Journal of Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences
Year:2011 | Volume:17 | Issue:4 (58)|Papers Count:10

Background and Purpose: Eyes are among the most sensitive organs to chemical agents especially Sulfur mustard or Hun Distilled. Therapeutic effects of anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown on the decrease of epithelium of corneal injuries after being exposed to sulfur mustard. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of topically applied Bethametazone - Diclofenac Na in rabbits.Materials and Methods: In this experimental research, thirty six rabbits were used. Animals were randomly divided into six equal groups (6 rabbits in each group) including control, solution and mustard groups and prophylaxis groups included Betamethasone, Diclofenac Na, Betamethasone-Diclofenac Na were applied before being exposed to the sulfur mustard solution.Animals were kept for 2 weeks and the drugs were used 3 times a day for 2 weeks. Slit-lamp examinations were performed under anesthesia before exposure and subsequently at days 1, 2, 5, 7, and 14 after sulfur mustard exposure by ophthalmologists. At the end of the 14th day, specimens of cornea were obtained for ultrastructural evaluation of corneal epithelium. Statistical analysis was performed by one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s test using SPSS 13 software.Results: No significant differences were found between the control and solvent groups as far as the variables were concerned. Corneal epithelial defect and severe changes in ultrastructure of corneal epithelial surface was found in the sulfur mustard group. Clinically, corneal epithelial defect in prophylactic Diclofenac Na group (4.2±1.32) decreased significantly when compared to the mustard group (68.7±8.42) (P=0.034).Betamethasone-Diclofenac Na group (4.2±1.17) also decreased significantly when compared to the mustard group (68.7±8.42) (P=0.031). The corneal epithelial defect was not seen in prophylactic Betamethasone group. Ultrastructural damage of corneal epithelial surface and their microvillus in Betamethasone group was similar to the control group.Conclusion: Betamethazone is capable of protecting corneal epithelial defect in the eyes of rabbits exposed to sulfur mustard.

Background and Purpose: Variation and increase in the levels of inflammatory factors and glycemia are among the major problems of type 2 diabetics. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of beta carotene-enriched carrot juice on CRP inflammatory indexes, IL-6 and FBS glucose in diabetics.Methods and Materials: This randomized double blind clinical trial was conducted on 44 type 2 diabetics. Participants based on gender and BMI were assigned into two groups (Group A receiving 200 ml carrot juice enriched with 10 mg beta carotene and Group B receiving normal carrot juice) by randomized stratified sampling. Both groups received 200 ml carrot juice for 8 weeks for lunch (instead of cereals). A 24-hour recall was obtained for 3 consecutive and 6 concomitant days at the beginning and end of the study duration. Also, CRP, IL-6, FBS glucose and serum beta carotene levels were measured in FBS blood sample at the beginning and end of the study duration. The consumption data were fed into Nutritionist IV, and analyzed in SPSS 11.5.Results: Each group consisted of 22 (11 male and 11 female diabetics) participants. There was a significant increase in the levels of beta carotene in group A (111.9±64.9 at the beginning and 72±43.9 at the end) (p=0.02). However, the reduction of CRP in Group A (-996.9±2172.6 at the beginning and - 537.3±1412.4 at the end) was not significant (p=0.098). Also, IL-6 reduction in Group A (-0.8±2.1 at the beginning and -0.6±2.4 at the end) was not significant (p=0.085). FBS glucose was also not examined in the present study.Conclusion: Daily consumption of carrot juice enriched with 10 mg beta carotene for eight weeks caused an improvement in the levels of serum antioxidants including beta carotene in type 2 diabetics, with no significant effects on serum glucose and inflammatory indexes.

