The effect of abdominal massage (I Love You method) on the gastric function of preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care units: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Preterm infants often suffer from nutritional problems because of gastrointestinal problems. Massage could make the infants feel more peace and comfort, but limited studies have focused on the effects of massage on the gastric function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of abdominal massage on the gastric function of preterm infants. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial compared gastric function of preterm infants with and without massage therapy. The preterm infants were randomly allocated to control and massage groups. The massage group received the abdominal massage before feeding, twice a day, for 15 min, over 5 days. Furthermore, the gastric function was compared between the control and experimental groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (Version 15.0). RESULTS: The average weight in both groups had no significant (p>0.05) changes before and after the study, and both groups showed a negative trend in the weight gain. The abdominal circumference, the frequency of vomiting episodes, the residual volume, and defecation frequency were significantly (p<0.05) different between the two groups after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The abdominal massage could be an effective nonmedicinal method to reduce the gastrointestinal problems in the preterm infants. The abdominal massage could be offered to the preterm infants as an inexpensive, available, and feasible method to alleviate gastrointestinal problems as well as improve the gastric function.

Socio-economic inequality and risk of loneliness by personality traits in girl students.

OBJECTIVE: Personality traits can affect humans' mental health. In the present study, we aimed to assess the relation of loneliness to personality traits and also to inequality in socio-economic status in girl students. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, investigated the relations of personality traits to loneliness in girl students in Ilam from 2014 to 2015. A multistage cluster random sampling method was used to select the participants. The NEO-FFI and University of California, and Los Angeles questionnaires were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by IBM SPSS and Distributive Analysis Stata Package (DASP). RESULTS: Among 400 recruited participants, 149 (37.2%) were categorized as having loneliness. The concentration index (CI) for loneliness was 0.19 (95 % confidence interval CI] 0.07, 0.27), which indicated that loneliness was observed more in persons with high socioeconomic status. The risk of loneliness was 38% lower in persons with higher scores in neuroticism (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.91). CONCLUSION: We found that socio-economic inequality was observed in relation to loneliness with girls of higher socioeconomic status reporting more loneliness. Therefore, more attention should be directed by policymakers to determining the main contributors to inequality contributors and loneliness in advantaged societies.

Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Sexual Dysfunction in Iranian Women: Univariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression Analyses.

BACKGROUND: Female sexual dysfunction, which can occur during any stage of a normal sexual activity, is a serious condition for individuals and couples. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of female sexual dysfunction in women referred to health centers in Ilam, the Western Iran, in 2014. METHODS: In the present cross-sectional study, 444 women who attended health centers in Ilam were enrolled from May to September 2014. Participants were selected according to the simple random sampling method. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to predict the risk factors of female sexual dysfunction. Diffe rences with an alpha error of 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS: Overall, 75.9% of the study population exhibited sexual dysfunction. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that there was a significant association between female sexual dysfunction and age, menarche age, gravidity, parity, and education (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that, menarche age (odds ratio, 1.26), education level (odds ratio, 1.71), and gravida (odds ratio, 1.59) were independent predictive variables for female sexual dysfunction. CONCLUSION: The majority of Iranian women suffer from sexual dysfunction. A lack of awareness of Iranian women's sexual pleasure and formal training on sexual function and its influencing factors, such as menarche age, gravida, and level of education, may lead to a high prevalence of female sexual dysfunction.

Relationship Between the Parenting Styles and Students' Educational Performance Among Iranian Girl High School Students, A Cross- Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Parenting styles are effective in the educational performance of their child. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the parenting styles and students' educational performance among Iranian girl high school students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, female students in high schools of Ilam (Iran) evaluated during the academic year 2014-15. Multistage cluster random sampling was used to select the participants. Data were collected by two demographic and Baumrind's parenting styles questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was measured as an index of internal identicalness of the questionnaire to verify its reliability. RESULTS: A total 400 students were studied. The Mean±SD of the students' age were 14±1.08. The students' school grades were the first year of high school to pre-university course. The Mean±SD of parenting styles were 35.37±5.8, 34.69±6.34 and 19.17±6.64 for permissive parenting style, authoritarian parenting style and authoritative parenting styles, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the score of permissive parenting style (p= 0.001, r= 0.151), authoritarian parenting style (p= 0.001, r= 0.343) and authoritative parenting style (p=0. 001, r= 0.261) with the students' average score for studying. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that parental influence plays an important role in students' educational performance.

