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Value chain mapping of the water and sewage treatment to contribute to sustainability

Chofreh AG, Goni FA, Zeinalnezhad M, Navidar S, Shayestehzadeh H, Klemeš JJ

J Environ Manage, 2019 Jun 01;239:38-47.
PMID: 30878873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.023

Inaccessible hygiene water sources and sanitation are one of the sustainability issues that need to be solved. An attempt to solve this problem is to change the conventional system used in the water supply and sewage treatment to sustainable water and waste management. To transform the system, companies initially need to map their business value chain. However, this process is often not receiving a full attention by the organisation. In an academic perspective, there are limited studies that map the value chains of water and waste systems. To overcome this limitation, the present study aims to map the value chain processes of the water and wastewater utility companies towards a sustainability solution. A review of related studies is used to conduct this study. Khuzestan Urban Water and Sewage company in Iran has been selected as case studies. The mapping results indicate a lack of sustainability integration in a water management system that leads to ineffective and inefficient water management. Value chain mapping process is significant for practitioners, particularly in the water and sewage companies, as a starting point for transforming their conventional water management systems towards sustainability. Experts at the company stated that value chain mapping as part of value chain analysis enables organisations to increase operational efficiency and eliminate waste by 57%.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Microbial biodiversity of Tang and Pirgal mud volcanoes and evaluation of bio-emulsifier and bio-demulsifier activities of Capnophile bacteria

Parsia Y, Sorooshian S

Data Brief, 2017 Dec;15:262-271.
PMID: 29034291 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2017.08.041

The data presented in this article is related to the Master thesis; entitled "Survey Aerobic Microbial Diversity Mud Volcanoes in Chabahar and Khash Ports in Southern Iran" by the first author of this article, year 2011, Islamic Azad University, Iran (reference number (Parsia, 2011) [1] of this article). This article shows microbial biodiversity and evaluates bio-emulsifier and bio-demulsifier abilities of capnophile isolates, in order to introduce a superior isolate for the Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) process in the petrochemical industry.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Physicochemical and biological status of Aghlagan river, Iran: effects of seasonal changes and point source pollution

Asadi Sharif E, Yahyavi B, Bayrami A, Rahim Pouran S, Atazadeh E, Singh R, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Mar;28(12):15339-15349.
PMID: 33236302 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11660-9

Although the macroinvertebrates have been widely used as bio-indicator for river water quality assessment in developed countries, its application is new in Iran and data on the health status of the most ecologically important rivers in Iran is scarce. The present study aimed at monitoring and assessing the ecological quality of Aghlagan river, northwest of Iran, using integrated physicochemical-biological approaches. A total of 14,423 samplings were carried out from the headwater to downstream sites at four stations (S1, 2, 3, 4) by a Surber sampler (30 cm × 30 cm) from June 2018 to April 2019. The results obtained from macroinvertebrate biotic index revealed that the genera of Gammarus (Amphipoda) and Baetis (Ephemeroptera) were the most abundant in all seasons. The PAST software was applied to analyze the diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner diversity, Evenness, and Simpson indices). Based on the cluster analysis, S3 established the least similarity to other stations. The average frequency of each macroinvertebrate species was determined by one-factor analysis of similarities (ANOSIM). In accordance with canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), temperature and phosphate were found as the dominant factors effecting the macroinvertebrate assemblage and distribution. Moreover, the results obtained from the biological indices concluded very good quality of S4 by Helsinhoff and EPT indices and fair quality using BMWP index. The data on the macrobenthos assemblage and dynamics in the Aghlagan river across a hydraulic gradient provided useful information on water management efforts that assist us to find sustainable solutions for the enhanced quality of the river by balancing environmental and human values.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Isoenzyme profiles and phylogenetic analysis of Giardia duodenalis isolates from Iranian patients

Rayani M, Unyah NZ, Vafafar A, Hatam GR

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Nov;27(32):40652-40663.
PMID: 32671708 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10062-1

