Search

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can reduce our need for experimental tests and provide detailed insight into the chemical reactions and binding kinetics. There are two challenges while dealing with MD simulations: one is the time and length scale limitations, and the latter is efficiently processing the massive amount of data resulting from the MD simulations and generating the proper reaction rates. In this work, we evaluated the use of regression machine learning (ML) methods to solve these two challenges by developing a framework for ethanol adsorption on an Aluminium (Al) slab. This framework comprises three main stages: first, an all-atom molecular dynamics model; second, ML regression models; and third, validation and testing. In stage one, the adsorption of ethanol molecules on the Al surface for various temperatures, velocities and concentrations is simulated using the large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator (LAMMPS) and ReaxFF. The outcome of stage one is utilised for training, testing, and validating the predictive models in stages two and three. We developed and evaluated 28 different ML models for predicting the number of adsorbed molecules over time, including linear regression, support vector machine (SVM), decision trees, ensemble, Gaussian process regression (GPR), neural network (NN) and Bayesian hyper-parameter optimisation models. Based on the results, the Bayesian-based GPR showed the highest accuracy and the lowest training time. The developed model can predict the number of adsorbed molecules for new cases within seconds, while MD simulations take a few weeks. This adsorption rate can then be used in macroscale simulations to tackle the time and length scale limitations. The proposed numerical framework has the potential to be generalised and, therefore, contribute to future low-cost binding reaction estimations, providing a valuable tool for industry and experimentalists.

Abstract Wound healing is a complex process orchestrated by interactions between a variety of cell types, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, inflammatory cells, and bioactive factors such as extracellular matrix (ECM) components, growth factors, and cytokines. Chronic wounds exhibit delayed proliferative phase initiation, reduced angiogenesis, impaired ECM synthesis, and persistent inflammatory response. Chronic wounds are one of the main challenges to the healthcare system worldwide, with a high cost for medical services. Hence, investigation of new approaches to accelerate wound healing is essential. Phytomedicines are considered as potential agents for improving the wound healing by accelerating epithelization, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis. These natural compounds have various advantages including availability, ease of application, and high effectiveness in wound managment. This study aimed to investigate the biological effects of saffron or Crocus sativus L. (C. sativus) petal extract on cell survival, migration, and angiogenesis using MTT, scratch and in vitro tube formation assays. Moreover, the expression of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF)s and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)s, respectively. The effect of the C. sativus extract on the skin of diabetic mice was also monitored. The results showed that C. sativus petal extract promoted the viability and migration of HDFs and HUVECs. Moreover, C. sativus petal extract enhanced the formation of tube-like structures by HUVECs cultured on the Matrigel basement membrane matrix, indicating its potential to stimulate angiogenesis. Gene expression studies have shown the the C. sativus extract increases wound healing by upregulation of COL1A1 and VEGF, which are crucial factors involved in collagen deposition, epithelialization, and angiogenesis. Histological analysis revealed that C. sativus petal extract enhanced vascularity and increased the number of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis, ultimately accelerating wound closure compared to wounds treated with eucerin and commercial ointment in diabetic mice. Therefore, C. sativus petal extract has potential as a herbal treatment to improve the healing of diabetic wounds.

Abstract Purpose The present study aimed to test the relationship between the components of the Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) including memory, intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load in workplace-based learning in a clinical setting, and decision-making skills of nursing students. Methods This study was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in 2021–2023. The participants were 151 nursing students who studied their apprenticeship courses in the teaching hospitals. The three basic components of the cognitive load model, including working memory, cognitive load, and decision-making as the outcome of learning, were investigated in this study. Wechsler’s computerized working memory test was used to evaluate working memory. Cognitive Load Inventory for Handoffs including nine questions in three categories of intrinsic cognitive load, extraneous cognitive load, and germane cognitive load was used. The clinical decision-making skills of the participants were evaluated using a 24-question inventory by Lowry et al. based on a 5-point scale. The path analysis of AMOS 22 software was used to examine the relationships between components and test the model. Findings In this study, the goodness of fit of the model based on the cognitive load theory was reported (GIF = 0.99, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.03). The results of regression analysis showed that the scores of decision-making skills in nursing students were significantly related to extraneous cognitive load scores (p-value = 0.0001). Intrinsic cognitive load was significantly different from the point of view of nursing students in different academic years (p = 0.0001). Conclusion The present results showed that the CLT in workplace-based learning has a goodness of fit with the components of memory, intrinsic cognitive load, extraneous cognitive load, and clinical decision-making skill as the key learning outcomes in nursing education. The results showed that the relationship between nursing students’ decision-making skills and extraneous cognitive load is stronger than its relationship with intrinsic cognitive load and memory Workplace-based learning programs in nursing that aim to improve students’ decision-making skills are suggested to manage extraneous cognitive load by incorporating cognitive load principles into the instructional design of clinical education.

Introduction: Meeting the needs of shareholders and investors, generating profit and income, and covering current expenses are the primary objectives of any economic entity. Banks and financial institutions are no exception, and calculating and understanding costs is one of their most critical activities. In today's competitive environment, organizations must adopt strategies that enhance the quality of services and products while reducing their costs. To achieve this, having tools for analyzing related costs and formulating cost policies for services and products is essential. Companies that previously used traditional costing systems have had to transition to newer, more dynamic, and flexible costing systems that account for various costs, including products, activities, distribution channels, and customers, reflecting the complexity of modern business and production processes. This article presents a model for calculating the cost of banking services using activity-based costing. Methods: The research described in this article is developmental-applied. Given the various factors affecting costs and their nonlinear and cyclical effects, which render banks as complex systems, the methodology of system dynamics was used for modeling. This research is descriptive in terms of data collection methods, which included library studies reviewing sources and references on activity-based costing and systems dynamics principles, simulations concerning the cost of banking services using systems dynamics, and other sources such as books, magazines, articles, and theses from reputable libraries, information search centers, and credible websites. Results and discussion: In this study, detailed models for two products, mudarabah and deposits, were developed. Cause-and-effect diagrams and their rates and statuses were drawn, and after testing the models, proposed scenarios were designed and compared. Four scenarios were suggested to improve system behavior: improving productivity, adjusting human resources, re-engineering business processes, and automating processes. To select the best policy—one that achieves the most significant cost reduction over a similar period—all policies were compared. The study's findings indicate that the policy of mechanization and process re-engineering is the most effective. Therefore, the bank's general policy for reducing product costs can be a combination of re-engineering and mechanizing processes. Conclusions: Considering the dynamic business environment and banks as complex systems where many variables influence each other, the systems dynamics approach was employed to model the cost of banking services. The simulation results show that a combination of process re-engineering and automation can serve as an effective policy for reducing the cost of banking services.

