The outbreak of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a public health emergency of international concern. The number of COVID-infected individuals and related deaths continues to rise ...rapidly. Encouraging people to adopt and sustain preventive behaviors is a central focus of public health policies that seek to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Public health policy needs improved methods to encourage people to adhere to COVID-19-preventive behaviors. In this paper, we introduce a number of insights from behavioral economics that help explain why people may behave irrationally during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, present bias, status quo bias, framing effect, optimism bias, affect heuristic, and herding behavior are discussed. We hope this paper will shed light on how insights from behavioral economics can enrich public health policies and interventions in the fight against COVID-19.
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CEKLJ, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
This paper proposes a robust control scheme to accomplish the interaction control problem between a series elastic actuator (SEA) and a flexible environment. The adaptability of the controller to ...unknown variations and robustness of the controller during interaction of the system with environment are the main aims. The control scheme is based on a fuzzy impedance control approach and consists of an inner fast terminal sliding mode force control loop. An experimental setup is designed to prove the efficiency of the developed controller. The experimental results confirm that the proposed fuzzy logic controller guarantees the sensitivity of the controlled system to unpredictable variations. Moreover, by applying the fast terminal sliding mode algorithm for the inner force control loop, the system has faster convergence to the reference path compared with similar control methods found in the literature.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this study was to assess the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and non-invasive markers of liver status in adults. This cross-sectional study was performed on 8520 ...adults, recruited in Ravansar Non-Communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study, western Iran. The DII score was calculated based on participants' dietary intakes obtained from Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Fatty Liver Index (FLI) score was calculated by anthropometric measurements and some non-invasive markers of liver status. Linear regression models were applied to estimate the associations and adjust the possible confounding factors. A greater DII score was significantly associated with higher energy intake, body mass index (BMI), body fat mass (BFM), blood pressure, and FLI (P < 0.001). Participants with the highest DII score had a significantly higher consumption saturated fat, trans fat and red meat than those in the lowest quartile (P < 0.001). After adjustments of age and sex, participants in the highest quartile of the DII score had a greater risk of FLI (β: 0.742, 95% CI: 0.254, 0.601). More pro-inflammatory diet in participants was associated with a higher FLI. The DII score was positively associated with non-invasive liver markers. Thus, having an anti-inflammatory diet can help balance liver enzymes, reduce obesity, and decrease fatty liver.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
It has been suggested that abdominal obesity might be a better cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) discriminator than overall obesity. The most appropriate obesity measures for estimating CVD events in ...Kurdish populations have not been well-recognized. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to determine the cutoff points of BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist to height ratio (WHtR) as the diagnostic cut-offs to discriminate the prevalent cardiovascular diseases. The data collected from Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort, the first Kurdish population-based study, was analyzed. The information related to BMI, WC, WHR and WHtR of 10,065 adult participants in the age range of 35-65 was analyzed in this study. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to evaluate the optimum cut-off values and to predict the incidence of cardiac events. The results showed that WHtR had the largest areas under the ROC curve for cardiac events in both male and female participants, and this was followed by WHR, WC, and BMI. The optimal cut-off values for determining the cardiac events in the Kurdish population were BMI = 27.02 kg/m
for men and BMI = 27.60 kg/m
for women, WC = 96.05 cm in men and 99.5 cm for women, WHRs = 0.96 in both sexes, and WHtR = 0.56 for men and 0.65 for women. The current study, therefore, showed that WHtR might serve as a better index of prevalent cardiac event than BMI, WHR and WC.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Background
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the most common chronic diseases and the main risk factors for T2D consist of a combination of lifestyle, unhealthy diet, and genetic factors. ...Amino acids are considered to be a major component of dietary sources for many of the associations between dietary protein and chronic disease. Therefore, this study amied to determine the association between dietary amino acid intakes and the incidence of T2D.
