[ overview on DNA barcoding: a new horizon in fungal molecular diagnostics]

Total number of fungal species has been estimated over 1.5 million, of which less than 10 percent have formally been described. Advances made in molecular biology, development of gene and genome sequence technologies, discovery and description of new species among different clusters of life, especially fungi, has been accelerated. With respect to the failure of morphological-based species recognition methods for fungi identification, use and application of DNA based identification methods have assumed great importance for rapid and accurate identification of fungal species. DNA barcoding is of central importance among the new approaches for the identification of fungi and pseudo fungi and has been used during the last 10 years. For fungi, the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA [ITS-rDNA] has become an appropriate barcode. Efficacy of ITS-rDNA sequence data in successful identification of fungal species has resulted in general agreement among mycologists to use ITS-rDNA region as a gold standard barcode for fungi. However, it seems that ITS-rDNA region will be used as the primary barcode for identification of fungal species and accurate identification will further be performed by use of sequence data from the other genomic loci as secondary barcodes. Considering the pleomorphic nature of the fungi, use of DNA barcoding has assumed higher importance. Hundreds of thousands of reference barcodes have been generated for a great number of species by DNA barcoding projects. Scientists now are facing new challenges for barcode data management, facilitation and acceleration in species identification process using DNA barcodes by the end-users through automation of DNA barcoding system

Iranian health insurance system; past experiences, present challenges and future strategies

The Iranian healthcare system is primarily an insurance based system. This structure has an important influence on the efficiency and equity of the provision of healthcare in Iran. This paper reviews the history of the Iranian healthcare system and the impact of the Iranian health insurance system on healthcare performance based on the results of interviews with key opinion leaders and empirical evidence. This review uses mixed methods: a systematic literature review of electronic databases supplemented by hand searching of books and journals including Government publications and other grey literature. The issues identified were explored through a series of semi-structured interviews with key informants from within the Iranian healthcare system. The interviews were recorded transcribed, coded, classified, and analysed thematically. Empirical evidence was also sought to support or contradict the views expressed in the interviews. Sixteen interviews with key informants were conducted and presented anonymously. The interviewees raised many issues which were summarized into five main issues: increasing health expenditures, lack of systematic health technology assessment, very limited financial resources, challenging management and regulation, and uncovered population. A wide range of issues have affected the efficiency, quality and equity of the services provided by the Iranian healthcare system. The initial and most important step toward improving the efficiency, equity and quality of the health insurance system is to focus on evidence-based policy making to generate feasible, reasonable and comprehensive reforms

Health care financing in Iran; is privatization a good solution?

This paper considers a range of issues related to the financing of health care system and relevant government policies in Iran. This study used mixed methods. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify relevant publications. This was supplemented by hand searching in books and journals, including government publications. The issues and uncertainties identified in the literature were explored in detail through semi-structured interviews with key informants. These were triangulated with empirical evidence in the form of the literature, government statistics and independent expert opinions to validate the views expressed in the interviews. The systematic review of published literature showed that no previous publication has addressed issues relating to the financing of healthcare services in Iran. However, a range of opinion pieces outlined issues to be explored further in the interviews. Such issues summarised into four main categories. The health care market in Iran has faced a period in which financial issues have enhanced managerial complexity. Privatization of health care services would appear to be a step too far in assisting the system to confront its challenges at the current time. The most important step toward solving such challenges is to focus on a feasible, relevant and comprehensive policy, which optimises the use of health care resources in Iran

[Assessment of the accuracy of moyers prediction tables and Tanaka Johnston regression equations in a sample of Iranian population and introducing new regression equations in prediction of unerupted teeth]

Statement of Problems: Ethnic and sex differences in the mesiodistal width of the teeth have been proved in different studies. The prediction methods of the canine and premolar width have been obtained from other populations, which are in controversy with the results of previous Iranian studies

