The provided Persian version of FABQ is a reliable and valid measurement and further research into its use as a diagnostic and prognostic tool is warranted. Development of this questionnaire will be useful for comparability between Persian and English language studies and facilitates an international collaboration in this field.

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In the current study, we tried to evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on treatment-resistant major depression. We carried out a double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial was conducted in University Hospitals. Individuals with less than 50% decrease in the intensity of depression after 8 weeks of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were recruited. Thirty patients (16 women) with a mean (SD) age of 47.2 (12.0) years were randomly allocated to 2 groups. For the active group we administered 2-mA stimulation 20 minutes for each session, with 30 seconds ramp-up from 0 and 30 seconds ramp-down. For the sham group we administered 30 seconds ramp-up to 2 mA, 10 seconds stimulation, 30 seconds ramp-down, and 20 minutes no current. The anode was fixed on the center of F3, and the cathode on F4, over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We assessed the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale at the baseline (mean difference = 1.0, P = .630), at the last session of tDCS, and at 1-month postintervention. There were statistically significant differences in the mean Hamilton scores after the intervention, and 1 month later in favor of active group; P < .001, and P = .003, respectively. Mixed analysis of variance showed a significant difference in the mean scores for active group P = .010 and pattern of change during the study P < .001 in favor of active intervention. We concluded that tDCS is an efficient therapy for patients with resistant major depression, and the benefits would remain at least for 1 month.

BackgroundThe health care professionals have a unique role in controlling the pandemic of COVID-19 and decreasing its mortality and morbidity. The burden of care and psychological impact of working in this circumstance can be unfavorable for many caregivers. In this qualitative study, the health care professionals' perception of stress during COVID-19 pandemic in Iran was assessed and several implications were proposed.Materials and MethodsThe participants were selected among staff who were providing medical services to patients with COVID-19 infection at the largest teaching hospital in Iran. Quota sampling was used to include physicians, nurses, and other paramedics. The grounded theory was selected to develop interview questions. Moreover, the thematic approach was applied to analyze the data content and data analysis was performed based on open and axial coding following the implementation of codes in MAQDA software.ResultsA wide range of psychological reactions including anxiety, feelings of guilt, depression, and anger were detected in the staff. Uncertainty accompanied by the pandemic of COVID-19 and shortcomings in preparation for crisis management were recognized as the two main sources of stress among health care professionals.ConclusionBased on the findings of the study, it is important to identify and evaluate the mental health needs of healthcare professionals. To reduce stress among health staff at COVID-19 care centers, it seems that the optimal strategy is simultaneous improvement in equipment and crisis management.

Background:Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is considered as one of the most popular prematurity-related respiratory problems and among the most prominent reasons of deaths in preterm infants. Objectives: Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is the secret of the volume and pressure overload response of the vessels and decreases due to resistance as well as rises in systemic vessels and also in decline of pulmonary artery pressure. In the present paper, BNP is considered as a biomarker for prediction of RDS scoring. Materials and Methods: In this case, 65 preterm infants under 37 weeks with an Apgar score more than seven and 65 healthy term infants were chosen. All of them were controlled for three days in NICU and then divided into 4 groups based on the RDS scoring and intensity, as well as chest x-ray findings; normal, mild, moderate, and severe. Serum BNP of all the infants was measured through ELISA kit and a questionnaire was filled up for each infant based on his/her demographic information and clinical findings. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software based on the independent statistical t-test, one-sided variance analysis and X2. P < 0.05 was considered as the significant. Results:The study results revealed a significant difference between the two groups regarding the pregnancy age, weight and type of delivery between cases and control groups (P ≥ 0.05); but there was no significant difference between BNP in cases and control groups (P ≤ 0.05). However, the comparison between the mean of pregnancy weight, pregnancy age, and BNP based on RDS frequency among the patients was significant (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusions:The results of this study demonstrated that serum BNP level correlates with increased RDS scoring. Therefore, it is possible to use BNP as the prediction marker for the progressive changes of RDS which occur in premature infants.

Background: In this study, screening of mental health problems among Health Care Workers (HCWs) was performed in order to assess the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress at Iran’s largest teaching hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, HCWs who were working professionally in specific wards for COVID-19 patients were selected by availability sampling. The patients who met the inclusion criteria and answered the submitted questions were included in the study. Next, two instruments including HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and PSS-4 (Perceived Stress Scale-4) were used. Results: The study was conducted on 306 HCWs. The mean score and standard deviation of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress were 6.33±4.10, 8.33±4.29, and 6.88±2.90, respectively. Fifty-four percent and 36.6% of the participants showed some degree of anxiety and depression, respectively. Conclusion: It is necessary to use screening methods for psy- chological disorders among HCWs, along with psychosocial support and appropriate psychological interventions in this field.

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BackgroundOpium abuse is one of the widespread social problems, and one of the most worrying aspects of it is the effect of parents’ drug abuse on the fetus.ObjectivesThe present study has investigated the correlation between opium abuse during pregnancy in mothers with congenital heart defects in their children.Materials and MethodsFrom early 2009 to late 2011, for two consecutive years in specialized pediatric center of Zahedan Medical University, 225 of children suffering from congenital heart defects were examined and compared with 480 healthy ones for mother opium dependency. The final data were analyzed by student t-test and χ2 in SPSS software and the two groups were compared in terms of their parents’ addiction to opium.ResultsFrom 225 children under study 23.5% had addicted parents based on the variables of the study but the rate was only 2.3 for the control group. The difference between these two groups was significant and the most common form of heart disease was congenital ventricular septal defect.ConclusionsOpium has teratogenic effect on cardiovascular system.