Quality of the results section of original dental articles published in national Farsi and international English journals

Objective: Lack of scientific writing skills is one major problem encountered for publication of research results of Iranian scientists in accredited journals. As the result, many research projects or dissertation findings remain unpublished. This study aimed to assess the quality of writing of the "results" section of some original articles published in Iranian Farsi and international English journals

Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted on 64 dental articles published in 3 international English and 3 Iranian Farsi journals. Selection of journals was non-random but articles were selected randomly based on specific criteria. A checklist containing 32 criteria regarding general statistics, context of the results, statistical tests, tables, charts and graphs was prepared. Obtained data were analyzed by SPSS 10 using Fisher's exact and chi square tests

Results: Farsi articles met 64.1% and English articles met 65.8% of the checklist criteria. No significant difference was found in the quality of the results section of Farsi and English papers [p>0.05]

Conclusion: Most papers did not provide adequate details in the results section to help readers better comprehend the subject

[Knowledge and attitude toward AIDS in patients with gender identity disorder presenting to Tehran psychiatric institute]

The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of patients with gender identity disorder [GID], presenting to Tehran Psychiatric Institute, toward Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome [AIDS]. 58 patients with gender identity disorder [41 female-to-male and 17 male-to-female] were selected using convenience sampling. The subjects completed the questionnaire proposed by Family Health Organization. Subsequent to determining the distribution by statistical methods, data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric tests suitable for group comparison. About 70% of the subjects believed that an apparently healthy individual could be infected with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]. Only five subjects [8.6%] considered themselves to be at risk for HIV infection. With regard to routes of transmission, 70% believed anal sex carries lower risk than vaginal sex. Subjects had a low level of knowledge regarding sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, all individuals with GID should be provided with sufficient information about AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases

[Chromosomal aberration and infertility]

Chromosomal aberrations are one of the causes of infertility. The major chromosomal abnormalities are usually associated with somatic abnormalities. There are also some balanced chromosomal aberrations, without somatic abnormalities however producing unbalanced gametes which result in infertility. The most common of these are balanced translocation. Among 47350 karyotypes performed in our center. There are 664 [1.4%] chromosomal translocation 47 [7%], which are associated with infertility. The sex, and chromosomal aberrations of these cases presented in this paper

[Report of childhood disintegrative disorder in a patient with down syndrome]

Childhood disintegrative disorder [CDD] is one of the least common entities in autistic spectrum. The disorder characterized by clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills, before age 10 years, in a child with apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years after birth. Comorbidity of Down syndrome and autistic disorder is known, however occurrence of childhood disintegrative disorder in Down syndrome is scantly reported. We report a 7 years old boy with Down syndrome, whose acquired skills, such as speech ability and social interactions, were lost during a three months period

[Genotype-phenotype correlations in an iraninan myotonic dystrophy cohort]

Myotonic Dystrophy type I [DM1] the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults affecting 1/800 individuals is a dominantly inherited disorder with a multi-systemic pattern affecting skeletal muscle, heart, eye, endocrine and central nervous system. DM1 is associated with the expansion and instability of a trinucleotide [CTG] repeat in the 3 untranslated region of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase [DMPK] gene located on choromosome 19q13.3. The normal copy number is 5-37 CTG repeat whereas it is expanded in DM1 patients and the expansion size broadly correlates with the severity of the symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and genetic characteristic of DM1 in Iranian patients for genotype-phenotype correlation methods. Clinical assessment was based on the muscular disability rating scale [MDRS] and a sum of symptoms score [SSS]. Molecular analysis [PCR and Southern blot] was used to clarify uncertain clinical diagnoses and confirm the clinical findings. Forty six patients from twenty five DM1 families were reviewed. In all the DM1 patients, the wide clinical symptoms confirmed the reported phenotypic vaiability of disorder. The range of CTG expansion of the mutated allele was 97-833 CTG repeats and an inverse correlation between age of onest and repeat length was observed. A clear relation between the size of the CTG repeat and the clinical disease score [MDRS] was found but not with SSS. No correlation was seen between the endocrine dysfunction and the expansion size in DM1 patients

[P53 and its malignant transformation protective role in human]

Mutations are the first step in carcinogenesis pathways and insufficiency in DNA repair is a risk factor for several cancers. Mutations may lead to loss of function of DNA repair proteins. Similarly, DNA polymorphisms may be associated with impairment in these proteins. Molecular events, which regulate cell survival, apoptosis, growth acceleration and cellular differentiation, have a critical role in kinetics of benign and malignant cellular growth and may influence the progression of tumorogenesis. P53 protein is a well-known tumor suppressor that is involved in many tumors in human and animal models and is a major controller of apoptosis. Level of P53 is increased, when genotoxic injuries occur. Because of its important role in preventing tumorogenesis, P53 is known as [Guardian of the Genome]. Mutant forms of this cannot play the proper role and may lead in cancer development. Mutation in P53 is the most common cancer-related mutation in human. On the other hand, cells with mutant P53 may respond weakly to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. P53-targeted gene therapy is a supplementary goal of cancer treatment. This article is a review of mechanisms of action, regulation and damage of this gene

Malignant transformation in dysgenic gonads, Report of 10 cases

Gonadal dysgenesis is characterized by failure of anatomical and functional development of gonads or regression of primary germ cells, transformed to a connective tissue similar to ovarian cortex. According to chromosomal constitution their varieties of clinical manifestations, including Turner syndrome, pure female gonadal dysgenesis consist of 46,XX biletaral streak gonads without Turner stigmas, male XY pure gonadal dysgenesis [Swyer syndrome] with 46,XY bilateral streak gonads and mixed gonadal dysgenesis with streak gonad in one side and dysgenetic testes in epilateral side, usually with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism. Among 1207 cases with primary amenorrhea as main complaint, there are 109 cases with total or mosaic chromosome Y. There are 10 cases of malignant transformation; seven among 35 cases of Swyer syndrome and three cases among 25 cases of mixed gonadal dysgenesis. These findings confirm the risk of Y chromosome to enhance the malignant transformation in dysgenic gonads and express on prophylactic bilateral gonadectomy before the age of adolescence in these cases

Pregnancy in Turner syndrome variants, report of 9 cases andreview literature

Turner syndrome is one of the most common cytogenetic disorders in human with an incidence of one case in about 2500 female live born children. Most patients have sexual infantilism and pregnancy is rare. Bahner reported the first case of a pregnant Turner patient and then the pregnancy of such patients has not been considered impossible. Nine patients out of 243 Turner patients referred to Kariminejad-Najmabadi Pathology and Genetic Centre [Tehran, Iran] during 1979 to 1997 have experienced spontaneous pregnancy. These 24 pregnancies lead to 14 cases of spontaneous abortion [64%], 3 cases of intra-uterine fetal death [14%] and 5 cases of live birth [20%], consisted of one case of congenital heart disease and one case of Down syndrome. We have not any information about two other cases. In this article we discuss the chance and outcome of pregnancy in Turner syndrome

[Cytogenetic analysis of 243 turner syndrome patient]

Turner Syndrome is one of the most frequent cytogenetic disorders in human and its incidence is estimated as 1 in every 2500 female live-birth. The Syndrome is caused by monosomy X or loss of some X chromosome material in at least one cell line. In this article, we report the results of cytogenetic study of 243 patients with Turner syndrome, referred to Kariminejad-Najmabadi Pathology and Genetics Center [Tehran, Iran]. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 12.1 years and the median was 13. Most of the patients were referred to us due to short stature and/or growth failure [116 cases, 41.7%], primary amenorrhea [90 cases, 37.0%], congenital lymphedema [1 8 cases, 7.4%] and secondary amenorrhea [17 cases, 7.0%]. Karyotypes were carried out, using peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes and conventional giemsa banding method [GTO technique]. The results showed that 45,X was the most frequent pattern [111 cases, 45.7%], followed by 45,X/46,XX [33 cases, 13.6%], 45,X/46,X,isoXq [25 cases, 10.3%], and 46,X,isoXq [23 cases, 9.5%]. Twelve cases [4.9%] had one 46,XY cell line, without external genital ambiguity. We conclude that complete X monosomy is the most common pattern in peripheral blood karyotypes, but other molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction [PCR] and Fluorescent in situ hybridization [FISH] are necessary for more accurate results