Construction labour productivity (CLP) is affected by numerous variables made up of subjective and objective factors. Thus, CLP modelling and prediction are a complex task, leading to high ...computational cost and the risk of overfitting of data. This paper proposes a predictive model for CLP by integrating hybrid feature selection (HFS), as a combination of filter and wrapper methods, with principal component analysis (PCA). This developed HFS-PCA method reduces the dimensionality and complexity of CLP data and obtains better prediction performance by identifying the most predictive factors. Identified factors are utilized as inputs for various classification methods to predict CLP. Finally, prediction errors of the classification methods with and without using the proposed HFS-PCA method are compared, and the most accurate classification method is selected to develop the CLP predictive model. Experimental results show that using HFS-PCA for CLP prediction leads to better performances compared with past studies.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The level of socioeconomic-related inequality in physical activity in Iran is largely unknown. This study investigates socioeconomic-related inequality in poor-physical activity (PPA) among Iranian ...adults.
A total of 129,257 adult participants enrolled in the PERSIAN (Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN) Cohort were included in this study. Physical activity of adults was measured using metabolic equivalent rates (METs). Physical activity less than 41 METs/hour/day was considered PPA. The Concentration index (C) was used to quantify socioeconomic-related inequality in PPA. Moreover, the C was decomposed to identify the relative contribution of explanatory variables to inequality in PPA.
There were significant regional variations in physical activity level among Iranian adults (29.8-76.5%). The positive value of C (0.098, 95% CI = 0.092 to 0.104) suggested that the higher concentration of PPA among higher socioeconomic status (SES) adults in Iran which was consistently observed in all cohort sites.
The higher prevalence of PPA among Iranian adults, especially, women and older adults, warrant further public health attention. Since PPA is concentrated more among the high-SES population in Iran, strategies for the promotion of physical activity should focus more on economically well-off population.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Hypertension is a predisposing factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The extant literature regarding the effects of folic acid supplementation on blood pressure (BP) is inconsistent. Therefore, ...this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted to summarize the effects of folic acid supplementation on BP. A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane library, from database inception to August 2021. Data were pooled using the random-effects method and were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The pooled results of 22 studies, including 41,633 participants, showed that folic acid supplementation significantly decreased systolic BP (SBP) (WMD: −1.10 mmHg; 95% CI: −1.93 to −0.28; p = 0.008). Subgroup analysis showed that the results remained significant when baseline SBP was ≥120 mmHg, intervention duration was ≤6 weeks, intervention dose was ≥5 mg/d, in patients with CVD, males and females, and overweight participants, respectively. Furthermore, the changes observed in diastolic BP (DBP) (WMD: −0.24 mmHg; 95% CI: −0.37 to −0.10; p < 0.001) were also statistically significant. However, subgroup analysis showed that the results remained significant in subject with elevated DBP, long term duration of intervention (>6 weeks), low dose of folic acid (<5 mg/day), CVD patients, both sexes and male, and participants with normal BMI. Dose-response analysis showed that folic acid supplementation changed SBP and DBP significantly based on dose and duration. However, meta-regression analysis did not reveal any significant association between dose and duration of intervention with changes in SBP. The present study demonstrates the beneficial effects of folic acid supplementation on BP by decreasing both SBP and DBP.
Better evaluation of existing health programmes, appropriate policy making against emerging health threats, and reducing inequalities in Iran rely on a comprehensive national and subnational ...breakdown of the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors.
In this systematic analysis, we present the national and subnational estimates of the burden of disease in Iran using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. We report trends in demographics, all-cause and cause-specific mortality, as well as years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by major diseases and risk factors. A multi-intervention segmented-regression model was used to explore the overall impact of health sector changes and sanctions. For this analysis, we used a variety of sources and reports, including vital registration, census, and survey data to provide estimates of mortality and morbidity at the national and subnational level in Iran.
Iran, which had 84·3 million inhabitants in 2019, had a life expectancy of 79·6 years (95% uncertainty interval 79·2–79·9) in female individuals and 76·1 (75·6–76·5) in male individuals, an increase compared with 1990. The number of DALYs remained stable and reached 19·8 million (17·3–22·6) in 2019, of which 78·1% were caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) compared with 43·0% in 1990. During the study period, age-standardised DALY rates and YLL rates decreased considerably; however, YLDs remained nearly constant. The share of age-standardised YLDs contributing to the DALY rate steadily increased to 44·5% by 2019. With regard to the DALY rates of different provinces, inequalities were decreasing. From 1990 to 2019, although the number of DALYs attributed to all risk factors decreased by 16·8%, deaths attributable to all risk factors substantially grew by 43·8%. The regression results revealed a significant negative association between sanctions and health status.
The Iranian health-care system is encountering NCDs as its new challenge, which necessitates a coordinated multisectoral approach. Although the Iranian health-care system has been successful to some extent in controlling mortality, it has overlooked the burden of morbidity and need for rehabilitation. We did not capture alleviation of the burden of diseases in Iran following the 2004 and 2014 health sector reforms; however, the sanctions were associated with deaths of Iranians caused by NCDs.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
This study examined the dental care utilization and self-preserved dental health of Asian immigrants relative to non-immigrants in Canada. Factors associated with oral health-related disparities ...between Asian immigrants and other Canadians were further examined.
