hamid reza gilasi

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy (CT) that are not fully alleviated by conventional treatments. In the field of acupressure, there are conflicting studies regarding its effect on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

This study aimed to compare the effects of acupressure points K-K9 and P6 on CINV in CT patients.

A clinical trial involving 90 CT patients (align with inclusion and exclusion criteria) with specific cancers was conducted at a hospital at Kashan. Sample size was calculated with G*Power software. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups of P6, K-K9, and Li5 (placebo), receiving acupressure interventions for five days. The CINV were assessed using the Rhodes Index one hour after the intervention and at the end of each day during CT. The need for additional anti-nausea medication was also recorded.

Eighty-one patients (after the exclusion of nine patients) with a mean age of 52.35 ± 11.82 years were analyzed. The majority of participants (70.37%) were female. The mean score of CINV differed significantly among the three groups from days two to five. According to post-hoc tests (P < 0.05), the mean CINV on days two to four differed between the placebo group and the two main groups (P < 0.05). The difference between the P6 and K-K9 groups on these days was not statistically significant. The mean CINV on day five was significantly different between only the K-K9 and Li5 groups (P = 0.02). The amount of additional anti-nausea medication needed varied among the three groups across the six measurements.

Both acupressure points P6 and K-K9 are more effective at controlling CINV in CT patients than the Li5 (placebo) point is. However, the K-K9 point had a relative impact on reducing nausea levels and the usage of anti-nausea medication over the P6 point. It is recommended to use acupressure on both points to manage CINV effectively. Although based on a specific population of CT patients, these findings may inform the effectiveness of interventions in similar clinical settings and warrant further testing in diverse populations to enhance their generalizability.

Acute injuries are among the most common reasons for pediatric emergency department visits. This study aimed to determine the types of acute injuries among children visiting the pediatric emergency department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, in 2019.

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, data on acute injuries in children under 15 years old who were referred to the pediatric emergency department of Kashan Shahid Beheshti Hospital in 2019 were collected. The main complaints investigated included accidents, falls, burns, electric shock, foreign body injuries, drowning, blunt trauma, bites, and poisoning. The outcomes assessed included complete recovery, partial recovery, disability, and mortality. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.

The most common acute injuries in children were, respectively, accidents, falls, and poisoning. Most pediatric patients were triaged at level 3, indicating non-urgent injuries. Moreover, 34.72% of the patients were triaged at level 2, and 3.96% at level 1. The lowest number of injuries was recorded among children aged 0-1 year. In this study, 821 children were urban residents and 190 were rural residents. Surgery, suturing, and supportive care were the most common treatments provided.

Understanding the mechanisms of injury and the epidemiology of acute injuries in children, considering the potential complications, will have a positive impact on the quality of management and provision of facilities in the pediatric department.

Given the significance of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and the unclear mechanisms by which magnesium may prevent it, this study aimed to evaluate the growth response to magnesium supplementation in pregnant women at risk of IUGR in Kashan, Iran.

This double-blind randomized clinical trial involved 70 women identified as being at risk for IUGR through uterine artery Doppler ultrasound. Women between 16 and 30 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving a daily supplement of 250 mg of magnesium (n=35) and the other receiving a placebo (n=35) for a duration of 14 weeks. At the end of the study, biomarkers of oxidative stress (MDA, TAC, and GSH), lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides), insulin function parameters, inflammatory factors (hs-CRP and nitric oxide), and growth responses were assessed.

Daily magnesium supplementation for 14 weeks positively influenced the uterine artery resistance index in women at risk of IUGR. Following the intervention, magnesium supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in serum insulin levels and insulin resistance, alongside a notable increase in insulin sensitivity compared to the placebo group; however, there was no effect on fasting blood sugar levels. The serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C in the magnesium group were comparable to those in the placebo group, showing no significant differences. Additionally, magnesium supplementation led to significant reductions in MDA, TAC, and hs-CRP compared to placebo, while GSH and nitric oxide levels remained similar between both groups with no significant differences.

The findings of this study suggest that magnesium supplementation over a 14-week period positively impacts metabolic profiles and intrauterine growth in pregnant women at risk of IUGR.

