Background: Several factors contribute to accidents in small-scale construction projects (SSCPs). The present study aimed to assess the influential factors in SSCP accidents and introduce a model to predict their frequency. Methods: In total, 38 SSCPs were within the scope of this investigation. The safety index of accident frequency rate (AFR) causing 452 injury construction accidents during 12 years (2007-2018) was analyzed and modeled. Data analysis was performed based on feature selection using Pearson s ?2 coefficient and SPSS modeler, as well as the artificial neural networks (ANNs) in MATLAB software. Results: Mean AFR was estimated at 26.32 ± 14.83, and the results of both approaches revealed that individual factors, organizational factors, training factors, and risk management-related factors could predict the AFR involved in SSCPs. Conclusion: The findings of this research could be reliably applied in the decision-making regarding safety and health construction issues. Furthermore, Pearson s correlation-coefficient and ANN modeling are considered to be reliable tools for accident modeling in SSCPs.

Background: Savory herbs and their active essential oils have been extensively investigated as feed additives and an alternative to the use of antimicrobial agents. The present study aimed to assess their effects on broiler chicken performance. Methods: Dried savory powder (SP) (1.0% or 2.0%) or savory extract (SE) (50 or 100 ppm)was added to the basal starter (until day 22) and grower diets/drinking water, respectively. In total, 308 male Ross broilers aged 225 days were assigned to four treatment groups and the non supplemented control group. Results: On day 42, the feed conversion ratio (FCR), improved in the treatment groups (FCR =1.63 on 1.0% SP) compared to the control group (FCR =1.81 ± 0.04; P < 0.005), while no such change was observed in the feed intake or daily weight gain. The (FCR) was similar between the SP and SE at different levels. Conclusion: According to the results, 1% or 2% savory powder and 50 or 100 ppm of the savory extract as food and drinking water additives could improve the (FCR) in the 42-day broiler production cycle and could be a proper alternative to commercial essential oils.

Background: Unnecessary demand for healthcare services for patients is a major concern in health economics research, and social science researchers primarily use questionnaires. The present study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the questionnaire of the prevention of induced demand for medicine prescription. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted after designing the primary questionnaire (63 items). The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed by determining the face validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability. Results: Initially, no items were eliminated in the qualitative assessment of face validity. To determine the content validity, six items were integrated due to overlapping, and 34 items remained. Principal component analysis revealed a three-factor solution to provide the best fit. Intraclass correlation and Cronbach s alpha for each component of the questionnaire confirmed its reliability. Conclusion: In order for valid and reliable questionnaires, the views of the target group and experts must be considered and all the psychometric stages should be accomplished. Due to the differences in various studies, a single questionnaire cannot be used in every research.

Background: Phenolic compounds are an important group of pollutants in industrial wastewater, which must be treated before disposal into water resources. The present study aimed to use synthesized graphene oxide (SGO) to remove bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. Methods: Graphene oxide was synthesized using Hummers method, and BPA adsorption was assessed as a function of solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and initial BPA concentration using the batch method. Isotherms and kinetic evaluation of dye adsorption was performed using the equilibrium data. Results: Adsorption was rapid and strongly dependent on pH and adsorbent dosage, reaching the peak at the pH of 7 and adsorbent dosage of 0.8 g/l. BPA removal efficiency at the initial concentration of 10 mg/l was 98.8 ± 0.62%. Analysis of the experimental isotherm data using the Langmuir-Freundlich and Temkin models indicated that the removal process followed the Langmuir isotherm, while the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity was calculated by Langmuir fitting and determined to be 58.12 ± 1.14 mg/g. Conclusion: According to the results, SGO could be employed as an effective agent for the removal of BPA from aqueous solutions.

