Background: Considering high prevalence of hypertension and its increasing trend in urban areas, insufficient awareness of its prevalence in rural areas, and also in order to determine its prevalence and some related factors in rural population, the present research was performed on the population affiliated to health centers in Tarom in 2001. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 1500 people over 15 years of age who had been selected through multi-stage randomization. The information required was gathered using questionnaire, interview, and observation by 10 trained Behvarzes. Blood pressure, height, and weight were measured using standard scales, cloth meter and the same sphygmomanometer. Then, the subjects who had systolic blood pressure more than 140 mmHg in two repeated visits were labeled as hypertensive people. After the determination of prevalence of hypertension, the relationship between hypertension on one hand and sex, age, and Body Mass Index (BMI) on the other hand was determined as well. Then, confidence interval was estimated. In order to analyze the data descriptive statistics and Chi-square were utilized. Results: Among 1500 people studied, 42% were male and 58% were female. The prevalence of hypertension was determined to be 12/3% in the samples and by increasing the age and BMI the proportion of hypertensive people was found to be on rise (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Hypertension rate was found to be higher in Tarom rural areas with different lifestyle in comparison with areas with civil lifestyle. More studies to determine the factors related to the increase in hypertension prevalence and observational studies to relieve this problem are highly recommended.

Background & Objective: Outpatient surgery can be performed by general or spinal anesthesia. Spinal anesthetic drugs have side effects. Many anesthesiologists choose general anesthesia, because of its relative predictability and to avoid undesirable side effects associated with spinal anesthesia. For example lidocaine is frequently associated with Transient Neuroligic Symptoms (TNS). Bupivacaine may cause urinary retention, prolonged discharge time and unpredictable level of anesthesia dependent on dose. Reducing bupivacaine dose will shorten the duration of action and its anesthesia level will be predictable in saddle block technique. This study was designed to assess the effects of hyperbaric, low dose bupivacaine in level of sensory block, duration of anesthesia and selective sensory block in an rectal surgery and its comparison with lidocaine.
Materials & Methods: In a clinical trial study, 64 patients who were the candidates for anorectal surgery were divided in two groups randomly. In one group, hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% was injected in sitting position. The other group received hyperbaric lidocaine 5% in the same position. The patients were laid in lithotomy position after 5 minute. Blood pressure, pulse rate, severity of sensory & motor block, duration of anesthesia and tonicity of anal sphincter were recorded in two groups. The results were analyzed through T-test, chi square and variance analysis.
Results: Sensory level and anesthesia duration in bupivacaine group were higher than lidocaine group. Motor block degree and anal sphincter tonicity loss in lidocaine group were greater than the other one. Blood pressure decreasing in lidocaine group was significantly higher to bupivacaine group.
Conclusion: The proper sensory level and short anesthetic duration of low-dose hyperbaric bupivacaine are comparable with lidocaine in saddle block position, and selective sensory block may be useful for anorectal surgery in lithotomy position.

Background and Objective: Acne rosacea is a chronic skin disease with unknown etiology. Some reports have suggested an increased prevalence of helicobacter (H) pylori infection in patients with acne rosacea but it is controversial. This study was designed to compare the prevalence of H pylori between the acne rosacea patients and the healthy control group. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 30 patients with acne rosacea and 60 healthy individuals as a control group. 5 mL blood was taken from each person and anti-H pylori IgG was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Mean age was 45.8±14.05 years in acne rosacea patients and 41.4±12.3 years in control group. Seventeen (56.7%) of patients and fifty two (86.2%) of controls were infected by H pylori (P=0.002), but mean serum anti-H pylori IgG level was significantly higher in acne rosacea patients comparing to healthy control group (139.49±174.15 g/mL vs 38.87±23.50, P=0.005). Conclusion: Despite increased mean serum anti-H pylori IgG levels in acne rosacea patients, H pylori was more prevalent in healthy control group, in this study.

Background and Objective: The increase in the blood concentration of lipids after meals has a significant effect on induction of atherosclerosis. Vaccinium myrtilus has an antioxidant activity, and in this study, we aimed to determine the effects of this plant on atherosclerosis risk factors. Material and Methods: In an experimental study, 24 male New Zealand rabbits were randomly designated into three groups of 8 rabbits: Group 1, normal diet Group 2, a diet containing 1 % cholesterol and Group 3, a diet containing 1% cholesterol and 2% Vaccinium myrtilus powder. The blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), LDL-C (low density lipoprotein), nitrite, nitrate, fibrinogen, and factor VII, which are considered as atherosclerosis risk factors, were measured before the experiment and 3 hours after feeding. The data were analyzed using One-Way Analysis of ANOVA. The P-values below 0.05 (P<0.05) were considered as significant. Results: Consumption of Vaccinium myrtilus significantly decreased the concentrations of LDL-C, TC, aminotransaminases (AST, ALT), ApoB, and fibrinogen compared to the hyper-cholesterolemic diet group (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences was found between the group taking Vaccinium myrtilus and hyper-cholesterolemic diet group with regard to the serum glucose, TG, factor VII, nitrite, and nitrate (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study show that acute consumption of Vaccinium myrtilus might have a protective effect on some atherosclerosis risk factors.

Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders worldwide. Numerous natural compounds have been developed to treat diabetes mellitus. Royal jelly (RJ) has antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of RJ on antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation and liver tissue in diabetic rats.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 adult male Wistar rats (190-200 gr) were randomly divided into 4 groups including control, royal jelly, diabetic and diabetic treated with royal jelly. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) and Royal Jelly (100 mg/kg) was gavaged for 42 days. At the end of our study, serum levels of malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity (TCA) and superoxide dismutase/glutathione peroxidase activity were determined spectrophotometrically, while the rat’s livers were isolated for histological study.

Results: Consumption of RJ showed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde serum levels (P= 0.007) and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase (P=0.0019) and glutathione peroxidase activity in the RJ treated diabetic rats compared to diabetic rats (P= 0.003). Administration of royal jelly improved liver histological states.

Conclusion: RJ increases antioxidant power and prevents the occurrence of histopathological changes resulting from diabetes in rats.