Northeast Of Iran Research Articles

Integration of a solar pond in a salt work in Sabzevar in Northeast Iran

The process of salt manufacture in a salt work in Sabzevar in Northeast Iran is presented. A multi-faceted application to integrate a salinity gradient solar pond as part of the salt work process is presented addressing the reduction of parasitic energy losses such as the energy used for salt rock crushing and saving the amount of fossil fuel (natural gas) needed for brine heating. The solar pond with an area of 100 × 100 m2 and depth of 3 m is proposed to be constructed on the site of salt work. A partitioning wall with some opening heights equal to the desired position of the interface of lower convective (LCZ) and non-convective zones (NCZ) in its lower section, divides part of the area of this pond, say 5 percent or 500 m2. The separated area is designated to act as a salt charger and salt storage. The rock salt deposited in the salt charger dissolves into the LCZ of the pond and produces hot saturated brine solution. Results indicate that 100 tons of pure salt may be obtained from the extraction of 320 m3 of hot saturated brine consisting of 73 wt% water and 27 wt% salt. This is the nominated daily salt production of the factory. The proposed system will help to streamline the process of salt manufacture and reduce the environmental footprint.Using locally available meteorological data of Sabzevar, it is shown that such a pond may produce hot brine at an average temperature of 65 °C in summer and 37 °C in wintertime with a loading of 20% of the input irradiation. The gradient zone of the pond may be setup by placing a layer of low salinity water over saturated brine, allowing for salt diffusion to take place. Formation of large amplitude surface waves increases the salt diffusion and a salinity profile will develop in few months.A parametric study was performed to assess the enviro and economic effects of the proposed 10,000 m2 solar pond. The amount of fresh water to be injected to the solar pond is calculated to compensate for evaporation of pond surface as well as production of concentrated brine containing 100 tons of salt per day. Computer simulation shows that about 59,000 MJ/day thermal energy may be extracted from the pond in June. This is equal to a saving of about 1,576 kg/day of methane. Considering the price of methane this would be a financial saving of 283 $/day. The rate of reduction in CO2 emission is estimated to be 4,335 kg/day in June. Considering a carbon price of 30 $/ton, the above reduction in CO2 will be equivalent to savings of 130 $/day related to the environment. These calculations are extended to all months of the year and results presented.For demonstration, feasibility of using an existing old cylindrical fuel storage tank (2,000 m3, 3.3 m deep) as a container for a 600 m2 outdoor solar pond nearby the factory buildings, is proposed for pilot study. The shading effect is examined by scaling down a 3D model of the reservoir and its adjacent buildings for different months of the year, using Helidon device available at RMIT University of Australia. According to the simulation performed, it seems that the presence of buildings around the fuel tank does not have a significant shading effect on the surface of the demonstration solar pond.

Epidemiological Study on the Causes of Mortality Among Children Aged 5-14 Years in the Northeast of Iran in 2013- 2019: A Descriptive Study

Background and aims: To identify the pattern and causes of death and to deal with them are among the most appropriate strategies to increase human life expectancy. The pattern of death in society must be identified to cope with the causes of premature deaths. The aim of this study was to epidemiologically investigate the causes of death in people aged 5-14 years in northeastern Iran. Methods: Data on the deaths of people aged 5-14 years from Khorasan Razavi province during 2013- 2019, drawn from the Causes of Mortality Classification System of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, were used to conduct the study. Results: Data on 2084 deaths were examined, of which 824 (40.04%) occurred in girls. The number of deaths was 976 (53.83%) and 1108 (46.17%) in the age group of 5-9 and 10-14, respectively. Traffic accidents, cancers, external causes (unexpected events), and circulatory system diseases were found as the main causes of death. Among the cancers, lymphoid leukemia, malignant brain tumors, and myeloid leukemia (18%, 12%, and 7%, respectively) were the most common cancers, leading to death. In rural areas, unexpected events (20%) were the leading cause of death, followed by traffic accidents and cancers (19% and 13%, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, the mortality rate in children aged 5-14 years due to traffic accidents and unexpected events (suffocation, burns, and the like) seems to be substantially higher in Iran compared to some developing countries and some neighboring countries such as Turkey. Given the possibility of taking preventive measures in this regard, it is necessary to develop policies to reduce the mortality rate in the age group.

Investigation of microplastic pollution in Torghabeh River sediments, northeast of Iran

Rivers are the route of transfer of microplastics from upstream to downstream areas and seas. Microplastic tracing in river sediments can provide a better reflection of long-term microplastic pollution. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of microplastic contamination in the Torghabeh River sediments in Khorasan Razavi (Iran). Sediment samples were collected from four sites along the river. Microplastic particles were classified according to type, shape, and color. The average microplastic concentration was 8 ± 2.82 particles per 100 g of dry sediments. Most of the microplastics detected in river sediments were in the form of filaments and fragments. A total of 32 polymers were identified and isolated from sediments. According to Raman spectroscopy results, polystyrene had the highest abundance compared to polyester, polyethylene, and other polymers. The predominant shape of the microplastics in the river sediment was filament and fragmented. It can be concluded that the areas that were exposed to human activity contained more microplastic contamination. The present investigation can also provide baseline information for the study of riverine ecosystems.

Domestic violence experienced by women with multiple sclerosis: a study from the North-East of Iran

IntroductionViolence against women is a significant health and legal problem and has been declared as a health priority by the World Health Organization. The most common type of violence against women is domestic violence, more prevalent against women with disabilities than other women. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological disease and has experienced sudden growth in Iran. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of domestic violence and its various types (psychological, economic, physical, and sexual) experienced by women with MS.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 275 married women with MS were selected using convenience sampling. After obtaining informed consent and reviewing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the Domestic Violence against Women Questionnaire developed by Mohseni Tabrizi et al. was completed by the participants on a self-report basis. The results were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. To analyze data, statistical tests including chi-square and Fisher exact tests for univariate analysis and logistic regression, were employed.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 37.12 ± 8.48 years. Domestic violence in different forms of psychological, economic, physical, and sexual violence was present in 53.1%, 63%, 33.6%, and 20.4% of participants, respectively. Economic violence (33.8%) was the highest, and sexual violence (5.1%) was the lowest rate of severe violence among participants. There was a significant relationship between the overall rate of domestic violence and the variables including income (P = 0.013), spouse’s income (P = 0.001), participant’s job (P = 0.036) and participant’s education (P = 0.001). In logistic regression, the overall rate of domestic violence was higher in participants with education less than a diploma than in participants with a diploma (P = 0.014) and participants with a university education (P = 0.016).ConclusionAccording to the results, providing opportunities such as promoting the social status of women, fulfilling the rights of women with disabilities and debilitating diseases such as MS in society is recommended. Additionally, educating men about the negative impact of domestic violence on the current and future status of the family seems necessary. Providing counseling facilities on various forms of violence, especially domestic violence, for women with MS, is also recommended.

Presence of Thysanoptera Species in the Urban Green Spaces of Iran: New Records Along with Illustrated Type Specimens

We present a list of Thysanoptera species found in the Mashhad metropolitan region (north-east of Iran). A total of 24 sampling sites were set up on Pinus mugo Turra and Platycladus orientalis (L.), two ornamental trees important commonly found in urban areas, to better understand the fauna and distribution of thrips populations. Thysanoptera fauna consists of 13 species in eight genera, two subfamilies and three families, of which three have never been recorded in Razavi Khorasan province. In terms of species, the highest number of species belonged to the family Thripidae. The present study tentatively suggested that P. mugo and P. orientalis attract most species of adult thrips (Thysanoptera) but do not support reproduction. We examined and illustrated the types of eleven of currently accepted synonyms of Haplothrips reuteri (Karny, 1907), H. subtilissimus (Haliday, 1852), Aptinothrips rufus (Haliday, 1836), Chirothrips africanus Priesner, 1932, C. manicatus (Haliday, 1836), Thrips atratus Haliday, 1836, and T. vulgatissimus Haliday, 1836, together with information on distributions and diagnosis that are useful for recognising each species. The purpose of this study is to fill in the knowledge gaps regarding the distribution of Thysanoptera in the diverse urban green spaces (UGSs).

Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) applied to evaluating the forest management approaches

The study mainly aims at looking into the disparities in beneficiary’s socio-economic status between the areas without implementation of forestry plans and the areas where forestry plans had initially been available even though they have recently been terminated as well. Babol Roud forestry plan is located in Lafoor forest area in the Babol County, the Mazandaran Province, Northeast Iran. This research was divided into three steps: first of all, by making use of Cochran’s formula, we identified the number of participants. Later on, the Delphi method was employed in order to determine criteria and subcriteria through the questionnaires. From then on, Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) was used to quantify the criteria that were weighted by experts’ viewpoints through the planned questionnaires. By adopting the Fuzzy Forests method, we found out that the economic, environmental, social and managerial criteria are most prominent. Forestry project staff’s income was in the highest relative weight (0.23) based on participant’s viewpoint. Most of the participants in the study did not give their consent to the forestry plan suspension due to the inevitably forthcoming economic and environmental problems ahead. Instead, they strongly underlined the need to go into immediate action such as revising the former plans as well as constant stream of close attention to the plan execution details of the ongoing process. Eventually, developing a new policy and using alternative forest management strategies that would meet the needs of all various stakeholders have been recommended.

Geospatial analysis of cesarean section in Iran (2016–2020): exploring clustered patterns and measuring spatial interactions of available health services

BackgroundThe lives of babies and mothers are at risk due to the uneven distribution of healthcare facilities required for emergency cesarean sections (CS). However, CS without medical indications might cause complications for mothers and babies, which is a global health problem. Identifying spatiotemporal variations of CS rates in each geographical area could provide helpful information to understand the status of using CS services.MethodsThis cross-sectional study explored spatiotemporal patterns of CS in northeast Iran from 2016 to 2020. Space–time scan statistics and spatial interaction analysis were conducted using geographical information systems to visualize and explore patterns of CS services.ResultsThe temporal analysis identified 2017 and 2018 as the statistically significant high clustered times in terms of CS rate. Five purely spatial clusters were identified that were distributed heterogeneously in the study region and included 14 counties. The spatiotemporal analysis identified four clusters that included 13 counties as high-rate areas in different periods. According to spatial interaction analysis, there was a solid spatial concentration of hospital facilities in the political center of the study area. Moreover, a high degree of inequity was observed in spatial accessibility to CS hospitals in the study area.ConclusionsCS Spatiotemporal clusters in the study area reveal that CS use in different counties among women of childbearing age is significantly different in terms of location and time. This difference might be studied in future research to identify any overutilization of CS or lack of appropriate CS in clustered counties, as both put women at risk. Hospital capacity and distance from population centers to hospitals might play an essential role in CS rate variations and spatial interactions among people and CS facilities. As a result, some healthcare strategies, e.g., building new hospitals and empowering the existing local hospitals to perform CS in areas out of service, might be developed to decline spatial inequity.

Assessing Machine Learning-Based Prediction under Different Agricultural Practices for Digital Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon and Available Phosphorus

Predicting soil chemical properties such as soil organic carbon (SOC) and available phosphorus (Ava-P) content is critical in areas where different land uses exist. The distribution of SOC and Ava-P is influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. This study aimed at (1) predicting SOC and Ava-P in a piedmont plain of Northeast Iran using the Random Forests (RF) and Cubist mathematical models and hybrid models (Regression Kriging), (2) comparing the models’ results, and (3) identifying the key variables that influence the spatial dynamics of soil SOC and Ava-P under different agricultural practices. The machine learning models were trained with 201 composite surface soil samples and 24 ancillary data, including climate (C), organism (O), topography- relief (R), parent material (P) and key soil features (S) according to the SCORPAN digital soil mapping framework, which can predictively represent soil formation factors spatially. Clay, one of the most critical soil properties with a well-known relationship to SOC, was the most important predictor of SOC, followed by open-access multispectral satellite images-based vegetation and soil indices. Ava-P had a similar set of effective variables. Hybrid approaches did not improve model accuracy significantly, but they did reduce map uncertainty. In the validation set, Ava-P was calculated using the RF algorithm with a normalized root mean square (NRMSE) of 96.8, while SOC was calculated using the Cubist algorithm with an NRMSE of 94.2. These values did not change when using the hybrid technique for Ava-P; however, they changed just by 1% for SOC. The management of SOC content and the supply of Ava-P in agricultural activities can be guided by SOC and Ava-P digital distribution maps. Produced digital maps in which the soil scientist plays an active role can be used to identify areas where concentrations are high and need to be protected, where uncertainty is high and sampling is required for further monitoring.

Environmental impact assessment and efficiency of cotton: the case of Northeast Iran

Environmental impact assessment and efficiency of cotton: the case of Northeast Iran

How do I deal with breast cancer: a qualitative inquiry into the coping strategies of Iranian women survivors

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most frequent cancer in Iran. Understanding the coping strategies employed by cancer survivors can provide valuable information for designing interventions to help them adapt to the problems produced by cancer and its treatment. This study aimed to explore the coping strategies of BC survivors in Iran.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted in Mashhad, Northeast Iran, between April and December 2021. Fourteen BC survivors were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis adopted by Graneheim and Lundman. MAXQDA 12 software was used for data organization. Components of trustworthiness, including credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability, were considered.ResultsThe main categories that emerged from the participants' data analysis were “behavioral coping strategies” and “emotional coping strategies.” Behavioral coping strategies included efforts to adopt healthy nutrition, attempts to improve a healthy lifestyle, maintenance of everyday activities, use of specialized cancer support consultation services, and seeking to increase health literacy about BC. The emotional coping strategies consisted of denial as a temporary escape route, positive thinking and focusing on the positive aspects of life, reinforcement of spirituality, and seeking the support of relatives.ConclusionOur findings provide an in-depth understanding of Iranian women’s strategies for coping with BC. A trained team of oncologists, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, and reproductive health specialists needs to contribute significantly to improving the coping ability of patients with cancer, which could lead to enhanced health promotion and a higher quality of life.

Genome survey of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) accessions revealed by Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is the only cultivated and commercially important species in the genus Pistacia, consisting of a deciduous, dioeciously and wind-pollinated at least 11 tree species. Pistacia vera is native to north Afghanistan, northeast Iran, and central Asian republics. To investigate the genetic diversity of pistachio (Pistacia vera), we genotyped 30 cultivars of this species using 10 Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers. The SCoT markers generated 9-25 alleles (155 in total) with an average of 16 per locus. The highest value of percentage polymorphism (61.99%) was observed in Ghafori Rafsanjan (cultivars No.27) which shows high value for gene diversity (0.42) and Shanon, information index (0.39). Genotype Shahpasand (Pust Ghermez) (No.10) has the lowest value for percentage of polymorphism (20%) and the lowest value for Shanon, information index (0.15), and He (0.010). Genetic similarity values obtained from Dice’s coefficient ranged from 0.66 (between Akbari (Pust Ghermez) and Badami Dishkalaghi) to 0.88 (between populations Menghar Kalaghi and Kaleghochi (Pust Ghermez). The main objectives of this study were to assess the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of pistachio cultivars in Iran. These results could benefit Irainian pistachio germplasm collection, conservation and future breeding.

The First Occurrence of Hepatitis-Hydropericardium Syndrome in Iran and Effective Applied Control Measures in the Affected Commercial Broiler Flock.

Fowl adenoviruses cause three economically important diseases in broiler chicken flocks: hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome (HHS), inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), and adenoviral gizzard erosion. IBH has not been considered a serious threat in northeast Iran since the last decade, because no major effect on flock performance has been noticed along with a low mortality rate. During this period, all the sporadic IBH outbreaks have also been investigated for HHS without finding any confirmed case. In March 2021, a 15-day-old commercial broiler flock in northeast Iran showed a 50% mortality rate, and birds underwent postmortem examination, histopathology, molecular testing, and phylogenetic analysis for possible disease agents. Typical gross lesions of HHS were observed postmortem that included hydropericardium with an unusual accumulation of jelly-like and straw-colored fluid in the pericardial sac (without right ventricular failure); petechial or ecchymotic hemorrhages on the myocardium, myocardial valves, and endocardium; and discolored and mottled liver along with small white foci and petechial or ecchymotic hemorrhages. Histopathologic analysis showed necrosis of hepatocytes and basophilic inclusion bodies in the livers. The molecular tests performed for detection of fowl adenovirus (FAdV), H5 avian influenza virus, Newcastle disease virus, avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), H9N2, chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV), infectious bursal disease (IBD) virus, Marek's disease virus, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and Mycoplasma synoviae turned out positive for FAdV, CIAV, IBD vaccine virus, and IBV serotypes 793B and variant I. The phylogenetic tree based on the hexon gene loop 1 demonstrated a FAdV serotype 4 (FAdV-4) that was identical to Pakistani isolate PARC-1/98. Because it was the first detection of a FAdV-4 in Iran, the stamping out program was applied immediately on the basis of HHS gross lesions and positive PCR reaction on pericardial jelly-like fluid. It seems that this eradication strategy was successful because no outbreaks were noticed for 2 mo after the initial outbreak. It was concluded that the use of gross pathologic baselines, quick diagnosis of disease, and close collaboration between governmental and private sectors were the critical factors that helped locally control the first occurrence of HHS in Iran.

Abstract 729: Meat consumption and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer in the Golestan Cohort Study

Abstract Background: An association between red and processed meat and esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC) has been suggested. Northern Iran is one of the most burdened countries by these malignancies. This study aims to investigate the effect exerted by different meat types on both EC and GC, including their subtypes, in a high risk population. Methods: Golestan cohort study (GCS) is a population-based cohort of 50,045 individuals aged 40-75 years from northeast Iran. The participants were selected by random sampling of people without a history of upper-GI cancer. Detailed data on different exposures were collected upon enrolment using validated questionnaires, in particular a 116-item food frequency questionnaire was specifically designed and validated for this population and was used to assess dietary habits among the cohort. Total meat items included unprocessed red meat (lamb, beef, and hamburger), organ meat (liver, kidney and heart), processed meat (sausage and deli meat), white meat (chicken and fish). For the analysis, a term for total red meat intake was created including the first three types of meat. We considered quintiles of meat consumption, using grams and density (g/total kcal). The outcomes were EC, carcinoma of the lower third of the esophagus, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), GC, cardia GC and non-cardia GC. We used proportional hazards regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% CIs for the association between meat types and cancers. Results: The cohort reported a mean intake of 18.4 g/day (95% CI=17.8-18.6) for total red meat, and 72.1 g/day (95% CI=70.3-73.8) for white meat. These values correspond to an intake density of 8.11 g per 1000 kcal (95% CI=8.05-8.19) and 32.3 g (95% CI= 32.0-32.5) per 1000 kcal for total red and white meat respectively. Of 49,585 participants included in the analyses after 12 year mean follow-up, 369 developed EC, including 141 cases of the lower esophagus, 309 ESCC cases and 20 EAC, and 368 developed GC, of whom 216 cardia and 97 non-cardia. No association was found for EC except for red meat among women (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.00-1.27 for one-quintile increase in intake). The risk of GC was increased for total red meat (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.17) and red meat intake separately (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.18). These trends were stronger among men, non-cardia GC, and red meat (HR 1.23, 95% CI=1.02-1.48). Cooking type did not influence the risk of developing any cancer, while we observed strong associations between red meat unprocessed and overall and GC among opium users, suggesting an effect modification. Conclusions: Red meat intake is associated to GC, but not EC. Other types of meat show no relation. Lifestyle habits such as opium use can increase this risk of GC in high meat consumers. Citation Format: Giulia Collatuzzo, Arash Etemadi, Farin Kamangar, Abnet Christian, Sandy Dawsey, Paul Brennan, Masoud Sotoudeh, Hossein Poutschi, Masoud Khoshnia, Akram Pourshams, Reza Malekzadeh, Paolo Boffetta. Meat consumption and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer in the Golestan Cohort Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 729.

Tetrahydrobiopterin responsiveness in Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficient patients from North-east of Iran: Genotype-phenotype correlation, identification of a novel mutation and 7 new responsive genotypes

Phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme defects result in a hereditary metabolic disorder called phenylketonuria. Sapropterin (tetrahydrobiopterin) is one of the treatment strategies for this disorder. Even though a correlation between genotype and BH4 responsiveness was established by earlier studies, a subset of mutations often presented inconsistent responses and/or phenotypes. Different genetic background is one of the potential reasons for this fact.In this study, the genotype of a total of 34 PAH deficient patients from Khorasan-Razavi providence in the north-east of Iran was obtained. Among this patients, 21 individuals took the 24 h and 48 h BH4 loading test and if the result was positive, their Phenylalanine tolerance was assessed. It is the first study of its type in patients from Iran to evaluate genotype role in predicting the most probable responsive individuals.The known pathogenic variant p.R169P and the novel variant p. Leu72_Asp75delinsTyr were first classified as responsive.Seven genotypes were reported as responsive for the first time. All patients carrying at least one pathogenic variant, which was previously reported as BH4 responsive, respond to BH4. Three patients with p.L48S, p.R261Q and p.A309V pathogenic variants were exceptions. There was no certain statistical correlation between genotype and response. Genotype and phenotype were significantly correlated and majority of patients with mild phenotype carried at least one non-null pathogenic variant.In Khorasan-Razavi province of Iran, patients with at least one non-null mutation are most probable to demonstrate mild phenotype and respond to BH4 phenotype.

A country-wide assessment of Iran's land subsidence susceptibility using satellite-based InSAR and machine learning

Land subsidence (LS), which mainly results from poor watershed management, is a complex and nonlinear phenomenon. In the present study, LS at a country-wide assessment of Iran was mapped by using several geo-environmental conditioning factors (namely, altitude, slope degree and aspect, plan and profile curvature, distance from a river, road or fault, rainfall, geology and land use) into a machine learning algorithm-based artificial neural network (ANN), and a powerful group method of data handling (GMDH). The total dataset includes historical LS and non-LS locations, identified by the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). The whole dataset was divided into two subsets at a ratio of 70:30 for training and validating the model, respectively. ANN- and GMDH-based LS maps were evaluated using receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves. The information gain ratio (IGR) was calculated to determine the relative importance of the conditioning factors. The results showed that all of the considered factors contributed significantly to the LS mapping in Iran, with geology having the strongest impact. According to the ROC curve analysis, both ANN and GMDH-based LS maps were accurate, but the map obtained by the GMDH approach had a higher accuracy than that of ANN. Southwestern, northeastern and some parts of the central region of Iran were shown to be susceptible to LS in the future. According to the GMDH susceptibility map, 10% of Iran exhibits high or very high susceptibility to LS in the future. The provinces of Hamedan and Khouzestan had the highest percentage of areas at risk of LS. According to the InSAR deformation map, 39%, 20%, 25%, 13% and 3% of the investigated areas are subject to a yearly LS of −1 to −2.5, −2.5 to −5, −5 to −7.5, −7.5 to −10 and −10 to −20 cm, respectively. The province of Razavi Khorasan in the northeast of Iran had the largest area (about 3500 km2) vulnerable to LS occurrence. Based on the LS susceptibility map, the provinces of Ardebil, Kurdistan, West and East Azerbaijan, Sistan and Baluchistan and Kermanshah, although not currently undergoing a high rate of LS, will be at high risk of severe LS in the future.

Lead poisoning among asymptomatic individuals with a long-term history of opiate use in Golestan Cohort Study.