The main objective of this study was to characterize the Giardia duodenalis isolates from Iranian patients in Fars Province, south of Iran by biochemical and molecular methods. Fifteen mass cultivated of G. duodenalis isolates in modified TYI-S-33 medium were analyzed using isoenzyme electrophoresis and PCR genotyping. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of five different enzyme systems was used to characterize isolates: (i) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, (ii) glucose phosphate isomerase, (iii) malate dehydrogenase, (iv) malic enzyme, and (v) phosphoglucomutase. As well, a fragment of the SSU-rDNA (292 bp) gene was amplified by PCR using the primers RH11 and RH4. The sequencing of the PCR products and phylogenetic tree were performed. The isoenzyme electrophoretic profiles divided fifteen G. duodenalis isolates into four zymodemes. G6PD, GPI, MDH, ME, and PGM enzyme systems showed 1, 2, 2, 3, and 3 enzyme pattern, respectively. G6PD isoenzyme pattern had the most homogeneity, while isoenzyme patterns of ME and PGM had the most heterogeneity in our study. Genotyping results indicated that the zymodemes 1-4 were categorized in assemblage A based on the SSU-rDNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all four zymodemes were distributed within the cluster of assemblage A. Our results indicated that both isoenzyme and DNA analyses were useful to characterize the isolates of Giardia and distinguishing various zymodemes and assemblages. It could be suggested that the genetic diversity among isoenzymes profiles of G. duodenalis may explain the variable clinical manifestations, pathogenicity, host response, drug susceptibility, and treatment efficacy of human giardiasis.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
The effects of grape seed extract supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors, liver enzymes and hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Ghanbari P, Raiesi D, Alboebadi R, Zarejavid A, Dianati M, Razmi H, et al.

BMC Complement Med Ther, 2024 May 16;24(1):192.
PMID: 38755622 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04477-3

BACKGROUND: Despite the high antioxidant potential of grape seed extract (GSE), very limited studies have investigated its effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of GSE on metabolic factors, blood pressure and steatosis severity in patients with NAFLD.
METHODS: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial study, 50 NAFLD patients were divided into two groups of 25 participants who were treated with 520 mg/day of GSE or the placebo group for 2 months. The parameters of glycemic, lipid profile, blood pressure and steatohepatitis were measured before and after the intervention.
RESULTS: The GSE group had an average age of 43.52 ± 8.12 years with 15 women and 10 men, while the placebo group had an average age of 44.88 ± 10.14 years with 11 women and 14 men. After 2 months of intervention with GSE, it was observed that insulin, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-c, ALT, AST, AST/ALT, SBP, DBP and MAP decreased and QUICKi and HDL-c increased significantly (p-value for all

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext Effects of laughter yoga on health-related quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial

Namazinia M, Mazlum SR, Mohajer S, Lopez V

BMC Complement Med Ther, 2023 Jun 12;23(1):192.
PMID: 37303065 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04028-2

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy is associated with a wide range of physical and psychological side effects, so complementary and alternative therapies may be practiced as an independent treatment or combined with the standard ones to improve health-related quality of life of cancer patients. Laughter yoga has predominantly been used as a complementary therapy to enhance health and wellbeing of ordinary people and patients with chronic diseases. However, to date, few studies have evaluated the effects of this modern exercise on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in clinical settings, to the best of the authors' knowledge. the present study aimed to investigate the effects of Laughter Yoga on the health-related quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
METHODS: This study was a two-group randomized clinical trial on 69 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Reza Radiotherapy and Oncology Center, Iran in 2018. Patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received laughter yoga for four sessions at one-week intervals. Each session consists of one part and lasts for 20-30 min. Patients' health-related quality of life was assessed before and after the laughter yoga sessions using Quality of Life Questionnaire European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30) version 3.0. SPSS Statistics (v.20 software was used to conduct Chi-square, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon and paired t-tests analyses of the data.
RESULTS: The number of participants in intervention and control groups were 34 and 35, there was no significant difference of demographic and disease related characteristics and pre-intervention HRQOL between two groups. In the intervention group, there is significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores (Mean ± Standard Deviation) of emotional functioning (12.99 ± 10.49), physical functioning (0.78 ± 6.08), role functioning (3.43 ± 7.97), fatigue (-8.82 ± 22.01), pain (-8.33 ± 11.78), sleep disturbance (-15.68 ± 18.77), and global health and quality of life (6.37 ± 5.04) (p

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
The impact of student computer competency on e-learning outcomes: A path analysis model of virtual learning infrastructure, collaboration, and access to electronic facilities

Sharif-Nia H, Arslan G, Reardon J, Allen KA, Ma L, She L, et al.

Nurs Open, 2024 Mar;11(3):e2130.
PMID: 38486130 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.2130

AIM: This study explored the influence of student computer competency on e-learning outcomes among Iranian nursing students and examined its mediating role in the relationship between virtual learning infrastructure, student collaboration, access to electronic facilities, and e-learning outcomes.
DESIGN: A cross sectional study.
METHOD: A self-administered online survey was used from August to October 2022, with a sample size of 417 nursing students selected through convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and PROCESS macro v4.1 (Model 4) were used for data analysis.
RESULTS: The results revealed that virtual learning infrastructure, access to electronic facilities, and student collaboration, significantly predict student computer competency and e-learning outcomes. Virtual learning infrastructure and access to electronic facilities were found to be the strongest predictors of student computer competency, while student collaboration had a smaller but still significant effect. Student computer competency was found to mediate the relationship between virtual learning infrastructure, access to electronic facilities, student collaboration, and e-learning outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Awareness raising and dealing with methanol poisoning based on effective strategies

Jangjou A, Moqadas M, Mohsenian L, Kamyab H, Chelliapan S, Alshehery S, et al.

Environ Res, 2023 Jul 01;228:115886.
PMID: 37072082 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115886

Intoxication with methanol most commonly occurs as a consequence of ingesting, inhaling, or coming into contact with formulations that include methanol as a base. Clinical manifestations of methanol poisoning include suppression of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal symptoms, and decompensated metabolic acidosis, which is associated with impaired vision and either early or late blindness within 0.5-4 h after ingestion. After ingestion, methanol concentrations in the blood that are greater than 50 mg/dl should raise some concern. Ingested methanol is typically digested by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and it is subsequently redistributed to the body's water to attain a volume distribution that is about equivalent to 0.77 L/kg. Moreover, it is removed from the body as its natural, unchanged parent molecules. Due to the fact that methanol poisoning is relatively uncommon but frequently involves a large number of victims at the same time, this type of incident occupies a special position in the field of clinical toxicology. The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in erroneous assumptions regarding the preventative capability of methanol in comparison to viral infection. More than 1000 Iranians fell ill, and more than 300 of them passed away in March of this year after they consumed methanol in the expectation that it would protect them from a new coronavirus. The Atlanta epidemic, which involved 323 individuals and resulted in the deaths of 41, is one example of mass poisoning. Another example is the Kristiansand outbreak, which involved 70 people and resulted in the deaths of three. In 2003, the AAPCC received reports of more than one thousand pediatric exposures. Since methanol poisoning is associated with high mortality rates, it is vital that the condition be addressed seriously and managed as quickly as feasible. The objective of this review was to raise awareness about the mechanism and metabolism of methanol toxicity, the introduction of therapeutic interventions such as gastrointestinal decontamination and methanol metabolism inhibition, the correction of metabolic disturbances, and the establishment of novel diagnostic/screening nanoparticle-based strategies for methanol poisoning such as the discovery of ADH inhibitors as well as the detection of the adulteration of alcoholic drinks by nanoparticles in order to prevent methanol poisoning. In conclusion, increasing warnings and knowledge about clinical manifestations, medical interventions, and novel strategies for methanol poisoning probably results in a decrease in the death load.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext Analysis of the Origin of Emiratis as Inferred from a Family Study Based on HLA-A, -C, -B, -DRB1, and -DQB1 Genes

Al Yafei Z, Hajjej A, Alvares M, Al Mahri A, Nasr A, Mirghani R, et al.

Genes (Basel), 2023 May 26;14(6).
PMID: 37372339 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061159

In this study, we investigated HLA class I and class II allele and haplotype frequencies in Emiratis and compared them to those of Asian, Mediterranean, and Sub-Saharan African populations.
METHODS: Two-hundred unrelated Emirati parents of patients selected for bone marrow transplantation were genotyped for HLA class I (A, B, C) and class II (DRB1, DQB1) genes using reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide bead-based multiplexing. HLA haplotypes were assigned with certainty by segregation (pedigree) analysis, and haplotype frequencies were obtained by direct counting. HLA class I and class II frequencies in Emiratis were compared to data from other populations using standard genetic distances (SGD), Neighbor-Joining (NJ) phylogenetic dendrograms, and correspondence analysis.
RESULTS: The studied HLA loci were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. We identified 17 HLA-A, 28 HLA-B, 14 HLA-C, 13 HLA-DRB1, and 5 HLA-DQB1 alleles, of which HLA-A*02 (22.2%), -B*51 (19.5%), -C*07 (20.0%), -DRB1*03 (22.2%), and -DQB1*02 (32.8%) were the most frequent allele lineages. DRB1*03~DQB1*02 (21.2%), DRB1*16~DQB1*05 (17.3%), B*35~C*04 (11.7%), B*08~DRB1*03 (9.7%), A*02~B*51 (7.5%), and A*26~C*07~B*08~DRB1*03~DQB1*02 (4.2%) were the most frequent two- and five-locus HLA haplotypes. Correspondence analysis and dendrograms showed that Emiratis were clustered with the Arabian Peninsula populations (Saudis, Omanis and Kuwaitis), West Mediterranean populations (North Africans, Iberians) and Pakistanis, but were distant from East Mediterranean (Turks, Albanians, Greek), Levantine (Syrians, Palestinians, Lebanese), Iranian, Iraqi Kurdish, and Sub-Saharan populations.
CONCLUSIONS: Emiratis were closely related to Arabian Peninsula populations, West Mediterranean populations and Pakistanis. However, the contribution of East Mediterranean, Levantine Arab, Iranian, and Sub-Saharan populations to the Emiratis' gene pool appears to be minor.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext HR practices and turnover intention; the mediating role of organizational commitment in Tehran: a cross-sectional study

Hassanpour MK, Chong CW, Chong SC, Ibrahim Okour MK, Behrang S, Tan XY

F1000Res, 2021;10:1130.
PMID: 36312528 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.73351.2

Background: Employees are increasingly being recognised as a valuable source of information, especially in knowledge-based businesses. Businesses, however, suffer financial and organisational memory losses related to re-hiring and training new staff, and lost productivity and intellectual property because of employee turnover. Hence, employee turnover should be considered an essential part of human resource management. Furthermore, employees' trust in management and human resource (HR) practices substantially impact organisational commitment (OC). Thus, anticipating employee commitment and turnover intentions is crucial, as people are the sole source for knowledge-based firms to maintain their competitive advantage. In the context of selected Tehran Renewable Energy (RE) firms, this study investigated the mediating impact of OC on the relationship between HR practices (recruitment and selection; training and development opportunities; performance appraisal and evaluation; teamwork; compensation and pay; and job security) and employee turnover intention. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in Tehran that involved 90 experts and knowledgeable employees from four of Tehran's top RE businesses. A questionnaire was distributed to collect data which was later analysed with correlation, regression and bootstrapping analyses. Results: All six dimensions of HR practices were discovered to have an indirect impact on turnover intention and a direct impact on OC. OC among employees has an indirect effect on turnover intention. It was also revealed that the training and development opportunity has the most considerable effect on OC and turnover intention. OC was not found as a mediator between HR practices and turnover intention. Conclusions: The outcomes of this study showed that both training and development opportunities; and pay and compensation structure were found to be two significant components of HR practices in the relationship with OC. RE managers should employ appropriate HR strategies, particularly in these two dimensions, to improve an individual's degree of OC and reduce turnover intention.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Food hygiene research: a bibliometric comparison in Iranian and international "Environmental Health" journals

Aghalari Z, Dahms HU, Sillanpää M

J Health Popul Nutr, 2023 Jan 06;42(1):1.
PMID: 36609393 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-022-00339-1

