The effects of resistance training and spirulina on the performance of the antioxidant system with emphasis on mir125b, mir146a and cognitive function in stanazolol-induced neurotoxicity in rats.

Abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is associated with neurological and cognitive problems in athletes. The Purpose of this study was to investigate the simultaneous effect of resistance training (RT) and spirulina supplementation (Sp) on the function of the antioxidant system with emphasis on mir125b, mir146a and cognitive function in Stanazolol (S)-induced neurotoxicity in rats. This experimental animal model study was performed with a post-test design with a control group. 45 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups of 9 animals including (Althobaiti et al., 2022) [1]: sham (Sh/normal saline intake) (Havnes et al., 2019) [2], 25 mg/kg/wk of stanazolol (S) (Albano et al., 2021) [3], S + 100 mg/kg of Sp + (S + Sp) (Bjørnebekk et al., 2021) [4], RT (six weeks with an intensity of 50-100% of body weight) + S (S + RT) (Kanayama et al., 2013) [5] S + Sp + RT. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), percentage of healthy cells in the C1 and C3 regions of hippocampus, miR125b, miR146a, step-through latency (STL), time spent in dark compartment (TDC), repeated entry in dark compartment (RDC) and percentage of alternation (PA%) were measured in the post-test. Results showed that the Sp, RT and SP + RT increased levels of SOD, GPx and percentage of healthy cells in C1 region, decreased MDA, mir125b, mir146a in hippocampal tissue and decreased TDC levels in S-exposed rats (P ≤ 0.05). Sp + RT decreased RDC and increased SOD levels; on the other hand, RT decreased RDC levels in S-exposed rats (P ≤ 0.05). Levels of TAC in the Sp groups were significantly higher than the S group (P ≤ 0.05). Also, the effect of Sp + RT in reducing miR125b, miR146a, and STL levels was much higher than the effect of Sp and RT alone (P ≤ 0.05). It seems that applying resistance training and spirulina supplementation both separately and interactively is effective in improving the antioxidant system as well as memory and learning in cognitive impairment caused by stanazolol. However, more studies on microRNAs are needed.

Designing a blended training program and its effects on clinical practice and clinical reasoning in midwifery students.

INTRODUCTION: Proper empowerment of medical students in encounter with the complexities of the clinical environment is one of the requirements for health services. In this regard, the development of problem-solving skills, critical thinking is essential for medical education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of designing a blended training program on the practice and clinical reasoning of midwifery students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a quasi-experimental study with control group, 41 undergraduate midwifery students were randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups by four blocking. In the first group, the 15-h workshop was held in the traditional teaching method and in the second group in the blended method, about three emergency aspects of midwifery. Data were collected and analyzed through objective structured clinical examination and clinical assessment evaluation before and after the educational intervention. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation of the age of participants were 23.54 ± 2.19 years. The mean score of clinical practice before the beginning of the study in the integrated training group was 16.68 ± 5.49 and at the end of the study was increased to 35.75 ± 4.54, which was significant between the two groups (P = 0.035). The clinical reasoning score was changed at the beginning of the study in the blended training group of 6.77 ± 3.57 and at the end of the intervention was 11.58 ± 2.83. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.81). CONCLUSION: The results showed that the use of blended methods in comparison with conventional education can improve clinical practice, but the improvement of students' ability in clinical reasoning requires more effort.

Meaning of well-being among Iranian women: A phenomenological descriptive approach.

BACKGROUND: Well-being is a subjective concept and means different things to various people. Most of the research investigating the experience has concentrated on its problematic and pathological aspects. The aim of this research was to enhance the understanding of the contextual meaning of well-being based on personal life experiences of the participants. This will be of help to experts in the field of health for monitoring, diagnosis, nursing, treatment, and rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was conducted by utilizing the Husserlian approach which involves direct exploration analysis and the description of a particular phenomenon. Data were collected by conducting unstructured, in-depth interviews of 20 Iranian young and middle-aged women. Analysis was conducted using the Colaizzi's methodology. RESULTS: The general meaning of the phenomenon, well-being, is understood as having the feeling of peace in life by the participants in this study. Well-being was identified by six major themes, including enjoying and being satisfied with life, the feeling of belonging together (or relating to others), the feeling of being healthy, the feeling of a relationship with God, to be able to afford what one needs to buy, and life as a whole (interconnection between different aspects of a person's life). CONCLUSIONS: Well-being as a feeling of peace in life can originate from both hedonic and eudemonic perspectives. A person's state of satisfaction in different aspects of her life can lead to the experience of well-being. All these aspects should be taken into account when health practitioners plan to promote the state of well-being among people.