Effect of public interventions through dialogue with officials and training of civil service personnel on improving the condition of collecting, transportation and rubbish repelling in Semnan (2004-2005)

زمینه و هدف: زباله اصطلاحاً به فضولات جامد، نیمه جامد یا مایعی گفته می شود که ظاهراً به درد نخور بوده و دور ریخته می شوند. زباله ها به سه دسته زباله های خانگی، بیمارستانی و صنعتی تقسیم می شوند که قسمت اعظم مواد زائد شهری را زباله های خانگی تشکیل می دهند. مدیریت حل مشکل زباله اصولاَ شامل سه قسمت جمع آوری، حمل و نقل و دفع زباله می باشد. چگونگی برنامه ریزی و مدیریت حل مشکل زباله های خانگی امروزه یکی از مسائل و معضلات مهم بهداشتی جوامع شهری می باشد. طی بررسی که توسط گروه مردمی آزاد پایگاه تحقیقات جمعیتی سمنان در سال 1383 از وضعیت مدیریت زباله های خانگی شهر سمنان به عمل آمد، متاسفانه هر سه مرحله جمع آوری، حمل و نقل و دفع زباله های خانگی از نظر رعایت نکات بهداشتی و استاندارد های مربوطه دچار مشکل بود. یافته های تحقیقات قبلی نشان داده است که این گونه مشکلات چند بعدی، بدون جلب مشارکت فعال تمامی طرفهای درگیر قابل حل نمی باشد. لذا با توجه به ساختار مناسب پایگاه های تحقیقات جمعیتی در انجام پژوهش های مشارکتی مبتنی بر جامعه، این مطالعه با هدف بهبود وضعیت زباله شهر سمنان از طریق گفتگو و تعامل با مسئولین مربوطه اجرا گردید. روش بررسی: برای انجام مداخلات مردمی در زمینه بهبود وضعیت زباله شهر سمنان، ابتدا با تشکیل جلسات گروهی مردمی، نیازهای مورد مداخله از طریق بحث متمرکز گروهی شناسائی گردید و نیز با کمک مردم از طریق مشاهده و جمع آوری مستندات محیطی ازقبیل تهیه فیلم و عکس از معضلات جمع آوری، حمل و نقل و دفع زباله شهری اقدام شد. سپس مطابق مشکلات موجود، مداخلات بر دو محور گفتگو و تعامل با مسئولین ذیربط و آموزش کارکنان خدمات شهری، طراحی و اجرا شد. در محور اول با دعوت از مسئولین سازمان های ذیربط طی جلسات متعدد، مشکلات موجود بصورت منطقی و مستدل با مشارکت جمعی (مردم، مسئولین، نیروهای دانشگاهی و افراد کارشناس و ذینفع) در محیطی دوستانه از طریق بحث متمرکز گروهی مورد بحث و بررسی قرار گرفت و تا رسیدن به نتایج ملموس تشکیل جلسات مورد پیگیری مستمر قرار گرفت. در محور دوم، نکات بهداشتی به تمامی کارکنان خدمات شهری سمنان آموزش داده شد. یافته ها: قبل از مداخلات، موارد جمع آوری، حمل و نقل و دفع زباله در شهر سمنان، از نظر بهداشتی مشکل داشت. پس از مداخلات، نتایج نشان داد رعایت نکات بهداشتی در حمل و نقل و دفع زباله تغییر و بهبود یافته است. نتیجه گیری: گفتگو و تعامل نیروهای مردمی با مسئولین شهری می تواند نتایج پر باری در بهبود وضعیت بهداشتی شهر و سلامت جامعه داشته باشد

High Post-Infection Protection after COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers: A Population-Level Observational Study

