The pretest-posttest control group design is one of the most widely used quantitative experimental design models for evaluating the efficacy of programs, treatments, and interventions. Despite the prevalence and utility of this research design, best practices for data analytical procedures are not clearly defined. Invalid results decrease the chance of generalization. Given that Iranian Journals are interested in publishing pretest-posttest control group design studies, it is important to denote the accuracy of them. The aim of the current study is to explore the correct procedure for using ANCOVA in pretest-posttest control group designs to mitigate the potential limitations of this approach. This study explores the use of ANCOVA in pretest-posttest control group design. It has been done by analyzing data from experimental studies published in five Iranian journals indexed in PubMed or Scopus between 2011 and 2018. The results indicate that among the 280 published experimental studies in these journals, 53 papers (18.9 percent) used ANCOVA as the statistical test in pretest-posttest studies. The power of the test represents the probability of detecting differences between the groups being compared when such differences exist. Our analysis concludes that ANCOVA, which runs a multiple linear regression, is a suitable method for comparing and examining pretest-posttest study designs. Implications of this study have potential utility for researchers employing the use of pretest-posttest control group designs in various fields in and outside of Iran.

Immature/total neutrophils (I/T) ratio is a simple and inexpensive method used as an early sign of bacterial infection. Meanwhile, the S100B protein is found in glial cells and functions as a neuroprotection. Then, the interleukin-10 cytokine acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine during infection. In addition, the NEWS2 score is used to see the early and fast changes in patients with sepsis. The purpose of the study was to prove the correlation between the I/T ratio, S100B, IL-10, and NEWS2 score in patients with sepsis. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 34 patients with sepsis from September 2020 to February 2021. I/T ratio was calculated in 100 leukocytes from microscopic blood smear preparation. Levels of S100B and IL-10 serum were measured using the ELISA method. Pearson correlation test was used for normally distributed data, and the Spearman correlation test was utilized for abnormally distributed data. Correlation test between I/T ratio, S100B, and IL-10 with NEWS2 score respectively showed values of r=0.58; P=0.01, r=0.36; P=0.03, and r=0.39; P=0.02, in which P<0.05. There was a moderate positive correlation between I/T ratio and NEWS2 score, a weak positive correlation between S100B and NEWS2 score, and a weak positive correlation between IL-10 and NEWS2 score.

Inflammatory bowel disease comprising Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis presents with periods of flares and remission. Many reports have identified different dysregulated miRNAs in patients with IBD. Finding new biomarkers in IBD patients can help to launch a novel non-invasive approach for diagnosis and prognosis for patients with UC and CD. This study aimed to evaluate the plasma expression pattern of the miRNAs panel in IBD patients compared to healthy individuals. 73 plasma samples were included; 58 patients with IBD (33 individuals in flare and 25 in remission phase) and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The miRNA expression was measured by qRT-PCR using miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (QIAGEN). Our results showed the expression level of miR-16-5P was significantly increased in the active phase compared to the inactive phase (P=0.0138) and in CD patients compared to UC patients (P=0.0216). There was a significant difference in the expression of miR-29a in Crohn's patients compared to healthy subjects (P=0.04). Measuring the expression of mir-106a; a significant increase was observed compared to healthy individuals (P=0.03) and patients with CD (P=0.0143) in proportion of UC patients’ group. The miR-126 expression significantly increased in patients with active disease compared to patients in the inactive phase (P=0.0413) and healthy controls (P=0.0492). This study showed evidence for differential expression levels of plasma panel of miR-16, miR-29a, miR-106a, and miR-126 in IBD patients compare to healthy individuals. We illustrate that miRNAs in plasma correlate with disease activity and can be used as a practical and non-invasive biomarker for early diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment protocol.

In liver cirrhosis, there is low T3 syndrome associated with a decrease in total triiodothyronine (T3) and free T3 concentrations and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) with chronotropic incompetence. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of eliminating T3 and thyroxine (T4) deficiencies on cardiac chronotropic dysfunction. Bile duct ligation (BDL) was used to induce cirrhosis in male Wistar rats. The chronotropic responses were studied through the Power Lab system in sham/saline, sham/T3T4, BDL/saline, and BDL/T3T4 groups. The serum T3 and T4, and T3 resin uptake (T3RU) levels were assessed. The atrial T3 receptor expression was investigated through a real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). The chronotropic responses were decreased in the BDL/saline group and raised in the BDL/T3T4 group. The serum T3 levels decreased in the BDL/saline group compared to sham group, but increased in the BDL/T3T4 group compared to the BDL/saline group. The serum T4 level increased in the BDL/saline and decreased in the BDL/T3T4 group. The serum T3RU level decreased in the BDL/saline and increased in the BDL/T3T4 group. The T3 receptor expression in atria increased in the BDL/saline group, nonetheless, it did not change in the BDL/T3T4 group compared to the sham/saline and the BDL/saline groups. T3T4 treatment did not increase the chronotropic response in the control group but the treatment improved the chronotropic hyporesponsiveness, and serum T4 and T3 RU abnormalities in cirrhosis, however, it is not related to the atrial T3 receptor expression.

