مجله دانشگاه علوم پزشکی ایلام
سال سی و دوم شماره 5 (پیاپی 148، آذر 1403)

 With the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries in the world implemented necessary quarantines to prevent the spread of the virus. Research shows that quarantine measures can affect mental health; therefore, it is important to identify the psychological characteristics that make people more vulnerable. One of the factors that may increase the occurrence of psychological disorders in adolescents under these conditions is alexithymia. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating alexithymia and its components in adolescents with and without pets during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The current study employs a descriptive and post-event comparative method, and the statistical population encompasses both adolescents with and without pets. The available sampling method selected 120 people, 60 of whom had pets and 60 of whom did not. The tools of this research were a demographic questionnaire and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) by SPSS version 26 at the level of significance less than 0.05.

The results indicated a significant difference in alexithymia between adolescents with and without a pet (t=2.441, P=0.016), with adolescents with a pet exhibiting a higher average of alexithymia compared to those without a pet. In addition, there is a difference between the component of objective thinking in adolescents with and without a pet (F=7.608, P=0.007). This means that the component of objective thinking in female adolescents who have a pet is higher than in male adolescents (F=7.622, P=0.008).

The psychological construct of alexithymia significantly differs between adolescents with and without pets during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this case, adolescent girls struggle with objective thinking, tend to focus on concrete events under stress, tend to care for pets more frequently, and struggle with communication skills.

 Many factors, including coagulation disorders, have an effect on mortality in patients with Covid-19 viral infection. Considering coagulation problems are so important for these patients, the goal of this study was to look into the connection between coagulation test results, such as prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), D-dimer, and platelet count, and the death rate in Covid-19 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit of Ganjovian Hospital (Dezful, Iran) in 2020.

This comprehensive cross-sectional study was conducted on the information of 100 patients with Covid-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit. The data from the patient’s files were analyzed using Graph Pad Prism version 8.3 statistical software. Qualitative variables were described using frequency indices, percentages, and relative frequency. A t-test was also used to compare the study parameters between the death and discharge groups. The level of significance was considered less than 0.05.

The mean and standard deviation of the age were 58.2±14.2. The average age of the death group was significantly higher than that of discharged patients (P=0.038). The D-dimer and PT test results in patients with Covid-19 who died were significantly higher than those of discharged patients (P=0.002), but there was no significant difference in platelet count and PTT between the two groups (P=0.680).

According to the results of this study, paying attention to the results of D-dimer and PT tests may be helpful in predicting the prognosis of Covid-19 disease.

 Hydroxyapatite is one of the most essential bioactive and biocompatible ceramics. Due to its unique properties and its structural similarity to bone, it has many applications in medicine, dentistry, and bone tissue engineering. Therefore, many methods and strategies have been studied to prepare hydroxyapatite. The purpose of this study was to optimize hydroxyapatite nanocrystals prepared from biological sources with higher efficiency and quality.

This study synthesized and analyzed hydroxyapatite from White Sea shells using simple and affordable methods like ultrasonic, hydrothermal, and thermal-ultrasonic decomposition. White seashells contain carbonate-calcium (CaCO3). For the synthesis of hydroxyapatite, environmentally friendly solvents such as water (green synthesis) and di ammonium hydrogen phosphate (ADP) were used as a source of phosphate. The data were analyzed using Graph Pad Prism V.10 statistical software, and the level of significance was considered less than 0.05.

Hydroxyapatite was synthesized by the ultrasonic method and was chosen as the most appropriate. Because in the EDX results, the percentage of elements oxygen and phosphorus (O, P) in the hydroxyapatite synthesized by the ultrasonic method corresponds to the data of the standard card, HA~1.67, and for this reason, the ultrasonic method is better than the other two methods (hydrothermal and thermal-ultrasonic decomposition) and is more suitable. In FTIR, phosphate, hydroxide, and carbonate (PO43-), OH, and CO32- groups were observed, which indicate the synthesis of hydroxyapatite. With SEM and FE-SEM, the morphology and size of hydroxyapatite particles were observed to be between 16.5 and 70.80 nm. XRD analysis, crystallinity, and needle-like structure of hydroxyapatite were observed. The blood compatibility results showed that hydroxyapatite had no significant hemolysis. Examining the cell compatibility of hydroxyapatite on bone-like cells (MG63) showed a survival rate of over 90%, and cell proliferation was statistically (Graph Pad Prism 10) significant (P < 0.05).

One of the most effective methods for preparing hydroxyapatite involves conducting the reactions at the bottom; the ultrasonic method's affordability and cost-effectiveness are among its positive features, as it can generate multiple processes throughout the production process. The results demonstrated that this method produced a material with a hexagonal structure, nanometer size, and suitable biocompatibility.

 Testicular cancer is one of the most common type of cancers to affect men. Medical herbs are increasingly considered useful complementary treatments for cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic, antioxidant, and anticancer capacity of Melia azedarach L. extract on testicular cancer TM4 cells.

