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Serum level and tumor tissue expression of Ribonucleotide-diphosphate Reductase subunit M2 B: a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer
No full textBackground This study explored the applicability of serum level and tissue expression of Ribonucleotide-diphosphate Reductase subunit M2 B (RRM2B) as reliable biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and metastasis. Methods and results The present descriptive-analytic cohort study was conducted on 50 newly diagnosed CRC patients (stage II, III) and 50 healthy individuals. The new cases had not received any therapeutic intervention and underwent surgery immediately after the initial diagnosis. Tumorous tissues and marginal healthy tissues (as control) were excised to determine the mRNA tissue expression of RRM2B by Real-Time PCR. Serum RRM2B protein was measured using an ELISA method once in the control group. In the patients, serum RRM2B protein was evaluated before, 1 and 3 months after surgery. The tumor metastasis node (TMN) classification system and liver metastasis were evaluated in CRC patients. The results showed significantly lower RRM2B serum levels in 1 and 3 months after surgery compared with the pre-surgery condition (P = 0.014, P < 0.001 respectively). The mean RRM2B gene expression was 51 lower in tumor tissue than its adjacent normal tissue (P < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between serum level of RRM2B and tumor staging and metastasis in patients before surgery (P = 0.373, P = 0.189), 1 month after surgery (P = 0.960, P = 0.088), and 3 months after surgery (P = 0.407, P = 0.724). RRM2B expression in tumor tissue is not associated with tumor staging and metastasis (P = 0.254, P = 0.721). Conclusion These data suggest measuring serum protein level of RRM2B could have a role in CRC progression, although this study should be considered preliminary due to small sample size and short follow-up duration
An Updated Review on Complicated Mechanisms of COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Therapy: Direct Viral Damage, Renin-angiotensin System Dysregulation, Immune System Derangements, and Endothelial Dysfunction
No full textSARS-CoV-2 was reported as the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in late December 2019. According to sequencing and phylogenetic studies, the new virus belongs to Coronaviridae family and Betacoronavirus genus. Genomic sequence analysis has shown SARS-CoV-2 to be similar to SARS. SARS-CoV-2 is more infectious, and the high level of COVID-19 community transmission has led to a growing pandemic. Although infections in most patients with COVID-19 are moderate or mild, 20 of the patients develop a severe or critical form of the disease. COVID-19 may affect a wide range of organs and tissues, including the respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, and skin. Patients with COVID-19 have been confirmed to have renal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous system problems in addition to pulmonary involvement. The pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 is being investigated, but it is possible that the organ damage might in part be caused by direct viral damage (detection of inclusion bodies in tissues, such as the kidneys), dysregulation of the immune system, renin-angiotensin system, bradykinin pathway, and coagulation, as well as host genetic factors and their polymorphisms, which may affect the disease severity. In this review, an update on the possible pathogenesis pathways of COVID-19 has been provided. It is hoped that the best care strategy will be developed for patients with COVID-19 by identifying its pathogenesis pathways
Kidney: Management and Treatment with Medicinal Plants According to Ethno-botanical and Ethno-veterinary Evidence
No full textKIDNEY failure (CKD) is a debilitating disease that results in severe renal failure. The kidneys are destroyed very slowly and fail. Weakness, lethargy, chronic fatigue, paleness, swelling of the hands and feet, or puffiness around the eyes and high blood pressure are some of the symptoms of kidney failure. The aim of this study was to herbs used in Iranian ethnopharmacological knowledge in order to identify medicinal plants affecting renal failure. In this review study, keywords such as renal failure, renal impairment, hypertension, diabetes, herbs, ethnobotany, ethno-veterinary, ethnopharmacology, and Iran were used. Databases such as ISI, WOS, Scopus, Islamic World Science Citation Center, Scientific Index database and Google Scholar were used to review articles and resources. Finally, 23 articles containing ethno-pharmacological information for the treatment of renal failure were used to review the literature. Medicinal plants such as L. album L., O. vulgare, A. sativum L., B. vulgaris L., E. elaterium, C. monogyna, P. spina-christi Miller., R. ribes L., O. europea, S. marianum L., T. polium L., N. sativa L., Z. jujuba (L) H.Karst, C. bruguieriana Hand. Mzt., J. regia L., B. Napus L. and some other herbs. are the most important medicinal plants used to treat kidney failure and disorders. Traditional Iranian medicine has long used natural resources to prevent and treat kidney problems. There are various methods available to use herbs to treat diseases. Findings this study can be a comprehensive guide to the ideas and medicinal plants of different regions of Iran that are effective in treating kidney disorders
Comparing machine learning algorithms for predicting COVID-19 mortality
