Journal of Health Scope
Volume:3 Issue: 1, Feb 2014

Valproic acid is widely used as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug in the treatment of epilepsy. Determination of serum valproic acid is required in epilepsy therapy for efficient control of seizures.. In the present study, the gas chromatography method was applied to determine serum valproic acid and resulting data were compared with those obtained by high performance liquid chromatography.. Two methods were used: assayed patients'' serum samples and serum quality control materials for laboratory diagnostics applied to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)and gas chromatography (GC). All chemicals had a grade suitable for analysis.. The obtained results in both systems were in agreement regarding linearity, correlation and recovery. The results revealed a lower GC limit of quantification (8 µg/mL), a better intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) (3.86% - 3.99%) and inter-assay CV (6.14% - 6.42%) for all three levels of control materials. In addition, a shorter run time of the GC vs. the HPLC chromatographic step (6 minutes vs. 17 minutes) was observed.. The present study reports a short run time of the chromatographic step as well as a good sensitivity for the GC method. Furthermore, the significance of this method is the simplicity in sample preparation step without the need for derivatization and specific detector ensuring cost-effectiveness for the GC analysis. In summary, in comparison with HPLC method, our obtained data illustrate a good performance of the GC analytical procedure and confirm its usefulness for the routine quantification of valproic acid level in patients'' serum specimens..

Occupational accidents are a major problem in industries and work environments.. This study aimed to study the relationship between workers'' life quality and occupational accidents.. This historical cohort study was conducted on 114 wood industry workers (living in the North of Iran) involved in a job related accident over the past 10 years. Among those with no job-related accidents, 118 workers were randomly selected so that both groups were comparable in terms of age, work history and type of job. Standardized form of SF36 for the Iranian culture was used to determine the life quality of workers. Furthermore, demographic factors were added to the SF36 questionnaire. Data were analyzed with the two independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-square test using the SPSS 19 software.. In this survey average scores for different aspects of life quality in the case group and control group were as follows, physical functioning 67.23 ± 2.413 and 81.99 ± 2.193 and mental health 59.12 ± 16.76 and 71.52 ± 18.14, respectively. There was an obvious and significant difference (P < 0.05) between physical and mental health of injured workers’ life quality compared to the uninjured group (control group). The results showed that all eight domains of life quality except limitations due to emotional problems were significantly different between the study and control groups.. The results of this study show that unsafe work condition and high-risk behavior of workers lead to job-related accidents which affect worker’s health and their life quality..

Modeling aims at simulation or optimization of a process in various environments and is an essential tool that allows researchers to gain a better understanding of processes. Also, modeling helps to predict the scientific events. In spite of the great advantages of antibiotics, these compounds enter into the environments through various pathways, change and destroy different ecosystems, and lead to bacterial resistance. Amoxicillin is widely used as an antibiotic in modern medicine. Due to its certain physicochemical characteristics, it leaks into aquatic environments. Up to now, many physical and chemical methods have been recommended for removing amoxicillin from soil and aquatic environments. However, these methods are very costly.. The present study aimed to evaluate and model the capability of the biological aerated filters (BAFs) in degradation of amoxicillin from aquatic environments in different concentration levels of amoxicillin and hydraulic retention times (HRTs).. In this study, biodegradation of amoxicillin by BAF was evaluated in the aquatic environment. In order to assess amoxicillin removal from the aquatic environment, this bioreactor was fed with synthetic wastewater at four amoxicillin concentration levels and three HRTs.. The results showed that maximum amoxicillin and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals by aerated biofilter were 50.7% and 45.7%, respectively.. The study results showed that Stover-Kincannon model had a great fitness (R2 > 99%) for loading this biofilter with amoxicillin..

Ultrasonic irradiation has been used for a variety of purposes. Ultrasound is able to inactivate bacteria and de-agglomerate bacterial clusters through a number of physical, mechanical and chemical effects.. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound technology on Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) (ATCC 11700) reduction in drinking water.. Fifty mL inoculated samples of drinking water were sonicated by ultrasonic homogenizer with the dissipated power (Pdiss) of 70 watt and 20 KHz frequency at 2, 6 and 10 pulse/s ultrasound cycles, with the retention time of 5 and 10 minutes and also the microbial suspension concentration of 3, 6 and 9 CFU/mL. Microbial colonies were counted by McFarland and plate count methods. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the operating conditions. Design-Experts 8 (trial version) was employed in order to perform an ANOVA to analyze the ultrasound efficiency for the selected bacterial inactivation.. The results showed that E. coli and E. faecalis were effectively treated at 10 pulse/s in 9 minutes and 6 log CFU/mL bacterial suspension (P < 0.0001 for E. coli with 99.99% (4 log) and P = 0.0002 for E. faecalis with 97.5% removal efficiency). High coefficient of correlation (R2 = 99.85 for E. coli and R2 = 99.49 for E. faecalis) indicated that the model was reproducible.. ANOVA results showed that the effect of cycle and time on the selected bacterial removal efficiency were more important than that of the microbial concentration..

