Comparison of the Contraceptive Use and Its Related Factors Among Women Seeking Repeat and First-Time Induced Abortions in Iran

Background: Abortion in Iran, like other Islamic countries is severely restricted except in a few exceptions. However, some women who have an unwanted or mistimed pregnancy are seeking abortion. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the contraceptive use and its related factors among repeat and first- time induced abortion seekers in Iran. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 417 married women (age range, 15-49 years) seeking abortion services at either a hospital or private office in Maku City, the northwest of Iran, were selected through convenience sampling between December 2010 and March 2011. All the subjects were asked about the contraceptive methods used during the three months before the current pregnancy and the use of any emergency contraception and forced sex. Women who mentioned reasons except than completing family size for their applying for abortion were excluded from the analysis . Characteristics of women were examined using chi-square and t test. T test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare contraceptive methods and the regularity of contraceptive use between repeat and first-time abortion seekers, respectively. Results: About 33.8% of the repeat abortion-seekers and 76.8% of first-time abortion seekers were using male methods (withdrawal and condom). Utilization of an intrauterine device for birth control was higher among women seeking repeat abortion than in first-time abortion seekers (P = 0.003). All of 31 pill users in the repeat abortion-seeking group missed three or more pills per month for three times during the three months before contraception. The repeat abortion seekers had used condom more regularly than those in the first-time abortion seekers. Forced sex was more prevalent in the abortion seekers who had used male method. Conclusions: Using male methods are prevalent in abortion-seeker women. An increased focus is needed on training the regular use of pills and using the emergency contraception for all of the couples who are first-time abortion-seekers. Moreover, information about the role of forced sex might be efficacious in decreasing illegally induced repeat abortion in couples who use condom or withdrawal methods

Preliminary Evidence of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Death Anxiety in Iranian Clients Diagnosed with OCD

This study investigated the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on death anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with eight adult females in Iran. The ACT protocol was conducted in 8 weekly solo sessions (45 minutes each). The results were analyzed by visual analysis method and improvement percentage. ACT resulted in decreases in death anxiety (60-80%) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (51-60%), thereby indicating promise for ACT as a treatment for OCD and death anxiety

Antioksidansi i trovanje organofosfornim spojevima

Oxidative stress has recently been implicated as a factor in the mortality and morbidity induced by organophosphorus (OP) compound poisoning. An overwhelming number of research papers are based on studying at the cellular and organ level. Such studies have concluded that antioxidants can be used as an adjunct compound in the treatment of both chronic as well as acute OP poisoning. Still, the role of antioxidants in reducing the mortality and morbidity induced by OP compounds has scarcely been verified, as well as their role as adjunct treatment compounds for both structurally and functionally different OP compounds. The present review of the literature was undertaken to establish the role of antioxidants in survival studies following acute exposure to OP compounds. The review found no substantial evidence that antioxidants demonstrate any positive effect following extremely toxic poisoning. However, for a more comprehensive and rational conclusion, further research needs to be conducted.Oksidacijski stres u novije je vrijeme označen kao faktor pri mortalitetu i morbiditetu uzrokovanom trovanjem organofosfornim spojevima. Sve veći broj studija zasnovan je na proučavanju na razini stanice i organa i takve su studije većinom zaključile da se antioksidansi mogu rabiti kao dodatne tvari pri liječenju kroničnog, ali i akutnog trovanja organofosfornim spojevima. No uloga antioksidansâ u smanjenju mortaliteta i morbiditeta izazvanog trovanjem organofosfornim spojevima još nije u dovoljnoj mjeri potvrđena. Štoviše, funkcija antioksidansâ kao dodatnih tvari pri liječenju i dalje je uvelike nerazjašnjena za strukturalno i funkcionalno različite vrste organofosfornih spojeva. Ovaj pregledni rad napisan je s namjerom određivanja uloge antioksidansâ u studijama preživljavanja zbog akutne izloženosti organofosfornim spojevima. Pregledom se nije utvrdio nijedan čvršći dokaz da antioksidansi imaju pozitivan učinak nakon ekstremno toksičnog trovanja. Međutim za sveobuhvatniji i racionalniji zaključak nužno je dalje proučavanje

Collapse behavior of single-layer space barrel vaults under non-uniform support settlements

Single-layer space barrel vaults are appropriate structures for covering extensive spaces with large spans for which non-uniform support settlement is considered as a great concern. This can affect the stability and collapse behavior of these structures. Accordingly, in this paper, the collapse behavior of the barrel vaults with different slope angles is investigated under various types of the non-uniform support settlement. Both material and geometrical nonlinearity are taken into account while studying the effects of the settlements on the collapse progression in barrel vaults. Finally, the optimum slope angles of the structures are determined so that it minimizes the destructive effects of the support settlement. Moreover, the allowable values of the non-uniform support settlements provided by several code provisions have been investigated in detail. © 2013 Korean Society of Steel Construction and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Comparison of perception and beliefs about pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls

Background: Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of young age and is mostly diagnosed between 20 to 40 years old. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions and beliefs about pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls. Methods: This analytical study was conducted in Tabriz University, 2014. Thirty patients with multiple sclerosis and 30 healthy controls that were selected by convenience sampling method completed the pain beliefs and perception inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Findings: Patients with multiple sclerosis had higher scores in pain as mystery, self –blame, pain as constant, and pain as permanent scales compared to the controls. Conclusion: With regards to the results, it is suggested to consider the pain beliefs and perception scales in medical centers and multiple sclerosis associations

Comparison of Executive Function and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation in Addicted with Upper and Lower Borderline Personality Traits

Background & aim: Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most important health problems of people with undesirable consequences on family councils. The aim of the present study was to compare the executive function and difficulties in emotion regulation in addicted with upper and lower borderline personality traits. Methods: The present causal-comparative study included all male drug abusers who had been referred to addiction treatment centers. 80 addicts were selected by accessible sampling method and using a borderline personality traits (STB). Then, they were divided into two groups of 40 people for drug addicts in high and low. Using The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the scale of difficulty in the emotional regulation was conducted on two groups. Statistical data using multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA and LSD test were analyzed.   Results: The results indicated that compared to drug addicts with high borderline traits, the ones with low borderline traits had lower performance in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test  and the number of perseveration errors (p = 0.018) and total error (p = 0.002) was higher. Moreover, addicts with high borderline traits varied significantly higher scores in difficulty in emotional regulation (p=0.002) of the drug with low borderline personality traits.   Conclusion: The results indicated that addicts with high borderline traits, had weaker performance in executive function and higher levels of difficulty with emotional regulation. This may be due to neurological effects of drug addiction on their performance which leads to poorer performance compared with drug people with low borderline traits.   &nbsp