Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation in comparison with routine rehabilitation methods in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cognitive rehabilitation includes a set of programs to train the brain, which leads to the improvement of mental and neuro-psychological functions. This meta-analysis was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation in comparison with routine rehabilitation methods in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: The Cochrane Library, ProQuest, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to August 2022. Google Scholar was used to find relevant sources and complete the search coverage. Two authors independently selected studies based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data analysis was performed using RevMan (version 5.3). Results: Out of the 578 studies found, 20 studies were finally included in this review. The results of the meta-analysis on four outcomes (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT), MS Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire (MSNQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)) indicated that the outcome was significant in favor of the cognitive rehabilitation group. However, for five outcomes (Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)), the differences between the two groups were not significant. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis showed that cognitive rehabilitation has an effect on improving the performance of patients with MS. However, further studies with more accurate methodologies are required to determine which of the outcomes cognitive rehabilitation has a greater effect on.

Adaptation Frameworks for Clinical Guidelines and Proposing a Framework for Iran: A Review and Comparative Study.

Background: Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) can be adapted to local conditions to prevent any resources from being wasted. Adaptation of CPGs implies a systematic view of developed guidelines through maintaining evidence-based principles in order to find the ones most relevant with patients' conditions and its integration with the cultural and regional requirements of the target population and health system facilities. The main purpose of the study was to describe, interpret and compare different frameworks for adaptation of clinical guidelines and proposing a comprehensive framework for Iran. Methods: This study was based on a review and comparative analysis of adaptation frameworks of CPGs. Initially, all adaptation frameworks were collected by systematic search in the literature. We searched the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Trip Database, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Then, based on the stages of the comparative study, frameworks were described, interpreted, juxtaposed, and compared. Finally, a comprehensive framework for the adaptation of clinical guidelines was proposed by consulting a panel of experts. Results: Our literature search resulted in 26 frameworks, of which 18 were potentially relevant. Based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, nine frameworks were included in the study and have been described, interpreted, and compared. The proposed comprehensive framework for the adaptation of clinical guidelines consists of ten main steps. Conclusion: The proposed comprehensive framework is an appropriate tool for the adaptation of clinical guidelines in Iran that can be used in other countries. However, further validation of the framework requires case studies and expert consultation to determine its application to the adaptation of clinical guidelines.

Safety and effectiveness of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) in refractory angina patients: A systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is believed to be a non-invasive treatment for coronary artery disease and angina. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of EECP in refractory angina patients through a systematic reviews and meta-analysis. We conducted a comprehensive search of the literature published on PubMed, Cochrane library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Trip Database and Google Scholar databases using appropriate keywords and specific strategy with no time limit. Having selected and screened the studies based on the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluating their quality based on the Cochrane checklist. For the meta-analysis,the Mantel-Haenszel method or the generic Inverse Variance was used. Analyses were done with Review Manager 5.2 software. A number of 299 studies were initially reviewed and finally, seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Also, thirteen outcomes were analyzed and the results of meta-analysis in twelve outcomes including (Systolic Blood Pressure (7 studies), Diastolic Blood Pressure (7 studies), Pulse Pressure (4 studies), Mean Arterial Pressures (4 studies), Heart Rate (6 studies), Angina episodes (7 studies), Walking distance (2 studies),Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification (6 studies), Flow-Mediated Dilation (3 studies), Daily Nitrate Usage (4 studies), Exercise Treadmill Test-Time (2 studies), ST-segment depression (2 studies)demonstrated a significant clinical advantage in the EECP treatment effectiveness in patients with angina. No significant difference was observed regarding EECP usefulness (P = 0.18) in the outcome of brachial artery diameter (2 studies). Based on the meta-analysis, the results indicate the safety and effectiveness of EECP in patients with angina pectoris and indicate the usefulness of this treatment in these patients. In general, the authors believe that the general conclusion in this regard requires some studies with a large sample size and a control group assignment.

