Evaluation of self-medication prevalence, diagnosis and prescription in migraine in Kerman, Iran

Objective: To investigate different diagnosis aspects, prescribed drugs and self-medications of migraine in Iran. Methods: We selected 210 migraineurs from high school and university students in Kerman, Iran over a period of 6 months in 2002 by multistage randomized screening based on the International Headache Society criteria. We classified them into 2 groups on the basis of whether they had consulted a physician or not. We then evaluated the physician prescriptions, and prevalence of self-medications. Results: Only 49 of migraineurs consulted a physician, and only 53 were correctly diagnosed by physicians according to the International Headache Society criteria. Our study shows that 69 of general practitioners diagnoses were wrong. In spite of indications for prophylactic treatment, it was not prescribed in 76 of the patients, and 50 of the general practitioners prescribed it without any indications. Furthermore, 91 of patients used self-medication; Acetaminophen and Codeine were the most common. Conclusion: General practitioners' misdiagnosis and mismanagement of the migraineurs, and easy access to various drugs in Iran, have led to a high rate of self-medication. Self-medication with Codeine, with regard to its side effects, such as increase of secondary headaches and dependency is the major problem. Consequently, medical education systems, physician reevaluating methods, and the concept of self-medication among patients have to be revised

Comparison of mathematical models and artificial neural networks for prediction of drying kinetics of mushroom in microwave vacuum dryer

Drying characteristics of button mushroom slices were determined using microwave vacuum drier at various powers (130, 260, 380, 450 W) and absolute pressures (200, 400, 600, 800 mbar). To select a suitable mathematical model, 6 thin-layer drying models were fitted to the experimental data. The fitting rates of models were assessed based on three parameters; highest R2, lowest chi square () and root mean square error (RMSE). In addition, using the experimental data, an ANN trained by standard back-propagation algorithm, was developed in order to predict moisture ratio (MR) and drying rate (DR) values based on the three input variables (drying time, absolute pressure, microwave power). Different activation functions and several rules were used to assess percentage error between the desired and the predicted values. According to our findings, Midilli et al. model showed a reasonable fitting with experimental data. While, the ANN model showed its high capability to predict the MR and DR quite well with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.9991, 0.9995 and 0.9996 for training, validation and testing, respectively. Furthermore, their predictions Mean Square Error were 0.00086, 0.00042 and 0.00052, respectively

Development of Fluorescent Nanoparticles ‘Quantum Dots’ for Biomedical Application

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals (<100 nm), which are emerging as a novel class of multifunctional fluorescent probes for many potential biological and medical applications. In comparison to conventional organic fluorescent probes (organic dyes), QDs have substantial advantages, such as, bright fluorescence, narrow emission, broadband excitation, photostability and extended half-life. Imaging with diagnostic assessment, plays an important part in clinical settings for determining disease (cancer) progression and therapy. However, current imaging techniques have certain limitations, and they include insufficient sensitivity to detect low numbers of cancer cells at primary or metastatic sites and appropriate probes to detect specific cancer cell surface markers. To address these limitations, studies were conducted (1) to develop an aqueous synthesis of a series of near infrared (NIR) QDs, incorporating cadmium (Cd), tellurium (Te), cobalt (Co) and mercury (Hg) in its core (2) to minimize its potential toxicities, by developing coating strategies with a novel coating nanomaterial, mercaptopolyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane (MPOSS) while maintaining strong emission, stability and biocompatibility, (3) to apply conjugated NIR QDs as probes in targeting and detecting immunogenic apoptosis in cancer cells in vitro and mapping biodistribution in vivo. The inclusion of mercury (Hg (ClO4)2) and cobalt (Co) to the QD core resulted in NIR emission at 800 nm with paramagnetic properties. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed size of the QDs. Detoxification of QDs was demonstrated, by toxicity studies, using two different vital stains, Alamar Blue and Neutral Red on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), colorectal cancer cells (SW620) and prostate cancer cells (PC3). A short synthetic peptide to calreticulin (CRT) was chemically synthesised and antibodies generated against the peptide (Anti-CRT) with specificity to the native CRT protein (a cancer cell immunogenic apoptosis marker). The presence of functional groups on the coatings of QDs provided an additional advantage for conjugation to Anti-CRT for targeting, and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for thermal strategy. QDs conjugated to Anti-CRT showed specificity to cancer cells in vitro undergoing apoptosis when exposed to the following: 1) Doxorubicin (an anticancer drug), 2) cadmium and 3) QD-CNT (photothermal effect). Characterization by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIR) confirmed conjugation of QDs to Anti-CRT. Confocal microscopy images further confirmed targeted and non-targeted QDs in vitro, and NIR sensitive camera for in vivo imaging. These studies and findings demonstrate the feasibility of applying these engineered nanocrystals for clinical diagnostics, drug delivery and therapy

