QOM UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
Year:2016 | Volume:10 | Issue:7|Papers Count:13

Background and Objectives: Anxiety and nausea are common and distressing symptoms that patients experience before appendectomy. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ear acupressure on anxiety and severity of nausea in patients candidate for appendectomy.Methods: This is a single-blind clinical trial of three groups that was conducted on 72 inpatients candidate for appendectomy in surgical ward. The samples were selected using convenience sampling and randomly divided into three groups: intervention, placebo and control. The intervention group patients underwent acupressure at true points and placebo group at sham points for 15 minutes. Anxiety and severity of nasea were evaluated before and minutes 15 and 30 after the intervention in the three groups. The data were analyzed by chi-Square, Kruskal-Wallis, repeated measures ANOVA, one-way ANOVA and Friedman test.Results: Acupressure at true point caused a significant reduction in the mean score of anxiety at minutes 15 (p<0.02) and 30 (p<0.001) in the intervention group compared with control and placebo groups (p<0.001), but the mean score of nausea severity was not significantly different among the three groups before and minutes 15 and 30 after the intervention minute 15 and 30 after the intervention.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, using acupressure at right points can decrease anxiety in patients candidate for appendectomy, but it has no clinical effect on their severity of nausea.

Background and Objectives: A number of women with volvuvaginal candidiasis suffer from certain chronic and recurrent types of this infection that affect their quality of life. Meanwhile, increased use of antifungal drugs, especially azoles, for treatment of chronic candidiasis is an important factor for incidence of drug resistance in Candida isolates from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate anticandidal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole to develop better drugs for treatment of patients with candidal vaginitis, especially its chronic type.Methods: After collection of 300 vaginal swab specimens and culture and isolation of primary colonies and determination of Candida species, fluconazole resistant strains of Candida albicans were detected using disc diffusion. Finally, antifungal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole and fluconazole were compared by broth microdilution.Results: Only one fluconazole resistant strain of C. albicans was isolated from patients (MIC=64 mg/ml). The results obtained from drug susceptibility test showed that this strain was sensitive to gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole (MIC=2 mg/ml).Conclusion: Given the optimal anticandidal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole on resistant strains of C. albicans, a suitable compound with great anticandidal properties may be achieved in the future.

Background and Objectives: Regarding the effect of exercise on liver enzymes and lipid profile and the results of previous studies confirming positive effects of land-based exercise, and emphasizing the benefits of aquagymnastic training, this study investigated the effect of eight-week aquagymnastic training on liver enzymes and lipid profile of middle-aged women.Methods: The study population of this study consisted of all women who attended extracurricular programs of Diver Martyrs Pool of Estahban County, of whom 22 eligible people were randomly selected to be study samples. The participants were assigned to two groups, training and control, according to aerobic power (Rock Port Test). The training program consisted of eight weeks of aquagymnastic training, three 45-min sessions per week. At baseline and completion of the eighth week, blood samples were taken from all the participants. The data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and independent and dependent t-tests. The level of significance was considered a≤0.05.Results: Eight weeks of aquagymnastic training significantly reduced alanine-aminotransferase, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and total cholesterol but had no significant effect in reducing aspartat-aminotransferase and increasing high-density lipoprotein.Conclusion: Two-month aquagymnastic training can positively affect lipid profile and liver enzymes of middle-aged women.

Background and Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the multi-drug resistant pathogens and a cause of opportunistic neusocomial infections. Different methods have been used for investigating genetic diversity of P. aeruginosa. rep-PCR typing has been introduced as a rapid and low-cost method with high discriminatory power. The aim of this study was to investigate distribution, genotypic relatedness, and antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 67 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran, between May 2012 and June 2013. Identification of strains and determination of antibiotic resistance pattern were conducted by conventional biochemical tests and Kirby-Bauer method, respectively. Genetic similarity was investigated by rep-PCR. The correlation between molecular types and antimicrobial resistance patterns was determined by Pearson's chi-square test. p≤0.05 was considered to be the level of significance.Results: rep-PCR results exhibited seven genotypic clusters with 76% similarity. Genotypes A and C were the most prevalent types with 16 (23.8%) frequency. ICU had the most distribution and diversity of rep-PCR types. The majority of isolates were obtained from sputum (29.8%). Most isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole (80.6%) and susceptible to ciprofloxacin (85.1%), as the most effective antibiotic.Conclusion: The result of this study showed that P. aeruginosa rep-PCR types A and C were the predominant strains in the studied hospital. Because drug resistance is considered a serious challenge ahead for treatment of nosocomial infections, it is necessary to implement the guidelines of infection control to reduce P. aeruginosa infections.

Background and objectives: Lifestyle is a uniqe pattern of behavioures, habits and charactristics that are exhibited by any people and is used as an indicator of physical health. The current study was conducted to investigate self-efficacy and healthy-promoting lifestyle and associated factors in nurses in Qom.Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 237 nurses working in healthcare centers affiliated with the Qom University of Medical Sciences. Data were gathered by two standard questionnaires, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile and Sherer et al. general self-efficacy scale, and analysed by independent t-test, correlation coefficient, and stepwise linear regression model.Results: The mean age of participants was 32.04 years and 70% of them were female. The mean score of lifestyle and self-efficacy was 59.8±10 and 72.46±9, respectively. The total mean score of lifestyle and some associated domains including responsibility, self-actualization, social protection and nutrition was significantly higher in the nurses who had good self-efficacy (p<0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between social protection and age (p<0.015). The regression model showed that with increase in self-efficacy, healthy lifestyle score increased (p<0.05).Conclusion: According to this study, the mean score of lifestyle was derived slightly higher than average level in the nurses. Nurses may have high self-efficacy to improve their lifestyle. Nevertheless, heavy responsibility in nursing profession has caused decrease in physical activity.

Background and Objectives: Influenza vaccination is one of the most important ways to prevent influenza acquisition in healthcare staff. This study was conducted to determine the cumulative incidence rate of side effects associated with influenza vaccination among healthcare staff in some of the hospitals in Shiraz.Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on the staff of a number of hospitals in Shiraz who received influenza vaccine in 1392. Instrument in this study was a researcher-developed questionnaire about common side effects that was collected up to 10 days after the vaccination. Incidence of side effects was reported with 95% confidence interval. The data were analyzed by chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and univariate logistic regression.Results: From the 450 vaccinated staff, 424 (94.23%) completed the questionnaire.53.8% of vaccine recipients were female and 46.2% male. The mean age of the participants was 34.94 years. Up to 10 days after vaccination, cumulative incidence rate of side effects following vaccination was obtained 21.7% for common cold-like symptoms, 71.2% for muscle pain, 16.5% for pain where the shot was given, 15.3% for fever, 14.4% for runny nose, 12.3% for severe headache, 9% for severe coughing, 0.9% for diarrhea, and 1.7% for abdominal pain (1.7%). No severe side effects such as acute allergic reactions and Guillain-Barré syndrome were reported.Conclusion: The reported incidence rate of side effects in this study, high risk of acquiring disease among health care staff, and their role in controlling influenza epidemics represent the necessity of influenza vaccination in this occupational population.

Background and Objectives: Public swimming pools' waters are contaminated with a wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms and are a suitable environment for transmission of different diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial contamination of the public swimming pools' waters with Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to determine certain parameters such as residual chlorine, pH, temperature and turbidity in these pools' waters in Kermanshah.◦In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 129 water samples were taken from all active pools in Kermanshah and their bacteriologic and physicochemical properties were investigated. Phosphatase alkaline (PHO-A) gene was used for molecular confirmation of E. coli isolates, and exotoxin A (ETA) gene in PCR was employed to confirm pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa isolates. Data were analyzed by chi-square and t-test. p<0.05 was considered to be level of significance.•This study indicated that pH, turbidity, and residual chlorine were permissible in 72%, 22.5% and 85.3% of the samples. Of the total samples, 10.9% and 12.4% were contaminated with E. coli and P. aeruginosa, respectively. PCR results showed that 93.75% of P. aeruginosa isolates carried ETA gene and all isolates of E. coli carried PHO-A gene and were confirmed as E. coli. There was a significant, direct correlation between microbial contamination and level of free residual chlorine and temperature (p=0.001), but there was no statistically significant association between microbial contamination and level of turbidity and pH in the swimming pools' waters (p>0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that appropriate amount of residual chlorine caused reduction in microbial contamination in the public swimming pools' waters in Kermanshah.

