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Introduction: Noise exposure may cause a kind of sensorineural hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is known as an occupational disease, but the effect of exposure to recreational noise is not completely understood. This study aimed to assess the impact of exposure to recreational noise on hearing status. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 304 medical students. The participants were randomly selected from medical students in years 4 to 6 and were divided into two groups regarding their exposure to recreational noise. Conventional audiometry was done for all participants, and hearing thresholds at different frequencies were compared between two groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver. 20) using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-square tests. Results: The mean age of the participants was 23.18±3.14 years. In total, 74.7% of participants were exposed to recreational noise. The mean duration of noise exposure was 4.67±2.91 years. The most frequent exposure was to music via a headphone or hands-free (27.3%). All hearing thresholds in both groups were within the normal range and there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding hearing thresholds. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that any exposure type of recreational noise (music, eulogy, or lecture) in the young population did not affect hearing thresholds.

Abstract Background: Physical and emotional manifestations of premenstrual disorder cause increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and decreased work-related quality of life. Objective: Due to the relatively high prevalence of premenstrual disorders in Iran and limited studies on its work-related problems, this study investigated the relationship between premenstrual disorders and work performance in working women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 358 working women (teachers and industrial workers) in Yazd, Iran, from July 2019 to January 2020. Data were collected using premenstrual symptom screening tool, the work productivity and activity impairment (a modified version), and functional work capacity questionnaires. Women were classified into 2 groups: women with and without premenstrual disorders. Productivity, functional capacity, and ability to perform activities of daily living were compared between groups. Results: Among 358 participants, 121 women (33.8%) had premenstrual disorders. The prevalence of premenstrual disorders was significantly higher in teachers than workers (0.41% vs. 24.7%, respectively) (p = 0.002). The work results showed a worse score in the group with premenstrual disorder than the other group and teachers compared to workers (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study showed a significant association between premenstrual disorders and worse work productivity, functional work capacity, and ability to perform activities of daily living. Teachers had a higher prevalence of premenstrual disorders and worse work performance than workers, which can be due to higher education levels, work stress, more complex tasks, and increased work responsibility in teachers.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders are among the main causes of discomfort and disability in dental laboratory workers and are increasing due to the type of occupational tasks of the employees. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the staff of dental laboratories in Yazd. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 37 dental technicians. The Nordic questionnaire was used to collect data on musculoskeletal discomfort. The data was analyzed by SPSS (Ver. 20) using descriptive statistics. Results: The highest frequency of discomfort in the last 12 months was in the lumbar region (43.2%), neck (29.7%), and wrists and hands (21.6%). The highest frequency of musculoskeletal disorders in the last 12 months was in the lumbar region (24.3%), neck (16.2%), back, buttocks and thighs (10.8%). Musculoskeletal disorders in the lumbar (21.6%) and shoulder region (24.3%) were the most common causes of absence from work and job change, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study showed a high frequency of musculoskeletal disorders in dental laboratory workers, and a high frequency of job change and absence from the workplace due to these disorders.

Background: The assessment of the performance of medical universities as one of the main organizations providing healthcare services is of utmost significance. In this regard, the indices of treatment domain play a fundamental role in promoting health indices and affect the overall performance of the medical university. The present study evaluated the performance of a selected university of medical sciences in Iran based on treatment driving indices with the AHP-TOPSIS approach. Methods: This research applied a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In this study, first the driving indices were identified and weighted, and then the performance was analyzed according to the indices. The statistical population of the research consisted of key experts in the validation and weighting phase and of nine years of information pertaining to one of the medical universities of Iran in the final phase. The instrument used in the study was the Index Collection Form. Prioritization of indices was done by AHP method using Expert Choice and Excel. TOPSIS model were used to evaluate performance. Results: In the first step, using a review study, 111 indices were identified, and in the validation stage, 10 indices of treatment domain were selected. Then, based on hierarchical analysis and pairwise comparisons in the weighted indices, the highest weight or priority pertained to the index of the ratio of the total nursing staff to the available beds with a weight of 0.161 and the lowest weight or priority related to the index of natural delivery to all deliveries with a weight of 0.049. According to the TOPSIS method, the selected university showed the highest performance (0.228) in 2014 and the lowest performance (0.006) in 2017. Conclusion: Considering strategic measures in the deputy of treatment simultaneously to improve and manage research indices over time can improve the performance of universities. Thus, it is appropriate to monitor the indices periodically and in the order of priority, so that in addition to maintaining the efficiency, especially in the indices related to human resources, the effectiveness of the measures, including the improvement of the functional indices of the treatment domain, can also be improved.

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.

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.

Introduction: Due to significant social, economic, cultural, and lifestyle changes in Iran during past decades and the relationship among the unstable social and economic status and mental complications the study of psychiatric disorders has become important and necessary, the aim of this study was epidemiology of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 1035 children aged 6-18 years from Yazd Province, Iran were enrolled in this cross-sectional study in 2017 using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using the following inventories for school-age children (6-18 years): Kiddie-SADS-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SAD-SPL). Logistic regression and SPSS version 16 software were used for data analysis. Results: 44.1% of participants were boys and 55.9% were girls. The mean age of the participants was 11.3±3.9 years. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents was 35.5%. Meanwhile, anxiety disorders had the highest prevalence rate (22.2%) and among anxiety disorders, separation anxiety disorder (8.7%) and generalized anxiety (8.6%) were the most prevalent. There was a significant difference in all psychiatric disorders based on gender, more evident in the high rate of obsessive-compulsive disorder, enuresis, tic, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperactivity, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, smoking disorder, and epilepsy were more evident in boys (P-value < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of psychiatric disorders in young population of Yazd Province is relatively high and because of its impact on individuals' social and personal function, it could have substantial implications for mental health services.

Background: Different kinds of smoking tobacco may affect pulmonary function and reduce some spirometric parameters. This study aimed to assess the relationship between smoking cigarettes and waterpipe and spirometric parameters. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 1543 middle-aged individuals, as a sub-study of the Shahedieh cohort study in Yazd. The participants were randomly selected from the Shahedieh cohort population and were divided into 6 groups according to their smoking habits: non-smokers (n=455), cigarette smokers (n=139), waterpipe smokers (n=287), ex-cigarette smokers (n=131), concurrent waterpipe and cigarette smokers (n=121), and cigarette or waterpipe passive smokers (n=410). Spirometry was performed on all participants and spirometric parameters were compared between different groups. The data were analyzed by SPSS (version 20) using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Findings: FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, and PEF25-75% were significantly lower in cigarette smokers, compared to waterpipe smokers and non-smokers. The measures were not significantly lower in waterpipe smokers in comparison to non-smokers. The frequency of obstructive pattern and small airway diseases was significantly higher in cigarette smokers compared to waterpipe smokers and non-smokers. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that in the middle-aged population, spirometric parameters related to airway obstruction (FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75%) were significantly lower in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers and waterpipe smokers, but these parameters were not significantly different between waterpipe smokers and non-smokers.

Abstract Findings were inconsistent regarding the superiority of using recently introduced hybrid methods to derive DPs compared to widely used statistical methods like principal component analysis (PCA) in assessing dietary patterns and their association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate the association between DPs extracted using principal component analysis (PCA), partial least-squares (PLS), and reduced-rank regressions (RRR) in identifying DPs associated with T2DM risk. The study was conducted in the context of two cohort studies accomplished in central Iran. Dietary intake data were collected by food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). DPs were derived by using PCA, PLS, and RRR methods considering. The association between DPs with the risk of T2DM was assessed using log-binomial logistic regression test. A total of 8667 participants aged 20–70 years were included in this study. In the multivariate-adjusted models, RRR-DP3 characterized by high intake of fruits, tomatoes, vegetable oils, and refined grains and low intake of processed meats, organ meats, margarine, and hydrogenated fats was significantly associated with a reduced T2DM risk (Q5 vs Q1: RR 0.540, 95% CI 0.33–0.87, P-trend = 0.020). No significant highest-lowest or trend association was observed between DPs derived using PCA or PLS and T2DM. The findings indicate that RRR method was more promising in identifying DPs that are related to T2DM risk compared to PCA and PLS methods.

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: Impact/impulse and continuous noise are two main causes of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in workplaces. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of impulse/impact noise and continuous noise on hearing status. Methods: In this study, 259 workers referred to the occupational medicine clinic of Shahid Rahnemoun hospital, Yazd, Iran, entered the study and were divided into two groups: with exposure to impact/impulse noise and with exposure to continuous noise. Hearing thresholds were measured and compared between the two groups by pure-tone audiometry (PTA). The frequency of hearing loss and audiometric notch according to the results of PTA was compared between the two groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 16) using Student’s t-test, Chi-square test, and Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Hearing thresholds were significantly higher at all frequencies in the impact noise group. The hearing threshold at 6000 Hz was higher than other frequencies in both groups. The frequency of hearing loss at high frequencies was higher in the impact group. The frequency of audiometric notch was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that hearing loss after exposure to impact/impulse noise is probably more frequent and more severe than exposure to continuous noise, but the pattern of hearing loss is similar in both types of noise exposure.

Limited data exist on the advantage of data reduction hybrid methodologies for evaluating the relationship between dietary patterns (DPs) and chronic diseases and they have led to inconsistent results. This study aimed to investigate the association between DPs extracted using principal component analysis (PCA), partial least-squares (PLS), and reduced-rank regressions (RRRs) in identifying DPs associated with hypertension (HTN) risk. The current study was conducted in the context of two cohort studies accomplished in Iran. DPs were generated using PCA, PLS, and RRR methods. Log-binomial logistic regression test was used to assess the association between DPs and the risk of HTN. From a total of 12,403 included participants aged 20–70 years, 507 incident cases of confirmed HTN were identified. The PCA-DP2 was associated with HTN in the fully adjusted model (T3 vs. T1: RR: 0.737, 95% CI: 0.57–0.93, Ptrend = 0.013). The PLS-DP2 and HTN risk were inversely associated in the multivariate model (T3 vs. T1: RR: 0.704, 95% CI: 0.54–0.91, Ptrend = 0.013). The RRR-DP2 was associated with an increased risk of HTN (T3 vs. T1: RR: 1.412, 95% CI: 1.11–1.80, Ptrend = 0.007). Our findings suggest that the RRR method reveals stronger results in association with HTN risk. However, further investigations are required to confirm the association between DPs derived by PLS and RRR methods by incorporating biomarkers related to HTN as the response variables.

Background Pediatric hypertension is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric populations. Purpose To examine pediatric hypertension in a clinical setting, we used the percentile rank approach and defined hypertension as that above the 95th percentile. Methods The present study was linked to the a national analytical cross-sectional community-based Iranian Children and Adolescents’ Psychiatric Disorders (IRCAP) survey. The survey was nationwide and funded by the National Institute of Medical Research Development. The IRCAP survey included 31,000 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years in all 31 Iran provinces. The current study included 1,035 children and adolescents and linked the data of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease only in Yazd province via random cluster sampling. Results Of the total participants, 456 (44.1%) were male and 579 (55.9%) were female. The mean age was 11.2±3.8 years (11.7±3.7 years for males, 11.0±3.6 years for females), while mean height was 146±20.0 cm overall, 147.2±22.0 cm for males, and 144.6±17.0 cm for females (P=0.009). The blood pressure distributions and percentiles were evaluated. Conclusion Here we determined age- and height-specific 50th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressures in Yazd boys and girls using 10-cm height intervals.

