Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal
Year:2017 | Volume:11 | Issue:8 |Papers Count:13

Background and Objectives: Diastasis recti is a common problem after delivery, which occurs due to stretch of fascia between two sides of rectus abdominis muscle. The present study was conducted with the purpose of determining the immediate effect of contraction of the abdominal muscles on inter-recti distance.Methods: This case-control study was performed on 40 women in 2 groups of diastasis (n=20) and normal (n=20). Inter-recti distance was assessed by solography (before and during the contraction). Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent t-, and paired t-tests.Results: In both groups, a significant decrease was observed between two sides of rectus abdominis muscle during each maneuver, except abdominal hollowing maneuver, in healthy group compared to the resting position (p<0.05). In both groups, maximum decrease in the distance between two sides of rectus abdominis muscle, was seen during partial sit-up maneuver towards both sides (p<0.05).Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, the maximum decrease in distance between two sides of rectus abdominis muscle, was happened during partial sit-up maneuver towards both sides and the minimum decrease was happened during abdominal hallowing maneuver.

Background and Objectives: Mucosal immune system has a vital role in body homeostasis, especially in upper respiratory tract during physical activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on the concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A, cortisol, and total protein in active university girls following a period of exhaustive training.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 17 active girls (mean age, of 22.11±2.36 years; weight, 55.70±6.81kg; and body mass index, 20.88±2.25kg/m2), were voluntarily participated and randomly divided into three groups of exercise-vitamin C supplementation, exercise, and control. The exercise-vitamin C supplementation group performed the study’s physical activity program for7 days in morning and evening, and had daily intake of 500 mg of vitamin C at lunchtime, and the exercise group performed the exercise without supplementation. The control group performed no exercises and received no supplement. Saliva samples were collected one day before starting the physical activity program and 24 and 72 hours after the last exercise session, at 9: 30 AM. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA statistical test.Results: In this study, no significant difference was observed between the groups in saliva flow rate, concentration of immunoglobulin A, IgA secretion, concentration of cortisol, total protein, and IgA to salivary total protein ratio. There was no significant difference between measurement steps (p>0.05), except in the exercise group (p=0.00).Conclusion: The present study could not show any relationship between performing an exhaustive training program, vitamin C supplementation, and the mucosal immune system.

Background and Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) infectious disease is caused by intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is one of the major health problems throughout the world.Humulus lupulus (hop) is a species of flowering plant of the Cannabaceae family, which have sedative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-cancer activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial properties of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Humulus lupulus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Methods: In this semi-experimental research, the plant extract was produced by cold maceration method, then its MIC and MBC for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, was assessed using serial dilution.Results: The results were indicative of strong antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Humulus lupulus against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The antimicrobial effect of standard strain C was more than standard strain H37RV; The MIC and MBC levels of aqueous extract of Humulus lupulus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains C, were 7.8mg/ml and 15.7mg/ml, respectively. This amount for the ethanol extract of Humulus lupulus, was 15.7mg/ml and 31.2mg/ml, respectively.Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that Humulus lupulus extract can be used as antibacterial agent in development of new drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis infectious disease.

Background and Objectives: Resistance training with vascular occlusion is a type of resistance training, which causes various changes through blood flow restriction in muscular function and hormonal responses. The purpose of the current study was to compare between the effects of low-intensity resistance training with vascular occlusion and high-intensity traditional resistance training on resting growth hormone (GH) levels in active females.Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 34 female students (age range, 20.7±1.3 years; weight, 58.4±1.3kg; height, 164.1±0.9cm; and BMI, 23.1±0.5kg/m2), were randomly divided into three groups of traditional resistance training (IRM, 75%; n=12), resistance training with vascular occlusion (IRM, 30%; with wrapping a rubber tourniquet around the proximal arm; n=11), and control (n=11). Blood sampling was performed before the start of training and 48 hours after the last training session. Training included 3 sets of 10-front arm extension, 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks. Data were analyzed using dependent t-and one-way ANOVA tests.Results: After 6 weeks of training, the resting GH levels had a significant increase in both experimental groups compared to the control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: Recent study partially supports the effectiveness of resistance trainings with blood flow restriction. Therefore, low-intensity resistance trainings with blood flow restriction can be replaced instead of traditional high-intensity resistance trainings for young females.

