The Protective Effect of Voluntary Exercise on the Hippocampal Cerebral Dopamine Neurotrophic Factor Level against Intraventricular Injection of 6-hydroxydopamine in Rats

Abstract: Background & Aims: The purpose of this research was to study the protective effect of pretreatment with a voluntary exercise on hippocampal level of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) after damage induced by intraventricular injection of 6–hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of healthy control, healthy exercise, Parkinson control, and Parkinson training group (6 rats in each group). The rats in the training group were kept in special cages with running wheels for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, 6-OHDA was injected into the right ventricle of the brain and five days after intraventricular injection, sampling was performed and CDNF level of the hippocampus was measured by ELISA method. Data were analyzed and compared statistically by ANOVA test. Results: Findings showed that 6-OHDA has decreased CDNF protein content in the hippocampus of Parkinsonian rats compared with healthy controls (P = 0.011). CDNF level of the Parkinson training group was higher than the Parkinson control group (P = 0.050). Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that pretreatment with voluntary exercise can increase CDNF level in the hippocampus, and thus, increase neuronal resistance against oxidative destruction caused by 6-OHDA toxicity. Therefore, it can be said that it has protective effects against Parkinson disease. Keywords: Voluntary exercise, 6-hydroxydopamine, Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF), Hippocampus, Ra

Medication Errors and Their Relationship with Care Complexity and Work Dynamics

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are currently known as the most common medical errors. Research shows that work environment and organisation management, in addition to the role of nurses, contribute to the occurrence of an error. AIM: Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the rate of nurses’ medication errors and its relation to the care complexity and work dynamics in the Taleghani Pediatric Hospital of Gorgan in 2017. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study. Sampling was done through census method (N = 100). The data collection tools consisted of four questionnaires of demographic information, Salyer work dynamics, Medication Administration Errors, and Velasquez Nursing Care Complexity. Data were analysed in SPSS V.16 software using descriptive and inferential statistical methods including independent t-test and Pearson’s correlation. RESULTS: Medication calculation errors, wrong dose and wrong medication were the most common non-injectable medication errors, respectively. Drug incompatibility, wrong infusion rate and medication calculation errors were the most common injectable medication errors, respectively. There was a positive correlation between medication calculation errors (P = 0.02, r = 0.23), wrong solvent (P = 0.04, r = 0.21), and drug incompatibility (P = 0.01, r = 0.25) with amount of work dynamics. Also, there was a positive correlation between medication calculation errors (P = 0.03, r = 0.22) and wrong medication (P = 0.00, r = 0.31) with the nursing care complexity. CONCLUSION: Regarding the irrefutable impact of working conditions on the occurrence of errors, it appears that the study and complete recognition of nurses’ working conditions and their adjustment would lead to a reduction in medication errors

Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of Levetiracetam Versus Phenytoin for Treating the Acute Phase of Neonatal Seizures

  Objectives Neonatal seizure is a significant problem in this life course, and its timely and effective treatment is crucial. In this study, we compared the efficacy of levetiracetam versus phenytoin for treating the acute phase of neonatal seizures. Materials & Methods In this single-blind case-control study, 60 consecutive children with neonatal seizures referred to the Children’s medical center in Tehran, Iran, in 2018 were studied. Those neonates who had at least 30 minutes of seizure after Phenobarbital treatment were assigned to receive either phenytoin (20 mg/kg) or levetiracetam (initial dose of 40-60 mg/kg) through block randomization. The efficacy and safety of the two drugs were compared between the groups. Results The response rate was 83.3% and 86.7% in phenytoin and Levetiracetam groups, respectively, which was not significantly different between groups (P=1.000). Adverse effects were nearly similar between groups (6.7% in the phenytoin group and 3.3% in the Levetiracetam group, P=1.000). ConclusionLevetiracetam and phenytoin are both practical and safe for treatingneonatal seizures

Comparison of the Efficacy of Intravenous, Subcutaneous, and Suppository Morphine in Reducing Post Hysterectomy Pain

Background and aims: Postoperative pain has always been considered by surgeons because of its various complications. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of intravenous, subcutaneous and suppository morphine in reducing post-hysterectomy pain. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 90 patients undergoing hysterectomy were randomized into three groups of 30 each using simple randomization, namely, intravenous, subcutaneous, and suppository morphine (10 mg). Before intervention and 4, 8, 12, and 16 hours after intervention, pain intensity was measured using visual analogue scale (VAS). Relative frequency of nausea, vomiting, itching, bradypnea, and apnea in all groups was recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS version16.0. Results: Mean pain severity at 0 hour postoperatively (P=0.004), 4 hours postoperatively (P=0.009), 8 hours postoperatively (P=0.009), and 12 hours postoperatively (P=0.001) was significantly higher in the suppository morphine group than in the other two groups. There was no significant difference in pain severity at 16 hours postoperatively among the three groups (P=0.446). According to the results of repeated measures ANOVA, changes in pain severity at the five intervals were statistically significant in all three groups (subcutaneous, intravenous, and suppository morphine groups) (P<0.001). There was also a statistically significant difference in pain severity at the studied intervals among the three groups (P<0.001). The frequency of nausea (P=0.05) and vomiting (P=0.84) was higher in the suppository group than in the other two groups, although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated better efficacy of subcutaneous and intravenous morphine in reducing post-hysterectomy pain compared with suppository morphine. Keywords: Morphine, Hysterectomy, Pai

Assessing the level of Coronavirus Disease Anxiety and its related factors in third-trimester pregnant women referring to the health centers of Isfahan during the pandemic

Background: Pregnancy as a sensitive period of a woman's life can be affected by various psychological factors. Covid-19 pandemic is a new phenomenon; and there is limited information about its psychological consequences such as the Coronavirus disease anxiety in these women. So, the present study aimed to determine the level of Covid-19 anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy and its related factors. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 215 pregnant women with 28-33 weeks of gestational age were studied. The samples were selected from the health centers and hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, by cluster sampling. A questionnaire of Demographic, fertility and Coronavirus-related factors as well as the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (including psychological and physical components) were completed by the mothers in person. The data was analyzed by SPSS-24 software using One-way analysis of variance, independent t-test, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests. Result: The results showed that the mean score of Corona disease anxiety in pregnant women was 11.45±7.56. Anxiety was reported to be low in 62.8% of pregnant women, moderate in 32.6% and high in 4.6%. The mean score of the psychological component (8.40± 4.78) was higher than the score of the physical component (3.06± 3.59). Working women, women with client-related occupations, and those having a working husband had lower anxiety scores. Factors such as death of family members due to Coronavirus disease and higher gestational age were associated with a significant increase in Corona anxiety score. Conclusion: Considering that death of a family member due to Coronavirus disease and higher gestational age are associated with higher Coronavirus disease anxiety, the results of this study can be used to identify high-risk pregnant women and suggest early psychological interventions for preventing pregnancy anxiety complications

Functional Outcomes of Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis Treatments: A 10-year cohort study

Introduction : Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a disabling condition due to the fusion of joint to the base of skull and results in mouth opening limitation. Several surgical techniques have been described for treatment of this condition but no consensus has been reached. This study sought to assess the success of treatment with regard to long-term functional improvement and rate of complications in ankylosis patients during a 10-year period. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral condylectomy without joint reconstruction during 2001-2011 in the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Shariati Hospital were evaluated in this historical cohort study. The patients were recalled to ensure the accuracy of information in their medical records and were clinically examined. Improvement in their joint function and rate of complications were evaluated. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed rank test, multivariate tests, Mauchly's sphericity test and McNemar’s test. Results: A total of 27 subjects (13 males and 14 females) with a mean age of 34.8 years and 6.1 years mean duration of follow-up were evaluated. The results of observation showed that trauma was the most common cause of ankylosis (63%). The most common type of ankyloses was fibrous (55.6%) and 55.6% of the patients had bilateral ankylosis. Maximum mouth opening (MMO), the amount of lateral movement and open bite significantly improved after the operation (P&lt;0.001). Frontal, zygomatic and buccal nerves had been injured in 4, 4 and 3 patients, respectively during the operation. Conclusion: Condylectomy without reconstruction significantly improves the TMJ function in patients with TMJ ankylosis with regard to MMO, the amount of lateral movement, maintenance of occlusion and the skeletal form

Gene-Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Identifies PNPLA1 Mutations in Patients with a Phenotypic Spectrum of Autosomal Recessive Congenital Ichthyosis: The Impact of Consanguinity