No full textBackground The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalized patients are always at risk of death. Machine learning (ML) algorithms can be used as a potential solution for predicting mortality in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. So, our study aimed to compare several ML algorithms to predict the COVID-19 mortality using the patient's data at the first time of admission and choose the best performing algorithm as a predictive tool for decision-making. Methods In this study, after feature selection, based on the confirmed predictors, information about 1500 eligible patients (1386 survivors and 144 deaths) obtained from the registry of Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital, Abadan city, Iran, was extracted. Afterwards, several ML algorithms were trained to predict COVID-19 mortality. Finally, to assess the models' performance, the metrics derived from the confusion matrix were calculated. Results The study participants were 1500 patients; the number of men was found to be higher than that of women (836 vs. 664) and the median age was 57.25 years old (interquartile 18-100). After performing the feature selection, out of 38 features, dyspnea, ICU admission, and oxygen therapy were found as the top three predictors. Smoking, alanine aminotransferase, and platelet count were found to be the three lowest predictors of COVID-19 mortality. Experimental results demonstrated that random forest (RF) had better performance than other ML algorithms with accuracy, sensitivity, precision, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of 95.03, 90.70, 94.23, 95.10, and 99.02, respectively. Conclusion It was found that ML enables a reasonable level of accuracy in predicting the COVID-19 mortality. Therefore, ML-based predictive models, particularly the RF algorithm, potentially facilitate identifying the patients who are at high risk of mortality and inform proper interventions by the clinicians
Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of recently published literature (2016–2020)
No full textBackground: Urinary schistosomiasis is a serious threat in endemic territories of Africa and the Middle East. The status of female urinary schistosomiasis (FUS) in published literature between 2016 and 2020 was investigated. Methods: A systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, based on the ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses’ checklist, and a meta-analysis using random-effects model to calculate the weighted estimates and 95 confidence intervals (95 CIs) were done. Results: Totally, 113 datasets reported data on 40,531 women from 21 African countries, showing a pooled prevalence of 17.5 (95 CI: 14.8–20.5). Most studies (73) were performed in Nigeria, while highest prevalence was detected in Mozambique 58 (95 CI: 56.9–59.1) (one study). By sample type and symptoms, vaginal lavage 25.0% (95% CI: 11.4–46.1%) and hematuria 19.4% (95% CI: 12.2–29.4%) showed higher FUS frequency. Studies using direct microscopy diagnosed a 17.1% (95% CI: 14.5–20.1%) prevalence rate, higher than PCR-based studies 15.3% (95% CI: 6.1–33.2%). Except for sample type, all other variables had significant association with the overall prevalence of FUS. Conclusions: More studies are needed to evaluate the true epidemiology of FUS throughout endemic regions. © 2022, The Author(s)
Job Burnout and Its Related Factors Among Surgical Technologists
No full textIntroduction: Job burnout is a long-term response to job-related emotional and interpersonal stressors. These stressors are associated with individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors. Objective: This study aimed to determine the degree of burnout and its related factors among surgical technologists. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in hospitals affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences. A total of 125 surgical technologists were recruited by stratified sampling method. The study data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and then analyzed by the independent t-test, 1-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression with a simultaneous model. Results: More than half of the participants (52) were in the age group of fewer than 30 years. The Mean±SD scores of job burnout in terms of intensity and frequency were 47. 88±17.5 and 47. 95±17.42, respectively. The mean job burnout scores of the majority of surgical technologists in dimensions of emotional exhaustion (intensity), depersonalization (intensity and frequency), and reduced personal accomplishment (intensity and frequency) were at a low level, but it was at a moderate level in the dimension of emotional exhaustion (frequency) among more than half of them. Through a multiple regression, the identified predictors of job burnout (frequency) were education level (P=9.377, 95CI; 1.618-17.136, P<0.05) and work experience (P=-21.091, 95CI; -38.201- -3.980, P<0.05). Meanwhile, education level (P=8.320, 95CI; 0.568- 16.073, P<0.05), work experience (P=-30.976, 95CI; -54.715 - -7.236, P<0.05), and hours of night shifts per month (P=-10.660, 95CI; -18.205-3.115, P=0.01) predicted job burnout (intensity). Conclusion: The job burnout of more than half of surgical technologists in the dimension of emotional exhaustion (frequency) was at a moderate level. Novice workers and operating room BScs suffered more from job burnout than those with an Associate degree and experienced workers. In this regard, healthcare and planner providers must pay attention to operating room BScs, especially novice workers. © 2022. All Rights Reserved
Prevalence and clinical presentation of covid-19 infection in hemodialysis patients
