Upper extremity resurfacing via an expanded latissimus dorsi musculocutaneus flap for large circumferential defects: the “spiral” reconstruction technique

We present an expanded latissimus dorsi musculocutaneus (LDMC) flap to treat circumferential upper extremity defects via resurfacing and “spiral reconstruction” in 5 patients during a 17-year period. Five patients with different indications for tissue expansion from burns to congenital hairy nevi were operated. The expansion was done in a longitudinal direction, and a rectangular tissue expander (TE) was inserted under the LD muscle to expand the flap in a longitudinal direction thereby forming a “long” flap rather than a “wide” one. After excising the circumferential lesion, the expanded “elongated” flap was wrapped spirally around the extremity to cover the defect; the donor site was closed as usual. The 5 patients we treated via LDMC flaps in a spiral fashion were free of complications, and all were satisfied with the outcome. All the flaps survived and the spiral reconstruction allowed for a tension-free donor site closure and near complete recipient coverage. This technique is indicated for large circumferential extremity skin defects and deformities. Application of expanded LDMC flaps in a spiral fashion can be used by the reconstructive surgeon to resurface large circumferential upper extremity lesions when indicated. The idea of a long and thinned expansion flap must be in a longitudinal direction and we need this long expanded and thin flap to “spiral” it around the extremity to cover a large defect. The “spiral” flap coverage introduced here for large circumferential extremity defects enables the surgeon to cover the defect with simultaneous donor site closure and good results

Role of 5-HT1 receptors of accumbens shell arena upon ACPA-induced anxiolytic-like behaviors in rat

     Cannabinoids induce diverse responses on anxiolytic–like behaviors. Moreover some studies postulated that there is a close relationship between this system and serotonergic system upon cognitive process formation. Thus the aim of present study is investigation the possible role of 5-HT1 receptor on anxiolytic–like behaviors induced by ACPA in the elevated plus maze task (EPM). In the present study rats weighting 250–300g upon surgery bilateral guide cannulae were implanted to allow microinjection of ACPA (agonist CB1 receptor), CP94253 Hcl(agonist 5-HT1 receptor) alone and them interaction in the AcbSh.The data showed pretest AcbSh infusion of ACPA at doses of0.0002, 0.002, 0.02 and 0.2 μg/rat increased and decreased the percentage of open-arms time (%OAT) and percentage of Enclosed-arms time (%CAT), respectively as compared to control groups. Pretest AcbSh infusion ofCP94253 Hcl at doses of 5, 0.5 and 0.05 ng/rat, did not alter anxiety-like behaviors. In addition intra-AcbSh microinjection of subthreshold dose of CP94253 Hcl did not alter ACPA-induced anxiolytic-like behaviors. Our data suggest that activation of AcbSh 5-HT1 receptor did not involve in ACPA-induced behaviors in the EPM task.

The Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Job Performance among Clinical Nurses

Nurses are among the most important human resources of hospitals. Nurses’ performance is affected by several factors including their spiritual intelligence. Spirituality can lead to higher commitment, productivity, and quality improvement in health services. This study aimed to determine the relationship between spiritual intelligence and job performance among nurses in southeast of Iran in 2017. In this cross-sectional study, 204 nurses working in teaching hospitals of Zabol city were assessed. The nurses were randomly selected by cluster sampling. The demographic characteristics were obtained by a checklist. The Job performance Scale and Spiritual Intelligence Scale were further used to assess the intended outcomes. The data was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multinomial regression. The multinomial regression in Enter mode demonstrated that spiritual intelligence (r=0.14), being married (r=2.17), and educational level (r=3.41) directly and significantly affected nurses’ job performance. On the other hand, higher age (r=-0.24) negatively influenced nurses’ job performance. Considering the impact of spiritual intelligence on the job performance among nurses, it is necessary to implement practical measures to upgrade spirituality in nurses

The Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Job Performance among Clinical Nurses

