Comparison of the Quality of Life of Physically Active and Inactive Grandmothers Caring and Non-caring for Grandchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Nowadays, grandparents have a major role in taking care of their grandchildren. Also, caring for grandchildren is a common and normative experience for many Iranian grandparents. The present study aimed to compare the quality of life of physically active and inactive grandmothers caring and non-caring for grandchildren. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 grandmothers at the age range of 50 to 70 years old, who lived in Bojnurd, northeastern Iran (2018). Data were collected using the questionnaires of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Baecke Physical Activity, and demographic information. Results: The total scores of quality of life in caring physically active, physically inactive, non-caring physically active and non-caring physically inactive grandmothers were 76.95±6.33, 71.74±9.41, 75.56±5.9, and 56.06±11.23, respectively. There was a significant difference in the comparison of the quality of life score in caring grandmothers in two active and inactive groups (P<0.001). In addition, the quality of life score of non-caring grandmothers indicated a significant difference in physically active and inactive grandmothers (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it seems that caring physically active grandmothers have higher quality of life. It can be suggested that the grandmothers who care for their grandchildren may improve their health and quality of life by incorporating the programs to increase physical activities in their daily life.

Leaf Proteome Analysis Reveals Prospective Drought and Heat Stress Response Mechanisms in Soybean.

Drought and heat are among the major abiotic stresses that affect soybean crops worldwide. During the current investigation, the effect of drought, heat, and drought plus heat stresses was compared in the leaves of two soybean varieties, Surge and Davison, combining 2D-DIGE proteomic data with physiology and biochemical analyses. We demonstrated how 25 differentially expressed photosynthesis-related proteins affect RuBisCO regulation, electron transport, Calvin cycle, and carbon fixation during drought and heat stress. We also observed higher abundance of heat stress-induced EF-Tu protein in Surge. It is possible that EF-Tu might have activated heat tolerance mechanisms in the soybean. Higher level expressions of heat shock-related protein seem to be regulating the heat tolerance mechanisms. This study identifies the differential expression of various abiotic stress-responsive proteins that regulate various molecular processes and signaling cascades. One inevitable outcome from the biochemical and proteomics assays of this study is that increase of ROS levels during drought stress does not show significant changes at the phenotypic level in Davison and this seems to be due to a higher amount of carbonic anhydrase accumulation in the cell which aids the cell to become more resistant to cytotoxic concentrations of H2O2.