The prevalence of substance abuse (SA) among youth has increased in recent years. However, limited data exist about SA among medical sciences students. Therefore, this study assessed SA prevalence and contributing factors among medical sciences students. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. Participants were 238 medical sciences students randomly selected from Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. The data collection instrument was the SA prevalence assessment questionnaire developed by the Mental Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Iran. Data were analyzed using the SPSS (v. 22.0) software. The most commonly abused substances were waterpipe tobacco (31.9%), cigarettes (20.2%), and alcoholic beverages (10.5%). Most participants with a history of SA had started SA before entering university. The prevalence rates of waterpipe tobacco smoking, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption were 9.2%, 8.8%, and 4.2% in the past month and 16.4%, 18.1%, and 7.6% in the past year, respectively. The prevalence of SA among dormitory students and students with lower grade point averages was significantly higher than among non-dormitory students and students with higher grade point averages. The onset age of SA was mainly before eighteen years, so strategies are needed to reduce SA in secondary schools. Moreover, strategies are needed to prevent and reduce SA at universities, particularly among dormitory students and students with lower grade point averages. University authorities should use effective educational and counseling programs to prevent student SA.

Cold intolerance is an abnormal reaction to cold exposure that results in pain and discomfort. It is predominantly characterized by pain/aching, numbness, tingling, color alteration, stiffness, swelling and loss of function. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cold sensitivity in the city of Kashan, which has a warm climate, and compare it with the prevalence of cold sensitivity in colder regions. In this cross-sectional study, cold-related symptoms and cold intolerance (CISS ≥ 50) were reported in 78 (25.2%) and 16 (5.2%) persons, respectively. We compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants with and without cold intolerance. There was no significant difference between the participants with and without cold intolerance in terms of age and body mass index. The frequency of cold intolerance was higher in smokers and participants with comorbidity, although it did not reach a significant level.

Phytochemical-rich foods have anti-inflammatory effects and play a role in the prevention and control of inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Although some aspects of a diet high in phytochemicals promoting health and preventing chronic diseases are known, further studies are required to confirm the previous findings. 

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between Dietary Phytochemical Index (DPI) and fatigue severity in patients with MS. A total of 240 patients aged 18 to 65 years were selected from the MS Association center of Golestan province. A valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the diet, and fatigue severity was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) questionnaire. DPI was calculated using the formula [daily energy from foods rich in phytochemicals (kcal) divided by total daily energy intake (kcal)] and was calculated as 100. 

After controlling for potential confounding factors, the highest tertile of DPI had a lower prevalence of fatigue symptoms (odds ratio (OR: 0.27; 95%CI: 0.03-0.36; p=0.012) compared to those in the lowest tertile. The average age of the study participants was 31.9±7.7 years, and the fatigue score scale among the participants was 39.31±11.62. 

In conclusion, a significant inverse relationship between DPI and fatigue severity was observed in patients with MS. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Methamphetamine (METH) is one of the most popular drugs used by drivers. Recent research has indicated an increase in the utilization of amphetamine-type stimulants over the past 15 years.

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of amphetamine use among fatally injured motorcyclists in the world.

All available databases including PubMed, Scopus, Wos, Google Scholar, Magiran, and SID were searched to locate published studies up to the year 2023. Heterogeneity among the studies was tested by Q-Cochran with a significant level below 0.1. The researcher assessed the Index of changes ascribed to heterogeneity (I2). Due to the heterogeneity of studies, the random-effects model was applied to integrate the results of the studies, and a 95% CI was reported. Meta-analysis in STATA 14SE was used to perform statistical analyses.

Out of a total of 222 articles that met the inclusion criteria, seven studies were examined and analyzed. The prevalence of amphetamine uses among motorcyclists who have been fatally injured was %14 (95%CI = 0.08-0.20) in the world. This result demonstrates that almost no study has documented mortality associated with amphetamine use among motorcyclists in developing countries.

Early-stage recognition and identification of motorcyclists who use amphetamines and other drugs is necessary. Furthermore, the development of educational campaigns to promote knowledge specific to that particular population is imperative. To reduce the possibility of relapsing and improve traffic safety, motorcyclists who experience difficulties resulting from amphetamine use must participate in specialized programs, treatment, psychological counseling, and rehabilitation.

Precocious puberty presents a variety of causes and clinical features, with its prevalence on the rise. This study aimed at investigating the etiology and clinical characteristics of precocious puberty in children referred to the endocrinology clinic of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

In this retrospective study, the medical records of children diagnosed with precocious puberty who attended the pediatric endocrinology clinic at Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, between 2007 and 2014, were retrospectively reviewed. A comprehensive history and clinical examination were conducted by a pediatric endocrinologist, along with left hand X-rays and specific hormonal tests.