Abstract Background Effective feedback is fundamental in clinical education, as it allows trainers to constantly diagnose the trainees’ condition, determine their weaknesses, and intervene at proper times. Recently, different feedback-based approaches have been introduced in clinical training; however, the effectiveness of such interventions still needs to be studied extensively, especially in the perioperative field. Therefore, this study sought to compare the effects of apprenticeship training using sandwich feedback and traditional methods on the perioperative competence and performance of Operating Room (OR) technology students. Methods Thirty final-semester undergraduate OR technology students taking the apprenticeship courses were randomly allocated into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups through the stratified randomization approach. The students in the experimental group experienced Feedback-Based Learning (FBL) using a sandwich model, and the students in the control group participated in Traditional-Based Training (TBT) in six five-hour sessions weekly for three consecutive weeks. All students completed the Persian version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised (PPCS-R) on the first and last days of interventions. Also, a blinded rater completed a checklist to evaluate all students’ performance via Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) on the last intervention day. Besides, the students in the FBL filled out a questionnaire regarding their attitude toward the implemented program. Results The mean total score of the PPCS-R was significantly higher in the FBL than in the TBT on the last intervention day (P

Abstract Background Moral distress is a multifactorial and complex phenomenon influenced by various individual, cultural, and systemic factors. This study aimed to investigate the frequency and intensity of nurses’ moral distress, explore their experiences, and develop the conceptual model of risk factors of moral distress in surgical units and operating rooms. Method This is a sequential mixed-method study conducted at four teaching hospitals affiliated with the Qom University of Medical Sciences. In the first step, the moral distress of nurses in surgical units and operating rooms was investigated by a survey. The participants included nurses who worked in the operating room and surgical units. (n = 180). The data was collected by a Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) questionnaire. In the second step, the experiences of nurses regarding risk factors of moral distress were explored using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the conventional content analysis by Graneheim and Lundman’s approach. Results One hundred eighty nurses participated in this study. The mean total moral distress scores ranged from 12 to 221, with a mean (SD) of 116.8 (42.73). The causes of moral distress cited with the highest frequency and intensity related to the ‘role of healthcare providers’. The experiences of the participants in the theme ‘Inductive process of moral distress development’ were categorized into three categories: ‘Melting into the faulty system’, ‘Power and the system as distress promotors’, and ‘Perceived unpleasant consequences’. Conclusion The results indicated that the frequency of moral distress in operating rooms and surgical units was at a moderate level and the distress intensity of nurses was at a moderately high level. The results indicated that in the investigated system, the “inductive moral process of distress development” was continuously understood by the participants. This process was influenced by systemic and individual factors. Weak assertiveness, conservative compromise, and desensitization to unprofessionalism as individual factors were effective in causing distress. Risk factors at the systemic level led nurses to melt into the faulty system and created adverse outcomes at the individual level. The lack of systemic support and the stabilization of mobbing by powerful system members had a negative impact on the individual factors of distress development. Also, these factors directly cause negative consequences.

Abstract The failure of the aortic heart valve is common, resulting in deterioration of the pumping function of the heart. For the end stage valve failure, bi-leaflet mechanical valve (most popular artificial valve) is implanted. However, due to its non-physiological behaviour, a significant alteration is observed in the normal haemodynamics of the aorta. While in-vivo experimentation of a human heart valve (native and artificial) is a formidable task, in-silico study using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with fluid structure interaction (FSI) is an effective and economic tool for investigating the haemodynamics of natural and artificial heart valves. In the present work, a haemodynamic model of a natural and mechanical heart valve has been developed using meshless particle-based smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). In order to further enhance its clinical relevance, this study employs a patient-specific vascular geometry and presents a successful validation against traditional finite volume method and 4D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The results have demonstrated that SPH is ideally suited to simulate the heart valve function due to its Lagrangian description of motion, which is a favourable feature for FSI. In addition, a novel methodology for the estimation of the wall shear stress (WSS) and other related haemodynamic parameters have been proposed from the SPH perspective. Finally, a detailed comparison of the haemodynamic parameters has been carried out for both native and mechanical aortic valve, with a particular emphasis on the clinical risks associated with the mechanical valve.

Abstract Introduction The present study aimed to assess the status of workplace mental health from the viewpoints of educators, and explore their experiences concerning influential factors on occupational mental health at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Methods The study was a sequential mixed-method study that was conducted in quantitative and qualitative phases. In the quantitative phase, the perception of educators (n = 205) was assessed by a Workplace Mental Health Questionnaire, including 37 items in 9 categories (including an opportunity to control, an opportunity to use skills, external goals created, environmental diversity, environmental clarity, access to money, physical security, opportunity to contact others, and valuable social status and position). In the qualitative phase, data were collected using semi-structured interviews (n = 21) and were analyzed based on the conventional content analysis approach. Results The results showed that the status of workplace mental health of educators was at a moderate level (mean (± SD) = 115.87 (±3.21). The highest and lowest scores of the median were reported in the domains of “opportunity for control” (median = 4) and “opportunity to contact others” (median = 2.75), respectively. The theme of “contrast between preferences and disappointments in the development path” with two categories including “induced demotivation of system elements” and “tendencies of promotion” was explored from the educators’ perspective. Conclusion The results indicated the moderate level of mental health of educators was influenced by the contrast between preferences and disappointments in the development path. The tendency of educators for promotion was explored as a positive factor in the mental health of educators in the academic environment. A growing desire for creative advancement among educators as a personal factor and a demand to stay updated with all developments as a system factor explained the positive experiences of educators in the university. The results showed the gap between the current situation and the desired state of occupational mental health may result from cultural challenges, lack of adherence to professionalism at the personal level (non-compliance with the principles of well-being and excellence), and interpersonal level (non-compliance with respect, justice, etc.). Moreover, factors disrupting occupational mental health at the system level explored in job stress, a resilient culture, lack of managerial support, ingratitude, lack of reward-effort matching mechanism, and lack of resources.

Phase change materials (PCMs) integrated with photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors can simultaneously generate and store electrical and thermal energy. However, design optimization requires accurate modeling of the complex heat transfer processes in PCMs under varying operating conditions. This study introduces an efficient simulation approach with generalized Nusselt number correlations to enable precise and rapid analysis of PCM thermal performance. A numerical model is developed to quantify heat fluxes, node temperatures, energy and exergy outputs across PCM solid, melting, and liquid states. Extensive analysis is conducted to explore the impact of irradiation, ambient temperature, PCM thickness, tilt angle, and wind speed on PVT performance. Key findings include: (1) thermal energy yield exceeds electrical output by 2.8 times owing to PV's low efficiency, while electrical exergy dominates thermal exergy by 5.3 times highlighting electric output's primacy; (2) electrical output chiefly depends on irradiation, while thermal energy and exergy are highly sensitive to ambient temperature and wind speed; (3) thermal energy escalates 4.5 times faster than electrical energy with irradiation rise, but thermal exergy drops sharply from 10.1 to 0.34 W as ambient temperature increases from 0 to 35 °C due to quality factor degradation. The study provides new generalized correlations, validated model, and extensive performance assessment to advance PCM-based PVT collector design.

Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with significant blood loss. Antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid (TXA) are widely used to manage blood loss during TKA. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of three different administration approaches of TXA in TKA. Methods In a prospective, multicenter study, 285 patients with end-stage osteoarthritis who underwent TKA between 2020 and 2022 in three orthopedic surgery centers were included in the study. To manage bleeding during TKA, one of the three methods of intravenous administration (IV), intra-articular injection (IA), and combination administration of TXA was performed for the patients. Postoperative blood loss was calculated using blood volume and change in hemoglobin level from preoperative measurement to postoperative day 3. Results The mean baseline Hemoglobin (Hb) was not significantly different between the three study groups (p > 0.05). The mean postoperative Hb of 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h after the surgery was not significantly different between the three stud groups (p > 0.05). The mean intraoperative blood loss in the combined TXA group was significantly lower compared to the IV and IA groups (0.025). The number of blood transfusions in the three study groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). No side effect was recorded in any group, as well. Conclusion Blood loss in the combination TXA group was significantly less than in the other two groups. Combination TXA can help reduce blood loss after TKA surgery.

