Comparison of tobacco control policies in the Eastern Mediterranean countries based on tobacco control scale scores

This cross-sectional survey aimed to provide an overview of tobacco control strategies in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region [EMR]. A questionnaire to collate data on implementation of 6 major policies was developed based on the previously published Tobacco Control Scale and using MPOWER measures of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative and the Tobacco Atlas. Only 3 of the 21 countries scored higher than 50 out of 100: Islamic Republic of Iran [61], Jordan [55] and Egypt [51]. More than half of countries scored less than 26. Highest scores were achieved by Afghanistan in cigarette pricing, Oman in smoking bans in public places, Islamic Republic of Iran in budgeting, prohibition of advertisements and health warnings against smoking and Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Kuwait in tobacco cessation programmes. The low mean total score in EMR countries [29.7] compared with European countries [47.2] highlights the need for better future planning and policy-making for tobacco control in the Region

[Introducing a rare form of PFAPA from the marshal syndrome]

Fever is considered a common symptom in children. Periodic fever with less luadeuce produces additional complications. In this study, we present a rare periodic fever syndrome which contains; aphthus stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis [PFAPA] in a 3 year old child with typical symptoms. His fever was present for 2-4 days [100%], in addition, cervical adenitis and pharyngitis associated arthritis [only one tries] was observed. The sedimentation rate was increased. Its treatment consisted of antipyretic and corticosteroids. This lead to a good prognosis and with the passage of time had a complete resolution

[Evaluation of faculty members' and students' attitude towards ambulatory teaching quality]

Ambulatory medicine is one of the most important parts of medical education. Due to its profound relation with professional future of physicians, ambulatory medicine is especially under attention and many studies have been performed to survey its quality and to design some ways to promote it. There is obvious deficiency in our evidence about ambulatory medicine. The aim of this study was to survey the quality of teaching of the ambulatory medicine from the viewpoint of the faculty members and students of medical faculty of Mazandaran. This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The study's population consisted of students, residents and clinical faculty members who were included by simple sampling. Data collection was performed by a questionnaire with 22 questions about demographic and educational variables as well as respondents' opinions about environmental conditions, independent activities, instructors' supervision, and social training in the ambulatory clinics. The validity of the questionnaire was controlled by content validity with expertise consultation, and its reliability was controlled by test-retest[r=0.85]. Data were analyzed using spss13 software. Response rate was 79%, the mean age of 36 faculties was 43.6 +/- 8.7 years and 32% of them were female. The mean age of 146 students was 25 +/- 3.6 years and 61% were female. The attitude of the majority of the students [88.3%] towards the quality of ambulatory teaching was negative, but majority of faculties [66.7%] had positive attitudes. There was no significant difference among teaching departments. Attitude of junior trainees was even worse. Attitude of faculty members and students was similar towards inappropriate physical environment of ambulatory clinics, but it was significantly different from independent activities of trainees in clinics [p=0.000]; relational drugs prescription [p=0.000]; management [p=0.004], and supervision of faculty members [p=0.000]. The overall attitudes towards the current condition of ambulatory teaching [especially trainees] were negative because of the impossibility of independent activities for trainees, low supervision of faculties, absence of teaching for rational drug prescription, differential diagnosis and management

[Survey the effects of ciprofloxacin on rat testis tissue considering electron microscopy]

Introduction: Ciprofloxacin is a synthetic antibacterial agent belonging to the family of Fluoroquinolones with a very broad spectrum against of microbial pathogens, especially Gram-negative infectious diseases, that has been approved in more than 100 countries world-wide

Objective: The aim of this study was planed to see determine the histopathological effects of ciprofloxacin after inducement, in rat testis

Materials and Methods: The twenty male wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into two groups control [n=10] and test [n=10]. The test group was received 12.5mg/kg [PO] ciprofloxacin daily for sixty day however the control group just received plate. In sixtieth day the testis tissue of rats in both groups were removed and prepared for electron microscopy

Results: Electron microscopic studies of testis tissue slices of test group showed many changes such as: nuclei of spermatocyt I and sertoli cells and myoid were hyperchromatined. The Mitochondria of spermatogonia and spermatocyts cells in test group were vacuolated when as compared with control group. Thickness of spermatid tail in test group was increased when as compared with control group

Conclusion: There was a marked decrease in fertility index, testicular weight in experimental group as compared with control group. Since in our study ciprofloxacin had side effects on testis tissue in rat. It was suggested that using ciprofloxacin can decreasing fertility rate in human