The Effect of Iranian Evaporative Cold Vest on Physiological Indices in Hot and Dry Climate in a Climatic Chamber

Background: Heat stress is a threat for health and safety in workplaces. The aim of this study was to examine the cooling ability of the Iranian evaporative vest in hot and dry conditions in a climatic chamber. Method: This interventional study was conducted on 12 male students in 2013. Heat strain score index, skin temperature, oral temperature and heartbeat in two phases of with and without wearing cold vest were measured in two intensity different activities on a treadmill in a climatic chamber (mean temperature 38.8ºC, relative humidity 32.9% and WBGT 29.9ºC). Data were analyzed using t-test and repeated measures test. Results: In two trials with and without wearing the evaporative cooling vest, the skin mean temperature differed significantly but heat strain score, heartbeat rate and oral temperature in both activities did not show a significant difference. Conclusion: The results showed that Iranian evaporative cooling vest is effective in reducing skin temperature, in light and moderate activities, in hot and dry conditions; but it has a little effect on oral temperature, heart rate and heat strain score index

The effect of an Islamic spiritual program on life satisfaction of elderly patients with hypertension

زمینه وهدف: رضایت از زندگی نگرشی است که فرد از زندگی خود داردو به طور تنگاتنگی با رفاه و آسایش شخص مرتبط است. هدف از انجام این پژوهش تعیین تاثیر یک برنامه معنوی اسلامی بر رضایت از زندگی سالمندان مبتلا به پرفشاری خون مراجعه کننده به مراکز سلامت شهر اصفهان می باشد. روش بررسی: این مطالعه ازنوع تجربی می باشد که در سال 1393 انجام شد.پنجاه و دو سالمند مبتلا به پرفشاری خون به صورت تصادفی در دو گروه آزمون وکنترل قرار گرفتند. افراد گروه آزمون در 8 جلسه برنامه معنوی اسلامی گروهی که در دو مرکز از مراکز سلامت شهر اصفهان برگزار می شد، شرکت کردند. پرسشنامه رضایت از زندگی دینر در سه مرحله پیش آزمون،پس آزمون وپیگیری (یک ماهه) در دوگروه تکمیل شد.از نرم افزار آماری 20spss وآزمونهای کای اسکوئر،t مستقل وآنالیز واریانس با مشاهدات تکراری جهت تجزیه وتحلیل داده ها استفاده شد. یافته ها: نتایج نشان داد تفاوت معنی داری بین دو گروه آزمون وکنترل از نظر سن،جنس،میزان تحصیلات،وضعیت تاهل،وضعیت اشتغال، درآمد ماهیانه ،مدت ابتلا به پرفشاری خون ،ابتلا به بیماری مزمن دیگر غیر از پرفشاری خون وجود نداشت (05/0P تفاوت معنی داری پیداکردو یکماه پس از مداخله نیز تفاوت آماری معنی داری بین میانگین نمره رضایت از زندگیگروه آزمون نسبت به گروه کنترل001/>P وجود داشت. نتیجه گیری: نتایج این مطالعه بیانگر اثربخشی برنامه معنوی اسلامی بر رضایت از زندگی در سالمندان می باشد.بنابراین از این مداخله می توان جهت افزایش رضایت از زندگی سالمندان مبتلا به پرفشاری خون استفاده نم

Awareness of Ergonomics and its Relationship with the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders: a study on physiotherapists in Shiraz, Iran

Background: Ergonomics is a science dealing with human's physical and mental abilities and limitations, and inattention to this science leads to physical injuries among the staff and consequently affects the efficiency and productivity of the organisations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness of Shiraz physiotherapists about ergonomics and its relation with the prevalence of their musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2015 on all physiotherapists working in Shiraz hospitals. Data were collected through a questionnaire about the awareness of ergonomics and analyzed through SPSS22 software package. Results: Mean age and work experience of the physiotherapists were respectively 34.06±8.5 and 9.38±7.45 years. Mean awareness of subjects about ergonomics principles, work conditions and the rate of occupational injuries and work problems were respectively 3.15 ± 0.5, 2.70 ± 0.52 and 1.80 ± 0.82 from 5. There was a significant relationship between awareness of ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorders (P=0.04). Increase in awareness of ergonomics was associated with decrease of the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (P=0.04, CI 95% =0.086-0.995, OR=0.259). Conclusion: The results show that increased awareness of ergonomics leads to musculoskeletal disorders reduction. Therefore, compiled educational programs can have a significant impact on learning about right body postures during work and can consequently reduce musculoskeletal disorders and occupational injuries and problems

