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Background: A relation has been established between infection with high-risk types of human papilloma virus (HPV) and development of cervical cancer. To estimate the risk of HPV infection for cervical malignancies, we conducted a case-control study in northeast Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on 123 paraffin embedded blocks with exact diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A total of 100 cervical tissue specimens with normal histopathology product of hysterectomy were also used as control. Both groups were tested for the presence of HPV DNAand HPV 16/18 subtypes using PCR assay. Results: Large non-keratinising subtype of cervical carcinoma was the most frequent one (62.6%), followed by keratinising and small cell subtypes (27% and 10%, respectively). Overall prevalence of HPV infection in SCC of cervix was 34.2% (42 out of 123 cases). HPV 16 was the most common type in this group (21 cases, 17.1%), followed by HPV 18 (16 cases, 13%) and other subtypes (5 cases, 4.1%). In this study, overall prevalence of HPV infection in control group was 12% (including 3% HPV 16; 5% HPV 18 and 4% other subtypes). Conclusion: Although association of HPV 16/18 and SCC of cervix was relatively higher than control group, compared with the previous study, the association between cervical SCC and HPV infection was significantly lower in our study; and possibly, the other risk factors play a major role in carcinogenesis of cervical carcinoma in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an important aetiological factor in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. Limited studies have been focused on the differences between carcinogenesis of SCCs with and without HPV infection. Aims: The main goal of this study is to determine the expression of some of the apoptotic pathway regulators, including P53, Bax and Bcl2 in SCCs with and without high risk HPV 16/18 infection. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: A total of 42 paraffin-embedded blocks with the histopathological diagnosis of invasive SCC with determined HPV 16/18 status were selected; half of them were HPV positive and the rest were negative. Afterwards, immunohistochemistry stained slides for p53, Bcl2 and Bax were evaluated with H-score, multiplicative and Additive Quick score by two pathologists; in cases of controversy about the results, the mean results were recorded. Results: Mean results and percentage of expression of our three markers were significantly higher in the HPV 16/18 infected group than in uninfected individuals: Respectively, the mean score for Bcl2, Bax and p53 staining according to H-scoring method was 68.5, 234, 106.4 in the HPV 16/18 infected group and 4.5, 218.8, 5.07 in the uninfected group; and the Multiplicative Quick score was 4, 14.6, 8.2 in the HPV 16/18 infected group and 3, 12.3, 3.5 in the uninfected group. Conclusion: High risk HPVs possibly act in favour of apoptotic pathway inactivation. The significant difference in apoptotic pathway between SCCs with and without high risk HPVs suggests a different early carcinogenesis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive disease resulting from a reduction in the release of dopamine. This loss of dopamine can have an effect on non- speech movements, as well as various aspects of speech production. Dysarthria is a collective name for a group of speech disorders resulting from disturbance in muscular control over the speech mechanism due to damage to the central or peripheral nervous system. It produces problems in oral communication due to paralysis, weakness or incoordination of the speech musculature. A synthesis of research on normal and neurologically disordered speech should lead to an improved understanding of the neural regulation of speech. Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 36 voice samples in normal voiceless environment were recorded. Frequency difference in high and low vowels was measured by Praat software. Data analysis was performed by Independent Samples Test and Maan-Whiteny tests. Results: All variables showed significant differences.F1-F0 in low vowels were significantly decreased in adults with Parkinson (P< 0.001). F2-F1 in high vowels was significantly decreased in adults with Parkinson (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that Parkinson disease affects formant frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder resulting from significant decrease of dopamine in the brain. The main and most common symptom of speech disorder associated with Parkinson's disease, which is kind of dysarthria, is reduction in speech intelligibility. Since this disorder represents damages to acoustic aspects, researchers are attracted to study the relationship between these two disorders. In this study, we assessed the comparison of speech vowels between normal people and patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 18 voice samples of patients with Parkinson's disease and the same number of samples from normal people in a voiceless environment were recorded and analyzed by Praat software. Data analysis was performed by independent samples and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: All variables investigated in two groups showed significant differences. In