The TM4 cells were treated with various concentrations of leaf Melia azedarach L. extracts (10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 250, 750, and 1000 µg ml⁻¹) for 24, 48, and 72 hours. MTT assay and real-time PCR were used for the evaluation of plant extract cytotoxicity and gene expression (CAS8, CAS9) analysis, respectively. Anthocyanin content and DPPH radical scavenging activity were evaluated for the antioxidant potential of plant extract. Statistical tests included one-way ANOVA, which was imported to SPSS V.18, and the significance level was considered less than 0.01.

MTT assay results revealed a decline in live cells with increasing concentration of plant extract in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell viability was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced, especially at a concentration of 1000 µg ml⁻¹. Also, the CAS8 gene expression was increased in TM4 cells treated with bitter olive extract at 174.2 µg ml⁻¹ concentration (IC50), whereas the CAS9 gene expression was decreased. Moreover, a higher DPPH activity and anthocyanin content were found with increasing plant extract concentration.

Ethanolic extracts of Melia azedarach L. have antioxidant activity, which could significantly inhibit the proliferation of testicular cancer TM4 cells (A549) by inducing apoptosis and CAS8 gene expression. Therefore, it could be regarded as an additional treatment for testicular cancer.

 The high incidence and mortality rates of liver cancer have raised concerns about the effectiveness of current treatments. This study aimed to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles coated with glucose and conjugated with Safranal (Fe₃O₄@Glu-Safranal) and investigate its effect on the viability and expression of the CASP8, CASP9, p53, and CAD genes in a liver cancer cell line (HepG2).

HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of the nanoparticles, and the effect of nanoparticles on cell viability was determined using the MTT test. After determining the inhibitory percentage of different concentrations of nanoparticles, the cells were treated with 50% inhibitory concentration of the nanoparticles, their total RNA was extracted, cDNA was synthesized, and gene expression level was evaluated by real-time PCR. The statistical tests included one-way ANOVA and paired t-test, which were analyzed by SPSS V.22 at a level of significance less than 0.05.

The results showed that the Fe₃O₄@Glu-Safranal nanoparticle at concentrations higher than 62.5 µg/ml causes a significant decrease in the survival rate of cancer cells. A 50% inhibitory concentration of the nanoparticle for liver cancer cell lines was found to be 277 and 458 μg/ml, respectively. This showed that the nanoparticle had stronger cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. Also, it was observed that treatment of the cells with Fe₃O₄@Glu-Safranal caused a significant increase in the expression of the CASP8, CASP9, p53, and CAD genes by 4.27, 2.09, 3.92, and 1.76 folds, respectively, in liver cancer cells (P < 0.05).

Apoptosis induction can be considered the main anticancer mechanism of the Fe₃O₄@Glu-Safranal nanoparticle, which is caused in response to direct cell damage or generated oxidative stress.

 One of the most common causes of elbow pain is tennis elbow disorders. Sufferers of this disorder complain of pain, decreased grip strength, and reduced functional activities that may have a significant impact on daily activities and lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the impact of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) on the quality of life of patients with tennis elbow disorders.

44 non-athletes with tennis elbow disorder were selected purposefully and available and randomly divided into two experimental groups (13 males and 9 females) and control (16 males and 6 females). Participants in the control group received a single injection of corticosteroids, 10 sessions of physiotherapy, and daily use of a tennis elbow splint for one month, while the patients in the intervention group, in addition to receiving the interventions of the control group, received IASTM for two sessions each week for 4 weeks for 10 minutes. The patients' quality of life was measured using the SF-36 questionnaire before and after the intervention. The statistical test included one-way ANOVA, which was analyzed by SPSS V.26 at a level of significance less than 0.05.

After the intervention, the average score of the quality of life subscales wasn’t significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05), but the total quality of life score of the intervention group was significantly different from the control group (P<0.001).

The use of IASTM along with common interventions for the treatment of tennis elbow can be effective in improving the quality of life.

 Angiogenesis is the biological process of sprouting new vessels from existing vessels in the tissue. The main factors in the molecular guidance of this process are vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Given the significance of antibiotics in reducing angiogenesis through the inhibition of collagenase, phospholipase A2, and several matrix metalloproteinases, the objective of this study was to examine the impact of the Doxycycline antibiotic on alterations in the gene expression of VEGF and FGF within the angiogenesis pathway of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in chick embryos.

In this research, 50 Ross fertilized eggs were randomly divided into 5 groups, including the control group, laboratory control, and 3 experimental groups. On the eighth day of incubation, the laboratory control group was treated with normal saline, and the experimental groups were treated with doses of 50, 100, and 250 µmol/ml of the Doxycycline antibiotic. On the twelfth day, photographs were taken of the samples. The number and length of blood vessels and then the weight and length of embryos were measured. A real-time PCR technique was used to investigate the expression changes of VEGF and FGF genes on the CAM membrane. The statistical tests included one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, and post hoc tukey, which were analyzed by SPSS V.20 at a level of significance less than 0.05.

The number of vessels and the length of vessels in the treatment groups showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, the expression level of VEGF and FGF genes in the treatment groups was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05).

