Healthy lifestyle during pregnancy: Uncovering the role of online health information seeking experience.

In the new era, many people seek their health-related information through the Internet due to the increasing access to this technology. Searching online health information can affect the health behavior. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between online health information-seeking behavior and a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy in a sample of Iranian pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women admitted to health centers of Eghlid city, Fars province, Iran in 2019. A total of 193 women participated in the study. The required data were gathered using two validated questionnaires to measure the online health information-seeking behavior and the healthy lifestyle practices of the participants. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient using SPSS version 22. Online health information experience and its subscales showed no statistical correlation with a healthy lifestyle. Age and education did not correlate with online health information-seeking behavior. Age had a statistical correlation with a healthy lifestyle, but education had the same correlation only with some subscales of a healthy lifestyle. The findings were surprising, suggesting that online health information-seeking behavior does not affect the lifestyle of pregnant women. These finding and probable explanations are discussed, but due to the limited literature on the subject, further studies are recommended to be conducted.

Investigation of the Physicochemical Properties of Vegetable Oils Blended with Sesame Oil and Their Oxidative Stability during Frying.

To investigate the antioxidant activity and physicochemical properties of oil, sunflower (SFO) and corn oil (CO) and their combinations with sesame oil (SO) were prepared. The analyses of fatty acid composition (GC-FID), oxidative stability index (Rancimat), smoke point, and antioxidant activity (DPPH) were done on oil samples. Then, the frying process in presence of potato chips was done for 3 days at 180°C. Oil samples were gathered after each frying cycle and chemical analysis (peroxide value, free fatty acid, p-anisidine value, TOTOX, total polar content, TBARS, and conjugated diene and triene) was measured. The major fatty acid composition of oil samples was linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. The OSI of oil samples was reported as CSO > SSO > SO > CO > SFO. The smoke point of all samples was in the standard limit. The SFO with 266.50°C had the highest smoke point. The antioxidant activity of samples was reported as SO > CSO > CO > SSO > SFO. The IC50 of SO was 52.17 mg/g which was higher than other samples. The result of frying indicated that prolonged heating process would increase the thermal oxidation. It was shown that oils blended with SO had good stability during deep frying. Therefore, blending oil with SO is considered as an economic approach to improve the oil oxidation stability.

Rapid four-component synthesis of dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles using nano-eggshell/Ti(IV) as a highly compatible natural based catalyst.

Nano-eggshell/Ti(IV) as a novel naturally based catalyst was prepared, characterized and applied for the synthesis of dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole derivatives. The characterization of nano-eggshell/Ti(IV) was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis. Dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles were synthesized in the presence of nano-eggshell/Ti(IV) via a four component reaction of aldehydes, ethyl acetoacetate, malononitrile and hydrazine hydrate at room temperature under solvent free conditions. The principal affairs of this procedure are mild condition, short reaction times, easy work-up, high yields, reusability of the catalyst and the absence of toxic organic solvents.

The Correlation of Online Health Information-Seeking Experience With Health-Related Quality of Life: Cross-Sectional Study Among Non-English-Speaking Female Students in a Religious Community.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing availability of the internet, it has become a common source of health information. However, the effect of this increased access on health needs to be further studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between online health information-seeking behavior and general health dimensions in a sample of high school students in Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. A total of 295 female students participated in the study. The data were collected using two validated questionnaires: the e-Health Impact Questionnaire and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp). RESULTS: The participants moderately used online information in their health-related decisions, and they thought that the internet helped people in health-related decision making. They also thought that the internet could be used to share health experiences with others. Participants had moderate confidence in online health information and stated that the information provided by health websites was moderately understandable and reliable and moderately encouraged and motivated them to play an active role in their health promotion. Nevertheless, the results showed that online health information-seeking experience had no significant correlation with health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the effect of using internet information on the health of adolescents. It has important implications for researchers and policy makers to build appropriate policies to maximize the benefit of internet access for health.

The relationship of indoor radon gas concentration with multiple sclerosis: a case-control study.

This case-control study aimed to investigate the relationship of indoor radon gas concentration and residential building characteristics with mental health with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Yazd City, Iran. The participants included 45 patients with MS and 100 healthy individuals. The participants' socio-economic status and residential building characteristics were investigated using a questionnaire. The radon gas concentration was also measured by CR-39 detectors over a 6-month period. Furthermore, the participants' mental health data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The mean concentrations of radon gas were 66.77 and 65.33 Bq/m3 in the homes of patients with MS and healthy individuals, respectively, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.882). However, the radon gas concentration had a significant relationship with the building's age (p = 0.038), ventilation (p = 0.053), and cooling system (p = 0.021). A significant difference was observed between the two study groups in terms of the mental health (p = 0.018), depression (p = 0.037), somatic symptoms (p ≤ 0.001), and physical activity (p = 0.030). Since the indoor radon gas concentration did not have any significant relationship with MS prevalence, more studies are required in this regard, especially in long-term exposure.

Prevalence and genotyping identification of Cryptosporidium in adult ruminants in central Iran.

BACKGROUND: Apicomplexan parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium infect a wide range of animal species as well as humans. Cryptosporidium spp. can cause life threatening diarrhea especially in young animals, children, immunocompromised patients and malnourished individuals. Asymptomatic cryptosporidial infections in animals can also occur, making these animals potential reservoirs of infection. METHODS: In the present study, a molecular survey of Cryptosporidium spp. in ruminants that were slaughtered for human consumption in Yazd Province, located in central Iran was conducted. Faeces were collected per-rectum from 484 animals including 192 cattle, 192 sheep and 100 goats. DNA was extracted from all samples and screened for Cryptosporidium by PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA gene. Positives were Sanger sequenced and further subtyped by sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) locus. RESULTS: In total, Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 22 animals: C. andersoni and C. bovis in seven and two cattle faecal samples, respectively, C. ubiquitum in five sheep, and C. xiaoi in six sheep and two goat samples, respectively. To our knowledge, this study provides for the first time, molecular information concerning Cryptosporidium species infecting goats in Iran, and is also the first report of C. ubiquitum and C. xiaoi from ruminants in Iran. CONCLUSION: The presence of potentially zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium in ruminants in this region may suggest that livestock could potentially contribute to human cryptosporidiosis, in particular among farmers and slaughterhouse workers, in the area. Further molecular studies on local human populations are required to more accurately understand the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium spp. in this region.

Molecular typing of Giardia duodenalis in cattle, sheep and goats in an arid area of central Iran.

Giardia duodenalis is one of the most common intestinal parasites in humans as well as livestock and wildlife. It is of both public and veterinary health importance in developing nations. A molecular survey of Giardia duodenalis assemblages in ruminants from Yazd Province, Iran was conducted on 484 animal faecal samples collected per rectum from slaughtered ruminants including 192 cattle, 192 sheep and 100 goats from June to November 2017. Species-specific and assemblage-specific PCRs for assemblages A, B and E at the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene were performed, and samples positive for Giardia were confirmed by sequencing. In total, 25 (5.16%) of examined faecal samples including eight cattle (4.2%), twelve sheep (6.2%) and five goats (5%) were infected with G. duodenalis. Assemblage-specific PCR detected G. duodenalis assemblage E in seven faecal samples (six in sheep and one in a goat). Assemblages A and B were not detected. This study provides the first insight into Giardia infection in slaughtered livestock in Iran. Although the prevalence of infection with Giardia in this hot-arid area of Iran was low, educating people about direct contact with livestock such as farmers and abattoirs workers about this zoonotic infection is important.

Iranian nurses' perception of patient safety culture.

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, patient safety has become a high priority health system issue, due to the high potential of occurring adverse events in health facilities. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to survey patient safety culture in 2 Iranian educational hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a descriptive, cross-sectional survey, a hospital survey on patient safety culture, was used in two teaching hospitals in Yazd, Iran during 2012. Study population was comprised of the same hospitals' nurses. Stratified-random sampling method was used and distributed among a total of 340 randomly-selected nurses from different units. From all distributed questionnaires, 302 ones were answered completely and afterwards analyzed using SPSS 17. Dimensional- and item-level positive scores were used for results reporting. Additionally descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), independent sample t-test and ANOVA were sued for data analyzing. RESULTS: Research findings demonstrated that both hospitals had low to average scores in all dimensions of patient safety culture. Non-punitive response to error, staffing and frequency of events reported had the lowest positive scores of patient safety dimensions with scores 15.26, 19.26, 16.65, 30 and 32.87, 31.10 respectively in Shahid Sadoughi and Shahid Rahnemoon Hospitals. Also only 29.20 and 28.80 percent of nurses in Shahid Sadoughi and Shahid Rahnemoon Hospitals, respectively, evaluated the patient safety grade of their hospital as "excellent" and "very good". Indeed, the studied hospitals had a statistical difference in 3 dimensions of patient safety culture (frequency of events reported, organizational learning and staffing). (P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study results were indicating of the challenge of weak patient safety culture, in educational hospitals. Therefore, the issue should be integrated to all policy makers and managerial initiatives in our health system, as a top priority.