مجله مطالعات علوم پزشکی
سال سی و سوم شماره 9 (آدر 1401)

Background & Aims:

 Tokophobia is a pathological fear of childbirth that can lead to anxiety and worry in pregnant women. The current study was performed to compare predictors of tokophobia in mothers in the last trimester and first six months of pregnancy based on metacognitive beliefs, corona anxiety, and ilness anxiety in 2022.

Materials & Methods:

 This is a case-control study and was conducted on 104 primiparous mothers (52 people last trimester and 52 people first six months) in 2022. The sampling method was convenient method, and was done with the cooperation of nurses and midwives in the health centers of Shushtar city, Iran. Data was collected using Tokophobia Severity Questionnaire, Metacognitive Beliefs, Coronary Anxiety, and Disease Anxiety, and analyzed in a multiple linear regression model with 95% confidence level by SPSS software version 22.

The variables of uncontrollability and risk (β=0.41), psychological symptoms of corona anxiety (β=0.31), general health concern (β=0.33), and positive beliefs about worry (β=0.31) were the most important, respectively. The predictive factors of tokophobia in mothers were in the last trimester of pregnancy. Also, the variables of illness (β=0.35), need to restrain thoughts (β=0.42), confidence in memory (β=0.27) and physical symptoms of corona anxiety (β=0.23) were respectively the most important predictors of tokophobia in the mothers in the first six months of pregnancy.

This study showed that in the mothers of the last trimester of pregnancy, the variable of inhibition and danger and in the mothers of the last six months, the variable of contract the disease has the most predictive ability. Based on this, by implementing public health education programs and how to provide mental health care in health centers, mothers can be helped in reducing tokophobia.

Background & Aim:

Iron and vitamin D are considered as two essential micronutrients for growth and development of the children. Vitamin D and iron deficiencies in children are associated with many adverse effects and significant morbidity. This study aimed to investigate of hematological parameters and serum ferritin level in children with vitamin D deficiency.

Materials & Methods:

The present study was a case-control one that was conducted on 100 children aged 2 to 18 in two groups (50 each) of with vitamin D deficiency and control group.
Complete blood count (CBC) and serum ferritin level were measured using Sysmex KX-21N cell counter and ELISA method in both groups. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and the results obtained in the two groups were compared. P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

The mean age of children in the group with vitamin D deficiency was 5.6±4.1 and in the control group was 4.9±3.3 years (P=0.34). In the vitamin D deficiency group, 66% were boys but in the control group, 54% were boys (P=0.22). The mean serum level of hemoglobin (P=0.22) and the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (P=0.76) as well as the mean red blood cell count (P=0.25) were not significantly different between the two groups. However, the mean serum ferritin level in the group with vitamin D deficiency was significantly lower than the control group (P=0.03).

The results of the present study showed that the serum level of ferritin in the group with vitamin D deficiency is lower than the control group, and the level of vitamin D has a significant positive correlation with the level of ferritin in these children. Therefore, it is suggested to evaluate anemia and ferritin in the children with vitamin D deficiency. Also, providing sufficient amount of vitamin D may play an important role in preventing anemia in the children.

Background & Aims:

The job performance of midwives largely determines the quality of healthcare services. Spiritual intelligence refers to a set of capabilities encompassing effective compatibility and problem-solving behaviors. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between midwives' spiritual intelligence and their clinical performance.

Materials & Methods:

This correlation study included 232 midwives working in the maternity wards of the hospitals and healthcare centers affiliated with the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The random sampling and stratified cluster sampling methods were adopted in the maternity wards and healthcare centers, respectively. The required data were collected using personal information forms, Badi’s Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire, and Hadizadeh’s Justified Performance scale for the direct observation of the midwives’ clinical performance. The data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16. P< 0.05 was set as the significance level.

According to the results, the mean scores of the participants’ spiritual intelligence and clinical performance were 188.6±19.7 and 1.5±0.4, respectively. The Spearman correlation tests indicated no significant correlation between spiritual intelligence and the total clinical performance or its dimensions (namely communication, education, and caregiving) (P>0.05).

Important variables other than spiritual intelligence influence clinical performance. It appears that in the case of clinical performance of those dealing with human lives, the staff strive to improve the patients’ conditions under all circumstances and would never compromise their great responsibilities under any conditions.

Background & Aims:

Cytokines are a group of proteins that play the main role in inflammatory responses to pathological stimuli such as inflammation and tissue damage. Also, immunoglobulin A is the main class of antibodies in the body that undergoes changes during physical activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a period of resistance training with blood flow restriction on the level of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IgA and TNF-α in judokas.

