Prevalence of Mental Health Problems in Children and Its Associated Socio-Familial Factors in Urban Population of Semnan,Iran (2012)

Background:

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes own potential, can cope with the normal pressures of life, is able to work effectively, and can make a contribution to community”.

Objectives:

Mental Health Problems (MHP) is a great concern for all societies in terms of its burden and impact. This survey screened MHP and its impact in an Iranian urban population aged 6 - 12 years old, and explored its associated socio-familial factors.

Patients and Methods:

The survey was conducted in the elementary schools of Semnan, using random cluster sampling. Collection and analysis of data was performed using the parent version of the “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)” and survey commands of Stata-nine, taking into account cluster effect and population weights. Associations were assessed by fitting simple and multiple logistic regression models. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

With regard to the SDQ total score, 19.3% (95% CI: 8.6, 30.1) scored above the normal threshold (9.6% abnormal, 9.7% borderline). The frequency of problems ranged between 16.1% (peer problems) and 8.4% (emotional symptoms), and in all subscales boys were affected more than girls. The impact score was abnormal in 68.4% of all children, and was greater in girls than in boys. “A previously diagnosed mental health disorder” (OR = 11.11, 95% CI: 5.55, 25.00), “male gender” (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.87 and “less time spent with the child by father” (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.17) were significantly associated with an abnormal SDQ.

Conclusions:

The high rate of MHP in 6 - 12 year-old children and the lack of any significant correlation with their age, underpins the importance of early screening for MHP in schools, with particular focus on high risk groups.     

Antitussive effect of Carum copticum in guinea pigs

Several therapeutic effects including anti-asthma and dyspnea have been described for the seeds of Carum copticum In previous studies the relaxant and anticholinergic (functional antagonism) effects, histamine (H(1)) inhibitory effect of Carum copticum have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains. In the present study the antitussive effect of this plant was evaluated. The antitussive effects of aerosols of two different concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts and carvacrol, codeine, and saline were tested by counting the number of coughs produced due to aerosol of citric acid 10 min after exposing animals to aerosols of different solutions (for carvacrol n=5 and for other solutions n=6). The results showed significant reduction of cough number obtained in the presence of both concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts and codeine (p<0.001 for extracts and p<0.01 for codeine). The cough number obtained in the presence of higher concentration of aqueous and macerated extracts was significantly less than those of lower concentrations (p<0.05 for both extracts). In addition the cough number obtained in the presence of both concentrations of aqueous and macerated extracts was significantly lower than that of codeine (p<0.05 to 0.001). However, carvacrol did not show any antitussive effect. These results indicated an antitussive effect of Carum copticum which was even greater than that of codeine at concentrations used. In addition the antitussive effect of Carum copticum was not due to its main constituent, carvacrol.     

Diagnostic values of GHSR DNA methylation pattern in breast cancer

DNA methylation patterns have been recognised as cancer-specific markers with high potential for clinical applications. We aimed at identifying methylation variations that differentiate between breast cancers and other breast tissue entities to establish a signature for diagnosis. Candidate genomic loci were analysed in 117 fresh-frozen breast specimens, which included cancer, benign and normal breast tissues from patients as well as material from healthy individuals. A cancer-specific DNA methylation signature was identified by microarray analysis in a test set of samples (n?=?52, p?0.99). To date, this represents the DNA methylation marker of the highest sensitivity and specificity for breast cancer diagnosis. Functionally, ectopic expression of GHSR in a cell line model reduced breast cancer cell invasion without affecting cell viability upon stimulation of cells with ghrelin. Our data suggest a link between epigenetic down-regulation of GHSR and breast cancer cell invasion.     

Possible mechanism(s) for relaxant effect of aqueous and macerated extracts from Nigella sativa on tracheal chains of guinea pig

Background

I have postulated that arachidonic acid release from rat liver cells is associated with cancer chemoprevention. Since it has been reported that inhibition of proteasome activities may prevent cancer, the effects of proteasome inhibitors on arachidonic acid release from cells and on prostaglandin I₂ production in rat liver cells were studied.

Results

The proteasome inhibitors, epoxomicin, lactacystin and carbobenzoxy-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal, stimulate the release of arachidonic acid from rat glial, human colon carcinoma, human breast carcinoma and the rat liver cells. They also stimulate basal and induced prostacycin production in the rat liver cells. The stimulated arachidonic acid release and basal prostaglandin I₂ production in rat liver cells is inhibited by actinomycin D.

Conclusions

Stimulation of arachidonic acid release and arachidonic acid metabolism may be associated with some of the biologic effects observed after proteasome inhibition, e.g. prevention of tumor growth, induction of apoptosis, stimulation of bone formation.     

Gastrointestinal manifestations of patients with chronic granulomatous disease

Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) represents a group of inherited disorders of phagocytic system, manifesting recurrent infections at different sites. The present study was accomplished in order to determine the gastrointestinal manifestations of CGD patients. Fifty-seven patients (38 males and 19 females) with CGD, who had been referred to three immunodeficiency referral centers in Iran, were studied during a 24-year period (1980-2004). The median age at the time of study was 14.5 years old (1-56 years). The median onset age of symptoms was 5 months (1 month- 13.75 years), and that of diagnostic age was 5 years (2 months- 54.1 years), with a diagnostic delay of 33 months, on average. Seven patients were presented with acute diarrhea, 3 with oral candidiasis, and 2 with liver abscesses as the first chief complaints. Twenty-four cases (42.1%) had been complicated by gastrointestinal manifestations during their course of the disease. Of those, 12 cases (21.1%) had diarrhea, 7 (12.3%) oral candidiasis, 5 (8.8%) hepatitis, 4 (7.0%) hepatic abscess, and 2 cases (3.5%) gastric outlet obstruction. Also, failure to thrive was detected in 6 patients (10.5%). Four patients died (7%). CGD should be excluded in any patient with gastrointestinal manifestations especially chronic diarrhea, hepatic abscess, and gastric outlet obstruction.     