Introduction: Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is high among office workers. One of the most important risk factors of these disorders is awkward posture and inappropriate environmental conditions. So, this study was carried out to determine frequency of MSDS and its related risk factors among the office workers of Minab city healthcare centers in 2018. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 staff in Minab city health care centers. Nordic musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire was applied to determine the prevalence of MSDs and Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method was used for posture analysis. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Excel software was used to plot the graph. Results: The highest prevalence rates of MSDs were reported in low back (63.5%), neck (51.9%) and upper back (50%). There was no significant difference between MSDs and age, sex and BMI (P˃0.05) but there was a significant relationship with work experience (P˂0.05). Totally, 36.6% of employees were placed in the first priority of corrective actions (i.e. the need for ergonomic interventions as soon as possible). There was a significant correlation between awkward posture and neck pain (P

Abstract Background Socioeconomic inequality in mental health in Iran is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health among Iranian adults. Methods The study used the baseline data of PERSIAN cohort study including 131,813 participants from 17 geographically distinct areas of Iran. The Erreygers Concentration index (E) was used to quantify the socioeconomic inequalities in poor mental health. Moreover, we decomposed the E to identify factors contributing to the observed socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health in Iran. Results The estimated E for poor mental health was − 0.012 (95% CI: − 0.0144, − 0.0089), indicating slightly higher concentration of mental health problem among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults in Iran. Socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health was mainly explained by gender (19.93%) and age (12.70%). Region, SES itself, and physical activity were other important factors that contributed to the concentration of poor mental health among adults with low socioeconomic status. Conclusion There exists nearly equitable distribution in poor mental health among Iranian adults, but with important variations by gender, SES, and geography. These results suggested that interventional programs in Iran should focus on should focus more on socioeconomically disadvantaged people as a whole, with particular attention to the needs of women and those living in more socially disadvantaged regions.

Objective(s): Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational diseases in industrialized countries and can be affected by various environmental and genetic factors. This study was designed to examine the effect of myricetin in preventing this disorder.Materials and Methods: Twenty-one Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: Non-exposed, noise exposure only, noise exposure with vehicle, noise exposure with myricetin 5 mg/Kg, and noise exposure with myricetin 10 mg/kg. All animals were sacrificed after last noise exposure. The left cochlea was dissected from each rat. It was used for mRNA expression analysis (NOX3, TGF-β1, prestin, and HSP-70). Blood samples were collected to assess superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, 1, 1 diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurements.Results: Real time-PCR assay revealed that noise decreased NOX3 and increased TGF-β1, prestin, and HSP-70 gene expressions. Administration of myricetin at the dose of 5 mg/kg, but not at 10 mg/kg, significantly reversed these changes. Noise also increased MDA levels and decreased SOD and DPPH scavenging activities. Myricetin at the doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg also reversed these changes. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that myricetin at the dose of 5 mg/Kg was able to reverse noise-induced abnormalities in gene expression and oxidant/anti-oxidant balance. It is a possibility that myricetin via enhancement of anti-oxidant activity induced these effects.

Introduction: Estimation of the maximum aerobic capacity to find a physiological fitness between worker and the work is of great importance. The purpose of this study was to estimate the highest aerobic capacity and physical work capacity of tile and ceramic workers. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 90 workers were randomly selected from tile and ceramic workers in Yazd. A questionnaire consisting of two parts was used as data collection tool. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic characteristics completed by the interview. In the second part, parameters including height, weight, BMI and heart rate were inserted in the questionnaire. The Queen step test was used to measure the maximum aerobic capacity. The data were analyzed by SPSS software using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman,s test. Results: The maximum aerobic capacity in tile and ceramic workers was estimated to be 3.60±.0.03 L/m. The results showed that aerobic capacity was significantly correlated with weight and body mass index. Also, there was no significant relationship between aerobic capacity, smoking and exercise, and education, but there was a significant relationship between gob title and aerobic capacity. Conclusion: Weight, BMI and type of occupation affect the aerobic capacity of workers.

BACKGROUND: The teacher must conduct educational responsibilities in the best way by observing the ethical principles to meet students' educational needs. The aim of the study was to investigate the main factors of professionalism among faculty members from the viewpoints of various stakeholders including learners, peers, and educational officials, as well as the components were assessed from the viewpoints of the stakeholders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive analytical study conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the professional behavior of faculty members. In the second phase, the evaluation of the teachers' professional behavior was done from the viewpoint of various stakeholders, including learners, middle and senior education managers and peers. The participants were faculty members from 10 schools enrolled in the study by census (n = 427). To extract the factors that constitute professional behavior in faculty members, exploratory factor analysis was used. Data were summarized using descriptive indices (mean, standard deviation, and percent). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to extract the factors that constitute professional behavior in faculty members. Data was analyzed by using SPSS software (version 23.0). RESULTS: In the first phase, the questionnaire with 11 items was developed. The validity and reliability of the tool was confirmed. The mean (SD) of the faculty members' scores was 4.54(±0.34), with a minimum score of 2.33 and a maximum score of 5.00. The highest scores of faculty members were reported in the items of “altruism to colleagues and students” and the lowest scores were related to “feedback seeking and feedback acceptance”. Professional behavior was categorized under two domains: accountability to professional duties and adherence to professional values. Fifty percent of the participants followed the adherence to professional values (P = 0.22), but less than 50% of the individuals followed the adherence to professional duties significantly (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that adherence to professional duties was low in faculty members. Assessment of individuals' adherence in these two domains showed that faculty members' compliance in the domain of accountability to professional duties was significantly lower.