Methods
The present nested case-control study was conducted using data from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) Cohort Study. The information required for this study was collected from individuals who participated in the Adult Cohort Study from the start of the study until September 2023. Over a 6-year follow-up period, data from 113 new T2D cases were available. Four controls were then randomly selected for each case using density sampling. Cases and controls were matched for sex and age at the interview. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to collect data related to all amino acids including tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, and serine were also extracted. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio for the risk of T2D.
Results
Using the univariable model, a significant association was found between T2D risk and branched-chain, alkaline, sulfuric, and essential amino acids in the fourth quartile. Accordingly, individuals in the fourth quartile had a 1.81- to 1.87-fold higher risk of developing new T2D than individuals in the lowest quartile (
P
<0.05). After adjustment for several variables, the risk of developing a new T2D was 2.70 (95% CI: 1.16-6.31), 2.68 (95% CI: 1.16-6.21), 2.98 (95% CI: 1.27-6.96), 2.45 (95% CI: 1.02-5.90), and 2.66 (95% CI: 1.13-6.25) times higher, for individuals in the fourth quartile of branched-chain, alkaline, sulfuric, alcoholic, and essential amino acids compared with those in the lowest quartile, respectively.
Conclusions
The results showed that the risk of developing a new T2D was higher for individuals in the fourth quartile of branched-chain amino acids, alkaline, sulfate, and essential amino acids than in the lower quartile.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Smoking is the most preventable cause of most chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dyslipidemia is also an important risk factor for CVD. Yet, research has provided contradicting ...findings regarding the association between smoking and blood lipids. This paper examines the relationship between dyslipidemia and smoking based on the results of a cross-sectional sample of a Kurdish population in western Iran.
This population-based study was derived from the recruitment phase of Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study. Logistic regression model adjusted by confounding variables was used to determine the relationship between smoking and blood lipid components. In addition, dose-response relationship between blood lipids and the number of smoked cigarettes was evaluated.
For the purpose of this study, 7586 participants were examined. The lifetime prevalence of smoking was 19.9%, and 11.8% were current smokers. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in current smokers (54.9%) was higher than former smokers (43.9%) and in turn former smokers higher than non-smokers (38.0%). Current smokers had greater risk of abnormal HDL cholesterol OR (95% CI), 2.28(1.98 -2.62) and triglyceride OR (95% CI), 1.37(1.15 -1.67) compared to non-smokers. There was no significant difference in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol between the two groups. A dose-response relationship was found between the number of cigarettes smoked and HDL-C and TG but no relationship was observed in terms of total cholesterol and LDL-C.
As compared to non-smokers, current smokers and former smokers had abnormal HDL-C and triglyceride and abnormal total cholesterol and triglyceride, respectively. After quitting smoking, heavy smokers showed a more normal HDL-C and total cholesterol levels than the people who tended to smoke a lower number of cigarettes per day.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
High serum levels of triglycerides (Tg) and low levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) are characteristic of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). We assessed the ratio of Tg to HDL‐C as a ...way to identify MetS and insulin resistance. We also evaluated its association with severity of carotid atherosclerosis. Data were analyzed from three cohorts totaling 13,908 participants. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Optimal cut‐off for Tg/HDL‐C ratio was obtained using Youden's index in receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The risk of MetS and IR in those with a Tg/HDL‐C ratio above the optimum cutoff was evaluated by logistic regression analysis. A Tg/HDL‐C ratio above the optimal cutoff level significantly increased the odds ratio for MetS in the three cohorts (OR 6.00, 4.04, and 3.50, least in the healthy population), identified insulin resistance defined by the homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) (p < 0.0001), and was strongly associated with atherosclerosis severity (p = 0.0001). Tg/HDL‐C ratio identifies persons with MetS, insulin resistance, and severe atherosclerosis. It should be used more widely to identify patients at high risk. This is clinically important because insulin resistance is treatable.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Background
Shift work has been related to adverse health outcomes that can partially be attributed to physical inactivity. However, our knowledge of the influence of shift work on physical ...activity and sedentary behavior is inconclusive. Therefore, this study aimed to assess physical activity levels among shift and non-shift workers among a sample of Iranian adults.