Among the 357 children meeting the inclusion criteria, only two were boys, one with isolated adrenarche and the other with central precocious puberty. Out of the 355 girls, 315 (88.2%) had central precocious puberty, 19 (5.3%) presented with premature thelarche, 20 (5.6%) exhibited pubarche, and three (0.8%) had transient thelarche. Only 172 children maintained regular follow-up visits, with an average follow-up duration of 23±16 months. Of these, 42 were undergoing treatment, while 130 were monitored for the progression of puberty and the necessity for intervention. Over a 3-6-month period, no change in pubertal stage was observed in 49.6% of children, while 42.6% progressed in thelarche or pubarche, and 7.8% advanced in both pubarche and thelarche. Additionally, 24.8% of children experienced a height growth rate exceeding the 97th percentile.

Central precocious puberty emerged as the predominant cause of precocious puberty symptoms in this study. Furthermore, more than half of girls with true precocious puberty displayed a slow progressive course that did not warrant therapeutic interventions.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is common in infants and its treatment remains extremely challenging in this age group. Therefore this study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of omeprazole and esomeprazole in infants, aged 1-11 months old, presented with GERD.
This double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 80 infants. All patients were randomly divided into omeprazole and esomeprazole treatment groups for four weeks. The signs, symptoms, and disease severity based on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of GERD were evaluated after treatment in both groups. The data were then analyzed using the SPSS Statistics software (version 21).
The results of this study did not show significant differences between the mean disease severity based on VAS of both omeprazole- (81.1±55.7) and esomeprazole-receiving (79.1±77.6) groups (p=0.091). However, in each group, the mean disease severity after one month of treatment was significantly lower as compared to baseline (p<0.01). The recovery rates were similar in both groups (75% and 70% for omeprazole and esomeprazole groups, respectively) (p=0.799).
Omeprazole and esomeprazole did not have significant differences in signs, symptoms, and disease severity of GERD, however, we observed a significant reduction in disease severity in both groups indicating that these two drugs could be used interchangeably for the treatment of GERD disorder.

 The prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression seems to be high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which may influence their quality of life. Due to limiting some food groups, these patients suffer from a deficiency of some nutrients, which may be related to mood disorders.

 This study aimed to investigate the correlation between nutrient intake, stress, anxiety, and depression in patients with CKD.

 The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 patients with CKD. To assess the diet of the patients, the researchers completed three days of the 24-hour food recall. The short self-report Iranian version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was also used to investigate the participants' mental health.

 Of the 90 patients examined, 64 were men and 26 were women. There was a significant inverse correlation between depression and the dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (β = -0.214, P = 0.039) and α-tocopherol (β = -0.225, P = 0.025). A significant inverse correlation was also found between anxiety and the dietary intake of iron (β = -0.319, P = 0.003), copper (β = -0.25, P = 0.031), vitamin B1 (β = -0.314, P = 0.004), vitamin B5 (β = -0.262, P = 0.016), vitamin B6 (β = -0.292, P = 0.007), vitamin B9 (β = -0.241, P = 0.026), fiber (β = -0.224, P = 0.04), and vitamin K (β = -0.26, P = 0.015).

 The dietary intake of nutrients such as PUFAs, α-tocopherol, B vitamins, vitamin K, iron, copper, and fiber might be associated with depression and anxiety. However, further studies with longitudinal designs are needed to reveal cause-effect relationships in this regard.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are novel inflammatory markers known for inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to examine PLR and NLR as predictors of calcification aortic stenosis (CAS) severity.  This study investigated a total of 155 individuals who were referred to Chamran Heart Center in Esfahan, Iran between 2018 and 2019. The participants included 53 patients with severe AS, 50 patients with mild to moderate AS, and 52 individuals as a control group. The severity of aortic stenosis was evaluated in all participants using echocardiography. The study also calculated the PLR and NLR from CBC.  The results of this study indicate that there was no significant difference in PLR among those with severe AS (108±66), mild to moderate AS (103±43), and the control group (110±50) (p=0.813). However, the NLR was significantly higher in those with severe AS (3.13±2.3) compared to mild to moderate AS (2.08±0.7) and the control group (2.1±1.3) (p=0.019). Age and diabetes mellitus were found to be significant and independent factors correlated with PLR, while the severity of AS was not. Additionally, severe AS was found to be an independent predictor of NLR, along with age and sex.  This study elucidated the intricate relationship between inflammatory markers and CAS, emphasizing the significance of NLR as an indicator of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory contrast. Surprisingly, PLR exhibited no relationship with CAS severity. we suggest that future studies examine the effect of ethnic variation on the relationship between inflammatory markers and CAS. Also, explore the potential impact of additional inflammatory markers on new indices that may provide stronger predictive value for CAS severity.

Teenage obesity is so important issue in health as it is a defining indicator of obesity in adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a dialectical behavioral therapy on emotion regulation, impulsivity and body mass index (BMI) in obese or overweight teenage girls.

The present study was a randomized clinical trial with pretest-posttest and control group. The study population included overweight and obese girl students (n=40) aged 13-15 years in Kashan, Iran, in the academic year of 2018-2019. The students were selected through target-based sampling, and randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. Participants completed emotion regulation and impulsivity questionnaires and their BMI was assessed. The intervention group underwent the dialectical behavior therapy, while the control group received no treatment. 

Dialectical behavior therapy significantly reduced the mean scores of difficulties in emotion regulation (F=7.36, P<0.01) and BMI (F=9.15, P<0.001) compared to the control group. However, the mean score of impulsivity in the treatment group did not decrease significantly (F=1.52, P>0.05).

According to the current findings, the dialectical behavior therapy can be considered as an effective therapeutic approach to reduce the difficulty in emotion regulation and BMI in obese or overweight teenagers.

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of bruxism in children and adolescents under 15 years old in Iran.

This case-control study was conducted in day clinics of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in 2020. Fifty children with bruxism in the case group and 50 without in the control group were compared to five risk factors, including intestinal parasites, sucking the fingers, biting objects, a family history of bruxism, and secondhand smoking (SHS). The statistical tests of smoking, odds ratio, and logistic regression were used for data analysis.

The mean age of the subjects was 10.6±3.2 and 10.8±2.9 years in the case and control groups, respectively. The bruxism showed significant relation with sucking the fingers, the family history of bruxism, and intestinal parasites. The SHS and biting objects showed no significant relation with bruxism. The logistic regression indicated that the study variables could explain the 22.6 to 30.1% of risk factors in bruxism.

Bruxism is a common disorder in children and adolescents. The intestinal parasites might be associated with bruxism. These infestations should be diagnosed and treated in children with bruxism.

Schizophrenia, as one of the most severe psychiatric diseases, has a chronic and debilitating process. The majority of patients with schizophrenia do not respond adequately to treatment with common antipsychotic drugs. Therapeutic problems induced by drug side effects as well as undesired results are major challenging issues regarding this disease. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of memantine supplementation on the improvement of cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

The present clinical trial was performed on 50 patients with acute schizophrenia who were admitted to Kargarnejad Psychiatric Hospital in Kashan in 2022 and who were diagnosed as schizophrenia cases at least three months ago. Patients were randomly divided into either the intervention group (n = 25) or the placebo group (n = 25). The intervention group received 5 mg of memantine per day for three months. The dose of memantine in this group was increased to the maximum of 20 mg per day. The placebo group received 1 mg of folic acid per day for three months. Moreover, an identical routine schizophrenia therapeutic regimen was administered to all patients. The effectiveness of memantine was evaluated using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III), which assessed cognitive ability in older adults over a 12-week follow-up period.

The WAIS-III score in the 12th week of the study was significantly different between the placebo and intervention groups (P = 0.004), such that the score of the memantine group was higher than that of the placebo group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of drug side effects.

Memantine can be supplemented in the treatment of schizophrenia so as to improve the cognitive symptoms of this disorder. However, subsequent studies involving larger sample sizes and different doses seem to be necessary to provide more accurate results in this respect.

This study represents the first attempt in understanding the prevalence of common allergens in Kashan, based on the clinical data i.e., demographic statistics and available SPTs collected.

In a retrospective cross-sectional study on 10,000 patients referred to Kashan Asthma and Allergy Clinic from 2006 to 2016, clinical information was extracted through electronic records. Considering risk factors including a family history of atopy, symptoms, smoking, and suitability of sleeping materials, sensitization to 17 aeroallergens was evaluated using SPT.