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a radiotherapy technique combining spatial fractionation of the dose distribution on a micrometric scale, X-rays in the 50–500 keV range and dose rates up to 16 × 103 Gy s−1. Nowadays, in vivo dosimetry remains a challenge due to the ultra-high radiation fluxes involved and the need for high-spatial-resolution detectors. The aim here was to develop a striped diamond portal detector enabling online microbeam monitoring during synchrotron MRT treatments. The detector, a 550 µm bulk monocrystalline diamond, is an eight-strip device, of height 3 mm, width 178 µm and with 60 µm spaced strips, surrounded by a guard ring. An eight-channel ASIC circuit for charge integration and digitization has been designed and tested. Characterization tests were performed at the ID17 biomedical beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). The detector measured direct and attenuated microbeams as well as interbeam fluxes with a precision level of 1%. Tests on phantoms (RW3 and anthropomorphic head phantoms) were performed and compared with simulations. Synchrotron radiation measurements were performed on an RW3 phantom for strips facing a microbeam and for strips facing an interbeam area. A 2% difference between experiments and simulations was found. In more complex geometries, a preliminary study showed that the absolute differences between simulated and recorded transmitted beams were within 2%. Obtained results showed the feasibility of performing MRT portal monitoring using a microstriped diamond detector. Online dosimetric measurements are currently ongoing during clinical veterinary trials at ESRF, and the next 153-strip detector prototype, covering the entire irradiation field, is being finalized at our institution.

Abstract Introduction Updating the method for evaluating suturing and scaling skills in dental education has attracted relatively little attention and there is no consensus to what should be assessed and how. The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) method for these two basic skills, the possible association between the scores and demographic factors, and the level of satisfaction of residents with this method. Methods All six periodontics and three oral medicine residents were recruited by census method and video-recorded while performing a simple interrupted suture, a figure eight suture and scaling on a model. Then, the videos were evaluated independently via a checklist and a global rating scale (GRS) by two expert raters. Agreement between raters and residents’ satisfaction were evaluated. Correlation between demographic factors of participants and scores was also assessed. T-test and linear regression analysis were used. Results There was no significant difference between the scores based on the views of the two raters for each of the checklist (ICC = 0.99, CI = 0.96–0.99, P

Introduction: Patients with end-stage heart failure (HF) may need mechanical circulatory support such as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). However, there are a range of complications associated with LVAD including aortic regurgitation (AR) and thrombus formation. This study assesses whether the risk of developing aortic conditions can be minimised by optimising LVAD implantation technique.Methods: In this work, we evaluate the aortic flow patterns produced under different geometrical parameters for the anastomosis of the outflow graft (OG) to the aorta using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A three-dimensional aortic model is created and the HeartMate III OG positioning is simulated by modifying (i) the distance from the anatomic ventriculo-arterial junction (AVJ) to the OG, (ii) the cardinal position around the aorta, and (iii) the angle between the aorta and the OG. The continuous LVAD flow and the remnant native cardiac cycle are used as inlet boundaries and the three-element Windkessel model is applied at the pressure outlets.Results: The analysis quantifies the impact of OG positioning on different haemodynamic parameters, including velocity, wall shear stress (WSS), pressure, vorticity and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). We find that WSS on the aortic root (AoR) is around two times lower when the OG is attached to the coronal side of the aorta using an angle of 45° ± 10° at a distance of 55 mm.Discussion: The results show that the OG placement may significantly influence the haemodynamic patterns, demonstrating the potential application of CFD for optimising OG positioning to minimise the risk of cardiovascular complications after LVAD implantation.

Background and Purpose: Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) aims to deliver higher doses to the target while minimizing radiation damage to healthy tissues using synchrotron x-ray microbeams. Translational MRT research has now started, driven by promising results from preclinical studies. This study aimed to propose a first dose-outcome model by analyzing micrometric dose distributions obtained with high-resolution 3D dose calculations, accounting for the inherent physical dose distribution complexity in MRT. The feasibility of integrating penMRT, our full Monte Carlo multiscale dose calculation algorithm based on PENELOPE into translational research on veterinary patients was also investigated. Material and Methods: Micrometric dose distributions were calculated in tumor-bearing rats and for a veterinary patient with penMRT, for conformal multi-directional MRT treatment plans. Absorbed dose maps were obtained with 0.005 × 0.005 × 1 mm3 voxel sizes. High-resolution dose-volume histograms were extracted and analyzed against radiobiology studies. Results: The complexity of the MRT dose distribution was properly rendered at a micrometer scale on 3D dose maps, with well separated dose regions observed on the differential dose-volume histograms. The median survival time of glioma-bearing rats varied linearly with the volume fraction of the planning target volume that received doses higher than 50 Gy (R2 = 0.98). The feasibility of using penMRT for treatment planning in large volumes has been shown on a veterinary patient. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the significant added value of penMRT for planning and prescribing MRT treatments. It also shed light on the correlation between the high-resolution 3D dose distributions and the treatment outcome.

The world is confronting a severe water crisis. To clean up water from heavy metals, microorganisms, chemicals, and other types of pollutants, nanocomposites have been receiving great attention specifically due to the high surface area affording to work effectually even at low concentrations. In this research, we synthesized a new amino acid-modified MoS2 nanocomposite by chemically immobilizing Mn (II). The synthesized absorbent MoS2–COOH/gly/Mn was identified by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), analysis of energy dispersive X-ray mapping (EDAX and MAP), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry (FT-IR). The nanocomposite was employed as an adsorbent through the solid phase microextraction (SPME) method while trifluralin herbicide was chosen as a model compound. For the monitoring of trifluralin molecules, we employed an ion mobility spectrometry apparatus featuring a corona discharge ionization source. The SPME method's effectiveness was examined by investigating the stirring rate and extraction time as two crucial parameters, aiming to achieve trace analysis of trifluralin. Under the optimized condition of the trifluralin extraction, the coefficient (R2) and linear dynamic range (LDR) correlation were obtained at 0.9961 and 0.5–10 μg L−1, respectively. Relative recovery values the described approach were obtained in the span of 96–97% for agricultural wastewater samples. The quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were calculated at 0.5 and 0.15 μg L−1, respectively. The proposed nanocomposite absorbent has the capability to be applied as an efficient material for the extraction of trifluralin herbicide from different solutions.

Background and Aim: Students can better understand what they have learned and prepare to build a better future. The present research was conducted to provide a model of educational policy for skill learning of first-year high school students. Methods: In terms of the applied goal, this research was exploratory mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of data, and in terms of nature, in the qualitative dimension, it was a systemic (paradigm) foundation data, and in the quantitative dimension, it was a cross-sectional survey. The statistical population of the qualitative part included university professors and experts who had papers in the field of skill training, and in the quantitative part, it included all the teachers of the first year of secondary education in the central province who had a master's degree and above in the field of educational sciences, numbering 500 people. The sampling method in the qualitative part is purposeful and theoretical, and with the number of 15 experts, the theoretical saturation was reached. In the quantitative part of the sample size, 217 people were selected based on Morgan's volume determination formula. In the current research, after the open and axial coding of the measurement tool, it was sent in the form of a set form and sent to experts for selective coding and validation. Based on this, a researcher-made questionnaire was designed and distributed among the randomly selected statistical sample. Then the collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: As a result, 5 dimensions, 20 components and 118 indicators were finalized for the educational policy model of students' skill learning. Conclusion: After the final approval and prioritization of the experts, the dimensions, components and indicators of the model were drawn, and the experts again validated the said model.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the ecological status of the educational environment (online) from the perspective of students in the school of PublicHealth at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 287 undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students from the School of Health, enterd via stratified random sampling. Two questionnaires about the online learning environments that were developed by Kaufmann and Chou were used in the study. The Kaufmann questionnaire included four domains: “instructor behaviors, student connectedness, course structure, and Course Clarity” and Chou’s questionnaire included three domains: "Learning climate, and learning satisfaction". Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software. Results: Our findings indicate that students viewed the ecological status of the online learning environment as moderate level. The domain ability and learning environment received a score of 3.2 ± 0.62, satisfaction with learning was rated 3.07 ± 0.73, and general learning atmosphere received a score of 3.05 ± 0.73. The teacher's behavior received 3.8 ± 0.83, the structure of the training course 2.92 ± 1.12, the ease of implementation 3.14±0.98, and the interaction of learners 3.66 ± 0.85. Conclusion: Online teaching and learning is a complex process that involves various factors such as the instructor's skills, inclusiveness, course structure, and educational design. The ease of implementation and interaction of learners are also important in the learning ecology. Therefore, it is essential to have the necessary infrastructure that facilitates the teaching-learning process when planning for the creation and development of online education. Corresponding Author:Fatemeh Keshmiri View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Profile