HIV and drug related stigma and risk-taking behaviors among people who inject drugs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The impact of HIV-related stigma on people living with HIV has been well documented, but there have been few studies examining how drug-related stigma impacts risk-taking in the lives of people who inject drugs (PWID). This meta-analysis aimed to determine HIV and drug-related stigma and the association it has with risk-taking behaviors among PWID. We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases independently in March 2019. After reviewing for any study duplicates the full-text of selected articles were assessed for eligibility using Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes (PICO) criteria. We used fixed and random-effects meta-analysis models to estimate the pooled prevalence, pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. After a detailed assessment, a total of 14 studies containing 13,689 participants met the eligibility criteria. Among the potential risk factors: employment status, depression and sharing injecting paraphernalia had a significant relationship with HIV and drug stigma among PWIDs respectively (OR = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.62-0.98), (OR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.45-2.33) and (OR = 2.20, 95%CI = 1.84-1.63). Illicit drug use related stigma was found to be associated with several concurrent effects. The impact of stigma should be considered in the development of drug use prevention strategies. Perceived stigma is correlated with numerous negative consequences in other populations including people living with HIV/AIDS. These data suggest this could also be generalized to people who inject drugs because it seems that individuals with internalized stigma experience drug dependence, reduced comfort in seeking help from services and higher rates of depression.

Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy compared to Ultrasound in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common type of peripheral entrapment neuropathy that occurs in the wrist area in a space called the carpal tunnel. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and ultrasound are among the most common methods of physical modalities for treating CTS; the effectiveness of these 2 methods and the superiority of one over the other are not agreed among experts. Methods: In the present systematic review and meta-analysis study, the most important databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Science Direct, Trip medical database and Google Scholar were searched using appropriate keywords and specific strategies without time limitation to collect data. The collected data was analyzed using the meta-analytic method and the random-effects model. The heterogeneity among studies was examined using I2 . The data were analyzed using Review Manager Software. Results: From among 108 related studies, 49 cases were entered for the first stage. After the final examination, 6 studies were selected for meta-analysis. The total number of patients in these 6 studies was 403; 204 subjects were in the LLLT group and 199 subjects were in the ultrasound group. The results of the meta-analyses showed that there was no significant difference between these 2 therapeutic methods in terms of pain relief, symptom severity scale (SSS), functional status scale (FSS), motor latency, sensory latency, hand grip strength, and motor amplitude. Conclusion: Based on the meta-analyses, there was no significant difference between the 2 LLLT and ultrasound methods; in other words, they had similar effectiveness in improving the condition of patients with CTS. However, the authors believe that arriving at conclusions in this area requires high-quality and large size studies.

The Prevalence of Malnutrition in Iranian Elderly: A Review Article.

BACKGROUND: The elderly population following the improvement in health status and life expectancy in developing countries is increasing. Malnutrition causes decreased quality of life and increased mortality in elderly. This study aimed to review systematically and meta-analysis of studies assessing the prevalence of malnutrition among Iranian elderly people over 60 yr of age using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in 2016 to estimate the overall malnutrition prevalence. Data were collected using the following keywords: prevalence, elderly, aging, malnutrition, nutrition, nutritional assessment, nutritional status, health status, mini nutritional assessment, MNA and Iran in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Iranmedex, Magiran, and SID. Computer software CMA: Two were applied to estimate the overall prevalence of malnutrition. RESULTS: Seventeen of 811 articles were included in our analyses. The overall estimated prevalence of malnutrition among elderly based on the random effect model was 12.2% (95% CI 8-18.5). In subgroups, the prevalence of malnutrition among elderly living in home based on the fixed effect model was 9.2% (95% CI 7.1-11.9) and prevalence of malnutrition among elderly residents of nursing homes based on the random effect model was 21.6% (95% CI 12-38.6). CONCLUSION: Given the increase in the elderly population in future and the prevalence rate of malnutrition among them as well as the higher prevalence of malnutrition in elderly care centers, more attention to this population group is a matter of necessity.

Quality of surgical scrub in a heart hospital: Do not take it for granted.

Introduction: The role of scrub in the prevention of post-surgery infections is well-known. This study aimed to investigate the inputs and process of surgical scrub in operating rooms of the largest heart hospital of northwest Iran. Methods: This study took place with a before-after design as a clinical audit in 2014. A check list developed based on national and international standards of surgical hand scrub was used as the study instrument. Checklists were completed by observation of surgical team scrubbing in real situation. Descriptive statistics and graphs were used to describe the results. Results: A compliance degree with the standards for prerequisites, equipment, general items, process and time of scrub was observed as 58%, 55%, 33%, 68% and 22%, respectively. The compliance degree after the intervention was 72%, 66%, 66%, 85% and 61%, respectively. Improvement was observed in all studied aspects of scrub. The total score of compliance with the standards changed from 47% to 70%. The main issues were incorrect order of scrubbing the areas of the hands, incorrect way of scrubbing the arms, insufficient scrubbing the arms (not above elbow), and lack of awareness about hospital's policy on scrub time. Conclusion: The results showed defects in the surgical scrub of the studied hospital and that the compliance with the standards can be improved by simple interventions. Periodical audit and observation of the scrub and then feedback is recommended.

