Researcher Bulletin of Medical Sciences
Volume:16 Issue: 1, 2011

Nutrition transition is a global change in quality and quantity of dietary pattern and is the most important underlying cause of chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the trend of dietary pattern in Iran, Middle East and North African countries and comparing them using the nutritional data of Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) between 1961 and 2005. Information relating to food availability in the studied countries was obtained by using food balance sheets of FAOSTAT. Per capita food consumption for each food group in each category was obtained by dividing the available per capita energy to total population. Regional differences and trends change were evaluated using SPSS software. During the 45 years of assessment, availability of energy and all food items (except for alcohol in Iran and North Africa and solid fat in Middle East) has increased significantly. In this periods in Iran, available energy from fruits, meat and oil has increased significantly, while energy from dairy and discretionary calorie has decreased (p<0.05). In the Middle East region, grain and fruits contribution to energy intake has decreased and contribution of oil and meat to total diet has increased (p<0.05). In North African countries, contribution of grain group to energy intake has decreased and contribution of meat, vegetables, milk and oils has increased significantly (p<0.05). ‍ Iranian dietary habits has had some positive changes through increase in fruit intake and decrease in free sugar consumption; however, high energy intake and decreased in dairy consumption can predispose Iranians to increased risk of chronic diseases. High energy, free sugar, meat and dairy consumption in Middle East and North Africa show the shift in dietary pattern toward an unhealthy western diet. However, future investigations are suggested.

Regarding the high prevalence of hot flashes in menopausal women and its effect on the quality of life, and due to its controversial treatment, this study was run to assess the effect of Licorice root extract on hot flashes in menopausal women in families under the cover of health and medical centers affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services in 2008. This double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 68 menopausal women who had experienced different degrees of hot flashes. Patients were chosen through the existing records in health and medical centres and then randomly divided into two thirty-four-member groups of Licorice (three capsules of 330 mg Licorice root extract each day), and placebo group (three capsules of 330 mg starch each day) for a treatment period of 4 weeks. Two weeks before taking the medicine, the intensity and number of hot flashes and type of food they had eaten were recorded using a questionnaire. To assess validity and reliability, content validity and repeated test with correlation index of 96% were used. Data were assessed by variance analysis test with repeated measurements and by t-test. Menopausal women in Licorice and placebo group were 53.3±3 and 53±2.6 years old, 73.6% and 61.8% had 1.5 years or less from their last menstruation, and 41.2% and 38.2% had hot flashes during night, respectively. In Licorice group, the average number and intensity of hot flashes were 7.6±0.5 and 10±1.8 before the treatment and 5.1±0.6 and 5.1±1.6 after it. However, the average number and intensity of hot flashes in placebo group did not change. ‍ Licorice was effective in reducing the number and intensity of hot flashes in menopausal women. It is essential that studies be conducted with a longer length of treatment and investigation of the time of recurrence of hot flashes after discontinuance of medicine.

Surgical treatment of some renal neoplasia is partial nephrectomy; but in some cases subsequent injuries lead to complete nephrectomy. Cryogenic surgery as a minimally invasive procedure can be helpful in avoiding complete nephrectomy. The aim of the study is determination of the effect of cryosurgery on macroscopic and microscopic injury and healing of kidney tissue, along with determination of the speed and quality of healing compared with other current procedures. Cryogenic Partial nephrectomy was performed on posterior pole of left kidney of 6 male Dutch rabbit using contacting probe. After 1, 6 and 24 hours, and after 3, 7 and 14 days nephrectomy was done via laparatomy. After recording macroscopic properties of kidneys, they were processed for histopathologic studies. The freezed area in 1 to 24 hours’ samples showed filling of renal tubes by RBCs, hemorrhage in glumerols, fibrinous deposition in capillaries and some interlobular venuls and arteries, along with initiation of cell necrosis. On 3,7,14 day samples, injured and non injured areas were separated by a transitional zone. Gradually, necrotic tissues were reabsorbed which resulted in involution of injured area that makes kidney smaller in size. ‍ It seems that cryosurgery is effective in healing. Cryogenic partial nephrectomy can be done easily and causes only limited injury during operation. This study showed that contacting probe has less invasive effect than needle probes and its healing process is faster and works through reabsorbtion of necrotic tissue.

Patellar bracing is a common component of treatment in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Most of the currently used braces act based on re-aligning the patella; however, a new brace was designed by the researchers, which acts via external vacuum system. This preliminary study aimed to determine whether the new vacuum brace is able to pull up the patella into the vacuumic cup and create a suitable patello-femoral joint distraction. Seventeen knees from ten patients with PFPS were undertaken for the computerized tomography scan study at 0° and 30° knee flexion immediately before and after the bracing. The outcome measurements included the patello-femoral joint area (PFJA), and the average patellofemoral joint space width (APFJSW). The results of this study demonstrated a significant increase in PFJA and APFJSW parameters following the vacuum bracing (P<0.001) at both knee angles. ‍ The results showed that applying a vacuum brace can create an appropriate patellofemoral joint distraction.

In recent years, the incidence of anorexia nervosa and obesity in adolescents has increased dramatically. The purpose of the present study was to determine the difference in parental bonding and maladaptive schemas in three groups of female adolescents with normal weight, overweight and anorexia nervosa symptoms. 25 normal weight females (Mean Age: 16.17 y, Mean BMI: 22.56 Kg/m2); 25 overweight females (Mean Age: 16.20 y, Mean BMI: 28.24 Kg/m2); and 25 females with symptoms of anorexia (Mean Age: 16.08 y, Mean BMI: 16.28 Kg/m2) were chosen from a large sample (N: 403) via random clustering sampling. Data was collected through self-report questionnaires of Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ), and Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI). Data were analyzed by SPSS 16, using descriptive statistics along with correlation, multiple regression analyses and analysis of variance. Overweighed adolescent girls reported higher levels of early maladaptive schemas, specially the shame/deficiency type compared with girls with symptoms of anorexia nervosa and normal weighed girls (p<0.01). Those with anorexic symptoms and overweight girls reported higher level of weak parental bonding compared with normal weighed girls (mean and standard deviation: 31.40±11.71, 31±13.5, 23.40±13.36, respectively; p<0.05). Based on the current evidence, it can be concluded that cognitive mechanisms operating through early maladaptive beliefs, have an important predictor role in adolescent’s overweight problems. Additionally, interpersonal parameters, as expressed in the perception of low care and high overprotection from main caregivers by adolescents, often are effective in anorexic symptoms and obesity. Investigation of the effect of early schemas and parental bonding can help in better perception of eating disorder’s etiology.

Determination of certain biochemical parameters in hyperlipemic speciemens causes problems, which is due to interference of lipids. Lipid extraction using ultracentrifuge is expensive and is not always available. Another method of lipid extraction is by using ethylacetate; thus, we compared certain biochemical parameter values in lipemic specimens and in the same samples after lipid extraction with ethylacetate. In this experimental study, 45 normal serum samples were selected. To obtain lipemic specimens, lipid was added to these samples. Each serum sample was then divided into two aliquots; in one sample lipid was extracted using ethylacetate while in the other one ultracentrifugation was used. Later, 13 biochemical parameters were determined in these lipid free samples and their results were compared using paired samples t-Test. While the biochemical parameters of the samples were normal at the beginning, they were measured as abnormal after lipid addition. There were no significant difference between values obtained by ethylacetate extraction method and standard ultracentrifugation method (P<0.6). Although urea value was lower & ALT was higher in ethylacetate extraction method, their values were closer to the original specimen compared to ultracentrifuge. ‍ It seems that extraction of lipids from lipemic speciemens using ethylacetate is a feasible method; however, further studies regarding this issue is recommended.

Clinical assessment outweighs the use of paraclinical investigations in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Few studies have addressed the predictive value of white blood cells (WBCs) and C-reactive protein (CRP) at different cut-off values in appendicitis. Our purpose was to determine the predictive value of WBC count, CRP, ESR and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in pediatric appendicitis. WBC count, CRP, ESR and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were measured prospectively in 307 patients presenting with lower abdominal pain who underwent surgical exploration; the results were correlated with each patient's outcome. Gold standard for diagnosing appendicitis was based on histopathologic evaluation. Patients (189 boys, 118 girls) were 1-14 years old (mean 7.9±2.9 years). Overall WBC count had the highest sensitivity in the prediction of diagnosis of appendicitis (86.8%), whereas sensitivity of CRP was 76%. ESR and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio revealed a modest sensitivity. Combining the diagnostic tests increased the sensitivity significantly. Sensitivity increased to 96.1% when CRP and WBC count were used together while it was 99.1% when the combination of all diagnostic tests were used. This result may have important clinical and economic implications. We suggest that patients experiencing lower abdominal pain, with normal WBC count and CRP values, are unlikely to have acute appendicitis and can be safely observed for a longer time.

In patients who undergo coronary angioplasty, Clopidogrel resistance is accompanied with increased risk of cardiovascular events (unstable angina, recurrent MI, death, etc). In different studies resistance to Clopidogrel has been reported to be up to 30%. Identification of these patients and determining the contributing factors can help us to reduce cardiovascular events. This cross-sectional study was carried out on candidates of elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Shahid Modarres Hospital. Resistance to Clopidogrel was evaluated by platelet aggregometry in platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) using a routine aggregometer (Helena Biosciences Europe). The platelet aggregation was measured before and after exposure to 20 µ mol ADP as a reagent. Contributing factors such as age, gender, metabolic factors and medications were examined by Chi-square test. This study was run on 90 candidates for elective PCI. Their mean age was 62.6±10.2 years and 52.2% were male. 20% were semi-responder and 7.8% was non-responder. Gender, hypertension, obesity, using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers did not have any role in Clopidogrel resistance, but diabetes, hyperlipidemia, using beta blockers and statins were more common in Clopidogrel resistant patients (p<0.005). ‍ Considering both non-responders and semi-responders, prevalence of resistance to Clopidogrel was 27.8%, so we must be worried about it. Further larger studies should be designed to determine and manage the contributing factors.