Melatonin Supplementation and Anthropometric Indices: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial.

Obesity, as the most common metabolic disorder in the world, is characterized by excess body fat. This study is aimed at determining the effects of melatonin supplementation on body weight, nody mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat mass percentage (BFMP) in people with overweight or obesity. Thirty eight overweight or class-I obese adult individuals were recruited in the study (8 men and 30 women).

Fabrication of cumin loaded-chitosan particles: Characterized by molecular, morphological, thermal, antioxidant and anticancer properties as well as its utilization in food system.

The aim of this study was the fabrication of stable encapsulated cumin essential oil using ionic gelation method and its application in mayonnaise as a natural antioxidant. The obtained nanoparticles exhibited a positively charged surface with diameters ranging from 269 to 326 nm. In addition, results from encapsulation efficiency demonstrated that excess concentration of initial essential oil reduced the amount of entrapped essential oil.

Effect of Honey on Diarrhea and Fecal Microbiotain in Critically Ill Tube-Fed Patients: A Single Center Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: In patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Enteral Nutrition (EN) is the first choice for feeding support, however, it is often complicated by gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea. There are no studies that have specifically evaluated effect of a prebiotic, which prevents diarrhea during enteral nutrition.

Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the effect of honey in enteral diet during occurrence of diarrhea and fecal microbiotain in critically ill patients.

Estimating postoperative survival of gastric cancer patients and factors affecting it in Iran: Based on a TNM-7 Staging System.

Recently, reports have shown that gastric cancer has high abundance in Iran and is at the second level in men, and fourth in total. This study aimed to determine the 5-year survival of gastric cancer patients and to investigate factors affecting the performance, based on TNM-7 staging system. In this study, we investigated 760 patients with gastric cancer since the beginning of 1993 to the end of 2006 in the Iran Cancer Institute who underwent surgery.

Association of the Adductor Pollicis Muscle Thickness With Clinical Outcomes in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Background: Different parameters may be used to evaluate the nutrition status of individuals. However, their use in the critically ill is problematic, since the interference of acute disease or therapeutic measures on their results can affect their interpretation. The aim of this study was to assess whether measuring the adductor pollicis muscle is useful in identifying malnutrition and clinical outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Traumatic brain injury accelerates kindling epileptogenesis in rats.

Objectives: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well-known cause of symptomatic epilepsy. In animal models of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), progression of trauma to epilepsy takes several weeks to months. Although this long process is similar to clinical PTE, it is costly and laborious.

Effect of oral olive oil on healing of 10-20% total body surface area burn wounds in hospitalized patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of consumption of oral olive oil on clinical outcomes and wound healing of thermally injured patients with hospital stays. One hundred patients (mean age; 33.34±7 years) with 10-20% total body surface area, deep second degree and more burn wounds were randomized to receive either oral olive oil or sunflower oil as the oil in their diet.

Effects of pomegranate juice consumption on inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Diabetes causes the increased concentration of circulatory cytokines as a result of inflammation. Considering that pomegranate juice (PJ) is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of PJ consumption on markers of inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Materials And Methods: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial study, 50 patients with T2D (40-65 years old) were randomly assigned to one of two groups.

The effects of high fat, low carbohydrate and low fat, high carbohydrate diets on tumor necrosis factor superfamily proteins and proinflammatory cytokines in C57BL/6 mice.

There has been considerable inconsistency regarding the potential relationship between dyslipidemia and bone metabolism. The inflammatory stimulation through the receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/ receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK)/ osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway could be the infrastructural mechanism for hypercholesterolemia-induced bone loss.In this study, we investigated the effect of dyslipidemia on RANKL and OPG alongside with pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Psychometric properties of a Farsi version of the authentic assessment perception questionnaire.

The term 'authentic assessment' has recently gained widespread use in education. A five-dimensional questionnaire for authentic assessment was translated into Farsi. The questionnaire which comprises 29 items, divided into 5 subscales (task, physical context, social context, result/form and criteria) was developed in English by Dr.

How Much Weight Loss is Effective on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide with no specific treatment. Weight loss is the most effective therapeutic strategy in its management; however, there is no consensus on its specifics. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of weight loss on liver enzymes, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress and CK18-M30 (cytokeratin 18) as a biomarker of hepatocellular apoptosis.

Development of a socioeconomic status index to interpret inequalities in oral health in developing countries.

Purpose: To develop an instrument to measure socioeconomic status (SES) in order to assess SES-related inequalities in oral health in a developing country.

Materials And Methods: In order to develop a SES measurement tool, an expert panel generated a primary item pool from which the items were revised after validity and reliability testing. The final instrument was used in a 1100-sample survey in Tehran.

Assessing the effect of quantitative and qualitative predictors on gastric cancer individuals survival using hierarchical artificial neural network models.

Background: There are numerous unanswered questions in the application of artificial neural network models for analysis of survival data. In most studies, independent variables have been studied as qualitative dichotomous variables, and results of using discrete and continuous quantitative, ordinal, or multinomial categorical predictive variables in these models are not well understood in comparison to conventional models.

Objectives: This study was designed and conducted to examine the application of these models in order to determine the survival of gastric cancer patients, in comparison to the Cox proportional hazards model.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a disease that commonly affects women of reproductive age and is associated with maternal and fetal complications.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to report the perinatal outcome in pregnant women with ITP.

Materials And Methods: Twenty one pregnant women with ITP admitted in a teaching hospital in Tehran, from October 2008 to February 2010, were enrolled in this prospective historical cohort study; course and perinatal outcome of pregnancies were studied.

Legume intake is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in adults.

Background: Studies on the association between legume intake and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are sparse. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between legume intake, MetS, and its components.

Methods: This study was conducted on 80 subjects (48% female) with MetS as cases and 160 age and gender-matched healthy controls.

Beneficial effects of a high-protein, low-glycemic-load hypocaloric diet in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled intervention study.

Objective: The recommended composition of a hypocaloric diet for obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high-protein, low-glycemic-load diet compared with a conventional hypocaloric diet on reproductive hormones, inflammatory markers, lipids, glucose, and insulin levels in obese women with PCOS.

Methods: A total of 60 overweight and obese women with PCOS who did not use insulin-sensitizing agents were recruited and randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 hypocaloric diet groups for a single-blind clinical trial.

Prevalence of OXA-type β-lactamases among Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Northwest of Iran.

Carbapenems have been considered as last line antibiotics for treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii but carbapenem resistant A. baumannii has been increased during the last decade in many parts of the world. OXA-type β-lactamase enzymes are the most common cause of carbapenem resistance in A.

Effects of gabapentin on postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting after abdominal hysterectomy: a double blind randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Gabapentin has demonstrated analgesic effects in some studies. This double blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted to evaluate whether the pre-emptive use of gabapentin 600 mg could reduce postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and meperidine consumption in patients after hysterectomy.

Methods: Between 2009 and 2010, a total of 170 patients who were candidates for abdominal hysterectomy were assessed for eligibility to enter the study.

Improving neuropathy scores in type 2 diabetic patients using micronutrients supplementation.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine if micronutrients supplementation can improve neuropathy indices in type 2 diabetes.

Materials And Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 75 type 2 diabetes patients were assigned to three treatment groups, receiving one of the following daily supplement for 4 months: Group MV: zinc (20 mg), magnesium (250 mg), vitamin C (200 mg) and E (100 mg); Group MVB: both of the above mineral and vitamin supplements plus vitamin B1 (10 mg), B2 (10 mg), B6 (10 mg), biotin (200 μg), B12 (10 μg) and folic acid (1 mg); Group P: placebo.

Results: 67 patients completed the study.

Educational level and pseudohypacusis in medico-legal compensation claims: a retrospective study.

Pseudohypacusis or the intentional feigning of hearing loss is a challenging situation in the medicolegal evaluation of hearing levels. Few studies have been performed on predisposing factors that make compensation claims susceptible to malingering. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between educational level and frequency of pseudohypacusis in a group of medico-legal clients.

Assessment of gastric cancer survival: using an artificial hierarchical neural network.

This study is designed to assess the application of neural networks in comparison to the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model in the survival analysis. Three hundred thirty gastric cancer patients admitted to and surgically treated were assessed and their post-surgical survival was determined. The observed baseline survival was determined with the three methods of Kaplan-Meier product limit estimator, Cox and the neural network and results were compared.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in users of intrauterine devices.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria in women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs) as a contraceptive method with subjects who use tubal ligation (TL).

Materials And Methods: A cohort study was conducted on women who were candidates for IUD insertion or TL (control). The patients were followed for 3 months, and urine cultures were assessed for bacteriuria at the end of the study.