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Occurrence, potential sources, in vitro bioaccessibility and health risk assessment of heavy metal in indoor dust from different microenvironment of Bushehr, Iran
Get PDFIndoor dust samples were collected from 42 microenvironments of residential buildings (RB, 15 samples), official buildings (OB, 10 samples), laboratory rooms (LR, 7 samples), and school classroom (SCR, 10 samples) in Bushehr, whereby the concentration of zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, nickel, and chromium was studied. The results of this study indicated that the mean concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni in the indoor dust samples were 567.18, 186.09, 209.01, 5.31, 143.20, and 57.09 mg/kg in RB, 1077.34, 539.67, 274.89, 8.12, 155.30, and 92.55 mg/kg in OB, 246.40, 149.56, 127.2, 1.96, 43.45, and 91.09 mg/kg in LR and 271.43, 189.84, 164.44, 3.06, 124.20, and 70.09 mg/kg in SCR. The results of principal cluster analysis showed that the heavy metals in indoor environments were mostly originated from smoking tobacco and cigarette, traffic sources, old building materials, and building paint colors. The results of this study also revealed that the concentration of heavy metals in indoor dust had a negative and significant relationship (P value < 0.05 in most cases) with rate of ventilation, and a positive and significant relationship with smoking inside buildings (P value < 0.05 in most cases). The bioaccessibility for zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, nickel, and chromium was 69.12, 40.08, 43.33, 79.81, 31.10, and 6.31, respectively, in indoor dust. Further, risk assessment showed that the risk values of carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity resulting from heavy metals inside the studied microenvironments had exceeded the recommended safe limit by EPA. In terms of potential ecological risks, it was found that heavy metals in these microenvironments have exceeded the hazardous ecological levels presented by different indices and can have considerable negative ecological effects. Thus, it is essential that further and better studies and monitoring be performed on these environments, and suitable control recommendations and solutions should be regulated for this public health threat. © 2020, Springer Nature B.V
Alexithymia and its relationships with job burnout, personality traits, and shift work among hospital nurses: A cross-sectional study
Get PDFBackground: Due to the characteristics of their work, nurses experience high levels of stress and burnout. Alexithymia (defined as the inability to identify and express emotions) and personality traits can be risk factors for burnout. However, there is limited information about the relationships of alexithymia and personality traits with job burnout among Iranian nurses. Objective: This study examined the relationships between alexithymia, personality traits, job burnout, and shift work among hospital nurses in Iran. Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on a random sample of 225 nurses recruited from 10 hospitals affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Data collection instruments were the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Five-Factor Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. Pearson's correlation analysis, independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: The mean scores of alexithymia and burnout were 56.78 ± 8.64 and 49.78 ± 13.67, respectively, and these two variables were significantly correlated (r = 0.258; P 0.05). Conclusion: Nurses with higher levels of alexithymia are more at risk for burnout. As alexithymia has significant relationships with gender and employment status, interventions are needed, especially for women, to alleviate their alexithymia and burnout
Internet dependency and its predictors among faculty members
Get PDFBackground: Extensive use of the internet has resulted in the emergence of a phenomenon called internet dependency. Internet dependency is turning into a major global concern due to its growing prevalence. It can negatively affect different personal, familial, occupational, and social aspects of life. Objectives: This study aimed to assess internet dependency and its predictors among faculty members. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014_2015 on 211 faculty members of Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Internet dependency was measured using the Internet Addiction Inventory, an instrument which consists of items on factors related to Internet use. Data analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov_Smirnov, the Chi-square, the Fisher's exact, and the Kruskal_Wallis tests as well as the Spearman's correlation and the logistic regression analysis. Results: Seventy-five participants (35.5) were at risk for internet dependency and the rest were in normal condition. The significant predictors of internet dependency were gender, main goal of internet use, and main type of internet use. Conclusion: As more than one-third of the faculty members are at risk for internet dependency, educational interventions are needed to broaden their knowledge about the negative effects of internet overuse and to help them modify their internet use behaviors
Environmental factors influencing the distribution of pedestrian traffic accidents in Iran
