Effect of Epoetin Alfa and Sodium Valproate in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Background: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is an important precancerous disease leading to blood malignancies. Prompt diagnosis and treatment would result in better outcome in patients. Purpose of the study was to determine the effect of Epoetin Alfa and Sodium Valproate in patients with MDS. Materials and Methods: In this interventional quasi-experimental study, 50 consecutive patients with MDS from Taleghani Hospital (Tehran, Iran) in 2016-2017 were enrolled. They underwent treatment for eight months with 10000 units per month from Epoetin Alfa plus 200 mg TDS from Sodium Valproate. The hematological response was determined according to the hemoglobin, platelet, and neutrophil. Results: Hematological response was present in 68%. The packed cell treatment were decreased significantly (P=0.040) and 56% of patients had no receipt of packed cells after treatment. Conclusion: It is concluded that Epoetin Alfa plus Sodium Valproate was effective in treatment of patients with Myelodysplastic syndrome and use of this combination therapy is recommended

Correlation between Distribution of Hospital Inpatient Beds and Households expenditure in Iran

Correlation between Distribution of Hospital Inpatient Beds and Households expenditure in Iran Maher Ali1, Marzang Shoresh2*, Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini3 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Social Sciences, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 2. MSc, School of Management and Social Sciences, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Social Sciences, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. *Correspondence: West Azerbaijan, Boukan, Islamic Republic Street, Sardar Street, Health Center Boukan Tel: 04446233100 Email: [email protected] Abstract: Introduction: Inequality in distribution of medical resources, including hospital beds, is important in providing optimal health care. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the distribution of hospital beds in Iran and household expenditure as one of the indicators of the economic and social status. Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted via document method and using household expenditure data in 2014 provided by the Statistical Center of Iran as well as the data of the Ministry of Health on the distribution of hospital beds in all provinces of the country. Spearman correlation test was used to find the correlation between hospital beds distribution and households’ expenditure and Gini coefficient was used to evaluate inequality in Distribution of Hospital Inpatient beds. Data analysis was conducted through SPSS22 software. Results: There was a direct relationship between food and non-food expenditures of urban households and distribution of special care beds, surgery beds and general beds in hospitals ofIran provinces. But, this relationship was not significant for rural households. Gini coefficient index was equal to 0.281 which indicates great equality. Conclusion: If inpatient beds be considered as the criterion for the distribution of health services in the provinces, little inequality is adhered. On the other hand, the inequality in the distribution of health expenditures among rural households in Iran provinces is very high. The government should increase health facilities and financial supports in deprived areas in order to decrease these inequalities. Key¬words: Inpatient beds, Urban household expenditure, Rural households expenditure, Distribution of bed, Inequality, Gini index ¬Citation: Maher A, Marzang S, Hosseini SM. Correlation between Distribution of Hospital Inpatient Beds and Households expenditure in Iran. Journal of Health Based Research 2016; 2(3): 275-287

Di-ANFIS: an integrated blockchain–IoT–big data-enabled framework for evaluating service supply chain performance

Service supply chain management is a complex process because of its intangibility, high diversity of services, trustless settings, and uncertain conditions. However, the traditional evaluating models mostly consider the historical performance data and fail to predict and diagnose the problems’ root. This paper proposes a distributed, trustworthy, tamper-proof, and learning framework for evaluating service supply chain performance based on Blockchain and Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) techniques, named Di-ANFIS. The main objectives of this research are: 1) presenting hierarchical criteria of service supply chain performance to cope with the diagnosis of the problems’ root; 2) proposing a smart learning model to deal with the uncertainty conditions by a combination of neural network and fuzzy logic, 3) and introducing a distributed Blockchain-based framework due to the dependence of ANFIS on big data and the lack of trust and security in the supply chain. Furthermore, the proposed six-layer conceptual framework consists of the data layer, connection layer, Blockchain layer, smart layer, ANFIS layer, and application layer. This architecture creates a performance management system using the Internet of Things (IoT), smart contracts, and ANFIS based on the Blockchain platform. The Di-ANFIS model provides a performance evaluation system without needing a third party and a reliable intermediary that provides an agile and diagnostic model in a smart and learning process. It also saves computing time and speeds up information flow.Service supply chain management is a complex process because of its intangibility, high diversity of services, trustless settings, and uncertain conditions. However, the traditional evaluating models mostly consider the historical performance data and fail to predict and diagnose the problems’ root. This paper proposes a distributed, trustworthy, tamper-proof, and learning framework for evaluating service supply chain performance based on Blockchain and Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) techniques, named Di-ANFIS. The main objectives of this research are: 1) presenting hierarchical criteria of service supply chain performance to cope with the diagnosis of the problems’ root; 2) proposing a smart learning model to deal with the uncertainty conditions by a combination of neural network and fuzzy logic, 3) and introducing a distributed Blockchain-based framework due to the dependence of ANFIS on big data and the lack of trust and security in the supply chain. Furthermore, the proposed six-layer conceptual framework consists of the data layer, connection layer, Blockchain layer, smart layer, ANFIS layer, and application layer. This architecture creates a performance management system using the Internet of Things (IoT), smart contracts, and ANFIS based on the Blockchain platform. The Di-ANFIS model provides a performance evaluation system without needing a third party and a reliable intermediary that provides an agile and diagnostic model in a smart and learning process. It also saves computing time and speeds up information flow

