The maternal factors associated with infant low birth weight: an umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: In this umbrella review, we systematically evaluated the evidence from meta-analyses and systematic reviews of maternal factors associated with low birth weight. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched to identify all relevant published studies up to August 2023. We included all meta-analysis studies (based on cohort, case-control, cross-sectional studies) that examined the association between maternal factors (15 risk factors) and risk of LBW, regardless of publication date. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the summary effect size along with the 95% confidence interval (CI), 95% prediction interval, and heterogeneity (I2) in all meta-analyses. Hedges' g was used as the effect size metric. The effects of small studies and excess significance biases were assessed using funnel plots and the Egger's test, respectively. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool. RESULTS: We included 13 systematic Review with 15 meta-analysis studies in our study based on the inclusion criteria. The following 13 maternal factors were identified as risk factors for low birth weight: crack/cocaine (odds ratio [OR] 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.26-3.52), infertility (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.2-1.48), smoking (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.76-2.28), periodontal disease (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.67-3.47), depression (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.34-2.53), anemia (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.55), caffeine/coffee (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.14-1.57), heavy physical workload (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.00-3.47), lifting ≥ 11 kg (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.02-2.48), underweight (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.20-2.67), alcohol (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.04-1.46), hypertension (OR 3.90, 95% CI 2.73-5.58), and hypothyroidism (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.01-1.94). A significant negative association was also reported between antenatal care and low birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: This umbrella review identified drug use (such as crack/cocaine), infertility, smoking, periodontal disease, depression, caffeine and anemia as risk factors for low birth weight in pregnant women. These findings suggest that pregnant women can reduce the risk of low birth weight by maintaining good oral health, eating a healthy diet, managing stress and mental health, and avoiding smoking and drug use.

Effect of concurrent exposure to noise and hand-transmitted vibration on auditory and cognitive attention under simulated work with construction tools.

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the effects of separate and concurrent exposure to occupational noise and hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) on auditory and cognitive attention. Methods. The experimental study was conducted with 40 construction workers who were exposed to noise (A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level of 90 dB) and to HTV (10 m/s2 at 31.5 Hz), and concurrent exposure to both for 30 min under simulated work with vibrating equipment used in construction. Cognitive performance aspects were then evaluated from each individual in two pre-exposure and post-exposure settings for each session. Results. The effect sizes of concurrent exposure (HTV + noise) and separate exposure to noise on auditory attention were very close (effect size = 0.648 and 0.626). The largest changes in the difference of response time in both types of attention (selective and divided attention) were related to the concurrent exposure scenario and then exposure to HTV, respectively. The highest effects for the correct response of selective and divided attention are related to concurrent exposure (HTV + noise) and then noise exposure, respectively. Conclusion. The HTV effect during concurrent exposure is hidden in auditory attention, and noise has the main effects. The divided attention was more affected than the selective attention in the different scenarios.

Diabetic foot ulcers risk prediction in patients with type 2 diabetes using classifier based on associations rule mining.

Identifying diabetic patients at risk of developing foot ulcers, as one of the most significant complications of diabetes, is a crucial healthcare concern. This study aimed to develop an associative classification model (CBA) using the Apriori algorithm to predict diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). This retrospective cohort study included 666 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Iran between April 2020 and August 2022, of which 279 (42%) had DFU. Data on 29 specific baseline features were collected, which were preprocessed by discretizing numerical variables based on medical cutoffs. The target variable was the occurrence of DFU, and the minimum support, confidence, and lift thresholds were set to 0.01, 0.7, and 1, respectively. After data preparation and cleaning, a CBA model was created using the Apriori algorithm, with 80% of the data used as a training set and 20% as a testing set. The accuracy and AUC (area under the roc curve) measure were used to evaluate the performance of the model. The CBA model discovered a total of 146 rules for two patient groups. Several factors, such as longer duration of diabetes over 10 years, insulin therapy, male sex, older age, smoking, addiction to other drugs, family history of diabetes, higher body mass index, physical inactivity, and diabetes complications such as proliferative and non-proliferative retinopathy and nephropathy, were identified as major risk factors contributing to the development of DFU. The CBA model achieved an overall accuracy of 96%. Also, the AUC value was 0.962 (95%CI 0.924, 1.000). The developed model has a high accuracy in predicting the risk of DFU in patients with type 2 diabetes. The creation of accurate predictive models for DFU has the potential to significantly reduce the burden of managing recurring ulcers and the need for amputation, which are significant health concerns associated with diabetes.

