A comparison between the lecture and self-study methods on female students' awareness and attitudes about text neck syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Text Neck Syndrome (TNS) is a common issue in the neck. The emergence of such issues makes it more pressing to offer ergonomic training to prevent their consequences. The present study aimed to compare training through the lecture and Self-Study methods awareness and attitudes about the TNS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 94 female high-school students in 2021, and a quasi-experimental methodology was implemented. The participants were randomly divided into a lecture method and a self-study group. A researcher-made questionnaire was utilized for data collection to measure the participants' attitudes and awareness. The data were analyzed according to descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULT: The findings showed that the mean post-test scores of the participants' awareness in the lecture method and self-study groups were 8.74 and 5.83, respectively, and a significant increase was observed in the post-test scores of the lecture method group. However, no significant difference was observed between the pre-test and post-test attitude scores of the two groups. CONCLUSION: As training by the use of the lecture method in a webinar format has the characteristics of a traditional and online educational simultaneously, it offers an advantage that can be utilized in educational institutions as a complementary (or even an independent) method. Moreover, the experts in medical informational sciences need to accompany training groups as they are responsible to select and prepare credible content materials for audiences.

Prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in Isfahan, Iran between 1996 and 2021: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: There has been no recent comprehensive epidemiological study on a large and stable population of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Isfahan. Therefore, we conducted this study to estimate the incidence and prevalence of MS in Isfahan province from 1996 to 2021. METHOD: In this population-based study, we utilized the dataset from the Vice-Chancellor's Office of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, which registers all people diagnosed with MS (PDWM) in Isfahan province, excluding those residing in Kashan city. We measured crude incidence and prevalence of MS, separated by sex, and based on age of MS onset, as well as changes in age of MS onset during observation. RESULTS: A total of 9,909 PDWM were included in our study. The incidence during the time period of 1996-2000 was 5.4/100,000 (1.1/100,000 per year), which subsequently increased to 14.1 (2.8/100,000 per years) and 31.1 per 100,000 (6.2/100,000 per year) during 2001-2005 and 2006-2010, respectively. There was a further increase to 70.9/100,000 (14.2/100,000 per year) in 2011-2015, but it remained stable at 71.8/100,000 (12/100,000 per year) during the period of 2016-2021. In 2016, the age-standardized incidence rates of pediatric-onset, adult-onset, and late-onset MS were 1.8/100,000, 31.4/100,000, and 17.5/100,000, respectively. The prevalence of MS in 2021 was 183.9/100,000. The female/male new case ratio was 4.5 during 1996-2000, decreasing to 4.0, 3.9, 3.9, and 2.9 in the subsequent four five-year periods. The mean age of RRMS onset was 26.3 ± 8.1 between 1990 and 1999, 28.5 ± 8.3 during 2000-2009, and increased to 32.8 ± 9.6 in 2010-2019. CONCLUSION: This study shows that Isfahan has one of the highest incidence rate and prevalence ratio of MS in the region. We observed an increase in the incidence rate during the first decade, followed by stability in the last two five- and six-year periods. Further studies are needed to identify the reasons behind the change in incidence of MS in Iran.

Perceived urban green spaces and youth mental health in the post-COVID-19 era.

Introduction: The urban green space (UGS) is one of the most significant urban spaces with unique visual and social features, including pleasant air, low noise, and vitality, making it a recreational place for citizens, especially the youth. According to previous studies, perceived green space and the interaction with it is associated with mental health and lower symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although the presence of urban and blue-green spaces in Isfahan has a long history, the UGSs have been out of reach, causing a significant impact on youth mental health due to the spread of COVID-19 and the forcing of the Iranian government to severe and long-term lockdown. This study investigates the relationship between the long-term isolation of youth and being away from UGSs on their mental health in Isfahan city. Methods: In September 2022, the youth (n = 273) in 12 neighborhoods with similar socio-economic status were asked to answer the online questionnaire. To investigate the correlation between perceived UGS and the mental health of the youth, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is done. Results: The results show that the perceived UGSs negatively relate to the youth's fear of the reoccurrence of COVID-19 infection, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, the model shows that perceived UGS has an inverse correlation with anxiety (ß = -0.24, p = 0.00), and no meaningful correlation exists with depression. Discussion: These results point to a practical solution for designing UDGs in residential areas for youth according to their benefits for mental health during the epidemic era.