Get PDFBackground: This study aimed to determine the environmental factors affecting the frequency of accidents leading to injury and death related to pedestrians in 31 provinces of Iran. Methods: Data necessary for the study were extracted from databases of traffic police, statistics center, ministry of roads and urban development, and Iran meteorological organization. Hot spots analysis was used based on Getis-Ord G statistics in geographically weighted regression models. Goodness of fit of models was evaluated using the Bayesian information criterion, Akaike's information criterion and Deviance statistics. Results: In this study, 49,409 incidents were investigated. Of these, 48,382 (98) cases were injuries and 1027 (2) cases were fatal accidents. The incidence of fatal accidents does not follow a specific pattern; however, the incidence of accidents leading to injuries is higher in the central and the northeastern provinces of the country and lower in the southern and southeast provinces of the country. The final models showed that the relationship between different variables, including demographic characteristics, road network, and distance from the capital, traffic volume, and rainfall with dependent variables (number of accidents in geographic units), was statistically significant. Conclusion: In order to better design preventive plans for traffic accidents and promote the safety of passageways for pedestrians inside and outside the cities, these factors need to be considered more carefully, and practical solutions should be developed and implemented for their correction
The impact of irritable bowel syndrome on health-related quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Get PDFBackground: The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence and quality of life (QOL) of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared with healthy women. Methods: This was a case-control study of 201 women recruited at an infertility clinic in Iran. The control group were healthy women (n = 100) and the comparison group, women with PCOS (n = 101). Data were collected by clinical Rome III criteria to determine the IBS, Bristol scale for stool consistency and IBS QOL. Results: The reporting of IBS symptoms were higher in PCOS (20.7) than control group (11) (P = 0.05). The IBS QOL score in the IBS + PCOS group was lower than other groups (IBS+ non PCOS, non IBS + PCOS, non IBS+ non PCOS; scores in food avoidance and worries about health domains were significant (P < 0.01). Conclusions: We conclude that having PCOS and an increased level of LH/FSH tends to cause IBS symptoms. IBS + PCOS women experience significant impaired quality of life scores particularly in relation to worries about health and food avoidance. These results offer further insights into IBS in PCOS women and their functional status and wellbeing. © 2020 The Author(s)
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of thiamin supplements in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus
No full textObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thiamin supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 60 patients with GDM. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either 100 mg/day thiamin supplements (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 6 weeks. Results: Thiamin supplementation significantly decreased serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (β − 0.98 mg/L; 95 CI, −1.54, −0.42; p =.001) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (β − 0.86 µmol/L; 95 CI, −1.15, −0.57; p <.001) when compared with the placebo. In addition, thiamin supplementation downregulated gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (p =.002) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with GDM. Thiamin supplementation did not affect other biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Conclusion: Overall, thiamin supplementation for 6 weeks to patients with GDM significantly reduced hs-CRP and MDA levels, and gene expression of TNF-α, but did not affect other biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Clinical trial registration number: Clinical Trials.govIdentifier no. http://www.irct.ir: IRCT20170513033941N58. © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Study of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavior Therapy on Emotion Regulation and Mindfulness in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Get PDFAlthough the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has not been addressed to date, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is the gold-standard psychotherapy for GAD patients. The present study investigated effects of DBT versus CBT on emotion regulation and mindfulness in GAD patients. Conducted in Iran, 68 GAD patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: CBT or DBT. Assessment was performed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3 months follow-up. Evaluation included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Results of the present study showed that both groups had lower scores in depression, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation and higher scores in mindfulness after the interventions, and at follow-up. During the study period, the CBT group experienced greater reductions than the DBT group in symptoms of depression and anxiety, while the DBT group experienced greater improvements than the CBT group in emotion regulation and mindfulness. Findings seem to warrant the conclusion that, although CBT reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety more than DBT, DBT was more effective in improving emotion regulation and mindfulness than CBT. Findings of the study are of significance for psychotherapy and future studies of these treatments. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
