---

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and especially atherosclerosis. Frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia in hemodialysis patients is higher than the general population. Thus near to 50 percent of the patients die due to CVD. The objective of this study is to determine the frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia in hemodialysis patients receiving 5 mg/d oral folic acid supplements in Imam Hossein hospital in Tehran. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 were measured in 40 hemodialysis patients receiving 5 mg/d folic acid supplements from at least three months before. Correlation between these three factors and their correlation with other confounders were determined using non-parametric tests. Dietary intake of B vitamins related to tHcy metabolism, were assessed using 24 hour recall method for 3 consecutive days. Results: Median (median ± IQR) of plasma tHcy and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 were 20.95 ±12.17 µmol/l, 101.55 ± 113.92 ng/ml, 945 ± 526.5 pg/ml relatively. 75% of patients had high values for tHcy, 15% borderline values and only 10% normal values. Respectively,12.5% and 37.5% were in normal range of serum folic acid and vitamin B12 and 87.5 % and 62.5% had abovenormal levels. There was a significant, negative correlation between plasma tHcy and height , serum folic acid and dietary intake of vitamins B6 and B2. Mean tHcy levels were higher in women than in men. The correlation between plasma tHcy and other factors, like age, dialysis duration, dialysis efficiency, cigarette smoking, tea and coffee consumption, menopausal status, diagnosed diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, albumin, creatinin, urea and dietary intake of folic acid and vitamin B12 was not significant. Conclusion: Despite supplementation with folic acid, only a small proportion of patients reached normal levels of homocysteine. This, shows the necessity of supplementation with higher doses of folic acid combined with other B-vitamins like B12 and B6. Elevated serum level of folic acid is probably due to the effect of uremic environment on intracellular availability of folic acid. High level of serum B12 is the result of it's restricted conversion to the active form, in the most important conversion site, the kidneys.

---

Background and objectives: Several factors, including natural disasters can affect food chain and thus the nutritional status. On December 2002 a devastating earthquake hit the city of Bam and the surrounding areas. Due to the lack of direct information on the nutritional status of children in the area, this study was performed to assess prevalence of malnutrition and a number of related factors in children 6 to 59 months of age in Bam and surrounding rural areas, to be a basis for further planning. Methods and material: This survey was carried out on November 2003 in the city of Bam, Baravaat, and the surrounding affected villages on a sample of 500 children 6 to 50 months old. Weight (Kg) and height (Cm) were obtained and weight for height, weight for age and height for age Z scores were calculated for children and BMI (Kg/m²) for mothers was calculated. Information on child and the caregiver characteristics, child food patterns, socio-economic status of the household, family access to health care and hygienic potable water and environmental health and sanitation of the living places were collected by a questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of moderate and severe underweight, stunting and wasting (WAZ, HAZ and WHZ under -2SD NCHS 1978) was 15.2, 8.9 and 5.6 percent, respectively. Prevalence of wasting in children 6 to 24 months of age was larger than older children (P=0.005), while stunting was more prevalent in those aged 24 months and older (P=0.007). Children who had been born with low birth weight (LBW), were more susceptible to wasting (P=0.001 and OR=7.50) and underweight (P≤0.001 and OR=4.45). Children who were breastfed for more than 18 months, were 2.09 times more susceptible to stunting (P=0.023). Conclusion: The findings indicate that the main nutritional problem in this area is moderate to severe underweight, as well as stunting. The nutritional status of children in the area is still better than the Kerman province. It is necessary to address the nutritional status and food habits of women during pregnancy and to carry out interventions to reduce the risk of LBW: Therefore, improving the food patterns of preschool children can guarantee better health status following natural or manmade disasters.

---

Background & object: Diabetes mellitus is associated with a decrease in bone mineral content and increased urinary excretion of calcium and phosphate. In addition, there are abnormalities in calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D metabolism in diabetic patients. The objective of this study was to assess the serum calcium and vitamin D status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods: A total of 61 diabetic patients (35 male and 26 female), 35-65 years old, were studied in the middle of winter, at the seasonal nadir of 25 (OH) D levels. Serum levels of 25(OH) D < 20 ng/ml and of total calcium < 8.8 mg/dl were defined as vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, respectively. Results: The mean serum 25(OH) D level was 10.87 ± 10.59 ng/ml. It was significantly lower in males than in females (p< 0.002). Forty-eight subjects (78.7%) were vitamin D-deficient and only 13 (21.3%) had normal serum vitamin D levels. The mean serum calcium level in the whole sample was 9.45 ± 0.23 mg/dl, which is in the normal range. The mean was higher in males than in females, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion and suggestions: The results suggest that vitamin D deficiency might be prevalent in diabetic patients in Iran, it probably being markedly higher in males.

