Flutamide versus a cyproterone acetate-ethinyl estradiol combination in moderate acne: a pilot randomized clinical trial

Background: The use of oral flutamide is rarely investigated in acne therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral flutamide with that of a cyproterone-estradiol combination in treating acne lesions. Methods: A randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with moderate acne into two equal groups to receive either oral flutamide or the cyproterone-estradiol combination for 6 months. Lesion count, Acne Severity Index, and Global Acne Grading system (GAGS) scores were used to assess improvement in acne lesions. The dichotomous measurement scale for primary endpoint assessment was defined as improvement from moderate to mild acne based on GAGS score. Patient satisfaction and dermal fat were also assessed. Intention to treat and per protocol analyses were done, reporting related effect sizes. Results: Both treatments resulted in substantial improvement in acne lesions. Although flutamide seemed to have higher efficacy, an intention to treat analysis did not find the two treatment protocols to be different. The relative risk in intention to treat analysis was 1.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89–1.6), and was 1.33 (95% CI 1.03–1.72) for the per protocol analysis. The number needed to treat for flutamide compared with the cyproterone-estradiol combination was 7.7 and 4.2 in the intention to treat and per protocol analyses, respectively. Conclusion: Flutamide appears to be more effective than a cyproterone-estradiol combination in some aspects of acne treatment, but this requires confirmation in a larger trial

Effectiveness of Matrix Treatment on Depression and Temptation in Consumption in Amphetamine Dependent Individuals

A varied range of psychological interventions has been suggested to treat substance use disorders, particularly for amphetamine users. The purpose of psychological treatments are to help drug dependents understand the detrimental effects of drug use, recognize their personal values and strengths, and overwhelm social stigma and self-stigma to involve in specialized individual or group interventions. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of matrix treatment on depression and the temptation to use in amphetamine dependent individuals. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research consists of 1,400 men dependent to amphetamines, self-referred to addiction treatment centers in Tehran. Participants were 40 people whom selected by accessible sampling method and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups (20 people in each group). Consumption temptation scale and Beck depression inventory were used for collecting data. Results revealed that the matrix treatment had a significant effect on depression and temptation in consumption. According to our results, it can be concluded that matrix treatment can be used as a complementary drug treatment in amphetamine dependent individuals

The Design Of New Learning Automata For Problem Graph Coloring

Graph coloring issue, is one of satisfied existing constraints issues in the literature of artificial intelligence. Coloration apical includes assigning color to node graph so that any two adjacent vertices are isochromatic. The minimum number (colors numbers) that we assign to these graphs for coloring are called number of color. This issue is from the group of very difficult issue, NP – complete. Given the importance of graph coloring issue and its many uses, many algorithms suggested finding allowed coloration in graph. Among these can be noted in, exact algorithms, distributed algorithms, parallel algorithms, approximation algorithms and heuristic algorithms, …The concept of learning Automata at first was introduced by Tstlyn. He was interested in modeling the behavior of biological systems, and definite automata worked in a random environment, introduced as a model for learning. The aim of this research is to present new algorithm on the basis of learning automata to color with accuracy and high speed and the ability to learn graph vertices. The proposed method also has transfer chart and individual performance and this method was examined on the graph with low vertices and high vertices and medium vertices, on the bottom, a number of works steps and total dyes used for coloring of specific graph with optimization algorithms were matched. Evaluation results show high accuracy, speed and its performance of the proposed method is superior to other optimization methods.