About 44.6% of patients had simultaneous allergic rhinitis and asthma, while 21.2% suffered concurrently from ocular allergy. The most prevalent outdoor sensitization was against weed pollens (62.3%), specially Salsola kali (69.9%), mixed extracts of Chenopodium album and Amaranthus retroflexus (58.3%) from Chenopodiaceae family, followed by grasses (44.6%), and trees (35.5%). For indoor allergens, cockroach (32.5%) was the most prevalent aeroallergen, followed by mites (27.1%), mold (23.4%), and animal dander (20.64%).

The study showed that reaction to SPT is generally high in Kashan, especially towards weed pollens of the Chenopodiaceae family. Despite her dry climate, the living style in Kashan has traditionally been inclined to keep indoor spaces humid throughout the year and therefore more prone to such indoor aeroallergens as cockroaches, mites, and fungi infestations.

One of the most typical reasons for pediatric hospitalization is urinary tract infection. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of urinary tract pathogens and the distribution of antibiotic resistance in children with urinary tract infections referred to Shahid Beheshti Kashan Hospital in 2018–2019. This information would assist physicians in choosing more potent medications.

Children with urinary tract infections were the subject of this cross-sectional study, carried out in 2018–2019 at Shahid Beheshti Kashan Hospital. The presence of an active urine test, a positive urine culture, and clinical symptoms of a urinary tract infection were the inclusion criteria. Data were examined using SPSS 16 software.

Out of the 400 children studied, 153 (38.2%) were males and 247 (61.8%) females. Among 153 boys, 96.1% had undergone circumcision, while 3.9% had not. Gender and UTI bacteria had a significant connection (p=0.023). Escherichia coli had the highest prevalence in female children's urinary tract bacteria. Males were more likely to contract Escherichia coli. Results indicated that ampicillin resistance pattern significantly correlated with gender (p=0.011). Amikacin, an antibiotic, proved most effective against Escherichia coli, the most prevalent pathogen. Escherichia coli also showed the highest level of ampicillin resistance. To combat antibiotic resistance, it is crucial to prescribe medicines in a methodical and scientific manner.

Pediatric urinary tract infections are most likely to be caused by Escherichia coli. This study's isolated bacteria showed a high sensitivity to Amikacin and resistance to Ampicillin, a penicillin beta-lactam antibiotic used to treat UTIs.

For successful aging, it is necessary to evaluate social health as a basic component of the health system. Older adults are an increasingly large proportion who are potential candidates for vulnerability in social health.

This study aimed to determine social health and its related factors in older adults referred to urban comprehensive health service centers.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 older adults referred to urban comprehensive health service centers in Ardabil City, Iran, between February 2021 and April 2022. The multistage sampling method was used to select the older adults. The social health scale for older people was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, the Tukey post hoc test, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression with a stepwise method.

The Mean±SD age of the participants was 69.49±7.16 years. The mean score of social health was 57.27±8.7, and for subscales of social support, social adjustment, and perceived environment resource were 30.16±5.9, 15.15±4.14, and 11.95±2.83, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that marital status (B=4.68, 95% CI, 2.82%-6.54%, P=0.001), education (B=-2.89, 95% CI, -4.87% to -0.9%, P=0.004), job (B=-2.15, 95% CI, -4.1% to -0.21%, P=0.03), income (B=1.48, 95% CI, 0.63%-2.89%, P=0.04), visiting exhibitions (B=4.69, 95% CI, 2.39%-6.98%, P=0.001), and recreational or fun activities (B=-2.36, 95% CI, -3.99% to -0.72%, P=0.005) were predictors of social health in older adults (R2=20%).

The social health of older adults is moderate. Our study showed that several factors would influence social health. Healthcare providers should plan necessary interventions to enhance the social health of older adults.

Internet addiction is one of the problems that has arisen with the advancement of technology, which has negative effects on people's physical and mental health. This study aimed to investigating the effect of using the internet and social networks in students of Kashan University of Medical Sciences.

In this cross-sectional study, 238 students of Kashan University of Medical Sciences were selected by stratified random method in 2019. To collect data, a standard questionnaire prepared by the professors and experts of the mental health center of the Ministry of Health was used. The data was analyzed through SPSS and using chi-square test.