Relaxant effects of carvacrol on guinea pig tracheal chains and its possible mechanisms

The bronchodilatory effects of three cumulative volumes (0.02, 0.04, and 0.08 ml) of 1/100 diluted carvacrol were examined by their relaxant effects on tracheal chains of guinea pigs precontracted by 60 mM KCl (group 1) and 10 microM methacholine in two different conditions including: non-incubated tissues (group 2) and incubated tissues with 1 microM propranolol and 1 microM chlorpheniramine (group 3), (for each group, n = 5). The relaxant effects of all three volumes of carvacrol were significantly higher than those of ethanol and even theophylline in all three groups of experiments (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). There were positive correlations between the relaxant effect of carvacrol and incremental volume (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). These results indicated that carvacrol has a potent relaxant effect on tracheal chains of guinea pigs which is not due to beta2-adrenergic stimulatory, histamine H1, and muscarinic blocking effect.     

Respiratory manifestations of chronic granulomatous disease; a clinical survey of patients from Iranian primary immunodeficiency registry

Chronic granulomatous disease represents a group of inherited disorders of phagocytic system wherein recurrent infections are seen at different sites especially in the respiratory system. To determine the clinical spectrum of respiratory manifestations in chronic granulomatous disease patients, in this retrospective study, we used data from Iranian Primary Immunodeticiency Registry. The diagnosis was based upon WHO criteria for chronic granulomatous disease. We reviewed the records of 38 patients (26 males, 12 females), related to 33 families, 73% of whom were consanguineous. The median age at the time of the study was 12yrs (3 months-22 years). The median onset age of symptoms was 4 months (l month-12 years), and that of diagnostic age was 5 years (l month-20 years), with a diagnostic delay of 4.15 years, on an average. Sixty three percent of our patients had respiratory involvement in the course of their illness, including pneumonia (18 pts, 75%), tuberculosis (llpts, 46%), aspergillosis (3 pts, 12.5%), pulmonary abscess (3 pts, 12.5%), and bronchiectasis (1 pt, 4%). Only 4 of our patients presented with respiratory problems as their first manitestation. Lymph nodes were the first common site and the lungs were the second sites of involvement in chronic granulomatous disease patients; however, it is noteworthy that only in a few of our patients, it was the first manifestation of the disease. Thus special attention should be paid to the pulmonary complications while managing this disease.     

Assessment of ureterovesical jet dynamics in obstructed ureter by urinary stone with color Doppler and duplex Doppler examinations

This study was designed to evaluate ureterovesical jet dynamics in obstructed ureter and to compare it with those of contralateral unobstructed side. Forty-six patients with diagnosis of ureteral stone, based on imaging findings in computed tomography were enrolled in this study. The gray-scale ultrasound exam from both kidneys and urinary bladder was performed. Then, ureterovesical jet characteristics including ureteral jet frequency, duration and peak velocity were assessed by color Doppler and duplex Doppler studies in both obstructed and unobstructed ureters by a radiologist, 15–30 min after oral hydration with 750–1,000 mL of water. When compared with contralateral normal side, the ureterovesical jet in obstructed ureter showed less frequency (0.59 vs. 3.04 jets/min; P < 0.05), shorter duration (1.24 vs. 5.26 s; P < 0.05) and lower peak velocity (5.41 vs. 32.09 cm/s; P < 0.05). The cut-off points of 1.5 jets/min, 2.5 s and 19.5 cm/s for difference of ureteral jet frequency, duration and peak velocity between obstructed and contralateral normal ureters yielded sensitivities of 97.8, 95.6 and 100 % and specificities of 87, 87.9 and 97.8 %, respectively for diagnosis of ureteral obstruction. Given the safety of Doppler study and significant differences in flow dynamics of obstructed versus unobstructed ureters, our findings demonstrated the utility of Doppler ultrasound examination as a useful adjunct to gray-scale ultrasound by improving the accuracy of ultrasound exam in diagnosis of ureteral obstruction.     

Comparative Insight into the Interfacial Phase Evolutions during Solution Treatment of Dissimilar Friction Stir Welded AA2198-AA7475 and AA2198-AA6013 Aluminum Sheets

In the current research, dissimilar friction stir welded (FSW) sheets of AA2198-AA7475 and AA2198-AA6013 were solution treated at 460–580 °C for 1 h. Annealing at 580 °C led to complete degradation of both dissimilar weldments from the AA2198 side. According to the microstructure inspection, solution treatment triggered abnormal grain growth within the stir zone (SZ), and applying higher treatment temperatures enhanced the fraction of transformed grains. SEM analysis revealed that the pre-melting of grain boundaries (GBs) over 540 °C encouraged the diffusion of solute atoms to the GBs. The massive diffusion of Cu to the GBs led to the formation of Cu-rich eutectic phases in AA7475 and AA2198 and dense Cu-rich particles in AA6013. In the meantime, the diffusion of Mg and Zn to the GBs of AA7475 and Fe and Si to the GBs of AA6013 eventuated in the formation of coarse particles at the GBs which, in return, attenuated the bonding adhesion of the grains at SZ. The formation of remarkable Cu-rich phases in the pre-melted regions and significant contraction of the eutectic phase while cooling as well as the formation of particles at GBs resulted in intergranular failure of the joints from the AA2198 side of the SZ.