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Tanaka-Johnston prediction equations and Moyer's prediction tables in the prediction of un-erupted canines and premolars in a South Iranian population. Also, new regression equations and tables are presented to predict the width of the un-erupted canines and premolars based on the sum of the mesiodistal width of the lower incisors

Materials and Method: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 715 dental casts were recruited from southern Iranian population. The greatest mesiodistal widths of all the teeth were measured using digital caliper with the accuracy of 0.01 mm. All the data were compared with Moyers's and Tanaka-Johnston predictions using Pearson Correlation, independent t-test and paired sample t-test. New regression equations were presented with multiple linear regression tests and new prediction tables were presented with LMS chart maker software

Results: Tanaka-Johnston equations and Moyer's prediction tables revealed a significant difference with the mesiodistal dental width of southern Iranian population and the predictions were overestimated in this population. Also, there was a significant difference between the mesiodistal width of the teeth of males and females. So, new regression equations and tables [based on the sum of the lower incisors] were introduced for different jaws and sexes in this study. The suggested regression for prediction of the maxillary canine and premolars based on the summation of mesiodistal width of the lower incisors was y=0.529x+9.161 and for prediction of the mandibular canine and premolarsit was y=0.567x+7.827

Conclusion: Tanaka-Johnston and Moyer's prediction tables overestimate the actual size of southern Iranian's teeth width; Moyers prediction tables are not accurate in the prediction of the width of the canines and premolars in none of the percents. So, application of these methods is not suggested for Iranian population

Sensitivity and specificity of colorectal cancer mass screening a systematic review of the literature

Colorectal cancer is the second cause of the cancer related mortalities in the world. Screening can effectively reduce the mortality and morbidity rate of this cancer. Sensitivity and specificity of screening methods play an important role in their efficacy. The aim of this study is to review sensitivity and specificity of selected colorectal cancer screening methods systematically. This study conducted a systematic review of sensitivity and specificity of five common colorectal cancer screening methods. The sites Pubmed, Cochrane library and the center for review and dissemination [CRD database] were searched systematically in Jan 2009. Key questions for this search were focused on the sensitivity and specificity of the 5 screening methods. In these databases 2713 articles were matched well with our subject. Of these 130 articles were selected with specified inclusion-exclusion criteria. The mean +/- standard deviation per patient sensitivities of colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, double contrast barium enema, CT colonography and fecal occult blood test for detecting colorectal cancer were respectively 94.7 +/- 4.6%, 82.0 +/- 9.3%, 82.3 +/- 8.7%, 95.7 +/- 5.9% and 45.7 +/- 26.5%. Specificities of these tests were respectively 99.8 +/- 0.2%, 83.9%, 92.4 +/- 14.7%, 98.5 +/- 1.3% and 87.6 +/- 11.4%. Based on available evidences, colonoscopy has the highest sensitivity and specificity among the selected screening methods and fecal occult blood test has the lowest sensitivity. Almost all of the tests except stool exams have acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detecting colorectal cancer

[Effect of hydrostatic pressure on PC12 cell line]

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of hydrostatic pressure on cell viability, apoptosis induction, morphology and cell-substrate interactions of PC 12 cells. PC 12 as a neuronal cell line maintained in RPMI 1640 culture medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. PC 12 cells were subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Experimental pressure condition was 100mmHg set above atmospheric pressure for 2 h. Controls were treated identically except for the application of pressure. Dye exclusion was used for viability assay, TUNEL staining was used for apoptosis detection. Cell area was assessed as morphometry and then cell adhesion, extension and migration were investigated. Hydrostatic pressure had not changed viability of cells. It induced apoptosis in PC 12 cells. In addition, hydrostatic pressure reduced cell area, adhesion, extension and migration ability of these cells [P<0.05]. Hydrostatic pressure may induce apoptosis in PC 12 cells as a result of inappropriate cell to substrate adhesion. Thus it is suggest that occurring apoptosis in these cells be an anoikis cell death induced by loss of attachment to the substrate