IntroductionTraffic injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability in many countries. The knowledge, attitudes, and practice of drivers towards traffic regulations are key factors in decreasing traffic injuries and deaths. The objectives of this research were to study the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of taxi drivers towards traffic regulations in Bandar-Abbas, Iran, and to determine the relationships between demographic features and knowledge, attitudes, and practice of taxi drivers towards traffic regulations.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was done in 2014 in Bandar-Abbas, Iran (Hormozgan Province). To study the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of 241 intra-city taxi drivers towards traffic regulations, researchers developed questionnaires and a checklist. The chi-squared test was performed to determine the relationships between knowledge, attitude, and practice of drivers towards traffic regulations and demographic features.ResultsAmong the 241 drivers, 50 of them (20.7%) thought that the seat belt could cause discomfort while driving, and 107 (44.4%) did not wear a seat belt while driving. The study determined that there was a significant difference between the knowledge and work experience of the drivers (p = 0.014). The 94 drivers (43.5%) in the 31–40 year age group had positive attitudes towards traffic regulations (among 216 drivers expressed positive attitudes) and 92 (44.4%) of the drivers in this age group had safe practices towards traffic regulations (among 207 drivers with safe practice).ConclusionMany of the taxi drivers in Bandar-Abbas had inadequate knowledge, less positive attitudes, and risky practices towards traffic regulations. Implementation of effective intervention programs may increase the taxi drivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards traffic regulations.

BackgroundPercutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the most common revascularization procedure, with over 1 million performed each year, worldwide. Over the past 20 years, the increasing experience of operators coupled with the advent of newer technologies, including coronary stents and a variety of adjuvant drug therapies, have permitted more successful procedures and decreased the morbidity associated with PCIs.ObjectiveTo identify the incidence, predictors, and clinical implications of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) after PCIs.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was done in Bandar Abbas in Iran in 2015. All patients which treated with PCI in Shahid Mohammadi Hospital during a one-year period were employed. A total of 192 patients were included. At one-year follow-up in this study, incidence and predictors of MACE were evaluated in a prospective study. The data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 and descriptive tests included frequency and percentage and mean and standard deviation. Also, Chi-square test was used for data analysis. A p value <0.05 was determined as significant.ResultOf the 192 patients, 126 (65.6%) were men and 66 patients were female. Stent had been implemented in 93.8% of patients. Sixty two percent of patients were treated with only one stent, two stents were deployed in 29.7% of patients and 3.6% of patients were treated with three or more stents. Of these patients, 46.9% were treated with Drug Eluted Stent (DES) and 40.1% were treated with Bare Metal Stent (BMS). Both types of stents were used in 8.3% of patients. Also, 4.7% of the patients were treated with balloon angioplasty (POBA). Angioplasty success rate was 95.3% and procedural success rate defined as achieving TIMI III flow with residual coronary stenosis under 30%. No in-hospital mortality or emergency CABG was reported. Re-admission in first year after PCI was required in 34 (17.7%) patients of which, 20 of them (10.4%) needed target vessel revascularization (TVR). Readmission was significantly higher (p=0.034) in the group with BMS compared to those who had DES. MI occurred in 8 patients.ConclusionOur study showed the superiority of DES in comparison with BMS in decreasing readmission and less TVR, but no effect on long term mortality. We recommend more studies in this setting because patients in special groups may benefit more from DES or BMS.

Background: The most common type of neuropathy in adults is carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) which is caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine the efficacy of gabapentin on nerve conduction studies in patients with mild CTS. The patients with mild CTS were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A received naproxen alone (500 mg/day, orally) while group B received both gabapentin (100-300 mg) and naproxen (500 mg/day, orally) for two months. Sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and distal motor latency (DML) were performed at baseline and two months after treatment. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups with regards to the outcome parameters before initiation of intervention. The SNCV and DML showed no significant improvements in group A (p>0.05), whereas for group B the SNCV and DML of the median nerve were significantly improved at two months after treatment (p<0.001). Conclusion: Gabapentin was found to be effective for SNCV and DML in patients with mild CTS over a two-month period.

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Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide for which several risk factors have been identified. Kisspeptin is a multifunctional peptide observed in atherosclerotic plaques. This study aimed to compare kisspeptin serum levels in AMI patients and healthy individuals. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on patients visiting the Cardiology department of Peymanieh Hospital, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Participants were randomly divided into a case and a control groups; the former consisting of 90 AMI patients and the latter of 90 healthy individuals with no cardiac diseases. Blood samples were collected from the participants who also completed the given questionnaire. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was used to determine kisspeptin levels following serum separation from collected blood samples. Data analysis was performed in SPSS-19 using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and analytical (The Mann-Whitney U test) statistical tests.