Objective: To develop and suggest a body of information which may be useful in a public health approach to suicide.
Conclusion: It is suggested that the following be available to the general public: i) suicide is a fact of life which should be minimised, ii) suicide has many different triggers, iii) most people who take their lives are able to make decisions, and iv) increased public discussion and understanding of suicide is desirable. Five pieces of information that may be useful to those contemplating suicide include: i) don't murder the part of you that wants to live, ii) suicide actions may leave you alive but disabled, iii) suicide hurts other people, iv) suicidal impulses do pass if you hold on, and v) suicide is a waste.
Methods: Anti-cholinesterase, anti-oxidant, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were established using standard procedures.
Results: The three polyherbal extracts exhibited significant concentration dependent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (P = 0.001). The highest AChE inhibition was observed with the Neocare Herbal Tea (NHT) with 99.7% (IC50 = 324 μg/mL); whereas the Herbalin Complex Tea (HCT) and Phytoblis Herbal Tea (PHT) exhibited 73.8% (IC50 = 0.2 μg/mL) and 60.6% (IC50 = 0.7 μg/mL) inhibition, respectively, relative to eserine at 100% inhibition (IC50 = 0.9 μg/mL) at 200 μg/mL. The order of percentage increase in inhibition of AChE was NHT > HCT > PHT; while the order of decrease in potency was HCT > PHT > NHT.Radical scavenging activities of HCT, NHT and PHT were 82.13% (IC50 = 0.08 μg/mL), 77.43% (IC50 = 0.01 μg/mL) and 76.28% (IC50 = 0.3 μg/mL), respectively, at 1 mg/mL concentrations. The reducing power revealed a dose-dependent effect, with NHT > PHT > HCT. The order of total phenolics content in the extracts were PHT > HCT > NHT, and for total flavonoids content: PHT > NHT > HCT.
Conclusion: The three polyherbal standardised products possess significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and secondary metabolites that could collectively contribute to their memory-enhancing effects.
Methods: A total of 11 isolates from respiratory cultures in intensive care unit of a 24 bed tertiary hospital obtained over a one months period and one isolate obtained from the nebuliser during environmental screening were investigated. The bacteria were identified by Phoenix 100 system. The clonal relatedness was evaluated by PFGE and semi-automated repetitive sequence-based PCR. Genotyping tests were repeated for 10 serial subcultures.
Results: PFGE and DiversiLab yielded 10 genotypic profiles for 12 isolates. Four to eight different genotypes were observed from 10 subcultures of the same isolate.
Conclusion: We conclude that, high genetic diversity and supposed multiclonal appearance of the outbreak isolates may be due to changing profiles during subcultures most probably depending on hypermutation.
Methodology: Thirty rats were treated to receive 0.5 mL phosphate-buffered saline (group A, control), 0.5 mL corn oil (group B), 0.2% CPZ (group C), for 6 weeks, 0.2% CPZ for 3 weeks and then 200 mg/kg of Kv for 3 weeks (group D), or 200 mg/kg of Kv for 3 weeks followed by 0.2% CPZ for 3 weeks (group E). Rats were assessed for exploratory functions and anxiety-like behaviour before being euthanised and perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde. Prefrontal and hippocampal thin sections were stained in hematoxylin and eosin and cresyl fast violet stains.
Results: CPZ-induced demyelination resulted in behavioural impairment as seen by reduced exploratory activities, rearing behaviour, stretch attend posture, center square entry, and anxiogenic characteristics. Degenerative changes including pyknosis, karyorrhexis, neuronal hypertrophy, and reduced Nissl integrity were also seen. Animals treated with Kv showed significant improvement in behavioural outcomes and a comparatively normal cytoarchitectural profile.
Conclusion: Kv provides protective roles against CPZ-induced neurotoxicity through prevention of ribosomal protein degradation.
Methods: The control group was administered with phosphate buffer solution (PBS) while the other two groups received PCM alone (1000 mg/kg) and PCM + 25 mg/kg ZER, respectively, at 0 h and 4 h after PCM injection. After 24 h, the blood and liver were collected for differential white blood cell count, liver histological observation and biochemical analysis including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total protein concentration in serum and liver.
Results: Treatment with ZER was found to significantly reduce ALT (P = 0.041), AST (P = 0.044) and total hepatic protein (P = 0.045) in comparison to PCM-induced rats. Rats treated with ZER exhibited the normal structure of hepatocytes with no vacuolisation or necrosis and showed significantly reduced neutrophil count (P = 0.037). This finding suggests its ability to suppress the inflammatory processes caused by PCM overdosage and decrease the hepatocytes tendency to go through necrotic processes.
Conclusion: ZER possessed protective activity against PCM-induced acute hepatotoxicity in a rat model.
Objective: To investigate the nephroprotective effect of quercetin (QT) against renal injury induced by titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NTiO2) in rats.
Methods: NTiO2-intoxicated rats received 50 mg/kg of NTiO2 for seven days. The QT + NTiO2 group was pretreated with QT for seven days before being administered NTiO2. Uric acid, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were considered to be biomarkers of nephrotoxicity. Catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and renal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured to assess the oxidative stress caused by NTiO2.
