Association of glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations with structural and functional brain changes in the normoglycemic population: A systematic review.

Optimal glucose control is crucial for maintaining brain health and preventing metabolic and cognitive disorders in the general population. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) serves as a key marker for assessing glucose intolerance and its impact on brain structure and function in healthy individuals. However, existing literature presents conflicting findings, necessitating a systematic review to consolidate current knowledge in this domain. This systematic review examines 26 English-language studies involving participants aged 15 years and above, investigating the relationship between HbA1c levels and brain health. Studies focusing on normal/general populations and utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the imaging modality were included. Exclusion criteria encompassed review articles, abstracts, letters, animal studies, and research involving neuropsychiatric or metabolic diseases. Data were gathered from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to November 2023. Analysis reveals significant associations between HbA1c levels and various brain metrics, including volume, cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, activity, and connectivity. However, findings exhibit inconsistency, likely attributed to disparities in sample characteristics and study sizes. Notably, hippocampal volume, white matter hyperintensity, and ventral attention network connectivity emerge as frequently affected structures and functions, mirroring trends observed in diabetic populations. Despite inconclusive evidence, glucose intolerance appears to exert considerable influence on select brain structures and functions in individuals without diagnosed metabolic disorders. Understanding these associations is critical for mitigating the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in healthy populations. Future investigations should aim to elucidate the intricate relationship between HbA1c concentrations and brain health parameters in normoglycemic individuals.

Obese-friends club: a gamified virtual quasi-experiment for obesity control in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked concerns about weight management because of the changes in population lifestyle. As previous studies suggest, these changes can affect adolescents to a greater degree, especially as schools shut down. Designing a method for weight management that accounts for the specific conditions of the pandemic can help students attend to their physical conditions during the pandemic. Method: An online gamified peer pressure group on WhatsApp was employed to help 10th-grade boys in a high school in Tehran, Iran. The available sample consisted of 15 main group students and 13 control students. A paired t-test examined the difference between each group's initial and final state as well as the group's final state. Additionally, an ANCOVA test was done to ensure that the observed effect was because of the intervention. Results: The initial BMI for the intervention group (µ = 30.68, δ = 3.23) and the control group (µ = 29.73, δ = 3.23) were the same (p = 0.468). Two dropouts in the intervention group were found after forty days. A significant difference between the intervention group's steady and final states (p = 0.027) was detected; however, this difference was not significant in the control group (p = 0.634). Conclusion: Online gamified social groups can play a key role in adolescents' weight management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01340-z.

Treatment self-regulation questionnaire across three self-care behaviours: An instrument validation study in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIM: The study aimed at testing the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the treatment self-regulation questionnaire (TSRQ-15) across healthy diet, exercise and medication-use/glucose-monitoring among Iranian people with type-2 diabetes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design. METHODS: Content validity was investigated by 16 experts. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were employed. Construct validity, convergent/discriminant validity and internal consistency were examined. Concurrent validity was assessed using Spearman's rho correlation across different behaviours. RESULTS: Content validity was confirmed for Persian TSRQ-15. A three-factor structure was revealed, in which external regulation and introjected regulations were validated, while amotivation and autonomous failed to show discriminant validity. Internal consistency was sound, and concurrent validity was approved. The Persian version of TSRQ-15 was shown to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing motivation behind the practice of healthy diet, exercise and medication-use/glucose-monitoring in people with type 2 diabetes.

Policy options for strengthening evidence-informed health policy-making in Iran: overall SASHA project findings.

BACKGROUND: The institutionalization of evidence-informed health policy-making (EIHP) is complex and complicated. It is complex because it has many players and is complicated because its institutionalization will require many changes that will be challenging to make. Like many other issues, strengthening EIHP needs a road map, which should consider challenges and address them through effective, harmonized and contextualized strategies. This study aims to develop a road map for enhancing EIHP in Iran based on steps of planning. METHODS: This study consisted of three phases: (1) identifying barriers to EIHP, (2) recognizing interventions and (3) measuring the use of evidence in Iran's health policy-making. A set of activities was established for conducting these, including foresight, systematic review and policy dialogue, to identify the current and potential barriers for the first phase. For the second phase, an evidence synthesis was performed through a scoping review, by searching the websites of benchmark institutions which had good examples of EIHP practices in order to extract and identify interventions, and through eight policy dialogues and two broad opinion polls to contextualize the list of interventions. Simultaneously, two qualitative-quantitative studies were conducted to design and use a tool for assessing EIHP in the third phase. RESULTS: We identified 97 barriers to EIHP and categorized them into three groups, including 35 barriers on the "generation of evidence" (push side), 41 on the "use of evidence" (pull side) and 21 on the "interaction between these two" (exchange side). The list of 41 interventions identified through evidence synthesis and eight policy dialogues was reduced to 32 interventions after two expert opinion polling rounds. These interventions were classified into four main strategies for strengthening (1) the education and training system (6 interventions), (2) the incentives programmes (7 interventions), (3) the structure of policy support organizations (4 interventions) and (4) the enabling processes to support EIHP (15 interventions). CONCLUSION: The policy options developed in the study provide a comprehensive framework to chart a path for strengthening the country's EIHP considering both global practices and the context of Iran. It is recommended that operational plans be prepared for road map interventions, and the necessary resources provided for their implementation. The implementation of the road map will require attention to the principles of good governance, with a focus on transparency and accountability. Video abstract.

Investigating capacities and barriers of Iranian medical universities in developing entrepreneurship in terms of educational experts: A content analysis study.

Background: Entrepreneurship leads to an increase in national income by creating new jobs and plays a role as a positive factor in economic growth by serving as a bridge between innovation and the market. The aim of this study was to identify the capacity and barriers existing in the medical universities of Iran to develop entrepreneurship from the viewpoint of some of the officials and academic experts. Methods: This qualitative, descriptive-analytic study was conducted to explore threats and opportunities in educational entrepreneurship at medical universities. The sample consists of medical universities' deputies of education across the country, attending the national meeting of education deputies. A questionnaire containing 10 open questions was tailored and given to the participants. After returning the questionnaires, the responses were evaluated using the content analysis method. Results: The issues related to the strengths of the medical universities in entrepreneurship development can be summarized in 3 categories: human factors, organizational and infrastructure factors, and technical and technological factors. With regard to the existing weaknesses while developing entrepreneurship in the context of medical universities, there are 3 general categories: education and research barriers, state-legal-political, and economic-managerial shortcomings. The barriers to entrepreneurship development among medical graduates can be categorized in 4 groups, including education and information, cultural and social factors, financial barriers as well as structural and infrastructural drawback. Conclusion: The most important movement toward entrepreneurship development in medical universities could be making structural revisions in transforming into third-generation universities. This important issue is being pursued and implemented by the government in the form of Plan for Development and Innovation in Medical Education.

Value-based eating habits; exploring religio-cultural nutritional behavior norms.

PURPOSE: Defining a standard norm is critical in nutritional cognitive-behavioral interventions. These norms can be derived from a statistical or value-based point of view. Religion and subsequent cultural values can have significant effects on social behaviors, especially on eating habits. In this study, the authors quantify the presence of religio-cultural nutritional behavior norms in Abrahamic scriptures. METHODS: Qualitative content analysis and descriptive analysis were applied to these texts to provide a better understanding of the subject. RESULTS: The extracted norms were categorized into nine main behavioral domains, and most of the observed value-based norms were in agreement with previous experimental researches. CONCLUSION: There is strong emphasis on nutritional habits in value-based religio-cultural sources. The use of these norms in later policies and practices is advised. This approach can lead to healthier nutritional choices and a decrease in non-communicable diseases.

Policy options to increase motivation for improving evidence-informed health policy-making in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Current incentive programmes are not sufficient to motivate researchers and policy-makers to use research evidence in policy-making. We conducted a mixed-methods design to identify context-based policy options for strengthening motivations among health researchers and policy-makers to support evidence-informed health policy-making (EIHP) in Iran. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2019 in two phases. In the first phase, we conducted a scoping review to extract interventions implemented or proposed to strengthen motivations to support EIHP. Additionally, we employed a comparative case study design for reviewing the performance evaluation (PE) processes in Iran and other selected countries to determine the current individual and organizational incentives to encourage EIHP. In the second phase, we developed two policy briefs and then convened two policy dialogues, with 12 and 8 key informants, respectively, where the briefs were discussed. Data were analysed using manifest content analysis in order to propose contextualized policy options. RESULTS: The policy options identified to motivate health researchers and policy-makers to support EIHP in Iran were: revising the criteria of academic PE; designing appropriate incentive programmes for nonacademic researchers; developing an indicator for the evaluation of research impact on policy-making or health outcomes; revising the current policies of scientific journals; revising existing funding mechanisms; presenting the knowledge translation plan when submitting a research proposal, as a mandatory condition; encouraging and supporting mechanisms for increasing interactions between policy-makers and researchers; and revising some administrative processes (e.g. managers and staff PEs; selection, appointment, and changing managers and reward mechanisms). CONCLUSIONS: The current individual or organizational incentives are mainly focused on publications, rather than encouraging researchers and policy-makers to support EIHP. Relying more on incentives that consider the other impacts of research (e.g. impacts on health system and policy, or health outcomes) is recommended. These incentives may encourage individuals and organizations to be more involved in conducting research evidence, resulting in promoting EIHP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NA.

