Elder Abuse Prevalence in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background & objective: With the increase in the population of the aged, one of the most crucial issues that can result in serious health consequences is elder abuse. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of elder abuse and its subtypes in Iran. Materials & Methods: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis based on PRISMA guidelines. Relevant keywords were used for database search in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science. All of the search and data extraction process was conducted independently by two researchers. JBI checklist was used for risk of bias assessment. The data were cleaned and analyzed using Biostat, (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis). The meta-analysis was performed using Random Effects Model, and I2 index was calculated for assessing heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-three articles were finally analyzed. The data of 6,298 individuals were analyzed, which were significantly heterogeneous (I2= 99.38). The prevalence of elder abuse was 55% (95% CI: 0.42-0.68). The subtype with the highest prevalence was emotional neglect (39%, 95% CI: 0.29-0.50), while the lowest prevalence was related to social rejection (15%, 95% CI: 0.11-0.19) Conclusion: All types of elder abuse are highly prevalent in Iran. Therefore, it is crucial to develop evidence-based comprehensive plans to better identify, intervene, and prevent this issue

Sustainable campus improvement program design using energy efficiency and conservation

Reducing energy consumption is critical to improving campus sustainability. Both increased efficiency of built infrastructure and conservation by users can contribute. This work investigates feedback in the design of energy improvement programs that exploit both efficiency and conservation by developing a system dynamics model. The model formalizes the paid-from-savings approach and is validated using a sustainability program at a major university. Model simulations use five program designs, two forms of performance (energy savings and monetary savings), and capital requirements to test four hypotheses. This research indicated the existence of a trade-off space of program designs in which the preferred design will depend upon specific objectives. Other conclusions partially support improved performance with more investment and recommend the use of conservation to fund efficiency under capital constraints. A feedback analysis provides a richer explanation of the drivers of program success. The scientific contributions include an improved understanding of campus sustainability improvement program design, a formal dynamic model for program design, and an innovative staged design as an advanced solution to the dynamic challenges of designing campus sustainability improvement programs

Evaluating planning strategies for prioritizing projects in sustainability improvement programs

Programs to improve the sustainability of building infrastructures often consist of project portfolios that need to be prioritized in an appropriate chronological fashion to maximize the program’s benefits. This is particularly important when a revolving-fund approach is used to leverage savings from the initial projects to pay for later improvements. The success of the revolving-fund approach is dependent on the appropriate prioritization of projects. Competing performance measures and scarce resources make this task of project prioritization during the planning stage a complex and challenging endeavour. The current study examined the impact of different project prioritization strategies for revolving-fund sustainability program performance. A novel modeling approach for sustainability decision-analysis was developed using the system dynamics method, and the model was calibrated using a campus sustainability improvement program at a major university. The model was applied to evaluate the effects of five common project-prioritization strategies on three program-performance measures, across a wide range of initial investment levels. For the university case study, we found that the strategy of prioritizing projects according to decreasing benefit/cost ratio performed best. The research demonstrated that using a system dynamics model can allow sustainability program managers to make better-informed sequencing decisions, leading to a financially and environmentally successful program implementations

Assessment of the Relationship Between Serum Fibrinogen Level and Chronic Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Patients With or Without

Background:Infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumonia or Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) have been linked to ischemic heart disease(IHD) as the epidemiologic studies have shown.Other studies believed that raised plasma fibrinogen level has been claimed as a possible link between H.pylori infection and IHD.Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was undertaken on 261 patients. 131 hospitalized patients were selected from CCU ward,as cases and 130 hospitalized patients from surgery and orthopedic wards of Iran University of Medical Sciences hospitals,as controls.HP infection, serum fibrinogen level and cardiovascular risk factors were determined in all cases and controls. T-test, chi-square test, general linear model and logistic regression model were used in analysis.Results: H.pylori infection was not in association with IHD.High fibrinogen level was also not associated with IHD in cases with H.pylori infection.Conclusion: Although there was no link between H. pylori infection,fibrinogen level and IHD in this study, some authors believe that the probable mechanism of this association is that under stimulation by the bacterium, mononuclear cells produce a tissue factor- like procoagulant activity that,through the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation,converts fibrinogen to fibrin

A comparison between the effects of simulation of basic CPR training and workshops on firefighters’ knowledge and skills: experimental study

Abstract Background One of the most common causes of death worldwide is cardiopulmonary arrest. Firefighters are among the first responders at the scenes of accidents and can, therefore, play a key part in performing basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for victims who need it. The present study was conducted to compare the effects of simulation training against workshops on the CPR knowledge and skills of firefighters in the south of Iran. Methods This experimental (Interventional) study was conducted on 60 firefighters of south of Fars province, Iran. The study was undertaken from March to July 2023. Through random allocation, the participants were divided into two groups: simulation-based training (30 members) and traditional workshop training (30 members). The participants’ CPR knowledge and practical skills were measured before, immediately after, and three months after intervention. Results The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest CPR knowledge and skill mean scores of the simulation groups as compared to the workshop group (p < 0.001). As measured three months after the intervention, the firefighters’ knowledge and skill mean scores were still significantly different from their pretest mean scores (p < 0.001); however, they had declined, which can be attributed to the fact that the study population did not frequently exercise CPR. Conclusion Based on the findings of the study, even though both methods of education were effective on enhancing the firefighters’ CPR knowledge and skill, simulation training had a far greater impact than training in workshops. In view of the decline in the participants’ knowledge and skill scores over time, it is recommended that short simulation training courses on CPR should be repeated on a regular basis

A Neurite Outgrowth Assay and Neurotoxicity Assessment with Human Neural Progenitor Cell-Derived Neurons

Neurite outgrowth assay and neurotoxicity assessment are two major studies that can be performed using the presented method herein. This protocol provides reliable analysis of neuronal morphology together with quantitative measurements of modifications on neurite length and synaptic protein localization and abundance upon treatment with small molecule compounds. In addition to the application of the presented method in neurite outgrowth studies, neurotoxicity assessment can be performed to assess, distinguish and rank commercial chemical compounds based on their potential developmental neurotoxicity effect.Even though cell lines are nowadays widely used in compound screening assays in neuroscience, they often differ genetically and phenotypically from their tissue origin. Primary cells, on the other hand, maintain important markers and functions observed in vivo. Therefore, due to the translation potential and physiological relevance that these cells could offer neurite outgrowth assay and neurotoxicity assessment can considerably benefit from using human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) as the primary human cell model.The presented method herein can be utilized to screen for the ability of compounds to induce neurite outgrowth and neurotoxicity by taking advantage of the human neural progenitor cell-derived neurons, a cell model closely representing human biology.

A new approach to cardiac fat volume assessment and the correlation with coronary artery calcification

Background. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the foremost cause of death in the most developed societies. Plaque formation in epicardial coronary arteries and ensuing inflammation are a known pathophysiologic factor of CAD