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In the global COVID-19 epidemic, humans are faced with a new challenge. The concept of quarantine as a preventive measure has changed human activities in all aspects of life. This challenge has led to changes in the environment as well. The air quality index is one of the immediate concrete parameters. In this study, the actual potential of quarantine effects on the air quality index and related variables in Tehran, the capital of Iran, is assessed, where, first, the data on the pollutant reference concentration for all measuring stations in Tehran, from February 19 to April 19, from 2017 to 2020, are monitored and evaluated. This study investigated the hourly concentrations of six particulate matters (PM), including PM2.5, PM10, and air contaminants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO). Changes in pollution rate during the study period can be due to reduced urban traffic, small industrial activities, and dust mites of urban and industrial origins. Although pollution has declined in most regions during the COVID-19 quarantine period, the PM2.5 rate has not decreased significantly, which might be of natural origins such as dust. Next, the air quality index for the stations is calculated, and then, the interpolation is made by evaluating the root mean square (RMS) of different models. The local and global Moran index indicates that the changes and the air quality index in the study area are clustered and have a high spatial autocorrelation. The results indicate that although the bad air quality is reduced due to quarantine, major changes are needed in urban management to provide favorable conditions. Contaminants can play a role in transmitting COVID-19 as a carrier of the virus. It is suggested that due to the rise in COVID-19 and temperature in Iran, in future studies, the effect of increased temperature on COVID-19 can be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather radars are capable of detecting and displaying storm‐related turbulence as well as precipitation rate with fine spatial resolution and reliable quality. Especially, weather radars can enable the detection of atmospheric conditions in the vicinity of cities and thereby help to notify the strong winds. This article investigates the application of weather radar measurements for predicting strong wind and presents a new method for very short‐term storm prediction. In the proposed method, hidden Markov model (HMM) is used to classify atmospheric conditions to "potentially stormy" and "non‐stormy" states using the available radar data, and semi‐Markov theory is used to estimate the probability of storm occurrence with time. In fact, the probability of transition between "potentially stormy," "non‐stormy," and "stormy" states is modeled by a semi‐Markov model, to find the unconditional probability of storm occurrence with time. The model is implemented with the use of the data of Tehran C‐band weather radar and anemometer of Tehran international airport. Verification results show that the precision (forecast accuracy) is around 0.19 and the recall is around 0.67 in the presented classification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Based on the World Health Organization (WHO), workplace violence can affect events where employees are abused, attacked or threatened in their workplace, and it also has some consequences such as safety, welfare, and health. Like other types of violence, workplace violence and aggression are an increasing phenomenon. Moreover, workplace violence not only disrupts interpersonal and organizational relationships, but it also impairs the persons self-esteem and affects their physical and mental health and well-being. Thus, this study aimed to explain the components of workplace violence against nurses from the perspective of women working in a hospital in Tehran, which was conducted through the qualitative method and content analysis.Methods: In this study Purposive sampling included 21 female nurses who were working in different wards of the hospital. Also, female nurses were selected with maximum diversity in terms of work experience, age, and the wards they were working in. in this study the semi-structured interview was the main method of data collection. The interview transcriptions were extracted and then divided into meaningful units. For strengthening and confirming the results and accuracy of the research, the author used the data acceptability, credibility, accuracy, validity, believability, verifiability, reliability, and transferability.Results: During the data analysis process of this study, the first 15 classes with the same characteristics were put together and then divided into 6 classes. Afterwards, based on the common features at a more abstract level, they were converted into 2 themes. Based on the findings, violence against women in the workplace occurs at two levels, that namely interpersonal violence and organizational coercion.Conclusion: Therefore, it is necessary for managers to commit to lay the groundwork for reducing violence in the hospital, as well as barriers to report these cases especially the hospital managers and officials should create awareness on workplace among the staff, patient and visitors and must ensure stringent actions to prevent it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the antecedents and outcomes of brand identification with Apple products on purchase intention among Iranian consumers. Our objectives were to assess self-expressiveness (as a hedonic aspect) and perceived quality (as a utilitarian aspect) to examine the drivers of consumers' brand identification. This study evaluates the effect of brand identification on brand loyalty as well as the effect of brand social self-expressiveness (as a social factor) and perceived quality (as a utilitarian aspect) on brand identification. The studied population consists of all customers of digital goods who have owned at least one Apple product in the past. In this study, 9 stores located in Tehran were selected and 600 questionnaires were delivered data collection. The data collected