No full textIntroduction: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HD patients. Patients and Methods: This is a single-center study conducted at HD center, in Ilam, Iran. The study was included 87 HD patients to be tested. SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed with confirmed test by rRT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) assay. Results: Around 35.63 of HD patients were diagnosed as COVID-19 infection; most of them were male (74.4). Dyspnea (58.1) and cough (45.2) were the most common symptoms among HD cases with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Diabetes (16.1) and hypertension (19.4) were the most coexisting medical illnesses. About 12.9 of patients needed ICU care. Additionally, 16.1 of our patients died, which all of them were male. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of COVID-19 among our HD group, accompanied by mild symptoms. The HD population is probably among the most sensitive and high-risk groups for COVID-19 because of advanced age, comorbidities disease, low-immune function and frequent required visits, and patient overload in HD centers. Preventive measures should be taken in order to minimize the virus transmission in dialysis centers. © 2022 The Author(s); Published by Society of Diabetic Nephropathy Prevention
Comparison of Marital Satisfaction of Nurse Couples and Those Whose Spouse is not a Nurse and Predicting Factors that Determine their Marital Satisfaction
No full textContext: The nature of the nursing profession is one of the effective factors in the marital satisfaction of nurses. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the level of marital satisfaction in nurse couples in comparison to those whose spouse is not a nurse and predict factors that determine their marital satisfaction. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, a total of 252 nurses working in educational hospitals in western and northwestern cities of Iran were recruited for this study. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire: (1) items related to socio-demographic characteristics; and (2) items related to ENRICH Marital Satisfaction (EMS) Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS v 21.0. Results: The mean (SD) age of participants was 32.4 (6.39) years. Marital satisfaction was higher among employed nurse couples, those with rotating shifts, those with a lower number of night-work shifts per month, those with personal housing, and those whose spouse was a nurse. Also, a significant association was found between income level and marital satisfaction (P = 0.002, F = 6.67). Conclusions: According to the findings, nurse couples had higher marital satisfaction in comparison to those whose spouse was not a nurse. Nurses reported their marital satisfaction as moderate. Paying attention to the livelihood conditions of nurses, providing more flexibility, and giving nurses the right to choose to set a monthly work schedule can improve their marital satisfaction. © 2022, Author(s)
Comparing Data Mining Algorithms for Breast Cancer Diagnosis
No full textBackground: Early screening and diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) is critical for improving the quality of care and reducing the mortality rate. Objectives: This study aimed to construct and compare the performance of several machine learning (ML) algorithms in predicting BC. Methods: This descriptive and applied study included 1,052 samples (442 BC and 710 non-BC) with 30 features related to positive and negative BC diagnoses. The data mining (DM) process was implemented using the selected algorithm, including J-48 and random forest (RF) decision tree (DT), multilayer perceptron (MLP), Naïve Bayes (NB), Adaboost (AB), and logistics regression (LR) classifier. Then, we obtained the best algorithm by comparing their performances using the confusion matrix and area under the receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC). Finally, we adopted the best model for BC prognosis. Results: The results of evaluating various DM algorithms revealed that the J-48 DT algorithm had the best performance (AUC = 0.922), followed by the AB, MLP, LR, and RF algorithms (AUC: 0.899, 0819, 0.716, and 0.703, respectively). Also, the NB algorithm achieved the lowest performance in this regard (AUC = 0.669). Conclusions: The ML presents a reasonable level of accuracy for an early diagnosis and screening of breast malignancies. Also, the empirical results showed that the J-48 DT algorithm yielded higher performance than other classifiers. © 2022, Author(s)
Therapeutic Status of Famotidine in COVID-19 Patients: A Review
No full textThe novel coronavirus, SARS-coV-2, which emerged in Wuhan in November 2019, has increasingly spread worldwide. More than 272 million cases of infection have been identified. COVID-19 has affected 223 countries and territories across the world. The principal target of the SARS-CoV-2 infection is the lower respiratory tract. Series of moderate to non-specific severe clinical signs and symptoms appear two to fourteen days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19 disease, including cough, breath deficiency, and at least two of these symptoms: headache, fever, chills, repeated rigor, myalgia, oropharyngitis, anosmia, and ageusia. No therapeutic agents have been validated to have substantial efficacy in the clinical care of COVID-19 patients in large-scale trials, despite worsening infected rates of COVID-19. Early clinical evidence from many sources suggests that treatment with famotidine may decrease COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. The mechanism by which famotidine could improve the outcomes of COVID-19 is currently unknown. A more recent postulated mechanism is that the effect of famotidine is mediated by histamine-2 receptor antagonism or inverse agonism, inferring that the SARS-CoV-2, resulting in COVID-19 infection, at least partially leads to the abnormal release of histamine and perhaps dysfunction of mast cells. © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers