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Background: Providing care to trauma patients in pre-hospital emergencies is a vital and life-sustaining factor for individuals. This study was conducted to percept of pre-hospital emergency personnel regarding trauma patient care., Methods: This qualitative study was done using a conventional content analysis method that employed purposive sampling technique. A total of 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 operational staff members of pre-hospital emergency services from May 2021 to September 2022. After recording and transcribing the data, qualitative content analysis, based on Graneheim and Lundman's approach, was performed on the data., Results: From the data analysis, a total of 478 initial codes were extracted, leading to the identification of two main categories, namely "Stress as an Unavoidable Factor" and "Emotional Impasse". The first category included three sub-categories of work under stress, associating your family in the face of life-threatening conditions, and worrying about the patient's fate. Three sub-categories of a long-term mental occupation of the technician with the encounter scene, the feeling of guilt despite trying as much as possible, and emotional distress in certain groups emerged from the second category., Conclusions: "Stress as an Unavoidable Factor" and "Emotional Impasse" have been introduced as main categories of perceptions of pre-hospital emergency personnel regarding trauma patient care., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This research is associated with the ethics code IR.SUMS.NUMIMG.REC.1400.039 from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. After receiving approval from the university’s ethics committee and coordinating the necessary permissions, the researcher visited the research settings. They introduced themselves and outlined the criteria for participation to the emergency operational staff. Once participants agreed to take part voluntarily, they were contacted to arrange meetings. Participants retained full autonomy to withdraw from the study at any time. Prior to data collection, written informed consent was secured from each participant, ensuring their confidentiality, anonymity, and the security of their data. Participants were also asked to provide written consent for recording the interviews, as this was considered essential for maintaining accuracy in the content. The scheduling and location of the interviews were tailored to the participants’ preferences and convenience, taking place outside their work shifts. The length of each interview was flexible, depending on the comfort of the participants. The researcher provided participants with their email and phone number for further communication. Consent for publication: All participants read and signed the informed consent form. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Nurses experience a demanding work environment, and the state of their spiritual health and resilience can impact their ability to provide compassionate care. The objective of this study was to examine the connection between spiritual health, resilience, and compassionate care among nurses working in intensive care units., Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study employed stratified sampling to select 340 nurses. The research utilized several instruments, including Demographic Information, Nurses' Compassionate Care, Iranian Muslim Adult Spiritual Health, and Connor and Davidson Resilience Questionnaires (significance level: 0.05). The data was analyzed by SPSS software version 24 using statistical tests including Chi-square, t -test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient., Results: The results indicated that the majority of participants were female, with an average age of 32.65 years. The mean score for spiritual health was 192.53 ± 23.67, and the resilience score was 71.52 ± 13.43. The average score for compassionate care was 119.82 ± 13.93. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between spiritual health, resilience, and compassionate care in nurses ( P < 0.05). Consequently, enhancing spiritual health and resilience scores positively influenced the compassionate care, and vice versa., Conclusion: To summarize a significant association exists between nurses' spiritual health, resilience, and their ability to provide compassionate care. It is recommended that educational programs are developed and implemented to enhance and maintain the spiritual health, compassionate care, and resilience of nurses, ultimately improving patient care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background: Improving the professional competency of nursing students during the internship is critical. This study aimed to compare the professional competency and anxiety of nursing students trained based on two internship models., Methods: This is a two-group posttest-only quasi-experimental design study. One hundred nursing students who passed internship models A (a previous internship model) and B (an intervention with more educator support and a more planned and programmed process) were randomly enrolled in this study. Internship model groups A and B were conducted for the students in semesters 7 and 8. The outcomes assessed in both groups were "The Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses" and Spielberger "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory". T-test and MANOVA were used to analyze the data., Results: The mean scores of competency were 134.56 (SD = 43.23) and 160.19 (SD = 35.81) for the nursing students in the internship model groups A and B, respectively. The mean scores of nursing students' anxiety were 92.14 (SD = 15.36) and 80.44 (SD = 18.16) in the internship model groups A and B, respectively. MANOVA test showed a significant difference between the groups regarding professional competency (F = 10.34, p = 0.002) and anxiety (F = 11.31, p = 0.001)., Conclusions: The internship model group B could improve the professional competency of nursing students to a great extent and they experienced mild anxiety; it is suggested that this intervention should be done for nursing students. Conducting more studies to evaluate the effect of this model on the nursing students' competency and anxiety after graduation and as a novice nurse is suggested., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Simulation is an educational technology that can facilitate learning, improve performance, and develop critical thinking and self-confidence in students. Motivation is an effective factor in the level of efficiency and the use of individual talent, ability, and satisfaction. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of simulation on students' motivation based on existing studies. This systematic review was conducted using a full systematic search strategy based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for the identification of relevant literature in Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC electronic databases up to April 2023, utilizing search terms in the titles and abstracts. Finally, 21 articles were selected after being screened in accordance with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of 21 articles related to the study's aim, 19 articles (91%) were interventional studies (three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 16 non-RCTs) and two articles (9%) were noninterventional studies (cohort and cross-sectional). The results revealed that in 17 studies (77%), simulation studies had a positive effect on motivation, and in 19% of studies, simulation had no significant effect on motivation. Most of the studies improved students' learning motivation using different simulation methods. Simulation methods require appropriateness in three areas: comprehensiveness, the subjects of training, and the allocation of appropriate facilities., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the prevalence and genetic structure of Coxiella burnetii in tick samples collected from domestic animals in Hormozgan province146 tick samples were randomly collected from cattle, sheep, goat, camel and dog herds in seven cities of Hormozgan. After the DNA was extracted from each tick sample; Nested-PCR method was used to identify the presence of C. burnetii using IS1111 transposon gene and isocitrate dehydrogenase icd gene. In addition, phylogenetic analysis and tree diagram were constructed based on IS1111 and icd genes. The results showed that out of 146 pool tick samples, 40 pool samples based on IS1111 gene and 32 pool samples based on icd gene were infected with C. burnetii. When results were stratified by livestock type, infection rates were highest in sheep ticks (37.5%, 95% CI: 21.2% - 57.29%), followed by cattle ticks (32.14%, 95% CI: 17.90% - 50.66%) and dog tick (15%, 95% CI: 70.6% - 29%). In camel and goat ticks, the infection rate was 15.90 and 23.07%, respectively. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the role of ticks as potential carriers of C. burneti. The results indicate the importance of cattle, sheep, goats, camels and dogs in Hormozgan region as effective factors in the epidemiology of Q fever and its impact on public health. In addition, a high degree of similarity (from 99% to 100%) was observed between IS1111 and icd genes in this study and recorded sequences from different regions of the world., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This article reveals a specific category of solutions for the 1+1 variable order (VO) nonlinear fractional Fokker-Planck equations. These solutions are formulated using VO q-Gaussian functions, granting them significant versatility in their application to various real-world systems, such as financial economy areas spanning from conventional stock markets to cryptocurrencies. The VO q-Gaussian functions provide a more robust expression for the distribution function of price returns in real-world systems. Additionally, we analyzed the temporal evolution of the anomalous characteristic exponents derived from our study, which are associated with the long-term (power-law) memory in time series data and autocorrelation patterns.

