Malnutrition is highly prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients. These patients have high levels of oxidative stress and inflammation which can subsequently induce malnutrition. Selenium levels have been found to be decreased in HD patients. As selenium deficiency leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory response, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of selenium supplementation on oxidative and inflammatory markers and the nutritional status of HD patients. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 80 patients on stable HD for at least 3 months without any acute illness or active infections were randomly allocated to two equal groups to receive one selenium (200 µg) or placebo capsule daily for 12 weeks. Serum levels of lipoproteins, malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP), homocysteine, ferritin and transferrin as well as the subjective global assessment (SGA) score, malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels were measured at the baseline and at the end of the treatment phase. The primary outcome was a change in the nutritional status measured by the SGA score from the baseline towards the end of the treatment phase of the study. The SGA score and MIS decreased significantly in the selenium group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.001 for both). Moreover, serum levels of MDA decreased significantly in the selenium group compared with increasing levels in the placebo group (P < 0.001). Selenium supplementation also hindered an increase in IL-6 levels compared with the placebo group (P = 0.016). There were no significant differences between the selenium and placebo groups in terms of changes in serum levels of lipoproteins, HSCRP, homocysteine, ferritin and transferrin or Hb levels. This study shows that selenium may be an effective complementary supplement for reducing the severity of malnutrition in HD patients through alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation.

Although it has been difficult to prove the direct involvement of cockroaches (i.e. insects of the order Blattaria) in the transmission of pathogenic agents to humans, such insects often carry microorganisms that are important in nosocomial infections, and their medical importance in the spread of bacteria cannot be ruled out. In houses and institutions with poor standards of hygiene, heavy infestations with cockroaches, such as the peridomestic American cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.) and the domestic German cockroach (Blattella germanica L.), can occur. In the present study, cockroaches (126 B. germanica and 69 P. americana) were collected from four buildings (three public training hospitals and one house) in central Tehran, Iran. Each insect was processed, under sterile conditions, so that the bacteria on its external surfaces and in its alimentary tract and faecal pellets could be isolated and identified. The oldest and largest of the three hospitals sampled (a 1400-bed unit built 80 years ago) appeared to be the one most heavily infested with cockroaches, and cockroaches from this hospital accounted for most (65.4%) of the isolates of medically important bacteria made during the study. No significant difference was found between the percentages of P. americana and B. germanica carrying medically important bacteria (96.8% v. 93.6%; P>0.05). At least 25 different species of medically important bacteria were isolated and identified, and at least 22 were Gramnegative. The genus of enteric bacteria most frequently isolated from both cockroach species, at all four collection sites, was Klebsiella. The cockroaches from each hospital were much more likely to be found contaminated with medically important bacteria than those from the house. The hospital cockroaches were also more likely to be carrying medically important bacteria internally than externally (84.3% v. 64.1%; P<0.05). The implications of these and other recent results, for the control of cockroaches and nosocomial infections, are discussed.

Unleaded petrol contains significant amounts of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX). Toxic responses following occupational exposure to unleaded petrol have been evaluated only in limited studies. The main purpose of this study was to ascertain whether (or not) exposure to unleaded petrol, under normal working conditions, is associated with any hepatotoxic or nephrotoxic response. This was a cross-sectional study in which 200 employees of Shiraz petrol stations with current exposure to unleaded petrol, as well as 200 unexposed employees, were investigated. Atmospheric concentrations of BTX were measured using standard methods. Additionally, urine and fasting blood samples were taken from individuals for urinalysis and routine biochemical tests of kidney and liver function. The geometric means of airborne concentrations of BTX were found to be 0.8 mg m(-3), 1.4 mg m(-3), and 2.8 mg m(-3), respectively. Additionally, means of direct bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea and plasma creatinine were significantly higher in exposed individuals than in unexposed employees. Conversely, serum albumin, total protein, and serum concentrations of calcium and sodium were significantly lower in petrol station workers than in their unexposed counterparts. The average exposure of petrol station workers to BTX did not exceed the current threshold limit values (TLVs) for these chemicals. However, evidence of subtle, subclinical and prepathologic early liver and kidney dysfunction was evident in exposed individuals.

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease. The complications of osteoporosis have influence on people's lives and lead to anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between osteoporosis and depression among Iranian patients. This cross-sectional analytical survey study conducted among 500 patients referred to a Bone Densitometry Center in Iran. They were assigned into with osteoporosis group (n = 250) and non-affected group (n = 250). The Persian version of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression. ANOVA, independent t-test, chi-square were used to compare the data. All analyses were done using SPSS version 22 software. A P value ≤ 0.05 represented statistical significance. The majority of people with osteoporosis (86.9%), suffered from mild to moderate depression and the majority of normal people (84.6%) were non-depressed. The mean scores (SD) of depressions in the patients with osteoporosis and normal status was 6.94 (2.39) and 2.50 (1.01), respectively. Statistical analyses showed that the mean scores of depressions significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). The results indicate that depression is associated with osteoporosis. As a result, physicians are expected to pay attention to depression in people with osteoporosis and to treat it.

To explore the association(s) between demographic factors, socioeconomic status (SES), social capital, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and mental health among residents of Tehran, Iran.The pooled data (n = 31 519) were ...

Background: Drug abuse is a chronic and enduring phenomenon, which is among the important challenging public health problems. One of the main aspects in drug abuse is the relapse. Objectives: The aims of this study were to estimate the time to relapse (survival rate) and to evaluate some of its associated variables by survival analysis. Patients and Methods: This research was conducted in four addiction treatment centers on 140 self-referred addicts in Ilam city, Iran, in 2012. Cluster sampling method was used for selecting the samples and data were collected by interview and referring to the subjects’ records. The gathered data were analyzed through the life table, Kaplan-Meier analysis, log rank test, and Cox regression. Results: The relapse rate was 30.42%, mean and median of the time to relapse (survival time) were 27.40 ± 1.63 months (CI 95%: 24.19 - 30.60) and 25 ± 2.25 months (CI 95%: 22.5 - 27.5), respectively. In the first six months, the cumulative survival rate was 83%, while in the 24th month it was 46% and the following time was consistent. Job status (OR = 2.64), marital status (OR = 1.55), family size (OR = 1.20) and age (OR = 0.23) were statistically significant in Cox regression model. Conclusions: In the initial treatment, it seems necessary to supervise and monitor the treatment process through staff in addiction treatment centers together with the company of the addicts’ families to reduce relapse rate. Keywords: Drug Abuse; Behaviors; Addictive; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers