Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients experience a variety of disease caused disabilities ... more Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients experience a variety of disease caused disabilities that makes them more vulnerable to the effects of disasters. This study aimed to review all existed studies about disasters and related disaster management planning about MS patients. Methods: The PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, ProQuest, science direct , and grey literature databases were searched up to the mid of 2021. All obtained titles were assessed by the inclusion criteria. s of the relevant titles were reviewed and eligible articles/documents were included for full text review and data abstraction. Results: From 24616 Articles/documents, finally 15 documents (13 articles, and 2 books) were selected. In 8 articles (53%) specifically, focused on MS patients and, in the rest focused on them as a member of people with disabilities. Most studies (10, 71.4%), emphasized on the disaster induced stress effect on MS patients. In two books/book sections, the disaster pr...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, Mar 23, 2022
Objective: To review the articles dealing with the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and th... more Objective: To review the articles dealing with the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent earthquakes to elicit the various scopes of the lessons learned including the challenges, the successful measures, and the recommendations. Methods: To detect the relevant studies published between February 1, 2020 and June 9, 2021, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched. Having considered specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, 18 studies were included. Results: Seven major earthquakes have occurred concurrently or before the pandemic era, including Albania, Croatia, Haiti, Great East Japan, Mexico, Nepal, and Utah. Thematic analysis revealed five themes for the 'challenges' (management inefficiency, increased life-threatening, economic, socially-related, and dual psychological challenges); four themes for the 'efficient response measures' (healthcare services measures, government measures, community-based cooperative activities, and disaster management response); and three major themes with seven sub-themes for the 'recommendations' including 'the mitigation phase' (identifying probable natural disasters), 'the preparedness phase' (preparing necessary equipment), and 'the response phase' (mental care response measures, healthcare-related COVID-19 measures, economic improvement measures, recognizing community-based capabilities, and government-related boosting measures). Conclusion: It is suggested that these scopes of the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the earthquakes be studied in systematic reviews.
Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2020
Nowadays, applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) have been introduced in different fields ... more Nowadays, applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) have been introduced in different fields of medicine to provide more efficient medical services to the patients. A systematic mapping study was conducted to answer ten research questions with the purposes of identifying and classifying the present medical IoT technological features as well as recognizing the opportunities for future developments. We reviewed how cloud, wearable technologies, wireless communication technologies, messaging protocols, security methods, development boards, microcontrollers, mobile/IoT operating systems, and programming languages have been engaged in medical IoT. Based on specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, 89 papers, published between 2000 and 2018, were screened and selected. It was found that IoT studies, with a publication rise between 2015 and 2018, predominantly dealt with the following IoT features: (a) wearable sensor types of chiefly accelerometer and ECG placed on 16 different body part...
Although wet cupping has been a treatment for centuries, its mechanism of action is not well unde... more Although wet cupping has been a treatment for centuries, its mechanism of action is not well understood. Because the anatomical features of the wet-cupping area might play a role in its mechanism, we focus on the features of the interscapular area in which a common type of wet-cupping therapy (WCT), called Hijamat-e-Aam in Iranian medicine, is usually applied and discuss the possible relation of those features to the acupuncture meridians. We gathered and analyzed data from reliable textbooks on modern medicine with a focus on the anatomical features of the interscapular area, topics related to WTC in Iranian medicine, and acupuncture sources obtained by searching PubMed, Google-Scholar, and Science Direct. The interscapular area used for WCT was found to have special features: brown adipose tissue, immediate proximity to sympathetic ganglia, passage of the thoracic duct, two important acupuncture meridians, and proximity to the main vessel divisions carrying blood from the heart an...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2022
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has somehow affected the lives of 80% of the wor... more The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has somehow affected the lives of 80% of the world’s population. Iran has also experienced numerous outbreaks of this disease. The fifth wave having occurred in August 2021 was one of the most agonizing incidence of the pandemic in the country. The current study discusses the possible dimensions and causes of successive waves of COVID-19 in Iran, namely, the consequences of a significant delay in vaccination administration in due time, the collective overwhelming fallacy toward immunization, the polypharmacy controversy, inadequate community-based participation in risk reduction, and noticeable decrease in the public’s resilience. A variety of strategies have been recommended in the article to modify the principal challenges in order to help control the pandemic in the country.