Introduction and Importance: Melnick-Needles syndrome (MNS) is a rare skeletal dysplasia that affects skeletal and connective tissue. Less than 70 cases of MNS reported in the literature. MNS had various clinical manifestations such as skeletal deformity, cortical bony sclerosis, facial abnormality, and urogenital symptoms., Case Presentation: We presented a 5-year-old girl who referred to our orthopedic clinic with knee valgus deformity, spinal kyphoscoliosis, bilateral coxa valga, and humerus cortical irregularity. Based on some facial and skeletal feature, MNS was confirmed with genetic evaluation (heterozygote Filamin A genome)., Clinical Discussion: The diagnosis of MNS requires a thorough medical and family history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation. Differential diagnoses for patients with skeletal and facial deformities like MNS include Camurati-Engelmann disease, cystinuria, Galloway-Mowat syndrome, Joubert syndrome, and mucopolysaccharidosis. Treatment for MNS patients with bony deformities without lethal conditions can be conservative, but corrective surgery may be necessary in some cases., Conclusions: MNS was a rare syndrome with common clinical manifestations such as limb and spine deformity. It is important to conduct a careful examination of any patient who presents with limb and skeletal deformity to the orthopedic clinic, as the disease may have some lethal clinical implications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that there were no competing interests for this study., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

There are various reports about the critical exponents associated with the depinning transition. In this study, we investigate how the disorder strength present in the support can account for this diversity. Specifically, we examine the depinning transition in the quenched Edwards-Wilkinson (QEW) model on a correlated square lattice, where the correlations are modeled using fractional Brownian motion (FBM) with a Hurst exponent of H.We identify a crossover time [Formula: see text] that separates the dynamics into two distinct regimes: for [Formula: see text], we observe the typical behavior of pinned surfaces, while for [Formula: see text], the behavior differs. We introduce a novel three-variable scaling function that governs the depinning transition for all considered H values. The associated critical exponents exhibit a continuous variation with H, displaying distinct behaviors for anti-correlated ([Formula: see text]) and correlated ([Formula: see text]) cases. The critical driving force decreases with increasing H, as the host medium becomes smoother for higher H values, facilitating fluid mobility. This fact causes the asymptotic velocity exponent [Formula: see text] to increase monotonically with H., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This paper considers a sandpile model subjected to a sinusoidal external drive with the period T. We develop a theoretical model for the Green's function in a large T limit, which predicts that the avalanches are anisotropic and elongated in the oscillation direction. We track the problem numerically and show that the system additionally shows a regime where the avalanches are elongated in the perpendicular direction with respect to the oscillations. We find a crossover between these two regimes. The power spectrum of avalanche size and the grains wasted from the parallel and perpendicular directions are studied. These functions show power-law behavior in terms of the frequency with exponents, which run with T.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of early deflation of the transradial (TR) band on the vascular outcomes of patients who have undergone coronary angiography through transradial access (TRA). The present controlled clinical trial included all patients who had undergone elective coronary angiography through TRA. The participants (n=70) met the inclusion criteria and were selected using convenient sampling. Then, they were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups, using block randomization. Data collection tools included a questionnaire on demographic and related clinical data, including the history of diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure and vascular disease, and the checklist of post-angiographic complications, including duration of the procedure, systolic and diastolic blood pressures measured before and after the procedure, and assessments of radial artery occlusion (RAO), hematoma and pain. The intervention group had their TR band on the artery for 1.5 hours after the procedure. Then, the cuff of the band was deflated at a speed of 5 cc every 15 minutes, using a syringe. However, the TR band was kept in place for 2 hours in the control group, followed by the deflation with the same speed. The pressure application time was recorded in both groups from the removal of sheaths until complete hemostasis. The patients with early deflation of the TR band experienced less pain compared to those with typical deflation (P=0.003). However, the variables of hematoma development (P=0.062) and RAO (P=0.371) were not significantly different between the patients with typical and early deflation of the TR band. The present study concluded that the patients with early deflation of the TR band experienced less pain compared to those with typical deflation. Therefore, deflating the TR band after cardiac angiography at 1,5 hours has similar efficacy and safety compare to 2 hours and associated with less reported pain score., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Death caused by traffic accidents is one of the major problems of health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Rapid handover of the traffic accident victims and proper collaboration between the pre-hospital and emergency departments (EDs) play a critical role in improving the treatment process and decreasing the number of accidental deaths. Considering the importance of the collaboration between pre-hospital and emergency departments, this study was designed to investigate the facilitators and barriers of collaboration between pre-hospital and emergency departments in traffic accidents., Method: This research is a qualitative study using content analysis. In order to collect data, semi-structured interviews were used. Seventeen subjects (including pre-hospital and emergency department personnel, emergency medicine specialists, and hospital managers) were selected through purposive sampling and were interviewed. After transcribing and reviewing interviews, data analysis was performed with the qualitative content analysis approach., Results: The participants consisted of 17 individuals (15 persons in pre-hospital and emergency departments with at least three years of work experience, one emergency medicine specialist and one hospital manager) who were selected by purposive sampling. The interviews were analyzed and three main categories and seven sub-categories were extracted. The main categories included "individual capabilities", "development of mutual understanding", and "infrastructures and processes"., Discussion: Proper and practical planning and policymaking to strengthen facilitators and eliminate barriers to collaborate between pre-hospital and emergency departments are key points in promoting collaboration between these two important sectors of health system and reducing the traffic accident casualties in Iran., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The reaching-transporting task as an essential daily activity impacts balance control and falling in older women. This study investigated the different muscle strategies during the head/knee level of the functional reaching-transporting task in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis., Methods: 24 postmenopausal volunteers were classified into two groups based on the lumbar T-score: osteoporosis (≤ -2.5, n = 12) and non-osteoporosis (> -1, n = 12). Using a custom-designed device, participants randomly performed 12 reaching-transporting tasks at the head and knee levels. Electromyography signals were collected while reaching and transporting phases with a wireless system. The peak of the root means square (PRMS) and time to PRMS (TPRMS) were measured. In addition, the isometric muscle strength and the fear of falling were assessed., Results: The isometric muscle strength in the osteoporotic group was significantly lower than in the non-osteoporotic group (P < 0.05), except for vastus lateralis (VL). The PRMS of VL, (P = 0.010) during the reaching phase and VL (P = 0.002) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) (P < 0.001) during transporting phase was greater than the non-osteoporotic group. The PRMS value of the muscles was greater for reaching-transporting at the knee level than the head level; this increase was significant just for VL and biceps femoris during the transporting phase (P = 0.036 and P = 0.004, respectively)., Conclusion: Osteoporotic women have more muscle activities during the reaching-transporting task, especially at the knee level, compared to the head level. Their muscle weakness may lead to insufficient stability during the task and cause disturbance and falling, which requires further investigation., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The centrality measures, like betweenness b and degree k in complex networks remain fundamental quantities helping to classify them. It is realized from Barthelemy's paper [Eur. Phys. J. B 38, 163 (2004)10.1140/epjb/e2004-00111-4] that the maximal b-k exponent for the scale-free (SF) networks is η&#95;{max}=2, belonging to SF trees, based on which one concludes δ≥γ+1/2, where γ and δ are the scaling exponents for the distribution functions of the degree and the betweenness centralities, respectively. This conjecture was violated for some special models and systems. Here we present a systematic study on this problem for visibility graphs of correlated time series, and show evidence that this conjecture fails in some correlation strengths. We consider the visibility graph of three models: two-dimensional Bak-Tang-Weisenfeld (BTW) sandpile model, one-dimensional (1D) fractional Brownian motion (FBM), and 1D Levy walks, the two latter cases are controlled by the Hurst exponent H and the step index α, respectively. In particular, for the BTW model and FBM with H≲0.5, η is greater than 2, and also δ<γ+1/2 for the BTW model, while the Barthelemy's conjecture remains valid for the Levy process. We assert that the failure of the Barthelemy's conjecture is due to large fluctuations in the scaling b-k relation resulting in the violation of hyperscaling relation η=γ-1/δ-1 and emergent anomalous behavior for the BTW model and FBM. Universal distribution function of generalized degree is found for these models which have the same scaling behavior as the Barabasi-Albert network.

