Experimental assessment of energy tower's performance: evaluation of the impacts of solar radiation, humidity, and chimney's height on the overall efficiency.

Solar energy is one of the most feasible options to produce energy in countries where unexploited desert areas or solar radiation are abundant. An energy tower is an effective system for electrical power generation that can perform more efficiently along with solar radiation. As the primary aim of the present study, effects of different environmental parameters on total efficacy of energy tower were investigated. In this study, the efficiency of the energy tower system is investigated experimentally by an indoor fully adjustable apparatus. In this regard, a comprehensive set of influencing parameters like air velocity, humidity, and temperature and the effects of tower height on the performance of the energy tower are individually assessed. It is demonstrated that there is a direct relationship between an increase in humidity percentage of the surrounding and performance of energy tower, meaning that a 274% increase in humidification rate led to 43% elevation in airflow velocity. The kinetic energy increases in the direction of airflow from top to bottom, and as the height of the tower lengthens, the kinetic energy enhances and subsequently increases the overall efficiency of the tower. An elevation about 2.7% in airflow velocity was seen due to an increase from 180 to 250 cm in chimney height. Although the energy tower performs efficiently in the nighttime, airflow velocity increases averagely about 8% during the daytime and at the peak of the solar radiation, the airflow velocity enhances by 58% compared to nighttime.

Psychometric properties of Persian version of five facets of mindfulness questionnaire.

Background: Many tools have been designed to measure mindfulness. Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is one of the most widely used tools. This study was done to investigate psychometric properties FFMQ in Iranian students. Materials and Methods: FFMQ was translated into Persian and administered in 571 students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Tehran University of Medical Science. Samples were selected using convenience sampling method. A battery including Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Questionnaire, and Affect Control Scales was used in studies for examining divergent, convergent, and discriminant validity. Data were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Results of this study supported the five-factor structure of FFMQ (root mean square error of approximation = 0.06, Comparative Fit Index = 0.81 Goodness of Fit Index = 0.91, and Normed Fit Index = 0.87). There was a significantly negative correlation between the FFMQ with DERS, Trait Anxiety, Affect Control, suppression sub-scale of ERQ, and there was a positive correlation with reappraisal subscale of ERQ. The Cronbach's alpha for the FFMQ was. 78. Conclusion: FFMQ have good psychometric properties in Iranian student sample, and it can be used in studies on student populations.

Psychometric properties of the Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) in a sample of Iranian young adults.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the factor structure, reliability and test-retest validity of the 12-item Iranian version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). Additionally, the MEIM's concurrent validity was tested by investigating the association between ethnic identity and subjective well-being. METHOD: The scale was translated into Persian language and was administered to 426 students (193 female) at a major public university in Tehran along with the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor first-order commitment, and exploration (consisting of 12 items), and the second-order unidimensional factor structure of general ethnic identity. Moreover, we found evidence for good internal consistency, test re-test reliability, and concurrent validity. CONCLUSION: The MEIM Persian version was found to be a valid and reliable measure to examine ethnic identity in this Iranian student population, for both males and females. These results support the utility of the Persian version of the MEIM for its use in Middle-Eastern contexts.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Insomnia Diurnal Impact Scale (IDIS).

BACKGROUND: Insomnia disorder is characterized by nighttime and daytime symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of a Persian version of the Insomnia Diurnal Impact Scale (IDIS) as a screening tool to evaluate diurnal effects of sleep fragmentation in Iranians. METHODS: Of 300 individuals recruited, 150 had insomnia disorder based on DSM-5 criteria and 150 were good sleepers based on research diagnostic criteria. All subjects completed the IDIS, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21, and sleep diaries. RESULTS: The Persian version of the IDIS showed adequate psychometric properties for internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The result of principal component analysis confirmed a single component with six items as the final structure of the scale in the insomniac group. The total IDIS score significantly correlated with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, and subscales of Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 verifying the convergent validity of the scale. The Persian version of the IDIS significantly discriminated the insomniac group from the non-insomniac group. The result of the fit estimates for the one-factor unidimensional model met the previously specified fit criteria and adequately fit the data in the non-insomniac group. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the IDIS was shown to be a valid and reliable clinical tool in evaluating the daytime consequences of insomnia in Iranians.

Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale: Translation, Test, and Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study is to translate, test and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES) in Persian language. METHODS: Participants consisted of two samples: a clinical sample of 120 patients (58%) with insomnia disorder meeting DSM-5 criteria for insomnia and a non-clinical sample of 110 participants (42%) with normal sleep. Both samples completed the following measures: GSES, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale-10, Pre Sleep Arousal Scale-cognitive subscale, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 and sleep diary. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between GSES and related measures in both groups. Principal component analysis indicated a single component accounted for 64.77% of total variance in the clinical group. Results of the fit estimates for the one-factor model were consistent with the previously specified fit criteria and adequately fitted the data in the non-clinical group. Statistical analyses showed that the GSES has acceptable internal consistency in terms of Cronbach's Alpha in the clinical (0.75) and non-clinical (0.77) samples. Test-retest reliability for a 4-week interval was significant (r = 0.70). The cut-off point, sensitivity, and specificity of the scale were 6, 85% and 94.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Persian translated and validated version of the GSES obtained adequate values in psychometric properties in both clinical and non-clinical samples and it can be used for research and clinical purposes in Iran.

School health assessment tools: a systematic review of measurement in primary schools.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the school health's assessment tools in primary schools through COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. We examined the studies that have addressed the measurement properties of school-health instruments to give a clear overview of the quality of all available tools measuring school health in primary schools. This systematic review was registered in PROPERO with the Registration ID: CRD42020158158. METHOD: Databases of EBSCOhost, PubMed, ProQuest, Wily, PROSPERO, and OpenGrey were systematically searched without any time limitation to find all full-text English journal articles studied at least one of the COSMIN checklist measurement properties of a school-health assessment tool in primary schools. The instruments should be constructed based on a school health model. The eligible studies were assessed by COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist to report their quality of methodology for each measurement property and for the whole study by rating high, moderate or low quality. RESULTS: At the final screening just seven studies remained for review. Four studies were tool development, three of them were rated as "adequate" and the other study as "very good"; five studies examined the content validity, three of them were appraised as "very good", and the two remaining as "inadequate". All seven studies measured structural validity, three of them were evaluated as "very good", three other were scored as "adequate", and the last study as "inadequate". All the seven studies investigated the internal consistency, five of them were assessed as "very good", one was rated as "doubtful", and the last one as "inadequate". Just one study examined the cross-cultural validity and was rated as "adequate". Finally, all seven studies measured reliability, two of them were rated as "very good" and the rest five studies were appraised as "doubtful". All rating was based on COSMIN checklist criteria for quality of measurement properties assessment. CONCLUSION: The number of studies addressing school health assessment tools was very low and therefore not sufficient. Hence, there is a serious need to investigate the psychometric properties of the available instruments measuring school health at primary schools. Moreover, the studies included in the present systematic review did not fulfill all the criteria of the COSMIN checklist for assessing measurement properties. We suggest that future studies consider these criteria for measuring psychometric properties and developing school health assessment tools.

The Effectiveness of Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Comorbid Insomnia: A Case Report.

Objective: Similar cognitive and behavioral factors underlie and perpetuate insomnia and emotional disorders. This brief case report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Unified Protocol (UP), a transdiagnostic treatment designed to target emotional disorders in treating comorbid insomnia. Method: The patient was a 32-year-old male, who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for chronic insomnia, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. After 3 baseline weeks, the patient underwent 14 sessions of UP and was retested after 1-month follow-up. Consensus Sleep Diary (CSD), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were completed during baseline, treatment, and follow-up. Results: The treatment led to improvements in sleep onset latency, time awake after sleep onset, terminal awakenings, sleep quality, and insomnia severity. These gains were maintained at 1-month follow-up. Conclusion: UP is effective in improving different symptoms of chronic insomnia. Controlled clinical studies with more cases are required to investigate the effects of UP in the treatment of insomnia.

