Researcher Bulletin of Medical Sciences
Volume:18 Issue: 1, 2013

Type 2 diabetes is a common metabolic disorder accompanied by increased risk of cardiovascular diseases، along with increased morbidity and mortality. In recent years، epidemiological evidence and clinical studies have indicated that dietary polyphenols and phytochemical-rich foods have key role in prevention of cardiovascular diseases، especially coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction. The current review was conducted to investigate the mechanism of the effects of polyphenols in natural foods on prevention of diabetes-induced cardiovascular diseases.

“polyphenols”، “phenolic acids”، “anthocyanins”، “flavonoids”، and “lignans” in combination with “type 2 diabetes”، “insulin resistance”، “cardiovascular disease”، “endothelial dysfunction”، “oxidative stress”، “inflammation”، “lipid disorders”، and “hypertension” were used as key words for search in PubMed between 1990 and 2013. Cellular studies، animal models and clinical trials with appropriate design، and review article with high quality were used.

Dietary polyphenols have high potential to improve lipid profiles through decrease in digestion and ingestion of dietary fats، increase in turnover and excretion of cholesterol، reduction of synthesis of atherogenic apo lipoproteins، and inhibition of cholesterol and triglycerides synthesis. These compounds protect vascular endothelium against oxidative damages and inflammatory processes، improve function of vascular endothelium، modify the pathways related to platelets and coagulation، and even protect cardiac tissue and improve myocardial hemodynamics.

Higher consumption of foods containing polyphenols and using polyphenol-rich natural extract can be useful in decreasing the risk of development of cardiovascular diseases in type 2 diabetic patients.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a set of physical، mental and behavioral symptoms with different severity that cause disorders in individual and social relationships. This syndrome occurs during luteal phase of menstrual cycle with complicated reasons. It is one of the most common disorders of childbearing ages. Because of unclear and complicated causes of this syndrome، different treatment methods have been presented. Reflexology is a non-drug method of prevention and treatment of premenstrual syndrome. It is an old، mild and non-invasive method، but there is not enough researches about its effect on symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. This research was carried out in order to determine the effect of foot reflexology on symptoms of premenstrual syndrome in students of dormitories of Jahrom University in 2011-12. This study was a single–blind controlled clinical trial of 90 students with premenstrual syndrome who were resident in dormitory of Jahrom University. The students were randomly divided into two groups of foot reflexology and control. Intensity of premenstrual syndrome was recorded by subjects in two cycles: pre – intervention cycle and intervention cycle. The tools of data gathering consisted of data gathering forms of temporary diagnosis of PMS، and Beck depression test. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in order to analyze data. There was no statistically significant difference between research variables such as age and menarche age، and the severity of the symptoms before intervention. The average reduction of general severity of PMS symptoms was 23. 39% in foot reflexology group while it was -9. 68% in the control group (p<0. 0001). There was signification difference between the average of physical and mental symptoms in reflexology group compared to the control group (p<0. 0001). It seems that، foot reflexology is effective in improvement of physical and metal symptoms of PMS. Therefore، it is possible to achieve a main midwifery aim which is to decrease the intensity of PMS symptoms by teaching this simple technique which doesn’t need specialists in order to be done.

Due to the importance of antioxidative system and its effective intervention on cascade reactions of free radicals، this study was run to determine the alterations in antioxidant enzymes activity Superoxide dismutase (SOD)، Catalase (CAT)، and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) after various time courses of endurance training in rat serum. In this study، 62 male Wistar rats were selected randomly and were divided into 3 control (n1=10، n2=10، n3=11) and 3 experimental (n1=10، n2=10، n3=11) groups. Experimental rats trained for 6، 9 and 12 weeks، running for 5 days/week on treadmill with initial speed of 10 m/min for 10 minute، which was gradually incrased to reach the ultimate speed of 25 m/min for 60 minute. For control groups، the protocol was walking on treadmill with the speed of 10 m/min for 3 days/week. After each course (6، 9 and 12 w)، rats were anesthetized and serum samples were collected. Determination of antioxidant enzymes activity was done using Cayman chemical company kits (MI، USA)، using enzymatic color assay method. The results were analyzed by t - test (α=0. 05). The results of this study showed that 6، 9 and 12 weeks of endurance training had no significant effects on Serum SOD and GPX activity، but 9 weeks of endurance training increased the activity of CAT significantly (CAT activity in experimental group was 24. 09±2. 43 U/mL while it was 18. 76 ± 3. 81 U/m in the control group، p ≤0. 05). Findings of this study suggest that 9 weeks of moderate endurance training can increase CAT activity because of increment in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation، but after continuing the exercise for 12 weeks، it can turn back to the initial levels، maybe because of an adaptation in enzymatic antioxidant system after 12 weeks.

The association between macronutrients and metabolic syndrome is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between macronutrients، and metabolic syndrome in adults referring to the outpatient clinics of the Taleghani hospital in 2009.