Networks of excitable systems provide a flexible and tractable model for various phenomena in biology, social sciences, and physics. A large class of such models undergo a continuous phase transition as the excitability of the nodes is increased. However, models of excitability that result in this continuous phase transition are based implicitly on the assumption that the probability that a node gets excited, its transfer function, is linear for small inputs. In this paper, we consider the effect of cooperative excitations, and more generally the case of a nonlinear transfer function, on the collective dynamics of networks of excitable systems. We find that the introduction of any amount of nonlinearity changes qualitatively the dynamical properties of the system, inducing a discontinuous phase transition and hysteresis. We develop a mean-field theory that allows us to understand the features of the dynamics with a one-dimensional map. We also study theoretically and numerically finite-size effects by examining the fate of initial conditions where only one node is excited in large but finite networks. Our results show that nonlinear transfer functions result in a rich effective phase diagram for finite networks, and that one should be careful when interpreting predictions of models that assume noncooperative excitations.

The association between uric acid (UA) and cardio-metabolic conditions has been recognized for a long time. However, recently, a body of evidence has highlighted the independent role of UA in a series of conditions, including renal and cardiovascular diseases. In this light, data regarding the prognostic role of UA in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is scarce. A total number of 100 patients, 59 males and 41 females, diagnosed with ACS were recruited in this study. At the time of admission to the hospital, the serum level of UA was measured. In addition, the HEART score was calculated based on each patients' profile. Participants were on average 61.37 ± 12.08 years old. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (48%), a history of coronary artery disease (40%), and diabetes mellitus (33%). The average serum level of UA was 5.81 ± 1.81 mg/dl, and the calculated HEART score had a median of six (minimum of two and maximum of ten). A positive yet statistically insignificant correlation was found between the measured UA level and the calculated HEART score (R = 0.375, p = 0.090). However, further studies with larger sample size are required to assess the direct association of UA level with major adverse cardiac events in patients with cardiovascular disease., (© 2022 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

This paper is devoted to a phenomenological study of the earthquakes in central Alborz, Iran. Using three observational quantities, namely the weight function, the quality factor, and the velocity model in this region, we develop a modified dissipative sandpile model which captures the main features of the system, especially the average activity field over the region of study. The model is based on external stimuli, the location of which is chosen (I) randomly, (II) on the faults, (III) on the low active points, (IV) on the moderately active points, and (V) on the highly active points in the region. We uncover some universal behaviors depending slightly on the method of external stimuli. A multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis is exploited to extract the spectrum of the Hurst exponent of the time series obtained by each of these schemes. Although the average Hurst exponent depends slightly on the method of stimuli, we numerically show that in all cases it is lower than 0.5, reflecting the anti-correlated nature of the system. The lowest average Hurst exponent is found to be associated with the case (V), in such a way that the more active the stimulated sites are, the lower the average Hurst exponent is obtained, i.e. the large earthquakes are more anticorrelated. Moreover, we find that the activity field achieved in this study provide information about the depth and topography of the basement, and also the area that can potentially be the location of the future large events. We successfully determine a high activity zone on the Mosha Fault, where the mainshock occurred on May 7th, 2020 (M[Formula: see text] 4.9)., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The two-dimensional Loewner exploration process is generalized to the case where the random force is self-similar with positively correlated increments. We model this random force by a fractional Brownian motion with Hurst exponent H≥1/2≡H&#95;{BM}, where H&#95;{BM} stands for the one-dimensional Brownian motion. By manipulating the deterministic force, we design a scale-invariant equation describing self-similar traces which lack conformal invariance. The model is investigated in terms of the "input diffusivity parameter" κ, which coincides with the one of the ordinary Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) at H=H&#95;{BM}. In our numerical investigation, we focus on the scaling properties of the traces generated for κ=2,3, κ=4, and κ=6,8 as the representatives, respectively, of the dilute phase, the transition point, and the dense phase of the ordinary SLE. The resulting traces are shown to be scale invariant. Using two equivalent schemes, we extract the fractal dimension, D&#95;{f}(H), of the traces which decrease monotonically with increasing H, reaching D&#95;{f}=1 at H=1 for all κ values. The left passage probability (LPP) test demonstrates that, for H values not far from the uncorrelated case (small ε&#95;{H}≡H-H&#95;{BM}/H&#95;{BM}), the prediction of the ordinary SLE is applicable with an effective diffusivity parameter κ&#95;{eff}. Not surprisingly, the κ&#95;{eff}'s do not fulfill the prediction of SLE for the relation between D&#95;{f}(H) and the diffusivity parameter.

Background and Objective: Subclinical hypothyroidism can potentially develop into overt hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones have substantial roles in metabolism and glucose homeostasis and thus, are closely related to determinant factors of metabolic syndromes, such as obesity and insulin resistance. Osteocalcin is considered a predictor of metabolic conditions in thyroid diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of levothyroxine vs. placebo on serum osteocalcin levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism., Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 30 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, who were referred to the endocrine clinics of Ghaem and Imam Reza hospitals in Mashhad, Iran. After giving informed consent, patients were randomly divided into intervention (50 μg/- day levothyroxine for 2 months) and control (placebo) groups. Serum levels of osteocalcin, thyroid hormones, lipid profile, insulin, and fasting glucose, as well as other clinical and anthropometric data, were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. SPSS was used to analyze the data, and p < 0.05 was considered significant., Results: Mean age in the intervention and control groups was 35.07 ± 9.94 and 31.30 ± 4.30, respectively (p = 0.20). There was no significant difference between osteocalcin levels before and after the intervention in either of the groups (p = 0.54). TSH level was significantly decreased in the levothyroxine group after the intervention (p < 0.01). T4 level was significantly increased in the intervention group (p = 0.02)., Conclusion: Levothyroxine had no significant effect on the increasing levels of serum osteocalcin in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

