Neurocognitive Functions Related to Parietal Lobe in Patients with Schizophrenia and Methamphetamine Induced Psychotic Disorder and Healthy Individuals: A Comparative Study

Background: There are some inconsistent findings about neurocognitive functions in schizophrenia and methamphetamine induced psychosis (MIP). This study aimed to compare these two disorders in terms of neurocognitive functions related to parietal lobe.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 30 patients with schizophrenia, 30 patients with MIP, and 32 healthy individuals were compared. The two groups of patients were selected through convenience sampling from among patients hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kerman, Iran and healthy individuals were selected via convenience sampling from among the employees of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The three groups were administered clock-drawing test (CDT), Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) copying test, and interlocking finger test (IFT) and their demographic and clinical data were collected. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate the differences between the groups. Multivariate analysis of covariance was also used to examine the effects of confounding factors. Besides, follow-up pairwise comparisons were performed after adjustment for multiple testing.Findings: The group with schizophrenia had significantly more impairment than the group with MIP with reference to the results of IFT and the ROCF test. However, the scores of patients with MIP on these two tests were not different from those of the normal controls. With regard to the CDT, the only significant difference was observed between the group with schizophrenia and controls.Conclusion: On the condition that the results are replicated in other studies, some parietal lobe neurocognitive tests might be used when it is difficult to differentially diagnose schizophrenia and MIP

Laboratory Use of Lectin Mitogens for Mitotic Stimulation of Human Lymphocytes

Lectins are believed to act as modulations of cell substratum interactions and to be essential for the normal differentiation and growth of all multicellular humans and animals. Although several lectins have been reported from microfungi, many more genera remain unexplored and their physiological role is also uncertain. The aim of this laboratory work was to make a comparison between self-made lectins (Indigenous) and commercial ones, following High Resolution Cell Synchronization technique (HRCS). Cytogenetic studies were performed in 175 normal healthy blood donor individuals of both genders and statistical analysis was performed. Our results indicated that the preparation of fresh phytohemagglutinin at the time of cell division and cell culture procedure reveals a satisfactory score. The overall frequency of mitotic index in our study was higher when compared with commercial imported Lectins (p < 0.05). The significant differences in the results may be due to fresh preparation. However, the cost effective, easy and nearest approach of this indigenous product, as well as the high demand for this product, among health care services can be considered.Highlights:Lectins act as essential factor of the normal differentiation and growth of all humans and animals.Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) is a lectin (mucoprotein) from Phaseolus vulgaris.Crude extract of PHA could be used in human leucocyte cultures as mitotic stimulator.The indigenous PHA have used to identify chromosome preparation in normal conditions and malignancies

Needle and syringe sharing practices of injecting drug users participating in an outreach HIV prevention program in Tehran, Iran: A cross-sectional study

HIV infection rates have reached epidemic proportions amongst injecting drug users (IDUs) in Iran. Although a number of community-based interventions have being implemented in the country, there is little information on the risk behaviors of IDU participants in these programs. This cross-sectional report aimed to compare the risk behaviors of injecting drug users with differential exposure rates to an HIV outreach program in Tehran, Iran. Results indicated that shared use of needle/syringe in the past month was significantly lower among IDUs who received estimated ≥ 7 syringes per week than those who did not [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 14.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.30–89.56]. While the effectiveness of this outreach program needs further evaluation through a longitudinal investigation, our preliminary findings suggest that the outreach program in Tehran may have been beneficial in reducing direct sharing among those who received more than several needles/syringes from the program

Sexual behavior and awareness of Chinese university students in transition with implied risk of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The vulnerability of young people to HIV and the recent emergence of the HIV epidemic in China have made it urgent to assess and update the HIV/STD risk profile of Chinese young people. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was conducted among 22,493 undergraduate students in two universities in Ningbo, China. Bivariate trend analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to compare sexual behaviors and awareness between grades. RESULTS: Of respondents, 17.6% of males and 8.6% of females reported being sexually active. Condom was reported never/rarely used by 35% of sexually active students in both genders in the previous year. Pregnancy and induced abortion had each been experienced by about 10% of sexually active female students and the female partners of male students, and about 1.5% of sexually active students of both genders reported being diagnosed with an STD. Multivariate analysis revealed that students in lower grades, compared to those in higher grades, were more likely to have become sexually active before university, to have become aware of sex before high school, and to have been exposed to pornographic media before the age of 17 years, and for sexually active respondents of both genders, to have engaged in sex without using a condom. CONCLUSION: Sexual behaviors of Chinese university students are poorly protected and sexual behaviors and awareness may have been undergoing rapid change, becoming active earlier and more risky. If this trend continues, vulnerable sexual network will grow among them that allow more expansion of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV

Modification of diet in renal disease and Cockraft-Gaultformula accuracy in glomerular filtration rate estimation in Iranian adults

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) and Cockraft-Gault (C-G) formulas for estimating GFR in a sample of Iranian adult. Materials and Methods: This study was an analytic cross-sectional study on 54 patients with chronic kidney disease. Glomerular filtration rate was measured by kidney scan via TC99m-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, and it was estimated by MDRD and Cockraft-Gault formulas. Results: The mean of measured GFR and estimated GFR by MDRD and C-G formulas was 61.64 ± 34.26 ml/min, 51.80 ± 25.47, and 54.29 ± 24 ml/min respectively (P-value < 0.001, r = 0.818 and P-value < 0.001, r = 0.847, respectively). Pearson correlation test showed direct linear relationship between sGFR and GFR as estimated by the Cockraft-Gault and MDRD formulas. Conclusion: Based on our results, modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) and Cockraf-Gault (C-G) formulas are accurate formulas in Iranian adults but they need a correction factor

Nutritional vitamin D supplementation in chronic hemodialysis: An uncontrolled open-label trial

The present study was evaluated by the incidence of vitamin D deficiency and management of hemodialysis (HD) patients with low doses of vitamin D over 6 months. This uncontrolled open-label trial was fulfilled in descriptive and then analytical phases from 2008 to 2010 recruiting chronic HD patients in our province. For this purpose, 169 patients undergoing regular HD were randomly selected and their vitamin D level was measured. Then, 54 patients with vitamin D levels less than 30 ng/mL entered the second phase. This group received 50,000 IU vitamin D3 monthly for 6 months. The mean vitamin D level in 169 patients was 21.73 ± 20.27 ng/mL. As well, 62.7% had vitamin D levels less than 30 ng/mL. Following the six-month intervention, mean vitamin D levels elevated significantly from 17.03 ± 7.4 to 42.8 ± 16.9 ng/mL (P < .0001). In this study, the incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 62.7%, lower than that in previous research in patients undergoing chronic HD. Vitamin D3 administration at lower doses than healthy people could significantly increase vitamin D level

Association between cognitive function and parameters of echocardiography and coronary artery angiography

ABSTRACT We aimed to determine whether there is an association between cognition and the results of echocardiography and angiography, based on neuropsychological assessments. Methods: We assessed the cognition of 85 patients who had recently undergone coronary artery angiography. We calculated the Gensini score for the coronary artery disease index. We also performed echocardiography to find indices of cardiac functioning. Results: The lower left ventricular ejection fraction correlated with lower scores on visuospatial, executive function, processing speed/attention and verbal memory capacities (p ≤ 0.05). A higher Gensini score and left atrial size correlated with lower executive function and processing speed/attention (p ≤ 0.05). In the group of patients with an impaired cognitive state, higher Gensini scores correlated with decreased processing speed/attention (p = 0.01) and the e' index was associated with lower capacity of executive function (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Decreased processing speed/attention and executive function may correlate with cardiac dysfunction and coronary artery disease. The Color Trail Test may be considered for simple screening for cognitive problems in elderly patients with coronary artery disease or diastolic dysfunction