[Determining novice nurses' experiences in professional preparation: a content analysis]

Studies showed that the newly graduate nurses did not develop necessary competencies, and there is a distance between their experiences and the skills needed to work as a novice nurse. This study is done to determine novice nurses' experiences regarding their professional preparation after graduation. This is a conventional qualitative content analysis. Study population was nurses working at hospitals of Arak University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data was gathered through individualized semi-structured interviews. 16 novice and 4 experienced nurses participated in the study. Data was analyzed through latent content analysis. 3 themes and 8 subthemes emerged through data analysis including; educational challenges [theoratical education challenges, clinical education challenges and education-clinic gap], educators' characteristics [educators' knowledge and skill, challenges in educators' communication skills], students' conditions [students' motivation and interest, students' clinical experience during education, students' economical situation]. Professional preparation is a challenging subject. In this study participants believed that the challenges in theory and clinical education, educators' characteristics and nursing students' conditions can affect nursing students` preparation as novice nurses. Regarding the results it seems proper planning is needed to solve the mentioned problems in order to develop proper competencies and skills needed for nursing students to act as a reliable novice nurse

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among health care workers in teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran

Health care workers [HCWs] are vulnerable populations for infection with blood borne pathogens. This study was conducted to determine occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among HCWs in teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A self- structures questionnaire was used to study 650 HCWs during 2006 -2007 in some teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. occupational exposure to blood and body fluids to blood and body fluids of patients was noticed in 53.4%. Recapping was the most common cause of needle stick injuries [26.5%] and 19.9% of HCWs with a history of needle stick or mucosal exposure had sought medical advice from a specialist, 79.4% of these visited a doctor in the first 24 hours after exposure. Twenty percent of people with a history of needle stick or mucosal exposure to human immune deficiency virus positive [HIV+] patients received post-exposure prophylaxis and 46.7% tested themselves for seroconversion. 25.8% of HCWs with a history of needle stick or mucosal exposure with HBsAg+ patients received hepatitis B immunoglobuline [HBIG], all of these had received it in the first 72 hours after exposure. History of vaccination, and reassurance about the effective serum antibody titer was the most frequent reason mentioned in case the individuals did not receive HBIG [56.5%]. There is a need for further research to investigate why many HCWs do not take prophylactic and essential actions after needle stick or mucosal exposure to body fluids of infected patients

[ protective effect of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism against deep vein thrombosis: a report from Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization [IBTO]]

The coagulation factor XIII is a pro-transglutaminase enzyme with tetrameric structure. An exchange of G for A in exon 2 of A subunit results in replacement of valine with leucine in amino acid 34. As a result of this substitution mutation, the clots produced are fragile and loose therefore it seems that FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism acts as a factor for individual protection against thrombosis Objectives: To determine the prevalence and role of FXIIIA Val34Leu polymorphism against deep vein thrombosis. This was a retrospective case-control study performed on 116 patients with DVT who were referred to Thrombosis and Homeostasis Laboratory affiliated to Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization. Also, 100 healthy individuals [blood donors] were recruited as control. Following DNA extraction and application of PCR and RFLP techniques in presence of restriction enzyme Cfo1, the genotypes of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism were identified. The data were analyzed using chi square test as well as calculation of OD ratio and 95% confidence interval. The prevalence of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism among the case and control groups was 22.4% and 37.4%, respectively. While the allele frequency of leucine in case group was 14.7% it was 20.2% in control group. No significant correlation between polymorphism and sex was established. According to our data, no association between the FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism and protection against deep vein thrombosis was demonstrated. Therefore, it seems that this polymorphism occurs as a natural phenomenon and unaffected by gender

Evaluation of incidental findings in brain CT scans of mild head trauma patients [GCS: thirteen to fifteen]

