methods was low for detection of fastidious bacteria. Nevertheless, LAMP and PCR methods have acceptable specificities and sensitivities, and their application in clinical practice necessitates more studies.

Human hydatidosis as a public concern has increased in a number of countries that have reduced control programs for the disease due to lack of resources or policies. We aimed to estimate Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for human hydatidosis in Iran in 2018.

Data were collected from the Center of Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health &Medical Education, Tehran, Iran in 2018. To calculate DALYs, years of life lost due to premature death (YLL) with years of life with disability (YLD) were calculated according to the formula as DALY = YLL + YLD. The standard life expectancy lost method (SEYLL) was used to calculate the years lost due to premature death.

DALYs for human hydatidosis was calculated as 1210.12 years (YLD equals to 177.12 and YLL equals to 1033) in Iran for the year 2018. It was estimated to be 700.2 years for men and 509.8 years for women.  DALYs in men were significantly different from women (P= 0.001) so DALYs were more in men than women were. YLD was calculated at 78.228 years in men and 98.892 years in women and in both men and women at 177.12 years. YLD was significantly different in women compared to men (P=0.001), so YLD in women was more than in men.

We reached considerable indices for hydatidosis in our study. Therefore, disease prevention and control programs in Iran seem necessary by the policy makers.

Out-of-pocket payments for medical services may undermine access to medical services and equity in healthcare financing.

The present study aimed to determine the distribution of the burden of out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services among the households in Qazvin province, Iran.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on the urban and rural households in Qazvin province, Iran during 2019 - 2020. Data were obtained from the Statistics Center of Iran (2019 - 2020). The optimal sample size was calculated to be 992 households, and the households were selected via three-stage random cluster sampling. Data were collected using a valid questionnaire and via face-to-face interviews with the household owners. The fair financial contribution index (FFCI), concentration index, and Kakwani index were estimated in the Stata software.

The estimated parameters indicated that during the study period (March 21, 2019-March 20, 2020), the FFCI value of the rural and urban households was 0.782 and 0.854, respectively. The out-of-pocket payment concentration index based on income rank was estimated at 0.188 in rural households (P < 0.05) and 0.031 in the urban households. In addition, the Kakwani index of the urban and rural households was calculated to be -0.165 and -0.84, respectively.

According to the results, out-of-pocket payments were unequally distributed among the households in Qazvin province in 2019 - 2020. These payments were mostly concentrated on the 5th - 7th deciles of urban households. On the other hand, the out-of-pocket payments during the study period were regressive. To promote financial equity, Qazvin health policymakers must run payment exemptions for low-income groups and also expand the medical insurance coverage and universal coverage of healthcare services.

The objective of this study was to investigate serum levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) innormal-ovulatory infertile women with polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) and their association with ovarianhyper-response. This prospective cohort study was carried out on 100 infertile women with PCOM whowere treated with an antagonist/agonist triggered stimulation protocol at Shahid Akbar-Abadi Hospital IVF Centre,Tehran, Iran. Serum AMH levels were measured before starting the assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycleand the ovarian hyper-response was evaluated by retrieved oocyte numbers, ooestradiol levels on the triggeringday, and the incidence of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) clinical signs and symptoms. Logistic regressionand the area under the curve (AUC) were used to estimate the effects of AMH and the accuracy of the test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that AMH could significantly predict ovarianhyper-response in PCOM patients (AUC=0.73). The estimated threshold value was 4.95 ng/ml, with a specificityof 74.58% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50.85, 93.22) and sensitivity of 73.17% (95% CI: 48.78, 92.68). Logisticregression results showed a significant interaction between AMH and body mass index (BMI, P=0.008), which indicatedthat BMI had a moderation effect. Individualized stimulation protocols for patients with isolated PCOM and AMH greater than 4.95 ng/mlmay significantly reduce the chances of developing OHSS. However, the AMH cut-off values to predict ovarian hyperresponsediffer for different BMI categories among PCOM patients; thus, it becomes a more precise predictive markerwith increasing BMI.

Body Mass Index (BMI) and maternal age are related to various disorders of the female reproductive system. This study aimed to estimate the causal effects of BMI and maternal age on the rate of metaphase II oocytes (MII) using a new statistical method based on Bayesian LASSO and model averaging.

This investigation was a historical cohort study and data were collected from women who underwent assisted reproductive treatments in Tehran, Iran during 2015 to 2018. Exclusion criteria were gestational surrogacy and donor oocyte. We used a new method based on Bayesian LASSO and model average to capture important confounders.

Overall, 536 cycles of 398 women were evaluated. BMI and Age had inverse relationships with the number of MII based on univariate analysis, but after adjusting the effects of other variables, there was just a significant association between age and the number of MII (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) of age =0.989, 95% CI: [0.979, 0.998], P=0.02). The results of causal inference based on the new presented method showed that the overall effects of age and BMI of all patients were significantly and inversely associated with the number of MII (both P<0.001). Therefore the expected number of MII decreased by 0.99 for an increase of 1 year (95% CI: [-1.00,-0.97]) and decreased by 0.99 for each 1-unit increase in BMI (95% CI: [-1.01,-0.98]).

Maternal age and BMI have significant adverse casual effects on the rate of MII in patients undergoing ART when the effects of important confounders were adjusted.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative retinal disease in premature infants, causing lifetime visual impairment and blindness at an early age. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oxygen profile in the progression of ROP.

This prospective cohort study (from 2010 to 2020) was applied in the Ophthalmology center of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital in Babol (Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran) included 828 infants (<37 weeks of gestation with a birth weight <2500 g). Moreover, the oxygen profile of infants (with/without ROP) was collected from their history profile in terms of arterial blood gas.

The duration of oxygen therapy was significantly higher in ROP patients (9.19±14.33 days), compared to control (3.16±4.35 days), (P=0.002). The minimum level of PO2 was significantly lower in ROP infants (51.71±44.81 mmHg) compared to controls (92.75±65.45 mmHg, P<0.001). Furthermore, patient with zone 1 involvement had higher PO2 level than the patient with zone 2 involvement (P=0.029). The ventilation requirement was more frequent in ROP patients (39.27%) compared to controls (19.24%, P<0.001). Also, the CPAP requirement was more frequent in ROP patients (48.51%) compared to controls (32.95%, P<0.001).

Our results have indicated that the duration of oxygen therapy and the minimum and maximum level of PO2 are indicators of ROP occurrence.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is an important biomarker to monitor patients after treated with radiation therapy (RT). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the PSA data and prostate cancer recurrence using the joint modeling.

This historical cohort study was performed on 422 prostate cancer patients. Inclusion criteria included: patients with localized prostate cancer referring to Cancer Institute in Tehran (Iran) through 2007 to 2012, and under radiation therapy. Joint model has two components or sub-model. We showed the results by parameter estimating the longitudinal sub-model and survival sub-model. EM algorithm, Newton-Gauss and Gauss-Hermit law were used for final model parameters. R software version 3.2 was used for statistical analysis.

In this study, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of 422 patients, the data on 314 cases were selected for analysis and the main result of joint model was obtained. PSA directly and significantly was associated with recurrence risk, therefore  increasing 2.6 ml/lit PSA (one unit in transformed PSA) increases 39% recurrence risk (95% CI for RR: 1.09-1.77). Also slope of PSA trend has significant association with prostate cancer recurrence risk (95% CI for RR: 1.05-1.41).

This study showed a significant relationship between PSA, and its slope with the recurrence risk by joint model, with regard to the pathological, demographic and clinical features in the Iranian population.