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Measurement of peripheral dose to the pelvic region and the associated risk for cancer development after breast intraoperative electron radiation therapy
Get PDFThis study aimed to measure the received dose to the pelvic region of patients during breast intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT). Furthermore, we compared the findings with those of external beam radiation therapy. Finally, secondary ovarian and uterus cancer risks following breast IOERT were estimated. In the current study, the received dose to the pelvic surface of 18 female patients during breast IOERT boosts were measured by thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-100) chips. All patients were treated with 12 Gy given in a single fraction. To estimate the dose to the ovary and uterus of the patients, conversion coefficients for depth from the surface dose were obtained in a Rando phantom. Given the received dose to the pelvic region of the patients, secondary ovarian and uterus cancer risks following breast IOERT were estimated. The received doses to the ovary and uterus surface of the patients were 0.260 ±0.155 mGy to 31.460 ±6.020 mGy and 0.485 ±0.122 mGy to 22.387 ±15.476 mGy, respectively. Corresponding intra-pelvic (ovary and uterus) regional doses were 0.012 ±0.007 mGy to 1.479 ±0.283 mGy and 0.027 ±0.001 mGy to 1.164 ±0.805 mGy, respectively. Findings demonstrated that the ratio of the received dose by the pelvic surface to the regional dose during breast IOERT was much less than external beam radiation therapy. The mean of the secondary cancer risks for the ovary in 8 and 10 MeV electron beam energies were 135.722 ±117.331 �10 -6 and 69.958 ±28.072 �10 -6 , and for the uterus were 17.342 ±10.583 �10 -6 and 2.971 ±3.604 �10 -6 , respectively. According to our findings, the use of breast IOERT in pregnant patients can be considered as a safe radiotherapeutic technique, because the received dose to the fetus was lower than 50 mGy. Furthermore, IOERT can efficiently reduce the unnecessary dose to the pelvic region and lowers the risk of secondary ovarian and uterus cancer following breast irradiation. © 2019 Society for Radiological Protection. Published on behalf of SRP by IOP Publishing Limited. All rights reserved
Extraction and determination of heavy metals in soil and vegetables irrigated with treated municipal wastewater using new mode of dispersive liquid�liquid microextraction based on the solidified deep eutectic solvent followed by GFAAS
No full textBACKGROUND: In this research, a new extraction method based on dispersive liquid�liquid microextraction and the solidification of deep eutectic solvent has been developed for the determination of heavy metals in soil and vegetables prior to their analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). In this method, a green solvent consisting of 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and 1-undecanol was used as an extraction solvent, yielding the advantages of material stability, low density and a suitable freezing point near room temperature. RESULTS: Under optimal conditions, enrichment factors are in the range of 114�172. The calibration graphs are linear in the range of 0.02�200 µg kg�1 and limits of detection are in the range of 0.01�0.03 µg kg�1. Repeatability and reproducibility of the method based on seven replicate measurements of 0.80 µg kg�1 of Hg and 0.20 µg kg�1 of Pb and Cd in analyzed samples were in the range of 2.3�4.1 and 3.7�6.6, respectively. CONCLUSION: A new deep eutectic solvent consists of two parts: 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and 1-undecanol in a molar ratio of 1:2. The accuracy of the proposed procedure was also assessed by determining the concentration of the studied metal ions in a polluted farmland soil standard reference material. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industr
The global prevalence of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFBackground:Thrombocytopenia (TCP) is a common disorder during pregnancy. Its prevalence among pregnant women is four times greater than nonpregnant women. Objectives:This study aimed at determining the global prevalence of TCP among pregnant women.Methods:This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in 2018. The PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Magiran, and IranMedex databases were searched using the following key words: "TCP","pregnancy","pregnant","pregnant women","gestational", and "platelets".The titles and the abstracts of the retrieved studies were screened to identify potentially relevant studies. Articles were included if they were the reports of original researches, included data on the prevalence of TCP among pregnant women, were in English or Persian, and had been published from January 1, 2000 to September 1, 2018. Eligible studies were appraised using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist. Finally, a data collection form was used to extract data. The overall prevalence of TCP among pregnant women was estimated using meta-analysis and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. Heterogeneity was evaluated through the Chi-square test and the I2 statistic, and funnel plot was used to evaluate the possibility of publication bias. Results:Among 1592 studies retrieved during literature search, sixteen were included in meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of TCP among pregnant women based on the random effects model was 8.4 (95 confidence interval: 6.9-10.1). The lowest TCP prevalence was 4.3 in Taiwan, while the highest prevalence was 15.3 in Ghana. Gestational TCP was the most common cause of TCP among pregnant women. Conclusion:With a global prevalence of 8.4, TCP in pregnancy affects around one-tenth of pregnant women in the world. Thus, timely diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic measures are needed to effectively manage TCP in pregnancy
