Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal
Year:2019 | Volume:13 | Issue:6 |Papers Count:13

Background and Objectives: Given the consequences and serious dangers, which threatens neonates born with meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and also due to the high prevalence of cesarean section, the present research was carried out with the aim of comparing the outcomes of neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid in vaginal delivery and cesarean section. Methods: The present study was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted on the records of all deliveries with meconium-stained amniotic fluid performed at Izadi Qom Hospital in 2017. The data, including type of delivery, birth weight, gestational age, meconium intensity, and outcomes (such as Apgar score, umblical blood pH, need for admission, and death), were extracted from the records using a checklist. Data analysis was performed using t-, Chi-square, or Fisher tests at a significant level of less than 5%. Results: In this study, 284 deliveries with meconium-stained amniotic fluid, were investigated. Only 28. 9% (82 cases) of these cases had been born by vaginal delivery. Percentage of vaginal delivery was 42. 7% in diluted meconiosis and 22. 6% in concentrated meconiosis. In concentrated meconiosis, the mean Apgar score and cord blood pH in the vaginal delivery group, was significantly lower. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that in cases of high concentration of meconium, short-term neonatal outcomes is lower in the cesarean delivery. Regarding the choice of the type of delivery in these pregnancies, decision should be made comprehensively and with consideration of all maternal and neonatal aspects.

Background and Objectives: Various studies have shown that sex steroids affect cancer cells at cellular and molecular level. In this study, the anti-proliferation effects of testosterone, was investigated on gastric cancer cell line (AGS) and activity level of caspase-3,-8 and-9, was evaluated. Methods: In this laboratory experimental study, AGS cell line, were randomly divided into control group (no exposure to hormone) and groups received testosterone (at concentrations 0. 001, 0. 01, 0. 1, 1, and 10mg/ml). The cytotoxic effect of the extract was measured using MTT assay method. Caspase-3,-8 and-9 activity level was also evaluated using ELISA method. The data were statistically analyzed between groups using one way ANOVA and student’ s t-test. Results: Testosterone at the concentrations of 0. 1 and 1mg/mL significantly reduced the viability of AGS cells compared to the control group (p<0. 001). Exposure of gastric cancer cells to 1mg/mL of testosterone significantly increased the activity level of caspase-3 (p<0. 001) and-9 (p<0. 05) as compared to the control group, but caused no significant change in the activity level of caspase-8. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that testosterone can exert cytotoxic effects on AGS cell line, which this effect is at least partly mediated by caspase-3 and-9.

Background and Objectives: Animal studies have shown that Nigella sativa oil facilitates wound healing process. The aim of this research was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Nigella sativa oil on chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 72 healthy Wistar rats, were randomly divided into three groups [control, placebo, and recipient of black seed oil (treatment)]. The animals were given an intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) at doses of 100 and 65mg/kg bw, respectively, on day 1 and 3. Their cheek mucosa was scratched using the tip of an 18-gauge needle on day 3. The rats of the sham injection and treatment groups, intraperitoneally received placebo and Nigella sativa oil daily at the dose of 400μ l/kg, respectively. Eight rats in each group, were sacrificed on days 4, 6, and 8, and sampling from their mucus, was performed for histopathological evaluation of the inflammation severity. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests. Results: Regardless of the time variable, the severity of mucosal inflammation in the treatment group, was significantly lower compared to the control and placebo groups. However, considering the time variable, this difference was significant only on the fourth day and in the following days, there was no difference between the three groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that intraperitoneal administration of black seed oil can reduce the acute inflammation score in chemotherapy-induced stomatitis.

Background and Objectives: Skeletal muscle mass depends on the balance between synthesis and degradation of muscle protein, which changes with aging and disease. The aim of the present reserch was to examine the effects of two exercise training protocols on alterations of some genes involved in pathways of protein synthesis and degradation in order to achieve a more effective training program in case of pathological conditions, aging process, and improvement of athletic performance. Methods: In this experimental study, 8 weeks old Wistar rats, were randomly divided into three groups of resistance training, highintensity interval training, and control. To examine gene expression, 48 hours after the last exercise session, the Soleus muscles were dissected and stored at-80C. Between-group differences, were analysed using parametric and non-parametric tests at the significance level of α ˂ 0. 05. Results: Compared to the control group, the increased expression of AKT and Rps6kb1 genes, was significant in both training groups (especially resistance group). Moreover, the gene expression related to the protein degradation signaling pathway, (MuRF1 and Map1LC3a), were suppressed by both training protocols, especially high-intensity interval training group and were confirmed by Western blotting analysis. Conclusion: Given the fact that the protein synthesis-related gene expression was increased by resistance training and protein degradation-related gene expression was suppressed by high-intensity interval training, the practical application of the two protocols can be considered simultaneously in order to reduce muscle atrophy in pathological conditions, aging, as well as to increase muscle strength to improve athletic performance.

Background and Objectives: Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen causing diseases, ranging from superficial, mucosal to systemic mycoses. Strains of Lactobacillus casei are commonly used as probiotics, alter the composition of the gut microbiota, and affect the host immune responses. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of L. casei on blood parameters in Rat infected with C. albicans. Methods: In this experimental study, 24 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, including control group that received distilled water, group infected with C. albicans, group infected with C. albicans and treated with L. casei, and group treated with L. casei. L. casei was administered by gavage every other day for 20 days. Then, blood samples were collected and MCHC, MCH, MCV, HCT, HGB, PLT, RBC, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophil, basophil, and neutrophil, were studied. Results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and average differences analysis tests. Results: According to the results of this study, PLT, monocytes, neutrophil, and RBC counts showed significant increases in the treatment group compared to the control group. However, lymphocytes, Eosinophil, Basophil, MCH, MCHC, HGB and HCT had no significant difference. MCV significantly decreased in the treatment group, as compared to the control group. Conclusion: According to the findings of this research, L. casei might be effective in the inhibition of the infection caused by C. albicans.

Background and Objectives: In recent years, new technologies have led to produce a large amount of data and in the field of biology, microarray technology has also dramatically developed. Meanwhile, the Fisher test is used to compare the control group with two or more experimental groups and also to detect the differentially expressed genes. In this study, the false discovery rate was investigated in the simultaneous Fisher and adjusted permutation hypothesis testing on microarray data. Methods: In this study, first, false discovery rate was computed through the simulation study and selection of three different modes for the samples of control group and experimental groups, then, these two methods, were applied to 8799 genes related to brain cell of the 29 rats (in three age groups of young, middle-aged, and aged), and the effect of the process of brain aging, was investigated on increased development of the Alzheimer disease. Results: The results showed that the Fisher permutation methods cannot control the false discovery rate, but the adjusted permutation method works better and detects the significant differences more accurately, therefore, the number of false positives decrease in the second method. Conclusion: Considering the results of this study, use of the customary methods such as the Fisher permutation test, which is the base of analyzing biological data in many of the software, do not have suitable efficiency in the large-scale data, including microarray data, and cannot control the false discovery rate, whereas the justified permutation method with better performance in false discovery rate leads to more reliable results.

Background and Objectives: Physical inactivity is one of the four major causes of death worldwide. Various studies have shown that physical activity in women, especially in suburban areas, is more than average, and community-based interventions can improve this situation. The objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a community-based intervention to increase physical activity in adult women in a suburban area Qom city. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on adult women in two suburban areas Qom city. Sampling was performed using cluster sampling and 297 subjects were selected. The physical activity of women was assessed by the community-based health promotion program using an ecological framework. Results: In this study, more than 50% of women had insufficient physical activity. Based on independent t-test results, there was a significant difference between the mean score of total physical activity between the two groups before and after the intervention; so that the mean of this difference in the intervention group was obtained 214. 18± 757. 82 MET-minutes/week and in the control group-36. 85± 279. 17 MET-minutes/week. This difference was significant for moderate physical activity and walking and was not significant for severe physical activity. Conclusion: Considering that in this study, community-based and multi-level intervention was performed, thus, it seems that the effect of a set of interventional factors, has been able to increase the level of physical activity in the intervention women.

Background and Objectives: The perception and viewpoint of women can affect their quality of life. In this study, women's view on the phenomenon of menopause were evaluated. Methods: This qualitative study was performed using phenomenological method with Colaizzi's approach on the perception of menopausal women about menopause in 2018. A total of 14 women aged 45-60 years (menopausal and had husband), were selected by purposeful and homogeneous sampling from individuals referred to comprehensive health centers in Mashhad city, and content analysis was conducted by 7-step Colaizzi's sampling. Results: The findings were categorized in the main areas of "attitude towards menopause" and "supportive resources". According to the findings, women's views on menopause, were completely different. The main content of the findings was obtained as a flight platform or a decrease of decadence, which was indicative of a profound contradiction in menopausal women's view on menopause (including four groups of: compulsory component of life, emancipation, death of femininity, and a bridge to spirituality). Considering supportive resources, the main content of the findings was obtained as need of support, which included family support, education, self-help groups. All women believed that they can improve their quality of life during menopausal period through recognizing the problems and complications of menopause and learning ways to adapt to them and raising the awareness of their husbands. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that most women consider menopause as a natural process of their life, but this physiological process is associated with problems that affect their quality of life; therefore, how women perceive menopause will affect their quality of life. The findings of this study can be used to design interventions for improvement of quality of life in menopausal women.

Background and Objectives: Dissatisfaction with life and use of drugs in adolescents is a worrying problem, since each of these problems is associated with many negative consequences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between life satisfaction and tendency to addiction in the students of Qom University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, was performed on all students of Qom University of Medical Sciences. Statistical population consisted of 250 individuals who were selected with systematic random sampling in the second semester of academic year 2016-2017 and responded to demographic characteristics, Diener’ s Satisfaction with Life, and Tendency to Addiction questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression at a significant level of p<0. 05. Results: The mean of students' tendency to addiction was 32. 03+19. 25 and the mean of student's life satisfaction was 23. 7+6. 19. Also, there was a significant reverse relationship between life satisfaction and tendency to addiction among the students. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that increasing life satisfaction is associated with a decrease in tendency to addiction in the students. Therefore, planning is necessary to improve the satisfaction with life during the academic period and reduce the tendency to addiction in this group of society.