Contractors ranking in construction projects based on a fuzzy decision-making method: A case study in the National Iranian Oil Company

Prepared platforms and infrastructures are required for all companies' improvement to carry out their assigned missions. In this regard, construction contractors play their role as one of the main managers’ levers and are responsible for building the infrastructures. Quantity and quality of contractors’ services can have a quite direct impact on corporate strategies and their life trend, and outbreak as an advantage in competitive markets. Having a contractor that is the closest match with the project is intended to be among the principal tasks of the managers in project performance department. The contractor must have talents which effectively meet project requirements. A decision support system is obtained by prioritizing the determining and influential criteria in decision making, contractor selection, performing and defining the documents. Therefore, considering most of these numerous quality based indicators, Fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods can be used for contractor pre-qualification and selection to meet this objective. Accordingly, in this paper, a method based on FUZZY TOPSIS approach is presented to evaluate and rank the development of the National Iranian Oil Company Contractors

Contractors ranking in construction projects based on a fuzzy decision-making method: A case study in the National Iranian Oil Company

Prepared platforms and infrastructures are required for all companies' improvement to carry out their assigned missions. In this regard, construction contractors play their role as one of the main managers’ levers and are responsible for building the infrastructures. Quantity and quality of contractors’ services can have a quite direct impact on corporate strategies and their life trend, and outbreak as an advantage in competitive markets. Having a contractor that is the closest match with the project is intended to be among the principal tasks of the managers in project performance department. The contractor must have talents which effectively meet project requirements. A decision support system is obtained by prioritizing the determining and influential criteria in decision making, contractor selection, performing and defining the documents. Therefore, considering most of these numerous quality based indicators, Fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods can be used for contractor pre-qualification and selection to meet this objective. Accordingly, in this paper, a method based on FUZZY TOPSIS approach is presented to evaluate and rank the development of the National Iranian Oil Company Contractors

Distribution of Bupivacaine in Epidural Space

Background: There is no consensus regarding the spread of local anesthesia in thoracic epidural space to obtain regional analgesia or anesthesia. We aimed to determine the distribution of Bupivacaine injected into the thoracic epidural space to evaluate its cranial or caudal spread in patients undergoing epidural anesthesia.Materials and Methods: In a prospective clinical trial, thirty adults patients (12 males and 18 females) with ASA class I and II, scheduled for elective cholecystectomy under thoracic epidural anesthesia with 0.5% Isobaric Bupivacaine were studied. Clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated to assess the correlation between the volume of the local anesthetic injected to the thoracic epidural space and the extension of its spread within the epidural space. Immediately after insertion and fixation of epidural catheter, patients were transferred to MRI unit to receive 8 mL of 5% Bupivacaine plus 1 mL Magnevist through the epidural catheter. Then, the patterns of spread were evaluated. Data were obtained prospectively during the procedure.Results: Mean distribution of bupivacaine in thoracic epidural space was 0.64 level/ml of local anesthetics and the average of spread was 5.21 levels. The mean spread of bupivacaine was more in females (5.5 ± 1.1) than males (4.8 ± 1.1); but the difference was not significant. Unlike Patients’ age and weight, the height and body mass index had a significant negative correlation with the distribution of Bupivacaine.Conclusion: Distribution of Bupivacaine in epidural space in female patients is more than male ones and the tendency of spread is more toward the cephalad direction than caudal.Keywords: Bupivacaine distribution, Epidural anesthesia, Local Anesthesia, Bupivacaine, Magnevis

Evaluation of Rigid Ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) accessions for clodinafop-propargyl Resistance using bioassay in Petri dish and pot

Three rigid ryegrass accessions with possible resistance to clodinafop-propargyl, anacetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitor (group 1) herbicide were identified in Farsprovince fields. Greenhouse studies and seed bioassay experiments were conducted toconfirm clodinafop-propargyl resistance in Lolium rigidum L. In Petri dish seed bioassay testwere determined the coleoptiles length of accessions (as % of untreated control), ID50(dosage required to inhibit coleoptile length by 50%), the degree of resistance in S and Raccessions. In greenhouse experiments to determine the degree of resistance, accessions wereexposed to clodinafop-propargyl at 4-leaf stage. Four weeks after spraying was calculated thedry weight of accessions (%), plant survival of each accession (% of untreated control) andevaluation was performed according to EWRC. Then, the responses of accessions exposed to0.25 to 32 times the recommended dosage of clodinafop-propargyl was measured and thedegree of resistance in S and R accessions was identified. Results of bioassay andgreenhouse studies revealed that in both experiments and for parameters measured FR1accession showed more resistance than the other accessions, followed by FR7 and Saccessions, respectively. So these two methods tested can be used to help assess the degree ofresistance and reached the same result with two methods