Abstract Introduction A teaching e-portfolio is used to organize the collation and presentation of documents about teaching for the development and evaluation of educators. The current study was aimed at describing teaching e-portfolio components at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. As well, we examined the performance and experience of educators in engaging in the teaching e-portfolio. Materials and methods This study was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University in 2018–2022 in three main stages: (1) Development of the teaching e-portfolio; (2) Implementing teaching e-portfolio, and evaluating teaching documentation quantitatively; and (3) Exploration of educators’ experiences by a conventional content analysis introduced by Graneheim and Lundman. The teaching e-portfolio was developed from the perspective of the components, domains, and criteria of scholarship of teaching and learning. The teaching e-portfolio documented the educational activities of educators in 12 areas, including philosophy of education (1 activity), curriculum planning (4 activities), evaluation (7 activities), teaching and learning (1 activity), e-learning (1 activity), professional development in education (1 activity), scholarly activities (2 activities), mentoring and counseling (3 activities), educational leadership (2 activities), education research (6 activities), education reform project (1 activity), and production of scholarship of teaching and learning (13 activities). The educators recorded the documentation of educational activities in their teaching e-portfolio. Their documentation was reviewed by two peers. The reviewers delivered constructive feedback to improve the educators’ performance. The quantitative performance of educators in different activities in teaching e-portfolio was examined by descriptive tests (frequency and percentage). The experiences of educators were explored by the conventional content analysis approach which was introduced by Graneheim and Lundman. Results In the present study, 148 educators registered in the teaching e-portfolio. A total of 1488 documents of educational activities were registered in the e-portfolio from 2018 to 2022, and 55.24% of the activities received feedback in the peer review process. The experience of participants was categorized into a theme “fear and hope in utilizing teaching e-portfolio”. This theme consisted of three categories: “motivational roadmap for personal and professional development in the future”, “concern about the consequences of continuous monitoring”, and “restriction of resources and capability as resistance sources”. Conclusion The current study showed that the participation of educators in a teaching e-portfolio was at an acceptable level. Support systems and educational policies played an effective role in guiding educators to participate in educational development activities. The educators perceived the teaching e-portfolio as a two-faceted tool. Teaching e-portfolio can provide a road map for their personal and professional development to achieve excellent teaching. As well, the teaching e-portfolio was recognized as a tool for continuous performance monitoring and detection of the inefficiency of teaching quality activities. This perception, along with limited resources such as time, weak technological literacy, and difficulty in working with electronic devices and systems, led to resistance from educators to involve in teaching e-portfolio.

Abstract Introduction The Educational Scholar Program (ESP) is designed and implemented as a longitudinal and institution-based faculty development program. The present study aimed to assess the effect of the ESP on educators’ capabilities to undertake SoTL activities associated with their scholar role. Methods This study was conducted from 2017 to 2022. The participants (n = 64) were educators in six schools of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. The ESP was a faculty development program that consisted of training and project-based stages. The educators experienced small-group learning, self-directed learning, and reflective assignments in the training stage. In the second stage, the educators completed a SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) project. Learner-related outcomes based on Kirkpatrick model was assessed. The reaction of educators (satisfaction, active participation in the ESP, and the perception of mentoring sessions) was assessed by three questionnaires (Reaction level). The educators’ learning was evaluated by modified essay questions and their project reports (Learning and Behavior levels). Outputs of the ESP including journal publications, abstracts presented at meetings or congresses, grant funding, awards in educational festivals, promotions, projects with ongoing implementation following the ESP, and conducting further SoTL projects after ESP were assessed quantitatively over two years after participating in the ESP (Results level). Data were summarized by descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, SD, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)). Cut-off scores of the instruments was calculated with a standard setting method which introduced by Cohen-Schotanus and Van DerVleuten. Data analyzed by One-sample t-test. Results Sixty-four of 72 (89%) educators completed the ESP. The mean (CI) satisfaction score of educators was 42 (CI: 26.92–58.28), the active participation was 92 (CI: 80.24-103.76). The scores of the mentoring assessment from the perspective of the educators were reported at 90 (CI: 78.24- 101.76). The mean (95%CI) learning scores in the essay examination were 88 (CI: 70.36- 105.64), and project assessment were 90 (CI: 78.24- 101.76). The results showed the educators’ scores in reaction and learning significantly higher than the cut-off scores. (P

Abstract Background The present study aimed to investigate perception and engagement in unprofessional behavior of residents and medical interns and explore the factors affecting their engagement in unprofessional behavior. Method This study has an explanatory (quantitative-qualitative) mixed-method design. This study was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in 2022–2023. Participants, including residents and medical interns (n = 169), were entered by stratified random sampling. A survey was conducted in the quantitative step. A by an unprofessional behavior in clinical practice questionnaire (29 items) was used. For each behavior, the participants were asked to report whether they (a) participated in the behavior and (b) stated that the behavior Is unprofessional. In the qualitative step, 17 participants contributed. The qualitative data were collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to the conventional content analysis approach Graneheim and Lundman introduced. Results The highest ratio of participants’ engagement in unprofessional behavior was reported in ‘failure to introduce yourself and nurses and physician assistants to the patient and his family’ (n = 145 (85.8%)). The results showed the proportion of participants who engaged in unprofessional behavior more than those who did not participate. There were associations between participants’ engagement in each behavior and their perception of that particular behavior as unprofessional. (p = 0.0001). In the following behaviors, although the participants acknowledged that these behaviors were unprofessional, those who participated in the unprofessional behaviors were significantly more than those who did not participate: failure to comply with clinic regulations and policy (p = 0.01), eating or drinking in the hallway of the clinic (p = 0.01), medical negligence in duties in the clinic setting (p = 0.04) and failure to perform duties in teamwork (p = 0.04). The qualitative results were explored in a theme entitled “internalized unprofessional culture,” including three categories “encouraging contextual risk factors towards unprofessionalism,” “suppressing of unprofessionalism reporting,” and “disbelieving professionalism as a key responsibility.” Conclusion The results indicated that most participants engaged in unprofessional behaviors. The findings resulted from the internalized unprofessional culture in the workplace. The findings showed that engagement in unprofessional behaviors resulted from personal and systemic factors. The weakness of responsibility recognition and identity formation as a professional facilitated the engagement in unprofessional behaviors at the personal level. Furthermore, systemic factors including the contextual risk factors (such as deficiency of explicit and hidden curriculum), and the suppression of unprofessionalism reporting mechanism as a hidden factor played an important role in normalizing unprofessional behavior and promoting engagement in unprofessional behaviors among the participants. Recognition of the nature and extent of students’ unprofessional behaviors facilitates educational discussion among teachers and students in this field. The results might assist to establish an assessment system and feedback mechanism to solve the problem of the “failure to fail” problem. In addition, these results provide medical educators insights into the development of professional courses that equip learners with adherence to professionalism and coping skills to deal with unprofessionalism in the healthcare system.

Introduction: The present study aimed to develop the framework of inter-professional values and professionalism competencies in occupational health services. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, in 2018-2018. In the first step, the framework of professionalism and inter-professional competencies in different disciplines was reviewed. In the second step, the competencies and expectations of inter-professional professionalism were assessed through the viewpoints of participants through a focus group method. After that, the explored data was refined based on the principles of competency development. The initial version of the inter-professional professionalism framework was reviewed from the perspective of different stakeholders. Results: In the first step, 39 competencies were explored. In the second phase, 12 competencies were proposed and added to the framework. The inter-professional values and professionalism competency framework was explained with 51 competencies in six areas of altruism, justice, accountability, excellence, respect, and integrity. Conclusion: Providing occupational health services is complex activities that were influenced by multiple stakeholders. Explaining the components of inter-professional professionalism in six core domains as a road map would assist occupational health service providers.

Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) has repeatedly proven its superiority compared with conventional radiotherapy for glioma control in preclinical research. The clinical transfer phase of MRT has recently gained momentum; seven dogs with suspected glioma were treated under clinical conditions to determine the feasibility and safety of MRT. We administered a single fraction of 3D-conformal, image-guided MRT. Ultra-high-dose rate synchrotron X-ray microbeams (50 µm-wide, 400 µm-spaced) were delivered through five conformal irradiation ports. The PTV received ~25 Gy peak dose (within microbeams) per port, corresponding to a minimal cumulated valley dose (diffusing between microbeams) of 2.8 Gy. The dogs underwent clinical and MRI follow-up, and owner evaluations. One dog was lost to follow-up. Clinical exams of the remaining six dogs during the first 3 months did not indicate radiotoxicity induced by MRT. Quality of life improved from 7.3/10 [±0.7] to 8.9/10 [±0.3]. Tumor-induced seizure activity decreased significantly. A significant tumor volume reduction of 69% [±6%] was reached 3 months after MRT. Our study is the first neuro-oncologic veterinary trial of 3D-conformal Synchrotron MRT and reveals that MRT does not induce acute to subacute radiotoxicity in normal brain tissues. MRT improves quality of life and leads to remarkable tumor volume reduction despite low valley dose delivery. This trial is an essential step towards the forthcoming clinical application of MRT against deep-seated human brain tumors.

Background & Aim: Various factors play a significant role in shaping the professional identity of nursing students, and among these factors, the impact of the hidden curriculum holds utmost importance. However, this process remains still unknown. The aim of the study is to explore the role of hidden curriculum in the formation of professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. Methods & Materials: This is a qualitative research using the grounded theory approach. The participants in this study included 35 undergraduate nursing students from Tehran University of Medical Sciences during the 2020-2021 academic year who participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews lasting between 30 and 60 minutes were conducted with each participant. Subsequently, the interviews were transcribed and analyzed following the framework proposed by Strauss and Corbin in 2008. Results: After analyzing the data, three main categories and 12 subcategories have emerged. The theory developed in this research was formed through the core category of “identity instability within the nursing profession”. The main categories that emerged were “ambiguity and lack of motivation in professionalization”. The study identified "the governance of a discriminatory culture" as the underlying process, while “the promotion of demotivation resulting from inefficient patterns” served as the basis of this study. Conclusion: Based on the study's findings, the process of developing a professional identity can be metaphorically likened to a river. In this analogy, discrimination serves as the clouds hovering over this river, casting a shadow on the identity development process. While inefficient patterns can be likened to lightning bolts that further complicate the process. Furthermore, the rocky bed of the river, symbolizing the lack of motivation among learners towards professionalism, makes it even more challenging to build a strong professional identity.

Abstract Background Vaginal birth management is vital to midwifery education and practice in which midwives are most likely to be directly involved. This situation requires strong cognitive, technical, communicational, and teamwork skills. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of normal vaginal birth simulation training before formal clinical education on the clinical skills of midwifery students compared with routine clinical education. Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Shoushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences from September 2018 to August 2021. Sixty-one midwifery students participated in the intervention group (n = 31) and in the control group (n = 30). The intervention group participated in the simulation-based training before entering the formal clinical education courses. The control group received no simulation-based training before their formal clinical education. The clinical skills of these students for performing normal vaginal birth in the real field were evaluated by observational examination in the three years (fourth, fifth, and sixth semesters). Data were analyzed by descriptive (mean, SD, and percentage) and inferential statistics (independent t-test and chi-square). A P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The mean score of midwives’ skills in the control group was (28.10 ± 3.42) and in the intervention group, it was (31.15 ± 4.30). The difference in the skill score between the groups was statistically significant (3.40 ± 0.68). The results showed that in the intervention group, 29 students (93.93%) were evaluated from a good to an excellent level, while only ten students (32.71%) in the control group achieved a good level, and others (n = 30) were evaluated at a low level (p

The present work explores the impact of tip clearance on the mean blade height ratio, inlet tip blade angle, and surface roughness of the inducer. The objective is to find an optimized inducer to limit the secondary flow over the blades, which in turn improves the pump efficiency and reduces the life cycle costs. A numerical framework is developed to investigate efficient operational and geometrical parameters on an inducer's cavitation and non-cavitation presentations. The catalyser functioning is simulated by applying a 3D CFD model, and the results are assessed against empirical data. The results show a reliable agreement with empirical data and suggest that the increment of tip clearance in the mean blade height ratio causes the hydraulic performance and the analytical cavitation number to decline in cavitation and non-cavitation conditions. Moreover, the optimum value of 85o is found for the inlet tip blade angle, which improves the non-cavitation performance.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302938.].

BackgroundNurses and researchers emphasize the importance of adding educational content of palliative care to nursing curricula in Iran as a means to improve the quality of care at the end of life and self-efficacy is considered as an important determinant in palliative care nursing. However, undergraduate nursing students are not sufficiently trained to achieve the qualifications required in palliative care. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of combined training (theoretical-practical) of palliative care on the perceived self-efficacy of nursing students.MethodsThis is a semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. Sampling was nonrandomized with convenience method and included 23 seventh-semester students. The intervention consisted of palliative care training for ten theoretical sessions and three practical sessions. Data were collected using demographic and the perceived self-efficacy questionnaires completed before and after the intervention. Data were then analyzed in the statistical SPSS 23 software using descriptive and analytical statistics.ResultsThe mean age of the samples was 22.78 (SD1.17). Most of the participants were male (56.5%) and single(91.3%). The findings showed that, perceived self-efficacy, psycho-social support and symptom management improved significantly after the intervention (pConclusionPalliative care training can increase the nursing students perceived self-efficacy. Since nursing students are the future nurses of the care system, therefore, managers and planners can take a step towards improving the quality of nursing care by using palliative care training programs. Since nursing students will be future nurses in health care system, therefore, managers and planners can take steps to improve the quality of nursing care by using palliative care education programs.

To overcome the weak thermal conduction of the phase change materials (PCM), This investigation aims to study the effect of circular Y-shaped fins added to a two-pipe latent heat-saving unit compared with conventional circular fins. The system is placed in a straight-up orientation, and the PCM is located in the annulus, whereas hot water is moved inside the internal tube to charge the phase change material (PCM) with a phase change point of 35°C. Different independent geometric factors of the fins involving the length of the stem and angle of the tributaries to the horizontal line and the number of Y-shaped fins are analysed. The impact of the working fluid’s Reynolds number and temperature (as the input parameters) are evaluated as a sensitivity analysis to control the output (melting time and rate). The results show that increasing the height and number of the fins and reducing the angles of the tributaries results in higher performance of the system. For the optimal case, increasing the Reynolds number of the working fluid from 500 to 2000 results in 31% reductions in the melting time. Moreover, raising the working fluid’s temperature from 45° to 55° reduces the melting time by ∼44%.