In the original invasion percolation model, a random number quantifies the role of necks, or generally the quality of pores, ignoring the structure of pores and impermeable regions (to which the invader cannot enter). In this paper, we investigate invasion percolation (IP), taking into account the impermeable regions, the configuration of which is modeled by ordinary and Ising-correlated site percolation (with short-range interactions, SRI), on top of which the IP dynamics is defined. We model the long-ranged correlations of pores by a random Coulomb potential (RCP). By examining various dynamical observables, we suggest that the critical exponents of Ising-correlated cases change considerably only in the vicinity of the critical point (critical temperature), while for the ordinary percolation case the exponents are robust against the occupancy parameter p. The properties of the model for the long-range interactions [LRI (RCP)] are completely different from the normal IP. In particular, the fractal dimension of the external frontier of the largest hole is nearly 4/3 for SRI far from the critical points, which is compatible with normal IP, while it converges to 1.099±0.04 for RCP. For the latter case, the time dependence of our observables is divided into three parts: the power law (short time), the logarithmic (moderate time), and the linear (long time) regimes. The second crossover time is shown to go to infinity in the thermodynamic limit, whereas the first crossover time is nearly unchanged, signaling the dominance of the logarithmic regime. The average gyration radius of the growing clusters, the length of their external perimeter, and the corresponding roughness are shown to be nearly constant for the long-time regime in the thermodynamic limit.

The quenched Edwards-Wilkinson growth of the 1+1 interface is considered in the background of the correlated random noise. We use random Coulomb potential as the background long-range correlated noise. A depinning transition is observed in a critical driving force F[over ̃]&#95;{c}≈0.037 (in terms of disorder strength unit) in the vicinity of which the final velocity of the interface varies linearly with time. Our data collapse analysis for the velocity shows a crossover time t^{*} at which the velocity is size independent. Based on a two-variable scaling analysis, we extract the exponents, which are different from all universality classes we are aware of. Especially noting that the dynamic and roughness exponents are z&#95;{w}=1.55±0.05, and α&#95;{w}=1.05±0.05 at the criticality, we conclude that the system is different from both Edwards-Wilkinson (EW) and Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality classes. Our analysis shows therefore that making the noise long-range correlated, drives the system out of the EW universality class. The simulations on the tilted lattice show that the nonlinearity term (λ term in the KPZ equations) goes to zero in the thermodynamic limit.

A self-repelling two-leg (biped) spider walk is considered where the local stochastic movements are governed by two independent control parameters β&#95;{d} and β&#95;{h}, so that the former controls the distance (d) between the legs positions, and the latter controls the statistics of self-crossing of the traversed paths. The probability measure for local movements is supposed to be the one for the "true self-avoiding walk" multiplied by a factor exponentially decaying with d. After a transient behavior for short times, a variety of behaviors have been observed for large times depending on the value of β&#95;{d} and β&#95;{h}. Our statistical analysis reveals that the system undergoes a crossover between two (small and large β&#95;{d}) regimes identified in large times (t). In the small β&#95;{d} regime, the random walkers (identified by the position of the legs of the spider) remain on average in a fixed nonzero distance in the large time limit, whereas in the second regime (large β&#95;{d}), the absorbing force between the walkers dominates the other stochastic forces. In the latter regime, d decays in a power-law fashion with the logarithm of time. When the system is mapped to a growth process (represented by a height field which is identified by the number of visits for each point), the roughness and the average height show different behaviors in two regimes, i.e., they show a power law with respect to t in the first regime and logt in the second regime. The fractal dimension of the random walker traces and the winding angle are shown to consistently undergo a similar crossover.

We present the fractional extensions of the porous media equation (PME) with an emphasis on the applications in stock markets. Three kinds of "fractionalization" are considered: local, where the fractional derivatives for both space and time are local; nonlocal, where both space and time fractional derivatives are nonlocal; and mixed, where one derivative is local, and another is nonlocal. Our study shows that these fractional equations admit solutions in terms of generalized q-Gaussian functions. Each solution of these fractional formulations contains a certain number of free parameters that can be fitted with experimental data. Our focus is to analyze stock market data and determine the model that better describes the time evolution of the probability distribution of the price return. We proposed a generalized PME motivated by recent observations showing that q-Gaussian distributions can model the evolution of the probability distribution. Various phases (weak, strong super diffusion, and normal diffusion) were observed on the time evolution of the probability distribution of the price return separated by different fitting parameters [Phys. Rev. E 99, 062313 (2019)1063-651X10.1103/PhysRevE.99.062313]. After testing the obtained solutions for the S&P500 price return, we found that the local and nonlocal schemes fit the data better than the classic porous media equation.

Objective:  To determine the association between maternal mobile phone use and adverse outcomes in infants, children, and mothers., Method:  In March 202, we conducted a search on the MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases. Data extraction and an assessment of the quality of the studies were performed by two authors. The quality of the studies was assessed using the checklist of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale., Results:  Studies assessing behavioral problems in infants aged 6 to 18 months reported null findings. However, an increased risk of emotional and behavioral disorders was observed in children aged between 7 and 11 years whose mothers had been exposed to cell phones. The findings regarding the association between maternal cell phone exposure and adverse outcomes in children aged 3 to 5 are controversial. A study found a significant association between the call time ( p  = 0.002) or the history of mobile phone use (in months) and speech disorders in the children ( p  = 0.003). However, another study found that maternal cell phone use during pregnancy was not significantly associated with child psychomotor and mental developments. Inconclusive results were observed about the adverse outcomes in fetuses, such as fetal growth restriction or t scores for birth weight in cell phone users as opposed to non-users. On the contrary, the children of mothers who were cell phone users had a lower risk of scoring low on motor skills. Similar results were observed regarding the adverse outcomes of cell phone use in infants, such as fetal growth restriction or low birth weight, and the risk of preeclampsia was lower among subjects with medium and high cell phone exposure, as opposed to those with low exposure., Conclusion:  Studies on behavioral problems have reported different postnatal results, such as null findings among infants and a positive association in children., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interests to declare., (Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

In this paper, we employ the persistent homology (PH) technique to examine the topological properties of fractional Gaussian noise (fGn). We develop the weighted natural visibility graph algorithm, and the associated simplicial complexes through the filtration process are quantified by PH. The evolution of the homology group dimension represented by Betti numbers demonstrates a strong dependency on the Hurst exponent (H). The coefficients of the birth and death curves of the k-dimensional topological holes (k-holes) at a given threshold depend on H which is almost not affected by finite sample size. We show that the distribution function of a lifetime for k-holes decays exponentially and the corresponding slope is an increasing function versus H and, more interestingly, the sample size effect completely disappears in this quantity. The persistence entropy logarithmically grows with the size of the visibility graph of a system with almost H-dependent prefactors. On the contrary, the local statistical features are not able to determine the corresponding Hurst exponent of fGn data, while the moments of eigenvalue distribution (M&#95;{n}) for n≥1 reveal a dependency on H, containing the sample size effect. Finally, the PH shows the correlated behavior of electroencephalography for both healthy and schizophrenic samples.

