Predictive factors for loneliness in female high school students; an unvariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis

Background and aims: Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings. It is particularly relevant to adolescence period. It has effect on physical and mental health. The present study aimed to identify the predictive factors of loneliness among high schools female students. Methods: A cross –sectional survey was carried out among high schools female students in Ilam during the academic year 2014-15. Sampling was done by multistage method. The student's consent to participation in the study obtained by full filled the questionnaires. Data were collected by demographic and University of California, Los Angeles questionnaire. Questionnaires with incomplete information were excluded. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was measured as an index of internal identicalness of the questionnaire to verify its reliability. Results: A total 400 female high school students were studied. Overall, 62.8 of students put into non- loneliness group and 37.3 of all have loneliness. The univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrates that education field, father’s education and father’s occupation were different between the groups (P < 0.05). The risk of loneliness was higher in students with a mathematical sciences education field in comparison to general education field (OR= 1.75). In multivariate logistic regression analysis the education field, father’s education and father’s occupation were considered as independent predictive variables for female students’ loneliness. The AUROC criterion was applied to compute both the sensibility and the specificity of the manikin. The overall percent of correct classification of the model is 64. Conclusion: Identify the causes of students loneliness can prevent complications and provide appropriate solutions

The global trend of infertility: an original review and meta-analysis

Background and aims: Infertility is one of the most important conditions in reproductive system and there is no reliable estimates for global prevalence of infertility. Therefore, knowing the prevalence of infertility is important and can be effective in decision making. Methods: We systematically reviewed all published papers in Medline database and Scopus (1988–2010). Univariate and multivariate approaches were applied to assess the causes of heterogeneity among the selected studies. Meta-regression was used to examine the relationship between the prevalence of infertility and the year of study. Data manipulation and statistical analyses were performed using Stata 11.1. Results: The study population was not similar in all papers. Studies evaluated the prevalence of infertility in the general population, the total female population, women and couples. Some studies defined infertility as failure to conceive within 12 months of regular sexual life without contraception methods while other studies defined it as failure to conceive within 24 months of regular sexual life without contraception methods. Overall, 52 studies met our inclusion criteria and the pooled worldwide of infertility was obtained about 10. The correlation between prevalence of secondary infertility and year of study was significant (P=0.039). Conclusions: Approximately 10 of the world's population suffers from infertility. Due to the negative impact of infertility on couples in various aspects of life, and the need for treatment and support programs, accurate estimate of infertility is essential worldwide

Prevalence of internet addiction among university students in Ilam: a cross-sectional study

Background and aims: Internet addiction is one of the problems emerged with the development of technology. Considering the potential negative effects of internet addiction on health, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction in university students in Ilam, west of Iran, in 2014. Methods:In this cross– sectional study, 1066 university students in both public and private sectors were assessed in 2014. The samples were selected by multi-stage random sampling method. Data were collected by a two-part questionnaire: the personal characteristics and Internet Addiction Test (IAT)-20. This 20-itemed questionnaire measures internet addiction in mild, moderate and severe levels. Each answer is scored based on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. The higher score represents a greater level of addiction. The total score between 20 and 49 represented mild, 50-79 showed moderate and 80-100 was severe addiction. Results:Overall, 466 (43.7) of students were placed in the Internet addiction group. Generally, 39.6 of students had mild and 4.1 had moderate addiction. No case of sever Internet addiction was seen. Prevalence of internet addiction in the medical students was higher compared to nonmedical students (P< 0.0001). Conclusion:Based on the results, internet addiction should be considered as a serious problem in adolescents and young adults. So, it is necessary that proper use of internet to be educated to adolescents and young adults to prevent the risk of internet addiction

Risk factors of pelvic organ prolapse in Iranian women: a cross-sectional study

Background and aims: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition which affects on a large proportion of women. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors of POP in Iranian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out to examine the role of demographic, anthropometric and clinical characteristics in POP disease in a sample of 365 females in Ilam, Iran. Examinations were performed according to Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POPQ) technique in dorsal lithotomic position. Then, the sample divided into two groups as with and without prolapse. Then, unilabiate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Totally, 365 women participated in this study. The prevalence of POP was 80.8. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant differences between groups with and without POP based on age, maximum birth weight, BMI, pregnancy, delivery mode, delivery operative and delivery position. But after multivariate analysis, the most significant factors identified as risk factors for POP were age (OR= 1.12, 95 CI= 1.02-1.23, P= 0.02), normal vaginal delivery (NVD; OR= 6.18, 95 CI= 1.43-26.75, P= 0.01) and episiotomy (OR= 30, 95 CI= 5.69-158.11, P= 0.000). Conclusion: Findings of the study showed that several risk factors could collaborate in creating of POP. However; body mass index and number of pregnancies are modifiable factors. So, maternal care providers should educate women for maintaining the ideal weight and decreasing the number of pregnancy in order to prevent POP

Investigating on relationship between birth weight and prevalence and severity of pelvic organ prolapse

Introduction: Pelvic organ prolapse is a common disorder among women. More than half of the women, who have given birth, may experience it during their life. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between birth weight and prevalence and severity of pelvic organ prolapse. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 365 of women who referred to Health centers in Darre shahr city of Ilam were randomly entered to this study.The data were collected by using questionnaire, recording examination, interview, and observation. Examinations were performed based on Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POPQ).The statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software Version 14 and Chi-square test. Descriptive statistics tests were used to determine the frequencies and Means. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of all 365 participated women, 19.2 without prolapse and 80.8 had different degrees of prolapsed. The most types of prolapse included grade two (56.8) and anterior wall (72.3). According to Mann-Whitney test, there was a significant relation between pelvic organ prolapses and maximum birth weight of newborns (P= 0. 011). Conclusion: Pelvic organ prolapsed was common and had relation with birth weight of neonates. © 2016 - Journal Management System

A novel diblock copolymer of (monomethoxy poly [ethylene glycol]-oleate) with a small hydrophobic fraction to make stable micelles/polymersomes for curcumin delivery to cancer cells

Curcumin is a potent natural anticancer agent, but its effectiveness is limited by properties such as very low solubility, high rate of degradation, and low rate of absorption of its hydrophobic molecules in vivo. To date, various nanocarriers have been used to improve the bioavailability of this hydrophobic biomaterial. This study investigates the encapsulation of curcumin in a novel nanostructure of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-oleate (mPEG-OA) and its anticancer effect. Tests were done to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC), encapsulation efficiency, drug-loading efficiency, and cytotoxicity (against U87MG brain carcinoma cells and HFSF-PI3 cells as normal human fibroblasts) of some nanodevice preparations. The results of fluorescence microscopy and cell-cycle analyses indicated that the in vitro bioavailability of the encapsulated curcumin was significantly greater than that of free curcumin. Cytotoxicity evaluations showed that half maximal inhibitory concentrations of free curcumin and curcumin-loaded mPEG-OA for the U87MG cancer cell line were 48 μM and 24 μM, respectively. The Annexin-V-FLUOS assay was used to quantify the apoptotic effect of the prepared nanostructures. Apoptosis induction was observed in a dose-dependent manner after curcumin-loaded mPEG-OA treatments. Two common self-assembling structures, micelles and polymersomes, were observed by atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scat­tering, and the abundance of each structure was dependent on the concentration of the diblock copolymer. The mPEG-OA micelles had a very low CMC (13.24 μM or 0.03 g/L). Moreover, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering showed that the curcumin-loaded mPEG-OA polymersomes had very stable structures, and at concentrations 1,000 times less than the CMC, at which the micelles disappear, polymersomes were the dominant structures in the dispersion with a reduced size distribution below 150 nm. Overall, the results from these tests revealed that this nanocarrier can be considered as an appropriate drug delivery system for delivering curcumin to cancer cells. © 2014 Erfani-Moghadam et al

Seroepidemiology of rubella, measles, HBV, HCV and B19 virus within women in child bearing ages (Saravan City of Sistan and Bloochastan Province)

Present survey basically focused on women between 15-45 years of age resident in a town of Sistan and Baluchistan province named as Saravan city located in border of Pakistan-Iran in order to find out the seropositivity against the viruses in child bearing ages in the above stated under study community. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried-out from 2001 up to 2002. Saravan town was divided into 4 geographical areas and each area was further sub-divided into 10 blocks and in each block 10 families were chosen randomly. In the next step by referring to each family from the chosen married women with specified age i.e., 15-45 years, 5 mL blood was collected. Serum was then separated and stored at -20°C before the assay. ELISA kit was employed to detect anti B19, anti rubella, anti measles, anti HBV and anti HCV antibody. Furthermore during samples collection a questionnaire filled for each woman under study. This study showed that 89.6% of women understudy were seropositive against measles, rubella (96.2%), B19 (59.2%), HCV (0.8%) and HBV (19.8%), respectively. According to the results of no serious problem with rubella in this area; But, about measles, the present immunity against measles in this area is insufficient. It seems that incidence of B19 infection in this region is same as other places in Iran. The rate of seropositivity against HBV and HCV indicated of these viruses circulating in the population in this area. © 2007 Academic Journals

Comparison of Analgesic Effect Between Gabapentin and Diclofenac on Post-Operative Pain in Patients Undergoing Tonsillectomy

Background: Tonsillectomy is a common procedure causing considerable postoperative pain. Postoperative pain intensity of 60 - 70 in the scale of visual analog scale (VAS) has been reported up to 3 - 4 days which could continue until 11 days after the surgery. Objectives: The current study aimed to compare the analgesic effect of gabapentin and diclofenac on pain after tonsillectomy with the control group. Patients and Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 90 patients aged 10-25 years, ASA classes I and II were randomly selected to receive 20 mg/kg oral gabapentin (n = 30), 1.0 mg / kg rectal diclofenac (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) preoperatively. Pain was evaluated postoperatively on a visual analogue scale at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h. Opioid consumption in the first 24 h after surgery and the side effects were also recorded. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of age, sex, and time of surgery in the three groups. Patients in the gabapentin and diclofenac groups had significantly lower pain scores at all-time intervals than those in the placebo group. The total meperidine consumed in the gabapentin (14.16 ± 6.97 P = 0.001) and diclofenac (16.66 ± 8.95, P = 0.004) groups was significantly less than that of the placebo (33.4 ± 13.97) group. The frequency of side effects such as vomiting, dizziness, and headache was not significantly different among the groups. Conclusions: It can be concluded that gabapentin and diclofenac reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption without obvious side effects

Improved polynomial approximations for the solution of nonlinear integral equations

AbstractIn this paper, the solutions of nonlinear integral equations, including Volterra, Fredholm, Volterra–Fredholm of first and second kinds, are approximated as a linear combination of some basic functions. The unknown parameters of an approximate solution are obtained based on minimization of the residual function. In addition, the existence and convergence of these approximate solutions are investigated. In order to use Newton’s method for minimization of the residual function, a suitable initial point will be introduced. Moreover, to confirm the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method, some numerical examples are presented. It is shown that there are considerable improvements in our results compared with the results of the existing methods. All numerical computations have been performed on a personal computer using Maple 12