The increasing incidence of obesity, a significant health problem worldwide, represents a major socio-economic burden with a high impact on the quality of life. It is considered a risk factor for multiple medical conditions. More than half of women from developed countries are overweight or obese, this comorbidity can affect them from puberty through the reproductive period and then in the menopausal period, involving multiple medical and surgical specialties. It has a significant impact on the onset of puberty, the menstrual cycle, ovulation, fertility rate, and pregnancy outcome. In postmenopausal women, obesity represents an important risk factor for breast cancer, endometrial cancers or polyps, fibroids, pelvic organ prolapse, or stress urinary incontinence in addition to a higher risk of post-operative complications and also to some types of fragility fractures, especially if diabetes mellitus is associated. Pelvic floor disorders include pelvic organ prolapse, urinary or fecal incontinence. Obese patients seem more affected compare with normal-weighted females. We introduce a single-center, retrospective study on 74 patients (admitted between 2016 and 2019) with pelvic organ prolapses that were referred for surgical correction, and further on they were evaluated after one month, respective after 6 months since procedure. On admission, the subjects, aged between 41-82 years (median of 57 years) showed a strong correlation between the symptomatology caused by the prolapse degree and obesity (40.54% of them), as it appears that the discomfort and symptoms are significantly higher in the women with higher body mass index. In the reevaluation form, the patients with obesity complaint more frequently compared to the non-obese females about urinary and colorectal distress and low sexual desire and interest. The use of surgical treatment for pelvic organ dysfunctions is a contributor to improved quality of life in adult obese females.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic challenged the authorities into taking measures that limit the spread of the virus in the community. TAMEC project (Advanced Community Approaches to Epidemic Management) developed a system that detects the contacts of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and alerts them using mobile applications. It allows real-time analysis of confirmed patients and identified contacts, early detection of new outbreaks, and provides decision- making information to prevent viral transmission. The system uses its patent for homomorphic encryption, a method that allows to process and manipulate data in an encrypted format, without having access to the original data. Thus, the solution proposed in the TAMEC project fully respects the privacy rules of citizens imposed by the EU, using the concept of privacy preservation. Our solution offers the possibility to identify and validate a risk score that could become an extremely helpful tool in the stratification of COVID-19 patients. The TAMEC system is innovative in its simplicity and ability to facilitate the prevention of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community
Social Marketing offers new insight into the design of health care programs that focus on the comprehensive vision of understanding the target audience. As there have been several confusions between the Health Care Social Marketing and education or preventive health care programs, the characteristics refer to the social good and behavior change on voluntary grounds. This paper aimed to elaborate some guidelines for Health Care Social Marketing campaigns to increase the chances of success and trigger the expected behavioral change in the target audience. To ensure the successful implementation of a Social Marketing campaign in health care, a plan that describes the necessary steps to respond in terms of efficiency and effectiveness to the public health campaign outcomes needs to be elaborated. The proposed model has three levels of intervention, as found in the scientific literature: Diagnosis of social problems, Benefits, and social change, and Social Marketing Mix.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is currently the most common peripheral nerve compression neuropathy that affects approximately 1% of the population [7,8,9]. The incidence of CTS seems to be increasing. The diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and electrodiagnostic studies.
Introduction: Intensive care facilities may play an important role in reducing corona mortality. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological features, treatments, and prognosis of corona patients that admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Baqiyatallah Hospital. Methods: All patients with a corona that admitted to the ICU of Baqiyatallah Hospital from March 5 to May 20, 2020, were included. The epidemiological characteristics, pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and supportive therapies and prognosis were assessed. Underlying diseases, smoking, and severity of lung involvement based on CT scan findings (mild, moderate, severe) and length of hospital stay in the ICU were recorded in a questionnaire. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or tracheal intubation, ventilator ventilation, and duration of endotracheal intubation, if needed, were recorded in the questionnaire. Meanwhile, whether tracheostomy was performed, the time of the procedure, and its duration were also recorded. Results: Overall, 82 patients were included in the study that 68 (82.9%) of them were males. The mean age was 57.96±14.08 years. The mortality rate was 53 cases (64.6%). There were 57 subjects (73.1%) at a severe lung involvement and 21 subjects (26.9%) at a moderate lung involvement. There was a significant relationship between severity of lung involvement and mortality (Odds ratio= 14.3, P<0.001). There was a significant relationship between mortality and Armadile use (Odds ratio= 2.9, P=0.04). There was a significant relationship between mortality and tracheal intubation (Odds ratio= 27.2, P<0.001). There was no significant difference between mortality and discharge of patients regarding the intubation period (P=0.26). There was not a significant relationship between tracheostomy, NIV, and mortality status in the patients (P=0.14 and 0.33 respectively). Also, there was no significant difference between mortality and discharge of patients regarding tracheostomy and NIV period (P=0.51 and 0.17). There was no significant difference in age between severe and moderate lung involvement cases (P=0.63). There was a significant difference in the duration of ICU hospitalization between severe and moderate lung involvement cases (P=0.004). Conclusion: The results showed none of the factors of age, sex, underlying diseases other than hypertension, pharmacological methods other than Armadile, and non-pharmacological methods such as hemoperfusion, plasmapheresis, IVIG, hyperimmune plasma injection, and stem cell as well as Ozone therapy does not affect corona patient’s mortality. Only the severity of lung involvement leading to endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation is related to patients’ mortality
Introduction: It was reported that snake venom contains a wide mixture of proteins and peptides with various toxicological and pharmacological effects. In recent years, the isolation of effective molecules from snake venom as a drug to treatment of some incurable diseases is considered by many biological research centers. This investigation aimed to determine electrophoretic and chromatographic patterns of Pseudocerastes persicus snake venom and in-vitro study of bactericidal and anti-cancer properties of its fractions in a human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2). Materials and methods: The fractions of venom were isolated and collected using preparative RP-HPLC. The Bactericidal activity of fractions in 20 μg/ml of protein concentration was investigated toward Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Antibacterial susceptibility tests were done using MTT and MIC assays. Furthermore, cell viability was measured by MTT reduction assay and confirmed with Neutral red uptake assay following exposure of HepG2 cancer cells to 20 and 40 μg/ml of protein concentrations of fractions having more antibacterial properties. Apoptotic effects were investigated using the comet assay. Results: SDS-PAGE pattern of the crude venom revealed 10 major bands with molecular weight ranging from 13.2 to 99.25 kDa and the single-step separation of different fractions from the venom by HPLC resulted in isolation and collection of 11 fractions. The results of this study showed that two fractions of snake venom have significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive as compared to Gram-negative bacteria. On the other hand, our findings indicated that one of them is not toxic to the HepG2 cells. Discussion: We for the first time reported bactericidal and anticancer effects of isolated fractions of Persian horned viper venom. These properties make components of these fractions a favorable source for isolation of molecule(s) with antibacterial and antitumor activities.
Background and aim: Preoperative anxiety and fear of separation from parents are some of the most important preoperative problems for children with deaf muteness. Here, the effect of intravenous administration of ketamine and midazolam was compared on sedation in children who candidates for choral cochlear implantation at the time of separation from parents. Patients and methods: This double-blind, prospective clinical study was performed on 74 children with deaf-muteness before cochlear implantation. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, midazolam (0.1 mg /kg) and ketamine (1 mg/kg). The sedation anxiety score scale (SASS) form was filled in to assess the anxiety and sedation status for each child. The children's relaxation score from recovery was assessed by the PACU sedation score scale (PACUSSS). Results: The average of the children's anxiety score after the injection of both drugs during the separation from their parents was 3, and there was no significant difference in the mean of SASS between the two groups (p>0.05). The mean PACU sedation score scale in both ketamine and midazolam groups was 1.08 ± 0.89 and 1.32 ± 1.01, respectively (p = 0.27). The mean of extubation and recovery times in the ketamine group were 10.44 ± 4.47 and 30.27 ± 6.87, respectively, while the mean extubation and recovery times in the midazolam group were 11.83 ± 3.33 and 29.81 ± 6.31 minutes, respectively. Conclusion: Both ketamine and midazolam caused equal sedation scores in children with deaf muteness at the time of separating from their parents.
Cancer is a pathology generating problem to the public health systems all over the world. The etiology and pathogenesis of ovarian cancer are still partially unknown. It is still a challenge when it comes to the origin, the molecular basis of ovarian carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and therapy options of ovarian cancer. This paper brings an overview of ovarian cancer, starting with the pathogenesis, histopathological forms, and molecular biology of ovarian cancer, and follows the growth factors as molecular targets for specific therapy.
Bioterrorism constitutes a major health threat to global communities, with many specific features that carry the potential to extraordinary stress the Public Health Sector (PHS) of any country, because of the needs of resources and of a coordination network required for a successful response to such incidents. Bioterrorism incidents of the near past prove that public mortality and morbidity can be further reduced if a functional protocol would allow first responders, hospitals, and officials of the PHS to steer more efficiently the public expectations. At the national level, the PHS director is responsible to mobilize and coordinate that network of the critical human, financial and logistical resources during the preparedness and response phases after a bioterrorist attack to mitigate its effects. Both these phases include many specific functions and responsibilities, which will be beneath analyzed.
Objective: To find an accurate cut-off value for Portal vein diameter as a diagnostic tool for Portal hypertension on comparing with Doppler ultrasound, CT abdomen, or endoscopy of collateral circulation. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study, with a sample size of 100 patients. Inclusion criteria were patients above the age of 15 years who underwent routine USG abdomen for various conditions in the Radiology Department of a tertiary hospital. Distribution of age, gender, chronic liver disease, portal hypertension, and portal vein diameter of all the patients were measured and recorded. Portal hypertension was diagnosed using the presence of collaterals either on upper endoscopy (if done), Doppler USG, or CT multiphase abdomen. Results: Portal vein diameter of 10.5mm was found to have a sensitivity of 61.22%, specificity of 60.78%, a positive predictive value of 60.00%, a negative predictive value of 62.00%, and accuracy of 61.00%. 45 out of 59 (76.3%) and 37 out of 49 (75.5%) patients of the 50-70 years age group had chronic liver disease and portal hypertension respectively. 45 out of 65 (69.2%) males 37 out of 65 (56.9%) males developed CLD and PHTN. Conclusion: Using portal vein diameter as a diagnostic indicator of PHTN has an accuracy of %, so it can be used in routine USG abdomen of CLD patients to prevent the dreaded complications of PHTN and treat it early. Male gender and patients above the fifth decade were increasingly predisposed to both CLD and PHTN.