The doxycycline antibiotic can significantly reduce the expression level of VEGF and FGF genes and the angiogenic process of the chorioallantoic membrane of chick embryos.

 Cancer is considered one of the most significant causes of death worldwide. Probiotics are living microbes that play a significant role in protecting the host in various ways. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of Bifidobacterium bifidum cell extract and supernatants as probiotic bacteria on the Adenocarcinoma gastric cancer cell line and analysis of Fas, P53, and Bcl2 gene expression.

In this experimental study, the cell extract of heat-killed and supernatants Bifidobacterium bifidum was prepared. The cytotoxicity of cell extract and supernatants on AGS cell lines was evaluated in 24, 48, and 72 hours using a cytotoxicity assay. Moreover, the P53, Bcl2, and Fas apoptosis gene expression levels in the Adenocarcinoma gastric cancer cell line were analyzed using a molecular assay. The collected data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA analysis with the Graph Pad Prism V.8 at the level of significance less than 0.05.

Supernatant (pH = 6), then supernatant (pH = 4), and then cell extracts of Bifidobacterium bifidum were able to reduce the survival rate of the AGS cell line in 48 and 72 hours. The results of gene expression by molecular method also showed an increase in Fas and P53 gene expression (p < 0.05) and a decrease in Bcl2 gene expression (p < 0.05) in the adenocarcinoma gastric cancer cell line compared to the reference GAPDH gene expression after 72 hours.

Supernatant of Bifidobacterium bifidum with, respectively, pH = 6 and pH = 4, could induce apoptosis in the Adenocarcinoma gastric cancer cell line. So, it seems that Bifidobacterium bifidum has potential uses as a probiotic for pharmaceutical applications, including the prevention of gastric cancer.

 Infertility is one of the major reproductive problems and is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of sexual intercourse without using any method of pregnancy prevention. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of designing a cognitive-behavioral coping training package for infertile women, specifically focusing on the impact of infertility stress on distress tolerance and cognitive regulation of emotion.

This was a quasi-experimental design that involved a pre-test, a post-test, and a two-month follow-up. The participants were infertile women who were referred to infertility centers and the offices of gynecologists for infertility treatment in Kermanshah city in 2021. Sixty people were selected as a sample using the purposeful sampling method based on informed consent and randomly divided into three groups (two experimental groups and one control group), and each experimental group trained in 12 sessions using a cognitive-behavioral coping training package with Ghobadi infertility stress. Data collection forms included Perceived Infertility Stress (PIS), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and Cognitive Emotion Regulation (CER). The statistical tests consisted of chi-square and repeated measure ANOVA, which were analyzed by SPSS V.24, and the level of significance was considered less than 0.05.

There is a difference between the three stages of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up in the Distress Tolerance scale (P<0.001) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation’s scores (P<0.001). Also, these differences were significant between groups during the follow-up stage (P<0.001).

The cognitive-behavioral coping training package with infertility stress can be effective in decreasing the distress tolerance and cognitive emotion regulation of infertile women's emotions.

 Cyber harassment of students is a significant stressor in today's society. Medical students are responsible for the physical health of people in the future, so paying attention to their mental health is of enormous importance. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of teaching emotion-oriented processing strategies on the perceived stress of cyberbullied medical students.

The present research was a quasi-experimental study that was conducted on medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 2022-2023. Thirty cyber-damaged medical students who had been cyberbullied and perceived stress were selected by the purposive sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The educational intervention included 9 sessions, an hour for each session, virtually through the Skyroom platform. Before and after the intervention, participants filled out demographic and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) data collection forms. The statistical test consisted of the ANOVA, which was analyzed by SPSS V.25, and the level of significance was considered less than 0.05.

The mean and standard deviation of the perceived stress scores among medical students who suffered from cyberbullying in the post-test of the experimental groups decreased compared to the control group (P=0.003). Based on the covariance analysis, there was a significant difference in the perceived stress scores of the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.038).

The use of emotion-oriented processing by the cyberbullied medical students can improve their perceived stress.

 Diagnosing and performing timely care treatment in lung diseases is one of the most important ways to save the patient's life. Therefore, the current study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of online gamification on learning lung diseases, lung sounds and self-efficacy in nursing students.

The present study was conducted quasi-experimentally on 68 nursing students of the sixth semester with available sampling method and random assignment to control and intervention groups. During three weekly sessions, the participants of the intervention group received diseases and lung sounds in the form of training on the Storyline platform and gamification in the Kahoot software, and the control group received the same content in the form of lectures by the same lecturer. Questionnaires of demographic information, learning assessment and self-efficacy were completed before and two weeks after the end of the intervention and the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in SPSS V.26.

Before the intervention, no significant difference was observed between the two groups, but after the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of learning assessment scores in the intervention group compared to the control group and Also, the self-efficacy scores in the intervention group compared to the control group were statistically significantly different.

Playing online gamification improves the learning of diseases, lung sounds and self-efficacy in nursing students. It is suggested to use this method to learn practical and theoretical lessons.