Comparison of Behavioral Concerns Priorities among Iranian Adolescent Boys, Parents and Teachers: Reporting the Results of a Modified Delphi.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a time of risks and opportunities. This study aimed to investigate and prioritize the behavioral concerns of male adolescents. METHODS: A modified Delphi study (2018-2019) was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, adolescents' behavioral concerns were extracted based on seven qualitative interviews and a focus group. Then, a questionnaire was designed using the obtained data; also, two-round consensus-building approach (rating and ranking) through surveys were conducted among 90students, teachers and parents covered by the Health Departments of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, who had been selected using a stratified cluster random sampling method. Qualitative content analysis was used in the first stage and descriptive statistics in the second stage to analyze the data. RESULTS: In the first stage, eight categories emerged, including relational challenges with parents and other adults; poor interaction with peers; lack of adaptation to conditions; emotional dysregulation; self-esteem and sense of purposefulness issues; materialistic tendencies; cyberspace issues; and non-adherence to religious beliefs. Then 63 behavioral concerns were identified. In each round (rating/ranking), 29/27, 28/29, and 30/30, responses were received for students, parents and teachers, respectively. According to the specified scores given to different issues, ten top problems according to the viewpoint of different groups were extracted. CONCLUSION: "lack of planning and prioritization skill", "insufficient skill for controlling crisis", and "lack of resilience" are the most important priority for male adolescents, teachers and parents, respectively. These findings can be used for planning programs based on the adolescents' behavioral concerns.

"Playing with Little Behaviors"; Physical Activity Promotion by Gamified Education in Young Boys.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is affecting every aspect of our life. A sedentary lifestyle can be the risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCD) or premature death all over the world. Several studies demonstrate that school-based physical activity promotion is an important solution to make healthy behaviors, especially in children and adolescents. In this vein, the current research evaluates a model for physical activity, which is promoted through a game among high school students. METHODS: In this study, 47 high school's 10th-grade boys from Tehran were requited. The game scenario included the suggestion of some behaviors which can increase daily physical activity by each student, like or dislike each behavior by other students, counting likes, selecting the most-liked behaviors, and rewarding their proposers. After a week, the behavioral recall was assessed and compared with a control group who had been heard these behaviors in the class without gamification. RESULTS: The participants in the game could recall physical activity behaviors significantly more than peers in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show gamification could significantly improve the effectiveness of education for normal behaviors in physical activity.

Cognitive Impairments and Associated Structural Brain Changes in Metabolic Syndrome and Implications of Neurocognitive Intervention.

Currently, metabolic syndrome has become a global health problem. Alterations in neurocognitive functions among patients with metabolic syndrome are important issues in this disorder. In this paper, studies on metabolic syndrome were reviewed and their importance emphasized for the benefit of experts and policy makers. Metabolic syndrome activates inflammatory mediators that disrupt brain metabolism. These mediators can be activated by metabolic inflammation and microvascular disorders and may further cause damage to the white matter and impair cognitive function. These alterations can result in serious changes in cognitive abilities. The association between cognitive changes and metabolic syndrome has been independently evaluated in several studies. In addition, some areas of research in the field of metabolic syndrome include the effectiveness of neurocognitive interventions to enhance normal behaviors or reduce risky behaviors in patients. Structural brain correlates of health-related behaviors provide a basis for designing more effective behavioral interventions by identifying the corresponding brain regions and using behavioral interventions.

Factors Related to Behavioral Functioning in Mothers of Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Application of Transactional Model of Stress and Coping.

BACKGROUND: Having a child with diabetes creates a great deal of stress for mothers. The transactional model of stress and coping is one of the best conceptual frameworks for stressors. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate factors related to health promoting behaviors based on transactional model in mothers of children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: This study was conducted on 180 mothers of children with type 1 diabetes. The data was collected using a multi-sectional questionnaire including demographic characteristics and questions about the model constructs. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 19) and using statistical tests. RESULTS: The highest mean score was related to interpersonal relationships (13.8 ± 4.5) and the lowest was related to stress management (10.8 ± 4.2). Linear regression model showed that mother's education, information seeking, and social support had a positive effect, and primary appraisal and emotion-focused coping had a negative effect on the mother's health promotion behaviors. In the regression model R-square accounts for 53.7% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: The transactional model was an appropriate framework for explaining the coping outcomes in mothers of children with type 1 diabetes. By mothers' attempts to improve attitude about diabetes and reduce their vulnerability, training to use coping strategies, increasing information and inter-sectoral interventions for attracting sufficient support from patients' families can be hopeful in improving mothers' behavioral Functioning.

The impact of personality traits on medication adherence and self-care in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The moderating role of gender and age.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the role of the five-factor model of personality (FFM) and the moderating role of gender and age in predicting medication adherence (MA) and self-care behaviors (SCB) among Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This study was conducted on 495 patients with T2DM (73.5% female; n = 364) from two major cities of Iran (Tehran and Qom) in 2019. Pearson's correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, and conditional process analysis were performed. P < .05 and P < .10 were considered significant for the relationships and moderation analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Neuroticism indicated a negative association with MA and SCB. Positive associations were found between MA and personality traits, including extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, whereas extraversion showed a weak correlation with SCB. According to the covariate-adjusted regression model, neuroticism had a negative effect on MA and SCB. Agreeableness had a positive effect on MA and a negative effect on SCB. However, extraversion exerted a negative effect on MA and a positive effect on SCB. Also, the negative effect of neuroticism on MA was highlighted in women, indicating marginally significant moderation effect. The positive effects of extraversion and conscientiousness on MA were moderated by age. The effect of conscientiousness on SCB was positive in young patients and negative in old patients. No interaction effect was observed between age and gender. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness significantly contributed to MA, but not to SCB. However, the effects were conditioned by age for extraversion and conscientiousness to some extent.

The Study of Relationship between Nutritional Behaviors and Metabolic Indices: A Systematic Review.

Metabolic indices are the wide range of characteristic factors, which can be changed during several medical conditions such as metabolic syndrome. Nutrition and related behaviors are one of the main aspects of human lifestyle which recent investigations have recognized their roles in the development of metabolic disorders. According to the spread of risky nutritional habits/behaviors due to the changes in lifestyle, and its importance in the prevalence of metabolic disorders, the authors attempted to summarize these evidences in a systematic review. The present study is a systematic review that encompasses those studies investigating the association between metabolic indices and nutritional/dietary behaviors published in two international databases in recent 11 years. Twenty-nine related articles were considered and their data were extracted. The relation between food choices and metabolic indices is more frequent in studies. While, inhibition and abstinent and eating together were two behavioral sets with the smallest share of research. Anthropometric indices have the highest rate in the evaluations. Finding the links between nutritional behavior and metabolic indices will be the key point in selecting the different types of interventions. These results will guide therapists to the accurate recognition of metabolic effects in targeting behavior for their intervention.

Does Islamic fasting affect cognitive functions in adolescents? A systematic review.

A considerable population of the Muslim community is made up of youngsters who observe fast during the month of Ramadan. There are other activities in Ramadan that the adolescents might be involved in, such as education in which one's proper cognitive activity is necessary. The current systematic review was planned to evaluate the relationship between Islamic fasting and cognitive activities. A number of studies have paid attention to the brain structure and scope of cognitive changes during fasting. Islamic fasting may affect cognitive activities such as spatial memory, visual memory and attention that play an important role in effective education. It is suggested to conduct a study with a larger sample size, using similar evaluation tools, targeting different cognitive tasks.

