فهرست مطالب mohammad reza soroush

Most mortality in COVID-19 cases was due to the increased inflammatory cytokines and cytokine storm. As mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties, this study assessed the therapeutic effects of placental MSC-derived extracellular vesicles on the inflammation and pulmonary injury caused by COVID-19. 

The study was carried out in phases I (safety study, 101 patients) and II (efficacy study, 80 patients) in a randomized, double-blind study at four hospital centers from April 2021 to August 2021. In addition to standard treatments, 15 mL of normal saline solution containing 15×109 vesicles was injected intravenously for five consecutive days.

No reaction or adverse events were observed in any patients. In the intervention group, after 5 days of treatment, patients’ clinical status and oxygenation improved, and 75% of patients presented an increased SpO2 after 5 days. Besides, inflammatory parameters assessment indicated a 21% decrease in neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and a 54% reduction in C-reactive protein after day five of the intervention. 

PMSC-derived extracellular vesicles were safe and well-tolerated, down-regulated cytokine storms, and restored oxygenation. Thus, they can be considered a promising therapeutic candidate for severe COVID-19.

To describe the utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) payments of war survivors receiving health care services and its determinants.

A cross-sectional study was carried out by systematic random sampling at national level (n = 3079) on healthcare utilization in war survivors on their last received services. A validated questionnaire was used to gather the information of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services and OOP payment. The data were analyzed to indicate the determinants of health utilization and expenses.

Health care utilization was reported in 91.6% (n = 2822). The majority (82.5%) received one or two services in their last visits, mostly related to physician visits and medications (65.97%). Health care utilization was higher than general population annually, especially in physician visit (6.6 versus 4.89), medication (5.1 versus 3.6), and hospitalization (0.78 versus 0.15). About 20.2% (n = 599) of the study population paid out of their pocket for their last medical care services. The frequency of OOP payment was greater for physician visit and medication. Payment for hospitalization, imaging, and lab tests were more significantly associated with proceeding to reimburse the expenses (P < 0.001). The median OOP payment was US$10.8 (interquartile range US$20.6). Gender (P = 0.003), area of residence (P = 0.01) and being war victims (P = 0.005) were the significant determinants for both OOP payments and reclaiming the expenditure. Higher amount of payments (P < 0.001) and more received health services (P = 0.002) were also important factors in reclaiming the expenditure.

Both outpatient services and hospital admission are more frequent among war survivors compared to the general Iranian population. Future studies should attempt to explore the reasons.

Limited studies have reported epidemiologic data on the impact of Iran-Iraq war. This study examines the war casualties for both combatants and civilians on Iranians at national level.

Databases of Veterans and Martyrs Affair Foundation (VMAF), Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC) and Ministry of Health were used to collect the data. The prevalence of injuries for both civilians and combatants was presented. Casualties were studied based on conventional and unconventional weapons attacks (1980–2018), separately.

The Iran-Iraq war led to 183 623 lost lives, 554 990 injured and 40 240 captured. The mean length of captivity was 45.7 months (1 month-19 years) and 2.7% (n = 575) died in captivity. There were 1 439 180 war related injuries recorded in databanks, mostly affecting men (98.4%). About 1 439 180 injuries were recorded, most of them related to conventional weapons (938 928 [65.24%]). Remaining artillery and mortar fragmentation in the body (39.5%, n = 371 236), psychological disorders (15.9%, n = 228 944), and exposure to chemical weapons (11%, n = 158 817) were the most prevalent war-related injuries.

Human casualties of the Iran-Iraq war on the Iranian side and the health care system are huge even after more than three decades.

The rate of out of pocket in health services has particular importance in health system. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of out of pocket and also the satisfaction with reimbursement process.

This study was across- sectional one which was done in 2018. At all 1177 war survivors and their families whom were covered by supplementary insurance were studied and they were selected randomly. In this study the questionnaire which was used in similar previous study, used for collecting data.

At all 1177 veterans, their families and martyrs' families were studied. About 53 percent (622 persons) of them had paid out of pocket for health services during the one year. In reimbursement process the satisfaction of 622 studied persons with the waiting time, providers, service place and repayment process was 33%, 69%, 54% and 39%.respectively. Also the waiting time and situation of cost repayment effected on satisfaction with reimbursement process.

