Estimation of influenza and severe acute respiratory illness incidence [burden] in three provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2012 and 2013

There are few estimates of influenza burden in the WHO Region for the Eastern Mediterranean. In this study we estimated the burden of severe acute respiratory infection [SARI] and influenza-associated SARI [F-SARI] in selected provinces of Islamic Republic of Iran, the trends of SARI and confirmed cases of influenza [F-SARI] over 12 months [seasonality], and the age groups most at risk. Using the electronic Iranian influenza surveillance system and data of cases in sentinel hospitals of 3 selected provinces, we estimated the monthly trend [seasonality] of incidence for SARI and F-SARI, overall incidence of SARI and F-SARI and their disaggregation by age with the aid using the Monte Carlo technique. The age groups most at-risk were children aged under 2 years and adults older than 50 years

[ effect of foot reflexology on pain intensity and disability of patients with chronic low back pain in physiotherapy unit of Baqiyatallah hospital]

Low back pain is one of the very common problems in communities which has the negative effects on different aspects of the patients'lives. Foot reflexology reduces pain and disability. This study was done to determine the effect of foot reflexology on pain and disability in patients with low back pain. This clinical trail study was conducted on 150 men with low back pain who referred to Baqiyatallah hospital in Tehran. They were selected based on purposive sampling. They were divided into three groups: intervention [foot reflexology was done in real location in three sessions every other week], control [without any intervention] and placebo [low pressure of foot reflexology was done in all location in three sessions every other week]. The data were collected by Roland- Morris disability questionnaire, visual analog scale and Mc-gill questionnaire. For analysis of data, SPSS15, Kruskal- Wallis, X[2], oneway ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA tests were used. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the mean of pain, disability, pulse, blood pressure and breath before intervention in 3 groups [P>0/05] but after intervention the mean of the all variables reduced in three groups [P<0/05]. This study showed that foot reflexology affected the reduction of disability and pain intensity. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses use foot reflexology for reduction of disability in patients with low back pain.

Effect of aeration rate on biosurfactin production in a miniaturized bioreactor

Recently, the production of biosurfactants in bioreactors and their use in various pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries have been developed. Optimum production is directly related to the physicochemical condition of culture medium [such as pH and temperature] and engineering parameters of bioreactors [such as aeration rate, volume of operation and the amount of energy input]. Understanding the gas transfer in shaken bioreactors equipped with a sterile closure is advantageous to avoid oxygen limitation or carbon dioxide inhibition of a microbial culture. In this study, the effect of aeration rates [due to using different design closures] on the amount of biosurfactin production by Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 in a ventilation flask as a miniaturized bioreactor was investigated. The highest biosurfactin concentration [0.0485 g/L/h] was obtained in the optimum conditions in which the amount of filling volume and shaking frequency were 15 ml and 300 rpm, respectively. The specific aeration rate [q[in]] and maximum oxygen transfer rate [OTR[max]], were calculated 1.88 vvm and 0.01 mol/L/h, respectively. The results showed the significant biosurfactin productivity increase under non-oxygen limiting condition

[Comparison between radioactivity of porcelain powders and artificial teeth with background radiation]

Introduction: A lot of industrial products and consumer resources have important role in human exposure and receiving yearly radiation dose limit. Radioactive products have been used in denture teeth and Porcelain powders for flourescence properties for long time in dentistry. Because of the most of the people used Porcelain powder and denture, this became an emotion to survey the rate of relative reactivity of powders and inform the laboratory personals

Objective: Determine the relative radioactivity of artificial teeth used in dentures and in porcelain powders

Materials and Methods: In this laboratovary-experimental study six samples of porcelain powders [ceramco III opaque, ceramco III dentin, ceramco II opaque, ceramco II dentin, noritake dentin EX3 and noritake incisal]and two samples of anterior and posterior artificial teeth with polymer base[marjan and shanghy]were used and about 3gr of each sample was placed in front of the scintillator detector NaI[ti]s' window. The number of emission in one houre was measured during each stage. Back ground radiation was measured in several stages. Samples and background radiations ratio were measured by means of paired t test. Data were analyzed by SPSS soft ware

Results: Radioactive properties of different porcelain powders and mentioned denture teeth were significantly lower than back ground radiation. Ceramco III opaque porcelain powder showed the most radioactive properties and marjan denture teeth showed the least

Conclusion: This study confirmed previous studies about low rate of radioactivity properties of samples relative to back ground radiation and indicated if safety precautionse are observed no problem should rise for dental technicians

innovative technique: ureteral stent removal by vaginal examination

Finding manual skills for special circumstances would be important both for the urologist and the patient. In this study a simple technique was examined to facilitate the removal of ureteral stent by vaginal examination in some female patients under special condition. Overall, 32 female patients [37 ureteral stent] underwent Stent Removal by Vaginal [SVR] examination technique. The patient was positioned in lithotomic position and was asked to keep her bladder semi-full. The ureteral stent in the ureteral orifice was touched by the index finger between the anterior vaginal wall and the bladder trigone; then the grasping forceps held by the other hand entered the bladder through the urethra to reach the end of the stent and pull it gently and completely. The technique was done successfully in stents. No significant side effect was observed after using SRV technique, but gross hematuria was seen in eight patients [23%]. S.R.V. technique is a simple and effective procedure that dose not require additional equipments or personnel. was more useful in elderly women with atrophic vaginitis and without cystocele

Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequence characterization of Fasciola Hepatica and Galba truncatula

Human fascioliasis is an important health problem in the province of Gilan, at the Caspian Sea, Iran. There is the overlapping of both fasciolid species, Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. Recent studies on both domestic animal and lymnaeid infection furnished evidence suggesting that F. gigantica and Radix gedrosiana may be the main fasciolid and lymnaeid involved in the disease in that province, controversy still being there concerning the presence and importance of F. hepatica and other lymnaeid species. The present paper includes the results of studies on Galba truncatula and the first finding of natural infection by F. hepatica in Gilan proved by molecular studies. Snail collections were carried out in summer, when their populations present the highest densities. Surveys on lymnaeids furnished the finding of a lymnaeid snail infected by trematode rediae and cercariae in the mountains of Talesh, in the Asalem district, western Gilan. Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequences proved that they were F. hepatica and G. truncatula. The liver fluke ITS-2 sequence was identical to that of F. hepatica from Spain and the Northern Bolivian Altiplano and that of G. truncatula to the haplotype H-2 known in Portugal, Spain, France and The Netherlands. This genetic characterization suggests that both may be also involved in human fascioliasis infection in Gilan

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors of drug using prisoners in Guilan province

This was a cross- sectional prevalence study to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus [HCV] and high- risk behaviours in drug abusers admitted to prison in Guilan province, northern Islamic Republic of Iran. Subjects were asked about risk behaviours for acquiring HCV and blood was drawn for HCV antibody testing using ELISA techniques. Of 460 inmates, the mean duration of drug use was 8.9 years; 51.7% were opium users and 18.3% heroin users. HCV risk behaviours were in this population and 209 inmates [45.4%] were HCV antibody positive [88.9% of intravenous common drug abusers]. HCV- positive status was significantly associated with intravenous drug use, having skin tattoos and number of times in prison

Headache as a sole manifestation of non-convulsive status epilepticus

Non-convulsive status epilepticus [NCSE] may present with several manifestations, many of which may not be obvious. The most important tool for the diagnosis of NCSE is the electroencephalograph [EEG] pattern. This is a case report of a boy 9 years of age presenting with severe and continuous headache. He had received chemotherapy for histiocytosis, diagnosed at the age of 3.5 years. No evidence of central nervous system [CNS] involvement was found. He was diagnosed as having NCSE and following anticonvulsant therapy the headache and EEG abnormality disappeared completely within 24 hours. Headache and seizure disorder may coexist in different situations; to our knowledge this maybe the first report of NCSE with headache as a sole manifestation

Clinical symptoms and complications in Iranian troops wounded by chemical weapons [Babol Shahid Yahyanejad Hospital; 2001-2003]

During the Iran-Iraq imposed war, many of Iranian troops were exposed to chemical weapons and now after years of ending the war, many of them are suffering from the outcome of this lethal agent exposure. The purpose of this study was to assess late skin lesions in these individuals. This descriptive study was performed on 198 troops wounded by chemical weapons who were referred to Yahyanejad hospital by Babol Bonyad Janbazan organization. All patients were asked to answer the questions about their diseases and then clinical examinations for skin lesions were recorded and analyzed. All patients complained of skin problems and the most common complaint was pruritus [90.3%]. In clinical examination, the erythema was the most common skin lesion and a skin lesion was seen in 89.9% of the patients. Anterior trunk was the most frequently involved site [33.8%] and the most common disease was chronic urticaria [27.2%].The results show skin lesion due to by chemical weapons may continue overtime. However these complications are not considered as a serious danger to patients' health but they need to be treated

Efficacy of Terbinafine 1% cream versus clotrimazole 1% cream in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor

Terbinafine a member of allylamines group is a new class of antimycotic agents that blocks sterol biosynthesis in the fungi through inhibition of sequalene epoxidase and with consequent sequalene accumulation due to a primarily fungicidal process. Terbinafine is very effective on various fungi as an oral and topical antifungal agent. The aim of this study was to compare the antifungal efficacy of terbinafine 1% cream with clotrimazole 1% in patients with pityriasis versicolor. This clinical trial study was performed on 50 patients [30 males and 20 females] with mean age of 20 years [aged between 15-55 years] who randomly treated with terbinafine and clotrimazole for 4 weeks. The efficacy of drug and improving process evaluated mycologically and clinically before starting the study and at the end of each week. A patient was considered mycologically cured when direct microscopy was negative and clinically cured when all clinical parameters were considered negative. Negativizations of all clinical parameters were observed within 2 weeks in 60% of terbinafine and 35% clotrimazole recipients. At the end of four weeks, disappearance of lesions were seen in 90% and 80%, respectively [p<0.05]. The percentage of negativization of direct microscopy in terbinafine group was 1.4 fold higher than that clotrimazole group after 2 weeks of treatment. At the end of therapy, 95% of terbinafine and 90% of clotrimazole treated subjects were clinically cured [p>0.05]. Both drug eruptions and intolerance in two treated groups were similar. Although the efficacy of the both drugs is similar, but considering the expense of therapy, clotrimazole is preferred regimen for therapy of tinea versicolor

