Experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran: A qualitative study

Background: Women, with more vulnerabilities and less access to resources, are often seen as victims of natural disasters. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran. Methods: In this research, a qualitative approach, as well as the conventional content analysis was employed. The study population consisted of rural women residing in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sarpol-e Zahab and Salas-e Babajani counties in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Moreover, sampling was purposeful, theoretical saturation was achieved by conducting 22 interviews, and the data analysis process was performed according to the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. For the strength and transferability of the research, Lincoln and Guba's Evaluative Criteria were used. Results: There were seven categories regarding the experiences of rural women after the earthquakes including neglecting the health needs; tension in the family and marital relations; gender inequality in the provision of assistance; feeling insecure; ignoring the ruling culture of the region; concealing needs for fear of stigmatization, and incoherent mourning as well as two categories regarding their reactions to and interaction with the earthquake consequences including positive and negative interactions. Conclusions: Paying more attention to the needs of rural women, taking the culture governing the village into account at the time of service delivery, and helping them with positive adaptations are some indispensable measures that should be taken. © 2020 The Author(s)

Challenges Facing Women Survivors of Self-Immolation in the Kurdish Regions of Iran: A Qualitative Study

Objectives: Women confront many problems after self-immolation, so the purpose of this study was to explore the challenges facing women survivors of self-immolation in the Kurdish Regions of Iran. Method: This study used a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 Kurdish women who attempted self-immolation in Iran. They were sampled through purposeful sampling and snowball sampling. The Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to strengthen the research. Results: The results of data analysis were categorized into five main categories: 1�psychological problems, 2�lack of social and legal supportive structures, 3�incomplete treatment, 4�poor self-care, and 5�social problems. These categories consist of 19 subcategories. Conclusion: Having been rescued from self-immolation, the women confront many challenges returning to normal life. Reducing these women�s problems and paving the way for their return to life requires multi-dimensional and community-based interventions. Therefore, all social organizations and institutes can cooperate and each of them paves part of the way. © Copyright © 2020 Yoosefi Lebni, Abbas, Khorami, Khosravi, Jalali and Ziapour

Thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nano-composites

The influence of nanoclay on thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced cement composite is presented in this paper. Results indicate that these properties are improved as a result of nanoclay addition. An optimum replacement of ordinary Portland cement with 1 wt% nanoclay is observed through improved thermal stability, reduced porosity and water absorption as well as increased density, flexural strength, fracture toughness and impact strength of hemp fabric-reinforced nanocomposite. The microstructural analyses indicate that the nanoclay behaves not only as a filler to improve the microstructure but also as an activator to promote the pozzolanic reaction and thus improve the adhesion between hemp fabric and nanomatrix

Influence of single and binary doping of strontium and lithium on in vivo biological properties of bioactive glass scaffolds

Effects of strontium and lithium ion doping on the biological properties of bioactive glass (BAG) porous scaffolds have been checked in vitro and in vivo. BAG scaffolds were prepared by conventional glass melting route and subsequently, scaffolds were produced by evaporation of fugitive pore formers. After thorough physico-chemical and in vitro cell characterization, scaffolds were used for pre-clinical study. Soft and hard tissue formation in a rabbit femoral defect model after 2 and 4 months, were assessed using different tools. Histological observations showed excellent osseous tissue formation in Sr and Li + Sr scaffolds and moderate bone regeneration in Li scaffolds. Fluorochrome labeling studies showed wide regions of new bone formation in Sr and Li + Sr doped samples as compared to Li doped samples. SEM revealed abundant collagenous network and minimal or no interfacial gap between bone and implant in Sr and Li + Sr doped samples compared to Li doped samples. Micro CT of Li + Sr samples showed highest degree of peripheral cancellous tissue formation on periphery and cortical tissues inside implanted samples and vascularity among four compositions. Our findings suggest that addition of Sr and/or Li alters physico-chemical properties of BAG and promotes early stage in vivo osseointegration and bone remodeling that may offer new insight in bone tissue engineering

The effect of type of femoral component fixation on mortality and morbidity after hip hemiarthroplasty:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Hip hemiarthroplasty is a well-established treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture, although debate exists over whether cemented or uncemented fixation is superior. Uncemented prostheses have typically been used in younger, healthier patients and cemented prostheses in older patients with less-stable bone. Also, earlier research has suggested that bone cement has cytotoxic effects and may trigger cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events. Questions/Purposes: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare morbidity and mortality rates after cemented and uncemented hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched seven medical databases for randomized clinical trials and observational studies. We compared cemented and uncemented hemiarthroplasty using the Harris Hip Score (HHS), as well as measures of postoperative pain, mortality, and complications. Data were extracted and pooled as risk ratios or standardized mean difference with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals in a meta-analysis model. Results: The meta-analysis included 34 studies (12 randomized trials and 22 observational studies), with a total of 42,411 patients. In the pooled estimate, cemented hemiarthroplasty was associated with less risk of postoperative pain than uncemented hemiarthroplasty. There were no significant differences between groups regarding HHS or rates of postoperative mortality, pulmonary embolism, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, acute cardiac arrhythmia, or deep venous thrombosis. Conclusions: While we found that cemented hemiarthroplasty results in less postoperative pain than uncemented hemiarthroplasty in older patients with femoral neck fracture, the lack of significant differences in functional hip scores, mortality, and complications was surprising. Further high-level research is needed

Development a minimum data set of the information management system for burns

Background Burns are the most common and destructive injuries in across of the world and especially in developing countries. Nevertheless, a standard tool for collecting the data of burn injury has not been developed yet. The purpose of this study was to develop a minimum data set (MDS) of the information management system for burns in Iran. Materials and methods This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed in 2014. Data were collected from hospitals affiliated with Hormozgan and Iran University of Medical Sciences and medical documents centers, emergency centers and legal medicine centers located in Bandar Abbas city, in addition to internet access and library. Investigated documents were burn injury records in 2013, and documents that retrieved from the internet, and printed materials. Records were selected randomly based on T20-T29 categories from ICD-10. Data were collected using a checklist. In order to make a consensus about the data elements the decision Delphi technique was applied using a questionnaire. The content validity and reliability of questionnaire were assessed by expert's opinions and test-retest method, respectively. Results An MDS of burns was developed. This MDS divided into two categories: administrative and clinical with six and 17 section and 161 and 311 data elements respectively. Conclusions This study showed that comprehensive and uniform data elements about burns do not exist in Iran. Therefore a MDS was developed for burns in Iran. Development of an MDS will result in standardization and effective management of the data through providing uniform and comprehensive data elements for burns. Thus, comparability of the extracted information from different analyses and researches will be possible in various levels. In addition, establishment of policies and prevention and control of burns will be possible, which results in the improvement of the quality of care and containment of costs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved