Pre- and post-employment issues of bipolar patients and predisposing factors and vocational rehabilitation implications: a new perspective

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the employment issues of bipolar patients and their predisposing factors. Materials and Methods: This study was performed using the moose systematic qualitative method, by using research articles that addressed the employment issues of bipolar patients. Initially, 2204 articles were extracted but after primary and secondary screening and studying the full text finally, 15 articles were selected according to predetermined criteria. Results: The extracted employment issues of bipolar patients were divided into two general types of pre- and post-employment issues and the factors causing the employment issues.  Pre- and post- employment issues of bipolar patients were divided into three sub-domains (Unemployment, lack of productivity in the workplace, and ethical-communication problems). factors causing bipolar employment issues were divided into three domains (factors related to symptoms of the disorder, psychosocial factors and inappropriate therapeutic interventions). Discussion: Although pre- and post- employment issues of bipolar patients appear to be a major issue both in society and in researches; the underlying causes of these patients' employment issues are also important driving factors, which need attention and consideration and rehabilitation

The effect of emotional intelligence group training on human and social capital in Isfahan University of technology

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence group training on human and social capital in the students of Isfahan University of Technology. This research was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design and control group. The research population consists of all the students of Isfahan University of Technology who have been studying in 2012-2013. For sampling, voluntary sampling method was used that 36 subjects were selected as the sample and were randomly divided into two groups of experiment and control. The subjects of experimental group participated in 8 sessions of 90-minute classes while the control group received no intervention. The study's tool was Mousavi Employability Questionnaire (2013). Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. According to the results, emotional intelligence training have had impact upon human capital (P<0.004). However, emotional intelligence training had no effect on social capital

Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students and Recent Dental Graduates Towards Dental Pulp Stem Cells in Iran

Objectives Considering the growing knowledge about stem cells and the role of cell-based therapies in the future, dentists should have adequate knowledge about oral stem cell sources and their applications in dentistry. The present study assessed the knowledge and attitude of dental students and recent dental graduates towards dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in Iran. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2021 on 175 participants, including 86 dental students and 89 recent dental graduates from the Dental School of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences (RUMS), Rafsanjan, Iran and Dental School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, independent t-test, and ANOVA. Results The mean knowledge and attitude scores of the participants were 66.16±8.51% and 68.65±11.87%, respectively. The mean attitude score was significantly correlated with “interest in participating in the courses related to stem cells” and “scientific journal review rate”. The level of knowledge of the participants from SBMU was significantly higher than that of participants from RUMS (P&lt;0.05). Other variables did not had a significant effect on the mean score of knowledge or attitude (P&gt;0.05). Conclusion Dental students had a positive attitude towards the application of stem cells; however, their knowledge was inadequate. Therefore, some appropriate measures must be adopted to enhance the knowledge of dental students about DPSCs, especially in universities with lower ranks

Investigation of Factors Affecting the Marital Intimacy of Veteran Couples: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Intimacy is especially important in married life. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the marital intimacy of veteran couples. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. The study population consisted of veteran couples in Shiraz. Sampling was done purposively and continued until the saturation point was reached. The data were collected from 10 semi-structured interviews with veteran couples on intimacy and Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data. Results: Factors affecting the marital intimacy of veteran couples were extracted in the form of 4 categories and 17 sub-categories. The identified categories included individual factors (personality traits, attachment styles, differentiation, physical and mental health), interpersonal factors (communication patterns, communication skills, matching and similarity, conflict resolution styles, emotional and sexual needs), religious and cultural factors (religious beliefs and attitudes, interaction with in-laws), and demographic factors (education, occupation, economic status, presence of children, duration of marriage, gender). Conclusion: Marital intimacy of veteran couples is influenced by individual, interpersonal, religious and cultural, and demographic factors. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to different factors affecting marital intimacy in the counseling of veteran couples. The present study can be a good guide for therapists to provide appropriate interventions to increase intimacy

Investigation of the Potential Presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) Paraffin Embedded Tissue Samples

Background and Aim: Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide Evidence suggests that there is a link between bacterial infection and malignancy. There are few studies on the prevalence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), so this study aimed to investigate the possible presence of this bacterium in ESCC tissue samples.Materials and Methods: In this study, 34 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma samples were collected to evaluate the potential presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis. After extracting the DNA, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used to detect the presence of the bacterium molecularly.Results: The age range of the study population was 26 to 90 years, with a mean age of 63 years. Most tissue samples come from stage I cancer (73.5%). Based on the molecular analysis, no P. gingivalis was detected in any biopsy specimensConclusion: P. gingivalis infection and ESCC were not correlated based on the current in this study. Likely, the use of fresh samples, more accurate diagnostic methods, geographic differences, and larger sample sizes all contribute to the differences in results between related research, which can be clarified through large-scale studies