was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of this study reveal that brand identification positively affects both purchase intention and brand loyalty. Additionally, the findings reject the role of perceived quality as an effective factor in brand identification. However, self-expressiveness was found to affect purchase intention and loyalty, through a mediation effect of brand identification. This study contributes to social identity and self-expansion theory as well as benefits marketers understand the dynamics of consumers' brand identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trauma is the leading cause of mortality and one of the main causes of disability among the active populations in the battlefields. Therefore, trauma education is an important need for asymmetric warfare, which is met through training based on existing needs and possibilities. Methods: In this qualitative study, validated using Delphi technique in Tehran in 2019, the participants were selected from the experts and activities in the field of trauma in asymmetric warfare. Inclusion criteria included willingness to participate in the research, history of treatment activity, and trauma training in asymmetric warfare. This study is based on the two axes: (1) Investigating existing upstream documents and resources on trauma in asymmetric warfare. (2) Conducting structured interviews (based on training elements and trauma experiences in asymmetric warfare) with trauma experts and professors in asymmetric warfare. Results: The results obtained from the above resources, are defined and classified as 10 element training model (Akker). These results and related tables have also been reviewed and validated by trauma experts. Conclusion: The achievements of the present research explained the dimensions and indicators of trauma needs based training in asymmetric warfare that is an effective approach to increase the effectiveness of trauma learning and training in asymmetric warfare and increase the cost effectiveness. It is also an effective approach to organize trauma preparedness for all troops present in asymmetric warfare and can be presented as an operational protocol in terms of methodology and roadmap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local squares function as open spaces where people can conduct many activities and where many social events take place. While squares in Iran have had a historical role in urban life, in recent years they have lost their place as social nodes of neighborhoods. They are losing their sustainability due to diminishing social roles in residential neighborhoods. The primary aim of this research was to investigate social sustainability dimensions in the squares of Narmak neighborhood located in the east of the metropolitan city of Tehran. The research method was descriptive, and 140 questions in seven dimensions were asked from 378 respondents aged 12+, who were selected randomly in 2018. The results showed that social sustainability variables differ in all five types of squares, particularly in terms of sense of place. However, equality was ranked on average as low in all types of squares. This study concluded that social sustainability in residential squares is very sensitive to a rapid urbanization process that has imposed mass apartment blocks, traffic flow, and lack of place identity. As a result, the process has led to social unsafety, low urban security, and weak maintenance of squares, particularly larger squares, as well as the transformation of their role as residential squares to mostly traffic squares and parking spaces. Additionally, this study concluded that small squares are socially more sustainable than larger ones because respondents felt that small squares were safer, more secure, and full of a sense of place. Urban policy-makers can use the results of the present study to evaluate the effects of their executive strategies on urban livability, social sustainability, and the satisfaction of residents. • This study aimed to investigate social sustainability dimensions in squares. • Residential squares social sustainability is sensitive to urbanization process. • Social sustainability differs in all types of squares in terms of sense of place. • Small squares are socially more sustainable than larger ones. • Equality was ranked as low in all types of squares averagely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical tourism industry as one of the tourism dimensions results in a sustainable development and dynamic economy in countries. This study was conducted to examine performance of Tehran's selected public and private hospitals in attracting medical tourists from foreign costumers' points of view. Materials & Methods: This cross - sectional study was conducted in Tehran's selected public and private hospitals in 2011. The study population included 79 foreign patients who referred to four hospitals in Tehran as medical tourists. Data were collected using a self-made questionnaire which consisted of 23 questions which evaluated eight hospital performance components in attracting medical tourists. Descriptive and analytic statistics was used for data analysis. Results: Overall, the hospitals` performances were evaluated to be in an appropriate level. Through Patients` viewpoint, three components including staff number, staff performance quality and staff`s up to date knowledge and skills were in a proper level. Moreover, Staff's acquaintance with foreign languages and giving proper notifications were reported to be in a very poor level. There was a significant relationship between all of the performance components in attracting medical tourists and hospital ownership excluding staff's acquaintance with foreign languages and their familiarity with the facilities. Conclusion: Teaching international languages to key staffs and empowering their communication skills can be effective in attracting medical tourists. Considering this, both public and private hospitals must have a serious plan to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Load-associated fatigue cracking is one of the major distress types