The effectiveness of web-based training for parents on post-traumatic stress disorder in children.

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an injury such as accidents is common in children and can affect their overall physical and mental functioning and quality of life. Early intervention can have significant health benefits for children. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of web-based training for parents on post-traumatic stress disorder in children. Method: This was a quasi-experimental study with intervention and control group. 110 parents of children aged 10-18 years with PTSD after a traumatic event were selected through available sampling and assigned to intervention and control groups. Data was collected by a researcher-made demographic questionnaire and the Child Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES-8). Parents in the intervention group received a 4-week training course through a researcher-designed website, but the control group received routine care by the clinical team, which the main focus of care and training was on the physical aspects of the disease, and no intervention was done for PTSD. Two weeks after the intervention, the level of child stress was measured and compared in both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS V.22. Results: The difference between the mean score of total traumatic stress and its subscales before intervention was not statistically significant (p = 0.23). But after intervention, the mean score of total traumatic stress and its subscales decreased in the intervention group and increased in the control group and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: E-learning parent training has the potential to support children with PTSD. This available and cost-effective procedure can be recommended to help children with PTSD and possibly increase recovery in these patients.

Effect of Companion Presence during Skin-to-Skin Contact on Maternal Anxiety: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of companion presence versus midwife presence during skin-to-skin contact (SSC) at birth on maternal anxiety and satisfaction, and neonatal physiological parameters. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 92 pregnant women who were randomized to provide SSC to their newly borns for one hour postpartum, in the presence of a companion (study group) or a midwife (control group). Maternal anxiety (using the Visual Analogue Scale) and the neonatal physiological parameters (including temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) were assessed in four stages viz., immediately after birth, and at 30, 60 and 90 minutes after birth. Maternal satisfaction was also evaluated after transferring the mother to the postpartum ward. RESULTS: We analyzed 86 mother-infant dyads (43 per group). Having a companion significantly reduced maternal anxiety after birth as compared to having a midwife at 30, 60, and 90 minutes after birth (P = 0.04, P = 0.01, and P = 0.04, respectively). There was also a small to medium effect size of the presence of companion compared to midwife in terms of maternal anxiety at 30 minutes (Cohen's d = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.87), 60 minutes (Cohen's d = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.08, 0.94) and 90 minutes after birth (Cohen's d = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.88). However, there was no significant effect of the same on neonatal physiological parameters. Having a companion versus a midwife led to higher maternal satisfaction rates (P = 0.02); 65.1% of mothers in the study group and 37.2% of mothers in the control group were desirous of the same care in future (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Companion presence during SSC leads to a significant reduction in maternal anxiety compared to midwife presence.

The Effects of Thiamine Supplementation on General Health and Infertility Treatment Outcomes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Triple-Blinded Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thiamine (vitamin B1) on general health and infertility treatment outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is a triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial performed on 64 infertile women with PCOS referred to Sarem Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The primary outcomes of the study were general health and infertility treatment outcomes. Eligible women were randomly assigned to the vitamin B1 group (n=32, vitamin B1 tablet at a dose of 300 mg/day for 4 weeks) or the placebo group (n=32, placebo tablet daily for 4 weeks). A general health questionnaire was completed before and after the intervention by both groups, and treatment success was evaluated at the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS software ver.16 P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of participants in the vitamin B1 (VB1) group was 30.4 ± 3.27 years and in the placebo (Pl) group was 29.1 ± 2.66 years with the mean duration of marriage 12.7 ± 3.01 and 13.2 ± 2.97 years respectively. Our results showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in overall score (P<0.001) and scores for all domains of the general health questionnaire including somatic symptoms (P<0.001), anxiety and insomnia (P<0.001), social dysfunction (P=0.028), and severe depression (P<0.001) after the intervention. Four weeks consumption of vitamin B1 also resulted in higher numbers of positive pregnancy tests (P=0.006), although the number of fetuses was not significantly different between the two groups after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study support a possible favourable effect of vitamin B1 on improving general health, infertility treatment outcome, and retrieved follicle count without changing the number of fetuses in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (registration number: IRCT201510266917N3).

Atypical function of auditory sensory gating in children with developmental dyslexia: Investigating its relationship with cognitive abilities.