Nurses are among the most important human resources of hospitals. Nurses’ performance is affected by several factors including their spiritual intelligence. Spirituality can lead to higher commitment, productivity, and quality improvement in health services. This study aimed to determine the relationship between spiritual intelligence and job performance among nurses in southeast of Iran in 2017. In this cross-sectional study, 204 nurses working in teaching hospitals of Zabol city were assessed. The nurses were randomly selected by cluster sampling. The demographic characteristics were obtained by a checklist. The Job performance Scale and Spiritual Intelligence Scale were further used to assess the intended outcomes. The data was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multinomial regression. The multinomial regression in Enter mode demonstrated that spiritual intelligence (r=0.14), being married (r=2.17), and educational level (r=3.41) directly and significantly affected nurses’ job performance. On the other hand, higher age (r=-0.24) negatively influenced nurses’ job performance. Considering the impact of spiritual intelligence on the job performance among nurses, it is necessary to implement practical measures to upgrade spirituality in nurses

An order acceptance using FAHP and TOPSIS methods: A case study of Iranian vehicle belt production industry

Decisions related to acceptance or rejection of orders play an important role in companies engaged in make-to-order production. The incoming orders have a specific delivery date by which the customer expects the due date to be met and the order delivered. In some cases the level of input orders exceeds beyond the existing capacity. In such situations the main concern is to decide which orders must be accepted and which ones rejected taking into account the available production capacity. This paper prioritises the input orders according to a comprehensive and systematic multi criteria decision making (MCDM) model. It then proceeds with making decisions to either accept or reject orders according to the calculated prioritises and production constraints. Ultimately the optimum list of orders for acceptance is determined. The proposed model is a combination of two techniques of Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). In this model FAHP is used to determine the weights of criteria and TOPSIS is used for prioritizing the orders. Finally the proposed model is tested for its efficiency by application to a real case

Circulating levels of novel adipocytokines in patients with colorectal cancer

Objective: Adipocytokines have been reported to contribute to the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this matched case-control study was to explore circulating novel adipocytokines, such as serum visfatin, omentin-1 and vaspin levels in patients with CRC. Method: Serum visfatin, omentin-1, and vaspin levels were measured in 69 subjects (39 patients with colorectal cancer and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Results: Compared with the controls, patients with CRC had significantly higher circulating omentin-1 (203.23 vs 9.12 ng/ml, p < 0.0001) visfatin (4.03 vs 2.01 ng/ml, p < 0.0001) and vaspin (0.54 vs 0.31 ng/ ml, p = 0.015) levels. After adjustment for covariates (age and body mass index), patients with CRC had significantly higher serum omentin-1 (p < 0.0001), visfatin (p < 0.0001), and vaspin (p = 0.040) levels than the control group. Furthermore, the results did not change when age and waist-to-hip ratio were considered as covariates in the general linear models. Conclusions: The observed higher levels of omentin-1, visfatin, and vaspin in patients with CRC, independent of measures of obesity, suggest that these adipocytokines may have a potential role in the development of CRC through mechanisms other than the indirect mechanisms that are active in the association between obesity and CRC

Circulating levels of novel adipocytokines in patients with colorectal cancer

Objective: Adipocytokines have been reported to contribute to the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this matched case-control study was to explore circulating novel adipocytokines, such as serum visfatin, omentin-1 and vaspin levels in patients with CRC. Method: Serum visfatin, omentin-1, and vaspin levels were measured in 69 subjects (39 patients with colorectal cancer and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Results: Compared with the controls, patients with CRC had significantly higher circulating omentin-1 (203.23 vs 9.12 ng/ml, p < 0.0001) visfatin (4.03 vs 2.01 ng/ml, p < 0.0001) and vaspin (0.54 vs 0.31 ng/ ml, p = 0.015) levels. After adjustment for covariates (age and body mass index), patients with CRC had significantly higher serum omentin-1 (p < 0.0001), visfatin (p < 0.0001), and vaspin (p = 0.040) levels than the control group. Furthermore, the results did not change when age and waist-to-hip ratio were considered as covariates in the general linear models. Conclusions: The observed higher levels of omentin-1, visfatin, and vaspin in patients with CRC, independent of measures of obesity, suggest that these adipocytokines may have a potential role in the development of CRC through mechanisms other than the indirect mechanisms that are active in the association between obesity and CRC

