The relationship between lifestyle and anthropometric factors with the sleep characteristics among university students in Iran: the MEPHASOUS study

Background: Healthy sleep habits have an important role in normal cognitive function, emotional performance, and well-being. The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics of sleep among university students in Iran. In addition, we assessed the relationship between lifestyle and anthropometric factors with the sleep characteristics. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using the data of �Mental and Physical Health Assessment of University Students in Iran� survey 2012�2013. This survey was conducted on newly admitted students in 74 public universities in 28 provinces. The participants were younger adults. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to recognize associated factors with sleep pattern and range. Result: Of total 78,848 students who completed the survey, 54.64 (n = 43,079) were females. The average age of the students was 21.53 ± 4.08 and 21.54 ± 3.99 among males and females, respectively. More than 90 (n = 70,923), were non-smokers. Out of the total respondents, 40.56 (n = 31,756) had irregular sleep pattern. Male students were less likely to have irregular sleep pattern than female students. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that irregular sleep pattern is associated with overweight and obesity. So, these results underscore the need to educate students on importance of healthy sleep pattern and duration on health conditions. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020

Background The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. Methods For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose–response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to estimate the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL) and non-drinker equivalence (NDE), the consumption level at which the health risk is equivalent to that of a non-drinker, using disease rates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020 for 21 regions, including 204 countries and territories, by 5-year age group, sex, and year for individuals aged 15–95 years and older from 1990 to 2020. Based on the NDE, we quantified the population consuming harmful amounts of alcohol. Findings The burden-weighted relative risk curves for alcohol use varied by region and age. Among individuals aged 15–39 years in 2020, the TMREL varied between 0 (95% uncertainty interval 0–0) and 0·603 (0·400–1·00) standard drinks per day, and the NDE varied between 0·002 (0–0) and 1·75 (0·698–4·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals aged 40 years and older, the burden-weighted relative risk curve was J-shaped for all regions, with a 2020 TMREL that ranged from 0·114 (0–0·403) to 1·87 (0·500–3·30) standard drinks per day and an NDE that ranged between 0·193 (0–0·900) and 6·94 (3·40–8·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals consuming harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020, 59·1% (54·3–65·4) were aged 15–39 years and 76·9% (73·0–81·3) were male. Interpretation There is strong evidence to support recommendations on alcohol consumption varying by age and location. Stronger interventions, particularly those tailored towards younger individuals, are needed to reduce the substantial global health loss attributable to alcohol. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Performance Evaluation of Moment Connections of Moment Resisting Frames Against Progressive Collapse

When a primary structural element fails due to sudden load such as explosion, the building undergoes progressive collapse. The method for design of moment connections during progressive collapse is different to seismic design of moment connections. Because in this case, the axial force on the connections makes it behave differently. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the performance of a variety of moment connections in preventing progressive collapse in steel moment frames. To achieve this goal, three prequalified moment connections (BSEEP, BFP and WUP-W) were designed according seismic codes. These moment connections were analyzed numerically using ABAQUS software for progressive collapse. The results show that the BFP connection (bolted flange plate) has capacity much more than other connections because of the use of plates at the junction of beam-column

The economic burden of smoking-attribution and years of life lost due to chronic diseases in Mashhad, 2015-2016

Background: Tobacco smoking is one of the most preventable causes of mortality related to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to estimate the direct economic burden and years of life lost (YLL) attributable to smoking in NCDs in Mashhad, 2015-2016. Methods: Hospital-based data were utilized to calculate the economic burden of four selected diseases related to smoking. An epidemiological population-attributable risk method was used to determine the smoking-attributable fraction (SAF). Moreover, the study was conducted by data related to disease-specific expenditures and patients' information on cost and the number of mortality for estimating the YLL for each disease, population and life expectancy data, the prevalence of smoking, and the relative risk of smoking. Data analysis was performed with STATA software, version 12. Results: The total costs attributable to smoking for stroke, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer were 94148, 151272, 1191396, and 574784 US Dollars, respectively (per 100000). In 2015, the YLL per deaths due to COPD were 4217 and 3522 among males and females, respectively. Furthermore, in 2016, the YLL per deaths due to the stroke in males and females were 8317 and 7563, respectively. In the same year, the highest proportion of years of potential life lost per 100000 smoking-attributable deaths belonged to COPD. Conclusions: The results of this study can be used to inform policy-makers about smoking-attributable diseases in Iran. To decrease the smoking-attributable costs, which have resulted in the spread of NCDs, policy-makers should adopt and implement effective policies regarding smoking prevention and control. © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved

Vitamin D deficiency in relation to general and abdominal obesity among high educated adults

