77 research outputs found

    Efficacy of topical phenytoin on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis; a pilot study

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    "nBackground and the Purpose of the Study: Oral mucositis is one of the most common complications of malignancy chemotherapy. As yet, no absolute treatment has been demonstrated to be effective for chemotherapy- induced oral mucositis. This study evaluates the effectiveness of phenytoin mouthwash as a wound healing agent, on the basis of stimulating effects on fibroblast proliferation. "nMaterials and Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, placebo- controlled clinical trial; twelve patients received phenytoin mouthwash (0.5%) or placebo for about two weeks. Oral pain severity was scored on the daily basis using a VAS (visual analogue scale) of 10 centimeters. National Cancer Institute (NCI) scale was used to grade the intensity of mucositis. To determine the effect of treatment, a quality of life questionnaire, consisting of 35 queries, was filled out for all patients. Statistical analyses of data was performed using Mann- Whitney test. "nResults: The average time for complete remission of mucositis in phenytoin- treated group was less than that of the placebo group. The quality of life improved dramatically in the phenytoin group with the healing process being more evident in the first week. Furthermore, reduction in the wound area was greater in the phenytoin group than controls at the end of the first week of treatment. Both groups eventually demonstrated reduction in pain intensity; however no statistically significant difference was observed between two groups. "nConclusion: Phenytoin mouthwash accelerated wound healing and resolution of mucositis and improved life quality impressively

    Rodent-borne and rodent-related diseases in Iran

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    Abstract Rodents cause large financial losses all over the world; in addition, these animals can also act as a reservoir and intermediate host or vector of diseases. Rodents have an important role in the distribution of diseases in an area. Sometimes, the distribution of a particular disease in an area depends on the distribution of rodents in that area. This study focuses on the distribution of rodent-related diseases in Iran. Rodent-borne and rodent-related diseases and diseases with suspected relationship with rodents have been reviewed in this study. Iran, due to the circumstances in which different species of rodents are able to live, has a high prevalence of certain diseases associated with rodents in urban and rural areas. Awareness about the distribution of rodent-related diseases can be a great help to rodent’s control and prevention against the spread of the diseases. Keywords Rodent disease Disease transmission Pest control Public healt

    Application of Queuing Analytic Theory to Decrease Waiting Times in Emergency Department: Does it Make Sense?

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    Background: Patients who receive care in an emergency department (ED), are usually unattended while waiting in queues. Objectives: This study was done to determine, whether the application of queuing theory analysis might shorten the waiting times of patients admitted to emergency wards. Patients and Methods: This was an operational study to use queuing theory analysis in the ED. In the first phase, a field study was conducted to delineate the performance of the ED and enter the data obtained into simulator software. In the second phase, "ARENA" software was used for modeling, analysis, creating a simulation and improving the movement of patients in the ED. Validity of the model was confirmed through comparison of the results with the real data using the same instrument. The third phase of the study concerned modeling in order to assess the effect of various operational strategies, on the queue waiting time of patients who were receiving care in the ED. Results: In the first phase, it was shown that 47.7% of the 3000 patient records were cases referred for trauma treatment, and the remaining 52.3% were referred for non-trauma services. A total of 56% of the cases were male and 44% female. Maximum input was 4.5 patients per hour and the minimum input was 0.5 per hour. The average length of stay for patients in the trauma section was three hours, while for the non-trauma section it was four hours. In the second phase, modeling was tested with common scenarios. In the third phase, the scenario with the addition of one or more senior emergency resident(s) on each shift resulted in a decreased length of stay from 4 to 3.75 hours. Moreover, the addition of one bed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and/or Critical Care Unit (CCU) in the study hospital, reduced the occupancy rate of the nursing service from 76% to 67%. By adding another clerk to take electrocardiograms (ECG) in the ED, the average time from a request to performing the procedure is reduced from 26 to 18 minutes. Furthermore, the addition of 50% more staff to the laboratory and specialist consultations led to a 90 minute reduction in the length of stay. It was also shown that earlier consultations had no effect on the length of stay. Conclusions: Application of queuing theory analysis can improve movement and reduce the waiting times of patients in bottlenecks within the ED throughput

    Is Evaluation of Hepatitis A Immunity Required or Not?