Background: Even though a few years have passed since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, information regarding certain aspects of the disease, such as post-infection immunity, is still quite limited. This study aimed to evaluate post-infection protection and COVID-19 features among healthcare workers (HCWs), during three successive surges, as well as the rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reinfection, reactivation, re-positivity, and severity.Methods: This cross-sectional population-level observational study was conducted from 20 April 2020 to 18 February 2021. The study population included all HCWs in public or private hospitals in Fars Province, Southern Iran. The infection rate was computed as the number of individuals with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests divided by the total number of person-days at risk. The re-infection was evaluated after 90 days. Results: A total of 30,546 PCR tests were performed among HCWs, of which 13,749 (61.94% of total HCWs) were positive. Considering the applied 90-day threshold, there were 44 (31.2%) cases of reactivation and relapse, and 97 (68.8% of infected and 1.81% of total HCWs) cases of reinfection among 141 (2.64%) diagnosed cases who experienced a second episode of COVID-19. There was no significant difference in symptoms (P=0.65) or the necessity for ICU admission (P=0.25). The estimated protection against repeated infection after a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was 94.8% (95% CI=93.6-95.7).Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 re-positivity, relapse, and reinfection were rare in the HCW population. After the first episode of infection, an estimated 94.8% protection against recurring infections was achieved

Borg CR-10 scale as a new approach to monitoring office exercise training

Background: There are many potential training exercises for office workers in an attempt to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. However, to date a suitable tool to monitor the perceived exertion of those exercises does not exist. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Borg CR-10 scale to monitor the perceived exertion of office exercise training. Methods: The study involved 105 staff members employed in a government office with an age range from 25 to 50 years. The Borg CR-10 scale was self-administered two times, with an interval of two weeks in order to evaluate the accuracy of the original findings with a retest. Face validity and content validity were also examined. Results: Reliability was found to be high for the Borg CR-10 scale (0.898). Additionally a high correlation between the Borg CR-10 scale and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was identified (rs = 0.754, P < 0.01). Conclusions: This study found the Borg CR-10 scale to be a reliable and valid tool for monitoring the perceived exertion of office exercise training and may potentially be useful for occupational therapists to measure physical activity intensity levels

The Notion of Dialogue in the Interactive Dance

The constituent elements of interactive dance are human and computer, which in human-computer interaction, create a feedback loop, and present the work of art. Considering that matter, each of the opponents in this common interaction has their part and space and there is an aesthetic relationship ongoing, defining the amount of each opponent's part and space. In this thesis, this ongoing matter is referred to as the notion of dialogue. To create this sense, the key element that will be discussed is surprise. After that, following a certain design strategy, a practical system will be designed and executed to fortitude the logical argument that is presented in this research. In that performance, by the creative use of the body, space, time, popular art forms (i.e., Hip-Hop music and dance), and with the focus on the subject of sea-level rise, the research argument will be put in practice and further on evaluated. After the evaluation process, considering its limitations, it may be concluded that the use of surprise, will allow the computer to have an active role and possess a significant part in the interaction, in order to convey a sense of dialogue in it

A comparative study of 25 (OH) vitamin d serum levels in patients with multiple sclerosis and control group in Isfahan, Iran

Objectives: There is no study about correlation between vitamin D serum level and multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iran. So in this sur-vey, we investigated the serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in MS patients and compared it with controls in central region of Iran, an area with medium to high risk for MS disease, in spite of high sun exposure. Methods: A case-control study was conducted from July 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009. We enrolled 50 definitive MS patients, according to McDonald′s criteria as case group and 50 matched controls. Our age limits were 15 to 55 years and those patients with esti-mated expanded disability status scale less than 5 were introduced to the study. We measured serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and compared them between the two groups. Results: We gathered 42 females and 8 males as case group and the same numbers as control group without significant age difference. The mean serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in case and con-trol groups were 48 and 62 nmol/L, respectively, and the differ-ence was significant (P=0.036). Also, our study showed significant discrepancy between the two groups according to the rate of defi-ciency, insufficiency and normal range of vitamin D categories (P=0.021). Conclusions: We found the same results as those studies carried out in Europe and North America; i.e., lower serum vitamin D level in MS patients than that in normal population, in spite of sufficient sun exposure in Isfahan region

The efficacy of topical Royal Jelly on diabetic foot ulcers healing: A case series*