Recent reports of lead poisoning suggest that people who use opium may be exposed to high amounts of lead. Here, we investigate the association between opium use and blood lead levels (BLL) in a population-based cohort study. In 2017, we studied a random sample of 410 people who currently (both within the past year and the past month) used opium and 104 who did not from participants of the Golestan Cohort Study in northeast Iran. Participants were stratified by sex and tobacco use history, completed a comprehensive opiate and tobacco use questionnaire and provided blood. BLL was measured by Lead Care® IIBlood Lead Test Kit, validated by inductively coupled plasma triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. BLL was categorized as "<5 µg/dL", "elevated" (5-10 µg/dL), "high" (10-50 µg/dL), and "very high" (above 50 µg/dL). To assess the association between BLL categories and opiate use, route of consumption and weekly use, we used ordered logistic regression models, and report OR (odds ratio) and 95% CI (confidence interval) adjusted for age, sex, place of residence, education, occupation, household fuel type, and tobacco use. In the cohort, participants used only raw (teriak) or refined (shireh) opium, which were smoked (45%, n=184), taken orally (46%, n=189), or both (9%, n=37), for a mean duration of 24.2 (standard deviation: 11.6) years. The median BLL was significantly higher in people who currently used opium (11.4 µg/dL; IQR: 5.2-23.4) compared with those who did not (2.3 µg/dL; IQR: 2.3-4.2), and the highest median BLL was seen in oral use (21.7 µg/dL; IQR: 12.1-34.1). The BLL was <5 µg/dL among 79.8% of people with no opiate use, compared with only 22.7% in those using opium. BLL was elevated in 21.7%, high in 50.5% and very high in 5.1% of people using opium. About 95% of those with oral (180/189) or dual use (35/37) and 55% (102/184) of those who smoked opium had levels of blood lead above 5 µg/dL. The OR for the association between any opium use and each unit of increase in BLL category was 10.5 (95%CI: 5.8-19.1), and oral use of opium was a very strong predictor of increasing BLL category (OR=74.1; 95%CI: 35.1-156.3). This odds ratio was 38.8 (95%CI: 15.9-95.1) for dual use and 4.9 (95%CI: 2.6-9.1) for opium smoking. There was an independent dose-response association between average weekly dose and BLL among people using opium, overall and when stratified by route of use. Our results indicate that regular use of lead-adulterated opium can expose individuals to high levels of lead, which may contribute to mortality and cancer risks associated with long-term opium use.

Changes in plant biodiversity facets of rocky outcrops and their surrounding rangelands across precipitation and soil gradients

Climate and soil factors induce substantial controls over plant biodiversity in stressful ecosystems. Despite of some studies on plant biodiversity in extreme ecosystems including rocky outcrops, simultaneous effects of climate and soil factors have rarely been studied on different facets of biodiversity including taxonomic and functional diversity in these ecosystems. In addition, we know little about plant biodiversity variations in such extreme ecosystems compared to natural environments. It seems that environmental factors acting in different spatial scales specifically influence some facets of plant biodiversity. Therefore, we studied changes in taxonomic and functional diversity along precipitation and soil gradients in both landscapes (i) rocky outcrops and (ii) their nearby rangeland sites in northeast of Iran. In this regard, we considered six sites across precipitation and soil gradients in each landscape, and established 90 1m2 quadrates in them (i.e. 15 quadrats in each site; 15 × 6 = 90 in each landscape). Then, taxonomic and functional diversity were measured using RaoQ index, FDis and CWM indices. Finally, we assessed impacts of precipitation and soil factors on biodiversity indices in both landscapes by performing regression models and variation partitioning procedure. The patterns of taxonomic diversity similarly showed nonlinear changes along the precipitation and soil factors in both landscapes (i.e. outcrop and rangeland). However, we found a more negative and significant trends of variation in functional diversity indices (except for CWMSLA) across precipitation and soil factors in outcrops than their surrounding rangelands. Variations of plant biodiversity were more explained by precipitation factors in surrounding rangelands, whereas soil factors including organic carbon had more consistent and significant effects on plant biodiversity in outcrops. Therefore, our results represent important impacts of soil factors in structuring plant biodiversity facets in stressful ecosystems. While, environmental factors acting in regional and broad scales such as precipitation generally shape vegetation and plant biodiversity patterns in natural ecosystems. We can conclude that rocky outcrops provide suitable microenvironments to present plant species with similar yields that are less able to be present in rangeland ecosystems.

