International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Year:2018 | Volume:9 | Issue:-|Papers Count:10

Background: Formaldehyde is a common hazardous indoor air pollutant which recently raised public concerns due to its well‑ known carcinogenic effects on human. The aim of this study was to investigate a potted plant‑ soil system ability in formaldehyde removal from a poor ventilated indoor air to promote dwellers health. Methods: For this purpose, we used one of the common interior plants from the fern species (Nephrolepis obliterata), inside a Plexiglas chamber under controlled environment. Entire plant removal efficiency and potted soil/roots contribution were determined by continuously introducing different formaldehyde vapor concentrations to the chamber (0. 6– 11 mg/m3) each over a 48‑ h period. Sampling was conducted from inlet and outlet of the chamber every morning and evening over the study period, and the average of each stage was reported. Results: The results showed that the N. obliterata plant efficiently removed formaldehyde from the polluted air by 90%– 100%, depending on the inlet concentrations, in a long time exposure. The contribution of the soil and roots for formaldehyde elimination was 26%. Evaluation of the plant growing characteristics showed that the fumigation did not affect the chlorophyll content, carotenoid, and average height of the plant; however, a decrease in the plant water content was observed. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, phytoremediation of volatile organic compound‑ contaminated indoor air by the ornamental potted plants is an effective method which can be economically applicable in buildings. The fern species tested here had high potential to improve interior environments where formaldehyde emission is a health concern.

Background: Diabetes is the most common disease related to metabolism disorders. Today, diabetes in the elderly is one of the major epidemics of the century. This study aimed to investigate the effect of nutrition and jogging‑ based Belief, Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Enabling Factors (BASNEF) model in changes in metabolic parameters that performed in elderly patients with type II diabetes in Fasa city. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial on 108 elderly patients with type II diabetes (54 patients in the experimental group and 54 in control group) referred to the diabetes center in Fasa City, Fars Province, Iran, in 2016. Data were collected using a valid self‑ reported questionnaire including demographic variables and BASNEF Model (knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, and enabling factors), checklist for patient’ s practices nutrition and jogging based on self‑ reporting patients, assess the level of fasting blood sugar (FBS), low‑ density lipoprotein (LDL), high‑ density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), and HbAlc patients which was completed by both groups before and 3 months after the intervention. The experimental group received the training in eight sessions; each session lasted for 70 min. Then, the data were entered into the SPSS 22 software (SPSS Inc., IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi‑ square test, independent t‑ test, and paired t‑ test. P <0. 05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The results showed that the mean scores of the BASNEF components (knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, and enabling factors) in two experimental and control groups after intervention were a significant difference. After training program, nutritional and jogging performance in the experimental group was better than the control group. Furthermore, FBS (P < 0. 001), LDL (P < 0. 001), HDL (P < 0. 001), TG (P < 0. 001), and HbAlc (P < 0. 001) improved significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusions: Plan and implement nutrition and jogging education using the BASNEF model to improve metabolic parameters in diabetic patients are very effective and beneficial. Moreover, in the implementation of these programs, control, monitoring, and follow‑ up educational are recommended.

Dear Editor, Scientific misconduct affects the whole scientific universe and is a mounting concern. It wastes the energy, time, and money of other researchers and can adversely affect the health of people. [1‑ 3] A survey in the British Medical Journal showed misconduct to be worryingly prevalent in the UK, with 13% of researchers having first‑ hand knowledge of misconduct. [4] In a study in India, 56% of researchers reported observing data alteration by others. [5] In another study in Arizona State University, 84%– 91% of the students in seven introductory biology and zoology courses admitted to manipulate data...

