[Evaluation of depth perception and heterophoria among laboratory sciences students in Mashhad, 2011]

Normal stereopsis as the highest level of binocular vision is required for most of clinical works such as working with microscope and some jobs, like piloting and surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate, depth perception and hetrophoria in Mashhad laboratory sciences students in 2011. In this cross sectional study from 153 Mashhad laboratory sciences students, 42 subjects were selected randomly. Eye examinations including subjective and objective refraction and measurement of hetrophoria by cover test and prism bar were performed. The stereopsis was then determined with the T.N.O stereo test at 40 distance observation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 software. Patients with amblyopia, cataract, and other ocular pathology were excluded from the study. Mean stereoacuity of the subjects was 147/14 +/- 129/76. Among this population, 14 subjects [%33.3] used microscope monocularly and 28 subjects [% 66.7] used it bionocularly. There was no significant difference between mean stereopsis and hetrophoria and other relative effective factors such as refractive error, way of using microscope, near point of convergence age and sex [p>0.05]. Comparison between mean monocular and binocular stereopsis was not significant [p>0.05]. There was no statictically significant difference between mean stereopsis and hetrophoria and other relative factors. However due to working too much with microscope, most of the laboratory sciences students had anomaly of binocular vision like intermittent exotropia and abnormal near point of convergence. This indicates the necessity of more research in anomaly of binocular vision in laboratory sciences students

[ effects of cashew consumption on serum glucose, insulin and lipoprotein in type 2 diabetic patients]

Diabetic dyslipidemia is a complication of diabetes and several studies have demonstrated that nut consumption exerts beneficial effects on serum lipid profile. We designed an intervention study to evaluate the effects of cashew on fasting serum glucose, insulin and lipoprotein in type 2 diabetic patients. In an 8 week randomized parallel clinical trial, 50 diabetic patients [34 women and 16 men] were randomly assigned to two groups] the intervention [cashew] and the control [regular diet] groups. Cashews replaced 10% of total daily calorie intake in the intervention group. Blood samples were collected from fasting subjects at entry to the study and at the end of the study. All dietary data were obtained using 24-hours recalls at baseline, in the middle and at the end of the study. Mean HDL-C and insulin concentrations were statistically different between the intervention and control groups [P=0.01, P=0.023, P=0.043 and P=0.023 respectively], while other biochemical indices such as serum glucose and other lipoproteins, were not. The results indicated that replacing 10% of daily calorie intake with cashew in patients with type 2 diabetes may prevent HDL-C reduction and also decrease serum insulin, and hence possibly play an important role in decreasing cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients

[ correlation between waist-circumference, BMI and conicity and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women]

Changes in body fat distribution during menopause lead to increasing risk of cardiac and metabolic diseases. Considering the importance of predicting of cardiovascular diseases using related anthropometric indices, the aim of this study was to determine the correlation of waist circumference[WC], BMI and Conicity with cardiovascular risk factors [serum glucose, insulin[diabetes], blood pressure[BP] and dyslipidaemia]. In a cross-sectional study, 250 non-smoking postmenopausal women, with BMI<30 were randomly selected. We measured WC, BMI and conicity and a 3 day food dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire were completed for each participant. Fasting serum glucose, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C and insulin were measured. There were significant correlations between WC and systolic BP[r=0.255, p=0.002], WC and conicity [r=0.67,p=0.0001], BMI and conicity[r=0.31, p=0.0001], conicity and systolic BP[r=0.31, p=0.009] and BMI systolic BP[r=0.21,p=0.009]. There were also significant correlations between systolic BP and diastolic BP[p=0.002], serum insulin and systolic BP[r=0.21,p=0.008] and serum total cholesterol with systolic BP[r=0.2,p=0.13]. Waist circumference was significantly associated with systolic BP and diabetes, BMI had a significant association with systolic BP and Conicity was significantly associated with systolic BP, serum triglycerides and glucose, but not with diabetes

Evaluation of ginseng on lipid profiles, liver and renal markers in diabetic rats

