The Effects of Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Fenugreek Seeds on the Lipid Profile and Oxidative Stress in Fructose-Fed Rats

Maryam Mohammad-Sadeghipour,Mehdi Afsharinasab,Maryam Mohamadi,Mehdi Mahmoodi,Soudeh Khanamani Falahati-pour,Mohammad Reza Hajizadeh 대한비만학회 2020 The Korean journal of obesity Vol.29 No.3

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex clinical disorder that can lead to an increase in oxidative stress. Patients with this syndrome are at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) plant has many therapeutic effects, including anti-diabetic and antioxidant. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of fenugreek seeds (HEFS) on dyslipidemia and oxidative stress due to high-fructose diet-induced MetS. Methods: In this experimental study, to induce MetS, animals received water containing 20% fructose for 8 weeks. After induction of MetS, 48 male Wistar rats (200–250 g) were randomized into six groups. HEFS was administered to animals at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg orally for 4 weeks. Animal blood samples were collected to measure biochemical and antioxidant parameters of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Results: The findings showed that the serum levels of FPG, TC, LDL-C, TG, and MDA were significantly reduced in HEFS-exposed groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). Also, significant increases in HDL-C, GPX, CAT, and TAC levels (P<0.05) were observed. Conclusion: Our results revealed that treatment with HEFS increases the levels of antioxidant enzymes, decreases FPG level, and at the same time, modifies the lipid profile in MetS. Therefore, HEFS may help to alleviate the risk of some chronic complications of this disease.

Effect of pyridalyl on mortality, fecundity and physiological performance of olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Mohammad Reza Abbasi-Mojdehi,Jalil Hajizadeh,Arash Zibaee,Ali Akbar Keyhanian 한국응용곤충학회 2019 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.22 No.2

Toxicity and physiological effects of pyridalyl were studied on the adults of Bacterocera oleae via oral exposure and biochemical experiments. First, adults were fed on a protein hydrolysate diet which has been amended by five concentrations of pyridalyl. Then, another cohort of flies was fed on LC 50 concentration to find potential effects on fecundity, detoxifying enzymes and intermediary metabolism. Results of bioassay showed a concentration of 0.517 μg/ml as the LC 50 value with confidence limit of 0.305–0.791 μg/ml at 95%. Fecundity of the females fed on pyridalyl-treated diet showed no significant differences with controls following 7 days of exposure while a significant higher mortality was recorded in laid eggs by the treated females. Activities of esterase and glutathione S-transferase significantly increased in the treated adults compared to control when α-naphthyl acetate and CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) were used as substrates. Activities of alanine- and aspartate aminotransferases significantly increased in the pyridalyl-treated adults compared to control while no significant difference was observed in activity of ɤ-glutamyl transferase. Although lactate dehydrogenase showed no statistically different activity but both acid- and alkaline phosphatases had statistically higher activity in the control adults compared to treatment. Finally, low density lipoprotein and total protein were the only non-enzymatic components which showed statistical difference between control and treated flies. Our results indicated that pyridalyl had toxicity on B. oleae and intervened in the physiological performance of flies.

Crotonaldehyde removal from polluted air using a biofilter packed with a mixed bed

Yaghoub Hajizadeh,Mohammad Mehdi Amin,Iman Parseh 한국공업화학회 2018 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.62 No.-

This study investigated the performance of a biofilter to remove crotonaldehyde from air. Total average of removal efficiency (RE) and elimination capacity (EC) were 88% and 0.73 g m−3 h−1, respectively. Nearly 57% of the RE was occurred in the first 20 cm of the biofilter, where the bacterial population (7.42 log10CFU g−1) and fungi population (5.25 log10CFU g−1) were significantly more than the other sections. Predominant species of bacteria in the biofilter bed were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Proteus spp. Finally, it can be inferable that the biofilter can be a suitable method to remove crotonaldehyde from air.

Measuring and Decomposing Socioeconomic Inequality in Catastrophic Healthcare Expenditures in Iran

Satar Rezaei,Mohammad Hajizadeh 대한예방의학회 2019 예방의학회지 Vol.52 No.4

Objectives: Equity in financial protection against healthcare expenditures is one the primary functions of health systems worldwide. This study aimed to quantify socioeconomic inequality in facing catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE) and to identify the main factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Methods: A total of 37 860 households were drawn from the Households Income and Expenditure Survey, conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran in 2017. The prevalence of CHE was measured using a cut-off of spending at least 40% of the capacity to pay on healthcare services. The concentration curve and concentration index (C) were used to illustrate and measure the extent of socioeconomic inequality in CHE among Iranian households. The C was decomposed to identify the main factors explaining the observed socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Results: The prevalence of CHE among Iranian households in 2017 was 5.26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.04 to 5.49). The value of C was -0.17 (95% CI, -0.19 to -0.13), suggesting that CHE was mainly concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged households in Iran. The decomposition analysis highlighted the household wealth index as explaining 71.7% of the concentration of CHE among the poor in Iran. Conclusions: This study revealed that CHE is disproportionately concentrated among poor households in Iran. Health policies to reduce socioeconomic inequality in facing CHE in Iran should focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged households.

