Exploring Effective Contextual Factors for Regular Cervical Cancer Screening in Iranian Women: A Qualitative Study

Background: Adherence to regular screening programs for cervical cancer in Iranian women is not common.The aim of this study was to explore contextual factors influencing behavior and compliance with guidelines.Methods: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted in 2016-2017 in Hamadan city, Iran. Semi-structuredin-depth interviews were conducted with 31 participants who were selected purposefully on referring to health centers.Twenty-three were women with various experiences of cervical cancer screening and 8 were health care providers(4 midwives, 1 gynecologist, 1 general practitioner and 1 family health expert). Guba and Lincoln criteria were usedfor tustworthiness. MAXQDA10 software was employed for data analysis. Results: Four themes were extracted fromthe data: an opportunity maker system, opportunities to become acquainted, concerns for healthy living, and perceptionof cancer. Conclusion: The results showed sensitivity of health care providers and their appropriate performancein relation to regular screening behavior of women is very important. Women’s perception of cancer and its curabilityis another factor with a major effect on screening behavior. Opportunities for people to become acquainted with thePap smear in a variety of ways and concern for healthy living and the need to have a healthy life to ensure qualityof life were also found to be important.     

Postprandial hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance and inappropriately high phosphaturia are features of younger males with idiopathic calcium urolithiasis: Attenuation by ascorbic acid supplementation of a test meal

In idiopathic recurrent calcium urolithiasis (RCU) the state of insulin and carbohydrate metabolism, and relationships to minerals such as phosphate, are insufficiently understood. Therefore, in two groups of males with RCU (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 8) the response to an oral carbohydrate- and calcium-rich test meal was studied with respect to glucose, insulin, and C-peptide in peripheral venous blood (taken before and up to 180 min post-load), and phosphate and glucose in fasting and post-load urine. In one RCU group (n = 16) the meal was supplemented with ascorbic acid (ASC; 5 mg/kg body weight). The mean age (RCU 29, RCU + ASC 30, controls 27 years) and mean body mass index [RCU 24.4, RCU + ASC 25.0, controls 24.0 kg/m²] were similar. Insulin resistance (synonymous sensitivity of peripheral organs to insulin) was calculated from insulin serum concentration, as was also integrated insulin, C-peptide, and glucose. Untreated stone patients (RCU) developed hyperinsulinaemia between 60 and 120 min post-load, increased integrated insulin, and insulin resistance (P 0.05 vs controls)., whereas the rise of C-peptide and glycaemia (absolute and integrated values) was only of borderline significance. Fasting phosphaturia was low in both RCU subgroups vs controls; however, phosphaturia in untreated RCU rose in response to the meal, contrasting sharply with a decrease in controls. ASC supplementation of the meal (in the RCU + ASC subgroup) normalized insulin, failed to normalize postload phosphaturia, but reduced post-load glucosuria and urinary pH significantly (mean pH values 5.55 vs 5.93 in untreated RCU, controls 5.50). Postprandial urinary oxalate, calcium, protein, and supersaturation products were not changed. The postprandial changes in phosphaturia and insulin sensitivity were inversely correlated (n = 38,r = -0.44,P = 0.007). It was concluded that in younger RCU males: (1) postprandial hyperinsulinaemia, the failure to reduce phosphaturia and —within limits — glucosuria, appropriately, as well as poor urine acidification are important features of the metabolism; (2) these phenomena are probably caused by insulin resistance of organs, the kidney included; and (3) the addition of a supraphysiological dose of ASC to a meal, the subsequent abolition of hyperinsulinaemia, and the restoration of normal urine acidification suggest that this antioxidant is capable of counteracting some preexisting basic abnormality of cell metabolism in RCU.     

Susceptibility of Entamoeba histolytica to oxygen intermediates

To explore the susceptibility of the extracellular protozoan, Entamoeba histolytica, to toxic oxygen intermediates, trophozoites were exposed to fluxes of O₂^?, H₂O₂, and OH · generated enzymatically by the glucose oxidase and xanthine oxidase reactions. HM-1 trophozoites were resistant to O₂^?, but were readily killed by H₂O₂ alone. OH · and ¹O₂ were not required for effective amebicidal activity. The addition of a peroxidase and halide enhanced trophozoite killing by H₂O₂. Sonicates of amebae contained virtually no catalase and little glutathione peroxidase activity which may contribute to susceptibility to H₂O₂. Coupled with our previous studies with Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. these observations indicate that there is a broad spectrum of susceptibility of intra- and extracellular pathogenic protozoa to killing by oxygen intermediates.     

血液电频谱特性的测量

为了更全面的了解血液的低频电频谱特性,利用我们所研制的比较法宽频组织、血液电特性检测系统对血液及不同组成、状态等在1Hz～2 0 MHz范围内的幅频特性和相频特性进行了测量。实验结果的进一步分析表明,通过血液电频谱特性的认识,可以帮助我们从一个全新的视角去了解血液、分析血液乃至更微观层次的一些重要性质;同时,指出了现在生物组织、血液等效电模型存在的一些问题及改进的思路。(1)从1Hz～5 KHz范围血液电阻抗下降了99%。(2 )简单的血液电阻、电容等效电路只能是串联等效而非被常用的并联等效。(3)实验表明,血液的等效电路还应进一步分析,因为简单的R、C等效仍有很大误差。(4)为研究探讨血细胞内液电阻、细胞膜电容和细胞外液电阻的三元件模型,在测量时三频率必须非常接近。     

Ageing exacerbates the cardiotoxicity of hydrogen peroxide through the Fenton reaction in rats

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the post-ischemic reperfusion syndrome of the myocardium. Moreover, ageing is associated with an increased cardiac sensitivity to both ischemia and reperfusion. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the lower tolerance of aged hearts to reperfusion could be due to an increased sensitivity to the ROS that are produced during the early phase of reperfusion. For this purpose isolated perfused hearts from adult (4 months) and aged (24 months) rats were perfused with a buffer containing 150 microM of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in presence or absence of deferoxamine mesylate (150 microM), an iron chelator. H(2)O(2) perfusion was continued until left ventricular developed pressure had decreased up to 20% of its initial value. Ageing led to a significant reduction of the duration of the H(2)O(2) perfusion required for inducing a 80% functional alteration. Although deferoxamine did not affect this parameter in adult rats, it significantly increased the duration of H(2)O(2)-perfusion in senescent hearts (control: 14.0+/-0.9 min vs. deferoxamine: 18.1+/-1.0, P<0.05). Similarly, ageing aggravated cardiac contracture induced by H(2)O(2)-perfusion. Again, deferoxamine, which had no effect on this parameter in young adult hearts, significantly reduced the contracture of senescent rat hearts. To conclude, our data clearly show that ageing is associated with an increased sensitivity of the myocardium to hydrogen peroxide, which is partly reversed by iron chelation. These results suggest that the iron-catalyzed Fenton reaction producing hydroxyl radicals might be greater in hearts from senescent rats than in hearts from young adults.     

考试焦虑量表(TAI)的信度和效度研究

考试焦虑量表 (ＴｅｓｔＡｎｘｉｅｔｙＩｎｖｅｎｔｏｒｙ ,简称ＴＡＩ) ,由美国临床心理学家Ｓｐｉｅｌｂｅｒｇｅｒ于 1980年编制完成[1] ,自问世以来 ,ＴＡＩ就被各国学者修订和使用。 2 0世纪 6 0年代以来 ,国际上流行的考试焦虑测评量表多达数十种 ,但最有效的且应用最广泛的莫过于ＴＡＩ[2 - 4] 。ＴＡＩ属自评量表 ,共 2 0个项目 ,所测的考试焦虑是一种情景性的人格特征 ,包含忧虑性 (Ｗｏｒｒｙ)和情绪性 (Ｅｍｏｔｉｏｎａｌｉｔｙ)两个维度。中文版ＴＡＩ最早由我国心理学家宋维真和张瑶于 1987年在大学生中试用[5] ,但 15年以来…     