Base on this study results decreasing the rate of out of Pocket Payment and increasing the satisfaction with reimbursement Process are important. For next study it is recommended appropriate project resulted in strategies for improving reimbursement Process.

Historical documents can be the source of solutions for the scholars and researchers in many historical investigations. Even in some cases, they may correct the historian’s reports and narrations or conceal the hidden facts. On the other hand, the findings of archaeological and historical knowledge about the Qohestan district southern Khorasan is the remaining part of the historical Qohestan, part of which was later called Qayenat, are so limited. Hence, the historical documents play an important role in the studies on this district.

In this article, seven government decrees by Ahmad Shah Durrani (1160- 1186/1747- 1772) and his two successors were reviewed and analyzed, which suggest that after Nader Shah’s death (1160/1747) until the of Ā􀇊 qā Moḥammad Ḵān Qājār came to the throne , the district of Qaenat has undergone changes with little reflection in the historical sources; or maybe, some local historians have ignored them for some considerations. These government commands have been introduced and reviewed by the authors for the first time.

This article was written descriptively by the library research methodology with the approach of documents introduction.

According to these documents, during the rule of Ahmad Shah Durrani, Qohestan was under his rule and tribute, while it has been so far believed that the Alam family as the local ruler has dominated this region in the mentioned period.

Despite observed post Sulfur Mustard (SM) exposure hemolysis, serum bilirubin concentration does not significantly increase in SM-exposed casualties. The concentration of serum bilirubin can be related to serum levels of inflammatory cytokines.

In this study, the relationship between the serum levels of Interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, Tumor Necrotizing Factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 with serum bilirubin concentration was investigated.

Overall, 368 individuals, who were exposed to SM in 1986, and 127 non-exposed control participants were studied in the context of hematological factors, serum bilirubin and inflammatory cytokines. Total serum bilirubin and direct bilirubin were analyzed using an enzymatic method, while the inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The concentration of inflammatory cytokines in the exposed group was significantly different compared to the control group, however the serum concentrations of total and direct bilirubin did not differ between the two groups. Among cytokines, other than the relationship between the IL-6 concentrations and bilirubin level, there were no significant correlations between the levels of other cytokines with direct and total bilirubin.

Considering the lack of correlation between bilirubin concentrations and levels of inflammatory cytokines other than IL-6, we should identify other confounding factors for lack of increase in bilirubin in SM casualties, despite the observed hemolysis

The long term presence of various ankle-foot injuries reduces the individuals’ ability to perform daily activities, increases the dependence on others and will eventually lead to a reduction of life satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the life satisfaction of war veterans with ankle-foot neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
The veterans with ankle-foot injuries from 6 provinces, participated in this descriptive study. Medical examinations were conducted by specialists .Trained interviewers gathered demographic and life satisfaction data. Life satisfaction was assessed using the SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) form. Scores ranged from 5 to 35 and the classification was as follow: very dissatisfied (5-9), dissatisfied (10-14), slightly dissatisfied (15-19), moderately satisfied (20-24), satisfied (25-29) and very satisfied (30-35). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23 software.
The mean age of 577 veterans at the time of study was 52.4±8.2 years. The nervous lesion at lower limbs included sciatic 24.5% (N=141), femoral 5.3% (N=31), peroneal 28.2% (N=162), tibial 21.8% (N=126). There was 50.2% (N=290) ankle dorsiflexion. Life satisfaction’s mean score was 17.6 ± 7.1. Data showed that 17.3% (N=100) were satisfied or very satisfied and 60.0% (N=346) were dissatisfied. Moderately satisfaction level was reported in 22.7% (N=131). Significant relationships were observed between life satisfaction and disability rate (P0.05).
The majority of veterans with ankle-foot neuromusculoskeletal disorders were dissatisfied with life. The disability rate, education level and employment status were associated with life satisfaction.

