2023 Impact Factor: 1.3
2023 CiteScore: 2.2
pISSN: 2251-6085
eISSN: 2251-6093
Chairman & Editor-in-Chief:
Dariush D. Farhud, MD, Ph.D., MG.
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 
Vol 40 No 4 (2011)
Articles
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Many studies have shown that mycotoxin contamination of agricultural products is a challenge for individual's health especially in developing countries. Improper production and storage of foods, prepare conditions for aflatoxin production in crops, especially rice, wheat, pistachio, walnut, almond, etc which are the main sources of foods for people. Feeding livestock by contaminated bread is another way of human exposure to mycotoxins, especially aflatoxin and because of expensive methods for detecting and analyzing aflatoxin in laboratory; it is not measured in foods. This manuscript is a review of some Iranian and nonIranian reports about aflatoxin, its exposure ways, its adverse effect on human health and nutrition, as well as methods for reducing its exposure. Based on studies on foods, aflatoxin exposure is high in Iran. Since livestock feeding by contaminated bread is one of the potential ways for milk contamination, we should control and reduce aflatoxin contamination by improving production process, storage condition and livestock feeding as soon as possible. Pistachio is one of the most important exporting products of Iran and to maintain Iran's position in exporting of this product, specific regulations on lowering its contamination with aflatoxin should be considered seriously. Finally, effective controlling of all food and feedstuffs which are vulnerable to aflatoxin contamination is necessary to prevent its effects.
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First Millennium Development Goal states the target of "Halving hunger by 2015". Sadly, the recent statistics for India present a very gloomy picture. India currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the world and this is in spite of the fact that it has made substantial progress in health determinants over the past decades and ranks second worldwide in farm output. The causes of existing food insecurity can be better viewed under three concepts namely the: ‘traditional concept' which includes factors such as unavailability of food and poor purchasing capacity; ‘socio-demographic concept' which includes illiteracy, unemployment, overcrowding, poor environmental conditions and gender bias; ‘politico-developmental concept' comprising of factors such as lack of intersectoral coordination and political will, poorly monitored nutritional programmes and inadequate public food distribution system. If the Millennium Development Goal is to be achieved by 2015, efforts to improve food and nutrition security have to increase considerably. Priority has to be assigned to agriculture and rural development along with promoting women empowerment, ensuring sustainable employment and improving environmental conditions (water, sanitation and hygiene). As the problem is multi-factorial, so the solution needs to be multi-sectoral.
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Background: This study investigates whether the amount of time that Korean adolescents spend on the Internet per day is related to their weight status.
Methods: For this purpose, we analyzed data from the 2009 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey-V (KYRBWS-V), in which 72,399 students from the 7th to the 12th grade participated. We assessed the relationship between the amount of time spent on the Internet per day and body mass index (BMI) by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results: For boys, the odds ratio (OR; confidence interval (CI): 95%) between becoming overweight and the amount of time spent on the Internet per day was 1.225 (1.042-1.441; P=0.014) for >4 hour. The ORs (CI: 95%) between becoming obese and time spent on the Internet per day were 1.238 (1.096-1.399; P=0.001) for >2-≤3 hours, 1.208 (1.021-1.428; P=0.027) for >3-≤4 hours, and 1.303 (1.109-1.532; P=0.001) for >4 hours. For girls, the ORs (CI: 95%) between becoming overweight and time spent on the Internet per day were 1.265 (1.089-1.469; P=0.002) for >2-≤3 hours and 1.338 (1.080-1.659; P=0.008) for >3-≤4 hours. The ORs (CI: 95%) between becoming obese and amount of time spent on the Internet per day were 1.239 (1.014-1.513; P=0.036) for >2-≤3 hours and 1.541 (1.182-2.010; P=0.001) for >3-≤4 hours.
Conclusion: Korean adolescents who spend more time on the Internet are predisposed to weight-related problems, regardless of age, time spent in physical exercise, mental stress, sleep duration, etc. -
Background: Reduced handgrip strength is an aging process that significantly influences the living activities of elderly. It is linked to premature mortality, disability and other health complications among elderly. Therefore, we aim to determine the associated predictors with handgrip strength among the free living elderly in Malaysia.
Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in a rural state in Malaysia. A total of 434 elderly individuals performed handgrip assessment. Socio-demographic characteristics, medical conditions, occupational history, functional ability (ADL) and depression (GDS) were enquired. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height) were also obtained.
