Arch Iran Med
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The Gastro-Esophageal Malignancies in Northern Iran (GEMINI) research project is an example of recent progress in health research in Iran. The original aim of this project was to identify etiologic factors and prevention measures for upper gastrointestinal cancers in Northern provinces of Iran, but its achievements have gone much beyond this initial goal. ⋯ The success of GEMINI reveals the feasibility of large-scale health research studies in developing countries and serves as a successful model not only for health research in Iran, but also for similar research studies in other developing nations.
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Review
Diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism: an update a decade into the new millennium.
Venous thromboembolism refers to thrombotic events in the venous system that are most commonly manifested as deep vein thromboses in the upper or lower extremity and/or pulmonary embolism. Venous thromboembolism is a common disorder that is associated with significant mortality, morbidity and health care-related cost. ⋯ Furthermore, several novel therapeutic agents with different pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety profiles have recently become available for treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism. The purpose of the current paper is to review the pathogenesis and epidemiology of venous thromboembolism as well as an evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism.
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Cancer-testis antigens are tumor antigens that their expression is almost limited to male germ cells in the testis. Some of cancer-testis antigens are also expressed in the ovary and in trophoblasts. Recently their expression has been seen in different types of tumors. ⋯ So, testis is considered as an immune-privileged site, and testis-specific genes, if expressed in cancers can be immunogenic. For this reason cancer-testis antigens are promising candidates for cancer immunotherapy and have become a major focus for the development of vaccine-based clinical trials in recent years. In addition, these antigens can also be used as biomarkers for early detection of cancers.
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood and adolescence. The etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is not well understood. Neurochemical studies suggest, alterations in catecholaminergic, mainly dopaminergic and noradrenergic, transmitter functions markedly contribute to the symptoms of this disorder. ⋯ About 30% of children and adolescents with this disorder may not respond to stimulants or may be unable to tolerate potential adverse events such as decreased appetite, mood lability and sleep disturbances. Although stimulants do not increase the risk for later substance abuse in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, concerns have been raised about special prescription rules and a potential for abuse by persons other than the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subjects. This review focuses on etiology, assessment, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.