Acne vulgaris is a very common chronic inflammatory disorder, yet its pathogenesis is not clearly understood. As part of the SICS, this study was conducted to evaluate the association between the incidence of acne vulgaris in sulfur mustard-exposed subjects (20 years after the exposure) and serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and RANTES) in an attempt to better understand the pathogenesis of long-term skin disorders of these individuals.
Serum concentrations of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and RANTES) were measured using sandwich ELISA technique.
The median of serum levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and RANTES were significantly higher in the exposed patients with acne than those without acne (P = 0.05, 0.03 and 0.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in serum levels of IL-1α, IL-1Ra and IL-6 between the exposed subgroups.
We found a positive association between serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8, IL-12 and RANTES) and acne among sulfur mustard-exposed population.

This study aimed to assess veterans and their families’ satisfaction with received supplementary pharmacy services, pharmacy location (distance) and the process of receiving costs.
This was a cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of veterans and their families, including parents, spouses and their children. Participants were recruited from Veterans and Martyrs Affairs Foundation by random sampling and 1016 veterans and heir families participated in the study. Three areas of satisfaction with the use of supplemental health insurance including pharmacy, location (distance) and refund services were studied. Likert scale was used in order to rate the satisfaction of the respondents.
Veterans have been used pharmaceutical care more than their families 65.1% (n=661). Most of the users were male 69.8% (n=710). The average disability rate was 19.13(SD=14.13). Among the study population (n=747) 73.4 % have received their medications by their supplemental health insurance. Of those who had to pay for their prescription (269 cases), 41.6% (n=112) applied for refund from the supplemental health insurance company. The data analysis indicated that participants were satisfied or very satisfied with pharmacy (93.6%), location/distance (82.5%) and supplemental health insurance refund services (31.5%). Veterans with higher disability rate (higher than 25%) had lower satisfaction (p Overall veteran and their families were satisfied. However, the satisfaction with refund services was low.

To determine the frequency of phantom limb sensation (PLS) and phantom limb pain (PLP) in children and young adults suffering landmine-related amputation.
All youths with amputation due to landmine explosions participated in this study. The proportions of patients with phantom limb sensation/pain, intensity and frequency of pain were reported. Chi square test was used to examine the relationship between variables. Comparison of PLP and PLS between upper and lower amputation was done by unpaired t-test.
There were 38 male and 3 female with the mean age of 15.8±2.4yr. The mean interval between injury and follow-up was 90.7±39.6 months. Twelve (44.4%) upper limb amputees and 11 (26.8%) lower limb amputees had PLS. Nine (33.3%) upper limb amputees and 7 (17.1%) lower limb amputees experienced PLP. Of 27 upper limb amputees, 6 (14.6%) and among 15 lower limb amputees, 6 (14.6%) had both PLS and PLP. One case suffered amputation of upper and lower limbs and was experiencing PLS and PLP in both parts. PLS had a significant difference between the upper and lower amputated groups. Significant relationship was observed between age of casualty and duration of injury with PLP.
Phantom limb sensation and pain in young survivors of landmine explosions appear to be common, even years after amputation.

During trips the imposed costs are aggravated due to time and financial limits, not being familiar with treatment centers that are covered by the insurances and charges for accommodation. Insurance, especially supplementary treatment services insurance can be an appropriate solution to decrease these costs. These kinds of insurances cover a range of services including outpatient services to hospitalization and even sometimes unlimited services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of war survivors and their families under the cover of supplementary insurance from medical care during trips. This study was cross -sectional descriptive. The size of studied population was 77 people from war survivors and their families who were assessed by a provided questionnaire in 2015. The including criteria was war survivors and their families under the cover of Veterans and Martyrs Affair Foundation (VMAF) and supplementary insurance war survivors. The prepared questionnaire included two sections; the first section was included the personal indications and the second section included satisfaction evaluations. The prevalence of using medical care during trips in war survivors and their families was 2.72% and using medical care with supplemental insurance in trips was 1.5%. The obtained results from the questionnaires revealed that the highest satisfaction on medical care services and its distance belongs to the veterans' families with the mean of 4.57and 4.27, respectively. In the subject of taking back the costs, martyrs’ families were the least satisfied with the mean of 2.17. A significant relationship was found between sex and distance of the medical care services in trips (p=0.046).  Men had more satisfaction compared to women. Finally it can be mentioned that there was not a significant relationship between client group and distance of medical care services during trips (p=0.067). According to the results, affording the costs and paying them back by the insurance company needs modifications.