Safety Evaluation of the Lighting at the Entrance of a Very Long Road Tunnel: A Case Study in Ilam

Mehri, Ahmad,Hajizadeh, Roohalah,Dehghan, Somayeh Farhang,Nassiri, Parvin,Jafari, Sayed Mohammad,Taheri, Fereshteh,Zakerian, Seyed Abolfazl Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute 2017 Safety and health at work Vol.8 No.2

Background: At the entrance of a tunnel, reflection of sunlight from the surrounding environment and a lack of adequate lighting usually cause some vision problems. The purpose of this study was to perform a safety evaluation of lighting on a very long road in Ilam, Iran. Methods: The average luminance was measured using a luminance meter (model S3; Hagner, Solna, Sweden). A camera (model 108, 35-mm single-lens reflex; Yashica, Nagano, Japan) was used to take photographs of the safe stopping distance from the tunnel entrance. Equivalent luminance was determined according to the Holliday polar diagram. Results: Considering the average luminance at the tunnel entrance ($116.7cd/m^2$) and using Adrian's equation, the safe level of lighting at the entrance of the tunnel was determined to be 0.7. Conclusion: A comparison between the results of the safe levels of lighting at the entrance of the tunnel and the De Boer scale showed that the phenomenon of black holes is created at the tunnel entrance. This may lead to a misadaptation of the drivers' eyes to the change in luminance level at the entrance of the tunnel, thereby increasing the risk of road accidents in this zone.

What Explains Socioeconomic Inequality in Health-related Quality of Life in Iran? A Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition

Satar Rezaei,Mohammad Hajizadeh,Yahya Salimi,Ghobad Moradi,Bijan Nouri 대한예방의학회 2018 예방의학회지 Vol.51 No.5

Objectives: This study aimed to explain the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) gap between the poorest and the wealthiest quintiles in the capitals of Kermanshah and Kurdistan Provinces (Kermanshah and Sanandaj), in western Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 1772 adults. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), lifestyle factors, body mass index, and HRQoL of participants were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The slope and relative indices of inequality (SII and RII, respectively) were employed to examine socioeconomic inequality in poor HRQoL. Blinder-Oaxaca (BO) decomposition was used to quantify the contribution of explanatory variables to the gap in the prevalence of poor HRQoL between the wealthiest and the poorest groups. Results: The overall crude and age-adjusted prevalence of poor HRQoL among adults was 32.0 and 41.8%, respectively. The SII and RII indicated that poor HRQoL was mainly concentrated among individuals with lower SES. The absolute difference (%) in the prevalence of poor HRQoL between the highest and lowest SES groups was 28.4. The BO results indicated that 49.9% of the difference was explained by different distributions of age, smoking behavior, physical inactivity, chronic health conditions, and obesity between the highest and lowest SES groups, while the remaining half of the gap was explained by the response effect. Conclusions: We observed a pro-rich distribution of poor HRQoL among adults in the capitals of Kermanshah and Kurdistan Provinces. Policies and strategies aimed at preventing and reducing smoking, physical inactivity, chronic health conditions, and obesity among the poor may reduce the gap in poor HRQoL between the highest and lowest SES groups in Iran.

Determinants of health-related quality of life in Iranian adults:

Satar Rezaei,Mohammad Hajizadeh,Ali Kazemi,Masoud Khosravipour,Farid Khosravi,Shahab Rezaeian 한국역학회 2017 Epidemiology and Health Vol.39 No.-

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure the level and determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults in Kermanshah, a city in the western region of Iran. METHODS: Convenience sampling was employed to obtain a sample of 998 adults aged 18 years and older (646 males and 352 females) in the city of Kermanshah. A 2-part self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data over the period between March 1 and May 30, 2017. The first part was designed to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors (10 items). The second part consisted of the EuroQoL 5-dimensions (EQ-5D) EuroQoL-3-level and the EuroQoL visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) questions. A multiple linear regression model was used to determine the factors associated with the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS score among study participants. RESULTS: The mean values for the EQ-5D index and the EQ-VAS score were 0.74 (standard deviation [SD], 0.19) and 80.9 (SD, 16.5), respectively. The highest percentage of self-reported problems (‘some’ and ‘severe’ problems) across the 5 dimensions of the EQ-5D index were associated with the dimensions of anxiety/depression (35.3%) and pain/discomfort (32.9%). The percentage of self-reported problems for the dimensions of usual activities, mobility, and self-care were 19.0, 12.8, and 8.9%, respectively. Our regression analyses indicated that there were statistically significant positive associations between being physically active, monthly household income per capita, and post-secondary education and the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS score. In contrast, negative associations were found between older age, being married, having a chronic disease, and smoking and the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS score. A negative association was also found between being uninsured and the EQ-5D index. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that interventions aiming to improve physical activity, to prevent chronic diseases, and to reduce the smoking rate among adults living in the city of Kermanshah may improve their HRQoL.

