Background: The aim was to study the effectiveness and safety of a modified technique that employs a four-arm polypropylene (PP) mesh (NAZCA-TC) to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and concurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) simultaneously. Materials and Methods: This prospective follow-up study was conducted on fifty SUI women with concurrent high-grade (greater than Stage 2) anterior vaginal wall and/or uterine prolapse who were referred to Al-Zahra and Noor Hospitals in Isfahan and underwent surgery using the NAZCA-TC, Promedon, Argantina kit. The POP-Quantification system was employed for staging POP before and after surgery. To evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and patients' quality of life, a stress test and the short form of International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire of Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom were used. Patients were followed up and assessed at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery. Results: The mean age of patients was 58.2 ± 10.2 years. There was a great reduction (88.6%) in POP staging after surgery. The success rate of SUI treatment was significantly high (83.5%). During 3 years of postoperative follow-up, mesh erosion occurred in 18%, 5 patients (10%) presented with mesh erosion in the first years after operation, 16% reported significant groin or pelvic pain, and 10% required sling release. Conclusion: A single vaginal incision and using two less percutaneous access sites with the PP meshes were effective for treating patients with concurrent POP and SUI but have a high rate of postsurgery erosion rate.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder that can increase complications during pregnancy and in turn negatively influence pregnancy outcomes. In addition to patients with SCD are at a high risk of been infected with hepatitis C infection. Furthermore in this study, we reported the clinical status of a pregnant woman with SCD who had hepatitis C virus infection.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Different studies have indicated an increasing prevalence of AR worldwide. The most common complaints of the patients are itching, tearing eyes, and rhinorrhea. The present study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of AR among 6–7-year-old children of Isfahan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on 973 67-year-old primary school students of Isfahan Province in 2016. The study was conducted based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Results: This study was conducted on 322 (33.1%) 6-year-old and 651 (66.9%) 7-year-old students. A total of 563 (57.9%) and 410 (42.1%) students were male and female, respectively. AR was diagnosed in 397 (40.8%) cases that 190 (47.8%) and 130 (32.7%) showed seasonal and permanent AR, respectively. A percentage of 44.7% of 6-year-old and 38.9% of 7-year-old (P = 0.04) students, 42.1% of males and 39% of females (P = 0.336), had AR; however, the percentages were not significant (P = 0.005). Exposure to smoking, plants, and domestic association with AR was not significant (P = 0.317, P = 0.863, and P = 0.253, respectively), but infancy breastfeeding association was significant (P = 0.015). Residence in the second area of Isfahan city was accompanied by higher prevalence of AR (P = 0.006). Conclusion: The prevalence of AR was considerably higher in Isfahan as one of the largest cities of Iran. It was significantly associated with age, infancy milk feeding, and area of residence but not with sex, smoking, plant, and domestic exposure.

Background: We report the effect of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) in the intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients with uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective review, 30 eyes with OAG were treated with a single session of MLT at the Vista Clinic in Lima Perú. We used a 532 nm frequency doubled Nd: YAG laser to 360° of the trabecular meshwork with a power of 1000 mW, 15% of the duty cycle, and 300 ms of exposure. The IOP was measured at baseline and at 1 day, 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months post-treatment and were followed up for one last control. Results: The mean baseline IOP was 15.6 mmHg and in the last control was 12.8 mmHg, mean follow-up time of 19 months (±10 standard deviation [SD]). The mean reduction of IOP in the 1^st day was 1.6 mmHg (±2.6 SD) and 1.2 mmHg (±3.3 SD) in the last follow-up. The mean percentage of IOP reduction was 17.9% and 7 eyes (40%) had IOP reduction >20%. No statistical significant difference in relation to demographic characteristics of the patients. The greatest reduction was achieved in the 1^st day with a median of 2.00 (P < 0.001). A tendency to achieve a higher reduction of IOP in patients with higher baseline IOP was found but was not statistically significant. No adverse reactions occurred. Conclusions: MLT slightly reduced the IOP in a few patients with uncontrolled OAG for a very short time and may not be suitable for these patients.