The Relationship between Academic Self-Concept and Academic Engagement with regard to the Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulatory Learning Approaches

This study aims to investigate the relationship between academic self-concept and academic engagement of students with regard to the mediating role of academic self-efficacy and self-regulatory learning approaches. This paper is applied in terms of purpose, and is correlational in terms of method. The statistical population consists of 41,876 male students of Isfahan studying the first high school in 2016–2017. A sample of 979 individuals were selected via cluster sampling in several phases. The Academic Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ), the School Self-Concept Inventory (SSCI), the Academic Self-Efficacy Inventory (ASEI), and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were applied in order to collect data. The data was analyzed by using structural equation modeling method and by employing SPSS and Amos statistical software. The results of the analysis indicated that academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy, and self-regulatory learning approaches had a direct impact on academic engagement. In addition, self-concept had an indirect relationship with academic engagement in two ways of academic self-efficacy and academic self-regulatory learning approaches. Therefore, academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy, and academic self-regulatory learning approaches must be considered to increase academic engagement in students

Antibiotic Resistance and RAPD-PCR Genotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Strains Isolated from Intensive Care Unit Patients

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one the most important nosocomial pathogens, especially in immunocompromised patients. Identifying the source of contamination in health centers plays an important role in the control of hospital infections. The aim of this study was to determine antibiotic susceptibility and genetic patterns of P. aeruginosa isolated from patients hospitalized in intensive care unit of Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was examined through 10 antibiotics recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, 2018) guidelines using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis with the short primer of 272 was used to evaluate genetic relationship among the isolates and the results were analyzed by Gelcompar II software. Results: Of the antibiotics used, the most sensitive was found in colistin (96.4%) and the highest resistance rates were observed in cefotaxime (94.6%), chloramphenicol (83.9%) and imipenem (71.4%). DNA fingerprinting was able to identify 12 genetic patterns by RAPD-PCR technique. Conclusion: Antibiotic resistance in isolates of P. aeruginosa is rising and there is possibility of occurring outbreaks in the medical centers. Different sources of strains show their constant exchange via intra- and extra-hospital transmission routes. Thus, according to the data of this study, there is a serious need to control sources of infections by physicians and staff when they are working in several sectors to control and prevent the transmission of the bacterium

Comparison of the Bony Changes of TMJ in Patients With and Without TMD Complaints Using CBCT

Statement of the Problem: Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) may show a poor correlation between their clinical findings and radiological characteristics. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the osseous alterations of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects by employing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Method: In this study, CBCT images of 120 temporomandibular joints in 30 patients with TMJ disorder and 30 age- and sex-matched individuals without TMJ complaints were evaluated. Osteoarticular derangements of the joint were assessed by two experienced examiners. Data was statistically analyzed with SPSS software using chi-square test (p <0.05). Results: Out of 120 CBCT images (60 in each group), at least one osseous change was observed in 90% and 86.7% joints in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects, respectively. There were no significant differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects regarding frequency of osteoarticular changes including flattening (73.3% vs. 75%), irregularity (36.7% vs. 48.3%), sclerosis (20% vs. 8.3%), cyst (3.3% vs. 3.3%), erosion (13.3% vs. 21.7%), hypoplasia (3.3% vs. 5%), ankylosis (1.7% vs. Zero), osteophyte (43.3% vs. 40%), decrease joint space (3.3% vs. 3.3%), and increase joint space (5% vs. 5%). (p> 0.05) Conclusion: By employing CBCT as a modern diagnostic imaging tool, findings of this study revealed that the frequency of various temporomandibular joint alterations on CBCT images is comparable in patients with and without TMD complaints, suggesting that some people with TMJ structural damage may not display clinical manifestations. Moreover, CBCT imaging might not be necessary for TMD patients and more attention should be given to clinical examination

Investigation of the Potential Presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) Paraffin Embedded Tissue Samples

Background and Aim: Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide Evidence suggests that there is a link between bacterial infection and malignancy. There are few studies on the prevalence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), so this study aimed to investigate the possible presence of this bacterium in ESCC tissue samples. Materials and Methods: In this study, 34 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma samples were collected to evaluate the potential presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis. After extracting the DNA, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used to detect the presence of the bacterium molecularly. Results: The age range of the study population was 26 to 90 years, with a mean age of 63 years. Most tissue samples come from stage I cancer (73.5%). Based on the molecular analysis, no P. gingivalis was detected in any biopsy specimens Conclusion: P. gingivalis infection and ESCC were not correlated based on the current in this study. Likely, the use of fresh samples, more accurate diagnostic methods, geographic differences, and larger sample sizes all contribute to the differences in results between related research, which can be clarified through large-scale studies