Introduction: Exposure to hazardous noise induces one of the forms of acquired and preventable hearing loss that is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Considering oxidative stress as the main mechanism of NIHL, it is possible that myricetin can protect NIHL by its antioxidant effect. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of myricetin on NIHL. Materials and Methods: A total of 21 Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, namely (1) noise exposure only as control group, (2) noise exposure with the vehicle of myricetin as solvent group, (3) noise exposure with myricetin 5 mg/kg as myricetin 5 mg group, (4) noise exposure with myricetin 10 mg/kg as myricetin 10 mg group, (5) and non-exposed as sham group. The hearing status of each animal was assessed by Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions. Results: The levels of response amplitude decreased after the exposure to noise in all groups and returned to a higher level after 14 days of noise abstinence at most frequencies; however, the difference was not significant in the myricetin-receiving or control groups. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that two doses of myricetin (5 and 10 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally could not significantly decrease transient or permanent threshold shifts in rats exposed to loud noise.

Backgrounds: A few large population-based studies have been conducted on the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in relation to fertility status in the Iranian population. Objectives: to determine the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in relation to fertility status in women participants of Shahedieh cohort study. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 4935 women who participated in the Shahedieh cohort study. The age range of participants was 35-71 years with a mean age of 47.12 years. The prevalence of oral mucosal lesions considering fertility variables including pregnancy, number of pregnancy, oophorectomy, tubectomy, hysterectomy, infertility, menopause, normal menopause, and abortion, application of infertility and oral contraceptive drugs and hormone replacement therapy were recorded. Results: The total prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the studied women were 3.8%. The most commonly affected age group was 40-49 years, followed by 30-39, 50-59 and 60-71 years, respectively. Considering the fertility variables, only menopause (P=0.047) and normal menopause (P=0.024) significantly related to the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions. Conclusions: The findings of the present study provide information on the prevalence of the oral mucosal lesions considering fertility status in a large population-based study in Iran. With due attention to the higher prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in menopause women, an improved comprehension of oral manifestations at menopause and preventive and treatment approaches during this period should be programmed with health care services to meet the needs of patients deservingly.

Chronic tinnitus is a disturbing condition that may affect different aspects of life. In this study, the therapeutic effect of electrical stimulation on chronic tinnitus was assessed. This was a clinical trial on 49 patients with persistent tinnitus for more than 6 months without a proper response to routine treatments. They were randomly allocated into two groups: the case group was treated with electrical stimulation for 6 sessions over 6 consecutive days, and the control group received a placebo. Before the intervention, one week and three months after the treatment sessions, patients were evaluated by comprehensive audiological assessments and hearing tests. The mean age of the participants was 40.37±9.32 and 41.35±9.24 in treatment and placebo groups, respectively. Tinnitus intensity was significantly decreased in the case group one week and three months after the treatment (P

Background: Noise is the most common occupational exposure. Over an extended period, especially in occupational settings, it causes an increased risk of coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between exposure to noise and cardiovascular function based on the results of electrocardiography in the ceramic tile industry. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 94 healthy workers with at least one year of work experience in Yazd's ceramic tile industry were selected by simple sampling method. After completing the demographic and occupational questionnaire, electrocardiography and sounding were performed. Then, the data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and correlation test using SPSS 21 software. Results: In this study, all participants were male. The mean and standard deviation of age and work experience of the population under study were 35.10 (6.03) and 9.95 (4.62) years, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between age and work experience with electrocardiographic parameters. Although there was a significant relationship between noises and the PR interval, there was no significant relationship with other parameters. Conclusion: In this study, the only significant correlation was found between the noise and the PR interval. Also, although the relationship between exposure to noise and heart rate was not statistically significant, it was reversible.

Background: Various studies have shown that vascular changes in the retina can be a primary indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. CRAE, CRVE, and AVR are three important markers for determining retinal vascular changes. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in these three ocular markers and their relationship with blood pressure and heart rate. Method: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 96 workers from one of Yazd's tile and ceramic industries were studied. Fundus images were prepared from both eyes and then analyzed using ARIA software and related protocols. Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and Mann-Whitney test and Correlation test was performed. Results: The mean and standard deviation of age and working experience of the population under study were 34.93(6.06) and 9.85(6.26) years, respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between ocular parameters with blood pressure and heart rate (p-value >0.05). The relationship of CRAE and CRVE with heart rate, although not statistically significant, was inverse. Conclusion: The results of this study showed no relationship between retinal vascular changes with changes in cardiovascular parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate among workers. Also, there was no significant difference between BMI and mean of three ocular parameters.

Abstract Background and aims: Manual material handling activities in long and short periods may lead to complications such as laceration, fracture, cardiovascular stress, muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders especially in the vertebrae column. The purpose of this study was to assess ergonomic risk factors in workers of a stone cutting industry and the impact of ergonomic interventions on reducing these risk factors in their workplaces. Material and Method: In a pre and post interventional study, identifying ergonomic risk factors of 50 male workers was done using WISHA checklist. Ergonomic interventions were implemented was: installation of a crankcase of the manorial vacuum and clamping crank, using a pallet with a portable two-way portable lift truck, a pallet for collecting waste with a roof crane or forklift truck, and a wagon lifting device. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS 20 and statistical tests of variance and Wilcoxon analysis. Results: Based on the results of the study, 78% of the workers had ergonomic risk factors at least in one of the 7 awkward postures at the beginning of the study, The most frequent risk factors were related to workers in stone loading, collecting stone waste (100%), middle part (76.2%), cutting-off (71.4%) and sub stations (50%). These values ​​were eliminated after ergonomic interventions in the loading workshop, sub, accumulation of stone waste (100%), and in the middle and cut-off workstations (42.8%). There was a significant difference between ergonomic risk factors before and after interventions (p

Background: Respiratory distress syndrome is one of the main complications associated with low birth weight, and a main cause of mortality in premature neonates. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of ventilator continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bubble CPAP in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature neonates. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 119 neonates diagnosed with RDS, with the gestational age of 28-34 weeks and birth weight of 1000-2200 grams, who were admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Infants were allocated to two groups of ventilator CPAP (VCPAP) and bubble CPAP (BCPAP) therapy. Results: Mean weight, gestational age, and one-minute Apgar score were not significantly different between the two groups. However, duration of treatment with mechanical ventilation in the BCPAP group was significantly lower compared to the VCPAP group. In addition, frequency of complications had no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: In the treatment of RDS, duration of mechanical ventilation was lower in the BCPAP group compared to the VCPAP group in premature neonates