Assessing the effectiveness of an educational workshop designed to improve caring behaviors of Midwives at Public Hospitals in Jordan
Get PDFBackground:Despite caring being an important aspect of health-care providers' work, there is a growing concern about the lack of suitable caring behaviors in childbirth settings in developing countries. Objective: The objective is to design, implement, and evaluate an educational workshop to improve the caring behavior of midwives working in the labor ward of a large Jordanian public hospital. Methods: This is a pre- and post-interventional study. A workshop focused on teaching specific caring behaviors was held for 20 midwives who worked in the labor ward at one public hospital in Jordan and evaluated against women's ratings of midwives' caring behaviors and satisfaction with care after the intervention and 3 years later. Results: Significant increases were observed in the overall scores of midwives caring behaviors and women' satisfaction 6 weeks and 3 years after the intervention compared with prior scores. Women post intervention perceived midwives to be more caring than women before the intervention (P = 0.001). There were significant positive changes from pre intervention scores at 6-week post intervention and 3-year post intervention on seven out of eight items of the caring behavior scale.Increased overall satisfaction scores were observed 6 weeks and 3 years after the intervention compared with the scores before the intervention (P< 0.001). Conclusion: The study can inform midwifery educators on the importance of teaching and learning of caring behaviors to future midwives in their preservice preparation. The program that was developed can be used with some modification, as part of midwifery students' educational program or as an in-service program for employed midwives
The effects of a multicomponent fall prevention intervention on fall prevalence, depression, and balance among nursing home residents
Get PDFBackground: More than 60 of fall incidents among older adults are multifactorial. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a multicomponent fall prevention intervention on fall prevalence, depression, and balance among nursing home residents. Methods: This pretest-posttest quasiexperimental study was conducted in 2014 on 160 residents of a nursing home in Tehran, Iran. A 4-month multicomponent fall prevention intervention was implemented with a 2-month follow-up. The intervention consisted of educations for nursing home residents and staff, environmental modifications, and stretching, strengthening, and balance-improving exercises for residents. A fall frequency form, the performance-oriented mobility assessment, the timed up and go test, the geriatric depression scale, the Katz index of independence in activities of daily living, and the mini-mental state examination test were used for data collection both before and 6 months after the intervention onset. Data analysis was done using the paired-sample t, independent-sample t, Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests as well as the one-way analysis of variance. Results: The mean scores of fall frequency, mobility, balance, and depression among nursing home residents significantly changed from 2.40 ± 0.93, 17.93 ± 4.69 and 20.77 ± 6.91, and 10.14 ± 6.85 at pretest to 0.20 ± 0.55, 24.53 ± 1.78 and 14.11 ± 3.74, and 8.23 ± 5.17 at post test, respectively. Conclusion: Multicomponent intervention is effective in significantly reducing fall prevalence and depression and improving balance and mobility among older adults. Nurses can use such interventions to enhance older adults' mobility, improve their balance, relieve their depression, and reduce their risk of fall
Sin and suffering: Pregnant women's justifications for deciding on pregnancy termination due to beta-thalassemia major in Southeast of Iran
Get PDFBackground: Religious restrictions and moral grounds, such as fear over committing a sin, are the major causes of opposing therapeutic abortions. Objectives: This study aimed to describe pregnant women's justifications for deciding on pregnancy termination due to beta thalassemia major (β-TM) in the sociocultural context of Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran.Methods:In this qualitative study, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 pregnant women and their husbands. Purposive sampling was used to recruit pregnant women who were able to speak and understand Persian, had no known mental illnesses or psychiatric problems and had fetuses with β-TM. Data were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis. Results: At the time of receiving, the results of chorionic villus sampling for β-TM screening, the age and the gestational age ranges of the participants were 19-42 years and 11-18 weeks, respectively. Women's justifications for deciding on pregnancy termination due to β-TM were explained in three main themes, namely, child's physical suffering, negative psychological consequences, and attempting to be good parents. Conclusion: Providing families with information about the long-term effects of β-TM on the child and family members can help them make informed decisions on pregnancy continuation or termination