Methods
Baseline data of the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study were used. All participants of RaNCD except those excluded due to unemployment or considerable disability were included in the study. We evaluated participants’ physical activity levels using the PERSIAN cohort questionnaire and examined its associations with being a shift worker.
Results
A total of 4695 participants with a mean age of 46.1 (SD = 7.74) were included in the study. In total, 1108 (23.6%) participants were shift workers, 1420 (30.2%) had insufficient physical activity levels, and 4283 (91.2%) were male. The prevalence of physical inactivity was significantly lower among shift workers compared to non-shift workers (21% vs. 33.1%, p < 0.001). Multiple backward stepwise binary logistic regression tests indicated that being a shift worker was significantly associated with a lower chance of having insufficient physical activity levels (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65–0.92, p = 0.003).
Conclusions
The prevalence of insufficient physical activity was higher among non-shift workers than shift workers in our study. By providing the factors associated with insufficient physical activity among the workers in a region of Iran, the current study findings might help policymakers target groups at higher risk of physical activity in Iran and design interventions to improve physical activity, especially among non-shift workers.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study was conducted to investigate the association between decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and nutritional status measured by Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015), in Iranian ...adults. In this cross-sectional study, data from the Ravansar non-communicable diseases cohort study were analyzed. DMFT index was employed as a measurement of oral health. The HEI-2015 score was calculated based on data obtained from Food Frequency Questionnaire and categorized into quartiles. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between HEI-2015 and DMFT. From total of 7549 participants with the mean age of 45.65 ± 7.70, 3741 of them were female (49.56%). The mean of DMFT in the highest quartile of HEI-2015 was lower than the lowest quartile (12.64 ± 7.04 vs. 14.29 ± 7.54, P < 0.001). The mean of DMFT in subject who had higher socioeconomic status (SES (was significantly lower than those with low SES (P < 0.001). The mean of DMFT in the lowest quartile of HEI-2015 was significantly lower than in the highest quartile, after adjusting for confounding variables (ß = - 0.11, 95% CI - 0.54, - 0.30). The increasing dairy intake (β = - 0.08, 95% CI - 0.13, - 0.03) was associated with decreasing DMFT score and increasing refined grains (β = 0.20, 95% CI 0.02, 0.35) and sodium (β = 0.07, 95% CI 0.02, 0.12) intake was significantly associated with increasing DMFT score. A healthy diet was associated with a decrease in DMFT score in the studied population. Following a healthy diet is recommended for oral health.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Lifestyle intervention can effectively treat patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The present study aimed to investigate the association between lifestyle factors with fatty liver ...index (FLI) in Iranian adults.
This study enrolled 7114 subjects from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study in western Iran. To compute the FLI score, anthropometric measures, and a few non-invasive liver status indicators were used. Binary logistic regression models examined the association between FLI score and lifestyle.
Participants with FLI < 60 had a lower daily energy intake compared to those with FLI ≥ 60 (2740.29 vs. 2840.33 kcal/day, P = < 0.001). The risk of NAFLD in males with high socioeconomic status (SES) was 72% higher than in those with low SES (OR: 1.72; 95% CIs 1.42-2.08). An adjusted logistic regression model showed a significantly negative association between high physical activity and fatty liver index in both men and women. (OR: 0.44, p-value < 0.001 and OR: 0.54, p-value < 0.001, respectively). The odds of NAFLD in female participants with depression were 71% higher than in non-depressed participants (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.06-2.64). Dyslipidemia and high visceral fat area (VFA) were also associated with a significant increase in the risk of NAFLD (P < 0.05).
In our study, we found that good SES, high VFA, and dyslipidemia were associated with an increased risk of NAFLD. Conversely, high physical activity reduces the risk of NAFLD. Therefore, lifestyle modification may help improve liver function.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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