To create a highly efficient photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and maximise the energy and exergy efficiency, this study aims to propose an innovative configuration of a PV-T system comprising wavy tubes with twisted-tape inserts. Following the validation of a numerical model, a parametric study has been conducted to assess the geometrical effects of twisted tape and wavy tubes, as well as the coolant fluid type and velocity, on the overall performance of a PV-T system, located in Shiraz, Iran. It is found that employing twisted tape improves the energy and exergy efficiency by approx. 6.3%. The best configuration yields 12.4% and 16.8% increase in energy and exergy efficiency compared to conventional PV systems. This is achieved at 15% volumetric concentration of microencapsulated phase change material slurry. The monthly variation of global horizontal irradiance in Shiraz highly affected the energy and exergy efficiency of PV-T, with July and October exhibiting the most efficient months, corresponding to 90% and 11.3%, respectively.

Background: Radiotherapy is a frequently used therapeutic modality for breast cancer. Dalbergin, a natural antioxidant, inhibits carcinogens and tumor progression. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Dalbergin on the response of T47D and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines to ionizing radiation.Method: In this experimental in vitro study, doubling time of T47D and MDAMB- 231 were obtained from the growth curve. The cytotoxic effect of Dalbergin on T47D and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were estimated via MTT assay. To determine the clonogenic ability, we treated T47D and MDA-MB-231 with Dalbergin for 48 h prior to irradiation, subsequent to which a colony assay was performed. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine the gene expression level.Results: Dalbergin inhibited proliferation of T47D and MDA-MB-231 in a time and concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, the most appropriate time for the treatment of these types of cancer cells was found to be 48 h and the drug's concentration in both cell lines was different. The IC50 values of T47D and MDA-MB-231 cells were 0.001 and 0.0001 μM, respectively. Moreover, this drug radiaosensitizes both cell lines effectively compared with the radiation only. Finally, the gene expression level of p53, Bcl-2, and STAT3 were investigated in cancer cells.Conclusion: Dalbergin showed apoptotic effects probably through the STAT/p53 signaling pathway. Therefore, Dalbergin could be considered as a radiosensitizer and its effects may be owing to increased cell death.

Background & Objective: Recognition of the professional role and responsibility is a key component in successfully playing professional roles. The present study aimed to recognition of the components of students' professional responsibilities in the process of clinical education. Materials & Methods: This is a scoping review study. This study searched, databases including Science Direct, Magiran, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar by keywords of professional responsibility, professional behavior, clinical education, and student. Results: 3821 articles were studied and monitored step by step and finally 44 articles were selected. The evaluation of articles based on content analysis was categorized into six categories and 33 subcategories. The six categories include educational tasks, patient care, communication skills and information exchange, personal development, professional development, and observing professionalism and ethics. Conclusion: In this study, the components and dimensions affecting the student's professional responsibilities in the education process were extracted. The results could be used in planning educational interventions to improve the professional responsibility of students in clinical education and also to the development of student assessment tool

Background & Objective: Reflection plays an important role in the students’ learning. The present study aimed to assess the effect of reflection-based education on the thinking skills and performance of dental students. Materials & Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study. A total of 34 dental students that passed basic science courses and entered the clinical departments have participated. Educational interventions based on Gibbs' reflection model were conducted through educational workshops and workplace-based education. The reflective thinking of students was assessed by a 16-item questionnaire in four domains of habitual performance, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection. The students’ performances were assessed by an observational examination. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical tests in SPSS ver.17. The significance level was P-value≤ 0.05. Results: The students’ score of reflective thinking before the educational intervention was 14.48±2.73 and after the training was 15.35±1.33. There were significant differences in the scores of the reflection domain before and after educational interventions. (p-value=0.01). The learning scores of students were reported 17.56 that significantly higher than the minimum pass level. (P-value=0.01). Conclusion: Reflection-based education decreases the level of habitual performance and increases reflection among dental students. Therefore, it is recommended that reflection as a main component of clinical education throughout the practical courses be considered in dental schools.

Background & Objective: Reflection plays an important role in the students’ learning. The present study aimed to assess the effect of reflection-based education on the thinking skills and performance of dental students. Materials & Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study. A total of 34 dental students that passed basic science courses and entered the clinical departments have participated. Educational interventions based on Gibbs' reflection model were conducted through educational workshops and workplace-based education. The reflective thinking of students was assessed by a 16-item questionnaire in four domains of habitual performance, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection. The students’ performances were assessed by an observational examination. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical tests in SPSS ver.17. The significance level was P-value≤ 0.05. Results: The students’ score of reflective thinking before the educational intervention was 64.48±2.73 and after the training was 65.35±6.33. There were significant differences in the scores of the reflection domain before and after educational interventions. (p-value=0.01). The learning scores of students were reported 17.56 that significantly higher than the minimum pass level. (P-value=0.01). Conclusion: Reflection-based education decreases the level of habitual performance and increases reflection among dental students. Therefore, it is recommended that reflection as a main component of clinical education throughout the practical courses be considered in dental schools.

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases around the world. Breast cancer patients treated with radiation may face Side effects as well as cancer recurrence. Some polyphenols exhibit antioxidant effects. Citrus and Orthosiphon Stamineus have source of methylated flavone called Sinensetin (SIN). In this research, we designation of Sinensetin as increasing radiation sensitivity.Material and Methods: The cytotoxic effect of Sinensetin was examined in MDA-MB-231 and T47D by MTT assay. As well as, the clonogenic ability of cells were Assessmented in the presence of Sinensetin and combination with radiation. To quantify expression alterations of apoptosis related genes, utilized Real-Time PCR method.Results: In a dose and time-dependent manner, Sinensetin decreased the viability of MDA-MB-231 and T47D. The survival fraction was decreased in cells treated with Sinensetin (SIN) prior to X-irradiation compared to cells treated with X-ray only. More ever, expression level of, Bcl-2, STAT3, and increased P53 via treated cells with Sinensetin (SIN) and X-ray.Conclusion: Due to the results, Sinensetin (SIN) can be mentioned as a novel radiosensitizer and its effects may considered increasing apoptosis following DNA damage induced by irradiation.

Resonant converters are attractive for DC-DC converter applications of electric vehicles (EVs) due to their wide range of soft switching and less output filter requirements compared to dual active bridge (DAB) converters. However, the design and control implementation of resonant converters is comparatively challenging due to the nonlinearities introduced with the resonant tank. LLC and CLLC resonant converters are popular among the resonant converter topologies, while new topologies are being derived based on the basic resonant converter topologies. This paper conducts a review on the basic resonant converter topologies, modes of operation of the resonant converter, modeling and control techniques, and special design considerations for resonant converter design. Existing topologies and control techniques of resonant converters enabling the derivation of new converter topologies and control methodologies, are investigated.

The topology proposed in this paper aims for a multiple sources/loads integration to improve the power density of the electrical power distribution system (EPDS) of the more-electric aircraft (MEA) architecture. The different operating modes of the proposed topology add flexibility to the system enabling power flow between different sources, while controlling the power supplied to the low voltage (LV) network on the aircraft. Better system utilization is achieved as compared to conventional solutions. The system stability is improved considering that the multi-source DAB (MSDAB) topology can be configured to stabilize the high-voltage DC (HVDC) bus in case of voltage sag. A battery charging configuration utilizing the magnetizing inductance of the transformer is proposed and discussed as one of the operating modes of the converter. The power flow to the low-voltage bus network is controlled by phase shifting the gating signals between the two bridges. A design process using genetic algorithm (GA) optimization is introduced to optimally select the converter parameters to minimize the transformer RMS current. Simulation and experiments of the control schemes were performed to validate optimal operation of the proposed converter.