Background: Tracheal intubation is a common action in intensive care unit (ICU); however, it may cause laryngeal edema or laryngotracheal injury which leads to edema. The cuff-leak test is usually done to define the upper airway patency. Considering the point that laryngeal edema would be treated by anti-inflammatory agents, our aim was to evaluate the impact of nebulized budesonide on ICU patients' relief and comparison between nebulized budesonide efficacy and intravenous (IV) dexamethasone. Materials and Methods: In our clinical trial, 270 intubated patients from ICU were randomly selected and divided into three groups (each group was included 90 patients) as follows: IV dexamethasone, nebulized budesonide, and placebo group. All the patients were monitored at 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h of starting follow-up. Hemodynamic parameters and cuff-leak ratio were measured and data were analyzed using SPSS (ver. 20). Results: Our findings revealed that dexamethasone and budesonide treatment approaches were beneficial for an increase of cuff-leak volume (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the superiority of mentioned methods in patients' relief was significant compared with placebo group (P < 0.001). Moreover, hemodynamic parameters were not altered and were within the normal range in both dexamethasone and budesonide groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that the use of budesonide and dexamethasone is beneficial in intubated ICU patients, and the above-mentioned approaches can reduce the complications of tracheal intubation. Furthermore, budesonide could be a trustworthy substitute treatment strategy instead of IV dexamethasone.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is expressing a broad range of different hemolysins enhancing its ability to establish and maintain infection in humans. The aim of this study was to identify the types of hemolysins in different clinical isolates of S. aureus and their association with antibiotic resistance patterns. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, clinical isolates of S. aureus were collected from Hamedan's hospitals during an 11-month period from June 2016 to January 2017 and identified by using biochemical tests. To determine the antibiotic resistance pattern, disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were conducted. Genomic DNA was extracted using extraction kit. The polymerase chain reaction was done with specific primers for identification of hla, hlb, hld, and hld genes. Results: Among a total of 389 clinical samples, 138 isolates (35.45%) of S. aureus were identified, which 87 isolates (63.04%) were cefoxitin MIC of >4 μg/ml and resistant to methicillin. The highest frequency of antibiotic resistance was observed against erythromycin in 108 isolates (78.26%) and penicillin in 133 isolates (96.37%) and the lowest resistance was against gatifloxacin in 50 isolates (36.23%) and Cefazolin in 11 isolates (97.7%). Furthermore, the hla, hlb, hld, and hlg genes were detected among 11 (7.97%), 7 (5.07%), 16 (11.59%), and 4 (2.89%) isolates, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the presence of alpha and delta hemolysin-encoding genes and the antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results exhibited that the association between the presence of the hemolysin genes and the antibiotic resistance pattern can be considered as a serious issue.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Anemia is seen as a common comorbidity in COPD patients associated with reduced functional capacity, impaired quality of life, greater likelihood of hospitalization, and early mortality. The aim is to study the prevalence of anemia in patients with COPD and to study its association with different parameters. Materials and Methods: In the present case–control study, 150 stable COPD patients were enrolled from the Outpatient Department of Respiratory Medicine, King George Medical University, Lucknow, from October 2015 to January 2017. GraphPad PRISM version 6.01 was used for the analysis of data. Chi-square test was used to compare between the groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The present study showed the prevalence of anemia in COPD patients to be 31.6%. The mean hemoglobin level in anemic group was 11.04 ± 1.1 g/dl, whereas in nonanemic group, it was 13.9 ± 0.8 g/dl. Anemia was significantly associated with increased dyspnea in our study which was assessed by modified Medical Research Council grade (P = 0.04). Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia in COPD patients was 31.6%. Anemia is present as comorbidity in COPD patients and is associated with poor quality of life and increased morbidity in the form of number of exacerbation and hospital admission. Identification and correction of anemia in COPD patients may improve their clinical outcome.

Background: Forced exercise can act as non-pharmacologic neuroprotective agent. In current study, we tried the involved molecular mechanisms of protective effects of forced exercise against methamphetamine induced neurodegeneration. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male rats were divided to Group 1 and 2 which received normal saline and methamphetamine (10 mg/kg) respectively for 30 days. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were treated with methamphetamine for first 15 days and then were treated by forced exercise, bupropion (20 mg/kg/day) or combination of them for the following 15 days. Between 26^th and 30^th days, Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to evaluate the cognition. On day 31, hippocampus was isolated from each rat and oxidative, antioxidant and inflammatory factors also the level of total and phosphorylated forms of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) proteins were also evaluated. Results: Chronic abuse of methamphetamine could decreases cognition and increase malondialdehyde (MDA), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), while caused decreases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities all these changes was significant (P < 0.001) in compared to control group while treatment with bupropion, forced exercise and bupropion in combination with forced exercise could prevent all these malicious effects of methamphetamine (P < 0.001). Bupropion, forced exercise and bupropion in combination with forced exercise could activate CREB (both forms) and activates BDNF proteins' expression with P < 0.001 in methamphetamine treated rats. Conclusions: P-CREB/BDNF signaling pathways might have critical role in forced exercise protective effects against methamphetamine induced neurodegeneration.