Impairments of auditory processing are among frequent findings in dyslexia. However, it is unclear how auditory signals are gated from brainstem to higher central processing stages in these individuals. The present study was done to investigate auditory sensory gating in children with developmental dyslexia (DD), and to determine whether sensory gating correlates with performance on behavioural tasks. Auditory sensory gating at P50, N1 and P2 waves was evaluated in two groups including 20 children with DD and 19 children with typical reading development (TRD). Behavioural tests were used to evaluate phonological working memory (PWM) and selective attention abilities. Sensory gating in children with DD was significantly less efficient than their peers at P50, N1 and P2 waves. Lower auditory evoked potential (AEP) amplitudes were found in the DD group. The children with TRD scored better in all the behavioural tests. Relationships were reported between sensory gating at P50, N1, P2 and behavioural performance in the two groups. Children with dyslexia had deficient sensory gating in comparison with controls. In addition, children with dyslexia experienced problems with PWM and selective attention tasks. The function of sensory gating was associated with attentional and PWM performances in this group.

Investigating the relationship between menopausal women's health anxiety and sexual performance and attitude towards menopause.

BACKGROUND: Menopause is a natural event in the life of women. Women's concerns during menopause and the role of health anxiety in the attitude and sexual performance of women during this period affect the quality of life. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between health anxiety and sexual performance and attitude towards menopause in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional study of communication type that was conducted on 200 postmenopausal women with records in Sabzevar Comprehensive Health Centers in 2021-2022. In order to collect information, standard questionnaires of health anxiety, attitude towards menopause, and sexual performance were used. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 software and descriptive and analytical statistical tests (Spearman). A significance level of less than 0.05 was considered. RESULT: The results of data analysis showed that health anxiety has a significant relationship with the dimensions of desire (p = 0.045 and r = -0.142) and sexual pain (p < 0.001 and r = 0.274). Also, there was a significant relationship between the attitude towards menopause with sexual performance (p < 0.001 and r = 0.244) and health anxiety with the attitude towards menopause (p < 0.001 and r = 0.27). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that there is an inverse relationship between health anxiety and sexual desire and a significant direct relationship with sexual pain. Also, the attitude towards menopause has a significant direct relationship with sexual behavior and health anxiety. Therefore, it is suggested to pay attention to the mental health of postmenopausal women along with the physical aspect and to pay attention to educational programs to improve the care and health programs of these women.

The Effect of Metabolic Persian Diet on Ovulation Induction in Infertile Women.

Introduction: Infertility is an important issue with a high social and psychological burden. From the perspective of Persian Medicine (PM), uterine cold temperament is one of the important causes of female infertility. Aim: The aim of this study was to study the effect of PM or Iranian traditional medicine on improving ovulation and fertility. Methods: From January 2017 to August 2017, sixty infertile women with eugonadotropic ovulation disorder were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups were treated with clomiphene citrate, except that the intervention group also received metabolic Persian diet (MPD). In each cycle, the dominant follicles and endometrium were investigated with ultrasound. At the end of the cycle, beta human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-HCG) was evaluated and if positive, another ultrasound was performed two weeks later to confirm early pregnancy. Results: The number of dominant follicles from the first to third cycle increased from 2.15 ± 1.14 to 2.28 ± 0.61 in the intervention group and decreased from 1.86 ± 0.79 to 1.30 ± 0.47 in the control group. The dominant follicle size changed from 16.00 ± 4.08 to 18.78 ± 2.78 and from 15.05 ± 3.11 to 15.80 ± 3.89 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. But endometrial thickness did not change significantly in the intervention group. Pregnancy results based on ß-HCG and ultrasound findings were positive in 19 and 16 patients in the intervention group and in 10 and 7 patients in the control group, implying significantly higher numbers in the first group. Conclusion: It seems that MPD may be effective in the success of ovulation induction.

Comodulation Masking Release in Tinnitus Frequency and One Lower Octave of Tinnitus Frequency.

