Exploring urban students' constructions about school, work, race, and ethnicity

This qualitative study is an exploration of 32 urban high school students' narratives about the connection between school, work, and societal expectations of their future success related to their racial and ethnic background. The sample varied along 2 contextual dimensions: participation in a psychoeducational intervention (Tools for Tomorrow) and developmental status (i.e., half the sample were 9th-grade students and the other half were 12th-grade students). Using consensual qualitative research, the narratives revealed 3 major domains: future orientation; students' perceptions of society's expectations based on race and ethnicity; and students' perception of the role of their race and ethnicity in future success. Results reveal that the majority of students endorse a connection between school and work, believe that society holds low expectations for them based on their racial and ethnic background, and cannot predict their future success based on their background.     

A Qualitative Assessment of the Sex Education Needs of Married Iranian Women

Despite a comprehensive reproductive health program there is little sex education available in Iran. In this article we present results of a study conducted to identify content area for a proposed sex education program for married Iranian women. Twenty-one married female clients (23–45 years) and 18 reproductive health providers, recruited from urban health clinics in Tehran using non-probability sampling, participated in four focus group discussions. Sexual health information needs related to reproductive tract and sexually transmitted infections, “acceptability” of certain sexual practices such as oral and anal intercourse, and the sexual response cycles and physiology of men and women. Women’s sexual concerns related to communication, incompatibility of sexual interests and desire, and their ability to maintain a strong marriage. Two themes cut across women’s responses to all questions: modesty and maintaining a strong marriage. Results contributed to the design of a sex education program that addressed the specific information needs and concerns of Iranian women.     

Influence of intracerebroventricular administration of dopaminergic drugs on morphine state-dependent memory in the step-down passive avoidance test

The effects of dopaminergic drugs on morphine state-dependent memory of passive avoidance task were examined in mice. Pre-training administration of morphine (5mg/kg) led to state-dependent learning with impaired memory retrieval on the test day which was reversed by pre-test administration of the same dose of the opiate. The pre-test intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of the dopamine D1 receptor agonist (SKF38393), dopamine D2 receptor agonist (quinpirole) and dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (sulpiride) not only reversed the effect of pre-training morphine treatment, but also increased this action of the drug. Furthermore, the pre-test i.c.v. administration of dopamine D1 receptor antagonist (SCH23390) prevented the restoration of memory by morphine. In conclusion, the morphine-induced recovery of memory, on the test day, seems to be induced, at least in part, through dopamine receptors.     

The effect of acute stress exposure on ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat heart: role of oxytocin

Previous studies showed the protective effects of oxytocin (OT) on myocardial injury in ischemic and reperfused rat heart. Moreover, exposure to various stressors not only evokes sudden cardiovascular effects but also triggers the release of OT in the rat. The present study was aimed to evaluate the possible cardioprotective effects of endogenous OT released in response to stress (St), and effects of administration of exogenous OT on the ischemic-reperfused isolated heart of rats previously exposed to St. Wistar rats were divided into six groups: ischemia/reperfusion (IR); St: rats exposed to swim St for 10?min before anesthesia; St+atosiban (ATO): an OT receptor antagonist, was administered (1.5?mg/kg?i.p.) prior to St; St+OT: OT was administered (0.03?mg/kg?i.p.) prior to St; OT: OT was administrated prior to anesthesia; ATO was given prior to anesthesia. Isolated hearts were perfused with Krebs buffer solution by the Langendorff method and subjected to 30?min of regional ischemia followed by 60?min of reperfusion. The infarct size (IS) and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in coronary effluent were measured. Hemodynamic parameters were recorded throughout the experiment. The plasma concentrations of OT and corticosterone were significantly increased by St. Unexpectedly St decreased IR injury compared with the IR alone group. OT administration significantly inhibited myocardial injury, and administration of ATO with St abolished recovery of the rate pressure product, and increased IS and levels of CK-MB and LDH. These findings indicate that activation of cardiac OT receptors by OT released in response to St may participate in cardioprotection and inhibition of myocardial IR injury.     

Monotheistic and Spiritual Style Literature in Traditional Medicine’s Resources

The basis for success of Iranian Gnostics, poets and scientists were moral teaching, attention to origin and searching for specific goals in creation of human and creatures as well as finding some of his essence in studying all phenomena regarding the creation of universe by divine attitude. There is no surprise that such relationship was bilateral and according to his promise to those who truly follow him such that he will show the right path of learning to human in order to obtain the secrets of life. This relationship has resulted in growth of famous Iranian scientists such as Rhazes, Ahvazi, Avicenna, Ferdousi and… at the beginning of the second millennium. Thus, goal of this research is to study the style of writing in original resources of traditional medicine. In order to increase the accuracy of this study, an electronic database version of traditional medicine resources has been prepared. Writing style of Alhavi book (by Rhazes), Kamel-al-Sanaah (by Ahvazi), Canon of Medicine (by Avicenna) and Zakhireye Khwarazmshahi (by Jorjani) was considered. This task was accomplished by searching using related key words such as God, creator, magnificent, omnipotent, transcendent, omniscient and many other similar words and then encoding them. Finally, content analysis of these words was performed. Hundreds of monotheistic words and many small and great texts related to monotheistic literature have been encountered in the literature, and some are mentioned in the following. Rhazes has started some parts of Alhavi by remembering the name of merciful God and saluting his prophets and has mentioned “God” for more than 570 times and the word “God willing” for more than 215 times. Ahvazi has written his book called Kamel-al-Sanaah by using monotheistic literature, so that both volumes of book are started by remembering the name of God and saluting his prophets. In the introduction of first volume of his book, he has acknowledged God due to conferring logic and wisdom to human and has used the word “God” more than 230 times in his book. He has also referred to a famous testimony of Hippocrates and added some more issues in relation to medical ethics. Avicenna has started the Canon of Medicine in five volumes by remembering God and saluting his prophets. When referring to points related to having specific goal in structure of body organs, he immediately has praised God. Jorjani also has followed up the same attitude of three mentioned writers. We have found out that any of the Iranian poets, Gnostics and scientists who have studied nature have reached to the same conclusion from their own point of view, meaning, they all have observed permanent emergence of God in all phenomena of universe. Poets considered the beauties of nature, Gnostics studied mental issues and scientists of natural sciences explored the physiology and anatomy of human body; however, all of them referred to beauty, magnificent, discipline and having goal in creation of universe and all of its phenomena in their books. They have written their valuable books by benefiting monotheistic literature and have published their research results by inference of seeking God and paved the way for next generations. They experienced the usefulness of cumulative effects of spirituality, religion and health on performance and thereby emphasizing the need to incorporate spirituality and religion in teachings curriculums.     