Metal complexing agents as therapies for Alzheimer's disease

Modern research approaches into drug development for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) target β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation in the brain. The main approaches attempt to prevent Aβ production (secretase inhibitors) or to clear Aβ (vaccine). However, there is now compelling evidence that Aβ does not spontaneously aggregate, but that there is an age-dependent reaction with excess brain metal (copper, iron and zinc), which induces the protein to precipitate into metal-enriched masses (plaques). The abnormal combination of Aβ with Cu or Fe induces the production of hydrogen peroxide, which may mediate the conspicuous oxidative damage to the brain in AD. We have developed metal-binding compounds that inhibit the in vitro generation of hydrogen peroxide by Aβ, as well as reverse the aggregation of the peptide in vitro and from human brain post-mortem specimens. Most recently, one of the compounds, clioquinol (CQ; a USP antibiotic) was given orally for 9 weeks to amyloid-bearing transgenic mice, and succeeded in markedly inhibiting Aβ accumulation. On the basis of these results, CQ is being tested in clinical trials.     

中师生考试焦虑与应付方式和自我接纳的相关性研究

目的　探讨中师生考试焦虑与应付方式和自我接纳的关系。方法　以考试焦虑量表 ( TAS)、特质应对问卷 ( TCSQ)和自我接纳问卷 ( SAQ)对 1 81名新入学的中师生进行调查分析。结果　 TAS得分与消极应付方式呈正相关 ( r=0 .5 5 82 ,P<0 .0 1 )、与积极应付方式、自我接纳、自我评价呈负相关 ( r=- 0 .2 0 3 6～ -0 .3 63 1 ,P<0 .0 5～ 0 .0 1 ) ;3 5 .3 6%的中师新生为重度考试焦虑者。结论　中师生是问题性考试焦虑突出的群体 ,其消极应付方式和低自我接纳与低自我评价是形成考试焦虑的重要因素。     

Changes in brain blood flow associated with deltamethrin-induced choreoathetosis in the rat

Summary Deltamethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide which produces reversible motor symptoms in mammals involving facial movements, progressive incoordination, and choreoathetosis. These symptoms were found to be preceded and accompanied by increases in blood flow in the caudate nucleus and cerebral cortex of conscious rats. Blood flow, measured by the hydrogen polarography method, showed a 2.8–3.8 fold increase in the caudate nucleus and a 1.9–2.6 increase in the cortex after intraperitoneal deltamethrin. The increase in caudate blood flow provided an early and sensitive indicator of the development of motor symptoms, and preceded development of EEG spike discharges.A different pattern of motor symptoms consisting largely of tremor with no choreoathetosis was produced for comparison using another pyrethroid, cismethrin. This, whilst producing a similar increase in cortical flow, did not produce the disproportionate increase in caudate flow characteristic of deltamethrin.Although the actions of deltamethrin were shown not to be restricted to the extrapyramidal system, the selectivity of the blood flow increases, and the nature of the symptoms produced show deltamethrin to be a useful tool for the production of experimental extrapyramidal motor hyperactivity.     

Lymphocyte subsets and mood states in panic disorder patients

This study was conducted to examine lymphocyte subset counts and mood states in panic disorder patients. Twenty patients with panic disorder and 20 age- and gender-matched normal healthy subjects were recruited for the study. We used the Spielberger State (STAIS) & Trait (STAIT) Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAMA) to measure mood states in all subjects. Lymphocyte subsets counts were made by flow cytometry. Panic patients showed significantly higher scores for anxiety and depression than normal subjects. Panic patients showed no differences in terms of the numbers of immune cells, as compared with normal healthy subjects, other than a lower proportion of T suppressor cells and a higher T helper cell/T suppressor cell ratio. HAMA and STAIS scores were common factors that could predict T cell numbers and proportions, T helper cell numbers, and natural killer cell proportions in panic disorder patients. We suggest that anxiety levels are related to the T-cell population in panic disorder patients and that quantitative immune differences may reflect altered immunity in this disorder.