Publications by authors named "Rafie S"

Background: Malnutrition is a significant challenge in stroke patients, affecting both rehabilitation and independence. This study aims to evaluate whether early L-carnitine supplementation can effectively improve anthropometric parameters and malnutrition status in acute-phase ischemic stroke patients to mitigate the catabolic state.

Methods: Eighty-two first-ever ischemic stroke patients were randomly assigned to either the L-carnitine group (1000 mg three times/day for seven consecutive days) or the matching placebo group.

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Introduction: Parkinson's patients with dysarthria often suffer from multiple impairments in speech subsystems, including phonation. The Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) may be considered as a predictor of the onset and severity of Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Investigating the AVQI in Persian-speaking Parkinson's patients compared to healthy controls and its association with disease severity based on Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III (UPDRS-III) and dysarthria severity.

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Background: As of October 2024, 29 states and the District of Columbia allow community pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives. Pharmacists have reported many challenges and barriers to service implementation.

Methods: Concept mapping was used to gather insights from diverse stakeholders to identify resources to facilitate implementation of pharmacist-prescribed contraceptive services.

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Background: The objective of this study was to interview five early adopters of pharmacist-prescribed contraceptive services to gain insight into successful implementation, with a focus on each pharmacy's approach, successes, challenges, lessons learned, and practice implications.

Case Summaries: The five pharmacists who were interviewed included men and women working for independent, chain, and hospital system pharmacies in rural, suburban, and urban areas in various states. Each pharmacy had a unique approach to implementation of pharmacist-prescribed contraceptive services and a variety of service features.

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This study presents a comprehensive investigation into NiCoFeO (x = 0.5) spinel nanoparticles synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal method using Co(NO).6HO and Ni(NO).

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Background: We recently found headache disorders to be highly prevalent among children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-17) in Iran (gender- and age-adjusted 1-year prevalences: migraine 25.2%, tension-type headache 12.7%, undifferentiated headache [UdH] 22.

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Escalating wildfire frequency and severity, exacerbated by shifting climate patterns, pose significant ecological and economic challenges. Prescribed burns, a common forest management tool, aim to mitigate wildfire risks and protect biodiversity. Nevertheless, understanding the impact of prescribed burns on soil and microbial communities in temperate mixed forests, considering temporal dynamics and slash fuel types, remains crucial.

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Objectives: This study aimed to perform a "proof of concept" pilot and assess patient satisfaction of pharmacist provision of medication abortion utilizing an implementation toolkit.

Study Design: Pharmacists completed an online and in-person training followed by an online assessment prior to participating in the pilot. Pharmacists provided medication abortion care using a "no-test" protocol and an implementation toolkit.

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Background: Pharmacies are a promising setting through which to expand access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, including pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP, respectively). We aimed to evaluate and inform the implementation of California's Senate Bill 159 (2019), allowing pharmacists to independently prescribe PrEP and PEP.

Methods: From October through December 2022, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 919 California pharmacists and pharmacy students, primarily recruited via the email listservs of professional organizations.

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding and well-conserved RNAs that are linked to many aspects of development and disorders. MicroRNAs control the expression of genes related to different biological processes and play a prominent role in the harmonious expression of many genes. During neural development of the central nervous system, miRNAs are regulated in time and space.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an uncommon and aggressive neurodegenerative disorder that influences the lower and upper motor neurons. There are low eligible drugs for ALS treatment; in this regard, supplemental and replacement treatments are essential. There are relative studies in the field of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) therapy in ALS, but the different methods, differently used medium, and difference in follow-up periods affect the outcome treatment.

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Background: 90% of United States' counties do not have a single clinic offering abortion care, and barriers to care disproportionately affect low-income families. Novel models of abortion care delivery, including provision of medication abortion in pharmacies, with pharmacists prescribing medication, have the potential to expand access to abortion care. Pharmacists are well-positioned to independently provide abortion care and are highly accessible to patients, however medication abortion provision by pharmacists is not currently legal or available in the United States.

