Yafteh

Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of an 8-week program of strengthening the quadriceps and hip external rotation on the Q angle of the hip, balance and pain in active females with Patella-pain syndrome PFPS).
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 27 female athletes with PFPS participated in this study and were divided into two groups: control (n=15) and experimental group (n=12). In this study, a Goniometer was used to evaluate the angle Q and to evaluate the dynamic and static balance, a foot-scan and Y-balance function test were used. Pain was evaluated by VAS questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data.  To analyze the differences between the two groups, covariance analysis and t-test were used at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results of this study showed the effect of 8 weeks of strengthening of the quadriceps and hip external rotation on pain variables (P≤0.001), Q angles (P ≤ 0.001), static (P≤0.001) and dynamic (P≤0.001). After 8 weeks, the training group performed better than the control group.
Conclusion: In general, it seems that the strengthening of the quadriceps and hip external rotation muscles results in an improvement in the alignment of the lower limbs and the Q angle.  Pain in the area is decreased by reducing contact between the patella and the knee and a knee pain reduction is produced by a strengthening of the hip muscles to improve the performance and balance of athletes with Patella-Femoral-pain syndrome.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common during pregnancy and childbirth. Recent findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study was performed to determine the association between low levels of maternal serum vitamin D and some adverse pregnancy outcomes such as premature rupture of embryonic membranes.
Materials and Methods: 73 pregnant women with premature rupture of embryonic membranes as a case group 73 healthy pregnant women as control group were randomly selected from 18 to 35 pregnant women with a gestational age of 28 to 41, who had been referred to Asalian Hospital within 6 months, were selected. Blood levels of vitamin D were measured in both groups. Demographic information as well as data from laboratory results and patient histories were collected using a researcher checklist. Finally, patients were statistically evaluated for vitamin D levels and study factors.
Results: The mean vitamin D level in patients with PROM was 22.49 7 ±7.25nm/lit and the mean vitamin D level in patients without PROM was 28.73 ±8. 8.72nm/l with p = 0.00. There was a significant relationship between vitamin D and PROM levels.
Conclusion: Based on the results of data analysis, it was found that there was a significant relationship between vitamin D levels and premature rupture of the amniotic sac. To examine more closely the relationship between maternal vitamin D levels and the occurrence of premature rupture of embryonic membranes, further research with a larger sample size and complete control of interfering factors is recommended.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and the first leading cause of cancer death (25.5%) among women across the world. Oxidative stress and overproduction of free radicals are among the most important reasons for the progression of cancers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of eight weeks of aerobic exercise with pomegranate juice on Serum microRNAs levels related to the oxidant/antioxidant system of women recovering from breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 40 women recovering from breast cancer with a mean age of 42.45±1.95 were randomly assigned into four equal groups (n=10), including control, pomegranate juice, aerobic exercise, and aerobic-pomegranate. The aerobic and aerobic-pomegranate groups performed eight 60-90-min sessions of exercises three times a week with an intensity of 50% to 70% of the target heart rate. The pomegranate juice group received 100 cc of juice before each training session. Blood samples were collected 48 h before and after the intervention. Oncogenic microRNAs, such as miR-21 and miR-155, were assayed by RT-PCR. The obtained data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc test at a significance level of P≤0/05.
Results: In total, eight weeks of aerobic exercise with the consumption of pomegranate juice caused a significant decrease in miR-21 (P=0.001) and miR-155 (P=0.001) levels in women recovering from breast cancer, compared to the control group.
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise and consumption of pomegranate juice simultaneously reduced oncogene microRNAs, such as miR-21 and miR-155, in women recovering from breast cancer.

Background: Menopause is a clinically significant period of time characterized by changes in ovarian hormone, vasomotor symptoms, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One of the main causes of heart attacks is changes and imbalance of the homeostasis system. Sedentary lifestyle and aging also have adverse effects on the homeostasis system. One of the treatment methods that has been used for many years in the treatment of many diseases is Iranian-Islamic medicine. Therefore, in this study, the effect of cupping and aerobic exercise on LDL, HDL and fibrinogen was investigated
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 inactive postmenopausal women with an age range of 50 to 65 participated in this quasi-experimental study. Participants were randomly divided into three groups: aerobic exercise, cupping therapy, and control group. Aerobic exercises with an intensity of 50 to 75% of heart rate reserve were performed three times a week for 6 weeks and the cupping group was cupped in the third week. Blood samples were taken to measure fibrinogen, LDL, and HDL before the start of the training period and 48 hours after the end of the last training session. Then, an analysis of covariance was used for intergroup comparisons. Also, the pre- and post-test were analyzed using paired t-test at a significance level of <0.05.
Results: Aerobic exercise and cupping showed a significant decrease in fibrinogen (P = 0.04) and LDL (P = 0.001) and an increase in LDH (P = 0.003). Paired t-test results showed a significant decrease in fibrinogen, LDL and HDL post-test compared to pre-intervention post-test.
Conclusion: Cupping therapy and aerobic physical activity are effective factors in reducing the levels of fibrinogen and LDL and increasing HDL in postmenopausal women. According to the results, exercise may have better effects on decreasing fibrinogen and blood lipids, as the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, compared to cupping therapy.