Introduction: Today, due to the development of technology and automation of industries, the presence of humans in working environments has decreased. Despite this dramatic decline, the cause of more than 80 percent of the incidents in the oil and gas industry is related to human errors. The purpose of this research was to identify and evaluate the human errors of operators in control rooms working in the Parsian Gas Refinery company. Method: This cross-sectional study was performed in the control rooms of Parsian Gas Refinery company. A hierarchical task analysis (HTA) was used in the first phase, and then, in the next step in order to the identification and assessment of the human errors, SHERPA method was performed. Results: Among the total of 218 errors related to the analysis of the SHERPA worksheets, 145 errors (66.5 %) were related to action ones, 61 to (28%) checking errors, 4 (1.8%) to retrieval errors, 6 (2.8%) to communication errors and 2 (0.9%) to selection errors. Also, 41.9% of the errors caused severe consequences. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the most prevalent errors are checking and action errors. Appropriate control measures, such as work instructions, staff training as well as employing inspection operators to monitor the performance should be considered as a priority to reduce the occurrence of any identified error or limit their consequences.

Introduction: Several studies have shown that DNA damages increase the risk of diseases such as cancer. One of the tests that used to assess the damage to DNA is Comet Assay. In this study, the initial damage caused by exposure to traffic-related air pollution was studied. Methods: In this analytic cross sectional study, 104 taxi drivers were selected in Yazd, Iran. Peripheral blood sampling was performed. Microscopic analysis was performed under 400 magnification fluorescent microscope. Imagej software was used for image analysis. Data were tested by Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and Mann–Whitney U-test. Correlation analysis was performed. Results: In this study, all the participants were male. The mean±SD of the age and experience of the study population was 45.8±11.59 and 11.31±8.67 years, respectively. There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers in comet parameters. There was no significant correlation between Comet parameters and workload. There was direct and significant correlation between all parameters of comet. There was a significant correlation between tail intensity parameter and age after elimination of the confounding the effect of smoking. Conclusions: In the results of the present study, there was not shown any genetic damages in taxi drivers exposed to the traffic related air pollution. Also, there is no significant relationship between these damages and smoking.

Introduction: Dentistry is regarded as a dangerous job because of some developing health problems such as pain, joint stiffness, etc. Some the risk of factors, including poor posture of the body while working. could be effective to create problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the ergonomic awareness of principles and its operation by the dentists in Yazd city. Methods: In this cross-sectional study was performed on 159 dentists, who are up to 60 years old with at least one-year work experience. A questionnaire was implemented consisting of three sections: outbreak of musculoskeletal disorders, dentistchr('39')s knowledge of ergonomic principles and recording the ergonomic principles followed by the dentist during the operation. Results: Among the participants in this study, 63.5% had regular exercise, %27 had twitch between two visits, %27 used direct sight, %89.9 had job satisfaction, and %73.6 were familiar with ergonomic principles, from which %28.9 reported the musculoskeletal disorder experience that it was more prevalent among females. The most common types of disorders were related to tingling and stiffness of limbs, from which the neck pin ranked first. The mean of awareness score and the mean of proper operation were reported 22.3773 ± 5.7154 and 16.8867 ± 5.9154, respectively. Conclusion: In This study, there is a significant relationship between the awareness score and the level of following proper ergonomic principles. Thus, raising the awareness level of dentists from the ergonomic principles and following them could prevent musculoskeletal disorders.

Introduction. Exposure to high intensity noise produced by MRI is a cause for concern. This study was conducted to determine the temporary and permanent effects of exposure to noise created by performing MRI on the hearing threshold of the subjects using conventional and extended high frequency audiometry. Methods. This semiexperimental study was performed on 35 patients referred to Shahid Rahnemoun Hospital for head and neck MRI due to different clinical conditions. The hearing threshold of patients was measured before, immediately after, and 24 hours after performing 1.5 Tesla MRI using conventional and extended high frequency audiometry. SPSS version 18 was used to compare the mean hearing thresholds before and after MRI using paired T test and repeated measures analysis. Results. Comparison of auditory thresholds in conventional and extended high frequencies before and immediately after MRI showed a significant shift at 4 KHz (P = 0.008 and P = 0.08 for right and left ears), 6 KHz (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01 for right and left ears), and 14 KHz (P =0.03 and P = 0.31 for right and left ears). However, there was no significant difference between audiometric thresholds before and 24 hours after MRI. Conclusion. Noise due to 1.5 Tesla MRI can only cause transient threshold shift.

Early detection of noise-induced hearing loss is important to prevent the extension of hearing loss to speech frequencies. This study was assessed the efficacy of high frequency audiometry for early detection of NIHL by a systematic review of literature and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search was performed in Medline, Scopus, ISI web of science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Health star, and Ovid databases. Mean difference between hearing threshold in conventional and high frequencies was considered as the effect size. Pooled and stratum-specific MD was estimated. The number of 23 and 11 systematic review and meta-analysis studies were entered respectively throughout 3031 articles which initially searched. Since mean difference was higher in exposed subjects than non-exposed ones in most hearing frequencies, therefore, the effect size was higher in high frequencies, though not statistically significant. High frequency audiometry cannot be considered as a method for early detection of NIHL.

