Efficacy of Integrating Stress Coping Skills Training with Detoxification on Social Adjustment of Addicted Women

Background: Addiction as a biopsychosocial problem has been dramatically increased in our country. Adverse consequences of the addiction in women have been shown to be more than men, which in turn can affect family members’ health and wellbeing. The current study examined the efficacy of stress coping skills training in addicted women referring to an outpatient centre of addiction prevention located in Welfare Organization of Gorgan, Iran. Methods: 30 women with low levels of social adjustment measured by Social Adjustment Scale were randomly assigned to coping skills training with detoxification treatments (experimental) or detoxification alone groups. Both groups (N = 15) completed pre-post assessments of Bell’s adjustment Inventory. Experimental group received coping skills training program in ten sessions, each session last 90 minutes. Findings: Social adjustment was considerably improved more in addicted women who followed coping skills training program with detoxification treatment in comparison with the women who was undergone only detoxification treatment.Conclusion: Skills training program can help addicted women to better cope with their adjustment problem and these skills should be integrated into detoxification programs for this population.Keywords: Addiction, Detoxification, Stress, Coping skills training, Social adjustment

A potential hypothesis for 2019-nCoV infection therapy through delivery of recombinant ACE2 by red blood cell-hitchhiking

A novel infectious disease, caused by 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is responsible for the recent outbreak of severe respiratory disease. The 2019-nCoV spread rapidly and reaching epidemic proportions in many countries of the world. ACE2 was identified as a key receptor for 2019-nCoV infections. Excessive form of soluble ACE2 rescues cellular ACE2 activity which has a protective role in acute lung failure and neutralizes the virus. The short half-life of ACE2 is a major limitation to its practical application. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems are one of the most widely investigated approaches for developing novel therapies for a variety of diseases. Nevertheless, nanoparticles suffer from the rapid removal from the bloodstream by the reticuloendothelial system (RES). A noncovalent attachment of nanoparticles to RBCs increases their half-life in blood and allows transient accumulation in the lungs, while decreases their uptake by the liver and spleen. Connecting the recombinant ACE2 into the surface of nanoparticles that were attached to RBCs can be a potential therapeutic approach for 2019-nCoV infection through increasing their lung targeting to naturalize the virus and also acting as a bioreactor in the blood circulation to decrease serum level of Angiotensin II and protects lungs from injury/ARDS

SEM-PLS Approach to Green Building

Green buildings refer to buildings that decrease adverse environmental effects and maintain natural resources. They can diminish energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, the usage of non-renewable materials, water consumption, and waste generation while improving occupants’ health and well-being. As such, several rating tools and benchmarks have been developed worldwide to assess green building performance (GBP), including the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in the United Kingdom, German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the United States and Canada, Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) in Japan, Green Star in Australia, Green Mark in Singapore, and Green Building Index in Malaysia. Energy management (EM) during building operation could also improve GBP. One of the best approaches to evaluating the impact of EM on GBP is by using structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM is a commanding statistical method to model testing. One of the most used SEM variance-based approaches is partial least squares (PLS), which can be implemented in the SmartPLS application. PLS-SEM uses path coefficients to determine the strength and significance of the hypothesised relationships between the latent constructs

Analysis of the effective factors in physician’s truth telling to cancer patients in Iran

Background: Cancer is a major life-threatening disease that can evoke deep-rooted fear of death and sense of loss of hope. Even the word, cancer, has powerful connotations of anxiety, pain and suffering. Cancer has a great impact on patients’ lives, so the extent to which physicians should inform them of the diagnosis poses a difficult decision in clinical settings. Therefore, truth telling is one of the most important issues in patients- physicians’ relationship. Besides the ethical aspect, telling or not telling the truth has some legal aspects, therefore, it is important to know the effective factors and understand how to deal with this issue especially for incurable diseases such as cancer. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyses the effective factors in physician’s truth telling to cancer-patients. Methods: The samples of this descriptive and analytical study, (survey study) consist of 161 cancer-specialists from Tehran University of Medical Sciences who have been selected by simple random sampling method in 2015 and 2016. The data was obtained by survey approach and the data collected using a questionnaire. In order to evaluate the validity and reliability of the research, expert’s opinion and Cronbach alpha coefficient have been used. The questionnaire included scales designed to measure attitude, intention, subjective norms; perceived behavior control. Statistical package for social science software (SPSS) were used to analyses the data. T-test and ANOVA were used to compare groups. Results: Fifty-nine hudred percent male and 41% female physicians took part in this study. The average age of the participants was 43.4±11.27 years. The best person for truth-telling was physician and psychologist. Results showed that there was no significant difference between attitudes of male and female specialist but there was significant difference between oncologist and non-oncologist tendency to tell the truth. Results also showed that there was difference between physician’s behaviors (average 8.87). There was difference between behavior of private and public-private sectors physicians (62.8). Conclusion: Although the results show that there are differences in specialists’ attitude toward truth telling, it is not a good reason for not telling the truth. Although the physicians should consider several factors when telling the truth

Efficacy of Integrating Stress Coping Skills Training with Detoxification on Social Adjustment of Addicted Women

Abstract Background: Addiction as a biopsychosocial problem has been dramatically increased in our country. Adverse consequences of the addiction in women have been shown to be more than men, which in turn can affect family members’ health and wellbeing. The current study examined the efficacy of stress coping skills training in addicted women referring to an outpatient centre of addiction prevention located in Welfare Organization of Gorgan, Iran. Methods: 30 women with low levels of social adjustment measured by Social Adjustment Scale were randomly assigned to coping skills training with detoxification treatments (experimental) or detoxification alone groups. Both groups (n = 15) completed pre-post assessments of Bell’s adjustment Inventory. Experimental group received coping skills training program in ten sessions, each session last 90 minutes. Findings: Social adjustment was considerably improved more in addicted women who followed coping skills training program with detoxification treatment in comparison with the women who was undergone only detoxification treatment. Conclusion: Skills training program can help addicted women to better cope with their adjustment problem and these skills should be integrated into detoxification programs for this populatio