Background: Early childhood is a critical period for the development of cognitive, linguistic, social, and motor abilities. Due to the importance of early detection of developmental delays in children, this study aims to investigate the effect of preterm birth and birth weight on the developmental skills among children aged 12-36 months.
Materials and Methods: In this cohort study, 125 children of 12 to 36 months of age from Khorramabad, Iran, were evaluated in three groups, i.e. preterm group (59 children), low birth weight group and term infants group (21 children), and finally children with average birth weight and term infants group (45 children). This evaluation was carried out using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires-Third Edition in five developmental areas. Five models of logistic regression were separately used for modeling the effect of the “age and birth weight of children”. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS v.22 software using logistic regression analysis, where the significance level was 0.05.
Results: According to the findings related to child screening, the percentage of developmental delay in at least one area was 49.6%, where the highest and lowest rates of delay were 15.2% and 6.4% in fine motor and problem-solving skills, respectively. Moreover, 9.6% of the children were abnormal in communication skills, and 9.6% and 8.8% of the children were bnormal in gross motor skills and personal-social skills respectively. Based on the logistic regression method, the relationships between “the age and birth weight of children” and the state of communication skill development (P=0.235), fine motor skills (P=0.125) and personal-social skills (P=0.307) were insignificant but noticeable.
Conclusion: Low birth weight in full-term infants is a risk factor for delayed communication and fine motor skills, while preterm birth is a risk factor for delayed personal-social skills. Preterm birth and low birth weight are risk factors for developmental delays in children, which require early screening to diagnose and prevent their future complications.

Background: Due to usually late diagnoses, breast cancer is accompanied by a high mortality rate. Breast self-examination increases the success of treatment and survival rates. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of postmenopausal women residing in Khorramabad, Iran, about breast self-examination.
Materials and Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was performed on 333 postmenopausal women referring to health centers in Khorramabad in 2019. The participants were selected using cluster sampling. The required data were collected using a questionnaire containing items on demographic characteristics as well as variables of knowledge and practice of breast self-examination. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software version 22 using the Spearman correlation coefficient, the Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test.
Results: The mean age of the subjects was 55.13±8.13. It was found that 55% of women had moderate knowledge and 43.8% had a moderate performance. The most common source of information was through health center staff (52.9%). Knowledge and performance showed a direct and significant correlation with breast self-examination (r=0.530, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge and performance on the one hand, and visiting a doctor and having a history of attending classes on the other (P<0.05). There was also a statistically significant relationship between performance and marital status (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Due to the significant relationship between knowledge and performance variables and behaviors such as attending classes and visiting doctors, it is recommended to design educational programs to encourage postmenopausal women to perform breast self-examination.

Background: Physiological childbirth refers to the natural birthing process that does not involve medical or pharmaceutical interventions. This method is characterized by spontaneous labor, the absence of medical interventions, freedom of movement, and active participation of the mother. Rate of cesarean delivery has been increasing over the past decade in Iran, accounting for approximately 50% of all births in the country as Iranian healthcare officials have also promoted physiological childbirth. In this regard, it is important to recognize that physiological birth is a personal choice; therefore, women should receive the necessary information and support to make informed decisions about their birth experiences. Besides, it is critical to provide the necessary education for healthcare providers and engage with women to address their cultural and social beliefs about childbirth. Additionally, the supportive policies of the government that promote physiological childbirth and educational programs can also be valuable in this regard.

Background: Multiple sclerosis disease (MS) is progressing, especially in women. The present study aimed to determine the effect of eight weeks of resistance training with two types of linear and nonlinear periodized on muscle strength, fatigue, and quality of life in women with MS.
Materials and Methods: A total of 19 patients with MS were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: nonlinear periodized (NLP) (n=6), linear periodized (LP) (n=5), and control (n=8). Both exercise groups performed resistance exercises three sessions a week for 30-45 minutes per session, with an intensity of 30%-70% of a maximum repetition for eight weeks. The linear group (LP) used a linear loading pattern per week. In contrast, the nonlinear group (NLP) experienced different intensities of training from the fourth week onwards. Two days before and after the training protocol, muscle strength was measured indirectly. Moreover, fatigue was evaluated with a 5-item Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS-5) and quality of life with a 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The results were analyzed in SPSS software (version 21) using the analysis of the covariance model and Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) post hoc test.
Results: Based on the results, LP and NLP training led to a marked increase in muscular strength )P<0.001) and a significant decrease in fatigue )P=0.020) in MS patients. Nonetheless, no significant difference was observed in the quality of life between research groups )P=0/092). There were no significant differences between LP and NLP in factors, except leg press )P<0/001).
Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, both LP and NLP training models increased muscle strength and reduced fatigue. Nevertheless, linear resistance training led to greater improvement in the aforementioned factors.