Purpose: To assess the association of vitamin D deficiency with general and abdominal obesity among high educated Iranian adults. Methods: Current cross-sectional study was done on 500 Iranian professors aged 35 years or more. Complete data on general and abdominal obesity as well as serum 25(OH)D concentrations were available for 352 persons. Obesity was considered as body mass index � 30, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference � 80 cm for women and � 94 cm for men. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml. Results: Mean age of study population was 53.03 ± 7.15 years. Compared with those in the first quartile of serum 25(OH)D, participants in the fourth quartile were less likely to be generally obese (OR 0.46, 65 CI 0.22�0.99). Such finding was also seen even after taking potential confounders into account. Furthermore, we found an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and abdominal obesity in fully adjusted model (OR 0.44, 95 CI 0.22�0.86). In addition, a significant positive association was found between vitamin D deficiency and obesity; such that after controlling for potential confounders, participants with vitamin D deficiency had 2.16 and 2.04 times greater odds for having general (OR 2.16, 95 CI 1.05�4.45) and abdominal obesity (OR 2.04, 95 CI 1.16�3.60), respectively, than those with normal levels of vitamin D. Conclusion: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with general and abdominal obesity. In addition, vitamin D deficiency was positively associated with both general and abdominal obesity. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study. © 2018, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

Prevalence of Asthma, COPD, and Chronic Bronchitis in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

In this study, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis on the results of eligible studies to estimate the prevalence of asthma, COPD, and Chronic bronchitis in Iran . International and Iranian databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Iranmedex, and scientific information database (SID) were searched for population based studies that had reported the prevalence of asthma and COPD from 1990 to 2015. We conducted the meta-analysis using metaprop application of Stata statistical software. I-Squared was used for calculating heterogeneity among the studies. To determine causes of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and meta-regression method were used. Based on the results of random effect method, the overall prevalence of asthma ever was 4.56 (3.76-5.36) among men while it was 4.17 (3.42-4.91) among women. Pooled prevalence of current asthma was 7.95 while confidence interval changed from 5.85 to 10.06 (men 5.83 (2.75-8.92), women 9.13 (3.35-14.94)). Also based on the results of random effect model pooled prevalence of chronic bronchitis of five studies was 5.57. It seems that the total crude prevalence of current asthma in Iran is less than many other countries such as Kuwait, Lebanon, Thailand, Japan, Australia and Germany and is higher than some other countries such as Oman, Pakistan, South Korea, India, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Spain, Russia, and Greece. On the other hand, Iran is in middle situation in terms of the prevalence current asthma. Our results can fill the information and knowledge gaps about the status of the prevalence of respiratory diseases in Iran. © Spring 2016, Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. All rights reserved

Vitamin D deficiency in relation to general and abdominal obesity among high educated adults

Purpose: To assess the association of vitamin D deficiency with general and abdominal obesity among high educated Iranian adults. Methods: Current cross-sectional study was done on 500 Iranian professors aged 35 years or more. Complete data on general and abdominal obesity as well as serum 25(OH)D concentrations were available for 352 persons. Obesity was considered as body mass index � 30, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference � 80 cm for women and � 94 cm for men. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml. Results: Mean age of study population was 53.03 ± 7.15 years. Compared with those in the first quartile of serum 25(OH)D, participants in the fourth quartile were less likely to be generally obese (OR 0.46, 65 CI 0.22�0.99). Such finding was also seen even after taking potential confounders into account. Furthermore, we found an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and abdominal obesity in fully adjusted model (OR 0.44, 95 CI 0.22�0.86). In addition, a significant positive association was found between vitamin D deficiency and obesity; such that after controlling for potential confounders, participants with vitamin D deficiency had 2.16 and 2.04 times greater odds for having general (OR 2.16, 95 CI 1.05�4.45) and abdominal obesity (OR 2.04, 95 CI 1.16�3.60), respectively, than those with normal levels of vitamin D. Conclusion: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with general and abdominal obesity. In addition, vitamin D deficiency was positively associated with both general and abdominal obesity. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study. © 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Natur

Vitamin D deficiency in relation to general and abdominal obesity among high educated adults

Purpose: To assess the association of vitamin D deficiency with general and abdominal obesity among high educated Iranian adults. Methods: Current cross-sectional study was done on 500 Iranian professors aged 35 years or more. Complete data on general and abdominal obesity as well as serum 25(OH)D concentrations were available for 352 persons. Obesity was considered as body mass index � 30, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference � 80 cm for women and � 94 cm for men. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml. Results: Mean age of study population was 53.03 ± 7.15 years. Compared with those in the first quartile of serum 25(OH)D, participants in the fourth quartile were less likely to be generally obese (OR 0.46, 65 CI 0.22�0.99). Such finding was also seen even after taking potential confounders into account. Furthermore, we found an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and abdominal obesity in fully adjusted model (OR 0.44, 95 CI 0.22�0.86). In addition, a significant positive association was found between vitamin D deficiency and obesity; such that after controlling for potential confounders, participants with vitamin D deficiency had 2.16 and 2.04 times greater odds for having general (OR 2.16, 95 CI 1.05�4.45) and abdominal obesity (OR 2.04, 95 CI 1.16�3.60), respectively, than those with normal levels of vitamin D. Conclusion: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with general and abdominal obesity. In addition, vitamin D deficiency was positively associated with both general and abdominal obesity. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study. © 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Natur