Effects of melatonin administration on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Get PDFObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin supplementation on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic parameters in women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 58 subjects, aged 18�40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated to take either 10 mg melatonin (2 melatonin capsules, 5 mg each) (n = 29) or placebo (n = 29) once a day 1 h before bedtime for 12 weeks. Glycemic control and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Using RT-PCR method, gene expression related to insulin and lipid metabolism was conducted on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PCOS women. Results: Melatonin supplementation significantly decreased Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (β �2.15; 95 CI, �3.62, �0.68; P = 0.005), Beck Depression Inventory index (β �3.62; 95 CI, �5.53, �1.78; P<0.001) and Beck Anxiety Inventory index (β �1.95; 95 CI, �3.41, �0.48; P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. In addition, melatonin administration, compared with the placebo, significantly reduced serum insulin (β �1.20 µIU/mL; 95 CI, �2.14, �0.26; P = 0.01), homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (β �0.28; 95 CI, �0.50, �0.05; P = 0.01), serum total- (β �7.96 mg/dL; 95 CI, �13.75, �2.17; P = 0.008) and LDL-cholesterol levels (β �5.88 mg/dL; 95 CI, �11.42, �0.33; P = 0.03), and significantly increased the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (β 0.008; 95 CI, 0.002, 0.014; P = 0.007). Moreover, melatonin supplementation upregulated gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) (P = 0.004) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) (P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. Conclusions: Overall, melatonin administration for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on mental health parameters, insulin levels, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, total- and LDL-cholesterol levels, and gene expression of PPAR-γ and LDLR among women with PCOS. © 2019 Elsevier B.V
Head louse infestation rate in primary school students of Badrud, Isfahan-Iran
No full textOf the 1595 students at different elementary grades, 115 female students and 10 male students were found infested with head louse. The relative frequency of head louse infestation was 7.2 and 0.62 for girls and boys, respectively. Accordingly, the highest rate of head louse infestation was in the age group of 7 years and the first grade, while the lowest rate of head louse infestation was observed in the age group of 12 years and the sixth grade. Further study shows that girls are more exposed to head louse infestation than boys. © 2019 Malhotra Publishing House
Evaluation of the serum sex hormones levels and alkaline phosphatase activity in rats� testis after administering of berberine in experimental varicocele
Get PDFCurrent study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of berberine (BB) on the serum gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), inhibin B (INHB), testosterone (T) and alkaline phosphatase (Alk-p) activity in the testis of experimental varicocele-induced animals. For the current objective, 30 mature-male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (n = 6 rats), control-sham (n = 6 rats) and experimental groups (n = 18 rats). The animals in the experimental groups were undergone experimental varicocele and simple laparotomy was conducted in control-sham group. 60 days after varicocele (VCL) induction the experimental group subdivided into: non-treated VCL-induced and 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg BB-treated groups (intra-peritoneally). Following 60 days, the animals were euthanized and serum levels of testosterone and testicular activity of alkaline phosphatase were measured. Non-treated VCL-induced animals indicated a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in serum levels of T and INHB and a remarkable (P < 0.05) increase in GnRH, FSH, LH and Alk-p activity compared to control and control-sham groups. Insignificant changes were found between control and control-sham groups. Meanwhile, each BB administered group showed a remarkable (P < 0.05) increase in serum levels of T and INHB and a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in GnRH, FSH, LH and alkaline phosphatase activity in testis tissue. According to the current findings, BB by increasing serum levels of testosterone and INHB increases the testicular endocrine capacity and protects Leydig cell against inflammatory and oxidant injury of varicocele. In addition, BB by inhibiting GnRH, FSH, LH and alkaline phosphatase activity, regulate the levels of serum sex hormones in experimental varicocele and reduces varicocele-induced inflammatory reactions. © 2019, Institute of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University
Low-dose ethanol ameliorates amnesia induced by a brief seizure model: the role of NMDA signaling
Get PDFObjective: The present study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of low-dose ethanol (Eth) on amnesia induced by a brief seizure model and the role of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in this event. Materials and Methods: Four groups of rats (total number = 36; n = 9, each group) were used: control, Eth (0.5 g/kg/i.p.), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) (60 mg/kg/i.p.), and Eth+PTZ. Eth was administered for 6 days before the single injection of PTZ, at minute dose that cannot induce memory impairment. The consequences of Eth pretreatment, coadministered with PTZ, were studied in an inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory model. The PTZ was injected 30 min prior to the IA memory test. Thereafter, locomotion, liver enzymes, and the Real-time PCR for NR1 subunit of NMDA receptor were studied. The statistical analyses were performed using the parametric/nonparametric ANOVA and the post-hoc tests. Results: Our findings revealed that Eth pretreatment significantly improved the IA memory impairment induced by PTZ (P < 0.001), and indicated no change in locomotion and serum ALT, but significantly differed for AST between the PTZ and PTZ groups (P = < 0.05). The Real-time PCR results indicate the decreased NR1 mRNA expression in Eth and PTZ groups and the increased NR1 mRNA expression in Eth+PTZ group, compared to the control group (P < 0.001); however, the NR1 mRNA expression was increased in the Eth+PTZ group, compared to PTZ group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The present study provides evidence that the low-dose Eth can improve the amnesia induced by a brief seizure model presumably via NMDA signaling in a rat. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group