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    Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is one of the most common causes of acute hepatitis and it is a serious health problem worldwide. HAV infection is a vaccine preventable disease that can produce the lifelong immunity seen in many developed countries with the vaccination schedule administered to children; however this vaccine is not used in developing countries at the present time. Improvements in food and water hygiene have caused a displacement of hepatitis A infection from children to adults which has increased mortality rates. Therefore evaluation of HAV immunity levels can help health authorities develop polices for prophylaxis especially in developing countries

    A‌N A‌C‌C‌U‌R‌A‌T‌E M‌O‌D‌E‌L F‌O‌R S‌E‌C‌O‌N‌D‌A‌R‌Y F‌L‌O‌W E‌F‌F‌E‌C‌T O‌N L‌A‌T‌E‌R‌A‌L D‌I‌S‌T‌R‌I‌B‌U‌T‌I‌O‌N O‌F D‌E‌P‌T‌H A‌V‌E‌R‌A‌G‌E‌D V‌E‌L‌O‌C‌I‌T‌Y I‌N C‌O‌M‌P‌O‌U‌N‌D C‌H‌A‌N‌N‌E‌L‌S

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    T‌h‌e a‌n‌a‌l‌y‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l s‌o‌l‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f t‌h‌e l‌a‌t‌e‌r‌a‌l d‌i‌s‌t‌r‌i‌b‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f d‌e‌p‌t‌h a‌v‌e‌r‌a‌g‌e‌d v‌e‌l‌o‌c‌i‌t‌y i‌n c‌o‌m‌p‌o‌u‌n‌d c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l‌s i‌s k‌n‌o‌w‌n a‌s t‌h‌e S‌h‌i‌o‌n‌o a‌n‌d K‌n‌i‌g‌h‌t m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d (S‌K‌M). I‌n c‌o‌m‌p‌a‌r‌i‌s‌o‌n w‌i‌t‌h 1-D m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s (s‌u‌c‌h a‌s ``D‌i‌v‌i‌d‌e‌d C‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l M‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d'', ``C‌o‌h‌e‌r‌e‌n‌c‌e M‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d'' a‌n‌d ``E‌x‌c‌h‌a‌n‌g‌e D‌i‌s‌c‌h‌a‌r‌g‌e M‌o‌d‌e‌l''), S‌K‌M a‌s a 2-D m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d e‌n‌j‌o‌y‌s t‌h‌e a‌d‌v‌a‌n‌t‌a‌g‌e o‌f c‌o‌m‌p‌u‌t‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e d‌i‌s‌t‌r‌i‌b‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f l‌o‌c‌a‌l v‌e‌l‌o‌c‌i‌t‌y a‌c‌r‌o‌s‌s t‌h‌e c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l. S‌K‌M u‌s‌e‌s t‌h‌r‌e‌e c‌o‌e‌f‌f‌i‌c‌i‌e‌n‌t‌s f, \l‌a‌m‌b‌d‌a a‌n‌d \G‌a‌m‌m‌a a‌s t‌h‌e r‌e‌p‌r‌e‌s‌e‌n‌t‌a‌t‌i‌v‌e‌s o‌f b‌e‌d r‌e‌s‌i‌s‌t‌a‌n‌c‌e, l‌a‌t‌e‌r‌a‌l v‌i‌s‌c‌o‌s‌i‌t‌y a‌n‌d s‌e‌c‌o‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌u‌r‌r‌e‌n‌t‌s, r‌e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌t‌i‌v‌e‌l‌y. O‌b‌v‌i‌o‌u‌s‌l‌y, a‌c‌c‌u‌r‌a‌t‌e e‌s‌t‌i‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f t‌h‌e‌s‌e p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌e‌r‌s p‌l‌a‌y‌s a‌n i‌m‌p‌o‌r‌t‌a‌n‌t r‌o‌l‌e o‌n a‌p‌p‌r‌o‌a‌c‌h‌i‌n‌g t‌o e‌x‌a‌c‌t v‌a‌l‌u‌e‌s. T‌h‌e e‌s‌t‌i‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f f, \l‌a‌m‌b‌d‌a a‌n‌d \G‌a‌m‌m‌a h‌a‌s b‌e‌e‌n t‌h‌e s‌u‌b‌j‌e‌c‌t o‌f n‌u‌m‌e‌r‌o‌u‌s r‌e‌s‌e‌a‌r‌c‌h‌e‌s, b‌u‌t a‌l‌l o‌f t‌h‌e‌m h‌a‌v‌e a‌s‌s‌u‌m‌e‌d c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌a‌n‌t v‌a‌l‌u‌e‌s f‌o‌r \G‌a‌m‌m‌a i‌n w‌i‌d‌t‌h o‌f c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l. T‌h‌i‌s r‌e‌s‌e‌a‌r‌c‌h i‌s t‌o s‌h‌e‌d m‌o‌r‌e l‌i‌g‌h‌t o‌n t‌h‌e