Background: Under-nutrition has multiple negative impacts on child's growth and development and it has a high prevalence among hospitalized children. Assessment of the food insecurity status is one of the most important indicators of malnutrition among communities, therefore the aim of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity and its social, economical and nutritional determinants among children hospitalized in Tabriz pediatric hospital.

Materials and Methods: The current cross-sectional study was carried out among 236 hospitalized children in Tabriz pediatric hospital. Demographic information including age, weight, height, household size, child order and household income were gathered by face to face interviews with parents. Food security was assessed by a Household Food Security questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed by Excel 2007, Epi-info and IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software.

Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among hospitalized children in Tabriz pediatric hospital was 44.9%, while 26.3% and 18.6% had moderately and severely food insecurity, respectively. Its prevalence in females was more than in males. Low household income, low educational attainment of parents, rural residency and household size were potent determinants of food insecurity(p<0.05). All indices of nutritional status in food insecure group were lower than in secure group. Although this difference did not achieved significant threshold.

Conclusion: In the current study, a high prevalence of food insecurity in hospitalized children in hospital has been reported. Therefore the need for suitable interventions to reduce its prevalence has been warranted.

Background: Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by presence of Toxocara larva in human body. Soil as a reservoir maintained eggs of parasite and has important role in dissemination of disease because dogs and cats defecate eggs of parasite by feces. Despite there are large number of stray cats and dogs in urban areas such as Arak city, we need to collect information about soil pollution in public places. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate soil contamination with Toxocara eggs in public parks in Arak city.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 60 soil samples were collected from 15 public parks in the Arak city during the summer 2015. The soil samples were provided by flotation method and examined by microscope.

Results: The results of this study showed that 4 (26.6%) of 15 parks were infected with Toxocara eggs. The highest rate of infection was observed in the walking and picnic site of parks. Also, in this study, two contaminated parks were located in the center and two parks were located in the southeastern of city.

Conclusion: Considering that soil contamination with Toxocara eggs was high in Arak city, it seems that the health authorities should design and implement programs in order to prevent human infection.

Background: Endothelial cells are very sensitive to mechanical force including microgravity and the morphological and functional changes in them are believed to be at the basis of weightlessness-induced cardiovascular deconditioning. It has been shown that the proliferation, migration, and morphological differentiation of endothelial cells play critical roles in angiogenesis. So far, the influence of microgravity on the ability of endothelial cells to foster angiogenesis remains to be explored in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of microgravity condition on VEGFR-2 and CD34 genes expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in angiogenesis.

Materials and Methods: In this study, HUVEC cells were purchased from Pastor Institute. We used a clinostat to simulate microgravity condition for 2, 24 and 72 hours. Real time PCR technique was used for gene expression analysis after extraction of RNA from cells.

Results:  Our results showed that microgravity for 72h leads to a significant increase (6 times compared with control group, p<0.001) in the VEGFR-2 gene expression. However, expression of CD34 did not change (p>0.05) with microgravity.

Conclusion: Based on the results, microgravity has positive effect on angiogenesis and can be used to generate vascules for cell therapy of ischemic diseases and atherosclerosis.

Background: Demodex mites can infect the sebaceous glands and hair follicles from almost every area of human skin especially on the face. Demodicosis is considered to be a factor in the pathogenesis of some skin disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Demodex mites and to identify the association between risk factors and Demodex infection.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 university students in Khorramabad, Iran. Samples were collected from three different regions of the face (nose, cheeks and forehead) using two different methods, including cellophane tape method (CTP) and skin pressurization. A questionnaire was filled for each individual and data were subjected to statistical analyses using chi-square test.

Results: The overall prevalence of Demodex mites was 55%. The detection rate of infection by cellophane tape method was much higher than that of the skin pressurization (p<0.01). The incidence of Demodex was found to occur more frequently in males and in people with oily skin (p<0.05). Furthermore, the infection rate among students with acne vulgaris was significantly higher than that of students without acne (p<0.05). We found a significant difference between acne vulgaris and density of Demodex mites (p<0.01).

Conclusion: The cellophane tape method (CTP) is an easy and suitable method for epidemiologic investigations. Skin types and gender were identified as risk factors. Our study suggests that Demodex infection could be associated with acne vulgaris.

Background: Breast cancer is both the prevailing malignancy and the most common cause of cancer death among women. Many factors may play a role in the susceptibility to the breast cancer and Oxygen Free Radicals may be one of these. There are various known antioxidant systems against oxidative stress, including ParaoxonaseI. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between rs854560 polymorphism in the PON1 gene in patients with breast cancer.