Background: Considering that better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and risk factors of arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) would be helpful for better management of stroke and its outcome in children as well as preventing or reducing the occurrence of its related potential disabilities, the aim of this study was to investigate the most common risk factors and causes of AIS in patients referred to the referral hospitals in Tehran and Isfahan cities of Iran. Methods: In this study, medical files of all pediatric patients admitted to the Mofid and Imam Hossein children’ s hospitals with the diagnosis of AIS from 2001 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016, respectively, were evaluated. Identified risk factors of AIS were categorized as arteriopathies, cardiac disorders (CDs), infection, acute head‑ and‑ neck disorders, acute systemic conditions, chronic systemic conditions, prothrombotic states, chronic head‑ and‑ neck disorders, atherosclerosis‑ related RFs, and others. Results: In this study, 61 patients were evaluated. Mean (standard deviation) age of the patients was 5. 1 (3. 9) years. About 62. 3% of the patients were boys while 37. 7% were girls (P < 0. 01). A total of 36 patients (59%) had at least one risk factor for AIS. About 40. 9% of patients had undetermined risk factors. CDs (21. 31%) and vascular disease (21. 31%) were the most common risk factors of AIS in the studied children. Nearly 11. 5% of the patients had moyamoya vascular disease (MMD). Conclusion: The findings of our study indicated that the most common risk factors for AIS in the two studied regions are congenital heart and vascular diseases. The results of the current study could be used for planning more preventive strategies in patients suffering from the mentioned diseases. In addition, the obtained data could be used for conducting targeted education and management of high‑ risk patients.

Background: Peritonitis is one of the important complications of peritoneal dialysis and one of the reasons for failure of this therapeutic technique. As one of the important reasons for development of peritonitis is disregard for health behaviors, this study aims to investigate the effect of education based on health belief model (HBM) on behaviors preventing peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: This double‑ blind clinical trial study conducted on 60 patients with peritoneal dialysis in Isfahan, Iran. A researcher‑ made questionnaire was used to evaluate knowledge, HBM constructs, and peritonitis preventive behaviors in three stages (before, immediately after and 2‑ month after intervention). The intervention group received four HBM‑ based educational sessions and the control group received a lecture session. Data were analyzed using Chi‑ square, Mann– Whitney, Fisher’ s exact test, independent t‑ test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups’ background variables and level of knowledge, perceived, sensitivity, severity, benefits, arriers, self‑ efficacy, personal and environmental hygiene behaviors and fluid‑ replacement technique before the intervention. Immediately after the intervention, all of the variables, except perceived barriers, personal, and environmental hygiene, were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group (P < 0. 05); 2 months after the intervention, all of the variables, except personal hygiene and perceived barriers, were significantly higher in the intervention group (P < 0. 05); in three stages, personal hygiene was not significantly different between the two groups; and 2 months after the intervention, the variable of perceived barriers decreased significantly in the intervention group (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: Education based on HBM is effective on promoting behaviors preventing peritonitis. Education based on HBM is suggested in peritoneal dialysis patients to prevent peritonitis.

Background: Little is known on the food consumption habits and adherence to dietary guidelines among young adults. We examined students’ adherence to recommended guidelines, and the associations between importance of eating healthy and guidelines adherence. Methods: A total of 3271 undergraduates at 11 faculties, Assiut University, Egypt (2009– 2010), completed a questionnaire reporting their consumption of 12 food groups; number of servings of fruits/vegetables/day; and how important it is for them to eat healthy. We employed the WHO guidelines for the Eastern Mediterranean region (WHO 2012) to compute students’ adherence to dietary guidelines for the different food groups. Chi‑ square tested the differences for adherence to guidelines by gender, and the associations between the importance of healthy eating and guidelines adherence for the whole sample and by gender. Results: Except for cereal products, no food group had an adherence level >45%. Gender differences were observed (men had better adherence for sweets, cake/cookies, snacks, and raw vegetables but not for fast food/canned food or cooked vegetables, P < 0. 001 for each). There was a significant positive trend between the increase of subjective importance of eating healthy and adherence to guidelines (P = 0. 012– <0. 001). However, this association was only for some food groups and gender dependent. Conclusions: Across the majority of food groups we examined, this sample exhibited low adherence levels to International Nutrition Guidelines. Healthier eating educational/intervention efforts should target foods exhibiting low adherence (most food groups, particularly salad/raw vegetables, fresh fruits, dairy/dairy products, meat/sausage products); consider gender differences (females reported lower adherence across most food groups); and note the relation between adherence and subjective importance of eating healthy by food groups and gender.

