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Introduction: The pain and long duration of childbirth cause many worries and complications for the mother. Therefore, this study was conducted with aim to determine the effect of aromatherapy with narcissus essential oil on labor pain. Methods: This single-blind clinical trial study was performed in 2020 on 80 primiparous pregnant women in experimental and control groups referred to Farideh Behbahani Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Behbahan city, for natural delivery. The data collection tool was the demographic and obstetric information questionnaire and the visual pain scale. In the experimental group, in the active phase of labor, aromatherapy with narcissus flower essence and in the control group, distilled water was used. Pain was measured before the intervention (4 cm dilatation) and after the intervention (6, 8 and 10 cm dilatation) and the second stage of labor. Data analysis was done using SPSS software (version 20) and inferential statistical tests and descriptive statistics. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean pain intensity in the intervention group in the first stage of labor (dilations 4, 6, 8 and 10 cm) were 8.77 ± 0.71, 7.42 ± 0.79, 8 ± 0.77 and 8.43 ± 0.90, respectively and in the second stage of labor was 8.53 ± 1.59. In the control group, the mean pain intensity in the first stage of labor was 7.80 ± 1.18, 8.50 ± 0.83, 9.58 ± 0.60, and 9.13 ± 1.42, respectively and in the second stage of labor was 9.49 ± 0.61. Aromatherapy with narcissus flower essence caused a significant decrease in the pain intensity score of the first stage of labor in the intervention group compared to the control group in 4, 6, 8 and 10 cm dilatations of cervix (P<0.001). In the second stage of labor, the mean intensity of pain felt in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Aromatherapy with narcissus flower essence can reduce the intensity of labor pain due to the presence of linalool compounds. Therefore, the essence of medicinal plants such as narcissus flower can be used to make the childbirth process pleasant and reduce the pain of mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes and is endemic in many regions of the world and Iran, and annually imposes a large burden on the health system. This study was conducted to identify the effective factors in the preventive behaviors of CL based on the BASNEF model in endemic areas in the northwest of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Bileh-Savar, 'endemic areas of Ardabil Province, Iran', from June 2022 to October 2022. 200 non-patients were included in the study by a multi-stage sampling method. A standard questionnaire based on the BASNEF model was applied for data collection. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Means and standard deviations were calculated to describe the continuous variables, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the prediction of intention and behavior by the model structures. The BASNEF constructs predict 27% of behavioral intention changes. Among the constructs, attitude has a greater contribution in predicting changes (R2 = 0.27, p < 0.01). Also, the results showed that the BASNEF constructs predict 23% of behavior changes. Among the constructs, enabling factors have a greater contribution to predicting changes (R2 = 0.23, p < 0.01). This finding shows that behavior is more influenced by environmental factors, and educational interventions based on behavior change models, along with providing environmental conditions, can facilitate behavior change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the temporal trend and epidemiology of animal bite cases in Gerash City, Iran. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 630 cases of people with animal bites between 2011 and 2021 in Gerash City. The collected data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: The mean age of victims was (30.9±17.5) years. 80.54% Of victims were male, 39.70% were self-employed, and 64.60% were adults (≥18 years). Most cases of bites occurred in 2019 (91 cases), 2020 (74 cases) and 2021 (87 cases), and most of the bites were related to the upper limbs (62.70%). Most of the wounds were superficial (78%), most of the biting animals were domestic animals (91.74%), and most of the victims had Iranian nationality (97.62%). Conclusions: Given the increasing trend of animal bites in Gerash City, health authorities should carry out basic measures such as education and awareness among the public, especially at-risk groups such as adult males. Additionally, since most cases of bites are due to dogs, it seems necessary to plan for vaccination of dogs, especially those with owners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Because childbirth is a natural process, pain is therefore part of the process. The amount of labor pain is probably directly related to the pregnant woman's mood, familiarity, awareness and self-confidence. Therefore, it is illogical to accept the complications of surgery and anesthesia and harm to the baby in order to escape the