Probabilistic prediction of segmental body composition in Iranian children and adolescents

Background

Adolescents' body composition is considered an important measure to evaluate health status. An examination of any of the segmental compartments by anthropometric indices is a more usable method than direct methods.

Objectives

To propose a method based on the network approach for predicting segmental body composition components in adolescent boys and girls using anthropometric measurements.

Methods

A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) dataset in the south of Iran, including 476 adolescents (235 girls and 241 boys) with a range of 9–18 years, was obtained. Several anthropometric prediction models based on the network approach were fitted to the training dataset (TRD 80%) using bnlearn, an R add-in package. The best fitted models were applied to the validation dataset (VAD 20%) to assess the prediction accuracy.

Results

Present equations consisting of age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and hip circumference accounted for 0.85 (P < 0.001) of the variability of DXA values in the corresponding age groups of boys. Similarly, reasonable estimates of DXA values could be obtained from age, weight, height, and BMI in girls over 13 years, and from age, weight, height, BMI, and waist circumference in girls under 13 years, respectively, of 0.77 and 0.83 (P < 0.001). Correlations between robust Gaussian Bayesian network (RGBN) predictions and DXA measurements were highly significant, averaging 0.87 for boys and 0.82 for girls (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results revealed that, based on the present study’s predictive models, adolescents' body composition might be estimated by input anthropometric information. Given the flexibility and modeling of the present method to test different motivated hypotheses, its application to body compositional data is highly appealing.

Comparative genotyping of Blastocystis infecting cattle and human in the south of Iran

BACKGROUND

Blastocystis is a unicellular protozoan and one of the most common parasites found in humans and many animals' intestinal tract. The present study aimed to compare the genotypes of Blastocystis infecting cattle and humans in the south of Iran.

METHODS

A total of 100 human stool samples and 75 cattle stool samples were microscopically examined for Blastocystis infection. DNA was extracted from thirty-eight microscopically positive samples (13 humans and 25 cattle). PCR was performed on positive samples targeting the Blastocystis-specific SSU rDNA gene. PCR products of eight humans and eleven cattle samples were sequenced and compared with available reference sequences in GenBank by BLAST queries. Genetic diversity was measured for Blastocystis subtypes in human and cattle, based on haplotype and nucleotide diversities.

RESULTS

The PCR detected Blastocystis in ten humans and twenty-four cattle samples. Blastocystis subtypes 1, 2, and 6 were found in humans whereas subtypes 5 and 10 were found in cattle. Subtype (ST) 2 was the most predominant subtypes in humans whereas, in cattle specimens, the ST5 was the most dominant subtype. Based on the Blastocystis sequences of SSU rDNA, 68 sites were polymorphic and 49 sites were parsimony informative, resulting in the identification of 15 haplotypes, 10 haplotypes in the cattle and 5 in humans. No haplotype was shared between cattle and human parasites.

CONCLUSION

Human-derived Blastocystis subtypes were different from cattle subtypes in southern Iran. Nevertheless, subtype 5 in cattle can be a risk factor for human infection.

Medical waste generation and management in medical clinics in South of Iran

Medical wastes account for around 1–2% of urban wastes, which are very important in terms of health. In this regard, they are very important and can jeopardize human health. The aim of this study was to determine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the wastes in medical clinics in the south of Iran and in order to present suitable management solutions. First, 14 medical clinics were chosen and 24 samples were taken from each clinic (two samples per month) with a total 336 samples. Considering the special properties and the risk potential, the wastes generated in medical clinics were categorized as infections and special waste groups. In terms of properties, they were classified as pseudo-household, infectious, sharp, pharmaceutical, and paper wastes. Once the samples were collected, they were weighed and the results were analyzed by SPSS. The results indicated that in terms of quantity, the waste generated in the first and second groups was 8550.377 and 8053.71 kg/year, respectively. Furthermore, most of the wastes generated in the first and second groups accounted for pseudo-household (80.7%) and infectious (72.77%) wastes, respectively. Due to presence of the specialty of pathology laboratory in the second group, the quantity of infectious waste has increased. Therefore, for proper management of medical wastes in the studied clinics, the clinics of the studied study should implement and apply the rules of waste management properly. Furthermore, training physicians and employees in clinics about reducing, recycling, and collecting wastes in a separate form in clinics should be done in priority.

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In this study, the classification of Basel convention and World Health Organization was considered as the basis of waste classification.

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The results indicated that in the first group of the studied clinics, the order of the waste quantity was as follows: pseudo-household > infectious > sharp > paper.