Research Paper: Quantification of Mortality Rate From Illicit Substance Abuse in Iran in 2016

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of mortality due to substance abuse to provide useful information for local, national, and international administrators.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 12 months from March 2016 to February 2017. The study population was a random sample of people who died from substance abuse. Data were collected by checklists which were designed according to the study objectives. The obtained data were analyzed in Stata software.Results: Our findings show that the mortality rate for illicit opiate users was 40.90 per 1000000 population. Most deaths occurred among people aged 30 to 39 years (25%), single (46.75%) with low education levels. Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Alborz provinces had the highest mortality rate. History of overdose, suicide, hospitalization in psychiatric in hospital and incarceration was observed in some people who died from substance abuse. Conclusion: A large number of deaths from drug abuse occurred in unmarried, self-employed, young males 30 to 39 years old with low education levels. We suggest that training programs and harm reduction approaches be focused in these high risk groups

Analysis of Mortality Rate of Illicit Substance Abuse and its Trend in Five Years in Iran, 2014-2018

Background: Addiction and drug misuse is an illness that affects every community in every country. Based on the previous research in many parts of the world, illicit drug use is considered as a well-known risk factor for morbidity, disability, and premature mortality. Although this issue is a hot topic for public health, little studies have looked the epidemiology of substance abuse death and its trends among Iranian society. This study aims to calculate the rate of substance misuse mortality and investigate its trend in Iran. Methods:This research was a cross-sectional study. For doing this study, the demographic and epidemiological data of people who died from substance misuse from 2014-2018 were extracted from Legal Medicine Organization (LMO). Finally, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings: 15304 deaths due to drug misuse were recorded in 2014-2018. The substance abuse mortality rate has increased during the study period in men and women. There were significant differences in death rates between men and women. Crude mortality rate was significantly higher among men compared to women. The majority of deaths has occurred in young men aged 30-39 years with high school education and self-employed. Conclusion: The results revealed that death from substance misuse has increased during the study period. This increasing trend was observed in women and men. Further preventive measures, however, should be devised to reduce drug-related deaths. The majority of deaths occurred in young men aged 30-39 years with high school education and self-employed. In our opinion and based on the study results, programs, policies, and preventive measures should be taken to prevent these people from accessing and using the drug

Comparison of Cytotoxic Activity of L778123 as a Farnesyltranferase Inhibitor and Doxorubicin against A549 and HT-29 Cell Lines

Purpose: Farnesyltransferase (FTase) is a zinc-dependent enzyme that adds a farnesyl group to the Ras proteins. L778, 123 is a potent peptidomimetic imidazole-containing FTase inhibitor. Methods: L778123 was synthesized according to known methods and evaluated alone and in combination with doxorubicin against A549 (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells) and HT29 (human colonic adenocarcinoma) cell lines by MTT assay. Results: L778123 showed weak cytotoxic activity with IC50 of 100 and 125 for A549 and HT-29 cell lines, respectively. The combination of doxorubicin and L778123 can decrease IC50 of doxorubicin in both cell lines significantly. Conclusion: It can be concluded that L778, 123 can be a good agent for combination therapy

Characterizing Mortality from Substance Abuse in Iran: An Epidemiological Study during March 2014 to February 2015

Background: Drug abuse is a severe and chronic disorder that leaves morbidity, disability and premature mortality in the society. The study of death due to substance abuse provides useful information for local, national and international administrators. Thus, by identifying the factors that have an impact on overdose-related mortality we can provide suitable intervention for vulnerable groups. The aim of this study was an investigation of mortality rate caused by consumption of narcotic and psychoactive substances in Iran.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, demographic and epidemiological data about all people whose cause of death was substance abuse in March 2014 to February 2015 were collected from Legal Medicine Organization (LMO). Finally, the information that was extracted from two checklists was analyzed by descriptive statistics.Findings: In this study, 2986 cases died from substances abuse were evaluated. Most deaths have befallen in unmarried young men with mean age of 36.9 ± 12.3, in the private locations. The mortality rate of drug abuse in the whole country was 38.4 per 1000000 population. The proportion of mortality was higher in Iranian nationality and in people who had a diploma and less education. History of overdose, suicide, hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital, staying in prison and substance abuse in the family were investigated in the study population.Conclusion: The present study revealed that mortality rate from substance abuse is more among unmarried young men aged 30-39 years with low education level and also in the self-employed group. We suggest that policies should be taken to prevent these people from accessing and using the drug