The long term effects of occupational electromagnetic fields exposure on peripheral blood indexes in workers of aluminum processing factory of Arak

زمینه و هدف: نظریه بیماری زا بودن میدان های الکترومغناطیسی بر روی ساکنان و کارکنان مجاور این میدان ها بخصوص کارسینوژن بودن آنها مورد مطالعات زیادی قرار گرفته است. ولی نتایج آنها قطعیت نیافته و هنوز مناقشات زیادی در این مورد وجود دارد. این تحقیق به منظور بررسی اثر میدان های الکترومغناطیسی با شدت بالا بر شاخص های خون محیطی افرادی که بطور طولانی مدت (حداقل سه سال) در مجاورت این میدان ها بوده اند طراحی و اجرا گردید. روش بررسی: در یک مطالعه آینده نگر کارگرانی که در کارگاه الکترولیز کارخانه آلومینیوم اراک کار می کنند مورد بررسی قرار گرفتند. ابتدا با کمک گروه بهداشت صنعتی از قسمت های مختلف کارگاه الکترولیز گوس متری به عمل آمد و سپس دویست نفر از کارگران شاغل در کارگاه انتخاب و دویست نفر نیز از افرادی که در سایر قسمت ها شاغل بوده و در معرض میدان مغناطیسی نبودند با رعایت معیارهای ورود انتخاب شدند و هر دو گروه از نظر شرح حال، معاینه بالینی بررسی و پرسشنامه برای آنها تکمیل شد. سپس در دو نوبت به فاصله یکسال برای هر دو گروه CBC و شمارش پلاکت انجام شد. نهایتاً داده ها با استفاده از آمار توصیفی و تحلیلی (t مستقل) و نرم افزار SPSS تجزیه و تحلیل گردید. یافته ها: افراد دو گروه از نظر میانگین سنی و جنسی تفاوتی نداشتند. میانگین شاخص های خونی گروه مواجهه یافته در دو سال متوالی در رده گلبول های سفید، نوتروفیل ها، گلبول های قرمز، هموگلوبین، هماتوکریت و MCV بیشتر از گروه مواجهه نیافته بود (05/0

Evaluation of the effect of islamic fasting on lung volumes and capacities in the healthy persons

Objectives: To evaluate the changes in pulmonary volumes during and after Islamic fasting. Methods: It is a cohort study conducted on 117 healthy subjects selected on a random basis from employees, professors and students of Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, between December 1999 and January 2000. All of them underwent spirometry 10 days prior to Ramadan, 2 times during Ramadan, and one time 10 days post-Ramadan. In first visit, in addition to spirometry they underwent medical examination to make sure they are healthy. All of their spirometries and background information were collected. Repeated measurements analysis of varience method was used to compare the measurements. Results: Approximately 69 of subjects were male and the mean age was 23.9 years. Mean fasting time was 27.8 days. The mean difference in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was significant between the 4 visits (p=0.01). The mean FEV1 increased both during fasting and after Ramadan (p=0.017). The mean vital capacity and peak expiratory flow rate values increased during Ramadan significantly (p=0.043, p<0.001). Although the mean maximum mid-expiratory flow decreased in the beginning of Ramadan and significantly increased subsequently (p=0.02), MEF50 (p=0.004) and MEF75 (p=0.047) increased in the beginning of Ramadan and decreased subsequently. Conclusions: As a whole, fasting increases lung volumes and might improve pulmonary function. This finding seems to be relevant to the changes in weight during Ramadan

The relationship of central lung distance with pulmonary function tests in breast cancer radiotherapy

