Journal of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
Volume:17 Issue: 11, 2014

Jaundice is observed during the 1st week of life in approximately 60% of term infants. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of oral zinc sulfate in prevention of jaundice in healthy term newborns. In this clinical trial study، 124 healthy term infants with postnatal age less than 24 hours، that were born in Imam Reza Hospital (AS) in Kermanshah، were enrolled and equally divided into two groups، experimental and control (n=62). The infants in the control group only received the routine neonatal care without any intervention. In the treatment group، the newborns received 5 mg zinc sulfate 1% in a single dose daily for 5 days. In both groups، transcutaneous bilirubin was daily measured by bilimeter. Data were analyzed by statistical methods. The mean frequency of stools in the treatment and control groups were 2. 02±1. 20 and 1. 08±0. 946، respectively in the first day and 3. 76±1. 38 and 2. 81± 0. 674 in the fifth day، which indicated a significant difference between the two groups (P<0. 001). Transcutaneous bilirubin level in the first and second day after birth revealed no significant difference between the two groups، but it decreased in the treatment group from the third to fifth day indicating a statistically significant difference compared to control group (P<0. 05). Preventive oral administration of 5 mg of zinc sulfate per day to healthy term newborns could reduce the amount of transcutaneous bilirubin.

Menopause causes poor sleep quality in women، so that great throngs of menopausal women experience menopause-induced sleep disorders. This study was conducted to determine the effects of valerian extract on sleep quantity and quality of postmenopausal women. This triple-blind، randomized، cross-over clinical trial was performed on 144 eligible postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly classified into two groups to use either 700 mg valerian extract (group A) or a placebo (group B) for one month. After a 2-week washout period، the treatment regimens were reversed. Sleep quantity and quality were evaluated using Pittsburgh and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaires at baseline and after both phases of intervention. Mean score of Pittsburgh scale was 10. 9±3. 6 at baseline. Valerian reduced this score to 7. 8±3. 4 and 7. 4±3 at the first and the second phase of intervention، respectively (P<0. 001). After the first phase of intervention، ISI score was reduced to 2. 87±0. 62 in group A (P<0. 001). It was reduced to 4. 02±0. 5 in group B after the second phase of intervention (P<0. 001). Daily consumption of 700 mg valerian improved sleep quantity and quality in postmenopausal women

Treatment of HSV-1 infections with the available chemical drugs may have some problems such as drug resistance and virus latency. Therefore، there is a requirement for new antiherpes drugs in today''s world. The present study was carried out to analyze the inhibitory effect of Echinacea purpurea and Nerium oleander plants with ethnomedical background on HSV-1 replication. Plants were extracted by decoction method to obtain aqueous extract. These extracts were screened for their cytotoxicity against Hep-2 cell line by CPE (cytopathic effect) assay. Antiviral effect of the plant extracts were determined by the virus cytopathic effect inhibition assay. Nerium oleander extract had the highest toxicity (>0. 1 μg/ml) on Hep-2 cells and Echinacea purpurea extract exhibited significant antiherpes effect at nontoxic concentrations used on the cell lines. Findings indicated that Echinacea purpurea extract inhibited HSV-1 multiplication at concentrations >400 μg/ml. Echinacea purpurea plant had no any effect on cells at nontoxic concentrations and inhibited HSV-1 multiplication at concentrations >400 μg/ml. Further research is needed to find out the anti herpetic mechanism of this plant.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a multi-resistant opportunistic nosocomial pathogen responsible for hospital outbreaks worldwide. In addition to common microscopic and biochemical methods، the Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) was tested to identify Acinetobacter genomic species (DNA groups). In this study، standard biochemical tests were used for identification of isolates. The genomic species of Acinetobacter spp. was confirmed by Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA). PCR products of 16S rRNA were digested with AluI، MboI and HhaI restriction enzymes. ARDRA proved to be a rapid and reliable method for identification of Acinetobacter baumannii (genome species 2) of the Acinetobacter genomic species، including the closely related genomic species (genomic species 1 (A. calcoaceticus)، 2 (A. baumannii)، 3، and TU13). The results of this study suggested that ARDRA with AluI، MboI and HhaI restriction enzymes can be used for identificationof A. baumannii which may help to elucidate the ecology and clinical significance of different species of this genus. Since ARDRA is performed by universal primers of 16S rDNA gene، it is expected to be applicable to identifying most bacterial species.

Given the importance of pain self-efficacy in adapting to chronic pain، the aim of the present study was to determine the psychometric properties of Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

The sample consisted of 237 patients with MS that were selected through convenience sampling in Isfahan MS Society. The participants completed the Persian version of Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) and West-Haven Multidimensional Pain Inventory (WHMPI). The factor structure of Pain Self Efficacy Scale was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach’s alpha. Spearman-BrownSplit-Half reliability and concurrent validity of this scale were also examined.

The findings indicated that the internal consistency of the scale was (a=0. 896). Spearman-Brown Split-Half reliability coefficient was equivalent to 0. 85. Results of factor analysis indicated a factor called «Pain Self- Efficacy» that accounted for 52. 511% of the total variance with minimal factor loading of 0. 6. Moreover، the significant correlation between PSEQ and 4 subscales of WHMPI indicated an acceptable concurrent validity for this questionnaire.

Findings suggested that Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) has appropriate psychometric properties that might be applicable in research and practice with multiple sclerosis patients.

Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) is the most important treatment for opioid -dependency recurrence. The aim of this study was to compare the craving level in opioid-dependent individuals and people under methadone maintenance therapy. In this case – control study، 120 men with opioid dependency were selected through cluster sampling method. They were divided into two groups، 60 people in opioid-dependent group and 60 people in MMT group. Both groups were matched for age، sex، marital status، education، duration of opioid dependency and method of consumption. Then، they completed INCAS Substance Abuse Profile (ISAP)، opiate withdrawal symptoms checklist، self–report of craving، Desire for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ)، Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale (OCDUS) and visual cue-induced craving questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15 using t-test and ANOVA. Mean craving for drug significantly was lower in MMT group comparing opioid-dependent group (P<0. 01). Methadone Maintenance Therapy decreased the craving for drugs and substances This can have an important role in relapse prevention.

There is no documented evidence regarding elderly day care centers in Iran. This needs analysis study was conducted to investigate the demand for elderly day care centers in Tehran. This cross-sectional study was conducted recruiting 210 participants aged over 60 who were members of the elderly retirement centers in Tehran in 2012. Data were gathered by Kansas state university questionnaire and analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. About 80% of participants were men with the mean age of 67. 5±5. 23 years. Results showed that male (P<0. 001)، married (P=0. 01) and literate elderly (P<0. 001)، and those living in rental homes (P<0. 001) expressed a greater need for elderly day care centers. There was no statistically significant relationship between the lifestyle (P=0. 051) and income (P=0. 08) of the participants and demand for elderly day care centers. Given the rising population of the elderly and their high demand for day care centers، it is necessary to establish well-equipped day care centers for this group of people. Also، these centers may reduce the burden of care for the aged people on public services and family care givers.

Understanding the factors affecting the performance of the staff in organizations will lead to increased their efficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) on job performance in Dr. Kermanshahi hospital in Kermanshah. OCB is a voluntary behavior that goes beyond formal job descriptions of the staff and improves organizational performance. This descriptive-analytical study, which was based on structural equation modeling, was conducted in 2012.The study population included 311 staff at doctor Muhammad Kermanshahi hospital that were selected by simple random sampling. To evaluate the concepts of organizational citizenship behavior, job performance and personality attributes, Podsakoff, Patterson and NEO questionnaires were used, respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS and AMOS software (version 21). The results of the study revealed that 57% of respondents were women, 37.8% were in the age group 25 to 35 years, 40.7% had bachelor''s degree and 30.2% had less than 5 years of experience. Also, personality characteristics of the staff affected their job performance. There was a significant relationship between organizational citizenship behaviour and job performance. This study confirmed the effects of OCB on promoting the performance of the staff. So, we can reinforce OCB in the hospital by taking advantage of the benefits of meta-functional behaviors in organization and consequently promoting the performance of the staff to.

The present descriptive cross-sectional research was carried out on all chronic mental patients inhabiting in chronic mental patient care center in Zanjan. All mental patients were evaluated by WHOQOL and Zung anxiety and depression questionnaires. The means for quality of life in physical health، mental health، social relationships، and environmental factors domains were 17. 28، 13. 69، 14. 48، and 16/16، respectively. There was a significant relationship between the means of quality of life and depression for all domains، except environmental factors domain. Depression was the most significant predictor of quality of life among other variables.