The effect of massage with sunflower oil on infants’ weight and height

Background and aims: Infants are very sensitive group of society, so special attention is needed to take care of their physical and mental health. Some studies showed that massage therapy by parents can improve life quality for infants. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of massage with sunflower oil on infants' growth. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 120 infants who were 10-15 days old, full-term, single, exclusively breastfed infants and with no history of hospitalization. The infants were assigned randomly into three groups of sunflower oil massage, only massage and control. Mothers administered 15 minutes of massage to their infants twice per day for 28 days. Data collection was recorded. Weight and height of infants were measured at baseline, and at the end of the first, second, third, and fourth weeks of the study. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The study showed that, the mean of weight and height in all groups had assembling trend in. All groups showed a significant assembling trend in weight and height (p>0.001). There was no significant difference in all groups at the end of second week (p>0.05). At the end of third and fourth week, sunflower oil massage group had significant difference with control group weight 4393.3± 714.8, 4114.9± 657.6 and height 52.96±1.14, 52.05± 1.15. The mean of weight and height had no significant difference in other groups. Conclusion: Infant massage with sunflower oil could be used as an easy, effective way to enhance infants’ growt

Assessing performance of the Healthcare Access and Quality Index, overall and by select age groups, for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Health-care needs change throughout the life course. It is thus crucial to assess whether health systems provide access to quality health care for all ages. Drawing from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019), we measured the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index overall and for select age groups in 204 locations from 1990 to 2019. Methods: We distinguished the overall HAQ Index (ages 0–74 years) from scores for select age groups: the young (ages 0–14 years), working (ages 15–64 years), and post-working (ages 65–74 years) groups. For GBD 2019, HAQ Index construction methods were updated to use the arithmetic mean of scaled mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) and risk-standardised death rates (RSDRs) for 32 causes of death that should not occur in the presence of timely, quality health care. Across locations and years, MIRs and RSDRs were scaled from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) separately, putting the HAQ Index on a different relative scale for each age group. We estimated absolute convergence for each group on the basis of whether the HAQ Index grew faster in absolute terms between 1990 and 2019 in countries with lower 1990 HAQ Index scores than countries with higher 1990 HAQ Index scores and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. SDI is a summary metric of overall development. Findings: Between 1990 and 2019, the HAQ Index increased overall (by 19·6 points, 95% uncertainty interval 17·9–21·3), as well as among the young (22·5, 19·9–24·7), working (17·2, 15·2–19·1), and post-working (15·1, 13·2–17·0) age groups. Large differences in HAQ Index scores were present across SDI levels in 2019, with the overall index ranging from 30·7 (28·6–33·0) on average in low-SDI countries to 83·4 (82·4–84·3) on average in high-SDI countries. Similarly large ranges between low-SDI and high-SDI countries, respectively, were estimated in the HAQ Index for the young (40·4–89·0), working (33·8–82·8), and post-working (30·4–79·1) groups. Absolute convergence in HAQ Index was estimated in the young group only. In contrast, divergence was estimated among the working and post-working groups, driven by slow progress in low-SDI countries. Interpretation: Although major gaps remain across levels of social and economic development, convergence in the young group is an encouraging sign of reduced disparities in health-care access and quality. However, divergence in the working and post-working groups indicates that health-care access and quality is lagging at lower levels of social and economic development. To meet the needs of ageing populations, health systems need to improve health-care access and quality for working-age adults and older populations while continuing to realise gains among the young. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In an era of shifting global agendas and expanded emphasis on non-communicable diseases and injuries along with communicable diseases, sound evidence on trends by cause at the national level is essential. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic scientific assessment of published, publicly available, and contributed data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality for a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of diseases and injuries. Methods: GBD estimates incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to 369 diseases and injuries, for two sexes, and for 204 countries and territories. Input data were extracted from censuses, household surveys, civil registration and vital statistics, disease registries, health service use, air pollution monitors, satellite imaging, disease notifications, and other sources. Cause-specific death rates and cause fractions were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression. Cause-specific deaths were adjusted to match the total all-cause deaths calculated as part of the GBD population, fertility, and mortality estimates. Deaths were multiplied by standard life expectancy at each age to calculate YLLs. A Bayesian meta-regression modelling tool, DisMod-MR 2.1, was used to ensure consistency between incidence, prevalence, remission, excess mortality, and cause-specific mortality for most causes. Prevalence estimates were multiplied by disability weights for mutually exclusive sequelae of diseases and injuries to calculate YLDs. We considered results in the context of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income per capita, years of schooling, and fertility rate in females younger than 25 years. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered 1000 draw values of the posterior distribution. Findings: Global health has steadily improved over the past 30 years as measured by age-standardised DALY rates. After taking into account population growth and ageing, the absolute number of DALYs has remained stable. Since 2010, the pace of decline in global age-standardised DALY rates has accelerated in age groups younger than 50 years compared with the 1990–2010 time period, with the greatest annualised rate of decline occurring in the 0–9-year age group. Six infectious diseases were among the top ten causes of DALYs in children younger than 10 years in 2019: lower respiratory infections (ranked second), diarrhoeal diseases (third), malaria (fifth), meningitis (sixth), whooping cough (ninth), and sexually transmitted infections (which, in this age group, is fully accounted for by congenital syphilis; ranked tenth). In adolescents aged 10–24 years, three injury causes were among the top causes of DALYs: road injuries (ranked first), self-harm (third), and interpersonal violence (fifth). Five of the causes that were in the top ten for ages 10–24 years were also in the top ten in the 25–49-year age group: road injuries (ranked first), HIV/AIDS (second), low back pain (fourth), headache disorders (fifth), and depressive disorders (sixth). In 2019, ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the top-ranked causes of DALYs in both the 50–74-year and 75-years-and-older age groups. Since 1990, there has been a marked shift towards a greater proportion of burden due to YLDs from non-communicable diseases and injuries. In 2019, there were 11 countries where non-communicable disease and injury YLDs constituted more than half of all disease burden. Decreases in age-standardised DALY rates have accelerated over the past decade in countries at the lower end of the SDI range, while improvements have started to stagnate or even reverse in countries with higher SDI. Interpretation: As disability becomes an increasingly large component of disease burden and a larger component of health expenditure, greater research and developm nt investment is needed to identify new, more effective intervention strategies. With a rapidly ageing global population, the demands on health services to deal with disabling outcomes, which increase with age, will require policy makers to anticipate these changes. The mix of universal and more geographically specific influences on health reinforces the need for regular reporting on population health in detail and by underlying cause to help decision makers to identify success stories of disease control to emulate, as well as opportunities to improve. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licens

