Journal of Ilam University of Medical Sciences
Year:2023 | Volume:31 | Issue:5|Papers Count:11

Introduction: The extract of Thymus kotschyanus Boiss, in addition to its antioxidant properties, also has a marvellous anti-amyloidogenic effectthat can be used for the treatment of amyloidosis. The aim of this study was to prepare silver nanoparticles from the aqueous extract of mountain thyme (Thymus kotschyanus Boiss), to investigate its antioxidant and inhibitory effect on the production of amyloid nanofibrils (bovine serum album (BSA) as a model protein). Material & Methods: This study was conducted experimentally in the laboratory of Payam Noor University in Qom Province in 2022. First, nanoparticles were prepared from aqueous thyme extract and added to AgNo3 silver nitrate solution (one millimolar). ThenFTIR, EDX, DLSand SEM methods were used to study the properties and size of the nanoparticles. The removing of free radicals 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to study the antioxidant effects of the extract and the Concorde absorption method was used to study the production of amyloid nanofibrils. The chemical composition of the extract was analysed using the gas chromatography method. For statistical analysis, descriptive statistics and ANOVA tests were used with SPSS software version 23. Findings: The phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed seven compounds. Most compounds were associated with 5, 4-alpha-epoxy-3-methoxy (43. 53%), 2-ethyl-piperidine-1-methyl (31. 02%) and thymol (23. 65%). The UV-Vis spectrum showed the highest absorbance at 460 nm. The SEM results confirmed the production of spherical nanoparticles with a size of 70-93 nm. The concentrations of 0. 8 and 1 mg/ml of the extract were able to inhibit DPPH by more than 50%. The highest antioxidant activity in the sample containing 2 ml of the nanoparticle solution (sample 5) was 56. 82%. The highest inhibition of amyloid nanofibril production was observed at a concentration of 2 mg/ml with 95%. Discussion & Conclusion: Thus, the synthesized nanoparticles have potent antioxidant and anti-amyloidogenic properties and can be used as antioxidants.

Introduction: Self-efficacy during pregnancy is a self-assessment of one's ability to manage stress and perform important behaviors, especially in coping with pain. Women who benefit from the support of others during pregnancy feel more self-efficacious. The studiesshow that involving family members in education, support or presence during pregnancy has contradictory consequences. This study was therefore conducted with the aim of determining the effect of an accompanying training programme based on Bandura's theory on the mother's self-efficacy during childbirth. Material & Methods: This RCT was conducted on 60 primiparous mothers between 20 and 23 weeks of gestation who were admitted to Umm al-Banin Hospital in Mashhad and were randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups. The control group received 8 sessions of 90 minutes of oral and practical training. In addition to these sessions, training sessions based on Bandura's theory were held for the intervention group, includingtwo sessions of companions and pregnant mothers together and two sessionsalone. A demographic questionnaire and a Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI, Lowe, 1993) were completed by both groups before and immediately after the training. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon in SPSS 16 software. A significance level of less than 0. 05 was considered. Findings: The average age of the mothers in the intervention group was 26. 7±8. 3 years and in the control group 28. 3±5. 9 years. In most cases, the mother 's companion was her sister (73. 3%). Before the training, the mean value of self-efficacy was 82. 5±22. 3 in the intervention group and 87. 5±32. 4 in the control group (P = 0. 492, independent t-test). After the training, the mean value of self-efficacy was 132. 4±18. 5 in the intervention group and 115. 2±26. 4 in the control group (P=0. 006, Mann-Whitney test). Self-efficacy after the intervention compared to before increased by 49. 9±31. 3 in the intervention group and by 27. 7±29. 5 in the control group (P=0. 007, Mann-Whitney test). In intragroup comparison, the difference between the intervention group after and before the training was significant (P<0. 001, Wilcoxon test). The difference between before and after the training was also significant in the control group (P<0. 001, paired t-test). Discussion & Conclusion: Companion training based on Bandura's theory has an effect on the self-efficacy of pregnant women during childbirth and is recommended as a training method for childbirth preparation.

Introduction: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Recurrent Implantation Failure are major limiting factors in the establishment of pregnancy. Recurrent Pregnancy loss is defined as the failure of two or more clinically recognized pregnancies. A considerable proportion of infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment experiencing recurrent implantation failure (RIF) fail repeatedly to implant following at least three IVF cycles. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as reliable non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pregnancy-related complications. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify miR-23a-3p expression level in the plasma of patients with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (iRPL) and recurrent implantation failure compared to healthy subjects to evaluate its potential diagnostic value in iRPL and RIF patients. Material & Methods: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 120 plasma samples were obtained from 40 women with a history of at least two consecutive iRPL, 40 women with RIF, and 40 healthy women without a history of miscarriage to evaluate the expression level of the circulating miR-23a-3p by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique. All participants were recruited from Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz, Iran, September 2019-March 2020. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 22). Diagnostic efficiency of the circulating miRNAs was determined by Receiver Operatig Characteristic curve analysis using Graphpad Prism version 9. 1. 1. Findings: Our results showed that the miR-23a-3p expression level in plasma of iRPL patients was lower than those in healthy controls but without a statistically significant difference (P=0. 113). We also found that miR-23a-3p plasma level in patients with RIF tended to be lower compared to healthy participants,however, it was not statistically significant (P=0. 974). Discussion & Conclusion: The current study provides evidence indicating that downregulation of miR-23a-3p may be associated with iRPL and RIF. Therefore, further research is needed, such as using different geographic regions, large sample sizes, and other techniques (microarray).

Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma accounts for about 90% of head and neck cancers. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and anatomical involvement pattern of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the head and neck region from 2013-2021 in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all the patients with SCC of the head and neck treated at Imam Khomeini Medical Center in Kermanshah over a period of 10 years. Demographic and pathological information was extracted from the patients' medical records. Then, the obtained data was analyzed in SPSS software (version 23). Findings: Out of 299 patients identified with SCC, 236 (78. 9%) were male, and the remaining were female. The majority of the patients (48. 8%) fell within the age group of 55-72 years, with 57. 9% reporting a history of smoking and 76. 9% residing in urban areas. Among those studied, the most commonly affected site was the larynx, accounting for 49. 5% (148) of cases. The highest incidence of head and neck cancers in both men and women was observed in 2019, with 15. 9% and 15. 7% of cases, respectively. Discussion & Conclusion: The results of this study showed that most patients were older men over 50, who mostly lived in the city and smoked. The most anatomical site of involvement was the larynx. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to these risk factors to prevent and control these cancers.

Introduction: Neurodevelopmental disorders begin in childhood and lead to a weakening of physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills in affected children. The aim of this study is to develop a multimedia educational program and to evaluate its effectiveness on problem solving in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Material & Methods: In this study, a multimedia training program with a neuropsychological approach was first developed and the content validity of the tool was confirmed by experts. The effectiveness of the program was then evaluated in a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, a post-tesand a follow-up phase. The participants in this study were children with neurodevelopmental disorders whose male students were studying in Tehran in the academic year of 1400-1401. The children were examined using the Tehran Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, and 100 children with neurodevelopmental disorders were selected based on the available sampling method and randomly divided into two groups, the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group completed 24-training sessions that focused on a multimedia training program with a neuropsychological approach. Each session took place five times a week and lasted 90 minutes. The instrument used in this research were London Tower Test (Shalis, 1982), which was used as a pre-test, post-testand for the follow-up studies. The data were then analyzed using repeated measurement tests and multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA). Findings: The results showed that the multimedia training program can influence the problem-solving skills (p≤0/01) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. It also showed that the effect of this instruction was constant even after 1/5 months. Conclusion: multimedia training program with Neuropsychological approach enhance problem solving of Children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Introduction: The improvement of every administration and health system has always received assiduous attention. One of the processes that every system should pay attention to is empowerment. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the empowerment components of employees working in the Ilam Welfare Organization. Material & Methods: This applied research was conducted based on a qualitative approach and ground theory method in 2022-2023. The statistical population included professors and experts in the field of employee empowerment. Sampling was performed using the available and snowball method, and theoretical saturation was achieved with 15 cases. The interviewees of the research were 15 professors and experts in the field of employee empowerment who had the most experience in the research topic, and the data analysis was performed manually. Results: Based on the findings, 12 components and 24 subcomponents were identified in the field of empowerment of welfare organization employees, including individual skills, group skills and management (causal conditions), ethics, communication (contextual conditions), knowledge and improvement of the work environment (intervening conditions), managerial ability., moral ability, communication ability (strategies), promotion of service to employees, and the use of employees' potential capacities (consequences). Conclusion: Paying attention to skills and management at the individual and group level creates the possibility of employee empowerment in the welfare system. Necessary attention to knowledge and environment on the one hand and management and communication guidelines on the other hand provide the necessary platform and conditions for the growth of employees. The welfare organization will benefit from the effective result of empowerment when it uses its employees and their potential capacities.

Introduction: Energy homeostasis as a metabolic control pathway can be investigated from different dimensions. The present study aimed to assess the effect of eight weeks of aerobic and resistance training on adropin, spexin, and TNFa, as well as insulin resistance indices, in obese men with type 2 diabetes. Material & Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 30 obese men with type 2 diabetes in khoy in 2022 were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: control, aerobic exercise, and resistance exercise. Aerobic and resistance training (three sessions per week) was performed for eight weeks. In the pre-test and post-test stages, the levels of serum adropin, spexin, and TNFa, as well as the indices of insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity, were measured. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 24) using Shapiro-Wilk, t-test correlated, and one-way analysis of variance test to investigate intra-group and inter-group effects, respectively. Results: Aerobic and resistance training causes significant changes in fat percentage, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, and LDL in obese men with type 2 diabetes (P≤0/05). Moreover, in the between-group comparison, aerobic exercise causes significant changes in mean blood pressure, insulin, Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), adropin, and spexin levels in obese men with type 2 diabetes (P≤0/05). Conclusion: Participation in an aerobic exercise program with moderate intensity exerts more marked effects on adropin and spexin indices compared to resistance exercise. It is recommended to consider aerobic training programs in diabetic people as an effective factor in therapeutic intervention.

