Predictors of Transition in Different Stages of Smoking: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract We investigated longitudinally the prevalence of smoking according to three stages of smoking (never smoking, experimenting the smoking, and regular smoking), the rates of transition from one stage to another one, and determinant predictors of transition through these stages of smoking. Of all 10th grade students in Tabriz, 1785 students were randomly selected and assessed twice, with a 12-month interval, with respect to the changes of stage. The predictor variables were measured when the students were in the 10th grade. Logistic regression and principal component analysis were used to analysis data at grade 11. Of 1785 students, 14.3% (CI 95%: 12.3-16.4) and 2.8% (CI 95%: 2.0-4.0) of the never smokers became experimenters and regular smokers, respectively and 16.5% (CI 95%: 12.4-21.7) of the experimenters became regular smokers. Among never smokers, participating in smoker groups (OR = 1.24), having smoker friends (OR = 1.85) and a positive attitude towards smoking (OR = 1.22) predicted experimentation; and participating in smokers groups (OR = 1.35) and a lower socioeconomic class (OR = 0.36) predicted regular smoking. Among experimenters, students having general high risk behaviors (OR = 2.56) and participating in smoker groups (OR = 2.58) were distinguished as those who progressed to regular smoking in follow-up. Programs aimed at smoking prevention and intervention should incorporate plans which focus on predictors of transition through smoking stages, and targeting participation in smoker groups

Correlation of anthropometric indices with common cardiovascular risk factors in an urban adult population of Iran: data from Zanjan Healthy Heart Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the anthropometric index that best predicts common cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 2768 individuals (1310 men and 1458 women) aged 21-75 years with full relevant data from the Zanjan Healthy Heart Study (a prospective study in Zanjan and Abhar, two main cities of Zanjan Province, Iran) were recruited. Common cardiovascular risk factors (TG, TC, HDL-c, LDL-c, fast blood sugar, blood pressure), anthropometric indices (BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR) were measured using standard process, and their correlated classification was evaluated by partial correlation and Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Area under curve (AUC) of WHtR was the largest for most (6 of 7) of the common cardiovascular risk factors in both men and women; followed by WC (4 of the 7 including ties) in men, while AUCs of three anthropometric indices (WC, BMI, WHR) were the same with the largest for 1 of 7 risk factors in women. These results show that the high prevalence of lipid profiles, as cardiovascular risk factors, need special attention, intervention and appropriate treatment. Consistence with other reports, WHtR is a better discriminator of cardiovascular risk factors compared with the other three indices (BMI, WC, and WHR). We determined its optimal cutoff point of 0.5 for both genders. However, due to differences in reported cut-off values across different ethnic groups, future research and longitudinal data is needed before reaching an internationally accepted simple and appropriate measure that could be effectively used in the clinical and epidemiological fields

Estimation of the Active Network Size of Kermanian Males

Abstract Estimation of the size of hidden and hard-to-reach sub-populations, such as drug-abusers, is a very important but difficult task. Network scale up (NSU) is one of the indirect size estimation techniques, which relies on the frequency of people belonging to a sub-population of interest among the social network of a random sample of the general population. In this study, we estimated the social network size of Kermanian males (C) as one of the main prerequisites for using NSU. A 500 random sample of Kermanian males between 18 and 45 years old were interviewed. We asked the size of their active networks using direct questions. In addition, we received the frequency of six names from the vital registry office among Kermanian males, and we estimated C indirectly using the received frequencies and the frequency of these names among the networks of our sample. Although different methods showed quite different Cs between 100 and 350, the best estimation for C was 303, which means that on average each Kermanian male knows around 303 males between the age range of 18 and 45 years. The estimated C did not have any strong association with the demographic variables of our subjects. Using the estimated C we may use the NSU technique to assess the frequency of many important hidden sub-populations such as drug-abusers and those who have sexual contact with men and women

Experimental data for a flow control valve

Experimental data presented in this paper include the flow measurements through cylindrical orifices and the discharge behavior of Mechanical Choked Orifice Plate, MCOP. The data information consists of detailed physical shapes of the devices as well as their application in pressurized networks. From the hydraulic point of view, discharge measurements with their associated differential pressures are presented. The data analyses are presented in “An Experimental study on a flow control device applicable in pressurized networks” Rezazadeh et al., 2019

in Traditional Persian Medicine

Traditional Persian medicine is based on humoral medical concepts. In the case of abundant blood in the body, tabi’at (body nature) deals with this imbalance by elimination of the morbid substances via some controlling mechanisms. If tabi’at could not react properly, the physician should prescribe an intervention to let the extra blood out. This can be done through phlebotomy, wet cupping, and the use of leech or scarification of the ears. Cupping with scarification may eliminate the morbid substance through the scarified skin, and cupping without scarification evacuates the morbid materials from the compromised organs. Wet cupping in health state is meant to be applied for preventing the blood humor dominance in susceptible individuals. In disease condition, wet cupping is defined as a treatment in which the patients confront the abundance of blood. Wet cupping may have harmful complications in extremely thin or obese patients. Wet cupping should be postponed in patients compromised by diseases especially in the thick phlegm abundance. In Asia, Iranian people, because of religious beliefs, are very interested in cupping therapy. Many unsupervised cupping procedures are performed in Iran, whereas benefits and risks of these procedures are undetermined by providers and clients. In this study, the most important indications and contraindications of wet cupping have been reviewed based on the traditional Persian medicine resources

Impact of Size and Risk Management on Economic Performance of Multinational Corporations

Abstract Keywords: Multinationals, economic performance, risk management ability, returns on assets, return on equity, return on investment, and size of an organization