Background and Purpose: Self-efficacy is a modifiable psychological variable in sustained breastfeeding that is defined as a mother's confidence in her perceived ability for successful and exclusive breastfeeding. Therefore, the present study was conducted in order to compare the effectiveness of “Hands on” and” Hands off” methods on breastfeeding self-efficacy in primiparous mothers.Materials and Methods: In this experimental single-blind study, 124 primiparous women were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Participants in the experimental group received one of the structured one-on-one educational sessions (i.e., hands-off or hands-on) within the first two hours of giving birth to her child. Mothers in control group received usual postpartum care. Follow-up assessments were conducted one, four, and eight weeks after the birth. Data collection was done through interview forms, examination and observation, checklist of breastfeeding status, breastfeeding self-efficacy and dailyfeeding form. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis and correlation coefficient (p<0.05 was considered as significance level and test power of 80% was estimated).Results: Mean score of self efficacy in the first week of handsoff and hands-on groups were 59.9±4.78 and 54.59±7.55 respectively; it was 56.6±8.93 in the routine care participants. In the fourth week, the figure amounted to 63.28±6.63 and 58.78±9.05 respectively; also, in the routine care participants it was 56.1±9.04. But in the eighth week, the figures were 66.7±5.3 and 61.7±8.4 respectively; it was 60.9±6.2 in the routine group. A statistically significant difference was demonstrated the three between treatment durations (p=0.000).Conclusion: The hands-off education increased breastfeeding self efficacy in the first eight weeks after birth.

Background and Purpose: Parkinson’s disease is one of the common debilitating factors in the elderly. It is caused by disorders in the nucleus of cerebral base which control body movements such as walking and body balance. The present research is intended to study and compare the effects of three exercise patterns (rhythmic, medical ball exercising and stretching exercise) on Parkinsonian patients’ equilibrium.Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study involved the population of Parkinsonian patients in Kashan and Aranobidgol, Iran. Thirty five male patients (61±3 years old) with minor Parkinson’s disease (Stage 3 in Y& H scale) were selected and randomly assigned into one of the three groups: rhythmic group (N=11), medical ball exercising group (N=12) and stretching exercising group (N=12). All participants took their medications under medical supervision in the study period. Each group performed the assigned pattern for 10 weeks (three onehour sessions each week). Berg Balance Scaling (BBS) was used for measurements, and dependent t-test, one-way ANOVA and LSD tests were used for data analysis. All analyses were done in SPSS 16.Results: The results showed that the three different exercising patterns (Rhythmic, medical Ball and stretching exercises) had significantly improved patients' equilibrium by 15.7 %, 5.58% and 4.28% respectively (P=0.001). It also revealed that rhythmic exercises had more considerable effects on Parkinson patients’ equilibrium recovery than medical ball (P=0.03 (, and stretching exercise (P=0.008). The effect of exercising with medical ball and stretching exercises on Parkinson patients’ balance recovery is almost identical, with no significant difference (P=0.530).Conclusion: Rhythmic exercise patterns cause more considerable effects on the improvement of equilibrium in Parkinson's patients than other patterns.

Materials and methods: In this descriptive analytical study, 300 students from Razi University in Kermanshah, Iran (150 males and 150 females) were selected randomly and screened with the use of PPV (Posture Pro V) software; 14 students with forward head posture (FHP<5) and 14 healthy students (1£FHP£ 0) were selected as subjects and participated in the following phase of research with informed consent. Cervical spines were evaluated by radiography from lateral view and then evaluated for anterior head translation (AHT), cervical lordosis (C2-C7), and superior cervical curvature (C1-C2) in lateral cervical spines. Mean differences of healthy and FHP subject’s variables were analyzed and compared with independent t-test. Also, Pearson’s coefficient of correlation was used for investigating the relationships between variables at p<0.05 in SPSS 16.Results: Cervical lordosis of forward head subjects (C2-C7= 23.44±6.26) was significantly lower than healthy persons (C2-C7 =38.29±5.24) (P=0.000). Shorter subjects and women had greater anterior head translation (11.31 versus 25.67) and less cervical lordosis (33.77 versus 23.11) than men and taller subjects (p<0.05). AHT reduces the normal cervical lordosis and induces kyphosis; also, an S-shaped curvature may occur due to severe AHT as a result of lowered curve of inferior cervical vertebrae (C2-C7) and increased curvature of superior cervical vertebrae (C1-C2).Conclusion: The forward head posture can minimize the normal lordosis and occurrence of cervical kyphosis; height does not increase forward head posture; also, women may experience extreme forward head posture than men do.

