[Prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity and hypertension in 10-13 years old children of governmental and non-governmental elementary school in some regions of Tehran in 1390 year]

Obesity and hypertension disorders affect whole body and are associated with most diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Children with obesity and high blood pressure are prone to adulthood health problems. Yet most parents are unaware of their child obesity and high blood pressure. This 2011 study, included 1184 boys and girls aged 10-13 years old from five districts of Tehran. Overweight and obesity were diagnosed by the International Obesity Task Force [IOTF] criteria. Also, systolic or diastolic blood pressure >/= 95 for age, height and gender were considered as hypertensive. Waist circumference according to the standard Iranian cut off for children was assessed on the basis of age, gender. Waist circumference > 90 percentile was considered as abdominal obesity. Prevalences of overweight, obesity, hypertension and abdominal obesity were 21.92, 5.28, 13.16 and 25.31% respectively. The highest prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity reported in District 3, which is north of Tehran and the lowest was related to boys from region 19 of southern Tehran. Economic conditions can affect obesity and hypertension disorders and more attention must be paid to obesity and hypertension in particular, to creat awarences in parents for changes in lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity these children

E-health readiness assessment framework in Iran

Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e- banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology [1CT]. The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework [EHRAF] in Iran. The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient [0.256099], and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness [0.25520], social communication readiness [0.244658], and engagement readiness [0.244039]. The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well

Preventing unnecessary invasive cancer-diagnostic tests: changing the cut-off points

To determine a cut-off point of tPSA and PSAD to prevent unnecessary invasive cancer-diagnosing tests in the community. This study was performed on 688 consecutive patients referred to our center due to prostatism, suspicious lesions on digital rectal examination and/or elevated serum PSA levels. All patients underwent transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies and obtained PSAD. Serum levels of tPSA and fPSA were measured by chemiluminescence. Comparisons were done using tests of accuracy [AUC-ROC]. Prostate cancer was detected in 334 patients, whereas the other 354 patients were suffering from benign prostate diseases. The mean tPSA in case and control groups were 28.32 +/- 63.62 ng/ml and 7.14 +/- 10.04 ng/ml; the mean f/tPSA ratios were 0.13 +/- 0.21 and 0.26 +/- 0.24 in PCa and benign prostate disease groups; the mean PSAD rates were 0.69 +/- 2.24, 0.12 +/- 0.11, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found [P<0.05]. Using ROC curve analysis, it was revealed that AUC was 0.78 for tPSA and 0.80 for f/tPSA. Sensitivity was 71% for the cut-off value of 7.85ng/ml. For f/tPSA ratio, the optimal cut-off value was 0.13 which produced the sensitivity of 81.4% and for PSAD, it was15%. As this trial is different from the European and American values, we should be more cautious in dealing with the prostate cancer upon the obtained sensitivity and specificity for PCa diagnosis [7.85ng/mL fortPSA, 15% for PSAD and 0.13 for f/tPSA ratio]

Videonystagmographic finding in meniere's patients

Vertigo is the most common complaints of patients who refer to physician and menier's disease is one of the most common causes of it. Diagnose of menier's disease depend on clinical finding. Vestibular tests are affect the treatment method and prognosis of disease, to differentiate it from other causes of vertigo as well. In this study we performed evaluation and analysis of videonystagmoghrapy [VNG] finding in menier's disease. Total 61 patients with menier's disease referred to ENT outpatient department of Imam Khomeini and Apadana Hospitals were evaluated with VNG and Sacade, Smooth pursuit, Optokinetic, Positional and caloric tests. SPSS 16 software for data analysis was used. Directional preponderance was found in 11.44%, unilateral weakness in 39.33% and Latency of sacad in 42.6% with abnormal results. There was no significant correlation between severity of vertigo, severity of hearing loss, duration of Disease and videonystagmography finding. Unilateral weakness was most important finding in this study

[Postpartum depression and its relation to baby gender and unplanned pregnancy]

Postpartum depression is a disabling illness which can influence in the women's social relationship and their ability to achieve the task of neonatal care. Early diagnosis of depression and recognition of its related factors, preventive and therapeutic measures can be considered which can lead to health of mother, neonate, family and society. The aim of this study was to investigate postpartum depression and its relation to unplanned pregnancy and baby gender in the women who had given birth in community oriented medical clinic of Kermanshah University. This was a cross-sectional study. 531 primiparous women, who had referred to community oriented clinic between 10-40 days after delivery, were included in the study and evaluated for depression. Sampling method was census. Data were collected by use of Edinburgh postnatal Depression scale [EPDS] and an informational form about demographic characteristics, baby gender, planned or unplanned pregnancy and history of depression. SPSS software was used and data were analyzed by means of analytical statistics [chi-square and t-test]. 40.7% of the subjects had postpartum depression. Postpartum depression revealed a significant relationship with unplanned pregnancy and the history of depression [p=0.002], but no significant relationship was found between postpartum depression and neonatal gender. Postpartum depression has a high prevalence in our study affecting approximately 50% of mothers. Therefore screening for postpartum depression should be considered mandatory in postpartum care. Also special measures should be considered for women with unplanned pregnancy and history of depression during pregnancy and postnatal period

[Evaluation of serum levels of IL-L alpha, TGF-Beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha, IFN-Omega, IL-1 alpha, TGH-beta, cortisol and immunoglobulins in Islamic ramadan fasting]

This research aimed determining the levels of cortisol, immunoglobulins and major serum cytokines, following Ramadan fasting, as immune response indexes. For this before and after Ramadan fasting study, twenty-five students residing at the dormitory of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected. All cytokines levels [IL-1alpha TGF-beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha, IFN-omega] were determined by the ELISA method, Immoglobulines were determined by the Radial Immunodiffusion [SRID] technique and cortisol levels were measured by EIA too. While IFN-omega a showed a considerable increase after Ramadan fasting [P<0.01], IFN-alpha and TNF-alpha had decreased [P >/= 0.5 and <0.02 respectively]. Serum level of TGF-beta increased but not significantly [P>0.3]; cortisol also increased after one month of fasting [P<0.05]. Serum IL-1alpha had a non-significant decrease [P >/= 0.5]. Although IgG and IgM levels showed no significant increase, IgA levels showed significant decrease [P<0.5]. Our data revealed that Ramadan fasting increased IFN-omega, while decreasing TNF-alpha and IgA levels; ramadan fasting can probably increase T-Cell function, lower the inflammatory appreance rate and affect immunoglubulin production

relation of personal and academic characteristics of medical students cohort entered the medical faculty of Kermanshah university in 2000 and their performance in the 28[th] comprehensive exam of basic medical sciences

Considering the importance of comprehensive basic sciences exams in determining the academic level of medical students, this study was done to find the correlation between personal and academic characteristics of medical students entered the medical faculty of Kermanshah University in 1379 and the results of the 28[th] comprehensive basic medical sciences exam. 38 medical students participated in this study. An information form which includes personal and academic characteristics of medical students and their scores in the comprehensive basic medical sciences exams was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics [percent and average figures] and inferential statistics [variance analysis tests, t-test, Mann-Whitney and KrusKal-Wallis tests]. 68.4% of the 38 medical students were male, 92.1% entered the university using target access schemes, 15.8% graduated from the high schools for gifted and talented students, 63.2% has no failed units, 67.4% were living in dormitories. The average score on their diploma was 18.49 +/- 1.20 and the average of their total score in basic medical sciences stage was 14.89 +/- 1010. The correlation of the comprehensive basic medical sciences exams with the average score in 5[th] term or the average of total score in basic sciences stage was the most [0.8 and 0.79]. there were no significant correlation between the scores in the comprehensive basic medical sciences exams and students' gender, place of living, target access schemes and graduation from schools for gifted and talented students. This study showed that the average scores in different terms of basic medical science and the average of total scores in basic medical science stage are correlated with the scores in basic medical science stage