Sources of Sleep Disturbances and Psychological Strain for Hospital Staff Working during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hospital staff members reported increased stress-related workload when caring for inpatients with COVID-19 (“frontline hospital staff members”). Here, we tested if depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with poor sleep and lower general health, and if social support mediated these associations. Furthermore, we compared current insomnia scores and general health scores with normative data. A total of 321 full-time frontline hospital staff members (mean age: 36.86; 58% females) took part in the study during the COVID-19 pandemic. They completed a series of questionnaires covering demographic and work-related information, symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, social support, self-efficacy, and symptoms of insomnia and general health. Higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with higher symptoms of insomnia and lower general health. Higher scores of depression, anxiety, and stress directly predicted higher insomnia scores and lower general health scores, while the indirect effect of social support was modest. Compared to normative data, full-time frontline hospital staff members had a 3.14 higher chance to complain about insomnia and a significantly lower general health. Symptoms of insomnia and general health were unrelated to age, job experience, educational level, and gender. Given this background, it appears that the working context had a lower impact on individuals’ well-being compared to individual characteristics

Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Bisphenol A in Obesity Development

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, is associated with metabolic disorders. However, several studies have suggested that exposure to BPA can cause obesity. It has recently got more attention from scientists as a risk factor for obesity due to its ability to mimic natural estrogens and bind to their receptors. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanism underpinning the environmental etiology of metabolic disorders has not been not fully clarified. In this regard, BPA exposure directly disrupts endocrine regulation, neuroimmune and signaling pathways, and gut microbes, resulting in obesity. In addition, epidemiological studies have revealed a significant relationship between BPA exposure and the development of obesity, although conflicting results have been reported. Therefore, this review summarized the possible role and molecular mechanisms associated with BPA exposure that may lead to obesity based on in vivo and in vivo studies

The Effects of Innovations on the Competitive Advantages in SMEs in Iran

he objective of this research are to identify which innovation factors influence competitive advantage and to analyze how these factors enhance competitive advantage

Priorities of Research in Health Management, Economic, and Policy Fields: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Background: Effective and efficient use of health system resources requires prioritization of research issues. The aim of this study was to determine research priorities in the fields  of health management, economic, and policy. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted based on content analysis method in 2015. The population included 30 health managers, experts, and teachers of health economic, management, and policy at national level. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview. Then, results were categorized based on different themes and domains.  Results: After taking all comments into account, 89 topics were determined as research priorities. These topics included: 42 topics in health services management field, 24 topics in health economics field, and 23 topics in health policy field. Conclusions: The results showed that research priorities of health services administration, health economic, and health policy fields were compatible with the current problems and challenges of Iranian health system. &nbsp

Assessing the Current Status of Renewable Energies and Their Limitations in Iran

Innovative and more sustainable methods of supplying energy needs in the world have led to a change in the dependency model for fossil fuels, including more integrated planning and adoption of new and motivating models regarding the use of renewable energy. Today, with the reduction of fossil fuel consumption in the world, the use of renewable energy has gained an important role in the global energy mix, but according to studies, the share of renewable energy in Iran’s energy mix is very small. Therefore, the present paper attempts to present all potentialities for obtaining clean energy in Iran by assessing the current state of renewable energies. The fact that, in the present time, the real value of energy carriers is not appreciated properly in Iran, on the one hand, and the lack of willingness to invest in these energies in the private sector, which may have been less protected, on the other hand, has caused the consumption level of fossil fuels to remain unchanged, which may have some disadvantages, such as environmental damage, in addition to their utilization. The authors of the paper are of the opinion that, on the one hand, by finding solutions for bank investment problems, easing restrictive laws, providing bank with guarantees by investors, as well as modifying parts of the guaranteed electricity purchase contract for accepting foreign banks to provide loans and obtain financing, and on the other hand, by facilitating the process of obtaining land permits and connecting to these power plants, Iran is not far from reaching a reasonable rank in the world.©2020. CBIORE-IJRED. All rights reserve

Identifying Factors Affecting of Cooperation Management between Charities and the Teaching Hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Objectives: One of the most important issues in the provision of health services in every country is providing the necessary resources for presenting these services. Cooperation between charity organizations and public hospitals is especially important as it can increase charity participation, facilitate public participation in the treatment area and develop hospital units. This study aimed was to identify factors affecting cooperation Management and designing a model of cooperation management between charities and the university hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional and applied study was conducted in hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The statistical population consisted of 411 people including managers, chiefs and deputies, contracting hospital experts and social workers, managers and lawyers of the university, trustees and managers and charity experts. The research sample consisted of 330 people who were selected through the stratified random sampling method. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The SPSS 18 and AMOS software were used to analyze the data. Results: The most effective contract pattern determinant had a path coefficient of 1.177, while the least effective current consumption expenditure determinant had a path coefficient of 0.530. Conclusion: The following steps are ways in which costs related to an inpatient department are guaranteed to be covered by a charity during the term of the contract: defining the criteria for selecting a charity to operate in a hospital, choosing a cooperative method and a contract template, determining the share of capital and current costs, and selecting the department type in the contract. &nbsp

Sources of Sleep Disturbances and Psychological Strain for Hospital Staff Working during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hospital staff members reported increased stress-related workload when caring for inpatients with COVID-19 ("frontline hospital staff members"). Here, we tested if depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with poor sleep and lower general health, and if social support mediated these associations. Furthermore, we compared current insomnia scores and general health scores with normative data. A total of 321 full-time frontline hospital staff members (mean age: 36.86; 58% females) took part in the study during the COVID-19 pandemic. They completed a series of questionnaires covering demographic and work-related information, symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, social support, self-efficacy, and symptoms of insomnia and general health. Higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with higher symptoms of insomnia and lower general health. Higher scores of depression, anxiety, and stress directly predicted higher insomnia scores and lower general health scores, while the indirect effect of social support was modest. Compared to normative data, full-time frontline hospital staff members had a 3.14 higher chance to complain about insomnia and a significantly lower general health. Symptoms of insomnia and general health were unrelated to age, job experience, educational level, and gender. Given this background, it appears that the working context had a lower impact on individuals' well-being compared to individual characteristics

Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Bisphenol A in Obesity Development: Bisphenol A and obesity

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, is associated with metabolic disorders. However, several studies have suggested that exposure to BPA can cause obesity. It has recently got more attention from scientists as a risk factor for obesity due to its ability to mimic natural estrogens and bind to their receptors. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanism underpinning the environmental etiology of metabolic disorders has not been not fully clarified. In this regard, BPA exposure directly disrupts endocrine regulation, neuroimmune and signaling pathways, and gut microbes, resulting in obesity. In addition, epidemiological studies have revealed a significant relationship between BPA exposure and the development of obesity, although conflicting results have been reported. Therefore, this review summarized the possible role and molecular mechanisms associated with BPA exposure that may lead to obesity based on in vivo and in vivo studies

Nomophobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia) and Psychological Health Issues among Young Adult Students

Background: Smart phone use has become a part of people’s everyday life. However, when the lack of using the smart phone to establish and maintain electronic communication is related to psychological distress, such a behavior may be considered a modern-age phobia, or nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia). The aims of the present study were to investigate among a sample of young adults the associations between scores for nomophobia and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and obsessive–compulsive disorders. Methods: A total of 537 students (mean age: 25.52 years; 42.3% females) participated in the study. They completed a booklet of self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information and symptoms of nomophobia, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and obsessive–compulsive disorders. Results: Higher scores for nomophobia were associated with higher scores for depression, anxiety, and stress, but not with scores for insomnia and obsessive–compulsive disorders. The regression model confirmed that symptoms of anxiety predicted nomophobia. Conclusions: The present results support the assumption that nomophobia appears to be a mood disturbance related to stronger associations with symptoms of anxiety and, to a lesser extent, with symptoms of depression and stress. By contrast, nomophobia appeared to be unrelated to insomnia and symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorders