[Effectiveness of problem solving training on depression in nursing students]

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that its prevalence has been reported to be 10-64% among university students. Due to coping skills to solve problems may differ by individual, their depression is associated with problem-solving deficits. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Problem solving on depression of nursing student

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 57 nursing students had condition to enter the study and randomly assigned to either experimental [with 30 students] or control groups [with 27 students]. The experimental group received 7sessions [two sessions per week] problem solving training. For the control group did not receive any intervention. One week later, the test beck of both groups was reassessed. The data collection tools were questionnaire, demographic information and Beck Depression Inventory [BDI].To analyze and collect data, chi-square, t-tests and paired t-test were utilized

Results: Findings showed no significant difference in depression variables before the intervention in the both groups [P>0.05] but significant differences were found between post depression mean between experimental and control group [P<0.05]. The difference became significant after the intervention in the experimental group [P<0.05]

Conclusion: According to this study the problem solving skills in students a positive impact on reducing depression. Learning these skills can lead to mental health promotion, it is Therefore, holding workshops and master classes at the University of Problem solving skills in order to promote mental health and reduce the severity of depressive proposed

[Effect of cow's milk elimination from children diet on chronic constipation]

Children constipation is one of the common causes of abdominal pain. Cow's milk in children diet is suggested to be one of the main cause of chronic constipation. This study was performed to determine the effect of cow's milk elimination from children diet with chronic constipation. This quasi-experimental study, was performed on 80 children with chronic constipation. Rome-III criteria were considered for disease diagnosis. Cow's milk was eliminated for three weeks from children's diet and the clinical symptoms in children were surveyed, subsequently. Constipation was cured in 33.8% of children as result of cow's milk free diet. The rate of treatment response in affecting children whom their disease in began under 2 years of age [52.6%] was significantly higher than others [16.6%] [P<0.05]. Children treatment was not significantly related to child's gender and amount of milk consumption. Eliminating of cow's milk from the diet improves the chronic constipation in children

[Comparison of attachment styles and coping strategies in irritable bowel syndrome and healthy female students]

The relation between stress and gastrointestinal diseases, particularly irritable bowel syndrome [IBS], has received consideration for years. This research was conducted to compare the attachment styles and coping strategies in IBS and healthy female students. This case - control study was conducted on 50 female students with irritable bowel syndrome and 50 healthy students in Gorgan, Iran during 2011. Age, grade and major were similar in both cases and controls. ROME III criteria questionnaire, together with a physician report confirmation were used to diagnose IBS. All attendants in the study filled in Rass adult attachment scale questionnaire and Lazarus coping strategies questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS-17 and student t-test. In the IBS group the level of ambivalent [9.78 +/- 2.72] and avoidance [7.68 +/- 1.76] attachments were higher than the control group [8.1 +/- 2.65 and 6.56 +/- 1.82 respectively] [P<0.05]. The most prevalent attachment style in control group was the secure style [11 +/- 3.89]. There was a significant statistical difference between female of IBS group and control group regarding the mean +/- SD of coping strategies including: isolation [7.04 +/- 2.44, 5.9 +/- 1.95], self-control [9.62 +/- 2.39, 8.32 +/- 1.6], demanding social support [5.54 +/- 1.6, 6.92 +/- 2.42], evasion - avoidance [9.64 +/- 2.81, 6.8 +/- 1.37], solving the problem [8.2 +/- 1.85, 6.66 +/- 1.7], re-evaluation [16.2 +/- 1.81, 14.3 +/- 1.61] and taking responsibility [5.67 +/- 1.41, 4.5 +/- 1.58] [P<0.05]. The direct coping strategy in IBS and control groups was 63.76 +/- 9.76 and 67.58 +/- 10.78. This difference was not significant. This study showed that in comparison to healthy female students, subjects with IBS use more ambivalent and avoidant attachment styles

[Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in chronic pediatric constipation]

Introduction: Constipation is one of the most prevalent causes of abdominal pain in pediatrics, with no underlying pathology. It is defined as functional constipation in 95% of cases evaluated. This study was designed to compare the therapeutic effect of polyethylene glycol [PEG] and lactulose in treating chronic functional constipation in children

Materials and Methods: In this randomized, double blind clinical trial, patients were classified into two groups: lactulose [n=65] and PEG [n=63]. During an eight week period, patients were either treated with an average of 3.5 g/day [PEG] or 7 g/day [lactulose]. Successful treatment was defined as defecation [painless and soft, or normal] three times or more per week. Analysis was performed by calculation and comparison of the success rate in both groups, followed by reporting the relative risk and number needed to treat [NNT]

Results: Response to treatment in the second week was significantly higher in the PEG group when compared with the lactulose group [P<0.0001]. There was a significant difference in the response rate between both groups in the 4th and 6th weeks [P<0.0001]. In the 8th week all patients in the PEG group were treated successfully, whereas there were five [7.7%] cases who did not respond in the lactulose group

Conclusion: These results have shown that a four week treatment period with PEG [3 g/day] lead to a response rate of 87% in children, in comparison with lactulose [7 g/day] which needed at least eight weeks of treatment

[QT-Dispersion as a potential marker in prognosis of acute myocardial infarction]

QT dispersion in a 12 lead ECG represents the heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization. The prolongation of QT-interval dispersion increases the risk of coronary heart disease, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death in patients with myocardial infarction. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of QT-dispersion in patients with acute myocardial infarction. A total number of 79 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 21 healthy controls were recruited. The QT-dispersion was estimated using a 12-lead surface electrocardiogram, 24 hours and 4-6 days after myocardial infarction. In patient group, the average QT-dispersion was 92.8 +/- 42.2 ms and 80.3 +/- 33.4 ms after 24 hours and four days respectively; whereas in control group it was 47.1 +/- 16.8 ms [p<0.001]. The relative frequency of arrhythmia in patients was 24%. Our study showed that the overage of QT-dispersion of arrhythmiain patients was significantly different and higher [p<0.05] compared to patients without arrhythmia. We showed that increased QT-dispersion is a potential marker in prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction

[Testes doses and sex hormone changes using different radiotherapy machines to treat rectal cancer]

Complications of pelvic irradiation have gained more attention because of increased survival of patients. CO-60 Teletherapy has wide penumbra in comparison with linear accelerator that can cause testes irradiation during radiotherapy in vicinity of lower border of pelvic portal when treated for rectal cancer. In this study we compared testicular doses of testes when pelvis is irradiated for rectal cancer and its effect on sex hormone levels. In a cohort study, rectal cancer patients treated by pelvic irradiation concomitant with chemotherapy in two group. A group treated by Co-60 Teletherapy and another group by Linear Accelerator [LINAC]. Sex hormones serum levels were measured immediately before and 3 to 6 weeks after finishing irradiation. Testicular doses were measured by TLD [LiF], 3 times during whole course of irradiation in 5 patients of each group. T test and Mann-Whitney were used to compare data. 28 patients entered in study but 2 patients died early in course of radiotherapy [1 in each group], and one patient excluded because testes was inside of treatment portals. Patients and disease characteristics were similar between groups. Testes doses in patients treated by LINAC [55 +/- 24.7 mGy] was significantly lower than Co-60 [120 +/- 23 mGy] [p <0.001]. FSH and LH serumic level increased after irradiation in both groups and there is not a relation between FSH and LH levels with treatment machine [p<0.2] for LINAC and p<0.6 for Co-60. Decrease in serumic levels of testosterone was significant in patients treated by CO-60 [p<0.05], but was not significant in LINAC group [p<0.3]. It seems using LINAC in treating patient with rectal cancer can decrease testes doses but can not prevent hormonal changes. We suggest extra shield to decrease testes doses below the toxic dose

Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA [PCR] in HBsAg negative, anti-HBc positive blood donors in Tehran province

The incidence of post transfusion hepatitis has been reduced by blood donor screening for HBsAg, but the HBV infection is still responsible for certain cases of post-transfusion hepatitis world-wide. An estimate of the rate of HBV DNA and anti-HBc positive units is important for evaluation of the need for anti-HBc blood donor screening. In this study, the HBsAg negative blood units were evaluated for anti-HBc and all of anti-HBc positive units were tested for HBV DNA by PCR method. Extra samples were collected from 2000 HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and RPR-negative blood donors. All of the samples were examined by the approved anti-HBc assay. All anti-HBc positive samples were tested by anti-HBs assays and evaluated for HBV DNA [PCR]. The sensitivity of the HBV DNA [PCR] assasy was estimated to be 300 geq/ml according to VQC proficiency panels. 230 [11.5%] out of 2000 samples were positive for anti-HBc. 179 [77.8%] out of 230 anti-HBc positive samples were HBsAb positive, and 51 [23.2%] HBsAb negative. All 230 samples were assayed for single HBV DNA [PCR] 227 of which came out to be negative for HBV DNA [PCR]. Three blood donors were recalled and new samples from two of whom were collected. These new samples were negative for HBV DNA. Further study for evaluation of HBV DNA in anti-HBc positive blood units with full automatic instruments and usage of blood bags with accessories is strongly recommended

Mini-pool screening for HCV infection in Iranian blood donors: preliminary results

Screening the blood donors for serological markers reduced the incidence of transfusion transmitted infections especially post-transfusion hepatitis C. However, there remains residual risk due to pre-seroconversion period. HCV RNA [PCR] of blood donations reduced theresidual risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV infection. In this study, blood donations werescreened for HCV RNA by RT-PCR method.An extra plasma sample was collected from 1026 blood donors. 1000 out of 1026 sampleswere negative for HBsAg, anti-HCV [EIA, third generation], anti-HIV and RPR. Every 5samples were pooled. The sensitivity of HCV-RNA detection by RT-PCR method was 380geq/ml according to Proficiency VQC panel. 1000 donations in 200 pools were tested.False reactivity of samples considered positive accounts for 5.5% of cases, and 5.5% were invalid due to non-specilic bands. 6% of the pools were false-positive. A false positive result was defined as positive on initial testing but negative on repeat single testing. However, all ofthe samples were negative for HCV RNA by RT-PCR method.No sample was found to be serologically negative and HCV RNA positive. However, further studies are recommended for further clarification