Role of herbal medicines to treat the symptoms of COVID-19 disease

The need for effective therapeutic options for patients has received increasing attention in response to the prevalence of COVID 19.Although there are several options for the prevent of COVID-19,including vaccines,monoclonal antibodies,oligonucleotide-based therapies,peptides,and interferon therapies,no treatment for coronaviruses has yet been approved[1].

Mortality-related electrocardiogram indices in methanol toxicity

Iran experienced one of the largest methanol poisoning outbreaks shortly after the coronavirus pandemic due to misinformation about the beneficial effects of alcohol in preventing and treating this viral infection.^([1])According to the Iran Legal Medicine Organization(LMO),over 3,100 methanol toxicity cases and 728 deaths were reported across the country,resulting in a syndemic of methanol poisoning.^([2])There is very little literature on the electrographic predictors of cardiovascular mortality in methanol poisoned patients.^([3])

Relationship between CD14-159C/T gene polymorphism and acute brucellosis risk

Objective:To investigate the association between the cluster of differentiation 14(CD14)-I59C/T(rs2569190) gene polymorphism and susceptibility to acute brucellosis in an Iranian population.Methods:The study included 153 Iranian patients with active brucellosis and 128 healthy individuals as the control group.Genotyping of the CD 14 variant was performed using an amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction method.Results:The prevalence of CD14-159 TT and CT genotypes were associated with increased risk of brucellosis[odds ratio(OR)=l.993.95%confidence interval(95%CD=1.07-3.71.P=0.03 for CT:OR=3.869.95%CI= 1.91-7.84,P=0.01 for TT genotype.Additionally,the minor allele(T) was significantly more frequently present in brucellosis patients than in controls(61%vs.45%.respectively),and was a risk factor for brucellosis(OR=3.058.95%CI= 1.507-6.315.P=0.01).Condusions:The findings provid suggestive evidence of association of the CDI4-159C/T gene polymorphism with susceptibility to acute brucellosis in the Iranian population.

Dual function of fungi-derived cytokines in inflammatory bowel diseases:protection or inflammation

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is an immune-mediated inflammatory condition involving both the innate and adaptive immune systems.Recently,the role of intestinal fungal flora and their downstream immune pathways has been highlighted in the pathogenesis of IBD.Cytokines as primary immune mediators require a delicate balance for maintaining intestinal homeostasis.Although most cytokines have a predictable role in either amplifying or attenuating inflammation in IBD,a few cytokines have shown a dual function in the inflammatory state of the intestine.Some of these dual-faced cytokines are also involved in mucosal anti-microbial defense pathways,particularly against intestinal fungal residents.Here,we reviewed the role of these cytokines in IBD pathogenesis to achieve a better understanding of the fungal interactions in the development of IBD.

Cell therapy for the treatment of reproductive diseases and infertility:an overview from the mechanism to the clinic alongside diagnostic methods

Infertility is experienced by 8%–12%of adults in their reproductive period globally and has become a prevalent concern.Besides routine therapeutic methods,stem cells are rapidly being examined as viable alternative therapies in regenerative medicine and translational investigation.Remarkable progress has been made in understanding the biology and purpose of stem cells.The affected pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)and mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)are further studied for their possible use in reproductive medicine,particularly for infertility induced by premature ovarian insufficiency and azoospermia.Accordingly,this study discusses current developments in the use of some kinds of MSCs such as adipose-derived stem cells,bone marrow stromal cells,umbilical cord MSCs,and menstrual blood MSCs.These methods have been used to manage ovarian and uterine disorders,and each technique presents a novel method for the therapy of infertility.

Prediction of the burden of road traffic injuries in Iran by 2030: Prevalence, death,and disability-adjusted life years

