A fracture upscaling method (FUM) for hydraulically fractured reservoirs : From discrete fracture modelling to finite difference simulations

Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen for financial support and providing the required facilities to complete the study. Support from Computer Modelling Group and Schlumberger for the use of their software packages is greatly acknowledged. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.Peer reviewedPostprin

Non-injection drug use among incarcerated people in Iran: Findings from three consecutive national bio-behavioral surveys.

BACKGROUND: Prisons often serve as high-risk environments for drug use, and incarcerated people are at a high risk for substance use-related mental and physical harms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of non-injection drug use inside the prison and its related factors among incarcerated people in Iran. METHODS: We utilized data from three national bio-behavioral surveillance surveys conducted among incarcerated people in Iran in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Eligibility criteria were being ≥ 18 years old, providing informed consent, and being incarcerated for over a week. Overall, 17,228 participants across all surveys were recruited through a multi-stage random sampling approach. Each participant underwent a face-to-face interview and HIV test. The primary objective of the study was to assess self-reported non-injection drug use within the prison environment within the last month. A multivariable logistic regression model was built to determine associated covariates with drug use inside prison and an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. RESULT: The prevalence of non-injection drug use inside the prison was 24.1% (95% CI 23.5, 24.7) with a significant decreasing trend (39.7% in 2009, 17.8% in 2013, 14.0% in 2017; p-value < 0.001). Overall, 44.0% of those who used drugs were also receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and we noted that in 2017, 75.1% of those on OAT used stimulants. In the multivariable logistic regression model, the year of interview (2013: aOR = 1.43 and 2009: aOR = 5.60), younger age (19-29: aOR = 1.14 and 30-40: aOR = 1.37), male sex (aOR = 3.35), < high school education (aOR = 1.31), having a history of previous incarceration (aOR = 1.26), and having a history of lifetime HIV testing (aOR = 1.76) were significantly and positively associated with recent non-injection drug use inside the prison. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one in four incarcerated people in Iran reported drug use within the last month inside prisons. While a declining trend in non-injection drug use was noted, substantial gaps persist in harm reduction programs within Iranian prisons. In particular, there is a pressing need for improvements in drug treatment programs, focusing on the integration of initiatives specifically designed for people who use stimulants

Endoscopic Surgery for Third Ventricular Colloid Cysts in the Absence of Hydrocephalus- a feasibility study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of endoscopic neurosurgery for patients with third ventricular colloid cysts without ventriculomegaly.Methods: Seventy-one patients with third ventricular colloid cysts were identified and recruited to this study. Eighteen of these patients did not have concomitant hydrocephalus and underwent primary endoscopic surgery for cyst resection. The surgical technique, the success rate, and patients’ outcome were assessed and compared with 53 hydrocephalic patients who underwent similar procedures.Results: The ventricular compartments were successfully cannulated and gross total resectin of the colloid cysts was achieved in all patients. There were no operative complications related to the endoscopic procedure. Two patients required subsequent intervention for hydrocephalus. The success rate for endoscopic surgery in non-hydrocephalic patients was similar to its value in patients with hydrocephalus.Conclusion: Endoscopic resection of third ventricular colloid cyst in patients without hydrocephalus seems to be feasible, effective and not contraindicated

A Meta-Analysis of Organizational Factors Effective of Efficiency and Motivation of Teachers

The data of the present research was initially collected by using research findings systematic review for the study of the organizational factors effective on teachers’ efficiency and motivation. Then the meta-analysis method was used to respond to questions. The statistical population of this research includes all researches which were conducted inside Iran in the field of factors effective on teachers’ efficiency and motivation between 1996 to 2016. On this basis, the statistical population was identified and relevant data was coded by internet research in internal data banks and also manual search in Tehran universities. Finally, 18 studies were included in the present meta-analysis.  To collect the required data meta-analysis, worksheet form was used. Data analysis results show that the size index of studies compound effect was 0.10 under the fixed model and 0.17 under the random model. In the separation study of the size of variables effect, the organization health factors, organizational climate, students’ motivation, director’s attention, and relationship-oriented management style, had the highest effect on the teachers’ efficiency and motivation, respectively. In egger’s regression method, the regression constant was estimated equal to 0.01 which its level of significance is less than 0.05; therefore according to the egger’s regression, publication bias exists. Also, moderating analysis was done for variables of publication year and place of carrying out the research which shows the ineffectiveness of moderating variables of the year of conduction of the research and the place of conduction of the research on the studies’ results

Patients Perception and Satisfaction of the Ambulance Service (115) at Shahrekord, Iran

The services provided to the patients of pre-hospital emergency center and their satisfactions indicate the quality of pre-hospital emergency services. The goal of this study is to investigate the satisfaction of patients with Ambulance Service services (115) in Shahrekord in the first half of (2012). In this descriptive and analytic study, 450 patients transferred to the hospital by pre-hospital emergency center were chosen using simple random sampling method and data was collected by using satisfaction evaluation questionnaire. The information obtained under SPSS software version 16 was analyzed by statistical descriptive test, independent t test, variance analysis test and Pierson Correlation test. The findings showed that satisfaction level with pre-hospital emergency services in men, low-educated people, married people, those with the record of using emergency services and those with emergency problems was significantly higher than others. Satisfaction level in all fields was above 50% and was totally 71.12. The highest level of satisfaction was for the efficiency of emergency center (58, 78) and the lowest level of satisfaction in the questions was for the performance of technicians (58, 73). Patients' satisfaction with emergency services and their quality is considered as one of the main concepts in pre-hospital emergency procedures, in the manner that the results of this study showed that patients' satisfaction in different fields were high and satisfactory and the technicians should allocate much more time for interaction with patients in order to improve their satisfaction. sharifi M, Baraz S, Mohammadi F, ramezani R, Esmaeili Vardanjani SA. Patients Perception and Satisfaction of the Ambulance Service (115) at Shahrekord, Iran. Life Sci J 2012; 9(4):2196-2201] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 32

Identification and prioritization of efficiency-influencing factors in banking using MADM technique (Case study: Tejarat Bank)

The present study is an attempt to identify and prioritize efficiency-influencing factors in banking system based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and (topsis), performed by considering comments and remarks of Tejarat bank experts in Tehran. For this purpose, first the most important efficiency-influencing factors were identified by studying the related literature, background of the study, and interviews with some of Tejarat bank’s managers and authorities. Then, by performing a field study, it was attempted to ask Tejarat bank experts for their opinions in Tehran as the statistical population of the study. After analyzing data and testing measures using T- student test, it was finally found that all recognized variables and factors influence banking efficiency. Results obtained from Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-based statistical studies and analyses indicated that among the main criteria, the criteria of hardware, software, and working systems are the most important, followed by manpower; financial tools and attitudes have the lowest priority. Also, regarding sub-criteria, the sub-criteria of customers-specific convenient facilities, targeted marketing and advertisement of products and services had the highest rank

Identification and prioritization of efficiency-influencing factors in banking using MADM technique (Case study: Tejarat Bank)

The present study is an attempt to identify and prioritize efficiency-influencing factors in banking system based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and (topsis), performed by considering comments and remarks of Tejarat bank experts in Tehran. For this purpose, first the most important efficiency-influencing factors were identified by studying the related literature, background of the study, and interviews with some of Tejarat bank’s managers and authorities. Then, by performing a field study, it was attempted to ask Tejarat bank experts for their opinions in Tehran as the statistical population of the study. After analyzing data and testing measures using T- student test, it was finally found that all recognized variables and factors influence banking efficiency. Results obtained from Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-based statistical studies and analyses indicated that among the main criteria, the criteria of hardware, software, and working systems are the most important, followed by manpower; financial tools and attitudes have the lowest priority. Also, regarding sub-criteria, the sub-criteria of customers-specific convenient facilities, targeted marketing and advertisement of products and services had the highest rank

Identification and prioritization of efficiency-influencing factors in banking using MADM technique (Case study: Tejarat Bank)