The Cytotoxicity of Eupatorium cannabinum Methanolic Extract in a Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (MCF-7)

Introduction: Eupatorium cannabinum belonging to Asteraceae family is commonly known as hemp agrimony. E. cannabinum is used to treat headache, hepatitis, diarrhea, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Considerable researches have been indicated various biological activities of E. cannabinum such as cytotoxic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunological and hepatoprotective activities. Since the cytotoxic activity of E. cannabinum on human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) have not been reported, the current study was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the total extract of E. cannabinum on MCF-7 cells. Methods and Results: MCF-7 cell line was treated with different concentrations (3.125 to 100 μg/mL) of the E. cannabinum total (methanolic) extract. After 48 hrs, the cytotoxic activity was assessed through MTT (3-[4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The methanolic extract demonstrated cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50 (the concentrationthat inhibited cell growth by 50%) value of 69.5 μg/mL. Conclusions: The methanolic extract of E. cannabinum showed considerable cytotoxic activity. Evaluating the apoptosis induction ability of E. cannabinum could be suggested for further studies

Cytotoxicity of Two Gypsophila Species to Human Breast Adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)

Introduction: Cancer is known as the second cause of death worldwide which results in serious problems in human life. It is developed by uncontrolled growth of a cell or a group of cells. Caryophyllaceae is a large family which has been reported to possess cytotoxic species and in the present study, the cytotoxic activity of two plants from this family has been evaluated. Methods and Results: Dried powder of Gypsophila bicolor (Freyn & Sint.) Grossh and Gypsophila ruscifolia Boiss. aerial parts were extracted with methanol 80% by maceration method (10 g). For fractionation, 30 g of the dried powder of both species was macerated with petroleum ether at room temperature. After 24 hours, the mixture was filtered and the plant residues were extracted with chloroform and methanol successively through the same process. Then they were concentrated using a rotary evaporator apparatus. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), A-549 (non-small cell lung carcinoma) and AGO-1522 (human fibroblast) cell lines using MTT assay. The chloroform fractions of both Gypsophila species showed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 cells with IC50 value <100 μg/mL. None of the extracts or fractions demonstrated cytotoxicity to A-549 or AGO-1522 cells up to the tested concentrations. Conclusions: The selective toxicity of the chloroform fractions of the species only to the MCF-7 cell line suggested that Gypsophila bicolor and G. ruscifolia could be proper candidates for further studies in the field of cancer researches

Epidemiological Study of Intestinal Parasites in Referred Individuals to the Medical Centers’ Laboratories of Haji-Abad City, Hormozgan Province, Iran, 2015

Background:intestinal parasitic infection is one of the most prevalent health problems in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and its correlation with socio-demographic parameters in Haji-abad, 2015.MaterialsandMethods:This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 635 samples. After completing questionnaires, stool samples were assessed macroscopically, and microscopically using direct slide smear with saline and lugol, formalin-ether concentration, Ziehl-Neelsen staining to track Cryptosporidium species and Trichrome staining for the samples suspected to amoeba and other indeterminate cases. PCR using specific primers was conducted for Entamoebahistolytica/E. dispar suspected samples. The results were analyzed using SPSSver.16 software.Results:Of total 635 samples, 198 cases (31.2%) were infected by at least one intestinal parasite. The most common parasites in this area were: Blastocystis sp. (105, 16.5%), Endolimax nana (43, 6.8%), Entamoeba coli (32, 5.0%), Giardia lamblia (31, 4.9%), and Iodamoeba butschlii (11, 1.7%). Enterobius vermicularis (1, 0.2%) was the only detected helminthic infection. Regarding socio-demographic variables, age, residence, sampling month, and job showed a significant correlation with IPIs (p-value=0.031, 0.019, 0.014, 0.012; respectively). None of nine microscopically suspected E. histolytica/E. dispar cases were confirmed by molecular investigations (PCR method) and were considered as E. coli.Conclusion:In agreement with previous studies, helminthes infections show a dramatic decline compare to protozoa in this study. The relatively high incidence of intestinal protozoan infections in studies performed in Iran supports strategies for pre­venting the transmission and expansion of these parasites as a priority

The Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions Using Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles With Hydrogen Peroxide

Industrial effluents produce vast amounts of pollutants and account for 20% of industrial wastewater annually. Methylene blue (MB) is one of the most widely used dyes in the medical, pharmaceutical, and textile industries. However, it is toxic to living organisms, and even a short-time exposure to it can be potentially harmful. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of zinc oxide nanoparticles in removing MB from aqueous solutions in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The effects of various parameters such as pH (3-10), ZnO nanoparticle dose (0.01-0.08 g/L), reaction time (5-50 minutes), initial concentration of MB (20-200 mg/L), and the hydrogen peroxide concentration (0.5-5 mg/L) were studied. The wavelength of maximum absorption (λmax) was 665 nm. The optimal pH value was 5, zinc oxide nanoparticle dose was 0.05 g/L, the initial concentration of MB was 40 mg/L, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide was 2 mg/L, and the contact time was 20 minutes. The efficiency of MB removal was 97.99%. The results showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles in the presence of hydrogen peroxide could remove the MB from aqueous solutions with high efficiency

Evaluating Educational Programs of Traditional Medicine Based on the Students' Viewpoints in Mashhad, Kerman, and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background & Objective: The evaluation of educational programs is the most important aspect of any educational system. If performed correctly, it will provide valuable information on designing and implementation of educational programs and a basis for the evaluation of educational practices. Methods: This present study was performed in 2014 on 22 PhD students attending the Schools of Traditional Medicine of Mashhad, Kerman, and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2009-2013. The data collection tool consisted of a questionnaire containing open- and closed-ended questions. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire have been approved. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed and categorized using Microsoft Excel. Results: The general objectives of traditional pharmacy consist of mission, perspective, goals, and professional duties. Each course was evaluated from the view point of students. This showed that more than half of the students agreed on the overviews and details (general objective, prerequisites, content titles, student evaluation, and educational sources). The educational sources of some courses such as Iranian Traditional Medicine (foundations and principles) with 43.9%, Sanitation and Prevention Principles with 33%, and Identification of Raw Material and Production of Traditional Medicine with 36.8% obtained the less than half of the positive votes of students. Moreover, 42.1% of students believed that the courses of Identification of Raw Material, Production of Traditional Medicine, and Identification of Traditional Medicine Forms were not presented in accordance with the educational program. Conclusion: The participants mostly approved the aims and overviews of this field of study each of its courses. The proposed recommendations show that the units and content of some courses, and their educational sources and priorities require revision and reformation. In general, due to being a new field, traditional medicine contains ambiguities which must be clarified through further evaluation and elimination of deficiencies observed in the current survey. Keywords: Program evaluation; Iranian traditional medicine; PhD student

Comparing morphologic features and complications of main clear corneal incision between junior and senior residents observed using anterior segment optical coherence tomography

Background: Wound construction is a critical step in phacoemulsification. Using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), we compared the morphological features and complications of main incisions made by junior or senior residents during phacoemulsification. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included eyes with senile cataracts that underwent uneventful phacoemulsification with a clear corneal incision made by seven senior and eight junior ophthalmology residents. All eyes underwent postoperative image acquisition using AS-OCT on day one and at three months, examining for morphological features and potential complications of the main incision. Results: We included 50 eyes of 50 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 22 (44%) to 28 (56%); 26 (52%) were operated on by junior residents and 24 (48%) by seniors. The mean geometric features of the main incisions and the frequency of early and late wound complications were comparable between the two groups (all P > 0.05). A significant correlation was found between the incision length and angle with the superior (r = + 0.80; P < 0.001 and r = - 0.63; P < 0.001, respectively) and inferior (r = + 0.84; P < 0.001 and r = - 0.68; P < 0.001, respectively) areas of the incision, as well as between the length and angle of incision (r = - 0.74; P < 0.001). The number of planes in the wound architecture was not significantly different according to senior or junior resident status (P > 0.05). Although the number of eyes with stromal hydration was significantly greater for junior residents than for seniors (P < 0.001), the corneal thickness at the entrance to the cornea or the anterior chamber, presence of endothelial wound gaping, and Descemet’s membrane detachment were comparable between eyes with and without stromal hydration (all P > 0.05). At three months, 29 (58%) patients returned for examination, in whom seven (24%) had late wound complications. Conclusions: This study found no significant differences in the performances of junior and senior residents in terms of wound construction or its associated complications. However, considering the overall rate of some observed wound-related complications, we recommended revision of the resident educational curriculum concerning the structure and complications of the main incision

Ekspresija mRNA agutiju srodnog peptida i mRNA melanokortin-4 receptora u arkuatnoj jezgri za vrijeme gravidnosti i laktacije štakorica.

Pregnancy is associated with a range of physiological adjustments to adapt the body to the demands of the growth of the fetus and subsequent lactation. It has been observed that agouti-related peptide (AGRP) and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) are involved in energy homeostasis. A randomized controlled experimental study was planned to investigate the expression of AGRP and MC4R mRNAs in the stages of pregnancy and lactation in rat arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus. Thirty-two adult female rats were randomly divided into six groups. Pregnant rats were assigned into three groups (n = 6) of 7, 14, and 21 days of pregnancy. Two more groups were also assigned of non-suckling rats (n = 5), immediately separated from their pups after parturition, and suckling rats (n = 5), allowed to suckle five pups until day 8 (increasing milk). The sixth group consisted of four ovariectomized rats, which were assigned two weeks after surgery and served as control. Using real-time PCR, the relative expressions (compared to controls) of MC4R and AGRP mRNAs in ARC were calculated in the pregnant, suckling and non-suckling rats. Expression of AGRP mRNAs in pregnant rats on days 14 and 21 was higher than that observed in suckling and non-suckling rats (P<0.05). Expression of MC4R mRNAs in pregnant rats on days 14 and 21 was lower than that observed in suckling rats, and was higher on day 7 than that observed in both suckling and non-suckling rats (P<0.05). In conclusion, expression of AGRP in pregnancy and MC4R in lactation in ARC of rats controls energy homeostasis.Gravidnost je povezana s nizom fizioloških prilagodbi kojima tijelo odgovara zahtjevima povezanima s rastom fetusa i kasnije laktacije. Uočeno je da su agutiju srodan peptid (AGRP) i melanokortin-4 receptor (MC4R) uključeni u energetsku homeostazu. Randomiziranim kontroliranim pokusom planirano je u arkuatnoj jezgri (ARC) hipotalamusa štakorica istražiti ekspresiju mRNA AGRP i mRNA MC4R tijekom gravidnosti i laktacije. Trideset dvije odrasle štakorice nasumično su bile podijeljene u šest skupina. Gravidne su štakorice podijeljene u tri skupine (n = 6), s obzirom na 7., 14. i 21. dan gravidnosti. Još dvije skupine (n = 5) činile su nedojne štakorice koje su odvojene od svoje mladunčadi odmah nakon porođaja te dojne štakorice kojima je dozvoljeno dojenje 5 mladunaca do osmog dana rastuće laktacije. Četiri ovarijektomizirane štakorice, dva tjedna nakon operacije, dodijeljene su u 6. kontrolnu skupinu. Koristeći PCR u stvarnom vremenu, relativna ekspresija (usporedba s kontrolama) mRNA MC4R i mRNA AGRP u ARC izračunata je za gravidne, nedojne i dojne štakorice. Ekspresija mRNA AGRP kod gravidnih štakorica 14. i 21. dan bila je veća od one opažene kod dojnih i nedojnih štakorica (P<0,05). Ekspresija MC4R mRNA u gravidnih štakorica 14. i 21. dan bila je manja u odnosu na dojne štakorica i veća 7. dan u odnosu na skupine dojnih i nedojnih štakorica (P<0,05). Zaključno, ekspresija AGRP u ARC tijekom gravidnosti i MC4R u ARC tijekom laktacije kontrolira energetsku homeostazu štakorica