Spatial modeling of mortality from acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age in 2000–2017: a global study

Almasi Ali,Reshadat Sohyla,Zangeneh Alireza,Khezeli Mehdi,Teimouri Raziyeh,Rahimi Naderi Samira,Saeidi Shahram 대한소아청소년과학회 2021 Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics (CEP) Vol.64 No.12

Background: Over the past few decades, various goals have been defined to reduce the mortality of children caused by acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) worldwide. However, few spatial studies to date have reported on ALRI deaths.Purpose: We aimed to assess the spatial modeling of mortality from ALRI in children under 5 years of age during 2000–2017 using a global data.Methods: The data on the mortality of children under 5 years old caused by ALRI were initially obtained from the official website of the World Health Organization. The income status of their home countries was also gathered from the Country Income Groups (World Bank Classification) website and divided into 5 categories. After that, in the ArcGIS 10.6 environment, a database was created and the statistical tests and related maps were extracted. The Global Moran’s I statistic, Getis-Ord Gi statistic, and geographically weighted regression were used for the analyses. In this study, higher z scores indicated the hot spots, while lower z scores indicated the cold spots.Results: In 2000–2017, child mortality showed a downward trend from 17.6 per 100,000 children to 8.1 and had a clustered pattern. Hot spots were concentrated in Asia in 2000 but shifted toward African countries by 2017. A cold spot that formed in Europe in 2007 showed an ascending trend by 2017. Based on the results of geographically weighted regression test, the regions identified as the hot spots of mortality from ALRI in children under 5 years old were among the middle-income countries (R²=0.01, adjusted R²=8.77).Conclusion: While the total number of child deaths in 2000– 2017 has decreased, the number of hot spots has increased among countries. This study also concluded that, during the study period, Central and Western Africa countries became the main new hot spots of deaths from ALRI.

Epidemiology Characteristics and Trends of Lung Cancer Incidence in Iran

Almasi, Zeinab,Salehiniya, Hamid,Amoori, Neda,Enayatrad, Mostafa Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.2

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and a major cause of death from cancer. One of the important indicators to compare the prevalence and incidence of the disease is a change in the trend. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the incidence of lung cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted based on existing data obtained from a national registry of cancer cases and the Disease Management Center of Ministry of Health in Iran. All cases registered in the country were included during 2003-2008. Incidence rates were reported based on the direct method and standard population of World Health Organization. The study also examined the morphology of common lung cancers. Trends in incidence underwent joinpoint regression analysis. Results: Based on the results of this study, 14,403 cases of lung cancer have been recorded of which 10,582 cases were in men and 3,821 in women. Highest incidence rates were observed in the 80-84 age group. Considerable variation across provinces was evident. In females squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) demonstrated a reduction from 24% to 16% of lesions over the period of study, while adenocarcinoma rose from 21% to 29%. In males a similar reduction in SCC was apparent (42% to 29%, again with increase in AC (13 % to 18%). Conclusions: The results show that the increase in the incidence of lung cancer the trend is that more men than women and in men and may be caused by changes in smoking pattern. The incidence of lung cancer in the North West and West provinces was higher than in other regions.

Epidemiology Characteristics and Trends of Incidence and Morphology of Stomach Cancer in Iran

Almasi, Zeinab,Rafiemanesh, Hosein,Salehiniya, Hamid Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.7

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death through the world. It is predicted that the number of new cancer cases will be more than 15 million cases by 2020. Regarding the lack of studies on this topic in the country, we have thoroughly examined the patho-epidemiology of stomach cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross- sectional study data were collected retrospectively reviewing all new stomach cancer patients in Cancer Registry Center report of health deputy for Iran during a 6-year period (2003-2008). The study also examined the morphology of common stomach cancers. Trends in incidence and morphology underwent joinpoint regression analysis. Results: During the six-year period, a total of 35,171 cases of stomach cancer were registered. Average age standardized rate for females and males were equal to 7.1 and 15.1 per 100,000 persons, respectively. Most common histological type was adenocarcinoma, NOS with 21,980 cases (62.50%). The annual percentage change (APC) in age-standardized incidence rate (per 100,000) was increase in both females and males at 11.1 (CI: 4.3 to 18.3) and 9.2 (CI: 5.2 to 13.4), respectively. Conclusions: According to our results, the incidence of gastric cancer is increasing in Iran, so further epidemiological studies into the etiology and early detection are essential.

