Introduction Subjective health perceptions affect sexual function differently in males and females; such differences, however, have not hitherto been studied comprehensively in kidney-transplant recipients. Aim This study sought to investigate gender effect on the correlation between sexual function and quality-of-life (QOL) subdomains in kidney-transplant recipients by evaluating intercourse frequency (IF) and intercourse satisfaction (IS). Methods In a cross-sectional study, 124 married kidney-transplant recipients, who were randomly selected, were interviewed. The bivariate correlations between QOL subdomains, and IF and IS were analyzed with the Pearson test in the males and females, separately. Main Outcome Measure The IF and IS using the relationship and sexuality scale, and also the QOL using Short Form 36 (SF-36) were assessed. Results Sixty-seven subjects (54%) reported having no intercourse within the preceding months. Fifty subjects (40%) reported having no intercourse satisfaction. While IF and IS correlated with the total SF-36 score in the males (r =0.252 and 0.263, P <0.05), there was no such correlation in the females. In the males, IS correlated with physical health (r =0.281, P <0.05) and physical function (r =0.274, P <0.05), and there was a correlation between IF and role limitation due to emotional problems (r =0.250, P <0.05). In the females, whereas IF correlated with general health (r =0.372, P <0.05) and mental health (r =0.305, P <0.05), there was no correlation between IS and QOL subdomains (P  > 0.05). Conclusion Sexual function and satisfaction seem to be correlated with mental and physical health in female and male kidney-transplant recipients, respectively. Although in the two genders, both physical and mental health should be equally evaluated; improving of the sexual function may be better achieved through different approaches.

Objectives Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are significant problems as public health issues which need attention. Such infections are significant problems for society and healthcare organizations. This study aimed to carry out a systematic review and a meta-analysis to analyze the prevalence of HAIs globally. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases including EMBASE, Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science between 2000 and June 2021. We found 7031 articles. After removing the duplicates, 5430 studies were screened based on the titles/ abstracts. Then, we systematically evaluated the full texts of the 1909 remaining studies and selected 400 records with 29,159,630 participants for meta-analysis. Random-effects model was used for the analysis, and heterogeneity analysis and publication bias test were conducted. Results The rate of universal HAIs was 0.14 percent. The rate of HAIs is increasing by 0.06 percent annually. The highest rate of HAIs was in the AFR, while the lowest prevalence were in AMR and WPR. Besides, AFR prevalence in central Africa is higher than in other parts of the world by 0.27 (95% CI, 0.22–0.34). Besides, E. coli infected patients more than other micro-organisms such as Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In hospital wards, Transplant, and Neonatal wards and ICU had the highest rates. The prevalence of HAIs was higher in men than in women. Conclusion We identified several essential details about the rate of HAIs in various parts of the world. The HAIs rate and the most common micro-organism were different in various contexts. However, several essential gaps were also identified. The study findings can help hospital managers and health policy makers identify the reason for HAIs and apply effective control programs to implement different plans to reduce the HAIs rate and the financial costs of such infections and save resources.

Background: Parkinson’s disease can adversely affect the quality of life. Aims: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of global literature on the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease and examined the association between patient characteristics and quality of life. Methods: We searched Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science from January 2000 to January 2020. We included articles published in English that used the Parkinson’s disease questionnaire to estimate the quality-of-life score and to identify the determinants of quality-of-life in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Results: In total, 41 studies with data from 4060 patients who had Parkinson’s disease met our inclusion criteria. The overall quality-of-life score was 32.37 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 28.72–36.01). Age and duration of disease were inversely related to quality-of-life (P < 0.001). South America had the highest score on the questionnaire (39.73, 95% CI: 28.66–50.79, P < 0.001), indicating the lowest quality-of-life of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Of the 6 World Health Organization regions, the Eastern Mediterranean Region had the highest score (36.28, 95% CI: 23.44–49.13, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Although the global score in patients with Parkinson’s disease indicated an acceptable quality-of-life, there is a possibility for improvements. The findings of this study can inform evidence-based strategies by health policymakers and clinicians to enhance the quality-of-life of patients with Parkinson’s disease.

A simple dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplets coupled with spectrophotometric detection was developed for the determination of nitrite in Chabahar Bay seawater. In the preparation procedure, 2,3-diaminonaphthalene as derivatization reagent reacts with nitrite in acidic medium to form a photometric center of 1-[H]-naphthotriazole (NAT). Product material (NAT) was extracted by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with 1-dodecanol as extraction solvent and after centrifugation, the floated droplet was solidified in an ice bath and was easily removed for analysis at λmax = 358 nm. Several important factors affecting the microextraction efficiency were optimized in artificial seawater as a best simulation media. Under the optimum conditions, the absorbance of NAT was linear with nitrite concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 11 μg/mL in seawater. Figures of merit of method such as enrichment factor (52), limit of detection (0.094 μg/mL), and repeatability (N = 6, %RSD = % 5) were evaluated as appropriate. Determination of nitrite in Chabahar coastal zone showed that nitrite concentration varied in the range of 0.77–1.76 μg/mL with an increase of concentration from South to the North of Bay.