Jorjani Biomedicine Journal

The impact of self-care education on self-esteem, self-care behavior, and blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes attending rural health centers in Gorgan City in 2023

Kamal Mirkarimi

Background: Self-care is defined as a strategy to adapt the events and stresses of life, which improves health and includes special activities that alleviate the symptoms of the disease. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a self-care program on the self-esteem of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending rural health centers in Gorgan City in 2023.
Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-and post-test intervention study was conducted using a multistage sampling technique in patients with T2DM and prediabetes attending health centers in rural health centers of Gorgan City. An educational program was conducted on 68 patients divided into two groups of diabetes and pre-diabetes (34 patients in each group). Data were collected using a personal information checklist, standard self-care questionnaires, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Follow-up was conducted two months after the intervention. The data were described using mean and standard deviation, and analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Chi-square, Independent T-test, and Paired T-test.
Results: The mean age in the T2DM group was 58 ±7.26, and 60.29 ± 9.47 years in the pre-diabetes group. The mean fasting blood sugar levels in the T2DM and pre-diabetes groups after the intervention were 131.24 and 100.94, respectively, which showed a significant statistical difference (P-Value=0.02). The mean self-esteem scores in the T2DM and pre-diabetes groups after the intervention also showed a significant statistical difference (P-Value =0.006).
Conclusion: In the current study, the present intervention led to the improvement of self-esteem and self-care scores in people with T2DM and pre-diabetes.

Effect of an eight-week multi-joint circuit resistance training program on adiponectin levels and lipid profiles in overweight women from Absard City

Seyed Mohsen Avandi

Background: Circuit resistance training, beneficial to overweight individuals, combines aerobic and resistance exercises. This study aimed to investigate the effect of multi-joint circuit resistance training on serum adiponectin levels and lipid profiles in overweight women.
Methods: Thirty sedentary overweight women (mean age of 34.48±4.304 years, mean weight of 81.17±9.137 kg, and mean BMI of 30.17±2.13 kg/m²) were randomly divided into two groups: circuit resistance training (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group trained at 65–85% of maximum heart rate for eight weeks, with three sessions per week (24 sessions total). The control group did not engage in regular exercise. Serum adiponectin levels and lipid profiles were assessed before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and dependent t-tests at a significance level of P-value≤0.05.
Results: The results showed that adiponectin levels (P-value=0.001) and cholesterol levels (P-value=0.015) increased in the circuit training group, while LDL levels decreased (P-value=0.031). HDL levels increased but were not statistically significant (P-value=0.100). These variables did not change in the control group.
Conclusion: Finding ways to improve the state of adipokines is of vital importance for these patients. According to the results, circuit resistance training may be an effective method for addressing dyslipidemia and increasing adiponectin levels in overweight women.

Impact of motor developmental stimulatory training of the mothers on motor development of healthy full-term infants aged 6 months

Asieh Sadat Baniaghil

Background: The first 6 to 8 months of a human baby's life are among the most crucial periods of development. Mothers can enhance an infant's development by offering environments rich in appropriate stimuli. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of motor developmental stimulatory training on mothers' motor development (fine and gross) in healthy, full-term, 6-month-old infants.
Methods: This experimental study was conducted 2016 on 72 mothers and their healthy six-month-old infants in Gorgan (Iran). The block randomization method assigned participants to the intervention (n=36) and control (n=36) groups. The motor developmental stimulatory training program was performed for five 90-minute weekly sessions by a midwifery consultant for children's mothers. The fine and gross motor development of infants in both groups was evaluated before the intervention, in the end, and two weeks after the intervention by a research assistant using the Denver-II tool. The data were analyzed using the Friedman and the Mann- Whitney U Tests using SPSS software version 26.
Results: At the beginning of the study, infants’ mean fine motor skills scores were 6.22±0.47 in the intervention group and 6.05±0.43 in the control group, showing no significant difference. Likewise, the mean gross motor skills scores were 6.65±0.52 for the intervention group and 5.7±0.42 for the control group, which was also insignificant (< 0.0116). However, by the end of the training, the mean ages for fine motor skills in the intervention group rose to 9.41±0.75 compared to 7.51±0.42 in the control group, and two weeks later, they were 11.43±0.49 in the intervention group against 8.64±0.54 in the control group, with these differences being significant (P-value < 0.0001). The mean ages for gross motor skills at the end of the training were 7.94±0.61 in the intervention group and 6.7±0.34 in the control group, and two weeks later, 9.3±0.47 in the intervention group compared to 7.46±0.55 in the control group, which was also significant (P-value < 0.0001).
Conclusion: Developmental stimulatory training significantly improves 6-mount infants' gross and fine motor skills. Midwifery consultants can educate mothers about the motor development stimulation package so that they can use it to enhance the fine and gross motor skills of their healthy infant.