We analyzed 37,935 Canadian residents aged 12 years and older in the Canadian Community Health Survey 2012-2014 microdata file. Factors (e.g., demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyles, dental insurance coverage, and year of immigration) associated with disparities in dental health (e.g., self-perceived teeth health, dental symptoms during past one month, and teeth removed due to decay in past one year) and service utilization (e.g., visiting dentist within the last three years, visiting dentist more than once per year) between Asian immigrants and other Canadians were examined using multi-variable logistic regression models.
The frequency of dental care utilization was significantly lower in Asian immigrants than their non-immigrant counterparts. Asian immigrants had lower self-perceived dental health, were less likely to be aware of recent dental symptoms, and more likely to report tooth extractions due to tooth decay. Low education (OR = 0.42), male gender(OR = 1.51), low household income(OR = 1.60), non-diabetes(OR = 1.87), no dental insurance(OR = 0.24), short immigration length (OR = 1.75) may discourage Asian immigrants from dental care utilization. Additionally, a perceived lack of necessity to dentist-visiting was a crucial factor accounting for the disparities in dental care uptake between Asian immigrants and non-immigrants.
Asian immigrants showed lower dental care utilization and oral health than native-born Canadians.
•Use of Design of Experiments (DoE) with the aim of including the most influential uncertainty factors of CMM measurements.•An investigation into the effect of temperature on systematic error and ...measurement uncertainty in CMM measurements.•Evaluation of measurement uncertainty based on ISO 15530-3:2011 standard.•Uncertainty budget for different characteristics at different temperatures.
The design of experiments was used in this paper in order to determine the significance of particular factors for the parameters that indicate the quality of measurement results obtained by means of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Special emphasis was placed on the interaction of temperature and other factors. In accordance with the design of experiments, the diameter and roundness of a ring gauge were measured at the reference temperature and at the temperature of 26 °C. The ISO 15530-3:2011 standard for the assessment of measurement uncertainty of CMM measurements distinguishes systematic error from measurement uncertainty. Thus, separate analyses were done on how temperature, in the first place, but also workpiece position on the CMM table, coordinate system, stylus tip diameter, sampling size and interaction of temperature with other factors affect systematic error and measurement uncertainty. The experimental results showed an increase in systematic error at the higher temperature when the diameter was measured, whereas with roundness, systematic error was even smaller at the higher temperature. As for measurement uncertainty, measurements made at the higher temperature have a significantly greater uncertainty when the diameter is measured, unlike with roundness, where the effect of temperature is almost negligible.
Objective
Physical and psychosocial effects of oral cancer result in long‐term self‐management needs. Little attention has been paid to survivors' self‐efficacy in managing their care. Study goals ...were to characterise self‐care self‐efficacy and evaluate socio‐demographics, disease, attitudinal factors and psychological correlates of self‐efficacy and engagement in head and neck self‐exams.
Methods
Two hundred thirty‐two oral cancer survivors completed measures of socio‐demographics, self‐care self‐efficacy, head and neck self‐exams and attitudinal and psychological measures. Descriptive statistics characterised self‐efficacy. Hierarchical regressions evaluated predictors of self‐efficacy.
Results
Survivors felt moderately confident in the ability to manage self‐care (M = 4.04, SD = 0.75). Survivors with more comorbidities (β = −0.125), less preparedness (β = 0.241), greater information (β = −0.191), greater support needs (β = −0.224) and higher depression (β = −0.291) reported significantly lower self‐efficacy. Head and neck self‐exam engagement (44% past month) was relatively low. Higher preparedness (OR = 2.075) and self‐exam self‐efficacy (OR = 2.606) were associated with more engagement in self‐exams.
Conclusion
Many survivors report low confidence in their ability to engage in important self‐care practices. Addressing unmet information and support needs, reducing depressive symptoms and providing skill training and support may boost confidence in managing self‐care and optimise regular self‐exams.
One of the rare manifestations of fascioliasis is liver abscess. In this paper, we report the case of a 38-year-old woman with a liver abscess caused by Fasciola hepatica (F. hepatica). The patient ...was referred to the clinic with recurrent fever, right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain, and a large abscess in her liver. Despite the consumption of an antibiotic drug, she still had symptoms. The symptoms began to disappear upon starting the consumption of triclabendazole (TCBZ). Fascioliasis can manifest itself with unusual symptoms that provide no specific clue for its diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to consider F. hepatica in the differential diagnosis of liver abscess, especially in endemic regions.
Objective: Amenorrhea is an abnormal condition characterized by the absence of menstruation in women of reproductive age. According to the World Health Organization, amenorrhea ranks as the sixth ...leading cause of female infertility. Approximately 2% to 5% of women of reproductive age experience amenorrhea, which can be classified as primary amenorrhea (PA) or secondary amenorrhea (SA). Several studies have named chromosomal abnormalities among the main causes of amenorrhea, though the prevalence of these abnormalities may differ across populations. The objective of this study was to ascertain the frequency and types of chromosomal abnormalities in women with amenorrhea in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with PA and SA who underwent standard cytogenetic analysis. We also conducted a review of the literature on chromosomal abnormalities and their prevalence in SA. Results: Among the 137 cases of PA in this study, 22% exhibited chromosomal abnormalities. Numerical changes were the most common finding (46.6%) in this group, including 45,X, mosaic, and 47,XXX karyotypes. These were followed by the 46,XY karyotype (40%). Of the 51 cases of SA that received chromosomal analysis, abnormalities were identified in only one case. Additionally, our review of the literature revealed that chromosomal aberrations are responsible for 7% of SA cases globally. Conclusion: In this study, we successfully characterized the cytogenetic causes of PA and SA in a substantial population from Kermanshah Province, Iran.
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