Background: The present study aimed to determine the antimicrobial effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus reuteri against Campylobacter jejuni in fresh and roasted chicken breast fillets. Methods: Fresh and roasted chicken breast fillets were soaked in probiotic suspensions (11 log CFU/ml) and immersed in C. jejuni suspension (5 and 3 log CFU/ml). Afterwards, the fillets were placed in clean stomacher bags and refrigerated for 10 days until further analysis. Results: The count of 5 log CFU/g in the fresh fillets treated with L. acidophilus, L. reuteri, L. reuteri, and L. acidophilus reached 3.45, 3.89, and 4.25 log CFU/g after 10 days of refrigerated storage, respectively. In the roasted fillets, the corresponding counts were estimated at 2.99, 3.54, and 3.92 log CFU/g, respectively. In addition, the inoculated 3 log CFU/g of C. jejuni reached 1.09-1.11 log CFU/g after the refrigerated storage of the fresh and roasted chicken breast fillets. Conclusion: According to the results, the addition of L. acidophilus and L. reuteri to the fresh and roasted chicken breast fillets had inhibitory effects against the growth of C. jejuni.

Background: Food security and access to sufficient healthy food are the basic needs of humans. Food insecurity may cause severe health and nutritional problems. Therefore, assessment of food security and the influential factors is essential in different communities. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of food insecurity in the households in Kermanshah in the west of Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at 1,185 households in Kermanshah city, which were selected from eight areas via cluster sampling. Data were collected using the questionnaire of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson s correlation-coefficient, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: In total, 69.5% of the households had food insecurity. Significant correlations were observed between food insecurity and family size, occupation status of the household head, number of rooms, monthly income, and education level (P = 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results, food insecurity was highly prevalent in the families in Kermanshah. Therefore, planning and implementation of interventional programs by organizations are recommended for better food access and improving the quality and quantity of food consumption in families.

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are diseases of mental origin, which are associated with unusual eating behaviors. The structure of eating behaviors may differ depending on body weight and sleep status. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and its associations with weight and sleep status in female adolescents in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 359 female students selected from the secondary high schools of Zanjan via random cluster sampling. Disordered eating attitudes and recent sleep quality were evaluated using the eating attitude test (EAT-26) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), respectively. In addition, anthropometric measurements were performed using standard protocols. Results: In total, 22.3% of the subjects had disturbed eating attitudes. Moreover, comparison of disordered eating attitude in these subjects with healthy students indicated significant differences in terms of body weight (P <0.05) and body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, abnormal eating attitude was highly prevalent in the students. Furthermore, the subjects with EDs had higher body weight, BMI, and PSQI scores, as well as shorter duration of sleep, compared to the others. And PSQI score along with shorter sleep duration than others.

Background: Road traffic accidents are considered to be a leading cause of injuries across the world. Human factors have been reported to play a key role in road traffic accidents. The present study aimed to explore the approaches to the reduction of human errors and motorcycle accidents. Methods: A participatory multistage intervention was designed and implemented through team participation. In addition, campaign interventions were implemented on the urban and high school levels on 148 students who owned motorcycles. The campaign encompassed seven strategies on the urban level and eight strategies on the school level in 2015. Results: Compared to the same period in the past year, the rate of motorcycle accidents reduced from 56.91 to 47.32 (9.59%) and 65.34 to 51.77 (13.57%) in the one-month and three-month interventions, respectively. In addition, the human factors involved in motorcycle accidents (e.g., knowledge of students) improved significantly, while no significant differences were observed in the factors of attitude and behavior. Conclusion: According to the results, the cooperation of all the stakeholders of motorcycles accidents in the design and implementation of evidence-based interventions could significantly reduce the rate of motorcycles accidents on an urban level.

Background: Population growth and industrial and agricultural activities have increased the consumption of water, leading to clean water scarcity. Wastewater treatment is an important concern as determining proper sites for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) largely influences proper operation. The present study aimed to determine an optimized site for WWTP in the rural complexes of Zanjanrood catchment in Zanjan province, Iran. Methods: The site priority map was generated using the geographical information system (GIS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Locating of the plants was based on various parameters. After map preparation, the weight of each parameter was determined using the AHP approach, and the conversion of the layers was performed using the GIS. The site priority map for each sub-catchment was determined and optimized. Results: In the criteria pairwise comparison matrix, the distance from the city had the highest value (16%), while the distance from the oil and gas transmission pipelines had the lowest value (1%). The site was located at the lowest elevation compared to the villages in each complex. Conclusion: According to the results, the AHP followed by the optimization method could pinpoint the optimal sites for the environmental protection of treatment plant construction in rural areas.