Results: NTiO2 significantly increased the plasma level of the biomarkers. It also significantly decreased the activities of CAT (P = 0.008) and SOD (P = 0.004), and significantly increased the MDA levels (P = 0.007). NTiO2 caused proximal tubule damage, the accumulation of red blood cells, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and reduced the glomerular diameters, as well as induced apoptosis in the proximal tubules. Pre-treatment with QT attenuated the histological changes, normalised the plasma biomarkers, suppressed oxidative stress, ameliorated the activities of CAT (P = 0.007) and SOD (P = 0.006), and reduced apoptosis (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: QT was found to have a potent protective effect against nephrotoxicity induced by NTiO2 in rats. It also reduced apoptosis caused by NTiO2.
Methods: In this exploratory qualitative study, two focus group discussion (15 teachers) and 30 individual in-depth interviews were conducted among female adolescents in the eighth grade in Zahedan, Iran. Qualitative content analysis was used for data evaluation.
Results: The views of students and teachers demonstrated nine of needs including: informing students about the schools' health project aims, education and training all dimensions of health with an emphasis on mental health, use of experts in various fields for education from other organisations, employing capable and trusted counselors in schools, utilisation of a variety of teaching methods, activating reward systems for encouraging students' participation in group activities, teaching communication and the ability to establish good relationships with parents and strategies for resolving family conflict, teaching parents and students high-risk behaviours and strategies for handling them as well as reforming wrong attitudes and indigenous sub-culture.
Conclusion: This study found the different needs of Iranian female students compared to other cultures about a health promoting school programme. Therefore, their contribution can provide an insight for formulating policies and intervention in schools.
Method: This study is to evaluate the outcome of patients with mild head injury which were managed in non-neurosurgical centres with the help of teleneurosurgery. The study recruits samples from five primary hospitals utilising teleneurosurgery for neurosurgical consultations in managing mild head injury cases in Johor state. Two main outcomes were noted; favourable and unfavourable, with a follow up review of the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 3 and 6 months.
Results: Total of 359 samples were recruited with a total of 11 (3.06%) patients have an unfavourable. no significant difference in GOS at 3 and 6 months for patient in the unfavourable group (P = 0.368).
Conclusion: In this study we have found no significant factors affecting the outcome of mild head injury patients managed in non-neurosurgical centres in Johor state using the help of teleneurosurgery.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia. Data were collected from November 2014 to January 2015 with a total of 58 respondents who met the inclusion criteria. The respondents received a 20-min one-on-one education programme regarding coronary heart disease, treatment and prevention, and healthy lifestyle. A questionnaire comprising demographic data was administered and the cardiovascular health index was measured before and after four weeks of the education programme. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: There were statistically significant decreases in the score of anxiety, stress, depression, body mass index, and smoking status (P < 0.001) between pre-test and post-test.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the one-on-one education programme could improve the cardiovascular health index of patients with MI. Furthermore, nurses need to develop and implement a standard education structure programme for patients with MI to improve health outcomes.
OBJECTIVES: This pilot study compared the motor evoked potential (MEP) changes using different settings of rTMS in the post-ischemic stroke patient. The goal of the study is to identify effect sizes for a further trial and evaluate safety aspects.
METHODS: Eight post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis for at least six months duration were studied in a tertiary hospital in Northeast Malaysia. Quasi experimental design was applied and the participants were randomised into two groups using software generated random numbers. One of the two settings: i) inhibitory setting, or ii) facilitatory setting have been applied randomly during the first meeting. The motor evoked potential (MEP) were recorded before and after application of the rTMS setting. A week later, a similar procedure will be repeated but using different setting than the first intervention. Each patient will serve as their own control. Repeated measures ANOVA test was applied to determine the effect sizes for both intervention through the options of partial eta-squared (η2 p).
RESULT: The study observed large effect sizes (η2 p > 0.14) for both rTMS settings in the lesion and non-lesion sides. For safety aspects, no minor or major side effects associated with the rTMS was reported by the participants.
CONCLUSIONS: The partial eta square of MEP value for both rTMS settings (fascilitatory and inhibitory) in both lesion and non-lesion sides represents large effect sizes. We recommend further trial to increase number of sample in order to study the effectiveness of both settings in ischemic stroke patient. Our preliminary data showed both settings may improve the MEP of the upper extremity in the ischemic stroke patient. No significant improvement noted when comparing both settings.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 400 pregnant women who were selected using stratified random sampling technique from eight private maternity centers located in Indore city. A questionnaire collected information on socio-demographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices, previous dental visit and past medical history. OHRQOL was assessed using Oral Health Impact Profile-14 questionnaire. Lifestyle factors were assessed using the Health practice Index.
Results: The lifestyle factors were the strongest predictor for poor OHRQOL. The pregnant women (OR = 3.22, P-value < 0.0001*) with poor lifestyle had significantly poor OHRQOL. Logistic regression analysis showed that poor socio-economic status (OR = 2.63, P-value = 0.025*), brushing frequency of less than or equal to once daily (OR = 2.02, P-value = 0.025*), and suffering from systemic diseases (OR = 2.11, P-value = 0.017*) were other important predictors for poor OHRQOL in pregnant women.