Treatment of a Patient with Borderline Personality Disorder Based on Phase-Oriented Model of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A Case Report.

Objective: This study aimed at reporting the effect of the 3-phase model of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in the treatment of a patient with borderline personality disorder. Method: A 33-year-old female, who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for borderline personality disorder, received a 20-session therapy based on the 3-phase model of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Borderline Personality Disorder Checklist (BPD-Checklist), Dissociative Experience Scale (DES-II), Beck Depression Inventory-II-second edition (BDI-II), and Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were filled out by the patient at all treatment phases and at the 3- month follow- up. Results: According to the obtained results, the patient's pretest scores in all research tools were 161, 44, 37, and 38 for BPD-Checklist, DES-II, BDI-II, and BAI, respectively. After treatment, these scores decreased significantly (69, 14, 6 and 10 respectively). So, the patient exhibited improvement in borderline personality disorder, dissociative, depression and anxiety symptoms, which were maintained after the 3-month follow-up. Conclusion: The results supported the positive effect of phasic model of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing on borderline personality disorder.

Attachment Style, Perceived Loneliness, and Psychological Well-Being in Smoking and Non-Smoking University Students.

The growing rate of smoking cigarettes among the youths necessitates examining its contributing factors. Accordingly, we aimed to compare smoking and nonsmoking university students in their attachment styles, perceived loneliness, and psychological well-being. To this end, we recruited 100 current smokers and 100 nonsmoking students by using a convenience sampling method from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. All participants completed the Adult Attachment Scale, Loneliness Scale, and General Health Questionnaire. Data analysis indicated that compared to nonsmokers, smokers had a more anxious attachment style and they felt lonelier. Moreover, current results showed that smokers suffered from higher rates of psychological problems than nonsmokers. These results suggest that smoking is influenced by a set of psychological factors and therefore, prevention and treatment programs targeting these factors may be effective in reducing the rate of smoking cigarettes among university students.

The Relationship of Parental Pain Catastrophizing with Parents Reports of Children's Anxiety, Depression, and Headache Severity.

OBJECTIVE: Parental pain catastrophizing is a construct recognized to have a significant impact on experience of pain in both children and parents. This research aimed to investigate the probable relationship of parental pain catastrophizing with the parent's reports of children's anxiety, depression and headache severity amongst Iranian parents of children with chronic or recurrent headache. MATERIALS & METHODS: This study was conducted in 2015-16, in two pediatric neurological centers located in Tehran, Iran; with a convenience sampling method and 212 parents (120 mothers and 92 fathers) of 132 children with a chronic or recurrent headache (migraine and tension-type). They completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale; Numeric Pain Rating Scale, asking for the average of pain severity in last three months before the research, and the Anxiety and Depression subscales of the Children Behavioral Check List. RESULTS: The mean age of parents was 35.41 yr (SD=5.58) and the mean age of children was 9.83 yr (SD=2.77). A total of 72 girls and 60 boys participated in this study with a mean pain severity for headache in last three months before the research of 4.99 (SD=2.63). Probable sex differences according to parental pain catastrophizing, pain severity, anxiety, and depression were assessed amongst parents. In the next step, the predictability of pain severity from parental pain catastrophizing was evaluated. Results indicated a significant relationship in maternal pain catastrophizing and estimates of pain intensity by mothers. CONCLUSION: These findings represent the importance of parent's especially mother's cognitive factors affecting their reports of their children's pain and related emotional disturbances.

Drug Use in Soldiers: Family and Peer Contextual Associations.

