Expectations of Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Their Families: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that is most commonly observed among young people. Drug and non-drug treatments are used to prevent the progression of the disease and to control illness-related disorders. Patients with MS often have multiple and complicated needs that require a broad spectrum of health services. Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the expectations of individuals with MS and their families for healthcare services. Patients and Methods: This article is part of a qualitative case study. The participants were selected by a purposive sampling method. In this study, semi-structured interviews of 20 individuals with MS and 8 family members were conducted to identify the expectations of MS patients and their families. In addition to the interviews, the documents related to the aim of the study, including weblogs, MS magazines, special websites of individuals with MS, and news agencies were gathered. Analysis of data was performed by a conventional content analysis method. Results: The age of the participants ranged from 22–63 years. The data obtained from this study was classified into 5 main categories as follows: being cured, need for comfort, promoting knowledge, economic welfare, and social security. Conclusions: Individuals with MS and their families had different expectations pertaining to all dimensions of life, such that not meeting the needs related to any dimension could have affect the other dimensions. Therefore, it is necessary for healthcare providers to have a holistic assessment as well as try to meet all needs and expectations

Belonging to a peer support group enhance the quality of life and adherence rate in patients affected by breast cancer: a non-randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It seems that breast cancer patients benefit from meeting someone who had a similar experience. This study evaluated the effect of two kinds of interventions (peer support and educational program) on quality of life in breast cancer patients. METHODS: This study was a controlled clinical trial on women with non-metastatic breast cancer. The patients studied in two experimental and control groups. Experimental group took part in peer support program and control group passed a routine educational program during 3 months. The authors administered SF-36 for evaluating the quality of life pre-and post intervention. Also, patient’s adherence was assessed by means of a simple checklist. RESULTS: Two groups were similar with respect of age, age of onset of the disease, duration of having breast cancer, marital status, type of the treatment receiving now, and type of the received surgery. In the control group, there were statistically significant improvements in body pain, role-physical, role-emotional and social functioning. In experimental group, role-physical, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and mental health showed significant improvement. Vitality score and mental health score in experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, both with p < 0.001. Also, it was shown that adherence was in high levels in both groups and no significant difference was seen after the study was done. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, supporting the patients with breast cancer by forming peer groups or by means of educational sessions could improve their life qualities

An epidemiological study on burned patients admitted to Imam Mousa Kazem hospital, Isfahan, 2003-2004

زمینه و هدف: هر ساله عده فراوانی از افراد جامعه دچار حادثه سوختگی می شوند که این امر باعث تحمیل صدمات جسمی، روحی، اجتماعی شده و همچنین تبعات اقتصادی شدیدی برای بیماران، خانواده ها وکشور دارند. یکی از اولین اقدامات برای برنامه ریزی در جهت برخورد با یک بیماری و عارضه، شناخت جنبه های مختلف اثر گذار بر آن می باشد. این جنبه ها می تواند شامل مسائل مرتبط با فرد، زمان، مکان و فاکتورهای اپیدمیولوژیک دخیل در عارضه باشد. در این مطالعه پرونده 1124 بیمار بستری در سال 1382 در بیمارستان سوانح و سوختگی امام موسی کاظم (ع) با این هدف مورد بررسی قرار گرفت که با شناسایی گروههای در معرض خطر و نیز علل مهم سوختگی بتوان گامی در راستای برنامه ریزی و پیشگیری از این حادثه برداشت. روش مطالعه: روش نمونه گیری بصورت سرشماری بود و کلیه بیماران بستری وارد مطالعه شدند به استثنای کسانی که بطور سرپایی و کمتر از یکروز بستری بودند و یا افرادی که به علل غیر سوختگی (جراحی پلاستیک و ترمیم) بستری شده بودند. نتایج: 3/60 بیماران مذکر و 7/39 مؤنث بودند. میانگین سن بستری شدگان 3/23 سال و میانگین کلی درصد سوختگی بدن آنها 9/33 بود. بیشترین بستری شدگان درگروه سنی 30-16 سال با 2/41 و کمترین آنها در گروه بالای 50 سال با 3/9 بود. شایع ترین علت سوختگی نفت با 6/28 بود ولی اگر نفت و مشتقات آن، گاز و آتش سوزی ها را تحت عنوان کلی شعله (flame) در نظر بگیریم 2/63 را شامل می شوند. از کل بستری شدگان 9/15 بیماران فوت نمودند که شایع ترین علت در فوت شد گان مربوط به شعله بود. 4/63 سوختگی ها در منزل و همچنین 1/29 سوختگی ها در زمستان اتفاق افتاده است. نتیجه گیری: با توجه به نتایج این گونه مطالعات می توان گروههای در معرض خطر را از نظر سنی، جنسی و علل سوختگی در هر جامعه ای با توجه به شرایط خاص آن جامعه مورد شناسایی قرار داد

