Opium Addiction and Ischemic Stroke in Isfahan, Iran: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of opium addiction (OA) on cerebrovascular disease is controversial. The aim of this study was to clarify this relationship in Iranian patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: In a case-control study, 672 patients with ischemic stroke and 293 controls without a previous history of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases were compared. OA as well as other risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia, tobacco smoking (TS) were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: OA percentage, TS, TS amount (pack/year), HTN and DM history were significantly higher in the case group compared to controls (p < 0.05). After regression analysis between risk factors, a significant difference remained between 2 groups with regards to HTN (OR 4.21, 95% CI 3.05-5.81, p < 0.001), TS (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.51-3.59, p < 0.001), and OA (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.16-4.85, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Our study showed OA is a risk factor for stroke. However, a follow-up study with a larger cohort is required to confirm the results.

Factor V Leiden, factor V Cambridge, factor II GA20210, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Factor V G1691A (FV Leiden), FII GA20210, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutations are the most common genetic risk factors for thromboembolism in the Western countries. However, there is rare data in Iran about cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of common genetic thrombophilic factors in CVST patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty consequently CVST patients from two University Hospital in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences aged more than 15 years from January 2009 to January 2011 were recruited. In parallel, 51 healthy subjects with the same age and race from similar population selected as controls. FV Leiden, FII GA20210, MTHFR C677T, and FV Cambridge gene mutations by polymerase chain reaction technique were evaluated in case and control groups. RESULTS: FV Leiden, FII GA20210, and FV Cambridge gene mutations had very low prevalence in both case (5%, 2%, 0%) and control (2.5%, 0%, 0%) and were not found any significant difference between groups. MTHFR C677T mutations was in 22 (55%) of patients in case group and 18 (35.5%) of control group (P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the prevalence of FV Leiden, FII GA20210, and FV Cambridge were low. Laboratory investigations of these mutations as a routine test for all patients with CVST may not be cost benefit.

Vitamin D status in migraine patients: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies on the relation between vitamin D and migraine. We investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in migraine patients and compared it with a control group. We also evaluated the relationship of vitamin D deficiency with severity of migraine. METHODS: 105 newly diagnosed migraine patients and 110 controls, matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, education, and sun exposure, were enrolled during the spring of 2011. 25-Hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] plasma levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: The mean ± SE concentration of 25(OH)D was 13.55 ± 0.91 ng/mL in cases and 13.19 ± 1.19 ng/mL in controls. There was no significant difference in 25(OH)D concentration between cases and controls. We found no relationship between severity of headache and 25(OH)D status. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find any association between migraine and vitamin D status; also, severity of headaches was not related to 25(OH)D level. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm our results.

Quasiadiabatic approach for laser-induced single-bubble sonoluminescence.

The luminescence parameters of laser-induced bubble in the presence of an acoustic field in water are studied. A comparison is made between parameters such as bubble radius, interior temperature, and pressure of the bubble induced by laser and an acoustic field influenced by different driving pressure amplitudes. It is found that the bubble volume induced by laser at the collapse instant is more than 10(6) times larger than the one induced by an acoustic field. It is also noticed, by increasing the driving pressure amplitude, the bubble radius decreases in both cases, however, the bubble interior pressure and temperature increase.

Effects of fluid viscosity on a moving sonoluminescing bubble.

Based on the quasi-adiabatic model, the parameters of the bubble interior for a moving single bubble sonoluminescence in water, adiponitrile, and N-methylformamide are calculated for various fluid viscosities. By using a complete form of the hydrodynamic force, the bubble trajectory is calculated for a moving single bubble sonoluminescence (m-SBSL). It is found that as the fluid viscosity increases, the unique circular path changes to an ellipsoidal and then linear form and along this incrementally increase of viscosity the light intensity increases. By using the Bremsstrahlung model to describe the bubble radiation, gradual increase of the viscosity results in brighter emissions. It is found that in fluids with higher viscosity the light intensity decreases as time passes.

Interaction of two oscillating sonoluminescence bubbles in sulfuric acid.

The mutual interaction of two oscillating gas bubbles in different concentrations of sulfuric acid is numerically investigated. A nonlinear oscillation for spherical symmetric bubbles with equilibrium radii smaller than 10 µm at a frequency of 37 kHz in a strong driving acoustical field P(a)=1.8 bar is assumed. The calculations are based on the investigation of the secondary Bjerknes force with regard to adiabatic model for the bubble interior which appears as repulsion or attraction interaction force. In this work the influence of the various concentrations of sulfuric acid in uncoupled and coupled distances between bubbles has been investigated. It is found that the sign and value of the secondary Bjerknes force depend on the sulfuric acid viscosity and its amount would be decreased by liquid viscosity enhancement. The results show that big change in the parameters of produced bubbles occurs in the sulfuric acid with concentrations from 65% to 85%.