Waist circumference, weight, and body mass index of Iranians based on national non-communicable disease risk factors surveillance

Obesity is an important and life-threatening disease, associated with different chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. We sought to address the paucity of information on the trends of anthropometric indices such as weight, waist circumference, and body mass index in the adult population of Iran. We drew upon data from the First Non-communicable Disease Survey in Iran in 2005. In total, 79,611 participants between 20 and 64 years old were selected via the random multistage cluster sampling. The Lambda Median Scale method was applied to construct normal curves for anthropometric indices. The mean of waist circumference in both genders increased with age and in all the age groups except those between 20 and 24 years old was higher in the women. The mean of body mass index was higher in all the age brackets in the women, but the means of weight and height were higher in the men. The association of theses indices with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was stronger in men. The ranges of waist circumference and body mass index in Iranian population are different from those of other countries. The higher body mass index and waist circumference in females and the direct association between obesity and chronic diseases, is advisable that the effects of this phenomenon be fully investigated and due heed be paid to the importance of lifestyle modification

[Disease-free survival of postoperative gastric cancer patients: a competing risks analysis]

Many researchers have studied survival [time to death] of gastric cancer patients. Although gastric cancer diagnosed in early stages can be cured by surgery, chance of relapse still exists after operation. Hence, we should consider both events, that is, relapse of the disease and death, in order to be able to make a more precise estimation for survival of the patients. The purpose of this study was to use the competing risks method to estimate the cumulative incidence functions [CIF] of the relapse of disease and death and consequently to estimate the postoperative disease-free survival. A total of 330 patients admitted to Iran Cancer Institute and operated between March 1995 and March 1999 were enrolled in the study. They were followed up for at least 5 years to estimate their 5-year disease-free survival. Information on their demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics, as well as on the type and time of occurrence of the first event [relapse of disease or death] after surgery was collected from their medical records. The direct parametric method was applied to estimate CIFs of relapse of the disease and death, while to adjust the effects of some covariates the parametric regression model was used. Data analysis was done using the R software and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The findings were compared with the results obtained on the basis of data analysis in which the competing events were not considered. The median follow-up time was 37.9 months. Of all the patients 13% experienced relapse and 60.9% death as the first event after surgery. The CIFs of relapse of disease and death 5 years after operation, with due consideration of covariates, were estimated at 11.0% and 68.6%, respectively. Age, stage of disease, and complementary treatment were statistically associated with the CIF of death, while only complementary treatment was related to the CIF of relapse. Older patients and those in more advanced stages of disease were more likely to die after operation. Moreover, while complementary treatment after operation decreased the CIF of relapse of disease, it increased the CIF of death. The disease-free survival of patients 5 years after surgery was 20.4% [considering the effects of some covariates]. The competing risks method is recommended for analyzing survival data because of its capability in considering different events and, therefore, making it possible to make more precise estimations. By using this method, considering smaller variance estimates for model parameters and also narrow confidence intervals for the cumulative incidence functions of competing events, it is expected to obtain more precise results. Unfortunately, the results have revealed that the disease-free survival of gastric cancer patients is low in Iran

arrangement of microtubules in embryos derived from mice young, old and reconstructed oocytes

To study the structure and distribution of microtubules in embryos derived from young, old and reconstructed oocytes. Embryos obtained from old [50 embryos], young [50 embryos] and reconstructed oocytes [10 embryos] were studied by immunocytochemistry. The microtubule structures of the embryos were studied by using fluroscent microscopy with FITC-PI filter and polyclonal antibody against alfa tubulin. The spindle structure of MII young oocyte and the obtained embryos were normal with the suitable condensation. There was no contact between chromosome and spindle in old Oocytes as well as the obtained embryos, in addition, the spindle was extended in old group. In reconstructed embryos, thin and scattered filaments were observed. This study reveals that the arrangement of microtubules in reconstructed embryos was caused by repeating of injection and oocyte manipulation. Also, interactions between karyoblast, cytoplasm and microtubuls may not be suitable. This may be caused by low fertilization in these oocytes

[Effects of injective Lidocaine in reduction of complications due to diazepam injection]

Background: Pain of Injection and thrombophlebitis are of complications of diazepam injection which is used in induction of anesthesia

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of using lidocaine as a preinjection in reduction of complications due to diazepam

Methods: 116 Patients were evaluated in a randomized double blind study in university hospitals of Kerman in 2000. The patients who had no problems in their upper extrimities and were classified as class I and II of ASA classification received 0.2 mg/kg of diazepam as two separate sample one minute after receiving 0.5 mg/kg of lidocaine [1%] and it's equal volume of Nacl [0.9%]. Injections were done in veins of hands in left and right upper extremities. The pain of injection was recorded by another researcher as a likert scale. The third researcher checked the patients for phlebitis after 24 hours

Findings: 104 of the samples reported pain of injection after Nacl receiving and this rate for lidocaine was 16[p< 0.001]. The severity of pain was different between two groups and lidocaine group had less score [p< 0.0001]. Also the rate of phlebitis during first 24 hours was less [8 for case and 18 for control group] in lidocaine groups [p< 0.01]

Conclusion: Although we didn't understand the exact mechanism of lidocaine in reduction of complications of intravenous diazepam administration but it" s positive effect which is reported in some other reports makes it a good choice to have anesthesia with less complications