Even though the screening programs of common morbidities in schoolchildren are routine in many countries, a large number of patients with different problems may be found at school age.. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of nutritional problems such as stunting, underweight and wasting as well as dental caries and hypertension among schoolchildren.. This cross-sectional study of student’s health status assessment was conducted on primary, middle, and high school students of Sarvabad, a city in the West of Iran, in 2012. Nutritional status was determined by using body mass index for age and gender according to the World Health Organization references.. Out of 2596 children, 1113 (42.9%) and 1483 (57.1%) were girls and boys, respectively. The prevalence of caries was 62.8% (95% CI: 60.9, 64.6) with a decayed, missing and filled tooth (DMFT) mean of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.76). Totally, 16.41% of the study samples had gingivitis. The prevalence of wasting, underweight, and stunting among schoolchildren was 3.1%, 9.48% and 2.85%, respectively. Hypertension was detected in 5.55% (95% CI: 4.67, 6.43). The prevalence of caries, gingivitis, and hypertension was more common in boys than in girls.. Although the high prevalence of health disorders was found among schoolchildren, these rates were lower than those of previous studies in other regions. Results of the current study can help health policy makers to design educational programs concerning dental and public health interventions to deal with nutritional problems in children..

More than 500 million people worldwide are obese and around 320 million adults have type II diabetes, thus these two diseases are accounted as the fundamental health care problems. There is such a strong association between obesity and diabetes that the term diabesity is proposed for this connection. Since anti-obesity drugs have many side effects, experts have very few tools to fight obesity, while high doses of carnitine has no side effects compared to other drugs.. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation with low-calorie diet on the metabolic status in obese women with type II diabetes.. Patients and In this study, 60 obese premenopausal women with type II diabetes were randomly selected from the patients who referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Tabriz Red Crescent; they were 20 - 50 years old with a BMI greater than 30. The subjects were divided into two groups, case and control. Following the measurement of weight, waist circumference and recording personal information, weekly food intake program (based on a low calorie diet) was given to patients. For about 8 weeks, the case group received L-carnitine supplement (2 grams daily) combined with the low calorie diet, and the control group received placebo plus low-calorie diet. In this study, low calorie diet was defined as a regimen of 500 kcal lower than the patients required energy. Blood samples (5 mL of venous blood) were taken from all patients in the sitting position, and in fasting condition (for about 10 - 12 hours) between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. After separation of plasma by centrifugation for ten minutes in 3000 g, samples were analyzed to measure fasting blood glucose, lipid profile and insulin resistance.. The results showed that L-carnitine supplement with low calorie diet reduced fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C (Cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol) levels and decreased insulin resistance «HOMA-IR» (P < 0. 0001), whereas in the control group, reduction of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C levels and decrease of insulin resistance «HOMA-IR» were lower than those of the case group (P < 0. 05).. Due to the effect of L-carnitine supplementation (a dose of 1000 mg twice daily) with low-calorie diet on reduction of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C levels and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), prescribing this supplement in obese patients with diabetes is recommended..

In order to maintain and promote social health, special attention should be directed towards risky behaviors and the relevant effective factors especially in high-risk groups.. This study was aimed to identify the prevalence of substance abuse and its related factors among adolescents in Zahedan, Southeast of Iran.. This cross-sectional study included a total of 1000 randomly-selected boy and girl high school students by cluster sampling method. Goldberg’s general health questionnaire and the risk behaviors questionnaire were used for collecting data. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and descriptive statistics (i.e. frequency and percentage).. The incidences of first experience of water pipe smoking (hookah), chewing tobacco (Nas), tramadol, drugs and alcohol were 21.5%, 6.1%, 4.7%, 4.2% and 7.2%, respectively. The results the incidence in total also showed that 3.5% of the students started smoking in 2010. In addition, lifetime experience and annual incidence of these behaviors was 2 - 5 times more likely among adolescents with a family member or a friend who uses substances, compared with those without a history of substance use. Furthermore, such behaviors were 2 - 3 times higher in adolescents with abnormal general health compared with the normal ones.. Based on the results, the prevalence and incidence of risky behaviors particularly the age at the first experience among students is worrisome. Thus, it is imperative to begin prevention programs for younger adolescents..

Job involvement is a work-related attitude which helps to increase the effectiveness of the organization. On the other hand, individuals corresponding to a specific personality type behave in a certain way and have certain expectations, objectives and needs.. The aim of the study was to determine the level of nurses'' job involvement and its association with their personality traits in teaching hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2013.. This was an applied, cross-sectional and analytical-descriptive study. A sample of 110 nurses was determined using a multi-stage sampling method including cluster sampling, stratified sampling proportional to size, and simple random sampling methods. The required data were collected using two questionnaires that measured nurses'' job involvement and their personality traits. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS16.0 software on the basis of statistical tests including Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS), ANOVA, independent-samples t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression (Stepwise method). A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.. The results showed that the studied nurses'' personality traits and job involvement were moderate. Moreover, the results of the multiple linear regression indicated that the studied nurses'' job involvement had significant and positive associations only with achievement orientation (P < 0.001) and being formal and official nurses (P = 0.034).. According to the results of the present study and to increase employees'' job involvement, hospital administrators should establish an equitable employee performance system and provide appropriate rewards and incentives, adequate career advancement and job promotion opportunities, opportunities for making mistakes and learning from those mistakes for employees and providing a greater job security for contract employees..