Air pollution and low birth weight: a historical cohort study from Tehran

This historical cohort study was designed to clarify the association between air pollution and low birth weight [LBW] amongst women referred to Tehran hospitals in 2007. In total, 225 eligible pregnant women who lived within 5 km of an air pollution monitoring station during their pregnancy were selected for the study. Data were collected via interview and hospital records. Exposure to each pollutant was estimated for each woman individually throughout her pregnancy and for each trimester. Exposures were modelled as categorical variables using inter-quartile ranges in a logistic regression model. The results showed a significant association between exposure to CO and LBW [OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.70-4.60], particularly during the second trimester [OR = 3.96, CI: 1.83-12.5. We conclude that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may be associated with LBW

[Effects of daily consumption of Iranian yogurt drink doogh fortified with vitamin D or vitamin D plus calcium on the anthropometric and glycemic indices in type-2 diabetes patients]

Poor vitamin D status has been associated with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of daily intakes of Iranian yogurt drink doogh fortified with vitamin D or vitamin D + calcium on anthropometric and glycemic status in type-2 diabetes patients. Ninety patients with type-2 diabetes were randomly allocated to one of three groups as follows: group1: plain doogh; group 2: vitamin D-fortified doogh [fortified with 500 IU vitamin D3 and 150 mg Ca/250 mL]; group 3: vitamin D + calcium-fortified doogh [fortified with 500 IU vitamin D3 and 250 mg Ca/250 mL]. The subjects took their respective doughs twice per day for 12 weeks. Anthropometric markers [weight, body mass index, and waist circumference], fasting serum glucose [FSG], glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], and homeostasis model of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] were measured before and after the intervention. In both groups 2 and group 3, the mean serum 25[OH]D3 level increased significantly [P>0.001]. As compared to group 1, in groups 2 and 3 the decreases in FSG [-12.9 +/- 33.7 mg/dL [P = 0.015] and -9.6 +/- 46.9 mg/dL [P = 0.035], respectively], Hb A1c [-0.4 +/- 1.2% [P<0.001] and -0.4 +/- 1.9% [P, 0.001], respectively], HOMA-IR [-0.6 +/- 1.4 [P = 0.001] and -0.6 +/- 3.2 [P, 0.001], respectively], and waist circumference [WC; -3.6 +/- 2.7 and -2.9 +/- 3.3, respectively; P<0.001 for both] were significantly higher. An inverse correlation was observed between changes in serum 25[OH]D3 and FSG [r = 20.208, P = 0.049] and HOMA-IR [r = 20.219, P = 0.005]. Daily consumption of vitamin D-fortified doogh with or without added calcium, improves anthropometric and glycemic status in diabetic patients

[Determinants of inflammation and systolic blood presure in women with central obesity: a cross-sectional study]

High prevalence of obesity is closely associated with a prominent rise in the incidence of hypertension, both of which result in a major increase in cardiovascular disease risk. Several studies also suggest obesity as a major risk factor for systemic inflammation. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between metabolic and anthropometric indicators on the one hand and serum levels of high-sensitivity CRP [hsCRP] and blood pressure in overweight and obese women on the other hand, as well as determine the predictors of hsCRP level and blood pressure in this population. Subjects were recruited by convenience sampling from health care centers and schools in Tehran in winter. From among volunteers 200 women meeting the study criteria were selected and their fasting blood samples collected. Dietary intake was assessed, anthropometric measurements were made, and the related laboratory tests [total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and hsCRP] were performed. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression were used for statistical analysis. Serum levels of hsCRP were significantly associated with those of glucose[p=0.015, triglycerides [p=0.005], total cholesterol[p=0.002], body mass index [BMI][<0.0001], waist circumference [WC][p<0.001], and fat mass [FM] [p<0.0001]. Also, systolic blood pressure [SBP] was significantly associated with serum levels of glucose[p=0.018], triglycerides [p=0.011], BMI [p<0.0001], WC[p<0.0001], FM[p=0.005] and WHR[p=0.049]. In different regression models, WC and FM were found to be predictors of hsCRP [p= 0.020, 0.015], wheras BMI was a strong predictor of SBP [p <0.0001]. This study demonstrates that waist circumference and fat mass are the predictors of hsCRP, while body mass index is the main predictor of systolic blood pressure, in Tehrani obese and overweight women with waist circumference more than 88cm

[Relationship between DNMT1 gene's SNPs and colorectal cancer at Taleghani hospital in Tehran]

The relation between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms [SNPs] and a number of diseases has triggered many researches. Investigating the possible relations between SNPs present in DNMT1 gene from man's chromosome 19 and colorectal cancer. This was a case/control study in which 100 patients with colorectal cancer, referred to Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases of Shaheed Beheshti Medical University during 2008, were chosen as case group. The control group included an equal number of patients who visited the medical center for a variety of reasons. Genetic test was carried out on all patients to determine the type of 6 SNPs of DNMT1 gene from man's chromosome 19. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software using chi-square test and logistic regression. All SNPs investigated showed significant relations with colorectal cancer indicating that in all cases the chance of getting colorectal cancer in people with genotype 1 and 2 was much higher than those with genotype 0. by exploring people's SNPs, it is feasible to predict the risk of catching colorectal cancer and thus establishing proper preventive measures

experience of spiritual well-being from the perspective of oncology nurses: a qualitative content analysis

Background and Purpose: Spiritual wellbeing as one of the effective factors on human health outcomes has been increasingly considered in recent years. Based on the literature, nurses' spiritual wellbeing influences their spiritual care. Therefore, this qualitative study aims to explain spiritual wellbeing from the perspective of oncology nurses

Methods and Materials: This qualitative phenomenological study involved 24 oncology nurses as participants from 12 hospitals affiliated to medical universities of Iran, Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group sessions with efficient age and sex diversity, and were analyzed by qualitative content analysis

Results: In the final step of analysis, 11 themes or main categories emerged: religious belief, Quran and the Hereafter, belief in God, Prophets and Imams, understanding of principles and philosophy of creation, searching for God, whole health, scientific and altruistic nursing, sense of life satisfaction, reaching transcendence, meaning and purpose in life, and inner energy resources

Conclusion: Oncology nurses experienced the spiritual wellbeing as belief in God and the Holy Quran, understanding the mystery of creation and searching for God [religious wellbeing] and attaining health, knowledgeable nursing, life and job satisfaction and finding the meaning and purpose of life [existential wellbeing]

[Physiologic indices of patients before, during and after visit in coronary care unit at Imam Khomeini hospital in Ardebil]

Visit is an essential issue in hospitals and of patients' basic needs in coronary care units [CCUs]. However, there is no evidence regarding its physiologic effects on them. The aim of this was to determine the physiologic indexes of patients before, during and after visit at CCU of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardebil. In this descriptive study, 50 patients with acute myocardial infarction were selected through convenience sampling method. A questionnaire and a cardiac monitoring device were used for data collection. Content method and calibration the device were used for validity and reliability of the tools respectively. ANOVA with repeated measurements was used for data analysis. 72% of patients was male and 28% was female. Their mean age was 59.8. Significant differences were found between systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures; heart as well as respiratory rates; temperature; and oxygen saturation before, during and after the visits. Accordingly, the indexes increased significantly by the start of visits and turned back to the previous state after them with no significant difference in before-after amounts. It seems that the physiologic indices of patients change in normal range during visits and return to their primary state after 30 minutes from the end of visits with no clinical importance

[ effects of low intensity aerobi exercise on blood pressure]

Immobility and hypertension [HTN] are known risk factors for coronary heart disease [CHD] and crebrovascular accident [CVA]. Blood pressure control [in normal range] would prevent or postpone CHD and CVA. Non-phamacological method is one of the most important measures in control of high blood pressure. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of low intensity aerobic exercise on blood pressure of employees with essential hypertension. This is a quasi-experimental study in which, 36 male employees suffering from hypertension who referred to the health facility centers of Boroujen, participated in a low intensive exercise program for four weeks, three times [each one, 20-30 min.] a week with intensity of about 50%-60% maximum heart rate [MHR]. Before beginning of the exercise, immediately after that, and one week later, the parameters blood pressure, heartbeat, and body mass index and weight were measured. Using statistical methods [t test and analysis variance] the data were analyzed. The mean age of the subjects studied was 46.13 +/- 5 years. Before and after the intervention [exercise], the mean of systolic blood pressure [SBP], mean arterial pressure [MAP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP], were 150.04 +/- 12 mmHg and 149.5 +/- 11 mmHg [p>0.05], 109.4 +/- 6 mmHg and 106.3 +/- 6 mmHg [p<0.01], and 109.4 +/- 6 mmHg and 106.3 +/- mmHg [p<0.001], respectively. In the cases of heart rate, weight, and body mass index, no significant reduction was observed. Based on these results, the low intensity aerobic exercise is an effective method for the control of blood pressure

[Clustering approach in DNA microarray analysis]

Microarray DNA technology has paved the way for investigators to expressed thousands of genes in a short time. Analysis of this big amount of raw data includes normalization, clustering and classification. The present study surveys the application of clustering technique in microarray DNA analysis. We analyzed data of Van't Veer et al study dealing with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in breast cancer. It was consisted of 18 patients with BRCA1 and 2 patients with BRCA2 mutation. Gene expression data were clustered using hierarchical and non-hierarchical approach. Then different clustering approaches were compared according to the actual classification with R software. Hierarchical clustering showed a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 100% in detecting BRCA1 gene. These figures were 89% and 100% for non-hierarchical clustering, respectively, indicating a satisfactory performance for both approaches. All clustering approaches classified sample No. 95 in BRCA2 group, however, clinical manifestations put her in BRCA1 group. With respect to satisfactory coincidence between clustering and actual classification results, clustering approach could be applied for cases when actual classification is missing