The findings showed that 16.1% of students were addicted to social networks, which was 18.4% and 12.7% among women and men, respectively. Also, it can be mentioned that male students use more online and offline computer games than female students (P<0.05). The rate of use of dormitory students for searching news and surfing the web and downloading movies and music was more than students of living at home (P<0.05), also.

Considering that 16.1% of students devote at least 8 hours of their time daily to use the internet, this can be a reason for their academic failure. Hence, it is necessary to hold educational workshops about the advantages and disadvantages of internet.

Accidents and related injuries are the major public health problem and they have long been charged with being very destructive and deadly to the humans in the world. Regarding the widespread damage caused by accidents in Iran

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the trend and epidemiological pattern of injuries caused by accidents in victims who referred to the emergency department of Iranian hospitals in 2016.

This study was performed based on secondary analysis of existing data. In order to collect the necessary information, all reports of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education on accidents and deaths in 2016 were used. Excel, SPSS and GIS software were used to analyze the results. Also, hierarchical analysis was used to cluster the provinces. Out of 1483425 cases in 2015, 68.6% were men.

 The highest frequency was related to the age group of ≥20 years (74%). Also, out of the total cases, 5013 people died and 358 others were disabled. The scene of the most accident was home (36%), followed by the street (32%). The highest rate of accidents per 100 000 population was related to trauma (598.72) followed by traffic accidents (570.53).The highest incidence rate per thousand population was related to Qazvin (46.30) and Kermanshah (38.10) provinces and Sistan and Baluchestan province had the lowest incidence rate (2.9 per thousand).

Organized policy-making and decision-making to prevent accidents is one of the important health priorities and an essential tool in promoting safety in Iran.

Nowadays, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation seems to have a vital role in all aspects of human life. However, radiations such as infrared radiation (IR) adversely affect the human visual system. This study aimed to evaluate IR exposure and occupational cataracts in the selected traditional and automatic bakeries in Qom Province, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in traditional and modern bakeries with 306 workers. Demographic data were collected using a demographic questionnaire. IR measurement was done using the Hagner EC1-IR digital radiometer at the eye height and in the first and last hours of the workday. The obtained data were analyzed with statistical tests of the Chi-square, Fisher exact, 1-way ANOVA, and independent t test in SPSS software v. 20.

According to the obtained results, 16.1% of the workstations had a high level of exposure to IR, and 20.3% of workers were suffering from cataracts. The results showed a significant correlation between the exposure level and jobs as well as tasks and working hours (P<0.05). Also, a significant correlation was observed between the risk of cataracts and the exposure level, workstation type, age, and experience (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the type of bakeries and the risk of cataracts (P=0.59).

Based on our findings, nearly one-sixth of the surveyed stations were higher than the standard limit in terms of IR measurement, and nearly one-fifth of workers were suffering from cataracts. The results indicated that due to the long-term exposure of bakery workers to IR, it is necessary to plan and implement effective control measures in bakeries.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common chronic systemic inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Considering that one of the important goals of treatment of this disease is to achieve remission, this study was designed to identify the factors associated with the prognosis of this disease to select a treatment appropriate to its severity.

In this study, the records of 433 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were examined by several rheumatologists and their assistants in Tabriz and Kashan centers and the factors affecting the prognosis of patients using logistic regression test was determined.

Results showed that the variables of disease duration, DAS28 at the first visit, treatment regimen and TNF inhibitors have a significant effect on patients' prognosis (P <0.05) so that with an increase of one unit (year) duration of the disease, the chance of a poor prognosis in patients increases 1.117 times; The chance of a poor prognosis among patients in whom the disease activity was severe at the beginning of the referral is 2.369 times higher than in patients in whom the disease activity was moderate; Also, the chance of a poor prognosis among patients on a mono-therapy regimen is 9.346 times higher than in patients on a double-therapy regimen.

Increasing duration of the disease, severe disease activity at the beginning of the visit, lack of commitment to treatment and use of a mono-therapy regimen at the beginning of treatment increase the chance of poor prognosis in patients.

 T helper type 2 (Th2) cells are critical cellular elements in allergic rhinitis. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) produces Th2-related cytokines and binds to the ST2 receptors. This is expressed strongly in mastocytes and discerningly in Th2 cells. Through Th2 cells, IL-33 may also have partly involved in immune responses.

 This study aimed to measure the IL-33 serum levels in children suffering from allergic rhinitis and investigate its relationship with the disease.

 This case-control study was conducted on a population with the age range of 7-18 years, who referred to the Pediatric Clinic of the Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran, in 2017. The study sample encompassed 57 patients with allergic rhinitis (case group) and 57 subjects with no allergic rhinitis (control group). The ELISA assay was used to measure the serum level of IL-33 in the case and control groups. Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed by a pediatric immunologist considering the patient’s history and the guidelines set out by the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA). All study data were analyzed with SPSS software version 22.

 There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of age (P = 0.001), gender (P = 0.0144), family history of atopy (P < 0.001), symptoms duration (P < 0.001), and comorbidities (e.g., atopic dermatitis and asthma) (P < 0.001). Furthermore, compared to the control group, the case group exhibited significantly higher IL-33 serum levels (P < 0.001).

 The high serum levels of IL-33 exhibited in patients with allergic rhinitis indicate its involvement in the pathogenesis of the concerned disease.

Despite the anti-cancer and antimicrobial effect of licorice extract and lavender essential oil, some factor such as low bioavailability and biodegradable, limit the use of them as a therapeutic treatment. Using of nanoparticles is one of the ways to overcome these limitations. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-proliferative effects of nanoemulsion containing licorice extract and lavender essential oil against cancer cells and evaluate its antimicrobial properties in the In Vitro environment.

In this experimental study nano-emulsion containing rosemary and peppermint essential oils was synthesized by spontaneous emulsification. The cell toxicity of nanoemulsion was studied using the MTT method against HepG2 and SK-MEL-3 cell lines. The antibacterial activity of nanoemulsion was determined using four bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Stapphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method.

The results of MTT test on HepG2 cells showed that concentrations of 630, 1250 and 2500 μg/ml nanoemulsions caused toxicity to the cell and caused the death of more than 50% of the cells (IC50=401μg/ml ((p<0.05). Evaluation of SK-MEL3 cells showed that with the exception of 75 μg of nanoemulsion, other concentrations caused the death of more than 50% of the cells (IC50=82μg/ml ((p<0.05). The MIC results revealed that the nanoemulsion had a significant antibacterial activity.

the nanoemulsion containing lavender essential oil and licorice extract had antibacterial and anti-proliferative activities against cancer cells. The results of this study indicated that nanoemulsification of lavender essential oil and licorice extract can enhance their biological effect and it can be used as a drug formulation.

Endodontic treatment is an important part of dentistry. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of root canal treatment performed by dental students at the faculty of dentistry of Kashan University of Medical Sciences.

In the present cross-sectional study 182 patients with a history of root canal treatment performed by dental students in the past year entered, and radiographs of the treated tooth and palpation test was evaluated. In this study, radiographs were evaluated by three observers: To evaluate the radiographs, PAI was used. Based upon that score 1 and 2 is healed, score 3 is uncertain and score 4 and 5 is unhealed. The Cohenchr('39')s kappa coefficient was used to assess agreement between observers.

In our study, 63% of patients were healed, 16% of patients were in uncertain range, and 21% of patients did not recover. There was a meaningful agreement in comparison of the results evaluated by the observers including: an endodontist, a radiologist and a general dentist with the palpation test (P<0.005). Also, there was a meaningful agreement in the scoring by the observers.

The quality of root canal treatment performed by dental students of dental school of Kashan University of Medical Sciences was in favorable range.

Moral sensitivity as the foundation of ethics in nursing creates a context in which nurses can provide effective and ethical care for their patients. This study aimed to investigate the moral sensitivity of nurses and its relationship with some of their demographic characteristics.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 on 350 nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences, using the stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using the moral sensitivity questionnaire and were analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics such as independent-sample T-Test, pearson correlation and ANOVA at the significance level of 0.05.

The average moral sensitivity of nurses (68.12±6.08) was moderate. The highest score was in the dimension of "awareness of interpersonal communication" and the lowest score was in the dimension of "experience of moral problems and conflicts". The total score of moral sensitivity and the dimensions of "knowledge of interpersonal communication" and "expression of benevolence" showed a positive and significant relationship with age, nurseschr('39') work experience and history of participating in workshops related to ethics.

The results of the present study showed that the moral sensitivity of nurses is moderate. Also, participating in ethics workshops is effective on the level of moral sensitivity. Therefore, it is suggested that holding workshops related to moral sensitivity be given more attention, especially for novice nurses.