Hematological parameters in newly diagnosed TB patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Despite all efforts, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the 10 leading causes of death worldwide. The hematopoietic system is seriously affected by TB and there is little information about the hematological profile of patients with TB. In this regard, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess hematological parameters among newly diagnosed TB patients. Relevant papers were found by searching in the PubMed database until April 2023. Fifteen papers involving 3354 patients were included. One-sample meta-analysis revealed the low pooled mean values for Hgb of 11.679 g/dl (95 % CI: 10.982-12.377) and the increased pooled ESR of 63.569 mm/h (95 % CI: 57.834-69.304) among newly diagnosed TB patients. The pooled prevalence of anemia, leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and lymphopenia was 61.6 % (95 % CI: 45.4-75.6 %), 45.9 % (95 % CI: 39.1-52.9 %), 31.9 % (95%CI: 15-55.3 %) and 23.1 % (95%CI: 5.4-61.5 %) between TB patients, respectively. From a two-sample meta-analysis, the RBC and HgB values for TB patients were significantly lower than that of healthy controls (p < 0.05). Awareness of common blood abnormalities like elevated ESR, leukocytosis, and anemia in newly diagnosed TB patients helps physicians in early diagnosis and better management of disease.

Effect of noise and hand-transmitted vibration exposure on hearing and equilibrium under a simulated work environment with building tools.

BACKGROUND: Construction workers are exposed to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) and/or noise caused by vibrating hand tools in the work environment. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to investigate the effects of exposure to HTV and/or noise on workers' hearing loss and body balance. METHODS: Forty construction workers were exposed to HTV (10 m/s2 rms, 31.5 Hz) and/or typical construction noise (90 dBA) in three simulated experiment scenarios with the vibrating hand-held tool for 30 minutes over three days. The hearing loss from 1000 to 6000 Hz and the body balance were determined before and after each exposure scenario. RESULTS: Separate noise exposure at all frequencies except for 1000 Hz could significantly affect hearing threshold levels (p-value<0.05). Separate exposure to HTV cannot lead to a remarkable effect on hearing loss (p-value>0.05); however, it can synergistically increase the effect of noise on hearing loss. Also, the affected frequency range in concurrent exposure has been greater than in separate noise exposure. The separate effects of exposure to HTV and noise on the subjects' body balance were not statistically significant (p-value>0.05); however, these effects became significant in concurrent exposure (p-value<0.05). Based on the estimated effect sizes, noise could synergistically increase the observed effect of HTV on body balance. CONCLUSION: There is a synergistic interaction between HTV and noise on hearing loss and body balance. It seems necessary to pay attention to the risk evaluation of simultaneous exposure to noise and HTV when setting the occupational action limit values.

Statistical shape analysis of maxillary palatal morphology in patients with palatally displaced canines.

OBJECTIVE: Maxillary morphology has long been a subject of interest due to its possible impact on palatally and labially displaced canines. This study aims to conduct a comparison of the palate morphology between individuals with palatal and labially displaced canines and control subjects using statistical shape analysis on a coronal cross-sectional of CBCT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged between 12 and 43 years with palatally or labially displaced canines referred to Hamadan School of Dentistry between 2014 and 2019 were recruited for this retrospective study. The sample included 29 palatally displaced canines (PDC), 20 labially displaced canines (LDC), and 20 control groups (CG). Initially, the maxillary palate coronal section was acquired and landmarked in the region between the right and the left first molar. Procrustes and principal component analyses were used to identify the primary patterns of palatal shape variation. Statistical tests were then performed to examine both shape and size differences. RESULTS: According to the results of Hotelling's T2 test, there is a significant difference between the mean shape of palate in PDC and CG (P = 0.009), while the difference between the PDC-LDC and LDC-CG groups is not significant. The longest full Procrustes distance was observed between PDC and CG (distance = 0.043), and the shortest full Procrustes distance was observed between LDC and CG (distance = 0.029). The first two principal components accounted for 84.47% of the total variance. The predictive accuracy of the discriminant analysis model showed that 72.46% of cases were correctly classified into the three study groups. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of centroid size, there was no significant difference in the sectional area between the three groups, but the difference between the mean shape of palate in the PDC and CG groups was significant. The PDC group showed more prominent mid-palatal area in the molar region.