Providing care to a disable relative at home exposes the caregiver to a potentially higher risk of physical and mental problems. We measured health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its determinants among the caregivers of the Iranian survivors of the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988) with bilateral lower-limb amputation.
Data were collected from 464 individuals comprising war-related bilateral lower-limb amputees (n=232) and their caregivers (n=232) in January 2015 in Shiraz, Iran. The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to evaluate the caregivers’ QOL. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the most significant contributing factors.
The mean age of the caregivers and the amputees was 39.4±6.2 and 42.5±6.2 years, respectively. The mean duration of disability was 22.8±3.9 years in the amputees. Most of the caregivers were reported to be in their first marriage. The highest and lowest mean scores of the SF-36 domains in the sample population were observed for physical function (76.65±21.97) and bodily pain (53.54±24.95). QOL in the caregivers was significantly lower than that in a sample of the general Iranian female population (P The caregivers of the bilateral lower-limb amputees in the current study suffered from a poor QOL. Hospitalization and mental problems were the most significant contributing factors vis-à-vis the caregivers’ HRQOL. Health care and services should, therefore, be provided to both amputees and their caregivers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mental health of veterans with severe pulmonary chemical injuries more than two decades after the end of Iran-Iraq war. This cross sectional study enrolled 292 cases with severe lung chemical injuries caused by exposure to sulfur mustard from across the country. Demographic data were recorded. All subjects were examined by a psychiatrist. Patient’s appearance such as appearance, temperament and affection was evaluated by psychiatrist’s observations. Mental Disorders were assessed using DSM-IV in 5 axes. A proper treatment plan for each patient was recommend. Data were entered into the SPSS22 software and statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests. 213 (72.9%) of our subjects were diagnosed with mental disorders. Anxiety disorder was the most common disorder in Axis I and 90% of them were allocated to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 123 (42.1%) cases suffered from different types of depression. In Axis III, 49 (16.8%) cases were suffering other medical illnesses which affected mental health. Axis IV showed 51 (17.5%) subjects were involved with a variety of environmental problems. In GAF scale, 91.5% of participants gained 60 points or less. There was an inverse relationship between mental disorder and efficiency levels (p<0.001). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety and PTSD in severe pulmonary chemical injured was more than other veterans and 2 to 5 times of Iranian normal population.

This study aimed the evaluation of satisfaction of paraclinical services in the martyrs’ families covered by supplemental insurance. 325 members of martyrs’ families who have used paraclinical services (injections/bandages, laboratory tests, imaging services, physiotherapy and travel services) were studied. Satisfaction with the received services, distance to the receiving location of services and repayment were assessed. Reliable self-designed questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha=0.84) were approved. 31.86 percent with the average age of 60.37±17.42 years have used paraclinical services. The using of laboratory services had the highest frequency and physiotherapy the lowest, 59.1% and 5.2%, respectively. Satisfaction level of “very high” and “high” in different services varied between 70-91%. Satisfaction of the distance to the location of services ranged from 58 to 73%. Payment was reported for 36% (N=118) and44.1% (N=52)of them was applied for repayment and in 42.3% (N=22) cases the fee was received. 17-40% of them were not satisfied with the process of repayment. Lack of insurance coverage for some paraclinical services and incomplete or prolongation of repayment were the most common causes of dissatisfaction. A significant relationship (P<0.001) was observed between the satisfaction of the distance to the location of services and location (city or rural area). Satisfaction of study population from supplemental insurance in paraclinial services is relatively high. However, satisfaction of distance to the location of services and particularly repayment process are significantly low. The most important problem in receiving paraclinial services are lack of insurance coverage for service and incomplete repayment.

