Complicated Onodi cell mucocele presenting with orbital apex syndrome; a case report and literature review

Mucocele is defined as the accumulation of mucus within a cystic structure lined by mucoperiosteum causing bone remodeling and erosion. The sphenoidal sinus mucoceles, due to its proximity to the optic nerve, can cause ocular complications. A50-year-old woman with a history of previous endoscopic nasal surgery (30 months ago), blurred vision, severe right-sided orbital pain since three weeks ago and severe unilateral headache was admitted. Mucocele related orbital apex syndrome due to the sphenoid sinus mucocele was diagnosed. The optic nerve was fully dehiscent and under compression. Paranasal sinus pathologies must be taken into consideration when a patient with the diagnosis of optic neuropathy and involvement of the superior orbital fissure is approached.

Problem-solving deficits in Iranian people with borderline personality disorder

Interventions for people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), such as dialectical behavior therapy, often include a problem-solving component. However, there is an absence of published studies examining the problem-solving abilities of this client group in Iran. The study compared inpatients and outpatients with BPD and a control group on problem-solving capabilities in an Iranian sample. It was hypothesized that patients with BPD would have more deficiencies in this area. Fifteen patients with BPD were compared to 15 healthy participants. Means-ends problem-solving task (MEPS) was used to measure problem-solving skills in both groups. BPD group reported less effective strategies in solving problems as opposed to the healthy group. Compared to the control group, participants with BPD provided empirical support for the use of problem-solving interventions with people suffering from BPD. The findings supported the idea that a problem-solving intervention can be efficiently applied either as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other available psychotherapies to treat people with BPD. OBJECTIVE METHODS RESULTS CONCLUSION

Role of Prophylactic Antibiotic Administration in Growth of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in Rhinoplasty

Background: Septoplasty and septorhinoplasty are common surgical procedures in modern surgical practice. Pre or postoperative antibiotic administration has raised concerns about the possible increase in the antibiotic-resistant species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in increasing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aaureus species (MRSA) in patients, who underwent septoplasty or septorhinoplasty in Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran, Iran.Methods: A total of 102 patients, who were planned to undergo septoplasty or septorhinoplasty, participated in this double-blind randomized clinical trial. The patients were divided into the case (n=60, mean age of 28.2 years) and control (n=38, mean age of 28.9 years) groups. Overall, 98 patients participated in the study. The case group received a preoperative injection of cephalothin (1g) and postoperative oral cephalexin regimen (500mg 4 times a day for 7 days). The control group only received a preoperative injection of cephalothin (1g). Vestibular nasal swab cultures were obtained preoperatively and on postoperative day 7. The samples were, then, quickly transferred to the laboratory and cultured on proper media. The results indicated that five MRSA species in the case group and tow MRSA species in the control group were present, postoperatively.Results: The findings of this study suggest that oral antibiotic prophylaxis may lead to a statically non-significant increase in MRSA infection in patients, who require this treatment. Conclusion: Further knowledge of the endogenous nasal flora and the microbiology of common pathogens in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty will help reduce the incidence of infectious complications to a greater level

Pb nanowires on vicinal Si(111) surfaces: Effects of refacetting on transport

The conductance of Pb wires grown by self-assembly on Si(557) has been studied in detail as a function of coverage and of the facet structure. Only for 1.31 ML, corresponding to one physical monolayer on the terraces (steps not covered with Pb), and a perfectly ordered wire array along the [¯1¯12] direction quasi-one-dimensional (1D) transport along the [1¯10] direction is found, corroborating the model of one-dimensional band filling in an adsorbate induced (223) facet structure. The transport results recently shown by Morikawa et al. [Phys. Rev. B 82, 045423 (2010)] can also reproduced by our group. In contrast to what was claimed by them, our results clearly show that either a too small coverage or structural imperfections of the surface are responsible for a metal-insulator transition around 140 K irrespective of the crystallographic direction. The variety of different transport scenarios found is caused by strong adsorbate-induced refacetting into an electronically stabilized (223) orientation, which differs from the macrosocopic orientation of the substrate. The crucial interplay between structure and filling factor explains the extremely small parameter window in which the 1D transport channel can be observed. © 2010 The American Physical Society.DF

The Impact of Adenotonsillectomy on Mean Platelet Volume in Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy

Background: Chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy which causes airway obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea is the most common indication for adenotonsillectomy in children. Obstructive sleep apnea is almost always associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy in this age group. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of the platelet size. Platelet size reflects the platelet function and activation. Larger platelets have denser granules and higher thrombosis potential. So higher MPV levels are correlated with higher platelet activity and inflammation intensity. Increased platelet activity has a great role in atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the MPV level in patients who underwent adenotonsillectomy. Methods: In this longitudinal study, 37 patients with chronic adentonsillar hypertrophy who underwent adenotonsillectomy were enrolled. MPV levels before and 3 weeks after surgery were recorded and compared with paired comparison analysis. The significance level was less than 0.05. Results: MPV levels were 8.7 ±0.9 and 8.2±1.2 fL, before and after adenotonsillectomy, respectively. A statistically significant decrease was noted in MPV levels following surgery (P=0.022). Conclusion: MPV levels of the patients with adenotonsillar hypertrophy significantly decreased postoperatively. These results demonstrate that MPV level changes can be reversed and treated by adenotonsillectomy

Investigating the Correlation between Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies and Students’ Academic Well-being Mediated by Academic Engagement

