The Effect of Religious Care by the Clergyman next to the Patients’ Bedside on their Depression and Anxiety

For downloading the full-text of this article please click here.Background and Objective: The fear of surgery, death, and the debilitating symptoms of the illness make hospitalized patients develop anxiety and depression that may disrupt their performance. Religious care aimed at addressing the religious needs of hospitalized patients can have a significant role in increasing the hospitalized patients’ ability to cope with their illness. Therefore, the researchers aimed to set up a religious-based plan and perform it by the presence of a clergy next to the patients’ bedside and determine its effectiveness on decreasing anxiety and depression of hospitalized patients.Method: In this randomized controlled clinical trial with control group, 142 hospitalized patients were chosen in the form of random sampling in Nekoui hospital of Qom. They were divided into a test and a control group. Then, the demographic questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were completed by them. The religious-based plan by the presence of a clergy next to the patients’ bedside was performed in the test group. The two groups were followed after the intervention. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests.Results: In terms of overall score of hospital anxiety and depression, the results of ANCOVA showed a statistically meaningful difference between the two groups after the intervention (F=35.75, P<0.001). Also, the results of paired-samples t-test showed a significant decline in the anxiety and depression of hospitalized patients in the intervention group (P= 0.001). In contrast, no measurable difference was observed in the anxiety and depression scores of patients in the control group (P= 0.10, P= 0.48).Conclusion: The presence of special medical teams like responsible clergies who are familiar with health issues and the provision of religious care can decrease patients’ anxiety and depression. Such a religious intervention also has a significant role in boosting patients’ morale and reducing their woes.For downloading the full-text of this article please click here.Please cite this article as: ShojaeiS, AbbasiM, RahimiT, Vahedian M, FarhadlooR, Movahed E, Parvaresh-MasoudM. The Effect of Religious Care by the Clergyman next to the Patients’ Bedside on their Depression and Anxiety. J Res Relig Health. 2018; 4(3):45-5

TLR9-based immunotherapy for the treatment of allergic diseases

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a family of pattern recognition receptors expressed on many cell types of innate immunity, recognize the pathogen-associated molecular patterns of microbes. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that a reduced microbial exposure in early childhood increases the susceptibility to allergic diseases due to deviation in development of the immune system. TLRs are key roles in the right and healthy direction of adaptive immunity with the induction of T-helper 2 toward Th1 immune responses and regulatory T cells. TLR ligand CpG-ODN-based immunomodulation is independent of allergen and it mainly affects innate immune system. While, CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide-based vaccination is allergen specific and induces adaptive immune system. The use of agonists of TLR9 in two distinct strategies of immunotherapy, immunomodulation and vaccination, could be presented as the curative method for the treatment of allergic diseases. First draft submitted: 29 August 2016; Accepted for publication: 8 February 2017; Published online: 17 March 2017 Keywords:  allergic diseases • immunotherapy • TLR9 • Toll-like receptor

Dental caries in primary and permanent teeth in children's worldwide, 1995 to 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a type of dental caries in the teeth of infants and children that is represented as one of the most prevalent dental problems in this period. Various studies have reported different types of prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth in children worldwide. However, there has been no comprehensive study to summarize the results of these studies in general, so this study aimed to determine the prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth in children in different continents of the world during a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In this review study, articles were extracted by searching in the national and international databases of SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Cochrane, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (ISI) between 1995 and December 2019. Random effects model was used for analysis and heterogeneity of studies was evaluated by using the I2 index. Data were analyzed by using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Version 2) software. Findings: In this study, a total of 164 articles (81 articles on the prevalence of dental caries in primary teeth and 83 articles on the prevalence of dental caries in permanent teeth) were entered the meta-analysis. The prevalence of dental caries in primary teeth in children in the world with a sample size of 80,405 was 46.2% (95% CI: 41.6–50.8%), and the prevalence of dental caries in permanent teeth in children in the world with a sample size of 1,454,871 was 53.8% (95% CI: 50–57.5%). Regarding the heterogeneity on the basis of meta-regression analysis, there was a significant difference in the prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth in children in different continents of the world. With increasing the sample size and the year of study, dental caries in primary teeth increased and in permanent teeth decreased. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the prevalence of primary and permanent dental caries in children in the world was found to be high. Therefore, appropriate strategies should be implemented to improve the aforementioned situation and to troubleshoot and monitor at all levels by providing feedback to hospitals