To determine the prevalence of incidental findings on brain CT scan in mild head trauma patients. From November 2005 to April 2006, we evaluated 732 CT Scans of cases with mild head trauma [Glasgow Coma Scale Score of thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen], whom referred to our university affiliated hospital. In this study, we evaluated incidental findings on brain CT of our patients, as well as size of the cistern magna. Five hundred [68.3%] of our patients were male and 232 [31.7%] were female. The mean age of our cases were 27.4 +/- 19.2 [one month to 89 years old].Incidental findings were found on 22 cases [3.1%].Among these, there were five tumors [0.7%], eight arachnoids cysts [1.1%], and five bones lesions [0.7%]. Large cisterna magna [>10 cm3] was seen in four cases. Incidental findings in males were seen in ten cases [45%] and in females were seen in 12 cases [55%] [P=0.019]. The mean age of cases with incidental findings were 37.2 +/- 20.6 years and in cases without incidental findings were 27.1 +/- 19.1 years [P=0.011]. In this study we found that arachnoid cyst was the most common incidental finding, and brain tumor and bone lesions were next common ones

[Evaluating the association of CCR5-d32 mutation with type 2 diabetes in Rafsanjani's patients]

Background: although type-2 mellitus diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, it's main cause yet to be identified. Chemokines and their receptors are probable effective systems on diabetes. CCR5 is a chemokine receptor playing an important role in immune responses. Studies showed that the known delta32 mutation in CCR5 gene leads to disorder in the expression and function of this receptor. Hence, this project aimed to analyze the known delta32 mutation in CCR5 chemokine receptor

Materials and methods: blood samples were collected from 200 type 2 diabetic patients and 300 healthy adult controls on EDTA pre-coated tubes. DNA was extracted using commercial kit. DNA samples were analyzed for delta32 mutation by Gap-PCR in diabetic patients in compared to controls. The demographic information was collected through questionnaire

Results: our results showed that none of the diabetic patients displayed CCR5 delta32 mutation. While 2 out of 300 healthy controls had heterozigotic form of this mutation. Statistical analysis didn't show any significant difference between the two groups

Conclusion: several different studies analyzed the relation of this mutation with different types of diseases including diabetes. All studies failed to find a relation between this mutation and type 2diabetes. Since these studies were performed in different geographical points and races, we studied this mutation in Rafsanjani's population. Based on the results of our study it could be probably concluded that this mutation does not play a key role in the establishment of type 2 diabetes

Comparison effect of drug therapy and drug-cognitive therapy on decreasing depression in women with breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of all cancer in women. In this study form various methods for treatment of depression due cancer. This study conducted for comparison drug therapy and drug-cognitive therapy on decreasing depression, effect of drug and cognitive theray on decreasing depression. This is a clinical trial study. Form patient refered to oncology clinic and ward of vali-e-Asr hospital 78 women were selected by simple sampling. Based on Beck depression test, 42 of them had depression. They randomly divided to case and control groups. Both groups received antideresant drug as usual. But case group had also cognitive- drug therapy. Afrer 6 Month treatment both group were tested again for depression. Data was analyzed by spss using independent and paired t tests. The mean depression score hadnot signigiant difference between case and control grops beor and after treatment. The mean depression score in control group had no significant deference before and after treatment the mean depression score in the case group was significantly different after treatment [p < 0.05]. The mean score of depression in control group was more than case group after treatment. In the present study cognitive therapy cause a significant decrease in depression score of case group

[Analgesic effect of chronic oral administration of Nigella sativa seeds in diabetic rats]

Hyperalgesia is considered as one the marked signs of subchronic diabetes mellitus that could affect the life style of patients. Considering the evidence on the antidiabetic and analgesic effects of Nigella sativa [NS], this study was designed to investigate the analgesic effects of NS on formalin-induced nociceptive responses [standard formalin test] in streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats. In this experimental study, male rats [n = 60] were randomly divided into control, NS-treated control, diabetic, sodium salicylate [SS]-treated diabetic, and NS-treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotocin was used at a single dose. The treatment groups received oral administration of NS seed-mixed pelleted food [6.25%] for two months. Diabetic rats exhibited a higher score of pain at both phases of the formalin test [p = 0.031 and p = 0.034 respectively] and NS-treated diabetic rats exhibited a lower nociceptive score as compared to untreated-diabetic ones at both acute and chronic phases [p = 0.008 and p = 0.009 respectively]. Meanwhile, SS administration significantly reduced pain score only during the chronic phase of the test [p = 0.009]. On the other hand, NS administration in control rats caused a lower nociceptive score as compared to untreated controls [p= 0.046 and p = 0.039]. Two-month oral administration of NS seeds can attenuate nociceptive scores in an experimental model of diabetes mellitus and therefore could be considered as a potential treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy