Schizophrenia is a severe chronic debilitating disorder with millions of affected individuals. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentations, which are made when the progressive disease has appeared. ...Early diagnosis may help improve the clinical outcomes and response to treatments. Lack of a reliable molecular diagnostic invokes the identification of novel biomarkers. To elucidate the molecular basis of the disease, in this study we used two mRNA expression arrays, including GSE93987 and GSE38485, and one miRNA array, GSE54914, and meta-analysis was conducted for evaluation of mRNA expression arrays via metaDE package. Using WGCNA package, we performed network analysis for both mRNA expression arrays separately. Then, we constructed protein–protein interaction network for significant modules. Limma package was employed to analyze the miRNA array for identification of dysregulated miRNAs (DEMs). Using genes of significant modules and DEMs, a mRNA-miRNA network was constructed and hub genes and miRNAs were identified. To confirm the dysregulated genes, expression values were evaluated through available datasets including GSE62333, GSE93987, and GSE38485. The ability of the detected hub miRNAs to discriminate schizophrenia from healthy controls was evaluated by assessing the receiver-operating curve. Finally, the expression levels of genes and miRNAs were evaluated in 40 schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls via Real-Time PCR. The results confirmed dysregulation of hsa-miR-574-5P, hsa-miR-1827, hsa-miR-4429, CREBRF, ARPP19, TGFBR2, and YWHAZ in blood samples of schizophrenia patients. In conclusion, three miRNAs including hsa-miR-574-5P, hsa-miR-1827, and hsa-miR-4429 are suggested as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Graphic Abstract
Alcohol consumption has become very common among adolescents in recent years and its prevalence varies in different countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol consumption ...and related factors in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years.
This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 288385 adolescents (girls, 53.9% of total) aged 11 to 16 years. In the present study, the GSHS data (2003-2018) available to public on the websites of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO was used. To investigate the factors affecting alcohol consumption, univariate and multivariate logistics models with 95% confidence limits were used.
The overall prevalence of alcohol consumption in adolescents was 25.2%, which was 28.3% and 22.4% in boys and girls, respectively. Among the surveyed countries, the highest prevalence was in Seychelles (57.9%) and the lowest in Tajikistan (0.7). Multivariate analysis showed that the Age for 16 and more than 16 years old (OR = 3.08,95%CI: 2.54-3.74), truancy for more than 10 days (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08-1.43), loneliness at sometimes of the times (OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.07), insomnia at most of the times (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.70-2.01), daily activity (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.07), bullied for 1-9 Days in a month (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.09-1.40), cigarette (OR = 4.01, 95%CI: 3.86-4.17), used marijuana for more than 10 days in a month (OR = 5.58, 95%CI: 4.59-7.78), had sex (OR = 2.76, 95%CI: 2.68-2.84), and suicide plan (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.42-1.54) were important factors affecting drinking alcohol. (Table 4). In this study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 42.79%, 93.96%, 70.80%, and 82.75.
According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of alcohol consumption among teenagers was high. Therefore, it is suggested that demographic, family, and psychological factors should be taken into consideration in health programs for the prevention and treatment of alcohol consumption in adolescents.
General Self-efficacy is a key variable in clinical, educational, social, developmental, health and personality psychology that can affect the outcomes of people's lives. The present study aimed to ...investigate the relationship between family functions and personality traits with general self-efficacy among university students and the general population.
To conduct this two-part study, the first part was carried out on a sample of 500 students, and in the second part the study was repeated on a larger sample consisting of 1000 participants from the general population data were collected from the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). The analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, Fisher's z test and regression analysis.
The results of the present study revealed that all the subscales of family functions and all personality traits are significantly related to general self-efficacy among university students and general population (p < 0.001). But in the general population, there was no significant correlation between openness to experience with general self-efficacy) (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the results of regression analysis showed subscales of family functions and all personality traits together can predict 27 and 35% of the variance in general self-efficacy among university students and the general population, respectively.
Personality traits play a role in predicting general self-efficacy, but the personality trait of conscientiousness plays a greater role than other personality traits and also compared to family functioning, personality traits play a greater role in predicting general self-efficacy.
Suicide is a self-destructive behavior and social support can be of utmost importance in preventing it. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between personality traits, ...psychological needs, and perceived social support in individuals with self-harm behaviors in 2017. This study was performed as a cross-sectional study with participation of 115 suicide attempters by poisoning selected via convenience sampling method. The NEO Personality Inventory, the Basic Needs Satisfaction Scale, and the Social Support Questionnaire were used to collect the required data, which were then analyzed using SPSS Statistics. The findings revealed a significant relationship between personality traits, psychological needs, and perceived social support in suicide attempters by intentional poisoning. Some of the personality traits, perceived social support status, and satisfaction with basic psychological needs were important risk factors affecting suicide attempts by intentional poisoning.
Smoking is a social epidemic and one of the main risk factors for premature deaths and disabilities worldwide. In the present study, we investigated the Pattern of Cigarette Smoking: intensity, ...cessation, and age of the beginning.
Data collected from the recruitment phase of Ravansar (a Kurd region in western Iran) Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study was analyzed by using Chi-square test, univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, Poisson regression, and linear regression.
Totally 10,035 individuals (47.42% males) participated in the study. Mean age was lower for males (47.45 yr) than for females (48.36 yr). Prevalence of smoking was 20% (36.4% of males and 5.23% of females). Compared to female participants, males showed a 7-fold higher prevalence of smoking and started smoking about 4 years earlier. Being married, having a lower BMI, living in rural areas, and being exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) were predictors of higher smoking prevalence rates. Furthermore, current exposure to SHS, higher smoking intensity, later smoking initiation, male gender, younger age, lower education, and lower BMI were related to lower likelihood of stopping smoking. Heavy smokers began to smoke about 4 years earlier than casual smokers did. Finally, being divorced/ widow/ widower/ single and childhood exposure to SHS were found to increase the likelihood of becoming a smoker.