Prioritizing the Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction among Hospitals Staff Affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

Introduction: Challenges of service provision systems necessitate the presence of staff with higher motivation to work more efficiently; therefore, paying close attention to job satisfaction of such staffs to enhance organizational efficiency sounds essential. This study aimed to prioritize factors affecting personnel satisfaction in hospitals of TUMS using AHP Model.   Materials & Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 5 hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2015. The data collection tool was a questionnaire containing demographic questions as well as nine questions on personnel satisfaction. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed, and the data was analyzed using analytic hierarchy process and Expert Choice V. 11 software.   Findings: According to the AHP model, rewards and compensations were the most important factors (0.262), and monitoring and supervision were of the lowest importance (0.030). Factors of Job security (0.182), job improvement (0.177), job positions (0.091), working conditions (0.075), communications among colleagues (0.063), associated with personal life (0.060), and policy management (0.035) obtained next priority. Also, rank of items in unmarried female employees were higher than that of married male employees.   Discussion & Conclusion: The conclusions for our investigation demonstrate that correction mechanisms in hospitals and use of leverage by offering incentives such as performance-based management can enhance motivation as well as the employees’ performances. In addition, efforts to strengthen social relationships among colleagues would lead to more satisfaction as a significant component

Optimization of 3D Planning Dosimetry in a Breast Phantom for the Match Region of Supraclavicular and Tangential Fields

Introduction: The complex geometry of breast and also lung and heart inhomogeneities near the planning target volume (PTV) result in perturbations in dose distribution. This problem can result in overdosage or underdosage in the match region of the three treatment fields. The purpose of this study is to create a homogeneous dose distribution in the match region between the supraclavicular and tangential fields, utilizing Gafchromic EBT film for dosimetry. Material and Methods: In this study, a slab phantom was designed with lung- and heart-equivalent inhomogetenities. Our measurements were carried out using Gafchromic EBT film. Irradiations were performed using the 6 MV photon beam of a Varian 2100 Clinac linear accelerator. Three-dimensional treatment planning and dose calculations were carried out using the RT Dose Plan software. The conventional method with source-to-skin distance match and a 3D method with source-to-axis distance match under different combinations of parameters such as gantry, collimator and couch rotations as well as asymmetric fields were utilized. Results: The results demonstrated differences between the 3D and conventional techniques. The best results in the match region were observed using the 3D method with asymmetric technique (maximum area of overlap = 0.43 cm2, depth of overlap = 3.55 cm, and average width of overlap = 0.75 cm). Discussion and Conclusion: This study shows that the EBT film is a suitable tool for two-dimensional distribution dosimetry and relative dose measurements. The study shows difficulties in achieving a homogenous dose distribution in the match region of supraclavicular and tangential fields and also demonstrates the effects of setup parameters on matching of treatment fields

Optimization of three dimensional planning dosimetric in breast phantom for match region of supraclavicular and tangential fields

Aim: Complex geometry of breast tissue causes perturbation in dose distribution. This problem can beget overdose or under-dose points in match region of three fields. The aim of this study is to create dose homogeneity distribution in match region between tangential and supraclavicular fields (SCF) with Gafchromic external beam therapy (EBT) film. Materials and Methods: In this study, an anatomical slab phantom was designed with cork lung inhomogeneity and plexiy colored heart part. Conventional and three dimensional (3D) methods were utilized along with Gafchromic EBT film. Results: In asymmetric fields (3D method) much better results in match region were observed (i.e., maximum amount overlap area of 0.43 cm 2 , overlap depth of 3.55 cm and an average overlap width of 0.75 cm). Conclusion: This study revealed that EBT film is a proper tool for two dimensional (2D) relative-dose measurements. The study showed difficulties in achieving homogenous dose distribution in match region of tangential and supraclavicular

Chemoradiation in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A 6-Year Experience in Tehran Cancer Institute

To determine the addition of value of neoadjuvant, concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy to radiation in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with regard to the overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) within a six year period in Tehran cancer institute. Files of all patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy in a curative setting in Tehran cancer institute during the period of 1999-2005 were retrospectively reviewed.. A total of 103 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had been treated during the study period with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in our institute. There were 29 (28.2%) females and 74 (71.8%) males. The median age at the time of radiotherapy was 47 years old (range 9-75 years). The patients were followed 2 to 76 months with a median follow-up of 14 months. Time of first recurrence after treatment was 3-44 months with a median of 10 months.. Survival in 2 groups of patients treated with radiotherapy alone or chemoradiation did not have a significant difference (P>0.1). Two-year survival in patients treated with or without adjuvant chemotherapy and had local recurrence after treatment did not have significant difference (P>0.1). Two-year survival in patients with or without local recurrence after treatment did not have significant difference (P>0.1). A beneficial affect or a survival benefit of adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiation was not observed in Iranian patients

sj-docx-1-inq-10.1177_00469580231193856 – Supplemental material for Chain Hospitals in the Health Industry: A Scoping Review of Principles and Definitions

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-inq-10.1177_00469580231193856 for Chain Hospitals in the Health Industry: A Scoping Review of Principles and Definitions by Amin Aghili, Mehdi Jafari, Salime Goharinezhad, Hamid Pourasghari and Masoud Abolhallaje in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing</p