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs as a consequence of decrease in insulin secretion or resistance to insulin. Most diabetes related treatments have problems with adverse reactions. Natural therapeutics have been in use from long time ago up to present time. Ginseng is a traditional drug used for treatment of many diseases particularly diabetes. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of oral Ginseng on the serum glucose and other biochemical parameters such as lipid profile. In this study 30 male rats with a body weight of 250 +/- 25 gr and age of 4-6 months was used. Each animal was housed under controlled temperature [21 +/- 2 C] and standard conditions with free access to food and water. Blood test was carried out to measure glucoses and other biochemical parameters such as cholesterol, TG, ALT, AST and BUN. Animals were equally divided into three groups; 1-control group, 2-the STZ-induced-diabetes [60 mg/kg] group, 3- the STZ-induced-diabetes [60 mg/kg] and 150 mg/kg oral ginseng. The study was lasted for 6 weeks. Blood samples were taken and tested for glucoses and other parameters. The average blood sugar in the control group was 131.1 +/- 7.9 mg/dl, but it was higher than 550mg/dl in streptozocine- received group. In group 3, which received ginseng, blood sugar decreased up to 50%. Cholestrol decreased up to 40% in the treatment group. Among the measured parameters HDL showed a 50%decrease in treatment group in comparison with diabetic group. AST and ALT values between the control and treatment groups did not show a significant difference. BUN values decreased from 71.6 +/- 6.6 in diabetic group to 50.1 +/- 5.7 mg dl in the treatment group. The results of this study revealed that ginseng can be considered as a substance which decreases blood glucoses, reduces diabetes adverse reactions, and consequently diminishing blood lipids in animal model. However, to apply these results to human, further studies are needed to be carried out

[ effect of Ramadan fasting on psychological health and depression in Sirjan Azad university students [2004]]

Fasting improves both spiritual and physical aspects of individual's performance. In other words, fasting has many advantages in improving human health and elimination of abnormal behavior. In general, the advantages of fasting include psychological, physical and spiritual benefits. In this study, the effect of Ramadan fasting on psychological health and depression among university students has been evaluated. Three hundred and sixty one students were randomly selected and their demographic information was collected. Psychological health and depression scores were examined by Ferrell 12-item scale and standard Beck depression test, respectively. The data were collected in two different occasions 10 days before and 10 days after Ramadan. Mean scores of psychological health and depression of students in these two occasions were compared. The mean score of psychological health of participants before Ramadan was 33.94 +/- 8.55 [Mean +/- SE] that increased to 34.5 +/- 8.2 after Ramadan. Mean score of depression before Ramadan was 14.45 +/- 10.33 that decreased to 11.88 +/- 10.38 after Ramadan. These differences were statistically significant. Our findings confirmed that Ramadan fasting could be an important factor for improving mental health and elimination of depression in university students

[Measurement of PAHs in carbon black used in Iranian tyremanufacturing plants]

There are thousands of workers in Iran exposed to carbon black used in tyre manufacturing plants, regularly. This compound has been shown to be carcinogenic as there are several PAHs contaminating the carbon black. To measure PAHs in carbon black used in Iran industries and also comparing the imported carbon black with domestic ones marked as A and B, respectively. Through a cross-sectional study, samples from different kinds of carbon blacks[imported and domestic ones] were obtained. PAH extraction from these samples was carried% out using micro Soxlet. Six different kinds of PAHs including benzo [a] pyrene, dibenzo [a, h] antracen, phenaterene, fluoranthene, chrysene and anthracene were further analyzed by GC- FID method. Both imported and domestic types of carbon blacks were contaminated with all sixkinds of PAHs, unexceptionally. However, the total concentration of six PAHs was different among study samples [P0.001]. Chrysene and anthracite showed to have the maximum and the minimum concentration, respectively The highest contamination of carbon blacks was associated with product manufactured by factory A followed by factory B with lowest contamination. The data obtained from the present research showed that both types of carbon blacks used in this study were contaminated with PAHs. Comparing our results with some other studies was indicative of presence of a higher contamination in this soot. Therefore, Iranian occupational health system is recommended to place the carbon blacks in carcinogenic class and provide new OEL for working places