A machine learning-based system for detecting leishmaniasis in microscopic images.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a protozoan, causes numerous deaths in humans each year. After malaria, leishmaniasis is known to be the deadliest parasitic disease globally. Direct visual detection of leishmania parasite through microscopy is the frequent method for diagnosis of this disease. However, this method is time-consuming and subject to errors. This study was aimed to develop an artificial intelligence-based algorithm for automatic diagnosis of leishmaniasis. METHODS: We used the Viola-Jones algorithm to develop a leishmania parasite detection system. The algorithm includes three procedures: feature extraction, integral image creation, and classification. Haar-like features are used as features. An integral image was used to represent an abstract of the image that significantly speeds up the algorithm. The adaBoost technique was used to select the discriminate features and to train the classifier. RESULTS: A 65% recall and 50% precision was concluded in the detection of macrophages infected with the leishmania parasite. Also, these numbers were 52% and 71%, respectively, related to amastigotes outside of macrophages. CONCLUSION: The developed system is accurate, fast, easy to use, and cost-effective. Therefore, artificial intelligence might be used as an alternative for the current leishmanial diagnosis methods.

Social Determinants of Health and Attempt to Change Unhealthy Lifestyle: A Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND: A healthy lifestyle is important because of its long-term benefits; however, there is a paucity of information concerning health choices among Iranians. We evaluated personal health behaviors, attempts to change unhealthy behaviors, and factors affecting attempts at change. METHODS: The design of this cross-sectional study was to assemble a representative cadre of >18-year-old adults in Shiraz, Iran, using a multistage cluster sampling technique. Validated questionnaires collected participant's demographic information, such as weight, height, cigarette smoking history, physical activity, and attempts at lifestyle changes during the previous year. To determine predictors of attempts to change unhealthy lifestyle and to identify confounders, we applied single and multivariable logistic regression methods, respectively. A confidence interval of 95% was calculated for each odds ratio. RESULTS: The prevalence of attempts to change unhealthy lifestyle was 42%, 64.8%, and 27.8%, respectively, for losing weight, being more physically active, and smoking cessation. Unemployment, low levels of education, and decreased socioeconomic status have important roles in attempts to change lifestyle conditions. Low socioeconomic status was a risk factor for quitting smoking. Occupation (unemployed/homemaker) and low level of education were two significant factors for being more physically active. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of inadequate physical activity and being overweight or obese was considerable in Shiraz, Iran. Attempts to change unhealthy lifestyle were less than ideal. Social determinants of health factors including unemployment and low levels of education and socioeconomic status play important roles in attempts to change current lifestyles.

The Prevalence of Headache Among Athletic University Students.

BACKGROUND: Headache is certainly one of the most common medical complaints of general population and one of the important causes of consumption of drugs. Despite its high overall prevalence, the epidemiology of exertional headache is not clear enough. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of headache in athletic and non-athletic university students and also estimating its variation between different sports fields including concussion prone sports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 739 subjects (367 athletes and 372 non-athletes). The present study was carried out on athletic and non-athletic university students aging between 18 to 28 years. An athlete was defined as a person who had at least one year of experience in sports including football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, boxing, martial arts, track and field, chess, handball and swimming for three sessions a week each lasting at least 2 hours. The random selection of these participants was done by an independent statistical consultant. A questionnaire was used for data collection which was then analyzed by statistical methods. RESULTS: Our study comprised 739 subjects (367 athletes and 372 non-athletes). Among athletic university students, 152 (41.2%) participants complained of headache. Such a complaint was present in 217 (58.3%) non-athletic university students. This lower prevalence of headache in athletes was statistically significant (P value < 0.001). Among ten different sports fields, the prevalence of headache among wrestlers was significantly higher than others (P value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of headache is seemingly lower in athletic university students than non-athletic ones. In addition, among athletes, those who are participating in concussion prone sports especially wrestling experience headache more than athletes of other fields.

Satisfaction With Chronic Pain Treatment.

BACKGROUND: The effects of chronic pain (CP) on physical function and emotional and mental health of individuals, families, and community are well established. No adequate research is conducted in this field in Iran. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of CP, types of treatments used for CP and patients' satisfaction with the CP treatments in an Iranian urban population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the current study, CP was investigated using the international CP questionnaire administered to 1,050 adults living in Shiraz, Iran. The questionnaire consisted of 28 questions used to evaluate the effects of CP on the studied population including the prevalence of CP, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for CP, and participants' satisfaction with CP treatments. All the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, version 18. RESULTS: In the current study, 6.95% of the 1,050 subjects willing to participate in the study had CP for more than six months. According to the results, 54% of the subjects with CP used analgesics, mostly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and narcotic analgesics. Besides, 37% of the subjects used other pain relief methods such as traditional medicine and acupuncture. The results also showed an acceptable rate of satisfaction with treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The number of subjects with CP proved it as a prevalent problem in the study population. Furthermore, characteristics and associations of those experiencing CP demonstrated that it might have significant negative health and psychosocial outcomes in this group. The problem was found significant enough to consider special health programs to prevent and manage CP in urban population of Shiraz.

