The relationship between good governance, social support, and perceived discrimination with mental health through the mediation role of quality of life: a cross-sectional path analysis in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Recognizing the established link between social determinants of health, such as social support, good governance, and perceived discrimination, and individual mental health, this study aims to delve deeper into the specific relationships within the Iranian adult population. It seeks to elucidate the potential mediating role of quality of life in the association between mental health disorders (MHDs) and these social factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study employed path analysis to investigate the relationships between social determinants of health and MHDs among 725 Iranian adults in Tabriz, Northwest Iran. Data collection occurred between March and September 2022, utilizing a multi-stage and cluster sampling approach. Good governance, social support, perceived discrimination, MHDs, and quality of life were assessed using valid questionnaires. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS-24 and Lisrel-8 software, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: This study found that nearly 70.0% of the participants reported experiencing mental health problems. The path analysis showed that good governance had a significant indirect and negative effect on MHDs via quality of life (ß = -0.05; P < 0.05). Major racial discrimination had a positive relationship in the direct and indirect paths (ß = 0.24; P < 0.01). While, social support was a directly and indirectly significant predictor of decreased MHDs (ß = -0.17, p < 0.01). Furthermore, quality of life had a negative relationship on the indirect path with MHDs (ß = -0.24, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a significant burden of mental health issues among Iranian adults. It highlights the crucial role of social factors like good governance, social support, and perceived discrimination in shaping mental health through their impact on quality of life. Consequently, addressing these factors through improved governance, strengthened social support systems, and active efforts to reduce discrimination is essential for promoting mental well-being.

Health care staff support for mothers in NICU: a focused ethnography study.

BACKGROUND: Mothers of premature newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have complex needs and require a significant amount of support during the NICU admission. However, little is known about mothers' support needs in the NICU. This study aimed to explore health care staff and mothers' experiences of meeting the mothers support needs in the NICU. This study aimed to explore health care staff and mothers' experiences of meeting the mothers' support needs in the NICU. METHODS: A focused ethnographic approach was adopted. Observations and interviews with 21 mothers, 18 nurses, and five physicians were undertaken over a seven months period. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using the Roper and Shapira (2000) five-step framework. RESULT: Two main themes of "insufficient provision of the mothers' support needs" (subthemes: inadequate accompany of the mothers in care, assigning monitoring and care to the mothers, inadequate sharing of medical the information) and "supporting the mothers in certain circumstances" (subthemes: reassuring the mothers, supporting the mothers with reduced functional capacity, providing information) were obtained. CONCLUSION: The mothers experienced a gap between expected and actual support provided by health care staff. Although, the health care staff believed that mothers' support was a necessity, it was not their main concerns, and they considered workload as a barrier for the mothers support in the NICU.

Mutual trust in infant care: the nurses and mothers experiences.

The relationship between healthcare providers and parents of infants in neonatal intensive care unit is based on trust and constitutes a core measure of family-centred care and health. The aim of the present qualitative study was to explore mothers and nurses experiences of trust in one another around the caregiving of the hospitalised infant in intensive neonatal care unit. Focused ethnographic research study conducted through observations and in-depth interviews with 20 mothers and 16 nurses in NICU of Tabriz (Iran) in 2017. Two main themes of 'gradual and fragile trust of mother-to-nurse' (subthemes: Primary trust-mistrust, mother's trust to responsible nurse, mother trust Increase with skilful nurse performance, and vulnerability to trust) and 'gradual and fragile trust of nurse-to-mother' (subthemes: Nurse's initial assessment of trust to mother's readiness to participate, Development of trust to mother, and vulnerability of nurse's trust to mother) were obtained. The present study revealed that mutual trust between the nurse and the mother in the care of the infant was a gradual and progressive process that was achieved over time. Complexities around the care of a hospitalised infant influenced how fragile or vulnerable the trust became between nurse and mother. Findings from this research can be used in supporting increased maternal participation in infant care and improvement of family-centred care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Mothers' Emotional Experiences Providing Care for Their Infants Within the Culture of an Iranian Neonatal Unit.