Obstacles and Challenges of Enhancing Capabilities of Rural Cooperatives' Firms in Hamedan Province

The aim of this study was to explore the possible solutions to increase the capabilities of the rural cooperatives' firms in Hamadan. Research method used in this study was a descriptive-analytical and data gathering methods were both surveying and library research. According to the statistical population include all active cooperatives in the target villages 110 samples (directors and managerial board) were selected. Validity of the indicators and questions in the questionnaire has been verified through a panel of specialists. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested during a pre-test by 30 cooperatives' members out of research samples through the Chronbach's alpha test and it was 0.84. Results of the factor analysis on factors' affecting the capabilities of rural cooperatives, revealed that four main factors include economic, policy, legal, educational and social planning could determine 43.29 percent of the variance of the factors affecting the abilities of rural cooperatives. Results of the factor analysis on limitations and obstacles affecting the capabilities of rural cooperatives revealed that three main factors include managerial, vocational-professional, and policy- legal, could determine 57.53 percent of variance the limitations and obstacles affecting the abilities of rural cooperatives

Mixed evaporite/carbonate characteristics of the Triassic Kangan Formation, offshore area, Persian Gulf

The Early Triassic Kangan Formation is a mixed carbonate-evaporite succession that is considered to be part of the largest carbonate gas reservoir in the Persian Gulf region. This stratigraphic succession is characterized by alternating limestone, dolostone, evaporite and shale that have been investigated in terms of evaporite facies characteristics in the Iranian offshore area. The main body of Kangan carbonates was deposited in a shallow-marine, restricted carbonate ramp platform, and underwent intense near-surface diagenesis and minor burial modification. Evaporitic facies consist of anhydrite, secondary anhydrite after gypsum, and mixed carbonate-evaporite, which are dominant in the different parts of Kangan Formation, as result of arid climate and abrupt eustatic sea level changes. This article focuses on the evaporite successions, in which diverse evaporitic lithofacies have been recognized that can be categorized in two main classes: (1) carbonate-dominated facies with evaporite contents (C facies types), and (2) evaporite-dominated with minor carbonate contents (A facies types). Fine-crystalline anhydrite laminae and bands, bedded evaporite (bedded pseudomorphs); interstitial anhydrite pseudomorphs after gypsum and nodular anhydrite are common features. The evaporite successions in microscopic and macroscopic scales indicate that dolomitization and anhydrite precipitation took place contemporaneously, as ascribed to sabkha/seepage-reflux models. The evaporite sedimentation has mainly occurred in a subsiding coastal basin of a salina or hypersaline lagoon. In this setting, the subaqueous precipitation of the carbonate and evaporite lithofacies was followed by the interstitial growth of diagenetic, secondary anhydrite. As a whole, the evaporite succession reflects an infilling and diagenetic process. Gypsum was converted to anhydrite pseudomorphs following shallow to deep burial diagenesis events.La Formación Kangan del Triásico Temprano es una sucesión mixta de carbonato-evaporita que se considera como parte del depósito de gas en carbonatos más grande en la región del Golfo Pérsico. Esta sucesión estratigráfica se caracteriza por una alternancia de caliza, dolomía, evaporitas y lutita, que ha sido investigada en términos de las características de sus facies evaporíticas en la costa externa iraní. El cuerpo principal de los carbonatos Kangan fue depositado en una plataforma carbonatada restringida, de tipo rampa marina somera, y se sometió a una intensa diagénesis cerca de la superficie y ligeras modificaciones por sepultamiento. Las facies evaporíticas consisten de anhidrita primaria, anhidrita secundaria formada a partir de yeso y mezclas de carbonatos-evaporitas, predominantes en diferentes partes de la Formación Kangan y originadas por el clima árido y abruptos cambios eustáticos del nivel del mar. Este artículo se enfoca en las sucesiones evaporíticas, en las cuales se ha reconocido una serie de litofacies evaporíticas, que pueden clasificarse en dos grupos principales: (1) facies dominadas por carbonatos con contenido de evaporitas (facies tipo C), y (2) facies dominadas por evaporitas con contenido menor de carbonatos (facies tipo A). Son características comunes las láminas y bandas de anhidrita cristalina fina, evaporitas estratificadas (seudomorfos estratificados), seudomorfos de anhidrita intersticial formados a partir de yeso y anhidrita nodular. Las sucesiones evaporíticas a escala microscópica y macroscópica indican que la dolomitización y la precipitación de anhidrita tuvieron lugar simultáneamente, según los modelos de sabkha/filtraciones-reflujo. La sedimentación de evaporitas ocurrió, principalmente, en una cuenca costera en subsidencia de una laguna salina o hipersalina. En este contexto, la precipitación subacuática de las litofacies carbonatadas y evaporíticas fue seguida por el crecimiento intersticial de anhidrita diagenética. En su totalidad, la sucesión evaporítica refleja un proceso de relleno y procesos diagenéticos. El yeso se convirtió en seudomorfos de anhidrita en respuesta a eventos diagenéticos por sepultamiento somero a profundo