BACKGROUND: Food hygiene is one of the specialized fields of environmental health, and despite the problems associated with foodborne illnesses, there is no evaluation available that would focus on specialized environmental health journals. The purpose of the present survey is a comparison of the status of food hygiene articles published in Iranian and international journals of environmental health.
METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on all published articles in five Iranian environmental health journals and three international environmental health journals that are among the top 5% and 10% based on SNIP, emphasizing the issue of food. Our data were collected by searching relevant keywords in the articles published during the years (2008-2021), with emphasis on food hygiene. In the checklist, journal and articles information was collected by year of publication, a number of articles, information on authors' participation status in terms of number, gender, organizational affiliation, country and continents, and research centers according to authors' authorship. Statistical analysis of data was performed using descriptive and inferential statistical indices. VOSviewer software was also used to visualize the data.
RESULTS: In Iranian environmental health journals, out of 2305 articles (7.3%) and out of 6898 articles in international environmental health journals (2.4%) dealt with food hygiene. Food hygiene articles were divided into seven categories, with the largest number of articles on aquatic and agricultural products each with a frequency of 48 articles. Articles related to heavy metals in food were provided by 30.81%. In this study, out of 150 articles, 15 articles were written with the participation of 30 authors from seven continents (Asia, America, and Europe), most of which were from Asia and India. In international environmental health journals, among the main research topics in articles related to food hygiene, the highest number (52.5%) was related to a determination about pollution such as heavy metal concentrations in food.
CONCLUSIONS: Articles published in Iranian and international environmental health journals about food hygiene were limited. According to the increasing prevalence of foodborne illnesses, especially in recent decades, and the importance of paying attention to food hygiene, more targeted studies are needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Variations in nutrient concentration and phytoplankton composition at the euphotic and aphotic layers in the Iranian coastal waters of the Southern Caspian Sea

Saravi HN, Din ZB, Makhlough A

Pak J Biol Sci, 2008 May 01;11(9):1179-93.
PMID: 18819525

Temporal variations and regional distributions of dissolved nutrients and their elemental ratios in the Iranian coastal waters of the Southern Caspian Sea were investigated. The data were collected in 1996-97 (Phase I, as a background data and undisturbed ecosystem) and in 2005 (Phase II, as a disturbed ecosystem) at sampling points (from 10 to 100 m depths). In addition to the two main sampling exercises, additional sample collections were carried out during the period of 1994 to 2004 as a long-term study. This study showed that the dissolved inorganic nitrogen/dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIN/DIP) ratios in the southern Caspian Sea vary within a very narrow range (4.47 to 5.78) within the euphotic and aphotic layers and is by one order of magnitude lower than what have been reported for several other marine ecosystems. Phytoplankton growth seems to be nitrogen limited while the levels of P and Si always remain high. Factor Analysis/Principal Component Analysis (FA/PCA) of the correlation matrix showed that the nitrogen compounds are associated with the main factor accounting for 25.7-26.2% of the total variance for both the sampling periods. During Phase I, the Chrysophyta were the major group, whereas during Phase II the proportion of Chrysophyta in the total community progressively decreased, while the other groups increased.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext Molecular Identification of Giardia duodenalis Isolates from Fars Province, Iran

Rayani M, Zasmy Unyah N, Hatam G

Iran J Parasitol, 2014 Mar;9(1):70-8.
PMID: 25642262

Giardia duodenalis is one of the most common human intestinal protozoan parasites worldwide and is endemic throughout the world with a vast range of mammalian hosts. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence of G. duodenalis isolates and determine the most common of its assemblages in the patients referring to health centers and hospitals in Fars province, Iran that will be subjected to further molecular investigation.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Partner's engagement in community-based health promotion programs: a case study of professional partner's experiences and perspectives in Iran

Bahraminejad N, Ibrahim F, Riji HM, Majdzadeh R, Hamzah A, Keshavarz Mohammadi N

Health Promot Int, 2015 Dec;30(4):963-75.
PMID: 24934454 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/dau043

Community-based health promotion requires effective participation and partnership of diverse and numerous stakeholders from community as well as external professional organizations. Although effective partnership of stakeholders is often the key for success of health promotion practice and research, but this has proved to be a complex and challenging task. This study is an exploratory study to identify professional stakeholder's perspectives and experiences toward the partner's engagement challenges in community-based participatory research conducted in Population Research Centers in Iran. A qualitative study design with in-depth semi-structured interviews as data collection method was chosen. Using purposeful sampling technique, policy-makers and managers (mainly academics) involved in community-based participatory research in these centers were invited to be interviewed. Data were collected to the point where no new information was forthcoming. All interviews were taped and transcribed. To provide answers for research questions, qualitative content analysis was employed to extract emerging main themes from numerous cods. Findings were categorized in three main themes as Partnership's relationship and trust issues, Partnership's individual issues and Partnership's system issues. Although community-based participatory research in Iran benefits from more than a decade history and some physical infrastructures, but it seems that public health experts and researchers and other partner organizations are lagging behind in terms of capacities and competencies required to effectively utilize the available structure and opportunities. Hence, capacity development, both among professional partners and community may be the main way forward to tackling the future challenges for strengthening community actions but should include both levels of individuals and systems.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext Genetic and environmental effects on age at menarche, and its relationship with reproductive health in twins

Jahanfar S, Lye MS, Krishnarajah IS

Indian J Hum Genet, 2013 Apr;19(2):245-50.
PMID: 24019629 DOI: 10.4103/0971-6866.116127

INTRODUCTION: Menarche or first menstrual period is a landmark in reproductive life span and it is the most prominent change of puberty. The timing of menarche can be under the influence of genes as well as individual environmental factors interacting with genetic factors.
OBJECTIVE: Our study objectives were (a) to investigate the heritability of age of menarche in twins, (b) to obtain the association between age of menarche and childhood factors, and reproductive events/behavior, (c) to examine whether or not having a male co-twin affects early/late menarche.
METHODOLOGY: A group of female-female identical (n = 108, 54 pairs), non-identical twins (n = 68, 34 pairs) and 17 females from opposite-sex twin sets were identified from twin registries of Malaysia and Iran. Genetic analysis was performed via two methods of Falconers' formula and maximum likelihood.
RESULTS: Heritability was found to be 66% using Falconers' formula and 15% using univariate twin analysis. Model analysis revealed that shared environmental factors have a major contribution in determining the age of menarche (82%) followed by non-shared environment (18%).
DISCUSSION: Result of this study is consistent with that of the literature. Timing of menarche could be under the influence of shared and non-shared environmental effects. Hirsutism was found to have a higher frequency among subjects with late menarche. There was no significant difference in age of menarche between females of opposite-sex twins and females of same-sex twins.
CONCLUSION: It is concluded that twin models provide a powerful means of examining the total genetic contribution to age of menarche. Longitudinal studies of twins may clarify the type of environmental effects that determine the age of menarche.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Differences in sociodemographic, health-related, and psychological factors in users and nonusers of nutritional supplements in fitness club participants in Tehran, Iran

Saeedi P, Mohd Taib MN, Hazizi AS

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2012 Oct;22(5):323-30.
PMID: 22805627

Nutritional supplement (NS) use has increased among the general population, athletes, and fitness club participants and has become a widespread and acceptable behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the differences in sociodemographic, health-related, and psychological factors between NS users and nonusers. A case-control study design was used, whereby participants included 147 NS users (cases) and 147 nonusers (controls) age 18 yr and above who exercised at least 3 d/wk in 24 fitness clubs in Tehran. A self-administered pretested and validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The results showed that on average, NS users were younger (29.8 ± 9.5 yr) than nonusers (35.5 ± 12.2 yr). Logistic-regression analysis showed that NS use was significantly associated with moderate or high physical activity level (PAL), smoking, gender, eating attitude, and age. In conclusion, NS users were more likely to be female, younger, and smokers; to have moderate or high PAL; and to be more prone to eating disorders than nonusers.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Islam and Science: the Islamic world

Abbott A, Cyranoski D, Masood E

Nature, 2006 Nov 2;444(7115):20-1.
PMID: 17080056
Matched MeSH terms: Iran
E-health implementation challenges in Iranian medical centers: a qualitative study in Iran

Sharifi M, Ayat M, Jahanbakhsh M, Tavakoli N, Mokhtari H, Wan Ismail WK

Telemed J E Health, 2013 Feb;19(2):122-8.
PMID: 23374035 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2012.0071

E-health encompasses a wide scope and has excellent potential to grow in the future. Growing numbers of experts believe that e-health will fuel the next breakthroughs in health system improvements throughout the world. There is frequent evidence that largely indicates failures or unsustainable e-health implementations in different countries for different reasons. Iran is also a developing country that is presently applying this promising technology for its traditional healthcare delivery.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext Postpartum mental health in relation to sociocultural practices

Abdollahi F, Etemadinezhad S, Lye MS

Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol, 2016 Feb;55(1):76-80.
PMID: 26927254 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2015.12.008

OBJECTIVES: Cultural practices have been found to positively impact the mothering experience. This study sought to identify the relationship between sociocultural practices and postpartum depression (PPD) in a cohort of Iranian women for the first time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a longitudinal cohort design, 2279 pregnant women attending primary health centers of Mazandaran province in Iran were recruited using stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and researchers developed validated cultural practices questionnaire at 3 months after delivery. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression models.
RESULTS: The prevalence of PPD was 19% among 1910 women who were followed postdelivery in this study. Cultural practices were not associated with lower odds of PPD in multiple logistic regression model after adjustment for all sociodemographic factors. The results of this study do not also provide any evidence to support that sex of baby is associated with the greater risk of PPD.
CONCLUSIONS: Cultural practices could not be perceived as protective mechanisms that protect women from PPD in this traditional society. However, health professionals should be familiar with postpartum beliefs and practices that could support mothers in the postpartum period.
KEYWORDS: culture; depression; postpartum; practices

Matched MeSH terms: Iran
Fulltext IoT-Based Sensor Data Fusion for Determining Optimality Degrees of Microclimate Parameters in Commercial Greenhouse Production of Tomato

Rezvani SM, Abyaneh HZ, Shamshiri RR, Balasundram SK, Dworak V, Goodarzi M, et al.

Sensors (Basel), 2020 Nov 12;20(22).
PMID: 33198414 DOI: 10.3390/s20226474

Optimum microclimate parameters, including air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) that are uniformly distributed inside greenhouse crop production systems are essential to prevent yield loss and fruit quality. The objective of this research was to determine the spatial and temporal variations in the microclimate data of a commercial greenhouse with tomato plants located in the mid-west of Iran. For this purpose, wireless sensor data fusion was incorporated with a membership function model called Optimality Degree (OptDeg) for real-time monitoring and dynamic assessment of T, RH and VPD in different light conditions and growth stages of tomato. This approach allows growers to have a simultaneous projection of raw data into a normalized index between 0 and 1. Custom-built hardware and software based on the concept of the Internet-of-Things, including Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN) transmitter nodes, a multi-channel LoRaWAN gateway and a web-based data monitoring dashboard were used for data collection, data processing and monitoring. The experimental approach consisted of the collection of meteorological data from the external environment by means of a weather station and via a grid of 20 wireless sensor nodes distributed in two horizontal planes at two different heights inside the greenhouse. Offline data processing for sensors calibration and model validation was carried in multiple MATLAB Simulink blocks. Preliminary results revealed a significant deviation of the microclimate parameters from optimal growth conditions for tomato cultivation due to the inaccurate timer-based heating and cooling control systems used in the greenhouse. The mean OptDeg of T, RH and VPD were 0.67, 0.94, 0.94 in January, 0.45, 0.36, 0.42 in June and 0.44, 0.0, 0.12 in July, respectively. An in-depth analysis of data revealed that averaged OptDeg values, as well as their spatial variations in the horizontal profile were closer to the plants' comfort zone in the cold season as compared with those in the warm season. This was attributed to the use of heating systems in the cold season and the lack of automated cooling devices in the warm season. This study confirmed the applicability of using IoT sensors for real-time model-based assessment of greenhouse microclimate on a commercial scale. The presented IoT sensor node and the Simulink model provide growers with a better insight into interpreting crop growth environment. The outcome of this research contributes to the improvement of closed-field cultivation of tomato by providing an integrated decision-making framework that explores microclimate variation at different growth stages in the production season.

Matched MeSH terms: Iran

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