Background and Objectives: Emotion regulation for maintenance and properly coping with positive and negative emotions during different situations is of special importance. The present study aimed to investigate the role of ego strength and personality organization in prediction of cognitive emotion regulation.Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, 350 students (168 females and 182 males), were selected from Semnan and Mahdishahr universities using multi-stage cluster sampling. All participants were asked to complete the Ego Strength Scale (ESS), Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data analysis was performed using correlation and multiple linear regression analysis.Results: Cognitive emotion regulation had significant relationship with ego strength and identity confusion variables, and no significant relationship was observed with immature defense style, reality testing, and personality organization. The ego strength and identity confusion dimension directly and significantly predicted cognitive emotion regulation at p<0.0001 and p<0.003 levels, respectively.Conclusion: Since emotional disorders cause many problems in physical health, mental function, and quality of life, therefore, paying attention to personality traits and ego capacity leads to a better understanding of personality substructures associated with emotional disorders.

Background and Objectives: Carotenoids are an important group of natural pigments with specific applications as colorants, food supplements, and additives; they are also used in medicine, cosmetics, and biotechnological purposes. In this study, carotenoid production by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UIMC35 and its antifungal effect on Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Mucor hiemalis, were investigated.Methods: In this semi-experimental research, yeast was isolated from different natural sources and identified by macroscopic, microscopic, and biochemical tests. Then, yeast strain was identified using PCR technique. Carotenoids were extracted from the yeast strain by Davis method. After 48 hours, antifungal activity of the carotenoid, was determined against mold fungi according to growth inhibition percentage. The results were analyzed using estimated Kruskal-Wallis test.Results: In this study, the isolated yeast strain was Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UIMC35. Growth inhibition percentage of Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Mucor hiemalis, by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UIMC35 carotenoids was determined to be 76.19, 66.67, and 21.05, respectively.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UIMC35 isolated from soil in Isfahan, could produce high potency carotenoids and the extracted pigment had a significant inhibitory effect against the studied mold fungi. Therefore, further researches can provide the possibility of using Rhodotorula yeast in various fields, such as pharmacy, food Industry, and cosmetics.

Background and Objectives: Coagulase-negative Staphylococci are one of the most important drug resistant pathogens in nosocomial infections. In this study, the antibiotic resistance pattern of Staphylococcus epidermidisstrains isolated from clinical samples in Shaherkord, was investigated.Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, antibiotic resistance of 80 isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis to penicillin, ciprofloxacin, oxacillin, gentamicin, tetracycline, erythromycin, cotrimoxazole, rifampicin, ceftazidime, cefalotin, cloxacillin, vancomycin, cephalexin, and amoxiclav, was studied. The frequency of tet K, ant (4) -Ia, vanA, ermAgenes, was investigated in the presence of specific primers.Results: In this study, the highest resistance was to penicillin (93.8%) and the least resistance was to amoxiclav (1.25%). In the genotypic study, the frequency of tetK, ant (4) -Ia, vanA, ermA genes, was reported 66.66%, 80%, 50%, and 47.90, respectively.Conclusion: Considering the comparison of different percentages of antibiogram results with similar tests, it should be taken into consideration that regional variation in different parts of the world leads to different therapeutic responses to antimicrobial drugs, which is due to genetic variation of individuals, genetic variation of strains, and variation in other fields. Accordingly, the therapeutic patterns used in different regions are different and defined by specific characteristics of each region.

Background and Objectives: AIDS is one of the most important causes of death among adults. The effect of prognostic factors on HIV-positive patients has not been properly investigated, but it can be estimated by retrospective studies. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the survival rate among HIV-positive and AIDS patients as well as identifying important survival factors in these patients in Isfahan province.Methods: The present study is a retrospective cohort study, in which the information of 594 HIV-positive patients of Isfahan province, were extracted from behavioral diseases counseling center and recorded in checklist. The patients' survival period for tow outcomes of the time interval between diagnosis to the progression to AIDS stage and the time interval between progression to AIDS and death, were drawn using life table and Kaplan-Meier graph. The effect of several prognostic factors on the survival time was investigated with cox proportional regression. Cox regression model was used to examine the simultaneous effect of variables on the survival time. The significance level was considered p<0.05.Results: Out of total 594 studied patients, 504 subjects (84.8%) were male and 50.8% were in the age group of 25-34 years. The main route of transmission was intravenous drug use (70.2%). The one-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates after diagnosis were 97%, 75%, and 62%, respectively. The risk of death in patients with tuberculosis co-infection, was 2.1 times higher (CI, 95%: 1.35, 3.11) than patients with no history of tuberculosis. The risk of death in patients with a history of imprisonment was 12.1 times higher (CI, 95%: 1.69, 17.86).Conclusion: based on the results of this study, the survival rate of HIV-positive patients in Isfahan province was favorable compared to other studies. Tuberculosis comorbidity as well as a history of imprisonment are also among the most important prognostic factors for survival time in the patients. Therefore, it is necessary that imprisoned patients have appropriate and favorable access to care and treatment services.