Materials and Methods: We performed genotyping analysis using polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay in a case–control study of 83 confirmed breast cancer patients and 100 cancer-free controls in Markazi Province.

Results: In our study of the PON1 gene L55M polymorphism, the LL genotype was found in 2 (2.40%) patients, whereas the LM genotype was found in 69 (83.13%) patients. The MM genotype was present in 12 (14.45%) patients. In the control group, LL, LM and MM genotypes were found in 4 (4%), 81 (81%), and 15 (15%) subjects, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between patient and control groups in terms of the PON1 gene L55M polymorphism (p= 0.825). Allele distributions were different but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p= 0.920).

Conclusion: We found no association between M55L polymorphism and breast cancer.

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus was induced, when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin (diabetes type 1) or is unable to use insulin properly (diabetes type 2). In this study, we compare serum nesfatin-1 level in type 1 and 2 diabetic male rats.

Materials and Methods: 18 male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 3 groups: control, diabetes type 1, and diabetes type2. Diabetes type 1 was induced by a single injection of STZ (55 mg/kg) and diabetes type 2 was induced by STZ (60 mg/kg) and NA (110 mg/kg). Weight, FBG (fasting blood glucose), insulin, nesfatin-1were measured in all groups after 6 weeks.

Results: Nesfatin-1 levels were increased in diabetic rats compared to the control. Its level in serum was significantly higher in type 2 compared to type 1 diabetic rats. Serum insulin and body weight were reduced significantly in diabetic rats compared to control. Body weight was lower significantly in type 1 than type 2 diabetic rats. FBG was increased significantly in diabetic rats compared to control and it was higher in type 2 compered to type 1 diabetic rats significantly.

Conclusion: The results indicated that nesfatin-1 level in serum of type 2 diabetic rats was higher than type 1, probably because of higher weight and less destruction of beta cells in type 2 diabetic rats.

Abstract

Background: Specific learning disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent difficulties in learning academic skills in reading, written expression, or mathematics. This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of memantine in the relief of cognitive deficits (selective attention, sustained attention, and working memory) in specific learning disorder.

Materials and Methods: This study is a clinical trial. Of all children 8-12 years referred to Amir Kabir Hospital 94 patients diagnosed with specific learning disorder based on DSMV diagnostic interview referred by specialist and randomly divided by two groups, memantine and placebo. Cognitive deficits before and after treatment were measured with continuous performance test, Stroop test and Wechsler Digit Span forward and reverse and Corsi test.

Results: Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant difference in error when answering, omission answer and corrected answer in continuous performance test, but this difference is not significant in response time. Difference in forward, reverse and collected auditory was significant and not significant in the auditory span. In active visual working memory at corsi cube test, difference was significant (p <0.05).

Conclusion: The results showed that memantine in improvement of sustained attention, auditory working memory and visual working memory, is effective, while in selective attention is not effective and according to similarities of learning disorder and Attention deficit / Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the effectiveness of memantine in improvement of symptoms of ADHD, we can also use this drug in improvement of cognitive deficits of specific learning disorder.  

Abstract

Background: Client satisfaction as an important indicator to assess the quality of provided services has found a special place over the past few decades. The main purpose of this study is to compare the client satisfaction in the public health posts and outsourced health posts affiliated to Qom university of medical Sciences in 2014.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive analytic (cross- sectional) study.The participants were 216 clients, who had referred to 10 public health posts and outsourced health posts of Qom province. Health posts  were selected by cluster sampling from different urban areas  and participants were selected by simple sampling methods. A researcher made questionnaire was used to measure the data on a 5-point Likert scale, which it's validity and reliability were confirmed by experts panel and Cronbach's alpha coefficient, respectively. After collection, the data were analyzed by SPSS 20, and descriptive statistical methods, Mann-Whitney test, chi-square, with 0.05 significant level.

Results: Among 60 health posts, 20 health posts (33.33%) were outsourced and 40 (66.66%) were managed by the public sector. Results showed that in health centers outsourced , overall satisfaction of the child care and vaccinations and maternity care were respectively, 64.5 and 55.42 and 67.43 percent and in public health posts were respectively, 35.5 and 44.58 and 37.66 percent and this difference was significant. Client satisfaction in the public health posts of the vaccination (57.1%) compared with client satisfaction in the outsourced health posts (47.2%) was higher, also at public health posts, satisfaction of the scientific skill employees (55.1 percent) assigned to the outsourced health posts (44.9%) was even greater, that this difference was significant.

Conclusion: Results of the present study showed that, there is a significant difference in satisfaction of clients in public health posts and outsourced health posts It seems necessary to pay special attention to employee training programs by managers and also considering the results of client satisfaction in performance appraisal of personnel in health care posts.