Factor Affecting the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Water

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting the sustainable management of agricultural water in Hamedan. The study population included all wheat farmers possessing irrigated farms in Hamedan city (N=1800). Of these farmers a sample of 317 people has been selected by using randomized multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected through a questionnaire's tool with help of the interview technique. Accuracy of the questions in the questionnaire was face validated by a panel of specialists. To test the reliability of the questionnaires, the questionnaires were first given to 30 farmers and Cronbach's Alpha was calculated (Alpha=0.92) then the questionnaire was finalized. Data analyzing methods such as Multiple Regression and the coefficient of variation (CV= standard deviation /mean) were used in this study. To determine the level of sustainability of the farms Bossel method proposed for classification and grading the fields was used. The results showed that variables agronomic factors, policy factors and institutional factors were able to explain 34 percent of the dependent variable's changes (sustainable management of agricultural water). According to the results, 95.3 percent of the farmers were categorized into unsustainable group, 4.1 percent into semi-sustainable and only 0.6 percent in sustainable group

مراقبت مذهبی روحانی بر بالین بیماران و تأثیر آن بر افسردگی و اضطراب بیمارستانی

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v4i3.15911Background and Objective: The fear of surgery, death, and the debilitating symptoms of the illness make hospitalized patients develop anxiety and depression that may disrupt their performance. Religious care aimed at addressing the religious needs of hospitalized patients can have a significant role in increasing the hospitalized patients’ ability to cope with their illness. Therefore, the researchers aimed to set up a religious-based plan and perform it by the presence of a clergy next to the patients’ bedside and determine its effectiveness on decreasing anxiety and depression of hospitalized patients. Method: In this randomized controlled clinical trial with control group, 142 hospitalized patients were chosen in the form of random sampling in Nekoui hospital of Qom. They were divided into a test and a control group. Then, the demographic questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were completed by them. The religious-based plan by the presence of a clergy next to the patients’ bedside was performed in the test group. The two groups were followed after the intervention. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the researchers declared no conflict of interests. Results: In terms of overall score of hospital anxiety and depression, the results of ANCOVA showed a statistically meaningful difference between the two groups after the intervention (F=35.75, P<0.001). Also, the results of paired-samples t-test showed a significant decline in the anxiety and depression of hospitalized patients in the intervention group (P= 0.001). In contrast, no measurable difference was observed in the anxiety and depression scores of patients in the control group (P= 0.10, P= 0.48). Conclusion: The presence of special medical teams like responsible clergies who are familiar with health issues and the provision of religious care can decrease patients’ anxiety and depression. Such a religious intervention also has a significant role in boosting patients’ morale and reducing their woes.   Please cite this article as: ShojaeiS, AbbasiM, RahimiT, Vahedian M, FarhadlooR, Movahed E, Parvaresh-MasoudM. The Effect of Religious Care by the Clergyman next to the Patients’ Bedside on their Depression and Anxiety. J Res Relig Health. 