Patients’ Sense of Security in Shahroud (Northeast Iran) Hospitals

Background: Sense of security is a psychosocial phenomenon that can impact the satisfaction and health of individuals. This study aimed to determine the factors that can affect the patient's sense of security. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 800 patients from governmental and nongovernmental hospitals were randomly selected in 2018 using an 84-item questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score obtained in dimensions of provided services was 41.63±9.95, psychological factors 27.44±5.68, financial factors 13.23±4.06 discipline factors 13.62±4.10, provided clinical services 87.11±16.81, and hoteling factors 74.64±16.79. Overall scores categorization showed 18(2.2), 144(18.0), and 638(79.8%) had a poor, moderate, and good sense of security, respectively. Chi-square test showed a significant association between patients' sense of security levels and the type of hospitals (P = 0.001). The overall satisfaction score for patients was 22.23±5.79. There was a significant relationship between patients’ satisfaction and their sense of security. In the final model, the medical and hoteling factors had the greatest impact on patients’ sense of security. Conclusion: Regarding the mutual effect of the sense of security and patients’ satisfaction and noticing that more than 20% of the patients had moderate and low levels of sense of security, paying more attention to hoteling factors and providing more insurance protection to the low-income strata can play a major role in improving patients’ sense of security.

Scrutinizing Famine Disaster Based On Rainfall Trend Investigation (A Case Study of Khorasan Razavi Province)

Rainfall is one of the most important components of the hydrological cycle. The importance of rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions is more apparent. Due to the important role of rainfall trend assessment in the proper management of water resources, in the present study, Khorasan Razavi province, the second-most populous province of Iran located in the northeast of the country, for this purpose was studied. Currently, this region is facing water shortage problems. In this study, the non-parametric Mann-Kendall method was used to evaluate the annual rainfall trend over a thirty-year period from 1989 to 2019. On the other hand, Sen's slope estimator method was used to determine the magnitude of the rainfall trend in the studied synoptic and rain gauge stations. The results showed that the root of water shortage problems is not due to drastic changes in rainfall. Therefore, water shortage problems in Khorasan Razavi province are mainly due to a lack of proper management (i.e., mismanagement). The present study, by examining the rainfall trend using an appropriate framework, tried to take an effective step towards improving the management of water resources in the northeast of Iran.

A Major Medieval Earthquake on the Main Köpetdag (Kopeh Dagh) Fault, Turkmenistan

ABSTRACTThe Main Köpetdag fault (MKDF) of Turkmenistan is one of the longest (≈500 km) and the most rapidly straining (9.1 ± 1.3 mm/yr) faults of the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone, and yet, in contrast to adjacent parts of Turkmenistan and Iran, it has little in the way of observed seismicity. Field observations indicate a fresh paleorupture along an ≈100 km long section of the MKDF with abundant streams offset across it. We use WorldView-2 optical satellite imagery to measure geomorphic offsets and compile them into a cumulative offset probability density (COPD) function. The COPD yields two peaks in offset density at 7.5 ± 1.5 and 12.5 ± 1.5 m, when considering the highest and the lowest quality measurements, whereas the medium-quality measurements present a single peak at 9 ± 3 m. We are unable to separate peaks into distinct events when exploring the contributions of offset measurements along strike that have significant variability. The paleorupture displaces archaeological remains, including extensive field boundaries of likely medieval age, and a paleoseismic trench brackets the age of the most recent displacement at 600–800 yr B.P. From our measurements of displacement, we estimate that the most recent paleoearthquake had a moment magnitude (Mw) 7.6 ± 0.4 and yet is missing from earthquake records in nearby Iran, indicating that the paucity of historical earthquakes in Turkmenistan may be misleading. The Baharly, Döwgala, and Gökdepe segments of the MKDF, which extend eastward toward Aşgabat, do not show fresh surface expression. Infrared-stimulated luminescence ages of 3.4 ± 0.5 and 2.5 ± 0.2 ka from a river-cutting exposure along the Baharly segment predate the most recent paleorupture. We conclude that individual segments of the MKDF are capable of rupturing in major (Mw&amp;gt;7.0) earthquakes, with ends of individual ruptures possibly controlled by segment boundaries. The occurrence of major earthquakes and rapid slip rate suggests that the MKDF constitutes a hazard to a populated region of Turkmenistan and northeast Iran.