Association Between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Restless Legs Syndrome: A Comparative Study With Control Group

( Roghayyeh Borji ),( Seyed Mohammad Fereshtehnejad ),( Sahar Taba Taba Vakili ),( Nasser Ebrahimi Daryani ),( Hossein Ajdarkosh ) 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회 2012 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.18 No.4

Background/Aims As a common gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been reported to be associated with some psychological and neurological factors. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence rate of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a sam - ple of IBS patients and to compare this prevalence with that of matched healthy controls. Methods This prospective comparative study was conducted in Tehran, Iran during 2010-2011. Based on the Rome III criteria, a total number of 225 definite IBS patients and 262 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in the final assessment to compare the prevalence rate of RLS between the 2 groups. Results RLS was significantly more frequent in IBS group (25.3% vs 6.5%, P < 0.001) which led to an odds ratio (OR) of 4.89 (95% CI, 2.75-8.70). IBS patients with co-morbid RLS significantly suffered more from stomach pain (96.5% vs 86.3%, OR = 4.36 [95% CI, 1.00-19.12]), nausea (40.4% vs 21.4%, OR = 2.48 [95% CI, 1.30-4.73]) and vomiting (10.5% vs 2.4%, OR = 4.82 [95% CI, 1.31-17.76]). Conclusions By enrolling a considerable number of IBS patients and healthy controls, our study showed a significantly higher prevalence of RLS in IBS patients. Surprisingly, a higher prevalence rate of RLS was also accompanied with a more severe discomfort and stomach pain in IBS patients. It seems that screening patients with IBS for RLS may lead to greater identification of RLS and improved treatment for both conditions. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2012,18:426-433)

Three-dimensional numerical investigation on the effect of interconnect design on the performance of internal reforming planar solid oxide fuel cell

Hesami Hanieh,Borji Mehdi,Rezapour Javad 한국화학공학회 2021 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.38 No.12

Nowadays SOFCs have received great attention due to its advantages such as; high efficiency, low emission and fuel flexibility. But its high operating temperature entails thermal stresses and gas sealing problems which intrigues researchers to reduce the working temperature via thermal management, improved fluid flow, and proper interconnect and channel design. In this study, a three-dimensional model of a co - flow internal reforming planar anode - supported solid oxide fuel cell has been developed. The simulation results are discussed to investigate the performance of different kinds of SOFC flow passages with rectangular, trapezoidal and triangular channels. Also in this study, the effect of inlet fuel and air velocity on the cell performance of the different interconnect ducts is investigated. The results showed that the effect of channel geometry at high voltages is small while, at low voltages channel geometry has an important effect on cell performance. By increasing inlet fuel velocity and decreasing inlet air velocity for all channel geometries, the current and power density and temperature difference increase. Also it was found that, the cells with rectangular channels have better performance than the cells with trapezoidal and triangular channels.

The Effect of Education Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on Iron Supplementation among Pregnant Women

Zeinab Jalambadani,Abasalt Borji,Mohammadbagher Delkhosh 대한가정의학회 2018 Korean Journal of Family Medicine Vol.39 No.6

Background: Iron is an essential element for women of reproductive age, especially in the period before and during the pregnancy. This study investigates the consumption of iron to prevent iron deficiency anemia among preg-nant women visiting Neyshabur healthcare centers based on the theory of planned behavior. Methods: In this experimental study, data were collected through a questionnaire survey. It included 160 pregnant women who were receiving maternity services at twelve healthcare centers in the city of Neyshabur in Iran between 2015 and 2017. The participants’ demographic and anthropometric characteristics, Using the theory of planned behavior, and blood lab examination results, including ferritin levels were measured and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The average scores of knowledge, attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and intention categories for the intervention group were meaningfully increased after the participants received education on iron supplementation (P<0.05). However, these changes were not found to be significant in the control group (P>0.05). No statistically significant difference was obtained in the subjective norms category between the two groups after the education intervention (P=0.92). Conclusion: Based on the experimental effects of education encouraging iron supplementation in pregnant women, it is suggested that workshops promoting iron supplementation should be conducted in health centers with the aim of preventing widespread iron deficiency anemia.

Numerical investigation of factors affecting carbon deposition and interaction on SOFC performance over time

Hamed Khoshkam,Kazem Atashkari,Mehdi Borji 한국화학공학회 2022 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.39 No.11

One of the weaknesses of the fuel cell is the phenomenon of carbon deposition when using hydrocarbon fuel. Investigating the factors affecting the amount of carbon deposition can improve the performance of the fuel cell, efficiency and life time. A time-dependent two-dimensional numerical model based on the finite element method that considers the carbon deposition has been developed to evaluate the effect of velocity, temperature and hydrogen mole fraction as fuel constituent on the carbon deposition rate and porosity variations. The results were found in good agreement with the available published experimental and numerical data in terms of cell operating voltage, power density and carbon deposition rate. The carbon deposition rate accelerates with increasing operating temperature, inlet molar fraction of hydrogen, and decreasing the inlet velocity. Carbon deposition reduces porosity and catalyst activity. Due to the above mentioned variations, the electric power generated by the fuel cell is drastically reduced, leading to reduced electric efficiency.

Sensitive and Noninvasive Detection of Aberrant SFRP2 and MGMT-B Methylation in Iranian Patients with Colon Polyps

Naini, M Alizade,Mokarram, P,Kavousipour, S,Zare, N,Atapour, A,Zarin, M Hassan,Mehrabani, G,Borji, M Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.4

Background: The pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) is influenced by the patient genetic background and environmental factors. Based on prior understanding, these are classified in two major pathways of genetic instability. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and CPG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) are categorized as features of the hypermethylated prototype, and chromosomal instability (CIN) is known to be indicative of the non-hypermethylated category. Secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2), APC1A in WNT signaling pathway and the DNA repair gene, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), are frequently hypermethylated in colorectal cancer. Detection of methylated DNA as a biomarker by easy and inexpensive methods might improve the quality of life of patients with CRC via early detection of cancer or a precancerous condition. Aim: To evaluate the rate of SFRP2 and MGMT hypermethylation in both polyp tissue and serum of patients in south Iran as compared with matched control normal population corresponding samples. Materials and Methods: Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect hypermethylation in DNA extracted from 48 polypoid tissue samples and 25 healthy individuals. Results: Of total polyp samples, 89.5% had at least one promoter gene hypermethylation. The most frequent methylated locus was SFRP2 followed by MGMT-B (81.2 and 66.6 percent respectively). Serologic detection of hypermethylation was 95% sensitive as compared with polyp tissue. No hypermethylation was detected in normal tissue and serum and its detection in patients with polyps, especially of serrated type, was specific. Conclusions: Serologic investigation for detection of MGMT-B, SFRP2 hypermethylation could facilitate prioritization of high risk patients for colonoscopic polyp detection and excision.