Comparison of thoracic aortic diameter changes after endograft placement in patients with traumatic and aneurysmal disease

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Meaning of Self-Care: Lived Experiences of Iranian Diabetic Patients

BACKGROUND: Diabetes continuously disrupts a patient's well-being and quality of life. Successful self-care could potentially decrease overall costs and rates of mortality and morbidity. Patients' experiences could be used to elucidate what they believe about illness and its management. The overall aim of this study was to illuminate the meaning of self-care among diabetic patients in Southeast of Iran. METHODS: Sixteen diabetic patients with a mean age of 34 and 10 years' experience in self-care for their disease were interviewed. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed with a Ricoeur's phenomenological hermeneutic method. RESULTS: The meaning of self- care was comprehensively understood as being empowered. This can be divided into four themes: seeking information, being independent, being optimistic or pessimistic and trust in God. CONCLUSION: The results in this study suggest that cultural and religious components could affect diabetic patients' self-care. Nurses might use patients' religious beliefs to relieve their stress, help them to retain a sense of control, maintain hope and sense of meaning and purpose in their life

Interactions of melatonin with various signaling pathways: implications for cancer therapy

Melatonin is a neuro-hormone with conserved roles in evolution. Initially synthetized as an antioxidant molecule, it has gained prominence as a key molecule in the regulation of the circadian rhythm. Melatonin exerts its effect by binding to cytoplasmic and intra-nuclear receptors, and is able to regulate the expression of key mediators of different signaling pathways. This ability has led scholars to investigate the role of melatonin in reversing the process of carcinogenesis, a process in which many signaling pathways are involved, and regulating these pathways may be of clinical significance. In this review, the role of melatonin in regulating multiple signaling pathways with important roles in cancer progression is discussed, and evidence regarding the beneficence of targeting malignancies with this approach is presented

Perceived Uncertaintyin Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis is the most common non - traumatic illness of central nervous system. Due to debilitating nature of the disorder, and its unpredictable progress, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the future health and well-being of MS sufferers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the perceived uncertainty in patients with MS. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study population consisted of 200 non- hospitalized patients With Multiple Sclerosis. Convenience sampling was applied in this study and data was collected via a questionnaire including background information and MUIS-Community questionnaire consisting of 23 items about uncertainty. Data analysis was performed by T-test and ANOVA test. Results: Results showed that the most active patients (5/79%) were females and 5/67% were married. Overall mean score of uncertainty scale was 67.20 (12/35). The results related to uncertainty dimensions revealed that mean score of ambiguity was 32.24, mean score of complexity was 11.80, mean score of inconsistency was 4.79 and unpredictability was 2.78. The results related to relationship between perceived uncertainty and demographic factors show significant difference between the education level and residence with perceived uncertainty and ambiguity. Conclusions: Considering that MS patients experience the high levels of uncertainty that it will lead to depression and stress, therefore, with the emphasis on rigorous assessment of patient health and holding educational classes of uncertainty management especially for people with lower education level can be an effective step to reduce stress and depression in patients with Multiple Sclerosis