The powertrain voltages in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have witnessed an upward trend due to advantages such as reduced runtime losses and extremely high DC fast charging power levels; aiding in reduced range anxiety and lower battery charging duration. This trend requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to re-assess the design of electronic sub-assemblies (ESAs). Due to newly released DC fast charging standards, there are implications on the on-board charger (OBC), which is one of the ESAs in a BEV. This paper performs a comprehensive review of identifying system-level and use-case related challenges in transitioning on-board chargers to higher voltages compared to state-of-the-art, while considering the impact of newly introduced DC fast charging standards like Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) and ChaoJi/ CHAdeMO 3.0. The existing research in academia and proof-of-concept designs compatible for high-voltage on-board charging sub-systems, such as the power factor correction (PFC) and isolated DC-DC conversion stages is consolidated. Due to the demand for integration driven by cost-optimization targets, single-stage, traction-integrated, and auxiliary power unit (APU) integrated on-board chargers are discussed. Finally, the disparity between state-of-the-art technology and future requirements is defined to establish challenges and the direction of future research areas.

Introduction The Educational Scholar Program (ESP) is a creative method to focus on the quality of education and the scholarship of education. This paper critically investigated how educational educators perceived the Educational Scholar Program. Method The ESP was developed according to the project-based learning method. An interdisciplinary strategy was used by participating educators from different schools, including nursing, medicine, public health, dentistry, and pharmacy. (n = 27). Semi-structured interviews explored the experiences of the participants in the ESP. A conventional content analysis approach introduced by Graneheim and Lundman was used for data analysis. Results A theme of “a developmental pathway toward leadership for educational change” was explored into four categories: “Motivated for educational change,” “collaborative learning through the application of knowledge,” “tensions of change agent,” and “a perceived responsibility of a change agent.” Conclusion The participants perceived the ESP as a platform for improving leadership capabilities for educational change through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Using the ESP as a faculty development program to train educational leadership for change is suggested.

Abstract Objective One of the duties of the educational system is to provide situations in which students learn the tasks corresponding to their future careers in an interprofessional team. This study was designed to develop an interprofessional task-based training program. Methods This was a curriculum development study conducted by content validity methodology in two stages: 1) ‘framework development’ which resulted in the creation of the framework items; and 2) ‘evaluation of the framework’ (judgment and quantification). The first stage consisted of task identification, generation of sub-tasks, and assimilation of items into a usable format. The second stage consisted of the judgment –quantification of the content validity of items and the framework. After that, the framework of the tasks of the occupational health team was finalized in the expert panel. After explaining the tasks, a matrix for task-expected roles in the occupational health team and a matrix for task-required skills to perform each task were developed. The next step determined the appropriate teaching and assessment methods for each task. Finally, an expert panel reviewed and approved the components of the interprofessional task-based training program. Results Integrating the interprofessional education strategy with task-based learning was considered innovative in occupational health team training. In the development stage, 48 items were extracted, and then 35 tasks were generated in the step of identification of tasks. In the second step, 174 sub-tasks were developed. The tasks and sub-tasks were categorized into seven areas. After the stage of evaluation of the framework, 33 tasks were categorized into seven main areas, including "assessment and identification of workplace hazards" (n = 10), "control of occupational hazards" (n = 4), "determining the appropriate job position for each person" (n = 3), "occupational health examinations" (n = 6), "management of occupational/work-related diseases" (n = 5), "inter-organizational and inter-disciplinary relations, and legal judgment" (n = 3) and "education and scholarship in occupational health services" (n = 2). Conclusion The results of the present study can be used in developing the use of the interprofessional strategy and task-based training as two appropriate strategies for the purposeful development of learners' abilities in the fields involved in providing occupational health services in their future careers.

Background: The necessity of responding to changes and promoting the quality of education has increased the necessity of applying new approaches to empowerment programs.Objectives: The present research aimed to determine the effects of mid-term empowerment programs using a blended approach in the form of flipped classrooms (asynchronous, live meetings) before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic and a virtual (asynchronous-synchronous) approach during the COVID-19 epidemic on teachers’ learning and satisfaction concerning teacher roles in the medical science education system.Methods: This study was quasi-experimental, and its participants were faculty members of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, participating in the empowerment program. This program was implemented in four periods, including 20 training sessions concerning the roles of a teacher in educational systems in the areas of “professional commitment, lesson planning, teaching-learning methods, assessment and evaluation methods, production of educational products, effective communication, and classroom management”. The program evaluation was performed using the participants’ levels of learning and satisfaction by scenario-based questions and a questionnaire, respectively. The results of different blended education approaches were compared in two time periods, before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (independent T-test) tests. P >0.05 was considered the significance level.Results: One hundred and eighteen faculty members participated in the study, of whom 56 were female (47.5%), and 62 were male (52.5%). The faculty members’ satisfaction scores with blended empowerment courses with the flipped classroom were reported as 4.34±0.16 and the virtual blended classroom as 3.26±0.59. A significant difference was observed between satisfaction scores in different periods (P=0.001). The participants’ learning scores in the programs held by the blended approach with the flipped classroom (82.16±32.20) were significantly higher than those held during the COVID-19 epidemic (virtual approach) (59.23±48.53).Conclusion: The satisfaction and learning of participants in the flipped classroom program and the virtual blended classroom were at favorable and average levels, respectively. This difference in learning and satisfaction from the perspective of faculty members was significant. Therefore, interactive approaches in different virtual education platforms and a blended approach in empowerment programs are recommended.

Background: Planning and conducting successful scholarship of teaching and learning or educational scholarship in medical education is essential. The guidelines for faculty members can be significant.Objectives: This study aimed to develop a practical guide for teaching and learning scholarship activities.Methods: The present study was a research synthesis conducted in six steps, including formulation of problem or question, literature search, data extraction and analysis, interpretation of results, and public presentation. The extracted publications were independently analyzed, and a consensus was reached on each paper’s stated definitions of the educational scholarship steps.Results: The results were classified into 12 steps, including recognizing an educational problem, reviewing the literature, analyzing the context, creating a goal-oriented team of stakeholders, determining objectives and planning the SoTL project, finding supportive resources, considering ethical issues, implementing the scholar activities and analyzing evidence, critical appraisal of the SoTL project, reflecting on the SoTL project, documenting the details of the SoTL project, and going public and disseminating the experiences.Conclusion: Scholars must be able to provide a clear, complete explanation of the innovativeness of their scholarly ideas and the need for this kind of content for their audiences. However, studying and reviewing relevant journals, reflecting on the issues or questions posed, and exchanging ideas with your colleagues are recommended for reviewing and refining scholarly and idea-generation questions.

Background: It is expected that graduates of healthcare management have the necessary skills to perform various managerial and administrative positions. This study was carried out with the aim of designing and compiling an evaluation framework for students based on educational standards in the internship period. Materials &Methods: The current study was conducted in four phases: In the first phase, in order to identify the problem and assess the needs, the existing curriculum and topics were examined, as well as the studies conducted in this field. In the second phase, the perspective of the stakeholders was used to complete and modify the initial framework. In the third phase, worksheets for registering internship learning activities were prepared for students and a checklist of educational and learning objectives, personal and management skills, and skills for developing professional qualifications was compiled. Finally, a specialized panel was used to determine the type of formative and final exams. Results: The problems and challenges of internships can be investigated in 4 areas: inappropriate planning of the course, faculty, group - professors and hospital. In designing the evaluation tool, 9 criteria were taken into consideration. Also, tests designed in a compilation framework were used as formative tests and reasoning tests were used as final tests. Conclusion: The compiled framework can be used as a valid and comprehensive tool to evaluate the practical competence and capabilities of healthcare management students during the internship period.

Background & Objective: Professionalism and interprofessional cooperation are essential capabilities of health team members. Educational systems must use an appropriate approach for training and evaluating these capabilities. The present study aimed to investigate the adherence of surgical residents and personnel to interprofessional professionalism behavior in the operating units using the interprofessional professionalism Assessment (IPA). Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences from 2019 to 2020. The performance of surgical team members, including 113 residents, surgical technologists (operating room), and anesthesia technicians, was evaluated using the interprofessional professionalism assessment tool (IPA). Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and analytical (ANOVA, Chi-square) tests. Results: The score of interprofessional professionalism behavior of the team members in the operating units were reported as 1.16 ± 0.27 out of 5. No significant difference (F=0.24, P=0.333) was observed between the participants' scores in different disciplines. The lowest scores of the participants in the "excellent" range were 1.04±0.31 out of 5. Conclusion: The results showed that interprofessional professionalism behavior among the participants was weak. It is suggested that planning for formal curriculum and continuous evaluation of adherence to improve the interprofessional behavior among surgical team members.

