---

Introduction: Disturbance  between  production  of  free radicals  and  antioxidant  defense is  named  oxidative  stress. One  of  the  main  sources  of  free  radicals  is  smoking  that  induce  oxidative  stress.
Materials  and  Methods: This  is  a  cross  sectional  study  in  which  questionnaires  including  information  such  as  age, sex, education, history  and  number of  smoking  and  history  of  special  disease  were  filled. Case  group  were  smokers (n=43)  who  were  smoking  at  least  5  years  and  their  mean  age  was  37.7  year. The control  group  was  consisted  of  43  nonsmokers  which  were  matched  for  age  and  sex.  They  were  evaluated  for  oxidative  stress  markers  including  thiobarbituric  acid  reactive  substance  (TBARS)  indicator  of  lipid peroxidation (LPO), ferric  reducing  ability  of  plasma (FRAP) indicator  of  total  antioxidant  capacity, total  thiol (SH)  groups  and  gammaglutamyl  transferase (GGT) levels  in  blood.
Results: Results  showed  that  induction  of  oxidative  stress  in  smokers  as  revealed  by  decreased  FRAP (1.89±0.03 vs  2.24±0.04, p=0.01) and  plasma  Sh  groups  (0.22±0.08 vs  0.81±0.48, p=0.01)  in  comparison  to  those  of  controls. The  activity  of  GGT  and  level  of  LPO  increased  but  were  not  significant . Also  the  correlation  between  history  of  smoking  and  oxidative  stress  was  not  significant.
Conclusion: It  is  concluded  that  smoking  have  decreased  FRAP  and  SH  groups which  may  put  smokers  at  future  consequences  of  oxidative  stress.  It  seems  that  improving  antioxidant  system  in  smokers  is  effective.
 
 
 

---

Background: Aquatic ecosystems pollution with heavy metals, especially mercury, has always been a major concern for aquatic organisms health. Hence this study not only described an innovative method for analyzing organic mercury compound, but also evaluated total and organic mercury concentrations in great cormorant and compared them with world health standards. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 18 great cormorants were randomly captured in March, 2009. Total and organic mercury of muscle, kidney, and liver tissues were analyzed by an advanced mercury analyzer made in the United States (Model Leco, AMA 254), and statistical analysis was done by Mann-Whitney U, and Kolmogrove-Smirnov tests. Results: Mean accumulated total mercury in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues were 5.67, 3.59, and 2.26 mg kg -1 w.w., respectively and organic mercury formed 82, 79, and 58 % of the total mercury. Conclusion: The levels of accumulated mercury in all tissues of great cormorant were more than the established limits by WHO, FAO, and EPA. These results can be a serious warning for consumers of these birds, especially vulnerable people.

---

Background:Anterior interosseous branch of median nerve injury is the most common nerve injury in displaced humerus supracondylar fractures but it is rare in undisplaced ones. This study reports a case of undisplaced humerus supra condylar fracture with median motor nerve injury. Case: The patient was a 4.5 year-old child with elbow pain and swallowing due to trauma to his right elbow. The examination of distal of humerus showed significant tenderness and limitation in range of motion. Flection and pulp to pulp test of first and second fingers were abnormal and all other sensory but motor examinations of wrist and fingers were normal. Radiographic study of humerus showed an undisplaced extension fracture in the distal of humerus. Complete :::union::: of fracture site was seen after treatment by splint for 3 weeks and nerve injury was fully resolved after physiotherapy. Conclusion: Although nerve injury in undisplaced fracture of humerus is rare, despite pain and emotional condition of child and his/her parents, accurate sensory and motor nerve examination is very important.

---

Background: Noticing the particular importance of timely detection of scoliosis due to its progression over the time and associated complications such as non-symmetric appearance, movement restrictions, and sometimes disturbance in cardiac or respiratory function, this screening study was designed to investigate the prevalence of scoliosis in pupils aged 9-16 in Arak.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 984 students aged 9-16 years in Arak, Iran, who were randomly selected by clustering method, were screened for scoliosis by Adams test and suspected pupils were examined by orthopedics and PA X-ray was applied for them. For diagnosis confirmation, the Cobb angle was calculated and angle>6 was considered as scoliosis.

Results: Based on the results, the prevalence of scoliosis was 1.52% and 1.21% in female students and 3.21% in male students. The Cobb angle of about 67% of the cases was less than 10 which indicated minor scoliosis.

Conclusion: The results of the present study necessitate school-based scoliosis screening so that early detection of the disease allows for implementation of a suitable treatment program which can prevent the development of the disease and the financial burden of surgery and its complications.

---

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common complaints in women's medicine, in the absence of any pelvic pathological failure. Exercise is commonly reported as a factor to decrease dysmenorrhea symptoms. One of the new therapeutic methods is “Kinesio Taping” which claimed to be able to reduce pain, swelling and muscle spasms. Thus, this study tries to determine and compare the effectiveness of using two therapeutic methods of stretching exercises and taping in painful menstruation of high school students.

Materials and Methods: This study is an operational, quasi-experimental and two- stage study with a control group and pre-test and post-test design. Thirty female high school students with the average age of 16.8±0.99 were selected as available, and were divided into three groups, randomly. For the first group, stretching exercises were carried out and the second group was taped with Kinesio Tape and control group did not any exercise. Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) was used to collect information. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and schober test were used for measuring the level of pain and range of motion, respectively. Data analysis was performed by a repeated measures ANOVA at the significant level of p>0.05.

Results: There was a significant improvement in back and abdomen pain and back range of motion.On the other hand, comparing data after intervention showed a significant difference in pain intensity between two groups. But, no significant difference was notified in increased back range of motion in group with kinesion tape.

Conclusion: Kinesio Taping has better effects than stretching exercises in reducing tesucing pain. Too, Stretching exercise has better effects in increasing back rang of motion.