Inhibitory function is the basis of many perceptual and non-perceptual abilities in the auditory system. In people with tinnitus, decreased inhibitory function in the central auditory system has been proven. This disorder is caused by an increase in neural activity caused by an imbalance between stimulation and inhibition. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare inhibitory function in persons who had tinnitus, at and one octave lower than the tinnitus frequency. Studies show that inhibition has very important role in comodulation masking release. According to inhibitory dysfunction in people with tinnitus, in this study we assessed comodulation masking release in tinnitus frequency and one lower octave. Participants were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 7 individuals with unilateral tonal tinnitus at 4 kHz and group 2 included 7 individuals with unilateral tonal tinnitus at 6 kHz. Paired test, in each group separately, showed that the comodulation masking release and Across Frequency comodulation masking release differed significantly between tinnitus frequency and one octave lower in each group (p < 0.05). In fact, the disinhibition in the area around the frequency of the tinnitus seems to be greater than the tinnitus frequency area. It seems that the results of CMRs can be used in planning and managing the treatment of people with tinnitus (such as sound therapy, etc.).

Evaluating the Effect of Peer Education on the Hope of Patients with Thalassaemia Major: A quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: Thalassaemia major (TM) is one of the most common chronic genetic disorders in today's world. The psychological impacts of this disease can affect patients' hope. Considering the positive role and importance of suitable educational methods, this study aimed to determine the effect of peer education on the hope of patients with TM. Methods: This quasi-experimental single-group study included patients with TM undergoing treatment at the Imam Khomeini Hospital, Zabol, Iran, between March and July 2020. A continuous sampling method was used and data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and Snyder's Hope Scale. Patients were educated in groups by eligible peers in two sessions for 60 minutes per session. Hope was measured before (pre-test) and one month after (post-test) the educational sessions. Descriptive statistics and a paired sample student t-test were used. Results: A total of 50 participants were included in this study. The mean age of the participants was 24.5 ± 4.24 years. At the pre-test, the mean total hope score was 26.72 ± 5.82; this increased to 28.21 ± 5.11 at the post-test (P = 0.028). The mean hope score of patients in the pathway thinking dimension significantly increased after peer education (P = 0.01). Despite an increase in the score of the agency thinking dimension, this was not statistically significant (P = 0.297). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that peer education can improve hope in patients with TM. Considering that this educational method is easy, cheap and experienced-based, it can be used in combination with other healthcare measures to improve TM patients' hope.

Challenges of and corrective recommendations for healthcare-associated infection's case findings and reporting from local to national level in Iran: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of health care-associated infections (HAIs) statistics in many countries is questionable and the main reasons of this inaccuracy are not well-known. The study aim was to explore inhibitors of and corrective recommendations for HAIs case findings and reporting in some of Iran hospitals. METHODS: Sixteen face-to-face interviews and an expert panel were performed with expertise of infection prevention and control (IPC) programs in hospitals, and Deputies of Health and Treatment in medical university and Ministry of Health from Feb 2018 to May 2019. Using conventional content analysis, code, subcategories and categories were developed. RESULT: Three categories emerged including improper structure preparation, conflict of interest, and inadequate motivation. Allocating distinct budget and adequate staff to IPC programs, developing a user-friendly surveillance system and engaging physicians and nurses for HAIs reporting are the main corrective recommendations accepted by the expert panel. CONCLUSION: Despite the improvement in growing case-findings and reporting of HAIs in Iran, there are many challenges which inhibit accurate case finding and reporting of HAIs. So it is necessary to update the structure, system and rules to reach accurate HAIs data in Iran.

Effect of video games on preoperative anxiety in 3- to-6-year-old of a sample of Iranian children undergoing elective surgery.

BACKGROUND: As pediatric surgeries are rising and current methods to reduce perioperative anxiety are lacking in preschool children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of video games on preoperative anxiety in 3- to-6-year old of a sample of Iranian children undergoing elective surgery children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the current quasi-experimental pretest posttest design, after standard translation, the modified Yale preoperative anxiety scale was administered to 102 children undergoing surgery from December 2016 to August 2017 in Kermanshah, Iran. Children are assigned to an intervention or control group. Each child's anxiety was measured at two points at the time of arrival and after waiting for 20 min in the holding area. Data were analyzed by SPSS, version 22. The Chi-square, independent t-test, and paired t-test at the significance level of P < 0.05 were performed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the mean anxieties in control group (42.58 ± 18.54) and intervention group (46.11 ± 14.09) before the game (P = 0.282). However, after playing the video game in control groups (53.26 ± 18.00) and game groups (34.88 ± 10.81), there was a significant difference in favor of the video game (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study suggest that approved video game by experts to decrease mean preoperative anxiety in 3- to-6-year-old children. Therefore, video games recommended to be implemented at the preventive level in hospital.

Development and Validation of Occupation Based Practice Measure (OBPM).

Background. Occupation based practice (OBP) is the central core of occupational therapy. Therefore, measuring its usage and influencing factors seems necessary. Purpose. To develop and validate the occupation based practice measure (OBPM). Method. OBPM was developed in two phases: (I) following a qualitative study, a literature review was conducted. The item pool was revised by expert panel; (II) The face, content, construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were assessed. Findings. The 142 items derived through the qualitative study were integrated with the 42 items derived from the literature review. The item pool was reduced by expert panel to 78 items and finalized to 37 items through face, content, and construct validity. Cronbach's alpha was greater than 0.70 and intra-class correlation coefficient showed good to excellent reliability. Implications. OBPM is a valid and reliable questionnaire that evaluates the occupational therapists' knowledge, attitudes, interest, usage, and contextual factors influencing the OBP.

The effect of delivery ball and warm shower on the childbirth experience of nulliparous women: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Childbirth is a unique experience that affects women's life. Midwives can play an effective role in creating positive birth experiences for women using non-pharmacological and supportive methods. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the effect of delivery balls and warm showers on childbirth experiences of primiparous women. METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted on primiparous pregnant women who referred to the Motazedi Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. Sampling was done from eligible individuals by a continuous method, and pregnant women were assigned to the three groups of delivery balls plus warm showers or A (n = 35), delivery balls or B (n = 35), and control or C (n = 35). The use of the ball at the dilation of 4 cm was similar in the two groups of A and B, but the first group used a warm shower at the dilatation of 7 cm as well. The control group also received routine delivery care. Besides, demographic information forms consisting of the pregnancy history and some information about the mother and her infant were completed. Additionally, childbirth experience questionnaires (CEQ) were completed by the women two hours after childbirth. The analysis of intervention effects was performed as per-protocol analysis. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean score of the childbirth experience between the two groups of A and C (p = 0.001) after the intervention as well as between the groups of B and C (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of delivery balls and warm showers was effective in creating a positive childbirth experience. To create a positive childbirth experience in mothers, the use of both interventions (delivery balls and warm showers) is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: TCTR 20200408002 . Prospectively registered on March 21, 2020.

Effect of sex education on sexual function and sexual quality of life in women with endometriosis: A quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a sex education program on sexual function and sexual quality of life in women with endometriosis. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental study, women with endometriosis who had undergone laparoscopic surgery were assigned to an intervention group (n = 36) or a control group (n = 36). The intervention group received a sex education program consisting of two sessions a week (90 min each) for two consecutive weeks; the control group received none. Both groups were followed for 12 weeks. Sexual function and sexual quality of life were assessed on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Sexual Quality of life-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire before the intervention, as well as 8 and 12 weeks after the intervention. Outcomes were analyzed using Student t test, the χ2 test, Fisher exact test, and repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 36.9 ± 5.7 years. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of demographics and pre-intervention clinical characteristics. At the end of the study, sex education reduced female sexual dysfunction by 58.1% in the intervention group. The mean FSFI score increased significantly in the intervention group from pre-intervention to 8 and 12 weeks post-intervention compared with the scores in the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sex education appears to be a promising intervention for reducing sexual dysfunction and improving sexual function and sexual quality of life in women with endometriosis. Future studies should encompass longer periods of follow up to obtain further data on the efficacy of sex education in this setting.

Comparing Sound-Field Speech-Auditory Brainstem Response Components between Cochlear Implant Users with Different Speech Recognition in Noise Scores.

Objectives: Many studies have suggested that cochlear implant (CI) users vary in terms of speech recognition in noise. Studies in this field attribute this variety partly to subcortical auditory processing. Studying speech-Auditory Brainstem Response (speech-ABR) provides good information about speech processing; thus, this work was designed to compare speech-ABR components between two groups of CI users with good and poor speech recognition in noise scores. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted on two groups of CI users aged 8-10 years old. The first group (CI-good) consisted of 15 children with prelingual CI who had good speech recognition in noise performance. The second group (CI-poor) was matched with the first group, but they had poor speech recognition in noise performance. The speech-ABR test in a sound-field presentation was performed for all the participants. Results: The speech-ABR response showed more delay in C, D, E, F, O latencies in CI-poor than CI-good users (P <0.05), meanwhile no significant difference was observed in initial wave (V(t= -0.293, p= 0.771 and A (t= -1.051, p= 0.307). Analysis in spectral-domain showed a weaker representation of fundamental frequency as well as the first formant and high-frequency component of speech stimuli in the CI users with poor auditory performance. Conclusions: Results revealed that CI users who showed poor auditory performance in noise performance had deficits in encoding the periodic portion of speech signals at the brainstem level. Also, this study could be as physiological evidence for poorer pitch processing in CI users with poor speech recognition in noise performance.

Effect of tinnitus distress on auditory steady-state response amplitudes in chronic tinnitus sufferers.

Tinnitus is a bothersome disorder of primarily unknown etiology that affects a large number of people worldwide. Tinnitus distress is the most common clinical complaint by tinnitus sufferers because it strongly affects their personal and social life. Many studies have been carried out to determine the relation between tinnitus pathophysiology and electrophysiological findings such as the auditory steady-state response (ASSR). The results of such studies have been contradictory. The current study aimed to detect a possible relation between tinnitus distress and ASSR amplitudes. The tinnitus participants were divided into high and low distress subgroups according to their tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) scores. The ASSR stimuli were carrier frequencies with low (500 Hz), mid (2000 Hz), and high (4000 Hz) amplitude-modulated tones. ASSR amplitudes were calculated in anterio-frontal (F3, Fz, F4), centro-frontal (FC3, FCz, FC4), left auditory (T3, C5, C3) and right auditory (C4, T4, C6) regions of interest (ROI). Twenty-four right-handed subjects with non-pulsatile chronic tinnitus and 23 normal matched participants participated in this study. For recording ASSR amplitudes were used from 32-electrode EEG recording. Two-way repeated-measurement ANOVA was used to compare the ASSR amplitudes. The findings showed that the ASSR amplitudes in the tinnitus group with low distress were higher (better) than in the group with high distress (p < 0.001). This finding was seen in anterio-frontal and right auditory regions and at all carrier frequencies. The results indicated that there is a relation between the ASSR amplitude and the degree of tinnitus distress as measured by the THI questionnaire.

The effect of gentle human touch during endotracheal suctioning on procedural pain response in preterm infant admitted to neonatal intensive care units: a randomized controlled crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit are frequently subjected to painful procedures. Non-pharmacological pain control techniques are useful for reducing procedural pain. Touch as one of the aspects of developmental care used to reduce neonatal pain. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gentle human touch during endotracheal suctioning on procedural pain response in preterm neonates. METHODS: This was a clinical trial study with a crossover design. The study was conducted in a level III NICU in a hospital, affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Thirty-four neonates were enrolled in this study based on inclusion criteria. The samples were randomly received a sequence of suctioning with/without or suctioning without/with gentle human touch. Preterm Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) was used to collect the data. SPSS version 22 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 85.3% of neonates experienced moderate and 8.8% severe pain during suctioning without intervention, and only 64.7% of them experienced moderate and 2.9% severe pain during suctioning with intervention. The results of the paired t-test show that there is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of pain in nonintervention and intervention cases (p < .002), and the mean pain score substantially reduced in cases with intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study showed that the pain due to suctioning procedure is considerably reduced by applying Gentle Human Touch. And nurses can use this method as one of the non-pharmacological methods of pain management.

The effect of exchanging drawings with peers on the happiness of children with cancer, aged 7-11 years: A clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Improving the mental status of children with cancer is part of nurses' duties in planning nursing care and is achieved in different ways. This study attempts to combine drawing with peer interaction to improve the mental status of sick children and investigate the effect of exchanging drawings with peers on these children's happiness. METHOD: This clinical trial was conducted on a sample of 66 children with cancer, ages 7-11 years, who were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention was carried out over five weeks by the exchange of drawings between healthy children at school and children with cancer. Both groups of children drew one drawing each week. The children's happiness was measured by the researcher before and after the intervention (i.e., week five) using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of happiness after the intervention. The happiness score was 3.15 ±0.34 in the control group and 3.02 ±0.3 in the intervention group before the intervention; afterwards, this score was 3.022± 0.22 among the controls and 3.11± 0.25 among the patients. The comparison of the two groups using the t-test showed P = 0.075 before the intervention and P = 0.11 after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Given the results obtained, future studies are recommended to administer lengthier interventions and enable the physical presence of healthy peers along sick children or to use the exchange of drawings with peers in combination with other psychological interventions so as to promote happiness in children with cancer.