Objectives: Diagnosing cavitated proximal lesions is important for therapeutic decisions. This clinical study aimed to determine the validity of laser fluorescence (LF) and near-infrared reflection (NIRR) techniques for detecting early proximal cavities., Materials and Methods: The study included 43 proximal surfaces in 15 females who had limited radiolucent lesions in their bitewing radiographs. The approximal areas of interest were assessed by DIAGNOdent Pen (LF) and the Proxi interchangeable head of VistaCam iX intraoral camera (NIRR). Finally, orthodontic separators were placed in the contact points to provide enough space between the teeth. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing cavitated proximal surfaces were calculated for LF and NIRR against direct visual and tactile examination as the reference standard., Results: On the basis of the reference standard, 34 surfaces (79.1%) were not cavitated, whereas 9 surfaces (20.9%) were cavitated and in need of restoration. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of LF were 44.4%, 61.8%, and 58%, and those of NIRR were 88.9%, 14.7%, and 30%, respectively., Conclusions: The VistaCam iX Proxi was more sensitive and DIAGNOdent Pen was more specific in detection of proximal cavities. However, none of the techniques was accurate enough to be recommended as a sole approach for proximal caries detection., Clinical Relevance: LF showed an overall superior diagnostic performance to NIRR for diagnosing proximal cavitation in permanent posterior teeth. Within the limitations of this study, neither VistaCam iX Proxi nor DIAGNOdent Pen could be considered a suitable device for diagnosing proximal cavities., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

The shape of clouds has proven to be essential for classifying them. Our analysis of images from fair weather cumulus clouds reveals that, in addition to turbulence, they are driven by self-organized criticality. Our observations yield exponents that support the fact the clouds, when projected to two dimensions, exhibit conformal symmetry compatible with c=-2 conformal field theory. By using a combination of the Navier-Stokes equation, diffusion equations, and a coupled map lattice, we successfully simulated cloud formation, and obtained the same exponents.

Local anaxonic neurons with graded potential release are important ingredients of nervous systems, present in the olfactory bulb system of mammalians and in the human visual system, as well as in arthropods and nematodes. We develop a neuronal network model including both axonic and anaxonic neurons and monitor the activity tuned by the following parameters: the decay length of the graded potential in local neurons, the fraction of local neurons, the largest eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix, and the range of connections of the local neurons. Tuning the fraction of local neurons, we derive the phase diagram including two transition lines: a critical line separating subcritical and supercritical regions, characterized by power-law distributions of avalanche sizes and durations, and a bifurcation line. We find that the overall behavior of the system is controlled by a parameter tuning the relevance of local neuron transmission with respect to the axonal one. The statistical properties of spontaneous activity are affected by local neurons at large fractions and on the condition that the graded potential transmission dominates the axonal one. In this case the scaling properties of spontaneous activity exhibit continuously varying exponents, rather than the mean-field branching model universality class.

The previous approach of the nonequilibrium Ising model was based on the local temperature in which each site or part of the system has its own specific temperature. We introduce an approach of the two-temperature Ising model as a prototype of the superstatistic critical phenomena. The model is described by two temperatures (T&#95;{1},T&#95;{2}) in a zero magnetic field. To predict the phase diagram and numerically estimate the exponents, we develop the Metropolis and Swendsen-Wang Monte Carlo method. We observe that there is a nontrivial critical line, separating ordered and disordered phases. We propose an analytic equation for the critical line in the phase diagram. Our numerical estimation of the critical exponents illustrates that all points on the critical line belong to the ordinary Ising universality class.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate visual and refractive outcomes and quality of vision after implantation of the AT LISA tri 839MP intraocular lens (IOL)., Patients and Methods: This interventional clinical trial comprised 46 cataractous eyes of patients who underwent phacoemulsification with IOL implantation (mean age of 58.08 ± 11.01 years; range: 36-76 years old). Spherical equivalent (SE), uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), corrected intermediate visual acuity (CIVA), uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), and corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) were measured 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Contrast sensitivity (CS) was measured at 6 months. Subjective quality of vision and presence of dysphotopsia by a short questionnaire were evaluated postoperatively., Results: At 6 months, the mean visual acuity was 0.08 ± 0.11, 0.03 ± 0.08, 0.07 ± 0.09, 0.02 ± 0.08, 0.05 ± 0.09, and 0.02 ± 0.08 LogMAR for UDVA, CDVA, UIVA, CIVA, UNVA, and CNVA, respectively. The mean values of SE were - 0.4728 ± 0.32D. These variables improved over time, yet significant changes were detected in UDVA ( P = 0.009) and SE ( P = 0.0001). The mean CS value was 1.74 ± 0.08. The mean scores (0% = no symptoms; 100% = strong symptoms/unable to perform activities) for glare and halos were 7.07 ± 0.22% and 8.70 ± 0.23%, respectively. These items were reduced over time. Patients' level of satisfaction mean score for performing activities was 96.66%., Conclusions: The AT LISA tri 839MP IOL provides excellent uncorrected distance, intermediate and near vision, and CS. This IOL showed a minimal level of photic phenomena and a high level of patient satisfaction., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Oman Ophthalmic Society.)

We study the sandpile model on three-dimensional spanning Ising clusters with the temperature T treated as the control parameter. By analyzing the three-dimensional avalanches and their two-dimensional projections (which show scale-invariant behavior for all temperatures), we uncover two universality classes with different exponents (an ordinary BTW class, and SOC&#95;{T=∞}), along with a tricritical point (at T&#95;{c}, the critical temperature of the host) between them. The transition between these two criticalities is induced by the transition in the support. The SOC&#95;{T=∞} universality class is characterized by the exponent of the avalanche size distribution τ^{T=∞}=1.27±0.03, consistent with the exponent of the size distribution of the Barkhausen avalanches in amorphous ferromagnets Durin and Zapperi [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4705 (2000)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.84.4705]. The tricritical point is characterized by its own critical exponents. In addition to the avalanche exponents, some other quantities like the average height, the spanning avalanche probability (SAP), and the average coordination number of the Ising clusters change significantly the behavior at this point, and also exhibit power-law behavior in terms of ε≡T-T&#95;{c}/T&#95;{c}, defining further critical exponents. Importantly, the finite-size analysis for the activity (number of topplings) per site shows the scaling behavior with exponents β=0.19±0.02 and ν=0.75±0.05. A similar behavior is also seen for the SAP and the average avalanche height. The fractal dimension of the external perimeter of the two-dimensional projections of avalanches is shown to be robust against T with the numerical value D&#95;{f}=1.25±0.01.

