Correlation between workplace culture, learning and medication errors

The occurrence of medication errors in intensivecare units can bring about irreparable damageand even lead to death in hospitalized patients.In this respect, numerous investigations have suggestedthat many factors including workplace culture and learningfrom error can affect the incidence rates of such errorsin these units. Accordingly, the present study was to shedlight on the correlation between workplace culture, learningfrom error, and reporting rate of medication errorsamong nurses in intensive care units affiliated to teachinghospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciencesin Iran.Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conductedamong 120 nurses working in intensive care units in fourteaching hospitals in the city of Tehran. Then, the questionnairesdeveloped by Gulley et al., Rybowiak et al., andWakefield et al. were used to collect the data related toworkplace culture, learning climate, and medication errors.Results: The findings of this study indicated that increasedlearning from error in nurses working in intensivecare units could lower reporting rate of medication errors(r=-0.312, p-value=0.001); there was also a significantrelationship between workplace culture and reportingrate of medication errors, so that enhancing workplaceculture could reduce reporting rate of medication errors(r=-0.239, p-value=0.012).Conclusion: Improving workplace culture via supportingemployee creativity and innovation as well as promotinglearning environment through an employee reward systemalong with avoidance of punishments and reprimands fornurses during the occurrence of errors could be effective inmitigating the incidence rates of medication errors

Comparative study of plasma biochemical parameters in mature male and female goldfish, Carassius auratus

Blood biochemical parameters are important factors that can show the changes in health offering critical feedback on physiological condition of fish. In the present study, we examined a comparative study on the blood biochemical parameters in mature male and female goldfish, Carassius auratus. Plasma samples of 72 male and female goldfish that have been kept at 24°C for 30 days were analyzed and their biochemical parameters levels were determined. There were significant differences in all measured parameters between genders so that, maximum concentrations of the glucose (73.45±0.68 mg/dl) and calcium (8.32±0.05 mg/dl) were found in female fish, while the highest levels of the total protein (3.14±0.01 g/dl), cholesterol (281.65±3.19 mg/dl) and triglyceride (428.31±1.17 mg/dl) were measured in males. Based on the results, the plasma biochemical parameters changes vary considerably between male and female goldfish

Plasma 17beta-estradiol and alkali-labile phosphoprotein levels in male and female Tench (Tinca tinca) in the Anzali and Amirkolayeh wetlands

Environmental pollutants are potentiate to disturb biological processes such as metabolism, growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms. These compounds are able to cause gonadal abnormalities, biased sex ratios and alteration in reproductive physiology in fish. The aim of this study was to examine plasma 17β-estradiol (E2) and alkali-labile phosphoprotein (ALP) levels in male and female Tench (Tinca tinca) from a polluted (the Anzali Wetland) and a non-polluted environments (the Amirkolayeh Wetland). Samples were collected over the maturation season of Tench between May and June 2017. The results revealed significant difference in mean ALP and E2 between genders in the polluted environment. However, the mean plasma ALP concentrations in male Tench of the polluted environment (39.46±1.02 µg/ml) was 45% of the average recorded in female (86.18±2.25 µg/ml) and was two times higher than the amount measured in males in the non-polluted environment (18.68±0.35 µg/ml). High concentrations of E2, were detected in the male samples from the Anzali Wetland. Mean plasma E2 concentrations for male in the Anzali Wetland was almost two times higher than male in the Amirkolayeh Wetland. The results indicate that the reproductive physiology of Tench was affected by contaminants found in the Anzali Wetland, a highly polluted area

Known pathophysiological mechanisms in the incidence of varicoceles

زمینه و هدف: واریکوسل به اتساع و پیچش غیر طبیعی وریدهای اسپرماتیک در بیضه اطلاق می شود و از جمله شایع ترین علت قابل درمان در مردان نابارور می باشد. در افراد مبتلا به واریکوسل عملکرد بیضه به طور پیشرونده آسیب می بیند، اما مکانیسم های دقیق درگیر در شروع و توسعه اختلال در بیضه این افراد، کاملاً شناخته شده نیستند، لذا هدف این مطالعه مروری آن است که مکانیسم های پاتو فیزیولوژی شناخته شده در بروز واریکوسل مورد بررسی قرار گیرد. روش بررسی: مقالات جستجو شده در پایگاه های اطلاعاتی مختلف مانند Science Direct، PubMed و Scopus و پایگاه های مرتبط با مقالات ISI در بین سال های 2015-1983 بررسی شد. یافته ها: واریکوسل در اغلب موارد با اسپرماتوژنز غیر طبیعی، افزایش دمای بیضه و استرس اکسیداتیو ارتباط دارد. این شرایط باعث کاهش کیفیت مایع منی و باروری می گردد. نتیجه گیری: عمل جراحی واریکوسلکتومی میکروسرجیکال به دلیل ایجاد عوارض کم تر و همچنین میزان عود کم تر نسبت به سایر روش ها، رویکرد پیشنهادی اغلب ارولوژیست ها است

Menstrual Rights Programs and Policies for Childbearing-aged women and girls: A Systematic Review

Objectives: In order to increase the awareness of health service providers about the difficulties and consequences associated with the violation of menstrual rights, it is necessary to conduct a review study of existing programs in this area. This study aimed to review the menstrual rights programs and policies for reproductive-aged women and girls. Methods: In this systematic review, we searched international databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, as well as Iranian ones, such as IranMedex, Magiran, MEDLINE, and Embase, for relevant studies without considering publication year. Finally, of 832 results, including articles, reports, and governmental documents, 27 studies were included in this review study. Results: "Menstrual rights" is not viewed as a major issue, even in the international vision programs. The results indicate that the programs in this field were mainly focused on four aspects: laws and policies, empowerment in menstruation management, normalization, and support for menstrual justice. Despite the increase in programs to achieve menstrual health, dealing with the legality of these programs has been completely marginalized. Conclusions: Since instructions and plans can play a vital role in implementing health policies, our findings emphasize the need for an evidence-driven plan to improve women and girls’ menstruation and reproductive health and rights that is consistent with long-term developmental goals. Attracting partnerships from the private sector, charities, and activists in this field can be very beneficial to achieving these goals