Background: Puberty is known to be a stressful period for students, and managing its associated crises helps guarantee students’ mental health and sense of well-being in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of academic engagement in the correlation between cognitive and metacognitive strategies and academic well-being in high school students.Methods: The method used in this research was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included all the female high-school students in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2021, out of whom a sample of 350 students was selected. The Standard Schoolrelated Well-being Questionnaire, the Learning Strategies Questionnaire, and the Academic Engagement Scale were utilized herein. The data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics (structural equation modeling).Results: The results revealed that cognitive (r=0.34, P=0.001) and metacognitive (r=0.36, P=0.001) strategies were significantly and positively correlated with academic well-being. Furthermore, cognitive (r=0.33, P=0.001) and metacognitive (r=0.42, P=0.001) strategies were significantly and positively correlated with academic engagement. These strategies also had an indirect and significant association with academic well-being mediated by academic engagement (P=0.001).Conclusions: The results demonstrated the desirable fit of the model. It could be therefore recommended that cognitive and metacognitive strategies be instructed to students in order to promote their academic well-being by increasing their academic engagement

Effect of Post-space Preparation with Rotary Devices and Heated Instruments on Microbial Leakage of Gutta-percha and Resilon-Epiphany Obturated Canals

Introduction: After endodontic procedures, root canal reinfection is a main concern for dentists. However, application of a proper apical seal can prevent such contamination. Therefore, it seems necessary to study the factors affecting the development of a suitable apical seal. Materials and Methods: In this study, 64 extracted human single-canal premolars were used. An equal length of roots was obtained by cutting the crown. The teeth were randomly divided into four experimental groups of 15 premolars, as well as 2 positive and negative controls. The root canal was manually prepared using K-file and step back method through canal filling by lateral compaction technique. In GP and GH groups, gutta-percha and AH 26 sealer were used to fill the canals, while Resilon and Epiphany sealer were used in RP and RH groups, respectively. Then, to prepare the post space, Peeso Reamer drill was used in GP and RP groups while heat carrier was applied in GH and RH groups to prepare the post space, respectively.  The coronal part of each root was contacted with enterococcus faecalis leachate in BHI medium and the root end was placed in the same culture medium. The samples were daily checked for turbidity in the lower culture medium for 90 days. The average duration of bacterial leakage between the groups wascompared using independent Student t-test. Results: All the positive control samples showed bacterial infiltration within 24 to 48 hours, while the negative control teeth remained uninfected during the test. Comparison of bacterial leakage rates between GP and GH groups showed no significant difference, which was similar to comparison results between RP and RH groups (P=0.549 and P=0.097, respectively). Comparison of bacterial leakage between GP and RP groups, as well as between GH and RH groups, showed a significant difference (P=0.018 and

The latent factor structure and assessment of childbirth-related PTSD: psychometric characteristics of the City Birth Trauma Scale—Persian version (City-BiTS-P)

ObjectiveThere is no validated Persian questionnaire to measure childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD) symptoms. To cover this gap, the present study aimed to provide a Persian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (CityBiTS-Pr) and to determine its psychometric properties.MethodSince this is a cross-sectional study, sampling was done using a convenient sampling method. In total, 300 Persian-speaking women took part in this study and completed the City Birth Trauma Scale (CityBiTS-Pr), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Anxiety Subscale of the Depression, and the Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). In addition, sociodemographic information was completed. A confirmatory factor analysis of two- and four-factor models and a bi-factor model with a general factor and two specific factors were tested. Fit indices were calculated for all three models. Reliability, convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity also were examined. R v4.2.1 and SPSS v23 were used for data analysis.ResultsThe four-factor model comprised intrusion, avoidance, negative cognitions and mood, and hyper-arousal showed a poor fit. The two-factor model composed of “birth-related symptoms” and “general symptoms” provided the best results based on all fit indices. The bi-factor result was relatively good, but the loadings indicated that the general symptoms factor is not well defined.ConclusionThe Persian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (CityBiTS-Pr) is a valid and reliable questionnaire for evaluating postpartum PTSD

Application of Response Surface Method for Preparation, Optimization, and Characterization of Nicotinamide Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles

Purpose: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have been proven to possess pharmaceutical advantages. They have the ability to deliver hydrophilic drugs through lipid membranes of the body. However, the loading of such drugs into SLNs is challenging. Hydrophilic nicotinamide, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, is used to establish SLNs with enhanced encapsulation efficiency by using statistical design. Methods: The possible effective parameters of these particles’ characteristics were determined using pre-formulation studies and preliminary tests. Afterwards, the Response Surface Method (RSM) was utilized to optimize the preparation condition of SLNs. The effect of the amount of lipid, drug, surfactant, and the mixing apparatus were studied on particle size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency of the obtained particles. The acquired particles were characterized in respect of their morphology, in vitro release profile, and cytotoxicity. Results: According to this study, all the dependant variables could be fitted into quadratic models. Particles of 107 nm with zeta potential of about -40.9 and encapsulation efficiency of about 36% were obtained under optimized preparation conditions; i.e. with stearic acid to phospholipon® 90G ratio of 7.5 and nicotinamide to sodium taurocholate ratio of 14.74 using probe sonication. The validation test confirmed the model’s suitability. The release profile demonstrated the controlled release profile following the initial burst release. Neither the nicotinamide nor the SLNs showed toxicity under the evaluated concentrations. Conclusion: The acquired results suggested the suitability of the model for designing the delivery system with a highly encapsulated water soluble drug for controlling its delivery