Nasal Air Puff Promotes Default Mode Network Activity in Mechanically Ventilated Comatose Patients: A Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Approach

Objectives: Coma state and loss of consciousness are associated with decreased brain activity, including and especially gamma oscillations, which are involved in neural network integrity, as well as the default mode network (DMN). This condition can be aggravated by mechanical ventilation since nasal respiration, known to drive functional neural oscillations, is diminished. Hence, we proposed that rhythmic nasal air-puffing in mechanically ventilated comatose patients may promote brain activity and improve network connectivity. Materials and Methods: We assessed the activity, complexity, and connectivity of the DMN using electroencephalography (EEG) in fifteen comatose patients (eight males) admitted to the intensive care unit due to opium poisoning before and during the application of nasal air-puff. Air-puffing into the nasal cavity was done using a nasal cannula via an electrical valve (open duration of 630ms) with a frequency of 0.2 Hz. Results: Our analyses demonstrated that nasal air-puffing enhanced gamma power (30-40 Hz) oscillation in the DMN. Additionally, the coherency and synchrony between DMN regions were increased during nasal air-puffing. Recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) analysis revealed that global complexity and irregularity of EEG, which is typically seen during wakefulness and conscious state, were increased during rhythmic nasal air-puffing. Conclusions: Rhythmic nasal air-puffing, as a non-invasive brain stimulation method, opens a new window into modifying the brain connectivity integration in comatose patients, which potential can influence their outcome by reducing the adverse effect of mechanical ventilation on brain activity

Suicidal ideation and its correlates among high school students in Iran : A cross-sectional study

Background Globally, the second leading cause of death among adolescents is suicide and in middle-income countries adolescents’ suicidal ideation is a neglected public health area. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation among 15–17-year-old high school students in Iran. Methods Self-administered, Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) questionnaires were distributed to a representative sample (N =1517) of high-school students aged 15–17 in the city of Tabriz. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between relevant independent variables (e.g. gender) and the dependent outcome variable (suicidal ideation in the past 12 months). Results Overall, 62 (4.1%, 95% CI= 3.1, 5.2) of 1,517 students had thoughts of suicide. Three hundred and thirteen (20.6%, 95% CI= 18.6, 22.7) students reported being bullied in the previous 30 days. In addition, 134 (8.8%, 95% CI= 7.5, 10.3) students reported having been sexually abused. Being worried that they could not eat or did not feel hungry (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 4.15; 95% Cl [1.71, 10.07]; current cigarette smoking (AOR = 3.00; 95% CI [1.69, 5.30]; thinking about using alcohol or other drugs (AOR = 4.28; 95% CI [2.41, 7.59]; and being sexually abused (AOR = 2.63; 95% CI [1.32, 5.24]) were all factors positively associated with suicidal ideation. Conclusion The prevalence of suicidal ideation was lower in our school students than in earlier studies. Interventions that address the issue of current cigarette smoking, worries, thinking about using alcohol or other drugs and sexual abuse should be given more priority by the public health authorities.Global School Based Student Health Surve

Evaluation of the educational environments of undergraduate medicine and pharmacy programmes at the University of Zambia

Background:A Based on the World Health Organization’s reporting, over 1.25 million people die annually in traffic accidents worldwide. Traffic accidents are the ninth main cause of death worldwide, with an average age range of victims of 15 to 29. Broadly speaking, 90% of traffic accidents happen in the lowand middle-income countries that comprise 82% of the global population, and these countries account for half of the world’s vehicles. One of the goals of the National Road Traffic Knowledge Development Trustee is to plan and implement training courses (content design, design and implementation and evaluation) for target groups. To achieve this goal and due to the lack of academic programs on traffic safety in Iran, a single-credit course, “Safety and Traffic,” was developed to be run as a compulsory academic course in all universities across the country. Methods: This course was administered as a national pilot study in four phases and in 17 medical universities across the country. All experts and national authorities in the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education were requested to provide feedback. Afterwards, the results and comments were forwarded to the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution for further investigation. Upon approval of the Council, the course will be implemented in all universities across the country. Results: Results from the pre-test showed that the level of students’ knowledge was low before attending the training courses. Surveys also revealed that the two items of “pedestrian safety” and “first aids in RTCs” were the most useful and applicable subjects. The percentage of wrong answers ranged from 61 to 98%. Conclusion: Considering the importance of traffic accidents and people’s role in traffic-related issues, it seems that it is necessary to provide university courses for traffic safety education