prevalence of astigmatism and its determinants in a rural population of Iran: the "nooravaran salamat" mobile eye clinic experience

The prevalence of astigmatism, and the astigmatic axis, and their determinants were evaluated in a rural population of Iran. In a cross-sectional study conducted from May to August 2011, 13 villages in the vicinity of the city of Khaf in northeast Iran were investigated in this study. All the examinations including visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and fundoscopy were performed in a Mobile Eye Clinic. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Only phakic eye that could be reliably refracted without a previous history of ocular surgery were included. Out of 2635 participants who were screened, 2124 were analysed for this study of whom 52% were female. The prevalence of astigmatism was 32.2% [95% confidence intervals [CI]: 30.2-34.2]. Astigmatism significantly increased from 14.3% in the under 15-year-old age group to 67.2% in the age group of over 65-years old [P < 0.001]. The prevalence of With-The-Rule [WTR], Against-The-Rule [ATR], and oblique astigmatism was 11.7%, 18.1%, and 2.4%, respectively. ATR significantly increased with age [P < 0.001]. The mean corneal astigmatism was 0.73 D which linearly increased with age [P < 0.001]. Attention must be paid to astigmatism in rural areas due to the high prevalence. Further studies are suggested to discover the role of the environmental and genetic factors. It seems that environmental and occupational factors in the villages cause a significant increase in the prevalence of astigmatism with age. A high percentage of participants had ATR astigmatism, which was more common at older ages.

Pattern visual evoked potentials in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

To evaluate cortical and retinal activity by pattern visual evoked potentials [PVEP] in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. PVEP was recorded in 40 diabetic patients including 20 subjects with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy [NPDR] and 20 others without any retinopathy on fundus photography, and compared to 40 age- and sex-matched normal non-diabetic controls. P100 wave latency was significantly longer in diabetic patients as compared to normal controls [P<0.001]; both diabetic subjects without retinopathy and those with NPDR had significantly longer P100 latency than controls [P<0.001 for both comparisons]. There was significant reduction in N75 [P=0.037] and P100 [P=0.001] amplitudes in diabetic subjects. No correlation was observed between VEP amplitude or wave latency, and the level of glycemia or duration of diabetes mellitus. Increased PVEP latency may be a sign of retinal ganglion cell damage which takes place before the appearance of the first ophthalmoscopically detectable signs of diabetic retinopathy. PVEP may be considered as a method for detecting prediabetic retinopathy and has the potential to reduce diabetic complications.

Co-citation scientific maps: a case study of medical sciences in Iran

Visualization of scientific maps enhances the awareness and general recognition of the scientific domains and their structures. It facilitates the study of the existing situation and planning of the future researches as well. The present study sought to discover and generate the scientific map of medicine in Iran between 2003 and 2007. It also aimed to determine the most effective medical subject categories in the map generated. The study follows a scientometrics trend in which all published articles of Iran indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded [SCIE] between 2003 and 2007 were retrieved. Then, these articles were limited to medical subject categories through the result analysis section of SCIE and 10247 articles were retrieved in medical subject categories as research population. NWB [Network Workbench Tool] software and ISI medical subject category co-citation were used for analyzing the articles in medicine and generating scientific maps. The scientific medical map showed that there were 61 nodes and 164 links with a weight ranging from 101 to 591. 31 nodes depicted one medical subject category, while the other nodes covered non-medical, or a combination of medical and non-medical subject categories. Medical subject categories with the highest impact included general and internal medicine, pharmacology and pharmacy, biochemistry and molecular biology, neurosciences, and research and experimental medicine. The strongest links were visible in general and internal medicine, with public, occupational, and environmental health; general and internal medicine with pharmacology and pharmacy; and pharmacology and pharmacy with neurosciences. The quantitative growth in medical articles alongside their quality is effective in scientific maps. It is necessary to encourage the categories with more effective and support the subject categories with the least impact to publish more articles and get more citation

Importance of including refractive error tests in school children's vision screening

This study determined the importance of including tests for refractive errors in vision screening. In this cross-sectional study, we performed a random cluster sampling of schoolchildren in the city of Dezful, Iran. After sampling and obtaining informed written consents from their parents, children underwent examinations at the school sites. Students underwent tests of visual acuity, cover tests and cycloplegic refractions. Elementary and middle school students who had a visual acuity of 20/20 or better, in both eyes were included in the study. From 3673 elementary and middle school students, 2957 [80.5%] had 20/20 vision or better. Of these, 16.1% [95% confidence interval [Cl]: 14.8 - 17.4] were ametropic, 0.4% had myopia and 10.1% had hyperopia. Mean sphere in those with hyperopia was +2.6 +/- 0.7 [range: +2.0 to +7.28] diopter [D]. Astigmatism was detected in 6.6% and the mean cylinder was -0.9 [range: -0.75 to -3.25] D. The rate of anisometropia was 1.5% [95% Cl: 0.8 - 2.0]. Screening results of 20/20 vision for schoolchildren does not necessarily indicate normal eye status because hyperopia and astigmatism may still be sources of visual discomfort. To identify these cases and increase the sensitivity of screening tests, measurement of refractive errors by cycloplegic refraction tests might be included in vision screening

[Evaluation of relationship between contrast sensitivity, color vision and visual acuity in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy]

To investigate the discriminative ability of contrast sensitivity [CS], color vision and log MAR visual acuity [VA] in detecting functional losses in diabetic participants with and without retinopathy comparing to the control group. In this cross sectional study in 1388 we examined 105 patients in Mashhad Khatam- Al-Anbia Eye Hospital including 70 diabetic patients [35 with retinopathy and 35 without retinopathy] with 35 control group. Contrast sensitivity was examined by means of CSV-1000 E at 3, 6, 12 and 18 cpd respectively. Color discrimination ability was measured with the Farnsworth D-15 test and log MAR VA by Snellen chart. Contrast sensitivity was significantly lower in the diabetic eyes with retinopathy than in the normal eyes in all spatial frequencies. Comparing to the control group, there was a statistically significant CS loss in spatial frequencies of 3, 6, 18 cpd in the diabetic eyes without retinopathy [p<0.05]. The mean log MAR VA and color vision abnormalities were significantly higher in the diabetic eyes with retinopathy than in the normal eyes or the diabetic eyes without retinopathy [p<0.001]. The sensitivity and specificity of the CS test in 6 cpd were 71% and 82% which were significantly higher than other spatial frequencies. The sensitivity and the specificity of the color vision test and VA [log MAR >/= 0.05, Snellen

effect of diabetes on induced pain of formalin and baclofen analgesia in rats

One of the side effects of diabetes epidemic today in the world is painful neuropathy, the reasons and treatments of which are un- known. Due to the importance of the problem of pain treatment as one of the harmful phenomena in life, this research studies the effect of continued diabetes on the formalin induced pain and Baclofen analgesia in rats. Moreover, the effect of Baclofen as a non-opiate, analgesic drug on the increased pains in the quiescent phase as the model of diabetic pain is investigated. The method is experimental, evaluating the pain level through conducting the formalin test in 3 groups of rats. The first group was divided to control [injection normal saline] and diabetic [injection aloxan 100 mg/kg] which were tested, after one to four weeks from the beginning of diabetes, the second one was divided to a new control and diabetic group, and before performing formalin test, the Baclofen [10 mg/kg] was injected to them. And the third one was divided to two diabetic groups that received Baclofen and normal saline and then the pain of the quiescent phase was compared in them. The results indicate that diabetes increases formalin induced pain [P<0.05] and remained with continued diabetes. It also indicates that diabetes establishes increased pain in the quiescent phase [P<0.05], yet, it has had no influence on the Baclofen analgesic effect on the first phase of formalin test but increased it on the second phase. Moreover, Baclofen can quiet the increased pain in quiescent phase [P<0.05] very well. Due to the results of this study it seems that diabetes, with the changes in the central and peripheral pathways of the pain and also pain control, increases the pain. More studies are required for determining its mechanisms. These changes are accompanied with weakening the internal anti pain systems such as Gaba ergic, which can be treated with Baclofen. Diabetes has no interaction with the Baclofen's analgesic effect, so, Baclofen may be recommended as an effective drug to comfort painful diabetic Neuropathy