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Due to large amounts of hazardous infectious wastes in the second group of the studied medical clinics, it necessitates proper management of collection and disposal of these wastes.

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Results can be used to improve the management of waste generation practices in medical clinics with high risk and special wastes potential.

Molecular Characterization and In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility of 316 Clinical Isolates of Dermatophytes in Iran

Dermatophytosis is a common mycotic infection of the skin, nail, and hair, associated with major public health concern worldwide. Various species of dermatophytes show significant differences in susceptibility to antifungals. Here, we present the antifungal susceptibility of a large collection of molecularly identified dermatophyte isolates obtained from tropical region of south of Iran. A total of 9485 patients clinically suspected to have cutaneous fungal infections were examined. Dermatophytosis was confirmed in 1502 cases by direct microscopy and culture. Three hundred and sixteen isolates recovered in culture were identified to species level using PCR sequencing of ITS region and RFLP. Tinea corporis was the most prevalent type of clinical manifestation (35.2 %), followed by tinea cruris (17 %), tinea capitis (12.8 %), tinea pedis (11.3 %), tinea manuum (11 %), tinea unguium (6.9 %), and tinea barbae (5.8 %). Trichophyton interdigitale was the most common isolate (49.36 %), followed by Trichophyton rubrum (18.98 %), Epidermophyton floccosum (13.29 %), Microsporum canis (9.17 %), Arthroderma benhamiae (T. anamorph of A. benhamiae; 5.38 %), and Trichophyton tonsurans (3.79 %). Overall, irrespective of the geographical region, terbinafine was the most potent antifungal against all isolates, with an MIC range of 0.002-0.25 μg/mL, followed by itraconazole (0.004-0.5 μg/mL), griseofulvin (0.125-8 μg/mL), and fluconazole (4-128 μg/mL). Analysis of our data revealed a significant increase in the frequency of A.benhamiae, which definitely warrants further investigation to explore source of this infection in south of Iran. Moreover, terbinafine was the most effective antifungal against all isolates, in vitro.

Family screening for a novel ATP7B gene mutation, c.2335T>G, in the South of Iran

BACKGROUND

Wilson disease (WD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, which leads to copper metabolism, due to mutations in ATP7B gene. The gene responsible for WD consists of 21 exons that span a genomic region of about 80 kb and encodes a copper transporting P-type ATPase (ATP7B), a protein consisting of 1465 amino acids. Identifying mutation in ATP7B gene is important to find carrier individuals for proper counseling. A novel mutation in exon 8 of ATP7B gene, c.2335T>G (p.Trp779Gly), with severe neuropsychiatric condition in the South of Iran, was recently identified. The aim of this study was to screen 120 individuals from a large family using a simple amplification refractory mutation system PCR (ARMS-PCR) for carrier screening in the South of Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

120 individuals from family relatives of an index case in the Nasr Abad, south of Iran, were studied for screening of the c.2335T>G mutation. One patient with homozygous mutation and one homozygous normal individual were used as controls in this experiment.

RESULTS

Altogether, 16 out of 120 (13.3%) individuals within this region had heterozygous mutation. One individual with homozygote mutation was also identified.

CONCLUSION

Identification of carriers in families with affected individuals is of great importance for counseling before marriage. The results of this study can be used for further counseling programs in this population.

Sex chromosome aneuploidy in cytogenetic findings of referral patients from south of Iran

BACKGROUND

Chromosome abnormality (CA) including Sex chromosomes abnormality (SCAs) is one of the most important causes of disordered sexual development and infertility. SCAs formed by numerical or structural alteration in X and Y chromosomes, are the most frequently CA encountered at both prenatal diagnosis and at birth.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes cytogenetic findings of cases suspected with CA referred for cytogenetic study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Blood samples of 4151 patients referred for cytogenetic analysis were cultured for chromosome preparation. Karyotypes were prepared for all samples and G-Banded chromosomes were analyzed using x100 objective lens. Sex chromosome aneuploidy cases were analyzed and categorized in two groups of Turners and Klinefelter's syndrome (KFS).

RESULTS

Out of 230 (5.54%) cases with chromosomally abnormal karyotype, 122 (30%) cases suspected of sexual disorder showed SCA including 46% Turner's syndrome, 46% KFS and the remaining other sex chromosome abnormalities. The frequency of classic and mosaic form of Turner's syndrome was 33% and 67%, this was 55% and 45% for KFS, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a relatively high sex chromosome abnormality in this region and provides cytogenetic data to assist clinicians and genetic counselors to determine the priority of requesting cytogenetic study. Differences between results from various reports can be due to different genetic background or ethnicity.