This case control study was conducted on adults; aged 25-55 y. 80 subjects with metabolic syndrome as cases and 160 subjects without metabolic syndrome as controls participated and were matched by age (±5 year) and gender. The metabolic syndrome was defined based on Adult Treatment Panel III. Anthropometric and biochemical profiles were documented. Dietary data were collected using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnair.

Intake of energy، carbohydrate، protein، fat، saturated fatty acid، monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid was higher in metabolic syndrome compared with subject without metabolic syndroem. Subjects in the higher intake of carbohydrate (more than 55% of total energy intake) had a higher odds of metabolic syndrome compared with those with lower intake (lower than 55% of total energy intake).

Intake of carbohydrate was positively associated with metabolic syndrome. Future studies using clinical trial data are needed to clarify the effects of macronutrients on the metabolic syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Psychological factors are major factors involved in this disease. Some psychological areas such as anger have not been investigated in Iranian patients. Therefore this study was conducted to determine the correlation between psychological problems and IBS، compared to controls. Participants in this case-control study included 45 patients with IBS and 50 healthy controls. Clinical diagnosis and treatment of IBS was carried out by a gastroenterologist. Anxiety، depression، stress and anger were evaluated by DASS 21 and Staxi2 scales and the results were analyzed with statistical tests. These two groups were similar in terms of age and gender. Generalized anxiety disorder was seen in 40% of IBS patients compared with 7. 9% of the healthy group، obsessive compulsive disorder was in 18% of IBS patients and in 2. 5% of the healthy group، panic disorder was seen in 13% of IBS patients and in 2% of the healthy group، depression was seen in 24% of IBS patients and 12% of the healthy group (P < 0. 05). It seems that psychological problems are involved in the development of IBS. Study on the effect of psychological treatment in IBS is suggested.

Dental schools are known to be highly demanding and stressful learning environments that may affect the mental health of dental students. Stressors in dental schools are reported to be from different sources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mental health and sources of stress among dental students in two different time intervals. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on two groups of clinical dental students at different time spans. In first and second group، 301 and 395 students were evaluated، respectively. General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used in this study to assess mental status. Dental Environment Stress Questionnaire (DES) was also used to determine the stressors. Related factors such as personal characteristics and social factors were assessed. Data were analyzed using Chi-squer test. In the first group، 301 students (209 female and 92 male) with mean age of 23. 6±1. 9 and in the second group 395 students (290 female and 105 male) with mean age of 24. 2±2. 2 participated. In first and second group 60% and 56% had some degrees of psychological disorders، respectively. The most common stressors in the first group were faculty and administration، financial problems and work load. In the second group، the most common stressors were work load، faculty and administration، clinical procedures and professional future. Regarding the considerable incidence of mental involvement and distress among the students، it is recommended that faculty and administration authorities take action to reduce or adjust the stressors.

Today، developments in technology and the organization has become one of the strategic elements. The aim of the present study was to determine the adoption and implementation of the Technology Acceptance Model of Davis in staff of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This was a descriptive-correlation study. The Sample consisted of 200 staff members of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was non-random and purposive. Data was collected by four-part questionnaire consisting of 35 questions about Davis questionnaire، in which 6 parts were assessed: perceived ease-of-use، perceived benefits-of-use، attitude towards using information technologies، expected outputs، fun features، and wanting to use information technologies. Validity was calculated using content validity and face validity index. The reliability was assessed by internal consistency (test re-test). The mean age of samples was 38. 5 years. The results showed that 65% of samples had accepted information technology، 20% were in transition stage to adoption and 15% have not yet accepted it. The highest correlation were seen in ease-of-use and attitude towards using information technologies while the lowest correlation was seen in fun features. Results of the study showed that attitude to the use of information technology has direct، positive and high correlation with perceived ease-of-use. The most important factor of IT acceptance model is perceived ease-of-use which is consistent with present study. Based on the results of this study، education authorities should encourage the use of information technology in society by encouraging more of the target groups and by creating a platform for education.

Face and neck reconstruction in burn contracture scar is very difficult and needs many surgical techniques and may have unfavorable results. This case series was ran on patients with total burn of face and neck who had contracture scar and were visited in 15 Khordad Hospital during a period of 3 years، from 2008 to 2011. We introduced a technique of FTSG coverage on the defect area after meticulous releasing of contracture scar. The donor site graft was medial arm. During this time period، 21 patients with mean age of 28 years entered the study. There were 9 men، 10 women and two children. In total burn of face and neck، there is no option for local or regional flaps. Thus، the nose unit was reconstructed by FTSG from medial arm. The final color، texture and appearance was good. We have introduced FTSG for nose skin defect in total burn of face and neck، in which flap is not available. We suggest all nose scars to be removed at the level of epidermis and dermis and turn down ala flap، followed by meticulous release of scar tissue especially side wall and careful homeostasis.