Iranian Journal of Public Health最新文献

Background: Along with the increasing prevalence of ESRD in developing countries, the use of more up-to-date statistical models is highly recommended. It is crucial to control potential cure pattern and heterogenicity among patients.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, the data of 170 hemodialysis patients who visited the dialysis department of Shafa Hospital in Kerman from 2006 to 2016 were collected. To provides robust estimates the time to event data (death) were analyzed with a gamma frailty mixed cure Weibull model (MC-WG) using Bayesian inference.

Results: About 49% of patients experienced the death and median survival time was 37.5 months. Older patients (0.264), female patients (0.269), and patients with higher mean serum urea levels (0.186) had a higher risk of death. Moreover, we observe a decrease in death with increase in Creatine (Cr).

Conclusion: In the MC-WG Bayesian model, the diabetes, AST, calcium, phosphorus and uric acid variables had a significant effect on the survival of hemodialysis patients, while they were not significant in the Cox PH model. The results of MC-WG Bayesian model are more consistent with other studies.

Background: Nowadays, blended learning in medicine (BLM) has gained the attention of most experts as an invaluable approach to improving the quality of medical education. The level of attention to articles in this field on social networks is substantial. This study aimed to study the effectiveness of published articles in blended learning, indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases between 2013 and 2022, from an altmetrics perspective.

Methods: The research is descriptive-analytical, with a scientometrics approach (using the Altmetrics index). The population includes all the articles on blended learning in medicine, indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases, two well-known citation databases worldwide. Data were extracted using the Altmetrics bookmarklet tool and analyzed with descriptive statistics methods in Excel software.

Results: Out of 1327 articles, 136 articles (10.25%) did not have a digital object identifier (DOI) or PMID number. Mendeley, X (previously Twitter), and Dimensions were the most widely used social networks in blended learning. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia had the highest number of tweets in blended learning in medicine.

Conclusion: The number of articles with altmetrics indicators, categorized by publication year, demonstrates an improvement in the familiarity and use of social media by blended learning researchers in medicine. Blended learning researchers are advised to carefully select reputable journals - preferably with DOI - to increase the visibility and attention to their articles on social media.

Background: We aimed to explore the role of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and cytokinecytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway in the radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance as well as cell stemness in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed mRNAs and signal pathways closely related to differentially expressed mRNAs have also been analyzed in March 2022 at the Jinhua Central Hospital, China. Then, the expression of CXCL12 was detected by qRT-PCR in colorectal cancer cells and testing the effects of transfecting CXCL12 into different CRC-derived cell lines. The effects of CXCL12 on cell proliferation were evaluated by chemosensitivity assay and radiation sensitivity assay.

Results: Bioinformatics analysis of DEGs found a total of 2429 differentially expressed genes, THBS3 and CXCL12 genes are two abnormally highly expressed genes in the CRC. KEGG analysis showed the correlative signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, which is related to cell stemness. Furthermore, the expression of CXCL12 in CRC cells was detected and an increasing trend was obtained in CRC cells. In addition, the chemosensitivity and radiotherapy tolerance were elevated after transfected with CXCL12.

Conclusion: CXCL12 could be a potential promote biomarkers in CRC and also promote the chemosensitivity and radiotherapy tolerance.

Background: Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is a contagious and infectious disease; in the first stage, it destroys the lungs and in the next stage other body organs, such as the spine and long bones. This disease is transmitted through an infected person and due to the weakness of the immune system, the infection intensifies. Tuberculosis has two stages: low activity and high activity. In this article, we have discussed the signs of tuberculosis destruction with high intensity on the bones of prehistory human remains.

Methods: The examples of our research are related to human remains from the ancient cemetery of 4000 years ago from Sagezabad region of Qazvin Province of Iran. That period of history coincides with the Iron Age 2 and 3 in the region. People inside the Sagezabad cemetery were very near to early urban (the late rural) society.

Results: By matching the form of bone destruction with international atlases for tuberculosis, we have reached a satisfactory result in this article. Due to the strong penetration of the infection into the bones, destruction in the remains was high, so it has simplified the diagnosis for us.

Conclusion: We found tuberculosis among the bones. This common ancient disease existed even among Neanderthals.

Background: Enterococci are facultative anaerobic, binary, or chained Gram-positive cocci. The gastrointestinal colonization of hospitalized patients is the most important reservoir of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. We aimed to evaluate retrospectively the screening results of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, studied by the simultaneous (real-time) polymerase chain reaction method on rectal swabs of adult and pediatric patients hospitalized in our hospital in 2019-2021.

Methods: Adult and pediatric patients were included in our study between Jan 2019 and Dec 2021. The results of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, studied with the real-time polymerase chain reaction method from rectal swabs sent from intensive care units and services, were analyzed retrospectively. Isolation of the samples was performed using the Fluorion VRE QLP 1.0 real-time polymerase chain reaction kit (Iontek, Turkey), and detection was performed with the Fluorion Detection System (Iontek, Turkey) real-time polymerase chain reaction device.

Results: Overall, 31,725 patients were included in our study. When evaluated in order of years, in 2019, 379 (7%) of 5,389 adults, 322 (7.4%) of 4,003 children, 234 (5.5%) of 4,185 adults in 2020, 157 (2.4%) of 6,499 children, and in 2021, vancomycin-resistant enterococci were detected in 469 (7.5%) of 6,232 adults and 224 (4.1%) of 5,417 children.

Conclusion: The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci is greater in adults, particularly in intensive care units, compared to children. Infection control precautions and training be augmented in high-risk clinics, while the unnecessary utilization of glycopeptides should be limited.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the functional state of the population of the midlands and highlands of Alai region (Kyrgyzstan) on the basis of body mass index (BMI) and adaptation potential (AP). The characteristic of people with overweight and underweight are presented. A clean dependence of AP on BMI was revealed.

Methods: In Alai region (Kyrgyzstan), 285 citizens of Gulcha village (1.540 m above sea level) and 312 citizens of Sary-Tash village (3.200 m above sea level) were examined in July-August 2023. Blood pressure (BP) was generally measured at rest in the seated position. The BMI and AP were calculated.

Results: In the midlands and highlands BP correspond to the physiological norm. The AP scores in the midlands region for men was 2.32 points, for women - 2.38 points, but in highlands areas these values were slightly higher: for men - 2.52 points, for women - 2.42 points. The total BMI values for men in the midlands and highlands were 23.39 and 23.24 kg/m² respectively, for women in the midlands this indicator became higher than normal (26.53 kg/m²), but in the highlands it corresponded to the norm (24.78 kg/m²).

Conclusion: It is necessary to determine the value of AP, BMI and type of self-regulation of blood circulation when assessing the functional state of residents living in mountain areas. In the highlands overweight, which is one of the significant risk factors for health disorders, with tension of regulatory mechanisms can become a trigger for the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Background: To investigate the efficacy and safety of autologous Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cellular immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy for non-small-cell carcinoma (NSCLC).

Methods: The literature related to the efficacy and safety of autologous CIK cellular immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in NSCLC were collected. The Chinese literature databases were collected from CNKI, Wanfang and Weipu, and the English literature were retrieved from Cochrane Library and PubMed. All literature were retrieved until the year of 2022, and evaluated by its method quality and analyzed by RevMan5.3 software.

Results: A Meta-analysis on the 11 included literature showed that the treatment efficacy and disease control rate (DCR) of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and significantly increased the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ indexes than the control group (P < 0.05), and the incidence of bone marrow suppression, liver injury and gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Compared with single chemotherapy, CIK combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with NSCLC can improve the efficacy of treatment and DCR, significantly improve their immune function, reduce the incidence of adverse reactions, and is beneficial to the recovery of prognosis.

Background: Evaluating the governance capacity of urban public health is the key to improving the level of urban public health. We aimed to evaluate the governance ability of urban public health.

Methods: An index system of governance ability of urban public health was established. The governance ability of urban public health was evaluated, and major constraints against the ability improvement were analyzed through the EM (Entropy Method)-AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process)-TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) model and data of urban agglomeration in Yangtze River Delta, China in 2023.

Results: Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Ningbo rank top 5 in terms of governance ability of public health, and they are in the first echelon. Hefei, Yancheng, Wuxi, Taizhou and Shaoxing rank 6-10, and they are in the second echelon. The remaining 17 cities are in the third echelon. Major sources of governance ability of urban public health and major factors that decrease governance ability are Medical Facility (A12), Health Improvement (A33), Medical Staff (A13), Government Ability (A11), and Health Loss (A34). For urban agglomeration in Yangtze River Delta, China, public health foundations, environmental exposure risks, public health performance, and public health emergencies all can influence the governance ability of public health.

Conclusion: Accurate evaluation of the governance ability of urban public health can provide guidance and policy propositions to improve the governance system of public health and improve the emergency coordination ability of the government.

Background: Health expenditures of countries have an increasing trend in general and identifying variables affecting health expenditure is an important step toward budget planning for financial sustainability. This study aimed to examine the health expenditure of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and identify influential variables.

Methods: The data for the years 2000-2018 of OECD countries' current health expenditure (% of GDP) and economic, demographic, and health variables, considered to affect the health expenditure, to include in the analysis were extracted using the World Bank database (World Bank 2021). Data analys using Chi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) decision tree technique. Fifteen variables in economic, demographic, and health categories are selected to build the CHAID decision tree.

Results: As a result of CHAID analysis, five variables are identified as influential on current health expenditure, which are gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy at birth, death rate, out-of-pocket expenditure, and fertility rate. Thirty-seven OECD countries are classified into eleven groups by the decision rules in terms of the current health expenditure. The high value of the correlation coefficient between the predicted values and the actual values of health expenditure of countries indicates good prediction performance. Moreover, the regression models built using the identified influential variables as explanatory variables give good forecast accuracy.

Conclusion: As an effective tool, the CHAID decision tree technique provides a rule-based model in the form of a tree with nodes and branches, illustrating the splitting process graphically with identified variables and their cut-off points for classification and prediction.