The effect of intravenous hydration on latency period

Background and aims: Preterm delivery is associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the effects of intravenous (IV) hydration on time interval from rupture of membranes to delivery (latency period) in pregnant women with Preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes. Methods: 24 pregnant women during their 28 to 34 weeks of gestational age with singleton live pregnancy whose baseline amniotic fluid index (AFI) was ≥ 5 cm were randomized into 2 case and control groups. The study group (Amniotic Fluid Index) received one liter intravenous fluid bolus of isotonic Ringer serum during 30-minute period. The control group received expectant management. The time interval from rupture of membranes to delivery was studied. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used to compare 2 groups and mean latency period before and after hydration, respectively. Results: The results of this study demonstrated that AFI decreased significantly at 90 minutes in both control and study groups. The mean between time intervals and delivery was 196.41 h and 140.58 h in the study and control groups, respectively, But this differences were not statistically significant (95%: 75.9-316/9 CI 95% :10.2-270.9) (P=490). Conclusion: This study did not show any significant impact of hydration on AFI and consequently latency period as a prophylactic method. So, further studies with a larger sample size and at different time intervals seem to be needed to clarify the effect of hydration on latency period in PPROM

Down syndrome screening methods in Iranian pregnant women

Introduction: Down syndrome is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases. Screening methods for this syndrome are easy and safe and are recommended to all pregnant wom-en particularly mothers over 35 years of age. This study aimed to review the status of Down syndrome screening and related factors in Iranian pregnant women. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was carried out in 2011. It included 400 women who were randomly selected from those referring to Alzahra Hospital (Tabriz, Iran) during their third trimester of pregnancy. Data was collected through a question-naire whose reliability and validity have been approved. The data was analyzed by chi-square test in SPSS13. Results: The results showed that while 28 and 26 women imple-mented screening tests during the first and second trimesters, respectively, only 5 sub-jects benefited from both (integrated test). Chi-square test showed significant correla-tions between the implementation of screening methods and age, education level, in-come, and the location of prenatal care (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed women to poorly implement Down syndrome screening methods. Therefore, the necessity of providing appropriate educational programs for health staff and mothers seems undeniable. Moreover, paying attention to the related factors such as income, educational level, and adequate training of mothers during pregnancy is essential

Explaining the Experiences of Health Care Providers about Barriers of Client Education in Ghaemshahr Health Centers: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Providing an effective education by healthcare workers is very important in improving the quality of health services and patients' lives. Effective education faces a variety of challenges, which results in the low productivity of experienced health care providers. The aim of this study was to explain the experiences of health care providers about barriers of client education in Ghaemshahr health centers. Method: This qualitative research was conducted by content analysis method in Ghaemshahr healthcare centers. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews through focus group discussion and individual interviews with 20 healthcare staff that were selected by purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were analyzed and interpreted using conventional content analysis with Lundman and Graneheim technique. Results: After data analysis, 4 main themes and 15 subthemes were extracted. The main themes include structural challenges, inappropriate working conditions, lack of integrated professional knowledge, and inefficient teaching methods. Conclusion: Structural barriers are the main obstacle for providing an effective education by healthcare workers. Also, there is not a context for proper training, and despite many efforts, staff are incapable of providing an effective education. Educational policies need to be changed and client education whould be provided with higher quality and more effectively by employing expert forces and putting aside big challenges

The association between adherence to alternative healthy Diet Index (AHEI) and severity, disability, duration, and frequency of migraine headache among women:a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Migraine is a common brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures lasting between 4 and 72 h. Dietary factors can affect migraine headaches. The Alternative Healthy Diet Index (AHEI) is a measure of diet quality and adherence to healthy dietary patterns. This study aimed to assess the association of adherence to AHEI and severity, disability, duration, and frequency of migraine headaches. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 266 women who suffered from migraines were selected. Usual dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative, 147-item, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). AHEI was calculated based on FFQ. The Migraine Disability Assessments (MIDAS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) questionnaires were used to evaluate migraine disability, severity and the pain, duration and frequency of headaches. Results People with high adherence to AHEI, compared with low adherence, had a 43% reduction in headache duration in the crude model (OR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.34, 0.97; P = 0.03), which remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders (OR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.31, 0.99; P = 0.04). No association was found between the frequency of migraine and AHEI in both crude and adjusted models (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 0.66, 2.14; P = 0.55). In addition, no significant association was found between high adherence of AHEI and odds of severe and moderate headaches (P > 0.05). Conclusion The results of our study showed that people with high adherence of AHEI had a 43% reduction in duration of migraine. More studies are needed to evaluate and better understand this relationship

Hole dynamics in a photovoltaic donor-acceptor couple revealed by simulated time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Theoretical and experimental methodologies that can characterize electronic and nuclear dynamics, and the coupling between the two, are needed to understand photoinduced charge transfer in molecular building blocks used in organic photovoltaics. Ongoing developments in ultrafast pump-probe techniques such as time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy, using an X-ray free electron laser in combination with an ultraviolet femtosecond laser, present desirable probes of coupled electronic and nuclear dynamics. In this work, we investigate the charge transfer dynamics of a donor-acceptor pair, which is widely used as a building block in low bandgap block copolymers for organic photovoltaics. We simulate the dynamics of the benzothiadiazole-thiophene molecule upon photoionization with a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) pulse and study the potential of probing the subsequent charge dynamics using time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The photoinduced dynamics are calculated using on-the-fly nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations based on Tully's Fewest Switches Surface Hopping approach. We calculate the X-ray absorption spectrum as a function of time after ionization at the Hartree-Fock level. The changes in the time-resolved X-ray absorption spectrum at the sulfur K-edge reveal the ultrafast charge carrier dynamics in the molecule occurring on a femtosecond time scale. These theoretical findings anticipate that ultrafast time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy using an X-ray probe in combination with a VUV pump offers a new approach to investigate the detailed dynamics of organic photovoltaic materials

The association of dietary nitrates/nitrites intake and the gut microbial metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide and kynurenine in adults: a population-based study

BackgroundDietary nitrate and nitrite may affect the gut microbiota and its metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and kynurenine (KYN). However, this association and the exact mechanism are still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between dietary consumption of nitrite and nitrate on TMAO and KYN levels in adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was employed on a subsample baseline phase of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) Employee's Cohort Study (TEC). A total of 250 adults aged 18 years or older were included in the current analysis. Data on the dietary intakes were collected using a validated dish-based food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary intakes of nitrite and nitrate were estimated using the FFQ with 144 items. Serum profiles and TMAO and KYN were measured using a standard protocol.ResultsThe findings of this study demonstrate a significant association between the intake of animal sources of nitrate and nitrite and the likelihood of having elevated levels of TMAO and KYN. Specifically, after adjustment, individuals with the highest intake adherence to nitrates from animal sources exhibited increased odds of having the highest level of TMAO (≥51.02 pg/ml) (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.59–3.88, P = 0.03) and KYN (≥417.41 pg/ml) (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 0.73–4.17, P = 0.02). Additionally, subjects with the highest animal intake from nitrite sources have 1.73 and 1.45 times higher odds of having the highest levels of TMAO and KYN. These results emphasize the potential implications of animal-derived nitrate and nitrite consumption on the levels of TMAO and KYN.ConclusionThe present evidence indicates that a high level of nitrate and nitrite intake from animal sources can increase the odds of high levels of TMAO and KYN. Further studies suggest that we should better evaluate and understand this association

Explaining the Experiences of Health Care Providers about Barriers of Client Education in Ghaemshahr Health Centers: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Providing an effective education by healthcare workers is very important in improving the quality of health services and patients' lives. Effective education faces a variety of challenges, which results in the low productivity of experienced health care providers. The aim of this study was to explain the experiences of health care providers about barriers of client education in Ghaemshahr health centers. Method: This qualitative research was conducted by content analysis method in Ghaemshahr healthcare centers. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews through focus group discussion and individual interviews with 20 healthcare staff that were selected by purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were analyzed and interpreted using conventional content analysis with Lundman and Graneheim technique. Results: After data analysis, 4 main themes and 15 subthemes were extracted. The main themes include structural challenges, inappropriate working conditions, lack of integrated professional knowledge, and inefficient teaching methods. Conclusion: Structural barriers are the main obstacle for providing an effective education by healthcare workers. Also, there is not a context for proper training, and despite many efforts, staff are incapable of providing an effective education. Educational policies need to be changed and client education whould be provided with higher quality and more effectively by employing expert forces and putting aside big challenges

The mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between social support and medication adherence in adults with type 2 diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the status of medication adherence in diabetic patients and its effective factors. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 170 diabetic patients in Iran. Participants were assessed for medication adherence, self-efficacy, and social support. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple stepwise regression were conducted to explore predictors for medication adherence. Results: Regression analysis showed that 48% of medication adherence changes stemmed from the four variables including social support, self-efficacy, income, and education levels, ( R 2adj  = 0.480, F  = 39.943, p  < 0.001). According to the model, the highest effects were related to income level (β = 0.332, t  = 5.493, p  ⩽ 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.330, t  = 4.789, p  ⩽ 0.001), respectively. Based on the final model, only the social support variable showed no significant relationship with adherence (β = 0.002, t  = 0.032, p  = 0.947). Conclusion: Social support and self-efficacy were related to medication adherence in diabetic patients, and social support can improve medication adherence in patients with diabetes by affecting self-efficacy. Healthcare workers who interact with individuals with diabetes should take into account the factors mentioned above when designing health promotion interventions to address the needs of these individuals

Evaluation of Marital Satisfaction and Its Associated Factors in Female Nurses in Khalkhal City, Iran

Background and Objectives: Marital satisfaction and compatibility of spouses are axis and focus of family foundation, which are influenced by different factors. One of these factors is occupational status of each spouse. The current study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the marital satisfaction in female nurses of Khalkhal city. Methods: This research was conducted as a descriptive cross-sectional study on 120 female nurses of Khalkhal city in 2014. The sampling method was non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Spearman correlation coefficient, independent t-, one-way ANOVA, Friedman, and multiple liner regression tests at the significance level of p<0.05. Results: The total study population was 120 female nurses with the mean age of 34.03&plusmn;6.52 years. Ninety-nine subjects (82.5%) had very high satisfaction, 14 subjects (11.7%) high satisfaction, and 7 nurse (5.8%) moderate satisfaction. There was a significant relationship between marital satisfaction and number of sex (p0.01) and working experience (Beta=1.85, p>0.04). Conclusion: In this study, the level of marital satisfaction was reported to be high among nurses of Khalkhal. Perhaps more complete and extensive investigation could show the cause of high satisfaction among nurses. Also, identification of the factors promoting marital satisfaction could be used as a strategy to teach spouses of other trade and professional groups, in whom satisfaction level is low