Comparative Evaluation of Application of Universal Bonding on the Microtensile Bond Strength of Light Cure and Dual Cure Composites Bonded to Dentin.

Objectives: There is limited knowledge on the efficacy of universal adhesives when used in different etching modes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microtensile bond strength (µTBS) to dentin using universal adhesives with light-cure and dual-cure composites. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro experimental study, the occlusal third of 60 caries-free human molars were removed and the exposed surfaces were treated and allocated to 10 groups (N=6). Two different bonding agents (Single Bond Universal, G-Premio) were used to bond 2 different composite resins (Z250 light-cure and CoreFlo DC dual-cure) to dentin, using etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) modes. Single Bond 2 was applied in E&R mode on wet dentin to serve as control. The specimens were sectioned into 1×1 mm2 sticks with a precision saw. A microtensile testing machine was used to measure the µTBS of the specimens with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test (α=0.05). Results: The Single Bond Universal group in SE mode with light-cure composite yielded the highest (39.24MPa), and the G-Premio SE group with dual-cure composite produced the lowest (13.65MPa) mean µTBS (P<0.05). The dominant failure mode was adhesive, in all groups. Conclusion: The bonding agent had a significant effect on µTBS of composite to dentin, but different composites and different etching modes were not significantly different in this respect.

The Effect of Cognitive-behavioral Counseling on the Resilience of Female Adolescents with Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the causes of poor performance in women, with direct and indirect adverse effects on their marital, family, and social life. This study aimed to examine the effect of cognitive-behavioral counseling on resilience in adolescent girls with PMS. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted from February to May 2018 on 15-17-year-old girl adolescents in Hamadan high schools. Using the block randomization method and the block size of 10, we randomly assigned 120 participants with moderate to severe PMS into intervention (N=60) and control groups (N=60). Participants in the intervention group received eight 60-minute cognitive-behavioral counseling sessions for 8 weeks, and the control group received no intervention. Data were gathered using demographic questionnaire, Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, and the Connor-Davidson resilience scale. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16. The Chi-square, independent-samples t-test, and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. P values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean total resilience score and all its dimensions increased in the intervention group 3 months after the intervention (P<0.05). Mean scores of total resilience and all subscales except spiritual influences showed statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups 3 months after the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral counseling can improve resilience in female adolescents with moderate to severe PMS. It is recommended that school counselors can use cognitive-behavioral counseling to improve the resilience of girls with moderate to severe PMS.Trial Registration Number: IRCT2015052615341N6.

Association between Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors and Immunohistochemical Profile in Women with Breast Cancer.

Background: The association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and breast cancer may significantly impact the mortality and incidence of breast cancer. This study aimed to assess the association between MetS risk factors and immunohistochemical (IHC) profiles in women with breast cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the medical records of 300 breast cancer patients with an average age of 53.11±12.97 years in the Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Clinic of Dr. Anbiai, Tehran, Iran (2020-2021). The cases were divided into five subgroups including luminal A, luminal B (HER-2-), luminal B (HER-2+), HER-2 overexpressing, and triple negative. Results: There was no difference in the prognostic indicators between the presence and absence of MetS in women with breast cancer. A higher proportion of luminal A tumors (39.3%), luminal B (HER-2+) (25%), triple-negative (17%), luminal B (HER-2-) (10.7%), HER-2 overexpression (8%) was observed in women with MetS than those without MetS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients with MetS had a 41% higher chance of developing luminal A than those without MetS, and patients with a BMI≥30 Kg/m2 had an 80% higher chance of developing luminal B (HER-2+) than those with a BMI<30 Kg/m2. Moreover, women with a waist circumference higher than 88 cm had a 14 % lower chance of developing Luminal B (HER-2+) than those with a waist circumference less than 88 cm. Conclusion: There was no difference in prognostic indicators and IHC profile in patients with and without MetS.

