Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
Year:2013 | Volume:12 | Issue:1 (48)|Papers Count:9

Background and Objectives: The hyperglycemia in diabetes leads to body proteins glycation, which consequently alter their structure and function and cause later complications. In the current study the effect of Citrullus Colocyn this extract on inhibition of albumin glycation reaction and breaking the linkage between albumin and glucose in vitro was examined.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the effect of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 g/dl concentration of Citrullus Colocyn this extract in two statuses: 1- inhibition of albumin glycation reaction and 2- breaking the linkage between albumin and glucose was examinedin vitro. The amount of glycation was assayed by TBA (Thiobarbituric Acid) and p<0.05 considered as significant level. For data analysis, one way ANOVA and Taukey’s were used.Results: The Citrullus Colocynthis extract in all concentrations inhibited the albumin glycation reaction which the 0.2 g/dl concentration had the most effect and the differences were significant (p<0.05). On the other hand breaking the bound between albumin and glucose, showed that 0.1 g/dl concentration had the most effect and the differences were significant (p<0.05). The rate of linkage breaking has direct relation with time period of treatment.Conclusion: The findings of present study demonstrated that Citrullus Colocynthis prevents albumin glycation and also breaks the linkage in albumin and glucose, therefore it could have hypoglycemic effect. It could be considered as a useful herbal medicine for alleviate or obstacle of diabetes complications.

Background and Objectives: Risky behaviors can lead to high rates of morbidity and mortality among college students. The purpose of this research was to investigate the correlation between personality characteristics and risky behaviors among college students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study 200 students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (100 femals and 100 mals) during 2010-11 were investigated. Participants were recruited with stratified sampling and if they were accessible or volunterily participated in the study. NEO PI-OR Inventory and Risky Behaviors Questionnaires were used. Deta were analyzed using Pearson correlation, Simultaneous regression and Stepwise regression.Results: The results showed that personality characteristics of neuroticism (r=-0.45), agreeableness (r=-0.63), and conscientiousness (r=-0.69), were all in significant negative correlation with risky behaviors (p<0.01). Also personality characteristics of extroversion (r=0.78) and openness to experience (r=0.71) had a significant positive correlation with risky behaviors (p<0.01). Findings of linear and hierarchical regression analysis revealed that personality characteristics were predictable in total 0.75 percent of risky behaviors variance, from which the contribution of extroversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and agreeableness respectively were 0.60, 0.08, 0.04, 0.1, and 0.2 percent respectively.Conclusion: The findings of this research can not only aid in creating intervention programs for those who are engaging in risky behaviors, but it can also aid in preventing these behaviors in people who are at risk.

Background and Objectives: Depression is a serious mental disorder which many people suffer from it.Hippocampus is one part of the brain whose destruction is regarded as important in depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of the neurons included in hippocampus of depressed rats which were treated with saffron aqueous extract and citalopram.Material and Methods: In the following experimental study, 40 male adult rats were randomly assigned into five equal groups. Except the first group, other groups were assigned into pure darkness for six weeks to induce depression. Later, the forced swimming test (FST) was applied to prove the depression. The groups include: 1) safe sham 2) depressed sham 3) depressed control group. The depressed control group received saline, whereas the two other groups were orderly given saffron aqueous extract with 160 mg/kg dosage and citalopram with 10 mg/kg dosage. Drugs were injected for 4 weeks once a day.Results: Citalopram and saffron significantly reduced immobility (p<0.05). The saffron group had healthy neurons in all three parts of hippocampus which is similar to the non-depressed group. In citalopram group, healthy neurons were observed in CA1 and DG parts of hippocampus.Conclusion: The aqueous extract of saffron has more beneficial effects regarding the neuronal damage in depressed animals in contrast to citalopram.

Background and Objectives: Osteoporosis, as a disease, is characterized by low bone mass and micro architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to enlarged bone fragility and a consequent increase in the risk of fracture. The aim of this study was to measure health belief model construct in preventive behavior about osteoporosis in pregnant women in Arak city.Materials and Methods: This descriptive, analytical study was carried out on 120 pregnant women referring to health centers in diffeaent zones of Arak city with random sampling. Data collection was based on the Health Belief Model (susceptibility, severity, perceived benefits and barriers, self-efficacy and cues to action) and the checklist of the practice mothers about walking and nutrition. The data were analyzed using t-test and Pearson correlation.Results: Findings showed that the mean of scores of nutrition and regular walking was 22.85 and 19.14 respectively. There was a positive correlation among perceived benefits, sensitivity, severity, perceived barriers and self efficacy with the performance of mothers about prevention of osteoporosis. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between perceived barrier and practice (p=0.001). So the higher the knowledge of the perceived severity and self-efficacy of the woman, the higher the performance of women about prevention of osteoporosis. Although this factor was based on the low level of perceived barrier (p=0.001).Conclusion: Necessary training programs based on health belief model for enhancing susceptibility, perceived severity, self efficacy and decrease of perceived barrier in pregnancy for pregnant women in order doing to preven of osteoporosis is recommended.