The relationship between sexual health and personality type in women with epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Sexual health in the development of the human personality, personal, and social health and in achieving to comfort plays an important role. Women with epilepsy are at high risk of sexual dysfunction, which has a multifactorial etiology. This study is aimed to investigate the correlation between the sexual function of women with epilepsy and personality factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: this cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 women with epilepsy referred to selected centers in Tehran university of medical sciences by using continuous and availability sampling method between January and March 2014 (Iran) and evaluated with women's sexual function index questionnaire female sexual function index and NEO-five-factor of personality inventory. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 and Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: The mean sexual function overall score in participations was 23.33 ± 2.82 there was a significant negative correlation between neuroticism and sexual function (P = 0.00, r = -0.03) and was significant positive correlation between personality traits as extraversion (P = 0.00, r = 0.63), agreeableness (P = 0.008, r = 0.26) and conscientiousness (P = 0.04, r = 0.20) and openness to new experiences (P = 0.03, r = 0.21) and sexual function in women with epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the personality traits can affect on sexual health and sexual function of women with epilepsy. Therefore, it is recommended that health-care providers with assess personality factors in women with epilepsy as a prognostic factor, take steps to prevent sexual dysfunction.

The effect of non-nutritive sucking combined with oral motor stimulation and oral support on feeding performance in premature infants: A single-blind randomized-clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Feeding problems are common in premature infants (PIs) and may lead to negative consequences such as malnutrition, dehydration, excessive weight loss, as well as developmental and psychological deficits. Moreover, they are associated with increased length of hospital stay/cost. There is not enough evidence on how feeding problems should be treated in PIs. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of non-nutritive sucking combined with oral motor stimulation and oral support on feeding performance in PIs. METHODS: A single-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 44 PIs with feeding problems. Patients were randomly categorized into two groups: (1) combined intervention (CI) and (2) non-nutritive sucking (NNS). The CI group received NNS, oral motor stimulation and oral support simultaneously. Infants in both groups received 14 treatment sessions for 14 consecutive days. The Preterm Oral Feeding Readiness Assessment Scale (POFRAS) was used as the primary outcome measure. Weight, volume of milk intake, time to achieve full oral feeding, and length of hospital stay were secondary outcome measures. All measures were assessed before treatment, after the 7th session, after the 14th session, and after 7 days after the end of treatment. RESULTS: Both groups improved in all outcome measures across time (P < 0.001). The improvements in the POFRAS, volume of milk intake, and time to achieve full oral feeding were significantly greater in the CI group than the NNS group (P < 0.001). The improvements attained in weight and length of hospital stay were not significantly different between the CI and NNS groups (P > 0.05). Large effect sizes were found for POFRAS score in both CI (d = 3.98) and NNS (d = 2.19) groups. CONCLUSION: The current study showed that the combined intervention including NNS, oral motor stimulation, and oral support significantly improved the feeding performance in PIs.

The Effect of Combined Vitamin C and Vitamin E Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Markers in Women with Endometriosis: A Randomized, Triple-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic and estrogen-dependent pelvic inflammatory disease, which may have various causes, such as oxidative stress. Dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pelvic pain are well-known symptoms of endometriosis. The present clinical trial assessed the role of supplementation with antioxidant vitamins on the indices of oxidative stress as well as the severity of pain in women with endometriosis. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 60 reproductive-aged (15-45 years) women with pelvic pain in this triple-blind clinical trial. They had 1-3 stages of laparoscopic-proven endometriosis. The participants were randomized to group A (n = 30), given vitamin C (1000 mg/day, 2 tablets of 500 mg each) and vitamin E (800 IU/day, 2 tablets of 400 IU each) combination, or group B (n = 30), given placebo pills daily for 8 weeks. Results: Following treatment with vitamin C and vitamin E, we found a significant reduction in MDA and ROS compared with the placebo group. There was no significant decline in total antioxidant capacity after treatment. However, the severity of pelvic pain (p value <0.001), dysmenorrhea (p value <0.001), and dyspareunia (p value <0.001) significantly decreased in the treatment group after 8 weeks of supplementation. Conclusions: The present findings support the potential role of antioxidants in the management of endometriosis. The intake of vitamin C and vitamin E supplements effectively reduced dysmenorrhea severity and improved dyspareunia and severity of pelvic pain.