investigation on the scientific products: Iran, Turkey, and Greece

The present study seeks to investigate the scientific products among the three countries of Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey, and Greece as they have entered the 3rd Millennium [during the years 2000-2008] upon the data obtained from ISI Web of Science. In the past, these nations had possessed original, rich, and great civilizations; moreover, these countries had had [and still have] borders with each other so that Iran reflects itself as an Asian nation, Turkey as that of a Euro-Asian country, and Greece as a European nation. The findings show that at the turn of the 3rd Millennium [the year 2000]; Turkey and Greece [with a little difference] had a higher level for the scientific products followed by Iran with a significant difference. After four years [in the year 2004], Turkey had taken the lead, followed by Greece and Iran. However, in the year 2008, Turkey had still had the lead in the generation of scientific products, while Iran had surpassed Greece

Attitudes, perceptions, and tendencies of the Iranian students in medical fields towards cheating and academic dishonesty

Background and Objectives: despite universities initiating different controlling systems, cheating is still rampant and a global phenomenon. One side of the problem of cheating involves the attitudes, perceptions and tendencies of the university students towards cheating and academic misconduct. The present survey seeks to elaborate on the above aspects among the students at one of the most important universities in Tehran, Iran

Methods and Sample: the study has benefitted from the translated and validated version of the questionnaire used by Lupton and Chapman [2002]. The sample included 386 students studying at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences [SBMU] in Tehran in different fields of medical sciences

Findings and Discussion: the survey has found some very interesting results on what Iranian university students think of cheating and academic dishonesty, despite all the controlling systems used in assigning homework and initiating mid-term and final exams. Almost 81.1 % of the female students and 85.2 % of male students did not consider "giving the exam answers to someone at the following semester" an act of cheating. Moreover, 72.2 % of students responded that they had not cheated. Interestingly, 65.4 % of the respondents have admitted that they had given information of a previous exam to another student. The results showed that sex did not have any role in cheating and academic dishonesty [p=0.826]

The results indicate that the students' attitude towards cheating and academic misconduct was significantly different [p<0.001] based on their field of study

Prevalence and risk factors of refractive errors among school children in Mashhad, 2006-2007

To determine the prevalence of refractive condition and its risk factors among students in Mashhad. A total of 2510 students representing a cross-sectional of the population of Mashhad were sampled using random cluster sampling strategy. Primary and middle school students underwent cycloplegic refraction. The refractive errors of high school students were measured using non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent [SE] of -0.5 diopter [D] or more, and hyperopia was defined as SE of +0.5 diopter [D] or more, and astigmatism of 0.75 cylinder diopter or greater. Examination was carried out in the school using standardized testing protocols. 2150 students [group 1: 1163 primary and middle school, group 2: 947 high school students and 13 missed data] participated. The prevalence of refractive errors in the 1st group was: myopia=2.4%, hyperopia=87.9%, astigmatism=9.8% and anisometropia=3.0% [SE difference at least 1.00 D], and in the 2nd group myopia=24.1%, hyperopia=8.4%, astigmatism=11.8% and anisometropia=5.6%. There was significant difference in refractive errors between girls and boys [P<0.001]. In primary and middle school prevalence of myopia increased with age [OR=1.3 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.7 and P=0.013]. The prevalence of refractive errors among students in Mashhad is high. Effective detection and treatment of these refractive errors is expected to reduce the incidence of amblyopia and strabismus and also can prevent substantive effects on academic performance