The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) has been developed to measure the health status of Congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. This study aimed to translate KCCQ into a Persian version and assess its validity and reliability. We used a forward-backward procedure to translate the questionnaire. In a cross-sectional study, 150 CHF patients and 50 healthy subjects over 30 years old were selected to assess the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The face and content validity were used for the questionnaire's validity. The validity was examined on a population of patients with CHF using the Persian version of the Minnesota Living Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF) health survey. Calculation of the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha was done to evaluate the questionnaire's reliability. Test-retest reliability was examined by re-administering the KCCQ after 2 weeks. Test-retest results demonstrated that the Persian version has excellent reliability (ICC for all domains was higher than 0.93, P≤0.000). Internal consistency was found by Cronbach's alpha to be 0.86 for the clinical summary and 0.87 for the overall summary, respectively. Also, the correlation between the components of KCCQ and MLHQ showed satisfactory construct validity. Good Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was seen between KCCQ and MLHF (r= -0.44, P≤0.000 for the clinical summary; r= -0.45, P≤0.000 for the overall summary). Analysing the data from 50 healthy persons and 150 patients were shown that the Persian version of KCCQ has acceptable discriminate validity for all domains except self-efficacy. The Persian version of the KCCQ had satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing health-related quality of life status for Iranian CHF patients.

Antibiotics are medicines that fight against bacterial infections and are usually considered safe drugs. However, they can simultaneously cause several adverse reactions. Nitrofurantoin, which is mainly administered for treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections, causes seizure reportedly. Therefore, further research is required to be conducted to simulate the case report situations and examine whether nitrofurantoin is the main factor leading to seizures. To do this, NMRI male mice (20-30 gr) were chosen and classified into different groups in both acute and chronic phases. Each phase contained mice treated with nitrofurantoin, phenytoin and the combination of both drugs as well as untreated control group. An Electroshock device was used to induce seizure in mice and then the effect of nitrofurantoin and phenytoin was examined in acute and chronic phases. Seizure induction in mice was examined 30 minutes and one week after injection in acute and chronic phases, respectively. Results indicated that THE (Tonic Hind-limb Extension) duration was different among the studied groups. Nitrofurantoin-injected mice were revealed to have a higher THE duration in comparison with control group, while phenytoin-injected group showed a lower THE duration. Furthermore, administration of nitrofurantoin and phenytoin combination reduced THE duration in both acute and chronic phases. Our conclusion is that nitrofurantoin can possess convulsive effects and cause seizure as a side effect.

Lumbosacral radicular pain (LRP) is usually caused by herniation of intervertebral discs and is characterized by pain arising in the back and radiating to the lower extremities. The current study evaluated the efficacy of gray ramus communicans nerve block (GRCNB) in decreasing LRP in patients with intervertebral disc herniation who underwent transforaminal epidural block. Thirty patients with magnetic resonance imaging indicating a disc herniation on the L4-L5 level participated in this study. All patients were randomly divided into two groups: one whose members underwent GRCNB (n=15) after transforaminal epidural block, and a second group (n=15) whose members underwent only transforaminal epidural block on L4-L5 on the affected side. Follow-up after the procedure ran for a period ranging from 6 to 10 months (mean=8.2±2.1 months) for radicular pain score and the need for analgesics. The mean age of the patients was 54.8±18.4 years (range: 30-65 years). LRP duration in all patients before the procedure was 6-24 months (mean: 12±10.9 months), and there was no significant difference between the two groups. A greater reduction in the numerical rating scale (NRS) one week, 1, and 6 months after the procedure was observed in the group with GRCNB compared to the other group. The reduction in need for analgesics one week, 1, and 6 months after the procedure was statistically significant in the group with GRCNB compared to the group without GRCNB. No major complications were observed in any of the patients in either group. GRCNB is effective in reducing radicular pain and the need for analgesics in patients with lumbosacral radicular pain.

Aluminum Phosphide (ALP) is an effective, cheap, and highly toxic pesticide. ALP poisoning can have destructive effects on the human body, such as the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and central nervous system, although all organs can be involved. We describe a 53-year-old Iranian Kurdish man with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). Supportive treatments such as hemodialysis and plasmapheresis were performed. After 23 days of hospitalization, the patient fully recovered and was discharged. Thrombotic microangiopathy such as HUS should be considered in patients with ALP toxicity that has a genetic defect in complement proteins. Combined use of hemodialysis and plasmapheresis improve outcomes in these patients.

An intramyocardial dissection hematoma is a rare event usually caused by hemorrhagic dissection among the spiral myocardial. Herein, we reported a senile man with Intramyocardial dissection hematoma who presented with neglected myocardial infarction

Due to the wide variety of cervical vertebral congenital anomalies, knowledge of their types and related clinical conditions can prove to be helpful for physicians and surgeons in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The aim of this study is to report on a rare case of unstable cervical vertebral congenital anomaly in which the patient had a defect in the body of the C3 vertebra in addition to defects in the posterior arch of C1 and posterior element of C2. This type of anomaly has not been reported so far in the literature. To reduce the patient’s related neurological disorders, our treatment choice for this patient was occipitocervical fusion (OCF) surgery. At the 3-year postoperative follow-up, all sensory and motor problems related to this anomaly affecting the patient's upper and lower limbs and causing shoulder and neck pain were eliminated. In this rare type of anomaly, OCF surgery seems to be an effective choice in relieving the patient's neurological symptoms.