Stress and burnout in health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic: validation of a questionnaire

Journal of Public Health - To validate a questionnaire to assess stress and burnout in healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, content validity, Cronbach’s alpha, and...     

The association between diabetic complications and health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study from Iran

Quality of Life Research - This study aimed to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of type 2 diabetic patients and its relationship with the complications of diabetes in...     

Comparison of Training via Short Messages and Group Training on Level of Knowledge and Practice of Middle-Aged Women About Breast Cancer Screening Tests

This study is aimed to compare the effect of two methods of short messages and group training on level of knowledge and practice of middle-aged women about breast cancer screening procedures. This clinical trial study was done on 210 women aged 40–60 years in Mahshahr city, Iran. Eligible middle-aged women were randomly assigned in two groups of short message (n = 105) and group training (n = 105). Data collected through a questionnaire which included three parts (demographic, knowledge and practice of women about breast cancer and screening procedures). Group training was educated for two sessions in 2 weeks that each session lasted 2 h. In the short message group, every woman received texts about breast cancer, reasons, and preventive methods, three times a week, for 2 weeks. The questionnaire (knowledge and practice) was completed 2 months after educational intervention. Data was analyzed using independent t test, paired t test, and chi-square. Results of this study showed that average score of knowledge in two groups increased significantly, from 34.4 ± 7.54 to 40. 8 ± 7.18 in the short text messages (SMS) and from 35 to 39.75 in the group training (P > 0.05). Also, the score of breast examination by health provider in the SMS group was significantly higher than that in the group training, but the score of breast self-examination in the group training was higher than that in the short message (P < 0.05). The results showed that training by each way is effective to increase knowledge and performance of women about breast cancer screening methods. Further studies to compare the cost-effectiveness of two methods are recommended.     

Effects of garlic extract on TNF-α expression and oxidative stress status in the kidneys of rats with STZ + nicotinamide-induced diabetes

Context: Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae) (garlic) is a medicinal plant that is widely used in herbal medicine. Nephropathy is a complication of diabetes that is induced by long-term hyperglycaemia.

Objective: The effects of aqueous extract of garlic (AGE) on the expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and oxidative stress status were studied in the kidneys of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)?+?nicotinamide-induced diabetes.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control rats, rats with STZ?+?nicotinamide-induced diabetes that received a single dose of STZ (65?mg/kg) and nicotinamide (110?mg/kg) intraperitoneally, diabetic rats that were treated with garlic (2?g/kg/d, gavage), and normal rats that received garlic (2?g/kg/d, gavage). The glucose level was determined in the start of study, 7 d after induction of diabetes and 33 d after treatment with garlic. At the end of the treatment period, urea, uric acid and creatinine levels were estimated in sera. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), nitric oxide (NO) levels and TNF-α gene and protein expression were measured in the renal tissues of the rats.

Results: The glucose, uric acid, and urea levels increased in the serum of diabetic rats compared with control rats, and decreased in garlic-treated diabetic rats compared with diabetic rats (p?p?p?p?p?Discussion and conclusion: These results indicate that garlic extract has hypoglycaemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; therefore, it can be useful for the alleviation of diabetic complications.     

Mouse oocyte vitrification: the effects of two methods on maturing germinal vesicle breakdown oocytes

Purpose  

Evaluation of viability and subsequent developmental ability of mouse germinal vesicle breakdown oocytes vitrified in conventional straws.     

Screening of the pelvic organ prolapse without a physical examination; (a community based study)

Background

The attendance rate in Estonian cervical cancer screening programme is too low therefore the programme is hardly effective. A cross-sectional population based survey was performed to identify awareness of cervical cancer risk factors, reasons why women do not want to participate in cervical screening programme and wishes for better organisation of the programme.

Method

An anonymous questionnaire with a covering letter and a prepaid envelope was sent together with the screening invitation to 2942 randomly selected women. Results are based on the analysis of 1054 (36%) returned questionnaires.

Results

Main reasons for non-participation in the national screening programme were a recent visit to a gynaecologist (42.3%), fear to give a Pap-smear (14.3%), long appointment queues (12.9%) and unsuitable reception hours (11.8%). Fear to give a Pap-smear was higher among women aged 30 and 35 than 50 and 55 (RR 1.46; 95% CI: 0.82-2.59) and women with one or no deliveries (RR 1.56, 95% CI: 0.94-2.58). In general, awareness of cervical cancer risk factors is poor and it does not depend on socio-demographic factors. Awareness of screening was higher among Estonians than Russians (RR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.46-1.86). Most women prefer to receive information about screening from personally mailed invitation letters (74.8%).

Conclusions

Women need more information about cervical cancer risk factors and the screening programme. They prefer personally addressed information sharing. Minority groups should be addressed in their own language. A better collaboration with service providers and discouraging smears outside the programme are also required.     

Haematology, morphology and blood cells characteristics of male and female Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)

The aim of the present study was to obtain baseline data on blood cell size, morphology and haematological parameters in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) since there is limited information in the published literature. Blood samples from the caudal vein of apparently healthy Siamese fighting fish (male: n = 40 and female: n = 36) were collected. Haematological values of the blood samples were determined using standard techniques. The morphological features of blood cells were described according to observations made by light microscopy. The various types of blood cells measurement were carried out with the help of a stage and an ocular micrometre at a magnification of ×1,000. Erythrocytes, thrombocytes and four types of leucocytes: lymphocytes, monocytes, heterophils and eosinophils, were distinguished and characterised. The average size of the erythrocyte cell and nucleus was 97.33 and 16.28 μm², respectively. Results showed a positive correlation between erythrocyte size and nucleus size for Siamese fighting fish (r = 0.470, p < 0.01). We also found sex-dependent differences for total white blood cell count, lymphocytes and heterophils in Siamese fighting fish (p < 0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that differences in other haematological parameters and blood cell morphology, between male and female fish were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).     

Evaluation of sialic acids, TNF-α, INF-γ, and acute-phase proteins in cattle infected with foot-and-mouth disease

The present study was conducted to evaluate the concentrations of sialic acids, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and gamma-interferon (INF-γ) and their correlation with acute-phase proteins (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, ceruloplasmin, and fibrinogen) in cattle infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Thirty cows were diagnosed and confirmed for FMD. Ten clinically healthy adult cattle were selected as a control group. Serum haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), ceruloplasmin, fibrinogen, total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-bound sialic acid (LBSA), protein-bound sialic acid (PBSA), TNF-α, and INF-γ were measured by validated standard methods. All parameters were significantly higher in the diseased animals compared with the healthy group (P < 0.001 in all cases). There were significant associations between Hp and INF-γ, fibrinogen with TSA, fibrinogen with PBSA, TSA with PBSA, and TNF-α with ceruloplasmin in the control group. In the FMD group, significant associations were observed for PBSA with TSA, PBSA with LBSA, and TNF-α with ceruloplasmin. The results of this study revealed that inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, INF-γ, and sialic acids) and acute-phase proteins (SAA, Hp, ceruloplasmin, and fibrinogen) concentrations increased in FMD-infected cattle in response to viral infection. However, more detailed future studies are required to characterize such responses and to improve the development of novel control strategies against FMD.