In spite of accumulating information about pathological aspects of sulfur mustard (SM), the precise mechanism responsible for its effects is not well understood. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. Accurate normalization using appropriate reference genes, is a critical step in miRNA expression studies. In this study, we aimed to identify appropriate reference gene for microRNA quantification in serum samples of SM victims. In this case and control experimental study, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we evaluated the suitability of a panel of small RNAs including SNORD38B, SNORD49A, U6, 5S rRNA, miR-423-3p, miR-191, miR-16 and miR-103 in sera of 28 SM-exposed veterans of Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and 15 matched control volunteers. Different statistical algorithms including geNorm, Normfinder, best-keeper and comparative delta-quantification cycle (Cq) method were employed to find the least variable reference gene. miR-423-3p was identified as the most stably expressed reference gene, and miR- 103 and miR-16 ranked after that. We demonstrate that non-miRNA reference genes have the least stability in serum samples and that some house-keeping miRNAs may be used as more reliable reference genes for miRNAs in serum. In addition, using the geometric mean of two reference genes could increase the reliability of the normalizers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of landmine victims less than 18 years of the types of services provided by Veterans and Martyr Affair Foundation (VMAF). The descriptive study evaluated the status of services to all landmine victims less than 18 years from Iran. Satisfaction level was measured using a self-administered questionnaire based on seven categories of services provided by VMAF. Total score ranged between 7, the least satisfactory to 35, the most satisfactory. Also, by two open questions, difficulties in using the service were investigated in more details. Finally, all data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software and independent sample t-test and ANOVA statistical tests. The mean age of 78 survivors in this study consisted of 67 (85.9%) boys and 11 (14.1%) girls was 16.1±1.9 years. The mean score of satisfaction was 14.92±5.46. Cronbach's alpha was found as 0.76, showing that the scale is reliable. The group of specialists of Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC) approved the validity of the scale. Health care services had the highest (18.2%) and sports services had the least satisfaction (5.1%). More than half of the cases were dissatisfied of the low awareness with service delivery (57.7%). The most common problems in getting health care services were high cost (61.5%) and then waiting long time for visiting doctor and the uncertainty about solving their problem in hospitals (48.7%). Significant relationships were observed between satisfaction with age at the time of casualty (p=0.02), disability percentage (p=0.04), spinal cord injury (p=0.04) and province of residence (p=0.006). The satisfaction of landmine victims less than 18 years of the types of services provided by VMAF in living in border areas was at the moderate level. Although health care services had the most satisfaction level but, enumerate the various problems in receiving these services have shown significant barriers, especially in the fast and convenient access to health care services.

Immunization is one of the most efficacious, cost-effective and safe public health interventions. Vaccines continue to have a tremendous impact on public health, saving millions of lives each year.Thepurpose of this study was determining vaccination coverageand reasons for non- vaccination in children (24-36 month old)that live in marginalized area in Kermanshah city In this descriptive analytic study, 420 children (24-36 month old)were selected. Sampling method was cluster sampling and included 60 clusters with7children who live in slum area in Kermanshah city. Information was collected by a questionnaire referring to childrensvaccination card. Data collected were analyzed usingSPSS v13 software and chi-square. In this study,46.2% girls and 53.8% 8 % boys participated. The coverage of at birth doses including BCG, HepatitisB1 and Polio0 were 100%, DTP3, Polio3, Hepatitis B3 and MMR1 vaccines were more than 97%.There was significant difference between vaccine status and mother's education(P<0/001).Non immunization was observed in 3% children. The most common cause was lack of maternal knowledge (50%). It seems vaccination coverage in children (24-36 month old) is proper; however it is suggested to use of catch up program for high risk groups to increase vaccination overage.

MicroRNAs constitute a group of small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. Aside from their contribution to biological and pathological pathways, altered expression of microRNAs is reported in bio-fluid samples, such as serum. To employ serum''s microRNAs as potential biomarkers, it is crucial to develop an efficient method for microRNA quantification, avoiding pre-analytical and analytical variations which could affect the accuracy of data analysis. Here, we optimized a real-time PCR quantification procedure for microRNA detection in serum samples. Serum''s total RNA was extracted using two different RNA isolation methods, one based on phenol-chloroform and the other based on silica column. To investigate a potential PCR inhibitory effect, different RNA amounts were subjected to reverse transcription. Moreover to assess the enzymatic efficiency, synthetic exogenous microRNAs was spiked into the mixture. Moreover, to find a reliable internal control gene for normalizing the microRNA quantification, the amounts of 8 candidate non-coding RNAs including SNORD38B, SNORD49A, U6, 5S rRNA, miR-423-5p, miR-191, miR-16 and miR-103 were assessed on serum samples. Altogether, our data demonstrated that the silica-based method was more efficient for microRNA recovery. Furthermore, increasing the input volume of the extracted RNA would dramatically increase inhibitors'' amounts which could end up in a larger Cq values. Therefore, the best input volume of RNA turned out to be 1.5 microliter/reaction. Among the 8 aforementioned internal controls, U6, SNORD38B and SNORD49A showed low levels of expression, and were undetectable in some samples. Amongst the others, 5s rRNA, had the biggest standard deviation which could significantly affect data analysis. MiR-103 with the least variation appeared to be the best normalizer gene.

Exposure to mustard gas leads to acute and chronic toxic effects on the skin. Results from several studies have been suggested the role of immune mediators, including Interleukin-18, in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with the urticaria appearance. The aim of present study was to investigate the association between Interleukin-18 and its binding protein and chronic urticaria in veterans. In this historical cohort study, 372 Sardasht veterans exposed to mustard gas and 128 healthy people (residents of the Rabat City, Iran) were studied. The both "exposed" and "control" groups were homogeneous in terms of gender, age, body mass index, and marital status. All subjects were studied and divided by an experienced skin specialist for skin disorders such as urticaria. Interleukin-18 serum levels and its binding protein were measured by sandwich ELISA methods. Mann-Whitney test was performed to compare cytokines serum levels of in the studied groups. 8 (2.1%) of exposed group and 1 (0.8%) of control group had chronic urticaria. There was no significant difference in Interleukin-18 level mean in exposed group with urticaria compared to control group mean without urticaria (p=0.17). The difference of Interleukin-18 level between the samples with and without urticaria of the exposed group was significant (p=0.025) and higher in the persons with urticaria. No significant difference was observed in Il-18bp level mean in exposed group with urticaria compared to control group without urticaria (p=0.784). IL-18 may be involved in the occurrence of urticaria induced by mustard gas.

Background & Sulfur Mustard (SM) has been widely used as a chemical warfare agent against Iranian in Iraq-Iran conflict. Many years after exposure، people who have been exposed to SM are still suffering from its late complications including ocular، coetaneous، respiratory and psychological disorders. SDF-1α (Stromal-Derived Factor-1α) or CXCL12 is a member of C-X-C chemokine family that its important role in recruitment of progenitor and stem cells from bone marrow to peripheral blood after injury and inflammation has been approved in many studies. The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of SDF-1α in chemical victims who were exposed to mustard gas many years ago in comparison with an unexposed control group. 174 SM chemical victims and 39 unexposed participants as controls were studied. Clinical evaluation was down by specialists. Pulmonary function was carried out by spirometry and according to the classification of Medical Committee of Iranians foundation of martyr and veterans affairs classifications، chemical victims classified to three groups with mild، moderate and severe pulmonary complications. The serum levels of SDF-1α were measured by a sandwich ELISA technique. The serum concentration of SDF-1α in SM exposed group was significantly reduced compared to the controls (p=0. 046). The serum SDF-1α levels in the exposed participants with severe pulmonary complications was significantly lower than in controls (p=0. 054). However this reduction was not significant in exposed group with mild and moderate lung injuries. According to the significant reduction of the serum concentration of SDF-1α in the exposed participants comparing to the unexposed control group and its significant reduction in exposed participants with severe lung injury، it could be concluded that down-regulation of this chemokine could be one of the important factors in late clinical complications of sulfur mustard.

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) have been successfully employed for movement deficit recovery in spinal cord injury (SCI) rat models. One of the unsettled problems in cell transplantation is the relative high proportion of cell death، specifically after neural differentiation. According to our previous studies، p75 receptor، known as the death receptor، is only expressed in BMSC in a time window of 6-12 hours following neural induction. Moreover، we have recently reported a decreased level of apoptosis in p75-suppressed BMSC in vitro. Therefore، our objective in this research was to explore the functional effects of transplanting p75: siRNA expressing BMSC in SCI rats.

