Structural Equations Modeling of the Relationship between Virtual Addictions, Attachment Styles, and Demographic Variables with Pubbing

Introduction: Pubbing is an emerging concept in the pathological literature and is a communicational phenomenon and refers to the disorder of smartphone dependency. Despite the importance relationship between pubbing and Internet addiction, gaming, social media, and psychological indices such as attachment styles, this issue has not been evaluated in Iranian society to date. This study was conducted aimed to model the structural equations of the relationship between virtual addiction, attachment styles and demographic variables with the phenomenon of pubbing. Methods: This study was conducted in the form of a descriptive correlational design based on structural equation modeling. For this purpose, 356 individuals were selected by stratified random sampling from men and women of Qom city during April to August 2019 and entered the research process after obtaining entry criteria and informed consent. Seven scales of pubbing, Internet Addiction, Game Addiction, Social Media Addiction, Mobile phone Addiction, Texting Addiction, and Attachment Styles Questionnaire were used to collect data. Results: The results showed that the tested model has a good fit. The direct effect of mobile phone addiction (0.50), SMS addiction (0.18) and attachment (0.50) on pubbing was positive and significant at level of 0.01. Also, the indirect effect of game addiction and texting addiction was significant on pubbing at level of 0.01. It also explained 76% of the variance of pubbing for game addiction, texting addiction and attachment. However, the indirect effects of the addiction variables on pubbing through age variable were not significant. Conclusion: The findings of this study can be useful in planning the advancement horizons in prevention and management of pubbing phenomena and could have clinical applications. Declaration of Interest: None

Application of Bed Load Formulations for Dam Failure and Overtopping

The Enhanced HLLC scheme as a robust approximate Riemann solver is used for numerical modeling of three different test cases of mobile bed and stepped mobile bed in dam failure and dam overtopping conditions. The current research has been done in the frame of the finite volume method using shallow water equations along with the Exner equation for sediment continuity. The Ribberink, Wong and Parker formulations have been used for the modelling of bed load movement. A convenient approach based on the Boussinesq hypothesis is deployed for considering turbulence effects in the second case. The affections of stepped and slope condition for the flow bed are considered through a corrected version of the HLLC flux components. Finally, the model is applied for modelling overtopping in the third case. The results of the present model are relatively reasonable by comparing with the experimental data

Performance assessment of meta-heuristics for composite layup optimisation

Peer reviewedPostprin

Study on Effective Factors in using Six Sigma Projects in Saipa Co.

The Six Sigma methodology has been established as a process oriented methodology with emphasis on outcome and effectiveness and seeks to improve the quality of the products, services, and processes. In our country, along with other countries, the industrial facilities and services have acted rapidly to exchange information with other organizations and industrial centers of the world with the high capability and implement it. This methodology has been used for one of the manufacturing companies “Shetabkar Co.” that supplies the car parts for Irankhodro Co. This study is a case study on the implementation of Six Sigma projects in Shetabkar Co., which includes introduction, history, and definition of Six Sigma from experts’ viewpoints about the Six Sigma quality and the role of the teams in the implementation of Six Sigma strategy and also a series of the research works that are relevant to this topic. Finally, 5 factors are selected as the effective factors in the implementation of Six Sigma and the relationship between these factors with the successful implementation of Six Sigma has consistency and validity due to the questionnaire and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is applied and proven for the normality and the impact of each factor is individually analyzed and then a series of recommendations have been proposed for the successful implementation of Six Sigma projects

A comprehensive survey on cultural algorithms

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Sensitivity and specificity of chest computed tomography scan based on RT-PCR in COVID-19 diagnosis

Purpose: COVID-19 is a novel, severely contagious and progressive infection occurring worldwide. The diagnosis of the disease is based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and computed tomography (CT) scan, even though they are still controversial methods. Material and methods: We studied 54 patients with suspected COVID-19 and the two mentioned methods were compared with each other. Results: Sensitivity and specificity of the abnormal chest CT scan, ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation opacity, and both of GGO and consolidation were also surveyed based on RT-PCR. The results showed that RT-PCR assay was negative in 23 (42.6%) patients and positive in 31 (57.4%) cases. Also, the patients with an abnormal chest CT scan comprised 37 (68.5%). The sensitivity and specificity of abnormal CT scan were 78.6% and 42.3%, respectively, based on the RT-PCR method. Conclusions: Other techniques alongside CT scan and RT-PCR are advocated for accuracy of the COVID-19 diagnosis

Effect of Low Level Laser Application at the End of Surgery to Reduce Pain after Tonsillectomy in Adults

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is among commonest otorhinolaryngologic surgeries. Many methods have been used to control post surgical pain, but despite it, pain is still one of the problems related to this operation. Recently, due to the non invasiveness of low level lasers, this modality has attracted attention. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of low level laser irradiation at the end of surgery on reduction of pain after tonsillectomy in adults.Methods: In a clinical trial, 60 adult patients, candidates for tonsillectomy were randomly assigned to two groups, A and B, and both groups were anesthetized similarly by the same technique. At the end of surgery, in the case group, the tonsils’ bed were irradiated by infrared laser with 980nm wavelength, 100Hz, 4J/cm2 from the infra mandibular angle. In the controlgroup, the tonsils’ bed had laser therapy with a turned off probe.Follow ing laser treatment, the patients were reversed and extubated and consciousness achieved, pain and odynophagia were assessed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24h post surgery based on visual analog scale for pain (VAS) and analgesic consumption.Results: In the laser group frequency of patients with pain sensation in each evaluated hour was lower than in the control group. The amount of pain decrease and analgesic consumption reduction was significantly higher in patients who received laser (P=0.01).Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, use of low level lasers is effective in reducing tonsillectomy post surgical pain in adults

High Seroprevalence of Anti-H. pylori Antibodies in Patients with Ventilator Associated Pneumonia

Background: Despite major advances in the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia, its pathogenesis is not clearly known. Recently, the role of gastric colonization has been proposed. We compared the prevalence of H. pylori by serology in patients with VAP and in control subjects to determine the role of H. pylori and gastric colonization in the pathogenesis of VAP. Methods:118 intubated and mechanically ventilated patients were included and divided into two groups; 59 subjects with VAP and 59 control patients. Results of the serologic tests, demographic characteristics and time of blood sampling were registered. Results: Mean age in seropositive patients was significantly higher. 71.2% in the VAP group and 61.01% in controls were IgG seropositive (P=0.24). IgM seropositivity was 23.73% versus 8.47% in VAPs and controls, respectively (P=0.024). By increasing the time of intubation, more patients became seropositive for IgM (Pearson’s correlation coefficient=0.4, P=0.002). Conclusion:  IgM seropositivity and serum level were significantly higher in VAP patients. Also by increasing the duration of intubation and time of sampling, serum levels and seropositivity for IgM increased significantly