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is a common problem for pregnant women. Researchers have recently paid special attention to complementary medicine methods for the treatment of NVP. Regarding the high prevalence of NVP as well as maternal and fetal adverse effects of chemical drugs, the present study, focusing on clinical trials carried out in Iran, was conducted to assess safety and efficacy of different nonpharmacological methods in relieving NVP. This systematic review focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and assessed complementary medicine on NVP for which databases including MedLib, Magiran, Iran Medex, SID, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar search engines from 2000 to 2015 were searched. Those articles that gained score 3 or higher, according to Jadad criteria, were recruited for the study. In this study, 31 clinical trials assessing NVP were conducted on Iranian pregnant women. After removing ten articles, 21 articles with scores 3 and higher, according to Jedad criteria, were assessed. Out of 21 papers, 10 papers were about ginger, one was about cardamom, one was about lemon, two were about peppermint aromatherapy, six were about pericardium 6 (P6) acupressure, and one article about KID21 acupressure. Most studies have demonstrated a positive effect on reducing NVP; however, no adverse effect was reported. According to the results of this review, the majority of methods employed were effective in reducing the incidence of NVP, among which ginger and P6 acupressure can be recommended with more reliability.

The relationship between households’ socioeconomic situation (SES) and children dental caries has been assessed in many Iranian studies to evaluate the effect of public dental care programs supporting the poor. Hence, this study through systematic review and meta‑ analysis has presented a conclusion in this regard. Domestic and foreign databases were searched using keywords designed by concept map. Time limit to search the databases included articles published from 1994 to 2017. Twenty‑ five articles were entered to the final step of the study, in which 49 relationships between SES and dental caries were assessed. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2. Publication bias has been assessed using funnel plot and Egger’ s test. The data were assessed by STATA 13. 1. Odds ratio and mean difference of children dental caries in high SES households in comparison with low SES households were 0. 41 (confidence interval [CI]: 0. 30, 0. 52) and − 0. 49 (CI: − 0. 85, − 0. 13), respectively. The CI in both cases did not include “ null or no effect line, ” so there was a significant inverse relation between SES and dental caries. Despite the emphasis on upstream documents on equity in access to dental health services, there was high difference between SES groups in this regard. It is necessary to revise dental health programs at the country level to decrease these differences.

The aim of this study was to present a patient (acute allograft dysfunction after a kidney transplantation) with previously detected minimum plaque on both iliac arteries by scintigram and afterward a pathological Color Doppler Ultrasound (CDU) record and to point on possibility of avoiding toxic computed tomography (CT) angiography in certain renal graft recipients. Ultrasound (US) findings showed normal graft size, whereas Doppler signals detected parvus‑ tardus waveforms pointing to arterial stenosis. Isotope perfusion scintigraphy registered a slow flow on both iliac arteries and normal graft perfusion. CT angiography has not been performed because of the possible toxic effects to the graft. We believe that favorable clinical and biochemical findings along with US and isotope ratio monitoring are sufficient to avoid CT contrast angiography.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a central nervous system inflammatory disorder in which immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies possibly play a pathogenic role against the aquaporin‑ 4 water channel protein. Vitamin D may modulate B‑ cell function and decrease the IgG synthesis and may play a role in NMOSD as a crucial factor. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between Vitamin D intakes from food, Vitamin D intake from sunlight exposure, blood Vitamin D levels, and IgG‑ neuromyelitis optica (NMO) level in serum of patients with NMOSD and NMO. Method: In this cross-sectional study, food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) and Sun Exposure Questionnaire (SEQ) were completed to evaluate of vitamin D intakes from food and sun light exposure. Moreover, serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D3 and IgG-NMO were assessed in patients with NMOSD and NMO. Results: We assessed IgG‑ NMO levels in 29 patients with NMOSD that nine patients (n = 31%) were positive and for the rest it was negative. Sunlight exposure scale (P = 0. 01) and 25(OH) D3 (P = 0. 04) in IgG‑ NMO‑ negative patients were significantly more than patients with positive IgG‑ NMO. Age, gender, and latitude were not confounder variables. A positive significant correlation was observed between the sun exposure scale and serum levels of 25(OH) D3 in all participants (r = 0. 747, P ≤ 0. 001). Conclusions: Physiological variation in Vitamin D may apply a significant effect on IgG‑ NMO synthesis in patients with NMO. Vitamin D may have significant role in pathogenesis of NMOSD and NMO.