CAG repeats and one polymorphism in androgen receptor gene are associated with renal calcium stone disease.

Purpose: Evidence suggests that androgens can be involved in the pathogenesis of renal stones. This study aimed at investigating coding region polymorphisms and CAG repeats in androgen receptor (AR) and their association with active renal calcium stone disease.

Materials And Methods: Male patients with calcium kidney stones ( = 106) with at least two episodes of stone recurrence or size increase during the past 5 years (ASF) were enrolled from December 2008 to April 2009.

Effects of CoQ10 Supplementation on Lipid Profiles and Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Low grade inflammation and oxidative stress are the key factors in the pathogenesis and development of diabetes and its complications. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is known as an antioxidant and has a vital role in generation of cellular energy providing. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on lipid profiles and glycemic controls in patients with diabetes.

Genetic polymorphisms in calcitonin receptor gene and risk for recurrent kidney calcium stone disease.

Introduction: In this study the full sequence of the calcitonin receptor gene (CALCR) in a group of Iranian males suffering from recurrent calcium urinary stones was compared with that of a control group.

Methods: Serum and urinary biochemistry related to urolithiasis were evaluated in 105 males diagnosed with recurrent kidney calcium stones and 101 age-matched healthy control males. The polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism method was used to detect new polymorphisms in the CALCR.

Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on inflammatory markers in middle-aged overweight women.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether magnesium supplementation might affect serum magnesium, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasma fibrinogen, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in healthy middle-aged overweight women. The relationships, if any, between serum magnesium and the inflammatory markers were also examined cross-sectionally in the entire participants at the beginning of the study.

Materials And Methods: This double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial included 74 middle-aged overweight women.

Prevalence and associated factors of insomnia syndrome in the elderly residing in kahrizak nursing home, tehran, iran.

Background: As insomnia is common, especially among the elderly in the nursing homes, we aimed to estimate insomnia prevalence among the elderly residing in nursing homes as well as to determine factors associated with insomnia in the elderly.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2009 on 772 elderly residents at Kahrizak Nursing Home, Tehran Iran. The information was gathered through 5-part questionnaires by interviewing either the individuals or the nurses in charge and also reviewing the subjects' medical files.

Effects of cinnamon consumption on glycemic status, lipid profile and body composition in type 2 diabetic patients.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder worldwide. Traditional herbs and spices can be used to control blood glucose concentrations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the daily intake of three grams cinnamon over eight weeks on glycemic status, lipid profiles and body composition in type 2 diabetic patients.

Omega-3 fatty acids are protective against paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial.

Background: Axonal sensory peripheral neuropathy is the major dose-limiting side effect of paclitaxel.Omega-3 fatty acids have beneficial effects on neurological disorders from their effects on neurons cells and inhibition of the formation of proinflammatory cytokines involved in peripheral neuropathy.

Methods: This study was a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing incidence and severity of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN).

What are Differences between Non-injecting and Injecting Drug Addicts?

Background: This study aims to identify the differences between Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) and non-IDUs, with regard to some potential factors. This could be useful to design effective interventions for harm reduction, which is one of the priority areas in reducing the burden of addiction.

Methods: Sixty cases and 60 controls participated in this pair-matched case-control study, which was conducted in Tehran.

Morphological and morphometrical description of trichostrongylus species isolated from domestic ruminants in khuzestan province, southwest iran.

Backgrounds: Genus Trichostrongylus (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) is one of the most important zoonotic nematodes with wide geographic distribution in the world. The purpose of the present study was to describe morphological and morphometrical characteristics of male Trichostrongylus species, currently prevalent in domestic ruminants of Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran.

Methods: Gastro-intestinal organs of 1600 sheep, goats, cattle, and buffalos, slaughtered in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, were examined for infectivity with Trichostrongylus species.

Diagnoses, requests and timing of 503 psychiatric consultations in two general hospitals.

The high comorbidity of medical and psychiatric diagnoses in the general hospital population requires collaboration between various medical fields to provide comprehensive health care. This study aims to find the rate of psychiatric consultations, their timing and overall diagnostic trend in comparison to previous studies. Tehran University of Medical Sciences has got an active psychiatric consultation-liaison service which includes services provided by four faculty psychiatrists (two full-time and two part-time).

Comparison of onset age and pattern of male adolescent smoking in two different socioeconomic districts of tehran, iran.

Objectives: One of the main strategies to prevent smoking is delaying onset of smoking in adolescents. Thus, identifying the age of smoking and smoking pattern in adolescents gives important knowledge for planning the intervention programs on smoking.

Methods: Students aged 13-15 years old living in the Northern and the Southern Tehran were selected through two separate snowball samplings.

Reasons for smoking among male teenagers in tehran, iran: two case-control studies using snowball sampling.

Objectives: Identifying the underlying factors contributing to smoking among teenagers is important in establishing smoking control programs. The present study was designed to identify and compare factors revealed in a preceding qualitative study conducted on 13-15 year-old boys living in two different socio-economic districts in the Northern and Southern parts of Tehran.

Methods: Two completely similar case-control studies, each with 200 subjects, were conducted using a snowball sampling.

Comparison of Generalized Estimating Equations and Quadratic Inference Functions in superior versus inferior Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implantation.

Background: The celebrated generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach is often used in longitudinal data analysis While this method behaves robustly against misspecification of the working correlation structure, it has some limitations on efficacy of estimators, goodness-of-fit tests and model selection criteria The quadratic inference functions (QIF) is a new statistical methodology that overcomes these limitations.

Methods: We administered the use of QIF and GEE in comparing the superior and inferior Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation, while our focus was on the efficiency of estimation and using model selection criteria, we compared the effect of implant location on intraocular pressure (IOP) in refractory glaucoma patients We modeled the relationship between IOP and implant location, patient's sex and age, best corrected visual acuity, history of cataract surgery, preoperative IOP and months after surgery with assuming unstructured working correlation.