Background: Foot ulcers and infections are the major sources of morbidity in individuals with diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical Royal Jelly (a worker honey bee product) on healing diabetic foot ulcers. Methods: Diabetic patients with foot ulcers that were referred to our clinic at Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran; were evaluated three times a week and treated according to standard treatments consisted of offloading, infection control, vascular improvement and debridement if required. In addition, all ulcers were measured and then topical sterile 5% Royal Jelly was applied on the total surface area of the wounds. Eventually, they were covered with sterile dressings. Each patient was followed for a period of three months or until the complete healing. Results: A total of eight patients were enrolled in this study. Of these, two had two ulcers and, therefore, ten ulcers were evaluated. Two ulcers were excluded. Seven of the remained eight ulcers healed. Mean duration of complete healing was 41 days. One ulcer did not completely heal but improved to 40% smaller in length, 32% in width and 28% in depth. The mean length, width and depth reduction rates were 0.35 mm/day, 0.28 mm/day and 0.11 mm/day, respectively. Conclusions: Royal Jelly dressing may be an effective method for treating diabetic foot ulcers besides standard treatments

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis and its association with fatigue: A case-control study

Background: Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are a presentation of sleep disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims to compare this problem in MS patients with healthy people and to determine its association with chronic fatigue in MS patients. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was performed on 120 MS patients and 60 healthy subjects matched for age and sex, in 2009 in MS Clinic Alzahra Hospital. Sleep quality, rhythm and fatigue severity were assessed using PSQI (Pittsburgh sleep quality index) and FSS (Fatigue severity Scale) questionnaires, respectively. Its reliability and validity has been confirmed in several studies (Cronbach′s alpha = 0.83). This index has seven sections including patient′s assessment of his/her sleep, sleep duration, efficacy of routine sleep, sleep disorders, use of hypnotic medication, and dysfunction in daily activities. Results: Circadian rhythm sleep disorder was more frequent in MS patients relative to healthy subjects (P: 0.002). It was higher in MS patients with severe fatigue relative to MS patients with mild fatigue (P: 0.05). Fatigue severity was 49.9 ± 8.2 and 22.5 ± 7.4 in the first and second group, respectively. PSQI index was 7.9 ± 4.5 in patients with severe fatigue and 5.9 ± 4.5 in patients with mild fatigue and 4.5 ± 2.4 in the control group (P: 0.0001). Conclusion: Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are more frequent in MS patients and those with fatigue. Recognition and management of circadian rhythm sleep disorders in MS patients, especially those with fatigue may be helpful in improving care of these patients

Depressive Symptom Level, Sleep Quality, and Internet Addiction among Medical Students in Home Quarantine during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on the mental health of people around the world. Due to the possible impact of quarantine conditions on mental health, we decided to assess internet addiction, depressive symptom level (DSL), and sleep disorders among medical students during the quarantine of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study was performed among medical students during the COVID-19 quarantine in Iran. Participants were selected using the available sampling method. Sleep quality, internet addiction, and depression were assessed using an online survey of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Also, sociodemographic data including age, gender, marital status, smoking status, living circumstances, and educational status were asked. Participants were asked to share the link in their class social media groups. SPSS (version 16) was used for statistical analysis. Students participated; 64.9% of whom were female (n=564), and the mean age of participants was 21.3 years. 74.1% of students’ educational status was not mainly clinical. 48.2%, 28.6%, and 27.1% had poor sleep quality, DSL, and internet addiction, respectively. Smoking (AOR: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.56-7.76), living with family (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.16-2.66), and using social media for more than 2 hours were defined as predictive factors for depression. 165 participants (19%) were diagnosed with both poor sleep quality and DSL. There was a positive correlation between PSQI and PHQ-9 (r: 0.51, P value <0.001). A positive correlation was observed between IAT and PHQ-9 (r: 0.56, P value <0.001). The rate of DSL, internet addiction, and poor sleep quality were increased and strong correlations between them were concluded. Variables of gender, GPA, and smoking status were the most important associated variables