Brennancochran7495

Background To address the disproportionate burden of poor mental health among women, we present a community based participatory research (CBPR) model used to develop a women's mental health promotion program for Iranian women. Methods This is a multi-phase interventional study using a CBPR approach among married women age 18-65 living in Tehran. First, participants described the process of women's mental health. Subsequent steps involved participatory needs assessment, priority setting, intervention design, and evaluation. Finally, a conceptual model of women's mental health promotion was developed. Results "Seeking comfort" emerged as the core process in women's mental health. To promote mental health, women prioritized training on coping mechanisms to deal with stress. Women receiving this training used more problem-based coping methods and reported a higher quality of life than the comparison group. Conclusions The resulting conceptual model illustrates the utility of using a CBPR approach to develop women's mental health promotion programs. Copyright © 2019 International Journal of Preventive Medicine.Background Sedentary lifestyle plays a key role in the emergence of many noncommunicable diseases. Given the importance of physical activity (PA) in population-based studies, the present study was conducted to investigate the pattern of PA and its correlates in the pilot phase of Azar cohort study. Methods In the pilot phase of Azar cohort study, 1236 individuals aged 35-70 years in Khameneh, a city in East Azarbaijan, Iran, were invited to participate in the study. A total of 952 individuals completed the overall and the PA questionnaire, a response rate of 82%. The PA level was evaluated using the classified PA questionnaire based on the equivalent metabolic activities. The general linear model was used to determine the factors affecting PA. Results The overall mean score of PA was 36.54 (standard deviation = 5.3). In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, total PA score was associated with gender (adjusted β = 0.014, confidence interval [CI] 95% = [0.01-0.82]), occupation (adjusted βs ranged over 0.015-0.059, (CI 95% = 0.01-0.079), level of education (adjusted βs ranged over 0.010-0.018, CI 95% = 0.001-0.026). In other word, sex (mean ranged over 35.49-36.81), educational level (mean ranged over 35.01-36.73) and occupation status (mean ranged over 34.62-39.62) were predictors of PA (all P less then 0.05). FK228 This variable could also predict 20% of the variance of the PA. Conclusions The current study identifies that gender, occupation and level of education could be factors that influence on PA level in the study population. Copyright © 2019 International Journal of Preventive Medicine.Background To provide a critical reflection from the literature review to describe the current panorama on the importance of physical exercises in the improvement of the quality of life of the aged, besides the use of medications. While aging brings a high cost to health and demographic pyramid changes, so does the disease. As aging is a biological process and many diseases develop at this time of life, the aged are the fastest growing segment of the Brazilian population due to the natural susceptibility of the organism. With this increase, health costs in the country also increase. In everyday practice, medicine has often been characterized as a therapeutic intervention instrument for the first choice, and a consequence, generates significant and significant economic and social damages. Methods Search in databases using analysis descriptors as exercises and medicine for the aged. Results The involvement of the aged in physical exercise programs is an important adjunct to reduce the progressive degeneration associated with natural aging, becoming a powerful instrument to guarantee a healthy, active and independent lifestyle. Conclusions The physical activity was inversely associated with the number of medications, the more physical activity and fewer drug expenses. The need to implement programs for orientation and for the promotion of health through physical activity was also verified. link2 Copyright © 2019 International Journal of Preventive Medicine.Objectives To design a multivalent DNA vaccine encoding the most immunogenic regions of the Leishmania major antigens including TSA (Thiol-specific antioxidant protein), LmSTI1 (Leishmania major stress-inducible protein1), LACK (Leishmania homologue of receptors for activated C Kinase), and KMP11 (kinetoplastid membrane protein-11) on BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods The chimeric construct was generated including the most immunogenic epitopes containing a combination of domains and oligopeptides of the aforementioned genes. The construct was cloned into pcDNA 3.1 plasmid and named "pleish-dom." Following intramuscular injection of mice, the capability of the vector pleish-dom alone and with pIL-12 (expressing murine IL-12) to raise protective cytokines and parasite burden was evaluated in the BALB/c mice as a susceptible animal model against L. major. Results The immunized mice with pleish-dom/pIL-12 showed the highest and the lowest levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), as well as the lowest leishmanin skin test (LST) reactions, were found through 8 weeks post-infection. Conclusion Although the obtained DNA vaccine from the immunogenic chimeric protein of L. major antigens was able to induce a high level of IFN-γ, it partially protected mice against L. major. However co-administration with pIL-12 led to shift immune response to Th1 phenotype, granuloma formation, and lowered parasite burden, and consequently distinct protection was found.Objectives Aspiration is a common cause of acute lung injury (ALI), which lacks an effective treatment. Inflammation and oxidative stress play key roles in ALI development. Silymarin is an active extract of Silybum marianum plant seeds (milk thistle). Silymarin