occurring in flexible pavement systems. This paper identifies two important calibration factors for the dry-no freeze climatic region of Iran for use in the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). According to recent research, approximately 51~% of Iran's total land area is located in this region. Tehran, the capital of Iran, is located in this region and therefore three of its highways are selected for this research. The gathering of the data required for calibration is labor intensive because the data resides in various incongruent data sets. Spreadsheet templates specifically designed to manage the calibration data were used to collect pavement performance data from the Tehran municipality organization. Calibration factors were then derived by minimizing the differences between observed and predicted pavement performances. The pavement performance field data in some sections of three highways were employed for calibration initially, and the distresses predicted with these calibration factors were compared to pavement field performances in the other sections. These calibrated models in the MEPDG assure the reliable prediction of pavement distress and its symptoms, such as longitudinal and alligator cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step in devising the best incentives to support innovation is to investigate factors that affect the development of innovations. This article contributes to exploring such factors in small food industries in the rural areas of Tehran province, Iran. Using a census sampling method, 111 managers of 60 active firms were interviewed. The results showed that in general the level of technological innovation is low in the studied firms. The managers do not find the technological changes successful in bringing benefit to their firms. Even though correlation analysis indicated a complex association matrix between independent variables, only the firm's capacity of production was associated with technological innovation as a dependent variable. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed that factors which influence technological innovation are the firm's age, formal research and development, fixed capital, and capacity of production. The results of this study were used to derive practical suggestions for managers and policymakers to increase technological innovation in the studied industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The hospital is considered as the biggest and the most costly unit of a health care system. Therefore, paying full attention to its cost efficiency is very important. The objective of this study was to assess the technical efficiency of hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Science by data envelopment analysis method. Materials and Methods: Technical efficiency in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences was assessed by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) from 1996 to 2006. The input-oriented form of variable return-to-scale (VRS) was used to collect the data using 4 inputs (number of beds, nursing staff, medical personnel, and other personnel) and 4 outputs (outpatient admissions, hospitalized-patient days, bed occupations, and the number of surgical operations performed). The software used for data analysis was Deap 2.1. Results: The DEA results indicate that: 1.There is a potential to improve the hospital technical efficiency by 3 % (the mean technical efficiency of the hospitals was 0.972); 2. Constant return-to-scale (CRS) exists in the production process, meaning that production in the hospitals is at its optimum level; 3. Hospital services have suffered from extra production factors, especially human resources (specifically the nursing staff). Conclusion: With proper planning, limiting the number of personnel can reduce greatly health care costs and hospital expenditures. It is suggested to conduct studies to determine the effects of the quality of services delivered in hospitals and patient satisfaction on hospital technical efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average shear wave velocity of the top 30 m of soil profile (V S30) is considered as an indicator of local-site effects in seismic hazard assessment (SHA) studies. Previous research works have demonstrated that in addition to actual V S30 values, their spatial correlation characteristics have considerable effects on the estimated values of earthquake intensity measurements, particularly when the seismic risk assessment of spatially distributed assets and infrastructure networks is of interest. Tehran city, in addition to its proximity to several faults, is situated on a variety of sedimentary textures and encompasses a large number of residential buildings and infrastructure networks. The current study utilizes advanced spatial statistics methods and investigates the spatial correlation characteristics of the random field of V S30 values in Tehran. Moreover, by employing a more comprehensive database of V S30 values measured using geoseismic approaches and using eight spatial interpolation methods, a new estimated V S30 map of Tehran city is provided. The geological formations of the study area are also investigated considering the distribution of sample points with different V S30 values. The findings of the current research can be utilized in spatially correlated SHA studies in the Tehran region and can be viewed as a step towards filling the data gap required for seismic risk assessment studies in this region. Moreover, by identifying the local variations in site classes, the findings of the current study can be used for further detailing of geological formations. • Spatial correlation attributes of V S30 values are identified to be used in spatially correlated seismic hazard assessment. • Advanced spatial statistics methods are utilized to develop V S30 models. • A new V S30 map of the Tehran region has been derived through the implementation of advanced geostatistical techniques. • The relationship between geological and geoseismic characteristics of the Tehran region is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]