Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
Year:2023 | Volume:22 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is known to be the main challenge against treatment of infectious diseases related to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Niosomal nanosystems are the new drug delivery systems which enhance antimicrobial potential activity of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a niosomal drug delivery system containing gentamicin against S. aureus. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, different niosomes including Span 60, Tween 60, and cholesterol in combination with gentamicin with different molar ratio were synthesized using the thin film hydration method. Synthesized niosomal nanosystems were identified by light microscope and dynamic laser light scattering (DLS) technique. Antibacterial activity of synthesized niosomes against S. aureus (PTCC: 1112) was evaluated by well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods. Data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test. Results: Niosomal nanosystems were identified in spherical vesicles and in 3 formulations with average particle sizes of 9. 09±0. 76, 27. 59±15. 20 and 9. 10±0. 30 µm, respectively. The results revealed that the formulation with 60: 40 molar ratio had higher gentamycin encapsulation efficiency (90. 82%) and also, 60: 40 niosomal formulation with half the concentration of commercially available gentamicin solution had the same inhibition of growth on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria )p=0. 658 (. Conclusion: Controlled and continuous release of gentamicin from the niosomal nanosystem, along with enhanced drug penetration could reduce the growth of S. aureus. Accordingly, niosomal nanosystem has a good potential to be an effective drug delivery system.

Background and Objectives: Examining the ability of threat perception in children with autism requires simple and visual tools. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and determine the psychometric properties of the threat perception tool in preschool children with autism. Materials and Methods: In the present descriptive study, the sample group consisted of 82 children aged 3 to 5 years old with autism in Tehran in 2020. To design this tool, the stimuli identified and used in literature as threatening and dangerous stimuli were extracted and a visual tool was designed based on them. Content validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were used to assess the validity of the tool. Reliability was examined by test-retest and inter-rater reliability. Results: The results showed that according to experts, the tool had a good content validity. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the child’s score in the designed tool and the score given by the mother and the teacher to the child’s ability to perceive danger and threat, and the child's score in the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale were 0. 63, 0. 81, and 0. 41, respectively, that indicated a good convergent validity. Also, the significant difference between normal and autistic children was a confirmation of the tool’s differential validity (p=0. 003). The intra-class correlation coefficients of retest and inter-rater reliability were obtained 0. 81 and 0. 71, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that perception threat tool is a valid and reliable measure for assessing threat perception ability of preschoolers with autism and can be used as a useful tool in psychological research and clinical context.

Background and Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the digestive diseases that is associated with psychological causes, and dynamic treatment can play an effective role in improving psychological symptoms. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of intensive and short-term dynamic therapy on alexithymia, defence style, and ego strength in patients with IBS. Materials and Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental. The research population was all IBS patients referred to internal clinics in Andimshek in 2022. Thirty people were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned into experimental (15 subjects) and control groups (15 subjects). The experimental group received dynamic therapy for fifteen 90-minute sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Two groups were evaluated in three stages using the Alexithymia, Defense Styles, and Ego Strength Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The average scores of defense styles, alexithymia, and ego strength before the intervention were 72. 25, 58. 36, and 24. 08 in the treatment group, and 72. 12, 59. 16, and 23. 52 in the control group, respectively (p>0. 05), but after the intervention, the average scores of ego strength showed a significant increase in the treatment group compared to the control group, while defense styles and alexithymia significantly decreased (p<0. 001). Conclusion: The results of the study indicated the effect of intensive and short-term dynamic therapy on the improvement of psychological symptoms in the experimental group. With caution, it is recommended to use this intervention as a complementary treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

Background and Objectives: Nurses with personality traits of perfectionism and death anxiety are at psychological risk. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy based on compassion on death anxiety and perfectionism of nurses with obsessive-compulsive personality traits working in the Corona ward. Materials and Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up plan, and a control group. The statistical population included the nurses of social security hospitals in Tehran and Alborz in the Corona Department in 2021-2022. The number of 28 nurses working in the Corona Department, who obtained an average score in the personality questionnaire of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed. ), were selected using convenience sampling and randomly divided into experimental (14 people) and control (13 people) groups. The measurement tools included Templer’s Death Anxiety and Besharat’s Perfectionism Scales, which were answered by the research participants. The experimental group received 10 sessions of 120 minutes of the treatment program. The data was analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Virtual therapy program reduces death anxiety (Partial Eta=0. 696, p<0. 001, F=57. 354), self-oriented perfectionism (Partial Eta=0. 325, p=0. 002, F=11. 76), other-oriented perfectionism (Partial Eta=0. 179, p=0. 0284, F=5. 46), and society-oriented perfectionism (Partial Eta=0. 173, p=0. 031, F=5. 232) of nurses with obsessive personality traits. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy based on compassion on the improvement of personality traits in the experimental group, so this intervention can be used as a complementary treatment for obsessive personality.

Background and Objectives: Metabolomics is a science for identifying small molecules in biological tissues and fluids. These metabolites are the final product of chemical reactions in the biological system. Metabolomics together with chemistry tools such as nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry can play a key role in identifying metabolic profiles. Metabolic profiles include small molecules, and their amount may change in different diseases. Identifying changes in the quantity of these small molecules with a metabolomics approach can help in early diagnosis of diseases and treatment of people. Therefore, accurate understanding of molecular changes related to the disease is necessary to identify new pathways for treatment and diagnosis using new methods. The purpose of this review study is to introduce the science of metabolomics as a new technique and its application in the field of early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Background and Objectives: The use of criteria and ethical frameworks is critical in all research projects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the ethical considerations in laboratory animal research projects. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 40 research proposals related to laboratory animals in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences were collected during the years 2018-2021 and then, their compliance with ethical considerations was examined using the monitoring form of laboratory animals. The results were reported as numbers and percentages. Results: The results indicated that animal welfare was considered in 38 proposals (95%). In addition, animal safety and health considerations, non-surgical and non-invasive interventions, anesthesia and analgesia measures, and surgical and invasive interventions were mentioned in 39 proposals (97. 5%). Conclusion: It seems that more attention to ethical principles is needed in working with animals in research projects.

Background and Objectives: The knowledge of epidemiology has this very valuable ability that it can review and revise its methods and principles based on the problems under investigation. Therefore, this knowledge is not only suitable for all problems related to the health of the society that have a long history, but it can also study new problems related to health if needed by making a necessary change in its methods. Accordingly, different branches of epidemiology have been formed and evolved over time. For example, branches such as epidemiology of infectious diseases, epidemiology of chronic diseases, social epidemiology, occupational epidemiology, and environmental epidemiology constitute only a small number of existing branches of epidemiology knowledge. The purpose of writing this article is to familiarize Persian speaking readers with one of the relatively new branches of epidemiology, namely dermatoepidemiology.