[Assessment of partial distribution of the equivalent dose in radiology waiting room - Ardabil, Iran [2011]]

The exposures related to the department of radiology can be considered as harmful agent for human. This study was done to assess the partial distribution of the equivalent dose in radiology waiting room in Ardabil, Iran. This descriptive analytical study was done in the radiology department and related waiting rooms of 4 teaching hospital and 3 private radiology sonography centers in Ardabil, Northwest of Iran, during 2011. The variables including type of radiography, the number and condition, staying duration in waiting room were considered for dosimetry. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18 and Chi-Square test. The lowest radiation dose belong to one specialist radiology sonography center with 0.2 +/- 0.002 micro S.h[-1]V, but for each radiography were determined to be 0.00275 +/- 0.004 micro S.h-1V. The highest radiation dose belong to one specialist radiography sonography center with 0.4 +/- 0.045 micro S.h[-1]V and for each radiography was 0.016 +/- 0.0006 micro S.h[-1]V. Two teaching hospitals accompanied with three privates centers showed to have radiation dose-rate higher than 0.3 micro S.h-1V [P<0.05]. This study showed that the increasing radiation-dose rate [higher than 0.3 micro S.h[-1]V] in teaching hospitals and private centers can be related to either the unit life or inadepuate of radiological protective shield

[ 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

[Effect of different cooking methods on the content of vitamin C in some vegetables]

Vitamin C is considered as the indicator of process severity, because of its high sensitivity to heat. There is an inverse relationship between vitamin C retention and the process severity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different common cooking methods on process severity and decrease amount of vitamin C in some vegetables. In this study, potatoes were tested as boiled [with peel, without peel, sliced], shallow and deep fried, and cooking under pressure [with peel, without peel, sliced].Onions were tested as boiled [whole and sliced] and microwave [whole and sliced]. Leafy vegetables: Leek, leaf of beet, parsley, coriander, common dill and the mixed of them were tested as boiled fried. All tests performed as triplicate and the contents of vitamin C retention were determined by colorimetric method according to the instruction number 5609 of the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran and were compared to the contents of vitamin C in raw vegetables. The highest decrease of vitamin C was observed in boiled, sliced [without peel] and shallow fried potatoes and onions. In leafy vegetables highest loss of vitamin C was observed from boiled fried. The loss of vitamin C in potatoes and onions by using microwave were small and their vitamin C contents were similar to raw vegetables. The maximum retention of vitamin C in potatoes and onions are obtained by microwave method, with peel and whole, respectively