The Correlation of Sexual Dysfunction with Prenatal Stress and Quality of Life: A Path Analysis

Background: Women are exposed to different stressors in life. Physical, emotional, and economic stressors of pregnancy might negatively affect couples’ emotional and sexual intimacy. Objectives: The present study was designed to perform a path analysis of the correlation of sexual dysfunction with prenatal stress and quality of life. Methods: In this descriptive, correlational study, 300 pregnant Iranian women were recruited via convenience sampling, based on the inclusion criteria from 4 governmental referral hospitals in 2016. Data were collected using female sexual function index, 26-item world health organization quality of life questionnaire, prenatal anxiety questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Results: The goodness of fit indices (GFI) in the model indicated the suitability and reasonability of relationships among variables (root mean square error of approximation, 0.023; GFI, 0.99). Quality of life and age directly affected sexual dysfunction, while prenatal anxiety and income were indirectly correlated with sexual dysfunction through quality of life (P < 0.01). Other variables did not show any significant correlations. Conclusions: Anxiety can decrease sexual function in women during pregnancy. Poor quality of life can also cause sexual dysfunction in pregnant women. Therefore, it is an undeniable necessity to take measures to reduce prenatal anxiety and promote sexual activity during pregnancy for ensuring marital satisfaction. In addition, through such measures, we can maintain/improve the general and sexual health of couples, increase the quality of life in pregnant women, and eventually strengthen family bonds

The effect of Ramadan fasting on lipid profile in pregnant women

Introduction: Abnormal lipid profile causes maternal mortality and impairs fetal development. This study investigated the effect of Ramadan fasting on plasma lipid profile in pregnant women. Material and Methods: This self-control, cohort study was performed in healthy volunteer fasted pregnant women. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and body mass index (BMI) were measured on 0, 7th, 14th, and 28th days of Ramadan, and two weeks after Ramadan. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS. Results: The mean age and BMI of participants was 26.9±6.4 year and 25±4.2 kg/m respectively. Weight and BMI of women did not change during the study. Cholesterol and LDL significantly increased during Ramadan and decreased after Ramadan (p<0.05). No significant change was seen in TG and HDL during the study (p<0.05). Conclusion: Cholesterol and LDL During Ramadan increases and then decreases. There was no change in the levels of TG and HDL in pregnant women. The present study findings may not be sufficient to definitely conclude that Ramadan fasting is safe during pregnancy

معرفی داروی جامع از منظر حکیم عقیلی خراسانی و بررسی مفردات مربوطه

Background and Aim: Jāmi medicine is one of the herbal medicines which is used in the society and discussed in Hakim Aghili Khorasani’s Qarābādīn Kabīr. This study aims to introduce this medicine in terms of its characteristics, application and how to use it from the perspective of Hakim Aghili Khorasani and to determine the status of its ingredients in traditional and common medicine. Methods: This research is a review of various sources of traditional medicine especially Qarābādīn Kabīr. The studied sources include primary texts from the Islamic civilization available in Noor digital library and various electronic databases. Ethical Considerations: In compiling this research, the principles of trustworthiness and honesty of citing the used texts, originality of sources and avoiding bias in referring to texts or analyzes have been observed. Results: Hakim Aghili Khorasani is one of the greatest Iranian physicians of the late 12th and early 13th centuries AH and the largest Qarābādīn that exists to this day is one of his works. In this book, Jāmi medicine, referred to as Dawā al-Jāmiʿah, is associated with Imam Riḍā (A) and is used for treating conditions such as paralysis, heart palpitations, tuberculosis and cough. The formulation includes honey, sunbul al-ṭīb, saffron, cardamom, Aqirqarḥā, white kharbaq, white al-banj seeds, white pepper and Farfīyūn. Traditional medical texts attribute numerous beneficial properties to these ingredients. Conclusion: Although no laboratory research has been done on Jāmi medicine, there are some traditional medicine texts and new medical articles about the terms of this drug separately and regardless of their use in the mentioned drug, which reported several therapeutic properties for them. Since the benefits and applications mentioned for this drug in Qarābādīn Kabīr seem likely, it is suggested to research in order to its safety and effectiveness.زمینه و هدف: یکی از داروهای گیاهی مورد استفاده در جامعه که در قرابادین کبیر حکیم عقیلی خراسانی به آن پرداخته شده، داروی جامع می‌باشد. هدف از این مطالعه معرفی داروی جامع از نظر ویژگی‌ها، کاربرد و نحوه مصرف آن از منظر حکیم عقیلی خراسانی و تعیین وضعیت مفردات آن در طب سنتی و رایج است. روش: این پژوهش یک مطالعه مروری از برخی منابع طب سنتی به ویژه قرابادین کبیر است و منابع مورد بررسی، کتاب‌های اصلی دوران تمدن اسلامی، موجود در کتابخانه دیجیتالی نور و همچنین بانک‌های اطلاعاتی الکترونیکی می‌باشد. ملاحظات اخلاقی: در تدوین این پژوهش، اصل امانتداری و صداقت استناد به متون مورد استفاده، اصالت منابع و پرهیز از جانبداری در مراجعه به متون یا تحلیل‌ها رعایت شده است. یافته‌ها: حکیم عقیلی خراسانی از بزرگ‌ترین طبیبان ایرانی اواخر قرن دوازدهم و اوایل قرن سیزدهم قمری است و قرابادین کبیر، بزرگ‌ترین قرابادین موجود تا به امروز، از آثار اوست. داروی جامع در این کتاب به نام «دواء‌الجامعه» آمده که دواى حضرت امام رضا (ع) است و برای درمان بیماری‌هایی چون فالج (مرضی که نصف بدن از طول بی‌حس و بی‌حرکت می‌شود)، خفقان در قلب (حرکت اختلاجی قلب، نوعی تپش قلب)، سل و سرفه مصرف می‌شود. این دارو از عسل، سنبل‌الطيب، زعفران، قاقله، عاقرقرحا، خربق سفید، بذر‌البنج سفيد، فلفل سفيد و فرفیون درست می‌شود. نتیجه‌گیری: علیرغم آنکه تحقیقات آزمایشگاهی بر روی داروی جامع انجام نشده است، اما برخی متون طب سنتی و مقالات جدید طبی در مورد مفردات این دارو به طور مجزا و فارغ از کاربرد آن‌ها در داروی مذکور، وجود دارند که خواص درمانی متعددی را برای آن‌ها گزارش کردند. از آنجا که منافع و کاربردهای ذکرشده برای داروی جامع در کتاب قرابادین کبیر محتمل به نظر می‌رسد، لذا انجام تحقیقات مناسب برای بررسی ایمنی و اثربخشی این دارو پیشنهاد می‌شود

Epidemiology of Acute Poisoning in Mazandaran Province, Iran

Background: Poisoning is a critical medical emergency worldwide. The present study aimed to determine the characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients admitted to the poisoning department.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March 2015 to September 2016 (for 18 months). We explored the epidemiology of poisoned patients hospitalized at Razi and Imam hospitals in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The obtained results were described as the frequency of poisoning, percentages, confidence intervals (95% CI), and mean values. The standard deviation scores were also presented for quantitative variables. The Student t-test and Chi-squared test were used for data analysis.Results: The prevalence rate of poisoning equaled 4.98% of the total hospitalized patients. Of 71192 of the investigated cases, 3544 patients were hospitalized for acute poisoning. In terms of poisoning type, 65.2% belonged to drug toxicity, (95% CI) (64.7-77.2); 6.7% were related to methadone; 5.7% to an agricultural pesticide; 4.15% to aluminum phosphide (rice tablets); 2.2% to rat poison paste, and the remaining cases were caused by other poisons. There was a gender-wise significant difference in the poisoning method (P&lt;0.001). The mortality rate in this study was calculated as 1.71% of all cases. The most frequent causes of death were aluminum phosphide (33.33%) and narcotics (16.16%) poisonings. Conclusion: Acute poisoning is a fundamental health problem in Mazandaran Province, i.e., located in the north of Iran. Pharmaceutical medications, opioid agents, and aluminum phosphide were the main means of poisoning in the investigated adult patients. Most cases of poisoning occurred in the young-adult groups. Aluminum phosphide and organophosphate agents consumption generated the most critical states and were the main causes of death. It is suggested that aluminum phosphate be recalled from the market, as appropriate training must be provided for its proper use

The methanolic extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark improves formaldehyde-induced neurotoxicity through reduction of phospho-tau (Thr231), inflammation, and apoptosis

Accumulation of formaldehyde (FA) in the brain is linked to age-related neurodegenerative disorders, as it accelerates memory impairment through tau protein aggregation, inflammation, and nuclear damage. This study aimed to assess the possible effects of methanolic cinnamon extract (CE) on FA-induced neurotoxicity in rats. The animals were treated with CE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, P.O.) for 30 days following FA administration (60 mg/kg, I.P.) for 30 days. Briefly, spatial and inhibitory memory were examined by Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tasks, respectively. The Nissl, Hoechst, and Bielschowsky silver staining methods were also used to assess apoptosis and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the hippocampal CA1 region, respectively. Brain tissues were probed with an anti-phospho-tau (Thr231) monoclonal antibody to assess tau hyperphosphorylation. Inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were also measured by ELISA assay. Western blotting was performed to quantify the amount of phospho-tau (Thr231), caspase-8, and caspase-9. The results showed that FA injection significantly caused tau hyperphosphorylation at Thr231 residue, which in turn disturbed the MWM performance. The ratio of apoptotic to intact neurons increased following FA treatment. The results of Western blotting indicated that the hippocampal levels of phospho-tau (Thr231) and caspase-8 were significantly higher in the FA group compared to the control group. The hippocampal levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the FA group were also higher than the control group. Administration of 200 mg/kg of CE significantly improved the rats’ MWM performance, decreased the levels of phospho-tau (Thr231), caspase-8, IL-6, and TNF-α, and reduced the ratio of apoptotic to intact neurons. Overall, cinnamon improved cognitive performance in FA-treated rats by eliminating tau hyperphosphorylation, inflammatory cytokines, and nuclear damage

Identification and Leveling of Strategic Entrepreneurship Indicators

The turmoil in the business environment has led to unpredictable changes that, on the one hand, have created new opportunities to gain value and, on the other hand, have hampered companies' competitive advantages and, in some cases, led to their disappearance. In such an environment, successful organizations, especially knowledge-based companies, seek to use strategic entrepreneurship, that is, taking advantage of current competitive advantages and discovering innovations that determine future competitive advantage, as a key factor in achieving success. The need for strategic management and entrepreneurship activities simultaneously in the form of strategic entrepreneurship leads to a significant impact on the success of the company, the development of competitive advantages, effective allocation of resources in proportion to current and future activities. This research has used the meta-combined method to explain and identify the indicators of strategic entrepreneurship which has led to the identification of 70 codes, 16 concepts and 6 categories and has leveled them using the interpretive structural modeling method. It has been the case that environmental factors at the fourth level, organizational factors, economic factors and innovative factors at the third level and individual and social factors at the second level and entrepreneurial opportunities and capabilities at the first level

Efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction by visible-light responsive Fe-doped WO3 nanostructures

The nanoparticles of WO3 doped with Fe ions have been employed for University, Kermanshah photocatalytic conversion of greenhouse gaseous of CO2 and CH4 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalysts have been characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, Raman, UV-vis, and PL techniques. The XRD and Raman spectroscopies confirm the monoclinic structure of WO3 nanoparticles and also the successful incorporation of Fe ions into WO3 lattice. A red shift in Raman patterns of Fe-doped WO3 samples indicate the partial substitution of W with Fe ions and the structural defects induced in WO3 crystals upon doping treatment. The recorded PL signals reveal that the charge carrier recombination rate can be inhibited by doping WO3 with Fe ions. The modified samples show high activity by photons with wavelength equal to/greater than ~500 nm, the visible-light in green region. The best photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is provided to be 38.7% by WO3 containing 4.18 at.% Fe under visible-light. Ethane, and formate and acetate derivatives are detected as the major products of CO2 reduction

Efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction by visible-light responsive Fe-doped WO3 nanostructures

126-134The nanoparticles of WO3 doped with Fe ions have been employed for University, Kermanshah photocatalytic conversion of greenhouse gaseous of CO2 and CH4 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalysts have been characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, Raman, UV-vis, and PL techniques. The XRD and Raman spectroscopies confirm the monoclinic structure of WO3 nanoparticles and also the successful incorporation of Fe ions into WO3 lattice. A red shift in Raman patterns of Fe-doped WO3 samples indicate the partial substitution of W with Fe ions and the structural defects induced in WO3 crystals upon doping treatment. The recorded PL signals reveal that the charge carrier recombination rate can be inhibited by doping WO3 with Fe ions. The modified samples show high activity by photons with wavelength equal to/greater than ~500 nm, the visible-light in green region. The best photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is provided to be 38.7% by WO3 containing 4.18 at.% Fe under visible-light. Ethane, and formate and acetate derivatives are detected as the major products of CO2 reduction

The Effects of Punica granatum

Background. We compared the efficacy of P. granatum (P) flower extract with that of silver sulfadiazine (SSD) for treating thermal burn injuries in rats. Methods. Ten Wistar rats in each group were topically given base cream, normal saline, cream containing 1% SSD, or creams containing 5% or 10% Punica granatum flower extract. The treatments were administered once daily until complete wound healing was observed. The wound area and healing time were assessed. In addition, percentage wound contraction and histopathological characteristics such as neovascularization and collagen formation were determined. The tannin content in P. granatum extract was determined. Results. The decrease in the average size of wounds on day 15 of the treatment was higher in rats treated with creams containing P. granatum extract than in rats treated with cream containing SSD (2.8±0.9 cm2 versus 8.4±3.2 cm2). The wounds completely healed on day 25 of the treatment in rats treated with creams containing P. granatum flower extract compared with those in rats treated with the other agents. Conclusion. These results indicated that P. granatum flower extract promoted wound healing in rats and could be used for managing burn injuries