Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Year:2012 | Volume:29 | Issue:162|Papers Count:6

Background: Endemic goiter is generally seen in mountainous and iodine-deficient regions of the countries where the people's diet lacks sufficient amount of iodine. Moreover, thyroid hormones are important for normal somatic growth and development. On the other hand, changes in thyroid function during childhood are affected by various factors, like gender, age, adiposity, nutrition, iodine intake and geographic region. Although it is known that severe thyroid dysfunction affects weight, the effects of minor disturbances of a normal thyroid function on body weight, obesity and body mass index (BMI) remain vague. In this study, our goal was to assess BMI in a group of children and investigate its relation with thyroid function and goiter.Methods: A total number of 4345 children (2397 from Isfahan and 1948 from Semirom), aged 6-13 years (with a mean of 9.38±1.10 years) were recruited in this study. The children with any acute or chronic disorder or any history of diagnosed thyroid disease and clinical signs or symptoms of thyroid disease were excluded.Findings: The mean of BMI in children from Isfahan was significantly higher than the children from Semiron in both goitrous (P<0.01) and healthy (P<0.01) groups. Although healthy children of Isfahan had higher BMIs than the patients (P<0.01), in Semirom the relation was reversed (P=0.045(.Conclusion: Goiter may have some relations with anthropometric features such as weight and BMI, especially among children. However, socioeconomic factors seemed to have more important roles because BMI was higher in both goitrous and healthy children from Isfahan.

Background: Irregular population growth is considered as a serious threat to the international community.It is also a major obstacle against nations' social and economic development. Thus, one of the ways to control the population is providing effective contraceptive methods. Vasectomy is one of the most effective, simple contraceptive methods confirmed by the World Health Organization. It is important to involve men in population control and reproductive health promotion. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the experiences of a group of vasectomized men.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. Subjects were 14 vasectomized men selected through purposive sampling. In-depth and open interviews with participants were conducted to collect data. Observations were also recorded in comprehensive field notes. A Colaizzi method was used to analyze the data transcripts.Findings: Four themes were driven from the obtained results which describe the structures of vasectomy- related experiences among men. These themes included opinions about vasectomy, impressions about vasectomy, vasectomy experiences, and recommendation to others.Conclusion: Recognizing experiences of vasectomized men and determining positive and negative aspects of this method would make specialists able to design effective vasectomy promotion training programs.

Background: Neural degeneration is induced by production of oxidant agents in neural pools. Red grape juice has antioxidant agents. Exercise can be able to protect dopaminergic neurons of brain.Therefore, it seems that red grape juice and exercise can prevent neural impairment in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, neuroprotective effects of red grape juice and exercise on Parkinson's disease in male rats were compared.Methods: In order to create Parkinson's in rats, they were received unilateral infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into substantia nigra pars compacta by a stereotaxic apparatus. Two weeks after surgery, the rats were treated with red grape juice and exercise for 1 month. In order to estimate the extent of lesion, they received intraperitoneal apomorphine. The number of rotations until 1 hour after injection was calculated as the main parameter for evaluation of Parkinson's disease.Findings: Our results showed that red grape juice decreased the signs of Parkinson's disease compared to other groups. In addition, groups with Parkinson's disease which did not receive red grape juice presented the highest numbers of rotations. The results also indicated that injection of 6-OHDA induced Parkinson's disease whose signs occurred as rotations resulted by the administration of dopamine agonist agents. These effects were reduced using red grape juice. Exercise also reduced rotations in treated groups with Parkinson's disease. Moreover, red grape juice reduced rotations in Parkinson's disease rats significantly more than exercise.Conclusion: The main place of release of dopamine in the brain is substantia nigra nucleus. This nucleus has an important role in controlling and coordination of voluntary activities of skeletal muscles.Injection of 6-OHDA into this area decreased the release of dopamine and finally induced Parkinson's disease. Using red grape juice probably treats this disease via compensation of dopamine concentration in other areas of central nervous system. In addition, exercise probably treated Parkinson's disease by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. However, since exercise produces stress in the body, it was less successful in treating the disease compared to red grape juice.

Background: Considering the increasing rate of chronic renal failure in Iran and the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among these patients, the aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and psychosis among hemodialysis patients of Nour and Ali Asghar Hospitals in Isfahan, Iran.Methods: In this descriptive, analytic cross-sectional study, all hemodialysis patients who referred to Nour and Ali Asghar Hospitals were evaluated. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and psychosis was determined using the standard SCL-90-R questionnaire.Findings: A total number of 196 patients (132 male and 64 female) were studied. The overall rate of physiological problems was 69.9%. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and psychosis among hemodialysis patients was 50%, 12.2% and 0%, respectively. The prevalence of physiological problems were higher in patients aged<25 years and>75 years (P<0.05). The prevalence of physiological problems in male and female patients was 69.9% and 84.4%, respectively (P<0.05). There was not a significant relationship between the prevalence of physiological problems and the duration of dialysis. However, there was a significant relationship between the mentioned problems and the frequency of dialysis (per week).Conclusion: Regarding the high prevalence of depression and anxiety in our studied population, further studies are recommended to determine the proper methods for early diagnosis and screening of depression and anxiety among hemodialysis patients. In addition, patients need to be educated about the methods of prevention and controlling these disorders.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the entrance surface dose (ESD) and effective doses (ED) in postmenopausal women using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). It also tried to determine the correlations between ESD and ED and height, weight and body mass index (BMI(.Methods: Thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLD-GR200) and abdominal CT scans were used for patient dosimetry. The correlation coefficients and regression analysis was applied for 43 postmenopausal women who referred to Seyed Alshohada Hospital in Isfahan.Findings: Pearson's correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between ESD and BMI (r=0.885; P<0.001) and weight (r=0745; P<0.001). However, there was an indirect correlation between ESD and height (r=-0.258; P=0.047). Pearson's correlation analysis also showed an indirect correlation between ED and BMI (r=-0.651; P<0.001), height (r=-0.346; P<0.001) and weight (r=-0.811; P<0.001). Mean values of ED and ESD were respectively determined as 0.50 µSv (0.26-0.95) and 9.54 µSv (7.25-12.65) for the anterior posterior (AP) spine scans.Conclusion: Our results showed that the exposure in bone densitometry with a Norland XR-46 system was very low (0.50 µSv). In fact, these values were much lower than the average daily background in the UK (7 µSv).