Chlamydia trachomatis in women with full-term deliveries and women with abortion

Problem statement: There are some documents which support the role of some certain infections such as Chlamydia trachomatis in spontaneous abortion. As there were not data about role this bacterium in abortion in this area of IRAN, this study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with abortion and compare it with healthy women with no previous history of abortion. Approach: This case-control study was carried out in Shariatee hospital of Hormozgan University of medical sciences, during 2004-2005. A number of 220 women with definite diagnosis of previous abortion and 200 matched women with normal full term delivery and negative history of miscarriage as controls were studied as case and control groups. All obtained PAP smears from the case and the control groups were then tested using Immunoflourescent method for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. Data was analyzed, using SPSS software (chi square and t-test). Results: The prevalence of positive direct immunofluorescent test on PAP smears indicating the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis was 56 (25.45) in women with abortion comparing to 13 (5.20) in women in control group, the difference was significant (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed Chlamydia trachomatis is an important causative agent for abortion in this area of IRAN. © 2010 Science Publications

Assessment of normal hemodynamic profile of mechanical pulmonary prosthesis by doppler echocardiography: a prospective cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Very few reports have described the Doppler-derived echocardiographic parameters for mechanical pulmonary valve prosthesis (MPVP). This study aims to describe the normal Doppler hemodynamic profile of MPVP using Doppler echocardiography. METHODS: The current prospective, single center observational study enrolled 108 patients who underwent pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) surgery for the first time and had a normally functioning prosthesis post-operation. The hemodynamic performance of MPVPs, considering flow dependent and flow independent parameters, was evaluated at two follow-up points, at week one and week four post-operation. All assessments were conducted by an experienced echocardiographer. RESULTS: The mean age (±SD) of the participants was 26.4 (±8.98). Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) was the most common underlying disease leading to PVR, with a prevalence of 88. At first week post-operation, measurement of indices reported the following values (±SD): peak pressure gradient (PPG): 18.51(±7.64) mm Hg; mean pressure gradient (MPG): 10.88(±5.62) mm Hg; peak velocity (PV): 1.97(±0.43)m/s; doppler velocity index (DVI): 0.61(±18); pulmonary velocity acceleration time (PVAT): 87.35(±15.16) ms; effective orifice area (EOA): 2.98(±1.02) cm2;and effective orifice area to body surface area ratio (EOA/ BSA): 1.81(±0.62) cm2/m2. Comparing these measurements with those obtained from the second follow-up (at week four post-op) failed to hold significant difference in all values except for PVAT, which had increased from its primary value (p�=�0.038). Also, right ventricular (RV) function showed significant improvement throughout the follow up period. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study help strengthen the previously scarce data pool and better establish the normal values for Doppler hemodynamics in mechanical pulmonary prosthesis

Governance, maternal well-being and early childhood caries in 3-5-year-old children

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the direct, indirect and total effect of distal - political - risk indicators (affecting populations), and proximal risk indicators (affecting women) on the global prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in 3-5 year old children. METHODS: Data on global ECC prevalence were obtained from a prior study. Data for distal risk indicators (voice and accountability; political stability/absence of terrorism; control of corruption) were obtained from the World Bank Governance indicators, 2016. Data for proximal risk indicators (women's opportunity for leadership; percentage of female legislators, top officials and managers; basic employability status of women; ability of women to afford time off work to care for newborns; gross national income (GNI) per capita for females) were derived from the Human Development Index, 2016. Associations between variables were assessed with path analysis. RESULTS: Voice and accountability (β = - 0.60) and GNI per capita for females (β = - 0.33) were directly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Political stability/absence of terrorism (β =0.40) and higher percentage of female legislators, senior officials and managers (β = 0.18) were directly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Control of corruption (β = - 0.23) was indirectly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Voice and accountability (β = 0.12) was indirectly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Overall, voice and accountability (β = - 0.49), political stability/absence of terrorism (β = 0.34) and higher female GNI (β = - 0.33) had the greatest effects on ECC prevalence. CONCLUSION: Distal risk indicators may have a stronger impact on ECC prevalence than do proximal risk indicators.. Approaches to control ECC may need to include political reforms

Unusual condensation of ethylene glycol with coordinated 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione in [Ru(phen-dione)2Cl2] and its cyclometallated complex, [Ru(phpy-κ2 N,C2’)(phen-diox)2](PF6)

A novel cyclometallated Ru(II) derivative of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phen-dione), [Ru(phpyj2N, C20)(phen-diox)2](PF6), where phpy-j2N,C20 is 2-phenylpyridine and phen-diox is 2,3-dihydro- 4a,12b-(epoxyethanooxy)[1,4]dioxino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline, has been prepared by the metal-assisted effect of [Ru(phen-dione)2Cl2] via an unusual condensation of the coordinated phen-dione ligand with ethylene glycol which led to the formation of [Ru(phen-diox)2Cl2]. The condensation reaction could not proceed in the absence of [Ru(phen-dione)2Cl2]. DFT calculations showed that the energy of the LUMO of [Ru(phen-dione)2Cl2] is about 12.430 kcal/mol lower than that of the uncoordinated phen-dione ligand. The cyclometallated complex has been characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic and spectroelectrochemical (SEC) techniques, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography. X-ray analysis of the complex shows an elongation of one of the five Ru–N bonds due to a strong trans effect of the carbanionic ligand. The electrochemical data of the complex demonstrate a strong r-donating character of the anionic phenylpyridine ligand. UV–vis spectroelectrochemical studies of the complex in acetonitrile show a reversible redox behavior, evaluated by the maintenance of isosbestic points in the UV–vis spectrum for both forward oxidation and reverse reduction processes. The complex is very weakly emissive at room temperature in degassed acetonitrile with kem = 546 nm and /em = 0.02

Association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the carotid intima-media thickness

Background: There are insufficient data on the association between the serum level of vitamin D and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the CIMT. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 341 patients. The level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured with radioimmunoassay, and the CIMT was measured with color Doppler ultrasound. Results: The mean serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 14.88±14.63 ng/mL in the patients with a significant carotid artery involvement and 17.02±13.56 ng/mL in those without a carotid involvement, with the difference between the 2 groups constituting statistical significance (P=0.034). The prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency in those with and without a carotid involvement was 88.6 and 74.4; the rate was significantly higher in the former group (P=0.039). Conclusions: Our study confirmed recent suggestions regarding the association between vitamin D deficiency and the progress of atherosclerosis in carotid arteries as CIMT. © 2019, Iranian Heart Association. All rights reserved