Shiraz Emedical Journal
Volume:22 Issue: 3, Mar 2021

As the use of cellphones and other electronic devices increases, concerns about the possible effect of radiofrequency waves on health are growing. Long-term use of the cellphone may have negative effects on sperm quality.

The purpose of this research was to examine men’s infertility due to the effect of radiofrequency waves.

In this systematic review, language restrictions were not considered in searching the databases. Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, EMBASE, ProQuest, CINAHL, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and Scopus were used to obtain the data from them. All data were scanned from the year 2000 until 2019. Papers selected for retrieval were evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa and CONSORT scales.

A total of 14 articles that met the inclusion criteria were ultimately assessed. Motile sperm, sperm vitality and membrane integrity, morphology, volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration, and sperm fertility were found to be influenced by radiofrequency waves.

The results showed that RF has detrimental effects on semen parameters and due to an increase in RF wave use currently and its role in male infertility, giving information to men about adverse complications of RF is necessary. Further studies are needed to design the less harmful devices.

The process of becoming a mother is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling events in women’s lives. Maternity for the first time can be stressful and also can increase anxiety in women.

The present study aimed to determine the effect of an empowerment training program on the difficulty of transitioning to parenting as well as parenting stress of primiparous mothers.

The sample of this quasi-experimental study consisted of 78 primiparous women who were selected due to convenient sampling. Participants completed the demographic, difficulty in transition to parenting, and parenting stress questionnaires before and after the study. The participants received four training sessions (the first session was face to face at 3-5 days after childbirth and subsequent training sessions were conducted by telephone at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postpartum) based on the self-efficacy model.

The mean age of the participants in the study was 27.012±4.99 years. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed that training significantly reduced parenting difficulty (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.626) and parental stress (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.50). The mean score of parenting difficulty decreased from 97.02±17.34 to 81.65±15.45, and themean parental stress score decreased from 80.08±22.53 to 61.13 ± 12.20. The results also indicated that education in all four domains (responsibility and commitment, satisfaction, selfesteem, and personal commitment) significantly reduced the difficulty of the transition to parenting (P value = 0.0001). According to the results, training has also been effective in reducing the difficulty of transitioning to parenting in terms of maternal concerns, enjoyment, change in life, new challenges of mother’s postpartum feeling.

The outcomes of the present study highlight the effectiveness of empowerment training on the difficulty of the transition to parenting as well as parenting stress in primiparous mothers.

Accountability in the community is one of the main missions of the medical school.

The current study aimed at explaining the motivational facilitators and challenges in medical students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, for social accountability based on their experiences.

The current study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on 28 individuals, 16 of whom were students and 12 professors and managers of the medical school. Purposeful sampling was used up to saturation. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. First, conceptual codes were extracted and then grouped into several main themes. Selected concepts or main themes included facilitators, inhibitors, or challengers.

Selected concepts or main themes included facilitating factors and educational challenges for the social accountability of the students. The facilitators included informed choice, personality and moral commitment, content and process of motivation, promotion of community-based learning in the university, and the role of professors in motivation. The inhibitors or challenges included traditional routines, ineffective evaluations, manners of meeting the students’ needs, the lack of educational facilities, and the impact of the increased number of students on the quality of education.

According to the current study findings, the conditions and facilities should be shared among medical education programs to provide a supportive environment for the students, and take a positive and effective step toward motivating them to improve their accountability.

Regular physical activity during pregnancy is known to have positive effects on the health of the mother and fetus. However, reports indicate that more than half of pregnant women in Iran do not have adequate physical activity. This study was conducted in order to change the behavior of pregnant women in regard to physical activity and also to develop suitable educational/interventional measures.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of health belief-based education on the physical activity of nulliparous women.

This triple blinded randomized control trial was conducted among 64 nulliparous women attending the health centers of Ilam, Iran, in 2018. Participants were selected randomly by the cluster sampling method and were allocated to the two groups of control and intervention. Participants in the intervention groups received education and theoretical training based on the health belief model for at least 45 minutes, and then individual practical training was provided. Samples in the control group received routine pregnancy training. Data were collected in two pre-test and post-test stages by a valid questionnaire and were analyzed by SPSS, version 19, using statistical tests, including Chi-square, paired t-test, and independent t-test.

The results showed that the levels of perceived sensitivity (-4.750 ± 2.119), (t = 12.215, P ≤ 0.001), perceived severity of threat (-5.312 ± 1.874), (t = -16.036, P < 0.001), perceived benefits (-2.750 ± 1.502), (P < 0.001, t = -10.352), and self-efficacy (-3.656 ± 1.405), (P < 0.001, t = -14.708) in the intervention group significantly increased after the training compared to pre-training. Also, the level of perceived barriers (4.093 ± 1.444), (P < 0.001, t = 16.027) after the training was significantly less than pre-training level. In the intervention group, the total physical activity with the intensity of moderate/severe (2049/000 ± 963.342), (P < 0.001, t = -12.032) was significantly higher than pre-training.

The results of this study indicated that training based on the health belief model can increase the physical activity of pregnant women with moderate/severe intensity and bring it to the optimal level of 150 minutes per week by increasing the health beliefs of pregnant women. Therefore, it is suggested that training based on this model should be appropriately incorporated into the routine education of pregnant women.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in China in late 2019 was an unprecedented catastrophe that also involvedmany other countries, including Iran. Concerning the danger of disease contagion, it is necessary to detect asymptomatic or mild cases, especially in hospital staff who are highly exposed to the disease.

