[Relationship between malnutritional and serum level of Iron, Zinc, Calcium and Magnesium in 6-36 months hospitalized children]

Background and Objective: Malnutrition is considered as one of most serious disorder in childhood. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and its relation to serum level of Magnesium, Zinc, Iron and Calcium in 6-36 months hospitalized children

Methods: In this case-control study upon CDC chart, 166 children were in control group diagnosed with no malnutrition and 151 children were also in case group with malnutrition. BMI and serum level of Magnesium, Zinc, Iron and Calcium were measeared for each child

Results: Out of 151 children with malnutrition, 128 [84.76%] and 23 [15.23%] were involved in mild and moderate malnutrition, respectively. The serum level of Magnesium and Zinc in case group was nonsignificantly lower than controls, while the serum level of Calcium and Iron non-significantly higher than controls. BMI was significantly reduced in cases in compared to controls and this reduction was related with malnutrition [95% CI: 0.38-0.59, OR=0.47, P<0.05]

Conclusion: Malnutrition in 6-36 month children was not related to serum level of Zinc, Magnesium, Iron and Calcium, while children with malnutrition had lower body mass index

[Genetic diversity of isolated Lactococcus garvieae from rainbow trout [Onchorhynchus mykiss] mortality in Iran]

Lactococcus garvieae is one of the main causative agents of Streptococcosis/Lactococcosis in farmed fish particularly in rainbow trout causing remarkable losses each year. To study the genetic diversity of Lactococcus garvieae strains recovered from the mortality of farmed rainbow trout in different provinces of Iran. The Gram positive cocci were first obtained from the kidney tissues of diseased trout. The bacterial isolates were grown on blood agar and were then identified by PCR method. Their genetic diversities were then studied using RAPD. The recovered gram positive cocci strains were identified as L. garvieae producing a 1100 bp in PCR procedure. In RAPD studies using 6 random primers [P1-P6], only primer P4 was able to produce higher number of bands [five bands]. Therefore, using this primer four profile patterns consisting of 560-1330 bp in 5 bands, 56-1260 bp in 5 bands, 560-1260 bp in 4 bands and 560-1200 bp in 5 bands were obtained. The phylogenetic tree of the RAPD product using UPMGA software included these strains in three different clusters with four different genetic groups. The results of this study clearly show that L. garvieae strains from the diseased rainbow trout in the north part of Iran are geneticly different from those in the west country, although there is some genetic similarity between some strains of these two regions of country

[A] comparison of the effects of reboxetine and placebo on reaction time in adults with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]

Some studies have demonstrated that Reaction Time [RT] is longer in patients with ADHD which in turn may be associated with educational and occupational impairment and increased driving risks. Any alteration on RT which is induced by the treatment in this population may have great consequences positively or negatively. This study was designed to examine the effects of reboxetine on RT in adults with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]. A total of 30 adult patients with ADHD who did not suffer from any other major psychiatric disorder were eligible to participate in this double blind, placebo controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either reboxetine [4 mg/day for one week, then 8 mg/day] or placebo for 4 weeks. RT was assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks by validated software which collects and analyses the data for auditory and visual stimulants. Numbers of correct responses, omission and substitution errors for each stimulus were calculated. Regarding visual tasks and in comparison with baseline scores, the number of correct responses increased significantly and the number of omission errors decreased significantly after 4 weeks of treatment [P<0.05] in both groups. However, with regard to auditory tasks scores, no significant differences were found at the end of the study compared to the baseline in each of the two groups. Additionally, no significant differences were noted between the two groups when both visual and auditory tasks were considered. Results of this study showed that reboxetine did not affect the RT of the patients when both visual and auditory tasks were assessed. Further studies with larger number of patients and for a longer period of time are required to confirm the result of this study

[Prevalency of metabolic syndrome among adolescents aged 15 to 17 years in Gorgan, northern Iran [2009]]

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders that are associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases and type-II diabetes. This study investigated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adolescents population in Gorgan, Northern Iran - 2009. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 450 adolescents 15- 17 years, selected through 2 stage cluster randomized sampling from high schools. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were assessed. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to NHANES III criteria. Data was analyzed by SPSS-16 software, Chi-Square and logestic regration. The overall metabolic syndrome prevalence was 3.3% [CI 95%:1.8-5.4]. More than half of cases [54.6%] had at least 1 or 2 components. High triglyceride level was the most common disorder in both genders [boys 27.6%, girls 52.4%] and then low HDL cholesterol level [17.3%] and central obesity [7.6%] were common among boys and girls respectively. Where as abdominal obesity in boys [0.9%] and hypertension in girls [3.1%] were less common. This study showed that the rate of metabolic syndrome is slightly lower but the obesity in adolescents is higher than other parts of country

[Epidemiology of cleft lip and cleft palate in Gorgan [1998-2003]]

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common human congenital craniofacial abnormalities with the side effects of middle-ear infections, hard of hearing, nutritional problems, speaking, and other societal burdens. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of cleft lip and palate and its relation with sex, ethnic group, paternal and maternal age, consanguineous marriage and season in Gorgan during 6 years. This cross-sectional study was done on 37951 births in Gorgan's Dezyani hospital during 1998-2003. Sex, type of abnormalities, ethnic group, paternal and maternal age, consanguineous marriage, season and date of birth were recorded in questionnaires and data were analyzed by SPSS. The prevalence of cleft lip and cleft palate was 0.97 per 1000 birth and it was more common in males [1.08 per 1000] than in females [0.86 per 1000]. The rate of cleft was 0.86, 0.89 and 1.47 per 1000 in native Fars, Turkaman and Sistani ethnic group, respectively. 29.7% of parents had consanguineous marriage. 29.7% of mothers with affected newborns consumed different drugs during pregnancy. The commonest rate was in winter and autumn. Maternal and paternal age was 35.5 and 28.5 years, respectively. Cleft was more common in 1998. This study reveals that incidence of cleft in Gorgan is much closer to European and east Asian countries. Consanguineous marriage and the toxicity of pregnant women with drugs or chemicals can induce cleft palate

Keratitis, Ichthyosis, Deafness [KID] syndrome with acanthosis nigricans; A case report and review of the literature

We report a case of KID syndrome in a 14-year-old girl with a negative family history. The typical features of this syndrome, ichthyosis, hypotrichosis of the eyelashes and eyebrows, neurosensory deafness and keratitis were observed. Another finding in this patient was benign acanthosis nigricans, which is reported here for the first time in association with KIDS