WORK PLACE BULLYING ON DEVIANT WORK BEHAVIOR AMONG NURSES IN PAKISTAN: MEDIATING ROLE OF INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

This study investigates the relationship between workplacebullying, interpersonal conflict and deviant work behavior amongnurses in the public sector in Pakistan. For this purpose the datawere collected from 277 nurses working in government hospitals byusing convenience sampling method. Findings showed that workplace bullying results in deviant work behavior among nurses andthis relationship is mediated by interpersonal conflict like negativeemotional reaction, perceived disagreements and interference fromand towards colleagues. The implications of the findings for hospitaladministrators and directions for future research are provided

Radiation exposure from diagnostic nuclear medicine examinations in golestan province

Introduction: The aim of present study was to estimate effective dose from most common procedures performed in nuclear medicine departments of Golestan province. Methods: Data of nuclear medicine procedures performed in 2 nuclear medicine departments in Golestan province were collected during 4 years. Effective dose, collective effective dose and effective dose per examination were calculated using standard dosimetry tables. Results: Based on the data of this study, results of 10437 nuclear medicine procedures performed during 4 years have lead to 3.97 mSv as average effective dose per examination and 10.37 human-Sv as mean collective effective dose. It was also revealed that Tc-99m was the main source of effective dose (98.3%), bone scan was the most common procedure (25.9%) and cardiac scan (MIBI-rest) has the highest collective effective dose (33.5%) during 4 years. Conclusion: Beside the cardiac scan which was the most common nuclear medicine procedure and the main contributor of effective dose in patients, due to geographical condition of the northeast of Iran, bone scan was the highest performed nuclear medicine examination in the Golestan province

Image-based versus atlas-based patient-specific S-value assessment for Samarium-153 EDTMP cancer palliative care: A short study

Introduction: Use of SPECT/CT data is the most accurate method for patient-specific internal dosimetry when isotopes emit single gamma rays. The manual or semi-automatic segmentation of organs is a major obstacle that slows down and limits the patient-specific dosimetry. Using digital phantoms that mimic patient�s anatomy can bypass the segmentation step and facilitate the dosimetry process. In this study, the results of a patient-specific dosimetry based on CT data and XCAT phantom, a flexible phantom with predefined organs, are compared. Methods: The dosimetry results (S-value and SAF) were calculated for a patient with breast cancer who received Samarium-153 ethylenediamine-N,N,N�,N�-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid (153Sm-EDTMP). Biodistribution of activity was obtained from the SPECT scan. The anatomical data and attenuation map were extracted from CT as well as the XCAT phantom with different BMIs. GATE Monte-Carlo simulator was used to calculate the dose to different organs based on the activity distribution and segmented anatomy. Results: The whole body dosimetry results are the same for both calculations based on the CT and XCAT with different BMIs; however for target organs, the differences between SAFs and S-values are high. In the spine, the clinically important target organ for Samarium therapy, the dosimetry results obtained from phantoms with unmatched BMIs between XCAT phantom and CT are substantially different. Conclusion: We showed that atlas-based dosimetry using XCAT phantom even with matched BMI may lead to considerable errors as compared to calculations based on patient�s own CT. For accurate dosimetry results, calculations should be done using CT data. © 2018 Iranian Journal of Nuclear Medicine. All Rights Reserved

Studies of antibacterial effects of synthesized silver nanoparticles using a novel thermotolerant Isoptericola variabilis sp. IRSH1 against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Background: Silver nanoparticles can consider as an alternative source for some antibiotic usages due to those effective antibacterial activity and eco-friendly characteristics. Objective: This in vitro study was done to evaluate the inhibitory effect of extracellular synthesized of silver nanoparticles using inexpensive cellulosic materials and supernatant culture of Isoptericola variabilis sp. IRSH1 against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods: Silver nanoparticles were produced by extracellular biosynthesis using supernatant culture of a novel thermotolerant Isoptericola variabilis sp.IRSH1 and characterized. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized silver nanoparticles were examined by the standard Kirby- Bauer disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Muller-Hinton agar plates. Findings: The silver nanoparticles were produced with an average size of 77 nm and 0.29 polydispersity index (PDI). The inhibition zones of AgNPs (1000 μg/ml) were 10 mm and 11 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively. Conclusion: The biosynthesized AgNPs has good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results indicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa is more sensitive to silver nanoparticles. Keywords: Nanotechnology, Metallic nanoparticle, Anti-bacterial agents, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginos

Evaluation of the impact of intraocular lens Tecnis Z9000 misalignment on the visual quality using the optical eye modeling

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of misalignment (tilt & decentration) of IOLs in cataract surgery using Liu-Brennan optical eye model in a simulation. Methods: A phantom with the real eye parameters -Liu-Brennan model- and Tecnis Z9000 IOL were used for simulation. Results: Results showed that with 0.4 mm decentration and more the modulation transfer function (MTF) and contrast were reduced continuously in the ±X Axes. IOL decentration in ±Y axes showed a symmetrical reduction of MTF and contrast and increasing the decentration. In the ±X and ±Y axes the 8° IOL tilt has no significant effect on the MTF and contrast of the eye. Conclusion: It can be said that the decentration of Tecnis Z9000 IOL in the ±X and ±Y axes will reduce the optical quality of the person, specially for decentration more than 0.4 mm this effect is very significant. Therefore using the compensation methods for improvement of the optical quality is essential. But up to 8° IOL tilt in vertical and horizontal axes have no significant effect on the visual quality of the patient. © 2013 by the Iranian Society of Ophthalmology

Evaluation of silicon and 10% bismuth shield with variable thickness compared with constant thickness on the dose reduction and image quality during chest CT examination

One of the best methods to reduce the breast radiation dose in chest CT scan exam is using the bismuth shield. Due to the fact that, in CT scan tests, the breast dose is higher in the central axis of body than other sides, so the bismuth shield with variable thickness (outer half 1 mm thick and inner half 2 mm thick) is designed in this study. The objective of this study is to investigate in effectiveness of silicon and 10% bismuth composite shied with variable thickness on reducing radiation dose and image quality parameters in chest CT scan test compare to 1 mm and 2 mm of fixed thickness shield. Physical chest phantom underwent chest CT scan without or with bismuth shields with thickness of 1 mm, 2 mm, and variable in 90, 120 and 140 kVp in inactive TCM mode. Dosimetry was performed by using TLD, and image quality was evaluated quantitatively (by drawing the ROI in the identical images like image j, calculation of noise, CT number, SNR and CNR) and qualitatively (by two expert radiologists). Designed bismuth shield with unsteady thickness in inner and outer side compare to 1 mm and 2 mm thickness shields is presented in 120 kVp, has a significant difference in the amount of breast dose reduction (19% reduction), as well as in 140 kVp, all these three bismuth shields resulted in a significant dose reduction almost in the same similarity. At 120 kVp, the bismuth shield with variable thickness lead to a significant change in CT numbers in the heart and lungs, but it does not have a remarkable effect on other image quality parameters. The bismuth shield with variable thickness can lead to a better effectiveness in reducing breast dose without any side effect on image quality at 120 kVp, which requires further studies in this field

Modified Methods for the Synthesis of Triazinyl Fluorescent Brightener Intermediates

Abstract: The production of triazinyl fluorescent brightener intermediates in high yields is described. The method involves a simplified work-up for the preparation of 4-nitrotoluene-2-sulfonic acid and the use of diethylene glycol instead of water in the preparation of 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid