مجله دانشکده پزشکی اصفهان
پیاپی 649 (هفته اول بهمن 1400)

Families of patients with chronic mental and physical disorders provide patients with a number of supportive measures. Caregivers of this group of patients endure a lot of care stress Identifying the extent of these stresses can play a decisive role in promoting their mental health. This study was conducted to compare the care stress in caregivers of patients with chronic physical and mental diseases.

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study in which 300 patients with cancer or mental disorders who referred to the inpatient and outpatient wards of Seyed Al-Shohada, Noor, and Farabi hospitals Isfahan City, Iran, in the summer of 2019, were selected by convenient methods. Data collection tools included Novak and Gast Stress Pressure Questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire of demographic characteristics. Data analysis was performed using independent t test.

The mean care stress among caregivers of patients with cancer was 55.8 ± 17.92 as well as 62.60 ± 20.02 among the caregivers of patients with mental disorders. There was a significant difference between the overall score of caring stress and its subscales among the caregivers of patients with cancer or mental disorders. According to the mean scores, these values were higher among the caregivers of patients with psychiatric disorders than that of patients with cancer. However, there was no significant difference between the timedependent care stress components.

Based on the findings of this study, patients with chronic diseases place a great deal of care stress on caregivers. In addition, the mean care stress in caregivers of patients with mental disorders are higher than in patients with cancer.

Using computed tomography (CT) scan may cause complications in the eye lens, thyroid gland, and breasts. One of the radiation protection methods to protect patients from unnecessary and unintended exposures is utilizing non-lead shields in CT-scan tests. Before designing and using these shields, it is necessary to study their performance by a simulation.

Bismuth, tungsten, and tin with absorption edges in diagnostic radiology energy ranges were selected for this research. Each of the metals along with the silicon was used as building blocks in the Monte Carlo simulation. To determine the mass attenuation coefficient of the samples, the beam was simulated as single energy. The energy range was selected according to the common imaging tests in diagnostic laboratories from 20 to 140 keV with 20 keV steps. The flat photon source with a radius of 5 mm was placed at the origin of the geometry. Information obtained from the simulation could specify that the shield had the most attenuation coefficient at which energies.

The shield containing 10% bismuth and 90% silicon showed more attenuation in the energies above 100 keV. Tungsten and tin shields also showed greater attenuation at medium and low energies.

By using the effect of attenuation window and selecting proper percentage and metal for the energy applied in diagnostic radiology, patients can be protected from radiation exposure to radiosensitive superficial organs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of aerobic training on expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress genes [X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) and eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α)] in the heart tissue of male rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes.

Twenty male rats with the mean weight of 204.0 ± 11.3 grams were randomly divided into four groups including of healthy control, healthy exercise, diabetic control, and diabetic training. They became diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (50 mg/kg). After confirmation of induction of diabetes by measuring fasting blood glucose level with glucometer, aerobic training program was performed with an average intensity for 30 minutes at a speed of 18 meters per minute, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. The expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress genes (XBP1 and eIF2α) was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical analysis.

The expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress genes (XBP1 and eIF2α) in heart tissue in diabetic rats was significantly higher than the healthy control group. After 6 weeks of aerobic exercise protocol, the expression of these genes in heart tissue was significantly lower in the diabetic group of exercise, healthy exercise, and healthy control than the diabetic control group.

The results of the present study showed that by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress factors in the heart of male rats with diabetes, aerobic training can be useful as a preventive and non-pharmacological factor in the treatment of patients with diabetes.