Results: Majority of the respondents were Malays with mean age of 67.9 + 6.3 years. Maximum handgrip strength of males and females were 28.8+9.2 kg and 18.9+6.9 kg respectively (P<0.05). The aborigines had significantly lower handgrip strength (P<0.05) compared to Malays, Chinese and Indians. Handgrip strength was positively correlated (P<0.05) with weight, height and ADL, while negatively associated (P<0.05) with GDS for both gender. In the multivariate linear regression analysis; weight, height and race significantly predicted handgrip strength among both male and female elderly after adjustment for all potential confounders. However, GDS and ADL were only found to significantly predict handgrip strength among the male elderly; while age was only significant among the females.
Conclusion: Our sample population has significantly lower handgrip strength than the Western counterpart. Weight, height and race significantly predict handgrip strength among both male and female elderly. GDS, ADL are only found to be significant in males while age was only significant among the females. -
Background: The purpose of this study was to explore any gender-related differences in prevalence of and condition-associated factors related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) amongst police population in Taipei, Taiwan.
Methods: We studied a total of 1016 healthy adults with police work (972 males and 44 females) voluntarily admitted to physical check-up between January 2006 and December 2006. Blood samples and ultrasound-proved fatty liver sonography results were collected.
Results: The prevalence of NAFLD for this sub-population was found to be 52.2%, the prevalence revealing a statistically significant decrease with increasing population age (P<0.001). Males exhibited a greater prevalence of NAFLD than did females (53.6% vs 20.5%, P<0.0001). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, in addition to male gender, an older age, higher BMI, higher ALT, presence of hyperuricemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were the significant factors associated with NAFLD. Gender-related differences as regards associated factors were also revealed. For males, hyperuricemia (OR=1.35, 95%CI: 1.07-1.86), higher ALT (OR=2.31, 95%CI: 1.50-3.56), hypercholesterolemia (OR=1.33, 95%CI: 1.01-1.82), and hypertriglyceridemia (OR=1.55, 95%CI: 1.01-2.37) were significantly related to NAFLD but these were not so for females.
Conclusion: several gender-related differences were noted pertaining to the prevalence of and relationship between hyperuricemia, higher ALT, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia and NAFLD in the present study. -
Background: To determine the mean eruption time of permanent teeth of Pakistani children and to evaluate the effects of gender, type of schools, height, weight and body mass index on it.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted from September 2007 to April 2008. 4370 children of ‘just erupted' teeth were obtained from 102 randomly selected schools from 18 towns of Karachi, using systematic random sampling procedure. The dental examination was carried out for the selected child. Height, weight and date of birth were also obtained. Two sample‘t' test and paired ‘t' test were employed to compare the mean time of eruption between gender and type of schools (private/ public), and upper and lower jaws. Pearson and partial correlations were used to determine the significant relationship between eruption time with height, weight and BMI.
Results: The right first molars of upper and lower jaws showed the minimum eruption time. Second molars were the last tooth to emerge. Only 3 teeth showed significant difference of eruption time between the genders. None of contralateral teeth showed any statistical significant difference. All the mandible teeth, except the premolars, erupted earlier than maxillary teeth. Private schools children showed early eruption than the public schools children. The Pearson and partial correlation were significant positively correlated with height. Eruption time of all the teeth, except one, showed positive correlation with weight.
Conclusion: The eruption time of Pakistani children are different in many aspects with to other nationalities. -
Background: Northern regions of Iran have been encountered to dominate malignancies of gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We came to examine the total excess mortality due to the GI cancer in Mazandaran province.
Methods: Socio-demographic and clinical data of 484 patients with GI cancer collected during the years 1990-1991were available from Babol Cancer Registry. Patients were followed up for 15 years by the year 2006. Using the West Coale-Demeny life table model, a number of five life tables for men and four for women, corresponding to each birth cohort, were constructed. Observed survival was obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the Expected survival calculated using the direct adjusted method represented by STEIN et al.
Results: The sample of subjects encompassed 66.3% men and 33.7% women with mean age 58.26 ± 10.90, and endoscopy was the general method for cancer detection. Esophagus accounted for 74.2%, and stomach and colorectal accounted for 22.7% and 3.1% of GI cancers, respectively. Survival rate in 15 years following diagnosis was nearly 6%. Comparing patient and expected survival curves showed a significantly reduced survival for patients of each GI cancer over the whole period and especially during the first two years after diagnosis.
Conclusion: Patients experienced reduced survival associated with the development of GI cancers. Considering individuals in a population come from different cohorts, adjustment by constructing distinct life tables for different birth cohorts is recommended. The West model is recommended as a first choice to represent mortality in countries whose registration systems are exposed to various errors. -
Background: There have been very few studies, with contradictory results, on the zinc status of children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes mellitus. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine zinc status based on the serum zinc concentration in type-1 diabetic children and adolescents and compare it with that of healthy controls.
Methods: Thirty children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes mellitus, aged 6 to 18 years, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls participated in the study. Serum zinc, fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c and serum albumin were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, enzymatic colorimetry, ion-exchange chromatography and colorimetry using bromocresol green methods, respectively.
Results: No statistically significant difference was found in the mean serum zinc concentration between diabetic patients and healthy controls (111.0 ± 3.1 and 107.1 ± 3.8 mg/dl respectively, P= 0.4). No correlations were found between the serum zinc levels and fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, or the duration of the disease in the patients.
Conclusion: The zinc levels of diabetic children and adolescents are not noticeably different compared to those of healthy controls and are independent of glycemic control and the duration of the disease. -
Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight/obesity, central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, as well as dietary factors contributing to the development of dyslipidemia among middle-aged women.
Methods: The research design of the present study was a population-based cross-sectional study; anthropometric measures and blood chemistry were obtained. Physical activity was measured using the original International Physical Activity Questionnaires Long Form while food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used in assessing individual's habitual intake. Overall, 809 women, 30-50 years of age from fourteen active urban Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) in Babol City, northern Iran, were obtained from 1,905 households across operational areas of 14 PHC using systematic random sampling method.
Results: The prevalence rates of women classified as overweight/obese, with central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia were 82.8%, 75.5%, 14.6% and 63.4%, respectively. Total physical activity did not correlate with cholesterol ratio. Soybean protein was inversely associated with cholesterol ratio (rho=-0.18, P≤ 0.001). The adjusted OR for dyslipidemia in women with moderate protein intake was significantly higher than in women with high and low intake (OR=2.31; 95% CI= 1.61, 3.30). No significant associations were found between dyslipidemia and carbohydrate, fat intake or physical activity.
Conclusion: This study showed very high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Iranian middle-aged women. A more detailed study is suggested to develop definitively recommendations for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease for the Iranian population. -
Background: The aim of the study was to research concerning the epidemiology of newborns' galactosemia during 2007-2008 to find out whether screening was necessary for Iranian newborns or not and also what the symptoms of this disease before or after diet were.
Methods: The data were collected from 24000 newborn babies from Fars Province, southern Iran. The enzymatic calorimetric test was done on their blood and Red questions from the children's parents. For treatment, free lactose milk or soya milk have been used for the feeding of the newborns.
Results: The prevalence of galactosemia in Fars Province was 5:24000 in neonates, being more than those reported among the white race are and Asians are. The maximum clinical symptoms before diet in 10 days after birth were vomiting and jaundice and those after using diet were sepsis, full fontanels, and hepatic failure.
Conclusion: Consanguineous marriage is a major cause of inheritance of the disease in Iran. The number of familial marriage in children's parents was very high. Screening should be executed for all of the families with a history of Galactosemia in Iran. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first large study report on the prevalence of Galactosemia in Iran. -
Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulation effects of aqueous garlic extract (AGE) in the cultured macrophages infected by Leishmania major.
Methods: After J774 macrophages proliferation in RPMI1640 and incubation with Leishmania for 72 hours, AGE was added in doses of 9.25, 18.5, 37, 74 and 148 mg/ml for 18, 24 and 48 hours and cell culture supernatants were harvested. The Leishmania infected J774 cells to assess the cell viability was examined using trypan blue and methylthiazol tetrazolium assay (MTT). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed on cell culture supernatants for measurement of interleukin IL-10 and IL-12.
Results: Dose of 37 mg/ml for 48 hours of garlic extract was the most potent dose for activation of amastigotes infected macrophages. In addition, AGE increased the level of IL-12 in Leishmania infected cell lines significantly.
Conclusions: AGE treated cell is effective against parasitic pathogens, and AGE induced IL-12 differentially affected the immune response to invading Leishmania parasites. -
Background: Cattle can be considered as an important source for herbicides through nutrition. Therefore, herbicide residue in animal products is a potential human exposure to herbicides causing public health problems in human life. Triazines are a group of herbicides primarily used to control broadleaf weeds in corn and other feed ingredients and are considered as possible human carcinogens. To evaluate trace residue of these pollutants molecular imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) method has been developed, using biological samples.
Methods: Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 45 Holstein cows in 3 commercial dairy farms in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Urine samples were also taken from the cows.
Results: The mean ± SD concentrations of atrazine in serum and urine samples of the study group (0.739 ± 0.567 ppm and 1.389 ± 0.633 ppm, respectively) were higher (P < 0.05) than the concentrations in serum and urine samples of the control group (0.002 ± 0.005 ppm and 0.012 ± 0.026 ppm, respectively).