Background: The present study aimed to validate the thermal regions in Iran with an emphasis on the identification of the climatic cycles during the recent half-century. Methods: Data on daily temperature were extracted for 383 synoptic stations of Iran Meteorological Organization. For the zoning of the temperatures of Iran, multivariate statistical techniques (cluster analysis and discriminant analysis) were applied. In addition, the verification of the areas that were identified by cluster analysis and discriminant analysis was performed using the silhouette analysis. Results: Discriminant analysis and silhouette analysis could properly identify the thermal regions in Iran, and this claim was confirmed with 2% error. Moreover, the spectral analysis of the thermal regions indicated that the temperature of Iran in the first and second regions had a medium-term cycle or an occasional short-term cycle, while fluctuations were observed in the third and fourth regions, as well as 2-5-year short-term cycles. Conclusion: According to the results, the temperature of Iran was affected by several factors in some regions with variable patterns, so that diverse short-term, long-term, and medium-term cycles were dominant in the thermal regions in Iran.

Background: This research was investigated to evaluate effect of applying sunflower residues as a green manure on increasing zinc (Zn) concentration of two Iranian wheat cultivars in a Pb and cadmium (Cd) polluted soil. Methods: Treatments included the application of sunflower residuals grown in a Zn-polluted soil at two levels of 0 and 8 t/ha, two wheat cultivars in a soil contaminated with Pb (0, 400 and 800 mg Pb/kg soil) and Cd (0, 5 and 10 mg Cd/kg soil). After 7 months of the experiment. Plant Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results: The highest root and shoot Zn concentration of wheat plant was belonged to the Back cross cultivar. Addition of 8 t/ha sunflower residues in soil without Pb and Cd pollution increased the root Zn concentration of Back Cross and Kavir cultivars by 12 and 16%, respectively. The highest and lowest Zn translocation factor of wheat plants was belonged to Back Cross and Kavir cultivars, respectively. Conclusion: Applying sunflower residues has a significant effect on increasing plant Zn concentration and can be useful as a suitable way to increase Zn concentration of wheat grown in Zn deficient and heavy metal polluted soils.

Background: Active antimicrobial packaging is a novel method for increasing the safety and shelf life of food products. The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of chitosan coating nano-emulsion incorporated with Zataria multiflora and Bunium persicum essential oils at the concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, respectively on E. coli O157:H7 in vacuum-packed fish samples during 12 days of refrigeration. Methods: The samples were divided into various groups, including control (no coating), 2% chitosan, 2% chitosan nano-emulsion, and chitosan coating nano-emulsion containing Zataria multiflora and Bunium persicum essential oils at the concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, respectively. The samples were vacuum-packed and stored at refrigeration temperature, and bacterial counting was performed on days zero, one, two, four, six, eight, and 12. Results: The mean bacterial count had a significant difference between the study groups during 12 days of storage (P < 0.001). The most significant inhibitory effect on the growth of E. coli O157:H7 was observed with nano-emulsion of chitosan containing 1% of Bunium persicum. Conclusion: According to the results, using the nano-emulsion of chitosan coating with essential oils could effectively decrease the growth of E. coli O157:H7 in food products, especially fish.in food especially fish.

Background: Identification of the dominant lactic acid bacteria involved in the production of traditional cheese in Semnan could be the initiative to protect national genetic resources and produce industrial cheese with desirable texture and organoleptic characteristics similar to traditional cheeses. The present study aimed to determine the biochemical, physiological, and phenotypic properties of the dominant strains of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the traditional cheese in Semnan, Iran using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Methods: In total, 14 cheese samples were randomly collected from the northern countryside of Semnan, Iran. The isolated gram-positive and catalase-negative colonies were analyzed in terms of morphology, culture, physiology, biochemical properties, and carbohydrate fermentation pattern. Following that, the LAB isolates were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, and a phylogenetic tree was drawn for the bacterial strains. Results: In this study, 105 isolates were determined, 58 of which (55.24%) belonged to the genus Lactobacilli, and 47 isolates (44.76%) belonged to the genus Enterococci. According to the biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequencing, the identified dominant Lactobacillus species included L. plantarum (53.6%), L. paracasei (32.7%), and L. casei (13.7%). In addition, most of the Enterococcus species were E. faecium (74.47%) and E. durans (25.53%). Conclusion: According to the results, exploring the microbiological diversity of traditional cheese could contribute to the selection of proper bacterial strains for the manufacturing of products with consistent quality and original taste on an industrial scale.