Background and Objectives: Students’ feeling of confidence about abilities and their conception of research skills are among the most important factors affecting the implementation of research. This study aimed to evaluate research self-efficacy and its related factors in medical students in Qom Branch of Islamic Azad University.Methods: A total of 303 medical students of the Islamic Azad University of Qom, participated in this cross-sectional study. The samples were selected using multistage sampling based on the proportion of each discipline. Data collection tool was a questionnaire including personal and academic characteristics and a researcher-made questionnaire of research self-efficacy. Scale content validity was confirmed by professors and reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.72). Data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient at the significance level of p<0.05.Results: The mean score of research self-efficacy was obtained 61.99±15.28, which was significantly lower in Nursing compared to other disciplines. On the other hand, there was a significant direct correlation between grade point average and research self-efficacy (r=0.321, p=0.018). Independent t-test did not show a significant difference in comparison of the mean score of research self-efficacy in terms of gender and marital status (p>0.05), but this test showed a significant difference in research self-efficacy in terms of educational grade and course (p<0.05). Also, according to this test, research self-efficacy was different in terms of passing a course or research methodology workshop, history of implementation of and collaboration in research projects, and submission of articles to journals and research conferences (p<0.001).Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it seems necessary to increase the research capacity of students at the entrance to the university through presenting prerequisite and even mandatory courses in this field, strengthening educational programs, presenting workshops, raising the awareness of students about regulations of talented students and young researchers club, increasing motivation and empowerment of professors of medical universities, and creating serious incentives for student research.

Background and Objectives: Nurses’ satisfaction plays an important role in advancing the objectives of Health System Evolution Plam and more importantly in patients’ satisfaction of treatment. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining nurses’ satisfaction level of implementation of Health System Evolution Plan in teaching hospitals of Shiraz City.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses of 13 teaching hospitals in Shiraz city (March 2015). Out of 3100 nurses, 342 were selected by Cochran formula and stratified sampling method proportionate to the size. The research tool was a questionnaire retrieved from Nurses Survey Questionnaire of National Institutes of Health Research, including 2 parts of demographic information and satisfaction questions. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-, and one-way ANOVA tests.Results: Overall, 68.9% of the nurses were dissatisfied and 29.2% were satisfied of the plan’s implementation. The highest satisfaction was from details’ training (43.3%) and the highest dissatisfaction was from number of patients (71.2%).68.5% of nurses were dissatisfied from accommodation facilities of workplace after the plan’s implementation, and there was an significant inverse correlation between age and satisfaction (r=-0.71, p<0.001).Conclusion: According to the results of this study and to decrease nurses’ dissatisfaction in cases, such as increased number of patients, number of night shifts, and inappropriate accommodation facilities, it is suggested to take strategies, such as establishment of an integrated patient distribution system, employment, maintenance and return of experts, and allocating an appropriate place as nurses’ pavilion.

Background and Objectives: Every year a large number of our countrymen lose their lives due to traffic accidents. Traffic accidents lead to considerable social and economic burden, and in case of serious neglect, it may be turned into a national disaster. This study was carried out to investigate the epidemiology of road accident deaths in Qom Province.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the road driving accident deaths in Qom Privince in the first 5 months of 2014 (March 21 to July 23 using the data provided by the Legal Medicine Organization. Data were analyzed by Chi square test (for comparison of differences in number of deaths in terms of gender and age).Results: The total number of deaths was reported 80 individuals in the first 5 months of 2014. The highest statistics of death was related to the Qom-Aveh road with 11 deaths, and 29 deaths were due to vehicle rollover. Most of the victims (17 cases), were in the age group of 0-10 years, followed by 21-30 and 31-40 age groups, each with 15 cases; 59 deceased individuals were male, and 28 individuals had primary education level, while this rate was two cases in individuals with bachelor's degree. Forty-one deceased individuals, were drivers. Fiftyseven subjects died at the scene of the accident. Multiple fractures and head trauma, were the most common cause of death with 38 and 36 subjects, respectively. Seventy deaths were related to the main roads and 17 deaths occurred on Thursday.Conclusion: Due to high incidence of traffic accidents and death cases, there is a need for comprehensive programming by responsible organizations, such as traffic center, relief and rescue systems, and cultural institutions to deal with this phenomenon. Therefore, investigation of death causes and comparison of its mechanism can lead to good results.