Can river flow prevent land subsidence in urban areas?

Land subsidence, a silent death, occurs due to various factors like significant reduction in groundwater (GW) levels. It is a widespread phenomenon with irreparable consequences on buildings, infrastructures, and, in severe cases, groundwater aquifers. This study aims to assess the impact of river flow on the acceleration and control of land subsidence in an arid and semi-arid region. To achieve this goal, we analyze the interconnection between GW and SW and investigate the role of the Zayandeh-Rud River's drying up on land subsidence in the Isfahan-Borkhar aquifer in Iran's central plateau. To facilitate this assessment, we utilize the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique to estimate the vertical deformation velocity of the aquifer (average land subsidence rate). The results show that the Isfahan-Borkhar aquifer has experienced a significant annual decline of more than 25 m, with an alarming rate exceeding 0.8 m/year. Our analysis of 31 piezometric wells (P-Wells) from 2000 to 2022 reveals a downward monotonic (in 16 P-Wells) and nonmonotonic (in 12 P-Wells) trend in groundwater table changes. Moreover, the GW table in the P-Wells near the river depends entirely on river flow. Furthermore, our findings indicate that river regulation exerts a dominant role in the control of land subsidence. Consequently, when water flows in the Zayandeh-Rud River, the rate of land subsidence declines significantly, particularly in urban regions. Therefore, maintaining a constant flow of water in the river can prevent or reduce ongoing land subsidence in Isfahan.

Evaluation of health risk of glyphosate pesticide intake via surface and subsurface water consumption: A deterministic and probabilistic approach.

As the usage of pesticides for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses increases, it is more important than ever to employ probabilistic methods rather than deterministic ones to calculate the danger to human health. The current work demonstrates the application of deterministic and probabilistic approaches to assess the human health risk related to glyphosate during the consumption of surface and groundwater by different population groups. To that aim, the concentration of glyphosate pesticide in the surface and groundwater was measured and human health risk for three population groups including children, teens, and adults was evaluated. Overall, the probabilistic approach via Monte Carlo simulation showed a valid result for the estimation of human health risk and determination of dominant input parameters.•The health risk of glyphosate exposure during water consumption for various population groups were evaluated using deterministic and probabilistic methods.•The modeling is performed by Crystal Ball (11.1.2.4) software, as open access software, and requires a limited number of inputs.•The probabilistic method could reliably assess the risks of glyphosate by considering the variability and uncertainty in input variables.

Hydrogeochemical evaluation with emphasis on nitrate and fluoride in urban and rural drinking water resources in western Isfahan province, central Iran.

Nitrate (NO3-) and fluoride (F-) are two major potential contaminants found in the groundwater of Iran. These contaminants are highly dangerous to humans if consumed more than the safe limit prescribed by the WHO. Therefore, in this study, the urban and rural drinking water resources of Isfahan province (central Iran) were investigated to evaluate the quality of groundwater from the perspective of NO3- and F-. The calculated saturation index (SI) shows that the majority of samples are mainly undersaturated or in equilibrium with respect to potential minerals. The most likely interpretation for undersaturation with respect to most minerals is either that the minerals are not present if they are reactive or if they are present, then they are not reactive. This study reveals that the majority of the groundwater samples belong to the Ca-Mg-HCO3 water type. Further, in this study, potential physicochemical variables have been used to calculate entropy weighted water quality index (EWQI). The EWQI reveals that the majority of the groundwater in the area is of good quality. Results show that the water chemistry in the area is largely governed by the water-rock interaction. This study based on large data sets reveals that the majority of drinking water resources are uncontaminated by F-. However, the groundwater is found to be largely contaminated by NO3-. The bivariate plot suggests that the unscientific farming practices and overuse of manures and fertilizers are largely responsible for high content of NO3-. Therefore, emphasis should be given on the cost-effective environmentally friendly fertilizers. The findings from this study will aid the governing authorities and concerned stakeholders to understand the hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in this region. The results will help formulate policies in the area for sustainable water supply.

Noise pollution prediction and seasonal comparison in urban parks using a coupled GIS- artificial neural network model.

