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  Background & Objectives: Establishing Counseling Centers for Behavioral Illnesses (CCBIs) is a practical solution for preventi ng AIDS, sexually-transmitted diseases, and drug abuse in countries that have successfully implemented prevention programs. More efficient management models can help such centers better achieve their goals using the inevitably limited existing resources. The main goal of this study was to design a domestic model for resource management at CCBIs.

  Methods: In this descriptive-comparative study, a form was designed to gather relevant data from countries being studied. Based on the study goals, gathered data were organized into comparative tables, based on which the primary model was designed. A questionnaire was used to test and validate the primary model. The model was finalized by collecting the opinions of 30 experts, faculty members, and managers from the Ministry of Health and Universities of Medical Sciences using the Delphi technique.

  Results: All countries studied had used their resources for managing prevention and treatment programs for AIDS and other behavioral diseases despite existing challenges. In most countries studied, the clinics were decentralized and counseling and contraception services were also provided in rural areas. Besides, such services were often integrated with primary care clinical services. Occasionally, internet-based, online counseling was also used.

  conclusion: The present investigation showed participation of non-governmental organizations, provision of all services free of charge, integration of services into primary care clinics, continuing education for the personnel of CCBIs, establishing special centers for high-risk groups such as sex workers, school-based health education, launching educational websites, and absorbing international aid can all contribute to improvement of resource management and performance at CCBIs.

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Background & objectives: Appropriate nutritional behavior is effective in controlling many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of nutrition counseling in improving  nutritional behavior, lifestyle and healthy nutrition in patients with myocardial infarction.
Methods: In this interventional study, 120 patients admitted to the cardiac care units of the hospital, were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into two groups. Data were collected using  MEDFICTS and demographic questionnaires. After running the questionnaire, interventional group (n=60) with a score of more than 70 received nutritional counseling. After the end of nutritional counseling (3 sessions, 90 minutes), the subjects were re-evaluated for nutritional behavior. Data were analyzed using t-test in SPSS20 software.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 62.73±11.56 years, and 53.7% of them were female. The mean MEDFICTS scores before the consultation in the interventional group and control group were 43.2±14.8 and 43.5±18.2, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (p=0.3). The mean MEDFICTS scores at the end of the study in interventional and control groups were 13.14±62.6 and 23.3±2.24, respectively. This difference was significant between groups (p<0.001).
Conclusion: MEDFICTS scores improved in patients with myocardial infarction receiving nutritional counseling. It seems that the operation of nutritional counseling in patients with myocardial infarction can be effective in reducing the incidence of this disease

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Background & objectives: Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (Morquio syndrome type A) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a mutation in the GALNS gene located on chromosome 16q24.3 and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. To date, more than 300 different mutations associated with MPS IVA, have been reported. Mutational heterogeneity can lead to difficulties in interpretation of molecular testing results, as novel mutations/variants of unknown significance may be detected relatively frequently. The purpose of this study is to analyze the GALNS mutations in Iranian MPS IVA patients.
Methods: Mutation screening of the GALNS gene was performed using direct sequence analysis on DNA samples from 8 unrelated Iranian MPS IVA patients.
Results: We have identified three novels and four previously reported mutations in 8 Iranian patients. We identified three novel missense mutations including: c.680T>C (p.F227S) in exon 7, c.G949C (p.G317R) and c.956G>C (p.R319T) in exon 9 in three different Iranian MPS IVA patients.  Bioinformatics analysis predicted the novel mutations as being disease-causing.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate the molecular heterogeneity of GALNS gene in Iranian patients. We also managed to find three new mutations of MPS IVA in Iranian patients, which are helpful in diagnosis, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in affected families