Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Comparison of the Mechanical Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Some Types of Organisms

Nooshin Naghsh

Background and Aim: One of the new technologies in this century is nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a vast and promising research platform that has opened up a wide range of opportunities in various fields including pharmacy, medicine, electronics and agriculture. One of the applied nanoparticles in the field of nanobiotechnology is silver nanoparticles. One of the most important features of these nanoparticles is the creation of programmed cell death (Apoptosis). This property has created its antiseptic properties against bacteria, fungi, viruses and nematodes. Nanoparticles have better performance against microorganisms due to their high surface-to-volume ratio and higher contact surface. Meanwhile, silver nanoparticles have shown unparalleled antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms and have recently attracted the attention of many researchers.
Methods & Materials: In this study, a review of all databases, including ISI Web of Science, Scopus, ISC, PubMed, Google Scholar Learners, Noor, related articles were examined.
Ethical Considerations Ethical principles have been observed in writing the article.
Results: The antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles depends on the concentration, shape and diameter of the nanoparticles as well as the time of effect and the type of microorganism. The molecular mechanism of these nanoparticles has been through oxidative stress. The mechanism of inhibitory action of silver ions on microorganisms is the loss of DNA replication ability, inactivation of the expression of ribosomal subunit proteins and other bacterial cell proteins and enzymes necessary for ATP production. The effect of silver ions is primarily on the function of membrane-bound enzymes such as key enzymes in the respiratory chain. Thus, similar cellular mechanisms can cause cell death effects in prokaryotes, fungi, and eukaryotes.
Conclusion: The results showed that variables such as type of microorganism, contact time, concentration, shape and diameter of silver nanoparticles had a significant effect on inhibiting microbial growth.

The Effects of Problem-solving-based Puberty Group Counseling on Adolescent Girls’ Health Concerns

Naeimeh Akbari Torkestani

Background and Aim: Among the different periods of human life, adolescence is one of the most important and valuable periods of each personchrs life and anxiety is very common in this period of development and can continue into adulthood. One of the concerns is health concern so it is the best time to target the efforts of preventive behavior during adolescence. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of group-based puberty counseling on problem-solving health concerns of adolescent girls.
Methods & Materials: This study is an educational trial with a pre-test and post-test design that is performed on 60 female students aged 15-18 years in Tehran (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) who meet the inclusion criteria and by sampling method. Two-stage cluster random sampling was performed. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic information and a standard health concern questionnaire. The intervention was designed by group discussion during 6 sessions for the experimental group and after 2 months, information was collected from both groups and analyzed by chi-square, independent t-test and paired t-test.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1397.262), and all participants have read and signed the informed consent.
Results: According to the results of the study, before the educational intervention in the experimental group, the mean scores of anxiety in: personal health were 3.90, sexual health was 3.77, communication was 3.83, emotional health was 5.43 and the total score of anxiety was 16.10. The intervention had changed to 2.53, 2.03, 2.97, 3.30 and 10.90, respectively. This change was significant in the areas of sexual health, emotional health and total anxiety score (P<0.005). Also, the experimental and control groups, after the educational intervention, had significant differences in the areas of personal health, emotional health and total anxiety score (P<0.005).
Conclusion The results of the intervention showed that group discussion can reduce the health concerns of adolescent girls.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Musculoskeletal Pain in Students of Engineering and Humanities Faculties of Arak University in 2018-2019

Shahnaz Shahrjerdi

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal pain in undergraduate students of Engineering and Humanities Faculties of Arak University in 1397-98.
Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study of 464 students (humanities, 169 and engineering, 295 people) with mean age (20.56+1.51 years), Body Mass Index (22.29±3.35 kg/m2)). Was done at the undergraduate level of Arak University in the 2018-2019 years. Nordic questionnaire to assess musculoskeletal pain during the last 7 days, 12 months as well as functional disorders during the last 12 months in the neck, shoulders, wrists and hands, back, lower back, pelvis, thighs, legs and ankles were examined.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Research Projects of Hamadan University (Code: IR.BASU.REC.1398.013).
Results: The highest prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was in the spine (63.4%) which is in the back (27.6%), neck (23.5%) and then shoulders (21.8%), respectively. In software and chemical engineering, neck, shoulder, wrist, and hand pain were most common due to computer work and study time per day. Back and lower back pain were very common in psychology and Quranic sciences due to inactivity and increasing Waist-Hip ratio.
Conclusion: Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most serious problems in some fields of study in colleges, which can be found to reduce the complications by finding the causative factors and educating students.

Developing Germophobia Questionnaire: A Pilot Study on Psychometric Characteristics

Seyed Mohammadreza Alavizadeh

Background and Aim: The World Health Organization has recently identified COVID-19 as a pandemic. The outbreak of the disease has caused many people around the world to become extremely frightened and they show phobic signs. The purpose of the present study was to develop and normalize of Germophobia Questionnaire (GPQ).
Methods & Materials: The participants were 113 individuals (74-female) of the Iranian population. They completed the GPQ and Y-BOCS.
Ethical Considerations: All ethical principles and privacy policies of the results informed the participants. This study was approved in the second session of the Psychological Committee of the Islamic Azad University of Tehran’s province in March 2020.
Results: The results illustrate that the GPQ has acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (a=0.67), reliability coefficients with split-half (0.72), and one-week test-retest (r=0.73); in addition, the GPQ demonstrate moderate convergent validity with contamination obsessions checklist of Y-BOCS (r=0.44) as a convergent coefficient; and finally, the exploratory factor analysis indicates three-factors of the GPQ.
Conclusion: Based on these findings, the GPQ has acceptable and good psychometric properties; researchers can use the GPQ as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the germophobia levels in epidemic and pandemic crises like COVID-19.

Index of Nutritional Quality and Its Association With Serum High Sensitive C-reactive Protein Between Institutionalized and Non-institutionalized Older Adults in Tabriz: A Case-Control Study

Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh Attari

Background and Aim: Older adults, particularly those living in nursing homes, are a vulnerable group whose poor nutritional status and inadequate nutrient intake provide the basis for the incidence of diseases and increase their health costs. The aim of the present study was to compare the Index for Nutritional Quality (INQ) between institutionalized (nursing-home) and non-institutionalized (community-living) older adults and to investigate its association with serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in each group.
Methods & Materials: In this case-control, age- and gender-matched study in Tabriz (East Azarbaijan, Iran), o subjects aged 65 years and older were recruited from nursing homes (n=76) and community (n=88). Anthropometric parameters were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A three-day record of the foods provided for the nursing home residents were weighed, using a digital scale. The whole food intake of older adults was converted to grams and dietary data were analyzed using Nutritionist IV software. Blood sample was drawn to measure serum hs-CRP level. SPSS software was used for data analysis.
Ethical Considerations: The present research was approved at Research Ethical Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Code: TBZMED.REC.1394.152).
Results: In the present study, INQ for all nutrients (except for vitamins A, D, E, biotin, vitamin B6, folic acid, and iron) was significantly different between the two groups (P <0.05). The INQ<1 for these nutrients (except for iron) in both groups indicates insufficient intake of these micronutrients. However, INQ for nearly all nutrients (other than selenium) was higher in the community-living older adults, compared to nursing-home residents (P<0.05). The intake of minerals including calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, chromium, sodium, and potassium was also insufficient in both groups. Nursing-home residents did not meet their estimated needs for vitamins B2, B12, and copper. A significant reverse association was observed for serum hs-CRP level and INQ for vitamin D (P=0.04) and calcium (P=0.038) in the community-living older adults after adjusting for BMI. Such a correlation was also reported between INQ for vitamin B12 and serum hs-CRP level in both groups (P=0.02).
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended to pay more attention to the nutritional status of older adults, especially those living in nursing-homes. A diet rich in micronutrients, especially vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12 may help prevent the development of inflammation in old population.

Evaluation the Effectiveness of Ibuprofen in Improving Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Yazdan Ghandi

Background and Aim: Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is a common problem in premature neonates, especially in neonate’s low birth weight (LBW). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of oral and intravenous ibuprofen in the management of PDA.
Methods & Materials: We enrolled 40 low birth weight neonates (gestational age <37 weeks) with PDA into semi-experimental study. the LBW neonates received ibuprofen as an initial dose of 10 mg/kg, followed by 5 mg/kg at 24 and 48 hours later. The exclusion criteria were congenital chromosome anomalies, congenital heart disease, asphyxia, sepsis. The PDA was initially confirmed by echocardiography. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by echocardiography after the treatment.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1396.265).
Results: Of the total participants 37.5% (female 25) were girls. Gestational age ranges from 29 to 36 weeks. The average birth weight was 1639±616 gr and the minimum of weight 750 gr. the mean gestational age was 30.4±4.0 weeks. After the first dose of ibuprofen, closure of PDA was observed in 32 patients (80%), PDA closed in eight patients (20%) with to repeat course ibuprofen. There was no significant relationship between the frequency of ibuprofen use with gestational age (P=0.06), birth weight (P=0.08), type of delivery (P=0.068) and multiple births (P=0.061).
Conclusion: Most LBW neonate with PDA responded to using the first course of ibuprofen. extremely, all LBW infants responded to the second course. it seems that ibuprofen is as effective as ibuprofen for PDA closure even in LBW infants.