During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for al... more During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for all members of academia. There is, however, a widespread belief according to which more value is given to the articles published in internationally-recognized, high standard journals. An issue raised in this regard is whether the articles published in highly prestigious journals are remarkably different from those published in other journals as far as their contents and rhetorical styles are concerned. Taking the organization of information/moves into account, the present study seeks the probable differences existing between the two groups of 32 research articles (RAs) randomly selected from among Iranian ISI and non-ISI medical journals in English, published between
Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2016
Background: Learning Management System (LMS) is a web-based system designed to support teaching a... more Background: Learning Management System (LMS) is a web-based system designed to support teaching and learning at an institution. The capabilities of any LMS are required to be evaluated to detect the room for improvement. This study aimed at discovering the students’ perceptions of the functions of the LMS at Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Methods: This qualitative study included 15 students of two master programs of Biostatistics and Medical Librarianship during the fall semester of 2015. The participants were asked to write down their perceptions of the experiences they had while using the LMS and classify them based on two categories of "Advantages and Drawbacks". Framework Analysis technique was used to analyze the views. Results: The themes emerging from the ‘Advantages’ included advantages for the students, advantages for the teachers, and advantages for both; however, those from the ‘Drawbacks’ were found to be technical and nontechnical problems. Conclu...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2020
Objective: In the present study, the factors inducing the successful immediate mitigation measure... more Objective: In the present study, the factors inducing the successful immediate mitigation measures and other activities at Haji-Abad village in Golestan Province, Iran, were scrutinized. Methods: To find authentic data, information was gathered from a variety of sources, including mass media documents and interviews with the related Health House attendant (Behvarz) at Haji-Abad and the disaster liaison at the Rural-Urban Healthcare Center, both of whom were among the residents. A thematic analysis was performed on the transcriptions. Results: The findings showed that apart from the favorable geographical location of the area, appropriate education as well as vast family kinship among the residents were the major causes that induced high-risk perception, adequate collaboration and coordination among the residents and between them and the local authorities, and the women's active participation; these major effects, in turn, helped provide all of the efficient mitigation measures l...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2021
In March 2020, concurrently with the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iran, the... more In March 2020, concurrently with the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iran, the rate of alcohol poisoning was unexpectedly increased in the country. This study has attempted to make an overall description and analysis of this phenomenon by collecting credible data from the field, news, and reports published by the emergency centers and the Iranian Ministry of Health. The investigations showed that in May 20, 2020, more than 6150 people have been affected by methanol poisoning from whom 804 deaths have been reported. A major cause of the increased rate of alcohol poisoning in this period was actually the illusion that alcohol could eliminate the coronaviruses having entered the body. It is of utmost importance that all mass media try to dismiss the cultural, religious, and political considerations and prepare convincing programs to openly discuss the side-effects of forged alcohol consumption with the public, especially with the youth. It must be clearly specified t...
During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for al... more During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for all members of academia. There is, however, a widespread belief according to which more value is given to the articles published in internationally-recognized, high standard journals. An issue raised in this regard is whether the articles published in highly prestigious journals are remarkably different from those published in other journals as far as their contents and rhetorical styles are concerned. Taking the organization of information/moves into account, the present study seeks the probable differences existing between the two groups of 32 research articles (RAs) randomly selected from among Iranian ISI and non-ISI medical journals in English, published between January 2008 and February 2009, through analyzing the Introduction and Discussion sections of these articles based on the model presented by Nwogu (1997). The results of Mann-Whittney U and correlational tests revealed that Mo...
Flood is the most common natural hazard in Iran, which annually affects the environment and human... more Flood is the most common natural hazard in Iran, which annually affects the environment and human lives. On March 25, 2019 in Shiraz-Iran, following a heavy rainfall, the occurrence of a flash flood caused an extensive number of deaths, injuries, and vehicle demolitions in a short time. Evidence suggests that man-made causes of the incident, including unsustainable urban development and lack of early warning services, have played a more influential role compared with its natural causes. This study has attempted to substantiate that understanding disaster risks, as the first priority of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030, directly impacts the decisions and actions of policymakers, local authorities, and the public. To provide more safety, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction, attention should primarily be paid on making a cultural paradigm shift through providing sufficient training in developing appropriate disaster risk perception in the community at ...