Introduction: One of the most common malignancies in men is prostate cancer. According to genome-wide association studies (GWAS), some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are likely factors for prostate cancer. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the rs1859962 polymorphism and prostate cancer risk. Material & Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 172 peripheral blood samples, including 72 cases of prostate cancer and 100 control subjects with BPH. The Tetra-ARMs PCR technique was used for SNP genotyping. Results: The results showed that the GG genotype of the rs185996 polymorphism had a significant association with prostate cancer risk in the recessive model (P=0. 022,OR=3. 426,95% CI=1. 135-10. 344). According to the results of the dominant and additive models, there is no risk of prostate cancer in these genetic models. The polymorphism Rs1859962 was correlated with GS≥8 (P=0. 021,OR=2. 088,95%CI=1. 11-3. 928), EPE (P=0. 002) and PSA>10 (P=0. 016,OR=2. 133,95%CI=1. 44-3. 978). Discussion & Conclusion: Our results suggest that the rs1859962 polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer risk in a recessive model and can be considered as a potential biomarker for screening prostate cancer patients.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is a progressive, age-related disease characterized by cartilage destruction, subchondral bone formation, and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Given the side effects of conventional OA treatments, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids, it is important to consider new treatment options for this disorder. Recently, the role of matrix metalloproteinase in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis has attracted attention. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Satureja sahendica Bornm essential oil on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1, 2, 9 and 13 in a model resembling osteoarthritis. Material & Methods: Bovine fibroblast-like synoviocytes were isolated from the articular cartilage of the radiocarpal joint of an 8-month-old Holstein bovine. Using RT-PCR and ELISA. the expression of Matrix metalloproteinase 1, 2, 9, and 12 was measured. The effect of Satureja sahendica Bornm essential oil on migration and cell invasion was investigated in transwell. Results: The results showed that Satureja sahendica Bornm essential oil significantly reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and 12 in bovine fibroblast-like synoviocytes stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. It also suppresses the migration and invasion of these cells. However, the essential oil of Satureja sahendica Bornm had no significant effect on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 and 2. Discussion & Conclusion: Our results show that the essential oil of Satureja sahendica Bornm can significantly reduce the activity and inflammatory effect of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and 12. Its potential role as an adjunct to current treatments for osteoarthritis was confirmed. However, cellular modeling does not confirm its beneficial effect in patients with osteoarthritis.

Introduction: Bacterial biofilm assumes importance across various contexts, including chronic human infections, dental plaque, and infections associated with foreign bodies such as catheters. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, recognized for its biofilm-forming capacity, is implicated in the onset of diverse infections. This study aims to explore the correlation between biofilm production and resistance to distinct classes of beta-lactam antibiotics. Material & Methods: In this cross-sectional investigation, 113 wound samples from burn patients admitted to Tehran and Ahvaz hospitals in 2020 were collected. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were identified using conventional biochemical and molecular methods. Antibiotic resistance profiles were elucidated employing the disk diffusion method, while beta-lactamase genes were identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20 software. Results: Forty isolates of P. aeruginosa, all exhibiting biofilm-producing capabilities, were identified. Carbapenem resistance manifested in 16 isolates, with the predominant beta-lactamase genes being blaTEM (15 isolates), blaVIM (12 isolates), and blaCTX-M (8 isolates). The highest resistance was observed against cefotaxime, cefazolin, meropenem, imipenem, and piperacillin, with 16 strains displaying resistance to these antibiotics. In the examination of carbapenemase-producing isolates (40% of the isolates), robust adhesion capabilities were consistently observed, and none lacked biofilm formation. Discussion & Conclusion: Significant antibiotic resistance, particularly carbapenem resistance, was identified among P. aeruginosa isolates causing burn wound infections. The combination of carbapenem resistance with biofilm production poses a formidable challenge in managing infectious diseases. It is suggested that, in addition to combating microbial resistance, efforts should be directed towards the eradication of bacterial biofilm for effective treatment.

Radiation safety is one of the main concerns in nuclear medicine treatments. After the discharge of thyroid cancer patients treated with radioactive iodine, the radiation exposure to family members of the patients is one of the main concerns of the patients and the society, which in some cases can cause the patient to be stigmatized and not receive the necessary care and emotional support from family and community members. Therefore, in order to reduce the side effects of this issue through the most essential strategic and executive recommendations mentioned in this policy summary, the following hint can be pointed out: training and raising the awareness of medical staff, patients, and society regarding the concepts related to ionizing radiation, permissible radiation dose, radiation hazards, principles of radiation protection, absorbed radiation dose, and factors affecting the absorbed radiation dose during therapeutic and supportive care of the patient under treatment, eliminating the influence of socio-economic factors, lifestyle and literacy level of the patient's family members on the compliance of caregivers with safety recommendations and eventually the radiation exposure to the family members of the patients.