Citrus aurantium blossom may be effective in terms of reduction in preoperative anxiety before minor operation.

This study is aimed to assess the heavy metals contamination and health risk in Shrimp (Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Penaeus monodon) collected from Khulna-Satkhira region in Bangladesh. The results showed that the Pb concentrations (0.52–1.16 mg/kg) in all shrimp samples of farms were higher than the recommended limit. The Cd levels (0.05–0.13 mg/kg) in all samples and Cr levels in all farms except tissue content at Satkhira farm were higher than the permissible limits. The individual concentration of Pb, Cd, and Cr between shrimp tissue and shell in all rivers and farms were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) were estimated to assess the non-carcinogenic health risks. Shrimp samples from all locations under the current study were found to be safe for consumption, the possibility of health risk associated with non-carcinogenic effect is very low for continuous consumption for 30 years.

Aim: People with schizophrenia tend to experience difficulties in social and cognitive function, self-care, residual negative symptoms, high rates of unemployment, and social exclusion. Occupational therapy has contributed to the treatment and rehabilitation of people with severe mental health problems. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of occupational therapy on symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: This survey was an experimental study in which positive and negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia were assessed with a scale for the assessment of positive and negative symptoms (SANS, SAPS, respectively). The study was conducted in Sina Hospital, Shahrekord, Iran. The samples consisted of patients with schizophrenia who were divided randomly into intervention and usual treatment groups (30 patients in each group). The occupational therapy was performed in the intervention group for 18 h/week for 6 months. SANS and SAPS were assessed at the beginning and after 6 months of treatment. Results: The groups were homogeneous in demographic variables, SANS and SAPS scores at baseline. The occupational therapy group showed significant improvement in the total score for the SANS and SAPS at 6 months (P < 0.001), but the control group did not show any significant improvement. Conclusion:The results of this study indicated that occupational therapy combined with medications can improve the symptoms of schizophrenia.

BackgroundMany herbs have been used to treat psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression in traditional medicine.ObjectivesThis study was carried out to determine the effect of using Lavandula angustifilia infusion on depression in patients taking Citalopram.Patients and MethodsAmong all patients referred to the Hajar Hospital psychiatric clinic, Shahrekord, Iran, 80 patients who met the criteria of major depression according to the structured interviews and the Hamilton questionnaire for Depression were included in the study. They were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental treatment group and standard treatment group at this study. In standard treatment group, the patients were given Citalopram 20 mg. In experimental treatment group, the patients took 2 cups of the infusion of 5 g dried Lavandula angustifilia in addition to tablet Citalopram 20 mg twice a day. The patients were followed up for four and eight weeks of the study onset using Hamilton Scale questionnaire and treatment side effects form. Data were analyzed using student t-test, pair t-test and chi square.ResultsAfter four weeks of the trial onset, the mean depression score according to the Hamilton Scale for Depression was 17.5 ± 3.5 in the standard treatment group and 15.2 ± 3.6 in the experimental treatment group (P < 0.05). After eight weeks, it was 16.8±4.6 and 14.8±4 respectively (P < 0.01). In addition, the most commonly observed adverse effects were nausea (12.8 %) and confusion (10%). In terms of side effects, there were no significant differences between two groups.ConclusionsConsidering the results of this study, Lavandula angustifilia infusion has some positive therapeutic effects on depressed patients most importantly decreases mean depression score and might be used alone or as an adjunct to other anti-depressant drugs.

Clostridium difficile is recognized as a major cause of nosocomial acquired antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. It is a significant financial burden on modern healthcare resources. This study aimed to assess the molecular characterization of C. difficile strains isolated from children under 5 years old suffered from nosocomial diarrhea. One hundred diarrheic and 130 non-diarrheic fecal samples were collected from pediatrics less than 5 years old. Samples were cultured and C. difficile isolates were subjected to the PCR technique to study the distribution of ribotypes of C. difficile using P3 and P5 primers. Fifty-two out of 100 samples (52 %) were positive for C. difficile. The prevalence of bacterium in healthy children was 4.61 %. Total prevalence of C. difficile in diarrheic girls and boys were 48.9 and 54.7 %, respectively. Thirteen to twenty-four month age children had the highest prevalence of C. difficile. The most commonly detected ribotypes in the C. difficile isolates of Iranian pediatrics were RT027 (11.52 %), R1 (9.61 %) and R13 (7.68 %). The ribotypes of all of the six bacterial isolates of healthy children was not diagnosed. According to the presence of C. difficile and R27 ribotype, a continued genotype surveillance of this bacterium is necessary to monitor changes in the prevalence of certain strains and to identify the emergence of new strains that could affect future vaccine strategies.

PurposeFebrile seizures (FS) are seizures that occur between the age of 6 and 60 months, but its pathophysiology still is not fully understood. There is limited information about the correlation between levels of selenium and leptin with FS. This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum levels of selenium and leptin in children with FS.MethodsThis case-control study was conducted in a University Hospital in Shahrekord, Iran, in 2011. The serum levels of selenium and leptin of 25 children with simple febrile seizure (case group) were compared with 25 febrile children without seizure (control group) in acute phase and after three months. The levels of serum selenium and leptin were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, respectively.ResultsIn acute phase, the mean serum level of selenium in case and control groups were 95.88±42.55 and 113.25±54.43 µg/dL, respectively, and difference was not significant (P=0.415), but after three months, this level had a significant increase in both groups (P<0.001). In acute phase, the mean serum leptin level in case and control groups were 0.94±0.5 and 0.98±0.84 ng/mL, respectively, but difference was not significant (P=0.405). After three months, serum leptin level had no significant change in both groups (P=0.882).ConclusionThese observations suggest that serum levels of selenium and leptin have not specific relation with FS but overllay is lower, however, further study is recommended. Also selenium level in stress and acute phase was significantly lower than recovery phase.

Background:Despite the availability of an ever-expanding range of typical and atypical antipsychotics, a substantial proportion of patients with schizophrenia show a partial or total lack of response to antipsychotic mono therapy. This study was done to evaluate the effect of purslane on psychologic symptoms of schizophrenic patients.Materials and methods:This randomized clinical trial study was carried out on 60 chronic schizophrenic patients in Sina hospital Shahrekord, Iran during 2011-12. Subjects were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The control group received Risperidone up to 6mg/day and Biperiden 4mg/day for 8 weeks. The Patients in interventional group received 1gr extract of purslane daily with the same regimen for 8 weeks. The scales for assessment of positive symptoms (SAPS) and assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) were recorded in prior and 8th weeks. In addition, CRP and MDA level of patients were assessed in two stage of study.Results:At the end of study, the mean score of positive symptoms were 47.93±18.56 and 57.1±14.83 in intervention and control groups, respectively (P< 0.05), and the mean score of negative symptoms were 40.83±11.03 and 46.13± 9.34 (P< 0.05).The CRP levels of patients in intervention and control groups were .53±.55 and 1.72±.73 at 8 week respectively (P< .05) and the MDA levels were 3.25±1.25 and 5.43± 1.76 respectively (P< .05).Conclusion:According to findings of this study, the use of purslane as an adjunct to Respridone can improve psychological condition of chronic schizophrenic patients and decrease MDA and CRP levels of them.

Adherence to treatment is one of the major problems in hemodialysis patients; however, comprehensive interventions are required in view of individual condition. Implications for Rehabilitation Adherence to treatment means that all patients' behaviors (diet, fluids and drugs intake) should be in line with the recommendations given by healthcare professionals. There is evidence on the association between adherence to treatment and decreased risk of hospitalization in dialysis patients. Individual structured programs are most likely to be successful in encouraging adherence to treatment.