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MnFeO and CoFeO nanoparticles were hydrothermally synthesized to examine their capability in adsorption of Pb (II) and Cr (VI). The adsorbents exhibited a high rate of adsorption, reaching 90% of their adsorption capacity in less than 30 min. Furthermore, the adsorption capability of the Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) was noticeably greater at initial pollutant concentrations smaller than 40 mg/L.

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Ischemic stroke is the major form of stroke with two separate vascular territories. Many risk factors are related to stroke outcomes in both territories. The present descriptive research was carried out on the basis of data obtained from the Safe Implementation of Treatments in Stroke (SITS) registry on Iranian intravenous thrombolysis ischemic stroke cases.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent studies indicate that combining cancer immunotherapy drugs can improve survival rates for patients with advanced mesothelioma who respond to treatment.
  • A trial involving pembrolizumab and nintedanib revealed that patients resistant to these treatments had active immune responses, but also exhibited genetic alterations linked to inflammation and immune suppression in their tumors.
  • Findings suggest that understanding the specific tumor biology of mesothelioma could lead to more effective, tailored combination therapies for better patient outcomes.
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Integrating a pharmacist into a hemodialysis unit significantly reduced medication discrepancies and medication-related problems over time.Medication reconciliation for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program can be optimally performed by a dialysis pharmacist.

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Introduction: Until December 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration impeded abortion access by restricting pharmacists from dispensing mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortion. This study aimed to explore pharmacists' perspectives on dispensing mifepristone.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with pharmacists before and after participating in a pilot project where mifepristone was dispensed from their pharmacies.

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Background: We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of nintedanib, an oral anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with pembrolizumab, an anti-PD1 immunotherapy, in patients with advanced solid tumors (PEMBIB trial; NCT02856425).

Methods: In this monocentric phase Ib dose escalation cohort, we evaluated escalating doses of nintedanib (Dose level 1 (DL1) = 150 mg bid [bis in die, as twice a day]; DL2 = 200 mg bid, oral delivery) in combination with pembrolizumab (200 mg Q3W, IV). Patients received a 1-week lead-in dose of nintedanib monotherapy prior starting pembrolizumab.

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Article Synopsis
  • a significant gap in access to hormonal contraception in rural areas.
  • The study revealed that while only 31% of participants were aware of pharmacists' prescribing abilities, support and acceptability for this service were high after education on the topic.
  • A majority of respondents expressed interest in obtaining contraception from pharmacists, indicating potential for improved reproductive health access in rural communities.
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Objective: To characterize the demographics and practices of pharmacists with The North American Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) credential.

Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was disseminated to pharmacists with the NCMP credential in June 2018. Twenty-four items were posed to respondents regarding demographics, educational background, and employment, in addition to perspectives regarding the utility of the credential in practice.

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According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) guidelines, in acute stroke, the door-to-computed tomography (CT) scan (DTC) time should be less than 25 minutes, and time to injection of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-tPA) [door-to-needle (DTN) time] should be less than 60 minutes. We had a tendency to prospectively collect the clinical and time information of patients who received r-tPA during one year after the initiation of prehospital notification (PN). Patients were divided into three groups, covering patients transferred by Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with and without PN, and non-EMS.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the impact of smart pump interoperability on the frequency, type, and severity of errors in intravenous medication administration in a healthcare setting.
  • Data was collected through observations of medication administration before and after implementing the smart pump system, showing a significant overall reduction in errors.
  • The findings revealed a 16% decrease in medication administration errors, with notable reductions in expired and high-risk medication errors, though some error types still occurred, indicating a need for further research on optimizing technology use in this process.
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Background: Pharmacist contraception care is an innovative practice that is rapidly expanding with policy changes. There is limited literature describing patient experiences with this pharmacist service.

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe patient experiences using pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception in California pharmacies.

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Migraine is considered as one of the most common and disabling diseases of the nervous system that has a great impact on quality of life (QOL) and a little risk of neurologic complications such as stroke. Migraine aura is known to be the result of cortical spreading depression and is associated with higher risk of this complication. Thus, the present study was conducted with the aim to compare the effects of topiramate as an antiepileptic, and propranolol in patients with migraine with aura.

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As increasing numbers of U.S. states and jurisdictions grant pharmacists the authority to prescribe contraception, it is essential that pharmacists understand reproductive justice principles.

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