The present study is an attempt to identify and prioritize efficiency-influencing factors in banking system based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and (topsis), performed by considering comments and remarks of Tejarat bank experts in Tehran. For this purpose, first the most important efficiency-influencing factors were identified by studying the related literature, background of the study, and interviews with some of Tejarat bank’s managers and authorities. Then, by performing a field study, it was attempted to ask Tejarat bank experts for their opinions in Tehran as the statistical population of the study. After analyzing data and testing measures using T- student test, it was finally found that all recognized variables and factors influence banking efficiency. Results obtained from Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-based statistical studies and analyses indicated that among the main criteria, the criteria of hardware, software, and working systems are the most important, followed by manpower; financial tools and attitudes have the lowest priority. Also, regarding sub-criteria, the sub-criteria of customers-specific convenient facilities, targeted marketing and advertisement of products and services had the highest rank

The effect of MDMA and pentoxifylline drug on bad/bcl-xl gene dosage expression changes on rat liver

        MDMA generally known as ecstasy, have deleterious effects on the serotonergic neurotransmitter system. Recent findings suggest that the liver and brain are major target organs of MDMA-related toxicities. Although most research is being dynamically performed on brain, however, the molecular mechanisms by which MDMA elicits adverse effects in both organs are poorly undrestood.The present study was performed to obtain evidence for molecular mechanism of apoptosis involved in MDMA-induced hepatotoxicity in rat liver after MDMAadministration. Moreover, the antagonistic effect of pentoxifylline was assessed on hepatotoxicity after MDMA administration. In this experimental study, sample size and power in each group were calculated as 10 rats with 95% confidence level and 5% confidence interval. In the study, four experimental groups were selected including Control Normal, MDMA, MDMA+PTX and PTX+MDMA. MDMA was dissolved in PBS and intraperitoneally injected three doses of 7.5mg/kg with two hours gap between doses. Pentoxyfilline also was injected as 100mg/kg, simultaneously with third dose of MDMA. After treatment, total RNA was isolated from liver tissue (5mg). Absorbance at 260nm, 280nm and 230nm were measured and immediately reverse transcription was performed. Included target genes were BAD and BCL-XL as pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic gene, respectively. After set up and validation, Real-Time PCR were performed and obtaining data were statistically analyzed to determine significantly differences between groups. Using Real-Time quantitative PCR results, BCL-XL gene expression ratio significantly increased in MDMA+PTX group. Moreover, BAD gene expression ratio increased and up-regulated in PTX+MDMA group (P-value <0.001).Our study focused on molecular mechanism of MDMA in programmed cell death using gene expression quantification of a pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptoic gene in MDMA-induced hepatotoxocity. The results shown MDMA prompted apoptosis in liver and pentoxifylline protects hepatotoxicity after and befor taking MDMA.

HIV-Related Stigma Among Healthcare Providers in Different Healthcare Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kerman, Iran

Background: Stigmatizing attitudes among healthcare providers are an important barrier to accessing services among people living with HIV (PLHIV). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the status and correlates of HIV-related stigma among healthcare providers in Kerman, Iran.Methods: Using a validated and pilot-tested stigma scale questionnaire, we measured HIV-related stigma among 400 healthcare providers recruited from three teaching hospitals (n = 363), private sectors (n = 28), and the only voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center (n = 9) in Kerman city. Data were gathered using self-administered questionnaires at participants’ workplace during Fall 2016. To examine the correlates of stigmatizing attitudes, we constructed bivariable and multivariable linear regression models. Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of stigma score was 25.95 ± 7.20 out of the possible 50, with higher scores reflecting more stigmatizing attitudes. Paramedics, nurses’ aides, and housekeeping staff had the highest, and VCT personnel had the lowest average stigma scores, respectively. Multivariable regression analyses showed that prior experience of working with PLHIV (β = -2.48; P = .03), exposure to HIV-related educational courses (β = -2.03; P = .02), and <10 years of work experience (β = -2.70; P < .001) were associated with lower stigma scores.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for health managers to provide training opportunities for healthcare providers, including programs that focus on improving HIV-related knowledge for healthcare providers. Enforcing policies that aim to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination among healthcare providers in Iran are urgently needed