adults with Parkinson's disease, F1-F0 in low vowels showed a considerable reduction in respect to normal people (p<0.001). In addition, F2-F1 in high vowels represented a significant decrease in these patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that Parkinson's disease affects formant frequency in patients compared with normal people. Reduction in speech intelligibility can be accurately measured using acoustic procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and compare fetal, maternal and neonatal complications amongst women with GDM and pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance in an urban Iranian population. In a prospective cohort study, universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus was performed for 1310 pregnant women who were referred from private clinics and community health care centers to Fatemiyeh Hospital in Shahrood City. Screening was performed with a 50g oral Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) with 130mg/dl cut-off point, then a diagnostic 100g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was done according to Carpenter and Coustan criteria. The incidence of GDM was 4.8%. There were differences in risk factors: age >30 years, family history of diabetes, obesity, previous macrosomia, glycosuria between the two groups (P &#60;0.001). Women with GDM had a higher rate of stillbirth (P &#60;0.001; odds ratio 17.1, 95% CI=4.5–65.5), hydramnios (P &#60;0.001; odds ratio 15.5, 95% CI=4.8–50.5), gestational hypertension (P &#60;0.001; odds ratio 6, 95% CI=2.3–15.3), macrosomia (P &#60;0.05; odds ratio 3.2, 95% CI=1.2–8.6) and caesarean section (P &#60;0.001). We have found that the incidence of GDM in an urban Iranian population is similar to developed countries. Complications were more common in the GDM group than in the normal group and outcomes for women with persistent diabetes post-partum were particularly poor. We recommend screening for GDM in Iran, but further evaluation of selective screening and cost effectiveness will need to be performed. Measures to improve the outcome of GDM pregnancy will also need to be addressed in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reviews the feasibility of the state-of-the-art electrical techniques adopted from Si technology for characterization of SiC MOS devices. The inability of these conventional characterization techniques to correctly evaluate the trap capture cross section and field-effect mobility in SiC MOS devices are investigated and explained. As near-interface traps (NITs) are an important cause of field-effect mobility degradation in SiC MOS devices, which is different from the impact of interface traps in Si devices, these characterization techniques are unable to produce meaningful results. Therefore, special care is required when measuring these NITs in SiC MOS devices. Due to the quantum confinement effect, the NITs located above the conduction band edge are able to capture and release channel electrons from the conduction band via tunnelling. Recent characterization techniques, specifically designed for SiC MOS devices, measure the NITs above the bottom of conduction band and consider the quantum confinement effect to find the energy position of the NITs. These recent characterization techniques are presented in the later part of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this paper we have implemented a recently proposed direct-measurement technique to characterize near-interface traps (NITs) in SiC MOS capacitors with gate oxides obtained by four different processes. • This measurement technique enables characterization of NITs with energy levels above the bottom of the conduction band, which are active in the accumulation mode of MOS capacitors on N-type SiC and in the strong inversion of N-channel MOSFETs. • The measurements revealed that annealing in nitric oxide of thermally grown oxides in dry oxygen removes NITs that are further away from the SiC surface, but it leaves a defect with energy levels located between 0.13 eV and 0.23 eV above the bottom of conduction band. • The oxides grown in pure nitric oxide exhibit NITs with energy levels above 0.2 eV. • The measurements also show that low-temperature oxide deposition and subsequent annealing in nitric oxide resulted in the lowest density of NITs. In this paper we have implemented a recently proposed direct-measurement technique to characterize near-interface oxide traps (NITs) in SiC MOS capacitors with gate oxides obtained by four different processes. This measurement technique enables characterization of NITs with energy levels above the bottom of the conduction band, which are active in the accumulation mode of MOS capacitors on N-type SiC and in the strong inversion of N-channel MOSFETs. The measurements revealed that annealing in nitric oxide of thermally grown oxides in dry oxygen removes NITs that are further away from the SiC surface, but it leaves a defect with energy levels located between 0.13 eV and 0.23 eV above the bottom of conduction band. The oxides grown in pure nitric oxide exhibit NITs with energy levels above 0.2 eV. The measurements also show that low-temperature oxide deposition and subsequent annealing in nitric oxide resulted in the lowest density of NITs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]