BACKGROUND: Each year, 5% to 8% of Iranian newborns require care in a neonatal unit (NU). Reasons for admission include prematurity, infection, and congenital anomalies. Little research has been conducted on the culture of Iranian NUs and the impact this has on mothers' emotional caregiving experiences. PURPOSE: To explore the emotional caregiving experiences of mothers in an Iranian NU. METHODS: Focused ethnography was used for this study. Mothers (n = 19) of term and preterm infants participated. Data were collected using observations and interviews. Roper and Shapira's 5-step framework was used to analyze the data. FINDINGS: Four major themes emerged: (a) fear, (b) loneliness, (c) competence, and (d) pleasure. Fear occurred when mothers felt unprepared to care for their infants. They were afraid of harming their infant or repeating previous mistakes. Loneliness consisted of bearing the burden of care while feeling alone. Competence occurred when the mothers experienced an increasing ability to provide care for their infants and a growing self-confidence. Finally, the mothers described pleasure as they began to feel worthiness as mothers and intense love for their infants. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The sense of fear and loneliness shared by these mothers has significant implications for practice. While it may be a challenge for nurses to provide adequate support for mothers due to the heavy workload of Iranian NUs, close relatives and other support persons may play a key role. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Future research should be conducted on the impact of maternal support on mothers' NU experiences in Iran.

Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma of the Orbit Attached to the Optic Nerve.

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MCS) is a rare tumor in the orbit. Although optic nerve displacement is a common finding in intraorbital MCS, optic nerve tissue involvement in tumor has rarely been reported in huge tumors associated with intracranial extension. Herein the authors report a patient with MCS involving optic nerve tissue without intracranial extension. A 59-year-old woman with a 2-month history of progressive proptosis and normal vision presented to us. Computed tomography revealed a clearly outlined heterogeneous mass with calcified foci in its center, which was attached to the optic nerve, magnetic resonance imaging showed the mass to be isointense to gray matter on T1- and T2-weighted images. She underwent lateral orbitotomy and partial tumor excision. Histopathologic study confirmed MCS. She refused exenteration till 1 year but the tumor recurred and her vision decreased to no light perception. Then exenteration was performed with obtaining free margin and she is now free of tumor after 6 months without radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma must be differentiated from more common calcified tumors attached to optic nerve like meningioma.

Investigating the Association between Angiogenic Cytokines and Corneal Neovascularization in Sulfur Mustard Intoxicated Subjects 26 Years after Exposure.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the concentrations of three major angiogenic cytokines-vascular endothelial growth factor-A165 (VEGF-A165), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-in the tear of sulfur mustard (SM)-exposed subjects and corneal neovascularization (CNV) 26 years after exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The concentrations of VEGF-A, bFGF, and PDGF-BB were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in reflex tears of (i) SM-injured patients with CNV (positive case group including 18 individuals) and (ii) SM-injured patients without CNV (negative case group including 22 individuals). Then results were compared to corresponding values obtained from tears of 40 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of all investigated growth factors, VEGF-A165, bFGF, and PDGF-BB, were significantly higher in positive cases than controls (P ≤ 0.001, P = 0.028, and P = 0.041, respectively). Whereas, VEGF-A165 was the only growth factor which displayed significantly elevated concentrations in negative case group compared to the healthy individuals (P = 0.030). Additionally, the mean level of VEGF-A165 was also higher in positive patient group than negative patients (P = 0.022). Subjects with increased concentrations of tear VEGF-A165 were more than 10 times more likely to suffer from CNV than normal individuals (odds ratio (OR) = 10.43, confidence interval (CI): 2.14-38.46, P = 0.001), while elevated levels of bFGF and PDGF-BB increased the risk of CNV by about twofold. CONCLUSION: Although all investigated cytokines had increased in tears of positive patients, VEGF-A was the only one which showed a significant correlation with the severity of CNV, and thus played a crucial role in corneal angiogenesis.

Impact of polyvinyl chloride microplastic and paraquat herbicide on the blood cells, biochemical parameters, liver enzymes and morphological changes of aqueduct fish.

In recent years, the surge in plastic production has led to pervasive pollution across all environments, earning us the title of inhabiting a "plastic world." Consequently, this research endeavors to explore alterations in biochemical parameters, liver enzymes, and tissue integrity within the gills, intestines, and liver of black fish subjected to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics and paraquat herbicide, both individually and in combination. For this purpose, we allocated 90 blackfish specimens into 9 groups consisting of 10 individuals each through random selection. Following a period of 28 days, we carried out an assessment to investigate the toxic effects of PVC and paraquat, both separately and in combination. Subsequently, The results indicate that the number of red blood cells (RBCs, millions/mm3) in all studied groups (Group G: 3.6 ± 0.18; Group H: 3.5 ± 0.17; and Group I: 3.2 ± 0.16) is significanly lower than the control group (Pvalue<0.05). The glucose levels in all studied groups (Group B: 47 ± 5.12; Group C: 48 ± 3.79; Group D: 51 ± 4.14; Group E: 48 ± 5.37; Group F: 53 ± 7.48; Group G: 53 ± 9.24; Group H: 58 ± 10.43; and Group I: 61 ± 8.71) are higher than the control group (46 ± 3.71). The results indicate that the levels of AST enzyme in all studied groups (group B: 30 ± 0.17; group C: 32 ± 1.61; group D: 34 ± 1.92; group E: 33 ± 1.17; group F: 38 ± 2.27; group G: 38 ± 1.71; group H: 43 ± 2.15; and group I: 46 ± 2.33). Groups F, G, H, and I exhibit significantly higher levels of AST enzyme compared to the control group, with a p-value<0.05. Morphological changes observed in erythrocytes include deformation and cell vacuolation. The maximum amount of changes in the morphology of erythrocytes occurs when black fish is exposed to 2 mg/L of PVC and 0.4 mg/L of paraquat (group I). The histological harm caused by the combination of PVC and paraquat is significant. Findings indicate that increasing the concentration of both microplastics and paraquat enhances their toxicity when combined. Consequently, it's imperative to assess the toxic impact of microplastics (MPs) and paraquat individually, as well as in combination, on aquatic organisms to safeguard them from the detrimental effects of these substances.

The impact of Dimethyl itaconate on c-Fos expression in the spinal cord in experimental pain models.

Itaconate has been found to have potent anti-inflammatory effects and is being explored as a potential treatment for inflammatory diseases. However, its ability to relieve nociception and the mechanisms behind it are not yet understood. Our research aims to investigate the nociception-relieving properties of dimethyl itaconate (DMI) in the formalin test and writhing test. In male Wistar rats, Itaconic acid was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). The formalin test and writhing test were conducted to determine the nociceptive behaviors. The spinal cords were removed from the rats and analyzed for c-fos protein expression. The study found that administering DMI 10 and 20 mg/kg reduced nociception in formalin and writhing tests. Injection of formalin into the periphery of the body led to an increase in the expression of c-fos in the spinal cord, which was alleviated by DMI 20 mg/kg. Similarly, acetic acid injection into the peritoneal cavity caused an increase in c-fos expression in the spinal cord, which was then reduced by 20 mg/kg. According to our findings, DMI reduced nociception in rats during the formalin and writhing tests. One possible explanation for this outcome is that the decrease in c-fos protein expression may be attributed to the presence of DMI.

The landscape of non-coding RNAs in the immunopathogenesis of Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a complex disorder that is characterized by the abnormal growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. It is associated with chronic inflammation, severe pelvic pain, infertility, and significantly reduced quality of life. Although the exact mechanism of endometriosis remains unknown, inflammation and altered immunity are considered key factors in the immunopathogenesis of the disorder. Disturbances of immune responses result in reduced clearance of regurgitated endometrial cells, which elicits oxidative stress and progression of inflammation. Proinflammatory mediators could affect immune cells' recruitment, fate, and function. Reciprocally, the activation of immune cells can promote inflammation. Aberrant expression of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in patient and animal lesions could be suggestive of their role in endometriosis establishment. The engagement of these RNAs in regulating diverse biological processes, including inflammatory responses and activation of inflammasomes, altered immunity, cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis are widespread and far-reaching. Therefore, ncRNAs can be identified as a determining candidate regulating the inflammatory responses and immune system. This review aims in addition to predict the role of ncRNAs in the immunopathogenesis of endometriosis through regulating inflammation and altered immunity based on previous studies, it presents a comprehensive view of inflammation role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Postmenopausal women's usage of complementary and alternative medicine and its relationship to sexual function: A cross-sectional study in southeastern Iran.

Background and Aims: Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common problems in postmenopausal women that affect their lives. Due to the widespread disadvantages and age limit of drug and hormone therapy, the demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods has increased. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study. A total of 297 postmenopausal women who were referred to health centers in Kerman, southeastern Iran, were selected during the years 2020-2021. The use of CAM and sexual function were examined by Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index, respectively. Data were collected through a combination of face-to-face and online forms. Results: More than half of the participants used at least one type of CAM in the preceding year for any general reason. The mean satisfaction score for CAM use was 21.7 ± 5.84; Most reasons of use were for improving quality of life, improving physical function, reducing sleep disorders, improving mood status, reducing vasomotor symptom, and improving sexual function, respectively. Most reasons of use were related to sexual dysfunction. Specifically, the mean score for sexual function was 17.96 ± 7.50 which was lower than the scale's midpoint of 28. According to different subscales of sexual function, 52.9% of participants had good desire, 49.5% good arousal, 34.7% good lubrication, 56.9% good orgasm, and 2% had no pain, and 52.5% were satisfied with their sexual function. There were no significant differences between CAM users and nonusers about sexual functions and all its subscales. Conclusion: There were no significant differences between CAM users and nonusers about sexual functions and all its domains. Further research in different communities with different health systems is recommended to investigate the relationship between CAM and sexual function among postmenopausal women.