Medicina
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Background and objectives: Having fair access to medical services may probably be a standard feature and indisputable right of all health policies. The health policy of Iran enunciates this right. Unfortunately, as may happen in many countries, the execution of this policy depends on different factors. ⋯ Outcomes demonstrated that Iran is generally suffering a shortage and unsuitable distribution of specialists and subspecialists. This lack is particularly crucial in deprived and areas far away from the cities. Conclusions: The present study analyzed in detail research studies regarding policies and challenges that reflect on the provision of specialists and subspecialists in Iranian rural areas.
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Background and objectives: In recent years, a growing body of research has focused on identifying possible biological markers for suicidal behavior, including infective and immunological markers. In this paper, our aim was to review available evidence concerning the association between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and suicide. ⋯ Results: We found inconsistent evidence linking CMV infection and suicide, with some papers reporting an association between CMV seropositivity and suicidal behavior, and others not finding the association. Conclusions: With the evidence available presently, it is not possible to infer whether there is a correlation between suicide and CMV infection.
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Background and Objectives: The tie-over bolster technique has been conventionally used for skin graft fixation; however, long operative times and postoperative pain are the main disadvantages of this method. In this study, we introduce a new method using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) with a silicon-based dressing as an alternative for skin graft fixation. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of the VAC plus silicon-based dressing method and the conventional tie-over bolster technique for skin graft fixation in terms of pain, operative time, and skin graft take rate. ⋯ No significant differences in age, gender, and graft area were noted between the two groups of patients. The VAC plus silicon-based dressing group demonstrated higher skin graft take rates (p < 0.05), shorter operation times (p < 0.05), and lower levels of pain (postoperative pain and pain during dressing removal) compared with the tie-over bolster technique group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that VAC with silicon-based dressing can be used for skin graft fixation due to its superior properties when compared with the conventional method, and can improve the quality of life of patients undergoing skin graft fixation.
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Comparative Study
Single-Center Study of Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix over a 10-Year Period.
Background and objectives: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a histological type of malignant tumor arising from the uncontrolled mitosis of transformed cells originating in epithelial tissue. It is a rare subtype of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. There are significant differences in frequency, mean age, viral status, and outcomes in Asian or Caucasian patients. ⋯ The overall survival rate was 76.47% for the study period and the 5-year survival rate of the patients that were followed-up until the 5th year (14 patients) was 69.23%. Conclusions: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a rare SCC subtype, but it could be more frequent among western patients than previously thought. Our results do not confirm the data showing low risk of lymph metastasis and good prognosis of LELC, which is why we think that the treatment in these cases has to be more aggressive than is reported in the literature.
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Comparative Study
Comparative Spectrographic Analysis of the Newborns' Cry in the Presence of Tight Intrapartum Nuchal Cord vs. Normal using the Neonat App. Preliminary Results.
Background and objectives: The objective of this study was to contribute to the evaluation of the newborn (NB) cry as a means of communication and diagnosis. Materials and Methods: The study implied the recording of the spontaneous cry of 101 NBs with no intrapartum events (control sample), and of 72 NBs with nuchal cord (study sample) from the "Bega" University Clinic of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Neonatology of Timisoara, Romania. ⋯ Results: The differences between the cry of NBs with no intrapartum events and that of NBs affected by nuchal cord are statistically significant regarding the volume unit meter (VUM) (p = 0.0021) and the peak point meter (PPM) (p = 0.041). Conclusions: While clinically there are no differences between the two groups, the cry recorded from the study group (nuchal cord group) shows distinctive characteristics compared to the cry recorded from the control group (eventless intrapartum NBs group).