Background Socioeconomic factors may be involved in risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), either indirectly or as confounding factors. In this study two comprehensive indicators reflecting socioeconomic differences, including the Human Development Index (HDI) and Prosperity Index (PI), were used to assess the impact of these factors on the worldwide distribution of MS. Methods The data for this global ecological study were obtained from three comprehensive databases including the Global Burden of Disease (as the source of MS indices), United Nations Development Programme (source for HDI) and the Legatum Institute Database for PI. MS indices (including prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years) were all analyzed in the form of age- and sex-standardized. Correlation and regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between HDI and PI and their subsets with MS indices. Results All MS indices were correlated with HDI and PI. It was also found that developed countries had significantly higher prevalence and incidence rates of MS than developing countries. Education and governance from the PI, and gross national income and expected years of schooling from the HDI were more associated with MS. Education was significantly related to MS indices (p < 0.01) in both developed and developing countries. Conclusion In general, the difference in income and the socioeconomic development globally have created a landscape for MS that should be studied in more detail in future studies.

Introduction: The new coronavirus (COVID-19) has posed many new challenges to the health care and the timing of surgical care. At the beginning of the pandemic many guidelines recommended postponing elective surgical procedures to reallocate resources. As regards, delay in cancer treatment could be effective on cancer progression. The aim of this systematic review was to outline a guideline for preoperative screening before cancer surgeries and protecting health care workers during the pandemic.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted through a search in electronic databases up to August 2020. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were searched without time limitation. The keywords were a combination of preoperative, cancer surgery, COVID-19, and their synonyms.Results: The most commonly used ways to triage preoperatively were telephone pre-assessment for suspicious symptoms and history of contact or travel, 14-day self-isolation, in- hospital queries at admission, temperature monitoring, and isolation in a single room COVID-free ward or physical distancing. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test 24–72 h before operation was recommended commonly, except in inaccessible centers, but non-contrast chest-CT scan is not routinely advised for elective surgeries to salvage medical resources. Recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) for staffs were wearing N95 mask in addition to gown, gloves, eye protection in aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), and wearing gloves, hats, and disposable surgical masks, practice distancing, and hand hygiene for all staffs. Meanwhile team separation of hospital staffs caring for COVID-19 patients, segregated areas for COVID-19 clean and contact, restriction of visitors and family members, and personal distancing are mostly recommended.Conclusion: We hope this review would be a guidance for triage, preoperative testing, and summarizing safety principles during COVID-19 pandemic alongside with surgical reintegration.

No abstract

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent disorder that increases due to lifestyle, the rising rate of obesity, and population ages worldwide. Diagnostic ways, including sonography, do not have an explicit reporting structure. Purpose To create a structure template for NAFLD reporting, investigate its completeness, and assess the specialist opinions of using it in clinical practice. Material and Methods A structured reporting template (SRT) was designed and implemented in four stages. At first, important features were extracted from a comprehensive literature review and were evaluated by 10 radiologists and gastroenterologists using the Likert scale. Finally, the usefulness of the SRT in comparison with the conventional reporting template (CRT) was judged by 10 gastroenterologists completing the questionnaire. Results Demographic information and sonography of the liver, gallbladder, and spleen organs were the most critical features. The completeness scores of SRT reports were higher than CRT scores for almost all the factors studied. The difference in the scores was significant for most of the parameters. Moreover, the total completeness score increased from 42% in CRT to 92% in SRT. A comparison of the report adequacy of two reports was seen in all items. The SRT obtained more rates from specialists. Conclusion Introduction of the SRT for NAFLD significantly enhanced the completeness of reporting to reduce variability in the interpretation of the related reports by clinicians. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to generalize the results in real scales for patients with NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: Improving the learning process in education will empower medical students, and also formative assessment helps improve the teaching–learning process by providing ongoing reflective information about learning gaps. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of student-centered formative assessment by weekly reflective self-correction quizzes on medical laboratory students' performance on the final examination of hematology course in 2018. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A semi-experimental study was conducted on fifty students divided randomly into intervention ( n = 25) and control groups ( n = 25) using convenience sampling in 2018 from Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16, two-sample t -test, Chi-square test, and analysis of covariance. RESULTS: The intervention had positive effects on students' mean test scores in hematology II so that the intervention and control groups managed to obtain 18.45 ± 1.46 and 14.57 ± 2.64, respectively ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that weekly formative assessments along with reflective self-correction activity and active participation of students in the learning process by designing questions could improve student learning.