Objective(s): Man needs a space that protects him from the effects of the environment. This space includes physical, social and psychological aspects, and the proper design of the physical environment inpatients should be inspiring and spirit-giving to greatly affect the reduction of patients' depression. The purpose of this research was to provide a model for designing inpatient spaces based on reducing patients' depression. Methods: This was a mixed methods study (quantitative-qualitative) which was completed in June 2021. The extraction of factors in reducing depression derived from the following sources. 1. The literature review, 2. Experts’ opinion, and 3. A user survey and distribution of a questionnaire among 205 hospitalized patients. Then a path analysis was performed to suggest a model using AMOS software, and the relationships between factors, fit indices and were determined. Results: Seven main factors on reducing depression in the design of inpatient spaces were found and included: visual perception, naturalism, functionalism, physical safety, logical process, psychological safety, and diversity from the highest to the lowest. As such visual perception showed the highest direct and indirect effects. Conclusion: The findings suggest that considering the factors indicated by this study might lead to the reduction of patients’ depression in inpatient spaces.

Introduction: Clerkship in field is one of the important educational programs in the field of laboratory sciences and providing opportunities for students to learn in clerkship, improved the quality of health services. The aim of this study was to design a structured microbiology clerkship program from the perspective of case based discussion method among laboratory science students. Methods: This was a single-group intervention study. The participants were from the field of laboratory sciences who participated in clerkship courses (99 participats). Educational intervention based on case-based discussion was designed as a formative evaluation method. Learners' performance was evaluated using a checklist in the stationary test and the students’ satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential tests. Results: The students' learning scores after the intervention were in desirable level. The highest learning score related to blood culture evaluation was 8.04±1.54 and the lowest score related to wound culture evaluation was 6.26±1.78. There was no significant difference between the satisfaction scores of the course and the performance evaluation scores of students according to academic year. But the performance of senior year students was significantly better and the students’ satisfaction scores were significantly high and at a good level. Conclusion: Using the discussion-based teaching method in the clerkship course increased the students' learning and this method can be effective in increasing the skills and learning of the trainees in the field. It is suggested the case based discussion was used in the instructional design of clerkship courses.

Abstract Background The current study aimed to explore the team members’ experiences in the socialization process for becoming a collaborator in an interprofessional team. Method This qualitative study is conducted using an inductive qualitative content analysis approach. Participants consisted of 32 physicians (n = 16) and nurses (n = 16) who participated by purposeful sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman approach. Results In the study, “the perceived confrontation between interprofessional professionalism and uni-professionalism in the interprofessional socialization process” is explored as the theme, including two categories: “interprofessional professionalism commitment” as a facilitator and “uni-professional centrism” as a barrier. Conclusion A reciprocal dimension in interprofessional socialization was explored. Interprofessional professionalism adherence and team-centered accountability among team members were explored as a facilitator. The uni-professional culture and immature interprofessional collaboration competencies of team members disrupted the interprofessional socialization process.

The production of Shahnamah manuscripts during the Ilkhani period was a political endeavor. The kings understood that one way to ensure the survival of the monarchy was to emulate the example of the Pīshdādīan and Kayāniān dynasties in the Persian national epic. Therefore, Persian artists, aligned their work with the political agenda when illustrating the Shahnamah manuscripts. In all manuscripts produced before the Shahnamah of Shah Tahmasp was written, the story of Kaykāvus was illustrated in the same way. In this Shahnamah, however, Kaykāvus's face was depicted in black for the first time. According to historical sources, the Shahnamah of Shah Tahmasp was presented as a gift to the Ottoman court. These points raise the following questions: What inference from the Persian national epic led to the depiction of Kaykāvus with a blackened face? What was the relationship between this interpretation and the behavior of the Ottoman regime? What messages did the Safavid court convey by presenting this Shahnamah to the Ottoman court? This article demonstrates that Persian-Turkish symbols evolved into Turkish-Turkish symbols during the Timurid period. During the Safavid period, Shah Ismail I (Safavid king, 1487-1524) and Sultan Selim I (Ottoman king, 1470-1520) attempted to appropriate the symbols of the Persian national epic as non-Persian/Persian symbols. Therefore, Iranian painters, familiar with the possibilities of deviation from the text, expressed the Safavids' objection to the warlike spirit of the Ottomans by portraying Kaykāvus with a black face.

Background & Objective: The professional identity of nursing students was defined as the primary trend in becoming a profession. The present study aimed to explore the factors affecting students' professional identity as nurses. Materials & Methods: This Study is a qualitative content analysis from May 2019 to October 2020. The participants were contributed through purposefully sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The duration of each interview was between 30 and 60 minutes. Interviews continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed simultaneously with Graneheim and Lundman approach. Results: 123 open codes with five subcategories and two categories were extracted. In the present study, "belongingness" was explained as the central theme. Two categories, "positive role model in the education process" and "The perception of the society towards the nursing profession," were explored. Conclusion: The present results showed that the identification of nursing students is influenced by belonging influenced by the nursing community and the general community. In addition, the community’s appreciation of the nursing profession and the approval and respect for the nursing profession among the community members have been considered crucial factors for nursing students to become good nurses. Due to the importance of growing a belonging and better understanding of professional identity by nursing students in the educational period, the development of teachers’ abilities as a model and creating a platform for recognizing the professional identity of nursing among community and medical science students is recommended.

Introduction: Patient safety training and principles of professional commitment are considered as the most important skills in medical science education systems. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between adherence to interprofessional professionalism and understanding of patient safety and professional commitment among surgical team members in one of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This study is a descriptive-analytical study. The participants were 108 personnel working in the operating room and students of the operating room and intelligence in the field, who were included in the study as a census. In this study, two questionnaires were used: "Assessment of Interprofessional Professionalism" and "Questionnaire of Understanding of Patient Safety". The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics methods. Result: The results of the regression test showed that all areas of interprofessional behavior have a significant effect on the participants' understanding of patient safety (p

Abstract Introduction Interprofessional professionalism (IPP) has been introduced as one of the critical sub-competencies of interprofessional collaboration. This study aimed to assess the effect of interprofessional education on the behavior of interprofessional professionalism among the surgical team in the intervention compared to the control group. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study. The participants were nurses in anesthetist and surgical technology and surgical residents of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital (n = 150) who were included in the study by the census. The intervention employed an interprofessional case-based learning strategy to explore themes of interprofessional professionalism. Two assessors used the Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment (IPA) tool to measure learners’ performance while observing them in practice prior to the intervention, one and three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive tests (mean and SD) and RM-ANOVA. Results In this study, the participants in the intervention (n = 78) and the control (n = 72) groups entered the study. The Baseline IPA scores of participants were reported as 1.25 (0.12) and 1.21 (0.1) in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The IPA score of the participants in the intervention group (2.59 (0.26) and 2.54 (0.24)) was higher than the control group (1.17 (0.08) and 1.12 (0.07)) after one and three months of the intervention (P = 0.0001). The effect of educational interventions was reported at the large level (Eta Square = 0.89). Conclusion Interprofessional professionalism in surgical teams has been recognized as a critical element of team-based care. The present study used an interprofessional education strategy to develop IPP behavior. All professions benefited from interprofessional education. It is suggested that all surgical team professionals participate in interprofessional education.