Background: The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in many countries. Therefore, early-stage breast cancer detection is of great importance in order to improve the chances of detection and treatment, as well as the prevention of women's deaths. Nowadays, despite the progress in cancer treatment, the use of non-molecular technologies, such as gastroscopy, computed tomography, and protein biomarkers, is still at the center of clinical cancer screening. These methods have some disadvantages, including low specificity and sensitivity. As a result, in breast cancer screening, most cancer patients may fail to be diagnosed and then miss the ideal treatment period. The objective of the present study was to examine the efficacy of biomarkers, specifically circulating cell-free DNA, circulating tumor DNA, and exosomes present in peripheral blood plasma, as a non-invasive means of detecting cancer at an early stage. In recent years, many efforts have been made to investigate the relationship between methylation markers and breast cancer. It appears that analyzing the DNA methylation pattern in blood for breast cancer could be a promising candidate for further research to confirm their roles in early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and dynamic monitoring of breast cancer as a non-invasive method. Although the use of blood-based DNA methylation for medical applications is still in its early stages and is along with some challenges (e.g., the lack of unified standards for detection methods between studies and poor reproducibility of selected markers), in some cases, false negative results may be reported due to the low blood-based DNA concentration. However, with the increased sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic kits, their broader applications can be seen in the future.
 

Background: COVID-19 was a global epidemic that led to numerous problems, including menstrual disorders in women. The present study aimed to assess the frequency of menstrual disorders and related factors in women with COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: The descriptive study was conducted on 80 women with COVID-19 in the first six months of 2022. Information was collected using a telephone questionnaire and data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 16) using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and analysis (chi-square and independent t-test).
Results: Based on the results, 43.7% of women had menstrual disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these women, 26.3% and 17.5% of cases considered the disorder to be related to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 infection, respectively. Massive bleeding (17.5%) and low-volume bleeding (7.5%) were the most reported disorders, and Sinopharm (76.3%) and AstraZeneca (15.0%) vaccines were the most used vaccines. The results of statistical tests did not demonstrate a significant relationship between the presence of disorder and other variables (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Menstrual disorders increased during COVID-19 compared to before. Considering the resolution of this disorder after several months, it is recommended that if the disorder is not resolved, it should be referred for identification and follow-up in time to reduce the dangerous consequences of women's diseases.
 

Background: Attention to supporting and treating infertile couples is of great importance in the context of Iran's population policies. Infertility treatment means identifying and addressing the health issues of couples that have caused their inability to conceive. Supporting infertile couples not only helps improve their chances of fertility but also enhances all aspects of their health and well-being. Facing infertility can be considerably challenging for couples, inducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Social and psychological support, through counseling services and mental health assistance, can help couples better cope with these challenges and prevent isolation and depression. Attention to the needs and problems of infertile couples can assist policymakers and relevant organizations in designing cultural and health policies and programs tailored to address this challenge and implement necessary improvements in this field. It is essential to establish a culture that upholds respect for couples experiencing infertility and prevents discrimination against them. By promoting the dissemination of accurate information and fostering a culture of empathy and compassion towards infertility, this culture may reduce social tension and lessen the burdens experienced by those coping with infertility. However, attention to supporting and treating infertile couples is not just one aspect of population policy. Instead, it should be one of the important priorities within the framework of a comprehensive program to strengthen population health. Supporting couples struggling with infertility should also be a significant priority within such a program.
 

Background: The health system transformation plan has been implemented since 2014, and one of its goals is the reduction of cesarean rate to 25%-30%. The present study aimed to assess the rate of cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery before and after the implementation of the health system reform plan in Lorestan, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in 2020. The research population included all the women who had given birth in one of the public hospitals of Lorestan province during 2011-2016. The sampling method was the census, which was based on the statistics of the vice-chancellor of treatment at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences. After data collection, they were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The results of the study demonstrated that contrary to expectations, the cesarean section overall rate increased by about 3.4% after the implementation of the health system transformation plan, compared to before the implementation of this plan. It is worth noting that in some hospitals, including Khorramabad Asali Hospital, Khorramabad Social Security Hospital, and Broujerd Kowsar Hospital, the rate of cesarean section increased by 4.6%, 6.5%, and 5.9%, respectively, after the implementation of the health system transformation plan.
Conclusion: It seems that according to the rate of cesarean delivery in this province that is higher than standard and the ineffectiveness of the health system transformation plan in this field, more efforts should be made with the use of extensive programs in order to increase the awareness and culturalization of the society.