has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects; however its role in aspiration induced ALI has not been investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of silymarin in the treatment of hydrochloric acid (HCl) aspiration induced ALI and explores its mechanisms of action. Materials and Methods The study included three groups of rats Control non-treated group, ALI group (intra-tracheal HCl injected), and silymarin treated ALI group. White blood cells (WBCs) with differential count, oxidative stress parameters, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were investigated. Lung tissue histopathology and immunohistochemical expression of survivin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were also examined. Results The results of the study showed that HCL caused histopathological changes in ALI with leukocytopenia and increased oxidative stress biomarkers. link3 It increased TGF-β, up-regulated mRNA expression of COX-2, Nrf-2, and HO-1 and increased survivin and PCNA but decreased Bcl-2. Silymarin ameliorated the histopathological lung injury with further up-regulation of Nrf-2 and HO-1 mRNA and decreased the inflammatory and fibrotic parameters together with up-regulation of the anti-apoptotic and the proliferation parameters. Conclusion The protective effect of silymarin against ALI is mediated by Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway with subsequent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and proliferating activities.Objectives Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, causes weight gain and metabolic disorders in humans. Safranal, one of the active components of Crocus sativus (saffron), has been shown to have anti-obesity, lipid and blood pressure lowering and anti-diabetes effects. In this investigation, the effect of safranal on metabolic disorders induced by olanzapine was studied. Materials and Methods Fourty-two female Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups of 6 animals. The two groups were selected as controls, which received olanzapine and safranal solvents, respectively. The third group treated by olanzapine 5 mg/kg. Groups 4, 5 and 6 treated by olanzapine 5 mg/kg plus safranal (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and the last group received safranal 10 mg/kg. The injections were performed intraperitoneally for 14 days and on the 15th day the rats were killed and their serum were collected to measure metabolic factors including glucose, insulin, triglyceride, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Leptin level in plasma was also measured. Mean systolic blood pressure was measured using tail cuff method at the end of study. The rats were weighed every other day and amount of food consumed was measured daily. Results Olanzapine significantly elevated body weight, food intake, fasting blood glucose, TG, leptin, and mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP). It also significantly decreased HDL cholesterol blood level. Safranal significantly improved all these complications at three doses. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, safranal is thought to be used as an effective combination in controlling metabolic complications caused by olanzapine.Objectives This research is to study the influences of different concentrations of simvastatin on the biological activities of nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NPMSC). Materials and Methods NPMSC were cultured with different concentrations of simvastatin (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μM) and assessed to determine the possible effects of simvastatin. The cell proliferation was assessed with CCK-8 assay. The flowcytometry and multilineage differentiation were also performed to identify the stem characterization of the cells. The mRNA expressions of aggrecan, collagen type II, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were determined by qRT-PCR. Results The results demonstrated that the cells isolated from nucleus pulposus of healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat met the criteria of MSC. NPMSC could form sunflower-like colonies and strongly expressed stem cell-related genes. In addition, NPMSC showed strong ability of chondrogenic, adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation. Simvastatin at certain range concentrations (0.01 μM-0.1 μM)) significantly promoted colony-forming rate and cell proliferation, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Simvastatin could promote expressions of aggrecan, collagen type II, HIF-1α, VEGF and GLUT-1, while 0.1 μmol/l concentration reached the maximum effect. Our study further demonstrated that HIF-1α-intermediated signaling pathway might participate in regulating the biological activities of NPMSC. Conclusion Proper concentration of simvastatin can promote the biological behavior of NPMSC, and HIF-1α-intermediated signaling pathway might participate in the mechanism.Objectives Kisspeptin and opioids are important factors for controlling GnRH/LH secretion. In present study, influences of kisspeptin or morphine were investigated on 5α- reductase or aromatase (CYP19) genes expression in the hypothalamus, testis and liver. It aimed to investigate whether kisspeptin pathway may control morphine effects on plasma concentration of testosterone. Materials and Methods Twenty adult male rats in four groups received saline/saline, kisspeptin (1 nmol)/saline, morphine (5 mg/kg)/saline or kisspeptin/morphine respectively. Mean relative 5α-reductase and aromatase mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR. Results Morphine/saline injection increased significantly mean relative mRNA levels of hypothalamic 5α-reductase or aromatase compared to saline/saline. While morphine/saline did not alter mRNA levels of them compared to saline/saline group in the testis and liver. Kisspeptin/saline did not significantly decrease mean relative 5α-reductase or aromatase genes expression compared to saline/saline group in the hypothalamus, testis and liver.