Comparison of Iris Fixated and Scleral Fixated intra Ocular Lens for Correction of Aphakia in Traumatic Cataract with no Proper Capsular Support

Purpose: To compare visual outcomes and complications of iris fixated and scleral fixated intra ocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients suffering from traumatic cataract with no proper capsular support.Patients and Methods: This prospective interventional study was performed in Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, between May 2015 and May 2016. Twenty five patients with traumatic cataract and no proper capsular support for IOL implantation in the bag or sulcus were included and randomly underwent either iris fixated or sulcus fixated IOL implantation. Follow up visits were performed one day, one week, four weeks, three months and six months after surgery. In each visit visual acuity, intra ocular pressure, placement of IOL and anterior chamber reaction were studied. Results: Thirteen eyes of 13 patients underwent iris fixation and 12 eyes of 12 patients underwent scleral fixation of IOL. The average patient age at presentation was 29.12 ± 16.32. In the follow up visit one week after IOL fixation three patients in each group had significant anterior chamber inflammation. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the number of patients with elevated IOP (P = 0.96), dislocated IOL (P = 0.480) and complications such as wound dehiscence and iridocorneal adhesion. Also no statistically significant difference regarding the mean BCVA three months after surgery was observed (P = 0.55).Conclusion: We did not observe any significant difference in outcome of iris and scleral fixation of IOL in traumatic eye injuries with no effective capsular support.&nbsp

Antibacterial Effects of the Hydroalcoholic Extract of Myrtus Communis Leaves on Streptococcus Mutans

Objectives Although dental caries is the most common chronic oral disease globally, there is no comprehensive plan for preventing this microbial disease. Streptococcus mutans is one of the essential causes of dental caries. Owing to the adverse effects associated with antibiotics, researchers are focusing their efforts on the development of antimicrobial compounds derived from medicinal plants. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of the ethanol extract derived from the leaves of Myrtus communis on S. mutans. Methods In this in vitro study, the researchers initially procured the Myrtus communis extract. Subsequently, they determined its dry weight and evaluated its antimicrobial activity utilizing the well-dilution method. The antimicrobial efficacy was determined by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and the inhibition zone diameter surrounding the extract. Ultimately, the data were examined using the Mann-Whitney test. Differences less than (P<0.05) was significant statistically. Results The MIC and MBC of the extract for S. mutans were found to be 5 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL, respectively. Chlorhexidine, used as a positive control, exhibited the same values. Furthermore, the diameter of the inhibition zone around both the extract and chlorhexidine was measured to be 17±1 mm and 15±1 mm, respectively. The difference between these measurements was not statistically significant (P=0.077). Conclusion The ethanol extract from the myrtle leaves was as efficient as chlorhexidine mouthwash against S. mutans. Further investigations are needed into the antibacterial effects of different medicinal plants on cariogenic microorganisms

The Effect of Contact Lens Induced Myopia and Hyperopia on Retinal Thickness and Volume Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose:To determine the effect of induced myopia and hyperopia in emmetropic eyes using soft contact lenses on retinal parameters, measured by optical coherence tomography.Patients and Methods: In this quasi-experimental self-controlled study 57 emmetropic participants, 18 - 42 years of age, were studied. Each subject underwent a complete ophthalmic examinations including, measurement of best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, dry and cycloplegic refractions, and axial length. Optical coherence tomography scans to measure foveal thickness, parafoveal thickness and perifoveal thickness were performed while different refraction powers were induced in each eye by wearing soft contact lenses of five different diopter (- 10.00, - 5.00, plano, + 5.00, + 10.00).Results: Fifty seven normal emmetropic participants with a mean age of 25.78 ± 6.50 years participated in the present study. Average foveal thickness was 246.02 ± 22.03 μm, 245.47 ± 22.78 μm, 246.47 ± 24.38 μm, 246.42 ± 22.96 μm, and 246.18 ± 22.46 μm in high-induced- myopic (CL: + 10.00 D), mild-induced-myopic (CL: + 5.00 D), emmetropic (CL: Plano), mild-induced-hyperopic (CL: - 5.00 D), and high-induced-hyperopic (CL: - 10.00 D) groups, respectively. Average parafoveal thickness was 329.21 ± 16.31 μm, 329.24 ± 16.36 μm, 328.86 ± 16.46 μm, 328.92 ± 16.57 μm, and 328.80 ± 16.76 μm in high-induced-myopic, mild-induced-myopic, emmetropic, mild-induced-hyperopic, and high-induced-hyperopic groups, respectively. Corresponding numbers for perifoveal thickness was 312.25 ± 14.39 μm, 311.84 ± 14.91 μm, 312.46 ± 16.55 μm, 311.57 ± 14.88 μm, and 311.77 ± 14.96 μm. Conclusion: Contact lens induced myopia and hyperopia had no significant effect on foveal thickness,parafovealthickness and perifoveal thickness readings in Fourier domain optical coherence tomography.Keywords: Optical coherence tomography; myopia; hyperopia; retinal parameters; contact lens.

