The Relationship Among Life Style, Coping Strategies and Religiosity With General Health in Iranian Students

General health has been associated with many variables that from most important can be noted Life Style, Coping Strategies and Religiosity. This study examined the relationship between life style, coping strategies, religiosity and general health among Iranian students. This cross sectional study was conducted on 180 students 15-17 year olds who were selected via multi step cluster sampling method design from schools in the Varamin suburb, Iran in 2013. All students completed the questionnaires of life style, coping strategies, religiosity and general health and regression was used for data analyses. The statistical analysis revealed a positive relationship between life style, problem solving strategy and internal religiosity with general health (P<0.01) and a negative relationship between emotional coping strategy with general health (P<0.05). Life style, internal religiosity and problem-focused strategy predicted 32 percent of variance of general health and also share of life style in prediction general health was over of other variables. These results highlight the importance in considering life style at further understanding general health in students.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v2i3.394

Differences in images and attitudes created by fashion branding between Spain and Finland : Case study: Zara

The research problem of the thesis was to study the difference between images and attitudes created by fashion brands in Spain and Finland. The research problem was approached in the form of a case study, and using Zara as the brand. The research question was: “What kind of images and attitudes has Zara’s brand created in Finland and Spain?” A quantitative survey was used to gather primary data, and books, e-journals and articles were used for secondary data. The findings from the study suggested that there are differences in fashion consumption of Finnish and Spanish consumers. The main findings were the slight differences in money spending habits, as the Spanish consumers spend a bit more money on fashion on a monthly basis than Finnish consumers do. Additionally, the Spanish consumers were found to value Zara more than the Finnish consumers. However, there was no connection between Spanish respondents’ greater value of Zara and Zara being a Spanish brand. Similarly, there was no consumer nationalism towards Zara found from the part of Finnish respondents. The survey found out that the main reasons for respondents from both countries to visit Zara were price, quality, selection and trendy designs

Exploring EFL Learners' Beliefs toward Communicative Language Teaching: A Case Study of Iranian EFL Learners

Although Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been widely advocated by a considerable number of applied linguists and English language teachers, its implementation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts has encountered a number of difficulties. Reviewing the literature suggests that one of the reasons for unsuccessful implementation of CLT may be neglect of learners' beliefs in the process of learning. Using a Likert-type scale, the current study was undertaken to explore 242 Iranian EFL learners' beliefs towards six core tenets of the CLT approach: namely, the importance of grammar; the use of group work and pair work; the role and contribution of the learners; the role of the teachers in the classroom; the quality and quantity of error correction and assessment; and the role of the learners' native language in EFL classes. Analysis of the data revealed that although in some cases learners had viewpoints that opposed CLT principles, a considerable percentage of the respondents appreciated and had a high perception of CLT principles, indicating a welcoming atmosphere toward the implementation of CLT in Iran

Intravitreal injection of methotrexate in persistent diabetic macular edema: a 6-month study

Background: Diabetic macular edema (DME) affects approximately 10% of patients with diabetes mellitus. This condition can cause blurred or distorted vision, which significantly affects the quality of life of these patients. We evaluated the therapeutic effects of intravitreal methotrexate (MTX) injections on persistent DME. Methods: This prospective interventional case series included patients with confirmed persistent DME that was unresponsive to previous standard treatments. The patients underwent comprehensive eye examinations and macular imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT). A single intravitreal MTX injection (400 µg MTX in 0.16 mL solution) was administered, followed by patient assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months after injection. Best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), macular thickness (MT), and central subfield thickness (CST) were measured at baseline and post-injection to evaluate treatment efficacy. Results: We included 33 eyes of 30 patients with a mean (standard deviation [SD], range) age of 62.7 (8.3, 44 to 77) years, of whom 17 (56.7%) were men and 13 (43.3%) were women. All participants had type 2 diabetes mellitus, with a mean (SD, range) duration of 17.0 (6.8, 10 to 31) years. Most participants (n = 27 eyes, 81.8%) had non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and six eyes (18.2%) had regressed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Four eyes (12.1%) had undergone prior macular laser photocoagulation. The mean (SD) number of prior intravitreal bevacizumab injections was 3.4 (0.8), and 29 eyes (87.8%) had received one intravitreal triamcinolone injection. During the study period, a statistically significant difference was observed in CST (P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant differences were observed in BCDVA, MT, or IOP (P > 0.05). Pairwise comparison revealed a significant decrease in CST at 6 months post-injection compared to the baseline value (P < 0.05). During the investigation period, no side effects of MTX, such as macular edema, retinal tears, vitreous hemorrhage, endophthalmitis, or vision loss, were observed. Conclusions: A single intravitreal MTX injection significantly reduced CST in patients with persistent DME, without relevant safety concerns. However, no significant improvement in functional outcomes was observed. Therefore, there is no strong evidence to recommend its use as a treatment for pDME. Further studies, preferably randomized clinical trials with long-term follow-ups, are warranted to assess the long-term efficacy, safety, and potential benefits of intravitreal MTX for the treatment of persistent DME

Investigating the effects of Lactobacillus casei on some biochemical parameters in diabetic mice

Aims: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterised by inadequate  pancreatic insulin secretion or the insulin present being unable to perform its function properly. Consistent with the beneficial effects of probiotics and their ability to lower glucose levels, an impact on diabetes treatment is also expected. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus casei on various either  biochemical parameters in a diabetic mice model.Methods: In the present study, 24 mice were divided into diabetic and control  groups. Further, each group was categorised into two subgroups. The diabetic and control subgroups were fed carrot juice or Lactobacillus casei in carrot juice. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ). For 30 days, the mice were fed 2 ml carrot  juice, and Lactobacillus casei in carrot juice (with lactobacillus 109 cfu/ml) by gavage. Then, blood samples were collected to assay biochemical parameters.Results: The results of this study showed that Lactobacillus casei (ATCC39392) significantly reduced blood glucose (BG) levels in diabetic mice receiving the  probiotic, but did not cause a significant change in BG levels in control mice  receiving the probiotic. When comparing insulin, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and C-peptide in the four groups, it was found that insulin and C-peptide were  significantly different in all groups except for the control group treated with a mixture of probiotic Lactobacillus casei and carrot juice.Conclusion: Our results showed that probiotic Lactobacillus casei effectively  reduces BG levels in diabetic mice treated with this bacterium.Keywords: diabetes, Lactobacillus casei, probioti

Breeding Biology of Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Siahkeshim Protected Area, Northern Iran

Abstract: The breeding ecology of Grey Heron was studied during 2008 and 2009 breeding seasons in Siahkeshim Protected Area of Anzali Wetland. In this study the chicks have been monitored in the nesting, egg-laying and fledgling stages. The nests were oval-shaped and the following parameters were measured: greater and smaller external diameter, greater and smaller internal diameter, external height and depth of nest. In the first year, the average clutch size (totaling 91 eggs) was 4.33±0.68, whereas the average number of hatched eggs and the average numbers of chicks surviving to fledging were 80.2% and 78.02%, respectively. In other words, 3.38 chicks, on average, arrived to fledging per nest in this region. But, in the second year, there were only five active nests with a total of 14 eggs from which only one egg hatched and fledged. The reduction of nesting and breeding success in the second year is compared and discussed

ZAP70 Expression Within del6q21, del11q13 and del17p13 Cytogenetic Subgroups of Iranian Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Background: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is the most common form of leukemia in adults. Some reports showed that expression of ZAP70 gene and chromosomal abnormality are two prognostic factors in management of B-CLL Objectives: In this study, we determined ZAP70 mRNA expression level in the del17p13, del6q21 and del11q13 subgroups of Iranian B-CLL patients to investigate prognostic value of ZAP70 expression. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was carried out on 66 Iranian B-CLL patients. Zap70 mRNA expression was evaluated by using Real Time RT-PCR. Results: Molecular analysis showed that ZAP70 expression increased 2.46 fold in the del11q13 subgroup, 2.87 fold in the del17p13 and 1.87 fold in the del6q21, compared to the 15 patients in the control group. Comparison of standard deviation and mean of the ZAP70 expression profile within the subgroups showed more variability among the cases of the del11q13 and del17p13 versus tight clustering for the del6q21. Therefore, there is a relation between del6q21 aberrations; which has good prognosis with normal levels of ZAP70 expression. Conclusions: The results of ANOVA test showed that ZAP70 expression gene was significantly increased in del17p13 and del11q13 subgroups compared to control group. Thus, ZAP70 may play an important role in the prognosis of B-CLL patients

NDRG4 methylation change, a promising biomarker in colorectal cancer diagnosis

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third common type of cancer with rising prevalence worldwide. Despite the diagnoses and treatments developed over the past four decades, the survival rate of patients has improved somewhat, but still has a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%.  In this study hypermethylation of NDRG4 gene was evaluated as a biomarker in screening of CRC.Method: A total of 70 individuals enrolled in this case-control study (45 CRC patients vs. 25 normal controls) and Methylation-Specific PCR was used to evaluate methylation status of NDRG4 in plasma samples.Result: Mean age in the control group and CRC patients was 58.4±3.4 years and 64.6±4.4 years respectively. Male to female ratio in the control group and CRC patients was 1.5:1 and 1.1:1 respectively. Gastrointestinal disease history was positive in 12% and 33% of patients in the control group and CRC patients respectively. 53.3% of CRC patients showed hypermethylation in NDRG4 gene vs. only 23.3% of controls.Conclusion: The results showed that NDRG4 can be a promising biomarker in screening and diagnosis of CRC as a noninvasive blood-based biomarker

Association of SARS-COV-2 Cycle Threshold Values with Clinical and Epidemiological Features of Children and Adolescents in Iran

Background: The associations between the epidemiological, clinical, and serological features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the nasopharyngeal viral load have not, yet, been understood completely. Methods: This cross-sectional single center study of outpatient children and adolescents was conducted between January and March 2021. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal swab specimens was positive for SARS-CoV-2. Nasopharyngeal Cycle threshold (Ct) values were measured for all patients considering different clinical features, age, and sex, in presence of covid-19 specific serum antibody. Results: The data of 70 individuals with confirmed COVID-19 were analyzed (mean (range) age: 9.6 (5-14) years; 29 females (41%)). Sixty-four children (91.4%) were symptomatic at the time of sampling (mean time of symptom onset, 3.9 days). There were no differences in mean Ct values between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (31.4 vs 28.8, p=0.247). Ct values were significantly lower in cases with diarrhea (p=0.044) and younger children (p=0.003). No correlation was found between Ct values and gender (p=0.415). Serum antibody was measured in 25 (36%) patients. Presence of antibody was not associated with Ct values (p=0.121). Fifty-nine cases (84.3%) reported exposure to a SARS-CoV-2 positive household. Conclusions: Higher nasopharyngeal Ct values, suggesting lower virus load, are related to older age, but there is no difference in Ct values between genders. Considering that diarrhea may predict lower Ct values in the respiratory system, the importance of early quarantine of children with atypical symptoms (such as gastrointestinal symptoms) or children in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 family member is highlighte