The Relationship between Wife Abuse and Mental Health in Women Experiencing Domestic Violence referred to the Forensic Medical Center of Shiraz

Background and Objectives: Neglecting women's health and the domestic violence prevailing against them can cause a variety of mental and even physical diseases that threaten the health of the family. Disruptions in the life pattern of women and mothers have adverse health effects for both the family and the entire society. The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between wife abuse and mental health in female victims of domestic violence referred to the Forensic Medical Center of Shiraz. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study was conducted over three months in 2013 on 197 women with abusive husbands referred to the Forensic Medical Center of Shiraz. The study data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and a standard violence against women questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was measured to assess the data collection tools' reliability. Data were analyzed in SPSS-18. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was reported as 30.42±6.72. More than 50 percent of the women had been victim to domestic violence and suffered from disorders in all the aspects of general health (P<0.05). There was a positive relationship between domestic violence and all the aspects of general health. In other words, violence of any kind was a predictor of general health disorders (P<0.05). Domestic violence was found to have the greatest effect on the incidence of depression and anxiety. Conclusion: The present study revealed the psychological consequences of wife abuse and violence against women and confirmed the damaging effect of violence on women's mental health. In addition to imposing heavy costs on the society for providing healthcare and medications, mental health disorders in women are also a burden for the family life and the children's upbringing

Polycystic ovary syndrome and circulating inflammatory markers

Background: Human and experimental studies suggest that the sympathetic regulatory drive in the ovary may be unbalanced (hyperactivity) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Dysfunctional secretion of interleukin (IL) -1 (&alpha; & &beta;) or related cytokines may thus be related to abnormal ovulation and luteinization. Objective: The aim of this study was the evaluation of cytokines&rsquo; pattern in PCOS women and discussion about the explanation of cross-talk between two super systems: sympathetic and immune systems and explanation sympatho-excitation and relationship with interleukins. Materials and Methods: In this study, 171 PCOS women aged between 20-40 years were studied. Their body mass index was <28. The patients were divided into two groups: study group (n=85, PCOS women) and control group (n=86 normal women). The blood sample was obtained on the 3rd day of menstruation cycle. IL-17, IL-1&alpha;, IL-1&beta;, and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-&alpha;) concentrations were determined in both groups. Results: The median serum level of IL-1&alpha; in the PCOS group was higher than the control group (293.3 and 8.0, respectively, p<0.001). Also, the median serum level of IL-1&beta; was higher than the control group (5.9 and 3.1 respectively). But the median serum of level IL-17 in women with PCOS was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our results confirm that PCOS is a low-level chronic inflammatio