Background and Purpose: Since mental disorders usually occur throughout lifetime, establishing and keeping the sense of spiritual well-being can play a vital role in stress management.The present study investigated the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health in university students.Methods and Materials: In this correlational descriptive study, 400 students from Hamadan Islamic Azad University (177 male and 223 female) with an average age of 22.7±4.57 years were selected through relative categorical sampling method from various faculties. They completed the spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) and general health questionnaire (GHQ-28). Utilized stepwise multiple regression and multivariable analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used in SPSS 16 to analyze the obtained data.Results: The findings showed that mean well-being scores and mental health were 89.18±17.14 and 52.48±15.76 respectively.Also, there was a significant correlation between spiritual wellbeing and mental health (r=-0.55). Also, 0.37 percent of mental health variance is explained via religious well-being. The results of the analysis of MANOVA showed that the female students’ scores are higher than those of male ones (p<0.02, F=4.89) only in the subscale of religious well-being; while no significant difference was observed in other subscales.Conclusion: Based on the results, there is a relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health.

Background and Purpose: History of implementing civil projects and plans in Iran indicates a lowered attention to environmental effects of civil projects in the past, leading to contamination of various environmental resources nationwide. In order to avoid such threats particularly in establishing composting plants, evaluation of environmental effects must be considered.Therefore, we decided to take a step forward for sustained development by evaluating the environmental effects before a composting plant is established in Sabzevar, Iran.Methods and Materials: In this descriptive study, three geographical zones were selected around Sabzevar for establishing the plant, and two of them were rejected and the third one (5 km from the city) was chosen for further evaluation.The positive and negative environmental effects were also considered.Results: The negative effects of establishing the plant for the time of operation were given 11 points and for the time of construction were 18 points; its positive effects were given 27 points for both construction and operation times. The algebraic sum of negative and positive points came up to be 16 positive and 9 negative points.Conclusion: The study results and the comparison of negative and positive effects of establishing the composting plant in the specified location in Sabzevar, Iran can be considered positive and its implementation is feasible.

Background and Purpose: Clinical teaching is a vital element in Nursing and Midwifery education, and one of the best sources of clinical teacher evaluation is the students’ perceptions. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of an effective clinical teacher from the perspective of Nursing and Midwifery Students at Sabzevar University of medical Sciences.Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Sabzevar University of medical Sciences in 2007-2008, and involved 120 participants who were recruited by convenient sampling. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection, which contained questions on professional competency, communication with students, and personal characteristics. Items values ranged from zero to five. Frequency, mean and standard deviation, independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis was done in SPSS 11.5.Results: Mean score of professional competency was 4±0.5; students’ perceptions of professional competency became more positive as their education approached higher semesters (r=0.22, p=0.016). Also, Mean score of professional competency was higher than the mean of communication with students (3.8±0.6), and personal characteristics (3.7±0.6).Concluson: Students experiencing clinical training considered professional competency, knowledge, and the capability of transferring it to them as more important than their ability to communicate.

Background and Purpose: Reaction time (RT) is one of the most important decision-making elements and represents the speed of information processing (IP) that can affect sport skills, but its variation across visual and auditory reaction times among men and women athletes is unclear. The present study was designed to compare the visual and auditory simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) among male and female athletes.Methods and Materials: This descriptive study involved 100 right-handed subjects (50 male and 50 female) with above average IQ, from among the students of Physical Education at Tehran University, Iran. Their age ranged from 18 to 25 years.The data were collected by the use of manual RT tool. The analysis of data was done by F test in SPSS 16 (p<0.05).Results: The results showed that visual SRT was 0.233±0.154 vs.0.229±0.172 respectively among female and male participants (P=0.161), auditory SRT was 0.234±0.180 vs.0.233±0.196 respectively (p=0/837), and visual CRT was 0.440±0.171 vs.0.481±0.115 respectively (P=0./409); no significant difference were found between male and female participants in this regard. The only differences was related to auditory CRT which tended to be significantly faster in boys than girls (0.481±0.115 vs.0.484±0.141) (P=0.000).Conclusion: Based on the findings, only auditory CRT was affected by gender.

A four-year-old girl referred to the ophthalmologist for evaluation of swelling and lesions on lids, nose and upper lip. In history by her mother’s statement, the patient developed lesions following a severe fever. The child did not indicate other problems. Clinical examination showed swelling, vesicle lesions on lids (both eyes) and the upper lip and vesicle blister, crust and ulcerative lesions on dorsal and nasal bridge. Based on typical blister lesions of lids, nose and lip, the diagnosis was herpes simplex lesions. In a newborn, severely malnourished infants and immunocompromised persons, a serious infection may occur.The purpose of this clinical presentation is to report a severe and unusual clinical case of herpes simplex infection in an immunocompetent child.