International Journal of Preventive Medicine最新文献

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a major component of health systems and affects both the health and safety of people who use health services and those who provide them. The Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) is a tool for the assessment of IPC in healthcare centers.

Methods: In the present study, we examined the hospitals of Tehran from this point of view.

Results: Thirty-one hospitals were examined through IPCAF form. All the data were analyzed in SPSS version 25. Twenty-three centers (74.1%) were at the advanced level; 7 centers (22.5%) were at the intermediate level and only one center (3.2%) was at the minimum level. The lowest score was related to the field of education. There was no significant difference between private and public hospitals in terms of IPC score (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Hospitals of Tehran are at advanced level in terms of IPC, and the lowest score is related to the field of education, which needs more investigation and effort to improve it.

Background: The effectiveness of warning labels on tobacco products in conveying health risks and promoting smoking cessation has been extensively studied. However, with the rise in electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) usage, there is a need to assess the impact of warning labels specifically tailored to this emerging market. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the effectiveness of warning labels on E-cigarette packaging in influencing smokers' perceptions and intentions to quit.

Method: A laboratory experiment was conducted, involving 180 participants comprising both conventional smokers and E-cigarette users. There are three experimental designs used in this research, which are subjected to conventional smokers and E-cigarette smokers. Participants were randomly located within each of the six cells. Each cell was given a different stimulus.

Results: The study revealed that warning labels on E-cigarette products significantly influenced participants' perceptions and intentions to quit smoking. Specifically, E-cigarette users perceived packaging with warning labels differently from those without. Moreover, visual warning labels were found to be more effective than textual ones in eliciting perceptions and intentions to quit smoking.

Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of warning labels in conveying health risks and promoting smoking cessation intentions among E-cigarette users, offering valuable insights for public health strategies.

Background: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the duration of mobile phone usage and the changes in lordotic, kyphotic, and forward head angles in male students with endomorphic body types in high school boys.

Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on male students aged 13 to 15 years in high school boys in Farooj City during the academic year 2022-2023. Using the Morgan table, 200 individuals were selected from the population through simple random sampling, with an average weight of 58.06 ± 9.26 kilograms and an average height of 163.94 ± 7.66 centimeters. Various tools and instruments such as an informed consent form, stadiometer, digital scale, caliper, tape measure, smartphone addiction scale questionnaire, kyphometer, flexible ruler, and craniovertebral angle measurement device were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to check for normality. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to determine the relationship between variables, and the analyses were carried out at a 95% confidence level. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.

Results: The results of Spearman's correlation coefficient showed that there is a significant positive relationship between the level of addiction to smartphones and the kyphotic angle (r = 0.416, P = 0.0001), lordotic angle (r = 0.185, P = 0.009), and forward head angle (r = 0.425, P = 0.0001) among male students in high school boys with an endomorphic body type.

Conclusions: The study found that male students with an endomorphic body type who have a higher addiction to smartphones tend to have increased kyphotic, lordotic, and forward head angles. This is concerning, considering adolescents are more sensitive to growth and typically spend much time on their phones. Educating this group on proper smartphone use is essential to avoid potential adverse effects like spinal column abnormalities. The suggested solutions include paying attention to proper posture while sleeping, sitting, walking, and standing and using educational media to study.

This study compares muscle damage levels in individuals with and without the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism after engaging in aerobic or strength exercises. A systematic review was performed using articles from PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Lilacs. The keywords were "muscle damage" and "muscle injury" combined with "ACTN3," "R577X," and "alpha-actinin-3," following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). A total of 421 articles were identified, of which 10 were considered eligible. In total, 411 individuals were investigated considering all studies included in this review. Of the five studies with strength exercises, four found no differences between genotypes post exercise. On the contrary, of the five studies that evaluated muscle damage in aerobic exercise, three (that monitored this aspect in long-duration and strenuous sporting events: marathon, half ironman, and ultra-endurance adventure race) observed that individuals with the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism presented higher levels of muscle damage (measured by creatine kinase, myoglobin, and lactate dehydrogenase). To conclude, the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism can make an individual more susceptible to muscle damage after more high-volume aerobic exercise. As far as strength exercises are concerned, such a relationship does not appear to be observed. In this sense, individuals with this polymorphism require a longer recovery time from aerobic training sessions with long duration, as well as specific strategies for distributing training throughout the week.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) leads to a significant decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). This study explores the effect of 12 weeks of multimodal exercise on the levels of BDNF and GDNF in patients with PD.