Neurological disorders of COVID-19: insights to applications of natural products from plants and microorganisms

Faezeh Almasi,Wen Dang,Fatemeh Mohammadipanah,Ning Li 대한약학회 2022 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.45 No.12

In addition to the typical respiratory manifestations,various disorders including involvement of the nervesystem have been detected in COVID-19 ranging from 22 to36%. Although growing records are focusing on neurologicalaspects of COVID-19, the pathophysiological mechanismsand related therapeutic methods remain obscure. Consideringthe increased concerns of SARS-CoV-2 potential formore serious neuroinvasion conditions, the present reviewattempts to focus on the neuroprotective eff ects of naturalcompounds as the principle source of therapeutics inhibitingmultiple steps of the SARS-CoV-2 infection cycle. The great majority of the natural products with anti-SARSCoV-2 activity mainly inhibit the attachment, entry andgene expression rather than the replication, assembly, orrelease. Although microbial-derived natural products comprise38.5% of the known natural products with neuroprotectiveeff ects following viral infection, the neuroprotectivepotential of the majority of microorganisms is still undiscovered. Among natural products, chrysin, huperzine A, ginsenosideRg1, pterostilbene, and terrein have shown potent in vitro neuroprotective activity and can be promising fornew or repurpose drugs for neurological complications ofSARS-CoV-2.

The prospect of using sub-lethal imidacloprid or pirimicarb and a parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum, simultaneously, to control Aphis gossypii on cucumber plants

Ali Almasi,Arash Rasekh,Mehdi Esfandiari,Majeed Askari Seyahooei,Masumeh Ziaee 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.1

The broad-spectrum insecticides greatly influence the control of cotton aphids; however, due to frequent chemicalcontrol, Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) has developed resistance against several classes of syntheticinsecticides. In this study, we explored the sub-lethal effects of imidacloprid and pirimicarb, two commonly usedinsecticides for aphid control, on a parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Braconidae: Aphidiinae),when simultaneously used to control melon aphid on cucumber plants, as part of a comprehensive study forintegrated pest management. Bioassays of imidacloprid and pirimicarb were performed to calculate LC50 withthird instars of A. gossypii. The LC50 of these insecticides (110.55 and 250.89 μg/lit, respectively) were used toexpose the wasp larvae, pupae, and adult parasitoids on a cucumber leaf. The percent mortality, percent adultemergence, and sex ratio were calculated during each exposure test. Moreover, the body size, egg load, andmature egg size of wasps surviving the insecticide treatments, as well as the sex ratio of the second generationwas evaluated. Regardless of the host aphid mortality, none of the insecticides caused mortality of larval stage ofthe parasitoid. The insecticide application on pupal stage revealed that the percentage of mortality, sex ratio,body size, and egg load of surviving wasps, as well as the sex ratio of their offspring was adversely affected byimidacloprid, but not by pirimicarb. The present study suggests pirimicarb as a preferred insecticide, with lessharmful effects on the fitness components of L. fabarum, for integrated pest management of cotton aphids.

Developing a new rock classification based on the abrasiveness, hardness, and toughness of rocks and PA for the prediction of hard dimension stone sawability in quarrying

S. Najmedin Almasi,Raheb Bagherpour,Reza Mikaeil,Yilmaz Ozcelik 한국자원공학회 2017 Geosystem engineering Vol.20 No.6

Predicting the sawability of dimension stone is one of the most important factors in the optimized design and cost estimation of quarrying. This paper aims to predict the cutting rate of diamond wire saw (DWS) as main performance criteria. For this purpose, a classification system for ranking the sawability of hard dimension stone based on the toughness, abrasiveness, and hardness of rock was initially developed, and a Hard Dimension Stone Sawability index (HDSSi) was defined. Then, by means of multiple curvilinear regression analysis, the data were analyzed and the relationship between the cutting rate with the HDSSi, and pullback amperage was obtained with a high correlation coefficient (.846) in data training, and .801 in data test. Validation of the model was carried out by considering the t-test, F-test, and the coefficient of determination. During this research, varieties of 11 types of hard rock were cut in a laboratory using a DWS and a fully instrumented cutting platform at different pullbacks. The results show that the cutting rate of hard dimension stones with a DWS can be successfully predicted using the developed model.

BRAF Mutations in Iranian Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Ranjbari, Nastran,Almasi, Sara,Mohammadi-asl, Javad,Rahim, Fakher Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer or papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid cancer. The fact that it occasionally occurs in women aged 30-40 years old suggests that genetic alterations are involved its genesis. Recently, activator mutations in BRAF gene have been relatively frequently discovered. Materials and Methods: In this study, we tested 63 DNA samples from PTC patients to identify the V600E mutation frequency in the Ahvaz population. DNA was isolated from formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) PTC tumor tissues. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and confirmed by direct DNA sequencing of a subset of PCR products. PCR-RFLP data were reported as genotype frequencies and percentages. Results: Forty nine out of 63 patients (77.8%) had a mutated heterozygote form while 14 (22.2%) showed normal genotype but none demonstrated a mutant homozygote genotype. The frequency of V600E mutation was significantly high in PTC patients. Conclusions: These findings support involvement of V600E mutations in PTC occurrence in Iran. Assessment of correlations between BRAF V600E mutations and papillary thyroid cancer progression needs to be performed.

유전알고리즘을 활용한 대전시 시내버스 노선 설계

오윤석,Mohammad Hadi Almasi,강승모 한국ITS학회 2017 한국ITS학회 학술대회 Vol.2017 No.10

Magnetic characterization of FeCo nanowire arrays by first-order reversal curves

Sima Alikhanzadeh-Arani,Mohammad Almasi-Kashi,Abdolali Ramazani 한국물리학회 2013 Current Applied Physics Vol.13 No.4

FeCo nanowire arrays have been obtained by current pulse electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates. First-order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams have been used to investigate magnetostatic interaction and average coercivity of individual FeCo nanowires embedded in porous alumina templates. The FeCo nanowires with a wires length up to 3 mm and wires diameter ranging from 25 to 50 nm showed interacting single-domain behavior. Using FORC diagrams, the spread of coercivity distribution was seen to be almost independent of the wires diameter, but with increase in diameter the inter-wire magnetostatic interaction was increased. It was found that for arrays with higher diameter, the coercivity of the arrays is lower than the average coercivity of the individual wires. It was detected that an increase in wire diameter results in a considerable increase in the spread of the distribution in the Hu direction of FORC distribution. Curve fitting on the experimental data proved a relatively linear relation between interaction field and square diameter of the nanowires.

First-order-reversal-curve (FORC) diagrams of alternative chain of soft/ hard magnetic CoFe/Cu multilayer nanowires

E. Jafari-Khamse,M. Almasi Kashi,A. Ramazani 한국물리학회 2016 Current Applied Physics Vol.16 No.4

The effect of interactions on the soft and hard phases and interference region that commonly appears in the First Order Reversal Curve (FORC) of interacting two-phase magnetic systems was investigated. To obtain an interacting two-phase system, a new method was introduced for the first time to electrodeposit a two-phase magnetic nanowire (NW) composed of hard and soft phases with high magnetization into nanopores of the anodized aluminum oxide template using the single-bath ac-pulse electrodeposition technique. Two-phase behavior was obtained by multilayer and grainy configurations of the CoFe and Cu layers as two type layers with controllable thickness through the related pulse numbers. It was found that interphase interaction can be observed in FORC diagrams with three factors; (i) the shift in center of the soft phase feature along the interaction field axis without the change in coercivity, (ii) shift in center of the hard phase feature along the coercivity axis and (iii) appearance of an additional interference region. However, order of the shifts directly correlates with the order of demagnetizing intraphase interaction through the hard phase and magnetic moment contribution of the soft phase. The interference region contribution was found strongly correlates with irreversible magnetic moment contribution of the soft and hard phases.