[Study the development level of provinces in Iran: a focus on health indicators]

Introduction: access to health care is one of the main goals in all societies. This study aimed to investigate the access level in provinces in Iran

Methods: this descriptive-applied and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012. Statistical population consisted of all provinces in Iran. Data were collected through library and online research. The Ministry of Health and Medical Education and Statistics Center of Iran as authorities of Information, were referred to for collecting relevant data. Taxonomy techniques were used to assess the of development level of provinces, Shannon entropy techniques were used to determine the weights of indicators and TOPSIS techniques were employed to rank states in terms of access to health care

Results: based on Taxonomy technique from among 31 provinces, 12 provinces were considered to be developed, 9 semi-developed and 10 underdeveloped. Based on Shannon entropy, the ratio of the number of pharmacists to province population was the most important indicator. According to TOPSIS, in term of access to health services; Markazi and Ardabil provinces ranked the first and the last respectively

Conclusion: due to the large differences among provinces, planners and officials are recommended to allocate the funds according to the development level

[Effective factors on utilization and access to health care: a population-based study in Kerman]

Introduction: reciving and using health care services is called utilization and access to services refers to the opportunity and the ability to use them. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pattern of utilization and access to health care disparities and factors affecting them

Methods: in this cross-sectional study, Quota sampling method was used. To evaluate the health care services used by families and their relationship with Predisposing variables, Chi-square test and Pearson cross-tabulations were used using Excel and Stata

Results: according to the findings important variables such as Household economic status, insurance, head of household education; ages over 65 and less than 12 years had key roles in the use of services. Concentration indices for out-patient and in-patient services were -0.38 and -0.435, respectively

Conclusion: there are some predisposing variable leading to inequality in use of health services which could be reduced the improvement of socio-economic variables

Phylogenetic study based on the phosphoprotein gene of Iranian Newcastle disease viruses [NDV] isolates, 2010 -2012

Newcastle disease virus [NDV] is the causative agent of the Newcastle disease [ND], a highly contagious disease in birds that causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. ND is endemic in Iran and outbreaks are reported regularly in commercial poultry flocks and different species of birds. The current study was carried out to characterize NDV based on phosphorprotein [P] gene from recent outbreaks in Iran, 2010-2012. The P gene fragment of NDV isolates of five chickens, 1 ostrich, and 1 Pigeon paramyxovirus-1 was obtained by RT-PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences revealed that chicken and ostrich NDV isolates were closely related and placed in the genotype VII and Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 was located in the genotype V. This is the first report of Phosphoprotein gene sequences of NDV strains isolated in Iran. This study will help us to understand the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of Newcastle disease virus in Iran

[Risk factors of tuberculosis treatment failure in South-East of Iran]

Failure of tuberculosis [TB] treatment is a major problem of health systems in developing countries. This study was done to identify the Risk factors of tuberculosis treatment failure in the Sistan and Bulochestan province, the high risk region in South-East of Iran. This case - control study was carried out on 52 tuberculosis patients [smear -positive and category- I therapy] treated during six months period. Patients with treatment failure were considered as cases and patients with negative smear after 6 months of treatment with anti-tuberculosis [TB] medicines were considered as control group. Demographic, clinical and treatment outcomes were recorded for each patient. The multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the predictors of treatment failure. Family history of tuberculosis [95% CI: 1-12.56, OR=3.55, P=0.04,], smoking [95% CI:1.58-51.21, OR=9, P=0.01], drug addiction before or during the treatment period [95% CI: 5.28-123.91, OR=25.6, P=0.0001] and low body weight [95% CI:1.05-12.6, OR=3.65, P=0.04] were risk factors for treatment failure. Family history of tuberculosis, weight loss during treatment, smoking and drug addiction, were considered as risk factors for treatment failure in National Tuberculosis Control Programme [NTCP] in south-east of Iran

[ survey of unmet health needs and the related barriers to access them]

Introduction: Unmet needs are defined as the difference between services judged necessary to deal appropriately with health problems and services actually received. Unmet needs are considered as simple tools in monitoring the accessibility and the extent of inequity in access and use of health care

Methods: This is a cross-section health survey. The sample consists of 792 households living in Tehran. Data were collected by the WHO [households] questionnaire in 2012, and were analyzed using Logistic Model and STATA12 software

Results: The outcomes show that economical problems, lack of time, self-treatment, long distance to reach health facilities, deprivation of insurance coverage, and lack of adequate information about the locations of health care centres are all factors affecting patients' willingness to refer to these centres. The socio-economic factors which can enhance the probability of fulfilment of health care needs were found to be settlement ownership and poverty reduction

Conclusion: Unmet needs can cause detrimental effects, such as worsening health situation and quality of life, increasing the risk of mortality and causing mental and psychosomatic disorders; therefore, policy makers should give high priority to eliminating socio-economic barriers, as lack of insurance coverage, as well as reducing the costs and economic inequalities, and payment systems reform

[Frequency of worry and anxiety in epileptic children's mothers]

