Association of 25-hydroxy vitamin D with asthma and its severity in children: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Universally, asthma has high prevalence rates and this has led numerous studies done into its causes. Despite extensive study on asthma the association between 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D (25(OH) vit. D) and asthma remains uncertain. In this study, the associations of 25(OH) vit. D levels with asthma and with the severity of asthma were evaluated. METHODS: This was a case-control study performed in 2015 in the city of Isfahan. In this study 520 children were studied. Children with asthma were classified as cases and children who were referred for reasons other than respiratory problems and asthma were considered as controls. Serum 25 (OH) vit. D levels were then examined and compared between the two groups. Differences among groups were stated to be statistically significant when P-values < 0.05. RESULTS: There were 260 asthmatic children and 260 controls in the present study. The mean 25 (OH) vit. D levels in the case group was 25.5 ± 16.62 and 16.76 ± 31.40 the control group and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). 25(OH) vit. D levels were found to be 28.05 ± 16.98 in non-severe asthma and 21.41 ± 15.20 in severe asthma. Consequently 25(OH) vit. D level had inverse relationship with asthma severity (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: As the results of this study showed, the lower level of 25(OH) vit. D correlated with the higher severity of asthma manifestations. Therefore, it is recommended that 25(OH) vit. D levels get routinely checked especially in severe asthma cases and if the deficiency presents, appropriate therapeutic measures be used to reduce the asthma severity.

Premature pubarche as a first presentation of pituitary macroprolactinoma.

Prolactinoma is a rare tumor of childhood. Clinical presentations of prolactinoma include amenorrhea, delayed puberty, and galactorrhea. For the first time, in this case, elevated prolactin levels were associated with unexpected premature pubarche. We describe an 8-year, 7-month-old boy with acne and gradual appearance of pubic hair, corresponding to tanner stage 2. Hormonal tests showed severe hyperprolactinemia (prolactin = 246.8 µg/L and pooled prolactin = 175 µg/L and macroprolactin = 5 µg/L) and mildly elevated level of dehdroepiandrostenedion sulfate (DHEAS) and testosterone. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings confirmed the presence of a pituitary macroprolactinoma, measuring 14 mm × 12 mm × 8 mm on the right side of the pituitary gland. Cabergoline therapy was commenced (0.5 mg/week) and after 3 months, no evidence of pubarche progression was observed. Prolactin level and tumor size markedly reduced. At the 9-month follow-up visit, a normal MRI was reported. This case highlights that even when facing premature pubarche, careful examination is mandatory, and if no obvious etiology is found for premature pubarche, clinicians should consider prolactinoma.

The effects of melatonin administration on disease severity and sleep quality in children with atopic dermatitis: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this clinical trial was to determine the effects of melatonin administration on disease severity and sleep quality in children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted by recruiting 70 patients, aged 6-12 years, who had been diagnosed with AD. Study participants were randomly allocated into two intervention groups to receive either 6 mg/d melatonin supplements or placebo (n = 35 each group) for 6 weeks. Severity of disease was assessed using the scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) and objective SCORAD indices. Sleep quality was evaluated by completing the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). RESULTS: Following 6 weeks of intervention, melatonin supplementation significantly improved SCORAD index (ß -3.55; 95% CI, -6.11, -0.98; P = 0.007), objective SCORAD index (ß -3.23; 95% CI, -5.08, -1.38; P = 0.001), serum total IgE levels (ß -153.94 ku/L; 95% CI, -260.39, -47.49; P = 0.005), and CSHQ scores (ß -2.55; 95% CI, -4.34, -0.75; P = 0.006). However, melatonin had no significant impact on pruritus scores, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), sleep-onset latency, total sleep time, weight, and BMI compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, melatonin supplementation had beneficial effects on disease severity, serum total IgE levels, and CSHQ among children diagnosed with AD.

