Background Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs) may exert beneficial effects on the immune system of patients with viral infections. This paper aimed to examine the effect of n3-PUFA supplementation on inflammatory and biochemical markers in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Methods A double-blind, randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 128 critically ill patients infected with COVID-19 who were randomly assigned to the intervention (fortified formula with n3-PUFA) (n = 42) and control (n = 86) groups. Data on 1 month survival rate, blood glucose, sodium (Na), potassium (K), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), albumin, hematocrit (HCT), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), mean arterial pressure (MAP), O2 saturation (O2sat), arterial pH, partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), bicarbonate (HCO3), base excess (Be), white blood cells (WBCs), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (Plt), and the partial thromboplastin time (PTT) were collected at baseline and after 14 days of the intervention. Results The intervention group had significantly higher 1-month survival rate and higher levels of arterial pH, HCO3, and Be and lower levels of BUN, Cr, and K compared with the control group after intervention (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between blood glucose, Na, HCT, Ca, P, MAP, O2sat, PO2, PCO2, WBCs, GCS, Hb, Plt, PTT, and albumin between two groups. Conclusion Omega-3 supplementation improved the levels of several parameters of respiratory and renal function in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Further clinical studies are warranted. Trial registry Name of the registry: This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT); Trial registration number: IRCT20151226025699N3; Date of registration: 2020.5.20; URL of trial registry record: https://en.irct.ir/trial/48213

Introduction. There is an established fact that Asian breast cancer patients are, on average, younger than their European counterparts. This study aimed to utilize the data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents I through XIII (published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer) to examine what contributes to the younger age at onset in the Asian population. Material and Methods. Data (number of breast cancer cases and corresponding population figures) for 29 registries in Europe and 9 registries in Asia for the period of 1953–2002 was accessioned and pooled to form two distinct populations, Asia and Europe. The age specific rates were defined and analyzed cross-sectionally (period wise) and longitudinally (cohort wise). The magnitude and the pattern of age specific rates were analyzed using the age-period-cohort analysis. The constrained generalized linear model with a priority assumption of cohort effect as contributing factor to changing rates was used to analyze the data. Result. During the last 50 years, the rate of breast cancer increased for both populations with an estimated annual percent change of 1.03% (with 95% CI of 1.029, 1.031) for Asia and 1.016% (95% CI of 1.015, 1.017) for Europe. There were stronger cohort effects in the magnitude of rates among the Asian population compared to the European population. The cohort effects, expressed as the rate ratio with cohort born in 1970 as reference, ranged from 0.06 (95% CI 0.05, 0.08) to 0.94 (95% CI 0.93, 0.96) for Asians and 0.35 (95% CI 0.33, 0.36) to 1.03 (95% CI 1.02, 1.04) for Europeans. The estimated longitudinal age specific rates (adjusted for cohort and period effects) showed similar patterns between the two populations. Conclusion. It was concluded that a strong cohort effect contributes to the younger age at onset among Asian breast cancer patients.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with the spatial distribution of the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the neighborhoods of Tehran, Iran using Bayesian spatial models.MethodsThis ecological study was implemented in Tehran on the neighborhood level. Socioeconomic variables, risk factors, and health costs were extracted from the Equity Assessment Study conducted in Tehran. The data on CRC incidence were extracted from the Iranian population-based cancer registry. The Besag-York-Mollié (BYM) model was used to identify factors associated with the spatial distribution of CRC incidence. The software programs OpenBUGS version 3.2.3, ArcGIS 10.3, and GeoDa were used for the analysis.ResultsThe Moran index was statistically significant for all the variables studied (p<0.05). The BYM model showed that having a women head of household (median standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 2.53), living in a rental house (median SIR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.96), not consuming milk daily (median SIR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.94) and having greater household health expenditures (median SIR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.68) were associated with a statistically significant elevation in the SIR of CRC. The median (interquartile range) and mean (standard deviation) values of the SIR of CRC, with the inclusion of all the variables studied in the model, were 0.57 (1.01) and 1.05 (1.31), respectively.ConclusionsInequality was found in the spatial distribution of CRC incidence in Tehran on the neighborhood level. Paying attention to this inequality and the factors associated with it may be useful for resource allocation and developing preventive strategies in atrisk areas.

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Introduction: The prevalence of both obesity and vitamin D deficiency has been dramatically increased worldwide. Aim of the study: This study aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D serum level and anthropometric indices of overweight and obese male adolescents at baseline and after 18 weeks of a weight reduction intervention. Methods: This study was carried out on 90 male students aged 12 to 16 years who were randomly selected from two schools in Tehran, Iran. The participants were assigned to two groups with high and low vitamin D level based on their serum vitamin D levels at baseline. Five ml blood samples were collected at the baseline and after the 18 weeks of a weight reduction intervention. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percent and body muscle percent were measured using a bio impedance analysis (BIA) scale. Results: Vitamin D level in non-obese adolescents was significantly higher than the obese participants (44.01 vs 37.67 ng/dl, p < 0.04). However, there was no significant correlation between changes of vitamin D level and anthropometric measurements after 18 weeks. Adjusting the effect of age did not alter the association. Further adjustments for physical activity, dietary intake of vitamin D, and fat and muscle percentage had no effect on the results. Conclusion: The serum level of vitamin D was negatively associated with obesity, but not with short-term changes of anthropometric measurements in male adolescents.

Contradictory results were reported on the effect of fat mass‐ and obesity‐associated (FTO) gene and anthropometric measurements on breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to assess the interactions between rs9939609 polymorphism of FTO gene, anthropometric indices and BC risk in Iranian women. This case‐control study was performed on 540 women including 180 women with BC and 360 healthy women in Tehran, Iran. Physical activity and dietary intakes were assessed by validated questionnaires. Data on sociodemographic and pathologic factors of the participants as well as their blood samples were collected. The rs9939609 FTO gene polymorphism was genotyped using the tetra‐primer amplification refractory mutation system‐polymerase chain reaction (T‐ARMS‐PCR). No significant association was found between BC and risk allele of FTO rs9939609 polymorphism after adjustments for the confounders. However, there was a significant association between rs9939609 polymorphism risk allele and BC risk in females with overweight, even after adjusting for age, family history of BC, abortion, BMI and the number of pregnancies (P < .05). The association was disappeared after further adjustments for lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, calorie and macronutrients intake, and physical activity. The FTO gene polymorphism was associated with the risk of BC in overweight individuals. This association was influenced by environmental factors including diet, alcohol consumption and smoking. Future studies are required to confirm the association between the FTO gene and BC in overweight females and to identify the underlying mechanisms.

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