Middle East Journal of Rehabilitation and Health Studies
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Jan 2015

Myocardial infarction (MI) is amongst medical emergency situations. Decline of heart rate and blood pressure during the initial days after admission due to myocardial infarction are the main goals of treatment that decrease the pressure on the myocardium.

This study was performed to determine the effects of patients early mobilization program on heart rate and blood pressure of patients with MI hospitalized at the coronary care unit (CCU).

This study was a clinical trial that was performed on 38 patients with myocardial infarction at the CCU of Shahid Beheshti hospital of Babol. Samples were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly allocated into experimental and control groups. Patients in the experimental group, within 12 - 18 hours after admission to the CCU, were mobilized with a specified program while in the control group, patients got out of bed on the basis of routine care within 48 hours after admission. Heart rate and blood pressure was measured every six hours during the first and third day of admission and were compared between the two groups.

In the experimental group, mean heart rate during the first day was 82.16 ± 13.83 and on the third day was 75.37 ± 9.73. In the control group, mean heart rate during the first day was 70.67 ± 13.76 and on the third day was 73.84 ± 12.69. The difference between the mean heart rates of the first and third day was 6.79 ± 11.2 for the experimental group and -3.16 ± 7.3 for the control group. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between differences of mean heart rate during the first and third days in the two groups (P = 0.003). Analysis showed that there was no significant difference between changes of mean systolic blood pressure (P = 0.1) and diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.11) on the first and third day, in the two groups.

This study showed that the early mobilization program could reduce heart rate. Therefore, based on the results of this study, use of the early mobilization program in the treatment and care program of patients with myocardial infarction is suggested

Stuttering is potentially a socio communicational problem, which has negative effects on individuals’ mental and emotional health and other aspects of life. Recognizing the quality of life (QOL) dimensions in adults who stutter can be useful in treatment planning and preventing later mental, emotional and social disorders.

This study aimed to investigate the QOL and its relationship with stuttering severity in adults who stutter.

This analytic-descriptive study was performed on 78 adults (61 males and 17 females) who stuttered and 78 normal control cases in Mashhad City, Iran. Short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire of QOL was used to collect data and the percentage of syllables stuttered (%SS) was determined in a spontaneous speech sample as a frequency measurement tool. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare data between the groups and ANOVA test was also used to evaluate the correlation between stuttering severity and QOL dimensions.

This study showed a significant difference between the groups in mean scores of QOL, general and emotional health, social and physical functions, vitality and role limitations made by physical and emotional problems (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in pain between the groups and there was no significant relation between %SS and dimensions of QOL (P > 0.05).

Stuttering has negative effects on different dimensions of QOL among individuals. Thus, it is necessary to pay special attention to its prevention and treatment before it is developed into a completed and progressive condition.

The amount of bacterial population in the packing material of the biologic filter is very important to the treatment of air pollution. It is important to note that pH is a certain parameter in any biofiltration system application.

The main goal of this study was to investigate the changes in microbial population and pH value in the two new packing materials, namely sewage sludge (SS) and mixture of SS with rice husk silica (MSSRHS) to remove H2S pollution.

The SS and MSSRHS packing materials were used into the two laboratory-scale filters (packed one litter). RHS was prepared at temperature of 800°C, after acid leaching. The SS was collected from the Putrajaya sewage treatment plant in Malaysia. The SS was mixed with RHS (50:50 volume) to be utilized as a packing material. This research was performed in two stages. In the first stage, the performance of the filters was evaluated during the start-up period at a constant empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 60 seconds and different inlet concentrations of H2S ranging from 10 to 300 ppm. In the second stage, the flow rate (L/min) was variable with different EBRTs ranging from 30 to 90 seconds and the concentration of H2S was fixed at 300 ppm.

In this study, after 53 days of operating time and 54 g/m3h mass loading, the pH values in the SS and MSSRHS packed filters were reduced from 6.8 to 1.8 and from 6.9 to 3.4, respectively. The MSSRHS packed filter showed more buffering capacity to resist pH changes. Therefore, in this packed filter, both sulfur bacteria, namely, Thiobacillus thioparus and Thiobacillus thiooxidans, could grow and oxidize H2S better than SS packed filter could. These are very important in maintaining microorganisms’ activity for long-term biofilter operation to remove air pollutants.

The MSSRHS could be considered as a more suitable packing material for long-term biofilter operation to remove H2S pollution

The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide and is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Obesity during childhood can be harmful to the body.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in Semnan Province, Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, 2195 schoolchildren (1102 girls, 1093 boys) aged 6-12 years were selected through random multistage sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisted of items including weight, height, gender, age, residential area, parents' education, housing status and access to computer. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight (Kg) by the square of height (m). Overweight was defined as a BMI ≥ 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥ 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.

Results showed that 8.2% of schoolchildren were obese and 11.5% were overweight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among girls were 11.9% and 8.0% and among boys were 11.1% and 8.3%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between obesity/overweight and housing status (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.19-1.97, P = 0.001) and access to computer (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.20-1.85, P < 0.001).

Findings report a relatively high prevalence of obesity and overweight in schoolchildren of Semnan Province in Iran. More interventions are suggested to increase physical activity and limit the time children spend on personal computer games.

There are many hazards in the hairdressing industry that may result in illness or injury for both workers and clients, with new or inexperienced apprentices being at greater risk.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of an interventional education program for hairdressing employees.

This study was carried out on 139 hairdressing salons situated in Semnan, Iran from 2006 to 2007. The condition of the hairdressing salon and behaviors of hairdressers were evaluated by a questionnaire before and after the administration of the educational intervention program. Hairdressers participated in various health-educational modules with in-depth knowledge on all relevant aspects of hairdressing conditions and occupational safety behaviors and preventive measures.

The findings revealed a significant improvement in most items especially for environment of salons, use of personal instruments, waste disposal, safety and healthy behaviors of hairdressers (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found for the items of washing systems (P = 0.725), and doors and windows condition (P = 0.267) before and after the intervention. When comparing behaviors between women and men salons, all items significantly improved in women. Men did not show significant improvement in items of hand washing (P = 0.265), use of garment (P = 0.21), and disinfection (P = 1.00) and sterilization procedures (P = 1.00).

The intervention was successful in improving most aspects of hairdressing. In women, safety and healthy behaviors were affected more than men. However, in men salons, environmental and physical conditions had greater improvement. We suggest that health educational programs for hairdressers should be integrated into their training course

Exposure to morphine decreases neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Recent studies have shown that voluntary running decreases the severity of anxiety behaviors and cognitive deficits, and increased synaptic plasticity in morphine-dependent rats.

This study aimed to investigate whether the morphine dependence-induced attenuation of hippocampal neuron number in rats would be reversed by voluntary running through a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mediated mechanism.

The rats were received injections of 10 mg/kg of morphine twice a day over ten days of voluntary running. A specific antagonist of BDNF action (TrkB-IgG) was used to block the hippocampal BDNF action during the study period; cytochrome C (Cyt C) was used as the control drug.

We found that chronic exposure to morphine had decreased the number of dentate gyrus neurons in sedentary rats receiving Cyt C or IgG in comparison to the control rats (P < 0.05). Moreover, exercise groups receiving saline or morphine showed an increase in the number of neurons following ten days running; blocking the BDNF action with TrkB-IgG fully inhibited this effect (both, P = 0.0001).

This study demonstrates that that voluntary exercise can ameliorate the attenuation of hippocampal neuron number induced by morphine dependence through a BDNF-mediated mechanism. Thus, physical activity might have a potential role in ameliorating chronic morphine-induced neuronal changes in the hippocampus.