The two-dimensional (zero magnetic field) Ising model is known to undergo a second-order paraferromagnetic phase transition, which is accompanied by a correlated percolation transition for the Fortuin-Kasteleyn (FK) clusters. In this paper we uncover that there exists also a second temperature T&#95;{eb}

We analyze the Standard & Poor's 500 stock market index from the past 22 years. The probability density function of price returns exhibits two well-distinguished regimes with self-similar structure: the first one displays strong superdiffusion together with short-time correlations and the second one corresponds to weak superdiffusion with weak time correlations. Both regimes are well described by q-Gaussian distributions. The porous media equation-a special case of the Tsallis-Bukman equation-is used to derive the governing equation for these regimes and the Black-Scholes diffusion coefficient is explicitly obtained from the governing equation.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) which is observed in 55-94% of the newborns from opioids-taking mothers produces deleterious neurological symptoms. Various pharmacological therapies have been investigated in neonates with NAS. This article reviews all studies on NAS treatment to analyze the duration of treatment, length of hospitalization and possible drug adverse effects. The search was limited to the randomized clinical trials which examined the treatments of neonates with NAS. Scientific databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, ISI Web of Science, Embase and Scopus were systematically searched. Retrieved articles were reviewed by two researchers and evaluated using the JADAD scoring system. Finally, the treatment duration, hospitalization length and drug side-effects were extracted. Methadone, buprenorphine and clonidine were found more effective than morphine. Diluted tincture of opium (DTO) in combination with phenobarbital or clonidine was significantly more effective than DTO alone. Clonidine was a significantly better adjunctive therapy than phenobarbital in reducing morphine treatment days. No significant difference was observed between morphine and DTO effectiveness. Deciding the optimal regimen to manage symptomatic NAS, as a single or an adjunct therapy is not possible based on the literature, due to the low quality, small size and short-term treatment considered in the published studies. Graphical abstract Process of selecting trials included in the present systematic review.

Background: In recent decades, the role of women in the organizations of developed and less developed countries has increased, but little is known about gender gap in salaries of Iranian physicians., Aims: To analyze the gender gap in the salary of physicians working in public health sector of Iran and its predicting factors in 2016., Study Design: Cross sectional study., Methods: Thirty thousand eight hundred and twenty four records about characteristics of study population were extracted from national human resources for health database. Nearest neighborhood matching technique was used to find adjusted differences of salary between male and female physicians. In addition, by using Oaxaca decomposition method, the reasons for the differences were found., Results: The results showed that there was a difference of 117 dollars in monthly salaries of male and female physicians in favor of men. Differences in male and female salaries could be predicted by place of work and residency, type of specialty, type of employment and marital status., Conclusion: Gender gap in physicians’ salaries exists in public health sector of Iran. The payment methods of salaries for men and women should be revised in order to remove the inequalities.

The manipulation of the self-organized critical systems by repeatedly deliberate local relaxations (local smoothing) is considered. During a local smoothing, the grains diffuse to the neighboring regions, causing a smoothening of the height filed over the system. The local smoothings are controlled by a parameter ζ which is related to the number of local smoothening events in an avalanche. The system shows some new (mass and time) scales, leading to some oscillatory behaviors. A bifurcation occurs at some ζ value, above which some oscillations are observed for the mean number of grains, and also in the autocorrelation functions. These oscillations are associated with spanning avalanches which are due to the accumulation of grains in the smoothed system. The analysis of the rare event waiting time confirms also the appearance of a new time scale.

Multi-point probability measures along with the dielectric function of Dirac Fermions in mono-layer graphene containing particle-particle and white-noise (out-plane) disorder interactions on an equal footing in the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac approximation is investigated. By calculating the one-body carrier density probability measure of the graphene sheet, we show that the density fluctuation (ζ -1 ) is related to the disorder strength (n i ), the interaction parameter (r s ) and the average density ([Formula: see text]) via the relation [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] leads to strong density inhomogeneities, i.e. electron-hole puddles (EHPs), in agreement with the previous works. The general equation governing the two-body distribution probability is obtained and analyzed. We present the analytical solution for some limits which is used for calculating density-density response function. We show that the resulting function shows power-law behaviors in terms of ζ with fractional exponents which are reported. The disorder-averaged polarization operator is shown to be a decreasing function of momentum like ordinary 2D parabolic band systems. It is seen that a disorder-driven momentum q ch emerges in the system which controls the behaviors of the screened potential. We show that in small densities an instability occurs in which imaginary part of the dielectric function becomes negative and the screened potential changes sign. Corresponding to this instability, some oscillations in charge density along with a screening-anti-screening transition are observed. These effects become dominant in very low densities, strong disorders and strong interactions, the state in which EHPs appear. The total charge probability measure is another quantity which has been investigated in this paper. The resulting equation is analytically solved for large carrier densities, which admits the calculation of arbitrary-point correlation function.

Novel hybrid nanocomposites based on polyaniline (PANi), hydrolyzed pectin (HPEc) and CdS nanoparticles (NPs) as electrochemiluminescent biomaterials were prepared. The samples were fabricated via heterogeneous chemical polymerization and studied by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, UV/Vis, TGA and DMTA analyses. The CdS@HPEc- g -PANi nanocomposite was produced via in situ coprecipitation of CdS NPs by direct addition of aqueous cadmium nitrate and sodium sulfide solutions into the polymerization system containing PANi and HPEc. The mCdS@HPEc- g -PANi nanocomposite was synthesized via a new two-step surface modification strategy. The as-prepared CdS NPs synthesized via the chemical precipitation method were modified with epichlorohydrin as an organic reagent to obtain modified CdS (mCdS) and subsequently modified with HPEc and polymerized with aniline hydrochloride to produce mCdS@HPEc- g -PANi. The more smooth morphology of the mCdS@HPEc- g -PANi relative to the CdS@HPEc- g -PANi was approved by the SEM images. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses were performed on the samples to evaluate electrochemical properties and the results have indicated the reinforcing effect of the nanoparticles on the electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites. The electrical conductivity measurements by the four probe method have shown a significant increase of electrical conductivity in the presence of the CdS-nanoparticles. The CL experiments confirmed the chemiluminescence effect in the nanocomposites and also higher luminescence intensity for mCdS@HPEc- g -PANi relative to the CdS@HPEc- g -PANi nanocomposite owing to better dispersion of CdS NPs in the former sample., Competing Interests: In accordance with your policy for conflicts of interest, we declare that we don't have any conflict for the interests of this journal and agree with this submission and there are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Objectives: To take a deep look at the challenges of cooperation between the pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency services in the handover of victims of road traffic accidents., Methods: This is a qualitative study and the method used is of content analysis type. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Through purposive sampling, fifteen employees from ambulance personnel and hospital emergency staff were selected and interviewed. They expressed their experiences of cooperation between these two teams in the handover of traffic accident casualties. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analysis method was used to explain and interpret the content of the interviews., Results: Three major categories were derived from the analysis of interviews: Shortage of infrastructure resources (Shortage of equipment, Shortage of physical space, and Shortage of manpower); Inefficient and unscientific management (Shaky accountability, Out-of-date information based activities, Poor motivation, and Manpower low productivity); and Non-common language (Difference in understanding and empathy, and Difference in training and experience)., Conclusions: The obtained results of this study suggest that the careful planning of resources, the promotion of managerial practices as well as empowerment program of the staff, healthcare managers and policymakers can take a pace forward in order to enter into a hearty coordination between these two services for the attention of victims of road traffic accidents., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright by the Universidad de Antioquia.)

Background: Illness and hospitalization are situations that increase the need for assistance and education. Poor education is currently the most common source of patient complaints in the health sector in Iran., Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives and recommendations of nurses to improve patient education., Methods: This research followed a qualitative exploratory design with a qualitative content analysis approach. The study participants, including eight head nurses and 16 staff nurses, were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected through semistructured interviews, focus group sessions, and observations during 2016., Results: Coding and analysis of the data generated one main theme, two subthemes, and four categories. The subthemes were "strengthen total commitment" and "reconstructing the infrastructure," and the categories were "developing motivational factors," "facilitating change by every impetus," "systematizing activities," and "contextual promotion.", Conclusions: Study findings provide a complete picture of patient education and challenge managers to develop new strategies to plan and implement appropriate changes.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most common complications of diabetic patients. Mostly, non-healing DFU leads to infection, gangrene, amputation and even death. High costs and poor healing of the wounds need a new treatment such as alternative medicine. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Aloe vera/ Plantago major gel (Plantavera gel) in healing of DFU., Methods: Forty patients with DFU enrolled in a double-blind randomized clinical trial. The patients who were randomly assigned into the intervention group (n = 20), received topical Plantavera gel in addition to the routine cares, whereas the patients in the control group (n = 20), received topical Placebo gel in addition to the routine cares. Intervention was done twice a day for 4 weeks in the both groups. Photography and an evaluation of DFU healing were conducted by a checklist and then were scored at baseline and at the end of each week. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS software., Results: At the end of the study, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of total ulcer score (P<0.001) and Plantavera gel significantly reduced the ulcer surface comparing with the control group (P=0.039). However, there was not a significant difference between the two groups (P=0.263) in terms of the ulcer depth. During this study, no side effect was observed for Plantavera gel in the intervention group., Conclusion: Topical Plantavera gel seems to be an effective, cheap and safe treatment. Of course, further studies are required to confirm the properties of the wound healing of this gel., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent event after cardiac surgery with increased mortality and morbidity. We explored frequency, risk factors, and associated morbidity and mortality of AKI after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery at a single institution., Methods: All consecutive adults undergoing CABG surgery from March 2013 to October 2016 were assessed for development and severity of AKI based on Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. The patients were also investigated regarding their need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), predictive risk factors, and associated outcomes, including duration of mechanical ventilation, mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay., Results: Of 1737 patients in the study, 275 (15.8%) developed AKI. Twenty-five (12.8%) cases required RRT. Patients with AKI had longer ventilation time, ICU and hospital length of stay (P<0.001). Mortality rates were 28 (10.2%) and 22 (1.5%) in patients with and without AKI, respectively (P<0.001). There was a strong association between advanced age (aOR=1.016, 95% CI=1.002-1.030, P=0.028), diabetes (aOR=1.36, 95% CI=1.022-1.809, P=0.035), on-pump surgery (aOR=2.63, 95% CI=1.543-4.483, P<0.001), transfusion of more than 1 unit of red blood cells (aOR=2.154, 95% CI=1.237-3.753, P=0.007), and prolonged mechanical ventilation and development of AKI (aOR=2.697, 95% CI=1.02407.071, P<0.001). AKI was seen less frequently in those with opium abuse (aOR=0.613, 95% CI=0.409-0.921, P=0.018)., Conclusion: We demonstrated that advanced age, diabetes, on-pump surgery, red blood cell transfusion, and prolonged mechanical ventilation were independent positive risk factors for the development of AKI after isolated CABG while opium abuse was a protective factor.

Background: Migration of physicians from less developed countries to affluent ones has become as one of the major concerns of human resource policy-makers. This leads to problems such as inequity in the distribution of physicians, lack of physicians in less developed areas, as well as an excess of the health workforce in developed environs. Thus, policy-makers aim to increase retention of physicians in their places of origin., Aims: This study aimed to find those effective factors for the retention of physicians in the Islamic Republic of Iran., Methods: 30 569 records of public sector physicians in 2016 were gathered from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education database, and the retention rate of each province was calculated. Geographic information system (GIS) was used to show retention in each province, and linear and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the effective factors for physicians' retention in the country., Results: There was a significant relationship between per capita gross domestic product of each province and its retention rate of physicians (OR = 1.56), retention rate of family physicians (OR = 7.38), and retention rate of specialists (OR = 1.59). In addition, relationships were significant for the human development index (all physicians [OR = 1.22], family physicians [OR = 2.36], and specialists [OR = 1.23]). Married physicians, higher paid physicians, and those who worked in headquarters and clinics showed greater willingness to stay in their area of origin., Conclusions: Physicians' retention rate is dependent on both macro and microlevel factors., (Copyright © World Health Organization (WHO) 2018. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)

Objective: The present research aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian language version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) among postmenopausal women., Material and Methods: This secondary analysis examined 402 healthy postmenopausal Iranian women presenting to healthcare centers across Iran. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The translation of the FSFI and its cross-cultural adaptation were conducted under the guidelines proposed by Beaton. The reliability (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and test-rest reliability) and construct validity confirmatory factor analysis) were assessed. Model fitting index [such as the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), the Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) and the Comparative Fit Index (CFI)] was calculated., Results: The mean age of the study participants was 53.63±7.8 years. Test-retest reliability was high for both the entire scale (r=0.964; p<0.001) and its six dimensions (0.76-0.94; p<0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha of the entire scale and its dimensions was greater than 0.80. The original six-factor was used, which showed a relatively poor fit (χ 2 =667.054; p<0.001; χ 2 /df=4.86; GFI=0.92; RMSEA=0.098; GFI=0.85). After adding three correlated error terms to the six-factor model, an acceptable fit was obtained (χ 2 =470.542; p<0.001; χ 2 /df=3.51; CFI=0.95; RMSEA=0.079; GFI=0.89)., Conclusion: According to our results, the FSFI tool indicated a satisfactory fit for a six-factor model, as similar to the original English version, for use in clinical practice and research regarding healthy postmenopausal Iranian women. More research needs to be conducted on this scale to assess all of its psychometric properties.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can be detected in most of cervical cancers. Due to antiviral, antimutagenic, and proapoptotic activities of myrtle, this study was designed to investigate the effect of a herbal suppository based on myrtle in cervicovaginal HPV infections. This study was performed as a double-blind randomized trial at the Clinic of Traditional Medicine in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences between 2016 and 2017. Sixty women, 18 to 50 years old, with cervicovaginal HPV infection, were included and randomly allocated to two groups. Sixty placebo or herbal vaginal suppositories were prescribed for 3 months (20 suppositories at each menstrual cycle). Each herbal vaginal suppository contained 10% of myrtle aqueous extract and 0.5% of myrtle essential oil. The HPV test and colposcopic findings were evaluated after treatment. There was no difference between two groups as regards lesion site, diagnosis time of disease, and HPV type before intervention (p ≥ 0.05). At the end of the study, the HPV test was negative in 92.6% and 62.6% of the intervention and placebo groups, respectively (p = 0.036). The change in cervical lesion size was 71.4% and 30.4% in the intervention and placebo groups, respectively, based on colposcopic findings (p = 0.015). It seems that herbal suppository can speed up virus clearance and can be effective in treating HPV infection., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral fennel on menopausal symptoms., Material and Methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 50 postmenopausal women in Mashhad (Iran). Patients were randomly divided into two groups of fennel (n=25) and placebo (n=25). Measurements were performed at baseline and after three months using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire., Results: Both placebo and treatment groups revealed significant improvements in the hot flush score (p<0.001 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), night sweats (p=0.007 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), sweating (p=0.002 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), symptoms of anxiety (p=0.05 for fennel and p=0.001 for placebo), feeling depressed (p<0.01 for fennel and p=0.006 for placebo), and impatience with other people (p<0.01 for fennel and p=0.003 for placebo). There were no significant differences in any menopausal symptoms between the fennel and placebo groups, except for coughing and sneezing when urinating (p=0.03)., Conclusion: The failure to indicate a significant effect may have been caused by a high placebo response. It is suggested that future trials should include a placebo run-in phase or design a sequential, parallel study with larger sample sizes to mitigate the placebo effect.