Musculoskeletal symptoms and job satisfaction among office-workers: A Cross- sectional study from Iran

Objective. Office-work poses a high-risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), with consequences for workers, employers and society. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in a sample of Iranian office workers, to investigate the association between pain severity and job satisfaction and to investigate the association between MSDs and job satisfaction. Materials and methods. Iranian office workers from a university setting (n=91) were randomly selected and included in this cross-sectional study. The Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire plus visual analogue scale of pain, and the Brayfield-Rothe Job Satisfaction Index were used to study the prevalence of MSDs, pain intensity and job satisfaction, respectively. Descriptive analysis, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed for statistical assessment. Results. Eighty-nine percent of participants reported musculoskeletal symptoms during the past 12 months, most commonly in the neck (69.2 %), low back (58.2%), knees (41.8%), shoulders (35.2%), and upper back (34.1%). There was a significant negative correlation between pain intensity and job satisfaction. Pain intensity, low-back pain in the last week, wrist pain in the past 12 months and shoulder pain were significantly associated with job satisfaction (p<0.05). Conclusion. This study provides evidence that musculoskeletal symptoms are common in Iranian office workers, associated with low job satisfaction. These findings indicate the need for more attention to MSDs among office workers and designing effective preventive interventions

Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) rate of women employees of education organization about breast self-examination, Shahrekord, 1998

سرطان پستان شایع ترین سرطان عضوی زنان است و بهترین راه حل مبارزه با آن شناخت به موقع و سریع می باشد که منجر به درمان 90 آنان و کاهش مرگ و میر ناشی از سرطان پستان به میزان 30 می گردد. مناسب ترین و موثرترین روش غربالگری سرطان پستان، خودآزمایی پستان می باشد. هدف این مطالعه، تعیین وضعیت آگاهی، نگرش و عملکرد زنان شاغل در آموزش و پرورش شهر شهرکرد در زمینه خودآزمایی پستان بود. در یک بررسی توصیفی تحلیلی 340 نفر از زنان شاغل در آموزش و پرورش شهر شهرکرد به روش نمونه گیری تصادفی خوشه ای انتخاب گردیده و مورد مصاحبه قرار گرفتند. پرسشنامه بکار رفته شامل سوالاتی در زمینه ویژگی های دموگرافیک و نیز آگاهی، نگرش و عملکرد آنان در زمینه خودآزمایی پستان بود. اعتبار این پرسشنامه قبل از انجام مطالعه تعیین گردید (بیش از 85). برای تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها از آزمون های آنالیز واریانس یک طرفه و دوطرفه استفاده گردید. از نظر سابقه فامیلی سرطان 14 و از نظر سابقه شخصی سرطان 89 سابقه مثبت داشتند. از نظر آگاهی 8.24 ضعیف و 17 آگاهی خوب داشتند که با وضع تاهل، تحصیلات، سابقه فامیلی و سابقه شخصی سرطان اختلاف معنی داری مشاهده گردید. در مورد نگرش، 10.95 ضعیف و 13.53 خوب بود که بجز وضع تاهل با تحصیلات، سابقه شخصی و سابقه فامیلی سرطان اختلاف معنی دار آماری داشت. از نظر عملکرد، 61.17 ضعیف و فقط 4.41 خوب بود که بجز وضع تاهل با تحصیلات، سابقه شخصی و سابقه فامیلی سرطان تفاوت معنی داری داشت. آزمون آنالیز واریانس چند طرفه نشان داد که مهمترین عوامل موثر بر آگاهی، نگرش و عملکرد زنان عبارتند از: سابقه شخصی سرطان و سابقه فامیلی سرطان. آگاهی و نگرش اکثر زنان تحت مطالعه در سطح متوسط و خوب بود ولی از نظر عملکرد در سطح پایینی قرار داشتند که عوامل اجتماعی متعددی چون، عدم اعتقاد به اهمیت موضوع، خجالت کشیدن، آشنا نبودن به روش انجام معاینه و غیره را می توان مدنظر قرار داد

A RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT CIRCUITRY FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY HARVESTIN FOR POWERING MARINE INSTRUMENTATIONS

This paper presents and demonstrates a simple and reliable electronic circuitry for photovoltaic energy harvesting which best suited for powering marine instrumentations. The main functions of the designed circuitry are: i) tracking the maximum power point of the photovoltaic cells which are subject to continuous movements due to sea waves, ii) power conversion and management of energy storages with a high efficiency; and iii) achieving a high level of reliability for operation of circuit in a harsh marine environment. The proposed circuitry is designed based on an analog controller which implements a sensorless algorithm for maximum power point tracking. The power converter unit includes a simple buck converter with minimum electronic components. Compared with DSP-based digital controllers, the simplicity of the proposed analog controller highly improves reliability of the power conversion unit. The total power consumption of the electronic circuit is in the range of a few milliwatts. This enhances the overall efficiency of power conversion especially in low power (a few watt) applications such as powering of marine and metrological sensors. The circuitry also includes a control unit for battery charging to protect batteries against overcharging. The performance of the designed circuitry is experimentally demonstrated using a test setup for power management unit of an ocean-graphical buoy

Non-linear wave data assimilation with an ANN-type wind-wave model and Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF)

AbstractNon-linear data assimilation for a wind-wave dynamical surrogate model in a reduced space is presented. A dynamic artificial neural network is used for surrogate modeling. It provides a fast emulation of a wind-wave model which is used for the evaluation of the system states during a small period of time. The system state consists of wave height and wave direction in the reduced space which is affected by the reduced space wind field. The projection from the full space to the reduced one is performed by a principal component analysis. Ensemble methods require the evaluation of dynamics for a large number of statistical ensembles, so coupling this surrogate (instead of a full model) with an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) leads to computational efficiency. Application of the procedure is demonstrated through 6month hindcast study of wind waves over the Caspian Sea using the third-generation wave model and the analysis of the ECMWF wind field. The trained network is embedded into the stochastic environment. Then, the EnKF is used to find estimate of the system states. Experiments show that the proposed data assimilation technique can correct the prediction of the wind-waves requiring just a modest execution time

Power Electronics for Photovoltaic Energy System of an Oceanographic Buoy

This paper reports on design of power electronics for photovoltaic (PV) energy system of an offshore remote sensing apparatus. Challenges in design of a PV energy system for a marine application are investigated and the design limitations compared to inland PV system are discussed. The designed system includes PV cells as the main source of energy, electric storage (battery), maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and protection circuitries. An MPPT algorithm based on measuring the slope of the PV power-voltage curves is presented which can be implemented with simple analog electronic circuits. The MPPT circuit uses Sepic converter as a core and it also includes a protection unit for maintaining the battery voltage in a safe range. The performance of the proposed MPPT algorithm in presence of measurement noises is verified using a circuit simulation software tool (PSCAD). Simulation results verify that the algorithm appropriately regulates the voltage of PV cells at MPP and it is robust against measurement noises for a signal-to-noise ratio above -2db