Noise pollution is a challenging environmental issue in densely built urban areas and requires a holistic understanding of its sources and alleviation processes. Taking Isfahan City in Iran as a typical case, this study developed a combined GIS-artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the spatio-temporal contribution of low-width parks to poise pollution mitigation. The 30-min equivalent sound level was measured at 100 stations in six urban parks (with a total area of 55.84 ha) under stable and controlled winter and summer conditions. The noise level predicting variables were hypothesized to be the area of vegetation cover; NDVI-based vegetation density and standard deviation (std); vegetation height; and road coverage measured within 100-, 200-, and 300-m radius buffer rings drown around each noise sampling station. These predictors were introduced to a multi-layer perceptron ANN model to identify and compare the most important noise alleviation variables among the selected predictors. The mean noise levels ranged from 67.23 to 70.57 dB. The number of vehicles showed an insignificant temporal difference, indicating that the noise source was relatively constant between the seasons. The ANN model performed satisfactorily in both seasons with SSE values of < 0.03. The Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant difference in the predicted noise levels between summer and winter. This study highlighted the efficiency of the combined GIS-ANN model in predicting distant-dependent urban processes, especially noise pollution whose levels and variability are essential in formulating urban land-use management.

Pricing schemes of simultaneous optimization of congestion and air pollution: a case study in Iran.

The problem of traffic congestion and the environmental issues related to air pollution are among the essential problems of urban management that metropolitan cities are trying to mitigate. Given that the contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution is significant, both goals are achieved by managing urban transport. Among the various methods of travel demand management, congestion pricing is a very efficient measure. This study tried to simultaneously increase the efficiency of the transportation network and reduce the environmental effects by using a bi-level model for the multi-modal network. For this purpose, the upper-level model minimizes the objective function, i.e., pollution emission costs and overall commuting costs. The lower level also has a transportation network model that provides the condition of user equilibrium. The genetic and Frank-Wolfe algorithms have been used to solve the bi-level programming model. Two pricing schemes, cordon-based and link-based, are used to investigate and assist policymakers. The proposed algorithm is also applied to a real-world road network in Isfahan, Iran. The results of the proposed models for different pricing strategies were compared. According to the results, both pricing schemes mitigate traffic congestion and pollution, although the reduction in pollution outside the cordon is less than inside. Demand has also shifted from the private car mode to public transportation by an average of 15%. However, link-based pricing provides better performance than cordon-based pricing. This study indicated that a higher total collected toll in link-based pricing is accompanied by a sharper reduction in congestion and pollution mitigation, which can be spent on alternative facilities and infrastructure by the municipality, such as the development of public transportation and parking.

Investigating the Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Resilience in Infertile Couples in Isfahan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Infertility is a psychological crisis for a couple, spouse, and their families. Due to the positive effects of spiritual intelligence on the positive adaptation and growth of the individual under difficult circumstances, this study was conducted to determine the relationship between spiritual intelligence and resilience in infertile couples in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2020 on 162 infertile couples. Data were collected by the convenience sampling method from infertile couples referring to Infertility Centers in Isfahan through two standard questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistical methods for quantitative variables. The relationship between spiritual intelligence and resilience score was investigated using inferential statistical methods of Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The results showed that the mean age Standard Deviation (SD) of women and their spouses was 32.01 (5.86) and 36.30 (5.82) years, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant positive direct relationship between resilience score with total spiritual intelligence score (r = 0.36, p < 0.001) and its dimensions Critical Existential Thinking (CET) (r = 0.60, p < 0.001), personal meaning production (PMP) (r = 0.38, p < 0.001), Transcendental Awareness (TA) (r = 0.43, p < 0.001), and Conscious State Expansion (CSE) (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). The PMP (t = 6.38, p < 0.001) and the CSE (t = 2.15, p = 0.03) were significant predictors of resilience scores. Conclusions: The result of our study showed that couples with a higher level of spiritual intelligence had a better understanding of the problems and harms of primary infertility and would cope with it more efficiently.

Environmental Contamination of Different Areas of Isfahan Province of Iran with Toxocara spp. Eggs using Molecular Methods.