Laminectomy was performed at L1 vertebra level to expose spinal cord for contusion using weight-drop method. PBS-treated SCI rats (group one) were used as negative controls، in which cavitations were observed 10 weeks after SCI. pRNA-U6. 1/Hygro- (group two، as a mock) and pRNA-U6. 1/Hygro-p75 shRNA- (group three) transfected BMSC were labeled with a fluorescent dye، CM-DiI، and grafted into the lesion site 7 days after surgery. The Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan locomotor rating scale was performed weekly for 10 weeks.

There was a significant difference (P≤0. 05) between all groups of treated rats regarding functional recovery. Specifically، the discrepancy among p75 siRNA and mock-transfected BMSC was statistically significant. P75 siRNA BMSC also revealed a higher level of in vivo survival compared to the mock BMSC.

Our data suggest that genetically modified BMSC that express p75: siRNA could be a more suitable source of cells for treatment of SCI.

Sulfur mustard (SM), also known as mustard gas,was widelyused by the Iraqi army during the Iraq-Iran war. The aim of this study was to comparing quality of sleep between SM exposed from Sardasht and unexposed from Rabat. This historical cohort study was conducted on 320 civilians of Sardasht and Rabat in two age matched groups, including 240 SM exposed participants from Sardasht and 80 unexposed subjects from Rabat. Quality of sleep over the last month was determined using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). PSQI is a self-report instrument used to evaluate the quality and patterns of sleep. In all 500 participants were studied (320 exposed and 80control groups). There were no significant difference in terms of age and education between the control and exposed groups. There were significant differences in sleep quality (P = 0.001), sleep latency (P = 0.020), sleep disturbances (P < 0.001), sleep medication (P = 0.001) and total of PSQI (P = 0.001) between control and exposed groups. SM exposure led to lower quality of sleep inchemical survivors compare to control group.The findings from this study might be essential for health care systems, and for providing appropriate set-up and suitable educations programs may help to improve quality of sleep in these populations.

Objective (s): Independency in life activities has an important role in individuals with disability to bring them back to normal life. The objective of this study was to determine Instrumental Activity of daily Living in survivors of the Iran-Iraq war with bilateral lower limb amputation. A cross-sectional study was performed to assess the level of Instrumental Activity of daily Living (IADL) - Lawton and Brody IADL scale questionnaire- in Iran-Iraq war related bilateral lower limb amputees (n=335). The Chi-square test was employed as statistical methods. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The average age of the patients was 42. 05 (SD=6. 33). The majority of the cases %97. 6 (n=327) were male and married. The most dependency in IADL were housekeeping (91. 3%)، food preparation. And the least was ability to use telephone (4. 2 %). Age، level of education، employment status، co morbidity، phantom pain and its severity and duration was significantly (P≤0. 05) associated with Instrumental Activity of daily Living scale. This study showed that war related bilateral lower limb amputees were dependent in some IADL scales، especially housekeeping and food preparation. Rehabilitation programs might help the amputees to be more independent in their normal life activity.

Iran’s territory with its rich culture and brilliant civilization has always been a focal point for scientific researches and cultural and archaeological investigations. The ancient land of Khorasan as the source and station of movements and important events has always played a determinant and decisive role in the evolution of Iranian history. Unfortunately, due to the lack of reliable historical and archaeological source and evidence in South Khorasan and because of the scarcity of archaeological researches in this region compared to the better-known regions of West and South of Iran in past years, it added in our ambiguities and insufficient knowledge of this region. The results of limited investigations of recent decades has enabled archaeologist to point to the cultural-historical importance of the region of South Khorasan that this issue has been lead to the presentation of valuable information in historical researches. Discovery of the remains of ancient communities including materials from Paleolithic down to the contemporary eras from a habitats such as caves, rock-shelters,… or archeological mounds, petro glyphs, inscriptions and historical or cultural textures and so forth are among precious examples of the rich history of this region of Iran which always can play important role for establishing a regional chronological framework. Therefore, a clear understanding of the history of archaeological studies and field-works from the early stages up to the present in the neglected district of the region of South Khorasan has been the main objective of this saying.