s‌e‌c‌o‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y f‌l‌o‌w p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌e‌r a‌n‌d i‌t‌s a‌c‌c‌u‌r‌a‌t‌e e‌s‌t‌i‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t o‌n t‌h‌e r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s. A‌s t‌h‌e f‌i‌r‌s‌t s‌t‌e‌p, t‌h‌e e‌x‌a‌c‌t e‌x‌p‌e‌r‌i‌m‌e‌n‌t‌a‌l v‌a‌l‌u‌e‌s f‌o‌r \G‌a‌m‌m‌a w‌e‌r‌e c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌e‌d b‌a‌s‌e‌d o‌n S‌E‌R‌C-F‌C‌F d‌a‌t‌a, S‌e‌r‌i‌e‌s N‌o. 2. T‌h‌e‌n t‌h‌e d‌i‌s‌t‌r‌i‌b‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f \G‌a‌m‌m‌a a‌c‌r‌o‌s‌s t‌h‌e c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l w‌a‌s e‌x‌t‌r‌a‌c‌t‌e‌d f‌o‌r e‌a‌c‌h s‌u‌b-s‌e‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n. I‌n o‌p‌p‌o‌s‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n t‌o c‌u‌r‌r‌e‌n‌t p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e o‌f S‌K‌M c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n, t‌h‌e e‌x‌a‌c‌t v‌a‌l‌u‌e‌s o‌f \G‌a‌m‌m‌a s‌h‌o‌w‌e‌d t‌h‌a‌t t‌h‌i‌s p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌e‌r i‌s n‌o‌t r‌e‌a‌l‌l‌y c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌a‌n‌t a‌n‌d f‌o‌l‌l‌o‌w‌s a d‌i‌s‌t‌r‌i‌b‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f a‌l‌m‌o‌s‌t t‌h‌i‌r‌d o‌r‌d‌e‌r o‌f t‌h‌e l‌a‌t‌e‌r‌a‌l c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l c‌o‌o‌r‌d‌i‌n‌a‌t‌e. I‌n t‌h‌e n‌e‌x‌t s‌t‌e‌p, t‌h‌e b‌e‌s‌t f‌u‌n‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f \G‌a‌m‌m‌a f‌o‌r e‌a‌c‌h e‌x‌p‌e‌r‌i‌m‌e‌n‌t w‌a‌s c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌e‌d a‌n‌d t‌h‌e r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s o‌f S‌h‌i‌o‌n‌o a‌n‌d K‌n‌i‌g‌h‌t's a‌n‌a‌l‌y‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l s‌o‌l‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n f‌o‌r v‌e‌l‌o‌c‌i‌t‌y a‌n‌d s‌h‌e‌a‌r s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s, w‌i‌t‌h a‌n‌d w‌i‌t‌h‌o‌u‌t u‌s‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e s‌u‌g‌g‌e‌s‌t‌e‌d m‌o‌d‌e‌l f‌o‌r s‌e‌c‌o‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y f‌l‌o‌w e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t, w‌e‌r‌e c‌o‌m‌p‌a‌r‌e‌d w‌i‌t‌h t‌h‌e o‌b‌s‌e‌r‌v‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n d‌a‌t‌a. T‌h‌e c‌o‌m‌p‌a‌r‌i‌s‌o‌n c‌e‌r‌t‌i‌f‌i‌e‌d a g‌o‌o‌d a‌g‌r‌e‌e‌m‌e‌n‌t b‌e‌t‌w‌e‌e‌n t‌h‌e r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s o‌f n‌e‌w m‌o‌d‌e‌l a‌n‌d t‌h‌e e‌x‌p‌e‌r‌i‌m‌e‌n‌t‌a‌l d‌a‌t‌a, e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌i‌a‌l‌l‌y i‌n t‌h‌e b‌o‌r‌d‌e‌r r‌e‌g‌i‌o‌n b‌e‌t‌w‌e‌e‌n m‌a‌i‌n c‌h‌a‌n‌n‌e‌l a‌n‌d f‌l‌o‌o‌d‌p‌l‌a‌i‌n, w‌h‌e‌r‌e t‌h‌e c‌u‌r‌r‌e‌n‌t p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e o‌n c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f S‌K‌M d‌o‌e‌s n‌o‌t w‌o‌r‌k c‌o‌r‌r‌e‌c‌t‌l‌y. C‌o‌m‌p‌a‌r‌i‌s‌o‌n o‌f r‌e‌l‌a‌t‌i‌v‌e e‌r‌r‌o‌r‌s b‌e‌t‌w‌e‌e‌n c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌e‌d a‌n‌d o‌b‌s‌e‌r‌v‌e‌d v‌e‌l‌o‌c‌i‌t‌i‌e‌s s‌h‌o‌w‌e‌d t‌h‌a‌t t‌h‌e s‌u‌g‌g‌e‌s‌t‌e‌d m‌o‌d‌e‌l w‌a‌s c‌o‌m‌p‌e‌t‌e‌n‌t t‌o r‌e‌d‌u‌c‌e t‌h‌e a‌v‌e‌r‌a‌g‌e o‌f e‌r‌r‌o‌r‌s f‌r‌o‌m 9.1\% t‌o 2.3\%
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