Digital Screen Time and the Risk of Female Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Matched Case-Control Study.

Background: As the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers continues to rise globally, concerns have been raised about their potential impact on human health. Exposure to high energy visible (HEV) blue light, emitted from digital screens, particularly the so-called artificial light at night (ALAN), has been associated with adverse health effects, ranging from disruption of circadian rhythms to cancer. Breast cancer incidence rates are also increasing worldwide. Objective: This study aimed at finding a correlation between breast cancer and exposure to blue light from mobile phone. Material and Methods: In this retrospective matched case-control study, we aimed to investigate whether exposure to blue light from mobile phone screens is associated with an increased risk of female breast cancer. We interviewed 301 breast cancer patients (cases) and 294 controls using a standard questionnaire and performed multivariate analysis, chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests for data analysis. Results: Although heavy users in the case group of our study had a statistically significant higher mean 10-year cumulative exposure to digital screens compared to the control group (7089±14985 vs 4052±12515 hours, respectively, P=0.038), our study did not find a strong relationship between exposure to HEV and development of breast cancer. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that heavy exposure to HEV blue light emitted from mobile phone screens at night might constitute a risk factor for promoting the development of breast cancer, but further large-scale cohort studies are warranted.

Effect of an Interactive Training on Choosing Delivery Method among Primiparous Pregnant Women: An Interventional Study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of interactive training conducted during pregnancy on choosing delivery method among primiparous women. METHODS: Quasi-experimental study carried out in 2017 in two hospitals in the city of Bushehr (Iran), with the participation of 108 primiparous pregnant women in an educational program consisting of eight 2-hour sessions every two weeks in which interactive training activities were performed (group discussions, classroom sessions, and delivery of printed educational material) on themes related with physiological delivery, painless vaginal delivery methods, and complications of cesarean delivery without indication, among others. Before and after the intervention, the Knowledge and Preferred Method of Delivery Questionnaire by Moradabadi et al., was used to obtain information. RESULTS: The results indicated that the level of knowledge in the group of mothers increased significantly between the pre-intervention and post-intervention assessment (13.2 versus 19.4, of 20 possible maximum points; p < 0.001). Additionally, significant difference was observed in the selection of the vaginal delivery method before and after the intervention (74.1% versus 98.1%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of interactive training increased knowledge of pregnant women on the delivery and induced a positive effect to encourage the primiparous mothers to have a vaginal delivery.

Effect of an Interactive Training on Choosing Delivery Method among Primiparous Pregnant Women: An Interventional Study

Objective. To evaluate the effect of interactive training conducted during pregnancy on choosing delivery method among primiparous women. Methods. Quasi-experimental study carried out in 2017 in two hospitals in the city of Bushehr (Iran), with the participation of 108 primiparous pregnant women in an educational program consisting of eight 2-hour sessions every two weeks in which interactive training activities were performed (group discussions, classroom sessions, and delivery of printed educational material) on themes related with physiological delivery, painless vaginal delivery methods, and complications of cesarean delivery without indication, among others. Before and after the intervention, the Knowledge and Preferred Method of Delivery Questionnaire by Moradabadi et al., was used to obtain information. Results. The results indicated that the level of knowledge in the group of mothers increased significantly between the pre-intervention and post-intervention assessment (13.2 versus 19.4, of 20 possible maximum points; p <0.001). Additionally, significant difference was observed in the selection of the vaginal delivery method before and after the intervention (74.1% versus 98.1%; p<0.001). Conclusion. Implementation of interactive training increased knowledge of pregnant women on the delivery and induced a positive effect to encourage the primiparous mothers to have a vaginal delivery.

Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto de un entrenamiento interactivo realizado durante el embarazo sobre la elección del método de parto en mujeres primíparas. Métodos. Estudio cuasiexperimental realizado en 2017 en dos hospitales de la ciudad de Bushehr (Irán). 108 mujeres embarazadas primíparas participaron en un programa educativo consistente en ocho sesiones de dos horas de duración cada dos semanas, en las que se realizaron actividades de capacitación interactiva (discusiones grupales, clases magistrales y entrega de material educativo impreso) sobre temas relacionados con el parto fisiológico, los métodos de parto vaginal sin dolor, las complicaciones del parto por cesárea sin indicación, entre otros. Antes y después de la intervención se utilizó, para la toma de información, el Knowledge and Preferred Method of Delivery Questionnaire de Moradabadi et al. Resultados. Los resultados indicaron que el nivel de conocimiento en el grupo de madres aumentó significativamente entre la evaluación preintervención a la posintervención (13.2 versus 19.4, de 20 puntos máximos posibles; p<0.001). Además, se observó una diferencia significativa en la selección del método de parto vaginal antes y después de la intervención (74.1% versus 98.1%; p<0.001). Conclusión. La implementación de la capacitación interactiva aumentó el conocimiento de las embarazadas sobre el parto e indujo un efecto positivo para alentar a las madres primíparas a tener un parto vaginal.

Objetivo. Avaliar o efeito de um treinamento interativo realizado durante a gravidez na escolha do método de parto em mulheres primíparas. Métodos Estudo quase experimental realizado em 2017 em dois hospitais na cidade de Bushehr (Irã). 108 gestantes primíparas participaram de um programa educacional composto por oito sessões de duas horas a cada duas semanas, nas quais foram realizadas atividades de treinamento interativas (discussões em grupo, master classes e entrega de material educacional impresso) sobre questões relacionadas ao parto métodos fisiológicos, parto vaginal sem dor, complicações do parto cesáreo sem indicação, entre outros. Antes e após a intervenção, o Questionário de Conhecimento e Método Preferido de Entrega de Moradabadi et al. Resultados Os resultados indicaram que o nível de conhecimento no grupo de mães aumentou significativamente entre a avaliação pré-intervenção e a pós-intervenção (13.2 versus 19.4, de 20 possíveis pontos máximos; p<0.001). Além disso, foi observada diferença significativa na seleção do método de parto vaginal antes e após a intervenção (74.1% versus 98.1%; p<0.001). Conclusão A implementação do treinamento interativo aumentou o conhecimento das gestantes sobre o parto e induziu um efeito positivo para incentivar as primíparas a terem um parto vaginal.

Alteration of Bacterial Antibiotic Sensitivity After Short-Term Exposure to Diagnostic Ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Many pathogenic bacteria show different levels of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, a lot of hospital-acquired infections are caused by highly resistant or multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. According to WHO, patients with drug-resistant infections have higher morbidity and mortality. Moreover, patients infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics considerably consume more healthcare resources. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we explored a physical method of converting drug-resistant bacteria to drug-sensitive ones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an in vitro case-control study, performed at the Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Protection Research Center (INIRPRC), Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Shiraz, Iran in 2014. All experiments were carried out using Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumonia and E. coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus group A, isolated from hospitalized patients. The bacterial strains were obtained from the Persian Type Culture Collection, IROST, Iran (Klebsiella pneumonia PTCC 1290) and Bacteriology Department of Shahid Faghihi Teaching Hospital, Shiraz, Iran (E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus group A). The bacteria in culture plates were exposed to diagnostic ultrasound using a MyLab70XVG sonography system for 5 minutes. Then, the bacteria were cultured on Mueller-Hinton agar and incubated at 35°C for 18 hours. Finally, antibiotic susceptibility test was performed and the inhibition zone in both control and exposed groups were measured. Three replicate agar plates were used for each test and the inhibition zones of the plates were recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the results obtained from unexposed bacteria, statistically significant variations of sensitivity to antibiotics were found in some strains after short-term exposure. In particular, we found major differences (making antibiotic-resistant bacteria susceptible or vice versa) in the diameters of inhibition zones in exposed and non-exposed samples of Klebsiella pneumonia and Streptococcus. CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly shows that short-term exposure of microorganisms to diagnostic ultrasonic waves can significantly alter their sensitivity to antibiotics. We believe that this physical method of making the antibiotic-resistant population susceptible can open new horizons in antibiotic therapy of a broad range of diseases, including tuberculosis.