The risk factors of prostate cancer: a multicentric case-control study in Iran.

Prostate cancer (PC), in Iran, is the third most frequently diagnosed visceral cancer among men and the seventh most common underlying cause of cancer mortality. We evaluated the relation between speculated factors and PC risk using data from a multicentric case-control study conducted in Iran from 2005 to 2007 on 130 cases of incident, clinicopathologically confirmed PC, and 75 controls admitted to the same network of hospitals without any malignant disease. Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression models. The risk of PC was increased with aging (OR: 5.35, 95% CI: 2.17-13.19; P<0.0001), and with the number of sexual intercourse >or=2 times/week (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.2-8.2; P=0.02). One unit elevation in serum estradiol and testosterone concentration was related to increase (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06; P=0.006) and decrease (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64-0.96; P=0.02) of PC risk, respectively. Cases were less likely to have a history of diabetes (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.98; P=0.04). Increasing in dietary consumption of lycopene and fat was associated with declined (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.09-2.12) and increased (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 0.29-19.4) PC development, respectively. Other factors including educational level, marriage status, dietary meat consumption, vasectomy and smoking have not been shown to affect PC risk in the Iranian population. Our study adds further information on the potential risk factors of PC and is the first epidemiologic report from Iran. However, justification of these results requires more well-designed studies with a larger number of participants.     

Erectile dysfunction among hemodialysis patients

Objective  

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a distressing problem in hemodialysis patients. A combination of organic and psychological factors has been reported to take part in the pathophysiology of this condition. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among hemodialysis patients.     

Determining age- and sex-related changes in serum biochemical and electrolytes profile of beluga (Huso huso)

The age- and sex-related change of serum biochemical and electrolytes blood parameters of beluga (Huso huso) in culture conditions were investigated. Blood samples were obtained from 4-, 6-, 7- and 8-year-old beluga (n?=?7 for each sex and age) reared in culture conditions. Alb, bilirubin and TOP levels in 7- and 8-year-old fish of both sexes were significantly higher (p?<?0.05) than in 4- and 6-year-old fish. The mean values of Glc were significantly different (p?<?0.05) in both sexes of 6-, 7- and 8-year-old cultured fish. However, the 8-year-old fish of both sexes had higher CHO and TGL levels than the others (p?<?0.05). There were no significant differences (p?<?0.05) among all electrolyte levels in the fish serum of both sexes. These results suggest that the blood parameters of beluga are affected by age- and sex-related factors. These findings provide some information for the environmental and aquaculture officials responsible for future decisions regarding the management and rearing of fish used for human purposes.     

A prospective study of alcohol consumption and renal cell carcinoma risk

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol consumption may reduce renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk, although inconsistent findings have been reported by sex and alcoholic beverage type. To better understand the relationship between alcohol consumption and RCC risk, we conducted an analysis within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. We followed up participants in the analytic cohort (N = 107,998) through 2010 for incident RCC (N = 408), and computed hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for alcohol intake using Cox regression with adjustment for age, sex, race, study center, hypertension, body mass index, and smoking status. In this study population increasing alcohol consumption was associated with reduced RCC risk compared to non‐drinkers (>9.75 g day^?1: HR, 0.67; 95%CI, 0.50 to 0.89; p trend = 0.002). We observed similar patterns of association for men and women as well as by alcohol beverage type. In analyses stratified by smoking status, the inverse association with consumption was apparent for ever smokers (HR, 0.51; 95%CI, 0.36 to 0.73; p trend<0.0001) but not among never smokers (HR, 1.08; 95%CI, 0.66 to 1.76; P trend = 0.78; p interaction = 0.01). Our study findings offer further support that alcohol consumption is associated with reduced RCC risk, regardless of sex or alcoholic beverage type. The finding of interaction with smoking is novel and requires confirmation.     

Orbital Doppler evaluation of blood flow velocities in optic neuritis

Purpose

To evaluate orbital blood flow velocities and optic nerve diameter with Doppler and gray-scale sonography in patients with acute unilateral optic neuritis (ON).

Methods

Orbital Doppler and gray-scale sonography was performed in 46 eyes of 23 patients aged 19- to 47-years with acute unilateral ON. ON was diagnosed by an ophthalmologist on the basis of clinical presentation, presence of decreased visual acuity and assessment of visual evoked potentials. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV), as well as the resistance index (RI) and pulsatile index (PI) of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs) and optic nerve diameter were measured in both eyes. We compared results from affected and unaffected eyes using the paired t-test. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to assess the diagnosis of ON based on measured blood flow parameters of the OA, CRA and PCAs and optic nerve diameter.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) optic nerve diameter in eyes with ON was 4.1 (0.8) mm, which was significantly larger than the 3.0 (0.4) mm diameter measured in unaffected control eyes (p < 0.001). There were no differences in average PSV, EDV, RI, or PI of the OA and CRA between affected and unaffected eyes (p > 0.05). The mean RI in the PCAs was slightly lower in the eyes with ON than in the contralateral eyes (0.60 vs. 0.64, p < 0.05). The area under the ROC curves indicated that optic nerve diameter was the best parameter for the diagnosis of ON.

Conclusions

Optic nerve diameter was related to ON, but orbital blood flow parameters were not.     

Evaluation of preparedness of healthcare student volunteers against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Makkah,Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Aim

To assess the knowledge and attitude of senior medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students toward Middle East respiratory syndrome-corona virus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia.

Subjects and methods

A cross-sectional survey using a 21-item questionnaire was conducted for a 3-month period from November 2015–January 2016 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate students’ understanding and perception of MERS-CoV. An ANOVA test was used to determine the association of study discipline and academic year with the student knowledge score on MERS.

Results

A total of 364 students were assessed during the study. The majority (62%) of the participants were in the 20–22-year age group. More than half (53%) were pharmacy students followed by (22%) medical students. More than two thirds (71%) of the participants were aware that MERS is caused by the coronavirus. More than half (59%) of the participants believed that MERS can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with infected camels. A statistically significant association was reported between the study discipline and mean knowledge score (p?<?0.0001) with medical students achieving an overall better knowledge score compared with students from other study disciplines.

Conclusion

Overall, students had good knowledge about MERS epidemiology, transmission and the recommended protective measures. However, students expressed their reluctance to work in healthcare facilities with inadequate MERS infection control isolation policies.