[ association between duration of diabetes and balance impairment in people with diabetic neuropathy]

Introduction: Decrement in balance control ability in individuals with diabetic neuropathy may affect their daily living activities and lead to hazardous consequences such as falls and foot ulcer. Thus, it is important to predict balance impairment in this population as early as possible. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the duration of diabetes and balance impairment in people with diabetic neuropathy

Materials and Methods: Thirty diabetic patients, diagnosed with neuropathy participated in this study. We used a personal information questionnaire, Mini Mental State Examination questionnaire and the Berg Balance Scale [BBS] to evaluate basic medical status, cognitive function and functional balance, respectively. Univariate regression tests were used for statistical analysis

Results: Our findings showed a significant association between the duration of diabetes and balance control [p<0.01 and standardized beta=-0.509]. When adjusting for height, weight, body mass index and cognitive score, the association between the duration of diabetes and BBS score enhanced significantly [p<0.01 and standardized beta= -0.565, -0.527, -0.550 and -0.548, respectively]. Moreover, duration of diabetes could explained 25 to 45 percent of balance control impairments in people with diabetic neuropathy

Conclusion: Diabetes duration is a significant predictor of balance impairment in people with diabetic neuropathy. It could be used as a very simple factor to predict possible future balance impairments in these patients

Passive air sampling survey of polybrominated diphenyl ether in private cars: implications for sources and human exposure

In order to characterize polybrominated diphenyl ether [PBDE] contamination in vehicle interiors, airborne concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers were investigated using PUF disk passive air samplers in 25 private cars. Passive air samplers were fixed inside the selected cars for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. LPBDE concentrations [sum of the 10 congeners] ranged between 0.01 and 8.2 ng/m[3] with respective arithmetic and geometric mean concentrations of 0.71 and 0.091 ng/m[3]. High concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers found in cars might provide an important source of human exposure to PBDEs either via inhalation or dust ingestion. A driver spending 8 hours a day inside a contaminated car [the worst scenario] would receive a daily inhalation intake of 54 ng. Age of the vehicles was found to be the most influential factor affecting polybrominated diphenyl ether emission in car interiors [R=0.47, r<0.01]. Furthermore, significant variations were observed in polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations between cars from same manufacturer with similar ages. The median ratio of BDE 47:99 for air samples was 1.7 comparing with the respective values of 1 and -0.7 reported for BK 70-5DE and DE-71, suggesting these commercial formulations to be likely sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the car indoor environments

[Investigating the mental health of the first- and last-year students of QUMS [2005]]

According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders are among the first ten major causes of disabilities worldwide. These disorders can decrease the success rate of educational progress in students and prevent their further achievements. The aim of this study was to identify the student's problems and vulnerable individuals suspicious of developing mental disorder. This was a cross-sectional study in which the identification of mental disorder among the students of the first- and last year of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences was attempted. The SCL-90-R questionnaire [Symptom Checklist 1990 Revised] was used for data collection. Statistical analysis was performed using ?2, t-test, ANOVA and correlation coefficient. Out of a total of 607 students, 30.7% were found to be in normal mental health whereas 69.3% suspiciously recognized of having different degrees of mental disorder [53.5% light, 14.3% mild and 1.5% severe]. There was a statistical association between the study field and mental health [P=0.042]. The percentage of healthy students and those with light, mild and severe mental disorder among the first-year students were 27.1%, 54.5%, 16.9%, and 1.6%, respectively. In the same way, the similar figures among the last-year students were 34.5%, 52.6%, 11.6% and 1.4%, correspondingly. The differences were insignificant, statistically. According to our results, consideration of a policy to reduce the effect of predisposing factors leading to mental disorders is recommended

[Relationship between balance and independence in activities of daily living]

The capability of balance preservation in activities of daily living [ADL] is of paramount important. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between balance disorders and independence in ADL of patients, 6-24 months after their stroke in Tehran. This was a cross-sectional study. Forty Five stroke patients attending occupational therapy clinics in Tehran over a 7 months period, who met the inclusion criteria, were selected using simple randomization. The subjects were evaluated for performance of ADL by Barthel Index and for balance by Berg Balance scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. There was a significant relationship between balance and independence in ADL [p<0.05]. However, there was no significant relationship between balance in sitting position and independence in ADL. The results show a correlation between balance and independence in ADL. Improvement of these factors especially dynamic balance, may improve independence and the quality of life in hemiplegic patients