Search

About one-third of the earth's land area consists of acidic soils. The rhizotoxic Al3+ is one of the primary constraints associated with low soil pH. Various Amaranthus species are important components of the weed flora in tea plantations on acid soils in north Iran. In this study, four Amaranthus species (A. blitoides, A. retroflexus, A. cruentus, and A. tricolor) were grown under hydroponic conditions with total Al concentrations of 0, 20, 50, 200, and 400 µM corresponding to free Al3+ activity of 0, 3.75, 11.97, 60.34, and 125 µM, respectively. Low Al concentrations (20, 50, or 200 µM) stimulated plant growth; A. tricolor demonstrated the highest improvement in shoot growth (93%), whereas A. retroflexus exhibited the greatest improvement in root biomass (367%), total root length (173%), and taproot length (32%). Although the response of shoot biomass to 400 µM Al varied among species, all species were able to accumulate Al in the leaves above the critical level for Al hyperaccumulation (1 mg g-1 DW). Our findings revealed Al accumulation in Amaranthus species for the first time at the genus and family levels, suggesting that these species are suitable for the restoration and revegetation of acid-eroded soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to accumulate and tolerate high levels of Al has been reported in relatively few plant families. Up to date there is no report on the Al tolerance or accumulation neither in members of Amaranthaceae nor in the order (Caryophyllales). In this work, we collected three Amaranthus species (A. blitoides, A. retroflexus and A. blitum) growing as weed on acid soils of tea gardens (pH 4.4–4.7) in the north Iran and analyzed for Al. The Al accumulation in the leaves of collected plants and those grown hydroponically for four weeks with 400 µM Al (125 µM free Al3+ activity) exceeded the critical level of Al accumulation (1 mg g–1 DW). A. blitoides was further studied for Al tolerance mechanisms. Shoot and root biomass and root length were stimulated by 50 µM Al accompanied by improvement of C4 photosynthesis and N uptake and assimilation. The growth of plants was slightly repressed under higher Al (400 µM) exposure accompanied by activation of antioxidant defense system and lignin deposition. A high resistance to toxic Al concentration in A. blitoides was associated with elevated levels of phenolics accumulation and exudation suggesting the contribution of these compounds to both the avoidance and the internal detoxification mechanisms in this species. This is the first report on Al accumulation in Amaranthus species and the results are of interest from the botanical, physiological and ecological points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased availability of toxic Al3+ is the main constraint limiting plant growth on acid soils. Plants adapted to acid soils, however, tolerate toxic Al3+, and some can accumulate Al in their aerial parts to a significant degree. Studies on Al-tolerant and Al-accumulating species have mainly focused on the vegetation of acid soils distributed as two global belts in the northern and southern hemispheres, while acid soils formed outside these regions have been largely neglected. The acid soils (pH 3.4–4.2) of the tea plantations in the south Caspian region of Northern Iran were surveyed over three seasons at two main locations. Aluminum and other mineral elements (including nutrients) were measured in 499 plant specimens representing 86 species from 43 families. Al accumulation exceeding the criterion for accumulator species (>1000 µg g−1 DW) was found in 36 species belonging to 23 families of herbaceous annual or perennial angiosperms, in addition to three bryophyte species. Besides Al, Fe accumulation (1026–5155 µg g−1 DW) was also observed in the accumulator species that exceeded the critical toxicity concentration, whereas no such accumulation was observed for Mn. The majority of analyzed accumulator plants (64%) were cosmopolitan or pluriregional species, with a considerable rate of Euro-Siberian elements (37%). Our findings, which may contribute to phylogenetic studies of Al accumulators, also suggest suitable accumulator and excluder species for the rehabilitation of acid-eroded soils and introduce new model species for investigating Al accumulation and exclusion mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Crustaceana is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The first representative of Tigriopus Norman, 1869 from the north-western Indian Ocean is described from rock pools on the Iranian coast. Tigriopus iranicus sp. nov. is distinguishable from its congeners by i) the possession of two maxillary endites, each with two setae; ii) a two-segmented mandibular endopod; iii) P1 enp-3 with one pinnate claw, a well-developed geniculate spine and a small seta; and iv) female P6 with two setae. Additionally, we present a complete redescription of Tigriopus raki Bradford, 1967 on the basis of paratype material and a key to the species of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer from bladder dysfunction during the course of the disease. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of these complications among patients with MS.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 602 patients with MS who referred to the neurology clinics of Kashani and Alzahra Hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Multistage random cluster sampling was performed and the informed consent form was signed by the subjects. Then, all the data were collected through interviews using the Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (LUTSS) developed in accordance with the definitions presented by the International Continence Society (ICS) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and DASS-21 questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in SPSS.Results: The prevalence rate of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was 87.6% among all the subjects, with a similar rate among women (88.0%) and men (86.0%). There was a significant difference between men and women in terms of the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), intermittent urine flow, hesitancy, straining, and dribbling (P <  0.050). There was no significant difference between women and men in terms of the prevalence of other symptoms (P > 0.050). A significant difference was observed in the degree of LUTS with age, marital status, marriage duration, education, illness duration, clinical course, disability, anxiety, depression, and stress (P<  0.05). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was a higher probability of a urinary problems among patients with MS and a high EDSS score [0.67 (0.507-0.903), P = 0.008].Conclusions: A high prevalence of LUTS was found among patients with MS. There was a higher probability of a urinary tract problem among patients with MS and a high EDSS score. Therefore, it is recommended that the health system take the necessary measures regarding timely detection and treatment of LUTS among these patients in order to prevent secondary outcomes and improve the quality of life (QOL) of patients with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with breast cancer are predisposed to some psychiatric symptoms and mental disorders as a result of their diagnosis or lifestyle. These problems cause patients to have daily stress, feelings of guilt, anxiety, a dysphoric mood, and impaired social relations. Such problems will lead to serious mental disorders. Therefore, life skills training may enable patients to cope better with these problems and improve their mental health. Methods: In an experimental study 50 breast cancer patients were randomly selected and assigned to two groups, experimental and control. The experimental group attended life skills training classes continuously for ten weeks. The duration of each class was two hours. Participants in both groups completed a General Health Questionnaire-28 form before the commencement of classes, after two weeks of training, and again at two months after course completion. The statistical method used in this study was the t-test. Results: In the life skills training group, patients' depressive and anxiety symptoms, somatization disorders, sleep disorders, and disorders of social functioning significantly decreased (P<0.0001). There was no change in the control group. Conclusion: The results show that life skills training can be considered a supportive method for symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep, and somatic disorders in patients with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stigma is one of the most destructive features of mental illnesses that may affect the family caregivers. This study aimed to analyze the effect of training interventions of stigma on family caregivers of the mental illness patients. Materials and methods: This quasi-experimental pre- and post-test study was performed on a single group of 43 family caregivers of mental illness patients in Hamadan Psychiatric Hospital, Iran, in 2015. The samples were taken through convenience sampling method and the data collection tool was a stigma questionnaire made by the researchers. The questionnaires were filled by the participants within pre-intervention and 1-month post-intervention. All the data were analyzed by SPSS version 16, and the mean and standard deviation by paired t test and Wilcoxon test. Results: Findings of this study demonstrated that women included 60% of the family caregivers. The average age of caregivers and the duration of caregiving were 41.67 ± 11.62 years and 66.28 ± 7.99 months, respectively. The mean and standard deviation for pre-intervention stigma score were 82.47 ± 12.23 indicating that the family caregivers suffered from some problems arisen from living with mental patients. They include not getting married, unable to find a job, embarrassment, humiliation by others, disgrace, and shame. Our results revealed that the mean and standard deviation of stigma score decreased to 29.28 ± 7.52 after training, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results of present study, training interventions reduce the issues caused by stigma and help the family members of mental patients to face and cope with the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Substance abuse is a widespread problem, with high rates of treatment dropout. Stress plays a crucial role in this problem, so innovative interventions with stressed patients can assist them in completing treatment., Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial with 60 participants who have substance abuse disorder undergoing detoxification at a residency facility in Tehran, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: watching a 360° video of nature, a 360° video of a city environment, or no virtual experience. The intervention was performed only for one session. Psychological stress was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and Perceived Stress Scale before and after the intervention. Physiological stress was assessed through respiratory rate, skin conductance, and heart rate recordings during the virtual reality (VR) experience. Data analysis was performed using R software (version 4.2)., Results: Paired t-test results indicated significant psychological differences before and after virtual nature experiences, but not in the control and city groups. The repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant reduction in skin conductance (p < 0.01) and respiratory rate (p < 0.01) scores in the nature group., Conclusion: The findings suggest that VR relaxation could be a potentially beneficial intervention for reducing stress in patients during detoxification., (© 2024 The Author(s). Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Sexual function is a component of quality of life, and sexual dysfunction entails reduced satisfaction with life and impaired mood and quality of relationships and affects not only the individual's quality of life, but her partner's life as well. Since Sexual Dysfunction (SD) is among the most common complaints of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of SD among women with MS and its effect on quality of life., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 on 300 women with MS aged 22-50 years in Isfahan, Iran, selected through systematic random sampling. Data were collected using the standard Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and MSQOL-54 and analyzed in SPSS using descriptive and analytical statistics., Results: The overall prevalence of SD was found as 69.8% in women with MS, with the dimension of sexual desire being affected in 38.6% of the cases, sexual arousal in 38.6%, lubrication in 23.7%, orgasm in 37.3%, satisfaction in 23.4% and pain in 16.9%. SD was found to have significant relationships with age, duration of marriage, fatigue, EDSS and the combined physical and mental health aspects of quality of life (P <  0.05). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was a higher probability of a sexual dysfunction among patients with MS and a high fatigue score [1.228(1.003 to 1.504); P = 0.047]. The mean score of the combined physical and mental health aspects of quality of life was lower in the group of women with MS and SD compared to those without SD, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P <  0.05)., Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among women with MS and affects various dimensions of quality of life. Greater attention should be paid to the sexual problems faced by MS patients in order to improve their quality of life.

Background: Chronic back pain is one of the most common work-related diseases and most important of musculoskeletal disorders in nursing professionals and because of the physical and psychological effects, has a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). Acupressure is a holistic form of complementary medicine. This study aimed to investigate the effect of acupressure on QOL among female nurses with chronic back pain., Materials and Methods: This randomized single-blind clinical trial was conducted on 50 nurses with chronic back pain working at the selected hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. After convenient sampling, the subjects were randomly allocated, through lottery, to the two groups of experimental (n = 25) and sham (n = 25). In the experimental group, acupressure techniques were performed during 9 sessions, 3 times a week for 14 min for each patient. In the sham group, points within 1 cm of the main points were only touched. Data were collected using the SF36 questioner, before, and immediately, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software., Results: Independent t-test showed that the mean total score of QOL before the intervention was not significantly different between the two groups before the intervention (P = .68). However, it was significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the Sham group, immediately, 2 weeks, and 1 month after the intervention (P < .001)., Conclusions: Acupressure on specific points of the foot and back improves back pain and as a result, increases QOL. Therefore, acupressure can be used as a drug-free and low-cost approach without side effects to improve QOL in nurses with chronic back pain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)