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Background and Objective: Several studies have reported high prevalence of severe lack of cobalamine and Folate in aged people. The most important causes are: malnutrition, atrophic gastritis and drug use. Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a primary degenerative disorder of central retinal area with loss of visual acuity. Recent studies have shown a significant relationship between age related macular degeneration and lack of plasma level of Folate, red blood cells and cobalamine. This study was caried out to investigate the relationship between age related macular degeneration and plasma Folate, Cobalamine and photostress recovery time, in elderly population. Materials and Methods: This case – control study was done on 124 elderly population. The participants were collected from by cluster sampling in mashhad located in the Noth – East of Iran during 2006. The patients underwent eye examination including indirect ophthalmoscopy. Slit lamp examination and photostress recovery time for age related macular degeneration by an ophthalmologist. After blood sampling, plasma Folate, serum Cobalamine, were determined by RIA method (DRG kit). Results:The Mean+-SD of cobalamin and folate in age related macular degeneration patients was 298.848+-288.66 pg/ml and 5.543+-3.58 ng/ml and in normal group was 310.775+-531.38 pg/ml and 5.365+-3.52 ng/ml. There was no significant difference between age related macular degeneration patients and control group. Photostress recovery time was significantly increased in patients with age related macular degeneration (P<0.05). There was no significant relationship between photostress recovery time and Cobalamine and folate level. Conclusion: This study showed that serum cobalamin and folate non significantly is decreased in age related maucular degeneration patients, with increasing photostress recovery time, we can use this screening test for the dignosis of age related macular degenertion.

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Background and Objective: Glaucoma is one of the most important cause of blindness wordwide. Exact determination of intra ocular pressure is important for the diagnosis and decision making about glaucoma treatment. Central corneal thickness is considered as effective factor on intra ocular pressure and visual field defect. This study was carried out to determine the relationship between central corneal thickness, intra ocular pressure and visual field in normal tension and primary open angle glaucoma. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 45 eyes with normal tension glaucoma and 45 eyes with primary open angle glaucoma in Al-Zahra ophthalmology hospital in Zahedan, Iran during 2010. Intra ocular pressure and central corneal thickness were measured by Goldman tonometer and pachymeter and visual field exanimated by Humphrey perimeter. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16, paired t-test, ANOVA, Mann–Whitney and Pearson corlateion tests. Results: There was significant correlation between central corneal thickness and intra ocular pressure (r=0.309, P<0.05). A significant difference was detected in intra ocular pressure between two type of glaucoma (P<0.05). Mean value of central corneal thickness in patient with mild visual field defect was higher than severe visual field defect but there was not significant statistical difference between central corneal thickness and visual field defect in subjects with glaucoma. Conclusion: This study indicated that increasing corneal thickness is accompanied with intra occular presure.

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Background and Objective: Autism spectrum disorder is a genetic-based cognitive and neurobehavioral disorder characterized by impairment in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive motor behavior. This study was done to evaluate the verbal fluency and working memory deficit in first-degree relatives of autistic children. Materials and Methods: In this case - control study, 49 first-degree relatives of autistic children from 33 families (32 mothers, 10 fathers, 6 sisters, and 1 brother) supported by Isfahan autism association were selected and compared with 51 first-degree relatives of typical children (23 mothers, 16 fathers, 7 sisters, and 5 brothers) of 27 families during 2010. The assessing tasks were phonemic and semantic verbal fluency tests to assess verbal fluency and forward and backward digiti span tests to assess low load and high load working memory. Data were analyzed using SPSS-19 and independent t-test and paired t-test. Results: Autistic relatives showed significant poor performance in phonemic (11.46±3.3 V.S. 14.08±3.8), semantic verbal fluency (16.83±3.3 V.S. 19.23±3.9), forward digiti span (5.22±0.6 V.S. 5.55±0.9) and backward digiti span (3.65±0.98 V.S. 4.14±0.8) (P<0.05) compared to healthy children of first-degree relatives. Conclusion: This study showed that parents and siblings of autistic children have a lower performance in phonemic and semantic, low and high load verbal fluency, which might be transmitted genetically.

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Background and Objective: Attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment abnormality. Inattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD. This study was done to compare the executive function and working memory in attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder and healthy children. Materials and Methods: This case – control study was done on 50 children with ADHD as cases and 40 healthy children as controls. The disorder was diagnosed by applying Kanerz teacher test and confirmed by a psychiatrist. Stroop test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and n-back test were used to assess the executive function and working memory. Results: There was a significant difference between case and control groups in regard to executive function and working memory (P<0.05). Error omission was 16.98±8.157 and 7.3±3.824 in cases and controls, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: Attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder reduces executive function and working memory in children.

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Background and Objective: The acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant disease with an accumulation of the abnormal and undifferentiated blastic myeloid cell in the bone marrow, leading to abnormal hematopoiesis. This study was done to determine the NPM1 and FLT3-(ITD) mutations and laboratory findings in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was carried out on 40 (24 males, 16 females) patients with newly acute myeloid leukemia in Northwest of Iran. The mutation of NPM1 and FLT3-ITD were evaluated using PCR method in 25 patients. In all patients, the flowcytometry findings in the bone marrow, leucocytosis and the LDH levels were evaluated prior to the chemotherapy. Results: The mutation of FLT3-ITD and NPM1 genes was detected in 15 (60%) and 9 (36%) of patients, respectively. FLT3-NPM1+ mutation was seen in 4 (16%) patients. Leukocytosis, LDH level and AML in different classes did no show any significant difference between FLT3-NPM1+ and other gene mutations. Conclusion: The mutation of FLT3-ITD gene was nearly twice than NPM1 in acute myeloid leukemia.

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Background and Objective: Children with ADHD suffer from motor impairment in addition to behavioral problems (hyperactivity/impulsivity, attention deficit).The cerebellum receives data from visual, vestibular and somato- sensory systems.This study was done to determine the correlation between kinetic parameters of balance performance and behavioral symptoms in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Methods: This case - control study was performed on 15 children with ADHD (9.21±0.69 year) and 15 healthy children (9.27±0.75 year). Kinetic parameter of balance evaluated using sensory organization test (SOT) in different sensory conditions including visual, somatosensory and vestibular by Neurocom. Conner’s questionnaire used to assess hyperactivity and attention deficit in addition to a psychologist.
Results: Dynamic balance score in ADHD children was significantly lower in compare to controls (p<0.05). Children with ADHD had kinetic parameters of balance performance abnormality in compare to controls. There was a significant correlation between sensory contribution and hyperactivity in children with ADHD (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Children with ADHD suffer from balance dysfunction which is a result of sensory integration and attention deficit. The sensory systems analysis showed that vestibular system, partially somatosensory dysfunction is the most important factor in balance disorder in children with ADHD.