Midazolam enhances osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Marie Saghaeian Jazi

Background: Bone remodeling involves a balance between osteoblast-driven formation and osteoclast-mediated resorption, with disruptions leading to diseases like osteoporosis. Midazolam (MDZ), known for its sedative properties, has shown effects on cellular differentiation and hydroxyapatite formation in dental cells. However, its role in promoting osteogenic differentiation in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) remains unexplored, motivating this study to investigate its potential in bone regenerative therapies.
Methods: Human bone marrow stem cells were cultured in the complete media with α-MEM, 10% FBS, and 1% pen/strep. Cell viability was determined with MTT assay in different concentrations of MDZ (0.125 to 1 µM) for 72 hours. Osteogenic differentiation was induced over 21 days using the selected doses of MDZ with osteogenic medium. The Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining was performed to determine the calcium deposit for osteoblast cells. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA, and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The MTT results for different concentrations of MDZ (0.125 to 1 µM) showed no significant cytotoxic effects on hBMSCs after 72 hours. Furthermore, ARS staining revealed increased calcium deposits in 0.5 µM MDZ compared to untreated and DMSO groups (P-Value =0.0001). These findings suggest that MDZ promotes mineralization at lower concentrations, highlighting its potential in osteogenic applications.
Conclusion: Midazolam promotes osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, particularly at 0.5 µM concentration, without cytotoxic effects. These findings demonstrate that MDZ may be a potential compound for osteoblastogenesis; however, these findings require further in vivo studies to confirm the idea.

Clinical and epidemiological analysis of COVID-19 in End-Stage Renal Disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: A study from Golestan province

Saeid Amirkhanlou

Background: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients under maintenance hemodialysis are at higher risk for COVID-19 and severe outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the association between ESRD patients who underwent maintenance hemodialysis at 5th Azar and Sayad Shirazi Hospital in Golestan Province in 2019 and their risk of acquiring and experiencing severe outcomes from COVID-19. Furthermore, this study aimed to provide insights into the epidemic status of COVID-19 in this specific population, contributing to better insight into the unique challenges faced by ESRD patients on hemodialysis during the pandemic.
Methods: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on patients who underwent maintenance hemodialysis. The diagnosis was made based on diagnostic criteria and COVID-19 PCR test. Medical information of all participants was collected. Medical information including clinical, laboratory, and radiological data as well as morbidity and mortality were collected and analyzed by experts. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21. Normality was evaluated using Shapiro-Wilk test and comparison between groups was analyzed using student T-test and Mann-Whitney U tests (P-Value < 0.05).
Results: The most prevalent radiological findings were ground glass opacities, observed in 46.7% of cases, followed by linear opacities, noted in 26.7% of cases. Most patients (86.6%) were discharged and four of them (13.4%) passed away. WBC, serum creatinine, and age were significantly associated with ESRD patients’ mortality (P-Value < 0.05). The patients who passed away were old and had higher levels of WBC and creatinine (P-Value > 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the age and BMI of passed away and discharged patients. None of the other laboratory parameters in the two groups of passed away and discharged patients with COVID-19 showed a significant difference (P-Value > 0.05).
Conclusion: ESRD patients who underwent hemodialysis due to their underlying problems and the crowded environment of dialysis wards more than the general population are at risk of getting COVID-19.

Epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical characteristics of brucellosis in Behbahan County, Southwest Iran, during the years 2000-2021

Ali Jamshidi

Background: Brucellosis is a major health and economic problem in many parts of the world, including Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical aspects of the disease in Behbahan County during 2000-2021.
Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we used a checklist that included epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical characteristics of patient data from Behbahan Medical Sciences Health Centers. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis
Results: Of the 258 brucellosis cases, 137 (53%) were male, with the highest prevalence in the 20–29 age group. The disease was more common among pastoralists (42%) and rural men (54%). The first six months of the year, especially May, had the highest infection rate (47 cases). Consumption of unsterilized dairy (88.8%) was identified as the primary mode of transmission. The average incidence was 6 cases per 100,000 population, peaking at 18.1% in 2021. Doxycycline and Rifampin were the most commonly prescribed drugs. The highest titers in the tests were 1:160 for Wright, 1:160 for Coombs’ Wright, and 1:80 for 2ME (mercaptoethanol). Musculoskeletal pain was the most common symptom (95%), while weight loss was the least reported (5%).
Conclusion: Considering the increasing trend of disease prevalence in Behbahan County, it seems necessary to implement preventive measures such as vaccination, public education, increased cooperation between the Veterinary Office and Behbahan University of Medical Sciences, as well as monitoring the distribution of meat and dairy products at the local level to prevent the spread of the disease.