Holy month of Ramadan and increase in organ donation willingness.

Organ shortage is the most significant factor in restricting the activities of transplantation systems. We herein report the positive impact of Muslims' holy month of Ramadan on willingness to donate organs in Iran. Data were derived from the database of Donation Willingness Registries, affiliated to the organ procurement unit of Masih Daneshvari Hospital during March 2007 till March 2008.

Organ retrieval from brain-dead patients by a single organ procurement center in Iran.

Introduction: The majority of transplantations depend solely on cadaveric organs. In recent years, special focus has been directed toward brain-dead patients in Iran, but it seems that there is limited information regarding the characteristics of cadaveric organ donation in our country.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of data of our Organ Procurement Unit (OPU), which is one of the most active organ procurement units in Iran.

Attitudes of medical students about brain death and organ donation.

Introduction: There have been publications on the attitudes of the general Iranian population and health care personnel about brain death and organ donation; however, there is little information about such attitudes of medical students. In 2006, a survey was conducted in Tehran about the attitudes of medical students in a hospital with a transplantation program.

Material And Methods: The general population, health care personnel, and medical students were surveyed, and data were extracted from interviews with 41 medical students.

Our experience with organ procurement from hemodynamically unstable brain dead patients.

Background: Effective organ procurement is the result of meticulous care to brain dead patients. Hemodynamic instability may occur in these patients and, if not managed and treated carefully, may lead to loss of precious organs. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the hemodynamic status of brain dead patients and its effect on organ donation.

Monensin improves the effectiveness of meso-dimercaptosuccinate when used to treat lead intoxication in rats.

Among divalent cations, the ionophore monensin shows high activity and selectivity for the transport of lead ions (Pb2+) across phospholipid membranes. When coadministered to rats that were receiving meso-dimercaptosuccinate for treatment of Pb intoxication, monensin significantly increased the amount of Pb removed from femur, brain, and heart. It showed a tendency to increase Pb removal from liver and kidney but had no effect of this type in skeletal muscle.