In this serosurvey study, we aimed to estimate IgG seroprevalence among hospital staff in two public hospitals to determine local transmission and infection risk factors, as well as protective immunity among high-risk populations.

Screening was offered to the hospital staff of two public hospitals in Shiraz, Iran. Screening involved the measurement of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Besides, a checklist that consisted of questions about sociodemographic, occupational, and epidemiological characteristics was completed by the participants.

Among 494 participants in this study, 29 (5.8%) had anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in their blood. Besides, 320 (64.8%) had at least one of the clinical symptoms within sixmonths before this survey. Among participants with positive PCR, nine (21.4%) had anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG, while this figure was seven (33.3%) for individuals with positive CT scans. Non-proper disposal of used protective equipment or infectious wastes (OR = 26.5), rotational daily work shifts (OR = 7.5), being anxious about getting COVID-19 (OR = 3.8), and age (OR = 1.06) were the significant determinants of having anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the hospital staff.

It is essential to continue training and giving technical consultations about COVID-19, especially the proper disposal of used protective equipment or infectious wastes in rotational daily shift workers

Streptococcus mutans is the most cariogenic microorganism with high adherence ability to the tooth surfaces. The probiotics have attracted attention as a new and bioecological technique to inhibit oral bacterial colonization. Enterococcal strains, such as Enterococcus durans, are abundant in nature and can be identified as a probiotic.

Since the reduction of adhesion can be an effective way to decrease the cariogenic potential of S. mutans, the present study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of E. durans on the adhesion of S. mutans.

In this in vitro study, the standard strain bacteria of probiotic E. durans and Streptococcus mutans and 12 clinical samples of S. mutans were used. The ability of S. mutans biofilm formation was assessed. Then, the effect of E. durans on S. mutans adhesion was determined viamicrotiter plate technique by two

(1) Adding amixed suspension of E. durans andS. mutans simultaneously; (2) adding E. durans 30minutes before the inoculation of S. mutans to the system. The data were analyzed with SPSS 20 by using paired t-test, and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

The results showed a decrease in adhesion in the presence of E. durans, with the use of both methods (P < 0.05).

Based on the results of this in vitro study, the use of probiotic E. durans decreased the adhesion of S. mutans.

Despite the dramatic increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Iran, nutrition therapy has not been adequately addressed in primary care settings.

This study aimed at investigating the nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice of general physicians (GPs) toward the management of MetS.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2019 in Tehran. Participants (n = 500) were recruited among GPs working in health centers and completed self-administered questionnaires, which included four sections: (i) six questions regarding demographic characteristics; (ii) six questions about knowledge on MetS; (iii) ten questions on nutritional attitude toward the management of MetS, and (iv) a case study designed to assess the nutritional practice of GPs.

Incorrect responses in knowledge on the definition of MetS and its risk factors and complications were over 60%. In addition, their attitude and practice toward the details of macronutrient and micronutrient intakes in the prevention and treatment of MetS were inadequate.

Inadequate knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding nutrition is an obstacle for providing optimum nutritional counseling by GPs.

Exercise therapy is a standard method used for alleviation of chronic neck pain (CNP). However, few studies have compared the efficacy of acupuncture to exercise therapy on functional improvement and pain reduction. Acupuncture will cause more pain relief and functional improvement compared to exercise therapy in the patients with CNP.

A randomized clinical trial was conducted in Rasool-e-Akram Hospital from September 2017 to October 2018. A total of 68 patients with CNP were randomized to receive either exercise therapy or acupuncture. Clinical outcome was documented at baseline, after 6 and 12 weeks based on the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS).

In patients treated with acupuncture, mean NPDS and NDI values were 56.309 and 20.35, respectively. In patients undergoing physical therapy these values were 52.912 and 21.50, respectively. No significant difference in pain and function was observed between the two groups at the final follow-up (P > 0.05). Likewise, neck pain and function improved significantly in both groups at the follow-up points (P < 0.001).

In the patients with CNP and radicular neck pain, acupuncture and exercise therapy were equally effective on pain reduction and functional improvement.

Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody against CD20 antigen present on mature B lymphocytes. It is commonly used in some hematologic, rheumatologic as well as neurologic disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Although there are some data about the safety of rituximab in patients with MS and NMO, there are few experiences regarding its safety in the Iranian population with MS, and known complications are often related to the studies conducted on the patients in other countries or with other autoimmune diseases and malignancies that are different from the population of patients with MS in terms of the underlying disease status and the concomitant medications or previous medications used.

The aim of this study was to investigate the infusion related, short-term and delayed side effects of rituximab on patients with MS and NMO in the population of the south of Iran.

This was a longitudinal study on patients with MS and neuromyelitis optica who were referred to the health centers affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from September 2018 to February 2019 and received Rituximab. They were observed for side effects from the first infusion of the drug to at least 6 months later. A checklist prepared by the researcher was used to collect the data. Independent t-test and chi-square test were used for data analysis. The significance level was considered 0.05 in this study.

In this study, 37% of the patients had at least one side effect during the first infusion. The most common side effect was chills (shivering). Short-term side effects occurred in 15.5% of the patients. The most common type was skin manifestations. These side effects led to hospitalization in two patients. Delayed side effect was developed in 20.7% of the patients. The most common delayed side effect was skin manifestations.

Overall, there was no unexpected side effect in patients under the study and the side effects developed were comparable to previous studies as well as those conducted on patients other than patients with MS and neuromyelitis optica. Side effects were often mild, with only two cases leading to hospitalization, both of which were self-limiting as well, and there were no serious life-threatening side effects, except for one case with bradycardia.