Adverse effect of children's epilepsy on family members, especially mothers, is an issue that has been less considered. One of these effects is anxiety increase in mothers. This study has been done with the purpose of determining frequency of worry and anxiety in epileptic children's mothers and recognizing the factors affecting it. This descriptive cross-sectional study has been done with the participation of epileptic children's mothers referred to Mofid Neurology Clinic of Medical Training and Therapy Center of Children. Anxiety level was determined by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI] standard questionnaire. The data was analyzed using t-test, Mann-Whitney test and one-way ANOVA and in all cases, p<0.05 considered as significant. In this study, 206 mothers were surveyed. The mean anxiety scores of mothers was 45 +/- 9.5. 84 subjects [40.7%] had mild anxiety, 71 [34.5%] had moderate anxiety and 51 [24.8%] had severe anxiety. Anxiety of mothers was significantly higher in cases such as education of child in special school [p=0.018], the high number of antiepileptic drugs [AEDs] consumed for controlling epilepsy [p=0.011], worry of death [p<0.001], permanent brain damage [p=0.036], drug side effects [p<0.01] and paralysis of child [p=0.030]. Mothers who had been previously trained about epilepsy in center, had lower anxiety [p<0.001]. This study showed that the majority of epileptic children's mothers had moderate and severe anxiety. This phenomenon will be higher in cases like child's education in special school, multi medication therapy and worries of side effects of epilepsy and will be lower by increasing mothers' awareness

[Inhibitory effects of Oak fruit Husks hydroalcoholic extract on serum LDL oxidation in vitro]

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein [LDL] has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The use of some antioxidant compounds in dietary food stuff such as vitamin E and Oak fruit [Quercus] husks hydroalcoholic extract [OHE] may inhibit the production of oxidized LDL and decrease both the development and the progression of atherosclerosis. The present work investigated the effects of OHE on LDL oxidation induced- CuSO[4] quantitatively in vitro. This study was an experimental research performed in Khoramabad province during 2010. Fasting blood samples were collected from normal people followed by LDL isolation. The population study was divided into five groups [1: control; 2: those exposed to CuSO[4] without treatment, and groups 3-5: those exposed to CuSO[4] and treated with OHE [0.2, 2, and 20 micro g/ml, respectively]. Later, the formation of conjugated dienes, lag time, and malondialdehyde [MDA] were measured. Inhibition of Cu-induced oxidation was investigated in the presence of several concentrations of OHE [0.2, 2 and 20 micro g/ml]. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 13 using Mann Whitney test. OHE was found to have the ability to inhibit the CuSO[4] -induced LDL oxidation. Administration of oak [Quercus] husks hydroalcoholic extract [OHE] showed an increased rate of 2.2, 3, and 4.3 fold s at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 20 micro g/ml against oxidation in vitro. Also conjugated dienes decreased 13.33%, 46.66% and 80.00% at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 20 micro g/ml of OHE, respectively. The inhibitory effects of OHE on LDL oxidation at concentrations used were dose-dependent. This study showed that the OHE has the potential to prevent the oxidation of LDL in vitro and it may suggest that this compound is capable of producing a similar effect in vivo

Verification of the PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter by photon beams using magnetic resonance imaging

In this work investigation of the normoxic PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter such as sensitivity, the R2-dose response with post time and the percentage depth dose [PDD] of PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter have been undertaken. Using MRI, the formulation to give the maximum change in the transverse relaxation rate R2 was determined to be 4.5% N,N'-methylenbis- acrylamide [C][bis], 4.5% acrylamid[AA], 5% gelatin, 5 mM tetrakis [hydroxymethyl]phosphonium chloride [THPC], 0.01 mM hydroquinone [HQ] and 86% HPLC [Water]. Irradiation of vials was performed using photon beams by Co-60 therapy unit and an Electa linear accelerator. Gel dosimeters were imaged in a Siemens Symphony 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner using a head coil. Gel dosimeters were irradiated 1 day post-manufacture, and imaged 1 day post irradiation. The R2- dose response was linear up to 30 Gy. The response of the PAGAT gel is very similar in the lower dose region and the R2-dose response for doses less than 2 Gy is not exact. The R2-dose response of the PAGAT polymer gel dosimeters varies between 10 to 30 Gy with R2-dose sensitivities of 0.0905, 0.1037, 0.1023, 0.0907 and 0.123 S-1Gy-1 when imaged at 1, 8, 15, 29 and 38 days post-irradiation respectively. The percentage depth dose [PDD] of PAGAT gel dosimeter was determined and at depth of 21cm, the percentage depth dose for 1.25, 4, 6 and 18 MV photons were determined to be, 48%, 52%, 57.3% and 59.73% respectively. Calibration curve of the PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter, were found to be linear between 2-10 Gy and 10-30 Gy with different slopes of the R2-dose sensitivity also showed stability with post time imaging after 38 days. In this study, the percentage depth dose [PDD] of the PAGAT gel dosimeter was measured. It can be concluded that in case of higher energy of photon beams, higher doses can be delivered to deep-seated tumors

new approach to contrast enhancement in MAGICA gel dosimeter image with MRI technique

Sensitivity and resolution are two main parameters that have to be measured in gel dosimetry. However, the resolution in gel is strongly dependant on gel composition. Selection of optimum method in dose response readout and proper values of parameters can result in noise reduction as well as improvement of contrast, and spatial resolution considerably. MAGICA polymer gel dosimeters were manufactured and irradiated to different doses using a 60Co therapy unit. Imaging was performed in a 0.5T MRI with 8 echoes in air and water as a hydrogenous environment. Imaging condition was kept constant, as much as possible, in both imaging modalities. Images obtained from these two procedures were compared quantitatively. R2- dose curves have three different sections, sensitivity obtained in these three sections were 1.039, 1.671, 1.260 Gy[-1]S[-1] and 1.032, 1.729, 1.37 Gy[-1]S[-1] for water and air respectively. Calibration errors were investigated and graphically were compared in two different methods. Imaging in water medium for doses lower than 17 Gy led to a small reduction in spatial resolution was exchanged to a considerable increase of contrast in R2 map. For doses higher than17 Gy, imaging in water or air was preferred depending on the importance of contrast or spatial resolution