Based on present research results, health programs specific to smoking cessation should take socio-demographic factors, smoking history, and current smoking behavior into account.
We sought to determine the main factors related to relapse in patients with substance-related disorders (SRDs) who received methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) using decision tree (DT) analysis.
We ...conducted a cross-sectional study of 4175 patients referred to the 45 MMT centers in Kermanshah province, west of Iran. We included all patients who were under MMT for at least one year. All information was collected through an interview by a psychologist. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multiple regression models were used in statistical analysis. The Gini index was calculated to determine the cut-off point of nodes. We used the Classification and Regression Trees algorithm to create the DT.
The relapse rate was 76.6% for all participants, with no significant gender differences. The DT resulted in a five-level model of significant factors affecting substance abuse relapse. These included lower cost for buying substances, lower age at first substance use, history of quitting substances without medication, frequency of substances utilization per month, and frequency of methadone therapy.
Knowing the main factors associated with substance abuse relapse could be important for health care providers to make better decisions for improving the treatment outcomes of SRDs.
Elimination of psychological dependence to substance is more difficult than elimination of physical dependence, and needs to time, going through several stages, and internal care. The aim of this ...study was to exploring the factors related to treatment retention in Narcotics Anonymous members.
In a qualitative study and by individual interview, 12 recovered participants were interviewed. The participants were substance user, whom recovered for more than two years. The data were gathered by purposeful sampling and through recording and transcribing interviews. Data analysis were done by qualitative content analysis through three steps: conceptualization, interview and data analysis.
After analyzing data, two main categories had emerged: "personal-psychological" and "social" factors. Personal-psychological" factors includes: self-knowledge, change of attitude, self-confidence, consistency in treatment, living in the moment and "social" factors include interaction with others, group of sympathizers, reformation of social and familial relationships, reclaiming the social position, supports received from others, and supports received from the generalized network.
Recovered individuals are in need to emotional supports and reclaiming their positions in the family and society play an important role in their treatment retention. Keeping the Substance users away from drugs is not the basic step of substance use treatment, but the necessary supports and special cares should be given to the Substance users after elimination of physical attachment, so that the psychological dependence can be eliminated as well.
Background
In recent years, cosmetic surgery in Iran, which is provided almost entirely by the private sector, has gained popularity despite evidence of its potential risks. In most cases, cosmetic ...surgeries are done to increase self-satisfaction and self-esteem, thus seeking cosmetic surgery potentially shows an individual’s psychological profile. Current evidence needs studies on the psychological profile of Asian cosmetic surgery patients. The present study investigates psychological profile and personality traits of people seeking cosmetic surgery in Iran.
Methods
The present prospective observational study was conducted with a sample of 274 randomly selected persons seeking cosmetic surgery (rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, face/jaw implant, mammoplasty, and liposuction). All participants completed the validated and reliable the Global Severity Index (GSI)—Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R)—and the short Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI).
Results
The prevalence rate of psychiatric problems based on the GSI cut-off point (>63) of SCL-90-R was about 51 %, and interpersonal sensitivity and psychosis were the highest and lowest endorsed syndromes among the subjects, respectively. Openness had the lowest mean score; agreeableness and extroversion had the highest mean.
Conclusion
The current study shows that understanding and psychological evaluation prior to surgery is necessary and screening can reduce the number of unnecessary surgeries and may enhance satisfaction with surgical results.
Level of Evidence IV
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors
www.springer.com/00266
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Menopausal symptoms have remarkable negative effects on women's quality of life, justifying the need to assess various therapeutic options. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of Vitex ...agnus-castus extracts in alleviating menopausal symptoms in comparison with that of placebo.
This study was a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial with a study group of 52 women referred to a clinic in Kermanshah in 2017. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Vitex group (26 subjects) and placebo group (26 subjects). Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Greene Scale before and 8 weeks after the intervention.
After the intervention, the mean scores for total menopausal disorder, anxiety, and vasomotor dysfunction were significantly lower in the Vitex group than in the placebo group (P<0.05). The mean scores of the variables of somatic complications, depression, and sexual dysfunction did not show significant differences between the Vitex and placebo groups (P>0.05).
Administration of Vitex agnus-castus extracts as a phytoestrogenic medicine can alleviate menopausal symptoms in women.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the main causes of this disease. The present study was aimed to ...investigate the prevalence of OCD in patients with IBS.
The present research is a cross-sectional survey study. The research sample included 120 patients with IBS who referred to Imam Reza Hospital and gastrointestinal clinics in Kermanshah (Iran) in the 3 months of April, May, July in 2019 that were selected using the census sampling method, and demographic information, clinical and medical records were collected. Data analysis was performed using frequency, percentage, and Chi-square.
Among the patients who were studied, 58 of them (48.3%) were women and 62 (51.7%) were men, the results showed that the prevalence of OCD in patients with IBS was 14.96 and the symptoms of washing, checking, skepticism and slowness-repetition had the highest prevalence, respectively. These symptoms were more common in women than in men. There was also a significant relation between OCD prevalence in patients with IBS and with female gender, age-range 30-21 years, single, and history of OCD in the patient's immediate family and close relatives (
< 0.05), but there was no significant relationship between OCD prevalence in patients with IBS and level of education, occupation, income status, and place of residence.
Due to the high prevalence of OCD in patients with IBS, the interaction of gastroenterologists and psychiatrists to treat irritable bowel syndrome is very important.
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