The psychoneuromedulator role of corticotrophin releasing hormone in women with Polycystic Ovary

&nbsp; The psychoneuromedulator role of corticotrophin releasing hormone in women with Polycystic Ovary Farideh Zafari Zangeneh1*, Mohammad Mehdi Naghizadeh2 Masoumeh Masoumi1 Reproductive Health Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Community Medicine, Medical Faculty, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran Address: Reproductive Health Research Center, Imam Hospital Complex, Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; E-mail: [email protected] Tel. +982166581616 Fax No.: +982166581658 Abstract Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common complex condition in women associated with reproductive and metabolic systems and also psychological disorders. There is considerable evidence to suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in PCO and metabolic syndroms. Noradrenalin (NA), corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are the strong stimulants for two axes: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axes which are regulators for the female reproductive system. Following previous studies on sympathetic nervous system overactivity in PCOS, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of CRH and NGF as two important findings from the perspective of the psycho-emotional. Methods: This case/control study has been down in Reproductive Health Research Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran in 2015. 170 women participated in this study with 20-40 years of age and body mass index (BMI) of less than 28. Data analysis was using by t-tests, Chi-square and Mann Whitney. &nbsp; Results: Serum levels CRH and NGF in patients with polycystic ovary was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). This reduction can disrupt two neural axes and the sympathetic nervous system activity and&nbsp; have a&nbsp; fundamental role in psycho-emotional reactions in women with PCOS. Moreover, using demographic questionnaire quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the population studied, the results of which are reported in the regression model. &nbsp; Conclusions: The results of this study confirmed previous studies. This reduction in serum levels of CRH and NGF shows the hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system in polycystic ovary syndrome can be one of the causes of mental disorders in women with PCOS. &nbsp

Psychoneuromedulator role of corticotrophin releasing hormone in PCOS

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common complex condition in women associated with reproductive and metabolic systems and also psychological disorders. There is considerable evidence to suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in PCO and metabolic syndromes. Noradrenalin (NA), corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are the strong stimulants for two axes: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axes which are regulators for the female reproductive system. Following previous studies on sympathetic nervous system over activity in PCOS, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of CRH and NGF as two important findings from the perspective of the psycho-emotional. Methods: This case-control study was conducted in Reproductive Health Research Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran in the September of 2011. 170 women participated in this study. The diagnosis of PCOS was made according to the joint criteria of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ESHRE/ASRM). All women have 20-40 years of age and body mass index (BMI) of less than 28. Demographic questionnaire was used in this study and blood sample was obtained from all participants before 8AM. All analysis was done in SPSS software, version 19 (IBM SPSS, Armonk, NY, USA). P-value less than 0.05 considered as significant level. Results: Serum levels of CRH and NGF in patients with polycystic ovary was significantly lower than the control group (P< 0.001). This reduction can disrupt two neural axes: the sympathetic nervous system (SAS) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA). These axes have a fundamental role in psycho-emotional reactions in women with PCOS. Moreover, using demographic questionnaire quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the population studied, the results of which are reported in the regression model. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed previous studies. This reduction in serum levels of CRH and NGF shows the hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system in polycystic ovary syndrome can be one of the causes of mental disorders in women with PCOS

Network analysis of early maladaptive schemes and career adaptability of students

