نشریه یافته
سال بیست و ششم شماره 1 (پیاپی 99، بهار 1403)

Medication errors are among the most important medical errors that can be prevented to avoid significant financial and life-threatening damages. The present study aimed to utilize the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) technique as a preventive measure to identify and assess the risk of medication errors and explore their correlation with demographic factors.

A descriptive-analytical approach was employed to evaluate medication errors in 2023 at Mehr Psychiatric Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran, using a qualitative-quantitative methodology and the FMEA technique. Data collection involved a safety checklist and adherence to standard work instructions. The analysis of error rates was conducted using the Risk Priority Number (RPN) to ascertain the level of risk associated with medication errors.

The findings revealed 59 medication errors across 13 areas, with the highest error in obtaining a complete medical history and the lowest in transferring medication to a box. The average total risk score (RPN) was calculated to be 10.16. Moreover, the present research investigated the relationship between RPN scores and demographic variables and identified a significant association solely with the type of ward (P<0.001).

The study underscores the importance of mitigating medication errors through preventive strategies such as thorough patient history documentation, error identification, prioritization, and the implementation of appropriate solutions to reduce financial and human costs associated with treatment.

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that plays a role in hospital infections. Due to the ability of this bacteria to produce biofilm, its antibiotic resistance has increased. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), due to their small size, can penetrate bacterial cells and destroy the bacterial biofilm. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-biofilm effect of AgNPs and gentamicin on clinical Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected from health centers in Kerman, Iran, and identified by biochemical tests. The antibiotic resistance of the isolates was evaluated against antibiotics, and then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates was assessed by gentamicin and AgNPs. Bacterial isolates were exposed to 2 MIC, 1 MIC, ½ MIC, and ¼ MIC of gentamicin and AgNPs separately, and the results were compared.

The 100% resistance of isolates to oxacillin and penicillin antibiotics was observed, and the resistance percentages 63.33%, 6.66%, and 3.33% to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin, respectively, were confirmed. The MIC of the isolates was from 64 μg/ml to 32 μg/ml against gentamicin, and it was from 10.62 ppm to 5.31 ppm against AgNPs. Comparing the anti-biofilm effect of AgNPs and gentamicin at 1 MIC, ½ MIC, and ¼ MIC, there was a significant difference at the 5% probability level, and the anti-biofilm effect of AgNPs was better than gentamicin.

According to the obtained results, it is suggested that AgNPs be used to control and destroy the biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus with further research.

Attention to supporting and treating infertile couples is of great importance in the context of Iran's population policies. Infertility treatment means identifying and addressing the health issues of couples that have caused their inability to conceive. Supporting infertile couples not only helps improve their chances of fertility but also enhances all aspects of their health and well-being. Facing infertility can be considerably challenging for couples, inducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Social and psychological support, through counseling services and mental health assistance, can help couples better cope with these challenges and prevent isolation and depression. Attention to the needs and problems of infertile couples can assist policymakers and relevant organizations in designing cultural and health policies and programs tailored to address this challenge and implement necessary improvements in this field. It is essential to establish a culture that upholds respect for couples experiencing infertility and prevents discrimination against them. By promoting the dissemination of accurate information and fostering a culture of empathy and compassion towards infertility, this culture may reduce social tension and lessen the burdens experienced by those coping with infertility. However, attention to supporting and treating infertile couples is not just one aspect of population policy. Instead, it should be one of the important priorities within the framework of a comprehensive program to strengthen population health. Supporting couples struggling with infertility should also be a significant priority within such a program.

The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in many countries. Therefore, early-stage breast cancer detection is of great importance in order to improve the chances of detection and treatment, as well as the prevention of women's deaths. Nowadays, despite the progress in cancer treatment, the use of non-molecular technologies, such as gastroscopy, computed tomography, and protein biomarkers, is still at the center of clinical cancer screening. These methods have some disadvantages, including low specificity and sensitivity. As a result, in breast cancer screening, most cancer patients may fail to be diagnosed and then miss the ideal treatment period. The objective of the present study was to examine the efficacy of biomarkers, specifically circulating cell-free DNA, circulating tumor DNA, and exosomes present in peripheral blood plasma, as a non-invasive means of detecting cancer at an early stage. In recent years, many efforts have been made to investigate the relationship between methylation markers and breast cancer. It appears that analyzing the DNA methylation pattern in blood for breast cancer could be a promising candidate for further research to confirm their roles in early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and dynamic monitoring of breast cancer as a non-invasive method. Although the use of blood-based DNA methylation for medical applications is still in its early stages and is along with some challenges (e.g., the lack of unified standards for detection methods between studies and poor reproducibility of selected markers), in some cases, false negative results may be reported due to the low blood-based DNA concentration. However, with the increased sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic kits, their broader applications can be seen in the future.

Papaver plant has various alkaloids that are used in the manufacture of muscle relaxant drugs. For this purpose, this study aimed to assess phytochemical changes and alkaloids of Papaver.

The samples of 6 species of Papaver were collected from Kermanshah, Tehran, Khuzestan, and Lorestan provinces. Phytochemical compounds investigated in the research were used to measure alkaloids by the HPLC method, phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidants by spectrophotometric device and multivariate statistical methods of principal components, and cluster analysis by the Ward method.

The highest and lowest amounts of total phenol were reported in Papaver hybridum and P.rhoeas samples from Lorestan, respectively. The highest and lowest amounts of total flavonoid were detected in Lorestan from P.bracteatum and in Khuzestan province from P. rhoeas species, respectively. The highest and lowest antioxidant activity was reported in P. bracteatum species in Kermanshah province and P. rhoeas species in Khuzestan province, respectively. The results of the principal component analysis illustrated that two main and independent factors explained a total of 70.6% of the total variance. The results of the cluster analysis also indicated that all the studied provinces were very similar in terms of P.rhoeas. Moreover, Lorestan, Kermanshah, and Khuzestan provinces were somewhat similar in terms of P.dubium, P.macrostomum, P.hybridum, and P. bracteatum species.

The amount of phenol, flavonoid, antioxidant activity, and alkaloids of Papaver in this study was affected by the environmental conditions of the collection site and the type of species. In general, the species P. bracteatum is richer in terms of phytochemical properties studied and can be considered in breeding and domestication programs.

COVID-19 was a global epidemic that led to numerous problems, including menstrual disorders in women. The present study aimed to assess the frequency of menstrual disorders and related factors in women with COVID-19.

The descriptive study was conducted on 80 women with COVID-19 in the first six months of 2022. Information was collected using a telephone questionnaire and data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 16) using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and analysis (chi-square and independent t-test).

Based on the results, 43.7% of women had menstrual disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these women, 26.3% and 17.5% of cases considered the disorder to be related to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 infection, respectively. Massive bleeding (17.5%) and low-volume bleeding (7.5%) were the most reported disorders, and Sinopharm (76.3%) and AstraZeneca (15.0%) vaccines were the most used vaccines. The results of statistical tests did not demonstrate a significant relationship between the presence of disorder and other variables (P>0.05).

Menstrual disorders increased during COVID-19 compared to before. Considering the resolution of this disorder after several months, it is recommended that if the disorder is not resolved, it should be referred for identification and follow-up in time to reduce the dangerous consequences of women's diseases.