Background and Objectives: Learning is a stressful experience of human life; reduced adaption to stressors causes academic burnout which is a reason for academic failure among students. This study investigated the correlation among academic stress, academic burnout, and academic performance in nursing and paramedic students of Qom University of Medical Sciences.Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 264 nursing and paramedic students were randomly selected. Demographic characteristics checklist, academic burnout questionnaire, and academic stress scale were used to gather data, and grade point average was considered to be the indicator of academic performance. Linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The level of significance was considered to be p<0.05.Results: The mean score for students' academic burnout was 28.52±15.84. Univariate regression analysis showed that the students' employment, years of education, academic performance, and all academic stress subscales had a significant correlation with academic burnout. According to multivariate regression analysis, having a field of study-related occupation was a protective factor and academic stress a risk factor for academic burnout.Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that a large proportion of students experienced academic burnout, and students with higher levels of stress experienced more severe academic burnout and had poorer performance. Therefore, training ways to cope with stress can cause reduction in academic burnout and improvement of performance.

Background and Objectives: Platelet satellitism (PS), a rosette form of platelets around neutrophils, is observed extensively in CBC samples containing anticoagulant EDTA at room temperature. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of antiplatelet autoantibodies on healthy people's neutrophils and platelets.Methods: For this case-control study, 10 people with PS were selected. To investigate autoantibody effect, first, blood of the people was taken in EDTA-free test tubes and the serums isolated and gathered. Then, the buffy coat of EDTA-contained blood sample of a healthy person (with blood group O+) was isolated. Equal amounts of serum and buffy coat were mixed together, of EDTA added to them, and the solution kept at room temperature for 30 minutes. The blood smears prepared from these solutions were stained and examined microscopically for the presence of PS. Level of significance was considered to be p<0.05.Results: After mixture of serum and buffy coat, no PS was seen in the prepared smears.Conclusion: It seems that infusion of serum of people with PS to plasma receivers does not cause fake psoudotromocytopenia in the CBC samples and any complications in the receivers.

Background and Objectives: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). Approximately one-third of the world's population is infected with M. tuberculosis. Despite the availability of drug and vaccine, it remains one of the leading causes of death in humans especially in developing countries. Epidemiological studies have indicated that only 10-30% of people exposed to tubercle bacillus are infected with M. tuberculosis, and at least 90% of the infected people finally do not acquire TB. The studies have indicated that the host efficient immune system has essential roles in the control of TB infection such that the highest rate of mortality and morbidity is seen in immunocompromised patients such as people infected with HIV.M. tuberculosis is an obligatory intracellular bacterium. It enters the body mainly through the respiratory tract and alveolar macrophages combat this pathogen most commonly. In addition to alveolar macrophages, various T-cell subpopulations need to be activated to overcome this bacterium's resistance to the host defense systems. CD4+T cells, through production of several cytokines such as IFN-g and TNF-a, and CD8+T cells, through cytotoxic activities and induction of apoptosis in infected cells, play critical roles in inducing appropriate immune responses against M. tuberculosis.Although cell-mediated immunity is the cornerstone of host responses against TB and the recent studies have provided evidence for the importance of humoral and innate immune system in the control of TB, a profound understanding of the immune responses would provide a basis for development of new generations of vaccines and drugs. The present study addresses immune responses involved in M. tuberculosis infection.