Background: Numerous studies have shown that early maladaptive schemes play a role in various aspects of human life, but there is a research gap in the relationship between these schemes and career path adaptability. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between early maladaptive schemes and adaptability of students' career path by network analysis. Methods: The research method was descriptive, correlational and research tools were Young's Scheme Questionnaire (1990) and Savickas' Career Adaptability Questionnaire (2012). The statistical population included all students of universities and higher education institutions in the country in 2019, sampling method was non-random with maximum variation and the sample size was 849 people. Questionnaires were provided to students through Google Docs. Network analysis, R software and Qgragh package were used for data analysis. Results: Based on the betweenness index, Unrelenting Standards scheme (20) and the confidence (19) were ranked first. Also, the shortest path between adaptability dimensions and schemes was obtained separately: The dimension of Concern, with the schemes of Approval-Seeking (10/21), Subjugation(10/76) and Insufficient Self- control(13/17), Control dimension, with schemes of Emotional Deprivation(9/99), Insufficient Self-Control(10/69) and Unrelenting Standards(11/76), Curiosity dimension with Insufficient Self-control(10/26), Emotional deprivation(10/99) and Mistrust(11/21), And the dimension of Confidence with Insufficient Self-control(8/10), Unrelenting Standards(9/17) and Failure to Achive(10/36), have the shortest distance, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that from 18 early maladaptive scheme, 8 schemes of Approval-Seeking, Subjugation, Insufficient self-control, Emotional Deprivation, Unrelenting Standards, Entitlement, Mistrust and Failure to Achive have the most role in various dimensions of students' career path adaptability

Intravaginal probiotics before embryo transfer do not improve pregnancy rates in recurrent implantation failure cases: An RCT

Abstract Background: Considering the considerable influence of the vaginal microbiome on endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation, we hypothesized that cases of recurrent implantation failure (RIF) might benefit from the intravaginal probiotic administration. Objective: Evaluation of the effects of intravaginal probiotic administration before frozen embryo transfer (FET) on the rates of pregnancy and the status of vaginal lactobacillary flora in cases of RIF. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized, parallel-group, clinical trial conducted at an infertility clinic in Tehran, Iran between January 2021 and September 2022. A total of 166 reproductive-aged women with a history of unexplained RIF were randomly assigned to either the probiotic group or the control group (n = 83/each group). The probiotic group received intravaginal probiotics (LactoVagⓇ) daily for 2 wk from the second day of the menstrual cycle along with the routine treatment of FET. The control group received only the routine treatment of FET. The primary outcome was the chemical pregnancy rate, and the secondary outcomes were the clinical pregnancy rate and the status of vaginal lactobacillary flora. Results: A total of 163 participants were included in the final analysis. The probiotic group had a slightly higher chemical pregnancy rate than the control group (39.02% vs. 33.33%), but the difference was not statistically significant (risk ratio: 1.71, 95% CI: 0.77–1.76; p = 0.449). The clinical pregnancy rate was also non-significantly higher in the probiotic group than the control group (37.80% vs. 33.33%; RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.76–1.74; p = 0.623). Conclusion: Intravaginal probiotic administration did not significantly improve the pregnancy rates in RIF cases undergoing FET. Further studies are needed to explore the optimal dose, duration, and timing of probiotic administration, as well as the mechanisms of action and the potential adverse effects of probiotics on the vaginal microbiome and the implantation process

Comparing the Immunoregulatory Effects of Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth and Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) have been introduced recently and  possess characteristics similar to  mesenchymal stem  cells (MSCs). Because of  their convenient accessibility and safety of harvest, SHED can be a preferable source for the ever- increasing MSCs’ applications. While they are new, their immunoproperties have not been adequately studied. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of SHED on T lymphocytes and compare it to conventional MSCs (BMMSCs). At first the isolated T lymphocytes were activated specifically/nonspecifically in vitro and cocultured  with  SHED   or  BMMSCs under  the  same  conditions,  subsequently  their proliferation and cytokine secretion (IL-2 and IFN-γ) were measured. In   our   experiment,  BMMSCs  and  SHED   inhibit  the  proliferation  and  cytokine production  of both  PHA  and alloantigen stimulated T lymphocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In direct and indirect contact to T lymphocytes, the inhibition of BMMSCs (but not of SHED)  was significantly different The cytokine production  from activated T cells was affected differently by two types of MSCs. The inhibition decreased by the separation of lymphocytes and MSCs by a semipermeable membrane, but it was not abolished. This study showed that SHED suppress the activation of human T lymphocytes in vitro like other  MSCs. Compared  to  BMMSCs, this suppression  was alleviated. In  the  equal conditions,  the  pattern  of  immune-modulation  of  BMMSCs and  SHED  was different, suggesting that SHED do not exert the exact mechanisms of BMMSCs' immunosuppression. This finding should be verified by further studies focused on the detailed mechanisms of the immunomodulation of SHED and also BMMSCs