The Nature of Oman’s Relations with Iran

The effectiveness of a psycho-educational nursing intervention on illness perception, knowledge and expressed emotion of caregivers of patients with first episode psychosis

Background: Psycho educational nursing intervention to families of patients with first-episode psychosis is highly recommended to assist families to overcome feelings of stress, guilt, stigma, loss of control and to promote recovery of patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of psych educational nursing intervention on illness perception, level of knowledge and level of expressed emotion of caregivers of patients with first episode psychosis.Methods: Research design: a quasi-experimental research design (one group pre-posttest) was used to achieve the aim of the study. The study was conducted at three psychiatric and mental health governmental outpatient clinics. A convenience sample of 50 caregivers was used. Data was collected using socio demographic data questionnaire, family questionnaire, knowledge questionnaire, and illness perception questionnaire.Results: There were clinically significant improvement among the caregivers' level of knowledge and illness perception at post test of psycho educational nursing intervention than before intervention, while level of expressed emotion was improved post the psycho educational nursing intervention but without obvious significant difference.Conclusions & Recommendation: Psycho educational nursing intervention was effective in improving caregivers' level of knowledge, illness perception and expressed emotion. The study recommended to urgently utilize psycho educational nursing intervention to all caregivers of patient with first episode psychosis in all psychiatric hospitals.

Prognostic value of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background : The prognostic value of Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still indistinct. We conducted this study to assess the prognostic significance of pretreatment PLR in patients with unresectable NSCLC. Aim of the Work : To assess the prognostic significance of pre-treatment PLR in patients with NSCLC. Material and Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 130 patients treated for NSCLC with definitive/palliative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in Ain-Shams Universit hospital, Clinical Oncology department between January 2014 and December 2016. Pre-treatment CBC was available for the 130 patients to calculate PLR by dividing the absolute platelet count by the absolute lymphocytic count. Results : Out of 130 patients with available pre-treatment complete blood picture, population age ranged from 23 to 87 years. Male to female ratio was 4.8:1. Adenocarcinoma presents 51% of cases. Unresectable stage II and stage III present 2% and 27% respectively, while Stage IV presents 69%. Using a cut-off value of 150, a statistically significant correlation between baseline PLR > 150 and presence of distant metastases was found ( p = .043); with a trend towards less advanced stage disease among group of patients with baseline PLR 150 was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (median OS: 10.33 months; 95% CI: 6.23-14.42, compared to patients with PLR < 150; (median OS: 24.63 months, 95% CI:11.5-37.76, p = .008), but not PFS. In multivariate analysis, PLR < 150 was an independent good prognostic factor for OS; (HR = 0.549; 95% CI: 0.314-0.958; p = .035). Conclusion : High PLR is associated with poor OS in patients with unresectable NSCLC.

Mobile Applications for Multiple Sclerosis: a Focus on Self-Management

The explosion of mobile phone users along with the importance of user's role in managing their health provides a unique opportunity for m-Health applications in the management of chronic illnesses such as Multiple sclerosis (MS).

Use of Evidence in Policy Development by Policy Makers and Evidence Generators at the Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum - Sudan

Comparative Study Between China 2018 National Accreditation Standard for Teaching Quality of Clinical Pharmacy and ACPE 2015 Accreditation Standards and Guidelines

Background: Rapid development of the China economy has gradually increase the demand of the medical resources. To please this increasing demand for enhanced medical services, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China has set an “Interim Provisions Administration of Pharmaceutical Affairs in Medical Institutions” in 2002 stated that “the clinical pharmacist should take part in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, provide pharmaceutical care and improve the quality of medical care”. According to these recommendations many colleges and universities have established training programs that are corresponding to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) curriculum in the United States but these universities/ colleges until 2018 have not implemented any uniform curriculum standards for program duration and degree titles. So, in March 2018, China Teaching committee for pharmacy specialty has made a considerable progression decision to improve clinical pharmacy education by providing the first national accreditation standards offered by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (MOE). Materials and Methods: This paper has used descriptive and comparative method to evaluate and compare national accreditation standard for teaching quality of pharmacy in China. According to the ACPE 2015 accreditation standards and guidelines (25 elements). Conclusion: some recommendations and suggestion are stated to enhance and develop this Accreditation to the level of Pharm.D program such as foundational knowledge core, summarized annual assessments of student achievement of relevant didactic and dean responsibilities and other administrative leadership team members tasks need to be clearly stated.

