To compare the safety, efficacy, predictability, stability and complications of wavefront-guided laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy ( LASEK ) in low myopia, myopic astigmatism and high myopia correction.METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 416 eyes were assigned to 3 groups:159 eyes with low myopia ( LM) and mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE) of-3. 68±1. 33 dioptre ( D ); 161 eyes with myopic astigmatism ( MA ) and MRSE of -5. 99 ± 2. 24D and mean cylinder of 2. 41 ± 1. 07D;and 96 eyes with high myopia (HM) and MRSE of- 7. 41 ± 0. 80D. After an epithelial flap creation, a wavefront-based excimer laser ablation was performed. Safety, efficacy, predictability and stability were evaluated at day 10, 2, 6 and 12mo postoperatively.RESULTS:At 12mo, the MRSE was -0. 36 ± 0. 31D in LM group, 0. 15 ± 0. 41D in MA group and 0. 58 ± 0. 68D in HM group. The uncorrected visual acuity ( UCVA) was 20/20 in 90. 60% of patients in LM group, 78. 90% in MA group and 67% in HM group. Efficacy indices were 0. 98, 1. 04 and 0. 92 in LM, MA and HM groups, respectively. Safety indices were 1. 00, 1. 07 and 1. 05 in LM, MA and HM respectively. Five eyes (3. 1%) in the LM group gained 1 line. Forty-four eyes (27. 3%) in MA gained 1-3 lines and eighteen eyes (19. 2%) of HM group gained 1-2 lines of BSCVA. Only 2 eyes in LM group developed corneal haze. There were not statistically significant differences in efficacy and safety indices amongst three groups.CONCLUSlON:Wavefront-guided LASEK is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of LM, MA, and HM. although in myopic astigmatism the predictability, efficacy and safety indices had been better.

AIM:TO evaluate chromosome 8 abnormalities in Duane's retraction syndrome(DRS)type 1.METHODS:We evaluated chromosome 8 abnormalities in 29 consecutive cases of DRS type Ⅰ.DNA was isolated from the peripheral leukocytes of patients using a genomic DNA extraction kit,then D8S553 and D8S1797 markers used for polymerase chain reaction(PCR).RESULTS:None of the cases were positive for the two markers D8S553 and D8S1797 on chromosome 8 which were tested in our study.CONCLUSION:The possible cause of this finding is that DRS in our patients is more commonly sporadic rather than familial.We recommend study with more cases,other markers,and different chromosomes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the localization, expression, and function of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in fallopian tube epithelial cells. METHODS: The localization of TLRs in fallopian tube epithelial cells was investigated by immunostaining. Surprisingly, the intensity of staining was not equal in the secretory and ciliated cells. After primary cell culture of fallopian tube epithelial cells, ring cloning was used to isolate colonies of ciliated epithelial cells, distinct from non-ciliated epithelial cells. The expression of TLRs 1–10 was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein localization was confirmed by immunostaining. The function of the TLRs was determined by interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 production in response to TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR7, and TLR9 ligands. RESULTS: Fallopian tube epithelial cells expressed TLRs 1–10 in a cell-type-specific manner. Exposing fallopian tube epithelial cells to TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR7, and TLR9 agonists induced the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-8. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that TLR expression in the fallopian tubes is cell-type-specific. According to our results, ciliated cells may play more effective role than non-ciliated cells in the innate immune defense of the fallopian tubes, and in interactions with gametes and embryos.
Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Cytokines ; Embryonic Structures ; Epithelial Cells* ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Ligands ; Primary Cell Culture ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Toll-Like Receptors*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the waist circumference of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), had an impact on lung function. METHODS: There were 180 patients with COPD recruited into this prospective cross-sectional study. The age, weight, body mass index and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Spirometry parameters including forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), were measured and FEV1/FVC calculated. RESULTS: The mean FEV1/FVC in both normal weight and overweight patients, did not statistically significantly correlate with WC. The COPD assessment test, positively correlated with WC ( p = 0.031). A positive correlation with body mass index ( p < 0.001), smoking ( p = 0.027), and global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease score ( p = 0.009), were observed to positively associate with WC. WC, age, C-reactive protein, duration of disease, and gender (male), were observed to be statistically significant risk factors for the severity of COPD. CONCLUSION: WC was not observed to impact upon lung function in this study but it was a predictive factor for COPD severity in patients.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Overweight ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Vital Capacity ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: This systematic and meta-analysis review aimed to provide an updated estimate of the prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women, in geographic areas worldwide, and demonstrate a trend of the prevalence of smoking over time by using a cumulative meta-analysis. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published on the prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women. We searched PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, and Ovid from January 2010 to April 2020. The reference lists of the studies included in this review were also screened. Data were reviewed and extracted independently by two authors. A random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women. Sources of heterogeneity among the studies were determined using subgroup analysis and meta-regression. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women was 28% and 17%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of ever cigarette smoking in adolescent girls/students of the school, adult women, pregnant women, and women with the disease was 23%, 27%, 32%, and 38%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of ever cigarette smoking in the continents of Oceania, Asia, Europe, America, and Africa was 36%, 14%, 38%, 31%, and 32%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of cigarette smoking among women is very high, which is significant in all subgroups of adolescents, adults, and pregnant women. Therefore, it is necessary to design and implement appropriate educational programs for them, especially in schools, to reduce the side effects and prevalence of smoking among women.
Cigarette Smoking/trends* ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: School closure is one of the main policies of global health care strategies performed worldwide. Despite all benefits, there might be some threats for younger groups spending their time in quarantine. This study aims to determine the impacts of lockdown and school closure on children's major lifestyle aspects, especially their leisure and sleep pattern during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: For the purpose of this study, an online questionnaire was distributed from 14th to 31st of March 2020 among the schools and students from the first grade to the 12th grade (before university) in Fars province, southern Iran. The questionnaire consisted of five sections which included data regarding the students' general information, activity priorities, adherence to quarantine, attitude toward school closure, and sleep patterns. RESULTS: In our study, 20,697 filled questionnaires were received from the participants with an average age of 13.76 years; 29.7% of them were male, 80.6% were from urban areas, and 83.3% were from public schools. The overall first preference of students during school closure was mobile and computer games (30.1%), followed by studying (26.6%) and watching television (13.8%). Our results demonstrated that the majority of students adhered to social distancing and there was also a significant correlation among education levels and desire for schools to be closed till the end of the semester (P = 0.015). Also, regarding sleep patterns, the majority (53.5%) had above 12 h of sleep throughout the day. CONCLUSION It seems that lockdown following COVID-19 pandemic has changed various aspects of the students' lifestyle remarkably, especially by increasing screen time and even sleep duration and pattern. We believe that certain strategies should be implemented by the Health and Educational Ministry to control not only the visible side effects of the quarantine period, but also the collateral consequences on their psychological and mental health.
Adolescent ; COVID-19/psychology* ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Iran/epidemiology* ; Life Style ; Male ; Quarantine/statistics & numerical data* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Schools ; Sleep Hygiene ; Students/statistics & numerical data* ; Surveys and Questionnaires