Materials & Methods:

The present research method was interventional (semi-experimental). The statistical population of the present study was male judokas athletes in Tehran. 30 male judokas were randomly divided using available sampling method into 2 groups of training with blood flow restriction as the first group and training without blood flow restriction as the second group. Before the implementation of training programs, blood samples were taken from the subjects, and serum concentrations of IL-6, IgA and TNF-α were measured by ELISA method. Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction was an exercise with 30% intensity of one repetition maximum with cuff pressure (around the proximal area of the arm). Blood flow restriction was considered to be about 120 to 160 mmHg, which depended on the systolic pressure of each individual. Multivariate covariance test was used for inter-group comparison and dependent t-test was used for intra-group comparison at a significance level of P<0.05.

The results of the inter-group comparison showed that IL6 (P=0.023), TNF-α (P<0.001) and IgA (P=0.019) in the two groups of resistance training with blood flow restriction and traditional resistance training were significantly different.
The results of the intra-group comparison showed that IL6 (P < 0.001), TNFα (P = 0.003) and IGA (P = 0.027) in the resistance training group with blood flow restriction in the post-test stage was decreased compared to the pre-test. Also, IL6 (P<0.001) and TNFα (P<0.001) in the traditional resistance training group had a significant decrease in the post-test phase compared to the pre-test.

According to the research results, it can be concluded that a period of traditional resistance training and resistance training along with blood flow restriction can lead to diminishment in TNF-α and IL-6 levels, which shows the improvement of the inflammatory index. Also, resistance training along with flow restriction has led to a decrease in IgA, which indicates weakening of the immune system. According to the findings of this study, in terms of immune system physiology, muscle injuries and inflammations, it is recommended to eliminate intense resistance training programs and develop appropriate training programs such as resistance training with moderate intensity blood flow restriction for athletes.

Background & Aims:

Currently, cotoneaster is used as the herbal medicine to treat jaundice in neonates. The aim of this study was to create hyperbilirubinemia by phenylhydrazine and investigate the effects of cotoneaster on blood bilirubin levels in the rats with hyperbilirubinemia.

Materials & Methods:

In the present experimental-interventional study, 70 µ/kg of phenylhydrazine was injected intraperitoneally to 15 days old Wistar rats. The rats with hyperbilirubinemia were divided to three groups. 48 hours later, cotoneaster with doses of 1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg was fed to the animals through oropharyngeal tubes in 3 times for 10 days. Then, by taking blood and measuring total serum bilirubin at different hours, the curve of bilirubin changes was drawn up to 48 hours of the first injection of phenylhydrazine. Also, one group was selected as a control (healthy mice). 10 rats were selected in each group (5 females and 5 males). Descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis.

The results showed the comparison of plasma bilirubin levels on day 0 and after phenylhydrazine injection increased significantly (up to 6 mg/dl) (p<0.05). The oral administration of cotoneaster in all three experimental doses caused a significant decrease in bilirubin in jaundiced rats compared to the control group, in such a way that the values were up to 0.2 mg/dl, up to 0.4 mg/dl and even up to 0 mg/dl reported (p < 0.05).

Animal study evidence showed the compound of phenylhydrazine has the ability to be used in creating an animal model of hyperbilirubinemia, and clay milk reduces its hyperbilirubinemic effects.

Background & Aims:

Wearing a mask is necessary to reduce disease transmission, but its effect on cardiorespiratory responses during physical activity of different intensities is not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of cardiovascular and spirometry indicators during physical activity to different intensities with and without respirator masks (medical and N95) in healthy women.

Materials & Methods:

In a semi-experimental study, 72 women aged 20 to 45 were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups and 2 control groups (12 people in each group). The experimental groups were exposed to wearing two types of masks (medical and N95) and physical activity with submaximal (60 to 70% MHR) and maximal (80 to 90% MHR) intensities. Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVo2), hemoglobin saturation (SPO2), heart rate, blood pressure, FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were evaluated by standard method. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance at the level of P ≤0.05.

The factor of exercise intensity with both masks caused a significant increase in MVo2 (P=0.001), heart rate (P=0.001), systolic blood pressure (P=0.003), FVC (P=0.003), and FEV1/FVC (P=0.009). Additionally, mask modality (medical vs. N95) had no effect on cardiovascular and spirometry variables during both intensities of physical activity.

Wearing a mask does not have a harmful effect on the cardio-respiratory system of healthy women, even during high-intensity physical activity. More studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of the mask on the heart and blood vessels in the elderly and patients.