pain. Therefore, the aim of current study was investigating the relationship between the perception of labor pain and the number of deliveries. Materials & Methods: This study is descriptive-analytical correlational study. Two questionnaires were used for gathering information: one on personality traits and the other on labor pain. One hundred participants were chosen according to their demographic information, from a pool of pregnant women at maternal ward of the Persian Gulf Hospital in Bandar Abbas City, Iran. The data was analyzed by means of descriptive_ analytical measures such as Pearson Factor. Results: The mean age of women was 27.15±4.6. Collected data showed that 31% of women were gravida 1, 33% gravida 2, 15% gravida 3, 10% gravida 4, 5% gravida 5, 4% gravida 6, and 2% were gravida 7. a significant relationship was found between pain in the first delivery and pain in the second, third, fifth and sixth deliveries, so that the pain in the first delivery was more than the pain in the second, third, fifth and sixth deliveries. Conclusion: According to the results of this study the severity of labor pain in primiparous and multiparous women was not statistically significant and the intensity of reported pain level was high in all mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyamide (PA) based thin film composite forward osmotic (TFC‐FO) membranes were prepared through inter‐facial polymerization (IP) processes on porous cellulose acetate (CA) substrates. A dual solvent modification process of adding DMF in the aqueous phase followed by activation with methanol was found to be able to simultaneously improve the permselectivity and anti‐fouling capability of the modified membranes. On top of the acidic CA substrates, DMF could not only absorb the HCl formed in the IP processes, but also chemically bind with the PA matrix by reaction with MPD monomers, leading to formation of homogeneous thin and flat PA layers, while methanol activation further swelled the PA matrix, repaired defects and optimized water permeating channels. Using 1 M NaCl solution as the draw solution, the water flux of the CA/PA‐DMF4‐ME1 membrane was twice that of the pristine membrane, and 24% increase in Jw/Js value from 182 to 225 L·mol−1. Its Jw/Js value could be further increased 10 times to 2000 L·mol−1 using 1 M Na2SO4 solution as draw solution. RO tests for the CA/PA‐DMF4‐ME1 membranes showed 6‐fold increase in water permeance, from 1.16 to 7.02 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1, as well as increase in NaCl rejection from 94.8% to 97.7% from pristine membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work involved the in situ chemical polymerization of aniline at ambient temperature using a simple hydrothermal method to synthesize a novel ternary photocatalyst for wastewater treatment. The Z-scheme heterojunction features of this ternary nanocomposite (20 wt%-g-C3N4/0.5 wt%-PANI/α-MnO2) led to exceptional photocatalytic activity. In comparison to the pure nanomaterials g-C3N4 (15.5 m2 g−1) and α-MnO2 (18.5 m2 g−1), the surface area of the catalyst dramatically increased (40.5 m2 g−1) after being modified by PANI. Tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) photodegradation was examined using pure g-C3N4 and α-MnO2, g-C3N4/α-MnO2 binary nanocomposite (with varying weight% of g-C3N4), and ternary nanocomposite (with varying weight% of PANI). After one hour, TCH (50 mg L−1) was degraded by a maximum of 96% with the ternary nanocomposite, which is much more than those of 20-g-C3N4/α-MnO2 (75%), g-C3N4 (35%) and α-MnO2 (20%). Even after five consecutive cycles, the modified ternary photocatalyst continued to function well and sustained almost 86% of its degrading efficiency. The large surface area and quenching of photoluminescence, which result in efficient separation of electron/hole pairs and consequent reduction in the rate of recombination of charge carriers, are the main causes of the ternary catalyst's strong photocatalytic activity. This study offers a method for enhancing photocatalytic activity using conductive polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological situation of animal bites in Rostam city of Fars province. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Cases of animal bites registered in health centers of Rostam city of Fars province from the beginning of 2014 to 2020 were analyzed using the census method. The tool for collecting information was the portal of the Ministry of Health and the registration offices of people who were referred to the rabies center. Results: A total of 628 cases of animal bites registered in health centers of Rostam city of Fars province from the beginning of 2014 to 2020. The mean age of the injured was (31.3 ± 20.2) years. Of the total injured cases, 414 (65.9%) were male, and 491 (78.2%) lived in villages. Most of the cases were bitten by dogs (n=420, 66.8%) and the upper limb was involved in 280 (55.2%) cases. In addition, an increasing trend was observed in the incidence of animal bites from 2015 to 2020. Conclusions: The incidence of animal bites in Rostam City is high, and most of the cases