The Evaluation of Serum Levels of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and C-reactive Protein with CA125 as Probable Predictive Factors of Malignancy in Adnexal Masses

Background: Adnexa masses include ovarian masses, fallopian tubes and surrounding connective tissues and are among the most important and common disorders of women’s science. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of serum ESR and CRP changes along with CA- 125 in patients with adnexal tumors. Methods: This research was a crosssectional study. The statistical population consisted of all patients who referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during 12 months from September 2016 to September 2017 with diagnosis of adnexal mass and undergoing surgery. The sample size was 100 people who were selected through convenience sampling method. The method of data collection was such that a blood sample was taken from all patients who were candidates for adnexa masses surgery and kept at room temperature for 30 min and then centrifuged for 10 min at 4000 rpm. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test, correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis. Results: The findings showed that elevated levels of CA125, ESR and CRP were not significantly correlated with tumor type and could not be used for screening alone. However, in cases of malignant tumors, its increased levels may indicate a higher staging of the tumor. Conclusion: According to the results, evaluation of the level of tumor marker CA125 and inflammatory markers of ESR and CRP in malignant tumor can be used to determine appropriate diagnostic therapeutic measures. Key words: Adnexal masses, CA125, C-reactive protein, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Analysis of Manganese Accumulation in the Pituitary Gland and Hippocampus of Smelters Using High Resolution 3-D T1-Weighted MRI

Chronic exposure to excessive manganese (Mn) has neurotoxic eff ects, which can lead to behavioral and motor defi cits. Overexposure to Mn may occur in the smelting and welding industries, and previous studies have found signifi cant Mn accumulation in the basal ganglia of exposed populations using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MRI can identify Mn accumulation in the brain because Mn acts as a contrast agent, increasing the signal in T1-weighted images. This study investigates brain Mn accumulation in the pituitary gland and hippocampus. High-resolution 3-D T1-weighted images from a former study on 10 Mn ore smelters and 10 controls with no history of exposure were analyzed. 3-D volumes of interest (VOI) were placed in the pituitary gland and right and left hippocampi. A separate VOI was placed in the neck muscle as an internal reference. The relative signal intensity for each region was determined by calculating the ratio of the brain region to the neck, which represents the relative Mn accumulation in that region. Group diff erences were tested using linear regression.

Chromatographic Separation, Total Determination and Chemical Speciation of Mercury in Environmental Water Samples Using 4-(2-Thiazolylazo) Resorcinol-Based Polyurethane Foam Sorbent-Packed Column

A simple method has been developed for quantitative retention of traces of mercury(II) ions from aqueous media using polyurethane foams (PUFs) loaded with 4-(2thiazolylazo) resorcinol (TAR). The kinetics and thermodynamics of the sorption of mercury(II) ions onto PUFs were studied. The sorption of mercury(II) ions onto PUF follows a first-order rate equation with k = 0.176 ± 0.010 min. The negative values of ΔH and ΔS may be interpreted as the exothermic chemisorption process and indicative of a faster chemisorption onto the active sites of the sorbent. The sorption data followed Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D–R) isotherm models. The D-R parameters β, K DR and E were 0.329 mol kJ, 0.001 μmol g and 1.23 ± 0.07 kJ/mol for the TAR-loaded PUFs, respectively. An acceptable retention and recovery (99.6 ± 1.1%) of mercury(II) ions in water at ≤10 ppb by the TAR-treated PUFs packed columns were achieved. A retention mechanism, involving absorption related to “solvent extraction” and an “added component” for surface adsorption, was suggested for the retention of mercury(II) ions by the used solid phase extractor. The performance of TAR-immobilized PUFs packed column in terms of the number (N), the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP), the breakthrough and critical capacities of mercury(II) ion uptake by the sorbent packed column were found to be 50.0 ± 1.0, 1.01 ± 0.02 mm, 8.75 and 13.75 mg/g, respectively, at 5 mL/min flow rate.

Aneurysmal Bone Cyst in Sino-nasal Region

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are vascular, rapidly expanding, and locally destructive cystic lesions. It is primarily found in childhood and adolescence. They typically involve the long tubular bones. Approximately 3–6% presented in the head and neck region, with the mandible being the most common site. Involvement of the ethmoid sinuses is extremely rare with only 13 cases reported in English literatures. Here we are presenting as an example an atypical case of an adolescent male patient, which had chief complaint of right-sided nasal blockage and right eye proptosis of 6-month duration. Local examination of the face showed right eye proptosis, with bulging around the right medial canthus and lateral wall of the nose. MRI revealed multiple fluid-fluid levels of varying signal intensities on T2-weighted image suggestive of aneurysmal bone cyst. Endoscopic sinus surgery was carried out to remove the swelling and tissue specimen sent for histopathology, which confirmed the diagnosis. Patient had smooth recovery after. Throughout this chapter, we will discuss aneurysmal bone cyst from its name, origin, and histopathology. Hence, the field of interest here is sino-nasal region, thorough discussion for ABC in sino-nasal region including its clinical presentation, how to reach into diagnosis, treatment method, and finally the prognosis and recurrence.