Background: Health literacy promotion is considered to be an important goal in the healthcare strategic planning of every country. The present study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the health literacy questionnaire (HLQ) in the participants of Shahrekord cohort study, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 respondents who were selected via systematic, random sampling from the participants of Shahrekord cohort study. The content and construct validity of HLQ were determined, and the internal consistency of the questionnaire was evaluated using the Cronbach s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 21. Results: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability (ICC) of the factors were higher than 0.7. The construct validity of HLQ was investigated using exploratory factor analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test (0.89), and Bartlett’s test (6908.425) (P = 0.001) with VARIMAX rotation. Conclusion: According to the results, HLQ is a reliable and valid scale for the investigation of health literacy in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran. Since health literacy instruments should be revised regularly, further studies are recommended in order to evaluate health literacy using the HLQ to identify its possible deficiencies.

Background: Cancer is defined as the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells and the second most common cause of death across the world. More than half of new cancer cases are reported in developing countries, the prevalence of cancer is on the rise in these countries due to the lifestyle risk factors associated with cancer. It is predicted that cancer will become the main cause of death worldwide. The present study aimed to attain the epidemiologic data of cancer patients in Zanjan province, Iran. Methods: The data required for this descriptive study were obtained by reviewing the medical records of the patients during 2016-2018. Data analysis was performed by IBM SPSS version 25. Results: In total, 518 cancer cases were studied, (male-to-female ratio: 1.15). The mean age of the male patients was more than the females. The most common cancers were reported to be breast and brain cancer. The prevalence of cancer was higher in the residents of urban areas. Conclusion: Unlike the most of findings in this study, some of them were not in line with the studies conducted in the other provinces in Iran. Therefore, it is recommended that further investigations be conducted in this regard.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major causes of food poisoning. Since milk is a nutritious source of proteins and vitamins, it could provide the optimal conditions for the growth of several bacterial pathogens, such as S. aureus. The present study aimed to assess the frequency of Staphylococcus aureus classical enterotoxin genes in raw milk samples in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: In total, 82 bovine, unpasteurized milk samples were collected from the dairy farms in various rural areas in Zanjan, Iran. The isolation and identification of S. aureus were performed using the Baird-Parker agar, routine biochemical tests, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the S. aureus-specific femA gene. In addition, staphylococcal enterotoxin genes (e.g., sea, seb, sec, sed, and see) were assessed using PCR. Results: Following the appearance of yellow colonies with yellow zones on Mannitol salt agar, 21 S. aureus isolates (25.6%) were detected. In total, 80.9% of the isolates were positive for the presence of SE genes, and the most frequent SE gene was sea (88.2%), followed by see (58.8%), and seb (52.9%). Furthermore, 76.5% of the isolates had two or more SE genes simultaneously. Conclusion: According to the results, the presence of enterotoxigenic S. aureus in the studied raw milk samples confirmed the possible risk posed on the public health. Therefore, it is recommended that the quality of dairy product quality programs be optimized in order to intensify the sanitary inspection of these products.

Background: Vegetables are the main source of nutrients for the human being but the intake of contaminated vegetables causes several diseases. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine heavy metals concentration in leafy, fruit and root vegetables and their growing soil in Mongla, Bangladesh; and to estimate the health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) caused by heavy metal exposure through ingestion of vegetable using hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk (TCR). Methods: United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) deterministic approaches were used to assess the potential health risks to the human. Results: The average concentration of Fe, Cd, and Pb was 489.47, 0.48 and 8.15 mg/kg respectively, which was above the permissible limit recommended by WHO/FAO. Furthermore, THQ values for these metals and combined impacts of all metals (HI) were greater than the acceptable limit (1.0) which indicated a potential non-carcinogenic health risk. TCR values of Cd and Pb were greater than USEPA risk limit (>10 -6); which exerts moderate to high carcinogenic risk to the human. Conclusion: The total health risk index showed that the consumption of vegetables from this study area poses a health risk and therefore regular monitoring of heavy metals is strongly recommended.