The Effect of Educational Intervention Based on the Health Belief Model on Medication Adherence among Patients with Diabetes Referred to a Diabetes Center in Zarand, Kerman

Background: Medication adherence in patients with diabetes is one of the main factors in diabetic patients care. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on medication adherence in patients with diabetes referred to a diabetes center in Zarand, Iran, in 2014. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 100 patients with diabetes. The patients were divided into two groups (intervention and control). Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire including demographic variables, constructs of HBM, and the Morisky self-report questionnaire. The intervention group were divided into 5 groups including 8-12 patients, and according to the HBM, education was performed in four 60-90 minute sessions during one month. One month after the intervention, data were collected again and analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression, and Mann–Whitney U test. Results: There was a significant difference in mean score of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived efficacy, and cues to action between intervention and control groups after the intervention. Medication adherence was significantly related to the level of education (P=0.006). Among constructs of HBM, perceived self-efficiency was the strongest predicting factor (P=0.03). After the intervention, the mean scores of perceived sensitivity (P<0.001), perceived severity (P<0.001), perceived benefits (P<0.001), perceived barriers (P<0.001), perceived self-efficiency (P<0.0001), cue to action (P<0.0001), and medication adherence (P<0.0001) increased significantly. Conclusion: Education based on the HBM was effective in increasing adherence to medical instructions in patients with type 2 diabetes

Hierarchical Decision-making using a New Mathematical Model based on the Best-worst Method

Decision-making processes in different organizations often have a hierarchical and multilevel structure with various criteria and sub-criteria. The application of hierarchical decision-making has been increased in recent years in many different areas. Researchers have used different hierarchical decision-making methods through mathematical modeling. The best-worst method (BWM) is a multi-criteria evaluation methodology based on pairwise comparisons. In this paper, we introduce a new hierarchical BWM (HBWM) which consists of seven steps. In this new approach, the weights of the criteria and sub-criteria are obtained by using a novel integrated mathematical model. To analyze the proposed model, two numerical examples are provided. To show the performance of the introduced approach, a comparison is also made between the results of the HBWM and BWM methodologies. The analysis demonstrates that HBWM can effectively determine the weights of criteria and sub-criteria through an integrated model

Dead-End Microfiltration of Rough Non-Alcoholic Beer by Different Polymeric Membranes

Clarification of rough nonalcoholic beer using microfiltration as an al-ternative to conventional filtration with filter aids presents scientific and technical challenges for the brewing industry. An experimental pilot plant was used to evaluate the permeability and selectivity of polymeric mem-branes in the clarification process. Cellulose acetate (CA) with pore sizes of 0.2, 0.45, 0.8, and 1.2 μm, together with cellulose nitrate (CN), nylon (NY), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with a pore size of 0.45 μm, were used at transmembrane pressures (TMP) of 1.0 and 2.0 bar. The data cor-roborated that the flux values of the CA, CN, and NY membranes were al-most the same and reduced drastically, whereas PTFE was not permeable at 1.0 bar and its flux at 2.0 bar increased at the beginning and decreased after reaching a maximum. At both TMP, the CN membrane displayed the highest rejection of suspended particles and haze-active proteins, while re-tention of polyphenols and color were highest for the NY membrane. The lower selectivity of the PTFE membrane can be attributed to its hydropho-bicity and less interaction with the hydrophilic haze-active proteins. The results confirmed that by increasing the pore size of CA membranes the separation factor of the sensitive proteins and suspended particles decreased and permeability increased

NESHA-256, NEw 256-bit Secure Hash Algorithm (Extended Abstract)

In this paper, we introduce a new dedicated 256-bit hash function: NESHA-256. The recently contest for hash functions held by NIST, motivates us to design the new hash function which has a parallel structure. Advantages of parallel structures and also using some ideas from the designing procedure of block-cipher-based hash functions strengthen our proposed hash function both in security and in efficiency. NESHA-256 is designed not only to have higher security but also to be faster than SHA-256: the performance of NESHA-256 is at least 38% better than that of SHA-256 in software. We give security proofs supporting our design, against existing known cryptographic attacks on hash functions

Breast Self – examination Predictors based on Precede Model: a study on female active health volunteers in Zarand City