Background: Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. Infective stage of this parasite for human develops on soil. So, in this work contamination of the soil of public environments in five geographical areas of Isfahan province of Iran has been investigated. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 355 soil samples were collected from parks, children's playgrounds, student dormitories, and university environments, and examined by Flotation method. The samples were then inspected using microscopic and molecular methods. Results: From the 355 examined soil samples in 77 (21.69%), and 87 (24.50%) cases Toxocara eggs were detected by microscopic and molecular methods, respectively. In the molecular method, 31 (8.70%) cases of T. cati and 44 (12.39%) cases of T. canis were identified. Conclusion: Toxocara eggs were identified in all areas of Isfahan province, although contamination rate was higher in Fereydun Shahr and Semirum counties.

Molecular identification of Leishmania RNA virus in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and rodent reservoirs in Isfahan province, Iran.

Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is a double-strand RNA virus that was first detected in members of the Leishmania viannia in the New World. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of LRV in the Leishmania species isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients and rodents as reservoirs in Isfahan province an old zoonotic CL focus, center of Iran. Totally, 85 samples were collected from CL patients (n = 80) and rodent reservoirs (n = 5) from different regions of Isfahan province. Species identification was determined using the PCR-RFLP method. Viral dsRNA was extracted and for observation of 5.3 kb dsRNA on an agarose gel. The presence of LRV was surveyed using the Semi-nested PCR method. For phylogenetic analyzes, 6 samples of 13 isolates were sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was drawn by MEGA7 version 7.0.26. Of 80 Leishmania isolates recovered from the patients with CL, 79 and only one were identified as L. major and L. tropica, respectively. Also, the PCR assays detected four L. major and one L. turanica in five assessed Rhombomys opimus as the rodent reservoirs. LRV was detected only in Leishmania species isolated from 13 species of 85 (15.3%) CL including (L. major, n = 12) and (L. tropica, n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis showed that they were belonged to LRV2 and had the highest similarity with Iranian reference LRV2 in GenBank. Our results showed that the LRV2 was present in cutaneous Leishmania species in Isfahan province is the most historical and touristic province of Iran. In the study LRV was not reported from rodent reservoirs, it may be due to the small sample size. Phylogenetic analysis of current sequences demonstrated that these isolates belong to the registered LRV2 of the Old World.

Trends of human brucellosis in Central Iran (2010-2018).

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide which is caused by direct contact with affected animals or their products. It puts a huge impact on the economy, society, and the environment. Iran is the fourth endemic country for brucellosis in the world. It has been described a new epidemiological feature of the disease and its trends in Isfahan province, as one of the endemic areas of brucellosis in Central Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, population-based study. Data collection was performed using epidemiological questionnaires through Epi-2006 software from the private and public sectors in 22 districts of Isfahan province over 9 years (2010-2018). The results were obtained by the description statistics using the SPSS Statistics software version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Altogether, 5751 new brucellosis patients were recorded over 9 years. About 70% of these cases were male. The majority of cases had occurred in the age group of 21-30 years. The average incidence of brucellosis over the 9 years was 14.1 cases/100,000 population including 8.8 in the urban versus 45.2 cases in the rural areas. During the 9-year study period, the incidence of brucellosis was increased between 2010 and 2014. From 2014 to 2017, the trend has been decreasing, but in the last year of the study, the trend has been increasing again. Seasonally, the incidence rate was variable between the lowest from October to January and the highest from June to July. CONCLUSION: According to the fluctuation of incidence trend of brucellosis during the 9-year study period in Central Iran, it seems some policy changes regarding to the control and prevention of brucellosis have a role, changes that should be fixed and corrected.

Developing Non-Laboratory Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Charts and Validating Laboratory and Non-Laboratory-Based Models.

Background: Developing simplified risk assessment model based on non-laboratory risk factors that could determine cardiovascular risk as accurately as laboratory-based one can be valuable, particularly in developing countries where there are limited resources. Objective: To develop a simplified non-laboratory cardiovascular disease risk assessment chart based on previously reported laboratory-based chart and evaluate internal and external validation, and recalibration of both risk models to assess the performance of risk scoring tools in other population. Methods: A 10-year non-laboratory-based risk prediction chart was developed for fatal and non-fatal CVD using Cox Proportional Hazard regression. Data from the Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS), a population-based study among 6504 adults aged ≥ 35 years, followed-up for at least ten years was used for the non-laboratory-based model derivation. Participants were followed up until the occurrence of CVD events. Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) data was used to evaluate the external validity of both non-laboratory and laboratory risk assessment models in other populations rather than one used in the model derivation. Results: The discrimination and calibration analysis of the non-laboratory model showed the following values of Harrell's C: 0.73 (95% CI 0.71-0.74), and Nam-D'Agostino χ2:11.01 (p = 0.27), respectively. The non-laboratory model was in agreement and classified high risk and low risk patients as accurately as the laboratory one. Both non-laboratory and laboratory risk prediction models showed good discrimination in the external validation, with Harrell's C of 0.77 (95% CI 0.75-0.78) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.76-0.79), respectively. Conclusions: Our simplified risk assessment model based on non-laboratory risk factors could determine cardiovascular risk as accurately as laboratory-based one. This approach can provide simple risk assessment tool where laboratory testing is unavailable, inconvenient, and costly.

Spatiotemporal ecological quality assessment of metropolitan cities: a case study of central Iran.

The present study used the recently developed Remote Sensing-Based Ecological Index (RSEI) to assess the temporal-spatial variation of ecological quality in the metropolitan city of Isfahan (Iran) as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This study was conducted from the Landsat TM/OLI satellite images of 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019. The RSEI was synthesized by principal component analysis for four indices of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Land Surface Moisture (LSM) and Normalized Differential Build-up, and Bare Soil Index (NDBSI) based on the framework of the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) in the aforementioned years. The ecological quality of the city was assessed by RSEI over a 15-year period. The index has a value range of 0 (completely poor ecological quality) to 1 (completely desirable). In addition, the spatial heterogeneity of RSEIs at different intervals was assessed by the Moran index. The results showed that the RSEI value was always less than 0.4, which indicated the unfavourable ecological quality of the city. This index was 0.34, 0.37, 0.26 and 0.30 in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019, respectively. Therefore, the ecological quality of the city did not have a constant trend during the studied period and had several fluctuations, which could be attributed to the natural and anthropogenic changes in the studied period. Additionally, the results of the Moran index showed a steady decline, which indicated a declining homogeneity during this period. Matching the calculated RSEIs with the realities of the region at each time interval suggested that the index could be a useful tool for assessing urban ecological quality.

Longitudinal association between an overall diet quality index and latent profiles of cardiovascular risk factors: results from a population based 13-year follow up cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, including poor diet. Indices reflecting the overall quality of diets are more effective than single food or nutrient-based approaches in clarifying the diet disease relationship. The present study aims to use latent variable modeling to examine the longitudinal joint relationships between the latent profiles of CVDs risk factors and the diet quality index (DQI). METHODS: A total of 4390 Iranian adults aged 35 and older within the framework of the Isfahan Cohort Study were included in the current secondary analysis. DQI focused on food groups, including fast foods, sweets, vegetables, fruits, fats, and proteins, based on a validated food frequency questionnaire. The score of DQI has a range between 0 (indicating healthy and high diet quality) and 2 (indicating unhealthy and low diet quality). Blood pressure (BP), anthropometric measurements, blood glucose, serum lipids, and high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) were measured according to standard protocols in 2001, 2007, and 2013 to evaluate the profiles of CVDs risk factors. A Bayesian Multidimensional Graded Responses Linear Mixed Model was used for data analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, the participants' mean ± standard deviation age was 50.09 ± 11.21, and 49.5% of them were male. Three latent profiles of CVDs risk factors were derived: (1) Fit Pre-Metabolic Syndrome (FPMS) profile characterized by normal anthropometric indices and some impaired metabolic risk factors; (2) DysLipoproteinemia Central Obese (DLCO) profile with abdominal obesity and impaired low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as other normal risk factors; (3) Impaired Laboratory Inflammatory State (ILIS) profile with impaired high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hs-CRP and other normal risk factors. In general, higher scores of the extracted latent profiles indicated more impaired function in the related risk factors. After controlling for various potential fixed and time-varying confounding variables, a significant positive longitudinal association was found between FPMS, DLCO, and ILIS profiles and DQI (ß (95% CrI): 0.26 (0.03,0.51), 0.14 (0.01,0.27), and 0.24 (0.11,0.38), respectively), demonstrating that lower overall diet quality was associated with more impaired function of the related risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: More adherence to a healthy quality diet is associated with lower levels of all emerging latent profiles of CVDs risk factors. Increasing the knowledge of the community about the importance of the quality of consumed foods may help to prevent CVDs. It is recommended that further investigations, particularly interventional studies, be conducted to confirm our results.

