Creating a Future for an Ancient Sustainable City, Yazd

Abstract Sustainable architecture attempts to find a way to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by improving the use of energy and the efficiency of material used. As new and more affordable technologies emerge, solar-generated electricity and hot water, as well as passive and active systems of natural heating and cooling are becoming more widespread. Although advanced technology can provide some solutions, it may also be worth learning from energy-saving approaches of the past. This author believes that vernacular architecture can give us some clues to improve the environmental performance of tomorrow’s architecture. A combination of our current understanding of ancient techniques in addition to current knowledge about building science may help us find unique and powerful solutions. Ancient architecture used natural resources of energy to enhance the interior conditions of a building in the absence of modern cooling/heating systems. In this study, we review samples of architecture designed by such strategies; then, we move further to a specific example of sustainable features such as windcatchers, qanats, etc. located in Yazd, Iran. Windcatchers are the most remarkable well-adapted passive natural cooling and ventilation systems used in the harsh conditions in hot zones. In fact, the use of local materials and renewable energy resources in the most prominent feature of Yazd, the windcatchers, illustrate the harmony of human built-environments and nature. This thesis focuses on hot, hot-arid and hot-humid climates in Iran and some of the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region. It uses the vernacular architecture of Yazd as an excellent example of the area, both culturally and climatically. Although this region is the focus of this study, the fundamental approaches can be manipulated for use in other hot-climate locations as a method of sustainable design. Literature reviews and analysis of case studies show that current Iranian designs do not achieve the best performance from an environmental aspect. It is proposed in this study that implementing vernacular architectural principles results in significant performance improvements over the current methods and offers a new architectural design language. In conclusion, a series of guidelines and successful strategies are presented to aid the designer of tomorrow’s buildings

The Ranking of Razan Basin Erosion by Using the Fuzzy Logic, EPM and BLM Model in GIS Environment

Awareness of the amount of the danger of ablation, the possibility of recognizing critical areas and   arranging of managing plans and protecting plans achieved. the present study is produced aiming  the use of fuzzy logic EPM and BLM in predicting the power of ablation and calculation of the  whole illuviation that has been produced in a year in the Razan basin by help of evaluation and GIS then the correctness of the studies have been compared according to the results of BLM model the more of  the studied are wan in low erosion  in the  rest of the paper by using EPM model the whole of illuviation  that had been produced in Razan basin was calculated according to the results of EPM model the power of ablation in the studied area laid in the ablation of middle class also the results of game operator of  fuzzy %98 of study area was show reel in five class of the less clanger to the most danger final the results of credit evaluating of models showed that the results of EPM model had more similarity with the prepare data of the study that show the correctness of  EPM model  in analyzing   ablation of  the studied area according to the ranking of the area and using EPM model 28/44- 32/16 and 39 /40 % Percent of the space of the area laid in the classes of the more less .less- middle

Efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction by visible-light responsive Fe-doped WO3 nanostructures

126-134The nanoparticles of WO3 doped with Fe ions have been employed for University, Kermanshah photocatalytic conversion of greenhouse gaseous of CO2 and CH4 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalysts have been characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, Raman, UV-vis, and PL techniques. The XRD and Raman spectroscopies confirm the monoclinic structure of WO3 nanoparticles and also the successful incorporation of Fe ions into WO3 lattice. A red shift in Raman patterns of Fe-doped WO3 samples indicate the partial substitution of W with Fe ions and the structural defects induced in WO3 crystals upon doping treatment. The recorded PL signals reveal that the charge carrier recombination rate can be inhibited by doping WO3 with Fe ions. The modified samples show high activity by photons with wavelength equal to/greater than ~500 nm, the visible-light in green region. The best photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is provided to be 38.7% by WO3 containing 4.18 at.% Fe under visible-light. Ethane, and formate and acetate derivatives are detected as the major products of CO2 reduction

Efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction by visible-light responsive Fe-doped WO3 nanostructures

The nanoparticles of WO3 doped with Fe ions have been employed for University, Kermanshah photocatalytic conversion of greenhouse gaseous of CO2 and CH4 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalysts have been characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, Raman, UV-vis, and PL techniques. The XRD and Raman spectroscopies confirm the monoclinic structure of WO3 nanoparticles and also the successful incorporation of Fe ions into WO3 lattice. A red shift in Raman patterns of Fe-doped WO3 samples indicate the partial substitution of W with Fe ions and the structural defects induced in WO3 crystals upon doping treatment. The recorded PL signals reveal that the charge carrier recombination rate can be inhibited by doping WO3 with Fe ions. The modified samples show high activity by photons with wavelength equal to/greater than ~500 nm, the visible-light in green region. The best photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is provided to be 38.7% by WO3 containing 4.18 at.% Fe under visible-light. Ethane, and formate and acetate derivatives are detected as the major products of CO2 reduction

