Does traffic stress affect distance estimation and recognition accuracy in urban bus drivers?

This study has been carried out to investigate the effect of traffic load on the level of blood adrenaline hormone and its influences on the distance estimation and recognition accuracy among urban bus drivers. The level of blood adrenaline hormone has been regarded as stress index. 69 urban bus drivers were investigated in a heavy and low traffic days. The precision of distance estimation and the recognition accuracy among this population was also evaluated in both situation. The level of adrenaline in drivers’ blood in heavy traffic was more than low traffic days. The mean of recognition accuracy and distance estimation precision showed that the drivers’ ability have decreased in high–traffic day as opposed to low–traffic day. The rising of the drivers’ blood adrenalin on heavy traffic day could make the drivers more stressed out as their precision and judgment might be reduced

Low-power density radiations emitted from common wi-fi routers influence sperm concentration and sperm histomorphometric parameters: A new horizon on male infertility treatment

Background: Male infertility is defined as an inability to impregnate a fertile fe-male; it is a widespread problem which is usually caused by some male factors such as low quantity and quality of sperm, specifically oligospermia and azoospermia. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the bio-positive effects of low power density Wi-Fi radiation on the reproductive system of infertile and healthy mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, thirty adult male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups. Groups oligospermic-sham (OS), oligo-spermic-exposure 1 (OE1) and oligospermic-exposure 2 (OE2) received Busulfan, 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, but the control-sham (CS) and control-exposure (CE) groups left without Busulfan therapy. Groups CE, OE1 and OE2 were exposed to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi radiation while, the CS and OS were sham exposed to Wi-Fi radiation without energizing the Wi-Fi router. The right and left testes and right epididymis were dissected out and histopathological, histomorphologic changes and the quality of the sperms were analyzed. Results: Low power density Wi-Fi radiation significantly increased sperm concentration in the CE group compared to that in CS, while enhancement of spermatid cells was not significant. Sperm concentration in OE2 was more than that in OE1 as the spermatid cells enhanced. Conclusion: Findings revealed that radiation hormesis induced by low power density Wi-Fi radiation have biological beneficial effects on mouse sperm concentration and sperm histomorphometric parameters

The effects of abnormality of cVEMP and oVEMP on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

The presence of utricular and saccular dysfunction impairs quality of life (QoL) in patients. The aims of the present study were to examine the effect of repositioning maneuvers on QoL of patients with idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and to describe the effect of cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) or ocular VEMP (oVEMP) abnormalities on patient recovery after rehabilitation. Thirty idiopathic BPPV patients with/without otolith dysfunctions (n = 15, each group) were included in this clinical trial study. Otolith dysfunction was determined using oVEMP and cVEMP abnormalities. EcochG and caloric tests were performed to rule out other causes of secondary BPPV. The QoL in groups of patients with idiopathic BPPV was assessed using a Persian version of the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI-P) before and after treatment with Epley�s maneuver. Pre-treatment results showed significant handicaps in both groups. DHI-P scores were higher in BPPV patients with otolith dysfunction (total, functional, emotional, physical score: 34.13, 11.20, 7.06, 15.86, respectively) than those in patients without otolith dysfunction (total, functional, emotional, physical score: 25.46, 7.86, 6.13, 11.46, respectively, P < 0.05). After treatment, DHI-P scores decreased in both groups. However, in the otolith dysfunction group, DHI-P scores (total, functional, emotional, physical score: 9.20, 3.33, 1.33, 4.53, respectively) were higher than those in patients without otolith dysfunction (total, functional, emotional, physical score: 4.13, 0.93, 1.06, 2.00, respectively). In BPPV patients with cVEMP or oVEMP abnormalities, QoL is more compromised in comparison with that in BPPV patients without these dysfunctions. Otolith dysfunction enhances the negative effects of BPPV on QoL. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Preventing plagiarism in academic literature, lessons learned from European union member states

Background and Objectives: Plagiarism is the most prevalent type of scientific misconduct, and various rules and strategies have been proposed to combat it in different countries. A review of other countrieschr('39') experiences in this area contributes to good policymaking. The present study was conducted to introduce preventive interventions of plagiarism in the leading countries. Methods: The present study was a qualitative review study of applied practices. In this study, preventive interventions of scientific plagiarism in the 27 European ::::::::union:::::::: countries were studied due to the appropriate coherence and structural similarity at national, organizational, and individual levels. The national-level interventions were analyzed using the content analysis method in mentioned countries. Results: The results of analyzing the national-level interventions were categorized into eight main themes, including reaching a national agreement on examples of scientific plagiarism and misconduct; policy development; monitoring and supervision; financial support development; development of databanks and software; compiling educational programs for faculty members and students; dissemination and use of successful experiences; and eventually establishment of laws related to scientific misconduct, plagiarism, and punishments activities. Conclusion: Using preventive interventions at a national level proves the commitment and determination of policymakers to control and prevent plagiarism. Proper use of preventive interventions at a national level strengthens the controlling and preventive infrastructures of this issue at the organizational level, and enhances moral commitment and professional skills among the countrychr('39')s researchers