2018; 4(3):45-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v4i3.15911سابقه و هدف: بیماران بستری به علت ترس از عمل جراحی یا علائم ناتوان‌کننده‌ی بیماری و مرگ دچار اضطراب و افسردگی می‌شوند که می‌تواند عملکرد آنها را مختل کند. مراقبت مذهبی روحانيون با هدف برآوردن نیازهای مذهبی بیماران مي‌تواند موجب افزایش توانایی آنان برای مقابله با بیماری شود. ازاین‌رو، پژوهشگران بر آن شدند برنامه‌ی مراقبت مذهبیی تدوین کنند که فرد روحانی آن را بر بالین بیمار اجرا کند، تا اثربخشی برنامه را در افسردگی و اضطراب بیماران بستری ارزیابی کنند. روش کار: در این مطالعه‌ی کارآزمایی بالینی با گروه کنترل، 142 بیمار بستری در بیمارستان نکویی شهر قم به‌صورت نمونه‌گيري تصادفي انتخاب شدند و در دو گروه آزمون و كنترل قرار گرفتند و پرسش‌نامه‌هاي مربوط به اطلاعات جمعیت‌شناختی و سطح افسردگی و اضطراب بیمارستانی را تكميل کردند. پس از آن روحانی همکار برنامه‌ی مراقبت مذهبی را بر بالین بیماران گروه آزمون اجرا کرد و دو گروه پس از مداخله پيگيري شدند. در این پژوهش همه‌ی موارد اخلاقی رعایت شده است. علاوه‌ بر این، نویسندگان مقاله هیچ‌گونه تضاد منافعی گزارش نکرده‌اند. یافته‌ها: آزمون آنکووا نشان داد که مداخله‌ی صورت گرفته مؤثر بود و دو گروه بعد از مداخله از نظر نمره‌ی کلی اضطراب و افسردگی بیمارستانی و حیطه‌های آن (اضطراب - افسردگی) (001/0p< و 75/35F=)، با هم تفاوت آماری معنی‌داری داشتند. آزمون تی زوجی نیز نشان داد که در گروه مداخله اضطراب و افسردگی بیمارستانی بعد از مداخله به‌‌طور معنی‌داری کاهش پیدا کرده بود (001/0p=)؛ درحالی‌که در گروه کنترل، تفاوت معنی‌داری مشاهده نشد (10/0P= و 48/0P=). نتیجه‌گیری: حضور افرادی نظیر روحانی متعهد و آشنا به مسائل درمانی در کنار افراد دیگر؛ و دادن مراقبت مذهبی می‌تواند موجب کاهش اضطراب و افسردگی بیماران شود و نقش بسزایی در کاهش آلام و تقویت روحیه‌ی بیماران و بهبودی‌ آنان داشته باشد.   استناد مقاله به این صورت است: ShojaeiS, AbbasiM, RahimiT, Vahedian M, FarhadlooR, Movahed E, Parvaresh-MasoudM. The Effect of Religious Care by the Clergyman next to the Patients’ Bedside on their Depression and Anxiety. J Res Relig Health. 2018; 4(3):45-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v4i3.15911 &nbsp

The Outcome of Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the lives of many people worldwide. Patients with chronic underlying morbidities are vulnerable to get the severe form of the infection. The goal of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a large tertiary center for pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) patients. The primary end point was the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in PAH patients. The secondary end points were investigating the severity and mortality of COVID-19 infection in PAH patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Totally 75 patients were enrolled in the study from December 2019 to October 2021 and 64% were female. The mean ± SD age was 49 ± 16 years. The prevalence of COVID-19 in PAH/chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients was 44%. About 66.7% of patients had comorbidities, which was a prognostic factor for COVID-19 infection in PAH patients (P < 0.001). Fifty-six percent of infected patients were asymptomatic. The most reported symptoms in symptomatic patients were fever (28%) and malaise (29%). Twelve percent of patients were admitted with severe symptoms. The mortality rate in infected individuals was 3.7%. Conclusions: COVID-19 infection in PAH/chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients seems to be associated with high mortality and morbidity. More scientific proof is needed to clarify different aspect of COVID-19 infection in this population12 month embargo; first published 23 March 2023This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]