فصلنامه علوم پزشکی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی مشهد
سال ششم شماره 1 (پیاپی 21، بهار 1389)

The branch of medicine concerned with the influence of the environment, geology, and soil on humans and animals is called “Geo-medicine”. The term “geo” has different meanings for different groups. Some people associate it to “geography”;therefore, “Geo-medicine”, a combination of “geo” + “medicine”, suggests the relation between health and the environment. On the other hand, geologists believe this term isrooted out from “geology”. Therefore, “geo- medicine” is an interdisciplinary science which deals with geologicalenvironmental factors which are responsible for controllinghealth and distributing diseases in different parts of the world. So “Geo-medicine” is a complicated science which needs the help of other sciences for solving problems. As for the contribution of “geology”, two main processes are involved in controlling and distributing the heterogeneities of the elements on the Earth surface. The first one is the heritance which is related to the characteristics of rocks nature. In other words, itdeals with the concentration of elements in different rocks. For example, some elements like Nicole and Chrome are found more in Bassalt than in granite whereas the rate of Pbconcentration is higher in granite. The second process is weathering. Geochemical processes take place under special ecological conditions. These geochemical processes change the formation of minerals and affect the dissolving process of various elements in the water which ultimately leads to the concentration of different elements within the earth crust. These elements will be absorbed by different organisms affecting the human health. Naturally, all the elements in the crust or in soil are useful for health, but the problem will be created when their concentration change. For example, the epidemiologic indication linking Mg and Atherosclerotic disease has been reported to be a result of an inverse association between the level of water hardness and cardiovascular mortality. Also, severe copper deficiency produces both myocardial and vascular lesions andhypercholesterolemia in experimental animals. The data linking Cr to human cardiovascular disease are inconsistent.

Nowadays, electromagnetic waves are being used in different aspects of human’s life in different ranges of frequency. For instance, these waves are used in radio, television and mobile phones for the purpose of communication, on one hand, and in the Microwave oven, on the other hand. Then, one should necessarily take into account the dangerous effects of such waves on human beings. This paper will briefly discuss the different frequency ranges of electromagnetic waves and the properties of the waves together with the energy carried by them. In addition, Maxwell equation of the waves in differentstudies on the media will be reviewed. Moreover, the interaction of electromagnetic waves with human’s body in daily use of these waves as well as and their sources will bediscussed.

As a result of one of the most important technological achievements in communication in the recent decades, there is vast application of the electromagnetic waves in the world. For instance, it has been estimated that about 3 milliard sets of mobile cell phones were in use in 2009 around the world. Along with the increasing use of such technological innovation, the worries about the absorption of electromagnetic waves in human bodies increase. Accordingly, there are a lot of concerns about the malignant effects of these waves on human organs including, live tissues, DNA, protein cells, and enzymes. Theside effects, in turn, could lead to the development of cancer in different organs of humans. This paper intends to examine such side effects both theoretically and experimentally. It will also discuss the needs for scientific considerations to hinder theabsorption of electromagnetic radiation in human body.

Nowadays community oral health teams attempt to prevent dental caries as much as possible. Different methods have been recommended, but the most operative and cost – effective method is water fluoridation. The suggested level of fluoride is 0.7PPm to 1.2PPm (PPm is one part of fluoride per 1 million parts of water). The cavity-preventive role of fluoridated water is most effective before teeth eruption. However, it controlscaries after eruption as well. Such an effect is mostly evident on the smooth surface of the teeth. No toxicity has yet been reported about the excessive use of fluoride at the optimal level of 1PPm. The uncontrolled dosage of drinking water fluoride (i.e. more than 1.5) causes dental fluorosis. It changes the appearance of the teeth’s surfaces by causing white horizontal striation, opaque patches or chalky white discoloration in mildfluorosis. It can also lead to yellow or brown stained patches, pitting or chipping of teeth in moderate -sever fluorosis).Water fluoridation at the optimal level is strongly recommended in prevention of dental caries, specifically in countries with highsugar diets and poor oral hygiene

There is no doubt that the advancement of treatments with stem cells is a significant milestone in medical science in the recent decades. Stem cells can be used to produce and repair various tissues in human body. These cells are cable of changing into special cells and are highly capable of renovation and division for a long period of time. Microenvironmental signals which have their origin out of the cells can strongly affect these capabilities. Understanding these micro parameters could help scientists to control cell growth in the laboratory environments. In the present paper, some of these microscopic factors including physiochemical induces, the presence of some ions, vitamins and hormones as well as ionizing radiation, tissue damage, growth parameters andsome environmental pollutants affecting on the proliferation and differentiation capability of stem cells have been reviewed

Cell cycle is regulated by proto-oncogens, tumor suppressor genes, apoptosis regulating genes, DNA-repair genes and recently microRNAs.Different carcinogenic agents causeneoplastic transformation by manipulating and changing these genes and molecules.Carcinogenic agents are categorized into: chemicals, radiation and microbiologic agents.Among chemical agents, Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor that can disturbthe organ morphology and the development of reproductive tract. It is also considered as a risk factor for breast and prostatic cancers. Aflatoxin ingestion leads to hepatocellularcarcinoma and polycyclic hydrocarbons. Also. nitrosamines induce lung cancer. Ultraviolet radiation, specially UVB, is a known risk factor for skin cancers. Also, oncogenic viruses,either by themselves or in company with other carcinogens play important roles in neoplastic transformation in various cells

Radon gas with symbol Rn, under standard conditions, is the densest gas in the world. Below the freezing point, it is a yellow, phosphorescence brilliant chemical substance which is intensively radioactive with a short half life. It is capable of ionizing radiation emitting α, β, γ rays, which is occasionally used for medical treatments.It is usually kept inside gold vials for carrying.Because of the very short half life of Radon, it decays fast in the atmosphere. Thus, it could be used for geological and atmospheric studies. Generally, there is detectable amount of Radon found in some spring waters and hot springs as well as the atmosphere. One gram of Radium- 226 contains 0.0001 cc dose of Radon. This paper will review the radioactivity properties of Radon gas as well as its physicalchemicalproperties for biological studies intending to point out the epidemiological evidence about the relation between the inhalation of this gas and health problems.

Studies reveal that stressful events and strategies to cope can be considered as determining factors in drug abusers. This study was intended to examine the addict's coping skills in relation to stressful situations and compare it with a control group 50 addicts were randomly selected and compared with 50 cases of non-addicts who were matched in terms of sex, age, education, occupation and income. A demographicquestionnaire and a Coping Responses Inventory (CRI) were used for all the cases Data indicated that addicts made much less use of problemsolving methods, cognitive evaluation and social support than non addicts. However, their use of somatization and emotional inhibition was more than non – addicts Based on the findings, it is suggested that the use of stresscoping training could be helpful and effective in the primary and secondary processes of the prevention of addiction