Usability evaluation of a comprehensive national health information system: relationship of quality components to users’ characteristics
Get PDFObjective: One of the most important methods for evaluating information systems is usability evaluation. Usability is a context-dependent qualitative feature that is measured by multiple quality components that can be related to users’ characteristics. This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of a comprehensive national health information system (SIB; an abbreviation for the Persian equivalent of ‘integrated health system’) from the perspective of different users and to determine the relationship between quality components and users’ characteristics. Method: The study population were users of the national health information system (n = 309) at health centers and health homes affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. Data were collected using Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) questionnaire which measures users' experiences of software interface in five quality components (i.e. affect, efficiency, helpfulness, control, and learnability) and provides a global usability score. SUMI scores were analyzed according to an extensive reference database (SUMISCO). The relationships between quality components and users’ characteristics were investigated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: A total of 250 users completed the questionnaire (response rate = 81). The mean scores of all quality components were significantly lower than the mean of SUMISCO. Learnability score had significant relationships with the user's position, education level, and field of education (P < 0.001). Physicians scored significantly lower than other users in efficiency, helpfulness and global usability (P < 0.05). Users' practice experience and age had significant linear inverse relationships with efficiency, helpfulness, and learnability (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The national health information system which is used by a large number of users across a developing country have low usability. Given the significant relationships between the users’ characteristics of such systems and quality components, it is essential to consider the characteristics and needs of various user groups during the processes of system analysis and design. © 2019 Elsevier B.V
COVID-19 and pregnancy: A Review of current knowledge
Get PDFBackground: Since December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major health problem that is spreading all over the World. Several viral infections such as SARS, MERS, and influenza have been associated With adverse pregnancy outcomes. The question arises Whether pregnant Women are at greater risk of complications related to COVID-19 compared to other people What complications should We expect in the fetuses Whose mothers Were infected? Aims: This Review aims to provide a summary of studies on symptoms of COVID-19 and the possible risks of COVID-19 among pregnant Women, as Well as complications in fetuses and neonates Whose mothers Were infected With COVID-19. Methods: The included data Were provided from Web of Science, Cochrane, PubMed, and Scopus Which are extracted from the published studies in English until April 2nd, 2020 that contained data on the risk of COVID-19 in pregnancy. Results: The early symptoms of patients With COVID-19 Were fever, cough, dyspnea, myalgia, and fatigue; While production of sputum, headache, hemoptysis, and diarrhea Were other symptoms Which Were less common. There is no evidence of vertical maternal-fetal transmission in pregnant Women With COVID-19. Conclusions: The clinical findings in pregnant Women With COVID-19 are not significantly different compared to other patients, and pregnant Women With COVID-19 are not at a higher risk of developing critical pneumonia compared to non-pregnant Women. Although, there has been no sign of vertical infection in infants, but maternal infection can cause serious problems such as preterm labour and fetal distress. © 2020, EDIMES Edizioni Medico Scientifiche. All rights reserved
Load characteristics, in vitro bioaccessibility and health risk assessment of PM2.5–bounded heavy metals in indoor air of waterpipe and/ or cigarette cafes compared to smoking-free cafes
Get PDFSamples of PM2.5 particulates were collected from indoor air of 36 cafés, 14 cafés in which only water pipe (WS) was used, eight in which only cigarette was smoked (CC), six in which both waterpipe and cigarette were smoked (WCC), and eight cafés in which no smoking occurred (SFC) in Tehran. After that, the concentration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel(Ni), and chromium (Cr) was examined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) (GF 5000, Australia). The results indicated that the ƩMetal concentration (Mean ±SD) in WCC, WC, CC, and SFC cafés were 1118.5±50.42, 663.64±40.79, 425.57±17.55, and 79.02±5.13 ng/m3, respectively. The mean bioaccessibility of Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cd was obtained as 39.7, 31.4, 7.35, and 74.6, respectively. The results of risk assessment indicated that exposure to heavy metals in the indoor air of smoking cafés of Tehran is considered high. © 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group