Long-term association of red meat consumption and lipid profile: A 13-year prospective population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The long-term associations between red meat consumption and lipid profile are not completely known. This longitudinal study assessed the association of red meat consumption with lipid profile in healthy Iranian adults using repeated measurements of red meat intake. METHODS: The population-based longitudinal study was conducted within the framework of the Isfahan Cohort Study on a subsample of 1376 healthy adults, aged ≥35 y, for whom complete information was available in all three phases of the study. A simplified qualitative 48-item food frequency questionnaire, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, and fasting serum lipids and blood sugar were evaluated in three phases. Mixed-effects linear regression was applied to examine the longitudinal associations between red meat consumption and lipid profile. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, each single-serving increase in red meat and organ meat consumption was significantly associated with an increment in triacylglycerol (ß = 6.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.97-8.63), total cholesterol (ß = 3.03; 95% CI, 2.02-4.04), low-density lipoprotein (ß = 3.40; 95% CI, 2.64-4.17), high-density lipoprotein (ß = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.28-0.93), ratio of low-density to high-density lipoprotein (ß = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01-0.05), and non-high-density lipoprotein (ß = 2.42; 95% CI, 1.41-3.43). However, processed meat consumption had no significant association with lipid profile. CONCLUSIONS: Total red meat intake had a significant, direct association with lipid profile after a 13-year follow-up period in a cohort of the healthy Iranian population.

Temporal variability of noise pollution attenuation by vegetation in urban parks.

The present study proposed a novel approach to investigate variability in the acoustic behavior of a number of deciduous tree-dominated narrow and long urban parks in Isfahan city, central Iran, between winter leaf fall and summer foliage. Noise levels (Lq30 in dB) were measured along two adjacent sides of the parks: along the road-adjacent side (Ro transect) and the relatively calmer river-adjacent side of the parks (Ri transect) during 4-17 January 2018 and 7-14 August 2019. Using Sentinel-2 images, two NDVI maps were also produced for these two periods to determine how changes in green biomass were associated with changes in noise levels. Using ANOVA, a significant difference was found in Ri-Lq30 and NDVI maps between winter and summer (p = 0.0), while the difference was insignificant for Ri-Lq30 (p = 0.1). We also developed two multiple linear regressions, one for each season, to assess the dependency of Ri-Lq30 to the intensity of vegetation and Ro-Lq30 and compare the two seasons by performing a t test analysis on the intercept and slope of the models, with results suggesting there is a significant difference in the association of green biomass and noise levels measured inside the parks between leaf fall and foliage time (p = 0.04). Our results indicated the temporal variability of park characteristics in providing calmer urban landscapes throughout the year.

Evaluation of oral pathologic lesions in elderly patients in Isfahan, Iran, 1989-2018 years / Avaliação de lesões patológicas orais em pacientes idosos em Isfahan, Irã, entre 1989 e 2018

Objective: One of the most important alterations in elderly is the destruction and loss of teeth and oral mucosal lesions. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of biopsed pathologic lesions in elderly registered in the pathology department of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during 1989 to 2018 years. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was performed on pathologic lesions in elderly archived in Faculty of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. In this study, all archived information of elderly over 65 years including gender, age, location of lesion, clinical diagnosis, pathology diagnosis, and diagnosis year were evaluated in last three decades, and were analyzed statistically. Results: The age range of elderly patients was 65 to 90 years with a mean of 72.8 ± 4.9. The highest frequency for location of lesions was related to mandibular vestibule (21.1%). The most clinical diagnosed lesions were squamous cell carcinoma (24.5%) and Epulis Fissuratum (13.4%). The highest pathologic diagnosed lesions were related to reactive lesions group (35.6%). The squamous cell carcinoma malignancies and other malignancies were increased significantly in elderly patients with high age. Conclusion: According to the considerable frequency of oral lesions in elderly and increased frequency of squamous cell carcinoma and other malignancies, attention to oral lesions in elderly and periodic examinations are important to early diagnosis and treatment. (AU)

Objetivo: Uma das alterações mais importantes no idoso é a destruição e perda de dentes; e lesões da mucosa oral. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a frequência de lesões patológicas biopsiadas em idosos registrados no departamento de patologia da Universidade de Ciências Médicas de Isfahan durante os anos de 1989 a 2018. Material e métodos: Este estudo transversal descritivo-analítico foi realizado em lesões patológicas em idosos arquivadas na Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade de Ciências Médicas de Isfahan. Neste estudo, todas as informações arquivadas de idosos com mais de 65 anos, incluindo sexo, idade, localização da lesão, diagnóstico clínico, diagnóstico patológico e ano do diagnóstico foram avaliadas nas últimas três décadas e foram analisadas estatisticamente. Resultados: A faixa etária dos pacientes idosos foi de 65 a 90 anos, com média de 72,8 ± 4,9. A maior frequência de localização das lesões foi relacionada a região vestibular da mandíbula (21,1%). As lesões mais diagnosticadas clinicamente foram carcinoma espinocelular (24,5%) e Epulis Fissuratum (13,4%). As maiores lesões patológicas diagnosticadas foram relacionadas ao grupo de lesões reativas (35,6%). As neoplasias do carcinoma de células escamosas e outras neoplasias aumentaram significativamente em pacientes idosos com alta idade. Conclusão: Devido à considerável frequência de lesões orais em idosos e ao aumento da frequência de carcinoma espinocelular e outras neoplasias, a atenção às lesões orais em idosos e os exames periódicos são importantes para o diagnóstico e tratamento precoces. (AU)

Factors related to the international research collaboration in the health area: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: International research collaboration (IRC) is known as one of the important indicators of productivity, efficiency, and validity of universities in the world. In other words, IRC is necessary for the scientific trade-off between researchers in international scientific societies. The study aimed to address the experiences of an academic researcher about factors related to IRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis method. The participants consisted of 19 experienced faculty members and researchers from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, who were selected based on the purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using the content analysis technique. Guba and Lincoln's evaluative criteria, including credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability, were applied to evaluate the trustworthiness of the study. RESULTS: According to the research findings, factors of "personal skills," "personality," "professional position," and "scientific activities" under the category of personal factors; "rules and regulations" and "equipment and facilities" under the organizational factors; and "domestic policies" and "foreign policies" were identified under the government factors category. CONCLUSION: Research collaborations are influenced by individual, intra-academic, and extra-academic factors; thus, research policymakers can help further to enhance the quantity and quality of scientific output and promote the university's placing in international rankings through providing conditions that enable international interactions.

Comparison of Three Different Therapies for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Identification of the Etiologic Isolates in Isfahan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: In Iran, zoonotic and anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are caused by Leishmania major and L. tropica respectively. Despite extensive studies, no effective therapies have ever been reported for CL. The main objective of this research was to determine and compare the three different protocols for treatment of CL patients referring to Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center (SDLRC), affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran from September 2017 to October 2018. METHODS: In a randomized controlled parallel groups clinical trial, 150 selected CL patients who met our inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to one of the three therapy groups: A, intra-lesional glucantime plus 50% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), B, intralesional glucantime and C, systemic glucantime. All patients in the three groups received the complete course of treatment and were followed for 6 months. To identify the etiologic agents, smears from their lesions were prepared and PCR-RFLP was used after parasite culture. Also, clinical characteristics, history of previous involvement, endemic emigration and demographic data were collected. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean value of healing period was 53.12 ± 25.88 (median: 45, IQR: Q1 = 30-Q3 = 77) days in group A, 57.22 ± 44.02 (median: 42.5, IQR: Q1 = 30-Q3 = 60) days in group B, and 73.56 ± 41.08 (median: 71, IQR: Q1 = 45-Q3 = 90) days in group C; the observed differences were statistically significant (P=0.024). There was a significant difference between group A and group C (P = 0.049), and between group B and group C (P = 0.047) in terms of mean healing period. Finally, complete recovery rates of 80%, 62% and 42% were shown in the three medicinal groups of A, B and C, respectively (P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: In this study, the average duration of lesion healing among the three groups was the shortest in patients with IL glucantime plus 50% TCA treatment regimen. Also, the use of 50% TCA in patients suffering from CL was associated with a significant improvement in the depth of scars, the time and the percentage of recovery, and the low cost of this agent in the treatment of CL.