Prioritization of noise abatement methods for controlling hospital noise pollution

Noise pollution in hospitals has increased over the last few years to a level that can threaten the health and productivity of staff and patient safety. There are many control measures to reduce hospital noise. However, there is still no consensus on the best measures. This study aims to prioritize the control measures for reducing hospital noise. The work is divided into three phases. The first phase identifies and categorizes noise sources in hospitals through a review of the state-of-the art literature using Scopus®, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase,™ and Web of Science™. The second phase identifies possible strategies for reduction of hospital noise and the best criteria for their adoption using findings from the literature review and interviews with corresponding experts. The third phase uses Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (fuzzy TOPSIS) method to weigh the criteria and to prioritize the control measures. Based on the results, hospital noise sources were classified into four groups: outdoor noise sources (29.7%), noise produced by domestic facilities (20.8%), indoor noise from human activities (27.5%), and noise produced by diagnostic and treatment equipment (22%). The study further arrives at a set of 9 criteria and 22 alternatives ranked using FAHP and fuzzy TOPSIS. The criteria’s weights were determined using the FAHP method, with feasibility (0.175), effectiveness (0.143), and interference with staff activities (0.140) being the most important criteria. It was found that engineering controls such as substitution of noisy equipment (rank = 1), using acoustic enclosures (rank = 2), using double-glazed windows (rank = 2), and soundproofing walls, doors, and windows (rank = 3) have priority for reducing hospital noise

A Dog with Multiple Infections of Enteric Parasitic Zoonosis in Mashhad City, North-East of Iran; a Case Report

Aims: In this study, we examined stool specimen from a 3-year-old domesticated dog, which was referred to a veterinary clinic with clinical signs such as nausea or vomiting, dysentery, cachexia and rash in Mashhad city, northeast of Iran. Patient & Methods: A 3-year-old pet dog was referred to veterinary clinic of Mashhad in February 2016 by symptoms including, nausea or vomiting, dysentery, cachexia and rash in Mashhad City, Northeast of Iran. For parasitological examination, formalin-ether concentration technique was used. Fecal smears were made from the sediment, stained with iodine and observed by light microscope. Modified Ziehl Neelsen method was used for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. Findings: The animal was infected with 10 disease-causing parasites; Taenia spp., Fasciola spp., Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Acanthocephal spp., Trichuris vulpis, Hook worm, Giardia spp., Blastocystis spp., Eimeria spp., and Cystoisospora spp. Conclusion: Domestic and stray dog could be an important sources for distribution of zoonoses disease especially parasitic agents

Comparative study on gonad development in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in fresh and brackish water in the Yazd Province

Rainbow trout (Oncorhylichus mikiss) weidting 200±5 grams were used in this study to compare their gonad development in fresh and brackish water in Yazd Province. The culture period lasted 140 days from October to March 2003 during which time the temperature 03.8+0.6), pH (8.18±0.12) and dissolved oxygen (6.2+0.11) of fresh and brackish water were kept nearly constant. The salinity of fresh and brackish water was 0.4 -0.5 and 14.3-14.7ppt respectively. The fish were fed common commercial trout food (Chineh GFT2) based on temperature and biomass. Histological studies indicated that the gonad development is accelerated in brackish water where the males mature two month eal her than those reared in freshwater. The gonadosomatic index (G51) also affirmed the gonad development (P<0.05)

Interaction between ketoconazole, amphotericin B and terbinafin and three diazenumdiolates in concomitant uses against some fugal species

A checkerboard broth microdilution method was performed to investigate the in vitro antifungal activities of three diazeniumdiolates derivatives (DETA/NO, DPTA/NO, DEA/NO) alone and in combination with ketoconazole, amphotricin B or terbinafine against five Candida species, Cryptococcus neoformance and four dermatophyte strains. MICs and MLCs were recorded, and synergy was calculated by using fractional inhibitory and fractional lethal concentration index. DETA/NO with a half-life of 57h at 25°C showed antifungal activity against all tested dermatophyte species (MIC 0.150 to 2.5mg/ml), DPTA/NO with a half life of 3h at 37°C showed antifungal activity against five species of Candida and Cryptococcus neoformans, and DEA/NO with a half life of 2 min at 37°C and 16 min at 25° C did not show antifungal activity against tested strains. Combinations of DPTA-NO with either ketoconazole or amphotericin B were either synergistic or indifferent for all tested strain of Candida and Cryptococcus neoformance. DETA/NO was unable to enhance the antifungal activity of terbinafine against dermatophyte strains. Even where no synergistic activity was achieved, there was still a decrease in the MIC of one or both drugs which were used in combination. Antagonism was observed between terbinafine and DETA-NO against Trichophyton rubrum. Our result suggests that DETA/NO and DPTA/NO may be useful for development of new therapeutic strategies for treatment of dermatophyte and Candida infections. Clinical studies are warranted to elucidate the potential utility of these combination therapies

