Aluminum poisoning has been reported in some parts of the world. It is one of the global health problems that affect many organs. Aluminum is widely used daily by humans and industries. Residues of aluminum compounds can be found in drinking water, food, air, medicine, deodorants, cosmetics, packaging, many appliances and equipment, buildings, transportation industries, and aerospace engineering. Exposure to high levels of aluminum compounds leads to aluminum poisoning. Aluminum poisoning has complex and multidimensional effects, such as disruption or inhibition of enzymes activities, changing protein synthesis, nucleic acid function, and cell membrane permeability, preventing DNA repair, altering the stability of DNA organization, inhibition of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity, increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inducing oxidative stress, decreasing activity of antioxidant enzymes, altering cellular iron homeostasis, and changing NF-kB, p53, and JNK pathway leading to apoptosis. Aluminum poisoning can affect blood content, musculoskeletal system, kidney, liver, and respiratory and nervous system, and the extent of poisoning can be diagnosed by assaying aluminum compounds in blood, urine, hair, nails, and sweat. Chelator agents such as deferoxamine (DFO) are used in the case of aluminum poisoning. Besides, combination therapies are recommended.

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Introduction:Older people are at risk for polypharmacy due to multiple chronic diseases. Considering the lack of information in this regard, the aim of this study was to investigate the state of polypharmacy among the elderly in the city of Amirkola in northern part of Iran.Materials and Methods:This descriptive/analytical cross-sectional study is a part of Amirkola Health and Aging Project that was conducted on 1616 individuals aged 60 years and over. The data about medications were gathered through interviews and observation of prescriptions and medications consumed by patients. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 18, and P ≤ 0.05 was regarded significant.Results:In this study, 1616 individuals including 883 men (54.6%) and 733 women (45.3%) were investigated. The average age of individuals was 69.37 ± 7.42. Among the investigated individuals, 526 including 368 men (41.7%) and 158 women (21.6%) consumed no medications. The prevalence of polypharmacy in this study was 23.1%, which was 32.7% in women and 15.2% in men (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.93). The most prevalent group of medications used in both genders was cardiovascular drugs.Conclusions:Regarding the considerable prevalence of polypharmacy among the elderly, especially in aged women, serious efforts are required to manage polypharmacy. Provision of educational programs for physicians, personnel of pharmacies, and the staff of health-care centers in order for appropriate and safe consumption of medications in aged people is absolutely necessary.

BackgroundAlthough support is one of the most substantial needs of nursing students during clinical education, it is not clearly defined in the literature.ObjectivesThe current study aimed to explore the concept of support in clinical settings as perceived by nursing students.Materials and MethodsA qualitative content analysis was used to explore the meaning of student support in clinical settings. A purposive sampling with maximum variation was used to select the participants among bachelor nursing students in the nursing school of Babol University of Medical Sciences in the north of Iran. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the perceptions and experiences of seventeen nursing students. Conventional content analysis was applied to analyze the data.ResultsIn the current study, the main theme, nurturance, was emerged with seven subthemes of humanistic behavior with the student, respectful communication with students, accepting the student in the clinical setting, sustaining confidence, need based supervision, accepting the profession in the society and empowerment.ConclusionsNursing students support in the clinical education requires a nurturing care; a care that leads to the sense of worthiness and respectability in students and contributes to the improvement of their clinical abilities.

Patients with hepatitis B use different strategies to cope with this disease. In order for patients to properly face the disease and to live with minimum challenges and limitations, they need to be suitably understood and supported. Therefore, consideration of education and consultation programs regarding the different aspects of this disease is urgent.

Background: The hepatitis B virus infection is a major cause of liver diseases in the world. It mostly affects psychological and social aspects as well as the mental health of patients. The aim of this study was to explain the process of social interactions in patients with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection. Methods: The present study was conducted using the grounded theory method from 2014 to 2016 in the Amol, Babol, and Tabriz health and counseling centers. The data was collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and field notes in order to answer this question: "How does the process of social interaction occur in HBV carriers?" The participants included 18 HBV carriers, 2 spouses of the HBV carries and 2 physicians. Data analysis was conducted using Corbin and Strauss (2008). Results: According to the data analysis, "maintenance of normal social interactions" after diagnosis of the disease is a major concern of the carriers. In order to resolve this concern, they employed some strategies, including disease concealment, protecting themselves and others, and reconciliation with the disease. Conclusion: Following the diagnosis of hepatitis B infection, maintaining normal social interactions is considered as one of the major anxieties of the carriers. Health care teams could help them with their social interactions using the findings.

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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a wide range of clinical symptoms. Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the neurological manifestations among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Rouhani Hospital in Babol. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted in March and April 2020 on patients admitted to Rouhani Hospital in Babol with COVID-19. A number of 230 medical records were selected randomly from a list. The data were collected using the demographic characteristics questionnaire and a checklist for the neurological symptoms. Results: Among the 230 patients with COVID-19 (mean [SD] age, 59.85 [16.22] years; 138 men [60%]), 127 (56%) patients had at least one neurologic symptom. The most common symptoms of the central nervous system disorder were headache (34%), dizziness (25%), and impaired consciousness (20%), and the most prevalent symptoms of the peripheral nervous system disorder were taste impairment (17%) and smell impairment (16%). The occurrence of transient ischemic attack (TIA) in women was significantly higher than in men (P = 0.02). Moreover, the incidence of dizziness, impaired consciousness, ataxia, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), anorexia, and smell impairment had a significant relationship with age (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The neurological manifestations are prevalent and substantial among patients with COVID-19. Therefore, it is suggested that the healthcare workers take these symptoms seriously, especially in the outbreak of COVID-19, and take the pertinent preventive and protective measures.