The comparison between two methods of basic life support instruction: Video self-instruction versus traditional method

Introduction: Medical education is changing and evolving. Teachers need to re-evaluate their medical teaching practice to enhance student learning. The data about the ideal training method of Basic Life Support (BLS) is lacking. The goal of this study was to analyse the use and performance of video self-instruction (VSI) method in BLS, in order to develop an efficient BLS training method. Methods: Eighty-one undergraduate medical interns were enrolled in a prospective clinical study in 2011. They were divided into VSI group and traditional group. We provided the first group with a DVD containing a 20-minute training video while the second group took part in a 4-hour training class of BLS. Subjects participated in a pre-test and post-test based on 2010 American Heart Association Resuscitation guideline. Results: The average scores of VSI group and the traditional group before training were 8.85±2.42 and 8.57±2.22 respectively (p=0.592). After training, the average scores of the VSI and the traditional group were 20.24±0.83 and 18.05±1.86 respectively. VSI group achieved slightly better scores compared with the traditional group (p<0.001). Conclusions: Training through VSI achieves more satisfying results than the traditional lecture method. VSI method can be considered a useful technique in undergraduate educational programs. Developing VSI can increase significantly the access to the BLS training. © 2015, Medcom Limited. All rights reserved

Are serial hematocrit measurements sensitive enough to predict intra-abdominal injuries in blunt abdominal trama?

Objective: Routine serial hematocrit measurements are a component of the trauma evaluation for patients without serious injury identified on initial evaluation. We sought to determine whether serial hematocrit testing was useful in predicting the probable injuries in blunt abdominal trauma. Materials and method: We performed a prospective study of trauma patients admitted in our observation unit over a 12-month period. Patients routinely underwent serial hematocrit testing in 6-hour intervals (two hematocrit levels). We compared trauma patients with a hematocrit drop of 5 and 10 points or more to those without a significant hematocrit drop. Results: Five hundred forty-two isolated blunt abdominal trauma patients were admitted to observation unit, and 468 patients (86.35) had serial hematocrit during their 6-hour stay. Of these patients, 36.11 had a hematocrit drop of 5 or more and 12.61 a drop of 10 or more. Of patients with the hematocrit drop >10, 50.8 have had diagnostic manifestations of intra-abdominal injury in both ultrasonographic and computed tomography scanning (P5 and positive imaging. Conclusion: Although serial hematocrit testing may be useful in specific situations, routine use of serial hematocrit testing in trauma patients at a level I trauma center�s observation unit did not significantly aid in the prediction of occult injuries. © 2019 Mosaddegh et al

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Late Cretaceous Haji-Abad ophiolite (Outer Zagros Ophiolite Belt, Iran) : implications for geodynamics of the Bitlis-Zagros suture zone

The Haji-Abad ophiolite in SW Iran (Outer Zagros Ophiolite Belt) is a remnant of the Late Cretaceous supra-subduction zone ophiolites along the Bitlis–Zagros suture zone of southern Tethys. These ophiolites are coeval in age with the Late Cretaceous peri-Arabian ophiolite belt including the Troodos (Cyprus), Kizildag (Turkey), Baer-Bassit (Syria) and Semail (Oman) in the eastern Mediterranean region, as well as other Late Cretaceous Zagros ophiolites. Mantle tectonites constitute the main lithology of the Haji-Abad ophiolite and are mostly lherzolites, depleted harzburgite with widespread residual and foliated/discordant dunite lenses. Podiform chromitites are common and are typically enveloped by thin dunitic haloes. Harzburgitic spinels are geochemically characterized by low and/or high Cr number, showing tendency to plot both in depleted abyssal and fore-arc peridotites fields. Lherzolites are less refractory with slightly higher bulk REE contents and characterized by 7–12% partial melting of a spinel lherzolitic source whereas depleted harzburgites have very low abundances of REE and represented by more than 17% partial melting. The Haji-Abad ophiolite crustal sequences are characterized by ultramafic cumulates and volcanic rocks. The volcanic rocks comprise pillow lavas and massive lava flows with basaltic to more-evolved dacitic composition. The geochemistry and petrology of the Haji-Abad volcanic rocks show a magmatic progression from early-erupted E-MORB-type pillow lavas to late-stages boninitic lavas. The E-MORB-type lavas have LREE-enriched patterns without (or with slight) depletion in Nb–Ta. Boninitic lavas are highly depleted in bulk REEs and are represented by strong LREE-depleted patterns and Nb–Ta negative anomalies. Tonalitic and plagiogranitic intrusions of small size, with calc-alkaline signature, are common in the ophiolite complex. The Late Cretaceous Tethyan ophiolites like those at the Troodos, eastern Mediterranean, Oman and Zagros show similar ages and geochemical signatures, suggesting widespread supra-subduction zone magmatism in all Neotethyan ophiolites during the Late Cretaceous. The geochemical patterns of the Haji-Abad ophiolites as well as those of other Late Cretaceous Tethyan ophiolites, reflect a fore-arc tectonic setting for the generation of the magmatic rocks in the southern branch of Neotethys during the Late Cretaceous.24 page(s

