Toward Point-of-Interest Recommendation Systems: A Critical Review on Deep-Learning Approaches

In recent years, location-based social networks (LBSNs) that allow members to share their location and provide related services, and point-of-interest (POIs) recommendations which suggest attractive places to visit, have become noteworthy and useful for users, research areas, industries, and advertising companies. The POI recommendation system combines different information sources and creates numerous research challenges and questions. New research in this field utilizes deep-learning techniques as a solution to the issues because it has the ability to represent the nonlinear relationship between users and items more effectively than other methods. Despite all the obvious improvements that have been made recently, this field still does not have an updated and integrated view of the types of methods, their limitations, features, and future prospects. This paper provides a systematic review focusing on recent research on this topic. First, this approach prepares an overall view of the types of recommendation methods, their challenges, and the various influencing factors that can improve model performance in POI recommendations, then it reviews the traditional machine-learning methods and deep-learning techniques employed in the POI recommendation and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. The recently proposed models are categorized according to the method used, the dataset, and the evaluation metrics. It found that these articles give priority to accuracy in comparison with other dimensions of quality. Finally, this approach introduces the research trends and future orientations, and it realizes that POI recommender systems based on deep learning are a promising future work

Identifying the Outcomes of Healthy Lifestyles in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Introduction: This study aims to identify the outcomes of healthy lifestyles during the post-COVID-19 era. Materials and Methods: A qualitative field study was conducted based on the interpretive paradigm and inductive reasoning using theoretical and non-probability sampling techniques. Our study adopted the grounded theory approach, and semi-structured interviews were employed as data collection tools. While theoretical saturation was reached by the end of the thirteenth interview, the interviews continued until the fifteenth for further certainty. Faculty members and experts with doctoral degrees at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences constituted the statistical population from whom 15 individuals were recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The hidden content of interviews was summarized, coded, and analyzed using the MAXQDA software version 2020. Results: The researcher and supervising professors extracted 37 initial concepts, of which six remained after eliminating duplicates. The outcomes of healthy lifestyles during the post-COVID-19 era emerged from the intuitive opinions of experts, namely, the promotion of social capital, the promotion of psychological capital, and the movement toward development. Conclusion: Providing and maintaining health is not a simple act and is fraught with complexities, as numerous biological, individual, family, cultural, social, economic, political, and health factors are involved. Realization of appropriate health platforms, prevention of chronic diseases, and promotion of healthy lifestyles among citizens are not targets to be fulfilled merely by health-related organizations and bodies; rather, they require extensive coordination and empathy among all educational, health, cultural, service, and even political institutions and bodies

Olfactory and gustatory manifestations in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

Background: Pulmonary involvement is the main clinical and imaging feature of the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19). However, some patients present with upper airway symptoms. Aim: In this study, we report upper respiratory manifestations, specifically focusing on smell and taste disorders in COVID-19. Methods: We performed this cross-sectional prospective study in patients admitted to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Tehran, Iran, with severe COVID-19 as documented by the polymerase chain reaction assay. Results: We included 268 hospitalized patients, 183 (68.3%) men and 85 (31.7%) women. The average age was 52.8±16.4. The sinonasal symptoms included nasal obstruction (44 [16.4%]), rhinorrhea (31 [11.5%]), sneeze (33 [12.3%]), headache (77 [28.6%]), facial pain (12 [4.5%]), associated with hypogeusia (65 [24.2%]) and olfactory dysfunction (90 [33.5%]). In 35 (38.9%) patients with olfactory symptoms, change in the smell was the sole initial manifestation of COVID-19. On logistic regression, the relationship between the olfactory symptoms and headache (p=0.002), nasal obstruction (p=0.0001) and sneeze (p=0.018) were statistically significant. Conclusion: We report a considerable prevalence of olfactory and gustatory symptoms in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Not infrequently, these symptoms were the sole initial presenting symptoms in the course COVID-19. During the current pandemic, we suggest that presence of these symptoms should mandate expedited screening for COVID-19, isolation and close monitoring of the patients for evolution of the clinical course

Impact of educational on dietary behavior self- efficacy of middle school student in Kerman city in the year of 2010.