Background & Objectives: Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy leading to women mortality worldwide and late diagnosis of breast cancer is still one of the main causes of death in affected women. One of the ways of early detection of breast cancer is breast self – examination. The aim of this study was to determine predicting factors of breast self - examination in female active health volunteers of Zarand/ Iran based on Precede model. Methods: In this descriptive- analytical study, all participants of active heath volunteer program in health centers of zarand (110 women) were recruited. Data were collected using a researcher – made questionnaire consisted of two sections of demographic information and constructs of Precede model. Data were analyzed through SPSS22 and by using descriptive statistics (distribution and central tendency, frequency and percent) and analytic statistics (logistic regression). Results: Mean age of participants was 37.76 ± 9.75 years and 81.8 % of them were married. Among Precede constructs, predisposing factors (self-efficacy: OR=1.46 and knowledge: OR=1.30) had the highest predicting role. Performing breast self - examination showed significant relationship with level of education (OR=0.01), family history of breast cancer (OR=0.02) and marital status (OR=0.04). Conclusion: Since predisposing factors were the most important predicting factors for breast - self-examination, in planning health education programs, more attention should be paid to improving women's self - efficacy and increasing their awareness about breast self – examination. Key¬words: Breast Self - Examination, Precede Model, Predicting, Health Volunteers Citation: Khaleghi Mahani H, Fadakar MM, Ahmadi Tabatabaei SV, Mirzai M, Poursharifei A. Breast Self – examination Predictors based on Precede Model: a study on female active health volunteers in Zarand City. Journal of Health Based Research 2017; 3(1): 71-85

Factors contributing to the burnout of the faculties of a medical university in Iran: A cross‐sectional study

Background and aims: Faculty members confront a variety of obstacles over time, the most recent of which is the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which may increase their vulnerability to burnout (BO). This study aims to examine BO in medical school faculties, as well as the factors that lead to BO and well‐being in them. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2021 using online questionnaires completed by 222 faculty members of a medical university in Iran. The Maslach Burnout Inventory‐Human Services Survey (MBI‐HSS) and the Well‐being index (WBI) were used. Additionally, we gathered individual‐level profiles (demographic, well‐being) and occupational information (job profile, attitude toward work). Results: A total of 60 (27%) faculties reported having high BO, and 112 (50.5%) reported having low well‐being. Being female (odds ratio, OR = 2.69), having time to spend with the family (OR = .26), the intent of turnover (OR = 8.65), job recommendation to the offspring (OR = .26), and experiencing violence last year (OR = 2.97) were some of the individual‐level factors and job‐related attitudes associated with a higher BO. In the neural network for BO, the most important variables were the intention of turnover, followed by adequate family time. Conclusion: One third of the responding faculty reported severe BO, and BO was found to be significantly associated with lower well‐being. The increased levels of BO and a decreased experience of well‐being were both associated with a higher intention of turnover. According to the study, it is important to pay attention to both clinical and nonclinical field faculty members, female faculty members, those who have a high workload, and members who have experienced violence in the workplace. By acknowledging the unique challenges and experiences faced by these individuals, tailored measures can be developed to address their specific concerns and foster a supportive and inclusive environment

The Effect of Soft Contact Lenses on Optic Nerve Head Measurements Using Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of soft contact lens induced myopia and hyperopia on optic nerve head measurements of normal eyes using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods:  This cross sectional study was performed on 114 emmetropic eyes of 57 participants. Each participant underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including determination of best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, dry and cycloplegic refraction as well as axial length measurement. SD-OCT measurement was performed in all ayes while different levels of refraction strength were induced by wearing soft contact lenses of five different diopters (- 10.00, - 5.00, Plano, + 5.00, + 10.00). Results:  The mean measured thicknesses of retinal nerve fiber layer were 123.29 ± 10.56 micrometer, 123.17 ± 11.61 micrometer, 122.77 ± 11.61 micrometer, 123.37 ± 11.15 micrometer and 123.42 ± 11.45 micrometer in contact lens induced high myopia, moderate myopia, emmetropic, moderate hyperopia, and high hyperopia groups, respectively (P = 0.721). Also, corresponding evaluations for mean rim area (P = 0.781), mean optic disc area (P = 0.601), mean cup area (P = 0.53), and mean cup to disc area ratio (P = 0.414) showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that refractive error variation at the corneal plane caused by contact lens wear has no significant effect on thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer, disc area, cup area, rim area and mean cup to disc area ratio measured by SD-OCT.Keywords: Contact Lenses; Hyperopia; Myopia; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Optic Nerv