The effect of adding silver nanoparticles on the color stability of feldspathic porcelains.

Background: This study aims to investigate the color stability of feldspathic porcelains with different concentrations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, feldspathic porcelain disks with AgNPs of 0 parts per million (ppm), 250 ppm, and 500 ppm were used (sample size = 180). These ceramic discs were subjected to thermocycling in tea, orange juice, and artificial saliva. The optical parameters of disks were measured before and after being immersed in the solutions. Then, the color change (ΔE 00) of the samples was measured by using the CIEDE 2000 formula. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test. The level of significance was determined to be 0.05. Results: The results of the ANOVA test show that there was a significant difference in ΔE 00 (P ≤ 0.05). The maximum ΔE 00 was visible in the samples with AgNPs 0 ppm that were exposed to orange juice, and the minimum ΔE 00 was related to the disks with AgNPs 500 ppm in artificial saliva. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, adding AgNPs to feldspathic porcelain increases the color stability of the ceramic discs.

Evaluating the color stability of 3D-printed resins against various solutions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different solutions on the optical behavior of two types of 3D-printed resin (Detax and Asiga). The samples were randomly divided into 4 groups of cola, orange juice, tea and artificial saliva (control group) in the form of 14 x 10 mm blocks with a thickness of 1.5 ± 0.3 mm (10 samples in each group). By spectrophotometric device, the color of the examined samples was recorded in the CIE system and in three parameters *L (brightness), a* (red-green) and b* (blue-yellow) as the initial record. The color difference of the samples was recorded on 7 and 30 days after immersion as a secondary record. After that, using the formula, the color difference (ΔE) were calculated. T-test also was used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference between the amount of ΔE on 7th and 30th days after exposure to artificial saliva and cola and on 7th days after exposure to orange juice and tea. But on the 30th day, a significant difference was found in orange juice and tea drinks (p<0.05), so that the value of ΔE in Asiga printer was lower than Detax. ΔE changes in orange juice solution were more than other drinks. On the 30th day of immersion in tea drinks and orange juice, Asiga printer had significantly less color difference than Detax printer.

Evaluation of the Relationship between Family History and Occurrence, Anatomical Location, and Extent of Coronary Artery Disease among Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography.

Background: A positive family history (FH) of coronary artery disease (CAD) is considered an independent risk factor for developing CAD. However, the relationship between the occurrence, angiographic anatomical location of the stenosis, and extent of CAD and the risk factors in the patients and their relatives is not well defined. Evaluation of this relationship is our main goal in this study. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the FH data for CAD and premature death in first-and second-degree relatives, angiographic anatomical location of the stenosis, the extent of CAD in the patients and their relatives, as well as the relationship between other risk factors and the extent of CAD, were collected from 300 adult patients undergoing coronary angiography at Farshchian cardiovascular hospital in Hamadan (Iran) between March 2020 and 2021. SPSS 24 and the chi-square, Fisher exact, and student t tests were used to analyze data. The significance level was considered P < 0.05. Results: Out of 300 patients, 185 (61.7%) were men and 115 (38.3%) were women. A total of 177 patients (59%) in maternal and 82 patients (27.3%) in paternal relatives had an FH of CAD. There was a significant relationship between the severity of coronary artery involvement and risk factors (P < 0.001). Moreover, there was no significant relationship between the location of coronary artery involvement of the right coronary artery, left coronary artery, and left anterior descending artery and the severity of involvement of patients undergoing coronary angiography and their first- and second-degree relatives (P = 0.480). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that there was no significant relationship between the anatomical location of the stenosis and the number of vessels involved and the FH of the patients. In patients with an FH, the extent of CAD significantly increased according to their risk factors for heart disease.

Association between the severity of periodontitis, COVID-19, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels in hospitalized patients: a case‒control study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps one of the most important events of the 21st century. Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent diseases of the oral cavity. Due to possible pathways of interaction between these two diseases, we investigated their association. METHODS: The study population consisted of hospitalized patients with established COVID-19 diagnoses. Patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 were considered controls, while cases had severe to critical COVID-19. Periodontal examination and serum and saliva sampling were performed for each patient. Relevant medical data were extracted from patients' hospital files. RESULTS: Of the enrolled patients, 122 were included in the statistical analyses. The severity of periodontitis was directly and significantly correlated with the severity of COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Patients with generalized stage III or IV periodontitis displayed an adjusted odds ratio of 4.24 for severe to critical COVID-19. Salivary and serum interleukin-6 levels were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity (P values: 0.002 and 0.004, respectively). Hospitalization length was significantly associated with the severity of periodontitis (P = 0.004). Clinical attachment level and gingival index were associated with increased odds for adverse events (P values: 0.004 and 0.035, respectively), while number of remaining teeth was associated with decreased odds for adverse events (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the severity of periodontitis is associated with the severity of COVID-19. This association might manifest as increased odds of adverse events. COVID-19 severity was associated with higher levels of salivary and serum interleukin-6 levels.

Effect of dental distance from implant and MAR algorithm on the detection of vertical root fracture in CBCT images

Three-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has an important role in the detection of vertical root fractures (VRFs). The effect of artifact generation by high-density objects like dental implants on image quality was well documented. This study aimed to assess the effect of tooth-implant distance and the application of metal artifact reduction (MAR) algorithm on the detection of VRFs on CBCT scans. This study was conducted on 20 endodontically treated single-rooted teeth. VRFs were induced in 10 teeth, while the other 10 remained intact. The implant was inserted in the right second premolar socket area, and two teeth were inserted in right canine and right first premolar sockets area randomly and underwent CBCT with and without the application of MAR algorithm. SPSS 21 was used to analyze the results (alpha=0.05). According to the findings of this study, all four variables of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive values in diagnosis were higher in cases without MAR software at both close(roots in first premolar sockets) and far distances (roots in canine sockets) from the implant. However, the highest rate of diagnosis accuracy of the first and second radiologists was in the far distance group from the implant without MAR, and the lowest rate of diagnosis accuracy in the first and second radiologists was in the close distance to the implant. Applying MAR algorithm had no positive effect on detection of VRFs on CBCT scans in both close and distant scenarios.

La tomografía computarizada de haz cónico tridimensional (CBCT) tiene un papel importante en la detección de fracturas radiculares verticales (VRF). El efecto de la generación de artefactos por objetos de alta densidad como los implantes dentales en la calidad de la imagen está bien documentado. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el efecto de la distancia entre el diente y el implante y la aplicación del algoritmo de reducción de artefactos metálicos (MAR) en la detección de VRF en escaneos CBCT. Este estudio se realizó en 20 dientes uniradiculares tratados endodónticamente. Se indujeron VRF en 10 dientes, mientras que los otros 10 permanecieron intactos. El implante se insertó en el área del alveolo del segundo premolar derecho, y dos dientes se insertaron en el canino derecho y en el área del alvéolo del primer premolar derecho al azar y se sometieron a CBCT con y sin la aplicación del algoritmo MAR. Se utilizó SPSS 21 para analizar los resultados (alfa=0,05). De acuerdo con los hallazgos de este estudio, las cuatro variables de sensibilidad, especificidad, precisión y valores predictivos positivos en el diagnóstico fueron más altas en los casos sin el software MAR tanto en distancias cercanas (raíces en las cavidades de los primeros premolares) como lejanas (raíces en las cavidades de los caninos) del implante. Sin embargo, la tasa más alta de precisión diagnóstica del primer y segundo radiólogo fue en el grupo de mayor distancia al implante sin MAR, y la tasa más baja de precisión diagnóstica en el primer y segundo radiólogo fue en la distancia cercana al implante. La aplicación del algoritmo MAR no tuvo un efecto positivo en la detección de VRF en escaneos CBCT en escenarios cercanos y distantes.

The effect of low-dose aspirin on aspirin triggered lipoxin, interleukin 1 beta, and prostaglandin E2 levels in periapical fluid: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The role of pro-resolving mediators in inflammation is a new concern in research. The effect of low-dose aspirin on production of a special kind of these mediators named aspirin triggered lipoxin (ATL) has been studied on different tissues. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effect of low-dose aspirin on ATL and pro-inflammatory mediators' level in periapical fluid of necrotic teeth with large lesions. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with necrotic pulp and periapical lesion were randomly assigned to low-dose aspirin and placebo groups. In the first appointment, canals were shaped up to F3 size and #40 K-file and cleaned with 10 milliliters 2.5% sodium hypochlorite and 17% Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Periapical fluid was sampled by a paper cone. The tooth was temporized without any intracanal medication. Tablets were administered for 7 days, then the teeth were re-opened and the sampling were repeated. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and ATL were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed with paired t-test using SPSS statistical software, version 21 (α = 0.05). RESULTS: A significant reduction in PGE2 and IL-1ß was noted in the aspirin-treated group while an increase in ATL was observed (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the mediator scores before and after in the placebo-treated group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-dose aspirin can influence the inflammatory process by reducing pro-inflammatory mediators such as PGE2 and IL-1ß, as well as increasing the pro-resolving mediators such as ATL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20191211045702N1.

Hematologic tests and their association with the severity of COVID-19 and periodontitis in hospitalized patients: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The presence of comorbidities, especially those with a chronic inflammatory nature such as periodontitis, can facilitate COVID-19 progression toward more severe forms. Both of these diseases can affect systemic health and alter hematological test results. In this study, we decided to investigate COVID-19 and periodontitis' possible interaction with these alterations. METHODS: Hospitalized patients with a definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 were included. Controls had mild to moderate COVID-19, while cases had severe to critical COVID-19. Periodontal examination was done for each patient. Relevant medical and hematological data were extracted from patient's hospital files. RESULTS: A total of 122 patients entered the final analysis. The minimum white blood cell counts were associated with the severity of periodontitis. The interaction between periodontitis and COVID-19 was associated with increased minimum white blood cell counts and decreased platelet counts. COVID-19 severity was associated with increased venous oxygen saturation, prothrombin time, the maximum partial thromboplastin time, the maximum and average urea, the maximum creatinine, the maximum potassium, and lactate dehydrogenase, and decreased sodium levels. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study showed that several blood parameters were associated with periodontitis, COVID-19, or the interaction between them.

The Performance Evaluation of The Random Forest Algorithm for A Gene Selection in Identifying Genes Associated with Resectable Pancreatic Cancer in Microarray Dataset: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: In microarray datasets, hundreds and thousands of genes are measured in a small number of samples, and sometimes due to problems that occur during the experiment, the expression value of some genes is recorded as missing. It is a difficult task to determine the genes that cause disease or cancer from a large number of genes. This study aimed to find effective genes in pancreatic cancer (PC). First, the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) imputation method was used to solve the problem of missing values (MVs) of gene expression. Then, the random forest algorithm was used to identify the genes associated with PC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 24 samples from the GSE14245 dataset were examined. Twelve samples were from patients with PC, and 12 samples were from healthy control. After preprocessing and applying the fold-change technique, 29482 genes were used. We used the KNN imputation method to impute when a particular gene had MVs. Then, the genes most strongly associated with PC were selected using the random forest algorithm. We classified the dataset using support vector machine (SVM) and naïve bayes (NB) classifiers, and F-score and Jaccard indices were reported. RESULTS: Out of the 29482 genes, 1185 genes with fold-changes greater than 3 were selected. After selecting the most associated genes, 21 genes with the most important value were identified. S100P and GPX3 had the highest and lowest importance values, respectively. The F-score and Jaccard value of the SVM and NB classifiers were 95.5, 93, 92, and 92 percent, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study is based on the application of the fold change technique, imputation method, and random forest algorithm and could find the most associated genes that were not identified in many studies. We therefore suggest researchers use the random forest algorithm to detect the related genes within the disease of interest.

Correlation of Wilms' Tumor 1 (WT1) with Oxidative Stress Markers and Expression of miR-361-5p; New Aspect of WT1 in Breast Cancer.

Breast carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease that affects millions of women worldwide. Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) is an oncogene that promotes proliferation, metastasis and reduces apoptosis. MicroRNAs (miR) are short noncoding RNAs with a major role in cancer metastasis. In present study, we investigated the association of serum level of WT1 with oxidative stress and expression of miR-361-5p in breast cancer. Serum samples of 45 patients and of 45 healthy women analyzed for protein level of WT1, malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Serum and tissue expression of miR-361-5p in 45 tumor tissues and 45 paired non-tumor adjacent tissues and 45 serum samples of patients and healthy women analyzed by qRT-PCR. Protein levels of WT1 not significantly difference in serum of patients compared to healthy controls. Serum levels of MDA and TOS in patients were higher, but TAC level was lower than healthy controls (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between WT1 with MDA and TOS, and a negative correlation between WT1 with TAC in patients. miR-361-5p expression in tumor tissues and serum of patients was lower than non-tumor adjacent tissues and serum of healthy controls, respectively (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a negative correlation between miR-361-5p and WT1 in patients. The positive correlation between WT1 with MDA and TOS and negative correlation between TAC and miR-361-5p suggests that this gene can play an important role in worse prognoses in breast cancer. Additionally, miR-361-5p may serve as an invasive biomarker for early detection of breast cancer.

Relationship between body mass index and oral health indicators: a cross-sectional study.

Today's prevalence of obesity is dramatically increasing and a two-way interaction between higher body mass index (BMI) and oral health is described in scientific litterature. Accordingly, the present study was aimed to evaluate the relation of BMI and oral health indicators. In this cross-sectional study, 240 individuals according to their BMI were placed in the following experimental groups; underweight (BMI<18), normal weight (18≤BMI≤24.9), overweight (25≤BMI≤29.9) and obese (30≤BMI). Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP) and decayed, missed and filled teeth (DMFT) were obtained. Data was analyzed by SPSS 26 using descriptive tests and one-way ANOVA at the level of 0.05. The mean age and sex distribution of participants of experimental groups had no significant difference (p>0.05). GI and BOP were significantly lower in normal weight persons than individuals with high BMI (p<0.05). DMFT, the number of decayed, missed and filled teeth was approximately similar in all experimental groups (p>0.05). Pearson correlation coefficient showed a positive significant relation between GI as well as BOP with BMI (p=0.000). Based on the results achieved by the present study, although periodontal health status of overweight and obese individuals was significantly compromised compared to normal weight persons, the dental health status was not affected by BMI.

Humoral immune response to two doses of COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines in people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

People living with HIV (PLWH) are susceptible to severe COVID-19 infection and hence this fragile population has prioritised vaccination. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the humoral immune response after receiving two doses schedule of COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations in this high-risk population. A systematic electronic search on the PubMed database and manual searches were performed for relevant articles until 30 Sep 2022. Two outcomes of interest were seroconversion rates and anti-spike receptor binding domain (anti-S-RBD) antibody titres at the median time of 14-35 days following two-dose vaccination among PLWH. Nineteen cohorts and one cross-sectional study were eligible for inclusion in this study. The pooled estimate of seroconversion rate after receiving two doses of mRNA vaccination schedule were 98.4% and 75.2% among PLWH with CD4>500 cells/mm3 and CD4<200 cells/mm3 , respectively. Compared with controls, PLWH with CD4>500 cells/mm3 had a 51% likelihood of having positive anti-Spike-RBD immunoglobulin G (IgG) (OR: 0.509, 95% CI: 0.228, 1.133, p = 0.098) post-vaccination and this value was only 1.4% (OR: 0.014, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.078, p = 0.000) for PLWH with CD4<200 cells/mm3 . There was no significant difference in titres of antibodies on 14-35 days post-vaccination between PLWH with CD4>500 cells/mm3 and healthy controls (p = 0.06). The pooled median of anti-S-RBD IgG values were 1461.93 binding antibody units (BAU)/ml and 457.41 BAU/ml in PLWH with CD4>500 cells/mm3 and CD4<200 cells/mm3 , respectively. According to these findings, vaccination with both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines induced a robust humoral response in ART-treated HIV patients with preserved CD4 cell count. A diminished humoral immune response to vaccination against COVID-19 in PLWH with unrestored CD4 count implied the need of specific vaccination schemes.