Multidrug resistant tuberculosis versus non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections: a CT-scan challenge

INTRODUCTION: Clinical, laboratory and imaging findings in patients with multidrug resistanttuberculosis (MDR-TB) and non-tuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) are similar, and the majority of these patients present with positive smear for Acid Fast Bacilli (ADB) and no response to first line anti-TB treatment, so sputum culture and PCR are necessary, especially in NTM. OBJECTIVE: In this study we evaluate more details of imaging findings to help earlier diagnosis of pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 66 patients with positive smear for AFB and no response to first line anti-TB drugs were divided into two groups by PCR and culture: MDR-TB (43 patients) and NTM (23 patients). Age, sex, history of anti-TB treatment, smoking and CT-scan findings (parenchymal, pleural and mediastinal variables) by details and lobar distribution were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of NTM patients was slightly higher (52 versus 45) and there is no significant difference in sex and smoking. In MDR-TB group, history of anti-TB treatment and evidence of chronic pulmonary disease such as calcified and fibrodestructed parenchyma, volume loss and pleural thickening were higher significantly. Cavities in MDR-TB were thickwall in the background of consolidation, while NTM cavities were more thin-walled with adjacent satellite nodules in same segment or lobe. Prevalence of bronchiectasis was similar in both groups, while bronchiectasis in MDR-TB group was in fibrobronchiectatic background in upper lobes, and in NTM group the distribution was more uniform with slightly middle lobes predominance. Prevalence and distribution of nodular infiltrations were similar more in Tree in Buds and scattered pattern. Calcified or non-calcified lymph nodes and also pleural changes were more frequent in MDR-TB but prevalence of lymphadenopathy was mildly higher in NTM. CONCLUSION: A check-list with multiple variables is helpful for differentiation between the two groups.

Multidrug resistant tuberculosis versus non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections: a CT-scan challenge.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical, laboratory and imaging findings in patients with multidrug resistant-tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and non-tuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) are similar, and the majority of these patients present with positive smear for Acid Fast Bacilli (ADB) and no response to first line anti-TB treatment, so sputum culture and PCR are necessary, especially in NTM. OBJECTIVE: In this study we evaluate more details of imaging findings to help earlier diagnosis of pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 66 patients with positive smear for AFB and no response to first line anti-TB drugs were divided into two groups by PCR and culture: MDR-TB (43 patients) and NTM (23 patients). Age, sex, history of anti-TB treatment, smoking and CT-scan findings (parenchymal, pleural and mediastinal variables) by details and lobar distribution were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of NTM patients was slightly higher (52 versus 45) and there is no significant difference in sex and smoking. In MDR-TB group, history of anti-TB treatment and evidence of chronic pulmonary disease such as calcified and fibrodestructed parenchyma, volume loss and pleural thickening were higher significantly. Cavities in MDR-TB were thick-wall in the background of consolidation, while NTM cavities were more thin-walled with adjacent satellite nodules in same segment or lobe. Prevalence of bronchiectasis was similar in both groups, while bronchiectasis in MDR-TB group was in fibrobronchiectatic background in upper lobes, and in NTM group the distribution was more uniform with slightly middle lobes predominance. Prevalence and distribution of nodular infiltrations were similar more in Tree in Buds and scattered pattern. Calcified or non-calcified lymph nodes and also pleural changes were more frequent in MDR-TB but prevalence of lymphadenopathy was mildly higher in NTM. CONCLUSION: A check-list with multiple variables is helpful for differentiation between the two groups.