Safety and Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) was introduced as an alternative non-invasive treatment for osteoarthritis, but its effectiveness is still controversial. The main objective of this article was to determine the safety and efficacy of LLLT in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: In order to gather evidence, main medical databases as well as relevant websites were browsed without time limit. We searched with appropriate keywords and strategies. After quality assessment of studies, study data were extracted by two reviewers. Standard mean difference proposed through inverse variance was used in the meta-analysis using the random-effects model. Twelve values were used for the evaluation of heterogeneity. Results: A total of 823 studies, 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected after final review. There was a significant difference between LLLT and placebo in pain at rest (P=0.02), pain at activity (P=0.01), total pain (P=0.03), WOMAC function (P=0.01), WOMAC stiffness (P=0.02) and WOMAC total (P<0.0001) in favor of the LLLT. There was no significant difference between LLLT and Placebo in WOMAC pain (P=0.09) and range of motion (P=0.1). Conclusion: In spite of some positive findings, this meta-analysis lacked data on how LLLT effectiveness is affected with important factors: wavelength, energy density, treatment duration, numbers of sessions the treatment, severity of KOA and site of application.

Relationship of Social Determinants of Health with the Three-year Survival Rate of Breast Cancer

Background: Social determinants of health are among the key factors affecting the pathogenesis of diseases. Considering the increasingly high prevalence of breast cancer and the association of social determinants of health with its occurrence, related morbidity and mortality and survival rate, this study sought to assess the relationship of three-year survival rate of breast cancer with social determinants of health. Materials and Methods: This cohort study was conducted on males and females presenting to the Cancer Research Center of Shohada-E-Tajrish Hospital from 2006 to 2010 with definite diagnosis of breast cancer. Data were collected via phone interviews. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression was fitted using SPSS (version 18) and PH assumption was tested by STATA (version 11) software. Results: The study was performed on 797 breast cancer patients, aged 25-93 years with mean age of 54.66 (SD=11.86) years. After 3 years from diagnosing cancer 700 (87.8%) patients were alive and 97 (12.2%) patients were dead. Using log rank test, there was relationship between 3-year survivals with age, education, childhood residence, sibling, treatment type, and district were significant (p<0.05). Using Cox PH regression, 3-year survival was related to age, level of education, municipal district of residence and childhood condition (p<0.05). Conclusion: Social determinants of health such as childhood condition, city region residency, level of education and age affect the three-year survival rate of breast cancer. Future studies must focus on the effect of childhood social class on the survival rates of cancers, which have been paid less attention to.

Can Opium Use Contribute to a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancers? A Matched Case-control Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancers (CRCs) including colon, rectum and anal cancers are the third most prevalent cancers in the world. There are strong evidence showing the risk of the cigarette smoking, alcohol use, low physical activity and some types of diets in CRCs; however, few studies explored the relationship between opium use and CRCs. This study aimed to investigate the association between opioid use and the incidence of CRCs. METHODS: In a population-based matched case-control study in Kerman, Iran, 175 patients with colorectal cancers and 350 healthy controls (matched for age, sex, and place of residence) were interviewed from Sep 2014 to Nov 2014. Opium and its derivatives, cigarette, alcohol, and diet use were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The use of opioids was associated with an increased risk of CRCs (adjusted odds ratio= 4. 5, 95% CI: 2. 4-8. 7). In addition, a dose-response relationship was observed between the cumulative use of opioids and the incidence of CRCs (with low use OR=3. 7; 95% CI: 1. 5-8. 6 and high use OR= 8. 0; 95% CI: 2. 9-21. 7). This dose-response relationship was also strong in patients with colon cancers, with OR= 3. 9 (95% CI: 1. 5-9. 9) and 9. 4 (95% CI: 3. 3-27. 0) for the low and high uses of opioids, respectively. CONCLUSION: Opioid use can lead to an increased risk of CRCs. Therefore, it is necessary to implement preventive policies to control the use of opioids.

Factors influencing the adoption of health information technologies: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The successful implementation of health information technologies requires investigating the factors affecting the acceptance and use of them. The aim of this study was to determine the most important factors affecting the adoption of health information technologies by doing a systematic review on the factors affecting the acceptance of health information technology. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted by searching the major databases, such as Google Scholar, Emerald, Science Direct, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Scopus. We used various keywords, such as adoption, use, acceptance of IT in medicine, hospitals, and IT theories in health services, and we also searched on the basis of several important technologies, such as Electronic Health Records (HER), Electronic Patient Records (EPR), Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), Hospital Information System (HIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), and others in the 2004-2014 period. RESULTS: The technology acceptance model (TAM) is the most important model used to identify the factors influencing the adoption of information technologies in the health system; also, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model has had a lot of applications in recent years in the health system. Ease of use, usefulness, social impact, facilitating conditions, attitudes and behavior of users are effective in the adoption of health information technologies. CONCLUSION: By considering various factors, including ease of use, usefulness, and social impact, the rate of the adoption of health information technology can be increased.

Economic evaluation of resistant major depressive disorder treatment in Iranian population: a comparison between repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with electroconvulsive.

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that major depression disorders constitute 8.2% of years lived with disability (YLDs) globally. The repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) are two relative common interventions to treat major depressive disorders, especially for treatment resistant depression. In this study the cost- effectiveness and cost-utility of rTMS were compared with ECT in Iranian population suffering from major depressive disorder using a decision tree model. METHODS: A decision tree model conducted to compare the cost-effectiveness ratio of rTMS with ECT in a health system prospective and 7 months' time horizon. The outcome variables were: response rate, remission rate and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of the rTMS and ECT as primary and secondary outcomes extracted from systematic reviews and randomized control trials. The costs were also calculated through a field study in one clinic and one hospital; the direct costs have only been considered. RESULTS: The total cost for rTMS and ECTstrategieswere11015000Rials (373US$) and 11742700 Rials (397.7US$), respectively. Also the rTMS/ECT ratio of costs per improved patients was 1194410Rials (40.5 US$); the ratio for costs per QALYs utility was 21017139 Rials (711.72 US$). The incremental cost- effectiveness ratio of rTMS versus ECT was 1194410 Rials (40.44 US$) after treatment and maintenance courses. CONCLUSION: Given the current prevalence of depressive disorders in Iranian population, the ECT is more cost-effective than TMS. The sensitivity analysis showed that if the prevalence of major depressive disorders declines to below 5% or the costs of rTMS decrease (rTMS provided by public sector), then the rTMS becomes more cost-effective compared with ECT. However, efficacy of rTMS depends on the frequency of pulsed magnetic field, the location of rTMS on the head, the number of therapeutic sessions and the length of each session.

The cost effectiveness of dynamic and static interspinous spacer for lumbar spinal stenosis compared with laminectomy.

BACKGROUND: The present study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Dynamic Interspinous Spacer (Coflex®) and Static Spacer (X-STOP ®) compared to Laminectomy (LAMI) in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: A decision-analysis model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness. The effectiveness parameters were obtained from a systematic literature review in relevant databases including PUBMED and EMBASE. A meta-analysis was performed using the STATA statistical package and a random model was used to collect measures of mean difference of visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score before and after intervention in X-stop, Coflex and LAMI (95% confidence intervals). Cost data were obtained from provider and associated literature based on health care provider prospective. We assumed that the probability of the success rate of surgery in each intervention from associated literature and calculated Incremental cost effectiveness ratio. A one-way sensitivity analysis was also carried out. RESULTS: Twenty-four out of 294 studies are included in the Meta-analysis. The overall pooled estimate of the mean difference of VAS pain score were 3.49 (95% CI 3.7-4.2) and 4.14 (95% CI 3.09- 5.19) for X-stop and Coflex, respectively. In addition, we assumed the overall pooled estimate of 5.3 (95% CI 2.15-7.4) on the basis of literature for LAMI. The average cost per LAMI surgery, X-stop and Coflex was US$ 3019, US$ 2022 and US$ 2566, respectively. Incremental cost effectiveness ratio of X-stop and Coflex versus LAMI was US$ 665.9 and US$ 780.7, respectively. CONCLUSION: Static Interspinous Spacer (X-stop) appears to be the most cost-effective treatment strategy in base case scenario with success rate of LAMI (range between (55%-70%). A sensitivity analysis shows that the increase probability of success rate of LAMI was more than 70 % and less than 55% which lead to the cost effectiveness of the Coflex intervention.

Health technology assessment of non-invasive interventions for weight loss and body shape in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The burden of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases is increasing in Iran, and prevention and treatment strategies are needed to address this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome, cost, safety and cost-consequence of non-invasive weight loss interventions in Iran. METHODS: We performed a systematic review to compare non-invasive interventions (cryolipolysis and radiofrequency/ ultrasonic cavitation) with semi-invasive (lipolysis) and invasive (liposuction). A sensitive electronic searching was done to find available interventional studies. Reduction of abdomen circumference (cm), reduction in fat layer thickness (%) and weight reduction (kg) were outcomes of efficacy. Meta-analysis with random models was used for pooling efficacy estimates among studies with the same follow-up duration. Average cost per intervention was estimated based on the capital, maintenance, staff, consumable and purchase costs. RESULTS: Of 3,111 studies identified in our reviews, 13 studies assessed lipolysis, 10 cryolipolysis and 8 considered radiofrequency. Nine studies with the same follow-up duration in three different outcome group were included in meta-analysis. Radiofrequency showed an overall pooled estimate of 2.7 cm (95% CI; 2.3-3.1) of mean reduction in circumference of abdomen after intervention. Pooled estimate of reduction in fat layer thickness was 78% (95% CI; 73%-83%) after Lipolysis and a pooled estimate of weight loss was 3.01 kg (95% CI; 2.3-3.6) after lipousuction. The cost analysis revealed no significant differences between the costs of these interventions. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that non-invasive interventions appear to have better clinical efficacy, specifically in the body shape measurement, and less cost compared to invasive intervention (liposuction).

Application of Cox and Parametric Survival Models to Assess Social Determinants of Health Affecting Three-Year Survival of Breast Cancer Patients.

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer mortality in Iran. Social determinants of health are among the key factors affecting the pathogenesis of diseases. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the social determinants of breast cancer survival time with parametric and semi-parametric regression models. It was conducted on male and female patients diagnosed with breast cancer presenting to the Cancer Research Center of Shohada-E-Tajrish Hospital from 2006 to 2010. The Cox proportional hazard model and parametric models including the Weibull, log normal and log-logistic models were applied to determine the social determinants of survival time of breast cancer patients. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to assess the best fit. Statistical analysis was performed with STATA (version 11) software. This study was performed on 797 breast cancer patients, aged 25-93 years with a mean age of 54.7 (±11.9) years. In both semi-parametric and parametric models, the three-year survival was related to level of education and municipal district of residence (P<0.05). The AIC suggested that log normal distribution was the best fit for the three-year survival time of breast cancer patients. Social determinants of health such as level of education and municipal district of residence affect the survival of breast cancer cases. Future studies must focus on the effect of childhood social class on the survival times of cancers, which have hitherto only been paid limited attention.

Rate and Causes of Discharge against Medical Advice in Iranian Hospitals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Discharge against Medical Advice (DAMA) is a problem for hospitals which may result in increasing readmissions, morbidities, inabilities, deaths and health care costs. This study, aimed to investigate the rate and causes of DAMA in Iranian hospitals. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted in 2014. Required data were collected through searching for key words included: "Discharge Against Medical Advice", "Leaving against medical advice", "causes*", "hospital" and their Persian equivalents, over databases including PubMed, OVID, Google Scholar, Embase, Scopus, Magiran, scientific information database (SID). The reference lists of the articles, certain relevant journals and web sites in this field were also searched. RESULTS: Out of 913 articles initially retrieved, finally 17 articles were incorporated into the study. There were 244858 individuals studied in the articles. Using a random effects model, the rate of DAMA in Iranian hospitals was estimated at 7.9% (6.3%-9.8%). While the highest rate of DAMA was associated with patients in departments of psychiatry (12%), the lowest rate was related to patients in departments of pediatrics (3.7). DAMA was in men more than women (P<0.05) Patient's perception of feeling of wellbeing, financial problems, family problems, the lack of attention from physicians and nurses, inappropriate behavior with patients by hospital team and the lack of timely care were mentioned as main causes for DAMA. CONCLUSION: The rate of DAMA in Iranian hospitals is relatively high. Thus effective initiatives in this area are required.

Assessment of bioaerosol contamination (bacteria and fungi) in the largest urban wastewater treatment plant in the Middle East.

Bioaerosol concentration was measured in wastewater treatment units in south of Tehran, the largest wastewater treatment plant in the Middle East. Active sampling was carried out around four operational units and a point as background. The results showed that the aeration tank with an average of 1016 CFU/m(3) in winter and 1973 CFU/m(3) in summer had the greatest effect on emission of bacterial bioaerosols. In addition, primary treatment had the highest impact on fungal emission. Among the bacteria, Micrococcus spp. showed the widest emission in the winter, and Bacillus spp. was dominant in summer. Furthermore, fungi such as Penicillium spp. and Cladosporium spp. were the dominant types in the seasons. Overall, significant relationship was observed between meteorological parameters and the concentration of bacterial and fungal aerosols.

Effectiveness of group training based on acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety and depression of women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women that as a sudden event has profound effects on all aspects of patients' lives. Psychosocial interventions may play important roles in reducing anxiety and depression among breast-cancer survivors. Therefore, group training based on acceptance and commitment therapy may help women to cope better with their condition, and decrease their anxiety and depression. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental study, 30 patients with breast cancer were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to 2 experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended acceptance and commitment training classes for 8 weeks continuously (each class lasting 90 minutes). Participants in both the experimental and control groups completed Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BHI-II) as a pretest and posttest. Analysis of Covariance was used as the statistical method. RESULTS: In acceptance and commitment group training, anxiety and depression significantly decreased (p<0/05). These changes were not observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: The results showed that group training based on acceptance and commitment therapy is an effective method in reducing anxiety and depression. Hence psychological interventions can be used to reduce psychological difficulties of women with breast cancer.

Prevalence, etiology, and types of dental trauma in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dental traumas are common among children and adolescents in many societies posing health and social problems. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on prevalence, etiology, types, and other epidemiologic aspects of dental trauma in children and adolescents (0-18 years old). METHODS: In this systematic meta-analytical review, data were collected searching for key words including traumatic dental injuries, dental trauma, dental injury, dental trauma, tooth injuries, tooth trauma, traumatized teeth, dentoalveolar trauma, oral trauma, epidemiology, etiology, prevalence, incidence, occurrence, child*, and adolescence in the following databases: Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, PubMed and Google scholar. RESULTS: From the total of 3197 articles, 44 completely relevant papers were included in the study. The prevalence of dental trauma was variable based on geographical area and was estimated 17.5% in the population, with higher prevalence in boys. Falling was the major cause for dental trauma, and the most frequent location was home. The most frequent type of trauma was enamel fracture. CONCLUSION: A relatively high prevalence was detected for dental trauma, which calls for effective planning and intervention to prevent the occurrence in children and adolescents. These may include special care for children, eliminating fall-prone areas, installing safety measures at homes, using protective appliances in sports, education, and raising the knowledge and availability of services to address enamel fracture. Region-specific criteria should be taken into account in programs and interventions.

Efficacy of group logotherapy on decreasing anxiety in women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most incident cancer and the fifth cause of death due to malignancies among Iranian women. A strong breast cancer patients' sense of meaning and purpose in life appears to decrease anxiety in their life. The present study has investigated the effectiveness of group Logotherapy on the reduction of anxiety in women with breast cancer. METHODS: The research was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and control group. For this purpose, 30 patients with breast cancer were randomly divided into two experimental group and control group. Then, all patients completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The experimental group received Logotherapy-based group counseling for eight sessions; however, the control group did not receive any specific training. In the end, both groups were tested again. After collecting the questionnaires, data was analyzed by the statistic software SPSS version 18 and using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: The research results showed that group Logotherapy was effective in reducing anxiety in women with breast cancer (p<0.005). In other words, this intervention could reduce anxiety in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that in line with current medical treatment, psychosocial interventions can be used to reduce anxiety in the breast cancer patients.