Factors associated with mental health of high-school students in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Background: Mental disorders of adulthood can be traced to childhood and adolescent disorders so attention to the mental health of young people is important.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the mental health status of high-school students in Khorramabad and the factors that may affect it.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1 202 high-school students in Khorramabad in the 2015–2016 academic year. Students were selected using stratified and multistage cluster random sampling. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics of the students, and the General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-28] was used to assess symptoms of mental disorders. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the presence of symptoms of mental disorder and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: The mean age of the students was 16.1 [SD 0.9] years and 52.7% were girls. Overall, 481 [40%] students [34% of males, 46% of females] had symptoms of mental disorders. Most had mild symptoms; 5% had severe symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety, depression and social impairment were seen in 40%, 33% and 32% of the students respectively; significantly more girls had these symptoms [P < 0.05]. Female students, those in higher school grades, and those whose fathers were unemployed and mothers were housewives were significantly more likely to have symptoms of mental disorders [P < 0.05].

Conclusions: This study found a high prevalence of symptoms associated with mental disorders in the adolescents in Khorramabad. Counselling centres in schools are needed to offer psychiatric counselling services to students and to implement regular mental health training programmes

Effect of TGF-beta/smad signaling pathway blocking on expression profiles of miR-335, miR-150, miR-194, miR-27a, and miR-199a of hepatic stellate cells [HSCs]

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of inhibition of TGF-beta/smad signaling on the expression profiles of miR-335, miR-150, miR-194, miR-27a, miR-199a of hepatic stellate cells [HSCs]

Background: Liver fibrosis is excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins due to ongoing inflammation and HSC activation that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. Recent studies have shown the importance of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases

Methods: In this study, for inhibition of TGF-beta smad-signaling pathway, expressing Smad4 shRNA plasmids were transfected into HSCs. Subsequently, using Real Time-PCR, we measured the expression levels of miR-335, miR-150, miR-194, miR-27a and miR- 199a

Results: Gene expression analysis showed that downregulation of Smad4 by vector Smad4shRNA significantly increased the expression levels of miR-335 [P<0.01] and miR-150 [P<0.001] and decreased the expression level of miR-27a [P<0.05]

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that blocking TGF-beta smad-signaling can also differentially modulate microRNA expression in support of activation and fibrogenesis of HSCs

Pericardial tuberculosis with an emphasis on empiric therapy in endemic areas for tuberculosis [a case report]

Pericardial tuberculosis [TB] is rare, but has particularly severe complications and a high mortality rate when not treated. Prompt treatment of pericardial TB is important and can be life-saving. We report a 13-year-old girl with massive pericardial effusion and negative workup for TB, who was empirically treated with an excellent response