Comparing the Antibacterial Effect of Peganum Harmala Extract and 5/25% Sodium Hypochlorite on Enterococcus Faeclis Biofilm

Introduction: Considering the clinical importance of microbial biofilms in endodontic infections and the role of the different irrigating solutions in their destruction, the present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Peganum Harmala extract and Sodium Hypochlorite on the destruction of Enterococcus faeclis biofilm. Methods: For conducting this lab trial, root canals of 45 extracted teeth were prepared and E. faecalis biofilms were formed within the root canals. Then the teeth were randomly divided into three groups of 15. Samples were irrigated with Normal Saline in group 1, to serve as controls. 5/25% sodium hypochlorite was applied in group 2 and Peganum Harmala extract was utilized in group 3. All of the roots were irrigated by 15 cc of irrigation solutions for 15 min. Dentin chips were collected from the root canal walls and were weighed as well. Then the chips were used to prepare a suspension. The colony-forming unit (CFU) counting technique was used to determine remaining bacterial counts. The data were analyzed via Mann-whitney and kruskal-wallis tests. Results: A significant reduction of CFU was observed in the Peganum Harmala extract and sodium hypochlorite groups compared to the control group(p0.05). Conclusion: The antibacterial activity of Peganum Harmala extract is found to be comparable with that of 5/25% sodium hypochlorite on the Enterococcus faeclis biofilm

Cytotoxic Effects of Five Species of Inula Against Some Tumor Cell Lines: Cytotoxicity of Inula spp

The chloroform soluble fractions of ethanolic extracts of five Inula belonging to the Compositae family were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against five different cell lines including CACO2 (human colon adenocarcinoma), MCF7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), HEPG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), VERO (green African monkey kidney) and WEHI164 (balb c mouse fibrosarcoma). Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assay. Among these five species, Inula oculus christi, exhibited better cytotoxic effects

HIV/AIDS policy-making in Iran: A stakeholder analysis

INTRODUCTION: The present study aims to identify and analyze HIV/AIDS stakeholders in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative stakeholder analysis was conducted in 2018 nationwide, both retrospectively and prospectively. Purposive sampling was applied and followed by snowball sampling until data saturation. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. Also, MAXQDA (Version 11) and Policy Maker software (version 4) was applied. FINDINGS: A total of 44 stakeholders were identified and categorized into 23 active and 21 inactive stakeholders. The Ministry of Education and Iran Broadcasting have moderate participation in this regard. Supreme Council of Health and NGOs have low participation. The Ministry of Health (MoH), State Welfare Organization, Blood Transfusion Organization, and the State Prisons are interested in HIV/AIDS policymaking. The MoH is the main body responsible for the stewardship of HIV/AIDS in Iran but does not have enough authority to handle the issue. CONCLUSION: Considering multidimensional nature of HIV/AIDS, there are many stakeholders regarding HIV/AIDS control. The process of HIV/AIDS -policy making is fragmented in Iran. Despite multiple active and potential stakeholders in this field, there is no integrated system to involve all stakeholders in the process of HIV/AIDS policy-making. Therefore, given the importance of the issue, an upstream entity is needed to coordinate and mobilize all stakeholders associated with managing and controlling HIV/AIDS

Assessment of corneal and fatty tissues biomechanical response in dynamic tonometry tests by using inverse models

The assessment of corneal biomechanics is essential for studying ophthalmological operations, such as refractive surgeries, and for more accurate estimation of intraocular pressure. The chief aim of the current study is to characterize corneal and fatty tissues in order to construct a model to predict eye globe behavior during dynamic tonometry tests. Methods: In the present study, images from corneal deformation, acquired from Corvis ST tonometer, were processed. Then, corneal pure displacement and eye globe retraction were calculated. Utilizing inverse finite element method, corneal material properties were calculated in order to predict pure deformation obtained from Corvis ST. Using a similar approach, material parameters of fatty tissue were estimated in order to predict the eye globe retraction. The model used for fatty tissue was considered as corneal boundary condition in a forward finite element model to create a joint model, which could simulate corneal behavior in dynamic tonometry tests. Results: It was shown that an isotropic material model is accurate enough to predict corneal deformation in dynamic tonometry tests. Moreover, effects of IOP on the estimated material properties were investigated. Finally, utilizing the joint model, it was demonstrated that there is strong correlation between corneal stiffness and the biomechanical parameter introduced by Corvis ST. Conclusions: An eye globe model was constructed and characterized by two distinct inverse models for corneal and fatty tissue. This model can be utilized for predicting eye globe behavior during dynamic tonometry tests besides other ophthalmological operations