The statistical properties of the carrier density profile of graphene in the ground state in the presence of particle-particle interaction and random charged impurity in zero gate voltage has been recently obtained by Najafi et al. [Phys. Rev. E 95, 032112 (2017)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.95.032112]. The nonzero chemical potential (μ) in gated graphene has nontrivial effects on electron-hole puddles, since it generates mass in the Dirac action and destroys the scaling behaviors of the effective Thomas-Fermi-Dirac theory. We provide detailed analysis on the resulting spatially inhomogeneous system in the framework of the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac theory for the Gaussian (white noise) disorder potential. We show that the chemical potential in this system as a random surface destroys the self-similarity, and also the charge field is non-Gaussian. We find that the two-body correlation functions are factorized to two terms: a pure function of the chemical potential and a pure function of the distance. The spatial dependence of these correlation functions is double logarithmic, e.g., the two-point density correlation behaves like D&#95;{2}(r,μ)∝μ^{2}exp[-(-a&#95;{D}lnlnr^{β&#95;{D}})^{α&#95;{D}}] (α&#95;{D}=1.82, β&#95;{D}=0.263, and a&#95;{D}=0.955). The Fourier power spectrum function also behaves like ln[S(q)]=-β&#95;{S}^{-a&#95;{S}}(lnq)^{a&#95;{S}}+2lnμ (a&#95;{S}=3.0±0.1 and β&#95;{S}=2.08±0.03) in contrast to the ordinary Gaussian rough surfaces for which a&#95;{S}=1 and β&#95;{S}=1/2(1+α)^{-1} (α being the roughness exponent). The geometrical properties are, however, similar to the ungated (μ=0) case, with the exponents that are reported in the text.

Objectives: The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis is the exploration of the potential evidence of the effectiveness of aromatherapy products on the sexual function of menopausal women., Methods: From inception to December 2017, the search process was performed using the MEDLINE and Scopus databases and the Cochrane Library regarding the trials on the effectiveness of herbal-medicine aromatherapy on the sexual function of menopausal women., Results: Three of the trials comprise suitable data for inclusion in the meta-analysis. According to the meta-analysis, it is possible to improve the standardized mean difference (SMD) of the sexual desire up to 0.56 in the aromatherapy group compared with the control group (SMD = 0.56; P < 0.001; heterogeneity; I 2 = 42%; P = 0.141). According to one of the trials, the serum-estrogen level of two different doses did not change in the neroli oil inhalation group compared with the almond-oil group., Conclusions: Both aromatherapy with neroli oil or lavender (monopreparation) and combined-oil aromatherapy with lavender, fennel, geranium, and rose significantly improved human sexual function; however, a significant change of the serum-estrogen level was not detected. The findings of the present review should be presented cautiously because of the corresponding limitations such as the lack of a standardized tool, the lack of intention-to-treat reporting, the low study amount, and the short-term follow-up., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Objectives: The aim of the present study is the systematic and critical investigation of the effectiveness of fennel on the climacteric symptoms among menopausal females., Methods: A search of the trials studying the effect of fennel on menopausal females was conducted in 2017 using the MEDLINE and Scopus databases and the Cochrane Library with the following keywords: fennel, Foeniculum vulgare , and menopause., Results: Fennel combined with officinalis is more effective in the attenuating of sleep disorders compared to Citalopram. The comparison of these two groups regarding the mean bone mineral density and bone mineral content ( P = 0.14, P = 0.504); the total hip femoral ( P = 0.42, P = 0.66); the trochanter ( P = 0.075, P = 0.07); the intertrochanter ( P = 0.84, P = 0.93); and the femoral neck ( P = 0.43, P = 0.64) did not show any significant statistical differences; however, a statistically significant difference regarding the vasomotor symptoms ( P < 0.01) was found. The other significant differences are related to the values of the total cholesterol ( P = 0.103); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C ( P = 0.104); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL-C ( P = 0.266); triglyceride ( P = 0.679); body weight ( P = 0.212); body mass index ( P = 0.041); waist and hip circumferences ( P = 0.365); and fat distribution ( P = 0.337) between the two groups. The standardized mean difference (SMD) values of sexual activity (SMD = 0.638; P < 0.001), and maturation value (SMD = 0.601; P = 0.003) are highly significant among the fennel-treated women compared with the placebo group., Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, fennel is important in the relieving of vasomotor symptoms, vaginal itching, dryness, dyspareunia, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and sleep distribution., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

The self-avoiding walk on the square site-diluted correlated percolation lattice is considered. The Ising model is employed to realize the spatial correlations of the metric space. As a well-accepted result, the (generalized) Flory's mean-field relation is tested to measure the effect of correlation. After exploring a perturbative Fokker-Planck-like equation, we apply an enriched Rosenbluth Monte Carlo method to study the problem. To be more precise, the winding angle analysis is also performed from which the diffusivity parameter of Schramm-Loewner evolution theory (κ) is extracted. We find that at the critical Ising (host) system, the exponents are in agreement with Flory's approximation. For the off-critical Ising system, we find also a behavior for the fractal dimension of the walker trace in terms of the correlation length of the Ising system ξ(T), i.e., D&#95;{F}^{SAW}(T)-D&#95;{F}^{SAW}(T&#95;{c})∼1/sqrt[ξ(T)].

In many situations we are interested in the propagation of energy in some portions of a three-dimensional system with dilute long-range links. In this paper, a sandpile model is defined on the three-dimensional small-world network with real dissipative boundaries and the energy propagation is studied in three dimensions as well as the two-dimensional cross-sections. Two types of cross-sections are defined in the system, one in the bulk and another in the system boundary. The motivation of this is to make clear how the statistics of the avalanches in the bulk cross-section tend to the statistics of the dissipative avalanches, defined in the boundaries as the concentration of long-range links (α) increases. This trend is numerically shown to be a power law in a manner described in the paper. Two regimes of α are considered in this work. For sufficiently small αs the dominant behavior of the system is just like that of the regular BTW, whereas for the intermediate values the behavior is nontrivial with some exponents that are reported in the paper. It is shown that the spatial extent up to which the statistics is similar to the regular BTW model scales with α just like the dissipative BTW model with the dissipation factor (mass in the corresponding ghost model) m^{2}∼α for the three-dimensional system as well as its two-dimensional cross-sections.