Conclusion: Atrazine in the feed ingredients ingested by cattle could be transferred into the biological samples and consequently can be considered as a potential hazard for the public health. -
Background: Organophosphorus pesticides are one of the most prevalent usages for pest control in the country. Such pesticides enter into water sources by different routes. Since drinking of contaminated water at the higher doses than the standard level, may causes undesirable effects to human health and ecosystem. The object of this research was to investigate the effect of various parameters including time, power and concentration on sonodecomposition of malathion insecticide in the water.
Methods: The sonochemical degradation of malathion was investigated using acoustic wave technology (AWT). AWT with 130 kHz was used to study the decomposition of insecticide solution. Samples were analyzed using HPLC at different intervals times. Effectiveness of AWT at different times (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 minutes), concentrations of malathion at 2, 4 and 8 mg/L as well as powers of device (300W, 400W, 500W) are compared.
Results: These findings showed that the degradation of the malathion insecticide at lower concentrations was greater in comparison to higher concentrations. Also, there was positive correlation between power increasing and the ability to malathion degradation
Conclusion: The sonodegradation of malathion at different concentrations and powers was successfully achieved. It has been shown that acoustical wave technology can be used to reduce the concentration of dissolved insecticide using high frequency. -
Background: This paper contributes to further exploration of inequity in access to health research capacity development by examining the representation of different nations in international public health journals. It also aims to examine the degree of diversity that exists in these journals.
Methods: This study is a descriptive survey. It was done with objective sampling on 37 ISI health journals on October of 2008.The number and nationality of people in different editorial positions of the journals was identified. The second analysis involved recalculating the numbers obtained for each nation to the population size of nations per million inhabitants. In order to better compare countries in terms of presence in editorial team of the journals, a ‘public health editor equity gap ratio' (PHEEGR) was developed.
Results: Low income countries have occupied none of the leadership positions of chief editor or associate /assistant chief editors and middle income countries at maximum shared less than 5 percent. The PHEEGR gap in access to the different editorial positions between highest to the lowest representation of countries was 16/1 for chief editors, 12/1 for associate editors , 335/1 for editorial boards and 202/1 for associate editorial boards. However, after normalizing the data to the country's population, the gap increased significantly.
Conclusion: There is an imbalance and possibly even inequity in the composition of editorial boards and offices of international health journals that should be paid significant attention. This can contribute to fill the equity gap exists between health in developing and developed countries. -
Background: Relapsing fever caused by Borrelia persica, is an acute tick-borne disease which is transmitted by soft ticks of Ornithodoros tholozani to human.
Methods: Value of PCR and xenodiagnosis for detection of B. persica in O. tholozani ticks was compared. Sixty-four Borrelia-free ticks were fed on infected guinea pigs and used for the experiments. For xenodiagnosis, a group of 32 ticks in subsequent blood meal were fed on sterile guinea pigs and the indication of B. persica in the animal blood was tested 5-14 days later by dark-field microscopy. For PCR, all 64 ticks were subjected to PCR against B. persica rrs gene (16S-rDNA). Also sensitivity of PCR in terms of minimum detectable number of spirochetes as well as the effects of tick sex and post digestion was tested.
Results: PCR revealed B.persica DNA in 98.4% ticks, in which B. persica were found in 25.0% by xenodiagnosis. PCR was enough sensitive to give positive results for DNA of 1 spirochete. PCR success rates were similar for male or female ticks. Course of time did not affect the efficacy of PCR and similar results were observed for ticks of immediately fed, semi- or completely gravid or completely digested blood ones.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that due to very low specificity and time consuming, xenodiagnosis is not a useful method whereas PCR method has advantages for study the Borrelia prevalence in ticks. -
Background: Although diabetes mellitus is of high concern in Iran, and the level of control is unacceptable, few qualitative studies have been carried out to reflect the experiences of patients on the barriers and motivators to self-care. This study aimed to explore a culturally based experience of Iranian diabetic patients regarding the personal and environmental barriers to and facilitating factors for diabetes self-care.
Methods: Six focus groups were conducted among type 2 diabetic patients in the Charity Foundation for Special Diseases' diabetes clinic. Purposeful sampling was used. Newly diagnosed patients (less than six months) and all type 1 diabetic patients were excluded. Three focus groups were held on for each sex. A total of 43 patients participated in the study. Framework analysis was used to extract the themes from the data.
Results:Data analysis showed five main barriers: physical barriers (such as physical effects of diabetes); psychological barriers (such as health beliefs); educational barriers (such as lack of knowledge about diabetes); social barriers (such as group pressure); and care system barriers (such as service availability). Along with the barriers, there were some motivators that the participants mentioned as a stimuli to control their diabetes. They include beliefs about diabetes, perceived responsibility for family, religious beliefs, and the views of significant others.
Conclusion:Culturally based interventions are needed to improve diabetes care management in Iran. In addition to personal factors, diabetes health educators should pay attention to the environmental factors when they develop programs. -