One-step versus two-step screening for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in Iranian population : A randomized community trial

publishedVersio

Prevalence of needlestick injuries among health-care workers in iranian hospitals: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Needlestick and sharp injuries have been identified as the most dangerous factor among health-care workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 385,000 health-care workers experience needlestick each year. Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of needlestick injuries (NSIs) in Iranian health-care workers. In this review and meta-analysis, the local and international databases such as Scopus, Medline, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Magiran were searched using keywords including prevalence OR needle OR needle stick OR Sharp injury OR Iranian personnel's OR Iranian health care workers OR Iranian hospitals OR Iran. The original researches that determined the prevalence of NSIs among Iranian health-care workers and published from January 2005 to June 2019 were included in the current study. The pooled prevalence of NSIs was determined using a random-effects model with a 95 confidence interval. All analyses were performed using STATA version 11 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). P Results: The overall prevalence of NSIs among Iranian health-care personnel was about 50.8 (46.3-55.2). Furthermore, this prevalence in educational, noneducational, both noneducational and educational, and military centers was about 51.1 (46.5-57.7), 40.4.1 (34.2-46.6), 61.0 (32.1-89.9), and 41.5 (23.0-60.0), respectively. The prevalence of NSIs among the nurses was 51.1 (45.4-56.8), which was more than other groups. Conclusions: The prevalence of NSIs in Iranian hospitals was high. Since most of the injuries are caused by nurses, more intervention programs should be designed for nurses in these wards

Association of PICK1 and BDNF variations with increased risk of methamphetamine dependence among Iranian population : a case–control study

Funding Information: This study was financially supported by the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Grant Number: 931681).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Examining the effect of The Leventhal Self-Regulatory Model on Sexual Satisfaction for Women with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: The main goal of this study was to investigate whether the Self-Regulation Model could improve sexual satisfaction for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: Adult women diagnosed with breast cancer were recruited from a hospital in Qazvin, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 40) or a control group (n = 40). All participants were administered a demographic questionnaire and an Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1, 2, and 3 months following the intervention. The control group completed the assessments along the same time line as the intervention group. Women in the experimental group were provided three sessions of a psychological individual intervention which included psychoeducation regarding their diagnosis and personalized intervention strategies to improve their overall sexual satisfaction with sexual intercourse. Each intervention took between 60 to 90 minutes to administer. Results: The experimental and control group participants were well balance in demographic characteristics and sexual satisfaction scores before the intervention. Interestingly, the intervention group showed a positive increasing trend in the sexual satisfaction scores over time but the controls had a negative trend (p < 0.05). There were also statistical differences in the sexual satisfaction scores at each month (p < 0.05) adjusted for baseline score and relevant demographical variables showing a demonstrated longstanding effects with a significant increase in sexual satisfaction over time.Conclusion: Providing a psychoeducational based intervention provided an increase of sexual satisfaction during intercourse for women diagnosed with breast cancer. The2 psychoeducation based intervention provided an opportunity for participants to dispel common myths regarding their disease and obtain new strategies and skills to improve their sexual satisfaction from intercourse with their partners. Keywords: Breast Cancer, Sexual Satisfaction, Self-Regulation Mode

How does multiple sclerosis affect sexual satisfaction in patients' spouses?

BackgroundSexual dysfunction (SD) is a common complaint among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of afflicted couples. The purpose of this study was to determine sexual satisfaction (SS) in the spouses of MS patients and its impact on the QoL.MethodsA total of 214 spouses of MS patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. They completed the Larson Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire and SF-8 Health Survey.ResultsThe mean ± SD age of the spouses was 39.8 ± 9.7 years, and the duration of MS was 5 years or less in most of their partners. The mean ± SD score of QoL was 71.0 ± 20.3 (out of 100), and the mean SS score was 89.2 ± 18.6 (out of 125), showing moderate satisfaction. The highest score was among male spouses younger than 40 years old. The SS scores were also lower among female spouses. In the final model, it was found that SD, psychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment, and the level of disability of patients were independent explanatory factors for the SS of their spouses.ConclusionThe findings supported the role of SS in the QoL of spouses of MS patients. Therefore, the attention of physicians to this hidden aspect of the life of MS patients is crucial

Comparing Serum and Salivary Levels of Vitamin D in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis and Healthy Individuals

Statement of the Problem: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most prevalent ulcerative condition of the oral mucosa. Many studies have emphasized on immunologic factors as the reason of inducing RAS; however, the exact etiologic cause of RAS has not been identified yet. Vitamin D has an endocrine function and regulatory effects on the immune system. It has potential therapeutic effects on autoimmune diseases, psoriasis, and neoplasms. Vitamin D deficiency has been detected in some autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arteritis. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare the serum and salivary levels of vitamin D in patients with RAS and healthy individuals. Materials and Method: In this cross sectional study, patients with RAS, referring to the Department of Oral Medicine, Tabriz Faculty of Dentistry, were evaluated after taking medical history, clinical examinations, and completing an informed consent form. The serum and salivary vitamin D levels were compared between case (n=26) and control (n=26) groups. Results: The mean serum vitamin D levels in the case and control groups were 33.0.7±12.41 and 50.89±9.30 (ng/dL), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). On the other hand, the mean salivary vitamin D levels in the case and control groups were 17.36± 8.01 and 20.79±6.31 (ng/dL), respectively, with no statistically significant difference (p= 0.09). In addition, the correlation between the serum and salivary levels of vitamin D was 56%, being statistically significant (p< 0.001). Conclusion: The serum levels of vitamin D in patients with RAS were significantly less than that in healthy individuals; however, there were no significant differences in salivary vitamin D levels between patients with RAS and healthy individuals. In addition, there was a significant and positive correlation between serum and salivary levels of vitamin D in all patients