مجله دانشکده پزشکی اصفهان
پیاپی 626 (هفته دوم امرداد 1400)

Congenital malformations are important causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity. They can be prevented by performing screening tests and accurate treatment schedules in pregnancy period. Screening tests may cause anxiety in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of e-learning about fetal screening tests on anxiety in pregnant women.

This was a quasi-experimental study performed on 120 pregnant women of 7 to 9 weeks gestational age who referred to health centers in Zahedan City, Iran, during the year 2020, to receive prenatal care randomly in two groups of intervention and control. In the intervention group, the training was conducted in the form of 7-minute animation in groups of 5-10 people; the animation was sent to their mobile cells as well. While the control group received only routine pregnancy care. Before and 2 weeks after training, anxiety and worrying of pregnant women were assessed using Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire and Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS). Data were analyzed using chi-square, independent t, and ANCOVA tests.

The defiance of mean anxiety score of pregnant women in the two groups before e-learning was not significant (P = 0.920). Independent t-test showed that after performing e-learning about fetal screening tests, the mean score of anxiety in women in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P = 0.001). Moreover, the mean score of anxiety in the intervention group after e-learning of fetal screening tests decreased significantly (P = 0.001).

The study showed that e-learning in the form of animation in the intervention group significantly reduced anxiety and worrying in pregnant mothers.

Neuromyelitis optica is one of the inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) that causes demyelination and axonal injury, especially in optic nerve and spinal cord. Considering the immunoregulatory function of vitamin D, deficiency of this vitamin may play a role in the pathogenesis as well as the severity of neuromylitis optica. The aim of this study was to compare the serum level of vitamin D in patients with neuromylitis optica and control group, and to investigate the relationship between the level of this vitamin and disability and number of attacks during the year in these patients.

In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients with neuromylitis optica and 40 healthy individuals as a control group participated. Serum level of 25 (OH) vitamin D was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HLPC) method and compared. Clinical parameters such as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Annualized Relapse Rate (ARR) were also evaluated in patients.

The median of serum levels of vitamin D was higher in patients (46.2 ng/ml) than in controls (29.65 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). The prevalence of Vitamin D insufficiency in the control group (52.5%) was higher than this prevalence in patients (5.0%). Moreover, there was no significant relationship between serum vitamin D levels with body mass index (BMI), EDSS, and ARR in patients.

According to our findings, there was no significant association between vitamin D deficiency and neuromylitis optica disease.

Grilling is one of the most traditional methods of cooking food, especially meat, which leads to the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). International Agency for Research on Cancer has mentioned most of these compound, particular Benzo[a]pyrene and Phenyl imidazo pyridine, as carcinogenic to humans. The amount of the PAHs and HAAs in Kebab completely depends on the grilling method. The current review aimed to provide evidence and interventions to reduce the production of the PAHs and HAAs during grilling.

This literature review consisted of articles searched in national and international databases up to December 2020. The inclusion criteria were original studies comparing controllable factors in the concentration of Benzo[a]pyrene and Phenyl imidazo pyridine produced in the Kebab.

The results of the current review showed that the level of Benzo[a]pyrene and Phenyl imidazo pyridine produced in the Kebab completely depened on factors including grilling temperature and duration, type of fuel, distance from the heat source, condiments, and the amount of fat in the meat.

Reducing of the PAHs and HAAs intake from Kebab can be achieved through reducing grilling temperature and durations, using gas instead of charcoal and wood, increasing the distance of meat from the fire, using condiments, using low-fat meats, and removing the skin from chicken.