Purpose:Road traffic accidents pose a global challenge with substantial human and economic costs.Iranexperiences a high incidence of road traffic injuries,leading to a significant burden on society.This studyaims to predict the future burden of road traffic injuries in Iran until 2030,providing valuable insights forpolicy-making and interventions to improve road safety and reduce the associated human and economiccosts.Methods:This analytical study utilized time series models,specifically autoregressive integrated movingaverage(ARIMA)and artificial neural networks(ANNs),to predict the burden of road traffic accidents byanalyzing past data to identify patterns and trends in Iran until 2030.The required data related toprevalence,death,and disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)rates were collected from the Institute forHealth Metrics and Evaluation database and analyzed using R software and relevant modeling andstatistical analysis packages.Results:Both prediction models,ARIMA and ANNs indicate that the prevalence rates(per 100,000)of allroad traffic injuries,except for motorcyclist road injuries which have an almost flat trend,remaining ataround 430,increase by 2030.Based on estimations of both models,the rates of death and DALYs due tomotor vehicle and pedestrian road traffic injuries decrease.For motor vehicle road injuries,estimatedtrends decrease to approximately 520 DALYs and 10 deaths.Also,for pedestrian road injuries these ratesreached approximately 300 DALYs and 6 deaths,according to the models.For cyclists and other roadtraffic injuries,the predicted DALY rates by the ANN model increase to almost 50 and 8,while predictionsconducted by the ARIMA model show a static trend,remaining at 40 and approximately 6.5.Moreover,these rates for the prediction of death rate by the ANN model increased to 0.6 and 0.1,while predictionsconducted by the ARIMA model show a static trend,remaining at 0.43 and 0.07.According to the ANNmodel,the predicted rates of DALY and death for motorcyclists decrease to 100 and approximately 2.7,respectively.On the other hand,predictions made by the ARIMA model show a static trend,with ratesremaining at 200 and approximately 3.2,respectively.Conclusion:The prevalence of road traffic injuries is predicted to increase,while the death and DALYrates of road traffic injuries show different patterns.Effective intervention programs and safety measuresare necessary to prevent and reduce road traffic accidents.Different interventions should be designedand implemented specifically for different groups of pedestrians,cyclists,motorcyclists,and motorvehicle drivers.

Etiology and therapeutic management of neonatal jaundice in Iran:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Jaundice is a life-threatening disorder in the neonates.In the present study,we aimed to assess systematically available evidence on causes and management of jaundice in Iranian newborn patients.Methods We searched the databases of PubMed,Web of Sciences,Scopus and Google Scholar for English articles published since inception until May 2019.A search was also done for Persian articles in Magiran and Scientific Information Database.Studies were evaluated based on predefined criteria by two reviewers.Data analysis was performed by STATA software.Results A total of 33 articles were finally included.The overall pooled prevalence of causes of jaundice among Iranian neonates was as follows:ABO blood groups incompatibility,16.9%[95%confidence interval(CI)10.9-22.8];Rh blood group incompatibility,4%(95%CI 2.5-5.5);ABO and Rh blood groups incompatibility,3.6%(95%CI 0-7.7);glucose6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD)deficiency,6.3%(95%CI 5.1-7.5);infection,6.6%(95%CI 5.2-8.1);hypothyroidism,4.2%(95%CI 0.1-8.3);infant of diabetic mother:2.3%(95%CI 0.1-4.5);unknown,50.7%(95%CI 33.4-68);cephalohematoma,0.6%(95%CI 0.3-0.9).Regarding treatment of icterus,seven and eight articles were found on phototherapy and exchange transfusion,respectively.In five studies,all patients underwent phototherapy,but rate of exchange transfusion use was between 6.6%and 50.9%.Conclusions According to the results,unknown factors were the most common causes of icterus in Iranian neonates,followed by ABO blood groups incompatibility,infections and G6PD deficiency.By the way,phototherapy and exchange transfusion were found as therapeutic choices of neonatal jaundice.

Impact of dyslipidemia on estimated glomerular filtration rate in apparently healthy children and adolescents:the CASPIAN-V study

Background Chronic kidney disease(CKD)is a leading risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease(CVD).Dyslipidemia is also known as risk factor for CVD development.However,the association of dyslipidemia with glomerular injury among healthy children and adolescents remains controversial.We aimed to investigate the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)and lipid profile risk factors among healthy children and adolescents.Methods In this nationwide survey,3808 participants(1992 males,1816 females),aged 7-18 years,were selected by cluster random sampling method from 30 provinces in Iran.Body mass index(BMI)and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured.Blood samples were obtained for serum creatinine,fasting blood glucose,total cholesterol(TC),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and triglyceride(TG)determinations.GFR was estimated using Schwartz equation.Results Girls had higher eGFR than boys(P=0.04).In a multiple regression analysis,eGFR demonstrated a positive correlation with systolic blood pressure,BMI,fasting glucose,TC,HDL-C,and TG.By the analysis of covariance,TC,HDL-C,and TG showed a negative correlation with eGFR after adjustments for BMI,systolic and diastolic blood pressures,and fasting glucose(OR=0.56,95%CI=0.29-0.89).Conclusion The study showed that dyslipidemia is associated with reduced eGFR among the healthy children and adolescents.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in general population during COVID-19 outbreak: A survey in Iran