Neuroprotective Effects of Testosterone on Regenerating Spinal Cord Motoneurons in Rats

Degeneration in the CNS and peripheral nervous system consists of degradation and phagocytosis of axons and their myelin sheath distal to the site of injury. Testosterone is a gonadal sex steroid hormone that plays an important role in CNS development. One of the lesser-known testosterone actions is neuroprotection. In the present study, the authors investigated the neuroprotectective effect of intracerebral ventricular injection of testosterone on the number of spinal motoneurons after sciatic nerve crush. In all, 32 male Wistar rats were divided to 4 groups (control, compression, compression + castration, compression + testosterone injections; n = 8). Four weeks after compression the lumber segments of spinal cord were sampled, processed, sectioned serially, and stained with toluidine blue (pH = 4.65) by using steriological quantitative technique (physical dissector), the number of alpha motoneurons in the right ventral horns of spinal cord were counted and compared between groups. Statistical analyses showed that testosterone injections (1μl icv, 4 times, 1 week interval between injections) significantly (p < .05) reduced neuronal damage. These results indicated that testosterone has an obvious neuroprotective effect on lumbar spinal motoneurons.     

The Socio-political Situation of Avicenna’s Time and His Spiritual Messages: On the Occasion of 1031st Birth Anniversary of Avicenna (23 August 980)

In the fourth century A.H. (tenth century AD) many thinkers, philosophers, jurisprudents, poets, and authors were present in different scientific, literary and health fields in ancient Iran and Islamic world that by their hard attempts the sciences and literature were safe from incidents and resulted in growth, development and innovation of Islamic sciences. Meanwhile, Avicenna was superior to all others and the most famous scientist. He was a great human that by attempting hard, perseverance, stability, patience, and believing in God could complete supreme scientific ranks and compiled encyclopedia of Canon of Medicine and besides gathering many written important issues that most of them were confiscated at libraries of kings. He added medical experiences of ancient Iran and especially Jondishapour University and also his personal experiences and finally Canon of Medicine by benefiting from monotheistic style and science based on faith was written. He has written a book that is regarded as root and basics of modern medicine and by completing it some infrastructure health viewpoints and common medicine were created. It is a kind of book that in spite of scientific advances and production of modern research tools many of its contents are replaced with modern methods of medicine and health, but still many of its health basic messages, research orientation and monotheism with great dynamic mode is considerable at world’s medical references. The aim of this study is evaluate the political situation of Avicenna’s time and a review of his Godly writings. This is a library study by using electronic version of Canon of Medicine and other related resources. Findings, include writing style of monotheistic literature, and freeing from nihilism and affiliating diseases to Satan, jinn and such issues. It is necessary that our students within course of Iranian and Islamic culture and civilization to be more familiar with monotheistic thoughts and activities of scientists like Avicenna.     

Vicarious moral licensing: the influence of others' past moral actions on moral behavior

This article investigates the effect of others' prior nonprejudiced behavior on an individual's subsequent behavior. Five studies supported the hypothesis that people are more willing to express prejudiced attitudes when their group members' past behavior has established nonprejudiced credentials. Study 1a showed that participants who were told that their group was more moral than similar other groups were more willing to describe a job as better suited for Whites than for African Americans. In Study 1b, when given information on group members' prior nondiscriminatory behavior (selecting a Hispanic applicant in a prior task), participants subsequently gave more discriminatory ratings to the Hispanic applicant for a position stereotypically suited for majority members (Whites). In Study 2, moral self-concept mediated the effect of others' prior nonprejudiced actions on a participant's subsequent prejudiced behavior such that others' past nonprejudiced actions enhanced the participant's moral self-concept, and this inflated moral self-concept subsequently drove the participant's prejudiced ratings of a Hispanic applicant. In Study 3, the moderating role of identification with the credentialing group was tested. Results showed that participants expressed more prejudiced attitudes toward a Hispanic applicant when they highly identified with the group members behaving in nonprejudiced manner. In Study 4, the credentialing task was dissociated from the participants' own judgmental task, and, in addition, identification with the credentialing group was manipulated rather than measured. Consistent with prior studies, the results showed that participants who first had the opportunity to view an in-group member's nonprejudiced hiring decision were more likely to reject an African American man for a job stereotypically suited for majority members. These studies suggest a vicarious moral licensing effect.