Methods: The study is a quasiexperimental study with random sampling. It was conducted in 2024 at Isfahan. Demographic data were collected using the demographic questionnaire outlined in the Methods section. Thirty patients were randomly divided into two equal groups of multimodal exercise and control, with no significant differences in age, weight, and height. The variables of BDNF and GDNF were assessed in pre- and post-tests. Multimodal exercise was performed 5 days a week for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using covariance and t-test at a significant level of P < 0.05.

Results: The study observed significant differences in BDNF and GDNF, among two groups of PD (P < 0.01). Moreover, the levels of BDNF and GDNF were significantly higher in the PD + Training group compared to the PD group (P < 0. 01).

Conclusions: Given that multimodal exercises are effective in increasing BDNF and GDNF in individuals with PD, it is recommended to incorporate the benefits of these exercises into physical rehabilitation programs. Therefore, the combined approach of multimodal exercises (resistance, aerobic, and balance) is recommended as the most effective complementary therapeutic strategy for PD.

Background: High blood pressure is one of the most critical issues in maintaining health; it requires prevention and management methods. In traditional medicine, the combination of medicinal plants was usually used to control high blood pressure. One of these plants is Dracocephalum lindbergii. Therefore, this article examines the vasodilating effects of the flavonoid fractions of this plant and deals with this extract as a new suggestion for the prevention and control of high blood pressure.

Methods: This research evaluates the hemodynamic properties of flavonoid-rich fractions extracted from this plant in a rat model under conditions of blood pressure induction. First, the phytochemistry laboratory prepared flavonoid fractions by using a chromatography column. Then, after surgical preparation, the arterial pressure of the rats was controlled until stabilization, and it was possible to record basal systolic pressures (SYS), diastolic pressures (DBP), and mean arterial pressures (MAP). Hypertension was maintained by continuous phenylephrine infusion at 0.1 mg/kg per minute, while the vascular responses were monitored during the infusion. After the animal tests, polyamide and Sephadex columns were used to analyze the most bioactive fractions, which led to the isolation of several flavones identified by regular one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra.

Results: In this model, administration of nifedipine led to an 8% decrease in SYS and a 9% decrease in DBP. Meanwhile, treatment with flavonoid-rich fractions 3, 4, 5, and 6 reduced SYS from 15% to 42% and DBP blood pressure from 6% to 30%. Among these samples, fraction number 6, followed by fraction number 4, showed more effects. Phytochemical studies of these fractions led to the identification of their major components probably responsible for observer effects, including apigenin (1) and apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), isolated from fraction number 4, as well as luteolin-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3) and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) isolated from fraction 6. However, other minor components in fraction 6 are still possible with blood-pressure-lowering effects.

Conclusions: Flavonoid fractions, especially fraction number 6, rich in luteolin derivatives, can provide promising results in reducing blood pressure based on traditional medicine and complementary intervention in a model of acute phenylephrine-induced blood pressure. This study highlights the importance and potency of luteolin-rich fractions of D. lindbergii to serve as a complementary intervention in essential blood pressure control.

Background: Many studies have reported the oncogenic roles of microRNA (miRNA)-629-5p and miRNA-660-5p in various cancers. This study aimed to elucidate the oncogenic roles of miRNA-629-5p and miRNA-660-5p, focusing on their potential contributions to early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection. Additionally, this research examines the efficacy of Regorafenib and 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) as therapeutic agents aimed at mitigating the oncogenic activities of these miRNAs by influencing their structural and conformational dynamics, thereby offering a preventive strategy against CRC.

Methods: The study utilized quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) to confirm the overexpression of miR-629-5p and miR-660-5p in 40 CRC tissues compared to 40 standard samples and their association with clinicopathological factors. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to investigate Regorafenib and DIM binding modes to miR-629-5p and miR-660-5p.

Results: QRT-PCR showed that miR-629-5p and miR-660-5p were overexpressed in CRC tissues. In silico molecular docking and dynamic simulation strengthened our hypothesis that Regorafenib and DIM were located in the structures of the mentioned miRNAs, resulting in a slight alteration in their structures during the interaction process.

Conclusions: The study's findings suggest that miR-629-5p and miR-660-5p may have potential as predictive biomarkers and treatment targets for Preventing CRC and that Regorafenib and DIM may have miRNA binding properties. They indicated a high affinity to miRNA-629-5p compared with miRNA-660-5p created a slight change in its structure and can suppress its activity in CRC. However, extra experimental approaches are needed to approve our hypothesis.

Background: The occurrence of heat stress in healthy individuals is different from those with chronic diseases like diabetes. While exposed to heat, complications caused by diabetes may lead to problems in body temperature regulation. Due to the fact that diabetic workers are less efficient in hot environments, researchers are encouraged to evaluate this condition.

Methods: The current study incorporates 30 young males. In the first stage, individuals with the history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who frequently had exposure to heat at work, were selected and compared with non-diabetic workers as the control group. Indicators like deep body temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, physiological strain index (PSI), and perceptual strain index (PeSI) were measured and recorded. Eventually, data were evaluated and analyzed using repeated-measure design, independent t test, and its nonparametric equivalent, The Mann-Whitney U test.

Results: In the two groups of type 2 diabetes and control group, following one hour of heat exposure, the median heart rate was 115 (18) and 99 (21) (P = 0.008), respectively, mean deep body temperature was 37.6 (0.37) and 36.95 (0.41) (P < 0.001), mean PSI was 3.01 (0.93) and 2.08 (1.0) (P = 0.021), and mean PeSI was 7.82 (1.43) and 6.12 (2.14) (P = 0.032), which were significantly different. In addition, no significant difference was observed between the skin temperatures of the two groups after one hour of exposure to heat.

Conclusions: According to the results, workers with type 2 diabetes are exposed to more heat strain than the control group in the same hot environment.

The new managerial approach demands the profound examination of capacities, resources, and facilities in social institutions and organizations and optimum and systemic utilization of capacities such as individuals' abilities, expertise, and skills within the framework of social institutions. This approach will thus empower the community, which is the most appropriate platform for sustainable development, and improve systemic and integrated management. The study is designed systematically to identify the capacities of social institutions to empower the existing capacities and plan management and educational programs in a better manner to use these capacities within communities. This systematic review study is conducted until February 15, 2024. The PRISMA system was used to track the review process and findings. Databases were searched for relevant articles, and the STROBE checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the articles. The community-based social organizations will still face budgetary challenges and costs in their capacity-building efforts. As such, advanced management techniques such as teamwork, collaboration and coordination between departments, innovative thinking, brainstorming, or even the use of program evaluation and analytical actions can help reduce possible challenges. This calls for the availability of exact management models and planners in both government systems and people-centered systems to coordinate such capacities. This will seek to shed more light on the important role of social institutions and hence serve to give a clearer understanding of challenges, opportunities, and supportive actions for such institutions to contribute to better government system management.

Background: Understanding the seasonal and spatial patterns of COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths is crucial for effective hospital management, resource allocation, and public health interventions. The current study conducts a spatiotemporal hotspot analysis that explores the seasonal and geographical patterns of high-risk areas of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Iran.

Methods: Provincial-level data on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with acute respiratory symptoms in Iran (February 2019-March 30, 2022) were collected. Hotspot analyses mapped seasonal incidence risks, and Global Moran's spatial autocorrelation analysis identified COVID-19 clusters.

Results: Over the 2 years, 26 hotspots and 11 cold spots were identified (P < 0.05). Western and central provinces showed the highest hospitalization hotspots, while the west and north had the most death hotspots. South and southeast provinces exhibited low incidence and the highest number of cold spots. High-risk areas were prevalent in spring and autumn, mainly in the west, north, and central regions.

Conclusions: This research unveils the clustering patterns of COVID-19 hospitalizations and fatalities in Iran during the most severe pandemic. Spatial clusters and dynamic hotspots varied across regions and time. Prioritizing high-risk areas during critical epidemic waves, devising seasonal care strategies, and implementing preventive measures can significantly improve health outcomes.