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A novel, eco-friendly and green synthesis of PPAC-ZnO and PPAC-nZVI nanocomposite using pomegranate peel: Cephalexin adsorption experiments, mechanisms, isotherms and kinetics
Get PDFIn the present work, powdered activated carbon coated by nanoparticles ZnO and nZVI was derived from pomegranate peel extracts and finally applied for removal of cephalexin (CEX (from aqueous solutions. This experimental research was conducted discontinuously. The effects of pH of solution, reaction time, PPAC-nZVI and PPAC-ZnO composites dose, and initial concentration of cephalexin and composite recovery on process efficiency were investigated. The removal efficiency in optimal conditions for cephalexin with PPAC-nZVI and PPAC-ZnO (CEX = 50 mg L�1, composite dose = 1.25 g L�1, reaction time = 45 min and pH = 5) was obtained 96.06 and 94.17, respectively. The results of the study of isotherm and absorption kinetics for both composites showed that the absorption process follows Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetics. The present study showed that the composites could be used as an effective and bio-friendly absorbent to remove cephalexin from aqueous solutions. © 2020 The Society of Powder Technology Japa
The experiences of surrogate mothers: A qualitative study
Get PDFBackground: Surrogates are women who bear a genetically unrelated child for another individual or couple. Experiences of surrogate mothers need further investigation. Objective: The objective of the study was to answer the questions of what were the experiences of surrogate mothers and what problems they confronted during the process of surrogacy. Methods: The present study was a qualitative content analysis. Purposive sampling was used in the study. Pregnant women with various ages and educational levels were invited for semi-structured interviews. Graneheim and Lundman's method was used for analyzing the data. Results: In this study, 15 participants were interviewed. The codes extracted from the interviews were categorized into five main themes and 13 subthemes. The main themes were: (1) desperation; (2) pain and suffering with the subthemes of physical pain, emotional suffering, suffering caused by others, and fears; (3) emotional involvement and self-alienation; (4) looking for the positive aspects of the surrogacy with subthemes of positive interpretation of the experience, and the sense of pride; (5) and supportive systems including the commissioning parents, the surrogate's family, the health system, and the community as subthemes. Financial motivations were the reason for surrogacy which made women endure many physical, psychological, and social problems. The women expressed some positive feelings about surrogacy and also mentioned several support sources. Conclusion: Surrogate mothers reported numerous physical, emotional, and social problems that require better counseling services. A supportive system, especially the health system, should provide better and more humanistic services for surrogate mothers. © 2020 Nursing and Midwifery Studies
The effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on metabolic status in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
No full textBackground and objective: Data regarding the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplementation on metabolic status of pregnant women are limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis were done based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) dealing with the effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on glycemic control, lipoproteins, inflammation and oxidative stress in pregnant women. Methods: Following databases were searched for eligible studies published from inception to until 2019: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google scholar. Studies that evaluated the effect of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on parameters of glycemic control, lipoproteins, inflammation and oxidative stress in pregnant women were found by using the key MeSH. A study quality assessment was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool and heterogeneity between studies was statistically computed using Cochrane�s Q test and I-square (I2). Data were pooled using a random-effects model and weighted mean difference (WMD) was considered as the overall effect size. Results: No significant effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on FPG, insulin, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, and malondialdehyde were found. However, omega-3 PUFA significantly increased serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol (WMD: 3.10; 95 CI: 0.18, 6.03) and reduced C-reactive protein (WMD: -1.85; 95 CI: -2.61, -1.09). Conclusion: Based on the results of this meta-analysis omega-3 PUFA supplementation during pregnancy has a significant beneficial effect on HDL-cholesterol, and C-reactive protein. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Improved osteogenic differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells cultured on polyvinylidene fluoride/collagen/platelet-rich plasma composite nanofibers