The necessity for integrating traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine into medical education curricula in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The use of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) is increasing in both developed and developing countries. The school of Persian medicine (PM) in Iran is a comprehensive medical school that is rich in history and has its own special principles, elements, philosophy, and diagnostic and treatment options. Many complementary therapy modalities are also popular and in demand among patients and physicians. The aim of this paper is to provide logic for the policymakers in Iranian medical education to make changes in medical education curricula, particularly on integrating T&CM. METHODS: We reviewed the global experience in teaching T&CM to medical students, and highlighting the strengths of PM, described why it is necessary to integrate T&CM into general medicine curricula in Iran. RESULTS: PM is a traditional system of medicine that dates back about 7000 years. Although there are few studies about the safety and effectiveness of PM, research into it has recently been accelerated. There is a suitable opportunity for integrating T&CM with conventional medicine. Physicians should be familiar with T&CM to avoid any contraindications, interactions, and unwanted effects. CONCLUSION: Traditional medicine is part of Iran's heritage and, thus, needs special attention. Familiarization of physicians with T&CM can help them choose the best treatment options for their patients. To integrate T&CM into the medical education curricula of Iran, a two-credit course has been proposed for implementation across the country.

Analysis of Iran's National Medical Education Evolution and Innovation Plan using the Michelle and Scott's model of policymaking.

INTRODUCTION: Lack of a clear policy for the development of health human resources has created inconsistencies. These imbalances are threats to the health system to achieve its goals. Therefore, the development of human resources through proper performance of higher education health system is an important part of the policy development process of the health sector. The present paper aims to introduce the methods applied for the compilation of evolution and innovation program of medical sciences training as well as the most important directions for evolution and innovation. METHODS: In this study, we evaluated the methodology for designing packages of Iran's higher education health system evolution and innovation. For this purpose, the evaluation of the policy process was conducted based on Michelle and Scott's policy process models. This policy evaluation model starts by problem identification and definition and continue by agenda setting, policy formation, legitimation, implementation, evaluation, and policy modification, using the proper feedback. Qualitative content analysis method was used as a research method for subjective interpretation of the content of the text data. RESULTS: Twelve policies, 68 strategies and their translation in the health system were adopted in a comprehensive plan for higher health education. Eleven practical packages were also developed in order to implement these policies as packages for reform and innovation in medical education. These packages were organized based on the IPOCC pattern. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of a comprehensive look at each project or program could bring about irreparableness consequences. However, the MoHME of Iran, relying on the integration of health higher education with health care system and comprehensive method used for transformation and innovation plan in the field of health higher education could take an important step towards improving the nation's health.

Internationalization of medical education in Iran: A way towards implementation of the plans of development and innovation in medical education.

INTRODUCTION: Academic institutions are the most important organizations for implementation of internationalization policies and practices for integrating an international, intercultural and global dimension in higher education system. Also, a globally increasing demand for higher education has been seen in the past two decades so that the number of students enrolled in higher education institutions in the worldwide nation-states has increased dramatically. The National Plan of International Development of Medical Education was designed with the aim of identifying available potentials in all the universities of medical sciences, encouraging the development of international standards of medical education, and planning for the utilization of the existing capacity in Islamic republic of Iran. METHODS: Authors have tried to review the several aspects of international activities in higher education in the world and describe national experiences and main policies in globalization of medical education in Iran within implementation of the National Plan for Development and Innovation in Medical Education. RESULTS: The findings of some global experiences provide the policy makers with clear directions in order to develop internationalization of higher education. CONCLUSION: The Program for International Development of Medical Education was designed by the Deputy of Education in the Ministry of Health and the effective implementation of this Program was so important for promotion of Iranian medical education. But there were some challenges in this regard; addressing them through inter-sectoral collaboration is one of the most important strategies for the development of internationalization of education in the field of medical sciences.

Coping strategies in Iranian mothers of children with type 1 diabetes.

PURPOSE: Having a child with type 1 diabetes as a stressor causes the use of coping strategies in mothers. The aim of this study was to investigate the coping strategies in mothers of children with type 1 diabetes and their relationship with stress management. METHODS: This study was conducted on mothers of children with type 1 diabetes (N = 180) in Tehran and Karaj (Iran). Data were collected by a multi-sectional questionnaire that its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (v 19) and using statistical tests. RESULTS: The highest mean score was related to problem-focused coping (22.11) and the lowest was related to emotion-focused coping strategies (12.2). Regression model showed that the variables of mother's age, problem- focused coping, and meaning-based coping had a positive effect, and variables of father's age and emotion-focused coping had a negative effect on stress management in mothers. CONCLUSION: Mothers of children with type 1 diabetes can be more successful in their stress management through using problem-focused and meaning-based coping approaches. Hence, the need for continuous education of effective coping strategies to these mothers is felt.