Background: Nutrition is the most significant factor affecting the health statue of individuals and their longevity.In this respect , children and adolescents are more dependent to a healthy nutrition in order to have adequate physical growth and mental development and to be able to prevent chronic diseases in future. Therefore , encouraging this age groups for following healthy nutritional behavior should be considered as one of the health priorities of community. Objectives: The purpose of this study to determine effect of educational on dietary behavior self-efficacy middle school student in Kerman/Iran. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study from all private and public secondary schools of Kerman, 120 students were selected through multi- stage cluster random sampling and were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control. Data were gathered by using a questionnaire. After performing a pre-test, eight 60-minute sessions of educational program on healthy nutrition and it’s importance in experimental group were hold by the researcher through giving lecture and providing question and answer time and educational booklet. Post-test was performed after three weeks in experimental group and control group and the results of pre- and post-tests were compared by using paired t-test, Chi-square, Fisher and independent t-test. Results: According to the results, self-efficacy in all domains of nutritional behavior showed a significant difference (p=%001) in experimental group (38.92±10.59) compared to the control group (-1.78 ± 0.33). The two groups showed significant difference in regard to the promotion of dietary behavior self- efficacy following the educational program (p=%001). Conclusion: Educational programs have positive effects on students’ dietary behaviors self-efficacy. Therefore,providing such educational programs for promotion of self-efficacy in various health issues and prevention is highly required. Keywords: Self-efficacy, Education, Nutritional behaviors, students

Histopathologic Findings of Olfactory Mucosa in COVID-19 Patients

Background: Olfactory manifestations are common findings during the course of COVID-19, while exact physiopathology is not known Aim: We review histological changes of the nasal olfactory mucosa in COVID-19 non-survivors who died in the ICU. Methods: Sampling was done within 1 hour of death under direct vision. Specimens were taken medial to the middle turbinate in the cribriform area and embedded in paraffin blocks and stained by haematoxylin and eosin. Results: The most frequent histologic finding was the infiltration of inflammatory cells mostly comprised of lymphocytes. Inflammatory infiltration of mucosa was seen in all 11 patients with ulceration in 9 cases and neuritis in 3 cases.  Conclusion: Inflammatory infiltration of olfactory mucosa may be associated with smell manifestations. Further histological studies will clarify the role of the nasal mucosa in the physiopathology of COVID-19 especially olfactory involvement

Comparing the Effect of Oral Clonidine and Tranexamic Acid on Bleeding and Surgical Field Quality during Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Introduction: Bleeding during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is an important issue for both anesthesiologists and surgeons as it can affect the safety and efficiency of the procedure. We compared the efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) and clonidine in reducing blood loss and improving surgical field visualization during FESS.   Materials and Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial, 52 patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1–2, aged 13–75 years, suffering from rhinosinusitis with or without polyposis, and who were candidates for FESS, were enrolled. The first group received intravenous TXA 15 mg/kg diluted in 100 ml normal saline, administered during 10-min infusion after induction. In the second group, 0.2 mg oral clonidine was given 1 to 1.5 hours before surgery. Duration of surgery, hemoglobin level, heart rate, blood pressure, and quality of surgical field based on Boezzart's scale and surgeon satisfaction based on Likert's scale were recorded in both groups.   Results: In total, 52 patients, 27 (51.9%) males and 25 (48.07%) females were studied. Twenty-two (42.3%) and 30 (57.7%) were in the TXA and clonidine groups, respectively. The mean pre- and post-surgical hemoglobin level showed no meaningful difference between the two groups. The same result was obtained for blood pressure and heart rate at different time points (P>0.05). Mean anesthesia time (P=0.859), mean surgical time (P=0.880), surgeon's satisfaction of the surgical field (P=0.757) and surgical field quality at different time points revealed no significant difference between the two groups.   Conclusion: Premedication with oral clonidine and intravenous TXA has the same effect on bleeding during FESS, surgical field visualization, and surgeon satisfaction

Synthesis and Evaluation of Antiproliferative Activity of Substituted N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamides

Several novel N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamides derivatives were prepared as potential antiproliferative agents. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was investigated against a panel of tumor cell lines including breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, T-47D) and neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-MC) using MTT colorimetric assay. Etoposide, a well-known anticancer drug, was used as a positive standard drug. Among synthesized compounds, 4-methoxy-N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamide (5i) showed the highest antiproliferative activity against MDA-MB-231, T-47D, and SK-N-MC cells. Furthermore, pentafluoro derivatives 5a and 6a exhibited higher antiproliferative activity than doxorubicin against human leukemia cell line (CCRF-CEM) and breast adenocarcinoma (MDAMB- 468) cells. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that xanthone benzenesulfonamide hybrid compounds can be used for development of new lead anticancer agents

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity of Substituted N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamides

Several novel N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamides derivatives were prepared as potential antiproliferative agents. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was investigated against a panel of tumor cell lines including breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, T-47D) and neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-MC) using MTT colorimetric assay. Etoposide, a well-known anticancer drug, was used as a positive standard drug. Among synthesized compounds, 4-methoxy-N-(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-4-yl)benzenesulfonamide (5i) showed the highest antiproliferative activity against MDA-MB-231, T-47D, and SK-N-MC cells. Furthermore, pentafluoro derivatives 5a and 6a exhibited higher antiproliferative activity than doxorubicin against human leukemia cell line (CCRF-CEM) and breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-468) cells. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that xanthone benzenesulfonamide hybrid compounds can be used for development of new lead anticancer agents

The Effect of Self-Care Education on the Performance of Multiple Sclerosis Patients: a Randomised Control Trial

Introduction: MS is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system affects central myelin nerves and affects sensory and motor function.There is no certain cure for it and it affects all of the aspects of the patients’ life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of self-care education on the performance of MS patients. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial on 90 patients with MS, in the city of Ardabil in 2015 and was carried out dividing them randomly into control and intervention groups. Before the intervention, the researcher made questionnaires with Cronbach's alpha coefficient 98/0 and observation and interview checklists were filled, for patients in both the intervention and control groups. The intervention group experienced self-care education for 6 sessions; each session was 60 minutes. After the intervention, the questionnaires were completed for patients in both groups again. Data was analyzed using statistical software SPSS24 and descriptive and analytical tests. Results:  There is no significant difference between the two groups at the start of the study. There was a significant difference between the intervention group and the control group (P=0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in terms of performance over time in the control group (P = 0/07). Conclusion: Results of this study showed that self-care education will lead to improve the performance of MS patients. So self-care education can be an effective intervention for improving the performance of MS patients

Self-directed Learning Readiness and Learning Styles among Nursing Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Self directed learning has become a focus for nursing education in the past few decades due to the complexity and changes in nursing profession development. The relationship between self directed learning and learning styles is detectable in different learning situations. This study was performed to determine nursing students' readiness for self-directed learning and also identify their learning styles and find out the association between these two concepts. Methods: In a descriptive study in the year 2006, 178 BS, MS, and PhD nursing students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were selected through stratified random sampling method. Data gathering instruments included 3 questionnaires of demographic features, Guglielmino`s self-directed learning readiness scale, and the Kolb's learning styles inventory. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and interferential statistical methods. Results: Students' readiness for self-directed learning enjoyed a high level in majority of study units and the dominant learning style was the adaptive style. Considering the statistical analysis, no significant relationship was recognized between two main variables. Conclusion: Considering the high level of readiness for self-directed learning in a considerable portion of students and dominance of a single style among majority of them, adaptation and adjustment of teaching methods featuring such learning traits in students is recommended