No full textBlood transfusion or blood products, such as plasma, have a long history in improving health, but today, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is used in various medical areas such as surgery, orthopedics, and rheumatology in many ways. Considering the high efficiency of tissue engineering in repairing bone defects, in this study, we investigated the combined effect of nanofibrous scaffolds in combination with PRP on the osteogenic differentiation potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Electrospinning was used for fabricating nanofibrous scaffolds by polyvinylidene fluoride/collagen (PVDF/col) with and without PRP. After scaffold characterization, the osteoinductivity of the fabricated scaffolds was studied by culturing human iPSCs under osteogenic medium. The results showed that PRP has a considerable positive effect on the biocompatibility of the PVDF/col nanofibrous scaffold when examined by protein adsorption, cell attachment, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays. In addition, the results obtained from alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content assays demonstrated that nanofibers have higher osteoinductivity while grown on PRP-incorporated PVDF/col nanofibers. These results were also confirmed while the osteogenic differentiation of the iPSCs was more investigated by evaluating the most important bone-related genes expression level. According to the results, it can be concluded that PVDF/col/PRP has much more osteoinductivity while compared with the PVDF/col, and it can be introduced as a promising bone bio-implant for use in bone tissue engineering applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Different Methods of Measuring Neutron Dose/Fluence Generated During Radiation Therapy with Megavoltage Beams
Get PDFMedical linear accelerators (linacs) are the most frequently applied radiation therapy machines in the locoregional treatment of cancers by producing either high-energy electron or photon beams. However, with high-energy photons (>8 MeV), interaction of these photons with different high-Z nuclei of materials in components of the linac head unavoidably generates neutrons. On the other hand, the average energy of these generated neutrons has almost the highest radiation-weighting factor. Therefore, the produced neutrons should not be neglected. There are various tools for the measurement of neutron dose/fluence generated in a megavoltage linac, including thermoluminescent dosimeters, solid-state nuclear track detectors, bubble detectors, activation foils, Bonner sphere systems, and ionization chamber pairs. In this review article, each of the above-mentioned dosimetric methods will be described in detail
The effects of education on nurses' ability to recognize elder abuse induced by family members
Get PDFBackground: Nurses' lack of knowledge about domestic elder abuse and their limited ability to recognize it can result in negative consequences. Education has the potential to improve nurses' ability to recognize elder abuse. Yet, there is no conclusive result about its effectiveness. Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to assess the effects of education on nurses' ability to recognize elder abuse. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in two public hospitals in Ramsar and Tonekabon, Iran. Participants were 120 nurses who were randomly recruited and allocated to an intervention (n= 60) and a control (n= 60) group. The study intervention was an educational program implemented in two successive 2-h sessions in 1 day. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and The Nurses' Recognition of Elder Abuse by Family Caregiver Questionnaire. The possible total score of the latter questionnaire was 67-335. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square, the Fisher's exact, and the paired- and the independent-samples t-tests as well as the one-way and the repeated-measures analyses of variance. Results: The mean score of elder abuse recognition ability significantly increased in the intervention group (P < 0.001), while it did not significantly change in the control group (P = 0.85). Participants had a good ability to recognize physical elder abuse and limited ability to recognize sexual abuse. Conclusion: In-service education about elder abuse for nurses not only improves their elder abuse recognition ability but also can help them take appropriate measures for its management
The effects of education through short message service for mothers on sleep duration among school-aged children: A randomized trial
Get PDFBackground: Children's sleep problems can negatively affect their daily functioning at home and school, their behaviors, and their health status. Education through short message service (SMS) is among the techniques with potential positive effects. However, no study is available on the effects of SMS-based sleep education on sleep among children. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of SMS-based education for mothers on sleep duration among their 7-12-year-old children who had sleep inadequacy. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 206 elementary students and their mothers. Students with sleep inadequacy who were selected from thirteen elementary schools in Tabriz, Iran, were randomly allocated to a control (n = 103) and an intervention (n = 103) group. In the intervention group, students' mothers were provided with sleep education through thirty nightly messages sent at 20:00 for 1 month. Mothers in both groups completed the 2-week sleep record before, 1 week, and 3 months after the intervention. The data were analyzed using the independent samples t- and the Chi-square tests, the repeated-measures analysis of variance, and the analysis of covariance. Results: The mean of sleep duration in the intervention group significantly increased from 533.28 ± 29.35 min at baseline to 551.26 ± 37.93 at the first posttest and 568.25 ± 35.44 at the second posttest (P 0.05). Between-group difference respecting the mean of sleep duration was statistically significant only at the second posttest (P < 0.001). Conclusion: SMS-based sleep education for mothers is effective in significantly increasing sleep duration among school-aged children.
Keywords: Child, Education, Message, Mothers, Slee
Internet addiction and psychological strain in nursing and midwifery students
Get PDFBackground: Despite the beneficial effects of the internet, inappropriate, and overuse of it may result in negative consequences such as internet addiction (IA). Despite the increasing uses of the internet among students and the concern about IA, the mechanism and the direction of association between IA and psychological stain is still unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between IA and psychological strain in nursing and midwifery students of Islamic Azad University, Qom Branch, in 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 298 nursing and midwifery students of Islamic Azad University, Qom Branch. The students were recruited through a census method and responded to a three-part instrument. The study instrument included questions addressing the students' characteristics, the Young's IA Test, and the Osipow Psychological Strain Inventory. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.93 ± 2.91 years. The mean IA and psychological strain were 53.12 ± 16.66 and 25.22 ± 7.33, respectively. About 50 of the students were moderately addicted to the internet, and 53 of the students showed moderate psychological strain. A direct significant correlation was found between IA and psychological strain in nursing and midwifery students (P = 0.001 and r = 0.41). IA and students' age could predict psychological strain in nursing and midwifery students (r^2 = 0.18). Conclusion: A majority of nursing and midwifery students showed moderate levels of IA and psychological strain, and these two variables are significantly correlated. The authorities in nursing and midwifery education should establish appropriate strategies to diminish the harmful effects of excessive internet use by the students
Development and psychometric evaluation of the police quality of work-Life questionnaire
Get PDFBackground: Police staff have difficult work conditions, are prone to physical damages, and experience high levels of occupational stress. Their work-related problems may affect their quality of work life (QWL). Meanwhile, there is no appropriate instrument for assessing their WLQ. Objectives: This study was conducted to develop the police quality of work-life questionnaire (PQWLQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: This methodological study was conducted in 2018-2019 in two phases. In the first phase, literature review and semi-structured interviews with 13 police staff were conducted and the results were used for item generation. In the second phase, the face, content, and construct validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed. For construct validity assessment through exploratory factor analysis, 234 police staff were purposefully recruited to fill out PQWLQ. Results: In the first phase, 57 items were produced. In the second phase, item number reduced to 38 after face and content validity assessment. In exploratory factor analysis for construct validity assessment, 14 more items were deleted and the remaining 24 items were loaded on two factors. The Cronbach's alpha and the test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of PQWLQ were 0.947 and 0.931, respectively. Conclusion: The 24-item PQWLQ has acceptable validity and reliability and can be used for QWL assessment among police staff. The use of this scale can help police and health managers develop their understanding about police staff's QWL and develop strategies for its improvement
COVID-19-Related anxiety in nurses working on front lines in Turkey
Get PDFBackground: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic constituted serious impacts globally. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the pandemic related anxiety in nurses working in a university hospital in Turkey. Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted to include 123 nurses working in the wards and intensive care units (ICUs). Data concerning age, gender, marital status, having a child, duration of employment, workplace, and state anxiety score were collected for every participant. Turkish version of Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form TX-1) was applied to calculate the anxiety scores. Independent samples t-test and Chi-squared test were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Fifty-seven (46.3) nurses demonstrated an elevated level of anxiety. COVID-19-related anxiety was closely associated with advancing age and years of experience, having a child and working in the wards rather than ICUs (P 0.05). Conclusions: Alleviation of worries of health-care providers is crucial in addition to the prevention of self-contamination to provide the continuation of medical services