[Prevalence of sexual violence among infertile women attended to 2011. Tehran of infertility centers]

Violence is a global problem. More than 1.6 millions of people worldwide lose their lives because of violence every year. Also, many others are injured and suffer from physical, sexual, reproductive and mental problems. 10-69 percent of women experience of physical violence and over 30-50 percent of them experience sexual violence. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and the factors associated with sexual violence against infertile women attending to infertility centers in Tehran, Iran. In this cross sectional / descriptive study 400 infertile women attending to infertility centers in Tehran were included. The samples of the study were selected by purposive sampling method. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of demographical characteristics of infertile women, demographical characteristics of husband, The questionnaire of sexual violence that has happened in the last 3 months and Questionnaire of general health. To analyze data, descriptive statistics, Spearman test, one way analysis of variance and SPSS 17 software were used. Age of women was 30. 50 +/- 6. 16. Prevalance of sexual violence was 47. 3%. Sexual violence was significantly associated with income, unwanted marriage ,using drugs and opium and evaluation of total physical health of women and ethnicity, smoking and addiction or drug abuse, mental diseases of the husband and threatened to divorce before treatment, general health status and number of sexual intercourse [P < 0.05]. One of the main purposes of marriage in developing countries is fertility. Infertile women try many methods of infertility treatment, loneliness and harsh treatment of infertility and sexual and marital problems may be the most important predisposing factor for mental disorders and violence. Factors influence the incidence of violence, smoking, use of drug and physical and mental illnesses. Coping strategies, defining marriage goals, knowledge about infertility treatments, women's empowerment, intimate relationships can help infertile couples and lessen violence

[Survey on sexual satisfaction situation and some of affecting agents in postmenopausal women]

Menopause is defined as the ability of fertility to infertility and has a significant role in personality, social and cultural aspects. Menopause has a special situation in reproductive health. One of the problems during the menopause period is decreasing of sexual desire or sexual satisfaction. Sexual aspects of postmenopausal women can promote their health and quality of life. This study was conducted to determine affecting agents on sexual satisfaction of postmenopausal women referring to healthcare clinics affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran in 2007. In this descriptive study 270 menopause women were selected by convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was used for data collection comprising of two parts: demographic and sexual satisfaction questions. Mean age of menopause women was 52.49 +/- 4.93 years. A desirable sexual satisfaction rate was 58.9% and 66.3% had undesirable sexual satisfaction. Sexual desire dimension was associated with womens' job [P<0.05]. Sexual excitation dimension was associated with primary and intermediate education of postmenopausal women, intermediate husband's education and spouse; free job. Sexual orgasm and relaxation after coitus was associated with unmasturbation and sexual activity of their women. Total sexual satisfaction rate was associated with age of menopause [P< 0.01], primary and intermediate education of postmenopausal women [P< 0.05], primary and intermediate education of spouse and satisfaction rate from sexual activity [P< 0.01]. Although postmenopausal stage is associated with decreased level of sexual hormones and drive intimate relationship with spouse, increasing education level leading to increasing knowledge and adaptation with menopause, can elevate sexual satisfaction

[Correlation between women's psychopathological condition and marital satisfaction]

One of the contributing factors in marital satisfaction is psychological issues. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between females mental health and marital satisfaction. Current comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 245 female subjects with psychopathology attending to a psychiatric clinic in Tehran during two years of 2005-2006. They had a former interview and afterwards fullfilled two questionnaires of ENRICH [for marital satisfaction] and SCL-90-R [assessing mental health]. There was no significant correlation between ENRICH score and that obtained from SCL-90-R. However, factors of depression, anxiety, and obsession-compulsion was negatively correlated with marital satisfaction [P < 0.05]; whereas, phobia was not related to it [P > 0.05]. According to obtained results of correlation between mental health and marital satisfaction, it is recommended to consider marital distress of women with major psychiatric symptoms, especially amongst young couples and therefore, develop some scheduled combination treatment of pharmacotherapy and marital therapy strategies to enhance their marital satisfaction and improve the quality of life, particularly through out the management of anxiety, depression and OCD

Frequency of symptoms of depression, general anxiety, obsessive - compulsive and phobia in interictal phase in patients with Epilepsy

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of symptoms of depressions, general anxiety, obsessive compulsive and phobia in interictal phase among patients suffering from epilepsy. This cross sectional observational study was performed on 137 outpatients referred to neurology clinic of Imam Hossein hospital in 2004. all patients were in the interictal phase. Demographic and epilepsy variables and a questionnaire including items asking about depression, general anxiety, obsessive compulsive and phobia of SCL-90-R [symptoms chick list-90-revised] was completed. Relative frequency of depression, general anxiety, obsessive compulsive, and phobia was 55.4%, 44.9% ,55.8% and 23.2%, respectively. Phobia symptoms were associated with lower educational level [p=0.029], unemployment [p=0.013] and older age [-p=0.013]. The symptoms of obsessive compulsive [p=0.041] and general anxiety [p=0.044] were associated with older age. Different psychiatric symptoms were not correlated with sex, amount of drug use, marital status and the duration of the disease or type of epilepsy. Our findings highlighted that depression and obsessive compulsive symptoms in the first grade and general anxiety and phobia in the second grade are among the causes of morbidity among epileptic patients. Psychiatric symptoms are suspected to be higher in older, unemployed, and less educated epileptic patients. A close cooperation between neurologists and psychiatrists is necessary in the approach to the patients with epilepsies

[Knowledge and beliefs of couples attending marriage counseling centers toward correct sexual relationships]

Inter-partner relationships as part of a somatic-affective interaction have important role in supporting of familial relations. In this regard, knowledge of couples about their specific role against their spouses and the ways of having correct sexual relationship is essential. This correct knowledge might help spouses to understand their husband/wife and would promote family's cultural status and would be transmitted to next generations. This study carried out to determine the knowledge level and beliefs of couples attending marriage counseling centers toward correct sexual relationships. This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 300 individuals [150 couples], attending marriage counseling centers in the north and east of Tehran recruited for the study using random selection method. Data were collected using a questionnaire including knowledge and beliefs assessment questions. Mean knowledge score for men and women were 12.3 +/- 2.5 and 10.1 +/- 1.8, respectively [P=0.23]. Knowledge level of participants with higher education [P=0.00]; and those aged 25-29 years [P=0.65] were higher than others. 11.3% of women and 13.1% of men did not have appropriate attitudes toward correct sexual relationships [P=0.35]. Although knowledge level of respondents was just above the half of the complete score, the overall beliefs toward sexual relationships were positive

Extraction of astaxanthin esters from shrimp waste by chemical and microbial methods

The carotenoid pigments specifically astaxanthin has many significant applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The goal of this research was the extraction of Astaxanthin from a certain Persian Gulf shrimp species waste [Penaeus semisulcatus], purification and identification of the pigment by chemical and microbial methods. Microbial fermentation was obtained by inoculation of two Lactobacillus species Lb. plantarum and Lb. acidophilus in the medium culture containing shrimp waste powder by the intervention of lactose sugar, yeast extract, the composition of Both and the coolage [-20°C]. The carotenoids were extracted by an organic solvent system. After purification of astaxanthin with the thin layer chromatography method by spectrophotometer, NMR and IR analysis the presence of astaxanthin esters was recognized in this specific species of Persian Gulf shrimp. Results obtained from this study showed that the coolage at -20°C not only does not have an amplifiying effect on the production of astaxanthin but also slightly reduces this effect. Also the effect of intervention of lactose sugar showed more effectiveness in producing astaxanthin than yeast extract or more than with the presence of both. The results also indicated that there is not much difference in the ability of producing the pigment by comparing both Lb. plantarum and Lb. acidophillus. Also results showed the microbial method of extraction of astaxanthin is more effective than chemical method. The pigment extracted from certain amount of shrimp powder, 23.128 mg/g, was calculated

[Interest of the noninvasive techniques for the measurement of the blood pressure in critical care]