Medication errors among nurses in teaching hospitals in the west of Iran:

Afshin Fathi,Mohammad Hajizadeh,Khalil Moradi,Hamed Zandian,Maryam Dezhkameh,Shima Kazemzadeh,Satar Rezaei 한국역학회 2017 Epidemiology and Health Vol.39 No.-

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and types of medication errors (MEs), as well as barriers to reporting MEs, among nurses working in 7 teaching hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016. METHODS: A convenience sampling method was used to select the study participants (n=500 nurses). A self-constructed questionnaire was employed to collect information on participants’ socio-demographic characteristics (10 items), their perceptions about the main causes of MEs (31 items), and barriers to reporting MEs to nurse managers (11 items). Data were collected from September 1 to November 30, 2016. Negative binomial regression was used to identify the main predictors of the frequency of MEs among nurses. RESULTS: The prevalence of MEs was 17.0% (95% confidence interval, 13.7 to 20.3%). The most common types of MEs were administering medications at the wrong time (24.0%), dosage errors (16.8%), and administering medications to the wrong patient (13.8%). A heavy workload and the type of shift work were considered to be the main causes of MEs by nursing staff. Our findings showed that 45.0% of nurses did not report MEs. A heavy workload due to a high number of patients was the most important reason for not reporting MEs (mean score, 3.57±1.03) among nurses. Being male, having a second unrelated job, and fixed shift work significantly increased MEs among nurses (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study documented a high prevalence of MEs among nurses in the west of Iran. A heavy workload was considered to be the most important barrier to reporting MEs among nurses. Thus, appropriate strategies (e.g., reducing the nursing staff workload) should be developed to address MEs and improve patient safety in hospital settings in Iran.

Measuring and Decomposing Socioeconomic Inequality in Catastrophic Healthcare Expenditures in Iran

Rezaei, Satar,Hajizadeh, Mohammad The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine 2019 예방의학회지 Vol.52 No.4

Objectives: Equity in financial protection against healthcare expenditures is one the primary functions of health systems worldwide. This study aimed to quantify socioeconomic inequality in facing catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE) and to identify the main factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Methods: A total of 37 860 households were drawn from the Households Income and Expenditure Survey, conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran in 2017. The prevalence of CHE was measured using a cut-off of spending at least 40% of the capacity to pay on healthcare services. The concentration curve and concentration index (C) were used to illustrate and measure the extent of socioeconomic inequality in CHE among Iranian households. The C was decomposed to identify the main factors explaining the observed socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Results: The prevalence of CHE among Iranian households in 2017 was 5.26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.04 to 5.49). The value of C was -0.17 (95% CI, -0.19 to -0.13), suggesting that CHE was mainly concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged households in Iran. The decomposition analysis highlighted the household wealth index as explaining 71.7% of the concentration of CHE among the poor in Iran. Conclusions: This study revealed that CHE is disproportionately concentrated among poor households in Iran. Health policies to reduce socioeconomic inequality in facing CHE in Iran should focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged households.

What Explains Socioeconomic Inequality in Health-related Quality of Life in Iran? A Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition

Rezaei, Satar,Hajizadeh, Mohammad,Salimi, Yahya,Moradi, Ghobad,Nouri, Bijan The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine 2018 예방의학회지 Vol.51 No.5

Objectives: This study aimed to explain the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) gap between the poorest and the wealthiest quintiles in the capitals of Kermanshah and Kurdistan Provinces (Kermanshah and Sanandaj), in western Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 1772 adults. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), lifestyle factors, body mass index, and HRQoL of participants were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The slope and relative indices of inequality (SII and RII, respectively) were employed to examine socioeconomic inequality in poor HRQoL. Blinder-Oaxaca (BO) decomposition was used to quantify the contribution of explanatory variables to the gap in the prevalence of poor HRQoL between the wealthiest and the poorest groups. Results: The overall crude and age-adjusted prevalence of poor HRQoL among adults was 32.0 and 41.8%, respectively. The SII and RII indicated that poor HRQoL was mainly concentrated among individuals with lower SES. The absolute difference (%) in the prevalence of poor HRQoL between the highest and lowest SES groups was 28.4. The BO results indicated that 49.9% of the difference was explained by different distributions of age, smoking behavior, physical inactivity, chronic health conditions, and obesity between the highest and lowest SES groups, while the remaining half of the gap was explained by the response effect. Conclusions: We observed a pro-rich distribution of poor HRQoL among adults in the capitals of Kermanshah and Kurdistan Provinces. Policies and strategies aimed at preventing and reducing smoking, physical inactivity, chronic health conditions, and obesity among the poor may reduce the gap in poor HRQoL between the highest and lowest SES groups in Iran.