Implementing cultural policies in universities of medical sciences: a model with mediating role of spirituality

Introduction: The aim of this study was to present a model for the implementation of cultural policies in relation to organizational culture with an emphasis on the mediating role of spirituality and mental health in universities of medical sciences. Methods: The present study was descriptive-correlational research. The data collection method was a combination of library and field studies and the data collection instruments included a review of documents, interviews and a researcher-made Cultural Policy Questionnaire, Workplace Spirituality Questionnaire, and Organizational Culture Questionnaire. The statistical population included 21496 hospital staffs and managers of medical sciences hospitals. Since structural equation modeling approach was used in this study, finally 472 people were statistically analyzed. The samples were determined using a stratified sampling method. In the present study, SPSS-23 and AMOS-24 software was used to analyze the data. Results: The research results confirmed the proposed research model and indicated a significant relationship between cultural policies and spirituality in university hospitals. Given the positive path coefficient, this relationship is direct. Based on the coefficient of determination (R2), 44% of spirituality changes in the hospital are explained by cultural policies. In addition to having a direct effect, cultural policies indirectly affect organizational culture through workplace spirituality. The level of direct impact was equal to 0.129 and the level of indirect impact through workplace spirituality was equal to 0.204. Conclusion: A direct relationship was between cultural policies and organizational culture and an indirect relationship between spirituality in university hospitals and organizational culture

In vivo evaluation of antiparasitic effects of Artemisia abrotanum and Salvia officinalis extracts on Syphacia obvelata, Aspiculoris tetrapetra and Hymenolepis nana parasites

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Salvia officinalis and Artemisia abrotanum extracts against digestive system parasites of mice. Methods: The ethanol extract was prepared and dissolved in distilled water. The mebendazole was used as positive control and distilled water as negative control. After counting eggs per gram feces, infected mice with 16 eggs per gram feces contained two to three parasites of Syphacia obvelata, Aspicoloris terepetra and Hymenolipis nana designated in 4 groups. The first group was given extracts of Artemisia (150 mg/kg), the second group was given Salvia extract (150 mg/kg), the third group was given mebendazole (10 mg/kg) and finally the fourth group was given distilled water (2 mL/kg). Results: The ethanol extracts of Artemisia and Salvia plants reduced the number of parasite eggs per gram of feces. Results showed significant reduction (P-value<0.001) in the number of eggs excreted by Hymenolepis nana, Aspiculuris tetraptera, Syphacia obvelata in mice. Conclusions: These results revealed that antiparasitic effects of Artemisia and Salvia are reasonable and these two plants might be used as antiparasitic natural products. © 2014 Asian Pacific Tropical Medicine Press

Antioxidant plants and diabetes mellitus

The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing rapidly and it is expected to increase by 2030. Other than currently available therapeutic options, there are a lot of herbal medicines, which have been recommended for its treatment. Herbal medicines have long been used for the treatment of DM because of the advantage usually having no or less side-effects. Most of these plants have antioxidant activities and hence, prevent or treat hard curable diseases, other than having the property of combating the toxicity of toxic or other drugs. In this review other than presenting new findings of DM, the plants, which are used and have been evaluated scientifically for the treatment of DM are introduced

Toxicity and physiological effect of essential oil of Artemisia annua (Labiatae) on Agriolimax agrestis L. (Stylommatophora: Limacidae)

Essential oil of Artemisia annua L. was investigated to find out its toxicity and physiological aspects on the slug Agriolimax agrestis, in controlled conditions (8±1°C, 75±5 RH and 14:10 LD). The slugs received different concentrations of essential oil treated radish leaves in methanol, while the control received methanol alone. LC10, LC30, LC50 and LC90 values were estimated at 4.67, 5.3, 5.81, 7.25%, respectively. The effect of the essential oil on some important enzymatic components like; cytochrome P450 monnooxygenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipase, amylase and protease were significantly increased compared to the control. These results indicate that the plant Artemisia annua L. not only shows toxicity but also shows some irreversible effect on some important biochemical components and deserves further investigation

Relationship between emotional elder abuse and developmental function of the family

Abstract Aim This study aimed to assess the relationship between emotional elder abuse and the developmental function of the family. Design Community‐based correlational cross‐sectional study was conducted. Methods Data were collected on 265 older adults from July to October 2019 in Tehran‐Iran. The samples were selected by simple random sampling and they completed self‐report tools: demographic information, emotional elder abuse developmental function in the family. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics and SPSS software v.16. Results Mean score of the developmental function in the family was 67.38 (SD = 3.22, range = 0–129). There was a significant negative correlation between the total score of developmental function in the families and emotional elder abuse. Moreover, there was a relationship between the subscale of care and regulation, being attracted to human relationships, purposeful exchange, and creating representatives and ideas with emotional elder abuse

Trends in the drowning mortality rate in Iran

Objective The WHO estimates the global incidence of death by drowning to be about 300 000 cases per year. The objective of this study was to estimate the trend in mortality due to drowning in all provinces of Iran in all age groups and both genders from 1990 to 2015. Study design The National and Subnational Burden of Diseases (NASBOD) project is a comprehensive project in Iran. It is based on the Global Burden of Disease study and includes novel methods to estimate the burden of diseases in Iran. Methods This study used the results of the mortality rate due to drowning as part of NASBOD and investigated the causes behind the mortality rates. The data set recorded mortality rates by 19 age groups and two genders with the corresponding subnational pattern during the time period from 1990 to 2015. Results The drowning mortality rate decreased in Iran from 1990 to 2015. From 1990 to 2015, the annual percentage change for males and females was -5.28 and -10.73, respectively. There were 56 184 male and 21 589 female fatalities during the study period. The highest number of deaths was seen in 1993 with 4459, and the lowest number of fatalities was observed in 2015 with 903 deaths. Conclusion Our data showed a decline in drowning mortality in Iran from 1990 to 2015, but the rates and declines varied by province. Our findings are of great importance to health officials and authorities in order to further reduce the burden of drowning. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ

Herbal and chemical drugs effective on malaria

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