The prevalence of anxiety, stress, and depression with respect to coping strategies in caregivers of patients with head injuries

Context: Psychological problems are very common in traumatic patients' caregivers necessitating usage of appropriate coping strategies to promote their mental health. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess anxiety, stress, and depression as well as coping strategies in caregivers of patients with head injuries. Settings and Design: In this cross-sectional study, 127 caregivers of traumatic patients referred to educational hospitals of Zabol city were selected by convenience sampling method. Subjects and Methods: The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, as well as Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 and the Jalowiec coping strategies tools. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, independent samples Student's t-test, and multivariate regression model. Results: Our findings showed that more than 70 of the caregivers of patients with head injuries suffered from severe and very severe stress and anxiety. The multivariate regression model demonstrated a negative and significant relationship between either stress (B = -0.81 P = 0.001) or depression (B = -1.23 P = 0.000) and problem-based coping strategies. Furthermore, stress (B = 0.64 P = 0.006) and anxiety (B = 0.74 P = 0.002) were negatively associated with emotional-based coping strategies. Conclusion: Considering the high rates of anxiety, stress, and depression in caregivers of patients with head injuries and significant associations observed between these variables and problem-based strategies, it is necessary to identify and obviate factors leading to anxiety and to educate coping strategies to these individuals

Potential role of saffron and its components on miRNA levels in various disorders, a comprehensive review

The potential therapeutic benefits of saffron and its active constituents have been investigated for the treatment of numerous illnesses. In this review, the impacts of saffron and its essential components on the levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in different diseases have been delineated. Relevant articles were obtained through databases such as PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to the end of November 2022. miRNA expression has been altered by saffron and its active substances (crocin, crocetin, and safranal) which has been of great advantage in treating diseases such as cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, cancers, gastrointestinal and liver disorders, central and peripheral nervous system disorders, asthma, osteoarthritis, ischemic-reperfusion induced injury conditions, and renal disorder. This study uncovered the potential restorative advantages of saffron and its derivatives, in miRNA imbalances in a variety of diseases

Evaluating the Effect of Slow-Stroke Back Massage on the Anxiety of Candidates for Cataract Surgery

Background: The patients under cataract sur-gery often experience anxiety not only during the surgery, but also prior to the surgery.Purpose: We sought to determine the effects of slow-stroke back massage on anxiety in patients undergoing cataract surgery. Setting: The study was conducted in the Amiral-momenin Hospital of Zabol city, south-east of Iran.Participants: A total of 60 candidates of cataract surgery participated in the study.Research Design: The participants were ran-domly allocated to either control or intervention groups. The intervention group received slow-stroke back massages, while patients in control group received routine interventions.Intervention: The slow-stroke back massage was performed on the patients assigned to the interven-tion group. The intervention was performed in the morning of the surgery day at 30 minutes before the surgery. The researcher performed each mas-sage session in a sitting position. The duration of each massage session was 15 minutes. Main Outcome Measures: Anxiety was assessed in the both groups in the morning of the surgery, before and immediately after the intervention. In-dependent samples Student’s t test, paired samples Student’s t test, and chi-squared test were used to analyze the data.Results: Anxiety was not significantly different between the two groups before and after the mas-sage (p = .816). On the other hand, paired samples Student’s t test showed a significant difference comparing the anxiety scores before (49.7±5.43) and after (45.16±3.89) the massage in the interven-tion group (p &lt; .001). Conclusions: Based on our results, slow-stroke back massage, which is a low-cost and safe method, reduced anxiety in patients who were candidates for cataract surgery