occur in rural areas. Considering the injuries caused by animal bites, the risk of rabies transmission, and the high costs of vaccination and serum therapy, it is necessary to hold control, educational, and vaccination programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun nanofiber membranes derived from polyketone (PK) are precisely fabricated to exhibit an excellent separation efficiency for oil/water emulsions. The fiber diameter and pore size of the membrane are controlled by introducing NaOH to the precursor solution prior to electrospinning. The surface properties of the nanofibers are then controlled by the removal of NaOH with water and reduction of functional groups with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) to exhibit an air‐water superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity. This surface conversion process is easily monitored by the water contact angle and the underwater oil contact angle. Oil/water emulsions, including toluene, soybean oil, and hexadecane are filtered through the membranes to examine their separation efficiency and flux using total organic carbon and UV‐Vis measurements. The optimized membrane exhibits the minimum 97 % separation efficiency for all three oil/water emulsions and recyclability without notably losing its flux under gravity‐driven filtration conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy need is predicted to increase by 47% in the next 30 years. Global warming resulting from the continuously increasing atmospheric Carbon dioxide concentration is becoming a serious and pressing issue that needs to be controlled. Carbon dioxide capture and storage/use (CCS/CCU) provide a promising route to mitigate the environmental consequences of Carbon dioxide emission from fossil fuel combustion. In recent years, hollow fiber membrane contactors are regarded as an advanced technique with several competitive advantages over conventional technologies such as easy scale-up, independent control of flow rates, more operational flexibility, absence of flooding and foaming as well as high interfacial area per unit volume. However, many factors such as the membrane material selection, proper choice of solvent, and membrane module design are critical to success. In this regard, this paper aims at covering all areas related to hollow fiber membranes, including membrane material, membrane modification, membrane surface modification, shape, solvent characterization, operating parameters and costs, hybrid process, hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the absorption materials in the membranes, Advantages and Disadvantages of Membrane Contact Technology, membrane lifetime, and energy consumption as well as commercially available systems. Current progress, future potential, and development of pilot-scale applications and thermal fluid of this strategy are also assessed carefully. Furthermore, pore wetting as the main technical challenge in membrane contactor industrial implementation for post- and pre-combustion Carbon dioxide capture processes is investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, phenolic novolac‐type epoxy (EPN) resin was modified with 4 wt% thermoplastic polystyrene (PS) waste and was used as the polymer matrix for the first time. Two types of composites were prepared: (i) nanocomposites with 1–3 wt% nanoclay (NC) and (ii) hybrid composites. Pristine (NC) and tetramethylammonium chloride modified nanoclays (MNC) were used at a 2 wt% ratio in hybrid composites with 25–35 wt% red mud waste (RMW). The corrosion protection properties of the coatings were determined by immersion test in 5 wt% NaOH, HCl, and NaCl solutions. The water sorption of hybrid composites varied between 1%–3.6% and 1%–5.3%, while it was between 0.82% and 1.02% in EPN‐PS/NC nanocomposites. The weight gain percentage values of hybrid composites in corrosive media for the base and salt solutions were determined much lower (0.59%–0.75% and 0.46%–0.59%, respectively) than water sorption. Surface morphologies of hybrid composites were examined by scanning electron microscopy before and after corrosion tests. MNC‐30 wt% RMW hybrid composite was found more suitable due to high corrosion resistance in basic and salty environments, storage modulus, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature (Tg) values (90.6°C) as compared with NC‐30 wt% RMW hybrid composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of membrane separation technology, some traditional separation and purification methods have been replaced by membrane technology. Compared to traditional method, the membrane method has the advantages of small footprint, low energy consumption, safe operation and high removal rate. At present, membrane degassing has become a crucial step in ultra-pure water production for semiconductor industries, and it is also used in ink bubble removal and various wastewater treatment. This paper summarizes the advantages of membrane degassing compared with other gas-liquid separation methods, and introduces polymeric membrane materials used for degassing and their merits and drawbacks. The greatest challenge encountered in membrane degassing is the resistance to wetting phenomenon. This paper provides solutions to wetting phenomenon, which increases the possibility of widespread application of membrane degassing technology and the adaptability of membrane degassing technology to more demanding use scenarios. Finally, the application scenarios of membrane degassing technology are summarized and future prespectives are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragility and brittleness of glassy poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) hinders the processing of ultrathin PILs membranes. This work is reported the interfacial polymerization of PILs, which enables the first preparation of defect‐free PIL nanomembranes for high flux separation of lithium (Li+, 3.8 Å) and magnesium (Mg2+, 4.3 Å) ions mixture. Aqueous solution of an amine‐functionalized PIL is brought in contact with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) hexane solution. The "amine ≈ acyl chloride" condensation reaction occurs at the "water ≈ hexane" interface to form ≈50 nm thin PILNH2‐TMC nanomembranes consisting of water‐stable nanoaggregates (≈20 nm in size). Water permeance of the PIL nanomembrane is 3 times as high as the state‐of‐the‐art polyamide nanofiltration membranes, while its MgCl2 rejection is as high as 95%. Both the structures and separation performance of PIL nanomembranes are stable versus operation time and pressure. This work opens a new avenue to process fragile PILs, such as into functional nanomembranes for ion separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers of the female reproductive system. Despite the importance of cervical cancer screening in early detection, the uptake of screening is poor. The present study aimed to predict the factors that influence the cervical cancer screening behavior of Iranian women visiting health centers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 661 women of reproductive age referred to health centers in Karaj, Iran, in 2021, who were selected by convenience sampling. Data collection was performed with a multi-sectional questionnaire designed to collect information about demographic characteristics and constructs of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and emotional support. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24.0, and AMOS version 24. Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.2±13.77. Most of the participants had a high school diploma and a moderate socioeconomic status. The results showed the direct effect of intention on behavior (β=0.54) and the direct effect of fear on intention (β=-0.66). Perceived self-efficacy had the greatest indirect effect on behavior through intention (β=0.34). All protection motivation constructs except response cost (β=0.06) showed a significant effect on cervical cancer screening behavior. Model fit indices showed the good capability of the extended protection motivation model to predict cervical cancer screening behavior. Conclusion: Perceived self-efficacy is the strongest predictor of cervical cancer screening behavior, and emotional support affects this behavior through self-efficacy and intention. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to these factors when designing and planning educational interventions for improving cervical cancer screening behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chemie Ingenieur Technik (CIT) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the present study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were firstly functionalized using N‐β‐(aminoethyl)‐γ‐aminopropyltrimethoxy silane and then employed as nanofillers to fabricate mixed‐matrix membranes including poly (ether‐block‐amide) polymer as the primary material. To characterize the HNTs, as well as the obtained membranes, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction, and Field emission scanning electron microscopy analyses were employed. Effects of the modified and pure HNTs loadings, as well as feed pressure on CH4 and CO2 permeabilities and ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity of the prepared membranes, were surveyed. The experimental permeation results indicated that incorporation of 1.5 wt% of amine‐functionalized HNTs into the polymer matrix improves CO2 permeability and the ideal selectivity by nearly 37 and 24%, respectively, due to the higher CO2 adsorption capacity of the amine‐functionalized HNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cervical cancer is considered treatable as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Pap smear test is a screening tool that plays an important role in the early detection, prevention and can prevent any early cervical cell changes from becoming cancer. This study aims to survey the effect of educational programs based on beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control on doing the pap-smear test in a sample of Iranian women.Materials and Methods: This experimental interventional study was performed on 300 women admitted to Fasa City, Fars Province, Iran health centers in 2018-2019. A questionnaire consisting of demographic information, knowledge, Health Belief Model, and Theory of Planned Behavior constructs were used to measure on doing of Pap smear test in women before and after 6 months' educational intervention.Results: The results revealed that 6 months after the intervention, 108 women (72%) in the experimental group and only 9 women (6%) in the control group received the Pap smear test.Conclusions: The current research results revealed that education based on the combination of the health Belief model and theory of planned behavior might be promoting participation and an increasing rate of receiving Pap smear tests in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, thin film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes with polycarbonate (PC (and polyether sulfone (PES) as substrates were fabricated to investigate the impact of the structural parameters of substrate on the performance of the membranes. Firstly, the substrates were prepared by Loeb‐Sourirajan method. Characterization techniques including FESEM, contact angle measurement, pure water flux, gas permeability test, and tensile test were applied to investigate the properties of the substrates. After preparing suitable substrates, active layers were fabricated via interfacial polymerization (IP) technique. The performance and characterization test showed that PC is a relatively hydrophilic polymer with a good property for using as a substrate of FO TFC membrane but as the result of gas permeability test show, this membrane has large surface pore size in comparison with PES membrane. Mean pore size of PC and PES membrane is 378 and 139 nm, respectively. Also, the results show that the effective surface porosity of PC (285, 1/m) is more than PES (213, 1/m) substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin‐film composite (TFC) membranes comprised of a polyamide (PA) selective layer upon a porous substrate dominate the forward osmosis (FO) membrane market. However, further improvement of perm‐selectivity still remains a great challenge. Herein, a polyethyleneimine (PEI) interlayer is intentionally designed prior to interfacial polymerization (IP) to tailor the PA layer, which thus improves the separation performance. The PEI interlayer not only improves the substrate hydrophilicity for adsorbing more diamine monomer and controlling its release rate, but also participates in IP reaction by crosslinking with acyl chloride (TMC). Furthermore, it can decrease the electronegativity of the substrate for decreasing reverse salt diffusion. Consequently, a denser, thinner and smoother PA layer is formed due to the uniform distribution, controllable release of diamine monomer and the extra crosslinking between PEI and TMC. Furthermore, the PA layer becomes more hydrophilic with PEI involvement. As a result, the asprepared TFC membrane exhibits a favorable water flux of 16.1 L m−2 h−1 and an extremely low reverse salt flux (1.25 g m−2 h−1). Meanwhile, it achieves an excellent perm‐selectivity with a ratio of water to salt permeability coefficient of 8.25 bar−1. Moreover, it exhibits an outstanding antifouling capacity. The work sheds light on fabricating high perm‐selective membranes for desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cesarean section (CS) rates have been increasing globally. Iran has one of the highest CS rates in the world (47.9%). This review was conducted to assess the prevalence of and reasons for women's, family members', and health professionals' preferences for CS in Iran. Methods and findings: In this mixed-methods systematic review, we searched MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, POPLINE, PsycINFO, Global Health Library, Google scholar; as well as Iranian scientific databases including SID, and Magiran from 1 January 1990 to 8th October 2019. Primary quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies that had been conducted in Iran with Persian or English languages were included. Meta-analysis of quantitative studies was conducted by extracting data from 65 cross-sectional, longitudinal, and baseline measurements of interventional studies. For meta-synthesis, we used 26 qualitative studies with designs such as ethnography, phenomenology, case studies, and grounded theory. The Review Manager Version 5.3 and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software were used for meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis. Results showed that 5.46% of nulliparous women (95% CI 5.38–5.50%; χ2 = 1117.39; df = 28 [p < 0.00001]; I2 = 97%) preferred a CS mode of delivery. Results of subgroup analysis based on the time of pregnancy showed that proportions of preference for CS reported by women were 5.94% (95% CI 5.86–5.99%) in early and middle pregnancy, and 3.81% (95% CI 3.74–3.83%), in late pregnancy. The heterogeneity was high in this review. Most women were pregnant, regardless of their parity; the risk level of participants were unknown, and some Persian publications were appraised as low in quality. A combined inductive and deductive approach was used to synthesis the qualitative data, and CERQual was used to assess confidence in the findings. Meta-synthesis generated 10 emerging themes and three final themes: 'Women's factors', 'Health professional factors', andex 'Health organization, facility, or system factors'. Conclusion: Despite low preference for CS among women, CS rates are still so high. This implies the role of factors beyond the individual will. We identified a multiple individual, health facility, and health system factors which affected the preference for CS in Iran. Numerous attempts were made in recent years to design, test and implement interventions to decrease unnecessary CS in Iran, such as mother-friendly hospitals, standard protocols for labor and birth, preparation classes for women, midwives, and gynaecologists, and workshops for specialists and midwives through the "health sector evolution policy". Although these programs were effective, high rates of CS persist and more efforts are needed to optimize the use of CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes is one of the most common, chronic, and deadly diseases caused by metabolic disorders. This disease can exert negative impacts on public health, well-being, and patients' quality of life. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the effects of education on quality of life of diabetic patients in Zabol in 2018. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 144 patients with type II diabetes (two groups of 72) who were referred to the Diabetes Center and health centers in Zabol. Participants were selected by simple random sampling method and assigned to two groups of case and control. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20) using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results: Among the demographic variables in the case group, age, gender, education level, job, and marital status were significantly correlated with quality of life, while there was no such relationship in the control group. The mean score of quality of life in the case group before and after training pointed to the effect of education on quality of life in diabetic patients (P0.05). Conclusion: The results of the current study were indicative of the importance and role of health education in improving the quality of life of diabetic patients; therefore, the education and training of these patients should be expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Welders are normally at risk of skin cancer due to continuous contact with natural ultraviolet rays and welding radiation. Protective behaviors against the radiations are the most fundamental measures taken to prevent skin cancer in these individuals. Aims: This research aimed to evaluate the factors affecting the protective behaviors in welders. Patients/Methods: In this cross‐sectional research, participants were selected by the census method, and the research tool was a reliable and valid questionnaire filled by 154 welders in Yasuj, Iran. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and independent t test. Results: The highest age frequency was related to the age‐group of 36‐45 years, and the highest frequency of work experience was less than 10 years. In terms of the level of education, most welders had a diploma or a higher degree. In addition, most behaviors reported included using gloves, whereas the least applied method was using sunscreen cream, the most important cause of which was the high cost of the cream. In this regard, the Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a negative association between skin cancer and job difficulty. In addition, performing of protective behaviors decreased in the target group by aging. Conclusion: Given the unfavorable mean skin cancer protective behaviors in the welders, it is recommended that interventions, such as planned education, access to protective tools, and periodic skin examinations by a physician, be carried out to promote the health of these individuals and facilitate performing protective behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Facultatis Medicae Naissensis is the property of Nis University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The chemical absorption of CO2 in a monoethanolamine (MEA) solution by a ceramic hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) was investigated experimentally and numerically to obtain the best compromise between the mass transfer coefficient and structural characteristics such as membrane pore size and porosity. The mathematical model derived is based on the three resistances in the resistance-in-series model. The accuracy of the numerical simulation was verified quantitatively by the experimental data obtained in this study. A good agreement between experimental and computational results was found with an average absolute deviation (AAD) between observed data and predicted values of 2.86%. In addition, the effects of the operating condition (i.e., gas and liquid flow rates) on the mass transfer coefficients for ceramic HFMC systems were also studied, revealing that the membrane and gas-phase mass transfer resistances were dominant factors in the overall mass transfer. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the membrane structure plays a very important role in the optimization of HFMC performance. In fact, the best results were obtained with an intermediate range of the pore size between 102 and 104 nm, corresponding to the best compromise between performance (i.e., overall mass transfer coefficient) and applicability (i.e., breakthrough pressure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Regular screening behaviors play an important role in reducing the incidence and deaths of this cancer. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to determine the factors associated with intention to perform fecal occult blood test (FOBT) among medical professionals using the protection motivation theory (PMT). Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 240 employees aged over 50 years in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2018 using multistage random sampling. The data were collected using a questionnaire including demographic information and PMT constructs. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. Chi-square and linear regression tests were used as appropriated. Results: In this study, 22.8% of the participants reported a history of FOBT. There was a significant correlation between the referring to the doctor for intestinal disease and performing FOBT (p < 0.05). Based on the PMT, perceived self-efficacy (β = 0.439) and response efficiency (β = 0.48) were predictive of protection motivation (intention) to conduct FOBT. In total, different structures of the PMT explained 24.6% of the variation of intention changes (R2 = 0.226). Conclusion: Due to the low frequency of screening behavior among staff, the emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis of cancer is necessary. Also, consideration of perceived self-efficacy and the effectiveness of screening behaviors in designing staff training programs are recommended for increasing the intention to perform screening behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer and one of the most important causes of death among women worldwide. Although this cancer is one of the most important women's health issues in the developing countries, it is preventable fortunately and Pap smear test is an effective screening method for its prevention and early diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the predictors of Pap smear test among women in Shahr-e-kord based on protection motivation theory. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 290 eligible women of Shahr-e-kord city in 2016. The study tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on the protection motivation theory, which was completed by participants as self-report. To analyze the data, t-test, logistic regression, and ANOVA were used. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in the mean scores of perceived severity (p=0.004), perceived self-efficacy (P=0.000), perceived response efficacy (P=0.008), and protection motivation (P=0.01) based on the behavior. Moreover, the perceived severity (OR=1.12) and perceived rewards (OR=0.90) were the statistically significant predictors of Pap smear test among women in Shahre-e-kord city. Conclusion: The study results confirmed the predictive role of protection motivation theory in the protective behavior of cervical cancer (Pap smear). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of casarean deliveries by mothers is highly influenced by inadequate knowldge and negative attitudes towards vaginal birth. In this semi-experimental study, we compared knowledge, attitude, and decision making about modes of delivery between nulliparous pregnant women who received eight sessions of group consultation and those who took routine prenatal education. Contrary to the control group, the improvement of knowledge and attitudes were significant in the consultation group (p < 0.001), as well as mothers' decisions for vaginal birth (p = 0.03). Group consultation is an appropriate approach to improving knowledge, attitudes, and tendencies of mothers toward natural birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-combustion processes based on ionic liquids (ILs) and membrane contactors are attractive alternatives to traditional systems. Here, a gas stream composed of 15 % CO2 and 85 % N2 flowed through the lumen side of a hollow-fiber membrane contactor containing poly(vinylidene fluoride)-IL (PVDF-IL) fibers. The IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [emim][Ac] served as an absorbent due to its high chemical absorption and CO2 solubility. The overall mass transfer coefficient ( Koverall), activation energy ( Ea), and resistances of the hollow-fiber membrane were quantified. The Koverall value was one order of magnitude higher than those reported in previous works with conventional solvents, and the Ea was lower than formerly stated values for other solvents. A theoretical simulation was conducted to estimate the operational parameters required for 90 % CO2 capture and to quantify intensification effects related to CO2 absorption in a packed column. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]