Objective: Employed mothers face considerable amount of hazards. Especially shift work can impact pregnant women by affecting some hormones. This study was conducted to assess the adverse effects of shift work on pregnancy outcomes. Materials and methods: This historical cohort study was conducted in 2017 in order to assess the effect of shift work on pregnancy outcomes. The subjects were consecutively selected from pregnant women, which referred to Al Zahra and Shahid Beheshti hospitals, Isfahan, Iran for their pregnancy care. The effect of shift work on pregnancy and labor complications (low birth weight, small for gestational age, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, intra-uterine growth retardation, spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, excessive bleeding during labor, and type of labor) was assessed. The effect was adjusted for occupation and number of children as well. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 17) usingT-test, chi-Square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Totally, 429 pregnant women entered the study. There was not a statistically significant difference between morning and shift workers regarding age. It was found that shift work probably increases the incidence of small for gestational age, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, intra-uterine growth retardation, spontaneous abortion, and preterm delivery, but after adjustment for job and number of children the effect was observed only on preterm delivery. Conclusion: Working in a rapid cycling schedule of shift work may cause an increase in the incidence of preterm delivery in pregnant mothers.

Background and Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a breathing disorder during sleep and de-fined as unexplained sleepiness during the day, with a minimum of five obstructive respiratory events per hour of sleep. This study aimed to evaluate the compliance to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with OSAS. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on OSAS patients whose polysomnography test was performed at least 1 year before, and CPAP was prescribed for them. Apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) and patients’ demographic information were recorded. Results: This study included 105 patients with OSAS. The mean AHI score was 40. Patients were distributed into three groups according to their AHI: Mild (5 ≤ AHI < 15): 20 patients (19%), moderate (15 ≤ AHI < 30): 25 patients (23.8%), and severe (AHI ≥ 30): 60 patients (57.1%). Patients were divided into three groups based on their use of CPAP: 27 (25.7%) patients were regular users of CPAP, their time average use was 5.4 hours a day; 11 (10.4%) patients were in the group who stop using their CPAP, their average of time use was 6.4 hours a day; and 67 (63.8%) patients were in the group who did not use the CPAP. Conclusion:The long-term adherence to CPAP in patients with OSAS was 25%, which correlated significantly with their financial situation, while there was no significant association between the use of CPAP with age, sex, educational status, and the severity of sleep apnea.

Background and Objective: Previous studies have reported abnormal changes in spirometric parameters and flow-volume curves in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) during sleep. This study aimed to evaluate the lung function capacities and flow-volume curves in these patients. Materials and Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 120 adults aged 18-65 years with suspected OSAS were selected. A full record of demographic characteristics and history of chronic diseases, as well as the results of spirometry and polysomnography were obtained. Spirometric indices and flow-volume curves in OSAS patients and normal subjects were compared. Results:The mean body mass index was 30.85 ± 6.18 kg/m2. Average neck and abdominal circumferences were 41.68 ± 3.53 and 108.56 ± 14.34 (cm); respectively. The subjects were divided into three groups based on their AHI. The sawtooth signal was observed in a flow-volume curve in 20.2% and 2.8% of patients with and without OSAS; respectively. Significant differences were seen in sawtooth appearance signs and forced expiratory flow (FEF) 50/forced inspiratory flow (FIF) 50 (P > 0.001), but these parameters were not significantly different in AHI subgroups of sleep apnea. Conclusion:Sawtooth sign and FEF50/FIF50 ≥ 1 could be useful in diagnosis of OSAS, although it cannot be used to predict the severity. Despite a significant difference in a sawtooth sign and FEF50/FIF50 between OSAS patients and nor-mal subjects, no significant differences in lung functions were observed between OSAS patients and normal subjects.

Introduction: After presbycusis, noise-induced hearing loss is the second most common cause of acquired hearing loss. Numerous studies have shown that high-intensity noise exposure increases free radical species; therefore, use of antioxidants to detoxify the free radicals can prevent cellular damage in the cochlea. We studied the potential hearing protective effect of different doses of ascorbic acid administered prior to noise exposure in rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four male albino Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: groups A, B, and C received 1250, 250, and 50 mg/kg/day of ascorbic acid, respectively, and group D acted as the control group. After 14 days of ascorbic acid administration, the rats were exposed to noise (105 dB sound pressure level for 2 h). Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were recorded prior to starting the ascorbic acid as baseline and 1 h after the noise exposure. Results: The amplitude decrease was 14.99 dB for group A, 16.11 dB for group B, 28.82 dB for group C, and 29.91 dB for the control group. Moderate and high doses of ascorbic acid significantly reduced the transient threshold shift in the rats. Conclusion: The results of present study support the concept of cochlea protection by antioxidant agents. This dose-dependent protective effect was shown through the use of ascorbic acid treatment prior to noise exposure.

Background and purpose: Many workers are exposed to workplace hazards. Many occupational diseases are preventable by personal protective devices (PPDs). Though many workers do not use PPDs or their protection by PPDs is not sufficient. This study was designed to assess the quality of PPDs usage among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 648 workers from four main industries (tile and ceramic, metal, textile, and chemical) were evaluated for PPDs use. The quality of appropriate PPDs was defined according to the workplace exposures, available PPDs, and time of exposure. The reasons for non-usage of PPDs were evaluated as well. Data were analyzed by SPSS using chi-square test. Results: On average, 56.8%, 69.6%, and 61.6% of workers were exposed to noise, and respiratory and dermal exposures, respectively. From the workers who needed PPDs, 77.8%, 26.3%, and 21% used gloves, respirators and hearing protection devices, respectively. The most frequent reason for non-usage was discomfort while wearing PPDs. Conclusion: This study showed an unsatisfactory situation in the industries for PPDs usage: Low compliance rate, inadequate training programs, and low quality of usage.

Noise is one of the most pervasive hazardous factors in the workplace. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common disorder related to noise exposure. Smoking is probably associated with hearing loss. The simultaneous effect of noise and smoking on hearing is a recent concern. In this study, we assessed the simultaneous effect of noise and smoking on standard pure tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DP-OAEs). This was an historical cohort study on 224 workers exposed to noise who were divided into two groups: Smokers and nonsmokers. DP-OAE response amplitudes were assessed. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 19) using Student′s t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. One hundred and five subjects were smokers (case group) and 119 individuals were nonsmokers (control group). All the subjects were exposed to 91.08 ΁ 2.29 dBA [time-weighted average (TWA) for an 8 h work shift]. Mean DP-OAE response amplitude at frequencies higher than 1,000 Hz was significantly higher in the smokers than the nonsmokers. This study showed that smoking can aggravate the effect of noise on hearing in DP-OAEs.