Abstract

Background: 4cure models are a model to analyze survival data that these models exist for long term survivors. Cure models are a special type of survival model where it is assumed that there are a proportion of subjects who had never event, thus, survival curve will eventually reach a plateau. Therefore, standard survival models are not appropriate because they do not account for the possibility of cure.The aim of the present research is to apply non-mixture cure model to analyze survival of patients with colorectal cancer.

Materials and Methods: We studied 232 patients with colorectal cancer who were visited and treated at Taleghani Hospital Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease in Tehran. These patients were diagnosed from 1987 to 2012 and followed up until 2013. The Effect of age, gender, family history, body mass index and site of infection were studied. Kaplan-Meier and Non-Mixture cure Model were used for analzing data.

Results: The ten-year survival rate after diagnosis in the studied patients was 64 % .A total of 60 (25.8 %) deaths due to colorectal cancer were observed. The mean of age at the time of diagnosis was 51.6 years. Based on non-mixed cure model, the rangs of age was 45-65 years old and BMI were significant.

Conclusion: When the population is divided into two groups (susceptible and non- susceptible individuals), using Cox semi-parametric model is not appropriate. Therefore, we should use cure models.

Abstract

Background: Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is protected against oxidants. Vitamin E has antioxidant effect. The aim of this study was to investigate effect of melatonin and/or vitamin E on the EEG, sleep quality and quality of life of female nurses working in hospitals in Arak.

Materials and Methods: 60 female nurses were randomly selected from hospitals in the Arak city. Participants divided into three groups (melatonin3 mg/day, vitamin E 200 IU/day and melatonin and vitamin E groups) and a control group. Before and two months after the baseline, PSQTI and the quality of life of 26 questions questionnaire were completed and EEG was recorded. Finally, the findings for both groups before and after the intervention were compared with each other.

Results: The average of sleep quality showed an improvement in groups receiving melatonin and melatonin+vitamin E (p>0.05). While data of life quality did not show any significant change between groups. In EEG activity, α waves in the range of 8-10 Hz showed maximum increase in melatonin group and minimum increase in vitamin E group. Also, α wave in the range of 10-12 Hz revealed the most decrease in the melatonin group.

Conclusion: It seems simultaneous administration of melatonin and vitamin E is able to improve sleep quality. In addition, melatonin could improve alpha-waves of brain activity.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise and GnRH agonist on the levels of apelin and insulin resistance index in girls with central precocious puberty.

Materials and Methods: In this study, twenty-five girls (7.44±0.34 years) with precocious puberty were included. They were randomly divided into three groups (drug, n=10, exercise+drug, n=8, and exercise, n=7) and one control group (healthy, n=10). In the experimental group, aerobic exercise for 12 weeks, 3 days/week was done, duration intensity of exercise gradually increased 5 minutes and 5% respectively every 2 week. Also, the GnRH agonists were used as medicine. BMI, the apelin and insulin resistance index were assessed before and after exercise.

Results: Insulin resistance index and apelin serum levels in experimental group (exercise and exercise+ drug) were significantly decreased(p=0.05), while these factors were unchanged in control group (p=0.05). Additionally, BMI in exercie groups was significantly decreased (p=0.000), while it was increased in experimental group (drug group) (p=0.06).

Conclusion: Considering to current data, it could demonstrate that aerobic training and GNRH agonists at the same time can lead to a decrease in BMI and apelin and an improvement in insulin resistance index.

Abstract

Background: Bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for treating severe obesity and patient's adherence to self-management behaviors is essential to reduce complications after surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of BSSQ in Iranian population.

Materials and Methods: The statistical society was all of the obese patients that underwent laparoscopic obesity surgery in Shiraz Ghadir Mother & Child Hospital from December 2016 till June 2016, and 201 of them (149 females and 52 males) were selected by using available sampling method. They responded to demographic characteristics, post bariatric surgery self-management behaviors questionnaire and general and specific adherence scales. For validity, methods such as content validity, structural validity (factor analysis and correlation analysis), simultaneous validity were used. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined by using bisection and internal stability methods by Cronbach s alpha.

Results: According to the results of explatory factor analysis, sisx factors including eating behaviors, physical activity, fruits, vegitables, grain and protein intake, fluid intake and dumping syndrome management were elicited, that these 6 factors explained 61.54% of variance of self-management behaviors. Total score of correlation matrix BSSQ with GAS & SAS were 0.363 and 0.702. For reliability, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of this instrument was found 0.90 and guttman split-half coefficient was 0.78.

Conclusion: Results show that BSSQ has an acceptable validity and reliability and it can be used for assessing the post bariatric surgery self-management behaviors in Iranian population.