Prevalence of superficial mycosis in children of elementary schools [babol; 2003-2004]

Superficial mycoses are the most common infection in Iran. Scalp mycoses are most frequently seen in children especially in elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of superficial mycoses in children of elementary schools. In this descriptive study, among 20000 elementary school students in Babol, 2100 were randomly assessed during 2003-2004. Cluster sampling was used in schools. Students were clinically examined for fungal infections of hair, skin and nail and sampling was taken from suspicious cases. Direct microscopic and culture examination of samples were performed. Among 2100 students, 136 cases [6.5%] had skin lesion. Fungal infection was seen in 35% after the microscopic and cultural examination. There were four cases of tinea versicolor [0.2%], 2 cases of periungal candidiasis [0.1%] and 1 case of tinea capitis [0.05%] caused by microsporum canis. According to the result of this study, superficial fungal infections are seen less among elementary school students

[A study on prevalence of Pediculosis in the primary school students of Babol [2003-2004]]

Regarding the role of lice in the transmission of different diseases, and also as an important agent of determining the hygiene level in the society. This study was performed to assess the prevalence of pediculosis in primary school students of Babol in 2003-2004. In this study, from 15500 primary school students in Babol, 2300 ones [girl and boy] were assessed. Cluster sampling was done in girl and boy school. Data was collected by questionnaire containing personal and family characteristics. Findings showed that 51 students [%2.2] were infected to pediculosis [head lice or nit] and only in two samples live head lice were found. Prevalence of infestation was significantly higher in girls [%3.48] than boys [%0.96] [p<0.000]. Prevalence of pediculosis in students had a significant correlation with fathers' education [p<0.005] and number of children in family [p=0.018]. The results showed that the prevalence of pediculosis in students of Babol was almost low. Since the father's educational level of students who were infested to pediculosis was lower than other educational level of other students' fathers, so it is recommended that necessary actions be taken to promote public knowledge in order to control and prevent pediculosis

[Survey spread of positive lepotospirosis by Elisa in Guilan province]

Introduction: Leptospirosis is most widespread zoonosis in the world and is prevalent in tropical and temperate regions. Diagnosis of leptospirosis by clinical symptoms is difficult due to lack of specified pathogenic signs and similarity of its clinical symptoms to some bacterial and viral febrile disease, so laboratory plays an important role and ELISA is a common serological method. Animal leptospirosis is common in regions of Iran where traditional and unmechanized husbandry are used. But human leptospirosis is only prevalent in Guilan and Mazandaran and is endemic in Guilan. Factors such as climate conditions, wild animals, rice plantations, environmental water and finally keeping pets by traditional ways all contribute to this disease in Guilan

Objective: This study was done to determine the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in Guilan

Materials and Methods: The sample of this study consisted of all suspected persons who referred to general hospitals of Guilan province. Blood samples were taken from these patients. All blood samples were examined by a commercial ELISA kit to detect positive cases and determine epidemiological features of this disease in this province

Results: Findings show that most of positive cases belong to males [62.37%] than females [27.23%], and in farmers [86%] and in warm months [90% from first of Khordad to end of Sharivar], and its frequency in middle age [20 - 50 year olds] was almost 65%

Conclusion: The geographical spread of the disease was more in big cities of Guilan province where more villages had and were crowded as well. This study showed that most cases of disease was detected in people who are somehow involved in farming

Peak Expiratory flow rate in healthy children from Tehran

Measuring peak expiratory flow rate has been suggested as an important tool in asthma management by all international guidelines. Studies on various populations have shown considerable variations in normal values of peak expiratory flow rate. Since reference standards for Iranian children are not available, the present study was performed to establish these standards. This study was conducted on 1535 normal schoolchildren [767 female, 768 male], aged 6-14 in Tehran. A mini Wright peak flow meter was used to measure peak expiratory flow rates. The highest of the three readings was taken as the correct value. Regression analysis was used to calculate the predicted normal values of peak expiratory flow rate and also to assess its relationship to age, weight, height, and surface area. Peak expiratory flow rate values increased with age and were in strong correlation with the studied anthropometric measurements. Except for the 145-159 cm interval, the male children showed significantly higher values [P<0.01] of peak expiratory flow rate in comparison to female children. The peak expiratory flow rates for Iranian schoolchildren were similar to some of those reported from other countries and could be used by Iranian physicians for proper management of paients