Noise is the most frequent physical agent in workplace that effects on hearing loss. This study aimed to investigate the value of noise exposure in different jobs along with noise induced permanent threshold shift of workers, prediction of hearing threshold alteration in relation to job and work experience using ISO 1999 standard and comparing with measured hearing loss. This study was performed among 138 Iranian workers in a Yazd spinning factory in 2014. Noise exposure level was measured using ISO 1999 method in any work conditions. An audiometric test was done in a standard soundproof room by an experienced audiologist. Noise induced hearing loss was identified after reduction of age related hearing loss. Necessary program for hearing loss prediction of workers was prepared using the ISO method. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS16 software. Mean age and employment duration of participants were 36.58 ± 6.76 yr and 11.08 ± 5.47 yr, respectively. Mean noise exposure in office, spinning, baling, carding, combing and other parts was 45, 94, 95.5, 90, 85 and 88dBA, respectively. Mean measured hearing threshold was 16.69 ± 7.82dB in right ear and 17.59 ± 8.55 dB in left ear. The duration of employment and noise are two important factors in work-related hearing loss. There was a significant difference between the measured noise induced hearing loss and its predicted values (P

Noise-induced hearing loss is considered as one of the most common occupational problems. Audiometric pattern of NIHL is different in various workplaces. This study was designed to find the prevalence and pattern of hearing loss in tile and ceramic industry. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 853 tile and ceramic workers in Yazd, Iran. Plants were selected by simple random sampling from all tile and ceramic plants in Yazd. Hearing thresholds were recorded at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000Hz. Hearing loss at each frequency was defined as hearing threshold higher than15 dB-HL. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 20) using Student’s

Introduction: Hearing loss is one of the most common occupational diseases. In most workplaces, workers are exposed to noise and solvents simultaneously, so the potential risk of hearing loss due to solvents may be attributed to noise. In this study we aimed to assess the effect of exposure to mixed aromatic solvents on hearing in the absence of exposure to hazardous noise. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 99 workers from the petrochemical industry with exposure to a mixture of organic solvents whose noise exposure was lower than 85 dBA were compared with 100 un-exposed controls. After measuring sound pressure level and mean concentration of each solvent in the workplace, pure-tone-audiometry was performed and the two groups were compared in terms of high-frequency and low-frequency hearing loss. T-tests and Chi-square tests were used to compare the two groups. Results: The mean hearing threshold at all frequencies among petrochemical workers was normal (below 25 dB). We did not observe any significant association between solvent exposure and high-frequency or low-frequency hearing loss. Conclusion: This study showed that temporary exposure (less than 4 years) to a mixture of organic solvents, without exposure to noise, does not affect workers’ hearing threshold in audiometry tests.

Objectives: For the purpose of evaluation of exhaled NO as an index of airway inflammation, we assessed changes in fractional exhaled NO (FeNO) across a work shift and its relationship with respiratory complaints. Material and Methods: Chronic and work-aggravated respiratory complaints were assessed using a questionnaire in 89 male textile workers. FeNO and spirometry were performed before and after a work shift and all the changes were registered. Results: A significant increase in FeNO after a work shift was observed. Post-shift FeNO was significantly higher among the subjects with chronic respiratory complaints. There was an obvious decrease in FVC, and FEV1 after a work shift; however, we couldn’t find a significant relationship between changes in respiratory parameters and concentration of inhalable dusts. Conclusions: FeNO increase after a work shift along with pulmonary function decrement and higher post-shift FeNO among subjects with respiratory complaints makes across-shift FeNO a non-invasive test for assessment of airway hyper-responsiveness in textile workers.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the ability for return to work among patients after myocardial infarction (MI) is subject to controversy. Understanding various factors, which may affect return to work process, will help in promoting effective communication between physicians and patients. Return to work is dependent on such factors as patients’ functional capacity, MI expansion, cardiac muscle function, some psychiatric variables, job satisfaction, economic status, and age. In this study, we aimed to assess the frequency of return to work after first MI attack, and factors affecting it. METHODS: This was a follow-up study performed in Yazd, Iran from September 2007 until September 2010 on 200 patients suffering from their first MI attack. Patients were assessed 6 months and 1-year after MI regarding their cardiac function. Job satisfaction was evaluated by Direct Support Professional job satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: Seventy-seven percent of MI patients returned to work after 1-year. Mean time for return to work was 46.00 ± 4.12 days. Sixty percent of patients returned to work during the first 50 days after MI and 50% of them during 40 days after MI. The most common reason for not returning to work was patient’s decision. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a considerable numbers of patients returned to work after 1-year. The only factors which affected the rate of return to work were left ventricular function after MI and job satisfaction. Keywords: Myocardial Infarction, Return to Work, Left Ventricular Function, Job Satisfaction

Objective: Occupational burns are among the important causes of work-related fatalities and absenteeism. Epidemiologic assessment of these injuries is important to define high-risk jobs. We designed this study to evaluate the epidemiology of occupational burns in Yazd, an industrial province in Iran. Methods: This is a prospective study on work-related burns in a 1-year period (2008-2009). A questionnaire was completed for them about the characteristics of the burn injury. Results: Three Hundred and Thirty Eight patients with occupational burns were identified. Their mean age was 29.64 years. Most burn victims were male workers in the metal industry. The most common job was smelting. Most burns were happened in the morning. Thermal burns were observed more than chemical and electrical burns. Mean total body surface area burned was 6.5%. The most common cause of burn was hot fluid, followed by hot object and flame. There was no any significant relationship between burn type, and burn degree or burned body surface. Conclusions: The highest incidence of occupational burns was in 21-30 year-old workers. There was a male preponderance in work-related burns. Metal industry had the most injured workers and among them, smelters were more frequently injured.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immunologically mediated pulmonary disease caused by various organic particles and some non-organic chemicals. HP is mostly associated with some occupations such as farming and bird breeding. We report a case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a housewife without any prior history of occupational exposures. The disease was developed due to indirect exposure of the patient to doves antigens via a desert cooler ducts.

Background and Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) through hypoxia and reoxygenation periods leads to oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and activation of inflammatory cycles, which eventually may cause disorder in vasa nervorum, and peripheral neuropathy in hearing pathway. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of severe sleep apnea on hearing function. Materials and Methods: In this study, 91 individuals were evaluated and categorized in two groups of patients suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea [Apnea/Hypopnea index (AHI) > 30], and controls (AHI < 5). Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed for all the subjects. Results: Mean hearing threshold at 250-8000 Hz was 24.44 ± 6.80 dB, and 15.75 ± 5.10 dB in case and control groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Evaluation of each frequency showed that hearing threshold was significantly higher at 4000 Hz in the group with severe obstructive apnea. The only effective factor among all variances of sensorineural hearing loss in obstructive sleep apnea was the oxygen desaturation index, which predicted 18% of hearing loss variances. The frequency of hearing loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnea was higher than those without it. The severity of obstructive sleep apnea had significant relationship with hearing loss. Conclusion: The frequency of hearing loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnea was estimated to be more than subjects without it. The severity of obstructive sleep apnea was associated with hearing loss. Obstructive sleep apnea may be a risk factor for hearing loss due to hypoxia. Thus, treatment of it may reduce risk of hearing loss. Further studies are required to evaluate the influence of treatment of obstructive sleep apnea on hearing loss.

Background and Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome is a kind of sleep-related disorder with complex features and may lead to daytime sleepiness. This study aimed to find the differences between smokers and non-smokers regarding the parameters of polysomnography. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on consecutive patients referred to a sleep lab to perform polysomnography for sleep-related breathing disorders in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in 2014. For all participants, overnight polysomnography study was performed for at least 6 hours. Then, parameters of polysomnography were compared between smokers and non-smokers. Data were analyzed by SPSS using chi-square test, Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: In total, 228 subjects were enrolled in the study (155 non-smokers). Obstructive apnea number and index,total apnea number, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), baseline and average saturation by pulse oximeter, snore, and snore arousal were significantly different between smokers and non-smokers (P < 0.050). Severe OSA was the most commonly observed among smokers, but AHI was not significantly correlated with pack-years of smoking. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that smokers suffer from severe OSA more frequent than nonsmokers; obstructive apnea is more common among smokers with higher AHI.

Introduction: Good service quality is the company's ability to meet or exceed customer expectations or the degree of discrepancy between customer expectations and perceptions about the quality of offered service. This study was aimed to examine the quality gap of occupational health services in an oil & gas company of Iran. Method: This cross-sectional study was done between March 2013 and April 2014 in Isfahan, Iran. The required data was gathered using a modified SERVQUAL instrument. A total of 194 respondents contributed in the study. Data analysis was done through SPSS. Discussion: The results revealed a negative quality gap in SERVQUAL and its all five dimensions the highest and the least gap was observed in empathy and reliability dimensions, respectively. Also, the highest average gap between workers’ perceptions and expectations was seen in the empathy dimension (-5.60), followed by tangibles (-5.58), assurance (-5.44), responsiveness (-5.33) and reliability (-4.65). Also, statistical differences between expectation and perception of employees were confirmed for SERVQUAL and its dimensions (P

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common complication of long-term noise exposure, though there are some other complications due to exposure to noise. Metabolic complications of the noiseexposure are being evaluated in recent studies. We aimed to assess the relationship between NIHL and lipid profile, and fasting blood sugar (FBS). In This cross-sectional study, 462 workers with exposure to noise were randomly selected. Considering the presence of NIHL they were divided into two groups. FBS,cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG, ALT, AST, ALP and Cr levels were measured in these workers and all variables were compared between two groups. We found a significant relationship between FBS, TG,cholesterol and LDL levels in two groups (p

Burns are injuries which may require long hospitalization and may result in important impairment and disability. Burn injuries are still common especially in developing countries. Assessment of the epidemiology of burns is very important for introduction of preventive methods. This study was conducted in Yazd to assess and describe the epidemiology of burns including its main causes, and its demographics. In a prospective study during a 1 year period, we assessed the epidemiology of burns in Shahid Sadoughi Burns hospital in Yazd. During this period, 1947 injured patients referred to this hospital. Data were gathered using a questionnaire about demographics and the properties of the burn injury. Burns were more frequent among men than women. A significant number of patients were children. 8.8% of patients needed hospitalization. Thermal burns were much more common than other types. Scalds were the most common cause of burn, and hands were the body region most commonly affected. Mean total body surface area burned (TBSA) was 6.16% (±9.93). This study showed a high incidence of burn injuries at home and in the workplace. The burns were mostly preventive and many of them can be prevented by education.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a frequent problem in industrial settings, especially where a high noise level is present. It is permanent, and irreversible, but preventable. Routine audiometry (an objective and time consuming) test is used for NIHL screening. Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are recently proposed as a more sensitive test for early diagnosis of NIHL. In this study, we aimed to compare the results of pure tone audiometry (PTA) with OAE in the diagnosis of NIHL. In a cross-sectional study on 120 workers (in three groups: Not exposed to noise, exposed to noise without NIHL and exposed to noise with NIHL), we compared the results of PTA and OAE. OAE can detect some changes in the function of hearing system in subjects exposed to noise, and these changes are apparently prior to hearing loss, which is diagnosed by PTA. OAE is a more sensitive method for the early diagnosis of cochlear damage than PTA, and can be performed in industrial settings for NIHL screening.