Kenya Psychosis-Risk Outcomes Study (KePROS): Development of an Accelerated Medicine Partnership Schizophrenia-Aligned Project in Africa.

Background And Hypothesis: The Accelerating Medicines Partnership Schizophrenia (AMP SCZ) funds a longitudinal study of 43 research sites across 5 continents to develop tools to stratify developmental trajectories of youth at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and identify homogenous targets for future clinical trials. However, there are no sites in Africa, leaving a critical gap in our knowledge of clinical and biological outcomes among CHR individuals.

Study Design: We describe the development of the Kenya Psychosis-Risk Outcomes Study (KePROS), a 5-year NIH-funded project in Kenya designed to harmonize with AMP SCZ.

The Effects of an Empathic Communication Workshop on Internal Medicine Residents' Self-Perceived Empathy and Their Patients' Perception of Physician's Empathy: A Single-Group Experimental Study.

Empathetic communication improves the physician-patient relationship and enhances patient and physician satisfaction. This study aims to evaluate the impact of empathic communication skills training on physicians' self-perceived performance and patient satisfaction regarding the empathetic quality of their relationship with their physicians. In this single-group before-after experimental study, we recruited 50 internal medicine residents at a large teaching hospital.

COVID-19 related stigma among the general population in Iran.

Background: COVID-19 related stigma has been identified as a critical issue since the beginning of the pandemic. We developed a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure COVID-19 related enacted stigma, inflicted by the non-infected general population. We applied the questionnaire to measure COVID-19 related enacted stigma among Tehran citizens from 27 to 30 September 2020.

Perceived Stress among Iranians during COVID-19 Pandemic; Stressors and Coping Mechanisms: A Mixed-methods Approach.

Objective: New coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic socioeconomically affected the world. In this study, we measured the perceived stress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic among Iranians to determine the groups at both extremes of the spectrum followed by identifying the stressors and coping mechanisms.

Methods: This study was a mixed-methods study.

Molecular Genetics and Modifier Genes in Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum, a Heritable Multisystem Ectopic Mineralization Disorder.

In the past two decades, there has been great progress in identifying the molecular basis and pathomechanistic details in pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a heritable multisystem ectopic mineralization disorder. Although the identification of pathogenic variants in ABCC6 has been critical for understanding the disease process, genetic modifiers have been disclosed that explain the phenotypic heterogeneity of PXE. Adding to the genetic complexity of PXE are PXE-like phenotypes caused by pathogenic variants in other ectopic mineralization-associated genes.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in patients with biallelic JUP-associated skin fragility.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), with skin manifestations, has been associated with mutations in JUP encoding plakoglobin. Genotype-phenotype correlations regarding the penetrance of cardiac involvement, and age of onset have not been well established. We examined a cohort of 362 families with skin fragility to screen for genetic mutations with next-generation sequencing-based methods.

The quality of life in epidermolysis bullosa (EB-QoL) questionnaire: Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation into the Farsi language.

Background: Defining the quality of life in the patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is important in patient care and management. Evaluation of quality of life requires a valid and reliable scale. The Quality of Life in Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB-QoL) questionnaire, which is an English 17-item questionnaire, has emerged as a useful tool for assessing the quality of life in the patients with EB.

The matriptase-prostasin proteolytic cascade in dermatologic diseases.

The proper development and function of skin and hair are dependent on proteolytic activities. Specifically, the matriptase-prostasin cascade is a series of proteolytic reactions in the epidermis integral to normal regulation of desquamation. An increasing amount of research describing this pathway has recently become available, and the importance of this pathway is exhibited by the association of genetic defects in this pathway with human diseases of the skin and hair.

Woman's perceived stress during pregnancy; stressors and pregnancy adverse outcomes.

Stress perceived by mothers during pregnancy is dependent on several factors and can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes threatening mother and child physical and mental health. The purpose of the present study is measuring perceived stress of pregnant women by 14 items Cohen's perceived stress scale (PSS), detecting stressors surrounding pregnant women including male partner's role, intimate violence, socioeconomic situation, etc., as well as investigate the effect of perceived stress on pregnancy adverse outcomes.

Psychosocial and biological paternal role in pregnancy outcomes.

Pregnancy outcomes are affected by many different factors. One of the influential factors on pregnancy outcomes is the male partner as an important person to mother's wellbeing. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of male partner's role including socioeconomic support, emotional support, accompanying pregnant women during prenatal care visits (PNC) and labor, and the level of pregnant women's satisfaction from their partners' support and involvement during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes.

Evaluating the effects of copper supplement during pregnancy on premature rupture of membranes and pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of copper (Cu) supplementation during pregnancy on the rupture of membranes and pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: Study was conducted as a triple-blind randomized clinical trial. In one group, Cu in a dose of 1000 mg per day, and in the other group, placebo was prescribed orally from 16th week of pregnancy.

Transition to Psychosis: Evaluation of the First-Degree Relatives of Patients with Schizophrenia ‎.

Objective: Schizophrenia and other psychoses have devastating personal and social impacts and many efforts have been devoted to study ‎prodromal syndromes for psychosis in order to achieve earlier detection and interventions. However, only few studies have been ‎performed in developing countries on this subject, and there is a dearth of evidence in the Iranian population. In this study, we ‎focused on conversion rate to psychosis and changes in prodromal symptoms in a group of first-degree relatives of patients with ‎schizophrenia and to compare the conversion rate in those with and without prodromal symptoms as assessed by the Structured ‎Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS).

Antipsychotic drugs attenuate aberrant DNA methylation of DTNBP1 (dysbindin) promoter in saliva and post-mortem brain of patients with schizophrenia and Psychotic bipolar disorder.

Due to the lack of genetic association between individual genes and schizophrenia (SCZ) pathogenesis, the current consensus is to consider both genetic and epigenetic alterations. Here, we report the examination of DNA methylation status of DTNBP1 promoter region, one of the most credible candidate genes affected in SCZ, assayed in saliva and post-mortem brain samples. The Illumina DNA methylation profiling and bisulfite sequencing of representative samples were used to identify methylation status of the DTNBP1 promoter region.

Evaluation of the Effects of Atorvastatin on the Treatment of Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Since pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) causes poor prognosis and inflammatory process involved in PH, it is supposed that Statins with anti-inflammatory effects might be useful in the treatment of PH.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of Atorvastatin on the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in patients with COPD.

Patients And Methods: A registered (IRCT201108257411N1), triple-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed in Rasoule Akram hospital, Tehran, from 2009 to 2011.

To compare PubMed Clinical Queries and UpToDate in teaching information mastery to clinical residents: a crossover randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To compare PubMed Clinical Queries and UpToDate regarding the amount and speed of information retrieval and users' satisfaction.

Method: A cross-over randomized trial was conducted in February 2009 in Tehran University of Medical Sciences that included 44 year-one or two residents who participated in an information mastery workshop. A one-hour lecture on the principles of information mastery was organized followed by self learning slide shows before using each database.

A comparison of answer retrieval through four evidence-based textbooks (ACP PIER, Essential Evidence Plus, First Consult, and UpToDate): a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The efficacy of bedside information products has not been properly evaluated, particularly in developing countries.

Aim: To compare four evidence-based textbooks by comparing efficacy of their use by clinical residents, as measured by the proportion of questions for which relevant answers could be obtained within 20 min, the time to reach the answer and user satisfaction.

Methods: One hundred and twelve residents were taught information mastery basics and were randomly allocated to four groups to use: (1) ACP PIER, (2) Essential Evidence Plus (formerly InfoRetriever), (3) First Consult, and (4) UpToDate.