Conclusions: Our findings showed that lifestyle factors significantly impact OHRQOL in pregnant women. Thus, it is recommended that effective policies should be drafted to improve lifestyle factors and OHRQOL in pregnant women.
Methods: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control (non-diabetic), PDN and non-PDN groups (n = 10). The rats were induced with diabetes by streptozotocin injection (60 mg/kg). Tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were assessed on day 0, 14 (week 2) and 21 (week 3) in the rats. The rats were sacrificed and the spinal cord tissue was collected for the measurement of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase) and pro-inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)).
Results: PDN rats demonstrated a marked tactile allodynia with no thermal hyperalgesia whilst non-PDN rats exhibited a prominent hypo-responsiveness towards non-noxious stimuli and hypoalgesia towards thermal input. The MDA level and pro-inflammatory TNF-α was significantly increased in PDN rats whilst catalase was reduced in these rats. Meanwhile, non-PDN rats demonstrated reduced SOD enzyme activity and TNF-α level and increased MDA and catalase activity.
Conclusion: The changes in oxidative stress parameters and pro-inflammatory factors may contribute to the changes in behavioural responses in both PDN and non-PDN rats.
Method: The health utilities of hypoglycaemia event were measured using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Time Trade-Off (TTO) methods among conveniently sampled consenting adults (>18 years and literate in either English or Malay language), which were then divided into two groups: those in the general population (GP) and those with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Each respondent was required to value 13 different health states, including frequencies of daytime hypoglycaemia and nocturnal hypoglycaemia, each depending on its severity (non-severe or severe).
Results: 256 respondents from the GP and 99 respondents with T2DM completed the survey. The T2DM group gave higher VAS-values compared to the GP group. The highest mean VAS-utility value for non-severe nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurring once monthly was 0.543 (SD 0.161), and for severe daytime hypoglycaemia occurring once quarterly was 0.293 (SD 0.162) which was the lowest utility value compared to other health states. However, non-severe nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurring once quarterly was 0.537 (SD 0.284) and has the highest TTO-utility value. Severe nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurring once quarterly has the lowest utility value which was -0.104 (SD 0.380). Daytime hypoglycaemia has lower utility value compared to nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Severe hypoglycaemia has a greater disutility compared with the non-severe hypoglycaemia in both studied groups.
Conclusion: The findings show that as a health utility, hypoglycaemia has a substantial impact on utility with severe hypoglycaemia having a greater negative impact compared to non-severe events across the board. This highlights the importance of preventing development of severe hypoglycaemia in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at any time of the day.
Methods: A systematic literature search was done in health-related electronic databases. The search was limited to studies published in English until September 2017. We also checked the references of retrieved articles and relevant reviews for any additional studies. The methodological quality of the studies included in this review was assessed using the 'Scales for Quality Assessment'. The I2 test was used to quantify between-study heterogeneity. A value of I2 > 50% indicated substantial heterogeneity. For the pooled analysis, summary odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) in random effect model were used.
Results: Eight case-control studies (1192 cases with diabetic nephropathy and 2399 controls) met the inclusion criteria. Three groups of people namely Africans, Asians and Caucasians were included in this review. There were significant protective effects of SNP -819 C/T in overall population (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.26-0.4) and - 1082 A/G SNP in the Asian population (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.47-0.86) on diabetic nephropathy in the recessive model. There was no significant effect of -592 A/C on diabetic nephropathy.
Conclusion: The findings suggest the protective effects of -1082A/G and -819G/A polymorphisms on the risk of developing diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially in the Asian population. Well- designed, prospective studies with sufficient number of participants are recommended to substantiate these findings.
METHOD: Pub Med, Web of Science, Science Direct, Ovid Medline, EBSCO, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and the Scientific Information Database (SID) were searched for English and Persian language studies published between 2009 and 2017. The primary outcome of this review was to assess the effects of behavioral interventions on glycosylated hemoglobin. Changes in the blood pressure, Lipid profiles, BMI, Self-efficacy, knowledge, attitude, practice, Self-care behaviors, social support, anxiety, and depression were the secondary outcomes.
RESULTS: Comprehensive search procedures resulted in twenty-three experimental studies with 2208 participants. Eleven studies were included in the Meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, behavioral interventions significantly lower glycosylated hemoglobin -0.61% (95% CI -0.80, -0.41). To explore the effects of the study intervention (regarding what aspects of the intervention are most effective), we then conducted a stratified analysis for HbA1c. Larger effects were found in interventions with a longer duration and higher intensity, delivered in the group format, interventions offered to individuals with higher baseline HbA1c, and interventions delivered by a multidisciplinary team. Moreover, behavioral interventions were effective in improving blood glucose, lipid profiles, knowledge, attitude, practice, self-efficacy, quality of life, and self-care.
CONCLUSION: In line with other behavioral studies, our study shows that behavioral interventions improve self-management in Iranian adults with type 2 diabetes.