Results: 63 eyes of 63 patients were included in this study, 28 eyes in inferior group and 35 eyes in superior group The GEE analysis revealed that preoperative IOP has a significant effect on IOP (p = 0 011) However, QIF showed that preoperative IOP, months after surgery and squared months are significantly associated with IOP after surgery (p < 0 05) Overall, estimates from QIF are more efficient than GEE (RE = 1 272).

Coding region analysis of vitamin D receptor gene and its association with active calcium stone disease.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms on the status of active renal calcium stone formation. Male active renal calcium stone formers (ASF, final N = 106) with two episodes of stone relapse in the past 5 years were enrolled from December 2008 to April 2009. Controls (N = 109) were selected from age range- and gender-matched individuals who had no evidence or history of stone disease.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards blood donation in Iranian population.

Background: The increase in demand for blood products because of new surgical and medical procedures seeks more research to find new ways to recruit people to donate blood.

Objective/aim: To determine the level of people's knowledge about donating blood considering its relation with infectious and chronic diseases, drug abuse, unsafe sexual intercourse, menstruation and anaemia. In addition, their attitude towards blood donation regarding their previous behaviour and factors such as altruism, religion, family, fears and availability of blood donation centres has been evaluated.

Can criteria for identifying educational influentials in developed countries be applied to other countries? A study in Iran.

Introduction: There are published criteria for identifying educational influentials (EIs). These criteria are based on studies that have been performed in developed countries. This study was performed to identify criteria and characteristics of EIs in Iran.

The most important metabolic risk factors in recurrent urinary stone formers.

Purpose: To evaluate different urinary factors contributing to idiopathic calcium stone disease for determining appropriate medical treatments.

Materials And Methods: Two 24-hour urine samples were collected from 106 male recurrent idiopathic calcium stone formers and another 109 randomly selected men as the control group matching for age.

Results: Cases had significantly higher mean urine oxalate, calcium, uric acid, and chloride in comparison with the healthy controls (P < .

Development of a caregiver burden questionnaire for the patients with dementia in iran.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to design a valid questionnaire suitable to the Iranian culture to measure the stress mounted on dementia caregivers.

Methods: IN ORDER TO DESIGN A VALID AND RELIABLE TOOL, THE STAGES OF CONTENT VALIDATION WERE PERFORMED AS FOLLOWS: 1- DEVELOPMENT: search of relevant electronic databanks and use of experts and caregivers' opinions to prepare appropriate content, review and correction of the content through consecutive focus group discussions with experts. 2- Judgment Quantification: determination of interrater agreement (IRA), relevancy and clarity of each of the items and the tool as a whole.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of adults to the protective actions against sun in northwest Tehran, Iran.

Background: Wrong beliefs about risky actions such as sunbathing and tanning are common due to media advertisements or general lack of knowledge. This work has focused on the knowledge and attitude of a group of citizens in Tehran, Iran and the protective actions they take regarding undesirable effects of the sun.   

Methods:   A descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study has been conducted on 400 randomly selected individuals from the citizens of Shahrak-E-Gharb, an area in northwest Tehran.

Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in self-rated health in Tehran.

Background: Measuring the distribution of health is a part of assessing health system performance. This study aims to estimate health inequality between different socioeconomic groups and its determinants in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Methods: Self-rated health (SRH) and demographic characteristics, including gender, age, marital status, educational years, and assets, were measured by structured interviews of 2464 residents of Tehran in 2008.

Positive exercise tolerance test (ETT) on asymptomatic Iranian cases aged over 60 years.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic importance of positive exercise treadmill test (ETT) in predicting coronary artery disease (CAD) among asymptomatic population based on coronary angiographic findings.

Methods: The comparative study was conducted on a sample of over 60-year-old asymptomatic and symptomatic patients referred to our clinics for screening and clinical reasons between September 2006 and September 2007. All subjects with a positive ETT provided information about their cardiovascular risk factors through a validated questionnaire.

Association between calcium-sensing receptor gene polymorphisms and recurrent calcium kidney stone disease: a comprehensive gene analysis.

Objective: Comprehensive sequencing of the coding exons of the calcium-sensing receptor gene (CASR) was performed in a group of Iranian recurrent calcium kidney stone-formers and the results were compared with a control group.

Material And Methods: Serum and urine parameters were evaluated in 99 males aged between 30 and 55 years old with idiopathic recurrent calcium urolithiasis and in 107 men as a control group. Products of polymerase chain reaction were sequenced using forward primer until a mutation was found in that exon.

An assessment of parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3, estradiol and testosterone in men with active calcium stone disease and evaluation of its biochemical risk factors.

The aim of this study is to investigate the serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin, 1,25 (OH)(2) vitamin D3, estradiol and testosterone in male patients with active renal calcium stone disease compared with controls and investigate their relationship with serum/urinary biochemistry. Male active renal calcium stone formers (ASF) were enrolled from December 2008 to April 2009. Controls were selected from age and sex matched individuals.

The effect of platelet-rich plasma on healing of palatal donor site following connective tissue harvesting: a pilot study in dogs.

Background: Peri-implant plastic surgery includes soft tissue enhancement by connective tissue grafting. The palatal donor site provides peri-implant keratinized mucosa and soft tissue height. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains growth factors that may enhance early healing.

The hidden epidemic of urinary incontinence in women: a population-based study with emphasis on preventive strategies.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent clinical condition especially among women aged 40 years and above. It is not often reported as it is considered an age-related problem. This study attempts to estimate UI among women above 40 years and its determinants in an area zone of Tehran, Iran.