The Relationship between the Results of Coagulation Profile and Severity of Pulmonary Involvement in COVID-19 Patients

Introduction: COVID-19 is currently a global pandemic, and coagulation-related mortality has been widely reported in patients suffering from it. Objective: this article aimed to investigate the coagulation profile of COVID-19 patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using a retrospective research design. We recruited patients with COVID-19 admitted to a hospital from June 15th to July 7th, 2020. Upon patients' entering a blood sample was drawn from each patient for assessing patient’s coagulation profile (PT, PTT, INR, Platelet count); and a chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan was performed for each patient. The study patients were divided in to sever group (CO-RADS score 5) and non-sever group (CO-RADS score <5). Results: Thirty-six patients (20 males and 16 females) with a mean age of 54.7±17.5 years were studied. Of them, 11 cases (30.56%) had severe pulmonary involvement. Also, the coagulation profiles were longer in the severe group than non-sever group. As well, the means of platelet count that were 232.440 per microliter in the non-severe group and 289.180 per microliter in the severe and non-sever groups, respectively; but still not statistically significant (p>0.05). The Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) for PT and INR was 0.615 and 0.611, respectively. The AUC for platelet count was 0.680 (95% CI: 0.501 to 0.859) and had an acceptable discriminating power. Conclusions: In this study, we did not find any statistically significant relationship between the results of coagulation tests and the severity of pulmonary involvement according to HRCT scan findings in COVID-19 patients. But further analyses suggest that, except PTT, the other coagulation tests (PT, INR, and platelet count) may discriminate severe COVID-19 patients

Evaluation of antibody titers in COVID-19 patients with cerebral or pulmonary symptoms and mild symptoms

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to compare the production of antibodies in three different groups of patients with COVID-19. These groups included patients with pulmonary and cerebral symptoms, as well as those with mild symptoms. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 80 patients admitted to COVID-19-specific hospitals. The patients had various forms of SARS-CoV-2 disease, including those with pulmonary symptoms, brain involvement, and those with positive PCR test results but mild symptoms. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to determine the levels of IgM and IgG antibody titers. Results: The levels of IgM and IgG antibody production differed significantly between groups of patients experiencing pulmonary symptoms and cerebral symptoms, with mild symptom patients also showing differences (P=0.0068), (P=0.0487), (P<0.0001), and (P=0.0120), respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between IgM antibody secretion and age or pulmonary involvement (P=0.1959). However, there was a direct and significant relationship between age and brain involvement (P=0.0317). Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the risk of central nervous system involvement increases with age and that older people have lower antibody levels than younger people. Consequently, strengthening the immune systems of people over the age of 78 during this pandemic through vaccination and nutrition is very effective in reducing mortality in this age group

The synergistic effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Origanum vulgare, Hypericum perforatum and their active components carvacrol and hypericin against Staphylococcus aureus.

AIM: This study was designed to evaluate the synergistic activities of hydroalcoholic extracts of medicinal plants Origanum vulgare and Hypericum perforatum and their active components, carvacrol and hypericin against Staphylococcus aureus. METHODS: The synergistic effects of the plants, as well as carvacrol and hypericin, were examined using a checkered method against S. aureus (ATCC 12600). RESULTS: A fractional inhibitory concentration of 0.5 was obtained for combination of O. vulgare and H. perforatum and 0.49 for combination of the active ingredients carvacrol and hypericin, both of which indicated a synergistic effect. CONCLUSION: This preliminary evaluation demonstrated a synergistic property of O. vulgare and H. perforatum extracts in treating S. aureus infection. This study indicates that combination of the plants, as well as combination of carvacrol and hypericin, might be used as a new antibacterial strategy against S. aureus. KEYWORDS: Gram positive; Staphylococcus aureus; antibacterial; antibiotic; checkered carried out to Fratini method; combination; fractional inhibitory concentration; herbal medicine; medicinal plant; synergis

Gender Differences in COVID-19 Deceased Cases in Jahrom City, South of Iran

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and epidemiological features of deceased patients and comparing the discrepancies between male and female patients based on high prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), its irreversible effects and the rising mortality rate in Jahrom city. Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical retrospective study that was conducted from the beginning of March 2020 to the end of November 2020. The study population were included all patients with COVID-19 who admitted to Peymaniyeh Hospital in Jahrom and died of COVID-19. Clinical and demographic data were collected from medical records and analyzed by SPSS software. Results: In this study, 61 patients (57.54%) were men and 45 patients (42.36%) were women. The mean age was 68.7±18.33 in men and 68.82±14.24 in women. The mean hospitalization length was 9.69±7.75 days in men and 9.69±7.75 days in women patients. There was no statistically significant difference between men and women patients (p>0.05). The results showed that 17 (27.87%) men and 28 (45.9%) of women patients had hypertension and the prevalence of this disease was significantly higher in women than men (p=0.01). In this study, 7 (11.48%) men and 13 (21.31%) women had hyperlipidemia. The frequency of hyperlipidemia in women caseswas significantly higher than in men patients (p=0.024). Men cases’ diastolic blood pressure (mean=77.53) was significantly higher than women’s diastolic blood pressure at the same time with a mean of 71.42 (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study represented the mortality rate in men which is higher than women patients. The prevalence of underlying diseases such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia were higher in women than men. Despite higher mortality among women, symptoms such as fever and dyspnea were less common in women than men