BACKGROUND: Given the stressful nature of military life, people in the armed forces are vulnerable to substance use. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between family and peers with drug use among military forces in Iran. METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to recruit a total of 422 draftees doing military service in army units in Tehran, Iran. Measures of family and peers' risk and protective factors, alcohol use, and other drug use were administered. RESULTS: Findings indicated significant relationships between family (i.e., family models for risk behavior, parent sanctions, and family controls) and peers (i.e., peer modeling for risk behavior, peer controls, support from friends) with drug use. A multiple regression analysis revealed that peer modeling for risk behavior, family models for risk behavior, and parent sanctions were significant predictors of drug use in soldiers. CONCLUSIONS: These results were consistent with the influence of family and peer on drug use amongst soldiers. Programs designed to reduce alcohol and other drug use may benefit from tailoring to fit risk and protective files amongst peer and family networks.

Inpatients with major depressive disorder: Psychometric properties of the new Multidimensional Depression Scale.

The New Multi-dimensional Depression Scale (NMDS) is one of the most comprehensive scales that measures depression symptoms in four domains, including emotional, cognitive, somatic, and interpersonal. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the NMDS in a group of Iranian inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). At first, the scale was translated into Persian and used as part of a battery consisting of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The battery was administered to 271 inpatients with MDD (90 men and 181 women) aged from 18 to 60 who had been referred to psychiatric hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Confirmatory factor analysis of the Persian version of the NMDS upheld its original four-factor structure. Moreover, the results showed its good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient ranging from 0.70 for the emotional subscale to 0.83 for the interpersonal subscale). In addition, the NMDS scores were correlated with other constructs in empirically and theoretically expected ways, which provides evidence for the convergent (positive significant relationships with anxiety and cognitive and somatic-affective symptoms of depression) and divergent (negative significant relationships with happiness and mental health and physical health) validity of the scale. These findings supported the Persian version of the NMDS as a reliable and valid measure for the assessment of depression symptoms in patients with MDD.

Exploration of the counseling needs of infertile couples: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Identification of the main needs of infertile patients is essential to provision of appropriate supportive services and care based on their needs. Thus, the present study aims to explore infertile couples' counseling needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out with an inductive qualitative content analysis approach during 2012-2013. The participants of this study included 26 Iranian infertile couples and 7 medical personnel (3 gynecologists and 4 midwives). The infertile couples were selected through purposive sampling and considering maximal variation from patients attending state-run and private infertility treatment centers as well as infertility specialists, offices in Isfahan and Rasht, Iran. Unstructured in-depth interviews and field notes were utilized for data gathering and replying to this research main question, "What are the counseling needs of infertile couples?" The data from medical personnel was collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out through conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed two main themes. The first theme was "a need for psychological counseling," which included four subthemes: Emotional distress management, sexual counseling, marital counseling, and family counseling. The second theme was "a need for guidance and information throughout treatment process," which included three subthemes: Treatment counseling, financial counseling, and legal counseling. CONCLUSIONS: The counseling needs of infertile couples are varied, and they require various psychosocial support and counseling interventions. The participants of this study identified clearly the significance of psychological counseling and information throughout the long and onerous journey of infertility and its treatment.

Comparing Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy With Treatment as Usual for Opioid Dependents: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Study Protocol.

BACKGROUND: In response to high burden of opioid abuse in Iran, Ministry of Health has launched a large-scale opioid maintenance treatment program, delivered through a network of certified drug treatment centers. To promote opioid pharmacotherapies, there is an urgent need to develop and introduce evidence-based psychosocial interventions into the network. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to investigate feasibility and effectiveness of adding mindfulness-based group therapy to opioid pharmacotherapies as compared to opioid pharmacotherapies alone. The primary outcomes were treatment retention and percentage of weekly morphine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepine negative tests. DISCUSSION: This is the first RCT that explores the effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention group therapy among opioid dependent clients in Iran. The feasibility of group therapy and comparison of outcomes in intervention and control groups should be discussed in the outcome article.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Their Combination in the Improvement of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Experiential Avoidance in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and exposure with response prevention for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have demonstrated empirical support; however, a substantial number of patients remain with clinically significant OCD symptoms after such treatments. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and combination of ACT and SSRIs in the treatment of adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-two outpatients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria for OCD were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment conditions: ACT, SSRIs and combined treatment. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Twenty-seven patients completed the study. Data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), clinically significant change (CSC) and complete remission status. RESULTS: ANCOVA revealed that patients treated with ACT and combined treatment experienced a significantly greater improvement in obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and experiential avoidance (EA) at post-treatment compared to those treated with SSRIs alone. However, there were no significant differences between ACT and combined treatment on OC symptoms and EA. CSC and complete remission status results showed that unlike SSRI, ACT and combined treatment led to more improvement in OC symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: ACT and combined treatment are more effective than SSRIs alone in treating OC symptoms and EA. However, it appears that adding SSRIs to ACT does not increase the effectiveness of ACT in the treatment of adults with OCD in the short-term.

Exploration of infertile couples' support requirements: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Due to high prevalence of infertility, increasing demand for infertility treatment, and provision of high quality of fertility care, it is necessary for healthcare professionals to explore infertile couples' expectations and needs. Identification of these needs can be a prerequisite to plan the effective supportive interventions. The current study was, therefore, conducted in an attempt to explore and to understand infertile couples' experiences and needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a qualitative study based on a content analysis ap- proach. The participants included 26 infertile couples (17 men and 26 women) and 7 members of medical personnel (3 gynecologists and 4 midwives) as the key informants. The infertile couples were selected from patients attending public and private infertility treatment centers and private offices of infertility specialists in Isfahan and Rasht, Iran, during 2012-2013. They were selected through purposive sampling method with maximum variation. In-depth unstructured interviews and field notes were used for data gathering among infertile couples. The data from medical personnel was collected through semi-structured interviews. The interview data were analyzed using conventional content analysis method. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed four main categories of infertile couples' needs, including: i. Infertility and social support, ii. Infertility and financial support, iii. Infertility and spiritual support and iv. Infertility and informational support. The main theme of all these categories was assistance and support. CONCLUSION: The study showed that in addition to treatment and medical needs, infertile couples encounter various challenges in different emotional, psychosocial, communicative, cognitive, spiritual, and economic aspects that can affect various areas of their life and lead to new concerns, problems, and demands. Thus, addressing infertile couples' needs and expectations alongside their medical treatments as well as provision of psychosocial services by development of patient-centered approaches and couple-based interventions can improve their quality of life and treatment results and also relieve their negative psychosocial consequences.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU).Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS) were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy) and control groups (the Usual Treatment).The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program. METHODS: The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI) were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments. RESULTS: The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.

Empathy in Iranian medical students: measurement model of the Jefferson scale of empathy.

BACKGROUND: Empathy is an important factor in patient-physician relationship that has beneficial effects in medical practice. Jefferson scale of empathy (JSE) has been specifically designed to assess empathy in health professionals (HP-version) and related students (S-version). Few validation studies have been performed on S-version of the scale. AIMS: To examine empathy in a large sample of Iranian medical students, and also to study factor structure and psychometric properties of the Persian translation of the S-version of the JSE. METHOD: 1187 medical students (759 female) from 16 universities around the country participated in the study during 2009. Independent sample t-test, multivariate analysis of variance, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to analyze the data. RESULTS: Female students outscored male students in empathy. The trend for empathy had a negative relationship with years of education. JSE showed an acceptable internal consistency and test re-test reliability. CFA upheld the original three-factor structure--Perspective taking, compassionate care, and standing in the patient's shoes--consisting 20 items. CONCLUSION: The decrease in empathy during medical education is consistent with previous studies. The Persian version of JSE is a valid and reliable measure to tap empathy in a Persian-speaking medical student.