Evaluation of the Method of Binding Tamoxifen to DNA Experimentally and Computationally

Reza Safari

Background and Aim: Tamoxifen is a group of drugs of selective estrogen receptor modulators, and is one of the drugs effective in the prevention and treatment of some cancers (such as breast cancer). In this study, the interaction of tamoxifen with DNA is investigated experimentally. Also, the electronic structure (at atomic scale) of the molecular system of tamoxifen was theoretically investigated, using atom in molecule (AIM) theory.
Methods & Materials: First, in the experimental section of this study, the interaction of Tamoxifen with DNA were investigated by UV-ViS technique and hydrodynamic method (Viscometry). In addition, the analysis of the experimental results shows the obvious effect of concentration on the mechanism of how the tamoxifen molecule binds to DNA. Then, in the theoretical part of this research, using computational biophysical chemistry methods, some properties of tamoxifen molecular system, such as electronic Density of States (DOS), boundary orbital’s energy (HOMO/LUMO), Electrostatic Potential Energy (EPS) and electronic contour maps of the electron density and its Laplacian, will be calculated.
Ethical Considerations: This article is a meta-analysis with animal sample.
Results: Result of the UV-ViS spectroscopy technique and viscometry indicated hyperchromism and hypochromism effect. In addition, the result were depend on the concentration of the drug and affected the kind of binding of Tamoxifen to DNA. the analysis of computational studies on the drug tamoxifen suggests that the mechanism of the local charge/energy distribution in the molecular system of tamoxifen plays an important role in how this drug binds to DNA.
Conclusion: Based on the experimental results of UV-ViS technique and viscometry, as well as the electronic/vibrational properties of the tamoxifen molecular system, it was defined that the Tamoxifen interacts significantly with all the binding sites of DNA.

The Effects of High Power and Low Power Posing on Students’ Pain Threshold

Mahdieh Shafiee Tabar

Background and Aim: Research has shown that social power affects information processing in many ways and can induce powerful movements or gestures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pretending power gestures on changing the pain threshold of a group of female students.
Methods & Materials: The method of the present study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all female students of Arak University in the academic year 2016-2017, from which 60 people selected by convenience sampling method, and randomly divided into three groups: high power posing (sitting on a chair and putting your feet on the table, placing your hands behind your head and holding your head up), low power posing (sitting on a chair with your legs together, arms between your legs and bending your head to bottom) and control. Rosenberg self-esteem scale and tourniquet technique with cuff pressure gauge (to measure pain threshold) used to collect data. After the pre-test measurements and two minutes of gestures, the post-test was performed immediately. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the ethics committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1399.276).
Results: The results showed that pretending high/low power gesture significantly affects pain threshold; pretending to have a high-power gesture increases the pain threshold, and pretending to have a low-power gesture lowers the pain threshold.
Conclusion: Based on the results, using power gestures as a simple tool in pain situations is recommended for pain management or as a supplement to analgesics.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) on Health-Promoting Lifestyle (HPL) and Quality of Life (QoL) in HIV/AIDS Patients

Saeedeh Alsadat Hoseini

Background and Aim: The main objective of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) on health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) and quality of life (QoL) of HIV/AIDS patients.
Methods & Materials: The current study was an experimental study based on a pre-test-post-test design with a control group, and based on the objectives, it can be considered an applied study. The statistical population of the study included all HIV patients monitored by behavioral disorders clinics of the Healthcare Organization Centers in Hamedan County in Iran in 2019-2020. Using simple random sampling method, 45 patients were randomly selected from Shohada Clinic in Hamedan as the sample of the study, followed by randomly assigning them to three 15-member groups, i.e., two intervention groups and a control group. In order to measure the research variables, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) (1987) and the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36, 2001) were utilized. The obtained data were analyzed using ANCOVA in SPSS v. 12.
Ethical Considerations: The Ethics Committee of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences approved the study (Code: IR.UMSHA.REC.1398.1063). This study has been registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Code: IRCT20120215009014N348).
Results: The results of ANCOVA indicate that schema therapy and DBT affect HPL and quality of life, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results show that while both therapy methods affect the selected variables, schema therapy is more effective than DBT on HPL and Quality of Life (QoL).

Survey Development of Compound Sentences and Mean Length of Utterance a Persian-speaking Child From 15 to 34 Months: a Longitudinal Case Report

Talieh Zarifian

Background and Aim: Acquisition skill in sentence producing is one of the criteria for speech development. By developing and increasing the age, we are witnessing the emergence of compound sentences in speech. Clinical treatments for language disorders in Iran are mostly based on the experiences of Speech Language Therapists or in accordance with English language norms. We need to examine how the length of utterance and compound sentences develop in Persian. The study aimed to report the development of compound sentences and Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) for a Persian-speaking child from 15 to 34 months.
Methods & Materials: In this longitudinal case report, based on Developmental-Descriptive model, MLU and emergence of simple compound sentences of a Persian speaking girl sampled and described from 15 to 34 months by daily scripting. R software version 4.0.2 was used for data analysis. Correlation of age with linguistic variables through Pearson correlation coefficient was evaluated.
Ethical Considerations: In this paper, the principles of publication ethics were considered.
Results: At the age of 21 months and 13 days, the child uttered her first simple two-word sentence, and at the age of 26 months and 29 days, she used a four-word compound sentence. With the emergence of compound sentences, the increase in the MLU has gained considerable speed. In a few days, we see the addition of a unit to the length of the sentence (word). There was a significant relationship between the MLU and age (r= 0.925, P= 0.001), Mean length of sentence and number of words in Persian speaking child (r = 0.910, P= 0.002) and total number of words and age (r = 0.928, P<0.001).
Conclusion: Although several longitudinal studies have been conducted on the development of MLU and number of words in other languages, similar studies are rare in Persian. It is important to conduct studies of this type in order to make cross-linguistic comparisons and to study the linguistic universality and language specificity. By increasing age, we see an increase in the number of words in a child's vocabulary, the emergence of compound sentences, and an increase MLU. At 27 to 28 months, there is a dramatic change in the development expressive language as the compound sentences appear. It seems that emergence of compound sentences in the language output, also plays a significant role in increasing the MLU and can be considered in clinical language assessments.

Design of Immunosuppressive Structure Based on Spike Protein (s) virus Corona

Hedieh Jafari

Background and Aim: The human coronavirus is a member of the Coronaviridae family and causes upper respiratory tract infections. Despite repeated severe epidemics and the lack of appropriate antiviral drugs, not much progress has been made on the epitope-based vaccine designed for HCoV.
Methods & Materials: The method of this study was to select the spike corona virus protein sequence from NCBI, retrieve the protein sequence and determine the T, B epitopes required to produce the chimer vaccine, evaluate the antigenicity and allergenicity and toxicity of the selected epitopes, respectively. Different servers were designed to configure the primary chimer composition of the epitope vaccine. Then, the chimer vaccine was evaluated in terms of structure and connectivity to B cells and MHCI and II compounds, and the two-dimensional structure and position of amino acids and bonds in the immunogenic model were studied, as well as the physicochemical and stability of the model vaccine by some other servers. Finally, it was tested for binding against HLA molecules using silico docking techniques to investigate the interaction with the epitope.
Ethical Considerations: All ethical principles are considered in this article. Participants were informed about the research objective and its implementation stages. They also made sure their information was confidential. The principles of the Helsinki Convention were also observed.
Results: The results showed that the immunogenic construct created in terms of two-dimensional and three-dimensional structure and the position of amino acids and bonds in the model of immunogenic structure, toxicity and allergenicity and antigenicity were in good condition. And had stability (instability index 33.93) and favorable half-life and suitable physicochemical conditions.
Conclusion: In general, the immunogenic structure that was prepared in this research process could have a favorable interaction with some components of the immune system (HLA) in the docking process, which indicates the optimal identification of this structure by the humoral and cellular immune system and stimulation in In order to produce immunity in the body of the host, of course, more reliable proof of it requires clinical phase processes.

Comparing Metacognitive Beliefs Between Hypochondriasis COVID-19 Patients and Healthy Individuals

Morteza Ghasemi

Background and Aim: The main purpose of this study was to compare the metacognitive beliefs of people with hypochondriasis Covid 19 and normal people.
Methods & Materials: In this research, the causal-comparative method has been used. The statistical population of the study included all people with hypochondriasis disorder Covid 19 in Arak, based on this, 30 people from the population with this disorder and 30 people from the normal population were selected by available sampling method and based on Age and education were matched. Data were collected based on the short form of the 1997 Wells Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ-30). Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the data.
Ethical Considerations: The present study has been registered with the code IR.IAU.ARAK.REC.1399.036 in the ethics committee of Islamic Azad University Arak branch.
Results: There was a significant difference between metacognitive beliefs in patients with hypochondriasis covid 19 and normal individuals (P<0.001). These patients were significantly different from normal individuals in the components of positive beliefs about worry, negative beliefs about thought control, self-awareness, cognitive uncertainty, and the need to control thoughts. And in the components of positive beliefs about anxiety, negative beliefs. They got higher scores on controlling thoughts and cognitive self but on the components of cognitive uncertainty and the need to control thoughts compared to normal people.
Conclusion: Hypochondriasis disorder causes many problems for the individual and the health system, so by recognizing the dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs of these patients, metacognitive therapy can be an effective treatment for this disorder.