---

Background and Objectives: The objective was to study the effect of red-seed grapes on the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in hypercholester- olemic subjects. Materials and Methods: In a clinical trial 43 hypercholesterolemic subjects (cholesterol>200mg/dl) were randomly divided into two groups of red-seed grapes (RG) and control (CG). The RG group included 22 subjects (18 female, 4 male) with a mean age of 50 years, taking 500gr red-seed grapes per day for 4 weeks, while the 21 control subjects (17 female, 4 male) with a mean age of 52 years received no treatment. At the beginning of the study, physical activity and BMI were determined. Serum lipid levels (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG) were measured at the beginning and at the end of the period. Dietary intake was also determined before and after the period, in both cases for 3 conseutive days, using the 24-hr recall questionnaire. The fiber and flavonoid contents of the grapes were also determined.The data were analyzed (paired t-test), using SPSS 11.5. Results: The experimental and control groups were matched with regard to age, sex, BMI, and physical activity. As compared to the CG the mean level of TC in the RG significantly decreased after the 4 week-period (-24.2±6.3 mg/dl in the RG vs 2.8±6.1 mg/dl in the CG, p<0.05). The grapes also, caused a significant decrease in LDL-C in the RG, compared to the control group (-24.3±6.0 mg/dl in the RG vs 4.1±7.5 mg/dl in the CG, p<0.01). There were also reductions in the ratios and in RG compared with those in CG (p<0.05) however, the differences between the 2 groups with regard to HDL-C and TG were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Red-seed grapes might have beneficial effects on the serum total and low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Further studies are needed to determine tth effects of these grapes on HDL-C and TG.

---

Background and objective: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease, which leads to a decrease in bone mass and disorders in its structure. Leptin and adiponectin are hormones secreted from the adipose tissue. The objective of this study was to determine association between serum leptin and adiponectin and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women 40-60 years old. Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study included was 85 postmenopausal women, 40-60 years old. Samples of fasting blood were taken from the women in order to determine the serum concentrations of leptin and adiponectin, and bone mass density (BMD) was measured by the DXA method in two areas, i.e., L2-4 and the femoral neck. Results: The means ± SD of age and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects were 52.45.4 years and 29.44.5 kg/m2, respectively. There was a significant inverse relationship between the serum leptin level and BMD in the L2-4 area (p=0.02). The data also showed a negative association between the serum adiponectin level on the one hand, and the BMD of the femur (p=0.03) and the bone mineral content (BMC) of the vertebral column (p=0.03) on the other. Conclusion: Leptin and adiponectin have inverse associations with the bone mineral density.

---

Background and Objectives: More than 80% of human dietary intake of nitrate comes from vegetables. Nitrate is converted to nitrite and nitrosacids, which can combine with primary and secondary amines, producing nitrosamines. Nitrosamines have hazardous effects on human health. Based on the results of the last National Food Consumption Survey in Iran (2002), lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes are the most widely consumed green leafy, fruit-bearing and tuberous vegetables. This study was carried out to determine the nitrate contents of these 3 vegetables on sale in the Tehran Central Fruit and Vegetable Market. Materials and Methods: Three-Kg samples of lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes, distributed in Tehran (Tehran Central Market, the Main Fruit, Vegetable and Agricultural Products Market) were taken during summer and winter 2007, at least 25 samples of each vegetable (a total of 157 samples). After separating inedible portions, the samples were washed, rinsed, minced, mixed thoroughly, freeze-dried and stored at -18◦C until analyzed. Nitrate was determined in the samples using HPLC based on the EC 12014-2 method, and Mann-Whitney nonparametric test, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Bon-Ferroni multiple comparison were used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The mean concentration of nitrate in lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes was 1123.46, 155.65, and 188.41 ppm, respectively. It is seen that the nitrate content of leafy vegetables was the highest, followed by fruit-bearing and tuberous vegetables. Nitrate accumulation in summer lettuce (1223.57 ppm) was higher than in the winter sample (1046.82 ppm), but in the case of tomatoes and potatoes it was the other way round: 210.25 and 264.64 ppm in winter and 101.11 and 104.45 ppm in summer, respectively. The average nitrate contents of lettuce in both seasons were within the internationally permitted range, while in the case of winter potatoes and tomatoes the averages exceeded the respective permitted ranges. Conclusion: Nitrate accumulation in vegetables can vary according to the harvesting season. Further research is recommended to determine the effects of such factors as variety, age, agricultural practices and storage conditions. Keywords: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Nitrate, Nitrite

---

Background and Objectives: Due to the good solubility of vitamin D in oils, oil products can be addressed as one of the most suitable fortification vehicle. However, sustainability and loss of vitamin D during food storage is one the major concerns for the food policymakers and producers. Therefore, the objectives of this study was to fortify and compare the stability of vitamin D3 in sunflower oil and oleogel based on rice bran wax and sorbitan monostearate, during heating and storage.
Materials and methods: Oleogels (based on rice bran wax/sorbitan monostearate/sunflower oil) and sunflower oil fortified by vitamin D_3, then stabilities of  them was compaired, under two various conditions; including heating at 110 °C for 60 min and storage for 60 days at 25 °C.
Results: Vitamin D₃ in sunflower oil and oleogel samples decreased 29.5 and 24.6%, respectively. Thus, the rate of vitamin D₃ lost was less in oleogel sample. Moreover, results showed that storage conditions did not degrade vitamin D₃ in the samples.
Conclusion: The optimal stability of vitamin D₃ in the two samples during heating and storage conditions and oleogel samples showed greater abilities to preserve vitamin D₃.