Assessment of Hearing Loss in Iranian Professional Pop Singers through the Soundlog and Temporary Hearing Loss Test Softwares

Background and Aims: Noise induced hearing loss is a sensory-neural phenomenon which happens slowly due to continued or alternative sound exposure. Singers are one of the working groups who are at the risk of hearing loss. This study aimed to assess the hearing loss of Iranian professional pop singers.Materials & Methods: In this study, two SoundLog and Temporary Hearing Loss Test softwares have been used to measure temporary threshold shift (TTS), level of sound (LAeq), maximum level of sound, as well as the level of equivalent sound in 8 hours (LAeq, 8h)  with and without hearing protection device (HPD). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 18 software. All stages of this research were conducted ethically.Results: The sound level, maximum sound level and equivalent level of sound in 8 hours without using hearing protection equipment and by using hearing protection equipment were 84.3 ± 9.6 and 86.7 ± 7.1; 118.9 ± 2.8 and 120.7 ± 2.7 and 78.4 ± 8.9 and 82.5± 5.8, respectively. Also, the hearing loss level in the sample was 2.4 ± 7.1 and 0 db, according to the intervention.Conclusion: The results indicated the applicability of the programs. Therefore, without the need for an expert, a person can understand the sound exposure level during his performance. Thus, these tools, suitable personal protective equipment and continuous monitoring will lead to early detection of hearing loss in these groups

Imatinib Mesylate Effects on Zebrafish Reproductive Success: Gonadal Development, Gamete Quality, Fertility, Embryo-Larvae Viability and Development, and Related Genes

Imatinib (IM) is a tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor (TKI) used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia. Clinical case reports and a few laboratory mammal studies provide inconclusive evidence about its deleterious effects on reproduction. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the potential of zebrafish to characterize IM-induced effects on reproduction and clarify IM effects on reproductive success. To this end, we exposed adult zebrafish to four concentrations of IM for 30 days followed by a 30-day depuration period. IM exposure caused a concentration-dependent, irreversible, suppression of folliculogenesis, reversible decrease in sperm density and motility, decreased fecundity and fertility, but no significant change in atretic follicle abundance. We also observed IM-induced premature hatching, but no significant change in embryo-larvae survivability. However, we found significant IM-induced morphometric malformations. IM decreased expression of vegfaa and igf2a (two reproductive-, angiogenic-, and growth-related genes) in testes and ovaries. The results demonstrate IM can induce significant changes in critical reproductive endpoints and zebrafish as a suitable model organism to show effects of IM on reproduction. The findings suggest that TKI effects on reproductive success should be considered

Increased Demand for Blood Transfusion in Cardiac Surgery: Simple but Unsolved Common Problem

Background: Despite the general concern about the safety of blood transfusion and mounting evidence exist for more restrictive practice; there is no national consensus guideline and uniformity of institutions for blood transfusion associated with coronary artery bypass graft surgery in Iran. The aim of this study is an assessment of current transfusion practice and compares it with one decade ago.Method: The authors retrospectively analyzed the data of all patients undergoing elective surgery (first time operation) during one year, in two different decade interval (2003 and 2015) in a tertiary heart center.Results: A total of 801 patients were evaluated and compared (n=249 in 2015, n=552 in 2003). There is a significant increase in use of blood transfusion in both operating room and at ICU than the last decade (60.6% vs. 42.4%, P<0.001, and 54.4% vs. 39.9%, P <0.001, respectively). The incidence of preoperative anemia was four times higher in patients who received transfusion, compared to those who did not, in both groups. With compared to the past, the patients are older, have less preoperative hematocrit, more diabetic, more need to intra-aortic balloon pump, shorter operation time, and less postoperative bleeding .Conclusion: With advanced knowledge about transfusion complications and conservative approach to transfusion practice, the need to blood transfusion is increased in current cardiac operations in our center, due to association of more co-morbidities

Printable and flexible graphene pH sensors utilising thin film melanin for physiological applications

The application of highly sensitive pH sensors manufactured in volume at low cost has great commercial interest due to an extensive array of potential applications. Such areas include industrial processing, biotechnology and medical diagnostics particularly in the development of point of care (POC) devices. A novel printable electrochemical pH sensor based on graphene and pigment melanin (PGM), was designed and produced by using a screen printing process that enables up scaling for potential commercial application. We demonstrate a highly sensitive pH sensor (62 mV pH−1  ±  7) over a pH range from 5 to 8, with high stability and superior performance when compared with a number of existing devices and making it suitable for physiological applications

Relationship between organizational intelligence and performance indicators of teaching hospitals: a case study in Iran

Background: One of the greatest managerial challenges is how to generate  intelligent organizations that can quickly adopt themselves according to environmental changes to guarantee their success and survival in a turbulent external environment.Objectives: Study objective was to assess the relationship between organizational intelligence and performance indicators of teaching hospitals affiliated by Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences (YUMS) in 2015.Design: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in three teaching hospitals affiliated by YUMS in 2015. Data were collected using a standard questionnaire developed by Albrecht and analyzed by SPSS 16 using descriptive and correlation statistical tests.Setting of the study: Hospitals affiliated by Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Yazd, Iran.Subjects/ participants: A sample of 300 personnel working in under study hospitals who’ve been selected through stratified random sampling method.Results: Results confirmed that scores of organizational intelligence in understudy hospitals were in the optimum status. Conditions of three performance indicators including average length of stay, bed turnover and bed occupancy rate were analyzed to be appropriate. A significant statistical correlation between organizational intelligence and bed occupancy rate, total number of admitted and discharged patients and finally number of patients’ death was seen (p<0.05).Conclusion: Having an appropriate plan or decision strategies to strengthen organizational intelligence can play an effective role in hospital performance improvement

Real-time detection of hepatitis B surface antigen using a hybrid graphene-gold nanoparticle biosensor

A hybrid biosensor based on a graphene resistor functionalized with self-assembled Graphene-AuNPs (Gold Nanoparticles) is demonstrated for the real-time detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The hybrid biosensor consists of a ssDNA sequence attached to a graphene resistor device via π–π stacking interactions in combination with a ssDNA functionalized AuNP. The ssDNA has complementary sequences which through hybridization, yield the graphene-AuNP hybrid biosensor. Real-time 2-point resistance measurements, performed using varying concentrations of HBsAg, show a linear dependence of resistance change against the logarithm of HBsAg concentration (log[HBsAg]). A limit of detection of 50 pg ml−1 was observed. Moreover, the hybrid biosensor platform has potential to be applied to any biomarker of interest

The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is an endocrine disorder with many complications. This syndrome is a growing concern among adolescents around the world, with varying reports of its prevalence in different parts of the world. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents by a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: In this study, a search for published articles with an English language limitation and without a time limit was done in different databases (Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, Emabse and Cochrane) in January 2019. The 12 studies that met the criteria for entering a qualitative assessment scale of 5 and higher were subjected to systematic review and meta-analysis. Egger and Begg’s tests were used to check the publication bias. Data were analyzed with STATA software, version 11.1. Results: Twelve studies were included for meta-analysis. The total number of participants in the study was 149,477. The average quality score of all studies was 8.67 (range: 5–10). The prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome in adolescents based on the Rotterdam criteria was 11.04% (95% CI: 6.84–16.09%), based on the National Institute of Health criteria, it was 3.39% (95% CI: 0.28–9.54%), and based on Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society, it was 8.03% (95% CI: 6.24–10.01%). Conclusion: The result of this study showed that there is a variation in the prevalence of PCOS in adolescents based on different criteria; we suggest more community-based studies among adolescences in different parts of the world