Frequency and Genotype of Human Parvovirus B19 among Iranian Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and genotype of human parvovirus B19 and its relation with anemia among Iranian patients under dialysis. METHODS: Fifty hemodialysis (HD) and 33 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients were enrolled. B19 IgG and IgM antibodies were assessed by ELISA, and the presence of B19 DNA was evaluated by nested PCR. PCR products were sequenced directly and phylogenetic analysis was performed. RESULTS: In the HD group, the prevalence of B19 antibodies was 54% for IgG and 4% for IgM. B19 DNA was detected in 10% of the cases, and 10% showed B19 IgG and viremia simultaneously. In the PD group, the prevalence of B19 IgG and IgM was 57.6 and 0% respectively, whereas B19 DNA was found in 12.1% of the group. A total of 9.1% showed B19 IgG and viremia concurrently. There was no significant difference regarding anemia and B19 infection in either group. All B19 isolates were clustered in genotype 1A. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that B19 infection plays no role in leading chronic anemia in dialysis patients. However, persistent B19 viremia and the circulation of the same strains in dialysis patients may indicate a potential risk for the contamination of dialysis equipment and nosocomial spread of B19 infection within dialysis units.

Epidemiology of sports injuries referring to Kashan University of Medical Sciences Trauma Research Center from 2005 to 2011.

OBJECTIVE: Among the injury types, sports ones constitute a considerable proportion of patients who refer to the medical centers. This research was conducted to examine the frequency of sports-related injuries referring to Kashan University of Medical Sciences Trauma Research Center from 2005 to 2011. METHODS: This was a retrospective research in which existing data from the data bank of Kashan University of Medical Sciences Trauma Research Center were employed. The data were extracted from the main source by SPSS version 16.0. Variables such as age, education, occupation and gender were analyzed. RESULTS: The highest proportion of injuries was observed in students (59.4%) followed by workers (11.8%). Upper and lower extremities were most commonly injured. The most frequent injury was strain (35.4%), followed by sprain (27.7%). CONCLUSION: The results of this research showed that the majority of the sports trauma occurrs in students; therefore, they need more attention in regard to sports injuries. Preventive measures such as informing the coaches and teachers as well as increasing the students'awareness about the injury risk can decrease the incidences of sports injuries.

Risk factors of bruxism in children and adolescents: A case-control study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of bruxism in children and adolescents under 15 years old in Iran. Materials & Methods: This case-control study was conducted in day clinics of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in 2020. Fifty children with bruxism in the case group and 50 without in the control group were compared to five risk factors, including intestinal parasites, sucking the fingers, biting objects, a family history of bruxism, and secondhand smoking (SHS). The statistical tests of smoking, odds ratio, and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 10.6±3.2 and 10.8±2.9 years in the case and control groups, respectively. The bruxism showed significant relation with sucking the fingers, the family history of bruxism, and intestinal parasites. The SHS and biting objects showed no significant relation with bruxism. The logistic regression indicated that the study variables could explain the 22.6 to 30.1% of risk factors in bruxism. Conclusion: Bruxism is a common disorder in children and adolescents. The intestinal parasites might be associated with bruxism. These infestations should be diagnosed and treated in children with bruxism.

Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Inflammatory Status and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Overweight or Obese Children: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of the present clinical trial was to determine the impact of zinc supplementation on serum liver enzymes, steatosis severity, lipid profile, and inflammatory status in overweight or obese children with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This randomized controlled trial was conducted by enrolling 60 children with NASH, aged 10-18 years old. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups that received either 30 mg/day of elemental zinc or placebo for 16 weeks. The severity of liver steatosis was evaluated using liver ultrasonography. Fasting blood samples were collected from each patient at the beginning and after 16 weeks of intervention to measure biochemical parameters. Following a 16-week intervention, zinc supplementation compared with placebo significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and considerably enhanced HDL-cholesterol values. However, zinc intake had no considerable impact on aspartate aminotransferase, the severity of liver steatosis, anthropometric parameters, and other lipid indices versus the placebo group. Overall, zinc supplementation showed a promising impact on serum ALT, HDL-cholesterol, and inflammatory status in overweight or obese children suffering from NASH. Zinc supplementation may be a new strategy for the amelioration of NASH in overweight or obese children. This trial has been registered on the Iranian website for registration of clinical trials with the special ID of IRCT20200531047614N1 ( https://www.irct.ir/trial/48543 ).

The Effects of Probiotics Supplementation on Clinical Status and Biomarkers of Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Children with Brucellosis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative damage may play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of brucellosis. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the impact of probiotics administration on clinical status and biomarkers of oxidative damage and inflammation in pediatric patients diagnosed with brucellosis. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial was performed by recruiting 40 patients, 8-15 years of age, who had been diagnosed with brucellosis. Study participants were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either probiotics supplement or placebo (n = 20 each group) for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected at the onset and after 8 weeks of intervention to quantify biochemical parameters. Clinical status was examined by a pediatric infectious disease specialist. Results: Following 8-week intervention, probiotics supplementation substantially improved total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.001) and malondialdehyde (P=0.002). Furthermore, the difference between probiotics group and placebo group for the duration of fever (P=0.02) and musculoskeletal pain (P=0.001) was statistically significant, though probiotics administration had no significant effects on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total glutathione, and other clinical outcomes compared with placebo. Conclusion: Overall, probiotics intake had beneficial impact on clinical status and body antioxidative defense system in pediatric patients with brucellosis.

Molecular analysis and the toxin, MSCRAMM, and biofilm genes of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from pemphigus wounds: A study based on SCCmec and dru typing.

INTRODUCTION: Pemphigus is a chronic autoimmune blistering disease. Pemphigus blisters can damage the natural skin barrier and increase the risk of life-threatening conditions. Colonization of pemphigus wounds with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prolongs wound healing and increases mortality rate. Assessing MRSA prevalence, types, and toxin and adhesion genes can facilitate the detection of MRSA strains which cause infections, selection of appropriate treatments, and healing of pemphigus wounds. This study aimed to determine the SCCmec, the direct repeat unit (dru) types (dts), and the toxin, MSCRAMM, and biofilm genes of MRSA strains isolated from pemphigus wounds. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 118 S. aureus isolates were gathered from 118 patients with pemphigus. MRSA detection was performed using the mecA gene. Using the polymerase chain reaction method, all MRSA isolates were assessed for the presence of the sea, seb, sec, tst, eta, pvl, hla, hlb, MSCRAMM, and ica genes. Typing and subtyping were performed through respectively SCCmec typing and dru typing methods. The Bionumerics software was used for analyzing the data and drawing the minimum spanning tree. FINDINGS: From 118 S. aureus isolates, 51 were MRSA. SCCmec typing revealed the prevalence of SCCmec II with a prevalence of 64.7% (33 out of 51 isolates) and SCCmec III with a prevalence of 35.3% (18 out of 51 isolates). Dru typing indicated seven dts, namely dts 10a, 10g, 10m, 13i, 8h, 8i, and 9ca in two main clusters. The dt9ca was a new dru type and was registered in the dru-typing database (www.dru-typing.org). The prevalence rates of the hla, sea, and sec genes in MRSA isolates were respectively 54.9%, 27.4%, and 1.9%, while the hlb, seb, eta, and pvl genes were not detected at all. Only one MRSA with SCCmec III and dt10a carried the tst encoding gene. MSCRAMM gene analysis revealed the high prevalence of the eno (31.3%) and the fib (21.5%) genes. The prevalence rates of the icaA and icaD biofilm formation genes were 3.9% and 5.8%, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two detected SCCmec types and between the two detected dts clusters respecting the prevalence of the encoding genes of virulence factors and MSCRAMMs. CONCLUSION: The toxin genes hla and sea are prevalent among MRSA strains with SCCmec II and III isolated from pemphigus wounds. The most prevalent dts are dt10a and dt10g among MRSA with SCCmec III and dt8h and dt8i among MRSA with SCCmec II.

Professionalism among medical residents in a young second-level university in Iran: a cross-sectional study.

Professionalism is a set of behaviors that build trust in physicians' relationships with patients and the public. The aim of this study was to assess professionalism among residents in Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 139 residents recruited through the census method. Data were collected using the American Board of Internal Medicine Professionalism Questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire was on residents' personal characteristics, and the second part contained fifteen items in the three domains of professionalism, namely excellence, honor/integrity, and altruism/respect. The mean scores of the questionnaire and its domains were calculated and their relationships with residents' personal characteristics were evaluated. The mean scores (± SD) of professionalism and its excellence, honor/integrity, and altruism/respect domains were 4.93 ± 2.4, 5.92 ± 1.85, 4.94 ± 3.39, and 4.35 ± 3.27, respectively (in a range of 0-10). Professionalism had significant relationships only with residents' specialty and gender. The level of professionalism in residents was low, which requires the attention of educational authorities. Moreover, the mean score of professionalism among residents in surgical specialties was significantly lower than non-surgical specialties. Various factors can be considered in this regard and it cannot be concluded that the lower score means worse professional behavior.

Association of GSTO1 A140D and GSTO2 N142D Gene Variations with Breast Cancer Risk

Background: Polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes may contribute to breast cancer risk. The aim of this study was to investigate any association of two common GSTO1 A140D and GSTO2 N142D gene polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in an Iranian population followed by a protein structure analysis. Materials and Methods: In the case-control study, 303 subjects comprising 153 women with breast cancer and 150 healthy controls were included. Genotypes of GSTO1 A140D and GSTO2 N142D polymorphisms were assessed by PCRRFLP. Bioinformatics tools were employed to evaluate the damaging effects of A140D and N142D on the structures of GSTO1 and GSTO2 proteins. Results: Our genetic association study revealed that the GSTO1 A140D polymorphism was associated with breast cancer in a dominant model (OR= 1.75, 95%CI= 1.07-2.86, p= 0.026). Also, the A allele was significantly associated with breast cancer risk (OR= 1.69, 95%CI= 1.09-2.60, p= 0.018). With regard to the N142D polymorphism, there were significant associations between the GG genotype (OR= 2.20, 95%CI= 1.14-4.27, p= 0.019) and the G allele (OR= 1.47, 95%CI= 1.06-2.05, p= 0.021) and risk of breast cancer. Structural analysis revealed that A140D and N142D polymorphisms cause changes in both primary and secondary structures of GSTO1 and GSTO2, respectively. Conclusion: Based on our results, GSTO1 A140D and GSTO2 N142D polymorphisms could be genetic risk factors for breast cancer, but further studies with larger sample sizes focusing on different ethnicities are needed to obtain more comprehensive results.

The Role of Probiotics in the Treatment of Dysentery: a Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Diarrhea is considered as an important cause of morbidity and mortality, even though one of the main reasons of death following diarrhea is initiated by dysentery. In recent years, the consumption of probiotics has been proposed for the treatment of infectious diarrhea. Despite most of the studies on probiotics have focused on acute watery diarrhea, few studies in the field of dysentery have found beneficial effects of probiotics. This study is a randomized double-blind clinical trial. The patients were randomly placed into control and case groups. In the intervention group, the patients received probiotics in the form of Kidilact® sachet, which contained high amounts of 7-strain friendly bacteria strains of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium breve, and Streptococcus thermophiles. On the other hand, the patients in the control group received placebo sachets on a daily basis for 5 days. It is notable that the treatment protocol of acute dysentery was done on both groups. The results of this study showed significant differences in the duration of blood in diarrhea between probiotic consumers (2.62 days) and the control group (3.16 days) (P value = 0.05). Additionally, significant differences in the average length of hospitalization in probiotic consumers (3.16 days) and control (3.66 days), (P value = 0.02) could be claimed that the consumption of probiotics is effective in reducing the duration of dysentery and diarrhea. The results of this study suggest that the use of probiotics can be effective in reducing the duration of blood in diarrhea. This study was also recorded in the Iran center of clinical trials registration database (IRCT2014060617985N1).

Association of CCND1 Gene c.870G>A Polymorphism with Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-ControlStudy and a Meta-Analysis.

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) plays an essential role in regulating the progress of the cell cycle from G1 to S phase. There is a common c.870G>A polymorphism in the CCND1 gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of CCND1 gene c.870G>A polymorphism with breast cancer risk in a case-control study, which followed by a meta-analysis and an in silico analysis. Three hundred and thirty-five subjects composed of 174 women with breast cancer and 161 healthy controls were included in the case-control study. CCND1 gene c.870G>A genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP. Meta-analysis was done for 14 studies composed of 7281 cases and 6820 controls. Some bioinformatics tools were applied to investigate the effects of c.870G>A on the mRNA splicing and structure. Our data obtained from case-control study revealed that GA genotype (OR: 1.89, 95%CI: 1.12-3.17, p = 0.017), AA genotype (OR: 1.95, 95%CI: 1.08-3.53, p = 0.027), and A allele (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.06-1.95, p = 0.019) were significantly associated with breast cancer risk. The results of meta-analysis showed a significant association between CCND1 c.870G>A polymorphism and breast cancer risk, especially in Caucasian population. In silico analysis revealed that c.870G>A transition affect CCND1 mRNA splicing and secondary structure.

Rectal Diclofenac Versus Rectal Paracetamol: Comparison of Antipyretic Effectiveness in Children.

BACKGROUND: Fever is the most common complaint in pediatric medicine and its treatment is recommended in some situations. Paracetamol is the most common antipyretic drug, which has serious side effects such as toxicity along with its positive effects. Diclofenac is one of the strongest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs, which has received little attention as an antipyretic drug. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to compare the antipyretic effectiveness of the rectal form of Paracetamol and Diclofenac. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This double-blind controlled clinical trial was conducted on 80 children aged six months to six years old. One group was treated with rectal Paracetamol suppositories at 15 mg/kg dose and the other group received Diclofenac at 1 mg/kg by rectal administration (n = 40). Rectal temperature was measured before and one hour after the intervention. Temperature changes in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The average rectal temperature in the Paracetamol group was 39.6 ± 1.13°C, and 39.82 ± 1.07°C in the Diclofenac group (P = 0.37). The average rectal temperature, one hour after the intervention, in the Paracetamol and the Diclofenac group was 38.39 ± 0.89°C and 38.95 ± 1.09°C, respectively (P = 0.02). Average temperature changes were 0.65 ± 0.17°C in the Paracetamol group and 1.73 ± 0.69°C in the Diclofenac group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the first one hour, Diclofenac suppository is able to control the fever more efficient than Paracetamol suppositories.

Prevalence and Risk Factors associated with Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates in Hospitalized Patients in Kashan (Iran).

INTRODUCTION: Production of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) is an important mechanism of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) isolates. This study was performed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with ESBL producing strains of E. coli and K. pneumoniae. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 250 strains (134 E. coli and 116 K. pneumoniae) were obtained, and ESBL producing isolates were detected by the combination disk test in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran, from February 2012 to June 2013. Antimicrobial resistance was screened by the disk diffusion method and was confirmed by E-test. Furthermore, risk factors of ESBL producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae microorganisms were determined. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16, using descriptive statistics, chi-squared, independent-samples t-test, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and two (40.8%) of all strains were ESBL producers, of which 54 (52.9%) were E. coli and 48 (47.1%) were K. pneumoniae (p = 0.86). Furthermore, 40.3% of E. coli and 41.4% of K. pneumoniae isolates were ESBL producers (p = 0.86). The most antimicrobial resistance was to ampicillin, and no imipenem resistance was detected. Risk factors for ESBL producing E. coli included admission duration exceeding 7 days (p = 0.011) and antibiotic use in the last month (p < 0.001), and the associated risk factor for ESBL producing K. pneumoniae was antibiotic use during the recent month (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: This study identified a relatively high prevalence of ESBL production among E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains. Furthermore, anti-bimicrobial use and admission duration were risk factors for ESBL producing isolates. Therefore, more comprehensive investigations are needed for the development of new strategies to control the dissemination of these microbes.

Streptococcal Pharyngitis in a Two-Month-Old Infant: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis among 5 - 15-year-old children, but it is uncommon in children less than three years old and rarely happens in infants less than one year old. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 62-day-old female infant who presented with fever and poor feeding since two days before admission. At the time of admission, the patient was febrile and ill. Upon examination, a rectal temperature of 38.5°C, multiple right-sided submandibular lymphadenopathies, pharyngeal erythema, and tonsillar exudates were detected. Twenty-four hours after the throat swab was collected and cultured, Streptococcus pyogenes grew on a sheep blood agar medium. The patient's mother, who also experienced similar symptoms, had a positive throat swab culture for S. pyogenes. CONCLUSIONS: Although Streptococcal pharyngitis is rare in children less than three years old and the necessity of treatment is not well clarified, in case of streptococcal infection in parents and the occurrence of similar signs and symptoms in their child, considering S. pharyngitis as a possible differential diagnosis seems rational.

A Study to Determine the Frequency Rate of Scoliosis Disorder and Compare the Anthropometric Characteristics of Normal versus the Scoliosis Diagnosed Students.

INTRODUCTION: Postural deformities are commonly acquired disorders that occur throughout the life. The purpose of this research was to determine and compare the frequency of scoliosis disorder and anthropometric characteristics of normal versus the disordered Students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study that was performed on 1416 girls and boys of elementary school students in the city of Kashan in education year 2010-2011. Adams bending test was employed to examine 1416 students to identify the disorder. Seca scale was employed to measure weight and inflexible tape was used to measure the height of students. SPSS software was employed to analyze the data.  RESULTS: The result of analysis showed that 63.8 percent of students were boys and 36.2 percent were girls. The frequency of scoliosis in boys and girls was 29.8 and 24.2 percent, respectively. Independent t-test result showed that there was a significant difference between the height and weight of normal versus the scoliosis identified boys and girls student (P=0.004, 0.031; 0.0001, 0.041). CONCLUSION: These types of studies are conducted regularly to identify poor postural cases at an early stage. The identification of acquired deformities at an early stage is important since it provides the opportunity to take the appropriate measures to correct them.  Early identification of scoliosis is vital to maximize effectiveness of treatment.

The Effect of a Yeast Probiotic on Acute Diarrhea in Children.

A probiotic is a living micro-organism administered to promote the health of the host by treating or preventing infections owing to strains of pathogens. Saccharomyces boulardii is a nonpathogen yeast that has a direct inhibitory effect on the growth of many pathogens, an anti-secretory effect and a trophic effect on enterocytes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of S. boulardii on diarrhea in children. The children from 6 months to 6 years of age with acute watery diarrhea admitted in pediatric clinic in Kashan in 2012 were included in this trial. Exclusion criteria were high fever (T > 38.5 °C), severe dehydration, bloody diarrhea, severe malnutrition, using of antibiotics, anti-diarrheal or antifungal drugs and children with more than one complain. Two hundred patients were assigned into two groups: A total of 100 patients were treated with S. boulardii in addition to ORS (case group) and 100 patients were given placebo in addition to ORS (control group). The duration of diarrhea and frequency of stools were recorded by asking the mothers of the children every day. The results showed that the defecation frequency after second day of treatment in the case group was significantly less than the control group (P = 0.001) and the mean numbers of days of diarrhea was significantly lower in the case group (P = 0.001). The result of this study confirms that S. boulardii reduces the frequency of stool and duration of illness in children.

Clinical Signs and Symptoms and Laboratory Findings of Methadone Poisoning in Children.

BACKGROUND: Poisoning accounts for about 7% of all accidents in children under 5 years and is implicated in over 5% of all childhood deaths in developing countries. OBJECTIVES: Due to the potential risks of methadone poisoning in children and increased cases of methadone poisoning among Iranian children, this study was conducted to investigate the clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory findings of methadone toxicity in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study describes the clinical symptoms and signs and laboratory findings of methadone poisoning in children under 12 years old in Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, during the years 2009 to 2013. RESULTS: Of 58 patients, 33 (56.9%) were male and 25 (43.1%) female (P = 0.294). The mean age of patients was 5.2 ± 1.0 years. All the cases of poisoning happened with methadone syrup, due to unsafe keeping of methadone in mineral water bottles and containers of other drugs. Signs and symptoms included drowsiness (91.4 %), miosis (75.9%), vomiting (69.0%), ineffective breathing (any kind of breathing problem except apnea) (62.1%), apnea (53.4%), cyanosis (43.1%), seizure (8.6%), ataxia (6.9%) and delirium (3.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Keeping methadone in appropriate containers and warning methadone consumers about the dangerous side effects of its consumption and the symptoms of methadone poisoning in children may minimize the occurrence of this form of poisoning and its complications in children.

Use of ferric sulfate to control hepatic bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Controlling parenchymal hemorrhage, especially in liver parenchyma, despite all the progress in surgical science, is still one of the challenges surgeons face. Therefore, search for an effective method to control hepatic bleeding is an important research priority. OBJECTIVES: This study attempted to determine the haemostatic effect of ferric sulfate and compare it with the standard method (suturing technique). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this animal model study, 60 male Wistar rats were used. An incision (2 cm in length and 1/2 cm in depth) was made on each rat's liver and the hemostasis time was measured using ferric sulfate with different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, and 50%) and then using simple suturing. The liver tissue was assessed for pathological changes. RESULTS: In all the groups, complete hemostasis occurred. Hemostasis times of different concentrations of ferric sulfate were significantly less than those of the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ferric sulfate was effective in controlling hepatic bleeding in rats.