Background: Depending on the lung volume in radiotherapy fields, breast cancer radiotherapy has documented side effects on pulmonary function, which can be determined by pulmonary function tests. Central lung distance (CLD), the distance from the chest wall to the edge of the field at the central axis, is an indicator of lung volume within the radiotherapy fields. In this study, we aim to detect the relationship between CLD and pulmonary function tests. Methods: In this study we included 50 patients with breast cancer receiving postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy at Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The patients received radiotherapy with a total dose of 4800-5000 cGy. For all patients, the central lung distances were measured using simulation of tangential fields, in addition to determination of pulmonary function, including force vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) determined before radiotherapy, one month and three months after radiotherapy. Results: There is no significant statistical difference between the FEV1 and FVC values before radiotherapy and those measured one month after radiotherapy; however there was a significant statistical decrease in the FEV1 and FVC before radiotherapy and those measured three months after radiotherapy (P&amp;lt;0.001 and P&amp;lt;0.006, respectively). There is a positive statistical correlation between the change in the FEV1 three months after therapy and the CLD (r=0.71, p&amp;lt;0.01) and that of the FVC three months after therapy and the CLD (r=0.59, p&amp;lt;0.01). Linear regression for the prediction of FEV1 and FVC three months after radiotherapy was designed according to the CLD, FEV1 and FVC values before radiotherapy. Conclusions: Three months after breast radiotherapy, the FEV1 and FVC values decrease, and the CLD is a proper predictor of these changes

TSH cut off point based on depression in hypothyroid patients

Abstract Background The prevalence of depressive symptoms in hypothyroidism is high. Considering that hypothyroidism and depression share some clinical features, some researchers use the “brain hypothyroidism” hypothesis to explain the pathogenesis of depression. We aimed to detect a new TSH cut-off value in hypothyroidism based on depression symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on hypothyroid patients referred to endocrine clinics. Individuals who had developed euthyroid state under treatment with levothyroxine with TSH levels of 0.5–5 MIU/L with no need for dosage change were included in the study. After comprehensive history taking, laboratory tests including TSH, T4 and T3 were performed. Beck depression questionnaire was completed for all patients by trained interviewers. TSH cut-off values based on depression was determined by Roc Curve analysis. Results The participants were 174 hypothyroid patients (Female; 116: 66.7%, Male; 58: 33.3%) with mean age 45.5 ± 11.7 (19–68) years old. Based on Beck depression test, scores less than 10 was considered healthy and more than 10 were considered depressed. According to Roc curve analysis, the optimal cut- off value of TSH was 2.5 MIU/L with 89.66% sensitivity. The optimal TSH cut- off based on severe depression was 4 MIU/L. Conclusion The present study suggests that a clinically helpful TSH cut-off value for hypothyroidism should be based on associated symptoms, not just in population studies. Based on the assessment of depression, our study concludes that a TSH cutofff value of 2.5 MIU/L is optimal

DETERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BASAL CELL CARCINOMA AND HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS, BASED ON IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY STAINING METHOD

<b>Background:</b> Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer among Caucasians, and in most cases, occurs in the sun-exposed areas. In recent years, in addition to many other etiologies such as exposure to UV radiation, and occasionally xeroderma pigmentosa, burns, tattoos, and pox scars, human papillomavirus (HPV) is also considered to have an etiologic role. Different studies were conducted with varied results in this regard. <b> Aims: </b> We evaluate this plausible relationship between HPV and BCC by means of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining method. <b> Methods: </b> This is an analytic cross-sectional study in which 160 samples were selected randomly consisting of 80 BCC lesions and 80 safe margins. Sampling was done among paraffin-embedded blocks in pathology ward of Kashani and Alzahra hospitals, Isfahan-Iran, from 2004-2007. A section of each block was IHC stained for HPV immunoreactivity (DAKO, Denmark). This was followed by microscopic evaluation in terms of being positive or negative. <b> Results:</b> Fifty seven point five percent of the samples belonged to men and the others to women. In 10&#x0025;, HPV marker was positive, both in lesion and margin. In 83.8&#x0025; neither the lesions nor the margins were immunoreactive for HPV. Only in 5 cases (6.3&#x0025;) the lesion was positive and the margin was negative for this marker. There was no case of immunoreactivity for HPV marker in margins, while it was negative in lesions. Our study results followed by McNemar analysis did not show a significant relationship between BCC incidence and HPV existence. This was consistent in both genders (<i> P</i> &gt; 0.05, power &gt; 90&#x0025;). <b> Conclusion: </b> In this study we did not find a significant relationship between BCC and HPV, but based on review of articles it appears that large multicentric studies are to be conducted in this regard