Background and Objectives: Education is one of the best methods of to preventing AIDS identifying learners’ information resources are necessary to design effective training programs. This study was done to determine the non-medical students’ information sources and ways of preventing HIV transmission.Materials and Methods: This Cross-sectional study was done on 384 non medical students by sampling method. Data was collected based on Researcher made questionnaire in three sections: first demographic characteristic, questions about knowledge (20 questions) and the third section was devoted to questions about information sources. Data was analyzed by Chi square and Mann-Whitney tests.Results: The mean knowledge score of participants was 50.4±4. Ten point four percent of participants had medium knowledge and 89.6% of them had good knowledge.63.7% of students used television as their main source of information, and only in 16% of the students their families were the most important sources of information. In this study the relationship between source use and knowledge of students was significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: This study indicates that the national media educational content about AIDS education should become richer considering the fact that television discussing issues about AIDS prevention and transmission on television is limited so it is recommended that students be encouraged to use a combination of other sources. In addition it is suggested that the Educational content about "prevention of HIV transmission" be added to the curriculm of all the students.

Background and Objectives: Meny studies have shown that addicts and non-addicts are different in personality traits, identity styles, resiliency and spirituality, but the role of each component in predicting addictive behavior and discriminating between addict and non-addict groups is not clear. So, the purpose of the current research was to identify the role of predictive factors according to spirituality, personality trails, identity stylfs and resiliency in discriminating between addict and non-addict groups.Material and Methods: In this causal – comparative study, 60 addict males (aged between 15-25 years old) and 60 non-addict males (15-25) were selected.by available sampling All the participants were evaluated by NEOFFI, ISI-6G, Resiliency scale, and Spirituality questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS-18 software and discrimination analysis method were used to analyze the deta.Results: The results showed that 10 predictive variables accounted for 63.5 % of the variance between addict and non-addict groups. In stepwise discriminatory model, most 3 important components in discriminating between groups were: normative identity style, spirituality, and conscientiousness personality trait respectively.Conclusion: The results indicated that personality traits, identity styles, resiliency, and spirituality can discriminate between addict and non-addict groups. Higher scores in conscientiousness, spirituality, and normative identity increase the possibility in predicting membership in non-addict groups.

Background and Objectives: Assess of Quality of educational services in universities is a necessity. The aim of this study was application of the internal evaluation in selected educational groups of faculty of medicine in Ilam University of medical sciences.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study in Medicine Faculty of Ilam University of Medical Sciences was conducted in 2008. Sample subgroups in learners using simple random sampling and a census in other subgroups were selected. Data collected using of valid and reliable five questionnaires for Administrators group, faculty members, students, patients and Library authorities. Data analysis was carried out by descriptive statistics applying spss ver.16 software.Results: The result of internal assessment components of studied educational groups shows that of among nine components assessed, component of quality of treatment and care of patients with score 3.50±0.51, and research component with score 1.91±0.85, respectively, highest and lowest scores in the assessment of studied groups were accounted.Conclusion: The role of component of Research in Programs of groups was less considered. Recommended authorities and groups directors with using of the ability of students as a potential component and Strengthen the motivation of faculty members to conduct applied research provide the field of educational and research quality improvement in university.

Background and Objectives: premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a psycho-somatic disorder that occurs in luteal phase of menstrual cycle and affects the social and individual behaviour of women. Different methods (medical and psychological) are used in the management of this disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Cognitive- Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) on the depression and irritability of women with PMS.Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted as a post-test and pre-test whit control groups. Statistical population included women of Rafsanjan city who referred to Nik-Nafs clinic in May 2009.from the women who referred to this clinic, 50 women were selected as available sample and then 24 of them, who acquired the highest score from the questionnaire estimating PMS, were selected as final sample and randomly assigned into two equal groups. Data were gathered by GHQ-28 and questionnaires for estimating PMS Symptoms. The women in the interventional group took part in a 90-minutes training program for 8 weekly sessions. Then, the post–test scores of the two groups were gathered. Data were analyzed by co-variance test and independent t-test using SPSS software.Results: The mean scores of depression and irritability were 24.7±5.6 and 26.6±7.9 respectively. After intervention the scores for depression and irritability were 19.9±7.4 and 20.77±7.3 respectively. These values statistically significant (p=0.01, p=0.03).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that CBSM can improve PMS symptoms.