Canine sexual dimorphism in crown and root dimensions: a cone-beam computed tomographic study

The primary step in forensic odontological analysis is sex determination. The present study is one of the few studies that evaluated the accuracy of the combination of canine tooth root length and crown measurements for sex determination. The study sample comprised 196 cone-be am computed tomographic scans of individuals aged 20-80 years distributed in five age categories: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+ years old. Different parameters, such as width, length, and ratio measurements for the crown and root of each maxillary and mandibular canine tooth, were examined and recorded. The findings indicated that maxillary canines had greater sex dimorphism ability (87.3%) than mandibular canines (80.6%). Total tooth length and root length of maxillary canine were the most pronounced variables in the differentiation of sex groups. When the combination of the mandibular and maxillary measurements was considered, the accuracy for sex dimorphism was 85.7%. By using ratio variables, the accuracy was reduced to 68.9%. According to the findings of this study, total tooth length and root length are the most discriminant variables of canine teeth. These variables are more reliable sex indicators than crown measurements.

Investigating four algorithms for material discrimination in a simulated dual-energy radiography system

In the present work, a dual-energy X-ray radiography system was simulated using MCNPX code. Then, material discrimination curves for graphite, aluminum, steel, and lead materials were obtained using four algorithms, including log-log, R-T, r-θ, and α₁-α₂. The results show that R-T, r-θ, and α₁-α₂ algorithms have better performance. Also, due to the less overlap of material discrimination curves for low sample thicknesses, the R-T algorithm can be a better choice for obtaining material discrimination curves in dual-energy radiography systems.

Quality of life of Iranian and Afghan pregnant women in rural Iran

Background

Pregnancy is a unique experience in a woman's life, which comes with physiological, metabolic, social, and psychological changes. The combination of these changes along with migration, may reduce the quality of life of pregnant women and mothers. This study aims to determine the quality of life in rural pregnant women.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Three hundred pregnant Iranian and Afghan women who attended the public health centers in regional Tehran, Iran, were systematically selected and included in the study. Different dimensions of health status were investigated using the standard health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-26) through interviews. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis.

Results

The psychological health subscale (38.00) in the Iranian pregnant women and the physical health subscale (38.83) in the Afghan pregnant women had the highest scores. The lowest score was in social functioning subscale in both groups (20.59 in Iranian and 21.22 in Afghans). In general, Iranian mothers had lower scores compared to Afghan mothers. There was a relationship between the quality of life of Iranian pregnant women, their level of education and family's monthly income (P <0.05), and between the quality of life of Afghan pregnant women with the lesser number of pregnancies (P <0.05).

Conclusions

In rural Iran, the quality of life score and its subscales is comparably low in both Iranian and Afghan pregnant women. Interventions are needed to improve the quality of life in this vulnerable population.

The potential effects of chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic components in coffee, on health: a comprehensive review of the literature

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), an important biologically active dietary polyphenol, is produced by certain plant species and is a major component of coffee. Reduction in the risk of a variety of diseases following CGA consumption has been mentioned in recent basic and clinical research studies. This systematic review discusses in vivo animal and human studies of the physiological and biochemical effects of chlorogenic acids (CGAs) on biomarkers of chronic disease. We searched PubMed, Embase, Amed and Scopus using the following search terms: ("chlorogenic acid" OR "green coffee bean extract") AND (human OR animal) (last performed on April 1st, 2015) for relevant literature on the in vivo effects of CGAs in animal and human models, including clinical trials on cardiovascular, metabolic, cancerogenic, neurological and other functions. After exclusion of editorials and letters, uncontrolled observations, duplicate and not relevant publications the remaining 94 studies have been reviewed. The biological properties of CGA in addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have recently been reported. It is postulated that CGA is able to exert pivotal roles on glucose and lipid metabolism regulation and on the related disorders, e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity, cancer, and hepatic steatosis. The wide range of potential health benefits of CGA, including its anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity impacts, may provide a non-pharmacological and non-invasive approach for treatment or prevention of some chronic diseases. In this study, the effects of CGAs on different aspects of health by reviewing the related literatures have been discussed.

Impact of odor from industrial hog operations on daily living activities

Intensive industrial animal production systems worldwide require confinement of large numbers of animals in small spaces and concentration of enormous quantities of waste. Industrial hog operations, in particular, have raised public concerns about their adverse impact on public health and sustainable development. Using a community-based participatory research approach and qualitative interviews, we explored people's perception of the impact of odor from these industries on daily living activities as they relate to the beneficial use of property and enjoyment of life. Our research indicates that hog odor limits several leisure time activities and social interactions which could have adverse public health consequences. The results of this study can assist the communities and other stakeholders in public policy development that addresses these concerns.