A narrative review of thallium toxicity; preventive measures

Thallium (Tl) toxicity is an important clinical disease and its effects on the human body are devastating. Tl poisoning is an important health issue in many countries in the world. Thallium is a toxic heavy metal that exists in nature. Tl toxicity may occur in food and drinking water, occupational exposure, environment (air, industrial combustion of coal, water, and plants), arable soils and vegetables, aquatic and terrestrial animals, prenatal thallium exposure, illicit drugs, cigarette smokers. Adding lead to the opium is a recently health hazard that has been observed among opioid poisoned patients. The clinical manifestation of Tl poisoning has a wide spectrum but painful ascending peripheral neuropathy, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic manifestations are major characteristics in Tl toxicity. The toxicity of thallium based compounds is mainly caused by the similarity between TL ions and potassium ions, which results in the disorder of potassium associated metabolic processes due to thallium interference. The aim of this review is to assess identify eliminate, sources or control sources, and environmental exposures and hazards to prevent thallium toxicity. © 2019, Advanced Scientific Research. All rights reserved

Application of the Activity-Based Costing Method for Unit-Cost Calculation in a Hospital

BACKGROUND: Choosing an appropriate accounting system for hospital has always been a challenge for hospital managers. Traditional cost system (TCS) causes cost distortions in hospital. Activity-based costing (ABC) method is a new and more effective cost system. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare ABC with TCS method in calculating the unit cost of medical services and to assess its applicability in Kashani Hospital, Shahrekord City, Iran.� METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on accounting data of Kashani Hospital in 2013. Data on accounting reports of 2012 and other relevant sources at the end of 2012 were included. To apply ABC method, the hospital was divided into several cost centers and five cost categories were defined: wage, equipment, space, material, and overhead costs. Then activity centers were defined. ABC method was performed into two phases. First, the total costs of cost centers were assigned to activities by using related cost factors. Then the costs of activities were divided to cost objects by using cost drivers. After determining the cost of objects, the cost price of medical services was calculated and compared with those obtained from TCS.� RESULTS: The Kashani Hospital had 81 physicians, 306 nurses, and 328 beds with the mean occupancy rate of 67.4 during 2012. Unit cost of medical services, cost price of occupancy bed per day, and cost per outpatient service were calculated. The total unit costs by ABC and TCS were respectively 187.95 and 137.70 USD, showing 50.34 USD more unit cost by ABC method. ABC method represented more accurate information on the major cost components. CONCLUSION: By utilizing ABC, hospital managers have a valuable accounting system that provides a true insight into the organizational costs of their department

Main Determinants of Supplementary Health Insurance Demand: (Case of Iran)

INTRODUCTION: In the majority of developing countries, the volume of medical insurance services, provided by social insurance organizations is inadequate. Thus, supplementary medical insurance is proposed as a means to address inadequacy of medical insurance. Accordingly, in this article, we attempted to provide the context for expansion of this important branch of insurance through identification of essential factors affecting demand for supplementary medical insurance. METHOD: In this study, two methods were used to identify essential factors affecting choice of supplementary medical insurance including Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and Bayesian logit. To this end, Excel® software was used to refine data and R® software for estimation. The present study was conducted during 2012, covering all provinces in Iran. Sample size included 18,541 urban households, selected by Statistical Center of Iran using 3-stage cluster sampling approach. In this study, all data required were collected from the Statistical Center of Iran. RESULTS: In 2012, an overall 8.04 of the Iranian population benefited from supplementary medical insurance. Demand for supplementary insurance is a concave function of age of the household head, and peaks in middle-age when savings and income are highest. The present study results showed greater likelihood of demand for supplementary medical insurance in households with better economic status, higher educated heads, female heads, and smaller households with greater expected medical expenses, and household income is the most important factor affecting demand for supplementary medical insurance. CONCLUSION: Since demand for supplementary medical insurance is hugely influenced by households' economic status, policy-makers in the health sector should devise measures to improve households' economic or financial access to supplementary insurance services, by identifying households in the lower economic deciles, and increasing their financial ability to pay. Moreover, insurance companies should adjust their insurance policy according to clients' needs, household characteristics, and their incomes

A narrative review of heavy metals in cosmetics; health risks

Cosmetics products since the dawn of civilization are considered a part of routine body care. The last few decades these products have had increasing and applied to the human body for beautification. Xenobiotics and heavy metals including chromium, copper, iron, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and nickel, classified as a light metal, are determinate in various types of cosmetics such as color cosmetics, face and body care products, hair cosmetics, herbal cosmetics. In cosmetic products was harmful when they occur in excessive amounts. Evidence studies determinate that in commercially available cosmetics toxic metals might present in amounts creating a danger to human health. The aim of this review is to assess identification of elimination, sources and control of sources, and monitoring countries marketed exposures and hazards can be used to prevent heavy metals toxicity. © 2019, Advanced Scientific Research. All rights reserved