Publications by authors named "Alavian S"

Background: Patients who have been infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) are susceptible to developing liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this systematic review was to comprehensively scrutinize the existing evidence concerning the association between host genetic polymorphisms and HBV-associated LC.

Methods: We searched databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for relevant articles published from building databases to 25 October 2023.

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Emergency medicine (EM) is a nascent field in Zambia. While not yet recognized as a medical specialty, there is national interest for developing more robust emergency care systems in this setting. One key element of strengthening EM in Zambia is identifying current gaps in emergency healthcare provision and opportunities for advancement in the field.

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Background: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) are increasing and common forms of chronic liver disease (CLD) with different clinical responses and characteristics which can result in cirrhosis. This study aimed to investigate the natural history and characteristics of AILD in an Iranian population.

Methods: Patients with AILD [Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH), Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Overlap Syndrome (OS)] referred to Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) center, Tehran, Iran, between January 2002 and December 2022 were included in this retrospective cohort study.

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Background: Pediatric neurorehabilitation has recently employed virtual reality (VR) technologies as a platform to design and implement novel modalities.

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility of a multi-component VR-based program on motor skills and functional postural control for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP).

Methods: A single-case-experimental design was conducted on eight children with HCP (12.

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Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic condition that is considerably prevalent across the world. Dietary intakes, in which macronutrient composition is precisely planned, might be able to reduce inflammation, steatosis and fibrosis among patients with NAFLD. A moderately carbohydrate restricted diet with weight loss has been demonstrated to improve liver fat content among overweight or obese patients.

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Introduction: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In developing countries, HBV is the most common etiology of those liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis B (CHB), acute hepatitis B (AHB), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CD8+ T cell exhaustion is a condition of T cell malfunction and reduction that plays a crucial role in the progression of HBV infection.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to identify and align Global Health competencies with the CanMEDS framework in postgraduate medical education to evaluate how they correspond and differ.
  • - Using a scoping review methodology, the researchers analyzed 19 articles that highlighted competencies necessary for Global Health training, finding 36 competencies that mostly correlated with CanMEDS roles.
  • - The results indicated that while many Global Health competencies matched existing CanMEDS standards, there are additional competencies that may enhance future physician competency frameworks.
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Background: Free open-access medical education (FOAM) resources have become highly utilized resources in emergency medicine education. However, FOAM content often lacks the traditional peer review process, leaving quality assessment to the readers. In this systematic online academic resource (SOAR) review, we apply a systematic methodology to assess the quality of FOAM resources on sickle cell disease (SCD).

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Along with all cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, targeting therapy is a new treatment manner. Immunotoxins are new recombinant structures that kill cancer cells by targeting specific antigens. Immunotoxins are composed of two parts: toxin moiety, which disrupts protein synthesis process, and antigen binding moiety that bind to antigens on the surface of cancer cells.

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Globally, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a rising prevalence with no definitive pharmacological treatments. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical effects of wheat germ in patients with NAFLD. Fifty participants with NAFLD were randomly allocated to take 40 g wheat germ (n = 25) or placebo (n = 25) in a randomized double-blind clinical trial over 12 weeks.

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Background: Studies have reported that the immune system modulation genes are involved in the seroconversion during hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Here, a systematic review with meta-analysis is implemented on the association of polymorphisms in immune-related genes with the spontaneous hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroconversion.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the main electronic databases of Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science before May 2022.

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New technologies are supported by the global implementation of the internet. These improvements have deeply affected various disciplines of sciences and consequently changed services such as daily business, particularly health sectors. Innovative digital marketing strategies utilize the channels of social media and retrieved user data to analyze and improve relevant services.

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Introduction: Low-cost generic direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are available in several low-income/middle-income countries, important for treatment scale-up. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of genotype-dependent and pan-genotypic DAA regimens in Iran as an example of a resource-limited setting.

Methods: A Markov model was developed to simulate HCV natural history.

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Background: Given the increasing prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, it is necessary to find an easy and cost-effective method in its management and treatment. Probiotics are a group of living microorganisms that might affect NAFLD through the intestinal-liver axis. The present clinical trial aims to examine the effect of probiotic yogurt consumption on liver enzymes, steatosis and liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

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Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its complications in many countries, including Iran. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of a community-based HCV model of care on HCV testing and treatment initiation among PWID in Kerman, Iran.

Methods: This study is part of the Rostam study and is a non-randomized trial evaluating the effect of on-site HCV- antibody rapid testing, venipuncture for HCV RNA testing, and treatment eligibility assessment on HCV testing and treatment initiation among PWID.

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Background: Although the role of a diet rich in fructose and saccharose in development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is well known, the effects of a low free sugar diet in the management of the disease have not yet been investigated in adult patients with NAFLD. We aimed, therefore, to analyze the effects of a low-free sugar diet on NAFLD main features.

Methods: Participants with FibroScan-proven NAFLD were randomized to a 12-week dietary intervention (low free sugar diet or usual diet).

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Purpose: Racism and colonialism impact health, physician advancement, professional development and medical education in Canada. The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) has committed to addressing inequities in health in their recent statement on racism. The objective of this project was to develop recommendations for addressing racism and colonialism in emergency medicine.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infections among incarcerated individuals in five provinces of Iran as part of a global effort to eliminate these viruses by 2030.
  • Conducted in 2019, it involved 2,475 participants from 15 prisons, using multistage sampling and testing dried blood samples for HBsAg and HCV-Ab, with additional tests for HCV-RNA in reactive cases.
  • The findings revealed a 5.66% prevalence of HCV-Ab and a 2.42% prevalence of HBsAg, with significant risk factors for HCV transmission identified, particularly drug injection, along with other behaviors like unprotected sex
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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the high-metastatic types of cancer, and metastasis occurs in one-third of patients with HCC. To maintain the effectiveness of drug compounds on cancer cells and minimize their side effects on normal cells, it is important to use new approaches for overcoming malignancies. Immunotoxins (ITs), an example of such a new approach, are protein-structured compounds consisting of toxic and binding moieties which can specifically bind to cancer cells and efficiently induce cell death.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Therefore, fighting against such cancer is reasonable. Chemotherapy drugs are sometimes inefficient and often accompanied by undesirable side effects for patients.

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Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is one of the most important comorbidities in patients with hereditary bleeding disorders (HBD). The present study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA)-based interferon-free HCV antiviral regimens in patients with HBD.

Patients And Methods: The present study was performed on the patients with HBD and CHC between 2015 and 2019.

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Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer around the world. Since this cancer is highly resistant to the existing treatments, we used a novel method, which selectively targets HCC cancer cells to improve the treatment process. As normal cells are resistant to reovirus replication, we used oncolytic reoviruses, which can infect, replicate in, and destroy cancer cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in the NS5A and NS5B regions are major factors in failed treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), and can occur before treatment begins.
  • This study focused on identifying these NS5A and NS5B RASs in Iranian patients with HCV genotype 1a and 3a infections, using serum samples and advanced DNA sequencing techniques.
  • Results showed that NS5A mutations were present in 26.4% of HCV-1a and 15.9% of HCV-3a patients, with no RASs found in the NS5B sequences, aligning with findings from other studies.
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Background: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran is high. Since 2005, the Iranian government has implemented a harm reduction program to control HCV. We aimed to describe the prevalence of HCV antibody (Ab) in Iranian PWID before and after the implementation of harm reduction with cumulative meta-analysis.

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This study was conducted to present the mechanism of the therapeutic effects of Chlorella vulgaris extract (CV) on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl) induced liver fibrosis model. Primarily, the mechanism of antioxidant effects of CV were investigated via measuring the expression of forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) and phosphorylated 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) as upstream regulators of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Subsequently, we investigated the regulatory effect of CV treatment on the yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivators with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) as fibrogenic factors.

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