An experience of qualified preventive screening: shiraz smart screening software.

BACKGROUND: Computerized preventive screening software is a cost effective intervention tool to address non-communicable chronic diseases. Shiraz Smart Screening Software (SSSS) was developed as an innovative tool for qualified screening. It allows simultaneous smart screening of several high-burden chronic diseases and supports reminder notification functionality. The extent in which SSSS affects screening quality is also described. METHODS: Following software development, preventive screening and annual health examinations of 261 school staff (Medical School of Shiraz, Iran) was carried out in a software-assisted manner. To evaluate the quality of the software-assisted screening, we used quasi-experimental study design and determined coverage, irregular attendance and inappropriateness proportions in relation with the manual and software-assisted screening as well as the corresponding number of requested tests. RESULTS: In manual screening method, 27% of employees were covered (with 94% irregular attendance) while by software-assisted screening, the coverage proportion was 79% (attendance status will clear after the specified time). The frequency of inappropriate screening test requests, before the software implementation, was 41.37% for fasting plasma glucose, 41.37% for lipid profile, 0.84% for occult blood, 0.19% for flexible sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy, 35.29% for Pap smear, 19.20% for mammography and 11.2% for prostate specific antigen. All of the above were corrected by the software application. In total, 366 manual screening and 334 software-assisted screening tests were requested. CONCLUSION: SSSS is an innovative tool to improve the quality of preventive screening plans in terms of increased screening coverage, reduction in inappropriateness and the total number of requested tests.

Are The Predictors of Hookah Smoking Differ From Those of Cigarette Smoking? Report of a population-based study in Shiraz, Iran, 2010.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tobacco use and effect of lifestyle factors on cigarette and hookah use among adult residents of Shiraz, Iran. METHODS: In 2010, 1,000 participants were recruited in a multistage, random sampling cross-sectional population-based survey. RESULTS: Response rate was 98%. Prevalence of cigarette smoking was 9.7%. Among cigarette users, 12.6% reported smoking <1 year; 13.4% smoked 1-2 years and 73.9% smoked>2 years. Almost half of those surveyed (48.9%) smoked <10 cigarettes per day (cpd); 28.4% smoked 10-15 cpd; 14.8% smoked 16-19 cpd, and 8%>20 cpd. Almost a quarter (20.4%) of the cigarette smokers tried to quit in the past year. Being male, married, aged 37-54, having higher perceived levels of stress, a non-manual occupation, and sedentary lifestyle were positively associated with cigarette smoking. Manual labor occupations, housewife/jobless status, and going frequently to restaurants were positive predictors of hookah smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to cigarettes, hookah smoking was more prevalent among Iranian adults. Approximately, the prevalence of hookah smoking in women is the same as men, whereas cigarette use was 31 times more common in men. Cigarette and hookah smoking were associated with less healthy lifestyle habits in both men and women.

Transportation behaviors in Shiraz, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Motor vehicle accidents can occur as a result of improper driver behavior. There needs to be a comprehensive collection of information concerning driver behavior and its predisposing factors. METHODS: Study participants (500 males and 500 females ≥18 years old) living in Shiraz, Iran, were selected using a multistage sampling methodology. Data came from questionnaires completed using a face-to-face interview process. Independent variables such as age, gender, marital status, occupation, educational level, socioeconomic status (SES), and history of smoking and stress levels were compared to the dependent variables using a private automobile, public transportation, or motorcycle, wearing a seat belts, wearing safety helmets, and obeying the speed limit. Statistical significance was set at a P value of .05 or less. RESULTS: In general, female, better educated persons, and those with higher SES reported better driving behaviors. Better drivers also did not use tobacco or hookah. Compliance with driving safety factors was disappointing 49.8 percent always wore a seat belt, 22.4 percent always wore a safety helmet (29.4% never wore a helmet), and 49.4 percent always observed the speed limit. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve driver safety compliance in Shiraz, Iran. One factor that can be addressed concerns regulation of male drivers, especially among lower SES groups.