Heritable forms of ichthyoses, also referred to as generalized Mendelian disorders of cornification, are phenotypically a highly heterogeneous group of conditions caused by mutations in a number of genes playing a role in keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal barrier function (Baden and Digiovanna, 2013; Schmuth et al., 2013). These diseases are characterized by scaling and hyperkeratosis with associated cutaneous and extracutaneous features. This group of disorders is also genetically heterogeneous, with autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked inheritance being described. A specific subgroup of inherited ichthyoses is the autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI), with many newborns presenting as collodion babies, but the subsequent clinical presentation and the spectrum of severity can be highly variable (Richard and Bale, 2014). In the most severe forms, such as harlequin ichthyosis, the disease is often fatal during the early postnatal period, whereas at the other end of the continuum of the spectrum, the disease may present with a relatively mild scaling and variable degree of palmoplantar keratoderma. There is considerable genetic heterogeneity in ARCI, and as many as nine different genes are known to harbor biallelic mutations; these include TGM1, ALOXE3, ALOX12B, NIPAL4, ABCA12, CYP4F22, PNPLA1, LIPN, and CERS3. Previous reports have suggested that mutations in TGM1 account for 30e65% of patients with ARCI, whereas mutations in LIPN, PNPLA1, and CERS3 have been reported only in a few consanguineous families (Richard and Bale, 2014). With the advent of next generation sequencing (NGS), there has been tremendous progress in facilitating the mutation detection in various heritable skin disorders, including ichthyosis (South et al., 2015; Takeichi et al., 2013). In fact, at least 38 different genes have now been suggested to be associated with the ichthyotic phenotypes, either as the primary mutated genes or modifying the phenotypic presentation. To elucidate the genetic basis of ichthyosis in Iran, a country of approximately 80 million people with high prevalence of customary consanguineous marriages, we developed a gene-targeted NGS array consisting of 38 genes reported in association with ichthyosis phenotypes. Identification of specific mutations in a large number of families has allowed us to examine phenotype/genotype correlations with respect to both intra- and interfamilial heterogeneity, in part because of extensive consanguinity in these families. In this study, we identified six distinct and, to our knowledge, previously unreported mutations in the PNPLA1 gene in nine families

Prenatal and clinical characteristics of pregnant women infected with COVID-19 in Yazd, Iran: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Background: Coronavirus infection has caused widespread concern among mothers and physicians about the health of pregnant women and infants. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and prenatal findings of pregnant women with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) virus. Materials and Methods: The present study was a descriptive study that was conducted in 6 mother and child care centers. In this study, 81 pregnant women with COVID-19 admitted to centers in the period from March 2020-September 2020 were studied. Clinical and prenatal findings of the pregnant mothers were recorded using a data collection form with details of demographic characteristics and these were analyzed. Results: The gestational age of the affected women was between 4 and 40 wk. 48 deliveries were performed and 25% of deliveries were preterm. Coronavirus infection was the cause of termination of pregnancy in 4 cases. The most common symptoms of women when visiting the medical centers were: dry cough (58.0%), muscle pain and myalgia (56.8%) and fever (51.9%). The most common laboratory findings in the women were: increased C-reactive protein (67.90%), lymphopenia (18.51%), decreased white blood cells (27.16%), and increased liver enzymes (18.51%). Regarding the status of the newborns, out of the 33 neonates examined, 3 neonates were diagnosed with COVID-19. Conclusion: The most common symptoms of pregnant women with COVID-19 are similar to those of other adults. In relation to neonatal infection, given that a number of the neonates tested positive, there appears to be evidence of vertical transmission, which requires further investigation. Key words: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pregnancy, Clinical, Prenatal

Estimation of life expectancy in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran

Background: Life expectancy deals with the overall level of population health thoroughly considering the effect of mortality. Life expectancy is defined as the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age of people who living in a specific country. This study aimed to estimate life expectancy for the Sistan and Baluchestan province and all its cities based on gender.Methods: This study is a descriptive analytical study. For the analysis of the objectives the required data are mortality information and population data based on age groups and gender. One of the most applicable and most reputed methods in the life table construction is Chaing's methods and was applied this method to estimate life expectancies.Results: Based on the analysis of mortality data, life expectancy at birth for females and males were estimated of 71.5 (This ratio is the percentage of 12 months. 71.5, i.e. 71 years and 6 months) and 68.2 years respectively, and for both sex combined, 69.7 years. These expected years as life expectancy has various values in the rank for the province's cities. In the descending order  the values of life expectancies are belong to Khash, Chabahar, Zahedan, Sarbaz, Zabol, Saravan, Nikshahr and Iranshahr  cities in the given order. Conclusion:This health indicator has smallest value in Sistan and Baluchestan province in compared to other provinces and whole country as well. To increase life expectancy due to health conditions, economic efficiency and extensive planning by the authorities, planners and policy makers are required.