A Sequential Framework for Detection and Classification of Abnormal Teeth in Panoramic X-rays

This paper describes our solution for the Dental Enumeration and Diagnosis on Panoramic X-rays Challenge at MICCAI 2023. Our approach consists of a multi-step framework tailored to the task of detecting and classifying abnormal teeth. The solution includes three sequential stages: dental instance detection, healthy instance filtering, and abnormal instance classification. In the first stage, we employed a Faster-RCNN model for detecting and identifying teeth. In subsequent stages, we designed a model that merged the encoding pathway of a pretrained U-net, optimized for dental lesion detection, with the Vgg16 architecture. The resulting model was first used for filtering out healthy teeth. Then, any identified abnormal teeth were categorized, potentially falling into one or more of the following conditions: embedded, periapical lesion, caries, deep caries. The model performing dental instance detection achieved an AP score of 0.49. The model responsible for identifying healthy teeth attained an F1 score of 0.71. Meanwhile, the model trained for multi-label dental disease classification achieved an F1 score of 0.76. The code is available at https://github.com/tudordascalu/2d-teeth-detection-challenge

Health-Promoting Lifestyle among the Survivors of Colorectal Cancer: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) among the survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC) is essential to reduce CRC complications, prevent its recurrence, and improve survival. Nonetheless, there is no comprehensive definition for the concept of HPL in CRC survivors. This study aimed to define the concept of HPL among CRC survivors based on the existing literature. Methods: This integrative review was conducted in 2021 using Whittemore and Knafl’s method. The national and international databases of SID, Magiran, ProQuest, Medline, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Quality appraisal was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and the data were analyzed using the four-step approach proposed by Whittemore and Knafl. Results: After data evaluation, 167 documents were included in final analysis. In total, 1863 codes were generated and categorized into eighteen main categories and the three main themes of antecedents, attributes, and consequences. Accordingly, HPL among CRC survivors was defined as "a set of behaviors in the areas of health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, psychological management, and interpersonal relations which are affected by socio-demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, psychological status, physical conditions, time and place limitations, and patient education, and lead to better disease prognosis, better general health status, better bio-psycho-social status, and better quality of life". Conclusion: The definition of HPL among CRC survivors provided in the present study can be used in counseling, educational, supportive, and care programs for CRC survivors in order to improve their quality of life and survival

Comparison of Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine/naloxone in Detoxification of Opioid-dependent Men

Background: Buprenorphine sublingual tablets are now available in Iran for opioid detoxification in clinics. Aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of buprenorphine with buprenorphine/naloxone in short-term detoxification in a group of Iranian male opioid-dependent patients. Methods:A double-blind trial was carried out on a group of male opioid dependent patients in a psychiatric hospital in Kerman, Iran, during year 2017. A group of 100 men who met the diagnostic criteria for opiate dependence were included in the study from individuals who had referred for detoxification. They were allocated to the two groups receiving either buprenorphine (n = 51) or buprenorphine/naloxone (n = 49). Severity of withdrawal symptoms and signs were evaluated by Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) and Adjective Rating Scale for Withdrawal (ARSW). Findings: The mean scores of COWS and ARSW in the two groups treated with buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone significantly reduced from the first day to the fifth day of detoxification (P 0.050). Conclusion: Buprenorphine/naloxone is as effective as buprenorphine in controlling opiate withdrawal symptoms

The Impact of Drug and Alcohol Consumption and Socio-demographic Variables on the Age of First Selling Sex among Iranian Female Sex Workers

Background: A significant proportion of Female Sex Workers (FSWs) as a vulnerable population begin sellingsex at an early age, which may lead the person to develop sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV). Thus, this study seeks to identify the factors which influence the age of firstsex for sale among the Iranian FSWs.Methods: In 2010, 872 FSWs from 21 centers in 12 Iranian provinces were selected through multistagesampling and were interviewed individually by a standard questionnaire. Survival analysis of intervalcensored data was used to investigate factors which influence the age of first selling sex. The collected datawere analyzed using Weibull parametric model and the hazard ratio (HR) index was reported. The softwareemployed in this study was R version 3.4.2 and icenReg package was used.Findings: The mean age of first selling sex was 24.94 ± 7.34 years. About 22% of the participants started tosell sex before the age of 18. The risk of experiencing the first selling sex was 23% higher in those individualswho had experienced alcohol consumption (HR = 1.23) and 51% higher in those who had drug injections(HR = 1.51). Also, age, education, and marital status were significant variables.Conclusion: In order to cope with the issue of first selling sex at an early age, the following strategies aresuggested: providing necessary trainings and building culture about the dangers of alcohol consumption anddrug injections, poverty reduction, facilitating education and marriage for young females, and combating sextraffickin

Pain Coping Strategies and Their Relationship with Unpleasant Emotions (Anxiety, Stress, and Depression) and Religious Coping in Cancer Patients

Background: Coping strategies affect patients’ perceptions of pain severity, their ability to tolerate pain, duration of daily activities, and emotions. This study aims to determine the relationship between pain coping and unpleasant emotions, and religious coping in cancer patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study. Sampling was conducted from June to December 2016. During that period, 363 cancer patients referred to Omid Hospital in Mashhad city, Iran and 22 Bahman Hospital in Neyshabur city, Iran. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, religious coping scale, pain severity scale, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. The dataset was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics that included chi-square and one-way ANOVA with SPSS v.16 software. Results: The majority of cancer patients (231; 63.6%) used the strategy of praying and hoping as their coping mechanisms. There was a significant difference between religious coping and pain coping strategies (P=0.02). Patients with mild depression most frequently used the praying and hoping strategy, whereas those with moderate depression more frequently used the catastrophic strategy (P>0.05). Conclusion: Designing and performing educational programs for coping with pain can be an effective solution for patients to improve their pain management, as well as control and cope with their illness. These programs would help increase patient quality of life and disease self-management, as well as decreasing psychological and communication problems

An enquiry into the current and the desirable status of professors’ professional ethics from the perspective of students in Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Background and Aim: &nbsp;Higher education as a professional system plays a substantial role in the teaching and transfer of moral values, which takes place through the curriculum and by the experienced professors. The aim of this study was to determine the current and the desirable status of observing professional ethics in teaching by faculty members from the viewpoint of students in Birjand University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 2016-2017. Materials and Methods: &nbsp;In this cross-sectional study, 302 students who were studying at the University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 2016-2017 were selected through randomized sampling based on their field of study and gender. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 69 items (4 main components and 17 sub-components) with items on the Likert scale. Its validity was confirmed by experts as 0.85 and its reliability was calculated by Chronbach&rsquo;s alpha as 0.78. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS19 software using paired t test and t in two independent samples. Results: &nbsp;The average score of the favorable condition of observing professional ethics of professors from students' point of view. 3.8&plusmn; 0.73 and the average favorable condition for observance of professional values was 4.74 &plusmn; 0.77. &nbsp;There was a significant difference between the mean status of professional ethics in all of its components with favorable status (P <0.05). Conclusion: This study indicated a significant difference between the current and the desired status of professional ethics and its components in teaching; therefore, it can be admitted that universities need to plan for the teaching of professional ethics to professors and for cultural development in this field. &nbsp

children satisfaction of nursing care by drawing

Background & Objective: Patient satisfaction is the main indicator of the quality of healthcare systems. Usually in pediatric works parents are questioned due to lack of appropriate scale. Therefore, this study was done to assess the children’s satisfaction themselves by drawing which is an applicable scale for them.Patients & methods: This study was done with 20 hospitalized children aged 6-12 This study was done with 20 hospitalized children aged 6-12 years in medical and surgical wards of Dr. Sheikh pediatrics hospital in Mashhad who were hospitalized at least for 2 days In order to gathering data a blank A4 size paper and 12 color pencils was given to participants and asked them to draw what they’ve been thinking about nursing and their interventions. Each drawing was analyzed based on Plander et al scale (2007). The scale has content validity and reliability of α=0.89.Results: Most of participants were boys (65%), and hospitalized in medical wards (60%).In patient’s room no entertainment tools, toys or even readings were drawn. In all drawings the child was happy and in most was resting on a bed instead of playing or sitting (80%, 20%, and 0.0%, respectively). Conclusion: Drawing is a good and reliable source for assessing the quality of pediatric nursing care. So, suggested its usage in order of assessing children’s opinions in different matters relating to their care

An Examination of the Contextual Interference Effect and the Errorless Learning Model during Motor Learning

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article

Investigation Clinical Competence and Its Relationship with Professional Ethics and Spiritual Health in Nurses

Abstract Background and Objectives: Study of clinical competence in nursing helps determine the quality of health care delivered to patients. Given the priority of observance of principles over caretaking and necessity of spirituality existence at the core of health care provision, this study was conducted to investigate clinical competence and its relationship with professional ethics and spiritual health in nurses. Methods: In this cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study, 281 nurses were enrolled by consensus sampling. Sampling was conducted from February, 2016 till June, 2016. The data were gathered by a demographics questionnaire, a self-assessment scale of clinical competence, a nursing ethics questionnaire, and a spiritual health questionnaire, and analyzed by descriptive statistics and t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and linear regression analysis in SPSS 21. Results: The total scores for self-assessment scale of nurses' clinical competence, professional ethics, and spiritual health were moderate. In the light of the results of Spearman's correlation coefficient, there was a significant and positive correlation between clinical competence and spiritual health. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between professional ethics and spiritual health but there was no correlation between professional ethics and clinical competence. Conclusion: Managers' and personnel's Knowledge about the level of nurses clinical competence, professional ethics, and spiritual health in teaching health care centers provides valuable information to develop in-service and efficacious education programs and ultimately to improve the quality of nursing services