Effectiveness of sexual health counseling based on mindfulness approach on sexual satisfaction in women suffering from infertility: An RCT

Background: The infertility phenomenon affects physiological and psychosocial aspects. Sexual counseling can improve sexual and marital satisfaction. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of sexual health counseling based on the mindfulness approach on sexual satisfaction of women suffering from infertility. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 44 women suffering from infertility referred to the Yazd Reproductive Science Institute, Yazd, Iran. Women were randomly divided into 2 groups. The intervention group (n = 22) received 8 sessions of sexual counseling, while control group (n = 22) received routine care. The data collection tool was the sexual satisfaction questionnaire. Results: The mean age of women was 30.05 ± 4.9 yr, infertility duration was 6.83 ± 4.27 yr, and the mean duration of marriage was 8.3 ± 4.01 yr. The mean score of sexual satisfaction of women suffering from infertility in the intervention group was 62.9 ± 7.32, 71.6 ± 5.95, and 70.9 ± 6.26, before the intervention (baseline), after intervention (8th wk), and follow-up (12th wk) respectively. The mean score of sexual satisfaction of women suffering from infertility in the control group was 63.3 ± 6.82, 64.2 ± 7.93, and 62.25 ± 7.99, at baseline, 8th wk later, and after follow-up (12th wk), respectively. Sexual satisfaction scores increased before and one month after the intervention in the counseling group, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Mindfulness-based sexual health counseling programs may improve sexual satisfaction in women suffering from infertility in the intervention group. Key words: Infertility, Women, Sexual satisfaction, Mindfulness, Psychology

Evaluation and monitoring the health of media staff using the occupational health management model

Objective: Considering the necessity of creating, maintaining and promoting the health of employees as the main organizational capital, this study was conducted with the aim of comprehensive and complete observation of the health status of employees in individual, occupational and organizational dimensions in order to achieve a comprehensive occupational health management model. Materials and Methods: This study is an applied, qualitative and survey research in terms of objective, and is a qualitative study of survey and observational studies in terms of method, conducted during the years 2016 to 2018 in 300 workstations in 5 government buildings with sampling and snowball methods and data were collected with field method using technical apparatus and designed forms finalized by focus group discussions. Results: Creating a health management model resulted in creating a database on the individual health status of employees and their workplace health and creating a management dashboard for instant monitoring of organizational health status. Using this model, it was possible to evaluate and monitor the personal and occupational health of employees at any time. Conclusion: A managerial approach was achieved while classifying media related jobs by designing this occupational health model that, at each moment a clear, realistic and complete picture of the health status of the community was created and, strategies regarding the health status of the staff in accordance with the health status of the staff were adjusted, implemented and communicate

Numerical Study on Heat Transfer to an Arc Absorber Designed for a Waste Heat Recovery System around a Cement Kiln

A numerical study on combined free convection, forced convection, and radiation heat transfers from an industrial isothermal rotating cylinder (cement kiln) is carried out in this work. The investigation is done by the study of two-dimensional (2D) incompressible turbulent flow around the kiln under steady- and unsteady-state solutions. The results of this study show that the average Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers around the cylindrical kiln are 647,812.1 and 1.75986 × 1011, respectively. A heat absorber is specifically designed around the kiln, according to the available space around the kiln, in a sample cement factory. The study investigates the effect of an added absorber on the heat transfer features, for both constant heat flux and constant temperature, on the kiln. The temperature distribution along the absorber circumference is obtained for designing an efficient thermoelectric waste heat recovery system as a future study. It is observed that the contribution of the radiative heat transfer is significant in the total heat transferred from the kiln to the absorber

Risk Assessment of Crisis Management in Response to Natural Disasters with an Emphasis on Earthquakes

The aim of this study was to explain the risks of the crisis management process in responding to natural disasters with the focus on earthquakes. This quantitative, descriptive, analytic study was conducted in Doroud City, Lorestan province, Iran in 2017. The society of the research comprises all members of the Doroud Crisis Management team, out of which 140 people were selected by stratified random sampling. In order to collect data, self-made questionnaires comprising 40 questions and 6 domains (structural, therapeutic, help and rescue, safety, hygiene, logistics)and based on the Likert Five Option Spectrum (extremely low=1, extremely high=5)were used. To ensure the validity of the questionnaires, they were assessed and verified by experts in the field. To assess the reliability, however, the Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient of 0.89 was applied. The data was analyzed by mean, standard deviation, and Independent T-test and variance analysis using SPSS21. The findings showed that safety with a mean and standard deviation of 4.91±0.68 was the highest and structure with a mean and standard deviation of 2.03±0.64 was the lowest domains under the assessment of crisis management. Also, training courses in therapeutic and hygiene domains, and work experience in therapeutic, help and rescue, security, logistics domains made a considerable difference (p=0.05). From the perspective of the sample under study, the domains of therapeutic and hygiene have the highest importance factor, logistics was allocated the lowest priority. Applying the proper assessment of different risk frameworks, the researchers reviewed each domain proportionate to the probability of an earthquake in the study area. This way by identifying the potential hazards and risks in view of important and effective domains, the dangers could be prioritized and management programs could be implemented