Effect of personality traits on sensitivity, annoyance and loudness perception of low and high frequency noise

This paper presents investigations into a comparative assessment of the effects of low and high frequency noise in relation to personality traits. The high and low-frequency noises used are produced in the research laboratory using CoolEdit software. 80 candidates are exposed to equivalent continuous sound pressure level of 65 dBA of low and high frequency noise in an acoustic room with a 2 week interval. After 1 hour of exposure to noise, participants were asked to complete noise annoyance scale, Weinstein noise sensitivity questionnaire, loudness perception. The results obtained indicate that there is a significant difference between annoyance and perception of low frequency noise in comparison to annoyance and perception of high frequency noise, but no significant difference is noted between sensitivity to low and high frequency noise. The multivariate analysis of covariance test is applied, which reveals that personality traits have a significant effect on sensitivity to low and high frequency noise, annoyance due to low and high frequency noise, loudness perception of low frequency noise, but no interaction effects are found. It is further shown that personality traits are more effective on sensitivity, annoyance and loudness perception to high frequency noise than those of low frequency noise, and such effects are not only influenced by severity of noise, but also by personality traits and frequency components

Analysis of the Bq→Dq(Dq∗)PB_q\to D_q(D_q^*) P and Bq→Dq(Dq∗)VB_q\to D_q(D_q^*) V decays within the factorization approach in QCD

Using the factorization approach and considering the contributions of the current-current, QCD penguin and electroweak penguin operators at the leading approximation, the decay amplitudes and decay widths of $B_q\to D_q(D_q^*) P$ and $B_q\to D_q(D_q^*) V$ transitions, where $q=u,d,s$ and P and V are pseudoscalar and vector mesons, are calculated in terms of the transition form factors of the $B_q\to D_{q}$ and $B_q\to D^{*}_{q}$. Having computed those form factors in three-point QCD sum rules, the branching fraction for these decays are also evaluated. A comparison of our results with the predictions of the perturbative QCD as well as the existing experimental data is presented.Comment: 18 Pages and 9 Table

The Role of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Magnetic Field on Apoptosis and Bax Gene Expression in Rat Hippocampus after Ischemic Reperfusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality in the worldwide. After a stroke, many neurons in the ischemic penumbra will undergo apoptosis. The aim of this study was investigation of effects of iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetic field on apoptosis reduction after ischemic reperfusion in rat model. METHODS: In this experimental study, 50 male Wistar rats weighing 220-250g were randomly divided into five groups of 10 rats each: including control, sham (ischemic reperfusion model), ischemic reperfusion + iron oxide nanoparticles (10mg/kg), ischemic reperfusion +magnetic field (1 Tesla, 20 min in 4 days), and ischemic reperfusion + iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetic field groups. Injections were performed intraperitoneally. After Four days, the hippocampi were removed for studying of Apoptosis Induction (by TUNEL technique) and changes in Bax gene expression (by Q-PCR method). FINDINGS: After induction of ischemic reperfusion, TUNEL+ cells number treated with iron oxide nanoparticles (7±2) and or the magnetic field (12±2) had significant decrease (p<0.01) relative to ischemic reperfusion group (27±5) during 4 days. But simultaneous treatment with nanoparticles and magnetic field (23±2.6) did not show significant difference compared to ischemic reperfusion group (27±5) during 4 days. Furthermore Bax gene expression decreased in iron oxide nanoparticles treated group (2.46±0.22) or the magnetic field exposed group (3.28±0.33) significantly (p<0.01)compared to ischemic reperfusion model (5.21±0.73).. CONCLUSION: It seems that iron oxide nanoparticles as well as magnetic field to be two effective methods in decrease of apoptosis after ischemic reperfusion