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients experience a variety of disease caused disabilities ... more Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients experience a variety of disease caused disabilities that makes them more vulnerable to the effects of disasters. This study aimed to review all existed studies about disasters and related disaster management planning about MS patients. Methods: The PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, ProQuest, science direct , and grey literature databases were searched up to the mid of 2021. All obtained titles were assessed by the inclusion criteria. s of the relevant titles were reviewed and eligible articles/documents were included for full text review and data abstraction. Results: From 24616 Articles/documents, finally 15 documents (13 articles, and 2 books) were selected. In 8 articles (53%) specifically, focused on MS patients and, in the rest focused on them as a member of people with disabilities. Most studies (10, 71.4%), emphasized on the disaster induced stress effect on MS patients. In two books/book sections, the disaster pr...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, Mar 23, 2022
Objective: To review the articles dealing with the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and th... more Objective: To review the articles dealing with the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent earthquakes to elicit the various scopes of the lessons learned including the challenges, the successful measures, and the recommendations. Methods: To detect the relevant studies published between February 1, 2020 and June 9, 2021, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched. Having considered specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, 18 studies were included. Results: Seven major earthquakes have occurred concurrently or before the pandemic era, including Albania, Croatia, Haiti, Great East Japan, Mexico, Nepal, and Utah. Thematic analysis revealed five themes for the 'challenges' (management inefficiency, increased life-threatening, economic, socially-related, and dual psychological challenges); four themes for the 'efficient response measures' (healthcare services measures, government measures, community-based cooperative activities, and disaster management response); and three major themes with seven sub-themes for the 'recommendations' including 'the mitigation phase' (identifying probable natural disasters), 'the preparedness phase' (preparing necessary equipment), and 'the response phase' (mental care response measures, healthcare-related COVID-19 measures, economic improvement measures, recognizing community-based capabilities, and government-related boosting measures). Conclusion: It is suggested that these scopes of the mutual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the earthquakes be studied in systematic reviews.
Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2020
Nowadays, applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) have been introduced in different fields ... more Nowadays, applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) have been introduced in different fields of medicine to provide more efficient medical services to the patients. A systematic mapping study was conducted to answer ten research questions with the purposes of identifying and classifying the present medical IoT technological features as well as recognizing the opportunities for future developments. We reviewed how cloud, wearable technologies, wireless communication technologies, messaging protocols, security methods, development boards, microcontrollers, mobile/IoT operating systems, and programming languages have been engaged in medical IoT. Based on specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, 89 papers, published between 2000 and 2018, were screened and selected. It was found that IoT studies, with a publication rise between 2015 and 2018, predominantly dealt with the following IoT features: (a) wearable sensor types of chiefly accelerometer and ECG placed on 16 different body part...
Although wet cupping has been a treatment for centuries, its mechanism of action is not well unde... more Although wet cupping has been a treatment for centuries, its mechanism of action is not well understood. Because the anatomical features of the wet-cupping area might play a role in its mechanism, we focus on the features of the interscapular area in which a common type of wet-cupping therapy (WCT), called Hijamat-e-Aam in Iranian medicine, is usually applied and discuss the possible relation of those features to the acupuncture meridians. We gathered and analyzed data from reliable textbooks on modern medicine with a focus on the anatomical features of the interscapular area, topics related to WTC in Iranian medicine, and acupuncture sources obtained by searching PubMed, Google-Scholar, and Science Direct. The interscapular area used for WCT was found to have special features: brown adipose tissue, immediate proximity to sympathetic ganglia, passage of the thoracic duct, two important acupuncture meridians, and proximity to the main vessel divisions carrying blood from the heart an...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2022
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has somehow affected the lives of 80% of the wor... more The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has somehow affected the lives of 80% of the world’s population. Iran has also experienced numerous outbreaks of this disease. The fifth wave having occurred in August 2021 was one of the most agonizing incidence of the pandemic in the country. The current study discusses the possible dimensions and causes of successive waves of COVID-19 in Iran, namely, the consequences of a significant delay in vaccination administration in due time, the collective overwhelming fallacy toward immunization, the polypharmacy controversy, inadequate community-based participation in risk reduction, and noticeable decrease in the public’s resilience. A variety of strategies have been recommended in the article to modify the principal challenges in order to help control the pandemic in the country.
During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for al... more During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for all members of academia. There is, however, a widespread belief according to which more value is given to the articles published in internationally-recognized, high standard journals. An issue raised in this regard is whether the articles published in highly prestigious journals are remarkably different from those published in other journals as far as their contents and rhetorical styles are concerned. Taking the organization of information/moves into account, the present study seeks the probable differences existing between the two groups of 32 research articles (RAs) randomly selected from among Iranian ISI and non-ISI medical journals in English, published between
Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2016
Background: Learning Management System (LMS) is a web-based system designed to support teaching a... more Background: Learning Management System (LMS) is a web-based system designed to support teaching and learning at an institution. The capabilities of any LMS are required to be evaluated to detect the room for improvement. This study aimed at discovering the students’ perceptions of the functions of the LMS at Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Methods: This qualitative study included 15 students of two master programs of Biostatistics and Medical Librarianship during the fall semester of 2015. The participants were asked to write down their perceptions of the experiences they had while using the LMS and classify them based on two categories of "Advantages and Drawbacks". Framework Analysis technique was used to analyze the views. Results: The themes emerging from the ‘Advantages’ included advantages for the students, advantages for the teachers, and advantages for both; however, those from the ‘Drawbacks’ were found to be technical and nontechnical problems. Conclu...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2020
Objective: In the present study, the factors inducing the successful immediate mitigation measure... more Objective: In the present study, the factors inducing the successful immediate mitigation measures and other activities at Haji-Abad village in Golestan Province, Iran, were scrutinized. Methods: To find authentic data, information was gathered from a variety of sources, including mass media documents and interviews with the related Health House attendant (Behvarz) at Haji-Abad and the disaster liaison at the Rural-Urban Healthcare Center, both of whom were among the residents. A thematic analysis was performed on the transcriptions. Results: The findings showed that apart from the favorable geographical location of the area, appropriate education as well as vast family kinship among the residents were the major causes that induced high-risk perception, adequate collaboration and coordination among the residents and between them and the local authorities, and the women's active participation; these major effects, in turn, helped provide all of the efficient mitigation measures l...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2021
In March 2020, concurrently with the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iran, the... more In March 2020, concurrently with the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iran, the rate of alcohol poisoning was unexpectedly increased in the country. This study has attempted to make an overall description and analysis of this phenomenon by collecting credible data from the field, news, and reports published by the emergency centers and the Iranian Ministry of Health. The investigations showed that in May 20, 2020, more than 6150 people have been affected by methanol poisoning from whom 804 deaths have been reported. A major cause of the increased rate of alcohol poisoning in this period was actually the illusion that alcohol could eliminate the coronaviruses having entered the body. It is of utmost importance that all mass media try to dismiss the cultural, religious, and political considerations and prepare convincing programs to openly discuss the side-effects of forged alcohol consumption with the public, especially with the youth. It must be clearly specified t...
During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for al... more During recent decades publishing articles in academic journals has become a worldwide urge for all members of academia. There is, however, a widespread belief according to which more value is given to the articles published in internationally-recognized, high standard journals. An issue raised in this regard is whether the articles published in highly prestigious journals are remarkably different from those published in other journals as far as their contents and rhetorical styles are concerned. Taking the organization of information/moves into account, the present study seeks the probable differences existing between the two groups of 32 research articles (RAs) randomly selected from among Iranian ISI and non-ISI medical journals in English, published between January 2008 and February 2009, through analyzing the Introduction and Discussion sections of these articles based on the model presented by Nwogu (1997). The results of Mann-Whittney U and correlational tests revealed that Mo...
Flood is the most common natural hazard in Iran, which annually affects the environment and human... more Flood is the most common natural hazard in Iran, which annually affects the environment and human lives. On March 25, 2019 in Shiraz-Iran, following a heavy rainfall, the occurrence of a flash flood caused an extensive number of deaths, injuries, and vehicle demolitions in a short time. Evidence suggests that man-made causes of the incident, including unsustainable urban development and lack of early warning services, have played a more influential role compared with its natural causes. This study has attempted to substantiate that understanding disaster risks, as the first priority of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030, directly impacts the decisions and actions of policymakers, local authorities, and the public. To provide more safety, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction, attention should primarily be paid on making a cultural paradigm shift through providing sufficient training in developing appropriate disaster risk perception in the community at ...
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