ABSTRACT
Background: In recent decades, much interest has been focused on investigating new roles of vitamin D in human body beyond the mineral-ion homeostasis
Methods: By searching medical databases such as PubMed, over 16000 articles were found which have been published since 2000 on novel aspects of vitamin D in health and diseases
Results: Of great interest was the effects of vitamin D on decreasing the risk of several chronic illnesses, including common cancers, autoimmune, infectious, and cardiovascular diseases. In this review, the new roles of vitamin D that have recently been investigated were addressed
Conclusions: Due to the vast prevalence of vitamin D deficiency worldwide, it seems that time has come to conduct well-designed clinical trials and meta-analysis to explore the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in treatment of common diseases. Finally, the progression in cellular and molecular methods and technology will shed new lights on vitamin D roles in health and disease
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in Iranian patients suffering from chronic depression or schizophrenia. Psychiatric disorders are common in untreated celiac disease. Two hundred Iranian inpatient men with in chronic phase of depressive disorders or schizophrenia, and 200 age-matched healthy male subjects were screened for celiac disease by anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies. The mean age of the study patients was 37 years. One [1%] schizophrenic and two [2%] depressive patients were positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies; duodenal biopsy was not possible in these subjects. In the control group one [0.5%] individual was positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies, but had normal duodenal histology. The difference between patients and controls was not statistically significant. The frequency of celiac disease serology in schizophrenic and depressive inpatients was not significantly higher than that in the general population. We would therefore not advocate systematic serologic screening in these patients, but alertness to celiac disease should be kept in mind
ABSTRACT
One of the most important functions of nurses, which required preparation and powerful scientific background, skill in decision making and careful attention to drug laws in administration of the drugs to the patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge and practice of the student nurses about drugs by OSCE method at the end of the third year of their education. In this cross-sectional study, 48 student nurses [45 females and 3 males], with a mean age of 21 years took part in a theoretical exam and 36 of them participated also in a practical exam. A demographic questionnaire including personal details, Over Time working [07], the usage pharmacological sources and the level of encountering different pharmacological methods was used to collect data. Then, a theoretical exam, covering the whole drugs the subjects had learnt during 6 semesters, was taken and after that, 9 routes of drug administration [Suppository, NG tube, PO, SQ, IV, IM, ID, Topical and inhalation] were examined by OSCE Method in 2 consecutive days. The scores were given based on the drug administration check list. The findings showed that encountering students with different routes of drug administration were; Tropical = 93.7%, Inhalation= 31.25%, SUPP= 43.75%, NG= 98%, ID= 6.26%, SQ= 98% IV= 100% PO=100% and IM= 100%. The mean score of theoretical and practical exam were 49.02 and 63.8, respectively. A correlation of 0.32 was obtained between scores of theoretical and practical exam. Since drugs administration requires both pharmacological information and practical skills, special attention should be paid to the theoretical and practical education of student nurses