The goal of this study is to compare three techniues for the measurement of artrial blood pressure [invesive [I], osecillometric [O], and sphygmomanometric [S] in critically ill patients to determin if the noninvasive techniques can replace the arterial catheterization, and to see whether the relation between these three methods varies over time. Thiyty-three patients were recruited in the medical critial care unit at Hotel-Dieu de France hospital. Each patients included had an arterial catheter inserted in the right femoral artery. The cuff of the oscillometer was positioned on the level of the right arm and measurements by sphygmomanometric technique were carried out on the level of the left arm. All measurements were taken at the same time, three times per day, during the patients stay in the critical care unit. The study period was five days with an overall of fifteen measurements for each technique. At to, the calculation of the corelation coefficients of Spearman showed a very good correlation between the three measurements techniques for systolic [I/O: r=0.7258, p< 0.001; I/S: r= 0.8824, p< 0.001; O/S: r=0.8675, p< 0.001], diastolic [I/O: r=0.7620, p< 0.001; I/S: r=0.7910, p< 0.001; O/S: r=0.7152, p< 0.001] and mean [I/O: r=0.7725, p<0.001; I/S: r=0.8221, p< 0.001 ; O/S: r=0.8363, p< 0.001]. Pressures between t1 and t15, analyis of variance [ANOVA] showed that the three methods remained well correlated [systolic p=0.175; diastolic p=0.107; mean p=0.550]. The calculation of the limits of agreement between the three techniques showed a lack of agreement between the invasive technique and the sphygmomanometric technique in 25% of the cases, and a good agreetment between invasive and oscillometric techiques in 87.5% of the cases. Oscillometry can replace the direct intra-arterial standard technique for the monitoring of the blood pressure in the intensive care unit. In contrast, the sphygmomanometry in the ICU gives inaccurate results that could lead to inappropriate therapeutic attitudes

[ effect of psychosocial supportive interventions on PTSD symptoms after Bam earthquake]

Many studies have shown the efficacy of cognitive' behavioral therapy and psychological debriefing in treatment of post traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and a few evidences are available for using these techniques in large scale disasters. This study aimed to asses the effect of some psychological interventions in reducing PTSD symptoms after Bam earthquake in different age groups. In a before-after quasi experimental clinical trial, we compared the efficacy of one session of psychological debriefing and three sessions of group cognitive-behavioral therapy in bam earthquake PTSD symptoms in different age groups. We evaluated PTSD symptoms before and immediately and three months after interventions by CASP scaling system and analyzed data. one hundred and thirty persons entered in the study and 51 persons excluded during interventions because of migration. Interventions were showed to be effective only in short term period. The means of PTSD symptoms frequency and severity of avoidance symptoms were reduced during three months period of study which were statistically significant P<0.05. Interventions showed no efficacy for recall symptoms in long term and hyper arousal symptoms in short term and long term periods. There was no statistically significant difference among age groups. Psychosocial supportive interventions may be effective on some of the PTSD symptoms but there is no difference in different age groups

[Alterations in sexual functioning of infertilized women referring to selected hospitals of Tehran city in 2005]

Surgical sterilization [tubectomy] with low failure rate [0.4%] is the most common contraceptive method. Surgical sterilization effects unisexual satisfaction. The effect is probably and primarily behavioral due to lake of fear from unwanted pregnancies, and change in body image and feminity. Determining sexual satisfaction of sterilized women referring to selected hospitals in Tehran. 106 volunteer women for contraceptive surgery selected by stratified sampling participated in this descriptive study. Data collection tool included an interview form. The tool was validated by content validity and its reliability was measured by Cronbach test. Data analysis was performed by Pearson, Paired t- and Mann-Whitney U tests and ANOVA. Findings showed that mean age of women was 33.7 +/- 4.2.Most subjects were illiterate and mean number of their children were 3.2 +/- 0.9. Mean percentage of sexual satisfaction before 60.1 +/- 20.5 and after 64.5 +/- 21.5 surgery revealed a significant difference. Findings showed no significant relation between sexual satisfaction and demographic variables. Sexual satisfaction may improve after surgery. The effect is probably and primarily behavioral due to lack of fear for unwanted pregnancy

Composition and nutritional value of traditional rural Iranian foods

There are a limited number of studies available on the composition and nutritional value of traditional rural foods in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this study, an attempt was made to collect information on these foods through a questionnaire by health workers in rural areas of northern, southern, eastern, western and central regions of the country. A total of 24 traditional rural foods and composite dishes were identified. Eshkeneh-daneh and ab-baneh contained high energy and protein contents among plant and mixed [plant and animal] foods, respectively. Their energy density and protein-energy ratio were very high. The calcium content was relatively high in ab-baneh, but the iron content rather low in both. Melon seed in eshkeneh-daneh and local nuts in ab-baneh were the main ingredients in these composite dishes