Objective: Some epidemic diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) have caused many physical, psychological, and social challenges, despite the existence of treatment strategies. Many people are looking for complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) to prevent such diseases. The present study was performed to determine how some types of CAM were being used during the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran.Methods: The present study had a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. All Iranian residents above 17 years old were eligible to participate in the study. A total of 782 participants completed a demographic information questionnaire, a questionnaire about their use of CAMs and a questionnaire about their satisfaction with the CAMs they used. Web-based sampling was conducted from 20 April 2020 to 20 August 2020.Results: Of the participants, 84% used at least one type of CAM during the COVID-19 outbreak. The most used CAMs were dietary supplements(61.3%), prayer(57.9%), and herbal medicines(48.8%). The majority of the participants(50%–66%) have used CAMs to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 or to reduce anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. CAM use was associated with sex, having children, place of residence, COVID-19 status, and source of gathering information about CAM(P < 0.05). All 32 participants who had been infected with COVID-19 used at least one type of CAM for treatment or alleviation of the disease symptoms.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, some types of CAM, particularly nutritional supplements,medicinal herbs, and prayer, were commonly used to prevent COVID-19 and reduce pandemic-related anxiety.

Early reports of bone repair techniques and bone xenograft in Persian traditional medicine

Bone grafting is typically thought to be a modern concept and practice,but the principles of bone grafting procedures were established before the＂metallurgic age＂in orthopedics[1].Bone grafting is indicated in orthopedic conditions such asbone loss and non-union that are consequences of injuries and disease conditions.Today,

Gastrointestinal viral shedding in children with SARS‑CoV‑2:a systematic review and meta‑analysis

Background Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has diferent manifestations in pediatric cases.It is assumed that they might present more gastrointestinal symptoms with a diferent viral shedding pattern in gastrointestinal samples.In this systematic review and meta-analysis,we aimed to evaluate the viral shedding pattern in gastrointestinal specimens of children with COVID-19.Methods We searched all published studies in English language in PubMed,Web of Science,and Scopus,up to date as of October 2021.Our search included the term"severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2,novel coronavirus,or coronavirus;and shed,excrete,secret,or carriage;and stool or rectal;and children or pediatrics".We included studies evaluating SARS-CoV-2 shedding in gastrointestinal specimens,including rectal swabs and stool samples of children with COVID-19 infection.We excluded duplicated data,case reports,and studies without original data.Results Twelve studies met the eligibility criteria for the qualitative synthesis,10 of which were included in the meta-analysis.The pooled prevalence of gastrointestinal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)RNA in children with COVID-19 was 86%(95%confdence interval 73%–96%,I 2=62.28%).After respiratory specimen had become negative,72%(43/60)had persistent shedding in gastrointestinal specimens.The gastrointestinal RNA had a positive test result for more than 70 days after symptoms onset.Conclusions Gastrointestinal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 might occur in a substantial portion of children and might persist long after negative respiratory testing.Further research is recommended to fnd the role of SARS-CoV-2 gastrointestinal shedding in transmission in children.

Socioeconomic inequality in screen time frequency in children and adolescents: the weight disorders survey of the CASPIAN IV study

Background This study aimed to assess the socioeconomic inequality and determinants of screen time (ST) frequency in Iranian children and adolescents. Methods This nationwide study was conducted as part of a national school-based surveillance program among 36,486 students consisting of 50.79% boys and 74.23% urban inhabitants, aged 6–18 years, living in urban and rural areas of 30 provinces of Iran. Socioeconomic inequality in ST, including the time spent for ST, watching TV and leisure-time work-ing with computer, was assessed across quintiles of SES using concentration index (C) and slope index of inequality (SII). Results Overall, 36,486 students completed the study (response rate 91.25%). Their mean (SD) age was 12.14 (3.36) years. The national estimation of frequency of ST was 31.66% (95% CI 31.16–32.17) with ascending change from 20.80% (95% CI 19.81–21.82) to 36.66% (95% CI 35.47–37.87) from the first to the last quintal of SES. EstimatedC value at national level was positive (0.08), which indicate inequality was in favor of low SES groups. Considering the SII values, at national level [? 0.16 (? 0.39, 0.06)], the absolute difference in ST frequency between the bottom and top of the socioeconomic groups had descending trends. In multivariate logistic regression model, family history of obesity, generalized obesity and age were the main significant determinants of prolonged ST, watching TV, and computer working (P < 0.001). Conclusions Socioeconomic inequality in ST frequency was in favor of low SES groups. These findings are useful for health policies, better programming and future complementary analyses.